WHAT TYPE OF FLEAS ?

Written by Clement Faria on November 5, 2009 under Other News.

A Review of the book  ”The War of the Flea: A Study of Guerrilla Warfare, Theory and Practice”
by Norman Faria

Reference has been made in the Guyana press in recent days, especially since the Lusignan Massacre, about a book called “The War of the Flea: A Study of Guerrilla  Warfare, Theory and Practice” by US journalist Robert Taber..

One columnist referred to it as essential reading to understand the situation with the criminals and terrorists in Guyana.

First, nobody wants  civil unrest and division, stress and conflict and possible violence. Elections , as in Guyana  where everyone has their say, should be the way. But Taber’s book is about “guerrilla warfare” , which some oppressed peoples, even whites in more industrialised northern countries, were historically forced to engage in when all democratic avenues are blocked.

There are some insightful passages in the 160 pager (actually a booklet) about legitimate and justifiable insurgencies in places like Cuba, Vietnam and the People’s Republic of China. However, it was written  in 1965 (my edition is an updated 1969 version published by Paladin in the UK). Taber’s analysis is somewhat dated, having being overtaken by a more complex geo-political world scene and changing balance of forces including the emergence of Islamic fundamentalist radicalism.

The major flaw in the book  is  that Taber fails to make a qualitative distinction among the selected insurgencies. In other words, all are gathered together and the aims and objectives are portrayed to be basically the same.
Aside from the countries mentioned above, Taber also discusses  uprisings in Malaysia, Phillipines, Greece, Cyprus,  Ireland  and Israel. He had interviewed Fidel Castro in the Cuban mountains in 1957  and had been a founder of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee solidarity group  in the US. One could describe him at that time as a progressive. He appears sympathetic to  the justified struggles of the Vietnamese , Chinese, Irish and other peoples against  colonialism and for independence and genuine democracy. It is curious therefore how he lumps the examples of Israel and Cyprus  with the others.

The Zionist terrorists, wanting a Jewish state of Israel, helped get rid of British rule in Palestine. Though no democratic minded person would deny that the Jewish people have a right to security, the setting up of the Israeli state  in 1948 led to the alienation and deprivations of the Palestinian peoples  in the area and to  instability  which has continued to this day.

The insurgency against British rule in the nearby island of Cyprus in  the eastern Mediterraean during the 1960s was equally problematic. It was led by a right wing Cypriot Greek  named George Grivas. The military campaign launched  by his Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (known by the Greek acronym EOKA) was not supported by the Turkish Cypriot ethnic community who made up 35 per cent of the population. They were suspicious, for example,  of EOKA’s aim of uniting with neighbouring Greece. The influential left wing (Communist) Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL)  urged a mass campaign of trade union strikes, demonstrations and  peaceful elections involving both the ethnic Turks and Greeks on the the island.  In this connection, another problem with the book is that it sidesteps the reality that such a way forward worldwide have brought equally meaningful changes especially in urban areas (while guerrilla war successes have been exceptions).

Regrettably, Taber didn’t  examine the fascinating “Mau Mau” insurgency in Kenya (east Africa) ,another British colony, from 1952 to 1960. The revolt helped to hasten the independence of Kenya. Serious analysts are however still urging further research to determine if  persisting ethnic divisons and tensions may have been caused by the initial  lack of unity and  proper ideological equipment  of the insurgents led by the Kikuyu Central Association..
Where do the “fleas” come in  ?  Taber uses the analogy (comparison) of the fleas on  a dog to describe the actions of guerrillas and even terrorists. They latch on to their victim (an occupying colonialist force for example) and eventually wear him out and they take over. But what type  of flea ? After immobilising the “dog”, it is possible that the fleas  could then move on in a new, healthy  dispensation and continue to wreck havoc and evil. What are the fundamental aims ? Whose interests are the insurgents serving ?  Taber glosses over this  and we are invited to think positively of  situations, such as Israel,  which are undemocratic and unjust in a geo-political context and effectively brought about by bad fleas.
Socio-economic and political conditions  vary from country to country but  Taber effectively says strategies and tactics are universal.. In fairness, this was the mid 1960s. Che Guevara’s courageous but  flawed  guerrilla campaign in Bolivia  was  an inspirational event  for many. Castro’s forces had defeated a CIA organised landing by anti-Castro Cubans at the Bay of Pigs, where Taber reportedly  fought alongside the defenders. Taber  even brings in the “possibilities” in American cities where there were civil disturbances.

Maybe Taber was caught up in the euphoric moment. But  even then, progressive democratic and left leadership and opinion  always made a distinction about  the type of insurrection –its programme and  the extent of  its mass support. The adventurism  by misguided elements and terrorism against innocent civilians is condemned.. Outside of a genuine revolutionary period supported by significant sections of working people, farmers and patriotic businesspeople,  such “ultra leftism” may harm genuine mass movements.    Conjunctural factors need however be taken into account and consideration given to understanding and  critical support of each case.

In the  1960s and early 1970s  I was a member of the Vietnam Mobilisation Committee (VMC), the main Canadian solidarity movement on behalf of  the Vietnamese people  to reunify their country and against US imperialism.There were those who argued for “more direct action”  but the VMC’s main thrust of mobilising as many people as possible on well thought out slogans such as “US Troops out” was more effective. This, together with similar campaigns in the US and other countries, was greatly appreciated by the Vietamese . Strangely, Taber doesn’t say one word about this solidarity dimension, of mainly white working people ansd students. Such campaigns hastened, in a small way while raising peoples’ political consciousness,   the victorious entry of the communist “Viet Cong ” guerrillas  and North Vietnamese regulars into Saigon ( in 1971, if I remember correctly). What a happy moment for all of us !  Later, on my return to the Caribbean, I formed and was chairman of the Barbados group “Friends of Nicaragua” in solidarity  with the Sandinistas in Nicaragua ( Central America)  which had also come to power through a popular insurgency and ,later, in general elections.

There is no “insurgency” in Guyana, nor a need for it. . The recent urging by  Catholic priest Father Malcolm Rodrigues for “talks” with the criminals and terrorists is naive. Such “talks” will only further embolden these individuals to carry on with their evil acts before they will eventually be neutralized by the security forces and community groups..
There is no need for an “insurgency” in Guyana because we have established democracy in free and fair elections. There is also a wide range of socio-economic achievements bringing  unprecedented benefits to Guyanese of all races, though there are still challenges as in other counties. We must defend the noble achievements  of the Guyanese working people , farmers and patriotic businesspeople. We must not be black mailed and bullied by a handful of criminals and terrorists and their backers who wish to destroy such  achievements and unity of the peoples. The pointing to a few street people lying under trees ouside the Brickdam Cathedral and  drawing  of  the conclusion, as the goodly priest does, of widespread disenfranchisement and alienation of certain people is absurd.

Criminals and terrorists in Guyana must heed wise counsel, give up their ill-advised behaviour and surrender or face the inevitable consequences.

Comments