SIRTE, Libya�More than 300 members of revolutionary groups, political organizations and 10 heads of state converged on this city Aug. 30-31 to set a new course for revolutionary struggle in a changing world. It was in this same city that nearly a year ago another historic act of change occurred: some 43 African heads of state determined to set a new course by giving rebirth to the idea of a United States of Africa.

In this case, it was the 3rd Congress of the World Mathaba, an organization consisting of world groups that during the �70s and early �80s were fighting to overthrow oppressive regimes, ofttimes through armed struggle. Under the theme, "For New Concepts of Peace, Justice, Freedom & Progress in the New World Change," delegates agreed that today�s challenge is not the overthrow of governments through armed struggle, for in fact many of the former armed revolutionaries are in power today. The major challenge, they said, is the threat of imperialist-led globalization.

"We must walk in conformity with the challenges of changing times," Chief Cyril A. Allen, chair of Liberia�s ruling National Patriotic Party told The Final Call. Having benefited from the contributions of Mathaba to Liberia�s MPFL party, whose armed struggle overthrew the western-backed government of Samuel Doe," Chief Allen continued: "Multi-national companies are forming giant conglomerates. European countries are uniting for strength. So we have to change from armed struggle and freedom fighting to supporting democratic institutions, human rights and conflict resolution. We must get away from having a group of people in the bush killing the very people they claim to be supporting."

In a position paper presented to delegates on "The Challenge of Globalization," conference planners warned that global capitalists control the political, economic and cultural lives of people through the "tyranny of anonymous corporate and political elite" in union with international lending institutions like the IMF.

Host head of state Col. Muammar Gadhafi voiced the most welcomed challenge to globalization during welcoming remarks on Aug. 30, when he called for the establishment of an international bank controlled by Mathaba. (See related story.)

"The real struggle for development and construction of our own countries and economies has just begun against a backdrop of a globalized world where the most powerful are also repositioning themselves," said Kgalema Motlanthe, the secretary-general of South Africa�s ruling African National Congress (ANC). "No country, no organization can even hope to have impact in today�s world unless they are part and parcel of a broader coordinated effort, and Mathaba is a vehicle appropriate for such coordination."

Dr. Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman of Malaysia�s ruling United Malaysian National Organization said globalization has forced Asian nations to unite though the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations, and it will do the same for Africa.

Referring to why his party became a part of Mathaba, he said, "We were a small country under oppression, we were minorities and couldn�t continue to depend on the ideology of the West. Mathaba gives new horizons to the needs of developing countries."

In light of new world realities, Mathaba delegates said the organization itself must expand, even considering a name change. Mathaba must establish other regional headquarters, promote conflict resolution and democracy and refocus from simply supporting liberation movements to encouraging participation by new forces such as peace groups, environmentalist movements, women�s movements and Green parties, delegates agreed.

"The days of the gun are over because many of the conflicts now are senseless," said Min. Akbar Muhammad, international representative of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. "Therefore, change for Mathaba as an organization is absolutely necessary because the struggle of the masses is to improve their lives."

Min. Akbar said the calls for conflict resolution and the establishment of an international bank are highlights of the conference. He said Mathaba must also examine the effectiveness of governments that have adopted the Westminster system of parliaments, elections of prime ministers, presidents and heads of state.

"We must examine if (this form of government) serves the needs of the oppressed masses," he said. "What we�ve seen in the last 100 years is it has not served the masses but it has served the needs of industrialized nations and rulers, especially the private sector. It is this private sector that uses the masses to build their wealth and are protected by the governments in these societies."

The World Mathaba was adopted in 1981 in Tripoli, Libya, where it is headquartered, and formally inaugurated in 1983. The First General Congress was convened in 1982 and the Second General Congress held in 1986. Its goals were generally to support liberation movements in their fight against oppression, racism, fascism and Zionism. However, activities of the Mathaba were severely hampered following UN sanctions on Libya and many of the movements Mathaba supported were termed by the western press as terrorists.

"Generally, the liberation movements have succeeded in taking power," said Satur C. Ocampo of the ruling New Patriotic Alliance in the Philippines. Mr. Ocampo is the former spokesman for the armed struggle movement, the National Democratic Front.

"Mathaba will have to expand to provide room for liberation movements that have assumed political power as well as for those who continue to struggle. The emphasis in this Congress is political struggle, whereas it was support for armed struggle.

"I appreciate the emphasis on calling for unity in combating globalization, which is the same old American program of capitalists controlling the world."

Prime Minister Rose Douglas of Dominica, a former Mathaba executive board member, told The Final Call: "We have to set up banking, trading mechanisms, unite Africans in the Diaspora and build alliances as well. There�s still a need for a Mathaba with a different form and orientation."

"Africa is the richest continent on earth and there shouldn�t be a fundamental contradiction between people of a land and its growth," said Elombe Brath, of the Patrice Lumumba Coalition based in New York. "But, if imperialism can control the price of commodities even though they don�t own the natural resources, then we will always find ourselves in quicksand, constantly going down.

"The idea of an international bank controlled by Mathaba terrorizes the imperialists," he said.

�James G. Muhammad