As we were preparing for publication, the news came through of the sudden
death of Dr David Kelly. Dr Kelly had been publicly named as the source of a
report by BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan, that exposed the manoeuvres of the
Blair government to justify the war against Iraq.
This revealed the systematic falsification of official documents concerning
the alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. In the last few weeks it has
been made abundantly clear that the British government has lied time and time
again about this question. In a crude attempt to defend itself against its
critics, the government has put heavy pressure on the BBC demanding that it
disassociates itself from Gilligan and even sack him.
This so-called “democrats” have scandalously interfered with the freedom
of the press, and done their best to bully and blackmail independent-minded
journalists. Not satisfied with this, they initiated a vicious campaign against
Dr Kelly, who was named by some anonymous person in the state apparatus as the
probable source of the leak.
Now Dr Kelly has been found dead. It is too early to state the exact cause of
his death. It is possible that he may have collapsed from a heart attack since
he was under a huge amount of pressure and harassment. But it is known that he
was suffering from depression and that he was put under intolerable pressure by
a parliamentary committee staffed with government stooges who made it their
business to slander and harass both Kelly and Gillingan. It is therefore
entirely possible that Kelly was driven to suicide by this government-inspired
campaign. If, as seems most likely, Dr Kelly has taken his own life, the full
responsibility for this crime must be placed at the door of number 10 Downing
Street.
The entire labour movement must protest against the appalling anti-democratic
conduct of the right wing clique around Blair which has dragged the British
people unwillingly into war on the basis of lies and misrepresentation of the
facts, and is now resorting to dirty tactics to cover up its tracks. Enough is
enough.
July 18, 2003.
