In the early morning hours of August 28 two pipe bombs exploded outside Chiron, a pharmaceutical company in Emeryville, California. A group calling itself "Revolutionary Cells" claimed responsibility for the attack in a written communique`: "This action came about because Chiron has continued their murderous connection with Huntingdon Life Sciences even though they have been exposed numerous times as some of the most egregious animal killers in the industry."(1) The statement was signed "for animal liberation through armed struggle, the Revolutionary Cells --animal liberation brigade" There were no injuries and only minor property damage reported.

Chiron contracts with Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), an international animal testing firm, for the animal tests required by the FDA for approval of their drugs. MIM condemns these actions as they put the lives of animals above the lives of humyns. While we expect that under socialism the torture and killing of so many animals that are used for unnecessary and wasteful food and cosmetics will be eliminated, we do not value the lives of animals over the lives of humyns. The "Revolutionary Cells" don't even bother to explain how Chiron is using animal testing in their brief statement.

As we explained in the MIM party congress vote in 1999 on Veganism and "animal rights": "There is no meaningful non-religious view that holds the 'rights' of animals to be similar to those of humyns with regard to 'murder.' 'Deep ecology' is often just deep religion."(2) MIM approaches the issues of the environment and "animal rights" from the standpoint of the group of people in the world with no property, with 'nothing to lose but their chains:' the proletariat. MIM is thus unabashedly anthropocentric--but we recognize the value of environmental protection for humyn health reasons.

Ironically, the "Revolutionary Cells" compare their struggle to those of oppressed people around the world: "From palestine to euskal herria, from the jungles of colombia to northern ireland, the struggle will continue until all of the oppressive institutions are destroyed!" MIM finds these comparisons offensive. The oppressed and exploited peoples of the world are fighting national liberation struggles against their imperialist oppressors. While millions of people are dying around the world at the hands of imperialism the "Revolutionary Cells" focuses it's energy on animal deaths for the research of one pharmaceutical company which is researching drugs to fight cancer and infectious diseases.

MIM is under no illusions about capitalist pharmaceutical companies. They research drugs that benefit a small minority of wealthy people who live long enough to suffer from diseases such as cancer. And they patent their drugs and restrict access to those who have the real need in Third World countries, allowing people to die so that profits won't be threatened. Chiron is no different than the rest. They research TB and HIV but have taken no initiative to distribute their drugs or screening procedures to the Third World where they are most needed but unaffordable.

Only under socialism will we be able to resolve the contradictions between humyns and their environment. Only then can we ensure an end to animal research for luxury production and access to needed food and drugs for all of the worlds people.