NATO and Turkey

Turkey joined NATO in 1952 on the grounds that it would advance its joint defence skills and would benefit from it when its territorial unity, sovereignty and security was at risk or under attack. This reasoning was in line with the articles 3, 4 and 5 of the NATO treaty but was an insidious tactic to deceive the masses.
The Menderes government expressed their desire to join NATO by sending a 5000 strong troop for the Korean War in support of the US and South Korean forces. Turkish administration wanted to use their “sacrifices” in Korea as a basis for their NATO membership. They had proven their loyalty. With a protocol agreement dated 17 October 1951 the membership of Turkey and Greece was given the green light. Turkey’s membership became official on 18 February 1952. Seven months later (8 September 1952) an Allied Land Forces HQ (Southeast) was formed in Izmir with a US lieutenant general at the top. This military base was enforced further with the participation of the French, British and Italian forces in 1954. Us military presence in Turkey became an acknowledged fact with the signing of the “Treaty on the Status of the NATO Forces” on 10 March 1954. The number of NATO “facilities” (bases) in Turkey reached 112 in 1966 and kept increasing in time. Turkish administrators were not allowed in these bases without permission from NATO and US commandments.
The “Turkey-US Defence and Co-operation Agreement” of 1976 guaranteed the right for the US to use some bases such as Incirlik and Kargaburun on NATO’s behalf. Another “Cooperation Agreement” signed by the military coup government in 1980 agreed the use of 12 military bases by US on behalf of NATO for five years. Despite the fact that teh agreement is expired it is still in effect because of US demand.
The number of NATO and US bases in Turkey has increased in time and technically become more sophisticated. The Incirlik air base in Adana is the most important one and being used as the 39th main jet base of the US Air Force. It is being used as the head quarter for the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and the attacks on the regional countries. The NATO Air Base in Cigli, Izmir, is the oldest base in Turkey. It is administered by US Air Force (USAFE) and contains I-HAWK and Roland rocket systems as well as 42 fighter bombers and military personnel. NATO’s LANDSOUTHEAST HQ was moved from Naples to Izmir on 11 August 2004, followed by the stationing of the US 16th Air Fleet from Ramstein, Germany, to Izmir on 1 January 2006.
Among other main military bases in Turkey are Sile for the Stinger rockets; 3rd Jet Base Commandment in Konya for AWACS; 9th Jet Air Base in Balikesir for the “vault” rocket launching pad (6 in total); as well as Mugla Aksaz naval base, Ankara-Ahlatlibel, Amasya-Merzifon, Bartin, Chanakkale, Diyarbakir-Pirinclik, Eskishehir, İzmir-Bornova, İzmit, Kutahya, Luleburgaz, Sivas-Sarkısla, Iskenderun, Ordu-Persembe, Rize-Pazar, Erzurum, and Mardin containing “CAOC6”, NATO's joint air operation centres.
What determined the conditions and the framework of Turkey’s membership to NATO was the fact that it was a product of the military policies of the big western powers led by the US as well as resulting from the Second World War and the post war conditions. This membership brought further dependence to Turkey and enlarged NATO’s sphere of influence and military activity as far as the Soviet Union, while resulting in the neighbouring countries to see Turkey as an outpost of the US and NATO and giving way to tension in regional relations.
At a time when NATO considered the USSR and the peoples’ democracies in Eastern Europe as a military target Turkey became one of the two main forces, the second being the Shah’s Iran, of NATO’s capitalist encirclement of the USSR. The fact that NATO’s LANDSOUTHEAST HQ was stationed in Izmir was a clear sign of the role given to Turkey.
Through NATO the US guaranteed its conventional and nuclear military presence in Turkey, just like in Europe. NATO membership meant being a subcontractor of the policies of western big powers led by the US. It became public that during the 1960-61 “missile crisis” between the US and the USSR, the US atom missiles were stationed in the Incirlik base in Adana. In the name of “requirements of being a NATO member” Turkey presented its “cultural and historical relations” in the Balkans, the Middle East and the Caucasus into the service of the American strategy: it strived for the governance by the collaborating forces in these regions; manipulated Islam and the “Turkic culture” to this end; organised overt/covert lobbying activities in Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece and Albania; played a part in the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the seizure of power by pro-American forces in the Balkans and the Eastern Europe; attempted to take part in the organisation of a coup in Azerbaijan and other countries; sent military troops to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosova and Somalia. As a NATO member Turkey now has military presence in 23 countries. Because of this membership Turkey was used as a base for the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan by the US and British military. The government reasoned the deployment of troops to Afghanistan with the requirements of this membership.
NATO presence in Turkey and Turkey’s membership to NATO has led to the strengthening of the reactionary forces, military coups and increased tension and conflicts in the country and the whole region. It was under the auspices of NATO and US that those dark forces organised their sabotages, murders and coups in order to suppress popular opposition and maintain the rule of collaborating forces. Turkish counter guerrilla forces as a state organisation and as a variant of Gladios organised by the US-British secret services as part of NATO activities have been active for nearly 60 years.
One of the main obstacles before Turkey becoming an independent and democratic country is NATO and the continuation of Turkish membership to this military offensive organisation. Turkey is chained with its NATO membership as well as the military cooperation agreements with the US. In order for Turkey to break this chain it has to get out of NATO, cancel all bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements with the US and other imperialists as well as the military bases, and destroy all American nuclear-biological weapons and ammunition in its territory. Turkish, Kurdish or from any other nationalities, all progressive workers and labourers in Turkey and their revolutionary party, and progressive intellectuals are fighting for this end. This is a fight which has been going on since the 1960s. The 2004 NATO Summit in Istanbul was protested strongly.
Putting an end to Turkey’s NATO membership and the policies designed by the military agreements with the US would strike a blow to American imperialist strategy in a wide region, from the Balkans to the middle East and the Caucasus; it would also lift an obstacle to the advancement of friendly relations among the regional countries and strengthen the peoples’ struggles for independence and democracy. It is for this reason that this year, which marks the 60th anniversary of NATO and the 57th of Turkey’s membership, is set out to be the year of fight against and break away from NATO. We will see strong protests, numerous panels and meetings to educate the masses, and struggles for the closure of NATO and US military bases.

Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey - TDKP

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NATO is a threat to liberties and national sovereignty 60 years in NATO are 60 years too many

The formation of NATO in 1949 was aimed directly at socialism, at the Soviet Union and the people's democracies in Europe that had emerged victorious in the aftermath of the anti-fascist WW2. It was aimed at infringing the influence of the strengthened communist parties all over Europe, and simultaneously subduing all the European member countries and curtailing their sovereignty under the thumb of US imperialism. The Marshall plan was the main economic and financial instrument of US imperialism to subdue the «beneficiary» countries to US tutelage. In 1955, West Germany was included in the NATO alliance, thus breaching all agreements between the WW2 allies on never accepting the remilitarization of Germany.

The dominating Social Democratic party (Labour Party) in 1948 played the primary role in paving the road to Norwegian NATO membership through attacking and pursuing the Communist party (which had won great authority throughout the war of anti-fascist resistance and published the second largest newspaper immediately after the war). By ways of lies, intimidation and persecution, the protests and resistance from communists and democrats and a large section of opponents within the Labour party itself were silenced, and the way was paved for NATO and US.

For almost half a century Norway has been a potential battleground and manoeuvre area for thousands of NATO troops, and has been a hub of espionage. The North and Arctic Sea has been NATOs playground, with Norway playing an important role in surveillance and intelligence. Although Norway pretended to have official «objections» to the NATO nuclear strategy, supposedly not permitting nuclear weapons to be stationed on its territory, this was a hoax. In the 60'ies NATO had actual plans of devastating most of Northern Norway by use of nuclear mines as a measure of «defence»!

NATO is an instrument to suppress internal unrest and opposition in any member country. Years ago, it was revealed that NATO exercises in Norway were targeted at handling social unrest among workers and students. Tens of thousands of progressive citizens, including their children, have been under surveillance from the 1950'ies onwards. NATO is sure to give a helping hand to imperialist governments fearing the increasing rage of their own workers and peoples who are victimized by the consequences of the evolving grave economic crisis.

The «new concept» adopted by NATO in the 90'ies has corresponded to a grave and aggressive change in the foreign and military policy of Norway. As a small, but ambitious imperialist country, Norway is eager to defend its assets and investments in energy resources in the Caucasus and the Middle East. The war on Yugoslavia in 1999 was the first time Norwegian soldiers were involved in external military operations not sanctioned by the UN. Since 1999, Norway has been active in several illegitimate wars. Currently some 6-700 troops are taking part in the murderous occupation of Afghanistan. This is occurring under a government coaliton calling itself «red and green», consisting of the Labour party, a rural party and the Socialist Left Party (SV). The latter originated from and has been founded on opposition to; yes, NATO!

Nowadays there is much talk of a closer Nordic Defence Cooperation between Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. While the two first countries are not members of NATO, the two latter are not members of the EU. The main intention of this plan, presented as a positive bolstering of the traditional Nordic cooperation, is in effect quite different. The intention is to pave the way for Swedish and Finnish integration with the aggressive NATO alliance on the one hand, and Norwegian and Icelandic integration with the EU on the other. If the Danish prime minister Fogh Rasmussen becomes new general secretary for the NATO, this plan will be sustained.

NATO and EU both threaten the sovereignty and the freedoms of our own peoples and of other peoples and nations worldwide. Both of them must be rejected and defeated by the peoples and the working class.

Marxist Leninist Organisation Revolution of Norway
www.revolusjon.no

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ITALY: A COUNTRY WITH A LIMITED SOVEREIGNTY, OUTPOST OF IMPERIALIST AGGRESSIONS

On April 23, 1949 the Italian government controlled by the Christian Democrats and other anti communist forces, signed the North Atlantic Treaty. Since then up to today, the Italian national territory has been transformed by the USA into an “integrated system” of more than hundred of naval air and logistic bases for land troops: Aviano, Ghedi, Vicenza, Camp Derby, Camp Ederle, Gaeta, Brindisi, Sigonella, Capo Teulada, etc. (see map with the 113 bases). In some bases nuclear arms are stocked. In Naples there is the General Quarter of NATO Southern Area.
And so the Italian territory has become -in the Mediterranean area- a privileged point of departure for the USA imperialism aggressive operations, by itself or associated with the other European imperialisms (including the Italian one), directed against other peoples and countries, first of all the Middle East ones. This in flagrant violation of the art. n° 11 of the Italian Constitution.
In Naples and Vicenza there is now being planned the installation of the new Africom command for the military control of the continent, which would make of Italy a real outpost for new imperialist interventions and aggressions in Africa, Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

The consequences of the Italian participation in NATO in domestic politics have been very serious.
The presence of CIA has always conditioned the Italian governments’ politics since the Anglo-American troops landed in Sicily in 1943 wioth the Mafia help. There are additional “secret protocols” of NATO treaty, never disclosed to the Italian people; this highlights the condition of “limited sovereignty” of our country and the heavy interference in its domestic affairs.
It is well known the role that the USA and NATO, with the cooperation of the Italian secret services, played in the massacres and criminal outrages in the years of the “strategy of tension”. A strategy directed at destabilizing the political situation, at repressing the advance of he working class and communist movement, and at assuring the membership to the system dominated by the USA. From the economic point of view the political and military obligations undertaken with NATO have caused a continuous increase of military expenditure, to the detriment of public expenditure for education, health and other social purposes.
The opposition to NATO has always been strong in Italy. In the ‘50s, a lot of anti imperialist forces took part in the World Movement of Partisans for Peace, which had as its aim the ban to atomic arms. Many were the manifestations of struggle of pacifist and anti imperialist movements in front of the USA and NATO bases in Italy since the ‘60s. Particularly important was , in the 80’, the great popular mobilization against the installation of the USA missiles at Comiso, in Sicily. In the 90’ there developed the struggle against the aggression to the former Jugoslav which started from our country, at the time governed by social democrats.
In the last years, there has been a large mobilization of political, trade union, social organizations, of local movements, for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. against the enlargement of the USA military base in Vicenza, against the expansion of the base at Sigonella and the Mediterranean radar system at Niscemi in Sicily, against the increase of military expenditure and the building of the “missile shield”. Instead, Berlusconi’s reactionary government, faithful servant of the USA, wants to support and increase all these projects.
Withdrawal from the warmongering and imperialist alliances as NATO and UE, closing of all the USA and NATO military bases in Italy and all over the world, drastic reduction of military expenditure, active struggle against the war of imperialist robbery, freedom and independence for peoples: these are the aims for which the communists fight and, together with them, all the revolutionary and anti imperialist forces! 

PIATTAFORMA COMUNISTA
www.geocities.com/scintilla_mail/

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Denmark: Burning flags

The Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen is frequently mentioned by international media as a favourite candidate as the next secretary general of NATO. For the first time an acting prime minister might resign from his post to become the figurehead of this imperialist grouping, originally created to ‘counter the danger from the Soviet Union’, but presently active in Central Asia – and all over the world. The appointment of an acting head of state would indicate the increased importance attached by US and the big EU powers to the development of NATO as their joint military instrument.
The inveterate war criminal and neoliberal militarist Fogh is no doubt suited for the job. He has from 2001 been the leader of the worst rightist government in Denmark since the Nazi occupation, and has systematically turned Denmark into a front runner of imperialist aggression, racism and islamophobia. An echo of George W. Bush, Fogh played a major role in the run up to the illegal war against Iraq, even surpassing his master, stating: " Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction. This is not something we simple believe. We know it for a fact.”!
Defeated and under fire by the Danish anti war movement Fogh withdrew his soldiers from Iraq in 2007-08, sharply increasing the number of Danish combat troops in Afghanistan. 22 of them have been killed until now, proportionately the greatest losses among the NATO occupiers.
Fogh, the friend of zionist Israel, supported the islamophobic intrigue of Jyllands Posten, Denmark’s most reactionary daily, that published the Mohammed caricatures, designed as a provocation against arabs and muslims. In the 30’s of the last century this newspaper supported the policies of neighbouring chancellor Adolph Hitler towards the German jews. Fogh promoted the caricatures as ‘the Western value of freedom of expression’, while hundred of thousands muslims took to the streets, burning the Danish flag, rightly depicting Fogh as the running dog of George Bush and U.S. imperialism.
During his time in office the Danish so-called welfare state has itself been reduced to a caricature.

This is the kind of man, who is said to be the present favourite of the big EU-powers France, Germany and UK as the next secretary general of NATO. Whether Fogh will be appointed or not, the figurehead of NATO will be an accomplish militarist and imperialist. Fogh’s candidacy has created a major parliamentary crisis in Denmark, and in any case his days as Danish prime minister and leader of the war party will be numbered.
In the period of Obama, Sarkozy, Merkel and Brown NATO will not only be an auxiliary tool of the US wars, but the primary instrument of US and EU-imperialism for joint world hegemony. The European Union of old colonialist powers is not a ‘progressive counterweight to US unilateralism’. No illusions should be nurtured. Of 27 EU member countries 21 are also NATO members. Five are members of ‘Partnership for Peace’. Only Cyprus is still not involved, and only Malta has no military force in Afghanistan. Out of 26 NATO member states only the three Non-European states (Canada, US and Iceland) and one European country (Norway) are not members of the European Union.
NATO is planned to become the ‘21st century alliance for global dominance’.
Of course a majority of the Danes were and are against the imperialist wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the barbarous Israeli subjugation of the Palestinians. Great protests in the streets and elsewhere have been staged against Fogh and Danish participation in the criminal aggressions. Now the anti war movement is also focusing on combating the NATO build up.

Workers’ Communist Party of Denmark – APK
www.apk2000.dk

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France's return to the NATO command structure: a threat to all peoples

Even before he was elected as president, it became increasingly evident that Sarkozy wanted to draw closer to US imperialism and the policies of Bush. That had even earned him the nickname "Sarko the American". The election of Obama has not tempered Sarkozy's pro-Americanism; on the contrary, he is now pretending it will make Euro-transAtlantic dialogue easier.

During the election campaign, he carefully avoided announcing his plan to put an end to France's special status within NATO's command structure. What is more, when he finally announced it, in March 2008, he chose to do so in a speech to the British parliament, together with a commitment to increase the French contingent taking part, under NATO command, in the dirty war on Afghanistan. He reiterated his decision during the April 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, a few months before the war in Georgia broke out. That war, which almost set the Caucasus aflame and could have spread to Europe, did not cool down his pro-America stance: while holding the 6-month EU presidency, he made repeated statements about the "military complementarity of the EU and NATO", thus taking up one of the most contested elements of the European Constitution which, after being rejected by the French and the Dutch, was replaced by the so-called Treaty of Lisbon.
French imperialism has always been a member of NATO
And an active member: the second largest contributor of troops and the third largest in financial terms, the French armed forces have taken part in all of NATO's war operations, notably in the war against Serbia, when French planes bombed targets chosen by the US military. French power-projection forces wear the NATO label, and the military doctrine of French imperialism in the coming years, as set out in the 2008 "White Paper on Defence" borrowed the main lines of US military policy: the war against international terrorism, and securing the major powers' supply lines for raw materials, oil, etc. We already see the evidence in the imminent opening of a large French military base in Abu Dhabi. This base, combining the army, air force and navy, will face the coast of Iran, in order to control the Straits of Hormuz through which 40% of the oil passes. This is one of the regions of the world with the highest presence of armies, warships, and bases, most of which are American. The Arab Emirates of the Gulf, important clients for French arms dealers, possess more Leclerc tanks than the French army does.

Sarkozy's decision runs into multi-faceted opposition
Some on the right are evoking the spirit of De Gaulle, and crying treason. They blame Sarkozy for not having gained anything in return from Washington, apart from posts for a few French generals and 1,000 military officers.
This objection is not shared by the French people themselves, whose chief concerns are:
- participation in the dirty war on Afghanistan, whose major achievement has been the destruction of a country. The deaths of French soldiers killed in combat has only strengthened this opposition.
- fear of seeing France embroiled in an opaque system which can lead it into wars: many stress that, had France been part of the NATO command in 2003, it would have participated in the total destruction of Iraq.
- opposition to the EU reinforcing its military links with NATO.
- opposition to Sarkozy's overall policies, which are beholden to the bankers, major shareholders and the employer class.
- the economic crisis, and the government and employers' desire to make the workers and the popular masses pay for it. We reject that our taxes are not only used to pay out billions to the banks, but are also paying for this militarisation. Our slogan is therefore "We won't pay for your crisis, we won't pay for your wars: No to NATO!"

One of the unforeseen consequences of Sarkozy's decision is that the NATO issue has now become part of the political debate: there is now public discussion about NATO's real purpose, and the dangers it represents for the peoples of the world, given its expansionist aims. The enlargement of NATO means the increased danger of wars designed to protect the imperialist capitalist system now in crisis, wars against liberation movements and against the emancipation of peoples and the working class.
The workers' and popular movements are increasingly calling for NATO to be dissolved.

Workers’ Communist Party of France – PCOF

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60 years of NATO

The aggressive military alliance of NATO – a tool of the monopolies of the USA and the European imperialist countries – which has this year its 60^th anniversary since the day it was founded, continues the military involvement in other countries and plans to include new members like Albania and Croatia.

The entry of Greece into NATO was decided in the NATO summit held in Ottawa, Canada, at 20^th of September 1951. On February of 1952, it became a full member.

Almost a year later, on the 12^th of October 1953, the Papagos government signed a military agreement with the US that eliminated all traces of national sovereignty and made the country a bridgehead of the imperialists since, NATO, at any time, could use (and it did use) highways, airports, ports without any obstacle. NATO constructed military installations and, later, established military bases in many places of the country.

The entry and the participation of Greece in NATO:

1. From political point of view, eliminated all traces of national sovereignty, converted the country into a protectorate of the American-NATO imperialists, and resulted in constant interferences in the country’s internal affairs that culminated with the imposition of a military-fascist dictatorship on April 1967.
2. From economical point of view, it has been a burden to the Greek people due to the expenditure of great sums of money related directly with the NATO membership and, in general, for ever increasing military armaments.
3. From military point of view, it has resulted in the full control of the country by the American-NATO imperialists and the conversion of the Greek army into NATO division. The Souda, and Aktio military bases were fully utilized during the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and 1973 and during the recent imperialist wars against Yugoslavia and Iraq.

The Greek people have struggled for decades to achieve the removal of the military bases from the country’s territory and the exit of Greece from the aggressive military NATO alliance.

The Movement for the Reorganization of KKE (1918-1955) will actively take part in the anti-NATO demonstrations and rallies that will take place on April in various cities of Greece.

The Movement for the Reorganization of KKE (1918-1955)

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NATO: Organization of War and Terror

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded 60 years ago by a coalition of Western capitalist countries, led by the U.S., as an organization of military encirclement, aggression, attack and war against the Soviet Union and the people’s democracies.

NATO was conceived as an instrument of aggression of the imperialist camp that was trying to reconstruct its forces under United States leadership, to apply its aggressive policy in all spheres: Economically by means of institutions like the IMF and World Bank; politically through different regional organizations, the Western alliance was lined up in battle order and fortified its system by founding NATO militarily. Contrary to what is generally stated and accepted, NATO was not created against a possible threat by the USSR, but it was founded with aggressive aims six years before the formation of the Warsaw Pact.

NATO’s objective was one of militarily encirclement, aggression and subversion, without excluding the use of force against the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc; at the same time it would serve to repress the internal opposition in the Western capitalist countries.

The most concrete example is the clandestine creation in almost all the NATO countries of (counter-guerrilla) organizations such as Gladio, several of which still exist. Those forces, which have organized provocations, sabotage, assassinations and coups d’état in the European countries to prevent the development of a workers and popular opposition, have done it under the shelter of NATO and the U.S.

NATO was formed in 1949 by 12 countries as a “regional defense organization”. It spread quickly among other Western countries, and after the collapse of the USSR and the Eastern bloc, it was transformed into a “global” organization of 26 countries, including former states of the Eastern bloc.

In a document entitled “Strategic Concept for the 21st Century”, approved in 1999 in a summit on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of NATO, it clearly says that NATO is “a global military organization”. That is, the fifty-year-old great lie was acknowledged openly when NATO stated that the organization had a clearly fixed objective, which was the destruction of socialism and the Soviet Union. This was in contradiction with the fundamental principles of the UN, and therefore it was not “a regional and defensive organization.”

Today NATO is the armed branch of the global war of the capitalists and imperialists, an enormous war machine with a budget of 1,500 billion Euros, 22,000 employees and an army of 60,000 men prepared to intervene at any time; NATO organizes operations and interventions beyond the region established at its foundation (Afghanistan, former Yugoslavia, Somalia, and indirectly, Iraq, Sudan, etc.).

Presently NATO has dozens of military bases established in different countries, hundreds of bombs and nuclear warheads, weapons of mass destruction, both biological and conventional, etc. They are trying to extend this organization and thus permanently impose their order by force,

The financial, economic and social crisis that is shaking the world, and that is getting worse day by day, is increasing tensions and leading to an increasing militarization: the threat of war is palpable.

Worldwide military expenses have risen to $1,335 billion dollars in 2007. Clearly, these weapons will not be allowed to rot in warehouses. Therefore the idea of getting out of the economic crisis by means of war is being raised seriously.

The summit that the imperialist powers organized on the 60th anniversary of NATO debated its expansion towards the East, deploying anti-missile shields in Poland and the Czech Republic; plans against the workers, peoples, oppressed nations, and even against rival imperialist forces.

We, the members of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations (ICMLPO), call on the progressive forces and workers of the world to participate in the protests organized on this 60th anniversary of NATO, and to take part in the common demonstration planned for April 4 in Strasbourg, France.

Stop the militarization, reduce the budgets for arms and use that money to satisfy the needs of the peoples and youths!

• Dismantle the military bases, destroy the nuclear arms!
• Withdraw the NATO occupation forces!
• Dissolve NATO, a military organization for aggression!

International Conference of Marxist-Leninists Parties and Organizations

March, 2009

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France: Great success of the strike and demonstration of January 29

“When there is a strike, nobody notices". This provocative statement came back to strike Sarkozy like a boomerang. The first day of the nationwide strike of people of all occupations, with demonstrations in all the large cities, but also in medium-sized cities strongly affected by the layoff plans of the private companies, was a success. A success from the point of view of numbers, which made the figures put out by the police look ridiculous, a success from the point of view of the participation of the workers of the private sector, from the point of view of the content of the demands, the slogans and the combativeness of the march. A success from the point of view of the range of sectors mobilized, the auto workers, the supermarket employees, public sector employees, all together, the researchers, students, the justice and cultural workers, etc.
It is capital that must pay for its crisis
All categories of the popular masses, of the workers affected by government policy were together to express their rejection of this policy, their anger, to say “enough” and that there is no question of paying for the crisis, which is that of the system.
This refusal to pay for the crisis is the political and social message of this day of strike and demonstration.
This show of force made Sarkozy and his government maneuver. They say that they understand the concerns, but they take refuge behind the international character of the crisis and they proclaim far and wide that they will continue the reforms of social destruction, continue to help the bankers and large companies, at the cost of billions in public money. And when they say that they are open to “dialogue,” immediately afterward they say that they will not call into question the policy they are pursuing.
In this context, the publication of the “joint declaration,” which was distributed at these demonstrations by various signatory parties and organizations, including our party, is an important political act. It was greeted as such by many demonstrators.
The success of this day is a step in the formation of a front of resistance to the policy that wants us to pay for the crisis.
________________________________________
Joint Declaration
Democracy Socialism Alternative (ADS), Alter-Ekolo [network of ecologists – translator’s note], Libertarian Alternative (AL), Association of Unitary Communists (ACU), National Coordination of the Unitary Collectives for an alternative to liberalism (CNCU), The Alternatives, New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), Communist Party of France (PCF), Communist Party of the Workers of France (PCOF), Party of the Left (PG).

The People Will Not Pay For the Crisis

The popular classes are severely affected by the crisis. The concern for the future is growing. The policy of the authorities is more than ever at the service of the privileged people. It is time for a response. The organizations signing on to this appeal are defending the proposals for another policy, and are engaged in the support and participation in the mobilizations, in particular of the day of the strikes and demonstrations of people of all occupations on January 29.
In two months, the number of the unemployed has grown by more than 100,000. In the private companies, under cover of the crisis, the plans for layoffs are increasing and the part-time work affects whole sectors. Temporary and precarious workers are affected full force. The rights of the unemployed are continuously questioned. In the name of the fight against the “deficits,” the authorities have cut public budgets, privatized and placed public services into “free and unfettered” competition. It is a real plan of neo-liberal change and privatization which is accentuated with the elimination of public employment.
A few months ago the government announced to us that “the coffers are empty.” Later it found hundreds of billion (more than 428 billion Euros) to save the banks, insurance companies and other financial agencies. The various “stimulus plans” here and throughout the world have only one objective: to maintain the profits of the large capitalist groups. The crisis is a European and a world crisis. In this context, we must also mobilize for a social, ecological, democratic and feminist Europe.
There is resistance! The workers are mobilizing against the layoffs; they are organizing demonstrations with the support of the population. The movements in National Education, in particular of the high-school students and their teachers show that it is possible to make this government retreat. Poorly-housed families or those without homes are fighting for the application of the law of requisition of empty residences. The undocumented workers are continuing the fight for their regularization. We are an active part of all these resistance movements and we are taking part in the next mobilizations in January, for National Education on the 17th, for Health and Public Hospitals on the 24th, the strike and mass demonstrations of people of all occupations on January 29.
Another policy is possible, attacking the profits and financial speculation, while questioning the payment to capital. Priority must be given to wages and social rights, using the profits and dividends paid to the shareholders, replacing the “tax shelters” for privileged people and speculators with the social shelter allowing the greatest number to live better.
We demand an increase in wages, in the national minimum wage, in social security and the social minimum. We propose the cancellation of the tax package of the summer of 2007, a redistribution of the State budget to meet social needs and to develop public services at all levels, a tax reform so that companies cannot any longer favor speculation, as they do today, to the detriment of employment and working conditions.
We are opposed to layoffs, we demand the veto right for workers on layoffs. We demand the maintenance of the work contract, the maintenance of the totality of incomes and the rights of employees placed on layoff.
We reaffirm the principle of the CDI [contract of indeterminate length – translator’s note] such as reference to the work contract in the private sector and of statutory employment in the public sector. We defend the resumptions of the self-management of companies by the workers. We reject any government aid to companies that carry out layoffs.
We are acting for the suppression of tax havens, for a public appropriation of the credit system allowing another investment policy in the service of employment, social housing, public services and projects that take into account the ecological emergency.
We call into question the stability pact and the European directives of privatization; we call for a new type of development, to fight all forms of discrimination that affect the social field, to create jobs that are useful on the social and ecological level. We propose to unleash the means necessary for the objectives of production that will save energy and produce jobs, particularly in the sphere of the environment, public transport, the renewable energy sector and support for peasant agriculture.
We want to break with the financial logic developed by the European Union and its institutions, in particular the European Central Bank.
We reject the elimination of jobs in the public sector, we demand restoration of the 30,000 positions whose elimination has been decided upon, the cancellation of the privatization of health (the Bachelot law), the creation of socially useful jobs (in Health, Schools, the Post Office, Research, and new public services, housing, for early childhood, etc.). We demand the reduction of working hours without flexibility or annualization with corresponding hiring.
Strikes and demonstrations such as those of January 29 express our anger and broaden our struggles. A general popular response is urgent. We commit ourselves to placing all our forces at the service of the convergence of the struggles against layoffs, the high cost of living, unemployment and precariousness, and for the defense and increase in public services. Now is the time!
January 2009
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It is capital that must pay for its crisis

Sarkozy, who wants to “save capitalism,” has spent billions in public funds for the banks that are announcing rising profits!
At the same time, he is continuing the policy of liquidation and privatization of public services, of support for the large companies that are restructuring and laying off workers.
The auto workers are right to fight against layoffs and for payment of full wages for those on layoff.
The young people are right to fight against a society which makes their life precarious.
Minister Hortefeux [former Minister of Immigration, now Minister of Labor – translator’s note], who went from the ministry of “national shame” to that of labor, says he is open to negotiation. The government is worried about the show of force and unity of the labor and trade-union movement this January 29.
A wave of worker and popular mobilizations, of working people and youths started in Italy and Greece and has gradually affected the various countries of the EU whose governments are applying the same policy of support for the monopolies on the backs of the workers and the people.
The “joint declaration” signed by our party and a broad range of left-wing political parties is a call to support the social movement which is taking the initiative in the streets, the schools and the enterprises. It is a basis for us to fight together against this policy, which is at the exclusive service of the banks and the monopolies, and to advance demands that break with this policy.
Communist Party of the Workers of France

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Solidarity with Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, Guyana

Solidarity with the struggle of the workers, peasants, youth and people of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, Guyana, Kanaky and the Comoros
After one month of contemptuous silence, Sarkozy addressed the people of the colonies.
With unlimited cynicism, he said that he shares their “feeling of injustice” and denounced those who profit from the situation and the super-profits which increase prices.
That has lasted for decades, and it is only today that the representative of the colonial power, of the interests of the monopolies which are growing rich on the backs of the workers and peasants, discovers the injustice of which the colonized people are victims!
Behind this paternalistic statement there is fear! Fear in the face of the powerful social movement which started in Guadeloupe and which involves the French colonies one after the other. This movement of a general strike, supported by the vast majority of the populations, expresses their refusal to pay for the crisis intensified by the mechanisms of colonial domination which condemns large sectors of the population to misery.
There is also the fear of the bourgeoisie to see solidarity developing in France and on an international level, which is seen in the flood of messages coming from organizations from all the countries, including from Africa (such as those from the trade-union organizations of Burkina Faso), and the increase in demonstrations.
The other aspect of the colonial policy is repression: the gendarmes sent in great number did nothing but increase the accumulated anger and recall the unpunished massacres of the 1960s. The demonstrators did not let themselves be intimidated.
Sarkozy and his government had to retreat on some points. “These are only promises,” “they remain vague” said the LKP [Lyannaj kont Pwofitasyon – Collective Against Exploitation – translator’s note] which correctly adds that one is far from “200 Euros for all," a demand which also resonates well among the workers and popular masses in France.
It is necessary to maintain and reinforce the pressure to win the social and political demands brought out by this movement.
This fight is ours.
Together with the colonized people, we say, “the time of colonies is over!”
Paris, February 20, 2009
Communist Party of the Workers of France
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JOINT COMMUNIQUE
Support the workers of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana and Reunion

For more than three weeks, the workers of Guadeloupe have been on a united and unlimited general strike. The general strike spread to Martinique, Guyana and Reunion. They are fighting against the high cost of living, low wages, layoffs and unemployment, for their dignity.
Their fight is ours, it is exemplary.
After the success of the great mobilizations of January 29 [in France – translator’s note] and before the one for March 19, we give all our solidarity to the people of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guiana and Reunion who proclaim with the same force that the people will not pay for the crisis!
The fight of the workers of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana and Reunion is ours.
All together, Solidarity!
All out into the street Monday February 16 at 6:00 PM, Place de Clichy
Appeal signed by: Democracy Socialism Alternative (ADS), Alter-Ekolo [network of ecologists – translator’s note], Libertarian Alternative (AL), Association of Unitary Communists, National Coordination of Unitary Collectives for an alternative to liberalism (CNCU), the Federation, the Alternatives, Workers Struggle (LO), New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), Communist Party of the Workers of France (PCOF), Left Party (PG).

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