PCOT: Declaration on the Elections to the Constituent Assembly

On the evening of October 27, 2011, the Superior Independent Election Commission (ISIE) published the provisional results of the elections to the Constituent Assembly. The Ennahdha movement came out on top, followed respectively by the Congress for the Republic (CPR), the Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties (FDTL), the People's Petition for Freedom, Justice and Development… the Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia (PCOT) won only three seats, in Sfax, Kairouan and Siliana.

The PCOT has noted that these elections, the first since the revolution, were pluralist, open to all parties and all political and ideological trends. However, it cannot help pointing out the irregularities that tainted them, in the interests of truth, far from the hypocrisy of the Ben Ali era, which excels in praise and conceals the truth from the people.
1. According to the official figures of the ISIE, the rate of participation did not exceed 48.9%, which means that the majority of voters (3,867,197 out of 7,569,824 voters) did not take part in the election. One should question what are the causes of this low participation, particularly in view of the general political and social circumstances in which the vote took place.
2. Money played a dirty and dangerous role in these elections, by "political advertising" which did not escape anyone, by large-scale corruption in the form of "gifts" to the electors and “charitable and social services". These acts persisted up to the day of the elections and in the face of which the ISIE proved impotent.
3. The media still under the control of the agents of the former regime, including the public media, promoted certain political forces to the detriment of others. They did not allow public opinion to understand the issues in the elections to the Constituent Assembly; rather, they focused on secondary themes and sowed confusion about issues relating to religious beliefs.
4. During these elections religion has been seriously exploited in the mosques and public spaces. For example, most of the sermons on Friday, October 21, only two days before the elections, called implicitly or explicitly for a vote for certain parties against others, under the pretext that they represent the religion or that their members pray, which reminds us of the practices of the Ben Ali era.
5. The exploitation of religion goes along with base campaigns of slander against the revolutionary and democratic forces, such as our party. Orchestrated by reactionary and counter-revolutionary forces, these campaigns diverted the attention of the people from the real political, economic, social and cultural issues but also their division based on religious criteria.
6. Several irregularities were committed on the day of the vote, including by members of the polling stations. Private buses and cars were used to transport voters, especially those who were not registered voluntarily, the election campaign continued until election day, including in front of the polling stations to encourage people to vote for certain lists, food and drinks were distributed inside the polling stations, etc.
Reported by watchdog agencies, independent reports and observers, these violations of the principles of democratic elections sully the honesty and transparency of the elections. One way or another they influenced the results of the elections. The attempt of the ISIE to minimize their importance reveals its inability to thwart them.
7. The successive reports of the announcement of the results call into question the transparency of the elections. The coming days may reveal the causes of these multiple postponements.
8. The PCOT, which participated in this election, was the first to call for the election of a Constituent Assembly to break with the tyranny. It led a clean campaign on the financial and political but also ethical plane. It focused on its proposals and programs, relying on the will of its activists. It was also faced with a very defamatory campaign and suffered from a flagrant media blockade.
The results obtained by the PCOT are weak; they do not reflect its involvement on the ground, its roots, its militant history and its vanguard role in the Tunisian revolution against the dictatorship. While it is true that these results are related to the above-mentioned general climate, the organs of the party never failed to evaluate and analyze our responsibilities.
9. Besides these results, the PCOT will continue to fight tirelessly, alongside the workers and the popular strata, for the fulfillment of the objectives of the revolution and the establishment of a genuine democratic, patriotic and popular change.
In this campaign, the PCOT was able to win many supporters, convinced by its program, its positions, its credibility and its principles; they will form the solid basis of a new start in order to meet future challenges.
On this occasion, the PCOT wishes to thank all those who supported it and gave it their vote, it assures them that its representatives in the Constituent Assembly will strenuously defend the mission for which they were elected.
Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia
44, rue de Palestine
1002 Tunis, Tunisia

www.albadil.org
PCOT@albadil.org

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Greeting of the ICMLPO to the Congress of the PCOT, presented by Comrade Raul Marco

Dear comrades of the Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia; dear comrades of the Marxist-Leninist parties, the revolutionary parties, the democratic and anti-imperialist parties and organizations present here:
Through you, comrades of the PCOT, we salute the working class, the youth, the peasantry and the Tunisian people in general, who have risen up to expel the tyrant and his clique, pushing forward the revolution in your country, the Maghreb and the Next East.

We thank for allowing us to take part in the tribune of your Second Congress, the first one of the revolutionary era; if you can celebrate this event openly, it is because you have managed to impose your presence in the struggle, through the constant activity of your militants for years: from the years of the most bloodthirsty dictatorship to the months of the fight for its overthrow.
As you write on your banners, on your posters, in your newspaper, in pamphlets, it is necessary to complete this revolution, to obtain the many political and social demands of your people. Yes, one must push forward this revolutionary process to the end, which fully confirms the historical truth: it is the peoples who make history go forward. The peoples never accept submitting to the dictatorship; they resist and, when conditions are right, they rise up and are prepared to make all the sacrifices necessary to free themselves from abuse, domination and exploitation.
The revolutionary process in your country has fueled and inspired the peoples of the region to revolt, to free themselves from the ferocious dictatorships that maintain them under the control of imperialism. Not all the revolts and the movements of what has been called “the spring of the Arab peoples” have had the same force nor have they achieved the same results, but one thing is certain: the domination of imperialism in this region has been shaken; all over the dictatorships are trembling and fear that new movements will arise shouting “dégage” (“Get Out!”).
Imperialism was surprised by the process that arose in Tunisia, from where it spread. Even the governments of the imperialist countries that were the most committed to support the Ben Ali clan were surprised. French imperialism, which was among the first imperialist powers to sink its claws into Tunisia, and very many of whose politicians in charge had very close relations with the clan in power, were not at all prepared, and did everything possible to try to save the Ben Ali regime. That is something the Tunisian people will never forget!
Imperialism was surprised; however it was not prepared to let go of its prey, to give up the raw materials, the oil, the water, which abound in the countries of the Maghreb and the Next East. It wants to preserve control of this strategic region, to maintain and reinforce its military presence, especially to protect its ally, the Zionist State of Israel. An ally that, once again, is showing its ultra-reactionary policy, its policy of repression against the Palestinian people, of the denial of their national rights, even imposing a dirty blockade on the Palestinian people of Gaza. And this time it has been the countries of the EU, especially the Greek government, that is playing the role of assistant in the policy of repression against the “Gaza Freedom Flotilla”
The military intervention of the imperialist coalition against Libya is part of the policy of maintaining its control over the region. Making use of the aspirations of the Libyan people, who would like to get rid of an oppressing regime, imperialism has launched a war that is destroying the country, in order to impose a regime that is totally faithful to it and that allows it to take control of the wealth of this neighboring country of Tunisia.
Dear comrades and friends:
We have said that the wind of the revolution is blowing in the Arab countries: today, the peoples of this region have taken their place in the movement of the struggle against imperialism, for national and social liberation, which is rousing the Latin American continent to rebellion, which is awakening the peoples of Africa, which is making rise up the working class, the popular masses and the youth of the countries of Europe who refuse to pay for the crisis of the imperialist system.
To conclude, we would like to salute once again the PCOT, its leadership and all its members, represented here by you, delegates in this congress.
Your party is a tenacious, brave party, a very brave one; it is a party that has always shown proof of its political clarity and ideological firmness, even at the harshest moments of the dictatorship and of the repression.
The comrades of the PCOT long ago told us that the storm is brewing, that sooner or later there would be a social explosion, and that they were preparing for it.
As Marxist Leninists, your party has always remained faithful to your people; it has always fought, even under the most difficult conditions, to defend the interests of the workers, to defend democratic rights; it has always worked for the unity of the political and social forces, to fight the Ben Ali regime, to present an alternative to the working class, the youth and the popular masses.
In this fight, your leadership has been tempered, acquiring a rich experience that is useful to all our Marxist-Leninist parties, who know that, without the clear and decisive leadership of the communist party, a revolutionary process will not come to a good end.
Comrades, in name of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations, in name of the Marxist-Leninist parties that are present here, we say to you:
We are sure that this congress will make the correct decisions to advance the revolutionary process in your country, to advance your party, to root it in the masses.
You may be sure, comrades, that we are at your side in this fight.
Long live the Congress of the PCOT!
Long live proletarian internationalism!
(Tunisia, July 23, 2011)
Statement signed by those present:
PCOF of France, TDKP of Turkey, APK of Denmark, Communist Platform of Italy, PCE (M-L) of Spain, revolutionary Communist Party of Volta (Burkina Faso), Party of Labor of Iran (Toufan), PCMLE of Ecuador, Democratic Way of Morocco, Organization for the Reconstruction of the Communist Party of the Workers of Germany.

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Messsage to the Congress of the Workers' Communist party of Tunisia by M-L group “Revolution”

Dear comrades of the Workers' Communist Party of Tunisia (PCOT)

After years of suppression, imprisonments, torture and martyrdoms of many courageous cadres, the PCOT has won ever more respect and authority among the Tunisian workers and youth. The party and its leadership, where comrade Hamma must be mentioned in particular, has played an important role in the Tunisian uprising and the ousting of dictator Ben Ali last winter. We are proud to belong to the same international movement as the PCOT.

Your Congress is taking place at a time when the Tunisian uprising is at a serious crossroad. The internal and external cronies of Ben Ali, the imperialists who backed the old regime, are desperately working to put an end to the revolutionary process and to bring things back to the imperialist and neocolonial «normality». The cowardly NATO-bombing of neighbouring Libya and the imperialists’ active infiltration and utilization of the Benghazi «rebels» is for sure a warning to the other peoples in Northern Africa, threatening them to obey the imperialist «New world order».

We hope and believe that the Tunisian workers, youth, women and peasants will not yield to the imperialist plots, and that they will continue and fulfil the revolutionary national and democratic process they have embarked upon. The stronger the influence and leadership of the PCOT, the more certain the victory will be.

If there is anything we can do in our country in the way of practical solidarity with the PCOT and the Tunisian revolt, we will respond as best we can with our very limited resources.

Wishing you all success in the proceedings of the congress, which most certainly will give new energy and mature guidance to the working peoples of Tunisia.

• Long live the Tunisian example!
• Long live the PCOT!
• Long live proletarian internationalism!

Our revolutionary fraternal greetings,

Marxist-Leninist Organization Revolusjon – Norway

Oslo, July 22nd 2011

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Greetings to the first legal Congress of PCOT from the Political Committee of the Movement for the Reorganization of KKE 1918-1955

Dear comrades,

thank you for the invitation but we won't be able to participate for financial reasons. We are sending you a short greeting to your Congress:

To the CC of the Communist Workers’ Party of Tunisia

Dear Comrades,

The Greek communists send their warm greetings to your Congress along with their revolutionary solidarity salutes to the struggle of PCOT.

Your Congress is summoned and commences its proceedings in a very critical and complicated period for the fate and the further advance of the revolutionary process in your country.

The Tunisian popular revolt, the most advanced one in the Arab countries, succeeded in overthrowing the fascist Ben-Ali regime which was, together with the rest of the reactionary forces, a buttress of the imperialist powers in your country.

The storm of the unprecedented massive popular revolts – each one with its own particularities – that shook and continue to shake all the Arab countries (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen), shattered the reactionary, oppressive regimes causing alarm to their imperialist patrons all over the world.

These popular revolts, irrespective of how much they will progress, have objectively an antifascist and anti-imperialist character, a fact that deeply worries the great imperialist powers about the future of their neo-colonial domination in these countries and the entire region.

The massive revolts managed to assume massive proportions because they escaped the control of the bourgeois and reformist parties and they have historical significance not only for the people in every country involved but for the entire region. They are also important for the struggle of the European proletariat and the European peoples because they demonstrated how strong and irresistible the power of a people can be, when the struggle attains the necessary massiveness, despite the absence of revolutionary Communist Parties.

These revolts constitute one of the most important, if not the most important, events in the 21^st century and it will be recorded as such in the history of class struggle of the peoples against fascism and imperialism and the struggle for the liberation of various countries from the imperialist bondage

We wish success to your Congress proceedings.

Long live the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations!

Long live Marxism-Leninism and international proletarian solidarity!

The Political Committee of the Movement for the Reorganization of KKE 1918-1955

July 2011

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Greetings to the first legal Congress of PCOT from APK, Denmark

Workers' Communist Party of Denmark, july 2011

Dear delegates, dear comrades
On behalf of the Workers’ Communist Party of Denmark and on behalf of the Danish working class and youth we heartily greet the first congress of PCOT held in legality after the ouster of the social fascist clique of Ben Ali and consorts.
We are happy to be able to celebrate together with you this historic event for the Tunisian workers, the youth and the entire people. This is indeed a Party Congress not only of great national importance, but also of significance to the whole progressive and revolutionary global community, to the international working class and the international Marxist-Leninist communist movement.
Today Tunisia has become synonymous with its glorious revolutionary people;  it is known as the cradle of the Arabic uprisings that has begun to shake the present world order of exploitation, suppression and war.
The Tunisian people with its heroic youth and workers dared defeat a long term and seemingly stable autocratic and dictatorial regime. Even if that regime enjoyed the support of the strongest and most reactionary forces of the world, including US imperialism and the imperialist United Europe of the monopolies.
We should not forget either, that Ben Ali and his despicable Party were also members of the counterrevolutionary reformist Socialist International that hailed them as a progressive Arab figure and force.
The Tunisian people persisted and did not bend to neither the violence and terror of the regime nor to the false promises of reform from Ben Ali and his successors. It did nor listen to the sugarcoated talk of ‘democracy’ and ‘aid’ from the imperialist countries, that strongly supported Ben Ali and his clique. It persisted in the demand that Ben Ali and his party should leave the Tunesian scene completely, its institutions and organizational structures be abolished and those guilty of grave crimes against the people should be punished.
We know that you, the comrades of PCOT fighting in illegality, being the permanent target of the forces of repression, played a great role in pointing out the direction of  the revolutionary struggle and in mobilizing and uniting the people around the basic demands of the revolution at different stages in the struggle.
We rejoice in the fact that it is a genuine Marxist-Leninist party, a member Party of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and organizations that played this leading role in the struggle.
This fact is no coincidence. Only a revolutionary Party, guided by the immortal principles of Marxism-Leninism, experienced in different forms of struggle, possessing the richness of the revolutionary experience of the international working class, will be able to assume the leading role in the revolution, pushing it further forward towards its historic objectives.
No matter what difficulties and twists the Tunisian revolution has encountered and will encounter a merit of world wide significance belongs to the revolutionary people, its communist Party and all progressive forces and organizations. This is the merit of bringing to the fore the question of revolution as the vehicle of any real change. It has destroyed the agenda of the imperialist New World Order that with US imperialism at the head has shaped a world of increased mass poverty and permanent wars. It has destroyed the reformist, revisionist and religious agendas, that always end in betrayal and compromise.
The revolution is once more on the global agenda. It is a question taken up for solution. The revolution – be it democratic, anti-fascist, anti-imperialist or socialist – is the aspiration and the only possible road of the peoples, the working class and its revolutionary parties. Defeating the forces of imperialism and reaction is the primary condition for any real change. No demagogue in The White House, no populist leader or party can create this change. It is only the revolutionary people, the heroism of the mass struggles, led by the Party of the revolutionary workers that can create a better future and a more just world.
Imperialism and global reaction has been frightened by the spectre of revolution that has insisted on reappearing though they have buried it many times over. They have hastened to try to distort, strangle and lead the revolution astray. They will try to install obedient regimes, distorting the just demands of the Arab peoples against their reactionary rulers, and even launch aggressive wars to that end as has happened in neighboring Libya. No progressive regime can be born from the NATO missiles. They will try to make you suffocate in the great burden of debt. That is why we demand the annulment of the debt of Tunisia to international finance capital.
Our Party will do what it can to learn from, support and defend the Tunisien revolution. For many years of your forced illegality we have campaigned for the release of the political prisoners of the Ben Ali regime and against the persecution of Comrade Hamma Hammami and many other comrades.
Now we wish, dear Comrades, that your efforts to develop the program and the new tasks of the Tunisian revolution from this Congress will be crowned with complete success, adding new victories to those already achieved.
The entire progressive world will listen to the revolutionary signals from this historic Congress.

Hail the Congress of PCOT!
Long live the glorious Tunisian revolution and its heroic youth, workers and people!
Long live proletarian internationalism!
Long live the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organisations!
Glory to Marxism-Leninism!

Arbejderpartiet Kommunisterne

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Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia (PCOT)- Communiqué

Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia

Communiqué

It has been two months since the glorious revolution of January 14. In this period the people have made important gains thanks to their struggle and sacrifices.

After bringing down the two governments of Ghanouchi, the Tunisian people were able to impose their demand for a constituent assembly, the dissolution of the “Democratic Constitutional Union” and of the political police. They also won great progress in freedom of expression, organization, meetings and demonstrations. But despite all this, the revolution has only gone half way and great dangers hang over it, dangers that grow day by day.

Power is not in the hands of the people who rose up against tyranny, exploitation and corruption, it continues in the hands of the reactionary forces, which, through the provisional presidency and the transition government, are trying to take control of the revolution and to reduce it to a simple whitewashing of the old regime. Mbaza and Beji Kaid Sebssi are not controlled, they have refused to recognize the “National Council to Safeguard the Revolution” to avoid any control; on the contrary, they have set up a consultative authority whose members they themselves have appointed.

Mbazaa and Beji Kaid Sebsso have accepted the election of a constituent assembly but it is they who have set the date of the elections without taking the interests of the people into account. On the other hand, the dissolution of RCD¹ has not prevented its reconstitution under the guise of new parties and organizations linked to them, such as the “National Union of the Tunisian Woman.” It has been shown that the dissolution of the political police has been just a pure formality because they continue to exist; they carry out repression and torture, surveillance, tapping telephone calls, blocking the Internet… Some of their most notorious people are occupying high positions in the Ministry of the Interior, those responsible for murders and tortures have not been bothered in the least.

Threats as in the times of the old regime have reappeared, under the pretext of the “fight against violence and disorder.” The police have repressed “sit-ins” in the Kasbah and in Mahdia. Speeches that distort the aspirations of the citizens about security, to the detriment of social and political problems, are multiplying with the aim of turning aside the revolution.

In spite of the suspension of the Constitution, the laws against liberties are still in effect: those against the press and on associations, parties, meetings and demonstrations. Those laws must be repealed and be replaced by decrees that guarantee liberties, to avoid serious problems for the people.

The administration continues to be under the control of the members of the tyranny and corruption of the “Destur”², and they dominate various governmental posts. They have renewed the old practices that oppress the population; they marginalize the Committees to Safeguard the Revolution on the local and regional level and try to eliminate them.

The economic and financial situation is similar; those responsible for robbing the people, the accomplices of the criminal gang, continue in power as if nothing had happened. The justice system, undermined by corruption, has also not changed, as the Magistrates Association confirms. The media are still under the yoke of the henchmen of the Ben Ali regime and continue to function in the same way. There has not been any advance in the plans to prosecute and condemn the representatives of the tyranny and corruption, including those who assassinated the martyrs of the revolution in Sidi Bouzid, Menzel Buzaiane, Regueb, Thala, Kasserine, Tunis and other regions. Members of the circle close to Ben Ali have returned and are continuing their provocative activities.

In the economic sphere, the transitional government has not shown any will to take urgent measures, in this decisive period, to benefit the popular classes. The majority of the population, particularly in the marginalized areas, feels that there has been no change in their situation, which is very critical. Unemployment and the high cost of living continue, the public services are being cut back and the government has not shown any will to face these difficulties.

The government is not making any concessions to the revolution; it does not even condemn the minority who carried out looting while relying on the despotism.

The government continues with the budget decided by the dictator Ben Ali last December, giving priority to paying back the foreign debt incurred by the old regime, and to finance its gigantic security apparatus. In spite of its provisional character, the government has not hesitated to incur new foreign debt, nor has it taken any measures to lower the prices of products and services under control of the monopolies of the members of the ruling gang. The families of the martyrs have not been compensated, and no measures have been decided in favor of the impoverished regions.

The government justifies its attitude by its provisional character under the pretext of “not having a magic wand” to fix these problems…

However, it is the government that is preventing the prosecution and judgment of the gang that plundered the public money and confiscated public property. Besides, what is stopping them from suspend the repayment of the debt for some time, and using this to solve the problems of the people, since has been done in other countries? Why are the prices of basic foods, water and electricity not lowered? Why has it not eliminated the tax on television? Why does it not give any aid to the inhabitants of Sidi Bouzid so that they can provide electricity for their wells? Why does it not implement the proposals of the teachers to hire the unemployed with advanced degrees?

The Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia emphasizes the dangers that threaten the revolution, because it assumes its responsibilities. The people have the right to use all legal means to defend their revolution and their gains, to confront the dangers that threaten them, they have the right to fight against the government that restricts their liberties and tries to reduce their activities to debates in the “high authority.”

This period demands that the revolutionary process be deepened in order to obtain its objectives:

1. – To maintain the National Council to Safeguard the Revolution, both as an instrument for control of the provisional presidency and watch over the transition period.

2. – To postpone the election of the Constituent Assembly until after the summer, to allow the people to vote conscientiously, and for the political forces to prepare themselves well.

3. – To prevent the ringleaders of the RCD from organizing themselves into new parties.

4. – The effective and transparent dissolution of the political police and the prosecution of the torturers, murderers and looters.

5. – To clean up the public and semi-public administration by eliminating corruption and the representatives of the repression.

6. – To clean up the judicial institutions and allow the magistrates to choose their Superior Council.

7. – To clean up the news media, getting rid of the elements of the regime that was eliminated.

8. – To repeal the repressive laws and respect the rights of the people to freedom of expression, meetings and demonstrations.

9. – To immediately arrest the murderers of the martyrs and those responsible for crimes against the people, to judge the representatives of the old regime, to confiscate their property and their fortunes deposited abroad.

10. – To suspend payment of the foreign debt for three years, and to use that money to create jobs and develop the marginalized areas. To refrain from incurring new loans that undermine the independence of our country.

11. - To lower the prices of basic consumer products, of water, electricity, gas and the elimination of the tax on TV.

12. To urgently compensate the families of the martyrs and the victims of repression and looting during the revolution and during the events in the mining river basin, in Ben Guerdane, etc.

Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia

March 31, 2011

1 The Party of the dictator Ben Ali.

2 Destour: Former party established in Tunisia in the 1920s that later split into the “old” and the “new.” The “New Destour” led the struggle for the independence of Tunisia, headed by Habib Bourgiba.

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Communist Workers' Party of Tunisia opposes Libya intervention, calls for completion of revolution

The Communist Workers' Party of Tunisia on Libya: "The Tunisian revolution has spread to many Arab countries. Egypt's dictator fell, while authoritarian regimes in Yemen and Bahrain are fiercely repressing popular uprisings, in Bahrain, with the help of Saudi Arabia. Our neighbour, the Libyan people, rose up against their tormentors, but events took a bad turn with the intervention of the United States and its allies, under the pretext of protecting civilians. The US administration has hardly mentioned the killing of civilians in Yemen and Bahrain, as it has also never done regarding Gaza, Lebanon or Iraq and Afghanistan, countries it occupies. And didn’t Sarkozy support the Tunisian dictator until the last moment?
    "What drives Obama, Sarkozy and Cameron to intervene is the frantic race to grab a portion of Libyan oil, after the failure of its revolution. We support the Libyan people in their uprising, but we are against any foreign intervention, which not only hurts the revolution in Libya and Tunisia but also hurts all Arab countries. We oppose the use of our territory or our airspace in the aggression against Libya. The US, French and English colonialists have no interest in the triumph of the Arab revolution, given the danger it represents for them."
By the Communist Workers' Party of Tunisia/Parti communiste des ouvriers de Tunisie (PCOT) حزب العمّال الشّيوعي التونسي
Translated by John Catalinotto for Tlaxcala

March 23, 2011 -- This event [the legalisation of the the Communist Workers' Party of Tunisia] has important symbolic significance. It is the result, among other things, of the January 14 revolution that deposed Ben Ali, won the right to organise and inaugurated a new era for Tunisia and its people.
The PCOT was established January 3, 1986, the second anniversary of the glorious “bread uprising”, which was a way to show our determination to link our fate to that of the Tunisian people, to defend its interests and legitimate aspirations for a decent life, where freedom, democracy and social justice rule. The PCOT translated these commitments into its political program and its militant practices, under the slogan of "national and popular democratic revolution", which it continued to defend at the price of enormous sacrifices: Nabil Barakat died in martyrdom, among hundreds of our activists who have been tortured, imprisoned and denied their most basic rights, many of them forced into exile.
Our party stood shoulder to shoulder with our people during this quarter century, making the fall of the dictatorship a primary objective, considering that it constitutes a major obstacle to the emancipation of the people and the rebirth of the nation. The party had full confidence in our people; it fought against the reactionary thinking that underestimated them, accusing them of helplessness and resignation. It has continually worked to raise consciousness and organise clandestine action to the extent that the lack of freedom permitted. It participated in all the people’s struggles and helped unite the opposition to secure victory against the dictatorship.
The revolution of January 14 is the culmination of over 20 years of struggle and sacrifices of the Tunisian people, of its sons and daughters making up the different ideological and political opponents to the dictatorship, organised in parties, associations and trade union and human rights organisations or unorganised.
This revolution took on various dimensions: It is a political revolution against tyranny and subjugation, a social revolution against exploitation and corruption, a patriotic revolution for dignity. The revolution did not stop inside Tunisia; it has spread to other Arab countries, where people are rising up against corrupt and tyrannical regimes and making them fall one after another.
Revolution not yet complete
The revolution of January 14 is not yet complete because it has not achieved all its objectives, despite the progress it made. Reactionary forces are still lurking and trying to abort the revolution. They are supported in this by the United States and France, which want to reduce the revolution to a mere reform of the old regime, leaving its economic and social foundation intact. The fundamental issue in any revolution is power, and if the sectors of the population that made the revolution do not hold power, we must conclude that it neither complete nor victorious. This is the case in Tunisia where the people rose up but have not yet taken power.
In the first phase of the revolution, the people brought down the dictator. In the second phase for the victory against the dictatorship, the people, through its vigilance and determination, brought down the Ghannouchi government and imposed the demands for a constituent assembly, and dissolution of the RCD [ruling party] and the political police. It also significantly expanded the scope of freedom of expression and organisation.
However, power remains in the hands of reactionary forces, deployed in different units and institutions that continue to preserve their economic interests. These forces are committing crimes against people (assault, looting, riots ...). They try to break its unity through fueling regional, tribal and religious differences and sowing fear and terror in order to discourage the people from continuing the revolution and achieving its objectives.
The interim president and transitional government are bent on sabotaging the revolution’s legitimacy and reject any control over their decisions (appointment of delegates, security officials, the judiciary ...); this process serves the interests of the enemies of the revolution. They refused to deal with the "National Council to Defend the Revolution”, which they replaced by a “body” whose members they have appointed unilaterally. In the same way, the decision to dissolve the RCD can be rescinded by returning this party under a new form. This is also the case regarding the decision to dissolve the political police, which is surrounded by doubts and raises serious questions about its application.
Revolution stolen?
The masses, particularly in the country’s interior, are beginning to feel that nothing regarding their political and social conditions has changed, and that their revolution is about to be stolen. It is a legitimate feeling with understandable reasons. The old regime is still in place, with its apparatus and its administration. The interim government took no action, although an urgent action is needed to alleviate the burden of unemployment and the high cost of living, stop the deterioration of public services that hit the regions -- which have also suffered repression and looting before and during the outbreak of the revolution. This is the case of the mining region, of Skhira of Benguerdane and many other regions.
The Communist Workers' Party of Tunisia believes that the revolution is not over. The Tunisian people must remain vigilant to avert the dangers threatening it. The continued mobilisation, conservation and revitalisation of the "National Council to Defend the Revolution” and its committees are urgent tasks today.
Today, the people remain the only force capable of exercising control over the interim presidency and the provisional government, which it has the right to monitor and hold accountable.
The election of the "Constituent Assembly" is an important event in the coming period. Workers, toiling strata and all our people can, in conjunction with the PCOT and all democratic and revolutionary forces, make this moment a turning point to impose the will of the people and stop the enemies of the revolution in their tracks.
This cannot be accomplished without an immediate mobilisation to postpone the elections and put space between them and the dates of the examinations, to enable the people and political forces to be well prepared, given the importance of the issues that the Constituent Assembly will determine.
We must also prepare a suitable political arena, through the purging of the administration, the judiciary and the media, by the effective dissolution of the political police and the establishment of an electoral law that resolves the issue of financing the elections to ensure transparency and equality among all participants and ensure that these elections are not tainted by corruption.
The character of the transition period in no way precludes the need for urgent economic and social measures, particularly for the unemployed, or for the regions that are neglected despite their wealth and potential.
The transitional government continues to cling to the budget decided under Ben Ali, which provides a significant portion for the Department of the Interior and for the repayment of debt incurred by the dictatorship. Why should the government not cancel the debt or at least suspend it for a while, as did countries that have experienced the same conditions as Tunisia? Why not devote the full budget to improving the lives of the people? Why not revise this budget to reflect new priorities?
Libya
The Tunisian revolution has spread to many Arab countries. Egypt's dictator fell, while authoritarian regimes in Yemen and Bahrain are fiercely repressing popular uprisings, in Bahrain, with the help of Saudi Arabia. Our neighbour, the Libyan people, rose up against their tormentors, but events took a bad turn with the intervention of the United States and its allies, under the pretext of protecting civilians. The US administration has hardly mentioned the killing of civilians in Yemen and Bahrain, as it has also never done regarding Gaza, Lebanon or Iraq and Afghanistan, countries it occupies. And didn’t Sarkozy support the Tunisian dictator until the last moment?
What drives Obama, Sarkozy and Cameron to intervene is the frantic race to grab a portion of Libyan oil, after the failure of its revolution. We support the Libyan people in their uprising, but we are against any foreign intervention, which not only hurts the revolution in Libya and Tunisia but also hurts all Arab countries. We oppose the use of our territory or our airspace in the aggression against Libya. The US, French and English colonialists have no interest in the triumph of the Arab revolution, given the danger it represents for them.
    * Long live the revolution of the Tunisian people.
    * The revolution should go on until it achieves its objectives.
    * Power to the people.
    * Long live the uprisings of the Arab peoples for freedom and dignity.

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Tunisia: The Founding Statement of the 14th of January Front

Affirming our engagement in the revolution of our people which fought for its right to freedom and national dignity and made great sacrifices, including dozens of martyrs and thousands of wounded and prisoners, and in order to complete the victory against interior and external enemies and to oppose any attempts to crush the fruits of these sacrifices, we constituted "the 14th of January Front" as a political framework which will apply itself to the advancement of the revolution of our people towards the achievement of its objectives and to oppose the forces of counter-revolution.  The Front consists of national democratic and progressive parties, forces, and organizations.
The urgent tasks of this Front are:
1. To bring down the current Ghannouchi government or any government containing symbols of the old regime which applies an anti-national and anti-popular policy and serves the interests of the deposed president.
2. To dissolve the RCD and to confiscate its headquarters, its property, its financial assets and funds, since they belong to the people.
3. To form an interim government which enjoys the confidence of the people, of the militant progressive political, social, and trade-union forces, and of the youth.
4. To dissolve the House of Representatives and the Senate, all the existing artificial bodies, and the High Council of the Judiciary; to dismantle the political structure of the old regime; and to prepare the election of a constituent assembly within a maximum of one year in order to formulate a new democratic constitution and to found a new legal system to frame the public life which guarantees the political, economic, and cultural rights of the people.
5. To dissolve the political police and to adopt a new policy of security based on respect for human rights and the rule of the law.
6. To bring to justice all those who are guilty of stealing the people's money, all those who committed crimes against the people like repression, imprisonment, torture, and humiliation, whether in the decision-making or in the execution, and finally all those who are convinced of corruption and diversion of public goods.
7. To expropriate the former ruling family, their close relations and associates, and all the civil servants who used their positions to grow rich at the expense of the people.
8. To create jobs for the unemployed; to take urgent measures to grant unemployment benefits and provide greater social security and health care coverage; and to improve the purchasing power for the employed.
9. To build a national economy in the service of the people where the vital and strategic sectors are under the supervision of the State; to renationalize those institutions which have been privatized; and to formulate an economic and social policy which breaks with the liberal capitalist approach.
10. To guarantee public and individual freedoms, especially freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of the press, information, and thought; and to release prisoners and to promulgate a law of amnesty.
11. The Front hails the support of the popular masses and the progressive forces in the Arab world and the whole world for the revolution in Tunisia and invites them to continue their support by all possible means.
12. Resistance to normalization with the Zionist entity, its penalization, and the support for the national liberation movements in the Arab world and the whole world.
13. The Front calls on all the popular masses and nationalist forces and progressives to continue the mobilization and the struggle in all forms of legitimate protest, particularly in the streets, until the proposed objectives are achieved.
14. The Front hails all the committees, associations, and forms of popular self-organization and invites them to widen their sphere of intervention to all that concerns the conduct of public affairs and various aspects of everyday life.
Glory to the martyrs of the Intifada, and Victory to the revolutionary masses of our people!

Tunisia, 20 January 2011

League of the Labor Left
Movement of Nasserist Unionists
Movement of Democratic Nationalists
Democratic Nationalists (Al-Watad)
Baasist Current
Independent Left
Tunisian Communist Workers Party
Patriotic and Democratic Labour Party

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Cowardly police attack on Comrade Hamma Hammami

Draft. Translation from a text found in http://www.albadil.org/spip.php?article2420
September 29

Exposure Comrade Hamma Hammami, the spokesman for the Tunisian Communist Workers Party, upon his return from the French capital this afternoon to a barbaric attack by the political police agents of the Tunis-Carthage Airport. The beat immediately after passing a large number of Customs agents in civilian clothes were beaten and kicked over the whole body and uttered to all kinds of insults and verbal abuse, causing him bruises and several broken glasses and tearing his clothes. It was the attack on Comrade Hamma Hammami bunk, where dozens of agents deliberately police who were mobilized to evacuate the lobby of the airport and prevent many people from going to him so that they can commit their crime dirty free from sight.  (...) In fact, Comrade Hamma Hammami pay the price for his bold channels on "the island direct" and "France 24" and called for a boycott of the electoral farce Ben Ali regime is preparing to organize, to struggle for a democratic alternative for the benefit of a real grass-roots groups and ordinary people in our country.
The escalation of terrorism by the authorities against dissidents and human rights activists and Aljmaoyen in the recent period is aimed at silencing every voice free dared to expose the fictitious nature of the next election a farce and assumes his duties in the face of the individual and the ruling party continues to dominate political life in our country.
The Workers Communist Party of Tunisia (PCOT), the Tunisian people, as is promising to continue the struggle whatever the price dearly, he calls him back to the farce County October 25 as a step towards getting rid of dictatorship, as called for all opposition parties and civil society components to further unite in the face of terrorism.

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Tunisia: Attacks against Hamma Hammami and Radhia Nasraoui

Official statement of the Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia (PCOT)

Tunisia: Attacks against Hamma Hammami and Radhia Nasraoui

The Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia denounces the fact that its spokesperson Hamma Hammami and his wife, the lawyer and member of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, Radhia Nasraoui, have been subjected to harsh surveillance and to being followed by the political police. And not only Radhia, but her office is subjected to surveillance 24 hours a day by detachments of the political police. The lawyer is followed everywhere and, just as Hamma, is subjected to all kinds of intimidation.

Last March 13, Hamma Hammami was attacked in the middle of Tunis, at 6:15 PM by a group of high police officers who struck her brutally. This took place near the office of other lawyers, to whom Hamma went to denounce the persecution of which he was the victim. The police surrounded the office of that lawyer, Mokhtar Trifi, to prevent anyone from entering. The physical attack on Hamma stopped when a large group came to his defense and prevented the police from continuing to mistreat him.

In the "democratic" Tunisia of President Ali, the friend of Chirac, Aznar, Bush, etc., the political police play a sinister role. One should recall that both Hamma Hammami and his companion Radhia have been imprisoned on various occasions and attacked physically.

Forward with our total solidarity with Hamma and Radhia, as well as our most energetic protest against the tyrannical regime of the Ali Government.

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