Anasintaxi

Thursday, June 23, 2011

EMEP: We will not go to the Parliament

Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block* deputies declared that they will not attend the parliamentary inauguration ceremony unless the government takes some concrete steps to reverse the Supreme Election Board’s (YSK) decision to strip Hatip Dicle of his deputyship.

Reading a statement from the group Serafettin Elci MP for Diyarbakir said that the group "will not go to parliament until the injustice against our people stop. The violence and operations against our people - said Elci - have continued incessantly. The last straw has been the Election Board decision to quash Hatip Dicle mandate. It is for these reasons that we have taken the decision not to go to Parliament until these injustices and violence would not stop".

Deputies said, “The YSK’s veto of our six candidates marked the beginning of this period, which has continued with waves of arrests and non-stop military operations. The barring of Hatip Dicle from Parliament is the last straw. As we have come to understand, this kind of operation is an integral part of the current political system. These injustices need to be halted as soon as possible. We are calling for people who define themselves as democratic to stand with us against these anti-democratic practices aimed at the Kurdish people.”

The DTK also called on the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), the European Union, the European Council and the United Nations, indeed the whole world’s people and its democratic organizations, to condemn this decision and put pressure on the Turkish government to rescind it.

UNLIMITED SIT-IN

Also, BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Diyarbakir Provincial Organization announced that an unlimited sit-in act will be started today in Diyarbakir in front of BDP Yenisehir district building to protest the Supreme Election Board's (YSK) decision to strip off Hatip Dicle of his candidacy.

Demonstrations also staged in Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Malatya and Izmir. The actions have chosen as their slogan: "YSK, get your hand off my representative Hatip Dicle". The actions have been called to protest against the Supreme Election Board's (YSK) decision to strip off Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block's Diyarbakir Independent MP Hatip Dicle of his candidacy.

* Labour Party (EMEP), participated the elections with independent candidates under the flag of Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block. The political party of the Kurdish movement in Turkey (BDP) and EMEP were the main powers of this block. Also there were 16 parties and organisations in this Block. Block won 36 MP. Ex-president of EMEP, Abdullah Levent Tuzel elected as an MP from Istanbul as one of these MP’s.

Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block gained a victory at general elections

General elections on 12^th June, created a picture, full of big problems. This picture shows that, coming days will not be easy for the ruling party, AKP, and other system parties.

The real factor, which increased the votes of AKP was not the support of the people to the AKP policies but dissolving at the rightist parties and taking their votes to the AKP. AKP became the center for the conservative-right. Contrary, AKP suffered a big defeat at the Kurdish region.
CHP (social democratic party), did not inspire confidence to the people as an alternative; “new CHP” and “K?l?cdaroglu wind” had finished before it started. CHP took 26 percent of the votes and gained 135 seats but immediately became a party with internal problems.

By taking almost 50 percent of the votes and gaining 326 seats; AKP seems to be successful at fooling the people but it’s difficult to say that upcoming days will be good for our people. Also, we do not need to be a fortuneteller to say that hard days waiting AKP.

This is because, Turkey became such a country with many problems on economy, foreign policy, Kurdish question, pressure and discrimination over the minorities, women issue, environmental problems, education and health system, unemployment and so on. Current deficit, internal and external debts, increasing at taxes, prices and inflation show that AKP government will steal one piece of people’s bread everyday.
Also, AKP government, which played a democracy game by patching the Coup Constitution with a referendum, could not put rising Kurdish movement and labourers’ struggle off with vague promises.
We, Labour Party, had an approach to consider taking democratic steps for workers and labourers, Kurds, Turks and all peoples in Turkey. Since the beginning, we have been insisted on uniting all powers struggling for labour, peace, democracy and freedom to form an alternative against AKP and other system parties. As a result of this work, we participated the elections with independent candidates under the flag of Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block. The political party of the Kurdish movement in Turkey (BDP) and we (Labour Party) were the main powers of this block. Also there were 16 parties and organisations in this Block.

Ex-president of the Labour Party, Abdullah Levent Tuzel was the independent candidate of the Block from Istanbul, the biggest city of Turkey. There were almost 60 independent candidates especially at the Kurdish region of Turkey and some western cities like Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara (the capital), Mersin and Adana, etc.

And more than 40 cities, we participated elections as the Labour Party (EMEP). And at these cities, members of the block supported EMEP as the party of the Block.

Finally, despite all anti-democratic election laws, 10 percent threshold, arrestings, shootings (2 Kurdish child and a retired teacher killed by police during election campaign period) the real winner of the elections is Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block. Our ex-president Abdullah Levent Tuzel elected as MP from Istanbul with 143 thousand votes. Totally, with 36 MP, this Block showed that it is a public movement. Also, with 11 women MP, Block showed a different approach from other parties. With candidates from all nationalities (Turkish, Kurdish, Syriac) and all sects, this Block became the real opposition force of the struggle for the democratic constitution and Democratic Turkey.

All labour, democracy and progressive forces in Turkey should analyse the results of this election carefully and unite their power in this Block.

Selma Gurkan
President

Social-democrat Papariga: Prima Ballerina of the Greek capital and the EU monopolies

“A solution outside the euro and return to the drachma in the present circumstances would be catastrophic” (A. Papariga, “Rizospastis” 31/5/2011, p.6)

A year and half ago when Papariga was asked by a reporter whether the withdrawal of Greece from the EU is in the moment “a solution”, she gave unequivocal answer with the revelatory “by itself is not a solution” ("Rizospastis" 5/3/2010, p.10), which was commented approvingly by the bourgeoisie media. Papariga trying to justify the stay of the country in the EU revealed that she chooses imperialist bosses, claiming that if Greece goes “outside the European Union," then "we can go to agreement with the United States and go into another zone” ("Rizospastis" 5/3/2010, p. 10), but of course failed to revive her party's bourgeoisie twaddle about "people's power".

Later in another interview she reiterated: "Now, Euro exit and return to drachma is not essential, moreover, is something the EU can do by itself, it suits EU" ("Rizospastis" 27/10/2010, p. 10) to turn recently in an open mouthpiece, spokesman of the local bourgeoisie, taking-on repeating the "disaster" position (30/5/2011 interview on journalist K.Papadakis): “A solution outside the euro and return to the drachma in the present circumstances would be catastrophic” ("Rizospastis" 31/5/2011, p. 6) - a statement that aired headlines in the capitalist press - and also in herald of the country's dependence from 'imperialist EU, along with SYN / SYRIZA and the other bourgeois parties.

Commenting on Papariga's statement, Stavros Mavroudeas Associate Professor of Political Economy at the University of Macedonia, (and former associate of "Rizospastis") correctly notes: “This statement has manifold problems. It was given in a situation that now even the polls show that the rejection of the euro and the EU tends to be a majority current in public opinion, and particularly to the lower classes. Especially when it is known how much damage did pro-Euro illusions which systematically cultivated the popular masses by the system for decades. The statement of A. Papariga acts as a brake on these positive developments.”

Abandoning the anti-imperialist slogan " Greece out from the EU right now!", the social democratic leadership of "K" KE has not only fully aligned with the big capital's strategic choice to keep our country in the EU, but it has also resigned from the struggle against the imperialist EU. Finally, it went as as far as to raise in public the reactionary flag of the local big capital, the flag of "scaremongering", crying that "A solution outside the euro and return to the drachma in the present circumstances would be catastrophic".

Anasintaxi, issue 346 (15-31/5/2011)

Gorbachev-Papariga: The “brave kids” of Nikita Khrushchev (Moscow, June 1991)

From our intervation to the June 15 general strike

No to the triple occupation by IMF-Commission-ECB

Unilateral entire debt suspension of payments
Greece out of Euro-EMU-European Union

The Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-55) particated in the June 15 general strike. Comrades circulated leaflets and newspapers in all the main cities of Greece.

See also our article in the latest issue of Unity and Struggle: Unilateral entire debt suspension of payments – Greece out of Euro-EMU-European Union [EXTENDED VERSION]

THE OVERWHELMING VICTORY IN THE REFERENDUM INFLICT A SERIOUS BLOW TO THE NEOLIBERAL POLICY AND DELEGITIMIZE THE BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT. INTENSIFY THE STRUGGLE TO OVERTHROW IT!

DELETED NUCLEAR PLAN, WATER PRIVATIZATION, IMPUNTY OF THE RULERS

With the four referendum held on June 12th and 13th, Italian people stopped the plan to build nuclear power plants, decided by Berlusconi government, prevented the privatization of water and the guarantee of profits for water service, and also deleted the Law of "legal impediment" that saved the President of the Council of Ministers and Ministers from criminal trials.
Despite the boycott of the government - Berlusconi and Bossi called for abstention - and the disinformation orchestrated by the mass-media, the "quorum" has been largely achieved.
Approximately 57% of voters went to vote. A remarkable achievement, considering the obstacles since the collection of signatures.
Fundamental for the success was the high participation of central and northern industrial cities, confirming the role of the working class. However, the quorum was reached in all regions, indicating that social protest is growing everywhere.
The four referendum passed with percentages around 95%. It 'a victory that has a clear political meaning: a rejection of the monopolies diktat and of their political representatives, a rejection of the reactionary and neoliberal policy dominating for decades, a rejection of the privileges and impunity for a gang of criminals at the top of society. From the popular vote emerged the mistrust and aversion toward the capitalist market, to the logic of profit. The result opens the path for other battles: the defense and the development of social services, against nuclear weapons, against the privileges of the oligarchy, etc. And help the struggle of other peoples of Europe and the world.
The vote shows that the period of reflux and apathy is behind us, that the long wave of struggles at national and international level produces its beneficial effects. At the same time, is self-evident that the bourgeoisie leadership is more detached, distant and hostile to the needs and expectations of the people.
The excellent results of the referendum sounds for Berlusconi as a death bell. The air is changed, the majority of Italians want him no more, but the government survives, thanks to anti-democratic
electoral laws and parliamentary transformism of twenty deputies.
The referendum exacerbated the weakness of the government, which came out completely delegitimized by the vote. It exacerbates the contradictions in the parliamentary majority and of the entire bourgeois. Therefore, not only in the special relationship Berlusconi-Bossi, but also among the left bourgeois parties that, after having done anything for months, now present themselves as the winners. But we don’t forget that these “gentlemen” were the champions of privatization when they
were to central or local government.
The referendum victory in the result of an massive work carried out by thousands of associations, committees, union representatives, political and social organizations. It was a campaign characterized by an activism from below, capillary: workers, youth, women of the people, using several communication means in the workplace, in neighborhoods, in the blocks. In this way we knocked down the wall of silence and misinformation. Victory arrived because we were united and
worked hard on some targets. And when there is unity and struggle, there is no force that can prevent the triumph of popular will.
The victory in the referendum can be defended and enhanced by uniting all the forces available in a broad popular front against the capitalist attack, the political reaction, the denial of rights, the
threats of war, the devastation of the environment. A united front of struggle that is based on the unit of action of all workers and popular organizations, youth associations, etc., based on an anticapitalist program, to realize a definitive break with the neoliberal and social-liberal policies, to transform society radically.
Nowadays is crucial that the Berlusconi’s government, that has no more popular legitimacy, fall in the streets and in the factories. We must intensify the struggle, without any illusions about its resignation, but building a powerful mass movement that will sweep it away.
During the referendum campaign, communists have tied the struggle for a new society with immediate objectives. The action to take away layers of proletarian from the ideological and political influence of the bourgeoisie and the petty bourgeoisie, was relevant.
In the situation we are living, the popular masses feel the consequences of capitalism crisis on a range of issues vital to human existence (this is of great importance), but they still do not
understand the need to target the cause of those effects, the capitalist system of production.
It's up to the communists to raise mass consciousness, especially of the youth, to help them along the road that will lead to the revolutionary situation, to conquest of a new society based on common ownership of water, land, means of production and exchange. A planned society based on the satisfaction of material and cultural needs of the working masses, in harmony with the laws of nature, in which there will be no more privileges and immunities for anyone.
Therefore, we must organize better, we must rebuild the Communist party, based on Marxism-Leninism, to direct the struggle of the exploited and oppressed masses.

15.6.2011 Communist Platform of Italy

Referendum: Italian people have rejected nuclear power plants, water privatization and impunity for bourgeois politicians.

With the referendum of 12 and 13 June, the Italian people have definitely stopped the plan to build nuclear power plants wanted by Berlusconi government, have prevented the privatization of water transport and cancelled the Act of "lawful impediment" designed to save the prime minister and other ministers in criminal trials.

Despite the boycott of the government - Berlusconi called for abstention - and the lack of attention of mass media, the "quorum" has been largely achieved: more than 57% voted.
There was an high participation in the industrial cities of north-center, confirming the role of the working class.

The voting results are extraordinary: all referendum passed with a percentage of 94-95%.

It's a clear victory that has a political meaning: a mass rejection of the diktat of the capitalist monopolies and their political representatives, a rejection of neoliberalism that dominated for decades, of the privileges and impunity of a gang of criminals.
The referendum shows that worker and people movement is awakening, that no more want our future, our health, be in the hands of the oligarchy.

The result reverses a trend that lasted for decades and opens the path for other important battles.

It's the third blow suffered in a month for Mr. Berlusconi, after administrative elections. The wind has changed, but the government survives thanks to twenty corrupt deputies.
Now is likely to widen the cracks in the parliamentary majority, and in the same parties that compose it; at the same time the result determines more favorable conditions to develop the resistance of the workers, to give the decisive blow to the reactionary government in the streets and in the factories, with the mobilization and mass struggle.

Communist Platform of Italy

Anasintaxi, issue 346 (15-31/5/2011)

- With the gun called “5th loan installment” pointing at the head, total sellout and looting of the country’s wealth
- The spontaneous mass rallies in Spain-Portugal-Greece: a pleasant surprise in the struggle of the European proletariat that can become a nightmare of the EU capitalists if they grow
- Social-democrat Papariga: Prima Ballerina of the Greek capital and the EU monopolies
- 2011 student elections: The necessity for the reorganization of the student movement
- Nikos Zachariadis’ daughter Olga Durishova Zachariadis speaks about her father
- End the capture of the political prisoner Aris Sirinidis right now!
- CP Spain (Marxist-Leninist): Let’s move forward the revolt for democratization and Democracy! (excerpts)
- ICMLPO: Long live the combative youth!

Let us prepare for the sharpening of the class struggle

Political declaration

Let us prepare for the sharpening of the class struggle

In the capitalist world still in deep crisis, the wind of popular revolts and of revolution is coming from the Maghreb and countries of the Middle East. The people of these countries have risen up, one after the other, against regimes of tyranny, often sold out to imperialism. They are struggling for democracy; they want to live in dignity, to work, study and contribute to the development of their country and to get rid of the corrupt regimes that have enriched themselves at their expense by selling the country and its wealth to the imperialist powers.

The revolution began in Tunisia. The resistance of the working class, of the youths, peasants, democrats and popular sectors was organized in spite of the ferocious repression of Ben Ali’s regime, supported until the last minute by its imperialist godfathers.

In this fight, the Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia (PCOT) has played an essential leading role. Together with other forces, it is struggling today in order for this revolutionary process to continue to its end. It is the Tunisian revolution that expelled Ben Ali. It encouraged other people of the Maghreb and the Middle East to rise up. From Egypt to Yemen, from Morocco to Syria, movements have developed, provoking a large movement of sympathy among the workers, youth and peoples all over the world.

The imperialist powers that consider this region as their private hunting ground have been taken by surprise. They pretend to support these popular movements, in order to try to make use of them for their own interests. In Libya they have found forces ready to collaborate with them, and Sarkozy, Cameron and Obama launched a war that is plunging this country into chaos. For the first time in its history, NATO is intervening militarily in this region, to show the will of the imperialist powers to halt the popular movements and to establish their total control of all of Libya’s resources, especially oil, gas and water. They are also interested in Libya’s geostrategic position on the African continent and in the Mediterranean region.

As the G-8 summit has shown, the big imperialist powers are speaking of “helping” these people, but they are trying to enchain them with debts. Today the debt mechanism is an essential instrument of the neocolonial policy of imperialism. We denounce this policy of enslavement and say that on the contrary, these people do not need new debts.

It is not over yet, but with these movements, the class struggle has taken a new dimension, a new scale internationally. These people are standing up and are giving a new breath to the revolution, to the fight for national and social emancipation. They have shown that it is the people who make history and that a people united can overturn the imperialist order, can overthrow dictatorships.

The idea of the revolution is again on the agenda

The working class, the toiling people, the youth and the peoples of the world are in solidarity with this fight that inspires and stimulates them to reinforce their struggle against the capitalist imperialist system that makes them pay for its crisis. Far from being over, much less overcome, a new crisis is threatening to explode: the state debt crisis, especially in the EU. The financial oligarchy, the monopolies have put the States into debt in order to save the financial system, the banks and big monopolies. For this, billions in public money, taken from the social budgets, have been used. At the same time, wages have been lowered, and misery and precariousness have struck ever larger sectors of the masses.

The financial markets are speculating on the bankruptcy of States; they are demanding more austerity, new privatizations and new cutbacks in social rights. In order to save Euro, the leaders of big powers in the EU, the IMF and the ECB [European Central Bank] want to impose a mega-austerity plan; the so-called “stabilization plan”, which, in reality, will push even more workers of the cities and the countryside, the youths and working women into misery and insecurity, and will increase the super-exploitation in the companies. To impose such a policy of social regression, the governments of the right, social democrats and social liberals are reinforcing the reactionary laws in order to criminalize the developing social struggle. They do not hesitate to copy the racist themes of the extreme right parties which are developing a populist propaganda. We denounce the reinforcement of “fortress” Europe and say: “it is not the immigrants who should be expelled, but Sarkozy, Berlusconi and company!”

The working class, popular masses and peoples are resisting, refusing to pay for the crisis of the capitalist system.

In several countries, the youths, who are the first victim of mass unemployment and precariousness, are taking to the streets and occupying public places in cities, shouting their anger at a society that has no future to offer them. In all the countries, from Greece to the United Kingdom, from Portugal to Italy, from Ireland to Spain, the working class and popular masses are demonstrating; resisting, expressing their refusal to pay for the crisis of the system.

We are working to develop this resistance, to develop the international solidarity and to merge these fronts of struggle into a general challenge to the capitalist system, which is responsible for the crisis, wars and accidents, as the one at the Fukushima nuclear plant. It is the race for maximum profit that is sacrificing the security of the workers and peoples. We support the struggles of the workers and peoples of Europe who refuse to pay for the debts of the capitalist and we say that it is the rich, the speculators and big shareholders who must pay for them.

We support the struggles against privatization and liquidation of public services, in health, education, social protection…

We support the strikes and struggles of the workers for higher wages, the mobilizations against layoffs, against lowering of wages and worsening of social conditions.

We appeal to reinforce in each country and internationally the combat against the “pact of stabilization”.

We denounce and combat racism and struggle for equality of rights, between all the workers, which permits to struggle together against our common enemies.

We denounce imperialism’s war policy and call for solidarity with the struggles of the peoples in the Maghreb and the Middle East.

We call for a large movement of solidarity with the revolutionary process in Tunisia and for support to our fraternal party, the PCOT.

We are working to unite the forces that oppose the policy of the bourgeoisie and reaction, the policy of imperialist war, for building fronts in the struggles, among the rank-and-file, in action.

The class struggle has accelerated in a few months

We appeal to the working class, the youths, the toilers of the city and countryside, the women of the popular sectors, to intensify their struggles to defend their social and political rights and gains.

We call on the political and social organizations that want to break with this system, for social change, to prepare themselves for the new developments in the class struggle, for the battles and confrontations at a higher level.

Copenhagen, May 2011

SOLIDARITY WITH THE STRUGGLE OF THE ARAB PEOPLES!

We, the parties and organizations of Europe that are members of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations (ICMLPO), affirm that the popular uprisings in North Africa and the Near East have been caused by the terrible material conditions of life of the popular masses and the imposition of despotic regimes in those countries.

These conditions have objectively gotten worse as a result of the worldwide crisis of capitalism.

There are deep problems related to the question of democracy, and above all to the social question, the exploitation, poverty and inequality, created by the imperialist policy of looting and oppression of the peoples of the dependent countries.

These democratic and revolutionary processes are continuing, fighting to overthrow the despotic regimes and reactionary forces, to completely eliminate the privileges of the oligarchies, to win political liberties, to break the dependence on imperialism and to open the perspective of a new society.

These events demonstrate the revolutionary abilities of the peoples of the dependent countries, of the oppressed young people, who are the real protagonists of the process in motion.

These are very important for the proletariat, because they weaken the positions of capitalism; they can transform the dependent countries from reserves of imperialism into reserves of the proletarian revolution.

These movements in general have a progressive nature and offer precious lessons for the international proletariat, because they educate the exploited through struggle, and they instill confidence in their own one force and again put the idea of the revolution on the agenda.

We resolutely support the revolutionary and liberation movements of the oppressed peoples, which strengthen the international front of struggle against imperialism. In particular we must support the democratic revolution of the Tunisian people against the dictatorship of Ben Ali, a revolution in which the Communist Party of the Workers of Tunisia (PCOT) is playing an important role, acting with decisiveness and clarity of ideas in this revolutionary process.

Imperialism is trying to crush or control these revolutionary processes by various means, among others economic suffocation. Therefore we propose to carry out a broad campaign of international solidarity to demand the cancellation of Tunisia’s foreign debt. This debt is an important weapon in the hands of imperialism to strangle the peoples and maintain the countries in conditions of dependency.

From the beginning of the popular revolts, imperialism, particularly U.S. imperialism and the European powers such as France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Spain, etc., have intervened in the region, directly or indirectly, to regain control and take advantage of the situation.

The war that the imperialist powers are carrying out in Libya through their military arm, NATO, is a reactionary, imperialist war of looting of the dependent countries, of social and national oppression, to suffocate the revolutionary movements.

Its objectives are: to install a puppet government in Libya that will allow them to obtain advantageous prices of petroleum, gas and water; the appropriation of Libya’s financial wealth; to take control of a strategic area, preventing and drowning the popular revolutions; and to expel other rival capitalist powers from the region.

This is the first time that NATO has intervened in this region, and this is part of its new strategy to control the region and the continent. We must unmask and reject NATO’s criminal policy of war and terror, in which the EU is also taking part.

We demand the immediate end of the war, the withdrawal of the imperialist armed forces from Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq; we demand withdrawal from NATO and the EU, the closing of U.S. military bases, the use of public money for social service and assistance and not for war. We will pursue a policy of peace and solidarity with the peoples in struggle.

We support the development of the popular movement and defend the sovereignty and national independence of every country. We denounce the interference and threats of new imperialist interventions especially in Syria.

We reaffirm our solidarity with the Palestinian people and the population of Gaza who are suffering from a cruel blockade, organized by the racist State of Israel, and we demand its immediate end. We support the fight of the Palestinian people for effective recognition of their full national rights. We condemn the criminal Zionist policy and at the same time we denounce the complicity of the EU with Israel on the political, economic and military level.

We demand the end of the racist and xenophobic policy against immigrants, a policy that extends across Europe; we denounce the militarization of the Mediterranean by the imperialist powers that at the same time speak hypocritically about human rights.

We denounce the parallel that the reactionary forces are making between Islam and terrorism.

We say No to the maneuvers of the European Commission in its relations with the African countries, to the policy of free markets, to privatization and the destruction of public services!

Long live the struggle and international solidarity of the peoples!

Copenhagen, May 2011

European regional meeting of the ICMLPO

The Fukushima meltdown disaster proves once again that our environment and the safety of the workers and people may be sacrificed because of the greed for maximum profit that reigns under the capitalist mode of production.

The nuclear lobby has consistently told lies, claiming that nuclear power is “entirely safe”. Fukushima, Chernobyl and Harrisburg prove the opposite. This proof is emphasized by the fact that the financial insurance monopolies themselves refuse to insure nuclear plants.

Even if the plants were “safe”, this still would not solve the problem of toxic radioactive waste. This waste is poisoning oceans and rivers every day. Uranium and plutonium lie unprotected in contaminated areas, and inside the nuclear plants themselves.

Nuclear power is expensive and a limited source of energy.

The safety of the workers in the nuclear power plants and of the people in the nearby areas is ignored. They are forced to work in contaminated areas, and are the first to suffer when accidents occur.

Because of the first strike strategy of the NATO alliance, Europe is also being polluted by hundreds of missiles with nuclear warheads belonging to different atomic powers, mainly the USA. These are a potential disaster for all, friend or “foe”. The peoples should demand that such weapons be banned from their territory, as some countries already have done.

The civil use of atomic energy originated as a by-product of military production. Even today, the civilian and military sectors are intertwined. The military and police are always involved in safeguarding the nuclear energy plants, making them into semi-militarized zones. In this way, faults and accidents can also be kept secret from the public, totally undermining democracy.

Our immediate demands are therefore:

Immediate start of renewable and sustainable energy production.
Immediate closure of all old nuclear plants.
No to new nuclear plants.
Existing plants must shut down as soon as possible

These demands are entirely just and reasonable. The peoples do not want to be dependent on nuclear power. The people of Italy have demanded a referendum to reject construction of new nuclear plants in their country; in Sardinia 97 precent of the voters said no to nuclear power in a recent consultative referendum.

We demand that the monopolies responsible for the pollution and contaminated waste resulting from the nuclear industry be compelled to pay all costs of the devastation and of dismantling of old power plants.

We still do not know the long-term consequences of the disaster in Fukushima. When a catastrophe of such a dimension occurs in a highly advanced country like Japan, similar disasters may occur anywhere. Capitalism and imperialism are incompatible with safeguarding our environment; this system is incompatible with a sustainable future.

Copenhagen, May 2011

Long live the combative youth!

The youth in Spain are continuing their action in Madrid, Barcelona and dozens of other cities in that country. In Spain, where more than 40% of young people are unemployed, the youth are in the streets for their essential and vital demands. The youth are calling for jobs, a sufficient income, housing, the right to training and education for all, etc.

The youth have united around the slogan "Real Democracy Now!" which expresses their dissatisfaction with the destruction caused by the capitalist system of exploitation and are launching a cry of revolt against it.

The capitalist system is experiencing one of its deepest crises in a century. As always, the bill is presented to the workers, who are in no way responsible for the outbreak of this crisis, while the monopolies and the banks are filling their pockets and coffers. The weight of the crisis is being placed not only on the backs of the oppressed peoples and nations of the world, but also on the backs of the workers and peoples of the advanced capitalist countries. The youth are particularly subjected to these attacks and, as such, they have taken their place at the forefront of this struggle.

By their dynamism, the youth are in the front ranks of the fight, to defend their own demands and contribute their strength, energy and enthusiasm to the previous generations.

The youth of Spain and of all Europe, ready to follow that example, wish to have the best conditions of work and life; they do not want to be condemned to more precarious conditions than those of their parents.

We, as Marxist-Leninist parties of Europe, members of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations (ICMLPO), highly value and warmly salute the fight of the youth of Spain. We think that the demands of this movement. in which the communist youth are playing an active role, are very reasonable, achievable and necessary.

We call on the youth of all Europe, and particularly those of Greece, Portugal, Ireland and Great Britain, who have been the object of virulent attacks by capital, to be inspired by the example of the youth of Spain, by their rebellion against exploitation, against reaction, against social injustice, and bring this movement forward.

Since the youth are condemned to live "without work, without a roof, without a future," they will prove, through their mobilization, that they are able to live "without fear!"

Long live the combative youth!

The youth are the future, the future is socialism!

Copenhagen May 2011

Regional European meeting of the International Conference of Marxist Leninist Parties and Organizations (CIPOML)

Workers’ Communist Party of Denmark - APK

Communist Marxist Leninist Party of Spain – PCE (ml)

Workers’ Communist Party of France – PCOF

Organization for the reconstruction of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-1955)

Communist Platform of Italy

Marxist Leninist Organization Revolution of Norway - Revolusjon !

Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey- TDKP

Organization for the construction of a Workers’ Communist Party of Germany – Arbeit Zukunft.

In 12^th June, there will be general elections in Turkey. Because of the 10 percent threshold we participated the elections with independent candidates under the flag of Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block. The political party of the Kurdish movement in Turkey (BDP) and the Labour Party (EMEP) are the main powers of this block. Also there are 16 parties and organisations in this Block.

Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block has presented its elections manifesto, as follows;

DEMOCRATIC SOLUTION AND PEACE AT THE KURDISH PROBLEM

The Kurdish question, where no one demands a choice except a democratic, peaceful solution, must definitely be solved within this period. It is now not a promise but a task to review the past by consulting our consciences and to stop the blood still poured because of the Kurdish problem.
When people are so disposed and hopeful about peace, we will not let the war begin again for AKP's (ruling party) votes and interests. We will take initiative for a lasting peace and we will display the two faces of the AKP, which on one hand feeds from conflicts and on the other hand declares everyone except itself as warmongering.
None of us has any endurance left for a war to last 30 years more, for a single life to be lost, for the wealth to be lost. The power in particular, all circles must set their political and economical rents aside and display a will of solution with an intimate approach for the constitution of a lasting peace that the Turkish society has longed for many years; the demands and expectations of the Kurdish people must be taken into account and the three-year old talks in Imralı must urgently be turned into a negotiation process. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), just like all the powers that insist on the impossibility of a solution and subject the Turkish society to war, conflict, pain and tear for economic rents rather than people’s living together in peace and brotherhood, will be forced by us to pay the price before history. We will introduce the solution with our own power and determination and without hoping for help from the power for the solution.

ECONOMY

Central, regional and local mechanisms will be created to provide the supervision and participation of producers, consumers and employees outside of the government in the economy management through professional groups and civil society organisations;
For the development of industrialisation, agriculture, animal husbandry, science and technology on the basis of political and economic democracy in accordance with the society’s general interests, the targets will be the participation of the society in the economic life through cooperatives and modern democratic aggregate enterprises where employees also take part in return for their labour;
Development projects will be created with the participation of Local and Regional Authorities and Civil Society Organizations, Regional Development Centers will be established to eliminate regional disparities with certain intense investments, a Central Development Fund will be established to be transferred to the depressed areas.

EQUAL AND FREE SOCIAL SECURITY FOR ALL

Low-income families will be supported by social benefits; the homeless will be taken under protection and security,
Street children and orphans have substance dependence and live under poor conditions likely for all kinds of abuses. Our alliance will establish centers for these children where they will be provided with accommodation, education, guidance and health care,
People with old-age and disease cases requiring special care will be included in the social insurance,
An effective fight will be given against illegal employment; disincentives will be applied for the inclusion of all employees within social security.

CONSTITUTION

We will all together issue the new constitution which doesn’t impose any ideology and describe the nation and citizenship on an ethnical basis, restricts the powers of the state, predicated on individual-collective rights, sides with labour, a gender libertarian constitute that shows the same respect to the nature and the human being and protects all separate cultures, beliefs, values of Turkey.

DEMOCRATIC AUTONOMY

We regard the Democratic Autonomy, which means democratic self-government, as the reinforcement of the qualifications appropriate to the democratic republic.
A radical reform must be made in the political and administrative structure for the actualisation of the Democratic Autonomy, which will be the assurance of democratic union and the model of direct and participatory democracy, not of division and deterioration as asserted. Besides the official language Turkish, regions will use other second and third languages (like Kurdish) according to their specific needs.

SUPPORTS FOR THE BLOCK

Independent candidates of Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block have been supported by hundreds of intellectuals, academicians, writers, singers, producers, actress, and journalists. Many NGOs, workers confederations and trade unions also announced their support for the block’s candidates.

Also, former Palestinian guerrilla commander Leyla Khaled came to Mersin to support Labour, Democracy and Freedom Block candidate Ertugrul Kurkcu. Addressing the crowd on the feast organized by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Mersin Branch, the long time activist Khaled said; "We share the same struggle. If I am here with you today is because I see your struggle as my struggle. We will be witnessing the joy of the victory on June 12."

OUR PRESIDENT IS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE

The ex-president of the Labour Party, Abdullah Levent Tuzel is participating to the elections as an independent candidate of this Block from Istanbul, the biggest city of Turkey. He used to resign from the presidency of EMEP in order to be an independent candidate. Tuzel was an independent candidate from Izmir in the 2007 parliamentary elections but was not elected. There are almost 60 independent candidates especially at the Kurdish region of Turkey and some western cities like Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara (the capital), Mersin and Adana, etc.

At other cities, more than 40 cities, we participate to the elections as Labour Party (EMEP). And at these cities, members of the block will support EMEP as roof party of the Block.

Greek unions to hold new general strike June 15

Greece's two main unions GSEE (the General Confederation of Greek Workers) - ADEDY (the Civil Servants' Confederation)announced a new general strike on June 15.

The Movement for the Reorganisation of the KKE 1918-55 supports the strike and has released posters, flyers, etc. to support the struggle.

The last general strike was on May 11 this year.

Successfully held in Athens, the speech of the Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-55)

The Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-55) organized succesfully (20/5/2011) in Athens Polytechnic University an event with its political proposal to the worker class and the movement which can be summarised to the following slogans “Unilateral entire debt suspension of payments – Greece out of Euro-EMU-European Union”

The event was propagandised with the following poster:

Anasintaxi, issue 345 (1-15/5/2011)

-Barbaric attack of Police against strikers demonstrating
-The reformist leaders of PAME
-Murderous attack of Police and nazi-fascists
-Solidarity with the workers on Foreign Languages group "Interlingua".
-May 9 - Long live the anti-fascist peoples' VICTORY under the guidance of JOSEF STALIN

Greece's two main unions GSEE (the General Confederation of Greek Workers) - ADEDY (the Civil Servants' Confederation) have programmed a mobilsation on June 4 at 11am in Athens.

EMEP: Imperialist attack on Libya must be stopped immediately!

Libya, on the agenda for some time now due to the people’s rebellion against the Gaddafi regime, has now become the target of heavy attacks lead by the USA, France and the United Kingdom with the support of the United Nations. These attacks are explained by the imperialist forces on the pretext of liberating the people of Libya from Gaddafi’s “atrocities”. What these “justifications” really amount to, has been previously witnessed during the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The first news coming from Libya, exposed to heavy bombardment and intense missile attacks, are that in addition to the military targets, the people are also suffering as a result of these attacks.
For some time, the peoples of Middle East and North Africa are struggling against reactionary dictators. In Tunisia and Egypt, the people's struggle has resulted in the overthrowing of the dictators but in Libya, Gaddafi has set about attacks in order to suppress the people’s revolt. Just as the tyrannical policies implemented by Gaddafi against his people are not in any way acceptable neither are the imperialist attacks against Libya. The imperialist countries and the UN, that has become a tool of these forces, have not, until today, carried democracy to any country from the ‘outside’ and the situation in Libya will be no different.
It is, at the same time, shameful that the Turkish government has given green light to and has supported this imperialist attack.
The US, attacking Afghanistan in 2001 with very similar excuses, continues its occupation of this country. It is also a well known fact that “democracy” is still far away from both Afghanistan and Iraq, occupied by the US in the same way, after all the deaths and destruction experienced in those lands. Even these examples from our recent history are indication enough that the imperialist attack towards and occupation of Libya will not be bringing any democracy to this country.
The people of Libya should determine their own destiny and the imperialist attack must be stopped immediately.

Labour Party (EMEP)

Press Statements

EMEP: No to NATO and Missile Defence System

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government keeps lying to the peoples of Turkey. Prior to the NATO’s Lisbon meeting, AKP authorities, Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Davutoglu both stated that they had objections to the certain articles of the Missile Defence System Project that was put on agenda by NATO. Following the Lisbon meeting, in which Turkey was represented by President Abdullah Gul, official statements said Turkey succeeded in presenting its case, as if its objections to the Project were actually put under consideration. During NATO Lisbon meeting the Missile Defence System Project was approved, NATO – EU relations were discussed with both non-NATO member EU countries and NATO member non-EU countries as well as updating the road map and making new decisions on Afghanistan occupation. The objections of the AKP government to the Project were represented as not mentioning any country name as the Project is organised against any particular country or countries (from which Iran should be understood), employing some Turkish staff members in the command echelon and specifying where exactly the enemy missiles would be shot by the Missile Defence System.

None of these objections were put on the agenda during the Lisbon summit. Despite not mentioning any particular country name, it is obvious that this Missile Defence System Project was organised against the peoples of the Middle East, notably of Iran and Syria. Certain critical issues such as where exactly the enemy missiles would be shot by the Missile Defence System, in which country the System would be located and who would push the launch button were not negotiated during the Lisbon summit. When the Missile Defence System Project is actualised, whatever are the objections of the AKP government, the United States administration would be the one, which will be in charge of decision making and pushing the launch button as the head of NATO. The Missile Defence Projects also paves the way for missile and missile hardware sales to Turkey and other NATO members. The US weapon monopolies are certainly the ultimate winners of this Project. The Missile Defence System Project caused the AKP foreign policy to collapse. The policy called “zero problem with neighbour countries,” which is so called conducted by the Foreign Minister Davutoglu, has also turned out to be a monstrous lie. Missile Defence System Project means problems with the neighbours; it means the participation of Turkey as a border gendarmerie in the threat posed by the EU and US to the neighbour countries.

It also means being a part to the conflict on Israel’s side on behalf of the US. Since the day one of its foundation, our Party (EMEP) defends the idea that Turkey should drop out of NATO membership. NATO is not a defence organisation; it is a war machine that aggressively poses a threat for the peoples of the world as well as standing as the gendarmerie of the international imperialist capital. NATO, which tried to fool the peoples of the world with the big lie that it was defending the so called World Peace against the threats posed by USSR and Warsaw Treaty for a long time, increased its power and strengthens its presence after the collapse of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Treaty. When the role of NATO in the recent occupations and assaults is considered, it is clear that NATO is not an organisation which protects the World Peace, but threatening it. Turkey should immediately drop NATO membership and focus on peace and friendship policies with its neighbours.
NATO should be dispersed.
Nuclear weapons should be eradicated.
The armament race that is teased by imperialist monopolies should be terminated.

Kamil Tekin Surek
Vice President

Press Statements

Announcement of the local commitee of the Association of Hospital Doctors Of Athens and Piraeus General Hospital of Nikaia

Athens, 11 May 2011

Local Committee of EINAP [Association of Hospital Doctors Of Athens and Piraeus] General Hospital of Nikaia

Today we witnessed the endless and unimaginable brutality by the Greek goverment of Memorandum [austerity measures] , in order to suppress any citizens' action, who are opposed against the measures which are planning by the foreign and local capital.

Dozens of injured protesters were hit by the riot police and transfered with ambulance or came alone in our hospital. Most of them had head injuries. Among them, there is a 30 – years old protestor with heavy, antemortem condition, anisocoria and huge epidural hematoma. At this time the protestor is in surgery by our collegues who are trying to save his life.

We condemn the police brutality and arbitrariness.

We condemn all the members of the Greek Government and the Prime Minister for the assassination attempt against the specific citizen who is in serious condition and his life is in danger, also against all other protestors.

The violence and repression against the people who resist have no future.

The government with the brazen tactics of popular's rights rape, which are necessary for the people's survival and also with the brutal violence which directly threaten people's lives, will increase our stubbornness and our decision to fight until the end in order people have bread, education and freedom. We are not going to stop until the guilty of murder attempt will be punished. We are not going to stop until our people win!

May 1st – Comunication of All-Union Communist party (bolsheviks)

Dear comrades!

On behalf of All-Union Communist party (bolsheviks), on behalf of the working people of Russia and other republics ex-USSR we send to you, dear comrades, fraternal greetings and congratulations on Day of the International solidarity of workers – on 1 May!

The proletariat of Russia meets this day in the conditions of accruing struggle against Medvedev- Putin's semi-fascist dictatorship which with each hour more and more exposes itself as a mode of the mafia capital and a genocide of people. Despite wild reprisals, the announcement “out of the law of Russia” that is equivalent to the death sentence, leader of AUCP(b) com. Zinaida Smirnova, despite an interdiction of our newspapers and incessant attempts of defeat of mass organizations, bolsheviks of Russia go in the forefront fighters against dictatorship.

2010 is marked black anniversary. This year 20 years since disintegration USSR and a definitive establishment in the Motherland of V.I. Lenin and I.V.Stalin are executed and the capital authorities. Experience of the first socialist state, experience of victories and socialism crushing defeats continues to keep the urgency for all revolutionary forces of the world. The ?ll-Union Communist party (bolsheviks) addresses to all communist parties and the organizations with the offer of carrying out of corresponding actions in connection with this date. We express readiness to consider the offer on participation of representatives of our party in these actions.

Communistic greetings

Alexander Lapin, the First Secretary of Central Committee AUCP (b)
Dr. Zinaida Smirnova, Secretary of Central Committee AUCP (b)

Speech of the Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-55) in Athens

The Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-55) will give a speech 1 year after the bankrupt and the triple occupation by IMF-Commission-ECB explaining in public it’s position which can be summarised in the following:

Unilateral entire debt suspension of payments
Greece out of Euro-EMU-European Union

The speech will be given on Friday May 20 2011, 18:30 at the Athens Polytechnic.

See also our article in the latest issue of Unity and Struggle: Unilateral entire debt suspension of payments – Greece out of Euro-EMU-European Union [EXTENDED VERSION]

Successfully held in Thessaloniki, the speech of the Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-55)

The Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece (1918-55) organized succesfully (31/3/2011) in Thessaloniki's Workers' Centre an event entitled

“The anti-Marxist positions of the XX Congress of CPSU, February 1956”

“The destruction of socialism and the dissolution of the international communist movement”

“The intervation to KKE and the 6th plenary session, March 1956”

Former DSE guerrillas as well as young people participated in the event. The speaker was c. Tasos Mpallos, member of the Political Committee of the Movement.

Parallel to the event, newspaper Anasintaxi, dvds and publications of our Movement were spread along the participants. The event was propagandized before its holding with posters in the streets and the university campus of Thessaloniki as well as on the Internet.

Greece's two main unions GSEE (the General Confederation of Greek Workers) - ADEDY (the Civil Servants' Confederation)announced a new general strike on May 11.

The Movement for the Reorganisation of the KKE 1918-55 supports the strike and has released posters, flyers, etc. to support the struggle.

Toufan: Hail May 1st!

The Working Class Will Bring About the Spring of Humanity!

One hundred and twenty-two years ago, the workers of the world decided to celebrate May 1st as “Working Class Day.” This decision was made in 1889 at the Congress of the Socialists of the World in Paris, France. On May 1st, when nature wakes up from her winter sleep, when the mountain and forest become freshly green, when the meadows and wheat fields sprout, and the sun bestows more warmth, when the exuberance of freshness is felt in the air, when nature becomes once again alive and finds its happiness, the socialist workers in Paris declared loudly on this day that the working class will bring about “The Spring of Humanity,” that the working class will break the chains of the capitalist yoke, and that the working class has the mission to build a new world on the foundations of freedom and socialism.
May 1st, the day of unity and solidarity of labourers, is drawing near at a time when the regime of the Islamic Republic continues its attacks on the rights of workers and toilers, on the growing worker-movement, on the demands for bread and jobs and freedom, and on the job security for the working people. The Islamic regime finds itself weak in the face of the democratic movement of the Iranian people. The capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic, under the cover of the “Plan to Appropriate the Subsidies to Low Income Families,” has started to cut all subsidies to the basic necessities of life. The Plan was
encouraged by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. This policy will result in more economic poverty, higher inflation, and a deeper class gap. In the rule of the Islamic republic, the working class has no hope for better living conditions. The Supreme Council of Labour, which is the de facto representative of the government and employers, has set the monthly minimum wage for the workers as 330,300 Touman (equivalent to $300 US dollars). This minimum wage is about 20 percent above the level of the absolute poverty line in Iran. The Council has also approved an annual of 9 percent wage increase,
far less than the rate of inflation. This year, the dinner tables of the workers are emptier than they were last year. Taking into account rapidly rising inflation and the runaway cost
of the basic necessities, the monthly minimum wage for Iranian workers should have been set at 1,500,000 Touman (equivalent to $1,500 US dollars.)
This year, we welcome the arrival of May 1st in a situation that the young workermovement in Iran, inspired by the spring of revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, challenges the regime of the Islamic Republic at every turn. It is this spirit of resistance that has caused fear and panic for the Iranian regime and has threatened the future of the Islamic Republic. The revolutionary movements in Tunisia and Egypt, with the banner of bread and
freedom and dignity, have launched major offenses on the unpopular, corrupt, and despotic regimes and are the sources of inspiration in the entire Middle East. Fearful of this inspiration, the dark regime of the Islamic Republic has intensified the repression of the worker-activists and the prominent members of the independent trade unions. Despite this reactionary repression, the struggles of the Iranian workers against privatisation and
collective layoffs, for payment of delayed wages, for higher wages and the right to form independent trade unions, and for the elimination of the government Plan on subsidies have increased. The worker-strikes in factories such as Khodro Machinery, Iran Petro-Chemical Plants, Iran Communication Company and in many other places indicate that the regime’s attempts to silence workers by the use of repression have been in vain.
May 1st is coming up at a time when the imperialists have invaded Libya in order to stop the deepening and spreading revolution of Arab people. The major imperialist powers have
waged a criminal war on Libya under the pretext of “safeguarding” the Libyan people. They have used the reactionary decision of the UN Security Council to colonise Libya and to gain direct control of oil production and the other resources of the country. It is important that on May 1st, the working class of all countries loudly condemn the invasion of Libya and demand an end to and the bombardment and destruction of that tiny country. It is the
internationalist duty of the communists and revolutionaries of all lands to demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Saudi army from Bahrain and the complete withdrawal of the imperialist occupying forces from Afghanistan and Iraq, to defend the Palestinian people in the face of Zionist aggression, and to emphasise the widespread boycott of the terrorist regime of Israel.
We send congratulations to the heroic workers of Iran and of the world on the occasion of May 1st, our “Working Class Day.” The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) is certain that it is only through unity and organisation and the political leadership of the party of the working class and only through a socialist revolution guided by Leninism that the victory of the camp of labour over the camp of capital is possible.

Hail May 1st, the Working Class Day!

Long live the revolution of Arab People against Imperialism and Reaction!

Down with the Regime of the Islamic Republic!

Long live Socialism, the Banner of Human Salvation!

The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)

WWW.Toufan.org
Toufan@Toufan.org

Declaration of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations

DECLARATION

International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations

The earthquake and tidal wave that struck on March 11 in Japan caused a catastrophe whose extent is still not known, since the authorities of that country lie and hide revealing data. This raises more sharply than before the problem of nuclear energy, of power plants that are being built in many countries of the world. A month after the beginning of that catastrophe, it has still not been controlled and continues to dump into the ocean enormous quantities of radioactive particles, which have ruined the lives of hundreds of thousands of human beings and the fishing on all those coasts. It is still unknown how far the contamination that the ocean waters carry can go.

This April marks the 25 anniversary of Chernobyl. An international conference on this was held in Kiev, at which the government of the Ukraine distributed a document whose data need no commentary. According to this the soil around Chernobyl is contaminated with cesium 137, strontium 90 and plutonium 238, 239 and 240. It warned of contamination with americium 241 until the year 2056, due to which “between 1,500 and 2,000 square kilometers will never be fit for life […] because there are radioactive isotopes with a period of disintegration of 24,000 years…”

Considering that the radioactive leaks in Japan are or may be much greater than those of Chernobyl, the consequences will also be much greater. All this shows that in spite of what we are regularly told, at the present time one cannot state that nuclear energy is totally controllable, with total safety. This is because the operation of nuclear power plants, financed by the States with public money, is in the hands of financial groups whose main objective corresponds to their essence: to increase their profits more and more, leaving safety in second place, that is, the costs go to the people, the profits to the capitalist, imperialist sharks.

We must insist, once again, that the governments must strive to develop “clean” energy such as water power, solar or wind energy, for example, as a priority over nuclear energy. This is a problem that goes beyond the demands of the ecologists, since it has a political basis of vital importance to the peoples.

We the workers, youths and peoples of the world, demand to make the defense and preservation of the planet a proposal forcefully integrated into the objectives of the struggle for democracy, progress and freedom.

April 2011

Coordination Committee of the ICMLPO

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.

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.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Friday, June 17, 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Anasintaxi, issue 346 (15-31/5/2011)

Monday, June 13, 2011

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Thursday, June 09, 2011

The Fukushima meltdown disaster proves once again that our environment and the safety of the workers and people may be sacrificed because of the greed for maximum profit that reigns under the capitalist mode of production.

Monday, June 06, 2011

Greece's two main unions GSEE (the General Confederation of Greek Workers) - ADEDY (the Civil Servants' Confederation)announced a new general strike on June 15.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Greece's two main unions GSEE (the General Confederation of Greek Workers) - ADEDY (the Civil Servants' Confederation) have programmed a mobilsation on June 4 at 11am in Athens.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Saturday, May 07, 2011

Alexander Lapin, the First Secretary of Central Committee AUCP (b) Dr. Zinaida Smirnova, Secretary of Central Committee AUCP (b)

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Greece's two main unions GSEE (the General Confederation of Greek Workers) - ADEDY (the Civil Servants' Confederation)announced a new general strike on May 11.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Alexander Lapin, the First Secretary of Central Committee AUCP (b)
Dr. Zinaida Smirnova, Secretary of Central Committee AUCP (b)