Political trials in Ukraine and Russia

To all!     To all!     To all!

As reported by the mass media in 2002, the citizens of Ukraine and Russia, Yakovenko, Gerasimov, Berdyugin, Zinchenko, Alekseev, Polskaya, Romanov, Plevo, Danilov and Smirnov were arrested and were given long sentences due to the so called Odessian case Number 144. They were indicted for alleged crimes against the constitutional order of Ukraine, and also for terrorism. The comrades mentioned above always were open about their anti-capitalist and revolutionary convictions.

This gives us all the grounds to consider this trial in Ukraine as political.

With the purpose of getting a confession, these comrades were subjected to brutal torture and demeaning aggravation. As a result of the injuries, a 20 year-old student, Sergey Berdyugin died. The rest of those arrested suffered injuries of various severities. This was covered by the mass media, including “Proletarskaya Gazeta” N21 (2003) and N23 (2004).

During the judicial process in 2003 and 2004, the citizens of Russia Danilov, Smirnov, Plevo and Romanov were visited by officials of the Russian Federal Service of Security and the Prosecutor’s office of Moscow (in particular Lisitsin, Fomin and Naidyonov). These tried to get a confession by means of threats and violence. After their visit Smirnov, Danilov and Romanov issued a statement to the General Prosecutor’s office of Ukraine with the demand to investigate the Russian officials for torture but they did not get any response. On February 18th 2008 Smirnov filed a lawsuit at the Kharkov local administrative court (affair 2a-3326/08) for the lack of action of the General Prosecutor’s office of Ukraine with regards to the statement issued by the political prisoners, but it was forwarded to Russia before it was examined.

These facts give us the grounds to state that we are dealing here with a political retribution, i.e. class vengeance from the side of the Russian and Ukrainian ruling bourgeoisies.

On March 25th 2009 prisoners Danilov and Smirnov were extradited to Russia without the right of appeal and were transferred “temporarily” to the Russian authorities. In order to obstruct the work of the defense they were placed in different detention centers: Smirnov in detention unit N2 and (“Butyrka”) and Danilov in detention union N5. The decision of the General Prosecutor’s office of Ukraine to extradite them is a gross violation of the European Convention on the extradition of inmates accused of political crimes, adopted on 21/03/83 by which extradition should not be practiced if there are grounds to suspect retributions.

Danilov and Smirnov are not allowed to meet with their relatives, representatives of human rights organizations, and their right to a defense is violated; this gives us grounds to believe that they are being subjected to torture and other forms of cruel treatment.

We believe that the Russian bourgeoisie is de facto preparing a political process under the disguise of a criminal prosecution with the purpose of discrediting in the eyes of the public the revolutionary class struggle and the communist movement, in order to divert the struggle of the proletariat and the revolutionary class struggle towards the path of opportunism, in order to inculcate distrust in the communist movement and to put the struggle of the oppressed masses under the control of today’s revisionists.

We call on the proletariat and the progressive forces of all countries to defend the Russian and Ukrainian political prisoners.

This includes:

We demand the immediate release of political prisoners sentences in the so-called Odessian affair N144,

We demand that the Russian and Ukrainian authorities investigate thoroughly the instances of torture and aggravation inflicted on the political prisoners and to severely punish those who were directly involved and those responsible for these despicable crimes,

We demand that the Russian authorities drop the new criminal prosecution against Danilov and Smirnov.

Anatoliy Pyzhov – Secretary of international relations of the Executive committee of the Inter-regional Association of Workers Unions of Russia “Zaschita”

Andrey Drozdov – Chief editor of “Proletarskaya Gazeta”

Leningrad, April 26th 2009

Contact postal addresses:

1) 103009, Moscow, Okhotny Ryad street, Dom 1, State Duma of Russia. State Duma MP, co-chair of “Zaschita” – Shein, Oleg Vasilevitch

2) 190121, Lenigrad, Angliski Prospekt, dom 22, kv 53 – Pyzhov Anatolii Vasilevitch

Read More »

Police continues operations against immigrants - Patras’ Immigration Camp Demolished and Burned down

Sunday July 12, 2009

The immigration camp in the city of Patras, southern Greece was demolished Sunday 12/7 and the immigrants were transferred to reception centres. In the meantime, fire broke out and soon spread. Firefighters rushed to the site and contained the fire before spreading to nearby buildings. Dozens of shanties were burnt down, but there were no injuries. Police brought 15 minors and 44 adults who lacked documents to the police station for questioning.

Enforcement forces (over 15 crates, and thousands of police officers, special forces, security forces from Athens, Thessalonica, Corinth, Agrinion) once excluded - banned the movement of a large section of the city by imposing a system of unprecedented police arrests made, and burned down the camp.

We condemn the continuous operations against immigrants.

The Political Committee of the "Movement for the Reorganisation of the Communist Party of Greece 1918-55"

Read More »

The struggle of Nikandros Kepesis against Khrushchevite revisionism

Translation of an article published in newspaper“Anasintaxi”, issue 300, June 15-31 2009

The Communist N. Kepesis, while in the ranks of “K”KE, started referring to and citing J.V. Stalin and N. Zachariades in a very hard period in which the social-democratic “K”KE strictly prohibited even a simple reference to them (all his references in public speeches were censored from “Rizospastis”, the newspaper of the “K”KE). In these references the old communists, Stalinists-Zachariadists, guerrillas of the National Liberation Army of Greece (ELAS) and the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE), saw – in contradiction to the recent references to Stalin from the GC of “K”KE Aleka Papariga which are entirely misleading, purely demagogic and intended to deceive the communists – an important and remarkable, courageous and honest debate in the current social-democratic counter-revolutionary Khrushchevite revisionism and welcomed this with no hesitation.

Since then comrade Nikandros Kepesis in various public interventions, speeches and the pre-conference dialogues, argued against the revisionist line of the 20th Congress of the CPSU and the “6th Plenum” of the “K”KE (1956). He proposed that both had to be denounced and rejected for their anti-Marxist views. That ultimately led to first to his book “Khrushchev and Gorbachev – the two main rings of treason” (Athens 1998), after that to “Concerns about events and people” (Athens 2006) and last to the brochure “Marxism-Leninism and Proletarian internationalism” (Athens, May 2007), which puts forward Marxist positions in militant confrontation with the social-democratic views of Khrushchevite revisionism. The latter is expressed and defended by the social-democratic group of Aleka Papariga and can be easily realised from the texts of the recent 18th Congress of “K”KE and mainly of the anti-Marxist position contained in the decision on the subject of “socialism”: that the Soviet Union supposedly continued – and despite the overthrow of the dictatorship of the proletariat after the death-murder of Stalin – the building of socialism without the dictatorship of the proletariat nor a revolutionary communist party. This myth reflects the bourgeois anti-Marxist understanding of socialism-communism of this leadership.

And now a brief reference to Nikandros Kepesis’ three books, which in no way is intended to replace their study by the Communists:

1) “Khrushchev and Gorbachev – the two main rings of treason” (Athens, 1998).

In the foreword of his first book the Communist N. Kepesis speaks of “treason” to the communist movement, which he characterizes as the “greatest treason of all centuries”, and also identifies precisely the time of this treason: “the treason – the greatest of all centuries – began in 1956 with the 20th Congress of the CPSU” (p. 9).

In another place be speaks of betrayal of Marxism-Leninism and that Khrushchev and his companions betrayed its founding principles, first and foremost the principle of the dictatorship of the proletariat: “Khrushchev and his companions betrayed Marxism-Leninism, its founding principles, first and foremost the principle of the dictatorship of the proletariat, while he promised that in 1980 the USSR would establish Communism” (p. 77).

Finally, he notes that Khrushchev replaced the dictatorship of the proletariat with the so-called “state of the whole people”, which, as is known, can only be the dictatorship of the new bourgeoisie, since ultra-class states do not exist. There can be only the dictatorship of the proletariat or the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. This replacement of the dictatorship of the proletariat with the so-called “state of the whole people” opened the doors to proposals of counter-revolutionary restoration of capitalism in the Soviet Union: “Khrushchev with his revisionist clique replaced the dictatorship of the proletariat with the ‘state of the whole people’. This weakened the working class ideologically and in practice made it unable to exercise its authority, to play its leading role. Thus began the rats of the bourgeoisie and mafia acting. Bad things began in the 20th Congress and completed by Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Shevardnadze, Yakovlev, et al” (p. 120).

2) “Concerns about events and people” (Athens, 2006)

In his second book N. Kepesis puts forward especially the very important question of the extermination-murder of the great Bolshevik communist leader Nikos Zachariades, about whom Stalin had said, turning to Niyazov during the proceedings of the 19th Congress of the CPSU (1952): “Do you see him? He is a great leader. He will bring about the revolution not only in Greece but also in Europe”. (P. Demetriou, “Ek vatheon”, Athens 1997, pp. 202-203). He notes that “On the 1st of August of 1973, the Khrushchevite leader L. Brezhnev committed a crime that the Hitlerite invaders didn’t dare to commit” (note: Zachariades was prisoner of the Nazis during the period 1941-1945 and held in Dachau concentration camp) and that “It turns out that Charilaos Florakis agreed with the Khrushchevite leadership to that action if he did not call for this murder himself. At any rate, Char. Florakis was the instigator of Nikos Zachariades’ murder”. (p. 45).

3) “Marxism-Leninism and Proletarian internationalism” (Athens, May 2007)

This 15-page brochure is dedicated to the “memory of the leader of the KKE Nikos Zachariades, who was murdered by the Khrushchevite leadership in the frozen steppes of Siberia under unspecified conditions”. The brochure opens with the historic letter of Zachariades of 31 October 1940 and ends with the assessment of the anti-communist Churchill on Stalin. In this brochure, Kepesis refers once again to the assassination of Zachariades, records the opinion of Stalin to Niyazov about him, refers to the visit of A. Papariga in Moscow to meet Gorbachev together with O. Kolozof and P. Trigazis, lists and criticizes the anti-Marxists views of the counter-revolutionary “perestroika”, which Papariga presented as “socialism”: “the ideas of perestroika correspond to the requirements of the reorganization of socialism, and contribute significantly to the development of the modern... theory of socialism, socialism has never been more attractive” (A. Papariga, “Pravda” June 25, 1991) (p. 8-9). Kepesis references one of his earlier statements about the 20th Congress of CPSU, which, inter alia, noted that “in the 20th Congress (1956) of the CPSU anti-Stalinism became the ideology of the CPSU” and reiterates his proposal that the “K”KE has to condemn the 20th Congress of the CPSU and the “6th Plenum” of 1956, noting: “in order for this shame, this moral crime, to be eliminated, the 18th Congress of the KKE must condemn the 20th Congress of the CPSU and the “6th Wide Plenum” of the KKE (1956)” (p. 10).

Finally, due to the anti-Marxist positions of A. Papariga and her refusal to condemn the anti-Marxist views of the 20th Congress of CPSU and the “6th Plenum” Kepesis proposed: “after all these anti-Marxist positions and since she refuses that the KKE has to criticize and condemn the 20^th Congress of the CPSU and the “6th Plenum” of the KKE and reject their anti-Marxist positions, A. Papariga can not remain in the leadership of Greece. She should be removed, deposed, and her position be assumed by a collective leadership that will take the initiative to discuss at the 18th Congress the two central issues: the 20th Congress of the CPSU and the “6th Plenum” and their anti-Marxist positions should be condemned because they caused great destruction to Socialism and to the international communist movement” (p. 13-14).

But, as all decisions of the latter 18th Congress were reaffirmed, especially that about “socialism”, the social-democrat A. Papariga and the leadership of the “K”KE continue steadily and consistently along the same counter-revolutionary social-democratic path of the 20th Congress of the CPSU (February 1956) and the convention of the “6th Plenum” (March 1956), refusing to renounce their treacherous anti-Marxist views, serving the interests of capital and the perpetuation of the sovereignty of the reactionary bourgeoisie.

All these are the roots of the extremely hostile attitude and class hatred of the lackeys of capital, the social-democratic leaders of the “K”KE against the communist revolutionary comrade Nikandros Kepesis, spokesperson-defender of the interests of the proletariat and courageous bearer of the Proletarian Revolution and Socialism-Communism.

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

Read More »

Articles in “Rizospastis and “Kommounistiki Epitheorisi” (1924-1947) against the counter-revolutionary Trotskyism / JUST RELEASED!

Athens, June 2009
Pages: 124
Size: A5
Language: Greek
5 euros

The Movement for the Reorganisation of the Communist Party of Greece 1918-55 released a special 124-pages edition with selected articles from the 1924-1947 period of “Rizospastis” and “Kommounistiki Epitheorisi” (Communist Review) with articles against the counter-revolutionary current of Trotskyism. As I.V. Stalin has stated “Trotskyism is the advance guard of the counter-revolutionary bourgeoisie”.

The foreword of the edition follows:

The period 1924-1947 in “Rizospastis” and “Kommounistiki Epitheorisi” (Communist Review) there were published lots of articles against the advance guard of counter-revolution, Trotskyism. We publish a small sample of these articles (28) as a contribution to the history of the revolutionary movement of our country. Nowdays, these articles gain a special value for the history of KKE (1918-1955) and provides with knowledge for the stance of Trotskyism in this period and in the following years. Trotskyism was fought and revealed by the revolutionary theory of Marxism-Leninism-Stalinism and both its politics and ideology were defeated. In this edition we additionally include an excerpt from the speech to the second Plenum of the CP of KKE in 1946 in which he is referring to the role of Trotskyism.

Read More »

Message of the CC of KPD for the death of Nikandros Kepesis

Dear comrades,
with great dismay we have received the notice of the death of comrade Nikandros Kepesis, veteran communist and fighter of the Greek Liberation Army (ELAS) who has devoted his life to the cause of the working class and the oppressed people.
We grieve with you for the great loss that the Communist movement has suffered with his death and hereby express our condolences.

With communist greetings,
Central Comittee of KPD
26.06.2009

Read More »

One Million-strong Demonstration in Tehran against the Ruthless Regime of the Islamic Republic! Long Live the General Strike!

Nearly a million people staged a demonstration in Tehran today and expressed their anger and disgust over the deceitful and hypocritical regime of the Islamic Republic. The participants in the

demonstration spit on the sham election and its "elected" president and on the Supreme Leader Khamenei. The Iranian people have reached the conclusion that the regime of Islamic Republic has no respect for their opinions and that the president, despite the public charade, is appointed by the "Guardian Council", the "Expediency Council", the "Supreme Leader", and a mafia of power.
The Islamic reformers who have put on sheep’s clothing today were yesterday's wolves who had a significant role in the execution of thousands of Iranian revolutionaries and in the suppression of the 1979 Revolution. They were and continue to be devoted to the system of Islamic rule with a supreme leader at the top. The quarrels between the factions of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not about democracy, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and organisation, the rights of workers and women and youth, etc. Their fight is about who can seise power and grab a bigger piece of the pie.
The just struggle of the people of Iran would be fruitful if the class demands and class lines become transparent in the movement. The people can achieve freedom and social justice by their organized, planned, sharp, and targeted struggles.
The power of the regime of the Islamic Republic is slipping away, and the authorities are unable to react to the mass movement. In this situation, the people should be vigilant and must not become
cannon fodder in the quarrel between the two factions of the regime. We are vigilant and will not be deceived by the Reformist Faction's filing electoral complaints and engaging in correspondence with the office of the Supreme Leader. Even if Khamenei voids the result and calls for new elections, the result will be nothing more than replacing Ahmadinejad with another pawn.
The presidential candidate Mussavi has been part and parcel of the Islamic rule. He was the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic during the mass executions in Iran. Mussavi agrees with the slogan "Down with the deceitful government" but strongly opposes the people’s chant of "Down with the deceitful order". He tries to bring the movement of dissatisfied masses under his control by using the religious sentiment of the people. Mussavi asks the people to be patient, silent, and peaceful. The people demonstrating on the streets of Iran cannot listen to these mollifying sermons.
The fascist Security, Intelligence, Paramilitary, Police, and the plainclothes Police of the Islamic Republic have attacked the peaceful demonstrators, and dozens of civilians have been fatally shot.
These government forces have carried out the most vicious attacks on the people in the past and will certainly do it again. This brutality of the regime shows the young demonstrators that they cannot have any illusions about the suppressive nature of the Islamic Republic and that freedom, radical change, self-determination, and the rights of workers and women and youth cannot be achieved through peaceful demonstrations and sit-ins. In order to minimise loss and maximise gain, we must build and strengthen the party of the working class. Country-wide protests and general and political strikes of the all strata of society, especially of the working class, will ring the death bell of the regime of the Islamic Republic.
The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) strongly condemns the criminal regime of the Islamic Republic for its attacks on the peaceful demonstrations. We demand the release of all activists who have been detained in the recent events. All those responsible for the killings must be brought to justice. We demand the release of all imprisoned political and labour activists. The equality of man and woman must be realised in all spheres of life. We demand the separation of religion from state and education. The freedom of expression, assembly, and organisation must be recognised by the regime of the Islamic Republic. All repressive forces of the Islamic Republic, Security, Police, Intelligence, Basig
(mobilisation), Pasdaran (guardians), plainclothes Police, etc must be withdrawn from the streets.
Our Party calls on fraternal Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organisations, all progressive and revolutionary organisations, and all freedom-loving individuals to condemn the regime of the Islamic
Republic for its uncountable crimes against the Iranian people in the past thirty years.

Long Live the Protest Movement of the Iranian People against the Islamic Republic!
Down with the Regime of the Islamic Republic!
Long Live the General Strike of the Workers, Students, Teachers, Nurses, and Employees!
Long Live Socialism!

The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)
June 17, 2009
WWW.Toufan.org
Toufan@Toufan.org

Read More »

Message of Vijay Singh (“Revolutionary Democracy” Magazine) for the death of cde Nikandros Kepesis

Monday, June 22, 2009

Condolences on the death of Comrade Nikandros Kepesis. The KKE had an illustrious communist history which has been negated by its current Khrushchevist revisionist leadership. The true revolutionaries have gathered around the Movement for the Reorganisation of the Communist Party of Greece 1918-55.

Fraternally,
Vijay Singh,
Revolutionary Democracy

Read More »

Message of the Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) for the death of cde Nikandros Kepesis

To the Political Committee of the "Movement for the Reorganisation of the Communist Party of Greece, 1918-55" ,

Dear Comrades,
With deep sorrow, the Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) sends you its message of condolences for the death of Comrade Nikandros Kepesis.
Comrade Nikandros was a tested and experienced communist who dedicated his life to the struggle for a free and independent Greece and to the establishment of a society free of oppression and exploitation. War, prison, and camp could not break the will and determination of Comrade Nikandros to fight for a society in which all are equal. The struggle he waged against the occupation inspired many young activists to join the National Liberation Army of Greece. Today, our Comrades in Greece find Nikandros in their daily struggle to build a free society.
We are confident that our Comrades in Greece will turn the grief over the death of Comrade Nikandros Kepesis into strength and will continue his path of class struggle.

Glory to Memory of Comrade Nikandros Kepesis!
The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)
June 2009

Read More »

Message of Dr. Laver Stroka for the death of Nikandros Kepesis

CONDOLENCE

To: "Movement for the Reorganization of the Communist Party of Greece 1918-55"

Dear comrades!

Grievously I took the message for loss of veteran communist Nikandros Kepesis.

Comrade Nikandros has give a big contributes in Antifascist Warm and in organization of Communist Party of Greece. As a dedicated communist and fighter he passed a great span of the life in prisons and in concentration camps.

Comrade Nikandros remain a truth communist consequent.

Such men die never.

Lifelong his name!

Dr. Laver Stroka

Gjirokastra

Albania

Jun 12^th.2009

Read More »

Enver Hoxha: The Marxist-Leninist Movement and the World Crisis of Capitalism

Comrade Enver Hoxha wrote an article in August 1979 with the title “The Marxist-Leninist Movement and the World Crisis of Capitalism”. It was published by the Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies at the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania. The article in English is available here.

We translated this text in to Greek and it we published it in our newspaper “Anasintaxi” in three parts: issue 296 (15-30/4/2009), 297 (1-15/5/2009) and 299 (1-15/6/2009). (part 1 | part 2 | part 3). This is the first time this article is published in Greek.

Read More »

Toufan: The Participation in the Elections is to Legitimize the Regime of the Islamic Republic!

Statement on the tenth presidential elections in Iran

The Participation in the Elections is to Legitimize the Regime of the Islamic Republic!

(Excerpt)

The tenth presidential elections of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be held on June 12, 2009. The two factions of the regime, Conservative and Reformist, are trying their best to warm up the electoral campaigns. The heated debates between the factions are influenced by world crises and events. The US and European countries are watching the campaigns closely and are hoping that the incumbent president Ahmadinejad loses to his opponent, Reformist candidate Mussavi. The imperialists try to influence the result of the election by propagating an idea that if the Reformist candidate wins the election, the negotiation between Iran and the US could start very quickly and the economic blockade of Iran could be lifted. Through these kinds of involvements, the imperialists will have indirect influence on the results of the elections. In Iran, this political involvement may have the opposite result. The fact that the people of Iran are opposed to the regime of the Islamic Republic does not imply that the people are ready to overthrown the regime or even actively participate in the actions to change the government. After 1979 revolution in Iran, the struggle for freedom and democracy has continued unabated. Despite the protests by workers, students, women, and civil institutions, we cannot yet talk about a revolutionary situation in Iran. Presently, the Iranian masses are indifferent toward the presidential elections. The present situation is very different than it was twelve years ago when the people had hopes for change through reform movement and participated en masse in the elections. At that time, their participation in the presidential elections was a big blow to the regime.
Today, there is no pressure from below to frighten the top leaders of the regime into a forced retreat. The Iranian masses are disillusioned with and disappointed by the Reformers. Today, every major decision is made by the top leadership, and the people feel their participation in the elections will not influence the development of the events or their destiny and that none of the four candidates introduced by the regime represents their interests. The indifference of the masses towards the elections has alarmed the Islamic regime as it tries to pretend to the outside world that it has the support and confidence of the people.
The "Guardian Council" of the Islamic Republic has chosen four candidates among many hundreds, two from the Conservative faction and two from the Reformist, to run for elections. The "Guardian Council", not the people, has made decisions regarding the qualification of the candidates. In this situation, how can people trust and have confidence in these four candidates? The Iranian people do not recognise the qualifications of the council in the first place! This is a council to filter out the opponents and critics of the regime. The regime of the Islamic Republic knows that its election is fake and has no shame about it. However, the regime is fearful of the indifference of the masses toward the elections. The Islamic authorities try through propaganda, deception, and intimidation to force the people to go to the polls.
There are also reports that the regime is trying to lower the voting age to fifteen years. The regime is concerned about its legitimacy abroad. The regime of the Islamic Republic does not respond to the demands of the people, does not value human life, does not end the suppression of dissidents, and does not eradicate superstitions. Instead, it tries to paint its façade to show the imperialists that it has legitimacy at home. The regime has no powerful social base at home to stand up against the
imperialist-Zionist threats and aggression against our people.
Today, two main factions of the Islamic regime are quarrelling in the elections, and both are the defenders and protectors of the Islamic Republic. This quarrel is about who can protect the Islamic
Republic better. At the same time, both factions are fighting to seise and benefit from the country’s vast resources. Both factions cooperate in preserving the political and class power of the Islamic Republic.
The masses are disillusioned with the so-called the Reformist faction. The Reformers have shown that they are incapable of fulfilling the demands of the masses, and that they are more frightened by the demands than by the noise of the rival faction. When they had the support and votes of twenty million people twelve years ago, they did not even legalise the right to form trade unions. How could they now gain the support and the trust of the public and take them to the polling stations again? The former ever-smiling President Khatami played the role of a fireman when the demand for change was burning in millions of the Iranian masses. The Reformers support the economic liberalism of the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Funds, and the World Bank, and they strongly supported the privatisation of major sectors of the economy as they tried to attract imperialist investments in Iran. The Reformers signed the traitorous "Additional Protocol" of International Atomic Energy Agency on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
The government of Ahnadinejad was a response of the Iranian ruling circles to the threats of the US imperialists, to economic sanctions, and to the acts of sabotage of the imperialist agents in Iran. The Ahmadinegad government placed significant importance to both domestic suppression and increased military capability. The Conservative faction based itself on the policy that foreign threats strengthen domestic unity, and they implemented this policy skillfully.
The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) believes that the participation in the tenth presidential elections in Iran will be in the service of the policies of the Islamic Republic and will strengthen its unpopular regime. In the situation in which despotism rules the country, which the political organisations are
illegalised, which free presses are banned, and in which the political and labour activists are tortured and imprisoned, the talk about a free election in Islamic Republic is cheap. The rule of the Islamic Republic serves as an impediment against any democratic development in Iran. In this situation the correct policy is to actively boycott the tenth presidential elections. This policy is a principled tactic to further discredit and ill-legitimise the murderous regime of Iran. This tactic is to intensify the intercontradiction
of the regime and to weaken the Islamic Republic in its totality. Our supporters are actively agitating against the participation in the elections. We mobilise the people and convince them that this election is not free, etc. The movement to boycott the tenth presidential elections in Iran is an active movement to further expose and isolate the regime of the Islamic Republic.

The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)
May 2009
WWW.Toufan.org
Toufan@toufan.org

Read More »

Ecuador: Contradictions to the interior of the democratic and left trend

Editorial del semanario En Marcha, edición 1445. 9 de junio 2009

Contradictions to the interior of the democratic and left trend

In the course of the previous weeks, the confrontation between the Educators' National Union and the government, about the unconstitutional and punitive evaluation to the teachers, has turned into central aspect of the Ecuadorian politics. This shock, which from the government and the great mass media has been led also in opposition to the Popular Democratic Movement, this has provoked confusion in many ecuadorians who do not get to understand how the government, including the president Rafael Correa, has attacked with so much force two organizations that have expressed their support to the governmental management.

This behavior cuold qualify as inconsecuence of PAI and the government with an sector which had given clear samples of of commitment with the political project that Ecuador lives. But further more than inconsistency there exist differences of political order that confronts them. Rafael Correa and PAIS have established a democratic and progressive government, and though they speak of taking forward a revolution to which they qualify as citizen revolution , the certain thing is that their management has the limit of the capitalist institucionality that they respect and call to respecting it. We are in front of a government that does not overcome the reformism

and beyond welfarism across which he tries to attend to any material needs of the people, but that does not mean they will provoke a real transformation in the structures of the ecuadorian society.

The MPD, on the other hand, as a revolutionary organization, understands that is necesary to take radical acction to change the country and It has been criticized, for example, the ambivalence about the government against the banks and entrepreneurs, while make agrements with the latter when they have been mocked about the implementation of the mandate that ended the outsourcing, or when it guarantees high returns and to early to raise interest rates or maintain more than one billion dollars from the State in private banks. Inconsistent Conduct with the speech have been presented on such topics as oil policy, mining or in relation to the external debt that is considerate as illegal and illegitimate, however is paid.

What is happening in our country is the confrontation within the democratic, progressive and leftist trend between reformers positions vs. the positions of the revolutionary left that holds critical positions on the limitations and errors of government action. Reformism want space close to the action of the revolutionary forces.
The revolutionary left understands as inevitable the presence of these contradictions and tries to ensure that workers and people understand their nature and origin. Their solution does not hide the differences, but on the contrary, redouble efforts to make the people understand better the political situation and its strategic objectives.

However, now, this confrontation is heightened, not to forget that the fundamental contradiction in Ecuadorian society which is manifested between exploited and exploiters, betwen peoples of Ecuador and working class and imperialism, primarily American. This is the first target of the Ecuadorian revolution.

Read More »

Message of Piattaforma Comunista for the death of Nikandros Kepesis

Italian marxists-leninists bend their flags at the memory of comrade Nikandros Kepesis.

His activity, courage and determination are an example for everyone that want to fight for a new society without workers’ exploitation and people’s oppression.

His name and his contribute will live forever in our fight!

Please, transmit our deep regret to his family.

With internationalistic feeling,

Piattaforma Comunista (Italy).

Read More »

Veteran communist cde Nikandros Kepesis passed away

Athens 3 June 2009

The veteran communist cde Nikandros Kepesis passed away today at 7:00 in the morning at “Evaggelistria” Hospital in Kypseli, where he hospitalized for a long time.

Nikandros Kepesis took part in the 1940-41 war, as a reserve second lieutenant. He was one of the first to join the struggle against the conquerors. He became captain of the 6th independent Constitution of Piraeus of the Greek Liberation Army (ELAS). He became a member of OKNE (as a student) in 1930 and in 1936 a member of the KKE. In 1944 he became a member of the Secretariat of the Party Organisation of Piraeus and in 1946 second Secretary of the Party Organisation of Athens. In 1950 while in prison, was elected member of the Central Committee of KKE from the 3rd State Conference. HE reelected in all conferences up to the 11th Congress. For his patriotic and partisan activities he was chased hard. He spent 22 years in prisons and concentration camps. For his contribution against occupation and in particular his contribution to the battles of 12-13 October 1944, he was honored with Party praise and party and became a Lieutenant of PEEA. He was a member of the Greek parliament with KKE in the past.

His funeral is tomorrow, Thursday, at Zografou Cemetery at 11 am.

The Political Committee of the "Movement for the Reorganisation of the Communist Party of Greece 1918-55"
PO Box 3689, 102 10 Athens
Greece
Tel: +30 2108621543

Read More »

The APK supports ‘Folkebevægelsen mod EU’, liste N (The People’s Movement against the EU) in the elections June 7th

By the Workers’ Communist Party of Denmark (APK)

The Workers’ Communist Party of Denmark fight for the dissolution of  the European Union as an imperialist tool of the monopolist bourgeoisie and fight against the neoliberal and reactionary policy of the EU, that is applied in all member countries.
Our entire struggle against social cutbacks and police state-tendencies in Denmark is closely connected to our struggle against the EU.

We strongly raise the demand, that Denmark leaves the EU. We cherish no illusions that the EU may evolve into some kind of democratic institution, representing the needs and wishes of the peoples.

The European Union is closely connected to American imperialism and the predatory wars through the NATO and other imperialistic organizations.

The European parliament has not been recognized as a legitimate democratic institution by the peoples of Europe, and not by the Danish people either. When no party or list exist that represents the aspirations of the people the obvious choice would be to boycott the elections.

In Denmark our Party have supported and supports the The People’s Movement against the EU (Folkebevægelsen mod EU) and its participation in the elections. Folkebevægelsen mod EU has long been represented in the so-called European Parliament.
The Peoples Movement Against the EU is a genuine peoples’ movement and a broad coalition struggling with the aim of getting Denmark out of the EU, without any illusions of changing the EU 'from the inside'.
The work of The People’s Movement against the EU in the union parliament has mainly been to show the anti-democratic structures of the EU, and the connection between the neo-liberal cutbacks in Denmark and the policies of the EU.

This movement has been a major factor in the two referendums won by the Danish opponents to the European Union.
The first was in 1992, with the No-vote on the Maastricht Treaty. This made a great impact, but was  followed by a defeat in the referendum the following year, which the Yes-vote won, while Denmark was excluded from full participation in the provisions of the Maastricht Treaty.

These ‘Danish exceptions’ were: the economical unions third phase (The Euro currency), Union citizenship, and parts of the military and legal program of the Union.

The second victory was a referendum in 2000 on the Danish participation in the 3rd phase of the economic union – that is a.o. the replacement of the krone with the euro. The No-vote won.
The Danes had been promised to vote on the European Constitution, but this was annulled after the No-votes in Holland and France. No referendum was allowed about the new version of this constitution, the Lisbon Treaty, which was rejected by the Irish people, the only country where a referendum has been held. The People’s Movement against the EU continues the struggle against this treaty.

Copenhagen May 27th 2009

Arbejderpartiet Kommunisterne (APK)

Website of Folkebevægelsen mod EU

www.folkebevaegelsen.dk

The People’s Movement against the EU

Read More »

EMEP: We condemn the "fascistic pressure" towards the KESK

We strongly condemn the "fascistic pressure" towards the Confederation of Public Employees Trade Unions (KESK) and its affiliated trade unions!

29th May 2009

The police operation against the Central Headquarters of KESK during the early hours on Thursday morning, the 28 May, has once again revealed the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government's true face. AKP is continuing to attack the workers and labourers and those forces talking about democracy and freedom with such accusations as separatism and terrorism.

These kinds of attacks that have intensified recently remind us of the "McCarthy period" that took place in the USA during the 1950's. Kurds and the democratic forces are the main target of the "witch hunt" that is being waged. It is at the same time thought provoking that these attacks should come after KESK and other trade unions, professional chambers, labour and democracy forces have undertaken initiatives in terms of a dialogue regarding the Kurdish question.

What, we wonder, will Prime Minister Tayyip Erdo?an, who has termed what has been done in the past towards the minorities as "fascistic pressures" and President Abdullah G�l, who has stated that; "good things will happen regarding the Kurdish question" say about these pressures towards the trade unions that are in essence labour organisations and towards the Kurdish people? Words such as "terror" and "dividing the country" and upon which they have been harping will not be sufficient to save the appearances in relation to this operation targeting KESK. Because this time it is not possible to cover up this farce with "pretty lies".

Following the political parties; central offices of confederations and trade unions are raided fearlessly and almost an environment of terror is being created.

Though they are trying to take refuge in the pretext of struggling against terror and separatists; what is taking place in reality is the onslaught towards the demands for democracy and trade union rights and freedoms.

Beginning with the labour organisations; those who have not put forward an adequate reaction in the face of similar attacks, should think deeply about what is taking place once again in connection with this event. It is crystal clear that these attacks will continue in a prevalent manner and that even the smallest demand for rights will be at the target when a stance is not taken.

We believe that all the labour, professional and democracy forces, beginning with Confederation of Workers' Trade Unions of Turkey (T�RK-?�) and Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Trade Unions (D?SK), will demonstrate the necessary attitude against this attack. We strongly condemn these "fascistic pressures" directed at KESK and its affiliated trade unions. The trade unionists in police custody must be released immediately.

Levent TUZEL
President

Labour Party (EMEP), Turkey:
Tarlabasi Bulvari, Kamerhatun M. Alhatun Sk.
No:25/1 Beyoglu/ISTANBUL TURKEY

Tel:+90 505 9373757 (Mobile)
+90 212 3612508
Fax:+90 212 3612509

Web: www.emep.org E-Mail: international@emep.org

Read More »

Boycott euro-elections – Greece out of the EU

The poster above says:

GREECE OUT OF THE EU
Greece’s participation in the imperialist EU means OCCUPATION.

SUBSTAIN from the Euroelections. Against the policy of hunger, unemployment, dependency, ecfascitation, wars, nationalism-racism and anticommunism there is no  indiscipline…

there is only DENIAL and REVOLUTIONARY CLASS STRUGGLE.

Movement for the REORGANITATION of KKE 1918-55

anasintaxi.awardpace.com

anasintaxi.blogspot.com

Read More »

Boycott euro-elections – Greece out of the EU

The Movement for the Reoganisation of the Communist Party of Greece 1918-55 calls the Greek people to boycott the euro-elections with slogans “Boycott euro-elections” – “Greece out of the EU”

The Political Committee of the Movement for the Reoganisation of the Communist Party of Greece 1918-55

May 2009

Read More »

EMEP: On the May Day Celebrations

The unity of the working class and the labourers has won in the May Day celebrations held in Turkey and around the world.

11th May 2009

The May Day celebrations held all around the world and in Turkey has been a day on which the working class and the labourers have declared that they do not want to pay the cost of the crisis. The massive character as well as the prevalence of the celebrations has stood out and they have also revealed both the periodical weaknesses and the opportunities for improvement and reinforcement within the workers' movement and the trade union struggle.

Both around the world and in our country, the May Day of 2009 has been witnessed to the most prevalent and massive May Day celebrations of the recent years.

The capitalist system is undergoing its most severe crisis after the Second World War. The role of the capitalist system's attacks (such as dismissals from work, wage reductions, all the different forms of leave without pay and flexible work being implemented etc.) channelled by the hands of the states and governments and directed towards the sections forming the main body of the working class has been significant. In many countries, beginning with France,
the trade unions and confederations have put aside the competition between them and have celebrated May Day together against the attacks of the capital.

The economic crisis collectivising the demands, to such a degree, in the celebrations held on an international scale has brought out the international character of the working class movement in the same degree.

More than 300 thousand workers and labourers have participated in the celebrations held around 100 different venues in our country. Another characteristic to stand out in the celebrations has been the Kurdish workers and labourers participating massively and in a widespread manner and claiming the May Day celebrations this year. The Kurdish workers and labourers have expressed their economic and democratic demands together with their class sisters and brothers. This picture gives strength and hope in terms of the future of the common struggle of the Turkish and Kurdish workers and labourers.

However and unfortunately, on the contrary to the tendency around the world, the confederations and trade unions in our country following a "dividing" line of action rather than one respecting the unity of the workers and labourers, has caused participation to remain at the current levels when conditions for different results actually existed. To such an extent that some of the confederations, not content with limiting the division based on "we must go to Taksim Square" to Istanbul, have resorted to dispatching written instructions to the trade union branches in other cities around the country telling them to stay away from joint celebrations.

It is gladdening to see that, despite these negativities the workers, labourers and the trade unionists feeling responsibility towards the labour movement have not paid attention to the "imposing from the top", subjective approaches of the confederations' and trade unions' central administrations disregarding the unity and interests of the labourers and not taking the will of the grassroots into consideration at all and these forces have organised joint celebrations everywhere except for Istanbul and a few other
locations around the country. This situation has demonstrated that the idea of the capital's attacks being only repulsed with a complete struggle has been accepted among the labourers at the grassroots.

This attitude that is pro-unity has shown both that our Party's May Day tactic has been claimed by the working class and the labourers and has, once again, put forward the path that needs to be trodden by the movement of the workers and the trade unions.

At the point reached today, the central administrations of confederations and trade unions should regard the class movement from a position in accordance with this tendency of the grassroots rather than their own positions and should immediately take the steps in order to build a united line of struggle. In addition to this, insistence on the policy of "We must go to Taksim Square" is one of the most fundamental obstacles in front of maintaining class unity. We must know that the discussions currently carried out around "Taksim Square"; beyond being a simple discussion among the working class and the labourers as to whether the "march took place or not in Taksim Square" or whether the "number of participants was reasonable or not", is in fact an ideological problem existing between the working class and the elements outside of the class.

May Day will only correspond to the values it represents both historically and in terms of today as long as it is celebrated as a day on which the widest unity of the workers and labourers is maintained around the most urgent economic, social and political demands. A platform on May Day that does not ensure the unity of the workers and disregards their demands cannot be defended on behalf of the working class; no matter what the pretexts put forward happen to be. This is the reality that those insisting on "Taksim Square" refuse persistently in seeing.

Undoubtedly; celebrating May Day in Taksim, beyond being a wish, is the right of the working class of Turkey. However; a genuinely workers' May Day will have been celebrated in Taksim Square when the workers and labourers have defeated with their own forces the restraints and bans pertaining to this issue imposed by the capital's governments and the state and have rendered sovereign their own platform with their unity and their demands. What has been experienced in Taksim on the May Day of 2009 has nothing to do with this situation.

The subjectivist attitude and understanding put forward by those setting forth the symbols of the past and their own feelings in a manner alienated from the duties of the present day is a typical indication of the position they have been flung to that is outside of the class.

On the other hand, another reality made obvious one again by the events in Taksim is that the government as well as the Governor and the Chief of Police that are "at the head" of Istanbul as the government's representatives, deem running this city with police terror as an accomplishment. The police terror storming around Taksim on May Day cannot be accepted by anybody or any organisation on the side of democracy nor can it be justified. The Governor and Chief of Police of Istanbul should immediately resign as those responsible for these actions.

Taking all of these facts into consideration, our Party will continue to offer all its accumulation and means of struggle to the service of the working class and the trade union struggle.

Long live May Day; the day of international unity, struggle and solidarity of the working class!

Long live the unity of the working class!

International Relations Bureau of the Labour Party (EMEP), Turkey

Read More »

Condemn the Attacks on May Day Demonstrators in Iran!

Letter from the Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)

Dear Comrades,
On May 1, 2009, workers were gathering In Laleh Park in Tehran to celebrate the international working class day that the Security and Intelligence forces, along with uniform and plain-clothes police, of the Islamic Republic of Iran brutally attacked them. The repressive security forces tried to disperse 2000 workers who were already in the Park and to shut down the May Day demonstration before it started. Many activists have been savagely beaten and injured by the police. The Security and Intelligence forces have arrested more than 150 labour activists, men and women. This year May Day rally in Tehran was sponsored by several independent labour organisations and workers' right centres. The "Organising Committee" of the May Day rally had carried out extensive agitation and propaganda on this event. Several days prior to the celebration, the Islamic Republic's security forces had threatened the labour activists and had made phone calls to families of the activists in order to prevent the May Day rally. Also, the security forces based on several major companies and factories had brought to the Park to identify the participants. The Police have taken photos of the people gathered in the Park.
Also, May Day demonstration in the city of Sanandaj was attacked by the thugs of the Islamic Republic and six activists were arrested.
Following these attacks on May Day events, the police of the Islamic Republic raided the Consumer and Housing Cooperatives of the Metal Mechanics Workers of Tehran and have arrested several
members of the Cooperatives.
The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) strongly condemns the attacks on May Day events in Tehran and Sanandaj. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of recent detainees. We demand the release of all political and labour activists from the dungeons of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Dear Comrades,
In recent years, the worker-activists in Iran were able to establish independent trade unions after many years of hard and continuous struggles against the capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic.
Since 1980, the Islamic regime has harassed, suppressed, beaten, and jailed the workers who tried to organise independent May Day celebrations. The capitalist regime of Iran has illegalised the formation of independent worker-syndicates. The activists who have tried to establish free and independent unions have been tortured, imprisoned, and even lashed publicly. Mansour Ossalou, Mahmoud Salehi, Ali Nejati, Farzad kamangar, … have been imprisoned for such activities.
Several independent trade unions and workers' right centres arranged the May 2009 rally in Tehran.
In response to this new development, the regime of the Islamic Republic has intensified its repression against the labour activists. On May 1st, 2009, police used buttons, electric shocks, and pepper spray on the workers gathered in Laleh Park in Tehran. The detainees from different age groups were taken to notorious Evin prison. The families of the detainees who were contacting the Islamic Revolutionary Court were told that authorities have issued bails of 50-100 million tomans (40-80 thousand Euros) for the temporary release of the each detainee!
The capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran has never recognised or respected the workers' rights to form their organisations, to assemble, or to strike. On the contrary, following the dictates of the "World Trade Organization", the regime has intensified the violation of even the most basic rights of working men and women of Iran. The statement issued by the "Organising Committee" of the May Day rally addresses some of the violation of the rights and suppression of the workers' activities.
"We celebrate May 1st while the capitalist system is in a deep quagmire of economic crisis,…. shifting the burden of the crisis on the back of the labourers all over the world,…" . " Extreme low wages, mass layoffs and firings, imposition of temporary contracts…., such conditions have continued for many years and their severities have increased each year".
The demands put forwards by the Committee's statement include:
-guaranteed job security, elimination of temporary job contracts, increase in minimum wage, payment
of unpaid wages,
- the right to form independent organisations, to assemble, and to strike
- full equality of men and women in all spheres of life
- prohibition of child labour
- release of all imprisoned worker-activists
- end the expulsion and exploitation of Afghan and other migrant workers in Iran
- to build international solidarity with the working class

Dear Comrades,
The demands put forward by the several workers' organisations in Iran are the demands of millions of working men and women who have been living under very harsh conditions for many years. These demands have the support of all sections of the Iranian society who fight for their long-suppressed
rights. The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan) calls on all fraternal Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organisations, progressive and revolutionary organisations and individuals to condemn, in any suitable form, the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its attacks on May Day events in Iran. We call on you to demand immediate and unconditional release of the recent detainees in Iran. The attack on May Day demonstrators in Iran is an attack on the entire working men and women of the world. Long Live the International Solidarity of the Working Class!

The Party of Labour of Iran (Toufan)
May 6, 2009
WWW.Toufan.org

Read More »