Week #4, June 2020
1. New Communist Party of the Netherlands (NCPN):
Declaration about the attacks on the NCP of Yugoslavia and the CY of Yugoslavia.
2. Party of Labour, Austria (PdA):
Solidarity with the NKPJ.
3. Communist Party of Turkey (TKP):
Party brochure on COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Turkey's working class.
4. Communist Party of Greece (KKE):
On the Greek-Italian Agreement concerning the maritime boundaries (EEZ).
5. Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP):
International solidarity projects (Brigades) postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic.
6. World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU):
WFTU statement for the World Refugee Day
7. Communist Party of India (CPI):
Statement for the India-China military standoff in Ladakh.
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NEW COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE NETHERLANDS (NCPN)
Declaration about the attacks on the NCPN of Yugoslavia and the CY of Yugoslavia
The New Communist Party of the Netherlands sent the following letter to the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Holland:
Her Excellency Ms. KsenijaMilenković
Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia
Embassy of the Republic of Serbia
Burgemeester van Karnebeeklaan 19
2585 BA ’s-Gravenhage
Dear Ms.Milenković,
It has come to our attention that the joint list handed over to the election committee by the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (NKPJ) and the Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ) has been denied participation to the parliamentary elections, scheduled for the 21th of June 2020.
This list, named “Socialism is the Only Way Out – NKPJ-SKOJ”, was handed over by representatives of the NKPJ and the SKOJ, with the necessary collected signatures, on the 5th of June. The Central Electoral Commission (RIK) has consequently rejected this registration.What is shocking to us is that an extreme right political party, the Levijatan Movement,had its disqualification overturned despite not submitting the required number of signatures in time, while the NKPJ and the SKOJ are denied participation in the elections.
We, the New Communist Party of the Netherlands (NCPN) and the Communist Youth Movement of the Netherlands (CJB),consider the rejection of the NKPJ and the SKOJ from a fair democratic process an anti-democratic and anti-communist act, which harms the legitimacy of the elections.We therefore denounce this decision and demand the immediate overturning of this decision. With the lost time to mount a campaign the NKPJ and the SKOJ have already been heavily discriminated against in this process.
We ask you to communicate this message and our demands to the RIK and use all the influence imbued in your office to restore the democratic process to its rightful track.
Sincerely,
International Bureau of the New Communist Party of the Netherlands (NCPN),
International Bureau of the Communist Youth Movement of the Netherlands (CJB).
solidnet.org
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PARTY OF LABOUR OF AUSTRIA (PDA)
Solidarity with the NKPJ
Parliamentary elections will be held in the Republic of Serbia on 21 June 2020. Why does this concern the Austrian Party of Labour? We would like to raise two points.
For one thing, more than 100,000 people living in Austria would be eligible to vote - that is about the same number as in the Serbian city of Kragujevac, for example. However, registration is required at fairly short notice, and there are also very few - too few - polling stations for Serbian citizens abroad. The Serbian state makes it as difficult as possible for many citizens to exercise their right to vote. This should change. But that is not the only democratic problem surrounding the elections in Serbia.
Because, secondly, the right to stand for election is also affected: The list "Socialism is the only way out", initiated by our fraternal party, the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (Nova KomunističkaPartijaJugoslavije, NKPJ), as well as by its youth organisation, the League of Communist Youth (SavezkomunističkeomladineJugoslavije, SKOJ), was primarily refused by the election commission, and then, furthermore,it was made impossible for them to accomplish the conditions for participation. Our comrades have collected and submitted signatures for the election, whereby this hurdle is absurdly high in Serbia. The commission claimed shortcomings but refused a serious deadline to remedy them. It must be stressed: This did not happen concerning other similar cases. Therefore, it is obviously an anti-communist and anti-socialist arbitrary measure, in the best accordance with EU practice. Why? Because Serbia is to be annexed to the imperialist bloc, so that German and Austrian banks and corporations can have full freedom of action in Serbia, so that the NATO war and the separation of Serbian territories can be justified in retrospect, so that the Serbian population can be oppressed and exploited to the maximum. These are the goals of capitalism and imperialism - and also the real goals of the ruling classes and the collaborators in Serbia. That is why a list should not be allowed to compete which, by its very name, gives the right answer and formulates the goal: socialism is the only way out.
The Party of Labour of Austria protests against this approach of the bourgeois Serbian authorities and supports the NKPJ and the SKOJ in their campaign. We call on the Serbian voters in Austria to go to the polls anyway and write on the ballot paper the appropriate answer to this scandal, namely: Socijalizamjediniizlaz! We call upon them to accompany the NKPJ in its struggles in solidarity. We offer the Serbian-born workers in Austria to become active for their interests together with the Party of Labour. Because it is a truth for the working class, in Serbia as well as in Austria, and regardless of origin, mother tongue or citizenship: the common and internationalist revolutionary struggle for socialism is indeed the only way out.
solidnet.org
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COMMUNIST PARTY OF TURKEY (TKP)
Party brochure on COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Turkey's working class
The International Relations Bureau of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) has issued a brochure on COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Turkey's working class, examining the interventions of the government, favouring the capitalists. The political and organizational activities of the Party amid pandemic, as well as the practices of the PE Network among various sectors. The outcomes of the pandemic; economical and political crisis, unemployment, poverty and reaction are discussed from a communist perspective.
You can download the brochure from the link below:
http://tkp.org.tr/en/aciklamalar/covid-19-pandemic-turkey
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COMMUNIST PARTY OF GREECE (KKE)
On the Greek-Italian Agreement concerning the maritime boundaries (EEZ)
The Press Office of the CC of the KKE issued the following statement on the Greek-Italian agreement:
"The agreement on the demarcation of maritime zones between Greece and Italy, announced by the foreign ministers of the two countries, it's not to celebrate.
It is an agreement that serves the interests and plans of the bourgeoisie of the two NATO and the EU member states, which are involved in the ongoing imperialist rivalries, with painful consequences for the peoples of the region.
Those who speak of a "historic day" do not take into account that the demarcation of the continental shelf between the two countries in 1977 did not serve the people's interests and did not avoid the escalation of problems in the wider region, while the same applies to the delimitation of the EEZ between Cyprus, Israel, Egypt and Lebanon.
Alsothe allegations that the Greek-Italian agreement neutralizes the legal and political arguments used by the Turkish leadership in the context of the escalation of aggression in the East Mediterranean, are extravagant and degrade the worrying and dangerous developments in the East Mediterranean, Aegean, Middle East and North Africa.
The KKE has long argued that the demarcation of maritime zones and the right of islands to continental shelf and EEZ results from the 1982 International Convention on the Law of the Sea and has condemned the unacceptable Turkey-Libya agreement, as well as the licensing of the Turkish oil company for research on the Greek continental shelf, which violates the rights of the Greek islands.
Definitely, the KKE will study further the Greek-Italian agreement for the delineation of the maritime zones, as well as the regulations for fishing".
inter.kke.gr
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CUBAN INSTITUTE OF FRIENDSHIP WITH THE PEOPLES (ICAP)
International solidarity projects (Brigades) postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic
Havana, June 16, 2020
Year 62 of the Revolution
To friends and solidarity organizations with Cuba in the world:
The Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) while reiterating its solidarity with all those who suffer and resist the scourge of the new coronavirus, expresses its deepest gratitude to the Solidarity Movement with Cuba and to all the friends who have supported our people in the difficult situation faced by humanity due to the COVID-19 incidence.
Because of the consequences caused by the pandemic in the world and in Cuba, ICAP has decided to postpone the traditional solidarity projects that we receive in the second half of each year. Such are the cases of the brigades Venceremos from United States, Juan Rius Rivera from Puerto Rico, José Martí from Europe, the Latin-American and Caribbean Brigade, 60th anniversary of ICAP, Nordic, Southern Cross Brigade from Australia and New Zealand, South American as well as the Pastors for Peace Caravan. Receiving these projects, in current conditions is practically impossible. That is why, they are delayed until epidemiological safety conditions recommend their realization. During that time we invite you to strengthen and increase all your solidarity actions on the virtual environment.
Despite the adverse situations created by the new coronavirus and the intensification of the blockade, in the current year in which we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the ICAP creation, we ratify to continue honoring the legacy of our founder, Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro, who affirmed “being internationalist means paying our own debt with humanity. Whoever cannot fight for others will never be sufficiently able to fight for themselves”
We will continue united the fight for a better world, which is not only possible, today more than ever, it is essential
Fernando González Llort, President.
siempreconcuba.wordpress.com
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WORLD FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (WFTU)
WFTU statement for the World Refugee Day
The World Federation of Trade Unions honors the World Refugee Day, that was decided to be celebrated on June 20th by the United Nations in 2000. Imperialist aggressiveness for the control and exploitation of markets, natural resources and energy roads, capitalist barbarity, anti-labor and anti-peoples policies, hunger, poverty, modern slave trade are the main causal factors that have directly or indirectly compelled millions of people into forced displacement. According to UN data, it is estimated that at least 70.8 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes. Among them are nearly 25.9 million refugees and every minute 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror.
Refugees are one of the most vulnerable social groups who are uprooted from their homelands and end up in the so-called host-countries where, in most cases, they live in inhumane conditions, facing insecurity and being deprived of basic necessities. Refugees, as well as economic migrants and all forcibly displaced people, are treated as “reserve army” for capitalist production; When capitalists need to increase production, refugees and migrants are exploited as cheap labor in insecure and miserable working conditions with starvation wages. While, when production is limited due to economic reasons, as a rule, they are instantly expelled from the production process, without any compensation or providence, losing even the meager income they had.
The consequences of COVID-19 and the indifference of governments and international policy-maker centers have exacerbated the problems and challenges faced by refugees. The current pandemic revealed in the most tragic way how vulnerable the displaced people are, both in terms of health and safety and in terms of employment and subsistence. Therefore, we denounce the hypocrisy of imperialist countries and the majority of international organizations that make showy and grand declarations about refugees while they provoke or tolerate the uprooting and impoverishment of millions of people for the serving of monopolistic interests.
The international class-oriented trade union movement unites millions of workers in every place of the globe against exploitation, regardless of their origin, nationality, gender, color, religion and any other insubstantial differentiation. In recent years, a variety of activities, initiatives, seminars, international action days, and militant demonstrations have been organized by the WFTU and its affiliated in defense of refugees’ interests.
We are fighting for the creation of dignified welcome and hospitality centers where food and medical care as well as education for the children of refugees will be provided. The protection of refugees is an obligation of the states of the host-counties and they should not transfer this duty to the NGOs and their controversial operation. We demand simplification and acceleration of all procedures for the secure transport of migrants to their final destination countries. We continue and intensify our struggle to ensure democratic freedoms and civil rights, dignified wages, appropriate working and living conditions, security, and prosperity for all refugees. We are strengthening our voice for the dissolution of NATO and the abolition of imperialist interventions. We oppose all forms of discrimination and racism. We isolate the far right, neo-fascism and xenophobia that is sowing poison, obscuring the real division of society into exploiters and exploited, serving the perpetuation of capitalist barbarism.
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, WFTU calls upon its more than 100 million members in the 130 countries of the 5 continents to continue and strengthen their struggle, in every sector and in every region, for the full and smooth integration of immigrants into the local societies and every aspect of social life, including trade unions.
The Secretariat.
wftucentral.org
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COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (CPI)
Statement for the India-China military standoff in Ladakh.
The National Secretariat of the Communist Party of India (CPI) issued the following statement today (June 17, 2020):
The Communist Party of India (CPI) expresses its deep condolences to the families of officer and jawans, who sacrificed their lives in protecting our borders on the night of 15th June. Their sacrifice will be remembered by our country forever and the best way to respect their martyrdom will be to end this stand-off through peaceful means.
Since yesterday many painful developments have taken place along the Line of Actual Control. India lost 20 soldiers and officers. It is not clear how many casualties are there on both the sides. When the negotiations between the two countries are on, yesterday’s clash was unwarranted. The situation demands a mutually acceptable solution to the stand-off between both the countries. Efforts should be to overcome the present conflict through dialogue between the two countries at appropriate levels. The ‘status quo’ must be maintained, which has been respected by both countries at Line of Actual Control for so long.
The CPI hopes that the leaderships of both the countries will take initiative to find a peaceful resolution of the problem at the earliest.
The CPI is of the view that the government must convene an all-Party meeting and explain the situation at this critical time so that the people remain united in defence of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The government should take the political parties and people into confidence.
solidnet.org