Greek Wildfires: Hypocrisy and Audacity

Photo credit: idcommunism.com

"Hypocrisy and Audacity".

Rizospastis, 3 August 2018.

Translation: In Defense of Communism.

With measures-mockery, the SYRIZA-ANEL government is trying to throw dust in the eyes of the fire victims, and to appease their fair indignation and at the same time conceal its criminal responsibility for the murderous disaster.

New Democracy and PASOK are pursuing the same thing, by voting in the Parliament alongside the government the crumbs for compensation and the amendment for the illegal properties, which literally excludes the current institutional framework of commercialization of land use, forests and seashore.

Communist Party of Turkey: We have to kick all of US imperialism out of our land!

Statement of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) on the recent tension between the governments of Turkey and the United States: 

We have to kick all of US imperialism out of our land, along with its bases, soldiers and collaborators.

It is impossible to achieve this within today’s system. Because today’s rule is the rule of money bags who make huge profits owing to their close relations with the US, NATO countries and the European Union and who see those relations as the assurance of the continuation of their rule. The party that is ruling today is a party that came to power by the open support and guidance of US. Those who are having a row with the US today are the same ones who were boasting of being strategic partners with the US yesterday.

E.Yaroslavsky- History of Anarchism in Russia (The First Russian Revolution/Part II)

History of Anarchism in Russia.

By Emelyan Yaroslavsky, 1937.

II.
THE FIRST RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
(1905-07)

The Rise of Revolutionary Marxism.

In 1884 the first Russian Marxist group, known as the Emancipation of Labor, was founded in Switzerland by Plekhanov, Axelrod, Deutsch and Zasulich. It should be noted that all the organizers of this group had for several years been prominent in the Narodnik movement, and had belonged to the Bakuninist rebel wing. 

Communist Party of Mexico: Theses of the CC for the VI Congress (3-5 August 2018)

The Communist Party of Mexico (PCM) organizes its 6th (VI) Congress between 3-5 August, under the slogan "For Workers' Power and Socialist Revolution, strengthen the Communist Party". The Congress will take place in Mexico City. 

Below, we publish the original spanish text of the introductory statement made of the PCM's Central Committee, as it is published in the Tesis y Proyecto de Estatutos:

Belgium's Communist Party (PCB) withdraws membership from the "European Left"

The recent Congress of the Communist Party of Belgium (Le Parti Communiste de Belgique), which took place in Brussels, decided with a 83% majority to withdraw the Party's membership from the Party of the European Left (PEL).

According to PCB, several reasons led to this decision, including PEL's hostility towards historical socialism (20th century socialism), as well as the "unacceptable attitude of the European Left's leaders towards NATO". 

The 1968 Prague Spring: Counterrevolution as the “Trojan horse” of Imperialism

By Nikos Mottas. 

It was August 1968- 50 years ago- in the capital of the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia, Prague, where the internationalist solidarity of the Warsaw Pact countries were crushing one of the most significant counterrevolutionary efforts of the Cold War era. The events in Prague consist a milestone in the struggle of the socialist world against imperialism. At the same time, the then events continue serving as a source of anticommunist propaganda by various bourgeois and opportunist forces.

For many decades, the bourgeois historiography- supported by opportunists and counterrevolutionaries (trotskyites, eurocommunists, social democrats, etc.) refers to the “soviet tanks” which, as they argue, “drowned Prague in blood” thus ending prematurely the effort for a “socialism with a human face”.

Communist and Workers' Parties reaffirm solidarity with the Palestinian people

The Communist and Worker Parties decisively condemn the crimes committed by Israeli army against Palestinian people in the occupied territories, especially in the Gaza Strip, that has caused a bloodbath, murdering in cold blood unarmed demonstrators, men, women, and children.

The aggressive policy  of the Trump administration and the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move there the US Embassy, over and against the general international outcry, has encouraged the aggressiveness of Israel, that continues the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and continues massacring the Palestinian people. 

Thousands of Russian workers protested against anti-people pension reform

Tens of thousands of Russians took part Saturday in rallies across the country organised by Communists to protest against government's anti-people plan to hike the pension age.

In Moscow, organisers said up to 100,000 people gathered for a permitted rally against the government-backed reform, which is currently going through parliament. However, reporters put the turnout much lower at around 10,000. Protests took place in dozens of cities and towns in far eastern Russia, Siberia and western Russia.

Communist Party of Israel: The nation-state law is a fascist step towards Apartheid

CP of Israel: The nation-state law is a fascist step towards Apartheid.

The Communist Party of Israel considers the "Basic Law: Israel -the Nation State of the Jewish People", a serious fascist step aimed at undermining the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people, and at the elimination of the rights of the refugees. This law also expels the national and basic rights of the Palestinians citizens of Israel- as the nation-state law establishes a formal Apartheid system in Israel.

Wildfires in Greece: A Capitalist Crime

At least 84 people are dead and 187 injured. The number of those missing is still unknown. Thousands of properties have been turned into ashes. The results of the deadly wildfires which affected the region of Attica are devastating.

The SYRIZA-ANEL coalition government has unleashed an outrageous communicative campaign in order to throw the blame for the disaster somewhere else, except from itself. They blame the “weather”, the “climate change”, the supposedly “unprecedented weather conditions”, the “wind”, etc.

Cuba: 65 years since the attack on Moncada Barracks in Santiago

Today is the 65th anniversary of the attack of the July 26th Movement, led by Fidel Castro, against the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Garrions in Santiago de Cuba. Click on  the link to read the historic defense speech "La Historia Me Absolvera" of Fidel during his trial on October 1953.

The following article is an interesting chronicle of the events, published in Cuba's leading newspaper, Granma. 

On July 26, 1953, the assault on the Moncada Garrison in Santiago opened a new stage in Cuba’s national liberation struggle, which concluded with the triumph of the Revolution January 1, 1959.

Communist Party of Greece: Statement on the disastrous wildfires [En, Es, Ar]

In a statement regarding the disastrous wildfires, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece points out the following:

“The KKE expresses its condolences to the families of the victims of the fires in the area of Nea Makri and Rafina. It supports the dozens of injured people and thousands of people who saw their properties be consumed by firein the fires that hit East and West Attica.

The KKE demands from the government to mobilize all the necessary forces of the state mechanism to support the inhabitants of the regions. The government must take all necessary measuresin order to:

Greece Wildfires: Statements of solidarity by the Communist Parties of Turkey (TKP) and Spain (PCPE)

On the tragic occasion of the deadly wildfires in the region of Attica, which resulted to at least 76 deaths, dozens of missing persons and 186 injured adults and children, the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) issued statements of internationalist solidarity towards the Greek people. 

Greece Wildfires: Tsipras' government bears "criminal responsibilities", says the KKE

KKE: The policy that sacrifices fire protection is guilty of the CRIME

The firefighting forces fought with the flames, but their struggle was uneven since the current government of SYRIZA-ANEL, like all the previous ones, blamed the weather, without having any substantial organization, infrastructure and means. 

As it is pointed out in the comment of the Press Office of the CC of the KKE: “The fires that destroy forest and rural land as well as residences, once again highlight the lack of fire protection measures, the inadequacy of forest protection and forest fire-fighting infrastructures and the shortcomings in means and personnel. The KKE demands from the government of SYRIZA-ANEL, from all responsible state and local authorities, to take all the necessary measures right now in order to effectively deal with the fires that are in progress.” 

Deadly wildfires in Greece: PAME calls for immediate solidarity to those affected

More than 50 people have died in wildfires burning in the Attica region around Athens, in Greece's worst fire crisis in more than a decade. 

According to the local mayor, 26 bodies were found in a yard in the seaside village of Mati, which is at the centre of the disaster. The fire brigade confirmed an overall death toll of 49, with many of the dead believed to be young children. It is estimated that the number of deaths will grow by the end of the day. 

Many calls have been made to the rescue services looking for missing persons. As part of a huge rescue effort, emergency workers used boats and helicopters to evacuate a beach.

E.Yaroslavsky- History of Anarchism in Russia (Before the Bolshevik Party / Part I)

History of Anarchism in Russia

By Emelyan Yaroslavsky.

New York: International Publishers, 1937.

INTRODUCTION

In the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics at the present time the anarchists no longer enjoy any influence over the masses. They are met with only as isolated individualists. The reason for this is the victory of socialism in the U.S.S.R. The old Russia, landlord and petty-bourgeoispeasant Russia, which fostered anarchism and gave birth to the founders of anarchism, those repentant aristocrats--Mikhail Bakunin, Peter Kropotkin and Leo Tolstoy--has passed away.

Capitalist Russia: Anti-people pension reform approved by lawmakers in Duma

"So, how is it like living under capitalism?", Lenin asks.
Archive Photo: Billboard in Lugansk.

Do you remember the Soviet Union where the retirement age for men was 60 and for women 55 years? Well, in capitalism's Russia such privileges for the working people cannot exist anymore and the Putin-Medvedev government knows it. 

Russian lawmakers approved on Thursday a hugely unpopular government plan to hike the pension age that has led to protests and a record slump in Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings. A total of 327 lawmakers in the lower house or State Duma, voted in favour of the bill in its first reading, with 102 against.

The anti-people legislation is going to raise the pension age to 65 for men and 63 for women. On the eve of the vote approximately 1,000 people protested against the reform in Moscow while on Thursday hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Duma itself.

Greece-Russia diplomatic row as part of the broader inter-imperialist competitions

According to TASS news agency, Moscow has expressed strong protest to the Greek ambassador to Moscow regarding the expulsion of Russian diplomats and anti-Russian statements made by Athens, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"On July 20, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Greek Ambassador to Russia Andreas Friganas to strongly protest against the anti-Russian statements Greece has been making regarding the expulsion of two Russian diplomats and the entry ban another two Russian were issued," the statement reads.

KKE MEPs denounce police repression against the Communist Party of Ukraine

The group of the Communist Party of Greece at the European Parliament has denounced the new escalation of repression and persecutions against the Communist Party of Ukraine by the country's authorities. 

According to 902 portal, in a question submitted to the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, the KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis points out the following:

"The provocations and persecutions against the communists and the CP of Ukraine continue and escalate in Ukraine. This time, the cyber affairs department of the police, in coordination with the Special Police Unit (KORD), raided on Thursday 19 July in the offices of the CC of the CP of Ukraine, confiscating all the hard disks of the computers after a new police investigation ordered by the reactionary Ukrainian government which is supported by the EU."

Israeli Apartheid: Communist and Left-wing forces condemn racist "nation-state" law

Joint List leader, MP Ayman Odeh, raises a black banner
during the discussion of the bill in Knesset.

Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, approved the controversial nationality bill Thursday declaring Israel a nation-state for the Jewish people and downgrading the status of Arabic from official language to “special status.” It must be noted that Arabs make up 21% of Israel’s population. 

The basic law, approved with 62 votes in favor and 55 against, recognizes the Jewish people in Israel “have an exclusive right to national self-determination." It also includes the declaration of a “united Jerusalem” as the capital of Israel, despite the fact that East Jerusalem is internationally recognized as being under Israeli occupation.

Solidarity to Amazon striking workers in Madrid- Statements by KKE and PAME

"Solidarity to the striking workers of "Amazon" in Madrid! Hands off the communists!" writes a statement issued by the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece regarding the recent assault of police forces against strikers in "Amazon's" warehouse in Madrid. 

More specifically "the KKE condemns police violence, repression and arrests against striking workers of Amazon company in its warehouse in Madrid (San Fernando de Henares dictrict). The police forces unprovoked and savagely attacked the workers who were guarding their strike which ends on July 18th fighting for decent labor conditions and increases in their wages."

Canada out of NATO!: Canada's Communist Party slams Trudeau's pro-NATO stance

Statement by the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Canada (CPC):

The Communist Party of Canada condemns Prime Minister Trudeau’s announcement at the NATO summit this past week that Canada will lead a new NATO mission in Iraq and expand its military role in Latvia. 

Canada must immediately withdraw from NATO, cut military spending and bring Canadian troops home.

KKE: Internationalist solidarity with India's communists - Stop the murderous attacks!

In a statement issued today, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece strongly condemns the murderous attacks against communists in India and expresses its internationalist solidarity towards them. 

More specifically the statement writes: "The KKE condemns with the most decisive way the murderous attacks against communist men and women, supporters and friends of the Communist Parties, as well as the vandalisms and occupations of the Parties' offices in the states of Tripura and West Bengal where the local governments are affiliated with the governmental BJP party and allied forces, like the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal."

Nelson Mandela's historic speech in Cuba

Today, 18th of July, is the 100th birthday of the late South African revolutionary leader Nelson Mandela. On this occasion, we present Mandela's historic speech given in Matanzas, Cuba, on the 26th July 1991, during the celebrations for the 38th anniversary of the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. 

Speech by Nelson Mandela

Friday, 26 July 1991.

First secretary of the Communist Party, President of the Council of State and of the government of Cuba, President of the socialist republic of Cuba, Commander-in-chief, Comrade Fidel Castro;