People's Democracy

International Communists In Fight Against Anti-Democratic Forces

Avtar Sadiq

ON November 25-26, 2006, the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (CPBM) hosted an International Conference at Prague under the theme “ Communists and other democratic forces for democracy in Europe and Worldwide, against Anti-Communism”. Forty-two parties representing Communist and Workers’ parties from Europe, Asia and Latin America took part, largely exchanging their positions and historical experiences in the prevailing differing conditions at the present conjuncture.

CHAIRMAN CPBM

In his opening speech, V Filip, chairman of the CPBM, recounted how for almost two decades we have all been forcefully resisting neo-liberalism which is aiming at eroding the hard won gains of the workers and moving history backwards. We have been fighting to retain state ownership of public sector, while the Czech government aims at privatising the remaining national property, cuts in social spending, increasing the prices of public services, all in accordance with the directives of the European Union (EU). The right-wing coalition government has launched an attack on the CPBM because it is the third strongest party, winning 19.5 per cent votes (41 MPs) in the parliamentary elections. (The coalition government consists of Social Democrats, who have 70 MP’s out of 200 and two small parties the Christian Democrats and the right oriented Union of Freedom (31 MPs). In opposition are the two right-wing parties the Civil Democratic Party (58 MPs).

The constitution of the Czech republic allows “freedom of speech and assembly”, but the ministry of the interior has unlawfully banned the Communist Youth Union (KSM), which criticised the war from a militant and anti-imperialist position, and campaigned for the collective ownership of the means of production. The political Right, afraid of further strengthening the CPBM, intensified its attacks on the Party and intensified the anti- communism campaign in the Czech republic.

The vice-chairman of the KSM, M Ransdorf, addressing the meeting, highlighted several anti-communist actions that have taken place in the form of demonstrations, petitions “Lets Abolish the Communists” concerts, making of T-shirts undertaken by MPs, members of political parties, by non-governmental organisations and institutions of the state. Attempts were also made to pass a law that would criminalise communist ideas on the same level as fascism and its crimes. The official dissolution of the KSM, clearly demonstrated that this was an attack on democracy and the civic rights of the people, to protect the values of capitalism.

He informed the participants about the 5th Meeting of the European Communist Youth Organisations under the slogan “Struggle of European Youth against Attacks on Social and Democratic Rights --- Militant Offensive Against Anti- Communism! For A Decent Life and Socialist Future for the Youth!” which was held at the end of October 2006, and was also attended by the president of the World Federation of Democratic Youth. A large number of participants discussed ways of co-ordination of the common struggle of European young communists against anti-communism. He concluded his speech by stating that for the liberation of the peoples, the fight against capitalist exploitation and imperialist oppression can only be successful through socialist change.

POLICIES OF GLOBALISATION

Commenting on the present imperialist status, Avtar Sadiq, representating the CPI(M) in the conference, pointed out how after the disintegration of socialism in the Soviet Union and in East European countries, the balance of forces changed, and the world became a worse place to live in due to the imposition of a “new world order” initiated by US imperialism to pursue an imperialist globalisation, i.e., the use of force to maintain Washington’s domination in the economic, political and military fields. Globalisation is used by imperialist institutions of the IMF, World Bank and the WTO to legalise greater exploitation through a ‘free market’ doctrine. Under the guise of ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom,’ interests of the free market profit hungry trans-national corporations are being fulfilled. In fact, Washington’s unilateral foreign policy grounded on the abandonment of diplomacy, international treaties and agreements and bypassing multilateral organisations, poses a serious threat to human rights, democracy, peace, civilisation and the fate of mankind.

Utilising the 9/11 attacks, US imperialism under the pretext of global ‘war on terror’ ultimately led to unleashing a major war of aggression against Iraq, following its occupation of Afghanistan, its plan to ‘reorder’ the Middle East, and have possession of oil resources. In order to impose its hegemony, the doctrine of pre-emptive strike has been introduced for the purpose of a “regime change” in the ‘axis of evil’ countries and ‘rogue states’. The Iraq occupation exposed the nature of the Anglo- American imperialist ‘war on terrorism’, because it became clear that Iraq had no links with Al-Qaeda, nor had any weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The regime change in Saddam Hussein country took place, because he refused to accept the diktat of US imperialism. As a result, the world has been made more dangerous, spawning rather than suppressing terrorist violence.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER

Since the inception of the New World Order, the illegal aggressions and invasions of Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq, Anglo-American imperialist forces are responsible for the killing of about one and half million of people. The unlawful invasion of Iraq has led to the death of 655,000 innocent Iraqis, mostly civilians according to the Lancet journal since 2003. The brutal torture of prisoners by Americans was exposed in the Abu Ghraib prison. The people of the world can see that the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq has not led to democracy, but created more chaos and suffering along with the death and the destruction of the physical infrastructure. Now unable to solve the mess they have created, ‘war criminals’ Bush and Blair are reduced to approaching so-called Axis of Evil states Iran and Syria to ask for help. Globalisation and war are two sides of the same coin.

EXACERBATING INEQUALITY

There is another aspect of this globalisation, the sharp widening of inequalities between countries, and between the rich and the poor in individual countries, starkly illustrated by the fact that the combined assets of 358 billionaires in the world are greater than combined GDP of countries accounting for 45 per cent of world’s population. This means that the share of lowest 20 per cent the world’s population is less than one per cent, Three billion people live on $2 a day, 1.3 billion live in absolute poverty earning less than a $1 a day. So daily the vast majority of the world’s population is increasingly pushed beyond market operations, simply lacking the requisite purchasing power. As history repeatedly shows capitalist exploitation creates the profit, so no amount or type of reform can ever eliminate it and therefore the system itself is incapable of solving the crises it creates. Therefore inequality, unrest, conflict and war are the self-perpetrating factors of the system. Since capitalism creates poverty, it can never eliminate it. 

At this critical period, the working class must take the responsibility for the revolutionary ideological and political struggle uniting other exploited classes and bring about its decisive intervention under the leadership of party wedded to Marxism- Leninism. The worldwide anti-globalisation protests must merge with the anti-war upsurge into a mighty anti- imperialist movement. 

CRIMES OF IMPERIALISM 

Speaking on ‘Crimes of Imperialism’, Hassan Charfo, head of the International Department of CPBM said, “We have been witnessing attempts being made to criminalise the communist ideals in our country and different parts of Europe. The draft resolution, debated and defeated in the Council of Europe, tried to equate communism with Nazism and the ruling classes forget that Fascism and Nazism were the forms of organisation to which capitalism resorted. It also conceals the historical fact that the Soviet Union had saved Europe from fascist subjugation and it was the essence of communist struggle that inspired millions to sacrifice their lives to liberate mankind from fascism and capitalism. In spite of the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, the ban on the Communist Party in Romania and Bulgaria continues violating the European Human Rights Charter and remains in force against the communist parties in the Baltic Republics. In addition, stringent measures have been introduced on the activities of the Communists in Portugal, Greece and Italy etc, which are a flagrant violation of democratic rights. Imperialism was responsible for starting two world wars for the division of markets, killing over 100 million people. The US nuclear bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the greatest war crime in human history, and at present, its neo-liberal economic policies are producing adverse social and ecological consequences which inflict increased sufferings on millions all around the world. Only socialism can give a real alternative to reactionary globalisation”. 

The participants in the International Conference highlighted these salient features of the European and international situation. They drew attention to the anti-communist hysteria and anti-democratic attacks which have become an integral part of the imperialist bellicose aggressiveness in several European countries after the demise of the socialist system in the Soviet Union and East European countries. A characteristic example is the European Parliament Resolution on the occasion of the 50 years since the counter-revolution attempt in Hungary in 1956, which in fact revived the PACE motion in even more aggressive form calling for the condemnation of communist ideology. At the EU and European Parliament level anti-communist escalation has taken place in the form of resolutions and positions against Cuba, DPRK, Syria etc, along with new attacks on democratic gains and freedoms, even to describing the French Revolution as criminal activity against kings and aristocrats. 

Besides this, we are witnessing restrictions on the freedom of expression and propaganda. In dozens of towns and cities, local legislation of an anti-constitutional nature is being adopted in Portugal, which seeks to curb the Portuguese Communist Party presence on the streets. A ban on the sale of the Party newspaper on the streets has come into force, and the police prevents painting murals on the walls.

Attention was also drawn to the serious developments taking place in the UN, with the amendment of its Founding Charter in accordance with the new imperialist world order. In fact since the establishment of the socialist system in the Soviet Union, this continuing bellicose propaganda against Communist ideals, values and achievements has been carried out. 

It was further pointed out that in the minds of the masses the EU was perceived as an inter-state capitalist association to pursue the interests of imperialism. Its slavish submission to US pressure on matters related to political, economic and social policy is evident in its onslaught against the working class. The hard-earned gains of the working class in advanced countries are being targeted, as for example, the authoritarianism of capital to dismantle democratic movements, state sovereignty, national, cultural and religious integrity, modern human rights, and international laws. Similarly, the governments of advanced capitalist countries and former socialist countries (where capitalism has been restored) are drastically reducing public expenditure, cutting down pensions, health and education provisions and other benefits of the working people. 

Thus, while the vast majority of the people are undergoing unemployment, poverty, deprivation and destitution, the capitalist offenders, are using racism, xenophobia and ethnic and religious conflicts, to try and divert attention from the real issues, characterised in capitalist society, coupled with resort to curtailing civil rights and political participation of the citizens in democratic movements. 

Finance capitalism has been exerting its political power at the global level, with the material ground of neo-liberalism consisting in arrogance of power. The ‘global war on terror’ is striving to create a monopoly over natural resources, to enable imperialism to dictate to the entire world. 

‘THE WAR ON TERROR’

The participants expressed their decisive protest against the attempts to attribute terrorism to the forces fighting for national and social emancipation. The goal is to isolate and silence the parties and movements, which do not believe in the so called ‘end of history’. They rejected the attempts of pro-imperialist parties, to depict the achievements of socialism as ‘crimes’. On the contrary, they hailed the achievements of socialism which have contributed in significant extent to the progress of the entire humanity, and noted that the winners of the Cold War strive to disunite the Left-wing and democratic forces, doing so in a period when the clouds of fascism and war had begun to hang over the globe.

The victories of the Left in elections in a number of countries of Latin America and the resistance being encountered by US imperialism in Iraq have been signalling that the arrogance of the ‘winners of the cold war’ is by no means almighty. The participants called upon engaging the communist and democratic forces to muster strength actively against the forces of anti-communism at both the domestic and international level. Unanimously approving two separate resolutions “Against the illegal dissolution of the Communist Youth Union of the Czech Republic”, and “against the forced secession of the southern part of Serbia-Kosovo” and its declaration as an ‘Independent State’ they stood for abiding by and respecting the UN Charter and international law in relation to the protection of the integrity and sovereignty of a member state of the United Nations.