Solidarity messages to WWP: A workers' party in U.S. is key

International messages of solidarity sent to the Workers World Party National Conference, held this Nov. 17-18, beyond expressing solidarity and wishes for success, also provide insight into the conditions of the world’s people and workers’ movements in different regions and countries.

For activists in the U.S., perhaps most humbling and at the same time empowering is the importance the world’s people give to any sign of workers’ struggle inside the United States, and the special attention revolutionaries worldwide give to the need for a revolutionary party “in the belly of the beast” that is clearly anti-imperialist. (See workersworld.net for the full statements.)

The Cuban Communist Party writes that “despite the economic blockade our people has advanced dramatically in building a new and better society and cooperating closely with our brothers and sisters in Venezuela, Bolivia, and helping many others in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia to improve their lives. ... In this regard, we appreciate your unconditional solidarity in our struggle for independence and justice in the face of the imperialist aggressions that our people have been resisting and defeating, heroically and successfully for over 47 years.”

The Workers Party of Korea (DPRK) sends its wishes that, “The National Conference of your Party will be an important occasion in your activities to further strengthen the party organizationally and ideologically and to build the party as the popular party supported by the broad masses.”

The Socialist Front of Puerto Rico writes that it “has witnessed the solidarity of the WWP in all our struggles, in particular to the cause of bringing an end to the U.S. colonization of our nation, the struggle to free Vieques from the U.S. Navy, the struggle against the privatization of public services in the people’s strike.”

Importance of struggle within the U.S.

From Prof. Jose Maria Sison, chairperson, International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), we read that “The U.S.-instigated policies of neoliberal globalization and global war of terror (including state terrorism and wars of aggression) have inflicted the worst forms of exploitation and oppression on the people on an unprecedented scale. ... We are ever desirous of the growth in strength and advance of the anti-imperialist and democratic movement among the American people. This has a far-reaching consequence of great benefit to the working class and oppressed peoples of the world in their resistance to imperialism and all reaction.”

From the Party of Liberation (PL) in Argentina, we read that “the better the organization and political activism of Marxist-Leninists in the United States and the other imperialist countries, the more it helps and fortifies the struggles of the peoples of the Third World, as is Argentina’s case.”

And from the Bolivarian Continental Coordinator (CCB), an organization of anti-imperialist unity in Latin America, “We well understand the importance of the action of the people of the United States in the anti-imperialist struggle and we recognize your great effort in the international struggles as well as the class struggle within your own country.”

From the Socialist Unity Center of India (SUCI) comes the message that “Your brave persistent struggle against U.S. imperialism, the worst enemy of mankind of the time, has been a source of inspiration to all building up anti-imperialist movements round the globe.”

Need for a revolutionary party

The Union of the Galician People (UPG), within the Spanish state, raises the difficulties: “We are all aware of how difficult it is today for the people to carry out their struggle for sovereignty and for socialism, and we know that in the heart of the empire the conditions in which this struggle develops has even more complex characteristics.”

How to deal with these complexities? The All India Anti-Imperialist Forum (AIAIF) sums it up: “On the one hand the capitalist oppression and exploitation of the working class have become more intense, and the imperialist powers led by USA have perpetrated barbaric aggression on many countries of the world, and on the other hand people’s resentment towards capitalist system is also increasing. The people’s anti-capitalist struggle can emerge victorious only if it has a firm ideological base of Marxism-Leninism.”

From the Workers’ Party of Belgium, we read that “In every country of the world, the building of a Leninist party, loyal to the road mapped out by the October Revolution, remains a primary task. ... Never will coordinations, networks or factions without a clear conviction be able to replace working class parties based on democratic centralism.” In addition, “Proletarian internationalism is a fundamental element that distinguishes the communist and workers’ parties from all others.”

The Red Current (CR) in the Spanish state writes that, “Workers of all lands, unite! signals our immediate task. ... Comrades of WWP: your struggle and your role are transcendental in this task. The communists of the USA have the most difficult work and at the same time the most decisive in the common struggle of the workers and peoples of the entire world. Together with the resistance in Iraq, Cuba, Venezuela and Colombia, your struggle is the focus of the hopes of the world.”

Specific conditions of workers’ struggle

The Union of African Workers of Senegal (RTA-S) writes that their country “is directly and economically dominated by French imperialism, still. But American imperialism is doing its best to find ways and means to establish a military base somewhere in West Africa for its own interests. We feel happy to have you as revolutionary anti-imperialist forces in the belly of the beast.”

The Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party (CMKP) of Pakistan appeals that, “We are in the midst of a struggle for democracy against a U.S.-backed military dictator. In this context the solidarity of our two fraternal organizations is of vital importance. Any protest in the U.S. against the government’s policy of supporting Musharraf is invaluable to our movement, given the fierce repression inside Pakistan.”

From Red Norway and from the Danish Communist Party we learn that now the struggle to withdraw these Scandinavian NATO members’ troops from Afghanistan has priority, with a protest set at the Norwegian Parliament for Nov. 24. Denmark also has sent troops to Iraq and the former Yugoslavia. In Denmark also, “during the last one-and-a-half years, there has been an upsurge in the class struggle [here]. ... There is a growing consciousness among broad sections of the Danish people that the ‘welfare system,’ i.e. their social, democratic and trade union rights, is seriously threatened by the neo-liberal and pro-EU [European Union] policy of the government, and that it is necessary to take the road of class struggle in order to defend these rights.”

From the Basque Union L.A.B. we learn of the struggle in the Basque Country, that behind the reports of violence “there exists a conflict of undeniable political character, a conflict based on the negation of the Basque people’s democratic rights. ... In a country of 3 million inhabitants in the heart of Europe, there are more than 600 political prisoners, men and women, and more than 2,000 people exiled—the numbers only indicate the breadth of the political conflict.”

The International Democratic Federation of Women (FDIM), more than 210 women’s organizations that take actions to promote peace, equality of rights and social justice, now based in Brazil, writes that, “The experience of the peoples of our continent—electing presidents committed to democracy, sovereignty and cooperation among nations—indicate the advances on our continent. ... The socialist experience of Cuba with Fidel and the construction of socialism in Venezuela under the command of President Hugo Chávez can only fortify in us the certainty that Latin Americans and North Americans will have to unite an America with prosperity and equality for all.”

The Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB) also writes that “Latin America is experiencing a special moment for progressive and revolutionary forces. In the last period a cycle of progressive governments are attempting to bring about economic development and national sovereignty, social development and an increase of democracy in the region. The end of the unhappy neoliberal cycle, the previous period, now allows the Latin American peoples to ... defend peace, development and multipolarity and struggle against imperialism.”

The Peasant Association of the Valley of Río Cimitarra (ACVC) and the Rural Press Agency write that they are active “in the region of Magdalena Medio in Colombia. On Sept. 29, four of our leaders were accused of rebellion and arrested by the narco-paramilitary government of President Alvaro Uribe Vélez. There is a warrant for the arrest of 14 more members of our association. Now we begin the campaign to win political freedom of our people held in custody and the many other prisoners in the country. We invite you to support our campaign and to publicize within the U.S.A. the extreme repression that exists in Colombia.”

From the Palestinian American Congress, Boston Chapter, we read that, “The imperialists are ... so desperate they are trying to create more Karzai’s in the Middle East, from Iraq to Lebanon to Palestine. It did not work out in Afghanistan and it will not work out in the rest of the Arab world. Let’s unite workers, peasants, students and all revolutionaries of the world. Let’s bring this beast to its knees.”

Due to organizational problems, messages from the New Left—Caamañist Circles in the Dominican Republic and from the SINALTRAINAL union in Colombia arrived too late to be included in this article, but will be on the web site.

Dangers of war against Iran

The Pole of the Communist Renaissance in France (PRCF) writes that, “At a time when [French President] Sarkozy has begun to turn French foreign policy toward putting our country in U.S. imperialism’s orbit, we feel, more than ever before, close to the progressive militants of the United States in their combat to stop U.S. aggression against Iraq and the threats weighing against Iran.”

The Anti-imperialist Camp (CAI), with chapters in Italy, Austria and other European countries, writes that the Bush regime “is switching up another gear in its pre-emptive war. To solve the problems of their global rule they want to attack Iran. More than any battle since 1991 this forthcoming one will decide the future of the world. ... We are sure that as with Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Palestine, Lebanon, Venezuela, Cuba and Iraq we will once again co-operate in supporting this struggle” against imperialist military intervention.