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BRIEF MESSAGES & LETTERS, 2001 - Present |
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Solidarity Message to the 18th Congress of ATIK By Prof. Jose Maria SisonChairperson International League of Peoples' Struggle March 25, 2005 On behalf of the International League of Peoples' Struggle, I convey my warmest and most militant greetings of solidarity to the leaders and member organizations of ATIK on the occasion of the federation's 18th Congress on March 25-27, 2005 with the theme: "Perspectives and duties of the international anti-imperialist struggle in the 21st Century." I wish you all the success in this congress and more victories in the future. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank ATIK for its important role in the preparation and successful holding of the Second International Assembly of the ILPS. On behalf of the ILPS, I also wish to acknowledge the active participation of ATIK in carrying out the programs and projects of the ILPS in general and in expanding and strengthening the work of the ILPS in Europe in particular. ATIK has served as a major force of the ILPS in Europe with its member organizations active in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Netherlands and of course in Turkey. The anti-imperialist and democratic struggle of the workers and other oppressed people face great challenges in the new world situation that has emerged. Despite the seeming triumph of monopoly capitalism at the end of the Cold War, the general crisis of the world capitalist system has continued to worsen. The crisis of overproduction, financial collapses, growth of fascism and wars of aggression are clear signs of this general crisis. The policy of "free market" globalization has proven to be totally bankrupt. It has aggravated the crisis of overproduction and triggered destructive financial meltdowns. To cope with the crisis, US imperialism under George W. Bush has taken the path of militarization, war, fascisation and more aggressive economic policies. It has used the September 11, 2001 attacks to whip up war hysteria and repression under the pretext of the so-called war on terror. It misrepresents as "terrorist" national liberation movements, anti-imperialist forces and progressive leaders. In fact, the US is the No. 1 terrorist power in the world launching wars of aggression and engaging in economic plunder on a grand scale. The US and other imperialist powers are united in oppressing and exploiting the proletariat and people of the world but they are increasingly at odds with each other over their economic, political, military and other interests. Inter-imperialist rivalries are intensifying. Germany, France and Russia differed with the US over its war of aggression in Iraq especially US monopolization of the spoils of war. There are growing contradictions between the US and European Union. They have conflicting interests in all major global regions. Other imperialist powers like Japan and Russia are bound to undertake initiatives that can further upset the balance of forces among the imperialist powers. The broad masses of the people in the underdeveloped countries of Asia, Latin America and Africa as well as the retrogressive countries in the former Soviet bloc suffer the most from the increased exploitation and oppression as the burden of the crisis is passed on to them by the big powers. But the people are fighting back. The imperialists are being resisted by mass actions and armed revolutionary movements for national and social liberation. Amongst the workers and other oppressed people in the US, Europe and Japan, a growing number are outraged over the neo-liberal policies of the monopoly bourgeoisie. These policies violate their trade union and other democratic rights and dismantle social welfare. They are carrying out mass protests and strikes over mass unemployment, cuts in social benefits, repression, and wars of aggression. Progressive organizations such as the participating organizations of the ILPS, including ATIK, must be prepared to take up the challenges and opportunities being placed before them by the new situation in the world. We must, first of all, be ready to advance the anti-imperialist and democratic struggle in our own countries and wherever else we are by arousing, organizing and mobilizing the workers and other oppressed people against all forms of exploitation and oppression. We must also be ready to give support to the just struggles of the people in other countries especially those being subjected to the worst forms of oppression and exploitation and are the targets of threats and wars of aggression and occupation and are resisting US imperialism and other imperialist forces and their puppets such as in Iraq, Palestine, India, Nepal, Philippines, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and in many countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa and in the former Soviet bloc. Finally, we must do what we can to contribute in promoting the revolutionary mission of the working class and in building the broad international united front against imperialism and all forms of reaction. We must advance the people's struggle to create a new and better world of independent, democratic, socially just and progressive countries, without oppression and exploitation by imperialism and its reactionary puppets. Long live ATIK! Advance the struggle for national liberation, democracy and socialism! Long live international solidarity!
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