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AN OVERVIEW OF THE ILPS
AND THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY


By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson, International Coordinating Committee
International League of Peoples' Struggle
Seattle, Washington State
April 8, 2008

May I convey warmest greetings of solidarity to all colleagues and friends who are present in this open house for prospective participants in the Third International Assembly of the International League of Peoples' Struggle and the International Conference of the International Migrants Association in June. I am glad that you have come here to gain more information and prepare for participation in both gatherings .

As chairperson of the International Coordinating Committee of the ILPS, I thank the leadership and membership of the Pacific Northwest Bayan and its affiliate organizations for inviting me to give you an overview of the ILPS and to interact with you at this open house.

My task is made so much easier by the powerpoint about the ILPS presented by Pacific Northwest Bayan. And please consider as underscoring anything I say which echoes the earlier presentation. My overview is similar to that which I gave in New York last February, with the big difference that I give you now the latest draft of the TIA program of activities.

Description of ILPS by its Charter

According to its Charter, the ILPS is an anti-imperialist and democratic formation. It promotes, supports and develops the anti-imperialist and democratic struggles of the peoples of the world, including the workers, peasants, women, youth, professionals and other sectors of society against the ideological, political, military, economic, social and cultural domination and attacks of imperialism and reaction.

It has a broad mass character. It is not subordinate to any political party, government or religious authorities and affords equality to all participating organizations. It strives to realize the unity, cooperation and coordination of anti-imperialist and democratic struggles throughout the world.

It exposes and opposes the oppressive and exploitative policies and acts of the imperialist and puppet states, the multinational companies and imperialist-dominated international agencies, such as the IMF, World Bank and WTO, the UN Security Council and the military alliances such as the NATO and the US-Japan Security Treaty.

18 Concerns of the ILPS

The ILPS stands and fights for the oppressed and exploited peoples in connection with 18 concerns, which are the following:

  1. The cause of national liberation, democracy and social liberation against imperialism and all reaction;
  2. Socio-economic development for oppressed and exploited countries and nations and social equity for all working people;
  3. Human rights in the civil, political, economic, social and cultural fields against state violence, national oppression, class exploitation and oppression, gender oppression, fascism, castism, racism and religious bigotry;
  4. The cause of just peace and struggles against wars of counterrevolution and aggression and against nuclear, biological, chemical, missile and other weapons of mass destruction;
  5. Promotion of trade union and other democratic rights of the working class, improvement of wage and living conditions against all forms of intensifying exploitation of labor and the destruction of working class organizations in their pursuit of the historic mission of fighting for social liberation;
  6. Agrarian reform and rights of peasants, farm workers and fisherfolk against feudal, semifeudal and capitalist exploitation and oppression;
  7. The cause of women's liberation and rights against all forms of sexual discrimination, exploitation and violence;
  8. Rights of the youth to education and employment;
  9. Children's rights against child labor, sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation;
  10. Rights of indigenous peoples, national minorities, and nationalities for self-determination and decolonization against discrimination, racism, and national oppression by imperialism and local reaction;
  11. The rights of teachers, researchers and other educational personnel and struggle against ideas and researches directed against the people;
  12. The right of the people to health and the rights of health workers;
  13. Science and technology for the people and development, environmental protection against plunder and pollution and the destruction of the foundations of human life, the right to safe and healthy food and water and opposition to manipulation of genetic technology for imperialist profit;
  14. Arts and culture and free flow of information in the service of the people and the rights of artists, creative writers, journalists and other cultural workers against imperialist and reactionary propaganda and oppression;
  15. Justice and indemnification for the victims of illegal arrest and detention (especially political prisoners), violations of due process, torture, extra-judicial executions, disappearances, mass displacement, and other blatant forms of human rights violations.
  16. Rights and welfare of homeless persons, refugees and migrant workers displaced by imperialism and local reactionaries;
  17. Rights of aged people towards a life in dignity and secure existence; and
  18. Rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people against discrimination, intolerance and homophobia.
Aims and Purposes

The ILPS has the following aims and purposes:
  1. To promote a common understanding of the aforementioned concerns and issues,
  2. To stimulate, facilitate and coordinate common lines of action and undertake definite actions on the aforesaid concerns and issues,
  3. To cooperate with all possible organizations, institutions and personages in the attainment of the aims and purposes of the League, and
  4. To raise such resources as to enable the League to realize its aims and purposes and perform its functions.
The activities by which the ILPS carries out the above aims and purposes include the following: advocacy, research, publications, conferences, seminars and social and political action, including mass actions and the coordination thereof.

Theme of TIA in Relation to Current World Conditions

The Third International Assembly (TIA) of the International League of Peoples' Struggle shall convene in Hong Kong on June 18-20, 2008. It shall be held in Asia where most of the oppressed peoples and nations and where the most intense revolutionary struggles are being waged against imperialism and reaction.

The theme of the Third International Assembly is "Strengthen the People's Struggle, Unite to Build a New World against Imperialist Aggression, State Terrorism, Plunder and Social Destruction!" It is a theme of urgent importance because of the acute need of the people to resist the unbridled plunder under the shibboleth of neoliberal globalization and the escalating onslaught of state terrorism and imperialist wars of aggression in the global war of terror unleashed by the US.

The ILPS has played an important and prominent role in the international anti-imperialist struggle. It has been the initiator and the base for many successful international conferences, campaigns and other activities against imperialism and issues involving the various concerns of the ILPS. You can read a continuous account of ILPS activities by visiting the websites of the ILPS, TIA, Bayan USA and the portal website www.josemarisasison.org

As of the last official count, the ILPS has 363 participating organizations in 42 countries plus Hong Kong and Taiwan and seven global regions: East Asia, Oceania, South Asia, Middle East, North America, Latin America and West Africa. We now have some national chapters and global region committees. These are being built along the line of the broad united front of anti-imperialist and democratic struggle.

With imperialist forces wreaking havoc and destruction, the firm response of the people is to unite and fight imperialism and all its reactionary lackeys. The Third International Assembly will discuss and assess the work of the ILPS over the past three years and adopt the plans to further strengthen and expand the ILPS to be able to face the challenges and effectively advance its work in every arena of the anti-imperialist and democratic struggle.

Program of Activities of the TIA

Let me acquaint you with the latest program of activities in the Third International Assembly. The delegations are required to be at the assembly site in the afternoon or evening of June 17, 2008 for registration, briefing and accommodation and ascertainment of attendance at the opening of the assembly on June 18, 2008.

In the morning plenary session of the first day of the assembly, June 18, Vara Vara Rao, chairperson of the Revolutionary Democratic Front of India, will deliver the keynote speech on the theme of the assembly. The Rules of Participation shall be taken for approval. The Chairperson and General Secretary of the ILPS will deliver their respective reports, followed by an open forum. Thereafter, amendments to the ILPS Charter and the By-Laws of the ILPS shall be deliberated upon for approval.

In the afternoon plenary session, there will be panel discussions, featuring a brilliant array of speakers: honorary chairperson Rep. Crispin Beltran on imperialist globalization and labor, Prof. Manolis Arkolakis of Greece on US militarism and war, Prof. Haluk Gerger of Turkey on anti-terror laws and human rights, Irene Fernandez of Malaysia on labor and migration, the novelist Arundhati Roy of India on the attacks on rural communities and displacement, Wahu Kaara on African people's resistance to imperialist globalization and Prof. Paoyu Ching on the character and problems of Chinese society.

In the morning of the second day, June 19, the study commissions of concerns Nos. 1, 3, 5,7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 will hold their respective workshops . In the afternoon, the study commissions of concerns Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 will hold their respective workshops. Every member of a delegation has the opportunity to attend a workshop in the morning and afternoon.

Within four hours, each of these workshops will hear the introductions on the concerns and speeches of resource persons, engage in discussions and action planning and pass resolutions, one that is comprehensive and the rest specific. The comprehensive resolution of every workshop shall become a part of the General Declaration of the assembly.

In the morning plenary session of June 20, the study commissions will report on their workshops. The comprehensive resolutions of the workshops for the General Declaration shall be pdeliberated upon for approval. The nominees for membership in the ICC shall be presented. In the afternoon, the election of ICC members shall be held, the votes shall be counted publicly and the election results shall be announced. Every evening after dinner, the delegations shall be able to undertake film shows, short forums on burning issues, country information booths, poetry reading, karaoke or singing sessions, photo exhibits and the display and sale of books, CDs and DVDs, T-shirts with slogans, handicrafts and other souvenirs. Delegates also have the opportunity to use the swimming pool and other sports facilities.

There shall be a final grand cultural evening of international solidarity on June 20 during which the elected ICC members shall be presented and the delegations present cultural numbers, including songs, dances, poetry, dramatic acts and other artistic numbers.

All delegates shall leave the assembly site on June 21, with the exception of those who make arrangements with the Host Committee to pay the extra costs of staying, the newly-elected members of the International Coordinating Committee who shall meet for the first time and elect the International Coordinating Group and the study commissions which shall meet further.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I urge all the participating organizations of the ILPS in the Northwest Pacific USA to send full delegations to the TIA and all prospective organizations to submit their application for participation in the ILPS as a whole and in the TIA in particular. Please fill in the participation forms immediately and give the payments to the Treasurer and the Genera Secretariat of the ILPS through the responsible officer of Pacific Northwest Bayan.

Thank you.###

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