Athes, Greece, April 2006
It is common understanding among workers and most progressive political forces that we are under an unprecedented attack by capital; an attack which targets not only the working class but all people; an attack whose extent, intensity, and duration we cannot estimate precisely, but the sure thing is that it is still at its beginning. The objectives of this attack is the complete deconstruction of the working class “as a class in itself” and the abolition of any right the workers have gained during the last century with struggle and sacrifice.
This attack is accompanied by policing of tremendous proportions and penalization of any trade union or political activity. Our very existence is kept on file and our personal and social life is transformed into microchip data, easy tool for the ruling class and every aspiring businessman.
At the same time American imperialism tries to impose its world domination by reshuffling world market. The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, the threats against other countries, the pressure on the European imperialists for rallying under its flag, the paroxysm of military armaments, nuclear included, lead the planet to painful planning and dangerous choices.
European imperialists are players in this same “game” and seek their role on the stage. Each one alone, or through axis, or through various and variable coalitions they compete against the toiling masses and strengthen their negotiable profile understanding the pressure and stalemate of American policy. European capital uses as locomotive its competitiveness and productivity to attack the working class of a continent that has signified the current position of the proletariat. European bourgeoisie with its “reforms” overthrows any commitments that “labor history” had imposed, targeting at the repulsion of the working class, and using the paradigm not of the “neoliberal” West but of the demerit East.
Into this reactionary global vortex other “players”, like nuclear Russia and China, are added not to mention other smaller enviable suitors.
Facing these profound antipopular and reactionary developments the proletariat, the toiling masses, and the peoples are in a weak position of retreat being unorganized ideologically and politically since their only hope, socialism, lost its nerve, was distorted and slandered by its self-proclaimed supporters.
Nevertheless resistance and struggles are born and reproduced in every corner of the planet despite their weaknesses, vagueness and complexity. At the same time these struggles full of heroism and self-denial, seeking way out, direction and objectives. The Iraqi resistance, the struggles of the people of Latin America, the French and German workers, the recent anti-EU referendums, the strikers all over the world, attempt to define the brand of the future popular struggles.
The crucial question remains: reform or overthrowing?
Socialdemocrats and the Forum forces give their own answer on April 6, in Athens, focusing on Europe and choosing the “repair” of this rotten world projecting “another” world that will depend on the exploitation and social injustice of capitalism. Their possible world remains hideous for the vast majority of the peoples because it mixes the rust of exploitation with the soft colors of the losers in the new division of the world. It also leans on the disorienting ideologies of globalization and becomes the supporting tool of certain sections of European capital.
We need an answer by the political forces, formations, groups and militants who do not believe in the utopian aspect of improving capitalism, but crave and think about a really different world, that of socialism.
In a class confrontation that capitalism itself deepens, in an imperialist confrontation that massacres peoples and desertifies whole countries, are there still illusions about bridging the communication gap with it and reforming its elements?
Against this disorientation that the Forum wants to build we propose a political initiative with activities, meetings and actions that will be politically opposite to the three-day Forum activities, will project a left viewpoint and will confront Forum’s views. We will discuss the antipopular role of the EU, accentuate antigovernment points of view, and deepen on the working class and popular resistance that have emerged or will arise due to the devastating and reactionary policy of the European imperialists. We will support and promote the Iraqi resistance, the Palestinian Intifada, and peoples’ struggle. Our proposition is addressed to every militant, political organization, or municipal, social, and ecological group that believes that popular interest and capitalist interests are mutually exclusive. It is an opportunity for people to take active part and not stay indecisive before the relaxing disorientation of the Forum forces.
We propose a two-day meeting in a place in the center of Athens with antigovernment, antiwar content. There must be preparations for discussions about the capitalist attack, the resistance front against it, the role of the contemporary European workers’ movement, the immigrants, unemployment, and state terrorism. There must be invitations to representatives of movements from Europe and especially the Balkans, but also from Iraq, Turkey, Palestine, and Cyprus.
On the third day we think about a great demonstration in the center of Athens protesting against the capitalist attack.
It is clear that the preparation of such a three-day event demands the timely activation of the forces that agree to this, the assignment of the discussions and the confirmation of the participation, and the solution of complex technical issues. We call every interested group to discuss these things the sooner the better and conclude the necessary planning.
Antiimperialist -Antiwar Iniatives from Thessaloniki- Karditsa- Xanthi and Chania
Militant Movements of Students (ILPS member)
Class March (ILPS member)
ATHENS GREECE 15/10/2005
