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Criticism of colonialism must continue to be permitted

How does the local council ensure freedom of expression?
5/12/2019
Open letter to the Chairman of the Vienna City Council Thomas Reindl and the President of the Vienna Parliament, Ernst Woller
The Vienna City Council has taken a number of unanimous decisions against anti-Semitism. In principle this is to be welcomed. However, the satisfaction is clouded by the fact that there is no resolution on the current aggressive smear campaign against Muslims. What is more, criticism of Israeli colonialism and the oppression of the Palestinian people is to be labelled anti-Semitic and subsequently even stopped. The anti-fascist basic consensus is thus turned against democracy and human rights, which should be equally enjoyed by all. The BDS boycott campaign, launched by Palestinian civil society according to the South African model, which aims to achieve nothing more than compliance with the relevant UN resolutions in a peaceful manner, is thereby placed in the … [read more]

“I did nothing to deserve this”

Letter from Austrian prison by Abu Habel, Palestinian sentenced for life imprisonment based on a phony political trial
20/11/2019
In writing these words, I have dug up a grave in my prison cell, and have cut off all communication with life itself -- a man who has spent his entire youth in Israeli dungeons.
Abu Habel father with pic of his minor son he was denied to visit in prison
Graz Karlau, October 19, 2019 So, I communicate to you, all free human beings: I am the prisoner Abdel Karim Mohammed Abu Habel from the Gaza strip in Palestine. My family had to flee from Palestine in the Autumn of 1948. On the morning of black Sunday 20/05/1990 I was born, at the same time as the blood of our Palestinian people was being shed by the Israeli Zionist Forces. I was a young boy, like any other, playing with boys my age, despite the occupation, the killing and the blood; these things that were never bad before the occupation. On 20/07/2000, I was shot in the joint of my left foot by the IOF; I was nine years old, and I still suffer from that injury, to this day. A few years passed, after which we were taken by surprise from an offensive attack by the IOF on … [read more]

The end of an era

A Greek comment on the European election results
5/7/2019 · by Paremvasi
The results of the recent triple elections (european, regional, local) signify the end of an era, a process that has been going on since 2015. The social and the organized left find it difficult to accept it. After the referendum in 2015, Greece has entered a new, tougher and more conservative political reality, in which two similar parties (SYRIZA and New Democracy) pursue similar policies, the Left counts but never heals its wounds and the extreme right raises in prominence, changing expressions and forms.
From better times when people still had hopes in Syriza
SYRIZA has shaken the resisting popular spirit, once dominant throughout the period of the massive struggles against the memoranda, and it has proven to be the worst graveyard of the Left, of its values and its diversity. The conservative shift of the society is quite strong, not only in Greece but also in Europe. The overwhelming electoral difference between New Democracy and SYRIZA proves that a society constantly trained on the logic of “the least bad option is the best option” will eventually choose the worse option. We have seen it happening thousands of times in the past, we see it happening again. New Democracy´s best promoter has been Tsipras himself. The policy of SYRIZA has legitimized the past memoranda policy of New Democracy and has consolidated the doctrine of TINA … [read more]

Donbass: miners and anti-fascists

A peace delegation from Austria went to Donetsk and Lugansk
23/5/2019 · Wilhelm Langthaler
A delegation of nine peace and neutrality activists went to the rebel areas in eastern Ukraine on the occasion of the celebrations of Soviet victory over German Fascism on May 9th as well as the fifth anniversary of the founding of the republics in the Donbass.
Parade in Donetsk on May 11, 2019
Even in just a few days, any visitor will realise that obvious facts on the ground in the so-called separatist areas blatantly contradict several basic assumptions: At least in the capital cities of Donets and Lugansk, normal everyday life prevails, there is no war or emergency situation evident. You have to look closely and ask locals to find signs of a war. At the moment, Paris is definitely more militarised. On the other hand the economic difficulties, the social consequences of the uncertain situation and the lack of investment are quite obvious. Concerning politics and culture, there is a kind of re-sovietisation, even though the social foundations and causes are completely different from the Soviet past. Two elements seem to be central for the identity in the People’s … [read more]

Haneen Zoabi addresses an audience about Israel in Bonn

7/5/2019 · By: Between the Lines – Ludwig Watzal
„The old will die, and the young will forget“ as David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, once said. Haneen Zoabi presented herself as the living counterexample. Zoabi focuses on Palestinians living in Israel which hold Israeli citizenship. She offered a quite astonishing inside view of „Israel’s democracy“.
  Zoabi, born in Nazareth in 1969, belongs to the Arab minority in Israel. From 2009 till 2019 she was a member of the Israeli parliament. According to the new „Nationality Law,“ the 20 percent Arab minority is not supposed to exist. The law defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people in which only the Jews have the right of self-determination. The Arab minority can’t make use of such a right as the indigenous People of Palestine. The speaker made clear how dramatic the transfer of power and wealth was after the establishment of the State of Israel. Before 1948 native Palestinians owned 83 percent of the land, today only 2.3 percent, although they make up 20 percent of the inhabitants of Israel. Having been a majority in Palestine, the … [read more]

Porosheko's electoral defeat

25/4/2019 · Borotba
The defeat of Poroshenko’s regime in the April 21 elections was the logical outcome of a government based on neoliberal reforms and stunning nationalist propaganda. The people of Ukraine expressed their distrust of corrupt officials hiding behind patriotic rhetoric.
Borotba (Struggle)
President Poroshenko built his campaign on interference in church affairs, trying to establish one state religion, with militaristic rhetoric, as well as with nationalist slogans in matters of language. The pre-election slogan "Army, language, faith" found support from only 25 percent of voters. It should be noted that the result was the most crushing defeat of an incumbent president in the history of Ukraine. Even this modest result was achieved only by creating a society of fear, in the context of prohibition of left-wing political organizations, control over the media, and the use of dirty political tricks. All this gives the people of Ukraine optimism and confidence in the future. Unfortunately, despite some improvement in the public atmosphere, Ukraine will have … [read more]

Call for 5th Memorial day of the Odessa Massacre

International Coalition
1/3/2019
May 2, 2019, will mark five years since a right-wing mob attack on the House of Trade Unions in Odessa, Ukraine, a tragedy that resulted in the deaths of at least 42 people and more than 100 injured. Today there still is no justice in sight for the mourners of the victims.
cropped-memorial5
Those deaths on May 2, 2014, came just months after the democratically elected president was forced out of office by politicians, mass protests and violent right-wing organizations. This resulted in growing tensions in Odessa over several weeks, which culminated with street clashes and the mob attack on the House of Trade Unions. Many cellphone videos of the attack have been posted on the Internet, clearly showing people setting the union building on fire with Molotov cocktails. People can be seen jumping from the burning windows and dying when falling to the ground. People laying on the asphalt and those trying to escape were severely beaten with bats and other weapons. To date, not one of the perpetrators of these murderous actions has been brought to justice. At the … [read more]

Life in prison for a Palestinian in Austria

A proportional sentence? Freedom of expression under threat
6/11/2018 · by Wilhelm Langthaler
In the spring of 2018, a young Palestinian from Gaza was charged for terrorism and sentenced to life imprisonment by a jury at a local court in Krems, Austria. The sparse media reports indicate that the alleged terror attack, which did not actually happen, was intended to be carried out in occupied Jerusalem. The witnesses, juvenile Palestinians, were not actually present at the court in Austria, but gave their statements via Skype from an Israeli gaol.
Protest rally for Abu Habel infront of Austrian embassy London
At first glance, the whole story sounds quite unbelievable. In our ostensibly peaceful and harmless alpine republic, the maximum sentence is rarely meted out. A maximum sentence for an act that was obviously politically motivated, to be carried out in occupied Palestine, and which actually wasn’t carried out after all, should raise your eyebrows. The defendant, Abdelkarim Abu Habel, was born in 1990 in Jabaliya in the Gaza Strip. At the age of 14, he was sentenced to nine years in prison by the occupying forces, an Israeli military court. According to media reports, he was denied visits by his father for five years – just one example of the severe conditions in Israeli detention. We don’t know the details about this case, but the general situation in Gaza and the disproportionate … [read more]

Neo-Nazi terror in Lviv

3/10/2018 · by S. Kirichuk
Police collaborates
In Lviv, Western Ukraine, 20 neo-Nazis armed with knives and telescopic batons have attacked a group of left-wing social activists. Young men and women received numerous wounds including life threatening ones. One of the victims, being out of consciousness, was transferred to the reanimation, he was stabbed near the heart area. The activists recognized faces of the agressors, who were members of the National Corps, a far-right party based on the Azov military regiment and backed by the minister of interior Arsen Avakov. This is not the first attack on the activists of the anti-fascist organization Black Banner. During the last year, these activists, in fact, were the main target for massive neo-Nazi movements of Lviv. But after each attack the police was doing nothing. Even more, … [read more]

The Patriotic Left and the Fivestar-Lega govt

Resolution on political phase and on the tasks of P101
27/7/2018 · Adopted unanimously by third national assembly, July 1st 2018
(1) New period The victory of “No” on 4th December 2016 constitutional referendum must be considered as a watershed: with the neoliberal elite hegemony’s crisis, the Second Republic went down. That republic was born and developed in total subjection to euro-german oligarchy. Italy was hit by a heavy economic crisis, and entered a period of deep political, social and institutional instability.
P101 Popular Liberation Movement: national souvereigty, popular power, social justice
(2) Three reasons for the victory The 4th march electoral earthquake which marked a defeat of the dominant block by the “populist” forces Movimento 5 Stelle and Lega confirms the thesis expressed above. Severyl and partly contradictory reasons led to the victory of these two forces: 1 the demand for an end of the cruel austerity policy, 2 the call for the state to ensure security and protection against the increasing decay of the social fabric, 3 the urge to put an end to a situation of humiliating national subjugation. (3)The dilemma for the government M5S and Lega reached an agreement to form a government that is forced to take into account the popular push which supports them, in spite of the desperate attempts of the elite to prevent such a government. This new … [read more]

Italian president kills majority govt

28/5/2018 · by Popular Liberation Movement (MPL)
With the rejection opposed to the birth of the yellow-green government by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, the serious social and political crisis becomes a devastating institutional crisis. For the first time in the history of the Republic, he has prevented that Parliament elect his government.
Paolo Savona
Defeat the main enemy Press Release 6-2018 National Council of MPL-Programma 101 With the rejection opposed to the birth of the yellow-green government by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, the serious social and political crisis becomes a devastating institutional crisis. For the first time in the history of the Republic, he has prevented that Parliament elect his government. There is no doubt that with his veto, he has brutally gone beyond the prerogatives that the Constitution assigns him, so we believe that Parliament can and should initiate the procedure for its removal (impeachment). With the speech pronounced tonight Mattarella threw the mask. In this case too, violating his institutional function as super partes, he gave an entirely political speech, … [read more]

Call on a possible Five-Star / Lega govt

11/5/2018 · Popular Liberation Movement (MPL)
Happy with the outcome of the electoral earthquake on March 4, we did not hesitate to call on an M5S-League government to end the austerity policies of subjection to the euro-germany.
Di Maio, head of the Five Star Movement (M5S)
After two months of uncertainty and hesitancy (whose responsibilities also fall on the shoulders of Salvini and Di Maio) it seems that this government takes life. It is not born under a good star, nevertheless better this way. We'll see if Di Maio and Salvini will find a firm agreement. It is not said that they succeed. If they do, we will see what the program will be, who the Chairman of the Government and its team. Only then can a judgment be made. Do not beat around the bus: the litmus test is first of all economic policy. Will Di Maio and Salvini have the courage to respect the expectations of change coming from the polls and to put an end to the austerity policies? In other words: will they go on a collision course with the diktats of the European Union? In our press … [read more]

To kill Taliban commanders, Afghan govt accepts death of hundret civilians

Archi massacre
4/4/2018 · Left Radical of Afghanistan (LRA)
On April 2, 2018 the Afghan government air forces targeted a gathering in Archi district of the Kunduz province of Afghanistan and killed and wounded hundreds of civilians including tens of children. The public gathering was organized in area under the control of Taliban where thousands of people attended in a graduation ceremony. Some of the Taliban commanders and militants were also among the participants of the gathering.
The declaration of the president palace and as well as the statements of the Ministry of Defense, shamelessly justify their brutal military operation and killing of more than 60 civilians and 150 injured. The government shared with media a list of Taliban commanders that have been killed in 2nd April air strikes to show they have targeted the right place and right people! However, the residents of the Archi district, the wounded people and children and the reports from the Kunduz hospitals all prove that 85% of the victims are civilians and children and students. According to the Geneva conventions and Rome Statute of the ICC, targeting civilians and blind air strikes that resulte in casualties and loss to the civilians is a war crime and the perpetrators must be prosecuted. The … [read more]

EU parliamentarians to question Maidan murder narrative

Evidence points to nationalist forces
23/3/2018 · Sergei Kiritchuk, Ukrainian journalist
An unprecedented event took place in the European Parliament. On the margins of the ongoing EU summit, new investigative material concerning the tragic incidents that took place in Maidan in 2014 were presented. In the conference under the title „Maidan revolution 4 years later", hosted by MEP Bill Etheridge, attended by representatives of many human rights organizations, media and European parliamentarians.
Blood on a shield on Maidan
There was present also the Scottish MEP David Coburn, and Latvian MEP Miroslav Mitrofanov who showed special interest in presentation invited all the speakers to his office to discuss possible means of action. The meeting was opened by Anne Steffen, an Israeli investigative journalist, who come to Brussels to present video material that sheds a whole new light on the tragic events that took place in Maidan. Over the last four years, the Ukrainian authorities have perseveringly spread the theory that it was former Ukrainian authorities who were responsible for the murders on the Maidan. We were told that they opened fire on protesting people and killed more than one hundred of them in cold blood. The terror of this imaginary image, strengthened by the reluctance towards the former … [read more]

Ukraine: next crackdown on opposition media

Igor Guzhva again under attack
27/6/2017 · by Sergei Kiritchuk
Ukrainian authorities are strengthening pressure on the a few remaining oppositional media and certain journalists who still dare to criticize the Kiev government policy or publish investigations about the corruption schemes of Ukrainian officials.
Igor Guzhva
On June 22th, two dozen men from Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) stormed the office of the main oppositional media Strana.ua. Its editor-in-chief one of Igor Guzhva was arrested in Kiev and sent to a temporary detention center. As he reported, their work was blocked while “a search is ongoing at the agency for a falsification”. The deputy chief editor Svetlana Kryukova reported the details of the seizure. According to her, the news-room was occupied by the employees of SBU. Kyiv district court imposed a pre-trial restraint for the editor-in-chief of "Strana.ua", Igor Guzhva with the possibility of bail at 20, 900 USD. At the same time, Guzhva's lawyer and the former Minister of Justice, Olena Lukash said the bail has already been paid but Guzhva remains in custody. No videos … [read more]

Indian judiciary: "white collar Maoism to be punished"

Declaration by the Revolutionary Democratic Front
9/4/2017 · by Varavara Rao
Let us build a broad united democratic movement to demand for the release of Prof. G.N. Saibaba, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, Mahesh Tirke, Pandu Narote and Vijay Tirke convicted under UAPA by the sessions judge Gadchiroli, Maharastra
Varavara Rao
An Appeal to the People, Democratic Organizations, Individuals, Mass Organizations and Political Parties Let us also fight to withdraw the draconian UAPA itself Revolutionary Democratic Front is not a frontal organization of CPI (Maoist) and it is not a banned organization in Delhi, Maharastra and certain other states. The sessions and district court of Gadchiroli dist of Maharastra has pronounced its judgment against Prof. G.N. Saibaba and five others on 7th March, 2017 under heavy bandobast of armed police. Uniformed armed police with AK-47 like sophisticated weapons were allowed into court hall also where the public hearing of the court is supposed to take place. From the side of accused only the blood relatives were allowed besides the defense lawyers. The judge has … [read more]

Indian leftist professor Saibaba sentenced to life term

Solidarity call
18/3/2017
The International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) condemns in the strongest terms the highly anomalous conviction and sentencing for life of Professor GN Saibaba, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, Mahesh Tirki and Pandu Narote for their alleged links to the Indian Maoists.
Saibaba2-800x445
The ILPS is one with all progressive forces in India and around the world in calling for the freedom of GN Saibaba and his co-accused political prisoners. The only crime committed by GN Saibaba has been his consistent defense of the rights of dalits, adivasis and other exploited and oppressed masses in India. He has also been at the forefront of the campaign against the brutal counter-insurgency war called Operation Green Hunt in Central India. This counter-insurgency war is being waged by the Indian state against the adivasis who have risen up to resist the operations of foreign mining companies that have no concern whatsoever for the destruction they cause to the environment. The adivasis have found a strong and reliable ally in the Indian Maoists in their just struggle to defend … [read more]

We will not allow Kiev to silence May 2 massacre in Odessa!

Free Alexander Kushnarev!
24/2/2017 · Union Borotba (Struggle)
Appeal to left and anti-fascist organizations in Europe and worldwide on the arrest of Alexander Kushnarev
Gennady and Alexander Kushnarev
Yesterday a flagrant event happened in Odessa – agents of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested Alexander Kushnarev, the father of anti-fascist Gennady Kushnarev, who was slain on May 2, 2014.  He is accused of organizing the kidnapping of Verkhovna Rada Deputy Alexei Goncharenko, who was photographed posing with Gennady’s body on May 2. Alexander Kushnarev, like the other relatives of the dead, is a major obstacle to the Ukrainian government, which is trying to cover up the massacre that occurred on May 2, 2014, in Odessa.  They refuse to be silent about this tragedy. They hold memorial rallies, produce literature about the events of May 2, and knock on the doors of all international human rights organizations. Such activity by the relatives of … [read more]

The historic NO of the Italian people

19/1/2017 · Declaration by National Council of the People's Liberation Movement Program 101 (P101)
The triumph of NO in the referendum ballot box represents the extraordinary victory of a people who knew how to say No to the attack on democracy, No to the requests of the oligarchs, both internal and external to the country, No to the incessant campaign of the media, No to the blackmail of fear. It is an historical event, which marks the beginning of a new phase with great possibilities of change.
2. The demand for alternative After decades of passivity, we are seeing the first stirrings of a deep social awakening. The crisis has dug into the minds and hearts of millions of people. This is still a shapeless feeling, primordial for some aspects, but precisely for this reason, potentially disruptive. What can we say for sure - it has clearly manifested in this intense election campaign - is that it is developing a new political request, that of a true political and social alternative. 3. A class vote Both the direct experience that the specialist research tell us that of December 4 was a class vote. The No's landslide victory in the factories, among the unemployed, in the most impoverished groups of self-employment among young people. The extraordinary result of the South … [read more]

Ukraine pro-Nazi health minister accused

US citizen refused to disclose her medical diploma
19/1/2017 · by Sergei Kirichuk
Another political scandal is rocking Ukraine.
Ullyana Suprun
The new healthcare minister Ullyana Suprun - a US citizen from the pro-Nazi diaspora (who came to support Maidan and was appointed as a minister) - is being accused by Ukrainian doctors of ‘reforms’ that may have caused numerous deaths of Ukrainian patients. Recently she has been accused also of total professional incompetence and the absence of the required medical education. Being summoned to the Parliament hearings, she refused to show her diploma stating that “it’s confidential information”. Now her scandalous behaviour is interpreted as “disrespect to the Parliament”. Ukrainian antifascist net also identified her as a daughter of a pro-Nazi policeman who fled to the USA in … [read more]
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