Seminar of the Austrian section of the Anti-imperialist Camp in CarinthiaUnder the title “Crisis: chance for an anti-systemic force?” the annual summer seminar of the Austrian section of the Anti-imperialist Camp took place in Carinthia from 9-12 July, 2009.The current crisis of the capitalist world economy was analysed as a very deep and structural one. As the credit bubble burst, so did the US demand which used to be the engine of growth for the rest of the world. There seems to exist no relief measure whatsoever which could at least partially substitute US consumption. So an enormous contraction of production is unavoidable.The impact first of all on European society will rock the entire political system as the capitalist promise of material prosperity for the broad middle … [read more]

The project presented hereunder is promoted jointly by two associations: ours, that is the Italian-based Sumud – Volontariato e Resistenza (Voluntary Work and Resistance), and the Lebanese-Palestinian Nashet – Activist.The name Sumud is an Arabic word for steadfastness, and recalls the meaning of resistance and attachment to one’s roots. The aim of the association is to propose an experience of voluntary work and international solidarity oriented towards a strong and consequent anti-colonialist outlook. This also means psychological liberation from Western missionarism, which, unfortunately, is often found together with even our most genuine fits of altruism. Indeed, one of our slogans is “we don’t have anything to teach them”. This means that, while … [read more]

Giovedì 25 Giugno 2009 Il seminario di Chianciano su crisi e guerra imperialistaSabato 20 e domenica 21 giugno si è svolto a Chianciano il seminario organizzato dalla sezione italiana del Campo Antimperialista su “Crisi del capitalismo, caos geopolitico, guerra imperialista”.I lavori si sono articolati in tre sessioni, con altrettante relazioni tenute da Moreno Pasquinelli, Ennio Bilancini ed Alberto Signorini, di cui pubblicheremo il testo integrale al più presto.Ci limitiamo qui a riassumere i punti principali di un’appassionata discussione che ha registrato ben 35 interventi.  Nella prima sessione, la relazione di Moreno Pasquinelli sul tema “Può la teoria marxista aiutarci a capire la crisi attuale del … [read more]

Condemn the arrest of Gour Chakravarty, West Bengal state spokesperson of CPI (Maoist)! Release him unconditionally!This is a complete volte face of the CPI (M) led government which had continuously insisted that they would deal with the Maoists politically. In fact it shows beyond doubt that the issues raised by the Maoists and the militant struggles of the Adivasis of Lalgarh have become a real problem for the CPM-led government in West Bengal. The only way that this government can deal with the issues of life and death for the toiling masses, pertaining to the four dreaded Ds—Displacement, Destruction, Destitution and Death—are through the baton and barrels of the police and paramilitary. Otherwise any people oriented government would have first listened to the just demands of the … [read more]

Debate on the foreign policy of IranI wanted to convey my deep appreciation for the Anti-imperialist Camp for taking the brave position of supporting the victory of Ahmedi Nejad in the Iranian elections.I'm aware of the crazy defamation of Ahmedi Nejad in the West, where the hypocrisy of the left is converging with the self interest of the exploiters and the oppressors to pose "democratic" racist Israel and the "moderate" Saudi royal family and the Egyptian police state as natural allies for the West democracies.Here in Palestine, where people experience Western imperialism on the receiving side of its sharp edge, Ahmedi Nejad could win any election with much bigger margins without even campaigning.I think you should carry the discussion from the defensive to the … [read more]

Criticising Lithuanian nationalism to be bannedOn May, 22nd, members of the fraction of right wing party Fatherland Union — the Lithuanian Christian democrats (FU — LCD) Paulius Saudargas and Petras Luomanas have registered with the secretary of the Seim (Parliament) a project of appendix to the Criminal Code that once again is equating communism to fascism and providing criminal liability for negation of the anti-Soviet and nationalist myths (the myth about genocide arranged by communists in Lithuania, the myth about bourgeois-nationalist armed banditism and terrorism portrayed as “struggle for national liberation”, the description of Hitlerite collaborators as national heroes). According to this project, for negation of these myths a person can receive up to … [read more]

Court grants Iraqi resistance supporter entrance into GermanyOn June 10, 2009 a Berlin administrative court allowed an appeal against a ban issued by the Berlin state police against Mr Kalemji. From now on he can once again enter Germany.The court’s decision is a defeat for the government of the Berlin province led by a coalition of Social Democracy and the Left party. The police action against a political tour of Mr Kalemji in spring 2006, which eventually led to his expulsion, was their responsibility. The judge dismissed the claim of the Berlin government according to which Mr Kalemji had been a “threat to the public order”.The real reason for so blatantly violating the democratic rights was simply reason of state. Germany does not want to endanger its relationship to … [read more]

2.    Even the Western media had to admit that it is the poor who strongly support the president. His allegations of corruption promptly gained him the epithet “populist” in the West—an indirect admission that he enjoys broad support from below.3.    The capitalist establishment around Rafsanjani (number two of the regime and chairperson of the Assembly of Experts) and a broad coalition of Islamic forces from the “left” to the “right” actually didn’t support Ahmadinejad, but his contender Mousavi. Ayatollah Khamenei (number one and successor to Khomeini), after the elections sided with the victor; however that doesn’t mean that Ahmadinejad was his favourite candidate, because Ahmadinejad’s fiery … [read more]

Solidarity needed now: Ahmad Sa'adat enters second week of hunger strike Ahmad Sa'adat, the imprisoned General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, has entered the second week of his hunger strike to protest the policy of isolation and solitary confinement practiced by the Israeli prison administration against Palestinian prisoners.This is an urgent situation and requires broad solidarity and public support for the Palestinian prisoners within the jails of the occupier and in solidarity with Ahmad Sa'adat. Palestinian prisoners are suffering, subject to isolation and constant movement from prison to prison in an attempt to undermine the prisoners' strength, solidarity and steadfastness. They are denied family visits and prisoner leaders are particularly … [read more]

نظمت حملة "دعوا غزة تعيش" يوم السادس من حزيران ثاني تظاهرة احتجاجية على شاطئ دانوب فيينا قبالة ما يسمّى بـ"شاطئ تل أبيب" الذي أنشأته بلدية فيينا وسفارة الصهاينة كفعالية ثقافية لتحسين صورة دولة إسرائيل في … [read more]

Awni al Kalemji sues German state, releases statement In 2006 a tour with conferences of the Iraqi politician and declared enemy of the occupation Awni al Kalemji had ended abruptly by a massive police intervention both in Berlin and Hamburg. Mr Kalemji had been arrested and deported. Later a ban was issued to block him from speaking publicly and entering the country.The move of the German authorities violates the most basic democratic norms and is in full compliance with the interest of the US empire.Already in 2006 the lawyer Heinz Jürgen Schneider filed a suit against the Land Berlin for Mr Kalemji. The trial is taking place only today (June 10, 2009). There is only one day of court procedures scheduled which is normal for an administrative court.The case “Kalemji” is … [read more]

August 19th - September 3rd 2009Sumud association was born in order to offer our cooperation to those who endure oppression and refuse to resign themselves, without paternalism and with the awareness that what those people most need is not charity but help in their fight for justice.The concrete and ambitious project we are proposing to everyone who shares our spirit is to take part in a work brigade in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh in the south of Lebanon. Ein el-Hilweh is a real ghetto where the almost 100.000 Palestinians have been living for generations in a terrible situation.We have engaged with our partners of Nashet , a youth association composed of both Palestinians living in the camp and Lebanese, in a wide task aimed at improving the condition of young people … [read more]

Report by the Anti-imperialist Camp’s delegationRafah, May 24, late nightFor 10 days we have been waiting in Egypt to get into Gaza with the caravan “Hope” initiated by the “European Campaign to end the siege on Gaza”. The caravan is composed of 120 people from a dozen European countries and about 40 vehicles (ambulances and trucks packed with medical goods).It has been planned to take over the vehicles coming from Genoa by ship in Alexandria. But the Egyptian authorities imposed a change of programme claiming “security reasons”. We had to go to Port Said were we were forced to wait for the ship which in the meantime had to go the long way round.These – foreseeable – difficulties did not break our determination but helped to highlight … [read more]

In an unprecedented anti-democratic move the Spanish Supreme Court banned a list composed of Spanish leftists together with organisations of several national minority movements. It is a dangerous sign that the anti-democratic repression does not limit itself to Basque forces but reaches out also to those who dare to defend simple democratic rights also outside the Basque country.Solidarity call by the International Initiative--Solidarity among the Peoples (II-SP)For democracy and the presumption of innocenceThe undersigned individuals and organizations would like to express with the greatest forcefulness our indignation and alarm over the extremely serious attack on democratic freedoms and upon the principle of the presumption of innocence, fundamental to a state based on laws, that has … [read more]

Dear friends, We have now more than 2000 signatures for the Appeal to remove Hamas from the EU terror list and more than 40 personalities speaking out for the appeal. On our website, www.recogniseresistance.net , we have posted the letter that should be sent to all the first candidates for the European elections in your country. Could you please translate the letter and send it to the first candidates in your country. We will publish all the answers on the website. Thanks,Nadine Rosa-Rosso, promoter(letter slightly abbreviated)Madam, Sir, The foreign policy is one of pillars of the European Union, and within this policy, the Arab-Israeli conflict is central as it interferes in all aspects of the relations between the different Middle East states and also in the Western world, in the … [read more]

Israeli tourism ads are being removed from the tube, following massive pressure and complaints.Late last week, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign started to receive information from members about adverts that they had seen on the London Underground. The adverts by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and ThinkIsrael included a map that included the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, together with Jews for Justice for Palestinians, immediately started working to bring these adverts down. We complained to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ourselves, and notified our members and supporters, many of whom also made complaints to the ASA, Transport for London and CBS Outdoor, which was the company that put up the adverts. Sarah Colborne, … [read more]

Montreal, May 20th / A 17 member delegation from Quebec has been traveling across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories since Sunday May 17 and is set to enter Gaza through the Erez Crossing Point on Thursday May 21st at around 9 AM local time. Shocked by the human rights violations of the Palestinians, the delegation has decided to go to Gaza.The delegation is comprised of membres of unions (FNEEQ, STTP/CUPW, SCFP/CUPE), of NGOs (Alternatives International, Ligue des droits et libertés, Marche mondiale des femmes/FFQ, Collectif de Québec pour la paix, Artistes pour la paix, Regroupement des maisons de jeunes du Québec, Funambules Médias, Collectif d’Abord solidaires), of Middle-East focused organisations (CJPP, PAJU, IJV, Coalition pour la … [read more]

Lebanese Professor and senior Hezbollah leader argues, he is not interested whether one is an Islamist or Marxist but if one fights against imperialism. By  Agustín VellosoAli Fayyad, a senior member of Hizbullah's executive committee, gave a talk about Imperialism, Islamism and the role of the Left in the University City of Madrid on March 28th 2009. The Lebanese Professor explained once again that the problems in the Middle East are not a religious but a political one, and condemned the propaganda that is widely shared by western leftists:”There is no opposition of values and if there were it would be no reason for war – the cause of the problem is United States’s support for Israel, it is not a religious problem. (…) As an Islamist I am closer to … [read more]

by Dr. Vickramabahu KarunarathneThe right of self determination of Tamil speaking people is a foremost issue in modern Lankan society. Though it is related to the Tamil vs. Sinhala conflicts narrated in various chronicles, the present form arises out of the inability to construct a democratic, plural, civil society. Though Sri Lanka (the Sinhala equivalent of Ilankai) is considered a nation by the United Nations Organization, Sri Lankan nationality is yet to be recognized by the masses here. People in Lanka consider themselves as Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, Veddha, etc. and rarely as Sri Lankans. In that sense it is a society of nationalities. As a Marxist, I consider nations are really built on capitalist market economy. I refer to a community as a nationality if, that community of … [read more]

Vortrag, Mittwoch, den 27. Mai um 19:00, Änderung des Veranstaltungsortes des Vortrages von Dr. Finkelstein. Er wird im „EVENTHOTEL MODUL", Peter Jordanstr.78, 1190 Wien stattfinden Einladung zum Vortrag vonDr. Finkelstein: „Israel-Palestine, Roots of Conflict- Prospects for Peace"Mittwoch, den 27. Mai um 19:00, Änderung des Veranstaltungsortes des Vortrages von Dr. Finkelstein. Er wird im „EVENTHOTEL MODUL", Peter Jordanstr.78, 1190 Wien stattfinden Dr. Finkelstein ist Nachkomme jüdischer Auswanderer, die das KZ von Warschau überlebt haben. Er ist Universitätsprofessor für Politikwissenschaften und gilt als Spezialist für den Konflikt zwischen Israel- Palästina. Der international bekannte Referent ist Autor zahlreicher Bücher, … [read more]