Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Repudiate the debt public meeting

Repudiate the Debt Campaign

Public Meeting

"Why we need to Repudiate the debt"

Saturday May 7th.

Time: 1-00am - 3-00pm

The Grand Hotel,
Denny St.,
Tralee

Please contact Repudiate the Debt Campaign for further details.
e-mail: repudiatethedebt@gmail.com

WFDY Statement on anti-communism

On the anti-communist attacks against the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia in Czech Republic

The World Federation of Democratic Youth observes the intensification of anti-communist acts that are presently in an increased way directed against the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (CPBM). That came to light during the parliamentary hearing about the draft of a law on the so called anti-communist resistance, it means a violent resistance against the socialist system in Czechoslovakia in years 1948 – 1989 and was expressed with the subsequent political and media manhunt against the CPBM members of parliament Marta Semelova and Miroslav Grebenicek. There are even threats of banning the CPBM and government authorities’ investigation is under way.

The right wing government formed in 2010 has used its parliamentary majority to pass anti-social laws in favor of the capitalists against the interests of the working people, including even middle strata employees. To detract attention from these anti-social policies an anti-communist campaign is being waged with direct
engagement of some MPs, senators and anti-communist civic associations as the “Confederation of political prisoners”, as well as directly the government and especially the Ministry of Interior.

It is a set of measures starting with the debate on the mentioned draft on the anti-socialist resistance that puts the adversaries of the socialist regime on the same level with the anti-fascist fighters, that celebrates the terrorists who murdered innocent citizens, robbed and caused damage to the national economy.

Another step debated by the government is the lowering of the pensions of the former functionaries of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in order to gain finance to increase the pensions of the anti-socialist resistance members. The last step so far has been a creation of a special team of the Ministry of Interior to
collect source materials to be used for the legal proceedings of the Supreme Administrative Court on the dissolution – ban of the CPBM. This is an attempt to ban a party that is a part of the political system of the Czech Republic, that observes the Constitution, the Charter of fundamental rights and basic freedoms and
the laws of the Czech Republic and that receives support of approximately 12% of the voters with orderly elected representatives from municipal and regional to national and European parliamentary level.

As far as the anti-socialist resistance law is considered, it is based on ideological adoration of anti-communist terror, murders and neglecting of the victims and consequences of this violence and has an inciter effect in
relation to present and future. The representatives of the anti-socialist resistance committed violent crimes against citizens and representatives of a sovereign internationally recognized state like it was the case of a terrorist Masin brothers gang who committed murders of the functionaries of the national councils,
agricultural co-operatives, members of armed corpses and hijacked means of transport taking hostages and violent robberies.

The anti-socialist resistance draft of law is a part of ideologically purposeful historical revisionism. During the parliamentary hearing even the right to free opinion and expression was denied when the speeches of MPs of the CPBM Marta Semelova and Miroslav Grebenicek were rudely disturbed by the rightwing
MPs with effort to make them impossible to finish their speeches, with calls addressing the Minister of Interior to prepare the ban of the CPBM and even with calls of the Municipal council of the capital city of Prague to Marta Semelova to resign from her mandate in this body which she won in elections with a
significant voters’ support.

WFDY denounces and protests against the anti-communist attacks against the CPBM and its representatives, as well as against the so called anti-socialist resistance draft of law and express its concern with the endangering of fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms in the Czech Republic.

Budapest, March 28, 2011
The CC/HQ of WFDY

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

WFDY on Libya

The World Federation of Democratic Youth condemns the bombing of Libya by NATO and its members, under the excuse of defending the “human rights” of the protestors that want to overthrow Kaddafi’s government.

In fact, the simple act of recognition of the rebels as a partner for dialogue by the European Union and other structures represents in itself, a provocation to the sovereignty of Libya and an unacceptable interference on the Libyan issues.
The double standards of imperialism are further clear when in case of the Saudi troops entering Bahrain to smash the ongoing popular movement or in case of the suppression of the peoples’ movement in Yemen, the imperialist states prefer to remain silent, supporting the ongoing brutal repression.

Eight years after the invasion of Iraq and eleven after the bombing of Yugoslavia, imperialism is yet again betting on confusing the minds of the peoples of the world to justify an invasion to a country with the sole motivation of stealing its resources and taking over its geostrategic position. If imperialism had ever before any honest worry with the Libyan people, what would justify the high level of relation between the government of Kaddafi with France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and the very USA until some months ago?

Once again, we underline that we reject the suppression of the rights of protestors in Libya, but we underline that the only solution is a peaceful understanding between all parts inside Libya and that a military intervention is totally unacceptable, as we believe that only the Libyan people is able to solve its own problems.

50 years of socialism celebration

Saturday 16 April

Day-long symposium and victory celebration

“We will march onward: Cuba, 2011: Fifty years of socialism: Celebrating the gains, confronting the challenges”

Commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the attack on Cuba at Playa Girón, with a showing of the Cuban documentary film 66 Hours.
Cuban speakers: Víctor Dreke (veteran of the battle, deputy chairperson of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution), Reinaldo Taladrid (journalist and political analyst), María Aleida del Riego (Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples).

Venue: Liberty Hall (Eden Quay)
Admission: €10 (concessions €5)

9 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. 66 Hours (directed by Otto M. Guzmán for Mundo Latino)
10:30 Introduction
10:45 Historical significance of the Bay of Pigs victory
11:45 Coffee
12:00 The validity of the Cuban Revolution fifty years after declaring its socialist character
1 p.m. Lunch
2 p.m. Solidarity with Cuba: presentations and adoption of plan of action
—The US blockade
—EU Policy: the EU common position on Cuba
—The Cuban 5
4:30 p.m. Closing remarks; adoption of the Final Declaration
5 p.m. Laying of wreath at the memorial to James Connolly (Beresford Place) by a Cuban veteran

Organised by the Irish Friends of Cuba Coalition
• Advance registration and further information: IrishFriendsofCubaCoalition@gmail.com

Monday, March 21, 2011

Libyan Bay of Pigs?

Washington DC, March 19

Late today US and British cruise missiles joined with French and other NATO combat aircraft in Operation Odyssey Dawn/Operation Ellamy, a neo-imperialist bombing attack under fake humanitarian cover against the sovereign state of Libya. Acting under UN Security Council resolution 1973, US naval forces in the Mediterranean on Saturday night local time fired 112 cruise missiles at targets which the Pentagon claimed were related to Libya’s air defense system. But Mohammed al-Zawi, the Secretary General of the Libyan Parliament, told a Tripoli press conference that the “barbaric armed attack” and “savage aggression” had hit residential areas and office buildings as well as military targets, filling the hospitals of Tripoli and Misurata with civilian victims.

See rest of article below...

http://tarpley.net/2011/03/19/obamas-bay-of-pigs-in-libya/

Webster G. Tarpley, Ph.D.

Protest in Beirut

Dear comrades and friends

Greetings from Beirut

About 25.000 protesters demonstrated in Beirut on March 20 demanding the change of the sectarian system in Lebanon towards a democratic secular state that guarantees the political and the socio-economic rights of the Lebanese people.

This demonstration is the largest organized by the secular democratic forces since long years, and constituted a big event in Lebanon towards changing the sectarian nature of the system.

Here we send you a link to an English newspaper coverage of the demonstrations:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=126266#axzz1HDy6679q

Best wishes

U.J.D.L.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Public Meeting Belfast

“The Provisional IRA From Insurrection to Parliament”

April 20th, 7.00pm.

An evening of radical political discussion with Tommy McKearney author of “The Provisional IRA From Insurrection to Parliament”

Venue TBC

CPI Statement on Libya

'War is not a video game'

The Communist Party of Ireland condemns the savage military onslaught now being unleashed by the United States and its EU and NATO allies against Libya.

Events now unfolding in and around Libya have more to do with western governments attempting to reassert control over the region than with the protection of the Libyan people from attack by the volatile Gaddafi regime.

We witness once again the role of the western media presenting events in terms of “good” and “evil,” presenting the savage use of superior NATO military weaponry as some sort of real-life and real-time video game, rather than as a massive military assault that will cause the deaths of ordinary people.

The manipulation of the UN vote used the cover of certain Arab states to justify these actions by western military forces to secure their economic and political interests. They may get corrupt Arab regimes to give them cover for their military aggression, as those very regimes are under pressure from their own people’s struggle for freedom, for social and economic justice. These regimes need the support of the west to stay in power. It is in their self-interest to back the west.

The actions of the imperialist powers are not for protecting Libyans but have more to do with the fact that they are attempting to shape and circumvent the continuing popular uprisings now sweeping the Arab world, removing one pro-western regime after another.

They care little for the people of Libya, just as they have said or done nothing to support or aid the people of Bahrain, whose corrupt government was secured and kept in power only by the invasion by Saudi Arabia; nor do they care about the people of Yemen, as that brutal pro-western and pro-imperialist dictatorship unleashes snipers to murder dozens of its own people.

The CPI calls upon western military powers, the United States and its NATO allies to cease their military aggression and their bombing of Libya. The Libyan people must be allowed to decide their own destiny. They people must be allowed to solve their difficulties in a peaceful way that protects the sovereignty and independence of Libya.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Peace Movement Public Meeting

PUBLIC MEETING

The Peace Movement versus The EU & NATO

IRAKLIS TSAVDARIDIS Executive Secretary, World Peace Council

Thursday, 24 March 2011, at 7.30pm

The Pearse Centre, The Ireland Institute, 27 Pearse Street, Dublin 2.

organised by PANA, the People’s Movement, and the Communist Party of Ireland .

Friday, March 18, 2011

Repudiate the debt - For a better future

This pamphlet is a contribution to the debate that is urgently needed in relation to what our establishment calls Ireland’s “sovereign debt.” The pamphlet, complementing the CPI’s earlier publication An Economy for the Common Good, seeks to place the attack on public services, and those who provide them, in the context of a sovereign debt crisis that is very much a part of the current Great Financial Crisis—a cyclical crisis whose root causes lie in the logic of capitalism in its current “financialised” phase.

Missing from the debate on this subject as presented and controlled by the media has been any analysis of the economic system in which this sovereign debt crisis is taking place. While opinion pieces abound on public-sector pay, the role of “partnership” and even the growth of the property bubble, very few accurately place these developments within the context of the socio-economic system in which they exist: capitalism.

The pamphlet is not an exhaustive analysis but aims to show the historical causes of the debt crisis and the structural developments within capitalism that brought us to this point. But, importantly, it also points to a political and economic way out that benefits the majority of people in this country, which must start with repudiating the illegitimate debt that has been loaded on people and on future generations.

There are no easy, “neutral” economic solutions to this crisis: there are only political solutions; and these require a political understanding, political campaigning, and political choices. Who will pay for this crisis, and who will benefit from the recovery?

The pamphlet aims to show that, as manufacturing stagnated globally because of the limitations of capitalist production—despite post-war reconstruction and increased military spending—the mass of capital accumulated in the system required a new area of investment. Finance provided that opportunity, firstly in stocks and shares and later in the highly complex “financial products” that exist today. Finance has become the dominant source of profit and growth for the capitalist system, replacing what is often described as the “real economy.”

With this financialisation came increasing instability and speculative bubbles. Debt became a tool, used to fund consumption, as wages declined both in real terms (purchasing power) and in relation to profits. For governments also debt became a tool to cover for the declining tax revenue that resulted from declining wages and from tax cuts in favour of big business and capital and the privatisation of profitable state enterprises.

As the system has come to rely on finance to absorb accumulated capital and facilitate its reproduction, finance has also greatly increased its political importance, to the point where today, to save the economic system, states have had to intervene to bail out and support finance. Only with this understanding do the bail-outs make sense; and it is these bail-outs and currency stabilisation (in the case of the euro) that are causing the sovereign debt crisis that now exists.

The bank guarantee that served as a socialisation of private and corporate debt, and the consequent recapitalisations and the establishment of NAMA, constitute the biggest transfer of wealth ever from working people in Ireland to finance and to foreign banks in Germany, France and Britain in order to save the euro and the EU political project.

As a consequence, our country is now dictated to and controlled by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, not in the interests of our people but in the service of global finance houses. Our children and future generations have become virtual indentured labour for as long as it takes to pay off these debts.

More and more public companies and assets, including our rich natural resources, will be sold off in the efforts to pay back money owed to these bankers. The Programme for Government, with its declaration of dependence, exists very clearly in the EU-IMF Memorandum of Understanding, and it should be read by all who are concerned with our country’s future.

Instead of merely accepting this as a situation outside our control, the pamphlet is calling on people to demand a repudiation of this illegitimate, perpetual and unpayable debt.

Working people have a choice to make. Do we sacrifice all we have struggled for over many generations, or do we join the campaign to repudiate this debt and demand a referendum, so that the people can vote on this debt placed on their backs?

Beginning by outlining the nature of crisis in the system—in particular the recurring crisis of over-production—the pamphlet sets out to explain how we got to the current “financialised” phase of capitalism, what exactly it is, and what are its trends.

Following this, but inextricably tied to it, is the role of debt. From the record level of household debt in Ireland to the imposition of tens of billions in debt on the economy from the EU and IMF and the finance houses, on top of the socialised debt of private banks, there is no question but that for meaningful economic development to occur the debt question needs to be solved.

This pamphlet believes it can, should and must be done, but that political choices need to be made in favour of working people.

Buy in the pamphlet in Connolly Books for just 3euro or check out www.nodebt.ie

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Latest Socialist Voice

See below link to the latest Socialist Voice

http://www.communistpartyofireland.ie/sv/index.html

CP Egypt Going Public Again!

Communist Party of Egypt announces its resumption of public existence
14 March 2011


The Communist Party of Egypt held a comprehensive meeting that included all its different entities and sub-categories. The meeting resulted in a unanimous decision to officially announce the party’s existence and activities, considering the new and healthy political and social environment that has resulted from the 25 January revolution and after years of being forced to work in utter secrecy and under much repression.
The party has agreed to continue the communist journey that began in the 1920s, despite the fact that the communist concept has been reproached and widely misused by corrupt anti-proletariat regimes over the past decades.
The Communist Party of Egypt was re-inaugurated in 1975 and is legitimated by the masses—and this is authentic legitimacy. This goes back to its long struggle and strong connection with the working class in Egypt as well as the social and political aspirations of hard-working Egyptians. It is these same people who today aspire to a society built on freedom, justice, and honour, alongside freedom from dependence, tyranny, and oppression.
Even though the Communist Party of Egypt was forced to work in complete secrecy for many years, its participation in democratic and frontal achievements since 1975 are simply undeniable. Members and activists of the party come from all walks of life and have made positive and powerful contributions to the events of our revolution. For more than nine decades Egyptian communists have made unprecedented and strong contributions in many fields of culture and community, including literature, politics, and trade unionism. The communist ideology has survived campaign after campaign of aggression by regimes backed by right-wing extremists throughout the Arab world, supported by imperialist forces, only by working in utter secrecy, with much persistence and through the ample support of the masses.
The Communist Party of Egypt confirmed that it will be holding its 4th General Conference in the near future to determine the ideal plan of action and organisational chart that will guarantee the demands and aims of our revolution during the coming period.

Demand a referendum!

Its not our debt!

Demand a referendum by signing the petition at:

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/42998.html

Visit the campaign website at:

www.nodebt.ie

Athens Pact - WFTU

Check out the Athens Pact published by the WFTU at their 16th Congress this year. A vital guide for all class conscious trade unionists, lets bring politics back into our unions here in Ireland.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/50946955/WFTU-CONGRESS-DOCUMENTS-ATHENS-PACT-EN

NEW CYM Branch

The Connolly Youth Movement is setting up a new branch of the movement in Cork. Any young comrades interested in getting involved or in contacting the branch email cymcork@hotmail.com

well done to the young activists involved

CYM Gen Sec.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Cp Norway

Excellent statment by the CP of Norway on the counter-revolution that occured in the USSR, see full statamenr on marxism-leninism today website below

http://mltoday.com/subject-areas/communist-forum/on-the-counterrevolution-in-the-soviet-union-1108-2.html

Written by CP Norway
Declaration of the Communist Party of Norway from its 27th National Congress

The great Socialist October revolution of 1917 introduced a new phase of the development of human civilization. For the first time in history, the conditions were created for the abolition of class society, which until then had based its existence on the exploitation of man by man.

As the capitalist conditions of production developed in feudalism, the working class was facing a completely different challenge, where it had to develop its own conditions and means of production. The subjective consciousness of mankind gained a greater significance than ever before in history. The construction of socialism on the on the way to the classless society – Communism – has therefore, of necessity, not been able to follow a straight path, but has always depended on corrections. This raises great demands on the ability of the party, the working class and the vanguard to be open about ones own mistakes, and the capacity for criticism and self-criticism.

Shortly after the Socialist October revolution, specific historical conditions forced the new Socialist state...

Sunday, March 6, 2011

CPI - Press Statement - Repudiate the Debt

Friday 4 March 2011

PRESS STATEMENT

Speaking at a press conference to launch a new pamphlet calling for repudiation of the debt, the general secretary of the Communist Party of Ireland, Eugene Mc Cartan, stated that people must be allowed to have a vote on this central question. It is not that we can’t pay but that we won’t pay. As working people are being forced to pay this illegitimate, perpetual and unpayable debt, they must be allowed to vote on it in a referendum.

He stated that the CPI views the forced payment of this debt as a massive transfer of wealth from the working people of this state to foreign bankers in Germany, France, Britain, and elsewhere. This is the socialisation of private and corporate debt. He called on the trade union movement to lead a campaign for a referendum, to give the people hope and leadership.

The CPI called on all those forces in the new Dáil—Sinn Féin, United Left Alliance, and those independent TDs who are in favour of a referendum—to present a united front and to bring forward in a united manner a private members’ bill to facilitate the holding of a referendum.

The main parties in the Dáil have constantly lectured the people to the effect that we live in a democracy, yet they will not allow the people a voice and have effectually turned this generation and future generations of the citizens of this state into indentured labour.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

WFDY on Libya Protests

On the situation in Libya
The World Federation of Democratic Youth has watched the recent developments in and about
Libya with deep concern and alarm.

It is terrible for WFDY that the answer to the Libyan people demands and street demonstrations has been repression and, in many cases, death of the protestors. This deserves from us our full condemnation as it is unacceptable and represents a violation of the basic rights of expression and freedom of association, inherent to all peoples of the world.

At the same time, it is for WFDY alarming that, under these circumstances, the imperialist powers (USA and EU) gathered in NATO have launched, through the dominating media, a campaign to justify an external intervention in that country, under the pretext of “defending the protestors’ rights.”

In this moment, it is important to underline that never NATO or any of its members cared when in Yemen or Bahrain (allies of the imperialist powers) brutally represses the protesters in those countries. Furthermore, it is a total hypocrisy that those same countries (particularly in EU) with high level relation with the government of Libya are now pretending to be historical enemies of Khadafi ruling of the country.

In this situation, WFDY calls for a peaceful understanding between all parts inside Libya and totally rejects any sort any sort of exterior interference, particularly, any sort of military intervention, as we believe that only the Libyan people is able to solve its own problems and an intervention from NATO or any military block could only mean death and stealing of resources, as happened in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The CC/HQ WFDY
Budapest, February 28, 2011

Repdiate the debt campaign launch

COMMUNIST PARTY OF IRELAND
PÁIRTÍ CUMANNACH NA hÉIREANN

Invitation to the launch of “Repudiate the Debt: For a Better Future”

The Communist Party of Ireland invites you to the launch of a new pamphlet on the debt crisis now facing working people and our country.

This new pamphlet is a further development of our publication “An Economy for the Common Good” (2009).

While we will have a new Government, the same old policies will continue, and our people will be forced to pay for this unpayable and unbearable debt. This debt was undemocratically imposed upon our people, and the people must be given the opportunity to have a vote in a referendum on it.

We would like you to come along to this launch.

Friday 4th March

5-00 - 6-15pm

Venue:

The New Theatre - Connolly Books

Build people’s unity—Build the people’s resistance—Build the people’s
alternative.