Greetings for the New Year of 2017: Advance the Unity of Authentic Revolutionaries!

Urgent Call for Unity and a Joint Struggle on a Revolutionary Platform

Austria: Successful Meeting in Solidarity with the Syrian Revolution

Let Us Turn the Trump Era into an Era of Consistent Revolutionary Struggle!

The Global Day of Action against Trump

Austria: Right-Wing Party Opens Parliamentary Inquiry against the RCIT Section

Stop Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine and for Opposition against the Military Dictatorship in Egypt! List of Signatories

Austria: Press Conference on the Right-Wing Campaign against the Austrian Section of the RCIT and the Egyptian Community

Stop Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine and for Opposition against the Military Dictatorship in Egypt!

Public Prosecution Department in Vienna Stops Investigation against Michael Pröbsting

RCIT Representatives Attend International Symposium for the Ahvaz People

Rally in Solidarity with the Ahvaz People

Freedom for the Chechen People! Down with Putin and Kadyrov!

International Women’s Day 2017: Sisters, Let Us Make the Imperialists Afraid Again!

Stalinists Attack Contingent of Austrian Section of RCIT at Pro-Refugee Demonstration

Report: Rally against the US Bombing of Raqqa (Syria)

Report: Rally against Assad's Genocidal Attack on Idlib (Syria)

Press Conference on Assad's Chemical Weapons Attack and the US Air Strike

Austria: Multi-National May Day Rally for International Solidarity

Revolutionary Statement for May Day 2017

Austria: Rally in Solidarity with the Rohingya

RCIT at a Public Meeting in Solidarity with the Syrian Revolution

Front in Defense of the Palestinian People organizes protest in São Paulo

Front in Defense of the Palestinian People organizes protest in São Paulo

Report from Corrente Comunista Revolucionária-CCR, section in Brazil of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency-RCIT, December 11, 2017, www.elmundosocialista.blogspot.com.br and www.thecommunists.net

Around 200 protesters were present, on the last Sunday, December 10, 2017, in the main avenue of São Paulo, convened by the Frente em Defesa do Povo Palestino (Front in Defense of the Palestinian People (see on facebook). The demonstration was also attended by Brazilian citizens and various groups, mainly from the left, in defense of Palestine and against the unilateral decision of the Trump government to unilaterally declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The CCR, the Brazilian section of RCIT, was present.

The condemnation of the USA and Israel was unanimous among those present. There was some disagreement among Palestinian militants present on the characterization situation in Syria, a few were in favor of the dictator Bashar Al-Assad but were promptly rejected by the majority. All in all the protest was vivid and militant.

We from the RCIT have a clear position against the Russian imperialism, against the dictator Assad and also against western imperialism (USA und EU) and its role in the region. Further, we support the resistance of the Palestinian people against the declaration of Trump. We say clearly: Jerusalem was, is and will be the capital of Palestine!

In short, the day of the demonstration was a victory of mobilization and is expected the continuation of a struggle that should not stop. Viva Palestina! Down with the Apartheid State Israel! Down with imperialism!

For further informations read our latest document:

https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/jerusalem-is-the-capital-of-palestine/

Austria: Rally in Solidarity with the Rohingya

Report from the RKOB (Austrian Section of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency), 10.9.2017, www.rkob.net

More than 100 people assembled on Friday, 8 September, in front of the United Nations' headquarter in Vienna in order to express their outrage against the ongoing massacre of the Rohingya people in Myanmar. (See pictures of the rally below). As it is well know, hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya are currently massacred, raped and murdered by the regime of Myanmar.

Militants of the RCIT section in Austria participated in the rally to show their solidarity with the resistance of the Rohingya people. Marek Hangler, a spokesperson of the section, called for international solidarity with the Rohingya people. He warned in his speech against any illusions in the imperialist Great Powers or the United Nations and emphasized the need for an organized liberation struggle. (See the link to the speech of Marek Hangler below.)

* * * * *

On the RCIT stand in solidarity with the Rohingya people see also:

RCIT: Myanmar: Solidarity with the Uprising of the Rohingya Muslims! No to the Regime's Buddhist Chauvinism! For the Rohingya's Right of National Self-Determination! 27.08.2017, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/asia/solidarity-with-rohingya-muslims/

Michael Pröbsting: [VIDEO] Myanmar: Solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims! 04.09.2017, https://www.thecommunists.net/multimedia-1/solidarity-with-rohingyas/

Austria: Multi-National May Day Rally for International Solidarity

Report (with Pictures and Videos) by the Austrian Section of the RCIT, 03.05.2017, www.rkob.net

Like every year, the Austrian Section of the RCIT takes advantage of May Day to spread the ideas of revolutionary Marxism and to demonstrate the spirit of international working class solidarity in words and deeds. Before noon, we intervened in the May Day demonstration of the social democratic party in Vienna. The Austrian section built a large book stall where we displayed newspapers, theoretical journals, pamphlets and books in German and English, as well as in several languages spoken by migrants in Austria. We were able to sell quite a few publications and had fruitful discussions with a number of people who showed interest in our work.

While the social democratic party is still able to mobilize thousands of people, it’s remarkable that its contingents hardly contain any migrants. Furthermore, the average age of these contingents is very high and labor aristocrats and better-off workers in the public sector are vastly overrepresented in them. Nevertheless, it’s incumbent upon true revolutionaries to try and win over whatever proletarian sectors still exist in the party so that they will break with the extreme right-wing leadership of the party, headed by former manager Christian Kern, a leadership which pursues an agenda of neo-liberal austerity, militarism and racist Islamophobia.

In the afternoon, the Austrian Section of the RCIT held its May Day rally close to the Syrian embassy. About 80 members and supporters, as well as Syrian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Ahwaz and Chechen activists, participated and listened to speeches by our 18 year old Syrian brother Yussef, our Iraqi brother Kamal al-Din, as well as to several RCIT speakers (Rahime Berisha, Marek Hangler, Johannes Moraga, Almedina Gunić and Michael Pröbsting).

In their speeches, the Austrian RCIT comrades stressed the need to fight against racism and the policy of austerity in Austria, as well as to continue support for the liberation struggles of all oppressed peoples against dictatorships and the imperialist Great Powers. We warned all those assembled about the attempts of the Great Powers to divide the oppressed and to buy-off their political leaders. And we vowed to continue our struggle until the working class defeats its enemies and takes power.

Pictures and videos of the speeches can be viewed here: https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/erster-mai-2017/ (Scroll down to the end of the article)

Press Conference on Assad's Chemical Weapons Attack and the US Air Strike

Report (with video) on a press conference of the Syrian Community and the Austrian Section of the RCIT on 7 April 2017 in Vienna, www.thecommunists.net, www.rkob.net, 07.04.2017

Today the group "Free Syrians in Austria" and the Austrian Section of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) held a press conference in Vienna. The "Free Syrians in Austria" were represented by Dr. Haysam Hamoui and Mag. Badran Farwati while Michael Pröbsting spoke as the International Secretary of the RCIT. The moderator of the conference was Marek Hangler, spokesperson of the Austrian section of the RCIT.

The press conference was well attended by several representatives of Austrian, Syrian, Egyptian and Chechen media outlets.

All speakers denounced Assad's genocidal war against the Syrian people. They also stressed the necessity to continue the struggle for the overthrow of the Assad regime.

Michael Pröbsting emphasized the support by the RCIT for the Syrian Revolution since its beginning in 2011.

Faced with the endless terror by Assad's and Russia's air force the representatives of the "Free Syrians in Austria" stated their demand for a UN no-flight zone. While they are aware that Trump ordered the air strike not out of sympathy for the Syrian people but rather by geo-strategic calculations, they expressed satisfaction that Assad suffered a military strike.

In opposite to this view, Michael Pröbsting stated that the RCIT unconditionally opposes the US air strike – as we oppose the hundreds of Russian air strikes which have already killed thousands of people. Likewise, we reject any demand for a UN no-flight zone. Michael Pröbsting said that all Great Powers interference in Syria – be it by Russia or the US – must be condemned as it can do only harm to the Syrian people. The RCIT calls for an international movement of the working class in solidarity with the Syrian Revolution. If any state wants to support the liberation struggle of the Syrian people it should send modern weapons to the Syrian rebels so that they can defend themselves against Assad's murderous air force and modern tanks.

A video of the complete conference has been published by the Syrian-Palestinian journalist Ahmed Morad on his Facebook page "Be With Me A Reporter". It can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/BWMAR/videos/1305124079564387/

Another report has been published here: http://o-ton.at/component/mfoton/5968?view=content

Report: Rally against Assad's Genocidal Attack on Idlib (Syria)

Out on the Streets to Protest against the Chemical Weapons Massacre by the Assad Regime!

After the Call to “Ignite the Fronts” in Syria – Let us organize international solidarity!

Report (with pictures and video) on a rally in Vienna on the 05^th April 2017 by the Revolutionär-Kommunistische Organisation BEFREIUNG (Austrian Section of the RCIT), www.thecommunists.net, www.rkob.net, 07.04.2017

Assad, once again, butchered the Syrian people. While in 2013 he told the world to destroy every chemical weapons he had, today the revolutionaries still have to suffer horrible massacres by the regime. From the very beginning of the Syrian Revolution we stood on the side of the fighting forces against the dictatorship. Given the urgent need of victory for the revolutionaries, our international tendency - the RCIT – has called upon all sincere progressive activists to answer our call to protest against the massacre in Idlib! (1)

The Austrian section of the RCIT joined a rally of the Syrian community in Vienna on 05th March. It was a spontaneous reaction of outcry against the counter-revolutionary attacks of Assad and Russia as well as the hypocrisy of the West. The spirited atmosphere with about 150 people participating showed that the activists for the Syrian Revolution are still ready to continue the struggle. Comrade Michael Pröbsting, the International Secretary of the RCIT, delivered a speech which was cheered by the crowd:

“Two days ago the American ambassador told before the UN literally: ‘The removal of Assad is no priority for us.’ The truth is: the Great Powers – Russia, USA and Europe – work together, for Assad and against the Syrian Revolution!“ emphasized comrade Michael. He stressed, that after the call to “ignite the fronts” in Syria, the resistance movements now needs international solidarity more than ever. In Europe, we need to organize movements to support the Syrian Revolution and to end the reactionary policy of the Great Powers.

After this massacre, we need to unite more than ever against the Assad regime and the reactionary Great Powers! The workers and peasants can only win when they independently organize themselves to overthrow Assad! Victory to the Syrian Revolution!

(1) Out on the Streets to Protest against the Chemical Weapons Massacre by the Assad Regime! 5th April 2017 www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/cw-massacre-in-idlib/

View pictures of the rally below

A video of the speech of Michael Pröbsting can be viewed below or here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRu-Ubdz7MQ

The Austrian state TV published a brief report about the rally which can be viewed here: http://tvthek.orf.at/profile/ZIB-Magazin/5521881/ZIB-Magazin/13925250/Verursacher-des-Giftgasangriffs-unklar/14023284 (Minute 1:50-2:21)

Another video report about the rally has been published by the Syrian-Palestinian journalist Ahmed Morad on his Facebook page "Be With Me A Reporter": https://www.facebook.com/BWMAR/videos/1303271016416360/

Reports and excerpts of an interview with Michael Pröbsting have been published by several Turkish media outlets: http://www.yenisafak.com/dunya/idlibdeki-katliam-viyanada-protesto-edildi-2639121; http://www.aksam.com.tr/dunya/idlibdeki-katliam-viyanada-protesto-edildi/haber-611909; http://www.yenihaberden.com/avusturyada-idlib-protestosu-281093h.htm;

Report: Rally against the US Bombing of Raqqa (Syria)

For the Revival of the Syrian Revolution!

Down with the Dictatorship of Assad and the Imperialist Aggression!

Report (with pictures and video) on a rally in Vienna on the 30^th March 2017 by the Revolutionär-Kommunistische Organisation BEFREIUNG (Austrian Section of the RCIT), www.thecommunists.net, www.rkob.net, 01.04.2017

Since the beginning of the Arab Revolution in 2011 we have seen a number of heroic uprisings and resistance struggles against dictatorships and their imperialist allies in the Arab world. The political situation in Syria and the perspectives of the Syrian Revolution are one of the crucial issues for the whole strategy of the Arab Revolution. Every honest revolutionary has to support the heroic resistance of the Syrian people, especially after the fall of Aleppo and the massive counter-revolutionary mobilization of the imperialists and their lackeys. The RCIT stands with the Syrian people against the Assad dictatorship since the very beginning of the uprisings and has participated in numerous solidarity activities.

The Austrian section of the RCIT supported a rally of the Syrian community in Vienna on 30 March. This rally was organized in protest against the massacre of civilians in Raqqa by the US air force. We participated in the protest which took place in front of the US Embassy. Michael Pröbsting, the RCIT's International Secretary, gave a vivid speech which was also translated into Arab by a Syrian brother.

“American and Russian bombs are killing hundreds and thousands of people in Syria as well as in Iraq. We say: Stop the bombing! Stop the terror against the Syrian people!“ said comrade Pröbsting. He also put emphasis on the necessity of international solidarity organized by the oppressed themselves. This is very important as an alternative to the so-called humanitarian aid by the imperialists who are in reality just trying to get economic, military and political control over the region.

Hama, Aleppo, and Damascus – the Syrian people continue their resistance and we continue our solidarity with our Syrian brothers and sisters. Long live the Syrian Revolution! Ling Live International Solidarity!

To view pictures and videos of the rally and the speech of Michael Pröbsting, scroll down to the end of the German language report: https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/kundgebung-syrien-30-maerz

Another video report about the rally (including an interview with Michael Pröbsting in English language) has been published by the Syrian journalist Ahmed Morad on his Facebook page "Be With Me A Reporter": https://www.facebook.com/BWMAR/videos/1296317033778425/ (the interview can be viewed from minute 13.30-17:37)

Stalinists Attack Contingent of Austrian Section of RCIT at Pro-Refugee Demonstration

Report of the Austrian Section of the RCIT, 21.03.2017, www.rkob.net

As part of the international day of action in solidarity with refugees, a demonstration was held on 18 March in Vienna despite rain and strong wind. The Austrian section of the RCIT participated in the demonstration together with Syrian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Aswazi and Palestinian migrants and refugees. Our joint contingent was not only well-spirited and militant but also by far the most multi-national at the demonstration.

Unfortunately, the stewardship of the demonstration was dominated by Austrian Stalinists and centrists. The chief steward, Selma Schacht (who is also the deputy chairperson of the ultra-Stalinist "Party of Labor" – a sister group of the Greek KKE), mobilized her stewards in order to prevent our contingent from joining the demonstration. Some stewards from the Austrian section of the Cliffite IST also participated in this attempt. When this failed, Selma Schacht attacked us and tried to take away our front banner which proclaimed the slogans "Open Borders and "Let them Stay!".

Through the disciplined handling of the situation by our own stewards and our entire contingent, we succeeded in joining the demonstration despite this aggression. However, only minutes later our contingent faced an attack by the police who tried to grab a young Syrian refugee marching with us. When we challenged the cops, their commander replied that they had been called by the organizers of the demonstration! While we succeeded in preventing the police from grabbing our young Syrian brother, this incident demonstrates how Stalinists are not ashamed to call the police against refugees when they don’t like their political views. (See pictures and videos on these incidents by visiting the link cited below.)

This physical attack is only the most recent example of the increasing political differences between us and the Stalinists, differences which have accelerated since the beginning of the Arab Revolution and, in particular, with the escalation of the civil war in Syria. The ultra-Stalinist "Party of Labor" takes the side of the genocidal regime of Bashar al-Assad while the RCIT – as well as most Syrian and Arab people – support the popular uprising.

However, this reactionary provocation by the Stalinists will certainly not stop our work in solidarity with the Arab Revolution and for the right of refugees to come to Europe!

To view pictures and videos of the demonstration and the joint contingent of the RCIT’s Austrian branch and migrant organizations, click the following link: https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/int-aktionstag-18-maerz/ (Scroll down to the end of the article)

Another video report about the demonstration as well as about our contingent has been published by the Egyptian journalist Camira Hamdi Marouf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ9CJi2B19Y&feature=youtu.be (a view of our contingent can be seen from minute 9.40-10:20)

The daily Austrian newspaper "Kronen Zeitung" has published a short video on the demonstration which briefly shows our contingent (go to minute 1:02-1:11): http://www.krone.at/videos/links-demo-fuer-proletarische-revolution-in-wien-stau-inklusive-video-559958

International Women’s Day 2017: Sisters, Let Us Make the Imperialists Afraid Again!

International Women’s Day – After One Century: Turn 8 March into a Day of General Strike Actions!

Statement by the International Women’s Secretariat of the RCIT, www.thecommunists.net, 08.03.2017

The most important event in the history of the workers and oppressed was the first successful proletarian revolution in 1917. The Great Russian Revolution would not have been possible without the bold initiative of the women workers who – in the best sense of the word „impatiently“ – started the February Revolution, which was the prologue to Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917. The great heroines of the February Revolution turned International Women’s Day into a day of general strike, inflaming the country with the spirit of the revolution. On the eve of the International Women’s Day in 1917, this revolutionary spirit also spread to their class brothers. The vanguard role of women in revolutions had already been demonstrated long before during the French Revolution of 1789-94. Since the Women’s March to Versailles in 1789 (also known as The October March) we have repeatedly seen that, in the history of the oppressed, we as women, are the warrant for revolution.

In this, the ninth year since the beginning of the historic period of capitalist decay in 2008, the inner-imperialist rivalries are accelerating while the workers and oppressed have risen up in numerous countries against the ruling class (in particular in the Arab world), but have also faced a number of counterrevolutionary defeats.

A vivid symbol for this contradictory development is rise to power of the 45^th president of the United States, Donald Trump. The new US administration led by Trump constitutes a severe threat of massive attacks not only against the working class and the oppressed in Northern America but throughout the entire world. We can see that this danger has already turned into a reality, for example, by the so-called Muslim Ban, a disgusting racist attack against migrants from several Muslim countries initiated by Trump. But we can also see the danger in the ongoing racist attacks against the Mexican people and the attempt, already started, to build a strong wall along the Mexican border as well as in the massively increased number of deportations. Yet another example is the renewed attacks against the heroic fighters on the ground at Standing Rock, North Dakota, ever since the Trump administration re-opened the road to massive destruction of the living conditions of Native Americans in this area by ruthless petroleum companies building a pipeline through this area.

However, all these attacks, and many others, are being undertaken by a government that is abhorred by billions of people in the world. Even moreso, the Trump administration provokes mass resistance because of its undisguised extreme chauvinism and super rich arrogance. It even provokes the shame of bourgeois imperialist forces who claim to defend democratic values, mainly the liberal sectors of the bourgeoisie of the United States, Canada and the European Union, while amusing and confusing the eastern imperialists like Russia, China and Japan. We don't take the democratic protest of the bourgeois liberals against the Trump government seriously, as they themselves have implemented such racist and imperialist policies in the past (and are still implementing them in Europe) against both the workers at home as well as against our oppressed brothers and sisters in the semi-colonial world. However, the Trump administration, while clearly a tremendous danger for the workers and oppressed and a catalyst for rivalries between the imperialist powers, at the same time also objectively (albeit unintentionally) constitutes a factor for the mobilization of the masses.

Women in particular were and still are a driving force in the mass mobilizations as we have seen during the inauguration of Trump on 20 January, when more than 5 million people, mainly women, marched world-wide against the new US government. There are already calls circulating for a women’s general strike on this years’ International Women’s Day (8 March) – something the world hasn’t witnessed for nearly a hundred years.

Less than a month ago there was a mass strike of migrant workers in the US on 16 February, the „Day Without Immigrants.“ Indeed, migrants have played a central role in reviving the militant May Day tradition in the US since 2006. In particular, Mexican brothers and sisters, along with migrants from other Latin American countries, brought the May Day tradition back to the US. It is the vital labor movement of Latin America which, through militant migrant protests, is enlightening the stiffened traditions of the US. Given Trump’s attacks on Mexico specifically and migrants in general, it’s no wonder that the new Trump Era provokes mass popular protests in Mexico and other countries of Latin America!

In October 2016 tens of thousands of women marched under the slogan of „Ni Una Menos“ (Not One Less) against femicide in Argentina. We have seen similar mass demonstrations in Mexico (Ni Una Muerta Más ), Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador, Paraguay and Uruguay. In the time of such important and impressive mass movements of women a US president who is known for boasting to „grab her by the pussy“ as well as for his racist slander against Mexican people, is an additional provocative factor.

Thousands have marched against the extremely racist Muslim Ban which was initiated by the Trump government – not only in the US but also in London. The politics of the Trump administration creates automatically a sharp demarcation line and provokes even those people to protest against the reactionary Muslim Ban who have not always been „comfortable“ with a multinational composition of the population respectively who have some issues with Muslim people as such. Even the deep popular mistrust – nurtured by the chauvinist propaganda of the imperialist forces against people of color and mainly Muslim people – is partly broken up amongst broader layers of the population.

However, at the same time we can see an increase of direct and violent attacks against migrants and Muslims as the right wing forces – and with them a relevant part of reactionary elements in the population – feel encouraged by Trump’s victory. Along the demarcation line it is the utmost duty of the working class and the oppressed – especially of its vanguard – to uphold the banner of class solidarity. In this it is the duty of us, women workers, urban and rural poor women, to be the role model for our class as we have been already in the past.

It is time to revive our own heroic tradition and to stand together with all oppressed. It is time to stop the imperialist beast, to revive the Arab revolutions, to turn the spontaneous solidarity with people of color and Muslim people into an organized joint struggle, to fight for a proletarian leadership of the emerging new Women’s movement as well as to broaden it by including our sisters in the semi-colonial countries who should play a leading role in an international, revolutionary Women’s movement. It is time to turn the 8^th March into a day not only replete with the spirit of the heroic past, but rather with the spirit of a revolutionary present and future. Let us turn the 8^th March into a day of general strike action! Let us make imperialists worldwide afraid again!

For a more extensive analysis of the women’s liberation struggle we refer readers to the following document: https://www.thecommunists.net/oppressed/resolution-womens-liberation/

Freedom for the Chechen People! Down with Putin and Kadyrov!

Report (with Pictures and Videos) from the RKO BEFREIUNG (Austrian Section of the RCIT), 26 February 2017, www.rkob.net

The Chechen migrant community in Austria organized a rally on 23 February in commemoration of the mass deportation of the Chechen people by the regime of Stalin in 1944. As a result of this genocidal act, up to half of the Chechen people lost their lives.

About 100 people participated in the rally. Many activists reported the fears which many Chechen migrants feel when they consider participating in public political events, given the constant threat of repression against their relatives at home by the terrorist thugs of the regime of Ramsam Kadyrov, the local Chechen marionette of Russia’s Putin regime.

Michael Pröbsting, the International Secretary of the RCIT, was asked to address the rally as one of the speakers. In his speech, comrade Pröbsting expressed the RCIT’s unambiguous solidarity with the Chechen people and their liberation struggle against the oppression of imperialist Russia.

Two days later the Chechen migrant community held a conference in a Viennese hotel which was again dedicated to the memory of victims of the mass deportations of 1944. About 150 people participated in this conference.

Here, too, the Austrian section of the RCIT was invited to participate and comrade Pröbsting was once again asked to deliver a speech. In his address, he expressed the outrage of the RCIT, as a revolutionary socialist organization, over the brutal oppression of the Chechen and other peoples by the dictatorship of Stalin, as well as that of many communists who opposed Stalinism. He said that, today, the Chechens are facing imperialist oppression by the Putin regime. And, rather than being “terrorism” the resistance of the Chechen people to this oppression is just!

To view the speeches of comrade Pröbsting (in German) as well as some photographs of the rally and conference, click the following link:

https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/aktionen-tschetschenien-feb

You can read a summary of the RCIT’s position on the Chechen liberation struggle in Chapter III of our book Building the Revolutionary Party in Theory and Practice -- Looking Back and Ahead after 25 Years of Organized Struggle for Bolshevism. (Go to the subchapter „1994 until Today: The Uprising of the Chechen People against the Russian Occupation“): https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/rcit-party-building/rcit-party-building-iii/

Rally in Solidarity with the Ahvaz People

Down with the reactionary dictatorship in Iran! No to imperialist interference!

Report (with Pictures and Video) from the RKO BEFREIUNG (Austrian Section of the RCIT), 19^th February 2017, www.rkob.net

The Ahvaz Community organized on 17 February a rally in front of the United Nations office in Vienna (Austria). About 150 people protested against the discrimination of the Arabic speaking Ahvaz people. The Austrian section of the RCIT was invited to participate in the rally.

Michael Pröbsting, the International Secretary of the RCIT, addressed the rally as one of the speakers. He highlighted the importance of international solidarity of workers and oppressed with the national liberation struggle of the Ahvaz people. He also attacked the Iranian dictatorship and warned against the policies of any of the imperialist Great Powers. Comrade Pröbsting also gave interviews to the representatives of the media.

Freedom, Peace, Equality for the Arab people of the Ahvaz! Long live international solidarity!

To view the speech of comrade Pröbsting (in German) as well as some pictures of the rally click the following link:

https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/kundgebung-ahwaz-17-feb/

To view an Arab-language report on the TV Channel Al-Akbarya about the rally with excerpts of an interview with comrade Pröbsting click the following links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ShdFjZOHY&app=desktop (starting at minute 1:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zv9C3b9qRU&feature=youtu.be (starting at minute 1:31)

A report about a recently held international symposium including a speech by comrade Pröbsting (in English) can be viewed here:

https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/ahvaz-conference/

To read the RCIT’s analysis of the Iranian regime, click here:

https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/iran-platform/

RCIT Representatives Attend International Symposium for the Ahvaz People

Freedom, Equality and Peace for Ahvaz!

Report (with Pictures and Video) from the RKO BEFREIUNG (Austrian Section of the RCIT), 13^th February 2017, www.rkob.net

The Ahvaz Community organized on 10 February a symposium in Vienna about the living conditions of its people, about the political situation in Iran, and the importance of the struggle for equal rights and freedom. The Arabic speaking Ahvaz people are one of many minorities in Iran which are oppressed by the Iranian regime both with regard to their democratic rights as well as their being driven into poverty and miserable living conditions.

Michael Pröbsting, the International Secretary of the RCIT, was invited by the organizers to attend the symposium as one of the speakers. In his speech (given in English), comrade Pröbsting highlighted the importance of international solidarity of workers and all the oppressed with the cause of the Ahvaz people. He attacked the Iranian regime as a capitalist dictatorship and warned against the policies of any of the imperialist Great Powers.

Several other speakers of differing political views, as well as journalists, also contributed as speakers in the symposium, and a lively political discussion was held on the general development of the Arab revolutions.

We in the Austrian section of the RCIT have been collaborating in practice with the Ahwaz community in Austria for more than a year. We are in complete solidarity with the cause of the Arabic speaking people of the Ahvaz in their struggle for full equality, freedom and peace, and we support their right of national self-determination. However, our support is part of a broader revolutionary strategy. Hence, we combine the support for the national rights of the Ahvaz people with a perspective of socialist revolution and reject placing any hopes in a constructive role that might be played by the United Nations or similar institutions.

The symposium on 10 February strengthened our collaboration with the Ahvaz community, and in particular it initiated further discussions on political perspectives that are not limited to the cause of our Ahvaz brothers and sisters, but which emphasize positions common to all workers and oppressed in the Arab world.

Freedom, Peace, Equality for the Arab people of the Ahvaz! Long live international solidarity!

To view the speech of comrade Pröbsting (in English) click the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VVwu7cx8XY

To view some pictures from the symposium click below:

https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/ahwaz-symposium-10-feb/

To read the RCIT’s analysis of the Iranian regime, click here:

https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/iran-platform/

Public Prosecution Department in Vienna Stops Investigation against Michael Pröbsting

Austria: A Small but Important Victory for the Solidarity with the Palestinian Liberation Struggle

Report by the RKOB (Austrian Section of the RCIT), 09.02.2017, www.rkob.net

The public prosecution department in Vienna informed us that it has closed the investigation against Michael Pröbsting, International Secretary of the RCIT and a leading member of its Austrian section. As we reported, the Austrian State attempted to prosecute comrade Pröbsting for his pro-Palestine and Anti-Zionist views. In April 2016 he was summoned to the Federal Bureau for the Protection of the Constitution and Counter-Terrorism (the political police in Austria) to answer charges of “sedition” and “inciting criminal action” (paragraph 282 of the Austrian Criminal Code). Later the public prosecution department in Vienna investigated the case. The background of these accusations was a speech which comrade Pröbsting hold at a demonstration and in which he expressed his support for the Palestinian liberation struggle. If a trial would have been opened and if comrade Pröbsting would have been convicted, he could have faced up to one year in prison. (1)

Naturally, we welcome the decision to close the case and thank all supporters both in Austria as well as internationally for their solidarity! (2)

However, it would be naïve to imagine that this would be the end of the witch-hunt against the Austrian section of the RCIT and other pro-Palestinian activists. There have been already a number of attacks on us in the past and, as we reported a few days ago, the extreme right-wing Freiheitliche Party – which is currently leading the polls – has recently put forward an official inquiry in the Austrian parliament. In this inquiry, they accuse the Austrian section of the RCIT as well as the leading organization of the Egypt migrants of “Left-Wing Extremism”, “Antisemitism” and “Radical Islamism”. As a consequence, they ask the Federal Ministry of the Interior to officially investigate the two organizations. (3)

We therefore call upon all friends of the Palestinian Liberation Struggle, and all who defend democratic rights, to join our solidarity campaign, to sign our statement of protest and to send it to the Austrian parliament and the Ministry of the Interior. (4)

Footnotes

(1) For more information see: RCIT: Stop Judicial Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine! https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/solidarity-proebsting/

(2) The List of Signatories can be viewed here: https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/list-signatures/

(3) For more information see: RKOB: Austria: Right-Wing Party Opens Parliamentary Inquiry against the RCIT Section. Biggest Opposition Party smears the Trotskyists for alleged “Left-Wing Extremism”, “Antisemitism” and “Radical Islamism” and asks the Federal Ministry of the Interior to officially investigate them, 29.01.2017, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/parliamentary-inquiry-against-rcit-section/. See also RKOB: Austria: Press Conference on the Right-Wing Campaign against the Austrian Section of the RCIT and the Egyptian Community, 2 February 2017, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/press-conference-rkob-vs-fpo/

(4) Sign the Call for Solidarity here: RKOB: Stop Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine and for Opposition against the Military Dictatorship in Egypt! https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/solidarity-rkob-korat/

Stop Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine and for Opposition against the Military Dictatorship in Egypt!

Statement of Solidarity

Protest against the Parliamentary Inquiry launched by the Right-Wing Opposition Party in Austria against the RCIT Section and the Egypt Migrant Community!

Stop Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine and for Opposition against the Military Dictatorship in Egypt!

We, the undersigned, are aware that a group of deputies of the Freiheitliche Partei – an extreme right-wing racist party led by HC Strache – has initiated a parliamentary inquiry against the Austrian section of the RCIT as well as against the leading organization of the Egypt migrants in that country. Referring to slogans in solidarity for Palestine as well for the resistance of the Egypt people against the military dictatorship which were chanted by their contingent at an anti-racist demonstration in Vienna at 26 November 2016, the parliamentary deputies call the Federal Ministry of the Interior to officially investigate these two organizations with the view to take legal steps against them. Irrespective of our concrete perspectives about the future of the Palestinian as well as the Egyptian people’s struggle for liberation, we protest against this parliamentary inquiry and we also oppose any state investigation and prosecution against these organizations.

Please send this short letter by email to the Austrian Parliament (medienservice@parlament.gv.at) as well as to the Austrian ministry of interior (pressestelle@bmi.gv.at). Please forward this email also to us: rcit@thecommunists.net

List of Signatories

An article on the background of this right-wing attack can be read here: https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/parliamentary-inquiry-against-rcit-section/

Austria: Press Conference on the Right-Wing Campaign against the Austrian Section of the RCIT and the Egyptian Community

Report with Videos and Pictures by the RKO BEFREIUNG (Austrian Section of the RCIT), 2 February 2017, www.rkob.net

The Revolutionary Communist Organization LIBERATION (RKO BEFREIUNG, Austrian Section of the RCIT) and the Coordination Council of the Egyptian Community (KORAT) made a press conference on 31 January. Almedina Gunić (Spokesperson of the RKO BEFREIUNG), Michael Pröbsting (International Secretary of the RCIT) and Ibrahim Ali (President of the KORAT) answered questions of about a dozen Austrian and international journalists.

They denounced the slanderous accusations of the main right-wing party FPÖ in this country which has launched an official inquiry in the Austrian parliament. As we already reported, the FPÖ accuses in this inquiry the Austrian section of the RCIT as well as the leading organization of the Egypt migrants of “Left-Wing Extremism”, “Antisemitism” and “Radical Islamism”. As a consequence, they ask the Federal Ministry of the Interior to officially investigate the two organizations. (*)

The press conference was hold in German, English and Arabic language.

* An article on the background of this right-wing attack can be read here: https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/parliamentary-inquiry-against-rcit-section/

You can view the complete press conference here:

English and Arabic: https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=qIBVTFdfhgo

German: https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=mgYrwqglzm4

The press conference has also been published in other media: https://www.facebook.com/abderrahmen.laarouchi/videos/1582503961766819/

You can view some pictures from the press conference here:

https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/pk-zu-fpoe/

Stop Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine and for Opposition against the Military Dictatorship in Egypt! List of Signatories

Statement of Solidarity

Protest against the Parliamentary Inquiry launched by the Right-Wing Opposition Party in Austria against the RCIT Section and the Egypt Migrant Community!

Stop Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine and for Opposition against the Military Dictatorship in Egypt!

We, the undersigned, are aware that a group of deputies of the Freiheitliche Partei – an extreme right-wing racist party led by HC Strache – has initiated a parliamentary inquiry against the Austrian section of the RCIT as well as against the leading organization of the Egypt migrants in that country. Referring to slogans in solidarity for Palestine as well for the resistance of the Egypt people against the military dictatorship which were chanted by their contingent at an anti-racist demonstration in Vienna at 26 November 2016, the parliamentary deputies call the Federal Ministry of the Interior to officially investigate these two organizations with the view to take legal steps against them. Irrespective of our concrete perspectives about the future of the Palestinian as well as the Egyptian people’s struggle for liberation, we protest against this parliamentary inquiry and we also oppose any state investigation and prosecution against these organizations.

Please send this short letter by email to the Austrian Parliament (medienservice@parlament.gv.at) as well as to the Austrian ministry of interior (pressestelle@bmi.gv.at). Please forward this email also to us: rcit@thecommunists.net

The following organizations and individuals have expressed their solidarity until now (05 April 2017):

Argentina

Tendencia Piquetera Revolucionaria (TPR)

Australia

Dr. Michael Karadjis (University of Western Sydney)

Austria

Unterstützung der Hinterbliebenen - Ekrem El Mawta

Dr. Hermann Dworczak (Social Scientist and Trade Union Activist)

Abderrahmen Laarouchi

Dr. Haysam Samoui (active in the Movement „Free Syrians“)

Mag. Manfred Ecker (Neue Linkswende, Verein „Publikationen für Sozialismus von unten“)

Leo Gabriel (Institut für Interkulturelle Forschung und Zusammenarbeit)

Kurt Kahn

Erich Dietrich

Gruppe Arbeiter*innenstandpunkt

Brazil

Sindicato Dos Funcionários Públicos De Diadema

Partido da Causa Operária

Frente Comunista dos Trabalhadores

Partido Operário Revolucionário

Fração Trotskysta- Vanguarda Proletária

Britain

Gerry Downing (Secretary of Socialist Fight)

Tony Greenstein (Brighton & Hove UNISON/Brighton & Hove Trades Union Council)

Egypt

Egyptian Revolutionary Council (ERC) – UK

France

Christian Ronse (University Professor)

Germany

Gruppe ArbeiterInnenmacht

Greece

Savas Michael-Matsas (General Secretary of the EEK)

Israel / Occupied Palestine

Omer Golan-Joel (Workers' Rights Activist)

Ofer Neiman

Italy

Partito Comunista Dei Lavoratori

Fronte di lotta No Austerity

Coordinamento Studentesco Rivoluzionario

Mexico

Tiempos Modernos

Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS)

Liga de Unidad Socialista (LUS)

Periódico El Comienzo

Colectivo Ratio

Movimiento Estudiantil Revolucionario Internacionalista (MERI)

Frente marginal de Chihuahua

Aotearoa/New Zealand

Communist Workers Group – Aotearoa/New Zealand (CWG-A/NZ)

Peru

Revolución Permanente

South Africa

Workers International Vanguard Party (WIVP)

USA

Andrew Pollack

Communist Workers Group – USA (CWG-US)

League for the Revolutionary Party (U.S.)

Zimbabwe

International Revolutionary Workers of Zimbabwe

Revolutionary Workers Group of Zimbabwe (RWG-Z)

International Organizations

International Workers League – Fourth International (IWL-FI) / Liga Internacional de los Trabajadores - Cuarta Internacional (LIT-CI)

International Workers Unity – Fourth International (IWU-FI) / Unidad Internacional de los Trabajadores - Cuarta Internacional (UIT-CI)

Other Statements

Wir haben erfahren, dass eine Gruppe von Abgeordneten der rechtsextremen und rassistischen FPÖ eine Parlamentsanfrage an den Bundesminister für Inneres gerichtet hat, die sich unter anderem gegen die Gruppe RKO Befreiung richtet. Wir verurteilen diese Anfrage und die damit verbundenen Forderungen nach Überwachung und Verfolgung dieser Organisation. (We are aware that a group of deputies of the extreme right-wing and racist party FPÖ has initiated a parliamentary inquiry to the ministry of Interior which is directed, amongst other, against the RKO BEFREIUNG. We protest against this parliamentary inquiry and we also oppose any state investigation and prosecution against these organizations.)

RIO Revolutionäre Internationalistische Organisation http://www.klassegegenklasse.org

Trotskyist Faction – Fourth International (FT-CI) http://www.ft-ci.org

Austria: Right-Wing Party Opens Parliamentary Inquiry against the RCIT Section

Biggest Opposition Party smears the Trotskyists for alleged “Left-Wing Extremism”, “Antisemitism” and “Radical Islamism” and asks the Federal Ministry of the Interior to officially investigate them.

Report from the RKO BEFREIUNG (Austrian Section of the RCIT), 29.01.2017, www.rkob.net

A group of parliamentary deputies of the Freiheitliche Party (FPÖ) around MP David Lasar has put forward an official inquiry in the Austrian parliament. (1) In this inquiry, the deputies of the FPÖ – an extreme right-wing party which got 20.5% at the last national election and is currently leading the polls – accuse the Austrian section of the RCIT as well as the leading organization of the Egypt migrants of “Left-Wing Extremism”, “Antisemitism” and “Radical Islamism”. (2) As a consequence, they ask the Federal Ministry of the Interior to officially investigate the two organizations.

The right-wing FPÖ justify its inquiry by referring to the anti-racist demonstration on 26 November 2016 and the role which the contingent of the Austrian section – together with our allied migrant organizations – played there. As we reported at that time, Muslim migrants which participated in our contingent – which was the largest at the demonstration and had many migrants from Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran and other countries in its ranks – were physically attacked by hard-core pro-Zionist people from the Black Bloc (so-called “Anti-Germans”). (3)

As concrete evidence for their smear these right-wing deputies refer to our pro-Palestinian slogans at the demonstration (like “Freedom for Palestine” or “Israel and US are mocking human rights”), to Arabic slogans directed against the Egypt military dictatorship (concretely Lasar is referring to the slogans “Down with the military dictatorship” and “The people want to overthrow the regime”) as well as the use of the R4BIA symbol (in memory of the thousands who were killed demonstrating in Rabia square on the 14th  August 2013).

The right-wing extremists of the FPÖ led by HC Strache are well known for their militant Islamophobic and anti-refugee hate campaign. They also call for an increase of monitoring and repression against revolutionary organizations as well as Muslim migrant forces. They have close relations to the Russian Putin regime and are also fanatical supporters of Israel.

David Lasar, the initiator of the parliamentary inquiry, is a prominent member of the party. He is the official contact person to the Israeli state and has built many links to extreme right-wing parties who are dominating the Israeli government. He is also a prominent member of the Zionist federation in Austria and tries to help his party in overcoming its historic image as an anti-Semitic party. It is symbolic for the reactionary character of the party as well as Lasar himself that in summer 2011 Lasar personally went to Libya during the popular uprising to meet – in a show of solidarity with the reactionary dictatorship – Gaddafi’s son.

With the victory of Trump it is clear that extreme reactionary forces like the FPÖ in Austria feel encouraged to push for an increase in state repression against revolutionary organizations as well as Muslim migrant forces. This parliamentary inquiry is only the latest and most significant attack which the Austrian section of the RCIT has experienced during the past few years. (4) We are not surprised by these attacks as we are raising our voice and are participating in many practical solidarity activities with various migrant organizations. It is a result of our unambiguous revolutionary opposition against imperialist wars and occupation as well as against racism and Islamophobie. These latest events will only strengthen our determination.

We call on all progressive forces to show their solidarity with us by protesting against the right wing parliamentary inquiry and to reject any legal measures by the Austrian state against the Austrian section of the RCIT as well as against the Egyptian migrant organization.

Footnotes:

(1) Anfrage des Abgeordneten David Lasar und weiterer Abgeordneter an den Bundesminister für Inneres betreffend Juristisches Nachspiel für Teilnehmerinnen an der Demonstration " Let them stay" auf der Mariahilferstraße, 11459/J vom 24.01.2017 (XXV.GP), https://www.parlament.gv.at/PAKT/VHG/XXV/J/J_11459/index.shtml. Our first response has been the following press announcement: AVISO: Parlamentsanfrage von FPÖ-Lasar ist Verhöhnung der Opfer. FPÖ-Abgeordnete um David Lasar über die ägyptische Revolution, Israel und die Vorfälle auf der Demonstration für Asylrecht am 26. November 2016 (OTS), Presseaussendung von Michael Pröbsting (Sprecher der RKO BEFREIUNG) und Ibrahim Ali (Sprecher des Koordinationsrates der ägyptischen Gemeinde), 25.01.2017, http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20170126_OTS0004/aviso-parlamentsanfrage-von-fpoe-lasar-ist-verhoehnung-der-opfer

(2) The official name of the Egypt migrant organization is Coordination Council of the Egyptian Community.

(3) Austria: “Left-Wing” Zionists Attack Arab Migrants at Demonstration in Solidarity with Refugees! Report (with Pictures and Videos) from the anti-racist Demonstration on 26 November in Vienna by the Austrian Section of the RCIT, 27.11.2016, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/zionists-attack-rcit-austria/

(4) See e.g. RCIT: Stop Judicial Prosecution for Solidarity with Palestine! A Call to the Austrian State to Drop Its Charges against Michael Pröbsting! https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/solidarity-proebsting/; RKOB: Austria: “Left-Wing” Zionists Attack Arab Migrants at Demonstration in Solidarity with Refugees! Report (with Pictures and Videos) from the anti-racist Demonstration on 26 November in Vienna by the Austrian Section of the RCIT, 27.11.2016, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/zionists-attack-rcit-austria/; RKOB: KPÖ schließt RKOB aus und macht den Weg frei für Frauenschläger der Anti-Nationalen Szene. Wiederholter körperlicher Angriff auf Genossin Gunić am Volksstimmefest, Bericht der Revolutionär-Kommunistischen Organisation BEFREIUNG zum Volksstimmefest 2016, 05.09.2016, https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/bericht-vs-fest-2016/; Report on May Day 2016 in Austria: Joint Resistance against Racist Attacks. Forceful, militant, internationalist demonstration despite racist attacks, Report (with Pictures and Videos) on the multinational, internationalist demonstration in Vienna marking May Day 2016 organized by the Revolutionary Communist Organization LIBERATION, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/report-may-day-2016-in-austria/; RCIT: Victory! The Charge against RKOB Spokesperson and Palestine Solidarity Activist Johannes Wiener has been dropped! 10.1.2013, http://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/solidarity-with-wiener-won/

The Global Day of Action against Trump

Report on the World-Wide Mass Protests against the Inauguration of US President Donald Trump and the RCIT’s Intervention

By the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 28.01.2017, www.thecommunists.net

The Women’s Marches on 21 January marked the biggest global day of action for many years. (1) Nearly 5 million people demonstrated against the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. Naturally, the biggest contingent of demonstrators marched in the US itself, where according to estimations a combined total of 2 million people were on the streets in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle and many other cities. However, there were also numerous protests in Mexico, Canada, Europe and all other continents.

The mass size of the Anti-Trump protests reflect the alarming and mobilizing effects of the electoral victory of the most racist, sexist and militaristic US president of modern times. It also shows that Trump’s victory is (correctly) seen by many people as the opening of a new era, as the RCIT analyzed in detail some time ago. (2)

Naturally, it would be wrong to ignore the weaknesses of this day of action. In many cases, the protests were organized by left-liberal or reformist forces. It will be crucial – as we stated in our call for this global day of action (3) – that socialist forces push for a consistent anti-imperialist and class struggle agenda. Nevertheless, the mass turnout on 21 January augers well for the coming mass struggles against the reactionary offensive of the ruling class.

The sections and activists of the RCIT joined the mass protests in various cities. In Mexico City the comrades of the Mexican section of the RCIT joined the march to the US embassy. (See the report with pictures and videos, including an interview a comrade gave to the media at the link below.) The comrades are emphasizing in their leaflets and speeches the necessity to link the protests against Trump and US imperialism with the current mass popular struggle against the so-called gasolinazo – the massive increase of energy prices which has provoked a popular uprising since early January. (4)

Likewise the Austrian comrades of the RCIT joined the march in Vienna as well as solidarity actions with the Arab Revolution organized by the Syria and the Egypt community on 20 and 22 January respectively. Michael Pröbsting, International Secretary of the RCIT, addressed the rally of the Egypt community and emphasized some lessons from the past years of struggles. (See the report with pictures and videos at the link below.) However, the march on 21 January also showed the political problems for the future struggle against the Trumpist wave of reaction. The demonstration was largely white and middle class in its social composition. Hardly any migrants or Muslims participated in the march (many American expatriates joined the demonstration but they can hardly be characterized as an oppressed layer in the Austria society). This composition reflected the fact that it was organized by popular front coalition involving various petty-bourgeois and bourgeois women’s organizations, the Austrian branch of the US Democratic Party and the Austrian section of Cliffite IST tendency (which is led by the SWP in Britain). Such a collaboration of the official representatives of a US-imperialist party and pseudo-Trotskyists is scandalous! Likewise, Islamophobic sectors among the organizers (mainly from the Green Party’s women organization) openly objected – and finally successfully prevented – having a Muslim woman speak from the platform! (The Austrian section will publish an article on this incident in the coming days.)

Comrades of the RCIT Britain participated in a particularly large march of about 100,000 people which completely stopped the traffic near the American Embassy in London! According to the comrades, this was one of the biggest marches since the anti-war mass demonstrations against the Iraq war in 2003/04. However, here too the demonstration was predominantly white and middle class in its social composition with very few migrants and people from the semi-colonial south present.

In Wadi Ara, comrades of the RCIT section in Israel / Occupied Palestine joined a demonstration of about 10,000 people. The demonstration was organized by the so-called Follow-Up Committee - the official leadership of 1948-Palestinians (i.e. those who are living inside the official borders of Israel). Not a single left-Zionist organization supported the demonstration. Hence nearly all of the participants were Palestinians.

In summary, the 21 January marked an important first global reaction to the reactionary Trump Era. It showed that the popular masses are ready to fight back. However, it also reflected the petty-bourgeois and reformist character of the present leadership of these struggles. It is the urgent task of revolutionaries to fight for the unification of authentic socialists on the basis of a platform which addresses the main questions of the global class struggle. This is the purpose of the RCIT’s Urgent Call which we recently published and which we ask all revolutionaries to seriously discuss with us. (5)

Footnotes:

(1) The last big global day of action was on 15 February 2003 when 15-20 million people demonstrated against the impending attack of US imperialism against Iraq.

(2) See the RCIT’s pamphlet by Michael Pröbsting: The Meaning, Consequences and Lessons of Trump‘s Victory. On the Lessons of the US Presidential Election Outcome and the Perspectives for the Domestic and International Class Struggle, 24.11.2016, http://www.thecommunists.net/theory/meaning-of-trump/; Michael Pröbsting: US Presidential Election: The Victory of Donald Trump is a Historical Turning Point, 09.11.2016, http://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/north-america/trump-victory/. On the global consequences of Trumps victory, see RCIT: World Perspectives 2017: The Struggle against the Reactionary Offensive in the Era of Trumpism. Theses on the World Situation, the Perspectives for Class Struggle and the Tasks of Revolutionaries, 18 December 2016, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/world-perspectives-2017/

(3) International Women’s Secretariat of the RCIT: Let Us Turn the Trump Era into an Era of Consistent Revolutionary Struggle! A call to join the 21 January’s International Women’s Demonstration against the Inauguration of US President Trump, 18th January 2017, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/international-women-s-demo-vs-trump/

(4) See on this ALS: Mexico: Socialist Perspectives for the Mass Protests against the Gasolinazo (Report with Pictures and Video), 11.01.2017, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/latin-america/mexico-gasolinazo/; https://agrupaciondeluchasocialistablog.wordpress.com/2017/01/26/concentracion-en-la-embajada-de-eua-ante-la-llegada-de-la-era-trump/; https://agrupaciondeluchasocialistablog.wordpress.com/2017/01/24/la-lucha-contra-el-gasolinazo-continua-entrevista-con-los-companeros-de-ixmiquilpan-hidalgo/; https://agrupaciondeluchasocialistablog.wordpress.com/2017/01/06/contra-el-gasolinazo-y-el-aumento-generalizado-de-precios-unifiquemos-la-lucha-por-echar-abajo-a-pena-y-sus-reformas/

(5) RCIT: Urgent Call for Unity and a Joint Struggle on a Revolutionary Platform. An Open Letter to All Authentic Revolutionaries for an International Conference on the 100th Anniversary of the October Revolution to Advance the Building of a Revolutionary World Party, 09.01.2017, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/urgent-call-revolutionary-unity-1/. The RCIT has also published this Open Letter on its website in Spanish, Portuguese, German and Albanian language. Translations in additional languages will follow.

See the Report of the Mexican Section of the RCIT in Spanish language (with pictures and videos) here: https://agrupaciondeluchasocialistablog.wordpress.com/2017/01/26/concentracion-en-la-embajada-de-eua-ante-la-llegada-de-la-era-trump/

See the Report of the Austrian Section of the RCIT in German language (with pictures and videos) here: https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/aktionstage-jan-2017/

Pictures from the Demonstration in London:

Pictures from the Demonstration in Tel Aviv:

Let Us Turn the Trump Era into an Era of Consistent Revolutionary Struggle!

A call to join the 21 January’s International Women’s Demonstration against the Inauguration of US President Trump

Issued by the International Women’s Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), www.thecommunists.net, 18^th January 2017

On 21 January we will witness one of the largest international women’s days of action in history, with more than one million women marching against the inauguration of the new US president, Donald Trump. There is no doubt about the importance of the protest or its exceptional character. The first full day in office of this openly racist, sexist, Islamophobic, imperialist billionaire has become a new 8 March – the historical international women’s day.

The Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) calls upon all activists of the workers’ movement and the organizations of the oppressed to join this important day of action and to support the international women’s protest.

The initiative of the upcoming women protest emerged from the US. It will include all the other oppressed layers like migrants and Muslims, black people and Native Americans, youth and the LGBT communities in addition to others. Women represent a significant part in all oppressed layers. Therefore, the struggle against all other forms of oppression must be included in women’s protests. The International Women’s Secretariat of the RCIT applauds the opening of the Women’s March on 21 January to all progressive men so they can take part in the preparations and participate in the protests.

Recently we have witnessed impressive movements of the oppressed in the US like the Black Lives Matter Movement and the fight of the Native Americans on the land of Standing Rock. The upcoming women’s protest should turn towards these movements, as well as towards the oppressed people in the semi-colonial countries who will suffer the most from the Trump Era. All revolutionaries should fight for the expansion of the protests and for the creation of a proletarian women’s movement. All revolutionaries should struggle for a consistent and authentic revolutionary leadership in such a women’s movement. This is not only the task of revolutionary women, but of their male comrades as well.

The revolutionary year of 1917 in Russia was initiated by the protest of the working class women on the 8 March (23 February according to the old, Julian calendar) which transformed international women’s day into the February Revolution. The best way we today can honor this revolutionary tradition of our sisters exactly one century ago is by our actions in practice. May the vanguard role of the women in the February Revolution 1917 be revived today by a vanguard role of working class women and all oppressed!

The Women’s March on the International Day of Action can become the starting point for the building of a Revolutionary Working Class Women’s Movement. It can become the starting point of an international mass movement against the Trump administration as well as against imperialism in general. I this way it has the potential of transforming the Trump Era into an Era of consistent revolutionary struggle by the oppressed worldwide!

Let us march together – on the 21 January and beyond – for the liberation of all oppressed!

Austria: Successful Meeting in Solidarity with the Syrian Revolution

Report (with Pictures and Videos) of the Revolutionary Communist Organization LIBERATION (Austrian Section of the RCIT), 18.01.2017, www.rkob.net

The Austrian section of the RCIT organized, together with Syrian solidarity activists, a successful public meeting on the ongoing struggle of the Syrian people against the dictatorship of Assad. More than 40 people listed to the introductions and participated in the following discussion.

Among the panelists were Michael Pröbsting, International Secretary of the RCIT, Haysam Hamoui und Badran Farwati (both are leaders of the Syrian community in Austria), Leo Gabriel (member of the International Council of the World Social Forum), Hermann Dworczak (a long-time member of the Mandelist Fourth International) and Stefan Beig (Journalist). The meeting was chaired by Marek Hangler, a spokesperson of the Austrian section of the RCIT.

The discussion focused on the perspective of the Syrian Revolution after the tragic defeat in Aleppo. Comrade Pröbsting explained that the Syrian liberation struggle can only win if the activists draw the lessons of the failures in the past. The resistance must not look for support to any of the Great Powers or local regimes (like the one of Erdoğan in Turkey). Neither must they allow the official leaderships to speak for the Syrian people. Pröbsting advocated a socialist perspective and emphasized the necessity to overcome religious sectarianism as well as nationalism. He stressed that the Syrian workers and peasants must organize their own independent militias and struggle for the overthrow of the Assad regime and the creation of their own government.

Comrade Hangler also handed over to the Syrian community a donation which was collected amongst Austrian workers.

To view pictures and videos of the rally, follow this link: https://www.rkob.net/wer-wir-sind-1/rkob-aktiv-bei/syrien-veranstaltung-13-jan-2017/ (scroll down)

Urgent Call for Unity and a Joint Struggle on a Revolutionary Platform

An Open Letter to All Authentic Revolutionaries for an International Conference on the 100^th Anniversary of the October Revolution to Advance the Building of a Revolutionary World Party

Issued by the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 09.01.2017, www.thecommunists.net

Comrades, Brothers and Sisters!

This is an urgent call to all authentic revolutionaries to unite so that we can advance the building of a leadership for the struggle against the reactionary offensive of the ruling class. The RCIT considers this task as the most important in the present period, demanding full dedication and seriousness of revolutionaries in countries around the world.

So let’s talk about this task directly and without any diplomacy. To those who sympathize with the US’s and Russia’s so-called “war on terror” in the Middle East and Africa; to those who hail Assad’s murderous conquest of Aleppo as a “victory”; to those who welcome the repression of the Egyptian military dictatorship against all opposition; to those who praise Tsipras and the SYRIZA leadership in Greece for their “realistic” government policy in implementing the EU-Memorandum – to those we suggest: do not continue to read our appeal, as it would only be a waste of your time!

But those among you who are determined to fight against the aggressions of all Great Powers in West and East; who are ready to defend the workers and oppressed against the imperialists and their local lackeys; who are ready to fight the bureaucracy inside the labor movement which is strangling the resistance of our class – to you we say: consider our proposal seriously and let us join forces now in building a Revolutionary World Party which will advance the struggle against capitalism and imperialism and for a world-wide socialist revolution!

2017 is the 100th Anniversary of the October Revolution, the most important event in modern history as the workers and peasants led by the Bolshevik Party conquered power for the first time. However, this anniversary also reminds us – in stark contrast to 1917 – of the total absence of such a Bolshevik Party today!

We urgently call all authentic revolutionaries to unite, because the chief problem of the present period is not the lack of struggle and resistance of the workers and oppressed. The capitalist system is in decay and its economic, political and military contradictions are accelerating, as the RCIT has outlined in its latest World Perspective document. The deep crisis of the imperialist system is constantly provoking mass struggles and revolutions. However, the key issue is rather the total lack of revolutionary leadership and, hence, the dominance of the workers and popular organizations by Stalinist, social democratic, Castro-Chavistas, petty-bourgeois populists or Islamist forces. However, these misleaderships are either utterly corrupt and always sell out the popular struggle in exchange for some posts and privileges; or they are honest and dedicated but combine individual heroism with a strategy which replaces the mass mobilization and organization for revolution with a self-defeating elitist and militarist conception. While one can say that the latter is the more honest version, it is nevertheless also a dead-end strategy.

Consequently, the decay of capitalism goes hand in hand with the deep crisis of the traditional mass organizations of the working class and the oppressed. We must tell the workers and oppressed the truth: as long they are led by such non-revolutionary forces, their struggle is doomed to end in a cul-de-sac or even outright counter-revolution.

The conclusion from this is not arrogant lecturing of the masses and passive abstention from their struggles. Only sectarians and traitors can reach such conclusions. One can only act as a revolutionary if he or she is actively participating in the class battles which our brothers and sisters are waging again and again against the rulers. Such participation in popular struggles is also necessary, in fact even more urgent, if the leadership of the masses is non-revolutionary. It is crucial to challenge the wrong leaderships consistently, something which can only be done from within the mass struggle but never from outside.

Authentic revolutionaries must combine such active participation in the popular struggles with relentless propaganda and agitation for revolutionary tactics and slogans, with a consistent political fight against the bureaucrats and misleaders and with tireless efforts to organize the most consciousness and militant workers and oppressed in a revolutionary party (or a pre-party nucleus, as a first step).

Because the political, economic and military nature of capitalism is invariably international and by necessity functions globally, the organization of the working class and their struggles can also only be international. Every limited, purely national effort to build a revolutionary party is doomed to degenerate both politically and organizationally. Authentic Marxists must tirelessly work to build a Revolutionary World Party or they are failing in their fundamental mission!

True, a new Revolutionary World Party – standing in the tradition of the first four Internationals and based on the teachings of the great revolutionaries Marx, Engels, Lenin, Luxemburg and Trotsky – cannot be established in a single stroke. Such an International must be politically tested in the struggles of the workers and oppressed. However, the organizing of a nucleus – irrespective of its current size – to build such a world party can and must start immediately. Waiting for others to do this job is a passive and cynical attitude – only intervening and acting collectively on a national as well as international scale is worthy of a revolutionary!

We urgently call upon all authentic revolutionaries to immediately start coming together and discussing a concrete platform for the class struggle and for advancing the building of a Revolutionary World Party. As a concrete first step in this direction, the RCIT proposes that, together with those interested, we jointly organize an international conference in 2017 – the year of the 100th Anniversary of the October Revolution. Such a conference should lay the foundation for joint collective work towards the formation of a Revolutionary World Party.

Coming together for such a joint initiative for the international organizing of revolutionaries is only possible on the basis of agreement on the key political questions of the current world class struggle. As we already stated in our World Perspective document, the RCIT considers the following issues as such programmatic keystones in the present political phase:

a) Recognition of the accelerating rivalry between the imperialist Great Powers – the US, EU, Japan, Russia and China. It is only possible to understand the driving dynamic of the present period of capitalist crisis and to take a correct position if one recognizes the imperialist character not only of the US, EU and Japan but also of the new emerging powers, Russia and China. Only on such a basis is it possible to arrive at the only correct program on this issue – revolutionary defeatism, i.e., the perspective of consistent struggle against all imperialist powers. This means that revolutionaries refuse to lend support to any Great Power in inter-imperialist conflicts under the slogan “The main enemy is at home!”

b) A consistent struggle against imperialism. Revolutionaries stand for the defeat of imperialist states in any conflict with forces representing oppressed people and for the military victory of the latter without, at the same time, giving any political support to the non-revolutionary leadership of the oppressed (e.g., petty-bourgeois Islamists, nationalists). This is true both in domestic conflicts (e.g., against an oppressed nation like the Chechen people in Russia) as well as in wars abroad (e.g., Afghanistan, Syria, Mali, Somalia). Likewise, revolutionaries have to fight for Open Borders in the imperialist countries and for full equality for national minorities and for migrants. Furthermore, revolutionaries refuse to lend support to one imperialist camp against another in any given conflict (e.g., Brexit vs. EU; Clinton vs. Trump).

c) Continuing support for the Arab Revolution. The mass popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and other countries have been the most important and progressive class struggle development so far since the beginning of the new historic period in 2008. True, given the lack of a revolutionary leadership, the masses have suffered a number of terrible defeats – like the coup d’état of General al-Sisi in Egypt in July 2013, or the ongoing slaughter of the Syrian people at the hands of Assad and his foreign backers. However, the revolutionary process is continuing, and this is reflected in the ongoing popular resistance in Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco etc. Authentic revolutionary forces must give unconditional support to these popular struggles against dictatorships and reactionary forces, without giving any political support to their non-revolutionary leaderships (e.g. petty-bourgeois Islamists).

d) Participation in all mass struggles against austerity programs and against reactionary attacks on democratic rights. Revolutionaries oppose all forms of sectarianism which refuses participation in mass struggles under the pretext of their non-revolutionary leaderships. Instead they apply the united front tactic in the struggles of the workers and peasants led by reformist or populist forces against austerity program (e.g., trade unions, mass organizations of the peasants and the urban poor, but also political parties like MORENA in Mexico, SYRIZA in Greece before 2015, PODEMOS in Spain) or against anti-democratic coups and dictatorships (PT, CUT, MST in Brazil; Islamists in Egypt; rebels in Syria). Such an orientation must be combined with a consistent struggle against all forms of popular-frontism and petty-bourgeois populism, and for the breaking of workers and peasants away from these non-revolutionary leaderships and to advance the formation of an independent and revolutionary Workers’ Party.

However, agreement on such a basis can only be the starting point for an intensive phase of common discussions and actions. It is important to develop a joint understanding of the Marxist theory and program which can also make controversial and even sharp discussions between the participating organizations necessary. Such a joint programmatic understanding has to be tested by implementing it in the practice via common activities.

Hence we call upon all organizations which honestly strive towards the creation of a new Revolutionary World Party to join forces on the basis of these programmatic keystones. Concretely, the RCIT proposes that revolutionaries constitute a Joint Contact Committee of all forces who agree in general with such an outlook. The task of such a committee would be to prepare politically and organizationally an International Conference in 2017. The goal of such a conference would be to discuss concrete steps to advance the formation of a Revolutionary World Party.

The RCIT contributes its fundamental documents for discussion among revolutionary militants – in particular its recently adopted programmatic Manifesto for Revolutionary Liberation. However, we are equally ready to study and discuss documents from other organizations. We are convinced that authentic revolutionaries will be able to elaborate on the basis of such documents a joint platform for common work towards the building of a revolutionary world party.

We are aware that it is not always easy to create a joint international organization with forces coming from different traditions and experiences. Revolutionaries should not be frightened by the possibility of controversial discussions and the necessity to test out different position in the class struggle. However, a serious attitude to differences – i.e., an open frank discussion about them instead of diplomatically concealing them – is in the end the only honest and fruitful way to overcome them.

Likewise, it may well be the case that it is necessary to create, beforehand, interim stages in order to learn from each other and to systematically come closer. But it is indispensable that we start such a process together now!

Comrades, we can only honor the legacy of the socialist October Revolution in 1917 if we collectively act in the spirit and on the basis of the programmatic and organizational lessons of the Bolsheviks. Let us join forces in tackling the historic mission of our generation with decisive determination: the creation of a Revolutionary World Party as the most important instrument of the working class in its struggle for liberation! Let us not loose time and waste energy; let us march forward – together - NOW!

No future without socialism!

No socialism without a revolution!

No revolution without a revolutionary party!

* * * * *

We encourage organizations and activists who share the general outlook of this Open Letter to contact us and to send us their ideas and criticism so that we can discuss concrete steps towards joint discussion and collaboration: rcit@thecommunists.net

The RCIT is an international revolutionary organization which unites sections and activists in 13 countries on the basis of a joint program and the organizational principles of democratic centralism (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Tunisia, Israel/Occupied Palestine, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Britain, Germany, and Austria).

For a more extensive overview of the RCIT’s viewpoints we refer those who are interested to our website www.thecommunists.net. We want to draw particular attention to our Manifesto for Revolutionary Liberation. The Tasks of the Liberation Struggle against Decaying Capitalism (adopted by the 1^st Congress of the RCIT in October 2016, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit-program-2016/) We are in a process of publishing this Manifesto in at least seven different languages in the coming weeks.

We also refer readers to the RCIT’s latest World Perspective document: World Perspectives 2017: The Struggle against the Reactionary Offensive in the Era of Trumpism. Theses on the World Situation, the Perspectives for Class Struggle and the Tasks of Revolutionaries (adopted on 18 December 2016, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/world-perspectives-2017/)

Greetings for the New Year of 2017: Advance the Unity of Authentic Revolutionaries!

A Letter from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 31.12.2016, www.thecommunists.net

Dear Comrades, Brothers and Sisters!

The Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) sends its New Year greetings to all revolutionaries striving for the overthrow of global capitalism and who are dedicating their energies to building a world party for socialist revolution.

Likewise, we send our sincerest greetings to all those who are fighting against exploitation by bosses, reactionary dictatorships, and imperialist wars and occupation! We applaud the courageous struggle of all our brothers and sisters around the world who are fighting against the ruling classes:

* The heroic defenders of fallen Aleppo and throughout all Syria who have struggled for so long against the killing machine of Assad, the theocratic regime in Iran, and the imperialism of Russia as well as against the western Great Powers and the conspiracies of their regional lackeys;

* The militant youth in Egypt, who are resisting the bloody military dictatorship of General al-Sisi, as well as the heroic defenders of Yemen who are defending their country against the arch-reactionary Saudi-led forces;

* The courageous Moroccan workers and youth who rose up after the murder of Mouhcine Fikri;

* The Palestinian youth whose resistance cannot be stopped despite the murderous efforts of the Zionist regime; we also send our greetings to the courageous Palestinian Member of the Knesset Basel Ghattas, who has been arrested by the Israeli state;

* The Afghan people who have been fighting without interruption against the imperialist occupation of their country since 2001;

* The heroic sisters of our class who fight for their liberation and against Femizide, as we could see for example with the #NiUnaMenos Movement in Latin America;

* The workers and youth in Brazil who first fought against the right-wing coup d’état and are now struggling against the lackey government of Temer;

* The Venezuelan working class which is resisting the right-wing counterrevolution while defending its gains against the treacherous popular front government of Maduro;

* The courageous youth of Mexico fighting against the kidnapping of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa, and the workers and poor peasants – many of them indígenas – who are forming their own Policías Pomunitarios to resist both the murderous drug cartels as well as the corrupt police;

* The popular masses in Ethiopia who are resisting the murderous dictatorship of Hailemariam Desalegn;

* The workers and youth in South Africa who are fighting against the corrupt and discredited Zuma government and who are in a dialog about the formation of a new Mass Workers’ Party;

* The workers and youth of Zimbabwe who are fighting against both the Mugabe dictatorship and imperialist sanctions;

* The rural poor in Somalia who are resisting the occupation forces of AMISOM who are nothing but imperialist lackeys;

* The women workers of the Bangladeshi textile industry who waged a heroic strike and who are now facing dismissal and persecution by the bosses;

* The Indian workers who launched the largest general strike in the history of humanity in September 2016 with 180 million participating, as well as the heroic poor women of India who are fighting against a reactionary wave of rape and violence;

* The Chinese workers and rural poor who are fighting in ever increasing numbers with strikes and protests against exploitation in the workplaces and against the lack of democratic rights (as the recent uprising in Wuhan underlined);

* The indigenous and oppressed people who fight for their rights all over the world – like the indígenas in Latin America, the native Americans protesting against the oil pipeline in Dakota, the Amazigh, Tuareq and Saharawi people in Northern Africa, the Adivasi people in India, the Aborigines and Maori, as well as the people in occupied West-Papua for an United, Free Papua;

* The courageous black, Latino and progressive white youth and workers fighting against the incoming reactionary Trump administration as well as against ongoing police violence in the US;

* The workers and youth in France who fought bravely against the reactionary labor law;

* The Greek workers and youth who are continuing their struggle against the Third Memorandum imposed by the EU-Troika, despite the betrayal of SYRIZA;

* And the migrants and progressive European workers and youth who are resisting increasing racism and repression, who continue to support the refugees arriving in Europe, and who are standing up against the repulsive wave of Islamophobia.

We refer all those who are interested in a more detailed analysis of the current world situation to the RCIT‘s latest World Perspectives document recently published (World Perspectives 2017: The Struggle against the Reactionary Offensive in the Era of Trumpism, December 2016, https://www.thecommunists.net/theory/world-perspectives-2017/)

Without minimizing the importance of all the other struggles around the globe, we want to draw particular attention to the tragic defeat of the Syrian people in Aleppo under the bombs of Putin’s air force and the guns of Assad’s mercenaries. This defeat has not ended the Syrian Revolution (as coward deserters, like the centrist L5I, erroneously claim), but it is without doubt a serious setback in the liberation struggle against the reactionary dictatorship of Assad which has slaughtered hundreds of thousands since 2011.

Of course, we can not exclude the possibility that the Syrian Revolution will end in the near future and that the Syrian people could be defeated by Assad and the imperialist powers. However it is incredible coward and politically wrong to prematurely draw such a balance on the basis of the recent fall of Aleppo. No authentic Marxist with a minimum of revolutionary spirit will abandon the barricades ahead of the masses and leave them alone to their fate!

The Syrian Revolution has highlighted the abyss which exists between authentic revolutionaries and those who misleadingly call themselves “socialists.” It has shown that forces like Stalinism may claim to follow the path of Marx and Lenin, but in reality they are the rat-tail of the imperialist regimes of Putin and Xi. The same is true of the Castro-Chavistas, who hail Simon Bolivar – the great Latin American bourgeois revolutionary of the 19^th century – in words, but in their deeds bow to the emerging imperialist powers of Russia and China and their regional lackeys.

Likewise we witness how shameful “revolutionaries” who hail Trotsky in their theoretical writings (like the IMT of Alan Woods), slander the Syrian Revolution as a “jihadist-fascist adventure” in their political conclusions, thereby assisting the Assadist counter-revolution. No one has forgotten how such groups also deplorably supported the bloody military coup in Egypt in July 2013, as did the Cliffite IST and the Morenoite LIT-CI.

Unfortunately, there are also “socialists” who have for years failed to understand that the revolutionary struggle for working class power must be combined with consistent support for democratic liberation struggles against dictatorships, even when this is under the leadership of non-revolutionary forces – just as socialists always support a strike, even when it is led by backward trade union bureaucrats (like, for example, the PTS/FT-CI which has for years failed to support the Syrian Revolution).

The RCIT has supported the Arab Revolution from its beginning in early 2011. We reaffirm our support for the ongoing Syrian Revolution, despite the terrible defeat in Aleppo, along with our hostility towards all Great Powers and lesser, regional powers, who all share the desire to liquidate the Syrian Revolution. We urgently repeat that the workers and peasants must draw the lessons of past defeats in order to persevere and to revitalize the revolution. Among the most important lessons are:

* No trust in and no collaboration with any Great Power!

* No to sectarianism! For multi-religious and multi-national unity in the struggle against the Assad dictatorship! For full national self-determination for all national and ethnic minorities!

* No trust in the official rebel leaderships!

* For the formation of popular councils and popular militias!

* The international workers movement must rally to support the Syrian Revolution! For a workers’ solidarity aid campaign for the Syrian people – like that organized for the Bosnian people in 1992-95!

* The international workers’ movement must organize a campaign to boycott the regime of Bashar al-Assad and his capitalist friends! For workers’ actions against the imperialist forces attacking the Syrian people!

* Open the boarders for the Syrian Refugees!

* Most of all: For the building of a revolutionary party in Syria as part of a new revolutionary International!

Comrades, we are living in a reactionary phase – the era of Trumpism. The coming year will be witness to a reactionary offensive by the ruling classes around the world. This is true for the US, the Arab world, Latin America, Europe as well as other countries. The monopoly capitalists will intensify their attacks on wages and labor rights as well as on democratic rights in general. They will accelerate their militarist aggression against semi-colonial peoples – in particular in the Middle East and Africa. We will also see an acceleration of the rivalry between the imperialist powers – the US, Russia, China, the EU and Japan.

These attacks will undoubtedly provoke crises and class struggles. The tragedy of our times is not the lack of a class struggle, but the fact that the working class and the oppressed are entering these struggles without the appropriate leadership. Instead, the masses are forced to wage their heroic struggle under the leadership of reformists, petty-bourgeois populists and Islamists. In short, the decisive problem today is the total lack of revolutionary leadership.

Hence, the most important task for the coming period is the building of a new revolutionary world party. Such a party must be founded around a revolutionary action program for the current world situation, one which is based on the method of Trotsky’s Transitional Program of 1938. The RCIT has elaborated in its “Manifesto for Revolutionary Liberation” its contribution to the debate of revolutionaries about such a program. (See https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit-program-2016/)

This Manifesto summarizes the RCIT’s analysis of the present world situation, the position of revolutionaries in the most important class struggles today, and the crucial lessons for the upcoming battles.

We also wish to draw the attention of all serious revolutionaries to the recently published World Perspectives 2017 document in which we elaborate our ideas and proposal for the construction of a new revolutionary world party in greater detail. Here, we only wish to repeat the conclusions of our proposal:

“In our opinion, revolutionaries all over the world should immediately start collaborating in laying the foundations for a principled unification, so that we drive forward the process of creating a new World Party with stronger forces. The starting point for the creation of such a party has to be agreement on the most important issues of the global class struggle. The RCIT considers the following issues as such programmatic keystones in the present political phase:

a) Recognition of the accelerating rivalry between the imperialist Great Powers – the US, EU, Japan, Russia and China. It is only possible to understand the driving dynamic of the present period of capitalist crisis and to take a correct position if one recognizes the imperialist character not only of the US, EU and Japan but also of the new emerging powers, Russia and China. Only on such a basis is it possible to arrive at the only correct program on this issue – revolutionary defeatism, i.e., the perspective of consistent struggle against all imperialist powers. This means that revolutionaries refuse to lend support to any Great Power in inter-imperialist conflicts under the slogan “The main enemy is at home!”

b) Consistent struggle against imperialism. Revolutionaries stand for the defeat of imperialist states in any conflict with forces representing oppressed people and for the military victory of the latter without, at the same time, giving any political support to the non-revolutionary leadership of the oppressed (e.g., petty-bourgeois Islamists, nationalists). This is true both in domestic conflicts (e.g., against an oppressed nation like the Chechen people in Russia) as well as in wars abroad (e.g., Afghanistan, Syria, Mali, Somalia). Likewise, revolutionaries have to fight for Open Borders in the imperialist countries and for full equality for national minorities and for migrants. Furthermore, revolutionaries refuse to lend support to one imperialist camp against another in any given conflict (e.g., Brexit vs. EU; Clinton .vs Trump).

c) Continuing support for the Arab Revolution. The mass popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen and other countries have been the most important and progressive class struggle development so far since the beginning of the new historic period in 2008. True, given the lack of a revolutionary leadership, the masses have suffered a number of terrible defeats – like the coup d’état of General al-Sisi in Egypt in July 2013, or the ongoing slaughter of the Syrian people at the hands of Assad and his foreign backers. However, the revolutionary process is continuing, and this is reflected in the ongoing popular resistance in Syria, Yemen, Egypt, etc. Authentic revolutionary forces must give unconditional support to these popular struggles against dictatorships and reactionary forces, without giving any political support to their non-revolutionary leaderships (e.g., petty-bourgeois Islamists).

d) Participation in all mass struggles against austerity programs and against reactionary attacks on democratic rights. Revolutionaries oppose all forms of sectarianism which refuses participation in mass struggles under the pretext of their non-revolutionary leaderships. Instead they apply the united front tactic in the struggles of the workers and peasants led by reformist or populist forces against austerity program (e.g., trade unions, mass organizations of the peasants and the urban poor, but also political parties like MORENA in Mexico, SYRIZA in Greece before 2015, PODEMOS in Spain) or against anti-democratic coups and dictatorships (PT, CUT, MST in Brazil; Islamists in Egypt; rebels in Syria). Such an orientation must be combined with a consistent struggle against all forms of popular-frontism and petty-bourgeois populism, and for the breaking of workers and peasants away from these non-revolutionary leaderships and to advance the formation of an independent and revolutionary Workers’ Party.

Hence we call upon all organizations which honestly strive towards the creation of a new Revolutionary World Party to join forces on the basis of these programmatic keystones. Concretely, the RCIT proposes that revolutionaries constitute a Joint Contact Committee in order to politically prepare and organize an International Conference which will discuss concrete steps to advance the formation of a Revolutionary World Party. The RCIT is committed to serious discussions and the closest possible collaboration with all forces who share such an outlook. We will in the near future address revolutionaries around the world in an Open Letter on this issue.”

We urge all comrades, brothers and sisters to study this document and to contact the RCIT so that we can jointly discuss steps towards closer collaboration in our mutual effort to build the most important instrument of the working class in its struggle for liberation: a new World Party of Socialist Revolution! Let us march forward!

Workers and Oppressed, Unite!

Forward in the creation of a new World Party of Socialist Revolution!

Forward in building the RCIT!

Revolutionary Greetings,

International Secretariat of the RCIT