Italy sends Soldiers to Niger – Drive the Imperialist Troops Out of Africa!

Joint Statement of the Economic Liberation Association (Zambia) and the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency, 9 January 2018, www.elazambia.org and www.thecommunists.net

1.             The Italian government has decided to deploy up to 470 troops to Niger. The official purpose is to “help tackle people-smuggling” as well as to “to combat terrorism in the Sahel”. According to Italy’s Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, parts of the 1,400 Italian troops now stationed in Iraq could be transferred to the Sahel region in West Africa.

2.             The Economic Liberation Association (Zambia) and the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency strongly denounce this decision. In reality this is just another step of the European imperialist powers to expand their influence in Africa and to subjugate the African people. We consider it as utmost cynicism if the European Great Powers close their borders for refugees from Africa as they have plundered and enslaved the continent for centuries. We state that when they speak about “creating stability in the region”, they mean, in reality, to impose conditions in which the imperialist monopolies can safely exploit the massive raw materials of the regions while the African people remain living in misery.

3.             We call for the expulsion of the Italian troops as well as of the U.S., European, Russian, Chinese and all other imperialist military forces from Africa. Likewise we demand the immedeate closure of all military bases of the Great Powers on African soil. We consider actions of resistance by popular forces in Africa against the imperialist troops and their local lackeys as legitimate and support them.

4.             We confirm that the African people can only achieve freedom if the workers and poor peasants succeed in liberating the continent from the grip of imperialist powers, overthrow the capitalist class and open the road to a socialist future!

* No to the deployment of Italian troops in Niger!

* Expell all imperialist troops (U.S., European, Russian, Chinese, etc.) from Africa!

* Immedeate closure of all military bases of the Great Powers on African soil!

* Support the resistance by popular forces in Africa against the imperialist troops and their local lackeys!

* Long Live the Struggle against Imperialism! Forward to the United Socialist States of Africa! Aluta Continua!