63 years ago: EOKA's nationalists begin the armed struggle in Cyprus

Members of EOKA in Troodos mountain. Third
from the right is Georgios Grivas (sitting).

It was the 1st of April 1955, 63 years ago, when the National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters, known by the acronym EOKA, began its armed guerrilla struggle aiming at the union of Cyprus with Greece. 

EOKA was a nationalist, deeply anticommunist organisation. The plans for its creation had already began in 1950, with the active support of the Greek bourgeois class and the consent of Archbishop Makarios. The organisation's leader was the notorious nationalist, known for his anticommunist sentiments, Georgios Grivas. 

It is characteristic that during the Nazi occupation of Greece in 1940s, Grivas had founded and led the "X" far-right guerrilla organisation, which was mainly made up by officers of the bourgeois Greek army. During the December 1944 events in Athens, members of the "X organisation fought alongside Greek bourgeois forces and British imperialists against the EAM-ELAS popular movement. 

Turkey: Erdogan's regime and capitalists intensify their attack on workers' rights

While President Tayyip Erdogan and members of his AKP government escalate the dangerous and provocative ultra-nationalist rhetoric on foreign affairs, inside Turkey the working people are facing an increasing attack on their rights. 

Despite the governmental proclamations about Turkey's "economic development", the workers and popular strata of the country are struggling hard for decent employment, stable wages and labor with rights.

The news portal soL international has lately published some developments which are indicative of what is taking place in workers' daily struggle in Turkey. 

PAME denounces the murders of Palestinian protesters by Israeli forces in Gaza

In a press release issued on Friday, the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) expresses its support and solidarity with the Palestinian people and the events it organizes for the Day of the Palestinian Land.

"We denounce the continuing murders of Palestinian protesters in Gaza by the murderer-state of Israel.

Israel's escalating aggression against the Palestinian mobilizations, resulting in a large number of deaths, is based on the provocative support it enjoys from US-NATO-EU, as well as governments like the SYRIZA-ANEL Government of Greece.

SYRIZA "democracy": Greek police fires tear gas against rallying students and teachers

Once again, Greek riot police responded with chemicals and flashbang grenades against demonstrators in the center of Athens. 

This time, police forces tried to disperse the rallying teachers and students by using violence and tear gas, once the demonstration arrived in the police blockade, a few metres away from the Prime Minister's office. 

Thousands teachers of primary and secondary education, as well as students, rallied in the Greek capital demanding their vested labor rights. The demonstrators marched peacefully throughout downtown Athens, while the government had deployed heavy police forces close to PM's Maximos Mansion. 

Communist Party of India (Marxist) to hold its 22nd Congress between 18-24 April

The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will take place from 18th to 24th of April 2019 at Hyderabad. Approximately 765 delegates will participate in the five-day session that will determine the party's political line for the next three years. 

You can read the Draft Political Resolution for the 22nd Congress of the CPIM, adopted by the Central Committee meeting last January, in Kolkata.

A few days later, between 25 and 29th of April, the Communist Party of India (CPI) will hold its 23rd Congress, at the city of Kollam in Kerala.

Elissaios Vagenas: "Greece must not become a “launching pad” for the imperialist wars of the USA and NATO"

In the recent period, the SYRIZA-ANEL government has granted new military bases to the USA and NATO, while it is participating in all of the military operations and police missions of NATO and the EU. Concerning the position of the KKE on the issue of the bases, Elissaios Vagenas, member of the CC and head of the International Relations Department of the CC of the KKE made the following statement in the newspaper “Russian Gazette”.

“We have repeatedly condemned and we continue to condemn the granting of military bases, such as the huge naval and air force base of Souda, and other infrastructure for the military operations of the USA and NATO in the Eastern Mediterranean, in North Africa, in the Balkans, the Black Sea and in other regions.” – stated the head of the International Relations Department of the Central Committee of the KKE, Elissaios Vagenas.

Greek police fired tear gas to demonstrators during Tsipras' speech in Thessaloniki

How did the government of SYRIZA respond to the thousands of workers, farmers, trade unions' members organized with PAME, students and other people who demonstrated against its antipeople-antiworkers policies in Thessaloniki? By ordering riot police to fire tear gas to protesters who wanted to express their disagreement with the "development fiestas" of Mr.Tsipras and his government!

More specifically, when the trade union's rally arrived at the area of the venue where the Prime Minister would deliver a speech, met strong police forces who had blocked the street. 

SACP: The Significance of the 1917 October Revolution for South Africa (19th IMCWP)

Contribution of the South African Communist Party (SACP) at the 19th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, held in Leningrad (St.Peterburg), 2-4 November 2017.

The Significance of the Russian Revolution for South Africa

Erdogan's AK Party members attack young communists in Istanbul

Another violent attack against communists has been occurred in Turkey, as soL international reports, with members of Erdogan's ruling AK Party attacking members of the Communist Youth who were distributing anti-imperialist leaftlets in Istanbul.

More specifically, two members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) attacked on March 27 the members of the Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) who distributed anti-imperialist and anti-NATO leaflets in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district.

The Communist Youth members, affiliated with the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), were distributing leaflets, reading, 'Those who don't target imperialism cannot defeat imperialists' in front of a high school in Istanbul. Meanwhile, hanging a banner of the ruling party, two unidentified members from the AKP attacked the communists.

80 Years after the “Anschluss”: For Peace and Socialism! - Joint Statement by Party of Labour, Austria & German Communist Party

Joint statement by the Party of Labour of Austria (PdA) and the German Communist Party (DKP) on the 80th anniversary of the occupation of and annexation of Austria by Germany – Vienna and Essen, 12 March 2018.

KKE: The EU's verbal condemnations of Turkey do not consist a guarantee for peace

Regarding the European Union-Turkey Summit in Varna, the Press Office of the CC of the Communist Party of Greece issued the following comment:

"The complacency environment which is cultivated after the EU-Turkish Summit of Varna does not correspond to reality and even more must not hide that actually it consists a revitalization of the EU-Turkey talks, in a series of issues, on the basis of the aknowledgement that Turkey is a strategic partner of the EU.

Message to Netanyahu: Thousands rallied against refugees' deportation in Tel Aviv

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on Saturday night, March 24, to protest against the government’s racist plan to deport African refugees and asylum seekers. The rally was organized by a coalition of Sudanese and Eritrean groups, along with the “Stop the Expulsion” movement, “Standing Together” and the group “South Tel Aviv against the Expulsion.” Several Communist and Hadash activists participated in the protest, among them MK Dov Khenin (Joint List), a resident of Tel Aviv.

Greece-Turkey: Despicable exploitation of children by nationalists, warmongers

Nationalism in both Turkey and Greece has no hesitation to use the innocent image of little children in order to promote warmongering plans and attitudes. The above photos are indicative of the ruthless nature of warmongers-ultranationalists in both sides of the Aegean. 

Trade Unions to protest against Tsipras government's conference in Thessaloniki

A militant response to SYRIZA government's "development fiesta" in Central Macedonia will be given by numerous trade unions and labor associations of public and private sector in Thessaloniki on Wednesday 28th. 

Apart from the various activities that have been scheduled between 26-28th March, the major event will be the mass demonstration and rally during Prime Minister's speech on the evening of Wednesday 28 March. 

The demonstrators will gather at Dimokratias square, at Vardaris central district, and will march towards the venue of the conference. 

Interview with the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (NKPJ): "NATO murderers out of Balkans!"

Special interview with Marijan Kubik, Secretary for International Relations of the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (Nova Komunistička Partija Jugoslavije NKPJ), on the occasion of the 19th tragic anniversary of the NATO bombing against Yugoslavia. 

Introduction by the NKPJ:

Between 24 March and 11 June 1999, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its 12 million inhabitants were faced with the ruthless attack of the strongest military force in the world. Bearing in mind the human potential of the aggressor countries 764 million inhabitants, the ratio was 1:70. The territorial ratio was 1:234, and economic power 1:676. A comparison of the military might is hard to set, due to the complete qualitative and quantitative disproportion. In the NATO aggression on FR Yugoslavia, nearly 27.000 sorties, were made. More than 8.200 involved the use of weaponry.. About 2.300 strikes were carried out against 995 sites ("targets") in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Anticommunist delirium by Erdogan: He labeled anti-war students as "terrorists"

In a delirium full of anticommunism, nationalism and hate, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lambasted anti-war students at Bogaziçi University who protested other students for commemorating soldiers killed in a military operation in Syria. Spreading more nationalist poison, Erdogan promised to clean “communist and terrorist students” out of universities, the Cumhuriyet daily has reported.

On March 19 a group of students who disagree with the Turkish government's offensive war in Syria protested a ceremony set in memory of soldiers killed during the military operation in Afrin, Syria. Police identified 17 students and detained five of them, while 12 are being sought.

U.S. warmonger security advisor John Bolton to advance hardline on Venezuela-Cuba

The newly appointed U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton is expected to take a hardline stance against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his administration, it has been revealed.

The former ambassador to the United Nations was described by a senior U.S. official as someone who "always emphasized how Cuba and Venezuela and Nicaragua have undermined U.S. interests throughout the region."

"He's a warmonger, and Latin Americans get nervous when American presidents tend to lean toward military versus diplomatic solutions," a National Security Council official for former President Barack Obama told the Miami Herald. "It's a militaristic style that won't go down well in Latin America."

Greek Communist Youth denounces Ahed Tamimi's imprisonment

On Wednesday, March 21, the Israeli military court in Offer condemned palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi and her mother in eight months in prison and a fine of $ 1,500 each. Their conviction was based on extortion, "either you plead guilty and you stay jailed for a few months, or you plead innocent and we close your prison for 10 years."

In a statement, the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE)- the youth wing of the KKE- strongly denounces the decision of the Israeli military court. More specifically, the statement reads:

Communists honored the 135th anniversary of Karl Marx's death in London

Well over a hundred communists and friends defied the snow to take part in the annual commemoration of the passing of Karl Marx at his tomb on Sunday. 

Marx died in his London study at half-past two on the afternoon of Wednesday 14th March 1883. 

He was buried three days later at Highgate Cemetery and the Marx Memorial Library has for many decades held an annual graveside oration at his burial place in the cemetery in North London.

Delegation of the European Communist Initiative on a three-day visit to Palestine

Members of the delegation met with Palestinian deputies.
(Photo: 902.gr)

A delegation of the INITIATIVE of Communist and Workers Parties is on a three-day solidarity visit to the Palestinian territories, in order to express its solidarity to the just struggle of the Palestinian people. 

The delegation is comprised by Sotiris Zarianopoulos, MEP of Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Lefteris Nikolaou, member of the International Relations Section of the CC of the KKE, as well as representatives from the Communist Party, Italy (Partito Comunista) and the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE).

Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain: "Multiply the struggles, advance towards a country for the working class"

In a statement issued on March 12th, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain (PCPE) refers to the recent popular mobilisations in Spain. 

Given the concurrence of an increase in the will to struggle of the working class during such a period of political instability, PCPE states that "different sectors of the working people are demanding the recovery of their rights and are leading a rebound of the class struggle." 

Italy: USB Trade Union denounces French multinational retailer Leroy Merlin

LEROY MERLIN, A MULTINATIONAL FOUNDED ON EXPLOITATION

The large French multinational Leroy Merlin, with its own shops and facilities all over the world, uses the “caporalato” for the recruitment of employees in the warehouse of the logistic pole of Castel San Giovanni in the province of Piacenza.

The 420 workers are not directly employed by the multinational corporations, but through a system of “coop-eratives” operating as real intermediaries of job and which are enriched by subtracting wages and rights from “their” workers.

Communiqué of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on March 16 & 17, 2018. IT has issued the following statement:

Maharashtra Kisan Struggle

The Polit Bureau congratulated the kisans of Maharashtra for the success that they achieved in their struggle for the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, remunerative prices and pension; loan waiver for the indebted farmers etc.

The Long March of the kisans under the leadership of the All India Kisan Sabha that began from Nasik on March 6 and culminated in Mumbai on March 12 was a huge success. While the march began with around 25,000, by the time it reached Mumbai six days later its ranks had swelled to 50,000 plus.

KKE: The "Iniochos 2018" multinational military exercise consists a "war rehearsal"

In a statement regarding the multinational air force exercise "Iniochos 2018" in Greece, the Press Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Greece points out the following:

"The multinational exercise "Iniochos 2018", with the participation of a large number of forces from the USA, Britain, Italy, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus, is conducted neither for the strengthening of the defense nor for the protection of the country's sovereign rights, but consists a "war rehearsal". Such exercises test in practice the operational plans schemed by the imperialist powers, aiming at the pillaging of the resources of the region and the control of their transportation's routes, bloodsheding and uprooting the people, like in Syria. Besides, for that reason the US ambassador G.Pyatt has been invited to attend the exercise.