EUROPEAN COMMUNIST INITIATIVE: STATEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATO BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA.
ATHENS- Twenty years have passed since the beginning of NATO aggression against Federal Republic of Yugoslavia when at least 2,500 civilians were killed and more than 12,500 people were injured during the 78 days of bombing, more than $ 100 billion in damage was inflicted, the environment was contaminated with depleted uranium and other non-conventional and forbidden weapons, and civilian property and infrastructure was destroyed. Women, children, the elderly, mothers with their new-born babies, patients in hospitals, refugee columns, farmers in the field, passengers on buses and trains, workers in factories and utilities, journalists were all innocent victims of NATO’s terror. Until today, no one has been held responsible or prosecuted for these serious crimes but the US-NATO imperialism and the EU are to blame.
Between 24th of March and 11th of June 1999, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its inhabitants were faced with a ruthless attack of the strongest military alliance in the world. It is difficult to cpmpare the military might utililised, due to the qualitative and quantitative disproportionate force employed.
The NATO aggression against the FRY was an imperialistic attack. Historical experience teaches that the bourgeois class and the imperialist alliances utilize existing minority issues and/or create non-existing minority issues to divide the peoples, so that they can enforce the policy of “divide and rule”.
The NATO offensive violated every concept of international law that the imperialists use as a pretext according to their own interests, as they use human rights in order to intervene against the peoples.
The war conducted by NATO in the name of the defence of human rights cased war crimes and murdered civilian population.
Yugoslavia served as an experimental laboratory for the interventions which followed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria.
The foundation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on April 4th 1949, in cooperation between the USA and European capitalist countries, created the armed hand of imperialism for the defence of the exploitative system and the prevention of revolutionary changes in Europe, in order to attack the Soviet Union and the other socialist countries of Eastern Europe.
From its beginning NATO was a powerful aggressive political and military block and a stronghold of the cold war, promoted a massive expansion in nuclear and conventional armaments and remains responsible for amassing of incredible arsenals of weapons of war and mass destruction .
In spite of the counter revolution which witnessed the end of the USSR and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact (founded in 1954 in answer to NATO's aggression), NATO instead of dissolving, strengthened its forces and reach.
The parties of the European Communist Iniative must strengthen the struggle against imperialist wars NATO and all imperialist alliances,
Let’s strengthen the struggle against imperialist wars, the NATO and all imperialist alliances!
End the system of exploitation that breeds wars, crises, refugees, exploitation!
Long live socialism!
23/3/2019,
The Secretariat of the European Communist Initiative.
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COMMUNIST PARTIES OF INDIA, CPI(M) and CPI, MEET WITH ELECTION COMMISSION, UNDERLINE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES.
NEW DELHI- A delegation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Nilotpal Basu and CPI National Secretary D. Raja met the full Election Commission on March 25 and raised the following:
Modi Biopic
The delegation had a detailed discussion with the EC on the release of the biopic on Shri Narendra Modi. The delegation pointed out that there are well-established precedents on withholding the release of such propaganda materials during the pendency of the elections. The EC, however, was non-committal.
VVPAT
The delegation also reiterated the demand of matching the VVPAT records with those of the EVM for randomly chosen 50 per cent of the booths. The EC pointed out that as per the Supreme Court direction, the Commission will be submitting an affidavit on March 28 on this subject.
Law and Order Situation in Tripura and West Bengal
The delegation also pointed out the serious law and order situation in Tripura and West Bengal, where the ruling party goons are particularly targeting the Left Front and its candidates. There were physical attacks on the Tripura West Parliamentary constituency candidate of CPI(M), MP, Sankar Prasad Datta, thrice on the 23rd March. The delegation also pointed out that this was despite the assurance given by the Commission on March 6. The delegation urged that unless specific mechanism for ensuring security is put in place, the assurances will remain in default.
Similarly, in West Bengal, attacks are particularly brazen in constituencies like Coochbehar and Diamond Harbour with large number of officials, who ought to have been transferred out of election duty, continue to remain in place despite the norms set out in the past.
The delegation also pointed out the peculiar case of the wife of Shri Abhishek Banerjee, MP and TMC candidate in Diamond Harbour. As per media reports she was hauled up for carrying gold and foreign currency notes.
While the customs authorities have filed an FIR, a case was not registered on the material which was being smuggled in. The delegation urged that there should be a probe by the Commission to ascertain the truth as this has financial implications and a possible impact on free and fair polls.
The memorandum submitted before the Commission is attached.
(Hari Singh Kang)
For Central Committee Office.
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NEW COMMUNIST PARTY OF YUGOSLAVIA (NKPJ) COLLECTS SIGNATURES AGAINST SERBIA'S RELATIONS WITH NATO.
BELGRADE- On the occasion of the 20th anniversary since NATO's massacre in the FR of Yugoslavia, the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (NKPJ) participated in a series of events commemorating the victims of the 1999 brutal imperialist attack.
Within this context, the NKPJ has began the collection of signatures for a petition against every aspect of cooperation of Serbia with NATO. The NKPJ and its youth wing - SKOJ - demand from the Serbian government to cut all relations with the imperialist alliance and stand against the presence of occupational NATO forces in Kosovo and Metohija.
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GREECE: PAME DENOUNCES THE ATTACK OF RIOT POLICE AGAINST ANTI-FASCISTS.
ATHENS- The All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) denounces the unprovoked attack of Riot Police against workers and youth. The oppression forces attacked the anti-fascist protest of Unions and associations of the Kallithea area in Athens, who protested against the NAZI criminals of Golden Dawn who attempted to participate in the events for the National Independence Day of March 25th.
Without provocation the Riot Police attacked the protest of the Unions and protected the fascists. No matter the protection given by the state and the SYRIZA Government, the fascists, the minions of the capitalists, the rotten forces of exploitation, will be blocked in every city and neighborhood.
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WFTU CONDEMNS THE NEW ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES AND U.S. AGGRESSION.
ATHENS- Over the last 3 days, Israel is unleashing new air strikes against targets along Gaza Strip, under the pretext of answering to the launching of rockets. Since last March, at least 258 Palestinians have been murdered in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army, during their protests for the end of the Israeli blockades and the return of the Palestinian Refugees to their homeland.
In parallel, the USA President signed a decree which recognizes the sovereignty of Israel over the Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967. In the name of 95 million workers in 130 countries all over the globe, the WFTU strongly condemns this new escalation of Israeli aggressiveness against the people of Palestine, as well as the unacceptable decree signed by the USA President, which opposes any sense of the International Law. We extend our internationalist solidarity with the people of Palestine and of Syria and we demand the end of the Israeli military operations and occupation and the end of the USA aggression against the people of the Middle East.
The Secretariat.