THE 6TH EYUP BAS INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF THE PEOPLE’S UNITY AGAINST IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION
DAY 1
Let’s Strengthen the Anti-imperialist Front Against the Imperialist Aggression!
The 6th Eyup Bas International Symposium began with the preparations and the opening speeches.
The first speaker was Cihan Keskek and talked about the recent attacks. Following that he announced the absence of the delegates from Ukraine and Lebanon due to the political and legal obstacles by the local authorities.
Following him the former founding member of KESK, Akman Simsek took the platform. He emphasized that imperialism couldn’t be crashed without enduring sacrifices and fighting. He pointed out that imperialism hasn’t changed its ways and the necessity of countering it by elevating the class struggle.
After Simsek’s speech, a minute of silence was held.
Then the member board of directors of the CHD, the lawyer Ebru Timtik took the platform. In her speech she highlighted that the experiences of fighting peoples would strengthen one to another and stated that a determined person would have the power to destroy imperialism.
Following the opening speeches the first sitting began under the title of Anti-Imperialist Front. In his opening remarks Cihan Keskek stated that they would focus on real and concrete objectives and practical works rather than merely exchanging problems. He also announced that there were mutual statements and there would be a visit to the anti-fascists in Ukrania in May.
The first speaker was Geanfranco Costellotti from Italy and he stated that imperialism’s defeat could only be achieved by endorsing the international class struggle within the Anti-Imperialist Front. He also shown their support for Syrian people who fight against ISIS and the imperialists.
After him Guillermo Moncado from Honduras took the platform. He emphasized the importance of still standing here despite of the recent attack. He also mentioned the joint website and international radio project in Beirut. Both delegates answer the questions and mentioned the struggle in their countries briefly. Moncado said that the nonexistence of political prisoners in Honduras but instead of the counter guerrilla activities by the Death Squads of the Police who dump bodies of the kidnapped, tortured and subsequently murdered people. Costellotti, on the other hand, stated that the people in Italy are depoliticized by means of drug abuse and the workers are incited against the immigrants.
The Raising Voice in Europe and the Balkans
After a short break the second session titled “Europe and the Balkans” began. Pavlos Andropolas from Greece took the platform and stated that there were high hopes for SYRIZA in Greece but with their first action following the election they crushed them. He criticised SYRIZA’s coalition with a near-fascist party to form the government and how they changed their stand against the repayment of debts and their declaration of partnership with the European imperialists. He mentioned the arrest of 14 activists who were protesting against the G-type prisons in Greece.
The spokesperson of the Organisation of 23 September, Stefan Petrov from Bulgaria, stated that his country is a dependent of the US imperialism and how the fascists in Bulgaria attempt to prevent the progressive and revolutionary actions. On behalf of Bulgarian Workers Movement, Alla Grigova stated that the problem in Ukraine is a global crisis and how the Ukranian government target civilians.
June Kelly, from Ireland, emphasized the importance of the media for imperialism by giving examples. She highlighted the fact that the capitalist media survive on deception and how they are used as a propaganda tool for imperialist war of destruction.
The Irish Republican prisoners joined the symposium with their messages. In their messages they mentioned the life of captivity and underlined that they will carry on their joint actions.
Finally, the spokesperson of Communist Party of Russia, Alexander Chebotorew, took the platform. He stated that imperialism no longer actively taking part in wars and instead using the collaborating neighbouring countries like in Yemen. He also mentioned that problem in Ukraine is actually nothing but the war of self-interest by Russia and the European imperialists. He highlighted that both sides are sending weapons to Ukraine alongside with humanitarian aid.
DAY 2
We All are Comrades Behind the Barricades
On the second day of the symposium the meetings were held under the topics of the Middle East, South America and the methods of fight against imperialism-physical revolutionary force.
During the morning session on the Middle East, first Abdullah Ozgun from the People’s Front took the platform. He stated that the borders in the region, which were determined following the 1st War of Imperialist apportioning, are redrawn in today’s conditions and this period has begun following the Twin Towers attack. In order of Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya imperialists are reshaping the region and despite of the massive support to their collaborators in Syria, they weren’t expecting such a long lasting resistance.
Following him the spokesperson of the committee of Patriotic Union of Syria Gaidi Mahmoud took the platform. He mentioned what happened in Tartus, the anti-imperialist struggle they lead and invited the participants to observe a minute of silence for the martyrs in Syria. He added that the collaborators of imperialism are plundering the wealth of Syria where beheadings became a routine occurrence. He also underlined that the ISIS supporters are entering through the Turkish borders.
Basak Sah talked about the reflection of war in Syria in Antakya. He said that Hatay (Antakya) is the neighbouring city of Syria and there are historical and ancestral bonds, therefore what happens in Syria is a deep concern for the city. Despite of the obstacles the actions in solidarity with the Syrian people is still going on and the ISIS supporters are located in Hatay to threaten the people there.
An finally lawyer Oya Arslan told that just before they were about to file a court report to reveal the sanctions on liberties in the region and how the Turkish state openly support the collaborators of imperialism in Syria, their office had been raided by police and they were accused of espionage.
The Latin American States are Arming Themselves Against the People
Another session was held on the second day to deal with Latin America. First, the spokesperson of People’s Front of Honduras, Gallel Bricerios, took the platform. He talked about the general situation in Latin America. He said that all the states are racing to arming themselves further to threaten their own people. The drug trafficking and democratic demonstrations are used as an excuse for investing in weapons.
After him, Natali Revele of People’s Front of Argentina took the platform. She mentioned how art has an important role in their struggle, how poverty and protest actions seemed like criminal acts and how their natural resources like land and water are sold to imperialists.
Finally Mauricio Mendoza talked about the power of the alternative media. He said that they reach to the remote areas by means of short films, people’s cinema and media.
The participants from Argentina and Honduras stated that there no longer existed the counter guerrilla organisations but despite of being geographically close to the USA, with the increased oppression, the people develop the tendency to arm themselves and establish a well organised struggle.
We are not here to aim to sacrifice our blood
On behalf of People’s Front Bahar Kurt did the opening speech of the session titled the methods of fight against imperialism and the revolutionary action. Kurt underlined that democratic and armed struggle are a necessity and the only response to their 650 days long demands of justice for Berkin was repression in the forms of chemical gas, torture and imprisonment. He added that Şafak Yayla and Bahtiyar Doğruyol took hostage the prosecutor and saluted both the fighters for justice (heroes).
After that Dimitr Petrov took the platform on behalf of the Organisation of September 23rd. He stated that since the collapse of Soviet Union the left got weakened and became opportunists. He added that the opportunist left criticised the action for Berkin but his organisation have supported it.
Following that Guillermo Moncado from People’s Front of Honduras started his speech by saying “they will never forget nor forgive” for the arrest of Steve Kaczynski. He reminded that armed struggle was the way of fighting against the bloodthirsty dictators in 60s, 70s and 80s and due to neo-liberal politics the existing system is established. Moncado added that they are in the stage of targeting to neutralise the negative effect of the opportunism in the left by means of education and establishing a well-functioning party and whilst under repression and being like a back garden of the US, they just don’t want to sacrifice their blood by arming themselves. And also he added that following the years long resistance of Cuba, their negotiations with the US could change the balances and could become a potential threat for the region.
On behalf of K-VOX Tanasis Petratos reminded the number of anarchist prisoners in their country and how they carry out actions for political prisoners and carry on fighting also for the prisoners in Turkey. He added that the leftists in their country do nothing but to talk and SYRIZA had started to reveal its true colours and by submitting to the US and European imperialism they squashed the hope of people. The past revolutionary struggle in Greece have been carry out in a way that democratic and armed struggle were disconnected from each other and in time the armed struggle disappeared completely. But he emphasized that they aim to show that when both carried out simultaneously the change has achieved. He underlined the importance of anti-imperialist unity and said that despite of the political differences we all are together behind the barricades.
At the end of the sessions a short film was shown describing the People’s Front and the action in Caglayan. Natalie Revele’s slide show was about the occupation of the train station where Dario and Maxim were murdered. Mauricio Mendoza presented their short film.
ANTI-IMPERIALIST FRONT HAS FOUNDED
On the last day of the 6th International Symposium of the people’s unity against the Imperialist Agression, 17 April 2015, the representatives decided to found the Anti-Imperialist Front.
On the last day of the symposium the main subject was to set up joint projects and tasks. Mauricio Mendoza from People’s Front of Honduras took the platform first. He talked about his experience of the People’s cinema. By establishing links with the revolutionary forces in the regions he makes short films about the people’s problems and reach to the remote villages through this way. He is curious about the lives of the families of martyrs and political prisoners and wants to show the mutually endured suffering here to his own people. He added that they don’t have a stationary studio and their radio transmission is entirely over the internet and therefore the fascist Honduras state is struggling to stop them. In their radio programme called “between the lines” they retransmit the imperialist official news announcements. He gave the example of how the finding of the corpses of girls on streets is announced as the deaths of drug abusers but in reality they are the massacred protesters.
Olcay Abalay, on behalf of People’s Engineers and Architectures, talked about the projects that bring forward the socialist way of production to the people and the information they gather from people shapes up re-production through socialist organisation. Despite of the oppression of imperialism and the fascist state, she mentioned the projects of mobility for Ferhat Gercek, People’s gardens, Cemevi, Karavan, wind turbine, computer games, Berkan Abatay Sports hall, and the band of Children of Hope.
The Italian artist Grazia Vanelli showed her murals of Families of TAYAD and Berkin that she completed on 11th of March. She then waved at the audience and left to carry on working on Berkin’s mural that Natali and Peter are joint contributors.
Vangelis Dimitsantos talked about the works of K-VOX. They occupied a building and converted it to a culture centre and café and the money they used are used for the political prisoners and a health centre. In order to counter the fascism in their country they set up associations and alternative school in areas where fascists are in majority. Both anarchists and socialists create solutions for problems and let the people participate in them.
Gaidi Mahmoud talked about the projects they achieved under the conditions of war in order to support the resistance. They set up health centres to give medical care to those injured during clashes and free health care for the families of the martyrs and the injured. Because of the war, starting from the age of 12, children are trained in health care and also they use ambulances in the areas where intensified clashes occur to provide health care. They also support the People’s Peace Forces and invited all those who escaped the war to return to their homeland including those who initially supported the collaborators.
After the break, the Italian band Bando Basotti’s concerts are hailed and declaration of unity against imperialism is announced in every language.
Following the break joint tasks and projects like, strengthening the website and radio news agency, are discussed.
Also Alla Grigova, who took part in the famous Leningrad defence against the Nazis, talked about her experiences. She said that the war against the Nazis was a tough test for the young and inexperienced Soviet state but the Nazis were defeated by the Red Army’s might, which was the combination of workers and peasants, i.e. the people. Despite of hunger and cold, the entire city of Leningrad resisted surrendering to the Nazis by keep fighting in fronts and by keep producing in factories.
On the last session, with the participation of the audience, Anti-imperialist Front is founded. The previous year’s evaluation is done and a 17 item declaration is discussed.
The 6th Eyup Bas International Symposium of the people’s unity against Imperialist Aggression ended with the Grup Yorum’s concert
The symposium’s final resolution was to found the Anti-imperialist Front.
In order to intimidate, the bloodthirsty police of the governing AKP with arrived at the square with their armoured vehicles, where the Grup Yorum concert would take place, but left the area when the people flooded the square in hundreds.
The concert was ended peacefully despite of the police’s attempts of intimidation.
