| INTERNATIONAL
NEWSLETTER - Number 11– December 2005 |
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FIRST FORUM ON CUBA
AND LATIN AMERICA IN ROME. A SUCCESSFUL EVENT We feel extremely
satisfied for the great success of the First International Forum “Cuba
e America Latina: Una Alternativa Possibile” (Cuba and Latin America:
A Feasible Alternative), organized by the “Comitato 28 Giugno” in
collaboration with the journal “Nuestra America”, that has taken place
in Rome on the 31st of October and the 1st of
November. The meeting has been a success in terms
of participation – the room was packed both days, despite the festivities
– and in terms of the quality of the discussion itself. Eleven high
level papers have been delivered, and there have been interventions
of the Italian left political forces and of some important personalities. The papers, by Luciano Vasapollo, Raul
Mordenti and Giulio Girardi (Italy), Ricardo Antunes (Brazil), Hosea
Jaffe (historical anti-apartheid militant in South Africa), Henry
Veltmeyer (Canada), authors known to the Italian public for their
works, and by the Cuban scholars Esteban Morales Domingues and Hugo
Pons Duarte, the international responsible for the movements backing
the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela Dozthor Zurlent, Diego Guerrero
and Rodrigo Rico Rios (Spain), Remy Herrera (La Sorbonne, Paris),
Francisco Dominguez (Centre for the Study of Latin America, London,
UK) and the American James Cockroft, have proposed a wideranging set
of discussions about the processes
that are taking place in the Latin American continent, and the inadequacy
of the European Left in tackling the progress of the people’s revolutionary
and progressive forces and experiences, that are of enormous momentum
for progressives all over the world. The political parties of the Italian
Left – by means of the interventions by Fabrizio Casari (PdCI), Fabio
Amato (PRC), Mauro Bulgarelli (Verdi), Luciano Pettinari (left of
the DS) and Marco Santopadre (Rete dei Comunisti) – have sought to
come to terms, in ways that have not always been convincing, with
what is happening in Latin America. This is an evident sign that it
is urgent to start a long overdue political debate on this topic. The intervention of the representative
of ANPI (Association of the Italian Partisans) has been significant,
for it has marked the link between the reasons of the anti-fascist
resistance and the resistance of the populations of the “patio trasero”
of the USA The First International Forum “Cuba
e America Latina: Una Alternativa Possibile” has been concluded with
an important resolution that will be circulated at the national and
international level in all those places where the themes discussed
in the Forum are imposing themselves in the political agenda of the
progressive forces. The final document can be consulted
and downloaded from the site of Comitato 28 Giugno. The Acta with
all the interventions at the Forum will be soon ready, and shall be
published in Italian and Spanish in order to facilitate international
circulation. The Comitato 28 Giugno is proud of
the success of this first Forum, which constitutes a definite step
forward both in qualitative and organizational terms for an original
and unitary political experience of solidarity with Cuba, that aims
to deal with all the experiences of change that are taking place in
Latin America. A heartfelt thank you to all those who participated and contributed to the complete success of this first Forum. We are already working at next year’s event. The Comitato 28 Giugno, Italy (www.cuba28giugno.org) RESOLUTION
OF THE FIRST FORUM “CUBA-AMERICA LATINA. L’ALTERNATIVA POSSIBILE” (Cuba-Latin America. The Feasible Alternative) In this beginning
of the 21st century, the progressive heart of the world
is beating in Latin America. In this process the Cuban Revolution
with Fidel Castro and the Bolivarian Revolution with Hugo Chavez play
a dominant and strategic role. The Latin American continent, that
has experimented so heavily the devastations of neoliberalism, and
before that of military dictatorships, is today returning faith, hope
and experience to the progressive forces of the whole world, including
Europe where, in the past few centuries, the ideas and the first experimentations
aiming at a political and social change were born. Indigenous movements and revolutionary
governments, social movements and progressive governments are building
an important chance for Latin America. We are constructing a positive social,
economic and political integration with the creation of ALBA as an
alternative to unequal exchange and to the US hegemony represented
by ALCA. We are defending the sovereignty of
each country that has liberated itself or is struggling to get free
from the tyranny of the Washington Consensus. We are experimenting with Telesur,
a TV network aimed at returning dignity, identity, shared languages
and independence to our peoples, in alternative to the US monopoly
of the mass media. That is why we ask the US government
to immediately cease the blockade against Cuba, the threats on Venezuela,
the intrusion into the domestic policies of Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil,
Argentina, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Haiti, Ecuador, Salvador. We are building up the possibility
of a development based on the welfare of our people and not on the
growth parameters imposed by the diktats of the IMF and the WB. We are enlarging democracy, including
into the discussions and in political life those popular sectors that
have been so far excluded from representation and from the fundamental
social rights. Today in Latin America we want to contribute
to the evolution of civilization against the regressive character
shown by capitalism. In this sense we have started to talk of the
Rights of Humanity. This passage represents an evolution compared
to the old Eurocentric conception of individual human rights. If in the name of democracy and of
human rights wars are waged, sovereign countries are bombed and occupied,
people are imprisoned without evidence and tortured, attempts and
coups d’etat are planned, it means that the current conception of
human rights not only is functional to some vested interests, but
is plainly inadequate to a world where the people – and not any longer
the old colonial powers – are becoming the protagonists of the Rights
of Humanity. We therefore demand the dismantling
of the US military bases in Ecuador, Paraguay, Colombia, the Amazons.
We demand the cancellation of Plan Colombia and Plan Patriota. We
demand the end of US state terrorism against Cuba, Venezuela, against
the Colombian, Ecuadorian, Bolivian people. We demand the liberation
of the five Cuban patriots jailed in the USA and the extradition of
the terrorist Posada Carriles to Venezuela. What we demand in other
words is respect of the sovereignty and independence of each country
that intends to build its own project through the self-determination
of its people and not by means of foreign intrusion and external aggressions. We have convened in Rome in the 1st
International Forum “Cuba-Latin America: The Feasible Alternative”
to discuss and compare the experiences that are taking place in Latin
America with those of Europe. Eurocentrism has prevented for too long
a loyal confrontation between the European and Latin American progressive
forces. This has brought about misunderstandings, qui pro quos and
sometimes erroneous intrusions. Today is the time to turn page in
such relations. If the progressive heart of the world is beating in
Latin America, it is high time that the European progressive forces
started to look with more respect at what happens in the rest of the
world. In Italy and in this context, the “Comitato
28 Giugno” intends to continue its internationalist battle by the
side of Cuba and Fidel, of Venezuela and Chavez, to state once again
that the alternative to liberalism is socialism. ************************************************************************************************ AFTER LA MADDALENA, ALL THE
FOREIGN BASES MUST GO OUT
The recent declaration of the Minister Martino on the
intention of the US administration to renounce to the nuclear submarine
base on the Maddalena (Sardinia) represents a positive signal, an
essential result of the Sardinian population's mobilization they who
always been opposed to the militarization of their land. The announcement
of the Italian Defence Minister is only a first step, even though
an important one, but we need to keep controlling and mobilizing in
all possible ways until all the US and NATO military apparatus are
conscious of the continuous call for demilitarization by the local
committees and communities that for many years have been demanding
the closure of the many military bases imposed on our country by the
dependent relation on Washington and that transforms the peninsula
into an enormous aircraft carrier serving the US war strategy. We
need to continue mobilizing so that Martino's declaration has a concrete
following and that the closure of the Maddalena base is followed by
the dismantling of the italian military firing ground in Sardinia
and by the US and NATO bases in the Italian territory. REPORT OF THE NATIONAL MEETING
"DISMANTLING OF MILITARY BASES AND NUCLEAR ARSENALS" Thursday the 17th of November, in the Sala delle Colonne
of the House of Deputies, an important national meeting took place
to relaunch the democratic and popular mobilization against the foreign
military bases and the Italian nuclear arms. Two law projects were
presented by the Green deputy Mauro Bulgarelli. The first regards
the proposal of a Referendum for the desmantellement of the nuclear
armament present on the national territory, so the population can
express itself on the advisability in maintaining Italian and foreign
military bases, nuclear weapons that hold a high risk for the population
on a sanitary and environmental level. The second law project proposes
the automatic publishing of documents that for over 25 years were
covered by state secret. Many of these documents regard the agreement for the
construction of foreign military bases in our country and the ties
between the US and NATO military presence and the far right terrorist
groups that were the authors of attacks and massacres during the '60s
and '80s. The meeting of the 17th of November was introduced by
Sergio Cararo of the Communist Network. The following deputies intervined
Mauro Bulgarelli (Green Deputy, that proposed and signed the two law
projects), Luigi Malabarba (PRC), Luciano Pettinari (left of DS).
The following people brought their contribution, Giovanni Franzoni
(Association Iraq to the Iraqis), Gavino Sale (IRS, Sardinia), Valter
Lorenzi (Committee for the withdrawal of the Italian military from
Iraq), Lisa Clark (Beati Costruttori di Pace), Angelo Baracca and
Mauro Cristaldi (Scientists against the war), Massimo Paolicelli (LOC),
Alessandro Bombassei (CPA Firenze), Bruno Steri (PRC/To be Communist),
Alfonso Navarra (pacifist), Vincenzo Miliucci (Cobas), Orsola Mazzola
(Comitato gettiamo le basi di Bologna). Messages were sent from the
common council of Colle Salvetti (Livorno) that had approved an order
of the day for the dismantellment of the bases of Camp Darby, from
the Committee against the enlargement of the Camp Ederle (Vicenza)
bases, from the Slai Cobas of Taranto. 1) The National Committee for the withdrawal of the military
from Iraq is so committed to the military bases and nuclear arm dismatling,
that it has become the core initiative of the anti-war movement. With
this objective it invites al local committees and all different parts
of the anti-war movement to promote these two law projects on a national
and local level. 2) We invite all to consider the 3rd of February (anniversary
of the Cermis massacre by certain Us military airplanes) as a symbolic
date to protest in all cities against the presence of US and NATO
military basis. On the 8th of July we have programmed another protest
day for it is the date the International Court declared nuclear weapons
illegal. CUBA, International
Conference on Foreign Military Bases. The Cuban Movement for Peace and Sovereignty of Peoples,
with the support of the Non Governmental Organizations of Cuba and
other countries, has organized the International Conference on Foreign
Military Basis, that took place in Havana from the 7th to the 10th
of November. To the conference participated many analysts and activists
of the committees against US and NATO military bases in four continents:
America, Asia, Africa and Europe. The Communist Network delegation
was composed by Marco Santopadre and Walter Lorenzi. The Arguments
that were discussed were: the violation of national sovereignty; the
role of the bases in the enduring war, in the domination of the occupied
territories, as outpost for new military aggressions, as tortures
centres and violation of human rights; the environmental, economic
and cultural impact of the bases; the struggle for the closure of
the foreign military bases. The conference set the next world meeting against foreign
bases to be on March of 2007 in Ecuador, close to the US base in Manta,
while on the 9th of November the international delegates have had
the possibility to visit the cuban military installations that protect
and survey the territory around the US basis in Guantanamo. The
committee for the withdrawal of the Italian military from Iraq. ******************************************************************************** With Palestine
against the Wall, for the freedom of Marwan Barghouti
and all the political prisoners Palestine territories
are still occupied and Gaza is still under siege. In Cisgiordania
the colonization and the annexation of Palestinian territories, for
which the wall is a valid help, are still going on. Sharon and
the Israeli administration continue to violate the international rule
to prevent the creation of an independent Palestinian nation. On the 18th
and 19th November the Palestine Forum and the Per non
dimenticare Sabra e Chatila committee organized some acts in Rome
and Marano (Naples) to pursue and underline the solidarity and mobilization
for the Palestinian people. Friday
18th November at 12 am, a press conference took place in
the Parliament press hall to introduce the National committee for
the freedom of Marwan Barghouti in the presence of Fadwa
Barghouti. In
the afternoon the Intifada leader’s wife took part in a public assembly
with Salah Salah, OLP person in charge for Palestinian refugees in
Lebanon. At 11 pm at Villaggio Globale the Napolitan singer Luca Zulu
and his band Al Mukawama played for Palestine. Saturday
19th November in Marano, a town with 70.000 inhabitants
in the outskirts of Naples, a demonstration took place for the support
to the decision of the mayor (from the Comunisti Italiani party) to
name a street after the Palestinian president Yasser Arafat. Palestina
Forum suggested the Italian people to send solidarity messages to
the mayor, accused of fomenting hate and terrorism by the Israeli
ambassador in Italy, the Berlusconi administration and some centre-left
parties. In
the afternoon in the Architecture department of Roma Tre university
an assembly took place, with Salah
Salah, Oliviero Diliberto (PdCI national secretary), Sergio Cararo
(Palestina Forum) e Stefano Chiarini (Per non dimenticare Sabra
e Chatila committee). During the assembly they announced the will to organize, in February, a national demonstration of solidarity with Palestinian and Iraqi resistance, for the revocation of the military association treaty between Italy and Israel, for the immediate withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq. We refuse the support to Israel offered by the majority of Italian left parties, proved by the recent demonstration organized outside the Iran embassy by right parties, Left Democrats and La Margherita, in which deputies from Green party and Rifondazione Comunista took part. The real aim of the demonstration was to persuade the public opinion that a military aggression against Iran as wished by USA and Israel is necessary, with the excuse that the Iranian nuclear program is really dangerous. Actually, the sole real danger in the Middle East is Israel, which holds 200 nuclear weapons and every day pursues the aim of wiping out the Palestinian people.
******************************************************************************** 21st October National
Strike 60.000 workers demonstrating
with base trade unions A huge demonstration organized by CUB
and other base trade unions crowded the streets of Rome. Notwithstanding
the silence of the media and the prohibition to strike for local,
railway and air transport workers imposed by Minister Lunardi, the
participation was really huge. Thousands of people from all over Italy
were present, including crowded groups from Sicily, Campania, Lombardia
and Piemonte. There were representatives of every field, from textile
to public offices, from education to metal and mechanical industry,
with numerous delegates of FIAT workers from Cassino. Then immigrants,
sea workers from Corsica, students and Cgil persons in charge who
don’t agree with the decision of their trade union to strike for 4
hours only on the 25th November: it would be too late to
stop the government’s financial program. More than a million workers from every
field didn’t go to work. The majority of slogans were against precariousness,
the denationalization of severance pays, high cost of living and the
Bossi-Fini law on immigration. The priority is to distribute income
to workers, precarious workers and retired people. It is necessary
to take an opposite direction to the free-trade policies which made
the life of millions of people precarious, people who can’t make the
ends meet. We ask for substantial rises in salaries and for the introduction
of an automatic increase of salaries according to the increase of
the high cost of living. While government, trade unions, banks and
insurance companies struggle to divide the money among themselves,
workers are against the denationalization of their severance pay.
The social state has been already cut, and they want to denationalize
old-age pensions, health service, education. Immigrants are deprived
of their natural rights, and those who run away from war, starvation
and tortures are confined in lager called CPT. Gianluca Morucci, person in charge
of international relations of the Corsica Workers Trade Union, took
part to the general strike final assembly. The Corsican sea workers
are leading a struggle against the denationalization of the SNCF naval
company. CUB against high speed trains On the 16th November the whole population
of Val di Susa adhered to the general strike announced in the valley
in the north of Turin against the construction of the high speed railway
Turin-Lion. More than 80.000 people, literally the entire population
of the valley, joined the strike announced by CUB and boycotted by
Cgil, Cisl and Uil and centre-left local governments which support
high speed trains that will destroy the valley. For the whole day
industries, hospitals, schools, bars and shops remained closed to
protest against the TAV project sponsored by Berlusconi administration
and European Commission. In the previous days sabotage acts and popular
demonstrations prevented the firms in charge of the work from beginning
the construction of the railway. ******************************************************************************** Saturday 26th November Second national mobilization day against
the high cost of life The 5th November mobilization outside the big distribution
centres obtained great results: in about 20 cities some initiatives
took place and allowed to start dealing with the supermarket managements
all over the national territory to lower the prices of goods. In Palermo
the hypermarket Auchan agreed to make a 50% discount for the whole
day on the products proposed by the 4th week committees. In Salerno
they accepted to make a discount of 30% on some products, and for
the whole 5th November the Ipercoop in Afragola (Naples) distributed
bread for free.
************************************************************************************************ Friday 25th November, 2005 8.30 pm
Organized by Communst Network, Milan
www.contropiano.org The
Overturned World Saturday
26th November in Naples, from 10 am, Sala Santa Chiara (Piazza del
Gesù) An invitation to
comparison and collective research to redefine the XXI century internationalism We decided to organize
a public assembly in Naples to face the issue of Eurocentrism in its
theoretical aspects and analyze the political consequences of the
choices of western left parties. Communist’s Network
and Red Link
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