Invitation letter directed to the popular, anti-imperialist and revolutionary movement

February 13, 2005
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

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If you want to sign this call write to camp@antiimperialista.org
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Here in the land of Simяn Bolivar, Simяn Rodrлguez and Ezequiel Zamora, which today is confronting North American imperialism, we believe that the time has come to increase our efforts for unity against the injustice which the people of the world are suffering of. The coordination of the anti-imperialist resistance against the Yankee empire must be strengthened.

With this intention we invite   on the occasion of the Social Forum of the Americas   to gather within a Bolivarian Anti-imperialist Camp with an international, popular and revolutionary character. The meeting is scheduled to take place right there where the people are fighting, namely in the shanty towns and in the downtrodden countryside of Venezuela. Only from there, from the organised popular base suffering from and fighting against the imperialist and capitalist domination, the forces for a real forum of anti-imperialist resistance can rise.

Today imperialism under the US hegemony is constituting itself as a full-fledged empire with its permanent and global war against the poor people and classes. This totalitarian rule in the military, economic, political and cultural field is increasingly being countered by new focuses of resistance. In Iraq, Palestine, Venezuela or Colombia the new Vietnams of the 21st century are emerging openly challenging the empire. Peoples  liberation passes by smashing the US uni-polar world. Only the peoples themselves which struggle against the oligarchies and elites subordinated to and integrated into the imperial architecture can achieve this goal. Our time is the one of the popular resistance against the empire   direct resistance against the US wars of aggression, their interventions and occupations or resistance against the ruling classes who thankfully submit to the empire as the guarantor of their plundering of the popular masses. The resistance is the real exercise of the demo!
cratic right to self-determination encompassing all forms of struggle.

When the peoples rise to free themselves from imperial rule they cannot not do other than confront the old state whose sovereign is not the people but imperial capitalism by means of the fake democracy of the elite s parties and the bureaucratic caste. There cannot be a reform of the oligarchic states able to guarantee the democratic rule of the people. Against reformism, which ensures the anti-democratic continuity, we advocate the leap forward to popular power.

To bring down the empire is the aim unifying us. To strengthen the points of break within the empire is our common task. They will serve as examples for other peoples to resist providing hope and drive. To build the Bolivarian and anti-imperialist alternative goes beyond promoting co-operation between the countries of the south. It means to unify the revolutionary resistances into an international anti-imperialist front capable to respond to the global strategy of the empire.

Therefore we invite the people s organisations, the liberation movements, the revolutionary parties and all the anti-imperialists to sponsor and build an international Bolivarian Anti-imperialist Camp in order to collectively strengthen the base of our organised and internationalist resistance.


Venezuela:
Movimiento de Bases Populares (Popular Base Movement, MBP)
Coordinadora Simяn Bolлvar (Coordination Simяn Bolлvar, CSB)
Utopлa (Utopia)
Frente Nacional Campesino Ezequiel Zamora (National peasant Front Campesino Ezequiel Zamora, FNCEZ)
Patria Joven (Young Fatherland)
Uniяn de Fuerzas Independientes (Union of Independent Forces, UFI)
Alcaldлa Municipio Paez, Apure (Mayoralty of the municipality of Paez, Apure state)
Alcaldлa Municipio Guacara, Carabobo (Mayoralty of the municipality of Guacara, Carabobo state)

Colombia:
Asociaciяn Campesina de Arauca (Peasant association of Arauca, ACA)
Prensa Rural (Rural press)
Red Palante (Net Forward)

El Salvador:
Federaciяn Universitaria Roque Daltяn (University Federation Roque Daltяn FURD)

Argentina:
Agrupaciяn Martлn Fierro (Association Martлn Fierro)

International:
Campo Antiimperialista (Anti-imperialist Camp)

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MAY 2005

Of good and bad dictators
Why the Uzbek popular movement does not fit US designs

Only two weeks ago Bush, visiting Tbilissi, has been praising the series of what he happened to call democratic revolutions in Ukraine, Georgia and ultimately Kyrgyzstan. What he actually meant were palace coups within the pro-US oligarchy using and canalising the popular discontent with the dictatorial capitalists elites to bring to power puppets even more servile to Washington but not less corrupt. The most striking example was the Ukraine where the movement against the oligarch Kutchma, who had sent troops to Iraq to serve his masters, had chosen as its icon the main figure of the mafia which enriched herself by stealing state property in connivance with Kutchma, namely Timoshenko. No different in the other places. Under the guise of democratic revolution opening the security valve for the popular unrest was used to recycle the regime and to install even worse figures. This was possible as the popular dissent had no organised form but could be modelled by US-funded !
NGOs according to the example of Otpor in Serbia half a decade ago.

Now in Uzbekistan everything is different. Karimov is by far the most cruel and corrupt tyrant of the region being tapped the new Tamerlan. (The legendary last nomadic ruler of the Central Asian plains used to order pyramids of skulls to be erected after battles to better terrify subdued populations.) By extinguishing in the name of the war against Islamic terrorism even the most moderate opposition he has been pleasing his Washington masters. They have been pouring in year by year hundreds of millions of dollars to military back the regime which in return handed over the strategic Khanabad air base.

The occasion of the recent revolt in the Fergana valley was the political trial against quietist Islamic businessmen who by building a network of Islamic charity organisations frightened the slaughterer of Tashkent. So he cracked down also on those who did not only have renounced armed struggle but also politics in general. Karimov s dictatorship goes thus far that he is closing down countless mosques while the population is turning back to Islam. In this way he is denying the elementary right of religious worshipping.

While Karimov is claiming the eruption of popular unrest as usual on Islamic terrorists it is actually a genuine expression of the quest of the impoverished masses for livelihood and elementary political, religious and cultural freedom. The problem for the US is that different to other former Soviet republics that the movement is led by well-organised Islamic anti-imperialist forces opposing both the US as well as Russian hegemony. Where ever the people cannot be any more manipulated according to the imperial designs, brute force is unleashed and all empty talk of democracy evaporates.

Although the US is engaged in also weakening its allies like Russia wherever possible, the anti-terrorist alliance prevails. Consequently both Washington as well as Moscow have confirmed their support to the mass murderer who killed in Andijan alone more than 500 people in cold blood. It is their dictator, thus a good one, according to the old imperial doctrine.

The US support is not even altered by the fact that Karimov seems to have understood that the slavish subordination to Washington is neither tenable in front of the popular masses nor pays for his personal fate. He has seen how easily the US gets rid of former puppets if they cause them troubles and can be replaced by more functional ones. So he turned back to Russia for support even starting anti-US rhetoric (he left the pro-US GUUAM pact while not touching the security co-operation ) which is acceptable for the US as long as they hope to thus contain a greater enemy that is the popular masses led by Islamic organisations.

The Anti-imperialists must not fall in the trap to set their hopes on the Russian capitalist oligarchy led by Putin. He might try to preserve his sphere of influence against US intrusion but regarding the main question, the global pre-emptive war on terror that is popular anti-imperial resistance, Washington and Moscow are unified.

Our only hope is the struggle of the popular masses for social and political rights regardless whether they are Islamic or not. We support them in their battle against the US empire and its allies like Russia, the EU and even China which is in full support of the anti-terror alliance when it comes to suppress the popular movements even more when they are let by Islamic forces.


Support the struggle of the Uzbek and the Central Asian people for democratic, social and national rights!
Down with the tyranny of Karimov and his regional homologues!
US and Russian military bases out!
Down with the US empire and the Russian hegemonic drive!


Anti-imperialist Camp
May 18, 2005

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Peasant, workers and student revolt in Afghanistan against US occupation
Letter from Jalalabad communists

Death with US Government

The recent uprising of peasants, worker and wage labors, University and School students, teachers and other lower classes of society as well appear as the result of violence, oppression, invasion and violation of human rights. Despite huge propaganda of US government, imperialist media and its puppet regime in Afghanistan in order to adulterate the real causes for the last anti US and allies invasion protests in Afghanistan, the flames of resistance potential against occupiers, frightened and put in trouble the US government and Karzai regime and proved that the people of Afghanistan will never tolerate imperialists to enjoy their interests through the victimizing of our people.

The Karzai administration during last three years failed to stand for its promises. More than 80% people lives depend on agriculture, but in spite of thousands millions dollars donation to Afghanistan, the irrigation system is still completely ruined and peasants have been facing acute agricultural problems and no body attempt to assist them to improve their live standard. But while the peasants cultivate poppy for its increased income, the imperialists who indirectly are involved in the trafficking and processing the narcotic business to make maximum profits to feed the war machine, spraying poison by helicopters which not only ruin the poor peasants cultivation, but also surely affect human lives and whole living environment.

The recent demonstration across the country where accompanied by tens thousands of people chanting slogans against the occupiers especially US. The demonstrators call for stopping bloody and inhuman attacks and attitude and opposing creating strategic or long term military basses inside Afghanistan. Indeed the recent demonstrations were a slap on the face of Karzai administration that called a symbolic grand assembly to pave the way for the existence of imperialist forces in our country.

We asked all progressive, democratic, anti imperialist and humanitarian parties, unions, organizations and individuals around the world to express their solidarity with our people and ask US and Karzai governments to stop the brutal operations, attacks and free all the detainee demonstrators.

- Death with occupiers!
- Long live anti imperialist movements!

Left Radical of Afghanistan (LRA)
13 May 2005 Jalalabad Afghanistan

Full letter:
www.antiimperialista.com/en/view.shtml?category=9&id=1116189067&keyword=+

Out of the Empire!
The Brigands Festival
14-17 July, 2005

Parco della Pinetina
Riotorto di Piombino (LI), Italy

While protest seems to be withdrawing back into its shell, those wielding power and bursting with arrogance remain. The US imperialists, with the blessing of their European allies and the other capitalist powers, remain in Iraq although the popular Resistance is striking them hard. They remain in Afghanistan despite the fact that vast zones are under the control of the guerrilla. They keep besieging occupied Palestine, Cuba and Bolivarian Venezuela. They remain in Italy forcing us under their yoke through their military bases and their bipartisan puppet politicians. They intend to take steps against the Colombian revolution and any nation refusing to subordinate to them. They want to imprison us in their Guantanamo Empire.

But just as they remain, we can RESIST, disobey, fight. We do not struggle for a day or a season: it is a lifelong struggle which has to be conducted forever. When the dignity of the oppressed, the liberty of the disinherited and wretched, the destiny of humanity is at stake, we might be obliged to a withdrawal but not to compromise.

If you feel like the Che every blow suffered by the weakest, you cannot remain inert. One must revolt. Do it! The revolutionary struggle is no luxury but a necessity.

For further information and booking write to: camp@antiimperialista.org
The cultural and political programme will be announced soon.

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2) From Assisi to Piombino: organizing re-emerging mass appeal of Anti-imperialism

The Anti-imperialist Camp s meeting every summer in Assisi, Italy, had become something like an institution. Delegates of anti-imperialist forces from all continents met there exchanged their views and planned common action. Although successful and appreciated, we decided to substitute it. Yet we owe an explanation to our friends, co-operators and interlocutors.

For a certain period the Camp in Assisi was the appropriate from. It started with the defence of Yugoslavia and Serbia against the NATO aggression in the second half of the 90s, a period of strong isolation of the anti-imperialists which held high the flag. Then the anti-globalisation movement emerged contesting savage capitalism without attacking imperialism. We participated, raised the anti-imperialist voice but the mainstream went ahead with their illusion of globalisation from below . When came September 11 and the US pre-emptive war. We took side with the Palestinian Intifada, the downtrodden Afghan people and the Islamic resistance while the movement was faced with the collapse of their hopes in forcing upon capitalism a human face.

With the Anglo-American war on Iraq and the rise of the popular resistance the premises of the anti-imperialists were confirmed. Both the attention for as well as the repression against the Anti-imperialist Camp sprang up. While the Camp remained essentially a gathering of some hundred leaders, militants and activists from around the world, the press depicted it alternatively as an underground meeting of terrorists or a big mass event.

However, those who became curious or even attracted found a kind of international conference much too heavy for them with its meetings from the early morning until late night and its Marxist language in Babylonic language diversity. Also a generation problem came to the fore: the cadres from the 80s and even before met the post-millennium youth. There seemed no bridge over the 90s, the lost decade of capitalist affirmation.

So we eventually came to the conclusion that a step back forward is necessary to build a bridge for the timid turns of a new generation towards the anti-imperialist struggle.

The Festival of the Brigands is such an attempt. It will feature musical and cultural events while during the day the Italian Summer beaches are close. There will be only one political session each afternoon on the Iraqi resistance, the anti-war and anti-occupation movement, the threat of the US Empire and the European Union. But the most important thing is that it will be up to the anti-imperialist youth to decide, to lead this event according to their ideas.

It is a step forward searching instruments to dialogue with a youth which is not only disappointed with capitalism but willing to fight imperialism on the side of the oppressed. Anti-imperialism develops a mass appeal, however, in very timid forms which requires a step backward.

At the same time we do believe that the political and theoretical exchange, which Assisi s gathering gave space to, is necessary. Therefore we will organise an International Seminary scheduled for November in Germany under the motto The American Empire and its Ideology to which the anti-imperialist forces of the world are invited to participate or submit their contributions.

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Antiimperialist Camp
PF 23, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
www.antiimperialista.org/en
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