Internationalism Is The Blood Brotherhood The Peoples!
International Solidarity Is The Most Powerful Weapon Of The Peoples!
On October 7-9, 2022, the Anti-Imperialist Front held a symposium in Athens, the capital of Greece, with 45 participating participants from 21 countries from around the world.
1st Day
On the first day of the symposium, a film about Palestinian prisoner George Ibrahim Abdallah, organized by Samidoun (Samidoun-Solidarity Network with Palestinian Prisoners) and the Anti-Imperialist Front, was screened. The film screening began with an opening speech by Konstantina Kartsioti. Then Mohammed Khatib from Samidoun took the floor. Finally, Jalil Muntaqim took the floor. After the speeches, the film screening began. A total of 150 people attended the film screening, which lasted approximately two hours.
2nd Day
Saturday October 8, the second day of the symposium, began with the opening speech of Kostantina Karsioti. Speaking about the importance of this symposium, Konstantina said, “imperialism in the world is attacking peoples in an organised way, our task is to organise the peoples of the world against imperialism.” After Konstandina’s speech, two people from the Greek left spoke and mentioned the importance of this symposium.
Italian speaker Fausto Marini, who took the floor later, said:
“There are two classes in the world, and you cannot remain neutral; if you remain neutral, you will be crushed. Let’s talk about the NATO attack to the east. We don’t see any objective news about this war.”
Later, Pati Luceri from Italy took the floor and spoke about the hunger strike, one of the actions she took in solidarity with the death fast in Italy. He ended his speech by mentioning the importance of the symposium held by the Anti-Imperialist Front.
Later, Alberto Santin took the floor from Catalonia. Alberto said in his speech in the video he sent, he congratulated the Anti-Imperialist Front for its symposium, mentioning the struggle in Catalonia and Spain, talking about the importance of uniting anti-imperialists.
After Albert, Cinaed from the Mumia Abu Jamal committee took the floor. He spoke about the importance of the Athens gathering of anti-imperialists from around the world.
Later, Indira Rodriguez Paredes from Peru took the floor. In her speech, Indira mentioned the repression against them in Peru, police raids and arrests. She expressed thanks for being invited to this symposium.
Later, a person from the George Ibrahim Abdallah committee joined live via video conference and gave information about Ibrahim Abdallah, speaking about the importance of international solidarity.
Pamela Sanchez from Mexico stated that she had participated in the Anti-Imperialist Front Symposium before and stressed the importance of joint struggle. She said that imperialism is attacking the peoples of the world through NATO in an organised manner and that it is necessary to fight together in the face of this attack.
Jean Rouch from the Committee for the Americas Leonard Peltier spoke about the policies of US imperialism and spoke about the importance of fighting together against imperialism. We are here to ask for support for Leonard Peltier
Nikola Simovic from Serbia, in his speech; explained the policies of the government against the people in Serbia. He also described how America is trying to isolate China and Russia.
Steven Murney from the Saoradh organisation from Ireland started by saying thank you very much to the organisers of this symposium and told of Bobby Sands and about the history of the struggle of Ireland and ended his speech by expressing his support for the ongoing death fast in Turkey. “I wanted to come there, but I was prevented from boarding a plane and my exit from the airport was blocked,” he said. Sean Hannaway also made a contribution.
After the Irish speaker, TAYAD’s Hasan Basri Yıldız spoke. In his speech, Hasan Basri Yıldız explained the death fast resistance and the Ali Osman Köse campaign. He stated that there are 1,605 sick prisoners in prisons, 600 of them are seriously ill. He described the conditions of isolation. He explained the practices carried out to prevent the right to treatment in prisons.
After Hasan Basri Yıldız, Ayten Öztürk took the floor; Ayten Öztürk; I greet you all with my internationalist feelings. I would love to be with you physically, but unfortunately I can’t be among you due to the conditions I am in.
I also encountered torture, which was a policy of intimidating revolutionaries. in 2018, I was kidnapped from Lebanon and brought to Turkey. I experienced all kinds of torture for 6 months in a secret torture house in Turkey,” she said, explaining the state’s torture detention and disappearance policies.
Fausto Marini, a member of the Red Brigades from Italy, who took the floor after Ayten Öztürk, said: There are two classes in the world, and you cannot remain neutral, if you remain neutral, you will be crushed. Let’s talk about the NATO attack to the east, we don’t see any objective news about this war.”
Caterina Calia, who took the floor after Fausto Marini, said in her speech that imperialism has not changed, imperialism has bloodied peoples all over the world, and liberation is in the struggle against imperialism.
The father of Vasilis Maggos, who was tortured to death in Greece, said the following in his speech:
“My son was fighting for his ideals.”
“Police violence happens every day. My son was subjected to torture by policemen from the OPKE and MAT unit. This happened a month after the murder of George Floyd.”
“I have written to the Athens District Prosecutor’s Office. I demand this for my son: a fair trial… As my Turkish comrades say, our demands are the same. My demand for justice is written on the slogan I am holding. I want justice.”
The Anti-Imperialist Front Symposium continued with the speech of people’s advocate Günay Dağ from the HHB-International Bureau.
Günay Dağ explained the illegalities experienced by 11 Turkish revolutionary prisoners in Greece and the situation of Group Comment member Ihsan Cibelik, revolutionary journalist Özgül Emre and Serkan Küpeli, who were arrested in Germany on the grounds of 129a/b laws (anti-terror laws).
“Imperialism declares those who oppose it to be terrorists all over the world. They are trying to intimidate the revolutionaries, to subjugate them.”
Günay Dağ called on 11 Turkish revolutionaries to participate in the appeal trial to be held on November 16, 2022.
Alfredo Crespo from Peru said in his speech, “I send my feelings of solidarity to all political prisoners.”
“These people are imprisoned because they are struggling. In Peru, we are experiencing similar attacks.”
“They apply anti-terrorist laws to everyone who is a Marxist-Leninist. The situation is the same everywhere in the world.”
“I realised that those who are revolutionary are not treated like human beings. Human rights are not respected.”
“The real terrorists are the imperialists.” said.
Mohammed Khatib, speaking on behalf of the Samidoun Network for Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners, said in his speech::
“On behalf of Samidoun, I would like to thank those who organised this event.”
“We know very well that Turkish revolutionaries have fallen martyrs for the sake of the Palestinian cause.”
“There are more than 6,000 political prisoners in Palestine. 30 Palestinian prisoners are on an indefinite hunger strike against the practice of administrative detention. We salute the 30 Palestinian prisoners.”
“We are building a new future. We continue to organise our people. We are fighting against Zionism. If we defeat Israel, we will have defeated the United States and all the imperialists.”
Gökhan Yıldırım, a Death Fast Veteran who won a victory as a result of a 256-day death fast, participated in the symposium via Zoom. Gökhan Yıldırım said the following:
“First of all, I send greetings to everyone who attended the symposium…
I started the death fast on December 25, 2021 and engaged in the death fast for 256 days. I’m getting treatment right now. My health is not quite right.”
“I want to tell you why I started the death fast…
I was fighting against drugs in the Gazi Neighbourhood of Istanbul. In the Gazi Neighbourhood, we have closed many casinos and places of prostitution, together with the people. The state-AKP fascism was trying to smuggle drugs into our neighbourhoods. Because we didn’t let them, they conspired against us and threw us in prison.”
Despite the fact that we refuted the statements of the confessors, they sentenced me to 46 years. I was sentenced without any evidence. We applied to the courts, we did not get results. My sentence was upheld in the Supreme Court. I’ve looked everywhere for my right. We did everything we could, but we didn’t get it back. When I experienced these things, I decided to fast to death to increase the struggle for justice, thinking that I had done everything.”
“On the 255th day of my resistance I was released and on the 256th day I paused the death fast, having gained victory on the day. Hasan Karapınar was released thanks to our resistance.”
Gökhan Yıldırım ended his speech by saying, “We can only take our rights by resisting”.
After Gökhan Yıldırım, Jalil Muntaqim, one of the Black Panthers, who was imprisoned in the United States for 49 years, said the following in his speech:
“I greet you in peace and solidarity. I’m a member of the Black Panthers. I was imprisoned for 49 years. I organized the first prisoners’ meeting. I have also written two books. We have to ask the comrades who are currently on hunger strike, who are on a death fast: why do people fast to death? This question needs to be asked.”
“No one can be free in this land without Black people being free.”
“We will continue to support the struggle of the Palestinian people.”
Ileri Kızılaltun, a death fast resistance fighter, said in his speech, “On behalf of the Marxist-Leninists of Turkey, we greet you with the enthusiasm of the death fast.”
“The existence and activities of the Anti-Imperialist Front are very meaningful for the unity of the peoples of the world. In this sense, we thank you for your contributions to the world’s left.”
“Our resistance in the death fast is on the 294th day. Our resistance continues.”
“Sibel Balaç was being held at the Ankara Outer Gate hospital. Sibel Balaç was taken out of the hospital where she was kept, we don’t know why. I urge all anti-imperialists to call the Turkish Ministry of Justice for Sibel Balaç.” said.
In his speech, the representative of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, Nathan Hastings, said the following:
“We thank the workers of the Anti-Imperialist Front who have invited us here.”
“The history of Ireland’s struggle against colonialism goes back a long way.”
3rd Day
The second day of symposium. in her opening speech of the day, Konstantina Kartsioti said, “Today we will continue to deal with the issues of imperialism and anti-imperialism again.” said. And he continued as follows:
“New ones are being added to the imperialist attacks every day.”
“Aleksey Albu from Ukraine will participate and tell us about the latest situation in Ukraine.”
“Imperialism has not changed; it is attacking peoples all over the world. Syria and Iraq are examples of these.”
After the opening speech, Ali Ercan Gökoğlu, one of the 11 Turkish revolutionary prisoners in Greek prisons, spoke.
Ali Ercan Gökoğlu joined the symposium via Zoom and said the following:
“We welcome the participants of the Anti-Imperialist Front Symposium.”
“We salute Sibel Balaç and Ileri Kızılaltun, Ali Osman Köse, who has been held captive for 38 years, and the Palestinian prisoners who are fighting against Zionism and all the prisoners who are resisting all over the world.”
“We started an indefinite hunger strike on October 7, 2022. We were given 333 years in prison under anti-terror laws. We are not terrorists, we are Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries. Fighting against imperialism and fascism is not terrorism.”
“Terror is the occupation of countries with the lies of democracy-human peoples.
The terrorists are US-EU imperialism and the collaborationist fascist powers that are plunging the world into blood.”
“We have started an indefinite hunger strike because we know that there will be no fair trial at the court of appeal, which will be heard on November 16.”
After Ali Ercan Gökoğlu, Belarusian journalist Nadezda Sablina spoke. Summing up, Sablina said:
“Hello, comrades!
I am happy to be with you.
I agree from the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, and I hope that our country will become Soviet again in the future.”
“Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism, is in crisis. US imperialism is looking for ways to overcome this crisis. Capital needs a big war to pave the way. The US-NATO is fighting in Ukraine.
In the wake of this, a power has risen from the east. The power in the East is capitalist, but it is fighting against US imperialism. Although Russia is capitalist, its struggle against the United States is progressive. Some sections of the left find this assessment wrong, but Russia is not imperialist.
Russia has been made a neo-colonial state of the West. But decades later, he was able to get out of this situation.”
“The purpose of this war is to liberate Russia and the Donbass from slavery. We cannot deny the interests of the Russian big bourgeoisie, but the situation has reached such a state that it must receive the full support of all the progressives of the world. Belarus is involved in this war. Belarus is Russia’s closest ally. he has been resisting imperialist intimidation policies for 30 years. Belarus is in danger of NATO invasion.”
“The war in Ukraine is heading towards a world war. The defeat of imperialism is in favor of the peoples of the world.”
After the Belarusian speaker, Albert, the representative of the Assyrian People’s Assembly of Germany, spoke about the oppression of the Assyrians by German imperialism:
“Especially the Revolutionary Assyrians are subjected to repressions and kidnappings in imperialist Germany. The fascist state is trying to punish Sami Grigor Baydar, a member of the Assyrian People’s Assembly.”
Then he added the following:
“We demand the release of Sibel Balaç and 11 Turkish revolutionaries who were sentenced to 333 years in prison in Greekisan.”
“Imperialism is organizing a counterattack in Ukraine. Russia has used its right to self-defense in Ukraine.”
“International law should be applied equally to all countries.”
“NATO stands in solidarity with the Nazis in Ukraine.”
“More and more countries are turning to Russia and China.”
After the representative of the Syriac People’s Assembly of Germany, Stefan Petrov took the floor on behalf of the September 23 Movement from Bulgaria. Stefan Petrov spoke as follows in his speech:
“Alexey Albu told how the communists should take a stand against the Ukrainian War and how they should fight in the current situation.”
“Many of the Bulgarian people look at the Russian people with sympathy because they are culturally and historically close to Russia. But after February, the political atmosphere changed. The media began to share one-sided news against Russia. They brought diplomatic relations to the breaking point.”
“We need to unite!
The greatest enemy of the peoples is US imperialism. It would not be right to compare Putin with the actions of imperialism.”
Syrian journalist Ahmad Al Ibrahim sent a message to the symposium. In his message he says:
“The system of imperialism is a bad system.”
“It is the imperialists who suck peoples’ blood.” “Capital is part of corruption. A class society can only be corrupt.” “The excessive profit ambition of imperialism is destroying our world.”
Then the symposium was continued with the reading of Aleksey Albu’s speech from Donbass. He himself could not attend the symposium because there is no Internet in Donbass.
Aleksey Albu said the following:
“Hello, comrades!”
“Some successes have been achieved in the special military operation launched by Zelensky.
Russia has the willpower not to make concessions to the United States. Tens of thousands of people are currently being trained. A month later, we may face completely different situations in the war.”
“It is important for imperialism to preserve its existence. It has to find new sources. The target is Russia. Over the past 10 years, Russia has taken the necessary measures to protect itself. It is important for Russia to survive in the economic war. We have seen that the soft underbelly of capitalism, especially in Germany, is Europe.”
“Today, our main task is to strengthen organisational unity. If the European states do not change their policy, a revolutionary situation will arise. We have to be ready for that.”
In the message sent by the Prisoners Solidarity Network from Germany, the following was mentioned ;
We send our greetings. We demand the release of Sibel Balaç and 11 revolutionaries who have been sentenced to long prison sentences in Greece. Imperialism is organising a counter-coup in Ukraine. Russia has exercised its right of self-defence in Ukraine.
More and more countries are turning to Russia and China. International law should be applied equally to all countries. NATO stands in solidarity with the Nazis in Ukraine.
In a written statement sent by the Peace Group Against War from Switzerland, he mentioned the following ;
Comrades, hello. Our struggle for socialism and justice is valuable. The events in Ukraine prove this to us every day. No dialogue with the imperialists is possible anymore…?
Then, from Italy, Liliana Ciorra took the floor on behalf of the Ayten Öztürk Solidarity Committee / Anti-Imperialist Front. Liliana said:
“Hello, comrades!
“We are all going through a big upheaval. Imperialism is before us in all its rottenness. It is before us with all the means of pressure at its disposal. Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian people and the opposition of the Turkish state are narrow. There are clashes in many places. As for what is happening in Europe, we know that there is a war between NATO and Russia. Dec. For now, the US is only benefiting from this war. The United States and NATO have been trying to keep Europe under control for decades with wars so that new competitors do not emerge.”
John Parker from the USA in his speech;
Zelensky rejects negotiations with Russia and the world is heading towards the Thırd World War. It is the poor people who have suffered the most in the US-led NATO war. Biden spends $70 billion to support the Nazis. I just came from Lugansk. They’re not just attacking there, the Nazis are in charge. International unity is more important than ever. If the working class can unite, NATO will be defeated, he said.
Pierre-Olivier Poyard from France demanded freedom for all political prisoners in France, Greece and Turkey in his speech.
Afterwards, Halkın Law Firm Lawyer Ceren Yılmaz spoke about Sibel Balaç and Nuriye Gülmen in her speech. Ceren Yilmaz said Sibel Balaç was being held in the prisoner’s ward of the hospital, which is a worse place than prison. He stated that Sibel Balaç no longer has time left and should be released immediately.
Then the Italian speaker, Eduardo Sorge, Representative of the SI Cobas Trade Union, took the floor.
Eduardo Sorge spoke as follows:
“SI Cobas is a fighting position established by the workers in 2010. The logistics sector, especially in Italy, is a young and new sector. Especially immigrants work in this sector. We started our work among the workers Decisively with strikes. Our work is not only against the police. We are also organising and fighting against fascists. Most of the companies in Italy work in the logistics sector.”
The speaker from the ANC Association Nationale Des Communistes trade union touched upon the following in his speech; He gave information about how the trade unions came under the guidance of imperialism after the collapse of the USSR and about the trade union movements in France. In the continuation of his speech, he emphasized the importance of fighting together against imperialism.
Suddhabrata Deb, a representative of the “Release the Poet Convenors Committee” from India, said in his speech::
“It is important to speak at this symposium, which we think is just in time. This is a very obvious thing. It’s time to hold each other’s hands. The violence in India is planned and systematic. The state has arranged everything for itself. They conspired in the Varavara Rao case.”
After Deb’s speech, Miguel Sanchez, a lawyer from Peru, said in his speech; I would like to thank everyone who organized and participated in this symposium. We extend our solidarity with the struggle of political prisoners around the world, their struggle is our struggle. We offer our solidarity with the political prisoners in Turkey.
After the speech of the Representative of Peru, Şadi Naci Özpolat, one of the 11 Turkish revolutionaries imprisoned in Greece, addressed the following in a written statement he sent; He explained the issues of imperialism and anti-imperialism. He stressed that the only way for the liberation of peoples is to fight against imperialism.
After reading the written text sent by Şadi Naci Özpolat, Lilianna Ciorra made a speech on behalf of the Ayten Öztürk Solidarity Committee established in Italy; I would like to convey my thanks to all the comrades who organized the twentieth Anti-Imperialist Front symposium this year.”He started by saying that Ayten Öztürk experienced the process of abduction from Lebanon, told about the torture and the injustices she suffered in the sequel.
Then Alex Dillard, a member of the Friends of the Soviet People from the United States, said in his speech that he spoke for the political prisoners illegally held in the United States.
Finally, a Greek guest came out and said that he was happy to see anti-imperialists from all over the world here, and it is a very good feeling to see that we are not alone. He ended his speech by saying that I am sure that the bonds of solidarity will become stronger in the process of this symposium.
Erdal Gökoğlu, who sent a message from a Belgian prison, stressed that the struggle against imperialism is an honor, that imperialism will be buried in the trash of history, that imperialists are Revolutionaries in the face of the new world order, in the face of the surrender of peoples.
The symposium ended with the singing of the Internationale Anthem at eight in the evening.
The symposium, Greece, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, Peru, France, Mexico, USA, Serbia, Ireland, Turkey, Palestine, Belarus, Germany, Bulgaria, Syria, Ukraine, India, Cyprus, Belgium, in total 45 participants participants from 21 countries with a 3 day-long symposium of the peoples of the world against imperialism, although this is a modest step in the combine, has a great importance in the world today because of the lack of the instance. These small steps have taken their historical place as the nuclei of the larger troops of the larger steps that we will take. This symposium, which we organised for 3 days in Athens, showed that the problems of the peoples of the world should have the same methods of struggle. While imperialists around the world are sucking peoples’ blood and adding wealth to their wealth, our main task is to unite the oppressed backward peoples of the world and make them fight against imperialism and ensure the liberation of peoples.
At the end of this year’s symposium, we promised each other to hold a mass symposium next year.
We ended our program by promising that we will work much harder to fulfill our tasks of uniting the peoples of the whole world against imperialism.
Anti-Imperialist Front
