STATEMENT
UPON THE WAR OF AGGRESSION OF THE NATO AND USA
By Members of International
Struggle Marxist-Leninist
UPON THE US LED IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION
IN THE BALKANS.
At times of war - whether a war is
declared or undeclared, Marxist-Leninists must be especially vigilant,
and must not be misled by the profuse propaganda that erupts from all sides.
Accordingly, the organisations-parties listed below, wish to make two main
points about the current crisis in Europe. The parties listed are all represented
on the editorial board of International Struggle Marxist-Leninist.
FIRSTLY, we strongly condemn the barbarous
war of aggression waged by
the United State of America and the other NATO imperialist
states. This war openly violates the United Nation Charter and indeed the
NATO statutes, and rides roughshod over all the rules of International
Law, against Serbia. Serbia is a sovereign state which has not made an
act of overt aggression against them.
The military attack against Serbia
shows once more the ferocious nature of North American and European imperialism
and the true essence of Nato, which is a military instrument always well-trained
to guarantee the undisputed control of the world markets to western financial
capital.
The rivalries of the USA and of the
European imperialists have temporarily been diminished as a series of events
have recently retarded and weakened the more determined and more "Eurocentrist"
of the EEC capitalists. These various events, include the exposure of corruption
of the Council of Ministers, the resignation in Germany of Oskar Lafontainne,
and the blatant sycophancy of the Blair government in Britain to the USA.
This weakening of the most determined anti-USA section of the EEC capitalist
class, has facilitated the joint USA-NATO
attack, at this time.
The reasons given by the USA-led NATO
imperialists in order to justify their aggression are deeply hypocritical
and false. The imperialists do not aim at all at "defend" and "protect"
Kosova people, but in contrast, they aim to ensure for themselves a total,
economic and political control of the Balkans. The easiest way for them
to ensure this is to allow a continuing tension on the ground in the Balkans,
to simmer into repetitive flames. This is precisely what they have done
in the Balkans over the last years.
DOWN WITH USA AND EEC IMPERIALISM!
DOWN WITH NATO AGGRESSION!
Thus far, most organisations-parties
who call themselves Marxist-Leninists will agree. We must however point
out a Second Matter, which has received
inadequate attention.
The national liberation struggle of
the Kosova people, even if at present it is not directed by communist forces,
is a just struggle and must be backed by everyone who is for the Marxist-Leninist
point of view and for the fundamental interests of international proletariat.
This includes the interests of the Serbian proletariat - who should heed
the call of Marx and Engels to the British workers. Marx and Engels said,
the British workers would never gain their liberty until they actively
fought for the rights of self-determination of the Irish.
The claws of modern day imperialism
first raked across Kosova, at the London Conference of 1912 following the
defeat of the Turkish Ottoman empire. Then the imperialists "largely ignored
demographic realities and.. and ceded the vast region of Kosova to Serbia".
During the Second World War, the right of Kosova people to self-determination
was recognized not only by the Communist Party of Albania but also by the
Communist Party of Yugoslavia. At the First Conference of National
Council of Liberation of Kosova, held at Bujan in December
1943/January
1944, a resolution was approved. This, after recognizing
that Kosova was:
"a region inhabited by a majority of Albanian population
who aim, as they have always aimed, at unifying themselves with Albania";
Declared that
"the only way to be followed by the Albanian population
of Kosova and of Dukajin plateau is a common struggle with the other peoples
of Yugoslavia against the bloody German occupants and their serfs: this
is the only way which brings to freedom, thanks to which all the peoples,
and consequently the Albanian people too, will be able to decide their
destiny under their right to self-determination up to secession".
Upon the basis of this resolution, the
Albanian partisans united with the Yugoslav partisans in the armed struggle
to free the Yugoslav soil from the Nazi occupation.
But after the end of the war the revisionist leadership
of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, who brought forward a nationalist,
not Marxist-Leninist, policy, violated the commitments taken at the Conference
of Bujan, didn't grant self-determination to Kosova people and kept Kosova
region within the boundaries of the new Federal Yugoslavia.
During the Tito years the region has
always been exploited in a colonial way, being a producer of raw materials,
by the bourgeoisie of the Federation richer regions.
After the Federal Yugoslavia disintegration,
the new constitution of the Serbian Republic, in force since September
1990, abolished almost entirely the administrative autonomy granted to
the Kosova region by the 1974 Yugoslav Constitution. In October 1991 the
Kosova Assembly -labeled "illegal" by the bourgeois and nationalist Serbian
government of Slobodan Milosevic organised a popular referendum on the
matter of regional sovereignty. 87% of Kosova population took part in it,
and 99.87% voted for Kosova sovereignty.
In reaction to the heavy, and brutal
repression of the nationalist Serbian government against their repeatedly
declared will for liberation, the Kosova people, during the years of the
1990s, intensified and spread their resistance up to armed struggle.
The under-signed organisation-parties,
express total support to the national liberation struggle of the Kosova
people who, in accordance to the Marxist-Leninist principle of self-determination
for peoples, have their right to bring forward, whatever strategic and
tactical steps that this struggle may need; up to separation from Serbia
and to the attainment of their complete national independence.
The under-signed organisation-parties,
condemn the actions of the brutal
Milosovic inspired aggressions aimed at de-populating
and reversing the demographic reality of Kosovar-Albanian majority in Kosova.
We must however point out to the Kosovar
working class and peasantry, that supporting the US and NATO led imperialist
bombing war in the North of the former Yugoslavia - once more ties their
fate to that of the imperialists. The imperialist Treaty of London divided
Albania into two, and "gave" Kosova to the Serbs. Relinquishing now their
freedom struggle to imperialist USA and NATO - would lead the Kosovar people
into yet another, and equally tragic blind alley.
Therefore we criticise the calls of
the Kosovar Liberation Army in calling for support of the NATO strikes
- both before and since the start of air-strikes - as a grave mis-understanding
of how to achieve real nationhood and meaningful
independence.
For the Kosovar people - such calls
to NATO leadership, can only retard
their main and final goal - socialism. If for the Serbian
peoples it is necessary to repudiate their bourgeois leader's suppression
of Kosova independence - the corollary for the Kosovar working peoples
is to understand that national liberation of oppressed peoples involves
a struggle against imperialism, as well as a struggle against the immediate
oppressors.
All progressive peoples should recognise
the validity of both these aspects. If only the first aspect (ie condemning
NATO aggression)is adopted, this will not ensure either the future peace
on the Balkans, nor will it assist any of the peoples of the Balkans whether
Serbian, Bosnian, Macedonian or Kosovar to abolish capitalism and establish
socialism.
DOWN WITH USA AND NATO AGGRESSI0N!
FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE KOSOVAR
ALBANIANS!
"TAKE IMPERIALIST HANDS OFF
THE BALKANS!"
Signed By :
Lenin Committee (Italy);
Alliance Marxist-Leninist (North
America);
Communist League (UK);
Marxist-Leninist Communist Party
(Turkey).
Issued 10th April, 1999.