Trotskyist Platform

Issue 17 December 2014 cost of printing $5 T ro t skyis Pla form UNLEASH INDUSTRIAL ACTION now to REVERSE THREE DECADES OF ATTACKS ON WORKING CLASS PEOPLE

Melbourne, 12 June 2014: Tens of thousands of trade unionists march in opposition to the federal government’s anti-working class budget. The Abbott regime’s participation in the issue 17 December 2014 predatory U.S.-led war in Iraq and Syria is aimed, in part, at diverting working class hostility to the budget and other anti-worker measures at home in Australia. The workers movement

must unleash its immense power to oppose the U.S./Australia war campaign in Iraq and Syria

as part of building a militant class struggle fightback against the ruling class’ budget and anti-union attacks. (Story page 9) Front Cover (clockwise from top): Workers at the Ausreo site in western Sydney, members of the AMWU manufacturing workers union, picketed the site for 10 weeks after the bullying bosses locked out the workers and refused to negotiate a pay rise. The workers’ defiant

struggle won solidarity from many other trade unionists. Class struggle methods are the Provocation By Violent Racists road to workers’ victory! (Story page 2) The march commemorating the 10th anniversary of the racist police killing of much loved 17-year-old Aboriginal boy, TJ Hickey, passes through Crushed in Brisbane Redfern. (Story page 39) “Drive out the fascist filth” chant protestors at the successful 2nd May anti-fascist counter protest in Brisbane which brought together construction workers from the CFMEU, BLF and ETU unions together with anarchists, Trotskyist Platform supporters, members of the Socialist Alliance and other anti-racists. (Story page 33)

trotskyistplatform.com po box 1101 fairfield nsw 1860 more than ten years on and Justice For TJ hickey Can Still +61417 204 611 Be Won by the United Force of All Those who are Targeted [email protected] By the Same racist, rich people’s State That Murdered Him Trotskyist Platform issue 17 december 2014 ISSN 2201-358X

2 Smash Abbott’s Budget. Rely on Class Struggle Not Campaigning for ALP/Greens Governments. Unleash Industrial Action Now to Reverse Three Decades of Attacks on Working Class People.

9 U.S./Australia: Hands off Iraq and Syria! Defend Syria against Western Imperialism & its “Rebel” Proxies! Workers Caught in the Crosshairs of Capitalism: Don’t Let the Jingoistic Beat of War Divert You from Justified Anger at the Exploiters & Their Budget. Abbott/Shorten’s War and “Anti-Terror Laws” are Bad for Working Class People. 20 Greetings for the October 1 Anniversary of China’s Great 1949 Revolution. Down with Yuppy, Anti-Communist Hong Kong Protests.

22 Suffering of a Public Housing Tenant. Fight for Proper Maintenance of Public Housing. Stop the Neglect and Stop the Sell-Offs. 27 For Working Class Action against the U.S. & Australian Rulers Backing Israel’s Genocidal Terror. Support the Palestinian Struggle for Self- Determination! Defend Syrian Self-Determination against NATO’s Proxy Armies! 33 Provocation by Violent Racists Crushed in Brisbane: Unions United with Leftists & Other Anti-Racists Got the Job Done! 39 Mobilise United Action of Aboriginal People, Trade Unions and “Ethnic” Communities to Demand: Justice For TJ, Jail for the Racist Murdering Cops! 43 Stop Capitalist Job Slashing through Class Struggle. Force Bosses to Increase Hiring at the Expense of their Profits! 49 Force the Ruling Class to Hold Back Their Cops from Killing Aboriginal People – Unleash Union/Black Action! Palm Island Aboriginal Hero Lex Wotton Joins Brisbane G20 Protests.

50 Freedom for the Refugees! No to Offshore or Onshore Detention! Build a Pro-Working Class Refugee Rights Movement. 54 Racist Cop Attack on Teen Gathers Protesters Outside Police Station. 58 The Main Enemy Are the Capitalist Rulers at Home. Lift Western Sanctions on Russia! Down with NATO/Australian Meddling in Ukraine! Abbott & Shorten Use Ukraine Plane Tragedy to Promote Support for Aussie Imperialism. Defend the Just Struggle of the People of the Donbass! For the Revolutionary Unity of the Ukrainian and Russian Working Class! 93 Anti-Fascists Give Violent Racists a Drubbing in Marrickville. Build Trade Union-Centred Mass Actions to Crush the Fascists! 99 Sydney Rally Opposes Entire U.S. and Australian Imperialist Intervention in Syria and Iraq. SMASH ABBOTT’S BUDGET Workers triumphant at the Ausreo site in western Sydney after learning that their struggle had forced the company to grant them a real wage increase. Class struggle methods are truly the road to workers’ victory!

Sensing public sentiment, opposition parties class attacks. This capitalist system requires have come out against several budget that more and more gets squeezed out of the measures. Even greedy tycoon Clive Palmer and his conservative party have stated their intention to vote against some measures. ALP working class masses to satisfy the profit leaders have tried to restore their battered Thedemands worsening of the filthyof the rich position corporate of owners.working credentials with their working class base class people began not with the election Melbourne, 1987: Members of the Builder Labourers Federation (BLF) protest against their persecution. by denouncing the unfairness of the budget of Abbott but three decades earlier. This The BLF trade union was deregistered the year before by the then Hawke Labor government with the to low and middle income people. But let corresponded with the worldwide assault on assistance of the NSW Wran Labor government and the Victorian Cain Labor government. Governments us not forget that the previous government, workers and the poor associated with Ronald sent in police to raid union offices and to surround major building sites in order to violently prevent BLF for the most part a de facto Labor-Greens Reagan and Margaret Thatcher’s anti-union members from going into their jobs. The capitalists and their social democratic servants targeted the BLF coalition, also made life harder for the poor. offensive and Cold War anti-communist drive because it dared to use militant industrial action to fight for workers’ rights and other progressive social The former ALP/Greens government cruelly against the former USSR. In this country, justice causes. The ALP’s smashing of the BLF was criminal treachery against the ALP’s working class base. drove 84,000 low income single parents the Bob Hawke and then Paul Keating RELY ON CLASS STRUGGLE NOT CAMPAIGNING FOR ALP/GREENS GOVERNMENTS – mainly single mothers – into extreme Labor governments that came to power poverty when they threw them off the in 1983, privatized the Commonwealth parenting payment onto the much lower Bank and Qantas, ended free education for UNLEASH INDUSTRIAL ACTION Newstart Allowance. Furthermore, the last tertiary students, straightjacketed the trade government undermined public housing. In unions through an anti-strike “Accord” and 2010, then housing minister Tanya Plibersek smashed the militant BLF union that dared – a supposed “Left” who today is Labor’s to defy the Accord. From Hawke onwards now TO REVERSE THREE DECADES main spokesperson at anti-Abbott rallies every new government has heaped new – worked together with the then state ALP hardships upon the masses. The Keating government to plan the sell-off of public Labor government divided and weakened the OF ATTACKS ON WORKING CLASS housing from NSW’s biggest public housing union movement by opposing industry-wide 3 July 2014 - Over the last four months, tens of thousands of people have been marching estate at Claymore. Plibersek’s program, bargaining in favor of Enterprise bargaining. in large rallies protesting against the right wing Abbott regime. The first budget of which saw a large number of public dwellings Howard then followed with his notorious the Liberal-National government has rightly enraged working class people, students sold off, is now being carried through further attacks on unions, Aboriginal people and and leftists. In measures that will hurt the working class, retrenched workers and the by the present state Liberal government. “ethnic” communities. The subsequent Labor poor the most, Treasurer Hockey’s budget has slashed funding for public hospitals and government maintained most of Howard’s will make people pay a $7 fee for each doctor’s visit. The latter measure is likely to be Labor and Labor/Greens governments are right-wing measures and introduced new the thin edge of a wedge aimed at slicing up any semblance of universal health care. not fundamentally better than conservative ones too. The Gillard and Rudd governments Resources for Aboriginal services will be slashed, public funding for universities will governments because, while the ALP leaders not only continued Howard’s racist policy be cut by 20% and graduates will have to pay their tuition fee debts back when their would like to appease their working class of quarantining 50% of the social security incomes are lower. People on the Disability Support Pension are to face nerve-wracking supporters and the Greens have a kind of payments received by Aboriginal people “re-assessments” of their eligibility for the pension. Most cruelly, unemployed people liberal-progressive ideology, they are both in the NT but even extended the draconian under the age of thirty are to be thrown off payments for six months a year. This will committed to maintaining the capitalist measure to poor people of all ethnicities surely lead to even more homelessness, poverty and youth suicide. order - the root cause of the anti-working in others areas including Bankstown in

2 3 Sydney and the Brisbane suburb of Logan. class reforms. When the Fraser government Many are hoping that decisive The Rudd government Mark II also detailed sought to dismantle the Medibank universal sections of the budget will be blocked a plan to slash over 5,000 public service health insurance scheme - the predecessor to by the Senate. Any blocking of jobs – a measure so severe that even the Medicare – unions launched industrial action reactionary measures by opposition staunchly Laborite leadership of the CPSU culminating in a national general strike on parties reacting to mass outrage public service workers union, for a couple of 12 July 1976. Unfortunately, the impact of would be welcome. However, in the weeks last August, suspended campaigning absence of decisive class struggle for Labor. And now we have Abbott’s gang in pro-ALP, ACTU leaders who refused to follow action that forces all the pro-capitalist theseup the powerful general actionsstrike waswith deflected further action.by the parties to retreat from the planned public sector jobs and social services. Nevertheless, the effect of the strikes was to measures, any parliamentary moves office threatening still more vicious cuts to deter Fraser from implementing the full suite against the budget will only be The Coalition’s program will not be defeated of neo-liberal attacks that he was planning. partial. Already, last month, the ALP by campaigning for an ALP or ALP/Greens Today, as seen in the 30,000 strong June 12 and Greens voted for the first budget Sydney, July 6: Thousands of trade unionists and leftists march government. Beholden to the demands of union rally in Melbourne, there exists the supply bills – bills that included the in opposition to the anti-working class budget of the right the capitalist system, such a government working class anger at the budget to launch curbing of rises in the aged pension wing federal government. would likely maintain similar policies to powerful strike action against it. Such action and the slashing of legal aid services the Liberals albeit with less aggressive must not only oppose the Budget but must for low income people. If it is not mass action that ultimately destroys the budget then language and at best a slightly slower pace an ALP leadership that opposes Coalition attacks when in Opposition today could, once of new attacks. The only way that attacks on working class people are facing – from the in government, push through identical measures by using its union connections to working class people and the poor will be fightRoyal toCommission smash the witch full rangehunt against of attacks the demobilize mass resistance. It is worth noting that the ALP actually opposed the Howard defeated is through mass struggle centred on unions, to the sell offs of public housing, to the government when it first started slashing payments to low income single parents only strike action by the trade unions. By hurting planned job cuts at the CSIRO, ATO and other to then drastically extend the cutbacks once in office. For their part, the Greens have public sector areas and to the impending spoken out against privatization but as part of the recently deposed governing coalition action could force the capitalist elite to tell further electricity privatization in NSW. with the ALP in Tasmania, the Greens openly supported the privatisation of electricity thetheir profits government of the to corporateback off its bosses,anti-working such distribution. Meanwhile in France, the ALP’s social democratic counterpart (and a more left-talking one at that) the Socialist Party when in opposition campaigned on A REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAM Versus A SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PROGRAM an anti-austerity platform. Yet, today the administration of Socialist Party president, Francois Hollande, is not only overseeing an official unemployment rate above 10% but Melbourne, August 2012: Mounted police attack union construction workers during a workers’ dispute with implementing Abbott-like cuts to public services and public sector jobs while slashing the greedy Grocon corporation. The organs of the state are being unleashed ever more aggressively against the taxes for big business. In fact, the unpopular policies of France’s social democratic union movement, targeting in particular the CFMEU construction workers union. administration have created conditions for the rapid rise of dangerous far-right forces. In contrast, if it is class struggle action that number of wealthy capitalists dominate the defeats the reactionary Budget measures then it could open the way to struggles to progressive measures to what is acceptable turn back the three decades of attacks on economy.to the capitalist The ALP order and Greens and at in best office try limit to

for what working class people really need. the working class and then lead on to a fight fundworkers’ social wages programs and pave with the budgetway for deficits future against Abbott’s budget attacks should move –austerity deficits attacks which causeon the inflation working that class. erode In Classon to struggledemand actiontruly free beginning public with healthcare a fight contrast, we Marxists say that the money for (including free specialist and dental visits), the public services that working class people a huge increase in funding for public need should be ripped out of the hands of the hospitals alongside measures to ensure that greedy corporate bosses – ripped away from those who have extracted their wealth by of private contractors, the abolition of all plundering workers’ labour. The combined thoseanti-strike resources laws, don’tthe flowremoval into theof pocketstertiary wealth of Gina Rinehart, Andrew Forest, the education tuition fees and fee-debts and Pratt family, Frank Lowy, James Packer, Clive a massive increase in low-rent public Palmer and the other of Australia’s 200 richest housing. To these demands the enemy will business owners alone is an astounding respond: where will the money come from? $177 billion. That’s nearly 150 times more The ALP and Greens cannot deal with this than what the government will save over question because they accept as a given four years from its starvation budget cuts to the current, social structure where a small payments to younger unemployed people!

5 action we ended up with Workchoices Lite - Something that will be happening more the working class badly needs a leadership that is, with an industrial relations system and more if the capitalist ruling class gets Tothat lead will the refuse necessary to submit class struggle to the fightbackdemands away with imposing its agenda of attacks on of capitalism. Although seeking to ride on pre-2005 Howard days. trade unions and cutbacks to social welfare: anti-budget protests to promote the ALP’s significantly worse for workers than in the a homeless man in George Street in Sydney electoral fortunes, the current ALP leaders The anti-capitalist perspective that must city. The period covering both the Howard become dominant in our unions includes the Liberal government and the Rudd and industrial action. Pro-ALP union leaders necessity to stand by all those downtrodden Gillard Labor governments saw a startling increase in homelessness. ofhave the bureaucratically workers movement suppressed are calls stifling for by the same system that exploits workers. For example, right now, the union movement militants. We should never forget what must mobilise contingents to support the industrialhappened to action the struggle from rank-and-file against Howard’s union brave activists in the Redfern Aboriginal Tent Workchoices industrial legislation. In 2005 Embassy in their struggle to oppose developer and early 2006, hundreds of thousands of and government plans to re-develop workers risked their jobs to participate in Redfern’s Block without any provision for The reason there are inadequate jobs is solely order to stop them laying off workers. We industrial action against these anti-worker affordable housing for Aboriginal people. the fault of the greedy, big business bosses should not let the likes of tycoon Kerry laws. But then the ACTU leaders wound and the governments that serve them. The down the industrial campaign in favour of an would also demand asylum in Australia with BHP get away with retrenching workers. The electoral strategy, turning the slogan “Your Thefull citizenshipfighting union rights movement for all refugeesthat we needwho cut back production - and thus employ less Stokesresponse and of the the filthyworkers rich movement big shareholders to Abbott of Rights at Work Worth Fighting For” to “Your are headed here. Only by actively opposing profit-obsessedworkers – and sell exploiters their produce would often at a higherrather and Hockey’s pledge to make everyone “Earn Rights At Work Worth Voting For.” However, attempts of the exploiting class to blame price than boost production and reduce or Learn” should be to say: We are going to the resulting Labor government then went refugees, Aboriginal people and “ethnic” prices to sell the added output. Furthermore, on to retain most of the Howard laws, communities for the social ills caused by the corporate bigwigs are always looking to industrial action to force companies planning including the anti-strike provisions, in its their rotten capitalist system can we weld the cut jobs and make those that work toil harder. fightjob cuts for topeople’s retain theirright workersto “Earn” at by the mobilizing expense own industrial laws. Instead of Workchoices working class into the united force that can Last December, one of the subsidiaries of being thoroughly smashed through strike defeat the capitalist rulers. the Seven Group, heavy machinery supplier fully accessible, round-the-clock childcare. WesTrac, retrenched 630 workers even after ofAnd their we are profits going and to ensure by demanding that young free people and ALLOWING EVERY YOUTH A REAL CHANCE TO “LEARN OR EARN” the corporation announced a $486 million MEANS STANDING UP TO THE CORPORATE BIGWIGS for free tertiary education with a full living main owner, billionaire Kerry Stokes, can gain trulywage havefor all the students. choice to “Learn” by fighting The ideology “justifying” Abbott’s plans to drastically restrict payments to young profit for the financial year. Why? So that its unemployed people and Gillard’s equally cruel slashing of payments to low income lifestyle. More recently BMA, the mining In order to end unemployment, we should single mothers is the notion that these measures would force these supposedly unwilling morecompany profits 50-50 to lead owned a still by more Australian extravagant giant mobilise a class struggle campaign to people to either “Learn or Earn.” This is a despicable slander against unemployed BHP Billiton and Japanese conglomerate workers and single mothers. The reason people are unemployed is simply because Mitsubishi announced it was laying off to increase hiring at the expense of the size of there are not enough jobs available and in the case of single parents also because there over 230 workers as part of productivity demand laws that force profitable companies is a lack of available childcare that could enable a single parent to work. “improvements” with more retrenchments capitalists will of course scream that this will expected. All this despite BHP announcing in theirdrive profits.them out As weof business.fight for such To thisdemands, we must the respond: if you cannot operate enterprises in to a spectacular $US8.1 billion and Mitsubishi a way that provides jobs for workers – and it February an 83% jump in its half yearly profit is clear that you can’t - then you should not be Unfortunately, the current pro-ALP union allowed to own these enterprises. They need recordingleadership a obscures full year the profit bosses’ of $US3.8 responsibility billion. to be ripped out of your hands and brought for job losses by saying that local jobs can be into public ownership so that production can be planned to provide jobs for all. However, to local corporations to help them compete not only are all current parliamentary savedagainst through overseas calling rivals. for However, financial what support we need is not to line up workers behind calls to the factories, banks, transport systems and support local bosses but to mobilise struggle partiesmines from hostile the capitalists, to the idea any of party confiscating that did against these greedy corporate thugs in

Opposite page: Health sector employees opposed to the government’sattempt to movesdo so towould force peopleface fierce to pay resistance for doctor’s visits are among the hundreds of thousands of people who have marched in rallies opposed to the Abbott government’s cruel and unfair budget.

7 Darwin, July 6: Large and spirited anti-government demonstrations have highlighted the multi-racial character of the most active section of Australia’s powerful workers movement.

from the judiciary, police, army and top the workforce and undermine the public U.S./AUSTRALIA: echelons of the bureaucracy, all of which have services that working class people most been built up for the very purpose of serving need without any serious resistance. When the exploiting class. That is why for our struggles to triumph they must culminate in betrayed their working class base in the HANDS OFF IRAQ AND SYRIA! the working class leading all of the oppressed socialquest democratsto gain acceptance gain office from they the have capitalist always in a revolutionary movement to sweep away class who really run society. This has been DEFEND SYRIA AGAINST WESTERN IMPERIALISM & ITS “REBEL” PROXIES! the current capitalist state and to build a new true both in Australia and in every other WORKERS CAUGHT IN THE CROSS HAIRS OF CAPITALISM: DON’T LET THE JINGOISTIC workers state that will implement a socialist BEAT OF WAR DIVERT YOU FROM JUSTIFIED ANGER AT THE EXPLOITERS & THEIR BUDGET system based on collective ownership of the party. Inevitably, this causes such frustration economy. countryand demoralisation with a significant amongst social the democratic masses ABBOTT/SHORTEN’S WAR AND “ANTI-TERROR LAWS” ARE BAD FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE that social democratic governments often Above: A home in Kfar Derian in Syria’s western Aleppo province destroyed by U.S.-led air strikes. The imperialist Workers, retrenched workers, Aboriginal pave the way for governments that are even bombing has already killed dozens of Syrians. people, “ethnic” youth, students and leftists: further to the right than those governments October 1 – The most fearsome force on the planet is once again slamming missiles we are at a crossroads. After three decades of that the social democrats had originally mounting assaults on our rights, the severity into the Middle East. Over the last few weeks the U.S. imperialists have bombed Iraq. of the recent Coalition budget shows that we Last week, they and their Saudi, Qatari and other lapdogs started bombing inside Syria. are facing the spectre of the drastic cutbacks replacedIt is high when time taking for the office. workers movement That was done without Syrian government consent – a violation of Syria’s sovereignty. to public services and public sector jobs that to take a new road. The road of militant Shortly after this attack, the Syrian Foreign Minister asserted that: “We have already the masses in other capitalist countries like class struggle, of the workers movement stated that we consider any violation of Syria’s sovereignty as aggression.” Greece, Spain, Italy, France and Brazil have championing the cause of all of the oppressed Australia’s capitalist rulers could not wait to allies – for the sake of its proxy war against and of rejecting divisive protectionism. A In those countries, the austerity measures road where the working class will not be get involved. The Liberal government– with Syria’s government. Indeed, U.S. support enduredhave been since implemented the global by financialright wing crisis. and diverted by any dead end paths of seeking to 100% support from the ALP “opposition” – for ISIS was so blatant that prominent U.S. social democratic governments alike. If the administer the existing capitalist state. A road deployed troops to the Middle East to join the senator, John McCain, not only expressed Australian masses have not experienced that will end with the working class toppling U.S. before any other country. These forces support to ISIS leaders in a meeting with the same level of trauma it is only because the decrepit capitalist order and building a include 200 special forces troops as well as a the Syrian “Rebels” in May last year that China’s booming, public sector-dominated, socialist society. Such a new society, instead was shown on CNN but was even in a photo of driving youth and the vulnerable into bombers. Today, Abbott announced that shoot with none other than ISIS leader – “The by purchasing a huge amount of Australia’s destitution under the guise of “Learn or theseRAAF forcesgroup wouldwith eight start Super operations. Hornet fighter- Caliph” – Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi! socialisticproduce. Yet, economy China’s has demand kept Australia for Australian afloat Earn” will truly enable every person to “Earn exports will ease as Beijing moves to rebalance or Learn” by guaranteeing jobs for all as well When the U.S. and Australia invaded Iraq last ISIS are indeed cutthroats who subjugate its economy towards services and high-end as free education and free 24-hour childcare. time it was done under the bogus pretext of women and murder non-Sunni minorities in manufacturing. How are we then going to Let us get on to that path by building a destroying non-existent nuclear weapons. the regions that they control. Yet how little respond to the threat of extreme austerity concerted campaign of industrial action and This time the excuse is to destroy the this war actually has to do with stopping measures here? The social democratic mass struggle to smash Abbott’s Budget. We fundamentalist ISIS (“Islamic State”) group. extreme religious terror is highlighted program of minimising class struggle action must start to roll back the three decades of Except that ISIS was one of the Syrian “Rebel” by the fact that one of the close U.S. and subordinating it to the goal of electing attacks against the toiling masses with whose groups built up and trained by Washington – allies bombing relatively secular Syria social democratic governments has been an collective hands the future socialist society both directly in covert camps in Jordan and to supposedly stop the “Islamic State” is abject failure. It has allowed the capitalist will be built. indirectly via its Turkish, Saudi and Qatari exploiters to weaken our unions, casualise itself the most savage fundamentalist,

8 9 “Islamic State” in existence, Saudi Arabia. with its Australian and other allies, it killed In Saudi Arabia, women are forbidden hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in its March from driving cars and hundreds of people 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation. – many exploited migrant workers – Most importantly for Obama, the pretext of have been publicly beheaded in the last stopping ISIS allows them another chance few years including for such “crimes” as to hammer the strategic Middle East into adultery. a region of total subordination to the U.S. The fact is that ISIS could not have achieved - one where U.S. companies will have an its current strength without earlier Western exclusive grip on the oil valves. Thus, the U.S. support for its war on Syria and without used its intervention in Iraq to, within days, Syria, May 2013: Prominent U.S. Republican Senator John McCain goes to Syria to meet with the “Rebel” forces to Turkey helping ISIS forces cross through leverage the ejection of prime minister Nouri discuss U.S. supply of arms and money. After the meeting, McCain stated that it was “a very moving experience to Turkey into Syria. ISIS was also bred out of al-Maliki. Although himself a long-time meet these fighters” and called for even greater U.S. support to these “Rebels” whom he described as “moderates.” the horror caused by the U.S./Australian Western puppet, Maliki occasionally pulled In the Left-hand side photo which was published at the time by CNN, McCain is talking to none other than ISIS occupation of Iraq. Support for these Sunni on his puppet strings too forcefully for the leader Abur Bakr al-Baghdadi (shown encircled in both photos). In the Right-hand side photo, also posing with extremists was incited by the Sunni-Shia liking of the U.S.A – for example, by building McCain is to his left a then Al-Qaeda – and now ISIS – operative (holding a gun) and General Salem Idris, then leader of the “moderate” Free Syrian Army proxies of imperialism. frictions caused by Washington repeatedly relations with U.S. foe, Iran. So Washington swapping sides from favouring Shia to Sunni used the weight of its latest intervention to will be unleashed not mainly against ISIS but Furthermore, while the Gaddafi government communities in Iraq in a destructive game of have his premiership buried by rival Iraqi against the Syrian government. Indeed, it is did not have many strong allies, the Syrian divide and conquer. politicians. likely that in the longer term if not sooner, the When ISIS and other Syrian “Rebel” groups Yet the most sinister plans of the U.S. and U.S. will slide over from hitting ISIS targets to the last three years, both socialistic China and government does have significant ones. Over its allies are reserved not for Iraq but for bombing Syrian government forces directly. Syria’s powerful ally, Russia, have used their Shias, Christians, Kurds and secular Sunnis, Syria. The Western imperialists want to Washington is hoping that by blatantly positions as UN Security Council members notcarried only out did horrific Western massacres regimes against continue Alawis, to use this latest intervention to accomplish impinging on Syria’s sovereignty through the to veto Western imperialist resolutions back these forces but the Western media a longstanding push to depose the Syrian air strikes, it may be able to even provoke a aimed at bolstering the “Rebels.” Indeed, lionised these groups and sought to pin their government which, although capitalist, is not war with the Syrian government in the short following last week’s commencement of the atrocities on the Syrian government. Obama compliant enough for Washington to accept. term. At a meeting with White House guests, U.S.-led bombing campaign in Syria, Iran and only decided to move against ISIS because Thus, as part of the Iraq/Syria intervention, Obama threatened that if Syria attempts to Russia both denounced the air strikes as a it was turned against Washington’s more the U.S. has supplemented its already huge attack any U.S. war plane the U.S. would take violation of Syria’s sovereignty. So did some favoured Syrian “Rebel” groups and because covert backing for anti-government Syrian down Syrian air defences and overthrow the leading Chinese state-owned media outlets ISIS in Iraq was threatening to overrun the “Rebels” by instituting a massive plan to Assad government (The New York Times, 13 which additionally warned Washington that Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government – a openly arm and train in a Saudi camp so- September). China would not accept the air strikes being regime subservient to the U.S. So now that called “moderate” Syrian “Rebels” – that However, utilising in Syria the model that extended into direct attacks on the Assad Washington’s vicious ISIS attack dog has is, all the largely fundamentalist “Rebel” they used to overthrow Libya’s Gaddafi government. Meanwhile, the Lebanese, Shia- escaped its master’s control, the master is government will not prove so easy for based, Islamist group Hezbollah has for trying to reign in its monster. But the master is Washington’s leash. Neither the U.S. nor the Washington. Although weakened by the some time directly supported Syrian military the biggest monster of all: a monster, indeed, “Rebels”factions who have are made still any held secret firmly of at the the fact end that of years-long war against the “Rebels,” Syria’s resistance against Washington’s “Rebels.” of such gigantic proportions that, together the resulting greater power of the “Rebels” military is still much stronger than Libya’s was.

February, 2012: A NATO airstrike in Rocklea, southern Brisbane: Kapisa, Afghanistan kills 8 children. One of several Muslim prayer During the height of the U.S./NATO/ centres defaced by racist Australian “war on terror” operation in filth following the Abbott Afghanistan, the occupation forces killed government’s announcement over 1,000 Afghan civilians every year. of Australia’s participation in the U.S-led war in Iraq and Syria. Even with 400 Australian troops still deployed its senior partner in Washington is willing to in Afghanistan, Abbott and Shorten are just so risk the livelihoods of millions of Australian excited to have the military involved in a new toilers - who rely on China’s booming state- war. They see it as a chance to try out new owned enterprises buying the lion share of weapons and whip up militaristic sentiments Australian exports - in order to achieve their in the population. It is in good part through strategic goal of smashing socialistic rule in the jackboot of the military - or its threatened China. They understand that the continued use – that the Australian capitalist class, existence of a workers state in China is not which exploits workers at home, is able to only a barrier to the unimpeded exploitation still more ferociously exploit the workers of China’s huge working population but an Left: Australian troops in action in East Timor. Right: December 2013 protest by East Timorese against Australian of East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, obstacle to the imperialist subjugation of capitalists’ theft of Timor’s oil and gas wealth. The protest followed revelations that Australia had spied on East the Solomon Islands and the Philippines the “Third World” masses. Timorese officials in order to gain the upper hand in negotiations over partitioning East Timor’s seabed natural That is why it resources. Protesters chanted, “Australia, imperialist, capitalist!” and “Australia is a thief of world oil”. Australian and to rob these countries of their natural is crucial for the workers movement in imperialist jack booting around the South Pacific region is underpinned by U.S. power. Hence, the Australian resources. Moreover it is no secret in ruling Australia and the whole world to stand for capitalist rulers’ loyalty to U.S. imperialism and the Australian ruling class support for U.S. marauding in the circles that just like Obama’s “Pivot to Asia,” the defence of socialistic China, however Middle East. the main target of Australia’s military build- deformed it may currently be from the Stand against U.S. and Australian Imperialist Militarism up and the U.S. troops stationed in Darwin is socialist “ideal.” the People’s Republic of China. Canberra and In the Middle East and Everywhere Else! The U.S. rulers and their partners have not finalised their war strategy or even their Down with Anti-Terror Laws! Down with Racist Attacks exact war aims. But as bullies so used to getting their way through sheer brute force, on Muslims and Other “Ethnic” People! their mantra is: When in doubt … bomb! Whatever exact strategy they come up with, we can be sure that it will be disastrous for the masses of the region and will be a threat To back its war drive, the Australian government has whipped up hysterical fears of to the toiling classes of the whole world. Given their contemptuous disregard for the a “terrorist threat” to Australians from ISIS. However, to date not a single person has peoples of the “Third World,” the U.S.-led forces will kill huge numbers of civilians as ever been killed by Islamic fundamentalist terrorists in Australia. In contrast, racist “collateral damage.” That is what they did during their “war on terror” in Afghanistan state forces have killed hundreds of people. Let’s recall for example the February 2004 which saw NATO forces killing over 1,000 civilians per year during the height of the racist murder by police in Redfern of 17-year-old Aboriginal boy T.J. Hickey, the Palm occupation and the Australian military commit its own atrocities like the 12 February Island beating to death in custody of Aboriginal man Mulrunji Doomadgee by a police 2009 massacre. It was then that, in Uruzgan, that SAS commandos killed five children sergeant and the horrific tasering to death by police of Brazilian student Roberto Curti by throwing hand grenades into a family home. Meanwhile, the more overt presence in 2012 for allegedly stealing biscuits. in the region of its U.S. senior partner will embolden the Israeli rulers to still more aggressively terrorise the Palestinian people. All this and the fact that they are now being targeted by the American imperialist monster, that symbolises injustice to so Lakemba, Sydney: Hundreds of Muslims protest against the draconian, September 18 “anti-terror” raid. many, will only bring ISIS more recruits. That in turn will prolong the war which will allow the Western powers more opportunity to still more rigidly impose their will on the region. If they succeed in doing that and especially if they are able to manufacture regime change in Syria it will feed their appetite to openly devour other parts of the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Domestically in the U.S., Britain, France and Australia, the pumped up capitalist regimes will act still more arrogantly. Here that will spell more draconian attacks on the unions, Aboriginal people, refugees and the poor. That is why the working class and oppressed can only welcome any setbacks in the Syria-Iraq military campaign of their rulers. What is needed is a movement of the working class and downtrodden in the U.S.A, Australia and elsewhere to demand: U.S./Britain/Australia: Hands Off Syria and Iraq! U.S., Australian, British, French militaries Get Out of All of the Middle East! Defend Syria against Western imperialism, its Fundamentalist Arab Allies and its “Rebel” Proxies! All remaining NATO and Australian troops get out of Afghanistan now!

12 Some extremist supporters in Australia surveillance. Yet just six days prior to the of the Syrian “Rebels,” emboldened by raid when Abbott raised the “terror threat” government and media support for their level to “high” he had insisted that, “We have cause, have conducted attacks on supporters of the Syrian government. Although these (News.com.au website, 12 September). attacks were indeed frightening, they pale in Givenno specific that the intelligence raids were of launched particular just plots” four scale compared to the violence that has been days after Abbott announced the deployment Left: The sword seized by police as “evidence” during a raid on a Sydney home as part of the giant “anti-terror” unleashed in Australia by white supremacist of combat troops, many suspect that the raids raid on September 18. The sword was used by police, government and media to sensationalize claims of a plot groups and extreme racist individuals. Let us are simply a stunt by the government aimed to behead random people. The Murdoch-owned Daily Telegraph newspaper directly linked the sword to the beheading plot. But it now turns out that the sword … was made of plastic! It was bought at a night market and remember the terrible violence that racist at justifying the new war. Muslim community has been on display in the family home for several years. The reality of racist, capitalist Australia means that if rioters at Cronulla Beach unleashed against members who protested against the ferocity you are not of white skin – and especially if you are of South Asian or “Middle Eastern appearance” – it can be Middle Eastern, South Asian and Aboriginal of the raids in a 500-strong rally in Lakemba dangerous to have in your possession any toy that looks like the one shown on the Right. During the raid that youth in December 2005. Then there is noted that the police had violently roughed seized the “sword” shown on the Left, 21 year-old painter Mustafa Dirani was arrested before being released the series of horrific racist bashings and up women and children during the operation. without charge. The sword is a Zulfiqar, an important symbol of Shia Islam. However, ISIS is a Sunni extremist murders of Indian students and taxi drivers group which considers Shias to be their greatest enemy. Many of their atrocities have been directed against Shias. Just like most Aboriginal people have always - and Chinese students as well - that made This makes the fact that a Shia family could be targeted in supposedly anti-ISIS raids all the more ridiculous. The felt, more and more Muslim people in supposed “war on terror” is really a racist war against Muslims and other “ethnic” communities. It is part of a headlines five years ago but have actually Australia are seeing the police as the terror broader ruling class war against the rights of the entire working class at home and against governments in the continued unabated since. It is the far-right “Third World” that refuse to bow down to imperialist orders. groups and violent racists that constitute the threat that they most fear. Their fears were real terrorist threat in Australia! However, reinforced when Victorian police shot dead violence – even directly feeding into it will be used to further spy on and intimidate the Australian authorities have done next to Muslim teenager Numan Haider last week. by joining the racist chorus against the militant unionists in the manner that special nothing to stop these forces. Typical of the Backed up by the government and media, Muslim burqa. After all, why would he even building industry laws have already been “resolve” of police to stop racist terrorists police claimed the shooting was an act of pretend to stand against extreme racism used to persecute activists of the CFMEU was seen a couple of years ago when a young “self-defence” after Haider had stabbed two – the racist climate that he has cunningly construction workers union. That is why Korean man surnamed Cho was attacked officers. Yet, again many question marks exist helped to create and the war fever that he it is urgent for the union movement, by racists in the southern Brisbane suburb over the police story. Outrageously, Haider’s has infected part of the population with is the Left and anti-racist groups to unite of Runcorn. Local cops “investigating” the grieving family have since received death helping to divert frustrations away from in determined action to demand the incident insulted him saying that Asians are threats. The hyped-up, racist government, his government’s unpopular, anti-working abolition of all the anti-terror laws. stupid and silly and shouldn’t walk around at police and media campaign has encouraged class budget. The terror threat hype has also Similarly, the workers movement must stand night. extreme racists to go on a violent stampede helped the government – with the backing of against the racist terrorism hype which serves against anyone who looks Muslim. Racist the ALP Opposition – to massively increase The contrast between the authorities’ to divert the working class masses from the cowards have shoved Muslim women on the funding for ASIO and to today push through acceptance of racist terrorism and the extreme truth that it is the capitalist exploiters at streets and ripped off their headscarves. The draconian new “anti-terror” laws. The laws police mobilisation when they conducted home and the governments who serve them fascist Australia Defence League has called will make it easier for ASIO to hack into your raids against alleged ISIS supporters on who are the ones who are attacking our for a new Cronulla riot. Racist idiots have computers and postal mail. Dangerously, it September 18 could not be greater. With unions, planning to make us pay for doctors’ targeted Sikh Indians because they think that will give ASIO and police officers immunity media fanfare, a huge 800-strong police and visits, threatening to make those of us under their turbans mean that they are Muslim. from prosecution for crimes that they ASIO contingent raided homes in Sydney 30 starve for six months a year if we lose our Meanwhile, the homes of Muslims have been commit during intelligence operations and and Brisbane. Yet, after all that only two jobs and forever eroding our right to secure, scrawled with racist insults. In Melbourne, will see journalists and whistle blowers – people were charged and one just for a lack permanent jobs. Activists have called a a violent racist slammed the head of a 26 like Edward Snowden – jailed for up to 10 of a firearms permit. The police claimed that rally for 3pm on this Sunday, October year-old Muslim woman travelling on a train years for revealing details of intelligence the other person who was charged was part 5 at Lakemba Train Station to oppose against the carriage wall. Although some operations. Although these laws are framed of an ISIS plot to behead random civilians. the vilification of Muslims. Trotskyist of the population have truly been scared as being aimed against the likes of ISIS, their The media gleefully hyped up that claim into Platform urges all organisations and into bearing, largely imaginary, fears of a a hysterical fear campaign about “Muslim ultimate target is the workers movement, individuals in the Left and the working terrorist attack, Muslim and other non-white terrorists.” Nevertheless, the police story is the Left and Aboriginal and other anti-racist class to join this action. Only by resisting communities are living with the very real yet to be proven and seems to be full of holes. movements. After all, that is who ASIO most the racism that the ruling elite seeks to infect fear of racist attack. For one, the police claimed that the alleged spies on now! In particular, as the ruling class our ranks with can the workers movement terrorist group had hatched their plot months Prime Minister Abbott has made a point gears up for union-busting attacks against achieve the unity we need to defeat the attacks ago during which time they had been under of refusing to condemn any of this racist construction workers’ unions, the new laws we are facing from the capitalist rulers.

14 15 We need mass actions to defend the power of the organised workers Belhadj, the “former” head of the Al Qaeda their economies have lurched from one crisis Muslims and other embattled non-white movement behind it which can repel police in Libya group. Belhadj and his supporters to the next, the U.S.-led imperialists have communities against racist attacks - such attempts to crush such a mobilisation. A later collaborated with and helped train the become increasingly rabid in their predatory actions as the one on July 26 in Sydney’s trade-union centred action like this took pro-Western “Free Syrian Army” “Rebels” ventures. They have been targeting not only Marrickville when over 80 leftists, trade place on May 2 in Brisbane when more than on the Turkish-Syria border. Meanwhile, “Third World” countries like Iraq, Afghanistan unionists and other anti-racists united to a 100 construction workers from the BLF, Washington and its allies not only backed and Syria but also other developed drive out a planned anti-Muslim picket by the CFMEU and ETU unions formed the core of the Al Qaeda offshoot ISIS but also trained capitalist powers. In February, Washington white supremacist Party For Freedom. Key a 200 strong group that routed a planned and backed the official Al Qaeda-allied orchestrated a right-wing coup, spearheaded to a successful anti-racist action is having march by the neo-Nazi Australia First Party. group in Syria, the Al Nusra Front – who by fascist gangs, to depose the previously are actually, currently, the strongest non- elected Ukrainian president in order to Build Working Class Opposition to the Imperialist War Campaign ISIS, Syrian “Rebel” group. However, it was create a regime there hostile to Washington’s The “war on terror” is, in fact, a tragically self-fulfilling prophesy. It is the repression, not just Washington that was up to its neck emerging capitalist rival, Russia. Meanwhile, racist vilification, marginalisation from society and jobs and the knowledge that the in collaboration with Al Qaeda in Syria. The part of Washington’s purpose in seizing imperialist invaders are devastating their lands that drives a very small percentage of previous Australian Labour government, in control of the oil-rich Middle East is to have Muslim youth in Australia into the arms of reactionary forces like ISIS. Of course, it is support of the Syrian ”Rebels” – of which Al the ability to use that against its German the most reactionary elements who choose to join such outfits – far-sighted individuals Qaeda is a key component – spearheaded imperialist and Japanese imperialist future choose to react to oppression by becoming leftists instead. Yet contrary to mainstream Western diplomatic moves against the Syrian rivals. The new U.S.-led direct intervention propaganda that depicts “Australian values” as the very opposite of ISIS, the sad truth government. In May 2012, the Australian in the Middle East is, thus, yet another signal is that it is the worst values prevalent in Australian society – shaped as it is by the regime became one of the first countries in that the crumbling capitalist system will in capitalist system and by its origins in the genocidal dispossession of this country’s first the world to expel Syria’s top diplomats from the future lead us into the horror of a new peoples – that help to push a small number of disaffected Muslim youth into the arms their country. world war if it is not first overthrown. of reactionary fanatics. These “values” include piggish, male chauvinist bigotry against All this shows to what extent the imperial However, the question is what political force women and hatred of people from ethnic and religious minorities. powers will go to in order to subjugate is going to be able to challenge the imperialist Although the U.S. and Australian rulers do Red Army backers. After all, that was why the world. However, this drive to world rulers and their increasing militarism. The now seem to, for the moment, want to crack Al Qaeda were so well trained, armed and domination is not merely a policy choice for ALP have once again proved that their social down on ISIS, ISIS are hardly the first fanatics funded! Even after the war against Al-Qaeda the capitalists. It is an absolute necessity democratic program means that they will that the Western imperialists have nurtured became a convenient excuse for imperialist for them as their crumbling system cannot always on big questions betray the interests in order to achieve their goals only to later intervention in Afghanistan, Yemen and survive unless they find new sources of of their working class base. In contrast to turn on them when it suited their purposes. elsewhere, Washington continued to work labour to exploit, fresh natural resources the ALP, the Greens at least oppose troops Thus Al-Qaeda – of which ISIS is an offshoot closely with Al Qaeda in other theatres. Thus, to plunder and new markets to corner. As being sent to the Middle East and had the - was created and built up by the CIA in among the key “Rebel” factions that NATO the late 1980s to organise foreign fighters backed and brought to power in Libya in 27 March 2011, Sydney: The first action in Australia against the NATO attack on Libya opposed all forms of to join Washington’s anti-communist war 2011 was Al Qaeda itself. In fact, after NATO’s imperialist intervention – military & diplomatic as well as funding of political groups – in the Middle East and called to “Defeat the NATO air strikes on Libya.” Trotskyist Platform (the initiator of the action), Supporters of the against the leftist Peoples Democratic Party “Rebels” took power in Libya, the capital, Iranian Peoples Fadaee Guerrillas, the then Revolutionary Socialist Party and more anti-imperialist individuals of Afghanistan government and their Soviet Tripoli, was commanded by Abdulhakim within the Stop the War Coalition participated in the rally. Trotskyist Platform was the only bona-fide left group in Australia to fight for the defence of Libya against the NATO imperialists and their “Rebel” proxies. decency to vote against the anti-terror laws. Against the intense propaganda that has a However, the Greens contributed to the majority of Australians currently backing current reality in Syria that has opened the the war campaign, we can point out to class- way to the U.S.-led intervention. They were conscious workers that the same politicians the strongest backers of the pro-imperialist and media who lie to you when they say drive for regime change in Syria. They were that curbing unions and privatising public the first parliamentary party to demand the enterprises is good for you are also lying expulsion of Syrian diplomatic personnel and when they say that this military campaign called for even more aggressive sanctions on and the anti-terror laws are in your interests. Syria. Following the Greens in supporting We need a movement that can expose the pro-imperialist Syrian “Rebels” were the Abbott’s claim that all Australians have a various reformist-left groups that often (to common interest in “Team Australia” against varying degrees) pander to the Greens - like external threats. The notion is disgusting that Above: Today’s Libya. The victory of the NATO-installed forces has brought to Libya chaos, endless violence, Solidarity, Socialist Alliance and Socialist heightened oppression of women and murderous attacks on black African residents. Yet the victory of these low income workers share the same interests Alternative. pro-imperialist “Rebels” was welcomed by reformist left groups likes Socialist Alternative (see below). as greedy capitalist billionaire Andrew Furthermore, although the Greens oppose Forrest who wants to throw unemployed Australia’s participation in the U.S.-led workers off the dole! There is no “Team military campaign, they have stressed that Australia” because one part of the supposed now that the Australian military is there in “team” derives its wealth from exploiting the Middle East they are in full support of the rest of the “team.” Abbott wants to sell them in their actions. However, the Australian us the “Team Australia” myth so that we military is not some institution serving all will be looking out for external threats while Australian people. In capitalist Australia, the capitalist members of our “team” are the military - like the police and ASIO - is peacefully emptying all of our pockets. an institution created and maintained for Let us build a movement centred on the serving the exclusive interests of the capitalist working class and oppressed Aboriginal and exploiting class. Regardless of whether some “ethnic” communities that can oppose this of its personnel are recruited from working imperialist military campaign in the Middle class strata, the military will be acting against East. Let us build towards union industrial the interests of Australia’s and, indeed, the action against the military campaign. What world’s working class people. Every success is urgently posed right now is to build for the U.S. and Australian militaries in energetic demonstrations demanding their latest Middle East campaign will be a “U.S./Australian imperialism: Hands blow against the interests of the working Off Syria and Iraq!” Such actions must class and downtrodden. seek to win the participation of the What we need to do is to build a movement most politically aware trade unionists, that will not only oppose Australia’s Aboriginal activists and working-class participation in this military adventure “ethnic” youth and must be based on but will oppose the imperialist military slogans that openly appeal to the class campaign itself and oppose the institution interests that the working class have in of the capitalist-serving military. Such a opposing the militarism of the Australian movement must be based on the organised ruling class. And out of the struggle to build working class united with all of the such a pro-working class, anti-imperialist oppressed. It is possible to win the working movement, the fight to build a revolutionary class to oppose the military intervention workers party will begin. because these imperialist interventions are diametrically opposed to workers’ interests.

18 19 However, because of Hong Kong’s PRC, the police in Hong Kong are racist. economically strategic location and Whereas in the mainland it is state-owned harbour it became a wealthy port/ companies that dominate the economy, in Hong Kong it is powerful capitalist tycoons, centre. In a similar way to Singapore often linked with organised crime (or they ittransport creamed hub off and the a wealth financial produced and tourist by are simply the triad bosses themselves) workers in surrounding regions. Therefore, that rule. Asia’s richest man is Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong has a large middle and upper- the Hong Kong tycoon who owns Hong middle class. It is these layers who are Kong’s ports among many other things. the backbone of the current, anti-PRC The PRC leaders, as part of their wavering movement. The movement is even wrong policies, have done the wrong thing by by bourgeois-democratic principles. Hong allowing a “one country, two systems” Kong is just a tiny proportion of China - it formula where Hong Kong is allowed has just 0.5% of the PRC’s total population. to maintain a capitalist system. This The protesters’ demand is the equivalent has allowed pro-capitalist forces great district and harbour region demanding that anti-PRC movement to have life. The theyof people can completely in Sydney’s determine wealthy their financial own currentinfluence policy and should thus enables be reversed the currentor else area’s policies separate from the whole of pro-capitalist elements in the mainland Australia’s national laws - thus enabling will also be emboldened by the Hong Kong them to keep for themselves the wealth 17 August pro-PRC rally in Hong Kong was attended by over 110,000 people. “pro-democracy” movement. which they have creamed off (through The policy should be “one country, one Greetings for the October 1 anniversary of transport, retail etc) from the production system of socialism!” The companies takingfinancial place parasitism throughout and the whole payments country. for and wealth of Li Ka-shing and the other capitalists in Hong Kong should be China’s great 1949 Revolution The anti-PRC movement in Hong Kong ripped from their hands and put into is, of course, backed by the Western- Down With Yuppy, Anti-Communist Hong Kong Protests public ownership. The banks, insurance funded NGOs. Although many naive, liberal companies and ports in particular must 1 October 2014: Today in Hong Kong, the Western media are playing up the young people have been sucked into the become state-owned. This will not only anti-PRC, anti-communist protests. The protests are indeed large but the Western movement, the leaders of it understand that provide the public resources in Hong Kong media ignored a huge pro-PRC rally in Hong Kong just weeks ago. The main trade Western-style parliamentary “democracy” to put an end to homelessness and free union federation, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, is pro-PRC. The in Hong Kong would enable the those living in the cages from their horrible parliamentary party with the biggest vote in Hong Kong is the pro-PRC, Democratic anti-communist side to leverage capitalist Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong. It was formed by pro-communist people existence but will enable Hong Kong’s and leaders of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions. wealth derived from its location to be at Despite the privileged position of Hong least partly shared with all of China’s 1.4 Hong Kong was stolen from China by the media hide. wealth and influence to get their way. Kong, with its large upper middle class, it billion people. The defeat of the capitalists British in the 1840s as part of the Treaty In 1967, there was mass workers struggle is still very much a capitalist class society. in Hong Kong would also win the PRC the of Nanking. That followed China’s defeat in in Hong Kong. This was led by communist There is a large and exploited working trust and more active support of Hong the Opium War. The humiliating treaty for activists and the pro-PRC, Hong Kong class there. There are tens of thousands Kong’s working class and would undercut China allowed Westerners in China to have Federation of Trade Unions. The British of people in Hong Kong living in what can the present, anti-communist movement. “extraterritoriality” meaning that they colonial authorities responded by arresting only be described as cages - tiny, semi- were not subject to Chinese laws. Comradely, hundreds of workers and murdering some underground pens. When I was there in Under British rule, Hong Kong people had 30 to 40 worker and communist activists. 2010, I noticed that there was a much higher Praba, Trotskyist Platform Mailout no democracy whatsoever. They were Many activists were simply beaten to death proportion of homeless people there than Organiser simply subjects of Britain ruled by the after arrest. in the mainland. Also unlike in the mainland British Governor. This is something the

20 21 Fight for Proper Maintenance of Public Housing Stop the Neglect and Stop the Sell-Offs Suffering of a Public

Housing 28 June 2014: Members of the Illawarra-based Public Housing Union, Millers Point public housing tenants, supporters of public housing and Trotskyist Platform rally in Auburn to defend public housing. The main rally banner reads: “Stop the Sell Off of Public Housing! Smash the Attacks on Services That Working Class People Tenant Need the Most. Massively Increase Public Housing – Just Like What China Is Doing” Left: One of the damaged pipes that the NSW Department of Housing and wealthy a reckless manner that they contaminated for their rights) and then rides roughshod maintenance contractor Spotless had left most of the furniture and goods in the home. over these “subbies” by paying them for in a terrible state of disrepair at a public housing residence in Waterloo in inner city Thus, the family’s furniture and beds and particular maintenance jobs based on a gross Sydney. much of their clothes, shoes and personal underestimation of the real time it takes to items were marked as “contaminated” and complete the jobs. The subcontractors, in 30 April 2014 – How would you feel if the children you are caring for had to live in a were subsequently taken away to be dumped. turn, in order to make decent returns, then house where the leaks are so bad that not only does the kitchen and dining room flood Virginia Hickey was only offered an insulting frantically rush the jobs and thus often do when it rains but the penetrating water causes short circuits that present a potentially amount of compensation for the loss of the them in a shoddy and careless manner. fatal electrical hazard to occupants? Unfortunately, this is just a part of what one tenant family’s goods which she, understandably, However, while public housing tenants and the children she cares for had to go through as a result of the willful neglect of her rejected. are suffering, the owners of Spotless – the landlord. However, her landlord is not just any landlord. Her landlord happens to be the ruthless private equity millionaires running The Spotless company that failed Ms government as she is a public housing tenant. Hickey and her grandchildren so badly is, actually, one of the main companies that The tenant, sixty year-old Virginia Hickey, March 2010, Spotless, the company which arePacific so promisingEquity Partners that after (PEP) the – arecompany absolutely was has a contract to maintain public housing wants her story told as she knows that many has the contract with the Department of boughtraking itby in. PEP Indeed, for $723 the profitsmillion of in Spotless August dwellings in NSW. Their owners and others living in public housing are going Housing for the maintenance of her home, 2012, now – less than two years later – PEP through similar experiences. Ms Hickey expects to sell just half of the company for thugs notorious for exploiting and bullying (known affectionately as “Aunty Bowie”) Yet, this so-called “renovation” was done in $1 billion! Now you know where much of theirexecutives workers. are From profit-obsessed 2010 onwards, corporate Spotless has lived in her house in Douglas Street in afinally half-baked, organised reckless for the and renovation arrogant tomanner. begin. the budget for public housing is ending up! sought to force cleaners employed by them the inner city Sydney suburb of Waterloo Thus, when Spotless asked Ms Hickey and the Not in the provision of more public housing to sign individual contracts called Individual for many years. She is the primary carer for children to vacate the premises during the dwellings and quality maintenance but in the Flexibility Agreements (IFAs) which left the two of her grandchildren and, additionally, renovation, they did not provide any alternate cleaners worse off. Workers who refused to two younger grandchildren, one with a accommodation. Instead, the Hickeys had to accept the new anti-worker “Agreements” With the Department of Housing and its serious diabetic condition, stay with her on pockets of filthy rich private sector bosses. had shifts taken off them – in other words, Spotless contractor having overseen such weekends. Hickey was initially told that the renovation wouldfind accommodation take six weeks. for themselves.Instead, it tookVirginia 11 they were given a huge pay cut. As Ms Hickey a shoddy “renovation” of Virginia Hickey’s The family’s ordeal actually began several months! They were forced to live away from and her grandchildren found out, Spotless home in Waterloo, it was only a matter of years ago. Maintenance on the home was so their home for eleven months! You might time before the house crumbled further. neglected by the housing authorities that the think that after this 11 months that at least its employees but also by saving costs This occurred around February 20 when the not only make huge profits by exploiting whole place was falling apart: the stove was not the quality of the renovation would be of a through doing a worse than half-baked job working, the taps were faulty and everything high standard. However, the very opposite on maintaining public housing dwellings. and kitchen of Ms Hickey’s residence during The way it often works is that Spotless hires rainfall.water started The leak flooding was sointo bad the that dining it caused room were in a terrible condition. Eventually, subcontractors (it prefers them to direct short circuits that sent the power zapping on afterfrom pressing the roof the to theauthorities walls to for the years flooring they showerwas the werecase. stillHalf not the repaired. roofing hadFurthermore, not been employees as it is easier for actual employees and off and endangered the lives of Virginia seemingly acquiesced to her requests. In Spotlessfixed, a door performed was loose the and maintenance the toilet andin such the Hickey and her grandchildren. A check of the to unite and organise into unions to fight 22 23 Sydney, 5 November 2009: United front protest outside the office of then federal housing minister, Tanya Plibersek, demands a massive increase in public housing. Several speakers at the Trotskyist Platform initiated rally condemned the then ALP federal government for undermining public housing. Today, some ALP politicians who are now in opposition, including Tanya Plibersek, pretend to be friends of public housing even though the last ALP federal government worked with the then NSW ALP state government to organise the sell-off of hundreds of public housing units in the Campbelltown area in outer Sydney. What Virginia Hickey and her grandchildren Woonona and Wollongong in the Illawara. As are going through is similar to what many other public housing tenants are authorities deliberately neglect maintenance experiencing. Why is this happening? One eventhis privatisationmore in order campaign to squeeze intensifies, out tenants the reason is that the private sector businesses faster. given the maintenance contracts, like Governments are especially keen on selling off and, thus, seek to cut costs in their public housing dwellings in inner city areas Guangzhou: A public housing complex in this southern Chinese city. Over the last few years, more public housing maintenanceSpotless, are work greedy at profit-driventhe great expense entities of like Waterloo and scenic areas like the Rocks dwellings have been built in socialistic China than private ones as part of the Peoples Republic of China’s plan to and Bellambi because they know that they build 36 million public housing units during the 2011-2015 Five Year Plan. In Australia, only one in twenty five public housing tenants. The reality is that people in urban areas have access to public housing. In China, the proportion is nearly four times that figure and with private sector corporations given the can get a big revenue hit from it while their rapidly increasing all the time. construction and maintenance work, public developer mates in pole position to buyout housing in Australia is far from fully “public.” such dwellings can make a quick killing. The house by the family found that the roof was the days of very heavy rain in Waterloo on interests of public housing tenants does not The housing authorities are fully aware that in terrible condition and the guttering and March 6, March 25 and March 27 and the the likes of Spotless are doing a shoddy drainage pipes were rusted and full of holes. long periods of rain from February 27 to tenants are expendable as far as Australian job. This situation is, actually, to their And all this just three years after a renovation March 2, March 24 to March 28 and April governmentseven figure here. are The concerned. needs of workingWhether class it’s liking because they tenants to feel that was supposedly so “thorough” that 11 to April 16. Desperate, Virginia Hickey want the right wing Liberals in government, the uncomfortable in their homes. Over the last Spotless had to make the family vacate the not only pressed the housing authorities but social-democratic ALP or even an ALP- twenty years, governments of all stripes have house for 11 months! contacted the ombudsman and politicians. Greens coalition, governments administering been trying to slash the amount of public All made slimy promises of immediate relief the capitalist state only serve the interests That, unfortunately, was only the start of the housing dwellings and one of their favourite of the obscenely rich big business owners. family’s latest housing ordeal. For, instead ways of doing this is to make tenants so a full eight weeks after Ms Hickey’s dining And those interests demand taking more and but nothing was fixed. It was only on April 17, unhappy with the state of their dwellings more from working class people especially that they move out “voluntarily.” In the last as the capitalist economies of the world theof immediately problem. An fixing electrician the leak, did the arrive housing to room and kitchen first started flooding, that few years, the government campaign against still swirl in the vortex of the 2008-2009 terminateauthorities power disgustingly leads in stalledthe dining on fixingroom However, with the authorities having so the housing authorities fixed the leaks. Great Recession. That is why not only are with insulation which did reduce the chances neglected genuine maintenance of the house, four years, governments have demolished, governments slashing public housing but the of electrocution. However, this also meant just one week later the gas supply in the house soldpublic off housing or announced has intensified. their Overintention the last to last ALP/Greens government cruelly slashed that the family were without lighting and went out. This has left the family without hot sell-off large numbers of public housing payments to low-income single parents water or a working stove. Six days later, at the dwellings from Glebe, Millers Point and (mainly mothers) and the Abbott Liberal- time this article was written, the authorities the Rocks in inner city Sydney to Auburn, National Coalition governments is planning frompower other in part parts of their of the house house. and Meanwhile, with the floor the Bonyrigg and Claymore in western and to make us pay for doctor visits. waterflooding kept it wasn’t on gushing safe to in use – especially extension duringcables south-western Sydney and to Bellambi, have still not fixed the problem. It never ends! 24 25 If the situation that Virginia Hickey faces is on working class people. We must unite the a bit more extreme than some other public struggle to turn back all the attacks on public housing tenants it is in part because she is an Aboriginal woman. It is people from free and truly public healthcare, with the especially oppressed sectors of society – demandhousing andfor freeits tenants 24 hour with childcare, the fight withfor truly the Aboriginal people, working class people struggle to force greedy bosses to increase from African, Asian, Middle Eastern and Islander communities, women, the very poor and the disabled – who often cop the ourhiring trade at the unions. expense To promote of their profitsthis perspective and with harshest treatment from state institutions. inthe the fight struggle to defeat for the public escalating housing, attacks a rally on Furthermore, Virginia Hickey is a special has been called in the multi-racial Sydney target for the authorities because she working class suburb of Auburn to demand: happens to be the aunt of TJ Hickey, the 17 “STOP THE SELL-OFF OF PUBLIC HOUSING. year-old boy riding his bicycle who was SMASH THE ATTACKS ON SERVICES murdered by racist police in Redfern in WORKING CLASS PEOPLE NEED THE MOST. February 2004. Virginia Hickey has been Massively Increase Public Housing – Just Like What China is Doing.” The demonstration will has been active in many other social justice take place at 12 noon on June 28 at the corner causes.outspoken As a in result fighting the forstate justice authorities for TJ have and of Rawson St and Northumberland Rd, near for Working Class Action targeted her. One way they seek to distract the Northern exit of Auburn Railway Station. her and wear her down is by ensuring that her housing situation remains unbearable. In the course of struggling to build the Against the U.S. & Australian Rulers All this makes a mockery of the claims that BACKING Israel’s Genocidal Terror “we live in a democracy in Australia.” We all treacherousworking class Labor fightback Party within that the we workers need, Support the Palestinian Struggle for Self-Determination! may have the right to vote but not only are movementwe must pushand struggle out the to influence build a of new, the elections shaped by the rich capitalist’s class consistently anti-capitalist workers party. Defend Syrian Self-Determination Against NATO’s Proxy armies! Such a party would unite the working class, 16 July 2014 – A child, his brother and an elderly woman - murdered by the latest resources for such things as political teach it to only trust in its own power and Israeli strike on the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis. The incessant Israeli stranglehold over the media and financial advertising (just think of the meteoric rise make the workers movement the champion air strikes over the last eight days have devastated Gaza and many of the Palestinian of Clive Palmer’s party) but the state organs of the rights of Aboriginal people, women, people who have been killed are children. There must be mass mobilisations of the themselves – from the police to the courts international working class, leftists and all opponents of racist oppression to demand: Down with the genocidal Israeli onslaught on Gaza! Lift the blockade of Gaza - Open all to the housing authority bureaucrats to When the working class, united with its allies, border crossings! Israeli troops and settlers out of all the Occupied Territories! becomesvilified “ethnic” the ruling communities class then and maintenance the poor. interests of the wealthy exploiting class. So, in public housing will no longer be conducted Hamas has responded to the siege of Gaza mainstream media have all cynically sought whoeverthe ombudsman’s wins government office – simply are tied takes to over the by companies owned by greedy exploiters. with rocket attacks on Israel: desperate to blame Hamas for the carnage: political administering all these anti-working class attempts at self-defence by the vastly support that, alongside the massive U.S. No longer will public housing be overseen by institutions. That is why justice for working outgunned people of Gaza. Only one Israeli military and economic aid, has enabled the arrogant bureaucrats who are contemptuous class people or any of the other downtrodden has been killed since July 8 – a person hit bloodshed and subjugation to continue. of working class people. Instead, maintenance sectors of society is not going to come through will be conducted by socialist enterprises Why do the Western capitalist rulers so the parliaments, the courts, various tribunals the murdering Israeli troops. In contrast, collectively owned by all the people. Indeed, resolutely back Israel’s rulers? Whacko, bythe mortarIsraeli onslaught fire while has handing already out killed food 208 to right wing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories housing will be administered by a brand Gazans, mostly civilians. This is not war but claim that “Jews control America.” But the orWhat the isombudsman’s needed is to office. unleash the industrial new state built to serve the interests of the a one-sided slaughter of the subjugated truth is if anything the other way around. muscle of the working class in a common working class masses. Only then will Public Palestinian people by the bloodthirsty Israel has since its inception been a deputy Housing truly be public housing. Israeli rulers. Yet, U.S. Secretary of State sheriff for the U.S. and other imperialists in John Kerry, the leaders of other imperialist the Middle East. A crucial anti-communist fight to smash all the many sided attacks countries including Australia, Middle East ally of the imperial powers during their Opposite page: Thousands participated in marches “peace envoy” Tony Blair (that despicable throughout Australia such as this one in Sydney against Cold War against the then USSR, Israel former Labour British PM) and the Israel’s brutal July-August 2014 attack on Gaza. today continues to be an attack dog for

26 27 U.S.-led imperialism. Thus, several times Federation - of which the Maritime Union of over the last two years Israel has unleashed Australia is a member - has denounced the attacks against Syrian government forces Israeli onslaught. Such opposition must be to assist the “rebel” “Free Syrian Army” turned into union industrial action against (FSA) and the religious extremist proxies of the U.S., British and Australian imperialist Western Imperialism. Only yesterday, Israeli rulers in opposition to their backing for warplanes again attacked Syria killing up to Israeli tyranny 12 people at a Syrian military base and in strong, could force the imperialists to the town of Baath City. pull back from providing– action that, the ifsupport sufficiently that holds up the Zionist terror machine. At the However, within the imperialist countries, same time, the international workers large demonstrations have erupted against movement must firmly defend all military Israel’s onslaught against Gaza. Last struggle by the subjugated Palestinian Sunday, up to 6,000 people from diverse people against the murdering Israeli Left: Aboriginal people in chains in 1906 enslaved by the White, capitalist ruling class. Right: Aboriginal man origins stretching from Latin America to military while opposing attacks on Israeli Kevin Spratt was barbarically tortured by racist police at the East Perth watch house on 31 August 2008. In just China gathered at short notice in Sydney civilians which only play into the Zionist over a minute police shot Spratt with a stun gun nine times. In both its past and present brutal oppression of to march against Israel’s bloodbath. For hands. Arms to the Palestinian resistance! Aboriginal people, the Australian ruling class has much in common with the Israeli rulers. Australia’s capitalist this global movement to make a difference In particular, military supplies should go to rulers will never be allies of the Palestinian struggle for liberation. The Australian Left and workers movement it must be directed onto a perspective the secular, left-leaning resistance groups must unite opposition to the Australian ruling class backing for Israel’s racist war against Palestinian people of building working class opposition to like the Popular Front for the Liberation of with the struggles against the Australian ruling class’ own racist wars against Aboriginal people and refugees, the imperialist rulers that back Israel. Palestine and the Democratic Front for the along with its racist treatment of non-white “ethnic” and Muslim minorities and its exploitation of the working class. Already the International Transport Workers Liberation of Palestine. which the Australian government arm the decency to oppose the Israeli onslaught – Down With Australian Imperialism And Its Backing Of Israeli Terror! twisted the Timorese to accept its theft of in particular promote this notion. However, At last Sunday’s Sydney rally, among protesters’ chants was “Down, Down USA!” This their oil. Australia’s capitalist rulers support this is worse than futile. For if supporters of represents understandable hatred of the regime that is both Israel’s main backer Israeli tyranny because they want to defend the Palestinian struggle are convinced that and the globe’s greatest oppressor. However, following the lead of their U.S. ally, the the U.S.-dominated world “order” that the Australian rulers could become their capitalist rulers here also always resolutely back Israel: under this Liberal regime, the protects their own imperialist marauding allies then it will deter them from taking previous Labor and Labor/Greens governments and all the rest as well. Last month, in this region. Furthermore, the racist mass action against these same rulers. On the Australian government changed its description of Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem Australian ruling class has much in common the other hand, when the Palestine solidarity making it the only government other than Israel itself that does not recognise that area with the Zionist rulers. Thus, while Israel movement reaches the level of political as being occupied. For their part the ALP, through a statement issued two days ago wages genocidal attacks on the Palestinian clarity that motivates demonstrators to by shadow foreign affairs minister Tanya Plibersek, heinously downplayed Israel’s people, the Australian rulers have already chant something like, “Down, Down, Aussie terror by placing responsibility “on both sides” for the suffering caused by the Israeli committed near genocide of its first peoples ruling class!” then it will open the road to onslaught. and continue to brutally oppress Aboriginal the type of working class action that has the people. Israel’s brutality against Palestinians potential to actually force the imperialists Australia’s rulers follow Washington’s December, demonstrators in East Timor is matched by the cruelty of the Australian to withdraw the support that holds up agenda not because Australia is under the chanting “Australia is a thief of world oil” imperialist forces which while occupying Israel’s terror. Such action would resonate thumb of America. The Australian ruling stoned the Australian embassy after it was Afghanistan threw grenades into houses with worldwide and would encourage the U.S. class are themselves aggressive imperialists revealed that Australia had bugged Timorese children, participated in the horrific invasion working class to follow suit against its own that subjugate the South Pacific masses. Last officials in 2004 during “negotiations” in of Iraq and in the late 1980s orchestrated a rulers. genocidal war and blockade of the people of Palestinian children injured PNG-controlled Bougainville Island by Israeli bombardment. that killed 20,000 people. The notion Israel killed over 500 that the present Australian ruling Palestinian children in its class could be made to speak out murderous July-August 2014 for Palestinian rights is ludicrous. onslaught on Gaza. The Greens – who in contrast to the Liberals and ALP have at least had

Palestinians inspect damage in the Gaza town of Khuza’a. Israel’s 2014 assault killed over 2,000 Palestinian civilians and devastated Gaza. background workers angry at the effects of ideology that the Israeli rulers promote. On capitalism up to a perspective of uniting with the other hand, the Palestinian masses have the Palestinian people around a program of suffered so cruelly under the horrific Zionist opposing the Zionist state that both enforces occupation that it is hard for Palestinians capitalism and subjugates the Palestinian to break from nationalism and trust any people. Such a party would be irreconcilably Israelis. But eventually the deepening crisis opposed to Zionism – it would firmly defend of capitalism, which is already causing rising the Palestinian military resistance and would discontent within Israel itself, will bring stand for the right of return of all Palestinians. opportunities to break some section of the It would also clearly delineate itself from Jewish working class from Zionism and win bankrupt Palestinian nationalism whose them to championing the Palestinian struggle Tel Aviv, July 26: Up to 8,000 Israeli leftists brave threatened police repression to protest against Israel’s genocidal most prominent representative today, Fatah as an indispensable part of their own fight for attack on Gaza. leader Mahmoud Abbas, is a servile apologist liberation from capitalist decay and poverty. for imperialism who cannot even bring The impetus for this will likely come from Palestine Solidarity means Fighting For himself to unequivocally blame Israel for the eruption of revolutionary class struggle a Class Struggle, Anti-Imperialist Perspective in the Middle East the latest carnage in Gaza. The revolutionary in the surrounding Middle Eastern countries. workers party that must be built would also Israel’s ability to crush the Palestinian people has been strengthened by the imperialists’ The Middle East uprisings over the last few oppose the ideology of politically religious violent interventions to crush any Middle Eastern country that refuses to fully accept years showed the level of mass discontent forces like Hamas who, whilst many members the U.S.-Israeli-Saudi dictated “order.” In 2003, the U.S, Britain, Australia and other with the corrupt, poverty-stricken, high of its military wing have often courageously U.S. allies invaded Iraq. Now, after having backed the ISIS religious fanatics, the U.S. unemployment status quo. However, in the resisted the Zionist butchers, have an is cynically using the pretext of stopping ISIS to again intervene in Iraq. Meanwhile, case of Libya and Syria, opposition forces anti-secular, anti-women’s rights ideology in 2011, NATO countries killed tens of thousands of Libyans in airstrikes to depose were quickly subordinated to the predatory that is counterposed to liberation and thus the Gaddafi government that was one of only two Arab governments still outside the interests of the Western imperialist powers obstructs the struggle to unite the working NATO fold. Now, the last remaining Arab country outside NATO control, Syria, has been and became totally reactionary. In other class. devastated by an imperialist war on it waged through “rebel” proxies. From massively cases, as in Egypt and Tunisia, the uprisings funding and arming these “rebel” forces – directly and through its Turkish, Saudi and The intense racism of Israeli society makes led at best to steps sidewards from one form of Qatari allies – to sending its special forces to assist them, the U.S. and its allies have the perspective of uniting Jewish-background imperialist-dominated capitalism to another. done everything to weaken Syria. Needless to say this has emboldened Israel. For workers and the Palestinian masses difficult. What was missing in those cases was a strong although the capitalist rulers of Syria have been far from consistent supporters of the Just as the relatively higher standard of political force that could split the energised Palestinian struggle, they have been the Arab government that has most backed the living of workers in imperialist Australia toilers away from pro-capitalist opposition Palestinians and given support to several Palestinian resistance factions. Yet, many relative to those in neighbouring countries forces and direct the movements onto a nominally pro-Palestinian groups here from the Greens to left groups like Solidarity, generates an arrogant, racist strain within clearly pro-working class, anti-imperialist Socialist Alternative and Socialist Alliance have shamefully supported the imperialist- the Australian workers movement, the and pro-women’s rights agenda. When the subordinated Syrian “rebels.” We in Trotskyist Platform are, unfortunately, the only higher standard of living of workers of Jewish working class people in Jordan, Egypt and Australian left group to take an active stand for the defence of Syria against NATO’s background in Israel – thanks to massive Turkey take power in a revolutionary wave, “rebel” proxies. We say to all supporters of Palestinian rights: defending the Palestinian imperialist aid – relative to their Arab this will bring the class question to the fore people against the Israeli proxies of Western imperialism also means defending Syria neighbours reinforces the exclusivist, racist in Palestine-Israel and spur the development against Western imperialism’s FSA/fundamentalist proxies. We must also demand: U.S. and all other imperialist forces get out of Iraq and all of the Middle East! Currently, the Israeli terror machine may forces, Israeli Arabs who make up 20% of the seem invincible. However, not only is there population face systematic discrimination the potential for mass opposition to Western and there is a widening gap between rich and support for Israel within the imperialist poor that has led to Israel having one of the countries but within Israel itself hundreds highest rates of poverty amongst developed have bravely defied Nazi-like media countries. All this oppression has sparked propaganda and violent attacks from fascist mass protests. Most notably the second half thugs to protest against the onslaught on Gaza. of 2011 saw hundreds of thousands of Israelis Furthermore, contrary to the myth promoted participate in huge protests against high especially by “liberal” Zionist groups that rents, privatisation and neo-liberal policies. Israel is a harmonious, egalitarian society The protests started to be backed by workers' Israel, mid-2011: Hundreds of thousands of Israelis take part in massive, Occupy-style protests against the lack of for all Jews, Israel not only murderously strikes and also involved thousands of people affordable housing and poor public services. A communist party must be built in Palestine/Israel that can lever represses the Palestinian people but harshly erecting tent cities that dwarfed the Occupy a component of the Jewish-background workers angry at the effects of capitalism up to a perspective of uniting oppresses many of its own citizens. African Sydney actions. A communist party must be with the Palestinian people around a program of opposing the Zionist state that both enforces capitalism and migrants are violently attacked by fascist built that can lever a component of the Jewish- subjugates the Palestinian people.

30 31 of a united communist party of Palestinian too because the governments that serve these toilers and workers of Jewish background. exploiters are attempting to make people pay The revolutionary smashing of the Zionist for doctor visits and to deny unemployed state would finally liberate the long suffering people under 30 access to the dole for six Palestinian people and create a necessarily months a year. All this makes workers secular and anti-racist workers state – one question everything the capitalist rulers where people of all religious and ethnic do – including their foreign policy, a policy backgrounds who accept socialist rule and an which includes fervent support for Israel. anti-racist society would be protected and Let’s also unite opposition to the Australian respected. ruling class’ backing for Israel’s racist war For pro-Palestinian activists living in against Palestinian people with the struggles Australia and other imperialist countries, against the Australian ruling class’ own racist the main and most urgent task right now is wars against Aboriginal people and refugees, to unite the opposition movement against the along with its racist treatment of non-white local capitalist rulers’ backing for Israel with “ethnic” and Muslim minorities. Mobilise mass opposition to their own exploitation of mass opposition to the U.S., British and Provocation By Violent Racists workers and oppression of the poor. What Australian rulers that back Israel’s makes it possible to motivate such struggle tyranny! Shake the imperialist branches in Australia is the reality that many working that hold up the Zionists’ nest so that it Crushed in Brisbane class people are angry at the capitalist bosses falls and the branches themselves weaken! for slashing their jobs after making fortunes Down with Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza! Unions United with Leftists & Other from their workers' toil. They are seething Anti-Racists Got the Job Done! The 2 May 2014 anti-fascist action brought construction workers from the CFMEU, BLF and ETU unions together with anarchists, Trotskyist Platform, Socialist Alliance and other anti-racists.

This was a taste of the power of the industrial action if the police attacked organised working class. It was the them. As a result, despite a police line workers movement at its best. On protecting the fascists, the anti-racist 2 May 2014 in Brisbane, over a hundred mobilisation was able to surround the construction workers from the BLF, neo-Nazis at various times. CFMEU and ETU trade unions formed Most construction workers appeared to the core of a demonstration of 200 be self organising, although there was at anti-racists that successfully shut down an least one CFMEU organiser there. They attempted march by the fascist Australia were very well aware of what danger open First Party (AFP). Nazi organising in their own town meant The violent, white supremacist AFP had for them as well as for everyone else. The planned a march in support of its larger, construction workers, supported by other Greek neo-Nazi counterpart, the Golden anti-fascists, made sure the Golden Dawn Dawn party. However, when they showed supporters could not march anywhere. up for their provocation they found a When they managed to reach the city multiracial group of construction workers by car, to set up in front of the Greek and other anti-fascists facing them down. consulate, the mass anti-Nazi action The Queensland police, of course, came prevented them from doing this also. At to the defence of the extreme racists. this point, the Nazis were compelled to However, the cops were not able to push jump in taxis and hot-foot it out of there. around this anti-racist rally the way Some of the fascists also ended up being Palestinian men bury the bodies of members of the Abu Jamei family, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on they often do. The contingents of trade taught a literally painful lesson by the the southern town of Khan Younis in Gaza. At the family’s home, people searching beneath the rubble left by unionists embodied strength in numbers, construction workers. Brilliant – the the overnight attack counted 26 bodies, all slain by the immense Israeli killing machine which is backed both the inherent collective ability to act in workers united will never be defeated! financially and morally by the U.S. and Australian imperialist ruling classes. tight unison and the threat of retaliatory

32 33 We congratulate all those that took part opposite, consciousness that is deeply for the workers’ grievances. in this anti-fascist victory. Trotskyist prevalent in the workers movement – a Instead, politically advanced Platform is proud to have joined the nationalist consciousness promoted by trade unionists know that what unionised construction workers, the pro-ALP union tops that portrays is needed is for all workers anarchists, anti-racist students and other overseas workers as rivals for jobs with to unite against the capitalist anti-fascists in participating in this action Australian workers. This Laborite ideology boss and to demand that the and to have actively built the mobilisation. see the union movement using divisive conditions of the most exploited In the days leading up to May 2, we mass slogans such as “Stop exporting Aussie workers be brought up to that distributed a leaflet in working class jobs overseas” and “Keep out overseas of other workers. Only this will, suburbs in Brisbane calling for trade guest workers.” Such slogans go against ultimately, stop the corporate unionists and other anti-racists to join the the principles of unionism and workers bigwigs from undercutting action (see below). unity as they pit local workers against workers’ rights. This applies their overseas sisters and brothers. It both at a national and What the union participation in the sees one group of workers – local workers international level. The union May 2 anti-fascist mobilisation was May 2, Brisbane: Staunch trade unionists teach one of the violent – looking to cut a separate deal with the movement must unite local, 457 fascists a lesson in workers’ power. The organised working class has based on is the understanding that the bosses at the expense of another group Visa and international workers the power and interest to decisively crush the fascists. violent racism of the likes of the AFP – of workers – overseas workers. Not only to stand up together against incited by the “civilized” racism of the is this divisive but it harms the struggle the capitalist exploiters both minded struggles such as the May 2 action Abbott conservative government – is for workers’ rights. Politically savvy here and abroad while simultaneously to help drive out the influence of divisive a threat to the unity of the working trade unionists know that even if the boss demanding that the conditions of 457 Visa Laborite nationalism from the workers class, unity without which the workers at a particular workplace is using the workers and the employees of Australian- movement. This would, in turn, make the movement cannot win strike struggles to employment of one group of especially owned corporations operating overseas working class more politically prepared to defend their rights. In joining the May 2 exploited workers (like young workers) be brought up to that of local workers. mobilise against the fascist threat. As the anti-racist mobilisation, these trade 2 May 2014 events in Brisbane showed, it to try and undercut working conditions, The construction workers’ role in the unionists proved that they are at the is the organised working class that must it is always destructive to workers’ rights May 2 victory pushes against the stream forefront of the workers movement and for the remaining workers to demand that spearhead the fight against fascism and of divisive nationalism that the pro-ALP, are workers who really understand the the business owner favour them at the racism. The workers movement will be current leaders of the working class often chanted slogan at union rallies: expense of the others. This only allows at the forefront of this fight because the pump into the workers movement. By The Workers United Will Never Be Defeated! the boss to divide workers and distract interests of their class demands that it enhancing workers’ unity across racial Unfortunately, there is also another, quite them from the boss’ sole responsibility be so, because their power to shut down lines and by also giving workers greater production gives them the ability to confidence in their own power as a class, deter police attacks against anti-racist the May 2 anti-fascist action increases the mobilisations and because their collective workers movement’s ability to stand up toil at common workplaces gives workers to the myriad attacks it is facing today – a unique ability to organise and to act in from the anti-working class, anti-poor disciplined unanimity. Most crucially, it Abbott/Hockey budget to the developing will be when the working class lead all of ruling class offensive against the union the poor and oppressed in sweeping away movement. The fact that the capitalist the rotting capitalist system that fascism rulers’ anti-union campaign is targeted and racism can be swept away from this in the first place against construction planet for good. workers’ unions makes the May 2 anti-racist mobilisation all the more Below is reprinted the leaflet that important. Trotskyist Platform distributed to help The working class needs to build a new build the May 2 anti-fascist mobilisation in leadership that can clarify and spread Brisbane. The leaflet was titled, “Crush the the lessons of struggles such as the 2 May Violent Racists’ May 2 Mobilisation! Unions 2014 Brisbane mobilisation to the entire United with Aboriginal People, “Ethnic” union movement. Such a workers’ party Minorities & Leftists Can Do the Job! Drive 2 May 2014, Brisbane: Neo-Nazi filth cower in the face of the mass trade union centred mobilisation. The workers when truly united - and conscious of their collective class interests - can never be defeated. would use powerful internationalist- Out the Fascists from Brisbane to Athens!”

34 35 Racism in Australia is undoubtedly being In reality, they are just throwing them fed by the major parties in government, pieces of meat, making sure that they especially via their inhumane actions Vietnamese student Minh Duong was are ready to be truly unleashed when savagely bashed in Melbourne by three towards refugees and asylum seekers. the need arises. If we in the workers Neo-Nazi skinheads in June 2012. The Capitalist governments are acutely aware and left movement are not ready for this racist scum kicked and punched him 70 of their need to divide workers during a and have failed to put down the fascist times, stabbed him, smashed a brick over protracted recession. Such extreme racism animals ourselves – instead, leaving his head so hard that it broke in two and from capitalist governments, however, can these dogs’ leashes in the hands of the then left him for dead. Fascists cannot only proceed in the absence of class struggle capitalists – then, ultimately, we may well be debated but must be crushed by mass and, particularly, in the absence of struggle get devoured! The Australian capitalist action. led by the Trade Unions. If the working state is itself founded on racism. It is class does not mobilise to challenge based on the continued dispossession Some people may have believed that the sow the division, distrust and fear that mass unemployment and social decay – of the Aboriginal people of this land and is so harmful to efforts to build workers’ racist oppression of other communities nd and the faltering capitalist system that the evil of fascism. Yet on 2 May in the heart unity – the unity that is so crucial for causes it – then masses of disillusioned as well, most specifically seen in the Secondof Brisbane, World a Warneo-Nazi definitively group, putthe anAustralia end to workers’ rights struggles to succeed. The unemployed and semi-employed people barbaric treatment of refugees and First Party, will hold a march in support union movement must draw around itself and struggling sections of the middle asylum seekers. The capitalist state in of its larger Greek fascist counterpart, the all the intended victims of the fascists in a class can fall prey to fascist movements Greece certainly has jailed some Golden nd Golden Dawn. The Australia First Party was mass action to stop the 2 May neo-Nazi of the ilk of Golden Dawn in Greece today. Dawn leaders – but Golden Dawn continues among the extremist forces that incited the threat. Indeed, a counter-mobilisation December 2005 white supremacist rampage to the fascist march has been called and The grotesque anti-human actions taken there are many cases where Greek police at Cronulla Beach against Arab, Asian already hundreds have committed to this by fascist groups such as Golden Dawn tohave flourish literally there stood virtually by while unchecked. Golden In Dawn fact, and other non-white people. Just three urgent action. Anti-fascists will gather inevitably lead to some with genuine have beaten and assaulted immigrants and months ago, the Brisbane Australia First at 11am, outside the Greek Club at 29 intentions to call for Golden Dawn and/or anti-fascist activists. Indeed, it is claimed Party attacked the January 26 Invasion Day Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane. We Australia First to be banned, to have them that up to 60% of the police in Greece Aboriginal rights march. Members of their call on trade unionists, Aboriginal people, made illegal. We are certainly not going politically support Golden Dawn! Golden Dawn fascist colleagues in Greece Asian, African, Middle Eastern and to get in the way of the mainstream are notorious for murderous attacks on Islander communities, Muslims, Jews, capitalists reining in their fascists guard Make no mistake about it, the Australian dark-skinned people, leftists and anti-racists gays and lesbians and all anti-racists to dogs for a while. However, we absolutely capitalist state is no less racist and no less including the January 2013 stabbing murder be there on 2nd May to stop the fascist should not be making any appeals to anti-worker than the Greek capitalist state. of Pakistani migrant Shehzad Luqman and parade and drive the violent racists off the mainstream capitalists to act against Here, the Australian government is leading the September 2013 murder of anti-racist streets. their fascist counterparts. For the masses an unremitting drive against the Union rapper Pavlos Pyssas. That the fascists mustn’t be lulled into a false sense of movement, in the form of Royal Commissions plan to openly parade on 2nd May is an What is needed on 2nd May is not simply security and fall into the fatal illusion and page after page of anti-Union legislation immediate physical threat to Aboriginal a protest against the Australia First that the capitalists can be trusted to stripping away workers’ rights won through people and to the Asian, African, Middle Party and Golden Dawn but an action keep their vicious fascist killers caged. over a century of struggle. In Queensland Eastern and Islander communities of so overwhelming and determined that Brisbane. It will embolden every violent it will physically stop the fascist parade racist out there to commit yet more in its tracks and decisively disperse the Brisbane, 2 May 2014: Fascism must be stopped! Trade unionists and attacks – like the Neo-Nazi skinheads who violent racists. anti-racists pursue the in June 2012 savagely bashed Vietnamese Fascism cannot be defeated by arguments Australia First Party student Minh Duong on the streets of or by debates or by ideological struggle and Golden Dawn Melbourne and left him for dead. The 2nd alone. Because fascism uses physical force fascists. May fascist mobilisation is also a direct to “win” its battles, it must be confronted threat to the multiracial working class and overcome by a physical force that is far of Brisbane. Like Hitler and Mussolini, greater than itself. This force is the organised if fascists took power again they would working class. In fact, it is the working class exterminate real trade unions and all that has the most to lose if ultra-racist ideas independent working class and leftist take hold. In the long run, the working organisations. Yet long before they get class is unable to win any gains for itself anywhere near government, the fascists’ while elements of racism persist. Yet racism racist violence is already threatening the and fascism can be quashed if workers are workers’ movement. For their actions mobilised in a disciplined and united manner.

36 workers and community groups have lost differing political views to the anarchist the right to association with any group being who runs the Slackbastard blog and able to be declared “illegal” at the stroke of a who has initiated the 2nd May counter- pen. The capitalist state is not neutral, it will mobilisation to the fascist threat, we not stop the fascists and does, in fact, often applaud the initiative he has taken and enough aid them. For example, in January are thus actively building this action. 2011, when anti-racists mobilised to protest Strong united front action can indeed against a racist mural in the Sydney suburb of stop the 2nd May fascist provocation. Newtown, the police attacked and arrested eight anti-fascist activists. Moreover, it is the If such a victory is the result of a union- capitalist state itself which creates fascism centred action it will strengthen the via the corporate media and corporate unity of the working class, increase politicians whipping up racist hysteria in its confidence in its own power and order to distract workers from their real encourage it to rely only on the methods enemies such as the banks and mining of mass struggle rather than the dead end magnates who cream obscene wealth from of parliament and the courts. In short, a the labour of toiling people. victorious workers-centred mobilisation to crush the fascist parade on 2nd May What we need to defeat the fascists is will give a badly needed shot in the arm united front action. That means the to the struggle to smash the capitalists’ Mobilise United Action of Aboriginal People, broadest unity in action of the different escalating attacks on workers’ rights and tendencies in the workers movement their assault upon basic social services Trade Unions and “Ethnic” Communities to Demand: and in the Left – all of whom are targets and the poor. Unite all the working class, of the fascists – while at the same time poor, Aboriginal and “ethnic” forces in Justice For TJ, Jail for the Racist Murdering Cops each group completely maintains its the struggle against fascism! Crush the own banner and program. Though we fascists’ May 2 mobilisation! February 2014: It’s one of the most horrific crimes imaginable: a police vehicle ramming in Trotskyist Platform have sharply the back wheel of a 17-year-old boy’s bicycle and sending him flying through the air to be impaled on a spiked metal fence. Ten years ago, this is exactly what happened to Below Left & Bottom: Staunch, multiracial construction union workers gather at the anti-fascist counter an Aboriginal boy called TJ Hickey after racist cops in another police vehicle chased rally in Brisbane on May 2. Sharing the conviction, expressed in a clear way in the Trotskyist Platform banner him through the streets of Redfern. Then, violating the standard emergency procedure (Below Right), that the organised working class in alliance with Aboriginal people, “ethnic” minorities and of sawing off the fence so that the stake could be carefully removed in hospital, anti-racists of all colours could put the racist, neo-nazi threat to flight, groups of workers streamed in from police barbarically ripped TJ from the fence and threw him to the ground. Even as all directions to join and, in TJ lay bleeding, police proceeded to search him rather than immediately call for an effect, take command of the ambulance! The next day, TJ died of his gruesome injuries. anti-fascist action. This points the way to the TJ’s killing has been followed by ten years the racist authorities also target working future and demonstrates of cover up by the police, courts and various class youth of African, Asian, Islander and how courageous workers governments. In the meantime, the rate at Middle Eastern origin. Last June, 17 year-old can refuse to be bullied which black people die at the hands of state Sudanese youth, Einpwi Amom was tasered into inaction by the authorities continues unabated. In one case in by police even when he was handcuffed and federal government’s lousy January 2012, Kwementyaye Briscoe died in surrounded by six cops. Einpwi’s alleged current anti-union drive. Alice Springs after being taken into supposed “protective custody” for merely being drunk. When Einpwi tried to run away from them, he Even NT coroner, Greg Cavanagh, admitted “crime”hit his head was on that the stairs he had of Blacktown sworn at officers.station. He lost consciousness for two minutes only bleeding on the ground, dragged him along that police flung Briscoe onto a desk, left him tasering – him. Fortunately, a friend managed medical treatment even though they knew to capturewake finding footage cops of the brutalising attack on –her and phone. then thehe wasfloor by to histhen cell in and a comatose failed to givestate. him Their any Yet such cop brutality is all too common in heinous actions caused Kwementyaye to die. working class suburbs. Even low-income Since 1980 over 500 Aboriginal people have white people – such as public housing died in custody. tenants – can face police harassment. Indeed, Without any doubt, Aboriginal people cop the the simplest Marxist analysis shows that worst police brutality in Australia. However, the main role of the police, courts, army,

39 Royal Commissions, prisons and other 14 February 2014: state organs in a capitalist country is to this land. Indeed, the “culture” of the police Trotskyist Platform enforce the rule of the rich, big business justifyingand legal systemthe conquest in this of country the first is peoples inherited of participating in the from one of their major founding functions march protesting the owners over the working class that they 10th anniversary of the . Although cops sometimes do catch – to drive Aboriginal people from their land, exploit racist police killing of TJ real criminals, whenever the exploited to carry out murderous “expeditions” against Hickey. The Trotskyist masses stand up for their rights the police’s Aboriginal people who resisted and to at Platform contingent main function becomes all too clear. Thus, in various times attempt outright genocide. called to, ‘Mobilise United August 2012, mounted police in Melbourne Yet, despite this vicious capitalist state Action of Aboriginal violently attacked the picket lines of building determination to bury the truth about TJ’s People, Trade Unions and workers who were struggling against the murder, his family has courageously continued “Ethnic” Communities to to demand justice. Upon every anniversary Demand: Justice for TJ Grocon, to undercut workplace safety and of the police crime against TJ, they and Hickey, Jail for the Racist Killer Cops.’ attemptdrive out of the greedy CFMEU tycoon union. Daniel Grollo’s firm, their anti-racist supporters have marched The racism of the police force comes directly in protest. This year’s 10th Anniversary Those running the campaign for TJ have only be won by mobilising in opposition to from their role as the bully boys for the ruling March will rally at 10:30am, February 14 sincerely been through every legal process in this state. A united opposition of all those class in Australia. The all important unity of at the corner of George and Phillips Streets the book in their quest for justice. First, they who are ultimately in the gun sights of the the working class is constantly threatened by in Waterloo. Trotskyist Platform urges all racist, bosses’ state. A campaign that is so the bosses’ divide and rule tactics in which our friends to join this march and to do so inquiry into TJ’s death that was, as expected, a uncompromising that the authorities out of whipping up racism plays the lead role. And understanding that no justice will be granted hadtotal to cover bear up.listening Then tothe the coronial findings inquiry of a police was fear are forced to concede justice. the ruling class seeks to divert onto Aboriginal by any benevolent act of the racist, capitalist yet another whitewash. Eyewitnesses who people and non-white “ethnic” communities authorities. It will have to be won by united saw TJ’s bike being rammed were prevented Many Aboriginal people do understand the masses’ frustration about the constantly action of all those targeted by the state that from testifying and the bike itself was held by that the state authorities are their enemy. declining state of social services and their day murdered TJ – Aboriginal people, militant the police and not presented to the coroner. This was seen in the heroic February 2004 to day basics of existence. But the ruling class’ trade unionists, ethnic minorities and the Then, last April, TJ’s mother, Gail Hickey, and struggle of hundreds of mainly Aboriginal oppression of Aboriginal people has an added poor. the Indigenous Social Justice Association met youth in Redfern. In response to TJ’s murder, dimension – it is aimed at perpetuating and NSW Attorney General, Greg Smith. Smith they held back heavily armed cops in a nine hour pitched battle that resonated with Justice For TJ Can Still Be Won by the United Force of made vague promises but ten months later nothing, of course, has happened. The state and inspired oppressed people all over the All Those who are Targeted By the Same State That Murdered Him institutions have continued to cover up TJ’s world. This Redfern struggle, along with the murder whether NSW has been administered November 2004 resistance on Palm Island by the ALP regime that was in power when (that saw up to 15% of the island rise up to TJ was killed or by the current conservative burn down the police station and courthouse coalition. Federal governments have impeded in response to the whitewash of the police justice – and will continue to do so – whether murder of Mulrunji Doomadgee) will one day it is the Liberal/Nationals or the ALP or even take its place alongside the heroic deeds of the ALP/Greens who are in power. With the Pemulwuy, Yagan, Windradyne, Jandamarra authorities slamming one door after another, and many others who led Aboriginal some involved in the campaign have become resistance to the colonial invaders. The heroes demoralised and fear that justice can never of Redfern and Palm Island demonstrate the be won. Instead, they think that the best that courage needed to really oppose the racist, can be achieved are token gestures such as an rich people’s state. But to triumph today, apology from the NSW parliament. Yet what Aboriginal resistance must also have behind the denial of justice for TJ really proves is that it the support of “ethnic” communities (who justice certainly cannot be won through the themselves face racism), anti-racist activists current presiding strategy of the campaign. and most crucially the industrial power of The hope that in some corner of the system the organised workers movement. Once big there will be someone willing to stand up business owners who run the country see for justice has been dashed every step of the their profits being hurt by trade union way. All the whitewashes demonstrate this. industrial action against racist police Melbourne, 2012: Police in riot gear attack strike action by members of the CFMEU construction workers union terror then they will be forced to rein in who were fighting to defend workplace safety conditions at the Myer Emporium site. The same police that unleash Rather than appealing to state institutions, racist violence against Aboriginal people are the ones that attack the struggles of the working class. It is in the justice for victims of police brutality can their marauding thugs in blue. very interests of the workers movement to stand by their Aboriginal sisters and brothers in opposing cop terror.

40 41 force bOSSES to increase hiring at the expense of their profits! How the idea of working class action in give Lex a notably lighter sentence than the defence of Aboriginal people can be made a ten years plus sentence that they had been reality was seen in the campaign in defence of planning. Palm Island resistance hero Lex Wotton. The Today, with the Abbott regime openly Sydney-based campaign simply demanded threatening repression against unions, that the enemy drop all charges against Lex. especially the CFMEU, there is much potential It made no appeals to any state institution to show workers the common interest that whatsoever to be a vehicle for justice. they have with others targeted by the bosses’ Instead, the movement openly appealed to state – like Aboriginal people. A strategy the common class interests that workers like the one that the campaign for Lex’s have in defending Lex and in opposing state freedom was waged on is what we need for oppression of Aboriginal people. Thus the the campaign for TJ. However, success will calls for the rally in the lead up to Lex’s trial not simply depend upon what the campaign emphasised that: itself does. To ensure that the MUA stop work The subjugation of Aboriginal people is an in defence of Lex is the norm rather than the extreme form of the repression that the exception for the union movement, we must authorities are also unleashing against trade struggle to replace the pro-ALP ideology unionists who stand up for workers’ rights. The and leadership that currently dominates our ABCC construction industry police are spying unions with a Marxist program of struggle on and intimidating CFMEU construction union members and continue to initiate jail-carrying based on opposition to this racist, capitalist charges against individual union activists. state. As that struggle develops then not only Thus the movement was able to win the justice for TJ, Mulrunji, Eddie Murray and support of the Sydney Branch of the Maritime willBrazilian we be student able to Roberto more powerfully Laudisio, fightto sadly for Union of Australia (MUA). This culminated in name but a few of the victims of racist state STOP CaPITALIST JOB slashing a stop work action by all Sydney port workers terror in Australia. We will eventually be able on 7 November 2008, the day Lex was being to sweep away the entire capitalist state so sentenced by a Townsville Court. Although it through class struggle Above: On 2 January 2014, the MUA, CFMEU, CEPU, RBTU and other unions participated in important rallies was not powerful enough to stop Lex being like the murder of TJ – but also the incessant in Sydney and Melbourne in support of the struggle of Korean railway workers against the privatisation of the jailed, the burgeoning movement and the thatexploitation not only of horrificlong suffering racist workers state crimes will be – South Korean rail network. Class struggle and internationalism is what can turn back the worldwide attacks of MUA stop work compelled the authorities to but things of the past. Justice for TJ! the capitalist classes against workers.

8 January 2014 - Billionaire Kerry Stokes has been “busy” cruising around in his luxury yacht. He is riding high. But the same can’t be said for the workers whose toil made him his fortune. Last month, workers at one of Stokes’ Seven Group subsidiaries, heavy machinery supplier WesTrac, were told that 630 of them would be retrenched. These workers are among tens of thousands who are being laid off across the country. Last September, Telstra announced that it was axing 1,100 workers. And this is after its owners made an obscene $3.9 billion profit last year. Although the media like to focus on jobs lost through off-shoring, these recent Telstra cuts – like most job slashing in Australia – has little to do with that. Most of the Telstra jobs axed in this latest round are those of line maintenance technicians – hardly roles that can be off-shored. Telstra’s latest profit grab is about cutting jobs by driving remaining workers harder and by reducing service quality to the public. What has especially highlighted the jobs 50,000 workers in all could lose their jobs in crisis was General Motors’ announcement the automotive sector. This will not only be last month that it will axe 2900 jobs and end devastating for workers but shows the basic manufacturing in Australia in 2017. This irrationality of capitalism in that skills built follows Ford’s announcement that it will up over many decades will now be lost. And slash 1,200 jobs and stop manufacturing the trend of workers being ripped away from 14 February 2014: TJ’s mother Gail Hickey (Left) leads a large march to protest the 10th anniversary of the here. The combined effect of the closures permanent jobs in unionised workplaces and police murder of TJ Hickey and the ten years of racist cover-up by the police and state authorities. on parts manufacturers means that over dumped into insecure, casual jobs – where

42 43 The luxury yacht that Australian billionaire Kerry Workers leaving work at Toyota’s Altona Stokes likes to cruise around the world in. In the plant. An estimated 2500 jobs in total will previous financial year, Stokes Seven Group made be lost as a result of the closure of Toyota’s a $486 million profit. Yet in December 2013, assembly plants in Australia. The combined Seven Group subsidiary, heavy machinery supplier impact of the announced closures of the WestTrac, announced the retrenchment of a further Holden, Ford and Toyota plants and the 630 workers. Workers’ jobs are being axed to pay flow on effects to supplier firms will see for the extravagant lifestyles of Kerry Stokes and the up to 50,000 workers lose their jobs in the other capitalist tycoons. automotive sector.

workers have little chance of learning skills industry – since they know that workers in and enjoy minimal rights – will be all the this sector are a bastion of trade unionism If the Capitalists Can’t Provide Jobs for Workers Then more deepened. As usual, the car bosses have and once upon a time even had a reputation the Economy Should Be Taken Out of Their Hands for class struggle militancy. Yet whether it Despite the nature of all the current parliamentary parties, the working class is far scam! The $153 million loss that GM made is the ALP, the Greens or the Palmer United from powerless to stop job cuts. Strong union industrial action could force companies justifiedlast year thein its layoffs Australian by crying Holden poor. operations This is a Party, none of the opposition parties also planning job cuts to retain their workers. For such action could compel business owners – after paying for fat management salaries ever talk of measures to make it illegal for to realise that industrial action could cost them far more than the profits they will save the corporate bosses to cut jobs. Thus, while by having a smaller workforce. The potential to stop the job cuts at Telstra and WesTrac made worldwide. Thus GM’s owners, who the ALP leaders would actually like to be is especially strong as not only could workers’ strikes shut down their hugely profitable –include is dwarfed billionaire by the Warren $4.9 billion Buffet’s profit Berkshire that it able to appease their working class support operations in Australia but many of the workers in these firms are union members. Hathaway which holds a $1.4 billion portion, base by campaigning to save the jobs of Moreover, solidarity action by workers at other parts of Stokes’ Seven Group – including GM and other workers, their subservience Channel 7, equipment hire company Coates Hire and lighting supplier AllightSykes – kept the jobs of the soon to be axed Holden to the capitalist “order” and its principle could really bulldoze his moves to bury jobs at his WesTrac subsidiary. wouldworkers. only lose 3% of their profits if they that business owners have the “right” to do The situation is slightly different at Holden However, if we are going to have the struggle Enough is enough! It is high time for the means that they are completely incapable given GM plans to shut down its manufacturing that we need, there needs to be a radical working class and its allies to act. We cannot whateverof preventing it takes the to job maximise cuts. All their the profits ALP in Australia. Yet, if Holden workers were to allow the likes of Kerry Stokes’, whose Seven could propose over the crisis facing Holden occupy GM plants at Elizabeth (in Adelaide) of their ALP mates in parliament, most workers is to offer more handouts to GM – and Port Melbourne insisting that they will changecurrent inunion our leadersunions. acceptReflecting the thenotion politics that an idea they soon dropped. For the over $2 not allow GM to sell the billions of dollars its WesTrac subsidiary just so that he can Group made a huge $486 million profit last billion that governments handed over to the in equipment there then these workers must be maximised. Yet it is precisely in the year, to get away with his firm axing jobs at Holden bosses over the last 12 years did not for workers’ jobs to be safe, company profits extravagant mansions. We need to say to the stop them from axing their workers’ jobs. companies and hundreds of thousands of slashing jobs. The dominance of this ideology suckcapitalist even owners: higher profits to buy even more we are simply not going to In the end, what handouts to companies wouldother sympathetic find thousands workers of workers supporting at supplier their drivethat workers’ to maximise welfare profits depends that on bosses capitalist are allow you to slash jobs. We are going to force actually do is to divide workers as workers battle to save their jobs. However, to override business success has allowed the bosses to gut you to keep employing more people than you in other sectors, whose taxes in good part GM’s job slashing also requires workers at workers’ rights, casualise large chunks of the think would be ideal for maximising your fund government handouts, are made to feel workforce and weaken our unions without profits and you will have to wear this. And if resentful that they are propping up workers South Korea and the U.S. to take solidarity our side putting up the resistance that could that means you are going to have to sell one in a particular sector when their own jobs GM’saction profitablewith Holden operations workers here. in placesWorkers like at have smashed these attacks. Furthermore, of your luxury yachts and delay buying your are also on the line. Indeed, any handout to GM’s South Korean subsidiaries have already the union tops’ approach makes the workers private jet – then tough! And if having a larger GM effectively means that workers are, in waged militant struggles and although U.S. movement vulnerable to bosses’ threats that workforce means that you will be pushed to good part through their taxes, handing over GM workers have not taken such action for unless workers accept reduced conditions, lower your prices in order to sell the extra tens of millions of dollars to the likes of the years, U.S. GM plants are still among the most production that a larger workforce could billionaire Warren Buffett. One is reminded unionised sites in the U.S.A. In 1998, the “forced” to cut jobs. This is precisely the bring then all the better for it! of the obscene spectacle that took place in knock-on effect from a 54 day strike by over profitsthreat that will Toyota suffer is andmaking the as bosses they callously will be However, the corporate bosses-loving November 2008 when the heads of GM, Ford 9,000 workers at GM’s Flint component plant feed off workers fears following the Holden Abbott regime sure isn’t going to help us in Michigan ended up shutting down nearly layoffs. stop company owners from slashing jobs! U.S. government for a bailout, all arriving in 30 GM assembly plants and 100 components Workers at unionised workplaces will be Indeed, many in his ministry seemed to be andtheir Chrysler luxurious flew private into Washingtonjets! to beg the plants across the U.S. and ended up costing partly happy about the crumbling of the car GM bosses nearly $3 billion. the spearhead in the fight to defend jobs 44 45 and a powerful struggle waged by these army and top echelons of the bureaucracy. in a revolutionary movement to sweep away workers could spur on the building of unions For the current state apparatus has the current capitalist state and to build a new at currently non-unionised sites. However, unbreakable, generations-old connections to workers state that will implement a socialist in the struggle against job losses, we need the rich capitalist elite. That is why for our system – a system based on people’s common to unite union workers with workers at struggles to triumph, they must culminate in ownership of the economy. currently non-unionised sites as well as the working class leading all of the oppressed with unemployed workers and with working class youth worried about their future job The Workers United Will Never Be Defeated: prospects. To build such united struggle, we Turning the Slogan Into a Reality should launch a campaign of industrial action Key to unlocking the necessary fight back is to expose any illusions that local and rallies to demand laws that restrict the workers’ jobs can be protected through collaborative schemes with the bosses. Today, manufacturing union heads run a “Make it Here Or Jobs Disappear” campaign that jobs. In waging a struggle for such demands appeals for government support for manufacturing firms and protectionist laws to “right”we should of profitablehave no illusions businesses that tothe slashpro- MUA maritime workers union leadership’s campaign favour local firms over overseas producers. Yet, the experience with Holden proves how capitalist governments will in any way be on for “Local Jobs” against overseas labour on local little handouts to companies actually guarantee jobs. Protectionist measures don’t save shipping. Such divisive campaigns set local workers against their overseas sisters and brothers and jobs either for just as one country can take measures to protect its own firms, other being aimed at forcing concessions from the countries can do the same. In the end all that protectionist appeals do is to set workers ourenemy side. – Instead,just like wein shouldthe past see our our struggles fight as undermine the necessary workers’ unity needed to defeat “multinational” corporate bosses through class in different nations against each other while their greedy bosses - happy that workers have won laws granting certain minimum are divided and looking out for the interest of their “own” firms rather than uniting leave entitlements and maximum working struggle. The unions should instead focus the struggle on fighting for overseas workers to get the same wages against the bosses internationally – are left laughing all the way to the bank. hours. Among the demands that such a and conditions as local workers and should unite all Yet, despite the failure of protectionist most union leaders is to make the divisive call workers in industrial action to force the capitalist • That no enterprise can retrench workers’ exploiters to cede improved conditions and more jobs appeals to save jobs, most union leaders to “Keep Out Guest Workers.” continue to make such calls because they movementjobs if it could or its fightparent for company are: is currently for all. fear the alternative: a strategy based on We can see how campaigns that pit local hard-fought industrial action. About the only workers against their overseas counterparts • workers’ wages to the level needed to spread play out when we look at the results of the the available work around among all those time that most union leaders are taking any overmaking the a previousprofit. four years exceeds the July 2012 “Local Workers First” rally in who want to work. stand against job losses is if these layoffs totalThat nowages firm canof slashall the jobs potentially if its total profitaxed are the result of off-shoring. The capitalist Perth. The trigger for the rally were moves workers. exploiters indeed do seek out lower paid by greedy billionaire Gina Rinehart and the • An end to and a reversal of all the will howl that this will drive them out of likes of Rio Tinto to bring in overseas labour Asbusiness we fight – just for assuch they demands, do every the time capitalists workers draconian public sector job cuts which seek to replace workers here with lower- for their projects. Yet, when this same Rio call for a pay rise. To this we must respond: Liberal and ALP state governments have labourpaid youth. they However, can find overseasour response just asto theyoff- Tinto announced last November that it was if you cannot operate enterprises in a way implemented in recent years and which shoring should not be to counterpose the axing 1,100 jobs – including those of many Abbot’s Liberal/National Coalition want that provides jobs for workers then you should interests of local workers to their overseas not own these enterprises. They need to be Aboriginal workers – at its Gove alumina to deepen at the Federal level. comrades. That only serves to undercut the ripped from your hands and brought into global workers’ unity that we so badly need Fighting for such demands will help start public ownership so that production can be if we are to defeat job slashing by multi- organise any serious opposition. They could to mobilise action around the truth that planned to provide jobs for all and to utilise national corporate giants like Rio Tinto, Ford mobiliserefinery innearly the NT,10,000 union people leaders to march failed for to all available labour to serve society. However, and GM, all of which have operations in many the blatantly divisive demand that Australian not only are all current parliamentary parties countries. Instead, we should say: we are workers’ jobs be put ahead of those of fightingstruggle tomovement save workers’ for jobsjobs meansdevelops, forcing our happy if our working class comrades overseas overseas workers yet when capitalists demands should not stop with this. We must the bosses to wear lower profits. As a class- the factories, banks, transport systems and get new jobs but there should be absolutely are actually slashing Australian workers’ emphasise the demand for full employment thoroughlymines from hostile the capitalists, to this idea any of confiscating party that no job cuts locally. Furthermore, when a firm jobs in a move that had nothing to do with at the capitalist bosses’ expense – through in the future attempted to do so would face sets up a new operation in any country, we bringing in overseas workers, the union reducing the working week with no loss in will fight for those workers to get the same conditions as the best paid workers at any of June 30: Workers at Woolworths Distribution any resistance at all. fierce resistance from the judiciary, police, Yet, instead of By channelling local Centre in Warnervale (in NSW’s Central Coast) the firm’s global operations. officials concerned didn’t want to organise such an approach, Laborite union leaders workers concerns about their jobs into take strike action after the company issued many opposition to overseas workers, pro-ALP warnings for workers “taking too much time promote divisive slogans like “Stop Aussie between jobs”. A program of industrial action Jobs Going Overseas!” Similarly, instead of bureaucrats have diverted workers from is needed to defend workers’ jobs and to fight uniting the struggle of local workers with the struggle that is actually needed – the to force the capitalist bosses to accede to hiring one against the job-slashing exploiters. more workers at the expense of their bloated conditions of all workers, the current line of profits. 457-Visa workers in the fight to defend the 47 Furthermore, consider what the July 2012 a show of solidarity but Australian workers a party would draw around the class struggle booming state-owned steel and energy Perth rally means for potential efforts to truly standing as one with their overseas all those downtrodden by capitalism – from producers. Yet China’s ruling Communist save jobs in the automotive sector. Among comrades. As The Communist Manifesto Aboriginal people suffering terrible racism, to Party is moving that country to focus more the guest workers being rebuffed by the stresses: “ethnic” youth, to working class youth facing on services and high-end manufacturing – “Local Workers First” campaign are Korean The Communists are distinguished from the joblessness and to low-income women and that is, to an economy that will need smaller workers. Yet, workers in South Korea’s GM other working-class parties by this only: 1. In single mothers facing hostile stigmatisation increases in imports of Australian iron ore plants are key to any struggle to stop job the national struggles of the proletarians of the and enforced poverty. We badly need such losses at Holden, not only because South different countries, they point out and bring to a struggle against capitalism. For capitalism inevitable, next capitalist crisis hits or if this the front the common interests of the entire has proven that it cannot guarantee workers’ andone liquefiedlingers for gas. much This longer, means even that socialisticwhen the proletariat, independently of all nationality …. livelihoods and periodically falls into crises China will not be able save the Australian be hurt by solidarity strikes with Holden that bring untold suffering – like the Great economy. Unless we reject the capitalists’ workersKorea is wherebut GM’sbecause profits currently could seriously South That means just as at an individual workplace one group of workers should not ask the Depression of the 1930s and the recent Great “right” to sack workers whenever their Korean workers are much more willing Recession that has ravaged the masses in to take action against their bosses than boss to favour them at the expense of other workers, workers in one country should not Europe, America and the rest of the capitalist challenge their whole system, we will end up Australian workers are. Last month, rail ask capitalists to favour them at the expense world. If workers here did not suffer the same profitshere with demand the catastrophic it, as part situation of beginning that our to workers in South Korea courageously faced of their overseas comrades. unemployment level during this recent crisis working class sisters and brothers in Greece down violent police attacks in a weeks long it is only because the Australian economy was and Spain face right now – where three out of anti-privatisation struggle that triggered Trotskyist Platform works to contribute to saved by surging exports to socialistic China’s massive solidarity rallies by other workers. the building of union leadership that will be based on Yet, how in hell are Korean workers going The Communist Manifesto’s Force the Ruling Class to everyHold five youngBack workers Their is unemployed. Cops From principles. We do, of course, understand that to be convinced to risk their jobs to support capitalists hire guest workers in order to Killing Aboriginal People – Unleash Union/Black Action! their Australian sisters and brothers at drive down wages. Yet, we maintain that this palm island aboriginal hero lex wotton joins brisbane g20 protests Holden when they see Australian workers should be entirely met by union demands for marching to put Australian workers ahead of Below Left: More than 500 people withstood over 40 degree heat in Brisbane on November 14 to guest workers to be given the same wages rally against Aboriginal deaths in custody, including Lex Wotton (Below Right) who addressed the overseas workers? as the best paid local workers, to be given demontration proudly saying, “I don’t regret what happened to myself, and for what I did... it made citizenship rights and to be fully unionised me stronger, it made me who I am today... anything I can do to be a part of change, for the struggle by divisive demands to “keep insidious that even many left wing groups like and not at all for our rights, I’m always there.” The protest was held just 12 days before the 10th anniversary out guest workers.” If you understand that The influence of Laborite nationalism is so of the heroic Palm Island resistance action in 2004 when hundreds of Aboriginal residents of the Socialist Alternative (Socialist Alternative, the only way to protect jobs is by struggle island responded to the brutal killing of Mulrunji Doomadgee at the hands of Police Sergeant Chris 3 July 2012) and the Communist Party of against job-slashing bosses then you will Hurley by burning down the local courthouse, police station, Hurley’s home and police barracks. Australia (The Guardian, 11 July 2012) hailed do everything to build workers unity – Wotton was arrested and, accused by the authorities the July 2012 “Local Workers First” rally. without which struggles are doomed to of leading the resistance action, he faced up to 14 To be sure, these groups sought to distance failure. That is why our unions must also years in jail. However, a defiant working class-centred themselves from the most jingoistic aspects oppose racist scapegoating of Aboriginal campaign was organised in his defence arguing that the of the rally. Yet, no matter in how cleansed a people, refugees and “ethnic” communities very same deadly, racist, state power arrayed against form they present it, as the rally’s main banner which is used by the exploiting class to divert workers’ anger away from the true source Aboriginal people also lines up ready to bash unionists slogan “WA Kids Miss Out When Miners on picket lines when they stand up to fight for workers’ Use Overseas Workers” made all too clear, of their problems – the corporate bigwigs. Kerry Stokes epitomises how the capitalists rights. This campaign culminated with a sharp, short this is a poisonous campaign that pits local use such methods. Although Stokes likes to stopwork action on the docks of Sydney by members of workers against their overseas comrades. It present himself as an enlightened person – the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) timed to coincide is a complete violation of the main call of The all the better to promote his Asian business with the sentencing of Wotton on 7 November 2008. As Communist Manifesto, which all nominally interests – the Channel 7 station that he owns a result of this working class pressure on the state, Lex Marxist groups claim to stand on, “Workers of churns out a stream of hostile stereotyping received a relatively light sentence and was released All Countries Unite.” It is not that there are no against the likes of refugees. How better for after two years. Nevertheless, any kind of sentence was healthy feelings of solidarity toward overseas Kerry Stokes to divert workers at his WesTrac a travesty against the inspirational Aboriginal leader. workers amongst sections of the Australian subsidiary from the fact that it is his greed that is the sole cause of the job cuts there! of the MUA, CFMEU and the Rail, Tram and The class struggle leadership of the unions Busworking Union class. held After a all,rally on outside January the2, officials South that needs to be built must be linked to a Korean Consulate in solidarity with Korean revolutionary party that will organise the rail workers. Yet what is needed is not only workers struggle in all political arenas. Such

48 attacks on workers’ unions and savagely slash because they fear alienating pro-capitalist jobs – from WesTrac to Holden to Qantas – small-l liberals and Greens. And although Freedom for the Refugees! they and their hounds in government are there are some differences among the leftist intensifying the scapegoating of refugees groups within RAC – for example, SAlt believe No to Offshore or Onshore Detention! and migrants. That’s why if the working class in using the “Fu_k” word in chants while is going to be able to focus its own against SA are less keen to do so – all these groups the powerful capitalist enemy then it must ultimately pander to the upper and upper- Build a Pro-Working Class actively challenge racist scapegoating of middle class liberals and Greens by refusing refugees. Mobilise trade union power to to make RAC actions explicitly pro-working demand: Close all the detention centres! class. They would argue that this is necessary Residency with full citizenship rights for to maintain a “broad” movement. But, in the Refugee Rights Movement all refugees and migrants imprisoned in end, because the interests of the corporate The late Reza Berati. The 24 year-old Kurdish asylum seeker was murdered Manus Island, Christmas Island, Villawood bosses and the working class are in direct in Australia’s immigration detention hellhole in PNG’s Manus Island by and everywhere else! opposition, you can only either appeal to Australian and PNG detention centre guards and at least one Salvation Army one class or the other. By refusing to openly employee. Importantly, at recent pro-refugee actions appeal to workers’ class interests, the current 20 March 2014 – Thousands of people have protested in there has been a presence from some unions refugee rights movement is cutting off the recent weeks against the Abbott regime’s brutal war on including the MUA, Teachers Federation and chance of broadening support for refugees refugees. The latest atrocity to spark protest was a rampage ASU. This now needs to be urgently converted amongst the working class. And it is the against refugees by guards at Australia’s Manus Island from the presence of a small number of organised working class and not well-heeled, detention centre in PNG. On February 17, these guards small-l liberals or two-faced mainstream unleashed murderous violence. Backed up by PNG police – union ranks – thereby laying the basis for politicians that has the consistent interest who like other state institutions in Papua New Guinea are officialsactual industrial to the actual action. mass Because mobilisation striking of and power to defeat the war on refugees. largely subservient to Australian imperialism – they attacked the detainees with sticks workers can bring industrial production to Many refugee rights activists have and machetes, murdering 24 year-old Kurdish asylum seeker, Reza Berati, and injuring a standstill, the working class has the power illusions in the Greens who, after all, are 77 other refugees. to defeat all the schemes of the racist, rich ruling class. But how can mass union support the one parliamentary party that at least The recent large pro-refugee rights rallies spokesman, Richard Marles, made his party’s be achieved? It is not simply a matter of speaks out against aspects of the war on have brought out a wide variety of people. stance all too clear: Many are youth passionately opposed to “We cannot afford for the Manus Island Greens’ commitment to refugee rights racism. Some are small-l liberals who see detention facility to fall over.” lobbyingthe most unionactive officials.layers of To the be unions able to that win refugees.was demonstrated However, all the too flakiness clearly when of the it the cruelty against refugees as a blot on the “It is the cornerstone of Australia’s strategy significantdefending refugeeunion support, rights is wean importantmust convince part jumped into a coalition with the Gillard ALP copybook of an otherwise fair society. Yet the of bolstering the union’s very ability to resist government without demanding even the despicable treatment of refugees is actually Indonesia.” the greedy bosses. That means pro-refugee slightest commitment from that government typical of the record of capitalist Australia – in terms of reducing the flow of boats from demonstrations need to feature slogans to ease its war on refugees. The Greens’ from genocidal terror against this country’s Indeed, it was the Keating ALP government in their rally leaflets that clearly point out how defending refugees is crucial for middle class refusal to stand unequivocally of the late 1800s and right through to the in 1992. And let’s not forget that the Rudd strengthening workers’ unity across racial inabilityfor workers to offer class real solutionsinterests flowsagainst from those their 2005 white supremacist riot at Cronulla thatgovernment first introduced Version mandatory 2.0 introduced detention the first peoples to the anti-Chinese pogroms lines and achieving the kind of solidarity of the capitalist bosses. Thus, in Tasmania, Beach. Indeed, just three days before the extreme policy of sending all refugee arrivals that can lead to the defeat of the powerful as part of the recently deposed governing Manus Island rampage, supporters of slain to the Manus hellhole. The ALP leaders have capitalist bosses. The refugee rights coalition with the ALP, the Greens openly Aboriginal youth TJ Hickey marked ten years as much of the blood of Reza Berati on their supported the anti-worker privatisation of hands as does the right wing Coalition! of the cover up of his murder by racist police refugee rights with the struggle for workers electricity distribution. This refusal to stand in Redfern. The previous week, one of the There are some within Labor ranks that movementemancipation must into bring one, unbeatabletogether the whole. fight for for class struggle solutions leaves the Greens do oppose aspects of the war on refugees. coughing up divisive nationalist “solutions” Aboriginal woman, Sheila Oakley, in her own However, the ALP leadership fully However, the current refugee rights groups instead. In fact, the Greens are the most four police officers who were surrounding an embraces anti-refugee racism because like the Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) do hardline of all major parties in whipping up taser straight into her eye and blinded it. that flows naturally from their support not have this perspective. RAC has, indeed, hysteria over foreign ownership of land (see Thehome Coalition’s south of Brisbane, war on barbaricallyrefugees is firednaked. a for the capitalist order – a system of worked tirelessly to expose the crimes against http://www.greens.org.au/land-ownership). Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott rant hardline exploitation that necessarily compels the refugees. And the left wing groups that Although such Greens jingoism is not directly refugee bashing speeches. ALP politicians ruling class to promote racism in order to dominate RAC like Solidarity, Socialist Alliance have made some criticisms of Morrison’s lies divide and divert the working class people (SA) and Socialist Alternative (SAlt) certainly feeds into the poisonous national chauvinism about the Manus events. But, in case anyone that they exploit and thus prevent the do believe in lobbying unions. However, these aimedthat inevitably against asylumrebounds seekers, against it definitely asylum thought that the ALP was considering shifting exploited masses from rising up against them. groups refuse to make appeals to workers’ seekers who are, after all, in essence the most its own racist policy, ALP immigration Today, as the ultra-rich bosses intensify their vulnerable section of migrant Australia.

class interests part of official rally slogans 50 51 The 17 February 2014 rampage too much to gain living under a capitalist movement can assist in the formation of an by detention centre guards system. Too much to ever commit to a full anti-racist, class-struggle union leadership at Australia’s immigration frontal attack against the very system that by ensuring that its slogans appeal directly to detention centre on Manus transports asylum seekers to hellhole camps the interests that workers have in defending Island sparked mass protests. on Nauru and Manus Island. On the other asylum seekers. In turn, the refugee rights The horrific riot by the guards hand, workers have long had an axe to grind struggle urgently needs union power included their murder of with the Australian capitalist state. For the behind it. Otherwise the spirited refugee asylum seeker Reza Berati. The system has been set up to ensure that the rights rallies that are taking place, while policy of detaining all asylum yoke of exploitation remains permanently useful in energising new layers of support, seekers arriving by sea offshore and denying them the chance will not be able to stop a determined and of settlement in Australia shoulders of the Australian working class. rampaging ruling class. So let’s ensure that was first implemented by the fixedA powerful, around united, the broad, multi-ethnic many colouredworkers’ the refugee rights movement unashamedly previous Rudd ALP government proclaims its solidarity with the working and is being continued by the class by saying: “Don’t let the bosses and current right wing Coalition frontracism is that what’s pits needed worker to against finally worker, shake this all politicians divide and divert workers with government. yoke off. But first the insidious, divisive racism! Make our unions stronger – Build greedy bosses and shareholders, must be workers unity – Fight for refugee rights!” Mobilise Trade Union Power in Defence of Refugees inwell the and name truly of profitscast off. and The dividends refugee forrights the The struggle to mobilise the workers movement behind refugees depends not only on what the refugee rights movement does. It also depends, crucially, on there being a union leadership that is prepared to stand strongly against racism. Some union officials have come out in support of refugee rights but this is undercut by the overall union leadership’s subordination to the refugee-bashing ALP. Like their ALP mates in parliament, most of the union bureaucracy bows down to the capitalist order. They reject militant industrial action. In response to job slashing, they call for government assistance for local corporations and protectionist measures against overseas producers. In response to the bosses’ exploitation of 457 Visa workers, our union leaders – instead of fighting to win our guest worker sisters and brothers the same conditions as local workers and full citizenship rights – divisively call for local workers to be put ahead of their 457 Visa comrades. Not only do such policies fuel xenophobic opposing the ruling class’ strategy to divert nationalism, they damage the workers’ unity the masses frustrations onto asylum seekers and 457 Visa workers is actually a life and What the working class so badly needs is a death question for the union movement itself. thatleadership is needed that’s to prepared fight for to workers unleash rights.union On 4 September 2014, refugee power to force greedy bosses to retain jobs Despite being concerned for the welfare of rights supporters held a protest asylum seekers, bourgeois liberal elements in solidarity with Iranian asylum in the refugee rights movement know (while seeker, Hamid Kehazaei outside atcapitalist the expense exploiters. of their And profits, any union all as activistpart of middle class elements think) that they have Brisbane’s Mater Hospital. The who is serious about mobilising industrial 24 year-old had been pronounced a broader workers’ fightback against the brain dead by doctors at the action knows that a successful strike The tent “accommodation” on Manus Island where the Australian regime cruelly imprisons asylum seekers. hospital three days earlier. depends, above all, on workers’ unity and Imprisoned at the Manus Island a clear understanding of who the enemy is immigration detention centre, (the bosses and their hacks in government) he cut his foot and developed septicemia which led to his death. (migrant workers and refugees). That is This highly preventable tragedy and who the enemy definitely is not was due to the hellish conditions against racism is crucial to the struggle at the Manus Island detention whyfor workers’ we communists rights. insistIndeed, that with the fightthe centre, the lack of proper medical ruling class on an anti-union offensive – facilities there and criminal highlighted by the Abbott government’s neglect by the detention centre Royal Commission against the unions – authorities.

52 53 Blacktown, western Sydney: One of the Trotskyist Platform placards at the November 2013 protest against racist police violence that reads: ‘Police brutalise working class “ethnic” youth, kill Aboriginal people in custody and attack trade union picket lines. Let’s unite trade unionists, Aboriginal people and “ethnic” youth in mass struggle against state terror.’ Photo: Jaroslaw Gasiorek

dismiss all charges and exonerate Einpwi as people in actual prisons continues to grow innocent. way out of proportion to the relative size of the Aboriginal community in Australia. Meanwhile, leaders of the Sudanese As the enforcers of the dispossession of the Racist Cop Attack on Teen Gathers community in Australia called for the cops Aboriginal people based on vicious racist lies, involved in the incident to be charged with assault. Protesters Outside Police Station racist crimes and, thus, are the most deeply Above Right: 20 June 2013, Blacktown station, western Sydney: Barbarism! Racist police taser Sudanese-born imbibed with the white supremacist ideology teenager Einpwi Amom even as he was already in handcuffs and surrounded by six cops. Still the police have refused to even apologise the police have committed the most horrific Above Left: 24 November 2013 protest in Blacktown, western Sydney against police brutality. and maintain their position on the use of the of the ruling class. taser on that day. Needless to say, the cops This system and ideology of colonialism Up to 75 people gathered on 24th November 2013 outside Blacktown police station have not paid any compensation to Einpwi or and capitalism stole so much land from to protest against an horrific act of police brutality perpetrated against a teenager his family for their heinous actions. the Aboriginal people which can be used of Sudanese background. On 20th June 2013 a cop – surrounded by 6 others in an all Notably, this incident of excessive police for agriculture and industry. Thus, we see too typical, cowardly and over the top racist cop attack – brutally tasered an already force and tasering follows Brazilian student, the battered social conditions Aboriginal handcuffed young man. Concerned Blacktown community members, leftists and Roberto Laudisio Curti, being tasered to people suffer under today. Meanwhile, many the Sudanese community energetically and spiritedly participated at the protest death in March 2012 in the very middle of migrants of Sudanese, Vietnamese, Lebanese, denouncing police brutality. This particular tasering of a teenager follows a pattern downtown Sydney. Chinese and Indian background are doing of already rampant racist police violence, violence against working class people and, it tough working in low paid, labourious But why are the cops so cowardly in their especially, attacks on Aboriginal people. and dangerous jobs while unemployment, attacks on dark skinned minorities like the especially for the youth, is very high as That day at Blacktown train station, high by so many cops. Still squirming and in Sudanese youth Einpwi? Trotskyist Platform school student Einpwi Amom, 17 at the handcuffs and surrounded by 6 cops, one well because of racism. As the force that knows through our work and campaigns maintains this racist and exploitative status time, harmlessly called out to his cousin to in Western Sydney young members of the “hurry the F up.” Unfortunately for Einpwi, police are seen on phone footage dragging quo, the police force is naturally a breeding Sudanese and Somalian as well as other ground for the most stridently racist and officerhim through proceeds the train to taser station him. by Afterwards,his arms as sections of the African community and they particularly aggressive that day alarmed the Einpwi is unable to even stand let alone walk. anti-poor sentiments. Furthermore, the tell us that police harassment against family police, courts and state institutions in ateenager police officer by shouting who must back have at him.been Scared,feeling He is shouting loudly in pain. and friends occurs on a frequent basis. The Einpwi began to run away but, as the now general defend the ruling class: the same The cops, after brutalising the teenager this reason why police here are so brutal and ruling class that through the media they way, then had the audacity to rap the young racist is because, historically, Australia is a tripped down the station stairway and fell control uses poisonous racist scapegoating man with 6 charges: failing to comply with country founded on colonialist land theft rampaging police officer gave chase, Einpwi of Aboriginal people, refugees and non-white direction, offensive language, resisting a from Aboriginal people that has spread the himself out. CCTV footage shows the boy migrant communities to divert the anger of myth and horrible racist lie that just because the masses away from the exploiters. But headlying motionless first onto and the seemingly hand railing, lifeless knocking on the of the colour of their skin Aboriginal people stairs while a cop runs over to him and, failing the capitalist enforcers, as upholders of an was Einpwi brutalised and tortured but the were not really part of the human race, let to check on his condition, drags his motionless police officer in the course of duty and 3 order that spreads racist capitalist ideology, merciless police were determined to ruin a alone equal to the white invaders. In order and unconscious body down the stairs like counts of assaulting a police officer. Not only not only especially attack working class young man’s life and cage him in prison. a sack of potatoes. He then, outrageously, non-white people but even target wealthier peoples Australia’s capitalist rulers needed dark-skinned or Asian people. proceeded to handcuff the unconscious boy. So outrageously barbaric was this case to take this vast rich land away from the first Einpwi lies subdued on the ground with his against darkskinned Einpwi Amom that of genocide, brutal acts that have continued Though it is, notably, the minority, arms and legs are twisted around by the cops. even Parramatta Children’s Court, an unfair aup racist until lie today. to justify Though committing only recently horrific actsthe migrant and ethnic communities who are As he regains consciousness he wriggles a capitalist rich people’s institution which practice of putting Aboriginal people into downtrodden by the worst oppression, all bit, as you naturally would if you suddenly is itself no stranger to locking up coloured prison-like missions by the authorities working class people be they black, yellow, discovered that you were being manhandled working class children, was pressured to has ceased, the population of Aboriginal

or white ultimately find themselves in the 54 55 same boat together as members of the same sued through the rich people’s courts around entire capitalist system of exploitation of the Social-Democratic pacifism and trying oppressed class. When workers are united 1 million dollars for a series of protests and working class. We, therefore, cannot appeal to to win cops over is a dead end. We need – and all pathetic petty bickering between strikes. Notably, in Melbourne, police used the police and courts to be less oppressive as to win the multi-racial working class fellow workers in racist ways is ended – it their horses and almost trampled protesting oppression of workers constitutes – in a very masses and union contingents to take gives workers the necessary united power real sense – their very bread and butter. action to stop racist capitalist police that can triumph over the capitalist bosses workplace safety and union rights. Moreover, So what are we going to do about unjust brutality. This strategy must be part of that exploit us. That is why it is in the interests unionistsCFMEU construction who were fightingunion activists for greater are police acting in such a blatantly racist and a perspective to change the system as a of the trade union movement to mobilise its subject to the Gestapo-like secret police discriminatory manner? whole through building and educating social power to defend Aboriginal, African, snooping and persecution of the so called At the protest Trotskyist Platform took along towards a revolutionary change through Middle Eastern, Asian and Islander youth who Fair Work Australia regime. The present day mass working class struggle. are targeted by racist police. We need mass courts and police do not serve the interests of placards that variously read: actions of trade union contingents alongside the working class people: this system enables “Down with racist police terror against In the end for any real change, a new system Aboriginal and “ethnic” communities to the rich ruling class to steal even more from Aboriginal, African, Asian, Islander, and would need to be set up and the old system oppose the racist police violence. the working people and attack the more Middle Eastern origin youth.” swept away in a massive radical upsurge in militant unions like the CFMEU. “Police brutalise working class ‘Ethnic’ youth, the working class. The new system would At the 24th November rally outside the kill Aboriginal people in custody and attack be loyal to the interests of the working Blacktown police station, one protester Other protesters at the Blacktown trade union picket lines. Let’s unite trade class masses and not the rich exploiters. brought a placard that read “You’re a service demonsration angrily shouted at police as unionists, Aboriginal people, and ethnic The industries and land would need to be not a force”. they tried to appeal to their moral senses. youth in mass struggle against state terror” publicly owned under a socialist economy. Some protesters thought that you can appeal “Don’t allow business as usual for police Such a system would have full employment But who do the police actually serve? The to the courts and the cops to be nicer. This is and other state institutions while they are and free housing which will result in creating police under the current system today serve an utterly futile, false and vain hope. Wouldn’t unleashing terror – Oppose them with mass a harmonious and cooperative society and the ultra-rich and company owning class of it be great if we could just simply and politely actions backed by working class power!” this, in essence, will eradicate the savage people. The police may from time to time ask police to be nicer? Unfortunately, the “Don’t trust any inquiries run by the racist basis of racism: that is, competition over arrest a cruel murderer or rapist and here reality is that the police and courts today are rich people’s state! Let’s just demand the or there may stop an act of violence when it pitted against the interests of the working jailing of the cops who assaulted and tasered scarce resources. Such a system would suits them but they are also at the core of a class. Notoriously, the capitalist state’s Einpwi Amom!” need to create a new type of working class people’s police, working class people’s state whose laws exist to serve the ultra-rich henchmen go hard on racial minorities. They In our placards we appeal to working class court and working class people’s army that class of capitalist rulers and the system of are also known to kick sole parent mother unionists, the multi-racial working class and will not repress minorities or the working private property that underpins their rule. families onto the street when they can’t pay all racially oppressed segments of Australia class toilers but will defend a socialist In other words these police don’t really serve the rent and cops attack picket lines set up by to unite against the capitalist system’s state society. Defend it in its evolution towards the working class masses. For example, just workers when standing up against poverty- terror. earlier this year, a trade union that represents causing mass sackings. The police and the a truly egalitarian and classless society. All workers in the construction, forestry, energy courts, today, are inherently unjust. This is, As we have seen, it is not just African people comrades that understand this have a duty and mining industry called the CFMEU, was ultimately, seen in their enforcement of this but Aboriginal, Middle Eastern, Asian and to be active in their unions uniting workers unionists who are also affected by police to a revolutionary and internationalist February 2014, Logan, Queensland: Aboriginal woman Sheila Oakley heads a protest rally. She had been blinded harassment and targeting. Indeed, this is a understanding. Active in helping build the in one eye after police outrageously tasered her in her own home. broader class issue: the racially oppressed mass struggle alongside all our sisters and are some of the most repressed but all brothers amongst the ranks of the poor working class people be they black, white, and oppressed. Active in helping build the yellow or brown, all working class people victorious working class party of the future. are subjugated by this capitalist system. Relatives of Sheila Oakley and other demonstrators hold up Trotskyist Platform placards at a protest in February 2014 outside the Logan police station in south Brisbane. The rally protested against the brutal tasering of Sheila Oakley by Queensland police which left her, tragically, blind in one eye. Opposite page: Dead civilians in Luhansk City in eastern Ukraine following an airstrike on the rebel region by the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukraine’s brutal war on the Donbass region has killed hundreds of civilians.

Yet when on the very same day as that Bishop press release, Malaysian Airline flight MH17 was tragically shot down over eastern Ukraine, the Australian government, without any credible evidence whatsoever, unleashed aggressive language that blamed Russian-speaking rebels in eastern Ukraine and their Russian backers for deliberately downing the civilian aircraft. Abbott rushed to declare, “These were innocent people going about their lives and they have been wantonly killed by Russian-backed rebels using probably, quite possibly equipment supplied by [Russia].” Later he followed this up with further shrill denunciations. Abbott screamed that Russia was a “bully” and ranted that Ukraine has been “subject to active destabilisation and indeed outright invasion from Russia.” Now, the Liberal-National Party regime has implemented further sanctions on Russia and has announced that it is considering supplying the hard right Ukrainian regime with “non-lethal” military assistance. The shooting down of MH17 was, indeed, a identity as they could have gained no military horrible human-made tragedy that took the advantage from downing a Malaysian civilian The Main Enemy Are the Capitalist Rulers At Home lives of 298 innocent passengers and crew. airliner and would have, indeed, suffered a Among the dead were 193 Dutch people, 43 massive propaganda blow from it. Although Malaysians (including popular actress Shuba they would still be guilty of negligence, there Lift Western Sanctions on Russia! Jay) and 37 Australian residents (some of is a massive, absolutely enormous difference Down with NATO/Australian Meddling in Ukraine! whom were citizens of overseas countries.) between this and the deliberate terrorist Six of those tragically killed in the crash shooting down of a civilian airliner which were delegates on their way to the 20th Obama, Abbott and other Western rulers have Abbott & Shorten Use Ukraine International AIDS Conference in Melbourne. deceitfully implied was the case. Later, we Yet not only is it not clear who shot down shall address the question of who, ultimately, the aircraft, current indications of who was has the most responsibility for the airline responsible actually point away from the tragedy even if it was after all the Donbass Plane Tragedy to Promote Donbass-based rebels. Now, it is of course possible that the rebel forces representing Russian-speaking people seeking self-rule rebelsYet, it is that far, fired far from the shots.certain or even probable Support for Aussie Imperialism for the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine that the Donbass rebels did bring down the Defend the Just Struggle of the People of the Donbass! could have shot down the aircraft by mistake, airliner. For one, there has been no tangible thinking it was a Ukrainian military plane. evidence that Russia or anyone else supplied Let us assume for a moment that the wild the Donetsk rebels with the BUK-M1 surface For the Revolutionary Unity of the and completely unsubstantiated accusations to air missile that Western and Ukrainian of the Western rulers turn out to be correct rulers say brought down the Malaysian plane. Ukrainian and Russian Working Class! and a rebel missile did, indeed, bring down Previously, the rebels had never even used the Malaysian airliner. Then there is certainly such a missile. The Ukrainian military planes September 22 – On July 16, an Israeli military attack killed four boys between the negligence involved in not properly checking that they had earlier destroyed were all shot ages of 9 and 11 as they played soccer on a Gaza beach. This was a horrific crime all to ensure that the targeted aircraft was not down at much lower altitude with another too typical of the Israeli military. In its July and August assault on Gaza, they killed a civilian airliner. However, far, far greater less advanced missile system. That system is 2,133 Palestinians, overwhelmingly civilians and nearly 500 of whom were children. criminal negligence would then fall on the Yet Israel’s genocidal assault has been supported by the Australian government. part of the aviation authorities and the at 33,000 feet which is the altitude that the Prime Minister Abbott and Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, have refused to even greedy capitalist airline bosses who, to save incapable of shooting down an aircraft flying condemn the killing of Palestinian children. Indeed, the day after the murder of the Palestinian children playing on the beach, Bishop issued a press release blaming a dangerous war zone where military aircraft Malaysianthe CIA, FBI, airliner U.S. Army was flyingand other at. Indeed,agencies a Hamas for the war and outrageously praising Israel for its supposed determination fuelhave costs, already continued been shot to authorise down by flights surface over to groupare so of concerned retired U.S. that intelligence the unsubstantiated officers from to accept a ceasefire. So when the powerful and sophisticated Israeli military carries air missiles. If the Donbass resistance were, claims by the U.S. government are harming U.S. interests that they released an open out incessant attacks on Gaza that they know are mostly killing Palestinian civilians, in fact, the ones who brought down the plane, it is absolutely certain that the shooting of memorandum to Obama stating that: the Australian regime and much of the mainstream media excuse this as self-defence. the plane would have been a case of mistaken

58 59 Twelve days after the shoot-down of Malaysian `some US intelligence sources had concluded the U.S., British and Australian rulers who aircraft than the Ukrainian Army are the Airlines Flight 17, your administration still has that the rebels and Russia were likely not at fault had been so aggressively denouncing Russia fascist militias that have, as volunteers, joined issued no coordinated intelligence assessment and that it appears Ukrainian government forces and the Donetsk rebels over MH17 have now summarizing what evidence exists to determine were to blame’. become fairly quiet about the whole incident rebels. These murderous fascists hark back to who was responsible – much less to convincingly - http://www.nst.com.my/node/20925 support repeated claims that the plane was adding to suspicions that they are aware that the tradition Ukrainian of the military’s Ukrainian fight Insurgent against Army the downed by a Russian-supplied missile in the The New Straits Times article continued: another party were the real perpetrators. of Stepan Bandera, which allied with the Nazis hands of Ukrainian separatists. invaders against the Soviet Union during If it was the Ukrainian military that did, - http://consortiumnews.com/2014/07/29/ Yesterday, the New Straits Times quoted World War II. The Bandera forces murdered experts who had said that photographs of the indeed, shoot down MH17 what possible obama-should-release-ukraine-evidence/ over 100,000 Poles, Jews and Communists blast fragmentation patterns on the fuselage motive could they have? One suggestion is in a series of gruesome massacres. Today’s of the airliner showed two distinct shapes based on the fact that the livery of Malaysian This open memorandum is all the more telling Ukrainian fascist irregulars not only have a – the shredding pattern associated with a Airlines sported by MH17 is rather close to the fanatical hatred of Russian speakers but are Russian tri-colour. They could have mistakenly are hardly opponents of U.S. imperialism – extreme white supremacists who would have more uniform, round-type penetration holes thought it was a Russian transport aircraft. givenindeed, that the these memorandum retired U.S. intelligencetakes as a positive officers little qualm in targeting a civilian aircraft from consistentwarhead packed with that with of cannon “flechettes”, rounds. and the Another hypothesis is based on reports that example right wing former president Ronald an Asian airline. Reagan’s release of intelligence information at the time of the shooting, Vladimir Putin’s to “justify” the U.S. bombing of Libya in 1986! cannon rounds could not have reached the aircraft, whose Russian tri-colour based livery Then there is, of course, the possibility that the is similar to that of the Malaysian airliner U.S. directly shot down the aircraft. Certainly, So, if the Donestsk rebels did not bring down Theaircraft above from evidence the ground is significant – they had because to be New Straits Times – was in the air not all that far from MH17. the U.S. and allied imperialists have been the the Malaysian airliner who else could have Could the shooting down of MH17 have been shot it down? The Russian Defence Ministry also quoted Michael Bociurkiw, a Ukrainian- firedCanadian from monitoranother withaircraft. the Organisation for a botched attempt by the Ukrainian Air Force from the shooting down of MH17. It has put to assassinate Putin? Then there is a still greatestWashington’s beneficiaries Russian from capitalist the political rival onfallout the picked up at least one Ukrainian Air Force Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who, along with another colleague, was more sinister possible motive: that the right diplomatic back foot. The U.S. imperialists maintained that its air traffic control had wing Ukrainian regime shot down the plane have long treated the peoples of the “Third Malaysian airliner before the incident. This in order to blame the rebels. Could this be World” as expendable pawns. Thus, while Sukhoiinformation SU-25 release fighter justwas, 3 noto 5doubt, km from aimed the thedown. first In internationala July 29 Canadian monitor Broadcasting to reach the possible? Certainly the Ukrainian regime has a claims that the U.S. government was behind motive for doing this. The blame that the rebel the September 11, 2001 bombings must, jet that brought down the passenger plane. wreckageCorporation after interview, flight Bociurkiw, MH17 was had brought stated that: forces received for the shooting down of the surely, be far-fetched given that the target was atCertainly suggesting given that the itcurrent was a tensions Ukrainian between fighter civilian aircraft was a great propaganda coup Russia and Ukraine, the Russian government There have been two or three pieces of fuselage for the Ukrainian government. If the Ukrainian commercial power, the targeting of an Asian that have been really pockmarked with what military did shoot down MH17 in such a false aairliner key symbol is well of within U.S. capitalist, the range financial of past andCIA Yet, what has given this hypothesis a serious actions. These cold-hearted enforcers of U.S. has an interest in pointing the finger at Kiev. almost looks like machinegun fire; very, very civilian airliner would have not been a terrible capitalist interests would rationalise this as mainstream newspaper of Malaysia, New Tostrong put machinegunthe New Straits fire. Times reports into flagaccident attack caused then in by that negligence case the downing from various of the “unfortunate collateral damage” incurred for Straitslife is whenTimes none, published other thanseveral the flagship,articles perspective one has to understand what this parties but deliberate mass murder. It would the sake of the greater good – that is, the good suggesting that MH17 was brought down by newspaper represents. New Straits Times is seem unthinkable for any humans to undertake of U.S. imperialism! not only the main establishment newspaper such a heinous crime. Yet, other U.S.-backed of Malaysia, it is also closely linked to the The U.S. rulers certainly know all about shooting down civilian airliners. On 3rd July Newa missile Straits fired Times from article a Ukrainian carried on aircraft its website and Malaysian government – a government precisely these kinds of attacks – especially 1988, the U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser thenon August finished 7, headlined off with aircraft “US analysts gunfire. conclude Thus, a which while not quite as fully subservient to forcesthe imperialist-backed involved in conflicts Syrian have “rebels.” committed For MH17 downed by aircraft,” commenced as Washington as its neighbours is nevertheless example, in May 2012, 108 civilians including USS Vincennes follows: far closer to the U.S. rulers than it is to Russia. to Dubai. All 274 downed passengers Iran Airand flight 16 crew 655 INTELLIGENCE analysts in the United States had This newspaper has no political interest in the town of Taldou in Syria’s Houla Plains. whichaboard wasIranian on aAirbus regular A300 flight were from killed Tehran by contradicting the Western narrative about 49The childrenSyrian “rebels” were horrifically displayed the massacred bodies to in the U.S. missile strike. The Iranian passenger MH17 was shot down by an air-to-air missile, the plane tragedy. Soon after the New Straits UN inspectors and to their supporters in the alreadyand that concluded the Ukrainian that Malaysiagovernment Airlines had flight had Times reports, Malasyia’s defence minister, Western media as evidence of the Syrian pro- Iranian airspace and above Iranian territorial something to do with it. Hishammuddin Hussein came out and denied government forces supposed responsibility waters in the Persian Gulf when it was shot This corroborates an emerging theory for the massacre. Yet a German mainstream airliner was on its normal flight path within postulated by local investigators that the Boeing down. The U.S. never apologised or accepted Yet, since then New Straits Times has run at newspaper soon uncovered that it was the 777-200 was crippled by an air-to-air missile any responsibility for the killing of the people thatleast MH17one article was shotsupporting down bythe fighteralternative jets. Western-backed “rebels” who had in fact that had been shadowing it as it plummeted to narrative (see, for example: http://www.nst. committed the massacre and had displayed andearth. finished off with cannon fire from a fighter com.my/node/22405). However, all these New the bodies in order to blame the Syrian aboard Iran Air flight 655 and claimed that In a damning report dated Aug 3, headlined Straits Times accounts and the evidence they government. `Flight 17 Shoot-Down Scenario Shifts’, are based on have been completely ignored by theExcept crew that of the the passenger warship had airliner misidentified was in Associated Press reporter Robert Parry said the Western mainstream media. Furthermore, Even less morally averse to downing a civilian theregular plane English as an F14-Alanguage Tomcat radio fighter contact aircraft. with

60 61 an attacking military aircraft and a civilian In the case of the war on Gaza, the U.S. and of thousands of people when they invaded the airliner well within a recognised civilian airliner. The U.S. warship’s own Aegis Combat Australian rulers support Israel’s brutal and occupied Iraq and Afghanistan. They air corridor,traffic controllers. it was a full Moreover, 20km away not onlyfrom was the System picked up the Iranian airliner’s radio assault because Israel has long been a key have fuelled a bloody proxy war in Syria transmitter’s emission of the normal Mode III henchman for Western imperialism in the against the uncompliant Assad government. missiles that killed all 290 people aboard the code clearly identifying it as a civilian airliner Middle East region. In contrast, the Donbass Today, these Western colonial predators are U.S.aircraft. warship when the latter fired the two on its normal course. Furthermore, it turned rebels and Russia are not the lapdogs of using the crimes of the ISIS monster that The mainstream Western media don’t want out that the warship’s advanced surveillance NATO and are, thus, targets for the Western they had until recently fed and nurtured as system had also recorded that the aircraft imperialists’ propaganda attacks and a force against the Syrian government, as an today when attacking the Donetsk rebels and was in a steady climb, not the descending economic sanctions. The capitalist powers excuse to again directly intervene to impose toRussia talk overtoo much the MH17 about tragedy. this horrific Yet there incident are in the West want a loyal partner in power also some important differences between the mention most rational observers in general, in Kiev because they want prized access to regime change in Syria. Earlier in 2011, they U.S. shooting down the Iranian airliner and profilebelieve ofthat an the attack U.S. run.warship Most deliberately Iranians, not shot to markets and investment opportunities in theirdevastated will on Libya Iraq and with to moreair strikes openly in fight order for the accusation that Donbass rebels brought down the civilian airliner. This was either the Ukraine. However, that is not their only because the U.S. wanted to teach disobedient down MH17. If the, increasing doubtful, claim purpose. They meddle in Ukraine in order to government in Libya. In short, the U.S., British Iran a lesson or because a trigger happy crew that the Eastern Ukraine based rebels downed ensure that there is a regime there that will toand remove Australian the imperialist all too independent ruling classes Gaddafi are MH17 were true then the accidental strike wanted to try out their new advanced combat act as a counterweight to – and a container of system. used to getting their way and will do anything would have been conducted by a desperate – Russia. With this aim, the U.S. and its allies to ensure that they do. So the last thing that Russians are, themselves, familiar with this have drawn not only Ukraine but Georgia into these imperial overlords will accept is a new, aircraft above its own territory. In contrast, emerging capitalist rival with the potential forcethe U.S. fighting was anot war at and war shooting when downthe USS an Siberian Airlines Flight 1812 heading to the they hope will be a step towards integrating to tread on their turf (which the Western Vincennes kindRussian of horrificcity of tragedy.Novosibirsk On 4from October Tel 2001Aviv, anthese “Intensified countries Dialogue”into NATO with membership NATO in itself.what imperialists now consider to be almost the further, that attack was unleashed thousands Israel was shot down and crashed into the Three other former Soviet republics were entire world!) However, capitalist Russia of miles away shot fromdown the Iran U.S.A Air flightin the 655 Persian and, Black Sea, killing all 78 passengers onboard. brought into NATO membership in 2004: just such an emerging power. Although Gulf. This makes U.S. claims that their warship is Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. These moves it has been greatly weakened by capitalist ended up paying $15 million in compensation are not only aimed in big part against Russia while NATO and the Australian government Atto firstvictims’ denying families any involvement,as evidence Ukraineclearly restoration in 1991-92, Russia still retains but also against the Western imperialists’ some portion of the former USSR’s industrial misidentifiedare accusing thea airlinerragtag rebelhighly armydubious. lacking Also, pointed to the Ukrainian military accidentally ultimate target – socialistic China. advanced surveillance systems of shooting shooting down the plane during a training and technological might and is today easily exercise. The fact that Ukraine, thus, carries The U.S.-led Western powers largely rule the second strongest military power in downed by the most powerful military force in such recent form in this area has, predictably, the world – brutally exploiting the masses the world. The Western imperialists, who downthe world MH17, – a force Iranian with Airmore flight than 655adequate was garnered scant attention in the Western press of the so-called “Third World” and toppling have largely divided the world between sophistication to clearly distinguish between in the wake of the MH17 disaster. disobedient governments seemingly at will. themselves, approach Russia in the same way They tolerate no opposition to their tyranny. that criminal gangs unite to curb and bully an Canberra’s Meddling in Ukraine: The U.S. rulers and their counterparts in the upstart new kid on the block rival who could Good for Australia’s Capitalist Exploiters, likes of Britain and Australia killed hundreds impinge on their operations. Bad for the Working Class & Oppressed So what can we say in summary about who shot down MH17? Unlike the tycoon or Below Left: Australian Federal Police arrive in Ukraine on the pretext of the MH17 air crash investigation. capitalist government-owned Western media, we Marxists base ourselves on reality and The deployment of these police - for work that should have been done by specialist pathologists and air crash have no reason to distort the truth. Nor do we have a need to present scenarios that are only investigators - to an area controlled by a force (the Donetsk rebels) that the Australian regime opposes was meant to assert Australian imperialism’s “right” to jackboot wherever they please. Australian cops are often deployed to possibilities or even probabilities as dead certainties. Taking this approach, in summary, enforce the Australian capitalists’ tyranny over the peoples of the South Pacific. Below Right: Australian Federal as we go to press, we can say that it is not certain who brought down Malaysian airline Police were once again deployed to the Solomon Islands in April 2014 to guard the Gold Ridge mine owned by flight MH17. However, we can say that the analysis of actual hard evidence thus far points Australian corporation St Barbara. more towards the Ukrainian military as the perpetrators rather than the Eastern Ukraine rebels. And what we can say with absolute certainty is that in the (increasingly less likely) case that the Donbass rebels did bring down the airliner, this was an accidental shooting. Yet not only have the Liberal government, the ALP opposition and the mainstream media all rushed to pronounce both the Donbass rebels and their Russian backers as guilty, they have deviously equated the possible accidental shooting by these forces with a deliberate terrorist attack on a passenger-filled civilian airliner. In stark contrast, at the very same time that it was making these lurid allegations against the Donbass rebels, the Australian ruling class apologised for Israel’s deliberate devastation of Gaza which the Australian regime knew amounted to the deliberate mass slaughter of Palestinian civilians. So why these diametrically opposite responses from the Australian ruling class?

62 So what is the reason for the Australian against the interests of the Australian Until earlier this year, Ukraine rulers getting involved in all of this? After working class to do so. The more that the actually had a government that all, Russia and Ukraine are far away from Western imperialist gang that the Australian maintained fairly friendly relations ruling class is allied with is successful in its with its Russian neighbour. That no designs on Australia’s neocolonies in the quest to strengthen its world domination, the government was headed by then Canberra’s sphere of influence and Russia has more arrogant will the Australian capitalist president Viktor Yanukovych imperialism’s tyranny in this region depends rulers become at home. That means more who, following his election victory Southon having Pacific. the backing The reason of the is U.S. that superpower. Australian aggressive attacks on our unions, more in the 2010 presidential polls, It is under the protection of U.S. might that severe cutbacks to entitlements for the very sought to balance relations with Australian corporate giants like BHP and poor, more anti-working class privatisations Russia and the West. However, Woodside steal the oil of East Timor, that of infrastructure and public housing and when Yanukovych announced in Australian mining tycoons plunder the further measures to exclude working class November 2013 that he was putting natural resources of PNG, that the Australian people from access to decent healthcare off close integration with the EU in Blatant! U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, and military and cops often jackboot around and education. It means more extreme all- favour of stronger ties with Russia U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, hand out bread to the sided racist oppression of Aboriginal people (highlighted by his acceptance of Ukrainian right wing, then opposition, forces in the lead up to their and high-level bureaucrats get muscled into and still more brutal government attacks on a huge loan offer from Russia), seizure of power in February 2014. the Southupper Pacificechelons and of that the Australianstate institutions judges pro-Western anti-government refugees. That is why it is in the interests of get an international personality to come to of PNG and the Solomon Islands. Thus, the protests erupted. The protests were able the working class and all of the downtrodden Ukraine “to help midwife this thing.” Yet U.S. Australian ruling class want to do everything to see the predatory international schemes of to ride on anger at the high unemployment possible to uphold U.S./NATO domination and high poverty rates – especially in their ruling class oppressors suffer setbacks of how to affect the regime change but, in fact, of the world – and right now that includes Western Ukraine – overseen by the corrupt, – setbacks in Ukraine/Russia and setbacks who should be in the new government! Thus, turning the screws on the U.S’s emerging capitalist government. Yet from the start, the imperialism’s officials were not only speaking everywhere else. The Australian workers they decided that “Yats” (i.e. conservative Russian competitor. “solutions” offered by the groups leading the movement and left must demand: politician Arseniy Yatsenyuk) is “the guy” protests were right wing and dominated by Down with NATO/Australian meddling and Nuland insisted that “Klitsch” (i.e. rival Australia’s capitalist rulers are not just aggressive Ukrainian nationalism. puppets of the U.S. but are, rather, willing in Ukraine! No to the plan to station conservative politician Vitali Klitschko) junior partners in the same way that Australian Federal Police officers in Kiev Behind the then opposition movement should not be in the government. And guess medium-sized criminal bosses always want – Down with the Abbott government’s stood Washington which, seeing a chance what happened in the end: “Yats” became the threat to send military aid to the right new prime minister and “Klitsch” decided not allied with to be the number one mobster. wing Ukrainian regime! Lift all U.S., EU backed the movement with both massive to be part of the new government! theYet, particularwhile it is rationalmafia godfather for the likes that of theyAndrew are and Australian sanctions on Russia! U.S./ tofunding undermine for opposition Russian influence “NGOs” inas Ukraine,well as Forrest, Clive Palmer, Gina Rinehart, the Lowy Australian imperialism: Hands off Iraq with tactical direction. The U.S. government’s family, James Packer and the greedy major and Syria! Defend Syria against NATO and intervention was so blatant that U.S. powers had orchestrated events in post- owners of BHP, Rio Tinto and Woodside to their “Free Syrian Army” and religious Assistant Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, ThisSoviet was Ukraine. not the In first 2004, time after that theYanukovych Western back Canberra’s support for Washington’s fundamentalist “rebel” proxies! and Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, won presidential elections, opposition great power machinations, it is completely openly joined the then opposition protests – even handing out cakes to the right wing “non-violent resistance” by U.S. government Ukraine’s Right Wing Coup: protesters. The extent of this U.S. intervention groupsagencies massively – like financedthe notorious and trainedNational in Plotted By Washington, Spearheaded By Fascist Thugs is also readily apparent in a recording of an Endowment for Democracy – instigated mass intercept of a phone conversation between protests against the election results. The Ukrainian fascists have Nuland and Pyatt (see: http://www. movement, dubbed the Orange Revolution, been boosted by the resulted in Yanukovych’s victory being February 2014 right youtube.com/watch?v=jbOwfeoDX2o). The wing coup which they conversation begins with the ambassador annulled by the courts and a re-run being spearheaded. Many of saying, “I think we’re in play” (i.e. their efforts conducted which resulted in strongly pro- these fascist outfits sport to affect regime change and determine the Western candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, the Wolfsangel (Wolf’s next government of Ukraine are in play!) Hook) - a favoured Nuland and Pyatt express satisfaction that symbol of modern Neo- American diplomat and UN Under-Secretary- winningIf the U.S. office. rulers were the generals of the Nazi groups. General for Political Affairs, Jeff Feltman, opposition forces, the shock troops were had succeeded in getting the UN to agree the local fascist squads. They came mainly to send Dutch UN diplomat Robert Serry from two groups: the Svoboda party and the to Ukraine to promote the regime change Pravy Sector (Right Sector). The Svoboda or, as Nuland puts it, “help glue this thing party was formed as the Social National together.” Later, Pyatt speaks of the need to Party of Ukraine in order to identify with

65 the “National Socialist” ideology opposition. On February 21, the Ukrainian Ihor Tenyukh. Additionally, Svoboda fascist of Hitler’s Nazis. The party spews parliament ousted Yanukovych. Although Oleh Makhnitsky was appointed Attorney hatred against immigrants, Jewish large numbers of people had participated General. Pravy Sektor leader Dmitry Yarosh people and Russians, espouses in the opposition movement, in effect what was offered the deputy national security extreme hostility to women’s had happened was that the elected president position but declined the offer. right to abortion, calls for legal was overthrown by a right wing movement This fascist representation in the Ukrainian discrimination in economic and overseen by Washington and spearheaded government has declined somewhat over social matters against non-ethnic by fascists. Oleg Turchynov from the time. Svoboda’s Tenyukh resigned as conservative Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) Defence Minister after less than a month in 4th Waffen Grenadier Division of party became Acting President and, yes, “the Ukrainiansthe SS (1st Galician) and glorifies that was the made Nazi man” was appointed Prime Minister. Yats Ukraine for the neo-Nazi Pravy Sektor was up of Ukrainians who volunteered The days leading up to and immediately officekilled ain day a shootout after the with coordinator Ukrainian for police. Western In following February 21 saw a series of June, the Svoboda member acting as Attorney Soviet Red Army. Pravy Sektor, for frightening fascist attacks on civilians toits fightpart, on is Hitler’s composed side againstof various the Kiev: Prominent US Senator John McCain openly supporting the including violence against Jewish people, by a member of the conservative Fatherland street thug groups notorious for Ukrainian right wing then opposition forces that took power in the desecration of Soviet war memorials, party. Yet the fascist paramilitaries still attacks on international students General resigned and this post is now filled the February 2014 coup. Among the groups McCain lionised are the tearing down of some 25 Lenin statues, make up a large portion of the newly formed and immigrants. The prominence outright fascist parties. Here pictured to McCain’s left is the fascist the ransacking of the Communist Party of Ukrainian National Guard and Svoboda has of Svoboda and Pravy Sektor in Svoboda party leader, Oleh Tyahnybok. the opposition protests grew with fascists carrying batons and violent attacks agenda of the government. On July 24, the time and became decisive as the be talking to them four times a week.” So a on members of the KPU. As a result of the Communist Party of Ukraine’s parliamentary movement turned violent in January. The Ukraine’s (KPU) office in Kiev by masked continued to exert a strong influence on the pro-Western, conservative government that leading role played by fascists in the right wing faction was dissolved by the parliament fascists then unleashed a series of brutal regularly consults with and takes advice coup, fascists were appointed to key posts in and 308 criminal proceedings against the attacks on opponents of the movement from fascists was on Washington’s order of the new government. Of the 20 ministries party were launched as part of attempts to – including government supporters, the day! in the cabinet, four were initially taken up ban any activity by the party. Furthermore, journalists, state security forces and the by Svoboda members. Only the mainstream the authorities have carried out arrests and Up until a late stage of the anti-government conservative Fatherland party had more some in case beatings of KPU members. The U.S. “democratic” imperialists were fully protests, the U.S. was actually quite happy The officesaware of of and Yanukovych’s accepting of Partythis fascist of Regions. factor. to see an arrangement where Yanukovych international workers movement and left new government included the number three Ambassador Wyatt said of the Svoboda would retain the presidency while other must demand an end to all persecution neo-Nazis: “They have demonstrated their ministries. The fascist Svoboda figures in the of the KPU and the restoration of its Oleksandr Sych as well as Defence Minister, by their men so that the West’s agenda parliamentary faction! figure in the new regime, Vice Prime Minister prominent U.S. Senator John McCain came keycould government gradually take positions over. The would EU behad filledalso Racist Oppression and Resistance in Ukraine democraticto Kiev’s Maidan bona square fides.” to Meanwhile, salute the whenthen negotiated a compromise deal between The fascist influence was also seen in the move to enshrine legal discrimination against opposition movement, he made a point about Yanukovych and the then opposition. non-ethnic Ukrainians. Thus just two days after Yanukovych was ousted, the post- greeting and standing shoulder to shoulder However, the fascists and other hardline coup parliament voted to repeal the law on regional languages which had stipulated with the leader of the fascist Svoboda party sections of the movement refused to accept that although Ukraine was the sole national language, a minority language with the Oleh Tyahnybok. And in that intercepted call any compromise and stepped up their status, “regional language,” could be used in courts, schools and other government between Nuland and Wyatt, the U.S. Assistant violence and their occupation of government institutions in areas of Ukraine where the percentage of representatives of national Secretary of State declared that, “I thinks buildings. Under the impact of this offensive minorities exceeds 10% of the total population of a defined administrative district. In Yats is the guy whose got the economic led by fascist paramilitaries and under practice the law on regional languages meant that the large areas of the South and East experience, the governing experience. He’s pressure from Washington, large chunks of of Ukraine, including the Crimea, with heavy populations of Russian speakers could the guy… You know, what he needs is Klitsch Yanukovych’s Party of Regions abandoned also use Russian for education and public affairs as well as three small administrative and Tyahnybok on the outside, he needs to support for him and many defected to the May 2, Odessa: Mass murder! October 2013: Supporters of the Ukrainian fascists set alight the Ukrainian fascist Svoboda party city’s Trade Union Hall where with a portrait of Stepan Bandera. embattled anti-government Bandera was the bloodthirsty leader of activists were holed up. Over 40 anti-Soviet, Nazi-collaborating opponents of the post-February Ukrainian fascists during World War II. right wing regime were murdered. areas where Hungarian, Moldovan and Romanian could be used. Although acting Donetsk, April 2014: Protesters fly the flag of Belarus president Turchynov vetoed the repeal bill, the racist parliamentary vote, the violent alongside Russian and Ukrainian flags at this fascist attacks on people of non-Ukrainian ethnicity and the terrifying presence of neo- anti-government rally. Alongside ethnic Russians, many Nazis in the government all combined to convince many of the Russian-speaking people people in the Donbass – including ethnic Ukrainians, concentrated in the South and East of Ukraine to revolt against the new regime. Their Bulgarians and Byelorussians – use Russian as their struggle is a just struggle for liberation from a racist regime and quickly won support main language. Thus, the Donbass rebel movement, from the local populations. based on Russian speakers, incorporates more than simply ethnic Russians alone. In the Crimea peninsula in southern Ukraine whose port city of Sevastopol hosts Russia’s strategic Black Sea Fleet (Russia had been allowed to have control of this base under As the opposing sides were negotiating the Odessa city. They then completely torched a 1997 agreement with Ukraine), tens of thousands demonstrated against the new against Russia and then it and the EU government on the night of the day that ceasefire,announced the new U.S. sanctions stepped on up Russia its rhetoric only theUnions tent House camp building. and forced What followed the terrified was the parliament voted to repeal the law on days after protestersa horrifying to massacre. flee into theThe adjacentfascists threw Trade regional languages. Within days pro-Russian Ukrainian government’s imperialist patrons petrol bombs into the second and third supporters took over key government were trying the to ceasefire.scuttle Ukrainian It seems president that the stories of the building setting the whole place buildings as a majority of Ukrainian soldiers in Crimea defected to the pro-Russian side. On with the Donbass rebels. Washington is burnt to death, the fascists outside sung the March 16, an overwhelming majority of the Poroshenko’s efforts to negotiate aUkrainian ceasefire onUkrainian fire. As nationalthe anti-Kiev anthem! activists Other were chanted being population of the Crimean peninsula voted May 2014: The reality of Ukraine’s Western-backed “burn Colorado, burn” (The New York Times, for independence from Ukraine in an act of “democracy.” Anti-government activists burnt to death rival.prepared to fight to the last drop of 4 May 2014) – “Colorado” being a derogatory self-determination. The next day, Crimea’s in the Odessa Trade Union Hall. blood to curb the influence of its Moscow term for Russian-speaking rebels as it refers parliament, which is dominated by hardline The Ukrainian pro-government forces’ any interracial contacts.” The Azov Battalion to the Colorado potato beetle, striped red Russian nationalists, declared independence assault on the Donbass rebellion was brutal uses the Wolfsangel (Wolf’s Hook), a favoured and black like the pro-Russian ribbons. Some and asked to join Russia. This was accepted and has caused the deaths of over 1,000 symbol of modern Neo-Nazi groups (as the of those in the building tried to leap down by Putin and secured by the Russian military. civilians. In order to capture towns, the Kiev symbol was used by several military units of to escape the inferno. Of these some died Although the Ukrainian regime and Western regime’s forces have shelled civilian areas and Hitler’s Nazis) and has attracted to its ranks from the fall but others survived only to be powers continue to demand the return of bombarded them with rocket attacks from white supremacists from Sweden, Spain and chased down and brutally beaten. The police Crimea to Ukraine, this is empty rhetoric. No both ground and air. Especially murderous Italy. were complicit in the slaughter. They simply one seriously thinks they can wrest Crimea have been Ukraine’s fascist irregulars. The stood aside and watched the pro-Russian from Russia for the foreseeable future. The war has raged on for several months extent of their barbarity was seen on May 2 activists get murdered and the fascists block with one side gaining the upper hand and in Odessa, a Black Sea port city with a mixed In the south-eastern part of Ukraine – centred then the other. So far the death toll has Russian and Ukrainian population. It was on the districts of Donetsk and Luhansk that Later, 38 of the activists who survived the exceeded 3,000 people. As we go to press a there that over a 1,000 fascists, many under theinferno firefighters were outrageously from using arrested their equipment. by police are together known as the Donbass region – a the guise of being soccer fans for a local Russian speaking resistance movement also as they left the building. In all at least 42 pro- resistance holding on to chunks of territory match, held a provocative march through the Russian activists were killed at the Trade started taking over government buildings shakyin Donestk ceasefire and is Luhansk. largely holding The Ukrainian with the city denouncing the Southern and Eastern after the February right wing coup. They Unions House building and at least another parliament has also just voted to offer the Ukraine-based rebel movements. Among three were shot dead in the earlier clash. The proclaimed a Peoples Republic of Donetsk rebel regions regional autonomy. It is too the marchers were large contingents from and a Peoples Republic of Luhansk. However, response of the Kiev regime was initially to early to evaluate the extent of this offer the Pravy Sektor and over a hundred thugs blame the activists and later to try and cover they were opposed by a military onslaught and the response from the Donbass people. wearing masks and armed with sticks and by the Ukrainian military and Ukrainian up the massacre while cynically shedding The Russian government has welcomed the shields. After a clash with anti-government crocodile tears “mourning” the dead. volunteer battalions. The latter battalions offer but as yet a comprehensive political activists elsewhere, the fascists marched are largely dominated by fascists, such as settlement has not been implemented. upon a tent city of anti-government Every atrocity committed by the Ukrainian the Azov Battalion led by Andriy protesters at Kulikovo Field in the centre of military and the fascist volunteers against the Biletsky, the leader of the Neo- Nazi, Social National Assembly. Opposite: A large rally in Donetsk celebrates the anniversary of the liberation of the Donbass from fascism during The Social National Assembly World War II. The Donbass rebel movement combined just opposition to discrimination against Russian speakers calls for “struggle for the with, on the one hand, reactionary Russian nationalism and, on the other hand, healthy sympathy for the former liberation of the entire White Soviet Union and hatred of fascism. However, the bitterness of the recent war and the presence of fascists fighting Race” and seeks to “punish on both sides have served to increase the strength of Russian nationalists/chauvinists in the rebel movement as severely sexual perversions and the war has progressed.

69 Russian-speaking minority has only served to hardcore Russian nationalists within the Moscow, June 2014: A rally in Russia in support of the strengthen that minority’s separatist feelings. movement sometimes call for accession to Donetsk uprising. The rally was dominated by Russian The struggle of the Russian speaking people Russia. nationalist and chauvinist symbols including the in the South and East of Ukraine is a just black, gold and white monarchist flag. Such displays struggle for self determination and thus can Thirdly, although the struggle against ethnic of predatory nationalism serve to push the Ukrainian be compared in some ways to the Palestinian and language repression that became masses into the arms of their own chauvinists and struggle, the Kurdish separatist struggle in sharply posed after the February 21 right undermine inter-ethnic working class unity. Turkey and the Tamil struggle for a Tamil wing coup forms the central part of the “Eelam” homeland in Sri Lanka. However, emergence of the Donbass movement, there are additional factors involved. Some of these with the latter struggles. Firstly, unlike the factors are directly tied up with the ethnic/ thereTamil and are Palestinian also some significantstruggles, the differences revolt of linguistic issue. Thus, the ethnic Russian the Russian-speaking people in the South and and other Russian speakers based in the East of Ukraine is not simply that of one ethnic South and East for cultural and patriotic reasons prefer a government that maintains community. Although ethnic Russians are by war has progressed and the atrocities by close ties with Russia than the anti-Russia far the dominant force in the movement, the the Ukrainian military and fascist irregulars power based on the same ethnic/language regime that took power on February 21. section of the Ukrainian population whose mounted, the ethnic/linguistic tensions have rhetoricgroup. Until reflecting recently, their the proximitycommander to of a The Donbass region was a stronghold for main language is Russian extends beyond hardened. As a result, the dominance of Yanukovych’s more Russia-friendly Party the Donetsk Peoples Republic was one Igor ethnic Russians. According to the 2000 aggressive Russian nationalist elements in of Regions and its removal from power in a Girkin (known as “Strelkov”) a reactionary the rebel movement has alarmingly increased nationalist and monarchist whose hero is ethnic Ukrainians speak Russian as their coup was therefore most strongly opposed in this part of the country. More interestingly a Russian White general (the Whites were Ukraine census, over five and a half million are seen in the rebel political rallies. This is for socialists is the fact that the industrial the right wing countetrevolutionaries who (District), although 57% of the population andcertainly less andthe case less in Soviet current flags demonstrations and emblems and thus more proletarian South and East of fought in the 1918-1921 Civil War against the firstidentify language. as ethnic Thus, Ukrainian, in the Donetsk only 24% Oblast of in the Donetsk region, whereas a few Soviet Red communist forces in a failed attempt to the population use Ukrainian as their native Ukraine had a greater percentage of people who were favourable to the former Soviet overturn the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution). As language. Russian is also the main language Odessa in particular. Union and to communism than in other a result of the character of the Donbass rebel of the majority of the small Belarussian, flags were seen in the earlier protests in leadership, the neo-Nazi Russian National Jewish, Greek and Tartar communities of parts of the Ukraine. Despite the reformist Fourthly, in the Ukraine war, rival billionaire nature of the Communist Party of Ukraine Unity and clerical-fascist Slavic Union have Ukraine as well as large minorities of the oligarchs are playing a major, direct sent volunteers to support the Donbass rebels Bulgarian and Armenian communities. Thus, role independently of the state power parts of the region’s masses were in part as have the Serbian Chetniks (the Chetniks in photographs of rallies by supporters of the representing their interests in a manner are right wing monarchists who were (KPU),expressed these in electoral sentiments support among for significant the KPU. much more overt than in other similar In the 2012 parliamentary elections, the defeated by Tito’s communist partisans). The Donbass rebellion has also won the KPU won nearly 30% of the vote in the funding the pro-government militias and Luhansk Peoples Republic one can see flags enthusiastic support of the Hungarian neo- Crimean Peninsula’s main city, Sevastopol, conflicts.fascist irregulars Some of thesewhile oligarchs others are are backingdirectly of Belarus alongside Russian flags and other Nazi Jobbik Party and the fascist British Secondly, unlike in the West Bank and and over 25% of the vote in the Luhansk the pro-Russian rebels, while at the same Russian nationalist flags. National Party. Most disturbingly, elements the Gaza strip which is overwhelmingly Oblast. This compares with under 2% of the time trying to control their agenda. Palestinian or the north of Sri Lanka which vote in the western Oblast of Lviv. For those of the Donbass pro-Russian forces have is overwhelmingly Tamil, the Southern pro-Soviet, subjectively pro-communist Fifthly, unlike the Palestinian and Tamil and Eastern parts of Ukraine (other than individuals in the Southern and Eastern struggles, the Donbass struggle is being violence against the region’s Romani (Gypsy) Crimea which is now part of Russia) are parts of Ukraine who are deeply passionate conducted in a region which borders a beenminority accused as well of as committing attacks on horrificchurch racistgoers not overwhelmingly ethnic Russian or even about the heroic Soviet Red Army’s victory capitalist power whose main language/ Russian speaking. Thus, in the Luhansk Oblast, over Nazi Germany, hearing of Soviet war ethnicity is the same as that of the rebel churches. All this is not only terrifying for the 58% of the population are ethnic Ukrainians memorials being desecrated, communists movement and which is providing some whonon-Russian don’t attend communities Russian Orthodox-affiliated in the Donbass but and 30% of the population use Ukrainian being attacked and Lenin statues being torn support to that movement. This fact does is harmful to what is overall a just struggle as their native language. In Odessa, 46% of down by neo-Nazis in Kiev and Western colour things somewhat, even though against racist/linguistic discrimination and the population use Ukrainian as their native Ukraine encourages not only strong feelings the rebel movement has not been simply repression of the Russian-speaking people language and in Kharkiv 53%. Therefore, the of hostility to the new regime but also, in subordinated to Russian interests and thus of the region. For one, it repels the many appropriate demand for the movement of the the absence of an internationalist approach does remain a progressive movement overall. pro-Soviet, anti-fascist working class people Russian-speaking people is for self-rule with to unite the Ukrainian and Russian speaking So, while national rights movements often in the Donetsk and Luhansk districts from the most deep going autonomy possible. This toilers in joint revolutionary struggle, the use the rhetoric of anti-oppression and supporting the rebel movement. Secondly, is what most of the rebels are demanding urge to separate from these parts of Ukraine. defensive nationalism, large parts of the it drives the Ukrainian-speaking masses themselves and apparently what the majority The exact weight of this factor is hard to Donbass movement leadership use aggressive in the West of Ukraine into the arms of the of the population want, although the most gauge from a distance. Unfortunately, as the Russian nationalist and national-supremacist reactionary Kiev regime, as the excesses of

70 71 the rebels recalls to them the subjugation Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, 2 September 2014: of Ukrainian people in pre-Soviet, Tsarist Relatives try to prevent conscripted Ukrainian soldiers Russia. Therefore, it is urgent for there to be from being sent to the eastern Ukraine front. The a political struggle to replace the reactionary conscripted troops were only able to be taken away nationalist leadership of the Donbass masses after police violently dragged away the protesting with an internationalist, pro-working class mothers and other relatives. leadership. Such a leadership would pose the struggle solely as a struggle against racist dictated austerity that would hit working and capitalist oppression, would completely class people with social service cutbacks, and the government premises and burned reject great power Russian nationalism, price rises and still deeper job losses. Such conscription documents. On July 25, in the would stand resolutely in defence of the a perspective is possible even given the right shipbuilding port of Mykolaiv, east of Odessa, well-being and rights of the region’s Romani, wing, nationalistic climate in Ukraine and the mothers and wives of soldiers braved state Jewish, Ukrainian-speaking and other polarising effect of the bitter and bloody war. repression to block the Varvarovsky Bridge minorities, would drive out fascists from It is striking that wives, mothers and other over the Bug River for three days until police the movement, would appeal to the class relatives of those drafted into Kiev’s war on violently broke up the action and arrested interests of the Ukrainian-speaking workers the Donbass have staged a series of militant several protesters. in the rest of the country in opposing the protests against conscription and in many regime’s onslaught against the region and cases against the war itself. The protests Such courageous protests present an Members of the Russian fascist group, Russian began in July in response to a government opportunity for leftists to intervene to both Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking National Unity, fighting as volunteers in support of the decision to announce a new wave of show solidarity and to explain the need to not Donbass rebels. The presence of fascists in the rebel wouldworkers fight in the for struggle the revolutionary against the capitalist unity of conscription orders. The protests took hold only oppose Kiev’s war but to defend the just exploiters of all ethnicities. movement is an obstacle to winning the support of struggle of the Russian-speaking people of the the ethnic Ukrainian working class and serves to drive initially in the Chernivtsi region, a heavily The objectively progressive nature of the ethnic Romanian region, near the Romanian Donbass. Furthermore, in ethnically mixed the Ukrainian masses into the arms of reactionary and heavily industrial cities like Kharkiv and anti-regime struggle in the South and East nationalists. border. There protesters blocked roads in of Ukraine has meant that, although it’s protests at conscription orders given to 280 Dnipropetrovsk there is also an opportunity for leftists to intervene to bridge the ethnic still only a relatively small component of Despite the dominance of right wing Russian young men in the Ostryzja village. “We want the movement as a whole, there has been peace, we really do not need war. Ukraine divide and to mobilise actions in defence nationalists in the Donbass rebel leadership, of the embattled Donbass people as an leftist participation in it. Active in Odesssa the struggle of the Russian-speaking people must have peace,” was the typical sentiment and Kharkiv is the Borotba group which is in the Donetsk and Luhansk districts is still, of the protesters. Soon the protests spread pro-Soviet and openly describes itself as including importantly to ethnic Ukrainian oligarchs. Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk objectively, a just struggle against racist/ integralare Ukraine’s part of thesecond fight againstand third the capitalist largest Marxist-Leninist and revolutionary. Borotba linguistic discrimination and repression regions as well. From the Obukhivs’kyi correctly denounces the November 2013 to district near Kiev to the village of Hamaliivka cities, both of which have not been directly and, what is more, includes to some degree subsumed in the polarising war and both of February 2014 then opposition movement a progressive, pro-Soviet hostility to the near Lviv to the villages of Rakoshyno and for bringing to power a very right wing, Znyatsevo, near the border of Slovakia and which have Ukrainian and Russian workers desecration of Soviet war memorials, the toiling together in large workplaces. In “neo-liberal and nationalistic government”, presence of neo-Nazis in the Kiev regime and Hungary, anti-war and anti-conscription while correctly also opposing the previous protesters have blocked roads. Among the Dnipropetrovsk, the connection between the the tearing down of Lenin statues in western necessity to defend the Donbass struggle and capitalist Yanukovych government and Ukraine. That is why the international slogans and retorts of the demonstrators the capitalist Putin government in Russia. have been, “‘Send call-up notices to the the struggle against capitalist exploitation is working class movement must defend the especially apparent, given that the governor Borotba members have courageously just anti-regime struggle of the people of children of the higher-ups!’, ‘Return our withstood fascist attacks and state repression children to us,’ ‘Stop the bloodshed’ and ‘Go of the district, the stridently anti-rebel Ihor the Donbass and demand the right to the Kolomoyskyi is also a capitalist billionaire and have today been driven underground. broadest self-rule for the people of this Borotba comrade Andrey Brazhevsky was protesting the conscription of their children who happens to be Ukraine’s second richest region. man. murdered in the fascist attack on the Trade fightin the your town own of wars.’” Bohorodchany On July 22, in farmersIvano- Unions House building in Odessa when, after The Ukrainian working class outside the Frankivsk Oblast, in south-west Ukraine, jumping off the burning building, fascists Donbass, including the Ukrainian-speaking beat him to death with sticks. From this masses, must especially take up this cause. distance we cannot give a broader appraisal Only by positively opposing the anti-Russian attackedUkrainian mothers the military of conscripted registration soldiers protest office of the politics of this group. Unfortunately, chauvinism promoted by the regime can against conscription and Ukraine’s war in the Donbass. although the group has expressed strong they unite on a class basis and focus on the Spirited anti-conscription protests and desertions by opposition to both Ukrainian and Russian struggle against the capitalist exploiters Ukrainian soldiers have pushed the Ukrainian regime fascists, a Borotba leader founded a joint – those true enemies of the workers of all to offer concessions to the rebel forces. committee for the “Liberation of Odessa” ethnicities who are consigning the masses to with the Russian bourgeois Rodina party and high unemployment and poverty and whose the Russian fascist party Slavic Union. regime is preparing to unleash EU and IMF-

72 Don’t Let Abbott Divert Us From Targeting Our Main Enemy: have even defected to the rebels. The fact is Russians of non-European ethnicities and The Australian Regime and the Capitalists That They Serve that despite the intense nationalism of the persecution of gay and transexual people. post-Soviet period, many Ukrainian soldiers, a Indeed, Putin has much in common with large percentage of whom are conscripts, are Tony Abbott! However, it is primarily the job shaped by the stories that their grandparents of the Russian working class to oppose the have told them about the Soviet Red Army’s predatory ambitions of their “own” rulers heroic struggle against Nazi Germany. just as it is primarily the duty of the Ukrainian Although they are still indoctrinated in the pro-capitalist and nationalist traditions of a fascist-infested, capitalist regime that toilingoversees masses their exploitation.to fight against The the class murderous, struggle in these countries does, indeed, matter and capitalistthey are taking army, orders it is difficult from a forgovernment such soldiers that should not be ignored for the sake of the “big toincludes fight with neo-Nazis much enthusiasm and in which a war they in have which to the “big picture.” Ukraine and Russia together Ukrainian president Poroshenko ended up picture”have a population – as it is, inof fact,over a 190 significant million partand asof Left: Australian and American troops in Darwin listen to the November 2011 speech by Obama where he outlined fight alongside neo-Nazi irregulars. Indeed, both countries are industrialised, they have his agreement with the Australian government to station thousands of U.S. troops in Darwin in a move clearly and offering autonomy for the Donbass not some big centres of industrial working class aimed against socialistic China. NATO and its Australian ally have used the standoff over Ukraine to justify agreeingbecause of to fear a ceasefire of Russia withbut because the resistance of fear concentration. The strategic importance of increased military deployments that are, in good part, aimed against China. of the breakdown of morale in his own army these countries to the struggle for world Right: American aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, in the South China Sea. A very long way from home but not so far from China! and fear at the militancy of anti-conscription socialism is highlighted by the fact that protests on the home front. Russia is the second strongest military power What we have at this point in time is not an inter-imperialist war between the NATO in the world, the world’s largest country by We must also expose the sickening hypocrisy area, arguably the pre-eminent world space powers and Russia or even a war between Kiev and Moscow. The Russian-speaking of the U.S., British and Australian rulers when rebels in the Donbass region are not, at the moment, simply acting as Moscow’s proxies. power and closely rivals the U.S. in nuclear they attack Russia’s supposed “incursion” warfare capability. Just as importantly, given The Moscow government has a different agenda to the rebels. The Russian-speaking into Ukraine. It is these same Western people of the Donbass want to protect themselves from discrimination and a very that the counterrevolutionary destruction imperialist rulers that caused the deaths of of socialistic rule in the ex-USSR was such right-wing government whereas Moscow wants to promote its great power capitalist over a million people in their brutal invasions ambitions. Indeed, many of the rebels are angry that Russia has not supported them a massive propaganda windfall for the of Iraq and Afghanistan. It was the NATO capitalist rulers of the world – used by them adequately. Notably, when Donetsk and Luhansk organised referendums demanding powers that killed tens of thousands of self-rule, Putin tried to pressure the local leaderships to delay the referenda. to claim that “communism is dead” and Libyans in their 2011 air and special forces capitalism is inevitable – the revolutionary What we have today is a just, defensive Donbass rebels when, in fact, there is no campaign to spearhead the overthrow of the socialist restoration of workers state power struggle of the Russian-speaking people of actual hard evidence of it whatsoever. Indeed, the Donbass in the context of great power if there was such a huge direct Russian by its allies like Australia, grossly violate capitalist tensions between the U.S. and military role in the Donbass as Washington, GaddafiSyria’s sovereignty government. by Today, bombing the U.S.,(supposed) backed infor any international of these countries working classwould liberation. be a terrific Australia on the one hand and Russia on Canberra and Co. claim then the Ukrainian ISIS targets inside Syria without the Syrian propaganda and moral victory for the fight the other. The tasks for the international forces, as formidable as they are, would not government’s permission – all as part of a However, for Australian leftists to today focus have been able to achieve the major victories broader plan for regime change in Syria. And their attack on the crimes of the Russian this is to, on the one hand, defend the just that they did in their late July offensive into they have the hide to attack Russia over its ruling class in the context of the current workers’struggle ofmovement the Donbass and rebelsleft that and, flow on from the an area where much of the local population is alleged, but completely unproved, actions in great power capitalist tensions only serves other, to oppose as the main enemy one’s hostile to them. The Kiev regime’s war later eastern Ukraine! to support the agenda of the Australian “own” capitalist rulers in the capitalist capitalists and to enhance their legitimacy. It political standoff. That means that socialists because many of its own troops either do not Now, of course, understanding that the main would push our audience into thinking that ran into difficulties not because of Russia but enemy of the Australian working class are Abbott and Shorten are right on major world the sanctions on Russia and the anti-Russia the Australian capitalist rulers and their issues like Ukraine and so maybe we should inpropaganda Australia mustof Canberra oppose firstand and Washington foremost wantwith theto fight necessary this war conviction. or, if they Withdo, are many not senior partners does not mean that they are start listening to them on domestic issues and Co. We must point out the irrationality enthusiasticregular Ukrainian enough troops about half-hearted the war to about fight the only enemy. As Marxists-Leninists we as well. Yet, focusing on the crimes of the of the Western claim that Russia invaded understand that the ruling class of every Russian ruling class and retailing Western Crimea when a massive 96% of voters in fascist irregulars – drunk as they are with capitalist power is our enemy. Therefore, imperialism’s propaganda against Russia is Crimea opted to join Russia in the March 16 fighting,rabid nationalism the Kiev regime and hatred had to of rely Russians on the capitalist rulers of the West’s rival, Russia, what the various reformist socialist groups referendum that had a high voter turnout of are also an enemy. Putin heads a right in Australia do. Their orientation can be 83.1%. We should also challenge the claim battles. Thousands of regular Ukrainian wing capitalist government that oversees summarised as: the main enemy is the rival that large numbers of Russian troops have –soldiers to be inhave, the in frontlines fact, deserted. of many Some difficult of exploitation of workers, repression of leftists, of my “own” bourgeoisie! In carrying out these have taken asylum in Russia. Some brutal police attacks against migrants and such a perspective, these socialist groups

74entered Eastern Ukraine to fight alongside 75 are serving to bolster the credentials of the produce a complete aircraft. All this means as an excuse to bolster their militaries The most important reason for all this Australian capitalist ruling class and thus act that Ukraine does not have to accept capital and to exercise their imperialist political Western imperialist diplomatic and military to undermine the class struggle against them. from overseas capitalist powers simply in and diplomatic muscles for future use exercising – including NATO’s planned order to get access to the technology that it against other targets as well. This month’s military build-up – is to target not so much Some Western leftists, as an excuse for taking NATO summit used the supposed “Russian Russia but China, socialistic China that the more socially acceptable position of to make it costly and risky (although, of is. When Clive Palmer recently ranted favouring the ally of their own bourgeoisie, needs.course, And not it anywhere has sufficient near military impossible) deterrent for creating a “Spearhead” rapid reaction force against China and the Communist Chinese argue that Ukraine should be defended as a foreign power to use military threat to aggression”of several thousand in Ukraine troops as ready justification to deploy for government he was, in fact, expressing the a weaker country than powerful Russia. force it into repaying debts, for example. In real opinion of the entire Australian capitalist However, such a stance is very wrong. Firstly, anywhere in the world in less than 48 hours. summary, 75 years of industrial, educational The summit also enshrined a commitment class. The trouble is that this capitalist class Ukrainian capitalist rulers are at least to and military development as part of the is simultaneously relying on China’s booming some extent acting as a proxy of Western Soviet workers state transformed the defence budgets. For its part, the Australian state-owned enterprises to keep on buying imperialism. Secondly Ukraine is itself not a Ukraine from a weak nation subjugated by enough of Australia’s exports to hold up the weak semi-colony. Although Ukraine later byrulers member used the states horror to significantly of the MH17 increase plane Russian imperialism in Tsarist times into disaster as an excuse to send Australian Australian economy. So other Australian gave up its nuclear weapons, as the second a country that even after being decimated politicians publicly told Palmer to shut it largest republic of the former USSR, Ukraine by capitalist counterrevolution would be while no doubt wanting to whisper in his ear, inherited from the ex-Soviet Union a large, around the crash site in war torn Eastern FederalUkraine. PoliceIf they (AFP)were really officers interested tramping in “we’re with you brother.” After all, with the well-trained and well-equipped military. matter, to turn into a semi-colony. Over 22 enthusiastic support of both the ALP and the Although capitalist restoration devastated recovery of the dead bodies and determining difficultyears of capitalist for Russia, chaos or anyonesince the else destruction for that the cause of the disaster they would have Liberals, the U.S. has 1,300 troops stationed its military and industrial strength, Ukraine of the USSR has meant that Ukraine today in Darwin which are squarely aimed against retains an advanced independent arms sent pathologists and air crash investigators is debt ridden and is being dictated to and after diplomatically and politely negotiating China and her socialistic North Korean ally. industry. It manufactures, among other bullied by the IMF and Western banks but The continued presence of a socialistic state goods, ballistic missiles, submarines and with the Donetsk rebels who were holding then so are even imperialist countries like the territory. Instead, they sent in cops after in China, however corrupted and weakened tanks and is a major arms exporter. Ukraine Spain and Italy. Yet, today Ukraine’s prized by a degree of capitalist penetration, is an has also retained some of the highly skilled they and their Western counterparts made enterprises like the Antonov aerospace aggressive demands upon the Donetsk obstacle to the imperialist designs to turn technical personnel as well as the highly company and the giant PA Yuzhmash, a China into a huge sweatshop for imperialist educated workforce of Soviet times and has rebels. For the Australian government, producer of rockets, satellites, buses and demanding the “right” to send in cops to exploitation. Meanwhile, the presence of a the fourth highest number of IT professionals trams, remain in domestic Ukrainian hands. an area controlled by a force – the Donetsk socialistic world power is an obstacle to in the world. It has also retained a portion of Furthermore, although there is considerable separatists – that they oppose was a chance imperialism running amok in the world. the powerful and high-tech industrial plants Russian investment – often via Cypriot banks for some good old fashioned imperialist These are the reasons why the capitalist built in Soviet times. This is indicated by its powers are building their forces to put bullying (how would the Australian regime level of steel production, which is commonly other than for Russian-owned resource giant pressure on China. Equally, it is the reason used worldwide as a gauge of industrial like it if the Chinese government was this –TNK-BP in Ukraine’s and the financial part-Russian and service ownership sector, why the international working class must capacity, since steel is the base material for aggressive and demanded that Chinese police in Ukraine’s major mobile phone operator urgently rally to the defence of the Chinese much heavy and medium manufacturing as take over sites in Australian cities whenever workers state, however deformed from well as most infrastructure construction. a redneck racist bashes or murders a Chinese in Ukraine are domestically owned (most the ideal that it may be. student in Australia). This was a chance for Ukraine, although only being the 31st most Kyivstar,often by fabulouslymost of the wealthy biggest oligarchs). firms operating populous country in the world is the globe’s the Australian state forces to show that they The Abbott government has also been 10th largest steel producer. Ukraine also has have the right to maraud anywhere they using the MH17 disaster and the events in a sizeable automotive industry as well as a against Russia is not only about Russia itself. choose. For the Australian ruling class this Ukraine for domestic purposes. Abbott and space vehicle industry and is one of the few The Western rulersimperialist are using huffing the andmyth puffing of the exercising of imperialist muscles was mainly Labor Opposition leader Shorten claimed countries in the world able to design and Russian bogeyman that they have created in order to prepare for future expeditions in to feel intense grief for the pain borne by families and friends of the Australians killed Communist Party of Ukraine has been deployed to lord it over the peoples aboard MH17. In truth these pro-capitalist (KPU) flags at a May Day 2014 theof the Asia-Pacific Solomon region. Islands, In recentEast Timor, years the Papua AFP politicians only ever feel true solidarity rally in Ukraine. This party has New Guinea and Bougainville. However, for some Australians – those in the big end faced vicious state repression of town! They both certainly don’t feel any and violent fascist attacks since they are quite prepared to also unleash their the February 2014 right wing state forces in operations around the globe sympathy for the close to 500 Aboriginal and coup. The international workers to support their U.S. godfather. The Liberal/ Torres Strait Islander people who have been movement must stand in National Coalition government, with Labor’s killed in state custody over the last 35 years. solidarity with the KPU against full support, sure couldn’t wait to send troops Both their parties running state and federal right wing attacks. to the Middle East to support the U.S.A’s latest governments have overseen brutal police military adventure there. and prison guard terror against Aboriginal

77 doctors’ visits and further reduce funding for Suffering, Racism and Chaos in Ukraine: sympathy for low-income, single mothers Aboriginal services all the while cutting taxes A Direct Result of Capitalist Counterrevolution people.either. At They the start definitely of last do year, not Shorten’s feel any for mining billionaires. ALP, when in government under Gillard, To many older Ukrainians and Russians who remember life in the days of the former drove 80,000 low-income single parents and Yet, even though Shorten’s ALP and Adam Soviet Union, the current war, economic chaos and fascist rampages are especially their children into dire poverty and in some Bandt’s Greens claim opposition to some hard to stomach. Although things were not perfect, in the heyday of the USSR from the cases even homelessness when they cruelly aspects of the budget and would seemingly 1950s to the early 1980s not only was there no nationalist bloodletting but fascists slashed their payments – a move maintained have an interest in stopping Abbott’s attempts barely existed let alone dared to show their colours in public – certainly they were not by the current Abbott government. And to divert mass hostility to the budget, they able to rampage on the streets and gain ministries in government as they do now in Abbott could not care less for unemployed too have joined in creating the myth of the Ukraine! Despite a moderate degree of Russian-centredness of leading elements of the youth – as he plans to drive unemployed Russian bogeyman. Why is this? Although the ruling Soviet bureaucracy and at various times this bureaucracy making concessions to people younger than thirty into starvation by ALP rests on the working class it is opposed Russian nationalism, the socialistic USSR in its prime really was a land of the friendship cutting off their dole payments for six months to militant class struggle and instead sees of peoples. Many international students from Asia, Africa and the Middle East studied per year. Yet Abbott cynically manipulated improvements coming through collaboration in the USSR on scholarships or for nominal fees. They were treated with generous people’s genuine sympathy for the victims with the capitalists. Thus, it too wants to tame hospitality and genuine warmth. However, after the capitalist counterrevolution that of MH17 to gain a boost in opinion polls by class struggle by tying the masses to their destroyed the USSR, the life of international students in both Russia and Ukraine has portraying himself as a person who cares for exploiters through the notion of a common been one of fear and terror. Dark-skinned international students and migrants are and stands up for the interests of Australians. “national interest” uniting all Australians. regularly harassed and abused and countless numbers have been murdered or brutally The Greens, who are based on the liberal/ bashed by fascist gangs. In Russia, fascist gangs are notorious for going out on nightly The Coalition government’s tough talk over progressive middle class and students, “street cleansing” operations where they premeditatedly bash or murder dark-skinned MH17 and denunciations of Russia and the also reject class struggle. Both the ALP and immigrants, stall holders from the Caucasus, Romani people (Gypsies), people from Donbass-based rebels are, however, not Greens, whose strategy for progressive Central Asia, gays, people with long hair and anarchists. These fascists have committed purely about gaining electoral advantage. social change is based on getting elected to over 1,000 premeditated murders in Russia in the last 10 years -including those of 200 As with Abbott’s ranting backing Australia’s parliament, are desperate to win the blessing international students! war moves in the Middle East, the focussing of the wealthy capitalists whose funding, on an external adversary is meant to unite economic clout and media dominance The creation of the Soviet workers state itself Amidst the alarms and turmoil of the struggle for existence, for a bare livelihood, the Russian the population on a nationalist basis – into greatly shapes who can win elections. Thus, involved a conscious struggle against racism and national oppression. Tsarist Russia was workers cannot and must not forget the yoke a “Team Australia” as Abbott calls it. Except both the ALP and Greens are always keen of national oppression under which the tens that in this so-called team, a small number to prove to the capitalist elite that they are an empire centred on the ethnic Russians (then known as “Great Russians”) that and tens of millions of “subject peoples” of team members – that is, the capitalist “responsible” parties committed to doing inhabiting Russia are groaning. The ruling tycoons likes Andrew Forrest, Gina Rinehart, what is best for Australian capitalism – like brutally oppressed the non-Russian nations nation–the Great Russians–constitute about Clive Palmer, James Packer and Frank Lowy standing alongside Australian imperialism’s including Ukraine. As an essential part of 45 per cent of the total population of the – are exploiting the majority of the team: uniting the working class of all ethnicities Empire. Out of every 100 inhabitants, over 50 the working class. The idea that we are all However, those who understand that the only Lenin’s Bolsheviks insisted on the need for belong to “subject peoples”. together as Australians against the external U.S.way to senior advance partner the interests in the Ukraine of working conflict. class the ethnic Russian working class to strongly And the conditions of life of this vast adversary – whether that be Russia or ISIS – people is through class struggle against the defend the rights of the downtrodden population are even harsher than those of the is meant to make the exploited masses accept ruling class must oppose every scheme to tie non-Russian peoples and to oppose the Russians. their oppression for the sake of the “team.” the masses to their exploiters on the basis of Russian fascist Black Hundreds group: Abbott and Co. want us to hold the hands of the corporate bigwigs while the latter ruling class’ attempt to create the spectre of Right wing capitalist rulers of Ukraine and Russia are political heirs of – or were often directly part of – the forces kick us in the guts. He wants public housing a fictitiousRussian bogeyman! “national interest.” Don’t let Down them with use the that destroyed the former socialistic USSR. The current nationalist Ukrainian regime consists of the political tenants to consider the housing authorities threat of the, indeed thoroughly reactionary, descendants of the Ukrainian Rukh “Popular Front” that opposed the former USSR. Left: Anti-Soviet protest in that are booting them out of their homes and ISIS movement to divert the working class the former Soviet Ukraine calls for Ukraine to exit the USSR. Centre: Putin with former Leningrad/St Petersburg the greedy developers that are buying them from the central task of opposing the attacks mayor Anatoly Sobchak. Putin was an adviser to Sobchak when the latter was a key figure in promoting the up as part of their “team.” This government of the Australian capitalists – from their counterrevolution that destroyed the former USSR. Right: Putin with anti-communist, former Russian president Boris Yeltsin. For nearly three years before becoming president himself, Putin served as a high-ranking official is also foisting upon working class people imperialist expedition to the Middle East in the Yeltsin regime. loyalty to “Team Australia” in order to make to their drive to further degrade workers’ them accept, for the sake of the “team,” a standard of living and access to social federal budget that will slash payments for services. the unemployed, make the masses pay for

78 The policy of oppressing nationalities is or the Ukrainian bourgeoisie in anything, Moscow, March 1972: Celebration of International one of dividing nations. At the same time now stands for the right of the Ukrainians to Women’s Day at the former USSR’s Patrice Lumumba it is a policy of systematic corruption of the secede, without imposing his friendship upon People’s Friendship University which, in particular, people’s minds. The Black Hundreds’ plans them, but striving to win their friendship served students from Africa, Asia and the Middle East. are designed to foment antagonism among by treating them as an equal, as an ally and International students were treated with great respect the different nations, to poison the minds of brother in the struggle for socialism. and warmth in the former USSR. Today, following the ignorant and downtrodden masses. Pick - The Ukraine, V.I. Lenin capitalist couterrevolution, international students in up any Black-Hundred newspaper and you (1914), https://www.marxists.org/archive/ the ex-Soviet republics face abuse and violent attacks. lenin/works/1917/jun/28.htm the sowing of mutual distrust between the willRussian find peasant,that the persecution the Russian ofpetty non-Russians, bourgeois Through such a policy the Bolsheviks and the Russian artisan on the one hand, were able to unite the toilers of different Furthermore, although the bureaucracy and the Jewish, Finnish, Polish, Georgian nationalities in a socialist revolution that often (with some important exceptions) and Ukrainian peasants, petty bourgeois and shook the world. Lenin and Trotsky’s pushed Lenin’s perspective of supporting the artisans on the other, is meat and drink to the Bolsheviks taught the Soviet masses to whole of this Black-Hundred gang. international socialist revolution down to understand that their interests were the second row in the vain hope of achieving But the working class needs unity, not completely synonymous with those of the peaceful coexistence with imperialism, the division. It has no more bitter enemy than toilers of the whole world and to see the the savage prejudices and superstitions Soviet masses remained imbued with Soviet which its enemies sow among the ignorant patriotism – that is, a strong pride in the masses. The oppression of “subject peoples” step in the world revolution. However, the socialistic character of the USSR and in its is a double-edged weapon. It cuts both ways– Octobercommunist 1917 parties Russian in other revolution parts of as the the world first principle of friendship among the different in half. Panicked, the Soviet bureaucracy also against the “subject peoples” and against the were too weak and too recently formed to peoples of the multi-ethnic republic. It was arm,offered then the twisting other arm it andto the finally imperialists. snapping The it Russian people. take advantage of the revolutionary wave that through this Soviet patriotism that the Soviet imperialists did the same to that arm as well. That is why the working class must protest swept Europe after the October Revolution. masses, with incredible heroism and at great With the USSR and the international workers most strongly against national oppression in As a result the young Soviet workers state was cost, defeated Nazi Germany in World War II. movement thus weakened, the Soviet any shape and form. isolated and then devastated following the Meanwhile, the USSR’s friendship of peoples leadership from the time of Gorbachev’s - National Equality, V.I. Lenin bitter, but ultimately victorious 1918-1921 was secured by its economic system based ascendancy in the mid-1980s began (1914), https://www.marxists.org/archive/ Civil War against the defeated capitalists on common ownership and co-operation backpedalling in the face of the imperialist lenin/works/1914/apr/16.htm who waged a violent bid to recapture power between people to achieve central plans. This threat. Gorbachev allowed greater freedom As part of this struggle, Lenin trained the with the assistance of invading armies brought people together, in contrast to the for capitalist counterrevolutionary political ethnic Russian working class to physically from fourteen capitalist countries. Under system of individual ownership of capitalism forces to operate and introduced right wing smash the fascist Black Hundreds and to these conditions of isolation and scarcity which tears people apart. perestroika market reforms. All this created a defend the right to self-determination of the a more rightist, less revolutionary faction new layer of petty capitalists – and associated oppressed peoples in imperialist Russia, like of the Soviet Communist party grabbed Nevertheless, over time the imperialists with them a sizeable layer of pro-capitalist the Ukrainians: political power in the mid-1920s promising subjected the Soviet workers state to intellectuals – demanding more “rights” for they would give the masses a respite from immense military, economic and political capitalism. They pushed the bureaucracy to Accursed tsarism made the Great Russians the tumult of revolutionary struggles by pressure. This pressure was at least 50 times the right and with each new concession this executioners of the Ukrainian people, and what capitalist Russia is being subjected fomented in them [the Ukrainian people] a establishing “peaceful coexistence” with counterrevolutionary layer became more hatred for those who even forbade Ukrainian world imperialism. The new leaders rested to today by its Western rivals. The ruling powerful and more demanding. Eventually, children to speak and study in their native on the more conservative workers and bureaucrats in the USSR would respond to when these counterrevolutionaries with tongue. the rural peasants and especially on the these threats when they directly manifested tremendous backing from Washington, Russia’s revolutionary democrats, if they governmental/administrative bureaucracy. themselves within the USSR. However, these London, Canberra and co. made their bids for want to be truly revolutionary and truly Gradually they began securing some material Soviet leaders who retained great authority power in the ex-USSR and Eastern Europe, democratic, must break with that past, must privileges for the emerging bureaucratic over the international workers movement the ruling bureaucracies committed their regain for themselves, for the workers and elite which they became an organic part through being the heads of the world’s ultimate betrayal of socialism when they peasants of Russia, the brotherly trust of of. They murderously persecuted the (although not all that happy about what was the Ukrainian workers and peasants. This Trotskyist Left Opposition and countless back the most powerful counterpunch to happening) simply stood aside and allowed cannot be done without full recognition of the other communists who spoke out (or even firstthe capitalistand most statespowerful threatening workers state,the USSR held the pro-capitalist forces to storm in and take Ukraine’s rights, including the right to free were as seen as potentially speaking out in – the revolutionary workers within these power. Even those bureaucrats that did try secession. the future) against the course away from capitalist countries themselves. Instead, to mount some form of resistance – like the We do not favour the existence of small states. they extended this arm of the international top Soviet leaders who staged the so-called We stand for the closest union of the workers Leninist egalitarianism and internationalism. of the world against ‘their own’ capitalists However, the bureaucracy had to base itself workers movement to shake the hands coup against Gorbachev in August 1991 and those of all other countries. But for this on the progressive, socialist economic of the imperialists in friendship and offer in opposition to his counterrevolutionary union to be voluntary, the Russian worker, relations centred on public ownership them “peaceful coexistence.” The capitalists who does not for a moment trust The Russian that sprung from the 1917 revolution. course – capitulated at the first sign of any powers responded by first grabbing this significant opposition. 80 81 Some in the bureaucracy went further and Although the decisive events in the rule in the last years of the USSR. they were part of building a strong, new broke away from the mainstream of the counterrevolution that destroyed the USSR If reactionary nationalism was used as a nation and, what is more, standing up to Soviet apparatus to become direct agents tool to promote counterrevolution in the national adversaries could the new ruling of the capitalist counterrevolution – like counterrevolutionary movements in other various Soviet republics, the effect of the class ward off the prospect of being toppled Russian counterrevolution leader Boris wererepublics centred as onwell. Russia In Ukraine,there were Belarus, significant the counterrevolution itself was to increase this from power. In countries like Ukraine, these Yeltsin and like Putin, who was an adviser Baltic states, Moldova, Azerbaijan and nationalism many fold. Counterrevolution new capitalist rulers have stirred up such to counterrevolutionary Leningrad mayor, elsewhere, “Popular Fronts” were formed to saw these republics go from being areas of reactionary nationalism in part by pointing to Anatoly Sobchak, during the counterrevolution. push for independence from the USSR. These zero unemployment in the mid-1980s to being the ambitions of capitalist Russia and by thus were nothing like the national liberation regions of massive unemployment. In Ukraine appealing to real fears among “their people” capitalist Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, remained movements that fought against the Great capitalist restoration caused its GDP and its that they would be again subjugated under Otherswith the like mainstream the first president of the ofbureaucracy post-Soviet Russian chauvinism and subjugation of Tsarist industrial production to collapse by a stunning the thumb of Russia as in the old Tsarist times. and then promptly jumped over from being times. In Soviet times, although there was a 60%! Under conditions of such scarcity, However, the lasting effect of some aspects an administrator of a workers state to an degree of Russian centredness on the part of Soviet development in these countries and administrator of a capitalist state. There were, of the bureaucracy, the non-Russian masses corrupt new rulers had to whip up reactionary the equalisation of development among the to be sure, a great many in the bureaucratic nationalism as flourished. a matter of their Furthermore, own survival. the different republics of the USSR through central The nationalist “Popular Fronts” in Ukraine Capitalist restoration had been such an all- planning mean that it is now not easy (although Army, who were incensed and bewildered didand notelsewhere face significant were really national simply oppression. capitalist round disaster – causing immiseration of the not impossible in the least developed of the establishment,at the counterrevolution. including officers These in elements the Red restorationist movements that used the cover masses, an alarming drop in health levels and a former Soviet republics) for capitalist Russia were either purged from their positions or of national independence to promote a call to massive increase in crime and street violence. to replicate the Great Russian tyranny last seen retired. However, even though the period from break from the socialistic USSR and establish Only by offering the masses the “solace” that in Tsarist times. November 1991 to March 1992 saw mass pro- capitalist rule. These movements were fed Soviet rallies, proudly, pro-Soviet individuals by Gorbachev’s perestroika market reforms Who Is to Blame For the MH17 Disaster and the Crisis In Ukraine? within the bureaucracy were unable to mount which by turning away from the even, planned a decisive challenge to the counterrevolution distribution of resources between different If we now step back and consider who is, ultimately, to blame for the horrific crash because they lacked any perspective of relying republics and regions led to greater competition of MH17 – regardless of who actually fired the projectiles that downed the aircraft – for their strength on the working class masses. and income differentials between different first and foremost responsibility must fall upon the imperialist ruling classes from It was the Soviet working class that could republics and thereby exacerbated national the United States to Australia to Japan, Germany and Britain. They mobilised massive have stopped the capitalist counterrevolution. divisions. The “Popular Fronts” harked back financial, military and diplomatic power in order to squeeze the socialistic USSR hard However, lacking a genuine communist enough to trigger her internal collapse and, consequently, create the misery, racism leadership and having its independent of their respective republics and insisted on and chaos out of which the current war in the Donbass – and, thus, the downing of initiative degraded by having been excluded tothe anti-Soviet exclusive use or non-Sovietof their national national languages figures MH17 – grew. The Western imperialists also orchestrated this February’s right wing from a vanguard role in active politics for as opposed to the bilingualism encouraged coup that brought in the new hardline nationalistic regime that provoked the Donbass decades by the bureaucracy, the working class in the USSR. The aggressive nationalism, conflict. Also, major responsibility for the current tragedies lies with the likes of Boris did not take the initiative to mobilise decisive anti-communism and hostility to the use of Yeltsin and the Ukrainian Popular Front who, on the ground, spearheaded the capitalist action to stop the counterrevolution. This was the Russian language of the current Ukrainian counterrevolutions in Russia, Ukraine and the other former Soviet republics. Then there despite the fact that major portions of the ruling parties is really an extension of the is the direct responsibility of the political heirs of the Ukrainian Popular Front – from Soviet working class were very worried about politics of the Ukrainian Popular Front (known conservatives like Yatsenyuk and the Fatherland Party to outright fascists like Tyahnybok the ascendancy of the pro-capitalist forces. as Rukh) that fought to undermine socialistic and Yarosh - who conducted the February right wing coup and then unleashed brutal repression against the peoples of the Donbass. Left: In January 1918 armed Ukrainian workers stage a heroic revolt in support of the advancing Soviet Red Putin has some responsibility too but less maintain capitalist rule: both of which have Army. By unflinchingly opposing the Great Russian chauvinism that had subjugated the Ukrainian people in than the Western imperialists and their right helped to raise large fascist movements within capitalist Russia, the Bolsheviks were able to build the revolutionary unity of the Russian and Ukrainian masses wing Ukrainian allies. Furthermore, Putin’s Russia. In turn, the abundance of vile Russian and ensure the triumph of Soviet forces in Ukraine. Right: Red Army troops march triumphantly through Kiev. The main fault lies in having acted as a partner of fascists and the great power nationalism partly shown banner on the left of the photo displays a key slogan of the Bolshevik Revolution which translates Washington, Canberra and Co. in being part of of the mainstream Russian ruling class has as “Proletarians of All Countries Unite.” Ukrainian and Russian workers must again be organised under the the imperialist-orchestrated, Yeltsin-Sobchak indirectly bolstered the strength of Ukrainian internationalist banner of the 1917 Russian Revolution. counterrevolution that destroyed socialistic nationalists and fascists by allowing them rule in the former USSR and thus paved the path to exploit – and hysterically incite – fears of for the emergence of the reactionary Ukrainian Russian domination. nationalism of the February coup regime The criminal role of the Western-based social and outright fascists like Svoboda and Pravy democrats in the tragedy that has unfolded Sektor. Then, later, as the chief administrator in Ukraine cannot be underestimated either. of capitalist Russia, Putin oversaw the These social democrats not only supported continued immiseration of the Russian masses the right wing February coup in Ukraine but while spewing reactionary nationalism to help throughout the Cold War fully supported

83 their own ruling class’ efforts to destroy the and while Western mainstream newspapers Neil Kinnock (see the article, “Eye witness joined the counterrevolutionary united Soviet and East European workers states. cheered that “Communism is Dead,” this Green front. Thus, their newspaper’s description Here in Australia, pro-ALP union leaders parent group of Socialist Alternative and Left Weekly, 4 September 1991, https:// of the victory of Yeltsin’s alliance of hardline treacherously lined up our workers’ unions Solidarity chimed in with: “‘Communism report;www.greenleft.org.au/node/690 Moscow during the coup,” ). Even anti-communist students, small-time behind the anti-communist – and, thus, is dead’ …. It’s a fact that should have every the Communist League (who sell the paper capitalists, Orthodox priests and outright anti-working class – Solidarnosc “union” socialist rejoicing” (Socialist, September The Militant), who are often less inclined fascists was headlined: “Soviet workers which with the ardent backing of the Vatican 1991). The Democratic Socialist Party (the to capitulate to imperialism than Socialist defeat coup”! and right wing Western leaders like Ronald DSP has now become the Socialist Alliance) Alternative, Solidarity or Socialist Alliance, Reagan and Margaret Thatcher unleashed was little better, even though, unlike the the counterrevolutionary wave that toppled in theory that Advance the Struggle For Socialist Revolution in Ukraine & Russia! the workers states in Eastern Europe and the the USSR was a workers state. Although the former USSR. Meanwhile, the Hawke-Keating DSPCliffites, took the a progressive DSP recognised position of opposing Kharkiv, May 2014: Communist flags the CIA-backed mujahedin fundamentalists and emblems at the May Day rally. aggressively supported the U.S.-led Cold War in Afghanistan (a good position which the It is Ukraine’s ethnically integrated, industrial cities like Kharkiv and ALPagainst government the USSR thatboth came through to office hosting in 1983joint Socialist Alliance appears to be embarrassed Dnipropetrovsk where a class struggle U.S-Australia military bases in Pine Gape and about today), the DSP supported almost movement uniting workers across elsewhere and through politically backing every other counterrevolutionary movement ethnic and linguistic lines could take the various anti-Soviet movements from the that sought to overthrow the Soviet and hold and spearhead the struggle for women-hating Afghan mujahedin (out of East European workers states. Among socialist revolution throughout Ukraine. which the Taliban emerged) to the Ukrainian the movements that the DSP were most and Baltic “Popular Fronts” to the Yeltsin- enthusiastic about were the nationalist and Sobchak counterrevolutionaries in Russia. anti-Soviet Ukrainian Popular Front and the Right behind the ALP’s Cold War drive were the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Popular reformist, far-left groups. Most enthusiastic Fronts. This was despite the fact that the DSP in their opposition to the Soviet workers were simultaneously cheering for capitulatory Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev who for a Organisation (ISO) – the parent organisation time as the leader of the workers state was stateof both was the the Socialist Cliffite, Alternative International and Solidarity Socialist opposed to these “Popular Fronts.” When groups. The ISO wielded the bogus theory the Yeltsin-led open counterrevolutionaries Given that it is so obvious that the Soviet and East European states made their bid for power in August 1991, the that it was the destruction of were in fact “state capitalist” in order to DSP then committed the ultimate betrayal of socialistic rule in the former justify giving enthusiastic support to all the socialism by not only “critically” supporting USSR that has led to the suffering and bloodletting in Ukraine and other former Soviet counterrevolutionary movements. When the the ascendancy of the Yelstin forces but republics it is clear that what is needed is to fight for new socialist revolutions to restore openly counterrevolutionary Yeltsin forces actually having a leading DSPer physically working class state power to Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Georgia and all the former Soviet grabbed governmental power in Russia after join Yeltsin’s barricades during the decisive republics. Whether the resulting new workers states choose to join into a union - or opposing a timid, pro-Soviet coup against the events. This DSP representative, Renfrey several unions – and in what combination is a separate and in many ways secondary sellout Gorbachev and anti-communist mobs Clarke, actually boasted about how he question. It will depend on the manner in which the poisonous nationalism unleashed then went around Moscow tearing down tried to help deliver a letter of solidarity to by counterrevolution is overcome in the course of the revolutionary struggles. Some statues of Russian Revolutionary leaders, Yeltsin from then British Labour Party leader may ask: how can we guarantee that new workers states will not again degenerate Left: Russian fascists, brandishing the “White Power” symbol, hold a large march in Moscow. The capitalist and be defeated. That would be like a worker asking for an iron-clad guarantee that a counterrevolution that destroyed the USSR has led to the terrifying growth of fascist forces in Ukraine, Russia strike against bosses will succeed before engaging in it. There are no guarantees in the and other ex-Soviet republics. Right: Twenty-four year-old Maira Makana was stabbed seven times with a knife class struggle. A strike’s outcome depends on how decisively the workers act, how far- in a racist attack by Russian fascists and lost a kidney as a result. In the last ten years, over 1,000 people have sighted and resolute their leadership are and how much support the action wins from been killed in premeditated murders by Russian fascists alone! other workers. Similarly, the integrity and survival of a workers state depends on how secure the workers hold on power is and how much the revolutionary struggle in other countries can come to their assistance. The Soviet workers state first degenerated and many decades later collapsed because the revolutionary working class movement was not powerful enough to overcome the political, economic and military onslaught of world capitalism on the workers state. Ensuring that future workers states are protected against degeneration and collapse requires fighting to ensure that the international revolutionary workers movement is as strong as possible. For ultimately the defence of workers states and the fight to win them are achieved by one and the same method – the method of the revolutionary class struggle.

85 Key to the struggle for socialism in the former working class actions to defend ethnic However, the danger of fascists seizing minorities, dark-skinned immigrants, leftists outright power in Ukraine should not be the days of the Soviet Union. However, the and gays from the fascists. To be successful underestimated. In the absence of a class forKPU the squandered KPU reflected this the sympathy people’s bylonging seeking for Sovietdifferent republics ethnicities is and the lines fight them against up behind the such actions must be mass mobilisations. alliances with – and thus being tarnished in nationalisttheir “own” influence exploiters. that In divides the Ukraine, workers it ofis Small scale anti-fascist actions cannot defeat interests and the building of unity between the eyes of the masses – one or other wing of urgent for workers to oppose reactionary the fascists because in both Ukraine and struggleUkrainian, fight Russian, on the behalfJewish of theand masses’other the capitalist class. In 2010, the KPU became Ukrainian nationalism with its strong Russia the fascists are well and truly out of workers, it is certain that fascist demagogues one of the parties in a parliamentary coalition anti-Russian and anti-Semitic bent. However, the egg. In Russia not only is there a terrifying will be able to exploit the economic crisis in supporting the government led by Mykola as each of the competing nationalisms feed level of murders by fascists but Zhirinovsky’s Ukraine. Furthermore, even with the limited Azarov of Yanukovych’s, capitalist Party off each other it is not possible to defeat fascist party received nearly 12% of the popular support that they have, the fascist of Regions. Following the 2012 elections, simply one of the opposing nationalist vote in Russian parliamentary elections. In paramilitary forces in Ukraine are right now although trying to distance itself somewhat ideologies by themselves. Ukrainian and Ukraine, the fascists are a component of the terrorising leftists, Jews, Russian speakers and from this government, the KPU again Russian nationalists hate each other but actual government. However, they are now dark-skinned migrants and students. What is voted in parliament for the second Azarov both rely on the existence of the other to threatening to overthrow the government urgently called for is working class–centred government. In earlier years, the KPU had not justify their own existence. Not only has and establish a fascist dictatorship. The mass actions to defend groups targeted only supported other corrupt Party of Regions extreme Ukrainian nationalism come to slogan of the fascist Ukrainian irregulars by the fascists. Such a mass working class, governments but had even once joined a bloc the fore but Russian nationalism has also with the conservative, pro-Western parties. surged since the February coup in Ukraine ethnically integrated, industrial cities like Constantly allying with one or other wing and then further increased with Crimea’s fightingthe government in the Donbass in Kiev. conflict Although is that: they once are anti-fascistKharkiv and movement Dnipropetrovsk could and first then emerge spread in of the capitalists, many KPU leaders are return to Russia and the eruption of the wepart finish of the with government, the Russians the fascistswe’re coming think that for on to Kiev and other cities. What would careerists who seek the privileges associated the conservative majority in the government give such a movement real authority too is with being part of the political elite. At the this nationalism, which has served to divert are not extreme enough in opposing ethnic if workers in the Donbass simultaneously same time many grassroots and mid-level Donbassthe Russian conflict. masses’ Putin hasfrustrations been whipping at their up Russians and Jews. They point to the fact that mobilised to defend Romani and Ukrainian KPU cadre have shown considerable courage hardships caused by capitalist inequality and both the prime minister Yatsenyuk and one speaking people from attacks by Russian in the face of the right wing repression and a stagnant economy away from the capitalist of the two vice prime ministers, Volodymyr fascist factions within the rebel forces. fascist attacks of recent months. Yet the exploiters whom Putin serves. Aggressive Groysman, happen to be of Jewish origin to Especially given the penetration of fascists KPU itself bows to reactionary nationalism Russian nationalism is also being promoted create a fanciful notion of Zionist domination into the Ukrainian state forces, it is crucial and some KPU cadre have publicly opposed by more hardline forces than Putin including – ironically the very same claim made by for anti-fascist actions to be independent of emulating European countries on the grounds the fascist Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s misnamed Russian fascists within the Donbass rebel the state and all wings of the capitalist class. that this means accepting African migrants Liberal Democratic Party of Russia. The forces! The recent offer of regional autonomy In this way, working class-centred defensive and permitting homosexuality! Against last few months has seen mass, extreme for Donbass made by president Poroshenko actions against the fascists can become a such vile backwardness, a truly communist, nationalist rallies in Russia full of reactionary and the parliamentary majority has further springboard for a working class offensive internationalist party like Lenin’s must be symbols from the Tsarist era such as the incensed the fascists. against the capitalists and their impending built. Ukraine needs a party that will train austerity drive. However, to realise such cadre to follow in the revolutionary footsteps the Russian empire from 1858 to 1883. Such Although the Ukrainian fascist paramailitary a perspective requires the building of an of devoted Ukrainian communists of the past black,Russian gold nationalist and white mobilisationsmonarchist flag can used only by forces are a serious threat it is important to authentic communist party in Ukraine. The like Leon Trotsky and Christian Rakovsky: a play into the hands of the Ukrainian extreme note that they do not currently have anywhere Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU) won party that can unite the toilers of all ethnicities nationalists who raise the spectre of a return near majority support from the Ukrainian much support in the past because it was to the subjugation under Russia of the Tsarist people. In the May presidential elections, overthrowing capitalist rule. times. On the other hand if there were mass the two fascist candidates, Tyahnybok of to smash the filthy fascist forces for good by workers mobilisations in Russia opposing Svoboda and Yarosh of Pravy Sektor, received identifiedCrimea, March with 2014: the Ukrainian former colonel USSR. leads Sympathy this reactionary nationalism it would give just a meagre 1.2% and 0.7% of the votes his troops to try and take back the Belbek a great boost to those Ukrainian leftists respectively. In the case of Svoboda, this was Airfield from Russian forces. His troops standing against Ukrainian nationalism a notable setback as in the last parliamentary marched both behind the capitalist Ukraine and fascism just as a struggle against the elections in 2012, they received over 10% of flag and a communist, Soviet Red Army flag. anti-Russian ravings of Ukrainian nationalists the vote. To put the recent electoral showing Continued sympathy for the former Soviet Union amongst the masses of the Ukraine and their bloody war on the Russian-speaking by the fascists in perspective, in the German and Russia means that even bourgeois, people of the Donbass would cut the ground elections prior to Hitler taking power in from under the Russian nationalists. For anti-working class forces like the Ukrainian November 1932, Hitler’s Nazis received and Russian militaries sometimes use Soviet the revolutionary unity of Russian and over 33% of the vote. And in the subsequent symbols in order to gain acceptance. Ukrainian workers! elections four months later, before the Nazi Key to dispersing the poisonous fumes of forces actually established their fascist nationalism and to organising the working dictatorship, the Nazis secured nearly 44% of class for the struggle for power is to mobilise the vote.

86 87 Only Socialist Revolution Can Save Humanity Some people, noting how the Soviet In part, this is because Russia’s military superpower stayed the hand of the Western strength with respect to the NATO powers is From The Threat of World War Three! powers and prevented these imperialists slightly below what the USSR’s was and so Since the collapse of the USSR, the U.S.-led Western imperialists have gotten used from riding roughshod over the world to the is its relative economic position. However, to bullying the world with little hindrance and little competition. They don’t want an extent that they wanted to, hope that Russia this is not the only reason. The main reason emerging Russian capitalist rival spoiling the party and, thus, want to isolate and contain with its immense military strength and its that Russian power has not been able to Russia. They know full well that Russia’s military strength presents a problem. Late last play the same curbing role on imperialism month, sick of the Western powers’ aggressive posture against Russia over Ukraine, can now do the same. Indeed, Russian military that the former USSR did is because Russia Putin boldly declared: “I want to remind you [the West] that Russia is one of the most growingaid is today, economic to some clout extent, and self-confidenceassisting Syria is a capitalist power whereas the former powerful nuclear nations. This is a reality, not just words.” Everyone, indeed, took note to ward off a takeover by the NATO proxy Soviet Union was a socialistic power. And because that is indeed the “reality, not just words”! “rebel” forces. Throughout history there have when examining this question, this difference been such examples of capitalist powers In the early period after the destruction of for the sake of the overall interests of their means almost everything! This is not to say the USSR, the new Russian capitalist rulers, that we should not welcome Russian support class. Meanwhile, with Russia a huge oil/gas anti-colonial war against one of their rivals in while trying to assert their independence – for supplier, the strength of Russian capitalists for Syria. Even while maintaining their providinga situation assistance where they to werea people not fighting in a position a just grew as the price of oil and gas surged. Today, struggle to overthrow their “own” capitalist to become the new masters of those people. rulers, communists in Russia should make – were very much junior partners to the U.S. A. It world oil prices are well over four times They did this purely to weaken their rivals. examplewas the U.S. in respect that had to orchestrated the conflicts inthe Yugoslavia capitalist sure they do not obstruct whatever arms The British imperialists often did this to their Russia sends to Syria (while not calling for this counterrevolution that brought the new rulers president in 2000! This has been a decisive rivals in the late nineteenth and early twentieth to power and they still needed Western help whatfactor theyin shaping were the when Russian Putin capitalist first became class’ themselves) or for that matter the Donetsk century while during the Second World War, and Luhansk separatists. However, in general, to consolidate their rule. For example, take outlook. Thus, while Putin does have a slightly Hitler’s Nazis offered some modest assistance the 1996 Russian presidential elections for different outlook to what Yeltsin did, the in global terms we can have no expectation of to the Indian independence activist Subhas Russia being a strategic deterrent to Western which the Communist Party of the Russian main difference in their governments is not Chandra Bose in his struggle against British imperialism. Russia being a capitalist power Federation’s candidate Gennady Zyuganov due to differing personal political proclivities colonialism. However, Russia’s backing of Syria means that it will seek out – and has achieved was set for victory. Although the Communist but due to the different positions of Russian is largely an exception. Since the emergence of – deals with the Western imperialists to allow Party’s program was not revolutionary and capitalism during their rule. Putin, after all, the Putin era, the U.S-led Western imperialists the latter’s subjugation of “Third World” Zyuganov’s victory would not have spelled the had been Yelstin’s deputy and heir apparent. have continued to trample all over the world’s peoples in exchange for modest stakes for end of the new capitalist state it, nevertheless, The growing strength of Russian capitalism peoples. In 2001 the U.S. invaded Afghanistan would certainly have impeded Russia’s free and then two years later they invaded Iraq Russia in the resulting loot there or in other was highlighted when ten years after a 2003 theatres of exploitation. market economic reforms and would have been joint venture between Russian oil tycoons and and occupied it for a decade. Russia has also a stunning propaganda blow against world not directly impeded the imperialist drive to British petroleum giant BP that produced a Most importantly, consider the difference capitalism. To stop this, the capitalists’ chosen destroy the Chinese workers state. Moscow’s company called TNK-BP, this same TNK-BP in the domestic response when the USSR candidate, then president Yeltsin relied on position with respect to China is, to be sure, obstructed imperialism to those cases when massive cash injections from the West to fund Russian tycoons with interests in oil/gas, steel nuanced. It is the only world power that his campaign as well as the U.S. pressuring the does not threaten China either militarily wasand banking taken over are bysplashing a Russian their firm. cash around Today, crossed imperialism, the response amongst IMF to grant a $10.2 billion loan to Russia so in investments in the Mediterranean, Middle or politically and has built lucrative trade that Yeltsin could pay Russia’s long overdue arrangements with China. At the same time it Russiaclass-conscious defies Western workers powers. in imperialist When the centres USSR East, Britain and even Asia. Despite having like Australia was inspiration and increased wages and pensions on the eve of the elections. just 2% of the world’s population, nearly 10% notably refused to stand by socialistic China Additionally, Yelstin had to rely on a CIA- in its disputes with imperialist Japan over the sympathy for communism while amongst of the world’s richest 250 people are Russian reactionary elements it brought increased assisted dirty tricks campaign against Zyuganov citizens. Due to the concentrated nature South China Sea, has supported Washington’s push against China’s socialistic DPRK ally and hatred for communism. In short, when the as well as Western and Russian agencies of Russian industry, these oligarchs are so did not stand against the anti-communist USSR did impede imperialism the battle was organising massive electoral fraud to “win” the wealthy that they have personally ammassed campaign against China in the lead up to the election. More generally, with the destruction capital of the size held by banks and can often of socialistic rule sending the Russian economy 2008 Beijing Olympics (in turn it has been struggle. A struggle between the working class acquire decisive stakes in corporations by striking how up to now China has refused reflected domestically as part of the class into free fall, the new Russian capitalist rulers themselves or through partnerships among relied on their Western senior partners for to take any stand in defence of its Russian and capitalism whose interests are in crushing themselves. Russian capitalists are known economic partner against the Western attacks whose interests lie in fighting for socialism the capital and investments needed to try and for buying up big in companies listed on the stabilise the capitalist economy. on it over the Ukraine crisis). Meanwhile, Russia (or some other capitalist power) gets London Stock Exchange and for buying huge when NATO moved to bomb Libya and impose communistin the way of influence. a rival, the However, effect is to when encourage today Although at a level far below the relative holdings in London property and banks. regime change on it in 2011, Russia stepped reactionary great power nationalism on all position of the former USSR, eventually the aside and allowed this to happen. And, in sides. Such reactionary nationalism is poison capitalist Russian economy did stabilise. class Russians. However, what its growing general, Russia has not opposed the numerous to class struggle – and as Marxist-Leninists Alleconomic this has strength been of has little meant benefit is that to working Russia imperialist military adventures in Africa over we understand that ultimately only the capitalists that ruled Russia – forcing them has been able to re-modernise its military the last few years, such as those conducted by class struggle leading to the revolutionary Putinto give brought up some more of their discipline individual to the interests mafia which had been ageing and deteriorating the French imperialists in the Ivory Coast and overthrow of imperialist states from and bloody competition between each other since the collapse of the USSR. Mali. within can decisively stop imperialism.

88 89 We, of course, do support the struggle of the Their relatively privileged position makes We repeat that as Marxist-Leninists we quickly change. The capitalist powers have no masses of the neo-colonial and semi-colonial understand that only the working class united real loyalty to each other. Although, currently, countries against imperialism. Thus, we and drawing behind it all the oppressed in the NATO countries are all arrayed against defend the Syrian Army’s struggle against themrulers’ quietly entire half-satisfied foreign policy with – the as domesticwell as class struggle – alongside socialistic states Russia, we can see how France and especially the Washington-proxy “rebels.” However, we realitycertain inparticular the West excesseswhile finding at home the Western – cruel where the working class masses already hold Germany eye up Russia’s military strength do so largely from the point of view that the and illogical. Thus, some elements within this state power – can ultimately stop imperialism. and wonder how nice it would be to combine defeat of the pro-imperialist “rebels” would trend are prone to labelling far-left groups As Leninists, we also understand that their economic clout with Russia’s military that capitulate to imperialism – like the capitalist powers clashing with rival powers power to stop the Americans from dominating and thus encourage the class struggle within will eventually lead to world war. Capitalist everything. Indeed, it was notable that the imperialist centres. Secondly, because right-opportunists that they are. This false firstly weaken the imperialist rulers at home rivalries brought us two world wars last Germany, which has close economic ties with the defeat of the “rebels” would energise the retort of “ultra-left” allows these middle class, Cliffites – as “ultra-lefts” rather than as the century. If the capitalist system is not Russia, was not happy with the recent NATO anti-imperialist, liberation sentiments of the anti-imperialists to, on the one hand, correctly overthrown it will lead to a new world war meeting that approved a tougher line against Syrian masses, this could open the door to attack left groups for lining up behind – this time one fought where all sides have Russia. France, for its part, had to be pressured the Syrian working class taking power from Western imperialist regime-change schemes nuclear weapons at the of the war. During by the U.S. to postpone – for the time being – their “own” by simply backing every anti-government start economically-tied-to-imperialism the Occupy protests in 2011, some liberals the delivery of two, highly advanced Mistral capitalist rulers. movement abroad while, on the other hand, and conspiracy types promoted theories, still navy assault ships to Russia. Meanwhile, maintaining a rotten, liberal critique of these However, there is an emerging left-liberal prevalent today, that capitalism is simply a the extent of friction between the U.S. and trend that looks instead to capitalist opponents far left groups for being too irreconcilable its German “ally” is evident in the recent to the capitalist rulers at home. Yet, in fact, of the West to be part of a force that can stop three piece suits dream up devious monetary revelations of extensive U.S. spying on German government leaders and in the angry response the tyranny of Washington-led imperialism. systemplots to of ripfinancial off the schemes population. where peopleHowever, in groups (Socialist Alternative and Solidarity) This trend, which is often composed of some there is much, much more to it. Capitalism is it provoked from the German government. are far from irreconcilable enough the very articulate and well-read intellectuals groups like Socialist Alliance and against the Cliffite a system of exploitation of labour ultimately In July, the stakes were raised further when rulers at home – tailing after the ALP and the and academics, is not organised or even enforced not only by propaganda but by the Germany expelled the CIA representative at Greens and promoting strategies for change coordinated and the individuals concerned do use of, or threatened use of, force against the U.S. embassy in Berlin. As for what the that rely on organs of the capitalist state. It not necessarily even consider each other as those who dare to resist. It also involves the U.S. really thinks of its EU “partners” this is, in fact, these groups’ rightist adaptation to part of a common trend. However, it consists capitalists of the more powerful countries was colourfully expressed in U.S. Assistant the imperial rulers at home from which their of people who are co-thinkers on several exploiting the masses of the poorer countries Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland’s now conciliation to imperialism’s agenda abroad issues and share certain common features. again through the actual, or threatened, use of famous, “F_ck the EU!” statement to the U.S. arises. Firstly, while they also side with socialistic military force. Furthermore, this imperialist Ambassador to Ukraine that was recorded in the phone intercept, referred to earlier. states like China and the DPRK when they are Of course, the individuals who can tyranny abroad is protected from rivals and There are indeed some elements within the in standoffs with imperialism, they make no be considered part of this left-liberal, would be rivals also by the use, or threatened Washington establishment that wonder why it distinction between such states and capitalist anti-imperialist trend do make some very use, of military force. In summary, violence is is not Russia that the U.S. is allying with. They countries – like Russia and Iran – that clash well-informed and effective critiques of think having Russia aboard could put their with Western imperialism, ascribing to each Western imperialism. Thus, when necessary and highest stage – the stage of imperialism. an equal progressive status. Thus, they often West European potential competitors on the we should join in united front actions with Toat theput heart things of capitalism in perspective, especially the in tensions its final have rather unrealistic hopes that the BRICS back foot and, what is more, secure Russia’s them, for example against the imperialist between the U.S-led Western imperial powers countries which group together socialistic co-operation for the anti-communist drive drive for regime change in Syria. At the same and their Russian would-be capitalist rival China with capitalist power Russia, semi- against China. time we must maintain our clear political are, currently, nothing like the level they colonial India and capitalist countries in independence from them and should criticise were between the rival capitalist powers at between can actually become a bulwark Odessa, April 2014: Mass protest against the post- their political shortcomings. We need to the start of World Wars I and II. Indeed, the against imperialism. Secondly, their hopes February 2014 coup regime. current tensions between the Western that certain capitalist countries could that while we defend the just struggle of the powers and capitalist Russia are not yet, at become serious impediments to the Western beDonbass clear separatists in the current and oppose conflict the in Western Ukraine the time of writing, a quarter of what they imperialist juggernaut are based on their sanctions, bullying and propaganda against were at the height of the Cold War between lack of belief in the revolutionary capacity of Russia, we do so not because we invest in the imperialist powers and the socialistic the working class in the Western imperialist capitalist Russia any progressive mission or USSR. It was then that huge, heavily armed, centres. This springs from the lofty middle because we hope that Russia can, even for military forces faced off against each class, academic circles that they inhabit from its own reasons, become a bulwark against other on the borders between the U.S.-led which (looking at the working class from imperialism. We take our positions because imperialist countries and the Moscow-led, the outside) it is easy to be dismissive of the this is what is necessary to weaken our “own” Warsaw Pact socialistic countries. However, possibility of revolutionary class struggle. For imperialism and the nationalism it uses to the heightened capitalist tensions do point some within this left-liberal, anti-Western- poison class struggle and because this is very much to the future slide towards imperialist trend, their dismissal of the class what is necessary to advance the struggle world war. The expected line-up and struggle in the West is all too convenient. for socialism in Ukraine and Russia as well.

combinations in such a possible conflict can 90 91 Odessa, 4 May 2014: Heavily armed Ukrainian police unleashed against anti-government protesters.

It is the question of China that moderates and conditions inter- imperialist tensions. What unites the various imperialist powers is their common need to ultimately destroy the socialistic state in China. Thus, the drive against China somewhat of bounty to loot and each of the capitalist retards the inter-capitalist rivalries. The World.”powers However,want as great there a isshare only of a finiteit as possible. amount Anti-Fascists Give Violent It is this intense competition for spheres also conditioned by the extent to which the of exploitation that will inevitably lead to a a extent to which rivalries flare up is, therefore, new world war unless the system that causes Racists Drubbing in Marrickville degree of capitalist economic penetration Build Trade Union-Centred Mass Actions to Crush the Fascists! imperialistswithin China arecan confidentopen the way that for the capitalist current revolution. counterrevolution there. The renewed pro- it is not first swept away through socialist 26 July 2014 - The pathetic group retreated in defeat. The extreme racists of the “Party For Right now, one set of tasks for Western leftists Freedom”. Today, they had tried to picket the Woolworths store in the multiracial Sydney that are necessary to advance the struggle for suburb of Marrickville in protest against the Muslim festival of Ramadan. However, socialist revolution is to demand the lifting of marketones that reforms involve being sales flagged of minority in China stakes by their efforts to whip up hatred and violence against Muslim people were thwarted by a rightistin some premier state-owned Li Keqiang enterprises – most significantly to private Western sanctions against their Russian rival, to oppose their military aid to their Ukrainian counter-action of about 80 anti-racist Marrickville residents, trade unionists, Aboriginal investors – and the replacement of the former activists, anarchists and socialists. Despite a line of police protecting the violent racists, Hu Jintao government by a more right-leaning junior partners and to oppose the Western the determined anti-fascist counter-demonstrators, chanting “Drive Out, Drive Out, one headed by Xi Jinping has, no doubt, given imperialist propaganda and diplomatic the imperialists renewed hope. Yet they would campaign against Russia. Let’s not allow Tony Drive Out the Racist Filth!”, ensured that the white supremacists lost possession of the also recall that every time in the past that they Abbott – and the pro-capitalist ALP – to get two large bags of racist leaflets that they had as well as many of their placards. Before feel that they are making progress towards away with diverting working class anger at long the demoralized “Party For Freedom” scum abandoned their demonstration. This the goal of precipitating the collapse of the ruling class’ vicious attacks on low rent was an important victory against extreme racism – fanatical racism that sprouts from socialistic rule in China, the goal posts seem to public housing and its planned assault on atop the official racism of the Abbott gang as well as the ALP Opposition and which finds move further away as the intervention of the medicare and unemployment payments by fertile soil in the conditions of economic insecurity, unemployment and casualisation of Chinese working class and determined leftists whipping up national-chauvinism against work created by decaying capitalism. force a retreat in pro-capitalist measures. Russia. As communists, who passionately Xi Jinping’s recent unequivocal statements support what the former Soviet workers Following the victory in Marrickville, the core aimed against mainly East Asian and Indian that China must stick to socialism would state represented, we of course have a of the anti-racist demonstrators marched international students, tomorrow their main have again recalled these disappointments special hatred for the Ukrainian and Russian to nearby Tempe to picket a meeting of the target could be Aboriginal people, the next day amongst the imperialists. In December last capitalists whose rule was founded on the fascist Australia First Party held at their people of Middle Eastern background and the year, a U.S. warship almost rammed into a destruction of our USSR. But we understand day after that those of an African origin. Chinese naval vessel in the South China Sea, that behind this counterrevolution stood was able to ensure that no one responding to The fascists are the most extreme of backward highlighting that Washington understands the Western imperialists – who remain the heavily fortified shop/bunker. The picket elements amongst economically uncertain that the collapse of socialistic rule in China can most powerful, brutal and dangerous forces have entered through the main entrance of small businessmen/individual contractors only be possible if the imperialists maintain on the planet today. One of the partners in the advertisingshop front onleaflets Princes for Highway.the meeting However, could and amongst unemployed/under-employed military and political pressure on the PRC. this Western imperialist alliance happens protected by a cordon of police, including riot layers of society who fanatically take their to be the Australian capitalist class – the police, the neo-Nazis entered through a back insecurities out on ethnic minorities and Even given the moderating of inter-capitalist main enemy of this country’s working class, entrance. Police also outrageously arrested the organised left and workers movement. tensions due to the existence of a socialistic Aboriginal people, non-white working class and charged one anti-racist demonstrator. All Fascism when it becomes a mass movement power, the capitalist system, if not overthrown youth, the unemployed and all the poor. Let’s anti-racist activists must demand the mobilises the most reactionary layers of the make sure workers are not lined up behind immediate dropping of all charges against our middle class in fearful rage against those world war. For the only way that the capitalist the predatory schemes abroad of Australian anti-fascist brother. below them on the socio-economic scale. first,powers will can ultimately, make up soonfor the or decay latter, of lead their to imperialism. Let’s instead do everything to In response to the chants of anti-fascists, the Sometimes certain fascist groups claim to system at home – which has seen major weaken this main enemy at home so that also represent middle class hostility to the parts of the capitalist world lurching from the working class and the downtrodden can their store, “White Australia!” This highlights bankers. However, their extreme opposition to one economic crisis to another over the last eventually sweep away from power this nasty, Australiahow anyone First who Party is not filth of shouted white skin out is from an the workers movement – the only movement 6 years – is through increasing their plunder racist and ambitious exploiting class for good. immediate target of these groups. Thus, while and exploitation of the peoples of the “Third today’s Australia First Party meeting was able to defeat the financial elite – means 92 that they end up pandering to the finance93 July 26, Marrickville, Sydney: A planned rally by the vile variety apolitical racists out there into a more conscious and violent bigotry. On the racist Party For Freedom (on the right of photo) was other hand, every public blow landed against the violent racist groups sends a message swamped by a much larger anti-fascist mobilisation. to the unorganized bigots as well that it is not in their interests to bully non-white kids at school, abuse Asian passengers on public transport, spit on Muslim women on the streets funded Chinese group Falun Gong (which or pick fights with African youth in nightclubs. While white, middle class liberals can poses as simply a harmless religious group) is comfortably preach the virtues of “ignoring” the fascists, for Aboriginal, Asian, African, fanatical hatred of communism and a shared Middle Eastern and Islander people, crushing the fascists is a matter of enforcing their right not to have to face constant racist harassment. For activists standing for the interests capitalists as well. Thus fascists end up being purity. Thus, when he toured Australia in 1996 of the working class, stopping the fascists is absolutely vital. If fascists are allowed to the crudest and most rabid enforcers of beliefthe Falun in unscientific, Gong fuhrer, fascist Li Hongzhi, notions ranted of racial that spread racial hatred, efforts to unite workers to fight for their rights will be sabotaged. capitalist interests in every way imaginable. mixed race children are the spawn of the When fascist movements in Australia reached That is why we congratulate all those who violent racists’ meeting. This not only put the ‘’Dharma Ending Period,’’ a Buddhist phrase their high point in the late 1920s - early 1930s sincerely participated in the anti-racist anti-racist activists in a physically dangerous that refers to an era of moral degeneration. – in particular the Old Guard and New Guard victory in Marrickville today. Special mention situation but it did little to encourage the He even disgustingly claimed in a speech in must go to the Red Anarchists (“anarcho- development of the anti-fascist movement for Sydney that heaven itself is segregated: “‘the were notorious for attacking workers’ strikes, communists”) and anarchists who took the the future. Victories over the extreme racists yellow people, the white people, and the black bashing union leaders, violently storming important initiative of calling for and building like today’s at Marrickville strengthen the outfits – these paramilitary fascist squads people have corresponding races in heaven” communist meetings and even targeting left today’s anti-fascist action. We Leninists in anti-fascist movement and demoralize the (The New York Times, 30 April 2000) and thus ALP events and politicians. Trotskyist Platform are happy to have been enemy. But defeats or impotent actions have, mixed race people have no place in heaven! able to contribute to driving today’s action unfortunately, the very opposite effect. Today’s fascists in Australia are seeking to Falun Gong also share the fascists’ reactionary forward and to have worked hard to promote To build a powerful anti-fascist movement acquire the strength to replicate the anti-union program on other social questions. They the action in working class suburbs in the days we must, of course, learn lessons from every and anti-Left violence of the Old Guard and New spew fanatical hatred of homosexuality leading up to it. Two other socialist groups action that we take. Even a victorious action Guard days. They are also the most fanatical and denounce the anti-capitalist, 1949 also joined the Marrickville anti-fascist action: like the one today provides valuable lessons champions of one of the capitalist class’s key Chinese Revolution for destroying traditional Socialist Alliance and Solidarity. strategic goals – to destroy socialistic rule in and shows up the current weaknesses of We should, however, not become complacent the movement. One of the key lessons from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). Both cruel oppression of women and children in following today’s victory. Although the today is that it showed once again that in the “Party for Freedom” and the Australia Confucianpre-1949 China. values – values that justified the First Party seek to whip up hostility to the humiliating retreat they were forced to make the struggle between extreme racists and PRC by promoting the myth of an impending This alliance between the Australian fascists today will surely demoralize the fascist Party anti-racists, the Australian police are clearly “Chinese takeover” of Australia. The “Party and Chinese hard line, anti-communists For Freedom and discourage unorganized on the side of the violent racists. It was obvious for Freedom” also rails against communist explains why a Chinese looking man was racists from joining them, the next time to nearly all anti-racist demonstrators today “atrocities” in China and on May 14 hosted a amongst the white supremacists participating they will surely be more prepared. Given the that the police were protecting the fascists in in the aborted Party for Freedom rally in violent essence of the fascists and the fact both Tempe and Marrickville. Furthermore, that the Chinese government was harvesting Marrickville today. It seems that a non-white that they have the police on their side, we not only did they arrest one anti-fascist filmthe organs night inof Sydneypolitical featuring prisoners whacko (http://www. claims person is acceptable to the white supremacist need to ensure that every anti-fascist action demonstrator but while we were outside is properly planned and built. It follows then the Australia First Party store in Tempe they night-on-chinese-government-harvesting- that we should not at this stage think we provocatively videoed us while not doing the partyforfreedom.com.au/2014/05/06/film-organs/). The meeting hosted by former One filthin their as commitment long as they to the are fascists’ an extreme – and, can simply respond to every single fascist Nation NSW Chairman, Bob Vinnicombe, anti-communistindeed, the mainstream who is capitalists’ sufficiently – strategic fanatical provocation but should, instead, respond inside their lair. This is little surprise as police included Chinese Falun Gong members and goal of smashing socialistic rule in China. only to those provocations where we sameact to todefend the racistthe same filth capitalist hurling class abuse whom from Whether non-white, right wing allies of the reasonably believe that we have the required the fascists actually serve. As Trotskyist Falun Gong members in China. What unites white supremacists would escape the gas lead time and means to build actions that can Platform comrades stressed when addressing featuredthe white a supremacist film about supposedParty For crueltyFreedom to chambers in the event of a fascist takeover of overwhelm the fascists with numbers. What fascists with the right wing, Washington- Australia is, perhaps, another story! we should avoid is the situation that occurred in Doonside in Western Sydney on May 24. Then, despite the sincere efforts of rally The Lessons To Be Learned From the July 26 Anti-Fascist Action organizers and participants, an anti-fascist Currently, the fascist groups in Australia are not a mass movement as they are in large picket (of an Australia First Party meeting) swathes of Europe. However, the inevitable deepened economic crisis that capitalism that was only built up in a short space of time will engender in Australia could give them an opportunity to also rapidly spread here. ended up with a smaller number of people Furthermore, even now these groups can play a dangerous role by at times igniting participating in the picket than were at the the widespread racist sentiments within Australian capitalist society into burning and violent racist hatred. An example of just this was the role that the Australia First Party July 26, Tempe, Sydney: Anti-fascists picket a meeting played in inciting the horrific December 2005 white supremacist riot at Cronulla Beach. of the neo-Nazi Australia First Party held at their More frequently, extreme racist political groups can push the many individual, garden- headquarters in Tempe.

94 today’s demonstration, to force the police to movement that was to some extent evident immediate threat to the interests of the entire where a horde of white supremacists unleashed stand aside so that the fascist threat can be today. That problem was a tendency for a working class. The extreme racism that they will shocking violence against Middle Eastern, South crushed requires the power of the multiracial portion of the anti-fascist activists to sometimes pour into society is absolute poison to workers’ Asian and Aboriginal youth who went to visit workers movement to be brought to bear. And move to a different geographical area without unity – the unity without which workers cannot the beach. And this very year on January 26th the numberical strength and industrial power taking the rest of the demonstration with in Brisbane, the AFP attacked the Invasion Day of the workers movement is all the more them. Although there were no adverse bosses. Thankfully, left-wing autonomous- protest march which was being led by Aboriginal consequences from this today, it sometimes organiseminded activists to fight for around their rights the Black against Rose exploiting library people. That is why it is not possible to debate in a bunker as they are in Tempe. left parts of the demonstration in Tempe in a have taken the worthy initiative of calling for these fascists. They are organising for racist a counter-action against the July 26th fascist violence. The physical threat that they pose must Toimportant win sections when theof thefascist union enemy movement is fortified to state vulnerable to a potential violent fascist provocations. They are calling for people to be met with a powerful physical response. Mass the anti-fascist struggle requires persistent counter-attack (and one would be foolish to gather at 11am outside the Woolworths at 463 action must show those considering joining work. We need to show active workers rely on the police to protect us anti-racists Illawara Rd, Marrickville to stop the disgusting that defeating the violent racists is part of from this). For the future, those planning anti-Muslim action by the “Freedom be associated with these fascist groups. building the unshakeable workers unity that anti-fascist actions should organize a small, Party.” After that provocation is dealt with, these outfits that it is a serious health hazard to is so indispensable to the struggle for workers respected leadership team and marshalls for The violent racism of the fascists goes hand the day to ensure that all demonstrators move anti-racists may then move on to picket the in hand with their hostility to the workers together as one and also to be able to make sinister AFP meeting in Tempe. It is expected that movement. The Freedom Party want to turn anti-fascist actions must in this way appeal to many anti-racists, leftists and trade unionists will quick decisions when the need for either a the long term unemployed into a slave labour rights.the class That interests is why that the the workers official movement calls for participate. rapid offensive or a quick retreat does not We in Trotskyist Platform call on workforce by making them work for private trade unions to take the lead in supporting the allow for consensus discussions to take place. businesses who, according to the Freedom for today’s action did not do this and this must July 26th anti-fascist counter-demonstration. The workers movement has an inate ability to Party’s policy, will only have to fork out 25% of has in stopping the fascists. The official call Trade unionists must join together with course, appealing to the class interests of the organize in such a disciplined manner because market wages. The AFP for its part rabidly joins Aboriginal people, Asians, Africans, Middle the bosses’ campaign against the construction beworking rectified class for necessarilythe next anti-fascist means turning action. offOf workers’ own experience in daily struggles Eastern people, Islanders, leftists, feminists, anti-union, small–l liberals. But so be it! The against the capitalist bosses teaches them that workers union by railing against “CFMEU Jews, Muslims, gays and lesbians as well as thugs.” Just like Mussolini and Hitler, if these fascist threat is not going to be stopped by well- only through collective, tightly united action other members of the LGBTI community, can they defeat their enemy. fascists ever came to power they would smash anti-racists and all other intended victims all independent unions and would jail or execute of the working class united with Aboriginal of the fascists in a mass action that sweeps union leaders and activists. That is why it is in people, non-white “ethnic” communities and heeled pacifist liberals but by the mass power issued to help publicize today’s anti-fascist the “Freedom Party” filth off the streets. the direct interest of the working class to smash committed anti-racist activists. We reprint the leaflet that Trotskyist Platform Fascist groups in Europe like the neo-Nazi the fascists. The workers movement here is key A powerful union presence on our side would in multiracial working class suburbs and Golden Dawn Party in Greece and various both because of its numbers and also because also help rectify a weakness in the anti-fascist action.worksites. The leaflet was mass distributed the day to day experience of working together by feeding off the massive unemployment and at the same workplace gives the proletariat sinisterinsecurity outfits caused in Ukraineby the capitalist have been economic growing the unique ability to organise and to act in Union Contingents United With Aboriginal People, crisis. Their counterparts here are seeking to a disciplined and unanimous manner – the emulate this. Some of them are following the disciplined unity in action needed to physically Leftists & “Ethnic” Communities Can Get the Job Done road of the likes of the Front National in France, stop the violent fascist threat. This power of nd the British National Party and Jobbik in Hungary the organised working class was evident in Just Like On May 2 in Brisbane! who have tried to hide their neo-Nazi essence glorious form on May 2nd in Brisbane when in order to win greater electoral support. Yet over a hundred construction workers from the BLF, CFMEU and ETU trade unions formed the Drive the Extreme Racists Out of Marrickville hatred for non-Aryan people. The Freedom Party core of a demonstration of 200 anti-racists that 22 July – Sinister forces are trying to infect society Ramadan is equivalent to supporting terrorism, theseof Australia parties policy find itwhile hard welcoming to hide their immigration Hitler-like successfully shut down an attempted march with a dangerous disease. The disease of fascism. paedophilia and world domination by Muslims. from Europe and North America calls for th pm by the fascist Australia First Party through the On July 26 in Sydney two extreme white Then at 1:30 , the Australia First Party, led by banning immigration from Muslim or Third streets of the Queensland capital. supremacist groups are planning provocations former Australia Nazi party activist Jim Saleam, World countries. They then go on to “justify” this am In combating the white supremacists, we aimed at inciting racist violence. Firstly, at 11 plan to hold a forum at their Tempe bunker titled, with nutty claims that “third world populations” should not make any appeals to capitalist the Freedom Party of Australia plan to picket “Overseas Students Go Home.” This group no have disproportionately higher crime rates. The outside a Woolworths store in Marrickville doubt hopes to stir up a wave of violent assaults Australia First Party is even more fanatical – if governments of any stripe to act against the in opposition to Woolworths putting “Happy and even murder of Indian and Chinese students that’s possible. The featured section of their fascists. These governments, like the capitalist Ramadan” signs on some stores as a marketing website dealing with immigrants includes links state in general, serve the same capitalist method. This protest by the fascists has nothing 2009-10 period. with such “civilised” headings as “Barbaric exploiting class whom the fascists – with their to do with supporting secularism and everything Thelike thetwo horrific fascist eventswave that on Julyswept 26 Australiath are aimed in the at Cultures,” “Ethnic Crime Wave” and “Foreign divisive extreme racism and hostility to the to do with whipping up hatred against Muslims, recruiting to and organising for racist violence. Monster Doctors.” What this kind of propaganda workers movement and the Left – also serve. It Arabs, North Africans and South Asians. Thus, They present an immediate danger to Asians, is aiming to achieve was seen in December the call for the fascist demonstration features Arabs, Africans, Aboriginal people and other 2005 when the Australia First Party played a even ALP/Greens coalition governments – inciteful and ridiculous claims that celebrating non-white people. These events are also an prominent role in organising the Cronulla riot iswith the officialtheir racist racism war of Liberal, on refugees ALP and, and indeed, their

96 97 paternalist Intervention against Aboriginal class that is threatened by the fascists but, moreover, are immediately threatened by the Sydney Rally Opposes Entire The police who murder Aboriginal people in Freedom Party’s planned picket. In contrast, communitiescustody and –regularly that is fuelling harass theworking fascist class fire. if the Woolworths bosses do take legal action African, Asian, Middle Eastern and Islander against the fascists for their own commercial U.S. and Australian Imperialist youth and the courts that disproportionately reasons then this would be a hollow victory jail Aboriginal people and Asians for minor for our side. It may well impede the immediate offences have far more in common with the fascist provocation but by circumventing the Intervention in Syria and Iraq white supremacist thugs than they do with necessary mass mobilisation it undermines Dozens of people rallied on November 29 in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Ashfield anti-fascists. That is why, every time that the energisation and organisation of the to oppose the U.S. and Australian military intervention in Syria and Iraq. The united anti-fascists have mobilised against a neo-Nazi masses against the fascists that alone can, front action was held under the main slogans, “Obama, Abbott and Shorten’s Military threat in Australia the police have protected in the long run, combat the overall threat of Intervention Is Bad For Working Class People - Oppose the U.S. & Australian Ruling Class the fascists – and often have attacked the fascism. and Down with Their War in the Middle East!” The demonstration called to “Defend Syria anti-racists as well. Police planned to do the against Western Imperialism and its `Rebels!’” same in Brisbane on May 2nd but the presence In the end, to bury fascism for good, the of large contingents of construction unionists working class must lead all the downtrodden In introducing the demonstration, rally at the anti-fascist counter-action gave them in overturning the capitalist system whose siege by a heavily militarized police force. chair, Sarah Fitzenmeyer, who is also pause. For the workers contingents had not A couple of days ago, The Sydney Morning the chairwoman of Trotskyist Platform, only physical muscle but industrial muscle – are the bedrock on which the fascists grow. In Herald ran a picture of Ferguson, Missouri demolished the various “rationales” used by looking like some kind of snowy Fallujah the power to shut down production through unemployment,that struggle the Woolworths poverty and bosses official as well racism as ruling class politicians to justify their war at the height of the Iraq War. National collective industrial action. The police knew the capitalist courts, police and governments drive: guardsmen are patrolling the streets of that if they attacked such a large amount are on the opposite side of the barricades. When the toiling masses take power they will this American mid-West town in combat of trade unionists they risked provoking “The rulers of Australia, the United States, establish a new state that in place of killing gear. All in order to repress the 100% Britain and other Western powers are capitalist masters. That is why the struggle Aboriginal people, protecting fascists and slamming bombs into Iraq and Syria. To attacking workers’ picket lines will, instead, of an unarmed Black teenager, Michael strikesto defeat that fascism would hurtmust thebe profitscentred of on their a save the world from a deadly threat or so justifiedBrown, and acts the of subsequent outrage after exoneration the murder of perspective of mobilising the working class. crush violent racists and enforce the creation they say. But why should working people of a classless socialist society. A society of such Should the capitalist state, in order to even think of believing them? Look at what Wilson, who murdered the boy. abundance, egalitarianism and anti-racism preempt an anti-fascist mobilisation, decide these `great leaders,’ these rulers are doing the racist white pig police officer, Darren to pull the leashes in on their fascist dogs that the need for a coercive state itself will, one here! “Sisters and brothers, the fact is that the governments involved in the U.S- for a while we would not get in the way of day, eventually wither away. “… Slamming the poor by making them pay led bombing campaign do not serve the this. However, we certainly should not be The struggle to build militant working class for doctors visits. interests of ordinary working class people. directly appealing for this to happen as that, action against the neo-Nazi threat is an “Increasing the cost of going to university. Capitalist institutions are the enemy of ultimately, would only build dangerous important part of the struggle for workers’ rule workers and the oppressed. They are the illusions in the capitalist state. It would have because it trains the masses to rely only on “And they want to leave jobless people up servants of the big business owners - the the effect of demobilising the necessary mass their own collective power, increases their self- lackies of the capitalist big end of town. And anti-fascist actions by making people believe support whatsoever for six months every there is no bigger, more brutal lackey and it is the state that can stop the violent racists working class and with their brothers and sisters toyear the that age they’re of 30 with unemployed! absolutely no financial one that is more dangerous to the working for us. confidencein oppressed and ethnic tightens and religious unity both communities. within the “And low-income single-mothers will never people than the military machine of the capitalist state, armed to the hilt with its Similarly, we should not be appealing to forget how the last Labor government defending the working class and its allies against monstrous weapons of mass destruction. Woolworths bosses to take action against the Itthe is threat also inof racist the first violence. place So a matterlet’s work of hard simply to cruelly and treacherously slashed their fascists. Instead, we should be appealing to build a mass action of trade unionists, Aboriginal parenting payments. “The war that the U.S. and Australian rulers Woolworths storemen and women and service people, non-white “ethnic” people and “Meanwhile, the ruling class is using a are waging in the Middle East is not in the interests of working class people. It in the staff who are not only part of the working anti-racist activists of all colours to Royal Commission into our trade unions as is crush the planned white supremacist a precursor to a full-blown union busting interests of the Andrew Forrests, the Gina provocations on July 26th. Let’s ensure attack. Rineharts, the Packers, Lowys, Murdochs that the working class-centred May and all the other corporate bigwigs. This 2nd victory in Brisbane is repeated on “In this country there is the shocking fact war is against the interests of working July 26th in Marrickville! that not one murdering police enforcer class people, Aboriginal people and all of has ever been jailed for the hundreds of the oppressed. Aboriginal people that have been killed in Cronulla Beach, Sydney, December 2005: Racist “When the U.S. and Australian regimes act cowards bash a non-white person visiting the beach. custody. In America right now our Black and Hispanic working class sisters and brothers abroad, they act with the same hostility to The disgusting white supremacist riot was incited by the interests of all working class people the Australia First Party among others. are under a state of siege. They are under

99 Protestors at the November 29 anti-imperialist rally in Ashfield, an inner western suburb of Sydney.

This latter point about how the Western powers are using the pretext of opposing ISIS to manoeuvre towards imposing regime change in Syria was explosively underscored

Washington’s Israeli attack dogs unleashed just eight days after the Ashfield rally when including the international airport in the fightercapital Damascus. aircraft to bomb targets inside Syria Addressing the November 29 rally, Behrooz, spokesman for the Supporters of the Iranian People’s Fadaee Guerrillas, also powerfully rebuffed media propaganda that the U.S.-led military intervention in the Middle East is

as they do at home. But they act with against all the poor. a full-scale union-busting attack on the even more brutality. They have arrogant proudly multi-ethnic CFMEU construction “Is this action in response to terrorism and “Already, the war fever and the “terrorism” about “fighting terrorism”: contempt for the masses of the so-called workers union as well as other unions. Only stopping the reactionary ISIS group, or is hysteria has helped Abbott to churn up a `Third World.’ The big business owners, a united union, undivided by the scourge of it a plan to dominate the Middle East by rabid nationalist and racist climate that who the Washington and Canberra regimes racism and its nasty twin, nationalism, can redeploying its forces in Iraq and occupying has helped him to divert mass frustrations actually serve, exploit workers at an even hope to withstand the union-busting storm Syria? away from his government’s anti-working greater rate in the poorer, ex-colonial that’s on its way. The ruling corporate class class budget. “United States in the past three and half countries that largely make up what’s wants to wage imperialist war abroad not years actively mobilised and trained all known as the `Third World.’ `Fighting ”There have been so many grotesque attacks only for their predatory search for super- reactionary opposition groups in Syria terrorism’ is the pretext for looting natural on Muslim men, women and children .... in cooperation with totalitarian regimes resources and subjecting these countries and markets but because it helps them to “Racism is poison to the unity that working such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, UAE to the tyranny of debt bondage. To further profitsstir up racismand world and domination nationalism of and resources thus to class people need to stand up to their and Turkey. These murderers have free the imperialist plunder in the Middle East suppress the working class and anti-racist movement in all of the above mentioned is the reason why they are bombing in Syria exploiters. Racism is absolute poison movements at home. to workers unity: an evil brew that the countries and military bases with active and Iraq. Enforcing their predatory, neo- support of the army and full support from colonial goals is their MAIN aim.” capitalist class likes to concoct and stirs “That’s why we must mobilise the working up so intently, practically every passing class and all the downtrodden in mass action the USA. The theme of the demonstration was that hour of the working day, in order to try to against this latest neo-colonial war. Today “The Liberal, National and Labor standing against the U.S. and Australian divide and conquer the working masses. marks the very beginning of the struggle governments in Australia unconditionally capitalist rulers’ war in the Middle East is For the working masses of Australia, in fact to build a pro-working class movement have supported the invasion of Iraq and of the whole world, are a people of a myriad against the neo-colonial intervention by the destruction of Syria, Australia has aligned on the working class, Aboriginal people, creeds and colors who, by a singular turn U.S. and Australian ruling classes in Syria itself with the most jingoistic warmongers partcoloured of fighting “ethnic” against communities, their attacks at publichome and Iraq.” housing tenants and all the poor. As the rally working side by side on the production devastation of many countries such as In motivating the need to oppose this latest chair explained: ofline. the Just wheel as, armsof history, linked now - black find themselvesto white to inLibya, the USA;Syria, ignoringAfghanistan, the lossIraq, of these lives andare yellow to white and back to black again – U.S.-led predatory war, rally chair Sarah just a few examples in only the past few “It goes without saying that it is the people Fitzenmeyer stressed that years.“ of the Middle East who will suffer the most from this war. But every bomb landed by theyThis areis the fighting multi-racial, together multi-national on the picket line,and “… a major aim of their latest intervention Representing the Communist Party of the U.S.A and Australia in the Middle East fightingunited workingfor their commonclass that rights the as capitalist workers. is to push for the overthrow of the Assad Australia (CPA) at the November 29 action, will reverberate at home too. When the robber barons fear the most. Racism is the government in Syria. The Assad government Wayne Sonter, Secretary of the Sydney capitalist ruling class wages a bullying is itself a capitalist government – except District Committee of the CPA, convincingly that it is too independent from the Western imperialist war abroad it means they also intend to use to cut this multiracial unity took on the arguments he has heard from wage a war at home, a war against our trade capitalistof workers class’ into final countless key, a knifeirreconcilable, that they imperialist powers for the USA and its coalition of the greedy and the ruthless to what he called a “Right Opposition” within unions, against Aboriginal people, against squabbling and ultimately warring pieces. the Western Left and the expatriate Syrian refugees, against single mothers and in fact Right now the bosses are gearing up for tolerate.”

100 101 One of the calls of the 29 November regime change, he demolished the arguments If the imperialist-imposed regime change demonstration in Ashfield was to used by those refusing to oppose the entire drive is defeated in Syria then it will spur “Defend Syria against Western imperialist intervention: on the Arab masses to depose the Western Imperialism and its `Rebels!’” Protestors puppet governments in places like Jordan, hold up a Syrian national flag at the “… most nominally left wing groups in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. It will encourage rally. Australia have, while correctly opposing the Syrian working class itself to say: now the bombing of Iraq, failed to oppose the that we have defeated imperialism and imperialist intervention in Syria. These its open agents, we should also take away groups, many of whom falsely claim some power from the half-baked, arming and training of the pro- neither here nor connection with the glorious program of there Baathist rulers who are themselves imperialist Syrian “Rebels” – the Trotskyism, are tainted by their years-long economically dependent on imperialism.” same ones that these left groups support for the Western-backed `Rebels.’ back. Secondly, after having “Unfortunately, some who have laudably said little in solidarity with the defended Syria against the pro-imperialist was Samuel Russell, a trade union activist secular, Syrian-based Kurdish `Rebels’ are also refusing to oppose the Alsowho addressinghappens to the be Ashfield the UNSW demonstration Branch groups for two years when U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria. On this, they Secretary of the National Tertiary Education those Kurdish parties were in a ironically take a similar stance to the Union. Speaking at the event in a personal defacto alliance with the Assad pseudo-Trotskyist groups and use a similar capacity, Russell emphasised the role that government against the religious the Australian working class movement and community. These people justify their rationale for their position: that is that `we fundamentalist “Rebels,” now that Syrian can use imperialism.’ But the trade union movement in particular must refusal to campaign against the U.S.-led imperialism Kurdish factions have descended into an cannot be used for progressive purposes. play in opposing this war. He noted that there airstrikes with the argument that the Syrian alliance with the U.S.-led imperialists against Never ever! There are no exceptions! If has been mass opposition to other imperialist government has not attempted to shoot down ISIS, the reformist left have suddenly re- you allow imperialism to strengthen it is wars. In the lead up to the 2003 invasion of discovered the cause of the Syrian Kurds and more readily able to carry out its predatory Iraq there were huge protests. In that case out, for one, that Syria is not in a military have rushed to join “Solidarity with Kobane” goals. Those who think that imperialism they were not able to stop the invasion but theposition Western to take fighter an action aircraft. which Sonter would pointed trigger rallies in Australia. Not wanting to alienate can be used to bolster Syrian independence Russell stated that the Great War (World War a direct war with the U.S. and its lackeys. The their new found Kurdish allies, the soft-on- by weakening ISIS are like a person in a I) which just had its centenary was stopped fact that Syria has not at this point tried to imperialism socialist groups thus refrain from tiger-infested village who thinks he should largely due to workers’ strikes and mass shoot down NATO aircraft does not make opposing the U.S.-led airstrikes in Kobane guide a hungry tiger to eat his cruel, hated actions in many countries - including Russia, the U.S. empire’s blatant violation of Syrian and Syria more generally. Thirdly, even neighbor. Except that the hungry tiger then Germany, Britain and in the colonies of the sovereignty any less a threat to Syria and its though some healthier gut-level impulses European imperial powers. independence. And this is a fact regardless to oppose the U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria who will be up next on the tiger’s menu? If of the Syrian government’s immediate may exist within individuals inside these thegets Western a taste forimperialists human flesh succeed … and in guesstheir stance towards this Western intervention. reformist left groups, they are so tainted by current campaign it will only embolden were listened to by working class people It is The CPA representative especially skewered their years-long support for the imperialist- them for an open attack on Syria. Thewho speakersjoined the at rallythe Ashfield from Western demonstration Sydney those refusing to oppose the U.S.-led war worth recalling that what deterred the U.S. suburbs like Auburn and Parramatta as well proxy “Rebels” in Syria and so exposed and rulers from a planned invasion of Syria ten drive from a seemingly opposite direction embarrassed by the fact that NATO backing as local people from multiracial, working- to the “Right Opposition.” He emphasised years ago were the blows that their military for these “Rebels” has become even more was taking from insurgents in Afghanistan blatant that they would rather not even talk and other anti-imperialist minded leftists. Alternative are cheerleading for imperialism and Iraq. The historical irony that all about Syria. In fact, they’d probably prefer the insurgents striking those blows in classThere Ashfield, was no Trotskyist presence Platformat all from supporters people when they cheer for the imperialist proxy that left groups such as the Cliffite Socialist that the very word “Syria” wasn’t mentioned Afghanistan and some of the ones involved from the middle class and university-based Syrian “Rebels.” in polite company at all! in Iraq were religious fundamentalist left groups/left milieus. The participants, reactionaries quite similar in ideology to instead, were mainly working class and/ or from Asian, Middle Eastern, African and of the groups backing the pro-imperialist the Syrian proxies backed by the West today does not change this fact. That is why it is in South American backgrounds. Many locals The“Rebels” weekend in Syria prior that to the the Ashfield CPA spokesman rally, some Theunfortunately November as 29we Ashfieldgo to press demonstration thus far the the interest of the Syrian people’s struggle referred to held a protest in Sydney’s Town wasonly action thus – the in Australia very first to oppose action the –entire and against neocolonialism to see the U.S. and Hall Square that opposed the bombing of Iraq U.S./Australia imperialist intervention in the Australian regime suffer setbacks in their fromsympathy Ashfield with passingthe action. the rally stopped to but was pointedly silent on the imperialist Middle East: from their bombing campaigns war that is nominally against ISIS. listen and take leaflets and several expressed intervention in Syria. These groups – like in both Iraq AND Syria to their arming of The important thing now is that we take the Socialist Alternative, Solidarity and Socialist proxies in Syria. Yuri Gromov, editor of “We must stand for the defeat of the U.S. Alliance – do not want to squarely oppose the Trotskyist Platform, outlined the necessity to and Australian capitalist rulers in their out to people in our workplaces, trade unions, war in both Syria and Iraq. We must imperialist intervention in Syria because, for take such a consistent, anti-imperialist stance messageactivist milieus emphasised etc and in start the Ashfield preparing action for one, a major part of that intervention is the fight for the defence of Syria against the actions that we must build in the future when in the course of motivating the need Western imperialism and its `Rebels.’ U.S. government’s scheme to greatly increase to defend Syria against imperialist-imposed to oppose the warmongering imperialists

102 103 A speaker addresses the anti-imperialist rally in the working class Sydney suburb of Ashfield. and to defend Syria against neocolonialism. “Sisters and brothers, we must understand As the Trotskyist Platform spokesman, Yuri that unleashing wars is not simply a policy Gromov, concluded in his speech, the only decision for the greedy ruling classes. For it way we can achieve these tasks is through the is part of their very DNA. They must seek methods of the class struggle: out new territory to loot in order to make up for the crumbling of their capitalist “Some say that the problem with this system at home. From their point of view, war is that Canberra does not pursue an unleashing predatory wars is something `independent foreign policy.’ However, that they simply must do just as attacking the problem is actually much deeper. The our unions is also something that they must Australian ruling class backs Washington do. But from our point of view, we must in the Middle East because it relies on the wage class war on the capitalist rulers’ might of its U.S. godfather to defend its own wars abroad just as we must wage class looting and jackbooting in neighbouring war on their attacks on the toilers and countries from Fiji to East Timor to PNG. downtrodden at home. From the storming Simply put, Australia’s imperialist rulers of Canberra’s parliament house in 1996 by are supporting Obama’s war because it is in trade unionists and Aboriginal people to the their interests do so. They cannot be won courageous multi-racial protests in the U.S. over to take another road. To defeat against the racist whitewash of the police their war we need to mobilise the class murder of Michael Brown, we certainly whose interests lie with opposing their see potential for such struggle. Let’s today military adventures: the working class. build mass working class sentiment “And the interests of the exploited masses to the point that there can be trade really do lie in defeating Abbott and union political strikes in opposition to Shorten’s war. Every bit of blood that the Obama, Abbott and Shorten’s military regime here draws in the Middle East will expedition. Let’s stand for the defence make them more savage in their attacks on of Syria against neocolonialism. Let’s the oppressed at home: More vicious in their reject the capitulations of ALP social democracy and Greens progressive liberalism to build a real alternative, that is a revolutionary socialist alternative, bashingmore ruthless of our in unions; cutting still public more services cruel in to the murderous capitalist order!” theirlike public violent housing, attacks onpublic Aboriginal education people; and women’s refuges....

104 Trotskyist Platform Subscription

i want to be sent future publications of trotskyist platform. enclosed is a $10 donation for printing and postage.

name:______address:______

state:______postcode:______Tel no.______

email:______

please confirm your subscription with a phone call, text message or email three days after sending this form.

send to: po box 1101, fairfield, nsw 1860 call: 0417 204 611 email: [email protected] website: trotskyistplatform.com