Information Bulletin #2020 Special Edition

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Contents

Party of Labour of Austria 4 Communist Party of Belgium 8 Communist Party of Brazil 11 Brazilian Communist Party 14 Communist Party of Britain 17 Communist Party of Canada 21 Communist Party of Cuba 28 AKEL, Cyprus 32 Communist Party in Denmark 38 French Communist Party 41 Communist Party of Greece 44 German Communist Party 51 Hungarian Workers’ Party

54 Iraqi Communist Party 58 Communist Party of Kurdistan-Iraq 61 Tudeh Party of Iran 64 The Workers’ Party of Ireland 69 Communist Party (Italy) 72 Jordanian Communist Party 75 Workers’ Party of Korea 77 Lao People’s Revolutionary Party 80 Communist Party of Mexico 83 Popular Socialist Party of Mexico 88 Nepal Communist Party 91 Communist Party of Norway 95 Communist Party of Pakistan 98 Palestinian Communist Party 100 Palestinian People’s Party 102 Paraguyan Communist Party 104 Philippines Communist Party [PKP 1930] 109 Russian Communist Workers Party 114 Communists of Serbia 117 Communist Party of the Workers of Spain

121 Communists of Catalonia 125 Communist Party of Sri Lanka 129 Sudanese Communist Party 131 Communist Party of Swaziland 134 Communist Party of Turkey 138 Communist Party USA 144 Communist Party of Vietnam 146

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Party of Labour of Austria (PdA)

Capitalist disease, socialist cure

The year 2020 is widely perceived by the public as being marked by the Sars-CoV-2 or CoViD-19 pandemic. It will have a significant impact on people’s lives, work and social conditions worldwide, and is also accompanied by the most massive capitalist crisis since the Second World War. The crisis phenomena clearly show the inability of capitalism to ensure the needs and survival of humanity, which is underlined by the policies of bourgeois governments. The Party of Labour of Austria as the Marxist-Leninist party of the Austrian working class has the task of analysing the situation, educating the working people about it and the mechanisms of the capitalist economic system and the bourgeois system of rule, mobilising and organising them for the revolutionary class struggle in order to overthrow the system and build the new society of socialism and communism.

Crisis of the health system The corona virus may be of natural origin and a zoonosis is nothing unusual, but the handling of the pandemic situation is man-made. In this respect, it is also evident in Austria that the bourgeois government consisting of conservative People’s Party and the Greens is neither able nor willing to effectively protect the health of the people. It shifts responsibility to the private sphere of people’s lives and neglects appropriate and effective measures at the workplace for economic reasons: production must continue, while workers remain exposed to the full risk. Moreover, it is a payback for the fact that all governments of the last decades - whether conservative or social democratic led - have ruined the health system in many areas, even though the situation in Austria is still relatively better than in many other countries. There have been staff cuts, wards and entire hospitals have been closed, the number of beds has been reduced again and again, the state health insurance has been starved of funds. All this was done in order to consolidate the state budget on the one hand and to open up the health sector to profiteering on the other: private capitalist companies were given access to the public health system, private supplementary insurance and deductibles became necessary, so that medicine also revealed itself as a class system. The rich can afford expensive treatments, the working class and the poorer social classes are only second-class patients. The ruling parties apparently believe that a hospital must function like a capitalist enterprise that must make a profit - but people’s health is not a commodity. The Party of Labour demands a universal, free and efficient health care system for all, with sufficient state IB Special Edition

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funding, enough doctors and nurses, with material resources such as medicines, equipment and hospital beds available at all times - especially during the Corona pandemic it is becoming clear that this is an absolute necessity. But capitalism will never guarantee this. Health and illness, life and death are class issues under capitalism.

Capitalist economic crisis

that are incompatible with fundamental civil rights, 5 with rights of freedom, assembly and organisation, with human rights. The Austrian Constitutional Court has repealed government decrees and laws which have been found to be unlawful and unconstitutional. Some measures threaten privacy, the legal professional privilege of lawyers or the freedom of the media, not to mention freedom of movement, as bans on entry and temporary domestic detentions are possible without a court order. Some amendments to the law even allow state authorities unrestricted access to premises and to internal documents of political organisations, which opens the door to espionage and repression. In any case, bourgeois democracy is only a camouflaged dictatorship of capital, but at present there is a danger of an increasingly authoritarian development. At the same time, the recent elections in Vienna, for example, have shown that the democratic bourgeois system has long since reached its limits: A good third of the population of Vienna was excluded from the elections, the existing hurdles for smaller parties such as the Party of Labour to stand as candidates and gain access to the electoral process were further aggravated by the pandemic situation, and voter turnout is falling significantly. The elected parties now have only marginal democratic legitimacy, and there can no longer be any question of majorities. This is also a response to the prevailing demagogic, working-class divisive political staging of the ruling class, which makes people feel the illusion of participation. And in this respect, the system is moving in circles: the less support the political rulers receive, who additionally expose themselves through corruption and enrichment, the more the system will move in an authoritarian direction. It is maintained with the donations of the corporations and the rich, with the disinformation campaigns of the servile state and monopoly media, and with the social and administrative pressure on the population. It is rotten and rotten to the foundations, but dangerous in its struggle for existence.

The corona pandemic has accelerated and exacerbated the already inevitable capitalist economic crisis. However, neither CoViD-19 nor the epidemic-related interim lockdown are responsible for the crisis, but the basic laws of capitalism itself, the contradiction between social production and private capitalist appropriation of products. The erroneous cycle of capitalism regularly leads to cyclical crises, and now we are facing the biggest crisis since 1945.

The bourgeoisie and its ruling parties use the crisis to prepare new profits: They clean up the market through takeovers, they restructure and rationalise through site closures and mass redundancies, they push down wages. Companies are subsidised with huge sums of money through state aid so that they implement a short-time working model that cannot and will not stop the waves of redundancies. These subsidies come from the purses of the working class, since it pays the bulk of taxes through payroll and mass taxes, while monopoly capital receives tax breaks. The losses of the crisis are being socialised so that future profits can be re-privatised and monopolised. The monopoly capital and its government are doing everything possible to ensure that the burden of the crisis is placed on the working class.

For them, all this means loss of income, unemployment, financial and social insecurity, the risk of poverty and actual poverty. Many people can no longer pay their rents and electricity bills, some cannot even buy food. And after the crisis, the working class should pay a second time: Then the government will introduce rigid austerity measures, in the social system, in education and pensions - and of course Imperialism, militarism and war again in the health system. And of course there will Imperialism also poses a comprehensive threat be no wage increases again, so as not to “endanger the recovery”. On the whole, this will merely prepare in the international context. Of course, the Corona pandemic has not frozen existing conflicts. On the the ground for the next crisis. contrary: the crisis has intensified the warmongering of the USA, NATO and the EU towards Russia Crisis of democracy and the ruling system and China, the drive for intervention and aggression There is nothing to be said against sensible safein the struggle for spheres of influence, raw materity measures against the risk of infection, which of als and transport routes, including proxy wars and course also entail restrictions. But the Austrian govstaged “civil wars”. In the eastern Mediterranean the ernment has taken measures, issued decrees and, situation is coming to a head, and in the southern through the parliament it dominates, passed laws

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Caucasus there is a new war. The arms industry has hardly suffered any crisis losses, because weapons are a special commodity. The Austrian Armed Forces are also increasingly buying new war material, most recently combat helicopters, and despite the tight budget situation, the type decision regarding the new Air Force fighter jets is imminent. Armaments are being upgraded, but alliances are also being strengthened strategically: In recent months, Austria has concluded new military agreements with the USA. This backing, together with the vehicle of the militarised EU, is the opportunity for limited Austrian imperialism to play an important role at least in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, especially in the plundering of the Balkans, where the Austrian Armed Forces also provide a relevant part of the EU/ NATO occupying army. Economically, Austrian big business has long since penetrated the region anyway and brought it under control to a certain extent, which in turn implies political influence. As a free rider of the global hegemonic power USA as well as of the continental European, Germany, Austria will inevitably participate in the imperialist struggle for the redivision of the world and be drawn into potential conflicts of great powers. The war remains a central crisis strategy of imperialism, which is why the Party of Labour is counting on consistent anti-militarism and anti-imperialism, on the struggle against the EU and NATO affiliation, for the Austrian neutrality and sovereignty of the people, for internationalism and the right of self-determination of the nations.

Party work under pandemic and crisis conditions The Corona pandemic and its consequences forced the Party of Labour to adapt its working methods, internal and external communication, activities, events and forms of struggle. At the party conference in December 2019, the PdA had ambitious plans for the following term of office, but some things could no longer be implemented in the planned form: The central event for International Women’s Day on 8 March in Vienna was our last event that could still be carried out in the usual manner. After that we first had to cancel all further public activities, inside and outside, because they were partly covered by the government’s bans, partly we decided ourselves that even organised gatherings of people do not represent a responsible way of dealing with the pandemic situation. Most painful for us was the necessary decision not to hold any demonstrations and celebrations this year on May 1st, the International Day of Workers’ Struggle, especially as these are the biggest events of the year for our

part - we tried to compensate for this with an online campaign, which is of course only possible to a limited extent. Soon afterwards the exit restrictions were relaxed, and on 8 May we were able - with a limited number of participants, safety distances and mouthnose protection masks - to hold a rally for the 75th anniversary of the Great Anti-Fascist Victory of the Peoples at the Heroes’ Monument of the Red Army in Vienna. The same was true of similar and other current public rallies in the capital and other federal states. In general, the period of the lockdown meant that a lot of things shifted to the internet, and electronic media and their use inevitably had to gain in importance. Just at the right time, we succeeded in optimising our online media and social media channels and professionalising our appearances.

Our central party website was relaunched, we made increased use of video recordings and online events and, most importantly, in April we began using a new digital platform, namely our online newspaper, which quickly gained considerable reach thanks to dedicated work and multiple daily updates. Our print media - the central organ ZdA and the theory journal E&W - also gained additional importance in their distribution. All in all it must be said that restricting direct contacts in real life, on the street, in companies and educational institutions is of course not a viable course of action for a workers’ party, because it is dependent on interaction. This was also evident in our participation in the elections in Vienna in October: It is difficult to conduct a street election campaign with social distancing, but nevertheless we succeeded in getting a good part of the people in our electoral district acquainted with the party through a striking and pithy campaign. - Even within the party, its governing bodies and basic organisations, work had to be adapted to the new circumstances in recent months, and naturally video and telephone conferences were increasingly used.

In terms of content, our priorities were self-explanatory: the PdA called for comprehensive health protection measures for workers in the companies and improvements in the health system in general. We also placed the capitalist crisis, its causes and effects at the centre of our further educational and agitation work.

Class struggle and socialism The Party of Labour stands for the consistent protection of the people’s health, which the governments of capital are deliberately neglecting, both because of their inefficient and wrongly weighted pandemic measures and because of the long-standIB Special Edition

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ing ruinous saving of the Austrian health system. The PdA intervenes in favour of the working class, which is supposed to bear the burdens of the capitalist crisis and is threatened by severe social dislocation, mass unemployment and deterioration of labour laws. The PdA defends the democratic and liberty rights of the people in Austria, both citizens and migrant colleagues, regardless of origin or language. It opposes attempts at division on the basis of xenophobia and racism, authoritarian and repressive policies, and fascist activities. We stand up for the right of peoples to peace and secure existence. However, capitalism and imperialism are opposed to all the interests and needs of the Austrian working class and popular strata. There will be no concessions without decisive resistance and struggle. The empty promises and diversionary tactics of the Social Democracy and the trade unions dominated by it only serve the immobilisation of the working class and the stabilisation of the bourgeois-capitalist system, while the reformist and opportunist EU “Left” does not want to and cannot be more than the left wing of the capitalism and imperialism administration. From this

point of view, the Party of Labour considers it as its 7 task to enlighten the working class about the system of exploitation, oppression and deception, to mobilise and support it in independent activity, to train and organise it - to make it physically and mentally fit for struggle against the crisis policies, against the attacks of capital as well as against the illusions of social democracy and “left” opportunism, against the monopolies and against capitalism and imperialism in general. The insights of Marxism-Leninism imply that only with its strong revolutionary party of struggle can the working class overthrow the system of capitalist exploitation, oppression, economic crises and wars and build socialism and communism on the basis of its own class rule. The task of the PdA is to build and provide this party so that the disease of capitalism can be eradicated. Socialism will not be immune to infection pandemics, but it will be immune to exploitation, oppression and war - and it will have a health and social system that for the first time puts the human being, his needs and his life at the centre.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Communist Party of Belgium Belgium : strengthen class consciousness, organise precariousworkers and build an anti-capitalist, antifascist, anti-imperialist front for socialism and peace

What is the current situation in Belgium?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 10,000 people have died in Belgium. Our country thus has one of the highest coronavirus death rates in relation to the number of people infected (120,000) and the population of the country. These figures reveal the criminal management of the health crisis by the Belgian government, which throughout the last few months has shown its class interests and has not defended the population.

Since the federal elections of May 2019 until 30 September 2020, Belgium no longer had a fullfledged government. It was an illegitimate minority government in current affairs that ruled the country while parties ranging from social democrats to Flemish nationalists, conservatives, greens and liberals negotiated a coalition government agreement in what is a recomposition of the bourgeoisie.It is clear that whatever the exact composition of the government, the parties in power will be unable to respond to the health, social and economic crisis, or to meet the needs of the working class. They will even continue the anti-popular and anti-worker policies of previous governments, trying to make us pay for the crisis. The crisis is presented as a consequence of the pandemic. However, the pandemic has in fact initially masked and above all accelerated and amplified the effects of the crisis of inherent and recurrent overproduction within the capitalist system.

In March, the current affairs government of Sophie Wilmès (MR) was given special powers by parliament to manage the health crisis. Yet it was the same Sophie Wilmès who in 2017, as budget minister, cut public hospital services in the name of (EU) austerity policies in the wake of decades of attacks on social security and public services, including privatisations (GATS, WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services) and chronic underfunding. Public services provide access to basic needs for a large part of the population. Their undermining has resulted in people no longer being able to access health care. Some workers have also been forced to make difficult and inhumane choices (care, rent, food...) because of restricted livelihood opportunities.It is the very right to health that is under attack, while public services and public hospitals have proven their necessity and effectiveness during the crisis, thanks to frontline workers. That is why they must never enter into concepts of profitability.

The scandals linked to the management of the health crisis are not limited to attacks on the public hospital. They also revealed the anarchic nature IB Special Edition

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‣‣ repression and control, with a reduction 9 of the possibility of demonstrations, which is still in force.During the confinement, the fines for the gatherings were dissuasive and several gatherings, including leafleting or during the 1st of May, were dispersed by the more than muscular intervention of the police and in September the health care demonstration was blocked and surrounded During the confinement, the fines for the gatherings were After inconsistent measures, the government final- dissuasive and several gatherings, including leafletly decided to apply containment that did not affect ing or during the 1st of May, were dispersed by the everyone equally. The military-industrial complex more than muscular intervention of the police and was spared, and as a sign of the deepening inter-im- in September the large health care demonstration perialist contradictions, the gigantic military exercise was blocked and surrounded. “defender europe 20” brought tens of thousands of Finally, while the big companies were making huge soldiers to the borders of Russia, passing through profits (for example in the food distributor sector at the ports of Zeebrugge in Belgium, exposing us to Colruyt), the employers used the crisis to throw out the danger of a new conflict. The confinement also thousands of workers, often on precarious contracts, revealed the precarious living conditions of many and redundancy plans multiplied (Brantano, Avery working families and the working class. The class op- Dennison, Sodexo, Brussels Airlines...). And the reposition between the working and better-off classes stricted activity linked to confinement has seen the continued to be expressed even after the decon- salaries of many workers reduced by 30 to 40% and finement during the summer, when measures re- this at constant cost (rents). stricted de facto access to the sea to young people However, the crisis has revealed to the masses in the working class neighbourhoods of the capital 1) that it is the workers who create the wealth; 2) so as not to disturb the bourgeoisie (after the events the degradation of working conditions and social in Blankenberge). and human contacts; degradation linked to manof production under capitalism, the lack of planning to meet needs, with a view to permanent risk, and the country’s dependence on the external market: in particular, it was very quickly learned that the federal government’s strategic reserve of 6 million masks had been destroyed and not renewed a few months before the pandemic by Health Minister Maggie de Block, a liberal doctor who initially overlooked the seriousness and danger of the virus.

Yet the government tried to make us believe that we were all, bosses and workers, in the same boat and called for a national union which we directly denounced and fought. From the outset it was clear that this government only served the interests of capital on several axes : ‣‣ to bail out the shareholders’ coffers. Liberal Minister De Croo, who will become the new Prime Minister, quickly found 50 billion to supposedly “support economic activity”. ‣‣ to favour the conditions for the increase of our exploitation, by opposing workers, by allowing more hours of student contract, by attacking the guaranteed wage, by allowing more recourse to teleworking. This is an instrument used by the employers to isolate workers from their trade union representation and colleagues, to break the distinction between private and professional life with 24-hour availability and thus increase the workload, to establish surveillance. To this must be added the costs to the worker of equipment not provided by the employer (office equipment, internet connection, ergonomic chairs, etc.). We also know that the unemployment system is also under threat in order to put more pressure on workers and force them to accept any job with poor working conditions.

agement. This has resulted in an increase in class consciousness, i.e. points where we can anchor our struggle. Workers are more receptive and more determined. Tough struggles have been waged in food distributor sector to keep social conquests, at AB-Inbev for the respect of basic health protection, or in health care: workers turned their backs on the Prime Minister during her hypocritical visit to a hospital, and several demonstrations were organised.

What are the tasks and role of the Communist Party in the conditions of the pandemic and the crisis of the capitalist system?

The first task of a vanguard party is to work among the masses without opportunism and to strengthen the class consciousness of the workers. To this end, the theses of our 36th congress held in 2018 and 2019 gave us an action and ideological framework by returning to the principles of our party’s founding congress and turning our backs on years of reformism (since the Vilvoorde Congress in 1954). We know that our task is arduous in the anti-communist context and we organise our action along three axes.

Firstly, support for class trade unionism, militant actions and workers’ demands for the recovery of

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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the gifts made to the bosses and of all our social conquests over the last 50 years and the beginning of the general crisis of capitalism. Among our watchwords is the demand for the creation of a single national public and integrated health service that meets the needs of the population. Finally, the relaying of the positions of the World Federation of Trade Unions by our members in their grassroots trade union organisations is also a means of orienting the struggle, notably against the European recovery plan of 750 billion euros which aims to bail out the coffers of the banks, shareholders and monopolies and for which the bourgeois parties will make us pay for the crisis.

Chilean comrades. We never detach our action from the principles of proletarian internationalism because our struggles are identical, against the same exploiters.

Finally, this organizing work as well as the first axis are part of the third and main axis of our action, namely the struggle to end capitalist barbarism and for a new society, socialism, through the construction of a united front at the base of all workers, trade unionists and students, with a focus on precarious workers (the unemployed, health care workers and platform workers) and clear watchwords : a classagainst-class, anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, antifasSecondly, internationalism and work among im- cist front for socialism and peace. All these notions migrant and exiled workers and support for their cannot be dissociated. struggles in their countries of origin, especially our

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Communist Party of Brazil

Brazil – Pandemic and Capitalist Crisis

In Brazil, since the coup over President Dilma in 11 2016, there has been a systematic attack on the democratic rule of law and the promotion of social chaos. The Bolsonaro government, installed in 2019, completely aligned the country with the US strategy and led Brazil to isolation on the international stage. During the last six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic context has become even more unstable, with a profusion of facts and contradictions that literally play on people’s lives.

In the pandemic, Brazil leads, behind only the United States, the ranking of the number of dead Walter Sorrentino with 130 thousand lives lost and more than 4 mil(Vice-President and International Relations lion people infected, behind the USA and India. It is Secretary) more than the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean together, although we have just over a third of the total population. Among the several factors that spread this insidious infection, one of them is that, in Brazil, it was promoted by the federal government an open sabotage against social isolation, with the widespread and unscientific prescription of chloroquine, inciting the false contradiction between saving the economy and not life. During the crisis, two health ministers were dismissed and today the Ministry is militarized, with a general as interim minister.

The president misinforms the population, minimizes the pandemic, and discourages the use of masks and social isolation, essential for the preservation of life. Even against a vaccine that does not even exist yet, Bolsonaro is already preaching discredit.

Another crisis experienced is that of the economy and its profound social consequences. The pandemic brought about an abrupt supply and demand shock, overcoming a pre-existing economic depression, with three years of recession and of stagnation.

Unemployment reaches 13% and more than 700 thousand companies, mainly small ones, went to bankrupt due to the fact that the Bolsonaro government, contrary to what was done in most countries, did not use the resources of the national State to protect companies and preserve jobs. GDP fell 1.5% in the first quarter and 9.7% in the second quarter of year, with an estimated drop of up to 8% in the year.

In the last few days, we have experienced a dramatic inflationary situation in essential items of the Brazilian basic food basket, such as rice and beans.

The government proved to be incapable of guaranteeing the country’s food sovereignty, allowing the shortage and imbalance of stocks for import during the pandemic.

This situation constitutes a picture of national tragedy and, before it, what the appalled Nation sees is

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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a President of the Republic with repeated criminal conduct, which moves only by the ambition to be re-elected in 2022, aiming to materialize a project of authoritarian power.

and isolating in positive cases. These are successful measures to contain the current contagion, as well as to ensure that new waves of the pandemic can be controlled safely.

There is still a lack of tactical convergence in the opposition camp to put the interests of the nation and the working class at the top of the agenda. For the PCdoB, movements from broad fronts and institutions of the Republic, such as the National Congress, achieved important resistance victories, imposing a retreat to the anti-democratic offensive of Bolsonarism with a broad front of democratic forces and guaranteeing the approval of emergency aid, from Fundeb (support fund to basic education), aid to cultural professionals, successes, even if partial in the face of the heavy attack against the rights of the working class, function as an emergency platform.

We are also currently experiencing the period of Party conventions with a robust electoral project, with candidacies for the city hall of capitals such as Porto Alegre, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and São Luis, among others, leading the polls with Manuela Davila, in Porto Alegre, and a reasonable number of majority applications in cities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants, and also with an expressive number of electoral tickets to the City Councils, in all capitals and in hundreds of outback cities, especially in the largest and most important ones.

We are working for this platform to point out the means, instruments and sources of financing for the country to control and overcome the pandemic, saving lives, and ensuring the functioning of the economy, creating conditions for the resumption of growth, with the generation of jobs, direct aid to micro, small and medium enterprises, and guaranteeing emergency aid to the poorest of US$ 100 until December 2020 and a permanent income that meets the needs of the vulnerable population.

The Party alliances built for the 1stround of elections, and designed for the 2ndround, follow the political guideline of defeating Bolsonarism at the polls and strengthening the democratic and progressive field.

In the municipal elections in November, 2020, we will carry out a broad, massive, creative, engaging campaign, with a strong presence on social networks, with effective use of radio and TV time, wherever there is, and, according to the reality of the pandemic in each city, carry out, with obedience to The PCdoB, supported by its Bench in the Parlia- health guidelines, face-to-face events that engage ment and also in its Maurício Grabois Foundation, the people’s leadership in our campaign. We are gohas made contributions to this platform having as a ing to fight to elect our candidates and our allies. We vertex the role of the national State to leverage the will fight for the victory of the political field of life, resumption of economic growth with public invest- democracy, employment, rights, economic growth, ments. Brazil can enable the financing of this plat- and the defeat of Bolsonarism. form by the Central Bank through the purchase of We are aware that the country’s agony may drag National Treasury bonds and carrying out a progres- on even longer, persisting in the war of siege movesive tax reform that burdens financial capital and ments, increasing isolation and suffocation from the large fortunes. government, until the war of positions to definitively Flavio Dino (PCdoB), governor of Maranhao State, shows that this is possible. Even in an adverse situation, announced the Emergency Plan for Employment, the Celso Furtado plan, which will invest US$ 100 million in works, government purchases and sectoral promotion to eliminate the recessive effect on the pandemic in the State and create another 60 thousand jobs.

defeat Bolsonaro’s strategy and end his presidential power can be given. For this reason, we strive to build a democratic front to reinstate the democratic pact broken by the 2016 coup, as the first condition for the legitimate dispute of the project for the country and, equally, to unite the advanced social, left-wing and progressives, to build an innovative and daring program of solutions to the country’s crisis.

The PCdoB, in this pandemic period, aligned itself with the scientific position of researchers and local health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) who maintain the need for the epidemiological surveillance and intelligence protocol to be put into practice, which has as its focus on the active search for new cases, tracking your contacts

We also mobilize our energies for our internationalist commitments, which are part of our greater struggle for socialism. Thus, in the last period, we remained attentive and supportive of the Latin American peoples that have suffered the most attacks from the Empire, such as the Cuban, the Venezuelan, the Bolivian, and the Ecuadorian peoples. We also IB Special Edition

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continue to raise the flag for a free Palestine, repeat- Peace Council. We hope that soon EIPCO will be 13 edly attacked by Trump and Netanyahu. Always in able to meet again to take stock of our performance solidaritywith the struggle of the Iranian people and during this period and project future challenges. more recently with Lebanese people, due to the tragedy in the Harbour of Beirut. We have had many Greetings to all the fraternal parties! exchanges and expressions of solidarity. We reject all ongoing wars and act via the movement for soliLong live Socialism! darity and peace through Cebrapaz and the World

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Brazil:

Brazilian Communist Party

In Brazil we have been experiencing two simultaneous crises: a deep, political crisis that is worsening at every moment, as shown in Bolsonaro’s recent speech at the United Nations Organization, in which he stated that Brazil has been taking adequate care of the environment, on the very moment that there are fires all over the Amazon and the Pantanal regions, a speech that has brought about criticism all over the world. These fires are being set, in most double crisis and fighting cases, by landowners interested in having more land actions to to produce agricultural commodities for export.

The fires have been consuming a large part of the National Political Comission Amazon and Pantanal biomes without the corresponding and necessary government actions to fight it, have summed up to many other dissatisfaction reasons that have contributed to put the Bolsonaro government on the threshold of impeachment.

Brazil has also been undergoing a very serious health crisis, generated by the arrival of Covid-19 in the country, in the beggining os Mars. The two crises have been intertwining.

Bolsonaro and his sons have been accused of corruption and involvement with criminal groups. The attitudes and actions of the Bolsonaro government, as the recent measures taken by the National Environmental Counsil that eliminates restrictions on the incineration of toxic waste and measures for the proctection of mangroves, sand bars and other natural systems in favor of private investment, as well as the decline in the economy, the evasion of foreign capitals and the high unemployment and poverty rates have caused serious criticism and reactions from different countries and much dissatisfaction within the Brazilian population.

The Bolsonaro government, although trying to change its image and to composse political alliances with “phisiological” center, center-right and rightist parties in Congress, keeps on promoting attacks on democratic rights and freedoms, on Science, on Public Education and on workers’ rights to benefit the interest of big private companies and banks.

The government also keeps on promoting ultraconservative attitudes against civil rights, which, in many cases, are carried out by of Bolsonaro’s supporters, which act on the streets and in social networks.

On the international political sphere, Bolsonaro keeps on following the standard of absolute submission to the USA interests, as proven by the recent visit of Secretary Mike Pompeo to the Brazilian border with Venezuela, a clear provocation against the Venezuelan soveraignty.

Brazil is the second country in the world in number IB Special Edition

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of deaths from the pandemic, with more than 142 thousand victims and more than 4.4 million people contaminated. The Brazilian government has been behaving like a “messenger of death”, by disregarding the WHO recommendations, by boycotting social distance and by promoting demonstrations and encouraging and demonstrations by supporters, the “demonstrations of death” - in which there are agglomerations of people and most of those present simply do not wear the recommended masks. The government keeps on attacking Science and the use of vaccines and on boycotting appropriate, necessary initiatives to combat the pandemic, such as social isolation.

These attitudes are consistent with a part of the social basis that got to elect him, the most backward sectors o four society, such as the extreme right and the wildest sector of the Brazilian bourgeoisie.

These actions and attitudes have been generating a growing sense of opposition in different layers of the population and even in sectors of the Brazilian bourgeoisie, which sum up, now, to something around 70% of rejection on Bolsonaro.

Faced with this pandemic and political situation, the Brazilian Communist Party decided to remain in full operation, in all its structure, maintaining regular internal meetings, interactions with other parties and political forces - nationally and internationally - and with the different social movements in which the party participates. The PCB, therefore, has combined two fronts of struggle: The first front is the more general political struggle, in which the party participates in most social and political initiatives against the government and its scorched earth policy against the workers, the youth and the poor people of the peripheries, both in social networks and in street demonstrations and workers’ strikes. These actions include joint actions with parties and social movements of different political hues for the denunciation of the Bolsonaro government and of “Bolsonarism”, which include the filing of an impeachment request against the president registered in Congress, and actions of mobilization and organization of workers , in defense of their rights, from a class perspective.

The second front is composed of direct solidarity 15 actions, through the Communist Youth Union and the Party’s militancy, with all care in relation to those who belong to risk groups, in neighborhoods, peripheries and slums, in the distribution of food and personal protection equipment against the disease.

Some financial campaigns for solidarity actions heve also been performed.

As the Party has an expressive number of militants who are professionals and students in the area of​​ Health, with a strong presence in unions and social and popular movements in the area, such as the Union of Medicine Doctors of São Paulo, the National Movement of Medical Students and in the National Movement against the Privatization of Health. PCB has organized health brigades to clarify the population about the risks of the pandemic and carried out other similar actions. Many of the Party’s health activists, such as nurses, doctors and therapists are on the front lines, in hospitals and other health facilities, treating patients and the general population.

The Party combines solidarity actions with political actions, by encouraging the self-organization of workers in neighborhoods, in their workplaces, in schools and universities. The PCB presented to society, at the beginning of the pandemic, an emergency program, demanding the guarantee of financial support to workers, to enable social isolation, and full heakth services to the population. The Party has also denounced many cases of corruption involving State governments’ authorities of the health sector who have been accused of deviating public financial resources which were to be applied in the combat to Covid-19 for their private interests. This is the case of Rio de Janeiro governor, who is now under a process of impeachment.

We’re at this moment participating in the electoral process for mayors and councilors already underway - the elections will be on November 15, 2020 - in alliances with parties from the socialist and progressive fields or with our own slates, in opposition to the right and ultra-right parties. The program that PCB has presented is of an anti-capitalistic nature, and it dialogues with workers by presenting conPCB has also been campaigning to denounce crete struggle proposals in favor of their immediate capitalism and liberalism and to promote Social- and structural demands. ism. International interchange of information on For the post-pandemic period, we will continue the pandemic and the political situation within the to fight against the threat os fascism and againt BolCommunist Movement and other international fo- sonaro, in defence of democratic freedoms, for pubrums has also been done, as well as political joint lic and universal health and full social security, for the actions and declarations. right to a minimum income program for all work-

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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ers, as well as for a comprehensive public housing reform and other demands, organizing the populaprogram, an emergency employment program and tion in the construction of Popular Power, towards a universal employment program considering em- Socialism. ployment as a basic right, a comprehensive agrariam

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Communist Party of Britain

By late 2019, before COVID-19 had appeared on 17 the horizon, the economies of the wealthiest imperialist countries, Britain included, were hurtling towards a new and serious slump, a further manifestation of the continuing irresolvable systemic crisis of capitalism in the aftermath of the 2008 crash. Now we face the pandemic. Its impact in Britain has been gravely worsened by the systemic cuts to Britain’s welfare state and by a government determined to Liz Payne, regulate the crisis on the terms set by big business.

Chair of the Communist Party of Britain

Pre-pandemic, millions of working class people in many parts of the world, were being lined up, as always, to pay the heaviest of pricesfor an economic depression they bore no responsibility for creating – through massive job losses and, for those in work, huge pay cuts, sharp deterioration in conditions and continuing enforced dependence for increasing numbers on low-paid, insecure work. These plans are now, under the cover of COVID, being ruthlessly enacted.In Britain, the Office for National Statistics anticipates that 7.5% of the workforce will be unemployed by the end of the year, up from 4.5% in July.

State provision of health and social care systems, education, utilities, sanitation, and other crucial public support services, already life-threateningly inadequate, will take a further hit, whileprivatisation of everything seen as potentially profitable will continue apace.

The new economic crisis compounds historic issues.From 2010, a decade of EU-instigated austerity, driven by a ruthless Conservative government and their Liberal Democratic Party backers devastatedpublic services and fundamentally undermined democracy by putting whole swathes of decision-making out of the control of working people and their communities into the hands of the private sector.

Large parts of health and social care provision and most schools were removed in this way. Other services, the least potentially profitable,werekept in the public sector but run down to dysfunctional levels.

Still others were abolished altogether.

At the same time, major areas of decision-making, were further embedded in the very undemocratic, pro-big business machinery of the EU, whose treaties, strictures and regulations stood squarely in the path of any Westminster-initiated changes allowing Britain to investin its own industry, create real jobs, end austerity and legislate to meet the needs of working people and their families. The democratic deficit, although well hidden by the mass media, became increasingly obvious and, according to reliable polls, the main reason why the people of Britain vot-

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ed for Brexit in the June 2016 referendum was to Labour Party from 2015, a strong bid was made to restore sovereignty. defeat the right wing and centre ground in its ranks In Britain before COVID, people had been get- and bring the Party to power under the leadership ting poorer, including a quarter of all children, four of Jeremy Corbyn, on a socialist-leaning, rather than million, being raised in poverty by early 2020, and a social democratic manifesto propounding the use million and a half pensioners without enough to live of Britain’s resources, including public funds, to inon, choosing between heating and eating, according vest in a more equitable futurewhich provided for to trade unions and the National Pensioners’ Con- the full spectrum of people’s needs (For the Many, vention. Wages had fallen so low that many work- not the Few). This attracted hundreds of thousands ing families were commonly dependent on benefits to take out Labour Party membership – including to supplement their income, including poorly paid many young people and others who had little or no employees of the government department that previous involvement with organised politics – with administersthe payments of benefits they had to millions more supportive of a shift to government in claim. Public sector workers hadsuffered pay cuts in favour of working people. real terms in each of the past ten years. The unemployed could scarcely live on the punitively low level of support available through the notorious universal credit system, and many workers could not afford to stay off work when ill, given the low levelof statutory sick pay.Thousands of families were living with food scarcity and cases of malnutrition were steadily rising, with several million affected and thousands using foodbanks.Suicides were increasing, especially among young men, and homelessness people were dying on the streets.

Throughout the last decade, Britain’s foreign policy has been equally inhumane. Firmly positioned as the number one ally of US imperialism, and nurturing this “special relationship” at every opportunity economically, politically and militarily – Britain has been ruthlessly pursuing an aggressive strategy of intervention and war across the world, supporting some of the most reactionary governments, tooling up its own “defence” with state-of-the art killing technology, enhancing its string of military bases across the globe and securing the most lucrative of arms trade contracts. From 2015, Britain has given £1 billion to aid the people of Yemen but, during the same period, sold £6.5 billion of weaponry to Saudi Arabia with which to bomb them. The government sheds crocodile tears for people suffering and dying in the pandemic but spends vast sums with its military industrial complexes, including the £205 billion for the renewal of the country’s Trident nuclear defence and a £65 million contract, signed in July 2020, with Airbus, to enhance its capacity for cyber warfare. This money must be for welfare not warfare.

The ruling class, using every instrument of state power at its disposal, has put concerted effort into ensuring that a left-led Labour government would never come to power. They did so by sowing division amongst Labour supporters on every issue, including scuppering any possibility, at least in the short to medium term, of securing a people-orientated Brexit from the EU. Their efforts came to fruition in the December 2019 general election when the Conservative Party defeated Labour under Corbyn’s leadership to gain a huge 80-seat majority in parliament. This, for the present, saw off the Labour socialist left as potential challengers for control or even strong influence at Westminster and precipitated a Labour leadership election, bringing right-leaning reformist barrister, Keir Starmer, to head up the parliamentary ‘opposition’. As 2020 dawned, the ruling class felt that it could again sleep safely; they have not been disappointed.

The arrival of COVID-19 found a public health service unable, because of privatisation and cuts, to cope with its pre-pandemic load. Services had been reduced, waiting lists were dangerously lengthy and even appointments at doctors’ surgeries hard to get.

The winter overload on hospitals created annual crises and 2019-20 was no exception.On the eve of the pandemic, there were 40,000 nursing staff vacancies in Britain.

The pandemic immediately shone a light on the desperate state of the health service, care system and public infrastructure after a decade of austerity and cuts, and the ever-widening gap between the poor and the wealthy. The government on behalf By the middle of the decade, the opposition of of the ruling class, has done everything to protect broad sections of working people to austerity mea- the interests of the monopolies and big business sures,and government conducted almost exclusively throughout the crisis and seemingly abandoned in favour of a tiny elite, started to reach worrying lev- whole sections of the working class to the virus and els so far as the ruling class was concerned.Within the to poverty and deprivation. It insisted that some IB Special Edition

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seven million ‘essential’ workers - in health and care, teaching, food distribution and retail, public transport, waste disposal and emergency services - continued to do their jobs and that schools opened to look after their children while they did so. They were not provided with the protective clothing and equipment they needed and went to workplaces day after day exposed and scared.These same essential workers are collectively amongst the worst paid in Britain.Many fell ill and too many have lost their lives.

Older people were locked down in care homes as the virus ran unchecked. Many diedstruggling to breathe, separated from their families, in pain and fear. Across the country black people have disproportionately lost their lives,predominantly due to a range of socio-economic factors and concentration in employment sectors and at levels most at risk; this is in turn the result of a history of racial discrimination and economic super-exploitation of black workers, as highlighted by the Black Lives Matter protests during the summer.

At the time of writing, a second catastrophic wave of the virus is building in Britain with almost 20,000 new cases a day and the figure for daily deaths continuing to rise. The total death toll is now 41, 988 and Britain, with a population of 65 million, has one of the worst COVID-19 death rates per 100,000 people in the world at the same time as it ranks as one of the richest countries.

equipment and facilities can be built, how quickly 19 production lines can be switched to turn outlife-saving equipment and how scientific and medical research can be speeded up and harnessed to combat the pandemic. Working people have the skills, knowledge, and expertise to make undreamed of advances, but capitalism has been unwilling bear the cost.

Refusal on the government’s part to pay for what is desperately needed has shocked many, given that the national debt has risen above £2.2 trillion and the annual deficit above £60 billion. It has rushed to save businesses and the economy but flatly refused to borrow to do the things that are needed most.

These include a vast expansion of the network of coronavirus test centres and laboratories for analysis:the move back from a “COVID-only” to full hospital service as soon as possible; conversion of vacant buildings in order to run health and education safely with social distancing in place;the running of more buses and trains to reduce the risk of infection for peopleusing public transport and provision of support services for those in difficulty and danger during lockdown, such as vulnerable and isolated elderly people and women imprisoned in their homes with violent abusers.People are being thrown suddenly into worklessness and poverty. Income support can and should be provided for all who need it,together with a secure home, free from fear of eviction.

Boris Johnson’s government has shown itself at best incapable and, at worst, criminally unwilling to deal with the crisis, even though a pandemic was long anticipated and national and local plans, developed, tried, and tested. It has attempted to deny any responsibility for its multiple failures, while at the same time shifting blame onto workers and their families, criminalising individuals, and encouraging people to spy on and report their neighbours for infringing regulations. At the same time, government ministers have broken pandemic laws with impunity.

All this was not inevitable, and the working class will hold the British ruling class to account. To protect the economy, the government was slow to move to lockdown in March 2020 and it again put the economy, rather than people’s safety, to the fore in lifting the restrictive measures, urging people back to unsafe workplaces, even when they could safely work at home; opening shops, bars and restaurants: sending a million students back to universities and generally encouraging people to go out and spend, spend and spend. The results have already been faThe ruling class’s mass media has used the pantal, and the worst is yet to come. demic to divide and weaken the working class by The chaotic competition of private firms and con- scapegoating various groups – young people (who sequent lack of planning and organisation, together party and go home to infect and kill their grandparwith the unquenchable quest for profits of all pri- ents), black people and old people (who catch the vate enterprises from small businesses to monop- virus in greater numbers and drain health service reolies, such as the giant pharmaceutical companies, sources), relatives (who for lack of alternatives breach have destroyed the potential of diminishing risk, regulations to visit and care for loved ones) and even alleviating suffering, finding a vaccine urgently and the unclean (who don’t wash their hands often or meeting other desperate needs of the people. What well enough and touch their faces with contaminatcan be achieved is phenomenal. We have seen how, ed fingers).Everyone is accused and becomes a butt in record time, mega-hospitals with state-of-the-art of anger, except those on whose shoulders blame

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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must rest.

The ruling class in Britain hopes that COVID-19 has finally got the labour movement and all working people off its back, driving home the defeat of socialists in the parliamentary Labour Party, dampening the upsurge in progressive thinking that has characterised recent years and preventing regular mass mobilisations and demonstrations, now banned, from coalescing into an organised extra-parliamentary, anti-big business alliance. The virus and its aftermath will provide the bourgeoisie with the perfect excuse for the coming financial catastrophe, and masking what would soon have become obvious to all, that capitalism is in the throes of systemic failure which it cannot remedy.The pandemic did hasten, broaden, and deepen the oncoming economic crisis, but it did not cause it. Every effort will be made to hide this from the people.

The Party’s immediate demands are for all possible resourcing to be applied to limiting the spread of the pandemic (especially by identifying those with the virus and tracing their contacts) and developing a vaccine. All workplaces must be safe, whatever the cost, and everyone must have enough to live on, including food and shelter. Jobs must also be preserved and the multitude of companies using the

pandemic as an excuse to reduce the labour force according to pre-pandemic plans must be exposed.

A major feature of standing against the ruling class will be building from grass roots up,a strong trade union and labour movement, including the organised unemployed, together with mass campaigns for peace, equality, and justice.We must also be vigilant against the abuse of powers the executive has accorded itself during the pandemic and which can potentially be extended indefinitely and used against a militant working class.

The Communist Party of Britain has used events in its Centenary year to expose the ruling class’s role in dangerously mis-managing the pandemic and failing to spend on people’s health, safety, and livelihoods. More importantly, it has presented the pandemic in the larger context of the systemic failure of capitalism. It has argued that while there are immediate issues to address, the pandemic and economic crisis demonstrate that the only possible solution is socialism, which can only be achieved through a combination of parliamentary and mass extra-parliamentary struggle. We have issued an updated text of our Party’s programme, Britain’s Road to Socialism, and used the Centenary successfully to build and renew the Party.

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Communist Party of Canada

The Pandemic Exposes the Crisis of Capitalism and the Need for Socialism

The public health crisis brought on by the pandem- 21 ic exposes, and exacerbates, all of the deep-seated and intractable contradictions of capitalism in its imperialist stage - the class contradiction, marked by increasing centralization of capital and growing social disparities, both between and within countries; the ever-worsening environmental crisis, the food crisis, and the rise of racism and neo-fascism, to name but a few. It brings home, with greater intensity and urgency, the need to vanquish capitalism and to win a socialist alternative for all humanity.

The pandemic has killed over 9,000 people in Canada and infected 145,000 others, by the end of September, with numbers rising rapidly as a second wave descends. Over a million have died around the world, including 200,000 in the US, with whom we share a 5,000 mile long border.

More than 80% of deaths were of elderly people living in long-term care (LTC) facilities, and the healthcare workers who attended to them. Most of these LTC facilities were owned and operated by private, for-profit corporations which operated with minimum standards and part-time staff. This is the main reason why so many in died in long-term care.

The virus spread quickly through these LTC “homes” in large part because healthcare workers were forced to work part-time, in multiple long-term care facilities, in order to make a living wage. Poor working conditions were coupled with poor and deteriorating living conditions for the residents.

At one point the military was brought in to tend to sick and dying patients as a large number of healthcare workers in LTC became sick, and the appalling conditions were detailed in a report made public.

Until then, LTC facilities had been locked-down, only accessible by workers and management.

The Communist Party warned that the LTC crisis was caused by private, for profit care, and campaigned with statements, posters, and public online meetings for long term care to be taken over and made part of Medicare, Canada’s public healthcare system, with Canada-wide standards of care, and staffing.

We also campaigned for PPE to be made available to all frontline healthcare workers, and to all frontline workers interacting with the public. We campaigned for employer-paid sick days to be made part of Canadian labour laws. Most of our campaigning was on-line with statements, commentaries, speakers and discussions, and in our press, with postering in public places, and some leaflet distributions where

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and when it was safe to do so.

The Party campaigned for production of PPE in Canada, as an urgent priority in the pandemic, and as part of the rebuilding of Canada’s value-added manufacturing and secondary industries – not a cottage industry - and the good jobs and wages that go with it. We also condemned US interference in Chinese shipments of PPE to Cuba and elsewhere, and exposed the hypocrisy of Trump’s America First policy in the wake of the just concluded USMCA North American free trade deal. We repeated our call for Canada to withdraw from this imperialist deal, and wrote to every member of Parliament to oppose its ratification on March 13th, with copies to labour and people’s organizations sent on-line.

Transport workers, food-handlers, and other front-line workers and their trade unions were also demanding PPE and action by the employers to protect workers from the virus in the workplace.

This included workplace action by transit workers who refused to work until drivers were isolated from passengers, and construction workers who used the right to refuse unsafe work law to stay home. In every case, the Labour Ministry rejected the claims of unsafe work, and workers were forced back to construction sites building condominiums and many other non-essential construction projects.

The healthcare trade unions had raised concerns about condition in LTC as well as the acute shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline workers in hospitals, LTC, and other healthcare facilities. This included masks, face shields, gowns, ventilators, and other equipment that was being rationed because, as a result of free trade agreements, it was no longer produced in Canada and had to be imported.

Beef slaughterhouses in western Canada and Quebec, which employed mainly immigrants and low-waged rural workers on “killing floors” and production lines, became centres of infection, and were closed down for 2 weeks, causing a meat shortage across the country.

Temporary foreign workers employed on farms to pick fruit and vegetables, also became infected as a result of poor and cramped living conditions. WorkPre-ordered PPE shipments arrived at airports ers who complained were deported. Without laonly to be resold on the spot to the highest bidder. bour rights, they were essentially indentured labour.

Competition was fierce, as the Trump administration We wrote about these deadly conditions, and reimposed its America First policy, while also threateniterated our calls for labour rights and standards, and ing companies transporting PPE from China to Cuba, and to other countries. The 3M company which had healthcare, to be extended to all workers, and to a contract to supply Canada with N-95 masks, was dismantle the Temporary Foreign Worker Program ordered by Trump to stop delivery in early April. The and provide a path to citizenship for seasonal workorder was eventually rescinded, but not before the ers and non-citizens living and working in Canada.

Canadian government decided to start production Food prices increased sharply as fears of shortagof the masks and other PPE in Canada. While some es spread. As second quarter financial statements small companies were contracted to produce PPE, a were made public this summer, it was obvious the public campaign to re-open a closed General Mo- big grocery store chains had all racked up enormous tors car-plant for the same purpose, was successful. profits during the pandemic’s first wave. This profAcross the country, a cottage industry opened up, iteering included price-gouging consumers, while with cloth masks for sale everywhere, and 3-D pro- also eliminating the $2 an hour “pandemic pay” duction of masks and ventilators. promised to their employees almost as soon as they’d announced it.

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The Ontario provincial government also promised a $4/hour wage increase for front-line healthcare workers, dubbed “healthcare heros” by governments and media. Some healthcare workers are still waiting to receive those funds, while others have been told they have to return it. Police have received their own COVID top-up, amounting to $78 per day – an amount two and a half times greater than frontline healthcare workers, and five times greater than grocery store workers.

The Communist Party called for government and corporations to “pay up”, while also demanding permanent wage increases for workers, and increased funding for healthcare, housing, education, cities, and public services like transit, and social programs like childcare.

Women in particular became the face of the pandemic, as they fought to keep their jobs, wages, pensions and seniority, while working from home, home schooling their children when schools closed in March, and caring for infants and toddlers after childcare centres closed their doors. The gender pay gap, meanwhile, costs women workers nearly $150 billion per year in Canada – a huge transfer of wealth to corporations, and a key element in the reproduction of capitalism.

The women’s movement raised alarm bells about work and wages for women, as well as childcare centres facing permanent closure – not from the virus, but from lack of government funding. This alarm expanded to include many parents as summer led to plans for possible school re-openings in the fall, and the need for smaller classes and more teachers, classrooms, and custodians became very clear.

The education unions pressed for more government funding to make the re-openings safe, but were refused in most cases, leaving teachers with large classes in schools, and large classes on-line as well. With COVID once again resurgent, infections are starting to appear in schools now.

We also campaigned in two provincial elections 23 that took place during the pandemic specifically calling for increased funding for much smaller classes, more teachers, more custodians (cleaners), more assistants. Our Party issued statements, held online public meetings, while also campaigning in the labour movement, among parents and students, in protests.

Teacher contracts were being negotiated in several provinces before and during the pandemic, along with healthcare and other public sector contracts in Quebec. Many of these negotiations got knocked sideways as a result of the pandemic, and the ubiquitous refrain “We’re All in This Together”. It was due to the strength and determination of teachers, that cuts to education funding were less than demanded by right-wing governments, but more than the unions had anticipated.

Mass action to support the demand for immediate housing for the unhoused in Toronto

Across the country, the pandemic hit hardest at the poorest in the population: those forced to live in cramped and over-crowded housing, in tenements, with poor health or chronic illness, with low or no incomes, precarious workers, part-time workers, and those in unsafe workplaces.

Meanwhile the top twenty billionaires in Canada increased their wealth by $37 billion over the course of the pandemic, and twenty-five of the S & P’s most profitable corporations will pay out $387 billion to their shareholders in 2020. Half a billion of the world’s population has been pushed into poverty in the fallout, according to Oxfam.

At the beginning of the global pandemic, the Canadian government and media had little to say, other than noting its catastrophic path through Asia and Europe. Little was done to prepare for the pandemic which was racing towards North America.

Suddenly cases appeared, followed by widespread

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confusion and conflicting public health information.

This included the suggestion by some doctors that masks were a bad thing because they would spread infection through handling. This was compounded by the shortage of masks for healthcare workers (as well as the public) who were asked to use and reuse masks – or do without – in consequence.

ment, at 90% of previous earnings.

Mass layoffs began in March, with over 7 million unemployed in April, and a further 1.4 million working less than 50% of the hours worked before the pandemic. The big corporations used the pandemic to reorganize production with fewer workers – something they couldn’t have done easily before the pandemic, because of collective agreements with trade unions, labour laws, and public scrutiny.

fish ate the small fish and the bigger fish, as the concentration and centralization of capital rapidly proceeded.

The bailouts for businesses included commercial rent subsidies to corporate landlords; interest-free loans to small businesses, and low-interest, long term loans to Big Businesses, plus a direct subsidy of 75% of employees’ wages to employers who agreed not to lay-off their employees while receivIn the US, Sinophobia reigned as the Trump ad- ing the subsidy. These “supports” exclude the as yet ministration pressed forward with its racist, anti-Chi- unknown amounts that will bail out the oil and gas na, anti-communist, anti-people attacks. These industry that is central to Canada’s petro-economy; crossed over into Canada, and were taken up by the airlines; the auto industry so damaged by free right-wing fringe groups, as well as by Conservative trade; and other sectors yet to be identified. politicians who echoed Trump’s attack on the World Supports to small and medium business were Health Organization, and challenged the patriotism mainly contingent on the cooperation of Big Busiand loyalty of Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, ness which was more interested in gobbling up Theresa Tam, who is of Chinese-Canadian heritage. smaller competitors than aiding them. The biggest

Some supports for workers also took shape, with amendments to the EI program that temporarily increased benefits and expanded access so that precarious and part-time workers would be eligible for benefits in the short-term.

In Canada, 30% of the workforce is unionized, As well, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit including almost all public sector workers, but less (CERB) paid out $500 per week to 8.4 million rethan 15% of workers in the private sector. cipients at the height of the pandemic. The proEmployment Insurance (EI) was set up in 1940 fol- gram was slated to end in June, but was extendlowing a mass struggle led by the Communist Party ed through September, while mass protests and during the Great Depression of the 1930s. EI was demonstrations over the police murder of George a fund made up of contributions by workers, em- Floyd raged across the country, the continent, and ployers and governments, to provide income to the globe. There is no doubt that the capitalist class unemployed workers during periods of unemploy- in Canada was frightened by this upsurge of mass ment. By 1996 it had a surplus of $57 billion, which protest and struggle by Black, Indigenous and racialneo-liberal governments seized to use for corporate ized people, and their allies in Canada and the US tax cuts. Only $2 billion was returned in 2008, in in the first place. The labour and democratic movetime for the last great recession. Rules were changed ments, the Communist Party, the social democrats, eliminating government contributions to the fund, many Greens, and a majority of working people supand making workers’ access to benefits much more ported or sympathized with the protests against podifficult. Today less than 40% of workers who con- lice murders, assaults, systemic racism and violence, tribute to the fund, have access to EI benefits when and the demands to cut police budgets, to demilthey are unemployed. itarize police forces, and to put police under strict As a result, the federal government acted quickly civilian controls. during the pandemic’s first wave to introduce new These are urgent issues in Canada, and the profinancial supports for workers, plus bail-outs for busi- tests continue across Canada, as they do in the US, nesses. because police racism, violence and killings of Black, The supports for workers were designed to be Indigenous and racialized people continue to take short-term and temporary, not the meaningful re- place across Canada and the US. The Communist forms called for by the Party to make EI non-con- Party has been an active participant in these protributory and accessible to all the unemployed and tests and demonstrations, which have included under-employed, for the full duration of unemploy- marches, sit-ins, occupations, and campaigns to cut municipal police budgets, IB Special Edition

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Police killings are connected to the continuing growth and activity of the far-right and fascist movements in Canada, which continue to target Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC), as well as Muslims, Jews, immigrants, women, and 2S/LGBTIQ people. There is a clear overlap between far-right and fascist groups and the Canadian military and police forces.

A number of meetings have taken place in which 25 its clear that Communists are not the only ones with these aims and goals. The period ahead will provide ample opportunity for an organized left in the trade union movement to stake its ground, organize, and build its influence. This is a time for qualitative change, as the working class comes under heavy and sustained attack.

Another front in the struggle for equality in Canada is the multi-national character of the country, and the chauvinism directed towards Quebec, the Acadians, and francophone minorities across the country. This too is being fanned by the far-right, and by Conservative politicians with ties to these movements.

In September, the Liberal government worked hard to force a federal election on the country. They did this because they are a minority government, and because they knew that the austerity measured being demanded by the banks, the corporations, right-wing media and think-tanks, and by the Conservative opposition in Parliament would lead to austerity and serious pain for working people.

Fearful of the potential consequences of mass unemployment, and mass protests, and hoping to get ahead of what will be a winter of deep discontent, the Liberals acted quickly to extend financial aid to the unemployed for an additional 26 weeks, through to the end of March and Canada’s bitter winter. Under pressure from the social democrats (the NDP), the government maintained the benefits at $500 / week, after initially proposing to cut benefits by 20%.

The increase also applied to Employment Insurance.

The struggle for civil, democratic and equality rights will not abate, and could join with the struggles of the unemployed and the working class to win fundamental social, political and economic change in Canada.

Labour’s role in organizing the unemployed and the unorganized will be decisive in uniting the working class for the struggles ahead, and already upon us. In this regard, Communists work for a sovereign, independent and united trade union movement, with a class struggle orientation and focus on mass action.

Most regrettably, the trade union movement in Canada is split with most unions affiliated to the Canadian Labour Congress, while the largest private sector union in the country – UNIFOR, formerly the Canadian Autoworkers union, has split off on its own, and is recruiting workers from all sectors. Both are reformist union centrals, dominated by right-wing social democracy and heavily influenced by the governing Liberal Party.

Communists are active in the trade union movement, and have spent much of the pandemic working to unite the left in the labour movement, to challenge the rightward drift of the labour leadership in Canada, and to project a new direction in which labour moves onto the offensive against capital – ending the tripartite collaboration advocated by the government, business and labour, in the perfidious slogan “We’re all in this together”. Indeed, if the capitalists in Canada are successful, millions of unemployed workers will be sacrificed on the alter of profits, while the rest will be forced to pay off the deficits and debts incurred during this crisis through new rounds of austerity and cuts to wages and living standards.

But the Canadian economy has not recovered, nor will it in this extended and global capitalist crisis.

Many of the 5 million unemployed (about 25% of the workforce) will not go back to work, or be hired somewhere else. They will become part of the growing surplus army of unemployed, that the corporations will try to use as a battering ram to drive down the wages and living standards of the employed and unionized workers.

A desperate public heaved a huge sigh of relief with the announcement of the new benefit programs, faced with the prospects of no job or income without them. But the income benefits and EI are temporary, while unemployment is permanent.

Further, the cost of living in Canada for 82% of the population who live in cities is much higher than the meager benefits on offer. A one bedroom apartment in Toronto cost an average of $2,240 in March, down from $2,299 in January. These benefits won’t even cover rent.

Housing struggles have been a growing arena of struggle since before the pandemic, and especially now with widespread layoffs. We have campaigned with posters, statements, leaflets, posters for an end to evictions and utility cut-offs due to unemployment, strike, or lock-out. We have called for rent

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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roll-backs and real rent controls, all of which have been well received by tenants and homeowners, but not by big landlords, real estate tycoons, or governments. We say housing is a human right, and that no-one should have to pay more than 20% of their income for shelter. Meanwhile, evictions are increasing. But so is resistance, which our members are also actively involved in, as they were during the last great depression.

turing and secondary industry; building a Canadian car that’s electric, environmentally sustainable, and affordable; public ownership of energy, closure of fossil fuel industries with jobs and wages guaranteed in renewable energy industries; nationalizing the banks, insurance companies and transportation to build free public transit, and retrofit public infrastructure and housing.

A people’s Recovery also means raising wages and incomes, starting with a $20 minimum wage and substantial raise in pensions at age 60. We call for 14 employer-paid sick days, annually. We support a Guaranteed Annual Livable Income, not the subsistence income advocated by some, to provide everyone with a life of dignity.

We call for progressive tax reform based on ability to pay, which would shift the tax burden onto the corporations, and off the backs of the working class.

We call for pay and employment equity for women, racialized peoples, and 2S/LGBTiQ people, enactment and enforcement of anti-hate laws, and laws against discrimination in employment and housing.

Labour, democratic, civil, social and equality rights must be strengthened, to protect national rights of Quebec, Acadians, francophone minorities, and Indigenous Peoples who must be guaranteed free, prior and informed consent on development, as well as just settlement of land claims, including protection of inherent rights.

A People’s Recovery also means deep cuts to military spending, and a foreign policy of peace, disarmament, and withdrawal from NATO and NORAD.

What’s ahead is widespread hunger, mass evictions, , loss of savings, and more protests, demonIt means action on climate change, for climate jusstrations, and actions. That is the future in Canada for millions of people, short of the People’s Recovery tice. the Communist Party is campaigning for.

The Communist Party of Canada is a small party, The main elements of the campaign for a People’s on the verge of celebrating its 100 years of existence, Recovery are immediate action to amend the EI leg- and struggle. Our history is the history of working islation to make Employment Insurance non-con- class struggles in Canada and internationally. It is a tributory, and accessible to all of the unemployed history of which we are very proud, and which we and under-employed for the full duration of unem- draw on continuously. ployment, at 90% of previous earnings; and a full employment policy, including construction of one million units of social housing for rent and for sale in the next 5 years, expanding social program and public services and reversing privatization; expanding Medicare to include drugs, dental, vision and eye care, long-term care, and mental health care; enacting a universal system of quality public childcare, free to users; enacting a 32 hour work week with 40 hours net pay; expanding value-added manufac-

We are small, but we are growing, Our Party has not changed its fundamental views and orientation, but the world has changed, and the working class has also changed its view of capitalism – and socialism.

A survey conducted in Canada last year showed that a majority of those surveyed had a positive view of socialism. Following the global economic crisis and its consequences, and the catastrophic developments in the US with the Trump administration, the pandemic, this is a view that can only grow larger.

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As the pandemic permits, our struggles on the working class and working people across Canada 27 ground among the people will increase. We Com- and internationally, faithfully and diligently. munists must be in the thick of working class strugOur time is coming. gles. We will carry through our responsibilities to the

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Communist Party of Cuba

Mr. Secretary General, Mr. President,

A global pandemic has changed everyday life drastically. From one day to the next, millions of people get infected and thousands die even when their life expectancy was longer thanks to development.

Hospital systems with high-level services have collapsed and the health structures of poor countries Statement at the General Debate are affected by their chronic lack of capacity. Drastic of the 75th session of the UNGA. quarantines are turning the most populated cities into deserted areas. Social life is non-existent except Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in the digital networks. Theaters, discos, galleries and President of the Republic of Cuba even schools are closed or being readjusted.

Our borders have been closed, our economies are shrinking and our reserves are dwindling. Life is experiencing a radical redesigning of age-old ways and uncertainty is replacing certainty. Even close friends cannot recognize each other due to the masks that protect us from the contagion. Everything is changing.

Like finding a solution to the pandemic, it is already urgent to democratize this indispensable Organization so that it effectively meets the needs and aspirations of all peoples.

The sought-after right of humanity to live in peace and security, with justice and freedom, the basis for unity among nations, is constantly under threat.

Over 1.9 trillion dollars are being squandered today in a senseless arms race promoted by the aggressive and war-mongering policies of imperialism, whose leader is the present government of the US, which accounts for 38 percent of the global military expenditure.

We are referring to a markedly aggressive and morally corrupt regime that despises and attacks multilateralism, uses financial blackmailing in its relations with UN system agencies and that, in a show of unprecedented overbearance, has withdrawn from the World Health Organization, UNESCO and the Human Rights Council.

Paradoxically, the country where the UN headquarters is located is also staying away from fundamental international treaties such as the Paris Agreement on climate change; it rejects the nuclear agreement with Iran reached by consensus; it promotes trade wars; it ends its commitment with international disarmament control instruments; it militarizes cyberspace; it expands coercion and unilateral sanctions against those who do not bend to its designs and sponsors the forcible overthrow of sovereign governments through non-conventional IB Special Edition

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war methods.

Mr. President,

Along such line of action, which ignores the old principles of peaceful co-existence and respect of the right of others´ to self-determination as the guarantee for peace, the Donald Trump administration it also manipulating, with subversive aims, cooperation in the sphere of democracy and human rights, while in its own territory there is an abundance of practically uncontrolled expressions of hatred, racism, police brutality and irregularities in the election system and as to the voting rights of citizens.

Coming back to the seriousness of the present situation, which many blame only on the COVID-19 pandemic, I think it is essential to say that its impact is by far overflowing the health sphere.

It is urgent to reform the UN. This powerful organization, which emerged after the loss of millions of lives in two world wars and as a result of a world understanding of the importance of dialogue, negotiation, cooperation and international law, must not postpone any further its updating and democratization. Today´s world needs the UN just as the one where it came into being did.

But the multidimensional crisis it has unleashed clearly shows the great mistake of the dehumanized policies fully imposed by the market dictatorship.

More than once, at this very forum, Cuba has reiterated its willingness to cooperate with the democratization of the UN and the upholding of international cooperation, that can be saved only by it. As stated by the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, and I quote: “The international community shall always count on Cuba´s honest voice in the face of injustice, inequality, underdevelopment, discrimination and manipulation, and for the establishment of a more just and equitable international order which really centers on human beings, their dignity and wellbeing.” End of quote.

305 million jobs have been lost and that more than 1.6 billion workers are having their livelihoods at stake.

Due to its nefarious sequels, impressive death toll and damages to the world economy and the deterioration of social development levels, the spreading of the pandemic in the last few months brings anguish and despair to leaders and citizens in practically all nations.

Today, we are witnessing with sadness the disaster the world has been led to by the irrational and unsustainable production and consumption system of capitalism, decades of an unjust international order and the implementation of ruthless and rampant Something that is very special and profound has neoliberalism, which has widened inequalities and failed, as evidenced by the daily and permanent sacrificed the right of peoples to development. violation of the UN Charter principles, and by the Unlike excluding neoliberalism, which puts aside ever-increasing use or threat of use of force in interand discards millions of human beings and connational relations. demns them to survive on the leftovers from the There is no way to sustain any longer, as if it were banquet of the richest one percent, the COVID-19 natural and unshakable, an unequal, unjust and an- virus does not discriminate between them, but its ti-democratic International order where selfishness devastating economic and social effects shall be prevails over solidarity and the mean interests of a lethal among the most vulnerable and those with powerful minority over the legitimate aspirations of lower incomes, whether they live in the underdemillions of people. veloped world or in the pockets of poverty of big Notwithstanding the dissatisfactions and the de- industrial cities. mands for change that, together with other states According to the UN Food and Agriculture Orgaand millions of citizens in the world, we are present- nization (FAO) projections, the 690 million people ing to the UN, the Cuban Revolution shall always up- who were going hungry in 2019 might be joined hold the existence of the Organization, to which we by a further 130 million as a result of the economic owe the little but indispensable multilateralism that recession caused by the pandemic. Studies by the is surviving imperial overbearance.

International Labor Organization (ILO) say that over

We cannot face COVID-19, hunger, unemployment and the growing economic and social inequalities between individuals and countries as unrelated phenomena. There is an urgency to implement integrated policies that prioritize human beings and not economic profits or political advantages.

It would a crime to postpone decisions that are for yesterday and for today. It is imperative to promote solidarity and international cooperation to lessen the impact.

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Only the UN, with its world membership, has the required authority and reach to resume the just struggle to write off the uncollectable foreign debt which, aggravated by the social and economic effects of the pandemic, is threatening the survival of the peoples of the South.

unilateral coercive measures and unfounded qualifications on the world.

Every week, that government issues statements against Cuba or imposes new restrictions. Paradoxically, however, it has refused to term as terrorist the attack that was carried out against the Cuban embassy in Washington on April 30, 2020, when an individual armed with an assault rifle fired over 30 Mr. President, rounds against the diplomatic mission and later adThe SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and the early signs mitted to his intent to kill. that it would bring a pandemic did not catch Cuba We denounce the double standards of the US off guard. government in the fight against terror and demand With the decade-long experience of facing terri- a public condemnation of that brutal attack. ble epidemics, some of which were provoked deWe demand a cease of the hostility and slanderliberately as part of the permanent war against our political project, we immediately implemented a ous campaign against the altruistic work by Cuba´s series of measures based on our main capabilities international medical cooperation that, with much and strengths, namely, a well-structured socialist prestige and verifiable results, has contributed to state that cares for the health of its citizens, a high- saving hundreds of lives and lowering the impact of ly-skilled human capital and a society with much the disease in many countries. Prominent internapeople´s involvement in its decision-making and tional figures and highly prestigious social organizations have acknowledged the humanistic work done problem solving processes. by the “Henry Reeve” International Medical Brigade The implementation of those measures, com- for Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics and bined with the knowledge accrued for over 60 years called for the Nobel Peace Prize to be given to them. of great efforts to create and expand a high-quality While the US government is ignoring the call to and universal health system, plus scientific research and development, has made it possible not only to combine efforts to fight the pandemic and it withpreserve the right to health of all citizens, without draws from the WHO, Cuba, in response to requests exception, but also to be in a better position to face made to it, and guided by the profound solidarity and humanistic vocation of its people, is expanding the pandemic. its cooperation by sending over 3 700 cooperation We have been able to do it in spite of the harsh workers distributed in 46 medical brigades to 39 restrictions of the long economic, commercial and countries and territories hit by COVID-19. financial blockade being imposed by the US governIn this sense, we condemn the gangster blackmailment, which has been brutally tightened in the last two years, even at these pandemic times, something ing by the US to pressure the Pan-American Health that shows it is the essential component of the hos- Organization so as to make that regional agency a tool for its morbid aggression against our country. As tile US Cuba policy. usual, the force of truth shall do away with lies, and The aggressiveness of the blockade has reached facts and protagonists shall go down in history as a qualitatively higher level that further asserts its they should. Cuba´s example shall prevail. role as the real and determining impediment to the Our dedicated health workers, the pride of a namanaging of the economy and the development of tion brought up in José Marti’s idea that My Country our country. The US government has intensified in particular its harassment of Cuban financial transac- Is Humanity, shall be awarded the prize their noble tions and, beginning in 2019, it has been adopting hearts deserve, or not; but it has been years since measures that violate international law to deprive they won the recognition of the peoples blessed by the Cuban people of the possibility to buy fuels they their health work. need for their everyday activities and for their develThe US government is not hiding its intention opment. to enforce new and harsher aggressive measures So as to damage and demonize the Cuban Rev- against Cuba in the next few months. We state once olution and others it defines as adversaries, the US again before the international community that our has been publishing spurious lists having no legiti- people, who take pride in their history and are commacy by which it abrogates itself the right to impose mitted to the ideals and achievements of the RevoIB Special Edition

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lution, shall resist and overcome.

Mr. President,

rawi people.

We strongly condemn the unilateral and unjust sanctions against the Democratic People´s Republic of Korea.

The attempts at imposing neocolonial dominaWe restate our rejection of the intention to extion on Our America by publicly declaring the prespand NATO´s presence to the Russian borders and ent value of the Monroe Doctrine contravene the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean the imposition of unilateral and unjust sanctions against Russia. as a Zone of Peace.

We reject foreign interference into the internal We wish to restate publicly in this virtual forum that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall al- affairs of the Republic of Belarus and reiterate our ways have the solidarity of Cuba in the face of at- solidarity with the legitimate president of that countempts at destabilizing and subverting constitutional try, Aleksandr Lukashenko, and the sisterly people order and the civic-military unity and at destroying of Belarus. the work started by Commander Hugo Chávez Frías We condemn the interference into the internal afand continued by President Nicolás Maduro Moros fairs of the People´s Republic of China and oppose to benefit the Venezuelan people. any attempt to harm its territorial integrity and its We also reject US actions aimed at destabilizing sovereignty. the Republic of Nicaragua and ratify our invariable solidarity with its people and government led by Commander Daniel Ortega.

Mr. President,

Today´s disturbing circumstances have led to the We state our solidarity with the Caribbean nations, fact that, for the first time in the 75-year-long history which are demanding just reparations for the horrors of the United Nations, we have had to meet in a of slavery and the slave trade, in a world where racial non- presential format. discrimination and the repression against Afro-deCuba´s scientific community, another source of scendant communities have been on the rise. pride for the nation that, since the triumph of the We reaffirm our historical commitment with the Revolution of the just, announced to the world its self-determination and independence of the sisterly intention to be a country of men and women of scipeople of Puerto Rico. ence, is working non-stop on one of the first vaccines We support the legitimate claim by Argentina to that are going through clinical trials in the world. its sovereignty over the Malvinas, the South SandIts creators and other researchers and experts, in wich and South Georgia islands. coordination with the health system, are writing proWe reiterate our commitment with peace in Colombia and the conviction that dialogue between the parties is the road to achieving stable and lasting peace in that country.

We support the search for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the situation imposed on Syria, with no foreign interference and in full respect of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We demand a just solution to the conflict in the Middle East, which must include the real exercise by the Palestinian people of the inalienable right to build their own State within the borders prior to 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital. We reject Israel´s attempts to annex more territories in the West Bank.

tocols on healthcare for infected persons, recovered patients and the risk population that have allowed us to keep epidemic statistics of around 80% of infected persons saved and a mortality rate below the average in the Americas and the world.

“Doctors and not bombs.” That was announced one day by the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution and chief sponsor of scientific development in Cuba: Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz. That´s our motto. Saving lives and sharing what we are and have, no matter any sacrifice it takes; that is what we are offering to the world from the United Nations, to which we only request to be attuned with the gravity of the present time.

We are Cuba.

We state our solidarity with the Islamic Republic Let us strive together to promote peace, solidarity of Iran in the face of US aggressive escalation. and development.

We reaffirm our invariable solidarity with the Sah-

Thank you very much.

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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AKEL, Cyprus

AKEL’s activity in the conditions of the pandemic and the new crisis - Defending public health, the rights of workers and the people

The world is going through the worst pandemic of the last century, which has had a far-reaching effects on every manifestation of human activity. Despite the fact that the initial shock has been overcome, there is still a long way to go until we can declare with certainty that the danger has been overcome.

Science, humanity’s big weapon In the face of the threat of coronavirus, every logical person on the planet turned to science and the scientific community. Science provides answers with regards the appropriate measures needed to stop the spread of the virus, for personal health, the treatment and cure of the sick and for the discovery of the vaccine so that the virus can be defeated as was the case with other diseases and threats to human health that have tested humanity in other bygone eras.

Nevertheless, unscientific conspiracy theories and zealous religious doctrines surrounding the coronavirus reached their peak during the period of the pandemic also via the multiple power of social media. The stand taken by governments, with the Trump administration in the USA being a characteristic example, of course also seeks to discredit science, but the big business-employer groups in most countries as well that were, openly and indirectly, demanding that the recommendations proposed by scientists and the restrictive measures should serve the needs of the economy and businesses. The fact that governments and business interests are selectively and conflictingly exploiting the recommendations of scientists in order to protect their economic interests has nothing to do with the correctness and supremacy of science. Furthermore, the fact that there are different views and findings among the scientific community does not negate the fact that it is through science that the unanswered questions surrounding the virus, but also any other similar threat, will be solved.

At the same time, the race to discover the vaccine has reaffirmed that capitalism places science and scientific research at the service of its principal priority, which is none other than the maximization of the profits of the multinational monopolies, thus hampering the potential of modern science, impeding the overall cooperation of research teams that today are part of the competition between the business groups.

Yet again, the big dilemma has been highlighted. On the one hand, we note the subjugation of science’s tremendous potential to the system, thus IB Special Edition

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becoming an instrument for intensifying the exploitation of working people, maximising profits for capital, developing technologically the mechanisms for the filing and surveillance of citizens and the deadly military industry.

the coming historical phase.

It is worth pointing out that anti-communism has now openly been brought back in the US government’s rhetoric, targeting the ruling party of the People’s Republic of China, but also of course to serve its On the another, the possibilities of science and political agenda on the domestic front. technology, the scientific potential at a national and In addition, the Trump administration’s attacks on global level will be integrated into a plan with social the World Health Organization are part of an overand human-centred priorities, providing solutions to all undermining and challenging by the US of global global problems such as viruses and other threats to cooperation institutions and UN bodies which the human health, dramatically improving the living and US cannot put under their control, in combination working conditions of people today, developing ed- with their withdrawals from international security ucation, communication, transport, environmental agreements and multilateral security systems. protection and so much more.

The question as to who has science in their hands The pandemic is exacerbating capitalism’s deadand who does science serve becomes critical if we locks take into account that the so-called “4th Industrial Although it has been repeatedly said, the panRevolution” which brings to the fore areas such as demic did not “change History”, but came to drasbiotechnology, artificial intelligence, genetic engitically exacerbate all the existing deadlocks and neering, digital and robotic technology all formulate contradictions of the world capitalist system. In the a decisive factor for humanity’s future and character. economy, signs of a slowdown in the international economy had already existed, as well as the huge The pandemic is becoming a pretext for intensify- public debt recorded of many countries and probing competition lematic banks. The problem of the world capitalist Despite the fact that the coronavirus represents an economy lies in the huge over-accumulated capital unprecedented threat to the entire human species, that is unable to invest with a satisfactory rate of instead of international cooperation and solidarity profit return. among humanity being enhanced, competition and The pandemic has come to accelerate the outrivalries have prevailed. In fact, the imperialist cen- break of the new inevitable crisis, unpredictable in tres of the planet not only did not contain their ag- dimensions and depth. The freezing of economic gression, but they have sought to confirm it. NATO - activity that was imposed by the measures to comeven in the midst of a pandemic - continued with its bat the virus and the devastating blow it has dealt aggressive deployment of forces and rhetoric against to some sectors is now accompanied by layoffs, cuts Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It is in wages and benefits, the imposition of “flexible also extremely revealing that the Secretary General working hours” and the closure of small businesses. of NATO sent a clear warning to the members of the A new global wave of unemployment, poverty and Alliance that, not only must their military spending inequality is just around the corner. The dismantling not be reduced, but on the contrary that they should and defamation of public health systems, the comincrease their military expenditure. mercialization and privatization of health around the The pandemic brought to the surface the intensification of US-PRC geopolitical competition due to the escalation of anti-Chinese rhetoric by the Trump administration. Of course, behind the controversy over the pandemic and the responsibility for its outbreak lies the US effort to defend their supremacy in the global power pyramid against China’s rapid rise. The disputes over trade, the controversy over the 5th generation (5G) telecommunications network and the geopolitical-energy competition in the South China Sea are the three levels on which the geopolitical titanic battle of our era is raging, which is expected to define the international situation in

world have left entire countries unprotected to the pandemic, resulting the death toll being hundreds of thousands. Besides, the severity of the restrictive measures was determined by the resilience of the health systems.

At the same time, great dangers and challenges for the future of humanity were revealed. Dangers arising from the intensification of the exploitation of the working people through new forms of work, such as teleworking. Dangers to human rights and democratic freedoms stemming from phenomena of state and government authoritarianism and arbi-

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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trariness, from the expansion of citizen surveillance technologies (for example, the collection of location data from telecommunications operators or smart phone applications to monitor the movements of the population). Dangers arising from the weakening of international solidarity and cooperation, the prevalence of national retrenchment and competitions.

objective factors (size of the country, no large industrial units and the absence of an extensive public transport system), the use of the method of mass testing, but primarily due to the fact that society almost universally observed, with a high sense of individual and social responsibility, restrictive measures and respected the advice given by the scientific community.

The pandemic has also exacerbated forms of inequality of women, as an increase in global domestic violence levels was recorded during the quarantine period, while the blow dealt to the service sector, where a high percentage of working women are employed, disproportionately affects women. At the same time, the pandemic became a pretext for a sharp rise in racism against refugees and migrants who have been portrayed as easy scapegoats, but also as a pretext by governments to further abandon their legal and moral obligations to asylum seekers.

Cyprus’ most vulnerable point in the pandemic unfortunately turned out to be the public hospitals, since there was a big spread of the virus. The defamation of the public health system as a result of the sweeping cuts that were imposed by the rightwing conservative Anastasiades-DISY government had led to a paralysis of public hospitals even before the pandemic emerged. With the outbreak of the pandemic, and in combination with the lack of an overall coordination and planning, this came all to the surface in a dramatic way.

AKEL highlighted the issue of the public health sys-

The EU is immersed in competitions between states tem from the very beginning. We were urging every and monopolies

day and continue to demand the drastic strengthIn Europe today the peoples are suffering from ening of the public health system, the recruitment the painful consequences of the policies that the of medical, paramedical and other support staff, the EU promoted for the underfunding and commer- meeting of the needs of health professionals and cializing of public health systems. In addition, the workers with the necessary protective equipment outbreak of the pandemic left the EU unprepared and consumables. We exerted pressure for private and uncoordinated. Not only did the much-publi- hospitals and personal physicians to join the effort. cized European solidarity not prevail, on the conAKEL proposed the creation of mobile prevention trary member states were proceeding to confiscate and home care units for high-risk and vulnerable each other’s respirators and medical equipment. groups of the population. Some of AKEL’s proposals As regards the tackling of the pandemic’s eco- were listened to, others belatedly and others not at nomic consequences, fierce competitions and the all. economic interests of the monopolies and powAt the same time, from the first days of the panerful states once again prevailed, with Germany at demic, the Party adapted the operation of its mechthe forefront. The utilisation of the EU’s high credit- anism and drastically strengthened its presence on worthiness to gain support for state intervention in the internet and social media. It adapted the mass member state’s economies has led to huge contra- mobilizations it organises at this moment according dictions and exchanges corresponding to conflict- to the health protocols. ing interests within the Union. The combination of We set up Party teams to communicate with the loans and grants to member states is accompanied people, in order to record on an ongoing basis and by new monitoring mechanisms to promote EU anto promote the problems faced by citizens, but also ti-social strategies. Overall, the EU recipe does not to provide support where and whenever we can. meet the needs of the peoples, while numerous We put all the militants of the mass Organisations programs with a social content have been scrapped or faced cuts. It is obvious that the goal is once again of the Left of our People’s Movement in all the provto load the burdens of the new crisis on the backs of inces at the service of the state services to staff the mobile units to provide home-care help to vulnerathe working class and popular strata. ble groups of the population.

The pandemic in Cyprus

We organized blood donation campaigns in all Cyprus - so far - manages to contain the spread provinces, responding to the emergency appeal isof the coronavirus at controlled levels. This is due to sued by the Blood Centre.

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We handed 20,000 euros to the research centre of the University of Cyprus, collected through the contributions of our Members of Parliament, the members of the Political Bureau and the full-time militants of the Party.

We distributed 10,000 protective masks sent to AKEL by the Communist Party of China to centres with vulnerable groups of the population.

POGO, the Progressive Women’s Movement, was active in the manufacture of thousands of protective masks that were subsequently delivered to public hospitals.

AKEL is the only force in Cyprus that called for measures to protect and brief immigrants and refugees, given that the policy of the Ministry of Interior led to their victimization, provoking the reaction of even the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Cyprus.

Shield of protection for workers and the people The role of AKEL - as the Party of the working people and as the biggest opposition party in Cyprus - in confronting the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic for the popular strata was crucial and will be greater in the coming days. A series of measures included in the government plans are demands that were put forth by AKEL and our class-orientated trade union movement of the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) which were accepted by the government.

We elaborated and presented a comprehensive proposal for the covering of the financial needs of the state so that working people and small businesses could be supported. Of course, contrary to the government’s philosophy of providing state guarantees to banks (the relevant bill was rejected by the majority of Parliament), our proposal has the state - not the banks - as the main pillar and has as its axis the provision of support for small businesses and not the path of insisting on new loans.

on Sundays. It pointed out the delays in the pay- 35 ment of salaries and benefits, which left hundreds of families literally without any income.

We demanded a moratorium on instalments and zero interest and compound interest on loans and rejected a government bill that left thousands of borrowers out of the scheme which once again protects the interests of banks. We reactivated the Draft Bill that we submitted in Parliament for the prohibition through legislation of the eviction of families and small businessmen, given that despite the declarations made, the banks and funds are proceeding with foreclosure procedures. We managed to suspend fast-track evictions, which were permitted by the legislation approved by the majority of Parliament in January, despite AKEL’s disagreement.

We are exerting pressure every day on the government to solve the burning issue of rents for households and small businesses, with the contribution of the state, tenants and landlords. We urged the government to crack down on profiteering by putting a “ceiling” on the price of masks, antiseptics, laboratory tests for the virus, essential goods and fuel.

We have submitted concrete ways to substantially reduce the price of electricity.

We proposed supporting domestic tourism by expanding the scheme to subsidise holidays for pensioners and the elaboration of a scheme for other groups. We have submitted proposals to provide support to the livestock sector and especially to goat breeders, calling for capital subsidies for this year.

AKEL also demanded measures to support the sector of Culture, which is being provocatively ignored by the government. We elaborated and presented a package of proposals to provide support to artists who had been without any income for months and to encourage the resumption of cultural activities.

AKEL submitted proposals on Education issues, where the competent Ministry still hasn’t drawn up a comprehensive plan, generating further uncertainty for school students, teachers and parents. We denounced the fact that thousands of children found themselves virtually out of the educational process and distance learning because they did not have the necessary access to technology due to their socio-economic condition. We are asking for an increase in the places in Public Universities for enrolment and transfers.

AKEL from the very first moment demanded measures to provide support for the incomes of working people and the self-employed. It demanded that no working person should lose his/her job and that schemes to support businesses should be promoted provided that there won’t be any layoffs. It denounced the phenomena of employer’s pressure and blackmail exerted on working people employed in supermarkets and bakeries to work part-time and We have submitted proposals with regards the without the required protective equipment. AKEL field of Justice, as citizens and lawyers are unable repeatedly demanded the closure of supermarkets to have access to Justice, with direct implications for

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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the rule of law, the viability of small law firms and the livelihoods of young lawyers.

Furthermore, we highlighted the issue of the increasing cases of domestic violence during the period of restrictive measures and proposed measures to support the victims.

Will working people pay for this crisis as well?

The pandemic halted the growth rates recorded by the Cyprus economy in the previous period and at the same time, it brought to the surface the consequences of the policies that have been implemented in recent years for the deregulation of labour relations. The magnitude and duration of the pandemic’s socio-economic consequences have not yet been determined. However, we estimate that these consequences will be painful for a large section of working people and small businesses in many sectors of the Cyprus economy, especially as regards tourism, catering, culture and the entertainment industry.

on the side of the working class, the working people and the trade union movement against the policies and practices that victimize them.

AKEL facing new tasks In the new conditions that have evolved, AKEL has the task of responding more effectively to the needs of the Cypriot people, to the expectations of the people of labour and progress. Specific lines of action emerge such as: ‣‣

Defending working people and social gains

The Party, the class-based trade union movement and all the mass Organisations of the Left are called upon to take the lead and be at the forefront in organizing working people at the workplace, in developing mass struggles that are effective and victorious, in strengthening resistance both inside and outside Parliament. AKEL’s assertions include, inter alia, the legislative safeguarding of collective agreements, the covering of all working people with miniAKEL addressed the workers and people, warn- mum working conditions and terms of employment, ing that there should be no doubt whatsoever that the stamping out of false self-employment and the under the pretext of the pandemic, big capital and phenomenon of the purchase of services employers will attempt - with the backing of the ‣‣ Proposals for a different path of developgovernment and the establishment and mainstream ment for the country mass media - to impose a new setback in labour The pandemic has once again highlighted the relations and deal a new blow to the welfare state deadlocks of the capitalist model of development, and public wealth and property. The positions of the but also more specifically of our country’s developCyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) mental model which is dependent almost excluand the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Indus- sively on the “single culture” of tourism and financial try (KEBE) for dismissals, reductions in salaries and services, sectors that are vulnerable and exposed to privatizations are indicative of the situation that is external factors, but also to “get-rich-quick” schemes being formed for the day after in Cyprus. such as the passport sales industry.

The big question, then, is whether working people, households and small businesses will bear the brunt of this crisis as well. At the political level, we expect that the Anastasiades government and the ruling right-wing DISY party will attempt to capitalize on the current climate in order to extinguish the growing social dissatisfaction with the corruption, the economic policy that serves the privileged elite and the deadlocks surrounding the Cyprus problem and foreign policy. However, despite the government camp’s domination in communication and mass media outlets, the reality experienced by the people cannot be erased, let alone in the face of a new crisis.

Our country needs to develop its own productive capabilities in a planned way, to give emphasis to the primary sector and to Cypriot production, research and innovation, the re-establishment of the Cooperative movement, the modernization of the semi-governmental organisations, the reduction of the country’s energy dependency, in combination with the safeguarding of modern labour and social rights, a fairer tax system, a strong public health, education and social protection system. ‣‣ Ideological counterattack

Today, many more people all over the world - beyond the spectrum of the Left - have recognized the importance of a public health system, of health as AKEL has already sent out a clear message to the a social good and right for all and not as a market government and big employers that this crisis can- commodity. They acknowledge the value of central not be paid by the working people and small and scientific planning and an effective state to serve medium size businesses. AKEL will continue to stand IB Special Edition

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These are just some of the issues that the upcom- 37 ing 23rd AKEL Congress that will take place this December will be discussing, with the slogan “A force of struggle – A force for change”. Despite the brief postponement of the Party Congress because of the pandemic and the protection measures that we will need to apply to convene it, the Congress will take place not only because this is what the Party Finally, the practical example of international co- Statutes stipulate, but because the functioning and operation and solidarity that has been highlighted activity of the Party cannot and will not be limited by the medical missions of socialist Cuba and the not in the slightest.

Indeed, in the socio-economic conditions the stand of the People’s Republic of China was universally appreciated. Our longstanding positions are pandemic has brought to our country, as well as the being confirmed by developments themselves and dangerous scenario of tension in the Eastern Medianswer to the small and big problems faced by the terranean that creates huge dangers for our homecontemporary world, while once again the timeli- land and people, the voice and presence of AKEL ness and necessity of the vision for a socialist tomor- must become even stronger. row are illuminated. the people, in the face of the neoliberal policies of a “lesser state” that hands over bit-by-bit its structures to the private sector. The enormous possibilities that technology and science can offer for health and education, for the operation of a modern state, for communication between people, have also been revealed, provided of course that they are put at the serve of the people and their needs.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Communist Party in Denmark

Report from The Communist Party in Denmark, KPiD, on the COVID 19 pandemic 2020

It was the unemployed part of the working class who were hit the hardest. Collective agreements are put aside in the name of the pandemic especially with the public employees such as kindergarten teachers, teachers and health personal. The police are given barrier-breaking tasks. At the same time, we see employers’ unions, right-wing parties and the EU pushing for the opening of country borders and shops.

EU and Denmark In all, the companies in the C25 index have earned more than 45 billion kroner during the past two quarters. Never the less they were given state financed helping packages without any duty to pay back. Many of those packages are given to companies registered in tax shelters of the EU. That means that many countries have had to borrow large amounts of money which shall afterwards be the excuse for not having sufficient funds for welfare.

Denmark must pay more to the EU after BREXIT. The budget law is maintained (the EU Finance Pact) in spite of an exemption during the COVID 19. The corona crisis is not the whole explanation for the hard-hit treasury. Next year Denmark has to send 2.2 billion kroner more to the EU than we did this year, so the draft budget shows.

That is the biggest EU bill ever, and it is only going to get bigger in the years to come. It is completely daft that Mette Frederiksen, our social democratic prime minister, signs an EU budget that costs Denmark billions each year, and after that the government pays the EU bill with debts.

The labour market in Denmark Collective agreements and manifestations are being cancelled, or people are afraid to show up for fear of infection. The contamination and the pandemic have enormous financial consequences like sackings, handicaps followed by lack of incomes. The politicians are using the situation to carry through in Denmark the highest retirement age in Europe, and at the same time crush early retirement and rehabilitation which have previously been paid for collectively over the taxes, as a part of the so-called Nordic welfare.

Our productivity per worker is raised, and working hour regulations and safety are neglected all in the name of COVID 19. “We all have to make sacrifices”, the mantra goes. Lots of companies sack and then use the situation to hire again on worse terms. It alIB Special Edition

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ways hits the weakest. The expenses of facemasks make a lot of people reuse them or fish them out of trashcans which leaves them without protective use.

The government exploits the fear to carry through legislation whose termination after the end of this situation has to be kept an eye on.

Children

Ethnic minorities are far more often employed in frontline trades with long and massive exposure to infection while other trade groups may have the possibility of working at home. I took a long time, till the frontline workers had the possibility of protecting themselves at work, at that gave, all things equal, the more well-off people with higher education and office work a 3 – 4 week’s advantage in relations to the risk of infection. But the rich, who employ moonlight workers in their homes, suddenly get close to sources of infection.

er independence from the member countries and this way get more power into the EU. In practise it has been impossible to prohibit corona-help to be given to companies in tax shelter, as the EU rules hinders this. The different countries’ health services have been weak because of the EU Financial Pact.

Not less than 63 times has the EU demanded cutbacks in the health services in all the EU countries during the past 9 years. Approval of new means of protection was delayed because of the EU bureaucracy, and you could go on.

Up to 2.3 million children will die as a consequence of COVID 19 because of corona restricktions and the lack of help for babies and women giving birth due to the fear of infection, and access to a safe birth will be limited and reorganized, and due to lack of food and medicine, shows a study from Lance GlobFree movement of the labour force al Health. This we now currently hear about in the The slaves of our time are our own EU citizens. EU with the many children infected in the refugee The closing of national borders to limit the pandem- camps as in Lesbos, Greece, and other places. ic did not affect the free movement of the labour force. Workers crossed borders, because the capital The EU community has no solution demands it. They come from conditions where you In the EU budget are earmarked over the next 7 do not have a health choice. If you want to stay at years no less than 97.5 million kroner for the develhome, you will lose your job and thus your income. opment of new weapons – not vaccines. During the These workers go to work sick, live closely in work- budget negotiations in the EU they are now conmen’s huts and small rooms, and thus pass on in- structing new common debts in the so-called Cofection very quickly. We know that racism is raging, rona EU helping packages which did not come till but all people live in a culture. Skiing tourists, cruise long after the COVID 19. This common debt is a big tourists, slaughterhouse workers, football spectators step on the way to a real union. This means that if a and people from Aarhus all move within different country wants to leave, it will still be responsible for cultures. Culture explains nothing, but many politi- the common debt. A dangerous road to take. cians still let it serve as an exotic explanation, tied A huge break through for the EU State. This is how to a specific alien behaviour which spreads corona it is described by several parties that the EU in the virus. new budget finally opened a long-cherished wish Culture is a nasty concept, because it woos more from the leadership of the EU that the EU should the fantasy and the prejudices than the reason, and have new incomes of its own in the shape of taxes to play the recipients’ prejudices is pure snake oil, and duties. According to the treaty EU can actualand is at the same time a free round politically at the ly not collect taxes, but by letting the membership dispense of a whole group of the population. countries collect them and then pass on the money, The truth is that the picture is the same all over they can sidestep the rules. Actually, they have chothe world: Minorities, people with short educations sen some duties which are supposed to be popular and the less well-off are hit the hardest by the co- within the population. To begin with a plastic-duty is rona pandemic. Not only do they have a higher risk introduced. After that the EU Commission wishes to of being infected, they also have a higher risk of dy- decide on a CO2- and a digital duty. ing from the decease. All research suggests that it is These are not to be decided on till later. In that all about a combination of trade, housing, finances, way the EU system wants a pitch-black budget family size and access to the health services. appear green, and at the same time secure a larg-

In short, the EU is an impediment to dealing with the epidemic. Our biggest struggle now is to show that the EU is the cause of the crisis and not the

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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solution. When Imperialism prevails, it is at the ex- ‣‣ If it is really necessary to save a bigger private pense of democracy, and the globe must bleed. enterprise from going down in a crisis, why not just nationalize it instead and let its full profit benefit us all?

The demands of the communists: There is no sense in opening up the common treasury for the profit-mongers.

Admit that the system has failed – or reveal it!

These are questions, we must say out loud to our The communists back up the state holding a hand politicians as well. What else should a staggering under the small self-employed persons, but we are profit otherwise be used for if not for situations like opposed to private banks and large companies re- this? ceiving any kind of state support. During the latest The activities of the Communist Party in Denmark, decades Danish economic life has in spite of finan- KPiD cial progress and gigantic profits paid still less tax. At As in many other countries the pandemic has hinthe same time, it has shown a complete lack of will to let the increase in these riches benefit the work- dered the usual work of the communist parties. It ing class in the shape of higher wages, shorter work- is difficult to communicate with the working class in a situation where it is illegal to meet many people ing hours and a better working environment. on the same time, and where some of the special Now we are all witnessing the same people be- vulnerable people do not dare to participate in leing paid really many billion kroner from our com- gal meetings, demonstrations, rallies, etc. 1. Mai armon savings. A part from a staggering hypocrisy this rangements was cancelled and we for the time beshows that under capitalism we are taken hostage ing make just a very little communications with the with the threat and fear of losing our jobs, go down citizens on the streets in Denmark. in wages and subsequently lose our homes.

Still of cause ore written material is produced as The communists ask: usual but without a personal contact everything ‣‣ If capitalism is such a superior system, it has becomes difficult. So, we really hope that the panto prove it without state helping packages to sup- demic will soon be over by means of vaccines or by port it. natural developments.

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French Communist Party

Let’s Build a France & a world in common

For several months now, the whole world has 41 been hit by a pandemic that has simultaneously brought about a major health crisis - more than a million deaths and nearly 30 million people already infected by the virus - and underscored the structural crisis of ruinous capitalism, with its exploitive and predatory strategies on the economic, social and environmental levels that have considerably worsened injustice and inequality throughout the world, within nations and on the regional scale.

The 2007-2008 financial crisis, characterised by the massive intervention of States to preserve the interests of capital, was an important moment in the offensive waged by dominant capitalist powers to impose their destructive dogmas: maximum profitability for capital to the detriment of labour, ever

more reduced and restricted; constant diminishment of public spending and privatisation of public services; erosion of social protection; lowered wages; growing inequality between women and men under a reinforced patriarchy.

Thus the systemic crisis laid the foundations for an acceleration of the factors that gave rise to the current health crisis, but not only that.

In France, the pandemic crisis highlighted the failings of a health care system rendered inadequate by the dismantlement of public services and the disregard of the right to dignified, well-paid work. The main social advances that the French people inherited from the Resistance movement, Social Security and the pension system, are now endangered.

At the same time, other characteristics of the crisis facing today’s system are a result of the sharpening contradictions between the imperialist powers under the under the aegis of the United States: outbreak of new wars of aggression, multiplication of conflict zones, questioning of the principles of the

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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United Nations charter and international law. This makes it all the more urgent that we give fresh impetus to our fight for multilateralism based on cooperation and solidarity among peoples, founded in peace.

How can we act to promote a different globalisation that would give priority to the sovereignty of nations and peoples, workers’ rights, social and democratic progress, necessary changes in the modes of production and development for the ecological transition, and cooperation in solidarity among people who are beaten down by imperialist powers that control the levers of the financial markets?

For our part, the economic and democratic sovereignty of States and peoples is indispensible for encouraging our country’s engagement in the effort to create a new world order based on cooperation and solidarity, supported by truly democratic and multilateral institutions.

Our programme Construisons la France en commun - Building France in Common - includes a number of proposals to be implemented immediately or in the medium term and that express our will to give our country a strong, independent voice for internationalism today: Act for the establishment of public health policies, in coordination with and supported by the WHO, with a primary goal of “decommercialising” the sectors of medicine, health and social protection and achieving a universal right to health care.

Undertake a strong initiative in favour of the massive reduction of military budgets and the total elimination of nuclear weapons and WMDs; end the mad arms race; free up generous funding for health, education, employment; France must sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW); France must leave NATO, a political-military alliance bent to the will of the United States; contribute to the creation of shared frameworks for cooperation and collective human security, as well as treaties on overseeing exchanges for the development of infrastructures, the commons and public services, to replace the current free trade agreements that impoverish people and lay waste to the planet.

Call a COP on social and fiscal justice under the aegis of the United Nations: to stand up to the ravages caused by injustice and the pillage of the earth’s resources, this Conference would enable an effective, coordinated fight against tax havens, tax evasion and optimisation.

Promote construction of a different Europe: the budgetary austerity pact, or so-called “stability and growth” pact must be definitively repealed. It is imperative that we replace current European treaties with a new social and democratic pact that will lay the foundations for a Union of free peoples and nations, sovereign and associated.

The offensive by the forces of capital and imperialism has made it difficult for the forces of resistance to express themselves in each of our countries and on the international scale.

And yet, these struggles do go on in all their diversity, against all forms of exploitation and discrimination.

The struggle goes on in the most admirable Black Lives Matter movement: its strong message of emancipation has meaning and repercussions far beyond the United States.

The struggle goes on where women seek to break free of patriarchal oppression in all of its forms, which capitalism has largely favoured and structured.

Struggles for national liberation go on: waged by Kurds, Saharawi, and through the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people for the defence of their right to a sovereign State within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The struggle goes on in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the people fight the new imperialist offensive that threatens their sovereignty and social and democratic advances.

The struggle goes on in Africa, shaking off the chains of predatory, oppressive neo-colonialism, rising up against despots who go hand-in-hand with predators on a large scale.

The struggle goes on in the popular, planetary movement for public policies to combat global warming and preserve biodiversity and ecosystems, IB Special Edition

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combined with socio-economic, human and democratic advances, ecological development and transition, bearing aspirations for a world of peace and solidarity.

The struggle goes on in the movements against economic and social inequality, corruption and authoritarianism that began in 2019 and continue around the world, from Chile to Lebanon, by way of Algeria.

We must find forms of action that unite us against Trump’s exacerbated imperialist policies, as he flouts all resolutions based on international law and seeks to destroy multilateralism by ramping up strategies of embargo, sanctions and isolation - targeting China today - provoking an unbridled militarisation of international relations and a new arms race.

We will not be resigned to France’s continued support of these policies and participation in the arms race or war operations held under NATO command.

The crisis of capitalism, the imperialist offensive and its devastating effects call for the strengthening of internationalist solidarities and contributions to cooperation, unified action by progressive forces, wherein Communists aspire to play a major role.

The necessary confluence of struggles and different experiences is fundamental. It will come from cooperation and shared unity of action on a multilateral level: Fronts or regional Forums, which we intend to participate in.

We believe that our meetings of Communist and Workers’ parties can be a part of this convergence if we find the right ways of exchanging in depth, respecting differences and stimulating the necessary solidarities against the common enemy, stepping up to meet the challenges that confront humanity today.

2020 is the year of the French Communist Par- 43 ty Centennial. We wish to celebrate by turning our gaze resolutely to the future. It is with our feet firmly on the ground that for the past months, including during the period of lockdown, our activists have developed many daily actions and initiatives to mitigate the effects of the inequalities exacerbated by the multidimensional crisis through solidarity: distribution of masks and food, day trips to the seaside; our MPs spoke before the National Assembly and the Senate to defend workers and the population at large, whose working and living conditions have been seriously degraded by the crisis, supporting their demands and now joining the battle against the many job cuts that are being announced. Throughout the country, we carry this message by way of our national campaign for job security and training opportunities, in the perspective of immediate and long-term transformation of the existing order.

We have decided to extend our Centennial initiatives into 2021, a year that will be notable for the disastrous social and economic situation, elections, and for our party, the 39th Congress, just one year ahead of the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for 2022. It is vital that we bring the forces of the left together; we may be excluded from presidential field by if we fall into the trap of disunity. And we believe that it is indispensible that such a union should provide the prospect of genuine change and a break from the decades of neo-liberal politics of austerity, mobilising citizens who would be served by these deep changes but who now abstain from voting in growing numbers, only to see power taken from them by neo-conservative, hyper-nationalist and neo-liberal forces.

To all of the participants in the International meeting, we extend our warmest regards in solidarity.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Communist Party of Greece

An unprecedented situation and developments under pandemic conditions - new major tasks for the communist and labor movement

It is obvious that the working class and the peoples all around the world are facing an unprecedented situation, at least for the younger generations.

This situation provides the working class and the popular forces with new experience, offers more proof about the historically outdated character of capitalism and, from this point of view, sets new requirements for the class struggle and assigns new tasks to the Communist and Workers’ Parties.

Undoubtedly, the international and regional developments are defined by: ‣‣ The course and outbreak of the pandemic internationally, the tragic situation in the public health-care systems, the consequences of the pandemic for the life and the rights of the working class and the popular strata, as a result of the anti-popular policies of the bourgeois states and capital. ‣‣ The outbreak, the evolution and the depth of the economic crisis, whose basic cause is not the pandemic, as claimed by bourgeois governments and international organizations. Serious problems of capital over-accumulation pre-existed in the world capitalist economy, which mathematically led to a new crisis that was accelerated by the pandemic. ‣‣ The further escalation of the intra-imperialist competitions in the Eastern Mediterranean and other regions of the world, between the US, NATO, the EU and other blocks of forces and powerful states, such as Russia and China.

The above factors are not independent of each other, despite their relative independence; nor did they coincide, as various bourgeois governments and other political forces claim, defending the current exploitative system.

This analysis conceals the class essence and a deeper essence of facts. It conceals that all these factors feed off one other, while the one is the continuation of the other.

It is no coincidence that the governments and the big business groups were ready to seize the pandemic as an opportunity to pass measures against workers, such as further flexibility of working time or tele-working, which they already had in their plans.

It is no coincidence that a new financial crisis has been approaching for some time now, based on the estimates of the system staffs themselves. That the capitalist recovery of the previous period was weak and that the pandemic acted as a catalyst.

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and energy routes that are even on the verge of mil- danger for all the peoples of the world is capitalism 45 itary conflicts or wars, are developing alongside the at its highest stage, i.e. imperialism. economic competitions between capitalist states.

It not only goes against the needs of the people It is no coincidence that even the treatment for and social development itself, but it constantly causthe pandemic, e.g. the race and the competition es irreparable damage on a massive scale in all secover the vaccine, is subject to these contradictions. tors, due to the sharpening of its contradictions.

In fact, they are manifestations of the same bourEither a solution will be provided based on the geois policy. At the core of this policy lies the safe- real needs of the people or the people will suffer, guarding of the profitability of capital at all levels, they will live in miserable conditions, they will consacrificing popular needs. stantly pay out of their own pockets so that the few These are, after all, the impasses, the barbarism, and chosen ones of capital will become richer. the corruption and the decay of the capitalist sysIt is time, and will become even more urgent with tem itself, to be paid by the peoples with further ex- the end of the pandemic in the coming months, to ploitation, poverty, unemployment, and even their strengthen the Social Alliance, the anti-monopoly own blood in the case of military conflicts. and anti-capitalist line of struggle, our own alternaAll this is aptly reflected in the slogan “Capitalism tive proposal, our own response, the response of the is the virus” that was put forward on the occasion of hopeful socialist tomorrow. the pandemic.

The necessity and timeliness of socialism and socialist revolution are rising to the surface, and as time passes, they will do so in a more imperative way, with new dynamics.

The fact that the peoples all around the world are facing the same consequences, provides the possibility of strengthening the internationalization of the class struggle, and ultimately the revolutionary struggle against capitalist-imperialist barbarism.

***** The effects of the coronavirus pandemic certainly acted as a catalyst for the worsening of the serious problems that pre-existed

***** The outbreak of the pandemic, its rapid spread, its profound consequences for human life, especially in the more developed capitalist states, have brought great problems to the surface, which of course pre-existed, but emerged today in a powerful and tragic way.

The great contradictions and contrasts are even more evident in all aspects of social, economic, political, cultural life and reality, in each country individually and internationally.

Without fail, we must make a greater collective effort and contribution not only to record and codify the new issues, but also to further highlight them, as well as the main trends of the developments, to draw the necessary conclusions and tasks, both at a theoretical and at a political, practical level. After all, many issues and aspects are still in progress.

The developments we are experiencing at this time show, and once again confirm, that the real

in the capitalist economy.

The KKE, even when the Greek governments (and not just them) were celebrating “growth”, warned that the problem of capital over-accumulation, as the root cause of the crisis, not only has not been overcome, but has sharpened, bringing closer the risk of a new crisis, perhaps earlier than expected.

In fact, the Greek economy is even more exposed to these shocks, due to its so-called “extroversion”, i.e. the great dependence on tourism and shipping, generally on international transport.

On the ground of the new crisis, which is the deepest after the end of WW II, there is an ongoing debate about the need for stronger state intervention in the economy.

The same debate is taking place within the EU, of course together with the debate about which capitalist states, and consequently which monopoly

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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groups, will benefit more or less from this intervention.

ernment. This is happening e.g. in Greece, currently with the right-wing government and previously with Countries with smaller deficits and debts argue the so-called left government of SYRIZA, as well as in that lending to economies should be a matter of Spain, with the social-democratic government supeach state individually, through the current support ported by the so-called left Podemos, where thoumechanisms. Countries with higher deficits, such as sands of people are dying left and right.

Italy and Spain, which will need large packages to Particularly regarding the character of the crisis, support their own business groups, argue that this core opportunist poles in Greece initially talked lending should be done on a “debt pooling” basis. about “a health-care crisis that also has economic What is being confirmed once again is the fraud of consequences because it coincided with the contradictions of the system”, thus contributing to the “European solidarity”. general bourgeois perception and propaganda This increased state intervention does not con- claiming that the crisis was exclusively caused by the stitute a so-called pro-people turn, as some forces, coronavirus. They conceal the fact that this is a criespecially of social-democratic origin, claim, nor is it sis of capital over-accumulation resulting from the something unprecedented in history. natural functioning of the capitalist system and that Often, when the stability of the capitalist econ- the necessary confrontation of the coronavirus panomy is threatened, the state intervenes and, in es- demic affected the course of this crisis. Of course, sence, “nationalizes” the losses and debts of busi- at the same time they made some adjustments to ness groups and banks, so that after a while it can their position, while others restored the widespread opportunistic perception of the memoranda period, “re-privatize” the profits for the few.

The fact that the EU code-named this interven- claiming that the “dependent-subordinate position tion “New Marshall Plan” is enough to reveal its real of Greece” is responsible for the crisis. According to this political analysis, uneven capitalist development goals. appears simply as a political responsibility of the It is worth remembering that the US funds that bourgeois governments and at the same time as a flowed into the ruined post-war Europe, as part pro-people way out of strengthening the competof the Marshall Plan, after WW II, was not an act of itiveness of the domestic industry. This is a political solidarity with the European peoples, but a vital ac- line that obscures the real opponent and objectively tion for the capitalist system itself. They were used, fosters a climate of class cooperation and illusions on the one hand, for the capitalist reconstruction about the existence of another so-called “pro-peoof Europe, which was crucial for US exports, and on ple model of capitalist development”. Concerning the other hand for halting socialism and the revolu- the escalating attack on workers’ and people’s rights, tionary labor movement, which emerged from WW they mainly focus on the ND government and its II with great prestige among the people. For this rea- “neo-liberal agenda”. Their “anti – right-wing” logic son, after all, a large part of the Marshall Plan was can be seen not only in the overemphasis of ND as directed at infrastructure, e.g. military infrastructure, solely responsible for the anti-popular policy, but as in Greece, aiming mainly at the socialist system also in the characterization of SYRIZA as “social-liband the struggle of the peoples. eral”, while the determination of the “reactionary However, the necessary post-war state interven- turn” of capitalism is only based on the emergence tion for the reproduction of capital neither ended of liberal or “far-right governments” internationally, the vicious cycle of crises, nor ensured the prosperity practically whitewashing all other versions of manof the peoples. The benefits that it offered, with the agement that alternate in bourgeois power. In this aim of integrating workers’ and people’s forces, bore way, they try to support the strategy of the various the stamp of the glory of the social achievements in “transitional governments” that will gradually and the USSR and the other countries of socialism, but eventually lead us to socialism, which international experience has proved wrong. also of the very struggle of the peoples of Europe.

Neo-liberal, social-democratic, and so-called “left” political forces whitewash this EU policy, claiming that “this time the EU is on the right side of history”.

They are consciously lying to the peoples. These are the same forces that committed crimes against their peoples and the public health systems when in gov-

It is once again confirmed that there is a strategic convergence of these forces, and that the bourgeois parties, despite their differences, have the ability to adapt to the needs and priorities of the capitalist system.

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At the given moment, the adoption of an expansionist-Keynesian policy will not bring dynamic growth, not even to any level of the past, because the previous capitalist recovery was also weak and did not reach the pre-crisis levels. Furthermore, the workers will not benefit from this growth, while at the same time the fierce attack on the workers’-people’s income and all rights continues. Increased state intervention, in the end, places the burden once again on the people’s shoulders, in a different way.

The people are to pay the new state loans and relieve the burden of the loss-making private business groups. ***** This is what we are experiencing in Greece at the moment. Over the previous years, the working people paid for the memoranda and the harsh anti-people measures that were imposed by all the governments. These remain in effect, while the people are now being called upon to pay the new loans and deficits that will be created, with new measures that are already being tested out in the “health-care test-tube”, under the pretext of the pandemic.

On the one hand, thousands of layoffs, harmful changes in employment status, workers with flexible employment relationships who are not even entitled to the meager benefit of 500 euros, the destruction of self-employed and small and medium-sized farmers. On the other hand, a huge amount of money for big companies and banks.

At the same time the public health system is already bare-bones and defenseless, while the workplaces, the schools and the means of transport are turning into health bombs, as evidenced by official government statistics.

The government’s claim that our country did not experience horrific conditions such as in other countries, e.g. Italy, is misleading. Not only because the public health-care system in Greece in the recent period was essentially turned into a “one-disease system”, excluding care in many instances for other critical cases, therapies, or chronic conditions, but also mainly because we have not yet gotten over the

pandemic.

From the beginning of the pandemic, the government’s criterion was not the people’s health, but to stop the dilapidated public health-care system from buckling, a system that is in this despicable state today with the responsibility of all of the previous governments. Its criterion was to better control the impact of the pandemic on the economy, mainly in the run-up to the tourist season, to avoid undermining government stability from an uncontrolled upsurge in the pandemic, such as that we observed in other EU countries and the USA. It is a crucial and urgent issue for the Communist and Workers’ Parties, the labor unions, other mass organizations of the popular movement, to lead the struggle: ‣ For protective health measures for the people. ‣ For the protection of workers in their workplaces. ‣ For no worker or unemployed person to be without a decent income, for them to not pay for the capitalist crisis once again. ‣ For the fortification of the public health-care system with infrastructure and personnel, with the requisitioning of the private health-care facilities.

Besides, today the necessity for an exclusively public and free health-care system, with the elimination of all business activity, is being demonstrated in a dramatic way. Today, it is indisputable that the health of the people, their care, protection, and safety, is incompatible with capitalist profit, voracious capital, and the capitalist mode of production.

Let’s see for example what is going on with the test and the vaccine and how pain and fear are being commodified.

The EU and the governments advertise their contracts with the multi-national pharmaceutical business groups for the vaccine, while no one guarantees that their vaccine will be safe and effective. With the war of competition hiding the truth, you don’t know who to believe. This is why the issue of health is one of life and death and as such there is no room for the market and profits.

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Let’s consider how vital and at the same time, how feasible in the 21st century it is: To base research for prevention and therapies for diseases on scientific collaboration between hospitals – universities – research centers – a state pharmaceutical industry, with the criterion being not one of profit for the enterprises and patenting, but the direct management of needs, relief and therapy for human pain.

All of the above was experienced by the peoples in the socialist countries decades ago, with much lower capacities and level of development.

All of which shows that today in the epoch of the 4th industrial revolution, with its infinitely greater capacities, this is not a utopia, but something that is completely realistic, necessary and timely. For this reason, our daily struggle must be directed toward projecting this necessity, towards the superiority of socialism – communism.

The virus will weaken at some point, but the issue is how we will deal with a rotten system that with or without pandemic conditions, condemns the people to exploitation, poverty, unemployment, stripped bare hospitals, the barbarism of profit. **** Whatever was won in the 20th century was made possible by tough battles, with a line of conflict, joining in the struggle with communists and under the decisive weight that the gains of working people in the countries of socialist construction had.

While the system is attempting with all means to convince the people that the class struggle is over, that struggles are “retro”, in the same way the system is preparing with all means, to confront the new rise in struggles, the new response to the problems that are multiplying for the vast majority of the people.

The stronger they seem today, the more vulnerable they are. For this reason, they are encroaching on the right to strike and the operation of the trade unions. For this reason, they are passing laws to restrict demonstrations and voting in measures to defend against radical ideas. They are also attempting a huge ideological attack against the vanguard

communist ideology by slandering it. They are “lumping together” the honorable vanguard labor-popular struggles with unfathomable things, such as individual terror, the Jihadists, fascist Nazi elements, and more, with phenomena which have been proven to be linked to the very same system in a thousand and more ways.

This fear of theirs explains the escalating attack against the Communist movement but also against the socialism we knew.

Who is really attacking socialism? ‣ The EU and the exploitative system where their most powerful health-care systems collapsed, leaving the peoples unprotected, digging mass graves in order to confront the pandemic. ‣ The EU that has as a guideline work till 70 years of age with crumbs for wages and pensions at the level of income supplements. ‣ The EU that has made education an inaccessible commodity for the majority. ‣ The EU and the system of state oppression at the expense of the people, the EU of concentration camps for refugees and immigrants, of imperialist wars. ‣ The EU that persecutes Communist Parties and symbols, that vindicates the Nazi criminals and attempts to rewrite history as it suits them, with made-up stories and scenarios based on the theory of the “two extremes”. They are shelling out huge amounts for this, but it won’t get them anywhere.

Who here in Greece says that “socialism is outdated”? ‣ Those who have imposed in practice that health is based on how much money you have. In the middle of a pandemic, only the people that have the money to pay can do tests. ‣ Those who today are imposing unpaid overtime on those workers who were quarantined because they became ill, in essence punishing them. ‣ The ND government and the bourgeois parties, who in practice have all placed health on the cost-benefit balance and have answered that whatIB Special Edition

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ever costs money, must be cut. ‣ Those who are observing health protocols as they see fit, finally tearing them into shreds for the benefit of shipowners, transport enterprises and hoteliers. ‣ Those who for six months now have done absolutely nothing to ensure the education rights of the youth, with as many educators needed, with as many classrooms necessary, with all of the requisite cleaning staff, with 15 students per class, with guaranteed means and measures of health protection for all. ‣ It is those who during the pandemic period and war declarations, instead of hiring all the necessary personnel, strengthening Primary health-care, and requisitioning the private health sector, they chose among others, to increase compensation for the funds of the huge private health-care clinics.

In the face of all this barbarism, the example of Cuba, who sent touching internationalist aid via International Brigades of specialized doctors and nurses to many affected countries, is a beacon. And they did this while having to face the long-standing destructive US embargo. The struggling peoples have already given them this year’s “Nobel Peace Prize”. ***** Within these, in many ways, completely unprecedented conditions in Greece, the KKE, the KNE, the class-oriented trade union movement, the trade unions that rally with PAME, the militant organizations of the working class of the private and public sector, as well as those of the self-employed of the city and the countryside (craftsmen, tradesmen, farmers, scientists), artists and entertainers, women, university students, and pupils, projected significant demands, for the support of popular incomes, the abolition of the hundreds of anti-people laws and government decisions that concern all the sectors.

But also, support of immigrants and refugees that ended up in our country and are victims of imperialist wars and capitalist exploitation.

This struggle is being organized against very dangerous logics and theories that attempt to disarm the labor-popular forces, to place obstacles in the way of the class

struggle.

It is mainly the theory of “individual responsibility” that is being systematically cultivated by the government, the state, the large employers that consider that the individual is exclusively responsible for the protection of public health, simply to hide the huge state deficiencies and inadequacies.

It is also about the irrational and metaphysical conspiracy theories, mainly far-right in origin, that deny the existence of the virus and the pandemic. These theories are advertised by various mechanisms of the system to entrap people who are concerned and worried. They are also utilized by the government as a convenient enemy, in order to provoke and sack the just and necessary demands of the movement.

Above all, however, it is the poisonous logic of “national unity” being cultivated by the government, the bourgeois parties and capital, calling on the people to put their struggles and their demands “in quarantine” so we all “get through this adventure together”, giving free rein to their hypocritical bourgeois ethic. With this logic, not only the government of ND, but also the representative of the sinful and fallen social democracy in Greece today, SYRIZA, stands out, calling for a new “social contract”, a “radical realism”, essentially a class “peace” of the subjugation of labor power to capital.

The KKE, with its struggle during this period proved that the class struggle can be adapted, however, it is not suspended under any circumstances. Besides, the KKE, the KNE, the class labor movement, the unions that rally with PAME, proved throughout this period that they can wage a struggle, while observing the requisite protective measures for the people, under pandemic conditions like today.

The celebration of this year’s Workers’ May Day, the Days of Action for workers in retail and trade, tourism, the means of transport, etc., the dozens of political events, such as the large cultural events of the 46th KNE-Odigitis Festival, with its exemplary observance of the health protocols and the disobedience towards the hypocritical prohibitions of the bourgeois state

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“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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are such proof, that the class struggle can find ways to open up shining paths, that can be the leader of of expression, even under prohibitive conditions, us- the struggle, in the social alliance, to take matters ing original forms of struggle. till their final end, that is, the decisive victory of the Not for one moment did we back down facing re- working people against the dictatorship of the mopression, the anti-labor laws of violence, the prohi- nopolies, to lead the peoples to a new society free bition of demonstrations, and the restriction of the from the exploitation of man by man. right to strike. Because “mouths with masks” showed that they have a strong voice which is not covered up, nor silenced, no matter how many obstacles they put in their way.

As a famous Greek song says, in this way “need becomes history”… The necessity of breaking the vicious circle of contradictions of a system which cannot satisfy the essential rights and needs This organized “disciplined” disobedience of the vast majority of the people, while at the same against the anti-labor repressive measures, both- time, the rise in productivity and the development ered and is bothering the bourgeois state, because of technology and science, create the conditions for it revealed the great virtues of the working class, of leaps and the radical improvement and tackling of social problems. the organized people.

It shows even more vividly today how the organization of the economy based on capitalist profit, the power in the hands of a social minority, that is, the representatives of the monopoly groups, becomes an obstacle to social progress and prosperity. Evidence has accumulated that demonstrates the urgent need for socialism-communism, that is, of

The element of “our own discipline” demon- workers’ power, for the establishment of social ownstrates the vanguard role that must and can only be ership, of central scientific planning of the economy, played by the Communist Party as the leader of its with the criterion being the expanded satisfaction of class, the only Party that can rely on scientific facts, all social needs.

The element of disobedience, the continuation of the struggle under whatever conditions, shows us the path that all of the Communist and Workers’ Parties must consistently follow, based on our program and our strategic goal, with internationalism as our weapon.

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German Communist Party

Capitalist economic crisis and “coronavirus” crisis

What is often referred to by the ruling media as 51 the “coronavirus crisis” is in fact, regardless of the pandemic, the world’s deepest economic crisis for at least one hundred years. It is a cyclical crisis of overproduction combined with structural crises in various economic sectors, with the coronavirus pandemic and related government action adding a special feature to this crisis.

One peculiarity could be that the pandemic has led to the fact that the crisis processes worldwide have become more closely linked in time than it would have been the case without it, and that they have therefore taken effect more quickly. In this context, government action or the actions of corporations and banks are designed to use the coronavirus pandemic to justify measures that benefit the economic and political interests of the ruling class.

This is also reflected in the lockdown measures in Germany. A consistent lockdown of all non-essential processes would have been quite appropriate.

But it was not implemented in Germany. With the exception of a few corporations with direct, major state influence, such as Deutsche Bahn and Lufthansa, direct influence in the direction of a lockdown was avoided. Orders to close down companies were only issued when a scandal could not be covered up, such as in the meat industry. Even there, however, operations were not completely shut down. And the epidemic spread particularly violently there, because unbearable working conditions, especially for migrants, had been existing there for decades. Not much will change in the future, however, and there are already loopholes in the new legislation, as it only applies to large companies, which can now be split into smaller ones in order to escape the new regulations, which is already happening. Other sectors, such as the automotive industry, have used and continue to use the extended short-time working regulations with state funding of wage replacement benefits to mitigate the consequences of the crisis and secure their profits. In Germany, short-time work is understood to be a regulation under which entrepreneurs can, under certain conditions, reduce the working hours – and thus the wages – of their workers entirely or partially if, for example, orders are lacking, in order to avoid dismissals. The workers then receive a state benefit, the short-time work allowance. Since this amounts to only 60 % (67 % for workers with children) of net wages, workers suffer a considerable loss of pay, even though there are collective bargaining agreements in some areas for partial top-up payments. Although the short-time work allowance was temporarily increased during

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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the pandemic, this does not compensate for the loss of income in any way.

not have their own IT equipment, and who may not be able to receive assistance with distance learning.

The German government’s economic stimulus There is no special support for such families at all, packages on the occasion of the “coronavirus crisis”, the schools are poorly staffed, and all of this is now which amount to hundreds of billions of euros, are becoming particularly evident once again. measures to secure the profits of large corporations, We demand more money for education, more including those in the armament industry. By the staff, smaller classes, one school for all, no privatizaway, only a minority of wage earners are employed tions. in these corporations. The working people receive But the increasing economic exploitation is only only a small part of these funds, and pay with loss one part of the class struggle from above. The ruling of income, loss of employment, or short-time work. class is also concerned with dismantling democratAt the same time, the associations of the capital de- ic and social rights. The provisions of the Working mand a reduction of the minimum wage, cuts in so- Hours Act have already been undermined. Capital cial spending, tax cuts for companies. The class strug- associations are demanding the erosion of protecgle from above is fought with all its rigor: millions of tion against dismissal, more fixed-term contracts, people are on short-time work, yet the number of the dismantling of the rights of workers’ councils. people officially registered as unemployed has ris- The right to demonstrate has been restricted with en to over 6 percent. This means that in Germany, the justification of health protection. However, its at present, about a quarter of the salaried employ- restoration after the pandemic will certainly not be a ees are on short-time work, about 20 percent are in matter of course, and tough fights will be necessary. precarious employment, and 6 percent are unemThe pandemic situation also demonstrated once ployed, the latter figure being the official one; the again that the EU is an instrument of imperialist exactual number of unemployed is much higher. ploitation, especially by German imperialism. CounHowever, the policy of financial support for large tries such as Italy and Spain received no support corporations shows that in the Federal Republic of whatsoever. On the contrary, when medical supplies Germany, money is indeed available, but also for were urgently needed in Italy, Germany imposed whom it is available and for whom it is not. It is the an export ban. This country, most affected by the task of the Communists to bring this into the con- coronavirus epidemic, received support from China, sciousness of the working class and all laborers. They Cuba, and Russia, but not from the EU. The meamust counter the ideology of an alleged social part- sures adopted by the EU in the meantime are also nership – all supposedly fighting together against mainly aimed at stabilizing the financial system for the virus – and make it clear that “There is no WE in the benefit of the strong EU countries. the class state!”

Increased armament and militarization are also In the rich country of Germany, the health system being pushed forward in the shadow of the panwas in no way prepared for the situation, although demic. Further armament programs, the support of scenarios of a far-reaching epidemic had long been armament companies as part of the economic stimconsidered likely. The rampant privatization and ulus packages, but also getting used to the deployprofit orientation has been at the expense of both ment of the German Armed Forces at home under the employees and the patients. Even the money the pretext of fighting the pandemic are all part of that flooded into the healthcare system in the face this. Even if the U.S. large-scale Defender 2020 maof the coronavirus epidemic has not been used to neuver, which was supported by other NATO states, improve the infrastructure, but to secure profits. including the Federal Republic of Germany, was reThe German communists therefore say: Health duced because of the coronavirus pandemic, this must not be a commodity; all health care facilities by no means ends the ongoing policy of encircling must be returned to public ownership. Health is a the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of fundamental right.

China. On the contrary, anti-Russian and anti-ChiAlso, the education system in Germany was not nese propaganda continues to grow. Every opportuprepared for the pandemic situation. The conse- nity is taken to tighten sanctions. quences were passed on to the parents, the chilThis year, the DKP has started a collection of sigdren, and the teachers. The pandemic aggravates natures for the lifting of all sanctions, including those social exclusion, and the consequences are particu- against Russia, China, Venezuela, Cuba, and Syria. larly dramatic for children from poor families who do We demand peace with China and Russia – let’s IB Special Edition

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leave NATO!

rialism for their own strengthening. This also plays a 53 Internationally, German imperialism is counting role when it comes to dealing with the Russian Fedon NATO integration on the one hand, consciously eration, as can be observed in the treatment of the embracing the role of a junior partner to US imperi- North Stream 2 pipeline project. alism, while supporting the aggressive NATO strateThe handling of the pandemic and the global gy of military encirclement of the People’s Republic economic crisis show more than clearly: capitalism is of China and the Russian Federation. On the other not able to solve the problems of the working peohand, it is banking on the EU under its leadership, ple even in the slightest. It becomes quite obvious competing in this respect with French imperialism. that a planned economy and socialization of the The EU serves as a hinterland for its own strength- basic means of production are necessary, in short: a ening and as an economic competitor to US impe- socialist development. The successes of the People’s rialism.

Republic of China, Vietnam, and Cuba in combatNATO integration, EU leadership, and its own ing the pandemic once again demonstrate the sustrengthening also lead to contradictions, including periority of socialist development. To make such a those between different capital factions in Germany. development possible, that is, revolutionary changes As to US imperialism’s economically aggressive pol- toward socialism, a broad alliance against the moicy toward the People’s Republic of China, parts of nopoly capital is necessary. This is not possible withthe capital and its government are divided because out a strong communist party. In this respect, we still they need economic relations with the People’s Re- have a lot of work to do. public of China in their competition with US impe-

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Hungarian Workers’ Party

Hungary: The Future Belongs to Us

2020 was a difficult year for the Hungarian Workers’ Party (HWP). After 2019, when the HWP actively participated in the elections to the European Parliament and in the municipal elections in Hungary, the party needs to have some breathing space and update its political and human resources.

The 27th Congress of the HWP, held in 2018, adopted the party’s building program “For a strong Hungarian Workers’ Party!” Complex political processes in 2019 suspended the implementation of this program. In October 2019, the Central Committee of the HWP decided to resume work on the implementation of this program.

COVID-19 caused great difficulties in the life of the HWP. We had to cancel many meetings and political events. There were also difficulties in internal party communication. The HWP was isolated from workers due to restrictive measures imposed by the government.

Nevertheless, the HWP has survived the first wave of the COVID-19 and continues its work during the second wave.

1.

CorreCt assessment of the situation is neCessary for making right deCisions

In its work, the HWP paid great attention to the correct assessment of the current stage of development of capitalism in Hungary.

We consider that the epidemic clearly demonstrated - the values of capitalism, based on he pursuit of profit and individualism, do not allow society to mobilize all resources to fight the virus.

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stand this pressure, resulting in numerous human that possibility. Capitalist forces are fighting for new 55 casualties. The difficulties and collapse of the health markets. NATO and the EU are trying to go East, but system are related to the social security policies that here they face Russia’s ambitions. were subordinated to the interests of capital.

The struggle within the EU continues. The quesThe political system of a capitalist country, based tion of whether the EU will be transformed into a on a multi-party parliamenti system, did not allow supranational European state or the EU will become for timely decision-making. In many countries, the an organization of strong national states has not problem of the epidemic has become a matter of been decided yet. struggle between the government and the opposiWe do not know whether international capital can tion. mobilise enough financial and other means to preThe moral crisis of Western capitalist societies hindered the effective fight against the epidemic.

vent social conflicts. But social conflicts are on the agenda in any case.

The situation in Hungary has shown some specific elements. The Hungarian health system did not collapse. During the years of socialism, a comprehensive health care system was created, open to all. And despite the fact that the capitalist forces have repeatedly tried to destroy this system, they have not been able to do it completely.

We have recently witnessed an increase in strike activity by postal workers, which is a new element.

There is a growing general discontent among those employed in the tourism sector, guides, translators, and hotel workers. People are starting to see the negative effects of capitalism’s response to COVID-19.

The capitalist government took many measures to help the population. And this was done not out of humanism, but in order to prevent any mass discontent, any actions directed against the capitalist system. But people accept any help and do not think about what the real goals of the capitalist government are.

Ideological manipulation is carried out with full force under slogans: “Every Hungarian is responsible for every Hungarian! We will not leave a single Hungarian in trouble!” These slogans affect people.

And we should note one more point. Trade unions were very passive during this period.

We also concluded that inspite of the negative consequences of the COVID-19 and the economic crisis for the population there is not revolutionary situation in any European countries now, including Hungary.

The 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth prompted us to analyze the experience of our party. In particular, we concluded that the class struggle against capital is still at a low level in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. But the situation is changing.

The peoples of the region lived under socialism, they know how it was. More and more people are realizing that while capitalism has brought a lot of new things to their lives, it has also destroyed a lot of things: security, predictability of the future, and social solidarity. Moreover, capitalism - and this is true not only for former socialist countries - destroys universal values.

But we stress that criticism of capitalism and accusations against the EU and NATO are growing everywhere. There are many people who are disillusioned with capitalism.

It is no accident that it is in these countries that capitalist forces are making the greatest efforts to manipulate the masses. They protect the stability of the economies using state-capitalist methods and prevent the capitalist crisis from generating uncontrollable social conflicts. All this is combined with the ideological tools of nationalism, religion, and anti-communism.

There are many uncertain points. We don’t know if there will be a war in Europe, but we can’t rule out

2.

soCialism demonstrated its superiority

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Socialist countries, mainly China, Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, Laos, were able to resist COVID-19 more effectively and successfully than capitalist countries. This is because socialism serves not the interests of capital, but the interests of the people.

On August 19, the HWP organised an important political and cultural event dedicated to the anniversary of the Foundation of the Hungarian state. This event allowed the HWP to express its commitment to the national history of Hungary and confirm that The HWP showed the achievements of socialist the HWP is a communist party, an opposition party, countries in the fight against COVID-19 and mobi- and a party fighting for the interests of the Hungarlized people to express solidarity with the working ian people. masses of these countries.

The HWP took active part in almost all early local elections. We demonstrated to the public opin3. solidarity with healthCare workers, Cam- ion that the HWP is alive and continues to fight. The best result was achieved in Karcag, a city with a poppaign for solidarity tax ulation of 20,000 people. The candidate of the HWP The HWP launched political campaign criticisin the early elections for the post of mayor of the ing the government’s profit-oriented measures in city won 10 percent. connection with COVID-19. The HWP demanded The HWP started the preparation for the parthat the government impose a solidarity tax on billionaires. The party expressed its solidarity with the liamentary elections of 2022. The HWP wants to have its own candidates in most of the single-memstruggle of medical workers. ber constituencies and to have its own national list The representatives of the HWP in local councils for the single nationwide constituency. took active part in local efforts to help the elderly. They served as volunteers to deliver supplies to 5. the hwp Continued its fight against schools and social service centers.

nato and eu.

4.

the reorganisation of normal party work

The GRP condemned the Hungarian government’s decision to increase military spending and We decided that we should guarantee the normal buy German Leopard tanks and US missiles. work of the HWP at all costs. We had to cancel a The HWP rejected the intervention of US ambaslot of events, but we tried to maintain daily contact sador David Cornstein in Hungary’s affairs, underling with all the party’s activists. We have introduced new forms of work, including teleconferences, video in- that he is an Ambassador to a sovereign country terviews etc. People had the opportunity to learn which is proud of its independence and not a Governor in a banana republic. the party’s position on every day of the epidemic.

After three months of isolation the HWP organised its first political demonstration in Budapest on July 4, 2020 to pay tribute to Janos Kadar, the leader of socialist Hungary, and to

The HWP criticized EU decisions regarding the EU-countermeasures against COVID-19. They do not serve the interests of the working people. They are focused on relocation of enormous financial resources in the interests of BigCapital.

6.

solidarity with Communist parties

The HWP paid great attention to the strengthening of the communist and workers’ movement.

The HWP supported the initiative to hold the 22nd IMCWP in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 2021 taking into consideration the extraordinary situation caused by COVID-19. The HWP welcomed the 75th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

mobilize the people under the new circumstances.

The HWP expressed its solidarity with the Communist Party of China in the fight against the political and ideological attacks of imperialist forces against the People’s Republic of China and espeIB Special Edition

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cially the Communist Party of China. We underlined that China demonstrated to the world that it is possible to win the war against pandemic by mobilising all the internal resources of the society.

The HWP expressed its solidarity with the Communist Party of Belarus and condemned any foreign interference in the internal affairs of Belarus. The HWP welcomed the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko as President of Belarus and expressed its firm conviction that Belarus has done much for the

welfare of the working people and the sovereignty 57 of Belarus over the past 24 years.

We supported the initiative of the CP of Greece to demonstrate to the workers of Europe that we are alive; we are working, and we are on the side of the working masses. We participated in the Initiative teleconference.

The HWP expressed its solidarity with the fight of the CP of Turkey on the 100th Anniversary of the Foundation of the TKP.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Iraqi Communist Party

Iraq marks first anniversary of popular uprising

Tens of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets in Baghdad and several other provinces on 1st and 25th October 2020 to mark the first anniversary of the Popular Uprising that shook the foundations of the corrupt political system. Despite succeeding in overthrowing the government and forcing the ruling groups to succumb to the demand for early elections, other demands for radical reform and change remain unfulfilled. Key among the demands is investigating the killing of more than 700 young protesters and bringing the criminals to justice.

The all-encompassing structural crisis gripping Iraq, on political, economic and social levels, that led to the eruption of the Uprising on 1st October 2019, continues. It has been further aggravated in recent months by the coronavirus pandemic and the financial crisis caused by the fall in world oil prices. The country relies heavily on oil revenues which make up more than 90 percent of its budget.

The essence of the deepening crisis lies in the policies pursued by the ruling

political blocs that continue to perpetuate the sectarian-ethnic quota system (‘Muhasasa’) that was installed after the US invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003.

Rampant corruption and plundering public money have been endemic features of this political system.

Among other grave challenges is the growing role of militia-type armed formations and organized crime, undermining the state’s sovereignty and its ability to assert the rule of law. The relationship between the federal government and the Kurdistan regional government also continue to be fraught with tension. The terrorist ISIS, that had suffered a big military defeat three years ago, has been rearing its ugly head again in some areas.

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Many political forces continue to rely on external support, opening the door to regional and international interference in Iraq’s in internal affairs, serving foreign agendas and interests. This situation threatens to turn Iraq into a battlefield to settle scores at the expense of its own independence, national sovereignty and people’s interests.

All these factors have contributed to deepening the political deadlock and social tensions and polarization. The gap between extreme affluence and abject poverty has deepened, with high unemployment especially among the youth who have lost faith in the ability of the ruling blocs to offer solutions to the chronic problems and crises bedevilling the society.

As a result, Iraq has witnessed over many years, especially since February 2011, various protest movements. Popular anger exploded in a heroic Uprising on 1st October 2019, on a scale unprecedented for many decades in the country’s modern history. Mass demonstrations and sit-ins were met with bloody repression, resulting in more than 700 protesters killed and thousands injured. It demonstrated the burning desire of the people, especially the youth, for change and getting rid of the existing corrupt and sectarian political system, to build a better life and achieve a secure and prosperous future.

The previous government led by Adel Abdul-Mehdi failed to respond to the demands of the peaceful protesters, resorting instead to brutal repression and giving militias a free hand to kill, kidnap and torture young protesters and civil activists. After a horrific massacre committed by security forces in the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, he was forced to resign in late November 2019, but continued to govern in a caretaker capacity. After 6 months of deadlock, fierce disagreements and infighting and among the ruling political blocs, the parliament approved an interim government headed by a new Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and endorsed its programme on 6 June 2020.

interim government The new government of PM Kadhimi was formed,

amid enormous challenges, to undertake several 59 tasks that respond to the demands of the protesters and the majority of the people. Its programme included a number of these tasks: investigating the killings of protesters and bringing the criminal to justice, early elections, investigating corruption cases, tackling the coronavirus pandemic, and tackling urgent economic and social issues to alleviate the suffering of the people. In addition, the interim government is facing a host of measures that are required to bring about a radical change to the whole political system, reforming the state and purging its institutions of corrupt elements.

The military and security institution must be reformed and rebuilt to enable it to carry out its duties as stipulated by the constitution. It must not be involved in narrow political infighting and the sectarian quota system.

Militias and armed formations that undermine the state must be disbanded.

us-iran Consensus However, the approval of Kadhimi’s nomination was a result of an America-Iranian consensus and came as a compromise among the dominant ruling blocs. He has been made to play the role of a mediator, i.e. helping, through his relationship with the Americans, to prevent them from targeting pro-Iranian militias. On the other hand, the Shiite political groups want Kadhimi to help placate the protest movement and contain the popular anger.

The Americans were hoping that new prime minister can undertake some measures that would curtail Iran’s direct interference in Iraq and move to lower the country’s reliance on Iranian gas and electricity imports.

This precarious equation, with all parties concerned, whether internal or external, exerting pressure to ensure that the interim government serves their agendas or prevent it from threatening their interests, has led to vacillation in its measures.

esCalating protests In the face of these pressures, the interim gov-

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ernment is also subjected to popular pressures through escalating protests, demanding that it takes concrete steps to fulfil the pledges made in its programme. In the forefront of these demands is to reveal the identity of those responsible for killing the protesters, and those who gave the orders, and bringing them to justice. Big corruption cases must be firmly dealt with, and effective steps be taken to control arms and act against militias and armed groups that undermine the authority of the state.

Despite pledges to provide protection for the protesters and activists and ensure freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration, the authorities have done little to stop the killings and kidnappings of civil activists, as well as attacks on sit-ins of protesters in Baghdad and other provinces.

During recent weeks, protests have escalated on various issues, including demonstrations by hundreds of unemployed graduates and engineers in Baghdad. The acute and endemic electricity and poor services have also continued to prompt protests.

Coronavirus pandemiC One other main cause of mounting popular anger is the deterioration of health services and the deep concern that hospitals are losing control as coronavirus cases surge. According to the Health Ministry, by 30th October 2020 the total number of cases was 470,633 and the death toll from the infectious virus increased to 10,862. Iraq is now the second worsthit country in the Middle East, after Iran, for Covid-19 cases.

early eleCtions The interim government declared that early elections will take place on 6 June 2021. Early elections, that are fair and credible, was a principal demand of the October Uprising and the protesters. It is seen as a principal constitutional means for peaceful democratic change. However, this requires reforming the whole electoral system. Among these prerequisites is a just Election Law and an Electoral Commission that is truly independent. Electoral campaigns must be strictly regulated, with proper control of the money spent by electoral blocs and candidates.

Any political entity that has an armed formation or militia must be banned from participating in the elections. In additions, there has to be effective supervision of the elections by the UN. The dominant blocs in parliament, however, have recently passed an amended Election Law that is designed to serve their interests. Another factor is the fact that the Law for the Federal Court needs to be promulgated and the Court’s composition be completed. The corrupt groups in power are trying, once again, to manipulate the electoral system to ensure the perpetuation of their rule. The early election is therefore another arena of fierce political struggle.

The factors that triggered the Uprising on 1st October 2019 continue to exist, as highlighted by the recent mass demonstrations marking its first anniversary. A peaceful mass protest movement is essential to achieve the just demands of the Uprising, defeat the sectarian quota power-sharing system and corruption, and bring about radical change by asserting the will of the people and move towards a democratic civil state, based on citizenship and social

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Communist Party of Kurdistan-Iraq

The humanity pass is on the eve of confronting 61 the threat of the nouvelle CoronaVirus andis also currently going through a sensitive transitional phase that did not begin since the emergence of the virus and its global spread.

For more than two decades, political, economic, and social phenomenahave accumulated quantitatively at the global level.These occurrences have For a more rich, free and open always been the focus of conflict between internationally dominant powers in cooperation with politiworld cal forces at the internal level of a group of countries Kawa Mahmoud working to drive humanity towards policies of retreat, protectionism, and the conflict of civilizations Secretary of the Central Committee of the whilemoving away from shared responsibility.The Communist Party of Kurdistan-Iraq primary issues that concern humanity, such as confronting poverty and pollution, preserving the environment and addressing migration between international and national forces have been neglected.

It is crucial that we promote the notion of shared global responsibility and identifythe risks and challenges to achieve that we are currently facing in order to achieve common development.

The emergence of the delinquent virus to humanity contributed to exposing the forces that work against the shared global responsibility.The contradictions in the world began to appear in front of the global public opinion in a vivid way. This allowed global citizens to question whether their governments in regards to being the epicenter of global civilization while being unable to face the risks,provide aid to their population. The tendency of governments to retreat itselffrom taking serious and necessary preventive health measures whilefollowinga path of dealing with risks and disasters in according with the free market mechanisms has increased the risks and further destabilized the situation.

The new painting contest the contradictions that exists and is providing an alternative which includes serious research in regards to defining its features and manifestations to progress towards a new stage.

This new path must be different from the predecessors where the current aim should be defined by drawing fundamental features and assigning tasks that benefit societies and results in common victory.

The new panel indicates that the right-wing and conservative forces escape shared responsibility and link the fate of humanity with the mechanisms of neoliberalism, an uncontrolled market economy and the concept of the guardian state where security is only regarded as a military concept. This notion of the right-wing and conservatives neglect health security and international governance by using out-

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dated arguments and muddling logic to establish a false sense of social awareness based on two fundamental factors. The first one is hate speech which intends to isolate China who was a victim of the virus. Trump’s use of the expression “the China Virus” and his tendency to confront this global pandemic without following international guidelines are certain examples. Populism is the second factor which completes hate speech by spreading false information based on conspiracy theories that the Chinese government is responsible for the spread of the epidemic.

Right-wing forces have not abandoned their ideological weapons of denouncing government interference and the responsibility to fund public health because they perceive government intervention as a policy of totalitarian states that violate human rights.

The current international approach to the epidemic since its emergence has highlighted that capitalist health care policy is not capable of dealing with pandemics. Diagnosing and studying cases and phenomena are still a process in progress and they are associated with humanity’s endeavor to confront the epidemic I believe that all the left and progressive parties and groups that take into consideration the common destiny of mankind must first contribute within their own national borders in devising constructive means to reduce risks and reduce losses by taking advantage of the successes achieved by the Chinese experience in dealing with the epidemic. This can be done by sharing successful experiences and working together in order to study the political, economic, social and cultural repercussions at the national level and its relation to international responsibility and the possibility of achieving it.

In crystallizing what the new situation might be, the following points must be indicated in order to participate seriously and to continue research in regards to them: ‣‣ The current contradictions are an expression of the depth of the current capitalist system’s crisis and its periodic crises. The question is whether the problem of capitalist modernity and nihilism is associated with the postmodern view. It is important to acknowledge that the current situation will not be the end of history. While the current neoliberal model cannot renew itself, it is important that we formulate a new concept to modernity in which we deal with today’s problems in accordance to socialist principles. This is defined by prosperity, common victory and destiny of mankind as well as finding

convincing and practical answers to urgent questions that are proposed by life especially in regards to environmental preservation, poverty, and migration. ‣‣ An other question that we need to ask ourselves is whether the current global system and its existing international bodies are able to achieve certain goals. There is a major imbalance within the international system that existed before the spread of the pandemic. The failure of the current unipolar system in regards to (America-Europe) leading the world based on European centrality is part of them problem. The world requires a new global order that has the capacity to secure principles of joint cooperation. ‣‣ The new situation resulting from the position of indifference in regards to what happened in Italy and the failure of the EU to provide aidas well as Britain’s exit from the Union before established the question whether the EU’s positions is practical and efficient ‣‣ The current global economic power structure with the cessation of global manufacturing/trade as well as the drop of oil prices on the other side are problems caused by the current capitalistic system.

This has resulted into an economic crisis where the working class particularly in developing countries have been hit. It is important that a new campaign manifests against these activities in which marginalized groups have fallen victim. ‣‣ The increase in the ongoing conflict between the forces calling for a globalization based on the common destiny of mankind and the achievement of a well-off society through common victory, must be in adherence to international governance in all fields, including global health governance, especially after the failure of health policies in the European Union countries due to their subjection to mechanisms. The uncontrolled market economy, and the forces that call for protectionism, isolation, retreat, and self-sufficiency are distancing themselves from discussing issues of international character, such as the issue of migration, preservation of the environment, and international responsibility for human health. ‣‣ Sustainable development at the national level is crucially important and this means that governments must participate in development and perform its economic and social functions by providing job and investment opportunities and combating poverty, and guaranteeing a form of general social security in the face of disasters and epidemics. This situation creates a great challenge for failed counIB Special Edition

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tries, especially the Middle East countries that witness a problem in the state’s structure, including Iraq, which depends on the renter economyat a time when the price of oil is falling sharply. ‣‣ In conclusion ... we are witnessing a new phase of contradictions and conflicts at the national and international levels, and the quantitative ac-

cumulations that we have mentioned have not yet 63 turned into qualitative shifts. However, we can do this through the national and international struggle to activate the strength of the human spirit and its success in the face of danger, and the struggle for a richer, freer and more open world.

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Tudeh Party of Iran

The Struggle of the Working Class and People of Iran against Dictatorship in the Context of the Economic and COVID-19 Crises

The outbreak of COVID-19 disease(novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2) in the final days of 2019,and its spread thereafter,came at a time when capitalism had not yet recovered from the 2008 financial crisis and was hurtlingtowards a new economic crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged global capitalism into a much broader and deeper crisis. It tested the resilience of the political, economic, and social structures of all countries. Objective studies already undertaken prove beyond doubt that, despite all excuses, those countries with weaker public health and shacky social provision failed to protect their population, and it was the working class and vulnerable communitieswho suffered most. Iran, under the theocratic regime, is a case in point.

Iran is going through major socio-economic and political crises, while tens of thousands have lost their lives in the COVID-19 pandemic due to the irresponsible and criminal policies of the dictatorial theocratic regime.

According to the most recentofficial statistics announced bythe Islamic Republic of Iran (30October 2020), more than 605,000 people have been infected with COVID-19and 34,478have died as a result, from a population of around 83 million. On 30 October,a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health confirmed that 5,128 patients with COVID-19 are being treated in ICUs (intensive care units). However, health practitioners working on the ground in Iran have stated that the true figures for the dead are at least 2.5 times more than the official government figures. Unfortunately, after India (with a population of 1.38 billion), Iran has the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Asia.

On 18 September, Iran’s deputy health minister announced that if a third wave of coronaviruswas not prevented, the death toll couldrise to 45,000. The authorities have now confirmed that the country is in fact in the grip of a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 20 October, Dr Saeed Namaki, Minister of Health, admitted that some government departments have in fact openly disregarded COVID-19-specific protocols. He warned that without an immediate and urgent course of action on the part of the officials, the country could enter a “Black Hole” [i.e. be facing a catastrophe].Most COVID-19 victims in Iran are from theworking class and poorest strata. Furthermore, more than6,000 doctors, nurses, medical practitioners,and paramedics have been diagnosed with the virus and at least 200 of them have lost their lives while serving the people.

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After three decades of pursuing neoliberal economic policiesby the I.R. ofIran, there is nowhardly any capacity for managing crises such as this and there has been little, if any,contingency planningwithrespect tohuman resources, medical infrastructure and equipment, and theimplementationof emergency strategies. In addition to corruption and the ideologically orientated crisis management by the regime officials and the reactionary clergy, another major factor in this crisis is theabsence of a “national health system” in Iran.This is because health provision has been deliberately fashioned to followthemantrasof neoliberaleconomics andcommodifiedaccording to the law of the “free market”supply and demand.

negleCt and deCeption By regime offiCials in dealing with Covid-19 and the CatastrophiC Conse-

standard, there are only 1.01 nurses and 1.5 doctors 65 per thousand in Iran, puttingimmense pressure on existing services and leading to a drasticreduction of provisions and servicesat the current critical time.

According to specificreports and statisticspublished bythe Iranian Nursing Authority, thesituation of the medical staff, especially nurses,is woeful.

In an attempt to cover up its incompetence in managing the pandemic, the Iranian government is instead blaming people who do not follow the contradictory and haphazard recommendations of government officials and bodies.No wonder that in Iran, the level of public confidence in the theocratic dictatorship is low.People’s experience has shown them that the regime is devoid ofpolicy aligned withthe interests ofsociety and that the main purpose of its “crisis management” is to protect and extendits own survival.

QuenCes for the lives of working people

Outbreaks of serious diseases, such as COVID-19, are disastrous for the working class and toiling masses and have a devastating effect on their livelihoods mainly because of unemployment and lack of income support. It is noteworthy that while publichospitalsand medical centres are under severe pressure due to their limited resources, private hospitals are openly The regime attempts to put on a facade of normality while Iran is devastated by the spread of COVID-19.

Nurses protest their conditions of service, the imposition of temporary contracts, and non-payment of wages, summer 2020. Over 200 doctors and nurses are believed to have died in the line of duty combatting COVID-19.

refusing to admit COVID-19patients- and some have even laid offtheir medical staff due to “financial problems”. There are currently around 50,000 unemployed, ready-to-serve nurses in Iran. While having three nurses and three or four doctors per thousand people is the minimum international

From the time the arrival of the virus in Iran was first announced, the regime’spriorities- such as the anniversary of the ‘79 Revolution on 10 February, and the parliamentary elections on 21 Februarytook precedence over the impositionof lockdown in the first two infected provinces of Qom and Gilan. President Rouhani, amidst growing anger and popular protest, declared the situation to be normal,while the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,labelled COVID-19,and its anticipateddangers,a “conspiracy of the enemy”.

At a time when the COVID-19 virus outbreak was widespread in China, Mahan Airline- which is controlled by the regime’s IslamicRevolutionary Guards Corps- continued flying to and from China, includingthe virus-infected parts of that country. In Iran, religious ritualscontinued and gathering of crowds was not prohibited. On the orders of Ayatollah Khamenei, the regime’s leaders deliberately denied theincidenceof COVID-19and acted contrary to the

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recommendations of the World Health Organisation in those crucial weeks at the onset of the pandemic.

False and misleading messages, as well as logistical delays, on the part of the regime - including President Rouhani himself - caused cynicism, mistrust, panic, and inappropriate behaviour by some Iranian citizens, mainly among the higher strata of the society, while the working people had to make every effort to make a living in the absence of any publichealth and income support. The Iranian regime even hesitated to use some of its reserve funds in the National Development Fund of Iran (NDFI) in fighting the pandemic and when it was forced to do so, the scope of its use was very questionable and unclear, and even the Minister of Health said he would refuse to take responsibility for it usage.

As nurses, doctors, and paramedics were dying of COVID-19in the country’s hospitals, President Rouhani made a televised address after attending the first meeting of the National Anti-CoronavirusCommand Centre.There he stated that: “It [COVID-19] is a conspiracy by our enemies to shut down the country through the spread of great fear in the society.”

In late-April, President Rouhani announced the lifting of social restrictions thereby exposing the regime’s approach to the pandemic, favouring a restart of the economy even at the cost of a high number of pandemic victims,rather than contending with popular uprisings of the hungry masses.Our Party has clearly and continuously exposed the regime’s dangerous ployof not heeding the recommendations of health officials and experts and prioritising security considerations, not banning large gatherings in religious rituals and ceremonies, and pushing a full restartof the country’s economywithout any income support for the working people-sending all workers and employees back to work in unsafe conditions where personal protective equipment were scarce or didn’t exist. In these respects, the policies of the Islamicregimeof Iran are akin to those of the Trump administration in the US, Boris Johnson in the UK, and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has also exposed the inhumane nature of world monopoly capitalism and how its political forces put profit and the interests of capital before people’s welfare and how the reallocation of resources was primarily aimed at safeguarding corporations. According to a report by Washington Post on 5 May 2020, five large US companies paid more than $700 million in dividends to their shareholders, while tens of thousands of theirworkers were losing their jobs. This was also at a time

when the US senate allocated more than$3 trillion dollars to safeguard the interests of big monopolies such as Boeing.

We need fundamental change to keep the people safe

From the very beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Tudeh Party of Iran has raised to the top of its list of priorities the issue of informing the public about the dangerous virus and ways to prevent its spread – per international standards -by means of regular and responsible communications, as well as focussing onthe particular threats facing the working class of the country.Through examining the performance of countries such as China, Vietnam, and Cuba,which have been able to limit and control the spread of the virus in a short period of time, and with relatively negligible human casualties, while safeguarding the livelihood of the people, we stated that the “solution” lies in “scientific and knowledge-based struggle” and that this would not be possible without the country’s health and disease prevention beingnationalised and returned to the public-social sphere. “The important thing is that fulfilling this vital duty cannot be expected from an anti-people government like the one in power [in Iran], but can only be realised by a national-democratic government.”

We specifically stated to the working people of the country that: “Alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, the anti-people policies of the current theocratic regime have endangered the livelihood, health, and lives of the workers and all the working people.”

In its Nowruz [Iranian New Year] message to the Iranian people, the Central Committee of our Party statedon 16 March: “The policy of years of disregard for the country’s health system and failure to allocate the necessary resources inthe vital field of public health, while providing billions of dollars to religious institutions that are actually in the pocket of the regime’s leaders, has created a serious and immediate life-threatening danger to a large number of working people in the current very critical situation.” It added: “The result of the strategy of combining religion, state policies, and neoliberal economicswithin the structureof a theocratic regime,has created a destructive phenomenon to which the Tudeh Party of Iran has always pointedas having an anti-people, anti-national, and anti-democratic essence. This phenomenon will block the possibility of fundamental changes in our country and will create and give rise to destructive super-crises.”

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Four decades after the February 1979Revolution, with the domination of “Political Islam” in the country, the fundamental demands of the people remain unfulfilled, including the establishment of democratic freedomsand rights and the creation of a ‘National Health System’run in the interests of development and progress of the country. In contrast, with the accumulation of huge private and quasi-private capital, an extremely unjust political economy has come into being,under the shadow of theocratic dictatorship, in favour of the higher tiers ofthe bourgeoisie and their immense fortunes.

Extensive privatisation over the last three decades, following the implementation of neoliberal policies prescribed by the International Monetary Fund, has led to a situation where there aremajor shortcomings to the process of removing the shroud of poverty spread across much of the population and curbing the onset and spread of COVID-19 in Iran.

While it has become clear worldwide that the way to fight natural disasters such as COVID-19 cannot be based on submitting to the interests of big businessand private capital, President Rouhani (in his Nowruz address) stated that: “The second wing [of the economy] is our private sector… It must come onto the scene together with the government and other institutions to make [the new year] the year of health and employment.” This meansthe continuation of the same old neoliberal programmes hoping to create economic growth based on the enrichment of a small group of privileged elites, which undoubtedly will exacerbate poverty and entailssocio-economic disaster,and ensuresunchecked growth of the COVID-19 contagion!

The people of our country are caught between a rock and a hard place;the dictatorship and its grossly unjust political economy on the one hand, and the inhumane sanctions imposed by US imperialism on the other.

Workers at the Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane Complex take action during their 84-day-long strike, summer 2020... Workers were protesting against privatisation, woeful terms and conditions, lack of trade union rights, and non-payment of wages.

The theocratic regime has proven that it is unable 67 to eliminate, reduce, or even contain the terrible economic blows inflicted onthe working people of Iran.

The Tudeh Party of Iran has warned that, in parallel with the continuingsurge of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran and associated deaths, another humanitarian catastrophe looms in the form of a tsunami of unemployment and even further widespread poverty. In addition, specialist agencies monitoring the well-being of vulnerable sections of the society have confirmed that COVID-19 hasdisproportionately affected working-class women, especially increasing their exposure to domestic violence and abuse, and economic marginalisation.The Tudeh Party of Iran believes that while the current theocratic regime of Supreme Religious Leaderremains in power and the neoliberal programmes and economicausterity policies of the regime continue,the current dire economic situation and health crises threatening the very lives of our population will continue. It is only through the coordinated joint struggle of the Iranian working people and working class and its progressive and democratic forces that the regime can be forced into changing course and the ground will be prepared for fundamental democratic changes.

The Tudeh Party of Iran shares the views of the Communist and Workers’ Parties of the world that the fight against COVID-19 must be basedupon the sharing of knowledge and resources and the joint endeavour of medical and healthcare professionals, and specialists in various fields of science and technology, in the spirit and framework of international cooperation and effective crisis management with central planning. The fight against this pandemic should include preventative actionsagainst the profiteers of macroand monopolistic capitalwho are taking advantage of the crisis, as well as support and protection for thehealth and livelihoods ofworking people - including small and medium-sized businesses and the self-employed. Our Party sincerely appreciates the efforts of all medical staff in Iran and other countries around the worldand hopes that with the help of the modernscience and technology and the endeavours of health care experts in each and every country, the best medicines and vaccines and health practiceswill become available to all people,so that this crisis can be overcome with the least possible number of casualties.

Crisis-ridden global capitalism has once more shown that not only is it entirely unfit to deal with crises suchas the current environmental and pandemic crises, but that it in fact itexacerbates them. Another world is possible – a world in which the needs

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of the working people take precedence over the profit of the capital.All our strength should be musteredto build towards such a world.In the aftermath of thecurrent economic, environmental, and health crises, the efforts of the progressive forces must be directed and redoubled against right-wing reaction and fascism, economic neo-liberalism, imperialism, ignorance, obscurantism,and anti-science practices, and for the struggle to makefundamental democratic changes towards a system based on social justice

and peoples’democracy- a socialist society -where human needs and environmental protection take precedence over capital profit.

In the struggle of the people ofIran,making the political transition from the current theocratic dictatorship apparatus to a nationaldemocratic course of development is the first fundamentalstep inpreparationto facilitatefurther fundamental democratic socio-economic changesand to move towardsbuilding a socialist society.

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The Workers’ Party of Ireland

James O’Brien,

Director of Strategy and member of the Central Executive Committee of the Workers’ Party of Ireland

The current pandemic has accelerated trends 69 already present in the evolution of capitalism: the downward pressure on the petit bourgeoisie, the difficulty in finding profitable investments, and the acute pressure on working families to survive in the midst of economic crisis. For the present, both governments in Ireland, north and south, are subsidising the income of workers directly affected by Covid-19 but the ruling class will inevitably attempt to transfer the costs of this onto the proletariat through cuts in public services, privatisations, and increased taxes.

The existing trends of widening inequality, rising geo-political tension, and ecological damage continue and threaten not only the stability of the leading capitalist countries but the future of humanity itself. These three known long-term trends are joined by other crucial factors. Firstly, capitalism is based on unevenness, not only between countries and their ruling classes but between elites within a state.

Acute intra-elite competition, especially within the United States, threatens the stability of their country and given the USA’s position in the international system any instability in the imperial core will have unpredictable consequences for the entire world.

The American ruling class and their acolytes in managerial professions are coalescing into two sharply divided camps: nationalist, and sometimes far-right, populists on the one hand, and pro-globalisation liberals on the other, the latter pushing not only a highly individualistic liberal agenda domestically but advocating unashamed imperialist interventions on an even greater scale than the nationalist-populists.

The two wings represent distinct strategies for capital. It is no surprise that the tech giants like Google and Twitter are firmly in the liberal camp given their own global scale. It appears too that the state managers, particularly in the security apparatus, are concerned that the nationalists will undo the informal but massively dominant US Empire; hence their unprecedented backing of the liberal Democratic Party.

In this struggle between factions of the capitalist elite the working class does not have an interest.

Worse, its influence and strength is at a relatively low point since the advent of industrialisation in the 19th century and in the absence of a strong working class movement, the liberals have increasingly adopted the mantle of “The Left” and have managed to seduce large swathes of socialist minded people to prioritising their agenda. Hence the increasing focus on identity politics throughout the Anglophone

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and power of its own and just as the workers moveMarx said that “The country that is more devel- ment could not halt the drive to war in 1914 it canoped industrially only shows, to the less developed, not stop the ruling class from driving modern society into major social unrest. Our task, then, is not to atthe image of its own future.” tempt the impossible and try to salvage capitalism Marx’s insight applies not only to the economic but to prepare for the serious upheaval that its unstructure of society but to the subsequent social and fettered evolution makes inevitable. political struggles. And in the United States, it is not This is most clearly seen in the increasingly unthe class struggle that dominates political struggle but identity politics, most recently ethnic and racial stable political situation in the imperial core: The struggle. There are obvious historical reasons for this United States of America, which has seen riots, imbut now in Europe we see the emulation of Amer- peachment, manoeuvring by the security apparatus ican radical politics despite the completely differ- to overthrow the president, and threats of civil war ent historical conditions, especially in countries like should the election not turn out to the liking of eiIreland which did not even have national indepen- ther faction. dence let alone overseas colonies.

In the coming years, this combustible situation will be augmented by the ramifications of climate Divisions within the working class and the promotion of identity politics at the expense of both change, the challenge of geo-political rivalry, and the the workers movement and anti-imperialism is difficulty in securing profitable investments. world at the expense of workingclass politics.

now the norm in the Anglosphere left. Thus, western liberals focus on issues of identity but say nothing — or often support — the imperialist onslaughts against the Syrian or Libyan states and even cheer the overthrow of Evo Morales in Bolivia. In effect the CIA have rebranded coup d’etats and proxy wars as popular revolutions and in doing so have harnessed the instinctive support for revolution amongst leftists to the galloping horse of imperialist reaction.

Of course, each country will, in addition to American cultural influence, experience its own distinct struggle.

There can be little doubt that the prioritisation of American radical norms by left-wing movements is being fostered by the security apparatus. Given a choice of facing an organised class enemy or myriad of disparate groups who can be set in motion by turning up the propaganda through their domination of the mass media, including social media, the security apparatus will always choose the latter.

For the liberal leftists are not, unlike the Communist movement, organised to build an alternative economic structure to capitalism.

This leaves our party, as one which holds to the belief that it is only through working class organisations that socialism can be built, in a challenging political environment.

In the case of Ireland, the national question is back on the agenda because of Brexit and the United Kingdom’s possible medium term break up, should Scotland gain independence. But increasingly the political spectrum is coloured by liberalism and an incipient but growing far right opposition to it.

As a small party our main avenue for growth is political activity among the working class. As a result of the pandemic this avenue of work is currently denied to us. We must be prepared, however, for the political battles that the post-pandemic economic crisis will bring and ensure that our Party connects actively with the concerns of working class people in Not only, then, is the state, mass media, industry, Ireland in a manner which it has not done for the last and the main opposition in ruling class hands, so too number of decades, in order to redevelop our roots are, even if unconsciously, large swathes of the rad- amongst working people. ical opposition. This is an unprecedented situation Under the difficult restraints imposed by the panand the danger for the Communist movement is that the inevitable opposition to the driving force of demic, the Party has endeavoured to maintain our liberal imperialism stems from nationalist reaction- reach through a series of seminars on policy and ideological topics, ranging from debates on nuclear aries rather than the socialist-labour movement. power as a solution to the climate crisis to the history of the Communist Parties in Western Europe to the The Workers’ Movement success of the Communist-led government in Kerala Let there be no illusions. The workers’ movement in tackling covid. We have also developed a series of is powerless to stop the terminal crises building up positions advocating a stronger response to tackling against bourgeois civilisation. It has a momentum covid in Ireland and one centred on promoting the IB Special Edition

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71 role of the state as opposed to the private health gate a simple message: nationalism. system in combating it.

It is imperative that we in the socialist movement Meanwhile, the paramount sovereignty of Brussels develop a clear and simple alternative to bourhas reduced the already low democratic norms at geois nationalism and the ultra-capitalist EU and it the national level. The inability of the national states is therefore imperative the international communist to respond to the wishes of the people induce the movement deepens our links and that a cohesive dissatisfied to turn to anti-democratic forces as the continental resistance to capitalism is available to primary forces resisting the EU, for they can promul- the people.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Communist Party (Italy)

In Italy, the health emergency following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has put the contradictions and limits of monopolistic capitalism before the eyes of all.

Already other catastrophic events, such as the collapse of the Genoa bridge, had displaced common sensitivity, dispelling the myth of the goodness of privatizations compared to public management.

The pandemic crisis has definitively demolished this myth.

The destruction of public health service is now being impeached by many, even by some who until yesterday were on the side of the private vision/ privatisation. In particular, it is now clear that a system cannot be based only on the concentration of resources and capital, which the private system produces precisely to maximize profits; on the other hand, the public system, based on the massive contribution of motivated and well-educated operators spread throughout the national territory, is the best weapon not only against emergencies, but also in the daily prevention of disasters.

This general debacle of bourgeois ideology – as opposed to the sympathy aroused by the examples of support offered, for instance, by the Cuban Medical Brigades and other countries– opens up great spaces for us to resume our ideological battle from more favourable positions.

The post-Covid crisis is acting like a war without bombs, which destroys productive forces, annihilates small activities and favours large monopolistic concentrations.

Those who are paying the price for it are, as usual, the lower classes. Employees are either out of work with a promised layoff that most of the time is in guilty delay or forced to work in conditions of serious danger to their health. Not to mention the whole vast sector of small undeclared work that was eliminated at once, ruining financially millions of workers, already forced to suffer the oppression of this system. The queues at the pawn shops are testimony to this and we can imagine how profiteers of all kinds are preying on these poor people.

The extreme point of this exploitation has been in health care. The massacre of inpatients and workers in retirement homes, the recruitment of doctors and paramedics with the promise of a stabilization that has not yet been seen and will probably not be seen. People betrayed after being sent into the trenches with the rhetoric of “heroes”, while being treated instead as modern cannon fodder.

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Many small activities have been cancelled. Tourism, crafts, professions, catering, personal services, etc., have suffered a total collapse for months, with serious consequences for workers, managers and employees.

At the same time, the agricultural sector is really on the ropes. The entire fabric of small-scale production is literally massacred, while the government uses the alibi of the regularization required by Confindustria (general confederation of Italian industry) exclusively in favour of the agri-food chain and the worst illegal hiring. We need a perspective of work in the agricultural sector that intersects with environmental issues and the most brutal exploitation of the weakest sections of the labour market, starting with the immigrants, for whom we continue to ask for fundamental social rights.

The government has responded to this crisis with shameful alms that may barely be able to repay the taxes, which have been moreover postponed and not reduced or cancelled.

The European Union has responded with the characteristic instruments of debt aggravation. The measures envisaged – MES, Corona-bond, recovery fund – are all within the paradigm that serves to enslave the peoples to an increasingly extended public debt that will result as we have already seen in Greece.

In Italy the target is the large amount of small savings still immobilized in private homes and little funds deposited in current and similar accounts.

Certainly not the large real estate assets that are protected, but the small security that in the past decades the workers had accumulated thanks to painful sacrifices for their children’s future. This patrimony is under attack to pay off the monstrous public debt that with this crisis will come – between an increase in debt and a fall in GDP – to exceed the ratio of 170 percent.

own advantages and minimize dangers. The north 73 does not want to pay the public debt of the south and the south does not want to pay the private debt of the north. The governments and ruling classes of France and Germany want to continue dictating the music.

In this situation, great spaces open up for the ideological and political battle of the Communist Party.

The first area of intervention, as always, is the working class. With all the difficulties of the historical phase, the fundamental dictate is to take root in the class, starting with the large industrial groups. The objective difficulties are the same as always: fragmentation of production, atomisation of contracts, blackmail in the workplace, scarce and contradictory unionisation.

However, if the Party, from the point of view of principle and proposal, appears to be the only one consistently on the side of the workers, it still fails to gather adequate feedback from the working class, today still disoriented by the betrayal of the left and malignantly infatuated with a right wing, which has to be clearly contested for the unnatural hegemony that has been created. Communists in their workplace must go back to being the leaven of the class struggle and must constitute a unifying moment in the construction of the class union, without ever replacing it. With organization and creativity, Communists must provide the workers’ struggles with a political perspective and an awareness of their historic tasks. Without this the struggles will inevitably turn back on themselves sooner or later.

The second area, includes all the sectors of society that suffer the strongest contradictions. Workers doubly exploited because they are weaker, such as young people, women, immigrants, precarious workers. To all these the Party must give a perspective of class unity, the awareness that, only united on a basis of common struggle, war between the poor Contradictions within the European Union are in- can be prevented. It must make it clear to them that every contradiction of the bourgeois system cannot creasing. find a solution by itself in this society, but must be The northern countries, let’s call them that for con- channelled and must simultaneously give and take venience, among which the Dutch tax haven stands strength from the common struggle for socialism. out, are recalcitrant because they have an enormous The third area, that is, the other intermediate private debt and large banks with bankruptcy exposures. The countries of the south, including Italy, classes that are strongly suffering the consequences are in the opposite position, with high public debt of the crisis and have precipitated socially, economand low private debt. In the middle, the two heavy- ically and politically. They are small individual activiweights, France and Germany, are trying to recover ties, family businesses or ones with very few employa tarnished leadership. Of course, each bourgeoisie ees. They pay the consequences of the monopolistic is trying to exploit its relative strength to increase its concentration because the income they extract from their business is diverted into taxes and bank in-

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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terest and, if they were already in crisis before the pandemic, now they risk being unable to move on.

Socially, they now feel completely excluded from the ranks of the middle classes experiencing proletarianization and this could definitively detach them from the trail of the ruling classes and make them willing to ally themselves with the proletariat by accepting its common leadership. Politically they are no longer represented by any party.

The sirens of the parliamentary parties that are still trying to attract them are in a vertical loss of credibility. They just have to “throw themselves” to the extremes. Therefore, the Communist Party is the only alternative to their radicalization in a markedly reactionary sense. The historic occasion is important: the strategic unity between the working class, the workers and the proletarianized middle class can become the historic opportunity for a radical change in society.

For example: 1) Nationalizations with expropriation without compensation for large strategic companies that relocate, entrusting the workers with the management; 2) The minimum wage per job, with the restoration of trade union rights and the single national contract; 3) The reduction of indirect taxes and heavy taxes on small activities and the increase in direct taxes on profits and large incomes; 4) Expropriation of large real estate properties; 5) Large public permanent recruitment policies for really useful works, infrastructure, environment, health, education.

These are all things that anyone can understand, feasible, but conflicting with profit and with the European treaties. Hence the need to break down the As always, the slogans of the Party that must be European political and military cage (EU and NATO) brought to these sectors must be consistent and un- which becomes clear, concrete, and necessary in evambiguous. They must be simple, concrete slogans eryone’s mind. and break with the capitalist system.

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Jordanian Communist Party

Prior to COVID-19 Pandemic, the capitalist econ- 75 omy was in crisis suffering from a series of crises on top of which the crisis of 2008-2009 and what followed of challenges and diversified problems to peoples worldwide not only in the capitalist world but also in developing countries. Then, the capitalist centers that failed to solve the successive crises were trying to administer and manage this crisis in a way to pass the aftermaths of the severe problems In defense of the Rights of the on the shoulders of the peoples everywhere. At the Working Class at the Challenging same time, the wealth of the richest of the rich and international corporations and monopolies intimes of COVID-19 Pandemic the creased to unprecedented figures. The rich got richDr. Muneer Hamarneh, er and the growing numbers of the poor got poorMember of PB of Central Committe of the er. This drew a scene of brutal capitalism whereby growing poverty dominate in almost every country Jordanian Communist Party of the world increasing in the rest of the world.

The COVID-19 Pandemic had unleashed the depth of the capitalism brutality as the pandemic is still hitting hard the globe. The true face of capitalism is shown to all, whether the market economy or the neoliberal policies that are imposed all over the world in all countries, rich or poor including the developing countries. The aim is to continue with policies that make the rich richer and the poor poorer. It is proven now to everyone that the capitalist countries had failed to protect their own peoples from the impact of the new global unprecedented Pandemic. It is established under the eyes of all humanity that capitalism has failed to overcome the aftermaths of the COVID -19 economic crisis that left millions of unemployed workers, spread poverty and hunger in all countries and revealed the lack of social protection to poor and the unemployed.

Moreover, the low-income workers, especially women and the poor families were disproportionately affected because the discrimination in entrenched in the governments’ policies. Globally, the crisis is getting deeper and deeper affecting the world economic growth due to absence of production of several economic sectors that were hit hard with the restrictions accompanying COVID-19 Pandemic. To name some, we indicate the international trade and the tourism sector that was extremely affected by the paralyzed international air-aviation as well as the marine and land transportation.

The core issue that was revealed is that “Capitalism” got weaker. It failed as an economic choice and failed to protect the people of the world from the new health crisis. This goes along with being unable to present any solution to the economic crisis which left the world under deep elongated and complexed economic and health crises. The Public Health in all

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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the capitalist countries has failed to serve the infected persons in hospitals causing the death of thousands and thousands. If we take the example of the USA itself, leaving aside other capitalist countries, the picture gets clearer. At the same time and in the same suffering countries social protection was almost absent. When it comes to social protection in the developing countries is not in the system to provide social security to all workers or medical insurance to all. This leaves millions in the informal sector sinking into poverty and hunger.

port because farmers are neglected and their debts are increasing. The agriculture sector is supposed to ensure the food security needed these days to stop importing food products by increasing local “Flora and Fiona” production, which will definitely help Jordan to open up jobs and overcome the rise in unemployment that is approaching 30%.

We, in the Jordan Communist Party (JCP) as well as the other progressive forces, are aware of the fact that the conditions will not be the same again as before the pandemic and Jordan shall not return like before to the same previous basis that led to the current elongated political and economic crises.

Therefore, we courageously launched a campaign calling for more “State interference” in the economic life and the immediate stop the neoliberal policies.

We called for “self-reliance” in the economy, which means the refusal of the IMF imposed policies that deepened Jordan economic crisis, a year in and a year out. We also called for a new policy based on: making use of the existing natural resources, - a new policy in renewable energy based on excavating and using “Oil from Rocks”, excavating and using “Copper” and using products of the “Dead Sea Salts”.

dialogues reform policies to combat poverty, hunger and unemployment and to strengthen the public health and public education during the crisis to overcome the many difficulties they are facing. Here, we should say loudly that the public health and public education sectors had played a positive role during the COVID-19 crisis, because they are still supported by the State.

Historically speaking, imperialists and international financial institutions, especially IMF had played a big role in letting Jordan stop using its natural resources and hit hard the agricultural sector in parIn Jordan the impact of the crisis of COVID-19 ticular. This was made so that Jordan is forced to Pandemic was sever. An economic crisis erupted and import essential “Grain/Wheat” and all other seeds hit hard workers by leaving them unemployed and from the capitalist countries. Thus, the agriculture leaving low-income employees under the threat of crisis in Jordan, as in many developing countries, has cutting wages or thrown to the streets and owners of deepened. This issue was discussed during the nesmall enterprises without resources. This has already gotiations to establish the WTO, years ago. Conseincreased the unemployment to 30%. Moreover, quently, the rate of unemployment kept soaring and lack of social protection had hit hard the workers in the immigration from the countryside to cities was the informal sector, especially women who form the overwhelming, which formed a threat to economic majority in the agriculture sector. Alongside, many life. This is coupled, these days, with the shortage of industrial sectors got affected like tourism, trade and remitacences of Jordanian expatriate workers. transportation. At the country level, debt increased The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the ecoto the limit of 110% of the GDP with a decrease in nomic crisis is very sever encompassing all sectors. the general income at a time of a the much-needed Therefore, JCP and the Progressive forces are to general income for the increasing expenses. build a front to bring forth and put on the table of

JCP recalled for ending the policy of “privatization” and strengthening the agricultural sector, which is suffering most. The agricultural sector needs sup-

Let’s remind everyone that the Jordanian working class and the poor were the most affected by COVID-19 like the rest of the other countries. Let’s launch a common international campaign on the neoliberal and the market policies and call for social justice. This entails struggle to form a wide national front locally and internationally to stand up for the socialist economic policies.

Our party with the progressive forces is planning to undertake a comprehensive revise in order to get rid of the imposed IMF policies from now on.

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Workers’ Party of Korea

Firmly protecting the life and safety of the people is the utmost priority for the Workers’ Party of Korea

It is of great significance that the SOLIDNET par- 77 ties avail themselves of this opportunity to exchange ideas and lessons learned under the theme of “The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism” when the world is going through the serious health crisis caused by novel coronavirus infection.

The International Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) hereby extends warm comradely greetings to the Communist and Workers’ Parties around the world who are waging an uninterrupted International Department, struggle to protect the working masses’ right to existence and advance the cause of socialism amid the Central Committee Workers’ Party of Korea crisis of global pandemic.

At present, the WPK is fighting against two challenges at the same time: the pandemic and natural disasters.

The novel coronavirus infection that plunges the world into catastrophe poses a greater threat to the DPRK than to other countries.

The infection that broke out in the country sharing a border with the DPRK spread to other Asian countries in succession and the DPRK was put under siege by the pandemic from early on.

The crisis has persisted for months now in neighbouring countries and regions where the pandemic is not completely put under control, but instead, causes reinfections and resurgence, and this critical situation around us constantly threatens the DPRK by further increasing the dangerous possibility that the virus might find a way into the country.

Against this backdrop, the WPK has made sure that proactive and timely anti-epidemic measures are taken to prevent the infiltration and spread of the virus within the country from the early stages of the outbreak.

The borders were closed, suspected cases were quarantined, school vacations were extended, import and export goods were thoroughly examined and disinfected, mask-wearing became mandatory and other emergency anti-epidemic measures were put into place one after another.

As the pandemic was proven to be more and more dangerous with the passage of time throughout the world, we have physically closed and blocked all channels and factors that might provide a pathway for the virus.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Firmly protecting the life and safety of the people is the utmost priority for the WPK.

and properties from flood victims and leaving them with no choice but to live in temporary accommodaThe WPK regarded the prevention of the novel tions. coronavirus infection not just as an anti-epidemFor the WPK that has defined the people-first-prinic work, but a crucial task of the state to safeguard ciple as its political doctrine, no work is more importthe people, an important duty of the Party that is ant than the one to relieve the people from sorrow responsible for the life of the people and the fu- and pains. ture of the coming generations. It held 6 meetings Comrade Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the WPK, has of the Party Political Bureau during the period from personally visited the flood and typhoon stricken sites February to September this year to reexamine the to study the situation and gave detailed directions for anti-epidemic measures in place and took steps to stabilization of the disaster victims’ living and reconfind and close existing loopholes in time, and never struction projects. allowed any chances or laxity in this work.

At the 16th Meeting of Political Bureau of the 7th The WPK made great efforts to ensure that the Central Committee of the WPK held in the middle of entire population shared the sense of crisis with last August, a decision was adopted to concentrate all the Party, accepted the decisions made at the Party efforts to recover from flood damage as soon as posmeetings on anti-epidemic work as a vital issue for sible and provide stable living conditions to the peoprotecting their own lives and future and thought ple; and in hearty response to the ardent call of Comand acted in unison in a voluntary and conscious rade Chairman of the WPK for core party members manner. of Pyongyang City to stand in the van of the fight to As a result, the work of preventing the pandemic recover from the typhoon damage, more than 12,000 in the DPRK has definitely become the work of the party members of the capital city have volunteered to whole Party, entire state and all the people, and brisk go to the northern parts of our country that suffered and prompt measures were taken in a dynamic way typhoon damage and they are now engaged in the for all issues in the anti-epidemic work. vigorous struggle for reconstruction.

Thanks to the Party’s foresighted leadership and the entire people’s voluntary commitment to indivisible uniform action, we have completely prevented the infiltration of the malignant virus into our territory and so far not even a single infected case has occurred in our country, undeterred by the complex health crisis in the neighbouring countries and the region.

Also, as it was discussed and decided at the 6th Enlarged Meeting of the 7th Central Military Commission of the WPK held in early September, the KPA units have been mobilized to major industrial areas for the typhoon damage recovery efforts and they are engaged in the intense struggle to remove all signs of ravage from the disaster by the end of this year.

This substantiates the remarkable correctness of the measures taken by the Party and the State to prevent the spread of the global pandemic.

It is the intention of the Chairman of the WPK that the party should shoulder the entire responsibility for the people’s living who were struck by the natural diIn the fight to stably control the pandemic by sasters; and it is the national trait of socialist Korea blocking any conceivable source of the virus infiltra- that the entire people of the country to share the tion, we have gained truly valuable experiences and pains of those who are suffering and to overcome based on those experiences we are making more in- challenges in unity. tense efforts to safeguard the people’s life and safety At present, the WPK is directing the recovery efforts with redoubled confidence. in a multifaceted and dynamic way so as to remove This year the Party also had to face the unforeseen the flood and typhoon damage as early as possible challenge which was the work to recover from the and greet the 75th founding anniversary of the party damage caused by disastrous heavy rains, floods and as the people’s true holiday which all our people rejoice. typhoons.

From last July to September, various regions in our country suffered damage from heavy rains, floods and three typhoons in succession; as a result, vast amount of farmland, many dwelling houses, public buildings and infrastructures including roads and bridges have been destroyed or submerged, taking away houses

On October 10, the WPK will celebrate its 75th founding anniversary.

For the last 75 years since its founding, the WPK has shouldered the responsibility for the destiny of our people and our-style socialism, and has always led the Korean revolution to constant victory.

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It is the people that demand socialism and it is the lenges of nature and the catastrophe caused by the 79 spiritual strength and creative power of the popular pandemic can ever hurt them as long as there is the masses that work as a motive force of socialism. people-first-principle-oriented politics of the WPK. The history of world revolutionary movement proves that unless the socialist ruling party adopts politics for the people and politics that serve the people, it will lose support of the people and become unable to do its mission as a leading political organization and in the end, it would be deprived of the gains of revolution and ruin the cause of socialism.

Whenever it had to choose the path forward and whenever it faced grave difficulties in the whole process of leading the Korean revolution, the WPK had always established its lines and policies after listening attentively to the voices of the people and bringing together their aspirations and intentions.

The WPK, in the future, too, will turn into reality the beautiful dreams and ideals of our people and complete the cause of socialism to the last, true to the noble intention of Great Comrades Kim II Sung and Kim Jong II of giving priority, respect and love to the people.

The validity and vitality of socialism have been further displayed in the course of overcoming the global health crisis this year.

Going through this pandemic crisis, the humanity strongly feels that socialism is incomparably superior to capitalism in guaranteeing people’s life and safety, ensuring nationwide control of crisis and achieving By relying on the boundless creative power of the international cooperation. popular masses, the WPK turned the country that Capitalist countries have placed money making had previously been dominated by centuries-old above saving humans’ lives, prioritized individual backwardness and poverty into a socialist state that freedom over socially collaborated crisis response is independent in politics, self-sufficient in economy and gave precedence to national self-interest over and self-reliant in national defense and ushered in a cooperation and solidarity with other countries which new era of building a powerful state in spite of vicious resulted in explosive growth in the numbers of cases sanctions and blockade of imperialists. and deaths; the reality shows that capitalist system is In particular, the WPK regarded it as its duty and not the one that agrees with the intrinsic nature of the foremost priority to take care of and bear full re- humanity and its fall is not far in the future. sponsibility for the destiny and life of our people and We fully support the revolutionary parties of soserved them devotedly. cialist countries in their struggle to stably control the Upholding people as the most precious beings, spread of the pandemic and to help those countries giving top and absolute priority to people’s interests in critical situation with medical facilities and supplies and sparing no expense for the sake of our people - along with manpower. herein lies the advantages of socialism of our country Also, we express absolute solidarity with the strugthat capitalism can neither have nor imitate. gle of the Communist and Workers’ Parties that are Comrade Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the WPK had personally initiated the building of Pyongyang General Hospital and took up the first spade in its ground-breaking ceremony this March. And later, in the 14th Enlarged Meeting of Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the WPK that was held at the beginning of last July, he set in motion strong measures to provide a super-class advanced medical services for the people, thus ensuring that the hospital will excellently be completed on the occasion of the 75th founding anniversary of the WPK to once again vividly demonstrate the vitality of the people-first-principle-oriented politics of the WPK that regards people’s lives and health improvement as a matter of national importance.

making unyielding efforts, despite the constraints and grave difficulties caused by the global health crisis, to defend working masses’ right to existence, reveal the reactionary nature and injustice of capitalism and advance the socialist cause.

Taking this opportunity, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the Communist and Workers’ Parties that have extended wholehearted support to the WPK in its struggle for reliably safeguarding people’s security and stepping up the building of a powerful socialist country.

The WPK, in the future, too, will wage a dynamic struggle for realizing independence of the popular masses and accomplishing the socialist cause, firmly united with the Communist, Workers’ Parties and othThrough their life experiences of a long period, our er revolutionary parties. people have confirmed the truth of the fact that neither the war threats of imperialists nor the fierce chal-

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Lao People’s Revolutionary Party

Dear Communist and Workers’ Parties of the Solidnet network,

At present, our world is confronting with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID- 19), posing a serious threat to the life and property of humankind, and unprecedentedly causing direct impacts on big and small, developed and developing countries ever seen in decades. COVID-19 was and continues Committee for External Relations of the to be a tremendous challenge to the world’s stability and socio¬economic development as many counParty Central Committee tries have recently witnessed the second wave of the pandemic and an increase in the COVID-19 infected cases, especially in countries in the American and European continents as well as in some Asian countries.

Assessing how different governments coping with the COVID-19, we note that on one hand, the outbreak tends to be controlled and calmed down in those countries, whose governments hold the people’s interests at the core and seriously take strict anti-pandemic measures and control. On the other hand, the number of victims of the COVID-19 tends to increasingly rise in the countries, whose governments exploit the outbreak for political gains to engage in the blame game, to the detriment of the people’s lives, in particular the elder population, thus causing social unrest reflecting the underlying problems and fundamental antagonistic elements in some capitalist countries, which have not yet to be resolved and need to be profoundly addressed.

In 2020, although the communist and workers’ parties have not been able to directly mobilize their forces as used to do due to the spread of the COVID-19, they actively carried out the activities in various and appropriate ways, for instance the organizing of small gatherings and photos exhibitions and the issuing of joint statements and reports including contributions by communist and workers’ parties to this special report of the IMCWP to be published in the Solidnet website. All this constitutes as important and meaningful undertakings, contributing to the strengthening of solidarity among and the pursuing of common cause of the communist and workers’ parties, the left and progressive movements in the world.

The communist and workers’ parties, especially in countries, where they are the ruling ones, have gained achievements in various areas, in particular in prevention, containment and control of the spread of the COVID-19 at the national level as well as provision of medical support and assistance, offered to each other at the regional and international levels, hence reflecting the solidarity and the fine spirit of proletarian internationalism of our communist and workers’ IB Special Edition

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parties.

As far as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is concerned, in consideration of the outbreak of the disease in 2020, the Party and Government of the Lao PDR have appropriately undertaken activities to celebrate and commemorate the important and meaningful events of the Party and Government, including the 65th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party in March, the 70th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Lao Front for National Development in August, and the 45th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to be celebrated in December this year.

Delivering his remarks at the ceremony in commemoration of the 65th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, Comrade Bounnhang VORACHIT, General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party had highlighted the Party’s development, growth and outstanding achievements gained during the struggle against foreign aggression, for national liberation and conducting the two strategic tasks of national defence and construction, building and developing people’s democratic regime towards socialism. He also stressed out that the Lao PDR has been able to secure political stability and social order, and enjoyed constant socio-economic development, thus upholding the country’s role in the regional and international arena. The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party is currently implementing the Resolution of the 10th Party Congress, and also preparing for of the 11th Party Congress in the year 2021. The Party is laying firm foundation for decisive, profound and comprehensive transformation in the years to come, with the aim to reach the set objectives and goals, in particular in realising the 10 Year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (20162025), the Vision 2030, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as in addressing people’s poverty fundamentally so as to graduate the Lao PDR from the Least Developed Countries status in the years to come, and advance the country status towards a higher medium income nation in line with the direction of green and sustainable development by 2030, aiming at building the Lao PDR a strong and prosperous nation where people enjoy a wealthy and happy life and the society enjoys harmony, democracy, justice and civilisation.

among others, tourism and service have been strong- 81 ly felt. Since the early stage of the pandemic outbreak, the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the Government of the Lao PDR have focused on leading, directing-commanding, and guiding all sectors, local authorities and people to pay attention and raise awareness of the pandemic. In this connection, measures on the containment, prevention, control and comprehensive preparedness have been taken and imposed in every single period in order to fight against the COVID-19 and mobilize all people to take part in this anti-pandemic campaign. Since March until now, the country has detected a total of 23 patients contracting the novel coronavirus, of which 22 patients have been recovered. The achievements in the containment of the pandemic outbreak in the Lao PDR could be made possible thanks to: 1. Early Prevention and control measures being taken by the Lao PDR since the start of outbreak, as the country realised the eminent danger of the pandemic and therefore imposed preventative measures as a precaution, as the Lao proverb reads “prevention is better than cure or to nip the fire in the bud”.

As such, a series of prevention and control measures have been imposed in each period accordingly; 2. Greater importance having been attached to fighting the pandemic by the country’s highest leadership, which stood united and resolved in providing close and regular guidance to combat the Coronavirus; 3. All Party-State’s organizations, the Lao Front for National Development and mass organizations as well as entire people joined hands to implement the imposition of the government’s prevention and control measures, unanimously and responsibly; 4. The responsible sectors, including pandemic prevention and control taskforce team at different levels, the mass media, the national defense and security forces and healthcare workers at all levels, especially frontline doctors and nurses, have carried out their tasks actively, responsibly and creatively;

5. The timely and effective support and assistance given to us by friendly countries and political parties as well as international organizations, which contributed to the fight against the pandemic in the Lao PDR. Taking this opportunity, the Party and Facing with the global spread of the COVID-19, Government of the Lao PDR would like to express the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PRD) is their sincere thanks and deep gratitude to all friendly no exception to the pandemic as its adverse impacts countries over the world in this regard. on the country’s socio¬economic sectors, including Against the backdrop of the second wave of the

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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outbreak, the Party and Government of the Lao PDR will continue to monitor and assess the situation in each period so as to revise prevention and control measures accordingly and appropriately in order to ensure the health and lives of the Lao people, and create enabling environment for citizens and business people to normalise their lives in a new normal as well as resume business operations as soon as possible.

As part of their COVID-19 response and recovery measures to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Party and Government of the Lao PDR has implemented relief and recovery policy, for instance taxes and custom, and other charges, a cut to standard interest rate by the Bank of the Lao PDR; a provision of relief and recovery loan credits for businesses for commercial goods; improvement of macroeconomic management to ensure macroeconomic stability and efficiency; and promotion of commercial goods production, domestic tourism and so forth.

In the future, regional and international situation will remain complex and unpredictable. In addition, fierce confrontation and competition between major

powers as well as severe effects of the COVID-19 outbreak will remain to be the challenges for the communist and workers’ parties, the Left and progressive movements in their undertaking of activities to protect their gains and further the struggle for socialist cause. The communist and workers’ parties, the Left and progressive movements will continue to face with more difficulties, that’s why It is now more important than ever that the communist and workers’ parties, the Left and progressive movements must be resolutely steadfast, mobilize forces, and strengthen their solidarity, coordinate their activities and actions, and mutually exchange lessons in order to further enhance international cooperation in a new normal way. The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party reaffirms its commitment to further closely cooperate with the communist and workers’ parties, the Left and progressive movements in the world in the struggle for the just cause and social progress, for peace, friendship and cooperation for development towards socialism.

Vientiane, 28 September 2020

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Communist Party of Mexico

The struggle of the Communist Parties to 83 transform current society into a better one, whilst being a perspective of the future, implies the betterment and vigilance of the working class’ current life in the face of war or any manifestation of barbarie, famine and impoverishment derived from the economic crises and epidemics. For this, the PCM decided to act to face the pandemic originated by the Covid-19 The PCM and the working class Virus, worsened by the conditions of capitalism, facing the economic and sanitary as the negative results until today (hundreds of of deaths and millions of infections) crisis thousands are in direct relation to the economic and social Ángel Chávez Mancilla, foundations of this system.

Director of El Comunista1,

Although the productive forces allow the production of enough wealth to satisfy the needs Alternate Member of the Politburo of the of the worldwide population in terms of food, CC of the Communist Party of México. housing, leisure, health, and to have protected the population in the health crisis, with guaranteed support to avoid infection and death, the existing contradiction between the productive forces and the relations of capitalist production prevent this from happening. It is the call to the working class of the world that relations based on capitalist property must change, they prevent that social production be at the disposal of those who create it. This, added to the economic crisis that wasn’t unleashed by the health crisis but was gestating based on the inherent contradictions of capitalism, but that together potentiated the difficulties of the conditions of the working class in each country and internationally.

In the face of this panorama, The Communist Party of México resolved to develop work with the working class and social sectors signaling that the dynamic of the capitalist system prevents guaranteeing health and life for them. In this manner the immediate struggle was connected with the need to fight for socialism. We will proceed to present the experience of our Party in the confrontation with the measures taken by the socialdemocrat government of López Obrador in his administration of the sanitary and economic crisis that has had disastrous consequences.

Mid-February the Mexican State informed of the first cases of Covid-19 in national territory, despite the sanitary alert that had been decreed in other countries, the mexican government did not take measures until the following month, “social distancing” being the main one and de1

El Comunista is the central Organ of the Communist Party of Mexico

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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nying the need of the use of facemasks, with ridiculous arguments such as religious protection, underestimating the importance of this basic object. In the face of such negligence and foreseeing the gravity of the situation, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the PCM on March 17 issued its statement “Facing the Pancemic of the Covid-19”, in which a series of measure were proposed, including: the immediate strengthening of the Public Health system destining financial, logistical and technical resources, as well as the hiring of medical personnel, the immediate centralization under the public health system of all private hospitals, pharmacy-clinics and the pharmaceutical industry; the immediate guarantee that the full public hospital network and in every place of employment there is access to the necessary consumables and equipment, guarantee paid leave for all workers and benefits in case of infection, immediate cease to the interruption of electric and water services in working-class neighborhoods, where millions of workers do not have the conditions to pay for these basic services; cease the retention camps where overcrowded migrants were kept, among other things 2. But whilst demands to the State were made, workers were called to be willing to fight with the slogan “We can expect nothing of a government at the service of capitalists. Monopolies will only care for their interests. Us or them.”.

Also in the same statement we pointed out the deficiencies of the public health system to face the pandemic, the process of dismantling of the Public Health System in favor of the Private System and that the great majority of the population does not have access to basic health services. It was also explained that in Mexico the support of social security, including ther public health system was obtained through worker struggles that conquered rights against the bourgeois State, as well as for the advance guard of the process of socialist construction in the USSR and other countries, that forced the capitalist world to temporarily concede benefits to workers.

During the month of April it became evident that the State was incapable of guaranteeing the wellbeing of workers, the number of infections increased, health workers denounced lack of resources, workers took to the streets from offices and factories, in all workplace, so they could be granted material to prevent contagion. Whilst capitalist accumulation continued, the State used the pandemic as a motive to disperse even the smallest manifestations of political malcontent. In these conditions the PCM believed that what was necessary was to maintain insubordination and give proof of this on the commemoration of May First, for which a Party concentration was summoned with all the safety measures in front of the National Palace of Mexico City, as well as mobilization in several cities. The mobilization of the Communist Party was followed by the protest of healthcare and transport workers who showed their bonds of solidarity.

In the month of May the number of infections had The objective of this was to point out that the a bigger growth, for which the continuation of work worker’s struggle is fundamental; and given that activities implicated the inevitable exposure of workthe public health system cannot harmonize with ers towards the virus. This was used by monopolies private health, socialism is the only alternative as a motive to lay-off or send workers home “to rest”, in which workers have assured free health, as a reduce hours of the working day and salaries. Facing universal right. For this, alongside the statement, this situation the Party ordered its militants to rethe Party issued a poster with the slogan “There inforce the effort to organize workers in defense of their interests, mainly in the area of health and worker will only be health in Socialism” 2

http://www.comunistas-mexicanos.org/partido-comunista-de-mexico/2228-frente-a-la-pandemia-del-covid-19

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rights, opposing unjustified lay-offs, the advancement of non-paid vacations and the reduction of salaries.

Connecting the economic struggle with the political struggle, the Party insisted in making the workers see that the wealth that monopolies have extracted from them is so bountiful that it allows workers to stop and receive their full salary, thus pointing out the extraction of added value as the base of capitalist exploitation.

So the demand that the Party held was that workers should be sent home with their salaries paid in full by the monopolies.

When this started to become popular amongst workers in the center of the country, the social-democrat government, seeking to avoid being overtaken by the mobilization of the working class, highlighted that that Mexican legislation established a legal framework so that in case of “sanitary emergency”, the demand that Communists held high be fulfilled for only a month. However, this was just demagogy, because if it were not for the working class’ mobilization the state would not have noted such measure, also, after announcing it, acted in an ambiguous manner, avoiding its application and even condoning Monopolies from applying it. Facing this, the PCM continued backing the demand of domiciliary protection of the workers with integral salaries and, to not restrict this to bourgeois legality, it was also demanded that it should be during the full health contingency.

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buro emitted the statement “Worrying measures of the government against the Working Class” in which it is explained that the “State of Sanitary Emergency” could be used to cover up repression against the growing protest and impose the restriction of democratic freedoms by way of the application of a state of emergency, the constant handing over of power and freedom of action to the armed forces. Correct in its analysis, more than one protest was intimidated by soldiers and the new repressive corps; The National Guard, however, the PCM maintained its campaigns of political agitation and began an active period of solidarity with medical personnel, recognizing their work for the health of the working class and denouncing the pauperization that they have been undergoing and the lack of consumables and material that put their health at risk. The second period of action was in solidarity with the service workers, workers of malls, salespeople, denouncing the bad working conditions in which they are, recognizing their effort, and calling them to unionized organization.

The orientation to strengthen the intervention amongst workers was captured in the idea that Communists also must participate in mobilizations that happened since the month of April in front of the National Palace, from where the President works, by lone and precarious workers that do not have formal contracts, fired and in general people without a job or any form of income. To fight in every condition was the directive that the Party gave to all its militants, and it was captured in the slogan “Wash your hands and raise your fist, use a facemask but don’t be quiet!”, with which workers were invited to redouble the protest demanding that monopolies cease production and guarantee the continuation of payment of salaries and that the State cover the subsistence of the unemployed, precarious workers and lone workers without the possibility of obtaining income during The discontent against these State measures gave the pandemic. Where workers achieved that produc- way to the apparent withdrawal of the repressive tion be stopped, it was due to the struggle, protest, forces and the promise that there would be no state strikes and by refusing to enter their workplaces. of emergency. However, the essence of the warning The PCM warned the working class that in the of the PCM was realized by May 11th, when the bourcontext of the sanitary emergency and the econom- geois state issued a decree in which the participation ic crisis the bourgeoisie would seek to reinforce its of the armed forces became legal in “security tasks”, repressive apparatus, and the first of April the Polit- which implied permanently maintaining the army in the streets, as well as putting under their control ports

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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and airports. This measure was denounced by the PCM immediately and the next day it published the statement “López Obrador outlines a military government. Army out of the streets!”. The PCM placed itself in the vanguard of the confrontation to militarization, which contrasted with the response of the great majority of the leftist political organizations that did not declare on the matter; and those of reformist inclination that defended such a measure, showing their true face, being an arm of capital.

Towards the month of June, when it was evident that the prognosis given by the government had failed, and the health emergency would continue for more time, Obrador’s government decided to decree the “New Normal”, moved by the monopolies’ interests of not continuing to lose profits. The economic reactivation was decreed; the working class was thrown into the jaws of sickness and death; added to this in the areas where the most laggard layers of the working class live and unionization is weakest, workers didn’t stop working, monopolies forced them to accept the possibility of getting sick as just another risk they have to take to work and avoid going hungry. The state gave way to labor illegality, in favor of the monopolies, and they intend to impose this more each day onto the working class, in detriment not only to their working conditions but also the most fundamental right of the working class. And this “New Normal”, fearless incursion in favor of the bourgeoisie and more unfavorable each day for workers and social sectors, was accompanied by an even more evident transfer of public funds towards the ruling class, and a firm and direct integration of the military elite in the administration of the State. In this manner, amongst other grievances and with the necessary implements to face possible contempt, workers that had fought for the suspension of their work but maintaining their salary, were forced to go back to the “New Normal”, that is the old exploitation.

In the face of this scenario, June 1, the PCM issued the document “Workers’ Life doesn’t matter to Capitalism. On the New Normal” where it was highlighted that the new normal was motive to extend workdays that had been shortened, the decrease of salaries, and to liberate businessmen of responsibilities of infected workers. The bottom line is that by mid-September Mexico placed amongst the ten countries with the most level of infections and deaths.

The economic and sanitary crisis impulsed again that in the months of June and July mobilizations happened of laid-off workers, unemployed and workers, that went out on strike to not get infected in their workplace, whilst new sectors of the working class rose to the struggle. To guide these spontaneous outbursts, in the first days of August, the newspaper El Comunista, central organ of the PCM, highlighted in its headline “The future of the Working Class: the struggle against monopolies!”, noting that without the pandemic being over, we must face that a period of struggle has been opened that questions Capitalism directly, no matter the type of management (neoliberalism, social-democracy or any other), no matter the capacities of the individuals that are in government functions. The bourgeois state is incapable of facing the pandemic by its own limits and the sanitary crisis derives from the capitalist system itself.

Now that the working class and other social sectors have been forced to accept Covid-19 as just another work-related risk, the PCM has given the orientation to all its militancy to redouble the effort in any task pertaining to the class struggle, in the fronts where we are actively intervening, with due safety measures against the pandemic, but with even more decisiveness in confrontation, because we think the clash due to the effects of the economic crisis is imminent.

Thus, the Party answered each one of the bourgeois government’s actions. To face the conditions of the sanitary emergency serves as a lesson in the work that the Communist Party must do as the General Staff of the Working Class, and is the proof that militants are willing to fight under any conditions. The experience in defense of health and life of our class has qualified the Party and has connected it with the masses of the working class and its allies, concatenating the economic struggle with the necessity for Socialism.

Lastly it is important to highlight that it is indispensable to maintain the function of our structures, that due to the complex conditions require a larger effort and tension of the leading organisms and from the regional and base organizations, cells. In this we received a strong boost looking at the history of the IB Special Edition

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PCM and the International Communist Movement, that in terrible conditions of clandestinity have maintained their regular life and advanced, and although regarding proportion, as those were undoubtedly more difficult and dramatic conditions, we could not admit the confinement of the Party, as the class struggle follows its course. Simultaneously, the PCM withholds its international duties, as no characteristic

of the revolutionary Marxist-Leninist Party is dispens- 87 able, ever.

The struggle for socialism-communism proves its justness, urgency, and necessity, as the working class and the peoples have no other way out, other than to keep on suffering and dying in Capitalism that agonizes and needs to be toppled and buried.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Popular Socialist Party of Mexico

Characteristic features of the world, at the time of the emergence of Covid 19^ When the pandemic broke out, world society exhibited these characteristics:

First, the capitalist mode of production was already in an advanced degree of decomposition, prey to a “multidimensional and intense crisis, which shakes the structure of the system and all its superstructures; it Pandemic, crisis and class struggle unhinges the ecosystem and puts at risk the subsisin the world and in Mexico tence of humanity and perhaps all forms of higher life”. This is the main characteristic of our time, as the National Political Directorate of the Popular XXI Congress of our party valued.

Socialist Party of Mexico

Second, the distribution of wealth was already extremely unfair, concentrating a huge portion in very few hands - less and less, by the way - and in a handful of people, at the expense of the vast human majority.

Third, the different degrees of development of the productive forces between countries, some highly developed and others very little.

Fourth, the acute confrontation that exists between imperialism and all the peoples of the world, which constitutes the sharpestform of class struggle today. The world-dominant social class pledges all its resources - including the most perverse - in this struggle in its desperate attempt to extend its dominance, and the working class and the peoples, we strive to liquidate this unjust reality and build a superior one, which cannot be other than a socialist society, without private ownership of the means of production and exchange.

All these characteristic features of contemporary society were already present when Covid 19 broke out, and this is a factor of exacerbation, even greater, of all the aforementioned contradictions, without exception, because it is true that “the pandemic has revealed even more intensely the disgusting face of capitalism, the historically antiquated character of the system of exploitation, the need for a superior organization of society and the economy, socialism ”, as it is well stated in the IB Group communiqué of the 23th of September. And, it is also true that “in the period that we have elapsed… (Since the 21st International Meeting)… the class struggle has not stopped, nor have the struggles of the communist and workers’ parties in defense of the rights of the workers stopped, the efforts to develop joint actions and their coordination ”, as stated in the same document.

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the peoples of the world, being a global trait, nevertheless, takes on particular characteristics in each region and in each specific country. Our region, Latin America, and our country, Mexico, live the same planetary reality, but, according to their own situation, of course.

ism and its lackeys, on the one hand, and the work- 89 ing class and the people, on the other, has resulted in the fact that, when two years ago, after decades of hard fighting, finally, Mexicans managed to get out of the neoliberal nightmare that suffocated us for a long time, immediately, imperialism and its lackeys In Latin America, the aforementioned confronta- attacked President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his government, due to its non-neoliberal, protion is manifested by: gressive and patriotic character that it. They have 1. The interference of Yankee imperialism in the used the mechanisms of the “soft coup”, which they internal affairs of our countries, increasingly intense, have long experimented with other peoples of Latin orchestrating “soft coups” to depose non-neolib- America and which, for the same reason, they have eral governments wherever they have arisen, such been able to refine. And, with the passage of time, as those of Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia, they have increased the intensity of their aggression among others, and to replace their lackeys, neoliber- and disregarded their methods. als, now more surrendering and more violent against their peoples, as exemplified by Macri, Bolsonaro, Classist, ideological and programmatic connotaAñez and Moreno, who border on fascism.

2. The energetic struggle of the working class and the Latin American peoples to defeat the imperialist interference, facilitated by their lackeys, and to regain their right to decide their future, in exercise of the principles of self-determination and non-intervention, that the peoples of the world, after great and energetic battles, they managed to become the cornerstone of contemporary international law.

This struggle is being waged with maximum energy, inch by inch, blow by blow, in each and every one of our countries, because our Latin American region has become one of the regions of the planet in which the confrontation between imperialism and the peoples it has manifested itself with greater dynamism in recent times.

In this context, the communist and workers parties of Latin America and the Caribbean have the great challenge of successfully carrying out theoretical reflection, a fair interpretation of the reality that surrounds us, without copying or tracing, to find the right path and strategy. In the case of our country, after the results of the elections of July 1st 2018, new challenges are presented for our Marxist-Leninist organizations, which force us, now more than ever, to maintain a fruitful and permanent interaction with the struggles of the people, necessary requirements to strengthen ourselves qualitatively and quantitatively and put ourselves in a position to fulfill in reality the historical task that corresponds us: to organize the revolution that should lead us to the construction of socialism.

The specific case of Mexico In Mexico, the same contest between imperial-

tion of the current government.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador heads a plural government due to its composition from the point of view of the social class to which its members belong, emerging from the great coalition „Together We Will Make History“; who also support different ideologies and programs, and have different agendas. That is why government policies are also diverse, because, naturally, they reflect the diversity of the government itself. The weight of the presidential authority is very important and this is useful, because in the final result that arises from that diversity of forces, the opinion of the president is decisive and pushes against neoliberalism and its disastrous consequences, although it is limited and self-regulated due to the hostile nature of the global and national economic and political environment, which leaves it a narrow margin of action, and due to the still low level of consciousness and popular organization that pushes in the opposite direction; that is, in favor of deepening the changes.

With the arrival of López Obrador to the presidency, in the conditions described, in our opinion the possibility of beginning the process of returning to our historical development path was opened again.

This path started with the revolution of 1910-1917 but was put on a hold by the neoliberal governments.

The Pandemic, crisis and class struggle The pandemic - and especially its economic aftermath - will be a factor that will accelerate all the contradictions of capitalism, as already mentioned, will increase its already existing state of prostration and will constitute a spur to the class struggle, which already existed before and highly exacerbated.

But, according to the laws that govern the histor-

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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ical development of the peoples, only this, the class struggle, will put an end to this unjust mode of production; Only the struggle of the peoples of the world will annihilate imperialism and its current face, neoliberalism; not the pandemic caused by the new strain of the coronavirus, nor its economic aftermath, alone, as has been stridently speculated, from the ranks of ideological diversionism.

of socialism throughout the Earth, and all the peoples of the world must increase the struggle on all fronts against our enemy common, imperialism.

It is the moment when the peoples of Latin America must close ranks in the battle towards our second and definitive independence, now with respect to Yankee imperialism; and in which the strongest solidarity must be expressed among all the workers and This is the most important aspect for our social all the peoples of the world, rejecting, with their orclass and our people; for all the peoples of the world. ganization and their actions, the pretense of imperiBecause what happens in the coming months and alism and the bourgeoisie to further aggravate their years will be the result of our actions, and those of living conditions, under the pretext of the pandemic our enemies, imperialism, the financial oligarchy, the and crisis. big bourgeoisie and those who serve them. How we It is time, in Mexico, to defend the government act, how we perform in the daily struggle, and how of President López Obrador with more energy than they do it, not in the abstract, but in each trench, in ever, and, at the same time, to decisively promote the each country, in each region, each one in their own process that has begun with him, towards its deepenparticular conditions; Surely, given the multiplicity of ing, until it leads us to full independence of our councombat fronts, we will have victories in many of them, try with respect to imperialism. and perhaps also some defeats in some; that’s how And it is time to redouble the battle of ideas, to dethe fight is. But today, we, are part of those who are feat those of the bourgeoisie, imperialism and ideoforging the society that will emerge at the end of the pandemic and its economic aftermath; this is a fact logical diversionism. from which we cannot divert our attention.

With our actions today, as a social class and as a people, we are defining the society of tomorrow, In this framework, the Popular Socialist Party of Mexico considers that it is the moment when the nothing and no one will do it for us. working class must intensify its struggle for the advent

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Nepal Communist Party

Covid-19 pandemic, working class people & responsibility of the socialist forces

The pandemic of COVID 19 has hit hard the work- 91 ing class people around the world. We all are impacted. But we are not silent. We are continuing our task of organization, mobilization, service delivery and support. If we miss to reach and support the people who are our strength during this time of crisis, we will not win our class struggle. It’s important to work at grassroots and continue our struggle while following health protocol and staying safe.

We are not only fighting against pandemic, we are fighting with bigger crisis of neo-liberal capitalism, imperialism and regional hegemonic forces. As we know that the global imperialism, regional hegemony and many other forces are trying to use this crisis Madhav Kumar Nepal to suppress the masses, take away people’s right and freedom and come up with false solutions.

Chief, Department of Foreign Affairs

It is crucial time for us. The humanity has encoun-

Former Prime Minister & Senior Leader tered one of the biggest challenges of our times.

Nepal Communist Party (NCP) While Socialist countries like China, Cuba, Vietnam

and others have been fighting pandemic in a very efficient manner, havoc have been created in many capitalist countries like USA, UK etc. It is already clear that without global co-operation, broader solidarity and internationalism, our fight with this Pandemic will not be effective. But some people and countries are busy in creating myths and rumors as well as conspiring against humanity even at this time of crisis.

The ugly face of imperialism was exposed when there was outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan. They tried to isolate and attack China during the need of cooperation, encouragement and support. Actually the present world crisis and country-specific crisis of pandemic is the result of negligence of the western capitalist regimes. After the failure of capitalist centers in dealing with the pandemic, it was almost predicted that there will be a big paradigm shift in our concept of many things.

That is why there are attempts to divert attentions of people about the failure of neo-liberal and capitalist model of development. Imperialism is cruel and war is their ultimate weapon. But they are using all tools of sanctions, trade war, cold war, threats etc. to coercively intervene the sovereignty of people and states. Brave People in Palestine, Iran, Venezuela etc have been tirelessly resisting the imperialist aggressions.

There are two truths not acceptable to global bourgeoisie regime. One is that countries ruled by Communist and Socialist parties,with better public health services are effectively dealing with pandemic. Second is that very soon, China is going to be the

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centre of world economy. Similarly, the pandemic has also shown that privatization & liberalization has weakened states capacity to deal with crisis. Therefore, it is expected that capitalist aggression after the pandemic is likely to increase. We have to prepare ourselves for this. Therefore, what we see our Central task ahead should be, it is the time to be more organized and active. It is the time to be more visible. It is also a time to call for the reform in public policies. It is also a time to learn from public services, education system, public health care system, planned economy and better public policies of socialist, left and other countries. It is time to discuss the failure of WTO and neoliberal trade regime. We have to say that it is not the time of conspiracy and nuclear tests. It is not the time of blaming each other and having skepticism and cynicism. The world demands internationalism, collectivism, social reforms and new world order.

There is no alternative of socialism. That is what our party and government is also trying to do in Nepal.

In this regard, we can learn of countries with socialist governments and Internationalist efforts of Chinese and Cuban comrades who sent the militant of frontline doctors in many countries even during pandemic.

The number of infected people has reached to 2, 89, 37,241 and 9, 24,504 deaths as of September 12, 2020. In Nepal, number of infected people is 53,120 and 336 deaths. It shows that pandemic is spreading rapidly in the whole world but in our region, it is still spreading rapidly. But even during crisis, few regimes, in our region, are trying to divert the issue of pandemic which has largely impacted the live and livelihood of people. Growing tension in the region, especially between India-china is a big threat to peace and tranquility in Asia and the world. Trade war between and among the countries has already started. A lot of provocation is created by imperialist in the war. We need to call for regional and global peace and people’s solidarity.

The millennium challenge corporations compact (MCC) has also created disputes in Nepal. It is clear that our country will not sign any compact of military nature or such any alliance, which is against our national interest and will always adhere with the principle of Panchasheel and nonalignment.

The imperialist intervention has also increased in Nepal and they are trying to penetrate in the country with the objective of degenerating and defaming communist movement. But we are fighting against all sorts of opportunism and capitulationism.

We are now witnessing the deepening of capital-

ism’s crisis. It is right time for us to develop concrete strategy to move forward. COVID-19 has taught us many lessons and now we are moving forward a bipolar world. Therefore, I hope that we should be able to critically analyze the post COVID-19 context and clearly formulate the tactics and strategies of left and socialist movement of the world.

The heath system was so deficient and fragile at the time of outbreak that there were very limited masks, gloves, ventilators, doctors, nurses, hospital and other facilities available in the US and other European capitalist countries. As a part of structural deficiency, the death rate among the poor and most disadvantaged community has been extremely high.

It was hardly thought that countries so advanced with mighty wealth power would have passed through such a state of conditions. Even the lockdown in many instances were enforced halfheartedly by many countries by compromising with rapid spread of virus and dying of patients in a mass scale.

Importantly, neither there was a well thought overall plan to deal with the pandemic nor effective coordinated attempts were made by the central governments in number of countries including the US. No institutional and leadership responsive system was enforced at different levels leading to a tendency of escaping from the responsibilities. With enormous rise in cases in some European countries, some governments were forced to take some drastic steps including more strict lockdowns amidst frustration and anger of the people. It is to be noticed that had there been an urgency of war preparation, no shortage of guns, bombs, submarines, fighter jets and the like would have been in such countries as trillions of dollars is spent each year for military purposes.

Another characteristics of the ruling class of capitalist system exposed by the pandemic is that while introducing relief and fiscal stimulus programs, the priority has been given exclusively to safeguard the interest of oligarchic and monopoly capitalists. Under the fiscal stimulus, trillions of dollars have been spent as a direct support more overwhelmingly to the big companies and business houses. Similarly, massive concessional loan has been provided to the same class or group. These mainly have been funded through excessive deficit financing added by continuity to the quantitative easing leading to enormous rise in already very high level of debt outstanding.

The end result is such that despite historical deceleration in real sector growth and employment, the stock prices have exceeded the pre-pandemic level.

In the second quarter of this year GDP growth in the US has slowed down by about 33 percent. During the IB Special Edition

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same period, UK and Euro Area faced more than 20 and 12 percent deceleration in the GDP respectively.

Such a downturn is raising unemployment problem massively. The misery of the jobless, poor and other vulnerable people has intensified pervasively in all capitalist countries. Though some relief programs were launched after lockdown and people’s movement restriction, the amount was low with narrow coverage for limited period. The facility has been curtailed drastically despite a second wave of virus and added suffering of the people. More broadly, even during the period of pandemic while oligarchic and monopolists are reaping higher profits and accumulating financial wealth, the working population either is dying in large proportion or suffering from starvation and hunger.

As an offshoot of above, added feature of the capitalism during the pandemic has been such that by undermining the threat of rising cases and ensuring protection from the endemic, the economies have been opened up for restoring economic and business activities. In the US, for instance, states are being forced to open the economies despite massive rise in cases again every day. In many European capitalist countries also, the tendency is quite similar.

This simply means that economy is more precarious than the life of the people in the capitalist system.

It is equally noticeable that most of the developing countries, as a part of globalization route, are pursuing the economic system which is rooted in neo-liberalism led market fundamentalism. Among them also, the governments of the most rightist political parties are more aggressively dismantling the welfare role of the state. As such, at a time when there was outbreak of the virus, the health system was in disarray. As a result, in such countries the spread of virus and death toll has been very high. This is true in Asia, Latin America and Africa. In these continents some countries have performed relatively well due to albeit responsive left leaning or left centric governments. More broadly, the responsive system in majority of the developing countries has been quite similar to the capitalist countries. From lockdown to coping with pandemic, relief packages and opening up of the economies, the approach has been almost the same. As such, given the fragile health system added by weak institutional, technical and resource capacity, apart from daily increase in the cases and death of people, starvation and hunger and more broadly suffering of the people has been much more devastating. This has magnified both poverty and inequality in a massive way.

Under such circumstances, in both capitalist and 93 developing countries, the left political parties, progressive forces, various people centric organizations and social activists through statements, mobilization of people, mass protests, social networking and communication are expositing non-responsive governments and building pressures to pay highest attention on the lives and livelihood of the people including rescuing the small farmers, businesses and enterprise at the same time strengthening the supply chain and public distribution system. As an offshoot, the regional political and others forums, people’s alliances, media and academicians are playing catalyst role to expose the failure of political and economic system and advocating the relevance and importance of alternatives. All these are exerting some incremental positive impacts. But overall impact to correct non-responsive and anti-people measures has been less pronounced. Within the rightist forces, those aligned with the ruling parties and governments are defending the government’s steps and other rightist forces are trying to expose not on ideological but on religious, anti-migration and anti-globalization grounds to catch the anti-establishment sentiments of the people. With no strong net working at the global, regional and country specific levels by representing the voices of the downtrodden in an organized way, strengthening the role of the leftist forces to counter the capitalism is still a big challenge.

More precisely, the pandemic has exposed the historic failure of the capitalist system. In the absence of not only prompt political and government responsive system at various levels and institutional apparatus but also due to protracted very irresponsible, pro-rich and common people neglecting system, the threat of bigger human suffering is manifesting. This, along with increased resentment and anger of the working population, is intensifying social contradiction in both capitalist and other countries. Various forms of mass protest and struggles against state and government system jeopardizing the lives and livelihoods of the people are rising.

With some gaps, though almost all countries implemented relief program to the workers and other poor people, the package neither covered the most affected norit was adequate. There were problems in distributing to the intended as well. After removal of lockdown and opening of the economy, such a scheme is either discontinued or limited in terms of coverage, financial support or food supplies. Under the stimulus intended to rescue and revive the economy, largely financial capitalism driven ap-

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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proach was followed by offering interest rebate and rescheduling loan payment. In this case also though rhetorically the priority was given to the small enterprises or businesses, predominant beneficiary have been the big business houses and companies. Fundamentally, the role of government was shifted to the monetary authorities implicitly to ensure that in such a crisis period also the neo-liberalism route is not disrupted. As an offshoot and contrary to the developed capitalist countries, fiscal policy in the name of maintaining fiscal balance and economic stabilization was limited to give some tax and other rebates.

Amidst such non-responsive and non-functional state and government system, left parties, progressive forces, human right and workers organizations have continuously organized protests of various forms and pressurized governments to revamp the system and focus on containing the virus, solving livelihood problems and paying attention to strengthen protective system. Intellectuals and people associated with social networking have continuously exposed the failures and have built pressures to the government. In India, wage earners and in that also domestic migrant workers had launched a big movement against government’s complete negligence to their hand mouth problem immediately after abrupt lockdown. In such a parallel movement, the role of rightist parties and their various professional and occupational wings including media have been simply to defend the government and government leadership. More broadly, notwithstanding the role, the left and other movements devoted to people’s justice have been less effective in terms of impact or forcing corrections so far despite bigger room created by the non-responsive government system.

fying unprecedented gap between haves and have not’s through too much exploitation of the working class, aggravating climate crisis through extreme exploitation of nature in an unsustainable way and infusing hate and division in the society for political expediency is incapable to address or resolve multiple crisis originating from a pandemic like coronavirus.

More critically, the experience shows that the state and government system and other accompanying institutional and other apparatus are implanted in such a way that they are not responsive to the lives and livelihood of the people. Instead, the system is driven by the economic and financial interest of big business and companies as a part of protecting the interest of financial oligarchic and monopolists. Notwithstanding class character and dominance albeit different as of today, the tendency is quite similar to the capitalist countries in most of the developing countries including South Asia, more so in countries where rightist forces are in the power and dominant.

The suffering of people worldwide due to pandemic and deepening crisis in the capitalist and other countries where rightist forces are in power has further enhanced the prospect of left and other progressive movement. However, this will require more proactive leadership role by the left forces at the global, regional and country specific level by mobilizing working class, progress forces and opinion builders. Most important factor is that the minimum core agenda, one exposing the misdeeds and failures of the capitalists including most reactionary rightist forces and another very robust and convincing issues based alternatives have to be brought into the fore and widely disseminated. In the past, lack of distinct and often confusing agenda contemplating neo-liberalism led agenda has provided space to the most rightist forces leading to weakening of the The global experience shows that today’s capital- left movement. Lessons have to be taken from the ist system rooted in neo-liberalism and intensified in past mistakes. the form of financial capitalism and dismantling the Toward such a new drive added by rising hopes, welfare role of the state, among others, has dismal- the role of the Communist party of Nepal, as a domly failed to fight against COVID-19 pandemic and inant force with almost two third majority governaddress magnifying livelihood and economic crisis ments, is vital. We are sure that the party remains simultaneously. It has additionally proven that the the vanguard of core socialist agenda and is working dominant world capitalist system which was intensi- for emancipation of working class people.

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Communist Party of Norway

“The struggle of Communist and Workers Parties in the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis.”

Intervention by Svend Haakon Jacobsen International Secretary PB of CC

Dear Comrades, CP of Norway thanks the IMCWP 95 Working Group to give us this opportunity to present our experiences and views in the digital edition of a special issue of the International Bulletin, due to the postponement of the 22nd IMCWP. As you know Norway has through referendums in 1972 and 1994 voted no to membership in the EU, but we are associated through the EEA agreement.

Both Social-democrat and rightwing party Governments have reduced vital healthcare capacities in public hospitals and also in nursing homes. This did not occur accidentally, they are the result of the anti-people policy pursued by governments in support of profitability of monopoly capitalist groups.

Therefore when the Covid 19 pandemic broke loose, the capacity in our hospitals was way below necessary. Hospitals were asked to postpone planned operations that could wait “without risking lives”. They reallocated departments to take on patients with Covid 19 virus and also the specialists for the intensive care.

People with relevant education and background were asked to do voluntary work both in health and other vital staffs in police, fire brigades etc. They are not building up necessary capacities in our society, just temporary “voluntary” work.

March 12th 2020 the government decided to close down society to try to manage the spread of virus.

Teachers and people with desk jobs could teach and do their jobs from home though their computers on the net. All the others were dismissed or given notice.

Trade Unions and Trade Union Central (LO) started negotiations with the government, to try to give better support, and for a longer period for their members.

Unemployment rose dramatic, till the highest in Norway since the US stock exchange crackdown in 1929. More than 430000 workers were unemployed, a very high percentage, and now a long time later still is around 8%. The Government said they were asking their office to use more efficient procedures to pay the unemployed their benefits. But it took too long time, and many people risked to lose their homes, car etc. This happened in one of the richest countries in the world. The Norwegian state Pension Fund is worth more than one thousand billion dollars. The Fund has invested surplus from the oil and gas production in shares, bonds etc. and it has been growing every year, even if it has a halt in this deep economic crisis, both due to the pandemic and the capitalist crisis.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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The Government has given many private companies, both big end smaller large allowances, direct liquidity support, helping them through the crisis, without any claims concerning the rights of their workers.

grownups and elderly people have all experienced what has happened. It will be easier in the elections campaign to reach people in the political discussions on healthcare, education, labor rights and the right of Big transnationals merged with strong financial cor- the majority of the people to own and rule the means porations owning large parts of companies in Norway of production. of course will use this situation to reorganize their We will have an important fight with the opportunoperations to “legally” make the most out of the al- ists in the Social-democratic party, who only want to lowances. And then they will reemploy the best and win the majority in Parliament, to govern capitalism strongest workers, and let the rest be taken care of by in Norway. the Norwegian social care. The Social-democrat influPolls taken on the streets has shown that many forenced leadership of LO does not have this perspec- mer Social-democratic voters openly expressed the tive, our Marxist-Leninist perspective, and is therefore party had moved to far to the right, away from soeasily manipulated. cialism.

Advanced medical staffs in the large public hospitals in Norway are cooperating through the WHO and directly with advanced medical scientific centers in Europe, working together trying to rapid develop a functioning vaccine. And Norwegian medical expertize have developed a much more efficient and quicker test procedure.

The General Secretary of NATO is the former Social-democrat Prime minister of Norway Stoltenberg.

Social-democratic party supported and took part in the wars on Yugoslavia, Libya and Syria.

In this situation the Norwegian Parliament accepted a new EU ordinance no. 745/2017, where Norway due to the EEA agreement is committed to buy standardized medical tests from commercial companies, where Norwegian public healthcare expertize could deliver tests much quicker and more efficient, three to ten times cheaper.

US, Great Britain and France are big in the profitable weapon-industry. The Military Industrial Complex is big business profiting from wars, killings and pollution.

Norway is an imperialist nation and our capitalist system is undemocratic.

Norway and Sweden are among the largest weapon producers in the world, in relation to inhabitants.

We are all contributing to imperialist wars, and profit from it.

Cuba, China and Russia contributed with protective materials and health professionals in solidarity US and EU are illegally blockading and sanctioning with the countries most affected by the COVID 19 Cuba, Venezuela and DPR Korea among others. In pandemic, in contrast to the western imperialist cen- this pandemic situation this is even more unjust and ters EU and the US. criminal, making the life of the peoples even more CP of Norway supports the campaign to nomi- difficult. nate the Cuban “Henry Reeve International Medical We say no to imperialist interventions and military Brigade Specialized inDisaster Situations and Seri- exercises, such as those of NATO. ous Epidemics” for the Nobel Peace Prize.More than Public resources should be redirected to support 1500 Cuban healthspecialists were asked for, and the needs of the peoples, financing public health and have been working in 23 countries in Europe, Africa, social security systems.

United Arab Emirates, Latin-America and in the CarThe Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is under ribian. siege. US imperialism and its European allies have CP of Norway does not have a seat in Parliament, not ceased their political, economic and military but we are active in the left wing of LO (Trade Union pressure to bring about a change of government in Central) and the national “No to EU” organization.

Venezuela. The illegal appropriation of Venezuelan We are taking part in the Parliamentary elections assets abroad, unilateral coercive sanctions aimed at in 2021. blocking Venezuela’s trade operations and sources of We will take active part in the campaign for financing, and mobilizations of military forces to build strengthening the capacity of the public hospitals and a land and maritime fence around Venezuela have increased so far this year. the right to free healthcare for all in need for help.

Through the pandemic crisis, young people,

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of the country, PCV stresses the need to build the broadest alliance of democratic, popular, patriotic, progressive, anti-imperialist and revolutionary forces that takes shape in a collective direction and a common agenda to defeat imperialist aggression through the revolutionary transformation of Venezuelan society.

For the PCV, the consequential struggle against imperialist siege and in defense of sovereignty is inseparable from the struggle for a revolutionary way out of the capitalist crisis. PCV is convinced that imperialism cannot be overcome through concessions and subordination to the interests of capitalists.

APR will participate in the elections, which will be 97 an important scenario of class struggle where APR through its own labor and popular candidates and programmatic proposals for the revolutionary way out of the capitalist crisis will continue to take steps in the regrouping of forces around this unitary effort and promoting the deep political debate among the working masses.

In Norway we also have Socialist-Left party and Red party, they are social democrats. They are against EU, as is the majority of the Norwegian population.

They have problems with parts of the NATO policies, but they do not speak out loud, or vote to leave PCV and the Popular Revolutionary Alternative NATO. But we have common positions on EU social (APR) is a unitary effort aimed at building an organic dumping and trade union policies. reference point of revolutionary currents in the labor, CP of Norway is working to establish a united class peasant, communard and popular fields, within the oriented non-party trade-union platform on the framework of the development of a policy of “con- ground floor to develop the subjective factor in the fronting, distancing, regrouping and accumulating anti-imperialist fight against the EU capitalist policies forces to move forward and succeed in in the face of that Norway have to adopt without debate through imperialism and privatizing reformism”. the EEA agreement.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Communist Party of Pakistan

Capitalist economy is intrinsically crises based economy and international capitalism perpetually keeps facing crises,thus it causes escalating contradictions among developed countries.

Economic contradictions between America and China have entered the phase of the cold war. Both have always symbiotic host relations with Pakistan . superpowers. And Pakistani economy is standing on the borrowed crutches provided by these powers, which is obviously at the lowest ebb in history . The prime reason behind the drastic downfall of Pakistan’s financial standing is the lavish expenditures by the ruling elite and military Generals. They have never let to build and empower the economic institutions to become backbones of the country’s economy, but have adopted a rather very viscous policy of running the country totally dependent on foreign aids and loans. In exchange, the security institution of Pakistan provided safeguarding the vested interest of imperialism. For example, the Pakistan military played a distasteful role in Afghanistan against Soviet Union and the Revolutionary government of Afghanistan during the cold war era between Soviet Union and America.

Even after that Pakistan continued supplying mercenaries and jihadis to different countries and received aid and loans in return. In the recent past the scenario has changed and new blocks are emerging.

Under these circumstances economic crises in Pakistan are deepening, the economy is totally dependent on Imperialist financial Institutions. Total debt for the last seventy-two years is around thirty thousand billion rupees. Out of which the present regime received loans of fourteen thousand six hundred billion in the last two years under the same conditionality. Today in Pakistan, even the finance minister is an employee of Imperialist Financial Agencies,consequently, the economy is further deteriorating, instead of improving.

Within the last two years Pakistani rupee has been devalued by forty eight percent and under the imperialist dictation the tax system is devised in such a way that the cost of production has so much increased as a result the survival of indigenous manufacturing industry is in critical condition. Consequently workers are losing jobs. The review shows that one million workers lost their jobs during fiscal year 2018-19. Rate of economic growth during 2018-19 dropped from 5.8% to 3.3%. Lack of job opportunities pushed the 0.8 million population below the poverty line during 2018-19 inclusive of the first three months of 2020.

Covid 19 pandemic escalated this chaos. According to official data 303079 cases were registered up IB Special Edition

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to September 16, recovered patients were 98% and Covid-19 pandemic has drastically affected the 99 death rate was 2%. Under the given conditions this economy which was already in crises around the data is not reliable but as we don’t have any other globe.Capitalist countries are announcing bail out sources, so we take it as considerable. Most of the packages for the poor but in Pakistan the government people did not take Covid seriously because of re- is showing indifference in this regard, too . Ruling elite ligious frenzy. Large scale testing was not possible due is throwing total burden of economic chaos on the to high cost in private hospitals and spurious results at shoulder of the general public is the tradition of the the public hospitals .Privatization Policy of the pub- capitalist system.Covid pandemic started showing its lic health institutions through substandard facilities, deadly effects in Europe and America amid the poplow income groups are deprived of any help from ular protest against the murder of Gorge Floyd. High the state. Leaving aside the data of lower death rate cost of health facilities in America and other counlock-down worst hit the economy. Government again tries aggravated the protest. People’s wrath against the policies of the state were evident. They started failed to help. dismantling and destroying statues of imperialist war Some four million people lost their jobs and busi- lords and slave traders. On the other hand, people nesses lost billions. As a result exports dropped by fifty erected statues of Lenin at different places. Likewise, percent on one hand and purchasing power declined in Pakistan state narrative is exposed. People are on the other, domestic gross products are showing a openly criticizing the policies of the state, popular drastic downward trend. Agriculture sector is equally pressure is building against the lavish lifestyle of ruling facing the most negative effects. Farm , peasantry and classes and unchecked huge expenditure of security work force depending on Agri-based industry are hit,- organizations. People are asking to c rb the corruption severely. and curtail the expenditure of these organizations. To In addition to that Imperialist financial agencies control this, a bill has been passed by the parliament have set their own goals. Increased tax, devaluation according to which any criticism are cutting jokes on of currency, scarcity of jobs and pandemic are other social media in writing or verbal, against military Genexternalizations which have hit Pakistani economy erals or any person related to these organs is punishable by two years’ imprisonment and a fine of half very badly more than any other country.

The party has organized protest rallies and sit-ins million rupees. Another bill has also been passed by to build pressure on the authorities,striving to help the parliament which allows the security agencies to the people. Income support program, initiated by abduct and keep any person in custody for 180 days the government of Pakistan People’s Party for the without arrest warrant or judicial remand. Abduction poor families. The current PTI government stopped of political workers criticizing the ruling class was a the payments for months and afterwards started the routine in the past but now it is legalized. The Judipayment in mass gatherings violating SOPs for pro- ciary is helpless in this regard. The state has legally bepaganda purposes. This resulted in further spread of come a fascist state. the viral morbidity . Communist Party arranged protest rallies, processions and sit-ins to help workers and peasants, strictly observing SOPs by organizing processions in rows of four persons and keeping safe distance. As a result of Anti-People Policies of the ruling elite, the number of people living below the poverty line is increasing. One can witness groups of beggars in every street, lane and crossing of the road, brothels are increasing and poor families are forced to sell their body organs specially kidney selling has become a dirty business.

Under these circumstances Communist party of Pakistan is striving to organize working classes and the general public. It is useless to have any hope from the ruling class parties, as these are partners of the military junta to plunder people, utilize national resources for their own benefits and tailor fascist laws.

Communist Party is also striving to make a united front of left-wing forces on a minimum agenda of common points to start a joint struggle.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Palestinian Communist Party

Dear comrades The pandemic that struck the world, Covid-19 pandemic, has collectively affected the peoples of the world and their working class, in two directions, the first is healthy and the second economically.

In the health direction, the pandemic came to show the fragility of the health system that depends on the profit-oriented private sector at the expense of the International Relations needs of the working class. Thus, the hard-working people were not able to receive the necessary treatCentral Committee ment to confront the pandemic. In Palestine, our situPalestinian Communist Party ation is no different from the rest of the world’s people, but rather worsens for the following reasons: First: The systematic role that the occupation plays against our people, deliberately exploiting the health situation, whether inside or outside detention centers, as it prevents medical personnel from reaching the sick, and conducts barbaric raids on our cities and villages.

Second: The rampant corruption of the authority’s apparatus, which has reached the point of distributing aid collected through donations from the people to family and friends through “popular” committees formed by the authority’s organization, in ways and methods that are not related to transparency.

Third: Using the state of emergency to pass political positions by force through the arrests made by the authority against the demanding movements on ridiculous charges that have nothing to do with the pandemic.

Economically, the economic crisis in which the peoples of the world are going through a crisis of surplus wealth has clearly accelerated and the barbarism of the bourgeoisie has emerged through the closures that hit the working class, which caused the collapse of the social structure. Poverty, and at the same time the profits of the bourgeoisie increased, according to studies, billions increased in the hands of a few bourgeois, including 20 Arabs. This is how clearly the decline of the middle class and the increase in the number of the unemployed army, not to mention the increase in the poverty of the already poor.

To counter the indignation of the people and the discontent of the working class, they used the emergency laws from preventing assembly to preventing any organized activity, such as using emergency laws to confront the mass movement in the United States against racism and Trump’s barbaric policies prove that the bourgeoisie wants to pass its plans by force without taking into account neither the will nor the needs of the people. .

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What happened in the United States was circulated throughout the world. In Palestine, under the pretext of the pandemic first, and with other pretexts, secondly, curfews were banned. Government institutions closed schools, medium and small craft establishments, which increased the number of unemployed on the one hand, and under the slogan of stopping security coordination, the Israeli side stopped paying Palestinian dues From the tax clearance revenues originally paid by the Palestinians according to the Paris Economic Protocol, the payment of government employees ’salaries was halted, which exacerbated the crisis.

It is worth noting here that the sectors that have benefited from this pandemic are the food and medicine sector. The banking sector has been one of the biggest beneficiaries. The successive Palestinian governments’ monetary policy since the government of Salam Fayyad, which linked the public to banks, led to an exacerbation of debts, which led to the inability to repay due to the financial failure of the authority and small Craftsmen.

The policy of linking the people to the banks benefited two banks and the occupation. The banks increased their profits and the occupation ensured the crowd’s preoccupation with fulfilling its obligations. As for the authority, it is the responsible and partner for this farce.

Our party’s role in these circumstances is difficult 101 and complicated. On the one hand it faces the occupation and the authority of Oslo compatible with it, and it faces with our people these exceptional circumstances related to the pandemic on the other hand. Party committees were formed to follow up the needs of the workers and assist them as much as possible. The situation, and financial and moral support was provided, according to our modest capabilities, to the largest possible number of the working class and the poor peasants.

As we mentioned earlier, our people are facing the occupation and the authority consistent with it, this means that we are still in the stage of national liberation, in addition to the daily confrontation of the racist practices of occupation at the places of contact, we are working to organize the masses for a great confrontation for the sake of national liberation, this is taking place side by side with the battle to confront the fierce attack The people’s strength and the working class, therefore, the party works to form a broad national front to confront the occupation and the authority of Oslo, providing support and participating in the demanding movements against corruption and all forms of authoritarian abuse. Reaching the stage of building socialism requires ending the stage of national liberation.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Palestinian People’s Party

PPP activities during the Corona period

Since the emergence and expansion of the “Corona” virus in Palestine, it has imposed on our people, leadership, political parties and institutions, including our party, a new challenge to confront this epidemic, which required special and high-level attention in order to address this matter, including taking every extraordinary measures to confront this situation in order to protect the health of our people, with all the effort and responsibilities it requires.

In this regard, while our party has kept pace with the developments of the spread of the epidemic and the efforts made to confront it, it showed special interest in public awareness and commitment to all preventive measures, without intimidation or miscalculation , to provide all health requirements for citizens and treatment for the affected , and address the negative effects on citizens, especially the popular groups, as a result of the state of emergency and the exceptional measures resulting from it, and confront all shortcomings or exploitation of the situation by any side.

The party and its civil institutions have also put all possible energies and capabilities in the service of the official, civil and popular national effort to confront this epidemic. Despite the obstacles resulting from some official policies of a factional and confrontational nature , many party cadres and institutions joined in official, civil and popular emergency committees at different levels, as many of the party’s youth committees were formed to support the affected and poor family providing possible living assistance to them.

The following is an extensive review of the most prominent roles that the party and its sectors played:

First - political performance - media and public awareness: The party issued (9) public and press statements, in addition to many statements and interviews on television and radio and other means of publication, in which the party and its representatives addressed: preventive public awareness of citizens, all the issues, challenges and requirements related to confronting the situation and addressing its effects, criticism of inappropriate government (PA) policies and procedures, the demand By improving performance, taking into account priorities, providing health and living requirements for citizens, and following up on achieving this.

The most prominent of these issues were: 1. Adhere to the precautionary measures taken by the National Authority and the competent authoriIB Special Edition

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103 ties, respect all requirements for this on the ground, Second - Community Activities: and follow all general and preventive measures for 1. Several committees of the party’s youth were every citizen. formed in some governorates and regions, in order to 2. Promote alignment, unity and all means of soli- collect in-kind and material donations to support and darity and cooperation between the various compo- help the affected and poor family by providing them nents of society and its various sectors to confront the with their living requirements and possible means of state of the epidemic, and focus the official, civil and protection. popular national effort in order to harness all available 2. Initiate and / participate in civil and popular capabilities to confront the dangers of the spread of emergency committees in many cities, villages and this epidemic, and the integration of this effort on the camps, to participate in public awareness-raising and basis of partnership, cooperation and professionalism preventive missions, to monitor the provision of pubat work. lic services, to collect donations and aid to provide

3. Demanding the provision of all basic needs, therapeutic and preventive materials and food for all citizens, and tightening procedures for controlling the prices and preventing any kind of monopoly over them or raising the prices, and asking the competent authorities to oblige all private industrial, commercial and service sectors, in addition to the private health sector, not to raise prices whatever products it was, as well as ensuring the provision of services for all vital sectors of electricity, water and communications. .

them to the affected and poor family, and to provide possible preventive means for them. Assignment of local medical staff and social assistance in isolation, prevention and sterilization measures in neighborhoods and public institutions.

4. Demand to provide adequate quantities of basic preventive measures for all medical, relief, humanitarian and journalistic teams working in all governorates of the country, and to follow-up the implementation of sterilization procedures comprehensively in all regions, public places and all institutions.

4. Civil organizations affiliated with and friendly to the party, working in the agricultural and human rights fields in particular, implement emergency programs to help citizens of the affected and poor family, in addition to exercising lobbying and advocacy work.

3. The involvement of a number of party cadres of social activists and medical workers in some of the higher and local emergency committees in the governorates and some locations, to participate in their various work programs.

Our party paid attention also to the rights of Pal5. A request to postpone the payment of the estinian workers in Israel through the closures, their monthly installments of loans to citizens, especially health care , economical rights and the exploitation the categories of employees and workers, in favor of from the Israeli side . banks for a period of four months, subject to renewal.

6. Demanding to take urgent measures and policies to provide social protection requirements for citizens, and to address the living needs of hundreds of thousands of poor families whose salaries have been cut off or whose salaries have stopped and are unemployed in light of closures, travel bans, and many sectors of work.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Paraguayan Communist Party

Paraguay and the possibilities for change

Introduction First, we salute the militants of the Communist and Workers’ Parties from all over the world, as well as the working class of the cities and the countryside.

We would like to make a particular recognition to the health workers and to each woman, each man, who had (and has) to expose himself for labor reasons, to the contagion of the new coronavirus.With the enormous risk that the capitalist mode of production spreads on a global scale, imposing the commercialization of all social relationships and –thus- weakening the public health systems in the vast majority of countries.

We dedicate our efforts to the millions of combatants for the free association of women and men, revolutionaries who fought, were persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, kidnapped, disappeared, and whose examples continue to underpin the socialist-communist project.This year we remember the 40th anniversary of the kidnapping and disappearance of comrades Antonio Maidana and Emilio Roa, victims of Operation Condor; 45 years of the kidnapping and disappearance of comrades Miguel ÁngelSoler, Octavio Rubén González Acosta and DerlisVillagra.We continue to fight for the freedom of the political prisoners of our country and the world, with the decision to overcome in a humanist way this enormous crisis of capitalism.

As the document must be brief, we will not delve into descriptions of the structural - and therefore civilizational - crisis of the capitalist mode of production, although we will place elements to locate our country within this crisis and in the class struggle.

Context The global projections are not encouraging at all.

On the part of the establishment Think Tanks, the estimates of the post-pandemic world economy show an increasing tendency to develop in the shape of an L, since the fall we have been experiencing would be followed by a slowdown in economic activity and the subsequent stagnation of the world economy. Let us remember that 2019 was already closing as the third consecutive year of global economic stagnation and the one with the lowest growth in a decade, all this, before the emergence of the health crisis derived from COVID-19.

In June 2020, World Bank projections predicted a 5.2% drop in the world economy, while for the hegemonic economies a steep fall of the order of 7% is forecast, recalling that they had already been sustaining a drop in profitability of capital; while for Latin IB Special Edition

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105 America the projections forecast a drop of 7.2%, and through bond issuance. specifically Paraguay would be experiencing a drop of Added to this scenario is the fact that Paraguay has around 3%.

71% of its Economically Active Population (EAP) inThe official speech of the Paraguayan government volved in informal work -that is without job stability, proposes a growth of 5% for 2021. The IMF differs a social security, medical insurance or retirement-.Also point, placing the growth of the Paraguayan econo- with 84% liberalization of its economy, and domimy at around 4%, and clarifying that the forecast is nated by imperialist monopolies that cross agendas subject to the dynamics presented by the markets. with all kinds of illegal trafficking sustained from mafia We must add the projections made this year by the structures that for decades have dominated the social Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Na- relations of production in the country. tions (FAO), where the projecAt the beginning of tions in relation to the October, a wave of fires behavior of the price of registered nearly 14,000 the main commodities outbreaks in our country, exchanged by the remany of them caused by gion and the country in cattle ranchers and soythe international marbean farmers, if not by ket, they tend to fall, at real estate speculators, least until 2028. deepening the climate

Today public debt represents 30.7% of GDP, and is projected to reach 35%, which is extremely risky for a small-volume economy, with an external sector dependent on the production of commodities, whose characteristic is fluctuation of prices in the international market.

Added to this is the low collection capacity, tax evasion that according to the Undersecretary of State for Taxation is around 30% and, of course, the low tax pressure that is around 14% according to the ranking prepared by the Organization for Cooperation and Development (OECD).This places our country well below the regional average that exceeds 20%, favoring the conditions for a possible scenario of inability to pay debts.

What makes the debt unsustainable and dangerous is precisely the fact that the resources obtained by the placement of the securities in the international private financial market are used in a large proportion to service the debt, that is, to contract debt to pay debts. According to data from the Ministry of Finance, at the end of 2018, USD 1,210 million of the resources obtained have been used to pay off debts, while some USD 1,877 were used to finance public works.

The low collection capacity presents as a counterpart the need to indebt the country to sustain the functioning of the economy in general and, of the structure of the State in particular, so the government decided to continue with the same debt dynamics

crisis and drawing the dystopian landscape that anticipates a dire future absorbed by the maddening voracity of the parasitic ruling class.

the pandemiC According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the registry of unemployed for Latin America and the Caribbean reaches 41 million people, which is located as a record of unemployed, since there are records. Yet the Government of Fraud , faithful to its corrupted mediocrity, masks unemployment data in the country by enabling a new category called “circumstantial inactive people”.With 217,000 people, which almost equals the 256,882 unemployed people, according to the General Directorate of Statistics, Surveys and Censuses (DGEEC) , thus hiding the exponential growth of unemployment in our country.

On March 11, the quarantine began in Paraguay, generating a significant paralysis of economic, financial and commercial relations. Our Party was one of the first organizations that presented a 12-point proposal to face the crisis, which included: raising an additional tax on banks, taking into account their large profits and low taxation; insisting on work permits without discounts; care and subsidy for informal workers; review of the employer’s contribution to guarantee medical care; opening for compulsory and free care in private health centers, subsidy for micro and small companies affected by the suspension of activities, adjustment of 40% of the minimum wage

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to alleviate the loss of purchasing power, provide all the necessary security measures to workers, suspension –without discounts- of work contracts, of all work activities that concentrate people; severe penalties for pharmacies and distribution companies that speculate with prices; special attention for the suspension of all work activity, with pay, of people over 60 years of age, as well as people with chronic diseases and pregnant and lactating mothers; guarantee the distribution of food and drinking water for workers in the informal sector and people living in extreme poverty.

Undoubtedly, our proposals were presented so that the worker, peasant and popular social alliance reinforces its arguments and its morals in the fight to avoid that the costs of the crisis are completely turned on its shoulders, attending to the total incapacity of the State and the government, to deal with the situation.

From the beginning, a large part of the population accepted the quarantine with discipline, out of total awareness about the terrible state of the public health system. There were people who believed that the government would take a loan of 1,600 million dollars, framed in the Sanitary Emergency Law, to provide the health system with minimal infrastructure, to face the pandemic, but the looting inertia was stronger.

In the midst of the largest economic crisis of capitalism in the world, with millions of unemployed, a pandemic and a rapid loss of purchasing power of the working class, the bosses continued to take advantage of every minute to forge their robberies, protected by the speed that the moment demanded.They made wrong and simulated purchases, with adulterated invoices, smuggling, appropriating land with false titles, evading millionaire taxes, corruptly arranging tenders with the State, violating environmental protection regulations, in addition to breaching the current Labor Force Code, operating with permanent and criminal violence.

Our forces focused their energies into denouncing multiple abuses against the working class, setting up complaint phone lines and accompanying each case in union and legal terms. In addition, we work closely with communities for the organization of popular

pots that guarantee the feeding of the most affected and excluded sectors, promoting the realization of community vegetable plots, bakery workshops, school reinforcement, self-management fairs and mobilizations, direct actions and complaints against State institutions for not meeting the right to adequate food.

The workers’ struggles had victories and defeats in this crisis, with an accumulation in the key of class organization, which is embryonic and at the same time significant, within the framework of the process of reorganization of the working class.With a growing communist protagonism, in the search for the necessary combination between breadth and depth, to contribute to the development of the revolutionary subjective factor.

In the organization of the popular pots, awareness and the example of solidarity of the working class grew, in addition to the constant complaints and mobilizations of the territorial organizations.

Therefore, they managed to present and pass a law that guarantees the support for the pots with supplies that ensure adequate food, coordinating the purchase with peasant organizations that carry out sustainable production.

Disputes over territory continue, both in the countryside and in the city, with peasant movements and homeless movements resisting, occupying and contesting the common sense of the majorities, seeking to demonstrate that those who usurp territories are the exploiters, attending to the millions of ill-gotten hectares that have existed in our country since the times of Stroessner’s military-fascist tyranny. In this sense, our Party has been working with resistance in some territories and insisting from various organizations on the need for Trial and Punishment of looters and torturers, as an unavoidable step to establish in an exemplary way what our society tolerates and promotes, as well as what it does not tolerates and fights, raising our voice for Never Again State Terrorism!

In fact, the absence of Trial and Punishment has its weight both in the election as President of the Republic, of the son of the former Private Secretary of the tyrant Stroessner, as in the continuity of the reIB Special Edition

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pressive apparatus and the militarization of the north the old anti-communist and criminalizing discourse 107 of the country, for 7 years. against social and political dissent.

the Challenges of working maJorities This militarization multiplied costs by creating a Joint Task Force (FTC in Spanish), which since 2013 has not made significant progress in fighting the Paraguayan People’s Army (EPP), which they consider a criminal gang. On the contrary, crimes and abuses multiplied in the north, because actually, the Brazilian landowners and the First Capital Command (PrimeiroComando da Capital - PCC) cross interests in that area.Taking into account the geo-economic advantages that include the Port of Concepción, and at the same time the possibility of territorial control for a safer drug trafficking corridor, with all the richness in biodiversity in the area. Within this entire drug-dealing and predatory scheme, Paraguayan landowners, politicians, police and military also make part.

As a decadent and terrorist expression of the Paraguayan State, on September 2, the FTC made an incursion into the area, the first report of which was the murder of two members of the EPP’s first ring. President Abdo went to the area to celebrate the success of the military and police, saying that they were hot on the heels of the aforementioned organization. The hours passed and it became known that they had actually murdered two 11-year-old girls, of Argentine nationality, who were in the area to see their relatives, related to the armed organization.

Days later, after the international embarrassment, under the nose of the government and in a militarized zone, the indigenous worker Adelio Mendoza and his boss, the leader of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, Oscar Denis, were kidnapped. Mendoza was released thanks to pressure from family members and indigenous peoples who entered the wooded area in his search. Denis is still kidnapped.

All the looting and surrender mediocrity of the fraud government leaned towards the effort to establish that the critical situation was the responsibility of communism, of Marxism, which continues to articulate on a global scale to harm humanity, recovering

The bosses are re-sprouting an anti-communist discourse as a form of ideological pressure for sectors of the popular and revolutionary field to demarcate positions and renounce the traditions of struggle, within the framework of the continuity of ideological disarmament to deactivate any effort to strengthen the subjective revolutionary factor.

Our effort throughout this time has been to accentuate an economic-vindictive and ideological base work, strengthening ties based on the continuity of tasks and the fulfillment of agreements.Seeking to regain the confidence of the working class in their own strength, and, at the same time, conducting a study of our revolutionary theory submitting our experiences in the light of its categories.

The deepening of the civilizational crisis of the capitalist mode of production, taking into account the projections of various organizations, pushes us to understand that another capitalism for Paraguay is not possible.The ruling class is not interested in a class conciliation that enables the possibility of a progressive management of capital. Quite the contrary, is promoting a State reform to pulverize labor conquests and make the working class even more precarious.

They seek the reform of the law of public service, making believe that the Paraguayan State is very large, when in reality it uses only 19% of its GDP for public spending, which at the same time is wasted in a prebendary policy. At the same time, they carry out maneuvers to use the retirement funds and dynamite them, divide the payment of the Christmas bonus, reduce all types of social security, transferring all the responsibility and protection to each worker.

Our response to this situation is the articulation of a unit of action to confront the offensive of capital over labor. As well as fighting for the unmasking of those responsible for this whole situation, for a just and necessary General Budget of the Nation.Showing that we need another State to conquer rights and social justice.In the understanding, that this other State must be led by a worker, peasant and popular alliance, capable of radiating trust and identity in the

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other social layers that are objectively harmed by this simultaneity of the anti-imperialist struggles and situation. those for socialism-communism. In that sense, we We are aware of our limited and insufficient will continue working with revolutionary vigilance, strength, as we also value our theoretical-practical criticism and self-criticism, with humility capable of effort in sustaining tasks. The elaboration of a com- giving birth to greatness, the revolutionary subjective mon revolutionary strategy, capable of encompassing factor framed in the strategy capable of mobilizing the multiplicity of national forms with the depth of the working majority in the recovery of what belongs international class content is the great challenge of to them. Collaborating with the liberation of humanour Party, as well as of all Communist and Workers’ ityfrom the dictatorship of capital, to inaugurate that new society without exploiters or exploited: the comParties. munist society.

The great challenge is to build a powerful, broad October, 2020 and deep unity, whose backbone is the worker, peasant and popular alliance, with total clarity about the

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Philippines Communist Party [PKP 1930]

In December 2019, cases of COVID-19 began ap- 109 pearing in Wuhan City in Hubei, China, but it was only on January 1 that the Chinese government would officially confirm the outbreak. A few days later, a lockdown was imposed in Wuhan and its environs. But by then, millions of Chinese travellers were already headed to various holiday destination in China and abroad, including the Philippines. The first coronavirus cases to be reported in the Philippines at the end of January were of Chinese tourists from Wuhan, with a few of them later dying from the disease. The Philippines became the first country outside China to record a confirmed death from the disease.

The situation should not have worsened had airline flights to the Philippines from Wuhan been immediately stopped by China as part of its lockdown. News reports that month already mentioned a mysterious epidemic spreading from Hubei, with Vietnam and Laos immediately closing their border with China, and even HongKong citizens demanding a stop to Chinese arrrivals. However, China allowed flights to the Philippines from Wuhan and other affected cities to continue for the whole month of February, bringing human “time bombs” spreading the disease.

President Duterte, with his pro-China orientation, belittled the threat of the then mysterious epidemic, and did not listen to the rising demand for an end to flights from China. What appeared to be more important then was the income of the airline and tourism businesses. Only with the World Health Organization’s declaration of a COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, did the Duterte administration act to totally stop the entry of travellers from China and other gravely-affected countries, and to initiate measures to control the spread of the pandemic in the Philippines.

As expected, a militarized response was imposed, with a nationwide lockdown and the appointment of around 40 retired military and police generals to several inter-agency “task forces” for particular areas of civilian control, transportation control, community surveys, information dissemination, etc. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) which is attached to the Department of Health, and is headed by retired Gen. Ricardo Morales who is a close friend of Duterte, took center stage in the task of assisting COVID-19 victims.

As in other neocolonial capitalist countries, health services are primarily dependent upon the profit motivation of private hospitals, the private pharmaceutical industry, the private health insurance companies, and the private manufacturers of medical machineries and equipment. Those who cannot pay the pri-

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vate health providers cannot expect any real health service. With millions losing their jobs due to extended lock-downs, even the provision of food for their hungry families and the payment of rent for shelter is more daunting.

test kits, personal protective equipment, supplies, etc.

With the height of callousness and greed, some of the favored private clinics (such as dialysis and maternity centers) were not even authorized to accept and test COVID-19 patients.

The lockdown and the immediate loss of jobs of millions showed the utter inability of a neocolonial capitalist system to respond to the needs of the working peoples in the face of the pandemic and the economic crisis. There was no immediate plan to help those who lost their jobs and livelihoods, and it took a month before food packs and some cash assistance could be distributed to the poorest communities.

PhilHealth is also mandated to subsidize hospital expenses of COVID-19 patients. But in some cases, hospital patients who die of other causes are declared as COVID-19 victims, with the family of the deceased receiving a bereavement assistance of P10,000.00 (USD$200.00), while the complicit hospital owner gets the subsidy of P150,000.00 (USD$3,000.00). Incidentally, PhilHealth is known for its past scams inHospitals (particularly government hospitals) lacked volving mutual payoffs under sweetheart deals with or had no test kits, or even personal protective equip- medical institutions for fictitious dialysis sessions and ment for their front-liners. Until February, test speci- cataract surgeries, as well as other fabricated procemens had to be sent to Australia to confirm if patients dures on ghost patients. had COVID-19. As the months progressed, it became However, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III imapparent that there was a great lack in hospital beds mediately defended the PhilHealth cash advance (particularly intensive care units), respirators, anti-viral scheme for private hospitals and clinics, by saying that medicines, quarantine facilities and medical person- the actual test cost could be reduced in case the prinel. Poor patients had to heal themselves in any way vate hospital or clinic used test kits donated by the they can, even using un-approved herbal concoc- DOH or private donors. For his part, President Dutetions, and just hoping that PhilHealth and other social rte immediately absolved Secretary Duque of any welfare assistance could reduce the hospital bills they cloud of corruption, saying that Duque cannot be inhave to settle in case they survive. volved in any corrupt deal because Duque is already very rich.

Lining Pockets in Pandemic Times As usual under capitalism, emergency situations are always convenient occasions for big-time crooks in the government and private sectors to further line their pockets. The Department of Health (DOH) bought testing equipment, extraction instruments, tissue culture kits, swab testing kits, reagents and consumables, not directly from Chinese manufacturers, but from local Chinese distributors in sweetheart deals which almost tripled the prices.

PhilHealth also got a budget of P16-Billion Philippine pesos (around USD$320-Million) in emergency funds to subsidize COVID-19 tests. Each test had an approved cost of P8,150.00 (around USD$160.00), although the actual cost is only around one-fourth of that amount. Even before implementing rules for the subsidy were set, PhilHealth immediately released P13-Billion (around USD$260-Million) to favored hospitals and clinics as advanced payment for tests at the hyper-inflated price of P8,150.00 each.

Reopening Business Despite Dangers The reopening of some essential business and transport operations at the start of June was demanded by the capitalists to restart their “business-as-usual” process of wealth accumulation, and to step-down the government programs of distributing some cash and food assistance for locked-down poor families.

But this reopening of business immediately led to a new wave of infections, particularly in the epidemic centers of Metropolitan Manila, Metropolitan Cebu, and Davao City. The limited transportation facilities initially allowed were swamped by commuters, despite all the warnings and threats against violators of “social distancing”.

Most of the reopened businesses involved jobs which require close regular inter-action with people, which is a high risk factor in COVID-19 transmission.

Workers in the food, agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors, as well as construction workers, securiThese were also sweetheart deals, with PhilHealth ty guards, drivers and other low-paid manual workers, officials and private hospital and clinic owners mutu- are in production processes where “social-distancing” ally seizing the opportunity for self-aggrandizement in can hardly be practised. the face of the crisis. The cash advances are only subA spike in the number of infections also happened ject to liquidation by submitting proof of purchase of due to the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of IB Special Edition

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dismissed Filipino overseas workers from countries gravely affected by the pandemic (the Middle East, Europe and the USA). Of around 24,000 who arrived in one month, around 600 (2.5%) tested positive for COVID-19, and had to undergo hospital treatment.

Over a dozen cruise ships at the anchorage area of Manila Bay also served as quarantine quarters for thousands of Filipino crewmembers who lost their jobs, so as not to overwhelm government quarantine and isolation facilities in Metropolitan Manila.

One out of every 5 persons infected with COVID-19 in the Philippines is a medical staffer. With the death of many doctors, more hospitals are resorting to online “tele-medicine” services, with their doctors located in segregated hospital rooms outside the wards, thus leaving nurses and other ward staffers at the most dangerous frontline of patient care.

Towards the end of October 2020, the Philippines has a total of around 380,000 COVID-19 infections, with around 42,800 active cases, around 330,000 recoveries and 7,200 deaths. The Philippines has the second highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia (after Indonesia), and ranks 7th in Asia and 20th in the world. Up to now, with around 4.75-Million tests already administered on 4.47-Million individuals, the government has not yet set a maximum price for each test, thus allowing private hospitals to dictate prices for maximum profitability.

Social Costs of the Crisis As a result of the capitalist crisis and the pandemic-induced rise in unemployment, millions of Filipinos are falling into poverty, millions are going hungry, millions are on the edge of eviction, and millions of students have stopped schooling. According to the World Bank, around 3-Million workers in the Philippines will be permanently unemployed throughout this year, while around 1.6-Million Overseas Filipino Workers will not be able to find any work abroad this year.

According to surveys of the Social Weather Station (SWS), the nationwide hunger incidence was at 8.8% of families in December 2019, 16.7% in May 2020, 20.9% in July 2020, and 30.7% in mid-September 2020. As of mid-September, the estimated number of families in moderate hunger (experienced only a few times in the past 3 months) is 5.5-million, while the estimated number of families in severe hunger (often or always during the past 3 months) is 2.2-million. This is a total of 7.7-million families experiencing “involuntary hunger” due to lack of food, due in turn to lack of money to purchase food. There is a grave

danger of stunting and mental retardation among 111 children of these hungry families.

In public schools from kindergarten to senior high school, only 24.35-Million students enrolled this school year. This means that more than 3-Million students did not enroll due to their parents’ lack of money to spend for their distance-learning expenses. Many parents of students in cities cannot afford to buy the celfone or tablet-computer needed for distance learning, and very few cities are able to provide these for their students. Internet/wi-fi loads for each 5-hour day of virtual classes thru video-conferencing platfoms cost around P100.00 (around USD$2.00) which is too costly for an ordinary family on lockdown.

The situation in private schools is worse, with actual enrollment figures showing that less than half of learners (only 2.1-million, compared with last year’s enrollment of 4.3-million) have enrolled this school year. It was expected that the other half of private school students would transfer to public schools as the pandemic further affects the financial situation of Filipino families. However, as the enrolment in public schools this school year has shown, more than 3-Million students have dropped out, with serious consequences on their future as members of the labor force.

Government Borrowings and Assistance in Response to the Pandemic The government is set to borrow P3-Trillion (USD$60-Billion) this year, and the same amount next year, to finance the swelling budget deficit, as COVID-19 response-related expenses ballooned while tax and non-tax revenues remained weak.

Three-fourths of the borrowings will come from the sale of government securities inside the country, and the rest from offshore debt paper issuances and foreign loans. For 2020 alone, the national government’s oustanding debt will jump to a record P10.16-Trillion, with the debt expected to reach P12-Trillion by the end of next year (or 2.7 times the 2021 budget of P4.5-Trillion).

The combined impact of higher debt financing requirements and stagnating economic situation will further weaken the Duterte administration, especially since the IMF and World Bank, the 2 main interventionist lenders in the world, will be the joint sources of around 12% of expected loans and Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Philippines.

Some loans and ODA grants to the Philippines

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this year were used to give dole-outs ranging from P5,000.00 to P8,000.00 for each family head who lost a job or livelihood. According to Gen. Rolando Bautista, Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, around 18-Million family heads were assisted in the first tranche, and around 14-Million in the second tranche. These dole-outs, although very limited, have raised popular support for Duterte, but no additional dole-out can now be dangled. The capitalist class is demanding that any government assistance should now go to them.

Secondly, banks, key industries and service sectors also need to be nationalized or socialized in order to strengthen the people’s capability to confront the pandemic. The capitalist government policy of assisting private business has to be ended, and all resources harnessed instead to safeguard the health of the people. Water and electricity distribution, telecommunication services, and railways and tollways, also have to be returned to the state sector, so that their fabulous profits could be used for social services instead of remaining in the pockets of the oligarchy.

Centralized scientific planning has to be undertaken, initially on the basis of nationalized or socialized companies, for social welfare delivery. A scientific land use policy has to be set, immediately giving sufficient public lands for the construction of government hospitals with dormitories and housing for poor medical frontliners. Transportation facilities (including shipping and airlines) have to be integrated for social serThis would free up around P42-Billion (around US- vice delivery The National Food Authority, which was D$84-Million) in business capital for 2020 alone (in- emasculated by private cartels represented in constead of going to the government as taxes). For the gress, has to be reinvigorated to provide food security next 5 years from 2021 to 2025, this measure would for the whole country.

An extensive network of community health units free up some P625-Billion (around USD$12.5-Billion) in resources in the hands of the capitalists. This will should be set up for the testing and treatment of mean foregone revenues for the already tax-starved COVID-19, and for nationwide vaccination immedigovernment, which the government will try to recover ately upon approval of safe and effective vaccines. It by selling off (i.e., privatizing) more state assets, and is the task of a socialist government to harness and by increasing the “value-added” or consumption tax support scientists focusing on the development of which the poor masses of our people will have to pay treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 and any other for every item they buy or for every service that they health risks that may confront us in the future. would avail of.

Health services and social security benefits should To help the foreign and local bankers and other parasites who lord it over our country, the government is proposing a bigtime tax break for the capitalist class for the next 5 years. The proposed law, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises, will cut the corporate net income tax rate from the present 30% to only 25% for this year, and will further cut this tax rate by 1% per year up to a low of 20% by 2025.

Truly, it is the workers and other poor sectors of our people who carry the burden of creating the resources that the government grants as incentives for the capitalist class.

Socialism as the only Solution to the Pandemic and the Capitalist Crisis In the face of the grave threat to the lives and livelihoods of the working peoples posed by the pandemic, and the inability of the capitalist class and their governments to adequately protect the peoples, communist parties need to present to the peoples the alternative –- the solution through a break from the capitalist system and the building of socialism. Socialism is the only solution to the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, and a first step is the nationalization or socialization of all private hospitals and health institutions, and their integration into a central program of confronting the pandemic, under the principle that health is a basic human right of everyone.

be free for everyone. Free medical services should be available not only in hospitals, but in all health units in communities, schools and work places. Personal protective equipment and disinfectants should be given free to everyone wherever diseases and epidemics may arise.

State and religion should be separated, with religious intervention in state affairs (such as in scientific instruction and health services) being banned.

Anti-scientific claims about miraculous cures coming from blessings and incantations of religious personalities should be banned. Churches and religious organizations should not be allowed to own mass media, to mitigate religious animosities and prevent anti-scientific preachings.

Government shall ensure the capability to provide the basic needs of the people, to stamp out panic-buying and hoarding. Food, medicines, housing, water, electricity and internet/wi-fi connectivity shall be ensured for all. The socialist culture of sharing and IB Special Edition

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solidarity with those in greater need shall be enriched.

Subsidies shall be provided for the production of the people’s needs. Production shall be guided by the principle of providing for the people’s needs. Work will be assured for every worker, with salaries and benefits in times of lock-downs. Lock-downs will also mean the suspension of rental payments, no eviction for non-payment of rent, and no cutting off of water, electricity and internet/wi-fi services for non-payment for these services.

Socialism is a system of hope for all working peo- 113 ples, a system of trust in science and self-reliance. It is the opposite of the fear, panic and frustration of the working peoples under capitalism. A break with the capitalist system, and the building of socialism – primarily the empowerment of the working peoples – is the solution to ending the pandemic and the economic crisis everywhere.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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Russian Communist Workers Party

Recently we celebrated together important anniversaries: Centennial Anniversary of October Revolution and Comintern, 200 years since the birth of Marx, 150 years since the birth of V.I. to be followed soon by the 200th anniversary of General of proletarian army Fridrich Engels (November 28). In materials of all communists parties (both by separate parties and in collaboration of several parties) there is unequivocally stated correctness of our teaching – Compass of Marxism shows cor- Marxism-Leninism. This teaching with absolute precirect direction sion reveals the exploiting essence of capitalism that cannot be changed by any humanitarian reforms or Viktor Tyulkin, Secretary of Russian Workers’ center-left models; it demonstrates cyclic economic Party Central Committee crises, whereas Lenin’s theory of imperialism explains with great precision current endless conflicts as well as the toughest economic and “classic” external and internal wars. We all know famous saying of Lenin: “The Marxist doctrine is omnipotent because it is true. It is comprehensive and harmonious, and provides men with an integral world outlook irreconcilable with any form of superstition, reaction, or defense of bourgeois oppression”. Our practice, correctness of forecasts and quite materialistic explanations of what’s going on prove that it’s true. Still to find proofs that this teaching is omnipotent proved to be much more difficult, and now, after the defeat (and we are sure that it’s a temporary defeat) of socialism in USSR and the downfall of Soviet Union we’ve been in retreat. Why so? It’s because it’s not enough to know, one should also be able to turn one’s knowledge into practice.

It’s because theory becomes a material force as soon as it has gripped the masses, and it’s not so easy to achieve. It’s because it’s not enough to call yourself Marxist and communist, it’s not enough to swear and hour the fame of our great revolutionary teachers, we should adhere to the essence of this teaching, avoid losing its revolutionary spirit, avoid leaving science and coming over to dogmatism or primitivism.

To do this we have to correctly analyze our own mistakes of the Soviet period based on Lenin’s indication: Nobody can ruin us but our own mistakes. From our point of view nowadays both parties that are in opposition as well as the parties with communist names that are part of state power have been committing these mistakes, i.e. the crisis in communist movement has not only been overcome, it hasn’t been properly diagnosed. Largely the current situation resembles the general degeneration and decomposition of the old parties in the times of the 2nd International. We can say even more: modern opportunism and revisionism have turned into well-organized weapon directed by bourgeoisie, whereas in the past they used to be internal “benign” and natural delusions characIB Special Edition

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teristic for the period of extensive growth of communist community. This explains our general weakness, our general retreat despite certain examples of heroic struggle and a number of successes of different groups in various countries.

Current economic crisis of capitalism is often portrayed as a unique event while given it various definitions (systematic crisis, crisis of liberal model, mortgage crisis, the crash of financial management of society etc.). Nevertheless, we adhere to the classic definition and believe that this is first of all inevitable cyclic crisis of overproduction under concrete conditions of modern imperialism, a continuation of the crises that had started after October socialist revolution. This crisis entered its acute phase in 2008-2014.

The crisis was predicted both by communists as well as by objective economists. Accumulation of contradictions, blatant difference between wealth and poverty inevitably ought to manifest themselves as the next stage of economy downfall and exacerbation of contradiction between imperialists. The fact that this crisis has been unrolling at the time of COVID-19 epidemics is rather a coincidence. Both these processes – i.e. the crisis and the pandemics seem like overlapping each other to the extent of merger into a joint interdependent process thus allowing bourgeois authorities and ideologists to try and give epidemics out for the crisis’ reason. Sure, that these are naked lies. In some instances COVID accelerated the process, it was as if to say a trigger, still the root cause is capitalism itself. The pandemics only aggravated the situation and revealed vividly all the contradictions and deficiencies of the existing capitalist social order. In Russia the authorities try to preset their struggle with coronavirus as a sort of example for the rest of the world.

Development of vaccine is presented as fulfillment of the mission to save humanity. Meanwhile we can observe drop in production accompanied by growth of unemployment (both official and real), whereas local mortality rates this year if compared with 2019 have already shown an increase of 100 000 deaths and this is a clear indication that the authorities obviously cannot cope with the situation.

rates then, still the reality proved to be even worse 115 than the forecast because of the epidemics. Nevertheless, the epidemics didn’t prevent Russian authorities from carrying out pompous parade on June 24 2020 that was followed by a “popular poll” on constitutional changes (25.06 – 01.07.2020). We believe that the main aim of that poll was to enable Putin to run for presidency for the 5th time and even more, actually as many times as he wants (with the old constitutional norm stipulating 2 times only). We should mention that in parliament CPRF voted in favour of that process – the process of improving constitution in the direction of strengthening bourgeois dictatorship. This epidemics didn’t prevent the authorities from carrying out regional elections on September 13, though it was clear then that the second wave of the epidemics was coming.

Coronavirus expectedly caused collapse of Russian healthcare, that had been predicted by communists long ago and that is now obvious for the majority of our citizens, especially for those who have caught coronavirus. Now we can observe in Russia the expected and true result of the so called “reforms” of public healthcare.

It proved out that timely rendered professional complex medical assistance (eg. PCR, CT of lungs), in particular under condition of hospital, cannot be ensured for everybody, whereas the thin layer of officials with their guaranteed access to the system as well as the representatives of propertied classes capable of buying personal doctors and VIP wards, don’t have such problems.

Millions of ordinary people, even those who live in big cities are doomed to waiting for a doctor, or even a paramedic for many days. Millions of people have to treat their diseases, viral pneumonia included, themselves at home. When they ask about hospitalization they are answered as usual: “in case you feel really bad, just call ambulance”! For obvious reasons such self-treatment can result in subsequent complications or even in premature death.

Under these conditions with the healthcare system Meanwhile Russian authorities use the threat of collapsing, the power as represented by officials, MPs, pandemics as a pretext to introduce various obstacles tamed journalists goes on lying that “everything is unto social-political activities, first of all to the actions of der control”, that one should keep clam. Sure that this protest. Meetings, rallies, pickets and demonstrations “elite” has no reasons to worry! are banned. Still, the authorities feel free to carry out The authorities have to keep lying that everything their own events for their political and propaganda is under control because otherwise they would have benefits under current circumstances. In 2018 they to recognize that they have failed to forecast the scale adopted a law increasing retirement age in Russia of the current epidemics and that instead of getting (the lowest in the world) by 5 years. We forecasted ready for the pestilence, the authorities, especially reboth increase in unemployment as well as in mortality gional ones, were busy organizing the poll on consti-

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tutional changes enabling Putin to be elected indef- aware that epidemics of various extent are regular initely as well as organizing equally silly elections on occurrence, whereas pandemics occur approximateSeptember 13. ly every 10 years. That’s why we can claim that the Still, the main reason why the authorities go on ly- current pandemic has been used by imperialism to ing that everything is under their control is their reluc- justify the next economic crisis and to explain all its tance to recognize, that the whole reform of public abomination. The current pandemic has been paid healthcare that meant destruction of the Soviet sys- so much attention of the media to enrich these, who tem proved to be total failure, indispensable parts of have something to do with medical business and can this reform being the notorious “optimization” (i.e., re- use this opportunity to get their share of the state duction of both hospitals and the personnel), impos- funds and to merge with the less lucky smaller coming of paid medicine, promotion of private medical petitors who went bust. Apart from this the epidemclinics that have been pumping both specialists out ics has been used as a pretext to save from responof the public sector, as well as the money from citi- sibility those, who organized that “optimization” that resulted in Russian healthcare being on the verge of zens’ pockets. catastrophe, while being obviously unprepared for Modern system of Russian healthcare is essentially this calamity. a mechanism of pumping colossal means out of the The virus does exist, this illness is dangerous, and state budget as well as out of people’s savings; these means intended to replenish pockets of the so-called it affects and kills many people. Still, there were simi“medical mafia” that controls both medical institu- lar situations in the past. Soviet healthcare used to be totally prepared for such epidemics and successfultions as well as financial flows in this branch. ly fought for the health of every citizen, not only the We should recall that this reform began with the ac- chosen ones and wealthy. We can still observe the rotive promotion of private healthcare. It is only natural bustness of Cuban medicine. In the People’s Republic that private medical clinics from the very beginning of Korea, the number of infection victims is negligible. were not healthcare institution, but rather commer- Even China that has not yet been entirely “capitalcial enterprises. Their aim was not rendering medical ized”, has managed to quickly localize and successfulassistance and strengthening heath of our citizens, ly curb the infection. Meanwhile the so-called develit was nothing else but trivial making profit for their oped capitalist countries proved to be incapable to owners. This goal is not to be reached by making ensure treatment for their entire citizen. Still they are population healthier, it is attained providing paid ser- perfectly adapted to cash in on people’s troubles and vices to ill people, the more ill people is there in the sufferings. country, the higher are the profits.

Russian billionaires similar to the moneybags in The situation in local healthcare has been further other countries have accumulated huge riches deand intentionally aggravated by way of conducting spite the fact economics in their countries are in deep criminal politics of healthcare “optimization” when crisis. Their wealth has increased whereas the rest of the authorities sacked hundreds and thousands of the population has fallen on evil days. This process qualified doctors and paramedics in state owned exactly corresponds to the basic law of both nature clinics, simultaneously kicking the doctors out of their and society: if something is lost somewhere, it can be flats earlier provided by the hospitals. found elsewhere.

The same situation can be observed also in pharWe can find a lot of examples. For example, the maceutics that has been almost completely privatized production of hygienic masks has been indeed greatthat resulted in skyrocketing prices in drug stores. The ly increased, but before the epidemic they were goal of drugs’ manufacturing is again not the treat- much cheaper, though they should have been free of ment of patients, but their sales. The corruption in this charge. The rise in price of the drugs has been already branch is so high that former Russian healthcare min- mentioned above. ister, Mrs. Tatyana Golikova got a nickname “Madame Both the analysis and the treatment are charged Arbidol” (Arbidol – dubious drug with supposed antidearly for in case they are urgently needed. The rest viral activity that has been never proved in real trials, has been also risen up in price: foodstuffs, fuel, fare still actively promoted by healthcare authorities) as well as the rest of essential goods and services. If All this manifested itself with ruthless obviousness small shops inevitably go bust, this means that the big in the situation with coronavirus. Was this epidemic ones will not have to compete with them any lonunexpected? No, it was not. Epidemiologists are well ger and they will be free to increase their prices even IB Special Edition

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higher which results in their guaranteed getting richer – not immediately, but quick enough. The same is true in regards to small and middle-sized business.

These processes are manifestation of the law of capitalist monopolization and concentration. There is yet another example more applicable to Russia: if there are closed stadiums, cinemas, fitness-clubs and other entertainment facilities, the manufacturers and sellers of vodka will grow richer.

Russian state rather than use its reserve multibillion funds, stubbornly keeps looking after the interests of big capital and state officials. Many restrictive measures for all their expediency are still aimed not at protecting population against the disease, but rather at charging people huge fines and other levies. Let’s don’t forget about the bans on protest and indignation! One of the simple example to illustrate the above statement: retired persons are not banned to travel by public means of transport; they are denied their right to do it for free.

Russian Communist Workers’ Party claims that it’s not possible to put up with such anti-popular politics any longer. We demand that the whole healthcare should be immediately nationalized. We demand that all special privileges for state officials and MPs should be banned. Healthcare is not a type of servicing; it’s an indispensable right of people rather than means to enrich new riches. The same goes in respect of pharmaceutical industry and drug sores’ networks.

deprived Russian United Labour Front its registration as 117 well. Thus, we can see that class organizations of workers have been cut off from taking part in public politic, from elections.

Meanwhile the authorities support their “loyal opposition” - CPRF, that is basically our class adversary, as this party’s politics means fitting into parliamentary opposition of all dissatisfied with capitalism. All the activities of CPRF are limited to promises of “honest elections” and to dreams of possible victory in such elections and the creation of a “national trust government”. We should mention that this trend of classical opportunism, characteristic of Euroleft parties, is apparently well agreed with the ruling class. As early as in 2000 V.Putin in his interview for the book “In the first person” answered the correspondent’s question on the future fate of CPRF as follows: “communists are the only really big party with a substantial social base, still with some ideological bugs to be disposed of”. The correspondent asked him to clarify, what bugs exactly he meant, and Putin’s answer was “for example their demand of confiscation and redistribution”. Let alone the revolution and the proletarian dictatorship. Next Putin stressed again: “communists will either change their program, thus turning themselves into large left party of European type, or they’ll fail to do this and will gradually leave the political scene as they lose their social base, when their supporters will gradually die out of natural causes”. The correspondent inquires on: “Do communist leaders believe so themselves, don’t they?”

We call on people to call the criminal regime that Here Putin demonstrates his understanding of the has bled Russian healthcare white, to account. Both the government and the president responsible for situation: “their leaders understand this, howsoever this the criminal politics of introducing capitalism, should might seem unexpected, and they do get ready for the transformation. Still they cannot do it now, they are resign and be put on trial afraid that their core supporters will percept this as a Nevertheless, these correct slogans are still to con- treason, whereas in such situations one shouldn’t proquer masses. The struggle of working people is pretty crastinate and it’s essential to timely decide when and underdeveloped and is limited to the most primitive to what extent they should change themselves”. forms – usually it is to do with the absence of salary.

Thus, we can see large opportunist party with comWhy the struggle is so weak? Why people don’t refer to the memory of our Soviet past, of the guaranteed munist name that believes that the limit for revolutions has been used up, this party’s task being damping the jobs, recreation, education and energy of people’s protest by way of channeling it into This is a difficult topic for us themselves. Sure, we parliamentary expectations and verbal protests withcan observe the authorities resorting to elaborate out any real struggle. Various businesspersons and capanti-communist propaganda, when the former mer- italists chosen by CPRF as their candidates for federal its and fame of USSR look as if being privatized by and regional parliamentary elections have become a the authorities, for example the victory over Fascism. familiar sight. CPRF put forward a capitalist candidate On the other hand Soviet history has been painted even for the presidential elections, despite the fact that black and they chose tricolor of the Hitler’s collabo- this person had had many conflicts with his adversaries rator Vlasov as their national flag. Russian authorities and relatives, the authorities skillfully using those facts counteract against all orthodox communist and work- to discredit communists. Among some 50 MPs from ers’ organization. In 2007 they deprived RCWP of of- CPRF one cannot find a single workers’ leader or trade ficial registration, whereas in 2019 the Supreme Court

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unions’ activist. We find it difficult to talk about class war with CPRF, as there are many honest and sincere communists among rank and file of this party. Nevertheless, they suffer from the same malady that was a reason for CPSU collapse – they take their leaders on trust and are not willing to treat communism as science. Opportunistic politics of CPRF gets deserved approval from the regime, in particular in the form of state rewards. Zyuganov himself was awarded Stolypin’s Medal that was handed over to him by the then PM D.Medvedev. We should remember that Stolypin was PM of the tsarist epoch that due to his repressions against people was called by Lenin “arch-hanger”. Apart from honorary rewards, these opportunists are granted quite substantial financing by the state budget so that they could defend people without causing problems for the authorities and the political order.

cluding sexual permissiveness, as well as a right to vote in favour of issuing fodder.

We adhere to the doctrine originating from the Manifest of communist party: our goal for the coming period is as follows – organizing workers’ class into the class for itself, this goal to remain unchanged under any circumstances, even in the highly improbable case Zyganov is elected to be Russian president. Organization of workers’ movement, getting support at plants and factories is essential condition for communists to reach their program goals.

Compass of Marxism shows correct direction!

Meanwhile others do try to awaken man in working horse, to organize people for struggle for their own rights to follow the words of the old proletarian anthem: There are no supreme saviours Neither God, nor Caesar, nor tribune. Producers, let us save ourselves.

From our point of view, this task remains the most important one also for the international communist movement. We cannot expect a success unless we manage to carry out delimitation with opportunism and revisionism. This reason is further confirmed by the experience of some left leaders getting to power in a number of states (Demetris Christofias, AKEL, Cyprus, Ugo Chaves, Venezuela, Vladimir Voronin, Moldova, Alexander Lukashenko, Belorussia). We can see that without working people taking part in the state manApart from CPRF the authorities have also let tak- agement the process cannot be considered stable and ing part in parliamentary activities some other artificial there always exists possibility of a reverse movement structures of provocative nature called “Communists of towards reaction.

Russia” – a splinter of CPRF, and “Communist Party of The central subject of Marxism is the teaching on proSocial Justice”, these parties to be used to create a distorted image of communists in public opinion, to dis- letarian dictatorship. Soviets based on the organization of people obtained in the course of production, proved credit the communist idea itself. to be the most stable organizational form of proletariThus in modern Russia the class struggle, first of all an dictatorship. Lenin stressed that this is not a power in the field of theory and ideology, is carried out first of for working people; it’s a power of working people. This all between orthodox Marxists – i.e RCWP and its allies power should be conquered by working people themon the one hand and CPRF and their supporters from selves, this the beginning of Marxism. bourgeois authorities on the other hand.

Young Lenin, Volodya Ulyanov then, decided that his way in life should be dedicated to serving the cause of workers’ class. We can read in the first volume of his collected work that “the awakening man in a “working horse”, is the awakening of so tremendous world-historical significance, that any sacrifices to implement it are justified”. The split in the left movement over this simple topic can be observed since long time. Some struggle for a well fed “working horse”, for adequate forage and good care. Nevertheless, even a well-fed working horse still remains cattle. Under the current level of production forces’ development, bourgeoisie has many opportunities to keep working people in the state of well-fed cattle by ensuring wages, entertainment, in-

Let’s ask ourselves: what do we construct? Our entire struggle for the workers’ cause is the struggle against exploitation, against any sort of oppression and enslavement – i.e. class struggle. Communist Manifesto defines communism as “free association, where free development of each person will become a condition for free development of all. Vice versa: free development of all becomes precondition of free development of each person. That is we construct relations between people.

This is the main function of proletarian dictatorship that is intended to destroy private property, construct classless society and thus annihilate itself as well. We, Soviet communists that lived and struggled in the Soviet time, when answering to the question if the life under Socialism was better, first recall the relations between people, rather than absence of unemployment, free of charge education, medicine, accessible inexpensive housing, these relations being so much so much more honest, pure and fair. They were more human. This is something worth fighting for.

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Communists of Serbia

The violent revolution has no alternative

The Communists of Serbia, as a Marxist-Leninist 119 party, remind and warn the fraternal communist and workers’ organizations of the unequivocal position of the classics of Marxism, Marx, Engels, and Lenin that a violent revolution is the only way to defeat capitalism. Unfortunately, the ideas, works, and various attitudes of the classics of Marxism are interpreted in different ways among today’s communists.

On the occasion of the 150th Lenin’s birth anniversary, the Communists of Serbia will even more consistently affirm his interpretation of Marxism, which states: The essence of the entire teaching of Marx and Engels comes down to the necessity of a violent revolution.

All the revolutionaries, Tito, Mao Zedong, Kim Il Sung, Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro, who, along with their comrades, defeated capitalistic systems in their countries with armed revolutions, due to Lenin’s interpretation of Marxism.

Lenin, as the leader of the first socialist country and of the Third International, always asked foreign communist delegations whether they were making preparations for the revolution. Parties that considered going to the elections to prepare for a revolution would receive the sharpest criticism from Lenin. The practice of going to the elections is the priority and the most important activity of some communist organizations, is a worrying fact.

Nowadays, all capitalist states are more or less neo-fascist, and we strongly believe that it is unacceptable for communists to be the part of the capitalistic system as its decoration. For those that do not have a revolutionary capacity, protests, strikes, and riots must be the priority political activism instead of elections, social networking, and other salon-type activism.

The illusion is that social media activism can harm the bourgeoisie, let alone overthrow capitalism. There are more and more falsifiers of Marxism and more and more parties that have reduced their activities in attempts to repair and humanize capitalism, and we have cases where communists, shamelessly, cooperate with bourgeois parties. The bourgeois parties, both left and right, are not our political opponents, they are our mortal enemies. There were minor local successes in the elections. Globally, all these attempts have failed, as capitalism is more and more destructive and inhumane.

The exploitation of workers is crueler and crueler, the world is more and more hungry, poorer and poorer, we see more and more refugees and migrants.

Wars and conflicts between nations are not ceasing.

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the so-called middle class is slowly disappearing.

There is fear and global insecurity among the people as new diseases appear, ecological catastrophes are seen on all continents, etc.

ties in the Second World War after the Red Army. The fact is that SFRY helped every communist party that needed armed, financial, organizational, or personnel assistance. We also militarily assisted in the liberation of neocolonial movements around the world. We remember that almost a million Chinese soldiers died in the Korean War. We also remember the Cuban soldiers in Congo and Bolivia. There are countless examples and we cite some as an example of magnificent sincere solidarity between fraternal organizations.

At the same time, the number of billionaires in the world has increased. This very year, in addition to the Covid 19 pandemic, and the decline of economic activities in the world, a dozen more new billionaires have been registered. That is why we emphasize once again that raising a violent revolution in the world is the obligation of the communists and that there is no Nowadays, there are also communist and workers’ other alternative for overthrowing capitalism. organizations that need help. Socialist states should The Communist Party of Serbia appeals to all frater- take the lead in contributing to proletarian solidarity, nal communist and workers’ parties to raise proletar- as should the vast majority of parties from capitalist ian solidarity to a much higher level. If that solidarity countries. Priority in aid should be given to commudoes not exist, there would be no socialism today. We nists who are fighting for freedom and socialism with can state that the last century was a century of social- weapons because they implement Marxism-Leninist revolutions and a century of proletarian solidarity ism in practice and in principle and courage. Over the years, the Communists of Serbia have initiated among communists and all progressive movements. the necessity of forming a new Communist InternaHow much the USSR helped all communist parties, tional that would strengthen the unity of the commuin terms of personnel and organization? We remem- nist movement. Unity is needed more than ever. Let ber the international brigades in Spanish Civil War, us be in solidarity as communists in the last century. and how the Red Army had 8.5 million soldiers and We must all stand under the red flag of freedom and killed and destroyed fascism and capitalism in Eastern overthrow capitalism that has questioned the survival Europe in its campaign against Berlin. of humanity itself.

The Communists of Serbia, as the ideological folLONG LIVE THE WORLD COMMUNIST MOVElowers of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, remem- MENT! ber that the Yugoslav partisans had the most casual-

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Communist Party of the Workers of Spain

Capitalist Crisis in Spain: Accelerated by the Pandemic and Managed by Social Democracy

Spain is living in 2020 the worst capitalist crisis of 121 its history. The economy is shrinking on double-digit figures; there are millions of unemployed workers, and dozens of thousands of victims dead because of the pandemic.

A superficial glance could determine that the causes of the current crisis are completely due to the effects of the pandemic and the paralysis of economy during confinement. However, the analysis we had made before the pandemic were already predicting the looming of a capitalist crisis, being the Coronavirus actually a catalyst, rather than the cause of it. One that affects the capitalist relationships worldwide and not only its national expressions.

In our 11th Congress, held on November 2017, we stated that “world capitalism is being unable to recover the growth levels that preceded the last crisis, and there are already enough hints on the table to consider that a new overall crisis may break out in the following years”.

Indeed, after the 2008-2014 crisis, the economic growth rates only reached minor upturns before falling again into stagnation between 2018 and 2019. In that last year, the Foreign Direct Investment rate fell by 40%. The stoppage of the capitalist cycle had very illustrative examples like oil producers paying to whoever took their stock: without capitalist reproduction, there is no realization of capital gains, and the first link in this chain is in the production and not the sale. This was preceded by a price war between the OPEC and Russia, which ended up in an agreement to decrease production, to which Mexico joined. Overproductionwas a factbefore Coronavirus cameintoplay.

In the previous capitalist crisis, between 2008 and 2014, there were those who pointed to the financial sphere as the only accountable for it. The dilemma would then be speculative capitalism against productive capitalism, being the first a negative one and the second a desirable one. Equally, nowadays there are those who are presenting the pandemic as the only origin of the crisis. The false dilemma they are presenting to us is, on one side, a predatory capitalism that wants to restart the economic cycle as soon as possible and turn the page on confinements; and another one that is building a “social shield” against the crisis.

We draw from the fact that there are no partial causes that explain by themselves any of both crisis; also that capitalism has crisis – derived from productive anarchy, which is derived from private property of productive means – as a rule that is besides useful to recompose the economic cycle and concentrate

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and centralize property; and that those who oppose one model of capitalist management against another one do it in a self-interested way: it is capitalism itself – and not its different management forms – the true origin, against which we communists direct our struggle.

Capitalist Crisis in Spain and the Social Democratic Management The capitalist crisis has hardly blown the Spanish economy, in a moment when the working class had not recovered the life standards prior to the previous crisis either. The GDP fall was 5.2% in the first trimester and 18.5% in the second one. The IMF projections envisage a 12.8% GDP downturn in 2020 and the Bank of Spain lowers it to 12.6%, as long as there are no resurgences.

ed by Records of Temporary Employment Regulation (ERTE’s). The Government injected a huge quantity of cash to sustain the demand, getting ready for a short crisis with a fast recovery. These erroneous forecasts were aggravated by the huge public debt – equal to 98% of GDP –Spain already had before the current crisis. The indebtedness will soon lead to adjustment and cut measures, which will blow even more to the Spanish working class.

The Inter-Imperialist Contradictions within the Framework of the Crisis

Before the outbreak of the pandemic, the clash between the United States and China was the rule in a changing and instable international chessboard.

But far from being in a new scene of Cold War, the economic and trade rivalry is between two countries After a lifting of health restrictions in summer, where the capitalist productive relations prevail, and matching the touristic period, September began with whose monopolies struggle for better positions in the a devastating epidemiologic scene: 60,000 conta- appropriation of capital gains.

Technology is currently the main battlefield begions per week and more than 100 deaths every day.

The Community of Madrid, ruled by liberal-conserva- tween both powers, but apart from every analogy to tive parties, is announcing selective confinements: fo- the space race between the United States and the cused on some working-class neighborhoods, mainly Soviet Union, the Chinese effort is today led by prilocated in the south of the capital. vate monopoly Huawei and its communication netBut the central Government, into social democratic works. 5G is just the main axe of many of the value hands, has also given a class-oriented answer to the chains of the capitalist economy in the next decade.

The technological race is for becoming such chain, a crisis. Itsanswerissustained in twotypesofmeasures: lucrative business far away from any clash between On one side, the packages of fiscal stimulus inject different social systems or productive modes. assets to private companies and, specifically, banks, The needs of the US propaganda force it to use through public endorsements to credit. They are trying to assure capital circulation. The State even as- again the anti-communist banner in its struggle sumed significant productive costs – especially salary against China, but the Communist Parties would be wrong if they answered to this offensive by raising the costs – of companies. flag of a China where capitalism roams at ease.

On the other side, the Government launched meaIn the ideological sphere, another false dilemma is sures to sustain the demand and soothe, as much as possible, some effects of capitalist overproduc- between the so-called “globalists” and “sovereignists”. tion, which they hypocritically called “social shield” The ideas do not exist apart from the material reality for workers: unemployment subsidies were offered and in both the Chinese defense of free trade and even when the priced minimum was not reached, the multinational projects like the “New Silk Road”, moratoriums for the payment of some taxes, main- and Trump’s call for the return of US capital to its terrily addressed to companies, and the so-called “Vital tory, there are nothing but contradictory interests beMinimum Income”. About this one, Pablo Iglesias – tween monopolies. On one side, the Chinese requirethe leader of Podemos and currently Deputy Prime ments of capital export in a world where the “pie” has Minister – said that it was a “public investment that already been shared out. On the other one, the rise allows maintaining a minimum level of demand so of salaries in the Asiatic countries and in Eastern Euthe companies, both the big and the small and medi- rope and the recomposing of international relations, um-sized companies, and the self-employed workers which give a lesser competitiveness to the US and European externalizations. Within each bloc, its many as well, can keep on invoicing”. contradictions, with monopolies firmly settled in third Meanwhile, more than 1 million workers lost their countries, whose interests have been undermined jobs in spring and 4 million more have been affect- with these episodes of trade war.

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Ultimately, it is a clash between monopolies which The Activity of the Communists of the PCTE 123 operate in a strongly inter-dependent world econoduring the Economic and Health Crisis my – therefore needing each other – and struggle for Since the day the State of Alarm was declared in a bigger appropriation of profits – therefore clashing Spain, the PCTE has been working under the premise each other –. But on this occasion, socialism does not of “class struggle is not stopped in this scene of panappear. demic”. The assaults against the health of the working The new episode of open clash between monop- class have been relentless and blatant, as the profits olies, with the support of their respective Govern- of capitalists were placed before the health of workers ments, is found in the race for the COVID-19 vac- for a time. The PCTE asked for the closure of non-stracine. The Russian and Chinese vaccines have shown tegic workplaces to assure the health of their workers, promising results, backed by proved scientific journals because they were exposed to contagion every day like The Lancet. The announcement of the success in in the collective transportations and their work posts, such vaccines were followed by a campaign of media as there was a lack of the required security measures. discredit in the Western countries as well as multimilSubsequently, in the months of confinement, the lion purchases in advance of vaccines from Western activity of the Party diversified, gaining a special sigpharmaceutical monopolies still in process, aiming to nificance the activity through social media, where all inject public money in the research. The US Governthe campaigns made in those months were pubment besides introduced its usual sanctions against lished. Part of the public activity of the Party was orthe institute that has created the Russian vaccine so ganized through video conferences in streaming, we nobody, not even individually, can legally acquire it in also collaborated with other Communist and Workthe American market. ers’ Parties in similar initiatives. Likewise, we interWhen this article was being written, no vaccine had vened in the organization of the workers’ movement moved on to stage 3 and therefore it is not possible to under these conditions which required an adaptation assure its effectiveness. What all of them have proved to be able to maintain class struggle, clearly stating is the interest of monopolies and Governments in our opposition to the model of Reports of Temporary achieving a privileged position in a business whose Employment Regulation (ERTE’s), largely supported potential incomes are estimated in billions of dollars. by the boards of the main trade unions in the country.

The capitalist crisis has accelerated the contradicAt an inner level, the bodies of the Party held their tions between the different imperialist blocs. The inner activity, and two working groups could be conUnited States is moving military effectives from Eu- stituted to lead the intervention of the comrades of rope to the South China Sea. China and India are the PCTE in the health (doctors, nurses, assistants, and having military clashes in their long borders. Eastern so on) and educational areas. These groups mean a Europe is suffering its umpteenth “color revolution” qualitative leap for the Party, getting the intervention sponsored by the EU Governments – this time in Be- guidelines closer to the specific reality of the sector. larus –. Venezuela is living another meddling attempt, All this activity was organized under the umbrella against the inability of its Government to form a true of two basic slogans for the PCTE: “We will not pay revolutionary bloc that overcomes capitalism in the this crisis with our health nor our rights” and “Only the country. people saves the people”. Thus the ensemble of the Certainly, imperialism will continue showing its Party could also check how the congress slogan of more aggressive side as far as the capitalist crisis having a party capable of “struggling under all condisharpens the contradictions between monopolies tions” is specified. The forms of working may change, and capitalist powers. The US imperialism is still the but the work of the PCTE is not stopped under any worst enemy of the world working class, coupling its circumstance. voraciousness with an aggressive policy supported Once the restrictions were becoming more flexible in its huge military power. But communists would do and the ability to move was recovered, the PCTE took wrong if we saw other imperialist blocs as allies, nor all the communicational campaign about the social as a necessary counterweight either. The cause of the democratic management of the pandemic to the world working class does not have today its alliesin streets, workplaces and the neighborhoods, spreadBrussels, Moscow or Beijing. Let us take advantage of ing again our printed newspaper Nuevo Rumbo, in a their contradictions, but let us maintain the political version with more pages. Likewise, we took an active independence of the working class, having socialism part in the different workers’ and labor conflicts carand communism as the only horizon. ried out as a result of the political decisions regarding

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the management of the crisis as well as the result of the decision made by some companies to transform the ERTE’s into Records of Employment Regulation, not temporary ones, i.e. layoffs.

Currently, the situation in our country is uncertain, the management of the social democratic government is taking steps to set everything that was approved in the

times of pandemic, and labor conflicts are taking place in the country. Against the confirmation of an aggravation of the crisis and its outcomes for the working class and the working people, in the last part of the year, the PCTE has all its militant forces ready for class struggling under all conditions, having in mind what was learnt since March.

October 2020

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Communists of Catalonia

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Communists against COVID-19

International Relations Secretariat

The COVID-19 crisis, its immediate dimension of health alarm, and the subsequent economic and social crisis that it is causing, accelerates perceptions and evidence that the stage of neoliberal globalization that capitalism is developing has come into contradiction with existence itself of human life on the planet.

We already had previous signs of alarm, in fact, this is not the first health crisis to happen. On the Asian and African continents there had been worrisome episodes derived from surprising mutations of viruses that passed from animals to humans, as a result of the changes produced in ecosystems that in previous decades maintained precarious balances, but that in recent times climate change and the various alterations that it causes, had destabilized them in definitive ways. It seems the difference is that COVID-19 has gone the other way, from Asia to Europe and America.

Western governments maintain a strategic preparation to deal with bacteriological attacks but not with mutations of the characteristics of COVID-19, in fact in the same 2018-19 National Security documents of Spain, it is literally stated that a possible crisis or a viral pandemic can only occur in remote geographical places, so we were prepared to deal with the spread of smallpox but we had no idea about COVID-19.

Climate change is altering and will change even more radically in the coming years the balance of life on the planet, and within this life there is Homo Sapiens. In fact, the rise in temperature and sea levels (to name just two of the changes underway) will cause severe economic impacts, will accelerate processes of desertification, flooding and other radical climatic phenomena, reinforcing the already growing migration of hundreds of millions of people.

The crisis we’re facing, both health, economic and social, has not been a matter of bad luck, something inevitable that justifies cuts and losses of rights. The

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economic and social crisis was incipient for a long time, with many echoes of the 2008 crisis. Crises are inherent to capitalism, cyclical, and we have to make a proper reading of them in order to get it right politically.

all levels: transformation of production relations, transformation of human relations and transformation of the relationship with nature. And in the same way, make explicit that there is a transition period until we get there. And in this transition, We are heading towards a more unstable world; concrete proposals must be placed, both to imwe must highlight the new rebalancing between prove the living conditions of the working class emerging countries and the main capitalist pow- and our relationship with nature, as well as to aders. From the “unipolar” world after the fall of the vance in the cultural struggle.

Berlin Wall and the disappearance of the USSR, Some of these measures are establish a Univernow we’re facing a “multipolar” reality. In 1995 sal Basic Income, strengthen the social and solithe economies of the emerging countries, the E7 dary economy, create a public bank, break with (China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, Mexico and the EU austerity doctrine (allowing the financing Turkey) represented half of the GDP of the tradi- of public debt) or the nationalization of strategic tional capitalist powers, the G7 (USA, UK, France, sectors or companies that need to be rescued, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy). In 2015 their but not to be sold to friends later at bargain priceconomic weight was comparable, in 2040 they es. All these measures should be the beginning of will be able to double them. As a counterpoint the economic reorganization towards a sustainthere is a severe crisis of the government of the able model, which is not based, as in Spain, on multilateral international institutions, WTO, Paris unsustainable monocultures such as tourism or Climate Agreement, WHO, UN Security Council, construction, moving from growth based on exetc. ports to an economy based on internal demand,Emerging countries, as a consequence of their self-centred and planned. We must also bear in economic weight, they wish to have political and mind that this cultural struggle does not take place military leadership and this includes a prominent in the air, so mobilization is essential to reclaim role in all international organizations and in all im- these demands.From our streets, neighbourhoods portant decisions. For now, the decision of Trump and workplaces. In other words, to articulate the administration in the US has been to withdraw social conflict where it takes place. into itself and leave more and more multilateral This is therefore the central task of the Commuorganizations that it can no longer control, as it nist and Workers’ Parties of the world. As has been did in previous times, so a pure expression of frus- shown, the pandemic and confinement may have tration. apparently stopped society and the economy, but The struggle will not only be expressed as an they have not stopped the class struggle, rather increase in the nuclear arsenal and conventional it has exacerbated its contradictions. Imperialism armies, but in new commercial war scenarios and has also continued to work against the peoples of above all, in the control of cyberspace and cultur- the world. We have very recent examples with the al confrontation, where social networks and mass attempt of destabilization in Belarus, or the reapmedia play a decisive role in influencing public pearance of the war in South Caucasus. opinion (psychological warfare or new expressions This pandemic has also shown aspects that of hegemony). communists have been pointing out for a long We are not facing the last crisis of capitalism, time.Firstly, working class plays a role as a true pilbut rather one more of the cyclical crises that it lar of our societies. In the hardest moments of has. Crisis that capitalism overcomes, among oth- confinement and the pandemic, it has been the er ways, by discarding the economic sectors that cleaners, grocery store stockers, nurses and docare no longer functional, so hundreds of thou- tors who have carried out the fundamental and sands of families are condemned to misery. Even essential tasks for life, it has not been neither the though this crisismay not end up in favour of the bourgeoisie nor the liberal professionals. It should working class, we have to fight in order to advance also be noted that most of these absolutely fundamental professionals have been women. our ideas, because other crises will come.

Demonstrating that in especially crucial moments Today we must build the conditions so that we it is the working woman who takes a step forward. can fight the battle of ideas in better conditions.

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Podemos has represented concrete protection mea- 127 sures for the weakest that otherwise would not have been given, but it is obvious that it was not a coalition designed to face such a social emergency situation.

Unidas Podemos decided to use all the political capital accumulated throughout the cycle that came from 15M to translate it into a presence in a government with the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), to be able to influence policies that would improve the living conditions of the working class. The COVID-19 crisis has starkly exposed the limitations of this strategy. It is clear that within the government there is a permanent tug of war, and that without UP in the government the situation would be worse, but it is equally true that in all structural aspects, the pulse always falls on the same side.

Second, the importance of public health systems and a public service system. Throughout the pandemic, the great employers of private hospitals have hidden. It also demonstrates the need for a strong, worker-controlled state. We must congratulate the tasks against the coronavirus that countries such as Cuba, Vietnam or the People’s Republic of China have carried out, thus again demonstrating the superiority of socialism.

In Catalonia and Spain after COVID-19 we cannot return to the old normality, we must take advantage of the moment to make profound changes given the exceptional nature of the moment. As we have said, neoliberal theses are now not in vogue and it is not possible to maintain them, since they have moved away from the common sense of the majority of citizens who ask for left-wing policies to ensure their own survival (Minimum Vital Income or even Basic Income, strategic control of essential parts of the economy, investment in Public Services starting with health, but also education or care for the elderly ...).

A Left Government will be the one that manages the day to day with social and environmental sensitivity and prepares qualitative changes in the medium and long term. It will not be on the left if it wants to return to things as before, but now with the coronaviurs we will make “some exceptions” but as soon as possible, we will return to the European framework of the rules of the “Stability and Growth Pact”, the main axiom of the neoliberal policies promoted and forced on the EU.

PSOE has been the central party of the ‘78 regime, and continues to be the party that is most functional for it, as has been credited with its role in the escape of King Emeritus Juan Carlos de Borbón. Similarly, at no time does it seem that a change in the austerity policies enshrined in article 135 of the Constitution has been seriously considered, or the repeal of the budget stability law, as seen in the debate on the transfer of the remnants of the town halls. Likewise, the PSOE does not seem too be willing to fulfil the government pact in essential elements, such as the reject of the labour reform.

With this scenario, it becomes very difficult to imagine any structural change in a progressive sense.

From the Communists of Catalonia at the institutional level, through the ERC-Sobiranistes coalition, we have supported all the measures that have served to improve, or at least make the living conditions of the popular classes less harsh due to the effects of the pandemic. At the same time, we have criticized and opposed all the measures that have served to recentralize powers or limit the fundamental rights and freedoms of people.

It is therefore imperative to break the lock of the “Regime of 78”, the legal-institutional framework that structures it, with the Borbón Felipe VI at the head and to give freedom to the peoples to be able to decide their political future.

This can only be done on the basis of a strong ideological project and a very broad and frank debate on our synthesis methodology, which allows us to manage the enormous difficulties that will come, so as not to stop, so as not to feel defeated, not to lose sight of the horizon.

We have to fight for another society, built on principles that put life at the center and ultimately a new and better socialist society.

Raise Socialism as a solution may seem like an exerIt must be appreciated that the presence of Unidas cise in nostalgia, or frivolity, given the current correlation

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of forces. But it is essential to locate this horizon for the circumstances require many years. struggle that we face. In moments of great crisis, history It is in this arduous task, Communists of Catalonia, accelerates and it is possible to advance on the path of as well as the Communist and Workers’ Parties of the social transformation. These are the moments in which world, must keep up with the task. a great cultural struggle takes place, in which in a very September 2020 short time, ideas can be advanced that under normal

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Communist Party of Sri Lanka

Role of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka under the conditions of COVID – 19 and economic crisis.

Dr. G. Weerasinghe,

The global corona virus pandemic was thrust upon 129 Sri Lanka towards the end of January 2020. The on-going economic crisis, brought about by the previous neo-liberal pro-imperialist regime got escalated and further deepened. The lock-down took place in March and the pending General elections had to be postponed twice.

The new President GotabhayaRajapakse swiftly established a Presidential Task Force, consisting of professionals in the field of Medicine, Security Forces and officials of the Public Health Services in order to combat the virus.The people responded to the call of the new President extending full co-operation.

Sri Lanka was blessed with a sound and effective

General Secretary Public Health system, both curative and preventive, with field officers throughout the country. This public health system was brought about in the pre-independent period by the struggle of the Sri Lankan Left movement.The Government was in a position to implement effectively and efficiently the recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) to bring the situation under control.Over 95% of the infections were imported, leaving an insignificant number of locally transmitted infections of nearly 3,500 infections and there were only 13 deaths.

It should be emphasized in this connection that the free education together with free health services were instrumental to establish an effective Public Health system in Sri Lanka. Attempts by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund with Washington Consensus were resisted by the working class under the leadership of Left Movement, thereby protecting the Public Health system. Neo – liberalist moves to restrict free education and free health services were thwarted. It was precisely why Sri Lanka’s performance in controlling COVID – 19 was globally acknowledged and highly evaluated.

During the period of lock-down, steps were taken to ensure the supply of essential food and basic necessities to the people un-interruptedly.

Having brought the situation under control, the Government took the initiative to revive and restore the economy. Financial assistance to the informal economy was assured despite strain on the treasury.

The Communist Party of Sri Lanka as a partner in the current ruling alliance, together with other Left, radical and democratic forces ensured relief measures to the people. The private sector was not allowed to resort to lay off of workers or reduction of wages. The public service which accounts for 14% of the work force was not in any way affected by economic

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downturn.

century witnessed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Other than CPSL involvements in tackling COVID – and Yemen all instigated by US and its allies. The two 19 epidemic within country, it was participating in the decades of wars under the pretext of fighting internadiscourse initiated internationally on the pandemic and tional terrorism imperialism brought wanton destruction its’ impact. Nationally the CPSL took the initiative to es- of economies, death and misery to millions of people. tablish a dialogue on harsh realities of neo-liberalism The so-called migrant and refugee problems were direct which were exposed by COVID – 19 response in devel- outcome of US undeclared and declared aggressions. oped West. During the period under consideration there It is in the context of above historical background that were two elections in the country and the CPSL was in a we are called upon to analyze the trends of world develbroader alliance with other left and democratic parties opments. to defeat right wing pro-imperialist alliance. The CPSL With US trying every trick of the trade in pressing its’ contested in two districts of the country during Parlia- imperial foothold, the Asian economy with China as it’s’ mentary elections and won in one of them. There are nucleus has become the vanguard of the world econofew more members elected to Parliament representing my. With COVID – 19 and the consequent to its impact left parties. on the US economy US is becoming desperate. Ever After three months of hard times posed by the threats of COVID – 19, Sri Lanka embarked upon a gigantic task of reviving the economy. The country is at present in the thick of that struggle. Fall of state revenue and consequent increase in Budget Deficits and drop of Foreign Exchange earnings to dangerous levels and the on-going debt crisis are our formidable challenges. The external factor of the economy is vulnerable. Thus, the CPSL is actively propagating the necessity of alternative economic policies for the country.

since China became the second biggest world economy with its increased national strength and international prestige, the US is becoming increasingly desperate, hostile and hawkish.

China was able to bring Corona virus epidemic under control within the country and ensure a speedy recovery of its economy. The US is resorting to escalation of tensions in the Asian region with threats of economic sanctions and trade wars. In our view, this is an unprecedented global situation in which Imperialism is weakenGlobally, the colossal impact of the pandemic on the ing on all fronts, political, economic, technological, social economic processes has stimulated many debates on and cultural.With Brexit and Turkey a NATO power out whether the post-COVID 19 world usher in a new world of control, and also with retreats in the Middle East, US is order.On the one hand most of developed countries in isolated for the first time in recent history. the West have miserably failed in their attempts to comIn our view, US has only three options under the bat COVID-19. In fact, through their wrong approaches, on-going post COVID – 19 conditions, namely, Co-oppolicies and strategies they allowed the spread of virus eration, Competition or Confrontation. US is fearful of to dangerous levels.Certain reactionary governments co-operation, incapable of competing. It is left with only were more concerned about protecting their business one option and that is confrontation short of world wars. interests rather than saving the lives of the people.

Thus, the current global situation warrants the unity of The current crisis brought about a more chaotic global Left, Radical and Progressive forces. situation as compared with the effects of global financial It has been unable for US to get their strategies go crisis of 2008-2009. The neo-liberalism is gasping its last due to the growing strategic alliance between China breath. and Russia and closer cooperation between Russia, Iran Historically, such economic crisis and subsequent im- and Turkey. US is focusing its attention in the Asian repasses have culminated in world wars. The predictions gion – the engine of world economic growth thus, inof Marx and Engels came true in this respect with the creased tensions. outbreak of the First World War. And again as predicted The alliance between US, Japan, Australia linked with

by GeorgiDimitrov, the economic depression culminatIndia is a desperate bid on the part of US to assert its ed in the World War II.Today, 75 years after World War II, the world has not seen another world war primarily due global hegemony. to nuclear deterrence. However, multiple proxy wars Sri Lanka, as a member country of the SAARC in South stood in for actual conflicts between the US and USSR Asia region, is placed in a vulnerable position. The Comtill the end of the cold war. munist Party of Sri Lanka is closely working in co-operaThere were many internal conflicts instigated by US in tion with the left and radical forces in the region. many parts of the world.The first two decades of the 21st IB Special Edition

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Sudanese Communist Party

The Current Political Situation The struggle To Defend The Gains And Advance The Mass Movement Towards Reaching The Goals Of December Uprising ...

Since the mass demonstrations that swept the 131 country in 2013,protesting against the bankrupt economic policy of the dictatorial regime,the streets of the capital and other major and towns were never quite or empty.During the September mass actions the Jangaweed were brought in to quell the peacefull demonstrations which controlled the streets for72 hours. The use of excessive force and shoot to kill instructions resulted in the murder of over 240 protester andover 1000 injured.Scores of the leaders of the opposition,including member of the SCP were detained.

The September demonstrationshave unmasked the weakness and isolation of the regime,and alerted the regional and international powers,mainly the US and the EU,with the active participation of the UAE,Saudai Arabia and Egypt to advance plans to support changes within the regime making it more acceptable to certain parts of the opposition,and inviting these forces to be involved in dialogue with Albashir to establish a new government with broader social base.

Thus the so-called (Soft Landing) was born.The SCP and allies started building a broad front based on the grass rootes all over the country.On the other hand Albashir called for National Dialogue with the opposition,and as concession he dismissed some of his die hard supporters,and under pressure from the international and regional powers he distanced himself from the Turkish-Qatari axis and the Muslim Brothers inside the country.

The SCP made its position clear:NO compromise with the dictatership,the only way forward is the continuation of the struggle till the overthrow of the regime of Albashir and clique,the dismantling and the liquidation of the regime leading to the establishment of the civil democratic state.

It is around these two projects,the Soft Landing,and the radical change that the contradictions and struggles were based.It is worth mentioning that the UMMA Party ,The Sudan Congress Party and part of the armed groups left the united opposition platform and accepted to articipate in the scheme proposed leading to the planned presidential election of Albashir in 2020.The EU sensitive to migration issues and human traficking supported the regime ,trained the Jangaweed and tried to convience political parties to be involved with the regime.This action was strongly comdemned by the radical opposition.

In January 2018 the SCP organization in the capital called for mass demonstrations to protest against economic policy of the regime.While the Umma party,and the Sudan Congress refused to support the ini-

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tiative, thousands of their supporters attended and participated in the protest action.Thus proving the correctness of the line adopted by the SCP to work the basis and create grass roots organizations open to all who reject the regime This success resulted in the building and consolidation of the Resistance Committees in the residential areas,work places and the institution of education.

-With the continuation of the mass political actions,the accumullation of srikes,sit-ins and demonstrations cracks started to appear and deepen in the regime.Some of those who supported the regime condemned the brutality of the security and accordingly left the regime.It became apparant that Albashirs days were numbered.His call for dialogue collapsed.Some of close supporters stayed to befriends and court some of the opposition forces.The masses were ever determined to continue their peaceful protest and fight till the end.On the 6th of April the 34th anniversary of the 1985 uprising which toppled Numiery dictatorship the FFC called for the masses to occupy the square in front of the army headquarters.

Thousands decended in Khartoum forcing their way to the army headquarters.The success of this action was the straw that broke the camels back.Five days later Albashir was removed and the military-Albashirs security committee- declared that the army had taken the side of the people.

Following the palace coup some of the opposition partiesbroke ranks and started to speak about partener with the army.However,thanks to the SCP clear stand and the support of the masses the FFC reafirmed its declared position that the generals must surrender power to the civilian leadership.Then came the pressure from outside the African Union,Egypt and Ethiopiapushed for partnership,the UAE invited a number of opposition leaders from the Umma Party,the Sudan Congress Party and SPLM-N and through handfull of dollars and future promise of more help ,the result was that, these forces capitulated and agreed behind the leadeship of the SCP to succumb to the beginning of the implementation of the Soft Landing scheme.It is because of this that the SCP refused to participate in the government and reserved its right to participate in the legislative council..

-Despite the limited success achieved during the past one year and a half still the struggle in Sudan is continuing between the forces of the revolution to affect radical changes against the conservative and counterrevolutionary forces who want to halt the progress of the mass movement.The role of the generals,the Rapid Support Force-former the Jangaweed

support those forces which accepts the continuation of the old policies under new leadership.That is to say a decorated old regime with new faces.

Since the spread Covid-19 and as a result of the health restrictions imposed,the street mass actions were limited.This played in the hands of the generals,who control both the ministry of defence and interior to prevent and suppress mass actions.So, the mass protest actions including sit-ins and demonstrations aiming wrenching the peoples rights and demanding solutions to the economic sufferings were severly delt with.Last June the Resistance Committees staged hugh demonstrations all over the country with the estimated participation of over 15 millions handing over memorandum reflecting the demands of region but unanimous in pressing for civilian rule.

Again on the 55th anniversary of the October revolution of 1964 which toppled the first military dictatership,the masses took to the streets demanding the repealing of the economic policy,and curbing the influence of the generals.It is worthmentioning that during the demonstration in Khartoum Israeli flags were burnt.Once again the peaceful manifeations were met with excessive force and . Two young protesters were shot dead and scores were injured ,some very seriously.

The crack down on legal mass protest action continues as the generals strengthen their grip over the state.

Against an increasingly failing transitional authority,dominated by the generals,inflation has exceeded 200 percent and the Sudanese pound falling 220 to the US dollar-down from 82 since April 2019 . Sudans economy is in freefall.Bread and fuel lines are getting longer by the day across the country and discontent among the masses is growing against the government econmic policy.Neither Sudan removal from the list of state terrorismnor normalisation process will solve the present economic crisis.The only way out is the implementation of the proramm elaborated the FFC,abolishing the policy dictated by the IMF,renationalization of the main sectors of the economy,and restoring companies under the control of the army,security and the Rapid Support Forces the ownership of the state.

In addition to follow new course regarding the peace process.This requires the active participation of the representatives of concerned people:those who live in the camps, all the political parties and groups with of convocation of a nation conference to discuss and approve a plan on the fair and just distribution of wealth and power.This is the only way to reach a IB Special Edition

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comprehensive just and democratic in the country.

student,youth and women.It is also to engage in with 133 The handing over of criminals who committed the SPLM-N led by Alhilo and the Movement for libcrimes against humanity to the ICC is a step in the eration sudan.A central task is the development and right direction as well as putting the culprits who strengthening of the role of the Resistance Commitcommitted the massacre of 3rd of June 2019 trial will tees. help to see justice done. Important in this respect is to To achieve all this the SCP has reaffirmed the necontinue the dismantling of the old regime and the cessity that the unity of the democratic and revolubuilding of strong national state institutions. tionry forces is prerequist for the advance of the revThe main task facing the radical opposition and the olution and completion of the tasks of the national SCP in particular is the fight to correct the course of democratic stage.The success of all this depends on the uprising and pave the path for its further prog- the establishment and active work of the continress to reach its goals.This entitles the building of gents of the strategic alliance that is the working class the broadest possible alliance, the adherance to the ,the peasentary and the revolutionary intelligencia. minimum programmof the FFC and giving the forces Maintaining clear ideological stance,practicing the that played a major role in the , their right place in right tactics,strengthening its relations with the toiling the decision making process and its implementation. masses will help to define the inspiring role of the In this respect it is important to rebuild and strength- party within the broad alliance as well as in the stragen the trade uion movements ,assist in the orgaizing tic alliance. of the working class and the peasantry as well as the

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Communist Party of Swaziland

The people of Swaziland’s struggle for democracy entered its 47th year this year, since 12 April 1973 when the monarchy banned political parties and all political activity and created the absolute monarchy that still rules with an iron fist. The creation of an absolute monarchy occurred with the direct political and economic support from apartheid South Africa as well as international capital. The consequence of the autocracy has been the disempowerment of Thokozane Kenneth Kunene, the people, politically and economically. The public General Secretary healthcare system has virtually collapsed while the royal family has been further enriched through the exploitation of the people.

Imperialism continues to play a major role in the strengthening of the autocracy. International institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) continued this year to advance loans as means of rescuing the bankrupt regime – and to sink the economy of the country into more debt –with the United States of America (USA)rescuing the regime in terms of donations, either in the form of monetary donations or the training of, particularly, young people of Swaziland.

These measures have worked to mask the deplorable economy and the poverty engulfing the country.

Close to 70 percent of the people of Swaziland live below the poverty line. Unemployment and inequality remain very high, while those who are employed, particularly women in the factories, are profoundly underpaid. About 77 percent of the people live in the rural areas, under land directly administered by the chiefs on behalf of the monarchy. Rural people are among those who face the harshest treatment from the regime as they face eviction for any political dissent, which include participation and membership in workers’ unions, student struggles, as well as for participation in calls for democracy.

The Swaziland struggle reached a new level of intensity in late 2019 when the people made a decisive call for the fall of the dictator, Mswati III – who rules the country as an absolute monarch – uniting under the campaign #MswatiMustFall! The Communist Party of Swaziland(CPS) supported this call and campaigned for its deepening and broadening, calling for a national uprising against the autocracy.

The actions of the absolute monarchy have proved time and again, even to the most conservative elements, that absolute monarchy cannot be reformed and dressed in democratic robes but must be overthrown. The CPS seeks a revolutionary transformation of society, occasioned by the end of the opIB Special Edition

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pression and exploitation of one by another.

Impact of the coronavirus on the people of Swaziland – Save our people, save our future!

The activist work of the unions in conscientising the people about safety measures, notwithstanding the uncaring attitude of the tinkhundla regime with regard to the virus, presented a way-forward on how to defeat both the virus and the regime. It is the workers, working together with the entire population, who forced Mswati’s government to declare a national emergency on the Covid-19 in March. The poor response by the autocracy is not surprising.

This has been its response to the general health crisis that has engulfed Swaziland for a very long time.

Capitalism is unable to provide these, as the neo- 135 liberal diktat places profit over human need. Neoliberal capitalism is the reason why most capitalist countries have been hopelessly ill-prepared in confronting the pandemic.

Health workers in Swaziland are the most affected in the present statistics of the virus infection. They dedicated themselves to serving the people notwithstanding the deplorable state of public clinics and hospitals overflowing with patients, who are also victims of the collapsed healthcare system.

The Mswati regime manipulates the nurses’ solemn pledge to serve humanity by overworking them as well as deliberately exposing them to diseases. The regime has failed to provide the nursing community with proper medical equipment over the decades.

It is important to remember that by the time the Nurses continue to be heavily exploited by the reCovid-19 became a global pandemic, the health gime and also face intolerable working conditions. system of Swaziland had long been collapsed by The entire working class is consequently the most the Mswati regime. Swaziland was in a health cridevastated socially as all the necessary measures to sis even before Mswati wasted billions of people’s curb the spread completely hold back the life patfunds spoiling himself on two luxurious private jets, terns of the poor in our country constructing many palaces for himself and his many The crisis has brought to the fore the acute crisis wives, throwing extravagant birthday parties for himself, purchasing the latest luxurious Rolls Royce of tinkhundla capitalism in its form as an autocracy. and BMW vehicles for himself and his family, and Without a comprehensive and all round mobilisation to bring down the Mswati autocracy, all effort many other ways. to save the lives of the people against the virus, will The regime did not do anything to prepare for be less effective. Our experience is that, whilst the the pandemic: No test laboratories were constructpandemic has put to test the health capacity of ed to test the public, medical practitioners were not countries, in Swaziland it found an already collapsed equipped with protective material and knowledge health system. on the virus, and there were no quarantine meaThe precautions measured to curb the spread only sures in public hospitals and clinics undertaken, placing both patients and medical practitioners at helped the regime consolidate political repression.

The lockdown in Swaziland is more an instrument of an increased risk. human rights abuse and suppression of political opThe pandemic caused much distress to the workposition than to help facilitate the noble lockdown ing class and will continue to affect negatively the restrictions of life saving. working class people more than the capitalist ruling class. By the end of July 2020, for instance,about 85 Imperialist control in Swaziland per cent of textile factories in Matsapha, Swaziland, Imperialism continues to spread its influence had recorded cases of employees testing positive for Covid-19, with many workers losing jobs and across the world. Swaziland has been no exception in this regard. While Swaziland is ruled by an abmore surviving without pay. solute monarch, the Swazi state is,at one and the A post-pandemic Swaziland and world will have same time, an imperialist puppet. The state’s interto be completely different if we are to overcome ests in this instance is the continued suppression of the impact of the pandemic. Only the socialisation the people and sustaining of the autocracy. Voices of the means of production and exchange, that is of the people, consequently, remain suppressed by, by building socialism, will make them sustainable among other means, the near total domination of and able to cope with the effects of future health the media by the regime. threats.For example, by having robust well-funded, The pandemic has widened the sphere of imfree public health systems and by having compreperialism. In April 2020,to assist the Swazi regime hensive social security systems. in its efforts to prevent, detect and respond to the

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threat posed by Covid-19, the World Bank Group approved US$6 million in health emergency fundingto strengthen Swaziland’s health system’s preparedness to respond to the pandemic and potential future emergencies.In July 2020, The IMF approvedUS$110.4 million in emergency financial assistance under the Rapid Financing Instrument to support the authorities’ efforts in addressing the severe economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vitally, imperialist agents wish to see Swaziland privatising all major state and public entities before democratising. As such, while they may make democracy calls, they align the democratisation process with privatisation, so that any new democratic government continues to be at the mercy of the imperialist forces and thus sustain Swaziland as an imperialist puppet.

The European Unionalso plays an imperialist role, just like the USA, through monetary donations and its control of the agricultural sector.In turn, the monarch directly benefits financially and politically in this regard.

Imperialist sphere of influence is not limited to the regime and its government, however. It also manifests itself within the mass democratic movement. This takes place in various facets, including educational platforms awarded especially to young comrades in the USA and Europe, as well as in direct donations to different organisations and civil society, and many others.

One direct consequence ofimperialism’s influence on the democratic movement is the infiltration of anti-communist elements within the movement. The CPS, to combat anticommunism and strengthen working-class unity, continues to hold two national political schools each year – the Winter School and the Summer School, as well as holding regular political schools in the various sectors in which our Party organises. The Party also continues to build and strengthen workers’ unions. Our cadres also contribute to building unions in sectors where there are none.

The CPS therefore continues to play its role in fighting against the permeation of imperialism in our country, in the African continent and the entire world. Our internationalist role will therefore not be hindered by the internal oppression of the people by the absolute monarchy and imperialist forces.

Additionally, working-class internationalism must be strengthened everywhere if we are to rid the world of imperialist control.

21 December 2019: CPS General Secretary, Comrade Thokozane Kenneth Kunene, officially opening the CPS Summer School which took place from 20 to 29 December 2019 under the theme “Democracy Now!”

internationalism The CPS calls for working-class unity in the fight against human-rights violations in the region in the Southern Cameroons (also referred to as Ambazonia).

Since September 2016, the Cameroon military has carried out a systematic and ruthless military campaign against the minority Ambazonian communities.

The military campaign has relentlessly violated international human rights law, including, among others, the burning down of more than 400 villages by the Cameroon military – along with the burning of the old and the sick in their own homes in some cases.

The military has forced tens of thousands to seek refuge in neighbouring Nigeria, and internally displaced close to a million people. In March 2019, the United Nations reported that about 4 million people in the region had been affected by the conflict.

Struggles of the Zimbabwe working class are struggles for justice – politically, economically and otherwise. The Zimbabwean working class is engaged in a just struggle for freedoms of speech, association and movement as well as the rights for genuine national sovereignty and self-determination.The CPS supports the call for the building of People’s Power in Zimbabwean communities made by the Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP) and all the progressive forces of that country.

The CPS rejects the counterrevolutionary claims made by some forces – in the continent and beyond – that any criticism of African leaders automatically amounts to “unAfrican” support for foreign forces, particularly European and American superpowers.

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September 2020. The ZCP is playing an important The CPS concludes by reiterating the demands of 137 role in terms of redirecting the revolution there, the- the people of Swaziland: oretically and practically, towards socialism. The CPS 1. Unconditional unbanning of all political parcalls for solidarity for the ZCPfromall parties in the ties IMCWP. The strengthening of the Africa Left Network2. Unconditional release of allpolitical prisoners ing Forum remains an urgent task for all revolutionary organisations in Africa.

3. Unconditional return of all political exiles The CPS also stands in complete solidarity with the 4. The end of media suppression and censorpeople of Palestine in their rejection of attempts by ship Israel, backed by the Trump administration, to annex 5. Recognition and respect for human rights, inthe West Bank.We see this move by Israel as a further cluding the rights to freedom of expression, assembly step in its strategy of destroying the Palestinian state and movement and effectively perpetrating a genocide of the Pales6. Total dismantling of the tinkhundla regime tinian people.

7. Respect for workers’ rights The CPS also continues its calls for solidarity with the people of Western Sahara in their struggle against the occupation of their land by Morocco. The CPS also stands in solidarity with the Cuban and Venezuelan peoples in the defence of their countries against imperialist aggression as perpetrated chiefly by the USA. We call for the end of political interference, threats of aggression and economic blockade onVenezuela and Cuba. The CPS continues to also call for the unconditional release of Abdullah Öcalan from jail in Turkey.

8.

Recognition and respect for Women’s rights

9.

Recognition and respect for LGBTQI+ rights

The CPS will continue to mobilise the oppressed people in order to realise the fulfilment of these demands, for we know that the regime will never back down without a fight.

High Court, Mbabane, Swaziland – 24 June 2020: Cadres of the Communist Party of Swaziland came out in full support of the court action to demand the end of suppression of the LGBTQI+ community.

17 August 2019, Lara State, Venezuela: CPS General Secretary, Comrade Thokozane Kenneth Kunene (2nd from left) travelled to Venezuela on a solidarity mission. He worked with the people there in defending their country as well as improving their lives in various activities.

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Communist Party of Turkey

For the Communist Party of Turkey, the year 2020 was supposed to see enthusiastic commemorations and revolutionary steps that would mark the centenary of TKP’s foundation. Now there is no doubt that 2020 has been unexpectedly marked by a worldwide epidemic. Even though we could not carry out massive gatherings for commemorating the anniversary of TKP’s foundation and honouring our leaders due to the worsening sanrevolutionary Centenary itary conditions, militants and friends of TKP are marked by pandemic proud of the revolutionary decisions taken by the party during the heydays of the pandemic. We feel Communist Party of Turkey ready more than ever for the political duties that International Relations Bureau the deepening crisis of Turkish capitalism is putting before us.

AKP’s Management Crisis Since the report of the first case in Turkey on March 11, and even before, the AKP government in Turkey has been carrying out an example of a severe management crisis and incapacity in public administration, like all other bourgeois governments, ruling capitalist countries. A major reason for the mismanagement of the crisis was the fact that the Scientific Advisory Board created by the government acted as a passive organ and the decisions were taken in favour of the capitalist class, in many cases contradicting with the input of the Board. The Board was unable to demonstrate a committed attitude towards the health and wellbeing of the country’s people, and in this way functioned as a legitimizing body for the unjust decisions of the government.

As AKP tried to recur its power in face of the management crisis, it appealed to religiosity. The Ministry of Health has turned into a base of theIslamic religious sect Menzil, loyal to Erdoğan, by replacing the members of the Gülen sect, the culprit of the 2016 coup attempt. The commodification of the public health system was accompanied by the intensification of religious networks and the impact of religious ideology in the system for several years. The promotion of pseudo-science in the form of traditional and complementary medicine, the launch of spiritual consulting units in hospitals were some of its manifestations. In the same vein, reaction determined the management of the pandemic.

The AKP government has been losing ground since last year, due to the failure in domestic and foreign political policies, economic turbulence, as well as internal conflicts. AKP especially strove to use the pandemic to restore the prestige it had lost over the years. Ungrounded populist discourses, political IB Special Edition

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operations against the opposition, and provocatively fundamentalist statements from public figures are gaining pace and all serve to distract people’s concerns about the ongoing health and economic crisis.

The re-opening of the Hagia Sophia museum as a mosque in July 2020 was among many steps taken by the government to divert the people’s attention from the real problems of the society. Besides, this was a move to deepen the influence of reaction in the country, and to undermine secularism. Since the outburst of the pandemic, the government has launched political attacks against women (more precisely, against the Istanbul Convention against violence against women and domestic violence), bar associations, Turkish Medical Association, journalists, and opposition parties, including the representatives of the Kurdish movement.

Turkish lira and the surge in foreign currency debt 139 in August 2018; and the AKP government has been regulating the markets and the economic institutions on a regular basis in order to provide incentives for the capitalists and facilitate their profits.

Those incentives and the measures to secure the capitalists have been reflected directly onto the labouring classes. The conditions of the working class in Turkey have been in a trend of deterioration both in terms of labour market indicators and the working conditions.

The main problem for the working class in Turkey has been high levels of unemployment, even if we take the restricted official figures, which exclude people who are not actively looking for a job within the category “outside the labour force” and women who are kept at home as “house wives”. The sum of AKP used the pandemic measures to suppress so- the unemployed people including these two catcial solidarity, spread fear among people and to cre- egories had already reached more than 18 million ate submission to its authority, restricting almost all people when the pandemic broke out. social and political activities. The 1st of May demonAnother significant issue emerging from the figstrations were banned with a curfew on that day ures is the deteriorating working conditions in the and a group of trade unionists, who tried to have a services sector, which has become the dominant symbolic ceremony in Taksim Square were attacked economic sector in term of employment for more and arrested. During the partial curfews, there were than a decade. The precarious and flexible work many incidents where the police and AKP’s new conditions, deunionization and poor wages are generation of officers “the watchmen” used violence some of the conditions that working people have against innocent people to generate intimidation. been facing in all the sectors including the smallAll these restrictions happened while there was full scale services sector. support to the capitalists by the government, and It is no mystery that throughout the history of capexploitation continued unlimitedly. italism, the bourgeoisie has always aspired to turn The government tried to continue its pragmatic, Neo-ottomanist foreign policy, such as the military and financial support for the Sarraj government in Libya, claims on the Eastern Mediterranean and the operations in northern Syria continued, under the conditions the pandemic created.

times of crises into opportunities. The global pandemic was no exception to this. In general terms, the COVID-19 pandemic and the following measures for safety had two main effects: Strengthening the already-existing tendencies of increasing the rates of exploitation and utilising the extraordinary situDespite these efforts, the national and interna- ation as a means of legitimization for these attacks tional support behind AKP is declining. AKP was against the working class. only able to provide financial support from Qatar to Since the confirmation of the first COVID-19 case, help bolster depleted Turkish Central Bank reserves, the AKP government followed a policy totally in faafter being denied from many other countries in- vour of the capitalist class. During the months when cluding the US, the so-called “strategic partner” of the pandemic has been escalating, all the measures AKP government. and the precautions have become attempts to the detriment of the working class; government’s priorLabour in Face of Economic Crisis and Pandemic ity was minimizing the losses of monopoly profits.

The outcome of this is disastrous: On the one The Turkish economy has been suffering an economic crisis since the plunge of the value of the hand, workers were forced to work under deterio-

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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rating conditions, crowded workplaces with inade- working class was to compel the workers to take an quate COVID prevention measures. On the other, “unpaid leave”, or, in cases of workplaces where that many people lost their jobs and income. step would create trouble, their “paid leave”. This Workers in the most vulnerable sectors like health, practice was promoted in a very populistic way as delivery services and transportation could not re- being “the ban for layoffs”. However, both of these ceive protective and preventive material against the are illegal, according to Turkish laws. On other places COVID-19 infection. In many cases, they had to pay forced annual leaves without the workers’ discretion for masks and gloves or worked without any suffi- and forced resignation have been applied as other sorts of relief for the bosses. Such practices were nacient protection. tion-wide, and the government did not do anything The production in the factories and workshops to stop it. has almost never stopped during the lockdown days AKP passed a new legislation, which grants pervia special warrants, privileges or overlooked illegal practices. The office workers have been suffering mission to the companies to dismiss their workers long and intense working days through working on- for a period of time, during which the government line from home. In the summer season, although the undertook paying the newly unemployed workers case and mortality counts had never reached zero, and it is unclear what happens after “the period” is tourism was promoted to restore the dropping prof- over. This is called the “short-time work allowance”, its of capitalists, putting all tourism workers at great only 39 liras (~$5.0 as of September 2020) per day, which is half of the already miserable minimum risks. wage.

Governmental regulations for the economic secWhile the government sold this as if they were tors fully cover incentives and facilitative rules for the bosses. The total amount of the stimulation package banning layoffs, the other parties in the parliament, of the government was announced as 522 billion including the social democratic opposition party, Turkish liras.According to the data announced by the were saluting the decision as a favourable one. Under Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, the the pre-existing laws of labour, the companies had total amount of aid provided by the Turkish govern- no right to dismiss workers without a reason. AKP ment under the name of ‘‘unpaid leave’’, ‘‘short-time government has used crisis conditions to legalise the work allowance’’ and ‘‘social relief’’ is only above 11 right for the companies to dismiss their workers at billion Turkish Liras (~$1.4 billion as of September will. Meanwhile, privatizations continued during the pandemic, which are mere attacks against labour 2020). through diminishing public ownership and deepenDuring the pandemic, the government imposed a ing the foreign dependency of the country. temporary suspension of union activities. AccordingMore and more attacks are being announced by ly, the basic union rights of workers were confiscated. the AKP government, such as digital applications in Unionization and collective agreement procedures were stopped. The right to strike was also suspend- order to monitor the workers’ daily activities under ed, which is until now not relieved. This functioned the guise of health measures amid the coronavirus as a measure favouring the bosses and suppressing pandemic and exempting the COVID-19 infection the organization of workers against worsening con- that workers caught at workplaces from the list of occupational illnesses. ditions or threats of unemployment.

While the vast majority of the working class was The government failed to announce a total lockdown, mainly to ensure that the factories would forced to go to work as if their lives did not matter, continue to run. Despite the production continued, some sectors of the working class have switched to the bosses took this opportunity to cut down labour home-office working, which also ultimately resulted costs: Massive layoffs started, with many companies in increased exploitation. The companies ceased to taking advantage of the pandemic as an excuse to assume the responsibility of paying for the transdismiss workers—in some cases, the layoffs were al- portation and meal of the employees, cutting down ready planned beforehand. Large number of work- various cost items of the workplace and transferring ers, especially those who have been employed tem- these costs to the workers who have to heat their porarily in the services sector have lost jobs during homes or spend electricity out of their own pockets.

The alienating effect of this atomization of work for pandemic. the employees, whose power comes from their abilAnother aspect of this phase of attack against the ity to organise in their workplaces and fight for their 1

According to ADB, ILO, and UN. More than 80% of the fatalities suffered from serious underlying medical conditions, most commonly late stage cancer, chronic kidney failure, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

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rights in solidarity, will be seen in the near future. The romanticization of home-office workstyle is ongoing, as many companies have declared their intention to continue this trend after the outbreak is over.

The abovementioned attacks towards the working class and the direct impact of the COVID-19 has not yet been reflected in the figures. But sooner or later some concrete data will come up to figure out the dramatic impact of the crisis on the working class in Turkey. It is expected that the high unemployment rate will result in greater poverty. The economic situation is unlikely to improve in the short run.

Political Activities of TKP amid Pandemic Despite the lockdown, we were able to continue our political activities mainly through the local networks. “This social order must change” manifesto (Appendix 1) formed the political backbone of our statement and views throughout the pandemic. The main aim of the party was to address the frustration, neglect and exploitation of workers, to denounce the populist-nationalist rhetoric of the government concealing the conflicts that arose, to counter interclassist, reformist policies of the bourgeois opposition and to organize the working class to the ranks of socialist struggle. The Party continued to recruit members during the pandemic.

The Party has also raised solidaritycampaigns, in three levels. A central financial solidarity campaign was launched to compensate for the expenses of the Party and also as a means of support for the party professionals. On a second level, regional and district organizations have run their local solidarity campaigns, in kind and cash, aiming to help and support comrades and friends who have lost their jobs or income. Finally, party members have also organized solidarity actions in their neighbourhoods, such as doing the shopping and covering the needs for the overaged, providing hygienic materials, producing masks in local tailors, etc. The District Houses of TKP were the centers of solidarity in all levels.

personal hygiene rules, the precautions that should 141 be taken athome, at workplaces and outer locations and other health issues, including whento go to a hospital and protection of mental health during lockdown. The priorityin the bulletins was given to the protection of the members’ health. Therole of capitalism in the pandemic, other catastrophes caused by the pandemic,the progress of the pandemic in Turkey and the world, current information onresearch for treatment and vaccines were also provided in the bulletins. The Party has called for universal, free, public vaccination right, including those for influenza and pneumonia, which might exacerbate the conditions created by COVID-19.

During the pandemic and lockdown, the publications were brought ontoonline channels. We focused more on the production of audio and video publicationsto reach wide masses and to share our views on the management ofthe pandemic. Thousands of people joined our interactive video interviews andprograms on special days, such as the May Day and the Victory Day. Internalcommunication was continued by means of bulletins and circulars, informingthe party members about the course of developments and the actions that theParty would take.

TKP Labour Center analysed the economic and social developments beforeand during the pandemic, providing a Marxist analysis of the economic measurestaken by Turkish government and other governments. The falsification oflabour and employment statistics and the unconsitutional actions taken by thegovernment were uncovered by the work of Labour Center. It published information bulletins about the legislation on workers’ rights during the pandemicand provided them with the necessary information to defend their rights.

Following the closure of schools and universities, many students had to goback to their hometowns.

The Communist Youth of Turkey (TKG) has enrolled in weekly online educational activitiesand discussions to keep the communication between members and friends.The broadcasts of online Socialism Classes helped TKG in meeting numerousyoungsters and in organizing the enthusiasm towards TKG. Demands for propereducation and exams were prominent, as the education system of Turkey failedto cover the needs of students on a remote basis and the reopening of schools were not properly managed, restricting the education and socialization rights of youth.

Once it was confirmed that the virus is spreading and in our neighbour countriescases were reported, the Central Committee decided to appoint a specialConsultationBureau, which is formed by expert comrades and has workedthroughout the pandemic period closely with the CC, providing regular information,evaluations and projections on the course of the pandemic in Turkey, andits impact on the working class and our ranks. The Consultation Bureau The Academy of Science and Enlightenment,initihas alsoproduced the internal COVID-19 Bulletins, ated by the CommunistParty of Turkey, functioned to informing party members aboutthe infection, the

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inform the public and make the necessarywarnings for public health. It issued several reports between January and Aprilof 2020. These reports served to inform the public correctly against the infollution,especially during the initial phase of the pandemic. Activities of the Academyfocused on pointing at capitalism’s despair against the pandemic and thatcertain decisions of the government served the interests of the capitalist class.

The PE Network that was founded after our 2018 Conference has nowreached many sectors. Workplace committees and sectoral solidarity networkswere built in different sectors; namely education, textile, retail, banking, construction, tourism and so forth. PE Network was able to address the problems of workers, the salaries that are not paid on time, the poor conditions they are forced to, etc. by means of reports from the actual workplaces. Especially in highly privatized sectors where the exploitation is much deeper, workers are sending notices, photos, news to the channels of PE Network. These are displayed and denounced on the website of PE Network, on social media, on local and national news outlets. Workplace committees would then bring the organized struggle forward, receiving full or partial concessions from the bosses.

compromised conditions and with a limited number of delegates due to the coronavirus pandemic, we were able to complete a successful and productive Congress.

The Party Congress adopted the congress report presented by the Central Committee and approvedfurtherresolutions regarding the Party’s 100th anniversary and the upcoming period of struggle.

The Congress adopted a decision to establish the Unity Trade Union in order to enable the workers’ united struggle considering that the workers have faced severe attacks of capitalism during the pandemic.The Congress also decided to establish the Solidarity Assembly, that will aim to intervene to the political scene in Turkey to widen the independent, progressive, secularist political route for the working class.

Of note is that despite the convention of the Congress was earlier than the date it was originally planned and hundreds of delegated gathered, all sanity measures were ensured and fortunately, there were no COVID-19 cases reported positive after the Congress. We take it as an example of coming up with creative solutions to continue our political struggle despite the restrictive conditions imposed by the pandemic.

During the pandemic, the PE Network received hundreds of notices from all around the country and TKP Centenary: A Hundred Years since 1920 worked almost as a hub of labour news. PE CommitContrary to the ruling party, TKP values human tees were also established among delivery, private health and has protected public health besides the school and shopping mall workers where bosses health of its members and friends, taking rational abused the pandemic conditions. measures in accordance with the data found out The new school semester started with a further by scientific studies from the beginning of the pangrowing chaos in education. Teachers from TKP demic. called for the resignation of the minister of educaWith this awareness, we were preparing for the tion, who is far from showing any clue of responsibilevents in Turkey’s İstanbul, Ankara, and İzmir for our ity in the almost-never-working remote education systems and who has not made any preparation 100th year commemoration. Yet, the Governorduring the summer break for the otherwise prevent- ship of İstanbul, taking no sanitary measures for the able chaos. District houses of the TKP are nowadays workers in factories, workplaces and public transorganising solidarity campaigns to ensure the con- port, ignoring the conditions of shopping malls and tinuity of the education by providing free internet hospitals, banned our meeting with the pretext of and free courses for working-class children. Further- protecting public health. more, more and more teachers of private schools However, this did not prevent the growing attenare getting in contact with the Party as their prob- tion and increasing participation of workers and stulems strikingly grow day by day. dents to our party. Our Party is marching towards an egalitarian social order with great determination.

13th Congress of TKP And weshared this determination with our people The 13th Congress of the TKP convened in the on September 10, welcoming our 100thanniversawestern city of İzmir in August 2020 under the slo- ry at 500 different points across Turkey and abroad. gan, “Revolutionary Party, Party for Revolution, on We met in our neighbourhoods, workplaces, public her 100th Anniversary”.Despite being held under squares for socialism, independence, secularism, reIB Special Edition

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public and to salute the centenary of the Communist Party of Turkey.

September 2020

APPENDIX 1. TKP Statement April 2020 This social order must change, Turkey should become an example!

The epidemic has been the last straw. The existing social order entirely serves the interests of a small minority, and the basic needs, rights, and freedoms of the vast majority of society are neglected. Economic crises, wars have become part of everyday life, and problems such as unemployment and hunger have turned into a nightmare affecting hundreds of millions of people.

There is no good or bad version of this order; it cannot be cured. It is obvious that the US, defined as a superpower, and, France, Germany, England, Italy, which are blessed as European civilizations, have fallen during the last epidemic.

Turkey is also paying the price of not overthrowing this system of exploitation that produces reactionism, darkness, misogyny, and anti-scientism.

No time left. We should take the steps to get rid of this order that threatens humanity as a whole. We should make Turkey an example. TKP aspires to power to establish an egalitarian, fair, free social order. And in this order; 1. Nobody will exploit anyone.

2. Unemployment will disappear.

3. Health and education will be equal and free for all.

4. The basic needs of the citizens, accommodation, water, heating, lighting, communication, and public transportation will be free of charge.

5. The society will be organized, politics will cease to be an interest of a minority, and all citizens will participate in decision-making.

6. Religion and state will be separated from each other.

7. Thanks to the planned economy, the resources of the country will be used for the needs and development of the society; the country’s industry will be strong and self-sufficient in agriculture, medicine, defense; foreign dependency in energy will be reduced.

8. Turkey will be an independent, sovereign, peaceful, anti-imperialist country.

9. All discrimination against women will come to an end, and equality of all citizens will be ensured.

10. All kinds of support will be provided for scientific work, cultural activities and artistic creativity.

When we throw parasitic exploitative classes off our shoulders, when we use the richness of our beautiful country for the whole society, not for personal interests, we easily realize these ten items. If you want such a country, join the ranks of the Communist Party of Turkey.

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Communist Party USA

The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanied economic crisis has exposed the brutality and ineffectiveness of US capitalism and US imperialist policy.

The Trump-led US Administration demonstrated a total disregard for public health. This has led to the needless death of over 200,000 people in the USA, the highest of any country. Trump first denied the existence of COVD-19. Later, Trump downplayed its significance. Then Trump blamed China with racist names, calling the pandemic the “Chinese Virus”, “Wuhan Flu,” “China Flu” and then the “Kung Flu”.Trump blamed China by saying China had “instigated a global pandemic”.

The pandemic exposed US capitalism’s poor healthcare infrastructure and lack of regard for its most vulnerable communities of color. African Americans, Latinas and Latinos, for instance, were impacted the most by COVID-19. No epidemic management plan was put forward and health professionals were disregarded and denigrated. Health facilities and supplies were inadequate. Consequently, the US became the worst affected country with over 7,0000,000COVID-19 cases and over 200,000 COVID-19 deaths.

The pandemic called for international cooperation in the interest of public health. The opposite reaction occurred; the US ramped up on verbal attacks against socialist China and other countries. The USAhoarded health equipment and potential vaccines.The Trump administration declared that it was leaving the World Health Organization in the middle of the pandemic and sidestepped health professionals. It also ramped up trade restrictions on goods from China and engaged in a one-sided technological war with China as a distraction from the mismanagement of the pandemic and in furtherance of Trump’s reelection.

US capitalism disregarded this opportunity for international collaboration and multilateral actions against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trump administration instead tries to win reelection by unjustified China bashing.

The People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, quickly identified and informed the world about the virus and this helped to save countless lives. China is one of the most successful countries in managing the pandemic.

The pandemic created a further global economic crisis. US capitalism took extraordinary efforts to prop up the capital markets using the power of the central bank to create money. The US created the US petrodollar, as a fiat currency, after the second world war. The dollar is no longer backed by gold reserves.

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This allows the US Federal Reserve Bank (The Fed) to create “free” money to help US allied banks and the wealthy. Most wealth in the US is held in the stock market. While millions of US workers lost their jobs and many lost their homes, Fed corporate welfare actions raised stock prices to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. The US ruling class, with borrowed money, provided unprecedented amounts of government public money (fiscal stimulus in the trillions of US dollars) to stimulate the economy, with a preference for wealthy corporations.More recently, badly needed financial support for unemployed workers has been held up by conservatives in the ruling class to help Trump’s reelection in November 2020.

Not only has the pandemic exposed the underbelly of capitalism, it clearly demonstrates US imperialism’s decline and eventual demise. The decline of US imperialism worsened after the US initiatedglobal financial crisis of 2008.

While the demise of US imperialism is welcome, it becomes more dangerous. The decline of US imperialism is reflected in the declining standard of life for the US working class. This and other factors has led to a political crisis on top of the pandemic economic crisis. Millions of Americans went into the streets in 2020 to protest institutionalized racism and racial motivated police brutality, primarily used against African Americans. Racism continues to be major tool to divide the US working class and support extreme right political candidates. States across the USA continue to pass measures that make it harder for African Americans, the elderly, students and people with disabilities to exercise their right to vote. Measures include requirements for government issued photo IDs, cutting back on early voting, eliminating election day registration, new restrictions on voter registration drives and other barriers to voting. The boundaries of electoral constituencies are manipulated to dilute the African American and Latina/Latino vote (gerrymandering), favoring conservatives. US political divisions are now at its worst, especially with upcoming presidential elections in November 2020. A majority of young people in the USA now favor socialism over capitalism. US union strikes are now more common and so are struggles to increase the minimum wage.

More demonstrations have taken place against government repression of unauthorized immigrants and political refugees. Trump is blaming China for the declining standard of life for US workers. The real blame is with the brutal form of finance monopoly capitalism introduced in the 1980’s, called Neoliberalism. This form of capitalism has resulted in the formation of extreme right groups in developed capitalist countries

and is leading to further political crisis. The extreme 145 right and centrist sectors of the US capitalist class are in a political conflict over a range of issues. One sector wants to rachet up the rate of exploitation in pursuit of quick profits and the other sector looks out for the long term preservation of capitalism. The November 2020 elections in the USA will be critical to reverse the gains of the extreme right, to open up space for ongoing working class struggles for economic and social equality reforms, to prevent fascism and for peace and international solidarity.

As Antonio Gramsci said while in a fascist prison, “the old world is dying and the new world struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters.” US imperialism, under the control of the extreme right, threats world peace. It sends war ships to the South China Sea and through the Taiwan Strait. The US violates the One China policy, a cornerstone of China-US relations by sending diplomatic missions to Taiwan. US imperialism supports separatists in Tibet, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan in order to provoke social instability in China. The US deploys THAAD ballistic missiles in the Republic of Korea (S. Korea), threatening China and the DPRK (N. Korea). US imperialism also threats the DPRK, Iran, Venezuela, Nicaragua and continues to engage in regime change in the Middle East, Latin America, Belarus and elsewhere. US imperialism continues to work through NATO to militarily encircle the Russian Federation. Recently, the US moved additional troops to Poland.During the pandemic, US imperialism sought to deny medical supplies to Cuba, Venezuela and other countries.US imperialism continuous to use economic sanctions against a range of countries, in violation of international laws, in pursuit of regime change. Trump and his son-in law continue to undermine Palestinian rights in the region.

A new world is in birth. The Communist Party USA, a Marxist-Leninist political party, is part of a broad popular front against the extreme right in the USA. We are an integral part of the multiracial and multigender US working class, and we struggle in the interest of the entire US working class. We struggle every day to bring forth a new world - socialism.We are internationalist and continue to uphold the flag of international working class solidarity.

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Communist Party of Vietnam

Leading role of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the fuaght against Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic is dangerously raging all over the world, seriously impacting human health and life, and profoundly affecting all aspects of global political and socio-economic lives. While there has been no radical solution, many countries are struggling against the second wave of the pandemic with numerous potential risks and complicated developments. Therefore, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) considers the Covid-19 pandemic the biggest test for national governance model, domestic social consensus, international solidarity and global leadership.

The Covid-19 pandemic has emerged in a world of

Comrade Hoang Binh Quan difficulties: slow global economic growth, protracted Member of the Central Committee trade wars, increasing social fragmentation and injus-

tice, political tensions and conflicts in many countries.

Chairman of the Commission for External The outbreak of such health crisis has pushed the Relations world and humanity to the edge of numerous serious Communist Party of Vietnam threats, including a deadly tragedy that causes loss of life, a daily life that would be affected in all apsects and possibly a full-scale global crisis. So far, there are more than 30 million infections, hundreds thousands of deaths, and these numbers have not stopped increasing. The global economic growth is projected at -4.5% this year, forcing 25 million people out of jobs and 1.1 billion worldwide into extreme poverty.

Being one of the first countries hit by Covid-19, the pandemic situation in Vietnam witnessed complexities but basically is now under control after two waves of transmission. In fact, Covid-19 infection rate in Vietnam is very low when compared to the rest of the world. As of September 27, a total of 1,074 cases were recorded, 999 people had recovered and less than 40 deaths, the majority of whom were elderly or suffering from chronic diseases. Recording no community transmission in 25 straight days (02/9-27/9) proves that Vietnam has successfully controlled the second wave of the pandemic. In its first wave, Vietnam also had successfully managed with 415 cases recorded, 0 deaths and had gone 99 consecutive days without community transmission cases.

As soon as the pandemic threatened to infect Vietnam, the Communist Party of Vietnam has paid special attention to pandemic prevention and control from the viewpoints and under the mottos of “Fighting the pandemic is like fighting enemies”, “Putting human health first and foremost” and “Leaving no one behind” while implementing a “dual task” of curbing the disease and maintaining socio-economic stability at the same time. Accordingly, the Communist Party and the Government of Vietnam have proactively and promptly executed decisive and coherent stratIB Special Edition

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egies and mobilized the entire political system and community to address the pandemic, securing people’s health and lives, including: ‣‣ Control and isolate the sources of disease transmission, early detect cases, screen and isolate patients with strictness and efficiency; adopt stringent social distancing measures in order to minimize the contagion; early develop treatment regimen for Covid-19 and mobilize medical staffs and best available medical resources to cure the infected cases, whether they are Vietnamese or not; ‣‣ Mobilize the entire society to participate in the fight under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. All Vietnamese citizens voluntarily obey the Party and Government’s directions, willingly contribute to helping fight the pandemic. Upholding the pioneering role in localities, especially in pandemic-hit areas, all CPV’s members are always exemplary, responsible and enthusiastic in all activities at the grassroots, with the spirit of “walking alley by alley, knocking door by door, checking case by case”. Besides, CPV members always put the collective interests above the individual’s interests, actively mobilize and encourage citizens to take measures to prevent and control the pandemic. ‣‣ Implement a number of information-education-communication measures in a timely, prompt, effective and transparent manner to raise public awareness of self-protection and community protection.

Apart from the ongoing domestic efforts, the Communist Party and Government of Vietnam has also exchanged information and shared experiences with other parties, countries, joining hands with peoples around the world and the international community to combat the pandemic. In spite of various domestic difficulties, the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and its limited medical resources, Vietnam has shared, in accordance with its capability, its resources and provided medical materials and equipment, including masks, personal protective equipment, and tests kits, to more than 50 countries, helping their governments with more facilities to protect people’s lives and their peoples to overcome difficulties. It has also actively supported other countries’ citizens in Vietnam and provided treatment to those confirmed with Covid-19. In the first stage of the pandemic, Vietnam gave free treatment to all Covid-19 patients, whether

they were Vietnamese or foreigners. With gratitude, 147 Vietnam has also received precious encouragement, support and assistance from other parties, countries and the international community.

In the coming time, as the disease is continuously and strongly hitting the world, the Party and Government of Vietnam remain highly focused in controlling the contagion, avoid a false sense of success and loosing the grip, and has, therefore, planned scenarios with respective measures to tackle the pandemic at various levels; at the same time continue promoting the initial success in implementing the “dual task”, well ensuring people’s lives and livelihoods.

We all acknowledge that, in a tightly interconnected world, no single efforts could overcome these great challenges. The more united we are, the more thwarted the virus becomes. Either the whole world will turn difficulties into actions, fight the pandemic together, or it will never be defeated. In the spirit of “In Solidarity We Win”, Vietnam wishes all countries and political parties to strengthen international cooperation, promote solidarity and support each other. First, with transparent and open spirit, we need strong policy coordination, timely and regular exchanges of information and experience and technical and resource assistance. Second, people must be placed at the top priority; therefore, we must secure the safety of citizens who are in affected areas, treat the infected with humanitarian spirit, ensure that expatriate citizens to be provided with sufficient information regarding suitable health safety habits and to be cured in case of infection. Third, concerted actions should be developed to ensure that Covid-19 outbreak does not lead to separation, ostracism and discrimination among countries and among peoples. Fourth, the role of multilateral institutions should be highlighted in promoting common efforts to fight the pandemic.

We, the Communist Party of Vietnam, reiterate that Covid-19 pandemic is the biggest test for national governance model, domestic social consensus, international solidarity and global leadership. Therefore, in order to protect the health and lives of all strata of the people, Vietnam hopes that countries, political parties, especially communist and workers’ parties, will further promote spirit of solidarity and cooperation to not only control and prevent pandemic within each country, but also suppress pandemic worldwide.

“The activity of the Communist and Workers’ Parties under the conditions of the pandemic and the capitalist crisis, for safeguarding the health and the rights of the popular strata, in the struggle to change society, for socialism. ”

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