(en) Britain, Solfed Belfast, The Leveller #14 Page 4 - Crisis in the Ukraine -- ?No War Between ?Nations? - No Peace Between Classes!? + SOLIDARITY FEDERATION - INTERNATIONAL WORKERS ASSOCIATION

Crisis in the Ukraine -- ?No War Between ?Nations? - No Peace Between Classes!? ---- 
Russia?s deployment of troops in Crimea, formerly an 'autonomous' region of the Ukraine, 
has caused much consternation to the USA and fear of escalating conflict for working class 
people throughout the region. ---- This came in the wake of a rightwing and fascist 
'revolution', supported by the west, that saw control of the Ukrainian state being taken 
by hard-line nationalists, the far right Svoboda party and the paramilitary Right Sector. 
The political upheaval, and the fears of ethnic Russian's in the Ukraine, gave Putin's 
regime the opportunity: -- to implement their long-standing imperial and expansionist 
aspirations in the Crimea and eastern Ukraine where it has strong economic, financial and 
political interests (from the Declaration of Internationalists against the war in Ukraine).

Upwards of 6,000 Russian troops have
been deployed in Crimea, the Ukrainian
military have been deployed and reservists
called up.

Some responses to Russia's invasion and
western interference in the region from the
'left' seems to either imagine Russia as the
USSR facing down US imperialism or
describe Russia as a 'former power eager
for a piece of the pie'. This betrays wilful
misreading of the situation and an
extremely crude understanding of what
imperialism actually is. While the USSR is no
more (to the inexplicable dismay of some
on the 'left') Russia does not represent a
'former power'. It is the major imperialist
economic and military power in the region.
Much of Europe?s economy is also highly
dependent on Russia. As a result the US
looks unlikely to get support even for
economic sanctions.

On the ground Ukrainian and Russian
nationalism have been whipped up, the new
Ukrainian government immediately
attacked Russian and other minority
language rights and there have been
armed clashes between nationalist groups.
While Kiev has installed a reactionary pro-
western government the:
political elite of Crimea and eastern
Ukraine does not intend to share their
power and property with the next in
turn Kiev rulers (ibid)
and are instead placing their faith in the
Russian government.

Those who will pay for any escalation of
this conflict, those who have paid so far,
have r and will be the regions working class,
no matte their ethnicity:

Warring cliques of bosses, as usual,
force us ordinary people to fight for
their interests: wage workers,
unemployed, students, pensioners...
Making us drunkards of the nationalist
drug, they set us against each other,
causing us to forget about our real
needs and interests: we don't and can't
care about their "nations". We are
concerned with more vital and
pressing problems ? how to make
ends meet in the system which they
found to enslave and oppress us.

We will not succumb to nationalist
intoxication. To hell with their state
and ?nations?, their flags and offices!
This is not our war, and we should not
take part, paying with our blood for
their palaces, bank accounts and the
pleasure to sit in soft chairs of
authorities. And if the bosses in
Moscow, Kiev, Lviv, Kharkiv, Donetsk
and Simferopol start this war, our
duty is to resist it by all available
means!

NO WAR BETWEEN ?NATIONS? -
NO PEACE BETWEEN CLASSES!?

=======================================

SOLIDARITY FEDERATION - INTERNATIONAL WORKERS ASSOCIATION

The Solidarity Federation is a revolutionary
union initiative: an organisation of workers
which seeks the abolition of capitalism and
the state. Capitalism because it exploits,
oppresses and kills working people and
wrecks the environment for profit
worldwide. The state because it can only
maintain hierarchy and privilege for those
who control and their servants; it cannot be
used to fight the oppression and
exploitation that are the consequences of
hierarchy and the source of privilege. In
their place we want a society based on
workers? self-management, solidarity,
mutual aid and libertarian communism.
That society can be achieved by working
class organisations based on the same
principles - revolutionary unions. These are
not trade unions concerned with ?bread and
butter? issues like pay and conditions.
Revolutionary unions are means for working
people to organise and fight all the issues -
both in the workplace and beyond - which
arise from our oppression.

As such we are actively opposed to
sectarianism, racism, sexism and
homophobia and other tendencies used to
divide workers and weaken our struggles
for our common interests.
Revolutionary unions fully support and
encourage organisation in all spheres of life
that consciously parallel those of the society
we wish to create; that is, organisation
based on mutual aid, voluntary cooperation,
direct democracy and opposed to
domination, hierarchy and exploitation in all
forms. We are committed to building a new
society within the shell of the old in both our
workplace and wider community. Unless we
organise in this way, politicians - some
claiming to be revolutionary - will be able
to exploit us for their own ends.

The Solidarity Federation consists of Locals
and Industrial Networks which seek to take
on the functions of revolutionary unions -
supporting our organising efforts where we
live and work. Our activities are based on
direct action - action by workers ourselves,
not through intermediaries like politicians
and union officials; our decisions are made
through participation of the membership.
We welcome all workers - including the
unemployed, retired, stay-home parents
and students - who will work within our Aims
and Principles and seek to create
revolutionary unions to fight the class
struggle.