Today's Topics:
1. Greece, Libertarian Initiative of Thessaloniki/Anarchist
Federation: VIO.ME -- calls for a rally (gr) [machine
translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. France, Alternative Libertaire AL - Greece, Syriza, the
Euro… and what about us? A contribution by Anarkismo - the
international network of libertarian communist organisations
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. Greece, Solidarity with workers VIO.ME and struggling
workers ELVO - | Collection 17/12 courts Thes / niki (gr)
[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
4. France, Alternative Libertaire AL #255 (Nov) - Popular
areas, Mohamed Amami: "Breaking the isolationism and exclusion"
(fr, it, pt) [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
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Message: 1
The K region. Macedonia Anarchist Federation calls for a rally in Thessaloniki courts
Thursday 17/12 at 9:00 to cancel the auction of the VIO.ME compound. ---- Cops, judges,
listen well ... ---- In February 2013 the workers of industrial mining, after 18 months
work retention, "returned the gear 'solidarity and the factory began to operate. With
direct democracy, hierarchically procedures and self-management, away from institutional
solutions and party mediations. After nearly three years of operation of the plant, the
game is perhaps the most critical moment. ---- Their factory space, which has been
occupied by the workers, now stands on the threshold of the auction. At last, the Philip
family of the "normalization" of the situation seems close: after the workers left unpaid
for months, then put a padlock in the plant, leaving a huge debt towards them, now it's
time for the plant to be sold. Employees Filkeram, redundant and these years, hoping in
the auction to get the money you owe them.
The sale but the whole plot and not only the part of Filkeram, will have disastrous
effects on continuity of function of a collaborative project of indust. With the decision
not to divide the properties (but have suggested from the beginning employees INDU) state
and bosses are attempting a double victory: on the one turning one club against the other
and on the other to finish once and for all with first venture factory self in Greece. The
government's "first left" of the bogus promises of legal solution in its fight indust
currently commanding military exercises with baseline recapture factories!
The auction will be held Thursday 26/11. "Winning" for these auction will mean evacuation
of the factory, unemployment for the workers and even uprooting one outbreak resistance.
It is up to us to effectively frustrate!
Cops, judges, liquidators, bosses, politician, informants, we will find them facing any
attempt to sell the plant, every attempt to suppress the struggle. Workers realize that no
institutional or legal entity can not guarantee their dignity. Only tenacious struggles
can give victorious outcome. We stand beside them, our weapon our class solidarity, always
keeping our gaze turned in to constant road for social revolution for a aftodiethynomeni
society.
The VIO.ME. WILL BE LEFT IN THE HANDS OF THE WORKERS
Anarchist Federation
https://libertasalonica.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/%CE%BD%CE%B1-%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B9%CF%8E%CF%83%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BC%CE%B5-%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CF%80%CE%BB%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%83%CE%BC%CF%8C-%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82/
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Message: 2
For years now, the Greek people have been confronted with the Troika's diktats. The
latter, made up of the International Monetary Fund, the Central European Bank and the
European Union, is a tool in the hands of capitalism and those that serve it, first and
foremost, our States' governments. ---- It is no more than the European extension of what
other capitalist institutions have been imposing on other peoples, on other continents.
---- The situation in Greece is still at the heart of public debate in all our countries;
it is food for thought in political, union and associative organisations in a global
manner. And because it presents a highly symbolic dimension, yet grounded in reality, it
calls for all our attention and internationalist solidarity. This is the scope of this
contribution, common to different countries' libertarian communist organisations, members
of the anarkismo network
1
Syriza, a politically reformist coalition
Large parts of the Greek population have been leading momentous struggles to resist the
steamroller of misery, inequalities, and exclusions: demonstrations, strikes,
self-organisation have led to factory take-overs, creation of self-managed locations, etc.
This type of actions has demonstrated the social movement's capacity to organise
resistance and open paths towards new solutions, disruptive with the capitalist system.
Syriza2, a political movement, managed to capture a part of these forces and hopes. It did
so, under the pretence that by accessing political power, within the current institutional
framework, it would make them real. After the legislative elections of January 25, 2015,
it came to power3.
But to do so, in order to respect the system's name of the game, it allied with a
nationalist and reactionary party4.
Six months later, this very same government was signing a new memorandum with
international capitalist institutions, that planned - as our comrades from Rocinante
explain – “counterreforms that Right-wing governments had never dared to vote: total
rights for bosses to lay off workers, restriction of right to strike, seizure of housing
for debts to banks, reduction of pension amounts, increase of VAT up to 100 % on basic
food goods. » Just a few days before, 61,31% of people who participated to the
referendum to validate these policies, had voted No 5!
As libertarian communists we are not among those that will cry treason after having once
incensed Syriza and Tsipras. No, Syriza has perfectly played its role: that of politically
reformist coalition and in no way revolutionary. Hoping to control capitalist institutions
without overturning the system is bound to fail: these institutions are there to guarantee
capitalism’s continuity, and act along that line only.
Between democracy and capitalism, you’ll have to make a choice!
In the Troika’s and European governments’’ eyes, there was no question of negotiating any
agreement whatsoever with Syriza, but on the contrary to make him give in to remind to all
who leads the world! They couldn’t care less for the people, democracy, and discussion,
anything that might impede their plans. The only way to impose other choices is through
social struggles and the balance of power and counter powers they generate.
The stakes are staggering and demand that workers and popular movements organise much
more efficiently, especially at international level, including support to the Greek
people. It must organise from a class perspective, reject capitalism and its components:
it is clear today where the minimalist motto « With the Greeks », respectful of the
“poll’s verdict” has led us. In that case, are September’s polls less respectful than
January 25th’s, and should we support a third memorandum? In our eyes, the question is
elsewhere. Yes Syriza has won the January legislative elections, inasmuch as they
collected the greater number of votes, as an organization (but far from a “majority” of
votes as often claimed in militant circles). But, yes again, it didn’t mean breaking away
from capitalism. To refuse the « agreement » imposed on us by capitalist institutions had
a very different meaning, hence the call to vote No by anarcho-syndicalist Rocinante
organisation. The way the Greek government – dubbed “radical leftist” by many including
among the more revolutionary - trampled referendum expression, shows how big the gap
between direct democracy (mandated and revocable representatives) and democracy under
capitalism . To foster the illusion that the first is compatible with the latter means
taking the risk of strengthening extreme-right every time there is a disillusion. And
these are part of the system!
Strengthening social movements and their autonomy will make them more powerful
The election campaign, and the internal power plays that followed once in office, have
taken their toll on many comrades; time, energy, inevitable desertions from the field of
social struggles by some lifelong militant comrades. This is a well-known and often-told
tale in many countries, with the same observation every time!
The context shows that the Trade Union movement is below expectations. Two aspects can
explain this: the alignment (or refusal to confront) of the European Union’s Confederation
and its followers with European policy; the sectarianism demonstrated by the World
Federation of Unions. These are not the only explanations. The near-absence of any form of
autonomous syndicalism in Greece didn’t help. Bureaucracy, fights between fractions,
paralyses syndicalism. This is why we support base unions and anarcho-syndicalist
collectives such as Rocinante or ESE, who act as independent, alternative and
anticapitalist forces. To support social struggles in Greece, we must propose concrete
solidarity measures in our unions, in each one of our countries. The first thing to do is
communicate about them as widely as possible, then to support them financially and by
direct action whenever possible.
We must develop a strong, active, mass solidarity, with the many alternative and
selfmanaged experiences taking place in Greece. Companies have been taken over by workers,
selfmanaged dispensaries created, and popular cultural structures invented, etc. It is far
more useful to support these social movements, and help them weigh more heavily in Greek
society, than to decide on whom to vote for next elections. It’s on this field, and in the
streets, that our comrades can fight extremeright organisations with the best efficiency.
Much more efficiently than by delegating the people’s power, leaving tens of thousands
bitter and disgruntled.
European Union, to leave or not to leave the union… what is the question?
A part of political forces is keen on refocusing debates on the sole issue of “leaving, or
not the euro”. To discuss this while pretending to respect the current European or States’
institutional frameworks doesn’t make any sense. By ways of treaties, funding modalities,
the very institutional game, the EU deprives peoples of any possibility of choice. Except
by breaking away with all this. Reformism has no space! Concerning the issue of the euro,
there are three main tendencies:
Those in favour a free market put the « German model » forward, but stay silent about the
way German exports were boosted by an aggressive social: lowered wages, increased poverty
and insecurity of a large part of the working classes. They are proposing that we bridge
the gap with Germany and to organise a « competitive shock » by a renewal of austerity:
wage decline, a lowering of social rights, destruction of public service, massive public
allocations to the private sector.
Some propose to abolish the euro and go back to national currencies in order to detain
better competitive levers than social lowest bidder: the most reactionary Right-wing
movements are first among these, but also a fair number of the more protectionists “Left”,
and not against alliances with the extreme-Right. But this would simply mean changing the
rules of competition on the global capitalist market.
Contrary to what is usually seen as countries opposing one another, as Germany to Greece,
anticapitalists must insist on the common interests that bond popular classes together,
everywhere inside the euro zone.
This is why we are bound to be of a like mind concerning how we recapture social rights
lost in Germany and elsewhere, how we fight against regression everywhere in Europe, with
the same idea of international workers’ solidarity.
As libertarian communists we claim that this must be our priority, rather than creating an
umpteenth political party fraught with promises, but that won’t find it in itself to
question the capitalist system!
Likewise, we believe that focusing on “leaving the euro or not” is a trap. As said, this
issue has no sense inside a framework imposed by capitalism. Fundamentally, the main
problem the working class is facing is not to know what currency will be used for their
monthly wages, but if they will indeed be paid at the end of the month and if they will be
enough to feed the family!
Capitalist institutions are made to serve capitalists!
We are fighting a class war, where two classes struggle because they have diverging
interests and ours cannot be defended efficiently if we remain closed in by institutions
made to exploit us!
Leaving (or not) the euro, choosing (or not) a currency, defining how exchanges inside a
society should be carried out, have nothing to do with a so-called “economical science”,
but concern political choices directly linked with the type of society we want. For us,
what is at stake is the question of property, of the socialization of production and
exchanges, of the distribution of power inside companies, communities, society. This is to
say that our ambitions are not compatible with capitalist institutions such as the EU, or
tools such as the euro. Our hopes are not to choose « the right European currency » the
better to strengthen capitalist exploitation! Reformist recipes cannot be the solutions
for the future. If the working class has no country, how then can we still believe that
old frontiers, old currencies are still useful?
Our observations, do not lead to the conclusion that “nothing can be done”. This
includes the failure of Syriza. On the contrary, we have much on our hands and the
capacity to succeed. But this is more demanding than to expect someone else to do it
for us… More demanding but so much more exhilarating and effective!
Alternative Libertaire (France)
Alternativa Libertaria/Federazione Dei Comunisti Anarchisti (Italia)
Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group (Australia)
Organisation Socialiste Libertaire (Suisse)
October 2015
1 www.anarkismo.net
2/ SYRIZA, / Synaspismós Rizospastikís Aristerás
3 During these, Syriza made for 36,34% of votes ; which is to say 23,21% of voters, with
36,13% abstention.
4 The « independent Greeks » (/ Anexártiti Éllines, ??.??. ou AN.EL)
5 38,31% No, 37,51% abstention, 24,18% Yes, based on number of listed voters.
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/IMG/pdf/2015_-_9_-_27_-_Greece_Syriza_the_Euro_and_what_about_us.pdf
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?La-Grece-Syriza-l-euro-etc-et-nous
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Message: 3
Solidarity with workers VIO.ME and struggling workers ELVO - On 02.12.2013 unpaid (since
2011) Workers of the Industrial Mining took the decision to ignore the requirements of
state and capital and chose the way race, going to occupy the factory. - Key pillars on
which constructed the project of VIO.ME from the very first day, is the
triple-self-self-self-organization. ---- Workers exceeded limits entrenched institutional
unionism and implemented direct democratic processes in the way decision making while
eliminating any economic power (equal remuneration). Decisions taken at the general
assembly of workers process in which all members have equal status. From the first moment
of the plant, created a network of solidarity to the workers of collectives and
individuals and their struggle was linked to similar operations in Europe, Argentina,
Turkey and Spain.
The judiciary initially justified the struggle of the workers and the function of busy now
works continued until the parent company Filkeram and Philip family manage through the
backdoor to fail the VIO.ME .. After three years of continuous struggles and mobilizations
in busy factory and despite campaign promises of Syriza government to legalize the
operation, the VIO.ME. at risk. The '' left '' national government washes its hands and
leaves the judiciary to remove the snake from the hole as they start liquidation
procedures of land through auction that pose an immediate threat to the viability of the
plant. Besides, in any way governance is not possible to vindicate the struggles of the
oppressed.
Only the total subversion of the state and capitalism, the expropriation of the social
wealth that we ourselves produce, they can respond to real social needs of the oppressed
and exploited throughout the world.
We as anarchists / s perceive this struggle as part of the broader social and class
struggles that grow from below, as another mound in the total state and capitalist
restructuring. Preceded by the seizure of the means of production to social
self-management, the establishment of base unions and struggles from below. We stand in
solidarity with the workers VIO.ME. and we will fight until vindicated their fight.
On the same day, however tried and struggling workers ELVO after indictment of the
President of SHIFT in collaboration with the president of GSEE and factions Pasko and DAKE
ELVO, because in the text of the "Initiative for Unity ELVO workers" have criticized the
above stating that launching a strike-fireworks and are in the interests of the bosses and
not employees. Rightly, since we are talking about the same state-bureaucratic unionism
allowed for the interests of the state and capital, the same unionism that accepts next to
the Eldorado Gold and defends the 'YES' vote.
From our side, the side of the unemployed, the workers, the poor, the plebeians of this
world, we stand with the fighting workers ELVO making clear that the minions of the bosses
will find us in front of them and that the proletarians are not expecting anything by
institutions, parliaments, elections, the bureaucratic trade union leaders and mediators
of class struggle. Despite only a new society of equality, solidarity, freedom.
Collection 17/12 9.00 to court Thes / niki
To block the auctioning of VIO.ME
Hands off competitors laborers ELVO
Collegiality for social anarchism "Black and Red"
mauro-kokkino@hotmail.com
http://maurokokkino1936.wordpress.com
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Message: 4
Located in the heart of the Valdegour, one of the most disadvantaged and outlying cities
of Nîmes metropolitan area, the association trains Emancip'Actions to computers and the
Internet ... and promotes the social struggle as an alternative to religious retreat and
the politician patronage. Interview with Mohamed Amami, one of its leaders. ----
Revolutionary Tunisian Mohamed Amami is a political refugee in France since 2006. Author
of a book about the Tunisian revolution [1], it is also a member of Alternative Libertaire
in the Gard. ---- Alternative Libertaire: Mohamed, can you introduce us Emancip'Actions
association? ---- Mohamed Amami: It is an association that was founded in 2012.
Originally, we were five to implement. Chance made us settle here in Valdegour district on
the northern Zup Nimes, rather than in another neighborhood. Indeed, services that manage
public housing grounds, "Habitat du Gard", we are rented a ground floor with a low-cost,
dedicated to associations.
The association aims to promote autonomy and individual and collective emancipation, for
his involvement against social exclusion and discrimination, cultural and racial,
primarily through ownership of computer tools and the Internet. All services are free
there. We have an internet room, proceed to repair equipment and provide media training
and hardware maintenance.
But our action goes far beyond just IT issues. The title of the festival we held Saturday,
October 3, for the three years of the association, "Day multicultural, anti-racist
solidarity and" the shows. On the agenda: testimonies of Libyan refugees, Caucasian and
Syrian based in Nimes, book exhibitions and pictures, poetry readings and news, as well as
the screening of The Source, a film released in 2011 on the status of women in the Arab
world. And in the evening various hip-hop groups have succeeded on stage.
We regularly offer cultural meetings to break the isolationism and exclusion. We attempt
to promote self-management of people.
The city of Valdegour
4,500 inhabitants and inhabitants, against 7,000 ten years ago.
Which links do you have with the other actors and actresses of the neighborhood?
Mohamed Amami past two years, our association has emerged and has established cooperation
ties with the rest of associations and inhabitants and inhabitants of the neighborhood.
This was the case last spring, when the assos and population have led an exemplary
struggle to maintain the post office.
More generally, we inscribe us in any initiative - whether public meetings and cultural
events - which fits into our overall vision of popular education to counter communalism
and fight against reactionary religious influence among young neighborhoods.
Can you come back to the reality of the neighborhood?
Mohamed Amami Valdegour is one of the poorest neighborhoods and outlying urban area of
Nîmes. He counted 7,000 inhabitants there ten years against 4,500 today.
Originally, in the mid 1960s, it had been built in haste to welcome the Blackfoot who
landed en masse and had to stay. Since then, the city has ghettoized and groups in the
extreme majority of Moroccans, gypsies, Comorians and Chechens. Their horizon: several
towers, ground floor walled, deserted a slab, a peeled lawn. But a magnificent 360 degrees
on the Nîmes region, there, below.
The city of Valdegour - North
Valdegour is a city within a city because of this isolation, reinforced by its location
atop a hill. And the fact that from 20 hours no bus runs to the city center reinforces
this feeling of insularity.
The figures speak for themselves as to its social characteristics: average income of 500
euros, 54% unemployment for 18-25 years, 44% for more than 25 years. The daily life of
people living here is complicated: tea salon or barber shop, driving school, supermarket
and analysis laboratory lowered their curtains. To make the big races, take the bus to the
South Zup or go to the market in which women return with heavy bags of vegetables. There
are only two doctors, one of whom will soon be retired. Three are gone in two years, no
replacement on the horizon.
Another feature of the area is the desertion of public services. There 's not so long ago,
for example, two social workers intervened there. They left since. Ditto for the health
center. The few remaining public services also threaten to leave. Apparently the strategy
of the Town Hall is to clear Valdegour gradually, its people and recover land for purposes
of property speculation. Our involvement in the struggle to maintain and strengthen public
services such as the Post Office opposes this strategy and helps create militants ties and
solidarity with the inhabitants and residents and other associations. Associations which
unfortunately for the most part merely charity and manage misery.
The final word...
Mohamed Amami: Most revolutionary organizations continue to see the community work
reluctantly. By abandoning this land, our absence pushes people in neighborhoods and
suburbs into the clutches of fundamentalism of all kinds, and from the state or electoral
parties who practice a clientelist politics.
The little solidarity on our part, to neighborhoods, is carried from the outside as if we
supported the cause of another people on the other end of the world. The inhabitants and
residents of neighborhoods, from different backgrounds, are often designed as foreign to
our world, to our bearings!
I see this as one of the main causes that hinder our anchor in these neighborhoods. The
reality of neighborhoods is not one of our habits and "standards" activists: that a
predominantly white environment that has the professional setting industry or utilities
and stable jobs. What happens, therefore, that whole section of the population that lives
in neighborhoods and whose daily lives are made of unemployment, poverty, social exclusion
and precariousness?
Interview by Jérémie Berthuin (AL Gard)
Mohamed Amami also read his interview on Tunisian revolution in information and analysis
libertarians summer 2013.
[1] Mohamed Amami, Tunisia, the revolution facing globalization of contemporary
fundamentalisms, French and Berber Publishing, 2015, 160 pages, 12 euros.
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Mohamed-Amami-Briser-le-repli
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