Hugo Blanco on THE CRISIS OF THE NEOLIBERAL SYSTEM

Hugo Blanco is the historic leader of the Peruvian left, at the age of 81, he is still active as editor of Lucha Indigena (Indigenous struggle), here is a recent editorial, you can read Lucha Indigena here http://www.luchaindigena.com/

Editorial 

THE CRISIS OF THE NEOLIBERAL SYSTEM 

The UN's Bretton Woods agreement of 1944 symbolizes the birth of the imperialist neoliberal system that governs today's world.  Capitalist competition has not disappeared, but the multinational or transnational corporations formed from the agglomeration of capital from many countries is flourishing. 

Wealth is increasingly concentrated in fewer hands, while poverty spreads among the majority.  The world's richest 1% owns more than the remaining 99% of us. 

Globalization and the privatization of public services are features of this system.  Globalization means that it is not the particular needs of the states but those of the global system that take precedence.  We are in full agreement with Argentinian jurist and academic Eugenio Raúl Zaffaroni, who says : 

"Global power today is in the hands of big corporations and transnational conglomerates.  Anyone who doesn't understand this cannot make sense of what is going on in the world or what is happening to us in this region and this country. 

"Political power has been taken out of the hands of the democratically elected governments.  This has happened as capital has increasingly been concentrated in immense corporations.  As these 'establishments' grew, they had less and less need for the politicians, who were increasingly displaced from the corridors of power.  Decades ago, this was seen by the smartest observers, including two military men who were more than mere warriors.  In his presidential farewell speech, Eisenhower deplored in the strongest terms the replacement of his country's strategic interests by those of the 'military-industrial complex'.  And DeGaulle warmed that Europe was on a bad course for much the same reason. 

"World leaders today serve as administrators and spokespersons on television, yet they are in the same hands are ordinary politicians.  They are no more than prisoners in their own land countries, which form the new metropolises in the framework of contemporary colonialism. 

"Throughout our region's history there have been well-known variations on this theme, all with a single substance, which is the struggle between colonialism ad emancipation.  We are living in a higher or advanced stage of colonialism in which the big corporations have world hegemony." 

The neoliberal world is in economic, political, environmental and ethical crisis.  How are the people responding to this situation?  In more than one way. 

-- Those at the bottom of the society are in collective rebellion against the oppressors. 

-- There are others, somewhat better off, who blame those on the bottom and rise against them. 

-- And there people who engage in terrorism in either or both of these other groups. 

The best examples of the rebellion against the 1% and the beginnings of building another world are the native Zapatistas of Chiapas, Mexico and the Kurdish fighters who liberated Kobane and are making a truly democratic society.  In Britain, Jeremy Corbyn has won the leadership of the Labour Party.  He is demanding a raise in wages, the reception of more refugees, and a decrease in military spending and war. 

As half-measures rebellions, consider South America's "progressive" governments.  In Europe the people who put the blame on those at the bottom are seen in France's National Front, Greece's Golden Dawn and other neo-fascist organizations.  These are also the Europeans who want to deny asylum to refugees. 

In France the ultra-right National Front is gaining in strength.  And France's islamophobia is spreading through Europe and the United States.  Europe's great problem today is the refugee crisis, brought on by imperialism's push to keep its former colonies in economic chains and the USA's wars against Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.  Some 80,000 immigrants and refugees arrived in Europe in the first six weeks of the year.  Many more perished in the attempt. 

In Syria 11.5% of the population has been wounded or killed, 3.5 million have lost their livelihood, half the population is displaced, and 85% are in poverty.  Russia warns that the war in Syria could turn into another world war. 

Terrorism from above and state terrorism feed on each other, the one giving strength to the other.  And the innocent are the main victims of both.  The United States and Turkey protect the terrorist Islamic State from ultimate destruction.  In this issue of Lucha Indígena we examine some aspects of the crisis and the reactions to it. 

KURDS TO DEMONSTRATE AT THE DSEI ARMS FAIR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
London, 14th September 2015
 
KURDS TO DEMONSTRATE AT THE DSEI ARMS FAIRKurds are being massacred by the Turkish State and the world is watching…
The 'International Partner' of the Arms Fair is the Turkish government's Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporter's Association.
 Right now London is hosting one of the biggest arms fairs in the world, with tanks, guns, drones and missiles being showcased at the DSEI Arms Fair in the EXCEL Centre.  Since Monday, protesters have been successfully blocking the vehicles that are transporting the weapons, and even gate-crashing the set-up inside the EXCEL building.
The 'International Partner' of the Arms Fair is the Turkish government's Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporter's Association. Turkey is keen to promote itself as a key exporter of arms, with Turkish companies building new drones, producing new MPT rifles and designing the Altay battle tank for the Turkish military. Turkey is also developing its own TFX fighter jets, the first prototype to be ready in 2023 to coincide with the hundred year anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.
As it steps up its new attacks on the Kurdish population, Turkey is also importing more weapons. It is currently buying F35 fighter jets and Chinook helicopters for its military and police force. Numerous arms companies supply weapons to the military and police of Turkey. The weapons they manufacture are used by the Turkish state in its repression of Kurds and have been used in the suppression of uprisings such as Gezi. Evidence has shown that Turkey has been colluding with ISIS and supplying them weapons (read here and here), so arms purchased by Turkey may also fall into ISIS hands.
With Kurdish citizens dying daily in Turkey's latest attacks on Kurdish people within its borders, it is essential to campaign against arms sales to Turkey.
Since the pro-Kurdish HDP party passed the 10% threshold in the general elections in June, resulting in winning of seats in the Turkish parliament, the Turkish state has once again carried out vicious attacks on the Kurdish population living within its borders with 100s killed in clashes over a month. In the town of Cizre, which has been under curfew for most of this time, the Turkish military and police killed at least 23 people, almost half of them children, in the last one week.

Purchasing weapons from Turkish military companies also supports Turkish militarism, so at the same time supports the brutal attacks against innocent Kurdish people - It will help Turkey to become a massive, independent military power - We are therefore calling on those who oppose this state terrorism against the Kurds and the collusion of the Turkish state with ISIS to join us at this important demonstration to tell UK and Europe to stop this multi-billion dollar arms trading with the Turkish State (military).
We believe that soullessly exhibiting and marketing guns, bombs and equipment, which will later be used to take the lives of people is against the fundamental principles of Humanity and Life.

Date: Tuesday 15th of September
Time: 14:00
Location: Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
 
For information please contactZeynep Kurban: Zeynep Kurban z.kurban83@gmail.com <mailto:z.kurban83@gmail.com> 07799285812
Mark Campbell: "Hevallo@gmail.com" Hevallo@gmail.com <mailto:Hevallo@gmail.com> 07865079415
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign: estella24@tiscali.co.uk <mailto:estella24@tiscali.co.uk> http://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com

Follow and share the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/723323431144392/

Women goes on trial for allegedly wanting to fight against #ISIS

Shilan Ozcelik trial begins at the Old Bailey*) in first PKK trial in over a decade
 The trial against Kurdish woman Shilan Ozcelik, who was arrested in January for allegedly attempting to join the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), will appear in court on Monday 7 September, 2pm, for the first day of her trial. 
 
The 18 year old was charged with ‘engaging in conduct in preparation to for giving an effect to an intention to commit acts of terrorism’ under section 5 (10) (a) of the Terrorism Act 2006 and has been held on remand in Holloway prison since early March.
 
Her arrest and charge was met with outrage by the Kurdish community in the UK and supporters of the Kurdish struggle, who condemned it as a blatant example of selective and political criminalisation of the Kurdish community, which has continued since the PKK was listed as a ‘terrorist organisation’ in 2000.
 
We reject this labelling of the PKK, which we believe confuses the Kurdish people’s legitimate struggle for self-determination with terrorism and has the effect of criminalising anyone in the Kurdish community who is part of peaceful political activity. We know that Shilan has never committed any act of violence and poses no threat to the people of this country. As such, we reiterate our call for the charges against her to be dropped.
 
Her arrest also came at the height of the ISIS siege on Kobane, Rojava, when the YPG and YPG, the Kurdish self-defence forces, resisted a fierce onslaught which garnered them international recognition. These forces, along with the PKK, have been coordinating with the US authorities to fight ISIS in northern Syria, despite the terrorism designation that looks increasingly nonsensical. 
 
Ali Has, solicitor, said: 
 
"This case for me highlights the clear hypocrisy designed to submerge human rights defenders. No matter how the trial of my client pans out and what the result, the underlying rational and political drivers behind this and such prosecutions are clear; the PKK (which is embraced by millions of Kurdish people as being a legitimate defender of their basic rights) is banned as a "terrorist" organisation and therefore any allegiance to it will not be tolerated. This seems to be the world's response to the plight of the Kurdish people whom have suffered decades of brutality at the hands of the Turkish state, in Iraq and most recently at the hands of ISIS.”
 
He continued: “The case also highlights the fine line between the freedoms of thought and conscious and potential illegality, with the latter acting as a constant threat to expressing the former. Most importantly however, it is a clear demonstration of the potential for criminalising an entire community and thereby assisting in legitimising state terror. Indeed, Turkey has for decades used the proscription of the PKK, in legitimising its terror on the Kurdish people, and criminalising Kurdish people as its main discourse of submerging their demands for basic human rights and freedoms."                 
 
The PKK was, until the end of July, holding to a two-year long ceasefire while early stage negotiations between PKK leadership and the Turkish government were taking place. The party has made numerous statements declaring their commitment to a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish question in Turkey, and currently plays a key role in the stabilisation of northern Syria and Iraq. Given this context, the arrest of a young Kurdish woman for allegedly attempting to join the fight against ISIS seems more than a little contradictory.
 
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign has begun a postcard campaign calling for the government to drop the charges against Shilan. We aim to send hundred of postcards to land on the Home Office doorstep and we need as many people as possible to send them.
 
Contact us on estella24@tiscali.co.uk <mailto:estella24@tiscali.co.uk> / knklondon@gn.apc.org<mailto:knklondon@gn.apc.org> and we will send you a set of cards. 
 Old Bailey London EC4M 7EH Maps and directions <https://maps.google.com/maps?q=51.515492052,-0.101996674451> 
REFERENCES
CAMPACC Briefing: The UK Ban on the PKK – Persecuting the Kurds
http://campacc.org.uk/uploads/kurds.pdf?phpMyAdmin=I8srdJ5PC9Q2-jYJb4LpEkCqV17<http://campacc.org.uk/uploads/kurds.pdf?phpMyAdmin=I8srdJ5PC9Q2-jYJb4LpEkCqV17> 
Campaign to Delist the PKK: www.delistthepkk.com

HOW IS POLITICS DONE IN PERU? Protest against neoliberalism and ecocide in Peru.

Editorial from Lucha Indigena by Hugo Blanco via http://www.luchaindigena.com/

                                       HOW IS POLITICS DONE IN PERU?

              

According to Ipsos, the Peruvian government has just a 33% approval rating.  According to Gfk, 71% of the people disapprove of what the congress is doing, while 70% disapprove of the judicial branch.

          And what is the outlook for next year's elections?  58% say that the political parties do not represent the electorate's interests.  As we have said, voters have a choice for president between three super-corrupt individuals and a citizen of the USA.  And 31% are resigned to the return to power of the thieving murderer Alberto Fujimori.

          We are aware that Fujimori is in prison and that the candidate is his daughter, Keiko, but we also know full well that she will pardon him and that it will be he who will govern from home or the presidential palace.  As we have indicated, she did not protest when her father had her mother tortured for having denounced corruption in his administration.  We also know that after that Keiko served as the "first lady" and that she has never spoken out against the robberies and murders ordered by her father, who paid for the expensive education of her and her siblings in the USA with stolen money.

          During the electoral campaign she will probably promise not to pardon him, but we are well aware how seldom election promises are kept in Peru.  In Cajamarca, Ollanta promised to fight for the people's water rights against the gold mining interests, but once in office he became a servant of the mining companies and had defenders of water murdered.  In Islay he said that the populace should have the deciding voice, but in government he orders the assassination of Peruvians who want to continue working the land.

          In Peru it has become an unforgiveable sin to keep one's campaign promises.  Jaime de la Cruz, as a candidate for mayor of Dean Valdivia in Islay, promised to fight for water and life against the predatory mining corporations.  When, as mayor, he kept this promise, the National Electoral Commission stripped him of his office for this very crime.

          If the people are so disgusted with the executive, legislative and judicial authorities, why not vote for the left?  To my knowledge, two slates of "leftist" candidates are in preparation.  One of these is around Yehude Simon, one of the intellectual authors of the massacre of Amazonian natives in Bagua.

          The other, I am informed, includes in its ranks the wing of APRA not allied with Alan.  APRA is corrupt to its core, and García is Haya de la Torre's favorite disciple.  Among other things, we have cited the government of coexistence between APRA and the reactionary oligarchy, as well as the pact with ex-dictator Odria, who had massacred APRA members.  This was done not by Alan but by his mentor, Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre.  It is probably for these reasons that the "left" does not figure in opinion polls.

          But does this mean that the Peruvian people do not struggle politically?  The oppressed do fight, even if they find the word "politics" -- which in Peru is understood to mean corruption -- revolting.  We have Máximo Acuña de Chaupe, a symbol of the anti-mining resistance by the Cajamarca defenders of water, five of whom have lost their lives in the struggle.  A great many farmers have been blocking activation of the Conga mine, despite the millions in bribes paid to Ollanta Humala, the parliamentarians, police and army chiefs, the tribunals, news media, etc.

          A few months ago the Peruvian youth showed us how the politics of resistance is exercises when they forced the parliamentarians to repeal a new law that discriminated against young people in the workplace.  The means of struggle were agreed upon democratically in popular assemblies.  The accepted support from political parties and trade unions, but did not allow these to lead the struggle, which was directed by the sectoral assemblies.

          We see the forest-dwelling native peoples in valiant struggle against pollution of their lands and waters by the petroleum companies.

          And at the present time it is the province of Islay, Arequipa that is giving us classes in politics.

          In 2013 the government of Alan García was unwilling to suspend hostilities for the elections.  As a result, it had to stop the environmental impact assessment, thereby suspending the start of the mine's operations.  As part of this year's fight, there was a lengthy strike that included the participation of four mayors elected on an anti-mining platform.

          Knowing that the government uses dialogue as a means of delay and deception, the militants agreed to come to the table on the condition that the discussion begin with their central demand and only then go on to other matters.  And what was their central demand?  That the Tía María mine should be stopped.  Since approval of this mine was the whole objective of the delaying tactic, the government lost all interest in meeting.

          In the face of police aggression, the people organized the espartambos -- named after the Tambo Valley, where the struggle was taking place -- which resisted by means of warak'as (native slingshots).  Defenders of water were murdered.  The government suspended constitutional guarantees for 60 days.  The police entered houses to detain anyone they pleased without legitimate cause.  The 60 days have now passed, yet the army is still in Islay.  This is how the "defenders of the homeland" uphold the interests of a transnational corporation by order of the "Peruvian" government.

          This province's heroic struggle has awakened the solidarity of Arequipa and other regions.  We do not know how the fight will play out, but even if the popular resistance in defense of water, life and agriculture against destruction our environment is crushed in the end, it will remain as an example of how the oppressed can fight back for their freedom.

          This is the kind of politics that we want to learn and carry forward.  We have no interest in the deception that takes place every five years, in which we "are supposed to choose our government by voting for various parties."

PYD statement on Turkish threats to militarily intervene in Rojava

Statement to regional and global public opinion  In recent days we have seen threats issued by Turkish officials regarding the possibility to create a military buffer zone in northern Syria. We would like to make some points clear to our people and the international public opinion.  

• We are a democratically elected party, working inside the Democratic Self Administration of Rojava, and we strive to respect and maintain the internationally recognized borders. We are furthermore determined to establish friendly relations with our neighbors. 
• We reiterate that we do not seek to establish an independent state, as is falsely claimed by Mr. Erdogan. We work to consolidate our democratic project and we advocate it as a model for the whole of Syria. Syria needs to establish a political system based on democratic pluralism. We are a part of Syria and external forces have no right to intervene in our internal affairs.  
• We in the democratic union party PYD, and our partners in the Democratic Self Administration of Rojava, do not want to stir up unrest with our neighbors. We only demand that our neighbors adhere to the principle of non-interference and that we together can work to establish cordial relations based on mutual respect, as stipulated in the UN charter.  
• We are currently cooperating with the coalition in the fight against terrorism, just as our allies are cooperating with the Turkish state in the fight against terrorism. Any attack on the people’s protection units, YPG and its allies would only play into the hands of the terrorists.  
• A military intervention in Rojava would have grave repercussions locally, regionally and internationally, it would threaten peace and security, and finally it would add to the complexity of the already dire situation in Syria and the broader Middle East. We call upon the major powers in NATO, especially the United States and France to prevent any Turkish intervention in Rojava, which is a part of the Syrian territory.  
• The people’s protection units, YPG, has fought bravely against the criminal regime forces and other terrorist gangs, most notably ISIS, and has made great sacrifices. The YPG is determined to protect its people and its land at any cost. All we seek is to establish a democratic system, within the framework of the unity of the Syrian territory, guarantee the rights of all Syrians irrespective of religion of ethnicity, and to establish cordial relations with our neighbors. We are an active partner in the international coalition and the fight against global terrorism. Proceeding from the above, we call on officials in the Turkish republic to refrain from provocative and reckless policies. We also appeal to the great powers to intervene in order to prevent any Turkish intervention in Rojava. We also renew our commitment to international treaties and conventions, and we call on the Turkish government to respect international law, and to refrain from provocative operations, including repeated threats of direct military intervention.  The co-chairmanship of the Democratic Union Party