Stand by the Donbas resistance!

Boris Litvinov speaking from his office

by New Worker correspondent

On Saturday 8th May, the eve of Victory over Fascism Day, 25 left-wing parties and movements from four continents joined the International Anti-Fascist Forum video-conference organised by the Communist Party of the Donetsk People's Republic.
    The forum was chaired by Boris Litvinov, the leader of the Donetsk communists,, from their office in Donetsk City, and it included comrades from the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Croatia, and the Philippines.
    Its aim was to strengthen international anti-fascist solidarity or in the words of the CP DPR newspaper Vperyod! (Forward!) “to draw the attention of the world community to the problems of "hot spots", in which imperialism is especially actively attacking the rights of workers and most clearly threatens the security of countries and peoples.
    “The people's republics of the Donbas, Syria, Venezuela, Belarus and some other countries are at the forefront of the struggle against American hegemony, and the duty of the progressive forces of the world is to provide them with all possible support”.
    Comrade Bessonov, a leading member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) told the forum that at its 18th congress the CPRF called for full recognition of the Donbas republics by the Russian Federation, “the only party in Russia to take this position”.
    The forum heard that after the collapse of the Soviet Union Germany “became the aggressor it was before” with Ukraine “a means for German imperialism to strengthen its position in Eastern Europe”.
    Delegates were also told of the political persecution in Lithuania including assassinations, deportations, and anti-fascists imprisoned or categorised as mentally ill.
    Greg Butterfield, a veteran American activist in Ukraine solidarity, said that western media reporting of Ukraine “turns black into white and white into black”.
    “No mention is heard of the march by Nazis in Kiev last week to honour Ukraine's WW2 SS battalion,” Greg said adding that activists in the US have organised educational meetings to bring together solidarity with Haiti, Korea and other countries, and to connect anti-imperialist struggles.
    In reply, Boris Litvinov said that "the people of Donbas are also looking at the people struggling against imperialism in the United States, to see if they can be successful".
    Theo Russell, representing the NCPB, said that the February 2014 coup in Ukraine "brought to power the most open, naked manifestation of European fascism since 1945, real nazism using violence and terror to crush all political opposition, workers struggles and freedom of speech".
    He added: "Even in February 2014, BBC TV showed British agents with the rioters in Kiev, and since then the UK military has been present in Ukraine".
    The participants agreed a resolution calling upon the workers of all countries:

• To strengthen international solidarity in the fight against all forms of fascism;
•  For all progressive forces of the world to cooperate in support of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics;
•  For the recognition of the will of the people of Donbass to create peaceable People's Republics
•  For the creation of an international tribunal to bring to justice the military and political criminals of Ukraine.

he following demands were agreed:

•  From the Ukrainian authorities - to stop the war in Donbass, to begin negotiations with the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics on the establishment of peaceful relations;

•  From the European Union and the United States - to stop funding the military spending of the Ukrainian government and supplying arms to it;

• From the Governments and Parliaments of all states - to recognize the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics as sovereign states, being guided by the UN Charter, the basic principles of international law, the peoples' right to self-determination, respecting the will of the people of Donbass confirmed in a national referendum; to establish a peaceful, friendly and mutually beneficial relationship with them.

No to the war in Donbas!

Yes to the self-determination of the DPR and the LPR!

Long live international anti-fascist solidarity!

 

 

• NCP contribution to the conference