Message to the citizens’ rally against the G7 summit
Dear comrades,
At a time when war is spreading throughout the world, we bring our fraternal greetings to your meeting.
The fight against war is a rallying point all over the world for all those in the workers’ movement who refuse to give any support to the war-mongering government.
⦁ A few months ago, a World Conference Against War and Exploitation, For a Workers’ International, was held in Paris (France) (29-30 October 2022),
The call adopted by “workers, young people, activists of the labour and democratic movements from 47 countries and every continent“, recalls “the words of Jean Jaurès, the historic figure of international socialism, on the eve of the outbreak of the 1914 war: “Capitalism carries war within it, just like the cloud carries the storm.””
It states “without the slightest hesitation that these wars and the destruction and barbarism that they unleash are the product of the decomposition of the capitalist system based on the private ownership of the means of production – a system which, in order to reap ever greater profits, does not shrink from any aggression.
The workers know that in the name of the “war effort”, all governments, whatever side of the front line they are on, organise deregulation, unemployment, the destruction of education and public services, the dismantling of factories, the desertification of the countryside.”
Like all workers, we condemn the war unleashed by order of President Putin on 24 February 2022 on Ukraine. From the very beginning of the conflict, we have called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country.
Like all workers, we note that the major capitalist powers, under the aegis of the Biden administration, NATO and the European Union, have done everything to provoke this conflict, and are doing everything to stoke it. Politicians and the media are openly talking about the risk of a possible 3rd world war and the use of nuclear weapons.”
⦁ Since then, NATO has accelerated its preparations for war against Russia.
From June 12, Defender 23, a two-month NATO military exercise in Europe involving 9,000 American and 17,000 other NATO soldiers, begins. Anything can happen.
Our appeal states: “Workers are not deluded: The growing intervention of the imperialist powers in Ukraine is aimed at extending the domination of the multinational corporations – especially the U.S. multinationals – over the whole world. President Biden has warned that beyond Russia, China will be the target.”
We have read the appeal by Filipino and Chinese activists which highlights the topicality of this “With each passing week the people of the China Sea region see the clouds gathering.This is only the beginning: “The war in Ukraine is only a warm-up”. “Great crisis is coming” in the confrontation with China (Admiral Charles A. Richard, US Strategic Command (Straton), November 2022)
Things are accelerating! 27 January: US Air Force General Michael Minihan: “My instinct is that we will be fighting in 2025” against China. 14 February: War “can last for many, many years” says NATO Secretary General. (…) At any moment our region could be tipped over into war.
A call from activists and workers in China (From Mainland China and Hong Kong) explain: “Whatever the pretext, a war against China will be a war against our people. It would mean a new – and unfortunately decisive – step towards a third world war. (…) It is up to the Chinese people, including all their components, and to them only, to decide on their future. That means that we are strongly opposed to any intervention whether on the economic, political or military ground on the part of foreign powers.”
Dear comrades,
⦁ The Appeal of the International Conference Against War and Exploitation concludes:
“Therefore, while we demand the withdrawal of Russian troops, we also demand the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from Europe. We call for the dismantling of NATO, the withdrawal of all foreign occupation troops from all countries of the world, and an end to all imperialist and neo-colonial interventions.
The workers have no common interest with the multinationals, nor with the capitalists of the different countries, nor with their own governments. Yet it is clear that in the major capitalist countries the leaders of the labour organisations refuse to genuinely oppose the war.
In the United States, they support the warlike ventures of President Biden; in the European Parliament, their elected representatives pass resolutions that aggravate the sanctions against the Russian people, over-arm the belligerents and strengthen the links with NATO.
We appeal to all workers and youth, to activists of all origins in the labour movement, to labour organisations: Reject any form of “sacred union” / national unity with the warmongering governments and the capitalists whose interests they defend.
The only union that is consistent with the cause of peace and social justice is the union of the workers and peoples of the whole world.”
It is in this spirit that we will be interested to know the results of your work.
In solidarity,
Daniel Gluckstein
For the International Workers Committee Against War and Exploitation,
For a Workers’ International