Today's Topics:
1. Union of Anarchists of Afghanistan and Iran - United Front
-- from http://organisemagazine.org.uk (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. Poland, ozzip, WORKERS' INITIATIVE: Settlement of
fundraising for striking teachers and teachers from small towns
--Urgent actions [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. Czech, afed: Noise Olympics -- Late but still: A
demonstration report against a meeting of European
ultra-rightists. [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
4. ait russia: CNT-AIT: labor conflict with Estanco number 2 in
Vendrell [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
5. France, Alternative Libertaire AL #295 - Yemen: Silence, we
sell, we kill (fr, it, pt)[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
6. ait russia: The return of the Makhno Ghost ...
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
7. Britain, Red and Black Leeds: Slogan of the month - June '19
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
8. vrije bond: Sweden, Malmö anarchist book fair - 7 to 9 juny
- @ Sofielunds Folketshus - Website (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
9. Germany, The platform: Interview with the Anarchist
Communist Group (ACG) from the UK (de) (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Union of Anarchists of Afghanistan and Iran - United Front - The most pleasant news to the
hearts of the internationalists is the revolt of anarchism throughout the globe. Over the
past few years, we have witnessed the emergence and intensification of several groups of
activities, from the Bangladesh Clothing Workers Organization to the Labor Day Rally held
by revolutionary Indo-Indians. Recently, we saw a number of comrades gathering together to
form the "Anarchist Union of Afghanistan and Iran," which, along with other groups and
individuals, called for the integration of all socialist, communist, and anarchist groups
into a "united front for freedom, justice" And equality "against the fascist and Islamist
regime in Iran; ---- A statement on the formation of a united front for freedom, justice
and equality ---- Invitation to Coordination and Cooperation in order to overthrow the
Islamic Republic of Iran. Given the fact that:
The fascist and Islamist regime of Iran rightly considers progressive / libertarian and
left-wing movements as one of its most active enemies, and our comrades are executed,
imprisoned and tortured.
On the other hand, right-wing leaders from all walks of life, through the use of racist
propaganda and with the persistence of the cycle of tyranny, are pushing through their
mass media to suppress any call for freedom, equality and justice.
This common pain is never treated without organization, coalitions, sharing of efforts and
coordination. We must learn from the experience of the Spanish Civil War, in which the
left and Republican groups united under one operational plan. We must learn from that
experience and organize a struggle for freedom, justice and equality in accordance with
the specific conditions of Iran and its political forces. Another notable example is the
Rojava democratic and popular self-government, which has been able to organize various
political forces from all over the world to fight despot regimes in the region. Therefore,
it is possible that a network of pioneers of diverse political groups with a tendency
toward freedom, justice and equality. The network could include radical women's movements,
farmers, workers, students and other progressive groups, and under the umbrella of the
United Front for Freedom, Justice and Equality, is about to overthrow the Islamic regime
in Iran.
As a group of individuals and political groups, we, by publishing this statement, take the
first step towards the establishment of this "united front", and we invite you to fight
this "Islamic Republic of Iran" join us.
Long live liberty, justice, equality, solidarity
This revolutionary boom has not come about. In 2009, there was a movement called
"anarchist network" that grew increasingly popular among workers and students before it
collapsed "due to the betrayal of one of the members." Of course, the movement's
organizers reacted by setting up the "age of anarchism," a movement that focused its
efforts on the struggle for the liberation of the working class with the help of its
Iranian and Afghan members.
The new network, which has been active since then, began to work secretly through secret
meetings and the sharing of ideas secretly, utilizing its little power to bring news and
information with like-minded comrades in To divide Their presence in the anarchist scene
of Iran and the world has slowly become more public. This is not slowly taking the wrong
thing, because Iran is an extremely dangerous place for anarchists. In 2013, Sohail Arabi,
an anarcho-centerist, was arrested and sent to Tehran's jail, where he has been reportedly
detained in solitary confinement since then and regularly tortured by soldiers appointed
as prison guards. And he and the other prisoners are beaten and refusing to provide
medical care.
We also have the case of Abtin Parsa, who was arrested in 2014 at the age of 16 and sent
to the "secret jail of the Revolutionary Guards of Zarghan" and spent eighteen months
there. During this time, he was tortured by a man named Seyyed Ja'fari and was held in a
harsh situation in a cell whose walls were often shaken by prisoners with dreaded voices
invading the Guardian authorities. He was fortunate to be released on condition of the end
of political activities and fled Iran in Greece in 2016.
When we see in Britain how the activists are struggling to spend a few hours in prison for
a few hours before they "fall into a righteous dream", it is often easy to find that the
struggles of our comrades in distant lands of an autocracy that do not need a liberal
cloak Do not put up with torment. The formation of an anarchist union poses a unique
danger to our comrades and yet they are still sharing insurgent content and fighting
against the government and fanatical religious authorities who seek to suppress freedom.
The "united front" is a call for action by individuals from within the left wing, as well
as the "Anarchist Union of Afghanistan and Iran", which was formed in 2018 and from the
unification of the three following revolutionary groups:
The population of the age of anarchism (socially from anarchists from Iran and Afghanistan
who operate inside and outside their countries)
Analitical group "Alyeh" (based in Afghanistan)
Revolutionary Radical Anarchist Front (based in Iran)
They are developing and shaping relationships with anarchists around the world. If you are
an Iranian, Afghan, or from any of the many communities in the area, please contact us.
Comrades and allies from all over the world, and show solidarity with one another towards
a truly global working-class revolution.
Footnote: Source
The Anarchist Union Of Afghanistan & Iran - United Front
https://asranarshism.com/1398/02/17/the-anarchist-union-of-afganistan-iran-united-front-2/
------------------------------
Message: 2
Below we present the settlement of the fundraiser for financial support for striking
teachers and teachers associated in the OZZ Inicjatywa Pracownicza committees. ---- We
collected a strike fund for people from the education sector as at the settlement day (31
May 2019): ---- - PLN 28 820 through the portal zrzutka.pl (285 payments including PLN
1,000 from the benefit organized by the Warsaw squat Zychodnia and a few payments of PLN
1,000) and ---- - PLN 2,689 through direct payments to the IP strike fund from trade
unions in France (CGT) and Germany (FAU). ---- In total, therefore, we collected PLN 31.5
thousand. ---- By decision of the National Commission, we decided to keep part of this
amount (about PLN 5 thousand) for September, when the strike is planned to continue. The
rest, or nearly 27.5 thousand PLN, we distributed among the strikers.
During the strike, we paid the first installment of PLN 380 for 17 people. The first
tranche totaled PLN 6,460. Then we divided the remaining amount and set the amount of
allowances for people who continued the strike or were not reported on the first date. The
second tranche will total PLN 21,030.
On the basis of the declaration from the commission, a total of 26 persons were put
forward for payment, which together were struck for 391 days. After dividing the amount of
PLN 27.5 thousand for 391 days, we received a daily rate of rounding PLN 70. The strikers
therefore received from 70 zlotys (1 person) to 1 470 zlotys (16 people) of support -
depending on the length of their strike. After closing the settlement, we received yet
another payment (directly to the account of about 5,000 from FAU and onrzutka.pl about PLN
600). At the meeting of the National Commission on May 26, we decided to leave this money
for September or for payments to people who may not have reported to the CC in the matter
of granting a strike.
In summary, we have collected PLN 37 283 in total, out of which PLN 27,490 was spent on
withdrawals. Therefore, PLN 9 793 remained for September.
Thank you for all donations - individuals and organizations. For the strikers, they are
not only a specific support, but also an important signal that this form of protest has
social support.
Thank you also for all comments, screenshots left on the page:
"You are a model for your students! Thank you!"
"I support teachers."
"Dear strike Teachers. Your attitude is of great importance to many, many people. I
support with all my heart! And thank you!"
"Take care!"
"In order for my child to have better education and well-paid teachers"
"Dear Teachers and dear teachers, do not give up! Your work is very important. "
"Trade unions are the basis for a dignified life of employees and employees, that is, the
largest part of society."
"Beloved Teachers and School Workers, do not give up. We are with you. I come from a small
town myself. In my life I met many wonderful teachers, but also a respectable lady. I
remember this time with tenderness. Today I support you, because I have grandchildren, on
the good I care about especially. Best regards."
Solidarity is our weapon!
http://ozzip.pl/teksty/informacje/pilne-akcje/item/2491-rozliczenie-zbiorki-pieniedzy-na-strajk-edukacyjny
------------------------------
Message: 3
The Japanese, the Dutchman, the Frenchwoman and Tomáš Ortel will meet at a demonstration
for the Czech nation... no, it's not the start of a joke. This was a demonstration of the
SPD "against the European Union dictate", which took place on Thursday, April 25, in
Prague on Wenceslas Square. ---- The action itself did not escape the attention of local
anti-fascist collectives, so that while under the horse nationalists, with Ortel's Mosque,
the remnants of brain cells were dying, in the lower half of Wenceslas Square it lived
with the Noise Olympiad directed by Team 115. ---- Although the espédances had a
significant numerical superiority, and despite their best efforts, our sounds did not come
to them, the mood for the Team 115 event was especially cheerful and... noisy thanks to
the Oi Oi Piratoi concert.
After about half an hour, the first group of daredevils disconnected and went upstairs.
Later, most of the staff moved, so that hundreds of anti-fascists suddenly shouted and
rumbled right beside the right-wing group. Obviously, the Okamuras were not very excited
to listen to the whistling and pounding of the pots instead of the Ortel concert, so that
not only the right but also the middle fingers began to rise on their side of the
barricade. A couple of bald even tried to attack us, but they were unlucky.
So, over an hour we drowned out the Nationalist Assembly, but the atmosphere (rather
between us and the rioters) gradually thickened until the bystanders decided to force us
out. By observing close-ups, we found out that throttling or busting is among the favorite
police tactics.
"Do you want to kill me?" I ask the cop who grips my throat hard.
"You should have thought, Miss, before you obeyed the challenge," the answer is.
So after half an hour of pushing and pushing with the cops, we decided to clear the field,
wait for the detained friends and cool our nerves and freshly wounded wounds in a nearby pub.
https://www.afed.cz/text/6997/hlukova-olympiada
------------------------------
Message: 4
On May 25, activists of the anarcho-syndicalist trade unions of CNT-AIT (section of the
International Association of Workers) of the Interprofessional Union of Tarragona and
CNT-AIT of Catalonia came to support their comrade, who is facing dismissal, staging a
picket of the establishment. ---- The comrade in question is a trade union delegate of
CNT-AIT and has been working in the institution for more than 10 years. According to
neoliberal postulates, it is no longer "productive." In addition, her employment contract
was concluded before the new reform of labor legislation was adopted. Now the company goes
to various nagging and pressure measures to force the activist to quit, and without paying
the compensation due. Her departure will allow the company to hire temporary workers,
without concluding a permanent and firm contract with them.
However, the partner is firmly determined to keep her job: she has no other. A firm that
was so confident of its impunity before, begins to realize that it has rested against the
wall because the worker is not alone: the Confederation stands behind it.
Anarcho-syndicalists set a goal - to achieve success by direct action, without resorting
to bourgeois justice.
http://elmilicianocnt-aitchiclana.blogspot.com/2019/05/cnt-ait-tarragona-piquete-contra-el.html
https://aitrus.info/node/5276
------------------------------
Message: 5
The war in Yemen in 2015 by Saudi Arabia and its allies against the Houthi rebellion
continues to wreak havoc on the ranks of the population, with support, armaments and
diplomatic coverage from Western countries. ---- It's a scandal we do not talk about
enough. As confirmed by an investigation ---- Yemen has experienced popular uprisings
during what is commonly called the "Arab Spring". Following the massive demonstrations and
the attack on the presidential palace in June 2011, the dictatorship of Ali Saleh falters,
and gives way a few months later, for a period of "transition" negotiated with his Vice
President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi. The Houthis [1], marginalized, launch an offensive
towards the capital, Sanaa. This will be taken by this movement in September 2014. The
second stage of the Houthi offensive to southern Yemen begins, with the help of forces
loyal to former President Ali Saleh, recently allied with the movement. . The rebels'
takeover of the most populous part of Yemen forces Abdrabo Mansour Hadi's transitional
"government" to flee to Saudi Arabia.
Sunnis against Shiites ?
Faced with this new stage of the civil war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, which supported Abdrabo
Mansour, triggers with its allies [2]the military intervention called Decisive Storm. Its
aim is to militarily weaken the Houthi movement and to overcome the alliance between the
movement and Iran, thus reflecting Saudi Arabia's desire to become a major player in
regional geopolitics. This doctrine will be put into practice by Mohamed Ben Salman, the
power-hungry pretender to the Saudi throne and determined to establish his influence
through a won battle against Iran. The latter is content to blow on embers inexpensively,
and let the coalition get bogged down in the conflict in Yemen.
In Yemen, the Western powers (United States, Great Britain, France and Germany) supported
the Saudi intervention, whether through the UN resolution giving a green light to the
start of operations, via exports of weapons and ammunition, or through direct logistical
assistance.
The complexity of the situation prohibits a binary reading. If the conflict in Yemen can
look like a battle between two regional powers with theocratic hints, with Saudi Arabia as
representative of the Sunni world and Iran as leader of the Shiite world, the reality
accumulates layers of local and regional dynamics intermingled, far from being an
interfaith conflict. It would be pretentious and time-consuming to detail all the
contours, but let's give an example: former President Ali Saleh, himself a member of the
Zaydite community, waged a merciless war against the Houthis for more than a decade, which
did not prevent him to make an alliance with them during 2014, with the aim of regaining
power. This alliance was broken abruptly when Ali Saleh handed over his loyalist troops to
serve the coalition. He was killed in late 2017 by the Houthis, two days after this flip-flop.
Made in France
The conflict continues, and with it the number of civilian casualties continues to rise.
Since the beginning of the Saudi-led coalition's intervention, no less than 19,000
bombings have in part affected non-military targets. Recent estimates point to 50,000
Yemenis killed by the fighting.
The embargo imposed by the coalition accentuates the ravages of malnutrition in the ranks
of the population: to the victims of the fighting are added to those threatened by the
famine, to the number of 8 million according to the UN. Not to mention that the
negotiations during the talks to take charge of the humanitarian situation further
aggravate the suffering of a population decimated by the spread of diseases such as
cholera, causing an unprecedented health crisis in the country.
Freedom of expression "à la française"
Since the beginning of the war, the Western powers (United States, Great Britain, France,
and Germany) have supported the Saudi intervention, whether through the UN resolution
giving a green light at the beginning of operations, through exports of arms and
ammunition, or through direct logistical assistance.
Disclose, a collective of French journalists, revealed [3]in April a note classified
"confidential-defense" of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM). In this note, we
learn that French material is involved in the bombing of civilian areas. As is the case
for the 48 Caesar guns positioned around three areas on the border with Yemen.
The extract from the DRM note speaks for itself: "Population concerned by possible
artillery strikes: 436,370 people" . The investigative work of the collective goes
further, crossing the maps indicated in the DRM note with "the data of the NGO Acled
concerning civilian deaths by artillery fire with their geolocation, or not, in areas
Caesar cannon fire. Result: between March 2016 and December 2018, 35 civilians died during
52 bombings located in the field of action of these guns.
Caesar guns sold to the Saudi army are manufactured by Nexter, a French state-owned
armaments company.
The list does not stop there. While Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, repeats
in loop and without blinking that "the terrestrial equipments sold to Saudi Arabia are
used not for offensive purposes but for defensive purposes" , one of the charts of the
note shows that Leclerc tanks participate in the offensives conducted by the Emiratis,
with the following precision of the DRM "[The tanks Leclerc]would use only French
ammunition" type "shells arrows".
Following these revelations, the reaction of the French power is to use the judicial
system to condemn the authors of this leak, with as a first step the opening of a
preliminary investigation entrusted to the antiterrorist prosecution (!), And the
convocation of journalists of the collective by the DGSI in May. The French government can
shed tears, and look for the culprits for a fire, but when it comes to money, human lives
matter little. It is up to us to show our internationalist solidarity with the Yemeni
people, and to maintain the pressure on the French State by supporting the investigative
work of these journalists, so that the cynicism of the warring parties ceases.
Marouane (AL Paris North East)
[1] The Houthi rebellion comes from the Zaydi community (Shiite minority) located in the
north of the country with a stronghold.
[2] A coalition of ten Arab and Sunni countries (United Arab Emirates), Egypt, Jordan,
Sudan, Morocco, etc.
[3] All quotations are available in full on the website of Made in France to Disclose .
https://made-in-france.disclose.ngo/fr/
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Yemen-Silence-on-vend-on-tue
------------------------------
Message: 6
Nestor Makhno is a historical figure in the Russian Revolution, becoming a popular and
legendary hero in Ukraine. One of the founders of the Ukrainian insurrectionary
revolutionary army, which routed the armies of Austro-German occupation and then the
Tsarist white armies of Denikin, thus saving the Russian Revolution. The Bolsheviks thank
him for having saved their skin by breaking their alliance and turning treacherously
against him. Lenin and Trotsky could not tolerate the Ukrainian peasants' revolution
escaping their centralist and dictatorial model. For 3 years, the insurrection in Ukraine,
inspired by anarchist principles, will try to set up a new society, egalitarian and
libertarian. In 1921, defeated and wounded, Makhno was forced to flee chased by the
Bolsheviks who massacre the revolutionaries. Expelled from several European countries, he
finally settled in 1925 in Paris, where to survive he was forced to work as a worker at
Renault in Boulogne-Billancourt. He died on July 25, 1934 and is cremated in the cemetery
of Père-Lachaise where he rests today not far from the Wall of Federated and Communards.
In this land of blood that is Ukraine, Makhno's memory survived, underground. Despite the
communist propaganda that wanted to pass for a vulgar bandit, his memory of "Robin Hood"
has remained alive in the form of a legend that claims that his ghost will return to
avenge the poor and the exploited against all abuses of power .
Today, the Ukrainian Nationalist Government wishes to recover this legendary figure not to
realize his ideal of justice and freedom, but to make him a Ukrainian national hero. The
Mayor of Makhno's hometown wants to repatriate his ashes for the pinnacle of the sordid -
to make it a "trademark" likely to attract foreign tourists. We already imagine Russian
mountains with tachankas, the famous machine gun carts invented by Makhno and which gave
him his lightning victories!
To make Makhno and Makhnovists symbols of Ukrainian nationalism is simply laughable. As
his comrade Voline writes in 1927 "In a general way, the Makhnovist insurgents - and also
the whole population of the insurgent region and even beyond - did not care about the
nationality of the workers, whether Ukrainian Russian, Jewish, Greek or Armenian. Not for
a moment did they appeal to national or patriotic sentiments. The entire struggle of the
Makhnovists was conducted solely in the name of the rights and interests of the Workers.
National prejudices had no hold on Makhnovchina. No one ever took an interest in the
nationality of a particular fighter or worried about it. "
Ironically, the Ukrainian authorities want Makhno to join the nationalist leader Petliura,
who is considered a "national hero" in the Ukrainian patriotic pantheon, but to whom the
Makhnovist army inflicted severe defeats. Thousands of anarchist militants and Ukrainian
workers and peasants fell in battle against this executioner, who repressed the workers
and refused to stop the genocide of Ukrainian Jews during the civil war. Petlioura was
also executed in Paris in 1926 by the anarchist and former Makhnovist Samuel Schwarzbard,
with whom Makhno had a great friendship. Makhno was an anarchist communist, he was against
mercantile capitalism, against borders and against patriotism.
To turn one's name into a trademark and to make Makhno a nationalist banner is to display
a shameless cynicism. It would be a direct insult to the memory of this revolutionary and
his companions and to the cause for which they fought.
Today the ashes of Makhno rest at Father Lachaise, not far from the Wall of the Federates
and the Communards of 1871, his brothers in Revolution. This corresponds well to his
revolutionary and internationalist convictions.
The nationalists, reactionaries and statesmen should leave in peace the old revolutionary,
under penalty of awakening his ghost and seeing the tachanka return ...
The Friends of Nestor Makhno - Tachanka
https://makhno.home.blog/
https://aitrus.info/node/5278
------------------------------
Message: 7
"Capitalism can no more be ‘persuaded' to limit growth than a human being can be
‘persuaded' to stop breathing. Attempts to ‘green' capitalism, to make it ‘ecological',
are doomed by the very nature of the system as a system of endless growth."
- Murray Bookchin
https://wearetherabl.wordpress.com/2019/06/01/slogan-of-the-month-june-19/
------------------------------
Message: 8
Between 07 - 09 June, Malmö's Anarchist Book Fair will take place. With this we want to
give room to presentations of books and publications around the anarchist spectrum,
however also lectures, discussions and workshops. We see a need in that learn from
different experiences, share ideas and ongoing struggles. To spread theory and practice
strengthens our movement locally and globally and makes us stronger. ---- Dystopia,
natural catastrophes, unstoppable climate change, uncertain future, rise of the
right-wing, wars, construction of walls, racism, loss of rights... ---- The headlines do
not predict anything good, the wear is obvious, on the planet and in people. The battles
are being fought in every corner of the world, victories exist and we need to remember
them. They want us to believe that there is no reality other than what they plan, they
want to make us lose our passion for ideas, the excitement for struggles and the
confidence in victory. We do not agree with their dialectic. We rise UTOPIA, we want to
create a project!
Revolutions, revolts and insurrections are part of humanity since the authority were
generated. We have almost two centuries of history, we have more than a century of
inheritance of ideas, of struggles that in spite of the violence and repression exerted on
them continued to exist. We have a past of victories and defeats, of revolutions and
massacres, and we have to learn from all of them. We have a past full of people, comrades
who left their lifes for the ideas, for defending a model that did not conform to the
established, although from the beginning they thought there would be no possibility of
success, that never stopped them.
We proudly carry that past and that new world in our hearts and we do not want this to end
here.
The concept of the institutional left is clearly, more than ever, a body without life,
that despite walking, it is rotten inside. The betrayal of the working class, the racism,
the corruption inside and the search for power by any means. The examples are many. Here
and everywhere. But on the street, in our neighbors, in the workplace or in the places
where we have fun and learn, is where we will find allies, whom can conspire to fulfill
our purposes. That's why we want to meet again at the anarchist book fair. Share and
discuss ideas, learn from each other, generate experiences and create stronger bonds.
It's been a year since we got together to organize the last anarchist book fair in Malmö,
a complex process in which we try to find a variety of books, publications, presentations
and topics to deal with. There were six months of assemblies in which we organized the
structure of the fair and we tried to create an interesting program for anyone and in
which all in one way or another felt comfortable.
It was the weekend of June 16 to 18, 2018, when the event was held. Around 300 people
passed through Sofielund Folkethus sharing talks, debates, books, publications, laughter,
tensions, knowledge and support. About half of the acts were in Swedish and the other half
in English. It was positive to meet many people who came from far away places to share
those days with us.
We have to leave our house, go to meet, get on the road, work in the union of conflict,
prudent or happy, among the pieces of the world. You have to organize. Organizing has
never been anything more than loving yourself.
We hope to meet again on the weekend of June 7 to 9 in Malmö in Sofielunds Folketshus.
Make anarchism a threat again!
Contact information: anarchistbookfairmalmo (at) riseup (dot) net
https://www.vrijebond.org/malmo-malmos-anarkistiska-bokmassa/
------------------------------
Message: 9
We are happy to present you our interview with the Anarchist Communist Group (ACG) from
Great Britain. The organization is relatively new. They are active in four regions: West
Yorshire, Leicestershire, Surry and London. To connect internationally with other
organizations is an important part of our current work to establish our Federation. An
interview of the ACG with us is also already in planning. For now we wish you a pleasant
lecture with this one. ---- In international solidarity towards anarchistic communism!
---- Do you have a long term or short term strategy? If so what is it? ---- The long term
strategy is to contribute to the building of an anarchist communist movement with firm
roots in working class struggles, leading to a revolution and the creation of a new society.
In the short term, we seek to establish a new and dynamic organisation which can attract
militants and begin to re-establish anarchist communist organisation in the UK.
What is your relation towards the Anarchist Federation?
Our origins are in the Anarchist Federation - IFA. The founders of the ACG were previously
member of the AF and included the three of the remaining founder members of the precursor
of the AF, the Anarchist Communist Federation (1986). Presently, we use the Aims and
Principles of the AF and we consider ourselves the inheritors of what was best of the
Anarchist Federation.
We feel the AF has lost its direction and has become more like a synthesis organisation
that orientates towards the anarchist ‘scene'. However, there remain good militants within
it and we work with them wherever that is possible.
What is your relation towards platformism? Are you in contact with other
platformist groups in other countries? Whats your relation towards them?
We agree with the key tenets of the Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists:
Tactical and Theoretical Unity, Collective Responsibility and Federalism. We reject the
‘synthesis' and ‘Big Tent' anarchism. But neither would be call ourselves a Platformist
organisation.
This is because we have differences with the Platform, particularly the idea of creating a
single General Union of Anarchists but also because we think there's so much that has been
learned before and since 1926 in the broader workers movement such as the experience of
council communism, elements of autonomist Marxism etc. We have quite strong disagreements
with the platform on some aspects of decision-making.
We are in contact with some of the groups which would describe themselves as Platformist
or Especificist but we are also aware that the politics of some groups in that tradition
are not ours, for example support for national liberation struggles, a reformist approach
to trade unionism and, historically, electoralism.
In areas where we can work together with Platformist groups internationally, we wish to do so.
Which social or political struggles are currently fought in Great Britain? In which of
those are you involved and how? Did you decide not to be involved in some of them and why?
Being a small and geographically dispersed group. We have had to consider seriously where
we put our energies and resources.
We have been actively involved in the fight against Universal Credit, which is another
austerity measure disguised as a benefit reform. It is impacting large numbers of working
class people and is causing serious hardship. We are also active supporting the Youth
Climate Change actions, where thousands of school students are taking to the streets. We
have been involved in the Land Justice Network, which agitates around land reform. Many of
our members are involved in organising in their workplace and in the IWW. Housing is also
an area of struggle for us. Basically, the priority is to be involved with issues that
affect the working class, which does include a wide variety of things.
How do you see the Brexit? Does it even matter to your political practice?
We have taken a neutral position on Brexit. We reject both the Remain and Brexit camps
because neither offer anything for the vast majority of people in this country or in the
rest of Europe. It is a political falling out between two factions of capital and is
symbolic of the general crisis of ruling class thinking. In the UK there has been a Lexit
or Left-wing Brexit campaign which points to the neo-liberal nature of the European Union
and which defends the notion of national sovereignty. We agree that the EU is a
neo-liberal project but to imagine that the UK is any different is bizarre. We have an
alternative: working class struggle and active internationalism.
Whats the state of the anarchist movement in Britain? Is it increasing
or decreasing in number and power? What is the relation between formally
organized anarchists and non formally organized anarchists?
We do not believe there is an anarchist movement in the UK. There are several nationally
organised groups, notably the Anarchist Federation, the Solidarity Federation
(AIT-affiliate) and there is Plan C, which describes itself as ‘anti-authoritarian
communist' but part of which has an orientation towards social democracy via the Labour
Party. These groups rarely work together, although there are local initiatives,
particularly around anti-fascist actions.
The formally organised groups are relatively small. Most self-described anarchists prefer
local, single-issue and, at worst, ghettoised activity or immersion in the Industrial
Workers of the World (IWW). The latter has proved to be a pole of attraction for
anarchists and libertarian left individuals, sometimes as an alternative to specific
political organisation whether anarcho-syndicalist or anarcho-communist. ACG militants are
also active in the IWW. This is, perhaps, both an expression of the failure of the
organised class struggle anarchists to attract them and also a reflection of the influence
of localism and anti-organisational tendency in British anarchism.
We work closely with the Revolutionary Anarchist Group, based in Birmingham. They are one
of a number of local initiatives that are promising.
Hoe do you work on your public relations?
We have a central website, local websites for our Groups and we have Twitter. We try to
hold regular public meetings, something which very few anarchist groups do and we have an
annual Dayschool called Libertarian Communism. We produce a quarterly bulletin, Jackdaw, a
pamphlet series, stickers and leaflets. The ACG tries to have a presence wherever we can.
We are uninterested in looking inwards to some imaginary movement and only talking to
those who are already on our side.
Here in Germany there is next to none class consciousness. What's the
situation in Britain? Which developments can be seen in the British
working class?
The working class everywhere has been in retreat under the blows of a capitalism lurching
from crisis to crisis, from war to war. Class consciousness has waned. There is confusion
and disorientation and, indeed, false consciousness. Parts of the left have waved goodbye
to the working class and see them as lost to socialism. We see the working class as
diverse. We do not see it as simply industrial workers who, in the UK, are becoming fewer
and fewer with changes in the composition of the class due to changes in employment. But,
everywhere the working class has common interests. We must overcome hierarchies and power
relations within it, but always with the aim of unification through common struggle.
https://www.dieplattform.org/2019/05/25/die-plattform-interview-mit-der-anarchist-communist-group-acg-aus-grossbritannien/
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