“…The True Revolutionary Is Guided By Great Feelings Of Love”:
Last night the millions of the people of South Africa, majority of whom the working class and poor, and the billions of the rest of the people the world over, lost a true revolutionary, President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Tata Madiba.

The South African Communist Party (SACP) joins the people of South Africa and the world in expressing its most sincere condolences to Ms Graca Machel and the entire Mandela family on the loss of what President Zuma correctly described as South Africa’s greatest son, Comrade Mandela. We also wish to use this opportunity to express our solidarity with the African National Congress, an organisation that produced him and that he also served with distinction, as well as all his colleagues and comrades in our broader liberation movement. As Tata Madiba said: “It is not the kings and generals that make history but the masses of the people, the workers, the peasants…”

The passing away of Cde Mandela marks an end to the life of one of the greatest revolutionaries of the 20th century, who fought for freedom and against all forms of oppression in both their countries and globally. As part of the masses that make history, Cde Mandela’s contribution in the struggle for freedom was located and steeled in the collective membership and leadership of our revolutionary national liberation movement as led by the ANC – for he was not an island. In Cde Mandela we had a brave and courageous soldier, patriot and internationalist who, to borrow from Che Guevara, was a true revolutionary guided by great feelings of love for his people, an outstanding feature of all genuine people’s revolutionaries.

At his arrest in August 1962, Nelson Mandela was not only a member of the then underground South African Communist Party, but was also a member of our Party’s Central Committee. To us as South African communists, Cde Mandela shall forever symbolise the monumental contribution of the SACP in our liberation struggle. The contribution of communists in the struggle to achieve the South African freedom has very few parallels in the history of our country. After his release from prison in 1990, Cde Madiba became a great and close friend of the communists till his last days.

The one major lesson we need to learn from Mandela and his generation of leaders was their commitment to principled unity within each of our Alliance formations as well as the unity of our Alliance as a whole and that of the entire mass democratic movement. Their generation struggled to build and cement the unity of our Alliance, and we therefore owe it to the memory of Cde Madiba to preserve the unity of our Alliance. Let those who do not understand the extent to which blood was spilt in pursuance of Alliance unity be reminded not to throw mud at the legacy and memory of the likes of Madiba by being reckless and gambling with the unity of our Alliance.

The SACP supported Madiba’s championing of national reconciliation. But national reconciliation for him never meant avoiding tackling the class and other social inequalities in our society, as some would like to make us believe today. For Madiba, national reconciliation was a platform to pursue the objective of building a more egalitarian South African society free of the scourge of racism, patriarchy and gross inequalities. And true national reconciliation shall never be achieved in a society still characterized by the yawning gap of inequalities and capitalist exploitation.

In honour of this gallant fighter the SACP will intensify the struggle against all forms of inequality, including intensifying the struggle for socialism, as the only political and economic solution to the problems facing humanity.

For the SACP the passing away of Madiba must give all those South Africans who had not fully embraced a democratic South Africa, and who still in one way or the other hanker to the era of white domination, a second chance to come to terms with a democratic South Africa founded on the principle of majority rule.

We call upon all South Africans to emulate his example of selflessness, sacrifice, commitment and service to his people.

The SACP says Hamba kahle Mkhonto!

Issued by SACP

Contact:

Alex Mashilo – National Spokesperson
Mobile: 082 9200 308
Office: 011 339 3621
Email: alexmashilo.sacp@gmail.com

Michael Parenti speaks at the University of Colorado, Boulder: “US Interventionism, the 3rd world, and the USSR” on April 15, 1986. http://youtu.be/xP8CzlFhc14

Outstanding scholar and teacher, Michael Parenti, delivers an electrifying lecture on the world situation in 1986 during the Reagan era (some might say regime). There are surprising parallels with the situation in the world today. Listen to his prophetic words which will help you understand why we are in the state we are in currently.

Let us know what you think.
PHill1917@comcast.net

Conversaciones con Ignacio Ramonet

Varios han sido los libros publicados en el mundo a partir de largas entrevistas o conversaciones con Fidel Castro; pero ninguno como “Cien Horas con Fidel” alcanza la magnitud, la diversidad, la amplitud, el alcance y la transcendencia que tiene esta entrevista realizada entre y periodista francѐs Ignacio Ramonet, director del mensuario parisino “Le Monde Diplomatique”, un de las voces más prestigiosas entre la intelectualidad progresista europea contemporánea, autor de numerosos libros y ensayos sobre temas de comunicación social y politica internacional, uno de los principales impulsores y animadores del movimiento mundial de lucha contra la globalizacion neoliberal y amigo leal y sincero de y de la Revolucion Cubana. Por el nivel de información y sagacidad del entrevistador, por la agudeza y pertinencia de sus preguntas; pero, sobre todo, por la profundidad, franqueza, modernidad y hondura de las respuestas del entrevistado, la apasionante conversación contenida en el ya célebre libro tendrá, sin lugar a dudas, un valor perdurable, más allá de coyunturas y circunstancias. Por ello, la grabaciòn audiovisual de la mencionada entrevista, deviene como un material de notable trascendencia histórico documental.

http://youtu.be/Y-uyCvV8qHU  (Part 1)

http://youtu.be/kKlBHBdaunY  (Part 2)

http://youtu.be/XZ49mBVzizQ  (Part 3)

http://youtu.be/ikWb-71A_N4  (Part 4)

Portrait of Fidel Castro by Antonio Guerrero, one of the Cuban 5

Art by Antonio Guerrero, one of the Cuban 5

By James Thompson

HOUSTON-On 9/7/2013 about 50 people gathered near the Galleria shopping center on the corner of Post Oak and Westheimer to express their opposition to the proposed war in Syria. It was a diverse group which was multicultural and multiethnic and included men and women. There were Republicans, Green party members, Marxists, Communists and others present. Chants were loud and vigorous.

Across Westheimer was a smaller group (about 20) expressing their support for an unprovoked military strike against Syria proposed by President Obama.

The demonstrations were loud, but peaceful. Houston police officers were present and were respectful of the exercise of free speech by both demonstrations.

Many of the demonstrators were pleased that both Texas senators, John Cornin and Ted Cruz are opposed to the proposed military strike. They were also happy that many of the members of the US House of Representatives from Texas are also opposed to the proposed military strike.

There were many signs displayed by the demonstrators. Some signs read “US out of the Middle East!” Others read “Don’t Bomb Syria!”

Nationwide polls have shown that the overwhelming majority of the people in the US oppose any military intervention in Syria. Some wonder why the Obama administration is pressing so hard for this war that does not have the support of the people of this country or people around the world. Even the UK Parliament voted against British military support for this foolhardy operation.

Some of the demonstrators noted that the latest proposed military intervention is yet another expression of US Imperialism. Lenin wrote many years ago that Imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism. He pointed out that Imperialism necessitates continual wars. These wars are necessary for Imperialism to function properly since there must be a continual redistribution of land and resources. As the capitalists jockey for land and power, millions of people are slaughtered needlessly as a result of the senseless competition. Lenin’s words were true at the time he wrote them, but history has proven the accuracy of his writings.

More demonstrations are needed and more people of conscience need to contact their legislators to express their opposition to the potential catastrophe that could result from US military intervention in Syria.

PHill1917@comcast.net

By Darrell Rankin, People’s Voice, May 1, 2013

Dealing a blow to workers and the poor, the Manitoba NDP raised the provincial sales tax from seven to eight percent in its April 16 budget. Take-home pay is taking another hit, reinforcing Manitoba’s status as a low-wage province.

An active coalition to demand a Peoples Budget is needed now, or business groups will increase their grip on the provincial government in the 2015 election.

The wealthy elite will barely notice the PST hike. However, workers will have less for the necessities of life. This is a wage cut by other, indirect means – about $300 a year per family. Before-tax wages in Manitoba were $3,500 (or 8 percent) below the country’s annual average in 2012.

The budget follows the model of pro-corporate governments around the world, making cuts that harm workers and the needy and protecting the corporations and the wealthy. Impoverishing workers prolongs and deepens the economic crisis that has gripped global capitalism since 2008.

In one sense, it is a standard Canadian Prairie provincial budget with no grand vision or hope for a fair society. It is blind to inequality, the wholesale robbery of Aboriginal peoples, the inequality of women and the growing climate catastrophe. Good-paying jobs, higher education and child care will continue to be just a crushed dream for many.

Without any factual basis, Manitoba NDP Finance Minister Stan Struthers claims that the PST hike will be “shared by everyone.” Struthers emphasizes the need for urgent flood protection spending, but most new spending is for overdue maintenance and an aging population’s needs.

Needed spending has been delayed for decades as a way to keep public spending low and give Manitoba a “competitive advantage,” but there is a limit to how long our infrastructure will last. The Manitoba NDP’s spending and tax hikes were demanded by local corporate leaders.

There is no other reason why workers and the poor are facing this new burden. The Chamber of Commerce differs with the NDP only by suggesting that the PST hike be entirely directed to municipal infrastructure. And unlike the two-year wage pause announced in the 2010 provincial budget that continues to rob public sector workers of hundreds of millions of dollars, this tax hike hurts all workers.

Labour and other groups are condemning the budget for promoting inequality and failing to reduce poverty. For example, the Progressive Conservative and Liberal opposition parties both endorsed an anti-poverty campaign pledge to raise the welfare housing allowance to 75 percent of market value, weeks before the budget.

The budget raised the housing allowance by a paltry $20 a month, far below the required amount of $100 to meet the anti-poverty coalition demands. This is the first real increase in the allowance since 1992.

A relatively small sum of $19 million would solve the housing allowance demand, something the NDP might do before the 2015 election. It will take far more significant measures to eliminate poverty, create good-paying jobs and grow the economy than this minor reform.

The Manitoba Federation of Labour is pointing out that the NDP has cut $1 billion in personal and corporate taxes since it was elected in 1999. These tax cuts helped the corporate elite. They also helped create a weaker and more unequal economy.

Taxes must shift to a progressive basis, on ability to pay. An inheritance tax on large estates would also go a long way to boost revenue for needed public spending and reduce social inequality.

Working people and the poor are being told by the Manitoba NDP that they must pay more to solve the crisis. It’s like the NDP has no memory how Canada’s economy grew faster and more people had better paying jobs when the wealthy and the corporations paid higher taxes.

The NDP is pushing the line that taxes are good regardless who pays them because we need medicare and roads, but the NDP overlooks the main reality. Today’s tax hikes and spending cuts are impoverishing workers. They protect the greedy, not the needy.

The Manitoba NDP is creating a new, cruel reality just like other pro-corporate governments.

Darrell Rankin is the leader of the Communist Party of Canada Manitoba

Unionists across Japan on February 10 and 11 took part in actions with the aim of putting pressure on large companies to increase wages to help in the recovery of Japan’s economy.

In Tokyo on February 10, members of the People’s Spring Struggle Joint Committee’s unions, including participants affiliated with the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), staged a day of action.

During the lunch break, about 7,000 workers participated in a rally held at Hibiya Amphitheater under the slogan, “Eradicate poverty! Provide job opportunities! Protect employment and livelihoods!”

Read more »

The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the political revolts and developments in Egypt and Tunisia and elsewhere, and strongly condemns the brutal responses by the collapsing regimes of dictators, in the case of Egypt we appreciate the restraint of the Military force.

These developments increasingly point out the correctness of our party`s shared strategic analysis with many of the forces in the Africa Left Networking Forum: “the crisis facing Africa, including Tunisia and Egypt, remains its deepening marginalisation and impoverishment within the global imperialist system, the failure over many decades of a variety of elite-based neo-colonial agendas on the one hand, and the degeneration and in several cases, the collapse of more radical national democratic revolutions led by former liberation movements on the other”.

Read more »