Arab dictatorships launching their biggest attack on the masses

Latest news from our Syrian comrade Mazen Kamalmaz: The situation looks quite bleak for the future of the Arab peoples' revolutions: the official machine of the regimes' repression is unleashed to its maximum in several countries, threatening to put down by brutal force the uprisings of the Libyan, Bahraini and Yemeni masses. Our solidarity is needed in terms of actions of support!
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Arab dictatorships launching their biggest attack on the masses

The situation looks quite bleak for the future of the Arab peoples' revolutions: the official machine of the regimes' repression is unleashed to its maximum in several countries, threatening to put down by brutal force the uprisings of the Libyan, Bahraini and Yemeni masses.

Libya

In Libya, the forces of Qaddafi's regime are heading east, overcoming the courageous resistance of the Libyan rebels by its extensive use of bombardment from sea boats, jet fighters and ground multi-missile launchers. The US and some other European governments that showed early enthusiasm for direct military intervention, are claiming now that imposing a no-fly zone over rebel areas is not feasible. This could be understood only in the light of the refusal of the rebellious Libyans of any direct foreign military intervention in their country. Every party made it clear now that the freedom, real freedom, of the Libyan people is not their interest, and that the Libyan masses have to depend solely on their courage and determination against the superior forces of Qaddafi's regime.

Qaddafi put in front of his own people two options: slavery or death. The US, for its part, made it very clear by its actions the way they understand the solution to the crisis: its is either Qaddafi or the US. It is certain that the Libyan rebels still enjoy a very high morale despite that, but it is also certain that the fate of the revolution, including the fate of every Libyan who rose for his or her freedom, looks bleak now.

Yemen

In Yemen, two days ago, the forces of the regime unleashed a full scale attack against the students of Sana'a University in the square near their university , Taqeer ("change"). 7 protestors lost their lives and many others were injured. It is very much revealing that the same day, the US president Obama called the Yemeni opposition to accept the offer of the Yemeni dictator Ali Saleh to end the struggle and accept minor changes in the political structure of the regime. Saleh, at the same time, promised to protect the lives of the rebellious youth. But again, last night, the baltajia (thugs) of the Saleh's regime attacked the people. But the square is still under the control of the rebel youth.

Many reports now indicate that a big detachment of policemen and of the regime thugs are preparing another attack on the protestors in the Taqeer square . Again, the youth there are determined to stand for their revolution.

Bahrain

The latest news coming from Bahrain is about the intervention of over 1,000 troops from neighbouring Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf states to support the royal regime against the uprising of its own people. What we can expect is only bloodshed. The Saudi monarchy is imitating the role of the most reactionary regimes in front of regional upheavals, exactly like the Tzarist tyranny or the Prussian one in the face of the 19th century European revolutions, acting as a mercinary... the Saudi king himself, despite his illness at that time, called US president Obama to criticise the latter's criticisms toward Mubarak, and vowed to support the Egyptian dictator to the end.

Bahrain hosts one of the biggest US military bases in the region and the world, so no one can claim that a Saudi intervention would take place without US consent. What this means is that the regimes, the dictatorships in the region, are going to practice the worst possible repression against their people in rebellion in order to put an end to the wave of rebellions and protests demanding freedom, jobs, equality, political participation and decent life for all.

No trust in Western or Eastern Powers

There's no need to comment about the position of Western or Eastern powers that are supporting, either openly or indirectly, these brutally repressive dictatorships. It is clear that the revolutions can both win or be defeated, despite the euphoria of the early preliminary victories in Tunisia and Egypt. Its defeat is the ultimate goal of all the elites, dictatorships, repressors and exploiters, not only in the Middle East or North Africa, but everywhere, from the US to the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation.

It is clear that sometimes, due to the brutality of the regimes' repression or weaknesses on the side of the people, it cannot win without the help of international support, of the masses everywhere. In fact, this is more than a call for solidarity or temporary support. This is a call for joint actions against the same enemies. If it is true that some revolutions cannot win depending only on the local masses' actions, it is true also that these dictatorships cannot survive or maintain their repression without the support of the big powers in the world, the centres of the globalized corporate "new order", the big imperialist powers. They are allies, so we are also allies in our struggles, we, the exploited masses of the world. It is clear now that our peoples are facing the same enemies, that our victory is yours, and our defeat is your defeat for sure.

We remember the upsurge of the anti-war movement before and during the US – UK invasion against Iraq; but that upheaval couldn't change the course of the events that followed. This was true partly because of the nature of the opponent that was facing the imperialist aggression then. Unfortunately, the opponent of the imperialist powers was a repressive regime, hated by its people, so its defeat was a certainty, and that upsurge came to a halt. Now, who are fighting today are the masses themselves, in a very courageous way. You have to know about the determination and courage of those who went to the streets against some of the most brutal and bloody dictatorships on earth, in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, and even the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Hundreds died (thousands in the case of Libya), thousands were injured in this fight, that is still going on almost everywhere in this region. People fought bravely in the streets, with bare hands, Molotov cocktails and their determination to conquer their freedom against the full armed policemen and the thugs of the governments, and even their military in some cases.

A Call for internationalist support and actions

Your solidarity is highly needed, for sure, but I think it is the time to initiate wider actions and demonstrations in support of the peoples in rebellion in the Middle East and North Africa. These protests should not be directed only against the local dictatorships, but also against their backers... this means also to protest against the manipulative policies of imperialist powers, the same powers that seek to force the Western workers to pay for all the consequences of the crisis they created by their greed.

The masses everywhere are ready for a bigger fight, one for their destiny and freedom and to launch a counterattack on their exploiters. I think that as it happened in Tunisia and Egypt and elsewhere in our region, people everywhere are fed up and have a willingness to fight back more than ever. Besides your urgent actions of solidarity, I hope that you can start new initiatives of protest and other forms of direct actions, at a bigger scale than before against our mutual enemies, in defence of our mutual interests.

I belong to the libertarian left , and I am deeply convinced that the ongoing struggle of Middle East masses has clear libertarian goals, but this is not the time for sectarianism on the side of the revolutionary international left and anti-capitalist organisations and activists. That doesn't mean to replace the libertarian goals and means of struggle by authoritarian ones, but to fight this battle on the common ground of all anti-capitalist revolutionaries and activist , and above all, the common ground of the interests of the masses everywhere. I understand that revolutions are about fighting, and you can whether win or not: After what looks now as "easy" victories in Tunisia and Egypt (which were not in reality, of course), now we are in the more difficult part of our struggle, and as the workers' movement discovered since the very beginning, such a struggle can be waged successfully only on an international level.

The ongoing struggle is not an exception. Of course, these struggles aren't purely proletarian ones and even the local proletariat played, until now, a minor role in these struggles. But the truth is that such struggles have a very high potential for a massive workers' independent movement. Right now, in the face of the Saudi military occupation, the local Trade Unions of Bahrain called for a general strike, while protestors are blocking the main road in that small country. Workers in Tunisia, in the mining town of Metlaoui, are clashing with the police protesting for their demands, and there are already two workers dead, and the Tunisian government declared a curfew in this town. Things are also getting nastier in Sana'a's Taqeer square, in Yemen, and the dictatorship seems to be preparing for a full scale massacre.

The protestors in Libya, Yemen and Bahrain will be even bolder and stronger if they can feel and hear your support: in that way your support can make a real difference in this critical time for the Arab masses' struggle for their freedom.

Mazen Kamalmaz
Syrian anarchist