Léigh an t-eagrán is déanaí de "Forward" (#19, Samhradh 2015), foilseachán de chuid Ógra Uí Chonaíle.

Read the latest edition of "Forward" (#19, Summer 2015), a publication produced by the Connolly Youth Movement.

Connolly Youth Movement Cork Condemn Racist Incidents And Take Action

The Arrests, Why Now?

FORWARD Magazine #18 Spring 2015

Connolly Youth Movement Statement on Greek elections

The Connolly Youth Movement welcomes the Greek election results and sees the election of a left political party as a deepening of the class awareness of the Greek people. Syriza were just shy of 2 seats to form a majority government but as it stands they have now entered into coalition with the Independent Greeks, a far right party of the bourgeoisie, who happen to also oppose austerity and the debt – their common platform.

It seems the whole of Europe has taken inspiration from the Syriza victory and now the people of Europe will look forward with hope, that the Austerity measures of the last 6 years will be stopped, the debt will be renegotiated and the gains lost over that time period can be regained. These are the hopes of the Greek people and they have put their faith in Syriza to follow through on their election promises. We can only hope and wish that Syriza live up to these expectations.

The slogan 'Hope is Coming'  are words that people hold on to, a people that have been beaten and impoverished due to the economic policies of the EU and carried out by Greek governments. The politics of hope, the catchphrase of Syriza, is what people want to believe in. Hope that the future will bring bread, peace and prosperity to a new Europe, rid of all the problems and crisis of the past.

In Ireland, the liberal left, those who have gotten the Syriza t-shirts, those who have shouted from the rooftops, and written reams of threads and tweets about the glorious victory of Syriza and the radical left have maintained this divinity and hope in Syriza. However, lest we forget the past and the great 'Hope' campaign of Obama in the United States, the CYM would caution those who are being swept by the euphoria of the initial election success.

There is one Greek left party however that will not be swept up in all the hype, the KKE. The KKE – the Communist Party of Greece – are perceived to be a deeply sectarian party by many on the left in Ireland, who through their actions and their lack of cooperation with other Greek parties, including Syriza, are seen to have made themselves redundant to this resurgence of left wing politics in Europe. The obvious question being, why didn’t Syriza and the KKE form a deeply radical left government coalition? The KKE received 5.5% (a 1% increase from 2012) of the vote and would have easily been in a position to form the new coalition government.

It is easy to criticise the KKE, they haven’t won a lot of favours or allies by remaining constant in their criticisms of Syriza. All the soft left wing groups in Ireland are absolutely disgusted with them. Some would even blame the KKE for Syriza having to go into coalition with a right wing party! However, for all the criticisms there is very little analysis done on WHY the KKE remain unwilling to partner up with Syriza.

There are two strategic areas as to why the KKE will not go into government with Syriza: 1) The past legacy of European Communist Parties or 'eurocommunism' and 2) The ideological difference between the KKE and Syriza. The legacy of eurocommunism has been to strip many communist parties of their Marxist-Leninist ideology, to leave a disbandoned party with a left wing rhetoric without the revolutionary guiding principles. The KKE put simply have looked at the past and based on their analysis have found that putting faith in a Parliamentary party, whether in government or opposistion has never led to a transition from capitalism to socialism. All it has done has been to weaken the party, the class and the international communist movement. So the KKE are correct to be cautious about going into coalition as their statements reflect a revolutionary rather than a parliamentary path.

The ideological difference between the KKE and Syriza however is the most fundamental point that seems to be lost on all those who will bash the KKE as being secterian. The two parties are ideologically opposed. Syriza has stated that it will stay in the EU, that there will be no Grexit, that the monopolies will remain and that they will remain in the imperialist war club NATO. They call themselves a radical party but there really is nothing radical about their ideology. They, just like many left wing parties of the past will do what they are ideologically driven to do – try and better manage the capitalist system. The KKE are diametrically opposed to these fundamental policies of Syriza.

The KKE have remained unwavering in their position in that they don't see themselves as a party that wants to try and better run capitalism, the KKE wants to overthrow the capitalist system and to replace it with a real and substansive alternative – socialism and they don't see this as something in the distant future either. No election result will bring this about and the KKE are not in the business to try and hide their aims and objectives. Syriza on the other hand have the rhetoric of a strong radical left party, however their policies and statements would suggest that the radical elements, which they do have within the party, will be silenced.

The main reason why Syriza was able to form a coalition with a right wing party of the Independent Greeks (ANEL) and not with the KKE is because Syriza are ideologically closer to ANEL. This sentence may cause our Irish Syristers to come out in their defence, however this isn't an attack on Syriza, these are just facts. What the three parties do have in common is their opposition to debt and austerity, what separates the KKE from them is their unapologetic anti-imperialist policies. 

If the new Greek government of Syriza and ANEL manage to alleviate any pressure from the Greek people the CYM will most certainly welcome it and if people are being politicised in the process then these elections are a definite step in the right direction, but there can be no illusions that this will inevitably lead the way to a pro-people, pro-worker state, not as long as Greece remains in the EU, the euro, Nato and that the means of production remain in the hands of the monopolies.

The CYM gives full support to the KKE in their endeavours. The path they have chosen seems to be a lonely one  at the moment, but with a proud 93 year history and maintaining a discplined and principled position, the next phase of Greek politics will most certainly involve and need their activity, militancy and leadership.

The CYM like the KKE are fully aware that no matter the outcome of an election, and, to paraphrase  Connolly 'unless you set about the organization of the Socialist Republic your efforts would be in vain. The EU and monopolies would still rule you. They would rule you through her capitalists, through her landlords, through her financiers, through the whole array of commercial and individualist institutions she has planted in this country and watered with the tears of our mothers and the blood of our martyrs'.

Connolly Youth Movement
27th January

#WorkMustPay - great to see active resistance on the streets of our capital to the exploitative Jobbridge scheme.

Yesterday afternoon activists took to picketing First Place Recruitment on Trinity street who refused to take down their advertisement for an 'office administrator' on Jobbridge.

Without written confirmation from the company the #WorkMustPay campaign will continue their activities. Nothing has been provided so far.


Young workers deserve a decent wage and we must make employers pay for wages and not to be subsidised by the government for a full weeks work.


Join the resistance, join the WorkMustPay campaign!

Connolly Youth Movement Statement on Water Demonstration

The show of power by broad sections of society at last Wednesday's Right2Water demonstration, with a huge amount of young people, especially young women getting involved, is a clear indication that people were not fooled by the governments concessions on water charges.

It is quite clear this whole movement is politicising our youth and now is the time for those young people to join organisations like the Connolly Youth Movement, to deepen their political understanding and to become active in a vibrant youth movement.

The Right2Water campaign has once again demonstrated the power and strength in the unity of the trade unions, community and political organisations. The campaign and all those involved should be commended for all the hard and tireless work that was put in to make Wednesday 10th of December a day of peaceful protest on UN Human Rights day.

As much of a success that the demonstration was, it is quite clear that the government will not be backing down anytime soon. The trade unions, community and political groups that have taken up the mantle for the defence of communities against water charges have a real and unique opportunity to deepen the political and class consciousness of those engaged in this struggle.

Our youth really have to ask themselves, if this government was to collapse in the morning, and another take its place, without a fundamental and mass opposition to the EU and the euro, and the US as the main political entities of Capitalism there would be no change. Nothing drastic would change because the state, and its class of industrialists, financiers, oligarchs, monarchs, land owners and all their collaborators would still be organised in the old way.

Ireland's industries, agriculture and services would still be in the service of the EU, British and US Imperialist regimes. The multi-national corporations and various legal treaties would still bind us to international monopoly capitalism and its unending war on workers. We would still be bound to pay back an unjust and odious debt. The Troika would still oversee our national budgets and the ECB would still gear the euro to suit mainly Germany's needs to the detriment of the Irish economy.

 All this means is that our democracy, sovereignty and independence would still be the hollowed out shells that they are. The struggle being waged now, is not a new one and it wont end with a victory over the water charges because we would still lack a mass opposition to Capitalism and Imperialism.

However, we have to work and deal with immediate aims and struggles to not only engage in a real struggle for people to be able to access water, without any discrimination, but also to deepen peoples political and class consciousness.

The most important thing right now is to have a nation united against the water charges and from there, there is huge potential to build a movement of organised, militant and class conscious citizens. The R2W as an independent umbrella campaign should continue to step up and be the unifying force in defeating this governments attempt to commodify and privatise the most basic and important source of life and the CYM will continue to support the campaign.

From there we can move on to the source of the water charges – the unjust, odious private bank debt heaped on our nation, and paid for by the impoverishment of our people and the deporting of a generation of youth.

Ends.

Campaign Update: Continued Success for #WorkMustPay

Connolly Youth Movement (CYM) continues to take part in anti-JobBridge actions under the banner of the #WorkMustPay Campaign to directly challenge the acceptability of employers taking on unpaid interns instead of providing even the basic respect of a minimum wage for workers. These actions are a joint effort on the part of the Connolly Youth Movement, Sinn Féin Republican Youth and Unite Youth Dublin Activist Group (UY-DAG).

Another Internship Eliminated

#WorkMustPay activists secured another victory today when the well known cafe on Camden Street provided us with written assurance that they would take down their current JobBridge advert and advertise no further positions in the future. This occurred after an advance warning and picket notice had been provided, along with lengthy correspondence with the employer. This proves the effectiveness of our tactics in eliminating JobBridge positions and we will be monitoring future city centre postings to ensure this is not a temporary victory.

The cafe in question were advertising to recruit a ‘Juicer/Kitchen Porter’ as an unpaid intern working 40 hours a week for 9 months. While our focus is not on the legitimacy of the ‘training’ received under JobBridge; instead focusing on the fact that wage paying jobs are being eliminated under the scheme, it is safe to say that this was a particularly exploitative example of JobBridge in action where no legitimate training would occur. We are pleased that this will no longer be the case.

#WorkMustPay Campaign Launched Against JobBridge

Overview and Initial Success

 In the coming weeks, the Connolly Youth will be taking part in a series of actions under the banner of the #WorkMustPay Campaign to directly challenge the acceptability of employers taking on unpaid JobBridge interns instead of providing even the basic respect of a minimum wage for workers. These actions will be a joint effort on the part of the Connolly Youth Movement, Sinn Féin Republican Youth and UY-DAG.

#WorkMustPay Campaign?

After the government has proven to be so thoroughly unresponsive to polite reservations, academic criticism and political protest against their use of unpaid internships as a form of ‘labour activation’; a change of tactics has been well overdue in campaigning. Instead of lobbying politicians and hoping for a change in policy, we will be challenging any employer which profits from the use of free JobBridge labour. Peaceful pickets, chants and leaflets will be used to encourage such employers to take down any current JobBridge adverts, take on no further interns and commit to the basic respect of a day’s work = a day’s pay for future employees. We will not be seeking the immediate abandonment of all JobBridge positions as the unexpected loss of €50 a week for the person involved would cause unnecessary hardship. Prior warning will be provided to all businesses engaged with as part of this campaign and we hope that this will be enough for them to reconsider their position before action has to be taken by #WorkMustPay activists.

Responding to Potential Criticism

Some may say it is unfair that we focus on businesses that are only making use of a fully legal and government approved program. We would reply by saying that an under 25 year old receives only €150 a week through this scheme and there is nothing fair about trying to make that stretch to cover rent, food, transport, medical costs and any other expenses. The use of unpaid internships has eliminated job opportunities that used to provide a survivable income for people trying to make ends meet and it has increasingly become a scheme where employers can ‘try before they buy’ future workers, with no guarantee they will do the latter. We hope to create an environment where this practice becomes less acceptable and the amount of potential wage paying jobs being turned into internships is reduced.

An Effective Tactic: Initial Success for #WorkMustPay

#WorkMustPay activists were intending to hold a picket outside the City Pharmacy on Dame Street which was advertising for a stock control and administrative position but this was cancelled today after this business responded positively to our request and removed this JobBridge advertisement without filling the position. While pleased with this initial success, we will be distributing more advance warnings to businesses that take on JobBridge interns with a view to engaging in peaceful pickets when adverts are not removed. The focus on these actions will be on employers which are advertising for intern positions which would have been wage paying entry-level jobs prior to the introduction of JobBridge e.g. kitchen staff, porters, retail staff, caretakers, etc.

Stop commodification of our rights!

The Connolly Youth Movement fully endorse the Rigth2Water campaign and will mobilise all its resources to help build and promote this movement, which is headed by the most progressive Unions on this island. We see the strength in the unity of trade unions, communities and other organisations such as ourselves as a key element in defeating this inhumane government policy.

The government is looking to implement a metering system in approximately 80% of Irish households with the sole purpose of commodifying this basic human right, so that it can be turned over to private industry. These companies will exist only to make a profit, not to provide a high quality service.

The fact that our government, with a social democratic Labour party sharing power, is willing to hand over billions of euro's of Irish taxpayer's money to bondholders each year, but fails to keep water, the source of all life, a public utility is a scathing indictment to the doctrine of social democracy and its adherents. This is to be expected from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who have systematically severed any hope of expanding public enterprise and who have overseen the privatisation of other publicly owned industries, services and utilities.

We have witnessed our family and friends leave this country, our right to work and earn a decent wage for a decent days work is in jeopardy, college fees are rising and we have become much more dependant on our parents than we should ever have to be after leaving school and college. Now in a country that is famous for the amount of days it rains in a year, we are being made to pay for our usage of water!

The Connolly Youth Movement shares in the anger of those communities fighting Irish water and their state protectorate. Anger is a gift, but anger will only get you so far. We must channel this into a productive, coherent and most importantly a united front if we are to win this battle. We have to take the State head on as a united movement and not to boil it down to the individual's willingness to pay or not pay the charges.

To pardon the pun, the Right2Water campaign will be a watershed in the trajectory of the Irish working class's resistance to debt and austerity. We can win.


Statement Ends.

A Stark Class Divide

We remember Odessa! Protest in front of Ukrainian embassy

WFDY Statement for the 100 years since the beginning of World War I

The past 28th of July marked the 100 years anniversary since the beginning of the First World War. It was the beginning of the fist global large scale war conflict created by the antagonisms of imperialist powers. It was the terrifying revelation of the results of the monopolistic stage of capitalism. The millions of dead and the enormous disasters that involved countries from all the continents will forever be a reminder of the results of imperialist antagonisms and aggressions; it will always be a reminder that the imperialist alliances are serving the interests of the bourgeoisie of each country but not the interests of the peoples.

The assassination of the heir of the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, led to the beginning of the war. But the real reasons that led to the first global imperialist war can be found the passing of capitalism to its monopolistic stage, imperialism. The fact that the development of capitalism couldn’t be limited to the borders of a single state, and that the national monopolies needed to expand their markets created tensions over the conquest of colonies and the control of trade routes. This antagonisms together with the crisis of the late 19th century, led to the creation of alliances of imperialist states and to the military build-ups.

Today we can find that history repeats itself with new imperialist alliances, groupings and continuous military build-ups. The re-arrangements of borders and alliances that take place, usually violently are creating sparks that can lead to wider international conflicts and wars. The capitalist crisis once again pushes the tensions to their limits. The need for control of the energy fields and especially the energy routes creates an intensive competition among monopolies. The effort to impose certain political environments and the speculative nature of imperialism generate developments that even their instigators cannot control. We can see this taking place now in the Middle East in Ukraine with unpredictable consequences.

We, as part of the international anti-imperialist movement, as progressive young men and women pay our tribute to the victims of the great imperialist war. Our struggle for peace and friendship among peoples, our struggle to overthrow imperialism is what brings hope for a better future for mankind, for the necessary step of progress. As the great October Revolution gave life through the ruins of the First World War, we commit to defeat imperialism to bring peace to the peoples.

Budapest 24/7/2014
The CC/HQ of WFDY

This undemocratic measure is put into effect at the same time where the violence in Ukraine is still leading its people to bloodshed. It is a measure that reveals the intentions of the government of Ukraine in which the nationalist and neo-Nazi elements play a decisive role. Even more it shows the democratic limits of EU and NATO that are restricted to the horizon of their interests.

WFDY condemns the undemocratic, fascist methods of the Ukrainian government; condemns their support by the US and EU. The attempt to criminalize the communist and anti-imperialist forces, serves the anti-popular plans and their war-loving policy.

The outrage and the resistance to these kinds of policies is becoming the duty of every progressive and democratic young man and woman around the world. We express our solidarity with the people of Ukraine whose future seems even harder being in the middle of the imperialist contradictions. Mainly we express our solidarity to the Communist Youth of Ukraine, our member organization that continuous its activity under the rule of terror and persecution.

Budapest 24/7/2014
The CC/HQ of WFDY

The Youth Organizations that sign the following announcement denounce firmly the military operations of the Israeli state against the Palestinian people that have already resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives.

The USA, but also the EU, who encourage the criminal activities of Israel by providing total support, equating the culprits with the victims, upgrading their political, financial and military relations with Israel with various ways, organizing common military drills with the Israeli armed forces, they have grave responsibilities for the continuing crime against the Palestinian people and its youth.

The CYO’s call upon the young men and women of the world to block with our struggle and internationalist solidarity the new genocide of Israel against the Palestinian people and youth that are in the crosshair of imperialist aggression, on the ground of the generalized imperialist plans that exist and are promoted in the region of the Middle East and of the Eastern Mediterranean.

• That the continuing military operations of the Israeli army against the Palestinian people cease immediately.
• That the Israeli occupation army and all settlers leave the Palestinian territories.
• · The liberation of all political prisoners from Israeli prisons and all Palestinians to be free to return to their homes. The solution of the problems of the Palestinian refugees according to the UN Resolutions.
• To cancel the military drills and all military cooperation treaties with Israel.
• · Independent Palestinian state on the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.

CYM took part in the protest against supporting and funding of fascist Kiev junta by institutions of the EU in front of European Union House on 19 July.  Protesters, gathered under slogans of "Stop euro-fascism", "Save Donbass People", "Kiev junta - stop killing Civilians in Donbass" and others, expressed their outrage with massacres of civilian population in East Ukraine, committed by Ukrainian Army and their support for anti-fascist resistance. CYM would like to stress that the violence in East Ukraine is a direct consequence of aggressive expansion of the European Union and NATO to the East and the result of a general crisis of capitalism. 

The World Federation of Democratic Youth denounces the continuous attack on Gaza. That resulted in dozens of martyrs, hundreds of wounded and massive destruction. The Israeli forces launched, in two days, hundreds of missiles under the approval and silence of the imperialist powers. The same ones that agreed on 66 years of occupation, and signed the death of thousands. That support the Zionist occupation, the spread of settlements, the displacement of thousands of Palestinians, and the brutality of the occupation against the Palestinian people.

However, with the brutality of occupation comes the strength of peoples. Comes unity and resistance.

As well as, the conformation on the resistance path against occupation. The World Federation of Democratic Youth stand beside the youth and peoples of Palestine, in their steadfastness and unity against the Israeli occupation and attacks. As well as, call for the end of the current attack on Gaza. We stand by the strength of resistance, from Palestine to all the anti- imperialist youth and peoples’ of the world.

Similar to the way WFDY fought, since its foundation until today, alongside its member organizations, against imperialism and its destructive nature. We will continue on the path of liberation from imperialism, besides the anti-imperialist youth of the world.

CYM Statement on the European Parliament Elections

However, we do not believe that any of these candidates are fundamentally opposed to the European Union. The EU is inherently an imperialist alliance designed to serve big business, and put the interests of capital before the interests of labour. The fact that there is no significant progressive force in Ireland calling to leave the EU, or even the Euro, confirms that the left in Ireland is very naive about the inherently capitalist and imperialist nature of the EU.

Imperialism and neo-liberalism is enshrined in the EU treaties. The CYM do not see the EU as reformable. There is no possibility of a ‘Social Europe’ while the EU exists. The idea that a ‘Social Europe’ can be created by the EU is a dangerous myth perpetuated by Social Democrats. The Social Democrats want to con workers into thinking they will receive a social dividend if they pledge their support to European imperialst and capitalist project.

These elections are an opportunity for people in Ireland to consider our relationship with the European Project. The CYM calls on young people to question the nature of the Euro currency, and ask ‘In whose interest does it serve?’ The European Central Bank is a fundamentally undemocratic institution that runs European monetary policies in the interests of bankers and big business. The ECB is more concerned with keeping interest rates low than creating jobs for young people. The ECB, in collaboration with subservient Irish elites, has shackled tens of billions of private banking debt upon the Irish people. This debt is illegitimate, and we call on it to be repudiated.

The neo-liberal policies, emerging from Brussels and Frankfurt, pit the peoples of Europe into competition with each other for jobs and services. These policies divide European people and give rise to reactionary forces. The CYM wishes to see a Europe built upon co-operation between democratic, socialist and sovereign nations, where the economy is democratically planned according to people’s needs and abilities. Only an economy built around public ownership and planning can create dignified employment for all, as well as a guaranteed right to healthcare, education, housing, and access to a high level of culture and leisure.

Socialism is needed to stop our environment being destroyed for profit, and stop imperialist wars for new markets and resources. Socialism cannot be achieved within the current EU framework, and any talk of Socialism within the EU is pure folly. We hope that other groups on the left will come to realize that socialism can only succeed outside of the EU.

[statement ends]

The World Federation of democratic Youth on the First of May

Youth Resistance CYM Public Talk Video by Connolly Media Group

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No to forced labour schemes, Yes to real jobs, real pay and a real future!

Ireland’s youth are in crisis. Facing prolonged unemployment, cuts to social welfare, increases in college/apprenticeship fees and the proliferation of questionable free labour schemes, some 177,000 young people have emigrated from Ireland since 2008.

They are voting with their feet, leaving in search of real jobs, real opportunities and a real future.

They leave behind the empty promises and empty rhetoric of the government parties.

They leave behind the “Youth Guarantee” which has neither the funding nor capacity to deal with the scale of the youth unemployment crisis and which perversely will see young people being forced to take up places on free labour schemes such as JobBridge and Gateway or face the threat of further cuts to their social welfare.

Our young people deserve better than a choice between forced emigration or forced poverty. Take a stand for real jobs, real pay and a real future for young people in Ireland.

CWU Youth Committee Ireland
Mandate Youth Network
ScamBridge
Trade Union Left Forum
Unite Youth - Dublin Activist Group
Unite Youth Ireland
We're Not Leaving
Connolly Youth Movement
Young Workers Network
Dublin Council of Trade Unions
SWAN
Union of Students in Ireland (USI)
Sinn Féin Ireland
Sinn Féin - Republican Youth

Common announcement of the CYO's on the developments in Ukraine

The developments in Ukraine are particularly crucial and dangerous, first of all for the people and the youth of the country, who are being transformed again into victims of the intense antagonisms between the USA-EU and Russia, for the control of markets, of natural resources and the transportation networks of the country.

The open intervention of the EU-USA-NATO, the utilization of  fascist groups and organizations which are the descendants of the SS and spread fascist and Nazi venom and anticommunism, the planned persecutions and banning of political parties primarily against the communists, and the racist laws that are being prepared against the Russian-speaking population and other minorities, all demonstrate the character of the developments, and uncover the lies about the “triumph of democracy in Ukraine”.

The youth – especially in Europe – can now see more clearly the real face of the EU: it's a union of the capitalists and of the monopolies of Europe and serves their interests; that is why the EU is reactionary in its  nature. It is a union of military interventions, wars, support of the fascist groups, of anticommunism which is its official ideology. All those  cultivating the illusions that the EU can transform into a force of peace and stability in favor of the peoples, have a great responsibility here. 

The Communist Youth Organizations that sign this announcement:

Denounce the intervention of the EU-USA-NATO in the internal affairs of Ukraine, the direct support that they are providing to the armed fascist groups, the menaces of a foreign military intervention.
Express our solidarity with the Communists of Ukraine. We denounce the persecutions and the attempts to ban the Communist Party of Ukraine.

The young people of the working class and of the popular strata must not fall in the trap of nationalist dilemmas, in choosing a side in the antagonisms over who will exploit them. On the contrary, the youth have  an interest in organizing and struggling along with the working class, to open their own way: the way of the struggle in favor of our modern needs, so that the wealth remains in the hands of those who produce it, so that we rid ourselves from the imperialist unions and their antagonisms. 

1. Communist Youth of Austria KJOe
2. Union of Communist Youth Brazil UJC
3. Communist Youth Avancando Brazil JCA
4. YCL Britain
5. Communist Youth of Bolivia JCB
6. YCL Canada
7. Colombian Communist Youth - JUCO
8. EDON Cyprus
9. Young Socialists Croatia
10. Young Communists of Denmark - Ungkommunisterne i Danmark
11. Communist Youth of Ecuador JCE
12. Movement of Young Communists France MJCF
13. Socialist German Worker Youth - SDAJ
14. YCL Georgia
15. Communist Youth of Greece KNE
16. Left Front Hungary – Baloldali Front
17. Young Communist Front of Italy FGC
18. Connolly Youth Movement Ireland
19. YCL Mexico – LJC Mexico
20. Young Communists of Norway – UngKom i Norges 
21. Paraguayan Communist Youth – JCP
22. Portuguese Communist Youth – JCP
23. RCYLb Russia – RKSMb
24. YCL Yugoslavia (Serbia) – SKOJ
25. Collectives of Young Communists, Spain – CJC
26. Union of Communist Youth of Spain – UJCE

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Social Media: In whose interest does it serve?

Statement of WFDY on the developments in Ukraine

The past months the international anti-imperialist movement is watching closely the dangerous developments that are taking place in Ukraine and the power struggle among imperialism that are leading the Ukrainian people in dangerous paths. The past few days the situation has deteriorated more openly into an international crisis.

The developments starting with the so-called Maidan demonstrations against the Yanukovych government showed clearly the elements of international interventions over the control of the country. The European Union, NATO and the US supported openly the demonstrations against the Russia-orientated government of Ukraine as a way of controlling the developments in a country that has great geopolitical interest in the power battle between Russia and NATO-EU. The gas lines connecting Russia to Europe and the effort to strengthen NATO presence around Russia are directly connected to the current situation.

In their will to promote their political, military and financial interests, the European Union openly supported neo-Nazi and far right paramilitary groups that leaded the violence during the demonstrations. Despite their efforts to present the Ukrainian demonstrations as a revolution in the name of freedom and democracy, the European Union revealed once again that imperialism, the monopolies and fascism are connected systemically. The new laws of the so-called revolutionary government which support minority discrimination and the ban of the Communist Party in Ukraine are applauded by the EU. At the same time, the Yanukovych government cannot claim its innocence in the roots of these developments as its corruption and unpopular policies supported another part o the Ukrainian bourgeoisie and created public frustration.

These are results of the capitalist reconstruction that started in the 1990’s. The promises of a prosperous future shortly lead to hunger, unemployment, chaos, and continuous economic crises. Today the people of Ukraine are facing the results of the capitalist reconstruction in their country.

In this escalating confrontation between the Ukrainian bourgeoisie and the sides that each one has chosen, whether this is the EU-NATO or Russia, the people of Ukraine have nothing to benefit by putting their country as a protectorate of any power. The accusations for interventions coming especially from the EU and NATO but also from Russia are ridiculously hypocritical. The sovereignty and dignity of the people of Ukraine can be only found in the fight of the interests of the working class
and the popular masses and not by their dominate class that puts them into adventures that can only bring war and misery.

At the same time the intense and undisguised intervention of EU-NATO in Ukraine caused the imitated response of Russia. The escalation of the crisis is rapidly internationalized, confirming the concerns of WFDY that repeatedly stated: the capitalist crisis in intensifying the international antagonisms of the monopolies and the threat of a small or wider scale international military conflict.

In the light of current development, the World Federation of Democratic Youth stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and their fight to stop the march of EU-NATO supported fascism in their country. At the same time we underline that the popular interests cannot be aligned with the interests of any imperialist as they serve only their monopolies. In the shadow of the forthcoming developments WFDY clearly states that the only ally of the youth is the struggle of the popular masses and the anti-imperialist movement.

The CC/HQ of WFDY
Budapest, 5 March, 2014

Joint Statement of Communist and Workers’ Parties on the recent developments in Ukraine (Proposed by the KKE and DKP)

Statement on the reactionary developments in Ukraine

The recent dramatic developments in Ukraine do not constitute the “victory of democracy” by the alleged “revolutionaries”, as it is being described by the mass media of the USA and the EU, but is a dangerous development, above all for the people of Ukraine themselves.

Reactionary political forces, ideological descendents of the Nazis, have risen to the political “surface” with the assistance of the EU and the USA. These are forces which apart from destroying the offices of their opponents, are planning political persecutions, and the banning of parties, above all against the communists, and even racist legislation at the expense of the Russian-speaking population, like what has been in force for the last 20 years in the countries of the “European” Baltic,  with the blatant political support of the EU.

The communist and workers’ parties that sign this Joint Statement:

  -  Express our solidarity and support with the communists of Ukraine, above all with those who in many instances went on to the streets in order to defend the monuments of Lenin and the other Soviet and ant-fascist monuments, which found themselves “targeted” by the ideological “cleansing” of history being attempted by the nationalist-fascist armed groups

 -  Denounce the USA and the EU regarding their blatant involvement in the internal affairs of Ukraine, regarding the direct support they provided and are providing to the armed fascist groups, supporting historical revanchism against the outcome of the 2nd World War, transforming anti-communism into their official policy, as well as beautifying the fascist groups, their criminal ideology and activity, promoting the division of the people of Ukraine with planned persecutions at the expense of the Russian-speaking of Ukraine.

 -  Highlight that the positions of the opportunist forces are dangerous, which spread illusions that there could exist another “better EU’, “another better association agreement of the EU with Ukraine”. The EU, like every capitalist inter-state union, is a predatory alliance which has a deeply reactionary character can not become pro-people, and acts and will continue to act against the workers’ people’s rights and the peoples.

  -  Note that the developments in Ukraine are connected to the intervention of the EU and the USA, are the results of the fierce competition of these powers with Russia for the control of markets, raw material and the country’s transport networks. However the people of Ukraine, as all the other peoples of Europe have no interests in siding with the one or the other imperialist, or the one or the other predatory alliance.

The interests of the working class and popular strata of Ukraine mean that they must prevent themselves from being “trapped” in nationalist, divisive dilemmas, on the basis of ethnic, linguistic, religious particularities and to prioritize their common class interests, to chart their path of class struggle, for their rights and socialism. Socialism remains as timely and necessary as ever. This is the perspective against every capitalist inter-state union, in order to pave the way for an economy and society that will not operate on the basis of profit, but on the basis of the needs of the workers.

ENDS.

Is it just me, or has the world gone mad?

Whose revolution?

Apparently there’s a revolution afoot in Ukraine. Just tune in to RTE, the BBC or Euronews and you could be forgiven for thinking that a wave of popular unrest is sweeping the country, on the receiving end of which is a Russian-imposed puppet government that established itself through coercion and sustains itself through autocratic terror.

      The riots are serious and sustained. Police and protesters have been killed and injured. The demonstrators’ spokespersons are being interviewed continually by the Western media—threatening “civil war” and asserting that they are in the business of overthrowing a dictatorship.

      No matter how many times this is repeated, however, the factual information stubbornly refuses to acquiesce in their story. Ukraine’s government was elected by the Ukrainian people on 28 October 2012, an election that was notable for a sharp fall in support for Yulia Tymoshenko’s Fatherland party, and the almost tripling of the vote attained by the Communist Party.

      So, is this protest movement just an attempt by Ukraine’s pro-Western opposition to heap some pressure on the government before the 2015 elections? Closer inspection of the rioting crowds reveals a much more sinister purpose.

      On 1 January this year thousands of young men wearing masks and balaclavas marched side by side with Second World War veterans—complete with their old uniforms and deactivated guns—through the capital city, Kyiv. They were involved in a commemoration that would be considered unthinkable in much of the rest of modern Europe. The march’s imagery told the story of the participants’ ideals: the black-and-red flags, the Celtic crosses, the runic of the German Schutzstaffel—the SS; and on their placards the hard-faced image of Stepan Bandera. This was the uncompromising leader of the militant terrorist branch of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists, which declared an independent Ukraine on 30 June 1941—nine days before Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.

      This independent Ukrainian government’s first act was to collaborate with the Nazis, who enlisted Bandera’s men in setting up Ukrainian volunteer battalions. So began an era of incredible barbarism; for, like the Nazis, Bandera believed that “Bolshevism” and the Jewish population of Ukraine were the enemies within Ukrainian society that were to be “cleansed.” A Banderist pamphlet proclaimed to Ukrainian Jews: “We will lay your heads at Hitler’s feet.” For more than 1½ million of them, as well as hundreds of thousands of (Jewish and non-Jewish) Polish, Hungarian and Russian civilians, the mass graves of the “final solution” were to be their fate.

      The Germans had no intention of allowing Ukrainian independence of any kind within their Third Reich, and so they jailed Bandera and his government for several years, before releasing him again in 1944 when the war turned against them, setting him up with his own headquarters in Berlin and letting him and his colleagues return to train the death squads of the “Ukrainian Insurgent Army.”

      Bandera’s story didn’t end in the ruins of Berlin in 1945, however. Declassified CIA documents in 2007 revealed that Bandera worked first for British and then West German intelligence after the war. On 14 October 1959 he was discussing the expansion of his underground operations in Ukraine while dining with the top brass of a thoroughly infiltrated BND (West German intelligence). Acting on this information, the following day a KGB anti-terror unit caught up with him.

      Bandera’s legacy and that of the rest of the anti-Soviet émigré and underground OUN/Banderist movement has left an indelible mark on Ukraine’s political landscape. Always close to West German and latterly EU interests, and implacably opposed to any policy considered socialist or pro-Russian (for they regard these as essentially the same), the modern protesters of the UDAR and Svoboda (formally the “Social-Nationalists”) remain committed to their wartime idea that Ukraine is “ruled by a Muscovite-Jewish mafia” and annually commemorate Ukrainian Waffen-SS divisions and attack Victory Day celebrations.

      While the young men on the barricades in Kyiv and throughout western Ukraine are the openly fascist cadres of these groups, what makes them truly dangerous is the gamble of the larger and more moderate Fatherland party in supporting this movement, under the cover of protesting against the government’s opting for a trade deal with Russia rather than the European Union. They know they cannot control the movement on the streets, but with the brazen blessing of the US secretary of state, John Kerry, and the president of the EU Council, Herman van Rompuy, they clearly feel that they will be in a position to negotiate on its behalf with the “international community” if a coup develops that can bring down the government.

      The ideas such a “revolutionary” government would be based on—presumably within the “liberal” European Union—should be reason enough to take these riots very seriously. As one commentator recently pointed out, if the BNP and EDL were to begin rioting in England while holding up images of Oswald Mosley it would be one thing; if they received support from the European Union and the United States, entirely another.  (DOC)

THE WORLD FEDERATION OF DEMOCRATIC YOUTH PROCLAMATION IN REJECTION OF THE VIOLENT ACTIONS OF VENEZUELAN FASCIST RIGHT-WING AGAINST VENEZUELAN PEOPLE

In recent hours, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has come under attack from the fascist right-wing, as a the plan of imperialism against the revolutionary process; supported by the most reactionary sectors -inside and outside- of Venezuela, whose format is similar to the coup d'état driven in 2002 against the President Hugo Chavez.

This plan has the objective not only to end the Bolivarian process, but undermining the process of regional integration in Latin America. Today, a reverse in the process in Venezuela means to deal a blow to the rest of the democratic and progressive process on the continent.

We condemn and repudiate the deaths that have resulted from the concretion of these violent acts, generating disorder, attacks on public institutions and generally promoting a violent destabilization agenda in the country. We support the call for peace, defense of the revolutionary process and unit have different youth organizations in Venezuela.

Attending to the call for international solidarity we are asking to all members and partners of the World Federation of Democratic Youth to express solidarity with youth, people, workers and the Venezuelan Government continuation of the legacy of Commander Chavez.

Tacaíonn Ógra Uí Chonaíle go láidir le tionscnamh Chonradh na Gaeilge "Lá Mór na Gaeilge" a reáchtáil don Satharn seo chugainn, 15ú Feabhra. 

Eagraíodh an léirsiú i ndiaidh cinnidh an Choimisinéara Teanga, Seán Uí Chuirreáin, go mbeidh sé ag éirí as a phost ag deireadh na míosa seo, i ngeall an easpa tacaíochta rialtais ó Dheas do chearta pobal na Gaeilge, go háirithe i gceantair Gaeltachtaí.

Luaigh an tUasal Uí Chuirreáin nach bhfuil Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga in ann feidhmiú mar is ceart de bharr an laghdú in achmhainní na hOifige. 

Laghdaíodh leithdháiltí na nGaeltachtaí i ngach Buiséad ó thús na géarchéime, trí imeallú a dhéanamh ar an dteanga sa chórás riaracháin phoiblí.

Níl rochtain cheart a thuilleadh ag muintir na nGaeltachtaí ar sheirbhísí phoiblí trí mheán na Gaeilge. Cuimsítear seribhísí bunúsacha ar nós oifigí poist agus dochtúirí. Saraíonn na polasaithe rialtais seo a gcearta teanga.

Baineann an cruachás leis an Tuaisceart chomh maith. Is í Tuaisceart na hÉireann an t-aon áit idir an dá oileán seo nach bhfuil reachtaíocht ar bith ann le cosaint a thabhairt dá teanga dhúchais.

Is furasta an rud é do na rialtais, ó dheas agus ó thuaidh, leithcheal a dhéanamh ar mhionlaigh ar nós lucht na nGaeltachtaí.

Impíonn Ógra Uí Chonaíle ar ógra na tíre a dtuairimí a chinntiú ar an gceist thábhatach seo. Is ógánaigh iad formhór lucht labhartha na teanga ar an oileán seo.

Is cuid lárnach í an Ghaeilge dár gcultúr ach fulaingeoidh sí mura léirimid dlúthphairtíocht leis an tsreachailt ar a son.

Is linn an teanga. Go mairfidh sí go brách.

ENDS.

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The CYM urges all young people to support "Lá Mór na Gaeilge" and to attend the protest "Walk For Your Rights" on Saturday, February 15th.

Young people make up the majority of Irish language speakers on this island. The language will suffer unless we, the youth, make a strong statement of solidarity this Saturday to all those concerned about its future.

ENDS.

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Education: A Front for Youth's Struggle

In times of economic crisis and relentless austerity such as these, it is crucial to take a  step back from the situation in which we find ourselves and examine the bigger picture.  While many of us are used to the typical news digest concerning the government's quest  for jobs and the public finances, one sector of our society is undergoing major "reforms"  that receive little critical coverage: education. The state's budget deficits over the past few  years have been used as an excuse for the ruling classes, both here and in the real centre  of power, the EU, to implement fundamental changes in the way our education systems  are funded. This unquestionably means the privatization of our academic institutions,  particularly at third-level, as well as an increased role by businesses and philanthropists  (i.e. wealthy private investors) in how they are run. The consequences of such measures  will be grave for young people and society in general if we leave our centres of learning at  the mercy of market forces and the destructive demands of profit.

Last November, the EU parliament passed a resolution establishing a programme called "Erasmus+", which will operate in all member states of the EEA (European Education  Area) for the next six years. While RTÉ dressed the initiative up as a "€14 billion fund to  help young people to study in other European countries", its scope and aims have a far  wider reach. The preamble emphasizes the importance of cooperation between higher  education institutions and businesses, and apprenticeships are advocated as a means of  bridging the gap between knowledge acquired through education and the skills needed for  work. Such policies are casualizing young people's entry into the labour market, making  them grateful for the opportunity to work for nothing. If anyone was under the illusion that  the Irish government is the only authority to have focused on internship schemes such as JobBridge, they're wrong. It's an official EU policy line, designed to provide enterprises  with a free supply of highly qualified labour. It is not about young people upskilling  themselves. What is usually referred to as “labour mobility” in the media has now been  given the seemingly innocuous title “learning mobility” by the EU Parliament.

Seven Myths about the USSR
By Stephen Gowans

The Soviet Union was dissolved 22 years ago, on December 26, 1991.

It’s widely believed outside the former republics of the USSR that Soviet citizens fervently wished for this; that Stalin was hated as a vile despot; that the USSR’s socialist economy never worked; and that the citizens of the former Soviet Union prefer the life they have today under capitalist democracy to, what, in the fevered parlance of Western journalists, politicians and historians, was the repressive, dictatorial rule of a one-party state which presided over a sclerotic, creaky and unworkable socialist economy.

None of these beliefs is true.

Final declaration of the 18th WFDY

World Festival of Youth and Students

The 8000 of delegates of the 18th World Festival of Youth and Students who gathered from 88 countries in Quito, Ecuador, under the slogan “Youth united against imperialism, for the World of Peace, Solidarity and Social Transformation” declare the following:

We salute the people of Ecuador and its struggles; we express our solidarity in the struggle of the Ecuadorian people for popular conquests and radical social-political changes. With the support of the progressive and militant youth of Ecuador which in the past years have made important steps forward and achievements through its struggle through the process of the “Citizens Revolution” the international anti-imperialist youth movement constructed another important moment in the history of its organized struggle. We gathered in Latin America, a continent were the youth movement is steadily growing, once again for the biggest anti-imperialist youth event in the world to strengthen our common struggle towards our common goal: the overthrown of Imperialism..

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On the 46^th Anniversary of the Founding of the PFLP

On this, the 46th anniversary year of the founding of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Connolly Youth Movement wishes to send its fraternal greetings and congratulations to our comrades in Palestine fighting the Zionist occupation of their homelands.

From its founding in 1967 by George Habash, and throughout these past 46 years of its existence, the PFLP has remained steadfast in its resistance to perpetual Zionist aggression. Throughout its 46 years of struggle, the PFLP has continuously brought the plight of the people of Palestine to the attention of the whole world, and has defended those same courageous people with honour and dignity. During the massacre of innocent men, women and children in Gaza in November 2012, the PFLP, along with other groups, were to the fore in resisting Israel’s attacks, answering each bomb and missile in kind and showing the world that the Palestinian people will not simply lie down in the face of imperialist aggression, but will tenaciously defend themselves.

Further, the PFLP has always rejected the notion that there can be any settlement or ‘peace’ with the racist, apartheid state of Israel as long as it continues to occupy stolen Palestinian land, incarcerate millions of Palestinians in open-air prisons such as the Gaza strip, and refuse millions more Palestinian refugees the right to return to the lands and homes that were so brutally stolen from them upon the creation of the artificial Zionist state in 1948. The PFLP has consistently opposed the cul-de-sac of US-sponsored ‘peace talks’ with Israel, seeing them for what they are - mere distractions from the struggle for true freedom and democracy in Palestine. The fact remains that US imperialism was and is the driving force behind the Zionist state’s criminal acts in Palestine, and any so-called ‘peace’ brokered by such charlatans must be seen for the hypocritical sham it is.

Today, as we speak, the PFLP has several hundred members incarcerated by the Zionist state, among them the General Secretary of the Front, Comrade Ahmad Sa’adat. We call on the Zionist state to immediately release Comrade Sa’adat, along with all political prisoners and prisoners of war unjustly held in Zionist cages for the sole ‘crime’ of resisting the occupation of their lands.

On this, the 46^th anniversary year of the founding of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, we salute the martyrs Ghassan Khanafani, George Habash, Abu Ali Mustafa, and all those who have given their lives for the cause of freedom and socialism. We wish our comrades in the PFLP the greatest success and total victory in their struggle to build a single, democratic, egalitarian society in all of historic Palestine, where people of all religions and none can live in peace, with full economic and social freedom.

The death of Nelson Mandela

Statement by the Communist Party of Ireland
5 December 2013

The Communist Party of Ireland expresses its great sadness at the death of one of the great anti-colonial leaders of the late twentieth century, Nelson Mandela.

    Mandela was a towering and inspirational figure, a leader of the oppressed of South Africa and beyond. Together with other liberation leaders he was convicted in the Rivonia Trial, concerning two charges of sabotage, one under the Suppression of Communism Act and one under the General Law Amendment Act. Their arrest and trial provoked worldwide solidarity, with money being collected in Ireland and around the world in the early 1960s to be sent to the International Defence and Aid Fund to assist Mandela and the other liberation prisoners in their legal defence.
    At this moment it is important to acknowledge the major contribution made by working people around the world to Mandela's liberation.

    Despite spending decades incarcerated in apartheid prisons, he remained unbowed and unbroken. His walk to freedom, with his wife, Winnie Mandela, beside him, was a defining image of the late twentieth century. The white apartheid regime, which for decades nestled snugly under the protective wing of western governments, did not and could not break him or the people’s resistance.

    In one of his first speeches Mandela paid tribute to the unbreakable and unselfish solidarity given to the oppressed masses of South Africa by the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc, as against the inaction and active collaboration of almost all western government with the apartheid regime that incarcerated him for twenty-seven years. Mandela also paid tribute to the heroic Cuban internationalists who defeated the invading South African army on the battlefields of Angola, which marked the beginning of the end of apartheid South Africa. No doubt those same western governments will now heap false praise on this champion of human liberation, though they did nothing to help during his long incarceration.

    With his passing we also remember the thousands of ordinary citizens, both inside and outside South Africa, who campaigned for his release and for the imposition of sanctions on the apartheid regime but whose demands fell on deaf ears for many decades.
    With the death of Nelson Mandela humanity has lost a deeply humane and committed liberation leader. We salute him and all the great leaders and fighters who struggled, and those who are still struggling, for freedom and social liberation. The long walk to freedom still has many miles to go.  Statement ends

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United for Education!

Connolly Youth Movement supports the UCU, Unite and Unison university staff strike on the 3rd December and urges students to show solidarity with the strike by joining them on the picket line. University staff have seen their pay cut by 13% over the past 4 years while the cost of living has continued to rise. At the same time staff are being asked to undertake increasing workloads to the detriment of their health and teaching. Around 30% of staff are working over 50 hours a week and a large proportion of higher education institutions are using precarious zero hours contracts. At the same time over half of vice-chancellors are receiving salaries of over £242,000. The conditions imposed on university staff have a direct impact on students.

Overworked and underpaid staff's teaching ability is reduced and so the quality of education students receive mirrors the working conditions of those that teach them. This is happening at the same time as higher education tuition fees, and their associated debts, are dramatically increasing and educational grants decimated. Both students and university staff have a common struggle against austerity, the destruction of our education services, the rights of who those who work within it and young people's futures. We do not have to accept these conditions which have been thrust upon us by those who seek to profit from them. Through collective action workers and students can demand social change for a system that supports a decent standard of living for workers and an education system geared towards supporting students rather than market forces.

Open Letter of the KKE to the Communist and Workers’ Parties on the Anti-Communist Activity of Die Linke in the EU Parliament

Four pillars to build an alternative

"Now is the time that we woke up to this reality, that class warfare has been initiated against us by the imperialist powers, the capitalists and its class collaborators here in Ireland. It’s up to us, the youth of today to change the corrupt and debilitating policies of yesterday to begin building the nation of tomorrow!" (CYM new pamphlet "Permanent austerity or path to socialism").

Our programme The Connolly Youth Movement (CYM) is an all-Ireland socialist youth organisation supportive of the Communist Party of Ireland . . . (See more)

Our constitution “Membership shall be open to all young people between the ages of 14 to 30 who agree to this Constitution and the Programme of the CYM . . .” (See more)