Thursday, May 08, 2014

Ukraine: Defeat the neo-fascist attack of the Kiev Regime on the anti-Kiev resistance!



Residents gather to speak to Ukrainian soldiers at a checkpoint which they seized in the early morning in the village of Andreevka, 7 kms from the centre of the southern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, on May 2, 2014. (AFP Photo)
Residents gather to speak to Ukrainian soldiers at a checkpoint which they seized in the early morning in the village of Andreevka, 7 kms from the centre of the southern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk, on May 2, 2014. (AFP Photo)
 The Liaison Committee of Communists stands alongside Borotba and its call for an International Day of Solidarity against Fascism on 8 May (elsewhere on May 9th).

At the same time we have no confidence in Borotba’s program for self-defence against neo-fascism as independent of extreme pro-Russian forces. Proletarian anti-fascists must march and fight separately from petty bourgeois and bourgeois nationalists even while striking at neo-fascist forces.  

We oppose those on the left who see Russia as a degenerated workers state, a capitalist semi-colony, or a 'lesser evil' great power to the U.S. and EU, and therefore as a progressive force against Western imperialism and fascism. We have pointed out before that Russia is imperialist and is therefore driven in crisis to resort to fascism to smash the Russian working class.

We also oppose self-proclaimed Trotskyists who say that because there are neo-fascist elements on both sides in Ukraine we should support neither side in the war that is breaking out. Instead, therefore, projecting a picture of an idealised proletariat that does not exist in the real world, rather than the actual proletariat being subjected to bloody terror and one capable of choosing sides.

Because the two sides are not equal! It is clear that the ultra-right U.S./EU stooge bourgeoisie is in control in Kiev, and that the Maidan workers make no effort to stop its neo-fascist attacks on Eastern workers, while in the East the anti-regime workers are for unity with all Ukraine workers against the illegitimate Kiev regime and are not subordinated to the Russian xenophobes!

While Russian imperialism has a clear interest in the outcome of this struggle in Ukraine, its main interest is to prevent a war on its border that would jeopardise its economic investments in Ukraine. Therefore it collaborates with the NATO powers to prevent a proletarian revolution breaking out on its border that would
spread quickly into Russia. Its annexation of Crimea was an exception given its strategic position in Russia's defence against the encroachments of NATO. 

The key factor at the moment is that the Maidan forces are being led by the radical right/neo-fascists. The proletarian elements in the West are
supporting this illegitimate regime as it attacks the anti-Maidan forces as 'terrorists'. They look for excuses to blame the anti-Maidan forces for the killings in Odessa and towns under occupation. But they cannot hide the fact of deliberately planned provocations and open killings of unarmed protesters initiated by neo-fascist thugs of the Right Sector.

In the East while the anti-regime leadership includes extreme pro-Russian elements, there is a
popular majority to stay in Ukraine but against the Kiev regime. This is a clear proletarian class position that fights to defend a united Ukraine working class against a U.S./EU backed ultra-right regime with open fascists in top positions.

We support the demands for a referendum on self-determination taking the form of federalism aimed at protecting the national and cultural rights of those in the East from anti-Russian chauvinism and neo-fascist attacks. They take into account the rights of other minorities, and unlike the Crimea, do not force any minority into a secession or annexation by Russia.

In this situation of a neo-fascist Kiev regime attacking a mainly proletarian South East as 'terrorists' we are for a workers united anti-fascist front with NO political support to any ultra nationalist petty bourgeois or bourgeois forces siding with either imperialist bloc. 

At this point it seems that the big majority in the East are still for autonomy, or federalism, and not secession. They are for the unity of the Ukraine workers against the Kiev regime. Only a small minority are for joining Russia. However it will be difficult to hold to this position when workers in the West allow the army to invade the East with fascist shock troops. This will drive the workers in the East into the arms of pro-Russian fascists!

We can stop the split in the Ukrainian working class and the division of Ukraine only by taking a strong international stand in support of defence of  South and East Ukraine occupations, and calling on West Ukraine workers and peasants to rally to remove the Kiev regime and its neo-fascist forces.

We must call on the army conscripts attacking the East to turn their guns on the officers and neo-fascist militias!

NO political support to the white Russian or Slav xenophobes in the East attempting to incite secession to Russia!

For workers East and West to unite to build their councils and militias against the open fascists of the West and Russian xenophobes of the East!

For revolutionaries in the U.S., EU and Russian imperialist states fight the main enemy, the capitalist class at home!

For the ranks in the military to mutiny and turn their guns on the officers and the ruling class!

For a Workers and Peasants Government and a program of expropriation of capitalist property and a socialist plan!  For workers self-management!

For a Socialist Republic of Ukraine!

For a Socialist Federation of Eurasia!

For a new World Party of Socialism!



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