Message of Greeting of the Iraqi Communist Party to the 13th National Congress of the SACP
Dear Comrades,
We convey the warmest greetings of Iraqi Communists to the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of South Africa, wishing its deliberations every success. We are confident that this Congress will be another landmark along the path of consolidating the role and capacity of the fraternal SACP, as the party of the working class, enhancing its presence and influence in South African society, developing mass struggles and confidently facing the challenges ahead.
On this occasion, we salute your partys consistent and resolute defence of the interests and democratic rights of the working class and people of South African. In this respect, your role in strengthening the unity of the trade union movement, as well as among the youth through the YCL, provide an inspiring example for communists in other countries.
Your 13th National Congress will also contribute to developing united action of progressive forces in South Africa and further develop the fight against neo-liberalism and imperialist schemes, as well as promoting socialist ideas and goals. This is especially important in the present climate of the deepening global crisis of capitalist economy. It is closely interconnected with strengthening international solidarity against the warmongering policies of imperialism, and the need to provide genuine support for ongoing struggles all over the world for peace, freedom, democracy and social progress.
Dear Comrades,
We seize this opportunity to express our gratitude for your fraternal partys internationalist solidarity with Iraqi Communists, democrats and people. Your greetings message has been warmly received by more than 260 delegates to the 9th National Congress of our party that has been recently held (8-13 May 2012).
Iraqi Communists, together with democratic forces, are continuing their struggle, in difficult and complex conditions, to eliminate the legacy of dictatorship and occupation, defeat terrorism and sectarianism, regain full national sovereignty and independence, and build a unified democratic and federal Iraq. This is taking place in a climate of intensified conflict over the future of the Iraqi state and the form of its political economic - social system.
The withdrawal of American forces, completed by the end of 2011, was an important step along the path of regaining full national sovereignty and independence. It was a result of a unified popular stance and a national consensus. Our party rejected all attempts to maintain foreign military presence on Iraqi territories, under any pretext or title, including military training.
The continuing political crisis in Iraq, since the elections in March 2010, has opened the door for increased interference by external forces, especially the US and regional powers. It has exposed, once again, the real agenda of ruling and influential political groups; to maintain their positions and privileges, while the suffering and anger of the people is mounting, with rampant unemployment, corruption and poor public services, health, education and housing. Iraqi Communists have called for early elections as a peaceful and constitutional way out of the current crisis, coupled with amending the anti-democratic Election Law and reconstituting the Electoral Commission which was set up on sectarian-ethnic basis to serve the ruling blocs. The Communists have also called for a National Congress to address the root-causes of the crisis and to end sectarian politics.
In line with this policy, our Party has supported the mass popular protests calling for radical reform, with active participation of youth movements, exposing the anti-democratic policies of the rulers and the deepening crisis and bankruptcy of the sectarian-ethnic power-sharing system. It has also called for effective response to the scourge of corruption that is alarmingly rampant in the country. We have strongly condemned the interference by government authorities in the affairs of trade unions, associations and civil society organizations.
Our party is determined to continue its initiatives to achieve unity in action of the democratic forces, and to transform the Democratic Current (launched in Baghdad in October 2011) into an effective principal force in the ongoing intensified struggle over the future of Iraq. This vision requires greater efforts to involve the trade union movement and democratic organizations, especially those of women, youth, students and other civil society organizations, in mass struggles to defend human and democratic rights of workers and people.
Dear Comrades,
No country in the Middle East has been immune to the impact of the storms of change that have swept the region, although each country has its own particulars and details.
The peoples of Tunisia and Egypt have achieved major successes in their quest for salvation from their regimes of tyranny and oppression. We also witnessed the collapse of Gaddafis dictatorial regime in Libya. Other peoples in our region have also marched along the path of freedom, democracy and social justice, to ensure a decent living and respect of human rights. The region has witnessed a wave of demonstrations and protests, and other forms of mass action, in order to achieve these goals.
There is no doubt that the popular mass action and uprisings were not in isolation from the crises caused by the policies of economic "openness" and neo-liberalism, and the running of the economy according to the recipes of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which have produced the phenomena of polarization of wealth, the marginalization of millions of people, the spread of unemployment and deteriorating living conditions.
Utmost vigilance is required towards the schemes of imperialist, Zionist and reactionary quarters which aim to sabotage the revolutionary upsurge of Arab peoples. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to reject and resist all attempts by US imperialism and its allies, through NATO or other means, to instigate wars and military intervention to achieve hegemony and subjugate peoples to their designs.
Dear Comrades,
Despite the enormous challenges that lie ahead, the Iraqi Communist Party will continue to strengthen internationalist ties and relations with all peace-loving, progressive and democratic forces and movements in the world, in the joint struggle for freedom, democracy, social progress, and socialism.
We look forward to strengthening and developing the warm internationalist ties of between our party and the SACP.
With our best wishes for a successful 13th National Congress of the SACP
The Central Committee
Iraqi Communist Party
10 July 2012
