Greece: they are afraid of us! Action committees everywhere!

This leaflet
was issued as part of the intervention of the Greek Marxists of
Marxistiki Foni in the demonstrations over the weekend. We publish it
here in English for the benefit of our readers.

Syntagma Square, May 26. Photo: linmtheu.We
are proud to say that our comrades in Greece were the only organization
of the Greek Left that participated in the movement from the very
beginning and has been intervening every day in the movement defending
Marxist ideas. The Greek Marxists are participating in the movement, not
only in Athens but also in Patras, Iraklion, Thessalonika, Komotini,
Rhodes.

They are present in Syntagma Square and have addressed the
Popular Assembly, despite the difficulties arising from the somewhat
chaotic way in which the assemblies is organized. They have also
experienced some attacks from some ultra right elements (possibly police
agents) but have been protected by the Syanspismos party rank and file
members. One of the leading Synaspismos trade union activists said to a
member of Marxistiki Foni on Friday : "You little kids have saved the
honour of the Left!"

The following is the Manifesto of the Greek Marxists:

THEY ARE AFRAID OF US! ACTION COMMITTEES EVERYWHERE!

The
mass movement in the squares of major cities have sowed terror in the
government, the directors of IMF/EU and the ruling class. In order to
blackmail and terrorize the revolutionized population, they talk about
the ‘bogeyman’ of bankruptcy and the return to the drachma, and they
“foresee” that if people do not capitulate, voluntarily accepting the
driving down of their standard of living for the sake of the
moneylenders and loan sharks, then it will mean that the Greek workers
will “return to the Stone Age!” (27/05/11, Real FM, Mr G. Alogoskoufis,
ex Minister of Finance)

In a desperate effort to slow down the
workers’ movement, they organized a meeting of political leaders, trying
to send a message of “national unity” on the basis of the austerity
program and of cuts without end. But the avalanche of popular discontent
forces the leadership of New Democracy, who are also guilty of crimes
against the workers, to hesitate before accepting governmental
responsibilities, fearing that they will be soon "burnt out", and
useless as a reserve government for the capitalists.

The complete
absence of the organized political forces of the Left movement is
unacceptable and damaging in every way. The Left leaders – unlike the
thousands of ordinary activists of the Left – during all these days when
the movement was born in the squares, are playing the role of
observers, fearful of the movement of the masses.

In an attempt to
justify politically their absence from the movement, they call for
certificates of “maturity” saying cynically that this movement will
"deflate" (the leadership of the Communist Party), or they agree with
the apolitical nature of  some protestors who called for this protest on
the internet but are afraid to openly assert political positions
intervening creatively in the movement (the leaders of SYRIZA), while
the sectarians, basing themselves on isolated incidents with a few
protestors holding the Greek flag, characterize the movement as
“nationalist” and "reactionary"!

However, the movement in the
squares developed as a genuine movement of the broad masses and this
awakening, in addition to its anger and militancy, naturally carries as
“baggage” all the political and ideological prejudices on which they
have been nurtured during the previous period (political confusion,
negative opinions of all parties, patriotic illusions). It is through
participation in the movement itself that the masses will learn through
living experience not to trust the patriotic tales of the bourgeoisie
and their politicians. They will seek deeper answers to the ills of
capitalism and the current first phase of the "inter-class” moods of
revolt and the lack of specific political demands will be overcome. The
movement will start to get clear class and acquire political
characteristics.

Already the movement is beginning to realize its
power. The thousands who gathered understand that they are the most
decisive factor in the political developments. But as we have already
stressed, the occupation of large squares of cities by thousands of
angry people is not enough. We need to make an organized, tactful but
decisive contribution to the working class struggle. What is required
are the historically developed weapons of struggle for social change;
well-organised and united strikes and general strikes, powerful
demonstrations, occupations of factories and workplaces and above all
the revolutionary ideas and programme of Marxism. Only through the
development of revolutionary political subjective factor will the
movement end in victory.

All out on the streets against the united bandits of Capital and their lackeys!

1. Set
   up action committees in neighbourhoods and workplaces which will be
   accountable to the general meetings and coordinated nationwide.
2.  For
   a 48-hour general strike next week, with its key demands as follows:
   the cessation of payment of loan sharks and moneylenders; use the vast
   amounts of the sinking funds to raise the living standards of working
   people and address poverty and unemployment; the immediate cancellation
   of the new government cuts; and the return of the rights and benefits
   uprooted by the EU/IMF and the government.
3.  If the government
   remaining adamant, the struggle should be transformed into an indefinite
   general strike for the fall of the government and the election of a new
   one which will be committed to implement a program to benefit the
   working majority.
4. The only permanent alternative to the slavery
   and injustice of capitalism is the struggle to establish a socialist
   planned economy and a state that is democratically controlled by the
   working class and the poor of towns and countryside. For the election of
   a government of the Left (SYRIZA, Communist Party and other leftist
   trends and collectives), which will be based upon the democratic
   institutions of the people and will implement a programme which will
   break the "chain" of capitalism and start the process of building the
   United Socialist States of Europe and the world.

Signed: Μarxistiki Foni