Afrin is the new Kobane, let us all defend it however we can

North Syria Federation
(credit: Editor abcdef, Wikimedia)
In yellow Afrin Region (canton)

Let's begin stating the obvious (but not so-obvious to many apparently):

1. Turkey has a fascist regime led by Hitler-loving and Islamo-Fascist extremist Tayyip Erdogan.

2. Russia and the USA are both capitalist (and thus imperialist) states: there is no monopolar imperialism, imperialism is by (Lenin's) definition the struggle of the various capitalist powers to control the world's resources and attempt to exert quasi-imperial or at least some relative hegemony over the rest. 

3. The SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces, organized around the Kurdish YPG/YPJ core) and the legitimate government of Syria (Baath, Assad) get along even if they clearly have different political projects: the former internationalist and Kurdish-centered, radically democratic and decidedly communist, the latter Arab nationalist (pan-Arabist), not so democratic (in spite of the reforms) and not so socialist (rather state-directed national capitalism). In spite of skirmishes and diverging international alliances this has been the case since the beginning, when the YPG coalesced as a Kurdish self-defense force.

Also maybe not-so-obvious to some may be the fact that Turkey has a huge army but that it is made up mainly of recruits, many of whom hate Erdogan (even by rigging the elections the Turkish neo-sultan only managed to get a narrow majority in parliament and needs the backing of the secular-fascists to stay in power). We have already seen in Ukraine how these conscription armies are very inefficient against motivated popular militias, notably when their commander regime is illegitimate and the war they are waging is as well. 

It is also important to underline that Syria has allowed massive YPG-SDF reinforcements to arrive to Afrin. And that Turkey is working with Islamist militias (roughly Al Qaeda and DAESH, just recently renamed again for PR reasons) just the same they used them as death squads in the brutal repression of the Bakur (North Kurdistan) uprising in 2014-15.

Both the USA and Russia court Turkey. The former want it to return to its former status of reliable ally (vassal) and thus are not taking active action in Afrin, where they are not present, but still signalling they won't retreat from Manbij or other lands of the Northern Syria Federation where they hold some military presence. The latter have snubbed their Syrian ally in regard to air protection of the canton of Afrin, as determined by truce agreements, because they clearly want Turkey to become yet another ally in the region, along with Iran (also anti-Kurdish) and Syria. The powers do not care about Afrin at all: they are interested mainly in the Bosporus Straits, which are Turkey's main asset, and secondarily in projection in the Fertile Crescent.

What's actually going on? 

As far as I can tell there has been heavy bombardment by Turkey of civilian towns, using chemical weapons in at least some cases, and even the destruction of a landmark historical ruin (a signature of Islamo-fascism) but on land Turkey and their allies have made only very limited gains. 

As of today Turkey has only occupied a hill on the border, hailed as a "great victory" by their propaganda machinery, of course. The initial attempts to take over the southeastern extension of the canton north of Aleppo failed, with many more casualties in the Islamo-Turkish camp than in the Kurdish Communist one.

However, let's face it, it's a David versus Goliath scenario in which, in spite of their bravery, the Kurds and allies (including as far as I know some internationalist units) have it very difficult. The same was true in Kobane and they prevailed though... on their own forces alone. 

I would expect that, as soon as the Spring arrives, the Kurdish forces north of the railroad (the official Syro-Turkish border is the old Baghdad railroad in most of its length) will initiate some sort of offensive, forcing the Turkish army to spread wide, but right now it is massively concentrated around the small territory of Afrin, the Mountain of Kurds.

  
Popular forces can win against all odds

But we have seen it before in Donbass and in Kobane: a motivated militia can certainly defeat a poorly motivated conscription army, never mind fascist mercenaries. Why do I "dare" to compare Donbass and Afrin: aren't ones in the side of Russia and the others in the side of the USA? The answer is "no": neither Russia nor the USA care much about their popular "allies", they

fear them in fact, precisely because they are democratic and popular, and only offer them very limited and conditional support at best. They are just forced to cooperate with them because of geostrategical reasons but always with the sight elsewhere: Kiev, the Bosporus, Latakia, etc. Who backs them is not important, what matters is that they are democratic and popular forces.

And I must say that it is most interesting that these great powers are being forced by circumstances, by the inefficiency of other more fascist or authoritarian approaches, to rely on these grassroots militias to some extent. It evidences that Lenin was right when he characterized Imperialism as a clash of oligarchic mafias on which we revolutionaries should not be too interested but rather on the possibility of making some revolutions in the cracks generated by this inter-imperialist struggle.These cracks are every day larger and democratic socialism is arising in them, not without difficulty but with perseverance and admirable toughness. 

And that's why we must help as much as we can to defend Afrin and denounce the Turco-Islamist criminal aggression: because it's not just the people of Afrin and the many thousands of refugees installed there, it's not just the right to self rule of the Kurdish and all other peoples, it is global revolution what is being fought there. Afrin is the linchpin of our hope for a better world, we can't just watch or ignore it.

Nationalism. How to overcome it?

Often people talk about nationalism with generalizing negativeness. For many people: one word equals one simple meaning, or at least that's how they use it. However the simple meaning attempted to convey is as subjective as the speaker. Let's try to clarify.

Since the 1930s and 40s, the word nationalism has become negatively loaded in English, while its synonym patriotism is instead preferred, as it conveys more positive connotations. This seems to come from the use in English journalism of the word "nationalist" to refer to fascists, notably Franco's, when actually he and his followers hated that word, which they associated with Basque and Catalan independentism, calling themselves nacionales, that is: nationals, without the "-ism". In Spanish it is the other way around: it is the word patriotism and its root patria (fatherland), which is loaded with negative connotations, precisely because Franco and his mind-slaves used and abused it, while nationalism has for many positive connotations, precisely because democrats and socialists used it with preference. It's all very capriciously loaded on 20th century historical accidents.

The Basque language case is different: Spanish borrowings follow the Spanish cultural rule but Basque lacked originally for any word for nation, let alone fatherland, different than herri (people or country). So back in the late 19th century, when the Arana brothers reinvented Basque Nationalism in terms that have gone mainstream, they also invented many neologisms of their own, quite arbitrary, thought, one of them being aberri (fatherland, from Sumerian and/or Semitic aba = father, in funny amateurish linguistic exercise¹). The derived word abertzale, now fully consolidated, would then translate as patriot but, as this term is seen as negative in the Iberian Peninsula, it is translated as nationalist instead This may sound odd for native English speakers but that's how the subjectivity of meanings go, depending on cultural specifics. Specifics that have a very shallow history in any case.

In addition to that fatherland and patriot have clear patriarchal connotations (they directly appeal to the father and the father's line), while nation and nationalist do not (they appeal to the place and community of birth instead: natio = birth). This may also weight for some in their choice of words and one can well argue that they are indeed more neutral etymologically speaking.

All these arbitrary, subjective and slippery concepts associated with words are not useful for the analysis I intend to make here. I will therefore consider patriotism and nationalism as the synonyms they actually are, and just use nation and nationalism, avoiding hence the patriarchal load of the word patriot.

Two types of nations and two types of nationalism

What is a nation? For many it has become synonym of an established state. However that's not the original meaning and is only a forced recycling imposed by those so-called nation-states in concert, particularly those who fear their own minority nations' rightful claims to sovereignty, to self-rule.

As I said before, nation comes from a Latin word natio, meaning birth. Traditionally and often also in modern speech it refers to a distinctive ethnic community (Greek: ἔθνος = nation). As nation and state were often dissociated in ancient times, at no time this concept meant state (Lat. res publica = public thing, the word state does come from Lat. status but with a modern evolution in meaning) nor polity (Greek: πόλις = city). Only with the invention of modern nationalism, which is the idea that state and nation should be the same, either by giving a state to each existing nation or by forcing all people in each state to be assimilated into the core nation (or sometimes even exterminated or expelled, i.e. various forms of genocide). 

We see in the very definition of nationalism that it has two contradictory implications. In fact this means that there are two types of nationalism: defensive nationalism, that of stateless nations striving for self-rule, possibly in the form of a new nation-state, and aggressive nationalism, that of states and its core nations, trying to absorb everybody in their boundaries into the core nation or even expel/mass-murder them. 

I will argue here that the categories are therefore:

1. People-nationalism: a nation is formed naturally (historically, ethnogenetically) and it deserves its own self-rule, sovereignty, independence and possibly state. 
2. Imperial-nationalism: a nation is only those that control a state and everybody who falls out of the line must be punished. This one has two variants:
1. Roman style: the outlier nations must be assimilated.
2. Racist style: the outlier nations must be exterminated and/or expelled.

Imperial nationalism is intrinsically genocidal, either in the "soft" cultural way or in the "hard" murderous one. To some extent every single established nation-state falls into this category. It may be latent but it is there and sooner than later it will become a problem. Even nations that have not yet achieved independence and that are therefore victims of others' imperial-nationalism face this reactionary risk if they ever manage to succeed in their legitimate fight for freedom. 

Of course people-nationalism is invariably legitimate, as long as the people-nation historically holds a territory. By this I mean that, for example, it does not apply to Israel, which is an artificial colony on other people's territory, i.e. falls into a sui-generis variant of imperial-nationalism of the racist and genocidal type, the worst type of all. 

But it can perfectly happen and does happen that a successful people-nationalism turns petty imperial-nationalism once statehood is achieved. For example the very legitimate Norwegian or Finnish nationalism, turns out as problematically genocidal, at the very least in the cultural way, towards the Sámi nation; the very legitimate Dutch or Portuguese nationalism turned out imperialist against African, American and Asian nations. 

I guess that's why many people dislikes the very concept of nationalism. However this stand is utterly naive and, almost invariably, turns out as accomplice of imperial-nationalism. 

The naivety of anti-nationalism

Anti-nationalism cannot exist. It can be, I guess, subjectively imagined but it is an error of concept. Nations do exist naturally (historically) and often come into conflict with other nations. You cannot just erase them, just like you cannot erase history, customs, languages, etc. Doing so could only be done by assimilation, always unfair for the new arrivals, into a larger nation. 

For example we may imagine a single unified Humankind that only speaks English and holds not anymore any customs, even the calendar may be redesigned to be religion-neutral, proclaiming next year as "year one" of Human Unification. However this would indistinct from an overwhelming success of English imperial-nationalism. Same thing, mutatis mutandi, if the chosen language is Chinese, Arabic or Spanish. One can be passionately humanist but one cannot be naive. It is almost impossible that an artificial language like Esperanto could succeed but, even in such case, it would still be loaded (Esperanto is heavily Latin and other Indoeuropean-based, not neutral at all). 

Anti-nationalism is therefore, as such, heavily utopian in concept and camouflaged imperial-nationalism in practice. In fact most anti-nationalists I know are just Spanish-nationalists with a very poor pretext and/or a most worrisome confusion. 

Democratic Confederalism as only real solution

The concept of Democratic Confederalism is a quite new one by that name, one proposed very creatively and wisely by Kurdish nationalists aiming to overcome this profound problematic. How? Going beyond the concept and praxis of the state, proclaiming in theory and practice the states obsolete and illegitimate: only the self-given democratic institutions of each community have real legitimacy but none of them is legitimate to interfere into the internal affairs of any other democratically self-ruled community. Common affairs will be taken care of via freely established confederate institutions.

The concept by that name may be new but we do have a historical model for something very similar to such solution in Switzerland. A model that, in general terms, has withstood the test of time, with a record longevity of almost 800 years, something that no other democratic polity can claim. It is a system that is not only based on very radical decentralization, even in its current more centralist form, not just for the cantons (states) but also for the municipalities, but also on a democracy that is far more real than that of any other state I know: with referendums being a regular way of establishing or challenging laws, something that in nearly every other democratic (?) country is rejected as chaos and anarchy, populism and what not! 

Switzerland is not a nation-state but a multi-national federation, exactly what we need at larger scale, world-wide even. 

Of course our Kurdish comrades go a step or two further but the basic idea is the same one. This is the only way out of the nationalist quagmire: one that respects, on democratic and confederal basis, the differences as something that makes us better, not that attempts to suppress everything and everyone that is different and wants to remain so. 

The issue is not being not-nationalist or anti-nationalist, that's just a stupid ill-thought or outright hypocritical stand, the issue is going beyond the state. The problem is not in the nation but in the state, whose greater or lesser lack of democracy is nothing but tyranny.

____________

¹ It was then en vogue for every other language to claim relatedness to Sumerian and Basque was no exception. There are two basic words in Basque vocabulary that have an ab(a)- root: one is apaiz (priest), which clearly evolves from romance for abbot, having in turn a recent Semitic (Hebrew) root aba=father; the other is "abere" (domestic animal or livestock) much older and quite possibly related to Sumerian "ab", meaning cow, as well as some other words scattered in West Asian vocabulary. In this case it's probably a very old Neolithic term and has nothing to do with the idea of "father" or "parent".

Curfew imposed on Northern Kurdistan capital of Diyarbakir

Several districts of the effective capital of Northern Kurdistan, Diyarbakir (known as Amed to Kurds), have been put under total curfew by the occupant power, Turkey. People has been forced to leave the area, while those who remain can't go out even to recover the bodies of their dead children.

The situation of North Kurdistan is everyday more similar to that of Palestine: discrimination and genocide under massive military occupation.

Turkey: hands off Kurdistan now!

In related news, several Basque, Valencian and Castilian internationalists, as well as Kurdish exile, were arrested yesterday by Spanish police under the accusation of trying to join Kurdish forces fighting for democracy and socialism. Spain, as usual, joins forces with Turkey and the Islamists against the will of the peoples.

Update (Jan 30): Grand Inquisitor¹ Eloy Velasco has declared the small party Refundación Comunista (Communist Refoundation) illegal for the next year for allegedly aiding the PKK, forcibly closing their sees in Madrid and Valencia. Most of the arrested have been set free but two, including the Kurdish one, have been sent to prison, a bail of 10,000 and 6000 euros respectively are demanded.

¹ Naturally I mean judge of the political tribunal Audiencia Nacional, infamous for all kind of political persecutions and also for aiding the impunity of politicians.

Thousands march for amnesty and return of Basque prisoners

Some 70 thousand people marched through Bilbao and Baiona this evening to demand the return of Basque political prisoners and amnesty. 

According to Naiz Info, 63,000 joined the demonstration in Bilbao, while some 8000 did at the twin one of Baiona.

Internationalist support was also present, with the flags of several nations of Europe and America, as well as the corresponding political delegations, also taking part.


Update (Jan 12): Rafael Tsavko published his own footage of the demo:

Egin newspaper's director, Jabier Salutregi, steps out of jail

Inquisition against Egin journalists

No matter what, the Spanish repression against the Basque People continues endlessly. Worse: some of those repressors like the infamous former superjudge Baltasar Garzón pretend to be on our side and even now and then manage to deceive a few people, like Julian Assange, who has him as attorney.

It was precisely Garzón who led the worst fascist repression against the Basque People since Franco. He was the one who executed the political cause 18/98 against Egin newspaper and related media (the radio Egin Irratia and the investigative journalism magazine Ardi Beltza, and later also its successor Kale Gorria), as well as the Joxemi Zumalabe Foundation.

Egin was a great newspaper, very especially in its latest years, when it had become a key source of alternative information available every morning in your neighborhood. Not only on local affairs but also had come to develop great international analysis, not anymore merely relying on press agencies and their unbearable bias. But the jewel of the crown was the investigative journalism that the newspaper growingly embraced, led by the Basque-Galician journalist Pepe Rei, who complementarily launched the magazine Ardi Beltza (Black Sheep), also closed by Garzón's fascist repression. 

The newspaper was so good that it was referential even in Madrid, as there was nothing else of its kind in all the state of Spain. I am persuaded that one of the main reasons to forcibly close this media was precisely that the investigative journalism they espoused threatened the status quo, largely based on mafia style corruption, which only recently has begun to be more publicly and formally denounced in Spain and Catalonia (but almost not yet in the Basque Country, Navarre excepted).

In 2009, eleven years after its forced closure, the Spanish tribunals ruled that the closure was illegal and unfounded. The damage was done however and the sentences against its journalists, even if reduced, still stood. 

One by one the repressed journalists have completed their sentences. Today Jabier Salutregi, the director of Egin, could finally walk out of jail, expressing his hope for the definitive end of political repression against the Basque People. 

Two other journalists are still behind bars: Karlos Trenor and Joxean Etxebarria. 

Political trial against internationalists

But the repression, no matter what we all hope, is far from ending. For example these days five Basque internationalists (one of them of German origin) are facing a political trial of exactly the same kind that brought Salutregi to jail. 

The Askapena Five

They and their long-lived internationalist association, Askapena (Liberation), are being accused, as usual, of being somehow related to the guerrilla ETA (in unilateral end of struggle since years ago). The accusation is being carried on by the state but also by far-right Spanish ultra-nationalist associations.

Zionist pirates assault the Freedom Flotilla

Again!

Once again the Zionist apartheid and genocide regime has reacted with piracy to the modest civic challenge posed by a bunch of boats loaded with humanitarian aid and lots of hope. The Marianne was assaulted overnight by Zionist troops in blatant act of piracy, as the ship was far in international waters, some 100 miles from the coast.

The Marianne, loaded with solar panels and medicines, and carrying, among others Bassel Ghattas (Knesset member), Moncef Marzouki (former President of Tunisia) and Ana Miranda (European MP), was not just searched but actually kidnapped by the Zionist forces and brought to the port of Ashdod. It is unclear at this point if there are any victims.

While it has been reported that the other four ships may have turned back their course, the information is yet unclear. 

Rallies have been called in many cities in protest for this aggression. 

Sources: Russia Today, Rumbo a Gaza[es].

Where is NATO when you need them?

Nowhere to be seen if the aggressor is Israel. As happened with the Mavi Marmara, which was technically Turkish soil, the Zionist act of piracy tonight is again an attack against NATO members. Yet NATO just sits back and laughs. 

Important blow against Fascist-Islamist Erdogan in Turkish elections

A victim of anti-HDP terrorist attacks votes in spite of all

The good news are two: on one side the theocratic reactionary AKP of Erdogan has lost the majority and won't be able to reform the constitution in favor of his theocratic ideals, on the other side the leftist internationalist People's Democratic Party (HDP), which gathers Kurdish and Turkish activists alike and the only party presenting a truly progressive program, has breached the extremely high 10% threshold and reached 13% of the vote, rallying many people, particularly in the ethnic-Turkish areas, that would have otherwise not voted or maybe picked up the lesser evil of the Kemalists (CHP), who in this poll gathered 25% of the vote.

The bad news are that the other fascist party, the ultra-nationalist MHP (whose youth or militant branch are the feared Grey Wolves: your usual bonehead nazis in Turkish version), becomes third force with 16%. It is very possible that both fascist parties form a government coalition, which will mean no significant change in the extremist policies that Turkey is prosecuting both inside and outside its borders in the last times. 

The results in terms of seats in the Grand National Assembly are:

• AKP: 255 (-72)
• CHP: 135 (=)
• MHP: 82 (+29)
• HDP: 80 (+51, compared with 29 Kurdish nationalist delegates who joined the party after its formation but were elected as independents).

Overall it is a notable turn to the left by 51 seats (almost 10% of the Assembly) but there is obviously a long way to go yet. 

In any case I have to congratulate the HDP comrades for their notable success and for opening the door of hope in the Turkish state. Themselves see this breakthrought as a first step for maybe even victory in the upcoming elections.

Main data source: Naiz Info[es].


Update (Jun 12): HDP performance by geography

Results obtained by Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) by province.
     0-10%        10-20%        20-30%        30-40%        40-50%        50-60%        60-70%        70-80%        80-90%

While the support obtained by the HDP outside Kurdistan was important, notably in Istanbul, Izmir and Cilicia, as well as in the Alevi (crypto-Armenian) province of Tunceli, it is apparent that most ethnic Turkish voters remained cautious about it preferring other opposition choices such as the CHP (mostly in the West) and MHP (mostly in the interior).

I find intriguing the high support for the HDP in the provinces bordering Armenia that are not usually considered to dominated by the Kurdish ethnicity: Kars, Ardahan and even Erzurum. It seems apparent that other ethnic groups, be them Azeris or crypto-Armenians (whose actual numbers are not really known) or even Turks have decided it was their party of choice.

The support for the HDP in Turkey proper was clearly concentrated in the most progressive urban provinces, where the popular uprisings against Erdogan have been strongest.

See other maps at Wikipedia. The AKP still commands strong support in rural Anatolia, being also the only Turkish nationalist party with some serious presence in Kurdistan itself.


Update (June 12): S. Demirtas (HDP) calls for a radical democracy.

Relevant post-election article by the hand of the Turkish co-leader of the HDP at LINKS International.

The introduction (by LINKS) underlines that the HDP got all seats in six Kurdish provinces, as well as eleven seats (out of 88) in Istanbul (the largest West Eurasian city and the fifth largest on Earth), that 40% of its MPs are women and that it fielded the only openly gay candidate, as well as many members of ethnic minorities (not just Kurds, also Yezidis, Armenians and Assyrians).

Demirtas speaks for democracy, transparency, peace, tolerance and respect, freedom, ecology,  education, a greater role for youth and women and worker class organization. In this sense he promises the setting up of "people's assemblies" and other popular organisms to control the state and force the fascist hand of Erdogan.

Gaza Open Port: new Freedom Flotilla to challenge the genocidal siege

A new Freedom Flotilla aims to open the waters of Gaza and challenge the genocidal siege imposed by Zionists and its reactionary Arab allies (Egypt particularly). The first President of Tunisia after the 2011 Revolution, Moncef Marzouki, has announced he will be there. He's obviously not the only one, artists of international renown such as Manu Chao or Xabier Muguruza are also supporting the initiative. 

The list of members of the 2015 Freedom Flotilla is:

Canadian Boat to Gaza – Canadá
European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza
Freedom Flotilla Italy
Gaza’s Ark
IHH – Turquía
International Committee for Breaking the Siege on Gaza (ICBSG)
Rumbo a Gaza – Spain
Ship to Gaza Greece
Ship to Gaza Norway
Ship to Gaza Sweden

Other collaborators:

 

Lifeline to Gaza – Jordan
Miles of Smiles
Palestine Solidatiry Alliance – South Africa

Ukraine: Fascists flee as Militias march on Mariupol

The Fascist troops that occupied the harbor town of Mariupol, south of Donetsk, have evacuated the city as the Militias march decidely against them, fleeing towards the west (Zaporozhie and Mangushev).

Source: EHDEK[es], Novorus.info[ru]

Other news from Ukraine:

→ Nazi prisoners paraded in Donetsk (videos and photo-slide)

→ Interview with Borotba activist fighting in Donbass (in Spanish)

→ Communication of the Internationalist Spanish "Carlos Palomino" Brigade (in Spanish)

→ Interview with a member of the aforementioned Brigade (in Spanish)

→ Interview with French internationalists in Donbass (in Spanish)

Also solidarity with Palestine and Donbass in the fiestas of my hometown Bilbao (source):

Peoples resist through the destruction of the media blockade!

Ukraine: Junta offensive fails, Transcarpathia to secede

The latest offensive of the Kiev Junta against the Eastern Antifascists seems to be failing (again). The attack, which has managed to cut Donetsk from its ally Lugansk is finding major resistance and the route between both cities is expected to be reopened soon, simplifying the front and liberating militias for the other fronts.

Meanwhile the Militia has stopped Fascist attacks from the South near Shkatersk and Saur-Mogily. Kiev acknowledges the loss of seven cargo airplanes. Hundreds of Ukrainian troops have deserted (again) and crossed the border with Russia.

The military situation is still complicated but the moral of the Militia is high and their capacity to repel the Fascist aggression admirable. Instead in the other side of the front line the moral is almost zero, with most soldiers being forced recruits, used as slave cannon fodder between the rebel lines and the Nazi death squads.

The war report underlines that, while the Junta could have best exploited its success in Slavyansk by slowly besieging the rebel core and punishing it with artillery and bombings, they decided to launch a "decisive" attack, attack which was stopped on its heels by the Militia, by defeating a column of not less than 250 tanks.

With most forces trapped in protracted battles in Gorlovka and Debaltsevo, as well as suffering rebel counter-attacks in Popasnoye and Depreradovka, the Junta was unable to transfer troops to the Southern front, which has remained static.

In the Lugansk front also the Militia was able to impede the Fascist attack against the key town of Novosvetlovka, a road knot, inflicting severe casualties to the attackers as well as capturing many soldiers.

In Krasnodon the combat has resolved in favor of the Militia, which is annihilating the last Border Guards. The Militia's positions were improved also at Georgievka and Cheluskinets, keeping the airport's blockade.

Other areas however remain unstable.

Time plays against Kiev

I suspect that the, probably misguided, urgency that the Kievan Junta displays is caused by the ultimatum which hangs over their heads: defeat the rebels before September or lose NATO's support. I can't be sure how real or exact is this threat but it has been rumored since months ago.

One thing is clear: if the conflict remains open in winter, when not just Ukraine but much of Europe is highly dependent on Russian gas supplies, the situation may become extremely complicated, not just for a Kievan regime unable to guarantee warmth to its citizens but also for the European states that support it.

New rebels in the West

While the Ukrainian Nazis have their main support base in Galitzia (formerly Poland), there is a Western region that has remained clear of them: Transcarpathia. This oblast, once part of Czechoslovakia and earlier of Hungary, is populated by Rusines (an Ukrainian subpopulation) and Hungarians and has denied the Ukrainian Far Right their vote repeatedly, supporting instead the Party of the Regions and other Center-Left options.

It seems that, in spite of being far from Russia, Transcarpathia has also begun its own secessionist process and hopes to open a "second front" against the Fascist Junta in Kiev. Apparently the details are being ultimated right now and the rebellion may soon be in the news - if not censored by the so called "free media" of the Western oligarchs.

This, together with the failure in the Eastern Front and the well known discontent throughout the country with the Fascist Regime, may well end up with the masquerade. I hope it does at least.

Source: Euskal Herria Donbas Elkartasun Komitea[es] (link 1, link 2)

Spanish internationalists explain the situation in Donbass

Two Spanish volunteers who have joined the Donbass militias attempt in poor English to transmit their vision of what is happening in Eastern Ukraine in the following video:

Source: Brigadas Internacionales en Donbass (YouTube channel)

Solidarity convoy breaks Zionist blockade of Gaza

A solidarity convoy sponsored by Algeria and Jordan has managed to breach the cruel blockade that the Zionist Apartheid and Genocide Regime in Palestine, with the necessary collaboration of Egypt, holds against the largest ghetto on Earth today. 

The convoy, named Miles of Smiles 27, arrived with $2 million worth of medical equipment and medicines. 25 humanitarian activists managed to enter with it as well. 

On January the Egyptian military authorities denied entry to the convoy. Egypt has been crucial, no matter who was in power, for the strangling of Gaza Strip. If Egypt would just open the border and denounce the infamous agreements with the Zionist Regime, things would be very different, not just in Gaza but all the region. 

In this case the pretext was that the solidarity convoy was arguably sponsored by the Muslim Brotherhood but, whatever the case, Egypt is doing all the time what the Zionists demand from it, be it under Militarist or Islamist regimes.

In this case it seems that it was the active diplomacy of the organizers what eventually bended the arm of the Egyptian gatekeeper. When is Egypt going to take an active stand on the issue of Gaza or at the very least allow trade and relief to freely cross the border?

Iconoclastic Xmas

I despise Christmas with its stinky mixture of Patriarchal pseudo-religious word-idolatric ritualistic dogma and Capitalist commercial consumerist brainwashing in the prostituted name of peace, love and whatnot. 

Truly I feel much like this FEMEN activist who had the gills to interrupt the pitiful decadent Christian ritual with such an obvious Pantheistic slogan:

But what really motivated me to write this Xmas entry was this excellent postcard by graffiti artist Banksy, which says it all:

After all Palestinians are the real descendants of the protagonists of the Bible and their situation today is much worse than under Herod and Pilate. Possibly even worse than under the Roman genocide.

Somehow related in the Xmas knot is this other American Gestapo story which also illustrates how undercover fascist is the Imperial regime we live under. The FBI investigated the classical Christmas film "It's a Wonderful Life!", full of "honest capitalism" propaganda and religious magic because it depicts a powerful banker for what they are: greedy and evil. 

The screenwriters Francis Goodrich and Albert Hackett were accused in the report of being crypto-Communists. As evidence of such tendency, having lunch with other screenwriters claimed to be Communists was apparently enough. Also some details of the plot (the suicide attempt scene) have vague parallels in a Soviet movie.

So that's what your taxes and tributes to the Empire are wasted in: protecting Scrooge from being shown as he really is.

Sources: Webguerrillero[es] (link 1, link 2) and The Daily Mail for the American Gestapo story.

Basque Country: one arrested on Burger King protests

One person has been arrested today in Iruñea-Pamplona (Navarre) accused of "coercion" in a Burger King restaurant. The exact details are not known yet but the junk food facility has been the target of many anti-Imperialist and anti-Capitalist protests as of late. 

Source: Ateak Ireki[es].

Widespread protests and direct actions against Nazi impunity in Greece

Many protests have taken place in all Europe in repulse of the murder of rapper Killah P by a Nazi terrorist in Piraeus this week. Some of them in brief:

Zaragoza (→Madriz Rebelde[es]):

Dublin (→El Norte de Irlanda[es]):

Bilbao (→Sare Antifaxista[es], Naiz Info[es]):

Baiona (→Vegan Pays Basque[fr]):

In Greece the protests have taken a more direct slant:

In Ioanina, the demo was called an intervention, as it marched through the area of Kardamitsia, which has become a breeding ground for the Nazis, who recruit youths in that area mostly, sending them to the center of the city to spray Nazi slogans or even start fights with the antifascists, in some cases even pulling out knives. 

“Neither in Kardamitsia, nor anywhere – Bash the fash in every neighbourhood”

The 60-strong antifascist march chanted anti-Nazi slogans, spammed thousands of leaflets and scratched the homes and body-building gyms of the Nazis in the neighborhood. The cowards did not show up. 

→ Contra Info.

In Karditsa, a dozens marched spontaneously after an open air film screening. They went to the local GD office and encountered four Nazis, who attempted to bully the demo out. As result one of them was beaten and the other three run away in panic. 

→ Contra Info.

In Thessaloniki, an antifascist cell attacked the cafeteria Astoria, owned and frequented by the Nazis. 

→ Contra Info.

In Messollogi Golden Down offices were torched with petrol bombs.

→ FTGS.

These are just some of the many antifascist activities which took place these days in Europe, I just don't know of most of them. Keep it up! Zero tolerance against fascism!


Update: more anti-Nazi actions in Greece:

In Epirus' capital Ioanina, it seems that the previously reported march was just an aperitif: Kimonas Potsis, said to be "a minion" of Christos Pappas a notorious Nazi MP, was spotted along with other two Nazis in an anti-fascist hangout, beaten, kicked and expelled from the café. Soon after, another member of his cell was beaten again in the streets and sent to hospital.

→ Contra Info.

In Patras some 120 people took part in an antifascist demo on motorbike that lasted an hour.

→ Contra Info.

In Cephalonia, an antifascist gathering evolved into a direct action of paint-throwing against the local Nazi see. When one of the Nazis inside used a water hose against them, the throwing became one of rocks.

→ Contra Info.

In Kavala a 500-strong antifascist demo marched through the city. Those present denounced that no SYRIZA member showed up.

“Your democracy stinks fascism. Antifa means attack”

→ Contra Info.

In the popular Exarchia neighborhood of Athens, a police bus was torched, allegedly in response to the murder of Killah P by Nazis with police complicity. The police occupants managed to get away unharmed... this time.

→ Contra Info.


Also it has been reported in the news that Golden Dawn has closed its office in Ierapetra, Crete, fearing attacks. They have moved the whole see to Heraklion, the island's capital.

→ FTGS.



More solidarity protests through Europe:

Marseilles:

Lyon:

Paris:

Donostia (San Sebastian):

Valencia:

Madrid:

Seville:

 

London:

Manchester:

Portsmouth:

Naples:

Amsterdam:

Stockholm:

Berlin:

Köln:

Source (for all the locations above): Madriz Antifascista[es].


Update: some 5000 people marched in Kerazin (Athens) chanting anti-Nazi slogans and clashed violently with police when these tried to repress them.

→ Webguerrillero[es].

Garzón exposed as torturer in Argentina

Garzón leaving the building by a backdoor

Former Spanish super-judge Baltasar Garzón, diffusely popular in some international circles for his mediatic (but totally inefficient) attempts to judge some international criminals like Pinochet or G.W. Bush, and nowadays also attorney of the beleaguered research journalist Julian Assange, was exposed in an Argentine radio show for what he actually is: a chief torturer and repressor with a big ego.

As he was being interviewed in Radio Nacional of Argentina, when he dared to make mention to Andalusian poet and victim of fascism Federico García Lorca, members of the public booed him saying that he is in fact "a repressor of Basque fighters". One of them stated:

It is a shame that you come here to talk of human rights when you have doomed to systematic torture and tens of years of prison to popular fighters for the only reason of being independentist. 

Other members of the public showed photos of Unai Romano (a notorious victim of Spanish systematic torture practices, hidden and allowed by Garzón and other political judges) as well as Basque flags. The protest continued then outside the radio station for hours. The fake human rights' hero had to be escorted by police under popular boos.

Source: Gara[es].


Update (Sep 22): BDG! has today an article[es] on this issue with a deep analysis from Argentina denouncing the falsehood and deep hypocrisy of Garzón.

He is not only accused of torturing and violating the human rights of Basque activists, as well as Galicians, Catalans, Arabs, etc. from his all-powerful seat as judge of the Audiencia Nacional (tribunal of fascist creation for political cases). He was key in implementing the doctrine of "all is ETA", by which hundreds of peaceful activists were suddenly "upgraded" to "terrorists", by which two newspapers, several magazines and at least one radio station were closed overnight (many years later acquitted but the damage was already done), imprisoning and torturing some of their journalists.

But he is also an accomplice of fascist terror: he personally invalidated the demand by human rights organizations in representation of more than 152,000 victims of fascist terror in Spain.

In Latin America he has also been a paladin of fascist terror, being advisor to Colombian presidents, first Uribe, now Santos, being key in the impediments to persecuting military terrorists in the South American country. In Venezuela instead he supported the putschist media RCTV when it lost its license. Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodríguez called him "a clown who came to our country to give lessons of democracy", a "pro-imperialist judge" who "came here paid and salaried to say what the Venezuelan opposition want to hear".

Assange, Ecuador: you should know who placed the mics in the embassy by now. Get rid of that fascist!

Aboriginal "freedom flotilla" risking all for bringing solidarity to West Papuans

West Papua is occupied by Indonesia since soon after independence. While the agreement of independence of Indonesia placed West Papua still under provisional Dutch control, the newborn Malay state soon managed to annex West Papua, which has no Malay native population, just as they did with East Timor, then under Portuguese control. The USA and UN were instrumental in this undemocratic transaction.

A new imperialism replaced the old one. 

Since then low intensity guerrilla has existed in West Papua. The deposition of Suharto, that allowed East Timor to break free, saw no significant change in the conflict of West Papua, still oppressed by Indonesian imperialism, which is speeding up the colonization of the island by ethnic Malays.

Australian, Papuan and Melanesian activists, most of them Aboriginal, set sail yesterday from Cairns in what is an act of cultural-political defiance to Indonesian oppression, described as Aboriginal cultural exchange. 

Indonesia has denied visa or authorization for the boat to sail in its waters and the participants acknowledge that they could even been shot down by the Navy. More likely is that they get arrested and jailed for years. That's what happened to several Australians who entered West Papua years ago without visa. 

Source: The Guardian.

Basque internationalist arrested in Palestine

Igor Goikolea was arrested by Zionist forces in the town of Ma'Sara (or Al-Masara). In the previous days two other European internationalists (with French and Italian passports) were also arrested in that same town and expelled from the territories under control of the Apartheid regime.

A protest has been called for Monday in his hometown of Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Video of one of the arrests:

Sources: Naiz Info[es], Askapena[eu/es], Borroka Garaia Da![eu].

Occitania: march in Avignon against Zionist corporation Mehadrin

From Electronic Intifada (emphasis mine):

More than 500 people demonstrated in the French city of Avignon on Saturday as part of a extraordinary mobilization against Mehadrin, the major Israeli agricultural export company that operates inside illegal Israeli settlements and is deeply involved in the ongoing colonization of Palestinian land. 

At least 350 people then marched the 14 kilometers from Avignon to Mehadrin’s French headquarters in the small town of Chateurenard (video here). As they passed over a major bridge near Avignon, the huge crowd chanted: “Sur le pont d’Avignon, on boycotte, on boycotte! Mehadrin, Mehadrin, on boycotte, on boycotte!” — a play on the famous French nursery ryhme about Avignon. 

The march finished with a rally outside Mehadrin’s warehouses where tents bearing the names of Palestinian villages were erected in tribute to Palestinian resistance and an audio recording of a speech by Palestinian Farmers Union executive director Dawood Hamoudeh was played. Dozens of police surrounded Mehadrin’s warehouses to prevent activists from getting too close to them. Activists from more than twelve cities across France joined the mobilization. 

Mehadrin is increasingly under fire as the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement works to expose how it operates farms in illegal Israeli settlements using stolen Palestinian water, exploits Palestinian workers and helps tighten Israel’s grip on occupied land. Mehadrin operates the Jaffa brand of fruit and exports its produce to supermarkets throughout Europe. 

The march was heralded by activists as a successful first step in pressuring major French supermarkets not to stock Mehadrin goods and to create mass public awareness about the importance of boycotting Israeli products. 
The French BDS movement played a leading role in the campaign against Agrexco, a company that used to be Israel’s largest agricultural company before it entered liquidation in 2011.

There is a second part to this article under it, scroll down.

Hundreds of thousands march against Monsanto across the World

The marches against the criminal Big Pharma mafia have walked through cities in 40 states: from South Africa to Japan, from Europe to America and Australia.

Tokyo:



Sydney:

Melbourne:

Nottingham:

Córdoba:

Etc.

Sources[es]: Webguerrillero, TeleSur.