Successful I. Congress of the International Antiimperialist League
A resounding blow to imperialism! Over 150 anti-imperialists, representing more than 50 delegations from 14 countries and all continents, gathered for an act of unity to found the International Antiimperialist League (IAIL) at its First Congress. This event has been a tremendous triumph for the antiimperialist cause, giving life to an international force that strengthens the unity and struggle of oppressed peoples in their fight against the common enemy: imperialism.
The holding of this Congress was an act of determination and a direct challenge to imperialism, in the midst of the intensification of class struggle and the imperialist assault on the Ecuadorian people. With curfews and increasingly violent attacks on revolutionary and democratic organizations, repression has escalated in recent weeks, forcing a change of location for the event. In just one week, the comrades organized the maneuver, relocating the Congress to Colombia in a record time. Right under the imperialist nose, in a context of intense class struggle and war, the Congress was successfully held, demonstrating that nothing can stop the struggle of oppressed peoples. This event was not only a success but a clear message that the new organization will be born and thrive in battle, just as the times we are living demand.
The antiimperialist and internationalist spirit has been evident throughout the several interventions and greetings from the organizations present. However, what really characterized this I. Congress was the lively political and ideological struggle. For three days, debates have been central, described as “very positive” since “a greater and stronger unity” has been achieved among the participants of the Congress, establishing a common understanding of the immediate tasks of the recently founded International Antiimperialist League.
We hereby share a report and images on the development of this important event.
First Day: Greetings and an internationalist spirit
The first day was dedicated to the greetings of the different organizations. The great importance of this I. Congress of the International Antiimperialist League was emphasized by all delegations, because from now on there is a formation that unifies organizations from different countries, mainly from semi-feudal and semi-colonial countries, in their struggle against imperialism.
From Brazil, 17 organizations including, among others, the League of the Poor Peasants, Red Unity, People’s Women’s Movement and the newspaper A Nova Democracia, highlighted the need for this organization and the mobilization of poor peasants in oppressed countries. From Turkey, Partizan spoke extensively about the necessity that the proletariat must be the ideological basis of this new organization. Other delegations, such as the Defense Front of the People’s Struggle of Ecuador, and various Colombian organizations with a delegation from more than 13 organizations, also spoke.
Other organizations that participated include those from Chile, France, Austria, Germany, Spain, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the United States.
In addition to the greetings from the organizations present, other organizations that were unable to attend the First Congress, or that are not part of the AIL but support it, also sent their greetings for the formation of this new front. These organizations are from Réunion Island, Corsica, Venezuela, and Bolivia. Additionally, personalities such as Mariam Abu Daqqa from the FPLP, an organization from India, and organizations from imperialist countries like Russia also sent their greetings.
These greetings from so many different countries helped to expand the understanding of the International AntiImperialist League as a global organization that works with unity throughout the world.
Second Day: The debate achieves greater unity
During the second day, the proposal for the Founding Manifesto of the AIL regarding its political and ideological line were debated extensively. All participating organizations took part in this lively and broad discussion, allowing different points of view on immediate tasks and the political foundation for the newly formed organization to be put forward and debated. Throughout all interventions, it was emphasized not only that extensive debate is good, but that “it is a necessity to achieve a firm, true unity.”
Within the documents, the need to fight against all imperialists, not only Yankee imperialism, was highlighted, and the support of the just struggles of the peoples against imperialist aggression was emphasized. The example of the Palestinian National Resistance and the operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which dealt a severe blow to Yankee imperialism and to Israel, was highlighted throughout the event, demonstrating that the peoples are almighty and can deal a blow even to the world’s strongest military power.
The Iranian National Resistance and the resistance of various Latin American peoples, or the struggle of the Indian peoples who have suffered repression by the Indian state through Operation Kagaar, was also highlighted.
Afterwards, some cultural contributions were made by several delegations. One contribution of note was a video from Partizan on the martyrs of the People’s War, highlighting the comrades Rosa and Nubar, who were remembered. Revolutionaries from Brazil screened a video on the struggle for land, land seizures and Revolutionary Areas, the repression of the old State and in remembrance of the comrades killed by it, such as comrade Gedeon, comrade Rafael, and the recently murdered comrade Flecha.
Third day: Political resolutions and cultural events
Day three was marked by the achievement of a higher unity through the struggles of the second day and by the struggle of all organizations to unite on a solid antiimperialist basis and to successfully achieve the great leap of founding the new International Antiimperialist League. After the debate on the Founding Manifesto of the AIL as well as its Statutes, amendments were made to the document on the basis of the preceding discussions. This marked the successful foundation of the International Antiimperialist League in its consequently victorious I. Congress. Following this, the Executive Committee was established.
At the First Congress, six political resolutions were adopted in support of the Palestinian people and their resistance, prisoners of war, Iran’s struggle against US imperialism and Israeli Zionism, the Yankee intervention in Venezuela and Latin America, the imperialist aggression in Ukraine, resistance to the Kagaar Operation, and the New People’s Army (NPA) of the Philippines celebrating its 57th anniversary.
Furthermore a call to action for the G7 Summit in France and joint international campaign for the 1st of May under the slogan “Antiimperialists of the world, unite!” was passed. These resolutions, the Program, and the Statutes will be published in the coming days.
After successfully concluding the political documents, the delegations made cultural contributions. Several participants put forward that “culture is another weapon of combat and must be in the service of the people.” Bandera Roja from Chile and Soldados Rojos from Colombia, participated by performing songs with a clear anti-imperialist content. It also highlighted the performance of the organizations from Colombia, who combined combative lyrics with the country’s traditional music.
The event served to bring forces together
The I. Congress of the International Antiimperialist League and the successful foundation of this formation marks the culmination of a more then two years lasting process of discussions on international and national levels that has let to a unified understanding of the current world situation and the tasks of the antiimperialists in it.
One of the main objectives of this Congress was the construction of the broadest possible front to confront imperialism and its lackeys, remaining firm in revolutionary principles and in its combative, consistent struggle, without making concessions to class reconciliation. In the current context of global struggles and antiimperialist forces, it is crucial to overcome fragmentation, unifying our forces for the fight, under the slogan “Dare to struggle, dare to win!”
Uniting nearly 50 organizations and 14 countries in a congress that the was attempted to be prevented by the actions of the reaction, was no small feat, and so the successful holding of the conference in itself marked a great blow to imperialism. Now the unity is even stronger, and under the slogan “Antiimperialists of the world, unite!” the International AntiImperialist League stands firmly to achieve its objective: defeating imperialism for the liberation of the oppressed and exploited peoples.
The Founding Congress of the AIL concluded amidst the enthusiasm of slogans such as “Long Live the Antiimperialist League”, “Long Live International Solidarity”, “Death to Imperialism” and those condemning the massacres in India and saluting the struggle of Indian comrades.
