ILPS Communiqué

We, the undersigned, are happy to announce the official establishment of the International Campaign against US Overseas Military Bases under the initiative of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, as the main accomplishment of the international anti-bases conference held on 20-22 September 2003 in Chania, Greece.

The delegates attending the conference included representatives from Denmark, England, Greece, Italy, Philippines, Turkey and Scotland. Delegates from Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Netherlands, Thailand and the US were unable to attend for various reasons. In addition there were many messages of solidarity and support to the conference from various anti-imperialist, peace, human rights groups and national liberation movements.

The conference mandated the members of the initiative committee to act as the coordinating committee to oversee the implementation of planned activities of the campaign, reach out to more organizations and forces and prepare the holding of a future conference to facilitate greater and broader participation. It is the hope of the conference to build a powerful worldwide movement to oust US overseas military bases throughout the world.

The conference affirmed that the peoples’ struggle to throw out the US military bases from all countries in the world has become especially important under the current world conditions. The wild aggressiveness of US imperialists for world domination, the frequent military interventions in various countries and regions that are of strategic importance to US interests and the recent invasion and occupation of Iraq, more than ever bring to the attention the issue of the struggle against US military bases.

It is now evident to all the peoples across the world that these military bases are used as instruments to facilitate the imperialist powers in their unjust wars to occupy countries and regions and to impose complete imperialist domination. The US uses these military bases to make the hosting countries economically, politically and militarily dependent, lead them, through the local bourgeoisie to greater subjugation and blackmails them to act as “willing” participants in the US plans. After September 11th the US has intensified its military presence and installed new military bases within regions considered as strategic, such as Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Central and Western Asia (Middle East).

It is under such anti-peoples and reactionary developments and the imminent dangers poised against humanity by the US belligerence, that the need for common action and struggle of the peoples to throw out US military bases from every country and region becomes an urgent task. The struggle against the military bases is a basic element of the anti-imperialist struggle and an important factor in the struggle to defeat US imperialism and can bring hope and victory to the peoples’ struggles everywhere.

The installation of US military bases and their military presence in the hosting countries create the reactionary political conditions that strengthen the rule of the most reactionary and tyrannical regimes in order to continue to implement anti-people, anti-worker policies. From this point of view, the struggle against the military bases is at the same time a struggle in support of the national and social liberation struggles across the world.

The massive anti-war wave of opposition that was recently displayed in every corner of the planet against the US shows the anger of the peoples worldwide and their will to fight against imperialism and war. The great wish of the peoples is to live in peace and brotherhood, without the horror of war, without exploiters and oppressors.

Addressing the Palestinian people’s plight the conference condemns the US backed Zionist state and the occupation of Palestine and expressed its support and solidarity with the Palestinian people’s just struggle and resistance against the occupation forces. The Conference condemns the genocidal policy of the Bush-Sharon criminal gang against the Palestinian people.

The conference resolutely condemns the criminal and illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq by the US and British imperialist forces and calls upon peoples everywhere to expose the crimes and atrocities of the US and British occupation forces against the Iraqi people. Further, the conference expresses its support for the resistance of the Iraqi people to liberate their land from the US-British imperialist occupation.

The conference calls on the American people, especially the working people and families of servicemen, to resist the hypocritical “war on terror” policy of the Bush regime and demand the immediate withdrawal of all US military personnel from foreign soil. Furthermore, the conference calls on all-peace loving people to oppose and bring pressure upon their own governments not to send troops and stop collaboration with the US in its wars of aggression and occupation.

The conference calls on all democratic, anti-imperialist and anti-war organizations, groups and activists to intensify their struggle against the presence of US overseas military bases and to join the international anti-bases campaign to bring about an effective internationally coordinated and sustained campaign against US bases and other forms of US military presence overseas.

International Campaign Against US Overseas Military Bases.
22/09/03

International Participants:
l England Vice-chair of the CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) – Helen John l Denmark The United Peoples – Ole Larsen l Gernmany ATIK l Greece Communist Party of Greece (Marxist-Leninist), Akrotiri Committee Against the Expansion of the Bases, Doctors Association of Chania, Militant Movement of Teachers, Militant Movement of Students, left Militant Movement of Workers, Anti-war Anti-imperialist Initiative of Thessaloniki, Anti-war Committees of Epirus, Anti-war Anti-imperialist Committee of Karditsa l ILPS ILPS Secretariat, ILPS General Secretary l Italy Campo Antiimperialista l Philippine Philippine Peace Center , Cordillera Peoples’ Alliance l Scotland Scottish CND (also Scottish. Socialist .Party) – Brian Qail l Turkey ILPS Turkish Section, Leather Workers’ Union in Tuzla/Istanbul.

Messages of Solidarity:
l Australia Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition l Bangladesh BAFLF, NGWF, YOUTH Approach For Development & Cooperation l Belgium For Mother Earth l Bolivia Accion Andina l England Fairford Peace Watch, Campaign Of The Accountability Of American Bases l Fiji Islands PCRC l Greece Greek Social Forum, Communist Organization of Greece, Peace Committee of Chania, Labor Center of Chania, Social Security Foundation Pensioners’ Union, Teachers Union of Primary and Infant School of Chania, Teachers Union of Secondary Education of Chania, Greek Social Forum, Greek-Kurdish Friendship Association, League of the Left, the Movements and Ecology party l India All India People’s Resistance Forum (AIPRF), Mumbai Resistance 2004 (MR2004) l Indonesia National Students Front (FMN) l Italy Bastaguerra l Japan ICOM (Intern Communication Center) l Nepal World Peoples’ Resistance Movement, Nepal Trade Union Federation, Anti-Imperialist Revolutionary Forum l Netherlands Organization For Peace Solidarity Right And Justice l New Zealand ABC Antibases Campaign l Thailand Compatriot Network Group, Non-Violence Center International Net l USA National Lawyer’s Guild/Military Law Task Force.

If you agree with this communiqué and wish to join the campaign, please give us the appropriate information such as the name of your organization, postal address, email and telephone number, by sending it to:

antibases03@yahoo.gr or info@ilps2001.com
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For more information please contact:
International Campaign Against US Overseas Military Bases.
tel. +30 210 3303639 fax. +30 210 3815597
e-mail: antibases03@yahoo.gr
or info@ilps2001.com

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