Statement by Communist and Workers Parties at International Meeting in Athens, 18-20 November 2005
In Solidarity with the People and Democratic Forces of Iraq
We, the undersigned communist and workers parties participating in the International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties in Athens, 18-20 November 2005, express our profound and internationalist solidarity with the struggle of the Iraqi people for peace, sovereignty and social progress in their country.
As the political forces that consistently campaigned to prevent the US adventurers and criminal policy of waging war against Iraq and its occupation, we are now supporting the complex struggle of the progressive forces, and in particular the fraternal Iraqi Communist Party, to repulse occupation, stop bloodshed and terror, to end bombing of public buildings, oil installations and electric distribution network, and to build a free, democratic, united and sovereign Iraq.
We reject any attempt by the present Iraqi government to restrict freedom of thought, expression and organization.
We are deeply concerned about the negative impact of certain formulations contained in the constitution adopted in October 2005 which are deeply undemocratic and negate women’s rights, create conditions for all the laws to be made subject to a restrictive and reactionary interpretation of Islam and limit democratic rights.
We condemn Order 875 of the present Iraqi administration which imposed state control over trade union resources and seeks to end free trade unionism in defiance of ILO statutes.
We support the campaign by democratic forces in Iraq to further develop the presence and influence of independent trade union, women, youth and peace organizations in Iraq.
We call for:
- an end to the occupation of Iraq.
- an immediate halt to all terrorist and murderous acts of killing of ordinary people and bombing of civilian targets by murderous gangs of Saddam supporters and fundamentalist forces.
- a peaceful and democratic Middle East.
Signed by:
- Jordanian Communist Party
- Lebanese Communist Party
- AKEL - Cyprus
- Communist Party, USA
- Communist Party of Britain
- Communist Party of Australia
- Tudeh Party of Iran
- Sudanese Communist Party
- Syrian Communist Party
- Algerian Party for Democracy & Socialism, PADS
- Communist Party of Egypt
- Democratic Progressive Tribune, Bahrain
- Communist Party of Ireland
- Communist Party of Israel
- Communist Party of Austria
- Communist Party of Norway
- Communist Party of Belarus
- New Communist Party of Yugoslavia
- German Communist Party
- Bulgarian Communist Party "Georgi Dimitrov"
- Communist Party in Denmark
- Socialist Alliance Party, Romania
- Socialist Party of Lithuania
- Communist Party of Malta
