To the people of Syria who are fighting against tyranny

The following is a statement in support of the Syrian revolution signed by labor activists and revolutionaries from around the world.

—————————-

Ten months ago, you, the people of Syria, rose up against the brutal dictatorship led by Bashar Al-Assad resulting in countless martyrs, prisoners and refugees. We want you to know that we are by your side and we send you our solidarity. There will be no peace in Syria until the murderer Bashar leaves, his repressive regime disappears, all the prisoners are free and the refugees return to their homes.

The signatories of this statement are aware of the fierce repression that, since last year, has been taking place across the country and especially in the provinces of Homs, Idleb, Deraa and the suburbs in Damascus; all of  this happening before the very own eyes of the observers from the Arab League. But do not forget that many of us in the Arab world and North Africa, are with you; we are supporting you so Bashar leaves power immediately.

We are also aware that the rich, powerful nations have ignored you by turning a blind eye while killings by the regime continue but keep in mind that there are many of us all over the world who are with you and reject the policy of collaboration that those imperial powers and their governments provide to the Bashar regime.

Furthermore, we are also aware that a sector of the anti-imperialist left is turning its back on the revolution against the dictatorship of Bashar and this sector even denies that the massacres carried out by the regime are not happening. According to this sector, all of this is a conspiracy by the imperialist powers and that you, in fact, are being manipulated by Israel. We, the signatories of this political manifesto, categorically reject this accusation and recall that the Syrian regime has repressed Palestinians in the refugee camp massacres of Tal Zaatar in 1976 carried out by Alassar Hafez, Bashar’s father. The regime has also always cooperated with Israel in securing its borders and for 30 years, it has not lifted a finger to regain the occupied Golan Heights. To say that the revolt is being organized by the U.S. denies the fact that the protests are happening on a daily basis is nothing more than underestimating the Syrian people whose lives are being put at risk by confronting tanks, snipers and thugs of the Bashar regime. In short, this is a way to despise the Syrian revolutionary martyrs who have given their lives for freedom and democracy.

Finally, we know that the Western powers only stand to gain in this situation and that nothing good will come out of the American Empire and Western governments that are carrying out an unprecedented attack on the living standards of workers as well as increasing unemployment, falling wages and prompting a growing misery. These same governments do not hesitate to bail out the bankers with millions of euros that they take away from us. Do not trust any of those imperialist governments; all they want is to consolidate their wealth by taking it from the workers, the peoples of the Americas and the peoples of Africa and Asia like they did in Iraq and Libya with their bombings and similar to what they are doing in Egypt in support of the disastrous and murderous military junta.

Thus, we publish this manifesto to convey our solidarity and tell you that you are not alone and that your struggle is just; millions of people around the world admire your courage, feel your pain as their own and they will welcome your victory as a victory for all humanity against tyranny.

Tunisia:

Hajji Hadia, mother of Manel Boullagni, martyr of the revolution in Regueb, Hajji Mounir, labor activist from Regueb (Tunisia), Fahen Boukadous, former political prisoner under Ben Ali, militant of PCOT from Gafsa (Tunisia), Missaoni Hasna, Association of families martyrs, from Regueb (Tunisia), Amine Jlali, Regueb (Tunisia), Akrni Wahiba, Regueb., Koussi Alidi, Regueb, Hsini Chatha, daughter of martyr of the revolution, Regueb,Abidi Chadi, Association of families martyrs from Regueb, Haddad Yamina, Association of families martyrs from Regueb, Abidi Mouldi, Regueb, Kahli Chatha, son of martyr of the revolution Regueb Hajji Raouf,  Tunisia, Rached Jaballi, Regueb, Amatef Amri, Regueb, Amri Amal, Regueb Sassi Lazreg, Regueb, Nouha Amri, Regueb, Tarek Amri, Regueb, Henda Felhi, Regueb, Amri Raja, Regueb,Mohamed Doggi, University professor, Tunisia, Sadri Khiari, sociologist, Tunisia,Hajji Adnane, labor activist from Redeyef , leader of the miner’s revolt from 2008 and former political prisoner under Ben Ali, Santiago Alba Rico, writer, Tunisia

Palestine: Rim Banna (artist); Mazeh Salah;

From the Sirian community in Spain: Abdul Kader Yousfan; M. Nidal Najjar Malat, Razan Alzobi; Misham Yousfan; Ghaida Alhamwi; Almira del Holmo; Mowafak Kanfach; Moufafk Asaad Ammaar; Zaki Alrifai; Raed Adjundi; Gabi Hassan; Amar Alwani; Mahmoud Alrisai; Heba Alrisai; Fátima Jamila; Nuria Elawab; Diana Altadmuri; Hana Krichati; Samar Uyom Alsoud; R. Alkhouli; Mumsin Martínez; M.M Zairaa Damasla; Bachir Doghmoct; Zayed Dolchmoct; Ellachai Fouad; Mohamedd Alrifai; Ihab Alrifai; Ussama Jandali; Zinar Ala; Ziad Alrefai Alrifai; Maysaa Rifai; Bahaa Arefai.

Turkey: Oktay Benol, Murat Yakın, Baran Turgut, Deniz Karadeniz, Sedat Durel, Yusuf Ekin Guvenceoglu, Ozan Çiftçi, Cemre Sava, Görkem Duru, Fuat Karan, Hakan Simsek y Semsi Gunes por  Ïscïcephesi (Workers Front).

Latin America, Europe and the United States

Santiago Alba Rico (writer); Pepe Díaz Sánchez de la Blanca (member of  Lucha Internacionalista, Spain); Olga Rodríguez (journalist and writer); Carlos Varea González (Profesor de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid); Ignacio Gutiérrez de Terán Gómez-Benita (UAM: dep. Estudios Árabes e Islámicos); Diego Rejón Bayo (miembro del comité de empresa de SEAT. Estado español) Miquel Blanch i Solé (delegate, member of Corrent d’Opinió of CCOO-Girona and Lucha Internacionalista. Spain); Liliana Olivero (deputy Córdoba -Argentina-  Izquierda Socialista y el Frente de Izquierda y los Trabajadores- FIT); Orlando Chirino (National Coordinator of FADESS -Frente Autónomo en Defensa del Salario y la Seguridad Social- de Venezuela and the labor currentCCURA); Angélica Lagunas (elected deputy from Neuquén-Argentina- de Izquierda Socialista and the FIT, leader of teachers’ union); José Castillo y Juan Carlos Giordano, Izquierda Socialista from Argentina); Rubén “Pollo” Sobrero y Edgardo Reynoso (railway union leaders from Cuerpo de Delegados de Ramal TBA-Sarmiento de Argentina); Baba (ex-federal deputy, national leader of PSOL from Brasil); Douglas Diniz Fernandes, Michel Oliveira y Nancy de Oliveira Galvao, leaders of PSOL from Brasil;) Wellington Cabral, Joao Rosa e Davi Paolo de Souza Junior (union leaders from Sindicato dos Quimicos de Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo- Brasil); Pedro Rosa Cabral, Lagia Antunes e Isabel Firmino (labor leaders from Sindicato dos trabalhadores da Universidade Federal Fulmínense, Rio de Janeiro-Brasil); Neide Solimaes, Cedacio Vasconcellos (labor leaders from Sindicato dos Servidores Publicos Federais del Estado de Para-Brasil); Mario Amaral e Reginaldo Cordeiro (labor leaders from Sindicado dos Rodoviarios de Ananindeua e Marituba, Para-Brasil); Carlos Rojas, Carlos Barrera y Miguel Lamas (La Protesta from Bolivia); Enrique Fernández Chacón (ex national deputy, leader of Unidos en la Lucha de Perú); Rainier Ríos (leader of MST – Chile); Mario Mendoza (President of labor union Federación Empleados Municipales Rural Costa- Chile); Carmen Moncada Secretary of Junta Vecinal Calderon de Ex presos Políticos de Paine- Chile); Matias Martínez (Vice-president of student organization/ Federación Universitaria UMCE- Chile); Matias Sotomayor (President of Centro de Estudiantes Filosofía Universidad Alberto Hurtado – Chile); Kina Hernandez (ex dirigenta Centro Estudiantes Filosofía Universidad de Valparaíso – Chile); José Bodas (General Secretary of oil workers’ union/ de la Federación Unitaria de Trabajadores Petroleros de Venezuela-FUTPV); Francisco Luna (member of Executive Committee of  FUTPV de Venezuela); Emilio Bastidas (labor leader of National Workers Union/UNT de Aragua- Venezuela); Miguel Angel Hernández (General Secretary of United Left Party /Unidad Socialista de Izquierda-Partido Socialista y Libertad -USI-PSL- de Venezuela); Ricardo Georges Ibrahim (Spain); Javier Mestre Marcotegui (writer, Spain); Jorge Riechmann (writer, Spain); Karlos Zurutuza (journalist, Spain); Raquel Mercedes Arroyo (resident of Qatar); Luis Martín-Cabrera (Literature professor, UC San Diego- United States); Gilberto López y Rivas (Profesor-researcher from the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, México); John Brown (writer, Bruselas); Javier Barreda Sureda (Dpto de Filologías Integradas de la UAM, Spain); Sinfo Fernández Navarro; Karim el Otmani (for Via Democrática de Morocco, in Catalunya); Manel Márquez; Franck Gaudichaud (France), Carlos Fernández Liria (Profesor de la UCM. Spain); Jaime Pastor Verdú (Profesor from  UNED. Spain), Carlos Azagra ( graphic artist, Spain); Naomi Ramírez Díaz (Arabist, responsable for the web site translator of the Sirian revolution/Traductores de la Revolución Siria. Spain); María del Mar Sangrador Salan; Blanca Camps Ferrer; Nieves Ortega García; Josefa Hernández; Joaquín Bejarano; Albert Casals; Pujol Grau; Cristina Mas (militant from Lucha Internacionalista); Luis Carlos Gómez-Pintado –Luca- (labor delegate from AENA and militant in Lucha Internacionalista); Raul Camargo, (Izquierda Anticapitalista -Madrid); Miguel Urban (Izquierda Anticapitalista -Madrid); Esther Vivas (activist -Barcelona);  Josep Maria Antentas (sociology profesor from UAB); Cornella Sense Fronteres –Spain-; José del Valle Lavandera (Asturias, former political prisoner during the Franco dictatorship)); Marcos Martín Prior; José Martínez Prieto; Elizabet Ruiz Romero; Raquel Pagadigorria; Dania Medina; Ernesto Arce; Arnaldo Troncoso; Naymas Naima; Yony Méndez; Sergio Almirón; Clea David; Juan Alonso Fernández (militant/ Lucha Internacionalista); Alberto Curiel; Lidia Curiel; Nerea Pescador; Albert Portillo; Daniel Utrera; Diego Mendoza; María Luisa Montijano; Josep Lluís del Alcázar (labor delegate and militant in Lucha Internacionalista); Muhitin Karkin (labor delegate and militant in Lucha Internacionalista); Maria Esther del Alcázar i Fabregat (labor delegate and militant in Lucha Internacionalista). Alvaro Saumeth (teachers’ union leader Alternativa Socialista, de Colombia);  Priscila Vásquez, (National leader of  Social Security workers union/Trabajadores del Seguro Social de Panamá);. Virigilio Arauz (Leader of Propuesta Socialista, Panamá), Hugo Cedeño and Rafael Capellán from NUPORI (nucleus for an Internationalist Workers Party-Dominican Republic), Stephen Durham (Freedom Socialist Party-United States), Emmanuel Santos (Socialist Core-United States),Cuauhtémoc Ruiz, Juan Reséndiz and Manuel Gómez from Partido Obrero Socialista de México -Workers Socialist Party (Mexico)