From November 11th – 13th there was in Kiev an international conference on the rise of the far right. The conference "Alternatives to the rise of the far right in times of economic, social and ecological crises" was organized by the „Prague Spring II network against right wing-extremism and populism“ which had been constituted in
From November 11th – 13th there was in Kiev an international conference on the rise of the far right. The conference "Alternatives to the rise of the far right in times of economic, social and ecological crises" was organized by the „Prague Spring II network against right wing-extremism and populism“ which had been constituted in Prague in March, 2010, within the framework of the European Social Forum process.
The conference which took place in the Kiev Home of Cinema was attended by 100 participants from 14 countries. Even Mexico was represented. For the first time also speakers from the Moscow based organization „World without Nazism“ which fights against the distortion of the memory of the holocaust were present.
The Ukranian hosts from „Borotba“ (Struggle) did an excellent job in taking care of the local facilities. There was most of the time a simultaneous translation from Russian into English.
The participants exchanged their analyses and experiences in the struggle against the far right. In the centre of the debates were:
– The main reasons for the international rise of the far right: this fenómenon deeply rooted in the fascist tradition of the XXth century is spreading out rapidly, but at different speeds and forms which vary between right wing paramilitarism and xenofobic nationalistic populism, through the present economic, political, social and ecological crises.
– How to fight against right wing populism and extremism? By putting up class oriented alternatives to the present multidimensional crisis and through constant mobilizations in the framewwork of broad alliences.
– Improvement of the international cooperation of the networks against the far right: by strengthening the local and regional base within and outside the existing party structures and creating focal points of the struggle on the international level.
The conference started with a podium discussion on Friday November 11th evening and ended on Sundy afternoon.
On Saturday at 5pm the Ukranian hosts organized a demonstration against right wing-extremism in the centre of Kiev.
The conference adopted a final declaration and a letter of solidarity with the Polish movement against the far right which made antifascist demonstrations in Warsaw and Wroclaw- just during the conference in Kiev. Through an initiative of „World without Nazism“ (WWN) the so called "Declaration of Prague" which puts fascism and communism on one level, has been unanimously rejected. A text against this declaration can be signed on the webpage of the Prague Spring II Network.
As next concrete activities of the "alleuropean network against the far right" there have been planned:
– International solidarity actions with our comrade Algirdas Paleckis (a leader of the Socialist Party of Lithuania who was present at the conference) who faces a political trial on December 14th because of telling the truth about a massacre perpetrated by the Lithuanian military in 1989.
– common actions like in Dresden where mass blockades prevented that the Nazis could march through the city should be on our agenda whenever it is nessesary.
– the website www.praguespring.net2 should be used as a permanent organ to exchange informations and analyses and prepare common actions sending messages and articles to the e-mail adress: info@ps2.net
– in order to counteract right wing activities investigative journalism on the connections of the far right to institutions persons (politicians, burocrats, buisness leaders) of the political mainstream should be promoted by the members of the network in each country.