Simon Cunich & Katie Cherrington, Sydney
Glebe Town Hall was filled with political discussion and campaign planning on July 8-10 as more than 170 people participated in the 35th Resistance national conference. Themed "Unfuck the world: fighting for socialism in the 21st century", the conference brought together Resistance members and other activists from across the country, and speakers from around the world.
The rebellion against neoliberalism in Latin America was a dominant theme, with a focus on the strengthening alliance between Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia to challenge US imperialism in the region. The Venezuelan charge d'affaires in Australia, Nelson Davila, opened the conference by describing the dynamics of the Venezuelan revolution and the role of young people in the struggle for social change worldwide.
Gilda Chacon from the Cuban Federation of Workers inspired participants with her speech about the Cuban people's determination to build a socialist society despite relentless adversity (see page 8). Resistance activists discussed the lessons to be learned about constructing socialism and how to strengthen support in Australia for the Venezuelan and Cuban revolutions. Organising another Australian solidarity brigade to Venezuela in December, to coincide with presidential elections, will be an important part of that campaign.
A conference organiser, Kiraz Janicke, told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, "Around the world, young people are going on the offensive at the moment and at the conference you could see the impact this is having on young activists here". She explained: "In Venezuela, where the youth are playing a key role in building socialism, but also in France where the students helped defeat against the CPE [First Employment Contract] law, in the Chilean student strike, in the US immigrant-rights movement, and in New Zealand for young workers' rights — all of these struggles give us confidence to fight for our rights here."
Activists shared their experiences in organising the June 1 student strike against the Work Choices legislation and discussed plans for continuing to fight back against the Howard government's neoliberal attacks. Participants discussed ways to continue to organise students and young workers in opposition to the new industrial relations laws, including the possibility of organising another student strike in the lead-up to national union protests in November.
Resistance organised a protest action outside the US consulate on July 7 as part of the conference, to protest against Israel's brutal offensive in Gaza and Washington's support for the attack. Rotem Mor, a young Israeli refusenik (conscripts who refuse to serve in the military to protest the occupation of Palestine), addressed the conference on July 9. He explained the militarisation of Israeli society and his views on the capturing of Israeli soldiers by Palestinian resistance groups. "If you pick up a gun and put on the [Israeli army] uniform, then you should be prepared to be shot at, to be captured, imprisoned" he said, "because that is what you are preparing to do to other people".
Conference delegates discussed the growing resistance against US imperialism the Middle East and how to rebuild the anti-war movement in Australia. One of the main projections from the conference was to launch a campaign against US President George Bush's planned visit to Australia in September 2007 to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. As well as street protests, speak-outs and forums in support of the Palestinian people's struggle for justice, Resistance plans to organise young people to participate in the Hiroshima Day demonstrations in August as a focus for protesting against the occupation of Iraq, any future attack on Iran, and nuclear power and uranium mining.
The conference was also addressed by Joe Carolan, an organiser with the Unite union and Socialist Worker in New Zealand, and Hendrik Ervan Baldus from the National Front of Papuan Students and the People's Democratic Party of Indonesia (see accompanying article). Maria Rosa Jimenez, a young Venezuelan revolutionary, was unable to attend due to illness, but sent greetings to the conference and plans to visit Australia later in the year.
For more information about Resistance, visit .
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, July 19, 2006.
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