For the CWG, the FWC statement (below) while correctly calling for a boycott, falls far short of what is necessary to liberate Iraq from imperialist occupation and from the competing national bourgeois factions only interested only in doing deals with imperialism.
The fake elections of January 30th have confirmed the three-way split between Sistani’s United Iraqi Alliance, based on the Shia majority (around 48% of those who voted) the Kurdish Alliance (around 26%) and Allawi’s ex-Barthist mainly Sunni Iraqi List with 14% (only around 2% of Sunnis voted). While all of these factions want the US out, it is only on terms where they can each improve their relative power in ruling Iraq. That means doing deals with the imperialists so that they get a better share of the surplus extracted from the Iraqi masses. To gain the advantage over their rivals they will be permanently fighting each other, using their militias to jockey for power at the expense of the workers.
We give unconditional support to the armed resistance fighting imperialism including attacking the Iraqi National Guard and police who serve the puppet regime. But as communists we know that only an armed, independent working class can win this fight by taking the road to socialism. The workers must organize to assert their leadership of the popular struggle, reject the fake elections and puppet regime of the imperialists, and fight for a popular constituent assembly that represents all the people! For a Leninist-Trotskyist party and revolutionary program!
· Jobs for all on a living wage!
· Immediate public works to rebuild Iraq!
· End of the occupation! No imperialist bases!
· Mercenaries and imperialist corporations out!
· For an emergency national economic plan!
· US and UK reparations to rebuild Iraq!
· For nationalization of industry under workers control!
· For the nationalization of the land and collectivization of agriculture!
· For workers’ councils and workers’ militias!
· For poor farmers councils everywhere!
· For a popular constituent assembly representing all Iraqis!
· For a government of the workers and the poor peasants!
· Victory to Iraq! Defeat Anglo/US imperialism!
Boycott imperialist election
Statement of Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq
The Iraqi authorities, backed by the occupation forces, declared January 30 2005 the date for the holding of elections, insisting that these would be the first real elections in Iraq for over half a century.
Holding elections to choose one’s political representatives is a basic right. But an election means choosing from among different alternatives. People participating in elections should be well informed about all parties and groups and be able to familiarise themselves with their political programs and policies.
This has not happened in Iraq. Moreover, many territories are under the control of various militias, which prevent their opponents from carrying out any political activity. This means people are unable to find out for themselves the agenda and political programs of each party. Above all most of the political parties and organizations involved in this election have not presented any agendas or programs, but only a few slogans and simple promises.
The candidates submitted by the various political forces in the coming ‘election’ are based on dividing the population on the basis of language, religion, sect and ethnicity. It is intended that the sectarian, ethnic and linguistic differences are to be incorporated in the constitution and become part of each human being’s identity. In this way, Iraqi society is being pushed toward ever deepening religious and ethnic division.
Most important is the fact that this ‘election’ is to take place in a country where there is presently no constitution or legal system. This means the assembly about to be ‘elected’ will create a constitution. This ‘constitution’ will be determined according to the current balance of power and will be framed in the midst of chaos, lack of security, foreign occupation and an absence of civil life.
The masses have been marginalised in the whole political process in society. Therefore workers have no political force which directly represents them in this ‘election’. The only choices available are those which are attempting to divide workers on the basis of sect and ethnicity.
Workers in Iraq should gather around their own objectives and platform and not participate in an ‘election’ where they have no representative. Workers should ignore forces which pose as defenders of the people, but use the deprivation of the people to achieve their objectives and goals.
Let us stand in the forefront of civil resistance to end the occupation in Iraq. Let the will of the Iraqi people be known: to elect their representatives outside of the political equation dictated by the US occupation and pro-occupation forces.
The objectives of workers will only be achieved by the progressive movement of workers who stand in the forefront of the protest movement for civil life, freedom and equality.
From Class Struggle 59 January-February 2005
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