Final Resolution of the 4th Middle East Conference of ICOR

ICOR, Main Coordinator, 12 October 2019

To the participants of the conference

all ICOR organizations

Cover letter with the final resolution of the 4th conference Middle East & North Africa

Dear comrades,

The 3rd ICOR World Conference decided to intensify the efforts in the area of the Middle East. In this process there has been a very important progress now: the 4th Conference Middle East and North Africa could (for the first time) take place in the Middle East with Lebanon as host country.

The conference realized a fruitful exchange and cooperation of various parties and organizations from the region and beyond that. Completely in the spirit of the ICOR that the revolutionaries of the world need to work more closely together on the issues they already agree on and discuss disagreements with a democratic culture of debate. You will find the core issues of the discussion in the final resolution.

With the participation of organizations which are no ICOR members until now it was possible for them to get to know the work of ICOR, and we had the possibility to learn from their experiences, knowledge and opinions – both of which was taken up very positively. The following organizations were present at the conference: LCP/Lebanon, MLKP/Turkey-Kurdistan, MLPD/Germany, Newroz Association/Kurdistan, PFLP/Palestine, PPDS/Tunisia, TKP-ML/Turkey, MMLPL/Morocco, ILPS, DFLP/Palestine, as well as for one day a representative of Levantinist Progressive Movement.

Actively participating with greeting messages and partly only prevented by visa problems were: CPI(ML) Red Star/India, PCR Egypt, CPI Komala/Iran; so they were asked for their signatures.

The final resolution of the conference Middle East can be published now. Unfortunately the DFLP could not bring itself to sign as organization in the end. Nevertheless the resolution is a significant success and good conclusion of this successful conference – and at the same time the beginning for the further cooperation! The signing organizations are mentioned below. Many thanks to the MLKP for its comprehensive preparatory work!

All ICOR organizations and other friendly organizations can also sign the resolution!

Warm greetings

Monika Gärtner-Engel, Main Coordinator

The participants of the ICOR Middle East & North Africa Conference held on 28 and 29 September 2019 in Beirut declare the following Resolution:

Advance the United Struggle and Revolution in the Middle East & North Africa!

1. For decades the Middle East and North Africa have been a center of imperialist aggression as a result of the rich natural resources and its geopolitical importance. We strongly reject any imperialist interference in the region. We did agree that we take no side but the side of the working class and the broad masses of the oppressed in their resistance and struggle for liberated societies.

2. There are significant movements for national liberation and revolution in the Middle East and North Africa. We recognize and encourage the efforts of the Kurdish and Palestinian peoples to mutually support each others‘ struggles. Their struggles are of strategic importance to the region and the world. We support the demand to include a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, autonomous administration in the constitutional committee in Syria.

3. We stand beside the Palestinian resistance against the Zionist occupation and reiterate our support to the national rights of Palestinian people and on top of that the right to return with respect to Resolution 194.

4. We stand beside the Kurdish struggle against the fascist Turkish state and its imperialist allies.

5. The struggle for a liberated Middle East and North Africa is inseparable from the struggles all over the world. The struggles and strikes of the workers movement from Peru to Australia, armed liberation struggles in various parts of the world and the struggles of environmental activists are among the struggles that need our participation and solidarity. They have the common enemy in the imperialist world system. To overcome this enemy we must organize across borders.

6. The liberation of women in party building, class struggle and for a liberated society is the answer to double exploitation and oppression of the masses of the women. This was underestimated in the left and communist parties and there is still a lot of work to do. We recognize the important role of women. This became very visible in various struggles in the region, in particular among revolutionaries in North and East Syria and Palestine. Also, women played an active, equal and leading role in this conference alongside comrades.

7. We have to fight chauvinism, which is the poison of the imperialist forces and reactionary and colonialist regimes to divide the working class and all the oppressed.

8. The threat due to imperialism and fascist regimes urges us to unite and join forces with all anti-imperialists and anti-fascist forces in a united front. ILPS and ICOR have taken important steps in forming such a front and call all on anti-imperialist, anti-fascist forces to join.

9. Socialist societies are the bright goal of the efforts of the Marxist-Leninist and revolutionary forces. To reach this goal the building of well-organized, well-prepared revolutionary and Marxist-Leninist parties is of crucial importance.

10. The conference was held in a productive spirit. The culture of debate was based on respect for each others‘ opinion and experiences, solidarity and overcoming differences despite all the questions that remain to be resolved.

11. Youth played an active role in organizing the conference and contributing to its success.

12. The participating parties and organizations agreed to boost internationalist solidarity and continue working together to expand revolutionary work with mass movements and revolutions.

13. The conference agrees to organize more events like this in the future.

Signatories:

1.  CPI (ML) Red Star – Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Red Sta
2. LCP – Lebanese Communist Party
3. MMLPL – Moroccan Marxist-Leninist Proletarian Line
4. MLKP – Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Turkey/Kurdistan
5. MLPD – Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany
6. Newroz Social and Cultural Association
7. PFLP – The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
8. PPDS – Patriotic Democratic Socialist Party Tunisia
9. RCP – Revolutionary Communist Party Egypt
10. TKP - ML – Communist Party of Turkey - Marxist-Leninist