Contribution from the Communist Party of Australia to the ICOR Web-Meeting

Our Party is in firm agreement with the formation and development of the International Anti-Imperialist and Anti-Fascist United Front.

In Australia, we are doing all we can to organise and lead anti-imperialist struggle for real independence and for the victory of socialism in our country. For the most part that involves focusing on US imperialism, for it controls the Australian economy, the Australian state, and much of what passes for culture and public discourse in this country. It is also the main aggressor and main source of war internationally.

There are some very good mass organisations here through whom we can develop anti-imperialism. One such organisation organised a People’s Enquiry into the costs and consequences of Australian participation in the US alliance and in US wars.  Hundreds of people and many organisations made submissions. An interim report has been issued and the full report will be presented to the Parliament.

While our main enemy is US imperialism, we are very close to an important arena for its rivalry with the other main imperialist superpower, China. Their rivalry for influence in the Indo-Pacific region is intensifying. However, their characteristics are different at this time.  US imperialism is quite openly throwing its military weight around and developing anti-China military alliances such as AUKUS and the Quad. It also uses the Five Eyes intelligence and surveillance network. Chinese social-imperialism is using mainly “soft” tactics to extend its influence through diplomacy and economic ties. It is also continually building its military capacity, and its navy, formerly mainly for China’s coastal defence, has been restructured as a blue water navy to project China’s influence and protect what it calls its “overseas interests”.

There are other countries that are imperialist and/or regionally expansive. Russia is an example of the former, and India of the latter. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is indicative of US imperialism’s commitment to aggressively pushing NATO up to Russia’s borders, in defiance of the various Minsk Agreements, and of Putin’s desire to seize territory to his west.

The developing movement for an end to Russian aggression, and for Ukrainian self-determination, will require some clear thinking. Some comrades around the Left are influenced by Putin’s boast that he is fighting neo-Nazism, by the labelling of the Ukrainian government as Banderists, and by saying that he is only defending people in the Donbass region against Ukrainian genocide. Some people do not want to attend pro-Ukrainian rallies for fear of supporting local Banderists and Ukrainian ultra-nationalists.

However, if we take that attitude, how can we conduct political work within our local Ukrainian communities, and strengthen those who might be prepared to join us in saying “Putin out! US-NATO stay out!” We need to have faith that the majority of our local Ukrainian communities are not Nazis and that our efforts to find appropriate ways of working with them to promote anti-imperialism will ultimately succeed. Do the Ukrainian comrades have any advice in relation to this?

The anti-imperialist united front is being promoted by us in a non-sectarian manner. We encourage all parties of the Left, for example, regardless of past differences and currently acknowledged disagreements, to work together and unite in mass struggles. Within that broadness, we continue to advance our own political views.

The emergence of white supremacist and neo-Nazi activists within the so-called anti-mask, anti-vax “freedom rallies” has taken us somewhat by surprise.  That they were able to generate such momentum hiding behind people who had genuine concerns about the state’s handling of measures for protection from Covid-19 is a worry. However, also of concern is the government’s increasingly repressive legislative measures.  Trade unions, for example, have few rights in Australia. Refugees, some of who have been in detention for up to ten years, continue to be oppressed and denied their rights. The Australian First Peoples continue to struggle for land rights and self-determination.

Whether it takes the form of intimidatory street thugs, or coercive legislation, we must do more to build awareness of the dangers of fascism and to find effective ways of countering it through mass struggle. Building the anti-fascist component of the united front is something on which we need to do more work.

Best wishes and comradely greetings,

Nick G.

Chairperson, Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)