Category Archives: Argentina

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Reasons for Fusion in Argentina

The Committee for the FOS-COI Merger has been constituted
Written by FOS and COI – Argentina
Monday, 27 September 2010
Fourth International LogoStatementTaking into consideration agreements as to the policies, programmes and methods, the leaderships of the FOS (Frente Obrero Socialista) and the COI (Corriente Obrera Internacionalista), we have decided to found a Committee for the Merger, in order to tackle the task of constituting a new party within the framework of the International Workers’ League – Fourth International (IWL-FI), a socialist, proletarian, revolutionary and internationalist party, to contribute towards the struggle for a new leadership for the Argentina and world working class. Continue reading →
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Warmest greeting to British students who refuse to pay for the crisis that great business has caused.

In the southern cone of Latin America (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, etc) students have fought many battles. Some were won, some were lost, others are still going on. At present this is summer holidays here, so occupations of schools and universities have for a while faded away but this does not mean students have returned to the comfort of their homes. You will still find them giving support to workers’ struggles for better wages, for decent jobs, and many other demands. In spite of the fact that this year the struggles have been more numerous and tougher than on other occasions, young people in general have been known to stand up in defense of what is right. So much so, that a popular singer, murdered by Pinochet, used to sing,

“Me gustan los estudiantes porque siempre sacan pecho

Si les dicen que es trigo, sabiéndose que es afrecho…”

(in a not very poetical translation, this would sound something like: “I like students for they will stand up and fight if you tell this is wheat but we know that it is bran.”)

That is why we followed with great attention whatever there was in the media about your demands and some of us were surprised to find how similar your demands were to ours. Yet it was Martin’s letter that gave us some real insight into what is going on in Great Britain. And it was a practical demonstration of something somebody said, “if the oppressors globalise their capital, let us globalise our struggles.”

That is why we, a very specific collective of elderly rebels, are now preparing a kind of festival for a new anniversary of a military coup that murdered 30 000 young lives hoping that by killing protesters they could ensure the fulfilment of the neoliberal plans that pushed us all into still growing poverty. This will be the 10th festival under the motto of “Memory and Truth. Impunity never again. Indifference never again!”. And we thought it would be a good idea to show that something that was regarded as a kind of disease of underdeveloped countries, is also patrimony of the underprivileged sectors all over the world, even in the so-called First World. Your experience, so brilliantly described by Martin, can be of great help. So let us keep in touch. We can learn a lot from you and perhaps you can also share a few things we have learned during all those years in such a stormy continent.

People of my generation are in the habit of dragging on and on interminably, so I hope you will forgive us for taking up so much of your time.

We wish you all the best, for we are aware that if you win it will be good for us as well. So we say

NO to the cuts in education or public health!

NO to making fewer people work more hours for the same miserable salary and so ensure high profits for tycoons!

NO to repression of those who fight for their rights!

LET THE BIG CAPITAL PAY FOR THE CRISIS THAT THEY HAVE CAUSED!

Elizabeth (a member of the FOS – section of the IWL in Argentina and a very experienced militant and journalist)

 

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Greetings from Argentine Students to the British Student movement

We’re aware of the struggle English students are in right now, and we send our greetings and all our support, as it has been an example for us, showing us the way we must follow to get what we demand for. The struggle had a great impact on us, now that we have had a struggle ourselves that, because of the leadership, got paralyzed and never got to be massive nor to got what we were fighting for, except some isolated demands (not less important but also not enough).

From Argentina we’re following the process with much interest, and we sincerely expect you get your demands, as it would be a triumph not only for English students but for students and the working class all over the world.

We’re organizing a Video-Debate in our university (UNQ – National University of Quilmes; and we’re hoping to be able to make a video good enough for it to be used in other countries too) about the imperialism attacks to the education and the response from students all over the world. Europe is an example of what we can do if we get organized, and specially England, now that English students are on the head of that process. So I would like to ask you, if you have some, for videos of students mobilizations, and struggles. Everything you could send us would be great for the Debate.

We’re thinking of editing a video that puts together all the student’s struggles in several countries, to show not just the level of organization we can and must get, but also show that is possible and necessary to fight for our rights, understanding it is one same fight we’re on. If you have any video that includes subtitles (even in English) it would be really helpful.

Ariadna

Please forward any replies to islinfo@talktalk.net

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Argentina – When the wrath pours out into the streets

Larcada Hospital argentina

The struggle for public services

Nothing seemed to have changed. Confronted by poverty coming hand-in-hand with the economic crisis workers respond with strikes, demonstrations and other ways of defending ourselves against impoverishment. People are beginning to wonder: “If I did not cause the crisis, why should I pay for it?” This has always been this way. Faithless leaderships of trade unions and political organization caused a generalized mistrust that, for some time, engulfed even our capacity to change this reality. However we soon realized that this discouragement made it possible for those who always manage to accrue their wealth even in times of crisis and that this is not because they are cleverer than we are; they are simply more shameless. Many trade union leaders are among them.

Underground: the struggle comes from the grassroots

After decades of fears produced by repeated repressions suffered with the blessing from trade union leaders, new winds are beginning to blow. A new way of fighting is surfacing. Or not so new really… it is previous to the age of trade union bureaucracy: all important decisions are taken in consultation with the grassroots. Jointly they decide whether to go on strike, how to strike and what to do if an offer is made of partial solutions. Assemblies are permanent. It is insubordination against those whom they no longer consider their representatives for they have now become accomplices of the employers. In the branches of service where the worker is much more in contact with the users, this is more in contact this becomes more conspicuous for the struggle (strikes, delay in the service, etc) affects the user directly. This fact has often led to confrontations among those of us who are natural allies.

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