International

The International Committee of the SSP

The Scottish Socialist Party is committed to internationalism. We reject the idea that socialism can be created in one country. Kevin McVey is the international coordinator of the SSP. This position is elected at our annual conference. The party also has an international committee.

The role of these bodies is to build solidarity with workers in struggle throughout the world, to build links with fellow socialists and the anti-capitalist left in other parts of the globe, to play a part in the movement against capitalist globalisation.

Solidarity Campaigns

SSP members are involved in solidarity campaigns around the world. These include Kurdistan, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Cuba, Colombia and Venezuela.

Colombia Solidarity Campaign website

Hands off Venezuela website

Cuba Solidarity Campaign website

Anti-Capitalism

The SSP has been involved in the various European Social Forums which have met in the last few years. This has included organising workshops, participating in seminar discussions and demonstrations. We also undertook a major mobilisation for the G8 summit when it was held in Gleneagles and are participating in planning for protests at future summits.

What is the Global Justice Movement? – by Sarah Peart, Glasgow SSP

Executive Committee Press Release: Venezuela

The Scottish Socialist Party condemns the attempts by the British, American and other western governments to intervene in the current political crisis in Venezuela.This is part of a wider conspiracy to overthrow the democratically elected Socialist Government and replace it with a dependent pro-western government.

That Venezuela is experiencing a profound economic and political crisis is beyond doubt. However, the Scottish Socialist Party condemns the role of, in particular, the United States in fuelling this crisis. They have subjected the country to a damaging economic embargo, have encouraged opposition forces in a campaign of economic sabotage and actively promoted social destabilisation. This has included organised acts of violence by opposition forces. Britain and the United States claim that they are promoting democracy but given their track record as regards Venezuela this is the height of hypocrisy.

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Nicaragua: beyond nostalgia

by Joyce McCracken, in Nicaragua

All over the world, the left proclaims itself as the future. A future beyond exploitation, beyond perpetual wars initiated by capitalism in its neoliberal mind and body. Sounds like good stuff.

The veteran Nicaraguan journalist Onofre Guevara López has a different take on some of the left. Writing in Havana Times, he has this to say:

“[An] outdated left, aren’t analysing the situation in Nicaragua as Marxists, but through their prism of nostalgia for a revolution which ceased to exist many years ago.”

He, like others, be they Marxist, non-Marxists, Christians or whatever, have long recognised that the Sandinista Popular Revolution of 1979 has been corrupted by President Daniel Ortega and his Vice President wife,

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Greek firestorm – tools for the wealthy

by Kleanthis Antoniou

It’s always awful discussing natural destruction, where dozens of lives have been lost in the most horrific ways.

The strong winds, high temperatures, and the site itself, a summer resort for capital citizens – usually of average to low income. In July, the resorts are full of working class people who made time for a quick trip to the coast, an hour away from Athens. (Those with higher incomes tend to visit and build on more prestigious areas.)

But there is a dangerous undercurrent. Of the habits of the Greek owner-class using arson to get round land and planning laws.

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What is BDS and why does it matter?

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement was launched in summer 2005 by a coalition of Palestinian civil society organisations in order to bring international pressure against Israel to end its persistent violations of Palestinian human and national rights.

Modelled on the successful campaign to isolate apartheid South Africa in the 1980s, it has gone on to become a key means by which those internationally who stand in solidarity with the Palestine liberation struggle can weaken Israeli colonialism and Israel’s system of apartheid.

Motions of support for the BDS movement have been passed by an increasing number of trade unions, local authorities, political parties and student unions across the world, including in Scotland and Britain.

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Israeli snipers slaughter over 100 demonstrators

The world has watched in horror at the criminal actions of the Israeli army in killing hundreds and injuring thousands more as they protested the illegal occupation of their land and the blockade that aims at strangling the life from the 1.8 million residents of Gaza.

In the six weeks of protests, planned to culminate on Nakba day, marking the expulsion of thousands of Palestinians to found Israel, over 100 demonstrators have been killed by IDF snipers and hundreds wounded. They are protesting for their right to return to their home land. They are being slaughtered for doing that.

The Scottish Socialist Party unreservedly condemns the action of the Israeli government and the provocative decision of the US Government to move it’s embassy to Jerusalem in a move that is designed to give the green light to Netanyahu’s right wing government to continue its programme of illegal settlement building and brutal repression in Palestine.

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SSP EC statement on Catalonia

The Scottish Socialist Party offers its solidarity to those Catalans resisting the undemocratic and repressive response of the Spanish government to their democratic demand to determine their future relationship with the Spanish state.

We condemn the brutal police response to those protesting the continued victimisation of elected politicians for carrying out their mandate in organising the independence referendum last year. Such brutality, cloaked in the language of legality, is part of a long and dishonourable tradition of the Spanish state violently suppressing movements for change.

Having failed to defeat Catalan pro-independence parties at the ballot box in December, Rajoy’s government, whose party secured only 4% in those elections, have now moved to use their domestic courts and the judiciaries of other European countries to imprison prominent leaders of the independence movement.

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Catalonia: What’s happening?

by Dick Nichols

The most critical week in modern Catalan history began on September 24. With one week to go to the October 1 referendum on independence, the battle lines in what will be a decisive clash have formed. On the one side, the 80% of Catalan people who support their right to decide their country’s future; on the other, the 10,000 Spanish National Police and paramilitary Civil Guard charged with stopping the October 1 vote.

Since the middle of last week, the two sides have been engaged in intensifying skirmishes that will end in one of three scenarios: the humiliation of the central Spanish government of People’s Party (PP) Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (if the Catalan majority manages to vote);

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Spain Cannot Arrest the entire Catalan Independence Movement – Fox

SSP National co spokesperson Colin Fox today condemned the Spanish Government for arresting those involved in organising the Catalan Independence referendum due to take place on Sunday 1st October.

He said: “The standoff between the Spanish state determined to thwart an independence referendum on October 1st and the Catalan government determined to hold one has reached a dangerous turning point with the arrest of elected Catalan representatives by the Civil Guard.”

“In his attempt to prevent Catalans expressing their view on independence the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is pursuing a highly provocative course of action which will be opposed by millions of people and increases the risk of serious confrontation. It goes without saying that he simply cannot jail all those who support Catalonia’s independence.”

“This use of the Civil Guard in what is a political conflict risks serious economic and social instability throughout Spain.”

“Irrespective of the Spanish constitution and its provisions such acts of repression can only inflame the situation.

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