Common statement signed by Greek activists, academics, writers and students Save the life of the Indian writer and activist Varavara Rao!

(The list of signatures is being updated)

Varavara Rao, a poet, a writer, an activist and an advocate of democratic and social rights for decades against the arbitrariness of Indian governments, has been jailed for almost two years along with ten other activists, lawyers, journalists, etc. They are all accused of inciting violent incidents in the Bhima Koregaon case, a charge that is considered false, while the government for the last two years has failed to prove the charges in court to start the trial. The conditions in the prisons, where these prisoners of conscience are being held, are said to be unhealthy and the threat of the Coronavirus pandemic spreading has increased the risks. Varavara Rao, at the age of 80, has been tested and proved to be positive for COVID-19 and has many concomitant illnesses. His condition reveals the absolute neglect of his health by the prison authorities. We join our voices with academics from all over the world, intellectuals, journalists, members of the Indian Parliament, international humanitarian organizations, the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) and others, and we demand the immediate release of Varavara Rao and the other pre-trial imprisoned activists of the same case.

Chained Muse: Notes from Prison by Varavara Rao

In November 2019, when the Bhima Koregaon accused were still housed in Yerawada Central Prison and their case had not yet been transferred to the NIA, the Telugu poet penned some thoughts about his experience there, and the carceral nature of the state.

With news coming in about the worsening health of Varavara Rao (VV), his family held an urgent press conference on July 12, 2020 to demand adequate medical care for the incarcerated 80-year-old Telugu poet. Held in prison for the past 22 months as an under-trial in the Bhima Koregaon conspiracy case, VV’s health has become a crucial cause of concern since May 28, when he fell seriously ill and had to be hospitalised in the Taloja Central Prison and later was shifted to the state-run JJ Hospital.

Callous Disregard For The Health Of Varavara Rao Must Be Condemned! Release Him Immediately!

Release Varavara Rao immediately! Condemn the State’s blatant and callous disregard for the health of the 80-year-old revolutionary poet! Demand the release of all political prisoners!

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) demands the immediate release of the revolutionary poet Varavara Rao who has tested positive for COVID-19. As per information received by family members, Varavara Rao’s health has rapidly deteriorated over the last couple of weeks. This is also evidenced by his weakening physical state, incoherent speech and inability to independently perform daily or bodily functions. After persistent efforts of family members in highlighting his health condition, the jail authorities, who had denied these concerns, were compelled to shift Varavara Rao to JJ Hospital in Mumbai on July 13th.

Resolution of the Central Organ of the Communist Party of Greece (marxist-leninist)

• For several weeks now, humanity has been facing an expanding and rapidly spreading epidemic (pandemic), that of coronavirus.

The spread and danger of this pandemic (with many issues still ongoing and the controversy among the world's major centers of power) absolutely blames the world capitalist-imperialist system, especially regarding its course in recent decades. It reveals all the dominant effort to destigmatize capitalism, its laws and contradictions, which seeks to load its own responsibility for exposing humanity to a great health risk to the peoples themselves, who are supposedly dirty, careless, and irresponsible. It has been shown that the racial-racist attempt to separate societies into resilient and not resilient, developed and non-developed, and affected differently by viruses, was short-lived.

As we have pointed out, the coronavirus in particular does not do as many "distinctions" as those before it appeared to do, that the so-called "developed" world considered to be confined to the underdeveloped, poor and impoverished regions of the world. (the well-known discrimination between the diseases of "civilization", and the others). We understand, therefore, from this point of view also, that the progress of the epidemic has caused such a shock in the metropolises and other capitalist countries in the West, East, North and South.

So, we must place the great political and social cost of the global capitalist system in this context, because it left "defenseless" and "unfortified" even parts of the planet that were "famous" for health systems, for social and health protection, for hygiene conditions.

A workers letter from BIC's factory in Greece.

The situation inside the BIC factory in Greece has hit rock bottom. At this point our health is at serious risk. With their stance, the employers are revealing in the cruellest manner that they have no regard for our lives when their profit is on the line.

Nothing has changed in the production process. We keep working with no room to swing a mouse lacking every means of protection (masks, gloves, etc.), putting ourselves and our families at high risk. The factory management not only chose to keep the factory open, but also to make the workers work overtime and to increase the production. They are acting as if nothing is wrong and are asking from us to be “calm” and “patient” without taking into consideration the risk they’re putting us at.

THE WORKING CLASS IN FRONT OF A DOUBLE THREAT - Defending Our Lives, Defending Our Rights

translated ftom Class March a left masss organsation of working people in Greece

The working class and the workers are in front of a huge and unprecedented challenge. The alarm declared by the system’s headquarters worldwide because of the corona-virus pandemic doesn’t have only the side of the immediate threat to health and lives of the masses. It also has the side of launching a round of intense attacks on labor and mass rights worldwide.

The system’s forces are already preparing for a new cycle of recession, another plunge of financial size. The blows received by entire branches due to the pandemic bans, in parallel with episodes of intensified economic competition, are sure to be passed on to the working class and workers everywhere in the world.

ECUADOR: FREEDOM FOR COMRADE CHRISTIAN MONTERO!

article found originally in CEBRASPO via Demvolkedienen

We publish an unofficial, preliminary translation of an article by CEBRASPO - Brazilian Center for Solidarity of the People.

Cristian Montero, a political activist, was arrested by the Ecuadorian police, according to a statement by the The Front for the Defense of the Struggles of the People of Ecuador (FLDP). The activist has been accused of rebellion, paralysing public service and terrorism. In fact, he took part in the fight against the large mining companies that drive farmers out of the midlands.