Statements made by Vakis Charalambous, Central Organizational Secretary of EDON, at the press conference on "The Guidelines of the 2016-17 Action Plan “ after the meeting of the C.C. of EDON
Thursday 15th September 2016, EDON Central Offices, Nicosia
On 2nd September 2016 the fifth session of the Central Council of EDON convened to discuss the "Action Plan for 2016-2017." After a discussion on the political and organizational goals set by the Organization for this year, the session of the C.C. of EDON unanimously concluded the following:
1. Our people, especially the young generation, are today suffering even more intensely the brutal effects of the global capitalist crisis. Poverty, unemployment and exploitation are intensifying as a result of the neoliberal policies being implemented by the European Union and DISY party-Anastasiades government.
2. The deadlocks to which imperialism is leading to, force even more urgently before us the need to step up our anti-imperialist struggle and solidarity.
3. In our region realignments underway that can be expressed directly through the military operations waged by NATO and its allies. The arming of extremist Islamic forces (for example, "Islamic State") by the US and its allies to overthrow regimes perceived as hostile to the US and the promotion of the plans for the imposition of a "New Middle East" by any means is continuing unabated. The violation of human rights and International Law in the name of supposedly combating terrorism, the domination and immunity of the US and its NATO allies, the intensity of the imperialist interventions due to the crisis and the escalation of inter-imperialist contradictions has again led to the bloody slaughter of the peoples of the region, at the same time as the plight of the migrants and refugees who are drowning in the Mediterranean is continuing on a daily basis.
4. Particular attention must be given this year to the struggle against the anti-communist hysteria which is mounting.
5. In these conditions, the unity of the international movement on a class and anti-imperialist basis is more than ever before necessary. EDON must further develop its action within the international anti-imperialist movement through the structures of the WFDY, defending its character.
6. For yet another year we are entrusted with the duty of maintaining and consolidating among the youth the need to fulfill our strategic goal for the liberation and reunification of our homeland and people on the basis of a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as described in the UN resolutions. We are struggling for a solution providing for one state, a single indivisible sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship; a solution that will free Cyprus from the occupation, colonization and any foreign dependencies, far from NATO guarantees; a solution that will safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all the Cypriot people.
7. EDON supports the negotiation procedure, without this meaning that we give a blank cheque to President Anastasiades. The coming period will determine the fate of the current negotiation procedure. We cannot afford another failure, but this of course does not mean that we will accept any solution. The leaders of the two communities need to focus on the pending core issues, making every possible effort to bridge the differences with respect to the principles and the agreed framework of the solution.
8. We declare clearly that we will not consent to a solution that will include accession to NATO and to its branches such as the so-called “Partnership for Peace” or any deviation from the principle of demilitarization.
9. We must maintain open channels of communication with the Turkish Cypriot community and the Turkish Cypriot progressive youth movement and contribute to the wider effort to ensure that the procedure of direct talks should have the best possible chances of a successful outcome.
10. We will remain staunch opponents of nationalism - chauvinism, obscurantism and fascism and extreme right-wing ideologies that are poisoning the relations between the two communities. We will struggle against the coordinated effort to distort and falsify the historical truth.
11. We will on the one hand continue the struggle against the forces of submission and subservience to the US and on the other against the forces of maximalist, nationalist goals and objectives.
12. We express our deep concern about the activities of extreme right wing fascist organizations in Cyprus and even more so about their entry into parliament in the last elections. Their rhetoric and slogans are reminiscent of the period of the treacherous action of EOKA B.
13. At the same time, we have the task of combating the Turkish and other imperialist machinations for the upgrading of the pseudo-state, something that will certainly lead to the finalization of partition.
14. Today, socio-economic developments in our country are determined by the anti-social policies of this government which are characterized by vicious austerity - privatization - cuts and subordination to the Troika. These policies being imposed serve only the privileged few and shifting the burdens on the backs of the majority of the people, generating poverty, insecurity, uncertainty and creating a bleak future for our youth and people.
15. As EDON we have no illusions that all of society’s problems will be solved with the end of the Memorandum. The imposition of anti-social austerity measures and policies will continue, with or without the Memorandum, given that they are part of the neoliberal philosophy of the government, the EU, IMF, World Bank and the European Central Bank.
16. We insist that the consequences of the systemic crisis and the problems of the banking system cannot be loaded onto the backs of the poor, the unemployed, the low paid, pensioners, farmers, small and medium strata, the young generation and small/middle shopkeepers.
17. No matter how difficult the struggle may be it will be daily and fierce in schools, universities, workplaces and youth recreation areas. We will struggle to project an alternative to the problems of youth, stressing the need for organized struggle, creating arenas and bastions of resistance to capitalism’s social deadlocks, such as the scourge of drugs and other addictions.
18. EDON will remain the leading assertive force in the spectrum of youth, promoting with clarity our own distinct ideological and political position inside the youth movement and in society in general. Our effort as always will have at its heart our own class approach to serve the interests of working people and youth.
19. In confronting the policy of austerity, the attack on wages and salaries, pensions and rights, in view of the danger of the foreclosure of properties and privatizations we need to react strongly with the power of popular mobilizations and this will only be done on the path of struggle, overcoming defeatism, misery and fatalism.
20. We are entering a year which is a continuation of the 2016 parliamentary elections where AKEL - Left - New Forces recorded a negative result. The fierce attack on the People’s Movement of the Left, the general climate of the depreciation of political forces, but also the same political and organizational tasks that lie before us, force the need for an Organization, organizationally and politically stronger, more decisive and effective; an Organization that will help the Party of the working people to recover - ideologically, politically, organizationally - something that, inter alia, will bring, among others, electoral advances too. The Municipal Elections of December are important seen in this context.
21. We believe that the most powerful response to the above must be given by the young generation, especially the unemployed and those suffering directly from the consequences of the capitalist crisis. Anger and indignation must not viewed as a harmless outlet and means of escape, but they should be channeled in a decisive and assertive way and through organized mass struggle.
22. The youth of our country can look to EDON to continue its struggle to safeguard and expand the rights of the young generation in life, education, work and recreation, but also for the building of a qualitatively advanced society; a society of democracy, freedom, social justice, equality, solidarity and socialism.