Trial against Czech communists

[Wanted Man]

See letter from KSM: http://www.chengetheworld.org/img/-2008/ksm/Trial%20KSM%20vs.%20Ministry%20of%20Interior%20Sta rts-1.pdf (http://www.chengetheworld.org/img/-2008/ksm/Trial%20KSM%20vs.%20Ministry%20of%20Interior%20Sta rts-1.pdf)

The Czech state is prosecuting the Communist Youth Union KSM. Firstly for the fallacious reasoning that "groups that are not political parties should not interfere with politics" (the KSM never ran in elections, which is the whole point of that law). Then for the fact that the KSM bases itself on communism, marxism and leninism. Finally, the program of the KSM, which states that private property should be abolished and replaced by collective ownership of the means of production.

After one and a half year, the trial has finally begun. Just like the original ban, just moments before the KSM's congress. We can already look back on the last one and a half year of prosecution. The KSM's mother party KSCM is the only party that fights against the missile shield, even though 80% of the Czechs are against it. A real pain in the neck for the Czech government. Two Czech senators previously tried to ban communist ideas, the communist movement and even the word 'communist'. The Czech Republic Centre in Austria, a dependency of the Czech Foreign Ministry, sold shirts saying "Kill a communist for peace". Result: the vice-chairman of the KSCM was beaten up in Prague...

Source: http://www.chengetheworld.org/nl/index.php?op=page&pid=1872

[PRC-UTE]

The IRSP's Youth section released a statement years back condemning the banning of the Communist Youth. All left parties should do likewise, despite what disagreements you may have with their politics.

[Wanted Man]

Good to hear that. :) I remember campaigning for them at the time of their original ban. Our Belgian comrades, I believe, demonstrated in front of the Czech embassy.

As for their politics, they are most fundamentally about the collective ownership of the means of production. That's exactly what they're being prosecuted for.

[PRC-UTE]

Good to hear that. :) I remember campaigning for them at the time of their original ban. Our Belgian comrades, I believe, demonstrated in front of the Czech embassy.

As for their politics, they are most fundamentally about the collective ownership of the means of production. That's exactly what they're being prosecuted for.

Yes, it's because they're the largest group/trend/party calling for collectivisation, abosutely. The law banning them actually used a phrase to that effect. During the '90's, the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia was the largest (per capita) dues-paying party in all Europe, it's no wonder they were targeted. All other left and workers organisations are open to attack after this.

[Wanted Man]

Indeed. It has set a nice precedent in central Europe. The Hungarian Communist Workers' Party was also targeted last year. See: http://www.munkaspart.hu/english1.htm

[Die Neue Zeit]

I think it's time European communists of all stripes start to consider doing REALLY illegal activity in the Czech Republic (preferrably something to do with computers :) ).

[BIG BROTHER]

damm the burgoise's hipocrecy.

They use to say "communism" is against freedom.

And now were's the freedom they supposedly uphold?

[Keyser]

Proletarian, the paper of the party I am a member of, has an article on similar attacks being waged by the government of Hungary against the Hungarian Communist Workers Party (HCWP).

In the article, it also mentions the persecution of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia and the comrades from it's youth section.

http://www.cpgb-ml.org.uk/index.php?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=357

At my next local branch meeting, I will raise this issue and the possibility of organising some type of action, maybe a demonstration outside the London embassy of the Czech Republic.

Even though I disagree with the political line of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia as revisionist, I stand in solidarity with their plight and support the call for the campaign of state oppression against the party and it's youth section to end and for all restrictions against them to be lifted.

"An injury to one is an injury to all"

The above quote shows that whatever differences in political lines there are between reformists and revolutionaries, revisionists and Marxist-Leninists and anarchists too, any attack on the working class and it's political organisations is an attack against us all and our response should be a unified show of solidarity and resistance.

[RaiseYourVoice]

The SDAJ here in Germany also has a Campaign for Solidarity with the KSM.
Would be great if we have Campaigns all over Europe, would be pretty bad if the idea of Banning Communist Youth movement and Parties spreads further.

Thanks for putting this up here