Iraqi Communists participate in L-Humanite' Festival

Iraqi Communists and "Tareeq Al-Shaab" newspaper
participate in L'Humanite' Festival

Iraqi Communists continued an internationalist tradition that stretches back to the early 1970s, with active participation of members and supporters in France and European countries in the L'Humanite Festival (12-14 September 2008). The marquee of "Tareeq Al-Shaab" (People's Path), the daily newspaper of the Iraqi CP, in the International Village was packed with visitors browsing through the book stall, listening to lively Iraqi and Kurdish music and folk dance, watching a show of traditional costumes, and sampling delicious Iraqi food.
The centre-piece attraction of the marquee was a big painting by artist Salah Jiyad of the late Kamil Shiaa; the prominent Iraqi intellectual and Communist who was assassinated in Baghdad on 23 August 2008. The marquee was, this year, dedicated to his memory and was named after him.

The Central Committee of Iraqi CP was represented by Mohammed Jassim al-Labban, member of its Political Bureau, who arrived from Baghdad especially for the event. He held a number of meetings with delegations of fraternal and friendly parties.

The party delegation met with Jacques Fath, Director of the Commission for International Relations of the CP of France. Comrade al-Labban gave a brief review of recent political developments in Iraq and answered questions about aspects of the situation. He highlighted the Patriotic Democratic Plan adopted by the party, which expresses Iraqi people's aspirations to regain full national sovereignty, end the occupation and build a state based on the rule of law and equality, and deepen democratic transformations to lead the country out of the current crisis. The French comrades expressed their full solidarity with the struggle of the Iraqi Communist Party in the current complex conditions, under US occupation and with the ongoing struggle about the character and content of the Iraqi state and building its political-social system.

Meetings were also held with the representatives of the Tudeh Party and the Lebanese CP. The latter included its Secretary comrade Khalid Hedadah. Other meetings included delegations of communist parties in Chile, Colombia, Peru and Syria; and social organisations in north Africa.

An Iraqi CP delegation also met with the Venezuelan ambassador to France, Jesus Arnaldo Perez, at the marquee of Venezuela. Political developments and challenges, faced by both Iraqi and Venezuelan peoples, were discussed. The ambassador expressed support and solidarity with the struggle being waged by the Iraqi people and Communist Party under difficult conditions.

Iraq's official representative in UNESCO, Muhi-el-deen al-Khatib, visited the marquee, and delivered a speech expressing his deep sorrow and agony for the big loss of Iraqi culture with the murder of Kamel Shiaa.

Source: "Tareeq Al-Shaab", daily newspaper of the Iraqi Communist Party.