Iraqi CP: Fraternal Greetings & Happy New Year!

Communist Clinic celebrates its 10th anniversary in Baghdad

The Communist Clinic celebrates its 10^th anniversary in Baghdad

The Communist Clinic celebrated its 10^th anniversary with an event organized on 7 December 2013 in the party headquarters in Andulus Square in central Baghdad.

Mohhammed Jassim al-Labban, member of the party’s Political Bureau, addressed the meeting. The founder of the Communist Clinic, Dr Muzaham Mubarak, also gave a speech. The meeting listened to speeches of volunteers who had supported the work of the Clinic. The well-known poet Nadhem al-Samawi recited a poem on the occasion.

The event was part of celebrations of the 80^th anniversary of the Iraqi Communist Party.   

Iraqi CP to contest parliamentary elections under Civil Democratic Alliance

Iraqi Communist Party to contest parliamentary elections under the Civil Democratic Alliance

The Iraqi Communist Party announced on 9 December that it will be contesting the forthcoming parliamentary elections in April 2014 within the Civil Democratic Alliance. It pointed out that some political blocs have failed with their sectarian plans and are now attempting to take part in the elections under  the guise of a “civil democratic” program. 

Jassim al-Hilfi, member of the party’s Political Bureau, said in a statement published by “Tareeq Al-Shaab” (People’s Path), Iraqi CP’s daily newspaper, that the party “remains part of the Democratic Current which took part In the provincial elections earlier this year and won 11 seats.” He confirmed that the “Communist Party will contest the parliamentary elections in April 2014 as part of the Civil Democratic Alliance, against blocs whose sectarian plans have failed are trying once again to take part in the elections under a civil democratic cover, but the essence of their thought is sectarian.”

He said that the Civil Democratic Alliance include the forces of the Democratic Current (such as the Communist Party, National Democratic Part, Arab Socialist Movement, Democratic Action Party, Umma Party) as well as the People’s Party, several other forces and independent figures. “These democratic politicians have not been tarnished by corruption and shedding the blood of Iraqis, and are known for their integrity, competence and support for the ci,vil democratic alternative.  

Raid Fahmi, member of the Political Bureau of the Iraqi Communist Party, told “Shafaq News” agency that the Civil Democratic Alliance is expected to do well in provinces in southern Iraq, including Basrah, Thi Qar and Muthanna, as well as Baghdad, as it did in the provincial elections.

The Communist Party had launched its 80^th anniversary celebrations last October in the city of Nasseriyah (in southern Iraq) which had witnessed its beginnings. The party was founded on 31 March 1934. The program of the 80^th anniversary celebrations includes many political and cultural events in Baghdad and all over Iraq that will continue well into 2014.

Iraqi CP: Iran nuclear deal is a step in the right direction

Political Editor of “Tareeq Al-Shaab”: 

Iran nuclear deal is a step in the right direction

The following is an article by the Political Editor of “Tareeq Al-Shaab” (People’s Path), the daily newspaper issued by the Iraqi Communist Party, in its edition on 28 November 2013. 

Finally, the two sides, Iran and the so-called P5+1 group of nations, have reached a deal over Iran's nuclear program. As a result, a serious danger that was threatening the region at any moment has been removed. Some parties in the region, in the forefront of which is Israel , did all they can to prevent achieving this result which has came in the final analysis in the interest of all the peoples of the region and serve their stability and security. It has also spared them the dangers of an international military conflict, especially since the region has still not recovered from the wars that broke out on its territories. In addition, the Palestinian issue remains inflamed as a result of Israel's intransigence, arrogance and aggressiveness, continuing to deny the Palestinian people the right to establish their state on the their own homeland.

What has been achieved in this deal is not unrelated to the changes in Iran's presidency and the new approach of opening up to the world, showing flexibility and giving precedence to the interests of the of Iranian people, and the retreat of hardliners. But it is also linked to a host of other developments and their repercussions on the regional and international levels. It is important in this respect to point to what is happening in Syria, and what is changing on the ground daily, despite the undesirable widespread external intervention. The interests of the Syrian people and their hopes for security, stability, free dignified life and democracy remain meanwhile undecided.

It is obvious however that America is unwilling to engage in new military conflicts in the region, especially after its bitter experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq and the consequences and tragedies they left behind. These wars have affected the American people themselves, with a negative impact on their lives and standard of living through massive military spending, high rates of poverty and unemployment, the bitter struggle waged by Obama in order to keep his health care program, and the disruption of the American state because of a failure to approve the federal budget, while still suffering from inability to overcome the consequences of its economic and financial crisis that has extended to cover the capitalist world as a whole.

There is no doubt that the deal that has been achieved is a step in the right direction. It is a welcome step that demonstrates the importance of constructive dialogue, making reciprocal concessions, showing flexibility and the adoption of peaceful and diplomatic solutions to existing problems whether between countries or on the regional or international level. It is an approach that responds to the interests of the peoples and spares them the evils of wars and their tragedies.

All the parties concerned must ensure the proper implementation of what has been agreed and adherence to the prescribed timetable. The efforts by war hawks and advocates to inflame differences, agitate and get things back to square one should be curbed.

All the countries in the region must seize this moment and develop it for the benefit of the peoples of the region, ensuring their development and right to choose their own political, economic and social systems, in order to achieve security, peace and progress. In this respect, the Iraqi government and its officials should make an effort in this direction, seeking to establish balanced and equitable relations with neighboring countries and the world, and to spare our country the dangers of foreign interference in its affairs. Proper consideration should be given to the possibilities and changes that may take place in the coming days regionally and internationally. This is essential in order to preserve the unity of Iraq and its social fabric, achieve security, stability and lasting peace, so as to ensure the country’s reconstruction, progress and proper democratic development.

Central Committee of Iraqi CP holds regular meeting

The Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party Holds its Regular Meeting

The Central Commission of the Iraqi Communist Party held its regular meeting on Friday 8 November 2013, in Baghdad. The meeting coincided with the start of the celebrations of party’s 80^th anniversary. With a sense of great pride and inspired by the rich significance and implications of this anniversary, the meeting stressed the need to celebrate it and highlight the role of the party at present and in future. It decided to issue a declaration on this occasion that is dear to the hearts of Iraqi patriots and communists.

The meeting began with a minute of silence in memory of the comrades and friends who passed away during the past few months, and for the martyrs of our people and the victims of terrorism and its crimes.

The meeting discussed a report on the work and performance of the party, its leading bodies, organizations and specialized committees. It considered the conferences of the party’s provincial committees that have just been accomplished and unanimously endorsed their outcome. It highly evaluated the successes that have been achieved by communists’ relentless work and enthusiasm, and the development of organizations, enhancing their role, dealing with loopholes and shortcomings, and improving their performance. The meeting called for strengthening ties with the people, taking up their demands, defending them and standing with them to seize their rights. It called for urging and encouraging the people to take part effectively in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, and to cast their votes for the better, honest and capable candidates despite the shortcomings in the new election law. The meeting considered this to be a big challenge facing the civil and democratic parties and forces. It should be an incentive to mobilize forces, ensure their coordination and cooperation, and build their broad democratic civil alliance in order to gain seats in Parliament and transform it into an additional platform for defending the rights of the masses, serving the people and defending their interests and the supreme interests of the homeland.

The meeting considered the political developments in the country and the general crisis which is grinding it and increasing the suffering of the people and their legitimate concern for the future. The participants dealt with the manifestations of the crisis and its multi-faceted consequences, especially the increasing scale of terrorists’ operations in recent times, with their intensification and extensive range, and the frantic efforts to stir up sectarian strife and fuel its flames.

The meeting stressed the country’s urgent need for serious reforms that would lead to a change in approach, mentality and performance, and opens the way for rebuilding the political process on a sound basis, getting rid of the sectarian-ethnic power-sharing system, preserving the unity of the country and averting the pitfalls of division and internal strife, leading to the establishment of a democratic civil state and social justice.

The meeting also considered the developments in the region, and in the world. It saluted with pride the successes of peoples and their patriotic, democratic and Left forces in building their regimes in accordance with their will, and the establishment of societies enjoying development, progress, justice and democracy.

An extensive statement from the meeting will be issued soon.

Resolution on the Arab region - 15th IMCWP in Lisbon, Nov. 2013

Resolution on the Arab region

Issued by the 15^th International Meeting of the Communist and Workers’ Parties

(Lisbon 8-10 November 2013)

The Communist and Workers’ Parties meeting in Lisbon – Portugal, within the framework of their International Meeting, consider that the Middle East area, and specifically the Arab region, continues to constitute the principal target of the new offensive by imperialist forces against all the peoples of the world, in a desperate attempt to extricate themselves from their structural crisis in which they are mired, through tightening control over the world, its wealth and markets. Imperialism, led by the United States, and relying on NATO, is implementing a renewed old plan, entitled the “New Middle East”. The aim of this plan is to undermine the idea of the national state and transform the Arab world into a group of dependent statelets that are fighting among themselves on religious, sectarian and ethnic basis, so as to allow world capitalism to seize control of the natural resources of the region, especially oil and gas.

The Communist and Workers’ Parties, meeting in Lisbon – Portugal in the their 15^th International Meeting, while highlighting the need to confront this destructive plan, stress the following: 

First:  Support for the uprisings and revolutions of the Arab peoples, especially the revolutions of Egypt and Tunisia, in overthrowing dictatorial and despotic regimes, for radical change, and getting rid of subservience to imperialism, for liberating Arab land and natural resources. We also support the overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies among groups of Political Islam that are supported by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others with the blessing of American imperialism and European Union.

Second:  Stressing the pivotal position of the Palestinian issue and support for the Palestinian people in confronting the Zionist policies of aggression, building settlements and “Transfer” (the expulsion of Palestinians from their homeland), and for the right of al refugees to return and to establish their national state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Third:  Solidarity with all Arab peoples in their struggle against imperialism and the regimes of repression, despotism and dictatorship, especially Sudan, Bahrain and Kuwait. We reject the political and military interference by imperialism and Arab reaction in the internal affairs of these peoples, especially the Syrian people. We express solidarity with the Iraqi people against the sectarianism and terrorism. We support the resistance of the Lebanese people against Israeli aggression.

Fourth:  To prepare for an International Campaign against imperialist military bases and build-up in the Gulf region and the Eastern Mediterranean area, to be launched at the beginning of 2014, as a starting point for campaigns that the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties intends to organise on the 100^th anniversary of the First World War.

Lisbon – Portugal   

8 – 10 November 2013

Signed by: 

- Egyptian Communist Party

- Lebanese Communist Party

- Sudanese Communist Party

- Iraqi Communist Party

- Palestinian People’s Party

- Democratic Progressive Tribune of Bahrain