During the last months, we had to follow with great concern the news about the dramatic events in the Ukraine and in Kiev. The protests on the Maidan, led to a significant extent by fascists, are not the only thing we worry about. The nature of the regime change, the increasingly critical political climate in the Ukraine, the Western sabre-rattling aimed at Russia, as well as the ongoing debate on the status of the Crimea are also more than unsettling.
We are shocked to see the degree of immediacy, aggressiveness and ignorance with which German mainstream media trivialise, ignore or even support fascists. The Konrad Adenauer foundation of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), their puppet Vitali Klitschko and also the federal government, represented by foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, especially excel in the latter.
The EU and in particular the FRG, but also the USA and the NATO try to utilise not only Ukrainian pro-Western oligarchical and neoliberal circles in order to assert their economic, political and military interest, as well as to prevail over Russia in the struggle for predominance in the Ukraine. Apparently, they are not ashamed to openly collaborate with armed fascist street gangs – in particular the so-called “Right Sector” – and their parliamentary counterpart, the openly fascist “Svoboda” party (“Liberty” party). There are even some cases of militant nationalist thugs travelling to Kiev from neighbouring countries and Scandinavia. The Western governments avoid admitting their open coalition with fascists. To make things worse, the majority of German media do not criticise the actions of the government and the parties. The same low level of criticism can be observed in the news coverage of the recent increase of nationalism, the active participation of fascists in the transitional government, as well as in the interpretation of the presence of armed fascist gangs on the Maidan and other parts of the Ukraine.
Recently, the Svoboda party undertakes every effort to appear as being “moderate” and to present itself as the guardian of “peace and order”. By the means of a strong street presence, already existing structures, financial resources and demagogic propaganda, they, along with the “Right Sector”, succeeded in dominating large parts of the so-called “Maidan protests” and grew massively in numbers and strength. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the present situation of Ukrainian society provides more than enough reasons for massive protests against the government and the ruling class. This is made all the worse when fascists succeed in channelling the public discontentment onto a reactionary path, especially due to the lack of progressive alternatives.
The last weeks and months have shown us many things: On the one hand we see what can happen when there is no supra-regional and effective antifascist movement and organisation. On the other hand we have to state that, in Germany, it is necessary to even further develop antifascist structures that are able to translate slogans such as international solidarity into action. The events in the Ukraine are extremely explosive on a political level as they highlight once more that the ruling classes happily welcome fascists as helpers and supporters that do the “dirty work”. Already there are calls to threaten and murder national minorities, Jews, leftists, anarchists and communists. Already some of these calls have been put into practice.
The Rote Hilfe (Red Aid) has already undertaken practical steps to support Ukrainian antifascists on a material and political level. This is one of the most important answers that we, as antifascists, have to find in order to respond to the questions that arise in the context of international solidarity and the situation in the Ukraine.
The main task of all Ukrainian leftist and antifascist forces is to fight and push back the advance of nationalism and in particular the openly acting fascists and their gangs of thugs and murderers that are now even being integrated into police and military circles. It is equally important to stop the recent rise of fascists and rightist with their contradictory and reactionary ideology and to strike political blows. An immediate aim of the comrades and antifascists will now consist in trying to minimise the public support for fascists during the upcoming elections at the end of May. Last but not least, there is the upcoming Victory in Europe Day (8th of May), the day we also commemorate the large number of Ukrainians who have lost their lives in the fight against German fascism. It remains to be seen how that day will be commemorated in the Ukraine after the recent overthrow.
We condemn all words and actions which aim at sabotaging the antifascist fight in the Ukraine by division, sectarianism or even the creation of a Third Position and which help to strengthen nationalist, reactionary and fascist forces.
At the same time, we consider it as our responsibility and duty to actively fight fascists in the FRG and all those who willingly use them or collaborate with them in critical situations and in order to enforce their interests. We also have to inform the public about this dirty and lastly even warmongering policy.
It is our duty to inform the public about the right-winged and fascist machinations in the Ukraine and to practice adequate forms of international solidarity against fascism. The character of fascist ideology, as well as its role as a possible supporter of the ruling classes and in the worst case as an option of government became once more partly a historical reality. The signal effect that the developments in the Ukraine send to the European Right, should not be underestimated. Let us prevent the worst by developing the necessary structures.
We send our solidarity to all antifascists! In our thoughts we are united in the fight for a society free of fascism and its breeding ground, the capitalist social and economic system.
Down with all kinds of nationalism and fascism!
Behind fascism, there stand the capitalists!
Long live international solidarity!
April 2014
This declaration was published by:
Antifaschistische Linke Bühl-Achern
Antifaschistische Aktion Heilbronn
Antifaschistische Aktion Lörrach
Antifaschistische Jugend Ludwigshafen/Mannheim
Antifaschistische Aktion (Aufbau) Rastatt/Baden-Baden
Antifaschistische Aktion (Aufbau) Stuttgart
Antifaschistische Aktion (O) Villingen-Schwenningen
This declaration is supported by:
Antifaschistische Aktion Speyer/Schifferstadt
Antifaschistische Aktionsbündnis Stuttgart & Region (AABS)
Antifa Bad Bergzabern
Antifaschistische Linke Freiburg (ALFR)
Antifaschistische Linke Fürth (ALF)
Göppingen gegen Rechts
Initative Rems-Murr Nazifrei!
LinksjugendSolid.Ortenau
LinksjugendSolid Baden-Württemberg LSPR
Revolutionäre Aktion Stuttgart
Rote Hilfe e.V. OG Stuttgart
Sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterjugend (SDAJ) Baden-Württemberg
VVN-BdA Baden-Württemberg
VVN-BdA Kreisvereinigung Ortenau
Alex Zollmann – VVN-BdA Kreisvereinigung Ortenau
Andrea Schiele – VVN-BdA Kreisvereinigung Ulm
Bernhard Mainz – VVN-BdA Kreisvereinigung Heilbronn
Esther Broß – Mitglied im Kreisvorstand der VVN-BdA Ortenau
Janka Kluge – Landessprecher der VVN-BdA Baden-Württemberg
Jochen Dürr – Landessprecher der VVN-BdA Baden-Württemberg
Liliane Leible – 1. Vorsitzende DIE LINKE. Kehl
Paul Bauer – Sprecher und Mitglied im Kreisvorstand VVN-BdA Kreisvereinigung Ortenau
Raymond Hof – 2. Vorsitzender DIE LINKE. Kehl
Contact: ukraine-antifa-soli [aet] riseup.net
