Aotearoa: Solidarity with the anti-militarists on trial in Berlin

A banner was hung outside the German Embassy in Wellington today (13th December 2008) in solidarity with three anti-militarists who are currently on trial in Berlin. The banner read "Weg mit §129 - Solidaritaet mit den Antimilitaristen" ("Away with §129 - Solidarity with the anti-militarists"). Check out einstellung.so36.net/en for more information.

Solidarity from the South Pacific!

Fire and Flames against the Repression - Solidarity with Axel, Florian and Oliver

On 25th September the trial against three activists from the radical left — Axel, Florian and Oliver — started in Berlin. They are on trial for allegedly attempting an arson attack on army vehicles located on the grounds of a weapons manufacturer. They are also charged with being a member of an organised criminal group known as the ‘militant group’ (MG). The MG, which has been in existence since 2001, has claimed more than 20 arson attacks on installations of the State and capital. The group has also engaged in the debate about militant tactics.

The German equivalents to the New Zealand ‘Terrorism Suppression Act’ are paragraphs 129, 129a and b of the criminal code. These paragraphs, partly a response to urban guerilla groups like the Red Army Faction in the 1970s, can result in prison sentences of up to 10 years for membership of criminal or terrorist group. Through these laws, State organs have been able to use massive surveillance measures such as bugging phones and email accounts, using tracking devices and installing cameras outside activists’ homes just as the police did during ‘Operation 8’ in New Zealand.

In Stuttgart-Stammheim five leftists from Turkey are currently on trial for alleged membership of the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Front (DHKP/C). This is the first big trial against a leftist organisation in which the new paragraph 129b (‘Membership of a foreign terrorist organisation’), introduced in 2001, is being used. This trial against the immigrant leftists will certainly not be the last. A further investigation is running, for example against ten people of the ATIF (Federation of Workers from Turkey), who are charged with alleged membership of the TKP/ML (Turkish Communist Party/Marxist-Leninist). Similar repression is experience by Kurdish activists. The PKK (Kurdish Worker Party) has been designated as a 'criminal organisation' for 15 years.

As radical leftists we are against the capitalist order of society in which those at the top exploit those at the bottom. Obviously, the State with its instruments of repression such as the police and courts will try to obstruct and destroy our resistance. The State's monopoly on violence exists to secure the ruling status quo.

Along with social inequality in Germany, the extent of surveillance and repression has grown too. In the past few years new laws have been introduced which reduce democratic rights and extend the surveillance state. They include a new data saving law, the destruction of the right to assemble, new digital bugging laws and tracking laws.

The goal of our political struggle is a society without exploitation and oppression, a society in which production is determined by needs and not profit. This is a society whose means of production are available to the people, who can collectively decide what to produce and not simply to a small minority as is the case today. But the ruling class will not voluntarily give up their power and their property, but will attempt to defend their rule by all means. We must therefore be conscious that our groups and communities will continue to be targets of State repression and we must try to defend ourselves against surveillance.

We are fighting against a system that continues to produce crisis after crisis. Capitalist logic offers no real ways out of this situation apart from through war and destruction. The current global economic crisis shows what catastrophic consequences of an economic system solely based on profit. The state is simply a tool of the rich, and it serves their interests. The costs of the crisis are carried by the people dependant on wages.

Our struggle is therefore not only aimed against the repression, but also for a classless society based on solidarity. Solidarity with political prisoners and everybody effected by the repression play an important role in the struggle, for only together and on an international basis can we effectively oppose the repressive blows.

Solidarity with Axel, Florian and Oliver!
Away with &129, 129a and b! Away with the TSA!
Freedom for all political prisoners!
Smash Capitalism - Construct Solidarity!

For more info: solidaritaet_aufbauen (at) web.de