6 October 2009
Ilrig: A message of solidarity to Abahlali baseMjondolo
A message of solidarity to Abahlali baseMjondolo
Two hundred activists from the following social movements and trade unions from across South Africa, and from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Nigeria, and Canada, representing nearly organisations attending the ILRIG Globalisation School were shocked to hear of, and condemned, the brutal murders of the comrades from Abahlali baseMjondolo that occurred on Sunday the 27th of September at the Kennedy Road Settlement. We would like to extend our condolences to the comrades, friends and family of the people who were so brutally killed. It is a very sad day when our people are murdered for simply discussing politics. We are outraged that such weapons are still so widely available and used to terrorize democratic movements. The murders are a clear sign that the elite feel threatened by people who self organise and who courageously air their views. Indeed, the attack on the comrades was an attack on the right of freedom of expression and organisation. We condemn the inaction and harassment of the police towards Abahlali. The murders of the comrades are a chilling reminder of earlier periods of our history – seen in the Western Cape with the Witdoeke in the 1980s, in KZN and the East Rand in the 1990s, and in the arrests and attacks on individual activists since the early 2000s. Capitalism is dotted with instances where violence has been used to attack and divide the working class. We do not regard these attacks as an “ethnic” or “tribal” war and condemn the ways in which ethnicity has once again been used as an excuse for political murders. We condemn these methods of trying to divide the working class and the poor. We are inspired by, draw courage from, and support the organising of Abahlali baseMjondolo. We grieve together and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Durban.
1. Anti-Privatisation Forum
2. Che Guevara Creative Foundation
3. CEPPWAWU
4. Community Network Forum (CNF)
5. Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)
6. COSATU Yourng Workers
7. DCYM
8. DIGGZ
9. Eastern Cape Agricultural Research Project (ECARP)
10. Eden Park Concerned Residence
11. Evaton West Community
12. Farm Workers’ Network
13. FOBTOB of Nigeria
14. Foundation for Socio Economic Justice of Swaziland
15. General Industries Workers Union of SA (GIWUSA)
16. Hanover Park Wellness
17. Heideveld Youth Development
18. HOSPERSA
19. Internation Research Academy of Swaziland
20. International Research and Information Group (ILRIG)
21. Kathorus Concerned Residents
22. Landless People’s Movement (LPM)
23. Merafong Demarcation and Development Forum
24. New Women’s Movement
25. NUMSA
26. Ogoni Solidarity Forum
27. Overcome Heights
28. RAMOLUTSI
29. SACCAWU
30. SACP
31. Sakhuluntu Youth Development
32. SAMWU
33. SATAWU
34. Southern Cape Land Committee
35. Sikhula Sonke
36. Social Movement Indaba (WC)
37. Simanye Youth Organisation
38. Sinako Youth Solidarity
39. Southern African Regional Network
40. Soweto Concerned Residents
41. Surplus People’s Project
42. SWEAT
43. Treatment Action Campaign
44. UCT Workers’ Forum
45. SINTICEM of Mozambique
46. Women of Action
47. Heideveld Residents & Youth Development Organization
48. Witzenberg Advice & Development Centre
49. African Migrants Organization
50. Africa Groups of Sweden
51. People’s Health Movement
52. United Steelworkers of Canada
53. Western Cape Water Caucus
54. Bolshevik Study Circle
55. Youth Solidarity Forum
56. Zille Raine Heights