Greetings to the Socialist Alliance founding conference

Dear Friends,
Warm wishes for the success of the first conference of the Socialist Alliance.
I am heartened by the breakdown of sectarian barriers and the new willingness on the left for people to come together in joint campaigns and actions.
I believe it is happening around the world. I sensed it happening when I took part in the fateful Asia Pacific People's Solidarity Conference In Jakarta in June, and I know it is happening here in New Zealand.

Best wishes,
Kia Kaha,
Maire Leadbeater
Auckland City Councillor

Received from Col Friel, environmental socialist, Darwin.

To the delegates to the Socialist Alliance Founding Conference:
Greetings. Unity of the progressive forces is an essential prerequisite to defeat the ongoing attacks on working conditions, the militarisation of the western Pacific and the Americanisation of Australia's foreign policy.

Best wishes for the future.
Col Friel, environmental socialist, Darwin.

Received from Margot Ford, Lecturer and Activist for Social Justice and Indigenous Rights, Darwin.

I would like to wish you well for your first Socialist Alliance
conference.
This has been a long time in coming and I congratulate everyone of you for the foresight and courage to set aside differences and work towards a common goal. I believe the only way forward for any socialist voice in Australian politics is through solidarity between all the groups on the socialist left. The task now is to make that voice accessible to the Australian public so that real alternative choices can be made.

Good Luck
Margot Ford
Lecturer and Activist for Social Justice and Indigenous Rights

Received from the People's Democratic Party (PRD), Indonesia

Dear Comrades, As we knew from the Socialist Alliance websites, and dotcom news, we made many propaganda about that. Most of all, we've planned to publish the united front pamphlet in terms of our condition in Indonesia, and we will include your experience as our references from developed countries. Because of that reason, we bring many revolutionary greetings from the Indonesian democratic movements, especially from the People's Democratic Party (PRD). By the will of us we appreciated all the attempts to consolidate all the democratic movements in international scale, and we bring many wishes for the conference. Actually we will be on your side, and never retreat to become revolutionary. After all we will build socialism with all of you. Thank you very much for your attention.

Budiman Sudjatmiko
Chairperson of PRD

Received from DELEGATION OF TIMOR SOCIALIST PARTY (PST), IN JAKARTA-INDONESIA

Dear Comrades,

"As we know that capitalism forces always trying to devide us from each others. Because they realy know that if we, (socialism forces) be unite, it sould be vary dangers for them (capitalist)...",Avelino, PST's secretary general.

Comrades,
Today, via this latter we would like to saying, "all of socialist, be Unite!" Unite in SOCISALIST ALLIANCE where organized by our comrades in Australia. Maybe, based on the SOCIALIST ALLIANCE we can organize strong solidarity and strong socialist organizations around
the world.

As a comrades, PST will give full suport for all of comrades that already been involved at this SOCIALIST ALLIANCE and hope, be successful in first national confrence in Melbourne.

A LUTA CONTINUA! VIVA SOCIALIST ALLIANCE!! VIVA PST!!!

Comradely,
Merico AKARA
Vice President of the PST and Coordinator of PST's
Delegation

Received from the SPP (Socialist Party of Labor)Philippines -- Central Council.

To the founding congress of the Socialist Alliance, Australia.

Dear comrades,

It gives us great pleasure to send these solidarity greetings to the founding congress of the Socialist Alliance.

We welcome these initiatives of the Australian left to unite. We ourselves are undergoing this process in the Philippines. Any such developments towards left unity in the international movement holds important lessons for us all. We should exchange information from these
experiences and learn from them. There seems to be a trend towards left unity in the international movement -- and its good that we are also a part of it.

It could also be useful for Links magazine to devote a special issue looking at some of these experiences, including the united left response in the anti-globalization movement inside the imperialist countries.

We hope this unity will go further than an electoral alliance. We need this unity to lead the rise in the class struggle and the coming convulsions of the capitalist system. The masses would welcome left unity.

Long live the international unity of the revolutionary forces!

Long live the Socialist Alliance!
SPP (Socialist Party of Labor)Philippines -- Central Council.

Received from the All India Anti-imperialist Forum

Dear Comrades,

On behalf of the All India Anti-imperialist Forum I send you Revolutionary Greetings for the First National Conference of Socialist Alliance in Australia and wish it all success.

In the name of globalization, privatization imperialism has unleashed brutal oppression and untold suffering on the toiling people all over the world. Violating all canons of civilized behaviour it is trampling on the sovereignty of nations and is ruthlessly employing its military might to devastate countries and nations which dare to oppose imperialism. The imperialists have gone on the rampage since the collapse of the socialist camp. The need of the hour is to forge the unity of anti-imperialist forces all over the world, coordinate the anti-imperialist movements building up in different countries and release a mighty global struggle against imperialism on the basis of a correct revolutionary ideology.

We hope that your Conference will deliberate on the issue of the global anti-imperialist struggle and formulate concrete programmes for united movement against the evil force of imperialism, which is threatening human civilization. While building up uncompromising anti-imperialist movement in India, the All India Anti-imperialist Forum reiterates its resolve to contribute towards forging the unity of anti-imperialist forces and pledges its support for anti-imperialist movements in all corners of the globe.

Manik Mukherjee
Vice-President
All India Anti-imperialist Forum

Received from the Scottish Socialist Party

Dear Comrades,

The Scottish Socialist Party welcomes the formation of the Socialist
Alliance, which is a big step forward for socialist unity in Australia. We
consider it very important to establish the strongest possible links with
socialist parties in other countries and we are actively engaged in the
process of building an alliance of socialist forces in Europe. We look
forward to developing fraternal relations with you and we wish you every
success for your conference and for the coming federal election campaign.

Fraternal greetings,
Frances Curran and Murray Smith

Received from the Socialist Party of the Netherlands

Dear comrades,
It is good news to hear that you succeeded in bringing many socialist organisations together in the new Socialist Alliance of Australia. I hope that your first congress in Melbourne on Augusts 4 -5 will be inspiring and successfull and a step foreward to succesfulle elections in December. Our national elections will take place in May next year. Your results will surely stimulate us. Perhaps our long road top the national parliament and our success afterwards can inspire you. All the news about our party, its goals, results and activities you can find on http://www.sp.nl

Have a good congress and do inform us about it!
Sincere greetings,
Tiny Kox
General secretary of the Socialist Party of the Netherlands

Received from the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), Germany.

To the First National Conference of the Socialist Alliance, Melbourne
Berlin, 1 August, 2001

Dear Comrades,

With great satisfaction we learned that you – eight socialist organisations of Australia – have found enough common ground to join forces in an alliance to enhance the chances of the Left in the forthcoming elections. This is absolutely what our complicated time is demanding true left people to do – putting aside differences and fighting together for real social and political changes in our societies, against the dismantling of the social systems and public services, against curbing workers’ rights, for respect of the environment, against neo-nazism, racism and xenophobia, against any kind of discrimination. For these aims the PDS is fighting in Germany and the EU. We feel sympathetic with your fresh endeavour and wish your alliance to become a strong and stable factor, a real challenge for the Australian establishment.

Helmut Scholz
International Co-ordinator of the PDS

Received from The Power of Working Class [Preparatory Committee] in Korea

Dear Comrades,
Comradely greetings from South Korea.
Korean workers have waged the heroic struggle for the democratic transformation of the Korean society. The Power of Working Class [Preparatory Committee] in Korea, which was formed two years ago, also focused its efforts on the building of the genuine workers political party.

We whole-heartedly welcome the recent development in Australian left following the case of British comrades: the successful formation of a Socialist Alliance in Australia in February this year and the first national conference of the Socialist Alliance to be held in Melbourne August 4-5.

This development of the left unity and collaboration is the base for winning the working class to the side of the revolutionary forces distinguished from the so-called third way opportunists.
Now we are witnessing the global upsurge of mass struggle against the neo-liberal globalization. However, for its final victory over global capitalism and imperialism, the political leadership of working classes is essential.

We believe the successful development in Australian left will contribute to the success of international struggle of working class. We are in the same front against struggle against the capitalism and its neo-liberal globalization.

Comradely greetings
Park, Sung-In
National Chairperson
The Power of Working Class [Preparatory Committee] in Korea

Received from the Korea Youth Progress Party

Dear Comrades,
First of all, we appreciate your efforts that have contributed to the world's reform.
We are the [Korea Youth Progress Party], one of the Korean progressive parties, which aims for the party of laborers and people and for the power that revolutionizes the world.

We have already read of the successful formation of a 'Socialist Alliance' in Australia. We think that the formation will play great roles in the development of the international social movement. Moreover, we're sure that such a trial will help deepen the possibilities for collaboration and solidarity actions between socialists around the world.

Recently, we came to hear that the first national conference of the Socialist Alliance would be held before long. The news made us excited because we support the firm socialists' movement and want to struggle against capitalistic globalization with all of you. Therefore, we welcome your holding of conference with open arms and wish your good fights. In this way, the social movement around the world can be strengthened.

Comradely greetings,
Yong-soo, Won
Representative
Korea Youth Progress Party

Received from Dale T. McKinley, South Africa.

Dear Comrades of the Socialist Alliance,
Revolutionary greetings from South Africa.
On the occasion of the first national conference of the Socialist Alliance, I would like to extend the most fullsome revolutionary congratulations. The coming together of various socialist forces and individuals in Australia is a major step forward for the struggle against capitalism, both there and internationally. Indeed, one of the greatest weaknesses of left forces has historically been the lack of a united strategic approach to fighting our common enemy. Socialist forces in South Africa and many other places across thre globe still face this challenge and your example will have a postive and lasting effect.
May your deliberations and debates produce a collective strength that shakes the very foundations of capitalist power in Australia. Know that your efforts and struggles are supported by many here in South Africa - may we all re-committ ourselves to reclaiming the human dignity and people's justice that continues to be so brutally denied by the capitalist system.

Forward to revolutionary internationalism!
In solidarity and struggle,
Dr. Dale T. McKinley

Received from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), NewDelhi

Dear Comrades,
Congratulations comrades, for the good news that nine socialist organisations and many unaffiliated socialist individuals have come together to form the Socialist Alliance in Australia. Nothing could be more timely and appropriate than consolidating the socialist forces to make a bold and forceful foray into the mainstream political arena for major battles including electoral ones. The growing anti-globalisation movements and rapidly rising anti-capitalist sentiments undeline the urgency for such a step to give a sharper political edge to these.

We have noted with immense satisfaction the rapid strides the socialist forces in Australia -- along with greens and other anti-globalisation and anti-capitalist social movements -- have made in recent time through S11 and M1 protests. We are sure this unity born in the heat of street battles would endure and get further consolidated.

The more the Howard Government becomes unpopular at home the more brazenly imperialistic it sounds in its foreign policy pronouncements, especially in the context of Asian security issues. Some of the prononcements and postures of the Australian government -- especially that by Mr.Alexander Downer -- really make one wonder whether they are out to play deputy sheriff to the global super cop, the US imperialism in Asia. We too fighting against similar propensities on the part of the Indian government. This, apart from various other factors, highlight the need for greater understanding and, sometimes. concerted action, on thepart of all socialist forces in Australia and India.

Comrades,
Kindly accept our warm fraternal socialist solidarity for the success of your forthcoming conference on August 4-5 at Melbourne.
Long live international solidarity!
Long live socialist unity!
Down with imperialistic globalisation!

Received from The Irish Republican Socialist Party

Comrades of the Socialist Alliance of Australia:
The Irish Republican Socialist Party sends greetings of solidarity to you on the occasion of your first national conference. In the era of capitalist globalisation, around the world revolutionaries are finding the will to forge alliances and we welcome the news that Australian socialists are a part of this international trend. That nine separate socialist organisations joined together in this new alliance is something you should be complimented on, and the IRSP wishes you well in continued struggle.

We know also that many of your members have followed news of the struggle for national liberation and socialism in Ireland and given the history of Australia, it would not be unlikely that many of your members trace their origins in Australia to the prison ships which bore so many of the Fenian prisoners to that country. In return, we have learned about the struggles in East Timor, Aceh, and Indonesia in large part thanks to the efforts of some of your comrades, and we have been given the opportunity to express our solidarity with these just struggles. As you move forward in the interests of the working class, we hope you will avoid the temptation towards reformism that has been a pitfall of the Left in recent years.

Capitalism holds no promise for the working people of this planet. As the great Irish Marxist, James Connolly, was fond of saying nearly a century ago to those who cautioned then that he be moderate, that he be "practical": the working class is not asking for anything beyond what we are entitled to--that is, the earth. We should settle for nothing less.

We bid you adh mor, that is, "good luck", as you move forward. We know that your struggle is our own, just as our struggle is yours. We shall all be free, or we shall none of us be free.

In solidarity,
Peter Urban
International Department Co-Secretary
Irish Republican Socialist Party

Received from Labour Party Pakistan

Dear Comrades,

Labour Party Pakistan sends the warmest greetings to the Socialist Alliance being formed in Australia. The first national conference will off course lay down the basis for a powerful united expression of the Left in Australia. This alliance has already shown its actions against the imperialist globalisation offenses against the under developed countries.

Labour party Pakistan has full confidence in the ability of the Left forces united in the Alliance that they will move ahead in the coming elections and will repeat the historic successes of Scottish Socialist Party of Scotland.

The new radicalisation of the youth in the advance countries can be translated in the participation of these youth in the Sociliast parties with a socialist consciousness, provided there is a united action and united party of the Left. LPP expect a lot from this new formation.

With a red salute to all the delegates of the first conference of the Sociliast Alliance.

In Solidarity,

Farooq Tariq
general secretary
on behalf of Labour Party Pakistan

Received from the Socialist Workers Party, (Britain)
1 August 2001

Dear Comrades,

The Socialist Workers Party in Britain sends its fraternal greetings to the first national conference of the Socialist Alliance in Australia. In England and Wales our own Socialist Alliance - in co-operation with the Scottish Socialist Party - has built on a high level of comradely collaboration in the revolutionary left to make an important impact on the general election in June. This was made possible by two factors. First, the Socialist Alliance was able to attract a significant number of Labour Party activists angered and disillusioned by Tony Blair's pursuit of neo-liberal policies. Secondly, the wave of protests against global capitalism from Seattle to Genoa has captured the imagination of hundreds of thousands of people who are desperate for an alternative to neo-liberalism. The confluence of this anti-capitalist movement and the crisis of social democracy is promoting the development of a new left on a world scale. Established revolutionary organizations must face up to the test involved in seizing this enormous opportunity. We wish your conference every success in hammering out the strategy needed by the socialist left in Australia.

In solidarity,
Alex Callinicos,
for the Socialist Workers Party
(Britain)

Received from the Freedom Socialist Party International Executive Committee

July 30, 2001
Dear Sisters and Brothers,

The Freedom Socialist Party sends warm comradely greetings and congratulations to this auspicious first national conference of the Socialist Alliance. We are confident that this assembly will be a productive launch to important electoral campaigns in Australia and an inspiration to other leftists around the world.

FSP is pleased to be a part of this historic conference through the participation of our
Australian section. And those of us in the United States -- where we can look forward to being governed by an unelected president for the next four years -- fervently hope to have the opportunity to participate in a similar gathering in the near future!

The moment is right for this effort. Social-democratic parties in many different
countries have proved unequal to the task of halting capitalism's ever-uglier rampage around
the globe -- a rampage that tens of thousands of young people and other militant activists are turning out in the streets to protest. This situation gives revolutionary socialists both the
opportunity and the responsibility to join forces in order to offer leadership and real
alternatives in the electoral arena.

What this conference accomplishes has the potential to make a significant difference in the
lives and hopes of working people. This is particularly true for Australian women, Indigenous
people, immigrants, queers, and all of those who are the lowest paid, worst treated, and most angry under the system that Socialist Alliance seeks to challenge. We wish you the very best of luck on your deliberations and decision-making and look forward with great anticipation to being a part of this necessary and welcome endeavor.

In solidarity,
Andrea Bauer
Freedom Socialist Managing Editor
Seattle, Washington, USA
for the FSP International Executive Committee

Received from the Communist Party of Bangladesh

Dear Comrades,

On behalf of Communist Party of Bangladesh I would like to convey our greetings and congratulations on the sucessful formation of Socialist Alliance bringing together 9 organisations and many independent activists.

We wish every success of your conference. Our party firmly believes that the global onslaught of capital and a few global rich and terrorist has to be faught back by global national unity and struggle of all socialist and progressive forces

With Fraternal greetings

Manzurul Ahsan Khan
President
Communist Party of Bangladesh

Received from GLOBAL STRUGGLE, London.

Greetings to the Socialist Alliance of Australia.
We hope that your conference will mark a first small step along the road towards a new mass workers' party. As in England, the future of the Socialist Alliance depends on its determination to grow into a single party, based upon traditions of trade unionism and mass struggle, developing roots in the working class, attracting fresh support from the youth, and recruiting an active local membership. A mass socialist party would commit itself to direct action: to struggle in the workplaces and on the estates, to demonstrations and mass agitation, defiance of the police and the courts. It will be justified in appealing for votes in elections only upon its proven record of mass solidarity and struggle.
Such a party will need to achieve a genuine life and momentum of its own, with a fully democratic structure, a constitution, regular conferences, the direct election of a leadership, and the right of free debate for all shades of socialist opinion, including guaranteed tendency rights.
The Scottish Socialist Party provides a model. It was founded on its forerunners' record of two decades of struggle. In the process it has won the loyalty of thousands of Scottish workers, united the Scottish left, and established a party with a thriving internal democracy.
In the great battles that lie ahead, the Socialist Alliances both in England and Australia will have the responsibility to harness the energies of the youth who are fighting on the streets against capitalism, to the historic aspirations of the working class to create a party that can change society worldwide.

Fraternally,
GLOBAL STRUGGLE,
London.

Received from International Solidarity with Workers in Russia.

Solidarity greetings to the first Socialist Alliance national conference in Melbourne. ISWoR and Russian workers are grateful for the solidarity received from various members of the Socialist Alliances in Australia. Such international solidarity is essential for the rebuilding of a powerful global workers movement which fights in its own interests and alongside the most impoverished and oppressed peoples in the world. Dozens of Russian workers were in Genoa with the protestors to greet President Putin, as part of this process. To deepen these international links we are discussing now to have a sizable ISWoR and Russian militants delegation to the Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference next Easter in Sydney - if fares can be raised. Workers of the world unite!

In comradeship - Steve Myers
Secretary, ISWoR, International Solidarity with Workers in Russia.

Received from the Estonian Social-Democratic Labour Party

Dear Comrades,

Estonian Social-Democratic Labour Party congratulates Your for
formatting a wide alliance of left-wing movements, groups and
activists. That is exactly what says slogan "Leftists of all world,
cooperate!" It helps to battle for rights of working class and shows
the way to other countries, included Estonia.

Taivo Rist,
vice-chairman of Estonian Social-democratic Labour Party Youth Section

Received from the Communist Party of Brazil - PCdoB

Dear Comrades:

In behalf of the Central Committee and the militancy of the Communist Party of Brazil - PCdoB, we would like send you our best wishes for a very successfull meeting next August 4-5.

We congratulate all participants of the Socialist Alliance Meeting and we are sure that the platform to the election in December 2001 will be done with the most pure socialist ideal and it will strength the international solidarity between socialist, progressive and democratic Parties and organizations around the world.

Long live for the Socialist Alliance!!
Long live for the international solidarity !!

Fraternally,
José Reinaldo Carvalho
International Relations Secretary
The Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Brazil - PCdoB

Received from the Working Women Organisation, Pakistan

Warmest greetings from WWO-Pakistan.

On the behalf of "Working Women Organiszation" and its thousands of members I would like to congratulate for conference of Socialist Alliance which would take place in Melbourne on August 4-5, 2001. I express our strong solidarity and support with conference. This conference is certainly vital example of workers collective fight against imperialism. Workers and people strong resistance and struggle are making hard for capitalists for upholding their anti people polices. Recent people protests especially in Genoa verify that in spite of all suppression and violent attacks by capitalist forces WE workers are determined to fight till final victory. Complete demolish of imperialism and exploitation is our destiny.

There is no doubt that collective struggle and solidarity is an urgent need for getting our destiny. We are quite optimistic that Melbourne conference would be milestone of workers’ collective struggle.

Once again warm greetings and strong solidarity with Socialist Alliance. Go ahead that we are one with you. Wish you all the best and have worthwhile conference.

UNITED WE STAND NOW & EVER!
In solidarity,
Simy Gulzar
General Secretary
Working Women Organisation, Pakistan

Received from the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)

Dear Comrade,
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) takes this opportunity to convey its solidarity and warm greetings to the First National Conference of the Socialist Alliance in Australia, which is going to be held in Melbourne on August 4-5, 2001. The Conference is going to formalise the platform, constitution and election perspectives in preparation for the coming federal elections in early December 2001.

The formation of the National Liaison Committee of the Socialist Alliance is indeed a welcome development, which has brought together nine socialist organisations and a number of independent Left activists. We hail this development and hope that this will usher in a new era of social justice and human progress and society free from exploitation and oppression.

The CITU wishes all success to the Conference.

Yours sincerely,
M K Pandhe
General Secretary
CITU

Received from Hanif Loyand, Afghanistan

Dear comrades of socialist alliance,
Accept my revolutionary greetings. I heard about your socialist alliance that to gathered nine organization and many activists in Australia. In fact its very vital and brave initiative for the present struggling situation towards socialism.
I congratulate you on holding the first congress of SA to prepare a great and powerful alternative against the capitalist government of Australia.
In Afghanistan our Left movement is suffering from splits and multiplicity of formations and it has caused to weaken them especially against their joint enemy. Taliban's fascist regime has mad e Afghanistan a hell and prison to the residents.
Dear friends, your struggle in Australia inspires us here in Afghanistan and it can be a valuable lesson to other Left around the world. All the leftists who are against capitalism need to have collaborations and solidarity between themselves. We should not let the imperialism has its own way, and draw the world towards complete degeneration and death.
Wish you more success

Long live the struggles for Socialism!
Hanif Loyand

Received from the Afghanistan Labor Revolutionary Organization

Afghanistan Labor Revolutionary Organization is proud of the struggles of Australian Marxist and revolutionary socialist and their active solidarity with international parties. We strongly support your struggles.
The capitalist system and IMF, World Bank and WTO policies have failed. Poverty, unemployment, homelessness, wars, immigrations, torrorism,
smuggling, child labor, prostitutions, are the gifts of capitalism to the new millennium.
Only the collaborations, cooperation and comradely assistance can guarantee the success of socialists in the each part of the world. Your alliance against Australian capitalist regime will be a positive experience to international parties.
ALRO in Afghanistan, beside difficult political conditions and lack of sources and limitations has
been trying to unite the left force and make an active alternative to challenge the present situation. The inhuman government of Taliban violets the basic rights of people and even they are against civilization and science. The left forces, which have been strictly prosecuted, are underground and very weak. We urge on international solidarity and collaboration between Left parties around the world.

Long live socialism!
Long live left solidarity!
Death to capitalism!
Afghanistan Labor Revolutionary Organization

Received from Inquallabi Communist Sangathan, India.

Dear Comrades,
Inquallabi Communist Sangathan ( India ) with great pleasure welcomes the formation of the Socialist Alliace in Australia and expresses its solidarity and support to the alliance in all its actions to further the cause of world socialist revolution.
With Revolutionary Greetings,
Maya Valecha,
on behalf of ICS ( India ).

Received from the Central Committee, Acehnese Peoples Democratic Resistance Front
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FIRST SOCIALIST ALLIANCE CONFERENCE

Dear comrades

I am very pleased to be able to send greetings to the first Socialist
Alliance conference neing held in the lead up to the coming December
elections.

We are convinced that only through the implementation of the socialist idea
can the world have a brighter future. There will be no more oprression of
women, no more exploitation of children, no more untrammlled exploitaion of
nature leaving nothing keft for future generations.

This is what we too are struggling for in Aceh. Our struggle is to create a
more democratic social order based on the full participation of the whole
people. So in our view our present struggle for independence is the first
stage in a styruggle for full and genuine freedom.

While the form and location of our struggle differs from yours, we know that
we face the same enemy. This is the capitalist system, taht always uses the
military as its fundamental method of suppressing the people's aspirations.
There is now much evidence that all over the globe our comrades in struggle
are riisng up in accord with the rhythm of capitalism's contradictions.

My comrades in struggle, at the moment I am still in prison because we are
struggling for the same values as you are. Permit me, as Chairperson of the
Central Committee of the Acehnese Peoples Democratiuc resistance Front
(FPDRA) to wish your conference well and that we can together with the
people finally greet the destruction of capitalism.

Banda Aceh 1 Agustus 2001

Central Committee
Acehnese Peoples Democratic Resistance Front
FRONT PERLAWANAN DEMOKRATIK RAKYAT ACEH

KAUTSAR THAMRIN ANANDA
Chairperson Secretary General

Received from the International Socialist Organization, U.S.

Dear Comrades, sisters and brothers:

On behalf of the International Socialist Organization in the United States,
I would like to send you warmest greetings on the occasion of the first
conference of the Socialist Alliance in Australia. We hope that the
conference proves to be successful in the tasks it has set for itself and in
helping cement the alliance as a political force in the coming months and
years.

Like you, we found ourselves in a situation last year of a party electoral
system that had no space for the interests of the working class, dominated
as it is by two parties of big business. The presidential campaign of Ralph
Nader helped raise the prospect of independent politics once more in the
U.S. and has helped widen the horizons of many activists in different
campaigns.

Since, there is a growing sense on the left in this country of the need to
fight on all fronts--and to try to forge new links and relations between
them.

In the aftermath of the huge protests in Genoa, we in the ISO, along with
many dozens of other organizations and activists, are setting our sights on
the IMF/World Bank meetings scheduled for the last weekend in September.

The road to Washington lies in building the struggles locally--and
organizing in areas not previously involved directly in the global justice
movement: Among the rank and file of the unions and in the burgeoning
struggles against racism and police violence.

There are many challenges ahead, but there is also a wider audience for
socialist ideas and organizations than in any time in the last two and a
half decades.

We truly face a historic moment. We must seize the opportunities and
challenges head on. In the words of the 19th century African-American
abolitionist Frederick Douglass:

"The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all
concessions yet made to her august claims have been born of earnest struggle
. . .If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to
favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without
plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. They
want the ocean without the awful roar of its mighty waters. The struggle may
be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and
physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a
demand. It never did and it never will."

Once again, greetings to your conference and in comradeship in the struggle for a socialist future. Let's take back what is ours.

Yours fraternally,
Ahmed Shawki
for the International Socialist Organization, U.S.

Received from the New Left Front, Sri Lanka

The New Left Front is so happy to express its deepest feelings of solidarity with the Socialist Alliance for being able to bring together the socialist organizations and left activists in Australia and for being able to convene its first conference.

For all the socialists in the Asia-Pacific region, a common programme could eventually emerge. The onslaught of globalisation on the working-class and the national minorities, has common features. Especially the peasant communities in Asia face a threat of almost decimation and elimination.

Finally, let us globalize all our revolutionary effort and our ideas and perspectives alone can show the way froward for the proletarian movement in the Asia -Pacific region.

Revolutionary Greetings

Linus Jayatilake
Secretary
New Left Front

Received from AKEL

Nicosia, 3 August 2001
Dear Friends,

Thank you for your note informing us of the holding of the First National Conference of the Socialist Alliance that is planned to study different issues related to the coming federal election in Australia.

We wish you successful deliberations in an effort to strengthen the left resistance to neo-liberal policies pursued by the Australian government in the framework of globalization.

International Relations Bureau
Of the Central Committee AKEL

Received from Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor

The inaugural conference of Socialist Alliance is taking place at a crucial time in the struggle for the democracy movement in Indonesia, West Papua and Aceh and East Timor. The democratic space opened up by the movement to oust Suharto in 1998 has been dealt a severe blow with the election of a military-backed Megawati government.

Since the removal of Abdurrahman Wahid, the resurgent forces of the Suharto military dictatorship have much greater freedom to carry out repression. They have been welcomed back onto centre-stage by the US and Australian governments who see the Megawati-military alliance as a chance to get back to business as usual. The US is salivating at the opportunity to restore military ties – including training and equipment – and the Howard government, as deputy sheriff in the region, is itching to follow suit.

Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET) welcomes the formation of Socialist Alliance as an important step towards strengthening the left in Australia. Only through such moves will we ever be in a position to redraft a foreign policy which is fundamentally about people-to-people ties instead of profits.

Pip Hinman, ASIET national secretary