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Excerpt from Frieda Afary, Nov. 19, 2019: "It is very difficult for socialist activists inside Iran and Iranian socialists in exile to promote socialism as an alternative when some socialist activists either actively ignore solidarity with the Iranian protests or actually side with the Iranian regime as 'anti-imperialist.' "This is a critical moment in world history in which the severity of the crises and the inhumanity of capitalism are pushing people into the streets in various countries to oppose both poverty and repression. We need solidarity actions that connect the labor, feminist, anti-racist and environmental struggles in the countries in which we reside to those in the Middle East and North Africa, China, Chile, Haiti and beyond. We need to oppose both neoliberal policies and state capitalist models such as those of China and Iran." That's an excerpt from the the statement of the Alliance of MIddle Eastern and North African Socialists on the situation in Iran. It begins as follows: Iran Nationwide Popular Protests Call for Overthrow of Demagogic Regime Police stations, banks, some public buildings, a few religious seminaries and many posters of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have been set on fire. Demonstrators have blocked roads. Slogans include: "Gasoline is becoming more expensive and the poor are becoming poorer." "Khamenei is a murderer. His rule has expired." "Death to the Dictator." "Death to this Demagogic Government." Even some members of the parliament have resigned in protest. by Frieda Afary It took the popular uprisings in Iraq and Lebanon following the earlier uprisings in Sudan and Algeria this year for the Iranian masses, especially unemployed and student youth to gain the courage to go out into the streets in large numbers again and for the first time since the December 2017-January 2018 uprising, call for an end to the Islamic Republic. What set off the nationwide protests was a 300% increase in the price of gasoline announced suddenly on Friday November 15. That is a huge increase for the majority of Iranians who have already sunk to extreme poverty levels because of the cost of Iran´s military and political interventions in the region, its nuclear and missile development programs, and the severe sanctions imposed by the United States. Since Friday, tens of thousands have been protesting in 22 of Iran´s 31 provinces throughout the country and representing 100 cities as well as some rural areas. Anti-riot police and security forces have been battling the protesters. According to Amnesty International, more than a hundred have been killed by the government. Hundreds have been injured and over one thousand arrested. Government sharpshooters have been standing at rooftops and shooting at demonstrators directly in the head. Military helicopters are also being used to shoot demonstrators. ... Read the rest of the statement at https://www.allianceofmesocialists.org/iran-nationwide-popular-protests-call-for-ov erthrow-of-demagogic-regime/ _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
