Welcome is a Word of Action

tervetuloa_kuva.JPG

Communist Party of Finland (SKP) observes the current situation, migration and peoples need for asylum from working man´s and working woman’s – working class struggle´s point of view. 

SKP identifies itself with the human rights movement that for years before today - 2016 has shared the idea of “Refugees Welcome”. For current needs we have added a line before the old slogan Refugees Welcome saying that Welcome is a word of action.

In this text for EL member parties and via internet even more globally we wish to share with you observation on current political situation that has led to an insupportable situation where racism and fascism is increasing parallel with right wing populism. We need to criticise ourselves. SKP has not been able to grow with the European Left parties’ flow of electoral victories. There is a lot to do to make radical class oriented political alternative to attract more Finns. SKP has its party congress 4.-6. of June in Turku.

“We are gathering in Turku in a situation where we need every day a stronger class oriented struggle for better worker´s rights, for more equal women’s rights, for universal human rights and Peace.  SKP sees that  it is time for an international class struggle against fascism, racism and neoliberal governments not only in Finland, not only against the antihuman and antidemocratic EU but also against all the concrete forms of Austerity politics, capitalist exploitation and imperialists wars all over the world.   

ALLIANCE AGAINST AUSTERITY

Currently austerity politics done by National Coalition Party (kokoomus), Centre Party (keskusta) and the Party of the True Finns (perussuomalaiset) who in Finland at the moment form the Government, means opening public services for private markets, longer working times with less salary and unfair balance where the poor participate more than the rich.

Government has set a goal of cuttings worth of 5 billion Euros till 2019 and 10 billion euros till 2030.   

Communist Party of Finland (SKP) identifies itself as European partner in the Alliance Against Austerity and is nationally opposing the logics of the cutting politics. As one concrete EXIT of Government’s austerity politics SKP has proposed to increase current taxes on capital to the average EU level.  At the moment in Finland the capital income tax is around 14,3 % where in EU countries the same tax  is around 20,8 %.  By taxing Finnish capitals by the average EU level we could collect 5,5 billion Euros and by this partly make the cuttings and the austerity politics presented by the bourgeois government, unnecessary.

HEGEMONIC CHALLENGE

Right wing politics has created a situation where the political elite in the mass media repeats the message that we have no other choice than reform the society in the direction where private sector and private businesses should  take  the fundamental  role of the collective – everybody’s welfare.  State, according the logics of the neoliberal politics should function only as the ultimate first aid provider. That has led to situation where people with the most difficult situation, the poor, elderly and students are left almost alone with their problems of poverty, homelessness and basic services. This on the other hand has led to the situation of urgent need to wake up again and perhaps redefining some of the most important leftist principals like solidarity, collective responsibility and participatory democracy. With the ultra right wing government and its hegemonic influence one can say that solidarity in Finland today means something business does to improve its image. It is our task to conquer the real meanings of these concepts bac to their working class roots.

POPULIST RIGHT WING POLITICS

The poor and the ones who current society is treating like the unnecessary waste hardly have a voice themselves. Both the government and the parliamentarian opposition are making false promises to  the poor and the unemployed.  All parties at the parliament have accepted the logics of the markets and the oppressing structures of both the Finnish and the EU system. Name of the game is to any time possible take the leading role in the government with the cost of putting to the side the process of constructing an honest class oriented left that would not make compromises with the National Coalition party or its alliances. The parliamentarian left with its resent political history only waits to take the place of the next neoliberal government minister posts.

Austerity politics (in Finland described here) has created a perfect breeding ground for racism and fascism.  The middle class, unsatisfied with the changes in the well fare state, have started to mobilize themselves. This has led to rise of populist politics, Party of the True Finns and other smaller populist groups. Finnish larger left and we communist have not been able to attract these people with our political messages. Populist formulations for more complex issues and scapegoat logics for answers have so far been the recipe for election victory. Finland has become a country where it has been possible to be openly racist.

TOGERTHER WITH CHANGEMAKERS

Finland has also become a country where new forces have born to protest current austerity measures and racism. Many SKP activists have been busy in a new mass movement called  Joukkovoima network. The joukkovoima means power of the masses. During last half a year’s period Joukkovoima network has been able to mobilize remarkable caterings and demonstrations against government’s austerity politics.

SKP office in Helsinki has sometime looked like an information centre for this new mobilization. SKP idea, of how politics is done is based in collaboration with the others unsatisfied with current political situation. Our political most valuable principles are tested at the moment. We don´t say that we organized the Joukkovoima big demonstrations.  We say Yes it is possible to break the news and challenge the government’s austerity politics from the streets and  what is the most important Yes it is possible to do it with the masses.

CLEAR MESSAGE IS NEEDED

SKP has taken the clear decision to not tolerate any kind of racism or discrimination – We say we have a zero tolerance with racism. We also find it necessary to underline the reasons and politics in the backgrounds that is forcing people out of their homes, that is constructing migration and need for asylum.

Like our neoliberal leaders also many citizens have started to cry out their anti-solidary antihuman perspectives like monkeys in the jungle. People have gathered in to openly racist events with no idea of hiding it. There are open microphones to racists.  Foreigners, different looking and differently acting people are blamed for all the problems of the society.

 Last year some 350 000 asylum seekers crossed the borders of Europe. This number in relation to the inhabitants of Europe (some 500 million) is some 0,07 %. Despite this small figure asylum seekers are called as a “wave” or “floating” where it better should be called as some minor surface vibrating.

According the UN the most asylum seekers come from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Alone the USA has been in war and still is in the war in Afghanistan (since 2001 -) Iraq (2003-2011) Pakistan (since 2004 -), Libya (2011)and in Syria, Iraq and Nigeria (since 2014). Because of these wars people have to flee their homes and homelands. Because of these wars and climate changes people can´t construct their own societies. Also because of the poverty people should have to have the right to ask for asylum.

An investigator Anna Rastas writes in her thesis “Racism in children´s everyday life” that  in the environment where racism is discussed, not tolerated and where racism is opposed the children can learn to stand up against it as well as they can learn to become racists when racist talks are accepted.

We in the European left political documents have to stand up against racism and all kind of discrimination. We have to look the questions and challenges, numbers and figures of migration  directly in to the eye -  see the relation of the migration and asylum with larges contexts and realize that we have a mirror in which not everybody wishes to take a look. . Leftist movement has to dear to clearly point out and manifest its position for the working class unity without borders, for the poor and the people with better human rights – Welcome is a word of action – Refugees Welcome!

Chairman of the Communist Party of Finland JP Väisänen