Letters

Hunger strikes

Eight days into the glorious hunger strike by Colombian Coca Cola workers and the struggle for union rights continues, but neither the corporation nor the national government concern themselves with the grave health problems now affecting the participants in this important protest for life and dignity.

Several comrades are now in a lamentable state of health; they have deteriorated seriously through emanation (accelerated loss of weight) and profound dehydration. The health of our president, Luis Javier Correa Suarez, is very delicate. Symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, fainting, palpitations, chest pains, lack of sleep have become constant (all the participants are kept under the observation of doctors and nurses).

Coca Cola has visited the social security centres that provide health services to demand that they do not give medical attention to the workers from Coke bottling plants unless they have already ceased their hunger strike. This is the worst ever crime committed by the multinational, which has also suspended six comrades at the Bucaramanga plant for participating in our activities.

For the above reasons we make Coca Cola responsible for the health and life of our comrades and we make an urgent call to the multinational’s directors in Atlanta and Mexico so that they stop this violent action against its workers. To continue with this situation could unleash unfortunate events.

In the same manner we make the Colombian state responsible for its continued deafness toward the urgent calls from the workers, who have on repeated occasions asked that it ensures that the labour rights and work security of the comrades are respected.

The attempts by the police to dislodge the hunger strikers are still the order of the day. Situations as have occurred in Bogota and Barranquilla especially are a very clear proof of the help that the multinational has been getting from the state security organs with the aim of breaking the workers’ protest. Paramilitary threats against the Sinaltrainal union are now taking place across the country. If the paramilitaries manage to weaken the protest the only beneficiary will be Coca Cola.

We call on all social organisations, human rights defenders, politicians, religious people to show solidarity with the Coca Cola workers and demand of the corporation a prompt agreement that avoids more loss of life and the destruction of the trade union.

Hunger strikes
Hunger strikes

Arrogance

I often read the Weekly Worker and like many others find it a useful window onto the workings of the left. However, after reading last week’s ‘Party notes’ I don’t think I’ll bother any more (‘Towards the Anthropocene’, March 18).

I doubt that I’m the only reader who feels alienated by Jack Conrad’s articles. Why, comrade Conrad, do you feel the need to use your articles to show off how many ‘big words’ you know? ‘Party notes’ last week was the last straw. To use a word (‘anthropocene’) in the headline which you know full well isn’t in the common lexicon is just plain arrogance. Is your self-esteem so low that you must use words that you know hardly anyone will understand, just to make you feel better?

The crux of my point is this: if comrade Conrad wants to write articles that are accessible to a chosen few, that’s fine. Just don’t do it under the banner of Party notes. I truly hope that this elitist use of language isn’t representative of the party. If it is, then I’m sorry, I’m far too poorly educated to qualify for membership.

Grow up, comrade. If your arguments are worth hearing, put them in an accessible form.

Arrogance
Arrogance

Anarchism

I am not a communist but an anarchist, although I am not a psychotic madman who believes in madness and destruction, as the media today so often portrays.

The essence of anarchism is for peace, for the abolition of all laws, as there will be no need for them: ie, there won’t be a law against murder, because nobody would ever want or need to commit it. I view communism as a stepping stone towards this system, and your system of collectives especially is one I agree with.

But is there a point at which you believe the party would find it possible to actually hand control to them? Is it possible that another Stalin-like regime will arise, or do you believe your Party leaders to be sufficiently in control and have enough faith in Marxism to prevent this from happening?

Anarchism
Anarchism