To All ILPS Member Organisations - June 26, 2011

Dear Friends and comrades,

The undersigned members of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC), representing founding member organisations of the ILPS, after 20 months of patient attempts to reverse and repair the damage caused by the undemocratic, arbitrary and abusive actions led by Prof. Sison, the Chairperson of the ILPS, at the Nov 21, 2009 ICC meeting, which were aimed at effectively liquidating the ILPS as a democratic, anti-imperialist organization, declare that we will not participate in the events in Manila in July 2011, which are being promoted as “ILPS 4th International Assembly”.
On November 21, 2009, the ICC Chairperson, Prof. Jose Maria Sison, in his report to the ICC meeting declared that the prior proceedings in the IMA (International Migrants Alliance) event, in Athens, Greece there was a strong sign of “no confidence” in him--and, without allowing any discussion, dismissed the whole of the International Coordinating Group, of ILPS. In violation of the agenda, and without prior notice, a “snap” election of office-bearers was held by dissolving the ICG. Despite protests and procedural reminders that this is undemocratic, a pre-rehearsed set of moves swiftly “elected” a new ICG with Prof. Sison as its Chairperson. The office-bearers who were thus removed represented the geographic and political diversity of ILPS across the globe. All this took place while the ICC and its agenda was subverted and its rights to request details of the proceedings and events were denied and subjected to the whim of the Chair attempting to replace and act as the whole ICC, negating the role of this body as the highest decision making body of the ILPS in between Assemblies. Objecting to these undemocratic and unprecedented manoeuvres, some members of the ICC left the meeting in protest.

Clearly, no one, including Prof. Sison, is above the Charter of ILPS and this abusive attitude has broken all democratic procedures and rules of conduct. Despite this unprecedented, senseless and outlandish behaviour, during the past 20 months, we have made every attempt and given every opportunity for these decisions to be reversed and to allow the ICC, (the only directly elected body and the highest organ of the ILPS in between Assemblies), to hear the issues and exercise its powers to resolve or seek ways to offer solutions to these issues. Instead, Prof. Sison and his associates have continued to misuse the name of ICC in statements, the first of which was a communiqué accusing founding member organisations of the ILPS as sectarian, denying their contributions and spreading other unfounded lies to justify their actions and hide the truth from ILPS members. These unfounded attacks against the very organisations that shouldered and led many of organising activities and mass campaigns under the auspices of the ILPS, are in fact an attack on legacy of the ILPS and its achievements and are clear indications of the extent of the departure from the very founding spirit of the ILPS which has been taken.

Adding insult to injury this group is now calling for an event in Manila, in July 2011, and branding it as the ILPS 4th International Assembly. Not to mention that all these preparations and announcements have been conducted without the consideration or approval of the ICC to ratify the proposals and plans for the 4th International Assembly--since November 2009. This so-called “Assembly” is merely an attempt to get ILPS member’s approval for the actions of Prof. Sison and his associates while members of the ILPS remain uninformed about what has actually taken place in the last 20 months.

We regard all these actions as negation of the ILPS Charter, contrary to the spirit of unity that brought us together to create the ILPS and tantamount to the total liquidation of the ILPS. As founding members of the ILPS we feel duty bound to inform members of the ILPS about the facts of these matters, to uphold the Charter, the legacy of the ILPS and its achievements since its founding and to continue to advance the principle of unity that is embodied in its Charter. We regard this principled unity as an expression of the radical democracy, consistent anti-imperialism and unwavering internationalism, which are essential in the struggle against imperialism and all reaction, particularly at a time of the intensifying crisis of capitalism and the imperialist system and the rising tide of peoples’ struggles and resistance around the world.

Thus, it is in this context that as founding members of the ILPS we feel obliged to inform and open public discussion about the details of these proceedings, the progressive build up of the arbitrary and undemocratic measures since the Second Assembly in 2004, and the emergence of differences in the line, understanding, and approach that are behind these senseless attempts to block the unity of the peoples movement at the international level.

To this end, we are determined to use all communication channels at our disposal to inform members of the ILPS on these issues and to launch open and wide discussions amongst all democratic and anti-imperialist forces across the world (including those that have so far remained outside ILPS) to help rebuild our common project that is being liquidated in such a undemocratic and foul manner.
We welcome the participation of all ILPS member organisations and all others in the process.

In solidarity,

GN Saibaba – Deputy Chairperson of ILPS ICC (TIA)
– Regional Coordinator for South Asia
M Arkolakis – Vice Chairperson for External Affairs (FIA, SIA and TIA)
– Regional coordinator for Europe
A Riazi – General Secretary (IIC, FIA, SIA and TIA)
E Brunner – Deputy General Secretary (TIA)
R Scarlatelli - Member ICC (FIA, SIA and TIA)
– Regional Coordinator for Latin America
H Gulum – Member ICC (FIA, SIA and TIA)
D Norberg – Member ICC (SIA, TIA)
Kali Akuno – Member ICC (SIA, TIA)
Y Gunes –Member ICC (TIA)
A Genc – Member ICC (SIA, TIA)
Prof K R Chowdry – Member ICC (TIA)
C Perperidou – Alternate member of ICC (SIA, TIA)

26/06/2011

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