80 Times More Strikes Held in Russia in October 2004 than in 2003

MOSCOW, Nov 23 (RIA Novosti) - The Federal State Statistics Service has made public information about the number of strikes in January-October 2004, which came as a shock: 80 times more strikes were held in October this year than in the whole of 2003.

This level of social activity was last registered in 1998, Kommersant writes. For the first time in five years, the number of strikes has soared to reach figures last seen during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin.

In October, 5,907 strikes were registered, which is 80 times more than in 2003 (67). The Statistics Committee reports that 96% of the October strikes were held in schools and were registered disregarding the number of strikers. The service regards a strike at a large plant, which involves thousands, and a strike in a village school, where no more than ten teachers work, as events of the same magnitude.

Experts believe that the growing number of strikes can be explained not only by the methods of calculation but also by more serious factors.

Nikolai Popov, the director of research at ROMIR Monitoring, said fall 2004 differed dramatically from the same period last year: "First, 2003 was election year and political interests eclipsed daily economic problems. The election programs of many parties promised to ease social and economic tensions and create more jobs." This distracted the people from strikes as a way to fight for their labor rights.

"We are witnessing the end of a five-year-long social coma," thinks Duma

Deputy Oleg Shein, a co-chairman of the Zashchita (Defesnse) trade union. Mr. Shein believes that the outbreak of social activity was provoked by the new policy of the Fradkov cabinet, which ignores the interests of working people.

Where to Begin?

Dear reader:

In the last while we published many articles regarding Igor Gubkin and received praise and criticism of this. This very extensive article was sent us by Felix Gorelik – and we are publishing a condensed part only, for space reasons and eliminating repetition of previous analyses.

Felix Gorelik

"Where do we start to involve young people in a revolutionary struggle in the former Soviet Union?" – asks Igor Gubkin. His answer is: "We have to start to organize the youth and this can be done only by a mass revolutionary newspaper, bringing to the fore the best qualities of agitation work that is already being done here by the NBP. With the present youth, you have to learn to talk their language. But to have such a newspaper you need finances, and these finances could be received from our many internationalists…"

Unfortunately Igor Gubkin is being called by some leaders of the Communist Parties a "provocateur, avaturist, left extremist etc." Who is correct in this argument? To my way of thinking, both methods are correct. There must be legal and illegal work done as was done by the Bolsheviks of old, during Lenin and Stalin’s time. Masses today are unfortunately not ready for revolutionary conflicts. They should be organized by all different methods, including, when ready, armed struggles, since a peaceful transition to socialism is not very likely.

Maybe you will not agree with this, starting partisan struggles immediately, to take over a region of Russia and proclaim it a Soviet Republic. But the youth needs a revolutionary plan and activity, since no revolution or change was ever made by the older generations. Aleksander Ulyanov – Lenin’s brother proceeded to individual action. But, maybe if Lenin’s brother was not killed by the Czarist police V.I. Lenin would not have started the struggle, including armed uprising methods. Only such a revolutionary party that is able to organize and lead the young revolutionaries will succeed in reestablishing the USSR and Socialism!

Another Party in Russia is on the Scene!

" I am a mother of two sons that were conscripted and perished in the Afghan war." The new head of the party said that they are ready to mediate between the Chechen rebels and the Russian government.

Grigory Atomov

November 7^th is celebrated by all progressive mankind as the day of the Great October Socialist Revolution. This year was the 87^th Anniversary of the Great October. This was the date that there took place the most historical event of all mankind. This October Socialist Revolution gave freedom to millions of working people, but it also became the lighthouse for billions of suppressed and exploited people around the world.

Overlooking the fact that this revolution has suffered a temporary setback, its success and the spark it generated cannot be debunked, covered up or dismissed by lies over the TV, radio and the mass media, by some of those so-called parliamentarians and bourgeois states. Because in the world there is growing a new revolution, which will not only solidify the achievements of the Great October Revolution, but will go even further to build a classless society, which will be the exact opposite of exploitative capitalism.

November 7 in Kishinev: "To the new Bourgeois – a new Revolution"

Let us just remind ourselves of the significance of this great event and date. Revolution was successful because of its slogan: "Land to the peasants, factories to the workers, the state to the Soviets!" This date is or should be understood by the working class, because it certainly is understood and much feared by the ruling class!

The ruling Communist Party decided to celebrate this day, as if Moldavia is not ruled by an oligarchy and the bourgeoisie, as if the country is doing well, no unemployment, all young people could and do go to school without paying, that the university students who graduated in former USSR that live in Moldavia, are now scattered all over the world, trying to make a living.

With this scenario, the Party of Communists of Moldavia got the workers together in front of the Theatre in Kishinev and they proceeded with the usual standard speeches and slogans that did not mean anything. But, into the square came other Marxists, Bolsheviks. The police of this "emperor" Nerona were amazed to see the young Bolsheviks from the organization "Peoples Resistance" which was established at the beginning of 2004 and has in it members who are dedicated Marxists and Bolsheviks. Overlooking the fact that we were not there to cause any disturbance or provocation, the police, after receiving orders from the top, encircled us in a double circle of police and arrested some young comrades from amongst us. This action by them was very interesting, since none of them were in uniform or any official badge to denote that they are the police! This was done in order that the other people at this gathering would not realize that it was the same government that called for November 7^th celebration – are the same ones that broke up the genuine Marxists-Bolsheviks!

It is evident that these "communists" got scared when we came marching in with the slogan: "To the New Bourgeois – a new Revolution!" But facts are facts that we were encircled by the order of these "communists" and we were held in this circle until the end of the meeting.

These Moldavian government incognito police even got orders to try and tear away our red Soviet Union flags from our hands.

This action by the Moldavian governing communists had shown everyone that they are not going to follow Lenin and the meaning of the Great October Socialist Revolution. But, our doors are always open for dialogue with those who really understand and support the meaning of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

From Eurasia Security Watch

NATO On to the Caucasus

NATO is continuing its charm offensive in the "post Soviet space". On the heels of the late-October visits to all five Central Asian states of ex-USSR, NATO’s Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer toured the three countries of the South Caucasus in November, and this visit was meant to reinforce and formalize the cooperation between NATO and the region’s fragile republics. In each former Soviet republic he praised the closeness with NATO and growing partnership in fighting terrorism.

High-level US and NATO delegations again visited Uzbekistan – as part of solidifying their Defense Treaty that they signed with NATO. The US delegation also included Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Homeland Security. There were also joint military exercises carried out with US armed forces. US had now provided Uzbekistan with millions’ worth of security-related equipment.

An agreement was reached between Georgia and US-NATO, that Georgia will send 4,000 of its troops to be trained by NATO command.

The command of the armed forces of these Caucasian former Soviet republics is in the hands of NATO General Staff.

What’s Putin up to Now?

NSC has received many news dispatches from Russia, from Internet, from Novosti Agency and other sources which should worry not only the Russian people, but progressive mankind. Here is the story as it unfolded:

A real scandal is breaking out in Moscow and in the Far East because of the attempt by the Putin’s government to give away two of the four Sakhalin Islands (Russia’s Far East) to Japan. The statement about this move by Putin, was outlined by Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov.

The Mayor of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Fyodor Sidorenko was blunt in his comment: "There can be no talk about transferring these Soviet islands to Japan – the ally of Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War. If these islands are transferred to Japan, the Russian people will demand that the Russian Duma dismiss President Putin on charges of Treason!"

There are mass actions planned by the people all over Russia, to stop this treasonous act by the Putin government.

NATO Plans Outlined for the Caucasus

From INTERFAX

NATO military conferences were held in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan - with military General Staffs of these countries and with top NATO commanders present, where plans were outlined by NATO of financing, military hardware, economic infusion and joint military training. Previously such conferences were held in Estonia and Germany.

NATO’s General Secretary is hosting these military planning conferences. Their press release says that it’s done "for region’s stability only", but there is much more at stake than meets the eye. Oil is behind this NATO move and Azerbaijan, which is oil rich, is afraid that since it’s oil revenues are mostly from Russia, therefore NATO and the Western oil cartels are offering large profits and graft to these Azerbaijan leaders. But these Azer leaders well know that there are 2,000,000 Azerbaijanis living in Russia proper – how do these people feel about this love-affair with NATO?

The leader of Azerbaijan, H. Aliyev, was a former member of the CC CPSU and now has offered NATO military bases in the country.

Dear comrades:

Pease understand that Ukraine is now in danger of turning into Ukrainian National, Fascist state. History is repeating itself as was dine in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Georgia.

The power struggle is not between a progressive and a national presidential candidate. They are both bourgeois nationalists. The struggle is between a nationalist and a national-fascist candidate, who is backed by Western Imperialism.

Why is former President of Poland Walesa of Solidarnost there, why the organizers of the Rose Revolution in Georgia and of the Prague Velvet Revolution of Czechoslovakia there? Why are the NATO big brass working behind the scenes and pouring $$$?

Friend of NSC