Tunisians attack refugee camp at border with Libya

Tunisia: Interview with UGTT Deputy Secretary General Hacine El Abassi

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Tunisia: Interview with UGTT Deputy Secretary General Hacine El Abassi

Presentation:

On January 14, 2011, Ben Ali, the Tunisian dictator, was forced to flee the country as a result of the revolutionary mobilizations of an entire people.

No sooner had Ben Ali fled than all the reactionary forces -- both inside Tunisia and on a world scale -- rushed to form a government of national unity structured around Ben Ali's party, the RDC, but also incorporating liberal "opponents" to the old regime. Key to this attempt to put a halt to the revolution under way in Tunisia, and to rescue the old regime, was the effort to co-opt the leadership of the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) trade union federation into joining the government of national unity.

Initially the UGTT accepted this proposal from Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi. But as soon as it was announced that three representatives of the UGTT had joined the government, a revolt took place at all levels of the UGTT federation against this decision. The UGTT had been a backbone of the revolution; its local and regional leaders and activists were central leaders of the revolution, its headquarters had been used widely as the organizing centers and launching pads for the mass mobilizations.

Under huge pressure from the members and officers of the union federation, the National Administrative Council of the UGTT convened an emergency meeting 12 hours after its initial decision and voted a resolution announcing that it was withdrawing its representatives from the national unity government and from all elected positions on a national, regional level and local level.

This opened a new chapter in the unfolding Tunisian Revolution.

We are publishing below an interview with Hacine El Abassi, Deputy Secretary General of the UGTT. it is reprinted from the Jan. 26, 2011, issue of Informations Ouvrières, the weekly newspaper of the Independent Workers Party (POI) of France. The interview was conducted on January 24 by the Informations Ouvrières correspondent in Tunisia. -- Alan Benjamin

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INTERVIEW with Hacine El Abassi, Deputy Secretary General of the UGTT:

"If there is no other way to get the Ghannouchi government to step down, we will call a general strike."

Question: What is the position of the UGTT in the current political situation?

Response: I remind you that on January 18, the UGTT adopted a resolution that states:

"Considering that the coalition government does not correspond to our ideas, that it does not express the demands we have put forward and that it does not represent the aspirations of the people and workers, [the UGTT] decides to withdraw our representatives from the coalition government; to have our elected union officials resign from the National Assembly, from the Assembly of the Council, and from the local councils; and to suspend the participation of the UGTT in the Economic and Social Council."

The UGTT also demanded, "[t]he dissolution of the RCD ... and the rejection of any foreign intervention in the internal affairs of our people, as they were the ones who overthrew a president that repress[ed] the people; the people therefore should be the ones to determine their destiny without outside interference."

The trade union federation also called for the "nationalization" of the Ben Ali clan's property, that is, the takeover by the Republic of Tunisia of a large portion of the economy. In this vein, the UGTT called for a "Constituent Assembly through free and fair elections that reflect the will of the people."

It is in this sense that the Secretary General of the UGTT and three members of the National Executive Committee, of which I am one, will meet tomorrow [Tuesday, Jan. 25 -- Ed.] with the political forces that want to end the RCD regime and its government. The goal is to discuss with them the conditions for the formation of a Government of Public Salvation, as per the January 18 resolution adopted by the UGTT's National Administrative Council.

The UGTT will play its role as a catalyst until a solution is found that is consistent with the interests of the people and their revolution. It will help ensure that opposition political parties will become part of the Government of National Public Salvation, constituting thereby a transitional political alternative to the RCD government, which has been rejected by the Tunisian people.

The only goal we pursue is the fulfillment of the goals of our revolution.

The UGTT will play its role to help gather and unite all opposition political forces in this direction. On this basis, we will be an obstacle to all internal and external enemies, who are able to weave their webs only to the extent that they are in our midst and are still willing to collaborate with our enemies.

Question: What are the objectives of the Tunisian revolution?
Response: Economic development, democracy, social justice, and a constitution. The first spark that will indicate that our country has changed course is the development of the interior regions, regions that have been totally abandoned by the RCD regime.

During 2010, we had undertaken an economic study of the Sidi Bouzid region and had warned the government of the risk of social explosion because of the alarming unemployment rate and the total lack of economic projects and job prospects. Development projects were implemented only along the coast.

Numerous studies show that the Ben Ali government's policy of privatization since he came to power has been responsible for the destruction of the economy.

They did not even know how to administer their own privatization policies. Workers in many privatized sectors are now demanding the nationalization of their companies. I cite, as an example, the public transport company, Tunis Air -- and there are many others.

In the face of the failure of the privatization policies, we had demanded a halt to the process to see if the privatized enterprises were functioning or not. We have always demanded a halt to privatization and the conservation of our companies as public enterprises.

Today, we ask that all of our companies are restored to the State because they must serve the objective of development and employment in our country. More specifically, we are calling for the the restoration of all privatized public enterprises into the hands of the State. This is imperative.

The French people have suffered for many years from this damaging privatization policy, dictated by the European Union (unemployment, the dismantling of public enterprises, the blows to social rights, etc.)

We are aware of this situation and know the harmful social effects that privatizations are causing in Europe as well. In each of our union battles against privatization, the government told us: "Even Europe is compelled to privatize."

The union federation in basic education has called today [January 24] for an indefinite strike. The strike has been followed massively, according to the reports we have received. But faced with the deafness of Ghannouchi and the RCD government, what can be done?

For our part, we will use all legal means to ensure that the demands of the Tunisian people are carried out -- for the departure of the Ghannouchi government and the dissolution of the RCD. Strikes are taking place in many sectors, as are marches and demonstrations.

If there is no other way to get the Ghannouchi government to step down, we will call a general strike. But we believe that the pressure of the street and that of workers in their workplaces, schools, etc. is in the process of making the government tremble.

P.O. Box 40009, San Francisco, CA 94140
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Tunisia: Masses create people's power bodies in neighbourhoods and workplaces

"The events in Tunisia are magnificent. There are so many lessons it will take time to draw them out fully. But two are immediately clear. One is the method of struggle. The same days the mass direct action movement was bringing down the government in Tunisia a suicide bomber was killing working people in Russia and increasing the government's ability to increase repression there. It is obvious which is the superior method of struggle.

Then there is the program and objective of the Tunisian revolution. It was not fought under the banner of Islam. It was fought under the banner of an end to corruption, for equality, an end to oppression, for a just society and going by the Che flags some kind of socialism. These objectives are much more attractive to the working class and youth throughout the region and the world. They will spread the movement much more effectively and better help keep other regimes from intervening to put down the Tunisian revolution.. Hats off to the great movement of Tunisian youth and workers. Looking forward to Egypt and the other mass movements to come."

We are also forwarding these articles from the IMT as they cover a lot of ground regarding events in Tunisia and are very interesting.

Richard

Tunisia: Masses create people's power bodies in neighbourhoods and workplaces

Demonstration against RCD ministers, January 19. Photo by Nasser Nouri.
[During the uprising in Tunisia there have been reports of the formation of neighbourhood and popular self-defence committees in many parts of the country. Below are excerpts from a number of articles by the International Marxist Tendency's Jorge Martín, which offer some fascinating details of this important development.]
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By Jorge Martín
January 20, 2011 -- It is worth watching some of the videos of the demonstrations [against the “new” national unity government and demanding an end to the RCD ruling party] in order to get a feel for the real mood of the Tunisian workers and youth: Bizerte, January 19, Tunis, January 19, Gabes, January 19, Bizerte, January 19, occupation of the RCD offices in Sousse (now renamed Bouzazi Peoples’ House), January 19, Sfax, January 19, Bizerte, January 20, Touzer, January 20, Touzer, January 20, Almzop, January 20 and Kairouan, January 20.

These angry and militant marches are not just demanding the disbanding of the RCD and the old regime at all levels, but they are taking direct action to implement their demands. In more than 30 towns and cities in the provinces massive demonstrations, mainly gathering outside the offices of the UGTT trade union, have marched on the RCD headquarters and occupied them. As a matter of fact, as the RCD controlled not only the national, regional and municipal governments, but also controlled all aspects of public life (professional associations, the police, the judiciary), the destruction of the power of the RCD means that power is passing from the old regime to the masses on the streets and to the neighbourhood committees, which have sprung up over the last week. These committees are tasked with maintaining public order and defending the population against the remains of the old regime (police officers, secret services, the presidential guard), which are still desperately trying to protect what is left of the old dictatorship.

The most advanced example of these emerging elements of dual power that we know of is in the town of Sidi Bou Ali, in Sousse, with a population of just over 10,000 people. There, on January 16, the masses gathered in the town square and after deliberating about the “new” national unity government, decided to take power into their own hands. This is the statement that was passed which we reproduce in full:

Following the decision to entrust ‘Mohamed Ghannouchi’ with forming a new government tasked with overseeing the new presidential elections for the country; following the administrative vacuum and in the city of Sidi Bou, Sousse Governorate; we, citizens of the town of Sidi Bou meeting in the "People's Square" in the city resolve the following:

0. We reject this decision which is based on an undemocratic constitution, not a peoples’ one, which has been violated many times and does not guarantee the rights of all national opinions in the country;
0. Our rejection of the domination of the ruling party over the political life of the country, represented by all symbols in the current government and its lackeys;
0. The public election of a provisional local council in order to manage all city affairs and to work at a local level, and in coordination at regional and national level, to maintain the normal functioning of civilian life, economic, cultural and political life in the country until the drafting of a new constitution of a democratic and popular character, which will pave the way for elections to ensure the peaceful transfer of power and without a monopoly over it, and ensures that all the national parties are represented.

The functions of this council will be:

0. The formation of committees to protect the neighbourhoods and their coordination;
0. To work to restore economic life and to secure the necessities of daily life for the citizens;
0. To work to re-establish working civilian institutions (banks, hospitals, municipalities, schools, institutes, post offices, the tax office ...);
0. To protect public property;
0. Coordination with local and regional councils formed;
0. Communication and contact with the national army as the only existing force in the country.
We have decided on the distribution of tasks among the following commissions:
0. The commission on publicity and media;
0. Commission on contacts with the National Army;
0. Defence Committee for the Protection of the Neighbourhoods;
0. Commission on protection of municipal property;
0. Commission of supply of essential goods;
0. Awareness, leadership and culture committee.

This statement is most extraordinary, and we have no doubt that similar action has been taken in many other towns and cities. Faced with the vacuum of power left by the destruction of the old institutions the youth, the workers, the people in general, have taken it upon themselves to start building a new “institutionality”, based on democratic committees “publicly elected” in mass meetings.
In Sidi Bou Ali, the “provisional council” which has been set up is not just a committee of struggle, but has taken over the running of all affairs (public order, provisioning, the economy, the post office, education, etc). They have de facto taken power in the town.

These are in fact, in embryonic form, soviets (i.e. workers’ councils), the emergence of which is a true sign of a genuine revolution taking place. It is clear that in some cities it has been the local executives of the UGTT trade unions which have taken the initiative in creating such committees.
[Read the full article at http://www.marxist.com/tunisia-dual-power-develops.htm.]

January 21, 2011 -- Yesterday we reported how a "provisional council" had taken over the running of all affairs in Sidi Bou Ali. We have now received a report that a similar development has taken place in the city of Siliana, in the northwest where “the citizens have set up a local council for the protection of the revolution and the management of public affairs”. Their founding statement says that “faced with the vacuum of power created by the flight of officials linked to the RCD”, they have decided to create a local and a regional council “to protect the revolution and to manage the running of the city and the governorate”.

In a very significant development the army seems to be testing the ground as to how far they can go in restoring “order”, i.e. restoring the old authorities in the towns and cities which have been taken over by the peoples’ revolutionary committees. In the town of Sidi Bou Rouis, also in the Siliana governorate, the “Council for the Protection of the People's Revolution” has issued the following statement:

The Army Commander has called the Bou Rouis local committees and told them that within the framework of things being brought back to normal functioning, the return of council members and mayors has been approved.

As a result of this dangerous development ‘the Bou Rouis Council for the Protection of the People's Revolution’ has called an emergency meeting this evening to discuss the new situation and how to deal with it, and calls for the mobilisation of the whole people today and tomorrow in mass rallies and agrees the following urgent demands:

1) The formation of a national transitional government consisting of national figures known for their integrity and who were not involved with the former regime to run state affairs and draft a new constitution and new electoral rules.
2) The dissolution of the House of Representatives and the Council of Advisers, which lost all semblance of legitimacy during the people's revolution for freedom and dignity.
3) The issuing of a ban to prevent elements of the former regime from exercising any political activity on the grounds of complicity with the former ruling party which plunged the country into a dark period dominated by injustice and tyranny, corruption and unemployment and the wastage of an unprecedented amount of wealth of the country at the expense of the public who are subject to all forms of repression and deprivation.

Long live the People... Long live the Revolution
Glory to the people... Glory to the martyrs... Glory to the revolution of Tunisia for dignity and freedom.
Time: 15:40, Bou Rouis, 20 January [translation from Arabic original ].

This is an extraordinary state of affairs, in which the people have not only taken power in the whole of the Siliana governorate, but are standing strong in the face of the attempt of the army to restore the old mayors back in power. We see how, like in the statement from the Provisional Council of Sidi Bou Ali, they call for a provisional government to be formed, composed of nationally recognised figures not linked to the old regime. We think that it should be the revolutionary committees and councils themselves who should organise such a transitional body, which should be charged with convening a genuinely democratic national assembly.

Meanwhile, the masses continue their direct action, deepening the scope of the revolution also into the workplaces. There are many reports of journalists in state owned newspapers, radio stations, TV channels, etc., which used to be nothing but disgusting mouthpieces of Ben Ali’s propaganda, getting organised and taking over the editorial line.

This is the case at the state-owned La Presse. El-Heni, a journalist in the foreign desk explains:
We had an important meeting and decided to create two elected editorial committees to supervise the editorial line, and we told the boss that he would no longer have any editorial control… He is only here for finance and administration. He was clever enough to understand that.

One of the La Presse journalists, who had been sacked for political reasons, has been reinstated as the head of the journalists’ union in the paper.
In state-owned companies, ministries and private companies owned or linked to the Trabelsi family, workers’ assemblies and strikes have been organised to drive out the hated RCD managers, CEOs and high ranking officials.

On January 18, UGTT workers at STAR, one of the country’s main insurance companies, went on strike and expelled the company’s CEO, Abdelkarim Merdassi, in protest at his links with the Trabelsi clan. This video (above) captured the extraordinary moment when the workers physically expelled him from his office while singing the national anthem.

Similar movements developed at the oil distribution company SNDP, where the CEO Rafaa Dkhul was also kicked out by the workers, who criticised his close links with the Trabelsi family. Dkhul had given the Trabelsi clan concessions of a number of petrol stations worth millions of euro. At the Banque de Tunisie, its general director Alia Abdallah and all high-ranking officers have been barred by the workers, organised by the UGTT, from entering their offices, in order to prevent the destruction of potentially incriminating documents. The workers have seized all sensitive documents and computers.
Also expelled from their positions by the action of the workers and their trade unions are Moncef Bouden, from the tax office, Moncef Dakhli, CEO of the National Agricultural Bank and Montassar Ouaïli, CEO of Tunisie Telecom. The outgoing minister of sport, Abdelhamid Slama was prevented by the workers from entering his old ministry to pick up his things. The list of companies where the workers have taken action is very long. Today, the workers of the Tunis public transport went on strike also demanding the dismissal of the CEO of their company.

The Tunisian business press is full of articles complaining about the “lack of respect for the law” and asking “what is the Ministry of the Interior doing” about these actions on the part of the workers. An opinion article on the business website Web Manager Centre implored “Let’s not put businessmen on their knees”. Another was entitled “Discipline – ‘comrades’”.
[Read the full article at http://www.marxist.com/tunisia-revolutionary-initiative-of-masses-continues.htm.]
(Source: http://links.org.au/node/2113 )

Tunisia, Middle East. A view of things.

Trotsky. Most associated with the theory of the permanent revolution as explained here below.

Those of us who run this blog have a certain view of things. Take the events in Tunisia for example and for that matter the entire Middle East.

The first element in our view is that capitalism cannot solve the problems of this area or any area of the world. There is no solution on the basis of capitalism. All that capitalism will bring is mass starvation, looting, division and wars. We are therefore against capitalism. We see the problems in the former colonial world and in fact the world as a whole as caused by capitalism.

The second element in our view is that the only force that can end capitalism and solve the problems society faces is the working class. We therefore work to unite the working class around a program to end capitalism and with a conscious leadership based on this objective.

Over the past 100 years there have been mass organizations of the working class, the Social Democratic parties and the Stalinist parties. These parties have accommodated themselves to capitalism. That is they have given no way out for the working class to solve the problems with which it is faced.

If we take the Middle East for example there was at one stage mass workers parties in many of the countries. These tended to be mass Stalinist parties under the control of the bureaucracy of the then Soviet union. This bureaucracy was at the time entrenched in making a deal with the advanced capitalist countries and to do so they blocked these parties from moving in any way forward towards socialist revolution. They wanted to prove they were reliable partners to capitalism.

So in the Middle East for example we had capitalism unable to solve the problems, mass movements against capitalism but these movements blocked from overthrowing capitalism and solving the problems by its own parties. The result was continued exploiting of the region by capitalism and mass starvation, poverty and wars. This was unbearable to the mass of the population, the working class. Therefore inevitably we had continual uprisings and revolutionary explosions.

However these could find no way forward as there were no mass workers parties dedicated to overthrowing capitalism. The result was not hard to predict. As the saying goes nature abhors a vacuum. Vacuums are always filled. So into this vacuum in the Middle East that was caused by the pro capitalist policies of Social Democracy and Stalinism we had the rise of various forms of Islam. A set of backward ideas in every way. From the Mullahs in Iran, to Bin Laden, to the rest, these ideas look backwards not forwards, they cannot solve the problems because they are not based on ending capitalism and establishing a democratic socialist society.

But the important thing to see is this. Such backward ideas were only able to get a hold because there was no mass force fighting to overthrow capitalism and build a socialist federation of the Middle East. The conclusion therefore is simple. The decisive struggle must be to build a mass force, throughout the entire region committed to ending capitalism and establishing a democratic socislist federation of the Middle east. This is the task facing all workers and activists.

Only the working class can take the region forward. Only the working class through mass organizations with a program to take the wealth into public hands under workers control and management and establish a democratic socialist plan based on need can take the region forward.

There are real opportunities for this. Look at the events in Tunisia. These did not take place under a backward islamic banner but under a banner of democracy and taking the wealth from the rich. A clear socialist alternative was not spelled out and this is unfortunate nevertheless the fact that the Tunisian revolution is not taking place under the banner of right wing Islamic backwardness is of great importance. This must be the basis on which the a workers socialist movement should be built.

This general view of events as spelled out here and as reflected in our blog is called the theory of the permanent revolution. That is only the working class can solve the problems of society and only by overthrowing capitalism and only by spreading the revolution internationally. These are the ideas, this is the theory that is wanted in Tunisia and throughout the Middle East and internationally at the present time.

Sean.

Cops join protestors in streets of Tunis. Protestors battle cops in Algiers

The situation is Tunisia is classic. Now, firemen, police and national guard are distancing themselves from the government and the police have joined protestors in the streets. Al Jazeera reports that lawyers, police officers, and students joined workers in the streets of Tunis today. Some of the police were in uniform and the plain clothes wore red armbands to identify themselves and in solidarity with the workers. "They said they want to be with people now, they want to be part of the revolution," Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri reports. "They no longer want to be persecuted - they say, 'Please don't blame us for the deaths of the protesters'." She says.

Protestors are refusing to accept any ministers of the former regime and members of Ben Ali’s cabinet in a new government. One trade Unionist told Al Jazeera that the protests must go on until the RCD, the party of Ben Ali, is out of the government entirely.

The inclusion of the police in the protests reveals the fluid nature of actual struggle. While the police are not workers but an armed body of men whose purpose it is to defend the state apparatus and the ruling class, they are not immune to the power of the working class in action and any neutralizing influence on them is positive.

Demonstrators battle cops in Algiers

In Algeria there were serious clashes between police and protestors demonstrating for democratic rights in the capital. The government warned people not to show support for the demonstration as they are afraid of the Tunisian events being repeated there.

The Algerian government warning stated that "marches are not allowed in Algiers" and that "all assemblies on public roads are considered a breach of public order". Demonstrations are banned in Algeria because of a state of emergency in place since 1992.

There have also been clashes between protestors and state forces in Albania and Belarus. We often say that consciousness lags behind events and for those of us that recognized the shift in consciousness and a more favorable objective situation in the aftermath of the recent and ongoing economic crisis it comes as no surprise. The political crisis is following on the heels of the economic one.

In the Middle East in particular, the success of the western imperialist interests in helping Islamic or other dictatorial regimes maintain power while crushing national democratic and left movements has left a huge vacuum of leadership among the working class of the region. But the recent events are moving rapidly and certainly in Tunisia, the revolutionary process has not yet exhausted itself.

We can expect more releases from the Wikileaks archive in the coming weeks ahead. These revelations will fuel anger among workers throughout the world and embolden opposition movements.

Had you asked all the so-called experts on international relations one week before the Tunisian uprising if the regime of Ben Ali was stable, they all would have said it was entrenched.

When the working class enters the arena, all bets are off. These are exciting times.

wikileaks. You can see what they are afraid off.

Wikileaks played a significant role in the Tunisian uprising which threw out the dictatorship in that country. A special site was set up onto which was put all the Wikileaks material which related to Tunisia and this could be accessed by anybody with the internet. It was accessed by tens of thousands and spread throughout the country and strengthened the movement.

There are now the discs of the secret bank accounts in Switzerland which have been handed over to Wikileaks. We can use our imagination to envisage what can happen if these show politicians and capitalists in countries have been cutting peoples' living standards while they have been salting away millions. These countries can explode.

An example of the problems the increased access to information through Wikileaks is causing for capitalism is shown in an editorial in today's Wall Street Journal. The editorial is on Zimbabwe and the 3,000 cables Wikileaks has published about this country. We have no time for strong man Mugabe. But neither do we have any time for opposition leader and pro US man Tsvangirai. We stand for an independent workers movement.

But back to the cables. They show that while Tsvangirai, now Prime Minister, has been arguing publicly against advanced capitalism's sanctions on the country, sanctions which have brought hardship, he has been secretly arguing in his cables to western governments that they should keep on the sanctions. This will not help him much. Nor will it help US capitalism's efforts to control that country and its resources.

Here is the language the Wall Street Journal use to justify their lies and deceits and the lies and deceits of their man Tsvangirai. Its editorial reads; "Maybe Mr Assange imagines he has usefully exposed a case of blatant hypocrisy. The rest of us are more likely to forgive Mr. Tsvangirai for trying to help his country in private while having no choice but to concede in public to a desperate political reality."

Yes a wonderful example of the diplomatic language of capitalism and a wonderful example of their dirty tricks. They are starving a country to help it. Their man their cannot admit this so he lies. And then they are all up in arms because cables that show this lying have been published. The exposure of the realities of the capitalist world will be very helpful to the struggle of working class people.

Revolution in Tunisia must reach out and spread the process throughout the region.

Reports today say that all ministers in the Tunisian government have followed the representatives from the Unions’ lead and have broken from the former ruling party forced by the pressure form below. Protesters had gathered outside the RCD headquarters in Tunis demanding that ministers associated with the rule of Ben Ali leave the government.

The central committee of the RCD has been disbanded and property of the Ben Ali clan has been seized and family members arrested apparently. An army commander said to demonstrators today: "We are on your side and we will not shoot."

"People are saying that it is not a revolt, but it is a revolution and therefore the outcome should be brand new faces." , writes one Al Jazeera correspondent, "this government is being undermined by ongoing protests ... This is a strong signal to the government."

The new government has desperately been trying to convince the ministers from the Unions to return as "It will be the union's presence that can win this government the public support that it needs," Al Jazeera adds. The workers leaders will be needed to hold back the revolutionary process.

At the moment it seems that there is a struggle going on over whether or not the interim government should be supported. The first round, the elimination of any remnants of the RCD from the process seems to have gone to the workers although every effort will be made to co-opt the Union ministers and use them. Also, whether the Tunisian masses will tolerate the presence of ministers who simply resigned from the RCD seems unlikely at this point.

As in all these situations when the class struggle breaks out in to the open, a stalemate cannot last forever, one side has to impose its will on the other. There is a genuine revolution from below taking place in Tunisia with the problem being the absence of a leadership able to pull it together and spread it throughout the region. There is no doubt that the conditions are overripe for such a development and the Arab capitalist class and their imperialist allies are well aware of this potential and the dangers of it.

They will use everything in their power, including crushing the movement with violence if they have to. The community and workers’ committees that have emerged during this revolutionary process must be strengthened and expanded in to the military and all aspects of life. These committees are the organs that can elect delegates to a Constituent Assembly and should spread this process throughout the region. In Algeria, Mauritania and Egypt, similar conditions exist and some protests have also broken out there.

The spreading of the Tunisian revolutionary process, linking up with workers throughout the region is the only way that the efforts of the imperialist countries and their corrupt Arab allies to derail the process can be defeated.

More protests in Tunisia: Workers rejection of "same old faces" as major Trade Union rejects the new government.

The events unfolding in Tunisia are a stark reminder to the ruling classes of the Arab world and the advanced capitalist countries that when the working class moves in to struggle it is a force to be reckoned with. Tunisia’s main trade Union group, the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) has refused to recognize the new government that has been announced as a result of the upsrining. The decision was made in an “extraordinary meeting near Tunis” according to Al Jazeera.

Four ministers connected to the Unions have resigned and a fifth is considering it as of this morning; the situation is such that the masses of Tunisia will not tolerate a new government that includes any members of the former party of Ben Ali, the RCD. It appears the prediction of the death of the Tunisian uprising by some pessimistic capitalist journals may be premature.

It is becoming clearer as information comes out that the ruling elite, supported by the US, based itself on the internal security forces, the police and militia and it was these forces responsible for the killing of demonstrators. These forces, according to the Wall Street Journal, had seven times more troops than the military. But the military, which is a classic confirmation of why soldiers are different from the police, entered the scene and at times fought the police that were attacking workers. The military refused to fire on protestors.

“The reason why Ben Ali fell so quickly is undoubtedly linked to the fact that the first ring around him decided to withdraw its support,” The Wall Street Journal concludes. The important lesson for us as workers and especially American workers, is that the driving force behind it all is the movement of workers, and middle class supporters in to struggle.

According to reports this morning, Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei claims regime change is now imminent in Cairo; whether this is so remains to be seen. A third man has set himself on fire and protesters in Mauritania and Algeria have followed suit. It was a similar action that sparked off the uprising in Tunisia after suffering years of torture, abuse, unemployment and lack of basic democratic rights under the Ben Ali regime.

Opposition parties are returning to Tunisia as the constitution calls for elections within 60 days. We on this blog support the call for open and free elections to a constituent assembly. The emphasis is needed for the strengthening and extension of the community committees that have been formed to protect workers and their families against the police and for these committees to elect representatives to a Constituent Assemblies along with the trade unions and workers’ political organizations. In this way the old Tunisian constitution can be thrown out and a new one developed that serves the interests of workers and the middle class and not the corrupt Tunisian ruling class and global capitalism.

This process can only work if these committees and the Tunisian masses reach out and link up with workers in the rest of the Arab world, it is only in this way that the intervention of the imperialist countries and global capital can be driven back through a federation of socialist sates in the region.

As we explained in an earlier blog:
“The main factor that is missing in the world situation today is an international movement of the working class with a clear objective to end capitalism and establish a democratic socialist world. Build an international trade union movement; build an international federation of working peoples' parties. In this way we can provide an alternative to the crisis ridden capitalist system which does not work.”

We on this blog are in general agreement with the statements on the Tunisian situation here.

Tunisian masses want no remnant of the old regime: form neighborhood committees to defend against the police

Al Jazeera video

It is almost impossible when we are not on the ground to tell what will develop in Tunisia and indeed throughout North Africa and the Arab world. What is clear is that things are not going to be the same and what happens there will and is having an effect throughout the world.

From what I can muster it appears that attempts by the country's ruling class to form a unity government are being made difficult by protesters as there is little tolerance for any remnant of the former ruling party or its members to remain. In the struggles overnight there have been some clashes between supporters of the former president and other forces.

All the elements of working class self government appear at some level or another in these situations. From the reports I read this morning, community committees are being set up to defend their homes and families. Residents told Al Jazeera that there is a strong sentiment among the population that they need to arm themselves against the police “who they did not trust”.

The Tunisian capitalist class will make every effort to hold back the development of independent working class action and organization like community/neighborhood committees but the anger is such that it will be hard for the more moderate wing of the bourgeois to form some sort of “unity” government with the old ruling party such is the anger and hatred that exists among the Tunisian population at the former regime. Workers were chanting "Out with the RCD" and, "Out with the party of the dictatorship" at protests today.

Al Jazeera reported this morning that the new government will include members of two opposition parties, the Democratic Progressive Party and the Democratic Forum for Labour and Freedoms as well as, “some technocrats, independents and economists and some figures from Tunisian labour and trade unions” Other secular leftist politicians have indicated they will contest the presidency if elections are held within the next 60 day which the Tunisian constitution demands.

It appears from afar that Tunisian workers and the middle class are determined to go forward rather than allow any remnants of the previous US allied dictatorship to remain. But already, former colonial occupier, France is asking for “restraint” and it is to the working class they directing that concern; don’t go too far.

In Algeria, there are similar protests and in Egypt a man set fire to himself outside parliament emulating the young Tunisian who doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire in protest, an event that lifted the lid on the anger in Tunisian society and sparked the protests. Algeria and Egypt also have high unemployment like Tunisia. Egypt’s repressive regime is also a huge recipient of US tax dollars.

If any of our readers are from Tunisia or North Africa and live there or who have a more information about what is happening on the ground and have the resources and time to share it with this blog please share it with us at:

we_know_whats_up@yahoo.com

More reading on Tunisian events:

http://socialistworker.org/2011/01/17/revolution-in-tunisia

http://www2.socialistorganizer.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=421&Itemid=1

Capitalism. The bigger picture. Not good.

It is easy to get caught up with the details of life and day to day events. But it is important to have our eyes on the bigger picture. Look at the bigger picture as far as capitalism is concerned these days. It only survived the 2008 crash because it was given trillions of taxpayers money. And it continues with its old ways which make inevitable a new world wide crisis in the future. People are so angry about the last bail out that it will be politically harder to bail out capitalism this time. Imagine going to the tax payers and youth of these European countries where there have been the big riots against cuts and saying that the banks and the financial swindlers have to bailed out again. All hell will break loose. The US has not solved its debt crisis, it goes deeper into crisis and will have to raise its debt ceiling in the months ahead or go bankrupt. The future of the Euro is in doubt. Different European countries are on the verge of bankruptcy. The two advanced capitalist areas of the world have internal economic crises of enormous proportions. As we say capitalism is in crisis, capitalism does not work.

Then we have the rise of China and its increasing challenge to US capitalism. Obama and Gates the US war secretary were both humiliated in their recent visits to China. The Chinese elite were telling them they would not be pushed around. There is the coming visit of the Chinese president Hu to the US this week and he has said in advance that the role of the US dollar internationally will have to be looked at. Economically and militarily the Chinese elite are expanding their power and influence and pushing up against US capitalism and its allies. For activists in the US this is a central issue to keep in mind. The less US capitalism can loot from the rest of the world, the less it will be able to give when challenged by its own working class and the more its own working class will be forced to fight. The result will be a change in the consciousness of the US working class. But the Chinese elite should not be too confident. Its own gigantic working class will teach it some lessons in the years ahead.

US and world capitalism have had some other shocks in the recent period. Their occupations and wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan are increasingly bogged down. Their are more signs of discontent in the ranks of the military who are fighting there. There has been the assassination of a US ally in Pakistan. And now there has been the uprising and bringing down of the dictatorship and US ally in Tunisia. This has electrified the Arab world. It has the potential to bring down other Arab regimes in the area who are all allies of US capitalism. There was a hint of panic in the Obama regime last week when Clinton attacked her own allies and called on them to make reforms to placate the anger. But as Tunisia shows it looks like being too little too late. Whether now or later these regimes will fall because they are collaborators with the US and the other world capitalist regimes in looting the wealth of the region and leaving the people in poverty.

In the middle of this there is wikileaks. A site was created just for Tunisia called Tunileaks. All the material thought relevant from wikileaks was posted on this site and made available to anybody able to access it. Cables from the US Embassy to Washington about the extreme corruption of the Tunisian regime fueled the anger of the Tunisian working and middle class and as we said yesterday on this blog fueled the revolutionary overthrow in Tunisia. Many on the left sneered at the importance of wikileaks exposing its material. We did not. Increased knowledge and seeing things written down in black and white have an affect. We must continue to campaign for the release of Bradley Manning and to Defend Assange and Wikileaks.

The main factor that is missing in the world situation today is an international movement of the working class with a clear objective to end capitalism and establish a democratic socialist world. Build an international trade union movement, build an international federation of working peoples' parties. In this way we can provide an alternative to the crisis ridden capitalist system which does not work.

Sean.

Gaddafi attacks Wikileaks for Tunisian uprising. Defend Wikileaks, free Bradley Manning. We're on the right side here.

Muammar you have reason to worry

Isn't Tunisia next to China?

Which one of these two said that his country: "marks the final destination for the peoples' quest for democracy"  Read on.

Now we know we must defend Julian Assange, Wikileaks and Bradley Manning for sure. Manning is in the brig under conditions that amount to torture. A situation he’s been in for 7 months which is quite something considering he’s a man who has not been convicted of a crime, much like Guantanamo detainees. US politicians have called for the assassination of Assange and for Wikileaks to be declared a “terrorist organization” by the US government and now Muammar Gaddafi, the dictator in power in Neighboring Libya, is blaming the uprising in Tunisia on Wikileaks; that does it for me.

The media reports today that Gaddafi “condemns” the uprising in Tunisia and was “pained” by the fall of the dictator next door. I am sure he is. “He claimed protesters had been led astray by WikiLeaks disclosures detailing the corruption in Ben Ali's family and his repressive regime.” according to the Guardian UK. Gaddafi’s view of the Arab working class is classic in its contempt; so much for national and ethnic unity. How often have we heard from our bosses, their politicians and their media that when workers are forced on strike by oppressive and inadequate conditions that we are being “led astray” that we would all be happy little workers if it wasn’t for “outside agitators”?

This is how stupid they think we are, that we aren’t aware we’re being abused, exploited or ripped off, or even if they think we are aware but can be convinced we are not is just as bad.

Gadaffi claims the cables that Wikileaks released were written by "ambassadors in order to create chaos", not true Muammar. The ambassadors are experiencing some considerable chaos of their own due to their phoney diplomacy and their lies being shared with the peoples of the world. Gadaffi should be worried as he is next door and his dictator friend has scurried off to Saudi Arabia to relax in the sun with the thugs that run that society. Gadaffi has also governed Libya with an iron fist. He’s been in power for 31 years. Any organization, country or whatever that has the same individual head for 31 years is an unhealthy one indeed. Same with Unions, the heads of some of our national bodies in the US have ridden that gravy train for almost as long. It is as we said in a previous post, the leaders of these oppressive Arab states are sweating right now as they can sense the mood of jubilation that exists among the Arab masses from Morocco to Jordan, Syria to Yemen. They are afraid of their own positions.

In Egypt, Hosni Mubarak’s regime is second only to the Israel when it comes to being handed US taxpayer’s money (leaving the US bankers aside that is, they received more than anyone; they are Americans after all) and is feeling the heat. "I feel like we are a giant step closer to our own liberation," the Guardian quotes Hossam Bahgat, an Egyptian rights activist as saying, "What's significant about Tunisia is that literally days ago the regime seemed unshakable, and then eventually democracy prevailed without a single western state lifting a finger."

The Guardian’s Middle East specialist is overly confident that things will revert back pretty quickly, he writes:
"We can expect to see many more incidents like this over the coming months in various Arab countries. Inspired by the Tunisian uprising, people are going to be more assertive about their grievances and start probing, to see how far they can push the authorities. In the light of Tunisia we can also expect a tendency, each time disturbances happen, to suggest (or hope) that they are the start of some new Arab revolution. The reality, though, is that almost all of them will quickly fizzle out or get crushed."

This may end up being the case but I doubt it, I think the "expert" is misjudging the present period. I would like to think the movement would spread throughout the Arab world and in to Iran, wishful thinking on my part perhaps but I am not as pessimistic as the Guardian’s expert about these developments; I think the American century that we were told about at the beginning of the decade is turning in to a nightmare, times have changed without a doubt even if the Tunisian uprising faces setbacks things will not return to what they were and there will be more disturbances ahead.

Gaddafi, like all individuals obsessed with their own grandeur, said that Tunisia should adopt a Libyan style government as Libya "marks the final destination for the peoples' quest for democracy. If this is what the events [in Tunisia] are for, then it has to be made clear.”Gadaffi must count Francis Fukuyama as one of his heroes.

It’s confirmation how people like him and George Bush can seem so very similar, and so very wrong

Oppressive Arab regimes on edge. Arab masses jubilant; proud of Tunisian uprising

Bye bye: game over for Ben Ali

The significance of the ousting of the Tunisian dictator President Zein al-Abidine Ben Ali cannot be underestimated. The popular uprising has given fresh life to the workers and youth and all democratic forces in the Arab world while spreading fear and uncertainty among the numerous oppressive regimes in the region. The decision by the Saudi monarchy to give the Tunisian president asylum, even as the French refused, has also stirred resentment in that country, an autocratic Islamist regime run like a family business. Saudi Arabia has very high youth unemployment.

Another important aspect to all of this is the Internet. For much of the Arab world, Saudi Arabia in particular, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are the only means of having discussion and debate as well as spreading information as public assembly is banned. Syria, Egypt, Libya, and Jordan, all these regimes are vulnerable. Demonstrations and protests have also been taking place in neighboring Morocco

“We are very upset because the uprising in Tunisia had a very symbolic meaning and we should not be associated with saving him,’’, the Financial Times quoted one Saudi Blogger as saying ``This is the first time in the Arab world that a dictator was uprooted by his people. Even if the government is trying to help, it just does not feel right.”

The mood on what is often referred to as the "Arab street "is jubilant. “When the autocratic president and his family were forced to leave, they celebrated, online, the success of the first “Arab street revolution’’ which proved that “Arabs have dignity and can revolt.”, the Times adds.

Another Saudi Blogger quoted in the Times wrote: “The revolution was possible in Tunisia because it is secular state, they do not have clerics ready to mesmerize people and preach obedience to the rulers.” The Mullahs in Iran, not an Arab country, will be watching things very closely we can be sure of that.

The massive amount of arms that the US sells to these undemocratic regimes whether officially secular states like Egypt or a theocracy like Saudi Arabia are to maintain a balance of power in the region that serves the interests of US capitalism but also for the purpose of protecting them from their own working class; the Arab masses are a potentially revolutionary force in the region and the political outcome of the uprising in Tunisia is worrying for US imperialism’s interests. It is difficult to tell what will develop in Tunisia. It was calmer today according to the media reports and the military is establishing some sense of security, but the head of the banned Islamic party is returning form exile apparently and its difficult to say exactly where things will end up. It’s even harder to judge when you’re not there on the ground.

This is a real mess for US capitalism. As we mentioned in an earlier blog, released Wikileaks information added fuel to the popular uprising and forced Hilary Clinton to attack undemocratic Arab regimes aggressively. We should consider that; information from Wikileaks influenced the tone and content of the public statements of a top US government official. Despite all the talk from the US about democracy, democratic regimes tend to want more control and say over their own economy and resources. The response to such a development in Iran in 1953 invited a successful CIA orchestrated coup and the installation by the US of the murderous dictator we all know as the Shah of Iran. And democratic elections produced Hamas in Gaza, the voters didn’t elect the government Washington wanted, in this case, the corrupt Palestinian Authority.

For workers throughout the world the driving out of Tunisia’s Zein al-Abidine Ben Ali is a positive development. It is especially so for the Arab masses as it will increase confidence that they can remove the weight of  dictatorships, many of them backed by western governments, that accumulate massive wealth as the majority of the population live in conditions of extreme poverty, unemployment and lack of basic democratic freedoms. .

We should also not forget Israel, the chief recipient of US arms and money. The Arab working classes lifting the boot of their neck will not bode well for the Zionist regime which is US imperialism’s most reliable ally in the Middle East.

The first decade of the 21st century has seen a historic crisis of capitalism that is far from over, hopefully it has only just begun. In the US, the attacks on living standards are savage and there is no way we will not see increased opposition developing here.

I was at a rally in San Francisco called in defense of Bradley Manning and Wikileaks yesterday, one of hundreds throughout the world. It was a small but spirited event but what was significant was the support from passers by. One transit driver gave prolonged blasts of the horn in support as people cheered. As a family of American tourists walked by I asked the mother if she knew who Bradley Manning was. She couldn’t recall for a second, then I explained it to her. She knew about him but the father turned to me in front of his teenage daughters and said, “I think he’s a hero.”.

I have learned over time that we can’t predict how things will develop, especially in this volatile period. Tunisia was considered a locked down regime controlled by a strongman. But beneath the surface the anger and tension was building. A similar situation exists in the US. We should not underestimate the level of anger that exists beneath the surface of US society that will be fueled by the growing assault on social services and the highly Unionized public sector. We have also had here in the last month or so, the largest prison strike in history; the prisons are vulnerable to revolt.

The Union leaders in the US refuse to organize a serious resistance to the attacks here, in actuality, they cooperate with them. And the news media is probably the most censored and controlled in the advanced capitalist countries. But it would be folly to assume that the US working class will continue to take this situation indefinitely. History teaches us otherwise.

I am eagerly awaiting the Wikileaks releases on the banks.

Tunisian masses bring down dictatorship. An event to celebrate.

Tunisian working class, youth and middle class on the march to bring down the corrupt dictatorship of Ben Ali the ally of US capitalism.

Even though the weather is the usual cold snow and ice here this time of the year I am a happy man this morning. Another dictatorship is crumbling at the hands of the people. The Tunisian dictator has been forced to flee and hole up with George Bush's friends the dictators of Saudi Arabia. We must all take our hats off to the Tunisian uprising.

It started off with a young man selling fruit on the streets without a licence and the cops harassing him. In protest he doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire. With this, decades of frustration and rage over poverty, unemployment, inequality and repression exploded to the surface and the uprising was on and unstoppable. The dictator Ben Ali who had been in power for 23 years had to run for it. Ali was only the second President of the country since it won independence from France in 1956.

The uprising demonstrates the new period we are in concerning the Internet age and how this links together struggles and issues. And also underlines what this blog has been saying about the importance of the wikileaks information. How it adds impetus to the struggle to change things when it helps expose the rotten and corrupt nature of the regimes of the world and of capitalism.

The New York Times describes the uprising in this way: "The protesters, led at first by unemployed college graduates and later joined by workers and young professionals found grist for the complaints in leaked cables from the US Embassy in Tunisia, released by wikileaks, that detailed the self dealing and excess of the president's family. And the protesters relied heavily on social media web sites like Facebook and Twitter to circulate videos of each demonstration and issue calls for the next one." The Internet age is here and cannot be taken back. It gave capitalism an economic boost, it undermined Stalinism, but overall it has been a blow to all authoritarian and capitalist regimes, to capitalism as a whole and has added to the potential power of the working class.

We have explained on this blog that US capitalism is in crisis. But we have also explained how it remains an arrogant crude super power. US capitalism supported the Tunisian regime all along. It was one of its allies. It did nothing about the dictatorial and corrupt nature of the regime. Over the past couple of weeks US capitalism has seen the riots in Algeria over food prices, and now the uprising in Tunisia, and sees that these have been affecting people throughout the Arab world and the whole Middle East. They are especially worried about Egypt, the main Arab country and its extremely pro US dictatorial regime. So at the very last moment, just this week, Clinton speaking for US capitalism made a speech attacking the Arab regimes, all of them allies and stooges of US capitalism for decades, saying they should reform because if they did not more and more of the youth would seek an alternative.

But here is the problem. US capitalism and its cohorts in the advanced capitalist world loot the wealth of the Middle East. This is the only reason they are there with their occupations and wars and slaughters. With their resources being looted these countries cannot be stable either politically or economically. They cannot give, capitalism cannot give, the youth and the working class an alternative because they are being robbed blind by the advanced capitalist countries. This reality also means that the majority of the working class in the Middle East hate the US and its allies. They are not stupid, they see what is going on.

This reality also means that they hate their own ruling classes who are agents of the advanced capitalist countries' ruling classes. The only way US capitalism and its Middle Eastern allies can try and keep the lid on the area is by repression, occupations and war. And then this in turn leads to uprisings such as in Tunisia. Or it takes the form of increased movements of youth towards the radical Islamic groups like Al Quaeda. Not only is Clinton too late with her speech but she and US capitalism face an insoluble situation.

It is likely now that the entire Middle East is entering into a period of mass movements and uprisings. It is too soon to see how this will turn out in detail. But one conclusion can be drawn. US capitalism and its allies are going to face increasing opposition and will be weakened. And in Iraq and Afghanistan too they will face increased difficulties. I feel confident in predicting that the military of US capitalism will be stuck in Iraq, Afghanistan and increasingly in Pakistan until it breaks and rebels against the control of its masters.

The central problem for the Middle East is that not only has capitalism no alternative but that the working class which is the only force that can solve the problems of the area is not organized and unified throughout the Arab world and Middle East to give an alternative. This is the first necessary step. Organize the Middle Eastern masses into one unified federation of unions that can build a movement for better living standards and take on the capitalist looting of the region. Such a federation should be anti-capitalist in the sense of clearly explaining that as long as capitalism lasts it will loot the Middle East. It should also explain that this looting and capitalism must be ended. On the basis of such an organization there has to be built mass working class parties which would link together and work towards a Socialist Federation of the Middle East.

Remember Bradley Manning is in solitary confinement. Remember also that the released cables of wikileaks have had a big affect in strengthening the Tunisian uprising. Listen to how the Tunisian events have helped people there and elsewhere, have made their lives better, increased their confidence. One young woman in Tunisia quoted in the New York Times said: "We are too many now, we are too big. It is more difficult to silence us." Another quoted a Tunisian poet: "And the people wanted life and the chains were broken."

Wikileaks revelations are changing peoples lives for the better. Giving people more inspiration to fight, increasing the anger against capitalism and authoritarianism. This is very good. We appeal to all who read our blog. Please keep up your campaigning for the release of Bradley Manning, the Defence of wikileaks and of Assange.

Sean.

Tunisian protests: Is this the first "WikiLeaks Revolution" (Elizabeth Dickinson)

Protest today in Tunisia. More video here:



The section below in red I added as an afterthought.  It is from the Guardian UK according to the person that sent it.  Although I include the effect of the cable on events in the blog below I am not sure that I stressed enough the link between it and Hilary Clinton's speech on Thursday.  We have stressed all along the importance of Wikileaks role.  The site is reviled because of this example.  The trade off in the relationship between the US and the Tunisian regime was that the US would keep quite about the abuses and absence of human rights and democracy as long as Tunisia toed the line on the War on Terror and bootlicked US imperialism.  The leak forced Clinton to make public US capitalism's real view of the Tunisian regime and take a hard line to all the undemocratic regimes in the Arab world in her speech yesterday.  It shows how Wikileaks is influencing their decisions to a degree; it must be driving them mad. This release of the cable gave the Tunisian masses added confidence in confronting the regime while increasing division between two capitalist states. This is a good thing.

I changed the title of this blog also.  The question was asked by Elizabeth Dickinson at Foreign Policy and is the title of an article she wrote. This first paragraph is from her article. The rest from the Guardian.

"As in the recent so-called "Twitter revolutions" in Moldova and Iran, there was clearly lots wrong with Tunisia before Julian Assange ever got hold of the diplomatic cables. Rather, WikiLeaks acted as a catalyst: both a trigger and a tool for political outcry. Which is probably the best compliment one could give the whistleblower site.
 

Ian Black, our Middle East specialist, wrote about the WikiLeaks cable in question in December, quoting the US ambassador, Robert Godec:
 

"The problem is clear," wrote ambassador Robert Godec in July 2009, in a secret dispatch released by Beirut's al-Akhbar newspaper. "Tunisia has been ruled by the same president for 22 years. He has no successor. And, while President Ben Ali deserves credit for continuing many of the progressive policies of President Bourguiba, he and his regime have lost touch with the Tunisian people. They tolerate no advice or criticism, whether domestic or international. Increasingly, they rely on the police for control and focus on preserving power."

Joe Lieberman, the conservative independent US Senator who made calls to Amazon and other US corporations to get them to shut down Wikileaks accounts was at it again in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal. Lieberman dragged out the well-worn argument that Wikileaks’ “recklessness compromised our national security and could put the lives of our citizens, soldiers and allies at risk.” (1)

There is little evidence of this and some Pentagon spokespersons have admitted there is no evidence of it as yet although I am sure the CIA can manufacture some; US capitalism is not averse to sacrificing its own citizens to defend the profits of corporations. As this blog pointed out in previous posts, Wikileaks doesn’t have to put US lives in danger, the US government and its foreign policy have done a superb job of that.

We have also stressed the importance of the Wikileaks cables, how their release increases the confidence of the working class while it angers, demoralizes and frustrates the representatives of US capitalism. It is this exposing of their lies and hypocrisy that has them on the defensive and why they are after Wikileaks, Julius Assange and why they have Bradley Manning in prison. It is not that we don’t know their diplomacy is phony in a general sense, it is what the public written evidence of it does--- how it affects the mood of the working class.

US cables revealing US government officials calling for a “military style trade war” on behalf of Monsanto corporation against nations that are opponents of GM foods; Israeli’s demanding bribes from companies hauling supplies in to Gaza concentration camp, these and other details are making the US capitalist class very angry and they would undoubtedly kill Assange if they could.

But the uprising in Tunisia and Hilary Clinton’s public thrashing of the Arab regimes at a conference on democracy yesterday (2) is the most glaring example yet of why they want Wikileaks silenced and should offer a lesson to activists, socialists and other anti-capitalists; do not underestimate the importance of the Wikileaks cables, their release strengthens the working class and we must build on it.

The New York Times reports today that the “conspicuous riches” of the wealthy…."exposed in a detailed cable by the American ambassador and made public by WikiLeaks, have fueled an extraordinary extended uprising by Tunisians who blame corruption among the elite for the joblessness afflicting their country.”

This is the reason for the vicious assault on Wikileaks and Julian Assange by global capitalism, especially US capitalism. It is why Bradley Manning is in jail. Getting this information (and we’re at the tip of the iceberg) is like knowing something is wrong but when validated by another respected source it gives you added strength and confidence. Wikileaks allowing us to hear the truth is what worries them; it has nothing to do with endangering American lives, they don’t care about American lives. They admit that their release has encouraged a mass movement against corruption and wealth in an entire nation; this is dangerous.

The Tunisian government initially responded with severe repression firing live ammunition at protesters. The Regional Federation of Labor, Kasserine released names of those shot by authorities.  The protests, have been directed overwhelmingly against the ruling class and their communities and institutions. One such community is Hammamet, a playground of Tunisia’s elite. Yesterday the coastguard and police were cautious about intervening as protests continued, “Hundreds of protesters swarmed the streets, the police fled and rioters gleefully ransacked the mansion of a presidential relative, liberating a horse from its stable and setting aflame a pair of all-terrain vehicles.”, the NYT article reports.

Tunisia’s situation is serious enough that there appears to be some division within the ruling class as the military were pulled off the streets and replaced by “police and other security forces considered more loyal to the ruling party and Interior Ministry”, the Times adds. The military, workers in uniform, are always more open to class solidarity than the police, they can’t be relied upon like the police can.

President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali is no longer blaming foreign terrorists and outside agitators for creating the disturbances; how can he?  He has publicly stated that his regime will no longer “crack down on protesters” and has pledged to give in to many of the protesters’ demands, although this remains to be seen. A handy lesson for us in the US is that with enough pressure from below, governments can back down. We can certainly win a strike.

Hilary Clinton’s speech, its content and tone is a response to the Tunisian uprising; they are very concerned. Clinton adopted “a tone reminiscent of the Bush administration.” says the Wall Street Journal. She told her audience that the situation in the Arab world is made worse by the, “difficulty of the region's large population of young people in finding jobs or channels through which to express their aspirations. If left unaddressed such limitations could set the stage for more violence and political turmoil.” She warned that, “extremists were exploiting a lack of democracy to promote radical agendas across the Middle East.”

It’s hard to blame what is amounting to a popular uprising on Al Qaeda. A popular uprising around the issues of jobs, food prices and against the rich is more threatening than religious fanatics. Clinton’s comments about disenfranchised youth apply here in the US as well. This is why they want to quell these developments in Tunisia before they spread to other parts of the Arab world and US workers get some ideas. Tunisia’s President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali is head of a corrupt undemocratic regime that rules over a highly censored society. It is an ally of the US in its “War on terror”. The US has supported this regime as it has numerous dictatorships throughout the region. It is forced to talk about democracy and rights due to the uprising,

You have to laugh at the US Secretary of State admonishing a North African nation for its lack of opportunity and democracy. As Clinton lectures a North African nation on the need to offer more opportunity, raise living standards and increase democracy for its citizens, her and her class are destroying living standards, reducing opportunity and assaulting democratic rights in the US.

The movement against the “conspicuous riches” of the Tunisian elite is a very positive development. It puts US capitalism on the defensive as the situation on its own turf is potentially very explosive as similar conditions exist here.

Watch out Goldman Sachs.

(1) How to Prevent the Next Wikileaks Dump WSJ 1-13-11
(2) Clinton Rips Arabs on Lack of Reform WSJ 1-14-11