On the occasion of the international day of action in support of the People's War in India, which took place on July 9th, several solidarity actions were also organized in Austria. Correspondents of the Red Flag were able to be present at some of these actions to get a direct picture. Here we would like to give an overview of the different activities in Austria. We would also like to express our gratitude, at this point, for the numerous pictures that reached us, as well as for the possibility of first-hand reporting from the day of action.
This international day of action was initiated by a multitude of anti-imperialist and revolutionary organizations worldwide, which published a joint call [we reported]. Thus, the call "Take to the Streets: Support the People's War in India" was signed by organizations from Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Turkey, Spain, Finland, Germany and Austria, among others. In it, it is declared that the „prolonged struggle, led by a true Communist Party, is a mighty beacon of hope and inspiration for everyone who wants to see an end to the imperialist nightmare and who strives for the construction of a society free from oppression and exploitation.“ This call guided the July 9 activities in numerous countries.
In Austria, these activities were initiated by the "Committee in Support of the People's War in India." In a leaflet of this committee on the international day of action it was stated: "In India the masses are fighting: in the last years they organized several times the biggest strikes in the human history. But there are not only strikes and struggles for the daily bread in India. Also, the biggest revolution in the world is taking place there, with it’s own people's army (PLGA) that is fighting with the masses for liberation. (...) This revolution, the People's War, has a new, democratic India as its goal. An India that goes its own, self-determined way".To support this struggle for a new and democratic India was the concern of the activists at the day of action, who carried this struggle to the people in Austria with their activities.
The struggle in India was brought to the parks
In different cities in Vienna, Upper Austria and Lower Austria activists of the international solidarity work went to the parks. With leaflets and short speeches, the aims and experiences of the people's war in India, which is led by the Communist Party of India (Maoist), were explained. These contributions were met with great interest and some park visitors decided on the spot to join the solidarity actions. We were able to convince ourselves that these actions were made mainly in those residential districts where broadest parts of the population live. A young worker from a park commented on the activities: "I always say that I do something when I and my family are affected ourselves. But in Austria, too, more and more people are affected who have to take out loans just to still be able to pay the rent. Something has to be done, I am for protest, I want to be part of it. While the rich wage war, it is mainly the poor who die. It's good that people are struggling in India, of course there is need for revolution and we want to support that."
Numerous posters were put up in the cities
Posters were put up in many cities in Austria for the international day of action, saying "Support the People's War in India" and showing a picture of the People's Army in India.
Activities to support by the organized workers‘- and people's movement.
Similarly, political events and gatherings were used to report on the concerns and goals of the revolutionary movement in India. These included, for example, a reading circle on Marx and Engels' "Manifesto of the Communist Party."
The international day of action was also in Austria an important sign of international solidarity and a good start to learn from the experiences of the revolutionary movement of India and to spread it’s demands and concerns!
Support the people's war in India! Long live international solidarity!