People's Democracy

THE 19^th Congress of the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) of Cyprus, held in Nicosia from December 7 to 10, 2000, was attended by 1,281 delegates from all parts of the country. Amongst the total delegates 846 were workers and employees. In addition, sixty nine delegates from forty three countries participated in the Congress. In order to conduct the proceedings of the Congress 15 member presidium and a steering committee was elected

AKEL took over from the Communist Party of Cyprus, founded in 1926. For almost fifteen years, the Communist Party was underground. While underground, its members making use of favourable conditions created by the Second World War and the struggle of the people against Hitlerite fascism, in cooperation with other progressives of the time took the initiative of founding a new political party. Thus on April 14, 1941, the Founding Congress of the AKEL was convened which undertook the struggle against the British colonial yoke and fascism to gain people's democratic freedoms.

During the first two decades, the Party was again pronounced illegal, its cadre was imprisoned, and its newspaper banned. However, its consistent anti-imperialist struggle gave birth to the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. AKEL struggled with its forces for the defence of the independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus from foreign conspiracies, that had as their culmination, the fascist coup d'etat of the Greek Janta and the terrorist organisation EOKAB, and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, dividing the country between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots with devastating consequences. Turkish troops are till today occupying 37 per cent of the territory of Cyprus. Resulting from this fascist design 2,00,000 cypriots are made refugees in their own country.

Presenting the Central Committee thesis Demetris Christofias, general secretary of Party appreciated the patriotic approach, mature political stand, struggles, detailed proposals to improve every aspect of life in Cyprus and its ability to renew and modernise itself that AKEL has managed in the five year period that has elapsed since the First Congress. In fact it emerged as a popular movement and significant national political force. In its activity AKEL is guided by Marxism-Leninism which has developed along with the ceaseless progress of knowledge of the political, social and economic evolution and with broadening inner democracy. Our aim is to build a democratic socialist society.

In the parliamentary elections in May 1996, the voters honoured AKEL with the increased 33 per cent votes, and elected 19, out of 56 MPs. The ruling party, the conservative Democratic Rally Party together with the Liberal Party received 34.5 per cent votes and got 20 MPs elected. In the presidential elections AKEL candidate received 49.2 per cent of the votes, Glafkors Clerides of the Democratic Rally which represents the right-wing and the extreme right, was elected as President of the Republic.

The right wing government is violating the rights and dignity of workers; a neo-liberal, socio-economic policy is being imposed against the people's interests. Corruption, unemployment, poverty, low wages and problems related to drugs are deeply ingrained in the capitalist way of life. Wrong decisions and the handling of the Cyprus problem have contributed to a dangerous regress in the national issue. The only means to achieve a peaceful, just, mutually acceptable and viable solution for the Cyprus is via substantive inter-communal negotiations on the basis of UN resolutions and the High Level Agreements that provide for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, and for a single state, with single sovereignty, single citizenship and a single international personality. Strong emphasis was laid on the point that in no way would Ankara's demands for recognition of two separate states be acceptable. Our party will leave no stone unturned to offer feelings of friendship and respect to our Turkish-Cypriot-compatriots' struggle for a peaceful solution and reunification of our country and people.

The general secretary expressed the central committee's strong opposition to the new world order which serves the concrete interests of the imperialists and contravenes the principles of justice and international law. The way the concepts of globalisation are being implemented as a violent procedure, exclusively serves the interests of big capital and of the multinational monopolies. He said that AKEL consistently supports the just demands of all social classes, peasants, handicrafts, professionals, shop owners, small and middle entrepreneurs, women and youth and of the workers for a better quality of life and defence of the democratic institutions, values and the dignity of citizens. To rebuff the anti-people economic policy it is imperative that AKEL creates conditions for democratic change in the interest of the working class.

The International Secretary Andros Kyrianon introduced proposals for the purpose of producing democratic change. In a document entitled, "For the Modernisation of the Cypriot Society" (which incorporates the Cyprus situation into the international situation). The way globalisation is being achieved today, he noted, serves only the interests of the TNCs of the leading western powers, and subjects the developing countries to the most abject dependence and the most horrendous deprivation of their people. Hunger and disease is decimating whole populations. The gap between the North and South is constantly being widened. In a world which has all possibilities, all resources, all the scientific knowledge and technological know-how to secure a respectable life for men and women, what prevails is hunger, misery, poverty, disease, unemployment illiteracy, exploitation, oppression and despair for the future. He stated that mankind can and must free itself from this nightmare of a return to barbarism; the new world order, neo-liberalism and the globalisation of capital cannot be the future of mankind.

Commenting on the government of Cyprus, which intends to become a member of the European Union, he observed that it does not support the fight for human rights, for basic freedoms, for preserving the environment, for democracy, and social justice. Clerides government serves the interests of big capital. Cyprus social reality is charactersised by a crisis of values, decay and corruption. Individualism and the struggle for personal promotion at any cost have become the supreme social values, the scandals, organised crime, drugs, prostitution and corruption are destroying the fabric of our society. Social cohesion and the social progress of the vast majority of the people is being undermined through privatisation and liberalisation of the economy.

He called upon the Party to seek the cooperation of all the democratic and progressive forces with the specific aim of changing the government of our island. For, this the direction AKEL should take is to strive for the active participation of the citizens in the political, economic life of our island. Such participation is indispensable for the extension of democracy, social progress and for the emergence of a better future and equal society. He outlined a number of changes in relation to the functioning of the executive judiciary, parliament, local government and political parties, along with a programme of action concerning the improvement in the environment, education, health, culture and sports to serve the interests of the people of Cyprus, i.e, an alternative social and economic policy which aims to improve man's life.

The delegates made constructive contributions to improve both the documents by emphasising the following points.

• Change in the present right-wing government is an imperative prerequisite for the modernisation and progress of Cyprus society,
• the title of AKEL's proposals for the modernisation of the Cypriot society is ambiguous; it should add building of a democratic socialist society;
• every effort should be made to mobilise to win presidential election in 2003,
• in the last municipal elections in December 1996, AKEL received 34 per cent of the votes, in the forthcoming elections in the new year, the party can definitely improve its performance,
• the character of the members of the government are good examples to fight scandals, corruption and decay,
• the access to public documents should be ensured,
• scientists must be allowed freely to present their reports in an objective way,
• the role of the judiciary is one of the pillars of state power; it must respond to the needs of the society by abolishing outdated laws and institutions,
• political parties must increase the participation of citizens with the upgrading of collective work, the building of a society with employment and upgrading of the agricultural economy with support mechanisms,
• the youth must be encouraged to participate in the decision making and matters that affect them,
• social exclusion must be tackled with great rigour, equality between men and women must constitute a basic principle of democracy,
• AKEL should become a mass party and its mass base must further broaden by taking up civic issues,
• reunification of Cyprus will help to improve the image of the Party,
• education must be linked with attempts for economic development,
• health service should be transformed according to the needs of the society and the privatisation of health service should be rejected,
• those cultural values should be promoted which give vision, hope and commitment to change society with self-confidence in the struggle to set up a free and democratic society, with the aim to tackle nationalism and chauvinism.
• our environmental policy must aim to avoid unforseen dangers and be seen as an integral part of general development to improve the quality of air, water and natural beauty,
• there must be a clear separation between the state and the church, religious fanaticism is not a characterstic of the church of Cyprus and its existence creates hatred among people,
• negative values created by mass media must be controlled.

With some amendments both the draft reports were approved. A central committee comprising 100 members was elected and Demitruis Christafias was elected general secretary.

In the framework of the 19^th Congress of AKEL, an international meeting was held on December 9, 2000, on the topic, "The Necessity and Means to Face the New World Order." On behalf of the central committee of AKEL Andios Kypridnon, head of international relations welcomed the delegates from forty three countries. He pointed out that the chosen issue has been the object of many discussions carried out by the progressive Left parties. Specific steps have been taken to resist the negative impact of the new order and globalisation on the peoples of our countries. We should admit that there is still a lot to be done for the construction of a world as desired by the Left. Certain circles are busy in glorifying the so-called new order to create confusion.

All the international delegates gave their presentations on the topic by exposing the oppressive, exploitative and inhuman characterstics of the new world order. The points raised during the international meeting were as follows:

• In the unipolar situation after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States has become the most powerful economic and military power within the imperialist block. To impose this order it attacks weaker third world countries like Iraq.
• In Yugoslavia, it supported separatist forces in Kosovo to dislodge the Milosovic government through NATO, by violating the charter of the UN, interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign state, supressing the norms of democracy and principles of international law. The law of the powerful has no respect for peace, freedom and principles of social justice.
• The states who refuse to fall in line with the new order are targeted as 'rogue states' . The most relentless economic and warfare is also waged against Cuba.
• Half the world population in seventy five countries was subjected to unilateral coercive economic measures of sanctions in 1996, according to the UN report.
• Imperialism is utilising the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO to serve the interests of TNCs and legalise its intensified exploitation. The new order creates poverty, hunger, inequality, debt problems for the third world countries, destroying industrial and agricultural sectors through neo-liberal policies and creating dependency upon imperialists. This practice has created a gap between North and South. For example, by 1990, the richest fifth of the world's people lived in developed countries and received 30 per cent of world income. The poorest fifth received less than 1.1 per cent of the roughly 6 billion people in the world.
• Even in the developed countries, neoliberal policies have destroyed the welfare state and aggravated the economic situation.
• In a world that has all the resources, scientific and technological knowledge and grand prospects to assure a decent life for every body, we witness a surplus of hunger, epidemics, poverty, unemployment, exploitation of child labour, sickness homelessness, desperation and illiteracy that stalk the millions in the third world countries.
• Capitalism has plunged humanity into two world wars and used nuclear weapons and killed millions of people, and is responsible for the dangers of a nuclear holocast. The degeneration of capitalist society is apparent in drug abuse, violence, racist and sexual discrimination. It is incapable of solving problems confronting humanity. Socialism is the only alternative.

The meeting noted the mobilisation that took place in Seatle, Washigton, Australia and Portugal on the occasion of the IMF, WB and WTO sessions. The Second international meeting in Cuba against the blockade, the Balkan conference of the communist parties, the Sao Paulo Forum, the Emo-Mediteriaman Meeting of the Left parties, the Forum of the New European Left have given valuable experience to wage struggles further to challenges the New World Order.

The meeting passed a resolution on the Palestine problem.