People's Democracy

POLIT BUREAU COMMUNIQUE

CPI(M) Plans Campaign

On Food Security, Prices

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on October 11, 2009. It issued the following statement on October 12.

Floods in Andhra

Pradesh & Karnataka

THE Polit Bureau expressed its deep concern at the devastation caused by the floods in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, in which more than 200 people have lost their lives. There has been immense damage to houses and properties. The floods have destroyed crops and cattle.

It should be declared a national calamity and a massive effort has to be undertaken for relief and rehabilitation. 

Movement Against

Price Rise and For Food Security

The Polit Bureau sharply criticised the failure of the central government to take effective measures to check the continuous price rise of food items and essential commodities. The Polit Bureau heard reports about the holding of state conventions organised by the Left parties against price rise, drought and for food security. The Polit Bureau directed that necessary preparations be made for the holding the state level rallies on these issues in the month of November. 

MPs Delegation

To Sri Lanka

A delegation of MPs from Tamilnadu is visiting Sri Lanka to enquire into the situation about the displaced Tamil people in the refugee camps. The Polit Bureau criticised the decision to send a delegation of only MPs from the ruling alliance, without taking MPs from the opposition parties in Tamilnadu. On such an issue as the welfare of the Tamil minority people in Sri Lanka, there should be no partisan approach.

International Meeting

Of Communist & Workers Parties

The Polit Bureau heard reports on the preparations for the 11th international meeting of the communist and workers' parties that is being held from  November 20-22, 2009 in New Delhi. This meeting is co-hosted by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India. The theme of the meeting is �The International Capitalist Crisis, the Workers� and Peoples� Struggle, the Alternatives and the Role of the Communist and Working Class Movements.�

The meeting is taking place at a time when the working people the world over have been severely affected by the global financial crisis. Bailout packages proposed by the governments in developed countries, including in the recently concluded G-20 meeting, have utterly failed to mitigate the sufferings of the masses. This is substantiated by the statistics recently released by the US Census Bureau, showing that the poverty index had increased in the US. This represents over 40 million people, the highest number of people in the last ten years under poverty. It is in this background that the meeting of the communist and workers' parties is taking place and it would focus on the measures that need to be taken to alleviate the people�s sufferings and offer alternatives for the way out of this capitalist crisis.

Invitations have been extended to 111 communist and workers' parties from 87 countries. The working group of the international communist and workers' parties decides on the criteria for inviting the parties, the theme and the venue of the meeting. 24 delegates from 19 parties and 18 countries have already confirmed their participation.

Preparations for

Central Committee Meeting

The Polit Bureau finalised the political report and the Draft Rectification Campaign document for the consideration of the Central Committee which will be meeting from October 23 to 25, 2009.