We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with the people of Greece and the Syriza-led government as they prepare for a referendum on July 5, 2015 on whether to accept the continuation of the program of neoliberal austerity or chart a new course free from the debilitating stranglehold of the “troika” - the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, and the European Commission.
We support the call of Syriza for a ’no vote’ as the only option for the people of Greece, especially the working classes, to assert sovereign control over the country’s economy and their own future.
We condemn the “troika” and their allied political institutions, for forcing their policies of neoliberal austerity, privatization, deregulation, and savage cutbacks dismantling the public sector. We, therefore, hold the “troika” responsible for the massive unemployment, increased poverty, greater social inequality, and a severe economic depression now being experienced by Greece. The irony of it all is that the huge debts the “troika” is demanding for repayment did not go to Greece but were used to repay private sector creditors such as French and German banks. In other words, these are onerous and illegitimate debts.
We had welcomed the election of the Syriza-led government on a program committed to ending the neoliberal-austerity policies imposed by the EU creditors and we stand in solidarity with them as they struggle to implement an anti-austerity program.
The austerity program has been assessed as a colossal failure by leading economists worldwide. Despite this, the insistence of the EU creditors and their political and economic allies to resuscitate this failed program, can only be construed as a cynical political maneuver whose real aim is to bring down the Syriza government, the first anti-neoliberal, anti-austerity government to be popularly elected in Europe.
Syriza was a product of the mass movements’ and working people’s struggles against neoliberal austerity promoted by unbridled capitalism. Similar political organizations have arisen across Europe, such as Podemos in Spain, a product of the anti-austerity ’indignados’ movement.
The specter that haunts the European capitalist class is a ’Syriza syndrome’ spreading to other parts of Europe, particularly in Spain, with the election of an anti-neoliberal Podemos government. By bringing down the Syriza government, the capitalist hydra aims to strangle such a movement at its birth.
Peoples from all over the world, in both developing and developed countries, have been struggling for the past decades against the imposition of a whole range of neo-liberal measures - liberalization, deregulation, and privatization, including neoliberal austerity programs imposed by capitalist governments led by the US and its allies, through the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other financial institutions.
There has also been a long history of struggles against debt repayments and for the cancellation of odious and illegitimate debts. The world has experienced how debt burdens and neo-liberal impositions have created havoc on economies, depleted natural resources, exacerbated inequalities, and impoverished peoples while siphoning off billions of dollars to global capitalist banks, giant corporations and imperialist governments.
We welcome the people of Greece into the struggle of peoples of the global South against neoliberalism, onerous debts and austerity.
Your struggle, is our struggle. Your victory, is our victory.
Signatories:
Eduardo Ed Tadem, Ph.D., Professor, University of the Philippines
Reihana Mohideen, Ph.D., Transform Asia
Ric Reyes, Philippines
Sonny Melencio, Chair, Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) - Philippines
Jean Enriquez, World March of Women
Mary Ann Meanne Manahan, Focus on the Global South, Philippines
Joseph Purugganan, Focus on the Global South, Philippines
Josua Mata, SENTRO, Philippines
Lidy Nacpil, Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development
Manarishi Dhital, Editor Janadesh Weekly and socialist activist, Nepal
Cora Valdez Fabros, STOP the War Coalition, Philippines
Isagani R Serrano, President, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM)
Amado Bong Mallonga Mendoza, PhD., Professor, University of the Philippines
Teresa Encarnacion Tadem, Ph.D., Professor, University of the Philippines
Joseph Anthony Lim, Ph.D., Professor, Ateneo de Manila University
Jafar Suryomenggolo, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Kyoto University
Edru Abraham, Professor (ret), University of the Philippines
Jerik Cruz, Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies, Geneva
Teodoro Mendoza, Ph.D., Professor, University of the Philippines
Anuradha M. Chenoy, Ph.D., Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Ph.D., Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Darwis Khudori, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Le Havre
Annabelle Benedicto Bonje, De La Salle University, Philippines
Francisco Nemenzo, Former President and Professor Emeritus, University of the Philippines
Ana Maria R. Nemenzo, Campaign for a Life of Dignity for All (KAMP)
Edmund Landrito, Arya Progresibo
Mercy Fabros, WomanHealth, Philippines
Omi Royandoyan, Centro Saka, Inc. (Center for Rural Development Studies)
Michael Treen, national director Unite Union, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Marcela Olivera, Red Vida, Bolivia
Benjamin Quinones, Jr., Ph.D., Executive Coordinator, Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS-Asia)
Fatima Gay Molina, Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP-Philippines)
Janus Isaac Nolasco, University Researcher, University of the Philippines
Aries Arugay, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of the Philippines
Krishna Kumar KK, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP-India)
Maria Luisa Torres, PhD., Professor, Ateneo de Manila University
Maria Dulce F. Natividad, Ph.D., University of the Philippines
Nathan Gilbert Quimpo, Ph.D., University of Tsukuba
George Aseniero, Dapitan, Philippines.
Chibu Lagman, Independent journalist
Chris White, socialist, former Secretary of the United Trades and Labor Council of South Australia
Sam Wainwright, Socialist Alliance City Councillor for Fremantle, Western Australia
Sue Bolton, Socialist Alliance City Councillor for Moreland, Victoria, Australia
Tim Gooden, Secretary, Geelong Trades Hall Council, Victoria, Australia
Darcey O’Callaghan, USA
Marta Harnecker, writer, Chile
Michael Lebowitz, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Canada
Saturnino Borras, Jr., Ph.D., Professor, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague
Nicole Curato, Ph.D., Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Canberra
Roland Simbulan, Professor, University of the Philippines
Francis Loh Kok Wah, Ph.D., Professor, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Samuel Lee, Ph.D., Secretary General, Korean National Commission for UNESCO
Kinhide Mushakoji, Ph.D., Professor, Osaka University of Economics and Law
Naruemon Thabchumpon, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Chulalongkorn University
Carl Middleton, Ph.D., Lecturer, Chulalongkorn University
Eduardo T. Gonzalez, Ph.D., Professor (ret), University of the Philippines
Kho Tungyi, Ph.D., Lecturer, Lingnan University (Hongkong)
Wei Xiaoteng, Ph.D., Professor, South China Normal University
Temario Rivera, Ph.D., Professor (ret), University of the Philippines
Jean Franco, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of the Philippines
Fred Chiu, Ph.D., Professor, National Taiwan University
Rudi Hartono, editor Berdikari Online
Yvonne Miller Berlie, Third World Network
Nick Dearden, Global Justice Now, UK
Caroline Sy Hau, Ph.D., Professor, Kyoto University
Lisandro E. Claudio, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Kyoto University
Lin Shenjing, New International, Taiwan
Hansley Juliano, Lecturer, Ateneo De Manila University
Tyrell Haberkorn, PhD. Fellow, Australian National University
Arze Glipo, Executive Director, Asia Pacific Network for Food Sovereignty
Woody Aroun, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa
Muto Ichiyo, People’s Plan Study Group, Japan
Arze Glipo. Exec Director, Asia Pacific Network for Food Sovereignty
Tyrell Haberkorn, Ph.D., Fellow, Australian National University
Maria Victoria Marivic Raquiza, Asst. Professor, University of the Philippines
Elmer Malibiran, The New School for Social Research, USA
Gabriella Sanchez, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Catholic University of America, USA
Koichi Hagimoto, Ph.D., Asst. Professor, Wellesley College, USA
Filomina Chioma Steady, Ph.D., Professor, Wellesley College, USA
Catia Confortini, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Wellesley College, USA
Eduardo Aro, Retired diplomat, Philippines
Anna Liza Magno, Far Eastern University, Philippines
Aditi Chowdhury, Media and Development Consultant India
Sumit Chowdhury, Documentary filmmaker, India
Shankhayan Arnab Chowdhury, India
Ricardo L. Penson, Philippines
Danny Carranza, National Coordinator, RIGHTS, Inc., Philippines
Dominique Caouette, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Université de Montréal, Canada
Muhammad Ariq, Vice President of political science, student organization, University of Padjadjaran
Sid Shniad, Trade union researcher, retired, Vancouver, British Columbia
Leo Panitch, Canada Research Chair in Comparative Political Economy, Distin-guished Research Professor of Political Science, York University
Herbert Herbie Docena, University of Berkeley, California
Richard G. Parker, PhD, Associação Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS (ABIA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Vagner de Almeida, Associação Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS (ABIA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Antoinette R. Raquiza, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of the Philippines
Organizations:
Focus on the Global South
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
Socialist Alliance, Australia
Marxist Student Federation, Philippines
Socialist Aotearoa/New Zealand
Alab Katipunan, Philippines
Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (ARENA)
Alternative ASEAN Network (ALTSEAN)
Liga Ng Makabagong Kabataan (LMK-Philippines)
Partido Lakas ng Masa-PLM, Philippines
Freedom from Debt Coalition
FDC-Southern Mindanao
Awami Workers Party, Pakistan
Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, Philippines
Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)
Resistance, Young Socialist Alliance, Australia
Blue Planet Project, Canada
Council of Canadians
Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development
SANLAKAS, Philippines
SANLAKAS –Mindanao
Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino-BMP, Philippines
Partai Rakyat Demokratik, Indonesia
Social Action for Change, Cambodia
SustainUs, USA
Global Justice Now, UK
Earth in Brackets
South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE)
LDC Watch
Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF)
People’s Alliance in Central East India (PACE-India)
Bangladesh Krishok Federation
EquityBD, Bangladesh
Coastbd, Bangladesh
VOICE, Bangladesh
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum
All Nepal Peasants Federation
Rural Reconstruction Nepal (RRN), Nepal
Joint Preparatory Committee on Tax and Fiscal Justice (JPCTFC), Nepal
Debtwatch Indonesia
KRUHA Indonesia
LILAK (Purple Action for Indigenous Women’s Rights)
Our Rivers, Our Life ( OROL)-Philippines
Gitib, Inc - Philippines
MAKABAYAN-Pilipinas
Aliran, Malaysia
Asia Pacific Network for Food Sovereignty (APNFS)
RIGHTS, INC., Philippines
Solidarity, Australia
Globalization Monitor, Hong Kong
Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement (MPPM), Philippines
National Garment Workers Federation, Bangladesh