World Anti-imperialist Platform Delivers a Commemorative Address on the 100th Anniversary of Amílcar Cabral
The Anti-Imperialist International Conference co-organized by World Anti-imperialist Platform, DUP (Pan-african Unitary Dynamics), and CNP (Comité National Préparatoire) kicked off successfully in Dakar, Senegal, Oct 25-26.
Since launched at the Paris International Conference in Oct. 2022, the World Anti-imperialist has held the Anti-Imperialist International Conferences in Belgrade in December 2022, Caracas in March 2023, Seoul in May 2023, Athens in November 2023, and Washington in July 2024, and has organized mass demonstrations, rallies, and events such as the World Anti-imperialist joint struggle.
Three months after the last conference, the historic 7th Anti-Imperialist International Conference is being held under the theme, “Pan-Africanism and Anti-Imperialism”. This is the largest-ever and the first in Africa.
On the first day (25th), there were presentations by the revolutionary parties in Africa across two sessions, beginning with the welcome and opening speeches by CNP and DUP.
The Chair of the International Department of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) and Marie-Josée AYI, the President of New Power Gabon moderated sessions.
Deeply analyzing the essence of war expansions in Eastern Europe and West Asia (Middle East), as well as escalating risk of war in East Asia and Western Pacific, participants explored the path forward for the anti-imperialist forces that strive for independence, and had a debate on the realization of true Pan-Africanism premised on anti-imperialism and revolution.
Augusta Epanya, the General Coordinator of DUP remarked in her opening speech, “Anti-imperialist movement forces from around the world have gathered here. This will mark the beginning of Proletarian Internationalism,” adding, “Senegal is undergoing a period of change. We will pursue our struggles under the banner of revolutionary Pan-Africanism. To meet the needs of the people, it is significant to analyze current imperialism; to mobilize African people into the anti-imperialist struggle, it is essential to realize Pan-African movement. This is a conference for struggle, not merely an academic one.
Meanwhile, referring to the fascist Yoon Suk-yeol’s intensifying repression of PDP in “Republic of Korea (ROK)”, she emphasized, “Due to the fascist regimes planted by imperialism, many people are killed and progressive forces are being suppressed.” There are numerous US military bases in “ROK” and the US domination system is formed. This is also what is happening in Africa. We must fight together to overthrow the imperialist system,” she said.
In the first session, Iancuba Djola N’Djau from the Political Bureau of PAIGC, Adama Coulibaly from APP/Burkindi, NIYONZIMA Fidèle from CNDD, Zalihata BACARI from Suluhu, Albert MUKULUBUNDU from Front Démocratique Africain, Fodé Roland Diagne Editor-in-Chief of Ferñent (Senegal), Moïse ESSOH from UPC-MANIDEM, Raymond Ayivi, the General Coordinator of CODITOGO, Booker Omole, the vice-chair of the Communist Party of Kenya (CPK) presented.
During the session, they paid tribute to Lamine Senghor, the first communist in West Africa, and Thomas Sankara, a symbol of Pan-Africanism and anti-imperialism, who served as the president of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987.
The second session began with a call for the release of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a journalist and activist of the Black Panther Party from the 1970s, who has been imprisoned for 42 years. Despite 42 years of brutal and persistent repression by US authorities, Mumia Abu-Jamal has never yielded; he has written nine books analyzing the US imperialism and has supported the Black Lives Matter movement. Currently, about 15 African American activists remain imprisoned.
In the second session, Philippe Noudjènoumè, the president of WAPO and DUP delivered presentations.
Lastly, the video featuring the life of Amilcar Cabral, the founder of the PAIGC, the revolutionary party of Guinea-Bissau, and the liberator of Guinea-Bissau, known as the “Che Guevara of Africa”, was released along with a commemorative contribution by the World Anti-imperialist Platform celebrating the 100th anniversary of Cabral’s birth.
Below is the full text of the commemorative contribution by the World Anti-imperialist Platform for the 100th anniversary of Cabral’s birth.
The anti-imperialist struggle of the people around the world, who have deeply engraved the spirit of Amilcar Cabral in their hearts, will surely achieve victory!
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Amilcar Cabral, who made a remarkable contribution to African and the people’s history of the world. Influenced by African national liberation revolutionaries while studying in Portugal, he started the African nationalist movement and dedicated his upright life to the cause of African nation and people until he met his fate by the sword of enemies. He formed the revolutionary political party, named PAIGC (African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde), against the oppression of Portuguese imperialism and led the armed struggle to liberate Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, aimed for socialism and strived for realizing people’s sovereignty in the process of building a new society. For the genuine liberation of all Africa, he established the People’s Assembly and committed himself with tireless dedication to realize Pan-Africanism, the banner of unity of African people. This is why the African people remember Cabral as an eminent leader.
PAIGC under Cabral’s leadership left a distinct mark on African people’s history. PAIGC not only wisely guided the African people to end barbaric colonial domination and to rise up for national liberation, but also led the armed struggle to completely liberate themselves from Portuguese colonial domination. In the process of building a new society, it placed special emphasis on education to free the people from illiteracy, ignorance, and fear, establishing schools in the liberated areas and developing the education system. In order to liquidate the old remnants of colonialism, it raised the level of people’s awareness and national self-respect, and strengthened anti-imperialist resistance politically, economically, and culturally. Inheriting the ideas and ideology of Cabral, PAIGC has continued to move forward for the establishment of people’s sovereignty as the locomotive of the African national liberation revolution.
The spirit of Cabral is being practically manifested through the anti-imperialist struggles of the African people. The anti-imperialist struggle in the African Sahel, which has been in full swing since 2020, has resulted in the withdrawal of US and French troops from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The anti-imperialist forces in Africa are united in their struggle against the imperialist and treasonous forces that are viciously interfering with the right of self-determination, and the anti-imperialist front is expanding. The method of domination employed by the imperialist aggressor forces, which begins with military occupation and proceeds to political domination and economic plunder, demonstrates that the priority must be the withdrawal of imperialist military force in order to create a decisive opportunity for anti-imperialist national liberation. Above all, the anti-imperialist liberation struggle of the African people in this ongoing phase of World War 3 has significance for strengthening and expanding the anti-imperialist camp, and for striking a blow against the imperialist camp.
The spirit of Cabral is the ideology of self-reliant independence and the will of people’s liberation. It is not only just the African people’s goal, but also a common orientation for the oppressed and exploited people of the world to end the slave life forced upon them by the aggressors and the imperialist forces from the 16th century to a span of 500 years, and to live and develop as the true masters of society, nature, and their own destiny. The imperialist powers, which cannot survive even a single day without domination and plunder, are today forming an imperialist camp to provoke World War 3, which is the last desperate attempt to avert the general crisis in the imperialist states and pro-imperialist fascist countries. The people of the world who boldly took up anti-imperialist joint actions will surely overthrow imperialism and achieve global independence, genuine peace, and true democracy. The new world that Cabral wanted to build by practicing the people-centered idea—“living among the people, before the people, behind the people”—until the end of his life is not far off.
October 26th, 2024, Dakar in the Republic of Senegal
The World Anti-imperialist Platform
