Statement launched by the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign
Sign the international statement of solidarity click the link here: NO TO WAR
We, socialists, trade unionists, scholars, activists for human rights, social justice and peace, stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine against Russian imperialism.
The international left and labour movement must vigorously oppose Russia’s threats against Ukraine.
We say neither Washington nor Moscow. We oppose the policy and manoeuvrings of the big Western powers and NATO.
But currently it is Russia that is threatening the Ukrainian people’s right to self-determination and challenging their legitimacy as an independent nation.
It is Russia that has massed troops on Ukraine’s borders; Russia that has annexed Crimea and persecuted the Crimean Tatars; and Russia that has organised an eight-year war in eastern Ukraine leading to 14,000 deaths, 30,000 wounded and 1.9 million displaced people on the Ukrainian side alone.
Subjugated by Russian Tsarist and Stalinist rulers, for centuries Ukraine was the object of exploitation and national oppression, its culture and language subject to discrimination. Millions perished at the hands of the Kremlin.
We call for peace through self-determination of the Ukrainian people. That does not mean support for the current government of Ukraine or the capitalist oligarchs it serves.
Despite its rhetoric, self-evidently the Russian government is interested in neither democracy nor opposing fascism. The Russian government actively promotes pro-Russian sections of the far right in occupied eastern Ukraine and other parts of Europe; and its anti-Ukrainian policy strengthens the hand of far-right Ukrainian nationalists too.
We hail the brave internationalists in Russia protesting against Putin’s war politics. We demand the release of Russian political prisoners.
We stand in solidarity with socialists, trade unionists and activists for democratic and human rights who, who can bring real progress – in Ukraine and in Russia..
We demand the withdrawal of Russia’s troops from the Ukrainian borders and occupied territories, and an end to Russian interference in Ukraine.
Initial signatories
Clockwise: Nadia Whittome MP for Nottingham East, Rachael Maskell MP for York Central, Clive Lewis MP for Norwich South, Claudia Webbe MP for Leicester East, John McDonnell MP for Hayes and Harlington.
Supported by the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union, and Sarah Woolley General Secretary and Ian Hodson National President .
The Social Movement (Ukraine)
Supporterted by Social Movement (Ukraine) and below: Dan Gallin of the Global Labour Institute, John Maloney Assistant General Secretary Public and Commercial Services Union, pc.
The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers – Labour Representation Committee – Green Left – Anti-Capitalist Resistance – International Marxist-Humanist Organization – Alliance for Workers Liberty – Republican Communist Forum (Scotland) – Marxist-Humanist Initiative (USA)- The Real Democracy Movement – Aplutsoc (“arguments for social struggle”) France.
Initial signatories
Dan La Botz, Co-Editor, New Politics (USA)
Samuel Farber, Professor Emeritus, City University of New York
Richard Modiano, Director Emeritus Beyond Baroque Foundation
Stanley Heller, host of “The Struggle” Video News
Frieda Afary, Producer of Iranian Progressives in Translation“
John Reimann administrator, oaklandsocialist.com
Yasser Munif, Emerson College, USA
Mary Rizzo activist/translator Italy
Joshua Ram Writer San Francisco
Amina Ali, writer and human rights activist, New York, NY, USA
Cheryl Zuur, former president of AFSCME Local 444 in Oakland, California.
Rohini Hensman, writer, researcher and activist, India.
Thomas Harrison, New Politics editorial board.
Andrew Kliman, Marxist Humanist Initiative,
Anne Jaclard, Marxist Humanist Initiative,
Jason Schulman, NYC Democratic Socialists of America Mark Boothroyd, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust NHS Unite Branch Secretary, London
Daniel Randall, Assistant Chair, RMT London Underground Bakerloo line branch
Sacha Ismail, Unite the Union member, London
Greg Schwartz, London
Alena Ivanova, Glasgow
Angela Paton, Unite Community & Labour Party, Kilmarnock
Pete Firmin, Vice-Chair, Brent Trades Union Council, London
Patrick Murphy, National Executive member National Education Union, Leeds
Omar Raii, UCU member, London
Eamon Murphy
Graham Korn, National Education Union, London
Patrick Markey, NEU, Northampton
Eddie Rowley, London Met University Unison Branch
Daniel Nichols, Political Officer, Romford CLP, London
Steve Chapman, Sheffield Heeley Labour Party, Campaigns Co-Ordinator
Duncan Morrison, Joint Branch Secretary, Lewisham NEU, London
Vicki Morris, Branch chair, Nottingham University Unison
Adam Stansby, Bristol
Om Herekar, London
Fazlur Rahmat, Ternate, Indonesia, Pendidikan Sosialis Indonesia
Philip Wills, New Zealand
Mick Sidaway, RMT, North Norfolk Labour Party, North Walsham
Vincent Wong, PhD Student at Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto
Charlie Morgan, London
David Kirk, Leeds
Corinna Lotz, Real Democracy Movement, London
Robbie Griffiths, Real Democracy Movement, London
Richard Abernethy, International Marxist-Humanist Organization, Oxfordshire
Kevin B Anderson, University of California, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles
Kieran Durkin, York
Bill Young, International Marxist Humanist Organization, Chicago
Zahoor Ahmad Wani, IMHO, Kashmir
Cathy Nugent, Goldsmiths UCU, London
Liam Murphy, Unite Member, Leeds
Abel Harvie-Clark, South London
Robert Deed, Herefordshire