Thursday, June 19, 2014

Meeting of the ILPS International Coordinating Committee

ILPS logoBy the ILPS General Secretariat
The International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) held its annual meeting on 5-6 June 2014 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Chairperson Jose Maria Sison presided over the meeting.
Fifteen ICC regular members participated in the meeting which constituted a quorum. The following were physically present: Jose Maria Sison, Malcolm Guy, Theo Droog, Mustafa Kilinç, Antonio Tujan, and Florentino Lopez Martinez.
The following participated via Skype: Carol Araullo, Bill Doares, Len Cooper, Demba Moussa Dembele, Kuusela Hilo, and Ramon Bultron. Rudi Hartono Daman, Elmer Labog, and Jang Chang Weon, were represented by proxies Tatiana Lucman, Fidel Agcaoili, and alternate ICC member Barbara Waldern, respectively. Alternate ICC member Rey Casambre participated via Skype.
The meeting was conducted primarily in Spanish and English, with some French and Tagalog. The ICC members attending via Skype are commended for participating during the middle of their night and early hours of the morning due to time zone differences. Despite their involvement in local and regional anti-imperialist struggles, the ICC members generously gave their time to help guide the ILPS over the next important period.
The Executive Officers of the ICC gave their respective reports and recommendations.
Chairperson Jose Maria Sison gave a brief description of the world situation to contextualize the work of the ILPS and the prospects for moving forward. He reported on the issuances made by the Chairperson as spokesperson of the League on major global issues and events. He cited the major activities and campaigns launched by the ILPS, and activities launched in cooperation with other progressive alliances and movements such as the International Action Center; International Anti-Imperialist Coordinating Committee; the Bolivarian Movement; the Asia-Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development; and the International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties and Organizations (ICOR).
General Secretary Malcolm Guy made a report on the work of the General Secretariat. He reported on his attendance at the 4th National Congress of the Frente Popular Revolucionario in Mexico, and on the various meetings and conferences that the General Secretariat helped in organizing. Among these activities were the Conference on Self-Determination, Democracy and Liberation in Brussels in September 2013; the 4th International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR4) in New York in October 2013; and the events organized in connection with the APEC Summit and 9th WTO Ministerial Meeting in December 2013 in Bali, Indonesia; among others.
ILPS Treasurer Theo Droog reported on the finances of the ILPS. Most of the expenses have been for the meetings of the ICC and the International Coordinating Group, and some trips for representation work. There remains a significant positive balance. The Treasurer mentioned the standing problem of how to improve the collection of the annual membership dues. There were some suggestions that were put forward.
It was decided that the Chairperson, General Secretary and Treasurer have the discretion to approve disbursements of less than €1,000, and that the Secretariat staff should maintain a petty cash of €1,000 for operational expenses. It was also decided to open an e-commerce account as a way of collecting membership dues and raising funds for the League.
All commissions of the ILPS made their respective reports and recommendations, with the exception of two commissions that were directed to make their submissions as soon as possible. The commissions were lauded for their successful programs, activities and campaigns. All their recommendations were approved in principle. The list of 17 commissions is attached hereto as Annex A.
The national chapters in the following countries and areas gave a report on their work and plans of activities and campaigns: Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau, The Netherlands, Canada, United States of America, and the Dominican Republic. The ICC members from Mexico, South Korea, Senegal and Turkey also reported on the work of the ILPS and the prospects of building the national chapters in their areas.
The ICC made the most important decisions on the 5th International Assembly. It decided that the theme of the assembly is as follows: “For a new and better world, intensify the people’s struggle and solidarity against imperialist plunder, crisis and war!”. After weighing the pros and cons in relation to several proposed venues for the assembly, the ICC selected the Philippines as the venue of the assembly in November 2015. The ILPS-Philippines will host the assembly.
The ICC received and approved the resolutions submitted by the national chapters, commissions, and other organs of the ICC. It authorized a group headed by the General Secretary to standardize the form of the resolutions, and to ensure that they are in accordance with the principles, policies and standing decisions of the ILPS, as manifested in the ILPS Charter and assembly declarations and resolutions. The list of resolutions is attached hereto as Annex B.
The reports and resolutions are to be published in the ILPS website.
The ICC decided the holding of the next meeting of the International Coordinating Group on 18 February 2015, and the International Coordinating Committee on 19-20 February 2015.
For the International Coordinating Committee
General Secretariat
International League of Peoples' Struggle
15 June 2014

ANNEX A: 17 Commissions / Concerns of the ILPS:

  1. The cause of national liberation, democracy and social liberation;
  2. Socio-economic development and social justice;
  3. Human rights in the civil, political, economic, social and cultural fields;
  4. The cause of just peace;
  5. Independent trade union and workers' and toilers' rights and reduction of working hours at full pay against mass unemployment and decreasing wage levels;
  6. Agrarian reform and rights of peasants, farm workers and fisherfolk;
  7. The cause of women's rights and liberation;
  8. Rights of the youth to education and employment;
  9. Children's rights against child labour, sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation;
  10. Rights of indigenous peoples, oppressed nations and nationalities against chauvinism and racism;
  11. The rights of teachers, researchers and other educational personnel;
  12. The right of the people to health care and the rights of health workers;
  13. Science and technology for the people and development, and environmental protection;
  14. Arts and culture and free flow of information in the service of the people;
  15. Justice and indemnification for the victims of illegal arrest and detention;
  16. Rights and welfare of displaced homeless persons, refugees and migrant workers; and
  17. Rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans-gendered.

ANNEX B: List of Resolutions Adopted by the ILPS International Coordinating Committee

06 June 2014
  1. Resolution on the campaign to release Wilma Austria and Benito Tiamzon
  2. Resolution on workers’ and people’s struggle against neoliberal globalization
  3. Resolution to conduct education and information campaign, organizing, mobilizing and staging protest actions on the push of APEC 2015 for the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement
  4. Resolution to campaign against imperialist plunder and environmental destruction
  5. Resolution on the killings of members of the media
  6. Resolution on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)
  7. Resolution to expose, isolate and oust Aquino regime
  8. Resolution on the struggle of the urban poor against demolition and forced eviction
  9. Resolution on the harassment of children and military encampment in schools
  10. Resolution on ILPS support for Global Day of Action against Forced Migration in December 2014
  11. Resolution to stop violence against Ukraine
  12. Resolution on solidarity with the people of Syria
  13. Resolution on solidarity with the people of Venezuela
  14. Resolution on solidarity with the Palestinian political prisoners on strike
  15. Resolution on the demand to free the Cuba 5
  16. Resolution on solidarity with the Boston bus drivers
  17. Resolution on the release of all political prisoners
  18. Resolution on professionalizing ILPS finances and financial recording

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