Presentation article of «Anarco-Sindicalista», common publication of AIT-SP and Galiza regional of CNT-AIT

Recently, has been published the first number of Anarco-Sindicalista, a common publication of the portuguese section of IWA and the regional federation of the CNT-IWA in the Spanish region of Galicia, whose main purpose is to strength relations between those two regions that have much in common like borders, the idiom and the migration of workers. For a better understanding of what are the purposes of Anarco-Sindicalista, the following is the translation of a presentation article of that first number (titled Unha presentación and signed by CNT-A Coruña):

This publication is certainly an unusual one: the experiments in communication and coordination between workers from regions officially belonging to different countries are quite uncommon. That is not the case among businessmen, politicians, exploiters of different kinds: for centuries, they took advantage of the borders that they created themselves in order to increase their money’s profits. We, the working people, only cross those borders to escape the misery in our own land. Now, it’s time to change this. We must use the possibilities given by the linguistic, cultural, territorial and historical resemblances between Galicia and Portugal in the advantage of the workers.

Schijnproces in Portugal tegen antifascisten

http://www.devrije.nl/archives/00002830.html

Op 22 januari 2010 zal in Lissabon een proces beginnen tegen elf mensen, die zijn aangehouden tijdens een antiautoritaire demonstratie tegen het fascisme en het kapitalisme op 25 april 2007 in Lissabon.

De elf kameraden, die worden beschuldigd van geweldpleging, opstand en ongehoorzaamheid jegens de politie, kunnen tot vijf jaar gevangenisstraf worden veroordeeld.

De demonstratie van 25 april 2007 was uitgeroepen als antwoord op de groeiende macht van extreem rechts en vooral van de partij PNR (Nationale Vernieuwingspartij), die een grote belangstelling van de media genoot omdat neonazi-skinheads meer de straat opkwa­men. In diezelfde periode werd de dictator Salazar, die bijna veertig jaar een fascistisch regi­me uitoefende, in een domme tv-wedstrijd tot "beste Portugees van alle tijden" uitgeroe­pen!

Appel à la solidarité internationale contre la farce judiciaire du procès des 11 de Lisbonne

Le 22 janvier 2010, va commencer à Lisbonne un procès contre 11 personnes détenues dans le contexte de la répression policière d’une manifestation anti-autoritaire contre le fascisme et le capitalisme, réalisée à Lisbonne le 25 avril 20007. Cette manifestation venait en réaction visait à s’opposer à une une démonstration du parti d’extrême droite PNR. Les 11 compagnons, accusés d’outrage et rébellion et de désobéissance civile, risquent jusqu’à 5 ans de prison.

La section de l’AIT au Portugal appelle à la solidarité, y compris financière.

The judicial farce against the "Lisbon 11" has begun

On the 22nd January 2010 will begin in Lisbon the trial against the eleven persons detained during the police repression of the “antiauthoritarian demonstration against fascism and capitalism” held in Lisbon on 25th April 2007. These eleven persons are accused of “aggression, aggravated offences and civil disobedience” and they can be punished with prison sentences between 6 months and 5 years.

The first session of the trial was held on the morning of the last December 7th, but it’s only use was for the judge to postpone the beginning of the trial due to a procedural error concerning the notification of the accused. The hearings of the testimonies were scheduled for the next four months.

Incredibly, the Lisbon Justice Campus was completely taken by police agents both in uniform and undercover, in a gigantic operation orchestrated in order to intimidate the accused and to dissuade any attempt to protest. Some court employees tried to illegally obstruct the access to the court, while in the surroundings people were being stopped, identified and inspected by the police. Even though this police harassment, 30 daring comrades demonstrated with a support banner in front of the judicial campus, situated in one of Lisbon’s richest districts.

Comienza la farsa judicial contra los "11 de Lisboa"

En el día 22 de enero de 2010, empezará en Lisboa un juicio contra once personas, detenidas en el contexto de la represión policial de una “manifestación anti-autoritaria contra el fascismo y el capitalismo” realizada en Lisboa el 25 de abril de 2007. Estas once personas son acusadas de “agresiones, injurias agravadas y desobediencia civil, y pueden ser sancionadas con penas de entre 6 meses y 5 años de prisión.

La primera sesión del juicio se realizó el pasado 7 de diciembre por la mañana, sin embargo ha servido casi únicamente para que el juez aplazase el juicio para 22 Enero debido a un fallo del tribunal en las notificaciones a los acusados. También fueron marcadas las sesiones para audición de testimonias que se prolongarán por los próximos cuatro meses.

Increíblemente, el Campus de Justiça de Lisboa fue completamente ocupado por policías de uniforme y de paisano, en una gigantesca operación destinada a intimidar los procesados e a disuadir cualquier forma de protesto. Funcionarios del Tribunal intentaron impedir ilegalmente el acceso a quien quería asistir al juicio y en las cercanías del Tribunal transeúntes eran identificados y revistados. No obstante este aparato policíaco, 30 bravos compañeros se concentraron con una pancarta de apoyo delante del campus judicial, situado en una de las zonas más ricas de Lisboa.

Salazar pas mort

1995 : le Directeur général des prisons du Portugal, Marques Ferreira, nouveau venu dans la profession et manifestement pas "affranchi" (au sens que les truands donnent à ce mot) dénonçait les situations "illicites, de corruption et d’injustice"qu’il constatait dans les prisons. Il appelait à une "croisade de moralisation". Il en fut la première victime, obligé de démissionner début 1996.

1996 : Les prisonniers portugais victimes de corruption et d’injustice sont entassés dans des conditions inhumaines : un taux d’occupation de 247 % dans les prisons nationales, de 503 % dans des prisons régionales. La mortalité (par suicide...) est effrayante : 106 morts (pour 10 000 prisonniers) entrés pour la plupart jeunes et en bonne santé. 23 mars 1996 : A Caxias, 180 prisonniers refusent, après la promenade, de rentrer à plusieurs dans une cellule. Pour toute réponse à cette demande tout à fait légale (la loi prévoit expressément une cellule individuelle) le ministre de la "justice" Vera Jardim et le nouveau directeur général des prisons, Celso Manata leur envoient les forces anti-émeutes qui les massacrent en leur tirant dessus à bout portant à la balle de caoutchouc et en les frappant systématiquement avec la plus grande violence.

Solidaridad con los “25 de Caxias”

Texto escrito en Mayo de 2009 en solidaridad con los “25 de Caxias”, veinte y cinco presos y ex-presos que fueron juzgados por participación en el alegado “motín” en la Prisión de Caxias (Lisboa) ocorrido en 23 de Marzo de 1996. El juicio, realizado entre Marzo y Julio de 2009 resultó en la absolución de los inculpados.

Más información en varios idiomas en: www.presosemluta.tk
 

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Contexto

Desde 1994, un gigantesco movimiento de presos tuve inicio en cárceles de todo el país, en lucha contra las pésimas condiciones de reclusión e exigiendo simplemente que el Estado cumplidse sus propias leyes: derecho a asistencia medica, derecho a una celda individual, fin de las agresiones por los guardas y de las muertes misteriosas.... Los presos escribieron comunicados denunciando las situaciones y exigiendo el cumplimiento de sus reivindicaciones y iniciaron varias huelgas de hambre e de trabajo.

En 1995, un nuevo Director General de Prisiones, Marques Ferreira, sin ligaciones anteriores al submundo carcelario, intentó renovar el sistema prisional, apelando a los presos para que denunciasen todas las situaciones “ilícitas, corruptas y injustas” que conociesen, substituyendo personas en varios cargos e liderando una “cruzada de moralización”. Esto levó a respuestas desde dentro del sistema carcelario que se sintió amenazado – incluyendo amenazas de muerte por las mafias carcelarias – y a muchas presiones que levaron a la dimisión de Marques Ferreira en el inicio de 1996. Fue substituido por Celso Manata, que colocó fin al esfuerzo de “moralización” y proclamó su compromiso en asegurar que todo continuaba como antes.

Solidarity with the “Caxias 25”

Text written in May 2009, in solidarity with the “Caxias 25”, twenty-five prisoners and ex-prisoners who were judged for participation in the alleged “mutiny” in the prison of Caxias (Lisbon) on the 23rd March 1996. The judgement, held between March and July 2009 resulted in the absolution of all the accused.

More information in several languages at: http://www.presosemluta.tk/

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Background

Since 1994, a huge prisoner’s movement started in prisons all around the country, in struggle against the very bad conditions in which they were jailed and simply asking for the State to comply with its own laws: right to medical assistance, right to individual cells, end of the beatings by the guards and mysterious deaths... The prisoners wrote communiqués denouncing the situations and asking for their demands and initiated several hunger and work strikes.

In 1995, a newly appointed General Director of Prisons, Marques Ferreira, without prior relations to the prison underworld, tried to renovate the prison system, appealing to the prisoners to denounce all the “illicit, corrupt and unjust” situations they knew of, substituting people in various positions and leading a “moralization crusade”. This lead to responses from inside the threatened prison establishment - including death threats by the prison mafias - and many pressures which lead to Marques Ferreira resigning in the beginning of 1996. He was then substituted by Celso Manata, who putted an end to the “moralisation” effort and proclaimed his commitment to assuring everything continued as usual.

Social situation in Portugal and the perpectives of the Portuguese Section of the IWA

A text writen for the FAU (german section of the IWA) newspaper "Direkte Aktion" in September 2008

Situation in Portugal

Like many other countries, Portugal is now going trough an “economic crisis”. The difference is that in Portugal the “crisis” is not new. The model of low wages and bad qualification of workers, maintained for decades as it provided huge profits to the capitalist class, collapsed under the shock of economic globalisation. As a result, in the last years, workers living conditions have deteriorated, the traditional industries (like the textile and shoe making factories) are closing, leaving many unemployed. As elsewhere, the last years saw increasing social inequality and huge concentration of wealth in the hands of few, with huge profits on the financial sector. Precarious and low paid workers became the majority of the working class. Liberal reforms in public health, education and pensions tend to dismantle this social services, leaving place for private profit. Again, nothing new, except that in Portugal this kind of “welfare State” began to be build only 30 years ago.

Portuguese society is caracterized by long periods of absence of visible conflicts. In the last years social unrest has grown, but the workers movement continues to be controlled by the bureaucratic unions. CGTP is the largest union, traditionally influenced by the Communist Party. UGT is the second largest and is controlled by the Socialist Party now in government. The social unrest materialized in some big demonstrations like the 200.000 people march against the meeting of European ministers of work and social affairs a year ago in Lisbon. Also a big teachers movement against education reforms erupted in the last months, leading to a massive 100.000 teachers demonstration in Lisbon, but the bureaucratic and reformist structure of this unions engulfed it.