October 5, 2000: Solidarity with the Uprising of the Democratic Working-Class and People's Movement in Yugoslavia

On October 5, 2000, the people in the Yugoslavian capital Belgrade rose up in a democratic rebellion against the reactionary Milosevic regime. On October 4, umpteen thousands of coal miners, transport workers as well as blue-and white-collar workers in the public service sector went out for a general strike. In Belgrade alone, one million people joined this signal of the working-class offensive against Milosevic.

The MLPD declares its militant solidarity with the working-class and people's movement for the overthrow of the anti-people Milosevic regime.

As a response to the general strike, the constitutional court and the government declared the invalidity of the elections; attacks by police and military followed. Working-class leaders were arrested every day. The Milosevic regime believed it could quell the working-class movement. But the insurgents occupied the parliament building, the state television and several police stations. Police and army units, instructed by Milosevic to take forcible action, were downright put to flight by the demonstrating masses. A state anti-terror unit as well as further sections of the army and police defected to the enemies of the government. Several army units refused to obey the order to march against Belgrade.

In order to force Milosevic to resign, the demonstrators are absolutely determined and arm themselves. Again and again, people shout, "Arrest Slobo!", "He's done with!" The workers' strike movement seizes further sectors. Strike committees are organized all over the country. The people protect factories, where workers have gone on strike, against the police. Truck drivers build barricades. This shows: the initiative is in the hands of the working-class and people's movement!

The bourgeois opposition around Kostunica who won the September 24 elections against Milosevic calls on the masses to restrain themselves. It attempts to control the movement because this militant opposition increasingly makes an independent appearance and because it is led by the working-class movement. This movement's goals go further, and it takes a reluctant and critical attitude towards Kostunica, because he openly collaborates with the NATO countries from where he received massive support. The workers make the experience: Neither the NATO nor the bourgeois opposition have been capable of overthrowing Milosevic. But since the workers have gone in the lead of the struggles, the question of power has been raised immediately! With this, a "core argument" of the advocates of the NATO war against Yugoslavia, according to which Milosevic could be fought alone by bombarding him from the outside, is being frustrated. It is the people that makes history!

The Belgrade uprising has placed the governments of the NATO states and of Russia highly on alert. Those who, one year ago, were responsible for bombarding the Yugoslavian people, now hypocritically declare themselves administrators of the interests of the same people. They demand Milosevic's resigning from office, but only because they want to prevent his forcible overthrow. For that would be a signal of the self-liberation of the masses of the Yugoslavian people, a signal that does not fit into the plans of the imperialist states for their control over the Balkans' region. Therefore, Schröder and Fischer sanctimoniously declare their solidarity with all those who are "non-violent" the same moment when the people resorts to use just force against the reactionary dictatorship.

Opposed to this, the MLPD declares that the uprising is completely justified. The overthrow of the Milosevic government which is holding office against the declared will of the people, will open up the way for enforcing all-round democratic rights and liberties. Mainly the working class will know how to use these rights for its free and independent organization, independent of bourgeois parties. The workers feel deceived in their socialist objectives, because Milosevic and his forerunners have betrayed socialism for decades. This fact is to be covered by a pseudo socialist camouflage. Only the prospect of genuine socialism relying on one's own strength is an alternative for the future of the entire Yugoslavian people.

The MLPD demands that the Federal Government as well as all other NATO states refrain from any kind of interference and that all foreign troops are immediately withdrawn from the Balkans.

The MLPD will organize solidarity in Germany with the rebellious masses of the Yugoslavian people and will directly inform on new developments of the struggles.