Contribution to the 13th
International Communist Seminar
Brussels, 2-4 May 2004
www.icsbrussels.org , ics[at]icsbrussels.org
Party of Labour of Albania
Albania
Dear Comrades,
Allow me to thank the Party of Labour of Belgium for the invitation extended to our party to participate in the International Communist Seminar of Brussels and to speak about some problems connected with this session.
As you know, Albania has broken in the way of capitalism almost 15 years ago through the violence of bourgeois counterrevolution from outside and betrayal from inside, organised by the American and West-European imperialism and, from this time on, it is neither free nor independent.
With their help, the new local bourgeoisie has overthrown every socialist form in the field of production and distribution; it has destroyed the organisation of the working class and other working masses; it has disunited the people and thrown them in unrepairing broils; it has stimulated the formation of more than 50 bourgeois political parties against the communists and against every spiritual and material values created in the years of the people’s power.
Nowadays, Albanian people are suffering all the wounds of capitalism, from the ferocious oppression, exploitation, unemployment and extreme poverty up to the organised crime, clandestine emmigration, prostitution and every kind of traffics.
The propaganda of the bourgeoisie in Albania is quite vulgar, demagogic and aggressive and it has its influence among the people. Consequently, there are many illusions and ambiguities about the capitalist order, about imperialism in general and the American and West-European imperialism in particular; they support its membership in NATO and European Union; the sending of military troops in Iraq, Afganistan, etc. It is difficult to find a more servile state to USA and European Union than the Albanian state, and a growing bourgeoisie more anti-national than the Albanian bourgeoisie.
PLA is faced up with the existing situations and problems. In fact, it does not have any rich experience of revolutionary work and struggle under the conditions of capitalism. But, the Party of Labour of Albania is becoming more and more loyal within its people through its participation in the protests of the popular masses, although few in numbers; with the modest support of the anti-global and anti-imperialist movements and the struggle of the peoples all over the world, especially those of Cuba, Corea, Iraq and Palestine to defend and gain freedom and independence; with its support of the socialist order; with the analysis of the causes and the criticism of the blunders which led to the overthrow of socialism in Albania, as well as with the unmasking of the bourgois political, economic and social order.
A good part of the population has begun to become conscious, to oppose the capitalist oppression and exploitation, not to follow the bourgeois parties and to realise that capitalism is not the order which will solve the interests of the working class and of the masses that it oppresses and exploits.
Using this possibility, our party took part in the general elections for the local state power bodies last year. It is important that we could win counselors almost in half of the municipalities of the cities of Albania, not mentioning the communes and other smaller municipalities. Fortunately, Communist Party of Albania won the same. It was meaningful and of great importance that about 60 % of the voters did not take part in these elections.
We mentioned this experience not to show that our Party of Labour has made it a general line and nourishes any illusions for retaking the state power and establishing socialism through these forms, but to show that what has been achieved in our work with the masses has been a great help for further strengthening our Party and its leading role. It also helped to throw away the opinion that we are weak towards bourgeoisie; to participate and better organise the movements of the popular masses; to propagate the teachings of marxism-leninism and proletarian internationalism and to fight effectively against the bourgeois political power.
We are aware that the class consciousness of the working masses and the revolutionary spirit of militantism that we want to revive in them, is still far from our strategic target, not well organised and properly made concrete yet. That is why we are working, as comrade Enver Hoxha pointed out, to develop propaganda together with the revolutionary activity so that it can be effective.
To be realistic, we have not used well the legal possibilities for the achievement of our objectives. One of the reasons is that communist movement in Albania is chopped : there exist three legal communist parties under different names and some small groups of communists that do not have essencial differences for the basic issues of marxism-leninism. Nevertheless, they act separately; they have no relations and do not undertake any activities together, even for the traditional manifestation of May 1 – the International Worker’s Day. We would be more organised and stronger against the local bourgeoisie, in the development and support of the anti-globalist, anti-war, anti-USA, anti-NATO movements etc, or in the political campaign for the general parliamentary elections, which will be held in Albania in June next year, if we were united in one communist party or, at least, in one unified communist front.
The Party of Labour of Albania has long ago been engaged in the unification of the communist movement and Albanian communists in one party, not claiming the leading role at all. Up to now it has not been made possible, for subjective reasons. This is to feel sorry because the communists must possess the means to solve divergences and differences and to prove with facts the overcoming of the things which devide by applying with consequence and conviction the principles and norms which arrange the life and activity of the parties of communist type.
Not pretending to say anything new, but for our opinion, the split in the international communist movement has its influence in the situation of the communist movement in different countries. It is not normal that, while the bourgeoisie of each country and in the whole world is and acts unitedly against communism and communists, the communist movement in general is not and does not act in unison against the bourgeoisie and capitalism neither within different countries nor in world scale. Not thinking to agree immediately about all the things, it is time to discuss about the creation, according to the teachings of marxism-leninism and proletarian internationalism, of those organisating forms which help in solving out of our central duty and do not affect the independence and individuality of the communist parties. This would even help in launching a more successful principled struggle against opportunism, revisionism, sectarism and any kind of unity out of the basic principles of marxism-leninism.
Profitting also from the experience of the marxist-leninist communist parties, our Party pays special attention to the compilation of a revolutionary tactics and strategy and the right political direction to respond, immediately and in prospective, the solution of the interests and aspirations of the popular masses and the struggle against bourgeois yoke and foreign imperialist oppression. But we have much to do within our party to realise the main tasks in the stage that our country is going on, to know our enemies and internal and external allies, the clear limit between the progressive forces and the enemies of revolution, determining the main internal and external enemy, against whom, as Stalin said, should be led the main stroke, not leaving aside and forgetting the struggle against other enemies.
It is important that we must not stick to the theoretical explanation of events, but to act effectively in practice because, as Lenin taught us, to clarify the masses, it is important even the political experience of these masses. Based on this viewpoint, our Party is working :
First, to make clear that the historic mission of the working class has not changed and it must be at the head of the revolutionary struggle for passing from capitalism to socialism although the working class in Albania is dispersed, unorganised and reduced in maximum.
Second, for the reorganisation of the sydicalist movement and popular masses in their organisations, in conformity with the concrete conditions and historical traditions of our country, especially with the peasantry that compose the majority of the population, not neglecting the work with the youth, women and schools, with the veterans and the retired military men. This is a new experience for us because, during the system of the people’s power, we worked under comfortable conditions.
Third, for organising possible alliances with non-communist but progressive parties and with other anti-war and anti-hegemonistic forces to create a wider anti-bourgeois inner front and to contribute more for the international united front against the top enemy of the world – the USA and their fascist plans for unleashing a third world war.
Fourth, for the co-operation with other sister parties on the basis of proletarian internationalism. Such a co-operation, of course, will be achieved in the struggle against the US and world imperialism as well as against opportunism and revisionism of all colours. All the parties, big and small, old and new must give their contribution in this struggle by exchanging their experience and co-ordinating their political and ideological actions and attitudes.
That is why we appreciate such seminars as this one organised by the Party of Labour of Belgium, Communist Party of Greece, Communist Party of Equador (m-l) and other communist parties, in some of which, it has been possible for our Party to take part.
We would like, of course, to participate in many other activities like these, and even to organise such ones ourselves, but because of the difficult economic situation of our country and slight financial possibilities of our Party, this is impossible currently. Nevertheless, determined to contribute much more in the strengthening of the international communist movement and the cause of revolution, we are continuing and will continue our work in all the territory of Albania and we are convinced to achieve greater results.
Thank you.
Muharrem Xhafa
Secretary of the Central Committee
of the Party of Labour of Albania