Some anarcho-syndicalist comrades from Indonesia have recently been in discussions about founding the proposed Persaudaraan Pekerja Anarko-sindikalis (PPAS) with a view to applying for affiliation with the IWA.
Our comrades in Indonesia have been treading somewhat lightly as harrassment from Islamic bigots are an ever-present problem.
This great news from our comrade in Borneo.
I send to comrades in other city like Jakarta, Jogyakarta in central Java and Ternate city in North Maluku(Molucass). Comrade in Jakarta already report me that she is agree with the ASF aim and statue. Now I just waiting to jogja comrade and Ternate. Here in borneo, just on progress to organize with same thing. Last night I just meeting with comrade in Jakarta via Skype and we're already committed and will start working in that's initiative. The name of organization will be PPAS - Persaudaraan Pekerja Anarko-sindikalis (Anarcho-syndicalist workers Brotherhood). We have plan to make federation if PPAS already established in minimum 5 or 6 city in Indonesia. Maybe comrade from ASF can come here if the organization Already formed, because here is still only initiave grups. Now we are still in progress to translate ASF aim and statue to bahasa
I think that such news,
I think that such news, however positive, should not be promoted publically (it is not even a topic to discuss and the question in the title makes no sense) before becomes a fact. It is obvious that you are thrilled by the developments, but at least to me this is a "non-information". Why not making something like this public when the initiative is really formed and working? (Instead of spreading information from personal communication.)
Good luck and hope things
Good luck and hope things work out. Keep us posted. Solidarity!
I agree the information is a
I agree the information is a bit premature but I guess the point is that the comrades down under are just very happy that new comrades appeared in the region. To tell the truth I am happy too. It's an uphill battle to build stuff there, the comrades from Singapore also talked about how repressive it is. But I hope we can provide them with a supportive environment etc.
Hi, yes best of luck and
Hi, yes best of luck and solidarity with these efforts. Let us know if there's anything we can do to help (for example we have 339 "fans" of the libcom.org Facebook page in Indonesia, so we could advertise content to them - like a post announcing the formation of a group, or asking for people to get in touch or whatever. We could solicit donations to do this as well)
I'm not sure that public
I'm not sure that public promotion is such a problem as it is not a secret organisation. Perhaps, further information will clarify.
Technically, PPAS is an Initiative of the ASF, similar in purpose to other ASF Initiatives, attached to ASF Perth.
The ASF Statutes were modified in 2013 to include Initiatives as part of the organisational structure to address the problem of a single worker wanting to join but there being no local affiliate. Before 2013, such workers joined the nearest (which could hundreds of kilometres away) affiliate as an isolated member.
Now they can chose there own name as an Initiative and can operate a FB page and an email address while still being members of the nearest affiliates. It is hoped that this will facillitate the creation of new affiliates.
Only a tiny number of workers are currently involved and it is very early days. The ASF has been providing material support. My understanding is that ASF Perth could be sending one or two comrades there shortly and ASF Secretary, H. Khan, will make a statement in due course. Given that Indonesia is the 4th largest population, the potential is great. I would say wait 12 months before denouncing them as a tiny propaganda sect paper union not a real one.
Without a significant presence in Asia, we (bulos here in the West) can't really speak of 'the International' or 'of the World'. Of the top ten most populous countries in the world today, six are in Asia.
The IWA Secretariat has done pretty much close to nothing over the last 30 tears to expand the IWA outside Europe until very recently. No-one knows what happened to the Japanese section, RRU, or the Nigerian section, Awareness League, because nobody cares. (It's not Europe, the centre of the anarcho-syndicalist universe).
The current IWA secretary, the one denounced here and elsewhere as the worst Secretary ever, was the first one, to my knowledge, to ever set foot in Asia. Certainly, the first one to set foot in Australia. The current IWA Secretary hosted two public events in Hong Kong and Taipei ably assisted by a comrade from ASF Melbourne.
I would expect there would be huge growth potential for the IWA in Asia particularly now that the single biggest obstacle, the CNT, is no longer in any position to thwart these endeavours.
The CNT, along with their Euro-bully compatriots the USI and the FAU can consolidate their power in Western Europe, gaze longingly backward at their glorious past and continue on the path of slow but inexorable decline.
The IWA can now not only apply some genuine effort to building sections in Indonesia, Japan, China, India, Pakistan and Vietnam, it can also commence the task of re-building the IWA in Spain, Italy and Germany.
There's never been a more exciting time for anarcho-syndicalists.
Actually, it was FAU which
Actually, it was FAU which tried to sabotage the event in HK and USl which tried to defund it in Australia.
Lugius, I am not sure if we
Lugius, I am not sure if we ar eon the same page here. You would hardly find anyone who would be unhappy about the developments, but the way you present it (the title, the content of the quote) sounds to me a bit silly and pre-mature. Perhaps I've seen to many such attempts that never got beyond the early stage of enthusiasm. Therefore the information about the attempt to form something there, could have a better wording, in my opinion. But that's just me.
As for comrades in Indonesia, I wish them just the best and I think libcom could be of help to them.
Quote: Perhaps I've seen to
Perhaps you have. But I can tell you the process is in train. If cynics want to be cynical, let them. I think very few in Europe are serious about expanding IWA beyond Europe, IMHO. Now that the CNT, USI and FAU are gone the way is now open to assist in the development of anarcho-syndicalism in Asia.
You can count on us for
You can count on us for support. MT your point is taken but remember that right now there is a real opportunity to rebuild a comradely IWA free of people who look down their nose at people and try to limit access to our international. But Lugius also remember not to be too premature. I do confirm though that it is underway and they take it seriously.
Lugius wrote: I think very
Lugius
OMG, do we really need to go ad absurdum?... I just criticised the way the information was presented (and btw I expressed that people are happy about the developmetns over there). That's all.
I think he's just mostly
I think he's just mostly still upset about the troika's attitudes and how some of them tried to fuck things. Come on, let's cool off and be more careful about what we write cause we're on the same side.
I don't want get immeshed in
I don't want get immeshed in all the other stuff.
Count on some of us in the WSA for whatever small solidarity, etc
we can provide or be of help with.
Thanks! Also to Lugius,
Thanks! Also to Lugius, please remember that it was an iwa Section from Europe that suggested we deal with Asia and you have support. Please don't use phrases like ' nobody' in Europe because it is not true and you cannot count the actions of a few individuals which probably weren't even discussed at the base as being 'everyone'. I know you feel betrayed but you have support.
Quote: There's never been a
+1