Special Resolutions of the CPA's 23rd SA State Conference

The following Special Resolutions were adopted at last Saturday's 23rd SA State Conference of the Communist Party of Australia

Visit by US President Obama’s and the establishment of a US base in Darwin:

“This 23^rd SA State Conference of the Communist Party of Australia condemns the decision of the Federal Government to allow the establishment of a base for US marines and war fighting materiel at Darwin. The move aggravates tensions in the region and is clearly designed ultimately to threaten China. We call on the federal government to reverse this dangerous decision, which has angered our neighbours and locks us more closely into the reckless military strategy of the US.”

Baiada chicken workers:

“This 23^rd SA State Conference of the Communist Party of Australia supports the workers employed at Baiada poultry factories as they strive to achieve regular, secure and safe employment in their industry. We support their right to organise in a union and to bargain collectively without intimidation. We call on Party members to be involved in and promote actions in solidarity with these workers in precarious, arduous and undervalued jobs.”

Cuban Five and the US Blockade:

“This 23^rd SA State Conference of the Communist Party of Australia calls on the Australian government to urge the US to free the Cuban Five; to release the remaining prisoners held unjustly in US jails and to allow René González (who was released recently after having served 13 years on a bogus conviction) to return to Cuba.

“We also demand the US be called upon to lift the inhuman economic, diplomatic, cultural and scientific blockade on Cuba. It does damage to the interests of both Cuba and the US and is seen by the overwhelming majority of the countries of the world as an act of vengeance by a superpower towards a country seeking to exert its sovereignty.”

Colombian political prisoners:

“This 23^rd SA State Conference of the Communist Party of Australia calls on the Australian government to use its influence in dealings with the reactionary government of Colombia to seek a political solution to the armed and social conflict in Colombia, to pursue a humanitarian exchange of prisoners in the decades long conflict in the country and to release the 7,500 political prisoners held in Colombian prisons. We condemn the escalation of the policy of so-called “democratic security” that has recently claimed the life of FARC leader Alfonso Cano who was trying desperately to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the Colombian state.”

Iran:

“This 23^rd SA State Conference of the Communist Party of Australia calls on the Australian government to exert its influence on the US administration to pull back from the brink in its plans for acts of aggression against Iran with the assistance of the right-wing government of Israel. We recognise the repressive nature of the fundamentalist regime in Iran but believe that the task of steering that country to a brighter, more democratic future belongs to the popular forces in that country. We seek to promote the greatest solidarity with those forces.”

Olympic Dam/uranium exports to India:

“This 23^rd SA State Conference of the Communist Party of Australia condemns the decision of the federal and SA state government to approve a massive increase in uranium mining at Olympic Dam by BHP Billiton. The decision poses a grave environmental threat to the country and exacerbates the risks associated with the export of uranium. The radioactive material will ultimately end up in unsafe, privately run reactors like those at Fukushima in Japan.

“The reckless decision to allow exports to India will cause tensions in that volatile region to grow and draw India closer into a nuclear alliance with the US against China. We demand investment in sustainable, peaceful jobs.”