Ceasefire deal reached between Colombian Govermenet and Farc

IUSY welcomes the news about ceasefire deal reached between the Colombian government and Farc and we are looking forward towards a permanent peace agreement

 

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[EN]

From the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) we celebrate the process that is taking place today in Colombia between the  Colombian Government and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) , a process that set the road towards a very much needed peace of great importance for America and the world. Dialogue between the parties has been the methodology in order to look for solutions that would give a guarantee of peace and a stop to the conflict.

The government of Colombia and the FARC announced a definitive agreement for the cessation of bilateral fire, including aspects such as laying down of weapons by the guerrillas, security guarantees, the fight against paramilitarismo and persecution of criminal behaviours which threaten peace in Colombia.

The government and the FARC in Colombia have reached a consensus on other key issues such as security guarantees and the fight against criminal organizations, these being breakthrough points.

 

[ES]

Desde la Unión Internacional de Juventudes Socialistas ( IUSY) celebramos el proceso que hoy se está presentando en Colombia, entre el gobierno y las FARC ( fuerzas armadas revolucionarias de Colombia) , un proceso que da inicio a una muy necesaria paz de gran importancia para América y el mundo. El diálogo entre las partes ha sido la vía para la búsqueda de soluciones que permitirán la garantía de paz y el cese al conflicto.

El gobierno de Colombia y las FARC anunciaron un acuerdo para el cese del fuego bilateral y definitivo, entre otros aspectos como: el abandono de las armas por parte de la guerrilla, las garantías de seguridad, la lucha contra el paramilitarismo y la persecución de las conductas criminales que amenazan la paz en Colombia.

El gobierno y las FARC en Colombia han logrado un consenso acerca de otros puntos fundamentales como las garantías de seguridad y la lucha contra las organizaciones criminales, siendo estos puntos un gran avance.

Condolences for Jo Cox MP

We are shocked and saddened to hear the news of the horrific murder of UK Labour MP Jo Cox. Our comrade was holding a surgery in her constituency in West Yorkshire when a man attacked her. She was stabbed and shot a number of times; the motivation remains unclear at time of writing. She focused her mandate on the Syrian crisis and on humanitarian law, was the founder and chair of the ‘Friends of Syria’ All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), and, in the past months, was a passionate campaigner for the Remain Campaign in the EU referendum debate.

This is not just an attack on a comrade and on a fellow Labour Party member, but an attack on what we stand for as socialists and social democrats., This is an attack on democracy itself. We express our deep condolences to Jo’s family and friends and to our British comrades. We are reminded that we have to stand up against violence and extremism, to challenge hate and intolerance and to know violence and weapons won’t stop us. We shall overcome.

Invitation to Balkan Round Table Leadership Conference ’16

The Balkan Round Table Committee gathers young leaders of IUSY member organizations in the Balkan region with the aim to strengthen the organizations and the cooperation in the region. Together we will discuss the current political situation in the Balkan region and elaborate strategies to face the challenges that lie ahead. The main theme for the IUSY Balkan Round Table Leadership Conference 2016 will be “Democracy and the Fight Against Right Wing Extremism”. Some of the aims and objectives of the Conference will be to understand the causes of extremism and the consequences. Mapping the extremism phenomena in the Balkan region and finding connection between them.

The participants can look forward to discussions, sharing of experiences and ideas, workshops, political actions and of course building networks and making friends!

The Conference will take place in Podgorica, Montenegro hosted by our member organization Democratic Party of Socialist of Montenegro Youth Council. Please save the dates 28-31 of July and register as soon as possible no later than 24th June.

Invitation Letter in the link below:
Invitation BRT 28-31st July 2016

Registration Form in the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1b6011WQw7bwYh2GrThVtsqJR2K032mvDVOoIqKYF80k/viewform

CALL FOR COORDINATORS FOR IUSY WORKING GROUPS – FEMINISM & POOL OF TRAINERS

CALL FOR COORDINATORS FOR IUSY WORKING GROUPS

We would want to inform you about the availability to apply for becoming coordinator for the following working groups:

– Feminist Working Group

– Pool of Trainers Working Group

 

The coordinators main role is to plan (together with the IUSY presidium) and conduct the work of the working group. The Coordinators will have a close contact with appointed Vice Presidents who will be responsibility for the groups and the coordinators will also be invited to the IUSY Presidium meetings. However, IUSY will not be able to provide any travel reimbursement for the coordinators for the presidium meetings.

To apply for becoming coordinator you should send us:

1. Letter of motivation where you describe why you are interested and your ambitions for the working group you want to coordinate. Furthermore, we would also like you to provide us with your previous engagement in the area of interest, since we would very much be interested in previous experience on the fields.

2. Nomination letter from your national organization.

Deadline for application is set for 1st July. Send your application to iusy@iusy.org. **Please share widely**

Concern for the Electoral Process in Dominican Republic – Preocupación por el Proceso Electoral Dominicano

ENGLISH VERSION

We are concerned for the post-electoral situation that exists in the Dominican Republic following the holding of the presidential elections, congressional and municipal elections held on the past 15th of May in the Caribbean country.

We find it inconsistent that the Dominican electoral institution deploys new technologies without first making sure that these would serve to stimulate and ensure transparency in the electoral process. The fact that a high percentage of the voting centres did not operate on the new technology, tells us that the electoral institution was not prepared for the implementation of this new way of counting the votes. That is why we understand that the main failure in this electoral process was caused by the implementation of these new elements.

We emphasise the preliminary report of the Organization of American States (OAS) with regard to the mechanism for the purchase of ballot papers and proselytising, which was exhibited on the day of the elections. For us, these actions reflect the absence of regulation in the Dominican electoral institution that should ensure that these types of actions are not present in the processes of election.

The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) is an international organisation that promotes freedom and democracy all around the world. In the Dominican Republic we have observed a democratic deficit. It is for us worrying that the president of the electoral institution in Dominican Republic, that prepares the elections in that country, is a member of a body of a political party that participates in the elections. Even more worrying is that the person is from the party that directs the executive, the legislature and the judiciary powers. The Dominican Republic needs a law to regulate efficiently the electoral processes and to promote transparency and respect for democracy in the country.

We would like to extend some suggestions to the Dominican authorities addressed in three points:

  1. Promote a law on political parties and a reform of the electoral code in the National Congress and within this new law regulate the private financing and provide a greater sense of equality in the distribution of public financing of political parties.
  2. To invest decisively in giving the Dominican electoral institution the mechanisms of transparency in order to recover the Dominican citizens’ trust. In order to achieve this, we urge that the people responsible for these electoral institutions are not politically affiliated in any party so as to guarantee the impartiality of decision-making.
  3. To establish sanctions on buying identity and electoral documents, and proselytising, in polling places on election day.

SPANISH VERSION

Nos sentimos preocupados por la situación post-electoral que existe en la República Dominicana a raíz de la celebración de las elecciones presidenciales, congresuales y municipales celebradas el pasado 15 de mayo en el caribeño país.

Nos resulta incoherente que la institución electoral dominicana implemente nuevas tecnologías sin antes asegurarse de que estas servirían para dinamizar y garantizar la transparencia en el proceso electoral. El hecho de que en un alto porcentaje de los centros electorales no funcionaran las nuevas tecnologías, nos indica de que la institución electoral no se preparó para la implementación de esta nueva forma de conteo de los votos. Es por eso que entendemos que la principal falla en este proceso electoral estuvo causada por la implementación de estos nuevos elementos.

Estamos de acuerdo con el informe preliminar de la Organización de Estados Americanos(OEA) con relación al mecanismo de compra de cédulas y proselitismo partidario que se exhibió el día de las elecciones. Para nosotros estas actuaciones reflejan una ausencia de regulación de la institución electoral dominicana que debe velar para que este tipo de malas acciones no se presenten en los procesos de elección popular.

La Unión Internacional de Juventudes Socialistas (IUSY) es una organización internacional que promueve la libertad y la democracia en todo el mundo, y en la República Dominicana hemos observado una debilidad en el desarrollo de su democracia. Es para nosotros un atentado a la democracia dominicana, que el presidente de la institución electoral que prepara las elecciones en dicho país, sea miembro de un organismo de un partido político que participa en las elecciones, y más deprimente que sea del partido que se encuentra dirigiendo el poder ejecutivo, el poder legislativo y el poder judicial, ya que detectamos que el presidente de este último poder mencionado también es un miembro militante del mismo partido. La República Dominicana necesita de una ley que regule eficientemente los procesos electorales y que promueva la transparencia y el respeto a la democracia del país caribeño.

Desde nuestra organización le extendemos sugerencias a las autoridades dominicanas dirigidas en tres ordenes:

  1. Promover en el congreso nacional una ley de partidos políticos y una reforma al código electoral, que dentro de esta nueva ley se regule el financiamiento privado y proporcione un mayor sentido de igualdad en la distribución del financiamiento publico de los partidos políticos.
  2. Determinantemente revestir a la institución electoral dominicana, de mecanismos mas transparentes para recuperar la confianza del ciudadano dominicano. En este sentido exhortamos que las personas que dirijan las instituciones electorales no estén afiliadas a ningún partido político para garantizar la imparcialidad en la toma de decisiones.
  3. Establecer sanciones a la compra de documentos de identidad y electorales, así como al proselitismo en centros electorales el día de las elecciones.

Stop the war in Bakûr (Northern Kurdistan), Halt immediately the democratic recession in Turkey

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Resolution passed by the IUSY Presidium on 29th May 2016 in Vienna, Austria

President Recep Tyyip Erdogan was once praised as a role model for leaders of emerging Muslim Majority nations due to several reform packages he initiated early in his term as Prime Minister of Turkey. Today, he enjoys a reputation far from the democratic, reformist and progressive one he once held among the international community.

Erdogan’s AKP (Justice and Development Party Turkish: Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi) government underwent several crises including corruption scandals, accusations of media intimidation, as well as the pursuit of an increasingly polarising political agenda along ethnic lines; inciting political hatred throughout the country.

Erdogan today, after his ascension to the Republic’s Presidency, is speedily taking the Turkish State towards a one-man system. Erdogan and his party – the Turkish oligarchy- entrenched by the most polarising form of nationalism, is carrying out destruction, annihilation and looting in Kurdistan in order to preserve its colonial agenda.

In order to achieve this dirty objective, Erdogan initiated a comprehensive war in Kurdistan on July 2015. First, he ceased the peace process between the Turkish state and PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê )‎ and isolated its leader Abdullah Ocalan. Very soon after, he attacked the people with suicide attacks on what was widely alleged as a joint AKP-ISIS operation. In these attacks, 5 people were killed in Diyarbakir, 33 people in Suruc, and 100 people in Ankara; at least a total of 929 people were wounded in all three attacks.

The police and army were introduced in the second phase of Erdogan’s war. For months now curfews have been declared in several towns and cities across Kurdistan. Kurdish towns such as Cizre, Silopi and Sur in the city of Amed (Diyarbakir) have been almost completely destroyed. In Cizre alone, 120 civilians were burnt alive in a basement (this has been documented by the UN, HRW and AI). The same things are now occurring in Nusaybin, Yuksekova and Sirnak. All Kurdish towns are under the attack of the Turkish army on a daily basis. Until now, a total of 800 civilians (mostly women and children) have been killed in these towns and cities by the Turkish state.

Currently, Erdogan is targeting elected Parliamentarians who stand in the way of his dictatorial ambitions. His goal of abolishing the parliamentary system is now ever closer. From 2013 to 2015, the HDP (The Peoples’ Democratic Party Turkish: Halkların Demokratik Partisi) participated in peace negotiations with the AKP government on behalf of PKK, and for this, the political immunities of the HDP legislators were selectively removed. Erdogan did so with the help of the representatives of Turkish state nationalism: AKP, the MHP (Nationalist Action Party, Turkish: Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi) and some members of CHP (Republican People’s Party: Turkish: Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi). It has once again been proven that the only thing that these parties agree on is animosity towards the Kurdish people.

Erdogan’s regime is also blackmailing EU with the refugee crisis into providing it with financial and political aid, all whilst not doing anything to protect the refugees; on the contrary, allowing them to drown in the Mediterranean Sea.

Therefore,

  • IUSY expresses loud criticism against the EU’s silence on this matter. The EU’s fear is clearly based on the likelihood of Turkey pulling out of the Refugee Deal if critical voices from the EU were to escalate. Human Rights and Democracy should never be allowed to be bargained against each other.
  • IUSY denounces any form of vilence, oppression and selective persecution whether it be based on ethnicity, gender, political inclination. The Erdogan regime is clearly taking an ethnical approach to his dictatorial agenda; and IUSY and the world should not tolerate such abbhorence.
  • IUSY extends solidarity with the peace seeking Kurdish freedom movements. In order to reach a peaceful resolution in Turkey it is important that among others the PKK should be included in the peace talks. Therefore, we call on removing the PKK from from the terrorlist to maket his possible.
  • IUSY calls for the international community, the EU, the USA and other Western countries to recognize the important role of Kurds for contentment and stability in the region.
  • IUSY follows closely the current development in Turkey where MPs of the HDP have had their Parliamentary immunity revoked as a strategy to silence the critique of the regimes treatment of Kurds, other minorities and dissidents. We demand that the AKP regime, along with MHP and members of CHP, withdraw their decision and reinstate the immunity for the HDP MPs back to the same terms as for all other MPs.

Don’t forget to vote the 23rd June- To UK with love!

The 23rd June a referendum will take place that will determine whether UK will stay as member of the European Union or not.

As a progressive youth organization struggling for peace, freedom and democracy, we want to make sure that the voices of young people are also being heard. Therefore we are launching a campaign to encourage the youth of UK to make their voices heard.

Below you can find the campaign tools: 

 
Vote Campaign 1-02-04-04

TOOLS FOR EUROPEANS

 – Here you can find a logo to be used by EU Citizens PICTURE

– Via this link you can attach the campaign logo on to your profile picture on facebook http://twibbon.com/support/from-us-with-love

 Vote Campaign 1-02-02

TOOLS TO FOR NON-EUROPEAN

 – Here you can find a logo to be used by non-EU citizens PICTURE

– Via this link you can attach the campaign logo on to your profile picture on facebook http://twibbon.com/Support/to-europe-and-uk-with-love

CONDOLENCE FOR THE PASSING OF MR. MOHAMED ABDELAZIZ

Vienna 2nd June 2016

On behalf of IUSY we would like to extend our condolences to the family of Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz and the Sahrawi people.

In IUSY we believe in Democracy and Peace, he is an icon of those values, throughout his life he unified the Sahrawi people in their struggle, in peaceful means.

For that we would like to recognise his legacy and the strength he gave to the Sahrawi people, may his memory live on.

 

Evin Incir                                       Lee Chuan How
IUSY Secretary General               IUSY President