We have signed ABC-Belarus´ statement on the exclusion of anarchist perspectives from Eastern Europe.
We also wanted to join the ACABB book fair in Berlin to present the book Bachmut, April 19, 2023 – In Memory of Dimitri Petrow, Finbar Cafferkey, and Cooper Andrews, published in September, at a reading and to bring a book table with us. We were briefly and concisely disinvited:
“We are canceling both the book presentation and the book table.
We do not want to give space at the book fair to positions that encourage anarchists to join state army structures.“
The book we wanted to present is a revised translation of the brochure Dmitry Petrov – A Life in Combat. It documents perspectives and discussions on strategies and actions against Russian imperialism throughout Dmitry Petrov’s political live. In the book, we can follow strategic debates and self-critical reflections on theory and practice based on various political events in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
The translation was important to us for various reasons, but above all, it is an act of international solidarity for us: In this case, acting in solidarity means making the voices and perspectives of our comrades in other countries audible and accessible. On the one hand, we believe it is important to incorporate as many perspectives as possible into our discussions in order to learn from them. At the same time, we believe it is necessary, especially in current and complex developments, to include the thoughts of those who are directly involved and affected.
In the current developments within the anarchist movement, we see an indescribable ignorance and arrogance towards the living conditions of people affected by dictatorship and war in Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and all regions affected by Russian imperialism. Complex situations and questions are dismissed with supposedly simple answers, thus constructing “a right and a wrong.” Positions of power based on origin and distribution of resources are exploited in order to avoid having to listen to uncomfortable positions.
In the Soviet Union, the anarchist movement was largely destroyed by massive repression. With the collapse of this superpower in 1990, there was political space to reorganize. However, with Putin’s repressive apparatus, military power, and fascist ideology, we are once again facing a situation in which the existence of the anarchist movement in the region is at stake. Anti-war activists from Russia are either in exile or fighting in Ukraine, while the remaining part of the movement is largely passive towards the regime. The anarchist movement in Belarus has been in exile since 2020, also fighting in the war in Ukraine, or imprisoned and tortured in Belarusian prisons and camps for years. And the movement in Ukraine is either on the front lines, isolated in the daily grind of war, or completely exhausted, engaged in various initiatives, threatened every day by Putin’s annihilation mania.
And activists in Western Europe have nothing better to do than accuse these people of defending themselves against a murderous regime! Supposed anti-war activists refuse any solidarity because it does not fit into the outdated, simplified theoretical concept that the world needs complex answers to complex questions. They deny others the right to decide how to defend themselves against such a destructive fascist regime and thus present themselves as morally righteous. Instead of discussing these valuable experiences and positions, such as Dima’s, and exploring their own options for action in current and future crises and wars, they are simply excluded because they do not fit into their own worldview.
This only makes us angry!
Thank you to all those who, despite the complicated world situation, do not see international solidarity as just a phrase!
And fortunately, there are many such people both within and outside the anarchist movement!
For those who want to read the book Bachmut, April 19, 2023, you can order it from Sabotage Distro.