World Anti-Imperialist Platform | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | WAP |
| Leader | Collective leadership |
| Spokesperson | Joti Brar |
| Founded | 14 October 2022 |
| Ideology | Anti-imperialism (disputed) Anti-Zionism Anti-Americanism Hard Euroscepticism Anti-NATO |
| Party flag | |
 | |
| Website | |
| https://wap21.org/ | |
The World Anti-Imperialist Platform (WAP) is an international anti-imperialist organization launched on October 14, 2022.[1] Its main objective is to coordinate efforts against imperialism, focusing particularly on current geopolitical conflicts such as the Russo-Ukrainian War and potential conflicts involving China and Taiwan, and North Korea and South Korea.[2]
Overview
WAP was founded in 2022 with the belief that Russia and China are not imperialist powers. They view these countries as not engaged in wars of dominance or colonization, and see the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian conflict as a proxy war against Russia by imperialist powers.[2] WAP's stance sets it apart from groups like the Communist Party of Greece and European Communist Action, as well as most parties in the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP), which have characterized the war as "interimperialist",[3] whereas the WAP supports the Russian invasion.[4] On October 14, 2022, WAP launched its program with the Paris Declaration,[5] signed initially by 8 parties, including the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela.[6] This declaration represents the platform's foundational beliefs and goals. In 2023, WAP hosted the antiwar conference with the São Paulo Forum in Caracas and organized a mass demonstration. They also held the Seoul International Conference in South Korea, where the Seoul Declaration was read, highlighting concerns about the rising tide of global war in East Asia.
Membership
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
History
2022 Paris Declaration
On October 14, 2022, the platform launched its program, known as the Paris Declaration.[5] On this date, the declaration was signed by 25 parties, establishing membership in the WAP.
2023 Caracas Declaration
On March 4, 2023, the platform hosted an antiwar conference with the São Paulo Forum.[9] A mass demonstration was organized by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, and simultaneous demonstrations took place around the world.
2023 Seoul Declaration
On May 15, 2023, the platform held the Seoul International Conference in South Korea.[10] The Seoul Declaration, concerning the rising tide of global war in east Asia, was read by Joti Brar,[11] vice-chair of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (CPGB-ML) and spokesperson for the platform. The third congress of the People's Democracy Party was held at the same time, receiving greetings from the Russian Communist Workers’ Party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, and the CPGB-ML.[12]
2023 Palestine Declaration
On November 26, 2023, members of the platform launched the Palestine Declaration, which saw the group declare Zionism a "racist ideology".[13]
Various protests
On November 17, 2023, members of the platform participated in protests and demonstrations marking the 50th anniversary of the fall of the Regime of the Colonels, the Right-wing dictatorship that ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974.[14]
Reception and criticism
Some Marxist-Leninist critics argue that WAP lacks a Leninist understanding of imperialism.[15][16] They accuse WAP of being selective in its anti-imperialist stance, focusing more on the form rather than the nature of imperialism. Critics also point out that WAP views the primary contradiction in the world today as being between the US-led NATO and humanity, ignoring the class struggle and contradictions within capitalist systems.[17] The Communist Party of Mexico has also criticized the WAP for allowing non-communist parties into its membership, such as the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.[18]
Other problematic issues, according to Ivan Pinheiro, former General Secretary of the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), are:
As can be seen from the list of organizations participating in the platform, not only the parties of this revolutionary camp are missing from [the platform], nor do the overwhelming majority of the parties that make up the International Communist Movement, including those that, despite our differences, deserve respect for their trajectories and the political weight they still enjoy in their respective countries. There are parties that only attended one of the first meetings, probably to find out about it, and never returned. In our country, apart from the PCB, the only other party that has participated in the WAP is the PCdoB.
By the way, the evidence that all the airfare and accommodation costs of the delegates from the organizations attending these meetings are fully covered by their main stakeholders and the frenetic pace of a world event on average every two months, on different continents, should serve as food for thought and study as to what the primary reason is for the creation and financing of this platform, which is oriented against Marxism-Leninism and in uncritical and unrestricted defense of the strategic interests of powers competing for world hegemony in the imperialist chain, of which they are a part.
Another aspect that needs to be considered is the risk that the initiative to create this eclectic platform could consolidate into a kind of anti-imperialist international (selective and, as we have seen, not so much anti-capitalist), which could end up resulting in a split in the International Communist Movement.[19]
References
- ↑ "Harpal Brar to Anti-imperialist Platform: 'Imperialism is going to crash'". The Communists. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- 1 2 "Towards the World Anti-Imperialist Platform, the Locomotive of World Anti-Imperialist Revolution". 14 October 2022.
- ↑ "22nd IMCWP, RESOLUTION on the imperialist war on the territory of Ukraine". SolidNet. 2022-11-07.
- ↑ "Участники ВАП призвали миролюбивые силы поддержать РФ в ее справедливой борьбе на Украине". TACC. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- 1 2 "Paris Declaration: The rising tide of global war and the tasks of anti-imperialists". World Anti-imperialist Platform. 2022-10-14.
- ↑ "PSUV presente en la Conferencia Internacional de la Plataforma Antiimperialista Mundial | PSUV". www.psuv.org.ve. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- 1 2 "Socialism is back on the agenda – Eastern Initiative". Anti-Imperialist Platform. November 27, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
- ↑ "Nuestro Programa". Vanguardia Española. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
Nuestro materialismo político es solidario del socialismo, pues solo desarollando un modelo socialista de sociedad nuestra doctrina se puede implantar. Entendemos nuestro socialismo como un periodo de transición entre capitalismo y comunismo. No somos anticapitalistas, sino postcapitalistas.
- ↑ "Note on the "World Anti-Imperialist Platform" Meeting in Caracas". Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- ↑ RdC, Di (2023-05-15). "One war, two fronts". Rete dei Comunisti (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- ↑ The World Anti-Imperialist Platform | Joti Brar, retrieved 2023-12-26
- ↑ 민중민주당(환수복지당) (2023-05-16). "〈미국주도의 전쟁과 파시즘에 저항〉 .. 서울국제컨퍼런스 1부". 민중민주당(민중당) (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ↑ Latinoamericano, Resumen (2023-11-01). "Palestina. Declaración de la Plataforma Antimperialista Mundial sobre la solidaridad con Palestina". Resumen Latinoamericano (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-08.
- ↑ Stamatoukou, Eleni (2023-11-17). "Uprising Honoured: Greece Marks 50th Anniversary of Polytechnic Revolt". Balkan Insight.
- ↑ "The anti-communist character of the so-called "World Anti-imperialist Platform"". Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- ↑ "Communist Party of Greece – On the so-called World Anti-Imperialist Platform and its damaging and disorienting position". inter.kke.gr. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- ↑ Nye (2023-10-06). "Ukraine war leads to splits in the Communist movement – back to Lenin!". Socialist Appeal. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
- ↑ "Solidnet | CP of Mexico, Nota sobre la Reunión en Caracas de la "Plataforma Mundial Antiimperialista"". www.solidnet.org. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ↑ "Opinión. Sobre el debate en el Partido Comunista Brasileño (PCB) acerca de Rusia, China y la Plataforma Mundial Antiimperialista". La Izquierda Diario - Red internacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-05.