From the 18th to 21st September, Konflikt organized an international conference against militarism and war.
The conference took place at a particularly turbulent time. The wars in Ukraine, Iran, Palestine, and Sudan are affecting people far beyond their borders, while nationalism, militarization, and social tensions are on the rise around the world. The working class is under attack—workers are both direct participants and victims of these wars, as well as the primary target of their economic consequences.
The near future portends further military escalation and intensified economic attacks. However, it may also lead to a strengthening of class resistance against war, economic crises, and the international capitalist system that gives rise to them.
That is why, this September, we brought together internationalists from various organizations in Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Germany, England, Poland, Italy, Croatia, and Ireland to speak openly, exchange experiences, and build stronger ties. Representatives from the International Workers’ Association (IWA) and Internationalist Communist Tendency (ICT) also attended the meeting. In addition to Konflikt, Bulgarian organizations that participated included the Federation of Anarcho-Communists in Bulgaria and LevFem.
One of the main goals of the conference was to strengthen our relationships with groups from neighboring countries, to build new connections where they are still lacking, and to deepen existing ones.
Over the course of three full-day sessions, we discussed various topics, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the war in the Middle East, the connection between national struggles and war, and international coordination against militarism. We heard anti-war positions from comrades on both sides of the ongoing conflicts, with all participating organizations uniting around an international stance rejecting taking sides in imperialist conflicts and supporting solidarity among workers from both sides who have been thrown onto the front lines, support for deserters and all forms of resistance against the war. Some of the comrades from countries with active hostilities were unable to attend for understandable reasons, so their internationalist appeals were read aloud alongside texts sent to us by soldiers who had deserted from the front lines. Special attention was given to the resistance of workers in Mediterranean ports, especially those in Italy, who are blocking arms shipments for military conflicts.
Today, when war is part of daily life for more and more people around the world, it is crucial for workers’ organizations to adopt internationalist positions. We believe that internationalist positions can and must serve to unite left-wing organizations from different ideological traditions and practices. Therefore, both at the conference and beyond, we call on those organizations with whom we stand together against war to reach out to us, to exchange experiences and analysis, and to strengthen the ties between us.
Unfortunately, the international left is divided on this issue, with many workers’ organizations adopting militarist positions in defense of one side or the other in the escalating conflicts. We call on the members of these organizations to engage in an open debate with us. Because the only force that can stop the military madness of the capitalist world is the organized resistance of the united working class.
