Translated "Avante!" article by Albano Nunes, Member of the Secretariat of the CC

One knows that “summits”, with the presence of the great imperialist powers are always surrounded by huge security measures, that, more than protecting, have the purpose of placing them far from the populations and popular uncomfortable demonstrations, although the measures of the taking place round the UN conference on climate changes / COP21, have as result the indignation and protest of the French society democratic means. The media calls upon attention of headlines such as “more than 120 000 police and soldiers protect the climate summit”, “Paris hosts the climate summit amid a real police state, “ security was reinforced, and street demonstrations cancelled”. The “war against terrorism” decried by Hollande’s government, in the sequence of the Nov 13th criminal attacks”. However, voices that denounce the securitarian and militarist drift this “war” is conducting to, cry higher and higher, together with a serious escalade, concerning the attack to fundamental rights and freedoms, towards the growing acceptance of Sarkozy’s muscled thesis and an announcement of the right-wing new advance during the next regional elections on Dec 6th.

To where is France heading for, being one of the main capitalist countries, a UN Security Council member , a nuclear power, holding a major role within the European Union, having economic, political and military positions ( the latter having an exponential growth) in Africa, namely in countries it intends to re-colonize? An influent country amid the international scene, with an evolution that cannot be indifferent to any revolutionary. Moreover, when the French bourgeoisie has an old history of counter-revolutionary crimes, underlining those it committed against the workers’ movement and the national liberation impetuous movement which, from Indochina unto Algeria, put an end to a vast colonial empire. The bloody revenge against the “communards”, the violent oppression from which the people of Vietnam became free, remembering the heroic resistance that the Dien Bien Phu victory symbolizes, the capitulation before Hitler and the Vichy collaborationist regime, the OAS Fascist terrorism against Algerian patriots, are some of the examples of the violence, and of how the French great bourgeoisie has defended its class privileges and represent, on their own, an alert for the dangers the Hollande’s government securitarian drift represents. The Place de la Republique violent repression against demonstrators, is a proof of how the “ order forces” perform, in the perspective of inevitable popular protest and struggle explosions, justifying the greatest concern on the path the French dominant class is willing to track.

But French reaction has no free path. There exists another France, popular and revolutionary. The Enlighten France, issued from the great 1789 Revolution, that projected, all over the world, its ideals of “ Freedom, Equality and Fraternity”, the first social revolution the workers’ class presented itself with its own demands(1848), from the Paris Commune revolution (1871), the first time workers conquered power unto the historical Tours Congress and the communists irreplaceable role in the country’s life, the Popular Front, the heroic Resistance unto the Nazi occupation. The France of progressive values, of Culture, Freedom, internationalism. The very France, where so many Portuguese anti-Fascists found a secure refuge and felt solidarity warmth from workers and the French people. This France is currently in danger. But, once again, it ought to overcome and win.

Portuguese : http://avante.pt/pt/2192/opiniao/138096/