The Irish Republican Socialist Party
[Ireland]

On the Occasion
of the 35th Anniversary of the reestablishment
of the Communist Party of the Philippines

Solidarity Greetings From the IRSP to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines

Comrades,

The Irish Republican Socialist Party sends greetings of solidarity on the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines in 1971. We in the IRSP are just celebrating our own anniversary, having been founded on December 10th of 1974.

We recognise that the New People's Army of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines has been the leading force in the fight for popular democracy and social justice in the Philippines since its founding, led by the Communist Party of the Philippines. We recognise that this struggle began in opposition to the fascist Marcos regime and against US imperialism, which continues to dominate and exploit the Filipino people, as it has since 1899, immediately following their liberation from Spanish colonialism. We applaud that this struggle continues until the present, seeking the liberation of the working masses of the Philippines so that they can establish their own destiny.

As a nation which long languished under British colonial rule and which is now partitioned between six counties under military occupation by Britian and 26 counties under a neo-colonial regime which fosters the exploitation of the Irish working class by the imperialists of the US, Britain, and other western imperialism, we both understand and support the experience of the Filipino people. Unlike our present experience, however, we understand that the working people of the Philippines suffer under extreme conditions of oppression and exploitation, often receiving only a dollar a day harvesting sugar or coconuts for absentee landlords and multinational corporations, with 60 percent of your people living below the poverty line, and 55 percent of your nations arable land being used for growing export crops.

We in the IRSP feel that it is important that all organisations engaged in struggle against imperialism, capitalism, and exploitation express their solidarity with others fighting these same enemies, for in unity we find strength. Congratulations on your anniversary, comrades, and our hopes for the success of your struggle, the defeat of US imperialism, and the liberation of the Filipino working people.

Beir Bua! Until Victory!