Defend the right to self-determination in Catalonia!
Statement of the Fourth International
Friday 22 September 2017, by Fourth International Bureau
On 20 September 2017, the Civil Guard and the Spanish National Police arrested 14 senior officials of the Generalitat (the Catalan government) and carried out 40 searches of public buildings and private homes. A police operation then seized propaganda material of the CUP (Candidatura de Unidad Popular, the main party of the pro-independence left) and, without any legal authorisation, surrounded its headquarters for the whole day, for no reason other than provocation. Following the prosecution of more than 700 Catalan mayors who support the referendum on October 1st and after repeated complaints against the Bureau of the Catalan Parliament, these actions represent a qualitative leap in the escalation of repression by the Spanish state institutions against the referendum on self-determination.
Escalating repression and intervention of the Generalitat
Further to this the Spanish Ministry of Finance’s decision to take administrative control of the Generalitat’s accounts de facto amounts to the cancellation of autonomy, after long years of control of public finances by the Generalitat. This under the pretext of ensuring the implementation of austerity policies, although in practice the Madrid government has been seeking to progressively drown autonomy. In addition, Minister Montoro’s measure puts many budget items at risk (starting with the basic insertion income recently approved by the Parliament, aimed at alleviating extreme poverty and social exclusion) and generates uncertainty among civil servants and public employees about their next pay packets.
La política se vuelve a teñir de blanco y negro y desprende un viejo olor a naftalina. Lo vemos desde hace días en Catalunya. El 'imperio de la ley' defendido a capa y espada por las fuerzas del Estado para impedir el referéndum nos está llevando a un peligroso regreso al pasado.
David Fernández lleva una agenda frenética. Está echando el resto en estos días previos al 1-O, cuando está convocado el referéndum de autodeterminación unilateral por el Govern catalán. Este exdiputado de la CUP, recordado por su cara a cara con Rodrigo Rato en una comisión de investigación del Parlament, en la que le llamó a la cara gángster, regresó después de su paso por la institución a los movimientos sociales en los que tantas luchas había llevado a cabo. Participa en la Coop57, periodista y escritor, colabora con diferentes medios de comunicación, especialmente con La Directa.
El Parlament de Catalunya ha aprobado la ley que da cobertura a la convocatoria del referéndum del 1 de octubre. Consideramos esta ley legítima, respaldada por la voluntad de la mayoría de la sociedad catalana que quiere ejercer el derecho a decidir, incluso desobedeciendo a la legalidad injusta y represiva del régimen.
'Habemus referendum'. Tras cinco años de movimiento independentista y tres desde que se hizo el 9-N, ahora sí se ha puesto toda la carne en el asador para que el 1 de octubre se pueda votar. La argumentación y la contrargumentación sin fin este miércoles en el Parlament, al más puro estilo filibusterista, son la mejor imagen de la desesperación de algunos para evitar lo que ya es inevitable. Nadie sabe si el referéndum se llegará a hacer o si la maquinaria represiva que se desencadenará podrá detenerlo. Lo que es seguro es que vamos hacia una colisión institucional y política inédita. 
Now is exactly the time to talk about climate change, and all the other systemic injustices — from racial profiling to economic austerity — that turn disasters like Harvey into human catastrophes.Turn on the coverage of the Hurricane Harvey and the Houston flooding and you’ll hear lots of talk about how unprecedented this kind of rainfall is. How no one saw it coming so no one could adequately prepare.
In February 1918, the repudiation of the debt by the Soviet government shocked international finance and sparked off unanimous condemnation by the governments of the great powers.
[Texto original en catalán: 
Claims of Morocco's exceptionalism during the Arab Spring now ring hollow as protests spread in the face of elite policies that deny dignity to the majority
Cette contribution a été écrite pour la Sozialistische Zeitung (SOZ), mensuel publié en Allemagne. Il s’adresse donc à un lectorat étranger, qui n’est pas censé connaître grand chose de la situation française. Elle constitue aussi, de ma part, une intrusion dans le débat sur les récentes élections et la campagne menée par Jean-Luc Mélenchon au nom de la France insoumise – un débat qui touche à des questions assez fondamentales autour, en particulier, du « populisme » et que cette intrusion invite à poursuivre.
The Municipal Network Against Illegitimate Debt and Fiscal Cuts is expanding to the level of the autonomous regions [the Spanish State consists of 12 autonomous communities, among which Andalusia, Catalonia, the Basque country, the Madrid community…] stated Carmen Lizárraga, a Podemos member of the Parliament of Andalusia, at the opening press conference of the second meeting of the Network, which brought together in Cadiz, on 2, 3 and 4 June 2017, over 150 participants representing 77 municipalities from all over Spain. Members of the Parliaments of the autonomous Communities of Andalusia, Navarre, the Baleares, Estremadura and Galicia had a separate meeting that resulted in the decision to meet more frequently and in a more structured way after the summer recess.
“Michael, don’t go! Michael, don’t go! Can you all give it up for Michael Eavis? Michael, I’ve got a gift for you here, it says, ‘Michael, the inspiration that gave space to millions through Glastonbury.’ Thank you Michael Eavis for all that you’ve done.
A brewing conflict among the rulers of the Persian Gulf region reached a crisis stage in early June when Saudi Arabia led other countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in cutting ties with Qatar. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have halted all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar, ended diplomatic ties and ordered to Qatari citizens to leave. With 40 percent of Qatar’s food supply coming over the border from Saudi Arabia, there are fears of shortages of food and water.
Le Maroc vit actuellement une vague de protestation sociale très large initiée par le mouvement de contestation populaire dans le Rif au nord du Maroc. L’État a répondu par une campagne de calomnie et la répression. Il a arrêté des dizaines d’activistes de ce mouvement et poursuit d’autres. Les sit-in de solidarité dans plusieurs villes sont dispersés par les forces de police. Mais ce climat de terreur renforce plutôt la détermination des citoyens et des citoyennes à combattre, exiger la libération des détenus et la satisfaction des revendications sociales. Des comités de solidarités se constituent un peu partout au Maroc.
A toutes les victimes du despotisme, de l’oppression, à toutes celles et ceux qui voient leur dignité bafouée et qui aspirent à un Maroc démocratique.