Collective statement of Coup Pour Coup 31* following the attacks of November 13
The media frenzy and its injunction to patriotism, national unity and nationalism has a clear purpose: to use our emotions and fear to justify government policy both on French territory and around the world. The omnipresence of the colors of the French flag on social networks is intended as a show of solidarity for the victims. However, this flag is not neutral, it resonates differently for the peoples dominated by the French state and its imperialism. It is under this banner that the French state colonizes today and has oppressed people for centuries. It is under this banner that the French state represses progressive and revolutionary forces in France and around the world. It is under this flag that death vendors like Dassault [arms manufacturer] are enriched by supplying weapons to fascist dictatorships and other reactionary regimes.
Imperialism is war. And the war did not start on Friday, November 13.
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And our governments are responsible. It is the imperialist powers, including France, which have destabilized the region for decades, as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, etc. These are the same powers that are allied with the reactionary regimes of Qatar and Saudi Arabia that fund Daesh. These are the same powers that support Erdogan in Turkey in its fight against revolutionary forces and Kurdish progressives, among the main forces frontally opposing Daesh today.
Today, the French state still exploits this situation to strengthen its power, both here within its territory and outside.
These events are an opportunity for the Government to strengthen its ultra-security policies to destroy our collective and individual freedoms, like last January when it created the law on intelligence. The implementation of these policy tools, such as prolongation of the state of emergency to 3 months, does not only target the Daesh terrorists. It serves and will continue to serve to track down militant forces, undocumented migrants, refugees, people in working-class neighborhoods, etc.
To oppose this we need organized forces, solidarity and strengthening of our camp!
Outside, the government has already announced and implemented increased military response, increasing the bombing and civilian casualties in order to strengthen its imperialist domination of the region. It sought and obtained the support of the European Union, Russia and the USA.
Against this, we oppose any military intervention and build international solidarity. Our support will therefore goes to progressive and revolutionary Kurdish, Turkish, Iraqi, Syrian, etc., forces who fight against imperialism, the reactionary regimes and Daesh. They alone bear an emancipatory political project, democratic and secular.
Here in France, we must build a popular anti-imperialist movement! Reject the war policy of the government, fight against racism and demand the withdrawal of French troops from Africa and the Middle East.
Their wars for profit, our dead there and here!
[Coup Pour Coup 31* (Blow For Blow) was created in March 2009 in Toulouse, a city in southeastern France. It brings together men and women, French citizens and immigrants with or without papers, united around an anti-imperialist platform.]
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