The participation of comrades from Africa, the debate about that continent and the prospects for intervention and construction of the ISL in it, were a notable part of the 2nd Congress of the International Socialist League.
The recent incorporation to the ISL of the Revolutionary Socialist League (RSL) of Kenya and the constancy of the ISL’s commitment to the Saharawi cause have been key in the incipient structuring of the International in this very important continent.
The importance that Africa would have in the event was evident from the beginning, with comrades Ezra from Kenya and Chaia from Western Sahara joining the Congress presidium. The presence and participation of other comrades of the RSL Kenya and of African Footprints of Tanzania reinforced this fact.
Already in the discussion bulletins, the comrades of the RSL had contributed important texts on Revolutionary Pan-Africanism and the debates of scientific Marxism with “African socialism.” The former explains the struggle of revolutionaries against bourgeois and ethnocentric pan-Africanism in defense of a class based, socialist and revolutionary pan-African movement. The latter delves into the debates with various leaders of the African struggle of independence and their attempts to develop a socialist ideology adapted to their reality.
In these texts, and even more so in the reports and debate in the session on Africa at the congress, both the importance of this gigantic continent for the world revolution, as well as the great opportunity that exists to build revolutionary organizations there, were clearly evidenced. The emergence of a widespread and radicalized young vanguard throughout the continent since the Arab Spring rebellions and the vacuum left by the disintegration of Stalinism create great opportunities for the ISL.
The comrades of the RSL, of African Footprints and of the Saharawi youth are part of this vanguard, and the contacts they have in the rest of the continent pose a great challenge to advance in the organization of the African vanguard. Hence, the main resolution proposed by the comrades and adopted by the Congress was the organizing of the first ISL Pan-African Congress with the participation of organizations and comrades from Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and other countries.
The resolution to intensify the ISL campaign in solidarity with Western Sahara, also adopted, is not disconnected from this orientation. The cause for the liberation of the last African colony is fundamental, it is a highly sensitive issue throughout the continent, and it will be central to the politics and activity of the ISL in Africa. The same can be said of the resolution on gender oppression in Africa.
We copy the full resolution here:
1. First Pan-African Congress of the International Socialist League. In view of the significant opportunity to build and extend the ISL throughout the African continent and the concrete contacts that the Revolutionary Socialist League (RSL) Kenya maintains with organizations in various countries, the RSL will host the first Pan African Congress of the ISL in July of 2023.
2. Njaa Revolution. In view of the ongoing Njaa Revolution (Hunger Revolution) Campaign, promoted by the RSL Kenya, that demands the government lower and control food prices and distribute food aid to the millions of Kenyans who are facing an acute food emergency, with periodic mobilizations and the collection and distribution of food and other necessities to the communities in the north of the country who are affected by the worst drought in four decades, the ISL will take up as its own and participate in the Njaa Revolution Campaign to help combat the hunger crisis in Kenya.
3. Founding Congress of the Kenya Workers’ Party. In view of the fact that the RSL is in the process of registering a legal party in Kenya this year and will found the Workers Party of Kenya in the coming months, ISL comrades are hereby invited to the Founding Congress of the Workers Party of Kenya in September.
4. Propaganda on Africa. In view of the enriching discussion on Africa that took place at this II Congress of the ISL; of the opportunity that has opened for the ISL in Africa; and the necessity of ISL members in all sections to expand their knowledge about the history, current situation and debates of the class struggle and the left in Africa, the RSL will provide revolutionary reading materials for this purpose.
5. Campaign of solidarity with Western Sahara. In view of the continuity of the heroic resistance of the Saharawi people against the occupation of Western Sahara by the Moroccan kingdom; of the recognition by Morocco of the State of Israel and the latter’s recognition of Morocco’s usurpation of the Sahrawi territory; of the turn of the Spanish State endorsing the occupation; of the progress of the political work that the ISL develops there and the permanent campaign of solidarity with the Saharawi people that the ISL maintains; the ISL resolves to intensify said campaign for the withdrawal of the Kingdom of Morocco and the self-determination of the Saharawi people.
6. Gender oppression in Africa. In view of the particularities and graveness of gender oppression in Africa, where we have before us the struggle against genital mutilation, the marriage of minors, femicides, rape and other violence and discrimination against women and LGBTI+ people, the ISL will incorporate to its program and policy for the region said particularities to strengthen the political education and intervention of all our sections.