argia.eus
INPRIMATU
Talaia
Washington to Marikana, not to mention Vitoria-Gasteiz
Juan Mari Arregi 2012ko abuztuaren 30

The reader of this article will be surprised by the title, which links cities far away from each other: Washington in the United States, Marikana in South Africa and Vitoria in the Basque Country. So far and at the same time so high, because of the aspirin action of the capitalist system in power and its police in the three cities. In recent days there has been a massacre of workers in Marikana, where the police have killed 34 black miners from a Platine company. The British multinational is Lonmin, run by whites. The reason for this is a strike aimed at improving wages. Miners earned EUR 400 and asked for EUR 1,250, three times the current salary, in order to be able to leave their slums. They were told that they would be dismissed if they didn't go back to work, but they still went on strike. “People are dead and we are very angry, if we went back to work it would be as if it had died in vain,” said a spokesman for the strikers.

History repeats itself. In 1886, several hundred workers were beaten for demanding a reduction in working hours of 14-16 hours. In many denounced cities, six workers were demonstrated and sentenced to death by hanging. Since then, the First of May is celebrated around the world. Among us, in 1976, the Franco police slaughtered the workers of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Five of the workers were killed by police bullets while on a general strike in defence of collective labour agreements. Conclusion: today, as yesterday, capitalism wants to continue to have power and benefits, and is willing to kill people through policemen and political managers. USA, South Africa, the Basque Country and the whole world. You have to know and be prepared.