Iraqi Communists continued an internationalist tradition that stretches back
to the early 1970s, with active participation of members and supporters in
France and European countries in the L'Humanite Festival (12-14 September
2008). The marquee of "Tareeq Al-Shaab" (People's Path), the daily newspaper
of the Iraqi CP, in the International Village was packed with visitors
browsing through the book stall, listening to lively Iraqi and Kurdish music
and folk dance, watching a show of traditional costumes, and sampling
delicious Iraqi food.
The centre-piece attraction of the marquee was a big painting by artist Salah
Jiyad of the late Kamil Shiaa; the prominent Iraqi intellectual and Communist
who was assassinated in Baghdad on 23 August 2008. The marquee was, this year,
dedicated to his memory and was named after him.
The Central Committee of Iraqi CP was represented by Mohammed Jassim al-Labban,
member of its Political Bureau, who arrived from Baghdad especially for the
event. He held a number of meetings with delegations of fraternal and friendly
parties.
The party delegation met with Jacques Fath, Director of the Commission for
International Relations of the CP of France. Comrade al-Labban gave a brief
review of recent political developments in Iraq and answered questions about
aspects of the situation. He highlighted the Patriotic Democratic Plan adopted
by the party, which expresses Iraqi people's aspirations to regain full
national sovereignty, end the occupation and build a state based on the rule
of law and equality, and deepen democratic transformations to lead the country
out of the current crisis. The French comrades expressed their full solidarity
with the struggle of the Iraqi Communist Party in the current complex
conditions, under US occupation and with the ongoing struggle about the
character and content of the Iraqi state and building its political-social
system.
Meetings were also held with the representatives of the Tudeh Party and the
Lebanese CP. The latter included its Secretary comrade Khalid Hedadah. Other
meetings included delegations of communist parties in Chile, Colombia, Peru
and Syria; and social organisations in north Africa.
An Iraqi CP delegation also met with the Venezuelan ambassador to France,
Jesus Arnaldo Perez, at the marquee of Venezuela. Political developments and
challenges, faced by both Iraqi and Venezuelan peoples, were discussed. The
ambassador expressed support and solidarity with the struggle being waged by
the Iraqi people and Communist Party under difficult conditions.
Iraq's official representative in UNESCO, Muhi-el-deen al-Khatib, visited the
marquee, and delivered a speech expressing his deep sorrow and agony for the
big loss of Iraqi culture with the murder of Kamel Shiaa.
Source: "Tareeq Al-Shaab", daily newspaper of the Iraqi Communist Party.
** See photos of the event on IRAQI LETTER blog:
http://iraqiletter.blogspot.com/
