Address of the Chairman of the CC CPRF Gennady Zyuganov to the citizens of Russia, communists and CPRF supporters
Dear comrades! Brothers-in-arms and friends!
We have recently marked the 100th jubilee of the formation of the USSR. Today Russia’s communists are also marking a milestone date, the rebirth of our Party 30 years ago.
In 1991 the treacherous clique took a decision on despoliation of the property of the whole people and the liquidation of the great Soviet heritage. To get any obstruction out of the way, a decree banning the Communist Party was passed. Our structures were disbanded, professional cadres were sacked and party property was seized. Those who came to power were in a hurry to make short shrift of the organization of the working class and the working peasantry.
The “witches’ Sabbath” of the reactionary forces paved the way for the main crime of the 20th century, the destruction of the Soviet Union. In December of that same year a Judas’ crime was committed in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The traitors were undeterred by the wickedness of their actions. They trampled underfoot the memory of those who created the new society. Of the heroes who elevated our Motherland to the cosmic heights and made it truly great. The working people were robbed, thrown into the embrace of criminals, into the abyss of poverty and spiritual degradation.
It would have been disgraceful and impossible to keep silent and resign. We remembered well that we were born in a wonderful, heroic land. In a land that could not but be loved. From the early days of our lives this was brought home to us by the tender look in the mother’s eyes, the strong arms of the father and the caring words of the first teacher. We were growing and maturing. We gained knowledge of the world. We became imbued with the conviction that the Motherland was worth building, fighting for and winning.
The history lessons taught us to dream of justice, to fight for the truth and not to tolerate evil. We grew up to be capable of conceding, but not surrendering; of retreating but not betraying; of losing but rallying and going into battle – for human dignity, for the sweat of the working people, for the right to make the world a kinder, more honest and beautiful place.
We were made into communists by wise teachers and the truth of life. Moving forward, we acquired an ever deeper knowledge of Marxism becoming convinced of the Bolshevik truth and Lenin’s genius. To betray the Soviet Motherland was for us to reject what is the brightest and most sacred.
The communists did not resign to the banning of the party and continued to act. They worked in the collectives. Staged street actions. Issued newspapers and leaflets. Pooled efforts with the veterans and the youth, with the true patriots of our Motherland. The hopes of oath-breakers to destroy the idea of justice did not come true.
We firmly believe that the Judgment of History will be severe and just, it will give due to the path covered by our party, its role in the destiny of our Motherland, in protecting and safeguarding the works and saving the people.
In the period of Yeltsin’s mayhem we stood up for the honor of communists, for their right to uphold their ideals under a red banner. Having gone through hearings at the Constitutional Court we protected our ideology and the sterling values of the people from bans and persecution. We did not allow millions of communists to be vetted and thrown behind bars for dissent. We preserved the base for the struggle for political, social and economic rights of the working people, for winning the minds and hearts of our fellow citizens.
After an outrageous betrayal, having gone through court litigation, we upheld our right to restore our party. Work got under way all over the country. The constitutional and restoration congress was held on February 13-14, 1993. Its delegates declared with one voice: the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is joining the struggle!
Having restored our organization and backed by the popular masses we did not permit our party to be sidelined from political life. We turned it into the strongest party in the post-Soviet space. We formed the Union of Communist Parties. We strengthened our links with all the progressive forces on the planet.
The CPRF precisely determined the tasks at every stage in the struggle for power and a worthy life for the citizens. Looking beyond the horizon, we analyzed the dynamic of the ever sharper crisis of capitalism, assessed the new threats to our country, weighed our chances and went into battle.
We equipped our supporters with an advanced intellectual product, a program for the resurgence and development of the country. We got the support of scientists and practical workers at the Oryol Economic Forum. We called for a curb on the oligarchs and for transferring the country’s natural resources to the people. We got across to the people our principled assessment of all the key events. We initiated impeachment proceedings against Yeltsin. We named the perpetrators of the crimes against our country and the people. We championed the rights of citizens in the street, free and fair elections, and rule of the people.
Throughout the last 30 years the communists were in the vanguard of the people’s struggle against the devastating reforms, impoverishment of the workers and peasants, veterans and the youth. We fought against “monetization of privileges,” the growth of prices and taxes, and the plunderous “pensions reform.” We defended the Russia Academy of Sciences. Protested against the humiliation of defenders of the Motherland and the pogrom in the Army. We pressed for the rebirth of the Komsomol and the Young Pioneers.
Extensive creative experience enriched our political and managerial practice. The center-left government of Primakov – Maslyukov-Gerashchenko pulled the country away from the abyss of default. It demonstrated the potential of our programmatic approach. The experience of communist government in Novosibirsk, in Irkutsk, Oryol and Ulyanovsk oblasts and in the Republic of Khakassia is an important prerequisite for the formation of a Government of Popular Trust.
All these years we have supported and safeguarded collective enterprises and demonstrated their experience. People’s enterprises have set standards of honest, effective work and social optimism. Their successes are a direct result of the marriage of organization talent and the latest technologies, conscious discipline and concern about the workers and their families.
The CPRF has firmly supported the security and sovereignty of Russia. Challenging the machine of the oligarchic state, we did not allow Russia to be “sold down the river.” Our persistence helped to safeguard the space rocket and aviation complexes. We have prevented the creation of a NATO base near Ulyanovsk and the holding of joint exercises with the American military near Arzamas. We stood four-square in defense of our friends and historical justice in Ukraine and Byelorussia, in the Caucasus and Crimea, in Donetsk and Lugansk. We sent more than a hundred humanitarian convoys in aid of the population of Novorossiya.
Our party immediately joined the struggle with the outrage of anti-Sovietism and Russophobia, with attempts to denigrate the great achievements of the socialist Motherland. We have preserved “the Red gene,” cherished the values of comradeship and collectivism, high spirituality and historical continuity. We have campaigned for bringing back the proud name of Stalingrad. For preserving the historical look of Red Square.
All these years the CPRF waged a battle to save the traditions of the national school and preserve the great cultural heritage. We still firmly oppose aggressive anti-Sovieteers, cynical Russophobes, brainless nationalists and cunning cosmopolitans. For us, patriotism and internationalism are inseparable.
We have traversed a long path of defeats and victories, losses and hopes. Occasionally, some succumbed to blackmail and temptations, information barrage unloosed by media killers, the sway of police arbitrariness and miscarriages of justice. But the party kept moving forward, was tempered and acquired experience of class struggle. The CPRF admitted to its ranks new generations of communists, fostered them and entrusted to them the most responsible areas and jobs.
Ahead lie challenging tasks, formidable tests and broad horizons. We will not give up and will not step back in our struggle. Together with friends and allies we carry on the great battle for our Soviet Motherland, the power of good, justice and progress.
We follow our thorny path not out of empty stubbornness and a nostalgia for the past.
We have deep confidence in the righteousness of our cause.
We know that having covered a long path of torment and suffering, humanity has deserved the right to a better future.
We are well aware that the capitalist tyranny is preparing for a showdown in order to perpetuate its dominance. We categorically cannot agree to that.
We communists maintain that there is only one way to ruin the plans to create a global concentration camp. It is necessary to ensure the victory of socialism!
We will continue to fight for this consistently and resolutely!
Our mission is to express the pain and aspirations of the working people, their desires and hopes, their will and the right to a worthy and happy life.
It is for the sake of all this that we shall continue to proudly carry the Red Banner of Victory, the Banner of Truth and Justice!
Dear comrades! Fellow party members! Like-thinking people! Our sacred struggle continues! As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our party’s rebirth we affirm: We shall do everything to break the shackles of oppression, and to assert the power of the working people and the ideals of friendship of the peoples!
Socialism will triumph!