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Message of solidarity from the SWAPO Party at the African Left Forum delivered by Cde Salomon Ilovu member of the CC SWAPO Party Youth League

Programme director
SACP politburo central committee members
Comrade and friends, colleagues and compatriots

Receive revolutionary greetings from the Youth of Namibia, The SWAPO Party, the SWAPO Party youth league and the people of Namibia. Namibia currently holding a SADC Summit and I am forthrightly instructed to indicate that the shared ideology has no boundaries and where there exists boundaries, it (ideology) will swiftly eliminate such boundaries in search of harmony of those that are like and belong together. As such, when we say 'power to the people' and 'aluta continua', for us in the global periphery and the progressive movements of southern Africa, the message is clear that the struggle for the lower class must continue and intensify.

Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the SADC on the progress made and their achievement in the region and HE Hifikepunye Pohamba President of the Republic of Namibia and also the President of SWAPO for his election as the Chairperson of SADC and we believe that he will contribute immensely to the growth and development of the region.

Allow me also to congratulate the SAPC for hosting this important conference on participatory democracy to evaluate and review the progress by the Left Parties on the continent. It is upon us as participant of democracy need to embrace the concept of participatory democracy whereby all stakeholders including the electorates have to be involved and consulted in the decision making process in the affairs of our states. We as partners in this fight have to share ideas, methods on how best we can promote the concept of participatory democracy not just theoretically but also to practice it in reality.

We are here on our own accord as commanded by our moral responsibility to our fellow Comrades in the struggle for social justice but most profoundly because in Proletarian internationalism, we are reminded that the lower class must at all times be in solidarity with their fellow workers in other countries on the basis of a common class interest.

Comrades in the struggle

History, the present and the future have a symbiotic relationship, they remain interconnected and interrelated. Be therefore reminded that those who do not know the history are bound to repeat it. Let us always remember the journey we travelled and we chart the way forward.

We must understand that we are living in difficult times, times when the enemy of the people (Capitalism) has developed more teeth to bite. We must never forget that capitalism is like feudalism protected by democracy and the entire fancy name we find nowadays. We are living in times where no one bothers to investigate the deficits of capitalism. The workers still remain disregarded. The petit bourgeoisies have in fact succeeded in removing the workers from the equation of success. When organizations record high returns and productivity, the credit is given to the CEOs, Board of directors or government policies, little if not nothing at all said to recognize the blood and sweat of the workers.

Comrades and compatriots

The recent outcome of the activities of those reckless forces of the market must be the defining moment in our struggle, what we now know as the financial crisis is not just an event that we must understand; it is also the time when we need to redefine our position in the global political economy. The so called "invisible hand of the market" has failed as we always maintained and articulated that it will. Whoever is not clear now that we can no longer surrender the people's lives to market fundamentalists is as well as best to enter the gates of the unknown places. It is therefore time for us to call for collective action as we seek to address the needs and aspiration of our people who are disappointed, destitute and dissatisfied.

In conclusion Comrades and friends and as the first President of Namibia, Cde Dr Sam Nujoma would end by saying "the people united, fighting for common good for all members of society, will always emerge victorious"

I thank you