The Communist Parties of the Nordic countries, the Russian Federation, Canada and the USA have adopted an “Arctic Initiative” resolution against militarization and exploitation of the northern environment. The parties were present in Istanbul for the 17th meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties. The joint statement, titled the “Arctic Initiative for Peace and an Ecologically Sustainable Future” reads:
We the Communists in the high North share a common need to strengthen the struggle of the working class against capitalist exploitation, imperialist wars and fascism, for workers’ and peoples’ emancipation, for socialism.
We struggle in different conditions. Neoliberal politics has a global plan of action. Publicly-produced and owned services are competing with private sector business politics. In all our countries communists are working for stronger working class rights and better public services.
We share common worries about the state of the Arctic’s natural environment which is especially vulnerable. Expansion of mining industries and oil and gas drilling will maximize business profits at the cost of nature. Capitalist exploitation in the Arctic means increasing activities with extremely high risks of natural catastrophes, and trampling the basic rights of the aboriginal peoples.
We are extremely worried because of the NATO’s growing military activities in the Arctic. NATO aims to incorporate all the Nordic countries into its military exercises and membership, and into the campaign to depict Russia as the next possible war enemy.
Instead of military confrontation and exploitation of nature in the Arctic, we require strengthening peaceful collaboration, development and ecologically sustainable plans on how to use the Arctic natural resources.
Signatures (in alphabetical order): Communist Party in Denmark; Communist Party of Canada; Communist Party of Denmark; Communist Party of Finland; Communist Party of Norway; Communist Party of Russian Federation; Communist Party of Sweden; Communist Party USA.