We are the continuers of the international organization of workers and communists, created by the working class of Europe and the tireless work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which took shape in the International Working Men's Association, continued in the first stage of the Second International, and developed into the Communist International, founded by Lenin and Stalin, the Comintern, and, subsequently, during the revolutionary period of the Cominform.
We have risen up against contemporary revisionism, which has usurped the leadership of the Communist Party, state power and the leadership of the USSR. We have mercilessly fought against the opportunist theses, which renounced the class character of the Party and the proletarian state, and which colluded with imperialism and capitalism in order to oppose revolution and socialism.
We are actors in the ideological and political struggle against the Three Worlds theory and Maoism, which have sought to divert the working class, the peoples and the communists from the correct paths of revolution and socialism.
Together with comrade Enver Hoxha, we were fighters for the revolution, in defence of Marxism-Leninism; We are still fighting for the international unity of communists.
We were born, as the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organisations (ICMLPO), at the height of the anti-communist offensive unleashed by imperialism and reaction, after the collapse of the USSR and socialism in Albania, we plunged into the ebb of the trade union and revolutionary struggle of the working class and the serious defeats suffered by the national liberation movement.
We have developed as a historical necessity for the completion of the revolution and socialism in each of our countries and for contributing to the success of the international revolution of the proletariat.
After many efforts, frank and in-depth discussions, agreements and commitments, and several initiatives, among which we mention the multilateral meetings of the 1980s, the international journal Theory and Practice, the International Anti-Fascist and Anti-Imperialist Youth Meetings, and the party meetings between 1991 and 1993, we were formed in August 1994.
We are the ideological, political and organisational conjunction of Marxist-Leninist parties and organisations carried out within the framework of an international initiative that claims the principles of class struggle and proletarian internationalism, the necessity of revolutionary violence to overthrow the domination of imperialism and capitalism, the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat, the construction of socialism and the struggle for communism.
We claim the thought of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin as a historical heritage of great value, of current validity and in all countries. We adhere militantly to the revolutionary principles of Marxism-Leninism; they guide and inspire us in our struggle in our countries to organize and make the revolution.
To assume the responsibility of leading the cause of the working class and peoples for social and national liberation, for the revolution and socialism, for emancipation; all this presupposes the necessity of fighting for the defence of Marxism-Leninism, its revolutionary principles, and its development. This poses the responsibility of unmasking, to the ultimate consequences, revisionism in all its variants as well as any manifestation of opportunism within the workers' and revolutionary movement, within the communist parties.
The Communist Proclamation adopted in Quito in 1994 fully identifies us, and we propose it as a Declaration which, while unifying us, impels us to develop it under new conditions.
We, the parties that have constituted ourselves as ICMLPO, invite the parties and organizations of all countries to unite with us to form a powerful Marxist-Leninist International Communist Movement, which will tackle the task of rebuilding the Communist International, while pledging ourselves to make our contributions of every kind to the constitution and development of new Marxist-Leninist parties.
ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS
1. The members of the ICMLPO are those parties and organizations which are formed in their own countries and which call themselves communists, which adhere to Marxism-Leninism, which denounce and combat revisionism and opportunism in all their variants, which struggle to organize and lead the struggle of the working class and peoples for the revolution and socialism, who approved the Communist Proclamation and the ICMLPO Organizational Norms.
2. Marxist-Leninist parties and organizations from any country that decide to join the ICMLPO may be full members. To do so, they must subscribe to the Communist Proclamation and the Organizational Norms and have the endorsement of two ICMLPO member parties or organizations.
3. The admission process provides for an initial period of two years, during which the party or organization participates as an observer, attends the debates and decisions of ICMLPO and participates in the activities, but without the right to vote.
4. Organic integration is decided in the Plenum of the Conference, with the approval of two-thirds of the participants.
5. The ICMLPO states that it recognizes the existence of a single Marxist-Leninist party in each country. It proposes that organizations that call themselves Marxist-Leninists in the same country should work for their ideological, political, programmatic and organizational unification, an objective to which we will make our full contribution.
6. All ICMLPO member parties and organisations have the following duties:
I. Defending Marxism-Leninism. Fighting against its detractors, of whatever kind.
II. To be actively involved in the struggle for economic and political demands of the working class and the people and to lead it with a view to the seizure of power.
III. To practise proletarian internationalism.
IV. To defend and implement the decisions of the ICMLPO.
V. To contribute to the process of establishment and development of the ICMLPO parties as vanguard parties of the working class in their country.
VI. To contribute and assist in the construction and development of new Marxist-Leninist parties and organizations in countries where there are none.
VII. To participate actively in the various internationalist initiatives defined by the ICMLPO, such as the plenary sessions of the Conference, the regional meetings of the Parties, the International Anti-Fascist and Anti-Imperialist Youth Meetings, the trade union meetings, and the initiatives that will be decided in the future.
VIII. To assist in the publication of the magazine Unity and Struggle, to disseminate it among the militants, among the working class and the youth.
7. The ICMLPO parties and organizations have the following rights:
I. To participate as a full right, with the right of voice and vote, in the Plenums of the Conference, in the Regional Meetings of Marxist-Leninist parties and organizations.
II.- Participate in the editing of Unity and Struggle.
III.- To constructively criticize the policies and activities of other members of ICMLPO.
8. The ICMLPO can expel from its ranks parties and organizations that deviate from Marxist-Leninist positions, that take revisionist and opportunist positions, that betray the cause of the revolution and communism.
To expel from the ICMLPO, one must proceed with care and reflection; The defence of the party or organisation must be guaranteed and the decision to expel must be taken only when there is no longer any possibility of correction and amendment. The decision to expel a member of the ICMLPO is taken in the plenary session of the Conference; it requires the vote of two-thirds of the participating parties.
Parties and organizations that do not regularly participate in ICMLPO plenaries and activities for a period of three years without justification are considered to have voluntarily excluded themselves from the ICMLPO.
9. The Plenary Session of the Conference is the decision-making body of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organisations, ICMLPO. It meets annually and, if necessary, on an extraordinary basis, convened by the Coordination Committee (COCO) or by decision of a majority of the members.
The Conference discusses and approves general political resolutions as well as concrete issues related to specific problems and situations. Decisions are approved by a majority. The decisions of the Conference are binding on the members of the Conference.
The Plenum of the Conference validates the entry of new members and defines the expulsion of its members.
The Conference may set up Working Committees to deal with specific problems.
The Plenum of the Conference annually elects the ICMLPO Coordinating Committee and analyses and approves its activities.
Only the Plenum can change the standards; it must do so by debating them in two consecutive sessions.
10. Regional Meetings shall develop their discussions and activities in accordance with the general decisions of the ICMLPO; They must contribute to the development of member parties and organisations and to the building of other parties in countries where there are none.
11. The Co-ordinating Committee (COCO) shall be elected annually by the plenary session of the Conference, which shall decide on the number of its members.
All members of the Conference are eligible to apply to the COCO.
The Coordination Committee acts between plenary sessions, taking political coordination initiatives, political positions and solidarity measures in accordance with the guidelines of the Conference.
The Coordinating Committee offers its assistance to the party or organization that will assume the seat of the plenary of the Conference.
The COCO reports on its activities to the Plenum of the Conference.
12. Relations between Marxist-Leninist parties and organizations are based on equality, fraternity and comradeship. They express internationalism and solidarity.
Relations between parties and organisations are governed by mutual respect for each other's decisions, but do not exclude criticism and political debate, with the perspective of advancing in the process of the international revolution of the proletariat.
13. The journal Unity and Struggle is the official publication of the ICMLPO. Its purpose is to defend Marxism-Leninism at the international level, to analyse the situation of the workers' and revolutionary movement, and to make known the experiences of our parties and organisations.
Unity and Struggle is published every six months. Each party should send its article in a timely manner and disseminate the contents of the journal among revolutionaries and members of the working class in its country.
14. For the implementation of international activities, each party and organization undertakes to make an annual contribution, the amount of which is decided voluntarily by each of its members.
15. The Coordinating Committee shall report annually on financial management.
XXI PLENARY SESSION OF the ICMLPO
Ecuador, October 2015
Click here to return to International
Index