We just passed the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre and you might have come across some people saying things like this:

"What began as legitimate frustrations over corruption was hijacked by external forces - NGOs, strategists on the ground, and Western media orchestration.
The same pattern repeated over and over in Serbia, Georgia, Hong Kong, Ukraine and just recently in Iran."

They may also deny that there was any massacre, claiming that was nothing but western propaganda, and siding with China.

They call themselves "anti-imperialists" but the more appropriate name for people like this is "campists". Campists do rightly criticize the US and Israel especially. However, instead of understanding that *all* states are toxic institutions, they play a game of picking sides and will promote states that oppose the US/"The West", even if those states themselves perpetrate heinous horrors. They'll side with states like Russia, Iran, China, even North Korea.

If you'd like to learn more about campism and why it's wrong, here are some very informative links to explore:

For a new internationalism
https://fightbackarchive.blog/2022/12/08/for-a-new-internationalism/

Left analyses of imperialism must stand against ‘campism’
https://www.redpepper.org.uk/global-politics/war/left-analyses-of-imperialism-must-stand-against-campism/

The ‘anti-imperialism’ of idiots - Leila Al-Shami
https://libcom.org/article/anti-imperialism-idiots-leila-al-shami

How to Avoid the Anti-Imperialism of Fools
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/anti-imperialism-syria-progressive/

The Red-Brown-Yellow Alliance: Making Anti-War “Great” Again
https://c4ss.org/content/58547

Earth to Dogmatic Leftists: You Are Making Solidarity Impossible
https://antidotezine.com/2019/12/12/earth-to-leftists/

Palestine and “Xinjiang” under Capitalist Rule: An Analysis from the Chinese Left
https://chuangcn.org/2024/07/palestine-and-xinjiang-under-capitalist-rule/

Internationalism, Anti-Imperialism, And the Origins of Campism
https://newpol.org/issue_post/internationalism-anti-imperialism-and-the-origins-of-campism/

I also have a link to a substantial number of very graphic and horrifying photographs documenting what actually happened to protestors in China around Tiananmen Square, contrary to false narratives from campists. The photos are extremely disturbing so I'm reluctant to share it here, but I will share it privately if you feel it's important for you to evaluate the evidence.

#Tiananmen #Campism #AntiImperialism #MultiPolar #Internationalism

https://kolektiva.media/w/dJ9HUEAYeNqAfhN4WCt6eG

The power that could emerge from our coming together. The pooling of our efforts and our resources, through the interweaving of ropes, long and strong enough to allow us to hold together in the face of the challenges of our time. This is what we call Mujawara. A revolutionary neighbouring that we have already begun to weave from all these territories, these places, and popular powers born of our struggles.

And to inaugurate it, and to begin weaving this neighbouring that crosses borders, we will organize, across five continents and throughout the month of June, a series of internationalist actions within all these places born before or in the wake of our uprisings and maintained over the years despite every hardship.

Video by subMedia, proud member of The Peoples Want.

http://thepeopleswant.org

#ThePeoplesWant #Mujawara #MutualAid #Internationalism

Monthly highlights, May 2026

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# INCREASING POPULAR PROTESTS

Protests against the Damascus government are spreading in different regions, from Raqqa to Damascus, Deir Ezzor and Aleppo. Two main sectors are raising their voice denouncing economical hardships, on one side farmers that are struggling with the wheat prices set by the Damascus government, much lower than other years, especially if compared with the price the Autonomous Administration used to buy it for. Farmers protests denounced that with the lower prices they can't even cover the costs. Another sector leading protests are the oil workers, since the Damascus government is taking control of many oil fields and excluding many oilfield workers that depended on it for survival. At the same time, protests of SDF families demanding the liberation of prisoners continue, since many SDF fighters still remain in prisons.

# FLOODS ON THE EUPHRATES RIVER

After many years of water scarcity, with Turkey keeping dams closed to diminish the water flow into Syria, massive amounts of water were let to flow in to the Euphrates river. It caused floods in many regions, especially in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. Bridges have been destroyed, many riverside areas remain under water, with houses, orchards and farmland under water. This comes at the time of the wheat harvest season, with many farmers losing their crops that were recently harvested but still on the fields.

# PARLIAEMENT 'ELECTIONS' IN NORTHERN SYRIA

While most of Syria voted for the People’s Assembly last October, at that time NES was still under DAANES control. The North East incl. Kobani, Haseke and Qamishlo only voted now on the 24th of may. The vote was for the last 11 seats in the parliament, with a very restricted voting method. The number of voters were highly restricted, with less than 200 people allowed to vote in the different cities. A majority of Arab representatives were elected, followed by several KurdS from ENKS. PYD representatives denounced the elections as "undemocratic".

# TRANSPORT OVER SYRIA INCREASE

Partly due to the war tensions with Iran, many air traffic is being redirected over middle east. That comes at a time where Turkey and other countries are reactivating their flights to Syria, that is experiencing an increasing number of flights in their airports. Road traffic is also increasing, with the first international transit convoy that entered Syria from Turkey (in Tal Abyad/Gire Spi) heading to Iraq via the al-Yarubiyah Border Crossing.

# KURDISH LANGUAGE NATIONAL DAY

May 15th is Kurdish language day. his year particularly the day draws attention to the legal right to Kurdish language education in the constitution and laws of the new government. While al-Sharaa did sign a presidential decree guaranteeing Kurdish cultural and language rights, most Kurdish people have little trust in this. Kurdish has been was banned in Syria for decades, and is threatening to become only single subject in school (everything else being taught in Arabic), instead of a whole curriculum being taught in Kurdish. Therefor advocating for and celebrating the Kurdish language is ever so relevant today.

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# EVALUATION

The Syrian government is strengthening its position in the international political arena every day, this is evidenced by the way economic cooperation is being established between the European powers and Syria. Europe sees in Syria a promising country in which it can invest. The recent NATO exercises with the participation of the Syrian army signal to the whole world that Syria is ready for open cooperation with the West in both the political and military spheres. At the same time, the Syrian leadership, being pragmatist, does not openly take either side of the world centers of gravity, but tries to confidently balance between east and west.

Despite the relatively successful foreign policy, the internal economic affairs of Syria are not going well. Increasingly, residents of the Raqqa and Deir Ez-Zor regions are expressing dissatisfaction with rising prices. The recent floods caused by the extraordinary opening of Turkish dams seriously damaged many farmers' wheat harvest, and that will severely worsen the situation. The government's urgency on taking full control of oil business is also excluding many oil field workers, that had certain degree of autonomy on how the fields were managed when the regions were under control of SDF. Now many oil field managers and workers are leading protests in different areas, complaining about government's new policies on oil.

The autonomous administration has practically ceased to exist, giving way to state institutions. The commune system continue functioning and solving many aspects of daily life, the Syrian State have no capacity to undermine these grassroots neighborhood cooperation. Most women's institutions also continue their work. The SDF is being reorganized into 4 divisions, maintaining its independence, but not all SDF fighters can be integrated in just those 4 divisions. As ISIS and other Islamist groups are increasing it's presence (and attacks), revolutionary forces are assessing the situation, looking for ways to lay low, to not undermine the integration agreements but keeping readiness to react, expecting a rise of conflict in the near future.

There are increasing tensions about the fate of the YPJ, with big demonstrations all along northern Syria together with many shows of international solidarity in defense of YPJ. The Syrian government does not want to include YPJ units in the army, they are instead inviting them to join the police structure. Such a proposal is categorically unacceptable for YPJ, since the women's army is a critical pats of the women's revolution.

Revolutionary greetings! 🖤

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#Syria #NES #SDF #DAANES #AANES #SNA #SDF #PYD #YPJ #YPG #HTS #Rojava #Kurdistan #Revolution #DefendRojava #Anarchy #Anarchism #Comrades #Internationalism #AbdullahOcalan #Öcalan #PKK #WomenLifeFreedom #TekosinaAnarsist

https://repository.digital.georgetown.edu/handle/10822/1100010

The life and death of Anacharsis Cloots weigh on my mind as representative of the tensions between "universal" and "national" ideals in the history of the left from the French Revolution onwards.

Although "internationalism" might seem one way of resolving these tensions, only a sanguine superficiality can find in this more than a partial solution.

Image: Anacharsis Cloots -- Edme Quenedey (1756-1830), dessinateur et graveur -- Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Estampes et photographie, RESERVE QB-370 (45)-FT 4 -- Public domain -- Wikimedia Commons.

#AnacharsisCloots #History #PoliticalThought #FrenchRevolution #Cosmopolitanism #Republicanism #Nationalism #LeftWingThought #IntellectualHistory #Internationalism #18thCenturyHistory #France

I recently saw the documentary "Frontier War | Inside The West Papua Liberation Army", about the desperate anti-colonial resistance in #westpapua against the Indonesian occupation and its warcrimes commited against the local populace who want nothing from them.

There are a few weird statements made about women and the local resources, in need for support; it is unclear if this is a lingual problem or maybe also a problematic position/statement. But only through exchange, such things can be found out and possibly changed. A big warning should be how states and corporations would view the lands and people of West Papua. The story below of the people of Bougainville can be of use here, as they had such companies coming there with great promises, only to exploit the land and take no responsibility for the polluting effects of their mines.

Check out the full documentary Frontier War here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_DgLwjePA

Also, if you want to support these communities, there is a fundraiser for getting goods and materials for documenting the attacks by Indonesia https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbk15b2RPTDBJMW5WTVNja1ZZdXZuR3l0c19Kd3xBQ3Jtc0ttdVVUUWNOOHNFbXA2anV6c2trZnI3NHh4Y20ySHl2aFRBQ1VuNG1lbFFaZl9USTZtX09SckpmbE5LTjJ5VExlSGozVTcydnVrWU5lOWRVVFVnckcxSTkzWENQZ1d0Wm1lZFhTRjdnM25URlIyZS1hcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fchuffed.org%2Fproject%2F115895-star-mountains-west-papua-humanitarian-relief-fund&v=65_DgLwjePA

The story of the struggle of the people of #Bougainville and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army is usefull. They resisted the exploitation of their natural resources and the pollution of their surroundings by British mining company Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ). A documentary on their struggle was made called 'The coconut revolution', taking its name of the inventive use of coconut oil for all kinds of application by the local resistance on the Island.

#colonialism #anticolonialism #internationalism #Papua #PapuaNewGuinea #Indonesia #Netherlands #GreatBritain

Chatham House: US at 250: Internationalism vs isolationism – America’s enduring foreign policy debate

https://wezg.co.uk/2026/05/27/chatham-house-us-at-250-internationalism-vs-isolationism-americas-enduring-foreign-policy-debate/

Dear comrades,

We bring our self critic for the misguiding and unclear way we expressed in our last update about constitutional rights. To make it clear: The new Syrian constitution don't explicitly recognize Kurdish rights, but it acknowledge the diversity of Syria. The formal recognition of Kurdish rights is included in a presidential decree that was issued after the negotiations held between SDF and the transitional government. Thanks to comrades that pointed that out and helped to be more clear and precise! 🖤

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We also want to emphasize this statement from the general command of YPJ issued last month:

# KURDISH WOMEN ENSURE A FREE KURDISTAN

Kurdish women struggle to protect the rights of their people. They resist and pay a heavy price for the unity and cohesion of Kurdistan. In their fight for rights and justice, women play a leading role through great sacrifices. Therefore, respecting revolutionary women is a human and moral standard. Through their struggle, Kurdish women break the chains of occupation and reject divisive policies. For this reason, occupying forces target women throughout Kurdistan. Nevertheless, Kurdish women continue their struggle with strong determination and firm belief.
As the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), we respectfully remember the Peshmerga fighters Ghazal Mulan, Nada Miri, and Samira Al-Ayari, and we affirm that the sound of Kurdish women’s rifles calls only for the freedom of women and the Kurdish people.
Women bravely resist the ruling mentality. We strongly condemn the attacks carried out by the Iranian state on Peshmerga bases in Komala in Eastern Kurdistan. As the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), we affirm that the martyrdom of the three Peshmerga—Nada, Samira, and Ghazal—is a great and painful loss, not only for their families and organizations, but also for us, the people of Kurdistan, and all freedom-loving forces.
We particularly emphasize that attacks on women Peshmerga fighters are not merely military assaults, but political attempts to destroy the role of women in the struggle for freedom. These attacks aim to marginalize women’s voices and exclude their presence in political, military, and social spheres. However, as Kurdish women, we will continue our struggle for freedom with unwavering determination and strong faith, and we will not retreat even an inch.
Regardless of the reasons, we consider it unacceptable that hospitals in the Kurdistan Region refused to receive the body of Ghazal Mulan, and that the mosque remained open for religious purposes after her martyrdom. We call for an urgent investigation into this incident by the relevant authorities. Ghazal, who was seriously injured, could have been saved. This situation was psychologically and humanly difficult for all of us, as women and as the Kurdish people.
As a Kurdish woman, Ghazal chose to defend her land and homeland and fulfilled her national duty. In contrast, no political party should prioritize partisan interests over social and national interests, and all must respect the struggle of Kurdish women for the freedom of the country.
At a time when the Kurdish people are under attack from all sides, we must support one another regardless of differences among Kurdish organizations and parties.
We call on all political, social, and military forces in Kurdistan to unite in the face of these attacks and to strengthen national unity. Under such circumstances, the only way to protect the achievements of the people and the martyrs is through cooperation and unity. Any division will only increase the number of enemies.
We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Ghazal Mulan, her comrades in struggle, and the Kurdish people as a whole. Kurdish women have always fought for the freedom of their people with courage, selflessness, and leadership. Respecting women’s struggle is a human duty.
This is a global cause. We once again salute all women who love their homeland and struggle for freedom, represented in the martyr Ghazal Mulan, and we believe that a free and secure future will be ensured under the leadership of women.

General Command of the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ)
20.04.2026

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#Syria #NES #SDF #DAANES #AANES #SNA #SDF #PYD #YPJ #YPG #HTS #Rojava #Kurdistan #Revolution #DefendRojava #Anarchy #Anarchism #Comrades #Internationalism #AbdullahOcalan #Öcalan #PKK #WomenLifeFreedom #TekosinaAnarsist

Revolutionary Lessons and Internationalism from Below (with The Peoples Want)

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2026/05/17/revolutionary-lessons-and-internationalism-from-below-with-the-peoples-want/