Struggle against inequality and wars the answer to terrorism
Statements of Neoklis Sylikiotis, AKEL Political Bureau member and GUE/NGL Vice-President
13th April 2016
“The peoples of Europe have the historic duty not to give in to the Islamophobic and racist dictates of the extreme-right, which is targeting foreigners, refugees and Muslims, inside and outside Europe”, stated N. Sylikiotis, AKEL MEP and Vice-President of the GUE/NGL Group, speaking yesterday at the plenary of the European Parliament. The plenary discussion, in the presence of the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, focused on the combating of terrorism following the recent terrorist attacks.
Referring to Mr. Juncker, Neoklis Sylikiotis indeed said: “The fact remains that the Paris and Brussels terrorists were naturalized Europeans, born and raised in Europe. This demonstrates the failure of the schemes to promote the integration of immigrants.” Neoklis Sylikiotis congratulated Mr. Juncker “because from the outset he noted precisely this fact in a statement he issued. Combating terrorism cannot succeed by creating more terrorism, but instead through the strengthening of specific social policies that will bring social development and growth, justice and solidarity”.
“If European societies accept that their security depends on the implementation of new draconian measures promoting filing, mass surveillance, the further curbing of individual rights and freedoms, then this constitutes a failure and is a defeat for democratic values in the confrontation with terrorism. The best and most effective way to fight against the dark forces of terrorism is through the waging of an unrelenting war against injustice, growing economic inequalities and against the interventions and wars that feed the monster of terrorism”, the AKEL MEP noted.
Neoklis Sylikiotis had previously expressed GUE/NGL’s grief and condemnation of the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels.
“Our thoughts are with the victims of the attacks and their families. We express our sympathy and solidarity with the Belgian and French people, but also with all the peoples who are experiencing terrorism,” he said. “It’s not only in Europe where people are paying with their blood as victims of fanaticism, bigotry and intolerance, but also in Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. These attacks and the rise of fundamentalism are the direct consequence of the wars created by interventions. They are also the outcome of the unfair distribution of wealth and the big power’s policies of intervention in the internal affairs of other countries, “continued Neoklis Sylikiotis.
“The EU is not innocent. We must remember that major EU Member States obediently followed US imperialism and supported politically and financially all the extremist Islamic organizations from which the terrorist monster ISIS also sprang”, Neoklis Sylikiotis underlined, something which he reiterated later on in a reply to a question addressed by a Spanish MEP of the EPP Group as to whether he considers that the EU is to blame for the attacks. The AKEL MEP replied, inter alia, that “We must first of all not forget that concrete ideas generate terrorism.”
“But ISIS and other Islamic fundamentalist organizations were supported by Western countries. They were supported by powerful states, politically, militarily and economically. Even today certain countries that are allies of the West, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, are conducting trade with ISIS. Consequently, the EU bears responsibilities for the emergence of terrorism and we mustn’t forget this ever. “
