The Internet release of the film Fitna provided a pretext for an array of the right wing and reactionary forces of our time to declare a Jihad against humanity! In this holy war on secularism and freedom of expression Islamists are not alone. Western governments and Eurocentric racist forces support and reinforce Islamists in different ways. The major winners of this Jihad against humanity are Islamists, Mullahs, Imams and criminal Islamic governments that claim to be the representatives of millions of people in countries plagued by Islam. They demand – and indeed receive – damages for “the hurt feelings of Muslims” who they claim they represent. EU Foreign Ministers line up to endorse this “representation”, and under the pretext of condemning Fitna, support “moderate Islam” and repeat the words of criminals such as Khomeini and Bin Laden that “Islam is the religion of peace!” In this climate, the UN Human Rights Council passes a resolution that demands “respect for religious beliefs”, thereby declaring that what will not be respected is freedom of expression and the human being! Fitna recalls some truths about the crimes of Islamists in order to ascribe those crimes to so-called “Muslims;” it demands their removal from Europe – no matter if most have in fact fled precisely from those atrocities!

The common denominator of these reactionary camps is the false assertion that political Islam is not the creation of Islamic forces – often with the direct backing of Western governments – but a product of the beliefs of people living in countries plagued by Islam, many of whom, like the people of Iran, are in fact fighting to get rid of the menace of political Islam. These camps directly or indirectly support the political Islamic movement and religious Mafia that were nurtured during the Cold War by Western governments, and which, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, emerged as a camp claiming political power. Western governments are now at pains to strengthen the pro-West, “moderate” wing of political Islam to conclude this power struggle to their own advantage. This is the principal political aspect of the uproar surrounding Fitna.

The victims of this astonishing Jihad of the 21st century are not only the people in countries plagued by Islam, but all people, including those in the West. The beneficiaries of this Holy Jihad are not only Mullahs, Imams and Islamic governments, but also the political reaction in the West, which promotes intervention of religion in the state and the educational system. This is a co-ordinated Jihad on the secularist, left-wing and progressive movement that has emerged within the past few years, particularly in the West. This is an unprecedented attack on the values that several generations of socialists and progressives in the West have fought for. Above all, it is an outrageous attack on freedom of expression. If Islam or any religion or system of beliefs cannot be criticised, exposed or even mocked then the “freedom of expression” that remains will be mere mockery!

WPI calls on the freedom-loving people of the world, on workers’ and progressive organisations, on atheists, secularists, humanists and socialists to stand up with full force to this united Jihad of political Islam, Western governments and Eurocentric racism. Unconditional freedom of expression must be defended. The absolute separation of religion from the state and education must be demanded. Flirting with Islam, Islamists and other religions should be done away with. The support provided by the EU and UN to political Islam and religion should be strongly condemned. This concerted attack by reactionaries on humanity is at the same time an opportunity to raise the banner of freedom, secularism and respect for human dignity even higher. On behalf of workers and people in Iran who are fighting to topple the detested Islamic regime and to build freedom, equality and prosperity, we state that we stand with all our strength on the side of the freedom-loving people of the world.

Worker-communist Party of Iran
April 1, 2008