Written: March 8, 1978
Published: March 9, 1978
Source: The Ethiopian Herald, March 9, 1979
Digitalisation: East View
Proof-reading: Vishnu Bachani
HTML: Vishnu Bachani
Oppression, exploitation and racial, religious and sex discrimination—the tradition and social mode of imperialism, capitalism and colonialism—shall be crushed by the revolution of the oppressed and the socialist order.
Distinguished guests,
Comrades,
The International Women's Day we are observing today symbolizes the historic stage reached by oppressed women in their determined and courageous effort to play their proper role alongside their oppressed brethren in the international struggle for the cause of peace, democracy and socialism.
As pointed out by comrades who spoke earlier, women factory workers in a North American textile mill made a strike on March 8, 1908, in opposition to the exploitation and oppression to which they were subjected.
The bitter struggles made by oppressed women of the world previous to and in the years following this just strike have brought to the fore the legitimate demands of oppressed women.
Comrade Klara, who will forever be remembered in the history of the struggle of the oppressed women of the world, brought the multiple oppression of women to the attention of the Second Communist International in Paris in 1889.
In her historic address, Comrade Klara pointed out that the question of oppressed women cannot be viewed in isolation of the general problem of the world's oppressed and exploited masses, that is the question of class struggle as a whole. Comrade Klara is quite correct.
The struggle being waged by women to rid themselves of the shackles of economic dependence is no different from the larger struggle of the oppressed peoples and exploited workers of the world. This has been clearly taught to us by Marxism-Leninism.
Women can be freed of oppression only when the community as a whole undergoes a fundamental change and attains total freedom under a socialist order. This truth has been progressively and objectively underscored by the socialist revolutions which have been taking place in the world over the last 60 years.
Unfortunately, however, the anti-people bourgeois order has not and never will acknowledge this fact. For example, some 125 years have elapsed since the great bourgeois democratic revolution was set in motion in France.
During these many years the bourgeois or capitalist classes have, on many different occasions and places, given only verbally beautiful promises regarding the emancipation of women.
In truth, however, let alone in the developing countries which are backward in the development of the means of production and are today to be found in the shackles of the old reactionary culture, the urgent demands and ceaseless cries of the oppressed women have not found an honest and practical solution even in those bourgeois or capitalist republican countries which are considered to be highly developed. Nor can it find a solution. The reason is quite obvious. It is because in the dictatorial bourgeois or capitalist dominated order or society democracy is only for the members of this class, that is to say for the rich, for the exploiters and for the oppressors, but not for the exploited and oppressed.
In the women's struggle which is inseparable from class struggle, it is absolutely naive, opportunistic, backward and reactionary to expect that the bourgeois class will give women their emancipation separately from their fellowmen of the oppressed classes.
Therefore, genuine Marxist-Leninist teaching tells us that those of us who are sincerely opposed to exploitation, oppression, discrimination based on race, religion or sex, reactionary cultural pressure, male chauvinism, national chauvinism and narrow-minded nationalism, those of us who want equality, justice, peace and real freedom should all fight for Socialism.
Comrades,
It is on this basis and realization that, through the sacrifices of many decisive revolutionary women like Comrade Klara Tsetkin and the class brothers fighting by their side, the fight of the oppressed women progressively grew until, in 1910, at the Second International Conference of Women–Socialists held in Copenhagen, the historical accord was reached that the women's question and struggle should have an international character and that it go hand in hand with the struggle of the world proletariat and oppressed peoples.
It is on this basis and realization that March 8, the historic day when the oppressed proletarian women in North America went on strike, was designated International Women's Day, to be commemorated for ever. The number of countries honouring this day has been increasing from year to year, and the progressive, oppressed women of Ethiopia, in solidarity with their oppressed sisters and brothers throughout the world, are honouring it for the second time. This day has great significance for the broad masses of Ethiopia who are under going an intense revolutionary process. It is a day when the women of Revolutionary Ethiopia coordinate their struggle, assert their stand which is unassailable by any force, and strengthen their solidarity with international anti- imperialist forces.
Comrades,
Comrades who have spoken before me have dwelt at length on the meaning of this anniversary. I had a strong desire to speak today on the significance of this day, about the international character of the struggle of oppressed women, and in particular the high sacrifices made by the oppressed women of Ethiopia and the victories they have scored, and to explain as well the life-or-death struggle which Revolutionary Ethiopia is presently waging against the encirclement und open invasion by imperialism and its lackeys—reactionary forces.
Although the struggle of the oppressed peoples of the world is one that calls for numerous sacrifices and is an ever- changing and arduous path which has come about with one revolutionary taking up the banner of the struggle of fallen comrades—a fact which is not new in a revolutionary struggle—an event which has nonetheless touched our hearts with sorrow has just been created.
Comrades,
This sad news concerns the death in a helicopter accident the cause of which is yet unknown to us, of Comrade Werner Lamberz, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany on March 6, 1978, while he was on his way here from Berlin through Tripoli, Libya, to be present at today’s celebrations. Comrade Lamberz's death is sad news not only to the people of the German Democratic Republic but also to the entire oppressed peoples of the world the cause of which this revolutionary, coming as he did from a traditionally genuine Communist family has upheld from his early childhood to the last minute of his life and one who has also played a very important role in their struggle and the International Communist Movement.
Comrades,
I now ask you to rise for one minute in silent tribute to this genuine, dedicated Communist hero.
Comrades,
Comrade Lamberz was among the pioneering veteran Communists who had played a vanguard and leading role in the world Communist movement and on the question of democracy and freedom movement of the oppressed peoples of the world. He was among the individuals the world's young Communists have laid their eyes on as an ally in their long and bitter struggle. The world has therefore lost one strong Communist who cannot be replaced within a short time and through an easy struggle.
The contribution which the late Comrade Lamberz has made to the on-going Ethiopian Revolution and the cherished memories he has left with every one of us has made our sorrow all the more profound. It has also diluted with a feeling of sadness the International Women's Day which we celebrate today with bright hope and pleasure.
Comrades,
We will mark this day engrossed with feeling in the remembrance of the sudden death of Comrade Lamberz along with the names of numerous oppressed women fighters and those like Comrade Klara whose place in the International Communist Movement has been ensured forever.
May the organization of women be intensified!
May the All Ethiopia Union of Oppressed Women be immediately established!
Long Live Proletarian Internationalism!
Revolutionary Motherland or Death!
Everything to the War Front!
By Demolishing the Encirclement and Invasion of Imperialists, Revolutionary Ethiopia will march ahead victoriously!
Revolutionary Ethiopia will become a People's Democratic Republic Through the Blood of Its Militant Sons and Daughters!
[1] Given that the original scan is available, minor typos have been corrected without using [sic].