It is late, but I still want to congratulate all the comrades and friends with May Day and the Day of Liberation of the world from the Nazi threat in the memorable days of 1945. The symbolism of the holidays for me is still an important part of those ideas that I live for, although already the second year in a row I am unable to take part in their celebrations. But even in prison, they are life-affirming, as most of the people who surround me here could stand with me in the same column in freedom, shoulder to shoulder.
If we do not take into account the corrupted officials, prison is packed with representatives of the working class, who consist a broad international. This is nothing surprising, as the situation was the same at all times. And, of course, in prison there is a higher portion of discontents than in any other part of our society, but also many of those who do not intend to attempt to change anything in it because of the same lack of organization and lack of consciousness as in the rest of the society (I am not talking about the criminal world, which has its own discipline and a clear hierarchy). And while people here are always willing to discuss the revolutionary ideas (as time for it is enough), it is very difficult to bring everyone to a common denominator. I think this is due to huge amount of problems, which must be solved together with everyone, and throughout the society, as well as a lack of knowledge about structure of the society and its function.
But I am glad that ideas of libertarian communism are met here with only positive response, in contrast to the current unfinished democracy. We should pay more attention to the expansion of our movement not only due to young people from the subculture, which should have become a counter-culture a long time ago, but also to agitate among migrant workers, who have long since become part of the Russian society, but have not yet become part of the anarchist movement. Their protest takes a form of the poison of the dangerous totalitarian ideas of the Islamic fundamentalism, which is increasingly infecting their community. Such a struggle with the authorities is no way to a freedom for all of us. Religion in conjunction with the state is only able to prohibit and imprison. We also need positive initiatives attempts, aimed at socialization of the people who need protection from government institutions and xenophobia, in a libertarian spirit. There are many concrete practices for this – from education projects and cultural integration to learning self-defense against the Nazi street gangs.
Hence, from behind the walls of the Butyrka prison, during the year I have spent here I see the state becoming more and more fascist, with it increasing the corporate power, making life impossible for small and medium businesses. Already a long time ago the state took over control of large production and development of natural resources, crushed civic organizations and opposition. Our state is administered by officers of the security services and oligarchs loyal to them.
In the current situation, our position about the necessity of the complete political independence of the anarchist movement and power of its idea becomes more and more clear. Only independence will contribute to our success, while the liberal opposition is unable to fight back effectively, plain and clear. This is an obvious conclusion from the current state of affairs. Of course, we should not abolish our work inside opposition structures. But, as the arrest of our comrade Alexey Gaskarov, even a member of Coordination Council of opposition may be repressed by the security services and prosecutor’s committee, especially if he is a political radical.
I wish you success and victory in the upcoming struggles! Less internal ideological strife, let there be a united beautiful red-and-black column of revolutionary anarchists in our streets!
15th of May 2013
Alexey “Sokrat”
Address of Alexey:
Alexey Sutuga
FKU SIZO-2 UFSIN Rossii po g. Moskve
ul. Novoslobodskaya d. 45 127055 Moskva Russia