“Be careful with each other so that we can be in solidarity together” – International perspectives on the Corona crisis
The spread of the coronavirus and the government measures to contain the pandemic have like many others overrun us as a left-wing group and presented us with new challenges. From one day to the next, our everyday life of plenary sessions, alliance meetings, events, actions and demonstrations was no longer possible. The same body with which we still filled the streets on the feminist 8th of March, with which we demonstrated against the racist murders in Hanau, the sealing off of Europe’s external borders and the deaths in the Mediterranean, was now under observation and suspicion.
We asked ourselves: What does solidarity and responsibility mean when the health of comrades and friends is put in danger? What does political activism mean in times of state coercive measures to contain the pandemic? Who is seen, who is heard, who is forgotten? We asked our comrades outside of Germany about their perspectives. We wanted to know how they experience the current situation, how they assess state action and what radical left-wing solidarity can look like in times of global corona crisis.
The texts reflect the opinion of the respective person who is not part of our group. We have translated the texts, but have not otherwise edited or changed them. Many of us agree with many views, in some points our opinions differ. Our purpose is to share the different perspectives in their contradictions and complexity.
- “Social isolation must also be prevented in the future” – Statement by Enrico (Forlì/Italy)
- “The state of emergency in public hospitals is exploding right before our eyes” – Statement by Camélia (Toulouse/France)
- “After four weeks at home, many people are becoming increasingly worried about their future” – Anonymous statement (Rome/Italy)
- “The enemy besides the virus seems to be the own population” – Statement of Alex (Catalonia)
- “People are completely passivated” – Statement by François (Paris/France)
- “Nobody asks me: What are you gonna do next?” – Statement by Silvia (Rigali/Milan/Italy)
- “In general, the crisis makes already known wrongs visible” – Statement by Liron (Israel)
- “We have set up a local radio station to break through the loneliness” – Statement by Marie-Christine (Toulouse/Ariège/France)
- “So it’s a privilege to go into quarantine” – Statement by Basti (Santiago de Chile/Chile)
- “If somebody had told me that in the end of 2019, I would have thought the person is crazy” – Statement by Mila (Bologna/Italy)
- “Water and life: Women, rights and the environment” – Statement by Claudia (Chiapas/South of Mexico)
- “A global crisis that accelerates the desire for local organisation” – Statement by Flavien (Montreuil/France)
- “Ninguém fica para trás – Noone is left behind” – Statement by „Ninguém fica para trás“ (Portugal)
If you would like to participate as well, please contact us (contact see here). If you know people who can contribute interesting perspectives, please ask them and forward our idea to them. We are looking forward to continue publishing various international perspectives here.