In view of the spread of the coronavirus, governments around the world are taking extraordinary measures with the motto of fighting the epidemic. Without doubt, protecting our lives and health is of the utmost importance. However, the introduction of extraordinary laws is often accompanied – now and in the past – by abuse of power. The epidemic crisis is hitting the poorest sections of our society twice as hard where the elite can perfectly secure their future.
We are hearing voices from many countries that civil liberties, social benefits and workers’ rights are being restricted. Today, this may still seem reasonable, or even necessary, but these types of disasters are often used to take possession of our common goods and impose new restrictions. We can be sure that there will be speculators and businessmen who will exploit the situation. New fortunes will grow in the misery of those affected by the epidemic. There will be ambitious politicians with an authoritarian spirit, reluctant to relinquish their extraordinary powers.
We can’t just stand by and watch. Not only because the state usually fails in such cases, and society has to deal with it on its own. Also because in the long run it usually turns out that a state of emergency, a restriction of rights and freedoms, becomes only a form of protection of power and the biggest profits, and not a fight for the life and health of women and men.
We should therefore actively support and combat all forms of abuse of power, unequal treatment and exploitation of workers. It is not true that death does not choose. The epidemic will primarily affect the poorest and weakest.
Let us therefore defend ourselves in solidarity against the epidemic!
Mutual aid instead of a state of emergency!
Translated by Enough 14
