Movement for the Defense of Québécois Political Prisoners by Front de

Front de Libération du Québec 1968

Movement for the Defense of Québécois Political Prisoners

Source: Les grands textes indépendantistes, 1774-1992; Andrée Ferretti & Gaston Miron. Editions de l’Hexagone, Montreal, 1992;
Translated: for marxists.org by Mitch Abidor;
CopyLeft: Creative Commons (Attribute & ShareAlike) marxists.org 2004.

On June 30, 1968, as the repression against the FLQ increased, members of the Vallières-Gagnon Committee, as well as other sympathizers, established an organization to collect funds to defend political prisoners and to pay their bail.

When we examine the objectives of the Movement as they are expressed in the declaration of principles, we realize that it is more a matter of means of action than of veritable objectives. We will arrive at something through the defense committees for political prisoners, through the constitution of defense funds, through a campaign against informing, through good information. But at what? No mention is made of this: only the colors of the leaflet containing the declaration of principles (the green, white and red of the Patriotes) give us an idea. In addition, we have popularized various articles with the colors of the Patriotes: wool hats, scarves, flags and sweaters. We have just published a book on The Patriotes of 1830-39. In a certain manner, then, we have identified ourselves with the Patriotes of the last century. When we think about it, perhaps we are closer to them than we had thought:

The Patriotes fought against foreign Anglophone domination; we too want to leave that Confederation within which we are always screwed;
The Patriotes were so determined that when they saw no other way out, they took up arms. As for us, we will use all means that we deem necessary;
The Patriotes wanted to bring power closer to the people; we want to give it to them.

Manifesto

Given that the Québécois people is a people triply colonized and dominated by the French, the English, and the Americans;
Given that constitutional independence from Ottawa can only become effective if it is followed by total independence on the economic, social, political and cultural levels;
Given that the complete independence of Quebec signifies its liberation from American imperialism and its Canadian valets;
Given that the overturning of the oppressive system under which we live implies the expropriation of the means of production from the hands of private enterprise (national and international), and its replacement by an egalitarian and fraternal society of a socialist type, where the self-management of all by each will be vital for all the workers of Quebec;
Given that the justice that we know has never represented anything but the justice of a class — its legal justification — one that possesses force and power over the overwhelming majority of the workers of Quebec of all conditions;
Given that we are five million political prisoners in Quebec, whose ever-growing active vanguard chooses to violate the laws put in place by the establishment in order to protect its interests;

We, the members of the Movement for the Defense of Québécois Political Prisoners, affirm our enduring will to defend — to aid by the means which we will have at our disposal — the just cause of the Québécois political prisoners who fight according to their means in order to overthrow this alienating society, in this way contributing to the real liberation of the people of Quebec.