SOCHI, RUSSIA.- (ACN) Many voices were raised at the Anti-Imperialist Tribunal in Sochi, Russia as part of the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students demonstrating the pain of the victims affected by capitalism.
Demonstrating that testimonies must not be silent, the participants cried when they heard of painful stories like the young Saharawi Omar Hanesa who spoke on behalf of his country, which was occupied by Morocco in 1975 after being a Spanish colony.
He demanded an end to the illegal occupation by Morocco and justice for the crimes committed during decades; meanwhile, he demanded the release of the political prisoners and people condemned for organizing peaceful rallies defending the cause of its people.
Meanwhile, Colombian Angela Correa urged the tribunal to create a commission to assess the situation of violence in her country, mainly those that are submitted against social leaders and its families and warned on the assassination of young communists, crimes that are ignored by the Colombian government.
As part of the space of denunciations, Korean Ri Cho Liu talked about the damages caused by the US economic blockade against the Democratic Republic of Korea.
The testimony of the young Cuban Elian Gonzalez Brotons was one of the most moving statements in the activity. He told the story of how the Cuban Adjustment Act had inflicted sufferings to his family when such policy caused the death of his mother when he was only five years of age.
Remember to never forget is why this anti-imperialist tribunal was held whose essence lays in the struggle for unity and solidarity in face of imperialism; remove it from its roots and demonstrating that a better world, more than a utopia, can be a reality when the young generation are willing to fight for the cause.
Space for dialog, integration and knowledge is also Sochi 2017, an event that gathers over 20 thousand youths and students from the world until October 22nd looking to make their dreams a reality and not precisely in one country but in favor of the planet and its people.