Having completed hopefully more than a year of activity in the field of counter-information and diffusion of the theory and practice of Black Anarchy, we believe that it’s good to talk about our hitherto experience. To make an account, to identify mistakes and weaknesses but also to put forward our view regarding the condition of anarchist counter-information in Greece and abroad.

Counter-information

People constituting Inter Arma are comrades who, having less or more experience not only in the field of counter-information but also in that of anarchist struggle in Greece, realized the need for a central (but under no circumstances centralized) structure of counter-information. A structure that consciously and targeted diffuses news, thoughts, analyzes and practices of the wider anarchist insurrectionary milieu. We believe that this has been achieved to a point. The presence of Inter Arma in combination with the corresponding efforts of few but existent comrades in Greece has managed to consolidate, in matter of theory, this body of attitudes and positions and most of all has managed to make them distinct in regard with other anarchist tendencies and beliefs. We also think that we have achieved a balance between information regarding current topics on the one hand and diffusion of insurrectionary theory on the other hand, aiming to promote not only knowledge of the environment in which anarchist struggle takes place but also promote the theoretical and practical dialectic between comrades. It is also vital the fact that as we make anarchist theory accessible to anyone interested in it, we contribute to giving food for thought and meditation to younger comrades. We believe that the level we have achieved should be maintained. Simultaneously, a continuous bet is the evolution of the means of struggle we have, always trying to be the most effective we possibly can.

A second important objective of our project was to contribute and take part in the creation of a network of counter-information projects, not only in Greece but also abroad. Recognizing that war against domination is active where anarchist insurgents exist, it is important for us to promote the connection, coordination and communication between them. In international, therefore, level we have achieved the connection with comrades all over the world and stable lines of communication and information are practically effective, as nowadays an anarchist in Greece can be informed in a period of some days about something which happened in the other side of the planet and vice versa.

However, there is room for improvement. Specifically, we think that much more can be done in the field of coordination for the actualization of joint activities beyond the automation of publishing an international campaign or call. We’re talking about joint elaboration, organization and execution of counter-information actions which could be executed at a larger scale and be more diffusible as the whole network would be working on them. A good idea is the collaboration of the counter-information structures in a more stable and permanent basis, in the form of, for example, an informal but stable and structured network. A network which could probably include projects that operate outside the internet and which would cooperate in cases like the one mentioned before (a coherent international counter-information campaign) and with other groups of public anarchist presence that are not related exclusively to counter-information.

Regarding Greece, things are a bit different. Counter-information here follows the general structural philosophy of anarchists in the country. The philosophy of the politically diverse nature of projects consisted of heterogeneous people (from anarcho-communists, syndicalists and insurrectionary anarchists to generally and blurry anti-authoritarians and “anarcho”-leftists). This has as a result a project that looks like a journalist one, without that meaning that all of its participants have such behavior.

For us, counter-information projects are not an end in itself, but a means of diffusion of the beliefs and practices of the subjects that manage them. The ideology of the imaginary coherent “anarchist/anti-authoritarian milieu” must finally collapse everywhere and of course also in the structures and the groupings we refer to. In short, publication and occupation with all the activities that take place in the Greek territory does not make you open-minded and tolerant but a journalist. The non-functionality of those schemes is proved from times to times with publications that not only are not related to each other, but are also conflicting. As a result, the only thing the administration can do is either to take a clear position or politically wash its hands.

Another serious problem are some attitudes developed by some individuals that take part in this area of struggle. Αttitudes that make them see  counter-information in terms of the mainstream media and other projects here and abroad as competitive ones, so they end up in petty mudslinging, obvious complex and finally, to sabotage diffusion itself, while at the same time they disparage the projects in which they participate.

So, the internal network with counter-information projects remains in the realm of desire, as for this to happen, those involved in counter-information in Greece should free themselves from the dead-end notion of fictitious unity, but also eliminate journalistic and media-like attitides by recognizing them.

Solidarity and criticism/self-criticism

We believe that solidarity with the comrades who are in captivity or on the run, is an integral part of anarchist counter-information. This, however, happens always in the context, which is set by each project and individual. Inter Arma has set its context concerning the support of those comrades in a clear and explicit way, from its first day of operation. In complete correspondence with the general nature of the project, Inter Arma as a project supports those anarchists, with whom it has theoretical and practical affinity or with which it generally finds common fields of struggle. This obviously does not mean that it considers all other prisoners or fugitives anarchists unworthy, “reformists” or whatever. It very simply means that they are not in the context in which we place our solidarity and is a matter of heir own comrades whether their support them or not. Therefore, instead of slandering a project that has a crystal clear overall position in a specific tension of anarchy about how it gives its solidarity, it would be better to slander those that have the word “comrade” as a passepartout and the word “solidarity” as a candy, but forget them when their comrades don’t make choices convenient for them (eg direct action and urban guerrilla) or when they are not located within Greek territory.

So, on this basis, it is also obvious that this project supports anarchists that fit in that context, in other words insurrectional anarchists. Support is given in terms of affinity of perception. We are not hypocrits. The dialectical connection between individuals is bound to also create relationships, which although are not personal, since physical contact is absent, they still contain some personal elements. But this does not in any case mean that solidarity is guided by them or that criticism, if it exists, is being blunted. This is far away from the usual practice of supporting “our friends” and of anticipating political surplus value from that support. Besides, it is no secret that as far as we are concerned, what happens is the exact opposite both in anarchist circles and as far as the confrontation by the state and its snitches is concerned.

So, we say this for the last time in any direction: Inter Arma isn’t anyone’s “press office” or “political wing”. We observe and we form our opinion based on public statements and public actions. We are not interested in the personal matters of anarchist microcosm inside or outside the world unless they entagle with the meaning of anarchist struggle and we are able to see a matter from all angles. Because, anyway, there is a difference in how an anarchist and a cop or a snitch-journalist makes criticism. On the other hand, solidarity is a dynamic and organic relationship between comrades, without leadres and followers, which affirms itself constantly or not, during the struggle. We are neither eager to applaud like fans, nor condemn actions in fear. Our every agreement or disagreement with our comrades inside the walls is based on this, it concerns us and our dialectic with them and it clearly stated in the project’s context for the ones who are not too blind to see.

What is more, Inter Arma is responsible for the publication of the things it publishes and we recognize the fact that even the mere publication of something is a statement in a certain degree. At this point, it is true that there have been occasional errors, omissions and hasty moves. This is sometimes the result of shortcomings in people or technical problems, our level of former experience on such projects, but also of our falce, it seems, perception that anarchist milieu” in such matters is not concerned with appearances, the petty political balances and politics in general. Self-criticism is given, in order, however, to take us forward and for self-punishment or to make a statement of repentance. But while the liability mentioned above is given, the Inter Arma, in matters of content, is only responsible for the translations, information publications and texts that bear its signature. All the rest have the views of those who are signed by. We will not ever hide in blurry collective labels or let things affecting our basic theoretical concepts and our personal values, unanswered. In any case, if someone wants to learn our view about something so badly, can either comment benevolently some publication or, better yet, contact us through our mail or contact form, instead of leaving stupid insinuations and dirt in public fora or elsewhere.

We want here to refer to a text recently published by the counter-information project RadioAzione (Croatia), entitled “DE PROFUNDIS CLAMAVI”. We do this to answer with dialectic and comradely attitude to some points of criticism towards us, but mainly because we want to strengthen with our own voice and opinion the main thesis stated in this text which we also share. It is true that Inter Arma has published the two claims of responsibility by FAI from Greece the comrades refer to and specifically a communique that claims responsibility of an incendiary barrage, that contains an excerpt of an interview given by a specific criminal prisoner and a communique that claims rsponsibility of an incendiary attack against a bookstore owned by the MP Adonis Georgiadis, under the name “Informal Anarchist Federation – International Revolutionary Front (FAI / IRF) Commando Jorge Saldivia”. About the first text, we agree that regardless of the relationships developed between imprisoned comrades and  criminal prisoners in the special condition of prsison, we, the comrades outside the walls, do not have any relationship with mafia members and their networks whatsoever. The network of illegal capital is a supplementary part of the economic nature of the existent and its bosses do not differ in any way from legal capitalists. Now as far as the second text is concerned, we also agree that despite any respect which some of us may have for some socialist revolutionaries (anarchist or not), the theoretical gap between us is huge. We will add here that there are also other examples of such signatures within the network of FAI, like the announcement from Hong Kong under the name Autonomous Cell for Revolutionary Class Struggle (which we have published with a relevant footnote) and the communique that claimed responsibility for the seventh act “Phoenix” project under the name ELF/FAI, Nestor Makhno Commando. The reason why these texts are published by us, is precisely in order for the state of the network to be public and clear at any given time. This is the only way we are able to identify the contradictions, errors and problematics, in order to discuss, argue and find solutions that will advance the struggle of network and in general.

However, what mainlyy interests us as far as the text of RadioAzione is concerned, is the fact that it publicly places the foundations for a long overdue conversation on a very serious issue. These signatures and ideas show that the ideology of “unity in action” has clearly reached its limits. As anarchists, we understand our struggle based on the bonding of theory and action. This for us means that we occupy ourselves with the theoretical elaboration of our positions and we put them into practice. It does not mean that we are left at the mercy of guerrillism, which states that the theoretical framework isn’t particularly important as long as there are actions. If that was the issue, there would be no need for any FAI, which means a direct action network clearly oriented theoritically to insurrectionary, black anarchy. The reason why FAI and other international networks were created is to serve some specific analysis and targetings, which differ from those of other anarchist tensions. If this element is missing, then we talk only about empty acronyms with no real meaning, which are simply adopted to satisfy the herd instincts of belonging, thus justifying the relevant critique made by the comrades of anonymity. What is more, guerrillism flattens the vast differences between the different perceptions on anarchy, by putting a certain tactic and means (direct action/urban guerrilla) in the center of the struggle, casting out other means and theory on the margins of the struggle, giving them the role of supporting the center. This logic breaks the very essence of practical theory, as it blocks the dialectical and theoretical development and lumps together individuals with completely different (and in some cases hostile to each other) theoretical concepts, such as nihilists, individualistis, social anarchists and marxists of various tensions, under the imaginary umbrella of the “revolutionary front”. This unity, except having been proven wrong for anarchists in history, as they have always paid a heavy blood toll because of it, it is also practically unrealistic, since it is impossible for people with such different ideas to create struggle strategies together that will go beyond the decision of where should a bomb be planted or which bank should be expropriated.

So, in conclusion, we think that important steps forward have been taken in the field of counter-information and diffusion of insurrectionary anarchist theory and practice, but there is still much to be done. We want to thank in public, all comrades that support the project, contributing with either content or by providing technical support to it. A big hug to all comrades around the world, who, defying the repression and targeting, man with fury and conscience the radios of the international anarchist war. A raised fist to all our brothers and sisters in clandestinity and in the dungeons of dominion. Everything continues …

Inter Arma