By Michael John

APRIL 15 was the birthday of President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994).

He is not only the eternal President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, but also the great pioneer of the cause of global independence, enjoying the boundless respect of the Korean people and progressive people all over the world.

Kim Il Sung provided the cause of independence with the guiding principle towards its successful accomplishment based on the Juche and Songun ideas.

The Juche idea is a doctrine that represents the fundamental demand of man as a social being to live and develop in an independent way as the master of the world and his own destiny and gives light to the correct way for its realisation.

The Herald, Zimbabwe, April 20, 2009

The Songun idea, based on the Juche idea, sets as its fundamental purpose the realisation of independence of the country and nation and the popular masses, and firmly ensures it by means of powerful arms.

By relying on the Juche and Songun ideas, the President put forward the original ideology and theory on the world revolution.

He developed the world revolution from the struggle for class liberation of the international working class to the one for defending and realising the independence of the oppressed and exploited people of the world.

He also gave correct answers to all theroetical and practical problems arising in the struggle for realisation of the cause of global independence, such as the national liberation struggle in the colonised countries, the socialist movement, anti-imperialist and anti-US struggles and the movement for the reconstruction of socialism.

He newly delineated and sytemised the theory on world revolution, the independence of the people — the nature and strategic goal of world revolution, the common task of struggle of the revolutionary people of the world, the law of development and victory of the world revolution and its subjects and objective, main strategy, and the principle of forming the revolutionary forces of the world — which are the unchanging guiding principles for implementation of the cause of independence of mankind.

Kim Il Sung set a practical example in the national liberation struggle in the colonised countries and gave full support to the oppressed people of the world in their struggle for national liberation.

He set out a road of revolution in his early teens and organised the 20-year long anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle (1926-1945) to liberate Korea.

After national liberation, he beat off the US imperialists, the ringleader of imperialism, to firmly defend the national dignity and sovereignty.

It was a historic event that substantiated the truth that the peoples of the colonised countries can win against the imperialists and rescue the destiny of the nation and realise the independence of the popular masses when they wage armed struggle; believing in and relying in their own strength.

During the days of the anti-Japanese armed struggle for national liberation, he rendered active support to the revolution in China and defended the former Soviet Union with arms.

Even after the liberation of Korea, he wisely led the struggle of the people of many countries for national and class liberation.

His encouragement and support for the Algerian people is an example.

The Algerians held up the torch of armed struggle for national liberation in Africa, which was called the "continent of darkness".

Encouraged by the Korean people’s victory in the Korean War (1950-1953), the Algerian patriots formed the National Liberation Front in August 1954 and engaged in an armed struggle.

The President saw to it that great material assistance was given to them and that "The Day of Algeria" and "The Week of Algeria" be designated in solidarity with the Algerian people.

When the provisional government of the Republic of Algeria was founded in September 1958, the DPRK was the first to recognise it and establish diplomatic relations with it.

He also gave active and disinterested support and encouragement to the struggle of the people in Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and other countries against colonialism and racism.

President Kim Il Sung energetically led the socialist movement of the world, holding high the banner of socialism.

He built Korea into a socialist power of independence, self-reliance, and put great efforts into strengthening international solidarity with the socialist countries and achieving unity in the international socialist movement.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis from October to November 1962, he made sure that support was expressed to the Cuban people who were bravely fighting against the US manoeuvres of stifling independence.

The DPRK Embassy staff in Havana and Korean students studying in Cuba made every preparation for combat and share the destiny of the Cuban people.

President Kim Il Sung even visited North Vietnam to greatly encourage the Vietnamese people and give selfless material and moral assistance to them in the grim days when the US cooked up the "Gulf of Tonkin Incident" in August 1964 as a pretext for war.

These are only a few examples of his achievements in the cause of independence for mankind.

Thanks to his energetic activities, the Pyongyang Declaration, "Let us defend and advance the cause of socialism", was adopted on April 20, 1992, and signed by heads and delegates of 70 parties of the world.

This was an event of historic significance in strengthening the unity and solidarity between the parties aspiring for socialism and reconstructing the cause of socialism.

At present, the number of parties that have put their signatures to the Declaration has increased to over 270.

During the period of over two years from the adoption of the Declaration until the last days of his life, he met heads and delegates of more than 120 parties and organisations, and devoted his heart and soul to defending and rebuilding socialism and bringing about a new upsurge in the socialist movement.

President Kim Il Sung, who undertook undying exploits in mankind’s cause of independence, will be remembered forever for advancing the cause of liberation.

Source:
The Herald, Zimbabwe - April 20, 2009 (view in IE browser)
AllAfrica.com - April 20, 2009