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No.3 May 1988 MANCHESTER BULLETIN 0p VIRAJ MENDIS
LIFE OR DEATH?
On 10th May Viraj Mendis had his final The VMDC has launched a day-and-night appeal. After more than 500 days in vigil outside the Church of Ascension sanctuary in the Church of Ascension in from 10th May to 10th June. All groups, Hulme, the Home Office might now send organisations and individuals are urged the police into the church to arrest to commit themselves to a regular time Viraj and deport him to his possible on the vigil during those 30 days. death in Sri Lanka. Everything possible now has to be done to save Viraj Mendis’
The Viraj Mendis Defence Campaign can send speakers out to any meeting. Just lifel ring them. But the YMDC also needs The result of the appeal on the 10th May money. So have a collection at your can be announced any day now. So it is meeting. literally a matter of days and weeks to build up the maximum pressure on the Home Office. So what can be done? Quite a lot actually.
The best is of course to get directly involved in the Viraj Mendis' Defence Campaign. There are hundreds of things to be done in the campaign, in which everyone can participate. The campaign meeds every Sunday 7,30 pm in the Church of Ascension. But you can go to the church at any time and offer your help. You can also phone the VMDC on 234-3166. You can also help Viraj Mendis in other ways. Every Friday at 5,30pm from Piccadilly Gardens the VMDC has a march to the Church of Ascension. Particularly the coming Fridays these marches should be as big as possible.
On Saturday 28th May the VMDC has called for a national anti-deportation march in Manchester, starting 12 noon from Albert Square. All Labour Party wards and constituencies, all trade unions, youth organisations, Black organisations, churches etc. should mobilise for the 28th May and bring their banners.
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TONTON WON AGATN
tradition has failed to achieve 4 President Mitterrand, nicknamed ‘Tonton' consensus behind him and is now facing 4 because of his calculated air of calm split in his own party. His leanings superiority, won with a very comfortable towards the National Front alienated him margin of 54 % over his right-wing support from the more moderate multiopponent, Jacques Chirac, who tried hard party union, the UDF, led by Raymond during the wéek leading to the second Barre and founded by the ex-president round to score points by manoeuvers, Giscard d'Estaing, said to want a securing the release of French hostages comeback on the French political scene in Lebanon, then of the officer with a united right-wing capable of responsible for sinking the Rainbow defeating the Socialist Party. Warrior, and eventually attacking and murdering 19 Kanaks who held hostages in New-Caledonia as part of a struggle in France's colony.
With voting in two rounds, the French presidential elections give a clear idea of the political scene and reveal the depth of the present crisis particularly for the right-wing. The most dramatic feature of this crisis is the rise of the National Front. If only 190,000 people voted for Jean-Marie le Pen in 1974, about 4.3 million did so in the first round, i.e. 14.38 % of the electorate, more than twice the Commn- Francois Mitterrand played the most ist vote or the equivalent of all votes astute game by forcing the right-wing on the left of the Socialist Party ! The into this crisis, by moving towards the rise of the National Front comes from a centre in an attempt to win over those combination of factors: the crisis of on the centre-right and forge a huge the right-wing which does not seem able party across the middle ground, to oppose the socialist government and attracting particularly the UDF therefore is not a satisfactory supporters and clearly positioned alternative for many, the absence of against Le Pen. At present Mitterrand charismatic leaders apart from le Pen can rule without difficulty since its himself, the resentment of many workers most embarrassing rival from 1981, the who suffered under the austerity French Communist Party, is fading as a policies imposed by the Mitterrand political force and registered its government, the impact of the economic lowest vote with 6.76 %. The ongoing erisis affecting entire regions or crisis inside the FCP, one of the most industries and the racist ideology that Stalinist in Europe, has led to the has remained underlying in French expulsion of the “rénovateurs", a society since the days of the Algerian dissident current which stood Pierre war and which becomes a convenient tool Juquin as their candidate to offer an to justify problems caused by capitalist alternative on the left (he received 2.1 Management even under social-democratic % of the votes), disguise. This means that the National The left itself has to come to terms Front is there to stay and even grow if with social-democracy which will be even nothing is done to counter its growth. more watered down than before and should not lead to any complacency. The left also has to fight against growing racism : a huge task considering the weaknesses of the unions and the political The right-wing parties suffer from bankrupcy of the CP. But France needs to bitter divisions : the ambitious Chirac, fight back as Tonton will not. who claims to represent the Gaullist
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DON’ T LET THEM Sree THE NUS
THE WUS STRIKE THE WUS STRIKE
By Tony Lowe, former secretary of the By Tony Benn, MP for Chesterfield and Senior Colman strike committee. chair of the Campaign Group of Labour APs.
The seafarers" strike, initially confined to Dover but now spreading What makes this dispute different is the throughout Britain, has seen a situation derecognition of the National Union of reached whereby if the National Union of Seamen (NUS). The company P&O no longer Seamen (NUS) are not successful, it is wants to negotiate with the union. This feasible that the union could be is therefore the first major attempt to finished. obliterate the trade unions. With the Once again we have seen how quickly miners, the Ford workers the bosses employers are prepared to revert to the wanted to beat the unions. But now they ‘law’. Another interesting ‘theme’ of want to obliterate them. And it has this strike is the leadership of Sam produced a tremendous response. P&O has Mcluskie (who is also the treasurer of put £100,000 into the Conservative the Labour Party). He has surprised many Party. The manager of P&O was a key trade unionists with his uncompromising adviser to Tebbit (the former chair of stance. the Conservative Party).
The NEC of the Labour Party has given The courts will of course implement unequivocal support for the seamen and the anti-trade union laws. We are women. When was the last time the Labour witnessing similar attacks to those in Party gave support to striking workers? the last century when peasants and It might well be that Neil Kinnock makes workers were deported to Australia in a rare visit to a picket line. order to destroy the movement. We Meanwhile it is important that the therefore have to mobilise the maximum labour and trade union movement rally support for the seafarers and their around the strikers. It is frightening trade union. In Chesterfield f.ex. we to know that the P&0 employers have will have a seafarers speaking at our attempted to enforce longer working May Day rally. Every Labour Party member hours with fewer staff just over a year and trade unionist should come out in after the Herald of Free Enterprise support of the seafarers. disaster.
The Guardian newspaper acknowledged recently that the deaths on the THE LESSONS OF THE MINORITY MOVEMENT Enterprise would probably have been far higher if P&O's working practices were The Benn-Heffer campaign is about in force at that time. building a new leadership in the Labour An initiative has been taken to get movement. Not only in the Labour Party, some NUS members to Manchester in the but also in the trade unions, in the near future, to visit factories and women's movement, in the Black movement, speak at meetings. P#O sank the etc, Benn and Heffer's programme for Enterprise, don't let them sink the NUS. such a new leadership is far from sufficient. But basing itself on the LLL LLLLALLE LCL EL EET struggles of the oppressed it is miles ahead of Kinnock's and Willis’ new * » ‘ * realism.
In order to build a new leadership in * * the Labour movement the leadership of the trade unions is a crucial battle * ae 7 Friday 10th June 7,30 pm 7 ground, In the 1920s in Britain > : revolutionaries built the Minority Movement to challenge the Kinnockites ={ Mer. Town Hall 7 and the Willisites of the time. In the * June issue of this bulletin we will have 1 Audrey Wise and Dianne Abbott invited = a centre-spread on the Minority Movement i % FAI III IIIS IIA TAS IIIS IAA IA AIA *
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Interview with Tony Benn:
SOcCIALIS™M™ WE ARE INJECTING INTO BRITISH POLITICS
Tony Benn is a busy man. Apart from running as candidate for the Labour Party leadership he is out supporting workers in struggle. The day before this interview was made (29/4) Tony Benn and Eric Heffer were on the picket line with the striking seafarers in Dover. For Tony Benn the two actions have the same aim the fight for socialism. - Tony Benn gave this interview to Finn Jensen in his constituency in Chesterfield. f Question: Why are you and Eric Heffer standing for leader and deputy leader in BACK BENN AND HEFFER! the Labour Party? It seems widely accepted that you are not going to win, mainly because of the trade union block vote. Answer: I have been nominated for the the leadership nomination, but when it leadership post in the Labour Party for the last five years. But at the time we was put to me I accepted it.
What is happening in the national wanted to do everything to defeat leadership of the Labour Party is that Margaret Thatcher. Therefore about a the party is drawn not even toward year ago - just before the general elections in June - some of us who had centrism but toward the Thatcher consensus: on NATO, the Common Market, been meeting regularly thought that the single European Act, market forces etc. best thing to do would be to have a conference on socialism, starting just And the build up of opposition is very strong. There was a public opinion poll after the elections. in the Observer last Sunday saying We had this amazing conference in (although I might be a bit sceptical) Chesterfield last year in October. We that 39% wanted to vote Labour and 14% had expected 500 people. There was 2,000! And the second conference in June out of the whole population wanted me to win as leader of the Labour Party. 14% this year might be even bigger, because of the population represents over 6 of the leadership contest. This movement million people, which is bigger than gives people a lot of hope. Then in David Steel's party and is more than January '58 the Campaign Group discussed whether to put forward a candidate for twice as big as David Owen's support.
The AEU (the engineer's union) had the position of leader of the Labour its national committee last weekend and Party. Everyone thought it was wrong to 35% of the delegates voted for me. The do it so shortly after the general constivency support is coming in. It is elections. not that we calculated beforehand that But the presssure to stand against we would win. But what we are doing is Neil Kinnock began to build up again. I personally had many doubts about it injecting into British politics the case for socialism in a way that has not because 1 feared it would divert the attention from the Chesterfield occured for many, many years. And with conferences, that it could lead to a the growing militancy of the seafarers, miners, teachers, printers, health major defeat that would be damaging to service workers, transport workers etc the left, etc. But we consulted the there is now a mood for a stronger Movement. Ve sent letters to eévery opposition to Mrs Thatcher, for a constituency and got a very encouraging clearer opposition in the future, for response. And on the 2ist March at a the parliamentarians to be out in the meeting I did not attend they decided to nominate me and Eric. So I did not seek struggles as I was last night in Dover.
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About the people who have left the I think myself that the arguments for Campaign Group - I am sorry that they socialism are very powerful arguments at have left ‘(some of them have only left this particular moment. And it is of temporarily). One of those who left now course a foundation for whatever happens supports Prescott's campaign for deputy later. Whether we should stand for leader. So there is some confusion to election every year (as leader) is a where some of their policies really lie. tactical choice we can make later. But The Tribune Group which is supposed to it is clear that while the party is be a left wing group has now come out in being shifted to the right this argument support of Hattersley. There will be has an impact, and may even have an some clarification. Some of the people impact on the leadership. e.g. the who left the Campaign Group voted leadership actually agreed to a recently for the expulsion of Mr Brown. resolution supporting the seafarers. I So it is a bit more than an argument don't know if they would have done that about the leadership contest. It if there had not been a leadership represents a different political contest. The leadership did not support position to some extent. the. miners nor the health workers but they supported the seafarers on Vednesday. - I have had 2-3, 000 letters, running 12-1 in favour of standing as leader.
Q@: Your campaign seems to be stronger in the constituencies and weaker in the Q: How do you see your and Eric Heffer's trade unions. Why is this so? campaign relating to the class struggle A: It depends how the trade unions do outside the Labour Party? it. I have put out a letter to the trade unions saying: "Will you please consult all your members", because one of the A: I have always related the struggle in the Labour Party to the class struggle main purposes of the campaign is to get in general. During the miners strike I a discussion. If the decision is taken did 211 meetings for the miners. I went at the top, there is no discussion. If on the picket line at five pits in there is no discussion, then the Chesterfield every week. So it is not a campaign is frustrated. So we firstly new thing. But one of the arguments of have an interest in the widest our campaign is that we think all the discussion. And every constituency with MPs should support people in struggle, 5-10 wards having a discussion will make not just be limited to the parliamentary 8-12, 000 discussions on socialicn. arena, fight their case in Parliament, Secondly if you have a concentration of present a clear alternative and campaign members (in the AEU e.g. we discovered for it. It shovld be internationalist, we had 35% support) and you add all socialist and democratic in character. those minorities together you have an And I think that among the individual idea of the strength of the argument. members of the Labour Party that is what And the purpose of it is to re-establish the legitimacy of socialism in British they want.
It might be that the trade union politics. votes will go against us at the Labour Party conference because of the way the @: Will the Chesterfield conference in trade union votes work. But if the June be centred around the Benn-Heffer constituency parties give support to our campaign? campaign that would be a tremendous step A: Wo. It is broader. It is a movement if we got anywhere near half of their for socialism, not a political party. It votes. And it would make it difficult is partly because of the success of this for the leadership to dismiss socialism movement that the leadership campaign as just a product of a handful of hands, has come about. But we also hope that which is what has happened recently. socialist ideas will spread into the feminist movement, the. green movement, @: But your campaign has caused some the peace movement, the black movement, problems in the Campaign Group of Labour and the Labour Party. So the Benn Heffer MPs. Some women have left the Group and campaign is not a part of the you were not able ta get a4 woman conference, although the two are candidate for deputy leader. politically related. The Chesterfield A: It is not that it was not tried. I conference is open to all socialists, would have liked one of the two not only for the Labour Party members, candidates to be a woman. We tried to where the Benn-Heffer campaign is a persuade the obvious person, Audrey matter for Labour party and affiliated Vise, but she was not ready to do it. trade union members.
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"MANDEL, A FREEDO™M MARCH" 1st 4S nd JULY a MLE.
solidarity work with then. Recent events in South Africa clearly What we are witnessing is the growing indicate that the picture the western weakness and insecurity of the Botha media has tried to paint during the last year of Botha getting back into the regime in the face of a freedom struggle driving seat is absolutely false. which it cannot wipe out. Despite the On 24th February the South African bannings, the mass detentions, and the regime banned i? anti-apartheid brutal murders, the assessment of the organisations and 18 of their leaders.
ANC is that the mss movement of the main aim was to end the activities opposition to apartheid is too deeply of the three million-strong United rooted to suffer a long term defeat. Democratic Front (UDF) and the township Many of the organisations affected by organisations affiliated to it. AZAPO the 24th February ban were already and the detainees committees were also operating underground due to the South banned. All of these, while still being African army's occupation of the allowed to formally exist, are forbidden townships. They will by now have been from carrying out any activity joined by thousands more activists. Mass whatsoever. boycott of the coming elections to the COSATU, the million-strong trade town councils, - bodies set up by the union federation is now restricted to regime in the townships and run by purely trade union activities. The fact collaborators, - are extremely likely. that COSATU had brought the core of the The sign that Botha's clampdown did black South African working class into not prevent the National Party's base the freedom struggle by adopting the shifting rightwards towards the ANC's Freedom Charter and affiliating to Conservative and the fascist AVB is the UDF was without doubt a massive proof enough that the white racists are threat to the apartheid regime, as were starting to lose confidence in the the major strikes COSATU led last year. regime. The scene is now set for further These included the historic mineworkers repression, and though it will be more strike of last autumn and the difficult to organise, mass resistance railworkers famous victory of last looks certain to grow. summer.
The Thatcher government and the Along with the repression new ground British ruling class remain apartheid's is being broken in judicial murder. The most loyal ally. the well-known decision to hang the Sharpeville Six for dismissal of all demands for sanctions ‘having common purpose’ with a crowd by the British government and its that killed a township councillor, repeated refusal to respond to attacks though the judge himself admitted that against AWC representatives and the the six were not themselves involved in Anti-Apartheid Movement by South the killing, is naked State terrorism.
Africa's agents here in Britain, despite The crackdown in South Africa can be dossiers of evidence compiled by the directly linked to the illegal and AAM, are of great encouragement to the clandestine operations by South African apartheid rulers. It is in the interests agents in Western Europe. The mirder in of the British multinationals, which are Paris of Dulcie September, the ANC's making massive profits out of the chief representative in France, suffering of black people in south Switzerland and Luxembourg, and the Africa, to prop up the apartheid systen. attempted assassination of the ANC's Thatcher will therefore fight tooth and leading representative in Brussels are nail to ensure that it is guaranteed a the most seriovs of the recent long-term future. activities of the agents of the It is not difficult to conclude, apartheid state. These attempts by the then, that it should be a major priority South African State terror machine to for all socialists here to campaign in physically eliminate leaders of the solidarity with the liberation struggle liberation struggle are also designed to in South Africa, and to end Britain's frighten and intimidate those engaged in - \ MAWU 4 a
me I BASE BENET ee ee ——— a
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+ role as the major defender of the * + WHAT WE STAND FOR Apartheid state. ot There is no shortage of activity in Es 5 which to get involved. The Anti- * Apartheid Movement's recently launched :
Socialist Action is a monthly paper, national * d : 3 c produced in London. This_Socialist Action looks set to be the biggest event in the =~__Manchester Bulletin is produced by * history of the movement.
Ls Socialist Action supporters in Greater * Greater Manchester AA is organising Manchester and it is a local supplement »* many events here in the Manchester area * to the national paper. = throughout June and July. On Jst/2nd a 7» July when the ! __ Fre :
Socialist Action - Manchester Bulletin »* reaches the area on the way to London will once a month cover som of the + » there will be a civic reception at the campaigns, struggles and political events + Town Hall, followed by a fundraising in Greater Manchester and the North Vest. a social, and a district demonstration, to a > see the marchers on their way, on the Socialist Action - Manchester Bulletin + will look at the class struggle from‘a morning of Saturday 2nd July. There is »* * likely to be a train organised to the Marxist point of view. We think that the : national demonstration which concludes "new realism" in the trade unions will only lead the working class to more the march on ; y, the day a} before Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday. defeats. The leadership of the Labour . + GNAA also has an active and growing Party supports these "new realist" ideas » youth section which is planning a public and are not willing to mobilise or “s meeting on the subject of Mandela's life support workers, youth, Blacks or women * + and work, with speakers from the youth in struggles. We therefore have to change * these leaderships through the struggles. Sections of the ANC and SVAPO, on Friday * = - At the same time we have to support the Ju at Moss, Side West Indian * Centre. It will be followed by a self organisation of women, Blacks, » + fundraising social. youth, gay and lesbians and other * Following the stay of execution, the Oppressed groups. * need to sustain and develop the campaign * * Fighting capitalism is an international to free the Sharpeville Six is an urgent a priority. aE] task which takes many forms. The = > overthrow of the South African apartheid »* regime or a united [reland will be a big + a} blow for British imperialism and the » afternoon, It is important to remember British ruling class, but also a big step a . that it is mass pressure around the towards socialism. Victories for the : world which has helped save the live of revolutions in Central America, Palestine the six so far. and elsewhere will in the same way weaken * The campaign to isolate South Africa capitalisn. * and smash apartheid must be taken deep + »* into the labour movement. GMAA can Socialist Action also supports the * provide speakers to Trade Union and struggles of workers, youth and national ™ a Labour Party branches and is planning a minorities in Soviet Union, China, ve speaking tour with Cath O'Reilly, a Eastern Europe etc. when they demand * leader of the Dunnes Stores strike in political freedom, trade union rights, vs Fe Dublin against the sale of South African human rights, ie a socialist democracy. i} The ruling bureaucracy in these countries goods. . at have to ba overthrown by mass The activities around the ‘Mandela »* Freedom March' and the July 17th mobilisations of the workers. * + national demo must be built among labour * If you want to know more about the movement activists. It is of vital » importance that with a government so British and international class struggle i * committed to the defence of racist South’ from a Marxist point of view you are . Africa, the leaders of the labour welcome to our public meetings.- We also a ™* organise Marxist educationals. Contact us movement are forced to speak out and act * with more commitment and energy than for details.
Fs + they have shown so far. * To contact your local AA group/ GMAA/ Socialist Action - Manchester Bulletin * GMNAA Youth/ or obtain information about + c/o Bernard Gibbons, Flat 1, 173 Slade » the above events write to: GMAA, PO BOX Lane, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 2AE. a 21 (NDO>, Manchester MB 6TA. re +
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THE BURNAGE HIGH SCHooL REPORT
The report into the murder of Ahmed Moreover, by focussing on Black Ullah by a white pupil at Burnage people as ‘a problem’ the need to High School has been used as an oppose racism in the White commnity excuse to attack anti-racist policies was avoided. All white people were in schools. Yet the report actually simply written off as hopelessly states the opposite - it critices the racist and thereby excluded from any way in which anti -racist policies involvement in discussions on the were carried out at Burnage. Far from need for anti-racist policies. opposing anti-racist policies the authors of the report remain firmly Any successful anti-racist policy has in favour of the nced for policies to to challenge the racism that exists combat racism in schools. in the White community. But that cannot be done by imposing —- however Unfortunately at Burnage, it appears, well intentioned ~- policies on them. very little was actually done to They have to be involved in tackle racism. Racial harassment and discussing the need for policies to bullying went on unchecked despite combat racism. Otherwise their racism the anti-racist policies that existed is simply increased. in theory. In fact the way in which policies were implemented at Burnage Manchester City Council has, so far, may well have exacerbated racism. refused to publish the Report. Yet the issues raised at Burnage are of In fact the assumptions behind the fundamental importance for all way in which the anti-racist policies working people, Black and White. The at Burnage were carried out were in failure by the Council to open up a themselves racist. The school discussion on the issues raised is managers identified the Black playing into the hands of those who students as the problem - and are totally opposed to any antitherefore, all the policies were racist policies. geared towards the students of Afro- Carribean and Asian origins.
We need to build a campaign in the Labour Party and in the teaching The effect of such a policy was to unions in particular to discuss the increase racism amongst the white lessons of Burnage and to work out pupils and their parents as Blacks effective ways of combatting racism. were seen to be receiving privileged treatment.
II IIAI IAI IIIA IAA ISI IS ISI IIIA ISAAAK a TEN a ag a a og * The anti-racist policies failed to Day school on Ireland in Mer, * involve the whole of the Community in be * combatting racism but were imposed in Sunday Sth June - 10 am to 5 pm * a paternalistic manner on both the 7 oh * Black and White pupils and parents.
Speakers: John McGahee, * + Peoples Democracy, Belfast a Socialist Action supports the right + of Black people ta organise Redmond O'Neil, “ * seperately if they so choose. Ve have Socialist Action, London. been in the fore-front of fighting *. for Black Sections within the Labour rs Registration fee: £2 for waged, @ 1 for Pe ag ag aga + Party for example. But what happened unwaged and students. * at Burnage had nothing to do with Black people organising themselves.
For venue, readingmaterial, registration :
On the contrary, there was no real x contact: » effort to find out what Black people Bernard Gibbons, Flat 1, 173 Slade Lane, * themselves wanted.
Levenshulme, Manchester M19 2AE. + * PRADA AKAD EIA AAAAAHAAAAAAAE »