AF DECEMBER 10th OF N CA MASSACRE 13 KILLED MINOLA POWER MA TO FREED IN NA SOUTH APRICA 16th JUNE 1976 level. ALL THE DECLARATION of the state of emergency in South Africa means a massive stepping-up of repression against the black population by the apartheid regime.
Murder, mass arrests and indiscriminate brutality, which have already been the order of the day, will be stepped up as the security forces attempt to crush the телено ино back townshins The apartheid regime faces the most widespread black revolt, and deepest crisis, in its history.
Not surprisingly, the friends of apartheid are moving in to protect the Botha government. The Reagan administration has stated that it feels deep sympathy for South Africa'. The British government, one of South Africa's chief international allies, has said that the solution to the problem is a matter for South Africa's citizens, black and white.
But if Thatcher's reply was predictable, many labour movement members will feel deep anger with Neil Kinnock's call merely for the 'withdrawal of the British ambassador for This is something even Reagan has already done!
The fact is that a particular responsibility falls on the labour movement in Britain for the situation in South Africa. Britain is South Africa's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Over 30 percent of South African exports go to Britain, and 19 per cent of British overseas investment goes to South Africa Six of South Africa's 10 largest firms are directly owned or controlled by British companies.
In the USA, the Senate and the House of Representatives have voted in favour of token economic sanctions. American imperialism is attempting to hedge its bets — it has no wish to go down with the Botha government.
More to the point however was the refusal of the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen in California in November to unload a South African ship. It is this kind of action which can give a real focus for campaigns against the apartheid regime.
The labour movement in Britain must now tun towards developing such a mass campaign at every The aim must be to win in every way the demand to "break all links with the apartheid regime.' There will be demands for economic sanctions. These should be supported but no effective steps on this will be taken by the imperialist governments -they would have to be implemented by the labou movement.
The first political step must be to demand that Britain immediately break all diplomatic links with the cond should be for
ACTioN SOCiALiSt JUST OVER a week since the Lynk breakaway was announced, the situation in the Notts coalfield remains unclear. Last week, an opinion poll showed 53 percent of Notts miners in favour of sticking with the national union. But Lynk, the Coal Board, and the press barons are doing their utmost to turn that around.
Since the Notts NUM Berry Hill headquarters