MORE THAN 600 people attended the first Campaign Forum public meeting in Lambeth town hall on 16 January. The main hall was jam packed and an Fighting racism, paigning by the Campaign Group of Labour MPs and the Labour Party Black Section, brought together Linda Bellos, leader of Lambeth council and vice chair of the Black Section, and Gul Zarina Khan also representing the Black Section, with Arthur Scargill and Campaign Group MPs Tony Benn, Eric Heffer and Jeremy Corbyn. They were joined by speakers from defence campaigns in support of Broadwater Farm, Viraj Mendis, and Trevor Monerville, and by Judith Woodward Women's Action Committee. Bernie Grant, leader of Haringey council, was seriously ill and unable to attend. His message of solidarity to the meeting was read from the platform. CAROL TURNER reports.
*I BELIEVE that this platform very important, said Linda Bellos, addressing the rally in Lambeth To manoecause we dr in the run up to a genera the have already begun to play the race card.
"In every general election in living memory they Let us hope that this platchange.
The change is that Labour isn't going to play it as well.
Addressing the theme of the meeting, Rellos explained: of the key wavs in which the elimination of racism must come about is that black people have to have the right speak for ourselves. She criticised the Labour Party which had 'consistently marginalised and betrayed black people.' 'But, she went on, 'there is a change nOW That change is witnessed by Ine kina or allacks unl people like me and Bernie ana Mere Amoury The change is that now we have black peopic l tue Lavour speaking for ourselves. The truth is and a lot of the media and certainly the Tories don't like it ing for working class black people.
Bellos urged the audience, about one-third of which was black people, 'to be in the Labour Party, not withstanding my criticisms the party' I am sorry I am unable to be with you overflow room was booked. Under the title defending Labour councils, camfor socialism' the rally, jointly organised representing the 'Only we can determine what we as black people want and need is why we have to determine our own tutures and become actively involved in the Labour Party.
"The fight against racism must be led by black people. In another situation one would take as a necessary truth. In the Labour Party it is something that has to be fought for I'm sorry to Linda Bellos went on that councils which were defending their black communic WCIC most under attack "There has to be a genuine understanding that the demands and aspirations of the black community are in fact in OCHORI ism, ' she said.
'I'm golg talk about class with its gender perspective and its perspective. We never hear it, almost as if black peo pie welch l working class 'Let US look to the pialive his country. o ple live in this country. didn't come here because of the weather. We came here to do a job of work, dirty under-paid and most of us are still tryIng to do i In other words, we are working class. And I hope the fact will come out from today s and go forward to every platform and every campaign within the labour movement.' The theme OI black people in the Labour Party Was taken up Gina Khạn, described by the chair as 'a Black Section front-line fighter, chair of Amir Khan's reinstatement campaign, who took on Roy Hattersley WOlL Gina explained she became a Labour Party member. I come trom a background the women rights. That is the culture they are brought up in.
'It is all very well for Deople in this country say that countries are undemocratic. tell you one thing we should ear in mind: we inherited from the British empirhe Gina told her pleasure, 16 years ago, at a marriage that brought her: to this women have rights. I was democracy. I didn't realise till five years ago that there isn't a democracy.' She explained that when a resolution conBlack Sections was moved at her Labour branch she hadn't them Then speaker from Black Section was invited to put the The rest is history.
Amir Khan was out of the party for for trying to set up a Black "That is the reason can tell you that Black Section is necessary TOT black people get equal within he Labour Party. And that is we are still fighting for democracy.' rally platform. for his political views and his active commitment to the Tamil struggle.
Police harassment of black youth was taken up the uncle of Trevor Monerville. Trevor was arrested on 1 January this vear. asleep in a car with a broken window.
Stoke Newington police arrested him for criminal damage.
As a result, he almost lost his life. Now he is in has undergone brain surgery, after a police beating that left him paralysed.
Speaking to the Lambeth meeting, Trevor's uncle explained this was iceburg of Stoke ington police brutality to black people.
Stafford Scott of the told the audience revenge that has followed the uprising of 6 Octobe 'We've had over 400 arrested, and out of that we've seen less than half of LOSC said Scott. people Even now charged, the courts of the Old Bailey there have been 19 cases of affray. Only.
have been found guilty, five were not found guilty and two are being sent for a retrial.' He went on: 'We know that the people in the court are not there because of any kind police As a matter of hai pole emide proves some people shouldn't be there 'In the case of one of the juveniles charged with murder (whose annot mention) he is suj osed to have said in hi Above: Black Section chair Marc Wadsworth with Linda Bellos and Arthur Scargill before the rally began; below: the Lambeth