Socialist Action No. 16, 1 July 1983
The scan: 016-jul-01-1983-SA-UK.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive)
Uncorrected machine reading of the whole issue. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from the scan and has not been corrected or cut into articles. Each page gives the headlines first, then the columns in order, so one article runs on into the next. Expect misread words. Use it to find things; quote from the scan.
Page 1 scan of this page
Your next wage rise: 2 per cent
Photo: CARLOS AUGUSTO GUARITA (Photon)
MY LAST
WISH
O GIVE
lILE'S MAINS
RONNIE
FREE NIONS
LABOUR MPs joined a picket outside the Chilean Embassy last testing at the current wave of repression being meted out to workers by the Pinochet government. Union leaders called off the general strike on Sunday, which had followed most widespread and open opposition to the junta so far.
No. 16 1 July 1983 30p
SOCiALiSt
ACTION
Chile protest
RING THE
П 10 %
JUSTICE
TRADE
government week pro-
added: gentlemen.
Meanwhile, are chatting
the
— see pages 8 & 9
CHILEA
Pinochet said that the had been tolerant in allowing the two days of national protest, but
*That iS it,
the Tories to Admiral Merino from the junta, who is over here for arms talks.
• Ten years ago in Chile
Post Office
engineers fight
'Operation
Black Hole'
WHILE their Tory
management in British Telecom are stepping up the pressure on the union.
Two members of the union, the POEU, have been sent home for refusing to connect up the privately owned Mercury system to the state network.
Management have tried to get round the unions refusal to wire up Mercury by doing the work themselves at night. The POEU has responded by boycotting two buildings where this has been done. About 35,000 lines are atfected.
Management have
drawn up a strategy document called "Operation Black Hole', which aims at drawing the union rapidly into a battle on secondary aspects of the privatisation campaign such as Mercury, while preparing plans for wholesale denationalisation.
Matching
The POEU Executive is matching management move for move at present.
The Industrial Action Sub-Committee has co-opted thi leadership from the branches affected by the action, and has begun a campaion to prepare the membership for the major battles ahead.
Members of the
US Hands off
Central America
and the
Caribbean
Grosvenor Square
London W1
5 July, 4.30-7.30pm
Gerry Adams page 7
Tories want you to have in the next year.
the coming year the government should try to keep down wage increases to just 2 per health workers, postal workers, teachers, local government workers,
and steelworkers are all on the 2 per cent hit list.
The CBI and the Tories know full well that this amounts to a substantial decrease in Ical His standards for yet another year. Inflation
The inflation rate now around s per cent. Bv the autumn the government knows tul. wel that it will be up again.
The ones cynicism, in their objective of forc
was shown last week when the new Chancellor Nigel Lawson announced that in the autumn social security benefits and pensions wil go up just 3.5 percent.
Since the Tories came to power, the value of social security benefits has gone down by 25 per cent But that is not enough for Thatcher and Lawson.
As the oil revenues run out, the underlying crisis of the British economy coming home to roost. For me ones mere souv one way out — cut living stanCares al round
The Tory-CB announcement of 2 per
LNCI Branch have been brought in to work with staff of the union journal, to turn this outwards the issues facing the rank and file LNC established branch bulletin which circulates widely in the union.
The new Exec recognises this experience as important in changing ue union journal. A levy of El is
members to raise funds for what is undoubtedly going to be a long battle. And there is to be a special conference at the end of August, to prepare for wider action against the Telecoms Bill.
Picket the US Embassy
Wolfe Tone
commemoration
'WAFER THIN' - that's how the Times
the wage increases which the
At a meeting with the Confederation of British Industry, Thatcher agreed that in
The government will set an 'example' by trying to keep down wage increases for those in the public sector to this balmy
challenge the trade union leaderships.
Murray expressed a wish talks with the government. But HOW vou have COl structive talks with those determined to crush you?
The TUC must break off all talks with the government and withdra the NEDC and all joint consultative bodies We need a national plan of action against falling living standards and jobs loss.
And the leaderships of the public SCCLOT must urgently arrange on wase cans are n dustrial action • LIOSC and fight privatisation a huge public sector alliance to take on the Tories. Organise Make no mistake wage cuts were explicitly linked with job loss in the Tory-CBI statement. Now is the time to organise a fight.
Last year the health workers fought for nine months and got precious little from it •thanks to the sabotage of the TUC It's going to be une same dismal story all over again, caucis ol movement are forced into
MODERN
TIMES
I suppose the only chance we'll get now to shoot kids is in Northern Ireland...
Page 2 scan of this page
VEXT Monday a continuous blockade of the Greenham Common USAF base will begin ending on Friday 8 July. Labour movement delegations
2 Socialist Action 1 July 1983 THE MAIN REASON that Eric Heffer has put his candidature forward in the battle for the leadership of the Labour Party is that the party membership was faced with a narrow choice between Messrs Kinnock, Shore and Hattersley:
Eric Heffer.
Manchester faces
'Kangaroo court'
THE LABOUR Party
NEC is reconvening its
enquiry into the Man-
chester City Labour Par-
ty this Friday.
The City Party has
consistently fought for
council resistance to cuts
and defended the 27
will be at the base during the week to support the
Interview with Eric Heffer
for the left
laurie
PHOTO
Manchester councillors expelled from the Labour group for defending party policy.
The enquiry is expected to be a kangaroo cost cary closing Party down.
Greenham Office, 5 Leonard Street, London EC2 (01-251 3133).
Why I am standing
believe that my record as a socialist stands for itself', he says. I want to see Clause 4 defended in the wally constitution. There should be freedom of discussion. Members of ine party should not be expelled because of their portical vices.
'I don't believe that the problems of this country, or those of Europe as a
can be solved outwhole. side the context • OT democratic socialist policies.'
While he is unwilling to comment directly on other candidates, the Liver-
pudian Mo believe these
record on these questions compare. favourably with that of the other as left wing. by the media
Neil Kinnock.
While Kinnock has consistently voted on the NEC of the Party against such measures as the nationalisation of the clearing banks, total opposition
incomes policy and against the expulsion of the board, Heffer has stood up for the views of the majority of the rank and file of the party.
Battle
He is standing for the leadership Parly too because he thinks that there should be a vigorous
lead from the parliamentary platform in the battle against the measures announced In the Queen's Speech.
the countrv there needs Illass
mobilisation through the trade and labour movement to defeat ThatCICT There has to be a combination of parliamentary and extraparliamentary action in a
that • IS traditional to the British working class movement.'
The election for the leader and deputy leader has once again raised the question of how the rank and file of the trade unions should participate election as well as broader
questions of the relation
ship between the Labou Party and the trade unions. Unions
Heffer had written an article for a forthcoming issue of New Left Review six months previously on this topic. *I believe, along with Alex Kitson, that the weighting between the constituencies and the trade unions is disproportionate. I believe that the weighting of the consti. tuencies must be increased to give the rank and file activists of the Party greater say in conferences.
"Secondly,
Should be ab pot vale y
matters concering th Labour Party.
'It's completely wrong that Conservative, SDP and Liberal supporters can influence the direction of the party without paying a penny to support it'.
He thinks that, in general, NUPE's action in seeking a branch ballot on blockade's rejection of America's war plans for Europe. Further information from: London
Michael Meacher the leadership is a good one.
"The membership
The
massively the result.
radio and during the election in the absence and
media time
the Party he
rallies to reach the
This WIll
views. He thinks that
Michael
• The Heffer-
Meacher
THE NATIONAL defeat of the Labour Party on 9 June was the product of a Party leadership more interested in purging the movement of socialists, and protecting their own positions, than in campaigning for socialism.
By Jeremy Corbyn (MP Islington North)
Our election policies were the product of years of hard campaigning activity in the Party and
union branches unilateral nuclear disarma-
ment, quitting the EEC repealing the racist laws,
reversing the social spen-
ding cuts - but the NEC
and the Shadow Cabine
were the product of the
very worst kind
machine politics.
Given this basis, the
schism in the party, so
ably opened
and Healey, nevertheles expect i beh
much
damage to our cause dur
the election cam-
paign.
The Tories have
preached the
exploitation, private protie injustice and greed;
SDP/Liberal
Allance nave I
real sense preached the
same capitalist message
to some effect.
seem trite to
say it, but Labour must
go out and fight with all
struggles of the working
class, and preach a class
message of socialist
change. Capitalism can-
not provide work, an end
to discrimination against
women, an end to racism
- neither can it provide
the welfare services need-
ed. We have to hammer
out this socialist message
loud and clear; we have
national media
help us.
battles which
face us will be the mak-
of the party. That-
cher has declared war on
the working class in the
In the Unions
In Parliament
Queen's Speech, which proposes the privatising of a whole range of services, bringing missiles to Britain, a further colonial policy over the Falklands and the destruction of much of local government and the
Health Servic
There will also be an attack the trade unions which will make the 1971 Industrial Relations Act and the earlier Tebbit laws look like a
of benign
iberalism.
The only course for
PHOTO: GM Cookson
Labour to adopt is one of determined to take electing leadership
the action outside parlia ment and to defend the basic policies against rightward ideological Sill
The first meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party after the election showed just how far we have to go. The discussion on the leather bound benches, surrounded by oil paintings and oak panelling,
La million miles seemed away from the mass unemployment and poverty of the inner city, the victims of which had just elected these MIPs.
The discussion was Just as irrelevant lov, who should be the Speaker of the House -which Tory we should
, this 'nonpolitical' office. by Howevel the new parliamentary party is to the left of the last one The Campaign Group
• about 30 / members determined to link up with the left of the party and trade unions, and to take the battle against
the Tories outside parlia-
ment.
the
leadership campaign to
get
and, the absence of
Tony Benn, support can-
didates the most to the
left, and prepared to sup-
port extra-parliamentary
A number of us wish-
ed support Jo
Richardson as can-
didate. It is our loss that
sne cannot Stanu, so unli
only viable alternatives
are Eric Heffer for leader "and Michael Meacher for
deputy leader
The battle is on - to
develop the with to more members and a real
campaigning approach
But we also have to fight
to prevent a leadership
creeping in which seek:
the cemetery of the mid
dle ground of politics.
Page 3 scan of this page
News
THE QUEEN'S SPEECH at the opening of parliament last week held few surprises. Not really short, sharp shocks, but plenty of long-term and deadly policies aimed at swinging the balance once and for all firmly in favour of the
The Tories are hoping to push through their plans to cripple the unions and the Labour Party, sell off nationalised industry and build up Britain as a nuclear zone before any mass opposition can be built up to stop them.
Below we look at the real meaning of the Queen's speech, and some of the initial reactions to it. The economy
based ироп sound money and lower public borrowing.
NOW doesn't that sound nice and fair? The Tories are aiming to give us all much more: more of us on une cole. nOTe spending cuts, more opportunities change jobs, 1101C leisure time. And for the lucky few, more profits.
By Hilary Driver There is not surprisingly, no change in the Tories economic policies. In their My Government will pursuit of the goal of low persue policies designed inflation, they'li 10 increase nothing get in their way. prosperity and to reduce No doubt they'll make unemplymet. They an attempt to explain away
will seek a further reduc. the Building Societies in.
inflation. They crease in mortgage rates -will continue to maintain inaellrs.. just firm control of public ex- after the Queen's speech ben inancial sporese by blaming it on the
financial strategy unions. Trade unions
A Bill will be introduced reduced to putting crosses
give trade union on pieces of paper, as it is
memoe free control in generai cechions over their unions. Real union democracy
THE Tories walll to means the active participa-
'democratise' our unions. tion ot the mass of
They've waited some members in decision maktime to do this, ensuring ing at all levels. that mass unemployment The other major would undermine the 'reform' in this package
numerical strength and will be to reduce the millancy ot the unon. Partv's funding
before they attempt to from union members by
really put the knife in. effectively destroying the
Giving union members present, voluntary,
'greater control over their unions' is another way of able to wore to step you are political levy. And Tory workmate will yOul
explaining that there must be secret ballots before filiating the Labour
any strike or industrial ac- Party - very democratic.
tion. It seems likely that the
This will, of course, TUC true to form, will
allow unions to defend decide negotiate the
their members much more degree of their destruction
easily: 'Well, I realise that with the Tories.
machine dangerous, •We should talk with any
Fred, but you'll just have government. We should
stay on it for a few talk to them to see if
weeks until we organise a
secret ballot'. thwhile in return
Bosses will be able to Terry Duffy (AUEW)
sue unions, and union of- Fortunately, not all
ficials tor losses incurred union leaders are prepared
during strikes or actions to play dead:
where ballots aren't held.
'We shall resist these pro-
They are proposing a ban posals, taking extra-
on strikes in essential ser- parliamentary action if
vices. we must, against attempts
The unions should be o remove amous.
democratised. and union In my view they con-
leaders elected regularly stitute straight forward
and subject to recall, but violation of civil rights'.
democracy cannot Arthur Scargill (NỮM) Privatisation
Legislation will be in- Telecom' to the highest
troduced to prepare for bidder (see report on page
the introduction of 16? of the fight against the
private finance into na- Bill).
tionalised industries. But although the fight
THE government are go- of Telecoms workers will
ing. reintroduce be the immediate focus oi
notorious Telecom- the fight against privatisa-
munications Bit and selll tion, the lories are aiming
off 51 per cent of British at a much larger range of
Local government
Legislation will brought forward to provide a selective scheme to curb excessive rate creases local authorities, and to provide a generar power jor the limitation of rate in-
for all authorities.
Proposals will be prepared for the abolition of the GLC and the metropolitan county councils. Legislation will be introduced to reform the organisation public transport in London.
The CONSERVATIVE SUN-RAY TREATMENT
publically owned industry and services than this.
Their plans for local government, the health service, education and council house sales are all linked to a drive to replace
essential services with profit chasing.
In
love to
has been
on.
massive
But
along
rate
money
The Rail,
British National
ing off
would dearly
they have
an unpopular
way round
callDaleil.
can be by going Thatcher's
This
benetit local
roposed abo
, the
North Sea oil,
the Bus Company
in-
position to these and other plals
"Taking London Trans port away from the GLC and placing it under a non-elected quango will present cheap fares policy and see higher fares and worse services
'We will do everything in our power to resist this outrageous take-over by central government and will be launching a major campaign to resist these Ken Livingstone (GLC,
CRADLE TOOLD ACE
CONSERVATIVES YOU-
Maternity Welfare Beller heals insur ae
зна дое телякин ві ми VOTE CONSERVATIVE
dustry and services to the highest bidder, they are aiming to decimate them by closures and withdrawal of subsidies. To me neiin partiving
following close on the heels of their almost total destruction of the steel industry.
Socialist Action 1 July 1983 'Law and order'
A Bill will be introduced to replace the existing law on the prevention of terrorism. Legislation will be brought forward to modernise the law on police powers and amend the of criminal evidence. A Bill We be tooter to t prove family law and its THEN Tories have THE Tories been thinking ahead. They realise that their policies
to be cepted meekly by workers, and are taking out an insurance policy in the form of the Police and Crimina Evidence Bill.
This will ensure they keep the hand strikes, riots and other disorders unacceptable to the ruling class.
Another increase in Police powers comes with the introduction of a new prevention terrorism act. This repressive and draconian legislation is to
extended to glve. the police rights to arrest and detain any suspected terrorists, and not just Irish people
To relieve the current and expected prison overcrowding the Tories will b opening two new prisons each year and recruiting I,260 more prison ficers.
te covernment dal to provide nearly 5,000 more places I01 10 new prisons by the end of the '80s
Another change legislation will be in the divorce laws. A proposed Bill will abolish the present
divorce within the first
Not marriage, which is to be welcomed.
But it will prevent any chances of divorce in the first year, when often the most extreme cases violence against women occur.
The press have mad much of these proposals Ireland
In Northern Ireland, my
government will con-
tinue to give the-highest
priority to law and order.
Through orater
Ireland Assembly, the
Northern
Ireland will continue to
be offered a framework
for participation in local
democracy and political
progress on the basis of
widespread acceptance
throughout the Coll
munity
ROUGHLY translated,
this of 1984-style
newspeak reads as follows.
We don't have any new
ideas what to do about the
nationalist resistance. in
the North
What we do know is
that our army Can Con
tinue to murder people
Arms and war
My government will ...
modernise the existing
nuclear deterrent
(Trident) neal int
deployment of cruise and
Pershing
the end of 1983 con
tinue Jully to discharge
their obligations to the
the Falkland
people o
Islands.
SO IF all else goes wrong
Thatcher will at least be in
a position to help the US
to blow up the world. Or
perhaps if the resolute ap-
proach looks like flagging,
they could start a war with
Spain over Gibralta,
3 ending the 'meal ticket for nie or alvorcea womel, a fallacy constructed out of a tew excentional cases most divorced women don't reality receive financial support
Maintenance will still be awarded for the support of children, but the aim will be financial seltsufficiency.
It sounds like a good sentiment — many women object to being dependent on men anyway. But until women ave solic did real equality, especially economcaly then it is a nonsense for the courts to treat men ana women l divorce and maintenance judgements as equal part ners. 'It's early to comment on the Police Bill in detail, but if the press specula. tion is correct then it's
madness to suppose that having independent prosecutors and tape recor-
dings are going to be an
sort of safeguard. Ce
we're concerned. If this Bill is
there'll be a fight!
"The divorce law
reforms are based on the
myth of women being
alimony drones, . wher
most women don't receive any. Basically,
this Bill is just tinkering
with the present laws.
Legal Action Group
with plastic
bullets, and terrorise them
into accepting British rule
To give an impression
of democracv
have your own Assembly
If some of you stubbornly
refuse to participate, we
will think up yet anothe
pretend-democrati
scheme to give the impres-
sion we're doing
something.
'Sinn Fein stood in the
election on a radical
republican platform, in
the socialist republican
tradition of Connolly and
Pearse.
'We are winning and we
will be victorious in driv.
ing the British out of
Ireland.
Gerry Adams MP (see
page 7)
China over Hong
Kong?
'The Tories have no man-
date for installing the
missiles. As far as CND is
concerned, the general
election hasn't changed a
Lung
'We are organising a ma
jor demonstration on 22
October which will show
the Conservative govern-
ment that in going ahead
with their plans to install
the missiles, they are ac
ting against the wishes of
the majority of the
population
Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament
Page 4 scan of this page
4 Socialist Action 1 July 1983
IRELAND
UNFREE
'Of course the
Provos can win'
AS reverberations over the Sinn Fein election victory continue in the North, a surprising interview with Ballymurphy Wilson, took place on RTE — the Southern radio network which has banned Sinn Fein from the airwaves.
On the Day by Day programme, Fr. Wilson said the British government nical' in Northern Ireland and would have to go.
He thought that it was just a sophism to that while the Provisionals could never lose, they could never win either.
'I think they can win. The British government is an evil governmct as lal astne peopiem lne wortn wao nave lo watch people suffering from it are concerned. It must now be removed from the schene. Ine question is how? Obviously it is not going to respond to anything except a lot of force.
The interviewer stepped in to ask whether the Loyalists would resist. Fr. although 'the Protestant minority in Ireland was the most heavily armed, the most clearly organised
protected minority in Europe', convinced that a rising against any new arrangement could be prevented.
He disagreed that the recent high vote for Sinn rein was a violence, violence had to be reintepreted.
Gerry Adams
'The vote was a vote for Sinn Fein that told them: look, solve this problem once and for all. Do it by non-military means if you can. But if you have to use military means, all right, you.' Fr. Wilson said that the themselves into a position of depending 'almost pathetically' upon clerical support, and proposed that they should sit down with Sinn Fein and the
Although this final note seems to contradict the main stands head and shoulders above the whacky proposals coming from the Methodist Assembly held in Enniskillen should be turned into an EEC protectorate.
Dublin building
workers strike LAST week all major building sites in Dublin were closed and main roads into the city blocked as construction against unemployment levels of up to 45 per cent in the industry.
All nine building unions participated in the day of protest and construction machinery was used to make the road blockages effective.
The government has been trying recently to deflect opposition to massive tax increases by preposing new cuts in State expenditure. But as pay talks collapsed which offered teachers, civil ser-
health and local paltry 6 per cent spread over 15 months, and the Labour Court look like bending to bus workers' wage demands, resistance is being prepared.
priest, Fr. Des
had been 'utterly tyran-
Da.
can win', he said, 'of course they
Wilson replied that
The was
because, he said, we'll support SDLP had got
points of fr. Wison's aroument. it stil
which proposed the 6 Counties.
workers protested government workers a
JOBS
THE ANNUAL Youth CND conference in Manchester on 2-3 July will be the first major opportunity for debate in the disarmament movement since the general election.
youth movement in the last year including the hugely successful May 'Rock demonstration.
The festival was al Lence or 70,000 people making Youth CND Britain's biggest vouth move. ment and the fastest growing wing or tae disarma-
YCND National Office at now ere somers at the rate 500 per month.
The YCND's conter ence's main 10b will be to build on this through more testivals. allu ches, national and locally, and further The main focus for the conference will be the job of building the 22 October demonstration in London as part of a massive international day of action.
Reflecting this international dimension a motion cans coasteriadonai youth conference on disar-
enormous boost in many Guropean countnes wriere
A PIECE
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
WRONG WITH ME - I JUST
CAN'T GET WORKED UP
RBOUT THE LABOUR PARTY
LEADERSHIP ELECTION....
DON'T DISTURB ME:
I'M DREAMING ABOUT 3 LA TICKET.
NOT
NO TRID
YCND is the fastest growing part of the disarmament movement
YCND debates strategy
will also mark the meteoric growth of the
the Bomb' festival and
youth, are not separately
organised or where youth
committees
established
recently. It also poses the
possibility interna-
tionally coordinated youth
aluvilies.
By Piers Mostyn
But above all the con-
ference will be trying to answer the question 'How
can we stop the missiles?'
With the re-election of a reactionary Tory government totally committed to nuclear madness, this question is a very serious one. If Thatcher was com-
pletely unmoved by the denies or ten so mucel
strikers, she won't be moved by individual protest at missiles sites.
There is a danger that, in the face of these difficulties, activists will
: OF THE ACTION
DREAM TICKET!?!
THE WHOLE THING IS MORE LIKE NIGHTMARE... • WITH MORE THAN A TOUCH OF «FARCE.
EMBER 192
either move increasingly towards desperate direct alliull _ resulting in more hardship and ultimate demoralisation • or towards Increasing cynicism and inaction.
Youth CND has a good record of standing by the demands of the movement for unilateral disarmament and Britain out of NATO It is expected that this will be re-affirmed this year's conference.
Youth CND has also always identified with the most active wing of the movement exemplified in lne recent past by lne Greenham women but also has tought tor mass action by the labour move-
A resolution proposing a march to the TUC Blackpool from Manchester will be a focus for such a campaign alongside a proposed conference for young trade unionists.
These and other issues will oe laken up al an LPYS fringe meeting organised on the Saturday, featuring speakers from the labour Greenham and the People's March for Jobs.
" DAVID OWEN...J
Briefing calls
for national
journal
LONDON Labour Briefing has called for a national meeting of Briefing groups on Sunday 3 July in London.
The meeting will spend most of its time discussing proposal for a 'National Brieting Supplement', which would effectively serve as a national focus for the forces who have been involved, at constituency level, in setting up local Briefings and left wings.
If such a development does take place it would be a vital step. At national level there is a vacuum in the leadership battle because of Benn's failure to reach parliament.
Kinnock's advance is a product lett's failure to effectively challenge the right.
Briefing has been the focus for spectacular ad-
Witch hunt
Camden Town Labour Against Witch
will be to
Labour ference.
Any
other bodies send observers.
Icauci sully show wny this
neeting will be importan Three out of four call didates for the leadership have a record of supporting, and voting for, the expulsion of socialists from the Labour Party.
Only Eric Heffer and
FARCE? JUST WAIT..) JIM CALLAGHAN IS ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE HIS OWN S PERSONAL CHOICE... /
News vances lat local level, in. particular hen ingstone's rise to prominence.
It has helped create for organising the left and for leadership challenge in the party. But progress depends on national advance: on a national torum which the left can prepare a long, , organised battle to rebuild itself and the party in and through a long-term challenge to the right wing and Kinnockite leaders in both the Labour Party and the unions.
If Briefing succeeds in translating its local sueinto arena by involving such forces as Ken Livingstone in sustained drive organise the left wing na tionally, it will have made a start in solving the crisis of the left. • Details: Briefing. Con ference, 23 Leghorn Road London NWII.
LABOUR
BRIEFING
resistance planned
Michael Meacher, have consistently opposed pulsions. Yet the 'dream ticket of Kinnock and Hattersley is being pushed forward as a great unifier of the party!
LAW is campaigning around two model resolutions. One, in support of *Green wich amendstention, theld guarantee ment' the con. the right of all groups to organise inside the Party The second calls the reinstatement five expelled members of Militant's editorial board Be there on 2 July to make sure these resolutions are passed in October. • Details: L.A.W secretary, Keith Lichman, 11 Wilderton Road, London N16 (802 1709).
THAT'S AN ABSURD IDEA! WHY, THERE WOÜLDN'T BE MORE THAN THIRTY MEMBER OF THE PLP WHO WOULD VOTE FOR 1 нІM...
Page 5 scan of this page
News
Gay Pride in Mexico, 1982 MANJIT KAUR and Parveen Khan are two Asian women who have both been fighting to stay in the country for over 12 months. The Home Office is trying to deport them and their children as 'illegal immigrants'.
plementary benefit and child benefit, even though their children were born citizens.
blems faced by black women at the receiving end of Britain's racist and sexist immigration laws.
Manjit was married in India in 1974. She arrived
her husband.
were many pressures on the marriage,
husband's
Pregnant
During this period Manjit was pregnant and
health was deteriorating. She was admuneo lo nosota or six weeks and gave birth to a aaugnier, Palbinder, 1981.
Marriages break down all the time, and women are forced into destitute positions. However the onsequences for Manji Kaur and other black women are multiplied.
by novemder 1981 ner marrage had broken DOWI and Manjit Palbinder moved to the
Women's Refuge, Aslali
Asian women threatened with
deportation or starvation
At the same time the DHSS is refusing them sup-
There and are British
Manjit Kaur's story illustrates vividly the pro-
where she began to build • her own lite Manjit began to receive benetit when she moved into the retuge. She was constantiv asked produce her passport tor no apparent reason, except that she is black.
In April 1982 the pay-
Sped and she received a leter trom the DHSS stating "Iney Deen in touch with the Home Office and were told that she was an overstayer and therefore no longer entitled to any benefits'
Denied
Palbinder has been denied child benefit even though she British CilIzIl. and Hlas a legal right to child benefit.
By denying child benefit the DHSS has taken upon itself the role of implementing immigra-
Partio Reduciorin el Trabajadore
PRESENIE
KNETH
Manjit Kaur and Palbinder
tion policy, and the Home Ultice appears quite han pey to see Manjit starved out of the
The Khan and Kaur Defence can be contacted c/o 593 Stockport Road Longsight, Manchester 12 (061-225 5111).
What you can do
Gerald Kaufman House of Commons, London, demanding Manil ane arveen should stay and be paid supplemen-
SUS tary and child benefits.
sere cones o vour own MP; Leon Brittan, Home Office, Queen Anne's Gate, Lonaon, vorman Fowler, DHSS, Alexandra House, Elephant and Castle,
LOn don. Get vour Union Branch Women's Group, and local party branch to do the same
sent conaions ine Khan and Kaur families Defence Campaign the ramires can be suooorreo un til they win their struggle.
people.
prison with no charge brought against them. murder of gays is common he
against background of repression I1 SUCICLi 'at large. oren encouraged by the state, that gays have begun organise. The first groups were small and clandes-
the situation has changed dramatically and gay pride marches have been held annually.
On 26 June last year 4000 marched through Mexico citv on the annua Gay Pride demonstration.
The atmosphere festive, with music, balloons, brightly oured banners and flags, and with the marchers in colourful dress.
The mood of festivity was intended CHLAŘI, the
the National Coalition of Les bians and Homosexuals, to be in contrast general conditions of gay existence in Mexico.
In the south-centre of the country, and especially in Guadalajara, the third city of Mexico, where machismo is strongest and the Catholic church has
SPUC
adverts
MORE right wing reac-
tionaries are following in
the footsteps of Saatchi
Saatchi's Tory adver-
tising campaign.
The Society for the
Protection Un-
born Child (SPUC) took
out page adver-
tisements in at least two
national newspapers
weekend, the Daily
Mirror and the Observer
It is clear that the
anti-abortionists alt
building up for another
legislation
restrict even further
woman's right to choose,
probably again the
form of Private
Member's Bill.
Anti-abortion agen-
cies offering pregnancy
counselling are stepping
up their advertising, two
million anti-abortion
enes were estanet
door to door over Easter,
and SPUC LIFE
held an anti-abortion ral-
last weekend (see
report on back page).
All this makes it even
more urgent to build the
largest possible atten-
dance at the next
tional Abortion Cam-
paign conference in the
autumn.
• National Abortior
Campaign, 374 Grays
Inn Road London
WCI. 01-278 0153.
Labour Abortion Rights
PO Box 110,
London SE2I. Lamparon
Mexican gays
on the march
IN MEXICO there is a savage repression against gay Their clubs are raided. Gays are often flung into
The
greatest hold, the
Gays from working class
nee bonstands lise with
Colistall risk
violence from macho
heterosexual men, and are
subjected in-
timidation and extortion
oy une ponce
Grupo Lambda an of lesbians
orzanisauul
/ men, and lesbian
organisation, the initials
of which stand for Strong
Women Warriors Who
•Spread Flowers on the
Road, now lead gay
resistance. They came
together in 1981 to form
CHLARI, both
organise the Gay
Pride march and to sup-
Dorl une cecuor camoay
that year of Rosario Ibarra
de Piedra, the presidential
candidate of the PRT
(Mexican section of the
Fourth International).
By Tim Rigby
The role of the PRT
has been important in the
growth of the gay move
ment, for it was comrades
of the PRT who were cen-
the building of
Grupo Lambda, and the
PRT is the only political party Mexico which
stand intransigently for gay liberation.
The 1982 elections allowed the PRT and CHLARI to reach out to parts of the Counta
MALE
ORDAR
If women had glass tummies woulo they ever have abortions?
Socialist Action 1 July 1983 5 previously untouched by organised gay or revolu tionary left politics. Thess organisations are now touch with and giving support to the women workers of the free trade factorie strung the Unitedr the border with the States These factories take parts imported from the US Europe and Japan for final assembly and re export.
Escaped
To escape labour pro tection clauses in the Mex3Cal and to exploit a source of cheap labour, emplo
and on 90-day CUlI tracts. Many of these women run single parent families, and many are les bians They are becoming organised both on the basis of their op DICOSION WOIKCIS and their sexual oppression.
It is typical of gays in Mexico to see their struggle part of the class struggle and to identify themselves with the fight for revolutionary social
• Their liberation will never come about, the! believe, until the Mexican state is overthrown, as the governing party, the PRI supports and reinforce the machismo which ha been a vicious source of oppression for women and gays for centuries pas!.
The position of Mex. ican gays was summed on the banner on the Gra Pride march which pro claimed: 'Nobody is fres until we all are free'.
Page 6 scan of this page
Solidarnöse uses Pope's visit to mobilise
6 JARUZELSKI and the other leaders of the Polish Communist Party must now regard the Pope's visit decidedly mixed blessing. On the one hand his public appearances with the CP leaders have given the govern-
limited Church sanction. On the other hand, his defence of the 1981 Gdansk agreements which legalised Solidarnose has enabled the
militants mobilise demonstrations against the government. It should not be thought that the Pope has given his unconditional approval to the Solidarnose underground far from it. He has played a
more subtle game.
The Pope's main that there was
ciliation' between 'society' and Ine "government between Jaruzelski and Solidarnosc. In this reconciliation, course, the Church would play the crucial role as mediator. Jaruzelski realises that he cannot afford to make a complete Dreak WITER LIE Church, and has done all
6411 privileged relations with it.
First
In fact, the Pope was one of the first people to know that Jaruzelski's 13 December 1981 coup was
preceeding even* Polish am-
Resistance
under
martial
law
much-needed opportunity
ment has been lessened by the repression.
building of the movement.
The first phase of the resistance consisted of the strikes arallist the December 1981 coup. The EUSL notable a cas of resistance were Gdansk, where the strike at the Lenin shipyard was crushed after four days, and
in streets were put down with
workers went on strike throughout the countrv but resistance was crushed
the military. In Silesia 30 workers including 12 miners were killed.
A the next si strug-
gles, the next sign resistance was the publication of Solidarity journals. By April the publication in the Lenin shipyard Gdansk Solidarnosc could claim a circulation
Socialist Action 1 July 1983 bassador visited the Pope and made a deal. If the Polish church kep quiet for 48 hours, there would
no repression against supported Solidarnose, and repres-
would be minimal.
church faithfully kept its side of
bargain and failed to speak out against the
nue mall cone ol the Polish church has always been to maintain its own position. To do that it has manoeuvred between
government and Solidarnose.
in the davs immediate. ly following the coup the
meeting places Solidarnose supporters were the churches.
Aid
The Church has utilised its resources to organise aid for the relatives of the detainees. But at the same time Cardinal Glemp,
ch, has urged moderation
for strikes, for example in November 1982 and again before May Day 1983.
During 1982 the Polish bureaucracy made a big attempt to win the Church to its 'normalisation'฿ process. activities were given great pro-
of church
uilding took olace. discussions started for the Pope's visit. But the bureaucracy had to pay a price.
Both the Pope and Glemp understand that Solidarnose has won fundamental loyalty and following among the Polish workers, and it would be disastrous break their links with it.
On the other hand,
GDANSK
SOLIDARITY activists have utilised the Pope's visit to show their strength. The open-air masses were a
for the underground resistance to mobilise support, and to hearten the millions of followers whose contact with the move-
He gave the activists the chance to hasten the re-
of 60,000, and many other journals had a circulation of 20-30,000. The Solidarivaluaure source of infor- journals were an mation and co-ordination.
April 1982 the Interim • (ork) of Solidar- Committee (TKK) of nosc was formed, with leaders from four of the regions of Solidarnosc, including Bogdan Lis and Zbigniew Bujak. The TKK became the effective leadership of the underground.
On 28 April 1982 workers the Lenin shipyard in Gdansk staged a fifteen minute strike call- 6. ing for the release of all detainees. THESE mass demonstrations against martial law took place on 1 May. 60,000 people
they don't want a move-
which men! assume revolutionary proportions and takes 'extreme ac-
As Polish LILE workers rebuilds, the Catholic Church wants to maintain maximum intluence Activists
Solidarnose activists have been quite right to utilise Pope's statements to demonstrate support for their movement.
temporary boosting of the Church's prestige.
But it would be wrong to conclude that Solidarnose will now become an effectively Catholic movement. In a certain sense it always has been, in that virtually all its supporters are Catholic. But that doesn't mean that they will now meekly submit to the authority Archbishop lemp or war lner goals will be confined to those of the Church.
ine Polish workers have charged through the
obered up li t Pope. But the Pope doesn't lead Solidarnosc Socialists should defend
right Polish workers their organisations of struggle.
If the Pope gives that movement a boost, and goes directions he doesn't want. this Is nis contradication, not ours.
Finally, we should note that the Pope's manoeuvering
that LIC Catholic hierarchy - in Warsaw and Rome
- IS political from beginning to
When the Pope clu. tacks left wing priests in Latin America it's because he disagrees with their
Necause they're political.
MWUV
demonstrated in Gdansk, and large demonstrations
. Ially OLICI towns. Further demonstrations took place on 3 May.
At the appeal of the TKK, more demonstraLOTS LOOK place on May. Over 2,000 people were arrested in this wave
demonstrations, and many more were. sacked after the 13 May strike.
Solidarity began to suffer from the effects of the repression. Moreover. the repeated demonstrations and the repression which followed them threw up a debate about the perspecLIVe Lne movement. Could Solidarity bring COWE governmen through a general strike?
Would of organising 'counter: SUCICLY. be necessarv! Could Solidarity force some sort of accord on the government?
These problems of perspective became centrated in the TKK ap-
Solidarnosc activists take to the streets
peal for a strike on 10 November 1982 - the second anniversary of the registration of Solidarity.
The strike was not success, and demonstrations were small. Workers knew that they would face sacking and perhaps worse if they came out on strike. Without doubt, the failure of the TKK strike caused widespread demoralisation.
The day after the failure of the strike, Jaruzelski announced the release of Walesa who was 'a private citizen and no longer a threat to public order'. What role would Walesa play? At
first he said little.
Rumours abounded that his release had been part of a deal between the Church and the govern-
Had Walesa sold
out? And who was now the leadership of Solidarity Walesa or the TKK?
The alls we this
Walesa's SCUICI meeting with the TKK leadership which resulted in the call for demonstrations May Day.
Lech Walesa himself said he would celebrate Mav Day workers celebrate May Day'
for Landacil demonstrations against the regime.
The lull and demoralisation following the failure the November strike was being overcome. Tens of thousands turned out on May Day. The Pope's visit gave Solidarity militants Ene cover deepen the rebuilding of their move-
boycotted the
observers.
sion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
the CND Bloomfield of the Communist
ment Charter was also ended by police intervention.
International
Czech police break up demonstrations THE CZECHOSLOVAK government is playing host to a lavish 'peace congress' in Prague, to which hundreds of supporters of Western I Euro. pean peace movements have gone. But the Euro pean Nuclear Disarmament Campaign (END) ha:
congress because all independent pcace movements in bastern curope nave been refused permission to attend. CND has sent two
Last week police broke up demonstrations by Czech youths who marched through Prague chanting 'we want freedom'. It was the first known demonstration of its kind since the Russian inva-
including Jon Party, held a meeting with leaders of the Czech dissident move.
'77. This meeting, held in a park, •
Page 7 scan of this page
Surplus Value
Every June at Bodenstown in Ireland the Republican Movement holds a commemoration at the graveside of Wolf Tone. Tone and the United Irishmen were Influenced by and part of the international convulsions inspired by the revolutions in America and France at the end of the eighteenth century,
Tone wanted democratic Ireland with a secular state that was free from British rule. And he saw the struggle for this based on 'the men of no property'. The United Irishmen led a rising that was brutally put down, resulting In the formal colonisation of the Island by Britain.
Sinn Fein - who won 42 per cent of the nationalist vote at the
see themselves as the inheritors of the Wolf Tone tradition.
The annual commemoration
- an Important event in the Republican calendar - centres on a polley speech by one of the movement's leaders. This always been the signpost to the political direction andstrategy adrocated by Sinn Fein and the IRA. This year's commemoration was held on 19 June and the speech was by Gerry Adams, newly elected MP for West Betfast, We reprint his speech below:
IN MAY 1795, Wolfe Tone and his Belfast friends of the United Irishmen met at Mac Art's Fort on the summit of Cave Hill. Most of the inner circle of that revolutionary movement were present and they pledged themselves never to desist in their efforts until they had subverted' authority of England over our country and asserted their independence.
Today 188 years later, we are gathered here at Tone's grave, to renew ourselves in our republican faith and to pledge ourselves, like those on Cave Hill, 'Never to desist in our efforts until we have subverted the authority England over our country asserted our independence'. That is the message which goes from Bodenstown graveyard British government today.
We unapologetically without reservation deny the right of the British parliament to make law for Ireland. We assert that the British government has no rights to Ireland or rights in Ireland. declare that our independence must be had at all hazards and we defend the right of all Irish people to engage in armed struggle pursuance of that independence and in resistance to the British presence in our country.
First
Wolfe Tone was the first to preach revolution in Ireland. He was not and will not be the last. He articulated the necessity of breaking the British connection, the right of our people to be free, the need for unity of Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter gospel of anti-sectarianism and Irish seperatism. was a radical and a revolutionary. His work remains unfinished and his theories have yet to be implemented and thus it is important, and customary, for us to examine how far along the road we have travelled since we last assembled here at Bodenstown.
Tone's philosophy and the evolution of republicanism since his time, and this cannot be stressed enough, is only relevant to Ireland today insofar as we can make it so. Unless we make
republicanism living philosophy capable of meeting the needs of our people, our struggle and
legacy of Wolfe than the academic hieh-minded visions of yesterday or yesteryear.
While the fundamental tenets of republicanism valid, we have a duty to interpret and to develop our republicanism so that it meets today's political conditions and so that it becomes a coherent social and political philosophy. There no such thing as theology. We need a living political ideology, based firmly on republican principles and always open to refinement, re-appraisal and self-criticism. We make our polities the polities of ordinary people. the of and vastly different conditions which exist
in both partitioned parts of this island - the direct effects of partition itself - and the uneven development and the
politicisation of our own movement.
are hurdles which we have to surand
example from the people of the North - and I suggest this not from any
because that is where our successes We
cent electoral support amongst nationalist voters and the gains we made in
dramatically by a massive 60 per cent
both these election campaigns under
harrassed on a daily basis by the RUC and the British army, a number of us were arrested, our stand in the election was condemned by the British
of the Catholic hierarchy, by all Pro-
Democratic and Labour Party.
Unionist parties organised electoral the
pacts against us, the Alliance party
order to maximise the anti-Sinn Fein vote, our polices were misrepresented acclulale moral pressures and condemnations unprecedented since the Civil War. It was Sinn Fein versus everyone else. Despite this we set as our primary tactical objective the winning of 90,000 votes. On 9 June we secured 102,701 volts. I would like on your denall lo congratulate all our election workers on their victory and I would like to
"in the socialist
republican tradition
viable thank and every one of those 102,701 voters.
Rinne siad obair
republicanism and the Tone are no more
remain
republican
He ensured that I, or any
have a lot to say on that subject. the
of Connolly and Pearse"
Gerry Adams' Bodenstown speech
congratulate each and
maith leis is men and votai. Go raibh mile maith agaibh.
became clear, everything else became obscure. Before 9 June we were told that a vote for Sinn Fein would be a vote for the IRA. After 9 June we were told, well ahem, the Sinn Fein vote can't really be interpreted as a vote for the IRA and our opponents tried vainly to explain away our success. We also had the ridiculous spectacle of establishment figures lining up to tell us that they won't talk to
will or any
Peter Barry played it really safe.
member of Sinn Fein, couldn't talk
atrocious Section 31 as his medium. Nobody thought of asking us whether we were interested in talking to Garret
Barry. I am sure you people would
All these contradictions, and others besides, have come clearly into focus because Sinn Fein have won the leadership of the anti-imperialist peo-
republican veto and because we have
leadership to sell out those they purported to represent in the past. We have started on the road to building a strong, dynamic political movement throughout the six countries and we will continue to make gains and to increase our vote as this development, the broadening of our struggle and
of our gains pro-
the socialist republican tradition of Connolly and Pearse. We gave people an alternative and they responded to us. Our vote will not go away and it winning and we will be victorious in driving the British out of Ireland and achieving what all those others lack
the struggle in the six counties, and
women Volunteers of the IRA. Sinr Fein defends, not through any sense of bravado or fixation with physical force but through necessity the right defence. frish peopleaveihe rightis
British presence. The IRA need no electoral mandate for its armed struggle. It derives its mandate from the presence of a foreign government on Irish soil and stands on the same right signatories of the 1916 proclamation
other Irishmen and women who took the painful but correct position that the British government, scornful of the force of argument will listen only to the argument
There are those who tell us that
government will not be moved by armed struggle. The history of Ireland and of British colonial involvement throughout the world tell us that they will not be moved by
It is fitting, and I am glad of the opportunity therefore to pay tribute
to the freedom fighters of the IRA. By their determination and courage the
women Volunteers of Oglaigh na hEireann have won the admiration of progressive nationalists throughout Ireland and of freedom loving peopic mougaoul lue world.
They have assured by their tenacity and resilience that they, and thus we. can never be defeated and that for as long as the British government maintains its presence in our country, they will be faced by armed
The IRA is the assertion and the guarantee that our will as a people to be free is stronger than the
British government to
armed struggle is one used especially in the 26-counties by the establish-
All of the Dublin parties paint a horscrambling into the Freestate to create
26 counties need no reminding thai eveat comore mad em th poticians themselves know full well, as does any
against Freestate forces and institu-
the six counties against a governmen
part to play in the development of the
people here is of colossal importance 32-county wide political movement -capable of linking the local struggles
farmers, women and gaelogoeri with
counties need to be matched by a
British government cannot exist ir Ireland without Dublin collaboration and that the Dublin government has
In regard, but we have also to realise that enough, accept Freestate institutions
republican politics, to undermine the development of our struggle and is to
Socialist Action 1 July 1983
have a basic flaw in our analysis. has to be stressed that the people o the six counties cannot secure Irish i dependence and the conditions of ou Irish Republic, on their own. A fir foothold and a living, versatile relevant organisation in Souther politics is vital. We must appl ourselves to that objective.
We know, as Tone declared, tha 'We have no national government: » are ruled by Englishmen and the ser vants of Englishmen, whose object the interest of another country, whos instrument is corruption and who strength is the weakness of Ireland.
Leinster House with patronage, double standards and co ruption has become the Tamman Hall of what passes for Irish politic As unemployment figures increa and the dole queues lengthen, as sma farmers and consumers, the old an socially deprived bear the brunt Dublin parties by way of tempora diversion from the effects of the
are engaged in th farcical Dublin Forum.
Forum
peop 26 counties increases we must stru
strugg
With all this in mind, the drawi
CICH facil
firm foothold and a strong organis
ber developed by the Dublin establis
it applies itself, is our organisation
We can be assured if Wolfe To firmly with us — and leader writers
but we can be assured also that would stay with us only for as long
the task before us.
also, and this is his message to us. I
strategi and revolutionary tactics to comb
tions and their statements, that
well in the six counties will spread the whi
realist
principled leadership at all levels
do anything less is to shirk our de
the
also and most importantly of the of
republican faith. There is work to done. Let us do it.
sin, mor a duirt na fir pluid agus mna Ard Mhaca, Tiochfaidh ar la
Page 8 scan of this page
CHILE: 29 JUI
Chilean
workers
TEN YEARS after the military coup which crushed the workers' movement, the people of Chile are rising again. The Pinochet regime is in deep, deep trouble.
As we go to press, the strike of the independent truck owners — who ironically played a signficant part in the downfall of Allende - continues to paralyse the north of the country.
The present wave of struggles reflects the rebuilding of the workers movement, after years of repression and terror.
The unrest surfaced with the day of action on 11 May. Thousands of people demonstrated in Santiago, Valparaiso and Concepcion, chanting 'Pinochet murderer' and 'jobs, bread, justice and freedom'.
After the 11 May action, hundreds of men and youths were rounded up by the police. Four leaders of the copner workers union were arrested. and two of them held in custody. A further day of action was held on 14 June, with an even bigger mass pro-
The opposition to the regime has been spearheaded by the copper workers, especially at the giant El Tienente mine, and by the truck drivers. Despite the fact that the truck drivers are self-employed, they have seen their standard of living driven down by the chronic economic crisis in Pinochet's Chile. The sections of the middle class who helped to bring down Allende have now turned against the military regime.
The call for a general strike against the regime was launched by the National Workers Command which includes the truckers and miners. The immediate reasons for calling the strike were the sacking of 900 copper workers, and the continued imprisonment and ill treatment of union leaders. Leaders of the union of hotel and restaurant staff have
Defend the workers of
El Salvador and Chile!
Sundar
8 Socialist Action 1 July 1983
rise again
started a hunger strike against the repression.
The response to the general strike call was patchy. Many workers were afraid to go on strike, for fear of being arrested or worse, and for fear of losing their jobs in a country where unemplovment is 20 per cent. Moreover, union leaders had problems in making the strike call known - the media were instructed by the regime not to report the strike call or its consequences. But whether or not this particular strike call is heeded, the days of Pinochet's regime is numbered.
The whole of Chilean society is in turmoil. During the 14 June day of action. students for the first time in years took to the streets, barricading themselves in the Marcul Campus and shouting anti-government slogans, and also significantly the rallying cry of the workers under Allende -people united will never be defeated'.
Women surrounded the presidential palace banging empty pots in protest against shortages and economic hardship — ironically just as the middie class women had done under Allende. Children even boycotted school.
The attempt to stabilise capitalism in Chile through massive deflation of the economy and repression of the workers movement has not worked. The defeat suffered by the Chilean workers in 1973 was very different to the victories of fascism during the 1930s. Despite all the stalemates and setbacks, the working class internationally is not going through a period of crushing defeats.
Considering the 30,000 killed in the coup, considering the dreadful regime of assasination and torture which the workers have faced - and considering the fact that tens of thousands of left wing Chileans fled into exile, the speed of the recovery has been remarkable. Ten years after the military coup in Chile and seven years after the coup in Argentina, the whole of Latin America is witnessing the rebirth of working class struggle.
From the revolutionary epicentre in Central America to Mexico, from Peru to Bolivia, from Argentina to Chile, the workers are on the march.
NATIONAL
DEMONSTRATION
No more Chiles
hands off Central America!
I September in London
"The
As the Chilean
coup which
overthrew the
Popular Unity government of
IT IS the morning of 29 June 1973 in Chile. The economic crisis is getting deeper. Inflation is rampant. Queues get longer and longer. acts have been on the increase for some months. month old violent strike by the copper miners for better wages and government whole scene.
ment Popular Unity parties, in particular-the Communist Party, have been talking for some months threat of civil war that must be stopped 'by not creating problems for the government by being calm, more and signatures against civil war'!
Aviznca
Tanks from the Second Armoured Regiment surrounded the Moneda palace
workers raise their voice once more, 1983 is the tenth anniversary of the
there, and describes the Salvador Allende.
Regiment Terrorist
The two-
electric. against the dominates the Gunfire
The leaders of the govern-
tre of town,
about the
Allende producing by collecting come to
this week, the first attempted coup, the 'tancazo', took place in Santiago.
STEVENS was
events of that day.
To be sure, a revolutionary process cannot be expected to unfold smoothly. Yet when that morning tanks from the Second Armoured
surrounded the Presidential palace and started indiscriminate shooting in an attempted coup against the Popular Unity Government of Salvador Allende, the country's atmosphere became
The cracking of gunfire could be heard throughout the entire cen-
while the civilian population fled the area. 23 people were murdered and several more wounded by the nervous rebels. At first there is panic. Is this the army in coup we have been expecting?
was at his private residence of Tomas Moro. Some minutes later we would hear him on the radio say to the people: 'Come,
defend your government
Allende with everything you can get hold of ... I call on the people to take ove the factories... to be alert... if the time comes, the people will have alls..
There was no sign of support from either the navy, the air force or the rest of the army for the attempted coup. The Christian Democrats through their spokesperson Claudio Huepe in the Chamber of Deputies broadcast a call for support to the constitutional government' and urged his party's followers 'Stay in your homes'. After a few hours, radio reports told us that the attempted coup was being put down.
General Prats, the commander
Chief of the Armed Forces holding a sub-machine gun in his hand, accompanied by the Defence Minister Jose Toha - and backed by some army units demands and obtains the unconditional sull render of the rebels.
Page 9 scan of this page
E 1973
Shortly after noon Aliende arives at the Presidential palace and y 1.00pm he announces that the evolt has been put down. overnment will use 'all means to each. the real culprits Iways they will try to disguise their esponsibility'.
Fewer than 150 of the 900 coops in the regiment took part in he coup which was headed by Colnel Roberto Souper. Later it was eported that the tanks had to stop a petrol station and the soldiers orced the attendants to provide etrol.
Later on it would be learned nat this was to be one of a number if risings throughout the country, nimated and supported by arties of the Right. Immediatel ter it was known that the attemped coup had failed five leaders, of he fascist Fatherland and Freedom ok refuge in the Ecuador emassy and asked for sylum. They bitterly denounced ther sections of the armed forces chich, they claimed, had agreed to apport the coup, only to withdraw
the last moment. The president f the National Party, Onofre Jarpa, was at the airport to ee them off.
Militia
Shortly after the revolt had een quelled, one million suporters of the left marched through
streets to the alace in solidarity with overnment. A heavy cordon of pyal troops surrounded the area.
united.- left will never efeated', 'Allende the ile are defending you', reate popular power,
ENAP
CECaLc popular demonstrators chanted.
Instinctively The
and as
close contact soldiers they
murderers'.
had an external "strict professionalism'.
Spotlight
the
the bullet-scarred
to the balcony to political workers.
enthusiasm.
Senator They thought that now
hand against them.
were demanding Parliament, the
Presidential armed forces,
the demanded
be portunity was peo'Create, 'Create, the messy
Workers demonstrate against the plotters and demand a 'firm hand' against the government
militia', the
the workers understood the vital necessity to fraternise with the soldiers. When groups of demonstrators came in
with groups of chanted "soldier, friend the people are with you', 'the soldiers have only one choice: to be with the people or be their
Some soldiers waved their arms to the demonstrators as a friendly way of salute but most
appearance of
Later in the evening more and more people were gathering around
Presidential Palace waiting for Allende to come
speak to the When he came out at around 8.00pm people roared in
They felt victorious, the plotters in the armed forces and in the right wing parties had been weakened and put on the defensive.
that the right had openly broken 'the rules' — now was the time to use a strong
At this stage the demonstrators
the closing of holding of elections for a Popular Assembly, the dismissal of all plotters from the
and above all they a firm hand, a firm hand! To the peasants and workers of the whole country the golden op- were
there. At last Popular Unity would have the upper hand after having gone through
and convoluted
STEL COLLEGE
legal system. In their own way they sayıng: 'Dear companero Presidente give us the lead and we'll storm Heaven'
It was terribly demoralising for them to see Allende appear at the
Fascists of the Fatherland and Freedom movement supported the coup
balcony accompanied by the three Chiefs of Staff of the army, navy and air force. He spoke to them in a business-as-usual praised the loyalty of the armed forces and turned in a conciliatory
SURENCHTO HUGS THIR
mood Heaven dustries, for course, Popular
manner. He
DPERADORESTT
Dr LiNG MES JUNTOFL towards the Christian Democrats seeking a compromise In the same vein he relied heavily on the armed forces to restore 'law and order' and thus he declared a state of emergency in more than 20 provinces, during which the armed forces of every province would be in total control. This would be the beginning of the end.
Most Popular Unity supporters could not understand such conciliatory moves. To them it was inexplicable, after all their response to stop the tancazo as the 29 June coup came to be called, had been determined and speedy. More than five hundred factories were occupied, different forms of workers' control had spread through all in-
the workers co-ordinations in the factories and shanty towns had been greatly strengthened numerically and politically, embryonic forms of arming were taking place, the working class was on the offensive and was more united and highly mobilised in the aftermath of the coup ... just waiting
the revolutionary lead that would never come.
With the tancazo there would be no turning back. The attempted coup showed the certainty of, and brought forward the final confrontation. I put a spotlight on the political terms of the total victory or defeat of the Chilean revolution. Everyone understood it except of
the utopian reformist Unity leadership who stubbornly clung to the disastrous 'peaceful road'. Reformism once again proved to be merely a violent path to historic defeat.
Socialist Action 1 July 1983
Page 10 scan of this page
10 Socialist Action 1 July 1983
I SOCiAlist
ACTiON
The Great Heffer-
Meacher Mystery
SOME PECULIAR things are happening in Labour's leadership readily explicable.
Peter Shore's posturing as a champion of rank and file democracy in the unions is an example of what a right wing candidate will turn to as an alibi for being defeated.
The left should deal with his objections by declaring itself in favour of elections taking place at the rank and file levels in every union and constituency party. Only those trade unionists paying the political levy should be eligible for vote. The influence of the media should be counteracted by full circulation of the political platform and as many public hustings as possible.
But other things are less transparent: the left's reluctance to Michael Meacher set himself willing to stand as Kinnock's deputy.
Some will argue that this was an unfortunate slip since Hefter had not announced his candidacy. Others was that it was designed to keep Heffer out. Whatever the case it was wrong.
We have wide differences with Eric Heffer on strategy. He believes in parliamentary reform. We believe that only a socialist revolution can achieve the transition socialism.
On individual policy questions we have difterences too. have put Shadow Cabinet collective responsibility before the necessity of calling for the fleet to withdraw from its Falklands mission.
Neither do we think that Heffer's lack of enthusiasm for the demands of the women's liberation movement fitting for a leader of the lett particularly given the male-dominated character
available and should be supported fully, cluding by Morning Star and Tribune which have been decidedly coy about their preferences.
This won't do. The biggest possible vote for Heffer will be a vote for the conference policies which he has defended and Kinnock attacked. It will be a slap in the face for the right and will expose Neil Kinnock's opportunist claims to be the
Heffer and join him on platforms up
cess of unifying the union rank and file, Labour Party activists, the women's movement and the black movement, the mass campaigns and the youth to begin the process of rebuilding Labour Smaller paper next week FOR THE summer period until the issue dated 14 September our paper will have 12 pages. The price of the paper will stay the same because, as we point out around 85p.
We believe 30p with other papers like Tribune who charge 40p for 12 pages.
We remind our readers that the paper will not be published on the 3 and 10 of August.
Editor: ALAN FREEMAN Published weekly except two weeks in August and the last week of December Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily répresent Socialist Action's views. These are expressed in editorials.
Send all correspondence regarding subscriptions, sales and receipts to Socialist Action Distribution, 328 Upper Street London N1 2XP. (Tel: 01-359 8180) Send all material for publication (including advertising) to Socialist Action Editorial at the same address. we regret inal due to tne niga cost or postage we cannot return or acknowledge unsolicited copy or photographs unless accompanied bv a stamped addressed envelope.
election. Some are candidates'
back Heffer for example. the trend by declaring from capitalism
We think that Heffer should not
Meacher ought to form a pact with
Such a slate can be part of the pro12, the unit cost of the production is now
THE DEBATE on
Labour's future is
taking place around
motions for the Labour
Party conference.
In contrast to the
ambivalence or lne
Labour manifesto,
soclalists neca lo pul
forward an
unambiguous alternative
that engages directly
the left that the right
will kill.
It is therefore
particularly unfortunate
that the Socialist Action
model resolution is so ill
thought out. It should
have:
• spelled out the
demands for no incomes
policy and withdrawal
from the EEC, instead
granted as 'Labour's
socialist policies'
• put forward the
demand for unilateral
nuclear disarmament
and the removal of all
existing weapons and
avoided like the plague
Free Access weekend
RED ROPE, the socialist mountaineering and rambling club, and SCAM, the Sheffield Campaign for Access to Moorland, are organising a rree Acccess weekend on Saturday and Sunday, 9 and 10 July.
The main events of the weekend will include the Strategy for Free
Saturday 9 July and a Mass Trespass on Sunday 10 July.
The Free Access will continue and extend the mass access campaign that re-emerged last year as a result of the Kinder Trespass Anniversary celebrations.
"the Conterence will
be attended and addressed by some of the leading radical campaigners in the outdoor movement,
Chris Hall of the Ramblers Association and the climber Jim Perrin, who is concerned about the wider threats to the environment.
the Conference, Walch will Drug togellel representatives of local access campaigns, labour and trade union
Labour's future — this isn't the answer formulations like 'prevent all further deployment of nuclear weapons', which will be organisations, rambling and other outdoor clubs will be discussing ways of linking different access battles at a time when the newly elected Tory government poses a massive threat to working people's enjoyment of the countryside and their rura heritace.
It will also make plans for linking the access campaign with other, wider struggles over the rural economy and the ownership and use of land.
The Mass Trespass will be the latest in SCAM's programme of
in the Eastern Peak District programme which has already brought pressure to bear on landowners, the Peak Park Board and the local authorities to recognise the growing demand for access to open moorland.
The trespass on 10th July will be on Midhope Moor.
JULIAN BATSLEER (National Secretarv -Red Rope), 52 Ogard Koad. Hoddesdon, Herts EN11 ONU (0992-441705)
• JOBS
read as calling for a freeze not abolition • included the key question of opposition Which side of the net?
NOT BEING in the habit of turning to the left press for guidance on my leisure activities, I had not paid much attention to your TV column.
In any case, I thought it strange you should be suggesting that militants spend their time watching TV rather than conducting the class struggle.
But having cast my eye over the telly column in SA 10 June I felt that I had no choice but to suspend revolutionary activity and put pen to paper.
Support McEnroe against Connors!
I had to read it twice to make sure l'd seen right. Surely both
IMNOPOR
IUKLETTERS
LUKIMNOPO
Congratulations but ...
CONGRATULATIONS in maintaining a good quality socialist weekly;
would be Du SuICill better to build a revolutionary alternative independent of the Labour Party in a united front with other left groups (SWP etc) and the Labour Party left activists?
I'm afraid while you are trying to reform the fortunes of the Labour Party election machine me ones ano el friends will be putting
to a renewed witch hunt • placed the specific call for industrial actior at the centre of
McEnroe and Connors are overpaid, overexposed and over-endowed (except ip top) representatives o JS arrogance and worl domination trying to lord it over the British sporting establishment in the same way that Keagan holds our would-be president in willing thrall.
Hastening back to study the classics of Marxism, I can only conclude that the correct poston for suclails Action would be to call
intolerable mega-brats to break a leg (or both legs) while playing each other.
Come on Socialist Action. be consistent.
PETER PURTON, Southall. the boot in on the streets,
communities.
The Labour Party will not lead an extra-
for fear of losing votes!
A socialist unity campaign organised independent of the Labour Party uniting the
more productive than electing another lett Labour leadership!
CHRIS GURLAND. East Yorkshire.
Write to us!
This is your page. Send us your comments, criticisms or even congratulations. But please be brief -letters over 300 words will be cut. Write to: Letters, Socialist Action, 328 Upper Street, London N1 2XP.
(Tel: 01-359 8180)
Letters
Peace
Jobs
1000
Labour's fightback.
RICHARD HATCHER, Birmingham. Pubs on the left Pl
HIL
I HOPE that your readers may be able to help me in For a Deser called Thoing for a book called Pub on the Left. It is a history of the pub (as a meeting place) and the socialist movement.
The earliest puk meeting places I have been able to trace - and that are still standing -date from the Peasants Revolt in 1381.
From then on it is a mad dash through Leveller pubs, Chartist pubs, Corresponding Society pubs, anarchist pubs, SDF and SL pubs CP pubs (from the trade union pubs and the pubs associateu will radical individuals like Tom Paine and radical intellectuas from time immemorial!
Bringing the study up I have included the gay anu women s movement. early CND and the revolutionary left.
I would dearly like to Include some puds wner both Isaac Deutscher and Bernadette Dev in (as she then was) addressed meetings, along with their names, streets and locations.
I also wonder if readers know of any pubs where CLR James addressed meetings or that were long time IMG meeting places during the seventes
PAUL FURNESS, 21 Lulworth House Dorset Road, London SW8 1DR.
Page 11 scan of this page
REVIEWS
about nuclear power and nuclear war. Shot in the United States and Japan, it tells how the nuclear industry has affected all our lives, Whether we are
radiation and those campaigning against the atomic
Rocky Flats, where the plutonium triggers for nuciear weapons are put together. We see how the health and the lives of
people have destroyed
The chilling pictures of deformed cattle and crippled human beings brings home the message. Did you know that one sixth of a millionth of a gramme of plutonium will kill you? I he Unitea states govern ment denies all responsibility for the effects of its research programmes.
dreadtul deformities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki victims catalogued. The thousands of military personnel who Ones direct Colisequence of atomic weapons
al c remembered.
We see the callous and in-
TV CHOICE
Union World
Sunday 3 July, 5.00,
Channel 4
IRELAND is the subject
that probably gets the
trade union movement,
so this edition of Union
World is a step in the
right direction.
But whether
flounders on the rocks by
concentrating on
'Northern Ireland
unions' (ie mainly
Loyalist ones) remains to
be seen. Most of the Nationalist workers belong to Dublin-based unions.
The Best of CLR
James
Monday , 4 July, 11.30, Channel 4 AMONGST the dreary
summer chedules this
SUBCS ot tour program mes has got to be the highlight.
The great West Indian Marxist starts off with an incisive look at America. The following programmes have him chalills cricket, the love of his hie. ollowed by developments in the Caribbean,
Dark Circle
is a compelling documentary
It documents the lives of both the victms of
periments that went with the tests. Pigs forced to endure burns over 80 per cent of their body surface in the name of 'science'.
Reviewed by Chris Bertram
In Diablo, California, the Government built nuclear reactor on a fault in the earth's crust. It still Only when they found that license operate. he cooling system was pu on back to front did the close the plant!
The film takes us to a 'fair', where large multinational companies compete to sell the means of destruction. The compan' which makes your washing machine probably manufactures biological weapons match its detergents. Publicity films CLR
and in the tinal pro-
gramme he looks at
Poland and asserts that
Solidarity is the part of
the tradition of Lenin.
Definitely not
missed, but it's a pity C4 have shunted it off into
the graveyard slot.
Tuesday
Documentary:
After the
Massacre
Tuesday 5 July, 9.25,
BBCI
IT'S PERHAPS typical about Lebanon that documentary
revolves
around the 97 , British
soldiers there.
I ne population of
Beirut might see things a
bit differently. However
show Soviet tank forma-
tions and tell us that only
KocKwel He alond
can halt the Red Menace.
bomb. Two thousand peo-
ple were arrested during a
leading
organiser shook the hand
of Jerry Brown, Governor
of California. But the pro-
tests were ineffective In
part this reflects American
tradition and the weakness
of the Us labour move
ment.
Non-violent direct action has a vital role to play
Many anti-nuclear strategy, but it can't be the
whole story.
The film is showing as Pear and has the backing of the GLC Peace of the GLC Peace Com-
mittee. It will be available both on film and video together with another film: The King of Prussia. So if you or your branch of CND want to use the film to get across the anti-nuke
contact the
Other Сіпета, 79 Wardour Street, London WI.
the stresses on the troops does reveal something of the tension and atmosphere of the city. Worth a look.
So you want to stop smoking Thursday 7 July, BBCI THIS COLUMN is all in favour of drinking, but. at the risk of sounding moralist. SUCCESS the smokers among you consider watching the repeat of this series.
There's nothing like being fit for the struggle against the Tories, and TOr suggestions what to do with the money you save, see the fund drive column on the diary page.
Britain in the Thirties: Foreign Correspondent Thursday: " Ju. BBCZ DURING the thirties, the Britise media's attitude 01 fascism in Europe was bordering or open encouragement.
programme, Sheila Grant Dufi describes how she tried to alert people in Britain to what was happening in Europe whilst she was a foreign correspondent.
?. PRESIDENT? wrky 10kB yOU, SIK.
The People's
Doonesbury
DOONESBURY is an American cartoon strip which until recently appeared in the Guardian.
Drawn and written by GB Trudeau, like
PHRED, YOUR DEFENSE, TODAY BRILLIANT, JUST BRILLIANT! I VEW WHEN WE -SIGNED THAT FRIENDSHIP ACCORD LASI YEAR YOUD MAKE IS PROUD
GENERAL, IN YOUR SENATOR
OPINION, DOES THE I'D
PRESENT A LEGITI-
MATE THREAT TO
THE SECURITY OF
Due South
Socialism' series.
between the so-called
and semi-colonial countries).
The authors start with the approach adopted by Reagan at the Cancun conference in 1981, in which
Margaret
"hatcher explained that the main way the rich • capitalist could help the poor was by foreign investment.
Hill and Scannell show that this approach done nothing to change the 'structure of qua rich countries hey and rich countries. show how the world race. sion has made countries poore..: the flow INF gone ine developed of the semi. colonial countries.
Taking up the well-known thesis about the exploitative nature of much of the aid to the third
cent Britain's (paltry) aid budget is aid provided for the purchase
IT'S THE WORK1, SIR THE many American strips
Doonesbury on political satire and has destroyed the PR image of many an aspiring and incum-
YOU PEOPLE WHY, THANK ARE DOING A GREAT JOB FOR US, JUST GREAT! KEEP IS THAT THESE 3,000 RUS.
SIAN SHOCK TROOPS COULD
ASSAULT AGAINST. THE COASTLINES OF FLORIDA, ALABAMA AND SOME PARTS OF THIS NEW book by Jeremy Hill and Hilary Scannell, subtitled "Socialists and World Development', is a welcome addition to Pluto's 'Arguments for
It starts out by de-mystifying the relationship 'North (the advanced capitalist countries) and the 'South' (the colonial
of British goods and services
the authors criticise 'humane liberalism' of the Brandt Report which urges the capitalist West to transfer huge amounts resources to the south' or a 'self-interest' basis. This approach is both utopian. and perpetuates the myth of a community of interest between rich and poor nations.
Problem
ceroied to suggestions about the way which governments of countries in the "South' could work together to build their own cartels and transnational enterprises.
This is utopian through and through as the authors at one point even seem to admit. The section on the possible policy of a
Socialist Action bent American politician.
Reviewed by Hilary Driver
The cartoons in this reprinted edition cover the years 1978-80 and take a look at the Ayatollah, how the third world copes at the United Nations, Camp David, corrupt and stupic politicians, the Nixon-
WHOS VIKTOR LOZIN
THAT SKY, ONE OF HAVING ESTABLISHED THESE BEACHHEADS, THE SOVIETS WOULD THEN BE FREE TO FAN OUT ACROSS THE SOUTH,
EFFECTIVELY CRIPPLING THE TOURIST INDUSTRY SO VITAL
TO THE ECONOMY OF left government in Britain contails suggestions aid liberation movements and a stenned Brain development pro
well and good, but stopping , short at an all-out assault on the power and wealth of the British multinationals
The hand Scam which Hill Scannel skirt around but not confront is how the whole 'structure
inequality' can broken. The vicious circle
aid to start industrialisation ofa . kind the richer nation will not provide -is not cut through . Maybe some of the solutions we would suggest are not there because of a desire to avoid socialist sloganeering and appear 'practical. However the only practical answers are revolutionary ones
'Under-development' as a world problem will not be overcome without massile assistance
for ine industrialisation of a country like Bangladesh or the authors' own example 1 anzalla. that
But that does not mean that the revolutionary answe socialism in the wat West' for
Practical measures to end the cycle of poverty can be taken in the less-developed countries but only
1 July 1983 11
I LOOKS BAD, YOU BET-
QUICKLY.
Kissinger years and much шоге
About a quarter of the
great light read for anyone wao unds ll a strain concentrate the e brajune's much after misery. It's also guaranteed to cheer you up!
The People's Doonesbury By GB Trudeau Wildwood House, £3.95.
ACTUALLY
SEEM HES A PIG MY GOD! , SIR THIA Ur AND THAT'S THE JOBS! ONLY UNI
SCENARIO they break with im perialism (a term which is missing from the book).
The authors them selves show national planning and the break with imperialist domination have led to immense pro gress in China. Of cours China has great natura resources, unlike for ex ample Cuba. But this poses anourer problem which the authors duck, o LaNC an implicitiv wron position on. • Any country which carries through socialist revolution will have to link economically with the costeries hich are those Eastern bloc,
are non capitalist, however much
disagree their policies and economic structure. Best
The example of Cuba in its best period politica
• ine ma 190v
quality is the world perialist system
and South, can break i The struggle in America today shows tha this is not utopian, but : practical option.
Due South: Socialists se World Developmea
Jeremy Hill and Hilar Scannell. Pluto Press. E2 50
Page 12 scan of this page
12 Socialist Action
DIARY
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• Release Nelson Mandela! Victory to the ANC! Weekly nicket or soutn Alrica House, Trafalgar Square 5.30-7.30, Fridays. Called by City Anti-Apartheid Group. • Labour Movement Conference on Ireland 16 July, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1. Starts 10.4Jam. Delegates 4y. observers to. ruriner details: LMCI, Box 189, 32 Ivor Place, London NW1. • Trafalgar 9 Defence Campaign (for those arrested at the picket of South Africa House on 9 June). Pickel Bow Magistrate Court Inu 30 June, 10am. . Public meeting wed 13 July, 7.30, Conway Hall, Red Lion Sq, ₩CI
Who Killed Colin Roach? Video film of the campaign available for meetings, youth lubs, schools etc from Koach rally. Support Committee, Do kectory Road, London N16 7PP, 01-254 7480. • youth No conterence 2 July, Manchester. For details contact YCND, Goodwin St. London N4. • SWAPO Women's Solidarity sponsored cycle
Common Sat 2 July. Further details from 96 Gillespie Rd,
• The Politics of Health in anaDwe nour lone viucu available for meetings
• £10 (payable in Send to Books for aurancel.
50. London N1. • Scottish Socialist Society
conference 2 July at the Michell Theatre to discuss rategies for the left in scotland after the election.
THERE have been
twenty six meetings
organised by Socialist
Action discussing next
steps for the left after
Our reporters have
spoken in towns from
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Audiences have been
interested and generally
the chance
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committed. we want
who agrees the policies
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If we charged for the
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1 July 1983
• Women for Life on Earth, 1983 Star marches converging al ureennam on Hiroshima day, 8 August. Leaving County London on Mixed. coach 0 09 0z r details.
Troops Out Movement is organising a mass celegaton to Northern Ireland on 6 & 7
Interested? Ring
Troops Out Movement benefit 1 July with Carol Grimes and supporting women's band. Chat's Palace, 42/44 Brooksbys Walk, Homerton. London E9. £2.50/£1.50 unwaged. • Prevent and Survive Symposium 2 July, 9.30-4.30 Central Hall Westminster enrance mech or E5 for students/nurses/UB40. Hickets rom viculcal Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons, 31 Stavordale Rd, London N5 (or at door)
• Nicaragua. Guatemala and El Salvador Briefings are produced by the Central america mormation Service, 14 Brixton Rd, London SW9. If you would like to receive them regularly, please write enclosing your name and address.
SE England Trade Union Conterence on Namibia Sun
Derbyshire St, London E2 Purther details from Namibia Support Committee 01-267 1941.
Aavernsemen
NEW RELEASE
How to Avoid
Holocaust 2 by Peter
Wardlaw
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• Acid Rain — Britain'S invisible export. Public
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AFRICA
brieting workshop
date:
SATURDAY 9 JULY,
10am-1.30pm
College Hall (opposite U.L.U.
Malet St., London, WC1
films:
on South African aggression
against Angoa a mozambique
speakers at the briefing:
Marga Holness (Angola Information Office
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All Interesica peopie
pm, Morley College,
London SEI. Further info from Micheline Mason 01-673 4310.
An evening for Chile with latinamerican, caribbean and african rhythms fron
STEEL & SKIN
ANTAWARA
presented by chile cultural centr
Friday 29th July. 7pm. oppos friends and workmates to sign up as well.
Thanks this week to:
€ 65.00
G David WHamiton
Election fund:
36.93 Martin (Hackney) 5.00 vamden 70.00
Total this week £702.43 total so tar: 212.126.90
UNDER АГТАСК
"SOUTH AFRICA'S UNDECLARED WAR"
Mozamoique a AnGold
discussion on ways of countering media disinformation about events
• Coventry Socialist Film Club and West Midland:
Arts present a film and video viewing session including:
Ballots and Bullets, Wall, It ain't Half Racist, Mum!. Tru Romance etc and No Regrets and Risky Business Hall, Priory Walk, Coventry, Admission £1/50p unwarcu. • May 3rd Defence Campaign Fund raising soclar rm o July, o-lzpm Brabant Rd Community Centre, London Demonstration sal y July. 2pm, Ducketts Common (Turnpike Lane tube).
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What Next after the
election? Come to the
CAMDEN Wed 29 June.
8pm, Camden Labour Club,
Carol St NW1. Speaker
Valerie Coultas
(contact 387
MANSFIELD Tue 5 July
speaker Redmond O'Neill
(contact 0623 653216)
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July (contact 0926 313408)
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Phone 01 274 3951 for further details.
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Page 13 scan of this page
Nuclear Freeze - no solution for CND
1905 Fret IS nuclear tast
1949 First Soviet nuclear test.
Continuing our discussion of the results of the general election and its lessons for the future we turn 10 the peace movement. mond O'Neill argues that the switch by prominent CND leaders away from unilateral disarmament to a policy of freeze marks a shift that will have to be fought by the ranks of CND. E.P. THOMPSON, writing in last week's Statesman, has the unique distinction of being the only prominent peace paigner to praise Healey's contribution to the cause of nuclear disarmament during the campaign.
By Redmond O'Neill
How could Thompson put himself in the ridiculous position of defending the Labour leader who, along with James Callaghan, did most to destroy Labour's campaign and the credibility of its disarmament policy?
The reason is straightforward. Thompson argues that unilateralism was a vote-loser and irrelevant to the peace movement: 'Only a few fundamentalists of the Labour left wished to fight on an abstract 'unilateralist-versusmultilateralist' platform ...'
So for E.P. Thompson Labour's unwateranst policy was a sectarian diversion from the real issues in the election.
Across the whole country. and most of all in Scotland and Wales, if one conects to one lump Ine voles
777
0u27747
Sporting Liberal, Redclear peace majority?
nuclear popular front of
Thatcher forces'
the SDP
New this way then of course:
cam- mitting
Dennis
says. election
taken seriously
point is that in the
Trident against the Tories.
This strategy
both
nuclear
sistently without explaining
the CND.
927
status for parties opposing Trident and sup-
"freeze" Labour, SDP, SNP, Plaid Cymru, Ecologists, etc — then there was a
Thompson believes the failure of the election campaign was that
peace and antiwas divided by the leftist, unilateralist 'fundamentalism' of Labour and the 'factionalism' of
and the Guardian
If the election is approached in
'He (Dennis Healey) was not com-
premeditated treason but simply making the point that there is no original virtue in unilateralism for unilateralism's pure sake,' Thompson
Thompson's views have to be
Witnin peace movement because he undoubtedly spaders hop an Cornis esential
CND. essential election CND should have tried to unite all parlies who supported a 'freeze' and opposed
was rejected by the CND National Council prior to the election. Instead the Council decided to concentrate on cruise and Trident and, at the same time, use the election as an opportunity to explain CND'S full unilateralist position. The reason for this is that it is impossible to con-
obnose cruise and Trident that weapons, as such, saowa be opposeu
Following the election, it is quite clear that Thompson and those who support him will be seeking to change
entire policy and direction of
Already he is orepared to pas over the Alliance's firm sapport for cruise missiles. He is prepared to accept crußse in order to get on speaking terms with Owen and Steel. This is the most abject betrayal of the work of CND and of Thompson himself over the past three years. It is a betrayal of
the women at Greenham Common and of the entire European peace movement.
In exchange Thompson accepts
feeble Alliance manifesto to 'explore the opportunities for a verifiable, freeze on the production and deployment of nuclear weapons.'
Given that the SDP split from the Labour Party because of the 'gang of four's' support for cruise and opposition to unilateralism, we can imagine the effectiveness of the kind 'freeze' Steel and Owen have in mind!
But, leaving aside for the moment Thompson's 'popular front' strategy as he calls it, is there a case for the CND making the campaign for 'freeze' its priority in the years to come?
The demand for a nuclear freeze was brought to the fore by the massive development of the peace movement in the United States. On 12 June last year one million Americans marched in New York demanding a nuclear freeze.
This mass movement, in Reagan's frontyard, was recognised socialists and bcale campaigners everywhere as an enormously gressive development, and demonstration of the truly international character of the peace movement.
Understandably its demands were considerably less advanced than those of the European HCACCOYCLCU which are predominantly unilateralist
nuclear free Europe from Poland to Portugal.'
But this movement was a first step in the development of a mass nuclear disarmament movement in the heart of the USA itself.
Its demand for a 'mutual freeze on the testing, production, and deptoyment of nuclear weapons and missiles and new aircraft designed primart! to deliver nuclear weapons' barrier to the Reagan adminstration's plans to deploy 'First strike missiles, cruise and Trident.
However the politicians who have
SUDAN taken the leadership of this huge mass movement are not at all committed to nuclear disarmament. For example the Democratic Party ports was the Democratic administration of mutual Jimmy Carter which spiral of nuclear rearmament which Reagan is now putting into effect.
The campaign financed (to the tune of 20 million dollars so far) by such people as the Rockefeller children. of Congress this year worded so as to avoid any timescale being proposed. campaign is opposed to any unilateral steps by the USA towards achieving such a freeze, for example suspending MX or Pershing Il production. In the future it will be around issues such as
Ludl the Democratic Party mongers will be challenged within the American freeze movement.
been adopted by the CND National Council and by around it is being launched by the
World Disarmament Campaign and pro- the United Nations Association. An-
dropov has recently called for a fivepower nuclear freeze.
Thompson and others is that CND in
Britain adopts 'freeze' campaign. They
unilateralist freeze by Britain let alone
unilateral nuclear disarmament. They
mean the international campaign for a 'mutual freeze'.
CND to adopt this slogan as its main priority. It would be a retreat from its
unilateralist policy which at present
gives coherence to its opposition to
cruise, Trident, American bases and Polaris.
nitiative away from
acal of millions in Earope into the hands of Soviet, American, British MX and trench governments. Because, there will be no freeze. David Owen,
warheads 22,000 by the more than 1000 Nuclear weapont mid• 198. exact figures where knowr • torpedos
ETHIOPI simply Reagan and verbally supwhile in reality The
initiated the
Europe. organised and
The 'freeze' resolution to the U.S.
was carefully
'freeze' to be
of the
leadership pseudo-peace-
In Britain the "freeze' demand has aftermath
major campaign them
But what is being proposed by
as its main don't
Alliance
It would be a disastrous errror tol
supported At the same time it would more the
the mass action to damentalist negotiators for their fundamentalist reality, pathy.
There are over 50,000 nuclea
:30,000
, and cha he France
each own several hundred. US plans for the sous made to anurace o 7 r.ouo new nuclear warneads. doviet bians are unknown Misties (roundedi or exact figures if less than 100
in thousands
unded) or exact figures if less than 10(
strategic and medium up to 3009 kms Edward Kennedy and David Steel will
talk about freeze whilst Thatcher continue to build up nuclear weapons.
Soviet proposal for a fivenation freeze is part of their policy of accepting European nuclear weapons but rejecting American weapons in
Whilst not opposing any step to put a brake on American nuclear rearmament, the European peace morement must stand on its own demands for no nuclear weapons in Western Europe, whoever they belong to.
Thompson's move to the right is explained by his consistent refusal to identify the responsibility
• United and NATO governments for the current round of nuclear rearmament.
He claims in his New Statesman "article that one of CND's main errors was inal. Ine sogans or 1901 cruise, no SS20s - disappeared in the
Reagan's "zero op tion", and little was found to replace
Well Mr. Thompson, the reason why CND dropped that slogan was because it turned out to be exactly the same as Reagan's zero option.
In Britain and Europe Thompson refuses to recognise that only labour movement has the power fc stop the arms race. Instead he pro poses that the freeze movement broadened to include people like the
whose entire existence dedicated to two objectives - defea ding NATO and defending the EEC.
The peace movement would gai nothing from this retreat except own destruction. In 1983 the movement must be broadened. forces like David Owen, bat to millions of trade unionists wto
its aims through union conferences. And in the movement the obstacle to trac
stop cruise Labour lefts" but the Labour rights for whom Thompson displays sach syr
Page 14 scan of this page
14 Socialist Action
SHILDON
A4I00N
On the march against Serpell in London
RAILWORKERS are in the front line of the Tory assault on the nationalised industries.
of Railwaymen are meeting over the next two weeks for their annual general meeting in Bridlington, Yorkshire.
chosen instrument for taking British rail apart — the Serpell report.
An important resolution calls for the federation of rail unions and the Triple Alliance, with mine and steel unions, built locally and national-
There are resolutions calling for flat rate pay increases, a 35 hour week, complete opposition further productivity and tor new technology to be tied to guaranteed and increased jobs the 111dustry.
In the nuclear disarmament debate, the union is expected continue the
shift WITN Jimmy Knapp's landslide victory io replace Sid Weighell as general secretary. All the resolanons on ocalc allu disarmament call for support for existing Labour
PICKET
LINE
Pay tight
brewing at
Smiths
Food
WORKERS in the
Smiths Food Company,
which makes crisps and
snacks, have just receiv-
ed details of the firms
pay offer.
umon negonlal-
ing committee has asked
provements in sick pay
and holidays
and tor of the grading
system and overtime ar-
The management of-
fer of 4 per cent on basic
pay and shift allowances
was rejected in every fac-
tory and depot and the
were ready to
ban overtime.
1 July 1983
N.U.R
SHILDON
NO 2
Railworkers in conference
Seventy seven delegates from the National Union
They will debate how to deal with the Tories'
Party conference policy or affiliation to CND.
This lett shift is ex. pected to be confirmed when the decides who to back in the elections for Labour Party leader and deputy leader. It pretty certain that Kinnock will walk awar with the union's 160,000 block vote in the electoral college.
By Patrick Sikorski (NUR)
Under Weighell these votes probably would have
Hattersley Shore. But there could be a right wing counter at-
Right-winger GwynLack. neth Dunwoody, can didate for the deputy leadership, NUR-
For the lowest grade of workers double days the offer would have meant less than f3 on basic and a generous 39 pence on the shift allowance.
Before the overtime ban came into effect, the firm recalled the negotiating committee for more talks. All they Collec up Was promise of an additional c2 rise in January 1984 and a possible review of overtime payments.
This new offer has been turned down by workers at every factory, except Lincoln. They are cynical about manage-
pleadings financial losses, an ex-
they CISC Have before to push through low pay offers.
sponsored MP.
The AGM will be called on to resist the right in a resolution opposing the witch hunt in the Labour Party
The Communist Party. led Broad Left has failed
Ul callist tringe meeting in liaison with the local Labour Party, campaign for left candidates for the Labour Party leadership contests
Heffer and Meacher. This contrast previous leadership battles
The tactic of the and its allies seems to be to
fight in the AGM. This
failure LUCI raise oposition LU the helter-skelter settlement of the mainline and London underground pay Clalls
As a result thousands saVe OCCl TOSE through the agreement on full implementation of the open stalion Coulcol on British Rail and driveronly operation on the tube.
This feeble response will make it more difficult to build for industrial ac-
YOPS fight for union
rights A YOUTH Opportunity Programme scheme which has been running tor four years nas been closed because its LICHEUCES General and Municipal
Rosemary Earnshaw, the sacked scheme supervisor says, picket line had been out for two weeks and got steady support from local trade unionists.
'Four your women joined the GMBATU in December last year in prelerence to une menrective Staff Association a Mickey MousE - and for this they have been deprived placements, the supervisor has been sacked and the scheme has been scrapped.
Pamela Fisher, one of the young workers on the scheme • says, 'YOPS workers do have rights and trade unionists must e. fight for them '
Support has
CUTe from academic staff at Liverpool University
SHILDON
NioN
LNS
SOMMITTEE
SAVE
SHILDON
WORKS
tion to save the workshops
at Horwich, Shildon and
Mills. These
closures are the thin end
the Serpell wedge The AGM has so far
had no proposals for a na-
tional campaign of in-
dustrial action to defend
jobs and services. On the
eve of conference a head
office circular on Serpell
Cars ol more leafletting
of the public and a fresh
writing to
newly elected MP's. Contrast
What a contrast this is
to the moves of the new
Broad Left leadership of
the Post Office Engineer-
ing Union who have called
special delegate con-
ference in August
discuss a fightback against
privatisation and job loss,
are boycotting the private
Project Mercury and are
organising selective strikes
anu a compulsory levy tu
fund their campaign.
If action like this is not
taken by the NUR, the left
shift will rapidly run out of
sucalll.
Y.U.
AP
the of the scheme
newly
threatened to transfer
day schemes to
unless
The has
of support and GMBATU. 99 Edge Lane, Liverpool L72PE
jobs axe
lan MacGregor.
This threat will tend to
claim.
Miners are always being told that the only way to keep their JODS IS DI working harder. Last year
by 5.6 per cent. The miners reward? Sixteen thousanc jobs lost.
This is just an appetiser for the plans for the NCB and the Tories. The government evidence . of-
Tered to the Sizewell 'B'
enquiry projected that coal capacity would
Plan lwo thirds of present output.
The report produced Mergers Commission call the Monopolies and ed for sixty thousand jobs to be slashed in the coal industry with only 'profitable' pits being left open.
For the NCB and the
'ripe for privatisation
In Times Thatcher refused to say wieller sue lad di Pits in South Wales starved of development capital of ERIC Secretary.
After the 1981 strike and the assurances from the government about investment what development has taken place at the pit?
Our losses were supposed to be offset and there was supposed to be new invest-
ed. We have been stareed
We have been starved development capital. The 1981 'climbdown' by the government was in fact a sidestep.
They evaded the issue to get themselves in a more powerful position to take us on The closure of Brynlliw is part of a longterm strategy to run down the South Wales coalfield
What are the doubts about the quality and amount of
Miners meet under
THE ANNUAL conference of the National Union of Mineworkers meets in Perth on 4 July under the shadow of the jobs axe wielded by new NCB boss,
eclipse conference business on other issues including the annual wage
Led to use public money to create profitable pits to sell song big business supporters.
ference from the Cokemen's Area amended by policy that exhaustion, not pronaomty, snowa De une only grounds for closing a pit.
By Bill Alder
This resolution should be passed and the message must be taken from Perth to every corner of every coalfield.
As MacGregor swings his axe miners will be bom. barded with anti-union Tom papere nd bet to lo for the NUM to
tions al 8 NUM
Fight pit closures
THE NCB want to close Brynlliw Colliery near Gorseinan in South Wales, despite a report which involved its own experts that the pit which employs 638 workers has a life of at least another 18 years. Our correspondent, Don Hawkins got the reaction
DAVIES, the Brynlliw NUM Lodge
coal reserves at Bryniliw?
We have argued for a long time that if the seams were developed properly the blend of coal would be perfectly suitable. Our coal is no worse than coal from number of called long-life pits.
The independent study carried out said there are at least 15 years workable reserves wildou any major investment.
Why have the NCB ig nored this study?
This is part of their general strategy. The government wants fewer pits to reduce unit costs. They want to develop 'super pits' like Selby with high productivity. They also want to develop nuclear power at the expense of coal.
In the Unions
Midlands area, South Derbyshire, Group No. 1 and Power Group all have resolutions old ballot NEC to hold a before calling for dustrial action. (At present the ballot is only
• reouired for an all-out strike).
This
1101 democratic as it sounds. It would put any decision Ine nands of the sun. the
media.
The putting
stitutionalise five-yearly
This is
The best guarantee strong
IS U
ble of
branch
and the Tory for
By up with these other workers the
the reamtancr op te the and the How do you see the fight to save Bryniliw. Is this pit a special case?
We mustn't stay isolated. The closure of our pit is part of national run-
If the NCB gets its way 65,000 jobs and 70 pits would go
The matter of closures will be discussed the next month's NUM Conference. This time there
we cannot right alone. In
: cannot fight alone. In 1972 and 1974 when we were on strike we needed the support of other workers.
closure of a pit means that other workers suffer. For every job lost in mining three jobs are lost elsewhere. his is whi our fight must be the fight of all trade unionists.
We must involve the Labour Party — it is committed to the coal industry but it is weak in parliament. We must link parliamentary with extraparnamentary action
The power fight back does not lie in parlia ment. If pits like Bryniliw close then no pit. not ever a profitable one is safe.
Page 15 scan of this page
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Page 16 scan of this page
LESBIAN &
their campaign
SPUC THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION
THE RIGH, TO LIFE
SPUC on the march.
TWENTY thousand anti-choice demonstrators attended a rally calling for restriction on abortion rights in London's Hyde Park last Saturday.
A counter rally organised by the National Abortion Campaign chanted slogans for a woman's right to choose.
The Hyde Park rally was the culmination of a campaion waced by the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child and LIFE.
Timed to coincide with the general election, the campaign started with two million leatlets
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SociAlist
ACTiON
Anti-abortionists step up
OF UNBORN CAL
distributed to homes at Easter, a lavish presspublicity campaign (see page 5) and local meetings throughout the country.
Last weekend's rals was, horrifically enough, called to commemorate the supposed two million 'unborn' since the 1967 Abortion Act. Speakers at the rally included archight win IOrY Mr Bernard Braine anc recent Catholic convert Malcolm Muggeridge.
Their audience were predominantly young middle class men and Wolenmnkeny different from the droves VI COLVCLE SCIOOT children driven on by nuns that characterised previous rallies.
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The counter-demonstration was alternately spat at and prinkled with holy water.
Police kept them pinned up in a side street.
movement has won some notable success in recent weeks for its case. The main health service union, COHSE, affiliated to NAC at their conerence nsmont while NALGO conference heard NAC's case at an extremely well-attended ringe meeting NAC is holding it conference on 1-2 October this year to discuss how to compal the rising tide of the anti-abortion movement and to discuss the way forward for the campaign. SPECIAL OFFER
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Alternatively we are offering Alan Freeman's book, The Benn Heresy. For new readers there is our special introductory offer of 8 issues for S2.
All subscriptions are posted first class on day of publication.
LESBIANS and gay
Gay Pride Week
plans for how we should live.
The depth and ferocity of establishment hysteria at the gains made by gay people over the last decade was made obvious to everyone by media coverage of the Bermondsey by-election.
But this was just the tip of an iceberg of popular prejudice and police persecution.
During the last few weeks alone, 77 people have been arrested in police raids on gay saunas in Merseyside and South Wales. Coventry Council WCADOI COlEOH ed, refused to allow a gay testival to be held at Lan chester polytechnic. ~ But all is
IOCOORH There have been major breakthroughs for gay rights activists.
The Labour Campaign for Gay Rights has been Te-CosCe duCEs Calupaign inside the labour movement has won the ac-
ve support or wide st
ons or Luc baboul Ic
Many Labour councils, led by the GLC, now
HEN
C
Lesbian march 1981
GAY PRIDE
men have much to protest about and not a lot to celebrate during this year
The re-election of a government dedicated to Victorian family values and strengthening police powers promises a rough future for the millions of people in Britain who do not fit in with Thatcher's
have anti-discrimination policies.
The Labour Party as a Whole now nas a com ment to full equality for the first time ever. Its ac- women anee mer To tual policy. Co aold tory, discriminatory and grossly inadequate, sure. For example, it calls ToT a ecos m uie ace of consent for gay males to 18. rather than the lo tor everyone else.
By Peter Purton
But the door has now OCCI openca not be easy for the right wing to close it again.
The same struggle has been taken up in the trade unIOns There was Hsvcycr venuon
at the NUT conference this Spring. A tew weeks ago NALGO voted to boycott anti-gat conference venues, and published a national pamphlet on gay rights.
In a few weeks time,
the TGWU's decision to hold its conference on the Isle Man,
witen homosexuality is still totally illegal, will not go unchallenged.
Such are vital
CVCUILS for the future of the gay OCLS SuCeC DuL no Ics cause for optimism comes from the way young peo. ple have come forward to
lead the battle
The Gay Youth Move ment (GYM) recently held
highly successtul national festival, and has registered spectacular growth. The GYM contingent is bound to be one of the most militant on the uay rriae Marca
And the 'old' leadership of the Labour Party Young Socialists, which has for long regarded the gay issue as at best irrelevant. or else as some petti bourgeois deviation was rocked by the dramatic im pact of the Gay YS at it:
Caster conference.
9
LESBIAN#
STRE GT
The Gay YS has grown from nothing in a couple of months and looks set to Hav a ball a he LPY, towards CULL fronting fighting around all the problems o youth.
The Gay Pride march on Saturday 2 July commemorates the famous day fourteen years ago when for hefirse tim Nur i on in New York their police attackers and drove them off.
Even more reason, this year, then to show that gay people are proud, defian and unbowed.
• See page 5 for report or gay movement in Mexic
Ribou: am, alenom st,
Rights:
Manchester Gay Young Socialists: 13 Buxton Ra Elthorne Est,
Gay Pride March
Sat 2 July, 1.30, Speakers Corner
LCGR rally at Malet St at 3.30, speakers include Ken Livingstone
OMENO
KATE CLUB
← Socialist Action No. 15, 24 June 1983Socialist Action No. 17, 8 July 1983 →