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done much to challenge sexism, but after the recently reported incident where men raped a fifteen-year-old girl twenty times after a pop concert, the stress that 'punk rock combination of sex and violence must be seen as a threat - not women who are succine to brear down this type of exaggerated maleness. our aiso to mose on ine nices of, or actually involved with, much doubt outrage will die down. Punk rock itself may not last much longer - but while it's here we can't ignore it.
People such as David Bowie and Eric Clapton have already made racist comments non staces But the im'WE GOT THEM under heavy manners/Michael Manley is a socialist, hammered out the sound system at a ruling party election rally last week in Jamaica.
"Them' is the opposition Jamaica Labour Party, 'heavy manners' is the State of Emergency presently in force in the country, and Manley is the present prime minister of the ruling People's National Party.
That Manley launched his campaign for the 15 December with a rally of 180,000 shows the huge backing for his policies and the confidence of many Jamaicans that he will be returned to power. However that is far from the intentions or predictions of the JLP and its backers, nationally and interOPPOSITION So who are the opposition, and why have at least three of their prospective candidates been locked up under a State of Emergency which is operating during a general election?
Manley imposed the Emergency last June. Introducing sweeping powers of arrest, detention, press censorship and banning of meetings and demonstrations, he justified it as neasure to deal with the break-down or law connected especially with a campaign of political violence and disruption by hired JLP gunmen. The money guns, it has been proved [notably by the disclosures of Philip Age], was being provided by the CIA, in a *destabilisation' operation discrediting and bringing down the Manley Government.
The main ideological weapon of the lays on a JLP and CIA has been an attack on only to Manley's "democratic socialist' cies- -for example, his nationalisations at home and friendly relations with punk Cuba and African nationalist regimes abroad. press Manley has called this description of himself as a communist ludicrous, and he's right to say so. Though he has pursued some anti-imperialist policies, have done the 25 percent unemployment, the rising cost of living with inflation at 20 auper cent, and a steeply mounting crime rate on the island.
INSIDE In fact, in a panic measure to deal with the drift of unemployed youths into crime, the apparatus for detention now being used in the Emergency was set up in Jamaica way back in 1974 through the Gun Court, a concentration camp-type are Kingston which deals with all offences involving powers of indefinite detention. Most and of the detainees there have come from the ghetto areas of Kingston, where unemployment, homelessness and poverty stare you in the face.
Manley has also tried to harness the Jamaican working class through anti-union legislation similar to In Place of Strife'. and leader are tene island, for aimed rat race.
poliworking class he has to so e BOB MARLEY, top reggae musician, was shot by right-wing thugs last week. Like many who embrace Rastafarianism, he supports Manley and was due to play at one of his rallies. One of his songs, 'Rat race", brings the point home: "Political violence fill ya city, yea-ah/Don't involve Rasta in ya say-say/Rasta don't work for no CIA/Rat race, rat race, being pushed further to the left. The JLP, on the other hand, is committed to anti-socialist, anti-working class policies, has declared a crusade against communism' and is the party of and backed by big business — as well as the CIA. If it gets in on 15 December, this would be a big defeat for the Jamaican ence, and will spell harsh repression for all the forces of the left.
Solidarity with the forces opposing the JLP and CIA interference in Jamaica is essential, and is well underway in Britain. Actions include a picket of the US Embassy this Thursday, 9 December, at 5pm, organised jointly by the West Indian Standing Confer Caribbean Labour Solidarity, and the Jamaican Workers Defence Campaign.
SHEILA MALONE.