Carpuign Committee, held in Birmingham on Saturday 23 March, ended in uprour because of the refusal of the chairman, Dick Etheridge (well-known CP member) to allow discussion on the only proposal for action to emerge from the conference a call for a national on 5 May to demand that Labour immediately end all diplomatic, trade and military relations with the counter-revolutionary military junta.
The whole conference was organised in such a way as to prevent a real political discussion on how the solidarity movement could be built in this country LESSONS The opening speaker, Ricardo Figueros, introduced as a Chilean exile, pave a political justification for the politics of the Chilean CP. The lesson he had learnt from Chile was that the Popular Unity had made mistakesthey had tried to go too far too fast." After three other speecbes the conference broke up into three worksbops (Lessons of the Coup,' *Trade-tinion Activity, Other Forms of Solidarity') where what little discussion was possible took place. Solidarity Carpaige to mediately including Robin Blackburn of the IMG, intervened to discuss the whole question of the apparatus of the bourgeois state (and io particular the army), which had to be smashed by building organs of real workers power.
continued on p. 2 The futiring resolution was passed Whanimouri by the Coreany No SAUEW-TASS branchThis branch calls on the natiocal conference of the Chie 'Call on the Labour Governent to break off all diplorat with the nean counter frocionary buncem Mount a campaign throughmir the labour movement to: a) Back all trade with Chile espooially in wespons of war, and b) Ias the lessons of the Chlean coup, in particular that ang Workers Governinent must set aboat the Immediate task of dis anting Uw armed fores of the capitalist state sachine, the sodilisation of armed workor mailis so as do prepare the wa foe the overtirow of the capitalis elise, aed ibir establistonen of worker desaccray, wetken law and a workers state? not even pretend to maintain legal fom and tbe number of offers ased was much larger.
This incident must bo soed l cor nection with the formation of the Special Patrol Group, the use of trained police to bresk up picket lines, us at Essex Universtiy, and the increasing use of the Arms as a chil police fonce.
IMG Is laking out a complaine against the police, alleging forcible entry without a wattant, assault, ilegal and unreasonable manner of search. and thett of papers and pamphlets The possibility of a a court action is also being invesrigated.
Chile solidarity Anyone interested in furtber information or in laking part in organising activities should contact: Charles Howard, 97 Caledonion Road, London, NI tel: 278-9526