Socialist Challenge No. 194, 23 April 1981
The scan: sc-n194-apr-23-1981.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.
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Challenge US HANDS OFF EL SALVADOR
VICTORY TO THE FMLN March for jobs, Liverpool to London, 1 May
25p Demonstrate Sat 25 April, assemble 12.30 Speakers Corner
Unemployed and strikers 10p Socialist
Page 2 scan of this page
NEWVE
GUATEMALA
L SALVADOR
Pacific Ocean Revolutionary leaders address San Salvador rally
wing.
Party and led the 1932 insurrection.
organisations.
the Popular Leagues of the 28 January (LP-28).
information fill in the form below
Name.....
Address..
Age...
Union/CLP (if any)......
2XP.
Socialist Challenge "23 April 1981
HONDURAS
•NARAGUA
RICA A revolutionary leadership EL SALVADOR'S struggle against military dictatorship is spearheaded by four revolutionary organisations, each of which has its own armed
The armed forces of the revolution jointly make up the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). Marti was the founder of the Communist
The political co-ordination of these organisations, which has brought together the social democrats and progressive sections of the Christian Democracy, is the Revolutionary Democratic Front (FDR). The controlling interest in the FDR lies with the revolutionary
The three strongest revolutionary organisations, which have carried the main responsibility for the struggle, are the Revolutionary Peoples Bloc (BPR),
United Peoples Action Front (FAPU), and the
Socialist
Challenge
JOIN THE FIGHT FOR SOCIALISM
If you would like to be put in touch with Socialist
Challenge supporters in your area or would like more
Send to: Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London N1
Page 2
JAMAICA
COLOMBIA Forces Peoples Revolutionary smaller revolutionary
addition
junta.
offs from the
The revolutionary
propriation
Their armed wings are, respectively, the Farabundo Marti Peoples Liberation Force (FPL), the Armed
of National Resistance Army (ERP). organisation is the American Revolutionary Workers Party (PRTC). Democratic Union, the legal expression of the Com- forces, munist Party, is integrated into the FLMN and the FDR, after having previously supported the Duarte
The revolutionary organisations tend to be split-
Communist Party, and their prestigious leader, Cayetano Carpio, was previously a central leader of the Communist Party.
character of the Salvadoran leadership is confirmed by the main points of the FDR's programme. These include the nationalisation of all basic means of production, the disbandment of the army and the creation of a people's army,
the landed estates, democratic self-organisation of the masses.
Guatemala
Ahuachapán Santa Ana
Sonsonate
Pacific Ocean
Departments of El Salvador
WASHING
dinista
marines.
being
workers,
(FARN) and the terrorist gangs.
The fourth, Central tries Nationalist domination
Luly
most
who do not
one hemisphere and the Chalatenango
San Salvador
La Libertad
La Paz
El Salvador -worke
against USimperia
ON July 19, 1979, the workers and peasants of Nicaragua led by the youthful fighters of the San-
National Liberation Front (FSLN) brought down the Somoza family dictatorship.
Washington backed Som. oza, and the Pentagon provid- of ed the tyrant with what help it could, short of sending in the
But the Nicaraguan people wol. did uc suck waves ali
felt Latin Salvador, Guatemala, and elsewhere.
In El Salvador there is now a civil war, with the masses of
students, and pea sants lined up against the US backed repressive regime and
Washington fears that its domination of El Salvador and other Central American coun
could ending; nasted that has through nearly all of this cen-
Intolerable
These years of US support
reactionary геоніс. have brought intolerable conditions for the masses of El Salvador,
have even the minimum necessities of food,
and housing Hunger
stalks El Salvado which ranks
of the Western countries most severely affected by malnutrition t least 75 per cent of the
Honduras Cabañas
San San ) Vicente Miguel
Usutalán
children under five show signs
malnutrition and related diseases before their first birthday.
Corporations
There are fewer than three doctors for every 10,000 inhabitants. Illiteracy runs to 40 per cent in the cities and 60 per cent in the countryside.
The average yearly income is 450 dollars, but even this miserly misleading. While a small number live in luxury, the vast majority of the population is impoverished About 2 per cent of the people control over 60 per cent of the cultivatable land.
Most industry is foreign owned US corporations precominate, raking in huge protits from the sweat and blood of the Salvadoran workers.
Exxon, the International Basic coffee company, Westinghouse Electric, Alcoa. Texaco, US Steel and others are involved, as are the First National Bank and the Bank of America.
These US corporations have everything to gain by keeping their good I friends in power. In October 1979 the military Morazan
La Unión
Page 3 scan of this page
ism
revouuonarv oooosiuon.
The US government.
sweeping occurred in Nicaragua, and supported changing
Key
United States include:
Nicaragua.
• The
force,
tonal guard.
• A
against
Grenada,
military
"Ullld
new
Nicaragua
GeSELCU
Shortages
e Salvador.
support very
tinues.
economic
NAM
's andpeasants
regime of General Humberto Romero faced rapidly growing
in an attempt to forestall the kind of
changes which have aided alci operation' that elements in
being adopted
• A total shut-off of aid to
construction ol
counter-revolutionary guerrilla
consisting
members of the Nicaraguan na.
mounting offensive revolullOll including the cutting
OO ad d vsl cml
a major airport on the island.
LULC build-up aid to the right-wing in El Salvador. moves are especially
threatening. The US has cut off
a total of $24m in aid, including
the Dur-
chase of American wheat.
As a result there is a grave
danger of a bread shortage and
the people
Nicaragua. The pretext for this
move is that 'arms traffic may
be continuing' to the rebels in
and inat probably
There is no doubt that these moves
TON'S
By Nancy Cole
military members Democratic Napolean Duarte. up its military. the slaughter
Grave threats to the
Nicaraguan revolution
THE United States is making a determined drive to throw back the victorious revolution in Nicaragua, to harass the New Jewel government in Grenada, and defeat the revolutionary struggle in El Salvador.
the Sandinista
emering revouuonary
Wing gerilla Honduras, of
of training constructed
instructors.
FARN Democratic led by of Chamorro
'other
After tory, analsl
replaced Romero with a group
officers
Party led
Washington
Now the reforms of this junta have been exposed, and it nas been reveaiea lo be no less brutal than its predecessor.
So Washington has stepped
Said, especially after the offensive launched by the revolutionary organisations on 11 January of this year.
Thousands of Salvadorans have been killed in 1980 and 81
freedom fighters, unarmed peasants, and urban are being gunned down every day by the official armed forces and the right-wing paramilitary
gangh os is washinguntas
Washington's war; colla nol go vu without the military, economic
Pontical support lor ine Salvadoran regime.
Nicaragua are part of a strategy Sandinsta go ermenir ovar
government.
the past few weeks, more and
information nas about vicDalallllls
supporters of the former
tator, Anastasio Somoza. Attacks
They have constructed rovsquads Calne
the Nicaraguan
Armed Forces (FARN). These st armed caraces ovasenes
armed attacks
border into Nicaragua.
In addition to the FARN
forces in Honduras, a number
camps ronaa,
viously with CIA money and
The political force behind the National hertando was one
'democratic' leaders of the op
position to Somoza, joining the
fight of the Sandinistas against
the dictatorship in 1979.
The became a member of Government
Cilstan
by
workers
been the counter-
of dicto
based
une use ves Revolutionary
over
have been
ob-
Nicaraguan
Union,
amono.
of the alicila.
Reconstruction (GRNN), led by the FSLN. Broke
sector bourgeoisie which Somoza, Chamorro broke with the increasingly left-wing direcnon or une salu lisla coveil ment and quit the GRNN
the Sandinistas becoming clear, as he links up with supporters regime against the revolution.
of Nicaragua are preparing io defend their revolution, construction tias.
Political Commission National Directorate FSLN, said of the construction of the militias:
Defence
small. Naturaliy, I'm not going
to do the CIA's work for it by
giving its exact size
One the
nan ıs nor lo nae su bcv ple under arms.
Iv,, ana ll licessa!! lau million, the population of Nicaragua. Tha:
is our right. to defend ourselves when faced with aggression.
Young Sandinista fighter during uprising against Somoza dictatorship But basing himself on that
Nicaraguan opposed
The logic of his opposition
is now : of the Somoza
The workers and peasants
by the of people's miliBayardo Arce, head of the
the of the
professional army, is
other hand, our
It is to have
whole adui:
Women militia fighters in Nicaragua
Socialis: Chawerge ž A=
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BRIXTONI Police off the streets Boycott Scarman
needs to be
defended
against the
police'
charged in the events. Socialist Challenge: How Wally charged since 11 April? people have been
Winston Castello: So far, 285 and this is likely to grow; more
•CUle Have been arrested in the last two days.
The police have set surveillance equipment in BrixLUll video cameras focussed on various key areas, to help the work of their snatch squads.
SC: What charges have been laid?
WC: Most of the charges so far Ilavc been for threatening behaviour, burglary, and so on, but l've across serious charge where a mother said that her son had been charged with arson, which carries a very heavy sentence.
The background to charge is quite interesting: this guy claimed that what happen-
was that was driving down Brixton Hill and his car ran out of petrol, so he grabbed a can to go down to the petrol Stallull
The petrol pump attendant said he couldn't sell him any petrol in a can because of what was happening unless he had police permission. He was going back to his WIcH police van drove up, so he asked for permission to fill the can
The police said, jump in and we'll take you to the petrol station. In fact they took him to the police station and charged him with arson. The police have admitted since that the petrol tank in his car was empty, so that case is developing.
Black, white and all ages have been charged so far, even
some social workers.
There was a National Front guy
arrested and in court he said
the police giving some black kids a hard time, he
went over and got arrested for
threatening behaviour.
SC: Is bail being given?
WC: Bail has been given in must cases. but sureties have sometimes been high — £1,000
the arson charge, around
£250 for burglary.
The defence committee is not sure how many are still inside. We have the names of 180, but the police have refused to
give us the rest. Most people are
out on bail, but there are still a few inside.
SC. What is the relationship between the defence com
mittee and the defendantsi
WC: It's not formal. Defendants are coming the committee for support and the com-
is working closely with the Brixton law centre: most
defence committee
ported lawyers.
There'li be a full meeting on
22 April when the defence com-
mittee will be elected by the defendants, their parents
the local community.
when the formal links will be
established.
Socialist Challenge 23 April 1981
'The community
WINSTON CASTELLO, joint convenor of the Brixton Defence Committee, spoke to Socialist Challenge in a personal capacity about the need to defend those
SC: What is the role of the committee? defence committees had two roles. аетепа w dividuals who have been arrested the general defence of the comup munity. the
There? are
to C. pres The pennie in opes
represent people courts. rs and barristers, and solicitors and barristers, ensuring that supporters turn ip when cases are being heard But as well lt is sul seen a necessary to defend the comfrom the police. first decision made one defence committee was to call a
rally, which was later cancelled by defence meeting.
We need to organise the demonstration of some sort in
the next few weeks if only to say that what happened was not just a crazy binge and that the community needs to be defended against the police.
SC: At the meeting Wednesday of last week a decision was taken to clude whites. Woes defence committee itself as black only?
WC: At the meeting you refer to, there were over 200 people there, and the vote to exclude whites was carried by only 22 to 17.
There is an element which wants to exclude whites, while others see the committee as defending the community Brixton - black and white. Quite a few of the defendants are white. on 22 April is open to everyone.
SC: What practical tasks do we need to take up?
WC: What needs to be done is to build support for any action taken by the local community. If a demonstration or rally is called in future, necessary all Ine movement to build for it, lobby LOCa counchlots MPs in support of it.
What happened in Brixton concerns all working class peo ple. It is not just Brixton which is affected.
The issue should be raised in trades councils, trade union branches, and Labour Parties The action of the police and their continued presence rust be condemned The defence committee has made a decision operate with the Scarman inquiry, but if we decide to call a community-labour inquiry we will want the support of everyone.
There is a need to hold a demonstration rally defence of Brixton. Of course, sup- we need money to defend those
charged: and tinancial suppor needed for the work of the defence committee. and support can be sent to: Brixton venezens and Messaces
Defence Cttee, c/0 Community Law Centre, Brixton Rd, London SW9
Page 4
= sewnere
have The
Collilice
on
ex-
see
'MY cabinet don't like you - they would not trust Lambeth with any money. If I went back to them now and said I had conceded money (TEO Lambeth would have me certified.' of So said Michael Heseltine in response to a request The meeting for aid from Ted
Labour leader of Lambeth council.
Having set up the Scarman inquiry, washed their hands of any responsibility for the social conditions in
labour to and not to co.
movement day-to-day
of
Brixton 506
What has happened in Brixton since the weekend of street battles between the
community and the police?
JOAN TWELVES and GREG
TUCKER, Socialist Challenge
supporters in Vauxhall Con-
stituency Labour Party,
spoke to Ted Knight, leader
'An army of occupation..'
colleagues police activity there.
council Brixton quiet.
As Ted and given Socialist Challenge: they the police
Knight, cupation. "They veillance
the Tories Lambeth, tion camp atmosphere.
Brixton
Drop the charges
Their area. An only concern is how best to deploy the police to keep
Knight told was twice 'Since the events of the weekend.
has presence been maintained at tremendous strength and one can A week describe it as an army of oc-
now noise equipment being set up around the streets of
which gives the impression of a concentra-
This has gone hand-in-
of Lambeth council; to Sue a
single black parent living in
Brixton, and to Winston
Castello, joint convenor of
the Brixton Defence Com-
mittee, about the events and
their aftermath. They also
give their own views
on the situation
hand with a series of police raids, numerous arrests and
of hospital casualty departments in the
example ot this police activity was shown on the council estates.
Stockwell Park Estate invaded by 250 riot police who ordered people into their homes and ar-
rested those who hesitated
or didn't live on the estate.
after the riots you can still feel the tension
on the streets. The slightest
which a week AT A meeting
of co-workers to the Brixton events. Pam, small tools factory in Sheffield, said: 'Nobody seemsurprised They saw it as all being against the police. *People said things like "the police asked for it" and started telling stories about experiences they had had with the police fitting them on false charges.'
John is in engineering in Manchester: 'The older white workers' response was that there was a need for new riot police • every other country had them was discussion about whether Enoch Powell was right in his forecasts — out lew seemi ed to agree with Powell's solutions. "The big thing that influenced Deonle Wa that white _youths had been seet fighting along with black.
would have been ignored, leads to heads turnina and a feeling of anticipation.
The only concession from the police is that they say they would restrict the use of sirens over the Easter weekend!
But for all this the community has not been cowed. Everyone is united in Brix. ton black and white, on the need to withdraw the police from the area. People on the streets on the weekend of 12-13 April gained a sense of power they won't give up.
'Enthusiasm
of Socialist Challenge porters over the Easter weekend, TONI GOR TON asked several people about the response
Her said "great!" Black and white workers had real Teas dooul wrat nabocl ed and I found that giving socialist explanation which linked up the role of the police and governmen the social conditions helped quite a lot.'
Riots Ray had an hour-long discussion in his all white Public Employees' union branch in London: "People were discussing to what degree the decaying inner-city areas were responsible • acts of the police. "They wondered there would be more riots. Some said that the youths were scroungers because Iney Calciul burned down the Social Security building overt racist response.?" "There wasn't
Page 5 scan of this page
- Police and 'unofficial' weapons
Mick works in the almost all-black plant at Ford Dagenham: 'My co-workers were euphoric over Brixton.
It really surprisea nic that even of the right-wing West Indian workers were 100 per cent behind the youth.
'They'd obviously had experience of their OWIl children being harassed by the police. Asian couldn't believe it was happening in Britain that people were actually fighting back.
'He saw it in the context of the growing
of racist attacks and police inactivity Inen
' Asian workers are right now very of the Nationality Bill and a couple of very political Asians linked the Brixton uprising with the election
Bobby Sands two great in one week.
Doreen, who works in an East London food pro-
'Police presence has been maintained at tremendous strength'
tinged with apprehension
cessing Diane said that 'surprisingly the main sentiment seemed to be that it people go lengths of burning down nubs and shops very dangerous for them, there something viously wrong.
'Two older white women said when no black workers were there that the should UC deported.
'The workers generally felt that the real problem is unemployment and unless we get Thatcher out that what we would have is Brixtons everywhere. Considered
John GEC Preston: 'There was an initial racist reaction from sections of white workers.
'Then, as the facts Calle more considered reaction out there
- that Brixton was a com-
munity uprising and Aiwas cue to me government s austerity programme.
al C black
in Brixton with a baton'.
i do eke a conductors wand. Whatever a baton may be
does resemble
Either way, it certainly isn't official Metropolitan equipment is almost years since Blair Peach was killed in Southall.
Lord Justice Bridge said in the Appeal Court: i casull Peach died from a blow to the to suspect
head struck by a police officer potentially lethal weapon' with al. unauthorised Although Brixton on Ine 12-13 April, police were seen on a number of occasions truncheons and plements to batter blacks and whites.
23 April 1979
It is useful to look back at CheNies report of the Liberties report of ficial Committee of Enquiry into the events in Southall on 23 April 1979 In 1974 assistant commissioner Gerrard Yard gave evidence to the Scar-
Square in which he quoted the instructions then current: 'Truncheons are supplied to the police to protect themselves if violently attacked. In using workers in GEC but those I talked to were quietly euphoric, tinged with apprehension.
'The local Labour Party reacted by bringing forward the date of its rally with Alex Lyons.
Sharp
'In the North-west there is a growing trend to black fightback. The victory of Anwar Ditta nas been very significant and I think there will be very big support for the demonstration against the deportation of Nasira Begum.'
rrank is a niler In a East London manufacturing plant: "There were very sharp confrontations between and older white workers' he says.
'The vounger ones taking the side o the Brixton youths. The black workers didn't say a lot except they WElC obviously "walking tall' One said jokingly that he was going down to Brixton to do some shopp-
ACCORDING to last week's Now! magazine, this is a photograph of a plain-clothes police officer 'on patrol
doesn't look
pick-axe much as possible.
Police Offensive
exactly two
to be resorted lo in
'There is arrest have that Blair prisoner through the officer used or overpowered. and 'In every instance
one died in
weekend of
to say: 'In the other im-
tions have been changed,
'The evidence Civil received leads Unof-
truncheons, protection Scotland crowd.
into Red Lion Never
Black youth in Finsbury Park, Wanstead and Ealing fight police on Easter weekend
officer
be dangerous them officers should aim at the arms and legs as those parts of effective' the body are least likely to suffer injury and avoid the head as be liable
quite badly.
'The use of the truncheon is long
extreme changed, cases, when all other efforts to
failed and likely to escape being ill changes.'
where a SPG truncheon is used it is to be sub mitted to the station officer for Following inspection as soon as possible.
The NCCL report goes
absence of any statement by the Metropolitan Police or the Home Secretary April suggesting that these instruc Four
We take them as the standard by cheon
which police use of truncheon on 23 April should be judged
we have to the in- about escapable conclusion that on 23 April, police officers used their
not self- woodti offensive sledge hammer; weapons against people in the
almost handeed thes
"In evidence to the Scarman inquiry, assistant commissioner Gerrard said that, in 28 years' service, he had never seen a ches in diameter.
weekend it down!
long truncheon used by a police
'When asked if they coulc
weapons, he agreed that "they must be very
and that an officer using the long truncheon would
to injure somebody
'If the instructions given to the Metropolitan Police concerning the use of short and
truncheons have been then MPs and the public should be told what the new instructions are and what justification there is for the the
the Southall events. the following weapon: were taken from lockers of the Special Patrol Group officers who had been on duty on 23
police dissue cheons; a leather encased trun-
approximalel) foot long with a knotted thong at the end; a meta! truncheon which was encased in leather of
eight inches in length with a very flexible handle and a lead weight in the end; a
pickaxe handle; an Americantype beat truncheon which was
feet length; leather whip; two cases openers
DONC led knife with a long blade case; two crowbars about three feet in length; a piece of wood about three feet long, two in- tion
'What happened that
weekend was a very
positive thing'
Sue, a black single parent who has lived in Brixton
all her life, describes what it's like.
MY 12-year-old son has been questioned by police in the road.
A few times during the past several months I've been spoken to
in the streets by police.
They asked me how many men I had last night and on
another occasion one copper asked me if I knew where my little
boy was and then simply walked away. I was very frightened un-
til I got home
These sort of things don't really bother us on their own. But
put all these things together with no jobs, great difficulty in get-
ting things on hire purchase, schools which prepare our children
for the worst jobs and the dole, then and only then
really try to understand the effect of this over a period of years,
then no-one will be able to ask why the rebellion happened last
Only why did it take so long in coming and why did it end
after such a short time!
• didn't participate although I spent the better part of th veekend in the streets. It seemed like the whole of Brixton wa
out in the streets.
We felt that finally we were collectively saying to the govern-
ment 'Enough is enough' and if you want to continue with
harassment and intimidation and police violence against us; if
you continue giving us the back end of everything you have to
give; if you constantly call us bad names, then this is what you
will get in return. i heard some man on the box during the fighting saying that
we were only burning down our own homes and shops.
the best thing that could happen to most of the place is to burn
The telly man never really thought about it, but at least now some sun will get into the streets. It's good your paper is here asking us about last weekend. I want to tell your readers that last weekend was a festival, not a riot The youth of Brixton — black and white - now know that pubs, banks, shops, and police cars will burn if you put a match to them. We all are peaceful around here, but we are capable of being provoked.
What happened last week was a very positive thing, but now we all around here must get together and fight for what we need and want.
We must stop the terrible police harassment and encourage people to organise themselves so that everytime some copper does something we don't like we will have the muscle to demanc something else.
The problem with Brixton is that the people here have no power. Why don't the rich people over in Chelsea burn down their shops want and have a government that will give them more Ai this time the most important thing we should be doing is to make sure that all those hundreds who were arrested last week be discharged. cerned they did nothing criminal.
Deptford... no more
cover up!
By Toni Gorton ALL: along the police vestigating the Deptford fire in which 13 black youth died have denied that there was any sign that the fire was the result of a racist attack.
But new evidence will be presented to this week's in. quest into the fire by the Metropolitan Police Scien tific branch to challenge this assumption. Apparently on
Sunday morning after the fire police found in the garden an aluminium tube containing traces of sodium chlorate and sugar highly explosive mixture.
Spokespeople for the police consistently told the press that nothing had been found which could have been a container for firebomb - they lied and hid this evidence from the pub. lic for almost three months What else have they hidden?
The New Cross Massacre Action Committee fears cover-up and is asking for support for a picket of the inquest.
Picket and attend
the Coroners Court
ram 930 a.m. to 1p.m , Hall London SE1
from
21-24 April For leaflets and further informa
contact the CrOS Committee Shakespeare London SE24 OPT. Tel 01-737 2268
— if you - I'll tell you — it's because they have what they
As far as the peopie of Brixton are con-
...Socialist Challenge :23:April 1981 Pag
Page 6 scan of this page
We don't know many
Support grows for jobs march in Birmingham...
• • and Manchester and London
MRS Thatcher says that Brixton couldn't have been caused by unemployment. and her class don't have to face life on the dole. Coultas talked to two people who do. FREDDIE and VAL live in Handsworth in Birmingham. If their frustration and anger is anything to go by the Tories may soon face the sort of militant hostility that has emerged in Brixton right across the country.
Freddie: I'm a welder by trade and two years ago I would've had no probiem. but now witn weldlig as such there's no one taking on any welders.
I've done all different now there's just no work at places I've worked before. Some firms no longer
Val: I've only ever worked in factories and shops, so they're the only jobs l could do. When you go in and ask it's no every time.
The only place they employing women is shops as machinists, doing piecework ror under Some jobs on offer are for £40 per week for a split shift, hotel work and une uke.
could've taken job months ago. It was working 42 hours
WECK in a little factory inspecting other peoble's work, putting up the orders and packaging things to send out for delivery, doing a bit of spraying. I would've walked out of there with £32 a week after tax!
The YOPS courses for young people are a con too. down the road where young HOIC doing the shop months.
Then they got chopped. One girl wanted to stay but they said she had 10 leave. Now there's other kids up
SUPPORT for the People's March for Jobs is being
built in every part of the country and among every
section of the labour movement.
VALERIE COULTAS,
who has been sponsored to march from Liverpool
to Birmingham by the TGWU 5/909 branch, Rover
Solihull, describes the preparation
Co-ordination of the events around the march,
which arrives Birm-
ingham on 18 May, is beIng
evel, by the Birmingham
People's March Commit-
tee. This includes delegates
the
Labour Party and from
women's youth and black
people's organisations.
There are local com-
mittees the areas
ihrough which the march
passing. will
hrough the heart Handsworth, an area with
one of the highest levels of
black unemployment in
ine country.
On the Handsworth
ocal committee we have
the march. We are
alanning militant action to
nighlight the high level ol
he way young people are
exploited as cheap labour
on ine rout opportunily
schemes.
They are thrown back
• the dole without having
:. aught any skills.
Birmingham Young ce taking up this
S:: ==: Challenge
But she
Valerie ZOOS seem to be there.
They In ine sweal
more youngsters for Ninety-nine ve on the dole again.
At having to pay to go to work.
a few
her son Dean because worked at
unemployment beneit
There's a shop cover lighting, clothes, food all outgoings,
people
for six
day. We've
get bored sitting around. an unemployed teacher,
that is being I am on the Birm-
ingham women's organis-
ing committee for the mar-
We holding
feeder march for women's
right to jobs.
There have been
vigorous debates
committee. Members of
the Communist Partv on
posed carrying a national
women's banner the
march, because they think
it would detract from the
broad appeal of the march.
They do not approve
of sales of socialist news-
Daucis for the sallic
reason.
¿eti Viest
Page 6
people who
seem to get their money's worth out of the kids and then employ
cheap labour. cent or lem епа up
£23.50 a week they're almost
Freddie: I have to claim for Val and
although she Casses.
Ladbroke's it WaN part-time and she's not entitled to
because they say she didn't pay the full stamp
needs
I get £54.03 per week. That has to
rent, heating,
Val: You get bored doing nothing all
always worked regular and that suits our temperament. You
You have to have money to do the YOPS
Women's rights days on the main march are being neid In tne ivorin-west. the Midlands, and the South-east This will unite women in the fight tor the right to work Equally important is the fact that the march is going through areas of high Olack Jeff West, Boilermakers Stockport 'ON 4 May, May Day, the From lite to Salar to march through Eccles to Salford greet the march. "The next day a reception has been organised at Manchester Town Hall. The Man chester Confed has called fac LOTY the march on the Wednesday, SUDDUTI
6 May. •When the march leaves Manchester pace delegated has ions to send it on its way.
are working'
simplest things. If you go shopping you've got to think about how much you're spending all the time
I have to shop locally, I can't afford to go to Perry Barr or into town very often because of the extra cost. l suppose in the summer I can walk. Freddie: You become isolated from the mainstream. There's two working
Those employed and those unemployed.
Val: We don't know many people who are working. Look at Dean. He
shorts, swimming trunks, clothes. How can you manage on £54!
unions just shouldn't allow some of the jobs to be advertised. non-union companies should be thrown out of government agencies.
and programmes are Greet the People's March
for Jobs
National march and rally against
unemployment
organised by TUC Sunday 31 May Assemble noon at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park for march
to Trafalgar Square Birmingham, Southall, and Brixton.
In Birmingham we are
gener ined at women
leaflet aimed at women
shopping centres. We are also producing a specia leaflet for women workers and shop stewards arguing tor sinke action on May.
send a delegation of 50 people ine same anemoon to march arrives at Macvities in And march.
Andy Lilley, SecreTar
Ealing Trades Council an a member of the engineering union AUEW: 'WE'VE set up a North and West London commited all major made unions and Trades Councils the area activities and support for the march.
members unions like NUPE
native to these government program-
porary basis at a ridiculously low level of pay.
Lord Thorneycroft comes across on television saying that Tory policies are the only way of rescuing the country. But once again it's the workers that are footing the bill for the rescue.
Val:They still live OK. They pay the slap-up chauffeur driven champagne for breakfast.
What was it that amateur jockey drank - Buck's Fizz, champagne and orange Juice. thev're spending ding. sand on an engagement ring How much is whole wedding going to cost?
Freddie: It's It's being used as a diversion. A roya marriage in the summer time diverts people's
Val: I'm against royalty altogether. The expense and the hangers on. They live a very nice life for doing nothing. This has caused a big debate on the committee.
It was agreed that workplaces which didn't strike
should take extended
lunch breaks to greet the
march.
The solidarity tour of
the women from the Lee
Jeans occupation to Birm-
ingham and the possibility
*For us the main event will be the march from Brent to
Southall on Friday 29 May.
'Calls Have cone out
engineering factory lne area tor maustria action on the day. We're looking for big support the Heathrow and fac tories like Ford Langley and Hoovers.
"The Hus. chunus asuc sudoor so tar nas come trom une hac. community Southall where a
trade and community organisations has UCCI WILD regular meetings of over 40 delegates
"This will be a big boost to
reflection worldwide.
the Party
ple like
economy themselves
and NALGO - banks, offering any alter-
peopie work on a temmeals, the be a success in the DOSILOI
cars, bottles of
workers organised
Look at how much on the royal
wedTwenty eight and a half thou-
leading
her dress or the unemployed.
attention from things like
Tories out. of women from this occupation and from the Royal Pride strike in Manchester being on the march
the fightback of blacks who are suffering the worst affects ol rcaundancie. from racists and fascists as well. we ing for London wide action welcome the march on the FriBut from the start we've Hall won ozace agains full time union officials and some members munist Party who seem deter. mica to have a low key, Joca! event. 'But we'll still be pushing for the bigges possible tur nout on Friday and for the national demonstration.
Freddie: Once upon a time British industry was to an extent in the hands of British capitalists.
What's happening in Britain is a
For tre capitals. system It seems that the multinationals nave gol such contror ove.
_economy that they exercise political control.
While we've got a Tory government in power they'll continue to support this type of economic system.
What we've got to do in England is get the Tories out of power. I'd like to șee a socialist system coming direct-
vul lie alcillalive l the Tories now is to build the Labour
and ensure that it fights for socialist principles.
The best bet is to get behind peo-
benn and Court that Labour Party under him is a Labour Party that calls for more state ownership of the vital parts of the British
the land, building, all the major industries thereby generating employment and wealth for those people who do the real work in those industries
I support Benn in fighting Healey for deputy leader of the Labour Party but when he's in the leadership will democracy still be practised? You can support Benn but you have to fight to ensure that he reflects sections of the working class that fought behind him.
The People's March for Jobs will
showing massive op Thatcher's policies. The miners and the water
showed what strongi SCCUOIS can do. strongly that the TUC, which comprises almost entirely the moderates in the trade union, haven't fought when there were jobs and I don't see them
fight when people are
Val: I wish they would Freddie: The value of the march is that the unemployed people realise they're not isolated, Thousands and those thousands are willing to protest.
Val: It shows the want to get the
LIVERPOOL TO LONDON 1-31 MAY
ON THE MARCH
AGAINST
THE
TORIES
gives it the vital dimension of highlighting the effect Thatcher's policies on
no (Scalist Challenge
Andy Lilley
Page 7 scan of this page
Tribune: will the real | lefts please stand up
A PERVERSE jury has
decided that Barrie
Prosser, the prisoner
one kicked to
death, was unlawful-
ly killed.
What a strange verdict
after being told by prison
vincers that notning or tae
sort took place. Even the
decided that there
enougn evidence to com
friendly screw,
Melvyn Jackson, for trial.
The campaign against
the Plod on the Beat and
the Screw in the Nick
Clucitiv reaching scall-
dalous proportions.
Tom Litterick Memorial Fund Tom Litterick died in 1980. Between 1974 and 1979 Tom was Labour MP
Selly Bırmıngham Oak. He rapidly established himselt as one of the few left-wing Labour MPs who almost
line up on the right side including 'sensitive'
U11 issues like the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which he constantly voted against.
Selly Oak CLP have established memorial
This Luna Before he died he was closely associated with the work of CND; the memorial fund will be used to help the activities of CND in the Birmingham area.
Cheques/postal orders should be made out to Tom Litterick Memorial Fund, and sent to Selly Oak CLP, c/o 10 Greenend Rd Moseley, Birmingham 13
Photo: JOHN STURROCK (Report)
Support for Benn is building up across the country
Often a kind-hearted prison warder or police ofnicer tries some prisoner get a good night's sleep. JUST because they bang the prisoner's head against the wall or kick his testicles is no reason for persecuting Ine lorces or law and order.
They only doing
al C and there is shortage sleeping pills due to health service cut backs.
By Davy Jones
candidacy, Tony Benn
ty.
rank and
building up.
pealing for Benn to think again.
jority of the
Benn including slan
meeting vote on Benn's decision.
all those present at the meeting.
Tribune
Heffer argued:
'There is a real danger that the left as
Labour Party can be divided.
ty.
Joan Maynard MP, a supporter ot Benn.
They're fair cops, guv
If all the allegations about police cruelty WCIC true, the jails would be so full of coppers that there woula be no room for all the people they have 'fitted up' This explains why the police investigate and uphold only two per cent of the complaints made against them.
They would do more, but so much of their time is taken up with necessary DESPITE the massive campaign by the trade union and Labour bureaucrats to prevent his
insists that he will stand for the deputy leader of thè Labour Par-
And support for his candidacy from the file of the labour movement is
The leadership election has thrown the Tribune group into chaos with leading 'left wingers' like Eric Heffer ap-
At last week's Tribune meeting a three hour heated debate took place over Benn's decision to stand. A ma-
50 members present appeared to oppose Orme who demanded that the
Meeting chairperson lan Mikardo refused to call a vote while Benn and Reg Race suggested a name vote of
MPs who opposed Benn included Robin Cook, loan Evans, Stan Newens, Norman Buchan, Jeff Rooker, Jack Straw, John Silkin, John Prescott and Eric nener. In a statement circulalca lo me thoune mecung
well as the That should be avoided,
answered this criticism in a Tribune article as follows: ' lhe maiori. ty of Labour MPs have never hesitated to be divisive
Labour Party
duties like re-cycling dope
they have impounded, and
arrestme oak vou oi
charges that their
days are quite full.
Assault
The are COTTeN
unfairly charged with not
ed police assault by arranging medical examinations.
This is not because MPs supporting Tony Benn
burgh Leith) (Sheffield VICES tilkeston).
Robert Hughes Litherland (IVanchestel
Brightside), mcivanon (Glasgow
Plan Mikardo (Bethnal oreeny Allan Roberts (Bottle),
West). Dennis Skinner (Bolsover).
David Winnick (Walsall North).
Michael Foot and
Comerence
accept the decision 'whatever the outcome
conference in October. So much for party unity.
victories over • Ine last vear
tacitly supported by Michael Foot.
40-30-30
Labour leadership.
USDAW proposed the
amous 40-30-31 formula adopted conference Labour's special January. Any reversal of that policy at the USDAW conference would open the door, Ine right wing throughout Labour Party to step up their cam paign against the 40-30-30
formula.
USDAW resolution at the VILLUE Y ot the she riconference caused
right wing union leadership immense em-
USDAW union and should stay so
Lowdown
they want to cover thing up, , but because the police have a real sense of public duty and want to keep costs down and do not like spending money on doctors.
Unfortunately the enemies of law and order will not give up. They have pointed to the fact that last year more than twice the number of people died in custody than in 1979. This is nothing but a campaign
Norman Atkinson (Tottenham), Ron Brown (Edin-
Bob Cryer (Keighley), Martin Flan Hillsborough). Rav rietche Stuart Holland (Lambeth Vauxhall), (Aberdeen Robert • Central. David Marshal
(Glasgow Shettleston), Joan Maynard (Sheffield
William McElvey (Kilmarnock), Anbob Mclag
Green and Bow), Reg Richardson (Barking).
Ernie Roberts (Hackney
North and Stoke Newington), Ernie Ross (Dundee
Thorne
(Preston South), Michael Welsh (Don Valley), and
when it suited them... in the weeks before the Wembley
parliamentarv leaders were stalking the country telling us that we must
Yet within days of the conference coming to a deci sion which they did not like these very same people were declaring their determination to overturn it at the next
The Labour left has scored a number of important
The right wing is on the counter-attack spearheaded by Labour Solidarity and
The reaction of the majority of the so-called 'lefts' in Tribune is not only dangerous but suicidal. To buckle under the right-wing counter-attack will leave the door open for the right to roll back all the gains of the past perimilitants inside the Labour Party should rally to support Benn's candidacy as an excellent opportunity to
Shopworkers should stay with
meeting from 26-29 April. The central debate at the conference will be the election of the
in the future To find themselves allied with the most left wing the Labour Party separated them from their moderate friends in other unions and upset the moderates within the union. Options Resolutions on the leauersmp crections to unis conference outline three opuons. o stay wilh lne 40-30-30 formula, to go for 33-33-33, or to support one member one vote. The amon acculive nas yet to
of disruption against decent police officers.
The so-called victims went out of their way to get themselves arrested, and then provocatively died in custody in order to smear the police. Discredit
Barrie Prosser obviously took a leaf out of their book. His stomaci was ruptured as was his oesophagus; he had
didacy:
for deputy leader of the Labour Party.
tion for deputy leader of the Labour Party
Benn for deputy leader of the
Labour Party
to support him
• Amend labour
which call for support
from the etc. for the 35 hour week and against the cuts
Benn for deputy leader of the Labour Party.
leadership battle
the election of the leadership.
Dull.
died with supporters of Labour Solidarits weak-kneed such a movement.
By Chris Jones, Bolton USDAW, in a personal capacity
say which option it sup-
No doubt would have preferred back Michael Foot's 50-25-25 formula but no resolutions to that effect have reached the conference agenda!
Tony Benn will speak at the eve-of-conference rally organised by the Broad Left in the union The rally is an excellent opportunity WIll
delegates to defence of the 40-30-30 formula, as pro.
posed It the Manchester
branch conference resolution.
Furthermore can help build support for the candidature of Tony Benn for deputy leader of the Labour Party. A resolution from Swansea Smiths
severely bruised feet, legs elbow, groin, hands, hips face, eyes, and anus He managed achieve all this using only a DIISOl Halues. plastic drinking mug Diabolical SUCCBUIL knows no bounds wher people are determined ti discredit our prison vice.
Readers are asked to send in information an short articles which the think could be used in thi column, to: Bob Penn ington, LOWOOH Socialist Challenge, 328 Upper Street, London NI The following appeal is circulating inside the labour movement in support of Benn's can
We give full support to the candidacy of Tony Benn
we believe that the campaign otters the best obnor tunity to discuss and organise to win policies which the labour movement needs in the face of the Tory attacks
we color every oranch. communee ana conterenc of the trade unions and Labour Party 1o discuss the elec
• Where possible pass an emergency resolution in your umon or Labour barry orancn suoboring benn's car didature and committing the union conference delegates • Invite Benn to speak at union conferences on his plat-
movement conference resolutions for unilateralism, withdrawal
to add: "Therefore this body supports the campaign of
• Start the discussion in the worknlaces and lahou branches on the policies of the candidates in the Labour
• Start the debate on bringing union democracy into line with Labour Party democracy, especially in relation to
• Question all Labour candidates for national and local elections on their position on Benn's platform and cam-
develop a class struggle movement to kick out the Torie: and to fight for socialist policies. The Tribune group, rid
and othe: 'lefts', is proving an obstacle to building Food branch to supp:
Foot and Benn for lead and deputy leader shebe supported. Victory Many USDA: members think their ur is weak and inadequate victory for the right i conference make it much harder the lett to continue its te to build a strong. democratic union.
Sid Tierney has been re-elected preside: with an increased majo: over Broad Left candida:
Audrey Wise 5: workers should net a. the right wing to fol this victory at the LSDA conference by overture the 40-30-30 polici Socialist Challenge 23 April 1981 Page
Page 8 scan of this page
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Page 9 scan of this page
this bleak and oppressive cation apartheid Lne erage household has to pay a onthly rent of about fll, an is is now being put up to fl7.
In 1977 the average income ta Soweto household was put £136 but 19 per cent of the s than th had an
than f75 a month - which cant that they were below the ficial subsistence level, and ble to suffer from malnutrion and the diseases it causes. Since then things have got orse as unemployment ounted to at least 20 per cent nong black workers.
A recent survev of three ease household income on Soweto found
is on white
outh Africa
less than f80 a month and half of all households subsistence level. The rent increases will push this figure even higher.
Fortv thousand live an even harsher life - they are migrants' who have found legal jobs in the city but are classed by the government living in the rural 'homelands'
They are therefore unable to bring their families them and have to live in ten vast barracks-like compounds. some cases conditions bad in the countrysides that migrant workers ignore the law and bring their families with
Someone Sellin 'home' in a curtained-off cor-
With a week to go to South
Africa's whites-only elections,
BRIAN SLOCOCK examines
life for blacks in the giant
concentration camp from
which British companies are
among the main beneficiaries
MPLE
HALL
ner of a dormitory. below the The poverty and harshness recent of life in Soweto breeds a high rate of violent crime — murder, rape, assaults and robbery.
Sowetans But the police rarely interest themselves such their job is to enforce the apartheid laws through style operations catch illegal migrants or to shut down free-enterprise shebeens with to revenues from the beer halls.
In are so This is what life is like in prime minister
¡ority — just like it has always up been and always will be as long as apartheid survives.
ATLANTIC
POPULATON COLAREDS laws and
do still
where they
except by birth.
city or tinuously
continuously can qualify. Contract
are classed as 'migrants'
expire after a year.
Even if they
many are) they
take up a new contract.
HOL Cons ucieu employment or residence even rights are
Wing the Obviously
African
my and
is a sick joke
joker in this pack -
Led on their names, lose their matters; citizenship.
military- Crime designed to
phuthatswana, Botha's 'new
have no desire to go to
of line crime like
ANGOLA
NAMIBIA SOUTH AFRICA
Lape to
200
The area's reserved for South Africa's 18.6m black people are marked black on the map - the total area is 13. 7 per cent of the country. South Africa's whites number 4. 3m
ACCORDING to the of.
'homeland' belong to the Party while the large
'homes' back
This is supposed to justify
and all the repressive policies their movement and freedoms
have one elementary right - to actually live in the cities where they were born or
have lived and worked for decades. However, since 1968 no black person has been able to acquire these rights
Only someone born in the
who has worked confor the same employer for ten years or lived mines, legally in the city for 15 years
farmland, official
Since 1968 all black workers moving in from the countryside
and meant to are employed on contracts that
are then rehired by the same boss (as very must first go developed back to their 'homeland' and
This is cultuluous
slender living under government has recently come up with a new gimmick of giv-
'homelands' independ'independence' for bits of South Africa totally dependent on the South
government finance and the South African ar-
police to keep unpopular governments in power
But there's an even nastier
• black people are assigned to homelands by 'tribal' origins, usually bas-
and inel South African
Thus black people born and
droly find themselves citizen
themselves citizens Boor some other
olace they have never seen anc
October.
The moment they step out • by comming somt becoming unem-
ZAMBIA Lusakad
Saliabury e ZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
"LESOTHO •cast Londor ort clizabet
400 Miles Areas heserved for Black ropulation f19/3
The heartless 'homelands'
ployed, for example - they can
deported back their one
da,
One thing that the National
leaders have insisted upon in this election campaign Is inal were will De no gong
on the apartheid 'homelands' policy. So what is life like in these little pleasure
In 1978 the South Africa government spent £363 on the education of every white child.
In the same year it spent £27 for every not black child in school
spots marked out by Botha and his colleagues as the 'homes' for 20m black people?
They are the bits of South Africa left over after the whites took what they wanted for the
Clues. ana profitable large-scale farming. lare coate in potentialy Fertile Some
but according to an commission set up in none them, even if farmed with the most modern iccuuuucs. coull support the population they are
For example, one region in by the Zulu 'homeland' Kwazulu could support 13,000 if fully
It then had population of 30,000. Today 100,000 live there.
The existing population of the homeland can only make a
by working in South
Isolate apartheid
South Africa!
ONE important objective in Botha's 'reform' strategy is to change South Africa's international image and make it easier for the capitalist powers to co-operate economically and militarily with the racists.
With the election of Reagan, moves are already being made in this direction and the recent offensive to re-establish sporting relations with South Africa is a small taste of what's to come.
The Anti-Apartheid Movement has responded by launching a national campaign under the banner 'Isolate Apartheid South Africa
Activities planned so far include a national consumer boycott day of action on 25 April, a month of action against Shell and BP during June, and a series of regional trade union conferences
There is also to be a conference on South Africa's nuclear plans, a national trade union week of action in October, and a Stop the Apartheid Bomb rally on 31
Information from: Anti-Apartheid Movement, 89 Charlotte Street, London WIP 3DQ. Or from your local AA group.
MOZAMBIQUE
INDIAN OCEAN
APPORTIONMENT SWAZ LAND
WHITES African cities and industries. In
'independent' state, Ventwo-lniras or adull me. earn their living in this way; 82 per cent of the Venda's populadid pere lomen, children and
peopl Only a fifth of the incom earned by Venda's inhabitants including food grown for family use came from any sort of work in Venda.
In 1975 the average income per family earned in the Venda was £13 a month; including the earnings of migrants the average family income was f52 a monin
But migrants' incomes do
all come back to their families. Forced to live apart from their families, sometimes ior years al a lime. migrant workers often spend much of their earnings in the city or even break off ties altogether.
Disease
In one area of Kwazulu a group of 150 families in the early 1970s was found to receive any lileel 50p to ‡30 a month from family members in the city average they got about to. and their total mon thly income was f8
This meant that in real terms their incomes had fallen
over half during the preceding years. Most children suffer from some form ot malnutrition and disease was widespread.
This is what Botha's 'reforms' offer as a future for the black people of South Africa.
- Sanctions Now!' Socialist Challenge 23 April 1981 Page 9
Page 10 scan of this page
French elections: tighting
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LAST weekend the French Trotskyists of the Ligue Communiste held a festival in Paris, as the highpoint of its campaign to get Alain Krivine on the presidential ballot. The Fête was attended by over 10,000 people, 7000 of whom packed the giant marquee where Krivine spoke on the Sunday afternoon.
tional in Europe, and Africa and Asia, Group had a stall at the Fête.
INGTON who attended on behalf of the IMG Political Committee spoke to Alain Krivine on his campaign.
What did you achieve in the ele tiene me ny
WCIC organisation to stress the need for workers' unity.
We fought the sectarianism of the Communist and Socialist Par. ties. At our 80 meetings we Hau mole than ever before.
But very importantly we attracted a number of SP and CP miculucis.
Often they would argue and debate with each other in the meetings. Thus we
PLANS for our National Sales Week, from 30 April to 6 May, have been finalised in most areas. From the list of activities proposed by our supporters, it looks like being a great success. Local activities include:
Aberdeen: Selling on the Mastrich housing scheme.
Birmingham: Selling on May Day y stanas at Mad march
Day festival.
Cardiff & Newport: Sell-
Inter
Polish Workers Revol Oliver MacDonalc
British Political Crisis
John Ross
SWP & Labour Part
Alan Freeman
Reviews by Margat
larrison, Michar
Fitzpatrick
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_Socialist Challenge News
for workers' unity
Révolutionnaire (LCR) Like other sections of the Fourth Interna-
organisations from the International Marxist
BOB PENN-
provided a forum for disi between rank and file militants of the two main workers' parties This just does not hap-
Level of the parties, or in the trade unions. Generally it is impossible to get common agreement betweel sociausi and the Communist led CGT (Conféderation Generale Du Travail) to turn out a common leaflet. Olly people that gain from this are the rulinganising sales in Wend ing at Welsh TUC valleys.
Selling while canvassing for Labour Party candidates.
Coventry: Covering local new series of Marxist journa of
. $15 other overseas.
ing class, so our whole callpalg! Was based around the fight for the unity of the working class and their organisations.
Did your campaign have an impact in the factories?
We went to 25 factories to do meetings, them at factory gates. In other places, although we wanted to do meetings, the CP leaders in the factory Diocked us and we were unable to speak to the WOrKIOICC
We organised a petition among trade unionists and industrial workers which called on the workers' organisation: unite in common struggle.
Alr nave signed this In a
ple have signed this. number of unions and factories, groups have been formed to unite against the sectarianism of the leaderships.
Did you gain many new members in the campaign!
We have made more
May Day events including all day Irades Council ex hibition.
Edinburgh: Selling Mav Dav march Glasgow: Using the sales week launch an am bitious programme public sales at local factories (Hoovers, Wills, Rolls Royce) and on housing schemes. Also selling at May Day demo.
Hemel Hempstead: Organising stall in May Day market plus sales at
Huddersfield: Will be giving away free copies of
Challenge sociallst every marcher the eastern leg of the Peoples March starting out from here on z Mar Leeds: Organising sales at the Peoples March event: being held from 2 to 4 May when it passes through the city.
Leicester: Selling on St Peters and St Matthews housing estates.
Liverpool: Covering the beginning of the Peoples March.
Manchester: Selling events along the route of the Peoples March which passes through Salford or 4 May, Manchester and 6 May and Stockport on 7 May. Also
pial le step up factory sales, currently held at Genera
Belloterin almsleys
Belliot Bolton, Delta and Ferranti Measurements in Oldham. Schreibers and Mather and as acester.
Nottingham: Covering May Day march.
Newcastle: Selling at May Day events.
Oxford: Sales at May Day
and local estate sales.
Portsmouth: Only two supporters here who cannot organise • anything
Alain Krivine contacts among trade unionists than ever before This summer we are planning a party school where we are expecting a minimum of 700 new contacts and supporters. In fact we hope to 1,000 figure and that many of them will join
necessary signapresidential ballot? tures to on the We collected nearly six hundred signatures. Then Having a cop at Socialist Challenge
special but whose sales are increasing!
Preston & Burnley: Will
Day march concert and exhibition where thev have their owr stall. Also at local NUT
the Enginculs meeling eering Confederation conterence on Unemploymen and the Burnley May Day rally Sheffield: Selling at May Drea sents pors accopies organised Peoples March. Also considering an estate sale.
Swansea: Selling at the Welsh TUC in Porthcawl. Wolverhampton: Stepping up inel regular salc. and considering an estate sale and a pub run. Brent: Organising estate sales in Paddington area and planning to distribute old issues for free in advance Will also be starting up factory sales along route to be taken by Peoples March when it arnIves
East London: Organising mammoth Socialist Challenge Fund Drive event. 'May Day Banquet' will be attended by about 200 people who will partake of a four course meal, hear internatiqna, speakers in-
al de asi ninte nec and SP leaders threatened
expel LOeN signatories if they did not
off my forms. lake unem The SP alone blocked 250 signatures.
This made things imDossible. A signatory can only sign once, so people who had signed tor Lutte Ouvriere or the PSU could not then sien for us Who are you asking people to vote for on the first ballot?
As the main theme of the campaign has been to worker's unity and CP/SP government we do not think we can now turn round and say vote Lutte vuvnere. not called for the unity of the workers organisations
We are therefore calling for a vote for any of the workers' candidates in the first round In the se cond and final round we shall of course call for a
for Mitterand who will be the sole challenger to Giscard. cluding Grenadan High Commissioner and enjoy other goodies organised by supporters.
Haringey: Will be using the sales week to launch more public sales in the al ca Islington: Selling the paper while canvassing for labour candidates.
Lambeth: Organising mass street sale in Brixton as well as estate sales
Outer West: Organising =
'May Festival' Socialist Challenge, May where they hope to raise lots of money! Sec ads.
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Page 11 scan of this page
Letter!
To join or
not to join?
BOB Pennington does less than USUCe LO tIC need to build a campaigning left wing In Labour Party in his reply to Chris Harman of the Socialist Workers Party (9 April).
Bob makes two very important points. First, that any Marxist worth her or his salt would understand the nature struggle for democracy in Labour Party and recognise its importance.
Secondly that Marxists have a responsibility to extension of democracy and the erosion of state control.
What Bob did not state ex.
was that all Challenge supporters, both side and outside the Labour Party, should organise to ensure a victory for the left.
This is the problem for Chris Harman assume that it is a call to join the Labour Party? He fails to see that there is a direct political relationship between what happens in the Labour Party and in the trade unions.
The fact is that the decisions at the party conferences decided by the block votes of the unions.
I would ask comrade Harman if he thinks it is objectively in the best interests of the Alan Thornett, BL Cowley militant, branded a 'police agent' by the WRP.
Once more on
the Labour Party
the
of the the therefore
support the
Socialist l11-
wole ne Does it matter who is deputy?
class for the right-wing reformists to reverse the gains of the last Labour Party conference? then the solution is quite simple: organise support in the unions are for Benn as next deputy leader.
Then the How can the Socialist Party support Benn while abstalion TIne working the Labour Party?
attempt to gag left press
Letters After SETTERS
Benn Trotsky as i suspect, he does not NOL.
question arises: the sun.
Workers ROB JONES,
struggle within
Workers Revolutionary Party:
By Brian Grogan VANESSA Redgrave, the Workers Revolutionary Party's best known member, against the printers of left newspapers Organiser and Socialist Press because they carried articles explaining the anti-working class character of the WRP.
Using the capitalist legal system to intimidate and suppress labour move. mc Jarais is part ana parcel of the openly anti-working class OI this degenerate organisa-
Led by Gerry Healy, the WRP's main public acuvity for several years nas been campaign disruption the Fourth International.
The leadership of the Socialist Workers Party in the USA — co-thinkers of Ine ri — and Tariq Ali in Britain have been subject to the absurd accusation that they are leaders of DOLE the and the KGB
the first time that the WRP
predecessor, the Socialist Labour League - has resorted to this type of activity
1966 Ernie Tate then a leading member of the r. after being beaten up. Tate was seling literature thai
Letters
One last point: Do we think
Lenin, Kut if like god Carsins. Cliff? No. certainly we want others to see a true reflection of Benn's politics, we first have to give him a place in
Member of Hackney North & Stoke Newington CLP
has issued writs Socialist
exposed the nature of Healy's organisation.
Two labour movement pap seace Labour Leader and News, were obliged to publishing he detail for details of his incident after Healy threatened to financially bankrupt the through legal action.
The WRP has also engaged in a systematic fingering of class struggle and Trotskyist militants in the factories.
Alan Thornett, a leading steward and Trotskyist militant at BL in Cowley, has been branded as a 'scab' and 'police agent' in leaflets handed out at the factory gates by WRP members.
This is a practice of the WRP which has been plunecicu and sysituatically persued in the United States where leading Trotskyist militants in the factories are similarly branded. Coworkers are visited.
The intormation
I HAVE read with interest your recent articles by Bob Pennington and Chris Harman on the Labour Party.
It was a pity that the Socialist Workers Party didn't volved with the Socialist Unity of International Marxist Group, especially WIll regard to standing left can-
One of the lessons to be learnt from experience was the extent of the hold of reformism over the vast majority of the work-
Class would be opposed to the far left standing candidates at torthcoming loca or general elections
Many socialists have recently recognised the need for us to modify our
towards the Labour Party in the light
changing circumstances.
This, in my opinion, is much better than adopting rigid postures of the *TIl have no truck with reformism' variety. The workmaling Bell's orche The making ington's social democrats' (2 April) casts the left wing in the same bureaucratic mould as the right, leaving working class militants at a loss lo know what this struggle was about.
The only reference to the programmatic basis of this struggle was the 'accusation' and 'alleged' fail
O'Halloran to implement local vall
on the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Otherwise the impression 1s one or a bureaucratic power struggle between rival factions
which these elements base their operations would normallv onlv be known to management or the state
It is not only in Britain and the USA WRP carries out such anti-working class activity.
In Iran its agents have attempted discredit militants of the FI as imocrials This charge has been taken up by elements in the regime playing on the fact that a number of leading Trotskyists had returned to Iran from the United States and Britain.
Similar slanders have been Laker up the Stalinists inside the FSLN in Nicaragua.
This charge was given a
credibility because of the criminal acuvales Simon Bolivar Brigade, which engaged in series of adventures against the revolutionary forces, under the banner of TrotSAYISIII. The WRP must be
aware that only the Stalinists and pro. capitalist forces gain by such activity.
Socialists should support the decision by Sean Matgamna the ecitor a Socialist Organiser, to detend his article against the intimidatory threats of the WRP. The newspaper wants a labour movement inquiry to investigate the charges in Matgamna's articles, an approach which
A valid arena for work
ing class wants to know what we have to say about the maior issues of unem ployment, , cuts, the threat of nuclea war, and so on, rather than abstract debates on reform revolution.
And, to be honest, the Labour left is at least talking in a language that the working class under. stands.
A memorable headline from « one OT last year's issues of Socialist Worker
'Learn Polish'. seems to me, witnessing
Labour left are bureaucrats, too
bearing no relation whatsoever to the pressing pro •blems faced workin people, either in Islington or elsewhere
The left social demoin the party Cals
seasoned practitioners of
'takeover' politics.
Instead of a classpolicy and the SULLIC education of the membership political they preoccupy themselves with getting the 'right peo ple into the right positions' and building electoral machine within the party as well as outside
The danger with Geoff Bell's article was that it could easily miseducate
is a far cry from the bourgeois methods of the WRP
If, as seems likely, the
WRP rejects this proposal,
Socialist Organiser has to
be supported and allowed
to defend itself in court by raising the necessary funds.
The WRP has become an instrument of disruption against class struggle and militants inside the labour movement. would be responsible not _ Io do everything possibly to expose this sad development.
NOT THE COURTS
We, the undersigned, condemn Vanessa Red. grave's and the WRP's use of the courts against the labour movement press. We support the proposal that a labour movement inquiry be set up to invest. igate the statements made in the Socialist Organ. iser article.
NAME Return to Labour Movement Press Defence Fund, c/o 214 Sickert Court, London N1 2SY
the struggles going on u the Labour Party, that the Labour left has been doing just that. One thing that the SWP should begin to accept is that the Labour Party is a valid arena for political work.
Whether it decides to have people on the inside or not is a question strategy and tactics, not of abstract principle.
STEVE ROSE, Big Flame (personal capacity)
Socialist Challenge sup porters to being sucked into the bureaucratic meth-
ods which have long been
and left leadership of the Dally Moreover, as the arti
cle stated, the 'left's
takeover' is now being used to launch i a witch-hunt against the lett
Presenting the struggle as the article did in terms
of a 'take over' which 'has led to the present splits in the local party, can only Taculat SUCCeSS such a witch-hunt.
BRIAN LYONS,
Sheffield
Tony Benn Dennis Skinner, Reg Race and Ernie are among over 100 signato
demning the WRP's use of the courts against the
movement press.
seno donations Jonathan Hammona (Hor Court, London NI 2SY. Che- Treasurer), LI C Sicker cues payable Labou Movement Press Defenc Fund'.
A LABOUR INQUIRY,
ORGANISATION Socialist Challenge 23 April 1981 . 'Page 1'
Page 12 scan of this page
Anwar Ditta: I want those six years of my life back'
home together in Britain.
It was 14 April 1981 Saima finally flew into Manchester airport. has lost six years of their childhood. Jenny Flintoft about her feelings now. There were SO many photographers at the airport:
DDL ITV, press photographers. And there was the
relatives and members of the defence
Somebody had made a banner it said 'welcome home kids'. The children didn't say anvthing when they saw me they just cried. Ane samera. (the fourth child who was born in England) just grabbed hold
of them ready enjoring ha
really enjoying having them Just ordinary things like giving them all a bath. But
When I theres broochs lou. heard they could come thought my troubles were over.
But now I know they're onbeginning. Because those six years have really harmed the children's lives.
They hardly speak any English. - they only know a few words.
I'm really worried about their education and their By Judith Arkwright WINE, asparagus tips sandwiches, and the luxurious surroundings of the Penta Hotel in London was the massive increase in women's unemployment.
It may have been fitting for Baroness Liberal spokeswoman on unemployment, the New York business-woman of the year, and the personnel manager of Ford, who were among those attending the National Council for Civil Liberties' conference on positive action earlier this month.
Women in Britain are concentrated me lowesl paid and least skilled jobs more unall anywhere else
West Europe. Unemployment for women has increased by 207 percent since 1975.
In 1911 the number of women in clerical work was equal to that of men Sixty years later women occupied two-thirds these jobs. In 1911 women nau in skilled and semi-skilled jobs, but by 1971 we were concentrated sentlskilled work.
And it is women's jobs that are going to the wall first Thatcher's onslaught. So discussion on positive action is important to women
workers, though it hardly seems relevant to the likes
of Baroness Sear.
Speakers from the united States did give
some interesting examples
of how the affirmative action programmes there
have operated. an on group me US Women Employed
which campaigns to
into dominated jobs.
Blunt, a founder member of the group, descrocu
their efforts to get the HarTIs bank, tracted to the government,
of affirmative action.
women Employed produced its own pro-
Socialist Challenge 23 April 1981• Page 12
ON 14 April 1975 Anwar Ditta temporarily left her children in Pakistan while she and her husband got a
when Kamran, Imran and
She talked to
future.
Shuja (her husband) has
lost his job because he went
to Pakistan to get the children.
His employer never said a Just sent me tne
P45 while he was in Pakistan.
How are we going to pay the mores for my children? They mortgage? how
need warm clothes, it's cold for
them here after Pakistan.
averv cav reel
more angry towards the Home
Office. They'v taken
of our children's lives aW I'm still planning to sue the from us.
Home Office. Nothing can get
inose years back. Ivoulig•
But at least if we get some
money will help with the
children's education.
I'd like Socialist Challenge
to thank everybody who've
been netonas and supporting
me. I'll never forget the people
who've helped me. Never.
What we need is
positive action
bizarre setting for a discussion on the
Sear,
A WOMAN'S
RIGHT
TO WORK:
THE CASE FOR
POSITIVE
ACTION gramme and the bank spent $im in legal costs resisting its proposals.
The bank lost the case and was rorcea lo pay $12m in back wages to compensate for past discrimination against the
This 'American way' implies fighting for quotas of women to go into certain jobs and grades. Both employers and trade unionists at the conference were sceptical about this approach.
The personne manager of Ford said that hi company had tried to encourage women and blacks into skilled jobs, and he blamed them for apparent lack of interest.
The reason wily they are reluctant themselves forward for such jobs is because of the past discrimination women and black people
Anwar buy
more and
five
Dhoto:
İmran, Sima, Kamran, Sumera.
Women seek equality
in Telecoms
LIKE SO many other
grades of engineering are meant to be open to
clickille women. Positive action is needed to enable women grades there
to overcome the obstacles to equality at work
even then this is not reflected at the various levels
of the union.
Several London branches of the
backing a conference resolution calling for im-
plementation of the TUC's charter on equality, as
well as an investigation by the union into positive
action.
TUC and it has ignored events the TUC
NCCL conferences on
conference.
on 5 May to discuss these
from: Post Office Women, tel. 01-238 8792
have experienced - аск of education, spending ume to oring up chared, and so on. That is why Guvlas are needed, anc qualifications for a par ticular job may have to be towered to compensate ol past discrimination.
Quotas do imply legal sanctions on employers to
While we Can call ul should support this, it is not a substitute ior the trade unions campaigning on this question.
system of quolas begins to challenge the wnole structure system. It shows that it is not women or black people who are to blame for their lack of training, confidence, or ability to obtain skilled employment.
Ford UK employs 15,000 women out OI total workforce of 55,000.
Women.
Anwar Ditta's children arrive at Manchester air-
port. In the front from left to right: Shuja Uddin,
Behind: Nasira employers, British Telecoms has an equal opportunity policy. All
Yet while there are 100,000 men in the main
are only some 600
In the Post Office Engineering Union women make up just 2.5 per cent of the membership, and
POEU are
The POEU has witharawn from the Women's
and positive action. Few members will be aware that the union supported a motion on abortion rights at the Labour Party
Women in British Telecoms are meeting
issues. Details stilled are excluded ford skilled WOrK because protective legislation which prohibits them from working shifts The unions don't want to apply for an exemptior order because given the present level of unemployment, they are anxious to keep ine joos lot mien The trade unions have to lead the fight against such divide and rule tacnot be part of them These jobs are not 'men's' jobs women have as much right to a job
The NCCL. conference provided a wealth of information which can arm us in the fight for positive action. The trade leadership should begin to work out a strategy for tor a women's right to work.
DE
Begum Jaswinda Kaur A victory but be prepared for future action By Ann Potter THE defeat of the Corrie Bill, which was an attempt to erode the gains of the 1967 Abortion Act, was a tremendous victory for women. But there is no room for complacency.
The 1967 Abortion been fully implemented, and the grounds for abortion do not allow women the right to choose
Under Thatcher the attacks on abortion rights are being stepped up.
Doctors for a Women's Abortion have pointed out the increasing difficulty for women to obtain safe, legal abortions. The cuts in the health service are just one of the problems we face.
Late abortions are extremely difficult to obtain. The charity clinics cannot atford to have ultra-sound which measures the size of the foetus. This is a reauirement for late abortions so women have to pay done at a hospital.
As the number of health service abortions declines because of the cuts, more and more women are being torced to pay extortionate prices in the private clinics. In Scotland this can be as much as £400.
While NHS facilities are run down, the charity sector which has acted as an essential safety net tor women Is sub jected to continual harassment. rules and regulations can result in clinics being shut down by the Department of Health and Social Security.
fighting deportation, Anwar Ditta. fighting deportation, and Moshin Zulfiquar - Asian Youth Movement.
Abortion: Corrie
through the back door
Act has never A recent
Choice on
particularly difficult.
equipment, race every day
f10 to get this
tary session.
Petty
Fight the deportations of Jaswinder Kaur and Nasira Begum JASWINDER KAUR Demonstration 16 May in Leeds Further details from The Friends Jaswinder Kaur, LAP BOx JK, 29 Blenheim Terrace, Leeds, LS2 9HD NASIRA BEGUM Demonstrations 6 June in Manchester 15 June in London For further details contact Friends of Nasira Begum, c/o 595 Stockport Rd, Longsight, Manchester 12
Charities are now required to record the time of payment for an abortion, as well as the date on which it was carried out. They have wasted money printing posters, which they are often required to change. They had to change the wording from 'help and advice' to 'advice and help', and this was after that poster had been approved by the DHSS
ruling demands that all those receiving free treatment must be resident in this country for three years. This nasty piece of legislation particularly affects women seeking abortions; providing the required proof means further delay. Women with non-English names, many of whom are black and already subjected to racist treatment, will find it
Getting an abortion on the NHS in this country becomes more of an obstacle
as the anti-abortionists and their friends in parliament try to get Corrie in through the back door
The heart of the problem lies with the lack of NHS abortion facilities. This was raised at the recent labour movement conference on abortion, and a Bill will be presented during the present parnamen-
It aims to make the provision of abortion facilities mandatory on area health authorities, something the 1967 Abortion Act has failed to do.
As the Labour Abortion Rights Campaign puts it: It isn't easy to get an abor-
but it will become a great deal more difficult if nothing is done.'
Page 13 scan of this page
Kollontai: Women will never be handed their rights on a plate'
Jenny Flintoft reviews published novel and looks at her eventful life.
WOMEN have played no part in the revolutionary movement. person could well be forgiven for thinking. Who knows Nadezhda Krupskaya as anything but Lenin's wife, or anything but (speculate, mistress?
German Social Democratic brilliant theorist? Who could say anything at all about her activist compatriot Klara Zetkin?
Kollontai, the only woman in Lenin's government? Her beauty, theory, not hers at all, that sex is like a glass of water.
Born into a world of ball-gowns antes, Kollontai became one of the mos militant Bolsheviks, prolific wailer. and tireless worker amongst factory wolden
Violently repudiating bourgeois Slic nevertheless fought fiercely
women's pered constantly by the
allu frequen of her comrades. downright hosti-
Divisive
In the harsh conditions
revolutionary Kusha Kollontai's belief that real political change had to be accompanied by formation in personal and family relationships seemed a luxury, and her campaign for a separate party women's organisation dangerously divisive.
First the Bolsheviks 1904. she became Menshevik 1906. A convinced interna-
A Great Love
develops the themes that today seem the most modern in her work. So it is in A Great Love, recently translated by Cathy Porter.
Natasha, Bolshevik gradually faces the fact that her married lover Senya will never really see her as a person in her own right.
about Lenin and Inessa Russell, a friend of Kollontai's sixty years ago, rejected in the Supplement, the view that Senya could be Lenin, he merely represents the almost universal male prejudices of the time. highly unlikely story is based on any one particular relationship. the stereotype of a male revolutionary immersed in his work. Anyuta, Senya's wife, is sick, suicidal and 'petty bourgeois'.
Distillation
have written this about Krupskaya, whom
she liked and respected. It is much more
likely that the story represents a distilla-
tion of all Kollontai's
observations of male
long period.
ticularly it is probawry with Petr Maslov in 1909. Maslov was married to a sick wife and had five children.
Kollontai's newly
That's what the average
Inessa Armand as speculate) his
Who cares that Rosa Luxemburg was the
Party's most
And what is remembered of Alexandra
her love affairs and a
tionalist, she rejoined the Bolsheviks after the Menfailed UDDUSC the 1914-18 war. She translated Lenin's War These and travell ed to Scandinavia and the USA, propagandising against the war.
Agitator
In June 1917 she was working with Petrograd's laundry women, who toiled long hours for a pittance in appalling condiLiulis. During their strike she persuaded them to add the Bolshevik anti-war and anti-government slogans to their own demands.
At the 4 April Petrograd Soviet she was the onBolshevik delegate openly to endorse Lenin's famous April Theses.
Lenin heavily relied on her as an agitator • she spoke
day, writing pamphlets in between After the October Rev-
in her fiction that Kollontai
Party worker
A Great Love is widely believed to be
Armand. Dora
Times Educational
that Kollontaï's
Senya is a cardboard cut-out It is inconceivable that Kollontai would
and behaviour over a
If any one relationship is exploited par-
Kollontai's affair ridden:
Solution she took charge of the Commissariat Social In Constant contact with peasant women. AS
Culcos equality was meaningless while women were oppressed in their daily lives.
Wanting to call explicitly for the death of the nuclear family, she desisted in deference The two faces of Kollontai Kollontai, fascinated by his intellect, felt his interest in her was mainly sexual, and believed him incapable of treating her as an equal.
Unfortunately, Kollontai's fiction was frequently unimaginative and cliché-
"Then passion came them off their feet with a suddenness that took their breath away. Natasha lost her
Under Review:
Lenin. She did however criticise the bureaucracy's threat to the women's organisations.
Throughout 1919 and 1920 the growing Workers' Opposition also criticised the expanding bureaucracy. Sympathising with the Opposition's
WOrKCIS control over production, , the ending of large-scale employment of bourgeois special-
This could Women's Own.
very convincingly. style from the
sweeping
own minds about
Lists — Kollontai hesitated to commit herself for fear of jeopardising her work in the Zhenotde (the party women's department eventually set up September 1919).
She finally joined in February 1921 increasing numbers workers, weary of famine, fuel-shortages, epidemics, and atrocious housing were rallying to the Ophead completely and fell deeply in love.'
have come straight out of
Her characters too, are not developed
Unly Natasna Is seen inside. We know nothing Senya's thoughts, and Anyuta hardly exists at all. Everything is presented too unequivocally - no chance of making up our
position, which had a firm base in the unions.
Written for the tenth party Kollontai's Workers' Opposition pamphlet deplored the party's alienation from the masses.
Despite their pertinen
criticisms the Workers Opposition was lambasted as petty and syndicalist by Lenin and nis supporiers altacks on the rather confus
ULU gramme of the Opposition were marred by some personal innuendos and squa-
attempts to discredit Kollontai.
Furthermore Lenin took the historic and disastrous step of banning party factions.
Kollontai, now isolated in the party, was expelled from the Zhenotdel's directorship in 1922, and effectively condemned political inactivity Then
Norway aș a member of the Russian trade delegation. This was the beginning diplomatic career which lasted until 1945.
Her eleven languages, her tact and sympathy, and the warmth, wit, originality and sincerity which had made her popular as an agitational speaker ensured her suc-
But it was still exile. In Russia her ideas were systematically misrepresented and she was sub jected to vicious personal douse
Demoralised, saddened by the ending of her second marriage, and sick will alixicly • Ior • her son.
comrades, her party
are told Anyuta unimaginative, yet kind and generous
or epiereess no thet character
polical
Trades, to feel one's work appreciated.
Pamphleteer
that.
love!
more powerful.
her friends,
devoted to her work Together of
sonal relationships and loving and living those experienced by women today.
and the working people of the Soviet Union, Kollontai sought solace in writing fiction.
She was too disillusion. ed to fight now; it seemed futile. She hid her real feel. ings nening mechanical appeals for party unity 1930 she told he secretary Marcel Body: 've but mv principles in to a corner of my conscience and i carry out a well as I can the policies dictated to me. Comfort Throughout the 1930s news filtered through Scandinavia of the torture. murder and suicide of Kollontai's old comrades.
Her chief comfort now was, as always, the loving support of women friends especially Zoya, a friend from childhood, and Isa Palencia, Republican Spain's ambassador.
Personal relationships had always been important for Kollontai; at the funerof American socialist Jack Reed she said. 'We all call ourselves communists, but are we really! 'Don't we rather draw life's from those who come to us, and when they're • longer of any use to us let them fall by the wayside, neglected and lorgollell! Our Cullillu nism and our comradeship are dead letters if we don't give ourselves to those who need us.
Kollontai died in 1952 the last of the old Bolsheviks (apart from
of her adult the Revolution. Not one word of official tribute appeared in the Soviet press.
A novel is not a political pamphlet. We
conventional,
but we never see these traits - no scenes
hint the absorbing ideas in Natasha's head. But Kollontai does bring out something never talked about in revolutionary politics -the need to feel needed by one's com-
The novel ends with Natasha leaving Senya forever. Departing, she reflects on Senya's destruction of her love for him. A simple, effective ending - but Kollontai is too much the pamphleteer to leave it at
She ruins the whole effect with a final polemical sentence: 'So learn from this, all vou men who have made women sutte through your blindness, and know that if you injure a woman's heart you will kill her
The whole novel is in fact too polemical and too explicit - it lacks the irony. and subtlety which would have made it far
Yet it is moving and convincing, and it is Natasha (who is really Kollontai) that makes it so. Vulnerable, lonely in spite of
easily swayed by sexual pas sion, she is also strong, independent and
with Thirty-Two Pages (the second story in the trilogy) A Great Love portrays the same conflicts between per-
work, between an independent life as
Socialist Challenge 23 April 1981 Page 13
Page 14 scan of this page
By Brian Heron IN THE autumn of 1982 the general assembly of the United Nations will hold a special session on the problems of world peace and disarmament.
ment weeks and days, and 1982 is to be disarmament year.
The general assembly will be presented with a monster petition containing millions of signatures demanding world peace and disarmament, organised by the World Disarmament Campaign.
In Britain this campaign is led by Brigadier Harbottle, who intends to canvass the whole population. This grandiose scheme is in inverse proportion to the number people the campaign organises so the WDS looking to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament for its troops.
Leading supporters of the World Disarmament Campaign like Lord Fenner Rrockwav and Philip Noel Baker want to reap the rewards of milions names provides by the
thousands of WUIK CND activists.
The national council of CND on 7 February took a long discussion on aspects of CND's relationship with this campaign'. The minutes of the meeting report that at least three lines of thought were expressed Ill variety ways:
Diversion
'1 WDC diversion, gradualist, petition not worth the effort, no WDC grass root support.
i2 WDC varies from
arca radicalism and the level of CNDR
vociallul depends on the style of the local WDC.
"3 WDC is a good way
reaching those who woula not ownerwise reached by CND. We should push the wo petition and co-operate fully with the WDC in itiatives especially during CND disarmament week.
It was agreed to encourage CND groups to 'utilise the WDC initiatives during the coming year'.
In other words, for the moment it is left to the regions and local groups to decide their attitude. Pressure
But as the UN special session on disarmament approaches the
DreSsure will doubtless increase to participate in the WDC and therefore CND groups should be clear about this campaign: it represents a dangerous blind alley
World Disarmament Campaign has only
policy plank
Europe's missiles (right). The map is from Sanity.
Socialist Challenge 23 April f981 ' Page 14
World Disarmament Campaign
DANGER!
This campaign
The UN has already organised disarma-
The World Disarmament Campaign
petition THESE are the demands for which the World Disarmament Campaign is seeking millions of signatures:
weapons of destruction. 2. i reen sales coote disarmament do The 3. General and complete disarmament and 4. transference of military expenditure to end world
general and complete disarmament of the whole world, conventional weapons as wen as lucical weapons.
The agencies throug!
which the WDC hopes thi: worthy aim will be achiev-
tional conferences peace COVerLONS and United Nations • indeed any forum willing to fill its platform with speakers of worthy sentiment and little practical consequence.
ine ment campaign explicitly rejects unilaleral disarmament.
In 1983 the first Cruise missiles are due to arrive in Britain and CND's first target is to stop them arriving.
Thatcher and the Reagan
Some of the more
important
bombs
Buccaneer (UK)
Tornado UNI Nimrod luk Jacuat uk
F-111s
•Denotes not yet stationed in Europe
disarm CND
1. The abolition of all nuclear weapons and all
The abolition by amil capable of directing
capable of directing he oa lic douces the Tory government.
Of course, petitions can have a role, but only it they are an adjunct to generating Huds.
The most powertul action we Call generate alist Thatcher's war policies is united working tion.
While the prospects for such a mass movement are infinitely more promising than in the 1950s '60s, there is still much to do -clear Collidicul unilateralism has yet to be in the trade unions and Labour Party.
Petitions appealing for general disarmament are exactly what is wanted by those like Michael Foot whose aim is to fudge the
THEATRE NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN EUROPE
Cruise" (UsAl Cruise* (USA)
F-111s (USA)
PorshIna I (USAI PIlS USAT sonne/opartan USA nonest Jonn (USAUN
Pluton and Super Pluton missiles (France) Cruise
USA Tornado * (Italy)
(West Germany)
Stop the missiles
could
issue. They want to continue to edge away from a
government of weapons
Genera appeals for 'peace' are worse than useless. First, they offer no definite objectives by which peace can be fought for. They present hopes that can be readily agreed
without anyone to anything.
Secondly, it is wrong in principle to approach all conflicts with a simple appeal for peace, which is a stock-in-trade the Kremlin bureaucrats.
For example, should we approach the struggle in El Salvador or the uprising of the blacks in Soweto with an appeal for 'peace' and 'general and complete disarmament'!
Oppose
On the contrary, should oppose the disarmament of those in the front line of fight against Thatcher Reagan. SUCH revolutionaries Salvador.
The two different approaches to this problem were highlighted during the Vietnam war. The Kremlin and its supporters
Scud A/scud B (USSR)
F-111s (USA Cruise" (USA)
KOMITE
WAPENS
ted outside NATO Brussels last weekend. They demand-
all over the world said campaign for 'peace'
We argued that the best result.
Vietnamese people and in
would be the victory of the Viet-
Defeating the US would make it more dif ficult tor Washingtor launch future wars of the
Vietne Word Disarma-
ment Campaign is fruitless detour. Its strategy is useless in providing practical steps for disarming Thatcher and Reagan
If it is widely taken up, WDC will only succeed in demobilising the disarmament campaign, turning it away from mass action and the labour movement.
LOCUO AVOCUO D Frog 7 SS-12
Tu-16 (Badger)
Tu-22 (Blinder)
Tu-26 (iactirel Gammon (5A-5)
SS-20 F-111s (USA)
headquarters in the
Youth CND in
conference
By Richard Rozanski ABOUT 200 delegates attended Youth CND's national confererice last weekend in Birmingham.
One dav of the con ference was devoted to discussing some important constitutional questions to ensure the continued ef fectiveness of YCND as a body which unites and mobilises of youth.
First, it was agreed to recommend to CND na tional council that the upper age limit be 25
Second, it was decided inal ine new tional committee will discuss. the problem
veterans of that period
mittee of 100 after the arrest
during 1961 and 1962
Julian Atkinson was
YCND,
mptly send
London NI 2XP.
Led a nuclear free Europe and opposed placing of Cruise missiles. Over 1,000 people came from CND groups YCND's autonomy with the CND leadership.
And third the ference re-affirmed tha YCND was oper to al Wild supported the aim and objectives. A resolu tion ina participating could put it own policy and ob above those ot CND wa defeated.
The conference decid
the national CND demon and for the Scottish demonstration on 5 and June. It was also decide to hold a YCND week o action in August, to coin cide with Hiroshima da and to send a jobs no bombs' contingent on th Peoples March for Jobs i May.
Out soon:
New Socialist Challenge pamphlet 'CND 1958-1965: Lessons of the first
wave'
By Julian Atkinson and Tony
Southall This new pamphlet is a detailed, 54-page account of CND's early history, its victories and mistakes, by two
Tony Southall was a founder of 1959. and chairman of Cambridge University CND in 1960-62. In 1961 he joined the Com
of 36 members of the original 100'. He worked full-time for the Committee
active in Le and Eltham , marched and sat and carried on the fight as Na tional Secretary of the National Association of Labou
Page 15 scan of this page
By Jude Woodward MANCHESTER citycentre ground to halt on Saturday as five marches converged into a mass demonstration of 15,000 chanting: 'No Cruise, no Trident'.
Organised by North-west CND and Manchester against he Missiles, the demo was the
week lilalen across ine ren nines ron Lccus.
Eight thousand of the
the march and many more joined us as we passed. Black youth By Chris Palmer, Walsall SUPPORT has built up in the Birmingham area for the Lee Greenock.
women from the occupied plant, spent three days last week visiting a number of factories and speaking at meetings in and around Birmingham. This is a diary of their solidarity trip.
Tuesday, April, pm. 1 nree hours after their arrival, Christine and
Walsall Mane womer's grous. nervous because she has never
10.30um, Southalls sanitary towel tory. The representative from the chosworKes USDAW promises an appeal already dorated to the An elis branch, which has strike fund.
11.30am, HP Sauce We're met by Don Bennett from the ransport union. who introduces us to John Bradley of the union's white-
ACTS. They Collar promise aollaturis and shopfloor collection
12.30pm, BL Longbridge. We are refused entry to factory. so the unnon reos un
us i ran will send money
send mones immediately and that they will
fon a une next tolle show stewards meeting.
Lucas boycolt of lee earis that a One
leans should be organised in the TGWU
Lucas
Aerospace. Again we have to meet in a pub. Brian Salisbury P and besides offerine Griffiths
financial support they give us
several local lactories
Anses brewery noisy welcome
here - chanting and singing
Christine speaks up when
worker suggests that the Lee
Beans a sual co fight. The striking workers
Labour Party Young
Socialists back Benn
The annual conference
of the Party
Young Socialists held
over the Easter week-
end agreed to support
Tony Benn as deputy
and to af-
filiate the
Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament.
Militant tendency again dominated the discus-
anne rector
2000 strong meeting although
not without a challenge from
a handful of delegates from
Barricade, a youth paper con
nected with
Organiser.
suoDoriers
argued that there was no rea
danger of nuclear war and
only socialist
tion of society could end what
Manchester marches against missiles
from local estates brought the sort or baxton to me marca
they defied attempts them joining the Youth CND
in une soace or a coupe or hours the membership YCND doubled, trebled, and quadrupled hundreds
O1
Manchester YCND's calling for a North-west Callival ported August, AM. 10ea Sun-
Revoluselling 150 copies of Revolc Youth made
ine overwhelming senti-
particularly youth
Brum backs Lee
Jeans occupation
Jeans occupation in
Christine and Anne-Marie, two young
donate £26 promise
invited to their and strike meeting. soclai Evervone agrees that inose in struggle must stick together. .30pm. ednesbury TRW engineering imMosere aullalt. mediately and promises to ger further support in the area,
factory haven't time to visit.
Cadbury
4 sunm.
Schweppes
helpful. She wants us to speak
emergency
Steve which would have visited had they
not gone on strike that morn
Both promise financial SHOOTE. and Pat will put
motion to as anon
calling for trades council sup-
LEESLEES
THERIGHT TH
WORKFLEAEE
threat did exist.
driven to af-
signs useking to build line
Discussions
women movelucil. ul sex-
ism in the trys. on unemo
loyment and other subjects
failed to produce any real
campaigning perspective.
Ireland turned the
maior debate with Militant
being set congratula
about their record on Ireland
which they see as in 'the tradi-
tion of Connelly and Larkin'.
wouldn't agree Incy
The demand TOT Dolnical
status of the hunger strikers,
wouldn't discuss
and initially
They did agree to raise the
Thatcher,
(ill IS Olillld Trans-Pennine marcu COmI mittee won a massive cree.
The when ne said This my message Michael the prev arication, stop vallllalivi, Labour rarly cicarly comm tec disarma-
•We want to see a mass movement against Cruise and
ana want Ine Labour Party at the head of
Only four Labour Parties ana a coupe or umon bial ches were represented by their banners, although there were many workers on the march.
photo: DI
7.30pm, Socialist Challenge meeting. Christine speaks again, mucn iess neT-
before. She remarks on how much help they've received from socialists. Pat Hickey com ments on how the str Greenock is the kind of leac
birmingnam necas
Mark France from YCND points out how it's no accident that it's youth who are reading ine way in wrecnock.
Brixton, and CND. A collection raises £43.
10am, Rover mursaur.
Tyseley. We are thrown off the site by the industrial relanons oncer WHO Consuch. our presence inappropriate. A union deputation led by Bot Whiskins meets us at the gates and is very constructive.
Tories
-ne union reds Dorml out how all workers are now in the same boat because of Tory policies. vonev. includle regular donations, is promiscu.
is now back lo ine sid tion, where Anne-Marie and Christine start the long
back to Glasgow.
tired but elated by the support
they've received They pro muse to sec • us again tor the People's March and the Birmingham May Day rally.
NUTGW +
TENS of thousands of council
tenants in Scotland are on rent
strike.
Among them are some 5,000 tenants
in Renfrew district who are refusing to
pay a 35 per cent rent increase, and 1,500
in Dumbarton who are withholding a 46
per cent rise.
Next to CND,
Scottish Tenants Organisation
tastest orowin orcanisation ocondro
Delegates from 88 tenants groups attend-
ed its first AGM last week.
There was an angry response
Donald Dewer MP
spokesperson on housing.
argued against the strikes, on lue basis
that there were 'proper
means' of dealing with the rent rises.
The most warmly Dundee councillor Frank Christie.
opposing Chase homes wilbe plintone bo pur
Home News
THREE thousand people marched on Saturday from Hampstead to Dollis Hill (above), the site of a nuclear
CIVIL servants are
step up action on their 15 per
cent pay claim.
Air traffic control assistants have
voted for
engineers have decided
them. The leadership of the civil ser-
vice unions is also under mounting
pressure to call all-out strikes in the
departments of
health and social security.
VIV LACEY, Manchester regional
secretary CPSA
Employment, explains how the civil
servants could win.
Civil servants are furious that as or-
dinary working people we should suffer
pauperisation and that we shouldn't be
able to fight for our living standards.
Civil service pay has been worked out
retrospectively on the inflation rate, so
we've fallen behind other workers, and
now the 7 per cent offer is way behind in-
flation
Thatcher is determined to hold down
public sector pay. If she beats the civil
sendits. LICU she'll go
postal workers, town hall workers, and
others who make up a substantial sectior
of the trade union movement.
Dockyards
Other trades unionists should be givpassus practial unst no giving
resolutions,
assistance where it is at all possible.
In the dockyards, where the govern-
ment sent in the Navy to complete ship
repairs, industrial workers said that they
wouldn't work under the direction of the
That's exactly
Ivavy
response we want.
When Labour was in government it
Widespread rent strikes in Scotland
Slates by d
cial sector
areas of
the recently-formed
the
to
opposition hardly
The meetings
democratic
greetea speaker Tommy
sales, refusal to
ST PANGRAS
LERS
ARE
ONKERS
CND there
Civil servants call
for all out strike
anxious to
and strike-breaking tactics to back
the deputy employment and
Department of
million
quite fortnight giving Civil Service Unions.
the kind are being taken.
Dundee district council has a policy of rates by so hassite paper top the
massive Labour council justifies this on the basis that half its rates come from the commer-
Renfrew district is one of the main
the Numerous local meetings were held before several thousand tenants voted overwhelmingly not to pay rent and rates rises
The Labour councillors' excuse for a 35 per cent rent rise is that they claim there would not be working class support if they defied the government
confirmed by the TACT of many as thousand tenants forced the council to reduce the rent rise from a planned 57.5 per cent.
Macnamara, one the organisers of the strike in Renfrew, says
that the struggle could be toughened by a Freets will the el utide ront
the full rent. that
bunker. As well as this North London
were four other CND marches in the London area. had a very poor line on civil service pay disputes, so the Labour Party leadership has to recognise that all workers are entitled to a decent standard of living.
They should be condemning the
of the British Navy, orchestrated by the Ministry of Defence. Tony Benn, in his challenge for
leadership, should say that strike breaking by the armed forces is unacceptable under any circumstances.
Labour Party
We need declarations of support for the strike from all levels of the Labour
partie 80 per cent turnout by
the half servants for the half-day strike over the Navy's scabbing is extremely encouraging. We need an escala tion where civil servants across the board are called out en bloc for an indetinite period, or perhaps for 10 days.
The views of the members have been
adequately expressed countrywide. Alla mass meeling In Ivanenestel d
ago, for example, a vote was taken on the strategv of all-out strike ac tion and there was a clear majority in
Since then there have been calls from around the country for an all-out strike, but it's been shown on many previous occasions that the leadership doesn't really have the guts for a fight. We have to force a response from the Council of
In Manchester we have meetings of activists from their in strategies ere they can argue their own strategies. need to forge a direct input into the coun cil nationally. That's where the decisions
over Lambeth Six
snub at the NUT's conference on the weekend.
ding orders to debate a motion which
militant action over the cuts.
Lambeth Six
council workers. ference to secure the reinstatement of the six
arms spending at a time of education cuts.
against the urts race Socialist Challenge
Press freedom
launch in
North-east By Malcolm Wright, NUJ MEDIA managers will not be sleeping quite so easily in the North-east of Eng land, where regional committee of the Campaign for Press Freedom has just been formed.
Speakers have visited trades councils and Labour Party branches in ine area and we are running a cours trades th on three Saturdays during May i ne courses bene nciu d the recently-openec ington Media Workshop where people can learn how ic produce callels allu busteis we nave been askeu Dy uc white-collar union ASIMS IC
It includes the selection processes in newsrooms, how OWIl pres: releases, now to counter ola: by %, the dinnership of reply, ownership of the press, and alternatives CPF North-eas montoring luca media ic make sure new. coveraze Is fair and accurate. If it isn't we be making We want local trade unions and pressure groups to do the same We aim to put representatives on every listeners' and viewers associallull with local radio and TV sta. tions We plan to produce a poster giving media 10-point SDUKeSOCISUl. guide on how to deal wit reporters. Also to be produc a serie. callets bookleis, and side snows ex plaining how existing papers radio, and TV stations in th are owned and rur vestigating the possibility o setting 'in the region. Mean up a radical week!.
papers like Stree Press and Newcastle Trade Connel's paper Workers'
Chronicle.
We are helping with a one day seminar on Media to be held in May at the Centre, seeds university Middlesbrough.
Information CPF North-easy from. Malcolm wright. Stanhope Rd, warlington Tel Darlingtoi (0325) 484374 or 54621.
There also CPF regional committes in the North-west Philip Turner, Filesmere Manchester M21 12R) and ir
nauld Glasgow). • The Campaign for Press Freedom is holding AGM May, at Conway Hall, Lion Square, London WC It starts at 10.30an
Setback for NUT leaders
THE executive of the teachers' union received a major
The union's right-wing leadership wanted to suspend stan-
would have strengthened its ability to discipline members who take
But the conference voted io reject this move. The background to the debate was the disciplining of the
the South London teachers who have been suspended from the union because they called on NUT members to support a half-day strike by Lambeth
The executive ruled out of order attempts at the con-
Against the advice of the union leadership, delegates passed a motion declaring 'deep concern' over increased
• The motion said teachers had a 'prime responsibility' to speak out
April 1981. •Page 15
Page 16 scan of this page
Don't let Irish prisoners die.
DON'TLET HIMDIE!
southern Easter, in the latest sign
to the H mand for special status.
Those who declare that these 'criminals and terrorists' can never be given different treatment Tron other prisoners have short memories. Special catego-
status was given to Republican
Dilsulicis 1972 by William Whitelaw.
was withdrawn 1976 as Britain changed its policy to the pretence that all was 'normal' in the Six
Yet in every way the DISOLICIS al c treated by special procedures. They
picked under al c special laws. They are tried in special one luage, noJury Luuils. And the Northern Ireland Secretary Humphrey Atkins has admitted that (real value £3.15!)
Andrew Glyn and John Pluto Press (usual price f2.95).
Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50,
12 months: £14
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Published ba Printed by Eat End of set TU Lid. London 62
Socialist
Challenge
BOBBY Sands MP is close to death. Margaret Thatcher has refused to discuss with three
Irish MPs who. met Sands that the government intends to make no concessions
Block and Armagh prisoners'
they are special longer'
There is overwhelming support for the prisoners' case among the population in the north of irelana. The establishment media has attempted dismiss the vote for Bobby sands Rests the Unionist Harry But the Catholic voters did not follow the call of the traditional Unionist pollical the Social Democratic and Labour Party to spoil their bailol papers.
They voted for Bobby Sands Armagh candidate. clearly see the fight for the prisoners' demands fight against Britain's at-
SUBSCRIBE TO SOCIALIST CHALLENGE For new readers we are offering TEN ISSUES of Socialist Challenge for the incredibly low price of £2
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tempt to rule the north of Ireland. and as a first ster over forcing the British
from Ireland.
The massive vote fol de-
Sands in Fermanagh
that followed by an increasing
EUROSOCT strations across Ireland in
In turn the Catholic has stepped up its cam-
paign of harassment and repression.
Over master two youts were VOLC murdered by
which into the crowd at 50mph And throughout H Block activists and sup antiparty, and harassed.
The labour movement in Britain has been siow to show support onsoners Block/ Liberal, number 0I They and
tionalist MPs appeaied to as a the government to
'an imaginative through'
The appeal pointed out the prisoners' to compromise and adont a flexible approach. SignaLOCS of the quested Michael Foot but he refused to meet them.
Benn Left leaders like Benn and Heffer
by
Tensed support for the prisoners devote une for Bobby Sands.
In a statement to the House of Commons press conference the 'Don't let Disoners die' last week, Marcella appealed: 'It would be criminal of the
before making a move. In the eyes of the world he is a political prisoner, up to the government implement demands now before he dies.'
This weekend's monstration needs to be a massive display of solidarity with the irish prisoners.
complete
and beel
of street demon
of the prisoners
British army
cold-bloodedly
army land-
ploughed
Ireland
for WECKS Labour,
Welsh Na-
make
on these issues.
willingness
appeal remeeting with
•Age 27
have also
massive vote
organised
the Irish committee
Sands' sister
brother to die
and it's to
the five
de-
SANDS!
•Union: National Union of Vehicle
Builders and ATGWU •'On the blanket' since 1977 • Began hunger strike on 1st March
were re tor the me
IRISH
HUNGER STRIKER
BOBBYT
SUPPORT THE PRISONERS 5 DEMANDS
so agent to tree
National Demonstration
Support the Hunger Strikers Sunday 26 April 1.30pm Assemble Kilburn High
St (Kilburn tube)
← Socialist Challenge No. 193, 16 April 1981Socialist Challenge No. 195, 30 April 1981 →