women's and other Ly campaigning against something (though of course we are all Idcas were welcomed, and in sharp contrast to many conferences in- 1987; the number of miscarriages was up 200% from exposure to political issues, fighting both for The conference was a welcome favour of socialism and not simp racism, imperialism, and so on ...) As 26,000 face deportation... national liberation women's liberation. we are already in. tem ensures that at least a quarter From the women's movement been wet up in 1978. Women in every day. The number of women prisoners had increased 50% since countics. They have spent much of gains. Women have been trapped and equal citizenship includes achieving hasic civil liberties and overcoming the stereotypes of In Sinn Fein they now have a women's policy, and a quota sys- in Palestine Jamilha Akmed ex- plained how their committee had Palestine faced the occupation women had gone through too much in the "laboratory' of the six their energy trying to achieve women's reproductive rights, and in other battles there have boon few at home; and the partition of Ireland has hindered effective trade union organisation and The fight for national liberation women as only wives and mothers. of the caccutive must be women. weakened the forces of the left. height", she added. "As a remilt of the same councils are taking them Also from the platform in an Heathfield, Mairead Keane from Sinn Fein told the conference that very people they claimed not So said Haringey councillor and black activist Martha Osamor ference in London. "We now have to pay for the unholy alliances formed in the past when the women's movement was at its good local authority manifestos, women's units, race units and re- search units were set up: but now opening session chaired by Betty A NETWORK of socialist women must be set up, which "bureaucrats and yellow-bel- lied men' who are imposing local government cuts upon the in a key speech from the platfom of the Women for Socialism con will say "no" to the so long ago to be supporting.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK no 14 April 1989 could provide an example to movement join them in resisting the ever-more vicious attacks of These struggles have led to the don of a TGWU textile branch Turkish workers. This represents a real step forward but will require TGWU against the attacks it will Face, including trade anionists being shopped to immigration authorities by employers, and in the battles that lie ahead over The formation of this branch migrant workers across Landon in demanding that the trade union The factory bosser have used ploitation. They have been met by increasing struggles over the right to organise in trade unions, over wages and conditions and in op position to the arbitrary deduction of tas" from take home pay - a formation in North and East Lon- No. 1/1312 by 550 Kurdish and this background to intensify ex- levy that is not surprisingly un the employers and the state. committed support known to tax officers. Migrant workers organise could provide Security Act are two among a cess to health, housing, benefits, ing by public agencies and their linking to the Home Office, police and immigration officials, creates fear and uncertainty. They constitute a concerted attempt to destabilize the lives of black a compulsory identity card for migrant workers as already in- sive base of information on black Poll Tax would complete the structural base to cnable an iden- tity card system to be imple- The state has moved steadily under this goverment to relin- quish responsibility for the social cost of migrant lahour. The 1985 definition of recourie to public funds? and the 1988 Social tightening net of rules and regula- tions that discriminate against black and migrant workers in ac education and so on. At the same time the monitoring and question- alongside direct harassment by people here, and an undefeated controls. This is likely to include stituted in some other countries. The state already holds an exten- people in Britain. have 'equal rights' to freedom of benefits from the relaxation of border controls given to European Community (EC) citizens. Non- particularly from the third world, will be unwelcome in Fortress Europe. The British state's violent deportation of Viraj Men- Migrant workers in Britain are to face even more severe restnic- tions and harassment under a comprehensive system of internal that it was to double the number "overstayers" and migrants, with the aim of resolving 26,000 cases In the run-up to 1992 the European govemmients are plan- ning to ensure migrant workers and black people in general do not travel and cilizenship within Europe. They are not to get the EC people, including refugees, The 1988 Immigration Act made 'overstaying a criminal of fence (see Socialist Owlonk 6). The implications of this were heralded in last November's an- bouncement by the Home Office investigating -that is, deporting 26,000pcople. dis clearly marks this intention. of officers state, and against a backgmund of March 4, a 3000 strong march the Hackney under the slogans No worker is illegal', Right to settle, The fierce attacks by the police and immigration authorities take tensilying racism of the British a struggle by migrant workers against employers in the factories next day and an Interational ON MONDAY February 27, teen were under threat. This action came in the wake of a wave of raids across North and The Kurdish and Turkish trade union, community and political protest action: a mass picket of "No to police place both in the context of the in- workers were arrested in raids on factories in Hackney. By the next day seven had been deported and a further four- groups organised immediate Daiston police station on Women's Day march through 38 Kurdish and Turkish raids. "Long live our struggle". right to work!' deportations*, East London. Page 2
foot of the Himalayas, has made the headlines recently for its violent demonstrations. Apart from muslim reaction against Salman Rushdie, there have been far more important clashes be- tween supporters of Pakistan, Despite its reputation for poverty, India in a strong regional economic power, which acts in an imperialistic manner towards na- tional minorities and dissenting states. India could almost be "capitalism in one country with most of its consumer goods being as practising Uprising in Kashmir India, and independence, for the region, In particular EVENTS IN INDIA often go however the past few months have brought struggles which calls for an independent Demonstrations and riots bave Minister Rajiv Gandhi the same are of immense importance Kashmir, the norther state unnoticed in the west: there have been increased bordering Pakistan and the broken out in the Kanhmir's two major cities, Jammu and Shrinigar, causing Indian Prime now troubled Tibet. UP D to hroaden support and the Time To Go could have been the basis Troops out: self determination for the Irish people Time to Go! TEN YEARS AGO, on the
home made and very little in the way of exports. It is difficult to spot a westem car on the roads and refreshingly impossible to Gandhi's determination to hold on to the Punjab and Kash- mir has an econontic basis these two arcas include some of the richeat and most prosperous help put the skids under Gandhi's regime, which is already