Bangladesh happens. thousands are dead, and cholera - fast becoming the modern plague -threatens millions more.
The organisers of last weekend's pop concert could have organised it for many more causes. On top of the crisis in Kurdistan and Bangladesh, famine is stalking Africa on a huge scale and a tragic cholera outbreak is threatening millions in Latin America.
The disasters hitting the third world are it is difficult to keep up with them. But are they natural? Just a series of accidents? In fact they are not. Each and every one of these natural disasters' has a human cause and a human cure.
Take the cyclone Bangladesh. Of course a cyclone is a natural event (although the erratic world weather patterns may be affected by global warming) But the scale of the disaster was entirely predictable and preventable.
The worst devastation was on the islands off the coast. They are heavily populated because of the lack of land for the peasants. Hunger forces them to take the risk of farming the exposed islands.
Bangladesh has repeatedly suffered tidal waves from cyclones. Itneeds an effective sea-defence system and much more numerous cyclone shelters. But the rich urban middle class has spent a lot more on defences against river-flooding, a small danger by comparison.
Land reform and the investment for sea defences could stop this periodic carnage. Neither the International Monetary Fund which polices Bangladesh's economy, nor the country's rich rulers are interested in either land reform of effective sea defences.
The cholera epidemic in Latin America tells a similar story. Only an ample supply of clean water, basic hygiene and adequate food can keep cholera at bay. But millions of people in Peru, Colombia, and the other countries of the Andes basin do not have these.
Tens of in Queuing for food: more casualties of the capitallst market ting poorer.
The desire to raise money to give imme diate relief to the millions suffering and dying is commendable and should be supported. But not as an alternative to a longer-term resolution of this third world crisis.
A major cause of the crisis is debt bondage. Once a country is unable to repay its debt, the World Bank and the IMF impose austerity - which means terrible suffering and poverty for millions.
The left in Britain must take up the campaign for the cancellation of the third world debt. Fighting the debt strikes at the heart of the present unjust world economic order. It is true that imperialism, the exploitation of the poor countries by the rich, existed long before the debt crisis - and would existeven if debt bondage were abolished.
But the fight to cancel the debt immediately leads in to a fight for a new world economic order. This summer the leaders of the seven richest nations come to London for their economic summit (see centre pages). The demonstrations against them are the opportunity to strike a blow for all the oppressed of the third world. come in to sanctions. run-down. point. rich. Thatcherism. similar policies. As election fever mounts the Tories have carried out a gobsmackingly hypocritical ploy in launching their 'Charter" for decent public services.
The only rational point in this offensive is public services are in crisis in decay.' Anyone who has to use public transport in most of the country, or relies on social services, or can even see the state of the streets in most major towns can tell you as much.
But the core of the Tories proposal is the idea that wrecked public services are the If you're homeless, then its the fault of the NALGO workers at the council housing department. If the dustbins aren't emptied then its the fault of the GMB workers emptying the bins. And if the tube is impossibly crowded and dirty, then of course its those and RMT workers who've sabotaged it. They must be held to account through performance related pay and other No rational person could believe this nonsense. The services and infrastructure of Britain are in crisis because of underfunding, because of privatisation and deliberate But Labour's response is hopeless. All Kinnock and Gould can say is 'they stole the idea from us'. John Major's line that Labour's promise to improve thing all round and not raise taxes is empty has a Where would Labour get the money to renovate the NHS and improve public services all round? Especially when Labour says it will not cut defence spending. Espe cially when there are no plans for radical attempts to redistribute wealth from the Labour's promise to improve public services sits ill with the 'we're promising nothing line. Labour is promising nothing. because if it comes to power it will do so on the basis of not reversing the main planks of Official party politics is be coming a beauty contest' where the three main leaders pedal what are essentially If Labour wanted to really defeat the Tories public services scam then they should expose its content - that of blaming the workers. Neil Kinnock and Bryan Gould are a million miles from associating themselves with anything so principled.
No. 2 May 18, 1991