SOCIALIST OUTLOOK debated Alliance for Workers Liberty (AWL) and Workers Power on the question of Irish politics at a packed meeting in Birmingham last month.
A central theme was the current so-called "peace process'.
Socians Outlook Speakers made it clear that we do not welcome the process or regard it as a solution the oppression of the nationalist community Whilst not being opposed argued that Sinn Fein have capitulated to pressure from Britain, the Republic and the USA, and are trying to emulate the PLO from a very weak position.
Britain's objective in this is the disarming of the IRA, as a part of a general offensive YEARS Liberty. Weak position: Adams agaiess ast inpesisint Secee in Ireland and elsewhere. As in&Bosnia, they will advocate. enforce and police a partiGoncu slac ALW Icader Sean Matwelcomed the peace process, tounding decision of the arguing that in his view impe- AWL to invite Ken Maginais, rialism no longer plays a role an Official Unionist MP. 10 in Ireland. He welcomed the their summer school this year. cease fire, arguod that the IRA Maginnis is also given to callare a sectarian murder gang, and ing for the IRA to be smashed. defended protestant separation. We wonder what racist of His line reflected the fact sectarian groups will be given that Billy Hutchinson, a a platform next. spokesperson for the loyalist Our speakers rejected these Progressive Unionist Party - accommodations to loyalism the political wing of loyalist and pointed out that in Ireland terror gang the Ulster Volun- xr comrades raine the sloga leer Force - has recently been of a workers' republic. given a platform by Workers In engiano scolane and Wales we raise the demand for He used it to denounce Troops Out of Ireland Now and self determination for the section of the Fourth Interna- Irish people as a whole. tonal as a well known sup- The debate made it even Porter Of the fascht IRA. more clear that the AW When pressed, Matgamna echoing much of the British refused to accept that it had left, neither reflect a revolu.
tionary Marxist programme to a loyalist leader in this way. for Ireland nor take up the role socians unlook speakers or the brush stic In the par linked this to the equally as- 9000 If you like our IName. (Address. paper, get in touch Socialist Outlook is a fortnightly newspaper produced by British supporters of the Fourth International, the world-wide socialist organisation. If you like and agree with what you see in this issue, why not find out more about us and our ideas? Simply clip out and return this coupon.
FRANCE'S political cartoonists complain that their Gaullist Prime Minister Alain Juppé is hard to draw. His chameleon-like nature goes deeper than a lack of distinct facial features.
Back in May he announced that his first government (Juppé I) would fulfil campaign promises to make a dent in unemployment and combat poverty within six months.
now he is proclaiming that the new Juppe 2) government will, in three months, make major strides towards bringing down France's budget deficit.
Spending cuts
Whereas before cutting un- failure employment was the key to spending is the prerequisite for bringing down unemployThe formation of "Juppé 2 on November 7 was a media event aimed at reassuring the markets.
While the core personnel shuffle provided an opportunity trumpet the government's determination to do the necessary welfarecutting and tax-raising to get Prance ready for the European single currency in 1999.
The government has been Aldan Salter DECEMBER 7 will be an International day of protest marking the 20th anniversary of indonesia's bloody massacre of East Timor. tuguese.
The Indonesian authorities have used every tactic against the East Timorese, ranging from genocide to culbut unby have falled to crush their soirit. A new oeneration of youth is emerging to lead the made smaller, with the re moval of a large number of women junior ministers, to show that the time has come to get down to serious busi The proposed attacks on off resistance, which may culminate in a general strike towards the end of November.
A previous protest on Oc.
public sector workers against wage controls saw unprecedented unmillions of workers. At the same time the new academic year has seen a powerful movement in universities against inadequate resources.
British readers battered years of defeats and betrayals should not assume that these While governments often get away with breaking cloction promises, there is usually a deeper "social contract" which they have to stick to. made frequent U-tums. but they had a clear electoral mandate to wage war on the unions and liquidate social gains into cash and property hand. outs for the middle and upper Juppé's - and President Jac- socialist icanings ques Chirac's - cloction campaigns, on the other hand, was a promise to heal France's social wounds. above all by abandoning the so-called Whilst indonesia was a Dutch colony until 1945, East Timor was ruled by Portugal natural resources. until 1974. Under the leadership of Fretilin, a radical incependence movement. the East Timorese fought successfully to drive out the PorBut Indonesia moved in to stop East Timor declaring independence.
Although the United Nasion, the major regional and ain, the USA and Australia, backed Inconesia East Timor is important to "pensée unique" (one-track be borne equally by all secthinking) on economic policy. tions of society.
Bold measures to promote growth and create jobs were Market forces While Juppé may succeed leaves them with a major in defusing the present proproblem or giamacy The iron fist must therefore tests through deals with French union leaders, it is also be concealed in a velvet quite likely that he will not be able to do enough to satisfy employment, social affairs "the markets". and health. Jacques Barros, is Then the question of a new described by an "insider"
Prime Minister will be on the "a self-centred egotist with table. Beyond that, in the longer-term, looms the ruling 'He believes it is better to class's need to create a new give in to the unions than lose hard right able to demolish a single vote". Both Chirac expensive traditions of social and Juppé are still insisting consensus. that the burden of reform will Out there in the twilight of 200,000 East Timorese 1994 when a Hawk missile deaths - is too high for con- destroyed 6 houses. On 12 tinued access to East Timor's November the Independent on Sumday reported that 2 By selling Hawk jets, Brit- Hawks menaced Dill (the ain has direct responsibility capital city). for part of this clood price. nesian Minister admitted But the price keeps on going that "the planes will be British Aerospace is sup- used...also for ground atlying at least 24 more lack" (Times, 18 April 1993).
The campaign against the The British government, Hawk deal and other arms which licences the export of Hawks to Indonesia, denies up to stop the first Hawk de. that they have been used very in April 1996. There against the East Timorese, will be a huge lobby of Parand claims that the new liament on 7 December. Hawks are only for "train- Non-violent direct action will ing". Robin Cook, Labour's occur at various British AeroWorkers hit back: French unions were joined by millions of non-union workers in strike action on October 10 reason, besides the explicit neo-fascist Le Pen, with his solid 10+% of the vote, lurk such figures as Sir James Philippe de Villiers, a "romantic" "gentleman' reac tionary from the Vendée region, famous for its resis. 1789.93. There is also Alain Madelin. a "maverick" free mar keteer, thrown out of the Juppé 1 govemment as a sop to assuase previous protests and Charles Pasqua, the 'Law and order, racies and Law and order, racism and Even an indo. SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No 94, November 25 1995. Page 9.
family values (in France, es. sentially Catholic) are the tra. ditional cement of the far right. associates Here the present gover ment, building on the achievements of its predeces. sors, has been blazing the trail with massive deployments of police and troops against im migrants, using the pretext of the recent bombings attrib. damentalists.
The organisations of the working class will need to build on the success of the Uctober au strike and tore a powerful united front to combat this desperate offensive.
HOME