as occurred in 1989. Hundreds of thousands have taken strike action in support of a 250% pay claim, starting in the Donbass region.
The movement for national independence - concentrated in the Baltic republics, Moldavia, the Ukraine and Azerbaijan has forced the issue of whether the USSR can survive to the top of the agenda. Gorbachev has responded to massive votes for independence with the March 17 referendum on a "new, democratic Union'. However, given past experience of Gorbachev's use of troops in Lithuania and Azerbaijan, many see this as a Trojan horse. Certainly. Gorbachev bas amassed more power on paper than any previous Soviet President, Stalin included.
Yeltsin has taken addevastated; no-one knows how many have been killed or maimed, how much damage has been done to the environment and to the economies of the region. The aftermath of the war raises profound questions for Labour. Will its foreign policy be dictated by Wastington and the arms trade or will Labour stand up for peace, inter. nationalism and the rights of all oppressed people? Labour Against the War, launched to oppose the war, is remaining active to take up the urgent issues which are now pressing. We are proposing to put together a pamphlet with articles by Labour MPs and Middle Easter socialists on the war and what comes after. We are campaigning to organise anxi finance a labour movement delegation to iraq. All of this, as well as the more routine work of circulating resolutions and speaking at meetings reguires money _ Affiliate National organisations E20; regional organisations E10; CLPs and union branches £5: individuals waged E2/ unwaged £1. Please make a donation!
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Organisation/Position held I enciose a donation of E. Plese return to: Labour Against the War, c/o Basement Office, 92 Ladbroke Grove, London WII 2HE
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