Another kind of bonfire party *STOP STRIP SEARCHES
legitimise future raids and bombings.
The fear of the Dublin government
that the "troubles" in the six counties
will come home to the
looking mroe feasible. It is ironic, but
predictable, that it
Hillsborough Agreement, intended
to stabilise the situation, that is acting
as the catalyst for this escalation.
Fitzgerald's optimistic aspirations
for the Agreement are
increasingly hollow. Toadying to the
Tories to preserve it is one thing
but ignoring incursions by
thugs is quite another.
government increasingly looks like
he white between the orange and the
green, the Loyalists may realise tha
he lever against Hillsborough is bes
applied in Dublin rather than London Internment -
On pieces of waste ground in
the nationalist housing estates,
near the partly Divis Flats and along the Falls
Road, kids put the finishing touches to massive bonfires.
Often crowned with a Union Jack, they are lit as midnight arrives.
The crowd, bathed in the heat and glow children and the older folk drifted home, leavin groups of youths silhouetted againt
It could be Guy Fawkes night in Britain but for the absence of fireworks. Brock's factory in Dumfrieshire - in the
Othe traditional August memoration by Republicans of the niversary of internment without trial, imposed with 350 arrests in August 1977.
The crackle of the flames and the chater and laughter hid the roar of the Army and RUC jeeps along the streets, pearance heralded by headlights cutting the darkness. At the arrivl of the invader the mood changed
Paving slabs were broken up shadows came the clink of milk bottles. Stones crashed ineffectually against the armour of the jeeps. The occasional petrol bomb bursting on the bonnet looked spectacular but did little more damage. As the plastic bullet banged the streetfighters dodged and scattered, then regrouped.
In the morning the bonfires were still smouldering. Some had served as barricades stewn across the road, buckling the tarmac. Burnt debris, bricks broken glassmarked the scenes
or Belfast Meanwhile reaffirm South support for the tattered Agreement are honoured policy is the Tories" approach to Ireland. Relying on looking Loyalist As his their Loyalist members (aided abetted by those conceptual contusion of with fifteen years on By DAVID MOSS and DANIEL PARKES demolished worst fighting News reports came in. Dozens hurt by plastic bullets, a British Army patrol attacked by a blast bomb on the Falls, a clash between IRA Volunteers and Army in New Lodge, a ten minute gun battle at the Rossville Flats in Derry. their first close bullets, and it gave added poignancy to a meeting wih members from the United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets that Downes was killed at the internment com- memoration rally two years point-blank by a plastic bullet as he rush- ed to try and prevent the RUC battoning and shooting men, women and children sat in the road. their ap- — in the young and of the
Labour principled adherence to their time Labour "out-Tory-the- in pursuing a "bipartisan" and years of carefully oppression. nurtured ignorance among the party rank and file and the entrenched opposition of Trade Union leaders to any new policy which might upset and on the "hard left" like Militant who cannot get over the "Unionism" trade Unionism") the Labour Cabe who breaking limbs. for most comrades from Britain it was fle sights on The campaign was set up after John ago, shot Socialist Viewpoint No. 14 November-December 1986 p35
leadership is hoping the problem will
have gone away by the time they
come to office.
It is essential that, throught the
Committee on Ireland, we
carry out the basic tasks of education
bring home to the labour
movement that it is not a problem of
IRA gunmen and Loyalist bully-boys,
but of British imperialism and state
In so doing we can demonstrate
that the Anglo-Irish Agreement holds
no promise of peace in Ireland and
indeed that there is no solution this
side of socialism.
On that basis we can build support for the anti-Imperialist forces waging the struggle in Ireland and for the
withdrawal of British troops.
His wife Brenda tells movingly in her own words about her treatment by the authorities since her loss. No action ha been taken again the killer and she has still not received a death certificate
Others tell their own stories. The father of 14 year old Julie Livingstone, Jim Mc-
lost his wife, Emma Groes blinded in her own home by a rubber bullet shot by a British soldier. They all have the same message. Plastic bullets are being stockpiled in Britain for use against working class people, and it is only a matter of time before they are used. That night more are fired on the streets of Belfast,
Sunday afternoon. Outside the Dunville park people begin to gather for the march up the Falls Road. Military vehicles career up and own the road or nose menacingly through the waiting crowd. Foot patrols take up firing positions behind walls and at street corners, sometimes training their ri-
selected indivudals. It is usually a charged atmosphere, but this year particularly so.
The Ulster Freedom Fighters, a cover for the Ulster Defence Association, has declared an open season on anyone attending Republican metings, or even selling or reading Republican literature or using nationalist Black Taxis.
The Royal Marine Commandos are in town with a reputation for brutality and
provication to equal if not surpass, the Paras. And how will the RUC react?
For months they have been the target for Loyalists angry at having rerouted away from Nationalist areas to appease the Dublin government.
They are demoralised and frustrated, their restraint against the Loyalists has on occasion cracked, and now they are under pressue to show their imparitality by banning the march up the Falls Road.
Technically it is illegal, Sinn notifying the authorities of a state whose legitimacy they don't recognise.
The para-military uniformed fife and drum bands begin to form up in the road each at the head of contingents with banners carefully marshalled.
The head of the army is confronted by a line of jeeps and Saracens several deep across the road. One placard: procession is illegal. Please The RUC deputy chief constable reiterates this demand through a loudhailer.
The vanguard of the march, headed by Gerry Adams and other elected representatives, are not impressed. They affirm that "We are marching up our road." The Japan MANY SOCIALISTS been horrified at the sweeping electoral victory in Japan 0f Prime Nakasone.
Nakasone recently hit international headlines astounding racist outburst that brought back unpleasant memories of the fascist ideology drove the Japanese bourgeoisie into its imperialist expansion during War 2.
Castigating the American population as "less intelligent" than the Japanese, an arrogant Nakasone blamed the US racial "mix", and in particular the black and Hispanic minorities.
In view of the growing economic tensions and pressure protectionist trade war between US and lapanese bourgeoisies, statements can be more significant than a casual throw-away remark.
Meanwhile in Japan itself. wing ist Party (Active). the Communist revered Chair Otake Reiichiro, is far from downcast about this latest turn of events.
An English summary of the August 25 lead in its paper Akahata tells us that:
"The inauguration of the Natasone Cabinet which characteristically shows the political trend of recent Japan poses the basic problem of class confrontation
and vehicles people the their marches retreat to Anything could happen. The RUC also developing situation need cameras to do it. Fein not march to filter through. Tension eachside street. displays from SOGAT against Pit Closures, attention from both sides. standing on their tops. Soldiers occupy neighbouring buildings while Absolute truth discovered in will have recent Minister the line of the Active." The explanation towards of Marxist clarity: these kind of one left ultra- Stalinist the power as 304 led by its ensured the the CP re-election, inform us that:
crowd surges forward. Troops with plastic bullet guns ready leap onto the tops of the pavements shelter of side British strets. theme realise what a critical the plight as the densely packed march will not be moved. It would a massacre before the world's TV years, A great cheer goes up as a space the width of a vehicle is opened up for the Headed by hundreds packed shoulder to shoulder across the road the bands and marchers regroup and in three files pass along the three mile route, applauded by onlookers and under the sneers and guns of the Brits and RUC packed at the entry to Troops Out them. The Movement delegates, including banners We Women and Midlands receives particular intimidated. Outside Connolly House, the SF offices in Andersonstown, the rally is hemmed in by dozens of military vehicles with RUC country. edge of the IRA of the roots that." the ever Japan's PM paints a reactionary picture and class struggle. Everything verifies the absolute truth of Otake Thought and new offered for up Nakasone's victory is equally a triumph the thought "Everything is related to the question of power. Nakasone exerted the power, enforced the simultaneous election with his weapon, and thus the highest seats, number in history. Power and the real point: force broke the deadlock for the election for the third term and other purpoess. and force. This cannot be realised without power. Having proved that with power in its struggle hands a bourgeois government can win power. Active goes on to Neil everything Otake! "The essence of the simultaneous Socialist Viewpoint No. 14 November-December 1986 p36
present helicopters hover even lower and almost drown out the speakers with their Britih POWs in British
gaols is the of this year's rally, and Tony Clarke, released after ten years, describes
Cof prisoners; Geraldine Quigley, whose husband is serving 35
speaks of the harrasment and anguish of the relatives
Enthusiasm reaches a climax as Gerry Adams speaks, summing up the spirit of the rally and the struggle:
"They tried to defeat us in 1969. We stayed stong and we were not defeated. They tried to intern us in 1971. We stayed strong and we beat them. They tried to criminalise us in 1976. We stayed strong and we criminalised
They tried to fool us at Hillsborough.
stayed strong and we were not fooled. They try to intimidate us here today but we stay strong and are not
Stay strong, brothers and sisters, and we will see an end to foreign rule in our
Your strength and the cutting are our guarantee of election and the process of forming the
cabinet has taught us the correctness of theoretical principles of Otake Thought as genuine Marxism. We have to learn the absolute truth of
Otake Thought, especially the of Proletarian dictatorship, from the process of forming the new cabinet by Nakasone government and bourgeois dictatorship.
And in case there were any lingering doubts, the comrades bang home the
"Everything depends on the power
Those who reach the final victory are only those who continue to
Ton principle toward the