DISBAND THE UDR! Who's making the call?

A BBC ‘Panorama’ programme in February investigating Loyalist activity in the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) had two centrally revealing episodes. The first was an interview with the commander of the UDR admitting that only Republican and Nationalist “targets” were the subject of the regiment’s activity and that they had nocentral check on Loyalist thugs who were brought before the courts. The second was aremark by British secretary of state Brooke in response to reports that Coalition Minister Gerry Collins was outraged and demanding immediate action to the effect that this was not what Collins was saying in private.

The first is important because it indicates that at a time when the British have brought “Shoot to kill’ back unto the streets of Belfast, Loyalist killer squads are increasing their activity on the basis of state intelligence, the Stevens investigation into ‘leaks’ running into the sand and preparing a whitewash and even the right to defence denied (a West Belfast man who removed the ignition keys from the car of undercover soldiers who crashed into a funeral was recently sentenced to 3 years): - that this is all structural - the British openly admit that they are running a sectarian militia and will continue torun it because it is an essential component of their military control of the North.

Brooke’s statement indicates that the Dublin government understand this and, whatever they may say in public, will continue to go along with the activity of the UDR as an unpleasant but necessary part of capitalist and imperialist rule in Ireland. Recent decisions on extradition should be seen in this light. Prisoners awaiting extradition in the 26 counties have become hostages in much the same way that internees were in the North. Dublin are using them as bargaining counters to win cosmetic reforms and make their own collaboration more palatable.

There isa simple call to be made that would upset the cosy arrangement - Disband the UDR ! No other force outside the most oppressive dictatorships would survive the revelations that have littered the history of the UDR. Even a number of English liberals have called for disbandment. Lord Hunt, who was responsible for setting up the regiment, now wants to see an end toit. Norepresentative of any of the major nationalist partics has made such a demand.

Anti-imperialist organisations certainly support such a call. Why aren't we able to mobilise and make it an issue? It does after all involve a direct issue of the defence of the nationalist community im the North and the physical survival of many militants who are under threat. The answer we believe lies in the political programs of the anti-imperialist organisations, and especially the leading organisation - Sinn Fein. Their recent Ard Fheis was a lacklustre performance lacking any real orientation to the working class and indicating a shiftto the right on the whole issue of alliances and mass activity.

In this issue of An Reabhloid we document the way in which Militarism blocks the development of real class politics, the economic problems facing workers in the South and the need to orient to their struggles and the problems with the latest attempts to build united action.

We have come to the conclusion that in order to battle effectively on the streets there will have to be a battle for ideas in the resistance movements, The best way to do this is as a supporter and distributor of An Reabhloid or as amember of Peoples Democracy

THE ALTERNATIVE TO STALINIST DECAY SOVIET TRADE UNIONISTS CALL FOR AID Following the struggles of Soviet Miners last year a new independent trade union organisation, SOTSPROF (The Federation of Socialist Trade Unions), has been formed. One of the leaders, Boris Kagarlitsky, has launched an international appeal for funds to buy printing equipment.

Nonations from individuals, groups and trade unions should be sent to; In the last issue of An Reabhloid we reported an opinion poll in East Germany which claimed to show the vast majority of East Germans opposed to unification (in reality takeover) with West Germany. 3 months later elections have shown anequally massive majority voting for just such a policy. There is no reason to doubt the truthfulness of either result, What is shown is the extreme volatility of events not just in East Germany but also in the rest of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The gross corruption of the Stalinist regimes once praised here by the Workers party and Communist party as the greatest defenders of socialism was a shock even to East German workers well used to hypocrisy. Mare importantly, as in the Nicaraguan clections, people voted for the West's money in the naive belief that the West German ‘economic miracle’ would be replicated in East Germany.

No such thing will happen. There will be no repeat of the ‘Marshall Plan’ by the U.S. whichrescued capitalism in Westem Europe after the second world war. Despite the boasts of rightwing politicians capitalism is nol strong enough to deliver the foods as East Europeans hope and expect. In Poland capitalism means rocketing prices, factory closures, unemployment and soupkitchens, Britain's great contribution to Cacchoslovakia’s liberation is the Department of Employment flying out to advise on the setting up of dole offices.

The issue now is capitalist reality rather than ¢lection promises. (Already West German politicians are toning down theirelection pledges). We are entering a period of class struggle in which working people, having thrown off Stalinist oppression, will look for an alternative to capitalist oppression.

When they look West what they see is Thatcherism, cither in conservative blue or social-democratic pale pink colours. The major parties of the leftoffer no alternative to the ‘Free Market’ while in opposition and implement capilalist policies when in Page 2- AN REABHLOJD, | power.

There will be no rebirth for Stalinism. Irish Stalinists of the Workers party and the Communist party will not choose the revolutionary tradition of Trotskyism. As in Eastern Europe, their path leads to the right. The Communist party seem to be edging towards Social Democracy. Judging from recent statements the Workers Party have decided to go the whole hog and become a Thatcherite party!

There is a third aliemative in working class history. That alternative is the programme of the Left Opposition in Russia and the Comintern. That programme of workers democracy and workers power was crushed by Stalin and preserved by Marxists who grouped around Leon Trowky. Today it is represented organisationally by the Fourth International and in Ireland by Peoples Democracy.

Peoples Democracy Is a tiny organisation, The Fourth Internauional has much larger and more influential sections but is not much bigger on a world scale. Yet at least one historical factor is on our side. Workers are on the move. In Easter Europe there exists a class which has just gone through the experience of smashing an overwhelming oppression. No capitalist restoration can lake place without subjugating that class. Inthe battles to come workers in the West will sec more and more examples of the practice of a workers democracy which is denied them and demands for the right to work and to control their own lives that stand in glaring contradiction to the promises of capitalism.

‘Practical Revolutionaries’ in Ireland will tend to dismiss this as they have dismissed many questions of socialist theary, We believe that the practical thing to dois to prepare for the coming upsurge inclass struggle and that revolutionary militants should be working with us in that preparation.

Matt Merrigan, SOTSPROF Appeal c/o 24 Crotty Avenue DUBLIN 12

PROGRAMME FOR NATIONAL UNDERSTANDING