“HHH For the last months Peoples Democracy has worked…”

HHH For the last 6 months Peoples Democracy has worked to persuade the anti-imperialist parties to build a united boycott campaign. This was not only because unity of the anti-imperialist movement would have created the best conditions for challenging the SDLP and thus for smashing the Assembly initiative. The most important reason was the vital need to unite against this new British attack - before, during and after the elections.

But it took the anti-imperialist parties along time to wake up to the dangers of the Prior Assembly. For a long time, despite the efforts of PD and Bemadette McAliskey to open united discussions and despite a series of meetings with Sinn Fein, no-one could see beyond the question of election tactics. The atmosphere of disunity this created only deepened the demoralisation that existed in the broad anti-imperialist movement.

This was the background in which the Dungannon Conference, built by PD and Bernadette McAliskey, took place. Attended by PD, IRSP, Sinn Fein, BOML(Belfast Organisation of Marxist Leninists) and independents, it showed that unity was still on the agenda. Despite differences over election tactics, there was a clear consensus about the need to build abroad based campaign to challenge HoH the Brits attempt to resurrect Stormont. Everyone recognised that this was not just another to step up the attack on antiA plan to build a “Smash Stormont Campaign’ proposed by PD was accepted, It was agreed:

(a)...to work around a pledge aimed not to take their seats under any circumstances and to actively sup(b)...to build a conference on the theme ‘Smash Stormont’ after the elections the Assembly opens begun work on the pledge.

RETURN TO THE STREETS While this was a step in the right now, during the election campaign. The only way to bring down this the streets - this must begin now. Brit initiative - coming after the defeat of the hunger strike it was an attempt imperialists and finally defeat them.

‘SMASH STORMONT CAMPAIGN’ at the SDLP which committed them porting the movement on the streets.

(c)...to build a mass rally on the day A representative steering committee to organise this was elected and it has direction the limits of this new mood of unity were shown by the lack of enthusiasm for a return to the streets Assembly is through mass action on Not only will united action start the process of rebuilding the movement that existed during the hunger strike, but in the absence of mass protests and united rallies our challenge to the SDLP is reduced to party political electioneering. While each anti-imperialist party must try to build itself, the way to strengthen the movement as @ whale, is to build united action. Without such united action it will be all the more difficult to convince people that anti-imperia-. list candidates merit their votes and more difficult to involve them in the ‘Smash Stormont’ campaign.

The election successes achieved in the hunger strike both North and South, were part and parcel of the mass movement that existed then. Building such a movement is the vital ingredient to challenging the reformists - no-one party can take on this task alone.

Ignoring the need for unity is to make it easier for those like the SDLP and the Workers Party who wish to negotiate our future with imperialism. That is the real danger that faces us - through our divisions we may create a gap through which the SDLP and the Workers Party will crawl. Unity of the anti-imperialist movement must be built now - we cannot afford to wait.