Southem Aid

While British Imperialism and the loyalists move towards restoring an Orange ascendancy administration in the Six Counties, the Southern Government is preparing to put into action its own Measures against the antiUnionist population; centred on the proposed Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Bill.

This bill, due to go before the Dail in October, can only assist the offensive of the Loyalists in the North and the repressive machinery of the British Government.

Following hard on the heels of Southern Defence Minister Paddy Donnegan's statement that the Irish Army would not be prepared to aid the northern anti-unionist population in a civil war situation, there can be little doubt that the Cosgrave Government intends with this new 8111 to intensify its own already strong repressive ‘@pparatus and to bring to a ‘Tew level its collaboration with the British Government. to Loyalist takeover The Btll proposes:

Acts judged to be political offences by the British Government committed in the North can be tried in the South. Thus the Southern Government intends to carry on the work of the RUC and British Army in to the 26 Counties. Prosecutions under the proposed bill would be initiated following requests from the RUC A force which has shown clearly its bias towards loyalists and rejected by the anti-unionists of the north is to be accepted by the Southern Government. Authority is given for civilians to arrest anyone they believe to have committed an offence in the Six Counties. With three loyalists at present in jail, charged with an attempt to kidnap an Armagh man living in Monaghan, the significance of this cannot be highlighted enough. It gives the green light to loyalist paramilitaries to enter the South on kidnap missions.

The Bill aims to add new offences to the statute book, such as threatening up to seven years imprisonment for anyone who has escaped from custody in the north, whether convicted or not.

It takes advantage of existing repressive legislation, and those tried under it can be expected to go before juryless Special Courts. In addition, penalties for a number of offences will be increased - up to 15 years for hi-jacking, for instance. The Bill is not unopposed in the South. The ITGWU has passed a motion against such legislation reflecting the basic opposition within the working class to such repressive moves.

The anti-unionist population of the Six Counties must strive ‘ alongside anti-imperialist groups, north and south to turn this into active opposition capable of defeating the Bill

In Russia, 1917, international capitalism buckled at its weakest link. Today, Iberia is the weakest link, the PortugueThe EEC has publicly stated that aid will be given only to a Portuguese Government that can guarantee stability for capitalist interests - that is: