Socialist Republic: Vol. 1 no. 5, 1978

On Wednesday the end of | Auguat a joint force of RUC and Army staged a massive raid on the Connolly Bookshop in Belfast's Andersonstown area, the main production office for the 'Socialist Fepublic' paper, The raid ececurred just as production of this edition of the paper was | beginning, It lasted from 2p.m, to Gp.,m, and during the course of {t the paper's editor, John McAnulty, and a member of the editorial board, John McGeown, were arrested and taken to Fort Monagh army post, At the conclusion of the raid the shop was stripped bare of all books, spapers, documents, correspondence and office equipment, Comrades McAnulty and McGeown were released after Guns for the Guards? There Gave been persistent calls recently for the arming of the Jardei and particularly for the establishment of an elite 'troubleshooting’ armed unit like the British Special Patrol Group. The 2xcuse for sll this has been the recent spate of benk robberies and the Minister for Justice, Gerry Collins has said the Government is sonsidering the issue. Already they have used the same excuse to oring in Jeep-losds of armed troops to escort security vans in Dublin. The proposal for armed Gardai we an €lite armed unit is very angerous and should be fought hard by all workers and antiimperialists. The police in any four hours. and a aro aroportion ofthe material taken was returned the next day - but so badly damaged as to be a complete write-off, All the shop's files and correspondeagainet republicans and then (even, without their guns) against strikare, protesting tenants, small farmers and demonstrations of any description. The British Special sepitalist society are the agents Patrol Group are regularly used against strikers as at Grumwick, of the ruling clase and the South 5 tg no different. Any elite unit of and against black and Asian { che Gerdei will be used firstly protesters.

sociali : public .. ii BRITISH RAID Sapte ee OFFICES

MASON ATTACKS ~

OPPOSITION PRES

INTERTOR THE : BOOKSHOP AFTER SOME OF THE

These elite unite quickly {ideology and in Ireland where lwould get more excuses they would lions of the type the SAS

3 MATERIAL | |

hee are still Sone ome | We in PD/MSE see the continued on back page cevelop a right-wing neo-fascist be quick to use their guns. Thera would soon be more summary executearry out in the 6-Counties - and the Gouth-| ern Special Branch carried out in the late 193% and during the ver.

The: Coalition Government tried, | to turn-the-Seuth into a police atate but the lest election stopped them in their tracks. We must ; | stop Fianna Fail from going in the same direction as they did fm the 1930s,

PAGE 7

DEBATE IN THE BELFAST WOMENS’ GROUPS

One of the most welcome developmenta in the North in the last period hes been the formation of an activist women's movement.

in the last fev months there has been a aplit in this movement between the Belfast Women's Collective and the Women Against Imperialism group.

We believe that the issues raised are of importance to the whole irish women's movement and to the socialist movement. In this issue We report on the split. In future issues we hope to teke part in the debate arsund the issues raised by the split.

rm he Women Against Imperialism ercup formally split. with the Belfast Women's Collective isst month.

in fact the group had been operat ing informally for the lest couple of monthe. It has organise? 7m number of aciivities in Weet Belrast, the most successful of these being the social on ‘Women and Violence’ in the Martin Forsythe by, Turf Lodge, PD also organised a meeting on wosen and the “ertheuming International Tribunal on Britata’s Pre:ence in Ireland, support for the Noreen Winchester Campeigr and sert speakers on a successful Scottish tour on the theme 'Wonen and Repression’. The Group 1s in the process of secting ip a Women's c -@ in Bellymurphy end hes perticipsted in a wide yenge of spoti-repression activities sioluding the Relatives Action committee. * The sctusl 2plit between the LWO £Toups Cale as a surprise to fume people. This is becaute, on ie Surface st Jesst, there is 5 br ge feesure of egreement hetween “HC tWG Q2YouUpSs + agreement on the link between women's oppression ene Sritish imperialism, agreement: on tae meed tc organize an autononouH women's movement to fight for Womer's liberesicn. The two groupe however, would argue that this ERTSemanit covers deeper differences on how to go about building thia movement. They came to a head when the vanen Who Were mainiy in the HAC ano meeting in West Helfest decided that thera were areas thet they snould concentrate on in arder to esteblish a firm presence in the anti-unicnist areas, they explained this view in a leeflet produced for a joint aeeting with the Belfast Women's Collective: “The most advanced layers of working class women are in and around the anti-immerislist struggle and large sections are actively invalved in the R.A.C.

The very fact that they are involved in the R.A.C. and in politics creates an. atmosphere where it is possipie ta raice Teminiet iacues... Becsauze of this: We do not se¢ a Women's movement being built outside of the anti-imperialist struggle and calls for building «a working class women's movement outside of this sre meaningless in the abstract... What we do believe is that the movement's nucleus and impetus will arise out of 6, On the otherhand, the Belfast Wonen's Collective in an article in the latest Women's Action state: "While we recognise the RAC campaign as the most important one in which large numbers of working class women are at present involved, we do believe that t is vital for our group to work On ap wide a range of women's issues as possible - incluwiing those which may not initially meet with a big response because they challenge traditional, politiceal and religious beliefs."

So, the question was not whether Women's issues should be raised, but in what context. The decision to designate the women's group as anti-imperialist and to meet solely in West Belfast became the subject of mich debate, as did working with the Republican Movement. : The proposal to have a joint paper which would reflect the activities of other women's @roups in Belfast eg. Women's Aid was turned down by the Cellective as they felt this would relegate them to the status of &@ Mere umbrella group. However, these debates are not simply whether or not to meet ceparately, have a joint paper, be called anti-imperialist socialist or otherwise, but are around the basic problems that historically divided Irish women.

Eridging the traditional gap between feminist politics and Women fighting in the anti- imperialist struggle will not happen overnight. Whether or not the consciousness of women in the RAC does mark s break from traditional republican attitudes and an openness to feminist ideas, Whether or not a Working class women's movement will develop primarily from within the antiimperialist struggle, are questions around which discussion must be developed in the next period. Such discussions themsclves Will only begin to tackle the difficult task of establishing Caliipsigns on women's iasuez, Which given the weakness of the Irish Women's movement, is a majcr problem for all concerned.

A problem which militants in the two groupes have shown themselves seriously interested in overcoming. While any sort of split in the small forces active on the Women's question is regrettable, the organisation of two separate groups has expanded the membership of both and increased their activities. This is in fact the national pattern, shown by the Successful organisation of the first two Irish national women's liberation conferences and the broad suppert for the Noreen Winchester campaign. Clearly the nucleus of a 32counties’ movement is assembling.

While unity in action around particular campaigns is essential and is understood by both groupe, it is just as important for different forces in this tiny movement to clarify their ideas through discussion and practical activity. It is to be hoped that the discussion which will undoubtedly follow the formation of the Women Ageinst Imperialiem group, will take the movement forward to building the support and united activity that will turn thie small nucleus into a broad-based 32-counties' women's movement. Undoubtedly, the activity of both the Belfast Women's Collective and the Women Agsinst Imperialism group will play an important role in this.

ft rAcE 3 TUCAR Intervene at I.C.T.U. Conference "I would have been putting my to irish demonstrations for union leadership to discuss or unions point of view that the years. act on the issue of repression atatement was inadequate and highlights the [mportance of the that it did not take Into account Not offending the EPritish initiatives taken by the Trade the whole treatment meted out Government ts the yardstick Union Campaign Againat to suspects in Castlereagh and Which guides the policy of the Repression to make sure that more positive action should have ‘ade union leadership.So they Maguire's death ts xrot white-— been taken in that regard", refused to take action over washed over, For the first iInternment,or Bloody Sunday, me hundreds of anH-unionist Paddy Devlin, o the Irish or either of the Loyalist workers downed tools, quit Transport and General Workers S'oppages. They havent a word their workplaces and marched Union, speaking at the July of protest recorded at the to demand that the trade union conference of the Irish constant harassment of anti- leaderehip take action.In Congress of Trades Unione tn unionist workers at home or on Galway,it was left to TUCAP Galway.Devlin was talking after ‘ne job,or the datly terror raids yet again to bring the truth ef the ICTU had decided to on working class ghettoes, Maguire's death and the repress approve a special report of the Despite the many trade fon te the delegates, However, Northern Committee without unionist?numbered amongst the the small attendance at the | discussion, The delegates H-block prisoners,the trade meeting shows the enormous decided on this course by 210 Qnion leadership continues to task which faces TUCAP if the votes against lI? at the insist- be represented on the prison issue of repression is to beccme ence of the ICTU Presedent visiing committees,and in this a burning tssue for the trade John Mulhall, way give their approval to union movement as a whole, Mason's brutal treatment of That brings us back to the The special report included political prisoners, beginning of this article, a motion adopted by the In Galway, Paddy Devlin spoke Northern Committee and in fact, even the original out about torture in Castlereach, | approved by the ICTU Exec, report of the Northern Committe Yet tn Belfast,Devlin has dore |which called on Foy Mason to the ICTU conference made nothing but obstruct workers to establish an enquiry into the no mention of repression or action againet repression, death of AUEW/TASS member ‘he death of Brian Maguire,and including waging a slander | Brian Maguire,who was found it was only after pressure by campaign against TUCAP, Trade (hanged tn Castlereagh barracks ‘élegates ineluding TUCAR unionists, particularly members ‘last May,and also into the members that the special of the IPGWU must take Devlin allegations contained in the report was prepared, The to task, Militant action ts recent Amnesty International conference decision not to required on the streets of the Report, In addition,the report discuss this report thus allowed North,Devlin and others are sontained a memo to Roy “ rceTu executive and the ~ well placed to organise such Mason from the Northern Cttee Northern Committee to cover action,and we must demand that about prison conditions, up thelr failure to act over they do, The fact that the Maguires death and the torture conference was forced to take | Mulhall's insistence that the in Castlereagh and the H-blockssome stand \s proof that TUCA= | special report be, approved They played no part in the policy is worthwhile,and showe without debate should not sur- protests which-took place that greater pressure by workers prise anyone who has studied against Maguires death,other could turn their talk inte actic: the role played by the trade than sending a cautiously and force the trade unio= mo -eunion leaders during the last worded memo to Mason, ment fo carry out it's role o: ten years of repression in the protecting working people, North, Throughout those years The refusal of the trade this "leadership' has done SOSKSSSSCOCHOSOCSCCCSSHCCSSCCECOCE CO: little or nothing to bring the repression to an end or even volce trade union opposition to Since Trish Troops were sent it, The odd speech or resol- toictas Caen ctiie-salraniere t ution, very few and far between./have been full af an adulatory coverage of their activies.

Even the much vaunted "Better Life for All" campaign The press treatment of Ireland' which they hailed as the Trade ‘Lebanon adventure! of course, Union answer to sectarianism differs not one jot from ite and violence has been quietl, coverage of previous dropped,now that its empty UN exploite by the Irish Army in demands have clearly failed to both the Congo and in Cyprus. Nor mobilise any significant section has the purpose of all this glanof the Trade Union movement, ourising changed - to cover over Indeed,the only support which the real role of the Irish troops the Better Life for All campatgen in upholding reactionary regimes achieved was that of the and imperialist influence againct British Government, Last the indigenous liberetion move- February,for example,the Brits |ments.

allowed a ‘Better Lifd rally to be held in Londons Trafalgar In the lebanon this means that Square, which has been banned ithe Irish troops along with the Irish Troops Out of Lebanon!

other Wi Torces are used to ore vent the Falestinians from resovering their homeland from Isresii occupation aud ending the ruthic: repression which lereel directs against the Palestinians who live in the occupied areas, The spectacle of Irish soldiers taking up arms against the oppressed Palestinians while Britis: imperialism continues its reign of terror in Ireland umcheckei, must be ended. Drish workers must support the struggle for sel?-determination of the Palestinian people by demanding that the Irish Army

GET OUT OF LERANCN TOW!

|

of arma and ammunifions, the Northern State, him, selves, 300 of his neighbours. Treland and internationally.

Denis admited having the weapons and ammunition but for the defence of the area he lived in against attacks by armed Loyallsts. He poin' :d out, through his lawyer that the Ballymurphy- Springhill area had come under repeated attack by loyalist gunmen over the years, He referred to the massive campaign of sectarian murders of catholics over the years in Belfast and made clear that the weapone were stored in the 1975/early 76 period when, after the success of the first UWC stoppage a loyalist takeover and all out civil-war in the North seemed imminent, This argument struck at the foundations of the myths by which the Northern legal system is maintained, and aseerted some of the realities of the situation in the North today, The legal charade in the North is upheld by elaborate pretence that the state ia a normal democracy , that It was not established against the wishes of the majority of the Irish people, that there ls no oppressed minority in the 6 counties, and that the state's’ security forces are neutral, impartial | and have no political role, Dente Murphy wae saying in fact that there ia an oppressed minority, that the state forces condone and collaborate in attacks on the minority, and that members of the minority ‘have the rigtt to defend themaelves and Indeed have no option but to do ao, Denia's defence, if makes

DENIS MURPH

SENTENCED

Denis Murphy a PD member from the upper Springfield area of Belfast was jailed for 6 yeam recently for possession Dents' case was very significant because it exposed some of the fundamental contradictions in During the I5 month period of Denis' remand PD/MSF carried on a defence campaign to support Tn this campaign we argued for the right of the antitmpertaliat minority In theNorth to hold arms .to defend them Apetition in support of Denis was supported by over and won widespread support both in At the trial Dents advanced the Ssam¢@ arguments in his defence.

declared that they were intended LY of the governments claim that the Republican and Socialist prisoners. are just criminals amd psychopaths In fact It undermines he whole court aystem since lf the"security forces" are not neutral the eourts which depend on them for arrest and evidence against defendants are willy nilly political tools of the government as well, Amazingly the Judge did accept his basic ‘argument, The Judge was Garret MeGrathan SDLP-typea catholic appointed In the days of British aponsored reforms {in the North, Presumably ha preserved amodicum: of Integrity deapite his position he couldn't but acknowledge in his summing up the attacks on Catholic areas and the widespread fear ‘my HANDS ARE TIEL TIED’

SAYS JUDGE

ministration hoping to change tt, The Garret McGrath! a and Stephen McGonaglesa ma , very well accept their gover “nment posts sincerly hoping to bring about changes (‘The prestige and money may be purely incidental), But the price of what ever Uny chan ges they may make ts that they help enforce its repres sive laws like McGrath. or whitewash its discrimination like McGonagle, note: Stephen McGonagle is a former ITGwWU offictal an Irish Labour Party activtat who is now the North's ombudsman, of a wholesale loyalist onslaught and out-right civil war which existed at the time, Wor could he deny the necessityfor and right of self defence, But then he revealed the total bankruptey of the strategy of trying to reform the Northern state, Having accepted arguments which led inevitably to the conclusion that Denis Murphy had committed no crime Judge MeGrath said his hands were tied in such & case and went tn to sentence him to 6 years jail, In other words he McGrath) didnt think Denis was gullty but he hadito jall him because that was the ce of belng a Judge in North, Ite thé same for all those!

o join the N

CONFEXIM

The occupation of the Confexim factory in Drogheda fe over, The 35 women, who had occupied the factory for a month in support of their demands= payment of 3 weeks wages, A guarantee of their jobs, ended their action when fhe Industrial Development Agency agreed to pay them thelr wages, However this was only one of the lasues at stake in this struggle, The women had already been declared redundant when they were persuaded by Confexim owner Adolf Bonte to work a further

BELFAST CAR FACTORY

£50m in bosses pockets The new De Lorean car factory té be Sited in the Twinbrook area | of West Belfast looks like being a very expensive white elephent.

| The whole idea just underlines the crazy structure of modern multinational capitalism. De Lorean's cars will only be assembled in Belfast; all the main componente will be imported from America or the continent and the finished cars will be exported beck to the United States.

FCOALISLAND MARCH §

: ALL OUT ON AUGUST 27th! § B The coming August 27th Bdemonstration from Coalisiand to Blungannon is the most important ortunity for anti-imperislist Bene & since the discussions at of united action. But the Tyrone demonstration has its wealmesses. The unity it the Coslisland Gonference last represents is a unity from above, will demonstrate the effectiveness — February. The demonstration has been organiced by Tyrone RAC and has the support of major sections organised by a private committee.

For this reason important organisations like TUCAR have been re- Bof the ant i-imperialist movement. fused spenking rights es have the telecine, Tea hap and the EPSP despite the fact that it has ifast Relatives Action Committees. pany oc aie Sanicuts many comrades ‘on the blanket".

p these will be represented on the Fed the same reason there has not — along with Frank Maguire, eon’ a generel campaign North 5 and a speaker from the Irish and South to build support for Independence Party. We in FD/MSR fae ere Burge «ll socialiste and anti- Baimperialists to support the march.

B Irénically, the platform bears Bresemblances bo the type of unity unite and fight back. The Coalis- Bproposed by PD/MSR at the Vostis- and demonstration represents the fiend Conference. .Then organisational: pest chance for some time. The Becusrianiam preyented this sory anti-imperislist movement is movof unity from Deing realised but ing towards unity - your presence hopefully he Tyrone demonstration cold help make that unity a realit oo ore Lube Repression comtinues to increase and we urgently need to

SSD OTUV 00000 FSSC OCESOSVOTVOOEY”

Once again workers jobs were jeopardised, by the exploits of a get rich quick foreign“investor, It is the responsibility of the Southern fovernment, whose policy ‘

VICTORY

3 Weeks, on the promise of payment when a new clothing order had been met, Bonte's flight fron the country, leaving a trail of debts behind him was merely the last straw. le had in the past denied the basic right to join a trade union, by sacking a wemen employee for refusing to sign an undertaking not to Join a trade-union. No taxes or efsurance stamps had been pald so that the IDA had refused to give the factory 4 grant because it did not meet’ the needs apecified, lays the ground for such villans as Bonte, to provide jobs and in this case compensation for wages lost, for such workers, The women had recieved support from Dublin and) Drogheda , Trade Councils, north and south, but it was thelr swift turn to a campaign demanding action from the government that won them back their wages, of encouraging foreign investment the womans movement

PACE 5 |

Only really massive governmmen | subsidies could offset the trans port costs. De Lorean is getting) & massive subsidy: the British | government is putting up about £45 million out of the £65m cost of the venture and it will probably transpire that they are | lending him most of the rest of it at low interest rates.

| | - Tt's doubtful if even that i will be enough. The Southern Industrial Development Authority which hes financed alot of flyby-night capitalists in its time offered De Lorean £37m to go to Tq wrick but called off the deal when he wanted more money becaus¢ @ they reckoned it was too risky. | @ Workers in West Belfast shouldquit get too excited about this venture. It looks like a colossa gimmick by Mason to give the in- Pression that he's-doing something about unemployment. Mason Iwon't be in the North in a coupla¢ of years time to carry the can i the whole thing flops. On the other hand if labour wins the next election in Britain he can ;always boast about this ‘achieve iment’ when he's looking for promotion in the new government. | e J Byen if the car-firm keeps @ going for a while, the workers @ will need to watch out. De @ lorean seid thet apart from the | @ money, the main thing thet attracted him to the North wes e the low strike-rate. In other words he's locking for a docile Oo work-force who will accept low pi wages, bad conditions and antisocial ehift-hours without @ compleaint. But ite no solution @ to the unemployment problem to e@ import alot of US business a sharks who sre only interested in chesp labour and easy money.

Mason's £45m would be alot better spent in a socialist republic in developing industries based on the natural resources of the country.

The importance of the Confexim affair was shown when a similar strike broke out In Bunbeg co Donegal immediately afterwards, (It has now been settled) The Confexim women are considering further action to win a guarantee of their jobs,]| Trade Unionist#, Socialists and anti-imperialists should stand ready to support them | and to contribute to the fightback against the governments attack on/ workers' jobs and living standards,

| Pie

“VERDICT ON GREEN PAPER :

Vo ae us nes Si. t Which Work - sharing = oO a In fact any work-sharing, any new jobs will be financed out of our Wages. On top of that we will be expected to do the same amourt Fs ‘Limerick Workers demonstrate platitude wes 1ere unique Was drafted tefcre efollations and poasing it ir time Long overdue the Leaders st cut out these “ite' and Attack Is Irish society so impover- {shed and backward that it cannot guarantee everybody the basic precondition of life, that is a job? No, the truth is that capitalism is such a corrupt and outdated system that it is unable o take advantage of count) technica’ and productive ements which could be transforned i real gains for workers al families. election z 1 Bll & future and especially the youth has now kicked the voters in the teeth. And for the most Wilnerable sections of society It has used both feet.

Thus for the ill there are higher bospital and doctor's charges.

For the young seeking higher education there will be higher fees and lower grants. For the ~ mem loyed there will be a tax on welfare benefits. It is precisely the unemployed, the elderly and the sick who will be most hurt by the decisions to butid fewer council houses chareing bigher > Wipe ott the subs food stuffs, milk, butcer and the subsi Fail intené to imtridtce wheat they call ‘Special Outdoor Stafr' to snoop and spy on the recipienta of welfare benefits while oF course continuing to tirn a biind-eye to the wholesale evasion of texea by the wealthy.

reen Paper is afeence ‘Lo < ee oo With @& migt » trade unions, ane and other The Unions erlisace has show tisk the are not likely to Such «a demand.

PD/MSR

The paper of a revolutionary organisation is "a major weapon in the struggie", Using the experlence of members and supporters of the organ- {sation it will "analyse struggles" and"put foward a strategy for militants," Five months after the Soctalist Republic, joint paper of the PD/MSP, was launched, how Has it Iived up to these aims (put foward in the joint aims of PD/MSF published in the last [ssue)? What role has {t played in the frsion © process? these and other questions were discussed at a national PD/MSRF day school in Dublin at the end of June, attended by members from Dublin, Limerick, | Cork, and Belfast.

ie Up to socialist and other ads unlon activists to get tother end raise this issue withwhe trade union movement. A ght must be initiated to win ¢ tank ant file te the demande fa So -hour week. A atart keg ready Seen made with the sdoptn of thie demand by the Social~ t Lavour Farty. In the comizg must be built in ; and Workplaces for Ato ne cure Ake [eho week ji oC Then. Fianna l ani the b @.will rnow at the workers’ fightback is ror +4 eolution ed by the Eoropesn Trade ion: Cernfe: 1 (ETU C) which presents million Workein J9 , including elard. Th cy 5 the UC's a: a er ment The ETUC catd: "We believe thet there are plawtty of epportunities and Pacilities to creste J208; We Want theac joba sow asl We are no. prepared to ac % the insutiaz arpumest craace Thom joe rl the ij : : oF Tormal edusat 3-tole of taking militaney among & everywhere who were beter.ise thet they slid have so ph 3 a thas = +) és 1 ULL oo A 2 & orisis, pranote end 50% Caution which vould Workerg!’ interests ol af the profit wt cr & fm m m ae Q fi ni Tn four years the trade union leaders have done nothing ta win these demands and they remain

USION DAY SCHOOL ON PAPER

Tt was clear from the cussion that the new Socst Republic, the firat jant ture of the two organisations & played a vital role in ‘eloping the fusion process, 2 joint production of a er had meant di- cussing aspects of building a joint anisation and a jolnt intertion, There was the eral feelinc that the first ple of issues had reflected ie of the problems of fustion= 7 were simply FD articals MSF articals added togar, Ent building a united olutionary party is not just westidm of adding two groups ther,‘ but a process of Heal ‘development in which { mistakes are learnt from past successes are built, m. From which a new fanisation with the benefit their combined experience ; emerge, To do this the paper has to take up the issues being discussed in the anti-imperlalist and workers movement and to provide a focus for debate and activity around important political issues, wg at the same time develop- & its own political ideas, difficulty was the regular monthly production of the paper, which had not yet been achieved, This was due to the initial , difficulties of a joint paper and also-to the increasing attacks on the opposition press by the British, Steps were made to appoint an editorial committee and establish a network of paper correspondents ‘ throughout the two organisations, “6 always the severest prolems were financial and technical, The regular production of a paper in which all the members are an immense task for still a small organis of course finance fo overcoming man these problems, the ley to providing equipment, produc ee of literature, jou as added weapons in # of ideas and to providing { MSF militants with resources fo put in the struggles develop-| Ing and to building the joint organisations, To this end it was decided to launch a major fund drive, But ultimately the success of the joint paper depends on the political development of the two organisations and their ability to develop a clear programme which militants can debate and try out in practice, And readers can play their part in this process by making thelr views known, through activity, discussion, letters, providing information, contributing to the fund drive, selling the paper in their work-place or area and ultimately by joining the fused organtsation,

‘@ It is no longer possible to read an article on Black Africa in the international press without running across scare stories about 'Soviet-Cuban expaheionism' and huge massacres of 'innocent' whites. We are being asked to believe that the Western DOWErs are (reluctantly) being forced to shoulder the (white man's) burden of protecting civilisation from a sinister and deadly menace. OF ciples e Mean nt lese The intervention of Belgian troops in tne Congo in 1960 and of French troops in Gabon in 1964, in Senegal in 1968, in Chad in I970, and in Zaire, Chad (evain), Sshara and Djibouti in-Ig9/], aswell as the feration of garrisons. and miiltery delegetions, all give a account of Western intentin Africa, food ions his 11st also provides a very userul explanation of why the French government has. been iculerly eager to portray as & defender of African interests. French President, Giscard d' aging, has even come the slogan “Africa for forth with the Africans”. In practice howits ever, it is “Africa for the most corrupt, Gespotic and pro-imper- 7 1 5 5 + * delist Africans". daire ia the ELGEL HG Moat tliear-cut example.

teire Zaire feire's President Mobutu is an ex-nationalist who came to power in a US-backed coup in the mid-'60s. His regime is so reactionary that it helped arm and train the South African supported UNITA forces in the Angolan civil war of Ig75. This was at a time when almost all the other neo-colonial African states could see which way the wind was blowing!

‘and Gecided to back the victorious

MPLA,

A decisive factor in ensuring the MPLA's victory and the repwl- "sion of a South African invasion Was the arrival of Cuban troops.

Tt mist however, be stressed that the Cubans only intervened after the Western powers threw all their resources behind Unita and had encouraged the South African invasion. This has now been ad.

mitted by the person in charge of United States CLA Angolan operations at that time! in a new book; which goes into a lot of detail over what ned, he Cubans would. ihave came to the aid of the MPLA.

if the US had not already backed Unita. He answers that they wouldn't have had to, since the MPLA would heave won easily.

= wuS. Set-back In the event the USA suffered a bad setback in the region and its most reliable client Mobutu was left in a very precarious position. Angola shares a vast common frontier with Zaire which borders on the Shaba province.

Shaba has a long history of revolt against Mobutu and many freedom fighters had been exiled to Angola. Thus it should come 86 nO surprise to find that these ‘inveders' de Liberation du Congo (FUL — vongo National Liberation Front) were openly welcomed when erbesed the barder in May year. they of this Almost immedietely Mobirtu panicked and lost his grip, and was foreed to call for foréign aid. There can be no doubt about the willingness of the UB govermment to agree to this request.

However, the humiliating defeat its forces suffered in Vietnam has severely curtailed ita capacity to act. There is a very Widespread anti-war sentiment in the United States and the government is not yet in 6 position to risk foreign adventures in defence of corrupt puppet ee tag 5a course these claims have won little eredibility smong the African people who have had to learn the hard way, over a period of almost a century, that these high-sounding prinrops Up a aske whether the Instead we were treated to a few nauseating ‘human rights’ speeches by Jimmy Carter in which he attacked Cuban ‘ageression'. But no-one should imagine that US"imperialism is totally paralysed - Carter approved the provision of 20 million dollars worth of military assistance to Mobutu, $17.5 million in "nonlethal" equipment end #2.5 million to train ‘adrian general staff officers in the USA, = France moves in France came along to do the real dirty work. The excuse was that 2,000 whites were being held as hostages in Kolwezi. Lurid accounts of how rebele were ruthlesaly wiping out Europeans were from the Front National SPleshed across the Western press, As might by now have been expectgets the truth turned out to be different. The bulk of the killings appear to have been conducted by Mobutu"s troops. These same troops were also responsible for revenge killings and massacres of the black population which went unreported in the West. = European Solidarity Ag things stand now the FIC has temporarily withdrawn and Mobutu's hold on state power is shakier than ever. Furthermore, the imperialist intervention has not gone unchallenged. In one of the bigger protests against French intervention in Africa since the Algerian war, 15000 marched in Paris in June. They carried signs ‘guch as "NO TO GISCARD'S INTER.

VENTION IN AFRICA" end "INDOCHINA

ALGERIA, THAT’§ ENOUGH! NO TO

COLONIALISMI" This march was organised by the French Commmdist Party and a number of far-left groups, including the Ligue Commmniste Revolutionnaire (LCR.

Revolutionary Commmist League), French Section of the Fourth International. There is a lot at stake in the struggle against imperialism in Africa. Africa is of crucial importance to the imperialists in terms of trade and as a source of raw materials. Th- growth of SEE PAGE s ——

MARXIST CONFERENCE

ON IRELAND

An important Marxist conference on Ireland was held at Warwick University in July. It was confined to Marxist achclars who have written books or are doing research on Ireland and the idea was to pool some of this research and ita conclusions as part of the process of developing a Marxist analysis of Irish society. This tsa vitally important development because of the extreme weakness of the Marxist tradition in Ireland, and the lack of serious Marxist analysis of developments in this country in the last 20 years or so, The effect of this has been seen lin the confusion and mistakes of even the Marxist left dur— ing the Northern crisis and the many blind alleys that had to be explored before even elementary errors | were discarded, Tf the present political Impasse in the North is to be surmounted and the grow- , ing contradictions in the 26 ‘ counties (massive unemployment!

eontrol by multi-nationals ete) ‘ exploited to produce a new revolutionary upsurge It can only be done on the basis of a rigorous marxist analysis of underlying economic and social change and a clear strategy derived from It, Hopefully the Warwick con‘= ference has begun to lay the foundations for such a development, An Interesting feature ‘ of the conference was the broad spectrum of views represented, Organisationally this ranged from the FD and MSR, represented by Mike Farrell John McAnulty,and Fayner Lysaght, th the Communist Party, and a group of former supporters of the 3 Two Nationsttheory including ’ Paul Bew and Henry Patterson of the Politica Department at the new Northern FPeolytechnic, There was also a number sociologists and economists, Untill recently the intense sectaraniam of the Irish Left would have made such a gathering impossible but the fact {t took place at Warwick shows the growing awareness of the need for rigorous analysia, There were no sudden conversions at the seminar=- they were not expected or desiredbut the people involved evidently saw the need to familarise themselves with each others work if only to be able to answer their opponents arguments, Another important feature of the seminar was that all Present, even those who opposed the anti-imperialist position of the PD--MSF, were agreed on the central importance of the National Questionin the struggle for socialism in Ireland, Though a minority argued that {t had now been resofred, The PD and MSF fought for a long time to get that point accepted, evidently it is now a battle won, The Conference consisted of papers read on particular topics and then discussed by the participants. The area most thoroughly covered Was economic and social developments in the South since.the Znd world war. There were also papers on the establishment of the Northern state, and on the role of covernment reform agencles in recent times in the North, There was some examination of the role of Fepublicanism past and present and an important session on the Marxist and Leninist positions on Imperialism, and the right of National Self Determination, Most of the participants agreed that the conference was very simulating and worthwhile, At the same tlme they felt that there was large gaps in the areas covered, moat notably in regard to the North between the 1920s and the 1960s and reguarding economic developments in both parts of the country in the 1970s, agreed to convene a salmilar conference to cover these areas in about 6 months ime Hopefully such seminars will become a regular event, The Warwick conference was jointly sponsored by a socialiat trust associated with the Socialist Register an annual marxist review and by Ink Links a new Marxist publishing firm, Ink? Links alm to publish the conference papers as a book of essays on the background to the current situation in Ireland, It ie to be hoped that they will so that the new Informatiqn and anabkysie presented there can reach a much wider public,

ZAIRE

CONTd the liberation movements and the ‘fact that they are moving to the left under the pressures of the viciousness of imperialism and the weakness of native capitalism poges a huge threat to imperislism. Victories, especially in South West Africa would be a major defeat for the imperialist system as a whole and especially for British imperialiam. Imperisliam is using a combination of crude racialism and virulent anti-comminism to cover ite real policy of mounting ageression against the African liberation movements. The US is moving to active involvement on the side of the reactionary regimes and attacks on the Cuban presence and thus the Cuban revolution itself. In this situation the tasks of all supporters of African freedam and all opponents of imperialism are clear. We must mobilise solidarity to demand the immediate withdrawal of American 'aid' and European _troops from Zeire. of non party academic L Accordingly it was provisionall

10 YEARS OF ST

RUGGLE

PART |

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Ten veers after sur struggle ove> will be doing in the next few diet us-ald the le e mistakes the: have becn made 11 shared. Below, the first art +: ob jective situation that tne interve by + im at The and the forces behind the firs Ulaeryre Slate ane Lts syeterms of As we commemorate the tenth ryoor the fireat civil shts marches in the North, ita to be depressive ebout the Sefults of the struggle. Both orth ané South democratic rights heave been eroded. In the North Heny have died or heen seriously nyured and many more lenguish in fm and in the squalor of H- The injustices of imperialremain and repression is on Tnoreaee. te cl oo ot has} is there have been positive irom the struggle. An mess of people have bea2¢ politically coiscious and int. course of the “geile. Many are no longer act.

WroaLl tue signs are that ere becoting reiovoived in and are determined to Lae Tepressicn. ve As been the most i serious challenge. that Poe iiem has ever face in Ire- 7 linsting in 'no-go0" areas thm se7-Un alternative seifr-fovang effectively seceded Sr4tish control. Above all, ht Dorugeie brought about the e-truction of the corrupt Storment fine. The immerialists are still seeling from that blow and the < rill be felt for some time sic if we want to see eeins come from the heave to look criticni weeny and learn the ~#2ts & ve to ike ‘economic factors Ferhaos the simplest and most lesson of the past ten is thet Mass upsurges are oO = & large extent on hanges in society, hemselves caused by onomic changes both locally and in the world economy.

These sorts of economic change in Ireland in the and early ‘60s. = aid ocfcur late te tak the civil rights demonstrators streets of the 6-counties is a good t helting ateps sf oppositica Y sectarianir erupted cots the time to inck back at the nistary ning years. Thet's precisely vhat issues of Socialist Republi: sponse our strvercle has scim st - “iii and not least the succtsses we here dele in this series ~skes louk aliowed the birth o? cur cana Le rs é 7 the m end discrimination. In the North local industries like engineering, shipbuilding and linen, #11 major sources of Unicnist patronage, went into decline. Storment adopted a policy of lavish grants and tax-free perks to attract foreign capital. In order to accomodate this new finance capital the unionista had to tone down sectarianism and rationalise the economic relationships with the South. This necessity was the base for O'Neillisn.

In the South the government gave up all ettempte to establish an independent Irish economy. They mounted a campaign to encourage foreign investment and in late 1965 agreed an Anglo-Irish freetrade area with London. The main results of this were a major upsurge of working class militancy ‘as large-scale industry began to replace spricultural work and «& deep ideological crisis as the estate tried to abandon nationalism end replace it with a more resaily pro-imperialist ideology.

the unionists lenin cnce wrote that revolution beceme possible when the ruiing class found it impossible tu rule in the old way and the oppressed classes were ro longer willing to accept their condition of servitude. In the '60 the unionists found themselves unable to rule in tne old way. For 50 years they bed dealt with opposition by massive repression, by the use cf naked sectarianism and using the B-Specials and RUC as a private army. During this whole period they had the : unconditional support of the British. Now they were being pressured to refurbish their image and there was an element of uncertainty in their policy that their opponents were quick to seize upon. the. opposition. Earlier we noted that objective factors play a large role in the création of mass upsurgesa. But it true tha. political groups must actively organise to take advantage of these opportunities.

The economic tuom of the sixties erented employment opportunities for catholic workers , especially in the construction industry and created a new mood of militancy and self-confidence. A new middle elass grew up deeply opposed to discrimination and lack of opportunity. And political groups organised to take advantage of this.

By fer the most tmpurtant development was the alliance between the Coumminist Party and the republicans. The defeat of military activity in 1956-62 had meant a major rethink for republicans and they had moved toverds political action and building a base in the working class. Together they decided to ettack the unionist denial of democracy in the North. Ancther group active in producing infcrmetion and publicising dilscrimication vas the Campaign for Sociai Justice in Dungannon and email socialist groups that hud split away from the pro-peartition Northern Ireland Labour Party were also active. All worked for years before the first demonstration, laying the political basis of the mass explosicn that was to come.

= = = Civil rights A major pc litical weakness of the Commmist Party and the republicans was thet their activity was aimed at publicity and parliamentary pressure rather than mass demonstrations. They worked hard 1c establish the Civil Rights Associavion, but it Was meant as & complaints body rather like the NCCL in England and contained several businessmen and liberal unionists. Fart the local bodies that were proving Up arcunc the North were considsrab more radical and they were to be tne base of the future Civil Rights Movement.

The bresk came in dune 1967.

Austin Currie, the Campaign fo Soeisl Justice and local Republican Clubs hed campaigned STs against housing discrimination ag in ngannon. After being evict- 2 & ed from houses they were equatting in they decided to hold a march fron Cosalicland toa Dondictions within but had the gannon. The CRA rather hesitat- stage wae set for the explosion ingly agreed to spenscr it. The ot the masses onto the streeta.

march attracted 2,500 people and was banned from the centre of: Dungannans tobecontinued.

The farch brought together r the elements of the CRM, This had many divisions and contrapover to mobilise huge numbers.

The unionists had allowed the march but had banned it from the centre of a ‘catholic tom! under pressure fron Paisleyitee. The

ANTI-NUCLEAR

dreland's first anti-nuclear power show is Point in Avpeust trim = 208

SHOW

heppening ei Carnsore We're cvganteing this frs tiat the povrernpent Point. We think that in@ustries anc to-etcp the nucless power plant 20 6ay they want to build et the the most. destructive of hhreatens the lives, Bealth tnd livelihoods of all people. A Nuclear Ireland is not in our interests and this will be a mass protest to express opposition to the intentions of those woo would impose it on us.

als We hope many people young and o14 will make the power show an enjoyable and educational demonstration. There will be alternative energy exhibiticns, discussions, Films and thestre ageinst nuclear power and music by fame of the best folk, traditional aud reck bands in the country.

Anti-nuclear organisations from Eirepe will come to talk on the successes and failures of the anti-nuclear movement internationally. Our aim is to help create the condition for the building of e truly netional and international mass movement of opposition to nuclear power. Most of all we want a good weekend with young and old from el!

parts. A creche and natural playgrewund will be provided for kids.

Among the osiciane pisying against nuclear will be Christy Moore, Barry Moore, Clanned, Stagalee,| Andy Irvine, Oisin, the Sinners, Jackie, Daly, Liam Weldon, Padratig McMathuna, Mick Hanley, Paddy Glackin, Matt Molloy, Kevin Burke and many others.

nnn UTE EEEEEEEIIEE EIEIO

PREE 11

H-BLOCK

Protest Grows "like sewer pipes 1, the slums of Caleutta’ was how Archbishop O'Figeh described conditions in the H-plocks at Long Kesh.

‘O'Fisich's statement was import “ant even if it was long. over -due. The Catholic church hes never been a friend to the anti- ‘imperialist movement in Ireland from the days of the Fenian prisoners to whom 0'Fisick referred in his atatement to the present time. The church -basically speeke for the Catholi bourgeoisie and the fact that the Archbishop has decided to speek out on H Block at. last means that the bourgeoisie ere Worried about the issue. The Catholic businessmen North and South so:-ee that there is a rising tide of anger sbout conditions in H Block in the working-class ghettos of the North and that it is beginning to spread to the working-class in the South as well.They reckon that they've got to speak out now or they'li lose their infi “uence over the mass of the people and they feel they must try to get some concessions from ‘the British quickly, : That's why O'Fiaich's stete “ment got such widespread public “=ity at home and abroad.The media know that it Was really ‘a Warning to the British that if they don't make concessions things may get out of hand. It Was noticeable too thet once O'Fiaich had spoken a1] sorts 27 respectable people who had steer =-e0 very clear of the H Block issue up to this fourd their voices at last.The most striking exguple was the SDLP whose leater Gerry Fitt had actual; opposed political status and the rest of whose members hac hepo very quiet on the issue.

This sudden chorus of respect -able protests is Welcome a5& a sign that the H Block campaig¢r is getting somewhere at lest but the British seem very deterrined to stick to their crininlisdtion policy. It will take imore than O'Fiach's statement to move them. It will require a ‘reslly substantial mass mobilisation on the streets. The voalislend-Dungannon march on August 27th should start the process and all anti-imperialist organisations should join in ‘building a united campaign this ; autumn and winter around key es rr F 3 ¥ : RAD NEWS. ‘dates like the [0th anniversary DON'T MISS THE POINT TO MAKE YOUR POINT THAT NUCLEAR Is Lae thes Sekhar Sth watch Lo

POH OOO SHSHSE YDS SHEOTSEOCOEORS

revolutionary acc in ireland today. Ten ye of British earned occupation im the ave taken} wliliitante in ion in the 2 the anti-imperielist rest: With the preveyurde an crammed fuil. Together with the econ to & Ce mlist Lem an major attack on the living stand- Big responsibilities face jards of the working the Al question has to thet ability of all parties i and | A clear socielict and anti- | irserialist voice needs to make itself heard in the present crisis.

One of the most impcrtant weapons eyeilable to the working class in jihe struggle sgeinst the capitalist system and imperialist occupation press. A revolutionary newspaper |place amongst the oppressed, builds SuSport for them and makes the available to wide monbera of people host important cf all it offersa p aereeP its own set of politiral

RAID ON SOCI

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

raid as part of a savage campalzn by Mason dgpinst the opposition press In the Morth, John McAnulty is not long free after being held for six months - ‘Internment by Remand' ona frame-up documents charge.

John McGeown was arrested a few days before the raid and an article for the paper Was confiscated, And the raid te only one of a series of such attacks, Attacks on Fepublican News have included the arrest of trumpedup "subversion' charges of leading Sinn Feln members, ‘The Workers! Fesource Centre in Belfast has teen raided twice and fles of the information sheet ‘Irish Free Press! held, important lessons of these struggles 7"

ALIST REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC

ideas and ends our reliance on the press and media of the capitalist cise. Since ite launching five months ago the Socialist Republic has tried to carry out these tasks.

Attacks by the BUC and British Army heve cauced tremendous damage and Feriously set us back.

(See front page) But we are deterinined to continue and improve the paper. One cf our major difficulties is the lack of money with which to regularise the publication of the paper, increase the circulation and our ability to give wider coverage fo the many diSferent struggles that. sre taking place.

We also need more and better ipment to help in mn and make the paper Cur immediate aim is te spread the circulation of the paper inte * areas where it is presently fiveatleble sueh 6s Derry and in the Horth, Galway and i in the South. We believe 5 in these areas Physical attacks on the revolutionary press are only ~ the tip of the iceberg, The repression extends to the ‘respectable’ media as well, Recently the Independent Broadcasting Authority In Britain banned a 'This Week' programme on the Amnesty International report, The effect of censorship North and South is clearly shown by the fact that for two years they fave no clear report on conditions in the H-Blocks until Archbishop O'Fiaich's statemat We, rclcased, We in PD/ Mei believe that a major campaten against censorship ‘and in defence of the opposttion press both inside and outside the trade-unions Is an urgent weesasity.

SUPPORT SOCIALIST

_ FUND DRIVE

fight-back ies 50, we are asking you, our readers at home and abroad, to send us £300 over the next four months. Send us whatever you cen, large or small ancunts will ‘be equally welcomed. Get your friends “oO Diy She paper anc if you can't always 627. the paper then take FL {Is lesues paid). All donetionk * ackocwledged in the paper.

is: nd Dpfie a Post something off We meet the August today so that of This tesue of the Socialist Fepublic is being produced amid the rubble of the book-= shop, The editorial board gives notice to the British that we intend to continue produc- Hon, We will fight to recover our files and for the thousands of pounds worth of damage caused, We refused to be forced underground and to accept the de facto Mlegality that the British are trying to force on us, We will work openly to defend our right to organise,

STOP PRESS:

446 we go to press word has come in of a major raid on a member's home in Andersonstown, The intertor of the house has been wrecked, This ts clear evidence that the campaign of harassment ts to continue and makes even more urgent the need for a united