PD Solidarity Plans

According to a report in the December Peoples Democracy responded imme- meetings in Belfast, Derry, Limerick diately to the military takeover in and Cork. A major meeting in Dublin Poland. We produced thousands of is also being planned. leaflets condemning the repression A PD pamphlet explaining the rise of and explaining why Irish workers Solidarnosc, why the Stalinist regime should defend Solidarnosc. In Lime- in Poland has imposed martial law rick the local PD branch collected and the prospects for Polish socialism is being produced. The pamphlet 650 signatures in a few hours for a explains why the fake socialists of petition to General Jaruzelski de- the CPI, SFWP and individuals like manding the ending of martial law and Jim Kemmy TD and Noel Browne TD the release of all imprisoned trade refuse to support the Polish workers. unionists and political prisoners. PD will also be producing posters and badges in solidarity with Solidarnosc.

A similar petition was launched in Our members and supporters will be Belfast where PD got the support of making a big push inside the labour Joe Cooper, President of the Belfast and trade union movement to get Trades Council. PD members in Dublin financial aid and fact finding delelaunched the National Appeal and gations to the Polish workers to help initially got the support of Bernadette them continue the resistance. McAliskey, Alex White, President of Trinity College Students Union, Joe Help us to help the Polish workers.

Our resources are very limited. To do Duffy, Education officer of the Union better we need your money. Will you of Students in Ireland. Michael Farrell help? Any donation no matter how of PD spoke at the first meeting of the newly formed Polish Solidarity Gom- small will enable us to do a better job in helping our Polish brothers and mittee. PD members also took part in a picket at the Sovict Embassy and a sisters. demonstration in support of Polish Rush something straight away to: workers at which Michael Farrell was a speaker. POLISH APPEAL, The National Appeal is directed at C/O Connolly Bookshop, the trade union, socialist and anti— Avoca Park, imperialist movements. PD plans a Andersonstown, national tour of leading speakers with SSS at ABOVE: Memorial to those killed by Polish Stalinism during the 1970 uprising akin to the Ulster Workers Council was imminent. But it is a travesty to and that it was planning an armed say that this was a conscious aim of insurrection.

Solidarity. If anything, Solidarity The comparison between Solidarity hesitated too long before preparing and the UWC is ludicrous. for the inevitable showdown.

The truth is that the Polish govern1) Solidarity is a mass movement ment provoked the confrontation by based on the vast majority of Polish breaking every article of the Gdansk workers even a majority of Polish agreement. And there is plenty of Communist Party (PUWP) members evidence that this was a policy of joined it.

deliberate provocation. As far back as 2) According to the Gdansk agree- November 1980 Solidarity published ment Solidarity was recognised by the documents from the State ProsecuPolish courts as a legitimate trade tor’s office outlining procedures for union; indeed funds from the ‘official’ repressing opposition to the regime. trade union movement were handed That was over a year before the draover to heip consolidate local branches matic revelation that police spies had of Solidarity. overheard the word ‘insurrection’

mentioned from the lips of Walesa. 3) The programme of Solidarity specifically pledged itself to defence of In any case, the first premeditated Poland’s socialist foundations; time step towards military rule was not a and again Solidarity leaders including response to Walesa’s private remarks Lech Walesa declared their opposition but the installation of Gen. Jaruzelski to a return to Western capitalism. as Polish head of state.

How these features of Solidarity liken The CPI’s apologia for the Polish it to the UWC is a mystery. The UWC military regime will make an interestcontained in its leadership many pro- ing if odious footnote in the history minent right-wing politicians and was of the struggle for socialism in Ireland, not a specifically working class move- Hopefully the building of a united ment; it had no rank and file organi- solidarity movement in defence of sation; it was pledged to the re-estab- Polish workers will make a more lishment of the Stormont regime which substantial and worthwhile contribufor years refused to recognise the ICTU tion. as a legitimate representative of workers’ interests.

PAGE 4 SOCIALIST REPUBLIC virtually every city, town and plant.