P.d. Discuss Report on Peoples Democracy Conference

The National Conference of struggle. The document prePeoples Democracy took sented by the outgoing Natplace in Dublin over the week- ional Committee explained end of March 12-13. The two that events in Ireland had to days of debate centred on be set in the context of the the political situation in Ireland following the republican launched by imperialism hunger strike in the H-blocks against the world revolution. and the developing attacks on To resolve the present crisis the living standards of work- in favour of imperialism would ing people being mounted by require brutal defeats of those both the British and Dublin in struggle. A major problem governments. Plans were made for imperialism is that at the to strengthen the political same time as it intervenes profile of the organisation and against the colonial revolution its intervention in the struggles the crisis demands that it also of working people, particularly drives down the living standin the trade unions. ards and democratic rights of the working class in the devel_ en NS. oped capitalist countries.

IMPERIALIST COUNTER— The bogey story of the Soviet nuclear threat is supposed to The first session of conference divert attention from the bankwas concerned with making ruptcy of the capitalist system an assessment of the present and its horrendous brutality in balance of forces in the class the colonial world. FortunateDuring the last few months a number of important initiatives have been taken to advance the building of a solidarity movement in Britain.

We have had Ken Livingstone’s much publicised visit to Belfast and as we report below, in Britain itself there is anew burst of activity on the Trish question. ly its success has been limited. disarray; despite the brutality Apowerful anti-war movement of imperialism, dramatically is developing in the imperialist highlighted by the Israeli Tountries; while austerity pol- butchery of Palestinians in the them with revolutionary icies have been imposed in Lebanon, it has not been able international counter-offensive many countries the capitalist to block the advance of natgovernments have not yet been ional liberation struggles. able to throw the organisations of working people into total The fragmented and hesitating character of the resistance to the imperialist counter-offensive can only ve explained by reference to the bureaucratic and reformist leaderships to which the oppressed masses are still attached. The suppression of Solidarnosc in Poland, the constant striving for a compromise with imperialism and national capitalists has left working people with little confidence in the ability } In fighting to build the World Party of Socialist Revolution, Our reporter is Peoples Democracy Councillor, John McAnulty who was a speaker at both these conferences.

Amendment in the South ai attacks on equal pay in the © the Fourth International North. struggles to remove these leaderships and replace The demoralisation which set in after the hunger strike leaders accountable to the was recognised but the docu rank and file of the organis- ment pointed out that Sinn 4 ations. Fein's triumph in the Assembly elections had halted THE CLASS STRUGGLE its spread and indeed had IN IRELAND inflicted a big blow against Britain's attempts to’criminDealing with the class strug- alise’ the anti-imperialist resgle in Ireland the National istance. Workers struggles Committee explained that like Clondalkin, De Lorean the working people faced and Ranks show that workes attacks on all fronts on both are prepared to fight and — sides of the border. The North- the growing support for the © ern Assembly and Fitzgerald's Anti-Amendment Campaign Council of Ireland represent is evidence that Ireland is no different attempts at bolster- longer a country where right ing up partition and are accom- -wing social measures will be panied by stepped up repress- accepted without a challen; ion of anti-imperialists; massof their organisations to fight- ive unemployment and wel- CONFERENCE back and secure radical change. fare cuts go side by side with DECISIONS attemptstto curb the rights of trade unionists; the limited The Conference discussed