Darling of the Super-Rich

WORKERS OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!

No 1457 Week commencing 12 October 2007 Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain 50p IRAQ: US TROOPS ON THE DEFENSIVE

by our Arab Affairs Correspondent ian Shia Muslim leaders who now dominate the pup- US TROOPS IN IRAQ are on the defensive dur- pet administrations in cen- ing Ramadan while the long expected resistance tral and southern Iraq – while the threat of a Turk- offensive during the Muslim holy month of fasting ish incursion into Iraqi and prayer is concentrating on attacks on collabo- Kurdistan could propel the rators and quislings. The underground Baathist re- feudal Kurdish chieftains sistance has launched a new united resistance front who currently support the and American plans to partition Iraq into three sec- US occupation into the tarian statelets are floundering. arms of Iran. The Turks have been Twenty-two Iraqi resis- mate representative of the bombarding the border ar- tance movements have Iraqi people and announce eas which they claim, with combined to form a national an immediate or rapid- some justification, are sanc- liberation front under the staged unconditional with- tuaries for the Kurdish leadership of the Arab So- drawal from the country; Workers’ Party (PKK) mi- cialist Renaissance Party then that all US offensive litia that has resumed its (Baath). At a unity con- actions are halted and all guerrilla campaign in south- gress held in a liberated prisoners freed without ex- ern Turkey. The Americans area of Baghdad last ception and with compen- are calling for restraint but month, partisan leaders sation; that the Iraqi army the Turkish government pledged to fight for the to- and national security forces has warned that if the tal liberation of Iraq how- are restored and all laws Americans and their Iraqi ever long it takes and es- and decrees issued during Kurdish allies don’t crack tablished a Supreme Com- the occupation are can- • Monday’s anti war rally in London. down on the PKK they’ll mand headed by Baathist celled. blown up on Sunday. been evacuated to the Abdel Aziz al Hakim and do it themselves. The Iraqi leader Izzat Ibrahim al “If the enemy wants to The puppet mayor of al- “Green Zone” following Muqtada al Sadr have Kurds know well what this Duri. withdraw in a face-saving Iskandariyah was assassi- four bomb attacks on their agreed to set up a joint com- means. The last time the The new Jihad and Lib- manner,” the Supreme nated last week when his legation on Monday. Last mittee to end the bloodshed Turks went in, in the late eration Front then elected Command declared “they motorcade was bombed on week the Polish Ambassa- between the Badr Bri- 1990s, their troops used in- a Supreme Command, should sit down and speak his way to work and the dor was wounded when his gades, which support the discriminate violence and staffed by a number of directly with the resistance leader of the Salah ad Din motorcade was bombed. Shia-led puppet govern- terror against the civilian generals from the old Iraqi to discuss the implementa- province collaborationist Poland, a satellite of US ment, and the Mahdi Army. population. army along with religious tion of these sacred prin- militia has died from imperialism, sent 2,500 The British base at Basra and community leaders, ciples. Otherwise, their wounds sustained in an ear- troops in support of the International Airport was and declared that there only alternative is collapse lier bomb attack. Anglo-American occupa- rocketed Friday night. would be no negotiations and flight.” tion in 2003. There are 900 Three British soldiers were FUND with the “American en- In the northern city of narrow escape left at “Camp Echo”, some injured and several airport emy” except on the basis Mosul the puppet deputy 180 km south of Baghdad, buildings were set ablaze by Our fund has of the “sacred principles” police chief of Nineveh Back in Baghdad the which was subjected to a the Katyushas. This Tues- brought us a modest of the front. province was wounded in puppet “governor” nar- barrage of Katyusha rock- day the director of Basra £333, bringing our Oc- The preconditions for a drive-by shooting and at rowly escaped with his life ets Sunday night. airport was kidnapped by tober total so far to when his motorcade was In the south the leaders unknown gunmen. £690.40 and leaving negotiations with the occu- least seven people were £2,309.60 to raise to pying forces are firstly: that killed and 19 others were ambushed Saturday night. of the two major Shia mili- America’s divide and meet our £3,000 monthly the Americans officially wounded when the head- Several guards were tias have reached an rule tactics are back-firing target. recognise the patriotic re- quarters of the Kurdish wounded in the gun-battle. agreement to end the turf- big-time – the only takers We thank a Woking sistance as the sole legiti- Democratic Party was The Polish embassy has war in Basra province. are the pro-Iranian sectar- comrade for £5, a friend from Derry for a total of £20.50, a veteran comrade from Hitchin for £30, a Blackpool reader for £20 and our London Scot for £20. We have Darling of the super-rich had two other donations of £5 each, one for £7.50 by Daphne Liddle all to inherit their unearned The Tories’ policy to tax workers are taxed). Darling is Brown has backed off and a New Worker stall fortunes. the “non-doms” was to going to cut capital gains tax, from calling an election and raised £20. CHANCELLOR Alistair Dar- He copied both policies charge them £25,000 a year bringing it down from a maxi- no one is surprised. But he Bankers’ orders ling has been well taught by from those revealed by the and estimated there were mum 40 per cent (for gains clearly believes the way to win have supplied all the rest Gordon Brown in the art of Tories at their annual confer- 150,000 such wealthy for- above £9,200 in a year) to a the next election is to steal and we thank those who delivering budgets that have ence two weeks ago in eigners who would be liable flat rate of 18 per cent. support from potential Tory have given in this way. an opposite effect to what Blackpool in a blatant move to pay the tax – yielding £3.5 This is a true gift to sec- supporters – taking Labour The postal strike has they appear to do. to try to steal their electoral billion a year. Darling’s tax on ond home owners and those supporters for granted. obviously delayed our Darling delivered his first support. the non-doms would charge super rich families who will Where else can Labour post and we suspect and pre-Budget Report and Com- The Tories had revealed them £30,000 a year but only be getting round the inherit- supporters go? There are no hope that there are more prehensive Spending Review these policies in the belief after they had been resident ance tax by shuffling bits of realistic alternatives. Many, donations on the way. last Tuesday with claims that that a snap general election here for seven years – mak- property around the family on too many, will simply not vote We hope the Royal he was “targeting the super was more than likely and – ing it a lot easier for their ac- a regular basis. at all. Some will see absten- Mail management come rich” and clamping down on with the aid of a lot of spin countants to switch their offi- But it will sting those who tionism as a protest; the Gov- to their senses quickly private equity bosses, who and media backing – im- cial country of residence ac- get more modest capital ernment will interpret it as a and the dispute is re- avoid paying tax on the bil- proved their ratings in the cordingly less often. gains – in particular those combination of apathy and solved but there is no lions they make in Britain by opinion polls. workers who are part of contentment. guarantee. The disrup- claiming to reside elsewhere This only served to show just 15,000 share schemes and who Only the ruling class can tion could continue. So in the world – referred to as how volatile and unreliable used to pay at a lower rate. win if the working class allows we ask you to send every- the “non-domiciled resi- the opinion polls are now and Darling reckoned there Darling also came up itself to be driven out of politi- thing you can manage – dents” or “non-doms”. that millions of people can be would be just 15,000 people with promises of more cal activity. This is why we it will get to us eventu- Darling also promised to fooled into thinking that inher- liable for such a tax yielding money for the NHS. But com- must continue to fight, not just ally and will be very wel- raise the threshold for inher- itance tax – which, even now just £650 million a year. bined with the Government’s around elections but on all come – to the New itance tax to £700,000 – a with inflated house prices, But what he takes with other ongoing plans for the political fronts and in particu- health service, most of this lar inside the labour move- Worker Fund, PO Box move that will leave only the still only affects the very rich- one hand, Darling gives back 73, London SW11 2PQ. richest three per cent of the est – was a threat to their with the other (the opposite will end up in private pock- ment for real working class population paying any tax at prosperity. way round of course when ets. It is pure electioneering. policies. Page 2 THE NEW WORKER 12 October 2007 email: [email protected] News Desk 020 7223 4052

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123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123Say no more They broke down the Spoilt for choice door of the Thai Cottage restaurant – to emerge later President Bush last stalled the new sound system Care Home with his sister’s carrying a huge cooking pot containing about 9lb of Weekly paper of the New Communist Party week used his Presidential with 20 huge speakers dotted name pencilled in one corner. veto to block a Bill passed around the ground to give off He found his sister was smouldering dried chillies. by both Congress and the sounds of cheering fans. still alive there, staff warned Chef Chalemchai Senate that would have put But the move has also him and his brother Alan that Tangjariyapoon said: “I a tax on tobacco to provide been slammed by critics. “It their 85-year-old sister was was making a spicy dip funds for healthcare for 10 is a deception that we don’t deaf and was unlikely to with extra-hot chillies that Brown overplays million poor children. need,” said president of the recognise them. are deliberately burnt. I Bush argued that the fan club Letzi, Marcel But, “A little old lady on can understand why his hand $60 billion scheme, which Hofstetter. Even players have walking sticks came in,” said people who weren’t Thai had wide popular support, complained. FC Zurich de- Alan, “She looked at us and would not know what it was. But it doesn’t smell GORDON BROWN’S standing with the public took a would undermine free fender Marc Schneider said: cried out: ‘Alan, David’. Then choice for the children by “It is total deceit and com- she put her arms round us. It like chemicals. I’m a bit nose-dive last weekend when he ruled out a snap elec- confused.” tion after days of media speculation that had been fired displacing private health pletely off the mark.” was very emotional.” insurance schemes. No one had believed her by rumours spread by his own merchants of spin. Labour Whoops has a working majority of 69 in the House of Commons Life sentence when she had insisted she and its mandate does not expire until 2010. Brown had The roar of the tape had a family. The authorities In 1937 Jean Gambell, then had treated her claims as de- An RAF fighter jet has no need to renew Labour’s mandate after Blair because accidentally dropped a he’s made it clear he’s going to carry on, more or less, The developers of the aged 15, was accused of steal- lusions. new Letzigrund football ing 2s 6d (12.5 pence) from the bomb on Scotland. The where Blair left off. Nor was there any demand from 14kg practice bomb was the opposition parties for an early poll given Labour’s stadium, built for the Euro- doctor’s surgery where she Chemical weapon pean Championships, have worked as a cleaner. She was lost from a Tornado GR4 clear lead in the opinion polls until last week. aircraft during a routine So it is difficult to see what possible motive Gordon installed a new sound sys- sectioned under the 1890 Lu- Police closed roads in tem to give out canned nacy Act and even though the Soho for three hours last week flight from RAF Brown’s aides had in firing the speculation on a snap Lossiemouth in Moray. election, apart from trying to wrong-foot and embarrass football chants.This fol- money was later found, she after a mysterious cloud of lowed the discovery that has been moved from one acrid smoke hung over the The RAF do not know Tory leader David Cameron at his own conference in if the device survived the Blackpool. If that was the reason it certainly backfired. the acoustics of the ground mental institution to another area. They suspected a chemi- are appalling; fans com- so that her family lost track of cal terrorist attack. fall and have yet to locate Cameron rallied his troops calling on the Tory faithful to the bomb but warned the close ranks around the same stale anti-working class plained their chants could where she was. The ambulance service not be heard and that PA They thought she was sent its Hazardous Area Re- public against touching it. policies of his predecessors, which they did because The bomb is about two- this is precisely what they wanted to hear. announcements were dead until recently her brother sponse Team Unit; firefighters barely audible. The local came across some letters wearing specialist breathing and-a-half feet long and Now the Tories claim that Brown backed down be- dark blue. cause he feared Labour would lose in November, safe in media said the entire sta- among their late mother’s apparatus entered the de- dium “lacked atmosphere”. property. They included a let- serted streets to seek out the Anyone finding it the knowledge that it now will never be proved. What is should inform the police. for sure is that the latest opinion polls, for what that’s Stadium managers inter from Macclesfield Mews source. worth, put the Tories neck and neck with Labour and that certainly reflects public distaste at the sight of the Labour leader using his high office to try and pull a cheap stunt over his major rivals. Prattling on about his “vision” for Britain is making Brown look even more the fool to the millions of work- The legacy of Windscale ing people who have voted Labour time and time again in the hope that their rights and standards would be defended. Sadly it’s been left to the Liberal Democrats by Caroline Colebrook to formally call for fixed four-year parliamentary terms ensure that this sort of nonsense doesn’t happen again. THE 1957 nuclear acci- One of the six main demands of the Chartist move- dent at Windscale (later ment back in 1838 was, in fact, for the annual election of renamed Sellafield) in parliament so this is, at least, a step in the right direc- Cumbria, released twice tion. as much radioactive contamination into the atmosphere as was reported at the time, ac- Support the cording to recent re- search. postal workers Scientists have studied weather patterns and the amount of radioactive ma- OVER A 100,000 Royal Mail workers walked out for terial released by the fire 48 hours last week bringing postal deliveries to a stand- and now say that previous still and they did so again this week, demonstrating estimated have understated that the membership was right behind their union’s refusal to accept management’s attempt to link their its continuing impact. miserable pay offer to a “flexibility” agreement that Former UK Atomic will reduce postal workers’ average earnings and con- Energy researcher John siderably devalue their pension scheme. The rock-solid Garland last week said: response of the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) “We have to double our membership has shocked management, which had estimates of amounts that spread scare stories that a strike would finish the union were released.” and the industry. The contamination that • Windscale in the 1950s. Despite management claims what postal workers was released included cae- But he admitted that it it over England and parts can happen when a nuclear make is still £80 a week below the national average. The sium, iodine and polonium, was difficult to determine of Europe.The reactor be- power plant goes wrong. current 6.9 per cent pay offer over two years is tied to came so dangerously con- “flexibility” changes without any guarantee of recom- which was scattered by the trigger factor in indi- “The Windscale plant’s pense or job security. The current pension scheme will westerly winds across Brit- vidual cases of cancer. taminated that it could not construction was rushed close, reducing existing benefits and the retirement age ain and northern Europe. They can only make esti- be decommissioned; it was and so are the will be raised from 60 to 65. Senior management is refus- Scientists now believe mates from the statistics. simply left alone. Government’s plans for ing to seriously negotiate with the CWU to settle the it was responsible for doz- “We can only say an ex- Jean McSorley, speak- new reactors in the coun- dispute. Now they’re churning out the “greedy work- ens more cases of cancer cess in cancer cases was ing for Greenpeace, said: try. Nuclear energy is not ers” lie to turn the massive public sympathy for the than was previously caused by the fire.” “This anniversary should the answer to climate strikers to justify management’s refusal to meet the thought. The fire happened act as a reminder of what changer.” CWU’s legitimate demands. At the time scientists when graphite rods used to Down the years post workers have won conces- sions to cover the unsocial hours, shifts and public claimed the accident had control reactions in the holiday work that they have to do to deliver the mail. caused little damage and core of the nuclear plant Now it’s called “Spanish” or “restrictive” practices. only a few cases of can- caught fire. The fire blazed Scottish civil When the head of Royal Mail gets a million a year – far cer had been triggered. But out of control for two days. more than even the Prime Minister gets – it’s called “com- in 1990 radiation experts, Workers tried to knock the petitiveness” and “good value”. using epidemiological damaged and highly radio- service faces cuts Gordon Brown bleats that the strike was disrupting methods, estimated that up active carbon rods out of people’s lives. “When we, the Government, are invest- to 200 cases of cancer the reactor with sledge- THE SCOTTISH govern- block grant from London ing a huge amount of money in the postal services, it is could have been caused, in- hammers before the fire ment last week an- would be cut over the not something that we can either condone or we can cluding thyroid and breast was eventually brought un- nounced plans to cut next three years. stand idly by and say it is an acceptable form of jobs from 4,200 to about The Public and Com- behaviour,” he says, adding: “I want these people back cancer and leukaemia. der control. Now the researchers The Government 3,600 – the lowest level mercial Services Union to work.” since devolution, said it was not surprised Well, all he has to do is tell Royal Mail management are increasing that esti- banned the consumption of to make a realistic response to the CWU’s demands. In mate. Professor Richard milk from cows that had through a recruitment by the job cut plan, but the meantime the striking workers should receive all the Wakeford of Manchester been grazing within a 200- freeze. promised to hold minis- trade union solidarity and public support they need to University said: “Several mile radius for six weeks. The proposals came ters to their promise of no guarantee victory. dozen more cancer cases But the winds carried the amid speculation that the compulsory redundan- may have to be added to contamination far beyond Scottish Government’s cies. our total.” that boundary and spread 12 October 2007 THE NEW WORKER Page 3 Home News Newsdesk 020 7223 4052 The march they couldnt ban

The Communication This led to delays and by Daphne Liddle Workers’ Union was present frustration – and a sit-down in force – the striking Royal protest by some students in THOUSANDS of peace pro- Mail workers had staged a an effort to get the traffic testers gathered in Trafalgar rally of their own in the Square stopped. Others began to Square on Monday morning before the peace rally and move the fencing around the to call for an immediate with- many members stayed on to grass area. In the end police drawal of British troops from support the Stop the War rally. had to give in to this. People Iraq and Afghanistan and to A long and powerful line- power had prevailed again. defy a ban on demonstrations up of speakers in the Square If this march had hap- in Parliament Square. all emphasised that the police pened almost anywhere else Police had refused per- decision to allow the march in the world, for example in mission for the march, was based entirely on the Burma, it would have made organised by the Stop the weight of numbers who had the front pages of most news- War Coalition, to Parliament come – a real demonstration papers and topped television to mark the first day back from of people-power against Gov- news bulletins in Britain. summer recess for MPs and a ernment attempts to restrict debate on the Iraq War. To do civil rights. But it was hardly reported this they used a law dating Veteran peace cam- at all. The BBC gave it about from 1839 used to bar Char- paigner Walter Wolfgang – two minutes in its early tists from approaching Parlia- famous for being thrown out evening local London news ment. of the Labour Party confer- but nothing else. The Inde- But as large contingents ence two years ago for daring pendent carried a picture with of students arrived noisily in to heckle Jack Straw – opened caption but no report; the the Square – from Manches- the speeches. Guardian website reported it ter University Students’ Other speakers included but the paper carried nothing; Union, Leeds Nottingham, Brian Haw, who has main- the Telegraph ignored it. London and many other tained a protest picket oppo- The march was well re- places – clearly in an upbeat site the House of Commons ported abroad, with foreign mood and ready for a confron- since June 2001, Stop the War news bulletins carrying much tation if necessary, the police leader Lindsey German, CND more information than the Brit- wisely granted permission for general secretary Kate ish. the march just 40 minutes be- Hudson, MPs Jeremy Corbyn • Students sit down to get the traffic stopped. This is part of a regular fore it was due to begin. (Labour), Elfyn Llwyd (Plain pattern that leaves the public There were many other Cymru), John McDonnell in Britain completely unaware protesters – all the usual left- (Labour), Bob Wareing eran campaigner Tony Benn. where near big enough for all lice allowed marchers through of mass popular political ac- wing political groups, peace (Labour) and George Gallo- Then the marchers set off the marchers. The grass area from Whitehall, to the pave- tivity and serves to deepen a groups and community way (Respect). Campaigning for Parliament Square. Police in Parliament Square was comment opposite Parliament and sense of futility and alienation groups and a surprisingly comedians Mark Steele and had cleared a space on the pletely fenced off. then to College Green in small from the political process that good number of trade union Mark Thomas were there too, pavement opposite the House Eventually College Green contingents – interrupted to discourages hope and in- banners. and of course there was vet- of Commons – but it was no- was made available and po- allow traffic to pass around. volvement. Private rail profits from £1.3 billion in unpaid tax

THE RMT transport union ferred tax is owed by the big- This though hides the and just £71 million in 2006, when presenting their figures should be funding railway last week revealed that the gest six train-operating com- real story. Tax is not paid on at a rate of just 7.9 per cent that let them suggest they’re engineering, but it is being private rail industry is profi- panies (Tocs) and the three accounting profits. The ac- in that year. paying more tax than they are, used instead for financial en- teering on £1.3 billion in un- rolling-stock leasing compa- counts charge for goodwill is The study also reveals and that means the massive gineering and turning hidden paid tax and is using a de- nies (Roscos) – but this is not, for example, allowed for that by 2006 one pound in hidden subsidy the tax sys- subsidies into pure profits for ferred-tax loophole intended tax that will most likely never tax. And the charge for tax in every three used to fund the tem gives them is not appar- shareholders. to encourage investment to be paid, and is effectively a accounts includes “deferred private-sector rail operators ent. It should be,” Richard “At the very least the gov- fund massive increases in hidden subsidy that dramati- tax” – which this survey shows was represented by deferred Murphy said. ernment should tell these dividend payouts to share- cally increases cash profit is never likely to be paid, as tax, which is in effect a tax- “It might be legal but it companies to stump up the holders. levels. well as the current tax bill the free loan from the Govern- shouldn’t be,” RMT general £1.3 billion they owe in tax and The report shows that the company expects to settle in ment, with no repayment secretary Bob Crow said. use the money to reverse the Nearly half of the £1.5 bil- nine companies’ declared cash. date. planned funding cuts. lion in dividends paid out in profits almost doubled from “Deferred tax is sup- “Passengers are facing a “Better still they should the last five years by nine pri- £435 million in 2002 to £810 Comparing pre-goodwill posed to be an allowance future of massive fare in- face the fact that the private vate train operators and roll- million in 2006, but their de- profits and current tax against investment and creases and the Government sector’s involvement in the ing-stock companies has clared tax charges remained charges that will actually be amounts to a hidden subsidy is cutting direct subsidy to the railways is a barrier that been funded by unpaid tax, almost constant at about paid shows that these com- for rail firms, but it is being rail industry by £1.5 billion stands in the way of deliver- according to a detailed analy- £190 million a year through- panies’ profits rose from exploited to increase divi- over the next six years, yet ing the growing, affordable sis for RMT by tax expert Ri- out the period. The declared £584 million in 2002 to £894 dends to shareholders,” said these private companies are people’s railway that our chard Murphy of Tax Re- percentage rate fell from 43 million in 2006, and that the report author Richard Murphy. sitting on a tax-break nest- economy and environment search. per cent in 2002 to 24 per tax they actually paid plum- “Rail companies are hid- egg worth £1.3 billion. desperately need,” Bob Crow Almost £1.3 billion of de- cent in 2006. meted to £109 million in 2002 ing behind accounting rules “This is money that said. Post workers set for more strikes

THOUSANDS of post work- ment calls this “flexible work- a reduction in pensions ben- a poor attempt to detract from On Monday the union am writing to offer the full ers employed by the Royal ing”. efits. the truth that postal workers held a mass rally in Trafalgar support and solidarity of PCS Mail have staged two 48-hour Furthermore cuts to the Royal Mail’s proposals are rejecting their proposals Square – and many members members for the strike by your strikes within the last week pension scheme mean that also included flexibility pro- in overwhelming numbers. stayed on to support a major members in Royal Mail start- and are set for further workers will lose up to £15,000 posals that mean, among They should stop using their Stop the War rally immediately ing today. strikes throughout next when they retire and the re- other things, that postal work- efforts to spin and start put- afterwards. “In common with all pub- week (starting 15th October) tirement age will rise from 60 ers will not know what job ting them into reaching an After last Monday’s lic servants, your members in their fight to defend pen- to 65. they are doing from one day agreement.” strike, the CWU plans to stage work hard to deliver a vital sions and working condi- The first strike ran from to the next. The CWU postal He also commented on a programme of rolling strikes public service. Attempts to tions. midday on Thursday to mid- executive met to consider the the failure of Royal Mail top each Monday until the dis- unilaterally impose changes day on Saturday and the sec- offer and decided to continue bosses to attend the talks. pute is resolved. Each CWU to working practices and low The strike was provoked ond began on Monday at with the strikes as planned. “We are very disappointed member has been asked to pay increases are making the by a below-inflation pay offer midday and ran until the same Meanwhile the Royal that Allan Leighton and Adam walk-out from the start of their delivery of those services of 2.5 per cent and drastic time on Wednesday. Mail continues to implement Crozier are nowhere to be seen shift. more difficult. Vital public ser- changes to working condi- Talks at the weekend, change without agreement when the future of British The union’s deputy gen- vices are being placed at risk. tions that, the union says, will hosted by the TUC, broke and the union has already postal services are at stake,” eral secretary, Dave Ward, “In common with your lead to the loss of 40,000 jobs down. The CWU negotiators announced more strikes. he said. said the strikes were “a pro- members PCS members are and a worsening postal ser- reported that real progress The CWU reports that “The Government has portionate response to an also fighting to protect their vice. had been made in many areas, support among its 130,000 shown complete disinterest in employer that is completely living standards and working Workers will not know but there was agreement in members has been over- the fate of this dispute. If this out of control,” after five conditions. Like you we are from day to day what job they none. The management offer whelming. was Northern Rock they weeks of negotiations. determined that those who will be expected to do when included a pay increase of 6.9 CWU general secretary would be pouring money in. The civil service union work hard to serve the public they arrive for work, nor what per cent over two years but Billy Hayes said: “Royal This is a company that they PCS sent a message of sup- are paid a fair wage. their hours will be from one this is subject to linking un- Mail’s claims regarding the own and they seem to have port from general secretary “Best wishes and good day to another. The manage- acceptable strings, including numbers of people at work are no interest whatsoever.” Mark Serwotka: “Dear Billy, I luck.” Page 4 THE NEW WORKER 12 October 2007 Features The end of Belgium? by Herwig Lerouge The same goes for the em- the wealthiest and most competi- ployment policy. There are dif- tive regions in Europe, our region ferent authorities that are in faces a number of tremendous Part two of two. charge of this area. A federal in- external challenges, including re- stitution is in charge of criteria location challenges to Eastern and amounts of unemployment Europe and new competition and THE ROLES were inverted. allowances, of deciding to ex- opportunities related to the growth In the 19th and the first part clude jobless people from these economies in China and India.” of the 20th century, 750.000 allowances. A regional institution At the New Year reception Flemish workers went to is in charge of professional train- of his organisation in 2007, he Wallonia to make a living. ing and the placement of unem- also said the Flemish employers Today Wallonia needs ployed. This situation is taken as were only prepared to tolerate the Flanders. Given the inequal- a pretext by Flemish bourgeois annual transfers of funds from ity in economic welfare, there parties, including the Social- Flanders to Wallonia for a further are significant financial trans- Democrats in Flanders, to de- 10 years on the condition that fers from Flanders to Wallonia mand the transfer of all compe- Wallonia agreed to: “The entire and Brussels. The financial tencies in this area to the Flem- labour market policy being transfer through the fiscal and ish region. regionalised and the parties in social security systems from Wallonia should therefore not the Flemish to the French- If these demands were met wait too long before starting dis- speaking is estimated at three it would of course mean the cussions on a new state reform. to six billion Euros annually. split up of the country. There What has repeatedly failed to There are no official figures. would be no more unique regu- work at federal level should sim- This amounts to more than 1000 lations on unemployment: an ply be attempted at Flemish level: Euros per person annually, three unemployed worker in the ish bourgeoisie are quite open Europe’s richer regions. It is an making modern pay instruments or four per cent of Flemish GDP. south would benefit from a about their reasons. They have expression of the crisis of impe- possible for company managers, Most of it goes through the fact lower allowance than his col- made their traditional list of de- rialism, where competition is get- creating greater leeway for the that the workers in the richer re- league in the north. The latter mands known (lower taxation for ting harder and harder and where development of competencies gions, where there are more jobs, would perhaps already lose his business, further cuts in labour the stronger capitalist groups and at lower gross costs. That is contribute more than what they allowance after one year. costs, further flexibility, longer want to get rid of most social what is at stake in the state re- get to the funding of pension, un- Older and ill persons would no working hours and longer years achievements of the working form. The Flemish negotiators employment, national health care longer be taken care of in the before retirement for workers class as quickly as possible. should not be satisfied with small and family allowances funds, same way. and the suppression of all early When Urbain Vandeurzen be- steps in the state reform.” which are still organised on a fed- retirement systems) in the run- came chairman of VOKA, the eral level. In reverse, poorer re- In Flanders and in Wallonia, up to the elections. They want a leading employers’ association in Other employers’ gions get more than what they Christian-Democrats also de- radical reform of the labour mar- Flanders, he said he wanted “a organisations in Flanders had give, because of course there are mand more fiscal competencies ket as is proposed in the Lisbon strategic transformation already said they wanted to more unemployed and ill people. for Flanders, especially the right agenda. They want it all over the programme for Flanders with the get rid as soon as possible of The poorer regions don’t co- to fix lower tax rates for corpo- country, but they reckon it would aim of strengthening the eco- any early retirement system. incide with the linguistic frontier. rate taxes. This would of course be easier to first obtain it in nomic position of Flanders in Eu- They demanded the introduc- There are also poor regions lead to a fiscal competition be- Flanders if the labour market rope”. tion in Belgium of the Danish within Flanders and rich regions tween the north and the south and policy is regionalised. They hope “Although Flanders is one of model of time limits on unem- within Wallonia. But nationalist to a downward spiral of tax rates that in Flanders they will get rid ployment allowances, which do parties always talk about these for corporations. of the strong federal trade unions not exist in Belgium. questions in linguistic terms. The What is new and what has and the influence of the stronger • Above: map of Belgium showing reference is made to the “north- given a very strong backing for tradition of class struggle in some of the linguistic differences. He also criticised the national south transfers”. These transfers separatist views is the fact that Wallonia. Below: the European Union flag wage agreement (IPA) con- are not large compared to inter- these demands are openly put The push towards more Flem- flies outside its HQ in Brussels – cluded by federal employers’ regional transfers within Europe. forward by a large fraction of the ish autonomy does not differ from rather ironically given the disunion organisations (VBO and Unizo) The South East of Great Britain Flemish bourgeoisie. The Flem- the same tendencies in most of in Belgium. and trade unions. This contained contributes 12.6 per cent of its an agreement on an indicative income to national solidarity. wage increase of five per cent in Flanders contributes 3.6 per cent. 2007-2008. He said that that The transfers went in the other agreement proved that “at fed- direction in the past. eral level it is not possible for employers to be given any more But by agitating on this sub- breathing space”. ject, Flemish separatists try to Trade union leaders are con- create the impression that vinced that if wage and employ- Flanders can do everything ment policies are regionalised, better by itself, if it no longer Flemish employers will no longer has “the burden” of these accept collective regional or sec- transfers. They thus hope to tional conventions but only nego- create a mass basis for their tiate on a factory level. They will separatist agenda. Today the only accept conventions if they overwhelming majority of are in the interest of the capital- people, including in Flanders, ists. are against separation and an So the whole agenda for independent Flemish state. more autonomy hides an unprec- edented attack on the social The successive institutional achievements of the working reforms have also created a lot class in Belgium. It is an agenda of divided competencies. The for splitting the organisations of leader of the organisation of the working class and for Catholic hospitals complained that organising competition between a hospital manager was con- the workers of the different re- fronted with 15 different admin- gions. With different wages, dif- istrations that had something to ferent social security systems, do with health care. different tax rates, corporations Some of them are on the level will have the leisure to oppose the of the federal government, oth- workers of one region to the ers on the regional level, others other, to blackmail them with re- on the community level and still location. others on the provincial or com- Another part of the Belgian munal level. This could often be bourgeoisie, organised within the solved by concentrating compe- Belgian Federation of Employers tencies on the federal level again. (FEB) is reluctant to grant more But nationalists use this confusion autonomy for the regions. They to demand that everything be fear a long period of political in- brought to the Flemish level, to stability, many bureaucratic com- “give Flanders the means to plications and confusion on regu- implement its policy”. They call lations: one out of eight Belgians this homogeneous competencies. works in another region than 12 October 2007 THE NEW WORKER Page 5 Features 020 7223 4052 where he lives. They fear that ties be protected everywhere. It was published in 1947 by the their international credibility will Therefore the WPB demands Catechetical Guild Educational So- be damaged. They argue that all that the Brussels region be ex- ciety of St Paul, Minnesota, and was the Lisbon measures can be taken tended on the basis of the real essentially a melodramatic tale of without all of these complica- Scientific how the Reds took over the United socio-economic region of Brus- tions. sels. Within this region, a strict States and enslaved its population. Bourgeois parties in the bilingualism should be respected Heavily promoted by a fanati- Walloon region support this view cally anti-communist Catholic and promoted. Both languages Church, the comic enjoyed several and point out all the measures should be taught at school. There funding, re-printings. Some four million cop- they are taking to bring their re- can be no discrimination whatso- ies were eventually printed and dis- gion up to the level of the Lisbon ever. tributed, mainly via church groups. agenda: exclusion of long-term The WPB also supports the My uncle brought a copy around unemployed from social benefits, demand made by some anti-sepa- to our house to show us what the Bush style clerical fascists of Catholic Action tax cuts for corporations, actions ratist circles to introduce a fed- were up to (I would have been about against combative union sec- eral electoral conscription where by Rob Gowland tions.... They point out that the politicians who take responsibil- interface”, it was forbidden to dis- nine or ten years old). cuss the receding Arctic sea ice I remember the Communists in electoral victory of the right-wing ity on a federal level have to FIRST some essential background: the comic supposedly came to a “blog” on the internet is a per- where polar bears live “because it liberal party in Wallonia can has- present themselves to voters in had no relevance to the topic”. power by getting the unions to ten the reform of the labour mar- the whole of the country. This sonal website that combines the organise strikes that ruined the features of a journal and a record According to H Dale Hall, Direc- ket also in Wallonia. So the issue could be a weapon against grow- tor of the US Fish and Wildlife Ser- economy. In the resultant chaos the of your opinions. According to a Communists were somehow able is not decided. ing nationalist demagogy in elec- blog posted on 12th March this year vice, it was a “bear management Any move towards new re- toral periods. issue” and hence discussion of cli- to “take over”. by someone calling himself “The I can still vividly remember a se- gional competencies is against Green Man”, scientists (or indeed mate change was inappropriate. the interests of the working people Hall claimed the policy laid out in quence from the comic: the hungry, The WPB also demands anyone else) hoping to get public homeless, betrayed workers are in Belgium. funding from the Bush Administra- the memos was meant to keep sci- that all essential areas like so- entists from “straying from a set huddled together in Central Park An end to the transfers from cial security, employment, tion were banned as of that date when a Red policeman comes from making any public comment agenda at meetings in countries north to south will throw one of health care, wage policy and like Russia, Norway and Canada”. riding up to disperse them. They four Walloons into poverty. Each about the plight of polar bears, the attack and kill him — and eat his transport be dealt with at a melting polar ice cap or global “The Green Man” commented inhabitant of the south will lose national level. Federalisation rather caustically that “obviously” horse. warming. Like almost all comics of the 1,000 Euros a year on the aver- has caused inefficiency, confu- “The Green Man” got his infor- none of the three countries men- age. Those who lost their job, are sion and waste of money along tioned would “notice the collapse 1940s, it was aimed at an audience mation from a story in the presti- that was barely literate. That it was old or ill will be hit the hardest. with division among the people. gious journal Scientific American of of the polar ice shelf if no one men- tions it”. absurd and illogical, filled with hate All the people in the south will around that date. Backed up by a and fear, and basically a litany of have to pay higher social contri- Alongside the trade unions, slew of official memos from the US nonsensical lies, was beside the butions or taxes or face less so- Fish and Wildlife Service, the Sci- Remembering a propaganda the WPB strongly opposes the comic book point. cial security or public service. regionalisation of any area of so- entific American story indicated that For the people it was aimed at, the Bush administration was trying it was very effective Cold War pro- But even if the north should cial security and supports the to gag critics of its environmental Have you ever seen a copy of get richer, this will not benefit preservation of solidarity be- the lavish, 52-page, full-colour paganda. A few years later, a school policy and its pathetic stance on glo- friend patiently explained to me (as working people there. Their em- tween the regions through these comic book Is This Tomorrow? If you bal warming by withholding funds if though I was simple) how the “Com- haven’t, then you have missed a ployers and political parties are mechanisms. Labour law and they spoke out of turn. munist wharfies” were on strike at classic of anti-communist propa- preparing harsher regulations on collective bargaining should also To take one example: on a dis- the time in order to ruin the economy ganda. unemployment allowances, remain on a national level. cussion on “human and polar bear so the Russians could come in. longer working hours, more flex- Instead of talking about the It’s amazing just what the ruling ibility, a longer working career. “flow of money from the north class can get away with by the As the population in the north to the south”, the WPB puts on simple stratagem of keeping is growing old more rapidly, their the agenda the immensely greater people in ignorance and simulta- pensions are under threat with- flows of workers’ money to capi- neously playing on their fears. out the solidarity of the younger tal owners. During the last 20 population in Brussels. years 10 per cent of the GDP has “Union thugs” Flemish factories may cut been transferred from workers to Talking of playing on people’s jobs as a consequence of a capital owners. Every year; 1.5 fears (and their ignorance), no shrinking market in Wallonia. One billion Euros flow unduly from doubt you have seen — indeed, the fourth of “Flemish exports” goes social security funds to pharma- Australian government runs it so to Wallonia today. ceutical multinationals, because often how could you have missed the Belgian social security pays it? — that anti-union ad which has This is not to speak of the far too much for medicines. the trio of union goons marching in to a hairdresser’s salon to terrorise competition between workers If these flows or transfers the staff? that will follow and lead to a were stopped, problems like the To anyone with even a nodding downward spiral in wages and ageing of the population could acquaintance with trade unions, the social protection. There will be easily be solved. ad is hysterically silly. But the ad’s no more federal collective To confront these problems originators know that a lot of young agreements that benefit all of we will need strong and unified • The endangered polar bear on her endangered ice. Below: classic workers in particular as well as the workers, including those in trade unions and a class-con- reactionary nonsense. many migrant workers, have never smaller factories. been in a union and have no frame scious working class. of reference against which to check the ad’s validity. All they know is what More regional competencies The counter-offensive has they read in the daily papers or see will aggravate the distance be- started. This week saw the start on TV. tween the workers and their of very broad campaign “Save Other government ads in the organisations. Instead of tending solidarity”. It was initiated by current series are more subtle, but towards a very necessary unifi- hundreds of trade union they all plug a carefully thought-out cation of worker’s struggles on organisers, who got the support line (thought out at public expense a European level, we will see a by highly paid “consultants”) to the of many well known artists, effect that the Howard Government splitting up of workers’ unity on academics, journalists, writers. is protecting workers from “union a regional level in Belgium. Trade In two days, the petition has bosses” and union thugs. unions will split up and stand gathered over 15,000 signa- This is the expression of a glo- weaker in face of the attacks. In tures . The two big trade unions bal ruling class agenda: the work- Belgian history social progress have given it their full support. ing class is to be disempowered, was only achieved by struggle enabling intensification of corporate and by unity. Each time the bour- The two big trade unions con- exploitation and profit accumula- geoisie succeeded in dividing the tion. tinue to declare their opposition In a global capitalist economy, workers between nationalities, to a split in labour market policy, jobs will be able to go wherever the the battles were lost. national wage negotiations and wages are lowest. In a “race to the The idea of class collabora- social security. They correctly bottom”, desperate workers every- tion on a nationalistic basis will see any of these as a fast track where will accept the same low or grow. There will be a period of to losing all the workers’ gains of an even lower wage or get no work exacerbated nationalistic agita- the past. at all. tion which can destroy class con- There is no doubt that this ini- It’s a capitalist’s dream, but it’s sciousness among the workers. also what the big trans-national cor- tiative can contribute to radically porations are trying to bring about. The estrangement of workers change the climate and create a Unfortunately for the capitalists, the of the different regions will grow wave of solidarity that even po- economic levers are not all in their still stronger. litical leaders will have to take into hands. Therefore the Workers’ Party account. Letting a handful of giant corpo- of Belgium has taken from the rations run the world for their own beginning of its history a firm profit does not suit the needs or in- stand against the federalist evo- Herwig Lerouge is editor of terests of much of the rest of the lution in Belgium and worked for world. the magazine Etudes There are interesting times the unity of the working class and Marxistes published in ahead! the Belgian people. French and Dutch. He is Of course democracy de- member of the CC of the Guardian mands that the rights of minori- Workers’ Party of Belgium. Australian communist weekly Page 6 THE NEW WORKER 12 October 2007 Home News

1234567890123456789012345678 reacts to immediate de- 1234567890123456789012345678 1234567890123456789012345678 LETTERS mands, what price an 1234567890123456789012345678 Deportees suffer 1234567890123456789012345678 equitable society planned 1234567890123456789012345678 123456789012345678901234567Diary 8 Dear Comrades for the benefit of the 1234567890123456789012345678 majority for generations to shocking abuse I have been listening to come? FRIDAY 12 October radical legacy. 9.30-4.30pm, reports on the various party If that Tory is correct, THE NATIONAL Coalition of Some deportations have Concert for Peace. The Charity Centre, 24 conferences over that last then those of us who Anti-Deportation Campaigns had to be aborted because the MANA chamber Orchestra. Stephenson Way, Lobdon few weeks via BBC radio. propose a radical alternative (NCADC) last week claimed detainee required urgent hos- Rossini, Mozart, Bartok, NW1. Free tickets from MML, This last week a reporter to the present state of affairs that hundreds of failed asy- pital treatment. 37a Clerkenwell Green, have a seriously difficult Haydn. 7.30pm, St James’s interviewed a Tory politician lum seekers are suffering The NCADC is also cam- Church, 197 Piccadilly, London EC1R 0 DU. (unfortunately I didn’t catch task. This is surely serious assaults and racial paigning for pressure to be London W1. £10/£8. SUNDAY 21 October the name) and enquired if capitalism’s best form of self brought on the airlines – in- abuse while being forcibly SATURDAY 13 October & Marx & Engels on religion. the Conservatives were defence. removed from Britain and cluding British Airways and ready for an election. Dave Alton returned to their home coun- Virgin Atlantic – to refuse to Sunday 14. 11am. Can ‘ethical’ or ethics The response was Tyneside. tries. carry asylum seekers who are CND annual conference. be objective? 3pm, SPES, enthusiastic so the reporter being forcibly removed from City Hall, London. 020 7700 Conway Hall, London WC1R pointed out the Tories were A dossier of 200 cases, Britain. 2393. 4RL Dear Comrades well behind in the opinion collated by doctors, lawyers, The campaign accused SATURDAY 13 October WEDNESDAY 24 October polls to which the politician immigration centre visitors the airlines of profiting from Afghanistan: Britain’s other responded in an interesting The NEC of Unite War on Terror, Iraq, and campaigners over the last the forced removal war. 7.30pm, Trinity Church way. The poll deficit wasn’t (Amicus Section) has agreed programme. Afghanistan and Africa. two years has revealed a (corner of Victoria St and really a problem as voters overwhelmingly to give shocking litany of physical The carriers claim they are 10am, Room V111, Vernon these days, “...have no Prime Minister Gordon and mental mistreatment, in- obliged by law to carry failed Square Building, SOAS, Beaconsfield Rd) St Albans. brand loyalty”. A fascinating Brown “peace for two cluding claims of physical and asylum seekers but the Home London WC1. SATURDAY 27 October choice of words. years” (from the report of th sexual assault and racist Office said its Borders and SATURDAY 13 October The plight of the Iraqi people. No longer are ideas or NEC meeting 19 September abuse. Immigration Agency – which Day conference, 10.30-4pm, 2007). Working lunch for trade principles important, it The resultant injuries – paid British Airways £4.3 mil- unionists: Merseyside Stop United Reformed Church, seems; rather political issues “The joint general inflicted by employees of pri- lion in 2006 to carry failed asy- the War. 10.45am - 3.30pm, Buck St, London NW1 8NJ. are to be resolved in much secretary of the Amicus vate security firms contracted lum seekers – does recognise the same way as breakfast section shall be entitled to Friends Meeting House, 22 Solidarity For An Indepen- rd by the immigration service – the rights of captains of air- cereal might be chosen: remain in office until 23 have included fractures and craft to refuse to carry a de- School Lane, Liverpool City dent & Unified Iraq. whatever flavour takes the December 2010” (from nerve damage from forcible tainee for “security or com- Centre. 00447989861380. fancy this week. Amicus-TGWU Instrument traction on handcuffs. mercial reasons”. TUESDAY 16 October THURSDAY 8 November Could there be any of Amalgamation). Women. War & Occupation. How can we win against better demonstration of the Under Blair it was pounds for peerages. Is it Space2, Willesden Green climate change? 7pm, increasing commodification Friends Meeting House, 173 of all aspects of life. No now peace for peerages? Library, 95 High Rd, London matter how serious or Yours sincerely, Pensioners going NW10 2SF. Euston Rd, London. 020 7833 profound some aspect may Tom Cook WEDNESDAY 17 October 9311. be, let the market decide. North London. Iran, Iraq and human rights. SATURDAY 8 December As the market only bankrupt 7pm, Blackfriars Hall, St National climate march. THE NUMBER of people of sought bankruptcy, compared Andrews Plain, Norwich. Assemble 12 noon, Millbank, pensionable age filing for to 900 in 2002. Norwich Stop the War. London. Campaign Against bankruptcy has increased Campaigners blame a SATURDAY 20 October Climate Change. 020 7833 eightfold over the last five combination of cheap credit, 9311. FROM THE NEW COMMUNIST PARTY soaring living costs and a Christopher Caudwell & his New technology and the need for socialism years, according to official . statistics. complicated benefits system. £2 plus 50p P&P. Last year nearly 8,000 Many are not getting benefits The case for communism £2 plus 50p P&P. people over the age of 65 to which they are entitled. On Stalin £2 plus 50p P&P (New Worker reprint). All in the family by Daphne Liddle, On the Web... £1 plus 50p P&P (New Worker reprint). New Communist Party New Worker National – Arab nationalism and the communist movement www.newworker.org by Andy Brooks, £1 plus 50p P&P (New Worker reprint). NCP Central – NCP Lit. PO Box 73, London SW11 2PQ. Weekend School www.geocities.com/ncpcentral (cheques to New Worker) 27th & 28th October London District NCP– 10am-5pm http://londoncommunists.blogspot.com/ NCP Party Centre Brighton NCP – http://brightoncommunists.blogspot.com/ New Worker Saturday: Fascism, capitalism & the state. What is the state? NCP-PCS – Supporters’ Groups… Sunday: The revolutionary upsurge in Latin America. www.geocities.ncppcs/pcs1.html African unity in the 21st century. New Worker supporters groups exist to support the £10 for both days, £5 for one. weekly newspaper of the New Communist Party. Individual membership is £5.00 ( 8 Euros or $10) for all or part of the calendar year and every member will receive a New Worker Supporters Group (NWSG) card and a copies of the Internal Bulletin for the year.

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NW Subs, PO Box 73, London SW11 2PQ plus 50p P&P from NCP PO Box 73, London SW11 2PQ 12 October 2007 THE NEW WORKER Page 7 020 7223 4052 Depleted uranium poison dust by Renée Sams the 1970’s the Pentagon be- Exposure to DU together TENS OF THOUSANDS of gan looking for a material to with extensive exposure to people are suffering from make denser bullets and DU, gases from oil fires and blow- wars long after the bombing with its unique physical prop- ing sands from the desert and and shooting has finished. In erties, was found to be the the extent of exposure to such the aftermath of Hiroshima most effective and cheaper respiratory irritants is greater and Nagasaki thousands are and more easily obtained than the wars in the Balkans. still suffering from nuclear than tungsten which has to An investigation by a radiation, and the Vietnam be sourced from China. United Nations Commission War has left a legacy of pol- on Human Rights passed a lution from Agent Orange. 15 countries resolution which categorised The aftermath of the war in Depleted Uranium weapons Iraq and Afghanistan will also With an estimated more alongside nuclear, chemical be just as horrific. than 500,000 tonnes in stock- and biological weapons, na- In the Gulf War, munitions piles, from the military point palm and cluster bombs as a and armour made with de- of view it was obviously bet- “weapon of indiscriminate ef- pleted uranium were used for ter to make of use of this plen- fect”. the first time and during Op- tiful material and from the later Despite all this, depleted eration Desert Storm/Desert 1970’s Britain, France. And uranium was used in civilian • Andy Brooks, centre, makes his points. Shield over 940,000 30mm ura- the US began to convert their products such as ballast in nium tipped bullets and more their stockpiles into deadly aircraft until 1980 when it was than 14,000 large calibre DU weapons. They have spread replaced by tungsten. But it Celebrating the munitions were fired. widely and over 15 countries was involved in the 1992 Depleted uranium is an are now known to have de- when and El-Al Boeing 747 jet extremely dense, hard metal pleted uranium weapons in crashed in flats near which can cause chemical their military arsenals, includ- Amsterdam. The DU is used Workers’ Party of Korea poisoning of the body in the ing Britain. in aircraft as counter-weights same way as lead or any other The main use of DU is in for the tail rudder controls by a New Worker student leader Kim Il Sung Both spoke of the immense heavy metal. It is also radio- the making of armour-piercing because its high density pro- Correspondent became the guerrilla leader; achievements of the DPR Ko- logically hazardous, as it ordnance incendiaries of vides a heavy weight in only the ‘Young General’ who took rea under the leadership of burns spontaneously on im- 30mm and less, known as DU a small size. up the gun to drive the Japa- Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il pact, creating tiny glass aero- penetrators. On impact w ith THE MARCHMONT Centre nese colonialists out of the in raising the standard of liv- sols small enough to be in- a hard target such as an only half in central London was packed country. When Kim Il Sung ing for the Korean masses of haled. armoured vehicle, the release on Sunday for a Friends of gathered a small band of he- the north while upholding the of heat energy causes it to It has since been revealed Korea celebration to mark roes to form the first guerrilla banner of socialism at home long-term disintegrate into dust which by the Department of Environ- the founding of the Workers’ units to take on the might of and in the international work- burns when it reaches the air. ment and Transport that only Party of Korea on 10th Octo- the Japanese Army no one ing class movement. These particles which can If the DU penetrator goes about half of the DU used in ber 1945. It kicked off with a could have imagined that this Many friends in the audi- be carried over long distances through the armour of the ve- the aircraft was recovered. film show focusing on Korean would become the People’s ence had been to the Demo- emit all types of radiation: al- hicle it catches fire, igniting The rest was most probably leader Kim Jong Il’s work at Army that brought the Ameri- cratic People’s Republic of pha, beta, and gamma. De- ammunition and fuel causing vaporised by the intense fire home and abroad followed by can imperialists to their knees Korea and this was reflected pleted uranium has a half-life an explosion and killing the when the aircraft crashed keynote openings on the begging for an armistice in in the general discussion that of 4.5 billion years, an crew and spreading poison The troops in Afghanistan struggle of the Korean revo- 1953. followed. The meeting agreed unimaginably long-term dust over a wide area. and Iraq have been found to lutionary movement by NCP unanimously to send a soli- threat to human health and American and British tank be suffering from many symp- leader Andy Brooks and Juché darity message to Korean the environment. have fired many thousands of toms of mental and physical Jong In Song from the Demo- leader Comrade Kim Jong Il The depleted uranium is rounds of depleted uranium distress after they have been cratic Korean embassy in Comrade Jong talked and then adjourned to relax left over after enriched ura- armour penetrators and hun- in the fighting for only a com- London. about the Workers’ Party of and enjoy a buffet of Korean nium is separated from natu- dreds of thousands of small paratively short length of time Andy Brooks charted the Korea, a monolith party based food and drink. ral uranium in the process of calibre rounds and many mili- that may leave them with prob- history of the Korean com- on Kim Il Sung’s thinking that producing fuel for nuclear re- tary personnel are suffering lems for the rest of their lives. munist movement which he developed Korean style so- Friends of Korea is sup- actors. Uranium 235 is the from exposure to these weap- And this hidden nuclear said was inseparable from the cialism into the Juché idea – ported by the NCP, RCPB isotope used in the reactor ons. war will leave the people of life of Kim Il Sung, an out- which elevates the philo- (ML), CPGB (ML), SLP and and the remaining 99.8% ura- Tests on some Desert Iraq and Afghanistan with a standing communist leader sophical principles of Marx- friends of the Korean people nium 238 is the waste product Storm veterans revealed that devastated land that will be and thinker who will always ism-Leninism as well as its in the broader labour and needing long term safe stor- they had a lowered ability to contaminated for the unfore- be remembered by working economic theories – and fo- peace movement. The society age. think and solve problems as seeable future. people all over the world. It cuses on the development organises regular meetings It has been stored in well as lowered motor skills. The calls for an immediate began when in the 1920s when and importance of each indi- and socials in London stockpiles since the 1940’s DU is also toxic to the kidneys ban must grow louder until Kim Il Sung was the student vidual worker, who can only throughout the year and it when the United States began and known to cause cancer the Brown government can leader who formed the Down be truly free as part of the col- hopes to hold other events its nuclear programmes and in through inhalation. no longer ignore them. with Imperialism Union. From lective will of the masses. across the country in 2008. Racism, apartheid and Palestine today by Robert Laurie them as the Israeli Air Force ian women were caused by regularly bombs Palestin- Israeli soldiers preventing LAST THURSDAY ians. He concluded by not- them getting to hospital. Camden Trades Council ing that the struggle in Pal- CADFA is one of many and Camden Abu Dis estine was a great inspira- local groups active in pro- Friendship Association tion to the struggle in South moting links between Brit- held a well attended pub- Africa: the Palestinian hi- ish towns and Palestine. lic meeting on “Racism, jacker Leila Khalid was Abu Dis is a suburb of East Apartheid and Palestine much honoured in South Jerusalem presently dis- Today” at Transport Africa by mothers who sected by the huge wall House. The meeting named their new born erected on Palestinian land brought together activ- daughters after her. in order to drive Palestin- ists from the struggle Sami Joseph, a Chris- ians from their land to make against Apartheid in tian Palestinian spoke next, room for expanding Zionist South Africa and the on- opening by describing how, settlements. going struggle for against in 1948 his family were un- It has organised a num- Zionist occupation of Pal- able to return to their house ber of visits and supports a estine. when the Zionists invaded much needed clinic in Abu The first speaker was their village while they were Dis. A visit for trade union- Bahir Laaptoe a veteran of away visiting a convent. He ists is scheduled for later the anti-apartheid struggles pointed out that Muslims this month. The traffic has in his native Cape Town and never mistreated Jews and not been all one way: many a refugee from South Africa that before the Balfour Dec- people from Abu Dis have who fled to Britain when he laration Jews were actively enjoyed visits to London. was caught with notes welcomed in Palestine. taken at his Marxist study The meeting concluded group. While life for the with a recent visitor to Abu majority black population Dis graphically describing For further details contact was grim under apartheid how the wall affects the Pal- CADFA, PO Box 34265, they never had the South estinian population. Several London NW5 2WD email: African Air Force bombing deaths of pregnant Palestin- [email protected] Page 8 12 October 2007

International News Web: www.newworker.org Fax 020 7223 4057 British Army torture Che remembered methods revealed MORE THAN 600 people who Batista. Among the Bolivians learned how to read and write attending the ceremony were A SECRET British Army came very much the order in the small town of Senator Antonio Peredo, Mining Minister Luis Alberto document from Septem- of the day. Some gunmen Vallegrande in eastern Bo- ber 1971 shows that mili- fought hard, on occasions livia are paying tribute to the Echazu and the Mayor of ideals for which revolution- Vallegrande, Ignacio Moron. tary interrogators in Long right through large buildings ary Ernesto Che Guevara Simultaneously, a photo Kesh wanted to continue floor by floor, until they were gave his life, said Rafael exhibition is on display in using brutal torture killed on the roof-tops.” Dausa, Cuban ambassador to Vallegrande with 35 snap- methods against men In reality, the majority of Bolivia on Monday. shots of Che taken by pho- who had been interned people killed were civilians The Cuban diplomat pre- tographers from the United without charge or trial, shot by British Army snip- sided over the symbolic States, Cuba, Venezuela and methods later ruled by ers from roof-tops in the graduation of those who had Bolivia. the European Court of Springmartin estate. Fr learned how to read and write The hired assassins of Human Rights as “inhu- Hugh Mullan was shot dead in Vallegrande. He was accom- Operation Condor (which mane and degrading by British soldiers posi- panied by a group that in- spread terror on all political opposition in numerous treatment”. tioned on top of flats in the cluded Colonel Leonardo The file, uncovered by loyalist Springmartin es- Tamayo, a survivor of Che South American countries in • Che’s image and name live on in the village where Guevara’s Bolivian guerrilla the 1960s, 70s and 80s) par- he died. the Derry-based Pat tate. The local priest had detachment. ticipated in the pursuit of Che, tal city of Nicaragua, Presi- fight terrorism against their Finucane Centre and the attempted to administer the Speaking on behalf of the according to a recently de- dent Daniel Ortega saluted the country. campaign group Justice for last rites to a man he saw women who learned how to classified document that was heroic guerrilla fighter during Cubans and Venezuelans the Forgotten, offers an as- shot by the British Army. read and write, Panfila donated in Vallegrande, Bo- a public meeting that took joined in the tribute to Che sessment of the political He was waving a white cloth Orellana read a letter credit- livia to the Ernesto Che place in the municipality of El that took place at the Cuban and military situation in the at the time he was shot. ing the governments of Evo Guevara Foundation. Sauce: “Long live Che!” said Consulate in Caracas. In North by senior members of Frank Quinn was shot dead Morales and Fidel Castro for Ortega during a political-cul- Montevideo, Uruguay, a the British Army just weeks when he attempted to crawl having achieved victory in Almada tural celebration. homage turned into a solidar- after the introduction of In- out to help the two stricken this battle against ignorance. Meanwhile, in Valparaiso, ity with Cuba rally, called by ternment. men. According to the Bolivian Paraguayan educator, Chile, a ceremony took place the Coordinating Committee It reveals not just the Joan Connolly was shot Martin Almada, a winner of Ministry of Education, at the with the participation of Harry in Support of the Cuban Revo- mindset of British com- dead as she was search- end of October the town of the Alternative Nobel Peace Villegas (Pombo) a survivor of lution, and the House of Che manders at the time but Vallegrande will be proclaimed Prize, delivered the document Che’s guerrilla Bolivia detach- in that city. ing the streets for her chil- a territory free of illiteracy, discovered in the archives of ment. During the tribute, In Russia the figure of the also exposes the tissue of dren. After being hit, the joining 40 other territories of the Operation Condor to Guillermo Teiller, President of Argentinean-Cuban guerrilla lies on which the British Ballymurphy mother at- the South American country Oswaldo Chato Peredo, direc- the Chilean Communist Party, made the newspaper head- Army occupation was tempted to get up when the that have already achieved tor of the Ernesto Che launched an appeal to raise a lines as well as on TV net- based.According to the force of a second shot to this success. Guevara Foundation. wave of solidarity all around works. News agencies, inter- document, internment was her head lifted her body from Also present were Two Operation Condor impris- the world, against the crimi- national TV channels, news- a “success”, the Ulster De- the ground and threw her Star General Rogelio Acevedo oned, assassinated and “dis- nal blockade imposed by the papers and broadcasting ser- fence Regiment (UDR) was into a field. Noel Phillips and Brigade General Enrique appeared” some 100,000 United States against Cuba. vices gave coverage to the a non-sectarian force, and was found shot dead on the Acevedo, both of whom people during a coordinated He also demanded the release commemoration of this impor- civilians killed by the Brit- bank of a stream between fought with Che in the rebel effort by the military dictator- of the Cuban Five, serving tant date in Latin American ish Army in August 1971, Springhill and Ballymurphy. army against the US backed ships then in power. long sentences in US prisons and world history. during what was later called Father of ten, Daniel dictatorship of Fulgencio From Managua, the capi- Radio Havana Cuba for gathering information to ‘The Ballymurphy Massa- Teggart, was hit by more cre’, were all “gunmen”. than a dozen high-velocity Those shot dead by the shots by British soldiers British Army during the who opened fire from the Marxism, economic crisis massacre were Fr Hugh Henry Taggart fort on the Mullan, Joan Connolly, Springfield Road. John Frank Quinn, Noel Phillips, Laverty and Joseph Corr and peoples struggles Daniel Teggart, Edward were shot dead by the Brit- Doherty, John Laverty and ish Army during the same by Armando Hart Dávalos of economic crises, the irre- confronting humanity, be- as there cannot be socialism Joseph Corr. incident. John’s body was sponsibility of the current cause we are aware of the if we are not able to find the The author estimates discovered in a derelict THE MOST recent economic administration – with its mili- negative effects that this bonds that unite ethics, law that between 12 and 30 yard, showing signs that he indicators in the United States tarist policies financed with an would have on the interna- and political practice in their people were killed by the had been beaten before be- reflect the worsening of prob- ever-weakening and un- tional economy. Nonetheless, cultural integrity. British Army from 9th and backed dollar— has created ing shot dead. Joseph’s lems that for some time have we must prepare for and take Now Marx, the giant from 12th August. The document body was discovered a troubled economists and po- an situation untenable for the advantage of the possibilities Trier is joined by the historic litical leaders around the en- future. that would open up with the figures and thinkers of “Our describes the British Army short distance away. tire world. The weakening of As has been correctly weakening of hegemonic America” – Simón Bolivar, “clearing” areas with “gun- An internal memo de- the dollar against other cur- maintained the crisis in itself power. José Martí, and Che – all men fighting a rearguard scribes the British Army as rencies like the euro and yen, will not mean the end of capi- This would allow ad- pointing to the path of total action” and British soldiers stretched and says “we the crisis in the property talism; the American economy vances in the restructuring of and definitive independence “having to use cover fire”. It must get more UDR”. The market and the record price has the capacity to overcome the current international fi- of our peoples. goes on: author is in favour of ex- increases for oil have in- such a calamity. Only the nancial order based on the Radio Havana Cuba “Fire and movement be- panding the UDR and main- creased talk of a recession in struggles of the people – in- domination of the dollar, the tains that, despite the fact the United States. cluding those in the US – will achievement of a multi-polar that the force would be al- The concerns of US be able to put an end to the world – a world at balance, as most exclusively Protes- Comptroller General David system of imperialist domina- posited by Cuban indepen- tant and unionist, “It is the tion. Walter are significant; he re- dence leader José Marti – opinion of General Ander- ferred to the alarming fiscal However, a crisis of huge and the consolidation of the imbalance as one that could proportions, like that which integration processes in Latin son that such a force would lead to a debt explosion. Like- seems to be building, would America and the Caribbean. still retain its non-sectarian wise, former Federal Reserve effect unavoidable changes in More than a decade ago, identity.” president Allan Greenspan both foreign and domestic US the New Yorker magazine The document de- sees the probability of a re- policy and would consider- published the Return of Karl scribes internment as “suc- cession at more than 50 per ably influence its allies. Let’s Marx, which highlighted the cessful” and calls for the cent. These assessments remember the 1929 crisis, its validity of his thought in ex- use of brutal interrogation concur basically with those of devastating effects on a world plaining phenomena of the techniques against intern- Cuban President Fidel Castro, scale, and the emergence in capitalist economy. Along ees. who has addressed this phe- the United States of anti-cri- with suspicions about a com- “If we are going to gain nomenon in depth. sis policies represented by ing economic crisis, fractures the full military advantages Franklin Delano Roosevelt For those who proclaimed are visible in the ethical, po- of internment we must con- the death of Marxism, the en- and his New Deal. litical and legal foundations of try of the American economy Currently, the hegemonic the developed societies in tinue the process of inter- into a recession phase would plans and policies supported West – especially in the rogation-in-depth on care- confirm, with the obstinacy of by the most reactionary sec- United States, the hegemonic fully selected detainees,” scientific facts, the validity of tors in United States are suf- power of world capitalism. says the document. Marx’s predictions regarding fering a sharp blow, while bet- For revolutionaries, the The British Government the recurrent character of cri- ter conditions can be created road to follow leads to justice was later found guilty of “in- ses in the capitalist system. for the survival and develop- as a principal cultural cat- humane and degrading While it is clear that expe- ment of processes of change egory, since no social system treatment” by the European riences have been accumu- underway in our region. can prevail without a cultural Court of Human Rights for lated that permit modifications This in no way suggests foundation. It is not possible its treatment of prisoners in the cycle and the slowing the desire for crisis as a rem- to conceive of slavery in interned without trial. edy to all the current evils as a newspaper. Printed by New Age Press (TU). Registed at the Post Office or diminishing of the effects Rome without Roman law, just Sinn Féin news