Issue No. 75, July, 1980
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
, Australasian ,. -~. ~ Number 75 July 1980 30 CENTS Smash apartheid - For workers revolution! r ~ ~ t Club-wielding/South African police drag off militant anti-apartheid demonstrators In Soweto, 1980 Once again black South Africa is rising June 20. Those are the government's are more cautious, dissolving their development" and are throwing in their up against its oppressors. After two figures and South African newspapers demonstrations when the killer cops and lot with the black majority, even to the months of the largest and most militant and hospitals report that the real toll is at troops arrive. For its part, the govern point of rejecting the label of "coioured" anti-apartheid struggles since the student least twice as high. Panicked by the ment of Prime Minister Pieter Botha is and identifying themselves as "blacks". protests of June 1976, black and' upsurge of the oppressed majority, which wary of provoking another uprising by The strikes and protests around the "coloured" (mixed race) workers and outnumbers the privileged whites by randomly mowing down hundreds of coloured students' boycott (see "Black students are marking the fourth anniver more than five-to-one, the Pr~toria schoolchildren. But a distinguishing Upsurge in South Africa" , Workers sary of the Soweto massacre with strikes regime has put the regular army on a war feature ofthe current upsurge, one which Vanguard no 258, 13 June) grew in size and demonstrations throughout the alert - something that was not done is crucial to the success of the anti and intensity after police viciously country. From the coloured townships of even in 1976. In an effort to cover up their apartheid battles, is the central role being attacked demonstrators commemorating Cape Town to the auto plants of Port murderous repression and the extent of played by organized black and coloured . the June 16 Soweto anniversary. Elizabeth, from the sprawling slums the unrest, the apartheid rulers have workers in Cape Town, Durban and Port Shotgun-wielding cops wounded at least around Johannesburg to the Indian banned reporters from "trouble spots". Elizabeth. 20 persons on the 16th in Soweto as black Ocean docks of Durban, the victims of the But no amount of official censorship can Also il\lportant has been the vanguard youths defied the government's ban on apartheid system are defying heavily hide the fact that the oppressed masses of role played by coloured students, who public gatherings. In Cape Town a one armed cops and troops and demanding an South Africa are militantly challenging began this spring's actions with a nation day "stay at home" general strike was end to racist rule. apartheid rule. wide boycott of schools to protest inferior honoured by about three-quarters of the The South African army and police, The shadow of Soweto hangs over both education. Reports from South Africa workforce and in the city's textile fac who slaughtered more than 600 young the white rulers and the black masses in agree that many of the young coloured tories up to 90 percent of the workforce protesters four years ago in Soweto, this the current struggles. Black students, generation are rejecting their traditional stayed home. In the coloured townships time shot to death well o,ver 32 persons who four years ago marched headlong status as a relatively privileged inter in the Cape Town Flats, cops repeatedly and wounded 175 between June 16 and into the automatic weapons fire, today mediate group in apartheid's "separate continued on page 8 " (, SydneylUni : militant nails feminist lies In the May issue of Australasian articles be printed. This was followed a feminists, scabbed during PKIU and women's refuges. This is nothing but Spartacist we carried an article exposing week later by another letter (reprinted metai workers' strikes this year. BuL slander! The Spartacist Club does not the feminists at Sydney University who below) by Spartacist supporter Ljnda it's not only that these people scabbed, oppose women's refuges, but rather calls had scabbed on a metal workers' strike at Menzie, nailing the various slanders some wrote an anonymous letter to for state funding to provide such refuges John Fairfax and Sons on 8 March, dredged up against the Spartacist League Honi Soit apologising for the scabbing on a wide scale under the control of staff International Women's Day. When the and exposing just why feminism leads to - without the courage to sign their and users. We also demand free quality Sydney University Spartacist Club (SC) strikebreaking. Until recently Menzie names to it. The Sydney University health care for all, free quality 24 hour first raised this issue, the feminists on worked as a clerk at Fairfax, and during feminists helped to cover for the scabs, child care and socialisation of housework. campus rushed to cover for their scab the January strike had refused on prin no one would name them! To condemn Such gains for women which undercut r "sisters", refused to name who else was ciple to cross PKIU picket lines. In the scabs without identifying them means the repressive role of the nuclear family involved. and outrageously censored an face of these protests, the Honi Soit nothing. If· scabs merely have to can only be guaranteed by a workers article submitted to the student news editorial crew have since backed off from apologise for their actions, what is to stop revolution to smash capitalism and paper Honi Soit (see ASp no 73, May playing the role of political censors - a them from doing it again? The working establish socialism. To ensure this there 1980). Under considerable pressure to small victory, but an important one, for class has a long tradition of "persuad must be struggle' to politicise women preserve the tattered remnants of her those who value both the truth and the ing" people not to scab - it's not a around concrete issues for example the "Ieft" reputation, "Marxist" feminist program of revolutionary Marxism. matter of arguing with people who walk scabbing question, to pit them against Margaret Kirkby revealed to us the across picket lines and work for a capitalist society. names of some of the scabs: Heather * * * company that' their fellow workers are Who really fights for women's McGillivray, Divna Dokmanovic and 17 June 1980 striking. against - it's a matter of liberation? There was a cartoon in Erin Crumblin, in addition to Honi Soit The Editors, keeping them out with mass pickets. Honi Soit (9 June 1980) depicting managing editor Siobhan Mullany. I ama supporter of the Spartacist Picket lines mean don't cross, and "Today's Sparts, tomorrow's Mullahs". But Kirkby is nothing if not anti League and a member of the Federated struck shops mean don't work! This is an outrage! The Spartacist Club Spartacist, S(') it wasn't a surprise when Clerks Uriion who went out in solidarity It's no accident that·dhe feminists has been the only group on campus to the 28 April issue of Honi Soii\carried a with the PKIU during their strike in have tried to cover up - most of the oppose Khomeini coming to power in letter by her containing a number of snide January 1980 at John Fairfax & Sons. My scabs were feminists and it's a sore point Iran, as nothing but a religious anti-communist slurs against us. But union (FCU) was not out on strike, but I to have "sisters" exposed as scabs. But reactionary. We called for "Down with when the SC then submitted a reply consider it an important working class because feminist ideology sees "patri the Shah! Down with the Mullahs! For rebutting Kirkby's smears, this too was principle to honour another union's archy" as the main enemy, not class workers revolution in Iran!" and suppressed with the Director of Student picket line. Not only that but at Fairfax society, it is perfectly consistent with supported the Red Army incursion into Publications, Carl Heid, a Communist there are several unions and the craftist feminism to scab on strikers who are Afghanistan. We particularly focused on Party (CP) supporter taking responsi divisions run deep. For example, in the mainly male and do not seem to be the position of women in both. of these bility for the censorship. The reason: the recent journalists' strike the AMWSU, fighting for women's issues. However, situations. Khomeini'$<, regime means tetter mentioned CP-supporter Peter FIA, ASE, OPGU, and ATEA came out in during the recent AJA strike when women must wear the oppressive head to Reid's claim that the CP had passed an support-of the journalists' picket, but the picket lines were set up, all of the women toe veil and are treated as nothing more internal motion condemning the scabs. PKIU was split 'over the issue and the proofreaders at Fairfax, some of whom than cattle. The same would be the case Later another CP supporter. Mick FCU, ETU and TWU went to work as are feminists, came out in respect of the if the rebels took power in Afghanistan. Segretto, informed the SC that this usual. It is essential for the victory of picket. As workers they are objectively Apparently these feminists are not motion had been rescinded. To crown any strike at Fairfax that all unions are forced to see the importance of unionism interested in the oppression of women in this, Reid then told us that both lines out. The issue is clear for any working and union principles, the most important these countries! were "factually incorrect" - hence the class militant - picket lines are blood of these being, you don't scab.