AUGUST 15TH— AUGUST 29TH VOL:2 NUMBER 156 inside AFTER GENOA: Socialist INTERVIEW: Jailed Irish protestor Joe Moffat PLUS Italy in revolt – page 10 Italy: The strategy of tension Worker – pages 6&7 For a Workers’ Republic and International Socialism 50p Solidarity price £1 As Celtic Tiger threatens collapse... Axed to save profits

 Gateway: 900 jobs Resist  Hewlett- Packard: 6,000 jobs worldwide  Compaq Computers: 3,400 layoffs in

the jobEVERY major computer firm in Europe the Ireland has started to slash jobs. It is a sign that the Celtic Tiger is coming to a dead end.  Lucent: In the boom years US companies made huge profits. They claimed that they got a 25 percent rate of return on their invest- 20,000 jobs ment in Ireland.. That was supposed to be double the rate of Portugal and five times the rate of Britain. worldwide The figures were exaggerated for tax pur- poses — but still the profits were huge. Now at the first sign of recession they want  Intel: us to pay — with wrecked lives and longer dole queues. Our answer must be resistance. We need a Cuts staff major campaign to unionise workers in multi- national plants. We need to occupy plants to force the bosses to cough up. We need to force by 5% cuts them to cut their profits — not our jobs. SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 2

COFFEE ★chains are now charging nearly £1.50 for EPA cover-up for multinational every cup of coffee. Yet farmers in many People in west is close to Aughinish Alumina plant was not and Veterinarian Toxi- International. because it defends developing countries Limerick are out- Alumina plant in even included in the cology found that sick Glencore are an their mining interests are facing disaster raged that the Askeaton. investigation. animals in the area enormous multina- in the country. tional with a turnover As well as minerals, because prices are Environmental In the same area The Mid Western had unusually high levels of aluminum in of US$ 48.0 billion and Glencore are one of falling. Protection Agency the Cappagh Farm Health Board ‘lost’ The price of the cof- their tissues. assets of $10.2 billion. the leading exporters (EPA) is attempting Support Group have blood samples of sick fee beans has reached people in the area so Some 43.3 tonnes of They are key cam- of genetically modified a 35 year low as a to blame local farm- found at least 45 paigners against con- soya. they weren’t included. sulphur dioxide were direct result of the poli- ers for the unex- occurrences of can- trolling global warm- At one hearing an released by Aughinish cies promoted by the cer in the area. The investigation ing because of their EPA scientist said plained deaths of Alumina per day. International Monetary has attempted to huge coal mining ‘someone must defend Fund and the World large numbers of It claims that: blame farmers for bad Bank,. livestock. interests in Indonesia. industry...’ The EPA investiga- practices to explain the Owners They are support- When it comes to They pushed tion is a whitewash. deaths of a large Vietnam to double its The area where ers of Plan Colombia people’s lives and the production of coffee in hundreds of live- The area most like- amount of livestock. The owners of — the US backed protecting the environ- the past five years. stock have died ly to be affected by Yet a study by the Aughinish Alumina scheme to crush left ment the EPA have 120,000 acres of without explanation emissions from the US Journal of Human are Glencore wing guerrillas — done just that. woodland was des- troyed and indigenous people were driven off the land to make way for new coffee produc- tion. Multi-nationals like Nestle then played the new Vietnamese pro- FF bribes to deport ducers off against growers in Brazil and elsewhere to drive down the price. But instead of cut- ting the prices in the new coffee shops, they pocketed huge profits. Meanwhile coffee refugees growers are being dri- ven into ever deeper THE IRISH govern- the oil companies. first. poverty. ment is stepping Last year police ‘The police come to Just one more example of what ‘glob- up plans to deport burnt down homes in your house, give you alisation’ really means hundreds of ref- the village of K Dere few hours to pack and today. ugees. and killed one person then you’re taken to In a sinister after local people prison.’ move it is giving a protested against road A McDonald’s bribe of £8.8 mil- building by Shell. restaurant in Visas ★ lion to Nigeria to In the town of the UK has been fined more than fast track the re- Olugbobini, eight A ruling by £12,000 for employ- moval of asylum youths were shot dead Supreme Court judge, ing schoolchildren. seekers from Ireland. after similar protests. A franchise of the Adrian Hardiman, will US fast food giant The deal is sup- According to also help to speed up was found guilty of posed to be about an Amnesty International the process of depor- working teenagers ‘enhancement of aid 1,000 people have tations. late into the night on to Nigeria’. also been killed in eth- Hardiman is a for- school days, often nic violence recently. Thousands of people took to the streets in Germany to without rest breaks. mer Progressive fight against Fortress Europe’s treatment of refugees One 15-year-old Regime The violence Democrat support. had worked 16 hours occurred mainly in the Meanwhile after one Saturday, seven Northern provinces hours over the legal But a spokesperson the Gateway closure limit. Another 16- for the Nigerian and arose from clash- Mary Harney gave a Coca- Cola’s link year-old had worked embassy admitted that es between Muslims broad hint that immi- from 5 p.m. until 2 the aid is being given and Christians. grant visas can be can- a.m. on a school day. in return for co-opera- The agreement has celled quickly if the tion in sending asylum given rise to huge Celtic Tiger starts to to death squads level of fear in the go down. Despite the seekers back to Nigeria. African community. The stage is being COCA-COLA Those murdered The Colombian gov- ★rejection of the stands accused of include Oscar Polo, a ernment, backed by Nice Treaty the The Nigerian Gabriel Ohkenla from set for a state spon- using right wing union activist at the bodies like the IMF and Irish government con- regime has a terrible the Pan-African sored campaign to Monertia bottling plant. the US government, is tinues its commitment history of working Community centre in scapegoat immigrants death squads to He was shot by a pursuing neo-liberal to increased military closely with the multi- Moore Street said that and asylum seeker for assassinate trade right wing death squad policies—privatising spending. nationals and perse- ‘People are wondering the ills of the Irish unionists in while walking in the public services and They are buying cuting opponents of who’s going to go economy. Colombia. street with his young opening up the country four helicopters: two US United Steel- daughter in June. to multinationals. are for air sea rescue workers of America —which is reasonable union is suing the com- —but two are for the pany on behalf of ... and profiting Irish contingent of the Colombian union Sinal- trainal for the “systemat- Rapid Reaction Force. Fantasy illness... ic intimidation, kidnap- from the Intifada The cost is to be ping, detention and mur- around £80 million. GIANT DRUGS firms have lic relations agency to promote der” of workers in the THE Palestinian “It is expected of One of the two main awareness of this “common dis- South American country. people have faced us to lead the way a new scam — make up a during this difficult contenders is US firm disease and then sell a order”. Sinaltrainal says that 53 years of home- Sikorsky, which had The agency promoted Paxil as five of its members lessness, poverty time, to inject some secret meetings with “cure”. the “first and only approved working in Coca-Cola and oppression, energy into the Mary Harney at the Social anxiety disorder, an medication” to treat social anxi- bottling plants have economy,” says and now months Farouk Fannoush, recent Paris air show. acute form of shyness, has ety disorder. been killed by right wing of economic block- Sikorsky also gained paramilitary groups. the general manag- become a popular disease Paxil was made by ade because of er of National the backing of the over the last few years in the SmithKlineBeecham. Israel’s response Sunday Business Post Controls Beverage which after buying expensive US. to the new intifada. imports Coca-Cola Magazines, newspapers and But they can still into the Occupied full page ads in the Experts The union’s lawyers paper. TV programmes repeated the get Coca-Cola. Territories. argue that the company An article in the “We are running The other contender “fact” that it is the US’s third Some of the medical experts closely controls the is Atron Electronics. pro-market promotional cam- most common mental disorder, on TV talking up the wonders of activities of contractors Business Week This firm has the dis- which run bottling paigns. At local with ten million sufferers. Paxil were paid consultants for magazine reports exhibitions I put the tinct advantage of Except it doesn’t exist. the drugs company. plants, and was well aware of the brutal on how Coke will Coke label in one being run by Fianna The drugs firm Sales of Paxil, an anti-depres- improve the lives of corner with a Fail ‘supporter’ Nick intimidation of workers SmithKlineBeecham, before its sant, rose by 18 percent last in the factories. Palestinians. Palestinian flag.” Fitzpatrick. merger with Glaxo, hired a pub- year. SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 3 what we think When boom turns to bust THE SHOCKING news profits would grow and they that 900 workers at would get a high rate of Gateway are to lose return. their jobs shows just But the anarchy of the market brought a crisis of how fragile the Celtic over-investment. These firms Tiger is. are now saddled with so Ireland was supposed to much investment than they have a miracle economy cannot make a high enough based on computer technolo- level of profit. gy and a deregulated free At a time of recession all market economy. talk of social partnership dis- The new “information age” appears. was said to have eliminated Bosses cut back drastically the boom-bust cycle that had on production and let go characterised capitalism since workers rather than take a its early beginnings. cut in their profits. Even though the bosses Recession made mega bucks in the boom years, they still expect Yet the growing world workers to shoulder the sac- recession started in the infor- rifices in a recession. mation technology sector. All of this is set to get In the last week in July worse because all the major 100,000 jobs were lost in the economies of the world are global telecommunications, simultaneously entering a media and manufacturing downturn. industry. In the US growth has Almost every major com- slumped to its slowest rate puter company that has a for ten years. base in Ireland has announced Japan’s industrial produc- savage job cuts. tion has plunged by an annual Compaq, for example, will rate of 17 percent. cut 8500 jobs worldwide and Up to a few weeks ago a that is bound to affect its chorus of economic experts 2,300 workers in Ireland. Dell, were predicting that Europe Intel, Hewlett Packard, Lucent wouldn’t be affected. have all announced redundan- In fact, the impact of the ONE OF Spain’s longest running industrial pany. cy programmes. US slowdown has been much It shows that computers more rapid than in the past. disputes has ended in victory for the work- It was sold to a US company, which then laid Manufacturing in continen- off the entire 1,800 workforce last December. can no more escape the sav- ers. Telephone engineers celebrated in the age logic of the market than tal Europe has fallen for three centre of Madrid last weekend after their The workers’ resistance became a celebrated steel plants or textile mills. successive months. cause for workers across Spain and finally the The Celtic Tiger is particu- fight forced the country’s right-wing govern- The greed for profit means government was forced to intervene. that companies poured larly vulnerable. ment to concede most of their demands. The workers will get 11 months back pay. money into computers and Its new industrial base is Over 1,000 of the engineers had been camped Some have been promised new jobs,and older telecommunications at the concentrated in computers out in the heart of Madrid’s business district for height of the boom. They and pharmecuticals. And most workers will be allowed to draw a full pension of these firms are US owned. over six months after being made redundant. early. “We have shown that the small man can expected that markets and The workers set up a pavement shanty town beat the giant,” said workers’ spokesman, José and used their skills to connect up the huts they Antonio Vaquero. “One thing is for sure,” said lived in to electricity and water supplies. another worker, Aniceto Diaz, as the workers JOIN THE ANTI-CAPITALISTS Their Sintel company was privatised five years celebrated victory. “We are all better people JOIN THE SWP ago by the state owned Telefonica phone com- than when we arrived here.”

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SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 4 Israel steps up war on the Palestinians ISRAEL SENT F- since the beginning of 16 fighters to flat- the intifada, many of ten a Palestinian them children. police station in Even before the sui- the West Bank cide bombing in Jerusalem, Israel was town of Ramallah, preparing for full scale after a Hamas sui- war against the cide bomber blew Palestinians. himself up along Before the suicide with 15 others at bombing Israeli heli- a pizzeria in cen- copter gunships des- tral Jerusalem. troyed a block of flats Israel troops then in Nablus in the West took over Orient Bank. House, the PLO They killed eight headquarters in east people, including two Jerusalem, and other leaders of the Islamic Palestinian offices in group Hamas. and around the city. The attack also They had moved killed Ashraf and Bilal into the symbol of Khader, two young the “peace process”. boys aged ten and seven, a local journal- Orient House was the ist, and three Hamas building from which workers. the Palestinians set The bombing came out to the 1991 as a desperate response Madrid peace confer- to the wholesale ence. slaughter that Israel has inflicted on Demonstrators defy violence and intimidation by police to voice their opposition Beaten Palestinians. missile attacks since activists as the next tar- cy. “If you are an tion in Israel trying to sinations “targeted Israel has assassi- the intifada began last gets on its death list. organisation that is protect themselves,” killings”—the phrase The same day nated over 40 September. US vice-president planning some sort of Cheney said. the Israeli government European and Amer- Palestinian activists Israel has named Dick Cheney came out suicide bomb attack, Disgracefully the uses for these state ican peace demonstra- with death squads and seven Palestinian in support of the poli- there is some justifica- media call these assas- murders. tors, including Christ- ians, Jews and Mus- lims, holding Palestin- Latin America ian flags outside Orient gas into their der to meet an IMF- with police. House, were beaten off Bertie Ahern went to Brazil last month, he praised the special hospital backed austerity plan. the road by Israeli Small farmers and economic policies of the Latin American continent. unit at the begin- The 26,000-strong peasants in Guatem- mounted police. Those very policies were bringing misery to million ning of the health workers’ ala and neighbour- A young British across the continent. month. strike ended after ing countries face a woman briefly arrested the government severe drought. and taken behind But workers and the poor are fighting back. The gas was tar- appeared to make geted at a protest significant conces- This has led the police barriers des- United Nations to cribed how she had march by health sions. ARGENTINA ernment’s official The protests workers, who were declare a food emer- seen two Palestinian poverty line. came just weeks in the fourth week of gency. protesters brutally after a general strike a strike demanding GUATAMALA The effects of the beaten by two Israeli government against the cuts more funds for drought are made policemen. reform Austerity paralysed the coun- healthcare. one-day worse by the neo-lib- package try. strike shut eral polices being “They beat them A The gas seeped The new austerity with batons on the means 13 percent “In the face of into the Isidora Adown much pushed by the gov- cuts in public plan has been ernment. spleen and liver,” demanded by the growing repression Ayora hospital in the of the country at Angela Zelter said. sector workers’ International we must mobilise capital, Quito. the beginning of “One of the police- salaries and Monetary Fund as and strike,” said “The entry of gas August. Control men pushed his fingers major cuts to the price for loans to union leader Victor contributed to the de Gennaro. Protests erupted into the eyes of one of pensions. stave off a financial deaths of two pre- against a govern- The richest 2 per- the prisoners.” After four years of crisis. mature newborns,” ment tax “reform” cent in Guatemala Palestinians who recession and seven Workers and the ECUADOR said the hospital which would put up control almost two have mainly used previous “reform” unemployed reacted director. the price of many thirds of all national stones against the plans, some 16 per- to the cuts plan by The government basic goods. wealth. cent of all workers WO prema- might of the Israeli throwing up road ture babies has been cutting back Dozens of protes- Some 90 percent army wanted revenge are unemployed and blocks across the workers’ salaries, and tors were injured of people live below one in three people country, affecting Tdied after health and educa- and hundreds the government’s for this sort cruelty. live below the gov- more than 40 cities. police fired tear- tionspending, in or- arrested in clashes official poverty line. Over 540 Palestin- ians have been killed SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 5 Eamonn Sectarian violence McCann ‘We want an What the IRA announcement really signifies alternative’ WHILE MOST the THERE IS disagreement among com- media focussed mentators as to whether the IRA’s on IRA weapons, announcement that it will put its the rise in loyalist weapons beyond use amounts to a violence has con- “hugely historical development”. tinued, with night- Some say it’s meaningless. Others say it means every- ly attacks and thing has changed. intimidation. What’s certain is that it marks another major step by the Provos away from armed struggle and towards con- Socialist Worker ventional politics. spoke Angela Boyle The first IRA statement after the Belfast Agreement and Sean McVeigh, in April 1998 declared that, despite the passage in the who live and work in Agreement envisaging paramilitary disarmament by June one of the worst 2000, the IRA had no intention of decommissioning, full stop. Danny Morrison said that he didn’t believe there’d affected areas, North be decommissioning by June 2000— “nor by June 3000 Belfast. either”. Sean is a teacher in Now the IRA says it has agreed the method by which North Belfast. He it “will” decommission. describes the rise in loy- It didn’t say when. It could withdraw the undertaking alist violence. if things don’t go to its liking. It could decommission “Over the last few some weapons and then replace them. It could keep weeks Loyalists have enough of its arsenal back to resume war at some oppor- been subjecting people in tune point in the future. North Belfast to nightly None of this subtracts from the fact that its stated intimidation and forcing intentions today are diametrically different to the inten- people out of their tions it expressed just three years ago. homes. Loyalists recently Parents and children blocked from going to school in North Belfast The sources of the pressure behind the change are murdered Gavin Brett, a taunting the children targeted. between the sectarian minority cause the vio- obvious enough—the Dublin Government, corporate Protestant lad out with Irish-America, the Catholic Church, the Catholic “busi- inside the school. Sean says, “My part- violence and the depriva- lence. Many people are his Catholic friends. “The next school day ner works at a Catholic tion of local areas. desperate for an alterna- ness community”, various sponsors and funders of “Near where I live a Republican and Republican-supported projects. What you could see the same school in a Protestant Angela: “Definitely, tive. they all made clear was that full acceptance of Sinn Fein Catholic and Protestant men leaning against the area. There has been a poverty is a problem “In the Whitewell area as a political partner for the future was dependant on the couple’s house was fence all the way up to Loyalist campaign to here. You don’t see riot- an independent candidate Provisionals distancing themselves from non-State vio- attacked for four hours the school. shut it down. ing in Cultra or on the came second to Paisley’s lence. by Loyalists. “When more parents “They set fire to the Malone Road. Democratic Unionists in “They threw bricks came, the men organised gymnasium and a store- “All the riots you see recent council elections. and other missiles. But Dogmatic themselves into a picket, room. The place is cov- in north Belfast are in the “He stood on an Old the RUC did nothing, stopping the children ered in razor wire. poorest areas, the same Labour ticket of fighting even though the couple going to school. “People say they with Lurgan and else- for hospitals, schools and None of these elements has been dogmatic about how phoned them several “Nowadays the school haven’t seen this much where.” jobs. The votes came Republicans should demonstrate they’d moved away times. is more like a prison. You violence since the 1981 Sean says “North equally from Protestant from armed struggle, or about the timing of the move. “The two were forced The various deadlines and insistence on particular have shutters on every hunger strikes.” Belfast is one of the most and Catholic housing to move. The Loyalists window, which are only deprived areas in North- estates. “methodologies” have come from the Ulster Unionists— openly call this ‘ethnic many simply putting obstacles in the way on account of let up when the children Poorest ern Ireland. Recent fig- “The Loyalists are cleansing’—they want to are inside. ures have shown that out only able to get a hearing a sectarian distaste for rubbing shoulders with “Fenians”. get Catholics out of the To the extent that exterrnal forces have joined the Union- “That environment is of a population of 70,000 because none of the area. not healthy for anyone, North Belfast is one of people some 44,000 offi- politicians are tackling ists in imposing deadlines, it’s because they need the “The Loyalist para- the poorest areas in the Unionists on board for stability’s sake, not because they yet alone a child” cially live in deprivation. the social issues that military group the Ulster Other Catholic UK. Angela and Sean “It’s important to could make a difference share the Unionist view of the matter. both see a direct link It has also become clear that aside from the Republi- Defence Association is schools have also been understand that only a to people’s lives.” cans’ association with paramilitarism, the establishment behind the violence. interests see no other problems in the way of partnership “For the last two years with Sinn Fein. There has been no hint from any of the the Loyalists have not let conservative parties in the South, from any business up in their sectarian cam- institution North or South, from any corporate US inter- paign of intimidation, but it has grown worse in the Ulster Unionists who est, or indeed from the Ulster Unionists, that Sinn Fein, in terms of political ideas, stands for anything which they last few weeks around regard as dangerous or unacceptable. the Orange marching In the South, Sinn Fein presents itself as a party of the season.” Left, striving to associate with anti-capitalism and com- plaining about economic injustice. But in office in the jeopardise the peace North, in the perspective of big business and parties tied Picketed to big business, Sinn Fein hasn’t put a foot wrong. THE ULSTER Unionists the RUC. a sense of grievance and If we leave the sectarian concerns of some Unionists Angela’s children go The demand for decom- directing the despair of run to Holycross primary are once again jeopardis- aside, this is true even of policing, often presented as missioning and complaints down areas like the Shankill both the most sensitive and the most divisive issue of all school, a Catholic school ing peace in Northern about “concessions to republi- Road onto their equally poor in the North. Crucially, Sinn Fein wants powerful local in Ardoyne, which was Ireland and encouraging policing boards: in areas like west Belfast, this would picketed by loyalist thugs cans” are in fact simply the Catholic neighbours. give the party major influence on law and order locally. in June. the rise of loyalist vio- updated form of the old The Agreement locks in Unionist and RUC elements howl with outrage at the She recalls what hap- lence. Unionist refrain “the this sectarian logic. prospect. “Former terrorists to run police”, shriek the pened: “On the Friday at Ever since the peace Catholics are getting every- Virtually every issue, from a headlines. But we can take it both from their own state- about 2pm, a whole lot of process began, the Ulster thing.” hospital closure to the design ments and from their involvement in “restorative justice” army jeeps blocked off Unionists have demanded of the RUC cap badge, is schemes, that in terms of day-to-day operation, a Sinn the road up by the prima- that the IRA decommission Minority pushed into the sectarian Fein-influenced police force would be perfectlty “prop- ry school. er” and conventional. A no-nonsense zero tolerance pol- its weapons. mould and presented as a “I was worried for my Yet General John de concession from one commu- icy towards “unsocial behavior” can confidently be daughter who was in the The result is to give credi- expected. Chasterlain, head of the bility to the tiny minority of nity or the other. school at the time. decommissioning body, says An end to sectarianism In all of these matters, Sinn Fein is still portrayed by “The children coming loyalist thugs in the UDA, who Unionists and Unionist supporters in the media as a dan- out were distressed and he is “satisfied” that the IRA do the dirty work of terroris- won’t come from the Assembly. gerous outfit, not to be trusted with a share of political will put its weapons “com- ing Catholics while the politi- It can only come from united power. And Sinn Feiners are sometimes happy to be crying their eyes out. “Later on, we learnt pletely and verifiably beyond cians keep a safe distance. struggles of working class depicted in this light. use.” Trimble now says he Protestants and Catholics In fact, the party is well on the way to completion of that men with baseball Unionism is in crisis today. its journey from an unrespectable past to an unremark- bats, who were obviously wants to see “actual weapons They have nothing to offer against the rotten conditions able future in conventional, bourgeois politics. paramilitary types, were destroyed” and complains ordinary Protestants and can they both face, which offers real standing by the windows about any further changes to only hold together by nursing hope instead of feeding despair. SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 6 SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 7 Racist murder in Glasgow MACEDONIA: ITALY IN THE 1970’s by TOM BEHAN Bloody price of Ethnic hatred scapegoating stoked up by NATO AFTER THE kill- forces used in neighbour- Powers”. Well, the ing of ten Maced- ing Kosovo in 1998. Guarantor Powers are The Albanian forces there but Cyprus has been asylum seekers onian troops in an are really calling for deep- in a mess for 40 years. ambush by the er NATO intervention in It’s a formula we have FIRSAT YILDIZ fled to bitter resentment against a Albanian based Macedonia. to reject. The experience Britain from Turkey in society which promises so National Liber- The West is caught in a everywhere proves that much and delivers so little. ation Army, a trap of its own making. imperialist intervention fear of his life. He Official propaganda stigmatis- It wants the guerrillas under the guise of balanc- hoped to find sanctu- es refugees. wave of ethnic in Macedonia disarmed. ing rival populations is ary from violence and It hides the fact that prob- murders have But it fears clamping only a formula for protect- terror. He was mur- lems in society are the fault of taken place. down on them itself ing their own interests. the rich and the government. The war in Maced- because that could lead to The Western interven- dered. At the age of 22 The strategy ofconflict between Alban- tion is creating a no-future Disgracefully just before the he bled to death in a onia is building pres- ians and NATO troops in situation for Macedonia, attack took place David sure for another NATO Glasgow park. Blunkett, the British home sec- Kosovo. either through Albanian retary, banned an Anti Nazi intervention in the The same Western gov- nationalism or Maced- Firsat Yildiz died because Balkans. government policies, press League (ANL) carnival in ernments that have fuelled onian nationalism. They Burnley set for 1 September. Socialist Worker ethnic tensions in are leading to dead end. lies and politicians’ speech- Macedonia are also insist- It is possible to unite es made refugees a target. The carnival was to be a spoke to Panos celebration of multiracial soci- Garganas of our sister ing on a crash programme Macedonian and Albanian He died because Nazis like ety in the face of the support for workers to fight together Nick Griffin’s BNP deliber- organisation in Greece the Nazi British National Party about prospects for the Macedonia is on against war, against pover- ately stoke resentment of (BNP) in the north west of ty, against discrimination. country. the brink of There are still, despite refugees and spread a mes- England in the recent general There is a war going on sage of hatred. election. ‘ becoming a the extent of the crisis, in Macedonia. many areas inside Scopjie It aimed to draw thousands In most places outside second Bosnia. of young and old, black and and other cities where Spearheading of the capital, Scopjie, NATO and EU Albanian and Macedonian white people together, to com- tension there has been fighting bat the lies and race hatred leaders are saying people work and live and in the capital just a together. Griffin said in the July issue pumped out by the BNP and its short while ago there was they are doing of the BNP’s rag, “We are supporters. Until recently there OME OF the events marched in Rome. soon became a habit. HIRTY YEARS later a threat of a repeat of what their best to were strikes where spearheading a campaign But the local police and happened in Serajevo— against asylum seeker place- Burnley Borough Council witnessed in Genoa A mass movement had begun in “Sometimes we caught them and many of the same prevent this sort Macedonian and Albanian universities across Italy in 1967-8. threw them out over the gates, other that the people in Scopjie workers were involved, ments in the Sighthill area.” pressed Blunkett to ban the in July uncannily issues have resur- would be shelled by forces of thing carnival because “the risk of S One of the main reasons for student times we roped them up, stuck a red T alongside each other. Firsat Yildiz had been per- stationed just outside of secuted in Turkey for demand- trouble is very high”. resemble what happened unrest was overcrowding. The total flag in their hands, and forced them faced. On Monday 16 happening. In The question is in Italy 30 years ago. number of university students in to march along in front of the rally.” July a policeman opened the city. whether there is a Left that ing rights for the Kurdish peo- While the ANL carnival and Macedonia is on the reality they hold ple. the Welsh Green Gathering, a What became known as the Italy had risen from 268,000 in 1960 The Milan bombing in 1969 was a package in Genoa can offer this perspective to over 450,000 in 1968, yet very few an attempt to stop all this. Just an brink of becoming a sec- the same to Albanians and Maced- His mother, desperate to festival for environmentalists, “strategy of tension” began in which exploded and seri- ond Bosnia. see him safe, sold most of her have been banned, the Nazi December 1969 when a bomb new buildings were built. hour after the explosion police began responsibility in onian workers so that they Some lecturers gained their posi- arresting anarchists. One of those ously damaged his eye. NATO and EU leaders can join together to fight possessions to get him out. BNP’s Red, White and Blue exploded without warning in are saying they are doing Macedonia as they He arrived in Scotland a “festival”, planned to take place tions under fascism and made no picked up was Giuseppe Pinelli. Bomb threats suddenly against NATO interven- Milan, killing 16 and wounding secret of their fascist views. Some 72 hours later he “jumped” their best to prevent this have in Bosnia for tion. year ago.Everyone who met in Wales, was allowed to go 90. It was the beginning of an spread. sort of thing happening. him describes him as friendly ahead. World events also played a vital from the fourth floor room where he setting each We must say “No attempt to criminalise and role in radicalising students. The was being questioned—despite the Dario Fo, now 75, sensed that In reality they hold the NATO Troops going to and popular. There has never been any same responsibility in community at But he was marked from the violence at an ANL carnival. repress a growing mass move- Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia fact that he was with five police offi- a new strategy of tension was Macedonia”. ment. in 1968 led many young people to cers. The attempt to cover up his about to unfold. He wrote an arti- Macedonia as they have in each others’ In Greece also we can start.He told friends how Bosnia for setting each embarrassed he was when he The “strategy of tension” was a reject the “Communism” of the murder was the subject of Dario Fo’s cle entitled “Beware of the throats raise the demand of open- Attacks plot between fascist terror groups Soviet Union together with the play Accidental Death of an community at each others’ ing the border to refugees went into shops, because he State’s Anarchists” on the eve of throats. had to use the vouchers which and government secret services. Italian Communist Party. Anarchist. the three big demonstrations in of privatisation and neo- and people that want to Bombs would be planted, people ust as young people The aim of the strategy of tension It’s important to have liberal policies there. come to find jobs, to labelled him a refugee. Wherever the BNP has an Genoa: this picture in mind Just as in Ireland the British electoral success or a pres- would be murdered, and the media today look to the was to boost the right in the hope that The reality of Western escape from poverty and would blame Communists or anar- people would demand a clampdown. “What we are witnessing is an because the poverty that military and economic discrimination. Our de- government’s dispersal policy ence, racist attacks increase. Zapatistas in Mexico lies behind the tensions in makes the situation worse. But New Labour can’t stop chists. J Initially the far right did gain incredible repetition of what hap- intervention in the mand should be “They are Macedonia was created by Its whole basis is that opposition to racism. The random nature of the bomb- for inspiration, in 1968 ground. The fascist MSI’s vote dou- pened back then. In the face of Balkans is increasing welcome to come”. ings—in banks, railway stations and young people looked to bled from 4.4 percent in 1968 to 8.7 western intervention. poverty and inequality, If we act in this way, refugees are a “problem”, that When news the murder of the growth of a deeply peaceful The Albanians suffer they have to be scattered Firsat Yildiz broke, 350 asylum public squares—created extreme Che Guevara or the percent in 1972. world protest movement, the sys- which has sown the seeds particulary in Greece, the tension. Yet throughout the first half of discrimination. But the for ethnic strife. workers in Scopjie will see across the country to “dilute” seekers marched from Sighthill Chinese leader Mao tem replies by trying to drag it Albanian guerrillas’ aim is their impact. to Glasgow city centre chanti- Ultimately the hope was that peo- the 1970s the left continued to hold The argument that an alternative from fight- ple would demand a “strong state” to Zedong. its ground, calling large demonstra- into a spiral of violence. about more than challeng- ‘unless NATO is there ing among themselves or ng, “We want justice!” ing that. The next day more than clamp down, something akin to fas- The rebellion of blacks in the tions, and exposing the lies of the “Therefore we get bombs, and Albanians and fighting NATO through Poverty 1,000 people then attended a cism. The timing wasn’t accidental. US opened many people’s eyes media and the state. But some minor people look for excuses to beat It is calculated to pro- Macedonians would be at fighting each other. mass rally in the city’s George The day before the bomb went to the reality of the American left groups proved to be a liability. up and arrest demonstrators, hop- voke a repressive response each other’s throats’ has The example of what Dispersal means refugees Square. off in Milan a historic Labour Dream, which quickly fed in to a Small anarchist groups were from the Macedonian been used so many times. happend during the ing that some young people will army, so deepening ethnic get dumped in run-down hous- What happened in Sighthill Charter was signed between the gov- massive campaign against the occasionally infiltrated by neo-fas- engage in violent confrontations. They’ve said it in Kosovo war when there ing areas with no proper facili- should be a warning for what ernment and trade unions, in which cists and the secret services who divisions and driving more Northern Ireland, they’ve was a huge anti-war move- Vietnam War. “And to make sure that this of the Albanian minority ties and support. could happen here. the 40-hour week was introduced for There was an explosion of read- tried to persuade, bribe or blackmail said it in Cyprus: ment in Greece—90 per This is what happened in The scapegoating of the first time. them into carrying out their own acts happens, you can bet your bot- behind the guerrilla “Greek Cypriots and cent of the population was ing and discussion. Just as today, a forces. Sighthill.There are pools of refugees by politicians and the Equal pay rises for all workers new generation was discussing what of low-level terrorism. tom dollar that agents provoca- Turkish Cypriots would at against NATO—shows extreme poverty right across media in Ireland is no different were also granted, and unions were Initially the confidence of the teurs are already at work.” That is the same strate- each others’ throats unless that the possibility is kind of world it wanted. gy Albanian guerrilla Britain, and Sighthill is one of to that in Britain. given the right to organise mass During 1968 student-based mass movement could successfully There is now overwhelming evi- there are Guarantor there. the worst. The Irish government con- workplace meetings at the bosses’ organisations which called them- deal with these provocations through dence that the Black Block was Officially, 40 percent of the tinues to treat refugees as expense. selves Marxist and revolutionary strength of numbers. But by the sec- given free rein to do anything it population are living in poverty. criminals, to lock them up, and Two weeks before that a law were created. And, crucially, some of ond half of the 1970s the confidence wanted in Genoa. Police and fascist It has the highest level of to assume they are “bogus”. legalising divorce was passed, and them started talking systematically of the movement was starting to agents also infiltrated it. unemployment in Scotland. They are making the same on the same day 100,000 engineers to workers. wane. Yet the response of recent days Babies are 12 times more attempt to scapegoat refugees These groups had a vital Workers’ strike action was leaves ground for optimism. In the likely to die before their first to divert anger away from influence on the explosion of declining, student activism was a immediate aftermath of the Genoa International Socialism Journal birthday than in the rich areas them. workers’ struggles in the sec- shadow of its former self, and the demonstrations there were two forms of Glasgow. And if they are not opposed ond half of 1969—the “Hot revolutionary groups which arose of protests in Italy. One form was It is an area where many the consequences tragically Autumn”. after 1968 had disbanded. bomb threats, letter bombs, vandal- white families quite rightly feel will be the same. Strikes multiplied four- Meanwhile the right wing bomb- ism and death threats. fold during 1968-9, often ings reached a crescendo with the The other was mass demonstra- involving non-manual work- blowing up of Bologna railway sta- tions and strikes. Over 50 protests ers. But the key revolts were tion, and photographs showed police disguised as students using revolvers were organised within 48 hours of Anti centred in the factories, and the raid on the Genoa Social Forum’s by the autumn of 1969 many to kill a demonstrator in Rome. Demonstrations became increas- headquarters, many of them initiated bosses had lost control. by local trade unions. Decisions on what action ingly militarised. Large numbers of Capitalism And at the Stefana steelworks in RESISTANCE to take were generally made stewards wore crash helmets and car- Brescia, workers went on strike at mass meetings, which ried big sticks. Things got even worse with toler- against “the ferocious violence of the were often called sponta- police”, and demanded the release of Ireland’s socialist magazine neously. ance of “P38 comrades”—demon- strators who would dart out of the one of their shop stewards who had Susan George & Walden Bello – September/October issue out now £2.00 One FIAT worker march to take a pot-shot at police been arrested. recalled, “People just lines with P38 pistols. In Genoa the Italian state threw What next for anti capitalism jumped on the tables in the Now demonstrations often didn’t everything it had at anti-capitalist cafeteria during lunch break, end with speeches but with gunshots. demonstrators and ultimately lost. Goretti Horgan – What’s and that’s how mass meet- Despite its “strategy of tension”, THE BOLOGNA bombing (above) was part of the Italian state’s “strate-  After genoa – Eye witness reports and ings started.” Then suddenly there were no demon- strations at all. and the murder of protester Carlo gy of tension”. Photographs showed police disguised as students changing for women in Ireland? analysis  Palestine - A year of intifada In the most militant facto- People didn’t want to come to Giuliani, the movement came out of killing a demonstrator in Rome (bottom) Cuba Waste management crisis ries managers became tar- demos thinking they would end in it more united, mature and deter-   Genoa 2000 gets: “Hunting for the bosses shoot-outs. mined. £3.00 from your Socialist Worker seller SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 8 Is this today’s Communist Manifesto?

“NOTHING LESS than a rewriting of the Communist Manifesto for our time.” “The sharpest description of globalisation ever written.” “The hot, smart book of the moment.” These are just some of the comments about a new book about globalisa- tion, the world system and how people fight back. It is called Empire, and it is written by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri. There is so much interest in the book that its publishers have just increased by SAM ASHMAN the print run for the paperback edition from 5,000 to 20,000 copies. “Along with the global market and Hardt, a lecturer in the US, was global circuits of production has recently the subject of a big profile in emerged a global order, a new logic and the Observer newspaper and was inter- structure of rule. Empire is the political viewed on television about the protests subject that effectively regulates these in Genoa. global ex-changes, the sovereign power Negri is a political philosopher and that governs the world.” activist who is currently serving a The authors paint a very dramatic prison sentence in Italy connected to his and dark image—a bit like something association with the Italian left in the out of a science fiction novel. They are 1970s. clearly describing a world that is Together Hardt and Negri wrote a oppressive and destructive. response to the Genoa protests, pub- But the book is also frustrating lished in the New York Times and the because there is virtually no concrete International Herald Tribune. In it they analysis of the world today. said: “The protests themselves have There is no analysis of the workings become global movements, and one of of the world economy, of multinational their clearest objectives is the democra- corporations and organisations like the tization of globalising processes. WTO, or of nation-states. Empire “This should not be called an anti- ignores completely the very serious globalisation movement. It is an alter- conflicts and rivalries that exist between native globalisation movement, one that nation-states, such as that between the seeks to eliminate inequalities between US and China. rich and poor and between the powerful There is no discussion of how and the powerless, and to expand the George Bush’s “Son of Star Wars” plan possibilities of self determination. has “transcended imperialism”. “If we understand one thing from the Every argument is put at a very multitude of voices in Genoa, it should be abstract and general level. that a better future is possible…the real- There is no discussion of who rules, istic course of action today is to demand or how. what is seemingly impossible—that is, something new.” Multitude Both Hardt and Negri clearly want a better world and identify with those demonstrating on the streets. What, THE SECOND central idea of then, does Empire actually say? Empire Empire is that of the “multitude” is a far cry from the grand claims that or the people at the bottom of are made about it. society. It is a big book, lots of which is It is the multitude, a vast and amor- philosophical and historical, and draws phous mass, which resists Empire at on many obscure thinkers. every point. It is also quite tough to read—this is The multitude is something different definitely not the place to start reading from the working class. about capitalism and the world system. Negri is hostile to the organised It may put you off for life! working class. Elsewhere he has At the core of Empire is a reworking referred to trade unionists as “kulaks” of Marxism. This reworking involves —the word for rich peasants in Russia two central and mistaken ideas. who lived off the backs of poor peas- ants. THE FORCE for change. Workers voting for action. New global order In Empire Hardt and Negri accept that “the composition of the proletariat events like the Palestinian intifada, the So the capitalist class, the employers “posing against the misery of power the THE FIRST is the whole idea of has transformed”. 1992 revolt in Los Angeles, the and the armed might of the state are no joy of being”. Today the industrial working class Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, and longer the enemy. Empire’s final paragraph even gives “Empire” itself, both the title and “has all but disappeared from view. It strikes by workers in France and South As such, they also give up on any St Francis of Assisi as a possible role the heart of the book. has not ceased to exist but it has been Korea cannot be linked together. notion of political strategy. model for those who want to fight for a Hardt and Negri accept the wide- displaced from its privileged position in “None of these events inspired a They do outline three general better world! spread view that we are living in a new the capitalist economy.” cycle of struggles, because the desires demands: Revolutionaries need to do a lot era of economic globalisation which But this is not so. The working class and needs they expressed could not be The right to global citizenship (free more. We need to build the day to day has rendered the nation-state powerless. is not only a growing force. It is the one translated into different contexts.” movement of all peoples across the struggles of workers against privatisa- There are lots of problems with this force with the power to disable the sys- This is ludicrous. The Zapatistas globe). tion and job losses and link them with view. But Hardt and Negri don’t leave it tem. may not have provoked similar risings,  The right to a social wage (and a battles against neo-liberalism around there. They go even further and argue Today there are 20,000 more auto but they have certainly provoked inter- guaranteed income for all, including the the world, as well as the big demonstra- that the new era of “Empire” has also workers’ jobs in the US than there were national inspiration and solidarity. unemployed). tions outside institutions like the G8 transcended imperialism and any con- in 1979. Globalisation has created a  The right to reappropriation (con- and the International Monetary Fund. flict between nation-states. million new garment workers in Who’s the enemy? trol over language, communication and There is no doubt Hardt and Negri The world is now ruled by an imper- Bangladesh, mainly women, who are production). want a better world. sonal structure of economic and politi- fighting and building union organisa- HARDT AND Negri, having There are also vague calls to be a But they do not understand the cal power that has no centre and cannot tion. “radical republican”, and at other times world we live in today, nor do they pro- be identified with any particular Many workers battling against neo- defined Empire as the “universal for “revolutionary political militancy” vide a guide for action to win a new one state—not even the US. liberalism and privatisation know that rule of capital without a centre”, and the need to be “communist”. tomorrow. We have entered into an era of the they are not alone. argue there is no longer one But what does this mean? Empire is published by “universal rule of capital without a cen- But Hardt and Negri argue that clear enemy. Their only guidance is to suggest tre”. Harvard University Press SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 9 in my book view Coming clean Sleepwalker on a dirty war awakes A FORGOTTEN war is raging on “FOR THE past ten to 15 years we’ve Russia’s southern border. been asleep. I hope we are once again Russia is taking revenge on Chechnya for awakening.” defeating its troops in the 1994-6 war.At stake is These are the words of Gillo Pontecorvo, control over the oil-rich region of the Caspian Sea. who at the age of 82 was one of the oldest pro- Since Russia invad- testers in Genoa. by DAVE CROUCH But he is also better known as one of the ed Chechnya in greatest Marxist film directors, responsible for October 1999 some such classics as The Battle of Algiers, Burn! 40,000 people have which is why I record all and Kapo. died and 400,000 the detail I can.” have been made Unusually for a jour- Pontecorvo was one of 35 of Italy’s most tal- nalist, Politkovskaya is so ented film directors who came together at homeless. Chechnya is occupied moved by what she sees Genoa to make a documentary about the anti- that she constantly finds by 80,000 Russian sol- capitalist protests against the G8 summit. herself pulled into direct diers whose systematic Pontecorvo’s agenda was clear when he involvement in the situa- torture, murder and loot- told reporters, “It’s our duty to roll up our tions she describes. ing have led even mem- sleeves and work with others on such an She gives money to bers of the Moscow- important occasion, when the quality of life desperate people, cam- appointed puppet admin- paigns to save an old of the future is being decided.” istration to resign in The producers of the documentary expect people’s home and rages protest. at the Russian generals. the film to be broadcast on TV across Europe A new book by a next year. Her relentless mes- Russian journalist tells sage to her “hard-heart- Pontecorvo is a fascinating character.He the truth about the war. joined the Italian Communist Party (PCI) in ed readers enjoying their 1941 and became a commander in the resis- breakfasts” is to reject War crimes the government’s sani- tance movement against fascism. tised lies about the war. Any illusions he had in Stalinism were Anna Politkovskaya is There are signs that destroyed when Russia invaded Hungary in a correspondent for a the message is getting 1956. Moscow newspaper. through. He left the PCI and became an independent Dirty War is a collection Support for the war socialist, and threw his lot in with the national of her reports in which among Russians has independence movements that swept the world she documents Russia’ s halved to 35 percent, in the 1950s and 60s. war crimes. while 75 percent say the He even ran money that had been collected She exposes the arbi- government’ s policy has for the FLN, the Algerian liberation movement, trary violence meted out shown no results. between France and Switzerland. to the Chechen popula- This book does not It was this movement which inspired his tion. explain the war, however. greatest film, The Battle of Algiers. They are forced to live And because Polit- The Algerian war for independence was one in primitive conditions kovskaya isn’t clear of the most hard fought.The film reconstructs without food, heat, light about why it is happen- RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS in Chechnya during the massacre or medicines. ing, she sometimes the main political events in the city of Algiers KGB officer, was wel- Behind each statistic accuses the Chechen between 1954 and 1957. comed by Western lead- lie thousands of unbear- resistance of being as music Shot in black and white, it feels like you are bad as the Russians. ers with open arms at the watching a documentary.The film, shows the able personal tragedies. recent G8 summit. Politkovskaya allows brutality of French imperialism, with harrowing Chechen men, women Hysteria Bono and Bob Geldolf scenes of torture and execution. Bella Chao and children to tell their could do with reading Out of a population of nine million, over one stories for themselves. this book before they go million would die. But it is remarkable “PEOPLE’S GLOB- themes. “My notes are written for that this brave author has to anymore international ALISATION not He spent several the future,” she says. stood out against the war conferences for a hug. years travelling in Uprising corporate globali- hysteria in her country. Dirty War: A sation” is one of Latin America and Testimony Her reports are unam- Russian Reporter the slogans of the other parts of the However, it is in the final scenes of the biguous.This is Russia’s world recording and in Chechnya by anti-capitalist collecting local film, during the uprising in Algiers, that “They are the testimo- dirty war. movement. Pontecorvo shows the power of mass ny of the innocent victims Vladimir Putin, Russ- Anna Politkov- songs of resistance And people’s for his first album, action. He takes the camera into the crowd of the new Chechen war, ian president and ex- skaya, price £12 globalisation exists, so that the audience feel they are involved. Clandestino. it now has a sound- This is music to The narrow streets filled with teargas, the Film track. dance away the tanks trundling down the street, and the voice of Manu Chao is a blues. the radio commentator combined with the cries hugely successful Manu Chao’s new of the demonstrators make you believe you are musician everywhere album, Proxima witnessing the event. in Europe. But in Estacion-Esperanza It was such a powerful film the French gov- Ireland he remains (Next Station-Hope) Shrek’s appeal largely unknown. is in the same spirit. ernment banned it. He makes music Every socialist should see it.Fortunately the princess, is an ogre Anyone at the SHREK IS of resistance, singing protest in Genoa film is widely available to buy on DVD and video. DreamWorks latest by MIRIAM CAREY after sunset. in English, Spanish, After The Battle of Algiers Pontecorvo made This twist in the tale French and probably ate and release. It takes off drank at Manu Burn! (Queimada!), a brilliant film about a slave princess who is locked undermines the Portugese. Walt Disney’s per- away and can only be impression that has He sings about Chao’s expense as a rebellion in a Portuguese colony in the 18th restaurant, Clandes- century.It stars Marlon Brando. fect fairy tale world freed by her true love. been given by a sexist “los sin papeles” As Shrek reaches society that princesses (illegal immigrants), tino, was distributing But then his films dried up.Over the last 20of which we have free refreshments to seen so much with this crucial part in the should be beautiful, about the poor of the years Pontecorvo has failed to complete a film. fairy tale, he rips off the thin, and delicate, and world and their strug- the protesters during In an interview he gave to the film magazine the likes of Robin page and wipes his definitely not fat, ugly gles against a sys- the entire weekend. Sight and Sound he explained that his disillu- Hood, Pinocchio backside with it. Here, and clumsy like an tem which puts profit He has made sion with the governments of the newly liberat- and, of course, the tale begins. ogre. before people. many public state- ed nations left him demoralised. Shrek is a social I found Shrek very This makes him ments in support of Beauty and the the movement and He added, “Nothing inspires me any more!” outcast (because he is amusing and it has sound a bit worthy, Beast. an ogre!) but he prefers perhaps rather glum. performed for free at He has spent those years making TV commer- Shrek is a tale of an excellent animation. benefits. cials and organising the Venice Film Festival. it that way. In fact, he But his music is a ogre, Shrek (Mike hates company. But this is no ordinary joyful explosion of But of course the The magnificent protest at Genoa has re- Myers), his unwanted When he eventually fairy tale. reggae, ska, salsa, best reason for buy- ignited the passions of one of the greatest film- companion, Donkey rescues Fiona she is It tackles the big rock, folk and many ing his records is the makers. (hilariously voiced by expecting a handsome issue of the sexist soci- other influences. fun of listening to This is just a very small indicator of the Eddie Murphy) and the prince, who is her true ety we live in and These are mixed them. power and depth of the anti-capitalist move- princess, Princess love, but is disappoint- teaches us a lesson— with subtlety and a Proxima Estacion- ment that is sweeping the world. Fiona (Cameron Diaz). ed to find Shrek. not to conform to soci- lightness of touch Esperanza is released In the opening scene On the journey ety’s view of who we that belies the seri- on the Virgin label, we see Shrek reading a home we find out that are or what we should ousness of his price £14.99. by MARTIN SMITH fairy tale of the usual Fiona, the beautiful look like. PAGE 10 SOCIALIST WORKER where Genoa aftermath...Genoa aftermath... Genoa aftermath...Genoa we stand Workers create all the wealth in capitalist soci- IRISH PROTESTOR JAILED IN GENOA: ety.A new society can only be constructed when they collectively seize control of that wealth and plan its production and distribution. FOR REVOLUTION, NOT REFORM ‘Continue the fight against The present system can- not be reformed out of existence. Parliament cannot be used to end the system. The courts army and police are there to defend the interests of the capi- talist class not to run oppression and exploitation’ society in a neutral fash- ion. To destroy capitalism, JOE MOFFAT, an land to demand my release OUTRAGE has workers need to smash Irish protestor at was a real help. I was greeted sen- the state and create a released without seeing a ★ tences passed workers’ state based on the G8 summit in magistrate which is most workers’ councils. on anti-capitalist pro- Genoa, was impris- unusual. I still do not know testers who demon- FOR REAL oned by the Italian if there are charges against strated in the Swedish SOCIALISM, EAST authorities from me. city of Gothenburg in “I now want everyone to June. AND WEST Sunday 22nd July look out for three German The SWP welcomed the until Wednesday Luigino “Gigi” break-up of the USSR and friends I made while I was Longo, a 43 year old the end of the East Euro- 8th August. Here in prison—Peter Cuntz, trade unionist and pean dictatorships.These he tells Socialist Hanny, Michael Kohl, who socialist living in Nor- states were not socialist Worker about his are still being held on way, and Jonas Enan- but were run by a state- trumped up charges. One of der both received sen- capitalist class. experiences. their brothers waited a week “I was walking down the tences of two and a We are against the domi- outside the jail in a car half years. nation of the globe by street when the Caribinieri before getting in. imperialist powers and we started shouting at us Paul Robinson, a “Funnily enough, this UNISON union member oppose their wars.We are aggressively. They started experience has strengthened for the right of all to hit my friend and then from Britain was also nations, East and West, to my political beliefs. Police- imprisoned, for a year. arrested me for having a men should not be allowed self-determination. Swiss army knife, which Write to jailed pro- to arrest people at will. testers at the Gothen- FOR AN END TO was used in camping. “We should continue the “I was beaten around the burg remand centre: ALL OPPRESSION Joe Moffat fight against oppression and Haktet, Polis Huset, We oppose all forms of head and kicked in the chest exploitation. I think the and legs. One of them my right arm I lifted my me. I was hit on the head magistrate, the Italian state Box 429, 40126 Göte- oppression which divide head and saw that the with a coin” denied that I was being held anti-capitalist movement is borg, Sweden. and weaken the working attempted to stab me in the getting bigger and bigger. class.We are for full right arm. They demanded arresting Carabiniere had a “All the time they tried in custody. social, economic and combat knife in his hand to deprive us of informa- “I think that the cam- We need to keep it broad my eyes look ground wards based and we can succeed.” political equality for and I felt a small prick upon that must have just pricked tion. Even though I saw a paign of solidarity in Ire- Globalise women. We stand for: free contra- ception and free, legalised Resistance abortion and the right to Italy divorce; the complete In the aftermath of the separation of church and state, an end to church Genoa protests, Glob- control over schools and Thousands take to the streets alise Resitance took hospitals; an end to dis- to the streets and crimination against gays THE ITALIAN gov- streets. Some 60,000 then organised a series of and lesbians; an end to protested the following day racism and anti-traveller ernment is still report back meetings bigotry. feeling the after- as well. around the country. We argue for working There were at least There were repeat- class unity in the fight effects of the great another 46 protests outside police stations across Italy ed protests at the Ital- against oppression. demonstrations ian embassy against against the G8 in support of the Genoa FOR WORKERS’ Social Forum which organ- the treatment of protes- UNITY IN THE summit in Genoa ised the protests in Genoa. tors in Genoa and for NORTH last month. The demonstrations their release. Northern Ireland is a sec- The vicious police called for the resignation of The Globalise Resis- tarian state, propped up repression of those who Claudio Scajola, the Italian tance contingent that had by the British Army. protested against the G8 interior minister, and for an gone to Genoa immedi- Catholic workers are sys- summit in Genoa sent inquiry into the violence ately set up a vigil at the tematically discriminated shockwaves through the unleashed by the police. Italian embassy and against by the state.The whole of Italian society. Banners said “Govern- Thousands marched in Rome forced an apology from division between Catholic And it has created a politi- ment of murderers” and the Italian ambassador. and Protestant workers cal crisis for the new hard G8. Us: six billion”. In ‘strategy of tension’. No At the Stefana steel- weakens the whole work- “Our blood, your profits”. At a protest for the ing class. right government of busi- A number of protestors are Rome a banner said “You: one has been killed on a works in Brescia workers release of Joe Moffat, one Workers’ unity can only nessman Silvio Berlusconi. still missing after the G8. Us: 5,999,999,999”. demonstration in Italy for went on strike against “the protestor was arrested be won and maintained in The police killing of 23 demonstrations, and a Another 15,000 25 years. But despite the ferocious violence of the and charged under the a fight to smash both the year old Carlo Giuliani, and group of mothers in Milan marched in Bologna, 5,000 violence everyone was police”. public order act for chanti- Northern and Southern the general police violence carried a banner saying, in Brescia and 5,000 in smiling on the protests. They demanded the ng “Bullshit come off it— states. against demonstrators, “Where are our children?” Palermo, and 500 people in Genoa has made people release of one of their shop release Joe Moffat.” We stand for the immedi- sparked huge demonstra- Over 30,000 marched in Cagliari were led by popu- more determined to build stewards who was arrested Some 600 people ate withdrawal of British tions in towns and cities Rome, stopping for a lar singer Manu Chao. the movement. in Genoa. attended a carnival, with troops.Violence will only across Italy. minute’s silence in memory Thousands more protested workshops and lively end when workers unite In Milan a spontaneous in Venice, Trieste, Napoli, THE BERLUSCONI government is a in the fight for a workers’ of Carlo Giuliani. coalition between his Forza Italia party, march the week after the republic. demonstration of 50,000 The slogan of the Genoa Ancona and scores of other ★ Genoa protests in Dublin. people erupted through the Social Forum was “You: cities. Around 15,000 the anti-immigrant Northern League and Reportback meetings FOR A FIGHTING marched in Genoa itself. the “post-fascist” National Alliance. around the country have TRADE UNION BERLUSCONI bowed to pressure from “Genoa has completely The National Alliance (AN) changed its name from included: Over a hundred the MSI in the early 1990s.The MSI openly stood as MOVEMENT both within Italy and from abroad to hold a changed the face of Italian people to hear a member Trade unions exist to ★ politics,” says Nicki, a the political followers of former Italian Fascist dictator of Cobas and the Genoa parliamentary inquiry into the police vio- defend workers’ interests. socialist in Bologna. Benito Mussolini. Social forum in Dublin, 80 But the union leaders’ lence. “There’s a new young Fascist leader Gianfranco Fini is also deeply people at a meeting in role is to negotiate with Interior minister Claudio Scajola survived a par- layer of people coming embroiled in the revelations. Cork, 90 people attended capitalism—not to end it. liamentary vote of confidence, but three key police through into left wing poli- Fini is Berlusconi’s deputy.He leads the Nationala meeting in the Smith- We support the leaders commanders were moved to “other posts”. tics. But events have also Alliance, a fascist party which follows in the tradition field area of Dublin, 30 a when they fight but There is widespread evidence of police infiltrat- of Mussolini and is part of Berlusconi’s coalition gov- oppose them when they reinvigorated a lot of older meeting Derry.There have ing the demonstrations and using agents provoca- people. There’s no time for ernment. been meetings in Sligo, betray workers.We stand teurs to spark violence. It is now clear that Fini was personally present in for independent rank and cynicism anymore. Any Thurles, Limerick, Galway, file action. They used the excuse of the violence caused by time anyone wants to fight, Genoa police headquarters on both the Friday and Letterkenny, Drogheda, the Black Block of anarchists to attack other Genoa will be the inspira- the Saturday of the protests. Dundalk and Ringsend in FOR A demonstrators. tion. No one is going to for- Fini boasted that he personally finalised the secu- Dublin and lively meetings REVOLUTIONARY “The Black Block was an instrument of the get what happened there. rity plans. and a big Gap protest in police—it was a clear strategy,” says Luca Casari- The inclusion of fascists in the government has Belfast. PARTY ni, a leader of the White Overalls non-violent move- “The demonstrations boosted the most right wing elements in the Italian Globalise Resistance To win socialism socialists ment.“I’m not saying everything was organisedwere really angry. There state. is setting up groups need to organise in a rev- and planned in advance, but they used and helped was a real feeling that vio- An unnamed police officer revealed that many of olutionary party.This around the country.If you the hooliganism to justify the crackdown.” lence will not silence us. the police involved in attacks on demonstrators had want to get involved or put party needs to argue There were people on the against right-wing ideas When Berlusconi and Scajola tried, during the far-right sympathies: “The police lined them up on a meeting or activity in and for overthrowing the debate in parliament, to distance themselves from streets who hadn’t been in against the wall.They urinated on one person.Theyyour area ring 086- system.The SWP aims to the police attack on the school where protestors Genoa. They were angry at beat people up if they didn’t sing the ‘Facetta Nera’ [a 4098186 or e-mail glob- build such a party here. were sleeping, opposition MPs just laughed. the police violence and did- fascist song].They threatened to rape girls alise_resistance@yahoo. with n’t want a return to the batons.” com. SOCIALIST WORKER PAGE 11

news & reports/politics/industry/the unions (01) 8722682 /fax (01) 872 3838 e-mail [email protected] / www.clubi.ie/swp ☎☎PHONE REPORTS ABOUT STRIKES/LOCAL CAMPAIGNS/PROTESTS Roscommon Precision Castings Peerless Rugs SWP activist meetings — all welcome WORKERS IN ❏ ATHLONE: Contact 01- 872 2682 for details Strike to defend jobs ❏ BRAY: Meets every Thursday at the Mayfair Hotel at 8.30pm STRIKING SIPTU PJ Naughten, local business England which is in the would rather close down the ❏ BELFAST CENTRAL: workers at Ros- man and member of the same line of business. factory and wreck the lives OCCUPATION Meets every Tuesday at Roscommon Enterprise He is a former manager of of 42 workers and their fam- 8.30pm in Kitchen Bar, 16 common Precision Board closed the factory Precision Castings and was ilies than deal with the Trade Union Rank and File Castings blockad- WORKERS ARE Victoria Square, near Corn- down rather than deal with not known for his good man- union and give some ele- still occupying Solidarity Network. market ed the factory on the union’s pay claim. ners towards the workers. ment of fair play to those ❏ Peerless Rugs in There will be speakers BELFAST SOUTH: Meets Monday morning At one stage the women who made all his profits. from SIPTU and from other every Wednesday at 6th August to stop workers put in a claim for “But we are waking up Athy after manage- struggles including the pick- 8.30pm in Queens Students Ignored equal pay and withdrew the now and fighting back. We ment closed down et line at Roscommon Preci- Union an articulated lorry claim after Naughten said want to link up with the ❏ BELFAST WEST ring for taking raw materi- the plant on 4th sion Castings. As one of the shop stew- their claim would put every- workers occupying the July. details 07771 781 958 als and machinery ards told Socialist Worker, body out of work. Peerless Rugs in Athy. ❏ BELFAST QUEENS UNI- “Naughten’s attitude was After workers locked in Links VERSITY Wednesdays out of the factory. Health and safety stan- “We are not going away the management and the ‘do it my way or take the 1pm, Peter Froggatt Centre Gardai were called by dards at the factory were and will fight for our proper receiver, Athy was clearly highway.’ ❏ CORK: Meets every management and following appalling. redundancy rights. This put on the map of workers The link between the negotiations with the union “In my experience I One of the shop stewards boss was pampered by the struggles in Athy and Wednesday at 8.00pm in struggles. O’Donoghue’s, Drawbridge officials the workers never had a positive meeting told Socialist Worker,“We government. But since early July the Roscommon are very impor- with this man. St allowed the lorry out the were lifting weights in “Now it’s pay back time workers have found that tant. As one of the shop ❏ “He ignored the union excess of 22kg on one arm for us. stewards in Athy put it, “We DERRY: Meets every gates. even their savings money Wednesday at 8.15pm in But the workers were reps for years. But we got for years. “We want to publicly has been done away with by were delighted when the organised and strong in a “There were many thank the dockers for their Badgers Bar upstairs, determined and followed the boss. Roscommon shop stewards Orchard St. the lorry to the port of Ross- short space of time and he injuries and we had to call solidarity and look forward As one of the shop stew- rang us. ❏ DROGHEDA: Meets lare where it was due to sail couldn’t handle it.” in the Health and Safety to linking up with other ards put it, “If any worker “They had read a report Wednesdays 8:30pm in to England. Pre-tax profits for Authority who said he workers in the near future.” stole even the smallest item in Socialist Worker and rang McHugh’s Pub St, Lawer- Before they even reached Roscommon Precision would have to make radical Pickets are still in place they would be arrested and us to find out what we could ences Gate Rosslare, dock workers took Castings were £200,000 for changes to come up to stan- on the factory and the work- charged and here we have a learn from each other and ❏ DUNDALK Meets a decision to black the scab last year. dard. ers intend to step up their greedy boss who has literal- how we could help out. Wednesdays 8pm phone lorry and refused to allow it Naughten is also a part “But we are dealing with campaign over the next few ly stolen our hard-earned “They will be coming 01-8722682 for details on the ferry. owner a plant in Somerset in a hard nosed boss who weeks. savings and nobody touches down to Athy for our march ❏ DUN LAOGHAIRE: Meets Eventually the lorry him”. and we will certainly go to every Thursday at 8.30pm evaded the trade union Gateway Union representatives Roscommon to link up with in the Christian Institute action by registering with a have been busy over the them in the future. ❏ DUBLIN ARTANE / non-union operator from summer meeting various “We want the people of COOLOCK: Meets every Dublin port. But the solidar- Desperate need for a union TD’s including Mary Har- Athy and everywhere to Tuesday at 8.30pm in ity was magnificent and ney and Michael Noonan. know that we haven’t gone Artane / Beaumont Recre- very important to the future The sudden clo- national. the toilet for too long.It “None of them have done away. ational Centre (opp. Artane of this dispute in Roscom- In 1998, the company was treating us like “We are very very angry Castle) sure of Gateway is anything for us. We are ❏ DUBLIN NORTH CEN- mon. a warning to every made £96 million in prof- machines.” being left to fight alone. But and will not stop fighting Nine weeks ago the forty its from its Irish opera- Management also did until we get justice.” TRAL: Meets every Wednes- worker in the com- the bosses get every bit of day at 8.30pm in Conways two workers at the mould- tions alone.This profit everything to stop work- support from the Govern- Anybody who wants to was made from the ers joining a union. Pub, Parnell St ing plant in Roscommon puter industry ment and they let them walk see workers win against clo- ❏ town came out on official efforts of its hard- When members of the DUBLIN BALLYFER- about the impor- away with our futures in sures and against greedy MOTT: Meets Tues 8:30pm strike for a pay rise of £65 tance of unions. pressed staff. Socialist Workers Party their back pockets. bosses who dump working “There was a good leafleted the plant in Ruby Finigans Pub per week. Their pay was Gateway was the “It’s time we started to class families for bigger ❏ DUBLIN CABRA: Meets scandalously low—from flagship company for US atmosphere among the explaining the benefits of make loud noises about the profits, should get down to workers there.They a union, the security every Thursday at 8.30pm £4.80 per hour in the wax investment in Ireland. way we are being treated.” the Athy protest. in Aughrim St Parish Hall, room to £229 per week for When US President Bill would look out for each guards from the industri- ❏Globalise Resistance in 13 Prussia St skilled work in the furnace Clinton visited Ireland he other—it was almost like al estate tried to remove Dublin is organising a bus ❏ DUBLIN BALLYMUN: room. made a special point of a second family.But the them.The closure shows Support to get down to the protest. Meets every Wednesday at After going though the visiting Gateway and management were crap. that all the pretence Contact 087-9090166 for 6.30pm in Balcurris Road “In the customer ser- about US companies long procedures of the claiming that it was at A major demonstration details. Phone Kevin on 086- Labour Court, the workers the cutting edge of the vice department they looking after their staffs of support and solidarity is ❏Messages of support and had these red lights that is just that—pretence. 3074060 for details were forced to take strike information age. planned for the town of Athy donations to the Solidarity ❏ action while management went on if the phones It shows why a strong DUBLIN DUNDRUM: Yet Gateway behaved on Friday 24th August. Fund for Peerless Rugs Meets every Wednesday at effectively refused to talk to no differently from any were not in use.They union is needed. The demonstration is should be sent to the facto- flashed red if you were at Now turn to page 3 8.30pm in Dundrum Family the union. other brutal US multi- being organised by the ry. You can telephone the Recreation Centre The owner of the factory, workers along with the workers at 0507-31828. ❏ DUBLIN RIALTO: Meets every Wednesday at 8:30pm St. Andrews Com- Battle for Kinsale ATGWU SUSPENSIONS munity Centre, SCR On Wednesday ❏ DUBLIN RATHMINES: ★1st August Meets every Thursday at Bertie Ahern 8.30pm downstairs J O’Con- was in Galway for the Campaign builds support nells (Pub) Sth. Richmond races and he opened up Street Dublin 2. the new offices of the SUPPORT IS build- are going to accept this lying Jimmy Kelly added. ❏ DUBLIN SOUTH CEN- Galway Advertiser. 25 peo- ing among ATGWU down.” The fingerprints of the TRAL: Meets at 8.30pm ple from various environ- Meanwhile the London ICTU are all over this scan- every Tuesday upstairs mental and anti-racist members for Mick based leadership has issued a dalous case. Bowes (pub) Fleet Street campaigns who were O’Reilly and Eugene report from its Deputy Gener- The outgoing ICTU Sec- Dublin 2 gathered under the ban- McGlone, the two al Secretary into the conduct retary Peter Cassells claims ❏ DUBLIN TALLAGHT: ner of Globalise Resis- officials who were of the Irish region. that he had no part in Mick Meets every Tuesday at tance greeted him with a suspended by their ATGWU executive com- O’Reilly dismissal. 8pm in Jobstown Communi- protest. mittee member Jimmy Kelly But he forgot to mention ty Centre There was a lot of head office in Lon- commented: “It is a load of ❏ ENNISKILLEN: Phone 01 that he had a special meeting - 872 2682 for details media coverage and don. hot air. There is nothing in it. with Ray Collins, a top-level reports were carried on ❏ GALWAY: Meets every Some 300 people protested to reclaim the Head of One hundred shops stew- “Originally the London official of the London based Galway Bay FM,TV3 and ards and union activists Wednesday in Currans Kinsale from the from a golf course. The next protest office put it around that there union in the midst of the TG4. attended meetings called by was administrative bung- Hotel, Eyre Square (beside A lot of people came is on August 26th ring Michael 086-3125465 ILDA dispute on the railway Cuba) 8.30pm the Dublin District Commit- ling—implying that there ❏ up to see what all the tee where a resolution was earlier in the year. LIMERICK: Phone 01 - were financial irregularities. O’Reilly suspension fol- 872 2682 for details noise and the banners Belfast Pride passed calling for their imme- But there is not shred of evi- and placards were about lowed soon after and the ❏ MAYNOOTH meets Thus- OVER TWO hundred peo- it’s a real festival.” The diate re-instatement. dence. day lunchtime ring and some joined in. A similar sized meeting report explicitly mentions the Some quick minded ple marched in this years march included banners recruitment of ILDA mem- (01)8722682 for details Gay Pride march through from the GPMU, Amnesty took place in Belfast and 90 ❏ SLIGO Phone 087 people found out where turned up to a meeting of the Charge bers as one of the reasons for the streets of Belfast. International and the Social- 6329511 for details Bertie was staying in Gal- Southern Region, which his suspension. ❏ It ended a week of meet- ist Workers Party. There The elected Regional SWORDS Meets Tues- way and on Wednesday includes Waterford, Tipper- “Instead they have come days 8pm Semior Citizens night erected a banner ings and festivities through- were also placards from the Committee of the union must out Belfast. Events includ- ary and Cork. up with a charge about sexist Hall opposite his hotel saying Anti-Nazi League and Out- David Ervine, an behaviour. now take control of its affairs. ❏ TRALEE: Phone 087 “AHERN = Corrupt ed a meeting organised by rage. Amnesty international on ATGWU member and leader “The union does take this They should meet regular- 6329511 for details Racist Arrogant Pig”. Sean from Outrage told of the Progressive Unionist issue very seriously but the ly while this crisis last and ❏ TRINITY COLLEGE: Members of Galway Gay Rights and Human Rights. Socialist Worker,“The Party, also spoke at a meeting simple fact is that O’Reilly call a special union confer- Meets Thursdays 7pm see for a Safe Environment march was brilliant, though in support of the two officials. and McGlone were not asked ence to sort matters out. posters for details also erected anti-inciner- One marcher told Socialist Worker,“The we did get attacked by a He said, “Anybody who is to investigate any formal On no account should an ❏ UCD meets Wednesdays ation banners at various couple of people. Unfortu- associated with the union is complaint on these issues. unelected grouping in Lon- 1pm see posters for details parts of the race course atmosphere here is great, ❏ hundreds of people march- nately a gay man was beat- deeply disquieted by the lead- “It is just a smokescreen don be allowed to overturn WATERFORD: Meets where they could be en up by some thugs on the ership’s actions. for getting rid of people who the wishes of the vast bulk of every Thursday at 8pm in seen on TV. ing in defiance of the bigot- ed churches and politicians, way home after the march.” “I don’t think that people oppose social partnership,” the Irish membership. the ATGWU Hall, Keizer St. PAGE 12 inside Socialist AFTER GENOA: INTERVIEW: Jailed Irish protestor Joe Moffat PLUS Italy in revolt – page 10 Worker Italy: The strategy of tension – pages 6&7 Contact SWP: (01) 8722682 http://www.clubi.ie/swp e-mail: [email protected] For a Workers’ Republic and International Socialism 50p Solidarity price £1 $50 billion for missile system STOP

Workers in Korea prtest against Star Wars BUSH’SUS PRESIDENT, itary domiance in order to destroy an incoming missile in George W Bush, is enforce its interests across mid-flight above the earth’s the globe. atmosphere. determined to re- The National Missile launch the Cold War The other main reason behind the plan is the desire Defence system will fire mis- and increase the risk of US corporations to boost siles at any object the U.S. mil- itary deems a threat. of nuclear war. earnings in the midst of He wants to speed up the The US Department of recession. Defence says it needs the sys- arms race by creating Star The US defence industry Wars, a new missile system. tem because “rogue nations” is dominated by a few con- are developing their own Bush is planning to tractors. Boeing, Lockheed weapons systems. spend almost $50billion on Martin and TRW all of These rogue nations the National Missile whom have suffered heavy include Iraq and North Korea. Defence System (NMD). losses in recent years. But Iraq is already bombed The United States already But now they are all regularly by US and British STAR spends $35 billion a year involved in Star Wars. forces and has been devastated —or more than $96 million by sanctions. a day—on its nuclear arse- Defence North Korea is on the brink nal. of famine and is hardly capa- The cumulative cost of A consortium of three arms ble of hurting the US. U.S. nuclear weapons is manufacturers: Raytheon, US claims that the mad Lockheed Martin and TRW is scheme is purely defensive nearly $5.5 trillion. have been blown out of the Yet the US has the high- now developing the technolo- gy, under the name United water. est number of people living Missile Defense Company. The Observer newspaper below the poverty line in Raytheon’s Exoatmospher- reported that US Defence Sec- the developed world. ic Kill Vehicle (EKV) trans- retary Donald Rumsfeld is pre- Star Wars is an attempt ports the missile into space. siding over a programme aim- by the US to assert its mil- It is supposed to hit and ing to develop a “space bomber” which could strike anywhere in the world. WARS The “space bomber” plan means the US’s real aim is to be able to strike across the globe while hiding behind its protective shield. Rumsfeld says the aim is for a space-based vehicle “for conducting rapid global strikes”. The craft could drop bombs from 60 miles high. It could reach anywhere in the world in less than 90 min- MADNESS utes from its position in orbit.