Defend Democratic Rights! US Hands Off Afghanistan, Iraq!
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ICELAND KR200 · NEW ZEALAND $3.00 · SWEDEN KR15 · UK £1.00 . U.S. $1.50 INSIDE Irish freedom fighters stand up to imperialist pressure TH£ -PAGE7 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 65/NO. 37 OCTOBER 1, 2001 Defend democratic rights! U.S. hands off Afghanistan, Iraq! Socialist candidate Washington takes in NY opposes steps to militarize Coal miners strike wins war drive, attacks U.S., prepares support in United Kingdom on workers' rights 'long war' abroad BY JACK WILLEY BY GREG MCCARTAN NEWYORK-"My campaign demands Over the past week Washington has taken that Washington keep its hands offAfghani the sharpest moves in decades in militariz stan and that it immediately withdraw all ing the United States, accelerated the assault its warships, planes, and troops from the on democratic rights-especially targeting Mideast and South Asia," said Martin immigrant workers-and put the U.S. mili Koppel, Socialist Workers candidate for tary on a war footing in preparation for a New York mayor, when interviewed here brutal assault on the people of Afghanistan September 19 by a reporter for Panama's and other countries such as Iraq. national television. As part of the war drive it has unleashed Koppel noted that the U.S. government since the September 11 attacks on the World now has arrested at least 115 immigrants Trade Center and the Pentagon, the U.S. around the country who, under new rules government already has 115 immigrants in announced by the Bush administration, can preventive detention. Under new regulations be detained indefinitely without charges if enacted by the Justice Department, immi the U.S. authorities declare a "national grants can be held indefinitely without emergency." charges if U.S. officials declare a "national The Socialist Workers candidate pointed emergency." Pickets at Rossington colliery. Miners explain that they are striking for parity to a statement he had issued September 11 With bipartisan support, Congress is au with other workers at UK Coal, in work hours, bonuses, and other issues. that called on working people "to speak out thorizing extended government powers to against the U.S. rulers' demagogic efforts, wiretap phone and computer communica in the name of preempting 'terrorism,' to tions and other attacks on constitutionally BY PETE CLIFFORD strate the continuing support for the strike rationalize restrictions on political rights" guaranteed rights. The U.S. govemment's ROSSINGTON, England-Miners at should the coal bosses attempt to lock and to oppose "the campaign by the U.S. chauvinist warmongering abroad and ha Rossington colliery in Yorkshire, now in the miners out. Skidmore said he was Continued on Page 14 rassment of immigrants at home has given their fifth week on strike, are preparing to confident the union would get another a green light for the recent wave of violent stand up to a lockout by UK Coal. A few vote for strike action. attacks on individuals from the Mideast and hundred coal miners gathered at the Min Skidmore said the NUM in the York South Asia. This includes the killing of an ers Welfare Hall August 17 to hear Na shire area had appealed for financial sup Workers and Indian man in Mesa, Arizona; a Pakistani tional Union of Mineworkers (NUM) port from miners at other pits. The bosses immigrant in Dallas, Texas; and an Egyp leader Arthur Scargill extend the support at the mines had taken down union leaf tian man in San Gabriel, California (see ar of the national union to the fight. Strike lets encouraging contributions to the youth snap ticles on pp.l 0-11 ). leader John Gibson reported in an inter Rossington support fund. "This will not John Goheen, a spokesman for the Na view that the 260 NUM striking miners stop us from winning support," he said, tional Guard Association, told the New York remain 100 percent solid. "because I'm confident about the feel up 'Militant,' Times that the government response to the Miners discussed out plans to advance ing of others out there." Donations have September 11 attacks "is a new kind of the fight and also to build up a solidarity arrived from branches of the Fire Bri homeland defense." fund that the union has launched. In an gades Union, the Amalgamated Engi attend foruiDs The Clinton administration established interview after the meeting striking miner neering and Electrical Union in Bristol, BY ROGER CALERO for the first time a North American com Chris Skidmore said, "Ifwe go back now and the public sector union UNISON. AND MAURICE WILLIAMS mand for the Pentagon, authorizing all we will be going back for nothing. I don't "The messages of support that come with "As soon as the Militant came off the press branches of the military to prepare for do- want to do that." He explained miners de these donations are as important as the cided to hold a second ballot to demon- Continued on Page 12 September 13 with the headline, 'Oppose Continued on Page 8 U.S. military assaults and curbs on demo cratic rights,' we hit the streets of the Gar ment District in New York," said socialist Books for working people and youth worker Dan Fein. "In five days, more than II 0 people bought copies of the Militant, fighting imperialism and its war drive 11 people purchased subscriptions, and two Capitalism's World Disorder more bought subscriptions to Perspectiva $2 01+ El(lf linE 10 :\'EW Mundial. We were determined to get out the Working-Class Politics at the Millennium 1J\J11.11: I \T' ,1.\'IJ 1 l'ER<;PH TH/1 truth about Washington's war drive. One by Jack Barnes person who bought a Militant subscription JUUNIH;Il.' ">UH<;( RIHI RS said she needed the Militant every week as The social devastation, police brutality, and military assaults the war pressures were going to be around Cuba and the Coming accelerating around us are the inevitable forces unleashed by for a while," he added. American Revolution capitalism~ But the future capitalism has in store can be changed Fein's remarks reflect the activities by the united struggle of workers and farmers conscious of their by Jack Barnes around the world where members of the power to transform the world. Available in French, English, and Spanish. Socialist Workers Party, the Young Social Discusses the struggles in the imperialist Special offer $20 (regular price $23.95) ists, members of the YS and Communist heartland and the example of Cuba that revo Leagues in other countries, and supporters Also by Jack Barnes Che Guevara 'llllks to lution is not only necessary-it can be made. Young People of the communist movement worldwide are Special offer $9 (regular price $10.95) The Changing Face of U.S. organizing a working-class campaign Special offer $12 (regular price against imperialism and war. They are reach Malcolm X Politics:working-Ciass Politics and $14.95) ing out to co-workers on the job and other 1aiks to Young the Unions Special offer $16 (regular Marxism and 'Ierrorism price $19.95) unionists, setting up literature tables in People by Leon Trotsky working-class districts, selling at plant gates Includes Malcolm X's and mine portals, more deeply involving The Working Class and the Whatever the intentions behind it, says condemnation of themselves in the struggles of workers and Transformation of Learning Trotsky, individual terrorism relegates farmers, and getting out to college campuses imperialist wars in the Special offer $1 with subscription the workers to the role of spectators Congo, Vietnam, and to engage in political discussions with stu (regular price $3) and opens the workers movement to dents. Socialist workers and YS members elsewhere. Special of provocation and intimidation. Special are also responding to the imperialist war fer $9 (regular price See directory on page 12 offer $1 with subscription (regu drive by deepening their own education and $10.95) lar price $3.50) Continued on Page 5 South African workers rally against privatizations - page 2 South Mrican strike Koreans march against U.S. war plans opposes Pretoria's plans to privatize BY T.J. FIGUEROA unionists. He later told reporters that the An August 29-30 national strike against reception he received was "rather vicious." plans to privatize some state-run industries The strike was supported by the South in South Africa saw sharpening public dif African Communist Party (SACP), South ferences emerge between the 2-million African National Civics Organization, Na member Congress of South African Trade tional Council ofTrade Unions, and student Unions (COSATU) and the governing Afri and other organizations. can National Congress (ANC). The results of the strike were themselves The privatization debate a subject of dispute, with COSATU officials The government plans to sell off enter stating that about 65 percent of the prises worth about $13 billion over the next workforce-about 5 million workers five to seven years, saying it needs to raise Riot police arrest participant in protest near U.S. embassy in Seoul, south Korea, stayed away from work, and that there had money, and that in private hands these enti September 17. The march, which was sponsored by 21 labor and other groups, also been a good turnout in rural areas. The ties will stimulate economic growth by opposed Washington's plans for military strikes. Organizers reported that U.S. SouthAfrican Chamber of Business, which boosting competitiveness. Those scheduled authorities barred South Korean servicemen from entering U.S. bases recently speaks for many major industrial employ for full or partial privatization include placed on alert. "Koreans are considered as a possible terrorist group and this is ers, estimated that only 37 percent struck.