wORGAN OF THE ANARCHIST BLACK CROSS ___ A/. AY 1978 Orga• , n oa»f thW e AnarchisK.4 *t Blaci k Crosy->, s
BRATACH DIJBH PAMPHLtTS Our declining deficit has been halted Our concert at the Conway Hall was very 'I'wo new pamphlets from Bratach Bubh chiefly because of the unexplained drop- badly attended (possibly due to snow in "Workers Autonomy" and "The Angry ping off in donations this year: we've the suburbs) - but thanks especially to Brigade" will be ready for distribution got more to pay out too (but it's some- Robbie and Sandra who worked like and sale as soon as they get the covers what balanced from sales to come in beavers to raise the cash ou1 of the from the printers. A third pamphlet from last issue - so don't forget a small audience, we broke even with a smaL1 "Armed Struggle" has been held up gifd) benefit for the Mutual Aid Project. However we have decided to make the owing to unforeseen difficulties, but Industrial Workers of the World, disco a monthly event. No charge for they hope to have it ready in the near 226 Emscote Road, Warwick. future. The new copy of the Industrial admission (but well ask for a donation "Workers' Autonomy" will sell for Unionist, No. 6, is now available for to whatever our current cause is, Black 30p (with 33% discount for groups and 4 x 7p stamps from the address above. Flag, Mutual Aid, Black Cross, prisoner bookshops). It contains four essays: 1) defence or whatever). Obviously we Anarchist Television. After Marx, Autonomy — Alfreddo need a meeting place for Black Flag Bonano. 2) Winkers'Autonomy: Sur- BBC2 showed the film of "La Cecilia" readers and a social get-together where passing Trade Unionism - The Comrades at peak viewing time one Saturday we can arrange other meetings is the best of Kronstadt Editions. 3 (Workers' night; and a week or so later presents idea we can think of. Councils, Self-Management & Develop- the play "Stargazy on Zummerdown". ment in Proletarian Autonomy - The It showed England in 300 years time, Start around 7 or 8. Conway Hall. Red Comrades of Kronstadt Editions. 4) the free society of Albion, where capita- Lion Square, London WC.l. (nearest Autonomous Movement of the Turin lism and war has been reduced to a tube, Holborn). Railway workers: Organisation of the country show once a year, when country Some of us feel that May Day is the one Autonomous Workers Nucleus - 'folk and townsfolk enact ancient rituals day when we need to tu~n up on the Autonomous Workers Movement, Turin. as a remembrance to the nightmare "official" parades and processions, not to "The Angry Brigade" is sold on the past. Folksy, but none the worse for show a presence but for the only chance same terms and price as the above that, with real libertarian humour. By to meet militants who represent contacts pamphlet, and contains communiques John Fletcher with music by David of many years' standing; however others and chronology. Fanshawe. feeljhat we should have something of "Anarchism & the National I ih?ra- Over a hundred people attended the our own. The London anarchist groups tion Struggle" has been reprinted and presentation of the work of Miguel last year held an enjoyable May Day will be ready shortly (15p). Hernandez on March 26, organised by picnic in South London; and propose Bratach Dubh, 83 Langside Terrace, the Aula de Literatura of the Ateneo to hold another this year in North Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Libertario (Centro Iberico) in London. London - Finsbury Park, May 1st. ORCA No. 2 (Given in Spanish). The young libertarians The second issue of Orca is now available associated with the Centro Iberico also Prisoners/Resistance Fund etc. from PO Box 478, Seattle, Washington rushed out a leaflet on the murder in a Balance c/fwd £23. 12. SS (Guam) £13.60; I.M. (London) £5.00; {)til\\ USA for $3.00 or whatever \u Spanish jail of Agustin Rueda, especially can afford, but cash only, please. The calling attention to the abuse of language Birmingham £30; Concert £4.30; S.B. second issue is primarily concerned with in the Spanish press - headlines stating (Cosham) £4; Manchester M.N. £5; the continuing struggle of The George soberly "Ten prison functionaries total: £61.90. Jackson Brigade, but there is also some responsible for the death of a prisoner in Earmarked: £5 (radios) £52 (Mutual Aid material relevant to the anti-nuke move- Carabanchel" contrasting with "Vile project) £2 Greece, total £59. ment in the States. (The George Jackson murder ol the director of prisons." New balance £26. 02. Brigade is the only urban guerrilla group PROTEST AT TORNllSS7" Box 1BC, 341 Glossop Road, Sheffield 10 actively operating in the US today I. Torness, jsut 30 miles from Edinburgh, The above is the address of the Sheffield State of Play at March 28. 1978. is the site for Britain's next nuclear Black Cross Secretariat. There shall not Black Rag power station. SCRAM is co-ordinating be as yet a definite group associated. Ps inung costs since Jan.217. 16 a weekend of action there on MAY 6th & Activities shall be entered into as they Postage 68.29 7th 1978 to protest against the proposed wish by comrades here. The secretariat Literature bought 15. 50 expansion of nuclear power at Torness shall simply provide information, 300. 95 and elsewhere. Assemble in Dunbar May encouragement. Linked to this shall be Sales and subs 100. 55 6th at mid-day; March to Torness, Mass the Initiative Appeal Fund which shall Donations* 15.00 rally on site. provide some cash for prisoners. Royalties 2.75 Can you: organise publicity and transport from your area? Bring alterna- Published by Black Flag Group. 118.07 tive technology entertainment etc? Printed by Anarchy Collective. deficit 182.88 Bring your own tents, food etc? Raise Subs £4.00 per 12 issues (home). deficit c/fwU29A14_ funds to support the rally? Canada/Australia/NZ (airiiv.i!) £7.25, deficit £1477.02 For further information please US SI4. 50. * Huddersfield: M.A. £5, Warwick, Meet- contact SCRAM, 2a Ainslie Place, Black Flaa. Over The Water, Sanday, ing £10-£15. Edinburgh 3, tei: 031-225-7752. Orkney KW17 2BL. THE T.U.C It is no! considered very revolutionary to dabble in the affairs of the Labour in want of overall control by the Govern- :.:>•„• )o talk about abolishing the House Party, by which the leadership of both ment, or if need be. in addition to it. .if I ,>nis (though still nothing is done have managed to sell out the working There is not one capitalist in the land of about it and it passes into a picturesque class. Not one body of workers is left any importance — O.K., I know about s >nival with teeth), hven the royal that has generally a good word to say the off eccentric like Ward of Grunwick's ' cnily have contemplated with apparent for the way in which they have been who will want to see the TUC vanish equanimity the abolition of the monarchy treated by middle-class Socialists entering into limbo. Most employers with high ("if it has to go, let it go without f'tiss" into union affairs or working-class Trade stakes at risk wnat the union, to curb said Philip). But few are prepared to Unionists entering into government affairs. the militants. He wants there to be an '"•t the Trade Union Congress go without Yet the TUC is treated as immutable, overall policy to curb the unions in turn. a fuss. Yet it has outlived its functions beyond criticism, something basic to the He wants there to be a Government as much as the Lords or the Monarchy. fabric of national life (like the monarchy, policy, worked out with his own repre- Those functions were always concerned like the House of Lords). sentatives, to curb the TUC. Otherwise, with the establishment of authority and Abolition is not a difficult matter. It he would be "faced with anarchy." Let ., -re against the people, though at times iff|uh,.s no legislation. Though the TUC him be so faced. ::iey nuy nave appeared a Icsstr evil. to legislation it is still a voluntary As was seen from the If these institutions now survive it is I that is required is for unions the TUC serves no purpose of solidarity. Jifrji.'ie the) car. act against the people-. to disaffiliate. Disgust with the way in It unites the leadership of the unions. The purpose of the TUC was to unite which money matters have been handled not the workers. It is an instrument of unions against employers who were also with contempt by the ruling class can be government and if the government want united, and bring aid to unions oattling expressed not only by demands to end such a body, let them have the odium of on their own. Did they ever do this? the political levy to the Labour Party but That was what 1926 was all about: the also to end the tie-up with the TUC. The workers have no need of the TUC. Unlike other countries where miners appealcu for solidarity, the Militants within the unions do not Government imposed a general lock there are several trade union centres raise these issues in fear of want of providing competition and (sometimes) out when the printers declined to set support. They know full well there will an jnti-mm A editorial, and the strike an alternative, there is only the TUC. It be as massive support at the bottom as is a monopoly which gives nothing but was on. The TUCnegotiated during the there will be obstinate opposition at the strike to end it. They did not help to control. It has power but once the top. It is because they fear that this is workers opt for disaffiliation, it will save it. In the finish they left the miners something that will please the Conserva- to carry on alone until they were utterly vanish. tives as such who haven't the backing to Why feed a watchdog that bites defeated (with disastrous consequences oppose the political levy to the Labour not only to the miners at the time bit only its owner? So far as the workers Party and haven't tlic guts to demand are concerned, they should urge disat'tili- to the whole national economy today). the dissolution of the TUC'. What happens now is that big business ation. The TUC has no purpose but Yet will it please tin; employers as - straint, no policy but time-serving of and monopoly employers enter into a such? Time and again the Conservative dialogue with the corporate unions repre- ohicials. no structure I > the co-ordina- 1'arty is ideologically constrained to say •ion of h'.reaucracy. The sooner it goes, sented by the TUC, and the States things that we all know in practice they intervenes in this dialogue. This is the t'.e nooru1-- it will be possible.for bodies have no intention whatever of doing. of workers determined enough to do so stuff of social democracy, Tory "practical" The employers all want the TUC despera- capitalism and fascism alike. to take control of then own unions. -,-* tely. They want the unions to be subject Away with it! "Why cumbreth it the I'hrouuh the TUC the unions aic .ible to tVie tight control -vuvidcd by the TUC land'"'
A tunnel was discovered leading out prison, and various prisoners were "interrogated" in connection with it. Thousands of people attended the funeral the same interrogations. Among that group of prisoners was the of a young anarchist trade union organiser, MADRID MURDER young CN'T member, Agustin Rueda. who was beaten to death by guards in The evil that Franco did survives him. The After being beaten and tortured he was Madrid's Carabanchel prison, on March 13th. system goes on notwithstanding the taken to the cells. He asked for medical Augustin Rueda Sierra was beaten up by pretence, and even the attempts at attention but was refused it; and at 11.30 ten warders who were investigating the reform and greater opennes in public that night, he died. discovery of an escape tunnel. expression. The same people run the Ten prison functionaries were accused Augustin, who was only 25, was buried prisons with the same mentality; the of the murder by lawyers acting lor the in his home town of Salients, a week after same prison directors; the same police prisoners; and the sinister fact appeared his murder. The CNT, of which he was an and the same Guardia Civil outside; the that Rueda was left to die in the condem- active member, called a general strike in the same Governors. ned cell, suggesting premeditated murder .' ••a. and has demanded the resignation of This explains the behaviour of the by the guards. the h'U'ri.n Minister. The Governor of guards in Carabanchel prison, that notor- The CNT immediately called a demon- Carabanchel jail, and two other senior ious peniteniary in Madrid, where as the stration against the prison officials officials have already been sacked, and the result of torture and ill-treatment, our concerned. 10 warders suspended without pay. At comrade Agustin Rueda Sierra died the Within a few days the Director 7 other prisoners were beaten during other week. General of Prisons, senor Jesus Haddad,
1 was shot dead by gunmen from the In the swoop upon the libertarian mvoe- GRAFO. The GRAPO is one of those ment — instigated by the political parties shadowy groups on the fringe of the d vertical trade unions, jealous of the Maoists, its intentions being to act T — made by the police, there have always 'in advance' of the anarchists, been 250 arrests in Madrid and 177 in presenting a picture of greater military Barcelona alone. Among them are four preparedness. They are generally French Anarchists. Isabelle Loeb, Victor denounced by other Maoists: while the Simal, Oscar Magro and Bernard Pensiot. Anarchists cannot (in logic - some do) In a shameful attack on them by the criticise them for these activities, their Paris journal I,e Matin — always anxious aim is to try to steal the anarchistr.' to throw French resistance fighters to thunder and so make a bid for "working the wolves — they are actually alleged class leadership." The CNT disclaimed the to be associated with* the notorious shooting of Haddad, which may have Intelligence agent "Carlos.'" All were been in retaliation for the killing of therefore tortured by the Spanish police to make them "confess" a crime which lies directly at the door of Le Matin. (Do you wonder why, in Italy, the Red Brigades, in imitation of the IRA, knee- cap certain journalists?) The armed struggle has now become indelibly associated with the so-called autonomous groups (Anarchists: not to be confused with the dissident Maoist GRAPO also associated with the armed struggle) they are fighting against the same Guardia Civil, the same secret police, the same prison system and guards, the same military forces, that made up the Franco repression. Almost all the political prisoners in I'll.e bodv of Agustin Rueda (above): Maria Ruecla Sierra. Ins sister, who told reporters hi mirdered. Spain now are members of the CNT; the anarclvsts and the 'ordinary' Rueda (or may have Been because one cret police off duty organisation AAA united in COPEL the escapers was a Maoist). Triple A) tried to carry out a dynamite ners' organisation that is struggling In "retaliation" for the shooting of attack on the workers' centre the CNT for amnesty for all prisoners convicted Haddad, the notorious fascists gunmen/ local in Madrid. under the Franco regime. Miguel Garcia France — Stop Press bomb which exploded in Montpelier windows in nearby houses. Anarchist Group claims attack in France. prison yesterday. In a communique issued a few hours The Grupo Autonomo Agustin Ruedo The bomb, which exploded early on later the GAL claimed responsibility and (the name of the young Spanish anarchist a Saturday niorniiif. was a powerful one demanded th." release of various militants murdered two weeks ago in Carabanchel which destroyed a considerable part of of the groups arrested in Madrid and IVIP i clai ned responsibility for the the main prison entrance and broke Barcelona. LORENZO -.iturday 13th May will be KOMBOA consciousness to such an extend that I • '\Y. It is hoped that the weekend don't know what was going on at the riday, Saturday and Sunday (12-14 trial, and the next thing I knew the May I will be a time for international jury said "Guilty". But the whole (I'.-monstrations demanding Komboa's thing is that the Judge, United States .•least. Komboa has paid enough for Attorney, and my State-appo'nted .imposing the slaughter in Vietnam - attorneys were fully aware of my "doped- .elease him NOW! up" condition, but they deliberately The world mus! demand the release of allowed the trial to be held anyway. To •J'is anarchist fighter. add-to this obvious injustice, th? attorneys In his latest letter to us Lorenzo adds: appointed to represent me were totally To make absolutely sure that I did incompetent, unconcerned and unco- lot have a chance to fight against the operative; they actually collaborated charges filed against me, I was beaten with the government in covering up the and placed under the influence of sedative facts of my torture and kidnapping by drugs (Thorazine) which were forcibly government agents, and helped to quietly adminsitered to me by jail guards at convict me. Over my strenuous objections the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, and taking advantage of my drug-induced Georgia, where I had been confined confused state, these attorneys asserted awaiting trial. The drugs clouded my an "insanity" defence to the charges, stating that I was "temporarily insane" It is thought by those brothers and To me and those who know better, at the time of the "crime." They did sisters who are starting the project that especially those libertarian communist this so as to stigmatise anything 1 might this might be also an organisation for revolutionaries, it is our responsibility to say, no matter how shocking, as the the propagation of libertarian communist propagate and struggle to make the truth "ravings of a madman." Thus no one views in the African revolution too. Our know. The future is anarchist." would believe me when I told them my comrade Lorenzo Komboa Ervin - now Lorenzo is typical of many young story, until years later, when the CIA and in his ninth year of imprisonment for revolutionaries who went into action FBI admitted such crimes. "war cromes" -- i.e. opposing the Vietnam thinking on Marxist-Leninist; or Third In solidarity, War writes: Lorenzo Komboa Ervin. World lines, but who have become "Right now, as you know, Marxian anarchists as a result of their experiences No. 18759- 175, "State Communism" predominates in in struggle and in jail. These range through P.O. Box 1000, the African Revolution (and in fact many nations and the number is now Marion, II. 62959, USA. the whole anti-colonial/anti-racist, anti- formidable. The project of an inter- iinperiaist struggle world-wide!) This is national black tevolutionary organisation because libertarian communism has not is historic. It is not the first black 7 HE BLACK been consistently and properly propagated Anarchist movement. But in a previous to the oppressed masses of Africa, Asia, generation black revolutionaries thought STRUGGLE Latin America and Oceania (or even that as we are opposed to nationalism An effort is to be made by Black anarchists Europe and N. America for that matter!) they should make nothing of their origins. to form an International black organisa- State "Communism" has really been It was quite unknown, for instance, that tion against racism, colonialism and unopposed, and actually adopted for Lucy Parsons was black, or mostly so. Imperialism. "It may not be called that, want or knowledge of any alternative. Thsu such movements that did arise but that will be the function." Such a As a result people look upon the regimes had no special significance other than group could also be used to support in China, Russia or Cuba as "communist as yet another anarchist group; the Black black political prisoners of whom there workers' states." They don't know what workers passed them over thinking them are many in the States - and who have true communism is and thus react very just a variation on the socialist movement. the example of Martin Sostre before negatively to anarchist communism, They were ideologically correct, but them, showing them that it is possible to the other hand some react negatively t< they made no impact. Now, Black win out sometimes despite the opposing the very idea of communism, thanks to militants realise it is necessary that Bl forces. the State dictatorships of the Stalinists. workers understand their identity.
W£-. The Rhodesian settlement plan signed uneasily supporting the Patriotic Front hierarchy. in Salisbury on 3rd March by Ndabaningi that Mugabe and Nkomo claim to lead, L'.'t us just take a look at the settlers' Sithole, Bishop Muzorewa, Chief Chirau noting that moves in the right direction plan in some detail: Among the matters and Ian Smith is a classic document in have been made. They are really just a>'.r?ed are the following: 1. The neocolonialism. The 'Guardian' finds waiting for the right time to give their ; [dependence and qualifications of the only minor criticisms of the plan and assent to the deal. Perhaps if Nkomo and judiciary will be entrenched and judges considers: "as a set of constitutional his aide Josiah Chinamano are brought will have security 01" tenure. 2. The proposals it is perfectly proper." (4.3.78). into the settlement plan and the number Public Services Board will have security Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe, of white MPs guaranteed is cut from 28 of tenure and will be responsible for representing themselves as speaking on to 20 (and can block changes in the appointments to, promotions in, and behalf of the guerrillas fighting the constitution of consequence for six discharges from, the public service. 3. Rhodesian armed forces, reject the instead often years) then the whole There will be protection from depriva- settlement - the main reason being one package will be tied up for acceptance tion of property unless adequate suspects that their own names are absent by the Organisation of African Unity, compensation is paid promptly. 4. from the proposals. the United Nations and the rest. Buying Pension rights will be protected. As things stand Nkomo has been out- off Mugabe would then be fairly easy. It is doubtful whether a recent manoeuvred by the African nationalists Countless times the British Govern- Cinefuegos Press publication "Land and who compromised with Smith -- the ment has tried and failed to get Smith Liberty" providing the writings of 'Guardian' recalls "the new agreement to agree to the type of settlement agreed Ricardo Flores Magon as regards the exactly matches what Mr. Joshua in Salisbury - it should escape no ones Mexican Revolution, is likely to Nkomo said just over two years ago he attention that Sithole, Mu/urewa and influence those involved with deciding would demand at his negotiations with their negotiators have gained the settle- the future of Rhodesia, but at least we Mr. Smith: that is, a guarantee of ment where Britain has failed. There ourselves can use Magon's writings ru'.jority rule at the end of the transitional may be economic considerations in the effectively with relation to Rhodesia. and a government based on timing agreed by Smith, the fact remains Take this sample: "Violence was the rule in the meantime." however that the Rhodesian settlers origin of private property in the land, Britain and the United States have have managed to pull off a settlement and by violence it has been upheld to been yet again made to look foolish by that changes no fundamental privilege our own days .... Private property in Smith. These two governments are left in that country for an established land is based on crime and, by that very 3 fact, is an immoral institution ... For To Magon: "To shed jlood only to (>f oppression remain — their pensions, its protection there have become necessary place in power another robber who the gifts of the robbers to their servants, the army, the judiciary, parliament, oppresses the people is nothing but a are guaranteed. Above all, however, police, the prison, the scaffold, the crime." He urges: "Crush by action the there will be protection of private church, the government and a swarm so-called right of property but not so property — and if it should have to be of employers and donres." How exact that you shall possess yourselves abandoned "adequate compensation" is that description of what has happened individually with that which your masters should be "promptly paid" - whith in Rhodesia during the last century - have now, since then you will convert those judges and civil servants having there, in the words of Magon "the Earth yourself into a master, you will oppress security of tenure that would seem to has been divided up among a few bandits your brothers .... The land which is he assured! who appropriated it by force, or among to be taken away from the bourgeois, Thus the settlers have a settlement in the descendants of those bandits, who ought not to be for yoiialoipynQt for a.J their interests with compliant African have come into possession through the few, but for all without distinction of nationalists. One wonders whether the so-called right of inheritance." sex ..." African guerrillas are sufficiently aware The main message of Magon is one So in Rhodesia in the settlement plan of the meaningfulness of expropriation that the whole Third World needs to the judges who supported Smith in his in their social struggle — yet now, if listen to:— political revolution does not rebellion, who cravenly supported the they have any basis for continuing to be encompass economic revolution. imposition of the death sentence on taken seriously it is the take over of the Political change is everywhere taking countless defenceless people — those land they need to plan for. Too often place in Africa, economic change — in whose number and name have never they are fighting by frightening the the way in which people relate to each been made publicly known — these African population — they need to realise other at work - is rare. Political liberty judges are to remain. There is no justice that it is time for the African people of requires economic liberty to be effective. there and Smith and his supporters must Zimbabwe to exert their strength by When the rich enjoy economic liberty. have only satisfaction in this, the civil organising for the liberation of the land. they alone 1 XW. THE STORY OF AN AF and-order." Due to their particular PRISONER OF functiona nd brutal conduct in our ';cliniiB«ity,-the name "Pig" aptly characterises them. We perceive them to be an occupying army in our community, and the Black community to be a Colony. poor people in general throughout the They are garrisoned in the Black colony world can attain their liberty. Black to suppress rebellion, protect the coloniser's SPEAKS people in the USA seek political and property and to intimidate Black and poor economic independence, and thus once people in general. The police and the Herman Bell is a 30-year old Black and for all to rid themselves of US American criminal (injustice system political prisoner-of-war, at the Marion imperialism in the form of colonial functions to maintain existing unjust Federal Penitentiary in Marion. Illinois. domination of the Black nations. societal arrangements between the "haves He is serving what amounts to a Life Again like the old Panthers, we seek •ind Have nots", the ruling class capitalists term in prison for his activities in the community control of our neighbourhoods, and the working class. Black Liberation Movement. Like the at the same time to rid ourselves of the In this light, the charge of Federal SLA or the RAF many pf the Black parasites who grow sleek and fat off Bank Robbery against me takes on a Panther movement are coming to anarchism in jail. He states: the exploitation of our people, the under and deeper meaning, for we of ) " -. ••". • ' ' t i i •> I j : • f' • capitalist merchant who takes everything the Ulack Liberation Army are determine,; "To begin, firstly, I am a member of of value from our communities and gives to ricl our community of all parasites the Black Liberation Army, and due to back nothing in return, and this reducing and "gobbling elements" who live off the violent repression of the Black our people to beggars and our community the people and produce nothing, by anj Panther Party, brought on by the concerted to an unfit and undesirable place to live. means necessary, including the armed efforts of State and federal Government Moreover, this warped economic seizure and expropriation of their illegally officials, well, for all practical purposes relationship is the source of unbearable gotten capital. The Black Liberation and intent the Black Panther Party was misery and hardship for Black people, Army waged war against the Capitalist destroyed, and m consequence the Black of which results most noticeably in state, using urban guerrilla warfare. Liberation Army emerged as an offshoot Black-on-Black crimes and the prostitu- During this war main comrades were of the B.P.P, you might say that the old tion of our women. Other prominent killed or captured as a result of the Panthers were reborn again. The Black features of this warped colonial economy government counter-insurgency campaign Liberation Army's political line is much is: substandard housing, poor health Many other comrades were forced to go like that of the old Panther Party. care, inadequate educational facilities, underground. Characteristically the BLA is a military coupled with chronic unemployment, etc., I was captured in New Orleans. and political front. We are military in which creates unsafe, undesirable and Louisiana on September 2, 1973, based the sense of practising community self- unacceptable conditions of life in the upon a fugitive warrant charging me vith defence against racist or colonial police Black colony. But the most dangerous Bank Robbery and the assassination of attack against Black people, and in element in our community is the colonial two New York City colonial policemen. addition, we recognise armed struggle police force, who patrol our community I had been underground, and it was only to be the sole means whereby Black and in the name of white capitalist "law- as a result of the most brutal torture 4 inflkte'l um>n ti TO:': of nv captured comrades in the New Orleans police hung jury (mistrial); they simply refused headquarters, that led to my capture. to convict, and therefore "Round 2" The French The New .Orleans Police Department, was in the making. Meanwhile I was Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shipped to San Francisco, California to Elections face a Bank Robbery charge there. The Elections and the Real Situation in New York City Police Department, and France - March 1978. the San Francisco Police Department Upon my appearnace in federal court all had taken part in the capture and for Bank Robbery, I was offered a 15 year We are not going to repeat here the torture of my comrades, and thus guilty plea "bargain" by the US Attorney anarchist arguments against elections. learned of my whereabouts. Let me who threatened me with the maximum of Let us just say that the number of years tell you something: physical torture is 25 years in prison if I didn't accept. My that passes from one constitution to the a painful thing in itself, but more so when reply was for him to "get 12 jurors and next makes the constitutions useless: a "cattle prod" is introduced to your come on with it." They did, and went imagine a car being serviced only once genitals to give them an electrical shock, one further by installing a "Black" juror every 4, 5 or 7 years; also the laws and and to have your penis pricked with a in the box to show they were not being decrees are so complicated that the (sewing'heedle time and time again, is racist; the remaining jurors being White government can completely block truly inhuman. And then can you imagine and of middle class background. The every parliamentary or municipal action a slimy sack being put over your head Prosecutor also bent over c'ouble to by refusing or delaying the granting of and tied around your neck, and on top give the appearance of being "fair." But credits. All this is apart from the com- of that, having a foreign object forcibly after three years of eluding my captors, plete and utter lack of control and the stuck down your throat to induce facts and faces about the case had become fact that it is impossible for the electors vomiting, coupled with brutal beatings bleary to the government witnesses, there- to recall the elected. Thus, whether for a solid week? Well, this is just part fore upon my appearance in the court- you are for or against elections in theory, of what "law enforcement" officials room, the Prosecutor had all of his the present system is ineffective, useless. subjected my comrades to in the police witnesses sitting in the back row of the In the case of France, it's a farce: the headquarters in New Orleans, just to courtroom, thus, making absolutely sure basic problems never come up. find out where I was staying. that they would identify me as the robber. It could be said in objection to this Upon my capture, I was rushed to Naturally I was convicted and sentended that the ecological candidates have a police headquarters for interrogation; it's to 25 years in federal prison after such a part to play, as does the weight exercised pointless and would be repetitious to "fair trial." By the time this railroading by the anti-nuclear partisans and the repeat what happened to me there, but in federal court was over, the New York feminist groups. This would be true if I'll just say that my torture even exceeded City authorities were awaiting my they presented a complete and thorough that of my comrades in its savagery. How presence to start anew more "courtroom analysis of exploitation in French econo- thrilled they were to put their hands on roulette." mic and political life, but no group to my me! Along with my two BLA comrades, knowledge is proposing this. And thus Eventually I was kidnapped from the Albert Washington and Anthony Bottom, all the political groups, from anarchists New Orleans jail and brought to New we were convicted of assassinating to fascists, are united to put the workers York City by federal Marshalls, in Patrolmen Jones and Piagentini, and each to sleep and to make them forget their blatant defiance of my so-called sentenced to two 25-year life prison responsibility. Constitutional Right to an extradition terms, with the added stipulation that There are three principal elements that hearing. In New York, I was indicted we were not to be eligible for parole until prsvent the French economy bogging for the assassination of patrolmen Waverly we had fully served 20 calendar years in down and sinking out of sight. Jones and Joseph Piagentini, two brutal prison! We had been convicted amid 1. Exploitation of the ex-colonies in colonial policemen assigned to the Black a lynch mob atmosphere in New York; Africa. All these colonies are now community. The Prosecution was in its the Rockefeller-controlled press screamed independent, but they all have puppet glory. It seems that while the cops were for the "death of the BLA" and eternal governments and depend.directly on out looking for me, the Prosecutor had imprisonment for all us "mad dog cop the French embassies, who organise the been given a blank cheque to set up in killers" and "terrorists." They hoped to pillage of raw materials, helped by the grand style his three star witnesses - make the people, and especially Black cooperative military police and professors. paid informers, who, incidentally had people, think that we would just attack Furthermore, very often, France uses been on his payroll for over three years. anyone blindly, rather than just the Pigs these ex-colonies as a reserve labour They were professional witnesses, and who are in control of our oppression, and power and as a source for agricultural the bill for their services, even the those who do their dirty work as soldiers products (pineapples, coffee, cucumbers prosecutor will admit, was in excess of likes Jones and Pingentini. etc). $400,000.00. With such sigh-priced If you would like to help or would We can measure the size of the profit witnesses, a stacked jury selection box like more information write to: by the extent of the territory controlled: and a judge in the Prosecutor's corner, Audrey A. Myers, Director, 7 million 776,000 sq. km., with a it wasn't the question of whether there i»fational Committee to Support The population of 52 million people. This would be a conviction, but rather how Marion Brothers (NCSMB) consists of the following countries: soon it was to be done\, fortunately, 4556A Oakland, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Dahomey (or on the jury sat a few brave, honest souls, St. Louis, Mo. 63110. Benin), Gabon, Upper Volta, Madagascar who refused to be swayed by the crocodile and Mali, Mauretania, Niger, Central African Republic, Senegal, Chad, Togo and the tears and fake lament of the police Yuri Kochiyama ex-Territory of the Afars and Issas. All department, or be deceived by their high- National Committee for the Defense of these states depend directly on the French priced liars, even though the Prosecutor Political Prisoners (NCDDP) Ministry of Defence, and one can judge had a silver tongue and his informants P.O. Box 1184 the benefits of French aid from two gave the impression of having been "born Harlem, N.Y. 10027. to the job." Thanks to our jurors' characteristics: (a) for example Upper Volta. Mali and Chad are among the Israel etc. present minimum wage, and equally poorest countries in the world; (b) the 3. Since the limitation on the entry wage for studying between the ages of dictatorships where prisoners disappear, of foreign labour power (1972) the 14 and 24, based on the minimum wage, among other delights: Dahomey, Gabon, foreign workers (two million, with their which could be renewed depending on Madagascar. Mauretania, Niger, Central families four million > are a compensation the results at school (controlled by African Republic. Chad. Togo (the other for the development of unemployment. parents' representatives). Or a twenty countries are a shade more liberal). The tendency is more and more to have hour week with two months paid We can add also 113,000 sq. km., and a specialised French workers instead of holiday. million inhabitants in the colonies foreigners. Besides this, the appeal to And the crisis? disguised as a part of France: Guadaloupe, manual work and the selective national In fact this question implies a series Guyana, Martinique and New Caledonia. education policy clearly have the purpose of positions of the type "the degraded We can notice also the strong influence of supplying future workers for France. masses will wake up" or "revolutionaries on Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia Exploitation of Blacks, selling arms to will only have to revolutionise." (especially Morocco), *uh 16 million fascists, and foreign workers to be In my opinion we must get it into inhabitants and 447,000 sq. km. progressively got rid of: such is the basis our heads that there is no possibility of if we compare the satelites of France of the standard of life that we have. a sudden crisis because the blocs of the with those of the USSR, one finds that France is thus much more Nazi econo- East and the West (including China) have Russia only controls 1,012,000 sq. km., mically than West Germany which terror- economies that are more and more in Europe with 105 million inhabitants ist groups like the RAF and Baader are enmeshed and imitative (consumption in (East Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, fighting. some being exchanged foi repression in Rumania, Poland and Czechoslovakia). What action can we take? others). On the other hand the so-called 2. This policy of domination originates Firstly, to lead towards a raising of neutral countries are satellites in as in France's military power and her role consciousness by demanding the shut- much as their developments and move- as an arms merchant: the third exporter down of the arms factories and their ments from one camp to the other pro- of arms in the world, corresponding to transformation into products and duce changes in the blocs (raising the cost seven per cent of national exports and installations that would be useful for a of raw materials, sales of arms for 270,000 jobs. long time. That is certainly impossible example). On the surface, the position of the from a capitalist point of view, but it is The crisis is much more probable as arms industry is not so very important, morally just and it is interesting to make a saturation of the artificial conditions of but there are two important implications, the bosses and their numerous allies life. That is why a complete and thorough political and economic. clearly state their aims. analysis, accompanied by a series of Economically, it must be pointed out One could also think about refusing propositions, is important, to the extent that arms production touches all the to transport all ; — „ . _ -T3T f_2 ~i~ r1? jf — -i -^^rj ^ ^»i. . ~_ .. ' -^"- - ~-"CZ- ^ill" -'jg~^—""""- that it should make reactions to exploita- rucial sectors: aeronautics, which works with sabotage groups and support to the tion more violent. principally for the armed forces and whose groups of Africans and foreigners againnsst But this violence, so as not to be lost remaining material can also be used for exploitation in their countries. in the rush forwards and in the refusal armaments; telecommunications and From an apparently concrete point of to analyse its own effectiveness, must electronics; the car and shipping view, one could propose a "reformist" be based on the elementary anarchist industries; various other sectors: LIP, programme which would be impossible structures: rotation; recall of delegates crating (of bombs) clothing etc. for the capitalists to implement, although by the groups that mandate them; and Politically, France sells to all dictator- apparently realisable: suppression of the these groups to be based on affinity in ships on the right (those on the left being nuclear and military industries. This order to limit the infiltration of police. supplied by the USSR): Chile, Argentina, would provide funds for a retirement iJui/il. /aire. South Africa. Lg\pt. Libya. age of 55. with a pension .;i double the Jean Chauvin. I The fall of Saifuddin is the most signifi- Greeks; the Germans used their own cracy was humiliated. It was used like cant factor in China's counter-revolution; national minorities. a prostitute and scorned for doing what it marks the end of Maoism as we know For forty years Saifuddip has been it was paid to do. Now since Mao's it. Whatever its internal policies, Peking the organiser of Mongolia and the death, the little bureuacrats creep out stood in the camp of something ill- Mohammedan countries adjacent to and take their revenge on Madame Mao defined as 'The Third World' (whatever China bringing these nations into line She wanted to be Empress! - not he the other two were). If it was with the Chinese "fatherland." Now he Emperor, not our beloved Tse-tung! She authoritarian, at least it preached anti- is disgraced. The policy is now discredited. was the parasite, the preacher of the imperialism. Saifuddin represented the It was all the fault of the 'Gang of Four'. wrong road, the one who messed up the most prominent of this so-called anti- These nations are trying to become 'little cultural revolution! "Burn the witch!" — imperialism which gradually changed kingdoms.' "Saifuddin's head must fall! but does not burning the widow remind mmjig'tb being the support of jirtectol Down with the Gang of Four! One China!" one more of India, of the practice of nationalism. This is not internationalism. During his lifetime, Chairman Mao suttee? Every imperialist nation has had its embodied in himself the roles of Stalin The Owe of Fang favoured 'little nations' or oppressed and Trotsky. He learned from history: Behind the seemingly crazy charade nationalities whom an opposing he played the Stalinist dictator and the played by the new rulers of China, like imperialism invaded or suppressed at its Trotskyist critic of the bureaucracy. The a sick comedy in which bad actors throw peril. The English used the Armenians Party suffered for its Stalinist policies heated exchanges from a ham script at against Turkey; the Russians used the while carrying them out. The bureau- one another — "Who cheated our beloved 6 chairman at cards?"; "Who played jazz In China itself, of course, it benefits tunes while our beloved chairman was those in ruling positions, the officers of dying9" — lies not just a struggle for the nation's army - that is to say, the power but a recession by China into State bureaucrats, the rule for its own sake to maintain its functionaries. Its communism is but a different form of exploitation from that of capitalism. Ail are working for the h ouf State and not for a private capitalist; but eS for all the good it does them, they might as well be making fortunes for capitalists engendered or imperialist invaders. The people are first by Mao himself, and then by his being exploited by a machine and the enemies in the saddle chasing his widow man who wound it up has died. as a devil effigy of his god self. But In the March 'China Reconstructs' outside China, why do people still reported in the English press the case of ' declare themselves Maoist? At a time Fang Yeh ling is given to illustrate the when Stalinism is rejected and spat upon judicial system. He is in no way was by all why do they resurrect it only prominent as the Gang of Four or the because of the burden placed upon them anti-imperialist Saifuddin. He was a by the required "anti-revisionism" factory worker who stole from a lorry. attendant upon being a Maoist? They are How was Fang treated in the revolutionaries, most of them - there are 'socialist' 'new' China? Be sure he was a few paid servants, not a few businessmen trembling when he faced a 'People's Court' Chairman Hua Kuo-feng delivers the cashing in on the Chinese trade by for had they decided it was wilful political report to the Eleventh National professing ideological sympathy, but Congress o/ the Communist Party of sabotage or high treason or had a political not all. Thy trouble to call themselves China. Maoist? motive, he could have lost his life. Even Maoism Without Mao a prison sentence could mean staying in The answer is saddening. for years or for ever; with an ideological Declared Prof. Han Yu-tung, deputy First there are the activists in Europe brainwashing that ensured he would director of the Law Institute of the and among some Black militants in the 'petition' the authorities to keep him in Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: USA and various "third world" nationa- for a further term, or 'confessing his "In order to suppress the enemy and lists who pick up Maoism because it faults' apply for his 'correction' in protect the people it is not yet possible seems to them that it is the 9nly way puson for indefinite years, hven 'adultery' to abolish capital punishment in China." of struggle. These people usually have leads many to spend years in prison cells One would have '.nought if in eight not heard of anarchism or know only or correctional training, (though what thousand years of the Chinese State it the caricature presented by the liberal i-oii?ction is supposed to mean in this was not yet possible to abolish capital pacifist variant. A great university context is all part of the sick humour of punishment, it never would be. Prof. industiy churns out the Marxist-Leninist Maoist jargon). Han held out hopes for the future, propaganda which services Maoism anioii!: Fang's judge — ordering him to face though . . . once a "stable situation for other doctrines; Anarchism is something his workmates and receive their criticism the socialist revolution" was ahcieved — tiiey read of in the newspapers but it (a neat trick which can make ones work- which Russia doesn't seem to have does not occur to them that it exists, or mates into enemies by obliging them to managed in sixty years but may within they see the variant, particularly in the sit in judgment or face judgment) — said the next 60,000. He was asked how it USA. Fang was a victim of the harmful could be justified. The reply was — need But secondly, there are the disillusioned influence of Mrs Mao's Gang of Four one say? — to quote Mousey Tongue: old militants. They go into Maoism who had to "create chaos, wilfully "those who owe blood debts should be because they see in it a chance to have violated revolutionary law and order, unhesitatingly sentendecfto death, like- that "success among the workers" which preached anarchism and incited people wise the traitors." they have been denied. Old-time Marxist to fighting, smashing things and grabbing For the rest, Prof. Han reiterated the militants, trade union fighters, shop everything they wanted". It is true that theme of dangerous revolutionaries, the stewards, perhaps formerly CP or Labour [evolutionary anarchism does question preservation of law and order and the leaders, they feel they have shot their the value of asking for bread when one danger of anarchy. No wonder Nixon bolt. They have struggleil and lost out in can take the bakery. This was the spectre and Thatcher are so popular in China! the material things of life for a revolution that the judges were trying in Fang's case. Yet why should Maoism be popular of which they now despair; and have the But his fellow workers said they would outside China among mil;"ants and further humiliation of seeing the workers. try to help him. The real culprits were, revolutionaries? What trace of any bias in alienation from Marxism, turn away they said — with the cynicism now preva- or favour to the workers is left even in from the left wing altogether. Where lent in China - the Gang of Four who the authoritarian communism of Maoism? some turn to domestic life and some had 'poisoned minds.' Fang said he had In what what other than its collectivism turn to drink, they turn to Maoism: an "fallen for the anarchism that the Gang — which in no way benefits the working old militant, with some footing in the of Four preached" and in return for his people - does it differ from law-and-order trade union movement, can always get a confession and the assurance given to conservatism? In what way does it differ footing in the bureaucracy, speaking in a 'help' him, he got a suspended sentence. from conservatism in its military and personal capacity and tour Albania or And this episode is only an illustrative penitentiary systems at all? Mao's social China itself to frenzied applause of "real" one. But does it not throw a lot of light system resembles any capitalist Army. masses accaliming the leader of the on China today0 And upon the spectre It is civilian militarism. But whom does revolutionary struggle in the imperialist of anarchism in Chin? in particular? it benefit? heartland .... Act out your fantasies 7 in China! The Russians have had the real told the "rest of the world will exists not just in China, but Britain, thing in foreign delegations — workers i follow our example" .... though Norway, USA . . . that it is more representatives to some extent for a long haps they mutter "poor fools" ... revolutionary than Trotskyism and .. jfajgte- Jjjj-jafcyilvfl:pi'JKit, generates its own factions more prolifi- lime and are not to be fooled; hut the What is a Maoist programme for Chinese are .... one supposes they cally (always a temptation to the Britain? It is not revolution they cons university industry) and provides a are, but indeed, the Party does not need hut the latest guided tours, the latest re.uiy made leadership — from the the real thing, it only wants a monkey on Party excursions to the "workers university industry — always a temptation a stick to dangle to their proletariat. If fatherland" .... Yet this farce it (ulas; to some workers. But.it is to tnese need be they will show a Norwegian itself on others; for meanwhile activists . keep C'liiiradei up to date with the must come up with hierarchical, Hireau- Redondo or a Camacho, both backed continually changing situation in Spain tised forms of organisation, eliminating by serious parties, signatories to the we are publishing a resume of the article* and for all, the : Contract." The plan of the Workers' published to date in the superbly produced isation." Commissions is ... "to capitalise on i.;.! stimulating and original Spams!' teport on Germany, their infiltration into the fascist anarchist journal Bicicleta which ca >uilding of the FAUD and the i vertical syndicates to secure a dominant be obtained fromt nuclear movement. "On the field of position among the leaders of the new, Ediciones, calle' armed violence the State has evcr> bureaucratic Social-contract style Madrid 2, Spain (1000 pesetas for 12 to gain. If resistance is possible, v unionism" ... "Once again the workers issues). The resume has been prepared find new and many-sided roads: anti- are being asked to delegate their for us by comrade Paul Sharkey. nuclear campaigns, anarcho-syndicalist autonomous decision making power reconstruction both show that such to smiling representatives promising Bicicleta No 2, December '77. roads do exist." the earth, who can be instantly integrated 'A report on the Spanish "Social Contract" The introduction to a series of view- into the power game of the parties, - "Once again the. Government has points, quotes, appeals, open letters an<5 employers and the State, with the strung along the trade union leaders the so on: "In a way reminiscent of the '. workers' assemblies reduced to mere same way it did earlier with the politicians syndicalists rejecting all ideological echo chambers whose function it is to of the so-called "opposition." definition but zealous in the cause of applaud or grumble, but without any Economic and strike news from Cadiz workers' autonomy, on the one hand, and real power to decide." CNT members art and Lmaret. the "faistas" distrustful of any heterodoxy torn between participating in the elections 'AtejJbrt firofa't CNT member of &K n in the old confederation which they aim at local level or boycotting as an organisa- recent strike by petrol pump attendants to protect. Thehx dti the other hand, we tion. Some argue that "affiliation to the n Barcelona. On the fourth day of the have a number of currents spawned by CN'I is the alternative to the elections." ,,rike the CC'.OO said, "Back to work!" the new Spanish reality who ask them- Those emphasising ihe local assemblies The few CC.OO members in the section selves and each other, inside the organisa- are prone to manipulation by FRAP, to tore up their membership cards and tion that has opened it doors to them: local chauvinism and so on. On the other membership in the ('NT (in the job "marxist plants"? Councillists? Anarcho- hand, those who dismiss them fail to section) rose to 90%. communisls? Who shall say? With this distinguish between imposed elections A report from a CNT member on a present dossier Bicic'eta \v. -.•--•iJi^ ,_ . '. , • "Certainly in the first years of a free "No doubt in the early stages of a W irrigates of Anarchy. . page 150. society, those consciously libertarian revolution it would b<- necessary, within The < meaning of the text would need to assert the defence, of clubs similar to those of ;'ic French _j^fy»- freedom by sacrificing those who would revolution, to prepare to strike down first two drav rule." those who would reintioduce repression.1 published in 'Authority' breach of convention - there was no These people are not terrorists. They breach os Islamic law, mctionary as it ate pillars of the establishment. The is, since the couple got married — murderers are not living in some other Prince Muhammad b'n Abdul Aziz, planet or at some other time. They are senior prince (passed over as king in j to be found at any time coming off favour of King Khaled because of his Heathrow Airport. They are not just drunken habits, which may be exaggera- desert patriarchs any longer. They are Blood and Oil ted in puritanical Saudi Arabia) had the bastions of the new ruling class here too. A particularly bizarre double murder, lady shot and her husband butchered. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an committed solely out of wounded pride, There is no other owrd to describe the artificial union between two countries has been committed by the senior prince execution — beheading by the sword was which came into being in 1932, largely of the Saudi royal family. It is sympto- done not by the trained executioner but owing to the intngues of international matic of the oppression in the country. by the prince's retainers who were not diplomacy and partly clue to the British But on this occasion it concerns members expert at the job and took a number of interest in the Wahhabite sect and Saudi of the family itself. clumsy strokes. dynasty which had been stimulated ever Princess Misha, aged 23, eloped with King Khaled has now forbidden since Col. T.E. Lawrence's incursion into the cousin of the Saudi Arabian unaccompanied women to travel abroad. Arab politics. ambassador in Beirut (whose name has Apparently he did not sanction the In effect the various countries that not been given in reports), when she execution but left it to Prince Muhammad now make up Saudi Arabia were handed studying in the Lebanon. In fury at to "avenge his honour." & 13 A SHORT Note: Corporate State ideas, that the . V)IW» JKpC2>y unions should hold elections to appoint delegates alongside the employers' delegates and form part of the State machinery, do not greatly differ from those of reformist State socialism. The anarcho-syndicalists entirely reject the idea. i WHERE ARE YOUR DELEGATES'' 1910-1936 There were no such thing as "union elections." The CNT (anarcho- syndicalists) rejected the idea totally and the UGT (socialist trade union) failed in the attempt to institute mixed commis- sions of employers and unions. tJ3 1936-1939 When the fascists rose, the workers joined forces, some to defend the republic (UGT) and others to defend the revolution (CNT). • 1936-1960 When Franco's government wanted to obtain credibility abroad, it tried in its last years to persuade the workers to elect workers delegates to take part in the economy. The two fi.-'l union centres then existing (CNT and UGT) resisted the blandishments to emerge from clandestinity and take part in these elections. !;;-i--J Jfett*.' M1 ; ;. ;>••-£•/": %• * : *» #*V-•>&&*&> &, '. i- '•.-'•' 1960 - 77 The Workers Commissions (CC.OO) and USD (former under the control of the Communsit Party and the latter opportunists) broke with the whole •f*.-" traditions of the workers movements and decided to go into the fascist unions and to get their delegates elected It had been hoped that with the fall of Franco the I- ascist.unions would be dissolved. But the CC.OO and USO gave them a certain respectability abroad and the Government was therefore able to keep them going without being accused in the Common Market of maintaining the old fascist unions. .—auydB^^V- V 1978 Now all the union centres support , .e old syndicates with the exception ot ;',e f'NT winch urges total abstention fioru the fascist unions and "no to union elections" (that is to say, to elections trom the unions to executives with power above the workers). Under the Mor.clcii ivt similar to the social contract and UK so-called guarantee of democracy exi-'i'ded in return for it — all the so-called union centres have bound the workers to 'he boss, except for the CNT which •-"ands out. (The boss is saying "Now we can get on with things." & And how did the farce of union elections (to the State) go'' 15% of tl.ose eligible to do so (and as the CC.OO got slightly ihe better of it, this was accounted in the foreign press as a great victory for the 1 communists). The parliamentary kc elections attracted a huge poii: absten- r*. tionism was difficult to preach when people thought it was a choice of I democracy v fascism; but the "union elections" were obvious for what they were. over practically as the personal property One can take a stroll down South law? of the ruling family. Just as after the Kensington or Mayfair and see how Yet not a word from those who Great War the Hashemite dynasty was many of their practices are passing into attack immigrants for the colour of their Jordan on a plate, Syrai and the Lebanon general acceptance and use — how long skin. On the contrary, they are happy were settled under French rule, and the before some of their rules for the to sell to Arabs — it's the colour of their Jewish National Home, as it was then treatment of offenders or women become monet that counts. called, established in Palestine, so finally was the majority of the Arab Peninsula handed over to the Saudi dynasty, following a series with other deals hand- 2.(RUSSIAN] ing territory to various sheikhs who would (it was hoped) co-operate with the oil business. But whereas in some Middle Eastern countries a pa;tiapatory basis for the new nation States were fixed — Point Counter Point forth, but ordinary Russian men and either in the form of British or F).--:.ch A congratulatory telegram to Alexei women. They believed and went to mandates or power sharing independent Nikolayevich Kosygin, Chairman of the hell alright, but I bet none of them Arab sovereignties in Saudi Arabia, as USSR Council of Ministers reads as thought hell was in the Omsk region! in some of the Trucial States, al! was follows: — Who is this Pimen anyway? He handed over (people included) as a present "1 send cordial greetings to you, deeply became Primate of the Russian Orthodox to one family. Lawrence greatly esteemed Alexei Nikolayevich . . . with Church on 3 June 1971, the feast of admired the patriarchal system of the all my heart .... dear Motherland . . . the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Arabs. His prejudices helped change Let me assure you . . . the Russian On his 6th anniversary this summer no history, and it may be to a staggering Orthodox Church .... support the Soviet doubt Pimen was embarrassed at the extent when the full implications of the Peace Fund . . . Alexei Nikolayevich the praise heaped on him by the Metropoli- last forty years are known. very best of health and every success . . . tans. Pimen must be adept at hiding his The enormous implications of oil have with deep respect X Pimen, Patriarch of true feelings because in his address he made the territory of Suadi Arabia rich Moscow and All Russia. 5 November certainly showed no modesty. beyond belief. But the gift kingdom 1Q76." The Orthodox Ch'urch, due only to as such has not even attained mediaeval And there is more yet. Kosygin's " the crushing humanity of the criminals standards of conduct though its owner's murdering boss. Leonid llyich Bre:'hnev. in the Kremlin, also prints Bibles. family ride in jets and Cadillacs. It is General Secretary of the Central Listen, comrade, the Bible was first ruled by the most outdated and reac- Committee of the CPSU gets the same translated into Russian in 1876 and tionary religious code in the world and sort of sycophantic praise: "Most then things went smoothly until 1912 interprets it so narrowly as to be vicious: esteemed Leonid llyich. Please accept when it was printed for the last time slavery is maintained because to assure our heartfelt congratulations and those until 1956, then again in 1970 an SOMETHING TO BE INQUIRED INTO. received, was banned much earlier. Later They put a lion that could not roar Desmond Keane. sentenced by the Special the ban was extended to all political The warders were the same. Criminal Court (Dublin) in July 1974, papers only because some of the prisoners The old stone lion was put away has nearly completed his sentence. Mean- made a fuss about not getting anarchist For that our kinsfolk bled while he has brought an action under papers. Desmond's application was based A harp of store that could not play Article 40 of the Republican Constitution upon not getting the '"Irish People". 'ibey put up instead, an application to show cause why he is Mr. Justice D'Arcy ruled that "in h this to be our final fate? being detained. (He was convicted solely view of the fact that the Minister did No use to fret or moan on the testimony of police who were not think to state what printed mattei We now fight for a workers state convicted in another case of framing should and should not be allowed in the iM,at we can call our own. evidence). Mr. Justice D'Arcy adjourned prison, he thought the matter should be The sickle will stand upon that door this case, but heard the contention of argued on a constitutional basis." He A hammer too, we claim; the prisoner that newspaper, articles, books decided that "there was something to be More work for the masons, and letteis were being stopped. inquired into." The warders are the same. The Governor contended that the There certainly is. There is no lack Anon. prisoner was not entitled to receive printed of propaganda entering the prison. The material as of right, whilst i-i custody; but "difficulties" only, arise when the Govern- Mor<« than ."0,000 people attended the Mr. Justice D'Arcy asked (according to ment, or the Governor, or even perhaps •jmi-nucloar ral!y ever held in Holland. the "Irish Times" 14th March) whether only his stooges, don't like what's said in which took place during the first week in "this did not fly in the teeth of a Supreme newspapers they don't approve of. This is a battle that was won in the USA. It March. Police armed with riot shields, Court judgment that a prisoner was with drawn batons and white helmets, entitled to all his constitutional rights has not yet been won in the United and backed by water cannon, protected except the right of liberty?" Mr Haugh Kingdom (see our article in last issue — the Urenco uranium enrichment plant submitted for the Minister that it would "Where the National Front Rules"). It i'owned oy Dutch German and British be a denia-1 of a legal right, not a constitu- must continue in every country; if it interests) from the demonstrators, nearly tional right. He pointed out that the does not, we can see the results in every one fifth of whom were from Germany. Governor at The Curragh had "difficulties" dictatorship. In scenes reminiscent of last year's because of the "inter-mingling of Lines carved into the wall at Limerick demonstrations at Kalkar, police stopped prisoners." The Governor (he said) Prison (some 30 or 40 years ago?) coaches taking demonstrators to the "admitted all periodicals until September demonstration, supposedly to look for last when, because of the amount of They put our patriot sisters here concealed weapons. printed matter entering the camp, he Who struggled to be free; directed certain restrictions." The tyrant's might imprisoned them This of course was a lie: Black Flag, Just like you and me. and most ot'vr anarchist literature we Upon the chained and padlocked door have sent Desmond, though originally That fronts this den of shame 21 The letters in the last issue were very We are all four still slammed down in interesting and thought provoking. We the most maximum security conditions all have something to contribute to California has to otter. 'I he department bringing about the social revolution, no of correction is still playing treacherous matter what kind of anarch'sts, liber- games with our lives. Since the incident tarians or sympathisers we are. I think at Folsom early last summer Joe has been it is possible, however, to talk so much of going back on it, and (let's be realistic) the object of numerous attacks set up x about revolution that you forget what a fair chance of doing some time in by the prison administration. Needless its all about in the end! Then, when a prison. Oh well, you may be more to say, the robots who run these places real opportunity presents itself we are optimistic than I am — I hope you are! I get really freaked out when confronted all far from ready to take advantage of only have enough courage to admit to with someone they can't institutionalise; it. To my way of thinking anyway, fear of the consequences of taking up and they have had many years of practice the^tybftlrtiut tfiff situation is to make the armed struggle. Times may change at trying to break people like us. Joe your own revolution hero and now! The however! Let us hope they do. and Russ both have been especially most obvious way of bringing this about In one letter it is said that \K is an 'esoteric cult.single' d1 wondeout for thhoew most dehumanising is armed struggle. If armed struggle proves treatment (t is safe to say that their to be ineffective, it is not because it many readers have tried applying for a spirit really aggravates these dogs. Emily is Vrong' but because the tactics employed s•u~* gun certificate. H****^* t 11 the only woman prisoner in the by those in it are'not right'. You have to ^shotgun too) and found it remarkably e State (possibly the whole country) understand what makes the enemy tick. easy to get. Just go along to the local who is kept in solitary confinement. And Our idea of solidarity is one based on police station and ask for an application I am still in San Ouentin's Adjustment love and the common ideal theirs is form — play it cool and you may just Centre ... a euphemism for Hole. San based on mutual selfishness ('stamping be pleasantly surprised. I have no Quentin has three different holes; Russ out terrorism' being the media phrase record, and live in a rural area, but it is is in the worst one which is also used for tor this) and keeping a firm grip on certainly wo:th a try — they can only say Death Row. Emily also is on Death Row what they hold — power over others and no. Shotguns are expensive to buy and at the women's prison. Neither Russ wealth. When one considers this one run however - cartridges are about £8 nor Emily have been technically (legally) can see why kidnapping is not really; for 100. A 5 shot auto (pump action condemned to death, but that doesn't very successful idea. When someone like shotgun) will set you back about £200. seem to matter to the Man. Basically, Schleyer is taken by the RAF. nobody A double-barreled about £150 and a single- their major paranoia revolves around not really gives a damn, except for obviously barreled about £50. It is nearly always wanting us in positions to communicate selfish reasons. The State puts on a bit much cheaper to go for a 2nd hand gun with large numbers of other prisoners. of a show, one or two steps are tak.-ii to however. The end of a 12 bore cartridge Our ideas, then, are considered a dire see it doesn't happen to any of them, and can be opened, the shot tipped out and threat to the security of their institutions. if and when the 'culprits' are caught. a couple of hefty ^h. inch steel ball Well, they may be fascists, but they ain't extreme measures are taken to discourage bearings put in their place. Those with stupid. Of course our ideas are threaten- anyone with similar ideas. Wouldn't it access to machine tools can make an ing ... They are a direct threat to the be a far better idea to say, simultaneously adaptor to fit a shotgun chamber for entire corrupt social order. So none of kill a dozen Schleyers, then make your virtually any calibre of bullet, but be this is particularly surprising. I must demands known with the ultimatum sure to use a good steel however, unless admit that these bureaucrats tend to to kill another dozen by a certain dead- you're a dedicated nihilist! Tb'ise are mystify bur abilities. They think so line. This way you can carry out your some of the (mainly "legal") alternatives lowly of most prisoners, when people threat on time and issue an ultimatum to possession of guns there must be lots like us come along who have had by 'for another dozen. This, I think, would of others. comparison lots of formal education and be far more likely to bring home to A final point about the Black Aid also are committed to the destruction thsoe in power that they were quite letter. It talks about "attacking the of the State, they tend to get a little likely to be next. This is just one State — where it is politically right to do hysterical. They fantasise we have some example of course, of bad tactics — so. I thought it was always right to mysterious metaphysical powers to another is plane hijacking. One of the attack the State. ;_'veat advantages of guerrilla warfare is its undermine the "order" of their kamps. ability to strike quickly and then retire Actually, they place too much emphasis to the safety of anonymous surroundings. Dear Comrades, on schooling, partly because many of This advantage is thrown away in a Nothing happening in the (il)legal the bureaucrats haven't had much them- hijacking - what could be more exposed arena. Joe and Russ are still anticipating selves. But regardless of the intolerable and vulnerable than a bevy of revolution- another crack at their murder frame-up conditions we find ourselves in, we're aries on a plane, in the middle of an ... no date for that as yet and it all in excellent spirits and very much on airfield! Well, that's just a couple of probably won't be in the near future. our guard. examples, but what I'm getting at is Emily and 1 have a tentative trial date Emily incidentally has totally that what people really mean when they for mid-July ... but we suspect it won't recovered from the affects of her hunger .•.'incise armed struggle is that it is really begin before the Fall. The wheels of strike. Some gains were made particu- bad or unsuccessful tactics that are at North American 'justice' are slightly larly in the area of propaganda and fault, not the idea of armed struggle chipped, and often don't roll at all, and the prison came oft looking very bad itself. when they do, regardless of how quick and reacted extremely defensively. A question of even greater pertinence you may be, they tend to drive right However, her situation has not improved is the personal one as to whether one over you. Emily and 1 are putting most in terms of the issue of isolation. In wishes to take up armed struggle or not. of our energy into preparing tor the circus fact in some way it has worsened ... a It is clearly a very important decision, ahead. If anything could bore me, this result of the administration's reaction for once taken there is not much chance case does. to looking bad in the media. Emily still 22 teels that her action was necessary and ol the Beast". We are still fighting like Dear Former Anarchist Comrades, that gains of a more personal nature hell (smile). This is to inform you that I have were made. I was just leading about the comrades revised my political thinldng and am no I received the (J.P. Review a coupie in Spain. I'm glad to see this sort of longer an anarchist. I ?,\n now a card- of months ago. As yet Emily has not action going on around the world. We carrying Official Supporter of the received hers. I mentioned to her to must continue to make our struggle National Socialist White People's Party, keep you all posted. I have found some worldwide. Once the whole world sees and am currently enlisting in its Storm of it very interesting. All in all, I think this international fight about the prisons Trooper defence auxiliary. Eventually the Review is a valuable publication. this will do a lot to change the whole I plan to be accepted for full Party As of this letter I have completed well set up. Membership. over half of the articles. A few of the It is sad to dear that our Black Cross My reasons I'oi becoming racist and pieces seemed a bit too cerebral or comrades received a jail term! This later a Nazi in brief, centre around the divorced from contemporary reality, (may should make us just a bit stronger and actions of Black and Brown raced people be a problem of geography and experience) more determined. Please give them my in the past seven years, the worst of to hold my interest. Historical pieces regards. Revolutionary Love, :hese actions being most recent, ranging on anarchist activity/movements in George E. Blue. from stealing to rape and murder, committed against myself, my wife, my other nations are good background for Dear Comrades, son and my friends. After much investi- people like me who've had to contend I feel strongly that we need to be gation and research, ranging for about with bourgeois and marxist/leninist careful in our use of words especially :•'.'<> and a half years, I have accepted the historical bias. But what I really am when describing our enemies. This is National Socialist (Nazi) philosophy. interested in are all contemporary not a question of pedantic vicabulary, This letter is intended to get the writings and analyses of current activity but of awareness that emotion is less uncensored truth to my former associates in Europe. It seems from here (and it's effective than true analysis. Just of the :iivin:hi>t movement, who have difficult getting information) that sortie because our opponents are guilty of remained Ignorant due to the suppression really important events are happening meaningless abuse, it does not mean particularly in Spain, France, and Italy. that we can allow ourselves the same of my letters to specified anarchist publications in the U.S. I decided to Our media pukes up nothing but shit fault. Political language and descrip- arnounct- my conversion in October 1977. on Euro-Communism and the jockeying tions are being corrupted and devalued to for legitimacy carried on by the Leftie a point where a layman finds it so White Power: coalitions. difficult to understand, that he sees no Red Wai than There also was an obvious void (except reason for bothering. And we stand to • Official Supporter, NSWPP. for a couple of pieces) in the Review K se the most in such a war of useless Stockton, Calif. USA. that in any way dealt with women's verbiage. Did Red \Vartlian upend 2h years struggles, on the contributions of women The most relevant exampale for thinking out his position - or was it an to social revolution. In looking over the facing us is how to describe the West list of friends and contributors I notice emotional snap decision sparked off by an German State. It is obviously tempting incident? One can't believe he ever a lopsided number of men and it seemed to call it Fascist, but in some ways this that you may need to confront this understood much about anarchism but is similar to our opponents equating say .-. was nnce an ardent worker for contradiction. I find it especially odd Anarchism and Nihilism. To misuse the {fi^cnen rights; but presumably he had since I am aware of the many contributors term Fascist allows it to become a fh. v liberal thin?about minority "libera- and leading examples that women generalised word for right wing and thus V lit "ar>:! held the to-be-liberated anarchists have had throughout history. takes away its real meaning. West hostage in his mind for their goot' You may want to examine the reasons Oi.ncry is not d ininated ny Fascism, beiia-.-iour. Life isn't like that. Red was for the problem. Another question I although there are evident Fascist elements ii :• in\-'i.ccd opponent of what he chose have is, why is it that I rarely come upon which influence it in important ways. It is to call "violence" - he made people anarchist perspectives on national a society which is dominated by a brutal ;. ^ning hi* chapter sign a pledge to say liberation? Certainly, conditions here materialism which is almost as great an 'hey disapproved and rejected in North America in regard to this issue evil as Fascism, but far mroe dangerous 'terrorism" joins the real old-fashioned may be dissimilar to many European in its outward plausibility. most terroristic, most violent outfit of nations but sometimes I get the impres- If you use the word Fascist to describe ell. The fate of the pacifist, who labels sion that the issue is not considered it, then whatever you sav afterwards all with whom he disagrees "violent", important to comrades who consider however accurate, may well be rejected and when he - sometimes but not often - themselves anarchists. Racism and by the audience you are trying to sees violence is a bit inescapable, goes national chauvinism are priority issues illuminate simply because one key word completely the other way and becomes over here and would seem to be serious wrongly used causes a reaction of a really violent thug or an ardent issues in several European countries ... disbelief. It is totally unproductive io supporter of war or State terrorism. England and Holland and France come use emotionally charged words rashly. A side-effect of liberal pacifism is to to mind immediately. Maybe you can It is also dangerously lax when we can assume that all oppressed minorities suggest some things for me to read. And easily show the evils produced by a must be naturally good whereas oppres- anytime you come upon publications that totalitarianism of greed. Don't let's sion brings out the worst in seme, the deal with action groups past and present corrupt important words by stretching best in the best. Poverty and oppression let me know what they are. their meaning to the point of destroy ing do not naturally enable; having found BUI Harris their credibility. Let's invent a new one, this to his surprise he goes over to an B76393, San Quentin Prison even if it's only "materialist-fascism" organisation intended for the institutiona- Tamal, California 94101 though such hyphenated terms are lisation of poverty and oppression in which unsatisfactory. Any suggestions? Dear Comrades, Violence will reign supreme but be under The war continues here in the "Belly A. iwtv and later State control. 23 ,"£"• firing at members of the group, who due to this present wave of terrorism. i finally pulled out their own guns and an It is also due to the repression directed ttiis group sent to the press regarding armed struggle ensued. As a result, the against them by the employers and the above decision (daily press 25/10): two policemen were slightly wounded the official trade unions since the strike "The government of social democratic and thus overcome, and two more mobilisations of 1977, which resulted in Germany, the most advanced terrorist members of the group were also slightly the dispersion of the most militant tool of world capitalism in Western wounded. In spite of tins the three elements, mainly through dismissals: 43 Europe, famous for its sly as well as comrades of Kasimis succeeded in workers, and among them Serifis, were cynical murderous artsmanship, committed escaping. fired by AEG, and the failure of attempts yet another serious crime against the The Police Account. at workers' self-organisation. proletariat. The government killed 4 of In its attempt to clear itself of the the leading revolutionary fighters who murder of Kasimis, the police thought had been its prisoners for more than 5 up a ridiculous version of the events, years. This version is as follows: Like Meinhof, Meins and so many The two policement, while on patrol, other German comrades, these leading • spotted somebody (Kasimis) doing revolutionary fighters. Baader, Ensslin, things they regarded as suspect. They Raspe and Muller, were murdered while approached him and asked for his being held as hostages, and because their papers. At first Kasimis pretended he existence alone brought shivers down would give them to them, but he then the spines of the pillars of German social tried to run away. The policemen democracy. struggled with him and disarmed him, ANSWERS TO QUIZ As an appropriate expression of and immobilised him. At that instant international revolutionary solidaity, they heard shots and turning round they from oap;e 12 and within the programme and the say 3-4 individuals approaching them prospects of the class struggle in our shooting. One of these broke away 1. 'Hie opera was originally based on country against the establishment, we from the others, approached to a distance the assassination of Gustavus 111 of took the decision to hit the German of 1 meter and shot Kasimis at point Sweden, but the Imperial cenosr objected multinational corporation of AEG. blank range in the head "so that he - Verdi substitu'ed an American International solidarity is our duty, it doesn't talk!" Just after that he wounded republican, but then the tenor objected is an integral part of the very class the two policemen. Then the group to the sombre garb. struggle in our country, against inter- escaped. 2. It listed a number of "Jewish national bosses, the State and their From then on the only thing that % millionaires" - mostly department store puppets." remained was to find somebody to be owners — as the real rulers of America, The Murder of Christos Kasin presented as the killer. among them Levi and Joe Leiter ot \d account of what hnppem For The Liberation of Yannis Seritis. Chicago. Unfortunately for the Mosleyites .luring that evening outside the AEG Serifis has been continuously detained they were the first Lady Mos ley's grand- factory has been given in an announce- since the day of his arrest — 31/10/77 in father and great-uncle respectively. ment by the group dated 21/10/77. It the Koridallos prison in Piraeus. Given 3. Nothing whatever; but during their was sent to the press along with diagrams the fact that his interrogation is not yet simvltaneous reigns as English sovereigns and published in the daily papers, considered complete, it hasn't been there was civil war, and historians refer followed by their previously quoted possible,, up to this point, to apply for to the period as "The Anarchy" — when announcement. • his release. Such an application is the real trouble was there was a duplica- So according to this description, while expected to be made towards the end tion of government. 3 of the 4 members of the group were of February, without, given the circum- 4. Syndicalism. Stoddard points out within the grounds of the factory stances, any illusions being held as to its its anarchistic origins and says the preparing the sabotage, Christos Kasimis outcome. frightening thing about it is that it enables moved towards their car in order to fetch The greatest obstacles that the "Underman" to overthrow the natural •MIC equipment. Two policemen who mobilisation for the liberation of Serifis rulers of society. i vpcned to he passing approached meet with are: 5. That she doubtless had expert know- him, immobilised him and disarmed 1) The atmosphere of police terrorism ledge of the consequences, having him. Kasimis' 3 other comrades who that exists both as a general rule, and even murdered the Czar her husband. were at a distance of about 15m started more specifically concerning this matter. 6. No. Lewis was persuaded by the to move noiselessly towards the police- Despite the release of the majority of abortive New Party (a pro-Keynesian men, hoping to immobilise them without those imprisoned and the favourable ' split from the Labour Party) to s'and having to use their guns. Although they results of the appeals of the demonstrators in the East End as a parliamentary had approached to within a distance of the wave of terrorism has continued candidate, to get (they hoped) the 3-4m unnoticed, Kasimis broke away throughout December and January, with "Jewish vote". The New Party collapsed and started to run in the opposite house and office searching, confiscation after the election, and all went their direction. The two policemen unhesitat- of manuscripts, notebooks etc., and of separate ways (Mosley became a Fascist, ingly shot him (this has lately become a course with the continuin detention of Strachey a Communist, and so on.) Years common practice in Greece). One bullet Serifis. later, Arnold Leese (rival "orthodox" • mortally wounded him in the head. 2) The relative inability of Serifis' fascist) spread the malicious story that Almost simultaneously Kasimis' comrades proper circles, namely the workers of Lewis (a Jew) had been a 'Mosleyite attacked the two policemen ind tried AEG and others in electrical equipment candidate' and 'Mosley's bodyguard'. to overcome them. One policeman, industries, to succeed in effective It was intended as a slur on Mosley, but although he hau fallen down, continued mobilisation, an ability that is not only instead it ruined Lewis. THIS ISSUE OF BLACK FLAG WAS DESIGNED &LAYED OUT BYCLIFF HARPER