LRC Conference

WORKERS OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!

No 1351 Week commencing 22 July 2005 Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain 50p

This is the last issue of the New Worker before the IMPERIALIST two week summer break. The next issue will be out on DREAMS FADE Friday 12 August. his statement, which was by our Arab Affairs Correspondent invade “politically illegiti- dismissed as “irrespon- mate”. sible”. IMPERIALIST troops came under a hail of resis- On Monday Defence More that two dozen Secretary John Reid con- tance rockets, bombs and bullets throughout oc- doctors walked out of one cupied Iraq this week. American troops were re- firmed that Britain was of Baghdad’s busiest hos- likely to begin reducing its peatedly beaten back as they tried to advance into pitals on Tuesday in protest forces in Iraq within the the western town of Rawah. Partisans bombed against abuse from the pup- next 12 months. Reid in- American camps and ambushed US patrols in pet army. On Monday pup- sisted that Britain had no Fallujah, the city stormed and “pacified” by US pet troops barged into a “long-term imperialist am- Marines last year. women’s wing of the bitions” in Iraq but added Yarmouk Hospital to con- that British and American A collaborator judge was Baghdad bombing that duct searches at gunpoint. forces would stay as long killed in Nasiriyah and three killed 32 children and in- “We know citizens may be as they were needed. Sunni Arabs on the puppet jured many others and the a little upset but we have Blair and the rest of the team charged with writing bombing of a fuel station in our rights too and we can’t th British war party establish- the stooge constitution were al Musayyib on 16 July operate and provide a ser- ment may bleat that the shot dead as they left a that killed dozens more. All vice to people if we feel London bombings have Baghdad restaurant on the major resistance move- under threat,” Dr Assad nothing to do with Iraq but Tuesday. Former puppet ments have signed a joint Hind declared. the British people, who premier Iyyad Alawi sur- communiqué denying any Turkish Foreign Minis- clearly think otherwise, had vived an assassination at- hand in these bombings. ter Abdullah Gul has con- another bitter reminder of tempt during a visit to demned remarks by a the price of imperialist war Lebanon and an American raced out Colorado congressman with the news that 11 Brit- Republican congressman calling for the bombing of ish soldiers including a called for the bombing of According to the Arab Mecca as “nothing but a colonel are facing court- Muslim holy sites, including al Jazeera television, a fanatic speaking com- • Under the iron heel now – but for how long? martial for war-crimes; Mecca, if the United States traffic policeman said that pletely personally, irrespon- three accused of killing an suffered more terror at- US troops raced out of the sibly and without thought of should be bombed. He later United Nations. claimed he was “just Greenstock, who was Iraqi civilian prisoner in tacks from Muslim extrem- street less than a minute how far his statements September 2003. ists. Meanwhile Iraqi patri- before the Baghdad explo- would reach or what kind throwing out some ideas” Blair’s special envoy in but insisted that an “ulti- Iraq for a year, has As the guns blaze in ots have accused the sion and a fire brigade cap- of problems they would Iraq, Bush and Blair’s Americans of being behind tain said the explosion left create”. mate threat” be met with criticised the Blair an “ultimate response”. government’s handling of dream of a new Anglo- recent bombings that killed a very big crater in the US Republican con- American empire, the large numbers of children. ground unlike those caused gressman Tom Tancredo Back in London For- the war. eign Minister Jack Straw According to the Ob- “Project for the New Maverick Shia leader by the resistance, who use told a radio chat-show pre- American Century”, is fad- Muqtada al Sadr has ac- old Iraqi army stock of So- senter that if America sus- has censored a book on the server, some of the cen- run-up to the invasion of sored passages were highly ing like a mirage in the cused the “hands of the viet-made TNT which ex- tained nuclear terror at- desert sands. American occupation and plodes outwards. The traf- tacks from “extremist, fun- Iraq by Sir Jeremy critical of the United its collaborators” of carry- fic policeman was sacked damentalist Muslims” their Greenstock, Britain’s States. In one, Greenstock ing out the 13th July within an hour of making holy sites including Mecca former ambassador to the call’s Bush’s decision to FUND We’ve received mag- nificent fund contributions this week: £2,277.27, bring- LRC conference ing our July total to £2,907.47, just £92.53 short of our £3,000 monthly tar- by Caroline Colebrook statement and other motions It covered nuclear weap- get. were all passed unani- ons and Nato, support for We thank comrades in “DON’T try to tell us that the west London for £1,000 do- mously. Venezuela and the occupa- nated in memory of Harry United States war in Iraq One delegate from the tion of Iraq and then the LRC Danvers. We also thank a played no part in the London RMT warned that the Govern- organisational statement. bee-keeper from Cumbria bombings,” said Labour MP ment is trying to cut down on Again, the main policy for £10, our regular veteran John McDonnell, chair of the the number of safety reps on document, all resolutions north London paper seller Labour Representation the Tube and reverse the and the LRC constitution for £27.40, our London Scot Committee (LRC) in his regulations introduced after were endorsed. for £10, a Manchester sup- opening comments at its the Kings Cross fire. Risk porter for £20 and two other annual general meeting and assessment will be left to the New Communist Party comrades for £10 each. conference in London last discretion of station manag- delegates made two inter- Collections at meetings Saturday. ers “leading to cost-driven ventions – on the need for have supplied a total of £16 The conference, of left and a stall run by Southall corner cutting”. solidarity and respect for the comrades at the Acton Fair Labour Party members, MPs This session ended with sovereignty of the Democratic resulted in a £12.50 profit and trade unionists who speeches from Katy Clark MP, People’s Republic of Korea for the paper. want to restore the Labour Paul Mackney of the lecturers’ in face of US aggression and All the rest came from Party to its original socialist union Natfhe and PCS gen- on the need to work in trades bankers’ orders – our regu- roots, began with a minute’s eral secretary Mark Serwotka. councils. lar life blood. silence in memory of those Paul Mackney attacked Jeremy Corbyn MP made This issue has been killed by bombs in London, tuition fees, introduced by a the final speech and the con- overwhelmed with contri- Baghdad and Fallujah. government that includes ference ended with the sing- butions from comrades re- The New Communist civil service job cuts, rail not be the servant of big busi- many former radicals from ing of The Red Flag. porting on events and cam- paigns they have taken part Party is affiliated to the LRC safety and an emergency ness. the National Union of Stu- Throughout the conference as an associate organisation Matt Wrack spoke of the in. For a small party we cer- resolution on the London dents. He said this will lead all those attending were ad- tainly get around. and four NCP delegates – bombings. need to find a way for those to the exclusion of the work- dressed as “comrade” and a We will be taking a rest Mike Fletcher, Ken Ruddock, Debate was launched by who have left or disaffiliated ing class from higher educa- genuinely comradely atmo- for two weeks now and we Daphne Liddle and Andy platform speakers Michael from the Labour Party to be tion “to the benefit of dimmer sphere prevailed. wish all our readers a happy Brooks – attended. Meacher, National Union of able to work together with and dimmer members of the holiday season. The morning session, Journalists general secretary comrades inside the party for upper classes”. There was little internal But remember, we still chaired by LRC vice chair Jeremy Dear and Fire Bri- common goals. The afternoon session controversy as this new pres- need your financial contri- Maria Exall, of the conference gades Union general secre- There were many contri- covered foreign policy and the sure group set itself in mo- butions. Let’s aim to break dealt with domestic policy as tary Matt Wrack. butions from the floor and a structural organisation of the tion. Useful contacts were that £3,000 barrier in Au- laid out in a policy document Michael Meacher spoke great sense of general LRC. The session was made, views and political gust. Send whatever you can to the New Worker Fund, with additional motions on on the need for socialist ide- agreement on all the issues kicked off by Bob Wareing MP papers were exchanged and defending the Royal Mail being debated. The domes- PO Box 73, London SW11 ology and stressed that a and veteran left Labour poli- delegates left having 2PQ. from privatisation, fighting labour government should tic part of the main policy tician Tony Benn. achieved important steps. Page 2 THE NEW WORKER 22 July 2005 email: [email protected] News Desk 020 7223 4050

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123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123 Veritas splits 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123Say no more tell him to go out and mis- Disillusioned members behave. It really does beg- of the 1,000-strong Veritas and extractions and £183 for cal way – he’s unique in that.” gar belief.” party, created by Robert complex work like crowns and Weekly paper of the New Communist Party Kilroy-Silk when the UK bridges. Ordered to drink Cod liver oil Independence Party would rediscovered not let him be its leader, say Top thinker A teenager has been given they want a new leader. an Asbo ordering him to get A new study from the The right not to They have launched a Karl Marx has been voted drunk in a court blunder. The Institute of Reproductive campaign to replace him at the greatest ever philosopher error was only noticed when and Developmental Biol- the party’s first annual con- in a poll run by Melvyn the 15-year-old ended up in ogy has found that the be bombed ference in September. Bragg’s Radio Four front of magistrates again for behaviour of pre-school Ken Wharton, a party programme In our time. an alleged breach of the con- children improves dramati- HOME SECRETARY Charles Clarke last member from Leeds, said: Marx won 28 per cent of ditions. cally when they take a daily week told European Union politicians that “The members really are not the vote with David Hume in Magistrates heard the dose of fish oils. they must put the fight against terrorism being looked after. We have second place with 12.67 per youngster, who cannot be The study, into dietary above all concerns for civil liberties because no constitution.” cent. Plato came fifth and named, was technically break- supplements for the under- Socrates eighth. ing the law if he was found threes, found that after just “the right not to be blown up is the greatest walking the streets of a quiet six weeks of daily doses of human right of all”. It is a pity that our New Toothache Andrew Chitty, who teaches Britain’s only MA market town without alcohol. Omega-3, parents reported Labour government in March 2003 did not Dental patients could course in Marxist philosophy The order also required him a change in the behaviour consider for one moment that the people of now face paying less for at Sussex University, said: to use threatening behaviour and learning abilities of Baghdad might share these sentiments be- private treatments than “This shows that philosophy likely to cause harassment, children as young as 20 fore helping Bush to unleash the horrors of paying the new NHS should take Marxism seri- alarm or distress to members months old. the “shock and awe” bombing raids on that charges, according to the ously. It is possible he won of the public in Alnwick, city. Public Accounts Commit- because Marxists organised a Northumberland. But this is hardly new Whatever the horror the four suicide bombers tee, a cross-party public mass vote; they’re much more The Asbo – issued last knowledge. When state unleashed on London on 7th July, the horror un- spending watchdog. organised than Hegelians for February after a string of welfare was first intro- The new NHS system instance. complaints – reads “without” duced, throughout the 50s, leashed by Bush and Blair in Iraq was several hun- rather than “with”. An exas- 60s and early 70s, the state dred times worse. Since then around 150,000 Iraqi will replace 400 separate “But I think it’s more charges with three basic likely that people understand perated police source said: “It gave supplies of cod liver civilians are estimated to have died as a result of bands of charges: £15 for that in this increasingly capi- took a long time to bring him oil and vitamin-C enriched that illegal invasion and the killing goes on. check-ups and preventive talist world Marx gives us the to book and get him before the orange juice to mothers for Some are now trying to blame the continuing work such as scaling and best vision with which to un- court in the first place. It is all babies and toddlers up bloodshed in Iraq on the Iraqi resistance. But sta- polishing; £41 for simple derstand the world. Marx talks maddening to spend all that to school age. When will tistics show that for every death attributable to the procedures such as fillings about capital in a philosophi- time only for the order then to they reintroduce it? resistance, many more are caused directly by the occupation forces. Furthermore the courage and determination of the resistance fighters has forced Bush to think again about attacking other countries on his “axis of evil” list, or making a direct military intervention in various progressive political processes that are happening in Latin America. We cannot know exactly what was in the mis- Their war, our dead! guided minds of the suicide bombers who attacked London but we do know what motivated Bush’s attack on Iraq – greed for oil. So to hear Bush and Blair accusing others of mindless violence is the by Renée Sams most nauseating hypocrisy. And the “outrage” that Blair pretends when- NEARLY 1,000 people gathered in Russell Square last ever somebody links the London bombings to his Sunday not far from where support for the invasion of Iraq is laughable. In the suicide bombers killed February 2003 Whitehall’s joint intelligence com- over 50 people on 7th July. mittee told Blair that “al Qaeda and associated The gathering was held in the groups continued to represent by far the greatest street beside the gardens as terrorist threat to western interests, and that the Camden Council had refused threat would be heightened by military action to permission to hold the against Iraq”. speeches in the gardens. Then last week the Royal Institute of Interna- The event was called by tional Affairs published a paper saying that Britain the Stop the War Coalition to is at particular risk “because it is the closest ally of support the Muslim commu- the United States”. nity and to express condo- Blair tries to deny this and claims that he will lences to the families and not let terrorism influence his policies. But his poli- loved ones of those who lost cies do influence terrorists and recklessly put the their lives. One minute’s si- British public at risk. lence was held and many But after having declared that he will not be people left flowers. influenced by terrorism, Blair instantly introduces There was wide support a whole new raft of “anti-terror” measures and for the meeting from trade unionists in London Amicus, we are told we must sacrifice our civil liberties in the General Municipal and • Remembering the dead – demanding peace. order not to be bombed. Boilermakers’ union, Trans- have been told lie after lie and the Muslim community was to this is his way of life, it is not Most of the general public are well aware that port and General Workers’ now we have got to have the blame for the bombing. our way of life”. And he added the proposed measures – identity cards, control Union, Labour Against the truth.” She also stressed: “We “what they do in our name we orders (house arrest) and new laws about “indi- War, Respect and the Muslim A speaker from the Cam- must be told the truth about will not accept without pro- rect incitement to terrorism” will not prevent simi- Association of Britain paign for Nuclear Disarma- Afghanistan and Palestine as test”. lar suicide attacks. They will simply accelerate the (MAB), Military Families ment said, “We stand in soli- well as Iraq.” To young Muslim men speed at which this country is moving to a police Against the War, and many darity with the Muslim com- A speaker from the TGWU misled into thinking that their state. Making the “indirect support or celebration ordinary Londoners who were munity. Every heart goes out expressed the thanks of many deaths could help the situa- of terrorism” could in theory outlaw celebrations shocked by the horror of the to them.” And she continued: for the wonderful work of the tion, he hoped that they would for Bastille Day or the Great October Revolution bombs. “The Government is now try- emergency services who find that “there are better th ing to pass the buck to the have struggled tirelessly to ways to protest than blowing – or even the 4 of July. not stop intelligence community but help the injured – and the rail- yourself up”. The terror bombers, far from weakening Bush they are not the root cause way workers who are still en- and Blair, are actually strengthening them. Bush Andrew Murray said that behind these terrible inci- deavouring to restore the un- increase wanted to invade Iraq and Afghanistan – over oil the Stop The War Coalition dents.” derground services in terrible and pipelines – as soon as he was elected. But he was proud to work with MAB The Government will not conditions. He made a strong He said: “We have argued, could not rally the support until after 11th Septem- and he affirmed that: “We will acknowledge the link between call for the “immediate with- as did the security services in ber 2001. Earlier this month Blair seemed likely to not stop campaigning; we are the bombing incidents and drawal of troops from Iraq”. this country, that the attacks be defeated over the issue of identity cards as popu- still going to fight for the with- their foreign policy of sup- on Afghanistan and Iraq lar opinion swung against them. Now he will have drawal of the troops.” porting the US and the war in connection would increase the threat of Peter Brearly, the father of Iraq. terrorist attacks in Britain. no problem. It is not that public opinion has changed a soldier killed in Iraq, said “The only way we can George Galloway, Respect Tragically, Londoners have again but that our MPs, with a few honourable that initially he had been deal with these atrocities,” MP for Bethnal Green con- now paid the price of the Gov- exceptions, are easily bullied and panicked by proud of his son going to war, she said, “is to deal with the demned the bombing as mass ernment ignoring such warn- Blair’s accusations that they are being soft on ter- but since his death he had causes and demand genuine murder and said that he did ings.” rorists. thought a lot about it and he peace and democracy that is not believe that these acts of He called on the peace Blair says we must confront head-on the “evil is now convinced that we the only way it will be re- terror have no connection movement to redouble its ef- ideology” of Muslim fundamentalism that leads to must withdraw the armed solved.” with government foreign forts, and in conclusion he terrorism. We say it is time to confront head on forces from Iraq. A young Muslim woman policy and their support for called for people to “stand the evil ideology of capitalism and greed that leads “Blair is not going to do from MAB said that she was Bush and the war in Iraq. shoulder to shoulder telling to poverty, injustice and wars. anything about the war Iraq” nervous of getting on buses Tony Blair maintains that the truth because truth is the he said, “or tell us the truth because she felt the hostility this is “to preserve our way only way we can get out of about what caused it. We of people who thought that of life”. George said that, “if this mess”. 22 July 2005 THE NEW WORKER Page 3 Home News Newsdesk 020 7223 4050 Tolpuddle celebration grows

the tremendous significance some of the tasks facing the women. There is still a 20 per Tony warned that the president”. Tony voiced the by Alex Kempshall that the martyrs played in the trade union movement in their cent pay gap for women full greatest threat to us all is the opinion that the most power- history of trade unionism. dealings with the Labour gov- time workers. threat of war and argued that ful religion in the world is the TRADE Union and labour Both speakers con- ernment. He pointed out that Brendan also stated that we live in the most dangerous group of people who worship movement activists rallied in demned the recent London a black worker in Britain is there has to be a solution to period in the history of the money. the small Dorset village of bombings with Brendan Bar- twice as likely to be unem- the pensions crisis and that human race because of shrink- The pursuit of money has Tolpuddle last weekend in ber pointing out that the unity ployed as a white counterpart, the solution must not be one ing resources, rising popula- been the cause of many of the honour of the Tolpuddle Mar- of the labour movement was much less likely to have their of “work until you drop”. tion and weapons at our dis- problems, there are 500 bil- tyrs, the six Dorset farm demonstrated in support of skills invested in and much Tony Benn spoke of the posal that are strong enough lionaires in the world and they labourers who were trans- the victims and families and less likely to reach the top of link between the Tolpuddle to destroy the human race. have the same income as half ported to Australia for form- friends. their organisation. Martyrs and Africa where the world’s population. ing a trade union. Brendan argued that this workers are in a very similar He argued that what we While this continues A march on the Sunday an attack on all is a major challenge and the position. He pointed out that should be trying to eliminate there will be no peace. Last witnessed one of the largest trade union movement must Africa is a very rich conti- from the world is violence and year the world spent $1,000 attendances and finest dis- And that unity was also be central to solving this prob- nent; it’s got diamonds, gold, that terrorism is too simple a billion on arms but only $78 plays of trade union banners shown in expressing appre- lem. copper and oil. And he asked word because there is no dif- billion of aid to developing since 1984, the 150th anniver- ciation for the fantastic re- Another issue that the the question, how did we in ference between a suicide countries. He said he’s given sary. Also a wide variety of sponse of those transport trade union movement would Europe and Britain react to bomber and a stealth bomber: up protesting he’s now de- contemporary and traditional and emergency service work- be taking up with Government that? both kill for political pur- manding an end to the occu- music and song was played ers. He elaborated that what- would be the issue of low pay. poses. pation of Iraq, the end of throughout the weekend from ever our race or religion, an Brendan reminded the several we stole it Tony pointed out that the nuclear weapons and the end the likes of Billy Bragg and attack on any one of us is an thousand trade unionists at- United States is the biggest of the arms trade. Hank Wangford. attack on all of us and con- tending the rally that one in “We occupied it, we stole empire the world has ever He pointed out that The keynote speeches firmed that the trade union five full time workers earn its oil, we stole its diamonds, seen, its defence budget is 10 whilst this generation has the were delivered by TUC gen- movement will not allow our £270 per week or less. we stole its gold and we times as great as the next 10 power to destroy the human eral secretary Brendan Barber communities or workplaces to He also promised that the shipped 10 million Africans to most powerful countries put race; it also has the power, the and Tony Benn both of whom be divided. trade union movement has a America to be slaves”. together, and it has 745 bases money and the technology to set the scene in describing Brendan also laid out job to deliver equal pay for He continued: “So when in 134 countries. And that is resolve the problems of the you hear about the poverty what empires are like. human race. of Africa let’s instead of ask- He warned of the danger ing ‘why are the poor poor?’ of bringing religion into con- In conclusion he said you we should ask a more inter- flicts and reminded the rally don’t solve these problems by Amicus esting question ‘why are the that President Bush had said just having a concert, you ac- fights rich rich?’.” “that God wanted him to be tually have to do it yourself. victimisation by Alex Kempshall MPs support In Bristol BNP crashes in HUNDREDS of Rolls-Royce striking workers gathered outside the Barking factory gates at Bristol on cleaners Monday morning in defence of Jerry Hicks, who has and Leicester MEMBERS of Parliament are worked at the factory for 30 backing strike action by years, is a convenor for the by Daphne Liddle 59.8 per cent of the total while House of Commons staff, test area and a member of the the BNP candidate won only which will force them to clean Amicus union national execu- THE NEO-Nazi British Na- 378. The Conservative won their own offices. tive. tionalist Party last week were 283 and UKIP 125. Cleaners working in the Jerry was suspended by well beaten in local council Angered by their defeat, Houses of Parliament are to the company last week and by-elections in the Becontree the BNP became vicious and go on strike for the first time then frogmarched off the pre- ward of Barking and a female member punched ever next week, in a dispute mises after management had Dagenham in east London Councillor Val Rush, the over low pay. given him a letter outlining and in the Beaumont Leys Labour election agent and a They are particularly an- various allegations. These in- ward of Leicester. grandmother. gry about a two-tier system cluded organising unofficial • John Pilger with Jack Jones at the memorial. The BNP in Becontree Several witnesses saw the which means some workers industrial action, influencing tried to benefit from stirring assault and it was caught on get more than others for do- the workforce against modern up Islamophobia in the wake CCTV and charges are ex- ing the same job. The 170 staff working practices and using Honouring the of the London bombings, us- pected to follow. employed by two agencies, his position as a union con- International Brigaders ing an official election leaflet In the Beaumont Leys Emprise Services and Mitie vener to thwart the company’s showing the bombed bus and ward of Leicester Labour can- Cleaning, earn just £5 an hour, Sam recalled that the plans for the future. by Robert Laurie an illegal hate sticker that didate Violet Dempster polled with no sick pay or pension Amicus has already taken ground was so hard that used the council’s logo. 962 votes, the Conservatives and just 12 days holiday a the dead could not be bur- steps to hold a ballot for offi- LAST SATURDAY saw But the voters were not 342, the Liberal Democrats 295 year. cial strike action. ied. Instead the bodies had taken in and voted over- and the BNP just 161. many members and sup- to be covered with stones. It There is a feeling among porters of the International whelmingly against the BNP. Meanwhile there has contrast the workforce that the dispute is only in recent years that been a serious rise in hate at- Brigade Memorial Trust the Spanish government has been “engineered” by gather at the memorial in few willing tacks on Muslims throughout But workers employed di- Rolls-Royce to get rid of union and local authorities Britain since the London rectly by Parliament earn £8 London’s Jubilee have permitted activists before it opens its Gardens to the British anti- The BNP were very short- bombings. an hour with sick pay, a full new £75 million engine plant the establishment of me- In the worst case, a week fascist volunteers who morials to Franco’s oppo- handed with very few activ- pension, and six weeks holi- at Bristol, the company is keen fought in the Spanish Civil ists willing to turn out. They ago a Muslim man was beaten day. In contrast, MPs chosen to introduce new working nents. to death by racists in War. One welcome feature ran a campaign that seemed to chair influential Commons practices into the site from the Only a handful of veter- intent on confrontation and a Nottingham. committees are to be awarded outset. of the Ebro ceremony was Dev Barrah of the Green- ans survive but the num- that the British Government gang of them threatened up to £13,107 extra a year on Ray Bazeley, chair of con- bers attending grow yearly, sent Madrid and Barcelona- Councillor Jeff Porter and his wich Council for racial Equal- top of their MP’s wage of veners for Amicus at Bristol thanks to the hard work of based diplomats thus giv- wife with violence. ity told the New Worker of a £59,095. Rolls-Royce, said if Hicks was the trust in keeping the ing the Brigaders long over- Jeff works as a train driver steep rise in attacks, perpe- Black Country MP David dismissed it could spark an memory of the Brigaders due recognition. on the London Underground trated by a very small number Winnick (Lab Walsall North) immediate walkout by his alive. Campaigning journal- and was driving one of the of racists. is among those backing the members and possibly at The ceremony was ist John Pilger then gave an trains involved in the bomb- cleaners. Speaking in the th other Rolls-Royce sites across presided over by Jack excellent speech, which he ings on the 7 of July. Despite petrol bomb Commons, he said: “This is the country. Jones, the former general began by paying tribute to his cab being damaged he totally unacceptable. We re- He said: “We are support- secretary of the Transport Martha Gellhorn, whose re- managed to lead his passen- In one instance a petrol ally need to treat people prop- ing Jerry because this is not and General Workers ports from Spain inspired gers to safety and this was bomb was thrown through the erly, those who clean up after just an attack on him but on Union, who remains presi- him to follow his chosen ca- covered in the national and window of a Sikh temple in us.” the whole union movement.” dent of the trust. A roll of reer. international press. Belvedere in the London Bor- And a Commons motion A leaflet produced by the honour of recently de- Pilger stated that both So the BNP threats to him ough of Bexley, though it insisting “the time has come Shop Stewards Committee ceased Brigaders was then and now the most rebounded in the local cam- failed to ignite. And a Bud- to end this sorry state of af- quite rightly highlighted that read before Jack Edwards dangerous people were paign, making the fascists dhist centre in Deptford has fairs” has been signed by 122 “No trade unionist can let the laid a wreath at the memo- not the strutting uniformed more unpopular than ever. been covered in anti-Islamic MPs. The motion calls on Par- bosses at Rolls Royce get rial. fascists but the “respect- Local anti-fascists in the graffiti. liamentary authorities “to away with this attack. The Another veteran, Sam able” power-hungry and community group Barking The National Front was reach agreement with the two whole trade union movement Russell spoke movingly of greedy people behind and Dagenham Together had allowed to conduct an anti- contractors on making avail- needs to defend the right of a recent ceremony at the them. leafleted every home in the Islamic march in Westminster able the necessary resources workers in any factory, office, site of the Battle of the Ebro A rousing rendition of ward twice over. last Saturday. Anti-fascists are to ensure that cleaners earn school or shop to choose their where the Brigaders fought the Internationale con- On election day the BNP not so surprised at the Na- the London living wage.” reps. their last major battle. A new cluded the ceremony be- acted aggressively and broke tional Front wanting to per- The Transport and Gen- “If the workers at Rolls memorial, paid for by Uni- fore veterans and support- the law by distributing leaf- form this thinly veiled incite- eral Workers’ Union is de- Royce win this battle, it will son, to the fallen of the In- ers headed off for refresh- lets within the precincts of ment to race violence. But we manding pay of £6.70 per hour, tell bosses everywhere that ternational Brigade has ments and further reminis- just been erected. polling stations. are surprised at the police and 20 days holiday on top of the trade union movement can cences. Labour candidate Alok the Mayor of London allow- eight bank holidays, sick pay win and defend its own.” Agrawal polled 1,171 votes – ing this outrage. and a company pension. Page 4 THE NEW WORKER 22 July 2005 Features Cheap Royals and Chinese spies

buy anything you like without communist cult Falun Gong. Nev- Beijing”. Pardon? This is an ex- by Rob Gowland having to pay for it) and of course ertheless, he spiced his media pert on Chinese intelligence The Guardian the income from the judicious in- conferences with emotional as- agents abroad? Australian communist weekly vestment of all the wealth that sertions of Chinese “agents” kid- The fourth-last paragraph of British monarchs have diverted napping people — lots of people, the Telegraph piece quoted “an THEY’RE A CAUTION, over the years from the British apparently — off the street. intelligence official” listing the these Royals, aren’t they? people. Falun Gong’s newspaper de- various types of “Chinese Presumably conscious that No wonder the Royals refer clared about a month ago that the agents”. The first category listed Britons increasingly see them to themselves as “the Firm”. members of the Communist was the very one that everyone as a hugely expensive anach- Party of China were leaving the else agrees the Chinese simply ronism, the British party at the rate of a million a do not use: “the pure intelligence government’s chief paymas- The new Cold War? day. At that rate we can expect agents based at embassies”. ter wants to give them a new the government of socialist China In fact, it is well known that, image. FOR ALL the efforts of many to fall sometime this month — almost uniquely, no Chinese em- This establishment clever- capitalists to get a foot in the but don’t hold your breath! bassy official anywhere has ever dick, who has the prosaic name door of China’s economic ex- On 5th July , the Sydney been asked to leave a country Alan Reid and the archaic title pansion, imperialism would Morning Herald (and presum- because of “activities incompat- Keeper of the Privy Purse, took still prefer to retard that ex- ably The Age) ran a Chinese spy ible with their diplomatic status”, the amount the British govern- pansion so that People’s story that is almost classic Cold as the euphemism goes. ment pays the Royals for open- China does not succeed in be- War propaganda. It was a very It is in the next paragraph, ing hospitals and Parliament and coming an economic rival. carefully worded piece from however, that the evidence attending Ascot and then divided Denying China access to the London’s Daily Telegraph, emerges that identifies the story it by the total number of people latest technology is part of that headed “Chinese defector’s spy as an intelligence plant, an early in Britain. strategy (as it was previously claim”. salvo in a new Cold War. “A Why on Earth did he do that, with the USSR and the socialist Significantly, it was written in spokesman for the British secu- I hear you ask? Because it pro- states of Eastern Europe). apparent expectation of being rity services said Chinese spying duced a very small answer — Breaking through these strategic disproven: “A man claiming to be already represented an intelli- roughly 61 pence. embargoes is an important task a Chinese agent is reported to gence challenge that mirrored the “You see!”, was the trium- for China. have defected in Belgium and threat previously posed by Rus- phant cry of this Privy Purser, Many Chinese experts in vari- given the country’s security ser- sian agents.” Britain has a “value-for-money ous fields working and studying vice details of hundreds of Chi- Especially if you are a West- monarchy” — just 61 pence per in the US, Europe and other parts nese spies working at various lev- ern intelligence agency anxious person per year. of Asia would be willing to help els of industry.” to boost your budget and your Put that way it does sound like their homeland acquire the ex- What intelligence service lets influence. I suspect we are go- a trifle, which is precisely why pertise and technology that China one person have details of “hun- ing to hear a lot more about the the good Mr Reid chose to put it needs and which the West is try- dreds” of agents? The story is Chinese “spy menace” as China that way. And what a clever ing to withhold. That is only natu- datelined London, not Brussels, builds its economic might. dodge it is, too. ral, and is a significant compo- and largely consists of unnamed Think about it: old age pen- nent of China’s intelligence strat- “experts” carrying on about the sioners, there as here, struggle on egy in that field. It also acquires supposed “Chinese intelligence a miserable pittance from an un- knowledge and know-how from threat”. grateful government (and even its many overseas investments In fact, the Telegraph article less grateful business establish- and joint projects with Western reads just like the kind of British ment). But what OAP is going to firms. intelligence “plant” that was whinge about a wretched 61p? The major capitalist powers, popular in the British media dur- But tell them that one family, on their part, are looking for ways ing the Cold War. It quotes as- the Windsors, gets a government to discredit and impede China’s sorted usually unnamed intelli- pension (tax free) of nearly 37 efforts to break this undeclared gence agents: “Western intelli- million quid and they would do a blockade. Have you noticed how gence officials”, “Claude lot more than whinge. quickly stories of Chinese “spies” Monique, a Brussels-based intel- And that’s only the money the mushroomed everywhere after ligence analyst”, “an intelligence British government pays the the Chinese diplomat in Austra- official” and “a spokesman for Queen and her brood directly. lia, who didn’t want to go home the British security services”. There is also the huge income of defected? The one I liked best was “a His job in Australia was • Prince Charles never looks the Duchy of Lancaster, the in- former British official who runs comfortable in uniform but it’s part numerable lurks and perks of mainly to keep an eye on the ac- a private consultancy specialising of his job to bolster British being monarch (like being able to tivities of the notoriously anti- in fraud and risk management in imperialism, so here he is in Iraq. New oil finds increase danger

BusinessWeek Online ment projects. That sounds good, by Deirdre Griswold pointed out on 21st June that Ven- right? ezuela has just reported signifi- Not to the financiers. “The leg- cant new oil finds in the western islation would leave the South IT’S NOT HARD to figure out Lake Maracaibo region. It added American country, the world’s what is happening in Venezu- that Venezuela has the world’s fifth-biggest oil exporter, with less ela. Under the government of greatest oil reserves outside the reserves to defend the value of its Hugo Chavez, the resources of Middle East. currency and to make foreign debt this oil-rich country are going payments,” says Bloomberg. to help the people for the first When a business magazine The financial news service time. Oil money is paying for makes a statement like that, its quotes Richard Francis, an ana- housing, decent food, educa- savvy readers perk up their ears. lyst with Standard & Poor’s in tion and healthcare. They look at everything that tran- New York. “It’s unorthodox to just Chavez has the support of at spires between that country and take reserves out of the central least 70 per cent of the people in the US government in terms of bank,” Francis said. “If you just opinion polls and elections. An- whether or not it enhances the look at some of the indicators, other election is coming up in possibility that the immense prof- Venezuela would tend to be rated August and he is sure to win. its that could be made from the higher but the political risk and But a parade celebrating oil might come their way. unorthodox economic policies Venezuela’s independence on Bloomberg.com is also very keep it at a relatively low rating.” th 24 June had to be rerouted to a concerned about Venezuela. So countries that spend their military base because of credible Why? Because the National As- reserves on “unorthodox” things threats to Chavez’s life, security sembly is discussing requested like services for the people get low forces said. legislation that would let the gov- bond ratings, which means they Who would want to kill a popu- ernment take some of the money have to pay a higher interest rate lar figure associated with so many that Venezuela has in reserve, be- in world markets. positive changes for the majority cause of the current high price for • Chavez with Fidel Castro, a verteran survivor of US attempts to oust US Secretary of State of the people? its oil, and spend it on develop- him and socialism from Cuba. Condoleezza Rice recently met 22 July 2005 THE NEW WORKER Page 5 Features 020 7223 4052 Oil: the only US interest in Africa

by Joaquin Oramas rica, the US European Command supervises all operations in exten- sively on agricultural production THE discovery of oil in Africa sive territories. and the exploitation of minerals would seem to have begun to The backdrop to these visits such as gold and diamonds. reinsert the continent into is widespread growing pressure Africa’s participation in world the dynamics of world trade by the oil industry and conserva- trade dropped from four per cent and has resuscitated consid- tive political groups in the Unite to two per cent during the 1990s, erable interest on the part of States to obtain secure energy and currently, excluding South the US government. In the sources outside the Middle East. Africa, Egypt and Nigeria, this autumn of 2002, the British In recent months, the northern participation is nearing zero. magazine The Economist made power has been sending Special Oil production in the Gulf of an accusation to that effect Forces troops to the Sahel region: Guinea states (Nigeria, Congo, that was echoed by officials Mauritania, Chad, Mali and Ni- Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial and researchers. geria. These forces are part of a Guinea) now amounts to more In an interview for Asia Times programme called the Pan-Sahel than 4.5 million barrels per day, Online published in the autumn Initiative, designed to provide exceeding that of Iran, Saudi of 2003, US security analyst anti-terrorism training. It has also Arabia or Venezuela. Currently, Michael Klare, the author of Re- been described as a programme the United States is importing al- source Wars, warned of to train regional armies and have most 15 per cent of its oil from Washington’s potential implica- them at the disposal of the United • Nigerian women take over an oil installation demanding jobs and help that region, and it is predicted that tion on the African continent. States. for their communities. that figure will continue to rise, When asked where the next oil The US Special Forces in- reaching 25 per cent by 2025. For conflict after Iraq could emerge, volved operated out of Germany its part, in 2000, the European Klare responded, “I think in Af- under the pretext of providing aid Union was already importing 22 rica, the situation there is heating to the needy. But it has already per cent of its oil from the Gulf of up.” been affirmed that small island of Guinea countries. Many of those To illustrate the basis for such São Tomé and Príncipe in west- countries are among the world’s statements, in 2001 a report by ern Africa could be the location poorest. Vice President Richard Cheney chosen for a US naval base. Its So, where are the profits from on US national energy policy af- strategic position in the Gulf of these sales of “black gold” going firmed that Africa would be “one Guinea, where oil was recently to end up? of the fastest-growing sources of discovered in deep waters, was Since the discovery of oil in oil and gas for the United States”. the basis for a meeting between the 1960s, Nigeria has become the On 1st February 2002, Walter Bush and that country’s former top producer of that resource in Kansteiner, assistant secretary of President Fradique de Menezes Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, state for African affairs, stated, in 2002. the country exports about 2.2 mil- “African oil has become an ap- The regional US allies do not lion barrels daily and it has an in- pealing national strategy for us.” have navies, and São Tomé and stalled capacity to export four In a December 2001 report by Nigeria share an area that ap- million per day, making it the sev- the National Intelligence Council pears to possess 11 billion bar- enth-largest producer of crude in titled Global Trends for 2015, rels of oil. Many other recently- the world, and the fourth-largest it is predicted that by that year, discovered reserves are also lo- exporter to the United States. one-fourth of US oil imports will cated near the coast. Currently, Given rising oil prices and come from Africa. Nigeria supplies 10 per cent of modern technology, transnational Last February, a small group US oil needs. corporations are drilling hundreds of top US generals visited Africa During colonial times, Europe of oil wells in Sub-Saharan coun- on separate trips considered far made an economic division of Af- tries consumed by poverty and from routine. This group included rica so that each territory disease. the head of the United States specialised in the production of a Western interests are moved European Command, General particular commodity to supply by the desire to take complete James L Jones, commander of the colonisers’ with raw materi- control of those resources, by the Marine Corps, and his deputy als. After decolonisation and as • Hard work on a Nigerian oil rig. applying direct pressure, image commander, Air Force General a result of the colonial legacy, operations, or promises with sup- Charles Wald. Except for the re- African countries’ economies posed expectations, such as the gion known as the Horn of Af- have depended almost exclu- new-style Marshall Plan an- nounced by Tony Blair, which pro- poses to double British coopera- tion in African development, with stress placed on trade (with Brit- ain and the United States) as a condition for aid. Such conditions are similar to to Chavez those imposed by Bush in his strategy for 17 countries, eight of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. As part of with the Venezuelan “opposition” assassinate the revolutionary the plan, the US president has to encourage them. Why should leader of Cuba, Fidel Castro. It kid- been playing host at the White a top representative of a powerful napped the popular president of House to leaders of African coun- country like the US bother with a Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, last tries that he didn’t know existed, political group that has no chance year and sent him into exile. It but that the US intelligence ser- of getting elected? What other made sure Patrice Lumumba, the vices did. At the same time, scenarios were behind the pur- leader of the Congo independence Washington is charging full steam pose of that meeting? movement in the early 1960s, was ahead to establish US Were promises of money and assassinated and his jailer, Gen- transnationals like Exxon Mobil, even more lethal support given to eral Mobutu, elevated to head of Chevron, Marathon Oil, Amerada those who want to supplant state. Hess and Ocean Energy in the Chavez? And with Chavez so So Venezuelans in charge of extremely rich Gulf of Guinea, popular among the masses, how the president’s security have good which has become a priority for could the opposition expect to reason to be very cautious and the US – not for humanitarian ever get into power — unless protect Chavez from whatever reasons, but for its huge reserves something happened to Chavez plots may exist against him. They of hydrocarbons and gas. and his coalition of progressive know these can come not just It is estimated that the Afri- forces were overthrown? from some disgruntled Venezu- can sub-soil contains almost nine And that’s exactly what hap- elans unhappy about land reform per cent of the world’s oil re- pened in Chile in 1973, when or their loss of the economic privi- serves, some 100 billion barrels. President Salvador Allende was lege and prestige, but from the And although the cost of extrac- assassinated with the blessings ruthless professionals working for tion is higher than in the Middle of Secretary of State Henry the world’s most desperate impe- East, given that oilfields are lo- Kissinger and the US oil estab- rialist ruling class. cated offshore, the quality is ex- lishment he really worked for. cellent and has low sulphur lev- The US has specially trained els. organisations to do exactly that. • Friends of the Earth protesters make a point about the environment It has tried for over 40 years to Workers World (US) and say that perhaps Africa needs water rather than more oil. Granma International Page 6 THE NEW WORKER 22 July 2005 Home News

children? What do you call don’t cry over them, but we 1234567890123456789012345678 and laid plans to attack Iraq. 1234567890123456789012345678 The Prime Minister of tying bombs to the bodies cry over them. 1234567890123456789012345678 LETTERS 1234567890123456789012345678 your country, Tony Blair, of prisoners and blowing Have you heard the 1234567890123456789012345678 1234567890123456789012345678

said that those who carried them apart? name of the little girl Hannan 123456789012345678901234567Diary 8 Dear comrades out the explosions did so in What do you call the Salih Matrud? Or of the boy 1234567890123456789012345678 the name of Islam. The refinement of methods of Ahmad Jabir Karim? Or My lovely daughter Rachael Secretary of State of the torture for use on Iraqi Sa‘id Shabram? FRIDAY 22 July Liverpool. CND. 0151 narrowly escaped death last United States, Condoleezza prisoners – such as pulling Yes, our dead have Film: Lenin’s paper The 708 7764. week when she was caught Rice, described the bomb- off limbs, gouging out eyes, names too. They have faces Spark. 7pm, Soc. for Co- SUNDAY 7 August up in last week’s bombs in ings as an act of barbarism. putting out cigarettes on and stories and memories. 0peration in Russian & Post G8. Debrief & film. London. As she rushed up The United Nations Security their skin, and using There was a time when they Soviet Studies 320 Brixton 3pm, LARC, 62 Fieldgate the steps out of the Under- Council met and unani- cigarette lighters to set fire were among us, laughing Rd, London SW9. £5/£3. St London E1. All ground with smoke billow- mously condemned the to the hair on their heads? and playing. They had 020 7274 2282. welcome. ing behind her, she ran event. Does the word “barbaric” dreams, just as you have. TUESDAY 26 July - 31 July. FRIDAY 9 August towards a bus. It exploded in I would like to ask you, adequately describe the They had a tomorrow Photos by children of the Nagasaki Day peace front of her eyes, and the free British people, to behaviour of your troops in awaiting them. But today West Bank. 12-5pm, The walk. showered her with debris, allow me to inquire: in Iraq? they sleep among us with no Gallery, The Spitz, Old 7.30pm Westminster some of which hit her in the whose name was our May we ask why the tomorrow on which to wake. Spitalfields Market, 109 Cathedral to peace A Letter to the British country blockaded for 12 Security Council did not We don’t hate the Commerial St, London E1. Pagoda in Battersea People. years? In whose name were condemn the massacre in al- British people or other PSC. Park. 020 7228 9620. My first thoughts our cities bombed using Amiriyah and what hap- peoples of the world. This FRIDAY 29 July - 31 July WEDNESDAY 17 August obviously are for my internationally prohibited pened in al-Fallujah, Tal‘afar, war was imposed upon us, National Hazards In to the war zone : daughter, and for the weapons? In whose name Sadr City, and an-Najaf? but we are now fighting it in conference - building performed by the Writers relatives of those killed and did the British army kill Why does the world watch defence of ourselves. workplace organisation. Company. 8pm, Hebden injured in that terrifying Iraqis and torture them? as our people are killed and Because we want to live in University of Leeds, Leeds. Bridge Trades Club, W. experience. But it has also Was that in your name? tortured and not condemn our homeland – the free land £80 (non-residential). Yorkshire. brought home to me the Or in the name of religion? the crimes being committed of Iraq – and to live as we FRIDAY 6 August SATURDAY 27 August suffering of the 150,000 against us? want to live, not as your Hiroshima Day Ceremony, New Worker garden Or humanity? Or freedom? noon-1pm, Tavistock Sq. Iraqis who have been killed Or democracy? Are you human beings Government or the American party in Charlton, SE as a result of the Iraq war; as government wish. London WC1. CND. 020 London.– good food, What do you call the and we something less? Do 7607 2302. well as the thousands of killing of more than two you think that only you can Let the families of those good drink and good Afghan and Palestinian feel pain and we can’t? In killed know that the respon- company. 2pm onwards. million children? What do FRIDAY 6 - 9 AUGUST Details 020 8319 1283, civilians who have become you call the pollution of the fact it is we who are most sibility for the Thursday victims of occupation over morning London bombings Hiroshima Fast, Peace 020 7223 4052 or soil and the water with aware of how intense is the Gdn in St John’s Gdn, [email protected] the years. depleted uranium and other pain of the mother who has lies with Tony Blair and his Yes, I want to stop the lethal substances? lost her child, or the father policies. killing of innocent civilians; What do you call what who has lost his family. We Stop your war against but more than anything else, happened in the prisons in know very well how painful our people! Stop the daily I want our Government to Iraq – in Abu Ghraib, Camp it is to lose those you love. killing that your troops address the causes of Bucca and the many other You don’t know our commit! End your occupa- In memory of terrorism. This can only be prison camps? martyrs, but we know them. tion of our homeland! achieved by working for a What do you call the You don’t remember them, just peace in Palestine, torture of men, women, and but we remember them. You From Iman AL-Saadun HARRY DANVERS getting the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, and a a founder member of the New stop to thrusting Western Communist Party and a tireless values down the throats of other countries, who may supporter of socialism. want to choose their own On the anniversary of his birthday – road to democracy. The time to change course is from all his NCP and Richmond/Kingston now before it is too late. branch comrades. Ray Davies, Caerphilly.

Dear readers I am sending this letter to the British people and in particular to the residents of London. For a period of hours, you have lived through moments of desperate anxiety and horror. In those hours you lost a member of your family or a friend, and we wish to tell you in total honesty that we too grieve when human lives pass away. I cannot tell you how much we hurt when we see desperation and pain on the face of another person. • Southall comrades share For we have lived a laugh while doing good through this situation – and work on the New Worker A good day in Acton continue to live through it stall at the Acton carnival. every day – since your country and the United by Alan Rogers States formed an alliance munist Manifesto books were THE ACTON carnival is a printed in China – she remem- colourful, friendly bered the printing style from multicultural event. Our ex- her youth. She also told us perience this year was that she thought the new Brit- unique. Last year nobody ish biography of Mao is a spoke to us, we sold no New product of ignorance of his- Workers and we only took tory and an inability to take £10. all factors into account. Weekly paper of the New Communist Party This year people spoke to Then there was the man us. Did we know that thou- from Afghanistan who sands of Radio Four listeners bought a New Worker and had chosen Karl Marx as their wanted a badge with a ham- SUBSCRIBE NOW! favourite thinker? mer and sickle. So we had the unusual And then there were the 6 weeks: £4; 3 months: £8; experience of people looking old ladies who bought marma- 6 months: £15; annual: £30 through the Marx/Engels/ lade and asked us if we were On the Web... Stalin literature and some of Russian. New Worker National – them bought copies of the And it was good to talk www.newworker.org Name...... Communist Manifesto and to old friends from the Cam- NCP Central – Address...... the New Worker. paign for Nuclear Disarma- www.geocities.com/ncpcentral And people spoke to us: ment. We agreed to meet ...... a serious young man from the again at the Turnham Green London District NCP– Post code...... Czech Republic who talked Peace market in September. http://londoncommunists.blogspot.com/ about the low wages and no- Phone...... We took enough money Brighton NCP – job situation in his country to pay for the stall and to be http://brightoncommunists.blogspot.com/ Send cheque/P.O.’s to: today and the woman from able to pass some takings back Shanghai who had lived for to the New Worker office. Yes, NCP-PCS – NW Subs, PO Box 73, London SW11 2PQ over 13 years in Britain. we thought, we’ve had a good www.geocities.ncppcs/pcs1.html She told us that the Com- day! 22 July 2005 THE NEW WORKER Page 7 020 7223 4052 What to do about stem cell research?

by Dr Isaac Wolf $3 billion to human stem cell cal treatments discovered us- research. ing human genes will be too ON 24TH MAY, the US House Stem cell research is an expensive for the majority of of Representatives passed a important new area of medi- humankind. The result of the bill that would allow taxpay- cal research and should be HGP is simply human exploi- ers’ dollars to be used for re- supported. However, there are tation for the enrichment and search on embryos that would dangers in just supporting the benefit of a few. otherwise be discarded by current push for stem cell re- The stem cell research ini- fertility clinics. search. The danger is illus- tiatives which are under con- The embryos would be trated by two of the key pri- sideration in a number of used in stem cell research, a orities of Proposition 71, states as well as the Congres- growing area of medical sci- which are economic develop- sional bill have the same ap- ence that holds the promise ment and financial return from proach as Proposition 71: the of new treatments for a vari- royalties. public funding-private profit ety of diseases such as The California Research program worked out during Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and Cures Coalition, the the HGP. Thus if you support Parkinson’s and spinal cord group leading the stem cell the current stem cell funding injuries. President Bush an- project, will patent the discov- programmes, you are actually nounced that he would veto eries from the Proposition 71 supporting and funding the this bill and has reignited a sponsored research and li- direct transfer of our biology debate that gained attention cence them to private compa- to private industry. during the last presidential nies for development and ex- But there is a way to sup- campaign. ploitation. Thus, the objective port stem cell research and to A stem cell is a cell that is to use public funding to use this support to drive a has the ability to develop into explore human biology in or- wedge between ourselves any of the different cell types der to discover new medical and the current leaders of this that make up the tissues and treatments that will be used movement. The way to ap- to enrich a few at the expense proach the debate over stem organs of the body. Early in • Above: Californian development, a human em- of the many. This is why a di- cell research is to frame the verse coalition that includes students for stem cell issue in the context of using bryo is made up of a hollow research. Left: ball of cells called a blasto- the Democratic Party, publicly funded medical re- cyst. Blastocyst cells divide Govenor Arnold Stem search campaigner search for the benefit of all, and eventually develop into Schwarzenegger and Bill Christopher Reeve not for the enrichment of a all of the tissues and organs Gates supports stem cell re- (Superman) with Senators few. This can be done by de- of a human being; this pro- search. Kennedy and Feinstein. manding: cess is called differentiation. The public funding - pri- catalysed the multibillion-dol- 1. Full federal funding for Embryonic stem cells can be vate profit approach con- lar US biotechnology indus- stem cell research at the ex- grown in the laboratory from tained in Proposition 71 is try and fostered the develop- pense of the military budget: blastocysts and made to dif- modelled after another monu- ment of new medical applica- money for life, not death. ferentiate into nerve, liver, mental scientific effort, the tions.” 2. Free and open access muscle, blood and other cells. Human Genome Project In essence, the HGP trans- to all of the discoveries aris- The idea is to use the differ- (HGP). It is important to un- ferred the discoveries from a ing from the stem cell research entiation of stem cells to re- derstand the HGP so that we joint public-private financed projects. place damaged tissues (such can determine how to ap- scientific project to private 3. All profits made from as severed spinal cords) and proach stem cell research. companies such as Celera drugs and treatments based treat diseases such as The HGP began in 1990 Genomics, Incyte and Human upon the discoveries from the Parkinson’s disease and dia- with the goal of identifying Genome Sciences. It is impor- stem cell research project to betes. the approximately 25,000 tant to note that the genes be used to provide free medi- Over 70 percent of Ameri- genes in human DNA - in es- patented and transferred by cal treatment throughout the cans support stem cell re- sence to find out what makes the HGP were not invented; world: from humans to hu- search as it has been effec- us tick. The HGP was an in- they were simply discovered. mans. tively sold to them by the late ternational effort led by the In fact, these genes are the Modern technology, in- Christopher Reeve, Michael J US Department of Energy and and treat diseases such as HGP project was the federal basic building blocks of the cluding stem cell research, Fox and the Kerry campaign. the US National Institutes of cancer, Alzheimer’s and arthri- government’s long-standing human organism; they are part presents us with the oppor- This support was reflected by Health and took 13 years to tis. dedication to the transfer of of our very being. Thus, the tunity to rid humankind of the passage in California of complete. This was an excit- But advances in biomedi- technology to the private sec- HGP has claimed something many of the currently Proposition 71, “The Califor- ing and scientifically impor- cal science were not the only tor. By licensing technologies that they did not create, hu- untreatable diseases. This can nia Stem Cell Research and tant effort that promises to objective of the HGP. As to private companies and man genes, and gave them to be the future and this will be Cures Act”. Proposition 71 is give us keys to the develop- stated on the HGP web page: awarding grants for innova- private companies to exploit. the future. a bond issue that will devote ment of new ways to prevent “An important feature of the tive research, the project It is fair to say that the medi- People’s Tribune (US) When is a war not a war?

leading theoretician of the Abyssinia, Spain, Austria REVIEW Communist Party of Great and Czechoslovakia, They Britain and this article is were all anti-fascist and by Ray Jones an interview he gave in were the basis of the 39/ 1946 while visiting the 41 period. Revolutionary Democracy Communist Party of India The famous History of Vol. XI no. 1. £2.50 plus 50p in Mumbai. Dutt is asked the Communist Party of from NCP Lit. PO Box 73, about the famous quote the Soviet Union (Bolshe- London SW11 2PQ. by Stalin in which he said viks), as Dutt points out, that: “...from the very talks about the Second REVOLUTIONARY outset [the Second World World War and that was Democracy really is an War] assumed the nature published in 1938. amazing journal. of an anti-fascist war...”. Therefore Dutt con- Where else could you How did he equate this cludes that while there read a scholarly look at with the analysis of the was an imperialist phase the poverty in India CPGB (and the CPI) that of the war it was not today, the minutes of the period between necessarily its starting discussions between September 1939 and June point nor its defining Stalin, Molotov and 1941 (when the Soviet factor. Anthony Eden in 1935, Union was invaded) was As well as all this, this an in-depth look at the an imperialist war? issue of Revolutionary at the economics of Che Dutt’s reply is brief but Democracy manages to Guevara in Cuba and R revealing. “When did the find space for messages Palme Dutt on the war really start?” he asks. of greetings on it’s tenth character of the Second The war, say Dutt, had its anniversary, among them World War? And more roots in Manchuria in one from the New Com- besides! 1931and grew through the • Molotov, fourth from left, and Eden, fifth, in San Francisco for a UN planning munist Party. Long may it Palme Dutt was a struggles in China, conference in 1945. continue! Page 8 22 July 2005

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New Kyrgyz leader calls Israeli troops mass on Gaza for US pull out Jihad (Holy War) last week, in by Ming Dajun which five Israelis were killed in Jerusalem KYRGYZSTAN’S newly and 90 wounded. That was soon followed by the rocket- elected President LARGE NUMBERS of Israeli ing and shelling of Israeli Kurmanbek Bakiyev called tanks and armoured vehicles, settlements by the Hamas mi- for the withdrawal of all US along with thousands of litia. Hamas’ main objective, it troops from his country now troops, have massed around is said, is to boost its influ- that the situation in Afghani- the Gaza Strip, ready and stan had stabilised. ence ahead of the coming to- waiting for orders to launch tal Israeli withdrawal from the “The situation in Afghani- an extensive and comprehen- Gaza Strip. stan is really different (from sive ground offensive into the 2001): a president has been Palestinian administered ter- challenging elected, parliamentary elec- ritory. Tension is now at its tions has also taken place, highest point in the region and as the situation have By attacking Israel, Hamas since Mahmoud Abbas was and Islamic Jihad are chal- changed, why not envisage elected Palestinian National this question?” Bakiyev said lenging Abbas’ authority. Authority (PNA) president in Under the so-called “dis- in an interview with Russian January. television on Sunday. engagement” plan, Israel will An American base was start to evacuate all its settle- established in 2001 in the rocket attacks ments in Gaza in mid-August. former Soviet central Asian After the withdrawal, Israel is republic during the US-led The Islamic resistance scheduled to transfer the campaign to topple nearby movement Hamas is launch- settlements to the PNA, Afghanistan’s Taliban leader- ing Qassam rocket attacks on which will enhance the PNA’s ship and it remains a staging Israel while Israel has re- position in Gaza but weaken post for US-led operations in sumed its targeted assassina- • Israeli troops prepare to move. Hamas’ control in the highly- Afghanistan. tions of Hamas Muslim Broth- populated coastal strip. erhood and other Palestinian fragile six-month-old cease- will launch a major ground and he is urging them to abide A co-ordinated Israeli dis- Bakiyev stressed that he fire. offensive in the Gaza Strip. by it. is going to start negotiations militant leaders. engagement from the Palestin- The bloodshed has almost Israel has issued stern Abbas, now in Gaza city, But Hamas has ignored ian area and the fate of the with the United States for a warnings to Abbas to order is trying his best to persuade his warnings and their militia timetable for the withdrawal. shattered the truce reached disengagement will be deter- between Abbas and Israeli his security forces to do ev- Hamas and other militant is continuing mortar attacks mined by Abbas’ dealing with He said that at the recent sum- erything they can to halt groups that the truce with Is- against Israel. PNA security mit of the Shanghai Coopera- premier Ariel Sharon in Feb- the challenges from inside ruary. Any new incident could Hamas’ shelling of Israeli rael meets the “higher national forces and Hamas militants and a source from the Israeli tion Organisation (SCO), lead- settlements; otherwise Israel interest” of the Palestinians, have exchanged fire, killing ers of the six member coun- lead the total collapse of the premier’s office conceded: two teenagers and injuring 30 “This is unquestionably tries called on the US-led anti- early on Friday. terror alliance to set a dead- Abbas’ most difficult hour.” line for retention of their mili- US Secretary of State tary presence in SCO states. dangerous Condoleezza Rice said over In 2001, the United States the weekend that she is go- asked if they could establish New Chinese space mission This bloody conflict has ing to visit Israel and the Pal- a base on Kyrgyz territory for sent a dangerous signal to the estinian territories to save the the struggle against terrorism Palestinian community be- truce from a complete col- and Kyrgyzstan agreed. As it cause it overstepped the “red lapse, give disengagement a PEOPLE’S CHINA may Weigang, director of the teorological Administration. line” of “Palestinians not push, and show support for was not clear how long the The meteorological sat- war in Afghanistan was go- launch its next manned Space Department of the shooting Palestinians” they Abbas. ing to last, the agreement had space mission within China Aerospace Science ellite, FY-2C, named after have upheld for many years. Apart from the truce, nei- no time limit, Bakiyev recalled. three months, an aero- and Technology Corp de- the initial letters of the Chi- Some say that if the clashes ther side has reached any But now the situation is dif- space official revealed clared. nese words for “wind” and continue it could lead to civil agreement to solve their fun- war amongst the Palestinians ferent in Afghanistan and it is this week. China is also Although Sun did not “cloud”, cost 2.4 billion yuan damental dispute and the Is- about time to discuss the pull- provide details about the (£166 million) to develop and the collapse of the Abbas raeli side still closes its door planning to put at least government. to peace talks. out. two more meteorological new mission, space officials and build. A Long March Some 1,500 troops from rocket blasted it into space The latest round in the Calm is essential for peace satellites into orbit be- earlier said China has been cycle of violence began with talks but only a comprehen- the United States and other fore 2008 to provide bet- preparing for the second last October. Nato countries are stationed a suicide bombing in the sive peace treaty will provide ter weather forecasting manned venture into outer In-orbit tests indicated coastal Israeli city of Netanya, the basis for a lasting peace. at the base at the Manas in- space since the first mis- the geo-stationary satellite, ternational airport. Besides for the Olympics in carried out by the Islamic Xinhua news agency Beijing. sion, piloted by Yang Liwei, with an expected lifetime of Kyrgyzstan, the United States three years, had met all the also has troops stationed in “The manned space- almost two years ago. neighbouring Tajikistan and craft (Shenzhou VI) will ... Sun Laiyan, chief of the designed requirements. Uzbekistan. preferably be launched in China National Space Ad- Yang Jun, director of the Xinhua news agency early October,” Sun ministration, earlier said National Satellite Meteoro- that Shenzhou VI will carry logical Centre, said FY-2C, Chavez denounces two men into orbit for five or which watches the Earth six days. The duo will be from a height of 36,000 km, chosen from among 14 air will substantially improve ‘bandit’ cardinal force fighter pilots. the country’s ability to moni- The trainees have tor weather changes and its stepped up training in attempts to mitigate natu- VENEZUELAN President the Vatican wants to have weightless conditions and ral disasters. Hugo Chavez called a Roman good relations with us?” he learnt to repair faults and Qin Dahe, director of the Catholic cardinal a coup- asked. deal with other emergen- China Meteorological Ad- mongering “bandit” on Sun- This current row might ministration, said every day after the church leader worsen the already strained cies in space, sources urged Venezuelans to oppose ties between Chavez, a left- close to the country’s country covered by the FY- the president on the grounds wing nationalist, and space programme said. 2C satellite could receive he was not ruling the coun- Venezuela’s Catholic bishops. Sun Weigang said and use its meteorological try like a democrat. Some bishops accused China would also launch data. “I am convinced that what the president of trying to in- two recoverable scientific To serve the 29th Olym- we have here is a dictator- troduce an atheistic ideology and experimental satellites piad in Beijing, China is ship,” El Universal newspa- to the predominantly Catho- by the end of the year. The planning to send at least per quoted Cardinal Rosalio lic country. But recent opin- two satellites will be recov- two further weather satel- Castillo as saying. ion polls showed Chavez en- ered within three weeks of lites into space before 2008, At a live state television joys the support of a majority their launching, he said. Yang said. broadcast, waving a copy of of Venezuelans because his Sun’s remarks were “Satellites in the pipe- Castillo’s newspaper inter- populist government is using line include a FY-2D geo- view, Chavez angrily retorted national oil wealth to provide made on the sidelines of a to the church leader, saying free health and education ceremony yesterday in stationary satellite, to be “He has the devil inside him programmes and cheap food Beijing marking the launched in 2006, and a FY- ... (he’s an) immoral bandit for the poor. handover of a meteorologi- 3A polar orbiting meteoro- and coup-monger”. Chavez won a referendum cal satellite from its maker logical satellite that will He also said the cardinal’s on his rule last year and opin- – China Aerospace Sci- hopefully be blasted into attack against him should be ion polls predict he will win ence and Technology Corp space in 2007,” he said. brought to the attention of re-election in late 2006.

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