> >New Worker Online Digest > >Week commencing 7th April, 2000. > >1) Editorial - Africa's burden. > >2) Lead story - Anti-fascists hold the line. > >3) Feature article - 80 Maternity units to close. > >4) International story - Republicans assess fragile state of Irish peace. > >5) British news item - Spate of racist attacks. > > >1) Editorial > >Africa's burden. > >THE United States economy is, for the time being, doing pretty well and the >other advanced western countries are continuing to benefit from the current >upturn in the capitalist boom and slump cycle. > > Yet this brief period of economic respite does not mean everything is >rosy. Even now millions of US and European workers are out of work while >those with jobs are forced to work longer hours and put up with worsening >conditions at the workplace. And within these advanced industrial countries >there are wide regional differences and areas of widespread poverty. > > British records show the gap between rich and poor is widening -- a trend >found in all capitalist countries. And how could it be otherwise when the >entire system is based upon exploitation? > > And even this brief period of economic upturn, is only on the surface. The >capitalist system throughout the world continues to be in deepening crisis >because the fundamental contradictions within the system cannot be >resolved. Attempts to alleviate the crisis amount to the rich screwing more >and more from the working class and poorest people. > > A system which is based on the rich getting richer at the expense of the >poor is bound to create the most extreme levels of human suffering in the >poorest countries. > > It is therefore not surprising that the news from Africa -- the world's >poorest continent -- is so distressing. Catastrophes have followed each >other in recent months. These include natural disasters like the severe >flooding in Mozambique and Madagascar and another disastrous drought in >Ethiopia. And it must be noted that many are likely to die unnecessarily in >these disasters because of the overwhelming poverty of these countries. > > There have also been problems of social distress such as the cult killings >in Uganda -- another by-product of poverty and insecurity. And now the >struggle over land ownership has come to the forefront in Zimbabwe -- a >legacy of British colonial rule and the continuing injustice left in its wake. > > Of course for the famine-hit horn of Africa and the flooded south east of >the continent, the immediate need is to get food, medicines and other >emergency aid to the disaster-hit areas. Governments, the United Nations >and other international agencies must respond quickly and effectively. > > But these demands should go hand in hand with the questions -- why is it >that Africa is so poor when it has the richest mineral and natural >resources in the world? Where has the wealth of Africa gone? > > Quite literally the wealth of Africa can be seen sparkling around the >necks and fingers of wealthy people in wealthy countries. It can be found >in the fuel chambers of nuclear power plants providing weapons of mass >destruction for the powerful to threaten the weak. It panels the walls of >corporate boardrooms and palatial houses. It lies in other countries' bank >vaults in shining heaps all duly stamped and counted. > > Nor can all of this be the result of fair trade. If that was the case the >countries of Africa would have gained wealth of equal value in return. The >truth is that Africa has been ravaged by the long years of European >colonial rule, further years of neo-colonial domination by the imperialist >powers and is still being bled dry by capitalist moneylenders, stitched up >by commodity markets in the world's big financial centres and bullied by >big power trading organisations. > > The beneficiaries of this plundering spare no effort nor baulk at any >dirty war to keep African divided from African, to divert the people's >attention away from their exploiters and to conceal their crimes from the >eyes of working people in their home countries. > > To this end Africa was carved up by the colonialists in an arbitrary way. >A foreign religion was foisted upon the people to help pacify unrest. Still >today internal divisions are encouraged by the imperialists who directly, >or indirectly through third countries, provide weapons and promises to >local would-be leaders. Aid is used as a weapon to control governments and >every penny comes with strings attached. > > If anything reveals the capitalist system for the inhuman and barbarous >force that it is, it is the crimes committed against the hard working and >struggling people of Africa. We need to do much more than give aid to >Africa -- we must step up our struggle for socialism and peace and speed >capitalism's overdue demise. > > ********************* > >2) Lead story > >Anti-fascists hold the line. > >by Renee Sams > >NATIONAL Front scum failed to reach the Clock Tower on Margate sea front >last Saturday as anti-fascist protesters held the line against them. > > Police vans were driven against the anti-fascists, to force them back. But >against all odds they valiantly held their ground and stopped the NF short >of their objective. > > The National Front had organised their march last Saturday not only to >incite race hatred against the asylum seekers who are housed in the Kent >seaside town in the under-used hotels but also to back up the local >election campaign. > > For the past few weeks there have been articles and letters in the local >press whipping up local feeling against immigrants. > > National Front leaflets designed to stir up race hatred were being handed >out claiming that "bogus asylum seekers are swamping your area" and "these >refugees are just getting a free ride on our economy". > > But local anti-racist supporters had also been working in the town, giving >out leaflets and calling for support to stop the NF march. > > They had some success and a couple of hundred people gathered on the >esplanade to make their feelings known. > > On the other side of the road, however, local NF sympathisers gathered to >wait for the NF members who arrived by train by arrangement with the police. > > As soon as they were seen off the train they were immediately surrounded >by a strong police cordon. > > While waiting for the police to get themselves into a military formation, >they held a short rally with some ragged singing of Rule Britannia, >displaying their banners with: "No room here" and placards saying: "Stop >immigration, start repatriation" and set off on their short march. > > The counter demonstration linked arms in a line across the road with a >determined shout of: "Nazi scum off our streets". > > The initial confrontation between police and anti-fascists lasted about >half an hour with the NF jeering and shouting abuse and urging police >drivers to "run them over". > > Snarling, yelping police dogs were restrained by their handlers as the >anti-fascists, led by the Anti-Nazi League, refused to allow the neo-Nazis >to freely march along the Margate esplanade. > > An anti-fascist veteran of over 20 years experience told the new Worker: >"I have never seen police dogs so out of control, in fact you have to be >here to believe it." > > When the ANL Line finally had to give way there was some scuffling with >police and five anti-fascist protesters were arrested as a result of >determined "snatch squads" organised by the police. > > But the demonstrators reformed and prevented the police and fascists from >reaching their objective. > > It took an hour-and-a-half and about 400 police in full riot gear, >flakjackets and shields, snarling police dogs, police vans used as >battering rams, surrounding some 50 NF marchers in a double cordon to force >the way along 500 yards of the seafront from the railway station to near >the Clock Tower. > > Kent police were obviously well prepared to support the NF, mounting a >massive military-style operation to allow them to march. > > The coach carrying anti-fascist protesters was stopped on the outskirts of >Margate. All the passengers were carefully searched and their names and >addresses taken down. The coach and bags on it were all inspected, even >people's diaries were looked at. > > Very politely the officers explained that they were operating under the >section of the new Criminal Justice Act as they unwrapped the Anti-Nazi >League banner, spread it on the ground and then confiscated the banner poles. > > The coach driver was rather surprised when they removed the handle of the >broom he used to sweep the coach out! > > Having failed to reach the Clock Tower, the police finally turned their >vans round to escort the neo-Nazis back to the station and put them on the >train. > > Counter demonstrators were held back by a line of officers until they >received a message from HQ that the neo-Nazis were safe on their train, >before they were allowed to go home. > > All this fits in with Government policy of appealing to the lowest common >denominator in the debate about refugees. > > Hence the demeaning voucher system, dispersal to places all over the >country and the length of time refugees have to wait before they get a >decision on their asylum claim. > > Both the Tory party and a large part of the press are playing the same >tune. One is desperate for votes and the other to sell dubious newspapers. > > Saturday in Margate demostrated that there are people and organisations >of integrity who are prepared to stand against it. > > ********************** > >3) Feature article > >80 Maternity units to close. > >by Caroline Colebrook > >WOMEN in labour could be forced to travel up to 80 miles if new proposals >for the merging of maternity units throughout the country go ahead. > > The proposals from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, >the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Paediatricians are >claimed to be essential because of a lack of experts. > > Their report, Reconfiguring Matrmiry Services says that the NHS has 1,600 >fewer specialists than it needs to maintain childbirth services at full >level. It also says there is a shortage ofaround 2,500 midwives. > > The report says a major shakeup cannot be avoided and puts forward the >mergers as an opinion. Professor James Drife said: "In big cities such as >Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh there have already been merger; of >big units, which may not be of such concern because they are almost side by >side. > > "But what has caused concern is that in places such as Huddersfield and >Halifax, where the plan is already well advanced, one or other loses its >maternity unit. > > "Each town is fighting tooth and nail not to be the one." > > The Royal College of Midwives says that currently a third of maternity >units fail to provide one-to-one care and half of all deliveries are >performed by consultants. > > The report also says that the European Working Time Directive puts limits >on the hours NHS employees can work. > > Some maternity units are having problems meeting their legal obligation to >provide a 24-hour service. > > The report says another 215 consultants are needed yet the Government has >put a cap on the number of new consultant posts that can be created. > > Already the shortage of staff on many maternity wards has led to some in >large teaching hospitals being forced to put a temporary bar on emergency >admissions by ambulance. > > Health Secretary Alan Milburn said the report would be considered as part >of a wider plan to modernise the NHS. > > ************************* > >4) International story > >Republicans assess fragile state of Irish peace. > >By Our Irish Affairs Correspondent > >SINN FEIN'S Ard Fheis met in Dublin last weekend amid what the Party's >chief negotiator Martin McGuinness MP said was a "very significant crisis" >in the Irish peace process. > > Party President Gerry Adams MP, in his address, said that when the British >government on 11 February endorsed the unionist condition that the Northern >Ireland Assembly's role was dependent on IRA disarmament that was the >"biggest single mistake by the British Labour Party since it took power in >May 1997." > > He recognised that "most nationalists and all republicans", after "two >years of time wasting and obstructionist poll ties by unionists" would >today say that the GFA was "dead". > > This reflects the collective frustration and anger felt by republicans at >the turn of events. Conference delegates voiced strident criticism of the >British government -- especially Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson >-- for its crucial act in terminating the fledgling Northern Ireland >Assembly institutions. > > Martin McGuinness told delegates that this, "more than any other political >decision" had brought the peace process to its "greatest low". It was >unanimously agreed, in a Kerry motion, that the rug was pulled out "by >Peter Mandelson at the behest of the Ulster Unionist Party in direct >contravention of both the letter and spirit of the agreement, as >overwhelmingly endorsed by the people in the North and South by referendum >in May 1998." > > But Gerry Adams also explained the underlying significance of getting this >far. "One of the most compelling arguments in favour of the agreement is >that, for the first time, a British government and others were made to face >up to what is wrong in the North." He said "this is ground gained which >must never be conceded." > > He accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair, even before "the ink was dry >on the agreement", of stepping "outside the framework" to accommodate >Unionist objections. "From then on this issue (of arms decommissioning) was >treated as an issue of tactical political management." > > The moment the unionist card came into play outside the terms of the >agreement, "the current vacuum was a crisis waiting to happen." This "flaw" >has "subverted all of Sinn Fein's efforts to resolve the arms issue," he said. > > He said that Sinn Fein stretched their obligations under the terms of the >agreement to the limits. And, recognising that some may be concerned by >aspects of their leadership, he said that Sinn Fein "will continue to >support efforts to resolve the arms issue." > > The finger ultimately pointed at the British government on all the crucial >issues, however Unionism acts. In fact, the British government have clearly >notonly subverted Sinn Fein's efforts but also pro-Agreement unionists. > > "We will continue to do our best" Gerry Adams said, "but if a British >government with all of its military firepower and muscle, could not get an >IRA surrender in 30 years of war, then unionist leaders or British >ministers cannot expect a Sinn Fein leadership to do it for them." > > He said that the suspension of the Assembly powers was "illegal and >unilateral". And while the deliberate focus on the obstruction of >decommissioning proceeded, precious little else has been forthcoming in >terms of the agreement. > > "The reality is that we are still awaiting delivery of the equality >agenda; a new policing service; justice matters; human rights; cultural >rights; and demilitarisation." He said he had sought answers for the >British forces killings of 400 victims. He has yet to receive an adequate >response, he said. > > There is no doubt that Sinn Fein's development and grassroots expansion, >its prospective and committed work in what -- though shortlived -- Gerry >Adams called "popular" Assembly institutions, its unrelenting dedication to >the righting of anti-working class conditions, and its progressive >internationalist positions, all add up to a national power in the land of >Ireland. > > This has been reinforced by the current debate going on in Sinn Fein now >as a result of talk that Fianna Fail are floating the idea of a coalition >with Sinn Fein. > > The discussion is a "novel experience", Gerry Adams said, but he added >that it is more a question of whether Sinn Fein want to go in to a >coalition with Fianna Fail. "Ultimately, the only coalition we want to >build is the coalition of the dispossessed, north and south, east and west, >urban and rural. > > This is an indication of Sinn Fein's growing stature. That's the point. >Gerry Adams said: "Sinn Fein is ready for government. Maybe that is the >real problem." > > ********************* > >5) British news item > >Spate of racist attacks. > >by Daphne Liddle > >A BLACK teenager last week was set on fire by a gang of racists near his >home in the Oxfordshire village of Berinsfield. > > This was just one of several vicious racist attacks that have been >reported so far this month. > > Chris Barton told police that four white men attacked him as he walked >home from his girlfriend's flat at lam on Friday morning. > > "I was five minutes from the house and a black car started driving slowly >behind me: My first thought was that it was the police -- I have been >stopped late at night before," he said. > > "It was just going at normal walking speed when it pulled up beside me. I >was going to run but then I had some stuff sprayed over me. It smelled like >petrol. > > "Two boys got out of the car and stood right in front of me. Then two even >taller lads got out and stood behind me. There was a car on one side and a >fence on the other. I couldn't go anywhere. > > "The two lads in front of me pulled out lighters and said: 'You smelly >Paki'. I stood there just frozen with fear and thought to myself, they >haven't got the bottle to do it. > > "The next thing I knew the lighters were lit -- Ijust kept my eyes on the >lighters and then they lit me up and just walked off, laughing. > > They were dead casual, they didn't even speed off when they got in the car >-- it was like nothing had happened." > > Flames soon engulfed his face, setting his hair ablaze. He pulled off his >jumper and tried to use it to beat out the flames. > >"It was terrible," he said. "I can't explain how painful it was. I pulled >my jumper off and just wrapped it around my head and tried to stagger home. > > "It felt like an hour but it was only five minutes. I was just in shock. I >was staggering all over the road." > > Detective Sergeant Geoff Webb of the Thames Valley Police said: "This was >a terrifying incident inflicted on someone who was just walking home. There >can be no doubt this was a racially motivated attack. There can be no other >explanation given the wording used. > > "People of all nationalities, colours and creeds live in Berinsfield >village and we have not had any problems." > > In another incident, a gospel church in Nelson, Lancashire was petrol >bombed as worshippers inside held a bible study class. > > None of the 15 members of the congregation was injured. > > Detective Sergeant Steve Chard said: "It was a fairly minor attack and >there was a small amount of fire damage to the door. But it appears that it >might be racially motivated." > > Police are linking the attack with racist leaflets stuck to the >windscreens of cars parked outside the church. > > Minister David Bullock reports that the church has been subjected to >several attacks over the past 18 months, including vandalism to cars, >graffiti and arson attempts. > > And the Turkish community in Britain has come in for a number of racist >attacks after two Leeds football fans were murdered in Istanbul recently. > > One young man has been shot on his doorstep and on Sunday three racists >beat a Turkish restaurant owner and then set light to his restaurant in >Sheffield, south Yorkshire. > > Leaders of Britain's Chinese community last week reported a rising tide of >racially motivated attacks and harassment that go unpunished by police. > > A delegation organised by the National Civil Rights Movement last week met >representatives of the Metropolitan Police race and violent crime task >force to voice the fears of London's 60,000 strong Chinese community. > > They says that race crimes I against them are increasing and handed over >details of 15 cases of abuse against restauranteurs. > > Nelson Mandela last week, during a brief visit to Britain, pledged support >to the McGowan family of Telford who have had to fight local police racism >to get the racist murder of two members of the family taken seriously. > > Errol McGowan was found hanged last July after being subjected to a >campaign of racist abuse and death threats. This began after he had turned >a gang of white thugs away from a pub where he was a bouncer. > > Local police ascribed his death to suicide in spite of family protests. >When his nephew Jason began to investigate the murder himself because of >lack of police help, he too was found hanged. > > Police still ascribed both deaths to suicide until a national newspaper >took up the case. > > Now the local police have been pressured to allow the Metropolitan race >and violent crimes task force to investigate the case properly. > > * Last Tuesday two weapons, a large knife and an iron bar were handed into >police investigating the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence seven >years ago in Eltham. > > The weapons were found buried in the garden of the former home of two of >the main suspects in the case, Neil and Jamie Acourt. Police now say it is >possible that Stephen was stabbed with more than one weapon. > > ********************* > > >New Communist Party of Britain Homepage > >http://www.newcommunistparty.org.uk > >A news service for the Working Class! > >Workers of all countries Unite! __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
