> >New Worker Online Digest > >Week commencing 1st September, 2000. > >1) Editorial - From steel to rust. > >2) Lead story - NHS faces another Winter crisis. > >3) Feature article - Black soldier "unlawfully" killed. > >4) International story - Israelis die in West bank raid. > >5) British news item - New warnings on BSE. > > >1) Editorial > >>From steel to rust. > >THE sinking of the nuclear submarine Kursk and the devastating fire in the >Moscow telecommunications tower have once again focused national and >international attention on the decaying state of Russia's infrastructure, >the weakness of its economy and the ineptitude of its current leaders. > > The Russian press has published scathing attacks on Vladimir Putin and his >government, the relatives of the dead submariners have bitterly expressed >their anger at the government's handling of the situation and the Russian >public at large has shown its dismay at the appalling state their country >is in. > > The western media has shed a few crocodile tears but at the same time it >has been rubbing its hands with pleasure at the sight of so many rusting >hulks in Russia's naval ports and the evidence of a dramatic reduction in >Russia's naval force. > > Like the Russian media, the western press has pointed the finger of blame >at Putin and the top military brass. > > Putin and his cronies undoubtedly deserve criticism. But this blaming of >individuals and governments only serves to turn people's eyes from the >truth -- that Russia's backwards march to embrace capitalism has brought >nothing but disaster to the country and the vast majority of its people. > > In the fifteen years since the traitor Gorbachov came to power the once >super power Soviet Union has been broken up and state power has been handed >on a plate to the emerging capitalist class. The rich oil and mineral >reserves have fallen like ripe plums into the hands of western >transnational companies, the country is in hock to the money-lenders of the >IMF and World Bank and unemployment and poverty are widespread. > > Russia has suffered massive devaluations of its currency which has >impoverished millions of pensioners and others living on fixed incomes and >wiped out the value of people's savings. A shady dollar-based economy has >mushroomed in which gangsters grow fat. Inevitably the crime rate has risen >dramatically. > > Our media and politicians rejoiced at the counter-revolution in the former >Soviet Union. They bragged that now the people of that country had freedom, >democracy and opportunity. > > But what did this really bring? It gave freedom to giant western oil >companies to penetrate the Caspian, it gave freedom to transnational >retailers to open up branches in Russian and east European cities and it >gave freedom to Russia's new rich to get rid of socialist laws and restore >the practice of exploiting workers. > > The new-found "democracy" is, as it is everywhere in the capitalist world, >a means of allowing the capitalist class to rule with the swords of state >power sheathed in their scabbards. We only have to look at the United >States Congress, the House of Commons or the Russian Duma to see that the >chambers are full of lawyers, economists, business people, Ivy League and >Oxbridge graduates, the well-to-do and other lackeys of the ruling class. > > The opportunities of this restored capitalism are a sick joke for most >Russians. Many workers and military personnel have experienced having to >survive without wages at all, some have been paid in kind and had to hawk >their factory's products around the market place, pensioners have been >driven to selling their personal or household belongings and abandoned >children are forced into begging or worse. > > All of this is the fruit of capitalism and a direct result of the country >being thrown into the imperialist camp by the treacherous >counter-revolutionaries who wormed their way into positions of power in the >former Communist Party of the Soviet Union after it had become corrupted >and distorted by revisionists and other self-serving elements. > > But in all class divided societies there is always class struggle. Russia, >the former Soviet Republics and the countries of eastern Europe are no >exception. The flame of socialism still burns as working people fight back. >The spirit of the Soviet working class has not been crushed and the courage >and heroism that defeated the Nazi war machine will be galvanised to win >the class struggle once again. > > Capitalism belongs in the past along with the systems of slavery and >feudalism. The time for change is long overdue -- only socialism can bring >life to the hungry, hope to the exploited and oppressed and a future for >all of humanity. > > ********************* > >2) Lead story > >NHS faces another Winter crisis. > >by Daphne Liddle > >JUST A FEW weeks after Tony Blair announced his grand five-year plan for >the National Health Service, signs of a new looming winter beds shortage >are appearing up and down the country. > > In many places right now in high summer there is a desperate shortage of >beds. Patients are being kept 12 hours or more on trolleys in accident and >emergency units waiting for beds and others are having operations cancelled. > > In Wales more than half the principality's hospitals have bed occupancy >rates of over 85 per cent -- leaving only a handful of beds for emergencies. > > But beds are not the only problem. Terry Morris, a member of the emergency >pressures task group, said: "Beds are not the problem. The staff to look >after the patients we put in the beds are much harder to find. > > "The problem facing the NHS is that we need more staff, and while >recruiting abroad may help with some of the problem, the shortages can only >really be addressed by training more doctors and nurses. > > "The money is going into training but it will take at least four years >before we see the benefits on our wards." > > There is no flu epidemic to excuse the situation. There are simply not >enough hospital beds or staff. > > A recent survey of 85 health authorities and 150 hospitals by the Press >Association showed they were all on course to comply with the Government's >30 September deadline to draw up a winter action plan. > > But around half said they feared that social services would not be able to >cope with demand and around a third were concerned they would run out of >flu vaccine. > > They are concerned that the problem of "bed blocking" will arise again -- >elderly patients no longer requiring acute care but unable to be discharged >because they are still not fit enough to look after themselves and so >filling up beds. > > In Tony Blairs' grand plan, all these elderly patients will be shipped off >to residential care homes to receive convalescent care and free the beds >for new patients. > > But the money does not seem to have got through to the various social >service departments to cover the costs of this. And who knows if all the >various independent and charity run care homes can cope with such an >influx. Already they are failing to give adequate medical care. > > "Bed blocking" was never a problem before first the Tories and then Labour >carried out swingeing hospital closure programmes, drastically cutting the >total number of beds. > > What is needed is specialised NHS convalescent units where patients can be >encouraged, not pressurised, into finding their feet again, under the eyes >of specially trained nurses who can actswiftly in case of any relapse. > > Labour and Tory governments claimed not so many beds would be needed with >new surgical techniques thatwould treat us all more or less as >out-patients. They allowed no recovery time, expecting families to fill the >gap and take on the work of skilled nurses in looking after patients in >their own homes. > > Blair has announced the number of beds will rise under his new plan by >about 7,000. Yet still wards and accidentand emergency units are being cut, >many in accordance with the plans of finance companies who are building new >hospitals under Private Finance Initiative deals. > > The total number of beds is still falling but Blair is fiddling the >figures by counting the very beds in people's own homes and beds in private >hospitals where some patients will be sent -- to the profit of the owners >and the expense of the NHS. > >Since the Labour government was elected in May 1997, it has claimed to be >pumping new billions into the NHS. By now this should have ensured there >are no more winter crises. > > But the figures are always exaggerated and what money does get to the NHS >is swallowed up by the mounting debts ofthe hospital trusts. > > These were saddled with enormous debts as they came into existence -- >debts for the very land the hospitals stand on. This was already owned by >taxpayers but is being paid for again by taxpayers through the mortgages >the trusts are chained to. > > And the PFI scam is another way of making the public pay again and again >for what it now no longer owns but is in the hands of the banks and finance >companies --who now make the decisions about bed numbers and staffing. > > The money should have gone into re-opening hospitals, into the pay of >nurses and other health workers. If this had happened the money would have >produced more beds, better staffing levels throughout the NHS, better >nursing standards and better standards of cleanliness and catering. > > It really is time to demand that the NHS is renationalised so that its >funding goes on patient care and not into profits for banks. This means the >abolition of the trusts and the reconstruction of the NHS as one structure, >not in competition with itself and accountable to the public through >renewed local and regional health councils. > > This will wipe out masses of unnecessary bureaucracy and accounting and >other money wasting, allowing the money to go where it is desperately needed. > > ********************** > >3) Feature article > >Black soldier "unlawfully" killed. > >by Caroline Colebrook > >CHRISTOPHER Alder, a young black former paratrooper died in April 1998 >choking in a pool of blood, his hands handcuffed behind him, while police >looked on, joking. And last week a coroner's jury concluded he had been >unlawfully killed. > > The eight jurors heard the circumstances in a 34-day hearing and twice saw >a video recording with sound track showing the death of Mr Alder, a father >of two. > > The official cause of death was postural asphyxia and the verdict of >unlawful killing was greeted by cheers from campaigners in the public >gallery -- followed by a minute's silence as a mark of respect for the dead >man. > >Five Humberside police officers have been suspended and are awaiting trial >for misconduct in public office at a Crown Court. > > Christopher Alder had died within half an hour of leaving Hull Royal >Infirmary. He had been taken there after striking his head on the ground >during a scuffle outside a local nightclub. > > Police had been called because he became troublesome to medical staff and >was arrested for a breach of the peace. > > They loaded him into the back of a van and by the time he was unloaded at >the police station, he had collapsed. > > He was "partially dragged and partially carried" into the police station >and dropped on the floor while officers discussed what to do with him. > > Arresting officer Nigel Dawson told Seargeat John Dunne: "He is right as >rain. This is just a show." > > The sergeant then said: "Take him to hospital." > > PC Dawson replied: "That is where he came from. He kept doing a dying swan >act falling off the trolley." > > Another constable was shown laughing at Mr Alder as he was put on the >floor while PC Dawson said: "They don't show you this in the training video." > > It was 12 minutes before they realised something serious was wrong and >that he was not breathing. > > The East Yorkshire coroner, Geoffrey Saul, had told the inquest jury not >to be swayed by the campaign and that blame was not the issue. > > He had said: "No verdict should be framed in such a way to suggest >criminal liability or civil liability. > > "You cannot use your verdict to suggest a criminal act." > > In a very long statement, Mr Saul told the jury they should not allow the >evidence of the video to overshadow other evidence and said they had seen >no evidence that "what happened that night had anything to do with the >colour of Christopher's skin". > > This did not deter thejury from returning their unlawful killing verdict >unanimously -- the evidence they had seen was conclusive. > > The dead man's sister, Janet Alder said, after the verdict: "Justice has >been done. The inquest has been a very difficult time for the family. > > "Christopher's character was assassinated with suggestions of anabolic >steroids, mental illness, drugs and panic attacks. > >"I am sad because we've lost Christopher in such a way but happy to know >that people are behind us and people believe what we are saying. > > "I would like every person in Britain to be able to see the video of my >brother's last moments." > > Her solicitor, Ruth Bundy, called on the Crown Prosecution Service to >re-examine the case and give consideration to other charges "including >manslaughter". > > She said: "The visual picture of a black man left lying like a sack of >potatoes on the custody suite floor at the police station speaks volumes >about the attitude to colour." > > She also criticised Geoffrey Saul for his long, biased statement and the >fact that Christopher Alder's clothes had been destroyed and those of the >five police officers concerned before any forensic tests could be done. > > ************************* > >4) International story > >Israelis die in West bank raid. > >by Our Middle East Affairs Correspondent > >THREE ISRAELI soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in a night raid >on an Islamic stronghold in the occupied West Bank last weekend. Three >hundred Israeli troops, backed by helicopter gunships, stormed the village >of Asira al Shamaliya near Nablus on Saturday night in an attempt to kill >two leading members of the Islamic Resistance Movement -- Hamas. > > As flares lit the village the Israelis poured in to try and kill Mahmoud >abu Hannoud and Nidal Daghlas who were in hiding. But as the Israelis began >house-to-house searches calls from the loudspeakers of the Mosque were >issued for people to defend their homes. > > But Abu Hannoud was not in his house. When he saw the Israelis advance he >surprised the enemy raking them with machine-gun fire killing three and >wounding many more. Nidal Daghlas was wounded by the Israelis, dragged out >of his house and beaten to get him to talk. Abu Hannoud escaped to Nablus, >under the control of Yasser Arafat's "autonomous" Palestinian Authority. > > He surrendered to the Palestinian police and has now been charged with >"endangering Palestinian national interests". > > Israeli and Palestinian Authority police are now cracking down on known >supporters of the Islamic resistance in the northern part of the occupied >territories. Over 25 Palestinian students have been arrested by the >Israelis and the Palestinian police have detained a further ten. > > Mahmoud abu Hannoud is one of Israel's most wanted men. A leading member >of Hamas' military wing, Izzedine al Kassam, he is believed to be the >mastermind behind two suicide bomb attacks in Jerusalem in 1997 which >killed 43 people, including five resistance fighters who sacrificed >themselves in the attacks. > > An Israeli-Arab member of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, said the >Israelis were lucky they didn't kill abu Hannoud. His death, or even >arrest, would have provoked an immediate bloody response from the Islamic >resistance. > > "The Israeli public should be thankful," Ahmad Tibi said. "If he had been >killed there would have been a string of attacks". > > But the raid, on the eve of US President Clinton's visit to Cairo to get >the "peace process" going again, was clearly a blunder by the Barak >government. The Israeli army has suffered yet another humiliation and >Palestinian President Yasser Arafat gets another headache. > > No-one knows what Arafat will do. Tel Aviv has yet to formally ask for the >guerrilla leader's extradition and the Palestinian Authority has made it >plain that they won't do it anyway. It would have to be done "over our dead >bodies" as one Palestinian security officer put it. > > But nor can Arafat let him go without endangering what's left of his >"relationship" with the Barak administration. > > A senior Palestinian official has already denounced the raid as a >provocation. The Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, the >Palestinian Authority parliament, said the Israeli military operation was a >"heinous act". Ahmed Qurei added that the raid took place just at the time >when negotiations were going on between the Palestinian administration and >the Israelis. > > The Israelis certainly want to question Abu Hannoud but they probably >would prefer him to remain in a Palestinian jail. That too won't come easy. > > Over 70 Palestinian and other Arab lawyers have volunteered to defend him >in the Palestinian court, and the prospect of Hamas appealing to the entire >Arab world in an uncontrolled courtroom drama is the last thing President >Arafat wants on his plate at this moment in time. > > ********************* > >5) British news item > >New warnings on BSE. > >SCIENTISTS last week raised new alarms that BSE -- bovine spongiform >encephalitis or mad cow disease -- could still be in the food chain. > > Just as the Government and farmers were hoping the BSE crisis was abating, >the scientists drew attention to new evidence that the disease can jump the >species divide more readily than expected and that it can take a latent >form -- with no obvious symptoms in the carrier. > > In a paper published last Tuesday, expert Professor John Collinge warned >these findings had "important public health implications". > > It also means that many kinds of meat -- sheep, pigs and poultry -- could >be affected as well as beef. > > The disease arose in the first place after the carcasses of dead diseased >sheep, suffering from the brain disease scrapie, were processed into animal >food and fed to cattle. > > But this kind of poisonous rubbish found its way into many different kinds >of animal food. > > Professor Collinge says a "subclinical" form of the disease may have >developed which could remain hidden. Animals thought to be healthy and >incapable of acquiring BSE could theoretically pass the disease on to humans. > > So far only 70 people have died of the human form of this fatal disease -- >the new variant CJD. Another nine are infected. This gives a rise of >between 30 and 40 per cent a year. > > There have been two deaths in France and one in Ireland. > > Since the disease has a long incubation period any number of people could >still develop the disease but the official figures so far, bad as they are, >could be a lot worse. > > Professor Collinge found the rogue protein or "prion" can jump species >much more easily than thought after his team of scientists at St Mary's >Hospital, London, were able to infect mice with a form of scrapie that was >thought to be indigenous to hamsters. > > The mice showed no symptoms, even though tests showed they had high levels >of potentially lethal prions in their brains. > > The fear is that what was possible in mice and hamsters may be possible >among other animals. > > Present cleaning and sterilisation techniques are failing to kill the >disease and the Government must now ponder whether new measures are needed >to prevent the illness getting into the human food chain. > > This could imply mass spot testing of apparently healthy animals. > > But the Department of Health says: "Current measures to protect public >health from farm to healthcare were introduced on the basis that infection >in animals and in people may be present in the absence of clinical diseases." > > And the Ministry of Agriculture said: "We believe the safeguards in place >at the moment are adequate to deal with the issues Professor Collinge >raises, but of course we will listen to what he has to say." > > The history of BSE surely indicates that complacency can lead to disaster. > > ********************* > > >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. 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