The recent re-arming of the RUC with American weapons - including powerful handguns - is a sure sign of future Tory policy in N. Ireland It fits in with their attempt to reduce direct control from Westminster and devolve power to regional or local councils' under the guise of increasing democracy at the grassroots.
What the Tories are obviously trying to do is to re-introduce Stormont by the back door and give power back to the bigoted Orange politicians who recently did so well in the elections.
For the oppressed minority, of course, the Tory moves will mean growing repression and even less rights for the prisoners of war hounded and picked up in the With the Tories obviously planning, in alliance with the Paisleyite thugs, a major repression against the oppressed minority in the period ahead, the responsibility upon the labour movement is posed more sharply than ever It is increasingly obvious that the real problem in N. Ireland is not the 'terrorism' of the IRA but the British government's support for the bigoted Ulster unionists who, for over 50 years, have denied the oppressed minority elementary democratic rights.
LABOUR COMPLIANCE Unfortunately, far from raising this clearly and openly before the British people, the Labour leaders have shamefully gone along with the Tories, seeing the main problem as 'defeating terrorism' It was Callaghan himself who sent the troops into Ireland in 1969 to prop up the bigoted Stormont regime and it was his protege, Merlyn Rees, who introduced the Prevention of Terrorism Act which infringes the democratic rights of all working people The attitude of the Labour leaders has not been challenged in the labour movement for years.
Partly, of course, this is due to ; the censorship that exists on most reporting on Ireland-the facts don't get out. Partly it is due to the tacit agreement between Callaghan and the Tory leadersas in the election-to play the Irish situation down. And partly, of ALL OUT AUGUST 12th To mark the 10th anniversary of British troops being sent into Ireland, August 12th has been announced as the date of a major demonstration in London.
An impressive list of sponsors has been assembled from the labour movement such as Stan Orme, Ernie Roberts and Joan Maynard, as well as organisations such as the Campaign for Democracy in Ireland and the National League of Young Liberals The demonstration, which could mobilise wide support, should be publicised as widely as possible in the labour, student and women's movements. For further details, write to: Steven Dawe, Youth Organiser, National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1. course, it is due to the Preventier. of Terrorism Act itself which makes raising-and campaigningon the issue difficult, as in the case of Pat Arrowsmith who ran in Callaghan's Cardiff constituency.
IMPORTANT?
Despite the difficulties, however. socialists in the labour movement have a duty to combat this 'conspiracy of silence'. It is only too obvious that if the Tories are suc cessful in crushing the right of the Irish people to determine their own future, that will strengthen their hand in the offensive they are already beginning to launch against working people here. It could also create the "precedent' for the use of troops for strikebreaking and other anti-labour activities.
Secondly, Ireland has been used by successive governments as an excuse for introducing laws -such as the Prevention of Terre: sim Act-which curb the democratic rights of all working people in Britain. If they are allowed to get away with such moves, then: will make it easier for them to introduce even more anti-demo. cratic acts in the future.
UTOM It is because Ireland does hate importance for trade unionists in Britain that socialists have the duty to raise it openly and clear! and to win support against the Labour leaders. The key slogan socialists should raise is for the troops to be pulled out of Ire. land now-let the Irish people decide their own future! It is a democratic principle the Labour movement has long supported Concretely, we should fight to win affiliation from trade union and Labour Party branches to UTOM (United Troops Out Movement) which has begun to launch a serious campaign on the issue. At a conference in South London recently, and in Oxford, a modest beginning was made in this direction. It is a fight that has to continue.
Obviously, considering the pre. judice that exists on Ireland, fight. ing to build UTOM will not be easy and it will not be built over. night. If we are clear, however, that what is at stake is the question of defending democracy both in Ireland and in Britain, then the potential is there.
MICHAEL HAWLEY (UTOM)
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TROOPS OUT NOW