Saturday's Anti-Apartheid demonstration Zimbabwe was a small but important start in developing a mass movement that becomes daily more urgent as Thatcher threatens to lift sanctions.
Approximately 1,500 marched to Trafalgar Square speeches ZAPU and ZANU leaders, Labour MPs Joan Lestor and Bob Hughes; and others. demonstration was called around the Slogan 'No Tory Zimbabwe', but its most vociferous section, including contingents from the IMG and Socialist supporters' groups, hammered home the enduring political issue with an incessant chant of 'US, UK, Hands off Zimbabwe!' The AA, however, had failed to mobilise anything mass base. There banners from only two from trade unions, and one from the Communist Party.
One reason for this poor turn-out is undoubtedly political confusion -eliminated if we are to build a mass something must be movement to counter present moves towards all imperialist-sponsored "settlement' in southern Africa.
was sadly reflected conference organised by AA on 26 June 'celebrate' anniversary. The dominant theme in that imperialist London The argument Committee on Minty, World Peace people anti-apartheid for powers were defend the The Zimbabwe agreement in Namibia. sell-out in they were war Challenge simplistic had like its potential available to it. COOTERI only LWU AA branches, urgently end.
at York explaining 20th had undergone a fundamental change.
UN Special leader Reddy, AA honorary secretary Abdul and spokespersons for the Council and Frencr movement was that after efforts at detente' the Western now determined internal settlement in and the Turnhalle To do this embarking on undeclared front-line. states, which made defence of the latter the was central task for AA campaigners.
One speaker not convinced of this line was Oliver Tambo, acting president of the South African ANC, who insisted that imperialism two strategies One was hard line support for white supremacy; but the other was the much more dangerous 'integration' of black collaborators. By implication at least, Tambo was giving warning that the possibilities for such a line were by no means at an Minty, however, went so far as to advocate that we should be calling for British troops to defend the front-line Many moves by internal imperialism in the area had to be urgently countered by the solidarity Whatever the disguis operation, part of a UN or ever OAU-backed force, policing negotiated settlement of some kind i their function would remain that of British troops anywhere: to defend imperialist interests. Unfortunately no debate was opened on this.
A second area where the leadership's positions were less than satisfactory concerned the need to develop work amongst trade unionists. A member of the NUPE Executive with special responsibility for international work stressed that it crucial now to prepare rank-and-file action to sanctions if and when Thatcher dropped the sanctions order against Rhodesia. Once again no response It is clearly necessary for activists. in the movement to ensure that these two central questions are thoroughly aired at Anti-Apartheid's AGM on 28 Meanwhile all possible resources must be turned building demonstration called by Zimbabwe Emergency Campaign Committee for 11 November. Át the same time we must be prepared to take immediate action against moves towards recognition' of the settlement, and particularly for action response by the labour movement. ENCOURAGEMENT for our efforts Picket to demand the immediate release of the 16 members of the Iranian HKS (Socialist Workers Party) arrested in Ahwaz, and of the members of the Ahwaz oilworkers' council also being held.
Saturday 7 July, 2pm, at Iran Air, 73 Piccadilly, W1 terms of numbers, we've produced
----- pull-quotes -----
ZIME MURDER
stares Any, challenged tie by challenged
NO SELL OUT *WANTED FOR