From our Tehran correspondent THE IRANIAN government has put on a second show of 'democracy' with the election of an assembly of constitutional 'experts'.
But the show wasn't a hit with the masses. Many people turned away from the government's policies by actions February revolution. The regime had to use all its power and influence to ensure a big turn-out result.
For example, it issued a call for Friday prayer at the same time as the elections, during which its representa. tives attacked the left; and Khomeini made a special appeal for people to take part in order to show their trust lite government. anxiety reflected the regime's urgent need to consolidate a bourgeois state in the face of rising struggles — by the Kurdish, Arab and nationalities, workers factories and offices, and by soldiers All sections of the ruling class haye united to dismiss as 'impractical' a Constituent Assembly, which could provide the focus for an organised expression of this resistance, Socialist Challenge 16 August 1979 Page 8 push through constitution into CICCUUL have been Thuggery since the Thuggery, rigging were and the right against progressive organisauons.
In Anzaly, People's Fedayeen.
Turkoman the Mojahedeen distributing posters, for Socialist Workers attacked in Isfahan.
the reactionary meant turning the Party, of Larialule prominent bourgeois representatives withdrew or demanded its postponecheating and ballotmost significant directed and workers' Gorgan, Amol and Babol, thugs attacked meetings of the Fedayeen bers in Abadeh were prevented from and a spokesorganisation announced that 200 of its members had been arrested in election week some of whom had been tortured.
members of the were arrested while and a woman candidates physically attacked. Members of the Party (HKS) distributing election material were Tabriz, Tehran and According to the Iranian People's which alse objected to the undemocratic nature of the election, members of the 'Imam' committees in the election centres intimidated and took in for questioning those who did not vote Republic Party. They also took over the filling in of election cards for illiterates.
Thus in election centre announced that "literates. had voted for candidates from the Islamic Republic Party list. Another way of ensuring such a result was to make only these candidates' names available in the election centres happened at Sinz Hospital (Tehran), for instance.
But where the repression it also backfired spectacularly. A massive boycott by the Kurdish people meant that only 80,000 voted out of a population of 1 million.
Rigged This is a sign of things to come. The class struggle cannot be through a rigged election. On the contrary, the masses have now had a further experience of what the ruling class has in store for them. This can 657 the all was most halted lay the basis for a consistent struggle for the dissolution of the 'exnerts assembly the democratic and Constituent Assembly.
ENTRIES in Issuer current internaton activity Stop the Corrie Bill the Patriot of a revolutionary Whats Left are 5p per word.
'LABOUR'S MISSPENT YOUTH' by Jack clear and wea coopert the LP youth movement from the 1930s to today. Contains a detailed account 1960-65 eriod which let to th i Ke the si was the breakaway and during which seedbed of all the present day far-left group :, 25p post paid WORKERS ACTION No 148 contains the sixth IITS! languag wemocrac betweer Luxembu Cant kautskv on socialist strategy, covers aline mair now raised the Eurocommunist ROOM AVAILABLE in North-west London rom 13 to 28 Aug (inclusive). Reply to Box 1866 BOOKS for Southern Africa comrades - money 1s deserted cer tor las vita beo o Not sene any books vol can spare. Books for Southern Africa, Box 102 c/o Socialist Challenge, PO Box 50, London N1 The Britanni:
HANDS off Ireland! Scotland presents the film : Game Edinburgl 23 Aug Place 7.30pm Aug, McLelian
----- pull-quotes -----
before publication. payments