Because imperialists tell lies, because confused Journalists Depariment propaganda, we cannor afford to be complacens, To become apologists of Phnom Penh or HEMOL Pyongyang or Tirana, caneor be a serious option for any revolutionary marxist. We have to confront a numher of truths, Powever wanesent they ma seem. " That is what we wrote last September in this paper (Democracy and Revolution in IndEchina, 15 September 1977)
in Cambodiaand Vietnam.
Today we confront a situation where Cambodia and Vietnam have broken off diplomatic relations and are in a state of war. Cambodia has charged that the Vietnamese entered Cambodian territory plantations, burned forests, strafed the people children and old ones alike -and raped ond killed women." The Vietnamese havestafed that Cambodian soldiers arpetrated utterly inhuman Himes, raping, cutting foefuse from mothers" wombs, disemDowns us and barneRy childrenalive.
As the capitalist throughout the world gleefully speculates on the outcome of IS AUNTS AROUSS H O DIA Iry and unruvel what is going on in countries which not so long ago inspired anti-imperialist sentiments throughout the world. Whose propaganda do we believe? Is is impossible to make an immediate choice, have because there is no was in which rhetorie information borated. The fotal monopoly of down BUD exercise Dyine sate in both countries makes a choice difficult. urgent need for a body like the Bertrand Russell Foundation to "have send a leam of observers to the area immediately.
However any sober estimate of the situation involves asking the question:
Which country stands to guin press anything from a nar? And here we are forced to the conclasion that It is not the Vietnamese military conflict. Its leaders have alreudy called for negoflations and clearly hope to settle the conflict around u tahle The Cambodian regime muse now possess one of the bestthen are in A military HERES WIRC conflict? The answer could well He in the desperation of a regime whose rule appears to be basec exclusively on coercion. The purges which shook Camboda several Khymer Rouge of all elements opposed to the lise of the present leadership. A regime which Respect to have a buse of populur support at home. Hence the deplosment nationalist becomes he corro- importance. In thus sense a conflict with the Vletnamese servesa usefol internal purpose.
It cun be linked to a 'centuries There as an oldstrugele'.
The Cambodian President Khieu Sumphan has wccused Vietnam of wanting to make Camora a member or ins who profits? Vietnamese-dominated anion of Indochina, This in itself raises a namber of impurtunt questions.
needs a favour the creation of a federaThe majority was affiliated vital.
has military med up in the this were seizure of the population China sea.
ultra and chauvinistic kes these countries are ruled.
of глен benevoient Tendership.
While, on the one tenury processeven more.
socialists other unions rexponse to this the and about Time same time promoting recallable delegates.
laid the ployed, and disabled dion of Indochinese republics, this cannot he done without the approval of all the people Involved. Here the question of internal democracy becomes One of the churpeteristics of Stalinism asa political ideology been its strident antiaptly sumformula "Socialism in One Country". It is dominates the thinking of the LSSR, China, Cumbadio and, to a lesser extent. Vietnam The Sinoto the present, the Chinese Vietnamese Paracel Islunds in the South grave manifestations of this devlation. Naturally we cannot wiehitaway for it isinextricubly tied to the whole way in which In our article of 15 September 1977, we wrote that, the future intimately bound ap with the question of democracy.... the lack of democracy distorts the internol developmem of the revelation even wish the moss confllets:
and enlightened Moreover it pro vides imperialim with one of its tramp cards. ' We can now add development of the revolaAs socialists we are for the peaceful resolution of all sectarian slanging match. This public display of pettiness and disunity when the working class laod with extremely serious threats to its living standards had a demoralising effect on many militants, not to mention coc majority or workcts woe have yet to join any union. In centra theme of the conference was: * Trade union unity, against the social contract — a need intensely felt by many rank and file again, basing themseives on their varied practical experiences, militants stressed the importance of working within the main unions to ships and challenge them for WOULLESU grassall workers, of assemblies and country, At the end of the day those who had attended were left with tion as women. tbe feeling that the LCR had basis for a credible inter-union strategy for developing the self-organisation of the whole class around a prog ramme capable of meeting the immediate needs of all workers especially those worst off such as youth, women, unemThe same time beginning to im er hase of the capitalist class. days'.
chy and "dual TORTETCTEE Khieu Samphan Weft] and Prince Sibanouk in happierdays Involving postcapitalist sates. We are in republics, but we believe that these are only possible where the consent of the masses has been obtained through free and impurtial referendums or elec dions. Any forced federations will orove to be totally counter.
Basque women's days BILBAO — Between 8 and 11. Vizcaya factories made written Let someans weapo ted happened. About 3,000 women Trom au over Le BaSQU botb North and Sourh, muct to discuss their situAfter an international meeting of women in Paris in MarJune, the Women's Assembl of Vizcaya called together all the other feminist groups in the Basque country, and a co-ordinating body was set up to pre pare this event. Apert from taking care of the technical preparations. tbis body see up a number of commissions to drWith the texts presented by otber groups tbere were 24 pap ers in all, of which cighr dealt first day. The second day centred on the problems of patriar.
membershipand there was a vigorous debare between the radical feminists and a rather ill-delined class struggle current. Only two political organisations → LKI (the Basque Trotskyists) and EMK (Contounist Movement of Euskadi) - presented papers and bad any real presence in the The third day was devoted to the question of work, both in side and outside the bome Three women's groups from productive. In all this sordid political mess is intermingled the dispates between the LASH and China. Both stutes should he uware that its contineation would he counter-prodective for all sides and their influence should he stilised to setcle and not exacerbate the conflict. CURLAOLON The final day was supposed to be given over •to the bresentation di generil alternatives and perspectives before the conference closed with festivitics. However, only women who had been working in the neighbourhoods had drawn their experiences togetber into a set of down-to-carth proposals. They decided to campaign for birth control centres in the neighbourhoods - a Recessity for working class wo Otherwise, apart from agrI to supporta State-whe campaigns for sexual freedom yment, things remained very much up in the air, Perhaps this lack of conclusions is the most negative feature of an otherwise very positive venture.
So what was so unexpected? Hado'l there been similar wo men's days in Madrid and Caralonia? Yes. but although in the vanguard of many coonomic TO TACTI struggles, Basque country has tended ro lay bemo bo bener quesapn. relating to social oppression. Moreover in the whole Basou country there are hardly a cou ple of hundred women organi sed in autonomous groups. Tbe DOxE SeD ost De to CaDICaliSe on the interest and potentin this conference hus revealed.