AGAINST REPRESSION!
The PAIGC has just recalled that after independence it will again take up its function as a party (and no longer as a movement) by reaffirming its maximum program. But that program contains no clarification on the question of "African unity. " When the PAIGC is in power, what will happen when the Senegalese revolutionaries ask for aid or refuge? This far from trivial political question is on the lips of thousands of African militants. And when Pedro Peres declares in Dakar that his state favors "positive neutralism, * we can only be surprised at this new resurgence of Nkrumah's old illusion. That the PAIGC would want to distinguish itself From Moscow is one thing, but one cannot be neutral, even "positively, If one hopes to build an "Independent" economy. The alternative is to repeat the experiences of Guinea Conakry, Nirumah's Ghana, Boumedienne's Algeria, or Nosser's Egypt. But fifteen years of armed struggle do not dissolve so easily into PORTUGAL The comrades of the Liga Comunista Internacionalisto (Internationalist Communist League), Portuguese section of the Fourth International, have begun publishing a fortnightly newspaper, Luta Proletária. The following statement of the LCI Executive Committee, issued August 9, appeared in the August 16 issue of the new paper. 1. The recent arbitrary suspersion by the Junta of National Salvation of Luta Popular (the journal of the MRPP, Movement for the Reconstruction of the party of the Proletariat), the banning of the MRPP demonstration in support of the newspaper, the furious repression carried out by the COPCON (the organ of military leadership) against the demonstration, a repression accompanied by a real "hunt for ultraleftists, " and the arrest of some of the demonstrators -- all these events will have important repercussions on the national political scene. No political organization of the workers movement will be able to avoid taking a clear public position on them. All this is very serious, for we are now witnessing a proliferation in Portugal of provocative acts of the right, which is attempting to win the support of layers of the middle classes by appealing to the old anticommunist theme and by trying to set up a real party of fear. There have been cries against the "communist threat, " "coups d'etat, " "assaults on the regime, and "civil disobedience." The international press linked to circles of high finance has been spreading the most alarmist rumors with impunity. And now to all this have been added direct provocations (provocative defacing of churches) and physical violence (attacks in the Laures municipality). The recrudescence of activities of the for right appeared simultaneously with the institution of a strong government in which officers in the leadership of the Armed Forces Movement are participating. The entry of these officers into the government was hailed by the government parties, particularly the Communist party and
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UN-type verbiage. Spinola's plans are thus riddled with time bombs. The liberation movements must again define their perspectives before the possible effectiveness of the new Portuguese tactic con be judged. Even if they accept Soares's proposals, even if coafition government, referendum, and the maintenance of Portuguese troops are accepted on paper, it is probable that these solutions will be overtured by imperialist appetites on the one side and the mobilization of the African masses on the other. The support of the international revolutionary movement must prepare for this eventuality, apart from expressing our elation on the day that the PAIC moves into Bissau on the ruins of Portuguese colonialism. FORA UNITED FRONT the Socialist party, as a new victory for the progressive forces. A strange victory! Hardly a week later, the Junta of National Salvation suspended three dailies, o measure that triggered Vigorous protests and unleashed active solidarity on the part of journalists who refused to let only two dailies be published. The draff law on strikes was the object of criticism even from the Trade Union Federation, which had called for a demonstration to support the provisional government only a few days earlier. And on August 7, there was the Lisbon "spectacle": police and military forces deployed around the Rossio (the central square in Lisbon), an operation that can have but one explanation -- to create a climate of disorder and "ideological aggression, " to spreod the idea of a "leftist" danger justifying all the repressive measures. This is a method common to all police forces: to create o climate to justify their intervention. For the rest, it is not accidental that the repression was directed ogainst the MRPP: The bourgeoisie has been waging a campaign to isolate it for a long time, spreading the rumor that the MRPP was responsible for everything that has happened. This task was focilitated by the blind sectarianism of the MRPP itself. The differences between the MRPP and the LCI are deep. But that does not prevent us from defending it today against capitalist repression, for we know that this is not just on attack on the MRPP, but is also aimed a creating a climate favorable to repressing the whole workers movement in general and the revolutionary left in particular. For the ones who are really responsible for the real disorders, those who have resorted to all forms of violence -- including physical aggression -- in order to help to set up a regime of terror ogainst the working class and the laboring masses, continue to act freely. 2. The government, the Junta of National Salvation, and the General Staff of the armed forces are choosing a good moment to act. Spinola's declaration on the recognition of the right of independence for the colonies has created illusions about the character of the present government among the small and middle bourgeoisie, and even among sections of the work-
ing class. These illusions have bolstered the government's prestige and expanded its room for maneuver. To this must be odded the long process of demobilization of the workers movement and the isolation of the most combative struggles, parallel to the recrudescence of the activities of the far-right groups. The parties that call themselves communist and socialist have provided a cover for these government actiors, dividing the working class and even pressing for mobilizations that legalize the repressive measures of the junta and the government in the eyes of the masses. The CP and SP have thus given a blank check to the Armed Forces Movement, raising its prestige and glorifying it constantly, without making the slightest criticism of it. At a time of isolation and pressure on the workers struggles and isolation and repression agairst the far left, the SP leaders wash their hands of the matter with a communiqué (aimed of forestalling criticisms from their most combative, rank-and-file militants) and the CP blames the repression on the vanguard, inciting the population against the struggles of the workers and against the revolutionaries. 3. It is easy to understand what the goverment, the Junta of National Salvation, and the Armed Forces Movement are doing. If is easy to understand the firmness with which they are maintaining order at any price, that is, maintaining the conditions of capitalist exploitation just at the moment when the most loyal servants of that order -- the ogents of the PIDE (the secref police) and the legionnaires -- are beginning to be released. The autumn and winter will be difficult. For the bourgeoisie, it is necessary to breok all the centers of workers resistance and revolutionary agitation. It is only on these conditions that it will be possible for the bourgeoisie to tame the working class by making it occept layoffs, speedups, and price increases in the name of "order" and "peace. " These are the only ways the bourgeoisie con respond to international competition, given the very vulnerable economy. 4. The working class can and must respond to the capitalist offensive, all the more so in that the first strike wave gave certain sectors some experience in struggle and organization.
The revolutionaries must throw all their efforts into pressing forward and structuring the organized and independent response of the working class, creating everywhere united bodies ineluding the greatest possible number of militants around the demands most responsive to the proletariat and the laboring masses: Thus, in face of the intensification of capitalist repression, which is the real face of bourgeois democracy, it is vital for the working class lo intransigently defend its right of assembly, trade-union and political organization, demonstration, and freedom of the workers press with no limitation whatsoever. The LCI calls on all workers and employees and all revolutionary organizations to organize the broadest possible front of struggle for the defense of the democratic rights of the workers against capitalist repression and against the attacks of the reactionary gangs. Workers self-defense must be organized in all struggles! Democratic rights must not be violated but must be applied in proctice! They must be defended more than ever! 5. We issue a solemn warning to the leaders of the CP and SP, who are compromised by the most shameful class collaboration against the interests of the workers and employees. They should not think that they can maintain their comfortable positions and at the same time help to isolate the most combative sections of the working class and the revolutionary organizations. When they are no longer able to carry out the missions that have been assigned to them, the bourgeoisie will throw them out of the government, after having forced them to retreat in all areas, day after day and decree c * decree. *FOR THE RIGHT
OF ASSEMBLY,
OF TRADE-UNION AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION,
TO STRIKE,
TO DEMONSTRATE,
OF FREEDOM OF THE WORKERS PRESS WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTION! *ORGANIZE WORKERS SELF-DEFENSE OF ALL STRUGGLES! *IMMEDIATE FREEDOM FOR ALL IMPRISONED REVOLUTIONARIES! *LIFT THE BAN ON LUTA POPULAR! VIVA A REVOLUÇAD POCIALIST
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NEW TURN
IRELAND BRITAIN'S by JAMES CONWAY The following article first appeared in the August issue of The Plough, paper of the Revolutionary Marxist Group, Irish section of the Fourth International. The collapse of Sunningdale(1) marks a new turning point for