into the AUEW might save Scanlon and the reformist "left" from similar occurrences, and promises greater financial strength and voting power in the TUC. And the EETU leaders are anxious to avoid their growing isolation.
ACCOUNTABILITY Whether or not this merger comes about, amalgamations of this scale are increasingly demanded to match the intensified monopolisation of sectors of engineering by conglomerates like GEC/AEI/EE. But the organisational unification of the engineering unions offers enhanced efficiency and discipline without guaranteeing which social class will really benefit in the long run. For the new strength to be tuned decisively against the employers, in the present circumstances when the CSEU and AUEW are refusing to lead a national wages struggle, the process of unification must involve the widest discussion and participation of the rank and file to ascertain the practical of the stalinist parties. At no point did it advance beyond ideological eclecticism, and in this conjuncture a harsh debate developed among the membership, ending in the atomisation of the organisation into four or five factions, one of which, the Natalia Sedova Circle, supports the Fourth International, although the political balance of forces and the weakness of the FIR made it difficult for this group to bring more of the membership to revolutionary positions. Another of the groups, the "Militarists', has positions closeto Trotskyism, and defines itself as anti-stalinist, but has been unable to form a political programme and go beyond eclecticism. These comrades have thrown themselves into direct action with more heroism than preparation, and the government has unleashed a severe repression against them. Ten members were recently taken prisoners, and charged with thirteen bank and other robberies, and the killing of two policemen; though a common criminal had already been found guilty of the murder of one of them. The police will undoubtedly charge them with many more killings and robberies: not to mention the torture to which they will be subjected.
The wave of repression has affected not only the members of revolutionary organisations. but over a hundred worker militants, trade union leaders who have expressed disagreement with the regime and the yellow pro-soviet union leadership: they too are now in prison.
The Red Mole calls for the release of all political prisoners in Peru, and expresses its solidarity with all forces there engaged in the struggle against imperialism and its agents, the military reformist government.
CONTINUED ACTION AGAINST MANDEL BAN Mandel said, was not to weaken the far-left groups, but to limit the right to strike, to crush strikes, whether they be wildeat or protracted, and to reverse the relationship of forces between labor and capital.
The bourgeoisie goes after the revolutionary groups because it knows that they will never collaborate in the regime's effort to justify the antiworking-class repression, nor will they passively accept it. The revolutionary groups will instead organize vigorous resistance to the repression, and this resistance has the potential to mobilize masses of people.
The day after the Frankfurt rally, meetings were planned for several other cities, notably Leverkusen and Heidelberg. Teach-ins have already taken place in, among other places.
Cologne, Bremen, Stuttgart, Tubingen, and Constance. Every year at Easter Republicans North and South march in commemoration of the Easter Uprising of 1916, thereby paying homage to the heroes of the nationalist revolution and affirming their determination to continue the revolution against British Imperialism begun in 1916. This year's Easter march took place at a critical point in Ireland's long history of struggle. The mass resistance over the past two years of the nationalist population of the six counties, underpinned and carried forward by the mintary resistance of both wings of the Irish Republican Army, had made it impossible for British Imperialism to impose any solution. In other words, they have tailed in their tactic of militarily defeating the IRA as a first step towards ending the resistance and bringing in a new period of stability. A new approach was needed, and this was provided by the long delayed initiatives.
By suspending Stormont (though only temporarily) and announcing a "phasing out" of internment the British Government hoped to draw away a significant number of the nationalist population from their support for the military tactics of the IRA. Isolation of the IRA from its base in the nationalist population would be a significant victory for im perialism. The Easter marches provided the first opportunity after the Heath initiatives for the minority to demonstrate openly their response to Imperialism's concessions peace on Britain's terms or support for the IRA and the continuation of the struggle. In Belfast alone over 12,000 marched in solidarity behind the ranks of the Official and Provisional IRA.
Part of I.S.C. contingent forms up off the Falls Road, Belfast.
CEYLON SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN The Ceylon Solidarity Campaign has in the last two weeks organised two pickets and a public meeting in London to further its aims of publicising as widely as possible the recent and current repression in Ceylon and of exerting pressure to bring about the release of the 16,000 political prisoners and an end to the State of Emergency.
The first picket was on April 5th outside the Ceylon Tea Centre, chosen in order to pinpoint Ceylon's ties with British imperialism. April 5th was an appropriate date, being the first anniversary of the JVP uprising last year.
On Sunday. April 9th, about a dozen peopie also picketed the White House Hotel in Albany Street, London, where no fewer than twelve Ceylonese Members of Parliament were staying on a joy-ride at the expense of the working people of Ceylon. A number of them were confronted by some of the Ceylonese comrades on the question of the political repression, arbitrary arrest and torture being carried out by their government. This year's Easter march also saw a 40-man contingent from Britain of the Irish Solidarity Campaign marching in solidarity behind the First Battalion of the Belfast Command of the Official IRA. The Official and Provisional IRA marches took place separately but in close proximity to each other, thus making it difficult for the IS to take part in both marches. The Irish Solidarity Campaign gives its unconditional support to both sections of the IRA in its struggle against the armed torces of British Imperialism.
The trip to Belfast was organized by the Oxford branch of the Irish Solidarity Campaign so that a contingent of people from Britain who support the Irish people in their struggle for national self determination could demonstrate their solidarity in a very real manner. The Irish Solidarity Campaign realizes that the few concessions won from the Tory government in no way satisfy the just de. mands of the Irish people. The struggle will continue. In Britain the ISC will continue to give support to the struggle of the Irish people and in a situation where that struggle finds its sharpest expression in the armed conflict between the IRA and the British Army the ISC will continue to build in this country a strong movement of British and Irish workers and students for the defeat of the British Army and in solidarity with the IRA.
-Gus Fagan Oxford I.S.C.
The public meeting on April 7th was addressed by speakers from the Ginipupura, the Unity Movement of South Africa, the Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) and the International Marxist Group. The significance of active mobilisation on the part of British revolutionaries to fight repression and imperialism in Ceylon was discussed in detail and a resolution was passed unanimously opposing the present government in Ceylon for its repressive and anti-socialist policies.
The Ceylon Solidarity Campaign has just published a bulletin which gives a brief analysis of the economic and political background to the repression in Ceylon, with recent information from inside Ceylon. For copies of the bulletin (price 5 p), further information contact the Secretary, Ceylon Solidarity Campaign 9 Dennington Park Mansions, N.W.6. Enquiries from all who wish to give active support to this Campaign will be welcomed at the same address.
-Sarah Harris