Tient to choose becomes unimoortant besides iocal. Traemented act!vities around stas obvious last June that SPUC were preparing a mass rally to intluence government ininking on ine select opposed a mass aemonstration.
for a demonstratior tought against a wide on abortion at ine time, The fruit of the IMG's 'stalling was simply that It allowed the anti-abortionists to seize the initlative ana, robbing Nal or any nowever, NAC has serious possibilities for To take advantage of them crowin.
- Darticularly une avenues openine up in the labour movement - NAC needs a clear perspective of where it is going.
The tirst task is to combat attempts to 'dissolve' NAC general campaign 'against the cuts'. Any attempt to link NAC with other issues. at this stage. Oniy DIurs limits its appeal to wide lavers who may support the right to choose but who are not ready to support a variety or oiner issues. The second task is to centralise ine campaign - inereby giving a real focal point to local activities - by Durate seriously Tor Ine onstration called for April 3rd. focus of such a demonstration car NAC depending. as it will.
re-conveneu or not luis varuary. The possibility for building NAC into a mass-action campaign, able to challenge any attempts to put the Clock Daun. dit ctota.. i hey have only to be tapped.
hysteria, on the at the Natsaid, though opposed to it.
The PTA is in Britain, to support their rights, caused 'grilling' by the police.
Victimisation Certainly, into a the Act became law.
For that is, encouraging it!.
as terrorist bombers Mass aem- The to detain people trial tor up to y days. Spearhead Accompanied by a wave of anti-Irish Jenkins rammed the Prevention of Terrorism Act through Parliament in 1974 after only seven hours' debate. He did not even bother with a vote as only two Labour MPs at the time. that they were La sympton of the deep inroads against democratic rights being made by the Labour government. blatantly warns all Irish people living ana anyone else who dares that opposition to imperialist oppression in ireland is punisnabie py deportation. imprisonfinancial hardship or a week's the Act's undemocratic nature is far-reaching. It gives the Home Secretary the power to deport any citizen of Northern Ireland who has not been resident in Britain for at least 20 years without charges or a trial. The figures released for last October show that 69 people have been issed with lexclusion orders! since It further allows the home secretary to ban any organisation that appears to him to be 'concerned with terrorism' supposedly, 'promoting or since terrorism is vaguely defined as 'the use of violence for political ends', it could just as easily be used against strike pickets In addition, the PlA allows the police without Only 44 of the 946 persons detained so far have had any charges lald against inem. purpose of this is clearly to allow the police to use 'blanket arresis' ana interrogations to intimidate the Irish The PTA is not the only measure being used to stem opposition to the government's oppressive policies in Northern Ireland. It has been backed up by frame-up trials against 'bombers! and by charges, under the Incitement and Disaffection Act, against BWNIC members whose 'crime! was handing out leaflets to British soldiers containing Intormation tor inose wno wished to leave the army.
While such measures are primarily being used, community and prevent a mass movement building up challenging government Intervention in orinern Ireland, ultimate aim is much broader. the first steps in eroding the democratic rights of all working people since they cut cas. unionists and militants in Britain.
Already, some Irish trade unionists have been deported in circumstances that indicate their role as militant workers was the main factor in provoking the government's move not their connection with any form of "terrorist activity. Prejudices The government has been able to ram through laws such as this, 1971 Immigration Act, workers' anti-lrish or prejudices. It has thereby been able to create a climate where it will be much easier, in the period ahead, act directly against those rights it has laken ine labour movement centuries to build up.
A direct attack is, ever made upon the right to picket. forced by mass pressure to repeal the Tories! Industrial Relations Act, labour leaders have not released Des Warren, imprisoned in December 1973 for 'conspiracy to intimidate! during the 1972 building workers' strike. The refusal to release Warren fits in with their refusal to alter the present picketing laws whereby it is illegal for pickets to stop a truck approaching a strike-bound factory for the purpose of at present, to cow the Irish their They are ∞e exienced• lo trace and and 'squatting'.
For the by playing upon to labour now, being While offensive.
action campaigns, Such campaigns,
SOCIALIST ACTION
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This is why, despite the fact it was
Committee, the IMG has constantly
fought the LSA's proposals, Steering Cttee,
in November and, later, ional Conference,
similar action in December nass rallies were being held world-
focal point for six months, it to lose much of the support it had built up. Perspective Despite this set-back,
over the real issues involved and
be a source of discussion within
whether the Select Committee is