THE mass insurrection Tehran which has inspired and strengthened anti-imperialist fighters all over the world has, not surprisingly, provoked a flood of lies and distortions from the Western press.
The Committee Against Repression in Iran has called a solidarity conference on 31 March to give a true picture of occue widi solidarity action can be taken in this country.
The main efforts of Fleet Street have been to identify the mass movement totally Khomeini, and Khomeini with the rulers of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Cartoons in the popular press show Khomeini dragging the Iranian people back into the Middle Ages.
Khomeini has fuelled this campaign by refusing to give guarantees nediate free COLORS other democratic rights.
But government Bazargan-Khomeini turning the clock back to feudal times in Iran. On the contrary, the main offensive of that CONCINCI the return to work under the same hated owners and managers of the Shah's time - is devoted to preserving 'modern' ism in Iran.
For years before the downfall of the Shah the Committee Repression fought in the movement to give voice to the resistance campaigned for the release of political prisoners, support for strikes that took place and demanding that the British government broke all links with the Pahlavi regime.
CARI thinks that what is now needed is a longer term plan for solidarity, taking account both of the changed situation in Iran and the new configurations in the British solidarity ment.
Liberation, the Communist Party-backed front. TUST of solidarity committee on the and simple basis of defence of Iran against tunately, although we unconditionally SUDOULL against imperialism, this is not the only dividing line.
The Khomeini-backed government isnow the only serious prospect for stabilising capitalist state in Iran. For that TCaSOll CARI capital- solidarity with the struggle of the workers of Iran has to be a plank of the movement.
This includes supporting the fight for complete freedom of organisation and expression for ital British labour political parties; equalrights for women; the right of workers to Iran. It organise trade unions to defend their own interests: selt-deter mination for national minorities; full rights for religious minorities The other group in Britain.
Solidarity Campaign, has stated thajectives. CARI has written te that this organisation appealing for a united solidarity organisation in Britain which includes British and ranian who agree with the objectives of anti-imperialist the campaign.
At its conference CARI will Unfor- argue the need to build direct links between Khomeini unionists and the growing trade union movement in Iran. This is one of the ways we can resist the threat to cancel contracts with Iran. the Similarly the proposes that solidarity Iran.
Iranian University main solidarity the Iran these of the Committee and all oppression.
trade tion.
Delegates' £2, observers' women's London NI. movement can play a part in helping the emergence of an autonomous movement fight. ing for women's liberation in And the long-standing links between the British and student should continue, as the struggle goes on to get rid of censorship and state control of ideology.
The CARI conference is on Saturday 31 March at 11am at College, Gower Street, London WC1. Speakers invited include Fred Halliday, author of the recent Penguin book on Iran, a representative of the Liverpool Docks Shop Stewards Committee, a member Vickers Combine Iranian woman speaking on women's Because of the unavoidable clash with the international day of action on abortion on 31 March the International Campaign for Abortion Rights has occi myuca to proviac a stal and speaker for the morning session before their demonstracredentials are £1, CARI, Box 4, 182 Upper Street, Mass action opens Tehran jails