Disciplining the 'Third World'

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WHILE many of the Fleet Street papers other big capitalist powers, the problem is islands. Nor should denying any rights to assert itself as a big world power, and against islands. Nor should denying any rights assert itself as a big world power, and against

scream and rant as if violent words and big that if Argentina gets away with grabbing the Britain mean denying rights to the islanders. WHILE many of the Fleet Street papers Britain mean denying rights to the islanders. Galtieri's manoeuvre, we need a common pro- Galtieri's manoeuvre, we need a common proheadlines could restore the glories of the Falklands, then nationalist regimes through- own future without that being any threat to workers. This programme can also recognise headlines could restore the glories of the British Empire, more serious ruling class out the 'Third Wurld' will be given confidence Argentina's national integrity, security, or the islanders' rights, seeing action by the scream and rant as if violent words and big British Empire, more serious ruling class that they can get away with seizing imperialist sovereignty. The fact that the island popula- Argentine labour movement as the means to sovereignty. The fact that the island popula- own future without that being any threat to Argentina's national integrity, security, or The islanders could very well decide their workers. This programme can also recognise gramme of action by British and Argentine the islanders' rights, seeing action by the Argentine labour movement as the means to Tha Finannial Times arones• "The aim of The Finannial Times aroles. «The aim of assets in their countries. tion originates in a colonial settlement is display of force is necessary. Yet what matters shot being fired. It is to that end that the the exercise is to ensure a solution without a most of all is the combination of military, States (or medium power like France, West "That no major world power like the United Germany or Britain) should or can sit The Economist summarised this issue thus: and Argentina's population is also mostly of possessed population reclaiming the islands, beside the point: there is no recently dis- turned back, and Britain's claims to the resources of the South Atlantic and Antarc. We should fight for the British fleet to be diplomatic and economic pressures ... neutrally by when one ally ravages by force Most of the Argentine people think the tica or to military outposts in that area repu. much deterrence ... as compellance, backed by international law and economic power" "What Britain is attempting is ... not so The argument is not hypocritical. The and economic efforts are aimed to prop up the "international order' whereby a few rich In other words, the military, diplomatic islands are Argentine. They could seek to them the final right to decide their own convince the islanders of this, while giving support Argentina's legitimate right to defend military attacks on Argentina itself, we should diated. If the conflict goes so far as British British ruling class is well aware that it has capitalist powers economically dominate and Argentina's invasion of the islands was in Around the Falklands, we should not be pressure to mobilise the full diplomatic and Argentina's claim to the islands, are wrong. tener that has nanding tha flost — and nerhanc Knows udi by stung wee nece — anu pomapo substantial industrial power like Argentina in slim chances of winning a shooting war with a by starting a shooting war - it can put British imperialism we must support Argentina's own offshore waters. It also are just pawns. That is one reason why those on the Teft who think that in order to oppose In all this the Falkland Islanders themselves no way a blow in favour of Argentina's hindrance by imperialism. Rather, it was a national rights or ability to develop free of manoeuvre by a right-wing, pro-imperialist regime to undercut and stifle growing working for the victory of either Thatcher or Galtieri We should be for the withdrawal of all troop: and the right of the islanders to decide their By advancing a programme of this sort, the economic weight of the biggest capitalist empire. And it would be more logical geo- True, Britain's claim is simply a relic of class and anti-imperialist opposition. The reaction of Britain and the other big can rally their forces for the overthrow of British and Argentine labour movement:

capitalist powers helps the Galtieri regime in both Thatcher and Galtieri. But the first stef critical when it describes the issue as 6a test of tina. But such geographic considerations this manoeuvre; it can only rally the must be a break by the British labour move cannot override the fact that there is a ment from the chauvinism in which at presen For the British ruling class and for the distinct, well-established community on the Against the British ruling class's attempt to Thatcher's opinion has been different. opinion has been different. powers against Argentina.

international order" the interest of another"

exploit most of the world. future. he A invasion - the movement towards verted into backing for Galtieri Secretary Jose Rodriguez together with other 'left' union leaders.

Until now the bureaucrats have really done nothing to fight the junta. Even when in 1979 the government proposed a law to do away with the system of industrial unions and confine union organisation to a factory-by-factory basis, together with the imposition of government control on union funds, the leadership would not fight.

We in the PST called for a general strike - or at least for the issue to be put to a referendum in the plants. So great was the rank and file opposition that the junta eventually offered the unions 15 days to show a ensure those rights. itself.

own future. it is almost completely drowned. majority opposed to the new law - but they did nothing, with the exception of SMATA which raised the issue two days before the junta's deadline.

By December 1979 the same union leaders n ere working with the bosses : TO victimise PST members in Ford and other factories.

What is the situation for rank and file militants in The mood is very different: Workers in Britain, even when they are on strike, are very passive. In Argentina the atmosphere is much more violent. Strike leaders have often been murdered, and militants tend to carry guns.

Scabs get maybe a warning or two - but if they carrry on working, militants will go round their houses...

Under the Peron government the Argentine AntiCommunist Alliance (AAA) grew in strength and killed many militants. You would hear gun battles as they attacked working class districts.

Militants, Trotskyists and even union leaders would move together into large houses and protect themselves with guns.

I myself was held by the AAA for 15 days - but released because of a strike in my factory in which the management Was a taken hostage.

Now more and more workers are learning the need to defend themselves. On March 29 when the police fired on demonstrators, they fired back.

And workers are very angry at the fall in their living standards. When worked in Fiat in 1973 | was able to buy a car in six months. By 1979 both 1 and my wife were working in good jobs but could hardly afford to live.

The junta is also attacking other rights. A friend of mine is in the leadership of the Homosexual Liberation Front in Argentina.

Two weeks ago the government began a big campaign for "morality" against gay rights. My friend, a schoolteacher, was arrested, held for 36 hours without water, food or toilet facilities. He was interrogated very hard.

When his pupils came to demand his release he was let go, with a warning to them that they should watch him as a homosexual:

How would you describe the junta? Is it fascist?

No, it is not a fascist government - not even as fascist as Pinochet. Of course it has some aspects which seem fascist - its repression.

• But I think it is a right wing bonapartist government.

It would like to smash the trade unions on the fascist model, but the opposition of the workers is too strong to allow them to do So.

Workers think "our leadership is shit but the unions are us". . Their leaders are Peronists - (only Rodriguez claims to be a socialist) - but the unions defend interests which are different from those of the bourgeois ie.

The union: bureaucrats are not the same as the leaders of Franco's "vertical unions" or of the yellow unions run by the bosses.

We in the PST have always said that the onty solution is a new leadership in the unions - but that it is essential to work in them.

And the government recognises the strength of the unions: it still will not release two leading trade unionists, Jose Paez and

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European settler origin. Argentine people behind the junta.

Pichinini, and many other militants who are still in jad.