Marching against Livingstone hit by Telegraph

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smear Ken Livingstone has surely edged Tony Benn into second place as the man the hysterics of Fleet Street love to hate.

Folk of a nervous disposition have argued that he's invited such treatment by his outspoken defence of, for example, gay rights and the Irish hunger strikers.

But most Labour movement activists are sick to the back teeth of politicians who say one thing in the comfort of cosy left circles and another in public. If Ken Livingstone is prepared to use his weight as GLC Leader to publicise and strengthen 'unpopular' causes ther he should be backed to the hilt Hacks 1.*. the hacks have core up with a new charge - Gadcaf gold'. The Sundas Telegraph has as its leac headline Gaddafi cash aids iet-wing groups', and the accompanying picture features Labour Herald, the nes inca government left pape: edited by Livingstone with Lambeth Leader Ted Krize: ard Lambeth HousWent Gaddalı ing Chair Warburton.

The article goes on at length about charges from unnamed 'reliable sources' that the Libyan government has given large sums of money, as much as £50,000 at regular intervals, to British sympathisers. The Workers' Revolutionary Party (WRP) and its paper New Line are specifically mentioned.

The article points out that Astmoor Litho, which printed the first issue of Labour Herald, also prints the News Line and the Libyan government paper The Green March. The implication is that Labour Herald is also funded by or has unspecified links with the Libyan government.

Guilt

Now this is an ancient if not honourable technique of political mudslinging -guilt by association and dark hints of foreign paymasters.

What evidence does the Sunday Telegraph give to back up its claims about 'Gaddafi gold'?

In relation to the WRP, the claim is significant if circumstantial: NewsLine's craven political support for Gaddafi; the fact that after the collapse in 1976 of the WRP's previous paper Workers' Press in dubious financial circumstances, all its debts were paid, Astmoor Litho rose from the ashes, and was atle launch News Line as a financially viable concern; the extremely large sums of money the WRP has to throw around (Monday's News Line boasted of a substantial legal fund for taking action to silence its critics).

The WRP, of course, denies all this. Monday's News Line carries a full page article entitled "The Sunday Telegraph, 'Libyan Gold' and the WRP' , which manages to combine astute nailing of the Sunday Telegraph's technique with quite staggering political hypocrisy.

It points out that Astmoor Litho's dealings with both Labour Herald and The Green March are on a purely commercial basis and makes great rhetorical play of this for several paragraphs.

Fair enough. But this contrasts rather strikingly with their attitude to another printer's" commercial contract.

When Morning Litho, who at the time printed Socialist Organiser, apologised in court for an article in SO linking the WRP's political support for Gaddafi with their political practice in Britain, News Line splashed it, and tried to give the impression that Socialist Organiser had made the apology - which it most certainly did not. It is, as our readers know, still fighting the case, and has launched an appeal calling for a labour movement inquiry, and condemning the WRP's use of the bourgeois courts to silence labour movement critics.

For serious labour movement activists the question of whether or how money changed hands is a subsidiary detail to the political poison the WRP injects into the labour movement. The facts of this are clear.

Sometime around 1976 when Workers' Press collapsed and News Line took its place, the WRP had a complete change of line, to become the most sickening and sycophantic supporter of Gaddafi and other oil-rich capitalist regimes.

Áll this is well documented and further proof is offered every day in the pages of News Line - to take but the latest example, the glorification of the Khomeini regime which is at this moment butchering leftists and their families down to young children.

News Line has sold itself to Gaddafi up to its neck, and it matters little what price it got. If the WRP really have received no money, whether directly or indirectly, from Gaddafi, more fool the WRP. It only proves they're more stupid than squalid.

Monsters

So where does that leave Labour Herald, which was Clearly the main target of the Sunday Telegraph? After all why go after the little fish when there are weighty monsters like Livingstone to fry?

Apart from guilt by a99ociation, the evidence here is flimsy.

One glance at the first issue reveals it as a rather worthy offering, lacking the political bite even of Labour Weekly.

Hardly wild-eyed stuff, and certainly there' no uncritical coverage of Libya.

Still, it's rather disingenuous of Ted Knight to state 'We have never thought about Libyan gold or been offered Libyan gold' Knight has a long and somewhat compromised relationship with the WRP. He's certainly aware of the accusations about Libyan links. In Norwood Labour Party he opposed Socialist Organiser's appeal against the libel writ. And he has spoken for the WRP at a public meeting to set up one of its Community Councils.

Ken Livingstone, t00. cannot be unaware of tbe allegations of frascis links with Gaddaf. E= signed our appeal for s labour movemer: ngui! into these ad allegations stict ser= made in the SO racie that brouge: i= HIPs libel writs.

Ker is a zite! =1. target fur ite scrutie € being bout: 3y 1: m? He is, homere: - tE 2=: help tirice - =7 The probies " It with pigs. 3.7eTE nocently. is it it tes does tend to lage:

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Socialist Organiser, 1? September 1VS/ Paee.: -Wor a new: voria news.

IMPERA MPERIALIST HANDS OFF ANGOLA.

Turn TUC wordsinto action! Socialist Orguniser, 1 THOUSANDS of South African troops are still occupying large areas of southern Angola, despite the recent : announcement by South African generals that they were withdrawing after "completing their task"

This "task" has included the bloody massacre • of hundreds of Angolan and refugee Namibian working people, the destruction of whole • villages, roads, bridges, crops and livestock.

This terror and sabotage is continuing, with growing signs that the bosses' apar theid government will try to set up a Lebanon-style buffer zone and install the pro-imperialist puppets of Unita.

Arms The buffer would be aimed to halt the flow of arms and SWAPO guerrilla fighters into Namibia, where the working people are waging a courageous struggle against South African military occupation and the South African puppet regime.

The buffer would also be aimed at taking further the attempts by the South African regime to impose a terrorist discipline over the Angolan masses.

These moves are getting the ai, ialism, led by the Reagan the active support of impergovernment. The half-hearted verbal opposition of the French and West German governments, and the 'neutral' stand of Thatcher arise from confusion and division amongst the imperialists about how best to crush the revolutionary struggles of the Namibian working people, and to reverse the gains of the Angolan masses.

.. Their diplomatic protests should not for one minute blind workers tỏ the fact that they, and the monopoly capitalists behind them, are the deadly enemies workers and oppressed across the world:

The South African government has made a big noise about the existence of Soviet weapons and military instructors inside Angola. This has been held up as proof of: 'communist subversion" , and as a justification for action to defend Western "free enterprise"

Spread Reagan, and the openly anti-working class media of the capitalists in Britain, hure sized the chance to preparada The Son*i instructors and the 20,000 Cuban soldiers are portrayed as Moscow's instrument for colonising Angola and trying to grab Namibia through SWAPO. In this topsy-turvy world picturé, the South African state, although mildly criticised for going oll too tar, is portrayed as the defender of Western "democracy" against commurism.

The imperialists have grown rich through the sweat and blood of millions of working people across the world. Their capitalist istem of profits means hardship and suffering for milions. when there could be peace and plenty Their troops have been wed, are bring used, and will September 1981 Page be used against the struggles of the oppressed.

Then they try to tell workers that it is Soviet weapons and Cuban troops in Angola which are a threat to democracy! In the name of so-called 'democracy' ', US weapons and instructors are being used to massacre Salvadorean working people; British troops are terrorising Irish workers and youth; French troops in Africa and US troops in South Korea are propping up murderous dictatorships.

Every day in the world, workers and oppressed in struggle for a decent standard of living and for democratic control: over their daily lives, are being killed by the "democratic" imperialists and their agents.

The imperialists, their governments, and their media direct their propaganda against the Soviet änd Cuban governments. But the real target of their actions is working i people struggling for their economic and political liberation, • in southern Africa and beyond.

The Stalinists of Moscow and Cuba claim to be on the side of the oppressed.

But as privileged bureaucrats themselves they are totally opposed to the mobilisation of workers and oppressed struggle oppresseu l a suuggie w smash imperialism which if successful would also endanger the political dominance of the Stalinists.

Cuban troops in Angola PINTING full, in defence SWAPO African of South Afric They have been forced to give military and other aid to the liberation struggle in order to keep a political influence over it. At every point, the Stalinists act to hold back struggle and to collaborate with the capitalists.

They are enemies of the working people of the world. But it is up to the working class of the Soviet Union, Cuba, Angola and throughout the world, to deal with the Stalinist betrayers of socialism - the imperialists can never be allies in this task.

Defended

In the face of the profiteering and warmongering of the imperialists, the Soviet Union and Cuba must be defended - despite the Stalinist bureaucrats who today hold power.

It is the same as defending a trade union against the bosses, despite the fact that treacherous bureaucrats may be in control of the Soviet weapons are produced by the labour of Soviet workers. Cuban soldiers are working people in arms. These weapons and these fighters must be nrovided and used to the order to help the of Angola and against South and imperialist -Tr - - 'an troops are still in Angola aggression.

The Angolan workers have shown in huge demonstrations in Luanda and other towns, that they are willing and determined to fight this aggression shoulder to shoulder with their Namibian and Cuban class allies.

Forward They need arms and military training in the struggle to defend their anti-colonial revolution and move forward to a workers" government.

In this struggle, the Angolan workers face the political obstacle of: the MPLA government. which they themselves swept into power - but which puts class collaboration before the interests of working people.

The Angolan workers and their Cuban class allies face the obstacle of the Stalinists of Moscow and Cuba, Who want to hold back mobilisation and compromise with "democratic" imperialists at the expense of the oppressed.

And the courageous SWAPO guerrilla fighters and workers inside Namibia face the same political obstacle of class collaboration in the top leadership of SWAPO.

By Jim Farnham THE WORKING people and fighters in Angola and Namibia need the maximum supporting action from the labour movement in Britain and internationally.

Labour leaders must not be allowed to tie our movement to an alliance with capitalists - no matter how "democratic" they may try to look.

Those leaders who take a stand for solidarity must move to . mobilise class action, Arthur Scargill and other TUC leaders last week sent a letter to Thatcher calling for aid to Angola, for Tory support of UN sanctions against South Africa and for a meeting on the issue.

The TUC leaders have backed Congress resolutions calling for UN sanctions, and for support of SWAPO.

These are fine words but without mobilising workers, they will remain as useless as all the fine words of the past.

Calling for UN sanctions is like asking the CBi to take action against a capitalist in the interests of workers.

This is very convenient for those labour leaders who want to turn workers away from knowing and relying on their own class strength, who fear the mobilised strength of workers. These leaders act at every point to convince workers that they have no powar to intervene in international affairs.

IN MOROCCO LAST WEEK. Thatcher gave a specially warm welcome to the Moroccan foreign minister - a sign of the imperialist support for Hassan's bloody regime, which in June sent its army against a general strike in Casablanca. The strike was caller anainet nrice rices (mainly staple foods) and developed into an uprising in the working class districts. At least 100 workers and youth were murdered. Last week, at the time of the visit, there were more arrests of union leaders.

Thatcher welcomed Hassan's minister ACTION In reality, the working class has a massive power to do just that. The whole world economy its production and its trade is in the hands of workers. Military weapons are produced and transported by workers. Workers bave the strength to halt the flow of weapons to the South African state, through blacking action that is internationally co-ordinated.

A campaign in the international labour movement could be mobilised to add real: weight to the demand for economic and military aid to Angola and SWAPO:

.... Those labour leaders who have taken a stand on democratic accountability and socialist policies, must show that they are willing to extend these to the international level, and to back a campaign for building international links of working class solidarity and for arms blacking. LIBERIA IMF/US government pressure has brought a cut in Liberian rice subsidies, pushing up the price of the staple by 20%. This is the same issue which sparked off riots against the Tolbert regime in 1979. Earlier this year, Sgt. Doe's government cut wages in response to simmar aidtates from finance capital.

In January, Monrovian dockers struck against. this and other attacks. The recent executions of top government/army figures are a sharp sign of the underlying crisis of political control facing the regime. They are a preparation for the escalating attacks on the masses that will be necessary for the . petty bourgeois regime in order to enforce austerity measures.

SIERRA LEONE THERE have been reports that a general strike in Sierra Leone is into its fourth day. President Siaka Stevens has declared a state of emergency, closed down the unions, and arrested leaders and militants. This is clearly a continuation of the general strike mobilised last month, despite the government ban and the union leaders restraining efforts. That strike was suspended after government promises of concessions on food prices. Workers are demanding cuts in prices of basic necessities (which are rising in direct response to the international bankers' demands), more jobs and better AFRICAN REPUBLIC Last week the army in the Central African Republic took over under General Kolingba, ousting the former French puppet ruler, Dacko. French troops - who number more than the local army - did not intervene, showing that French imperialism has sanctioned the changeover, as it dia more actively when Bokassa was kicked out for Dacko.

The coup comes at a time of rising mass militancy, focussing on prices and shortages, and on the dictatorial rule of Dacko (who had already declared martial to counter demonstrations sparked off by his obvious fiddling of presidential elections. The coup is imperialist-backed (with distinct signs of US involvement) and obviously preventive measure to head off this militancy ànd struggle. In fact, a national strike over wages and prices was threatening to develop.

BRAZIL LAST week Lula and ten other Brazilian union leaders had their jail sentences over:

ruled by a top militar tribunal. The sentences had been imposed by a lower military court for their role in the massive 1980 metal workers' strikes.

This is a clear retreat by the government from direct confrontation at a time of developing militancy and struggle. Recent struggles have included a ten-day riot by workers in Salvador city against 60% busfare increase, spreading to other towns (Belo Horizonte, Belem). And there have heen militant land occupations by landless rural poor, (e.g. in Amażonia) which have been viciously put down by landowners and the army. The economy, moving deeper into crisis, is bound to provoke greater and greater resistance. Industrial output is falling, and hundreds of thousands of workers have lost jobs or been put on short-time (there are of course nO unemployment benefits)

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1:S21Ni:8* 7 September

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