An anti-colonial war

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AS a subscriber to Socialist Organiser I am worried at seeing the line of the paper on the Malvinas. I disagree with the line, and I believe it is wrong and harmful. Therefore this letter.

SO believes that the defence of the islanders' right to self-determination is the central issue in the conflict. But, under pressure from the masses, the Argentine junta has - via a populist manoeuvre - challenged British imperialism. As the Bonapartist dictatorship that it is, it naturally didn't mobilise the masses for a genuine anti-imperialist struggle. Nevertheless, the junta's step is objectively anti-imperialist and historically progressive.

The central issue for the conflict is that Argentina is a country under the dominance of imperialism, and that Britain is an imperialist country. But SO's defeatist line calling for a defeat of both Britain and Argentina by the working class overthrowing their "own" bourgeoisie in the two countries, indicates in tact a viewpoint that it is a matter of two imperialist powers at war with each other and obscures thereby the fact that it is a matter of an anti-colonial war. It must not be forgotten that SO talks of self-determination for the 1800 islanders who have chosen to remain supporters of British imperialism's dominance over the islands. They have expressed themselves in favour of the islands remaining a part of the British Empire.

"Supporting rights does not mean supporting every action that is supposed to defend those rights." says SO. and "By the very nattre the British state Thatcher's fleet aits in the interests of Tory and British ruling class prestige." "Any benefit to the islanders 1s doubtful and strictly ental."

Therefore, according • to SO, a class struggle against Thatcher's war must be waged in Britain. But SO's leader writers know just as well as I that it is a question of settlers on the Malvinas. Since when has it been Marxist policy to support imperialist settlers?

The main orientation in Argentina must be: "To counter-attack against imperialism on all fronts": support for the reconquest of the Malvinas and the war against British imperialism: expropriation of all imperialist property without compensation: stop the payment of debt to imperialist banks and governments: the burden of the crisis must be paid by the imperialists.

Thereby must the masses be prepared to overthrow the junta and boi irgeoisie in It involve:, ot course, nor support for the junta, but struggle for an independent revolutionary programme. It must mean a constant attack on the junta for not carrying out an anti-imperialist struggic, and lor the working masses independent organsation and struggle.

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Hiroshima. 19 August