Stop Sicily missiles!

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should be imprisoned are saying that the IRA are not afraid of the rope. When we think of the IRA explosions at La Mon, Warrenpoint, Bloody Friday and Ballykelly, who dares in this House to say that these vile, inhuman monsters are anything but craven cowards?"

The demand to ban plastic bullets which so far have killed seven children and a number of others continues to unite Northern Ireland Catholics. The six Catholic bishops in the Six Counties appealed to the British government to ban them..

But the British government was not impressed. Back came the reply: "It is the government's view that plastic baton rounds are the most effective means of controlling serious rioting, consistent with the use of minimum force."

Bishop Edward Doly of Derry, where 11 year old Stephen McConomy was killed last year, commented that an appeal by all the Catholic bishops in the province "deserved a more considered response than that." government, he said. "It is they who have introduced violence to the struggle because we want peace."

But it was not a united demonstration. Declan Bree, a socialist member of Sligo Corporation and County Council, a scheduled speaker, was shouted down when he tried to speak from the platform.

Some of the crowd were hostile to him for standing in the 1981 election when a hunger striker also stood land almost won).

The hostility swelled and silenced him when he said that he was a marxist and that no one group had a monopoly on republicanism. There were shouts of '"Join your bloody friend Mountbatten. You don't represent the nationalist people of Ireland." Most of the crown joined in the shouting and heckling which finally forced him off the platform.

Harry Blaney, brother of Neil, the 'Independent Fianna Fail" Green Tory ID trou Donegal was given a respectful hearing. COMISO, Sicily, is the site of a future American air base deploying 112 Cruise missiles -it is the italian equivalent of Greenham Common.

Its strategic purpose is to stand sentinel in the middle of the Mediterranean - available immediately to enter the Middle East conflict or to penetrate a good 800 miles south into Africa, covering the whole of Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Egypt. In other words, Comiso will cover NATO's southern flank.

The importance of Sicily in this role has increased considerably since the expiry of Britain's military agreements with Malta in March 1979. New radar stations have been established on the mainland and on the island of Pantellaria to strengthen NATO defences.

The Italian Peace Movement itself has been very active around Comiso. In April 1982 over 100,000 people demonstrated at the base, the largest demo seen in Sicily since World War II. Over 1 million signatures have been collected on a petition calling for the cancellation of the base. This included two thirds of the population of Comiso itself, a small town of 27,000 inhabitants.

The Peace Movement is calling for support from European sympathisers throughout the summer and in particular for a mass demo on October 23.

Their main problem is the Mafia, which was allowed to grow by the Allies after World War Il to oppose the Communist Party and the partisans. Already it is reported that the Mafia have bought up 8,645 acres 'of land in the area ready for the influx of 4,300 American airmen by 1987. One local Comiso businessman, Corifeo said 5°, at the moment Comise to have has only 3 prostitutes and no drugs. This will, of course, have to change.' Former Mayor of Comiso, Giacomo Cagnes, is now leader of the local Peace Movement. He claims to have had numerous telephone calls warning him to lay off the anti-missile campaign and reminding him of the fate of Pio La Torre.

La Torre was the Sicilian Regional Secretary of the PCI (Italian Communist Party) based in Palermo, and a well-known campaigner against the mafia. He was shot with his driver on April 30, 1982, shortly after the mass demonstration.

Less than 5 months later, General Dalla Chiesa, Head of the government's official antimafia squad, was also shot dead in Palermo.

Clearly the fight against Cruise is more than a single issue campaign. In Sicily it involves direct conflict with the vested interests of the mafia, as well as solidarity with those fighting oppression in the Middle East and North Africa.

Under-21 male wages as = percentage of over-21 male wages rose from 42% in 1949 to 56% in 1975, and have since remained stable. Under-18 female wages have done less well - being around 65 to 70% of over-18 female wages ever since 1948 - but are also holding up. (All figures for fulltime manual workers).

The April 1982 figures for average gross weekly earnings were £59.80 for males under 18. £53.90 for females. The YTS rase is £25.

I abour Campaign for Gay Rights To join or affiliate, write to Chris Richardson, 21 Deronshire Promenade; Lenton. Nottingham NG7 2DS. £5 for individuals, or for affiliated organisations, per 1000 members; £2 low-waged ind. ividuals, £1 unwaged.