Four more years of Reagan?

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LAST week, Honduras carried out two US-inspired air raids on Sandinista military bases on the Nicaraguan border. The air strikes go hand in hand with the subversion being carried out inside Nicaragua by CIA-backed, anti-Sandinista rebels.

In response, the Sandinista government has postponed preparations for elections that were due to be held in 1985. A Nicaraguan official explained that 'neither the US nor Honduras wants these elections to happen so they are once again trying to provoke a war; Whilst it may seem strange logic to therefore postpone the elections - and it may be that the Sandinistas, who are not working class socialists, are using it as an excuse - there is no doubt that dunscripel there is a serious threat of an invasion of Nicaragua, either by the US The Nicaraguan government denies that the postponement is a cancellation of the elections. Daniel Ortega, the Sandinista head of rA CARILL ICT ADRA AMOED .. „.dl, ]_1 UKGANISEK each week delivered to your the Sandinista revolution." the attacks do not impede the institutionalisation (of democracy) in state, said that the elections will be held and that "for the time being Nicaraguan counter-revolutionaries have suffered a setback recently. Edgar Chamoro of the Fuerza Democratica de Nicaragua (FDN) - the leading 'contra' group - admitted that they were "nut able to liberate land or control territory". The FDN, which is based in Hunduras, blame the CIA for their setbacks, claiming that they need yet more aid from their imperialist backers.

Please send me.... months' sub, I enclose £ ... Meanwhile, it was announced that 347 US-backed rebels surrenTo: Socialist Organiser, 28, Middle Lane, London dered to the Sandinistas in December and have been granted an Despite these setbacks for the contras, the threat style intervention into Nicaragua remains a real one.

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Address the car, which drove off through the Teghnaven estate.

The confident markmanship of Melntyre's assassin, and the indications that the gang had carefully staked out their escape route, at one part of which a large force of RUC had been Dose need oral are at ne possibility of RUC involvement, or connivance, in Daniel MeIntyre's murder. It has also made eye-witnesses reluctant to come forward, especially as the RUC has markedly stepped up its harassment of local youth in the days following the Subsequently the Protestant Action Force was linked with the killing by the RUC, who stated that the weapon used to kill Daniel McIntyre had been used in two previous sectarian attacks in the town, one of which had been claimed by the Protestant Action Force.

The name has been frequently used as a cover by the UVF, and members of the UDR are at present facing murder charges for the killing of nationalists in Armagh which had been claimed by the group."

Labour Fight the ORGANISER witch.

Thunt Inside Women Kent's appeal to for RONALD Reagan announced last week that he will be standing for a second term as US President. It comes as no great surprise to anybody.

In his "State uf the Union' speech, Reagan added a new element to his traditional 'three big issues" • Along with steady economic growth, peace and the commercial conquest of space, he now emphasises 'Traditional values"

"Steady economic growth" equals resolving the crisis of US capitalism. Reagan promises recovery and says things will get better. Inflation, at 3.8%, is at its lowest since 1972. The employment situation is improving.

"Peace" is Reagan's apt 1984 Newspeak for "War" The Reagan administration is increasing military aid to the dictatorships in Central America. It shows no signs of ending its current war drive despite Reagan's electioneering speech about 'unfreezing the cold war' 'The cummercial conquest of space" is also partly to do with the war drive. In March 1983 Reagan announced his fantastic Star Wars' programme of research into "lasers, microwave devices, particle beams and projectile beams" to shoot enemy missiles out of the stratosphere: space is to become another theatre of war.

Reagan has announced an $8 billion project to build a permanent space station within the next ten years - at a time when the Administration is also seeking to reduce its Federal Budget deficit by making cuts in services.

'Traditional values" means rereedom the from all of khich we can foresee an increased attack on the rights of women, gays, the unions and political opponents. Backed by a move to the right and the growth of movements like the Moral Majority, Reagan is set for another term of reactionary government in which the vicworld. Above: digging trenches to prepare for a full-scale invasion. Top: US-backed counter-revolutionaries. Nicaragua is in real danger. or by one of its local clients such as Honduras. amnesty by the Nicaraguan government.

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As the Tories' education cuts begin to bite, An member of the National Union of Teachers and Labour Party executive, writes about what the primary schools - the pupils and the teachers.

A well equipped primary classroom - but for how much longer? As the basic right to decent housing is a fading possibility under the Tories it looks as though education is going the same way. Especially the sort of education which teaches children to think for themselves.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, progressive education alists had a field day. Often using children as guinea pigs in their newly designed schools, several of the new ideas failed but the concept of child-centred education as opposed to rote-learning was established.

The aim was to tailor education to the needs of each child and the curiculum was built around each individual child. Most importantly educagela Brittain, a of the London cuts mean for rapidly changing.

The Tories' cuts are well and truly backed by Tory ideology. No longer are we concerned with child-centred education, allowing a child to spend as much time playing in water as writing stories, but with back-to-basics and the three 'R's.

No longer have we plenty of materials with which to build exciting models, no longer have teachers the energy to provide exciting topic work.

Instead teachers have to work hard trying to cope with children disturbed by their parents who are suffering from the capitalist recession.

Instead, teachers have been known to whitewash newspapers for the children to draw on.

Instead, class sizes are

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BREAK LINKS, T TORIES!

JOBLESS KEY TO TEn PLAN Hefter

sed and the sed and the oppressed of the tims will be America's oppres-

tion was to be enjoyed. Chil- dren learnt because they back to the 3Rs