EP Thompson speaking at last year's CND rally REVOLUTION supporters in the Labour Party Young Socialists have written an open letter to the LPYS. The YS leadership, dominated by Militant, has opposed action which calls for the withdrawal of the fleet from the South Atlantic and in so doing has tried to separate the YS off from youth mobilising against the war. Socialist Challenge reprints some extracts from the June issue of the LPYS paper, Socialist Youth, and from Revolution's open letter.
Socialist Youth In the months before the invasion, opposition to the junta was growing and coming to a head.
Only days before the demonstrations against Galtieri organised by the illegal trade unions.
It was to derail this ophome that Galtieri launchine vastor Falklands.
The invasion initially increased the popularity of the euphoric mood of nationalism swept Argentina when 'the Malvinas' were liberated.
REVOIUTION It would be mad to acpeople who oppose this war of supporting the weta ie the case mat well case that General Galtieri launched the attack in the Malvinas to divert the struggle of the workers against the Junta.
But this move has not paid Socialist Challenge 11 June 1982 page 4 off.
Why? Because the Argentinian workers believe that right v Malvinas belong to them, and that the islands were taken by the British. There was a demonstration of over 200,000 workers - their slogans were 'Malvinas Yes. Junta No' and 'Down with Britain, Down with the Junta'. The Argentinian trade unions have also taken this position.
Socialist Youth The downfall Galtieri floodgates of revolution in Argentina; that is the last thing the Tories and their big business backers want.
The America would be strengthened by defeat for Britain that's why the 'A GIGANTIC cover-uf vocialiul being organised' declared Edward Thompson at a huge rally organised against the war in the Malvinas Thursdav. Thompson was one of the key speakers at organised by the Socialist Society, which brought speakers diverse Thompson, Peter SDP), Tam Dalyell MP. Ernie Roberts MP, Mary Kaldor, Hilary WainRobin Blackburn.
Thompson alleged that a gigantic covert military was being organisea by brusn Torces operating Chile, which had involved all 'SAS raid into Argentina to blow up SuDer Entarde planes.
He also exposed the way in which the media is using alleged Argentinian to cover up tne atrocities the British. A big fuss was being made, he said, about -Open letter to LPYSopposition in El Salvador and the Sangovernment Nicaragua stand with the Argentinian people in this war. A defeat for Thatcher would be a aereat for war-plans, and that's why Reagan is providing arms tor the British Task Force.
Socialist Youth The demand aneer Whas crow the has also been raised. Leaving asade the facthat amonith many workers drawal' now takes on the meaning of 'giving in to the junta, to the dicYou have only to ask HOW could the task force be withdrawn to see how meaningless this demand Appeals to the Tories withdraw would fall on deaf ears.
SOCIOLINA In tries must have a consistent position. In Britain we demand a general election and the coming to power of a Labour government on a socialist programme as a means of appealing to Argentine workers and soldiers an appeal for class solidarity. REVOLUTION has been the response of our so called leaders? Michael Foot, that well known pacifist, TAR napalm to attack the Argentinians. British media, and successive Tory and Labour governments nam. the fact that the Argentinians had napalm bombs on the island. 3 uhthe peish reusthe personnel cluster used by the US in Viethas come out in full support of the bloody war. The Militant-dominated endesmo o me cabou Party Young Socialists, while busy criticising other soovement, fear that active socialists labour opposition to the war will cut us off from the working class.
demando ke se all demands back the fleet' which aim to mobilise youth against ine war. They argue the only answer to the proDiell Is a general erectiot and a 'socialist' Labour The UIU›lem is. however that by supporting Thatcher's wai Foot and Healey are helping the Tories to win back support at the polls.
don't beg the Tories to stop the war. We demand that the labour movement opposes the war calling for withdrawa the now. Such a campaign is part and parcel of the fight kick out the Tories. Without this issue, talk of power on a socialist programme' is pie in the sky.
The Tory war in the South Atlantic is the big gest test socialists have had to face in many years the leadership organisation, the Militant, is failing this test. The Daily Star had the sheer hypocrisy to use this famous picture of a Vietnamese child fleeing from never condemned its use by the Americans in Vietnam, which accounted for the large of serious operations and amputations being carried out on the hospital ships.
Moreover, forces are using phosphorus_ shells which inflict appalling burns on their victims.
Many speakers denounced the war as being 'out of all proportion' to the defence of what Bernard Crick called 'these lousy islands'. But Fred Left answered this by bointing out that the war was not 'out of proportion' to the needs of Thatcher to create a reactionary national consensus, fend British imperialist in terests, and 'blaze a trail — making it easier for impowers like the intervene in the 'third world' especially Central America and the Middle East Tam Dalyell exposed the Tories claims to the 'sovereignty' of islands, and alleged that foreign sociclary Lord Carrington had resigned The had loyally OCCausC operated the Tory consen sus of giving up sovereign. ty of the islands and had subsequently been 'double crossed'.
For pointing out these truths and voting agains the war, Dalyell has been sacked as a Labour tron bench spokesperson by self-proclaimed 'peace monger' Michael Foot.
Perhaps the most imporlani and eloquent remarks of . the evening warmly received by the audience, , were those of Edward Thompson on the peace move ment. A peace movemen which didn't stand up and fight when a war was taking place, said Thompson was worthless. He urgec the meetings' participants demonstration on 6 June a make CND mighty mobilisation against Thatcher's war Light relief highlight of the evening was the conLOUCO! by Paul •FOO who pointed out to SDP champior Peter Jenkins that although Jenkins had opposed the war from the beginning, precisely nought per cent of the MPs had voted war. Jenkins sadly • nocaca ms agree ment.
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Stop Thatcher's war Bring back the fleet