> >New Worker Online Digest > >Week commencing 12th May, 2000. > >1) Editorial - The racist curve. > >2) Lead story - Dramatic IRA move lifts Irish peace. > >3) Feature article - No prosecution over Paddington crash. > >4) International story - General strike paralyses South Africa. > >5) British news item - Rover workers celebrate while Ford faces end of the >line. > > >1) Editorial > >The racist curve. > >HOME SECRETARY Jack Straw struck a new low in his less than distinguished >career by taking part in a debate with a reactionary guru from America who >claims that blacks are genetically less intelligent than whites and that >the poor as a whole are poor because they are genetically inferior to the >rich. > > This great debate in London on the "Growing Threat of the Underclass" was >sponsored by the Sunday Times and all it serves to do is help Dr Charles >Murray promote the cranky views embodied in his 1994 book, The Bell Curve. >Straw, of course, was there to argue against Murray but by doing so he >gives an air of respectability to the nonsensical and dangerous ideas he >claims he's trying to refute. > > Murray's views, predictably based on 1Q tests, go far beyond race. He >argues for the scrapping of benefit payments to single mothers claiming >that single parents help create a crime ridden underclass, which he calls >the "new rabble". He also calls for the total abolition of all state welfare. > > In the United States Murray's book, which sold over 400,000 copies, >delighted racists as it confirmed their own bigoted views. His considered >opinions on welfare are music to Tory ears. He apparently helped inspire >John Major's rubbishy "back to basics" campaign and Tory Shadow Home >Secretary Ann Widdecombe held talks with Murray on "prison reform" when she >was in the States recently. > > Dr Murray's views are nothing new. The ancient slave-owning Greeks and >Romans claimed that slaves were destined to be slaves even when they were >still free, determined by the will of the "gods". The Hindu caste system >claims that an individual's lot is either a reward or punishment for acts >in a previous life. > > In the hey-day of colonialism British children were told that the "white >man" was superior to all others and the "British way" its highest >expression. Hitler's Nazi professors used pseudo-scientific evolutionary >jargon to justify the theory of the "master race" and the enslavement and >extermination of those deemed useless by Nazi Germany. And in the post-war >period we've had other venal academics churn out theories to justify >segregation in America or apartheid in South Africa. > > Straw says he deplores many of Murray's views but he believes in argument. >Now some reactionary Muslim clerics argue that women are genetically >inferior to men. The former Speaker of the Iranian parliament once publicly >said this was obvious because women's heads were smaller than men's. If >they came to Britain on a speaking tour to promote these views would a >Government minister want to take part in a public debate with them? That's >the difference and that's the danger. > > The idea that "the poor" are actually a different breed who cannot be >helped and should not he helped reflects the current thinking of the ruling >class throughout the imperialist world. It justifies their own wealth, >power and position and provides ammunition for further attack on state >welfare and social provision. It seeks to deny the obvious fact -- equally >apparent from the slave era to today -- that working people are poor >because they are oppressed. > > The ruling class, the capitalists, landowners, exploiters and parasites >despise the very people who have created all the wealth of the world in the >first place. They can despise us -- soon they will fear us. > > ********************* > >2) Lead story > >Dramatic IRA move lifts Irish peace. > >by Steve Lawton > >YET again, Irish Republicanism has shown its mettle and raised the positive >stakes in the peace process. But this time there is a sense that the IRA >have made a major, definitive statement. Last Saturday they declared that >"the IRA leadership will initiate a process that will completely and >verifiably put IRA arms beyond use." > > This came just hours after two days of concentrated discussions between >Prime Minister Tony Blair, Irish Premier Bertie Ahern, and the north's >parties at Hillsborough Castle last week. > > President Clinton applauded the IRA's announcement as a "truly historic >step." Leader of the SDLP John Hume said: "It's all very positive and I >want to see a positive response now from all parties." > > It represents the culmination of weeks of patient talks that now envisage >complete implementation of the Good Friday Agreement by June 2001 with the >possibility of the Assembly and Executive being reinstated by 22 May. > > The two governments set new target dates around key issues of equality, >policing, criminal justice, demilitarisation and human and cultural rights. >Sinn Fein are expecting early progress on these areas agreed at Hillsborough. > > UUP leader David Trimble, who responded on Sunday with optimism tempered >by his usual pragmatic caution, will go into session with the UUP >860-member Council to dissect the IRA's statement focusing on the >practicalities of the what and how of disarmament. > > Developments are awaited, but only the ultra-hardline unionists could see >the IRA's magic words as simply a trick. Hence, leaders of the Democratic >Unionist Party (DUP) and in the Tory Party argue the IRA failed to say >weapons would be put permanently beyond use. > > But the unionist consensus is moving ahead of this. John Taylor, Trimble's >deputy and a powerful critic of Sinn Fein, has predicted that the >Hillsborough proposals, if presented by Trimble, will be accepted. > > The IRA rightly expect the Irish, and especially British government to >"fulfil their commitments under the Good Friday Agreement and the Joint >Statement." The letter and spirit of this process the IRA have taken beyond >what any other participant has, under intense unjust pressure to act in a >unilateral way. And that's despite its dogged adherence to the most >important demonstration of IRA commitment -- its ceasefire. > > And to act unilaterally, without firm reciprocal and verifiable >commitments from the British government and the unionists, would not only >render the Catholic, nationalist and republican movement defenceless; it >would be a tacit admission that unionist objections had substance. > > The only substance has been in the fact that blocking tactics serve to >prevent change and risk a slide backwards. Clearly, for unionists, not only >the great unknown is at play here, so too are vested interests in the >future economic and political shape of Ireland. And not least of course, >that the republican position to achieve a united Ireland is not slipping >off their agenda. > > The "Group of Seven" representing a strong grouping of commercial, >industrial and trade union support for the political process, urged >participants to Lake the Hillsborough proposals on board last Tuesday. > > The group -- Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Institute of Directors, >Northern Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of British Industry -- >said Hillsborough represented a "major advance towards a durable peace and >political stability." > > This ought now to be the critical point at which unionists' objections >are, in the main, laid to rest. The principle consideration being the >regime and logistics of carrying out the IRA's disarmament. > > The IRA declared they will reengage the Independent International >Commission on Decommissioning (IICD), headed by General John de Chastelain. >Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari and African National Congress >Secretary General Cyril Ramaphosa will be responsible for IRA arms dump >inspections. > > It now means that the IRA have firmly hit the ball back into the >unionists' and British government's court. This is the most pointed test >ofjust how genuine the unionists can be in seeing the political process >through. And it is now up to the Loyalists' armed groups to make their >move. The British government's response can only be meaningful if >demilitarisation were now to be immediately acted upon to rebuild all-round >confidence. > > On Tuesday the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) chief Sir Ronnie Flanagan >announced that two military installations -- one among the nationalist >people of Foyle in Derry and another in Cookstown, County Tyrone -- would >be shutdown. > >That is to include the observation posts in north and west Belfast and in >south Armagh and a further post in the frontier town of Crossmaglen. These >steps are to be taken over the next three months, Flanagan said. > > South Armagh SDLP Assembly member John Fee said: "It if impossible to >describe the sense of siege and occupation that has pervaded south Armagh >for so long. The sense of relief for families in these areas will be >overwhelming." Sinn Fein"s chief negotiator Martin McGuiness MP said this >would "help create the conditions in which we can demonstrate that poll >lies works." > > But at the same time there is disquiet over the reaction to the Policing >Commission head Chris Patten's proposals for reform of the RUC. Parliament >is due to enact legislation to create the Northern Ireland Police Service. > > "Any tampering with Patten," Sinn Fein vice-president Pat Docherty warned >the British government on Tuesday, "would be a recipe for disaster." SDLP >and Sinn Fein want rid of the title and current structure of the RUC. >Bertie Ahern defends Patten's reforms. > > But Patten's reforms are, nevertheless, still limited. Docherty said: "We >need to establish a non-partisan, non-political police force that >nationalists and republicans can recommend young nationalists to join and >that will serve the entire, community." > > At heart, the vast majority -- even beyond the over 70 percent >cross-community vote for the Good Friday Agreement in May 1998 -- want to >get to the point, as the IRA statement puts it, "in which Irish >republicans, and unionists can, as equals pursue our respective political >objectives peacefully." > > The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has joined others in a call >for an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of Belfast solicitor >Pat Finucane. This followed meetings with family members and legal >representatives. > > It said that the current inquiry under Sir John Stevens "does not seem to >be wide-ranging enough". Commission head Prof Brice Dickson added that Sir >John's record "did not inspire confidence". Stevens is now head of the Met >Police. > > The family of Diarmuid O'Neill said Tuesday that they will appeal against >the verdict of lawful killing returned at Kingston Coroners Court in February. > > ********************** > >3) Feature article > >No prosecution over Paddington crash. > >by Caroline Colebrook > >THE CROWN Prosecution Service announced last Tuesday that it will not bring >a prosecution against anyone in connection with the Paddington rail crash, >in which 31 people died last October. > > The crash happened when a crowded Great Western train collided with a >Thames commuter train which was on the wrong track. > > The Thames train had just passed signal 109 while it was at danger. This >signal was notorious for the number of trains that had passed in at red in >recent years and was reported to he difficult to see clearly. > > Both drivers were among the 31 dead and in addition some 250 people were >injured, many with severe burns. > > Railtrack, the company responsible For the signals, and the two train >operating companies have blamed each other. > > The CPS Said it could not find enough evidence to prosecute. As the law >stands, for a charge of corporate manslaughter to succeed, named >individuals within the accused company have to be proved to be negligent. > > As in similar cases, the accident was the result of a series of errors and >no individual can be held totally responcible. > > Currently there are proposals to change the law so that companies can be >sued more easily. > > Railtrack last Monday put on display the £150 million automatic train >braking system it has decided to adopt -- the Train Protection and Warning >System (TPWS) -- rather than the more expesive but more effective Automatic >Train Protection (ATP) system. > > Both systems are designed to prevent trains passing signals at danger. The >TPWS links the train's brakes aurotnatically with the signal system. But it >can fail to stop a train travelling at more than 70 miles an hour. > > This means, if it had been fitted, it would probably have prevented the >Paddington crash. > > But it would not have prevented the September 1997 Southall disaster when >a highspeed express went through an unexpected red light and ploughed into >a goods train which had been given priority to cross the tracks in front of >it. > > The ATP system was first recommended after the inquiry into the 1988 >Clapham Junction disaster where faulty wiring led to a misleading, >flickering signal. > > The Tory government of the day agreed to fit ATP to all trains in Britain >and then dropped the plan in the run-up to rail privatisation as being too >expensive. > > If ATP had been fitted then, probably neither the Southall nor Ladboke >Grove disasters would have happened -- and a number of other crashes. > > Two years ago the Health and Safety Executive recommended that TPWS be >fitted but Railtrack has only just got round to Monday's demonstration, on >a track between Bromley North and Grove Park stations in south-east London. > > Railtrack is seeking to convince the 25 passenger train operating >companies to share the costs of TPWS. > > * An industrial tribunal opened last Monday into the sacking of train >driver Sarah Friday who is also a health and safety officer for the RMT >transport union. > > Her sacking has been the cause of three one-day strikes by RMT members at >Waterloo Station. > > She has been charged with "Failing to do her job properly" but the union >asserts she was sacked for being assertive on health and safety issues. > > ************************* > >4) International story > >General strike paralyses South Africa. > >MILLIONS of workers downed tools across South Africa in a one-day general >strike on Wednesday called by the Congress of South African Trade Unions >(COSATU) in protest at massive job losses and demanding national action to >boost the economy. Since 1984 over a million workers have lost their jobs. >The number of employed people has now fallen to levels last seen in the >1970s. COSATU is calling on business and government to take urgent steps to >end this "catastrophic" situation. > > Some four million workers -- more than double COSATU's own total >affiliated membership of 1.8 million -- responded to the strike call which >is also backed by the South African Communist Party. Dismissing accusations >that the general strike will disrupt an already weak economy, communist >leader Blade Nzimande said, "There is nothing as disruptive to any economy >than massive unemployment and poverty, which disrupts family life and >deprives workers of their only means of livelihood. It is not the general >strike by workers that is disruptive, but the ongoing investment strike by >the bosses in this country,". > > COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said, "The response given by the >workers of South Africa to our call proves one more that the number one >problem our country is facing is that of unemployment. The success of >today's action comes despite massive propaganda claiming our strike to be >irresponsible or mischievous, and despite much intimidation on our members >to stay away. We call again on business and government to address all the >demands that we have tabled,". > > COSATU President Willie Madisha added, "Today's strike does not mark the >end of the campaign. Our struggle for fulltime, quality jobs goes on. We >will continue to press -- in negotiating forums, through NEDLAC, on the >streets again if necessary -- for our demands to be addressed,". > > ********************* > >5) British news item > >Rover workers celebrate while Ford faces end of the line. > >by Daphne Liddle > >CAR WORKERS throughout the West Midlands rejoiced last week when former >Rover chief executive John Towers pulled off a deal which will save the >Longbridge factory for mass car production for the forseeable future. > > Mr Towers bought the company for a token £10 from German owners BMW, who >were in haste to get rid of the plant that has been losing too much money >for a long time. > > BMW even agreed to lend Tower's new company, Phoenix, £575 million to >cover initial running costs. > > The new deal is not without cost. Around 1,000 jobs will still be lost but >it could have been 24,000 jobs in the region as a whole if BMW has turned >down the deal and simply closed the plant. > > Phoenix calculates that those who are laid off will get a £25,000 >redundancy deal. > > And the new deal may have an adverse effect on the Cowley plant near >Oxford as production of the Rover 75 executive model is to be transferred >from there to Longbridge. > > But Cowley is to be retained by BMW to build the new Mini next year. > > Unions welcomed the deal. Tony Woodley, chief negotiator for the Transport >and General Workers' Union, said: "We've worked extremely hard, thousands >of hours of work with the towers team, to be able to limit the damage after >the industrial disaster that BMW left us with." > > But not all the clouds have gone away -- chiefly that the world is >currently producing more cars, than it can sell. The survival of Phoenix is >not guaranteed. > > Business analyst Graeme Maxton said: "Phoenix is buying a marginal brand >which lacks scale in a market which is consolidating. It is good for >employment but I suspect this just prolongs the agony." > > It is part of the madness of capitalism that workers' incomes are put in >jeopardy when they are so productive the bosses can't sell all they make. >Under socialism, production is planned in advance to meet real social needs >-- and if a surplus is produced it leads to a cut in working time, not in >jobs or wages. > > Ford workers in Dagenham faced far worse news on Wednesday with the giant >US-based company announcing plans to end car production at the Dagenham >plant -- the oldest car factory in Britain. > > Newly-elected London Mayor Ken Livingstone immediately charged Ford with >breaking existing agreements with the workforce. > > He pointed out that transnational companies facing problems of >over-production and a need to make cut-backs pick on their British >workforces because employment protection laws and redundancy provision are >weaker in Britain. > > It costs a company like Ford or BMW a lot less to sack a British worker >than a French or German one. > > So, far from attracting business to come and stay in Britain, our extra >severe anti-union laws and poor protection of workers' rights, actually >leads to businesses giving preferential treatment to continental workers. > > Livingstone called on the Government to bring workers' protcction levels >in Britain up to those in Europe. > > He also pointed out the help that has been given to Ford by Britain over >the years, right from when the old London County Council built huge estates >in Dagenham to house the Ford workforce. > > He warned Ford that if the company pulls out of Britain, it cannot expect >people living here to go on buying around a third of Ford's total European >production. > > ********************* > > >New Communist Party of Britain Homepage > >http://www.newcommunistparty.org.uk > >A news service for the Working Class! > >Workers of all countries Unite! __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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