AROUND THE WORLD
MERE USING ALL AVAILABLE HANDS TO DEAL WITH SOUTH AFRICA..
Belgium Belgian abortion trial ON FEBRUARY 27 the three defence witnesses were heard in the Ghent abortion centre trial, in which 60 people are charged. These witnesses put the debate very clearly on the level of a general political discussion about the legalization of abortion in Belgium. The quality of the witnesses and the figures they cited ensured that the press gave significant coverage to the matter. hospitals in the country abortion in excellent conditions, and in spite of the legal ban. Thanks to the work of these centres there are now practically no deaths resulting from backstreet abortions.
What is more, the "ad hoe tourism" to the Netherlands continues. Doctors send women for the operation itself just on the other side of the frontier whilst the accompanying preliminary and follow-up treatment take place information on contraception. So they have an equally important preventive role - with the goal of reducing as much as possible the need for abor-
Particularly in the Catholic environment, abortion continues to be a social taboo. Sixty-eight per cent of women deciding to have abortions, however, declare themselves to be Catholics.
If other courts were to apply the same methods as the courts in Ghent, hundreds of doctors, including Catholic institutions, would be prosecuted for having helped women to obtain abortions in safe conditions. In 1985, 7.7 per cent of pregnant women sought abortions.
Renee Coen and professor Lambotte, in their capacity as witnesses, openly admitted to performing abortions without being prosecuted.
On March 20, eleven doctors are due to appear before the court Ghent, accused of false declarations. Their insurance counterfoils said only "consultation" had been carried out. women and doctors accused under women's movement and a certain number of political parties are supporting the proposed more liberal law put forward by the Socialist Party member Lallemand and HermanMichielsens of the bourgeois liberal party the PVV. South Africa Black strikers need support THE SARMCOL strike in Howick, Natal province, over trade-union recognition was the culmination of thirstruggle against the giant British-owned BTR national. This company is renowned for its anti-unionism and willingness to use the institutions of the apartheid state to oppress and exploit cheap black labour. BTR, both before and after the strike, has refused to meet shop stewards to negotiate a settlement of the dis-
The strikers have suffered enormous hardship since their dismissals - ten activists (including their children) have been shot and killed by the police and Inkatha burned, disease and malnutrition is rife among children in the community, the police have taken over the township and strike leaders are subject to constant harassment
But despite all this the Sarmcol have carried weekly, planning coordinating campaigns to sustain the strike and get BTR to the negotiating table or out of South Africa. tive (SAWCO) - which is supported by the metal workers' union MAWU - was set up in 1985 in the wake of the mass dismissal of nearly 1,000 striking workers. One of five current SAWCO projects is the T-shirt and Button Coop, which employs 40 strikers, depending on demand. It sells T-shirts and badges to the trade-union federation of COSATU, MAWU and a range of progressive organizations.
You can help support the Sarmcol strikers by buying badges and T-shirts from the cooperative. Details and price lists can be obtained from SAWCO, c/o 22 Shaftesbury Road, Coventry CV5 6FN, Great Britain (Tel: 0203-78877); or direct from SAWCO, PO Box 156, Howick, Natal, South Africa 3290 - please send all air mail by registered post. D Netherlands Revolutionists campaign ELECTIONS were held on March 18 in the Netherlands for the 12 provincial parliaments. The provinces are subdivided into election dis-
In general there was little interest in these elections. Less than a year before, on May 21, 1986, the national parliament was elected. In that vote, the right held its majority, and thus the right-wing parties, (Christian Democrats) and the VVD (free-enterprisers), were able again to form the government. Since then, the Lubbers II government has continued its cutbacks and its attacks on social security.
But the March 18 elections were not a test for the government. The Christian Democrats deliberately opted for a campaign in which the policy of the national government played little role. Premier Lubbers refused himself to take part in a TV debate on the eve of the elections because the vote was not a national one.
The biggest opposition party, the PvdA (the Labor Party), was not ready to make the state parliament-
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ary elections into a test of strength
MEXICO with the government. The social democrats want to return to the government in 1990, alongside the
CDA or even the VVD. A polarized