GULF CRISIS organizations, including the SAP/POS, Belgian section of the Fourth International.
The Gulf crisis has sealed the break between the Flemish social democrats (SP) and the peace movement, in which the SP once played an important role. In 1987, the SP led an active campaign against military participation in the military escalation in the Gulf. This time it has been swallowed up by the Holy Alli-
On September 14, the Japanese government voted $3b in money plus material support for the wardrive. Under the existing Japanese constitution, Japan cannot send troops to fight abroad. However, there is said to be discussion within the government about changing this.
The Japanese far left, including the Japanese section of the Fourth International
(JRCL) has been organizing pickets and protests — as yet small - demanding no arms and no money for the intervention. A demonstration in support of these demands is planned for October 7. The Japanese Communist Party supports these demands but has yet to take action. The Socialist Party on the other hand has supported the Japanese government line.
Nonetheless opinion polls indicate that around 50% of Japanese people do not support their country's involvement in the Gulf crusade *
The end of Swedish neutrality?
ance.
Sweden was the first country in the world to publicly adhere to the UN sanctions
IN Britain, an antiwar against Iraq. In the big mass media, however, an intense campaign has been waged demonstration in London to draw Sweden even further into support for the Imperialist mobilization, In the first on September 15 drew over weeks of August, for instance, conservative politicians and bourgeois mass media
5,000 people, receiving attacked the Social Democratic government for "cowardice", since it was not immedicoverage on national TV ately prepared to send troops to the Persian Gulf.
and radio. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The government's answer was to send 50 million crowns (£5m) as financlal ald to
(CND), the main British the refugee camps in Jordan. At the same time, however, it declared that it would be willing to send troops later as part of a UN contingent.
peace organization, was divided over the call for the
In spite of right wing criticism of this measure, it can in no way be pictured as a radiimmediate withdrawal of cal step from the government. For a country so proud of its policy of non-alignment, troops, supported by the for a Social Democratic party world famous for its support for third world aspirations
Campaign Against War in and "North-South dialogue", the present alignment behind imperialism's campaign is the Gulf (CAWG), the quite conspicuous, main force behind the dem-
It also reflects a general right wing turn of foreign policy, following the current cam onstration. The bulk of the oaign to bring Sweden into the Common Market. Some weeks ago the director of Vol.
demonstration was made vo, P. G. Gyllenhammar wrote an article arguing in favour of abandoning the up of the far left and indetraditional policy of neutrality. His pretext was Iraq but his Immediate goal was to pendents, although Labour speak in favour of EC membership.
MPs and Ken Cameron of
There have been very few voices publicly challenging this view. Early in the conflict the Fire Brigades Union representatives of the Left Party (VS— formerly the Communist Party) supported the spoke from the platform. A
UN measures. The editorial of the party paper also greeted the new "vigour" shown conference against the warby the UN, only regretting that the USA cannot be seen as "rellably" defending human drive is being planned by
CAWG and pickets of the
The Socialist Party, the Swedish section of the Fourth International has argued
US Embassy are being egainst Swedish participation in the war efforts, even in the disguise of the UN. A decheld.
aration from the party national committee denounces the UN sanctions as another
JAPAN has been under form of maintaining Imperlalist control over oil resources and military strategic posigreat pressure from the
United
States to get involved in the imperialist
6 intervention in the Gulf.
righte
The Reef War
SOUTH AFRICA regulations in 1986, most of the structures of the migrant labour system still exist. "Zulus" are formally citizens of the kwaZulu "homeland", "Xhosas" of the Transkei and so on. A Zulu man wishing to work in "white" South Africa must leave his wife and family and seek work and