Uniting against communalism and racism 20. "Une initiative nationale des communistes," PCF statement, L'Humanité, June 10, 1997.
" 331 economists against the EMU. I/ A new campaign seeks to overcome tension between Sikh and Muslim youth in 22. "Les communistes confortent leur influence mais
Britain's south asian diaspora. B. Skanthakumar reports butent sur le seuil symbolique des 10%," Ariane Chemin, 23. "La campagne du PCF met en concurrence deux "lignes' très différentes," Ariane Chemin, Le Monde, 24. "Des députés Verts ? Pour quelle politique?", François Duval, Rouge, May 29, 1997. Four seats also went to allies in other ecological parties. The charismatic and respected Green Party leader Dominique Voynet was made a minister, so the seat is now occupied by her nonGreen alternate. Voynet and the party were initially opposed to her joining the cabinet, in the interests of maintaining a strong Green presence in the Assembly. Rumour has it that enormous pressure was brought to bear by her 25. A section of former PS-leaning Left intellectuals threw their support behind the PCF in these elections, due to ongoing bitterness over the Mitterrand experience and hostility to the Socialists pro-Maastricht stand. Most social movement and trade union leaders merely called for a vote against the Right, and hoped a Left victory would be followed by a "June 1936 scenario" in which the population would go on the offensive to force the government to act more quickly and decisively than it had planned to. See "Les intellectuels de gauche. éprouvés par la fin du mitterrandisme, se méfient du PS." Ariane Chemin and Agathe Logeart, Le Monde, May 9, 1997; and "À gauche du PS, on compte sur 'les gens' pour imposer le changement," Ariane Chemin and Michel Noblecourt, Le Monde, May 15, 1997. 26. Although divided and largely stagnant in organisational terms, the far-left and critical Left remain viable currents with a small but real presence and influence in French political life. This contrasts with the situation in most Western countries, and is linked to the persistent influence of the generation that radicalised during and in The critical Left is made up of small groups like the Red and Green Alternative (AREV), the Convention for a Progressive Alternative (CAP), and the left-Republican split from the PS, the Citizens Movement (MDC), which is led by the current Minister of the Interior Jean-Pierre Chevènement. The Refondateur current in the PCF can also be included in this category, as can left currents in The far-left is made up of three groups of Trotskyist origin. Workers Struggle (LO), the Workers Party (PT), and the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR). Of the three, the LCR is most open to working with other left groups and participating in broader social movements. It as real roots in the trade union movement, especially in new formations like SUD, the radical FU teachers federation and the "In Struggle" wing of the CFDT confederation. Its main public spokesperson, Alain Krivine, was a key figure in the May 1968 student revolt and is wellconnected to the various strands of the political, social LO candidate Arlette Laguiller polled more than five percent in the 1995 presidential elections and the party averaged three percent in this year's legislative elections. However, LO is extremely hostile to working with other groups, going so far as to boycott the "petty-bourgeois"
mobilisations against racism and fascism earlier this year. When coupled with its highly secretive and rigid internal regime and its largely demagogic. "workerist" attacks on the PS and PCE, this kind of
A Rally for unity among South Asian communities in Southall, London, took place on August 17th amid official celebrations of India and Pakistan's fiftieth anniversary of independence. The Rally was a response to recent tension and outbreaks of violence between gangs of Sikh and Muslim youth which has polarised both communities and introduced new difficulties to communities increasingly stratified on class lines
The initiative against communalism drew controversy among so-called community leaders as well as Sikh organisations agitating for independence from India. The Sikh separatist (Khalistani) movement was prominent in protests and picketing of all celebrations of Indian independence in Britain among which it mistakenly included the August
Several days before the Rally, the offices of the anti-racist Southall Monitoring Group (SMG) were firebombed and its Director, Suresh Grover, was the target of death threats and a vicious poster campaign. Fortunately no one was hurt.
The Rally was one of the first initiatives of a new organisation, SMG-Unity, which campaigns locally against communalism
The Rally was well attended. Speakers included local Labour MP, Piara Singh Khabra, and women from the large local refugee community from Somaliland.
Britain's mainstream media claims that communalism is being imported from the sub-continent into the diaspora in Britain and beyond. But according to SMG-Unity member B. Skanthakumar, "young people (usually males) drawn to these obscurantist ideologies know little of society or politics in South Asia having been born or grown up in Britain. Few have even visited those countries.
"Instead these communal identities are appropriated to fill the void created by racism and insecurity. These politicalreligious movements offer an illusory 'alternative' to the daily problems of unemployment, poor and overcrowded housing, low wages and the loss of educational and recreational facilities through council cuts. They offer solidarity and support, based on communal loyalties and identity politics
"Meanwhile, organisations have failed to attract and mobilise youth across religious divides to struggle against oppression and injustice whatever its form and whomever its subject. This is the challenge ahead of SMG-Unity." October 12th March for Unity
On October 12th, a March for Unity through Southall will take place. It will be led by the Hillingdon Hospital Strikers and accompanied by drummers from the Dhol Foundation. Current supporters include cricket player Imran Khan, authors Tarig Ali and Hanif Kureishi, and, from Indian, Indira Jaisingh and
According to the organisers, "In facing down the reactionary forces in our own communities and in our constant battles for self respect and dignity this March is a manifestation of our resolve. It deserves the active support and mobilisation of the left and labour movement." * Contact SMG-Unity at PO Box 304, Southall, UB2 5YR, Britain. © (+44 181) 843 2333, fax 813 9734.
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