BEN GRE Youth mobilise
Dossier
for second international camp This summer France will be the setting for the second international camp organised by European youth organisations in solidarity with the Fourth International.
Last year's camp held in West Germany attracted over 600 European youth who were joined by delegations from Japan, the Caribbean, Bolivia and the United States
La representative from the Sandinista organisation JS-19.
This year's camp, held in International Youth Year, is expected to be as large with more representatives from the Caribbean of the camp will therefore be solidarity work already being Europe in defence of the people of Nicaragua and El Salvador against imperialist intervention, of which the latest initiative was a tour of West Germany, Austria and Switzerland by Nicaraguan youth (see page 28)
Solidarity with the struggle against imperialism worldwide will be one of the camp's main features with discussions with representatives of anti-apartheid organisations as well as young Kanaks fighting French rule in New Caledonia.
The camp will also express the radicalisation of youth today in Europe. Each day at the camp will be devoted to the central themes of the youth radicalisation, which are explored in the special youth dossier contained in this
The first major theme will be against a Europe of unemployment and racism. There are 10.5 unemployed young people in the seven biggest capitalist countries today. In Western Europe over 40 per cent of the unemployed are aged under 25. The governmental response has been to introduce youth training schemes to keep youth off the unemployed statistics, to discipline them and undermine trade union organisation and conditions. International Viewpoint 17 June 1985
But youth are fighting back. As explained in this issue, Belgian youth have launched an effective protest campaign of marches and other actions which has brought trade union support and put the Martens' government on the offensive. In Britain youth played an important role in the events around the miners' strike identifying it as a struggle for all their futures (see page 20). In recent weeks 200,000 British school students struck for a dar against the prospect of unemployment when they leave school.
At the camp young miners from Britain, and young trade union fighters from Belgium and Denmark will exchange experiences of their struggle against the austerity policies of the European capitalists. Over 200 French youth will be attending the camp. Among them will be activists from the young immigrants movement which has played a leading role in the fight against the rise of the right and against the racism fed by the disastrous policies of the Mitterrand administration. Their experiences are examined in an article here which will also be the theme of a major meeting at the camp.
The second theme of the camp will be for a non-nuclear Europe. As the threat of a new arms escalation looms with the 'Star Wars' strategie defence initiative of Ronald Reagan, debate on the direction of the peace movement has become sharper. The camp will hear from the experiences of the new anti-NATO mass movement in the Spanish state. Discussion will also take place on the possibilities for engaging youth in continental-wide struggle against the imperialist warmongers. Especially important will be the experience of those who like the Dutch youth have built their own campaigning antimissiles movement as they explain in the dossier. The camp will be able to hear too the views of Eastern European activists on the links to be forged between themselves and the Western peace movement.
The ecology movement too has drawn into its ranks many radicalised youth against the dangers of nuclear power. In countries like Austria the mass mobilisations examined here have fuelled the growth of the green parties. A debate between representatives International will be one of the highlights of the camp.
The third main theme of the camp will be the against the oppression of women and for freedom from sexual repression.
In nearly all the countries of Western Europe youth are experiencing attacks on their contraception and abortion rights. In countries like Switzerland they are playing a leading role in these campaigns alongside the women's movement. A day of discussion at the camp will explore these and other issues.
A camp of international solidarity and for a Europe unemployment, nukes, sexism and racism will therefore be at the centre of the camp's discussions.
The camp will enable hundreds of youth from different countries not only to discuss together but also to relax together. For the active there will be all kinds of sports, swimming, and walking in beautiful surroundings. For the creative there will be workshops for photography, video, posters, dance, poetry and music. The music will not stop there with disco, live bands, folk music and cabaret in the evenings.
The camp and the dossier published here are entirely the product of months of discussion and organisation by the youth organisations themselves. Thanks to them,
International Youth Year will feature at least one attempt to give a revolutionary socialist answer to the challenge facing youth today.
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