Simon Hunt reviews REDS

Scan page 7

In the second Ireland, Barry on the side against British imperialism.

BECAUSE of the economic crisis, Britain no longer gains financially from Northern Ireland. n order to keep the working class divided by privilege, Britain pumps money into firms like De Lorean cars and Harland and Wolff ship-builders who employ mainly Protestant labour thus giving one section of the working class a material interest in the British occupation of the North.

The reason that Britain stays in Ireland is not to 'keep the peace' as they claim, it is because if they were driven out by the anti-imperialist struggle it would be seen as a victory for the oppressed people over the worid and a defeat for the British ruling class. (Similarly America stayed in Vietnain when the majority of the population wanted them out).

If we are to argue in Britain against the British ruling class over Jreland then we need to have clear demands, and these are the demands I think we should fight on:

*Political status for the Republican prisoners of war.

There is clearly a war being fought in Ireland, a war for national liberation. In the Second World War, even the Nazis were treated as political prisonstruggle for British troops out with the aim of socialist Ireland. So they don't offer a clear lead to Ireland would create the Irish working class. civil war. But the civil war is happening now in the withdrawal of political Ireland, the main culprits status it was left to the of this war are the British prisoners to take the int bosses and their agents, ¡ative to tight the move. the army. The sooner we They set up the get them out, the clearer tives Action Committee, then 196i9 mi-be areas which the IRA took over using moral and humaniwere established in the Lallall demands the Catholic ghettos which basis of the campaign barred the army. These instead of clear politics. proved that the minority in the North are capable cise the IRA because they of controlling their own rely on the military struglives, that was until the gle instead of grasping army smashed the barri- the potential of an organcades down. ised mobilisation of the Some people say that a working class like the civil "phased withdrawal" rights movement. necessary, i.e. taking the troops out bit by bit. This above all that the IRA is fighting a war. To fail to would not guarantee a withdrawal of troops and support it is to aid the would enable the British British bosses. government to cover up the defeat that troops out some light on the would be for them. It also tion in the North, what suggests that the army wav forward is there for have some progressive Ireland as a whole? role to play in Ireland.

the Trish state. workers *Support the IRA!

Peace can uniy come in are not physically oppres Ireland with the smash- sed by the British troops, ing of the loyalist domin- hut thev are exploited by ated (Orange) state, and mainlv British bosses and imperialism. The IRA are banks. The two main fighting for this and we arties, Fianna Fail anc should support them un- dine Gael are both bosses conditionally against the parties, similar the British government and the loyalists. But we do ans in America. have the right to criticise their methods and politic- Irish workers living standards and al strategy as we feel it is wages are under attack. wrong.

This raises the question Mainly we would critiBut we must remember HOPEFULLY, people will already have heard Having hopefully shed about the four marchers arrested in Woolwich on November 30 at demonstration against In the 26 counties of youth unemployment organised by Greenwich Trades Council and subsequently with behaviour.

In the Fighter we the police leading up to They offer nothing to A major part the arrest of leatieters who was charged with obstructing The bosses crisis throughout Ireland has created the conditions for a clear working class north, and single threat to the British government. It can drive Warren Beatty as John Reed right, it is. However, it has a very good portrayal of the great Russian Revolution that really makes you want to go out and conquer the ruling class and storm Buckingham Palace.

There is a strong rumour going round that one of the reasons it hasn't got an Oscar award has something to do with this and the favourable portrayal of a communist as a real human being (which they are).

Unfortunately john London WC1N 3XX.

The bosses have you believe that it was a coup. This film contradicts that, so in my view, it does a good job.

Just a brief note. When they were making the film the camera crew were briefed on the history of the revolution. Soon afterwards they went on strike for more money and won.

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ay Good job