Khomeini prepares new crackdown

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repressive state apparatus demanded a 'national' effort and its bodies of armed men to reconstruct the army and the military police, has moves, the Khomeini/BazarKhomeini and his revolutionary council have now published their draft constitution for the Islamic Republic.

These religious leaders and their supporters talked before the revolution • of freedom from tyranny in Iran.

Now they have dropped their promises of a Constituent Assembly despite opposition even from fellow Ayatollahs like ShariatMadari, (now branded as communist' • by Khomeini).

Indeed last week saw a violent attack launched by Khomeini's followers on a rally called by the National Democratic Front. As NDF spcakers were pelted with stones, pro Khomeini bigots carried placards proclaiming that:

«Those who want a constituent assembly are counter-revolutionary"

As the religious leaders work to impose their oppressive and dictatorial rule, every misplaced hope that Khomeini would guarantee democratic rights is now. confronted by the dangers of reality.

In the draft constitution the national minorities have no right to self-determination. Although the equality of the sexes is formally acknowledged, women are being driven out of executive positions (for example all women judges have been barred from hearing cases).

While these developments continue, the chiefs of the armed forces are calling more loudly for the to be strengthened.

General Rahimi, head of Khomeini defend the 'unity' of Iran.

Beyond these immediate gan government is rapidly approaching the necessity of vicious austerity measures, if it is to preserve capitalist property relations in Iran.

Huge cuts in the government budget and the cancellation of major contracts have been designed to counter the crisis fuelled by the Shah's economic policies.

Wage cutting

But such measures can be effective only if their cost is borne by the Iranian workers in the form of unemployment, wage-cutting and increased misery.

Such attacks will force the working class into direct confrontation with today's leaders of the Iranian But such opposition can succeed in defending and advancing the gains of the revolution only if it is based in a conscious struggle for a socialist programme to defeat the forces of reaction.

The building of a revolutionary party based in the proletariat is the essential task confronting all those elements who • genuinely seek to achieve socialist revolution in Iran.

The task of Trotskyists is to lead that fight, armed with the transitional NEXT WEEK An article examining he mounting political crisís in Turkey.

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