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1.8.20 Vol. 32 No 26 (Print Day Wednesday) Online
Printed & Published by the Communist Party of Ireland
Natural justice ? OVER the past few months the
rage against racism has circled
the world with millions of people
showing solidarity and protesting
against the violence and killing
of black people in America. It seem against all natural justice
that in Belfast the Police Service
Northern Ireland (PSNI) have shown
themselves to be inept at taking on
board the anti-racist agenda when
they issued fines to the Black Lives
Matter protesters.
It is now well known that the en-
forcement powers allowing the PSNI
to fine up to 70 people for breaches of
coronavirus lockdown regulations
during the socially distanced protests
on June 6 were passed by ministers at
11pm the night before the demonstra-
tion.
And these same enforcement pow-
ers were bypassed when it came to
crowds gathering at the cenotaph.
Whatever the police intentions were
on the 6 June the action should now
be to drop the fines and apologise to
the protesters.
Ethnic minority leaders are refusing
to engage with Chief Constable
Simon Byrne until he makes a public
apology and the "PSNI drop all fines
and threat of legal action.”
Lawyer and activist Adekanmi
Abayomi claimed the fines breach the
law because they were only issued "to
Black Lives Matter protesters whilst
they saw nothing wrong with the
other protests.”
Whilst the PSNI insist they are
"committed to discharging its policing
responsibilities in an inclusive, non-
biased, lawful and proportionate man-
ner," their actions show otherwise.
The Equality Commission said the
Executive is charged with leading on
this work and it has a role in coordi-
nating departmental action to identify
and address institutional racism.
It has a duty to work to eliminate
unlawful racial discrimination and
harassment, to promote equality of
opportunity, to promote good rela-
tions between persons of different
racial groups and to keep the working
of the legislation under review.
They have called on the Executive
to review the situation and they state
that the Executive's Racial Equality
Strategy 2015-2025 recognises “the
need for all public bodies and others
to ensure that they take urgent steps to
identify institutional racism and to
tackle it as a matter of urgency where
it exists.”
However the question of the action
by the police is a tangible example of
where it exists and all law enforce-
ment bodies should rule the PSNI out
of order and support the demands of
those who were fined.
Racist attacks are on the increase
and in the past four years police figures
show that racist hate incidents in North-
ern Ireland have outnumbered sectarian
hate incidents. In addition there have
been almost 3,500 race hate crimes re-
ported to police in the past five years,
but just 363 court convictions.
Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commis-
sioner of the Equality Commission said:
“All sectors of our society should be
concerned about racism and make every
effort to eradicate it. Racism is not ac-
ceptable and has no place in Northern
Ireland in the 21st century.”
But having said that practical measures
are needed to prevent racist actions.
At one of the first BLM protests in
June more than a hundred people gath-
ered at Writers' Square in Belfast for a
solidarity vigil for George Floyd.
Some people carried banners and held
posters stating 'Black Lives Matter'.
An address was given by a member of
the Connolly Youth Movement before a
minute's silence was held.
Coming up to the anniversary of in-
ternment without trial, as we remember
the acts of discrimination and denial of
civil rights, we support and join the
Black Lives Matters protesters in their
demands.
For Peace, Independence and Socialism
By Lynda Walker
Unity 1.8.20 Page 2
Editorial Unity is published each week
by the Communist Party of
Ireland.
PO Box 85, Belfast BT1 1SR.
IT is no coincidence that the two countries with the worst
recordings of deaths due to Covid-19 have found different enemies
to combat, after all there is nothing like a distraction tactic to cover
up your own failings and incompetence. The attacks on Russia and
China by the US and eagerly latched onto by Britain is just such an
example of the usage of such a tactic .
In the US the Democrats went on a crusade to convince the
world that the victory of Trump in 2016 was more to do with
Russian interference than a reflection on the reputation 9f Clinton.
In all that time no evidence has been produced on how the
Russians won the election for Trump, chiefly because there is none.
As with the recent report from the Intelligence and Security
Committee at Westminster allegations were made as to Russian
interference in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and the
2016 EU referendum.
It is significant that two of the MPs giving the report are
members of parties, SNP and Labour, who lost out on the results of
both polls.
What the Russian state has to gain from so-called interference is
anybody’s guess.
Strange though is the fact that those giving the report pointed
the finger at the government for not getting a “grip on the
problem.”
However the government stated there was “no evidence” of
successful Russian interference in the Brexit vote, a comment that
will cause confusion and begs the question of where has all this
stuff sprung from.
On the question of China and the banning of Huawei, this is
simply instigated by the White House and especially Mike Pompeo,
a very reactionary successor to the very reactionary John Bolton.
Throw in Hong Kong and the alleged persecution of the Uighur
Muslims and the scene is set. Never mind Covid-19, this is more
important .
What is disturbing but not really surprising is the role of the
Labour Party, especially the shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy
whose response was to criticise the Tory government for not being
hard enough on both the Russians and the Chinese, proving that
reaction is firmly embedded in the ‘people’s party.’
No coincidence
Unity
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Unity sends greetings of
solidarity on the centenary of the
Communist Party in Britain - a Centenary
for Socialism:
‘And our demands
most moderate are –
We only want the
earth.’
Link to above events website ewww.communistparty.org.uk/centenary
Unity 1.8.20 Page 3
Dear comrades, On behalf of
the National Women’s Commit-
tee of the Communist Party of
Ireland and the Connolly Youth
Movement we wish to express
solidarity with our sisters and
comrades on the anniversary of
el Movimiento 26 de Julio. We recently hosted an event to
highlight the significant role of
women during and following the
Cuban revolution, which continues
to be an inspiration to so many of
us. As we continue our fight against
the destructive system of neoliberal
capitalism, we have an additional
struggle to dismantle the system of
patriarchy that further oppresses
women.
It is not enough for us to realise a
socialist society if the old systems of
patriarchy remain in place and we
look to our comrades in Cuba to
learn from their vast experience.
We recognise the problems that
women and their families face in
Cuba because of the ongoing hostil-
ity and the Blockade of the United
States of America, and we support
the campaigns to end the Blockade.
Cuba continues to move forward in
building an increasingly just, pros-
perous and sustainable society, and
to support those in need in other
parts of the world.
More than 400,000 health care
workers have completed missions in
164 countries, over 56 years.
The most notable of these involved
Cuban participation in the fight
against cholera in Haiti, Ebola in Af-
rica and the Covid-19 battle being
waged today by several brigades of
Solidarity with Cuban women
THIS year’s Madge Davison
Memorial Lecture, organised by
the Communist Party of Ireland
will take place on August 1 from
1pm to 2pm as part of the Vir-
tual Féile an Phobail. Under discussion will be the
‘Past, present and future of the
Housing Executive’.
Stewart Smyth, a
researcher, trade
unionist and activ-
ist, will draw on
the history of how
the NI Housing
Executive was
formed though the
Civil Rights struggle to becoming
a recognised international leader
in public housing before becom-
ing subjected to privatisation
threats and political indifference.
He will argue that all is not lost
and post Covid-19 a revitalised
and fully funded Housing Execu-
tive is essential to provide decent,
secure housing and to generate
jobs and economic activity. Here's the link to the Féile's website
https://feile-an-
phobail.heysummit.com/talks/leacht-
chuimhneachain-madge-davison-
memorial-lecture/
the Henry Reeve Contingent in 31 na-
tions.
We continue to learn so much from
the advancement of women’s rights in
Cuba where the revolutionary ideals
encourage our ideas for the same
achievements in Ireland.
We are grateful to learn from the ex-
ceptional work that has been done so
far by the Federación de Mujeres in
particular.
Whilst July the 26th 2020 will not
be same the physical encounter that is
usually held, it will still be a historic
occasion and as the Cubans them-
selves would say, “There is no better
way to honour the rebellious spirit
that Cubans assumed, once and for
all, in 1953, than to win the Covid-19
battle, which is the next victory that
we must now achieve.”
Women (and men) as teachers, shop
assistants, healthcare workers, food
producers, engineers, are amongst all
those who send greetings to the Cu-
ban people.
The Communist Party of Ireland
once again would like to extend warm
wishes to all comrades on this historic
anniversary as we reaffirm our sup-
port for revolutionary Cuba-Viva
Cuba
¡Hasta la victoria siempre!
National Women’s Committee CPI
The National Women’s Committee of the Communist Party of
Ireland and the Connolly Youth Movement, has written to the
Communist Party of Cuba and the Federation of Cuban Women
to express their solidarity with their sisters and comrades on the
anniversary of the 26 July Movement.
Unity 1.8.20 Page 4
AT the time of writing the
UK has the third large instance
of Covid-19 related deaths be-
hind the US and Brazil.
This despite the Prime Minis-
ter claiming that “we have a
world beating” response to the
virus. There is an obvious relief from
the government that the UK has
been relegated to third place but
then Brazil is run by a right-wing
maniac who claimed the virus was
“a little flu," not unlike his mate in
the White House.
Solomon Hughes, writing in the
Morning Star asked, “why is Brit-
ain's coronavirus response so
poor ?”
His response was that the failure
had deep roots within the ideology
of successive governments that
have been committed to central-
ised, privatised solutions and hos-
tile to the public sector.
He makes the point that it isn’t
just about Johnson's incompetence,
“although that counts,” but more
about the way to deal with Covid-
19.
He argues that there is a need to
have strong local health authorities
and a belief in the importance of
active government and regulation.
However, as Hughes writes, Brit-
ain has been a world leader in de-
regulation, laissez-faire govern-
ment and the weakening of health
and local authorities through priva-
tisation and defunding.
He adds that the thrust of British
politics over the past 40 years,
through Thatcherism, “New La-
bour” or post crash austerity has set
us up to fail.
Hughes blames Johnson for the
delay in pressing for social distanc-
ing with the reluctance to close
bars and restaurants as an example.
Johnson himself is drawn to lais-
sez-faire policies pushing harder
on the deregulation and the
“bonfire of red tape” started by the
Thatcher and not wanting “health
and safety” rules to interfere with
“the economy.”
But as Hughes points out, this
short term approach has actually
hurt the economy more in the long
term, “a point even some of John-
son’s more free-marketeer support-
ers now accept.”
He goes on to state that the virus,
allowed to spread, exploited vul-
nerabilities created by privatisa-
tion, deregulation and too-low
spending.
The first “vulnerability,” he
writes, are the care homes where
older residents are especially vul-
nerable.
They have struggled to get PPE,
have low-paid agency staff moving
from home to home and where we
have seen older NHS patients
“discharged” to care homes to
“protect” the NHS.
This situation has led to infec-
tions.
Hughes then asks, “why was the
care sector in such a weak state ?
“Why was the NHS ‘protected’
at the care sector's cost ?”
His answer is, “because care
homes have been largely priva-
tised.”
He tells us that in the 1980s local
authorities provided 63 per cent of
residential care home places and
the private sector 17 per cent.
Now the private care firms domi-
nate the market.
He claims that some of the pri-
vate equity firms that own the big
care home chains squeeze money
out of the homes into their off-
shore accounts.
He also makes the point that po-
litical parties find it easier to un-
derfund care services they do not
directly provide and equally find it
easier to keep the results at arms
length.
The second “vulnerability” is the
NHS itself.
Whilst the government was under
popular pressure not to cut NHS
spending, the Tories, with their dis-
like for public welfare spending, re-
sponded by running the NHS per-
manently - “hot” - keeping spend-
ing low by pushing it to its limits.
Hughes quotes the attempt to
make nursing staff pay for their
own training and holding down
wages as reducing capacity.
They have reduced slack in the
NHS so it can only cope with Covid
-19 by completely displacing much
other health care.
As regards PPE the supply was
made vulnerable by what he de-
scribes as privatised penny-
pinching, “just in time” methods.
Hughes states that the third
“vulnerability” is the taking of
power away from local authorities
in order to privatise and defund.
The government's attempts to
contain the virus is a cheap skate
privatised scheme run by corpora-
tions such as Serco and Sodexco
employing “low-pay workers in
high-vis jackets” operating in car
parks and call centres.
Hughes accuses the Tories of tak-
ing this route as the firms getting
these contracts are their mates.
He gives the example of Mitie
contracted do do a “drive-through
testing service” where Tory peer
Baroness Couttie sits on its board.
Rupert Soames , a grandson of
Winston Churchill, was appointed
chief executive of Serco in 2014
and Health Minister Edward Argar
was previously Serco’s chief lobby-
ist.
Hughes concludes that the Tories’
solution is to slap on another layer
of shoddy, privatised quick fixers.
Not exactly a “world beating” re-
sponse.
Not a world beating response
Media Review
Unity 1.8.20 Page 5
SEVENTY-five years after
the member states of this or-
ganization signed the United
Nations Charter, strict adher-
ence to its purposes and princi-
ples, to international law and
the preservation of multilateral-
ism are more important than
ever.
We are facing multiple crises
as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic, with devastating ef-
fects, visible in all spheres of
society, expected to last and ag-
gravate pending global chal-
lenges.
The international panorama
is increasingly complex.
Conflicts and the arms race
are proliferating.
Non-conventional wars for
the purpose of domination, acts
of aggression, unilateral coer-
cive measures, the manipulation
and politicization of human
rights and disrespect for the self
-determination of peoples are
intensifying.
Multilateralism is attacked,
international agreements ig-
nored and the role of organiza-
tions such as the UN and the
World Health Organization is
discounted.
At the same time, the current
unjust international economic
order deepens inequality and
underdevelopment; while in-
creasing poverty, hunger, mar-
ginalization and limited access
to essential services, such as
health care.
International
cooperation
The moment and common
sense demand that the interna-
tional community set aside po-
litical differences and seek joint
solutions to global problems
through international coopera-
tion.
It is the duty of all to keep
the commitments we made
when we signed the UN Char-
ter, which continues to be an en-
during, universal and indispen-
sable basis for promoting a just,
democratic and equitable inter-
national order that responds to
the demands of the peoples of
the world for peace, develop-
ment and justice, and contrib-
utes to meeting the Agenda
2030 for Sustainable Develop-
ment.
I take advantage of the op-
portunity to reiterate, to your
Excellency, the assurance of my
highest consideration and es-
teem.
Miguel Díaz-Canel
Bermúdez
THE aggression against the
workers, in both the private
and public sector of Pakistan,
continues.
One of the latest attacks
was the decision of the Na-
tional Tourism Coordination
Board to terminate the services
of 450 regular employees of
the Pakistan Tourism Develop-
ment Corporation. The workers who have taken
the burden of the pandemic risk-
ing their own lives, producing all
goods, and providing all services
are once again facing the brutal-
ity of unemployment.
This unacceptable decision of
NTCB leads hundreds of families
to poverty and insecurity and is
added to the long list of dismiss-
als, violation of workers’ rights,
cutting of benefits, unpaid sala-
ries, and employer arbitrariness.
The World Federation of
Trade Unions, representing 105
million workers in 130 countries
of the five continents, strongly
condemn the dismissal of 450
regular workers of NTCB.
We demand the immediate
withdrawal of all the dismissals
and the respect of workers’ rights
and benefits.
We demand the full payment
of wages of the lockdown period
and the safeguarding of the work-
ers’ jobs and a proper income for
all vulnerable people in Pakistan.
Letter from the president of Cuba
to the secretary-general of the
United Nations
WFTU expresses
solidarity with
tourism workers
in Pakistan
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