Issue: September/October 1999

  • “Mistake of the Millennium” –

    UN report damns the effects of restoration of capitalism in the USSR and Eastern Europe  Three days before the publication of a United Nations report to the effect that the transition to capitalism of the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union has in reality been a Great... [Read more]

  • Turkish ‘class quake’ targets the poor

     The devastating earthquake that hit Turkey on the night of 17 August 1999, which has killed in the region of 40,000 people, destroying 100,000 building, is reminiscent of the one which hit Guatemala City in 1976, killing 23,000. It was dubbed the ‘class quake’ because of the accuracy with which... [Read more]

  • Partial victory for tea-workers strike in West Bengal

     On 11 July 1999, 300,000 full-time and 50,000 part-time workers went on indefinite strike in the Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling regions in West Bengal, where 104,000 hectares of tea gardens produce almost 22% of India’s tea. Production lost per day of strike action amounted to 500,000 kg of tea.... [Read more]

  • This article is a somewhat expanded version of a paper I presented, on behalf of the Socialist Labour Party, to the May Day International Seminar in Brussels organised by the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB)

    This article is a somewhat expanded version of a paper I presented, on behalf of the Socialist Labour Party, to the May Day International Seminar in Brussels organised by the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB). Although the paper was presented on 3 May this year, the present version makes reference... [Read more]

  • Labour government’s plans to ‘stifle’ union resistance to PFI

     The ‘Labour’ government, far from reducing the scope of privatisation introduced by Thatcher, is now busily engaged in expanding the policy even further. Specifically it has committed itself to privatisation of the building of schools and hospitals under a scheme known as the Private Finance... [Read more]

  • Support the Right of the Kurdish People to Self-Determination

      by Katharine McGavigan, Vice-President of the SLP in Scotland. At our recent congress of the Socialist Labour Party in Scotland, the following motion was unanimously passed:“This congress condemns the decision by a Turkish Court in June this year, to sentence Kurdish workers party leader... [Read more]

  • Good Friday Agreement Only Way Forward: Gerry Adams

     From the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998 until the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) prevented the transfer of power and the establishment of the institutions two weeks ago – a period of almost 16 months – the peace process has limped from one unionist induced crisis to another.This... [Read more]

  • Poisoned Legacy –

    the spread of cancers and deformities since the Gulf WarBy Felicity Arbuthnot  Felicity Arbuthnot is a freelance journalist specialising in social and environmental issues with a special knowledge of Iraq. She is writing a book on the plight of those affected by the Gulf War.[This article is... [Read more]

  • Nationwide democratic goal of Iranian protests

      Protests erupted on Tehran University around 7 July. Students in 18 Iranian cities were protesting within a week. They shouted “Down with dictators”, “Death to despots”. They carried signs calling for “Freedom, independence and dignity”, slogans from the revolt which overthrew the bloody rule... [Read more]

  • Is your health safe in the hands of capitalism

     Heart disease killed some 300 in every 100,000 people aged 45-64 in Scotland and Northern Ireland and some 240 in every 100,000 of that age in England and Wales. The enormity of these figures can best be appreciated if it is understood that the figure for German is 180, Holland 140, Spain 120... [Read more]

  • African tragedy

     Two teenage boys from Guinea (Conakry) were found dead of exposure at Brussels ariport in Belgium on 2 August 1999 hidden in the undercarriage of a Sabena plane which had flown in from Guinea. The boys, Yaguine Koïta and Fodé Tounkara, were found to be carrying a message to the people of Europe... [Read more]

  • Diarmuid O’Neill: A Case of Shoot to Kill

     On the morning of 23 September 1996 Diarmuid o’Neill was shot and killed by officers of the Metropolitan Police in Hammersmith. The trial of Brian McHugh and Patrick Kelly – arrested at the same address in Hammersmith – ended in December 1997. The disclosures and evidence presented at that... [Read more]

  • Cuba vaccine will at last become available against meningitis

     Meningitis B is a major killer of children and young people all over the world. It affects some 500,000 people each year, of whom 10% die of it. Up to now there has been no effective vaccine available against the disease in Europe an North America, even though such a vaccine does exist and has... [Read more]

  • ‘Narco-guerrillas’: alibi for intervention By Stan Goff

      Stan Goff retired from the U. S. Army in 1996. He served in Vietnam, Guatemala, El Salvador, Grenada, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Honduras, Somalia and Haiti. His last assignment was with 3rd Special Forces.Earlier this year, the Departments of State and Defense shed crocodile tears... [Read more]

  • China: Can Reform be Sustained

    By C P Chandraskehar,  We reproduce this article on the Chinese Reforms for, since our own article “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” in the August/September 1992 issue of Lalkar, it is one of the most thoughtful that we have come across. [FromPeople’s Democracyof 18 July 1999, with... [Read more]

  • Greetings on 50th Anniversary of People’s Republic of China

     This coming October marks the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Revolution and the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). On this historic event Lalkar sends its heartfelt greetings to the people and the government of the PRC, as well as to the Communist Party of China (CPC),... [Read more]

  • Demand Justice for Manjit Kaur Basuta

      The conviction of Manjit Kaur Basuta for shaking a child to death has raised many questions concerning the justness of her trial and the lack of publicity given to her horrendous treatment.On June 15, Manjit Basuta was found guilty of killing 13-month old Oliver Smith, a child in her care at... [Read more]