AROUND THE WORLD
West Germany West Germany GIM/KPD fusion FROM 4-6 October, the fusion conference between the International Marxist Group (GIM), German section of the Fourth International, and the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) was held in Dortmund in the Federal Republic of Germany. The 150 delegates adopted virtually unanimously all the documents presented jointly by the central committees of the two organizations.
The conference took place in the presence of numerous observers, from organizations of the German extra-parliamentary left to representatives of the sections of the Fourth International in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium and Israel — as well as representatives from Solidarity in the United States, Lutte Ouvriere in France and the United Mariateguist Party (PUM) in Peru.
The congress opened with greetings from Sergio Baltodano, first secretary of the Nicaraguan embassy in West Germany. He stressed "the crucial significance of the unity of revolutionaries in the face of the imperialist offensive" and he added "this unification in West Germany is a victory for revolutionary forces and a valuable help for the revolution in Nicaragua."
The new organization, which brings together more than 500 members, is called the Unified Socialist Party (VSP). It will have a newspaper, Sozialistische Zeitung, and will be led by a 36-member central committee representing equally the two old organizations.
This fusion is the result of a process of discussion which has lasted almost two years. The KPD, which was a large organization of the extreme left in the 1970s, drew its inspiration from Maoism, and later flirted with proAlbanian currents. Since then it has undergone a considerable political development, allowing a common programmatic platform with the GIM to be drawn up.
There is agreement on the essential revolutionary tasks in West Germany and internationally. But on certain not insignificant points, discussions will continue - notably on the characterization of the countries of Eastern Europe and on the Fourth International — of which the new organization is not a member. 26
However, the KPD recognises the necessity for workers to struggle against the bureaucratic power of the Eastern European countries and also the necessity to build a revolutionary international. By common agreement it has been decided that the new party will, whenever it requests, be able to participate as an observer at meetings of the Fourth International. As for the old members of the GIM, they will continue to be individually affiliated to the Fourth International, and will distribute German Inprekorr.
This unification will be an asset for revolutionaries in the forthcoming struggles in West Germany particularly in January with the campaign on the 35-hour week which is planned by IG Metall, the metalworkers' union. In 20 years of existence the KPD has succeeded in assembling a relatively sizeable number of workers who are well implanted in their workplaces. More than half the GIM-KPD delegates at the congress had more than 10 years of activism behind them. Finally, in the federal elections next January, the congress decided to call for a vote against the incumbent conservative government, without making a choice between an SPD or Green vote.
The conference marks an important stage in the development of the West German revolutionary movement in spite of the totally different traditions of the two organizations and the general crisis of the extreme left. The common willingness demonstrated by the conference to build a new party augurs favourably for the climate necessary to pursue the internal discussion of those differences which still exist. The Fourth International, for its part, indicated its intention to undertake fraternal relations with the new VSP, both in debate and in united action. Nicaragua Women workers' assembly MORE THAN 600 trade unionists participated in the second National Assembly of Wor en Agricultural Workers on September 6 and 7 in Managua. They represented 19,000 women organized by the Agricultural - Workers Association (ATC), who work both in the state and private sector.
The meeting was to discuss progress registered by the workers and also the problems remaining since the first meeting held in 1983, which had only 100 women present. A delegation of 200 women industrial workers were present at the event.
Before the revolutionary victory of July 1979, the overwhelming majority of women in the countryside could only find jobs as seasonal workers at harvest-time. This situation has changed a lot: in 1985 women represented 35 percent of permanent labourers, and this figure has undoubtedly reached 50 per cent in 1986. Many women now do work traditionally alotted to men. But, as the document finally adopted by the Assembly underlined, women still have to fight to be integrated in administrative and skilled work. "We cannot accept the fact that there are only 30 women who drive tractors" it was commented.
For some years, the ATC and the government put the emphasis on the urgent need to increase production and productivity, particularly by lengthening the working day, which fell to two and a half hours after the revolution.
So new norms of production and wages, based on a working day of six hours, were introduced in June this year. But because of the double workload of women, they found it more difficult to reach, never mind exceed, these targets and therefore get better wages.
Looking after children is certainly the acutest problem that women face. In some state enterprises women, in conjunction with the union and the management, have set up creches for children. Since 1983, around 30 creches have been set up, looking after around 6,500 children. Against this, the private enterprises are distinguished by the complete absence of any provision in this area.
In 1984, women represented 40 per cent of the ATC. But today there are still only 20 women secretaries of local union offices.
The final document concluded: "Our demands are not concerned solely with women. They are problems for the whole union movement. In spite of progress and the efforts of our union, we still meet resistance in taking on these tasks [leadership responsibilities], in being fully part of the class struggle. We must resolutely fiaht thoro honkward anaitione" fight these backward positions."
International Viewpoint 27 October 1986
Mexico Electoral fraud AN UNPRECEDENTED meeting was held in a Mexican town on September 6 and 7, when 26 political and social organizations from differing ideological and political tendencies came together to discuss organizing a mass movement for the respect of universal suffrage in Mexico.
The electoral fraud - stuffing ballot boxes, reversing results and so on - is standard practice for the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). It is one of the characteristics, along with corruption, that has maintained the PRI in power for nearly 6 years now.
For example, in the legislative elections of July 1985, our comrades in the Revolutionary Workers Party (PRT - Mexican section of the Fourth International) according to their calculations should have had about a dozen deputies. The PRI agreed to give them six. With the development and the strengthening of the opposition to the PRI, this fraud has become ever more blatant, and the Mexican people accept it less and less
For example, in the 1986 elections for the governor's post in many states, the PRI grabbed all the places in flagrant contempt of the real results of the ballot. This led to demonstrations of tens of thousands protesting against the impudence of the PRI in Chihuahua, Oaxaca and Durango.
Following these events all the opposition parties decided to call for a meeting in order to set up a National Forum for Effective Suffrage. The four parties sponsoring the initiative are the PRT, the United Mexican Socialist Party (PSUM, communist party), the Mexican Workers Party (PMT, left populist) and the rightist National Action Party (PAN).
During this important meeting, Edgardo Sanchez of the PRT declared: "The present Mexican economic crisis has made the despotic and anti-democratic structure of the country more blatant. From 1982 to 1986 the Mexican people have expressed their dissatisfaction with many aspects of the regime, among them the elections. . The real independent opposition has never had so much strength or so many roots among the people as it has today, but there have never been such limits and obstacles to prevent its success as there are today.
"The struggle against the government and against the PRI comes up against an intolerable electoral fraud, with the government fiddling the votes it wants, electing the opposition most attractive to it and through the most cynical behaviour marginalizing the true opposition."
Alluding to steps taken by the PAN, which is appealing to US members of congress, Sanchez warned: "It would be incongruous to claim to defend democratic rights here while simultaneously appealing for political or other intervention by foreign political powers, even in the name of defending democratic rights. Our moral, social and political strength lies in the Mexican people. If we get the support of the majority of the people, who are tired of the PRI's domination, we will win.
"Our strength is here and not in an external appeal. Of course, violations of democratic rights must be denounced everywhere. But this is one thing. It is another thing entirely to appeal to powers who are clearly characterized by their support for bloody dictatorships."
He concluded: "Building this massive movement is the task of the hour for all consistent defenders of democracy in our country. As for us, we are ready to devote all our efforts to it." India Female infanticide THE following petition is being used by the Forum Against Sex Determination and Pre-Selection to draw attention to new reproductive technologies which are giving horrific possibilities for advanced scientific techniques to increase incidences of female infanticide.
Readers can reproduce the petition and collect signatures, or send letters of support to the Forum at the following address: Forum Against Sex Determination and Sex Pre-Selection, c/o Women's Centre, 307 Yasmeen Apts., Yeshwant Nagar Vakola, Santacruz (E), Bombay, India. Memorandum to the Prime Minister: "The Forum Against Sex Determination and Sex Pre-Selection strongly condemns the growing abuse of modern medical advances, such as amniocentesis, chorionic villi biopsy, super sonography and other techniques for the purpose of sex determination. These techniques are being employed by greedy and unscrupulous doctors and hospitals to facilitate selective abortion of female foetuses, often in the name of population control.
"India is one of the four countries in the world -(besides Australia, Pakistan and Iran) which has an adverse female to male ratio. The present sex ratio according to the 1981 census is 1000:935 in favour of males and the census records from 1901 onwards show that the proportion of women in the population is deelining. The misuses of the above-mentioned techniques will no doubt abet this alarming trend and Indian women may soon become an 'endangered species'
"We urge the government to end its inaction in this matter. We demand that existing technologies and further advances in the field of reproduction should be used for approved medical purposes. Their misuse to facilitate selective foeticide or sex pre-selection at birth must be banned. We further demand that offending practitioners must be strictly and demonstratively punished." Sweden SP congress THE TENTH congress of the Socialist Party, Swedish section of the Fourth International, was held from September 20-22 in Stockholm.
It was a very open conference, with around 30 organizations invited, as well as the press, to be present at some of the proceedings. A representative of the Salvadorean PDR-FMLN spoke, saluting the active participation of our Swedish comrades in solidarity actions with Central America.
A number of greetings were given to the congress, among others from the African National Congress, the Committee for Justice in Africa and from Sinn Fein, as well as from many sections of the Fourth International. Enthusiastic applause greeted the speeches of two party veterans, both members of the Swedish section in the 1950s.
Among the items on the agenda was in particular the question of the crisis, and more precisely a concrete response to the government's austerity policies.
The struggle against the oppression and exploitation of women was the subject of a specific agenda point, reopening a discussion that everyone agreed had been neglected in the past years. On these first two agenda points, the resolutions were adopted by a two-thirds majority.
Two further motions were presented on specific points: on the fight against racism and on South Africa. Beyond some differences expressed - in general of a tactical nature - it should be stressed that among the delegates there was overall agreement in regard to political perspectives and concerning building the party.
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International Viewpoint 27 October 1986