Our foreign relations are still below a level corresponding to our position in the country, though we shared our experiences with others at last year's Zapatista Conference for Humanity and against NeoLiberalism and will do the same later this
Portugal: abortion
Proposals to liberalise access to abortion until the 12th week of pregnancy were defeated in the Portuguese Parliament on February 20th. The reform failed because 13 Socialist MPs voted against the liberalisation. Once again,
Portuguese progressive movements have been defeated by their pseudoleft "representatives." And Portuguese women have lost a real possibility to change the most repressive abortion law in continental Europe. At least
16,000 women are forced into illegal abortions every year, in poor conditions and with serious consequences.
The parliamentary discussions started at the end of last year, when a member of parliament elected on the
(ruling) Socialist Party list admitted that, as a doctor, he had performed abortions beyond the strict limits permitted by Portuguese law. He proposed an amendment to existing legislation, saying that the legal limits on abortion of malformed foetuses were too strict. This purely medical argument did win parliamentary support.
The proposal to permit abortion until the 12th week of pregnancy was originally presented to parliament by the youth organisations of the Socialist and Communist Parties. Despite their extreme moderation, these proposals were a step forward; recognising women's right to choose. They provoked a new wave of public discussion about the abortion question.
The Catholic church immediately launched a counter-campaign, including television advertisements, opposing abortion. The main opposition to
Turkey * year at the Sao Paulo Forum.
Inside Turkey, we reject any temptation to manipulate the trade unions, associations and professional groups where we have a real influence. Similarly, wherever we have an influence in the Turkish immigrant communities of Western Europe, we refuse to portray ourselves as speaking in their name and on their behalf. Those who try to use emigrants in this way, in the hope of building a political lobby in Europe, are doomed to failure. Hundreds of thousands of Turks live in Europe. We encourage them to turn not only towards the ÖDP, but towards the left groups and mass movements of the countries they live in. This is how we can build solidarity networks against multinationals like Shell, Mobil and Carrefour (supermarkets), who are sacking their Turkish workers, and preventing us from forming trade unions. * ODP, Necatibey Cad 23/11, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey. © 0312/2317230 still restricted
SOU EU QUE DECIDO BORTO LIVRE CONTRACEPÇÃO GRATUITA ASK. the pro-life counter-attack came from the Socialist Revolutionary Party (PSR) Portuguese section of the Fourth International. While the Communist and Socialist Party youth organisations confined themselves to parliamentary lobbying, the PSR ran the only visible campaign on the street; reaching thousands of people.
Many unorganised women did join the campaign to support the liberalisation of the abortion law. But attempts to use this campaign to rebuild the women's movement have failed.
Still, the response to the PSR campaign suggests that there has been a change in Portuguese society since abortion was last discussed, in the 1970s, when the country had a flourishing women's movement. This time, younger people understood the issues, and condemned the Church's reactionary campaign. Attendance at the main PSR rally outside the Parliament was very high - even without the "pro-life" counter-demonstration!
[Sérgio, PSR] March 1997#286 11
* Belarus
The President of Belarus has accumulated dictatorial