it down last Saturday of every month. Langford Lane,
Kidlington. [email protected]
Sunday 25 January 10am RESPECT - Unity Coalition National Copyention. Friends Meeting House, Euston Rd, London Friday 30 January 5.30pm-7pm * Picket of Daily Mail over its coverage of asylum Derry St (High St Kensington tube) called by Committee to Defend Asylum seekers, Barbed Wire Britain and othSaturday January 31, 12-2pm Assemble Waterloo concourse, As part of European day of action in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers and migrants sponsored by Barbed Wire Britain, CDAS etc. Saturday 7 February 1lam-5pm Convention of the Trade Union Left. Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London Saturday 28 February 10am Stop the War Coalition Annual Conference. Camden Centre, Euston Road, London WCI Thursday 12- Sunday 15 February Peace Not War 4 night music festival. Ocean, Hackney, London. (Alabama 3, Fun-da-mental, Crass and many others) www.peace-not-war.org 13th March. National Conference of the Socialist Alliance. Venue to be confirmed. www.socialistalliance.net
the person nearest you. LONDON: 020 8800 7460 BIRMINGHAM: Stuart 0777 5942841 BRIGHTON: Stephen 0778 6930285 [email protected] HASTINGS: Sam 07944 296698 [email protected] HULL: Keith 020 800 7460 NEWCASTLE: Louise 07733 418661 OXFORD: Andy - [email protected] world.com world.com
The British left has been very critical of the French government's recent decision to forbid the display of religious symbols, including the wearing of the veil by Muslim women in state schools and other public Insucutions. *There is another point of view on this which has not received wide publicity here and I think your readers should be made aware of it. A number of prominent Muslim women in France have signed a statement supporting the proposed legislation and defending the rights of the 1.7 million Muslim women in France, 86% of whom do not wear the veil. These include doubra, Meliane a Contact Socialist If you like what you've read or you want to find out more about Socialist Resistance get in touch with SCOTLAND: Gordon 07733 260337 jgmorgan@btopenSHEFFIELD: Phil 020 800 7460 ballandward@btopenassaults in French cities), which continue today. •• YOUR BANK DETAILS: Bank Name Address Your account details: Sort Code Account Name Account Number Please pay the sum of (write in words and numbers) On the spokesperson of SOS Racisme), Fadela Amara (a leader of the Ni Pute, Ni Soumise, a women's organisation active against sexual
the actress Isabelle Adjani and the writer Chahdortt Djavann. Djavann's most recent book is called A bas le voile (Down with the veil).
Their petition demands that Chirac unre- rights as women. servedly supports both the principles of secularism and equality between the sexes. These principles are in the constitution only because of women's struggles, struggles
They argue that wearing the veil condemns all women, whether or not they are Muslim, to an intolerable discrimination which denies them dignity and freedom. Standing Order! Membership Standing Order form
day of 2003 And on the same date every month thereafter, unless cancelled or amended by me in writing.
Accepting the veil in schools and the public sector means legitimising a visible symbol of women's oppression in places where the state should be the guarantor of sexual
That is why the statement demands a law which bans all visible religious signs in schools and public buildings as well as the means to make sure this law is respected.
They are demanding that the government shows that it is willing to struggle against all forms of discrimination that affect the immigrant communities in France.
They support those women in working class areas, with large Muslim populations, who are actively struggling against their worsening living conditions and for their
One of the ways in which they are doing this is by using the French revolutionary tradition of secularism in the state institutions as one means of defending their rights.
Much of what I have said may be controversial for a British audience but the other side of the story has to be heard.
Maddy Vincendon, London Send us a donation every month - by
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Socialist Group, Socialist Solidarity Network and individuals including Toby Abse, Patrick Baker, Andrew Burgin, Brenda and Brian Bushell, Mathew Caygill, Duncan Chapple Julian Coppens, Frances Curran, Norma Dowd, Andy Gibbons, Jamie Gough, Catriona Grant, Marcus Greville, Patrick Hall, Rick Hatcher, Wayne Holmes, Nick Lidgett, Frank McMahon, Lesley Mahmood, Margaret Manning, Alan McCoombes Martin Milne, Piers Moystn, Liz Peretz, Sue Phillips, Surykant Raithatha, Norman Traub, Rick Simon, Colin Smith, Murray Smith, Sarah Taversham, Doug Thorpe, Tony Traub, Tessa van Gelderen, Bill Walton, Roger Welch. Published by SOCIALIST RESISTANCE, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. Printed by East End Offset, London E3 OUR NEXT ISSUE will be published in the first week of February 2004. Deadline for letters, reviews and feature articles Monday January 26 Just fill in and post Co-operative Bank, 78-80 Cheapside London EC3V Please return to RESISTANCE
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socialist THE FIREFIGHTERS were the first to bring the debate into the headlines, as their official strike was met by a stonewall New Labour government egging on the employers and threatening new legislation to illegalise their action.
The question was raised: why should union members fork out millions from their subscriptions to support a political party which in government kicks them in the teeth?
FBU leaders backed away from a further round of confrontation, and opposed calls for disaffiliation from the Labour Party. And along with other union leaders from the so-called 'awkward squad' they have opted instead for a tactic of fighting to "reclaim" the party from the New Labour leadership that has hijacked it. However last autumn's Labour conference showed little prospect that this approach will break the party from Blairism.
Nevertheless the issue has not gone away: the rail and transport group. Name Address www.socialistresistance.net
Party. union left. SUBSCRIBE to resistance SOCIALIST RESISTANCE is a monthly marxist paper. We are offering a special introductory subscription rate 1 year for £10 (UK), £15 (Europe) or £20 (other overseas). For more details fill in this coupon, ticking the appropriate box and send to us: PO Box 1109 London N4 2UU Please make cheques payable to RESISTANCE
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Age Post Code email union RMT has continued to debate more effective ways of using their political fund to secure the union's political objectives. In England the RMT has slashed its affiliation to Labour from £180,000 to just £I2,500: in Scotland, the unions Scottish regional Council has voted to ditch New Labour and affiliate to the Scottish Socialist
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow, along with civil service union leader Mark Serwotka has also been supportive of the moves towards a new united party of the left in England, RESPECT, to be launched later this month.
Can the left agree a way forward that can begin to break the unions from Blairism? That will be the debate on February 7 in London at what promises to be a very big Convention of the trade
Be there, and help shape the future!
Phone. Looking for a
political way
forward for
RMT: Bob Crow TONY THATCHER JOB SNATCHER* ••• Trade union sponsors so far: London Region FBU Eccer FRU City of Plymouth Unison RMT Strattore No Leaminatan Sna Amicus-MS: Waltham Forest Trade Union Council
Number 12. January 2004 of the trade union left Who should we vote for in the next election? What can we do about political representation? What should we do about the political fund? London Underaround Regional Executive RM1 London Regional Committee Unison Yorkshire and Humberside Region Natfhe London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority Uniso Convention initiated by the Socialist Alliance (RMT Saturday 7 February 2004 11am to 5pm registration from 10am Friends Meeting House Euston Road, London (nearest e Euston) Speakers Include: Bob Crow RMT general secretary Mark Serwotka PCS general secretary Paul Mackney Natfhe general secretary all personal capacity For more details please contact Convent on of me Trade Union La clo Socialist Alliance. 82.90 Queensland Road. London N° 7A5