It appears that we are in first throws of a witchhunt inside the Labour Party, The press has been preparing public opinion for this and will no doubt hear more after the meotings of the Organ isational sub committee and the National Uxecutivee The exact form of fight against this will depend upon the scope and form of the witchhunt the right wing decide upon. In the meantime we have here for the information of the comrades a report written for the Bullotin by one of the participants in the Hyde Park clash. lid. Note.
The May-Day demonstration started quietly, even boringly. The Young Socialists were placed as usual towards the rear of tho procession. Last year Harold Wilson had timed his speech to end just as the Young Socialists' banners were seen entering Hyde Park, and we confidently expected the procedure to be repeated by George Brown this year, The march started off good humouredly 3 sporadic chanting of anti-bomb slogans and singing of socialist songs but without tension. The mood changed abruptly on entering Hyde Park, when stewards descended on the straggling columns of Young Secialists.
One particularly agressive steward persisted in trying to pull down the South Paddington Young Socialist banner and pushing at the banner carricrs aventually he snapped one. of the banner poles. Another steward struggled with a momber of the Young Socialists! National Committee, attempting to smash his banner. Fights broke out. Perhaps the stewards had boen goaded beyond enduranee by the crowds jeering the platform and had therefore turned on us. Porhaps they wore simply out to provoke the Young Socialists, PuRU - COMRAD FRIAS SPEAKS AT MGETING 35,000 STRONG
The following is based upon a report appearing the I.5. Information Bulletin. id. Note.
An important meeting took place in Lima, capital of Peru, on Ilarch 9th. Itaim was to protest against the massacre of peasants in the Cerro de Pasco region in which 22 peasants were killed by Govermiont militia. 35,000 took part in the meeting. It was convened by the General Secretary of the Federation of Communes of Pasco, comrade Adam Ponce and supported by a number of left wing groups and parties including the left wing of A.P.R.A. (the nationalist party which originally took power - the left wing has split off), representatives of the peasants' organisations, the anti imperialist front, the Communist Party (Leninist) ( a left wing break away), the Workers Party, and the Workers Party (Trotskyist) which supports the Fourth International being unable to be a section owing the laws of Peru.
In the manifesto convening the meeting, the above parties and groups drew attention to the fact that the latost massacre was one of a series perpetrated by the Government in which over 85 workers and peasants had died. These actions showed that the Government had no respect for the lives of the Peruvian poor and that it is nothing more than 'the refessive organ of the dominant classes of Peru and of foreign imperialisn.!
The manifesto says that this state of affairs cannot continue and that the left wing groups must unite to crea®a single front for struggle and united action on a national scale against these crimes, It declared uncon itional solidarity for the peasants in their struggle to keop their land, for the removal and punishment of the ministry and prefects of the governor responsible for the massacre, for the withdrawal of the forces of reprossion in Pasco, for the imnediate freeing of all peas®"ts imprisoned for their actions in taking over land and for the freeing of political prisoners generally and for compensation for the relatives and victims of the forces of repression.
After the meeting legal proceedings were taken against the speakers on charges of disturbing public order. Reporting this La Prensa of the 2lst of Iiarch says that of the 10 extremists accused of disturbing public order only the Trotskyist Ismael Frias appeared yesterday before the summary court.
Continuing its report La Prensa says that "the extremists had met at around 11.00 in the morning on the pavement in front of the Palace of Justice.. the: ....they made inflamatory statemonts, denouncing the Prime liinister, the army chiefs and acclaiming Fidel Castro"
We hope to publish further and more up to date reports on the activity of our comrades in Peru Soon in the Bulletin.