Colonial world notes ADEN: LABOUR'S LEGACY from the Bulletin of the Beople's Soc- OO alist Party of Aden
What has been going on in Aden and the Protectorate since the “London Constitutional Conference" last June? Under the sweeping powers of the shameful State of Emergency, hundreds of our citizens have been arbitrarily arrested and interrogated for several hours or days. Some of them have been imprisoned without trial or even a charge being preferred against them. Prisons in “den and the dungeons of Lahej, Dathina, Beihan, Fadhli, Zaulagi, Whahidi, Kathiri and Qyati States are full of innocent men and women.
In Aden state, the British Colonial Authorities see the People's Socialist Party as the “enemy", behind every incident that occurs in the territory. It has been adopting « new method of terrorising and intimidating our members by detain— ing them for questioning and thre-tening them with vossible trinl without formal or informel charge. The People's Sooial— ist Party Hy in Aden was raided by the Police last August, and was kept under Military control. Some of our files, doc— uments and office equipment hes still not been returned.
Day to day activities of Political Parties, Trade Unions, Cultural and Social Clubs, 2re severely restricted, meetings of five persons or more are prohibited by law, police raids of houses, cars and individuals walking in the streets beoame a daily occurrence. at the same time, a violent dit—slinging campaign agzinst the People's Socialist Party and its leadership, is being launched by the Authorities through the local press and Radio. Some members of the High Commissioner s office have been actively and openly engsged in spreading rumours to perpetuate the State of Emergency and the resultant confusion, uncertainty and instebility thercof.
This month troops opened fire on students pe*sefully demonstrnting against the errest of some of their colleagues. All schools in aden and the Protectorate have since been closed by the Federnrl Ministry of Education until further notice. Two mohths ego, in Mukalle (Hedhranout) the police opened fire on people demonstrating ~ gainst the refusal of the “ritish authorities to allow the entry of badly needed teachers some Areb Countries have kindly offered. This month in Mukalla again, Police used tear gas to disperse the large crowds gathered to welcome the Vice— President of the Aden Trades Union Congress.
Obviously, this state of sffairs is no crcdit to Great Britain. It has been condemned by the Labour party itself when in opposition, the Socialist International, the I.L.0., the I.C.F.T.U., the United Netions and world public opinion at large.
The new London Government is duty-bound to create the necess°ry healthy democratic atmosphere, for our pe onle to exercise their rights in self-dctermination and establish thereby ae basis for mutual co-operntion and respect. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO ACT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.