In the Greenisland housing estate, just to the north of Belfast, Loyalists are continuing their campaign of sectarian violence to drive Catholics from their homes. Only 150 of the original 800 Catholic families now remain in the housing estate. Community leaders have been severely beaten, houses petrol-bombed, children at a local youth club attacked, and all this under the nose of a large force of British troops and Royal Ulster Constabulary allegedly sent to the estate to apprehend the Loyalist extremists. Similar events are taking place in other mixed estates in Belfast, and Catholic families have been under almost constant siege in the Loyalist strongholds of Lurgan and PortMeanwhile it is reported from Stormont that the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) are to recommend that the Convention (due to resume in September) presents a single report to Westminster in which the two will 'agree to differ' on the issue of 'powersharing' in a new north of Ireland administration. Such an arrangement, while ostensibly putting the ball back in Westminster's court, in reality signals the capitulation of the SDLP to Loyalism and so-called "majority rule'. It would mean nothing less than the return of a Stormont-type regime heralding mass repression of the Catholic working class and the Silencing of all anti-Unionist protest.
This surrender by the SDLP to Loyalism is the inevitable result of the illusions they have created in the Convention and co-operation with the UUUC. In Derry, John Hume issued a joint call with UDA member Glenn Barr for action to deal with the city's economic problems. Other SLP members issued joint appeals for an end to violence with their UUUC counterparts. And in the midst of the anti-internment protests, Gerry Fitt came out with one of the most utory boards, and on local councils. there is any other solution.' stronger ties to the Catholic Church. be combatted. vicious attacks yet made on the resistance movement, surpassing statements made at the same time by This is not to say that the SDLP are united on this course. Ivan Cooper earlier this year warned of the danger of civil war if the demands for power-sharing weren't met. And on the very day that his party colleagues Hume, Devlin and Currie were agreeing to differ with Bill 'Assassinations of Catholics is excusable' Craig, Ivan Cooper declared in a statement to the press: *The SDLP cannot accept less than full-blooded partnership throughout the community in Cabinet, on statWe do not believe A NEW PARTY?
What the result of these differences of opinion inside the SDLP will be is not clear! But evidence of the strains on the SDLP and the Catholic middle class which it represents is already apparent. In its first issue, Socialist Republic, the new paper of the Revolutionary Marxist Group, reported rumours that 'Catholic businessmen and members of the clergy among others had met in Belfast, Armagh and Mid-Ulster to discuss the setting-up of a (new) political party'. This would probably be on the model of traditional nationalist parties, combining a harder line on the Loyalists with The nature of such a formation re-emphasises that there is no alternative to working class leadership if the anti-Unionists are to successfully resist the Loyalist takeover.
In the coming weeks all anti-imperialist organisations will have to strive resolutely to unite the antiUnionist working class in militant street demonstrations and protests against any restoration of the Orange state. In that way illusions of co-operation with the Loyalists and the collaboration of the SDLP can most effectively