Labour's announcement last week that all direct aid to Chile would be cut off immediately sounded impres sive. Judith Hart's statement in the Commons was even enough to draw gasps of horror from some Tory backwoodsmen.
But no one said very much about what this would mean for the junts. After all, it might have spoilt the Impact if the headlines had revealed that this aid amounted to a total of less than half a mition pounds.
Everyone was very quiet, too, about another transaction which took place two days carlier, For on this occasion -the meeting of the twelve major capitalist countries who make up the "Clab of Paris" the Labour Government's representative acquisced without a murmur in the decision to allow the junta to postpone repayment of more than 2300 million in As a demonstrator outside the meeting put it: The Club of Paris has given Pinochet's junta the necessury go-ahead to Lighten the none still further around the Chilean workers."
These sordid dealings underline once mon the correctness of the decision by the solidarity workshop at the Chile Solidarity Campaign Conference to call a de. monstration for 5 May. Far from heing concerned about rocking the boat" at this time, we obviously need to rock it a bit more until something which is actually of real value to the junta is scuppered.
As it is, the Government still recog nises the junta, It has still failed to give any proper undertaking on the admission of refugees; and it is still dithering on the question of firther arms deals, Nothing could be more timely than a bit of mass action calling for all links to be broken off Already the International Socialists have decided to join the IMG in hacking this demonstration ad ta two dreamsalom have issued a joint leaflet calling for the broadest possible support for it A mafional Ad Hac Committee has been set up. and mobilising committees ate abu being forted in Scotland, Yorkshire, Lancastine, and the Greater London area.
All organisations and individuals interested in building the mobilisation are invited to the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Wednesday 10 April, at 8 p.m. in the General Picton pub on Caledonian Road (near Kings Cross).
For further information write to: Chile Ad Hoc Committee, c/o 97 Ca Jedonian Road, London, N.1.