SPINOLA COLONIES SPINOLA appeared on television on Saturday to announce a new policy towards the Portuguese colonies in Africa.
He told the Portuguese people that he had enacted a new decree which recognised the right of the African colonies to independence (thereby overturning a law adopted in 1933 which made the colonies part of Portugal). He said that decolonisation had begun 'from this moment".
It is not clear what Spinola's intentions were, His decree goes no further than statements he has prevlousy made.
After all, recognition of the right martial law, masses came out onto the streets to celebrate the fall of the junta, is now US IMPERIALISM That suspicion is certainly well justified. The role of US imperialism in persunding the junta to step down and hand over to Constantine Karamunlis and the old politicans was transAs the Gardian reported on Tuesmid-day press conference in Washingto do one job "The assumption was clear: Dr These were prophetic words. But of this year. taken over the Government, the military still remain firmly in the back ground. The members of the juntu all practical steps to grant such independence leg withdruwal of Portuguese troops from Hut Spinola's words, whatever their isis. intenlion, had an clectric effect across the in Mozambique armed supporters of to have flooded into the cities to colebrate:
Independence.
Portuguese army, concluding that the game strugde.
Al least one political group set up in dions to show Torces. And the country is still under Indeed, the only significant measune of 'liberalisation" so far has been the release of the political prisoners. Their condition more than confitmed the charges of savage torture levelled at the previous regime.
Of course, it remains true that the collapse of the junta - hastened Dy une masco otus oventure 1 Cyprus - was a setback for imperialism, and opens up new opportunities for the workers' movement. alists.
But Karamanlis was brought back - unite the capitalist forces to deal with the grave econom ic crisis which the junta failed to tackle. The annual rate of inflation has reached 32% and industrial production is falling; while the drastic decline of tourism as a result of the coonomic crisis in the rest of the world has combined with other factors to produce a deficit in the balance of payments of no less than £230 million in the first four months The task of the civilian Government will therefore be to begin to overcome these problems, using all the political and material resources of the capitalist class. On the receiving end of this manoeuvre will be the working class movement.
In this situation it would be criminal to place any trust in the KaramEn Angola the cecent situation has been gloomy, with the liberation movements divided and a campaie of cises curder of blacks being mounted by white extremIn the wake of Spinole's speech, however, came news that the two main bootaton movements - the PLA and the FLNA had signed on apreement lo negotiate Jointly with Portugal about A third liberarion group, UNITA, was not included in the agreement even though it has declared itself in favour of a joint victory, In Partugal itself Spinola's spooch was also grocted as meaning an end to the colonial wars. The Portuguese Communist Party called for mass popular demonstra joy and support for colonial people to independenes!
But the wars are far from over. Spinol msde it clear that the Government would anlis Government, or simply to com plain - as does the Greek Communist Party, the KKE -that the left forces have been excluded, and that what is needed is a reai "Government of National Unicy (including the KKE) to ser Greek capitalism on its feet again On the contrary, the experience of the years leading up to the 1967 coup showed only too clearly that the interests of the workers movement can in no way he defended by man oeuvres with the democrutic capitWORKERS' MOVEMENT That is why it will be necessary for the workers movement to organ ise independently both around issues such as the lifting of press censor ship, legalisation of the KKE and other left-wing groups, ete, and to deal with the capitalist offensive through demands for work or full pay, a national minimum wage. a sliding scale of wages, and so on.
It is by organising around such questions - drawing on the lessons of the Athens uprising last Novem ber, when representatives of workers, arudents and peasants came together to lead a united struggle for their demands — that the capitalist schemes can be thwarted and the struggle for socialisin prepared in Grecce today.
first move only to sort out its relation with the oolody of Guine Bissau (where the guerillus are virtually in total control anyaay). A deal with Mozambique and Angols wouk be worked out only after such a settiement in Guine.
The delay this involves will undoubted. ly be exploited by all the reactionary fonces at work - Portuguese copitalism other imperialist powers, the white-racist regimes in Hhodesia and South Africa, and the white settlers : to try and sah the colonial people of the ful fruits of their Fot this reason it is urgent that the sociulist and workers movements around for the liberation movements, and insist that the Portuguese government immediat LET BOHE DUSTION KALERANT drawing all Is fores from the African continent.
CHAIS BALFOUR Rad Weekly 1 August 1974 Page 7
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