Pvt RTT TTL Jt a | | "Fd say your last week here vakas Buried in lies was a bad lime to ask for a Tory arms deal with S. Africa By WILLIAM POMEROY LONDON, (By airmail) — So great is the protest roused by the Tory government’s decision to supply arms to racist South Africa that Edward Heath’s Tory administration is showing signs of readiness to pin the blame on a scapegoat, the foreign affairs minister, old Munich-man Sir Alec Douglas Home. There is no doubt that Douglas- Home, whose anti-Soviet views have changed little, from the days of the Nazi era, had much to do with putting the South African arms deal at the top of his agenda. However, the entire Tory leadership was com- mitteed to this line long before the election. Many of them are directors of firms with invest- ments in the apartheid state, and they were pledged to a pay- off for the nearly $1 million in campaign funds donated to the Tory Party by corporations with a heavy stake in South’ Africa’s slave-labor economy. The Heath government also has hoped to use the arms sales to improve Britain’s balance of payments position to the tune of around $250 million annually. The principal argument put forward is a flimsy one, that military agreements with South Africa are necessary ‘‘to protect the British sealanes’’ around the southern tip of Africa, between the Indian Ocean and the southern Atlantic, from the Soviet navy. Said the Sunday Times July 19: “In the last five years the British Chiefs of Staff have not once pressed for the defense of the Cape route as a British priority in consequence of Russian expansion in the Indian Ocean.”’ It has further been pointed out that any alleged threat to British shipping could only occur in a global war, in which South Afri- can waters would be insigni- ficant, that such global protec- tion for British sea-lanes would require a fleet impossible for Britain to sustain, and that the South African Simonstown naval ‘base (which the Tories pretend is the focal point of arms aid) can handle only two frigate- sized vessels at a time, an absurdity as a major naval Station. If the Tories have any strategic aim in that part of the world it is to erect their. own threat to the rapidly growing Societ merchant fleet, which passes the Cape en route to growing trade with East Africa, Asia and Australia. In mid-July the Heath govern- ment blew up a scare over a fish- eries agreement between the Soviet Union and the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius, a former British colony, is now an independent state). Tory spokesmen screamed the agreement would give the Soviet Union “‘a naval base in the Indian Ocean.” The Mauritian prime minister, on holiday in Britain at the time was called into Douglas-Home’s office for a lecturing. - It is perhaps not surprising that the Mauritius ambassador to the U.N., Radha Ramphoul, who is currently president of the African UN bloc, denounced the British arms-for-apartheid policy, and called the Security Council into session to make the arms embargo tighter. Guerrillas in the Caprivi Strip, where South Africa borders Rhodesia and Zambia, and foreign observers have testified to witnessing the Buccaneer strike aircraft employed against African villages and alleged guerrilla bases. The Tories claim that the Buccaneers, some of which were sold to South Africa before the UN arms embargo and which are now on the sales list, is intended only for “anti-submarine”’ purposes. The present South African navy, with which the British navy has been quietly holding joint exercises despite the U.N. embargo, is employed for anti- guerrilla patrol work. South African forces are already operating in Rhodesia, southern Angola and Mozam- bique, in alliance with Rhodesian white racialists and Portuguese colonialists. It was recently revealed that Malawi (under Africa’s Uncle Tom, Dr. Banda) -had agreed to provide South Africa with a military airstrip. On July 21 came an ominous PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1970—Page 8 END COLDWAR PACTS - UFAWU urges treaty to include Soviet Union Action to protect the interests of Canadian fishermen by reaching agreement with the Soviet Union to limit its fishery in traditional salmon trolling grounds off the west coast of Vancouver Island was urged today by the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union. - “Over the years, the UFAWU has advocated negotiation of a new North Pacific fisheries treaty to replace the present “Can't you. see, ifs for your own. safety!” Drawing by V. Chernikov report out of Zambia that Portu- guese forces had launched a ‘massive military operation to clear all Africans out of the Cabora Bassa area of Mozam- bique, including the spraying of crops with poisonous chemicals. The Zambian report (it was made by the Zambian consulate- general in Italy) included mention of a South African battalion with the Portuguese troops and the use of South African planes for recon naissance. Another flimsy argument by the Tories is that arms to South Africa would be only for “external defense.”’ First of all, a South African arms industry, beefed up with foreign investment, has expanded enormously in the past decade. South African expendi- tures on arms were ’63 million in 1960, but had leaped to an annual $380 million in 1969. In 1965 the South African defense minister, Fouche, announced his country was in a position to “‘sell arms to well-disposed friends.”’ South Africa has concentrated on highly-sophisticated weaponry. A locally-produced ground-to-air missile was successfully tested in Natal in December, 1968. An _ exten- sive Decca radar screen was erected around the entire coast- line in 1968. Much more important, however, has been an intensive effort, with West German help, to develop a nuclear capability. Every type of weapon Britain proposes to sell South Africa for “external defense’ not only can be employed for internal sup- pression but has already been used against African guerrillas. outmoded tripartite treaty from which the Soviet Union and other countries fishing the North Pacific are excluded,”’ the union release stated. “This is the only effective means of protecting our salmon fishery from decimation on the high seas by the mid-Pacific operations of Japanaese and now the South Korean fleets. This, and not the operations of the Soviet fleet off our coast, repre- sents the greatest threat, for the Soviet Union ‘voluntarily abstains from fishing salmon on the high seas, although it is not bound by any treaty to do so. “The Trudeau government, through federal fisheries minister Jack Davis, concedes that the present treaty, in effect only from year to year, should be widened. But it seems strangely reluctant to take the initiative in seeking a new treaty conference. Fishermen may well ask why. “As a more limited immediate means of lessening confli¢ between Soviet trawlers Re Canadian trollers, Canada has? within its power, as Hie i to con himself suggests, Mee agreement with the ts Union, defining the scope of ! ; operations off the west coast Vancouver Island and securing full recognition of canta trollers’ rights in their ta tional grounds.”’ At presstime a $107,825 B.C. Supreme Court judgement ha been handed down against a United Fishermen and Allie Workers Union arising out of 4 dispute in the Prince Rupert fishing industry in 1967. Harry Rankin, who repre sented the union, said that a? appeal of the judgment has pes recommended, but that the fina decision will be made by the executive council of the U.F.A.W.U. NDP scuttles Cont'd from P. 1 Labor Council withdrew from the mayoralty race. He had been nominated to contest the mayor’s seat by an NDP con- vention July 19 with the approval of COPE. : “When I was nominated at the NDP convention to contest the mayoralty seat,’’ said Neale, ‘‘it was with the understanding that we would have a united campaign supported by NDP, COPE and Labor. The decision of the Provincial Council of the NDP now rules out such co-opera- tion. Without unity there is no possibility of victory.” The decision of the Provincial Council of the NDP was con- sidered at a special meeting of the Vancouver Area Council on August 4. After heated debate lasting over 3 hours, the counc! voted on a motion to accept the decision of provincial council 1 enter a slate and run an inde pendent campaign. The motion carried by a 10 to 5 vote. An appeal by COPE for NDP candidates to run under the banner of COPE and continue joint efforts was rejected by council. The Vancouver Area Board decision will be submitt to a convention of the Van- couver NDP later this month. _ COPE is calling a special meeting of its steering com- mittee to consider discussions of the Provincial Council and the Vancouver Area Board of the NDP and will decide on the next steps in the civic election ~ campaign. Canada’s Indians take part inU.S. meet Members of several of Canada’s Indian tribes took part in a conference of 62 Indian Nations at Tulalip reservation north of Seattle recently. The reservation was chosen because it is the only one with a Long- house, traditional meeting- house, in Western Washington. The convention was held in Western Washington because of the priority given to the ten year struggle of the Indians for the right to fish in their accustomed places on the Nisqually and Puyalap rivers. According to reports, certain sections of the Indian com- munity do not claim allegiance to the U.S. flag, but give alle- giance to their own symbol, to their Indian nation and to their own laws and religion. It was said the U.S. gave Indians citizenship in 1924 in order to draft them for the military. They did not ask the Indians if they — wanted citizenship. At a ceremony on the Nisqually river a_ religious ceremony was held which follow- ed the tradition of their ancestors. Included in the Canadian tribes which. attended the conference were the Cree, Alberta Black- foot, Chippewa, Blackfeet, Coast Salish and Cowichan. Valley picnic A lively programme of sports and entertainment is in store at the Annual Fraser Valley Picnic at Peace Arch Park on Sunday, August 16th from 12 noon on. Events such as tug-o-war, volley ball, races and a rounded out Concert programme has been planned. In the event of rain there are ample facilities to move the picnic events indoors with a minimum of programme changes. Bring a basket lunch } and all your friends and prepare to enjoy yourself.