The constant flow of contradictory information which continues to pour in from Bengal makes the task of drawing up even a preliminary balance sheet extremely difficult. Nevertheless as unconditional supporters of the Bengali struggle for national self-determination, we have to draw some conclusions from the outcome of the last few months.
It is now clear beyond any reasonable doubt that the West Pakistani army Generals had decided to embark on a massacre in Bengal soon after the results of the General Election had become known and the Awami League rank-and-file had made clear its refusel to compromise on the Six-Point programme ( cf. The Red Mole, Vol. 2, No. 5). From then on it was only a question of enlisting the propagandistie support of Zuffigar Bhutto, and waiting for the most opportune moment. Yahya's negotiations were, therefore, designed as a time-gaining covar to allow troop reinfor cements to be poured in to East Bengal and thus prepare the last act of this tragedy. It was a mistake for Mulbur Rehman to fall into the negotiations trap and it was a mistake which probably cost the latter his life. The minute sufficient troops had arrived the negotiations were ended. What followed was one of the most brutal massacres ever carried out in a civil war since the Indonesian counter-revolution. Hundreds of thousands of unarmed civilians have been butchered in cold blood; the student hostels of Dacca University have been very conseiously shelled and student leaders killed.. The unwillingness of the Awami League leadership to prepare the Bengali masses for a protracted armed struggle (owing to its petty bourgeois nature against the Viest Pakistani army is the main reason for the success of the massacre in the cities. There was plenty of time to arm a peoples militia and educate the masses it order to prepare them for all possibilities. This was not done and the lesson has been learnt at the cost of hundreds of thousands of Bengali lives However if the Army really thinks that it can terrorise a peonle into submission it has surprises in store for it as its imperialist mesters know full well from their Indo-Chinese experience. The Bengali poople will not submit silently and even today the heat of the furnace is producing hardened cadres who will lead the struggle in the coming period.
The response of capitalist govem ments has been characteristic: a hypocritical display of sympathy for the Bongali leaders, but a refusal to control the West Pakistani military machine, representing the armed might of West Pakistani capital which they subsidise and encourage. On the other side, the Soviet bureaucracy displays a curious concern for Sheikh Mujibur Rehman's life (compare this to its shameful silence when Aidit was executed and thousands of Indonesian communists drowned in blood by the butcher Suharto). The Kremlin expresses "concern" at the danger to the existing peace in the region. These wretched bureaucrats forget the magnificent struggle of the Vietnamese revolutionaries not so far away. They are only "concerned" with safeguarding the status quo. But these reactions were only too predictable What is more surprising is that the Chinese leadership has quite clearly learnt nothing from its opportunist errors during the days of the Ayub dictatorship. Instead of expressing solidarity with the struggle of the East Bengali people (as it does with the West Bengalis), it limits itself to publishing press communiques distributed by the Yahya clique. Thus the Chinese Embassy in London refuses to accept a letter addressed to the Chinese government from Bengalis in Britain and appealing for support. It claims that to accept the letter would constitute an "interference" in the "internal" affairs of Pakistan. In this way does the complete short-sightedness of the Chinese bureaucracy manifest itself. Their inability to understand that the struggle in Bengal can only be successful if it alters the social and economic base of the country, is a terrible indictment of their politics. What other way is there of extending the Chinese Revolution to the rest of Asia. They choose to ignore the otious fact that Bengal, which has historically been in the vanguard of the struggle in the entire sub-continent, could became the Yenan and the military strategy of U.S. imperialism and aiding the magnificent struggle of the Indo Chinese people in the process. THus they keep the Chinese people misinformed and hide the truth from them, but they will not be able to succeed in this deception for too long. The truth has a funny way of travelling and we are confident that it will reach the Chinese masses who will then settle accounts with those who tried to keep it from them. The only international organisation which has predicted, understood and supported the struggle of the Bengali masses has been the Fourth International and this fact will become obvious to many Macist militants who are struggling today in West Bengal, together with the Trotskyists, to bring down indian capitalism.
The future of the struggle in East Bengal, therefore, depends to a large extent on the ‹ rapidity with which a revolutionary organis ation can develop. THe subjective factor thus assumes a phenomenal importance.
Despite the fact that the odds are stacked heavily against the Pakistan Army- it is hopelessy outnumbered in a sea of 75m.
Bengalis- an organisation is vital to ansure the defeat of the invasion forces. The latter is a relatively easy task. The supply lines of the West Pakistani armies can be disrupted without too much difficulty and with the approach of the rainy season, which makes the countryside almost impassable, limited commando actions could seal the fate of Yahya's mercenaries. Another factor which the Army will have to take into account 1s the uneasy calm in West Pakistan. A situation could well develop where Bhutto's brand of politics could easily be surpassed. A few days before th e invasion, the workers in Lyallpur (the industrial centre of the Wast) occupied i) The basic tao on the now system to come extra cetirement pension (but since they're not working class, it's called an Annuity not a egaorient to allowing carned income relief pension). It is roughly equivalent to the GraduHated National Insurance of the State for 7. Alterations in the Capical Gains Tas. In general terms chis is a tax on gains realised by buying and selling such things as stocks und shares, land, ete. (nothing that ordinary people can afford). The gain is the Selling Price less the Liberation. But let us consider wbat this means. Buying Price and certail expenses Previousty it this was less than E50 it was exempt from the they lose out by the differenor of the marriage tax. But now, if the selling price is £600 or less then the gain is exempt This means that a capitalist with a competent accountant could probably make a good 2400 a year tax free.
B. No Capital Gains to be charged on death.
Previounly when a person died he was considered to have dispalled of all his assets at market 31- in the & on the first so many pounds, 276 In ralue and Capital Gains Tax was charged on any galn. This is no longer ho! More money is to be Inherited!
At present there is only one such set of eatea for g. Starting paint for Estate Duty ralsed tom E10,000 to E12,500. Clearly a sop for the small and middle bourgeoisie. 10. Increase in Premium Bond Prize. Clearly intended to distract attention from the rest of legislation they would be charged (say) 1200 at the moasunes. And from the way the commentutors on my radio kept returning to this sub11. Alteration of Shortfall in Corporation Tax.
Shortfall is a provision such that if the directors longer to be taxed as though it was the parent's of a closed company draw more than a certain Income. This means that a capitalist will be able amount of salary, the excess is taxable for Corporation Tax as well as the directors' income off his children's personal allowances against che and surtax, elf suppose the amount allowable income. Ths will enable him to receive a total of for a certain director is 3,000 and bis Sulary for that year is 23,500, then the excess 6500 in liable to Corporation Tas (payable by tbe their factories and flew red flags in defiance of the capitalists Chauvinism will not hold them down for too long, given the serious economic situation in West Pakistan. Indeed one of the reasons for the army's brutality is meant as a lesson to recalcitrants in the West, but it is a useless warning and will not be effective. Apart from everything eise the Army soldiers will be reluctant to massacre their fellow brothers in the West!
The new period which has opened up. apart from marking the death of Pakistan as a state, will, despite the usual fluctuations in the pace of the struggle, lead to a period of intensified warfere. Even now the West. Pakistani bourgeoisie realises this and is thinking in terms of a confederation with Iran and Afghanistan, but even if this new rump of reaction in South Asia emerges as a geographical entity, it will not last long. History is moving far too rapidly and will sweep aside the cobwebs of American imperialism in Asia.
SOLIDARITY WITH THE BENGALI FREEDOM FIGHTERS!
SELF-DETERMINATION FOR EAST BENGAL! FOR A UNITED SOCIALIST BENGALI REPUBLIC!
West Pakistani socialists have set up a committee called WEST PAKISTANIS IN SLIDARITY sno agree yuen thent to get in touch. Tae tour aint programme the nacional liberation struggle in East Bangal and to alaall possibe asisten te the Earpas Action graup Address: E/D 182, Pantonville Rcad, Landon N.1 12. Corporation Tax is to go down by a furtb 6d in the pound, making a total of 1.- in the pound since the Tories took office. 19. There follows a fairly invoived calk about reforming the tax system. It concealed tro Important faets:
Raj Earned Income Relief is being extended i two ways. At present Enmed Income Relief allowed as follows:
Two-nintbs tax free oo the first 84,005 eared, one ninth on earned income betwees 24,005 and 29,945, and none on any iucome above 49,945. The idea being thal any sudar: over 69,945 isn't cared, it's given! This allo ance is not given oo investment income. Thi being altered as follows:
Mb) Under the present Surtax system a payer in the top range rould pay 17:9 lo the poun in Income and Surta. This is reduced to 15 in the pound: equivalent to a cut of 219 In t pound on the surtax rute (what price now th Ed in the pound off Income Tax:) 14 Increase of Child Allowance by E40-a0t Tot of good that will do for the million unemployed and the low paid who are not e paying tax. The demand must be-increase Family Allowances, not Tax Allowances! 16. The abolition of Purchase Tax and the Selective Employment Tax, and institution Value Added Tax. As Soclalists we are again all forma of indirect taxation since it is alwa the lowest paid who suffer. 16. A final snippet. International Companie Hke ICT and Beechams will shortly be able tu switch their earnings in one country for inv
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start the process of the Indian Revblution. thus completely upsetting the calculations and