THE ANTI-APARTHEID Movement held its annual meeting in Sheffield over the weekend of 28-29 November.
Delegates represented the •177 local groups of the AAM, as well as AAM regions and affiliated organisations. The AAM's national membership is 7,200 individuals and 800 affiliated organisations.
The context of meeting was what the AAM's ICOOLl described as the 'most onslaught ever against their liberation struggle since the epoch of colonial conquest egion'. This has involved delegate (personal capacity)
the detention of 750 ofCongress of South African Unions (COSATU) which has been the backbone or resistance lo the apartheid regime this year. It has also involved detention, imprisonFor trial of members of the United Democratic Front (UDF), executions, COSATU's quarters, numerous murders by the security forces and blanket press . censorship.
The regime has responded to the growth of the workers' movement in Namibia with a reign of terror aimed at SWAPO and the National Union of Namibian Workers. The third element of the apartheid regime's counter-attack has been stepping up its war against the The AAM reaffirmed Its support 1or tue Alical National SWAPO, represena project of limited reform.
•Jaruzelski cannot forever postpone the price rises. H have to turn to his creditors and ask them take the 'objective difficulties' into consideration - but they will want proof that he can honour his obligations.
Weakness
Whatever the positions of Solidarity's leadership may be, and whatever confusion reigns in the social movement, the latter has emerged strengthened from The result tatives of both addressed the AGM The AAM conference gave priority to the 'Hands COSATU campaig! aunched by COSATU thi: year, campaigns against executions for the Been of the reléase detainees front-line states and solidarity with the people of Namibia. These priorities, ding to the stepped-up repression by the regime, in addition AAM's absolutely central ampaigning for compreher SIve mandator sanctions ant the total isolation of apartheid backed up by the mobilisation of 'the people of Briimpose "people's sanctions'.
References to campaigning specifically Moses Mayekiso, the Moreover, the question Solidarnose is posed today, reorientation and those at its heart who have been arguing for a line of action inside the tac tories will have the wind put back muel sails. Confidence A new phase of struggle is opening today in Poland Its result will depend greatly on the conduct of the wo great protagonists Jaruzelski government and poloniose Those power have betrayed their political weakness. Poland's recent history shows that = profoundly rotten Bre to laur such ITUTE Te Route second largest affiliate, were deleted from a resolution to the AGM. This was a mistake. The case Moses Mayakiso symmi of the fight to de- become fend anti-apartheid trade and has thereby contributed to the campaigns to free all detainees.
Rejection of sectarian campaigns should not • mean the AAM. itsell adopting a sectarian position.
Campaigning within the black community and amongst students will have a higher profile after ENTS year's AGM. It was agreed that local groups will be entitled to delegates to the AGM.
Resolutions on work in the Labour Party were not voted on Last year, high priority was campaigns directed to all political parties and there were doubts expressca abour le crick tiveness of mass action in the paper presented by the NC to last year's AGM. In fact the work along that line in the general election now acknowledged hot to have been effective This year's demonstration mobilised 75.000 in Janed 1982. 0005 hus 1986 dicates that a clear orienta tion to the labour move ment addition students, the black comvital, and that they should centralised around mass demonstration as the central mobilisation of the whole movement in 198%
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