based on report in Peace News
At 11 a.m, on May 8th nine million people in Belgium, nearly half the pepulation of the country, took part in a nation-wide demonstration against nuclear weapons. lien and women in factories, offices, at home and in the streots took pert in a symbolic stoppage for 10 to 15 minutes, In Brussels and other cities traffic was brought almost to a standstill for several minutes as car and tram drivers and pedestrians observed a symbolic silence.
At the Stock Exchange in Brussels, just before 11, a group of young people arrived with posters calling for disamament and peace. There were shouts of "WWe want peace" and "We want disarmamont" The police then stepped in and seized the posters, insome cases with a good deal of violence. Some of the demo— nstrators protested against the action of the police and pointed out that the demonstration had received official approval from the Government.
Gaston Debunne, national president of the public services trade union. C.G.S5.P. and co-president of the "May 8 movement" (originally founded to mark the end of the Second World War) which originated the nation-wide demonstration, said that it had been a great success. The four main points of the May 8 movement policy ares the end of all muclear tosts, use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes only, settlement of international disputes through negotiation, and agreement for general disarmament under international control. Affiliated to the movement are the three largest trade unions and various peace, youth and social organisations.
On Sunday May 13th, 70 to 80 supporters of the anti-nuclear woaphRyomens listened to speakers from the Independent Nuclear Disarmament Election Committee who included Stuat Hall, former editor of New Left Review. Four others incuding Laurie Kershaw, national treasurer of the C.N.D. arrived from London. During their contributions it became increasingly clear that there are many different opinions within I.N.D.E.C. — in fact Stuart Hall didn't really put the 'officialt I.N.D.u.C. point of view over in his contribution (the opening one). What he put forward really amounted to sugyesting that C.N.D. supporters should very selectively choose a by-election to have a trial run, On the other hand Laurie Kershaw (whose lack of political clarity maybe gathered from the fact that as well as being a supporter of I.N.D.2.C. he is listed as one of the sponsors of the Labour Party Common Market Committee) put forward an argument which was based upon, among other things, an alleged public opinion poll in which 50% or so were supposed to have declared themsolves for nuclear disarmament. Other I.N.D.u.C. speakers were clearly against any truck with work in the Labour Party. Only one speaker from the audience supported them, even then it was from an ultra left point of view (opposing Parliamentary tactics in gener a1). All other speakers from the audience opposed I.N.D.2.C. from points of view which renged from Marxism to orthodox C.N.D., the former spearheading thi ~iticism,