· SWEDEN KR15 · UK £1.00 · U.S. $1.50 INSIDE Imperialism's record of oppression in Mideast THE -PAGESB-9 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 65/NO. 41 OCTOBER 29, 2001 Strike, rallies in Pakistan oppose U.S.-British war in Afghanistan Imperialists bomb U.S. gov't steps ~ities, invasion up assault on troops sent in workers rights BY BRIAN WILLIAMS BY JACK WILLEY Washington's massive bombardment of U.S. government police forces and local Afghanistan has led to growing protests cops have jailed nearly 800 people across the throughout Pakistan. Working people there United States, allegedly in connection with nave repeatedly taken to the streets in op­ the September 11 terrorist attacks on the Pen­ position to the decision by Pakistani presi­ tagon and World Trade Center. The roundup dent Pervez Musharraf to open up the is part of the increased cop harassment and country's air space and bases for use by the arbitrary searches of working people at ports, U.S. military in carrying out its assault. bus terminals, and train stations. A nationwide strike October 15, called Calls for a national ID card are growing to coincide with a visit to Pakistan by U.S. among some middle-class and bourgeois secretary of state Colin Powell, closed thou­ figures as well. Alan Dershowitz, described ";ands of shops and many schools as work­ by Newsweek as "the nation's most peripa­ ers and students helped lead protests in many tetic civil1iberties lawyer" has proposed an cities and towns throughout the country. In ID card with a chip that can match a holder's the southern city ofHyderabad, for example, fingerprint as "an effective tool for prevent­ police fired in the air to disperse workers ing terrorism." staging a protest at a cement factory, and in "It is true that the card would facilitate the working-class Lyari district of Karachi~ the deportation of illegal immigrants," he Pakistan's largest city~cops threw teargas wrote in an October 13 column published Working people in Jacobabad, Pakistan, march on an airfield where the government :t hundreds of people who had gathered to in the New York Times. "Legal immigrants has allowed Washington to base aircraft involved in the brutal bombing of Afghani­ Continued on Page 6 Continued on Page 7 stan. Opposition to the imperialist assault runs deep among toilers in the country. Workers Meat packers fight for a contract BY ERNEST MAILHOT United Food and Commercial Workers the issues the workers wanted addressed in walkout at TOPPENISH, Washington~"Washington (UFCW) Local 1439, about 250 union a new contract are a raise in wages and ad­ Beef on Strike. We will not live on our knees," members out of a workforce of more than equate medical benefits. The overwhelming read the hand-lettered sign carried by Manuel 500 walked out at Washington Beef here number of workers at Washington Beef start General Rangel as he picketed across the street from September 19. at $6.72 per hour and top out at $8.50. the meatpacking plant where he and his The walkout was prompted by the The many hand-lettered signs carried by brother Juan had worked for many years. company's stalling on negotiating a union the pickets showed that another important Dynamics Without the support of the officials of contract that expired September 16. Among Continued on Page 12

BY ILONA GERSH STERLING HEIGHTS, Michigan~ Eight hundred workers went on strike Books for working people and youth against General Dynamics October 15, set­ ftgbting imperialis$ and its war drive ting up picket lines in three states after con­ tract negotiations between the union and the Capitalism's World Disorder: military contractor broke down in the early Che Guevara Thlks morning hours. to Young People Working-Class Politics at the Millennium General Dynamics Land Systems de­ Ernesto Che Guevara, drawing on his by Jack Barnes signs, manufactures, and supports land and experience as a leader of the Cuban The accelerating social devastation, police brutality, and mili­ amphibious combat systems for the U.S. revolution, talks as an equal with youth tary assaults are the inevitable forces unleashed by capitalism. Army, the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as of Cuba and the world. In English, and But the future capitalism has in store can be changed by the other governments. It is a subsidiary of Gen­ Spanish. $12 (regular $14. 95) united struggle of workers and farmers conscious of their eral Dynamics. power to transform the world. In French, English, and Spanish. $20 (Regular $23.9 5) The United Auto Workers (UAW) repre­ sents 220 employees at the company's world Malcolm X Thlks New International no. 7 The Changing Face of 1eadquarters in Sterling Heights, Michigan, to Young People Washington's Assault on Iraq: U.S.Politics: Working-Class just north of Detroit; about 4 70 at a produc­ Includes Malcolm X's condemnation of Opening Guns of World Jv.lr III Politics and the 'Irade Unions tion plant in Lima, Ohio; and more than 130 imperialist wars in the Congo, Vietnam, The U.S. go":ernment's murderous at another plant in Eynon, Pennsylvania. A handbook for the new generation and elsewhere. $9 (regular price $10.95) assault on Iraq heralded increasingly coming into the factories, mines, and Strikers say the main issue is health ben­ sharp conflicts among imperialist efits. The company has "taken medical ben­ mills as they react to the uncertain life, powers, the rise of rightist and fascist efits away from the retirement package," one ceaseless turmoil, and brutality of Marxism and Terrorism forces, growing instability of interna­ picket at the Sterling Heights plant told the capitalism today. In French, English, tional capitalism, and more wars. $12 'filitant. "The average age of the workforce by Leon 11'otsky and Spanish. $16 (Regular $19. 95) is 47, and many are going to be ready tore­ Whatever the inten­ Also by Jack Barnes tire in a couple of years. We gave it up as a ticms behind it, says The Working Class concession during the last contract negotia­ Trotsky, individual Cuba and the Coming and the 'lransformation tions. But now they are making megaprofits terrorism relegates American Revolution of Learning the workers to the and they can afford to give it back." Discusses the struggles in the imperialist "Until society is reorganized so that Indeed, General Dynamics is doing well. role of spectators and heartland and the example of Cuba that education is a human activity from the opens the workers Last June the Army ordered eight Wolver­ revolution is not only necessary-it can time we are very young until the time ;fle heavy assault bridge systems, at a total movement to provo­ we die, there will be no education be made. $10 (Regular $13.00) cost of $24.5 million. Earlier this year, the cation and intimida­ worthy of working, creating human­ company landed a $4 billion Army contract tion. $3.50 ity." In French, English, Icelandic, in a joint venture with General Motors to See directory on page 12 Spanish, and Swedish. $3 design a wheeled armored vehicle as a first . Continued on Page 14 . . ' · · WOrkers in Argentina·protest austerity moves- page 4 · Auto workers vote against union at Nissan in Tennessee BY ILONA GERSH to work. The plant makes almost 400,000 DETROIT-A union representation vote cars, pickups, and SUVs per year. It has for the United Auto Workers (UAW) Octo­ topped the Harbour & Associates consult­ ber 3 went down to defeat at the Nissan ing company's list of most efficient North North America plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. American assembly plants for seven straight The vote, in which almost 97 percent of the years, taking only 17.37 worker-hours to 4,765 eligible employees participated, assemble each vehicle in 2000. The com­ marked the second time in 12 years that the pany has announced plans to build a new UAW has lost a bid to represent workers at factory in Smyrna by 2003 to produce the this plant. A 1989 effort failed by a similar Maxima sedan. margin of more than two to one. The organizing drive has had a high pro­ Since 1985 Japanese automakers have file, covered by papers across the country. increased their share ofthe U.S. market from The lead editorial in the October 5 Detroit News, entitled "UAW Defeat Reveals New 19 percent to 26 percent. The nonunion Worker on auto assembly line in Detroit. Cost-cutting measures adopted by manage­ World for Labor" celebrated the union fail­ plants have helped their competitive edge ment have resulted in line speedups, more injuries, and lower medical benefits. Unio11 ure and explained why, in the editor's view, against GM, Ford, and Chrysler, all of which representation loss for UAW at Nissan was second such defeat in past 12 years. are organized by the UAW. The only for­ workers haven't been joining unions and eign-owned auto factories in the United why they shouldn't. States that are unionized are joint ventures "Factory workers today aren't so easily contracted with other companies, many un­ cars were expected to be down 10 percent with U.S. automakers, like the Toyota and persuaded that management is out to get organized. Among those who are in the to 15 percent from the previous year. Also General Motors factory in Fremont, Cali­ them. Smart manufacturers have made part­ UAW, many have substandard contracts with in August, Standard and Poors warned that fornia, (NUMMI), and the Ford and Mazda ners of their employees, working with them wages ranging from the minimum to more it might cut Ford and GM's debt ratings in factory in Flat Rock, Michigan. to improve production and then sharing the than $20 an hour. Health insurance and other October, citing its "heightened concern This is not the only organizing drive at benefits," the editorial says. "Millions of benefits vary widely. about the long-range profit potential" o+ Japanese and German-owned auto plants in working families, in fact, now own stock in The percentage of auto workers in the both carmakers. · North America that has failed. The Cana­ the very companies that the UAW is wres­ UAW is falling, too. The UAW's member­ On September 18, a highly publicized dian Auto Workers union tried unsuccess­ tling for control, further blurring the line ship includes a growing number of govern­ meeting of government, business, and union fully in July to organize the 2,400 workers between worker and management." ment, medical, school, casino, and manu­ officials took place at the General Motors at a Toyota factory in Ontario. A vote was "As long as states like Michigan remain facturing workers not in the auto industry. Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. It was held, but then never counted because the in labor's grip," predicts the editor, "manu­ According to the UAW, it organized more called by U.S. secretary of commerce Don provincial labor board ruled that the union facturing growth will occur elsewhere. than 42,000 workers in 1999, including Evans and Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, failed to get enough legitimate signatures Within three years, for example, the South­ school cafeteria workers in Puerto Rico, and included AFL-CIO president John for the vote to be held at all. A UAW orga­ em region is expected to account for 42 per­ nurses and health-care workers in Michigan Sweeney; the president of the steelwork­ nizing drive also failed at a Mercedes plant cent of domestic auto production-up from and Ohio, and casino workers in Detroit. ers', ironworkers', and carpenters' unions; in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which is a division 3 7.4 percent." Last year, the union says, it organized Stephen Yokich, president of the UAW; the of German DaimlerChrysler. Stephen The UAW's membership is 728,000, down 21,861 workers, among them health-care CEOs of Ford, GM, Chrysler, and major Yokich, the president of the UAW, sits on from 1.5 million two decades ago. This is workers in Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, auto parts suppliers; and several Michigan its board in Germany. partly the reflection of the growth of foreign Michigan. politicians. Seniority rights, retirement benefits, and auto plants, and the UAW's failure to orga­ But over the same period of time, 76,861 The UAW describes the meeting as an injuries on the job have been two of the main nize them. workers left the union, with most of the attempt "to discuss ways to bolster con­ concerns of workers at the Nissan plant. Their The two largest parts suppliers, Delphi losses coming in the auto industry as auto sumer confidence and prevent the U.S. pay is comparable to those workers who are Automotive Systems Corp. and Visteon makers and suppliers cut production work­ economy from sliding into a deep reces­ employed by Ford, General Motors, and Corp., are unionized. But only 15 percent of ers to run lean and increase profitability. sion in the wake of the September 11 at­ Chrysler, otherwise known as the Big Three. the auto parts industry workforce ar.e in the "You can'tjust call us an auto workers union tacks." Cost-cutting measures adopted by man­ union, down from 31 percent in the mid- or an aerospace workers union any longer," In a brazen show of patriotic and class agement have resulted in line speedups, as 1970s. While auto industry employment grew Yokich is quoted as saying in the UAW collaboration, Yokich announced, "We're well as more injuries and lower medical by more than 100,000 during the 1990s, the magazine last year. here to show that management and labor benefits. Workers reported during the UAW number of union members shrank by 51,000. can stand up to make America strong organizing effort that injured workers have The percentage of union jobs dropped as Bosses blame crisis on September 11 again. This isn't just about the auto indm no guarantee that they will be allowed back the Big Three shed their parts divisions and The auto industry blames the recent round try," he said. "It's about pulling together, of idled plants and layoffs on the consumer as management and labor, on behalf of all response to the September 11 attacks on the Americans. We're here to see what we can World Trade Center and Pentagon. But do, labor and management, working to­ while auto sales did drop even more in Sep­ gether." tember, the auto industry was already in The same day the defeat at Nissan in THE MILITANT trouble. Just a year ago, hundreds of thou­ Smyrna was announced, the UAW de­ sands of auto workers were laid off for pe­ clared it was going to try to organize 9,oor riods ranging from a week to a month. In workers at Honda's four Ohio plants, lo­ Resistance to employers' assaults August, Ford's chief, Jaques Nasser, an­ cated in Marysville, East Liberty, and nounced they would cut 4-5,000 white col­ Anna. The union failed in the 1980s in lar workers to put Ford at an advantage in a organizing drives there, and the Teamsters Working-class resistance to the "fiercely competitive" market. This fol­ failed in 1999. The UAW opened an of­ lowed deep cuts in the productive workforce fice in Marysville, with 25 full-time staff er.nployers'assaults,J(ror.n at the end of last year. people. garment workers in San In July, Ford increased its incentives by Francisco and state employees 51 percent from the year before, to increase Ilona Gersh is a member of United Autu in Minnesota, to school slumping sales. The company announced Workers Loca/157 at Textron Automotive that August sales of Ford-brand trucks and in Westland, Michigan. workers in Puerto Rico. The 'Militant' brings you coverage

from the front lines oj( struggle above address. By first-class (airmail), send $80. every week. The Militant Asia: send $80 drawn on a U.S. bank to above address. Vol. 65/No. 41 Canada: Send Canadian $75 for one-year Closing news date: October 17, 2001 subscription to Militant, 4613 St. Laurent, Eqitor: MARTIN KOPPEL Montreal, Quebec H2T 1R2. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Business Manager: MAURICE WILLIAMS Britain, Ireland: £36 for one year by check Editorial Staff: Roger Calero, Greg McCartan, or international money order made out to Mili­ Maggie Trowe, Jack Willey, Brian Williams, and tant Distribution, 4 7 The Cut, London, SE I 8LL, NEW READERS Maurice Williams. England. Continental Europe, Africa, Middle Young Socialists column editor: ROMINA East: £40 for one year by check or international GREEN money order made out to Militant Distribution 0 $10 for 12 issues NAME Published weekly except for one week in June, at above address. August and December. France: Send FF420 for one-year subscrip­ tion to Militant, Centre MBE 175, 23 rue The Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 410 West St., RENEWAL ADDRESS Lecourbe, 75015 Paris; cheque postale: 40 134 New York, NY 10014. Telephone: (212) 243- 34 U. 6392; Fax (212) 924-6040. Iceland: Send 6,500 Icelandic kronur for CITY STATE ZIP E-mail: [email protected] one-year subscription to Militant, P.O. Box 233, 0 $15 for 12 weeks The Militant website is: www.themilitant.com 121 Reykjavik. Sweden, Finland, Norway, Correspondence concerning subscriptions or Denmark: 550 Swedish kronor for one year. UNION/SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION PHONE changes of address should be addressed to The Pay to Militant Swedish giro no. 451-32-09-9. 0 $27 for 6 months Militant Business Office, 410 West St., New York, New Zealand: Send New Zealand $90 to P.O. CLIP AND MAIL TO THE MILITANT, NY 10014. Box 3025, Auckland, New Zealand. Australia: 410 WEST ST. NEW YORK, NY 10014. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. Send Australian $90 to P.O. Box K879, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Haymarket, NSW 1240, Australia. Pacific Is­ 0 $45 for 1 year Militant, 410 West St., New York, NY 10014. lands: Send New Zealand $90 to P.O. Box 3025, Subscriptions: United States: for one-year Auckland, New Zealand. 12 weeks of the Militant outside the U.S.: Australia and the Pacific, $A2G • Britain. £7 • Canada, Can$15 • Caribbean subscription send $45 to above address. Signed articles by contributors do not nec­ and Latin America, $15 • Europe, Africa. and the Middle East. £8 • France. FFSO • Iceland, Kr1.800 • New Zealand, Latin America, Caribbean: for one-year sub­ essarily represent the Militant's views. These NZ$20 • Sweden, Kr75 {Send payment to addresses listed in business information box) scription send $65, drawn on a U.S. bank, to are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant October 29, 2001 Socialist candidates speak out in New York BY MAGGIE TROWE stan," Koppel said, "including by using clus­ NEW YORK-Martin Koppel, Socialist ter bombs that are designed to inflict the Workers candidate for mayor of New York maximum damage to human beings and the City, spoke at a lively meeting here Octo­ minimum damage to property. The Social­ ber 12 titled "End Imperialism's Afghan ist Workers campaign demands that Wash­ War; Stop the Assault on Workers' Rights." ington stop the bombing and get out of Cen­ Twenty-six people attended. tralAsia and the Mideast," Koppel said. "We Applauding the efforts of Chinese-born demand the rulers stop the attacks on work­ garment workers in San Francisco, whore­ ers rights at home as well. cently organized protests to demand "We're not alone in calling for an end to $850,000 in back pay from bosses who shut the U.S. invasion," he continued. "This week down the Wins of California plant, Koppel there were protests in Pakistan, the Philip­ pointed out that the employing class in the pines, India, and Brazil." United States has a long history of being The imperial arrogance of the Bush ad­ challenged by Chinese workers who resist ministration, which called the war drive a oppression and exploitation, dating back to "crusade" against "evil" and initially named the Boxer. Rebellion a century ago and the it Operation "Infinite Justice," is a continu­ Chinese Revolution in 1949. ation of the arrogance of the administration "These workers haven't panicked and of former president William Clinton, who bought gas masks" against supposed terror­ spoke of the United States as the "one in­ ist attacks, Koppel said. "They are too busy dispensable nation" in the world, Koppel ex­ defending their rights." plained. "The class struggle hasn't gone away," the "The rulers want us to ask, 'What are we mayoral candidate said, in spite of efforts going to do?'" Koppel continued. "But the JY the bosses to convince workers to subor­ 'we' that is the working class has nothing ..... : . . ·. ~- ... dinate their own struggles to the imperialist in common with the handful of billionaire Militant/Dan Fein war drive against the people ofAfghanistan. families who rule this country, and every­ Socialist Workers candidates Martin Koppel, left, and Douglas Nelson, right, talk with "Struggles like these are the biggest obstacle thing in common with workers in Afghani­ working people and youth in New York City. to the attacks on workers at home and abroad stan and Pakistan. That is the real 'we,"' he being carried out by the wealthy rulers of said, "and as long as imperialism continues every car and van that went through the ests of working people, Koppel explained, this country." to exist, this system will be a death trap for Queens-Midtown tunnel." was when the Communist International, led Koppel also expressed support for the workers in the imperialist countries." "What is the purpose of all these moves to by Russian revolutionary leader V.I. Lenin, 22,000 striking Minnesota state employees Koppel described Washington's admon­ beef up the cops and increase the militariza­ reached out to the peoples of Central Asia who stood up to Governor Jesse Ventura's ishments to the U.S. press not to publicize tion of the country?" Koppel asked. "It's the and the Mideast to attend conferences such use of National Guardsmen to do struck statements by Osama bin Laden, leader of rulers' anticipation ofcoming battles that will as the multilingual conference in Baku, work, and the coal miners in Alabama­ the Afghanistan-based Al Qaeda organiza­ erupt out of the growing resistance by work­ Azerbaijan, in 1920. "Revolutionary members of the United Mine Workers of tion, who has been blamed by the U.S. gov­ ing people to the bosses' antilabor offensive." leaderships like that in Cuba have used ev­ America-who recently called a one-day ernment for the suicide bombings of the During the discussion period following ery opportunity to get a platform for their "Memorial Day" work stoppage in response World Trade Center and the Pentagon Sep­ Koppel's talk, one participant in the meet­ anti-imperialist views." to the death of 13 miners in an explosion in tember 11. "This is not a message of a crazed ing questioned "whether the United Nations Koppel agreed with the questioner, who 1 mine owned by Jim Walter Resources Inc. fanatic," Koppel stated. "There is political is a viable option" as a forum for revolu­ had pointed out that the 15th World Festival Koppel, 44, is editor of the Militant and content in it and that's why it's a problem tionary-minded workers to oppose the im­ of Youth and Students, held in August in Perspectiva Mundial. for the U.S. rulers. That's why they suppress perialist assault, and asked, "how is it pos­ Algeria and attended by 6,500 anti-imperi­ Douglas Nelson, 26, who is the Socialist it." sible for the working class to raise its voice?" alist youth from around the world, registered Workers candidate for city council in Dis­ The employers and their government are Koppel responded, "There is no such the beginning of the possibility of rebuild­ trict 3 in the heart of Manhattan's garment using the September II attack as a pretext thing as 'the United Nations,' it's just a ing a revolutionary international. district, chaired the meeting. Nelson invited to accelerate attacks on workers' rights, building. Governments that represent classes Koppel concluded his remarks by reading participants to join in the campaign ofKoppel Koppel explained, citing the new legislation use the UN to act in their interests. At best from a statement made by Cuban revolution­ 'lnd himself as well as William Estrada, run­ permitting more extensive wiretapping by the UN is an arena for revolutionary forces ary leader Jose Marti in 1883 in solidarity ning for city council in District I 0 in the police and the extension of"preventive de­ to present a real explanation of the class with the rebellion of the Sepoy, Indians in Washington Heights area of Manhattan, and tention" of immigrants accused of crimes. struggle, as Cuban leaders Fidel Castro and the British colonial army, the Irish toilers who Olympia Newton, running in District 38 in "Here in New York," he pointed out, the rul­ Che Guevara and others have done." The fought British military assault, as well as the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn. ers "are deploying the National Guard at last tirpe there was a real international po­ "selfless Arabs who, undaunted by defeat or "Washington is raining death on Afghani- Penn Station and yesterday they searched litical organization that acted in the inter- intimidated by numbers, defend their home­ land with faith in Allah, a lance in each hand and a pistol between their teeth." In days leading up to the meeting, Koppel Dockworkers fight to defend 'Charleston 5' was interviewed by a New York University BY NAOMI CRAINE 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and phone interview. Riley said there was a journalism student and campaigned in the CHARLOTTE, North Carolina-South Pentagon. "I'm against forcing people to "good showing" of union members at the Garment District at the door to a building Carolina attorney general Charles Condon join unions in order to get a job," Condon October II preliminary hearing before Cir­ that houses union and nonunion sewing announced October I 0 that he was transfer­ said on a TV show. "And so this whole idea cuit Judge Victor Raw!. Now the new pros­ shops. Nelson also campaigned in the Gar­ ring the prosecution of the "Charleston Five" of ends justifying the means, as we know ecutor will have two weeks to prepare a list ment District and among taxi drivers refu­ from his office to a solicitor in Dorchester these terrorists killed so many people, that's of the particulars detailing the actions the eling at a gas station. The drivers, mostly County, just west of Charleston. This deci­ exactly their argument." Charleston Five are actually accused of. immigrants from South and Central Asia and sion by the notoriously antiunion politician This statement was just "the latest out­ When this list is presented to Rawl, he will West Africa, gave Nelson and his support­ registers the growing impact of the national rage," said Leonard Riley, a member of the have the option to dismiss the case entirely, ers a warm response, and five bought cop­ and international campaign in defense of the executive board of ILA Local 1422 in a or move toward a trial. ies of the Militant. five union dockworkers, who are facing frame-up "riot" charges. In addition, union officials say the house arrest of the five workers has been lifted. Meeting to honor life of Priscilla Schenk The Charleston Five are members of the ~nternational Longshoremen's Association BY GREG McCARTAN On Jan. 18, 1991, two days after Wash­ (ILA) in Charleston, South Carolina. Their A meeting to celebrate ilie life and work ington began its six-week bombing cam­ case stems from a January 2000 assault by of Priscilla Schenk, who over the course of paign against the Iraqi people, she and an­ 600 cops against a union picket line. None three decades unstintingly turned her ener­ other co-worker were called into company of the police who rioted against the long­ gies and talents to building the communist offices where two agents from the U.S. Se­ shoremen has ever been chargedwith a crime. movement, will be held October 28 in New cret Service and the Iowa Bureau of Crimi­ A local judge dismissed trespassing York. Schenk died at the University of Pitts­ nal Investigations tried to interrogate them. charges that were initially filed against eight burgh Medical Center October 16 after a long Schenk and her co-worker refused to sub­ mionists. Then Attorney General Condon battle against a degenerative liver disease. mit to the questioning, standing up to in­ convened a grand jury and secured felony Born into a farm family in southern Indi­ timidation by the cops who told them, riot and assault charges against five of the ana in 1949, Schenk joined the Young So­ "You're not going anywhere." workers, with penalties of up to five or I 0 cialist Alliance, the forerunner of today's Schenk used her industrial skills and po­ years in prison. The Charleston Five, as they Young Socialists, in the early 1970s and the litical capacities as a volunteer in the Path­ have become known, had been subjected to Socialist Workers Party several years later. finder printshop for five years, running print­ 7:00p.m. to 7:00a.m. house arrest and other Schenk was the party's candidate for Con­ ing equipment and serving as a bookkeeper. draconian restrictions for nearly two years. gress in Colorado in 1976, where she had She took on leadership responsibility for Condon relinquished the prosecution of moved to build the YSA and party in the party branches, serving on branch execu­ the case the day before a court hearing on midst of the struggle for Chicano liberation tive committees and as branch organizer. motions filed by the unionists' lawyers ask­ and for bilingual education, as well as the Schenk helped to lead several major party ing that the attorney general be disqualified nationwide fight to defend school desegre­ defense efforts, including the fight to stop Priscilla Schenk from the case. They pointed to a number of gation and busing. the U.S. government from deporting Hec- inflammatory statements by Condon, such Schenk held a number of industrial jobs, tor Marroquin, a party member who came the Columbia University campus. It is spon- as an ad last year supporting George Bush's working together with other party members to the United States following student pro- sored by the New York and Newark branches presidential campaign in which he stated, to join proletarian struggles and discuss so­ tests he participated in that were brutally of the Socialist Workers Party. "The Charleston union riot reminds us why cialism with co-workers. As a sewing ma­ suppressed by the Mexican government. She There will be a reception at I :00 p.m. South Carolina is a right-to-work state." chine operator in Newark in 1984, Schenk was also a leader of the Mark Curtis De- followed by the meeting at 2:00 p.m. Mes- More recently, Condon attempted to was the Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. fense Committee in Des Moines, which sages honoring Priscilla Schenk's contribu- equate the supposed riot to the September Senate. While working at an auto parts plant fought against a frame-up of Curtis, a meat tions to building the communist movement in Des Moines, Iowa, she campaigned against packer and SWP member who was active can be sent to the Newark Socialist Work- imperialism and its war against the people of Wll'htor•Pa!tltfhador in struggles of working people in the area. ers Party at Riverfront Plaza, P.O. Box ...... ~ 410 ...... Iraq in 1990-91. She was well known for her The October 28 meeting will be held at 200117, Newark, New Jersey, 07102-0302; ~,._, tiY , .., •.. socialist views among co-workers and ran for theDagHammarskjoldRoom,6thFloor,at by fax: 973-643-3342; or e-mail: school board in the midst of the war. 420 West I 18th St. at Amsterdam Ave., on [email protected]. October 29, 2001 The Militant 3 State employees in Argentina protest austerity measures BY PATRICK O'NEILL tion of incentive pay. In Tucuman, teachers State employees, from teachers to road reported that they have been paid in vouch­ maintenance workers, have been in the front ers and food baskets. lines of recent resistance by workers and Failure to receive wages prompted teach­ farmers in Argentina to the austerity program ers in Jujuy to stage a nine-day strike. The of the government of Fernando de Ia Rua. government announced that it would com­ The deep anger among working people, and mence payment on October 6. the spreading impact of the country's three­ At the beginning of October small to­ year economic recession, were registered in bacco growers in Santa Rosa blocked ana­ elections for a wide range of national and tional highway, demanding payment of gov­ provincial positions, held on October 14. ernment funds owed to them. Hospital work­ Struggles against layoffs and privatization ers in Entre Rios were among the other of state-run industries and services under­ working people who took action in the first taken by the previous government of Carlos week of October. Menem, and since 1999 by de Ia Rua 's ad­ ministration, show no sign of abating. The 'Workers turn angrily on us' current administration's imposition of state These popular mobilizations increase Roadblock set up by unemployed workers in Picun Leufti in Neuquen province in salary and pension cuts of up to 13 percent, pressure on provincial governments, which southern Argentina. Sign reads: "They will not pass," and "Picun is alive because of its under the "zero deficit" plan drawn up in depend upon the federal administration for people." Workers and farmers in many provinces have been involved in protests against August by Economy Minister Domingo their budgets. BuenosAires governor Carlos rising unemployment and government moves to privatize state-run industries. Cavallo, was greeted by a national strike and Ruckauf, a member of the opposition a multitude of protests. Actions since then, Peronist party, stated on September 14 that especially in the devastated provinces, have "as far as the government is concerned, my most 6 percent in August, compared with the spicuously in the run-up to the October 12 often involved whole communities hit by only worry is that it abide by its duty to pay same month in 2000. Construction activity vote. Candidates from one capitalist coali wage cuts, closures, and layoffs. provinces their share of tax revenue. fell by more than 11 percent in the corre­ tion partner, FREPASO, attacked his aus­ On October 12, "a day after candidates "Each time it does not send us the funds," sponding month. September tax revenues terity policies and largely withdrew their closed their campaigns, protests over the continued Ruckauf, "we [the provinces] face came in at 14 percent below last year's take. support, according to the Wall Street Jour­ worsening economy flared," reported the problems since we are not able to make on­ The crisis has spread beyond the work­ nal. Politicians from de Ia Rua's own Radi­ Associated Press. Youths "led some 200 time payments to our suppliers, workers, ers and poor farmers whom it has affected cal Civic Union (UCR) criticized him for unemployed workers and their families in a pensioners, and teachers, who tum angrily first and most deeply. "Money is so hard to sticking with Cavallo. demonstration Friday outside Argentina's against us." find that nearly half a million people buy In the October 14 elections for all Senate labor ministry in Buenos Aires. Disenchant­ food and clothes in barter clubs," reported places and half the seats in the House o" ment over high unemployment has made Deepening economic recession the September 20 New York Times. A com­ Deputies, the ruling coalition lost heavily such protests nearly daily occurrences," con­ The economy's continuing slide and the pany manager told the reporter, "Forget va­ to the Peronist opposition, who had been tinued the wire service. government's continuing efforts to impose cations, or a new car. Forget remodeling the defeated by de la Rua in the presidential race A week earlier, state employees, includ­ new cutbacks have fueled the protests. The house. Forget middle class life as we knew two years ago. Under the leadership of ing teachers, doctors, and road repair work­ recession is growing deeper, exacerbated by it." former Buenos Aires mayor Eduardo ers, organized actions in Jujuy, Formosa, and a slowdown in growth in the United States, The big-business press in this country Duhalde, the Peronists retained their major­ Chaco to demand the payment of back Japan, and Europe-the sources of much of echoes the continuing concern of imperial­ ity in the Senate and eclipsed the governing wages. In the northern province of Jujuy, Argentina's investment, and the destinations ist investors and governments that the gov­ coalition as the leading party in the 257- workers, both employed and unemployed, for many of its agricultural and industrial ernment will default on the interest pay­ member House ofDeputies, gaining 14 seats Jed by the Class War Current union forma­ exports. Argentina is one ofLatinAmerica's ments owed on its massive $130 billion for­ while the ruling coalition lost 11. tion, marched to the government house and more developed and industrialized coun­ eign debt. The $8 billion disbursed in Au­ In a sign of the polarization stoked by the court buildings. There they were blocked by tries, but it remains a semicolony, dominated gust by the IMF in response to the zero defi­ extensive social and economic crisis, 100 infantrymen and police on horseback. by the imperialist powers-above all by the cit plan has not allayed their fears. owner-drivers in Jujuy blocked access to La Teachers organized in the Argentine Con­ United States. Faced with this widespread turmoil on the Quiaca on October 3 in opposition to an federation of Educators held a national strike Official unemployment now stands at more one hand, and the insistent demands of the eight-day protest by teachers and unem­ October 4 to protest delays in the distribu- than 16 percent. In some regions it is much imperialists on the other, the fault lines in ployed workers at the border crossing to higher. Industrial production plummeted al- de Ia Rua's administration deepened con- Bolivia. Employers 'using attacks to shed State employees return to work in Minnesota BY KAREN RAY demonstrate solidarity with the strikers. The state workers stood up to an antiunion unwanted staff' ST. PAUL, Minnesota-State employees Cindy, a clerical worker in St. Paul, said, campaign in the press that sought to utilize returned to their jobs here after union offi­ "We are not intimidated by the governor's Washington's war to undercut the walkout The following article, "Employers 'us­ cials announced on October 14 a tentative rough talk, we are going to stay out until An October 9 St. Paul Pioneer Press edito­ ing attack to shed unwanted staff,"' ap­ settlement in the walkout that had shut down we get what is coming to us." Thomas rial entitled, "State, unions have duty to peared in the October 12 issue of the In­ most government services from the begin­ Anderson, another striker, said, "Our beef reach accord quickly," opined that "with dependent, a newspaper in the United ning of the month. is not with the National Guardsmen, but their American military forces striking enemies Kingdom. Some 23,000 members of the American boss, who is also our boss. He thinks he can half way around the world ... it is time for Federation of State, County and Municipal scare us into saying 'yes,' and that there is state officials and public employees to re­ BY ANDREW GUMBEL Employees (AFSCME) and the Minnesota no money." Gov. Jesse Ventura called up solve their differences and get the state Rhina and Cesar Perez were never the Association of Professional Employees some 1,000 National Guard troops to serve workers back on the job." favourite employees of the Century Plaza (MAPE) waged a solid two-week strike for as replacement workers in hospitals and Sue, a striker a Northdale Community Hotel in Los Angeles. Aside from their a pay raise after years of concessions and nursing homes. College, said the union members have not housekeeping duties, the husband and wife against moves by the government to impose Ventura repeatedly claimed that meeting had a wage increase for the last several con­ team were also active in a campaign to higher health-care costs on workers. the strikers' wage and health benefit de­ tracts. "Now is the time to strike if that is unionise low-wage service workers, some­ In the tentative two-year accord, the state mands would necessitate layoffs or a tax what it takes to get what we deserve," she thing that may well have been their undo­ agreed to pay raises of 3.5 percent a year increase. "I've already said I won't raise said, echoing a common theme on the picket ing. for AFSCME members and 3 percent a year taxes, so I will cut government," he told lines. Within hours of the 11 September attacks, for MAPE members, slightly higher than the Minnesota Public Radio. The two striking both were told their jobs had been cancelled. government's offers prior to the strike. The unions were demanding a 5 percent raise Francisco Picado contributed to this article "They told us all their convention business increases would be backdated to July 1. The each year to pay for the new insurance ex­ had dried up," Mr Perez said. union reports that health-care benefits are penses that are being shifted onto them. A Across the hospitality industry, anywhere improved. Full details of the proposed settle­ fac( sheet from AFSCME points out that REVOLUTION between one and three million people are ment have not been released. state employee salaries amount to less than estimated to have lost their jobs. Even those Up until the announcement of the accord, 5 percent of the total state budget. in the who are still nominally working have had the striking state workers continued to staff Tran Nguyen, a janitor, explained that he their hours cut from a full 40 hours to the picket lines in front of state facilities and to cannot make it on his $1 0-an-hour state job CONGO equivalent of just two or three days a week. win support for their job action by organiz­ alone. "I have to work a second job during Most are either immigrants with limited ing periodic rallies. the day," he said. "I work from seven in the By Dick Roberts prospects for finding other jobs, or former Rallies were held October 10 across the morning until three in the afternoon [at a Describes the struggle against Belgian welfare recipients who cannot go back to state, including in St. Paul, Duluth, and garment shop] and then start work at the the old regime of state subsistence because Brainard. AFSCME International union school at four and work until midnight ev­ colonial rule, the 1960 independence it has been abolished. president Gerry McEntee andAFL-CIO sec­ ery day." victory of the Congolese workers. and These are the makings of a major social retary treasurer William Lucy were among National Guard troops were used as re­ farmers under the leadership of Patrice and economic crisis. What both unions and the speakers at the 2,000-strong St. Paul placement workers at the state-operated vet­ Lumumba, the role, under UN cover, respected economic number crunchers are rally. TheAFSCME international union do­ erans home in Minneapolis. A group of three of Washington and other imperialist beginning to suspect, however. is that 11 nated $100,000 to the strikers at the event. meatpacking workers went to visit the picket powers in the overthrow and assassi­ September was not the inevitable trigger for The Carpenters Union brought a trailer line there to offer solidarity. AI, who works nation of Lumumba, and the continu­ lay-offs so much as a pretext to shed work­ to the rally, while Teamster members honked as a nurse's aid, said he was not afraid of ing freedom struggles there in the ers that employers had been itching to get being replaced or laid off. "We are together," the horns oftheir big rigs. Contingents from early 1960s. rid of anyway. the International Association of Machinists, he said. "They have already cut our staff to The airline and the hotel industries were Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employ­ the minimum. We have a high turnover like Available from bookstores, includ­ both hurting because of the slide in eco­ ees Local 17, and United Food and Com­ in your industry. My job is hard, not every­ ing those listed on page 12. nomic fortunes that began last year. mercial Workers Local 789 participated to one is cut out for it." 4 The Militant October 29, 2001 'Militant' sells well at London demonstration

BY MARTIN KOPPEL attacks on workers' rights." The Militant is reprinting this positive reaction at the entrance to the Swift meatpacking Supporters of the Militant were among the 20,000 people as a separate tabloid supplement, with a $1 cover price, plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, selling six copies of PM and demonstrating in London October 13 to demand, "Stop and shipping large bundles to all distributors, who will sell two of the Militant. the War"~an action that drew significant numbers of youth, it widely and aggressively over the coming weeks. At a "Stop the bombing" rally at the State University of including many of Asian background, who chanted slo­ Results from the past week~a target week of stepped-up New York in Stony Brook, Long Island, organized by the gans against the Anglo-American assault on Afghanistan. efforts in the subscription drive~underscore the challenge Black student and Muslim student organizations and other They sold almost 120 copies of the Militant to the recep­ that is posed now, three weeks into the eight-week drive. groups, the Socialist Workers candidate for New York tive crowd, as well as two subscriptions to the Militant and Out of an overall goal of 1,100 Militant and 500 PM mayor, Martin Koppel, spoke on the invitation of the orga­ two to the Spanish-language Perspectiva Mundial. In ad­ subscriptions and 700 copies of New International, sup­ nizers. The socialist message received an enthusiastic re­ dition, demonstrators bought $200 worth of Pathfinder porters of the socialist press have sold 284 Militant and sponse from many youth, and four purchased Militant sub­ books and pamphlets. 112 Perspectiva Mundial subscriptions, as well as 144 cop­ scriptions. These results are typical of the excellent response the ies of New International. We are at 26 percent and should communist publications are receiving in factories, on col- be at 37 percent of the international Militant goal. Pathfinder sales campaign The challenge is the political work needed to tap the Socialists have simultaneously launched a campaign to excellent response reflected in sell $500,000 worth of Pathfinder books and pamphlets be­ large sales of single copies of the tween January of this year and June of next. Pathfinder cam­ two revolutionary publications, paigners in local areas are adopting goals for this campaign, in order to convince readers to which will mean in increase in sales of roughly 30 percent get 12 weeks of the Militant or over recent months. The campaign aims to take advantage four months of Perspectiva of the noticeably increased opportunities to get revolution­ Mundial. ary literature into the hands of working people and youth. In Brooklyn, Militant sup­ Supporters of Pathfinder in Tampa, Florida, report that porters organized a concerted after several months without systematic Pathfinder book sales effort for the target week sales, they have begun to tum the situation around in re­ and gained 13 subscriptions, al­ sponse to the imperialist war drive. Halfway into October lowing them to catch up consid­ they had sold $182 in revolutionary books and pamphlets. erably. One industrial worker They have promoted books on the job, at campus tables, at took a day off her job to anchor a "no war" rally in St. Petersburg, and at a weekly class an all-day team at Brooklyn series on New International no. 7. College. She was joined by several other socialists as they came off night shift in the morning or got out Militant/Perspectiva Mundial Militant/upper Chris Hoeppner, of work in the afternoon. Ilona Gersh, above: Eva Braiman subscription campaign--week 3 Socialist workers in Upper left, selling the Militant at Shoal Sept. 22-Nov. 18 Creek mine in Alabama. Lower left, Omaha, Nebraska, re­ Osborne Hart, SWP candidate for ported another example of mayor of Detroit, at a communist litera­ the welcome the revolu­ ture table in Cincinnati. Above, Natalie tionary press is getting. Militant PM Nl "Today we had an excel­ Corvington introducing fellow students Country Goal Sold % Goal Sold Goal Sold at Ohio State University to the Young lent day in the workers dis­ trict where we normally set Sweden 18 9 50% 4 1 12 6 Socialists. up Pathfinder literature United Kingdom 35 12 34% 10 3 10 tables. In the morning we staffed the table and in the Australia 16 5 31% 3 16 5 lege campuses, at plant gates, on street comers, and at afternoon did sales door-to-door," begins their report. Canada political actions. Reports from around the world indicate "A number of co-workers stopped by to talk to us, lay­ Vancouver 15 5 33% 2 3 20 4 that many working people and youth who are involved in ing the groundwork to secure a PM sub this week on Toronto 17 4 24% 5 17 3 the raging debates around the imperialist war in South­ the job. We also sold a PM sub to a meat packer who is Montreal 12 4 33% 5 2 20 5 west Asia are finding in the Militant and Perspectiva part of the area organizing drive, and sold a package Canada total 44 13 30% 12 5 57 12 Mundial~often for the first time~a clear working-class of the New International no. 10, with "Imperialism's United States point of view and truthful reporting. March Toward Fascism and War," and a Militant sub Tucson 7 4 57% 6 Militant and PM supporters in several cities this past to a worker who is trying to understand the roots of Des Moines 30 16 53% 20 8 15 6 week called to order extra bundles, explaining that they fascism." St. Paul 35 17 49% 20 19 30 4 had underestimated the response and have been selling out Socialist meat packer Edwin Fruit reports from Des San Francisco 50 24 48% 25 10 50 halfway through the week. Moines that Militant supporters took part in a rally Detroit 35 14 40% 10 1 30 5 Supporters have found particular interest in the October of 60 people against the U.S.-led war on Afghani­ Boston 27 10 37% 11 1 22 Militant, which includes a specialfnternational Social­ stan. One youth purchased a Militant subscription, Houston 30 11 37% 15 3 45 ist Review supplement entitled "Communists and the and another a PM sub. A copy of New International Seattle 25 9 36% 10 2 25 8 Cleveland 25 8 32% 4 3 struggle against imperialism today: New York meeting dis­ No. 7, entitled "The Opening Guns ofWorld War III," cusses political questions posed by Washington's war and Chicago 45 14 31% 30 3 35 6 was also sold. The same day they encountered a very Atlanta 36 11 31% 15 2 35 7 Miami 20 6 30% 20 2 25 Western Colorado 30 9 30% 8 15 3 Brooklyn 60 17 28% 30 13 70 15 Workers shut down universities in Puerto Rico Los Angeles 50 12 24% 30 25 8 Philadelphia 25 6 24% 10 3 BY RON RICHARDS Newark 45 9 20% 30 3 3 SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico~All campuses NY Garment Dist. 100 20 20% 50 5 55 13 of the University of Puerto Rico have been Upper Manhattan 65 12 18% 50 15 40 6 closed since October 9 by a strike of secre­ Omaha 11 2 18% 15 2 10 6 tarial, administrative, and technical work­ Birmingham 20 2 10% 3 3 ers. The central issue in the strike is the de­ Tampa 12 1 8% 5 7 mand by the administration to scale back Allentown 25 2 8% 5 10 an early retirement plan negotiated in the Washington 25 2 8% 20 2 previous contract. Some 69,000 students are Charlotte 16 6% 6 25 4 affected by the strike. Pittsburgh 40 2 5% 5 25 4 The 5,000 members of the Brotherhood U.S. total 889 241 27% 448 103 571 107 of Non-Teaching Personnel (HEEND) set Iceland 8 2 25% 2 up pickets at all 11 campuses ofthe Univer­ New Zealand sity of Puerto Rico (UPR) as well as at the Auckland 10 10% 8 3 university's central offices and a number of Christchurch 7 14% 3 1 smaller agricultural experimental stations. N.Z. total 17 2 12% 2 0 11 4 Students and teachers have joined the picket lnt'l totals 1027 284 26% 481 112 667 144 lines in solidarity, and a photograph of mem­ Goal/Should be 1100 411 37% 500 186 bers of the Federation of Pro-Independence Militant/Ron Richards University Students (FUPI) joining the Sonia Reyes, president of HEEND, talks to reporters October 13. IN THE UNIONS picket line was featured in a newspaper here. Students and teachers have joined the picket lines in solidarity. Militant PM Pamp The workers who maintain the facilities are Goal Sold % Goal Sold Goal Sold in a different union. Australia front of the normally busy gates to block vehicular AM lEU 3 33% 3 The current contract states that after working for 30 years access.A small camp had been set up to make the strik­ MUA 2 0% 5 3 a person is entitled to retire whether or not they have reached ers comfortable for the long haul. retirement age. Currently 160 people among all university Many strikers are veterans of the 1998 general Total 5 20% employees qualify for early retirement. The university strike against the government sale of the telephone Canada wants to limit early retirements to 75 people a year. company and of the struggle to remove the U.S. UFCW 10 3 30% 2 0 15 9 For the first five days of the strike the union allowed Navy from Vieques. One woman wore a hat that UNITE 5 0% 2 3 only a few people onto campuses, including employees of read, "No Navy," and a man sported aT-shirt read­ Total 15 3 20% 4 18 9 the seismic network and people in charge of animals and ing "Puerto Rico: NoSe Vende" (Puerto Rico is not United States plants used in scientific investigations. When negotiations for sale). Many strikers had on HEEND T-shirts. UAW 5 3 4 broke down October 13, union president Sonia Reyes an­ Others wore shirts and hats depicting Cuban revo­ UMWA 20 5% 2 15 nounced the closure of the campuses. lutionary Emesto Che Guevara or denoting other UFCW 57 11 19% 55 21 71 20 The vast majority of teachers and students are not trying struggles. UNITE 35 0% 35 to enter the campuses, with the exception of some profes­ HEEND Secretary for Information and Propaganda Total 112 12 11% 92 21 86 20 sors in the medical sciences departments, who are orga­ Ileana Desiderio told the Militant that women form New Zealand nizing to give classes off-campus. more than 50 percent of the union's membership. He NDU 2 0 0% 1 Crews of up to 40 pickets were stationed at the entrances emphasized that the union is in favor of the early re­ MWU 2 0 0% 2 to the flagship campus in the Rio Piedras section of San tirement provision covering all employees of the uni­ Total 4 0 0% 3 0 Juan, Saturday October 13. Strikers had parked their cars in versity, not just the members ofthe HEEND. October 29, 2001 The Militant 5 Pakistanis oppose 'Imperialism is a U.S.-British war cancer in the world' Continued from front page used for offensive action in Afghanistan. express their opposition to Washington's The U.S. ground troops are the first to be assault on Afghanistan. A day earlier, more deployed on the territory of the former So­ than 20,000 people marched through the viet Union. streets of Karachi in one of the largest pro­ The Arabic-language TV station AI tests there in years. Tens of thousands dem­ Jazeera reported that the air attacks have onstrated in Quetta as well. knocked out electricity and water in Kabul. The protesters have had to confront a One of the two international telephone ex­ heavy police presence. Reuters reports that changes in Afghanistan's capital city was on October 15 in Jacobabad in southern also destroyed, cutting off phone service Sindh province "Pakistani police detained abroad. A bomb crashed into a clearly at least 100 workers of pro-Tali ban Islamic marked Red Cross compound in Kabul Oc­ groups in raids on houses." tober 16, injuring a guard and setting two That same day three leaders of Pakistan's warehouses afire. Blankets, tents, medicines, electricity workers were arrested in a raid and shipments of wheat all went up in by police and agents of the Federal Investi­ smoke. Three days earlier a 2,000 pound gation Agency (FIA). The cops also broke "smart" bomb slammed into a residential windows and doors at the headquarters of neighborhood a mile away from the airport the Labour Union at the power utility in in Kabul. Gujrat. Some 300 trade unions and other U.S. aircraft have been dropping 5,000- organizations have condemned the arrests pound bunker-busting bombs, as well as and called for more protest strikes October bombs designed to burrow into the ground 16. The following day the three workers before exploding, and anti-personnel clus­ were released. ter bombs that specifically target people. B- Into its second week, Washington ex­ 1 and B-52 long-range bombers, as well as panded its bombardment ofAfghanistan into F-18s and F-14s stationed on aircraft carri­ a round-the-clock operation starting Octo­ ers in nearby waters, have all been carrying ber 15, with a particular focus on Kabul and out this aerial assault. The Afghanistan gov­ Kandahar, two of the country's major cit­ ernment reports that after the first week of LONDON-Some 30,000 protesters rallied in Trafalgar Square here October 13 ies. The low-flyingAC-130 gunship with its bombardment more than 300 people, many against the U.S.-British war in Afghanistan. Thousands of Muslim youth arrived early powerful cannons was utilized for a closer­ of them civilians, have been killed. range pounding of targets on the ground. Also now falling from B-52s over the and took over the square, climbing on the lions in total defiance of police regulations and chanting, "Allah Akbar!" Fifty U.S. warplanes flew more than 100 skies ofAfghanistan in the northwestern and sorties on October 16 alone, reports CNN. southeastern regions of the country are Originally called by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament prior to the war as a nearly 400,000 slips of paper the size of a protest against the militarization of space, the action was renamed "Stop the War," but 'Fire at will' and 'kill boxes' dollar bill with a message aimed at convinc­ became much more than planned. Young people, many from the Asian subcontinent, mobilized for the action through colleges and mosques. "For the first time" reports the New York ing Afghanis that the current air assault and Dozens of Asian youth gathered next to the speaking platform, chanting "Down Times, pilots can "choose their own targets coming ground invasion is being done in and fire at will." They have focused on spe­ their best interests. The leaflets, in English Down USA" and "Allah Akhbar," including during a minute of silence at the start of cific zones of aerial attack, described as "kill as well as a version with the local languages the rally, much to the annoyance of the organizers. They displayed banners including "Long Live Afghanistan," and "Now who are the terrorists?" boxes," where U.S. pilots and gunners "are in both Pashto and Dari, state, "The part­ A young Iraqi woman, Shaek Sabah, explained to the Militant she was on the march authorized to fire at any military target that nership of nations is here to assist the people because she is "against American foreign policy and double standards. They've been moves." of Afghanistan." The high firepower AC-130s are usually Commenting on this operation on the planning this for a long time. Their main target is the Middle East and Islam. It's used to support ground forces, though the heaviest day of bombardment by U.S. war­ about profit too." Her sister Rawnak added, "Imperialism is the one that starts all war, it is a cancer in the world." Pentagon refused to admit or deny whether planes, Secretary of Defense Donald U.S. special forces were involved in the Rumsfeld hypocritically asserted, "We're Charlotte Monroe, a hospital worker from London, s

Continued from front page Federal law protects the privacy of stu­ would actually benefit from a national ID dent records, which can only be released card that could demonstrate their status with student consent. However, the law to government officials," he said. "Finally, contains exceptions, including a "health there is the question of the right to ano­ and safety emergency" provision that De­ nymity. I don't believe we can afford to partment of Education officials claim ap­ recognize such a right in this age of ter­ plies in the current situation. rorism." The Coast Guard reported that it is con­ After several weeks of debate, the Sen­ ducting its largest port defense operation ate and the House of Representatives since World War II, involving 72 special passed similar bills drafted by the Justice security zones in ports, waterways, and Department giving cops and the secret po­ along the U.S. coastline. Commercial ves­ lice wider latitude to spy on and arrest sels face random searches. people. In granting the government broad Amtrak has barred passengers from pur­ new powers, the bills build on a range of chasing tickets on board trains in the North­ measures implemented during the eight east Corridor and now requires passengers years of the Clinton administration, includ­ to show photo identification before buy­ ing the 1996 Economic Espionage Act, the ing tickets. 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death On October 9, New York governor Penalty Act, the 1994 Crime Bill, and the George Pataki posted National Guard 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Im­ troops in New York's Grand Central Ter­ migrant Responsibility Act. minal and in Pennsylvania Station. Motor­ ists entering and leaving Manhattan are Detention without charges subject to routine searches of their vehicles. Dubbed the "PatriotAct" in the House and the "U.S.A Act" in the Senate, the bills take Trampling on rights aim at a number of hard-won rights. They Stories of workers who have had their allow police agencies to detain non-citizens rights trampled on have surfaced in the big­ :' ~: ,,. for up to seven days without charges.Accord­ business press. Kenneth Ranger, Jr., a 23- ing to Timothy Edgar of the American Civil year-old who allegedly discharged a liq­ ~""'·'"" : Liberties Union, their wording leaves open uid spray bottle when a cop asked him for Cops agents surround Kenneth Ranger in Washington after Ranger alleg- the possibility of the indefinite detention of identification in the Washington subway, edly sprayed a substance--Resolve carpet cleaner--at a cop who harassed him. anyone certified as a terrorist suspect even if was assaulted by police with batons and he or she is not charged. pepper spray. State and county health offi­ unknown number of people are being held tainees, they managed to get their story out. The measures also give the secret police cials, FBI agents and state, county, and on circumstantial evidence and detained for Their lawyer, Steven Gordon, said the new powers to monitor e-mail, wiretap transit police then quarantined the Metro a week or longer without legal representa­ youth were blindfolded during interroga­ multiple phones under a single warrant, and station, and stripped Ranger along with 15 tion or permission to contact family mem­ tions, handcuffed in confinement, and allow information obtained by grand juries cops and Metro workers. Men in chemical bers. Two lawyers for men being held in forced to take polygraph tests. They were to be turned over to government spy agen­ suits hosed them down with a bleach solu­ solitary confinement in Manhattan's Met­ told that if they failed to cooperate, they cies. The Senate bill includes "anti-money­ tion. The train car was quarantined and the ropolitan Correctional Center said the men could be charged with violations of obscure laundering" measures aimed at charities sprayed liquid was sent to a military labo­ are denied exercise, provided only limited "black-humor statutes" which, in limited and other organizations that the govern­ ratory where it was identified as Resolve opportunities to shower, woken every two circumstances, allow people to be pros­ ment claims support "terrorism." carpet cleaner. hours, and denied a basic Muslim diet. ecuted for joking about security matters. The bill severely erodes the 4th Amend­ The mass roundup ofhundreds of people Five young men were arrested coming The lawyer was prohibited from visiting ment right protecting citizens from unwar­ since September 11 has received scant news into New York September 11, driving a his clients until two weeks after their arrests. ranted search and seizure. Police agencies coverage. At least 165 people are being held large moving van. They had box cutters in Even then, he said, six to eight guards sat in will be able to secretly break into people's on immigration law violations, and can be their possession. Widespread news reports on their meetings and forbade them from homes and notify the person sometime af­ imprisoned virtually indefinitely. Many implied that the men may have been con­ speaking any language but English. terward. "Harboring terrorists" will be a more are detained under a material witness nected to the World Trade Center attacks. The five are being held pending depor­ crime. Somebody could be guilty simply by statute that allows prosecutors to hold them All five turned out to be Israeli Jews, at tation for "violating immigration law." having "reasonable grounds to believe" that for an indefinite period until they are re­ least four of whom work for a household When they first entered detention they ini­ the person being harbored is a terrorist. leased or sent before a grand jury. moving company. tially joined a hunger strike by a group of The legislation also beefs up the police According to the Washington Post, an Unlike the large majority of other de- Pakistanis. presence along the U.S.-Canada border. The Senate unanimously approved another bill October 11 that would make all baggage X-ray workers federal employees, perma­ Tokyo pushes to deploy armed forces in war nently place armed federal guards in the air­ ports, and expand the number ofplainclothes BY BRIAN WILLIAMS Force (SDF)-from participating in com­ surprise gesture, long sought by the Chinese, federal marshals on commercial flights. Avia­ The capitalist rulers of Germany and Ja­ bat abroad. Despite these limitations Japan's apparently succeeded in winning Beijing's tion security would fall under the jurisdic­ pan are seeking to take advantage of rulers have assembled a huge military force. acceptance of Japan's desire to participate tion of the Justice Department. Washington's assault onAfghanistan to ad­ The country has the second largest military in the U.S.-led war on terrorism," reported Some 20,000 X-ray screeners who work vance the use of their sizable military forces budget in the world after the United States, a Financial Times article. for private companies are to be replaced abroad in defense of their own imperialist spending about $45 billion each year. Its In Germany, Chancellor Gerhard Schroder by government-trained workers who are interests. Over the past few weeks the Japa­ navy is larger than Britain's, and the SDF stated in an address to parliament October prohibited from taking strike action. The nese government has embarked upon "its numbers close to 250,000 troops. 11 that the country's postwar role as a sec­ Bush administration opposes this step and most expansive military role since its de­ Seeking to gamer support for Japan's ondary player had now "irrevocably passed." has urged the House to remove it from simi­ feat in World War II," noted a September 28 militarization drive, Koizumi visited Beijing After an internal debate, the Green Party, lar legislation being discussed there. Washington Post article. October 8, where he offered a "heartfelt which is part of Schroder's coalition govern­ The Senate bill allows pilots to carry fire­ Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's cabi­ apology" to China for his country's brutal­ ment, agreed to make German troops avail­ arms while working and calls for a study net approved a bill October 5 that would per­ ity before and during World War II. "The able for Washington's assault onAfghanistan. on the use of stun guns and other weapons mit Japanese troops to be deployed overseas on board aircraft. Every passenger who as logistical support for U.S. forces. The bill, boards a plane will be taxed $2.50 to fund which was submitted to the country's lower Pakistanis oppose imperialists' war the new moves. The final version of the house of parliament, is expected to be passed bill dropped a proposal for $1.9 billion in before Koizumi attends the October 20-21 Continued from Page 6 an unnamed government official as describ­ relief payments for the estimated 140,000 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) from Pakistan. ing the plan as one that "envisions the use of aviation workers thrown on the street by summit in Shanghai, which U.S. president Indian forces continued to fire mortars air support and the occupation of southern airline bosses since September 11. George Bush will also be attending. into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir October Iraq with America ground troops to install a Using $3 billion in "emergency" money The legislation would allow Japan's mili­ 16 in the heaviest bombardment in nearly a Iraqi opposition group based in London at appropriated by Congress, the Bush admin­ tary to ferry ammunition, run field hospi­ year, as Powell arrived in New Delhi for the helm of a new government.... American istration has already placed National Guard tals, and permit its forces to carry weapons talks. India's new defense minister, George troops would also seize the oil fields around troops in airports and put more armed mar­ to be used as part of its operations. Also Fernandes, vowed to "be ruthless" against Basra, in southeastern Iraq, and sell the oil to shals on planes. No passengers are allowed under discussion is authorizing Japanese protesters in Kashmir. finance the Iraqi opposition." to leave their seats for the first or final 30 forces to conduct "search-and-rescue" op­ Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Washington has also begun to step up its minutes of any flight in and out ofReagan erations in support of U.S. troops. Vajpayee is now seeking to get Washington military presence in the Philippines. Accord­ National Airport in Washington, D.C. Koizumi has stated that once this legisla­ to place on its list of targeted terrorists the ing to a senior government official there, the tion is passed he plans to send four or five Kashmiri Muslims fighting for indepen­ U.S. government plans to send a "sizable" Harassment, intrusions by secret police warships, including anAegis-class destroyer dence. Indian officials also made clear to contingent of military advisers to the coun­ The FBI, Immigration and Naturaliza­ with an advanced radar and surveillance Powell their objection to his plan to include try in October. U.S. advisers were already tion Service, and other police agencies are system, to the Indian Ocean to provide rear­ any Taliban figures in the new government involved earlier this year in training some collecting information about students from area support for the U.S. Navy. Japan's cabi­ the U.S. rulers are seeking to create. New Philippines troops, notes the Times. dozens of colleges and universities, under net has already approved sending six trans­ Delhi remains a supporter of the Northern In another development, NATO secretary­ the pretext of investigating terrorism. At port planes to Pakistan, supposedly to take Alliance. general George Robertson stated October 12 Middle Tennessee State University, for ex­ supplies to Afghan refugees. Following While the Pentagon's action remains fo­ that should Washington want to shift its ample, officials turned over the names of Washington's lead, Tokyo also announced cused on Afghanistan, some U.S. officials 10,000 troops currently stationed in Bosnia I ,000 current and former student aviators a $40 million "aid" package to Pakistan. are pushing for a military operation that also and Kosova to Afghanistan, "then there are to the FBI after being asked about students These military moves by Japan's ruling targets Iraq. As part of the military buildup, NATO troops that would be more than will­ from the Middle East. class reflect a big shift over their participa­ additional forces and fighter bombers have ing to fill their positions." NATO has already . At least six campuses in the California tion in the 1990-91 GulfWar, when Tokyo been placed within easy striking distance of dispatched five airborne warning and con­ State University System have turned over was humiliatingly reduced to helping bank­ Iraq. This new deployment nearly doubles trol system (AWACS) aircraft to Tinker Air information. Lindsey Kozberg, an Educa­ roll the U.S.-led aggression against Iraq to the number of strike fighters on the ground Force Base in Oklahoma City to help patrol tion Department spokeswoman, said that the tune of $13 billion. in the Persian Gulf. the skies over the United States. This de­ 25 to 30 schools have called for guidance Japan's 1947 constitution, imposed by Among those pushing for renewed action ployment marks the first time non-U.S. air­ after receiving police requests for student Washington's postwar occupation force, against Iraq is Deputy Secretary of Defense planes have been used for military purposes information. prohibits its army-called the Self Defense Paul Wolfowitz. The New York Times quotes in U.S. airspace. October 29, 2001 The Militant 7 Imperialism's record of brutality, exploi Against Washington's new 'crusade,' labor needs to reach out to powerful cl BY GREG McCARTAN gust 1945. His statement concludes that Shortly after Washington launched its "neither America nor the people who live brutal bombing campaign against Afghani­ • in it will dream of security before we are stan, a videotaped message by Osama bin E fl G. t)R~f.l B£C~USE secure in Palestine, and before all the infi­ Laden responding to the attack was played del armies leave the land of Muhammad, on al-Jazeera, a widely watched Mideast peace be unto him." television network, and rebroadcast in '(f OttUPIES OllR L~ND As the U.S. rulers have exhausted the many countries, including the United spectacle of "national mourning" they pro­ States. A few days later, on October 10, the i=ATEii moted following the September 11 attacks, Bush administration upped the patriotic cynically using the deaths of some 5,000 pressure on U.S. television networks to people to marshal support for a war against cease broadcasting any further statements Afghanistan and all nations hosting terror­ by bin Laden or other al-Qaeda leaders. ists, they are finding it harder and harder Initially, some in the U.S. ruling class to rule out-of-bounds any discussion of the may have wagered that airing the video­ political issues. tape would bolster the demonization cam­ For example, the Jewish weekly For­ paign drummed up by the White House and ward, a spin-off of the Yiddish daily pub­ echoed by the big-business press, seeking lished since 1897, said in an October 5 edi­ to portray the U.S. government as leading torial: "But we needn't search the theol­ the worldwide forces of "good" against Slogan of Palestine Liberation Organization, which developed in 1960s as leadership of ogy texts to divine bin Laden's motives. "evil," of "reason" against "fanaticism," of Palestinian national struggle. The Israeli capitalist state, which occupies lands con­ He's spelled them out repeatedly in vari­ the "heavens" against the "cave." quered in 1948 and in 1967 war and wages daily war on Palestinian people, stands as ous public statements. He's on a self-de­ If so, the trick backfired, undercutting the only reliable military garrison state in service of imperialist interests in the region. clared holy war against 'Crusaders and Washington's claim that there are no po­ Jews,' with a threefold goal: 'liberating' litical issues other than "terrorism" under­ ship may be, it cannot explain why the con­ policies that have visited death and maim­ Mecca and the rest of Arabia from Ameri­ lying its stated goal of bringing in bin tent of bin Laden's message strikes such a ing on hundreds of thousands oflraqis since can 'occupation,' 'liberating' Al-Aqsa Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders "dead or chord among hundreds of millions of work­ 1990-91. And it demands reversal of the [mosque] in Jerusalem from Jewish 'occu­ alive." In fact, the broadcast reinforced the ing people and middle layers in Pakistan, forcible dispossession of the Palestinian pation,' and lifting the Western embargo fact that the conflict is rooted in the ongo­ Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, people by the Israeli regime and the con­ on Iraq. They're always stated in that three­ ing consequences of a century of imperial­ Palestine, and elsewhere. tinued occupation of those lands, as well fold form, and usually in that order." ist superexploitation and oppression of the as a halt to support by Washington to the Mideast and Asia, preceded by a century Historic injustices course of all Israeli governments. Putting the arm on the press or more of colonial domination and out­ Osama Bin Laden's statement, printed In recounting what are in fact historic The week before Osama bin Laden's vid­ rages during the rise of capitalism in Eu­ below, calls for an end to the stationing of injustices against the Arabs, Muslims, and eotaped spot, U.S. secretary of state Colin rope and North America. U.S. and other foreign troops in Saudi other peoples throughout the Middle East Powell had already issued a complaint with The Bush administration faces mount­ Arabia and other countries on the Arabian and Asia, Osama bin Laden also points to the Sultan of Qatar about al-Jazeera 's broad­ ing problems in making the fake rational­ Peninsula. It calls for an end to the U.S.­ other imperialist crimes, such as the use of casts of speeches by al-Qaeda leaders. izations for U.S. war policies stick. No British bombing of Iraq, the decade-long nuclear weapons against the civilian popu­ Then, in response to the statement re­ matter how effective the press self-censor- economic embargo, and other imperialist lations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Au- leased the day after U.S. bombs and mis­ siles began falling on Afghanistan, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice held a phone conference with officials of U.S. television networks October I 0. Later that Statement by Osama bin Laden day the Bush administration's press secre­ tary, Ari Fleischer, "clarified" that Rice had Printed below is the statement by we don't hear condemnation or a fatwa [re­ elevated the skies without pillars, that issued a "request," not a "demand," that the Osama Bin Laden, broadcast on the ligious decree] from the rulers. 5 In these neither America nor the people who live networks stop airing statements by ai­ al-Jazeera television channel in Qatar days, Israeli tanks infest Palestine-in Jenin, in it will dream of security before we Qaeda leaders. on October 7, the day the U.S. and Ramallah, Rafah, Beit Jalla, and other places are secure in Palestine, and before all "At best, Osama bin Laden's messages are British strikes on Afghanistan began. in the land oflslam-and we don't hear any­ the infidel armies leave the land of propaganda calling on people to kill Ameri­ Except for the first two paragraphs, one raising his voice or moving a limb. 6 Muhammad, peace be upon him. cans," Fleischer said. "At worst, he could be which are from the Washington Post, When the sword comes down [on God is great, may pride be with Is­ issuing orders to his followers to initiate such the translation is taken from the As­ America], after 80 years, hypocrisy rears lam. May peace and God's mercy be attacks." CNN .com reported that Fleischer sociated Press. The AP text includes its ugly head. They deplore and they la­ upon you. said bin Laden and others "might be using the notes in square brackets. Subhead­ ment for those killers, who have abused the the international news media to convey ings and footnotes are by the Militant. blood, honor and sanctuaries of Muslims. coded messages, because their own means The least that can be said about those 1 The Moors, who adhered to the Mus­ of communications are limited." Colin Let the whole world know that we people is that they are debauched. They lim religion, ruled Spain from the eighth Powell told CNN that the State Department shall never accept that the tragedy of have followed injustice. They supported the century until their defeat by armies fight­ assigned analysts to "pore over" the state­ Andalucia 1 would be repeated in Pales­ butcher over the victim, the oppressor over ing under the banner of Christianity. The ments to find any such signals. tine. We cannot accept that Palestine will the innocent child. May God show them final battle was fought in 1492 over the city (The Militant inquired of the Ted Turner­ become Jewish. his wrath and give them what they deserve. of Granada in the province of Andalucia. owned Atlanta Braves whether their third­ And with regard to you, Muslims, this I say that the situation is clear and obvi­ 2 The prophet Muhammad, founder of base coaches are also viewing the tapes to is the day of question. This is a new (in­ ous after this event, after the senior offi­ the Muslim religion, is buried in Medina. see if any signals might be related to the audible) against you, all against the cials have spoken in America, starting with 3 Salah Al-Din, the Kurdish Muslim gen­ World Series playoffs now under way, since Muslims and Medina. So be like the fol­ the head of infidels worldwide, Bush, and eral, defeated Crusader armies from West­ affecting the outcome of the "U.S. national lowers of the prophet,2 peace be upon those with him. They have come out in em Europe in a series of battles beginning pastime" would be a major feather in al­ him, and all countrymen, lovers of God force with their men and have turned even in 1187 AD, culminating in the conquest of Qaeda's cap. As we go to press, the Braves and the prophet within, and a new battle, the countries that belong to Islam to this Jerusalem. "knock-a-homa" management has made no great battle, similar to the great battles treachery, and they want to wag their tail 4 The Sykes-Picot agreement, signed in comment and not returned any messages.) of Islam, like the conqueror of Jerusa­ at God, to fight Islam, to suppress people 1916, carved up the Arab provinces of the CNN,ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox Network lem.3 So, hurry up to the dignity of life in the name of terrorism. Ottoman empire-which at its height had quickly complied. CNN officials announced and the eternity of death. ruled much of Europe, the Middle East, that in deciding what to air they "will con­ I bear witness that there is no God Atomic bombing of Japan and North Africa-between the French and sider guidance from appropriate authorities." but Allah and that Muhammad is his When people at the ends of the earth, British imperialist powers. A British pro­ The next day Fleischer, saying the Bush messenger. Japan, were killed in the hundreds of thou­ tectorate was imposed on what is now administration was "pleased with the re­ There is America, hit by God in one sands, young and old, it was not consid­ Saudi Arabia. ception of the network executives," made of its softest spots. Its greatest buildings ered a war crime, it is something that has 5 Refers to the brutal impact of imperi­ the same "suggestion" to U.S. newspapers. were destroyed, thank God for that. justification.7 Millions of children in Iraq alist policy on Iraq, including UN sanc­ The White House doublespeak officer said There is America, full of fear from its is something that has justification. But tions, imposed in 1990 in the lead up to the that if bin Laden is able to get out "his pre­ north to its south, from its west to its when they lose dozens of people in Nairobi Gulf War and maintained ever since. packaged, pretaped message," it could end east. Thank God for that. and Dar es Salaam [capitals of Kenya and 6 Locations in the occupied territories. up in "the hands of people who can read it What America is tasting now is some­ Tanzania, where U.S. embassies were Jenin, Ramallah, and Beit Jalla are in the and see something in it." thing insignificant compared to what we bombed in 1998], Sudan was struck and West Bank; Rafah is a refugee camp in the According to the New York Times, its have tasted for scores of years. Our na­ Afghanistan was struck. 8 Hypocrisy stood Gaza Strip. executive editor Howell Raines told tion [the Islamic world] has been tast­ in force behind the head of infidels world­ 7 Hundreds of thousands of people were Fleischer the newspaper's practice "is to ing this humiliation and this degrada­ wide, behind the cowards of this age, killed in the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of keep our readers fully informed." tion for more than 80 years. 4 Its sons are America and those who are with it. Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Up to 200,000 Over the past month, Washington has killed, its blood is shed, its sanctuaries These events have divided the whole people died in the U.S. fire-bombing ofTo­ imposed strict secrecy on war-related in­ are attacked, and no one hears and ·no world into two sides-the side of believers kyo. formation, a decision the big-business me­ one heeds. and the side of infidels. May God keep you x Two weeks after car bomb explosions dia has gone along with without a peep of When God blessed one of the groups away from them. Every Muslim has to rush outside embassies in Kenya and Tanzania protest. Everything-from the names of the of Islam, vanguards of Islam, they de­ to make his religion victorious. The winds took 224 lives, including 12 U.S. citizens, now 786 people placed in "preventive de­ stroyed America. I pray to God to el­ of faith have come. The winds of change U.S. president Clinton ordered air strikes tention" in the United States, to the names evate their status and bless them. have come to eradicate oppression from the against the Sudan and Afghanistan. U.S. of bomber pilots, to the growing numbers Millions of innocent children are be­ island of Muhammad, peace be upon him. warplanes launched 79 cruise missiles at of Special Forces troops that have been in ing killed as I speak. They are being killed To America, I say only a few words to it Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and sev­ Afghanistan for weeks-is being withheld in Iraq without committing any sins, and and its people. I swear by God, who has eral sites in Afghanistan. by the U.S. government. ,______, __,______...J

8 The Militant October 29, 2001 tation in Mideast ass allies in semicolonial countries Demonization crusade The colonization of the former Ottoman During Bush's October 11 prime time lands by the United Kingdom and France­ evening news conference, the U.S. presi­ with London squeezing a few more conces­ dent used the word "evil," "evildoers," or sions from Paris-was imposed by military "the evil ones" 15 times in referring to U.S. force under the fig leaf of agreements with war aims. local Arab rulers and "mandates" from the Echoing this demonization campaign, League of Nations. Newly established un­ Vew York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, der the terms of the Versailles Treaty, the on the day following Bush's press confer­ League was quickly dubbed a "den of ence, wrote that Afghanistan's head of gov­ thieves" by Bolshevik leaders, since it served ernment, Mullah Mohammed Omar, "is the interests of the imperialist victors in reputed to be so crazed that when shrapnel World War I-much as its post-World War hit his eye in a battle with the Russians II offspring, the United Nations, has been [against the 1978-89 Soviet government dominated by Washington to this day. occupation], he simply cut it out with a In order to create a powerful new ob­ knife and kept going." stacle to the Arab independence struggle, A question for Dowd: How many thou­ British capital also backed plans by the sands of U.S. soldiers have been given the World Zionist Organization to colonize Medal of Honor for such "crazed" actions? Palestine with Jews from Europe, where they faced persecution in many parts of the Imperialists carve up Mideast continent. The British rulers figured that Scene on the road to Basra after U.S. military conducted "turkey shoot"-a murder­ "Our nation has been tasting this degra­ colonial settlers over time would feel com­ ous artillery, tank, and warplane bombardment of Iraqi people retreating from Ku­ dation for more than 80 years," bin Laden mon cause in combating the Arab demo­ wait in 1991. U.S.-Ied 100-hour invasion took more than 150,000 Iraqi lives. said in his videotaped message. cratic movement and resisting efforts to oust imperialist overlords. British rule over What was he referring to? What hap­ mittingly for more than half a century for in line and look out for the interests of U.S. pened 80 years ago, around the opening of Palestine, already entrenched at the close the restoration of their homeland and other of the war, was formally authorized by a capital. the 1920s? national rights. Despite its military "victory," however, Prior to World War I, the Ottoman Em­ 1922 mandate from the League ofNations. Washington fell far short of those goals. It pire, with its seat in what is today Turkey, Washington needs a protectorate 'Imperialist predators' strengthened its position vis-a-vis its im­ had ruled much of the Middle East and In addition to its reliance on Israel, Wash­ perialist rivals--especially Paris, Bonn, and North Africa for several hundred years. Coming out of World War I, Britain and ington reacted against a post-World War II France stood before the world "not as rep­ Tokyo--but it came no closer to imposing Laying claim to the Ottoman realm was upturn of anti-imperialist struggles by an imperialist "peace" on the region. In­ 1mong the principal objects of British and resentatives of culture and civilization, but workers, peasants, and youth in Iran by or­ as countries ruled by imperialist predators," stead, the outcome of the conflict exacer­ French capitalists during the first world ganizing a 1953 coup and reinstalling, for bated the contradictions of the world im­ imperialist slaughter, which opened in Au­ declared Bolshevik leader VI. Lenin in a a quarter century, the monarchy of the shah Nov. 22, 1919, speech to a congress of perialist order and set up the conditions for gust 1914. The region's strategic position of Iran. With a large and modern army and new and bloodier wars. in trade and commerce between Europe and Communist Organizations of the Peoples extensive secret police apparatus, the shah of the East. Since that time, the governments of the Asia made it among the most sought-after not only held the working people of Iran in United States and the United Kingdom have prizes in the war. Despite the democratic pretensions of check, but helped keep the toilers through­ these governments, Lenin said, "The eyes continued frequent bombing of Iraq, killing Anticipating victory over the Triple Al­ out the region under the imperialist boot. many civilians each year. And another de­ liance, which was led by Germany and in­ of the working people have been opened In the late 1970s, however, a new round because the Treaty ofVersailles was a rapa­ cade of the embargo has resulted in the deaths cluded the Ottoman Empire, the imperial­ of democratic struggles spread across the of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis from ist rulers of France and Great Britain se­ cious peace, which showed that France and region. In 1979 a mass revolutionary up­ Britain had actually fought Germany in or­ malnutrition and lack of medical supplies. cretly signed the Sykes-Picot Agreement in heaval in Iran, with its decisive battalions The U.S. rulers see the current war, with 1916. The pact divided the entire Middle der to strengthen their rule over the colo­ among the oil workers and other workers, nies and the enhance their imperialist might." the immediate goal of toppling the Taliban­ East between the two powers-either toppled the shah, dealing a decisive setback led government in Kabul, as an opportu­ through colonization, "protectorates," or What's more, Lenin said, "The internal to U.S. imperialism. struggle among these predators is develop­ nity to recoup some of what they lost with spheres of influence. (Sir Mark Sykes, chief Unable this time to directly turn back the Iranian revolution of 1979 and could negotiator for the British Empire, expressed ing so swiftly that we may rejoice in the the revolution, Washington gave support to knowledge that the Treaty of Versailles is not restore during the Gulf War. They are the view that the desert-dwelling Arabs a war against Iran launched by the regime aiming to get back a direct foothold in the were "rapacious, greedy... animals," while only a seeming victory for the jubilant im­ of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Over an eight­ region by setting up a U.S. imperialist pro­ those in the cities were "cowardly," "inso­ perialists." year period in the 1980s Iraqi working As Lenin foresaw in broad outlines, no tectorate in Afghanistan-perhaps under lent yet despicable," and "vicious as far as people were sent against their class broth­ the banner of the modern-day den of their feeble bodies will admit." Also a stone more than two decades were to pass before ers and sisters in Iran, resulting in hundreds a second world inter-imperialist slaughter thieves, the United Nations. anti-Semite, Sykes added that "even Jews of thousands of deaths on both sides. The Afghanistan, of course, lacks the mod­ have their good points.") erupted, this time not only in Europe, the Hussein regime, however, proved incapable Mideast, and North Africa, but in the Pa­ ern infrastructure, larger population, and The Sykes-Picot agreement gave France of inflicting a decisive defeat on Iran-an advanced army of either Iran or Iraq. And what are roughly today called Lebanon and cific and East Asia as well. outcome that would have opened the way Following World War II, nationalist there are voices in U.S. ruling-class Syria. Iraq (then Mesopatamia) and for Washington to reimpose a regime there circles-including in the administration Transjordan (encompassing what is today movements and revolutionary upsurges directly subservient to imperialist dictates. spread across much of.the Arab and Mus­ and both imperialist parties, the Democrats Palestine and Jordan) would be under "di­ A decade later, Saddam Hussein, believ­ and Republicans-urging Bush to "finish rect or indirect administration and control" lim world, dealing blows to the already ing he had the nod from Washington to in­ weakened British Empire and to France. the job" with Saddam Hussein after "deal­ by the United Kingdom, which would also vade and occupy part of Kuwait, gave the ing with" the Taliban. establish "protectorates" over formally in­ Syria, Lebanon, and Transjordan won their U.S. imperialists an opportunity to organize dependent Egypt, the Sudan, and oil-rich independence, as did Libya, Tunisia, and a massive bombardment and invasion oflraq. Denial of national sovereignty Persia (now Iran). Algeria a few years later. The British had In August 1990 the administration of the A central feature of imperialist domina­ Still nearly two decades before the dis­ to pull their forces out of Egypt and Iraq in senior George Bush imposed what quickly tion in the Middle East and Central Asia, the late 1940s. covery of vast oil reserves beneath the became a complete embargo on Iraq, cut­ Continued on Page 14 seemingly resource-poor desert interior of Even as World War II was still being ting the country off from the Arabian peninsula, London was con­ fought, Washington, which was to be the imports of food, medicines, tent to exercise de facto vassalage over "in­ principal imperialist victor in World War machinery, and other vital Stockholm, Sweden, Friday Od. 26 dependent" kingdoms there such as that of II, moved to replace London and Paris as supplies. Over the next 14 Ibn Saud (now Saudi Arabia) and several the dominant power in the region. The U.S. weeks the U.S. government Imperialist War in Afghanistan <;mailer ones (now Oman, Qatar, the United government pressed for an end to British deployed nearly a half-mil­ Arab Emirates, and Kuwait). rule over Palestine and for the declaration lion troops in Saudi Arabia and the Building the At the very time the duplicitous British of an independent Jewish state, winning and elsewhere in the region, International Communist Movement Today rulers were completing this pact, they were United Nations backing for the forced par­ including many armored di­ simultaneously wooing various Arab forces tition of Palestine and the establishment of visions, setting the stage for Deepen a working-class campaign against to organize a revolt against the Ottomans the state oflsraeli on the dispossessed lands a brutal six-week bombing imperialism and its accelerating war drive by promising them independence and self­ of the Palestinian people. campaign that devastated rule after the war. With direct colonial rule and occupation the country. This was topped Featured speaker: The treaty did not become known until of the region on the wane, Washington saw off by a 100-hour invasion Mary-Alice Waters the Bolsheviks-having led workers and the need to establish a bulwark of the capi­ in which more than 150,000 peasants to power in Russia in the world's talist world order there. Iraqi civilians and soldiers Socialist Workers Party first socialist revolution in October 1917- Today, while Israeli capitalists have their were slaughtered in what In addition, an international panel: published one month later many secret own class interests that often conflict with one U.S. Army officer called documents from the tsar's Ministry of For­ those of the U.S. rulers, Israel at the same a "turkey shoot." Olympia Newton, Young Socialists eign Affairs. These included a copy of the time stands as the only reliable military In carrying out the 1990- Michel Prairie, Communist League, Canada Sykes-Picot accord, which the former im­ garrison state in the service of imperialist 91 war against Iraq, Catharina Tirsen, Communist League, Sweden perialist government in Russia had also interests in the region-including the in­ Washington's goal was to .;signed, receiving the promise of lands in terests of Wall Street and Washington. Is­ topple what had become an Kristoffer Schultz, Young Socialists, Sweden what is now Turkey. rael continues to occupy not only the lands unreliable bourgeois re­ and others from the United Kingdom and Iceland This imperialist plunder received the it conquered in 1948, but also those cap­ gime. In its place, the U.S. stamp of approval in the 1919 Treaty of tured in a brutal 1967 war against the Arab rulers aimed to install a U.S. Friday October 26, 6:30 p.m. Kyrkvallen, Versailles, the rapacious pact that also im­ peoples, including the Golan Heights and protectorate around which posed ruinous reparations and land grabs the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Washington could build a Vasaloppsvagen 60, Vastertorp on the defeated powers in World War I, Israeli authorities wage daily war on the stable military strike force above all on Germany. Palestinian people, who have fought unre- to keep toilers in the region Hosted by Communist League in Sweden and Young Socialists in Sweden. October 29, 2001 The Militant 9 Lenin condemns imperialist war on China Printed below are excerpts from "The ist magnates who carry on trade with China, War in China," an article written in 1900 to a handful of factory owners who manu­ by V.I. Lenin, the central leader of the facture goods for the Asian market, to a October 1917 Russian Revolution. Lenin handful of contractors who are now piling condemns the imperialist war against the up huge profits on urgent war orders (facto­ uprising commonly referred to in the ries producing war equipment, supplies for West as the Boxer Rebellion (see box) that the troops, etc., are now operating at full was accompanied by a hysterical cam­ capacity and are engaging hundreds of new paign in the big-business press, complete workers). This policy is ofbenefit to a hand­ with an Osama bin Laden figure of the ful of nobles who occupy high posts in the day, dubbed, "the butcher of Shansi." The civil and military services. They need ad­ article can be found in the Collected venturous policies, for these provide them Works, vol. 4. p. 372. Subheadings and with opportunities for promotion, for mak­ footnotes are by the Militant. ing a career and gaining fame by their "ex­ ploits." In the interests of this handful of BY V.I. LENIN capitalists and bureaucratic scoundrels, our Russia is bringing her war with China to a government unhesitatingly sacrifices the close: a number of military districts have been interests of the entire people. And in this mobilized, hundreds of millions of rubles case, as always, the autocratic tsarist gov­ have been spent, tens of thousands of troops ernment has proved itself to be a govern­ have been dispatched to China, a number of ment of irresponsible bureaucrats servilely battles have been fought and a number of cringing before the capitalist magnates and victories won-true, not so much over regu­ nobles. lar enemy troops, as over Chinese insurgents What benefits do the Russian working and, particularly, over the unarmed Chinese class and the laboring people generally ob­ populace, who were drowned or killed, with tain from the conquests in China? Thou­ no holding back from the slaughter of women sands of ruined families, whose and children, not to speak of the looting of breadwinners have been sent to palaces, homes, and shops. :he war; an enormous increase in The Russian Government, together with Above, U.S. marines march in Beijing :he national debt and the national the press that kowtows to it, is celebrating a following suppression of peasant up­ ~xpenditure; mounting taxation; victory and rejoicing over the fresh exploits rising known as "Boxer Rebellion." sreater power for the capitalists, of the gallant soldiery, rejoicing at the vic­ Right, Chien Men gate, partially de­ :he exploiters of the workers; tory of European culture over Chinese bar­ stroyed by the marines' artillery fire. worse conditions for the workers; barism and over the fresh successes of still greater mortality among the Russia's "civilizing mission" in the Far East. peoples, they have never had any quar­ peasantry, famine in Siberia-this But the voices of the class-conscious rel with them-they hate the European is what the Chinese war promises workers, of the advanced representatives of capitalists and the European govern­ and is already bringing. The en­ the many millions of the working people, ments obedient to them. How can the tire Russian press, all the news­ are not heard amid this rejoicing. And yet, Chinese not hate those who have come papers and periodicals are kept in it is the working people who bear the brunt to China solely for the sake of gain; who a state of bondage; they dare not of the victorious new campaigns, it is work­ have utilized their vaunted civilization print anything without permission ing people who are sent to the other end of solely for the purpose of deception, of the government officials .... the world, from whom increased taxes are plunder, and violence; who have waged The European states that have extorted to cover the millions expended. Let wars against China in order to win the right only recall the rebellion of the native peoples flung themselves upon China are already us, therefore, see: What attitude should the to trade in opium with which to drug the against the British in India and the famine beginning to quarrel over the division of the socialists adopt towards this war? In whose people (the war of England and France with that prevailed there, or think of the war the booty, and no one can say how this quarrel interests is it being fought? What is the real China in 1856); and who hypocritically car­ English are now waging against the Boers. 1 will end. nature of the policy now being pursued by ried their policy of plunder under the guise And now the European capitalists have the Russian Government? of spreading Christianity? The bourgeois placed their rapacious paws upon China, and Aim to corrupt masses' consciousness governments of Europe have long been con­ almost the first to do so was the Russian But the policy of the tsarist government Chinese rose against foreign capitalists ducting this policy of plunder with respect Government, which now so loudly pro­ in China is not only a mockery of the inter­ Our government asserts first of all that it is to China, and now they have been joined by claims its "disinterestedness." It "disinter­ ests of the people-its aim is to corrupt the not waging war against China; that it is the autocratic Russian Government. estedly" took Port Arthur away from China political consciousness of the masses. Gov­ merely suppressing a rebellion, pacifying This policy of plunder is usually called a and began to build a railway to Manchuria ernments that maintain themselves in power rebels; that it is helping the lawful govern­ colonial policy. Every country in which under the protection of Russian troops. One only by means of the bayonet, that have ment of China to reestablish law and order. capitalist industry develops rapidly has very after another the European governments constantly to restrain or suppress the indig­ True, war has not been declared, but this does soon to seek colonies, i.e., countries in began feverishly to loot, or, as they put it, to nation of the people, have long realized the not change the situation a bit, because war is which industry is weakly developed, in "refit," Chinese territory, giving good truism that popular discontent can never be being waged nonetheless. What made the which a more or less patriarchal way oflife grounds for the talk of the partition of China. removed and that it is necessary to divert Chinese attack Europeans, what caused the still prevails, and which can serve as a mar­ If we are to call things by their right names, the discontent from the government to some rebellion which the British, French, Germans, ket for manufactured goods and a source of we must say that the European governments other object. For example, hostility is being Russians, Japanese, etc., are so zealously high profits. For the sake of the profit of a (the Russian Government among the very stirred up against the Jews; the gutter press crushing? "The hostility of the yellow race handful of capitalists, the bourgeois govern­ first) have already started to partition China. carries on Jew-baiting campaigns, as if the towards the white race," "the Chinese hatred ments have waged endless wars, have sent However, they have not begun this partition­ Jewish workers do not suffer in exactly the for European culture and civilization"-an­ regiments to die in unhealthy tropical coun­ ing openly, but stealthily, like thieves. same way as the Russian workers from the swer the supporters of the war. Yes! It is true tries, have squandered millions of money They began to rob China as ghouls rob oppression of capital and the police govern­ the Chinese hate the Europeans, but which extracted from the people, and have driven corpses, and when the seeming corpse at­ ment. At the present time, the press is con­ Europeans do they hate, and why? the peoples in the colonies to desperate re­ tempted to resist, they flung themselves ducting a campaign against the Chinese; it The Chinese do not hate the European volts or to death from starvation. We need upon it like savage beasts, burning down is howling about the savage yellow race and whole villages, shooting, bayoneting, and its hostility towards civilization, about drowning in the Amur River unarmed in­ Russia's tasks of enlightenment, about the habitants, their wives, and their children. enthusiasm with which the Russian soldiers And all these Christian exploits are accom­ go into battle, etc., etc. The 'Boxer Rebellion panied by howls against the Chinese bar­ Journalists who crawl on their bellies be­ fore the government and the money-bags are In 1899-1900 peasants in China actions of the predatory imperialist pow­ barians who dared to raise their hands straining every nerve to rouse the hatred of mounted a mass rebellion against the ers. against the civilized Europeans. the people against China. But the Chinese growing encroachments into the coun­ In June 1900 the rebel forces laid siege The occupation of Niuchuang and the people have at no time and in no way op­ try by the imperialist powers. An inva­ to the foreign legations in Peking, an moving ofRussian troops into Manchuria are pressed the Russian people. The Chinese sion and brutal suppression of the revolt action which lasted until August 14. At temporary measures, declares the autocratic people suffer from the same evils as those was accompanied by a propaganda bar­ the high point of the struggle, some Russian Government in its circular note of from which the Russian people suffer-they rage against the Chinese "barbarians," 140,000 people had mobilized there. August 12, 1900, addressed to the Powers; suffer from an Asiatic government that particularly after some 200 missionaries The imperialist powers reacted by these measures "are called forth exclusively by the J1ecessity to repel the aggressive op­ squeezes taxes from the starving peasantry and their families were killed. The Vice~ sacking the city inAugust, using an eight­ and that suppresses every aspiration towards roy of Shansi province, a stronghold of power expeditionary force made up of erations of Chinese rebels"; they "cannot in liberty by military force; they suffer from the rebellion, was libeled the "butcher of contingents from the armed forces of the the least be regarded as evidence of any self­ the oppression of capital, which has pen­ Shansi." United States (comprised of troops who ish plans, which are totally alien to the policy etrated into the Middle Kingdom. The revolt, which began in the North­ had occupied the Philippines after of the Imperial Government." The Russian working class is beginning west of the country, was driven by the Washington's 1898 victory over the ri­ Poor Imperial Government! So Christianly to move out of the state of political oppres­ peasants' desperate economic plight, val power of Spain), France, Britain, unselfish, and yet so unjustly maligned! Sev­ sion and ignorance in which the masses of exacerbated by floods and a prolonged Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, and Ja­ eral years ago it unselfishly seized Port the people are still submerged. Hence, the drought. A leading role was played by pan. Tens of thousands were killed as the Arthur, and now it is unselfishly seizing duty of all class-conscious workers is to rise the 1-ho Ch'tian society, or society of rebellion was crushed in the manner Manchuria; it has unselfishly flooded the with all their might against those who are Righteous and Harmonious Fists, whose Lenin describes in the accompanying frontier provinces of China with hordes of stirring up national hatred and diverting the members-many of them landless and article. The Chinese government was contractors, engineers, and officers, who, by attention of the working people from their unemployed peasants-practiced a dis­ compelled to pay reparations, called the their conduct, have roused to indignation real enemies. tinctive form of martial arts. "Boxer Indemnity," to the imperialist even the Chinese, known for their docility. Seizing on these characteristics, the powers, and to allow the permanent sta­ The Chinese workers employed in the con­ European settlements and press dubbed tioning of foreign troops on Chinese soil. struction of the Chinese railway had to exist the uprising the Boxer Rebellion. Despite In spite of their military efforts, how­ on a wage of ten kopeks a day-is this not 1 A mass rebellion against British rule its hostility to the interests of the peas­ ever, the imperialist powers never com­ unselfish on Russia's part? known as the Indian Mutiny, began in 1857. pletely conquered China, and suffered a It was savagely suppressed by British troops antry, the empress Tzu Hsi in Peking Who benefits by war, plunder? (present-day Beijing), at first tolerated decisive defeat with the victory of the in 1859. In the Boer War ( 1899-1902) British and then gave support to the movement, Chinese revolution immediately follow­ How is our government's senseless policy imperial forces invaded the settler republics seeing a mutual interest in opposing the ing World War II. in China to be explained? Who benefits by of the Orange Free State and the South Afri­ it? The benefit goes to a handful of capital- can Republic. 10 The Militant October 29, 2001 How Washington has used United Nations to conduct its wars The following is the second of two ar­ The United Nations-like its predeces­ ticles by Steve Clark reprinted from the sor the League ofNations, which Lenin and Nov. 2 and 9, 1990, issues ofthe Militant. other leaders of the Russian Revolution con­ The articles review the then newly issued demned as a "Thieves' Kitchen"-was es­ Pathfinder pamphlet U.S. Hands Off the tablished on the basis of the outcome of a Mideast!: Cuba Speaks Out at the United bloody interimperialist war. Nations. The pamphlet was subsequently released with additional speeches as a Post-World War II status quo book, in both English and Spanish. U.S. The Allied imperialist regimes of the Hands Off the Mideast! remains a valu­ United States, Britain, and France had able resource for working people and emerged victorious over the Axis imperial­ youth seeking to learn the truth about ist governments of Germany, Japan, and Washington's military aggressions U.S. force attacking a village during the Korean War of U.S. and allied troops Italy. And despite the reactionary course of waged that war under the UN flag, leaving 2 million people dead. abroad, the character of the United Na­ the Stalinist regime in Moscow, also part of tions, and how Cuban leaders Fidel the Allied coalition, the workers and farm­ Castro and Ricardo Alarcon exposed the eFs of the Soviet Union-at the cost of many delegation," the introduction says, "the report, the CIA was plotting Lumumba's rationalizations used by the U.S. imperi­ millions of lives-had turned back the on­ United Nations lent its authority to one of assassination as "an urgent and prime ob­ alists as the pretext for their assault slaught by German imperialism aimed at the largest military operations ever con­ jective," in the words of then-CIA director against the Iraqi people in 1990-91. subjugating them once again to direct capi­ ducted by Washington. The entire 1950- Allen Dulles. The Senate report accepted as talist exploitation. 1953 Korean War was fought under the UN a "reasonable inference" that the order to BY STEVE CLARK As the Allied powers neared victory in flag. The Security Council authorized the kill the Congolese leader came directly from As the pamphlet shows, the U.S. govern­ April1945, the UN was set up at a confer­ U.S. government to command the forces President Dwight Eisenhower. ment has utilized the United Nations Secu­ ence in San Francisco to give a stamp of dispatched to Korea from some sixteen When the UN-sponsored troops-many rity Council to camouflage the fact that the countries." supplied by the government of imperialist massive war mobilization against the Iraqi legitimacy to the postwar international sta­ tus quo. Prior to that gathering, U.S. Presi­ Waters explains that the Soviet govern­ Sweden-arrived in the Congo in the sum­ people has been engineered by Washington dent Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Min­ ment and other UN members have chal­ mer of 1960, they refused to take any ac­ from the outset. Credence has been lent to ister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier lenged the legitimacy of the 1950 Security tion against the Katangan rightist forces or this fakery by the council's four other per­ Council resolutions, since these measures their Belgian sponsors. Instead, they dis­ manent members-the governments ofBrit­ Joseph Stalin had met in Yalta in the Soviet Union to divvy up the world into spheres of were adopted without the participation of armed Lumumba's forces and closed down ain, France, the Soviet Union, and the influence. Behind closed doors, the national the Soviet delegation. At the time, the So­ government radio stations. The UN troops People's Republic of China-which have self-determination of peoples and countries viet government was boycotting the Secu­ then stood by while Lumumba was ousted unanimously backed each one of the U.S.­ and the interests of workers and farmers the rity Council to protest Washington's rejec­ from the government by pro-U.S. forces. initiated resolutions. world over were trampled into the dust. tion of seating the People's Republic as The new regime turned Lumumba over to The Security Council's prominence The peoples of Korea and Vietnam, who China's representative to the UN. the Katangan rebels, who murdered him in throughout this mammoth military buildup were winning liberation from Japanese im­ The introduction points out that in 1975 early 1961. has prompted discussion about the political perialist domination, were denied the fruits the General Assembly adopted a resolution Ernesto Che Guevara condemned the UN character and aims of the UN. calling for dissolution of the so-called UN role in this counterrevolutionary operation "Since the United Nations was born," of their victories; Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill agreed to tear Korea in half at the Command in Korea. Since only unanimous when he addressed the General Assembly Cuba's UN ambassador Ricardo Alarcon decisions of the five permanent Security in December 1964 on behalf of the Cuban said during a Security Council debate Au­ 38th parallel, and endorsed the French co­ lonial reconquest of Indochina. The "Big Council members are binding in such mat­ delegation. "How can we forget the betrayal gust 9, "we have seen how certain great Three," as they were known at the time, also ters, however, the blue flag of the UN still of the hope that Patrice Lumumba placed powers have sought to use the Council as a dismembered Germany and Austria against flies over U.S. troops stationed along the in the United Nations?" Guevara said. "How tool for their own strategic interests rather the will of the people of those countries and border that divides Korea today! can we forget the machinations and maneu­ than as a body working for the maintenance vers that followed .in the wake of the occu­ of international peace and security." He moved bpundaries throughout CentraJ .and Eastern Europe to serve the needs of the Mdtder of Patrice Lumumba · pation of that country by United Nations pointed to the Security Council's decisions victorious imperialist ruling classes and The greater clarity shed by recent events troops, under whose auspices the assassins on the Iraq-Kuwait situation and U.S. war privileged bureaucratic caste that dominated on how the UN Security Council functions of this great African patriot acted with im­ moves as a clear-cut example. the Soviet workers state. to promote imperialist interests is important, punity? ... Who can deny the sad role that 'Mechanism for international peace'? These three powerful governments were since revolutionists have paid a heavy price the imperialists compelled the United Na­ in blood for failing to understand and act tions to play?" Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard the true "United Nations" at its birth. Their mutual veto privileges in the Security Coun­ on this reality. A decade later, when the South African Shevardnadze also addressed this question In 1960, for example, UN forces were army, egged on by Washington, launched when he was in New York recently to take cil established a framework in which they could continue-as they had done through­ complicit in the assassination of Patrice an invasion of Angola on the eve of that part in several UN sessions. Speaking be­ Lumumba, prime minister of the African country's scheduled independence from fore the Security Council September 25, out the war-to advance their common in­ terests, while blocking each other where country of the Congo (now Zaire), who had Portugal, Angolan freedom fighters did not Shevardnadze pointed to its handling of the led that country's independence struggle repeat Lumumba's error. Instead, in Novem­ Middle East situation as confirmation "that their interests diverged. Subsequently the initial Big Three was against Belgium. Faced with a secessionist ber 1975, the Angolan government appealed the United Nations has assumed the role movement organized by the former Belgian for assistance from Cuba, which responded intended for it when it was founded, the expanded to a Big Five, including the gov­ ernments of France and China. In the latter rulers, Lumumba appealed to the UN to send by sending thousands of volunteers to help transformation of the Security Council into a peacekeeping force to help defend the turn back the imperialist assault. This ini­ an effective mechanism for the maintenance case, the government of Taiwan held China's UN seat until1971, when the People's Re­ newly established independent government, tial victory over South Africa's invading of international peace and security." Washington voted for this request for UN army was followed over the next 12 years Earlier that same day, addressing the Gen­ public of China was admitted to the UN. (Following the 1949 Chinese revolution, the troops in the Security Council, as did the by repeated South African incursions of eral Assembly, the Soviet foreign minister four other permanent members. At the very Angolan territory; this conflict culminated warned the Iraqi government that "the forces ofthe former rightist U.S.-backed re­ same time, according to a 1975 U.S. Senate Continued on Page 12 United Nations has the power to suppress gime fled to the island of Taiwan, where they acts of aggression" and suggested that the declared themselves China's true govern­ Security Council might find it necessary to ment. For more than a quarter century Wash­ establish a "rapid response force" composed ington backed this so-called Republic of of units "designated by different countries, China's claim to the UN seat, and blocked including all five permanent members ofthe the Chinese government's admission.) Security Council." Korean War Contrary to Shevardnadze 's assertion, Hands OH •he Nideas•t Despite Stalin's best efforts to extend the u.s. however, the United Nations has never been Cuba Speaks Out at the United Nations a mechanism-"effective" or otherwise­ wartime alliance with U.S. imperialism in­ for the maintenance of international peace definitely, Washington had other needs. In the FIDEL CASTRO, RICARDO ALARC6N, INTRODUCTION and security. aftermath of the war, imperialist interests BY MARY-AUCE WATERS were challenged by workers and farmers in Of course, that is how Washington and The case against Washington's 1990-91 e~ other imperialist powers seek to present the substantial portions of Europe, as well as in UN. But as Cuban President Fidel Castro China, Korea, Vietnam, and elsewhere. The bargo and war against Iraq, as presented by the explained in a December 1988 speech, we prime concern of the U.S. rulers was to pre­ Cuban government at the United Nations.. In serve imperialist domination and capitalist "know how imperialism can conceive of the introduction Waters explains how peace. Imperialism developed its armed property relations in face of these struggles. forces for world domination; it has military In the introduction to the new Pathfinder Washington's assault on Iraq was not motivated bases in every corner of the earth, powerful pamphlet, Mary-Alice Waters briefly ex­ by support for national sovereignty, indepen­ plains how Washington took advantage of naval and air fleets, millions of soldiers. dence, and national integrity, but was an oppor­ Imperialism's military conception was de­ miscalculations by the Soviet government signed to impose its order on the world, to to advance imperialist goals under the pre­ tunity to advance its imperialist interests. In impose its peace, like the one called Pax tense of Security Council action. English and Spanish. $1 0. 95 Romana in ancient times." "Forty years ago," Waters explains, That is why, Castro explained, "There are "Washington used UN cover to organize two types of survival and two types of peace: what was in fact a U.S. invasion of Korea to survival for the rich and survival for the maintain the partition of that country in vio­ poor, peace for the rich and peace for the lation of the national rights of the Korean poor.... As long as injustice prevails in the people. The division had been established by joint agreement of the U.S. and Soviet world, as long as neocolonialist and impe­ Available from bookstores, including those listed on page I 2. governments at the end ofWorld War II. rialist oppression exists in the world, as long or write Pathfinder. 41 0 West St, New York, NY I 00 14. Tel: (212) 741 -0690. Fax: (212) 727- "In 1950, in a series of resolutions pushed as plundering exists, there will be two types 0 ISO. When ordering by mail, please include $3 to cover sh1pping and handling. of survival and two types of peace." through the Security Council by the U.S. October 29, 2001 The Militant 11 Meat packers in West fight for a contract Continued from front page of a long extension in the contract negotiat­ worked at Washington Beef for eight years. of the Yakima Nation to use their tribal land reason for the fight is the mistreatment of ing period on September 13. According to "The company told us that we're all fired for a picket line. This is just across the street the workers. Strikers explained that this in­ the October 13 Yakima Herald-Republic, but a lot of the people working inside are from the plant. cludes the increased line speed, allowing Sue Bonnett, the president of the UFCW telling the union and the company that we Porvenir, a Mexican bakery, is providing workers only a few minutes for bathroom local, said management and union officials should be back to work," he said. Roman 100 baked goods a day to the strikers and breaks, lack of adequate training, and un­ had agreed to the extension of contract talks explained that the company is trying to cut supporters and friends stop by with donuts safe conditions that lead to injuries. These because mediators were unavailable after the across the support for the strikers from many and other food. The rank-and-file strikers signs included: "We are not machines, we September 11 attacks on the World Trade of the workers who didn't walk out. "The have organized for meals to be provided on are humans," "We are out for a good cause: Center and the Pentagon. company is telling people if they stop to talk the picket line and for picket shifts from 5:00 Respect," and "It's better to die on your feet The workers opposed a long extension to us they'll be fired," he said. a.m. to 5:00p.m. six days a week. They held than live on your knees." and said they could agree to a one-week A few days before a worker from the kill a fund-raising dance that brought in several On October 13 the picket line was staffed continuation only. The day before the con­ floor stopped by the picket line to give the hundred dollars and are speaking out wher­ by 25 or so strikers. While this number stayed tract expired the workers were informed by strikers some production figures. This ever they can. Juan Serrano spoke about the about the same, different strikers and their the company that the union leadership and worker said that the company had hired strike before a crowd of more than 300 supporters joined and left the line as the day management had agreed to keep contract seven new people on the kill floor and that Mexican workers from Washington who progressed. Juan Serrano, a member of the negotiations going until November 3. This 3 5, about half the workers in the department, were meeting with the Mexican consul. The union negotiating team before the strike, ex­ didn't sit well with the UFCW members at were on strike. "They only killed 417 cows fund-raising dance was called an informa­ plained how the walkout developed. Washington Beef. today. Before it was 1,1 00," said the worker. tional dance because it also featured a talk The union leadership had raised the idea "On September 19 over 200 workers were At the beginning of the strike the Local on the strike. in the lunchroom. Workers were on our own 1439 officials said the strike was not autho­ Strikers are looking forward to Novem­ time, at lunch, and told the company we rized and the unionists should go back to ber 3, the last day of the extension on the wanted to negotiate," said Serrano. "They work. Since then the local leadership has contract negotiations. Referring to the -MILITANT told everyone to go back to work. When that filed a grievance against the company call­ company's attempts to fire all the strikers didn't happen they said go home, you're all ing for all the workers to be put back to and divide the workers on strike from those LABOR fired. The workers went to the kill floor work. The union leadership is still not pro­ inside, Manuel Rangel said, "We will win. where the workers weren't on lunch yet and viding strike pay. Everybody goes back or nobody goes back." many of them joined the walkout." The strikers continue to get support from FORUMS- workers and others in the area. Having been Ernest Mailhot is a meat packer and mem­ NEW JERSEY Support from workers inside moved off the street directly in front of the ber of United Food and Commercial Work­ Newark Hector Roman is 30 years old and has plant the strikers have gotten the agreement ers Local 81 in Seattle. Lessons of the 1990-91 U.S. War against Iraq. Fri., Oct. 19, 7:30p.m. 506 Springfield Ave., 3rd Floor. Tel: (973) 643-3341. Washington uses UN to conduct its wars NEW YORK Brooklyn Continued from Page 11 Council from ever acting against the inter­ the future of humanity," Mary-Alice Waters Employers' Drive for Profit Claims 13 Min­ in 1988 with the final defeat of South Afri­ ests of U.S. foreign policy. explains in the introduction to the pamphlet. ers' Lives in Alabama. Speaker: James Harlan, can forces by the Cuban volunteers, the With its veto privilege (and that of its "Towards this end, Cuba is once again us­ participant in Militant reporting team in Alabama. Angolan army, and Namibian independence British and French allies), Washington can ing the United Nations as a tribune from Sat., Oct. 20,7:30 p.m. 372A 53rd St. (at 4th Ave.) fighters. That victory opened the way to and does block any UN measure that ad­ which to speak out and chart a course of 3rd floor. Donation: $4. Tel: (718) 567-8014. Namibia's conquest of freedom from South vances the interests of workers and farmers action in defense of the interests of work­ Garment District African colonial domination the following anywhere in the world. And when the ing people around the world." Stop the U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan! year. Stalinist regimes of the Soviet Union and Opponents of a U.S. war against Iraq will Speaker: Ma'mud Shirvani, Farsi editor of Path­ Washington's war mobilization against China fall in step behind imperialist ends, find the pamphlet a valuable source of in­ finder Press. Fri., Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dinner at Iraq is the largest military operation to take the Security Council can be used aggres­ formation and political arguments, both for 6:30 p.m. 545 8th Ave., 14th Floor. Donation: place under UN Security Council endorse­ sively to promote those counterrevolution­ themselves and for others they are seeking dinner $5; program $4. Tel: (212) 695-7358. ment since the Korean War. The U.S.-initi­ ary policies. to convince. Its cover and internal layout, Upper Manhattan ated aggression in Korea occurred at a time For two years, however, a unique situa­ designed by Toni Gorton, help make it at­ End Imperialism's Afghan War, Stop Assault when the Soviet government had decided tion exists in the Security Council: between tractive and accessible. The editors have on Workers' Rights-Mayoral Candidate against participating in Security Council January 1990 and the end of 1991, Cuba provided a useful chronology; notes to ex­ Speaks Out. Speaker: Martin Koppel, Socialist sessions, where it could have exercised its has a seat in that body. As shown by the new plain unfamiliar names, documents, and Workers candidate for mayor of New York. Fri., veto privilege had it chosen to do so. The pamphlet, US. Hands Off the Mideast! events; and a map. Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dinner at 6:30p.m. 540 W. current war moves in the Middle East, on Cuba Speaks Out at the United Nations, the The pamphlet can be purchased at Path­ 165 St. Donation: dinner $5; program $4. Tel: the other hand, are taking place with the Cuban government is putting this time and finder bookstores around the United States (212) 740-4611. unanimous votes of all five permanent mem­ opportunity to good use. and in other countries, and will be on hand bers of the Security Council. "Mobilizing world public opinion, and in plentiful supply at the antiwar teach-ins, AUSTRALIA The Korea and Iraq examples alone re­ U.S. public opinion in particular, as a coun­ demonstrations, and other protest actions Sydney veal how the structure of the United Na­ terweight to Washington's drive toward a that will continue to mount as Washington Western Sahara Freedom Struggle. Speakers: tions-from its origins-block the Security war is the goal of all those concerned about presses forward with its aggression. Kamal Fadel, representative of Polisario Front (Western Sahara); Annalucia Vermunt, Commu­ nist League, participant from New Zealand in August World Festival ofYouth and Students and -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP subsequent visit to Western Sahara refugee camp. Sat., Oct. 27, 4:00p.m. Level 1, 31281-287 Where to find Pathfinder books and MINNESOTA: St. Paul: 113 Bernard St., Box K879, Haymarket, NSW 1240. Tel: (02) Beamish St., Campsie. Donation: $5. Tel: (02) distributors of the Militant, Perspectiva West St. Paul. Zip: 55118. Tel: (651) 644- 9718 9698. 9718-9698. Mundial, New International, Nouvelle 6325. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Internationale, Nueva Internacional and NEW JERSEY: Newark: 506 Springfield BRITAIN Ny International. Ave. 3rd floor. Zip: 07103. Mailing address: Riverfront Plaza, P.O. Box 200117. Zip: London: 4 7 The Cut. Postal code: SE I 8LL. -CALENDAR UNITED STATES 07102-0302. Tel: (973) 643-3341. Tel: 020-7928-7993. E-mail: [email protected] ALABAMA: Birmingham: 1356 Hueytown E-mail: [email protected] NEW YORK Road, Hueytown. Zip: 35023. Tel: (205) 497- CANADA Brooklyn 6088. E-mail: [email protected] NEW YORK: Brooklyn: 372A 53rd St. (at 4thAve.) Mailing address: PMB 106.4814 Montreal: 4613 St. Laurent. Postal code: Socialist class series. Sundays at 10:00 a.m. Oct. H2T I R2. Tel: (514) 284-7369. E-mail: 21: "Communism, the Working Class, and Anti­ CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 4229 S. 4th Ave. Zip: 11220. Tel: (718) 567-8014. E­ Imperialist Struggle: Lessons from the Iran-Iraq Central Ave. Zip: 90011. Tel: (323) 233-9372. mail: [email protected] Garment [email protected] War," from New International no. 7. 372A 53rd E-mail: [email protected] District, 545 8th Ave. Mailing address: P.O. Toronto: 2761 Dundas St., Postal code: Street (at 4th Ave.) Tel: (718) 567-8014. San Francisco: 3926 Mission St. Zip: 94112. Box 30. Zip:l0018. Tel: (212) 695-7358. M6P IY4. Tel: (416) 767-3705. Garment District Tel: (415) 584-2135. E-mail:sfswp E -mai I: s wpny gd@a ttgl o b a!. net; E-mail: [email protected] Socialist class series. Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Oct. @hotmail.com Upper Manhattan: 540 W. 165 St. Mailing Vancouver: #2020-4806 Main St. Postal 21: "What the 1987 stock market crash foretold," COLORADO: Craig: P.O. Box 1539. Zip: address: 4049 Broadway #275. code: V5V 3R8. Tel: (604) 872-8343. E-mail: from New International no. 10.545 8th Ave., 14th. 81626. E-mail: westerncoloradoswp@ya­ Zip: 10032. Tel: (212) 740-4611. E-mail: [email protected] Floor. Tel: (212) 695-7358. [email protected]; hoo.com FRANCE OHip: Cleveland: 11018 Lorain Ave. Zip: Upper Manhattan FLORIDA: Miami: 8365 NE 2nd Ave. Paris: Centre MBE 175, 23 rue Lecourbe. Socialist class series on New International no. #206 Zip: 33138. Tel: (305) 751-7076. E-mail: 44111. Tel: (216) 688-1190. E-mail: 7. Sundays at 4:30p.m. Oct. 21: "The Working [email protected] Postal code: 75015. Tel: (01) 47-26-58-21. E­ [email protected] Tampa: P.O. Box mail: [email protected] Class Campaign against Imperialism and War" 16002. Zip: 33687. E-mail: by Jack Barnes, pages 176-217; Oct. 28: PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 5237N. "Washington's Third Militarization Drive" by TOC [email protected] 5th St. Zip: 19120. Tel: (215) 324-7020. E­ ICELAND Mary-Alice Waters. 540 W. 165 St. Tel: (212) GEORGIA: Atlanta: 465 Boulevard, Suite mail: [email protected] Reykjavik: Skolavordustig 6B. Mailing 740-4611. 214. Zip: 30312. Tel: (404) 622-8917. Pittsburgh: 5907 Penn Ave. Suite 225. Zip. address: P. Box 0233, IS 121 Reykjavik. Tel: E-mail: [email protected] 15206. Tel: (412) 365-1090. 552 5502. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: 103122. [email protected] PENNSYLVANIA ILLINOIS: Chicago: 1212 N. Ashland NEW ZEALAND Philadelphia TEXAS: Houston: 619 West 8th St. Zip: Suite 201. Zip: 60622. Tel: (773) 342-1780. 77007. Tel: (713) 869-6550. E-mail: Auckland: Suite 3, 7 MasonAve., Otahuhu. Socialist class series. Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. E-mail: [email protected] Postal address: P.O. Box 3025. Tel: (9) 276- Oct. 17: Marxism and Terrorism. 5237 N. 5th St. [email protected] IOWA: Des Moines: 3720 6th Ave. Zip: 8885. Tel: (215) 324-7020. WASHINGTON, D.C.: 3437 14th St. NW E-mail: [email protected] 50313. Tel: (515) 288-2970. E-mail: Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) 387-1590. E-mail: Christchurch: Gloucester Arcade, 129 [email protected] [email protected] ~------, Gloucester St. Postal address: P.O. Box 13- MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: P.O. Box 1 Where Lumumba is playing: 1 WASHINGTON: Seattle: 5418 Rainier 969. Tel: (3) 365-6055. 702. Zip: 02124. Tel: (617)470-2620 E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] I to find out go to: Avenue South. Zip: 98118-2439. Tel: (206) 1 I [email protected] 323-1755. E-mail: [email protected] I http://www.zeitgeistfilm. l MICHIGAN: Detroit: 4208 W. Vernor St. SWEDEN com/currentlplaydates/ Mailing address: P.O. Box 441580 AUSTRALIA Stockholm: Domargriind 16 (T-hana I lumumba.playdates.html I Zip: 48244. Tel: (313) 554-0504. Sydney: 1st Fir, 3/281-287 Beamish St., Viistertorp) Postal code: S-129 04. Tel: (08) 31 L ______j E-mail: [email protected] Campsie, NSW 2194. Mailing address: P.O. 69 33.E-mail: [email protected] 12 The Militant October 29, 2001 -GREAT SOCIE1Y------'Oh say can you see'?-Plead­ builder for 30 luxury planes it plans going to happen to you." vestigated for criminal or disciplin­ partment announced several semi­ ing it faced bankruptcy, UnitedAir­ to market to corporations, prosper­ ary charges. Figures showed that nars led by visiting academics. One lines received $400 million from ous entertainers, and other well­ Caught holding the cards-In 101 superintendents or chief super­ title was more incomprehensible Congress, half of its cut of the $15 heeled folks. Scottsboro, Alabama, a former cop intendents are suspended from duty than the other. Our favorite: "Re­ will face trial for burglarizing a or are working under a cloud of sus­ thinking representation: A plural P.S.-United is axing 20,000 building. He allegedly took $14,000 picion."-Ben Taylor, crime corre­ systemic and deliberative theory of workers. No Congressional subsi­ in cash and jewelry and a collec­ spondent, London Daily Mail. representation, designed for the dies there. tion of baseball cards. The stated promissory, anticipatory, self-refer­ value of the cards is $13,084. Gobble, gobble-What with other ential, and surrogate forms." For sure-Colorado state em­ retailers folding or hanging on by ployees rallied on the steps of the Bet he's waving the flag-Despite their fingernails, Wal-Mart, said to 'Progressive' education-Colo­ capitol October 4 to protest three­ a loss of $9 billion last year, com­ be the world's largest chain, an­ rado officials have replaced the old digit increases in health plan pre­ puter honcho Bill Gates is still the nounced it would open as many as school report card with school ac­ miums. In Pueblo County, a state country's richest person. Currently, 325 new stores next year and en­ countability reports-in English billion voted by Congress to bail out employee with four children will he "worth" $54 billion. large 115 more, or move them to only. At Denver's Valdez Elemen­ the industry, pay a monthly premium of $500 to larger spaces. tary School, the principal estimates Meanwhile, United dropped an $800 a month. Warned one state A few barrels of'bad apples'?­ that 80 percent of the parents are $11.25 million check in the mail, a worker: "We're the canary in the "One in ten senior police officials English translation available?­ Spanish speakers and won't be able down payment to a French aircraft coal mine. If it happens to us, it's in England and Wales is being in- The UCLA Political Science de- to read the reports. Hundeds attend food sovereignty forum in Havana BY KARL BUTTS "Because of economic powers AND ROLLANDE GIRARD beyond its borders only 25 per­ HAVANA-Four hundred people from cent of Brazilians live decently, 60 countries participated in the World Fo­ [while] 22 million live in abso­ rum on Food Sovereignty (WFFS) here Sep­ lute poverty, and 53 million in tember 3-7. The forum was convened by poverty." As a result of centuries the National Association of Small Farmers of oppression, only 300,000 ab­ of Cuba, in preparation for a World Food original inhabitants remain of the Summit to be held in Rome later this year original 7 million, explained sponsored by the United Nations Food and Morelli. Agriculture Organization (FAO). Egidio Brunetto, a representa­ Ricardo Alarcon, president of Cuba's tive of the Movement of Land­ National Assembly, and Oswaldo Martinez, less Workers of Brazil (MST) and director of Cuba's World Economic Re­ Via Campesina, spoke in the search Center, addressed the forum. agrarian reform roundtable, Martinez denounced the U.S.-backed Free pointing out that "there is a land Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) pact as concentration problem world­ tantamount to U.S. "annexation and absorp­ wide." One particular Brazilian tion of Latin America and the Caribbean landowner's holdings are so ex­ region .. .into the American economy." pansive that they are like "a coun­ Martinez pointed to the impact on Mexico try within a country," he said. of the 1992 North American Free Trade Despite this, there is constant Agreement, a "testing ground" for the "propaganda in the media against FTAA. Once a net exporter of rice, Mexico organizations fighting for land, is now dependent on imports for 50 percent while military intelligence and Plenary session ofthe World Forum on Food Sovereignty held in Havana, September 3-7. Partici­ of its domestic needs. Six million Mexican paramilitary forces are used to pants from 60 countries passed a resolution against the Free Trade Area of the Americas, saying "it is nothing more than a hegemonic strategic plan developed by the United States to consolidate farmers and their families have been driven repress mobilizations," Brunetto its control over Latin America and the Caribbean and guarantee itself a large captive market." out of farming, Martinez said. said. Forum participants went on record oppos­ In a workshop for peoples' ing the FTAA, saying that "it is nothing more right to food, Bara Goudiaby of Senegal de­ The Rodzwadowskys told Marzoroli that plained what the Cuban Revolution has than a hegemonic strategic plan developed scribed the results of economic devastation they not only face the same problems, but meant for him. by the United States to consolidate its con­ in his country over the last two decades in have the same number and breed of cows "Before the revolution," he said, "I was trol over Latin America and the Caribbean, which farmers lost access to credit and tech­ and use the same kind of milking machine. put in jail for being part of the revolution­ expand its economic borders, and guaran­ nical assistance, and market competition Another farmer from the United States, ary movement." Some ofhis comrades were tee itself a large captive market." The reso­ increased from rising rice imports. Produc­ John Kinsman, met Armando Garcia, the killed. Garcia was released after the revolu­ lution encouraged participation in the Hemi­ tion of peanuts, an important cash crop, dis­ president of the Fructuoso Rodriguez Co­ tionary victory in 1959 and learned how to spheric Conference Against the FTAA, to placed production of grains for local con­ operative during a visit to the cooperative read and write thanks to the literacy cam­ be held in Havana next month. sumption, he added, pointing out that in by conference participants. Both Kinsman paign. The cooperative he is a member of is Sponsors of the WFFS included the Coa­ many countries local production has been and Garcia are 76 years old. Garcia ex- Continued on Page 15 lition of Family Producers of the Mercosur replaced with monoculture crops and the (COPROFAM), the Movement of Landless countries have become forced to import their Rural Workers from Brazil (MST), the Net­ food. As a result, when a natural disaster is work of Peasant Agriculture and Modern­ confronted it becomes a social disaster for -25 AND 50 YEARS AGO many countries. ization (APM) of Africa, the International UCii:Nt'$ Center for Rural and Agricultural Studies (CERAI) from Spain, and Via Campesina, Drought in Central America THE MILITANT an international peasant rights organization An example of this is Central America, THE MILITANT PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS Of THE WORKING PEOPLE headquartered in Honduras. Participants which has been hit by a drought. Trinidad A SOCIAUSf NEWSWIEULY/!"U8USHE0.1N m£ 00Uf1.1S Of 'OU WOit1tiNG PfOPU NEW YORK, !'\ Y FIVE (')) CENTS came from an assortment of international Membrefia, who is the president of the Co­ organizations representing farmers and farm ordinator Council of Peasant Organizations October 29, 1976 October 29, 1951 workers, fishermen, and indigenous people. of Honduras (COCOCH), told the Militant "Out of control"-that was the way U.S. A delegation from the United States in­ that peasants were severely affected by Hur­ arms sales to the shah oflran were described The American people are pounded day cluded farmers from Wisconsin, Iowa, and ricane Mitch in 1999 and again this year in a recent report by a subcommittee of the in and day out with the propaganda that arms Florida. with a drought that destroyed the crop. There U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. production will not only make this country are now 3,000 landless families, he said, Released August 1, the fifty-nine-page strong, rendering it safe from "aggressor Gap between rich and poor adding that much of the population in the report found that the shah is the largest attack," but that it is the best guarantee of In the opening session, Vicent Garces, a countryside doesn't have access to electric­ single purchaser ofU.S. military equipment. peace. This is a barefaced hoax. member of the International Executive Com­ ity, running water, and roads. We are ask­ In the four-year period ending in June 1976, The historical fact is that every arms race mittee of the WFFS, reported that, accord­ ing, he continued, "for a land reform law" the shah paid the Pentagon and various U.S. in the past has ended in a major shooting ing to the UN Development Program, the but, "it won't be easy because the big land­ manufacturers a total of $10.4 billion. war, and the arms race now in progress is wealthiest 20 percent of the world's popu­ lords have the power." But Iran, with its nonindustrial economy, no exception. But what makes the war dan­ lation consumes 86 percent of world gross Participants in the forum debated the use lacks a work force with the skills necessary ger even more acute is the additional factor domestic product (GDP) and 82 percent of of genetically modified organisms (GMOs ), to maintain and operate the sophisticated that capitalist economy has now developed exports while the poorest 20 percent con­ which some large agricultural companies are weapons purchased by the shah. Therefore, to the point where civilian demand at home sumes 1 percent of each. More than 80 coun­ developing. The corporations hope to profit the report says, the Iranian army will be and abroad is able to absorb only a fraction tries have lower GDPs than 20 years ago. from sales of seed that have traits that give unable to use these arms "unless increasing of the entire productive capacity. It was also reported that the number of them greater resistance to disease, insects, numbers of American personnel go to Iran For a market that can absorb the output chronically malnourished people only de­ and weed-killing herbicides. in a support capacity." of American industry, capitalism requires clined marginally from 840 million to 826 The way the Senate committee sees it, nothing less than the unlimited market of million between 1996 and 2000. Exchange of experiences "the U.S. assumes the obligation of long­ production for war. Genevieve Le Bihan of APM Mondial The conference provided an opportunity term support for the equipment it has sold; The entire postwar experience has proved from France reported that half the worid's for farmers from different countries to meet the purchaser becomes dependent on the this to the hilt. Even before Korea, U.S. population suffers from nutritional prob­ and exchange experiences. Silvio Marzoroli, U.S. in much the same manner as local au­ military appropriations set an all-time lems, and that on top of the 826 million a dairy farmer from Uruguay, and a leader tomobile dealer is dependent on Detroit." "peace" record. But these large arms bud­ people that suffer from hunger, 68 million of Procofam and Producers of Mercosur, However, what is involved is not auto­ gets, on top of domestic and worldwide de­ infants are affected by low birth weight. Of explained to Paul and Lana Rozwadowsky, mobiles. As the report points out, the Ira­ mand for consumer goods, arising from the the 30,500 children who die every day from two farmers from the United States, that nian regime could not "go to war in the next destruction, shortages and scarcities of the preventable diseases such as diarrhea, acute while he receives only 13 cents per liter of five to ten years ... without U.S. support on a last global conflict, proved not enough. On respiratory infections, and malaria, malnu­ milk, it costs him 16 cents to produce that day-to-day basis." the eve of Korea, 16 months ago, this coun­ trition is a contributing factor in more than liter. In previous years when the price was As of January 1976, there were already try tottered on the brink of depression, with half. 18 cents a liter, Marzoroli said, many farm­ an estimated 24,000Americans stationed in production dropping off and unemployment Father Dom Mauro Morelli, a well­ ers took loans to improve their ranches. Now Iran. This number "could easily reach climbing to five to six million. known advocate of impoverished workers many cannot pay them back, and are facing 50,000-60,000 or higher by 1980;' the Sen­ The "Korea boom" staved off the depres­ and indigenous peoples from Brazil, said, foreclosure. ate report concluded. siOn. October 29, 2001 The Militant 13 History of imperialist plunder Workers walk Continued from Page 9 as throughout the entire semicolonial out at General world, is the denial of national sov­ ereignty and dignity to the majority of humanity. From the arbitrary drawing of lines on a map to set bor­ Dynamics ders, to imperial dictates to carry out Washington's bidding-the toilers Continued from front page acrossAfrica, the Middle East, Asia, step toward replacing heavy tanks with a more transport­ and Latin America have faced "hu­ able vehicle. The Marine Corps awarded the company a miliation and degradation for 80 $712-million contract to develop theAdvancedAmphibi­ years," and often much, much ous Assault Vehicle. longer. The designs are developed in the Sterling Heights plant, Without such domination, and its where some parts are also machined, and prototypes built necessarily accompanying affronts to at the Ohio Pennsylvania plants. Factory production of peoples around the globe, imperial­ the vehicles after the prototype is approved is done at other ism cannot survive. facilities. Many of the UAW members at the Sterling The latest example, and the main Heights plant are salaried technical workers, including propaganda pretext for the escalat­ engineers, draftsmen, planners, and purchasers. Others are ing U.S. war, is Washington's de­ 1948 machinists, mechanics, and janitors. Several of the strikers were interested to hear about how mand that the government of Af­ Jkditerranea11 Sea ghanistan hand over Osama bin state government workers in Minnesota went on strike in Laden and others-"without nego­ spite of pressure from Gov. Jesse Ventura and the big­ tiation," as Bush arrogantly intones, business media that with Washington's war against Af­ and without the pretense of present­ ghanistan under way, now is not the time to strike. "It's ing a shred of evidence to that sov­ unpatriotic that we have to be here in this kind of weather ereign government. on the picket line," one striker said, referring to the icy Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press chill of cold pouring rain, sleet, and 50-mile-an-hour gusts Sunday, October 14, Suhail Shaheen, that the pickets had braved on the second day of walking deputy Ta1iban ambassador to Paki­ the line. stan, explained that no representative "How can they ask us to sacrifice freedom to fight for of the U.S. government has ever sat Above, present-day Middle East, North Africa; below, left to 'freedom'?" another striker asked. "There's a problem if down with them to present any of the right: Israel as established by UN partition; land seized in 1948 ...__...L...J-..:=:...____. we don't have the freedom to strike." case on which it bases its demand to war; territory seized in 1967 war; Israel today. The president ofUAW Local2075 at the Lima plant says turn over bin Laden. that workers would return to their jobs immediately if equip­ What other sovereign govern- ment they make is needed in Afghanistan. "We would be ment, anywhere in the world, would simply turn over an their imperialist backers in North America and Europe back on our jobs. That's a no-brainer for us," he said. individual living within its borders on the demand of an­ were pitting the Jewish people against those fighting for But that opinion is not held by all the strikers. When an other government? On the demand that it do so or be national liberation in the Middle East and worldwide; they Associated Press reporter asked AI Logie, a mechanic at pounded by bombs, followed by an invasion of ground were creating a death trap for the Jews, which Israel re­ the Sterling Heights plant, what he thought about going mains to this day. By its systematic superexploitation of on strike just as the U.S. government launched its war troops? And Afghanistan, moreover, is a country with a the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America; by its long history of imperialist aggression and assaults on its against Afghanistan, he said, "They should have thought never-ending insults to their national and cultural dig­ about that when they gave our benefits away." national sovereignty and dignity-and resistance to them. nity; by its ceaseless murderous violence in countless The Taliban ambassador added that the U.S. govern­ forms-U.S. imperialism is turning North America into ment, having "issued its own verdict" that bin Laden a death trap for working people and all who live here. Ilona Gersh is a member ofUAW Locall74, and works at should be taken "dead or alive," has created a situation in Textron Automotive in Westland, Michigan. which anyone, anywhere in the world can now commit an As part of the working-class campaign against imperi­ act of violence and have it blamed on Osama bin Laden. alism and its wars being carried out today by members of This is already being confirmed in life in the United States, the Socialist Workers Party and Young Socialists, com­ as the anthrax panic is being used to crank up emergency munist workers are finding ways to discuss these conse­ 1945 revolution war fever and at the same time build a bridge to "Iraqi quences of the century-long exploitation and oppression complicity." imposed on humanity by a handful of capitalist ruling families. We point to the capacities of working people on in Azerbaijan: 'Embrace imperial role' every continent to join together in a common revolution­ As Washington and London have expanded their war ary struggle against our common class enemies, from the against Afghanistan, a number of kept columnists in the United States to Europe, and from the Middle East to Af­ big-business press are doing their part to soften up bour­ rica, Asia, and Latin America. a correction geois public opinion for the establishment of an imperial­ To chart such a course means supporting the demand An item in the International Socialist Review supple­ ist protectorate. for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Saudi Arabia ment to last week's Militant, briefly describing the rise They point to the example ofYugoslavia, where UN­ and throughout the Mideast. and fall of the post-World War II workers and peasants sanctioned administrations-in fact, protectorates-have It means championing the call for Israel to withdraw government in Azerbaijan, stated that "under pressure from been established in Bosnia and Kosova, backed by impe­ from the occupied territories, the right of Palestinians to Stalin, the workers capitulated to the shah's army without rialist occupation forces on the ground. What other alter­ return to their homeland, and an end to U.S. support to a battle." Far from capitulating, however, the insurgent native is there, say these apologists, in face of the "dan­ the Israeli regime. working people in Azerbaijan were stabbed in the back gers to the world community" posed by "failed states"? Working people in the United States and Britain would by Stalin, who brought tremendous pressure to bear on "The Case for American Empire" blared the front-page win mighty allies across the Mideast and worldwide by their leaders, a majority of whom finally gave in to his of a recent issue of the conservative Weekly Standard, re­ demanding an end to the bombing of Iraq, which contin­ demands. plete with crisply dressed Navy officers and Old Glory ues to this day, as well as to the devastating embargo of The Azerbaijani people, concentrated in the far north waving overhead. the country. of Iran and the south of the Soviet Union, were in the Instead of becoming a "kinder, gentler nation," writes As part of a fight against the employers at home, work­ vanguard of postwar anti-imperialist struggles against the Max Boot, the September 11 attacks prove "the solution ers and farmers in the United States must join in the battle brutal regime of the shah, or king, and his imperialist back­ is to be more expansive in our goals and more assertive in to cancel the ruinous debt with which the banks and other ers. Viciously attacked by police and agents of the large their implementation." Recognizing that "unilateral U.S. imperialist financial institutions have saddled the landowners during elections in 1945, they organized armed rule may no longer be an option today" in Afghanistan, semicolonial countries. The debt is unpayable. It is only a militias called Fedayeen and, with the assistance of So­ Boot suggests that the United Nations could "certainly means, through ceaseless interest payments, to transfer viet troops, overran the shah's gendarmes and soldiers. lead an international occupation force under UN auspices, wealth created by the labor of working people across Asia, By the end of 1945 they had established their own gov­ with the cooperation of some Muslim nations." Africa, and Latin America into the coffers of the proper­ ernment. Boot says that former president William Clinton "even­ tied families in the United States, Britain, France, Ger­ Headed by Jafar Pishevari, the leader of the Azerbaijan tually did something right in the Balkans" along these many, and Japan. Democratic Party, or Firga, the government inaugurated lines. "Afghanistan and other troubled lands today cry out From Argentina to Nigeria, from Indonesia to Pakistan a deep-going land reform, granted women the vote, es­ for the sort of enlightened foreign administration once and Nicaragua, toilers resisting austerity measures, cuts tablished schooling in the formerly illegal Azeri Turkish provided by self-confident Englishmen in jodhpurs and in wages, land foreclosures, and deteriorating living and language, and took steps to improve living standards. Else­ pith helmets," Boot concludes. working conditions would rally to such a call from work­ where in Iran, Kurdish people drove out the shah's armies ing people in the United States. and established their own government, and workers in the Working-class line of march British-controlled oil industry in the south began strike The statement released by the Socialist Workers Party While Bush and the bipartisan Congrass carry out a actions that rallied workers all over the country. on September 11, through its New York City mayoral can­ "crusade" to defend "our country," workers and farmers The imperialist powers and the shah reacted with hos­ didate Martin Koppel, presents the opposite class perspec­ in the United States are constantly reminded-whether tility to the new government, preparing a counteroffen­ tive: that of the workers and farmers the world over, in­ we are yet conscious of it or not-that there are in fact sive and pressuring the Stalin government in Moscow to cluding us in the United States. The statement said: conflicting classes within these borders, with irreconcil­ bring its weight to bear against the revolution. The shah's able interests and historic challenges. Meat packers in prime minister, whose cabinet at first included represen­ The U.S. government and its allies for more than a Washington State, workers in tank factories and at air­ tatives of the pro-Moscow Tudeh Party, promised the So­ century have carried out systematic terror to defend their lines, state employees such as those in Minnesota, and class privilege and interests at home and abroad-from viet regime the concession for oil fields in the north. many others are being reminded that they too face an ex­ As the showdown approached in 1946, Pishevari called the atomic incineration of hundreds of thousands at ploiter who is driving to increase profits at their expense. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to the I 0-year-long slaughter on the Azerbaijani people to rise and defend their govern­ in Indochina, to the war against the Iraqi people in 1990- The battle against U.S. imperialism, the last empire on ment, appealing to their rich history of struggle. Under 91, to the burning to death of 80 people at Waco on its the face of the earth, is the fight to overturn once and for pressure from Moscow, however, the majority of Firga 's home soil, to other examples too numerous to list. In re­ all the profit system that inexorably produces and repro­ leadership renounced resistance in the name of"avoiding cent weeks, the White House and Congress have stood duces exploitation, the driving of farmers from the land, bloodshed." Thus disarmed, the workers and peasants were behind Tel Aviv as it escalated its campaign of both ran­ racism, national oppression, insults to different cultures, exposed to a bloody slaughter. Thousands were executed. dom killings and outright murders in its historically fail­ the denial of national sovereignty, fascism, and world war. The shah's troops also smashed the Kurdish republic in ing effort to quell the struggle by the dispossessed Pales­ That battle underscores the common interests of workers tinian people for the return of their homeland. similar fashion. Shortly afterwards, Pishevari died in and farmers in the United States and those around the prison in the Soviet Union. Half a century ago the revolutionary workers move­ world, as well as our capacity to revolutionize social rela­ ment and other opponents of colonial outrages, racism, Three decades later, oil workers and other working and anti-Semitism in all its forms warned that by waging tions and transform the wealth of the earth and of our people in Azerbaijan took a leading part in the mobiliza­ a war of terror to drive the Palestinians from their farms, collective labor-and, for the first time in history, use it tions that brought the shah's regime of torture and mur­ towns, and cities, the founders of the Israeli state and to the benefit of all humanity. der to an end. 14 The Militant October 29, 2001 -PATRICK O'NEILL Women's inequality is rooted in class society Printed below is an excerpt from Prob­ But this social history has been concealed the two sexes. The leadership of women in care and responsibility of feeding, tending, lems of Women's Liberation by Evelyn behind the myth that women are naturally primitive society was not founded upon the and protecting the young. Reed. The piece excerpted appears in the inferior to men. dispossession of the men. On the contrary, However, as Marx and Engels have dem­ chapter titled "The myth of women's in­ It is not nature but class society which primitive society knew no social inequalities, onstrated, all societies both past and present feriority." Copyright © 1969 by Path­ robbed women of their right to participate inferiorities, or discriminations of any kind. are founded upon labor. Thus, it was not sim­ finder Press, reprinted by permission. in the higher functions of society and placed Primitive society was completely equalitar­ ply the capacity of women to give birth that Subheadings are by the Militant. the primary emphasis upon their animal ian. In fact, it was through the leadership of played the decisive role, for all female ani­ functions of maternity.... the women that the men were brought for­ mals also give birth. What was decisive for BY EVELYN REED ward out of a more backward condition into the human species was the fact that mater­ One of the conspicuous features of capi­ Women's role in early society a higher social and cultural role. nity led to labor-and it was in the fusion talism, and of class society in general, is the But class society did not always exist; it In this early society maternity, far from of maternity and labor that the first human inequality of the sexes. Men are the masters is only a few thousand years old. Men were being an affiiction or a badge of inferiority, social system was founded. in economic, cultural, political, and intellec­ not always the superior sex, for they were was regarded as a great natural endowment. It was the mothers who first took the road tual life, while women play a subordinate and not always the industrial, intellectual, and Motherhood invested women with power of labor, and by the same token blazed the cultural leaders. Quite the contrary. In primi­ and prestige-and there were very good rea­ trail toward humanity. It was the mothers tive society, where women were neither sons for this. who became the chief producers; the work­ sanctified nor degraded, it was the women Humanity arose out of the animal king­ ers and farmers; the leaders in scientific, who were the social and cultural leaders. dom. Nature had endowed only one of the intellectual and cultural life. And they be­ BOOKS OF Primitive society was organized as a ma­ sexes-the female sex-with the organs and came all this precisely because they were triarchy which, as indicated by its very name, functions of maternity. This biological en­ the mothers, and in the beginning maternity was a system where women, not men, were dowment provided the natural bridge to was fused with labor. This fusion still re­ THE MONTH the leaders and organizers. But the distinc­ humanity, as Robert Briffault has amply mains in the languages of primitive peoples, tion between the two social systems goes demonstrated in his work The Mothers. It where the term for "mother" is identical with even submissive role. Only in recent years beyond this reversal of the leadership role of was the female of the species who had the "producer-procreatrix." have women come out of the kitchens and nurseries to challenge men's monopoly. But the essential inequality still remains. This inequality of the sexes has marked Food sovereignty forum held in Havana class society from its very inception several thousand years ago, and has persisted Continued from page 13 throughout its three main stages: chattel sla­ doing so well that they don't need credit to very, feudalism, and capitalism. For this rea­ carry them through to harvest. son class society is aptly characterized as Leonardo Chirino Gonzalez, a leader of male dominated. This domination has been ANAP, pointed out that UN reports show upheld and perpetuated by the system of pri­ that current world production levels could vate property, the state, the church and the feed 14 billion people, far more than the form offamily that served men's interests. current world population of 6 billion. On the basis of this historical situation, Gonzalez pointed to the example of Cuba, certain false claims regarding the social su­ where the victorious revolutionary govern­ periority of the male sex have been propa­ ment gave 200,000 farmers ownership of the gated. It is often set forth as an immutable land after the revolution, as well as access axiom that men are socially superior be­ to cheap credit, marketing contracts, a sys­ cause they are naturally superior. Male su­ tem of crop insurance, and social security. premacy, according to this myth, is not a "As citizens they are also entitled to free social phenomenon at a particular stage of education, health care, access to culture, history, but a natural law. Men, it is claimed, recreation, and participation in society in are endowed by nature with superior physi­ general," he added. The Cuban government cal and mental attributes. also supported the establishment of ANAP An equivalent myth about women has to represent the economic and social inter­ Militant/Karl Butts been propagated to support this claim. It is ests of the peasants. Urban market in Havana. Cuban hosts of Food Sovereignty forum took participants on set forth as an equally immutable axiom that The final declaration of the World Forum a visit to such markets, which play essential role in distribution of foodstuffs in cities. women are socially inferior because they are on Food Sovereignty recognized that despite naturally inferior to men. And what is the "four decades of the illegal and inhuman has to work'harder?" Can farmers "go with­ intelligent that we can imagine," he said, and proof? They are the mothers! Nature, it is blockade imposed by the United States and out roads," Castro continued, "fishermen "the world will change." The Cuban presi­ claimed, has condemned the female sex to the use of food as a weapon of economic without motors, fishing equipment, cold dent suggested the WFFS slogan "a world an inferior status. and political pressure, Cuba has managed storage facilities? What can they do with­ without hunger" be expanded to "a just This is a falsification of natural and so­ to guarantee the human right to nutrition for out electricity and if they don't know how world, a new world which our species de­ cial history. It is not nature but class society all of its population." to read and write? Without all these every­ serves and should wait to realize not a which lowered women and elevated men. In the closing session of the conference thing that we are fighting for doesn't make minute longer." Men won their social supremacy in struggle Cuban president Fidel Castro congratulated sense," he said. against and conquest over the women. But participants for convening the first interna­ Castro said that the current world order Kari Butts is a vegetable farmer in Plant this sexual struggle was part and parcel of a tional forum on food sovereignty, but cau­ could not resolve problems raised at the City. Rollande Girard is a garment worker great social struggle-the overturn of primi­ tioned that "we are not asking for enough." meeting. "The human being is a lot more in San Francisco. tive society and the institution of class soci­ "What can the peasant do with land," Castro ety. Women's inferiority is the product of a asked, "if he doesn't have schools, doctors, social system which has produced and fos­ hospitals, vaccines, protection against ill­ tered innumerable other inequalities, infe­ ness, credit, a price for their products, a -LETTERS riorities, discriminations, and degradations. market, and ifhe receives each time less and 'Whites only' policy? ticle notes Oracle CEO Lawrence Ellison's Northwest Airlines recently "apologized" public call for fingerprinting millions of to three passengers of Iraqi descent (two of people in the United States for use on na­ whom are U.S. citizens) that were yanked off tional "digitized" ID cards, and his offer to OCTOBER Pathfinder ~ a flight. The three men had passed through donate free software to the federal govern­ security checks in Philadelphia and flown to ment to do this. Readers Club Specials ~ Minneapolis en route to Salt Lake City. Oracle, based near San Jose, is the world's Upon arriving in Minneapolis they were leading maker of database software, and has pulled aside and interrogated by the cops, had a long-standing relationship with the February 1965: The Final American Labor Struggles: without probable cause other than their skin federal government. In fact, the Central In­ Speeches 1877-1934 color and national origin. They were again telligence Agency was Oracle's first cus­ Malcolm X Samuel Yellen cleared to fly. However Northwest barred tomer. (The company's name comes from a Speeches from the them from the flight, saying that some pas­ CIA-funded project in the mid-1970s to find "Brings to life the great last three weeks of sengers felt "uncomfortable" flying with better ways of storing and retrieving spy files labor conflicts of the Iife of this out­ them. They eventually got out on another being kept on people). American history, from standing leader of airline. Ellison, who is worth about $15 billion, the railroad strikes of the oppressed Black This r"lcist action sparked protests includ­ explained in an interview on a San Fran­ 1877 to the San Fran­ nationality and of ing from an elected official of East Indian cisco TV news program, "Well, this privacy cisco general strike of the working class in you're concerned about is largely an illu­ 1934"-Howard Zinn, origin who asked if Northwest was adopt­ the United States. A sion. All you have to give up is your illu­ author, A People's His­ ing a "whites only" policy. One person, in a large part is material sions, not any of your privacy." Ellison's tory of the United letter to the local media, asked if Northwest previously unavail­ States. Special offer would respond the same way to his discom­ proposal would build on what the U.S. rul­ able, with some in $16.50 (regular price fort sitting next to a Republican. ing class already has done. For instance, the print for the first $21.95) Despite the protests, Northwest unabash­ FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint time. Special offer edly defended the decision to refuse service Identification System, which went into op­ $14.00 (regular price $18.95) Problems of to these passengers, until a week or so later eration in 1999, keeps an electronic data­ Women's when the UtahAttorney General told North­ base of 41 million fingerprints. Fingerprint Women and the Nicaraguan Liberation west that they would be sued unless an apol­ processing time has been reduced from 45 Revolution Evelyn Reed ogy was issued. Northwest's "apology" said days to less than two hours. Tomas Borge that decision was made because the airline Bill Kalman Explores the social and was "trying to avoid a delay." Albany, California economic roots of The effort, in the early years of the Nicara­ Bill Scheer guan revolution, to lead, organize, and women's oppression from prehistoric society Minneapolis, Minnesota The letters column is an open forum for educate in the fight for women's rights. to modern capitalism all viewpoints on subjects of interest to Special offer $2.50 (regular price $3.00) and points the road for­ National ID card working people. ward to emancipation. I'm glad the Militant ran the article by Please keep your letters brief. Where Brian Williams in the October 15 issue on Avauable from bookstores, including Special offer $10.00 necessary they will be abridged. Please those listed on page 12 (regular price $12.95) the various proposals on imposing national indicate if you prefer that your initials identity cards on working people. The ar- be used rather than your full name. October 29, 2001 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Australian gov't assaults workers' rights BY LINDA HARRIS territories without the rights that come AND ROB GARDNER with landing on Australian territory. SYDNEY, Australia-The Austra­ Refugees accepted into Australia af­ lian government has deepened its as­ ter being processed in these territo­ sault on the rights of working people ries will not be permitted to apply for seeking asylum in this country. Since permanent residency after their three­ military force was used August 29 to year protection visa runs out. The block the Norwegian freighter Tampa definition of the term "refugee" has from landing hundreds of people on been tightened to make it harder to the Australian territory of Christmas gain temporary "protection visas," Island in the Indian Ocean, several allowing the minister to make "ad­ more boatloads of refugees have been verse inferences" against people ar­ seized. The crew of the Tampa had res­ riving without documentation. cued the refugees from a sinking ship. Another measure bans asylum These working people from Af­ seekers from taking part in class ac­ ghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine have tion court cases against the govern­ been transported under protest to the ment in a bid to remain in Australia. Pacific nation of Nauru, or are in the The government has also threatened process of being shipped there, by the to sue for costs against the civil rights Australian navy. Draconian new laws lawyers who took a federal court case have been rushed through the federal against the government for its actions Parliament, with the support of the against the people rescued by the opposition Australian Labor Party escort them Manoora Nauru, immigrant Tampa. (ALP), to back up this harsh policy. workers from Iraq protest October 3 the decision by the Australian rulers to forcibly transport them The government has not pushed On October 1 Australian troops to this Pacific Island nation. Australian troops and police were used to force the refugees into an through its actions against refugees were used to forcibly remove a group internment camp built on the island by the Australian government. without protest. On September 23 over of asylum seekers from on board the 400 people rallied outside the Australian naval supply ship the HMAS stepped-up presence of warships in the wa­ tinue to be used despite the tense interna­ Villawood detention center in Sydney. The Manoora and place them in an internment ters to the north of Australia, have become tional situation and the possible need for the previous day tear gas and water cannons were camp built by the Australian government in intertwined with Canberra's preparations to ship elsewhere." used by police against refugees staging a pro­ the barren interior of Nauru. participate in the U.S.-led war against Af­ The new anti-refugee laws enacted Sep­ test inside the remote Woomera detention This followed a tense 10-day standoff in ghanistan. tember 30 allow boats to be towed out of center in South Australia. which the 224 refugees, who had been Defense Minister Peter Reith has alleged Australian territorial waters by the Austra­ Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock ac­ picked up by the Manoora from the Aceng that refugees arriving in Australia without lian navy, including the use of "reasonable cused the Refugee Action Collective, which on September 7 after it had run aground on papers include potential terrorists. and necessary force." Mandatory sentences had organized a simultaneous protest near the Ashmore Reef, an Australian territory north The ALP has been calling for the estab­ for "people smugglers" have been introc center, of causing a riot. Activists from the of Darwin, had refused to disembark, de­ lishment of a permanent Coast Guard to free duced. The Australian territories of Christ­ Collective said the incident was provoked by manding to be taken to Australia. The last up the Australian navy from patrols against mas Island, Cocos Islands, Ashmore and guards. of the asylum seekers were transferred to "boat people." The Opposition's defense Cartier Reefs have been excluded from Nauru on October 4. spokesman, Steve Martin, declared on Sep­ Australia's "migration zone," allowing asy­ Linda Harris is a member ofthe Australasian With arrogant disregard for the Nauru tember 28 that "Australia's resources con- lum seekers to be processed in these remote Meat Industry Employees ' Union government, which had stated that it would not accept the use of force to remove the refugees from the boat, Australian defense minister Peter Reith declared that he did not "have a problem about using force if abso­ Ottawa to widen secret police powers lutely necessary." Prime Minister John Howard stated, "I should make it quite clear BY JOHN STEELE national security by killing, seriously harm­ new so-called fraud resistant "Maple Leaf' that the people on the Manoora will be go­ TORONTO-Three days after announc­ ing or endangering a person, causing prop­ identity cards for landed immigrants. The ing to Nauru-they will not come to the ing the dispatch of Canadian forces to the erty damage likely to injure people or by card will have a magnetic stripe that can Australian mainland or Australian territory." Middle East to participate in the U.S.-Brit­ disrupting an essential service or facility." contain "biometric information" such as iris A second Navy ship, the HMAS Tobruk, ish imperialist war against the working The designation of who is or isn't a terrorist and fingerprint scans. which is carrying 262 asylum-seekers de­ people of Afghanistan, Defense Minister is made in the same way "national security The federal cops-the Royal Canadian tained in recent weeks when their boats were Arthur Eggleton stated that Ottawa is com­ risks" are identified under immigration Mounted Police-will also be given $55 intercepted near Ashmore Reef, is due to mitted to playing a military role even if law-by ministerial certification before a million to create new border and national arrive in Nauru in mid-October. This will Washington attacks other countries in addi­ judge in secret. security teams, and to equip itself with new bring the numbers in detention in Nauru to tion to Afghanistan. Other aspects of the bill include: technology. more than 700. "We're in all the way when it comes to • The creation of a new criminal offense The dramatic deployment of Australian dealing with this problem of terrorism," he outlawing fund-raising for "terrorist Critics of the war not intimidated military forces against these groups ofAsian said on CTV's Question Period. He added groups," bringing Canadian law in line with The crackdown on workers' rights has working people seeking refuge, and the that the sending of warships, aircraft, a spe­ the UN Convention of the Suppression of encouraged harassment of critics of cial forces commando unit, and 2,000 armed Terrorist Fund-raising. Ottawa's war policy. Sunera Thobani, a From Pathfinder forces personnel to the region is part of a • The creation of new Criminal Code of­ University of British Columbia (B.C.) pro­ "multidimensional response" by Ottawa to fenses relating to the targeting of public fessor, has been vilified in editorials across the attacks on the World Trade Center and places, transportation systems, government the country following a speech she gave the Pentagon September 11. or infrastructure facilities with explosives October 1 at an Ottawa conference on the Washington•s The other "dimension" is an omnibus or other lethal devices, bringing law into line criminal justice system and women. In the 50-year "anti-terror" bill placed before the federal with the UN Convention on Bombing. talk she opposed the war drive against Af­ Domestic Contra parliament October 15 that constitutes an • Making it a crime to be "part of a ter­ ghanistan and said that the September 11 Operation expansion of the rulers' attack on the rights rorist organization," and stipulating tough attacks need to be understood within the of working people in Canada. The Liberal penalties for acts allegedly committed as context of a U.S. foreign policy "soaked in by Larry Seigle party government wants the legislation part of such organizations. As well, those blood." She is the subject of a B.C. resident's in New Newlntemational passed by Christmas. accused of terrorist acts abroad can face hate-crimes complaint to the police. The second The bill, introduced by Justice Minister prosecution in Canada or extradition. However, the government campaign has International assassinatioo m Anne McLellan, contains sweeping new po­ • Amending the Official Secrets Act to not intimidated opponents of Ottawa's war Maurice Bishop No.6 by.'Wt!wJC/ad. ---- lice powers to bug telephones and monitor prohibit pt!blic disclosure of information to drive. Seventy-five delegates to the Octo­ CUiii/S IIECTIRCAT!ON Internet communications, similar to those foreign states and "terrorist groups," that can ber 12-14 National Conference and annual PROCESS the Canadian Security Intelligence Service threaten essential infrastructure. general meeting of the National Action Also includes ·····-····· L..lod,iilbor,end... c...... (CSIS) now has for intelligence gathering. • Assigning a new role for the Commu­ Committee on the Status ofWomen (NAC) eTheSecond revolutlorl --·--·-·llflill

16 The Militant October 29, 2001