MUNDO OBRERO • Victor toro • ViVa Palestina 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! July 23, 2009 Vol. 51, No. 29 50¢ Viva Palestina delegation faces hurdles as convoy presses on with aid for besieged Gaza By John Parker in Cairo, Egypt, X Grassroots Movement, Movimiento Barron told the protesters, “The revolu- and Sara Flounders in New York Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA), tionary spirit of Palestine has ignited the eVICTIONS International Action Center, Internation- struggle. Those taking to the streets in the July 14—Organizers of the largest U.S. al Socialist Organization, Workers World U.S. and worldwide have earned the cred- SToPPeD humanitarian aid convoy to Palestine in Party and the Answer Coalition. it for this breakthrough with the Egyptian Detroit tenants fight back 3 history spoke today by telephone from Bill Doares of the International Action government.” Cairo to 50 people protesting outside the Center and then Galloway, McKinney “They don’t want this to be successful Egyptian United Nations Mission in New and New York City Councilperson because they don’t want any more con- York. They updated supporters on the Charles Barron all spoke by phone to the voys,” said Barron. “They want to set an progress of the Viva Palestina effort. The New York rally in front of the Egyptian example with us. They were hoping that news was that the Egyptian government U.N. Mission. They told the protesters they would discourage us.” But Barron WW had agreed to allow more than $1 mil- that they expected to leave in three hours stressed that the convoy remains firmly P lion in medical aid into Gaza, and that the for Gaza and that all the participants were committed to deliver the supplies and HOTO: MIKE convoy was expected to reach the border expected to get into the enclave, bringing break the siege of Gaza. with Gaza on July 15. more than $1 million in medicines and He and the other speakers appealed to E IL During the day it had appeared that medical equipment. the people demonstrating in New York to EN F EL the Egyptian government was going to The 218 people in Egypt with the con- keep the pressure on to get the trucks and D deny passage into Gaza. This earlier news voy from the United States plan to carry all aid supplies through the Rafah border sparked emergency demonstrations in the medical materiel across the border by crossing. This crossing has been closed ‘LA lUcHa New York, San Francisco, Houston, Chi- hand if necessary. since June of 2007. cago and other cities throughout the U.S. The question of trucks had still not A petition being circulated by the In- CONTINUa’ The 218-person contingent of activists been settled. Egyptian officials had told ternational Action Center (available at At Stella D’Oro bakery 4 plans to bring wheelchairs, walkers and negotiators with the convoy earlier that of www.iacenter.org under the Action Alerts medical supplies to the people of Gaza. 47 vehicles donated to Gaza, only the two heading) states: “It is a violation of inter- A genocidal attack on Gaza in December ambulances will be allowed to enter Gaza. national law to deny [the Viva Palestina and January, on top of a two-year Israeli Gazans desperately need new vehicles in convoy] passage or to detain and harass siege and blockade of the area, makes this the area to provide various public services. them in any way.” The petition demands aid essential for the people there. The Viva Palestina U.S. convoy, which safe passage for the convoy as well as an RACIST sWiM The fact that the caravan hails from the left New York on July 4 for Cairo, Egypt, end to the siege of Gaza. U.S. gives the convoy added resonance, as had faced an increasing number of hur- For updates on the Viva Palestina con- CLUB Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. gov- dles laid out by the Egyptian government. voy, visit www.vivapalestina-us.org. n Met with protests 6 ernment aid in the world. And Israel uses U.S. weapons and missiles against the Palestinian people on a daily basis. Viva Palestina was organized by British Member of Parliament George Galloway, who organized a caravan from Britain un- der the same name in March. Galloway intends to organize future aid convoys to Gaza this year from Venezuela, Moscow, and again from Britain and the U.S. on Dec. 27, the year anniversary of the open- ing of Israel’s attack on Gaza. Participants in the delegation include former U.S. Congressperson Cynthia McKinney, who was imprisoned in early July by Israeli forces for attempting to bring aid into Gaza by sea with the Free Gaza Movement. Also participating are representatives of the Council on Amer- ican-Islamic Relations, Middle East Chil- dren’s Alliance, Cuba Coalition, Malcolm Subscribe to Workers World Eight weeks trial: $4 One year: $25 www.workers.org Name Phone Email Address City/State/Zip Workers World 55 W. 17 St., 5 Fl., NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994 Protest at Egyptian Consulate in New York on July 13 demanding the convoy be given safe passage to Gaza. WW PHOTO: SARA FLOUNDERS IRAN & THE U.S. MOVEMENT 9 Mumia Abu-Jamal on U.S. hypocrisy 7 AFRICA & G-8 Lies & broken promises 8 Manifestación apoya indígenas de Perú Page 2 July 23, 2009 www.workers.org Detroit salutes cuba’s 50 years of revolution H In the U.S. Detroit salutes Cuba . 2 Celebrate life of Irving Fierstein . 2 By Cheryl LaBash Detroit Tenants win round against illegal evictions . 3 Atlanta homeless under siege . .3 A three-day summer Bakery workers threatened with plant closing . .4 celebration of the Cu- On the picket line . 4 ban Revolution’s 50th GM’s ‘quick rinse’ bankruptcy . 5 anniversary here in De- Protests stop deportations, breakup of family . 5 troit also welcomed the 20th Pastors for Peace Immigrants’ art exhibit opens in Harlem . 5 Friendshipment Cara- Outrage vs . private swim club’s racism . .6 van. The message car- Reparations for some, not others . .6 ried by this caravan is: Outpouring of love for Michael Jackson . .6 “The time is now! Presi- NAACP asked to support investigation for Mumia . 7 dent Barack Obama: Mumia Abu-Jamal on Hypocrites on the hill . 7 free the Cuban Five, end the blockade of Cuba, Black firefighters fight for justice . .7 end the travel ban and normalize relations.” H Around the world Programs review- Convoy with aid for besieged Gaza . 1 ing 50 years of Cuban Africa and the G-8 . .8 cinema and music pre- Protest at G-8 summit . .8 ceded the July 10 finale Anti-war movement debates Iran . .9 of a dinner, live salsa Construction workers strike in South Africa . 9 music and an awards WW PHOTO: CHERYL LABASH U S. spreads poverty in Central Asia . .10 presentation. Honored Detroit youth, with artist Tyree Guyton (center rear), painted the van behind them for their work in soli- in honor of the Cuban Five. Fidel Castro on Honduras . 11 darity with the Cuban Indian court overturns anti-gay British-era law . .11 people were Detroit City Councilmember JoAnn Watson Heidelberg Project transformed the van into a mobile and attorneys Julie Hurwitz and Jerry Goldberg. Ange- work of art dedicated to freeing the Cuban Five. H Editorials les Meneses, a student at the University of Michigan and Ignacio Meneses of the U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange re- The butcher of Vietnam . .10 intern at the Hurwitz-Goodman law firm, read a state- viewed the history of Cuba’s struggle for independence ment from Hurwitz, accepting the award on her behalf. and self-determination and the advances in health care H Noticias En Español Representing Pastors for Peace, the Rev. Tom Smith and literacy won by the workers of Cuba and shared with Viva Palestina . 12 accepted a very special vehicle joining the Friendship- a widening circle of humanity throughout Latin Ameri- Victor Toro . .12 ment Caravan—a passenger van donated to the Cuban ca and the Caribbean—progress now threatened by the Workers Confederation by the U.S./Cuba Labor Ex- U.S.-backed military coup in Honduras. change. Renowned Detroit artist Tyree Guyton of the The Hon. Claudia Morcom emceed the program, Workers World which included an appeal for renewed struggle to free 55 West 17 Street the Cuban Five, Mumia Abu-Jamal and all U.S. political New York, N.Y. 10011 prisoners. Noted local photographers Jack Kenny, Ken- Phone: (212) 627-2994 Celebrate life of neth Snodgrass and Frank Hammer displayed pictures Fax: (212) 675-7869 from Cuba. E-mail: [email protected] Irving Fierstein, The caravan’s message will be heard in more than 130 Web: www.workers.org cities along 14 routes as it gathers tons of humanitar- Vol. 51, No. 29 • July 23, 2009 people’s artist ian aid destined for Cuba. The caravan travels to the so- Closing date: July 14, 2009 cialist island without U.S. government approval, along The International Action Center in New York will with the Venceremos Brigade, the U.S./Cuba Labor Ex- Editor: Deirdre Griswold host a memorial for people’s change and African Awareness, in an annual challenge Technical Editor: Lal Roohk artist Irving Fierstein on to the blockade. The groups are scheduled to return to Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, July 19 from 3-6 p.m. at the U.S. on Aug. 3 at border crossings in Texas and in Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson 55 W.