Israeli gov't orders TH£ step-up in shootings Page 6

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 53/NO. 4 FEBRUARY 3, 1989 $1.00 Castro Court ruling deals blow speaks to youth at to affirmative action BY FRED FELDMAN By a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 8 dealt a blow January 23 to affirmative ac­ tion programs, which counter .discrimina­ tion against Blacks, women, and others. "Today's decision," declared Thurgood rally Marshall in a dissenting opinion, "marks a deliberate and giant step backward in this BY RON POULSEN HAVANA, Cuba - "We are facing a See editorial on page 14 great historic challenge. Who will win ? Who will prevail? The selfish, chaotic, in­ Court's affirmative action jurisprudence." humane capitalist regime, or will rational The court threw out a Richmond, Vir­ socialism prevail as the most rational , com­ ginia, statute that channeled 30 percent of passionate, and humane system ." With public works funds to construction com­ these words, Cuban President Fidel Castro panies owned by people who are Black, emphasized the principal theme of his Hispanic, Asian , or Indian. speech to many thousands of school chil­ The measure was adopted in 1983 after a dren , other Cubans, and international finding that only two-thirds of 1 percent of guests present at Ciudad Libre in the Cuban the city's construction contracts had been capital on January 8. awarded to minority-owned businesses in Beneath a banner proclaiming, "Here we the previous five years. The population of are all shoulder to shoulder, parents and Richmond is about 50 percent Black. children", Castro spoke to a rally marking The ruling asserted that the program, the 30th anniversary of the Cuban revolu­ which is similar to others set up by 36 state tion. The event completed a re-enactment and 200 local governments, violated the by school children of the triumphal proces­ rights of white contractors to equal protec­ sion up the length of the island 30 years ago tion under the law. by Castro and the victorious July 26 Move­ Sandra Day O'Connor, speaking for the ment forces. That march occurred after the majority, demanded that the courts subject revolutionary struggle had culminated in a affirmative action programs to "strict popular insurrection and general strike to scrutiny" in order "to 'smoke out' illegiti­ topple the hated dictatorship of Fulgencio mate uses of race ." Batista on Jan. 1, 1959. Only when the existence of acts of More than 1, 000 students from other "identified discrimination" had been estab­ countries, representing 18 ,000 such stu­ Impact Visuals/Bill Biggart lished, she said, could there be a "compel­ dents studying on Cuba's Isle of Youth, Blacks in New Rochelle, New York, picketed construction site in 1987 to demand end ling state interest" in affirmative action. were present at the rally alongside the to job discrimination. Supreme Court ruling targeted affirmative action program in "In the extreme case," O'Connor con­ Continued on Page 13 construction industry. · ceded, "some form of narrowly tailored ra­ cial preference might be necessary to break down patterns of deliberate exclusion." The majority decision was joined by Miami cop indicted for killing Blacks Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Byron White, Anthony Kennedy , and John Ste­ BY PAT WRIGHT tests against the long history of racist The following night, more than 650 city vens. Antonin Scalia wrote a concurring AND TONY THOMAS police violence in this city. and county cops organized in caravans of decision arguing that the majority had not MIAMI - On January 23 Miami cop After protests over Lloyd and Blan­ six cars, loaded with five cops each, swept gone far enough. State and local govern­ William Lozano was charged with two chard's killings began, Overtown was sur­ through the Black community. By 10:30 ments could take action to remedy only counts of manslaughter with a firearm in rounded by roadblocks and attacked by p.m., 23 people had been arrested. present acts of discrimination, he insisted, the deaths of Clement Lloyd and Allan hundreds of cops. On January 17 the police Alexander Kelly, a retired Liberty City not the effects of past ones. Blanchard. Lozano killed the two young occupation was extended to Liberty City. resident,said he was stopped on January 20 In addition to Marshall, Harry Blackmun Black men as they were riding a motorcy­ While Miami cops claimed calm had re­ by cops who demanded proof he lived in and William Brennan dissented. cle during the evening one week earlier. turned to both areas by January 18, police Liberty City. When he refused, saying According to O'Connor, the fact that Each count is punishable by up to 15 years attacks and blockades continued for several "this is not South Africa," a cop shoved "the sorry history of both private and pub­ in prison. Lozano was released on $10,000 more days. Kelly and stepped on his feet trying to pro­ lic discrimination in this country has con­ bond; he has been suspended without pay More than 350 people were arrested dur­ voke him into a fight. tributed to a lack of opportunities for Black from the police department. ing the week , and 11 were wounded. Troy entrepreneurs" was not sufficient justifica­ The same night in Overtown, seven peo­ tion for instituting affirmative action. Nor The January 16 killings of Lloyd, 23, Robinson ,a 16-year-old Liberty City youth, ple, including a pregnant woman, were at­ and Blanchard, 24, sparked an angry out­ became the third fatality when he was should "past societal discrimination in edu­ tacked and beaten by cops. Homeless peo­ cation and economic opportunities" be burst in the Black communities of Over­ killed on the 17th, in an alleged dispute ple had guns stuck against their heads and town and Liberty City and widespread pro- over looted goods. taken into account, she said. were arrested. Affirmative action programs, she indi­ Most of those arrested had bail set at cated, should not be based on the goal of $250. About 150 people were unable to bringing representation of Blacks and Socialists enter Miami mayoral race post bail, and were forced to stay in jail for others in areas of the economy abre.ast of several days. By January 18 the Dade their percentages in the population. Only MIAMI - The Socialist Workers County Jail held 2,100 inmates - 762 the percentage of those currently regarded Party here has announced that Thabo more than its court-ordered limit. as "qualified" who are Black, Latino, or from other minorities should be taken into Ntweng will be the SWP's candidate for 'Self-defense' mayor in the November elections. consideration, she said. Ntweng, a 41-year-old unionist and Lozano claims he shot Lloyd, who was While overturning the Richmond pro­ Black rights fighter , is a member of being chased by another cop for allegedly gram, however, the majority reaffirmed a United Steelworkers of America Local speeding, in self-defense. When he was 1980 Supreme Court decision that upheld 6694 at Keller Industries, an aluminum shot, the motorcyle crashed into an oncom­ the federal government's program favoring products manufacturer. ing Buick, killing Lloyd instantly. Lloyd's minority construction contractors. O'Con­ "My campaign is beginning at a time passenger, Allan Blanchard, died the next nor asserted that the 14th amendment to the when there is mounting anger in Miami day . U.S. Constitution gave the federal govern­ at the decades of racist cop violence and Lozano's lawyer told the press on Janu­ ment wider latitude than local or state gov­ mistreatment against Blacks and Lati­ ary 18 that Lozano shot to "defend himself ernments in taking affirmative action mea­ nos," Ntweng said. "The indictment of against being run over" by Lloyd's motor­ sures. Miami cop William Lozano for the kill­ cyle. In his dissent, Marshall pointed out that ings of Clement Lloyd and Allan Blan­ Witnesses to the shooting tell a different the ruling would discourage many states chard is the first step in winning some story . Lozano and his partner, Dawn Camp­ and localities from setting up affirmative justice. We have to struggle for some­ bell , were talking to a man about a missing action plans to counter racial discrimina- · thing unprecedented- a conviction, not car registration sticker when Lloyd's tion. just a slap on the wrist or outright acquit­ motorcyle came by , chased by another cop Marshall denounced O'Connor's claim tal. All working people in Miami - in a patrol car. that Richmond officials had provided in­ MilitanUCharles Ostrofsky Black, Latino, and white - need to be "There was no warning, no nothing," adequate proof of past discrimination. "I Thabo Ntweng part of this fight." Fred Douglas Johnson, who drove the car find deep irony in second-guessing Continued on Page 5 Continued on Page 13 Canada farmers discuss worsening crisis

BY LYNDA LITTLE Trade Agreement between Canada and the agreed to continue to be part of the Pro the rest of the population. REGINA, Saskatchewan - More than United States, which went into effect Janu­ Canada Network's campaign against the Audrey Brent, a lawyer who defends 300 people attended the 19th annual con­ ary 1. The farm organization's position is implementation of the trade deal . farmers in their legal fights against farm foreclosures , outlined some of the court vention of the National Farmers Union that the Mulroney-Reagan trade deal is a One of the highlights of the convention (NFU) held here January 9-13. battles that took place in the last year. She sellout of Canada and Canadian social, en­ was a panel discussion on how the farm fi­ also described the action of a group of The NFU, founded 20 years ago, is ana­ vironmental, cultural, and agricultural pro­ nancial crisis affects residents in rural farmers who successfully shouted down tional organization representing a broad grams. It participated in the Pro Canada areas. Panelist Dr. Lynda Haverstock, a the auctioneer at a farm foreclosure in rural cross-section of family farmers in Canada. Network, a coalition of trade union, mental health worker, described the effects women's, political, business, and other or­ of mounting debts on the daily lives of Saskatchewan. The convention was opened with a board ganizations, all of which oppose the trade working farmers. "Farmers face an acci­ On April 14 last year, the NFU held a of directors' report given by vice-president deal. Art Macklin, which singled out the "strug­ dent rate five times greater than any other nationwide Day of Protest to focus public gle over free trade, the farm financial Under the provisions of the trade agree­ occupation .... The highest risk group on attention on the farm crisis and the devasta­ crisis, and the survival of the farm move­ ment most tariff restrictions will be phased the farm for accidents is the youth," she tion of the rural community. Under the ment" as the main activities of the union out over the next decade. Delegates dis­ told the convention. banner "Our land, our homes, our lives," over the past year. cussed the NFU's view of the implications Haverstock also pointed out that farmers demonstrations, meetings, and press con­ The NFU campaigned against the Free of the deal for the lives of farmers and have a suicide rate three times greater than ferences involving hundreds of farmers and their supporters were organized in cities from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Is­ land, to Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Support for Curtis at farm meeting Delegates adopted policy resolutions calling on the government to implement debt reductions, public land bank systems, BY PRISCILLA SCHENK the notoriety of these farmers. They are spired by the support and convinced that it and guaranteed cost-of-production return DES MOINES, Iowa - Many of the known and respected by farmers who are will take just this kind of effort to win jus­ programs on all major primary farm pro­ 200 participants at the National Farmers facing similar problems in Canada." tice for Curtis. "It took me 30 seconds to Union convention in Saskatchewan de­ ducts. After a day of distributing literature and decide to go to Canada," she said. "I was cided to throw their support behind the talking with people, Curtis supporters held determined I would make that trip no mat­ They also condemned the federal gov­ fight for justice for Mark Curtis. An appeal an informal discussion during the conven­ ter what. We have to make the same kind ernment's delay in making drought assist­ was made there by several Curtis support­ tion's lunch break. Sixty-five people at­ of effort wherever we live. Make the trip. ance payments and demanded that it estab­ ers who staffed a table on the case of this tended parts of that discussion. And by the Convince people to lend their support to lish a timetable and method for these pay­ union and political activist serving 25 years end of the convention, 27 people had this case. Give them a chance to hear the ments to farmers hit by last year's drought. in an Iowa prison for crimes he did not signed up as endorsers of the Mark Curtis whole story. With that, no reasonable per­ Delegates slammed the use of growth commit. son could believe that Mark is not inno­ hormones in the production of beef and Defense Com~ittee. Among them were Hazel Zimmerman, secretary of the National Farmers Union President Wayne cent." urged the government to ban their use. Mark Curtis Defense Committee based Easter; NFU Youth President Corky 01- here, took time off from her job to make likka; and several staff members of Rural the trip to Canada to talk with farmers there Dignity, an organization that also set up a about Curtis' fight against a frame-up by table at the convention. Judge to rule on citations the Des Moines police, county prosecutor, and city government. "A lot of people were "We went everywhere at the convention surprised that this kind of thing could hap­ wearing our buttons supporting Mark Cur­ against Pathfinder D1ural pen in the United States," Zimmerman tis and were welcomed," Zimmerman said. said, "although many were familiar with Several farm youth also wore buttons and NEW YORK - City Administrative the mural artists. police brutality in Canada. I read in the helped distribute literature. Law Judge Louis Sitkin heard final tes­ The judge said he would issue his deci­ local papers while I was there that a 17- timony here at a January 23 hearing on sion within two weeks. "We talked with everyone about who year-old Black man had been shot in the charges by the city's Environmental Con­ "We appeal again to our supporters to im­ Mark Curtis is - a person who stood up back of the head and killed by the police." for the rights of workers, for the right of trol Board against the Pathfinder Mural mediately send protest messages to the mayor Zimmerman said she described the beat­ farmers not to lose their land." Project. Sitkin has refused to drop the demanding that the charges be dropped," ing of Curtis by the Des Moines police and charges of illegal posting of handbills, said the mural's project director Sam Man­ the unfair trial that put him behind bars on Zimmerman explained that this was the which carry a maximum penalty of$3,500. uel. Since the case began in December fabricated charges of attempted rape and first time she had staffed this type of table The handbills advertised an open house in­ 1987 mural project representatives have burglary. She explained the importance of and that she came back from Canada in- viting community residents to meet one of pointed out that the mural has been singled winning broad, international support for out for harassment due to its political con­ Curtis to gain his freedom . tent. "Most people agreed with me im­ The Pathfinder mural is going up on the mediately. Many also were interested in 'Militant' sales to Canadian farmers six-story Pathfinder Building in Manhat­ reading the statements made on Curtis' be­ REGINA, Saskatchewan - The Mili­ tion, bought by a farm family member tan's Greenwich Village. It publicizes half by Iowa farm activists Carroll Near­ tant met with an enthusiastic response from one of Saskatchewan's francophone Pathfinder's promotion and distribution of myer and Merle Hansen. I was surprised by among participants at the National Farmers communities. the writings and speeches of outstanding Union (NFU) convention. After seeing the Several of the subscribers are active revolutionary and working-class leaders. It front page of the paper and being told an in­ supporters of the Nicaraguan revolution features portraits of such figures as Nelson and are particularly interested in the Mandela, Che Guevara, Malcolm X, Eu­ 'Militant' Prisoner Fund troductory subscription was only $5, one delegate said, "You don't have to show me paper's on-going coverage of that revolu­ gene Debs, Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg, and V.I. Lenin and other leaders of the The Militant's special prisoner anymore. It looks great and the price is tion. Communist International. fund makes it possible to send re­ right." He was one of 12 convention-goers Other subscribers who were participants duced-rate subscriptions to prison­ who bought introductory subscriptions to in the NFU and Pro Canada Network's Letters and telegrams demanding that ers who need help paying for the the Militant. campaign against the U.S.-Canada Free the citations be dropped should be sent to paper. Please send your contribu­ The Action Program to Confront the Trade Agreement were interested in the Mayor Edward Koch, City Hall, New tion to: Militant Prisoner Subscrip­ Coming Economic Crisis proposed by the Militant's opposition to that campaign. York, N.Y. 10007. Send copies to Path­ tion Fund, 410 West. St., New York, Socialist Workers Party in the United While they didn't agree with the Militant's finder Mural Project, c/o Pathfinder N.Y. 10014. States was purchased by seven of the sub­ position, they were interested in pursuing Books, 79 Leonard St., New York, N.Y. scribers, including a French-language edi- the discussion . -L.L. 10013 THE MILITANT TELLS THE TRUTH The Militant Closing news date: January 25, 1989 Coeditors: MARGARET JA YKO and DOUG JENNESS Circulation Director: NORTON SANDLER SPECIAL RENEWAL OFFER Nicaragua Bureau Director: LARRY SEIGLE Business Manager: JIM WHITE With 6 mos. or longer renewal, New lnternation~l #5 or #6 only $3.50 Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Seth Galinsky (Up to $3 saving) (Nicaragua), Arthur Hughes, Cindy Jaquith , Susan LaMont, Sam Manuel, Harry Ring, Judy White (Nicaragua) . The Militant carries news and analysis • Reports on advances in Cuba Published weekly except one week in August and the last on the developing world economic week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 410 crisis and resistance by workers and • On-the-scene coverage from our West St. , New York, N.Y. 10014. Telephone: Editorial Of­ fice, (212) 243-6392; Telex, 497-4278; Business Office, (212) farmers to employer and government at­ bureau in Managua, Nicaragua 929-3486. Nicaragua Bureau, Apartado 2222, Managua. Tele­ tacks- from the U.S. to the Philippines, phone 24845. Britain to South Africa. Correspondence concerning subscriptions or changes of address should be addressed to The Militant Business Of­ Enclosed is fice, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. 0 $4 for 12 weeks, new readers 0 $9 for 12 weeks, re­ Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMAS­ newals TER: Send address changes to The Militant, 410 West St., New 0 $17 for 6 months 0 $30 for 1 year 0 $55 for 2 years York, N.Y. 10014. Subscriptions: U.S., Canada, Latin Amer­ For $3.50 additional, send New International ica: for one-year subscription send $30, drawn on a U.S . bank, to 0 5th issue: "The Coming Revolution in South Africa" above address. By first-class (airmail), send $65 . Britain, Ire­ 0 6th issue : "The Second Assassination of Maurice Bishop" land, Continental Europe, Africa: £22 for one year, £12 for Name ______six months, or £6 for three-month renewal. Send check or inter­ national money order made out to Pathfinder Press and send to Address ------Pathfinder, 47 The Cut, London SEI 8LL, England. Aus­ City------State ___ Zip _ ___ tralia, Asia, Pacific: send Australian $60 to Pathfinder Press , Phone Union/School/Organization ______P.O. Box 153, Glebe, Sydney, NSW 2037, Australia. Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily repl'esent Send to THE MiliTANT, 410 West St. , New York, N.Y. 10014 the Militant's views . These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant February 3, 1989 CORPOUTE DEBT RISES Soaring debt of corporations TO HISTORIC HIGHS ••• spurs change in federal rules

BY FRED FELDMAN will allow commercial banks to supple­ current upturn in the capitalist business The U.S. Federal Reserve Board an­ ment the institutions that are financing the cycle . nounced January 18 that it would allow surge of corporate debt. It is easier for corporate owners to put commercial banks to begin selling corpo­ Between 1980 and 1988, the debt of off dividend payments to their stockholders rate bond issues through separate sub­ than payments on interest and principal to U.S. corporations grew from just under $1 so- lA TIO Of DE IT sidiaries. The new measure would allow trillion to some $1.8 trillion. (These figures bankers. In addition, corporations tend to TO NET WOITH the sale of corporate bonds to generate up were published prior to such events late last need more loans to ride out a recession. ~ OL ' I I I I I I I I I I to 5 percent - possibly to be increased to year as the debt-financed $25 billion During a severe downturn, heavily indebt­ ·n '17 10 percent - of the gross revenue of takeover of RJR Nabisco and the $13 bil­ ed corporations are more likely to be forced APERCENT banks' bond-selling subsidiaries. lion merger of Kraft and Philip Morris.) into bankruptcy. The rest of banks' bond-selling income Some $300 billion of the $800 billion in­ A study of l ,500 major U.S. corpora­ DAIA FEOIIAL Rfllllf 8/lARD. MfRRilllTN(H & (0 . TUIAI(HI must come from federal government and crease in indebtedness resulted from buy­ tions by the Brookings Institution predicted INTERNATIONAL AMUIU IN( . GIANT'S INTEifST lATE OISEirEI. IW municipal bond issues, which are regarded outs. However, other forms of corporate that I0 percent would go bankrupt in a se­ as more secure. Bonds are interest-bearing indebtedness also soared by $500 million vere recession. Such a wave of bank­ securities that must be repaid by a set date. in the 1980s. ruptcies could put unbearable pressure on Relative to assets, corporations' debts The measure - which was pushed by Debt has increasingly replaced sale of the major financial institutions, radically soared in 1980s, making firms more vul­ some of the country's largest banking in­ stocks as a means of financing corpora­ deepening an economic crisis. nerable to bankruptcy in recession. stitutions, such as J.P. Morgan & Co. and tions . Corporate stock, shares of owner­ Chase Manhattan Corp. -will expand the ship that entitle the possessor to periodic lending resources available to debt-bur­ dividends, is being replaced by debt at the dened corporations. Moreover, it will rate of $100 billion per year. Morris Starsky, socialist and allow banks to participate in corporate In six years, the ratio of corporate debt takeovers financed by high-yield, high-risk to gross national product has risen from 34 "junk bonds." percent to 42 percent. The last time the civil liberties fighter, dies The board hopes that the move will step ratio was this high came in 1974 and 1982, up activity on the corporate bond market, at high points in major recessions. Morris Starsky, a socialist for many of the National Committee of the Socialist which has been in the doldrums lately, and The payment of interest alone on the years and widely known for his involve­ increase bank profits. Workers Party. debt was estimated to have accounted for ment in fights for academic freedom and Permitting commercial banks to sell cor­ 24 percent of corporate cash flow last year. against police spying, died of heart disease Starsky was an active opponent of the porate bonds, which have been exclusively In 1984, a total of 51 large companies de­ January 20 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was 55 U.S. war in Vietnam and helped organize handled by securities firms and investment faulted on $11 billion in debt. In 1987, years old. the first antiwar protest in Arizona in 1965 . banks, removes a barrier separating these some 87 companies defaulted on $21.4 bil­ A meeting to celebrate Starsky's con­ At the time he was an assistant professor of two businesses for more than 50 years. lion. tributions to the struggle for social progress philosophy at Arizona State University in The marketers of corporate bonds have Rapidly rising indebtedness greatly in­ will be held in Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan­ Tempe. been having difficulties since the October creases the vulnerability of corporations uary 29 . In 1968 he became an elector in Arizona for the SWP presidential ticket. He joined 1987 stock market crash. The new measure during the recession that will follow the The gathering will begin at 2:00p.m. at the headquarters of Hospital Workers the party in 1970. Local 1199, at 1579 Summit Road. Speak­ The Arizona State Board of Regents dis­ ers will include Elizabeth Stone, a member missed him from his job that year on polit­ ical grounds. . Socialists hosting Defenders of civil liberties around the country campaigned for his reinstatement, regional conferences and in 1972 a court ruled that the firing had been unconstitutional and ordered him The Socialist Workers Party and major developments in international reinstated. On appeal, the board of regents the Young Socialist Alliance are and U.S. politics today. They will obtained a ruling that barred Starsky's hosting regional political confer­ discuss perspectives in the interna­ reinstatement on technical grounds. ences in January and February. tional campaign to defend Mark Later, the FBI was obliged to make pub­ Members and friends of the SWP Curtis, a framed-up Iowa packing­ lic documents showing that Starsky had and YSA and supporters of the Mili­ house worker serving a 25-year jail been the target of an FBI operation aimed tant will hear reports on and discuss sentence. at achieving his dismissal. He became a coplaintiff in the suit Host city participating Host city participating brought by the SWP and Young Socialist Alliance against the FBI and government January 28-29 cop agencies, and testified at the 1981 trial. Atlanta Birmingham Chicago Austin, Minn. The suit ended in a landmark victory in Greensboro Des Moines 1986. Houston Kansas City Starsky was an active participant in SWP Miami Milwaukee branches in San Diego, Los Angeles, Omaha Chicago, Cleveland, and Cincinnat~. De­ St. Louis Twin Cities spite increasingly severe health problems in the last decade of his life, he remained February 4-5 an active builder of the party to the end. Militant/Holbrook Mahn Los Angeles Phoenix New York City Boston Morris Starsky in 1985 Price, Utah Brooklyn Seattle, Portland Salt Lake City Newark Philadelphia Vancouver 1,500 in Los Angeles Attend Socialist Educational Conference For more information call: Atlanta (404) 577-4065; Chicago (312)363-7322; Los Angeles (213) in Seattle 380-9460; New York (212) 219-3679. rally against apartheid Hear BY KARLA PENA AND GEOFF MIRELOWITZ LOS ANGELES- On the January 16 Jack Barnes Militant Labor Forums Martin Luther King national holiday, a crowd of l ,500 people participated in a national secretary, The Political Fight to Free Mark Curtis rally protesting apartheid in South Africa. The protesters surrounded the front door of Socialist Workers Party the building housing the South African On Atlanta: Hear Craig Gannon, SWP Political Committee consulate here. The action, which was In Defense of Communism: Sat., Jan 28, 7 p.m. City Centre Hotel, 70 Houston St. dominated by many hundreds of high Near downtown and Highway 75. For more information call (404) 577-4065 school students and other young people, • Perestroika and capitalism was organized by the Los Angeles Student • The growing imperialist crisis Chicago: Hear National farm director for the Socialist Coalition in association with the Southern • The Cuban revolution and John Gaige Christian Leadership Conference. Marxist leadership today Workers Party and SWP organizer in Des Moines, Iowa. The protest, more than twice as large as Sat., Jan. 28, 7 p.m. Congress Hotel, Windsor Room a similar action organized a year ago, also Sat.. Feb. 4. Reception 6 p.m.. forum 7 p.m. 520 S. Michigan Ave. attracted hundreds of people other than C.A.M .P.. 1722 18th Ave .. Seattle. For more information call (312) 363-7322 high school students. The marchers were frequently greeted by truck drivers and Class on Che Guevara's "Planning and Consciousness New York: Hear John Gaige other motorists responding to signs that read, "Honk if you hate apartheid." in the Transition Sat., Feb. 4, 7:30p.m. P.S. 41, 116 W. 11th St. Manhattan On the weekend before the action, 27 to Socialism'" from the book Che (near 6th Ave.) For more information call (212) 219-3679. students held a sit-in at the consulate. Guevara and the Cuban Revolution. (pp.203-30} Kevin Sullivan, who participated in that Los Angeles: Hear JameS Warren SWP national organization action explained that its purpose was to Sun.. Feb 5. 11 a.m. Lakewood-Seward secretary. make the city aware of apartheid and to Park Community Center, 4916 S. Angeline Sat., Feb. 4, 7 p.m. Holiday Inn-L.A. Convention Center close down the consulate. The action at­ St. (at 50th Ave. S.). Seattle. tracted attention as photos of the students Donation: $3 each event. Sponsors : Socialist Windsor Room, 1020 S. Figueroa sitting in appeared in both major daily pa­ Workers Party and Young Socialist Alliance. (downtown, comer of Olympic) For more information call (213) 380-9460. pers and stories were broadcast on radio For more information call (206) 723-5330. and TV.

February 3, 1989 The Militant 3 Racist cop violence exposed in widely seen TV videotape

BY OLLIE BIVINS they were stopped by local cops. LOS ANGELES- "He pushed me right In the official police account, the offi­ through the window, and he was still push­ cers said they pulled the car over for weav­ ing me as the window broke. He didn't pull ing. The videotape, however, showed that back. The guy rammed me right through," the car never crossed the center traffic line, said Don Jackson. and was going slightly slower than the Jackson, who is Black, is a sergeant in posted speed limit. the Hawthorne, California, police depart­ "I was wearing mechanic 's coveralls and ment. He's currently on a stress leave. had intentionally smeared grease on my On January 14 a crew from NBC televi­ hands and face to look like I had just sion's "Today Show" videotaped white crawled out from under a car," Jackson Long Beach cop Mark Dickey as he pushed told the Los Angeles Times. "I looked dirty Jackson's face through a motorcycle shop and I wasn't driving a nice car, so I guess plate-glass window before throwing him [the cops] figured they could do whatever onto the trunk of a police car. The vid­ they wanted." spent the night in jail. A court appearance you're Black, they assume you're reaching eotape was seen by millions of television After being stopped, Jackson got out of is set for January 25 . Dickey and his part­ for a gun . By the same token, Blacks who viewers a few days later. the car. Repeatedly cursing at him, Dickey ner will continue on active duty, according get out of the car are treated as if they pose Jackson organized the videotaping, ordered Jackson to submit to a search for to police officials. a threat simply because they're Black." using himself as bait, to highlight recent weapons. The tape shows Jackson putting "I wanted to expose all the dirty details On January 17 the FBI announced it will numerous complaints of police brutality in his hands behind his head, Dickey pushing that exist for minorities when contacted by investigate the incident. Jackson has also Long Beach, a city 25 miles south of his head and right arm through the shop the police," said Jackson, responding to stated that he will sue the arresting officers. downtown Los Angeles. window, and throwing Jackson onto the charges that he "entrapped" Dickey. "One On January 23 an article by Jackson ti­ Jackson and Jeff Hill, a state corrections police car. of those dirty details is that you can be mis­ tled, "Police Embody Racism to My Peo­ officer who is also Black, drove down the Jackson was arrested and charged with taken as posing a threat simply for doing ple," appeared on the op-ed page of the Pacific Coast Highway, a major thor­ using "offensive words," challenging an what may be 'unusual' behavior. For New York Times . oughfare in Long Beach. Within minutes officer to fight, and obstructing arrest. He example, reaching for your wallet. If "It is the police that tracked us as we fled the plantation," Jackson wrote. "It is the police that took Rosa Parks off the bus in Montgomery , Ala. It was police chief 'Bull' Connor who set dogs and fire hoses Immigrants stranded in south Texas on black men , women, and children pro­ testing for their civil rights in Birmingham, BY ALBUDKA travel authorizations to those seeking the Central Americans and Casa Oscar Ala. BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Hundreds asylum, which had allowed them to pro­ Romero for the crisis. "In this country," he wrote, "a black of Central American immigrants are ceed out of the valley to other cities. Working people, on the other hand, man will spend more time in jail for killing stranded in this Rio Grande Valley town in began to respond. The INS claims the new policy was de­ a white than he will for killing one of his south Texas. Most are from Nicaragua; An ad hoc committee was formed to signed to relieve backlogs in Miami and own. We know that blacks are more likely others are from El Salvador, Honduras, or work with those staying in the Amber Los Angeles, and to isolate newly arriving to see the death penalty than whites for Guatemala. Many explain that they have Motel. A food pantry was organized, and immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley. committing the same crimes. We will also come to the United States because of the crews of working people from the area and Only those whose claims were approved spend more time in jail for the same crimi­ economic devastation wracking Central immigrants began to collect garbage at the would be allowed to travel from the area. nal acts. We will receive longer probation America, including Nicaragua. Others are motel. Those denied asylum would be ordered de­ and fewer paroles than whites," the article fleeing repression at the hands of U.S .­ ported, released on their own recogni­ backed rightist regimes, such as that of El Norma Pimental, a Catholic nun and one said. . zance, and restricted to the valley. of the codirectors at Casa Oscar Romero, "America certainly has a problem. Black Salvador. The new INS policy moved the "back­ Some of the immigrants are stranded said that five or six times a day volunteers Americans have picked cotton, scrubbed log" to the Rio Grande Valley and precipi­ drove up to distribute food and clothing to the floors, cooked the meals, and laid the here after being robbed by the "coyotes" tated a social crisis. hired to bring them across the border, by those camped across the street from the bricks in hopes that hard work would one Casa Oscar Romero, which is restricted shelter. day mean liberation and acceptance," corrupt Mexican immigration authorities, by a court order to housing 200 residents, or by other thieves. Others are stranded These INS procedures remained in effect wrote Jackson. "We felt that somehow could not accommodate the growing for 18 days until a U.S . district judge is­ what is our birthright could be purchased after being arrested by the U.S. Border Pa­ number of immigrants and refugees. Sev­ trol and forced to wait for a deportation sued a temporary restraining order against by proving ourselves worthy. Yet, Ameri­ eral churches provided temporary shelter "show cause" hearing. The INS estimates them. The order was in response to·a class­ ca demands more proof that we are for some, and Brownsville residents took that 2,000 to 2,500 people are now waiting action lawsuit filed by Linda Yanez, an at­ worthy . . .. in others. But the number of homeless im­ torney in Brownsville; Proyecto Libertad, "Operating free of constitutional limita­ for such hearings. migrants grew. The Red Cross is providing shelter to a legal defense organization for Central tions , the police have long been the great­ By Christmas, a shantytown had grown American refugees; and the San Francisco est nemesis of blacks, irrespective of 200 to 300 immigrants and refugees each up in the brush across the street from Casa night in an old factory building. Another Lawyers' Committee for Urban Affairs. whether we are complying with the law or Oscar Romero. And several hundred peo­ As a result of the restraining order, hun­ not. We have learned that there are cars we 200 are housed at Casa Oscar Romero, a ple moved into the abandoned Amber refugee shelter operated by the Catholic dreds have been able to leave the valley, are not supposed to drive, streets we are Motel in Brownsville. and the camps are empty. not supposed to walk . We may still be Diocese of Brownsville. Others are Federal, state, county, and city officials crowded into motel rooms, and many are The lawsuit is to be heard January 31 . stopped and asked, 'Where are you going, argued over who should provide the neces­ Until then, the restraining order remains in boy?' Whether we're in a Mercedes or a without shelter. sary aid. Several elected officials blamed There has been a dramatic increase in the effect. Volkswagen." number of Nicaraguans entering Browns­ ville in the past three years. In April 1986 the Miami INS director announced he would not deport Nicaraguans from his dis­ Central Anterican refugees tell their story trict. In July 1987 then-attorney general BY ALBUDKA Prices are very high. It is difficult to feed village. One day a group of men came to Edwin Meese encouraged INS officials to BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Militant and clothe a family, even with both parents the village offering work . Twenty-five expedite applications for work permits for correspondents who came here to report on working." men left with them. That night none of the Nicaraguans. His assumption at the time the situation facing Central American im­ "There will be more nicas coming here men returned. was that most would be opponents of the migrants in south Texas spoke with a because of the problems," Marcos added. The next day three returned and led Sandinista government. These policy number of the new arrivals and with some "I would have stayed if the economy others to a shallow grave. The other 22 had changes, the defeat of the U.S.-backed of those involved in relief efforts. wasn't so bad." been tortured and killed. In a few days, all contra army, and the deepening economic Marcos, a young Nicaraguan who was He left to catch his bus. He was carrying the other villagers left. crisis in Nicaragua are fueling the in­ outside the gate at Casa Oscar Romero, a sweater and had in hand a ticket to Miami After the Guatemalan couple was robbed creased emigration to the United States. which is housing several hundred immi­ and the name of a friend there. traveling through Mexico, a Mexican Those among the Nicaraguans who grants, was on his way downtown to catch The shelter at Casa Oscar Romero, lo­ worker gave them bus fare to keep going, claim to be fleeing Sandinista "persecu­ a bus to Miami. He was more than willing cated just outside Brownsville, was filled and another gave them a ride and money to tion" are more likely than other Central to talk, however. with 200 men, women, and children from buy food . Americans to receive favorable treatment Marcos had served in the Nicaraguan El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and On Christmas Day, the man was arrested from the INS. In 1987, 84 percent of all army, he explained. But rather than serve Nicaragua. by the U.S. Immigration and Naturaliza­ Nicaraguan claims for political asylum in the reserves, he had chosen to come to Shelter Co-director Norma Pimentel said tion Service, then released and told to re­ were approved, compared to only 3.6 per­ the United States. He left Managua No­ that over the past three years the number of turn January 4. For nine days, he and his cent of claims from El Salvador. vember 11. Nicaraguans coming to the shelter has in­ wife slept under bridges and were fed by In 1988, 36 Nicaraguans were deported Marcos recounted his trip across Mexico. . creased steadily. people in the Rio Grande Valley. and 173 ordered to leave the country. In the Along with three other Nicaraguans, they Those staying at Casa Romero are re­ When he returned to the INS office, he same year, 2,711 Salvadorans were de­ hired a "coyote" to guide them to the bor­ sponsible for its upkeep. The 38-year-old was given a form to fill out for a work per­ ported, and another 1,828 ordered to leave. der. They were stopped by Mexican immi­ Nicaraguan in charge of the men's dormi­ mit. It was in · English, and no one was On Dec . 16, 1988, the INS announced gration officials three times. Each time tory explained that he had been a diesel there to translate. He and his wife will be new .procedures to go into effect the next they were released after paying a bribe . mechanic in the Sandinista army , and his deported on March I if they cannot raise day . Each person arriving in Brownsville Unlike some other Nicaraguans we met, wife had been a nurse . They both oppose $3 ,000 bond. and seeking asylum, according to the new Marcos said little about the Sandinista gov­ the Sandinistas, he said. Before leaving the INS office, he asked policy, had to present their claim to INS ernment. Instead, he briefly described the A young couple from Guatemala told officials where to go for help. He was told examiners in Harlingen, near Brownsville. living conditions. "Things are very bad their story. The man had a job driving a that he got there alone and had to leave This reversed the procedure of granting there now," he said. "There are no jobs. tractor in a field 30 minutes away from his alone.

4 The Militant February 3, 1989 Miami police record of killings, brutality

BY PETE SEIDMAN brutal beating. In May 1980, a jury in threatened to take Majors to the railroad • May 1987. Miami cops beat Alfred MIAMI - The Miami cops have a long Tampa acquitted them. Liberty City, the tracks and "finish him off." Lee, a Black off-duty Metro policeman, history of abuse and violence, directed Miami Black community, erupted in pro­ The two cops were both listed in the while he was handcuffed and under arrest. especially against Blacks. test. Eighteen people were killed, 400 were Miami police department's "Early Warn­ Lee wound up in the intensive care unit at Police departments here enforced strict injured, and I, 100 arrested, as police ing System," which is supposed to alert au­ Jackson Memorial Hospital. Despite five segregation laws, in place in some local mobilized to quell the rebellion. thorities to "overly aggressive" officers so police witnesses, an internal investigation areas until the mid-1960s. While these • December 1982. Miami policeman they can be required to take "stress coun­ cleared the cops who were charged. laws are no longer on the books, Mia~i Luis Alvarez shot and killed 20-year-old seling." The cops eventually got 10 hours • July and November 1988. Miami cops often act as if they still were. In June Nevell Johnson, Jr., at point-blank range in lost pay and a reprimand for the incident. cops staged armed drug raids on two homes 1988 PULSE, an organization of Black an Overtown video arcade. There were no • December 1986. Steven Tillman, a in the Black community. In both episodes, ministers, complained of Miami police charges against Johnson, who was un­ Black youth, was shot and paralyzed from cops drew weapons and terrorized innocent brutality to a committee of the U.S. Civil armed and playing a game at the time he the neck down by a Miami cop while sit­ people and their children. Rights Commission. In public hearings at was killed. Overtown exploded. Two peo­ ting in his car at a traffic signal. Tillman's • December 1988. Leonardo Mercado, the time, there was an outpouring of com­ ple were killed, 25 hurt, and 38 arrested. mother filed complaints with Dade a Puerto Rican, died of a fractured skull plaints about daily harassment of Black • March 1984. Liberty City exploded County's Independent Review Panel, one and internal bleeding after being beaten in working people. again when a jury in Miami acquitted Al­ of four such review panels set up in re­ his home by six Miami police detectives. Over the years, many protests by the varez of manslaughter. Twenty people sponse to protests against police brutality The cops had no warrants to either enter Black community here, including the most were injured and 243 arrested in the ensu­ here. This panel has yet to probe the Mercado's home or arrest him, but they recent, have been touched off by "routine ing rebellion. charges by Tillman. Investigators at the dragged him into his house. After tying his incidents" turned fatal. These include: • January 1986. Larry Majors, a Black Miami Police Department's Internal Re­ wrists behind his back, they beat him and • December 1979. Arthur McDuffie, a worker at the city's Solid Waste Depart­ view Board, another such panel, have his two stepsons, and then tried to cover up Black insurance salesman who was ment, was beaten before a crowd of Over­ "substantiated" only 15 cases of excessive the evidence. Four of the cops involved stopped while riding a motorcycle, was town witnesses by two white Miami cops force or abusive treatment out of 394 com~ were also on the MPD's "Early Warning beaten to death by five Metro-Dade cops. using blackjacks. Majors was handcuffed plaints filed with them since 1985. Only System." One of them had been charged in The cops fabricated evidence to justify the and in a patrol car at the time. The cops one cop has been fired as a result. circuit court by his wife of "savagely beat­ ing" her. Another, who had identified him­ self as "Aryan" on police investigative forms, had been accused of making racist Officer charged in shooting that killed two remarks while in uniform. No action has . been taken as a result of these complaints. Continued from front page funerals for Allan Blanchard and Troy road. Blacks who left Overtown and other Lloyd crashed into, told the Miami Herald. Robinson. Black "districts" had to carry written proof "He just took that gun out and shot." Hundreds, including many Veye-Yo they had business in "white areas" of Johnson said Lozano fired at the motorcyle supporters, attended Blanchard's funeral at Miami, a practice that continued on Miami after it had passed him. St. Mary's Cathedral. Veye-Yo leader Beach until 1965. A longshoreman who was on the scene Father Gerard Jean-Juste told the press af­ In the 1940s and '50s Overtown was a told the New York Times that Lozano had terwards, "We must go to the root of the community of 40,000 with nationally fa­ enough time to stop, put his pad and pen in killings, to the administration in Washing­ mous theaters, nightclubs, and hotels. Lit­ the trunk of his car, and pull his service re­ ton that is denying the Blacks jobs, hous­ tle more than 10,000 people live there volver out of his holster after he saw the ing, what they need. This is why this boy today. Overtown has some of the worst motorcyle. The longshoreman said Lozano was killed." housing in the country, hundreds of home­ "crouched, then kind of tiptoed out into the More than l 00 people attended a rally in less people, few community services. street." Liberty City on the afternoon of January 22 Two expressways built in the 1970s ripped to protest the cop attacks. through the heart ofOvertown. "Redevelop­ "Just when the motorcycle came by he At the end of the meeting, Black activist fired. Boom!," the longshoreman contin­ ment'' projects like the new Miami Sports Billy Hardemon announced he was form­ Arena continue to expand the downtown ued. "He meant to kill him." ing People United for Justice in Miami. He Miami police have refused to answer business and entertainment area and drive said it would be "a coalition of all Black Overtown back. Many Overtown residents questions about the shooting or release the people for justice." name of the man Lozano and Campbell believe the area is being neglected so it can be swallowed by downtown business de­ were talking to, the radio transmission Oppression of Blacks, immigrants made during the chase, and other details velopers and wiped out. A big concern of Mi~mi's capitalist rul­ Johnnie McMillan spoke Jor many in surrounding the killing. ers was the impact of the revolt on the The Justice Department announced Jan­ Overtown when she said, "When you have a city's "image" and on the January 22 Super feeling of hopelessness, you can expect Black youth protested kiUing of Arthur uary 23 that the department's Civil Rights Bowl football game. Tom Ferguson, presi­ Division had begun an investigation into something to happen. Blacks feel they're McDuffie when then-president James dent of Beacon Council, a big-business dropping out of the life of this city." Carter visited Miami in 1980. Lloyd's killing, one of several inquiries planning outfit, said, "If it wasn't for . . . now in motion. the Super Bowl ... [the protests] wouldn't Three da:ys earlier, Miami's City Com­ be more than a blip on the news." mission set up a special committee of five Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, police of­ Nicaraguans in Miami discuss racism cops and five Overtown community repre­ ficials, and some Black community leaders sentatives to investigate police-community have denounced Miami Blacks for resisting BY JEFF MILLER equal." Maria has not been given a work relations. the police. MIAMI - Nicaraguan working people, permit yet. Behind the revolt in Overtown and Lib­ Flor de Marfa, 18 , and her husband, Johnnie McMillan, president of the who have been arriving here in growing erty City lie the poverty and oppression Guillermo, 28, are also waiting for work Metro-Dade National Association for the numbers in recent months, express concern Blacks and other working people in this permits. Advancement of Colored People, told a at being blamed for the protests in the city face, part of which is daily cop vio­ They expressed surprise that Blacks in January 21 community meeting that many Black community. The capitalist politi­ lence and racist abuse. cians and media have been promoting the Overtown did not have access to jobs and Overtown residents don't believe the five housing through government-funded pro­ community members appointed to the These conditions bear down hardest on view that Blacks' resentment toward Blacks and immigrant workers. grams. They said that since arriving in the commission represent the people of Over­ Nicaraguans was a major factor in the re­ The three young men killed in the events United States they had been told to be fear­ town. Some, she said, own businesses or volt. were immigrants from the Caribbean. ful of Blacks, and that Blacks commit most lead churches in Overtown, but don't live There are about 100,000 Nicaraguans Lloyd was from St. Thomas and Blanchard crimes. there. now living in this area, and Dade County was from St. Croix, both in the Virgin Is­ They lit a candle in their small room as officials say 150 to 200 more are arriving lands, a U.S. colony. Robinson was born they talked. They have no electricity. Haitians call protest each week. Forty-four percent of Miami's in the Turks and Caicos islands. "It's a separate problem. We don't have Veye-Yo, a Haitian community organi­ A barrage of stories in the media about population are Latinos, the majority Cuban anything against Blacks. We are not rac­ zation, called the first organized protest the "flood" of Nicaraguan immigrants or with Cuban parents. About 17 percent of ists," said Guillermo, who operated a against the cop attacks. On the night of the coming to Miami • in recent weeks has the city's Latino population is from Central welding shop in Nicaragua. He sold part of 17th, 100 people jammed the sidewalk out­ fueled attempts by the city's rulers to tum America, primarily from Nicaragua. About his equipment and gave the rest to his side the Haitian Refugee Center chanting, the Black community's anger at the oppres­ 26 percent of the population as a whole is brother when he left. Flor de Maria was a "Justice. Justice. Justice for Black peo­ sive conditions they face against the Black, and II percent is white. student in Managua and hopes to continue ple!" The center is located in Little Haiti, Nicaraguans. "We are not the cause of the rebellion in her studies here. where many immigrant workers from Haiti This masks the fact that immigrant Urania, 32, who worked as a nurse in live. Overtown," said Marfa, 35. She sat with workers from Central America, the Carib­ her three-year-old daughter Eunice outside Managua, just moved in upstairs with her About 200 came out for the regular bean, and other parts of the world who The Anglers Hotel on Miami's South husband, her mother, and two children, Veye-Yo meeting January 20 . Veye-Yo come to Miami, far from receiving favored Beach. The hotel is one of two dilapidated ages eight and two. Urania is the only one speakers and U .S.-bom Blacks linked the treatment, face discrimination, low wages, buildings where six Nicaraguan families in her family who has obtained a work per­ police murders with defense of Haitian ref­ high unemployment, lack of social ser­ have recently moved into one-room apart­ mit, but she hasn't found a job yet. ugees held under intolerable conditions at vices, and violations of democratic rights. ments. Private donations have covered "I don't think the incidents in the Black the Krome detention center just south of Haitian workers - when they aren't turned their rent for one month. They are among community here were caused by our arriv­ Miami. back and forced to return to Haiti - face the 250 Nicaraguans cleared from Bobbie al," Urania said. "The Black community Betty Ferguson, United Teachers of some of the worst treatment. Maduro Miami Stadium to make way for has a long history of oppression." Dade activist and president of the Black Since 1980 Black unemployment here the Baltimore Orioles' spring training. The "Because of the high unemployment rate rights group Unrepresented People's Posi­ has risen from 7. 2 percent to 10.4 percent. city had been housing them in the stadium among Blacks, the time came for them to tive Action Committee (UPPAC) said, Estimated unemployment figures for Over­ since mid-December. protest, and do it the only way they could "Whenever one Black person is hurt, all town range from 44 to 55 percent. Thirty­ be heard ," she added. "If they ,give me a job, I don't take it Black people are hurt." five percent of all Miami Blacks and more She explained that she had seen first­ than 40 percent of Black children live with the idea of taking a job away from hand that schools here are segregated. Veye-Yo canceled a march on Krome below the official poverty line. Only half anyone, only with the idea of feeding my While living in the stadium, her daughter planned for January 21 to participate in of Miami's Black high school students family," said Marfa, who sold meals from was sent to Dunbar Elementary School, graduate. her home in Managua for a living. Her hus­ where all the students are Black. Overtown - originally called "Colored band is a soldier in the Nicaraguan army, "It shouldn't be like that," Urania said. Subscribe to Town" and "the Central Negro District" ­ and remains in Nicaragua. "We should be one community. Everyone the Militant was set up as a segregatedghetto for Black "I'm not against Blacks," she said. "We should have the ability to make the most of railworkers by the Florida East Coast Rail- are all human beings. We should all be their life."

February 3, 1989 The Militant s Israeli gov't orders step-up in shootings

BY HARRY RING Meanwhile at Tel Aviv University, The Israeli government has authorized Jewish and Arab students demonstrated soldiers to shoot Palestinian stone-throwers January II against "the racist decision" to in the back, even as they run away. Most of transfer Israeli Palestinian students from those who hurl the stones, army officials mixed dormitories to segregated ones. Of­ said, are children. ficials said the action stemmed from a com­ At the same time, Israeli soldiers are be­ mitment to the parents of U.S. Jewish stu­ ginning to voice their disgust and danger dents that their children would not have to over the dirty job they have been assigned live with Arab classmates. The U.S. stu­ to carry out. dents involved indicated they would appeal The January 17 shoot-in-the-back order this. was among new directives designed to In another violation of legal and human stamp out the West Bank and Gaza Strip rights, 13 more Palestinians were expelled intifada- the uprising. Earlier moves in­ from their homeland January I . Dumped cluded breaking the bones of protesters. across the Lebanese border, they had been Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin declared guilty - without trial - of being said the order to shoot any Palestinian seen leaders of the uprising. Since the uprising, throwing a stone, burning a tire, or erecting a total of 49 people have been deported, a roadblock was necessary to "bring down and 12 more have received expulsion or­ the level of euphoria" among Palestinians. ders. Rabin said the protesters were being spurred by the political gains registered by Medical care denied the Palestine Liberation Organization. In another move, Israeli officials put a The recent PLO declaration of a Pales­ further curb on the already restricted right tinian state has won broad international of Palestinians to medical care. recognition. And in December Washington West Bank medical facilities have been abruptly reversed course and opened dis­ heavily cut back for asserted budgetary cussions with the PLO. reasons. Now, with the explanation that tax Ten thousand Israeli soldiers are as­ revenues from the West Bank have drop­ signed to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ped 50 percent, officials have slashed by From mid-December to mid-January, they two-thirds the number of Palestinians who killed more than 40 Palestinians, mainly can be sent to Israeli hospitals for care not teenagers. This is the highest monthly total available in the West Bank. Even those since the uprising began. with paid-up government insurance are Embittered Israeli soldiers are speaking being denied this care. out publicly about the role they are as­ And when Palestinians are admitted, signed to. they face discrimination. Troops confront Shamir An Israeli newsweekly cited the case of two teenaged leukemia patients receiving The day the order for expanded repres­ chemotherapy treatments at a Jerusalem sion was issued, Prime Minister Yitzhak hospital. Shamir had a jolting confrontation with Is­ The one youth, an Israeli, is treated as an raeli troops garrisoned in the West Bank in-patient, with his vomiting, headaches, town of Nablus. Many are reservists called and other symptoms monitored. The other up for duty since the uprising. youth, a Palestinian, has to travel four With reporters there, soldiers described times a week from the West Bank town of how they were compelled to violently Ramallah, often vomiting on the way. abuse innocent Palestinians. Several said Sometimes he can't even get there for treat­ they were ashamed of what they were ment because soldiers have sealed off the doing and had difficulty facing family and Impact Visual road. friends when they returned home. Children in Gaza Strip raise victory sign as they participate in protest. Israeli De­ A reservist who identified himself as a fense Minister Yitzhak Rabin's new repressive measures, which he says will "bring ADC invitation laborer from the town of Tiberius told down the level of euphoria" among Palestinians, mean more children will be shot. Meanwhile, Washington is pondering Shamir: "In order to enforce order in the the acceptance by PLO Chairman Y assir marketplace, we must be brutally violent to Arafat of an invitation to speak in the innocent people. I have to slap him or beat The day the new orders were an­ Human Rights Research and Education United States. him [with] murderous blows to get him to nounced, three homes in a West Bank refu­ Foundation. Abdeen Jabara, president of the Ameri­ fear me. It wears me down as a person. It gee camp were demolished and five others can-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, breaks me. These are not the values I grew sealed off. In response, protest strikes shut New school shutdown met with the PLO leader in Tunisia in early upon." down four cities. In another move, military authorities January and said he had accepted an invita­ A member ofthe elitist paratrooper force Destroying homes has been an ongoing shut down all I ,200 schools in the West tion to come to Washington to address the said: "Mr. Prime Minister, in order to policy. It is done without trial or recourse Bank January 20. This was barely a month annual convention of the ADC April 13 . achieve order in the casbah, I have to act to appeal. after a previous closedown. Prior to its turnaround on dealing with brutally toward people free of crimes too. I The basis for the action is either that a Colleges and universities in the West feel humiliated by this behavior. The situa­ the PLO, the U.S. State Department member of the household has been branded Bank have been shut down since December created an international storm by denying tion has become a catastrophe. It's break­ a participant in the uprising or simply that 1988, denying more than 18,000 students ing us and strengthening the Arabs." Arafat a visa to come to New York to ad­ the house was built without a license. For the right to continue their education. dress the United Nations. The new orders for increased repression Palestinians such licenses are virtually im­ An angry faculty member at Bir Zeit and the continuing Palestinian resistance The State Department has not said what possible to obtain. University declared, "Education has been it will do this time. It has already received are also creating disaffection among the Is­ Soldiers with bulldozers or dynamite used as a form of collective punishment raeli population. a strong demand from the Conference of suddenly appear on the scene. Usually, a just like the demolition of houses and the Presidents of Major American Jewish Or­ family is given 15 minutes to try to remove uprooting of trees.", ganizations to deny Arafat a visa. The Stormy debate belongings before their home is destroyed. Al-Haq, the West Bank affiliate of the Disclosure of the new orders sparked a group said granting the visa would impair During the first nine months of the in­ International Commission of Jurists, de­ "the war against terrorism." stormy debate in Israel's parliament. De­ tifada, 198 homes were demolished, leav­ clared: "The prolonged closure of all edu­ fense Minister Rabin was driven from the ing more than I ,500 people homeless. cational institutes appears to be without Meanwhile, the Palestinian paper Al­ podium as critics of the move assailed him. That's according to a study by the precedent, is blatantly illegal, and consti­ Fajr reported January 16 that 423 Palestin­ Editorials in the media echoed this. Jerusalem-based Palestine Human Rights tutes an illegitimate exercise of power by ians have been killed since the beginning of The paper Haaretz declared, "The prob­ Information Center and the Chicago-based the Israeli military." the intifada. lem became one much larger than law and order a long time ago." The new regulations liberalize the use of plastic and rubber-coated steel bullets. These are touted as nonlethal, but at least 1,500 protest Klan action in Atlanta 47 people have already been killed by them. BY HELEN LOWENTHAL signs protesting racism, attacks on abortion through Atlanta. City officials cordoned The army is now authorized to jail any­ ATLANTA - Some l ,500 demonstra­ rights, and discrimination against homo­ off an area two blocks on all sides of the one 12 or over caught throwing stones. The tors protested a Ku Klux Klan action held sexuals. Contingents came from many Georgia State Capitol, where the Klan was army's West Bank legal adviser assured in this city on January 21. Only eight mem­ campuses, including Morehouse College, to meet, and a block on each side of the they would be given a trial like anyone bers and supporters of the Klan showed up which Martin Luther King attended, and march route. Counterdemonstrators were else. to protest Martin Luther King's birthday Atlanta and Emory universities. not permitted within this area. Prison sentences for stone-throwers, The barricades were protected by mem­ holiday. Carrying a banner that read, "No The leader of the Klan march was until now usually several months, will be King over me," they were protected by bers of the Georgia Bureau of Investiga­ Richard Barrett, a Mississippi lawyer. He as high as five years. 2,000 cops and National Guardsmen. tion, an inner perimeter of National Guard began the day at 8:00 a.m. on the court­ troops, and an outer ring of Atlanta police. The day ended with the police attacking house steps in nearby Forsyth County, Family punishment Georgia State patrol and Department of antiracist demonstrators, some of whom reading a statement to one supporter, jour­ Rabin's directive also expands the exist­ Corrections officers were at the front and had thrown rocks and bottles at the Klan nalists, and the police. Two years ago, ing policy of punishing parents of children rear of the march. Many people who came march. Others attacked were participating 35,000 antiracist demonstrators marched in caught throwing stones. into Atlanta by subway could not get from peacefully in the counterdemonstration. Forsyth County, which is a segregated This can mean stiff fines and seizure of Thirteen anti-Klan demonstrators were white enclave. That action was in response one side of the city to the other because of property, including such items as cars or the police mobilization. injured and 40 arrested. Organizers of the to a violent attack by the Klan and its sym­ television sets. countermobilization may file suit against pathizers on a group of 250 supporters of Last July the Klan tried to stage a march Also expanded is the policy of blowing here during the Democratic Party's na­ the police department for the attacks. the King holiday. up, bulldozing, or sealing off the homes of tional convention, but their permit was re­ families that fail to prevent their children The anti-Klan demonstrators were large­ Barrett had predicted that from 500 to voked by the city following clashes be­ from throwing stones. ly Black and white youths who carried l ,000 of his supporters would march tween anti-Klan protesters and the police.

6 The Militant February 3, 1989 Pacific Northwest woodworkers strike major lumber company Unionists say no to concession demands

BY JOHN CHARBONNET companies to agree to small wage and ben­ ROSEBURG, Ore. - Woodworkers in efit increases. the Pacific Northwest are continuing to re­ Roseburg Forest Products is the last sist the latest round of concession demands large lumber company in the Northwest by the regions' big lumber companies. On without a signed contract in 1988 bargain­ January II more than 4,500 millworkers ing. shut down all 15 Roseburg Forest Products The company dominates the economy of operations in southern Oregon and North­ Oregon's Douglas County, where it em­ em California. ploys 3,000 workers. Oregon, with 67,000 The strike by members of the Western workers in the wood-products industry, is Council of Industrial Workers (WCIW) the largest lumber-producing state in the and the International Woodworkers of country. America came after Roseburg made its "We were told in 1985 that if we gave up final contract offer. It proposed wage cuts benefits and would freeze our wages until averaging $1 per hour, with the largest cuts '88, just to help the company out of a hard falling on the lowest-paid workers. spot, they would give it all back," Kathy Workers at Roseburg now average $11 Gould wrote in a letter to the Roseburg per hour, with a much lower starting wage News-Review. "Sure, just take it away schedule for new hires. The company won again, plus more." the two-tier wage setup in 1985, along with "We don't have to give up anything­ benefit reductions and wage cuts at a few wages or benefits," Gould concluded. "Be Militant/John Charbonnet of its mills. strong, pump up for a good fight, we've Strikers picket Roseburg Forest Products mill in Roseburg, Oregon. Company says it now wants "parity" with other firms that got concessions in 1986. But Roseburg didn't get the major wage got the numbers .... Let's show them just cuts in 1985 that other large forest-products how strong we are." companies got the following year after Lonnie Burson is a boiler operator at plementation in 1985 of a variable work­ itable," Burson said. He pointed to a study strikes in the industry were defeated. Now Roseburg's Dixonville mill and president week, in which workers' days off often by the county planning department show­ Roseburg says it needs "parity." of Lumber and Sawmill Workers WCIW don't fall on Saturday and Sunday, had ing that while employment in the forest Although union negotiators offered a Local 2949, which organizes 2,700 Rose­ generated strong feeling among the union products industry has dropped by almost 20 four-year wage freeze and substantial burg workers in Douglas County. He members. "A third of these people don't percent in the last 10 years, overall output further cuts in benefits, Roseburg rejected pointed out, "For 20 years labor's been lul­ have weekends with their families," he at sawmills and plywood and veneer plants the offer. led to sleep. Labor's in trouble. Just walk said. has substantially increased, the result of Last summer 9,000 woodworkers struck down the street - store derks, waitresses, The company is also demanding the speedup and automation. elimination of time-and-a-half premium most major Northwest lumber companies truck drivers. We're the real face of Doug­ Support for the strike in the community pay for Sunday work. for three months, fighting to regain what las County, of America." is "excellent," Burson said. At the busy "Roseburg has never denied being prof- was lost in 1986. The unionists forced the Burson explained that Roseburg's im- Roseburg Labor Temple, lists were promi­ nent showing the formation of various strike committees, including a women's auxiliary. Teachers in the county, mem­ New FBI fUes surface on antiwar groups bers of the Oregon Education Association, have a food drive under way. BY HARRY RING Now it's disclosed that the FBI altered some of the EBI files on it and made them Gene Lawhorn, a young worker at Rose­ Recent disclosures in the Boston Globe lie detector test findings on Varelli after he public. burg's huge complex in Dillard, pointed show that FBI Director William Sessions went public about the FBI drive against In a court deposition, Varelli had said of out, "If we lose this strike, the union's or­ presented a false picture to Congress about CIS PES. his infiltration of CISPES: ganizing efforts will go down the tubes." the police agency's surveillance of groups "Not once did I find, see, hear, or ob­ Meanwhile, in Springfield, 300 mem­ The Globe says the files confirm Var­ and individuals opposed to U.S. policy in serve any illegal conduct of any nature. bers of WCIW Local 3035 are in the elli' s disclosure that the FBI collaborated Central America. The CISPES organization was peaceful , seventh month of their strike against Mor­ with the Salvadoran National Guard in its nonviolent, and devoted to changing the gan-Nicolai, a leading manufacturer of Some 2,400 documents were provided surveillance of U.S. and Salvadoran dissi­ policies of the United States toward Central doors. Local 3035 has mounted a campaign to the Globe by Frank Varelli, who was a dents and shared this pooled information America by persuasion and education." of rallies, outreach activities, financial ap­ paid plant for the FBI and a key figure in its with other U.S. agencies. The Salvadoran CISPES has a damage suit pending peals, and roving pickets that has won sup­ disruption operation against the Committee National Guard has been involved in death­ against the government. Meanwhile, it is in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador squad murders of thousands of Salvador­ port for their strike among working people initiating nationwide demonstrations throughout Oregon, as well as in Wiscon­ (CISPES). ans. Last September, Sessions had told both a March 18- 20 for a halt to U.S. interven­ sin and California, where Morgan also has Senate and House committee that an FBI A Salvadoran emigre, Varelli was re­ tion in El Salvador. plants. probe of CISPES was halted for 14 cruited to infiltrate CISPES in 1981 in months. But the Globe said that files ob­ order to help discredit the group and, as he tained by Varelli under the Freedom of In­ later put it, to "break" it. Trial begins for 'Ohio Seven' formation Act show that surveillance of Since the FBI's guidelines bar it from in­ groups and individuals continued unabated filtrating organizations simply because during this period. they hold dissident views, CISPES was members accused of sedition There was a continuing compilation of a targeted for infiltration, surveillance, and "Terrorist Photo Album" of individuals op­ disruption on the trumped-up grounds that BY RUSSELL DAVIS should read the statute," Ave nia stated. posed to U.S. policy in El Salvador. it might be involved in "terrorist" activity. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Three people The three are among seven individuals One of the documents Varelli turned Using the operation against CIS PES as a accused of "conspiring to overthrow or put - known as the Ohio Seven - who have over to the Globe states that the FBI "has springboard, FBI spying spread to include down or destroy by force the government already been prosecuted on various crimi­ compiled over I ,000 photos of individuals well over I 00 groups and countless indi­ of the United States" went on trial in a fed­ nal charges. Except for Patricia Gros known to have participated in leftist activi­ viduals on the basis of asserted "links" with eral courthouse here January 10. Levasseur, all are now serving prison ty in El Salvador and the United States. CIS PES. The courthouse was surrounded by doz­ terms. One, Thomas Manning, is serving Dallas will periodically supply pertinent These included unions, Black rights ens of police and federal marshals, some sentences of life and 53 years. photos and background to the Bureau . . . groups, antiwar and religious organiza­ stationed on the rooftops with sniper rifles. Counsel for the three defendants say for inclusion in the Terrorist Photo tions, and hundreds of individuals. Raymond Luc Levasseur, Patricia Gras they are being denied an unprejudiced jury Album." Among the individuals who came under Levasseur, and Richard Williams are ac­ of their peers, in part because of pretrial Contrary to FBI denials, the album in­ FBI surveillance as a CISPES activist in cused of a string of bombings and bank prosecution statements and media cover­ cluded several members of Congress - Birmingham, Alabama, was Mark Curtis, robberies from 1976 to 1984. They areal­ age. One juror is a former bank teller; U.S. senators Claiborne Pell and Chris­ the socialist packinghouse worker now leged to have carried out these actions as others have expressed strong hostility to topher Dodd and then-representative Mi­ jailed in Iowa on a frame-up rape charge . part of the Sam Melville-Jonathan Jackson the defendants views. Moreover, the panel chael Barnes. Unit and the United Freedom Front. was selected from voter registration lists ­ Contrary to FBI denials, the Varelli files The FBI operation against those whoop­ The three now on trial are charged with tending, the defendants point out, to under­ show that the agency spied on the church pose U.S. government policy on Central sedition, racketeering conspiracy, and rack­ represent Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and sanctuary movement, which aids Central America was first exposed in 1984 as the eteering enterprise. Each faces up to 60 others. American refugees. The FBI had claimed result of a falling out over money between years in jail and $60,000 in fines . The defense charges that the mobiliza­ that only the Immigration and Naturaliza­ Varelli and his handlers. (He charges he The sedition charge stems from an 1861 tion of police and marshals is an attempt to tion Service had probed sanctuary groups. was ripped off and is currently suing for law first used against supporters of the prejudge the accused as dangerous ter­ The files also show that the FBI violated back pay. ) Confederacy in the Civil War, and later rorists. Marshals occupy many seats in the its "reform" guidelines by planting Varelli Asserting he was also disillusioned with applied against opponents of the draft in courtroom, and Judge William Young has in the Dallas chapter of CISPES three FBI efforts to victimize CISPES, Varelli World War I and Puerto Rican nationalists. also ordered that marshals be stationed on months prior to opening a formal investiga­ went public with the story , talking to the Defense attorney Peter A venia said the either side of the jury box and next to the tion of the group. media and testifying before a congressional prosecution poses "a serious threat to fun­ bench. In his congressional testimony Sessions committee. Through his suit, Varelli has damental liberties." The sedition statute, In pretrial proceedings , according to a had insisted that the FBI had been led down now obtained some of his fi les, which were he said, could be used against participants statement distributed by supporters of the the wrong path by Varelli, who, he reported on in the Globe in early January in protest demonstrations. defendants, Young stated he had no objec­ claimed, had fed them "unreliable" infor­ and late December. "If people engage in political dissent and tion to FBI investigations of prospective mation. A year ago, CISPES had also obtained think this can't happen to them, they defense witnesses.

February 3, 1989 The MUitant 7 Rallies boost Curtis defense campaign

BY SAM MANUEL in a defense rally for Curtis in Stockholm "No forked tongue with that man who is on February 18. in prison for the simple fact that he stands Following Warren's presentation in for human dignity," said Piri Thomas as he Pittsburgh, a Curtis supporter from Canada welcomed 150 people to a January 21 rally reported efforts there to win support for in San Francisco to free Mark Curtis. Cur­ Curtis' freedom. A video of Curtis' trial tis is a trade unionist and political activist was shown to United Steelworkers of who was framed up and beaten by the Des America Local 1005 in Hamilton, the Moines, Iowa, cops. He is now serving a largest Steelworkers local in Canada. Sev­ 25-year prison sentence. eral of the union's leaders signed up as Thomas, a poet and advocate of inde­ sponsors of the Curtis defense committee. pendence for Puerto Rico, a U.S. colony in Curtis supporters in Canada also took his the Caribbean, read two poems. He an­ case to the Gainers meat-packing workers nounced that he would host a poetry read­ in Alberta. These workers conducted a bit­ ing in San Francisco on behalf of political ter strike in 1986. Hundreds of them were prisoners on March 4. arrested and framed up for defending their John Gaige, national farm director for union. the Socialist Workers Party and SWP or­ Another Curtis supporter from Canada ganizer in Des Moines, Iowa was the fea­ had just returned from the convention of tured speaker at the rally. the National Farmers Union of Canada. She reported that 27 farmers from the con­ Messages were read from Garrett vention signed cards supporting the Mark Brown, who as an International Associa­ tion of Machinists (lAM) member was Curtis Defense Committee, including Wayne Easter, the president of the union. fired from Lockheed in Atlanta for his political views; Bill Leumer, president of A Curtis supporter from Britain reported that thousands of people in that country lAM Local 565 at Westinghouse in Sun­ Militant/Diana Cantu have signed petitions supporting freedom nyvale, California; Tony Ryan of the Nica­ January 21 rally in San Francisco. At front are poet Piri Thomas (seated) and Social­ for Curtis. Among them are some 40 ragua Information Center and the North ist Workers Party leader John Gaige. Labour Party members of Parliament and Star Review magazine; and Anne Marie leaders of the largest trade unions in Britain Poirier of the Bay Area Free South Africa Franck of Amnesty International; Stellan such as the Transport and General Workers Movement. were from Australia, Canada, Iceland, Hermanson, president of the Communist Union, National Union of Railwaymen, Another 170 people rallied the same Iran, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Youth; Billy Modise, African National National Union of Mineworkers and the night in Pittsburgh to condemn the frame­ Pakistan, Puerto Rico, South Africa, and Congress representative to Sweden; and National Union of Journalists. up and demand freedom for Curtis. Sweden. Defenders of Curtis in Sweden have Ahmed Ulusoy, Kurdistan National Front Both rallies were sponsored by the Mili­ published a pamphlet on his case. Defense representative to Sweden. Kate Kaku, Cur­ Mary Jo Vogel from San Francisco contri­ tant Labor Forum, and took place in con­ committee sponsors in Sweden include Jan tis' wife, will tour Sweden and participate buted to this story. junction with regional political conferences of the SWP and Young Socialist Alliance held in Pittsburgh and the Bay Area. Curtis is a member of the SWP and 'Many cases like Curtis inS. Africa' former national chairperson of the YSA. Four more rallies in defense of Curtis It is an irony to me that in the United will take place on January 28 and February Reprinted below are excerpts from a States, which is a capitalist country like 4 in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and speech by Susan Mnumzana to an interna­ South Africa, where victims of rape are New York. (See ad on page 3.) tional defense rally for frame-up victim Mark Curtis, which was held in Des Moines, humiliated and it takes ages to actually Starting point of frame-up Iowa, on Sept. 4, 1988. convince the authorities that they have Ten days after the rally, a jury found been raped, it appears at least in this city "In order to understand the frame up of Curtis guilty of rape and burglary, despite that the police are so benevolent, so righ­ Curtis, it is necessary to start with the first teous, that I just have to say the word and intended victims of this government attack, the lack of evidence to substantiate the somebody like Mark is arrested, undergoes the Swift 17 ," explained James Warren, charges. He is currently serving a 25-year all kinds of tortures, and they call it democ­ SWP national organization secretary. He sentence in the Iowa state penitentiary in was the featured speaker at the Pittsburgh Anamosa. racy. Mnumzana is secretary for women's af­ rally. fairs at the African National Congress of No justice for rape victims On March 1 , 1988, agents from the Im­ South Africa observer mission to the I don't think this is the kind of democ­ migration and Naturalization Service (INS) United Nations. She worked in the ANC racy that you want, because there are many and the Office of the Inspector General for mission in France prior to coming to the rape victims out there who have never had Health and Human Services raided the United States. justice and don't even have the prospect of Swift meat-packing plant in Des Moines In her talk, Mnumzana addressed two justice ever being meted out against their where Curtis worked. They arrested 17 im­ questions related to the defense of Mark attackers. migrant workers in the plant and charged Curtis: how false accusations of rape are And I am speaking from the point of them with using false documents in order used to victimize political activists, and view of the woman. And I know that gov­ to obtain work. how Curtis' beating and frame-up at the ernments like these, or police departments Curtis helped to lead the effort of mem­ hands of the cops is standard operating pro­ like these, have got a way of using women bers of the union at Swift that forced the cedure in capitalist countries, including to get to the people that they want to government to drop its charges against the South Africa. humiliate. And they hope not only to Militant/Eric Simpson 16 Mexicans and one Salvadoran. "Three humiliate Mark, but to humiliate his wife, Susan Mnumzana of African National days after the INS raid Curtis was arrested, * * * to humiliate his family, to humiliate his Congress UN mission speaks at Sep­ beaten, and framed up by the Des Moines The charges that Mark faces now are not friends . Fortunately, it happens to a person tember 4 rally in Des Moines. cops," Warren explained. new. Mark is not the first person to be in­ who has been around to know what is hap­ volved in something like this. And he's pening. "We must reach out to those involved in And to Kate [Kaku, Curtis' wife] I'd like Many of you here have been to demon­ politics in this country and throughout this also not the last person to be involved in that. A repressive regime will always find to say that the difference between her and strations and meetings demanding the re­ world who represent, through their mem­ people like Winnie Mandela, like Alber­ lease of Moses Mayekiso, a trade unionist bership in organizations and their status as ways of silencing the majority. It will al­ ways try to intimidate people, using all tina Sisulu is only that Mark is in the in South Africa who has been in custody individuals, the fight for social progress in United States and he is not on Robben Is­ now for close to two years, having done this world," Warren said. kinds of things- whether it kills people, whether it lies about people. But all these land or in Pollsmoor Prison. nothing except represent the grievances of Several supporters of Curtis from other are aimed at intimidating the working When I was studying law at a university the workers. He also has support all over countries also attended the rallies. They class. in the northern Transvaal , we came across the world. And this rally here today, I many cases that looked like Mark Curtis' think, is also a tribute to Moses Mayekiso. case. The Immorality Act was still in place A case in point which is similar to in South Africa, and it was a crime to have Mark's is the case of the Sharpeville Six. How you can help sex across the color line. These are five men and orie woman who It happened very often that the madams are falsely accused of killing a puppet [of • Win sponsors for the Mark Cur­ tributions should be sent to the Des in the white suburbs, when their husbands the South African regime]. tis Defense Committee. So far, I ,000 Moines defense committee. (Checks for are away, they'll get very mischievous and Police brutality will always be with us, people from around the world have large tax-deductible contributions may sexually harass the garden boy, the cook in for as long as we live in a class-divided so­ signed cards adding their names as spon­ be made out to the Political Rights De­ the house. And when they are caught by ciety. sors. They include union officers, farm fense Fund, Inc.) their husbands in bed with these servants, I remember a scene that I saw in Johan­ activists, government officials and lead­ • Write to Mark Curtis. He is in­ then they scream rape. Many people have nesburg when I was a little girl. Women ers of political parties, antiracist and carcerated in the Iowa State Men's Refor­ been executed for crimes they have not used to brew beer and sell it to make ends women's rights spokespersons, promi­ matory in Anamosa, Iowa. He can re­ committed. meet. And we used to be posted to be on nent civil libertarians, student leaders, ceive letters, cards, and photos only, not the lookout for police. And at that time to Human rights violated in United States and other frame-up victims. packages of any sort or money. Address us it was a nice game, because when you Sponsor cards are available from the letters to: MarkS. Curtis, No.805338A, I hope that this country that is screaming saw the van coming you made a particular defense committee, along with a variety Box B, Anamosa, Iowa 52205. The de­ so loudly about violations of human rights sound and the women would run to hide of literature on the case. Buttons that fense committee would like to receive in other countries, will take this case of their things and all the paraphernalia, and read: "Justice for Mark Curtis! An injury copies of the correspondence. Mark Curtis and other cases to prove that life continued. to one is an injury to all!" are also avail­ human rights are actually violated in the But it happened sometimes that we able. Contact the Mark Curtis Defense United States. It is hypocrisy to look wouldn't notice the van coming or the • Raise money.The defense commit­ Committee at Box 1048, Des Moines, around the world and condemn what is police were just in plain clothes and we had tee needs to raise $50,000 in order to Iowa 50311. Telephone (515) 246- happening in other countries but tum a no notion of who they were. And they cover legal and publicity expenses. Con- 1695. blind eye to what is happening in the started molesting these women, beating United States. them up. Sometimes even raping them.

8 The Militant February 3, 1989 30th anniversary of Cuban revolution celebrated in Managua

BY LARRY SEIGLE ary transformation," Hernandez ·added. MANAGUA, Nicaragua- Cuba's so­ Che's ideas have greater weight in Cuba cialist revolution is an "example without today as a result of the "process of rectifi­ borders," said Norberto Hernandez, Ha­ cation of errors and negative tendencies," vana's ambassador here, at a celebration of he said. the 30th anniversary of the revolution's In Cuba, the ambassador explained, victory. "material development goes hand in hand Cuba's revolution was "the first attempt with the strengthening of revolutionary in Latin America to put an end to the spirit, in other words, building socialism exploitation of man by man, the first trans­ without capitalist levers." ition to socialism in Latin America, and the The imperialists on a world scale, Her­ first fully victorious challenge to Yankee nandez said, "are trying to present social­ imperialism in its own backyard." ism as a system with no future." But it is The Cuban revolution, the ambassador precisely the process of building socialism added, is "genuine and creative, born as a that has allowed Cuba to make the gains it result of the far from accidental meeting of has. the views of Jose Martf with the ideas of "Why should we now take a different Marx, Engels, and Lenin." Jose Martf was road?" he asked. "Why should we stop a revolutionary patriot who is honored as being ourselves in theory and in practice. the father of Cuban independence. Why should we renounce our ideological The rally here January 4 was attended by identity?" several hundred Cuban internationalist vol­ Combatting arms race unteers, among thousands of their country­ Hernandez hailed agreements on reduc­ men working here in support of Nicara­ gua's revolution. Also present were many tion of nuclear missiles between the United States and the Soviet Union. He added that leaders of the Sandinista National Libera­ tion Front (FSLN), representatives of pro­ the money saved by any reduction in mili­ f Sandinista union and farm organizations, tary spending as a result of such agree­ and government officials. ments should be allocated to "making pos­ sible the development of the countries of Joining Cuba's ambassador on the plat­ Militant/Larry Seigle the Third World, and above all to solve the Cuban ambassador to Nicaragua, Norberto Hernandez, at anniversary celebration form were Nicaraguan Vice-president Ser­ urgent problems of the foreign debt." gio Rarnfrez, and FSLN National Director­ in Managua. Nicaraguan Vice-president Sergio Ramirez, and FSLN National Direc­ But, he also added, "peace between the torate members Henry Ruiz and Victor Tirado shared the platform. The Cuban ate members Henry Ruiz and Vfctor great powers is not and never will be peace Tirado. President Daniel Ortega was in leader said it is building socialism that has allowed Cuba to advance. for small nations." The United States could Havana, heading a delegation of Nicara­ reach an agreement with the Soviet Union guan leaders participating in the anniver­ "on the limitation and even the elimination the forms of struggle cannot be the same as are productive." Tirado said that a "new sary events held there. of nuclear weapons, but this would not 20 years ago. revolutionary theory" is needed to serve as 'Creating the new man' mean that it is going to allow the victory of "The world revolutionary movement "a guide for revolutionary action in the faces a new situation, and confronts new world conditions of today and tomorrow." Hernandez detailed Cuba's accomplish­ revolutionary processes in the underde­ veloped world." problems. There is a sort of reconciliation Turning to the subject of the debate ments in the areas of health, education, on a world scale, an understanding be­ about the impact of current Soviet policies jobs, literacy, social security, women's The Cuban leader saluted the "courage of the Nicaraguan people and the wisdom tween the superpowers, a relaxation of in­ on the revolutionary movement in Latin rights, and establishing "the possibility of ternational and regional tensions that we America, he said that "the rapprochement realizing oneself as an individual and as a of its vanguard," which made possible the defeat of the U.S. -backed contra army. must utilize to push forward social, eco­ between the Soviet Union and the United social being." nomic , and political progress in the so­ States and the development of perestroika ..../ };be goal .of creating new .men ., and "The defeat of the militarist line of the Rea­ gan administration in Central America, and called Third World, of which we are a part. are not, as is sometimes thought, obstacles women, as explained by Che Guevara, is the "It is time to adjust strategies and tactics to the development of the revolutionary "fundamental goal of every truly revolution- in particular in Nicaragua, has opened political space that can lead to a negotiated to the new realities," Tirado argued. "In movement in the Third World. solution in the region," he asserted. Latin America the era of guerrilla struggles "To the contrary, they open up new pos­ Hernandez called on the incoming Bush isn't over, but it is not the only form of siblities, only in a different way. This is Anti-Sandinista administration to "accept a negotiated solu­ struggle. This is because in most of the because economics is determining every­ marchers hold protest tion, not only with regard to Nicaragua, but countries of the continent, a period of re­ thing, and as Lenin would say, now poli­ in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama as forms has opened, a period of parliamen­ tics is concentrated economics." in Managua on Jan. 15 well , so that these countries can enjoy an tary, electoral, and trade union struggles, "Circumstances have changed," Tirado honorable peace, ending once and for all where armed action is not on the agenda." continued, "and this demands a renewal. BY THERESA DELGADILLO the plunder they have been victims of." What is happening is that the revolution MANAGUA, Nicaragua - A coalition New tests for Marxism has become more complicated, although it of anti-Sandinista political parties, unions, 'Source of inspiration' What is on the agenda, he said, "are sol­ never was a simple matter. But now it is and business groups demonstrated here Speaking on behalf of the FSLN Na­ utions to the problem of the foreign debt, more complex. January 15. The opposition action was the tional Directorate, Vfctor Tirado stressed inflation, prices of raw materials, and eco­ "We face situations that we did not first since last July when demonstrators that the Cuban revolution "has been a nomic stagnation. " Itis in fighting for sol­ foresee and for which we were not gathered in the town of Nandaime attacked source of inspiration and solidarity for us." utions to these problems that "the revolu­ adequately prepared," Tirado said. "At the police, and several dozen protesters were "We absorbed its experiences and its les­ tionary movement has to show it is in the same time, the revolution in the Third arrested. sons," he added, "and we incorporated into forefront of the people's struggles, that it is World can never depend only and exclu­ Although the oppositiOn coalition our doctrine and actions what we judged the real alternative, and that its ideology, sively on agreements or disagreements claimed that the action would "have the useful and appropriate, without ever trying its political perspective, and its program among the superpowers, because we will massive support of the population," the ac­ to copy it, because every genuine revolu­ and tactics are consistent. never look to others to chart our course. tual number of demonstrators who turned tion has to be original, to invent and rein­ "Marxism-Leninism and all revolution­ "We have to create our own strategy. out was about 2,500. Nearly as many by­ vent, not to imitate." ary doctrines are submitted to new tests, We have to be able to define our own road, standers and vendors lined the streets along Cuba's socialist revolution "opened a and we have to be able to prove in action in order to be less dependent on shifts in the part of the march route. new era for the countries of Latin America, that these doctrines are valid and alive, and great centers of power." Organizers of the march included two an era of national liberation, the true his­ umbrella opposition formations, the Dem­ tory of socifll progress," Tirado said. ocratic Coordinating Committee and the The influence of the Cuban revolution Permanent Council of Workers, as well as also "inspired the upsurge of guerrilla 14 political parties. movements in many Latin American coun­ Che Guevara's Sandinista Police stayed far away from tries," he said. "In the 1960s the new revo­ concentration points. However, they did lutionary movement of this continent saw Socialism and Man in Cuba try to di vert traffic away from the march in armed action and in socialism the solu­ route. tions to the big problems in each country." The action marked the II th anniversary Nonetheless, the Sandinista leader said, of the murder of Pedro Joaqufn Chamorro. "with the exception of our own, none of the Pathfinder/Pacific and Asia has reissued Chamorro, editor of La Prensa , was prom­ armed movements in Latin America suc­ Ernesto Che Guevara's well-known article inent in the opposition to the Somoza ceeded in taking power. This has led many on the first years of the Cuban revolution. tyranny. He was assassinated by the Na­ superficial observers of history to reach the This 48-page pamphlet· in English or tional Guard in 1978. conclusion that the guerrilla struggles dur­ Spanish also includes Cuban President Chants of "We don't want weapons, we ing the 1960s were in vain." Fidel Castro's 1987 speech marking the want food! " ''Democracy yes, Sandinismo But, he said, "no genuine struggle is 20th anniversary of Che's death. $1.95 no!" and "Down with military service!" futi le. The worst thing is to do nothing." could be heard from all contingents. The The guerrilla efforts radicalized social sec­ Available from bookstores listed on page 12 or by mail from Pathfinder, 410 West St., New York, Social Christi ans, Liberals, and Conserva­ tors, such as religious forces, "who we N.Y. 1001 4. Specify English or Spanish pamphlet. tives leading the march carried placards never would have imagined joining the rev­ Please include 75¢ for postage and handling. reading "Down with communism" and "No olutionary camp." In addition, the armed Or from Pathfinder/Pacific and Asia, P.O. Box 153, more starvation wages." At the tail end of struggles, he stated, "little by little compel­ Glebe, Sydney NSW 2037, Australia • Pathfinder, 47 The the march members of the Nicaraguan So­ led some goverments, fearful of the out­ Cut, London SE1 8LL, England • 410 Adelaide St. W., cialist Party and Communist Party carried break of new armed movements, to carry Suite 400, Toronto, Ont. M5V 1S8, Canada. flags imprinted with hammer and sickles out reforms." and slogans such as "For democracy, Nonetheless, "the world has changed a peace, and national reconstruction." great deal" since then, Tirado said. "Today

February 3, 1989 The Militant 9 Sweden: leader of Samic people greets Sankara book

On Dec. II, 1988, in Stockholm, Swe­ spect for human beings - as individuals den, a meeting was held to celebrate the and as a whole. publication of Thomas Sankara Speaks: Seen from the perspective of the indig­ The Burkina Faso Revolution 1983-87 by enous peoples - for whom the struggle for Pathfinder. Meetings to launch the book life, independence, and cultural develop­ have also been held in New York and Lon­ ment is the goal of daily and long-term don. Sankara was the principal leader of political efforts - Thomas Sankara is an the Burkina Faso revolution until he was example in both words and deeds. murdered in a counterrevolutionary coup in October 1987. The Samic people in Sweden are now in a stage of decolonization. The Swedish Following is the message sent to the state is so far denying the Samic people Stockholm meeting by Lars-Anders Baer their right to self-determination. The situa­ from the Luokta Mavas Samic settlement tion in Norway and Finland is not much in Umea, Sweden. better. From a Nordic perspective, the struggle of the Samic people for their rights The Samic people are an indigenous to land, water, and self-determination is al­ people living in northern Norway, Swe­ most identical with the struggle by the Af­ den, Finland, and the Soviet Union. Their rican peoples for independence and human economic life centers on herding reindeer. rights. Samic settlement The book Thomas Sankara Speaks, pub­ A Samic settlement is a group of lished by Pathfinder, is therefore not only a families who organize their work coopera­ record of Thomas Sankara's message, but tively. It is an economic unit, confined to a also a testament to the part of humanity that Militant/Sam Manuel specific geographic area and regulated by works for freedom, equality, and frater­ Thomas Sankara at anti-apartheid conference in October 1987. President of Burkina the laws governing the reindeer industry. nity, and for the right to self-determination Faso was, ''from the perspective of the indigenous peoples, an example in both words for all peoples. and deeds." The Samic settlements are also political units, defending the right to pasture land for the reindeer. All Samic settlements in Sweden are organized in the Swedish Samic National Association. More storm relief urged for Nicaragua The Nordic Samic Council is made up of BY HARRY RING hours to the west. These towns were hard­ struction, kitchen utensils, and educational the Swedish Samic National Association, William Callahan, national coordinator est hit by the storm. and sports equipment. and its counterparts in Finland and Nor­ of Quest for Peace, recently returned from Approaching the Bluefields area by Quest for Peace plans for the year will way. It keeps in contact with the Samic a I 0-day visit to the hurricane-stricken area plane, he said, you could see the decima­ emphasize linking up with people in other people in the Soviet Union. of Nicaragua. In a telephone interview he tion of an estimated 4,000 square miles of countries who are or can be involved in Baer is the vice-president of the Nordic discussed his trip. rain forest. aiding Nicaragua. Samic Council, an executive board mem­ Quest for Peace, based in Washington, In Bluefields the storm "blew the top off "We don't like U.S. policy," Callahan ber of the World Council of Indigenous D.C., has played a major role in organizing everything. In some cases, entire structures said, "and we're working to build a policy People, and an executive board member humanitarian aid for Nicaragua. Since were blown away." But, Callahan added, we do like. And we ' re starting to think of the Swedish Samic National Associa­ Hurricane Joan hit last October, it has re­ "the town is rebuilding and coming back to about this in more international terms. We tion. doubled its efforts. life." want to share the reality that the U.S . peo­ The translation from Swedish is by the He was encouraged to find a cooperative Expanded relief drive ple have been in deep disagreement with Militant. spirit in Bluefields "that goes beyond any­ their government on Central America." The Quest network is now mapping thing I saw there before." * * * plans for an ongoing, expanded hurricane One reason for this, he said, is that the $100 million in relief During his lifetime, as well as after his relief drive that will reach into other coun­ people - "even those who haven't been Callahan said that in 1989 Quest for death, Thomas Sankara became a represen­ tries. that enthusiastic about the revolution" - Peace will aim at raising $100 million in tative for a new leadership, liberated from The need for relief, Callahan said, "will credit the government for the evacuation hurricane relief for Nicaragua. the straitjacket of European colonialism go on much longer than we originally anti­ operation it conducted as the storm ap­ and based on the experience and culture of cipated." proached. He stressed that this is a realizable goal, the African continent. A leadership charac­ Callahan went to Bluefields, on the east pointing to the excellent response Quest terized by humbleness, sensitivity, and re- coast of Nicaragua, and Rama, several While more than 130 people died, the has already had. people feel that without the massive evacu­ When the hurricane relief campaign was ation, the toll would have been in the launched, press notices on it appeared in thousands. He described the situation in Rama, some 30 papers. From this alone, Callahan Subscribe to 'Perspectiva Mundial' said, they received I , 100 unsolicited con­ which sits 30 feet above a point where tributions averaging $100 each, for a total three rivers converge. The storm caused Speech by Fidel Castro the waters to rise so high that the town was of $110,000. engulfed with mud and debris. For information on aid activity, or to As a reader of the Militant A volunteer brigade of 800 came in to send a contribution, contact Quest for you are familiar with our week­ clear it out.. He said 2,400 eight-ton truck­ Peace/Hurricane Relief Fund, P.O. Box ly coverage of the struggles of loads were removed before people could 5206, Hyattsville, Md . 20782. Telephone working people around the begin moving back into Rama. And 250 of ( 30 I ) 699-004 2. world. the volunteers required hospital treatment If for illnesses contracted while clearing out you can read or are study­ the muck. U.S. Blacks' life span ing Spanish, there is a com­ But, he said, the bulk of the debris is dropped in 1985, '86 plementary monthly magazine gone and the town is starting to function for you: Perspectiva Mundial. again. A few shops are open and people are For the first time in the 20th century, the PM is a Spanish-language so­ working on their homes. life expectancy of Blacks in the United cialist magazine that carries States declined for two consecutive years many of the same articles you U.S. gov't refuses to give aid - 1985 and 1986 - while that of whites read in the Militant. Nevertheless, Callahan stressed, the continued to rise. The February issue of PM in­ need for emergency relief for the entire In 1984 a report from the National stricken region remains pressing. The Center for Health Statistics stated that life cludes the December 5 speech problem is particularly acute, he said, be­ expectancy was 75.3 years for whites and by Cuban President Fidel Cas­ cause of the refusal of the U.S. government 69.7 years for Blacks. tro on the 32nd anniversary of CUBA jCelebra 30 anos to give any emergency aid to Nicaragua. The number slipped to 69.5 years for the founding of Cuba's Revolu­ de Revolucion! U.S. citizens, he added, have responded Blacks in 1985 and 69.4 in 1986. The fig­ tionary Armed Forces. generously. ure for whites rose in this period to 75 .4 Castro explains the develop­ Since the hurricane, Quest for Peace has years . ments taking place in southern Subscriptions: filled 35 cargo containers with relief Death by tuberculosis rose by 8.5 per­ Introductory offer: $3 for six supplies and raised more than $10 million cent among Blacks· in 1985 and 1986, Africa and the significance of months; $9 for one year. to accomplish this. Callahan estimates that while dropping by 3 percent among whites. the defeat of the South African other organizations have raised at least Death from AIDS-related diseases, pneu­ army by the joint effort of An­ 0 Begin my sub with current issue. another $85 million worth of aid . monia, and several types of cancer increased golan, Cuban, and Namibian · Name------­ Recalling the millions Washington sent disproportionately among Blacks. Infant troops. to the Somoza regime at the time of the mortality remained twice as high. He also deals with the im­ Address ------­ 1972 earthquake, he noted that none of that Heart disease, the country 's number one portance of a Marxist outlook City/State/Zip ------­ aid got to the poor people of Nicaragua. killer, took 5 percent fewer lives among This time, "all the aid is getting to the whites during this two-year period and only in the ability of the Cuban rev­ Clip and mail to PM, 410 West St., poor." I percent fewer among Blacks. olution to move forward. New York, NY 10014. Current relief needs, he said, include Homicide victims among Blacks in­ powdered milk, summer-weight clothing, creased by 15 percent. Homicide among building supplies and hand tools for recon- whites increased by 5 percent.

10 The Militant February 3, 1989 Philippines leader says repression rises

BY DEB SHNOOKAL The organizations whose right to legal NEW YORK- Recently, Zenaida Uy, existence was challenged by the general in­ secretary-general of the Philippine organi­ cluded the May I Movement (KMU), the zation, Bayan, toured parts of the United militant union federation with more than a States and Canada on behalf of the Cam­ half-million members; Bayan; the Peasant 'paign Against U.S. Intervention in the Movement of the Philippines; Gabriela, a Philippines. During her stop here she major feminist organization; and the granted an interview to the Militant. League of Filipino Students. Uy described Bayan as a "federation of Abat's statement came in the context of grass-roots organizations and cause-orient- continuing murderous assaults on unionists and left-wing political leaders by right­ wing vigilante outfits. Uy pointed out that since Aquino was INTERVIEW elected, Bayan has lost more than 50 lead­ ers, "either killed or disappeared." Last October, a KMU union leader, ed groups." She said there are 2,000 such Oscar Bantayan, was killed by vigilantes, organizations in the Philippines, with a bringing protest strikes in several regions. combined membership of 3 million. Two years earlier, KMU Chairman Bayan - the New Patriotic Alliance - Rolando Olalia and his driver were similarly was born in the midst of the massive popu­ assassinated. A presidential investigation lar movement to oust President Ferdinand found government and military officials re­ Marcos, whose rule was toppled in 1986. sponsible, but charges are yet to be made. Since then, Bayan has continued to fight In the past five months alone, eight around the social issues that confront the unionists have been slain in Central Luzon workers and farmers of the Philippines. It and on Negros island, and another was engages in "pressure politics" - pickets, ....&t "disappeared." strikes, and other mass protests. MilitanU Arthur Hughes Uy said that Bayan is still able to func­ Uy, a teacher, had been a prominent Zenaida Uy, secretary-general of Bayan coalition in Philippines. leader of the oust-Marcos movement on the tion openly in Manila, but there is stepped­ island of Cebu. She was initially elected up surveillance. chairman of Bay an for Cebu in 1985. After work the land as a group, in a collective ef­ "We simply haven't learned the lessons Meanwhile, over the past year nine peo­ the 1987 assassination of Bayan's leader, fort, and have started to reap the fruit of of the Marcos regime," Uy said, "when the ple described as leading members of the Leandro Alejandro, she assumed the post their toil without having to give a share to a country was brought to the edge of eco­ Communist Party of the Philippines have of secretary-general. despotic landlord." nomic bankruptcy because of the export­ been arrested. Discussing Philippine developments since She said the land occupations are occur­ oriented, debt-dependent, and labor-inten­ Last fall, the government canceled the Marcos was overthrown and Corazon ring in Visayas and Mindanao and are be­ sive economy." passport of former Communist Party chair­ Aquino was elected president, Uy said, ginning to spread to other areas. Because of the deepening social crisis, man Jose Maria Sison while he was out of "there has been no fundamental change, so Participants, she added, have not been she explained, "What is taking place is the the country. Sison spent eight years in jail groups like Bayan have continued the fight deterred from occupying plots of land even unleashing of the full force of the military under Marcos' rule. The Aquino regime for economic and social justice." though this disqualifies them from par­ and their surrogate forces, the armed death claims "proof" that Sison has resumed the ticipating in the government's "land re­ squads." chairmanship of the party and has revived Uy characterized Aquino's land program form" program. Last November Gen. Fortunato Abat, charges of conspiracy and treason against as "a dismal failure." As a result, she said, the undersecretary of defense, declared at a him initially made by Marcos. organized groups of farmers "continue to Another major difficulty for the Filipino news conference that he considered a Uy declared that while the armed forces take their own initiatives by occupying people, the Bayan leader charged, is that number of organizations "outlawed." Since are determined to crush the opposition, government lands. Aquino "has opened the doors completely then, the Aquino government has neither "the objective conditions that brought peo­ "They are learning what it means to to foreign investors. confirmed nor repudiated his declaration. ple into the struggle remain the same." British gov't forced to -WORLD NEWS BRIEFS-- . ~ .. Prague cops storm The U.S. military has used AWACS reopen GuUdford 4 case and U-2 spy planes, according to the rally, beat protesters statement. There have been six U-2 spy flights over North Korea since January Hundreds of helmeted, stick-wielding BY FRED FELDMAN ant drug by authorities. 10. riot cops backed by water cannons The British government has yielded to Two medical reports on Richardson, The statement reiterated Pyongyang's widespread demands that the case of the prepared with the approval of prison medi­ stormed a demonstration of 2,000 peo­ call for cancellation of the military exer­ "Guildford Four," jailed since 1974 on cal authorities, concluded that she had ple in Prague, Czechoslovakia, January cise and the setting up of tripartite peace charges of carrying out bombings of pubs made a false confession. 19. The demonstration, which had been talks, which would include Seoul and that caused five deaths, be reopened. They In addition, witnesses have come for­ banned by government authorities, Washington. marked the fifth consecutive day of pro­ are serving life sentences. ward who say they were with Hill and On January 16 Pyongyang and Seoul Home Secretary Douglas Hurd, whore­ Richardson when the bombings took place. tests in the capital city. agreed to meet in February to explore the The protest rally was being held to fused to reopen the case two years ago, One, Maura Kelly, said she decided not to possibility of holding prime ministerial­ commemorate the 20th anniversary of cited "allegedly new evidence" January 16 come forward initially after being threat­ level talks. in referring the case to the Court of Appeal. ened by police officers . the death of Jan Palach, a student who The four- Carole Richardson, Paddy In 1975 , four members of an alleged sethimselfonfireJan. l6, 1969,topro­ Armstrong, Paul Hill, and Gerard Conlon IRA unit confessed to police that they had test the Soviet invasion of Czechos­ Sri Lankan activist - were convicted on the basis of confes­ carried out the bombings attributed to the lovakia. deported from Britain sions obtained from them while in custody. Guildford Four, as well as others. Evi­ The cops charged the rally from all di­ rections. They grabbed people, threw The four repudiated their confessions as dence indicates that forensic evidence sup­ Viraj Mendis, a Sri Lankan, was de­ having been extracted through beatings and porting this claim was withheld by the gov­ them to the ground, and repeatedly struck them with nightsticks. Many in ported from Britain January 20 after los­ other mistreatment. They have maintained ernment. ing a battle for the right to political their innocence ever since. the crowd cried, "Gestapo, Gestapo!" At The Court of Appeal, nevertheless, up­ least eight ambulances were seen pick­ asylum. He had Ji ved in Britain for 13 Their confessions also formed the basis held the convictions of the four in 1977. ing up the seriously wounded at the site years. for the arrest and conviction of Anne Erroll Smalley, who is Paul Hill's uncle, of the attack. Mendis is a member of the majority Maguire, aunt of Gerard Conlon, and six spoke on the case to a recent New Interna­ The demonstrators demanded greater Sinhalese community in Sri Lanka. He other members and friends of the family on tional Forum held in London. He said political freedoms and the release of says his life will be in danger there be­ charges of possession of explosives. members of the families of the four still Vaclav Havel, the country's most prom­ cause of his support to the struggle of the Giuseppe Conlon, one of the six, died in face harassment, including threats and inent dissident and a banned playwright. Tamil minority for self-determination. prison in 1980. Hurd has refused so far to search raids of their homes. Havel was arrested three days earlier According to Amnesty International, the reopen this case. Paul Hill , Smalley said, has been moved along with 13 others. Sri Lankan government has one of the A sustained campaign against the con­ from prison nearly 50 times and has spent The rallies corresponded with the worst human rights records in the world. victions has been organized by the Rela­ more than I ,600 days in solitary confine­ meeting of the 35-nation European Se­ British police arrested Mendis Janu­ tives Campaign for the Guildford Four and ment. curity Conference in Vienna, where ary 18 at the Church of the Ascension in the Maguire Seven. Following Hurd's announcement that Czechoslovakia agreed to a new accord Manchester in a dawn raid that began the case would be reopened, Smalley com­ on human rights. when police smashed down church Those who have expressed support for mented, "On past record, nobody can be doors with sledgehammers. Mend is had the four include Archbishop Robert Run­ overconfident that justice will be done in been living in sanctuary at the church cie, religious leader of the Church of En­ this case." U.S. spy flights over since 1986. gland; Cardinal Basil Hume of the Roman No alleged IRA "terrorist" has ever been His arrest sparked d~monstrations of Catholic Church; 200 members of Parlia­ acquitted in a British court, nor have any of N. Korea condemned protest in Manchester and expressions of ment; Amnesty International; two former the convictions been overturned. A January 12 statement from the outrage from opposition members of British home secretaries, Merlyn Rees and In January 1988, convictions of six peo­ Democratic People's Republic of Korea parliament. Roy Jenkins; and two prominent judges, ple serving up to 30-year terms on charges Observer Mission to the United Nations The government returned Mendis to Patrick Devlin and Leslie Scarman. stemming from 1974 bombings of pubs in condemned the increase in U.S. spy Sri Lanka, although he had received ten­ A spokesperson for the government of Birmingham, England, were upheld after flights over North Korea. tative offers of asylum from Gibraltar the Republic oflreland said January 16 that review by the Court of Appeals. Two Bir­ The statement noted that the increase and West Germany. Irish authorities had "consistently con­ mingham police officers admitted that con­ comes on the "threshold of 'Team Spirit British officials refused to delay de­ veyed serious concern about the Guildford fessions had been beaten out of the six at a 89'," a joint exercise between the U.S. portation pending an appeal by Mendis Four case to the British authorities." police station. and South Korean armed services. Some to the European Court of Human Rights. Medical evidence indicates that Rich­ 42,000 U.S. troops are stationed in The court has condemned the govern­ ardson, who was 17 at the time, signed her Lee Parlett in London contributed to this South Korea. ment's immigration procedures. confession after being given a strong relax- article.

February 3, 1989 The Militant 11 -CALENDAR------ARIZONA MINNESOTA Alliance; others. Sat., Jan. 28, 7:30p.m. 2744 77th Anniversary Germantown Ave . Donation: $2 . Sponsor: Mil­ Phoenix Minneapolis itant Forum . For more information call (215) Celebration of Abortion Rights Under Attack. A panel dis­ Celebrate 30 Years of the Cuban Revolution. 225-0213 . cussion. Translation to Spanish. Sat., Jan . 28 , 7 Speakers: Don Rojas, secretary of the Anti-Im­ p.m. 1809 W Indian School Rd . Donation: $2 . perialist Organizations of Central America and TEXAS African National Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum . For more infor­ the Caribbean; Mary-Alice Waters, editor of mation call (602) 279-5850. Marxist journal New International and Socialist Houston Congress Workers Party leader; Tomi-Riva Nuu!Dbala, Defend the Rights of Immigrant Workers. South West Africa People's Organisation; Rev. Eyewitness report from the Rio Grande Valley. Speakers: Tebogo Mafole, ANC CALIFORNIA Curtis Herron, minister of Minneapolis Zion Speaker: Brad Downs, Young Socialist Al­ representative to the United Na­ Baptist Church. Translation to Spanish. Sat., liance, member United Steelworkers of Ameri­ San Francisco ca Local 2228 . Translation to Spanish. Sat., tions; Helmut Angola, South West El Salvador Radio Aid Project. A cultural­ Feb. 4, 7:30p.m. Reception to follow. Cowles Africa People's Organisation's Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, Uni­ Feb. 4, 7:30p.m. 4806 Almeda. Donation: $2. political event featuring the film Las Masas . Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum/Foro Perspecti­ representative to the UN. Sat., Feb. 4, 7 p.m. Women's Building, 3543 versity of Minnesota-West Bank. Donation: $3-$10. Sponsors: Africana Student Cultural va Mundial. For more information call (713) 18th St. Donation: $5 . Sponsor: San Francisco 522-8054. Fri., Jan. 27,6:30 p.m. CIS PES. For more information call (415 ) 626- Center, Progressive Student Organization, Celebrate Cuba's 30 Years of Building So­ Martin Luther King Labor Center 8829. Committee in Solidarity with the People of El 310 West 43rd Street Salvador, Socialist Workers Party, Young So­ cialism. Classes and forum , Sat., Feb. II and Black History Month Book Sale. 20 percent Sun. , Feb. 12 . "Cuba's Role in Angola," class. off books by Malcolm X at Pathfinder cialist Alliance, others. For more information call (612) 644-6325. Sat., 3:30 p.m. Forum with Prof. ZPberi Bookstore, 3284 23rd St. (near Mission). For Mwamba, and Joanne Kuniansky, Socialist Labor Forum. For more information call (304) more information call (415) 282-6255 . NEBRASKA Workers Party and member Oil , Chemical and 345-3040. An Injury to One Is an Injury to All! An Atomic Workers Local4-227, Sat., 7:30p.m. Morgantown evening of poetry with Piri Thomas. A benefit Omaha "Che Guevara's 'Socialism and Man,' " class for the Mark Curtis Defense Committee. Sat., The Working-Class Road to Peace. A Young Celebration of 30 Years of the Cuban Revo­ Sun., II a.m. 4806 Almeda. Donation: $2 . lution. Speakers: Cosmo Pieterse, South Afri­ March 4, 7 p.m. Dolores Street Baptist Church, Socialist Alliance class. Speaker: Erich Chris­ Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum/Foro Perspecti­ 15th and Dolores. Sponsor: Supporters of Mark tiansen, YSA. Thurs., Feb . 2, 7:30p.m. 140 S can poet in exile, professor of English at Ohio va Mundial. For more information call (713) University; Kenyon Stebbins, assistant profes­ Curtis Defense Committee. For more informa­ 40th St. Donation: $2. For more information 522-8054. sor of anthropology, West Virginia University; tion call (415) 282-6255 . call (402) 553-0245. Chris Wolford, Venceremos Brigade partici­ NEW JERSEY UTAH pant, member American Federation of State, Price MASSACHUSETTS Newark County and Municipal Employees; Pattie San­ Boston Celebrate 30 Years of the Cuban Revolution. chez, Socialist Workers Party, member United Stop Threats Against Libya. Speaker: Nick Speaker: Dave Prince, Socialist Workers Party, Steelworkers of America. Sat., Jan. 28, 7 p.m. Abortion Rights Under Siege: Defending a Gruenberg, Socialist Workers Party, member visited Cuba 1968-69 and 1981. Sun., Jan. 29, 221 Pleasant St. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Mili­ Woman's Right to Choose. Speakers: Barbara United Auto Workers. Sat., Jan. 28 , 7:30p.m. 5 p.m. 253 E Main. Donation: $2. Sponsor: tant Labor Forum. For more information call Bolten, vice-president public relations, Boston 141 Halsey St. , 2nd floor. Donation: $2 . Spon­ Militant Labor Forum. For more information (304) 296-0055. National Organization for Women; Maggie sor: Militant Labor Forum. For more informa­ call (801) 637-6294. Pucci, chairperson Boston Young Socialist Al­ tion call (201) 643-3341. liance. Translation to Spanish. Sat., Jan. 28 , Salt Lake City • 7:30 p.m. 605 Massachusetts Ave. Donation: NEW YORK Defend Abortion Rights. A panel of speakers $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more including representatives from National Organi­ BRITAIN information call (617) 247-6772. Manhattan zation for Women, Wasatch Women's Center, U.S. Attacks on Libya: Which Side for Socialist Workers Party, others. Translation to London Cancel the Third World Debt. Speaker: John Working People? Speaker: Bob Schwarz, So­ Spanish. Sat., Jan. 28, 7:30p.m. 147 E 900 S. Barton. Fri., Feb. 3, 7:30p.m. 47 The Cut, SE cialist Workers Party. Translation to Spanish. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum . MICHIGAN I. Donation: £1. Sponsor: New International Sat., Jan. 28 , 7:30p.m. 79 Leonard St. Dona­ Detroit For more information call (801) 355-1124. Forum . For more information call 0 1-40 1-2293. Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the tion: $3. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum/Foro Cuban Revolution. Showing of five Cuban Perspectiva Mundial. For more information call WASHINGTON (212) 226-8445 . videos. Speaker: Shelton McCrainey, Socialist Seattle CANADA Workers· Party. Sat., Jan. 28 . Open house spon­ NORTH CAROLINA Keep Abortion Safe and Legal. A panel dis­ Toronto sored by Pathfinder bookstore, including ab­ cussion. Sat. , Jan . 28, 7:30p.m. 5517 Rainier No to the New Laws Against Refugees! breviated showing of videos, II a.m. Forum Greensboro Ave . S. Donation: $3 . Sponsor: Militant Labor Thousands Threatened With Deportation. program and full showing of videos, 7:30p.m. Origins of Women's Oppression: A Marxist Forum . For more information call (206) 723- Speakers: Nancy Pocock, coordinator, Quaker 5019 112 Woodward Ave . Donation: $3. Spon­ View. A weekly seminar beginning week of 5330. Committee for Refugees; Tom Clark, Inter­ sor: Militant Labor Forum. For more informa­ Feb. 5. 2219 E Market. For more information church Committee for Refugees; Hani Samber, tion call (313) 831 -1177. call (919) 272-5996. WASHINGTON, D.C. chairperson Legal Defence Committee for Cuito Cuanavale: The ~feat of South Afri­ Why the Minimum Wage Should be Raised. Mahmoud Mohammad, Palestinian facing de­ can Troops in Angola. Showing of the Cuban OHIO Speaker: Deborah Lazar, Socialist Workers portation; Tom Leys, Revolutionary Workers documentary "Response to the South African Cleveland Party, member United Steelworkers of America League, striking member United Steelworkers Escalation." In English. Sat. , Feb. 4, 2 p.m. The Last Year of Malcolm X, Inter­ Local 14287. Sat., Jan. 28 , 7:30p.m. 3165 Mt . of America; representative of Black Action De­ Mayflower United Church of Christ, 7301 Cur­ nationalist and Revolutionary. Speakers: Ned Pleasant NW . Donation: $3 . Sponsor: Militant fence Committee. Sat., Jan. 28,7:30 p.m. 410 tis St. Sponsors: African National Congress, Measel, Socialist Workers Party, member Labor Forum. For more information call (202) Adelaide St. W, Suite 400. Donation: $3 . Spon­ Pan-African Student Union-WSU, Rev. Daniel United Steelworkers of America Local 1104; 797-7699. sor: Socialist Voice Forum. For more informa­ Webster Aldridge, Jr. , Pathfinder Bookstore. Batseitsi Miygo, South African student. 2521 77th Anniversary of the African National tion call (416) 861-1399. For more information call (313) 831-1177. Market Ave . Donation: $2 .50. Sponsor: Mili­ Congress. Hear update on the fight to free Nel­ Palestine Uprising Enters Second Year: tant Forum. For more information call (216) son Mandela. Speakers: Aubrey Mokoena, What the Palestinians Are Fighting For. East Lansing 861-6150. chairperson Release Mandela Campaign in Speaker: Abdullah Abdullah, Palestine Libera­ Will Michigan Be the Radioactive Waste South Africa; Dr. Ben Chavis, United Church tion Organization representative in Canada. Dump for Seven States? Protest rally . Tue., of Christ's Commission on Racial Justice; en­ Fri., Feb. 3, 7:30p.m. 410 Adelaide St. W, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. State Capitol. Speakers: OREGON tertainment by Shirley Scott trio. Sun., Jan 29. Suite 400. Donation: $3. Sponsor: Socialist Mary Sinclair, founder of Don't Waste Michi­ Portland Reception, 6:30p.m.; program, 7 p.m. Howard Voice Forum. For more information call (416) gan and Great Lakes Energy Alliance; Michael Stop Racist Attacks! Speakers: Charles Ford, University, Cramton Auditorium. Sponsor: Af­ 861-1399. Nye, state representative, Hillsdale; Lana Pol­ first vice-chairperson, Northeast Coalition of rican National Congress, South Africa Wo­ lack, state senator, Ann Arbor. Sponsor: Don't Neighborhoods; Moe Hassan , member Portland men's Day Committee, Howard University Af­ Waste Michigan; Hillsdale Organization for State University Students Against Apartheid; rican Students Association. For more informa­ SWEDEN Preservation of the Environment. For more in­ K.C. Ellis, Socialist Workers Party . Sat. , Jan. tion call (202) 882-1817. formation call (517) 487-6873 . Stockholm 28, 7:30 p.m. 2730 NE Union . Donation: $2 . Cuban and Angolan Victory Over South Af· Sponsor: Militant Forum. For more information WEST VIRGINIA rica. Cuban documentary video on the Angolan call (503) 287-7416. This publication is available Charleston and Cuban victory over apartheid regime's in microform from University Drug Testing: An Attack on Workers' Rights. troops in Angola. Sun., Jan. 29, 3 p.m. in Med­ Microfilms International. PENNSYLVANIA Speaker: Maggie McCraw, Socialist Workers borgarhuset, rooms 403 and 404. T-bana Med­ Cr . Ml 48106 Abortion is a Woman's Right. 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12 The Militant February 3, 1989 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------

Confederate bonds next? - for pennies. The caring system - Injured Green, a Topeka, Kansas, school killed. And the odds would be Washington and Moscow are dis­ in a car accident, Thomas Bennett, administrator was convicted of even better if not for lax air traffic cussing repayment of bonds from Sure, why worry people - 81, died after nine days in a New embezzling $62,210 of federal control, substandard maintenance, tsarist Russia, repudiated after the British scientists report a link be­ York City hospital. Even though money earmarked for vocational undertrained cockpit crews, and October 1917 revolution. Two tween Alzheimer's brain disease his wallet contained his daughter's training for handicapped students. aging equipment. That's accord­ and aluminum in drinking water. address and phone number, the The judge gave him two years - ing to a Massachusetts Institute of Apparently brushing the finding family was never notified and with all but six months suspended Technology study. aside, the Ministry of Agriculture searched frantically for him. They - and recommended he spend the indicated it would give the all­ learned of his death after finding time at a halfway house. P.S. - We were wondering: clear to baby's milk containing in his mailbox a bill from the hos­ according to that study, 700 peo­ high levels of aluminum. pital. Housing tip - A top floor ple died in U.S. crashes over a Harry apartment at New York's I East seven-year period. Did each of A cool drink of water- Cit­ Translating racism - The River Place (50 stories) rents for them fly every day for 29,000 Ring ing it as more dangerous than widely used Larousse English­ $8,600 a month. But the same years? hazardous waste dumps or air pol­ Spanish dictionary includes a apartment on the 20th floor goes lution, the Environmental Protec­ translation of the word sentido for only $4,800. Thought for the week - "Do I years ago the Soviet government tion Agency says half the nation's ("sense") and examples of its us­ sense fear? Yes. At some point agreed to pay $68 million to drinking water is fouled by pes­ ages, including: "Negroes have a Nothing's perfect- U.S. air­ there is going to be a rebellion British investors who had held ticides. It estimates 6,000 cases of good sense of rhythm." lines are so safe that the odds are against greed." - Martin Wein­ onto the bonds, mainly as memen­ cancer a year from just a third of that you'd have to fly every day stein, a Wall Street wheeler-dealer, tos, or who acquired them, often the pesticides in use. Mercy, for some - Winford for 29,000 years before getting on the rash of leveraged takeovers. Fidel Castro speaks to youth at Jannary 8 rally

Continued from front page the construction of socialism without giv­ Cuban Pioneers and secondary students. ing the most attention to the moral factor. " They were a sea of color with their flags Using "vulgar capitalist methods" such as and banners and enthusiastically chanted "glorifying the boosting of wages" will fail and applauded. The most prominent con­ to build socialism, he said. tingents were from Namibia, Angola, This is nothing new, Castro reminded North Korea, and Nicaragua. his audience, since Che Guevara, the Unlike the generation that made the rev­ Argentine-born fellow leader of the Cuban olution, Castro said, "the new generation revolution, "said this many years ago." has to develop, defend, and perfect social­ Driving home this point, Castro ex­ ism." This, he explained, is all the more plained that in the course of the revolution, necessary because "world imperialism and "Men have taken all kinds of risks. Hun­ capitalism are too arrogant, powerful, and dreds of thousands of fellow citizens have haughty to give up the idea of eliminating risked their lives carrying out inter­ socialism in the world" and particularly of nationalist missions. How much money "destroying the Cuban revolution." could have paid for this? No one would Returning to a theme he had spelled out offer his life for money because, among at earlier speeches on January 1 and 4 other things, money is worthless when you marking the 30th anniversary activities, are dead. No one would offer his life for I Castro emphasized that "the imperialists million pesos or even 10 million pesos, yet think that defeating the revolution will be men are capable of dying en masse for their much easier with the new generation." ideas." There is present in the world today "a sort Returning to this theme, Castro later of capitalist euphoria stemming from the commented that "some people" think that reforms and self-criticisms that are taking "the heroic stage [of the Cuban revolution] place in various countries .. . . That eupho­ is over" but "this idea is false." Militant/Ron Poulsen ria tries to present capitalist mechanisms as Referring to the historic victory of An­ Contingent of Nicaraguan students in Havana join in January rally addressed by the only mechanisms to resolve problems, golan, Cuban, and Namibian forces over Cuban president Fidel Castro. to achieve productivity, to develop." South African troops at Cuito Cuanavale in By contrast, "the imperialists are an­ southern Angola, the Cuban leader pointed noyed about Cuba's firm attitude . . . and to the heroism of the "tens of thousands of equal trade, protectionism, and systematic style or model of socialism that they pur­ revolutionary intransigence." men and women that advanced to the south plundering and looting by imperialism, he sue." "Perhaps our greatest challenge," the of Angola, converted into a powerful fist said, "This is a decisive moment in the his­ Moreover, "the present generation" must Cuban leader said, "is perfecting socialism prepared to vanquish the apartheid army tory of Latin America and the Caribbean. "continue developing ties with the revolu­ without resorting to the mechanisms and unless it withdrew." We perceive a great ebullience, a great re­ tionary, progressive forces; the working style of capitalism, without being capitalis­ Underlining the close interconnection bellion in those countries against im­ class; the progressive and honest intellectu­ tic . Towards that end we are now in a pro­ between internationalist volunteers and perialist domination, never before wit­ als; the democrats in the capitalist coun­ cess of rectification." voluntary work in Cuba, Castro said that he nessed. These are truly new times." tries." meant, "not only heroism on the battlefield "Do we or do we not have reason to be­ or in a military sense . . . but also civil Cooperation for Latin American inde­ It was with this in mind that the Cuban lieve men would rather live in a more heroism." pendence, integration, and unity is "a polit­ leader in his concluding remarks, em­ humane, more generous, more solidaristic, "This," he said, "is a key idea for the ical necessity, an economic necessity." phasized "the historic task" of the Cuban and fairer society than in the society of the younger generation." This unity must come before any concern people, particularly of the young genera­ capitalist world, where the law of the Pointing to the discipline and self-or­ about the different social systems, he said. tion - "the duty of setting an example, of jungle prevails?" he asked. ganization of the construction contingents, In the same way, he explained that Cuba expressing solidarity, of advancing the rev­ he went on to say that "there can be no so­ "must continue to develop its relations with olution, of raising and enhancing the ideas Castro noted that the "socialist for­ the socialist countries, independent of the of socialism, the prestige of socialism." mula," which he defined as where "each cialist or communist consciousness until person is to contribute according to his work ceases to be ruled by legislative pre­ means and to receive according to his cepts, or by some imposition, some form work," has been "part of the historic pro­ of coercion, imposed by society, and be­ - 10AND25 YEARS AGO--- cess of our revolution." comes something that is truly done in a position, while eroding the confidence of conscious way." But, he said, "We can't always apply the THE MILITANT soldiers loyal to the shah principle of giving each according to his Castro concluded his speech by remind­ means and the amount of work he does." ing his youthful audience of "the great re­ Feb.2, 1979 Castro cited the examples of free education sponsibilities" they had on the world stage THE and health care for children regardless of and especially in Latin America, "and not Clinging to the rags of "legality" left be­ how much work their parents have done. only in the internal affairs of Cuba." hind by the fugitive shah who appointed him, Prime Minister Shahpur Bakhtiar de­ MILITANT Nor does anyone, he added, ask someone Referring to the huge foreign debts, un- Published In the Interests of the Working People clared January 21: "I am the legitimate who needs a heart transplant how ·much Feb.3, 1964 ~·~ they work or contribute. "Dozens of heart ruler of Iran and will continue to defend my post." transplants have been done here. I would Cuban Premier Fidel Castro explained like to ask if it cost any citizen a single cen­ Affirmative action On January 24 Bakhtiar made his move, clearly the reasons for his trip to the Soviet tavo." Continued from front page sealing off Tehran's Mehrabad Airport be­ Union in a major speech in Havana January Castro emphasized, "The construction Richmond's judgment on this point," he hind a ring of tanks and troops in an at­ 24, the day after his return. of socialism cannot follow the capitalist said. tempt to prevent the return of exiled oppo­ Central to the discussions with the formula of giving the most weight to mate­ "As much as any municipality in the sition leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Kho­ Soviet leaders, Castro explained, was the rial incentives. It is not possible to speak of United States, Richmond knows what ra­ meini . problem of fluctuation of sugar prices on cial discrimination is; a century of deci­ With Khomeini scheduled to return to the world market. At present they are as sions by this and other Federal courts has Iran January 26, the stage is set for a show­ high as II cents a pound, but as he put it, richl y documented the city's disgraceful down . "no one can tell what the price will be in Veteran socialist history of public and private racial dis­ Even if Bakhtiar tries to back down now 1968, 1969, or 1970." Milton Genecin dies crimination ." it is questionable whether he can control However, he went on, "socialism im­ The court , he said, was signaling "that it the shah's officer corps. The generals plies, above all , the idea of a planned econ­ Milton Genecin, a veteran socialist, died regards racial discrimination as largely a know that their forces are melting away omy, and to plan we must have sure bases, January 24. He was 80 years old. Genecin, phenomenon of the past, and that govern­ day by day. to know what resources we can count on. who lived in Los Angeles, was a longtime ment bodies need no longer preoccupy The shah's fli ght from the country, the How can we know what resources we have member of the Socialist Workers Party themselves with rectifying racial injustice. evident weakness of the Bakhtiar regime, when there is one price today and another until he left in 1983. The Militant will I, however, do not believe this nation is and the continued appeals of the Iranian tomorrow?" carry a report on Genecin's life in a sub­ anywhere close to eradicating racial dis­ people are winning over large sections of The negotiations established a firm price sequent issue. crimination or its vestiges." the ranks of the army to the side of the op- of six cents over a six-year period.

February 3, 1989 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Abortion rights and population Defend affirmative action control don't tnix BY DOUG JENNESS The interests of all working people were set back when unemployment for whites stood at 5.4 percent. When the World Bank and International Monetary the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Richmond, Virginia, Moreover, according to an analysis of applications for Fund held their annual meeting a few months ago in West ordinance setting aside 30 percent of public construction home loans conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitu­ Berlin, delegates heard World Bank chief Barber Con­ contracts for minority contractors was unconstitutional. tion and published January 22, savings and loan banks re­ able urge semicolonial countries to limit their population The ruling and the majority opinion set a legal ject Black applicants twice as often as white. growth to cope with poverty. He said aid to Third World groundwork for minimizing the scope and goals of affir­ Institutionalized racist and sexist discrimination gener­ countries is wasted if a country's population grows more mative action; junking some affirmative action plans; dis­ ates billions in superprofits for the employers by allowing rapidly than its economy. couraging the setting up of new ones; and encouraging them to push down the wages and working conditions of This admonition to the peoples of Asia, Africa, and lawsuits and other resistance to affirmative action. millions of workers - white and Black, male and Latin America to have fewer babies is part of an interna- The ruling was a blow to the democratic rights of female . At the same time, they obstruct and undermine Blacks, Latinos, and other oppressed minorities to full the efforts of working people to unify our ranks in strug­ equality of opportunity at every level of the construction gle. industry. It reinforces discriminatory practices long faced Racist and sexist practices help create large "pariah" LEARNING ABOUT by Blacks who try to start up their own businesses. layers of the working class who must accept less than liv­ But the decision was much more than that. It sought to ing wages and are denied a multitude of rights on and off SOCIALISM deal a blow aimed at the long struggle of the working the job. Since the wage structure in capitalist society is class to overcome divisions that the employers have established from the bottom up, racist discrimination en­ tional chorus. A wide range of organizations, including created through many forms of systematic discrimina­ ables the employers to hold down the wages of all work­ United Nations committees, press semicolonial countries tion. ers. to adopt family planning measures, including contracep­ The labor movement should respond to this attack by The organization and mobilization of Black and Latino tives, sterilization, and abortions, to reduce population demanding not only the reversal of this decision, but the workers is obstructed by the license given the police to growth. vast extension of affirmative action to root out discrimi­ carry out particularly savage repression, including many The principal document discussed at a UN Population nation on the basis of skin color in the work force, educa­ cold-blooded killings, in Black and Latino communities. Fund-financed conference in Nicaragua last year, for tion, housing, and other areas. Racist and sexist discrimination against layers of example, urged the government to reduce the growth The battle for affirmative action to overcome racist, workers powerfully strengthens other broad and funda­ rate. sexist, and other divisions in our class is a key part of un­ mental divisions in the working class. These include the Some who favor legalizing abortion in Nicaragua iting our class to fight effectively for other advances. division between the employed workers and the un­ linked this to calling for a population control policy. To hear the Supreme Court majority tell it, racist dis­ employed and between the better-paid workers and those Others, who oppose abortion rights, argued that more crimination against Blacks, Latinos, Indians, and others who don't earn enough to assure survival. people are needed, not fewer. is a thing of the past in the United States. Now, they in­ Black and Latino workers are disproportionately un­ Promoting abortion as a means to limit population dicate, the courts must rally to the defense of whites who employed and low paid. Every form of racist and sexist growth undermines the genuinely progressive nature of are the victims of racial discrimination under the affirma­ discrimination reinforces these divisions in the working the fight to legalize the right of women to choose whether tive action programs. class that benefit only the ruling capitalists. or not to have children and how many. The notion that pov­ The day after the decision, the National Urban Overcoming these divisions and uniting workers can erty, hunger, and disease is the consequence of excessive League's 1989 report on the "State of Black America" only be achieved through struggles that include the battle population is a diversion from combating the true source of punctured that falsehood. Black per capita income, as a against discrimination. The union movement should be at these social evils today-capitalist exploitation. percentage of white income, has dropped in each of the the center of mobilizations demanding the establishment When the communist-led government in Soviet Russia past two years. Black poverty rates rose in 1987, while and enforcement of affirmative action quotas to assure legalized abortion in 1920, limiting population growth those of whites declined. Black unemployment for the preferential hiring and upgrading of workers who are was not a motive. To the contrary, it aimed to halt the first nine months of 1988 averaged 11.8 percent, while Black, Latino and women. slaughter of women victimized by botched illegal abor­ tions. Under the leadership of V.I. Lenin, the revolutionary government had no population policy. It promoted neither increasing nor limiting the size of the population. This communist leadership, however, was overturned by the rise of a privileged bureaucratic caste with Joseph Fight for justice in Miami ! Stalin at its head. The bureaucratic misleaders rein­ troduced some of the worst features of capitalism, includ­ Miami officials' decision to bring manslaughter charges Eyewitnesses have refuted Lozano's claim that he fired ing oppressive policies toward women. against William Lozano, the police officer responsible in self-defense. But evidence- no matter how substan­ In 1936, for example, abortion was made illegal again for the January 16 deaths of Clement Lloyd and Allan tial - has never been enough to win convictions of to try to spur a rise in the birth rate. It wasn't until the Blanchard, is a concession to the outrage that has swept Miami's killer cops. mid-1950s that legal abortion on demand was restored. the Black community since the killings. Usually they are never brought to trial; and when they This linking of access to abortion with population con­ The filing of the charges opens another stage of the have been, as in 1980 and 1984, juries brushed aside the trol has also been adopted in other countries where struggle for justice. facts to acquit the police officers who killed Arthur capitalist rule has been overturned. The fight for the prosecution and conviction of Lozano McDuffie, a Black insurance salesman, and Nevell In Poland, for example, after the capitalists were ex­ and other killer cops is a vital aspect of the efforts of Johnson, Jr., a Black youth. propriated following World War II, the new bureaucratic working people to defend our rights. Killings by police in Massive pressure by working people- Black, white, regime, in the name of "communism," continued the the Black and Latino communities - and the eagerness and Latino - on city, state, and federal authorities is same illegal status of abortion. A major justification was of government officials to rubber-stamp transparent needed to prevent a repeat performance in this case. that the heavy population loss during World War II claims of "self-defense" - are among the most extreme Lozano should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law necessitated a higher birth rate. Abortion wasn't attacks on these rights. and jailed for his criminal act. legalized in Poland until the end of 1959. In the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), restrictions on abortion were temporarily relaxed in the late 1940s in most parts of the country, partly to limit population growth. After 1950, however, restrictions on legal access to abortion were greater than in any other East European country. Abortion was not legalized until 1972. White House cover-up In Hungary, almost all conditions prohibiting abortion were removed in 1956. Then, in 1973, a comprehensive population policy was adopted in which most abortions Walsh supported the decision. When Judge Gesell ini­ Judge Gerhard Gesell's dismissal of the most serious were prohibited. charges against Oliver North marks a victory for presi­ tially stalled on dismissing the charges, Walsh filed an The two most extreme cases of using access to abor­ dential stonewalling and cover-up. North was charged affidavit certifying that "national security" required that tion as a tool to control population are Romania and with conspiring to steal $14 million from U.S. arms sales the evidence remain under wraps. China - one to increase the birth rate and the other to to Iran and using it to wage an unauthorized war on Nic­ Reagan's success in halting the prosecution of North limit it. aragua. on key charges shows that the steady accumulation of ex­ In Romania, abortion is virtually impossible for any­ The Reagan administration was able to torpedo the tralegal power in the White House has not been halted by one under 45 years old or who has fewer than five chil­ prosecution of North by barring access to classified docu­ congressional investigations or court actions. dren, and contraceptives are very limited. Moreover, ments that North's attorney had requested. North oper­ The employing class in this country requires a presi­ women are subjected to gynecological examinations at ated out of the White House to help run the contra war work to keep tabs on their pregnancies. against Nicaragua and carry on covert dealings with the dency that can wage war and carry out other policies in secret, without consulting Congress. The rulers must The Chinese government, on the other hand, has tried Iranian government. to impose a one-child limit on families. Fines and even Informed by Special Prosecutor Lawrence Walsh that carry out unpopular policies against working people at home and abroad, and they need to head off, restrict, and dismissal from jobs have been intlicted on those not abid­ denial of the documents would cripple prosecution on ing by this limitation. these charges, the administration ruled that they must be suppress protests by working people and others against these policies. Similarly, the Vietnamese government announced in kept secret to protect "national security." November that parents would be punished if they had The January 13 dropping of the charges helped guaran­ The contradiction will grow between the measures that more than two children. tee that Reagan and then President-elect George Bush the capitalist rulers must take to protect their rule and the One thing clearly emerges from this picture. When would not have to testify at the trial. They had been sub­ civil liberties and republican form of government that the abortion rights are linked to population control policies, poenaed by North's lawyers. U.S. Constitution provides for. they are very vulnerable to being taken away. This is the consequence of not treating access to abortion as a basic right of women. A noteworthy exception among countries where capitalist property relations have been overturned is Cuba. There, the revolutionary government legalized abortion on demand in 1964 and has consistently main­ tained it as a measure benefiting women, and not as part of a population policy. The government has no policy to increase or decrease the population.

14 The Militant February 3, 1989 LTV Steel 'profit sharing' plan rips off workers

BY DAVID MARSHALL stock, which can only be sold on the market for one­ Steel's corporate headquarters in downtown Cleveland. Workers at LTV Steel Co. and other basic steel com­ seventh of face value. Shortly after LTV's announcement, USWA Interna­ panies have faced a prolonged assault on their wages and Three months later, LTV declared bankruptcy, which tional and local officers met with company executives. working conditions in the 1980s. Following the collapse allowed it to begin pocketing additional hundreds of mil­ The union officials promised to take whatever steps were of profits in the 1981-82 recession, major U.S. steel lions of dollars per year it owed to employee pension necessary to make the company pay up. owners have closed mills, cut the work force by half, funds, banks, and suppliers. LTV backed off in the negotiations that followed, and sharply reduced wages and benefits, and scrapped or Although LTV's profits soon rebounded, profit-shar­ in early January agreed to make cash payments of around changed work rules to boost labor productivity. ing payments for 1986 were withheld by recognizing cer­ 90 percent of the $100 million. The result has been a profit bonanza for the bosses. tain creditors' claims and taking them as losses. In 1987 Everyone was glad to hear that the company agreed to Today, steel mills that remain open are running at peak the payments were made to workers and the USWA pay, though many workers will believe it only when they capacity to fill orders from domestic and foreign buyers. agreed to further concessions. The Cleveland city gov­ receive their checks. ernment also granted LTV millions in property tax de­ Many union members have concluded that the USW A ductions. made a big mistake by retreating throughout the 1980s to When LTV suddenly announced last November that it the point where a company making record profits now UNION TALK had lost money in the third quarter of 1988, and would feels confident enough to openly refuse to meet a clear repay workers in stock, not cash, union members reacted contractual obligation, and then turn around and "com­ In the first nine months of 1988 alone, the top nine steel­ with anger. How could the healthy profits we had been ply" - by pocketing a cool $10 million that it owed the makers doubled their total 1987 earnings, making it the reading about in the newspapers all year suddenly be­ workers. most profitable year in a decade. come crippling losses? Steelworkers are also learning that we cannot advance The steel boom, however, has had a different meaning The answer lay in the "innovative" accounting prac­ our interests by allowing the company's owners to tie our for the 126,000 men and women who work in the mills. tices the company used for the third quarter, just as it was wages and benefits to their profits, regardless of the form In 1983 the United Steelworkers of America (USW A) becoming clear that the profit-sharing agreement would it takes, and despite the company propaganda- echoed agreed to the steel companies' proposal to scrap nation­ require LTV to pay out some $100 million in cash- $30 by many union officials - that all of this is necessary to wide bargaining and negotiate separately with each com­ million more than 1987 . save "our" company. pany. Wage concessions since 1983 add up to about $4 Determined to report a net loss, LTV posted "special In July 1989 union contracts covering 46,000 steel­ per hour per worker - a total of $5 billion when adjusted charges" on the negative side of the balance sheet for the workers will expire at Bethlehem Steel, Inland Steel, for inflation. Far fewer workers now put in longer hours third quarter. Armco, and National Steel Corporations. The contract to produce more steel under more dangerous conditions. Among these was LTV's decision that 1988 would be with LTV ends no later than 1990 (earlier if the company a good time to list as a current loss the entire future sum emerges from bankruptcy), and the USX agreement ex­ The owners of Cleveland-based LTV Steel, the second it might ever owe in health and life insurance benefits to pires in early 1991. largest U.S. steelmaker, have been at the forefront of the its current and future retirees- $2.26 billion! None of the owners of the steel corporations intends to industry's restructuring drive. In April 1986, when the In this way, $132.2 million in third quarter profits be­ give anything back in the upcoming contracts. With a company threatened to declare bankruptcy, the USW A came a "loss" of $1.24 billion. growing consensus that the economy will enter another signed a contract giving LTV a multimillion-dollar Stung by the company's arrogance, USWA Local downturn in the next several years, the steel bosses will "loan" of $3.15 per hour per worker through 1989. This 1011 at the Indiana Harbor Works in East Chicago, In­ be pushing even harder against the union in the future. came to $7,000 annually for each of 18,000 workers. The diana, which voted against the 1986 contract and its prof­ The lessons learned from our experiences over the past company in turn agreed to repay the "loan" through a it-sharing provisions, voted seven-to-one to strike if the six years, including with LTV's profit-sharing scheme, profit-sharing plan. company issued stock instead of cash. will help us see more clearly that in the struggles that lie Under the plan, workers would receive cash payments Members of Local 1157, one of four USW A locals at ahead, workers and bosses have different interests. tied to company profits. If annual profits fell short of the LTV's Cleveland Works and also an opponent of the $7,000 each worker had "invested," then LTV would 1986 pact, voted to wear red armbands as a show of pro­ David Marshall is a member of USWA Local 1157, and make up the difference by issuing shares of "preferred" test. We also held a demonstration in front of LTV works in the coke plant at L1V's Cleveland Works. - LETTERS-----

Contracting out to do. The biggest is the need to Recently you ran a letter by follow Trotsky's tremendous tal­ Russell Davis about contracting ent in analyzing new develop­ out. (Militant January 13) ments. When the glorious hopes I don't understand how large for a workers' democracy degen­ local unions in big factories can erated into Stalinist bureaucracy, take the kind of positions on con­ Trotsky analyzed it. He pointed to tracting out that they do. None of the emergence of a new socioeco­ them has launched any organizing nomic grouping, which he called efforts at the small shops that pro­ the "bureaucratic caste." duce various parts that are then Trotsky thought the bureau­ used in assemblies by the large cracy was some sort of historical factories . accident that would disappear with To me this sort of campaign the next revolution. It is logical to against contracting out launched believe that 60 years later he by union misleaders is no different would surely agree that the bu­ than the various campaigns for reaucratic caste had hardened into protectionism, which serve only to a full-blown class. blame other workers for their own problems. The distinction is vital for the Contracting out, runaway shops, whole socialist movement. Unless and unfair imports are all going to all of us understand that a new so­ be with us until the end of capital­ cial order - a new class society, a ism. The only thing that can be done noncapitalist, nonsocialist , bu­ about this sort of thing is to or­ reaucratic managerial system - ganize and strike against employ­ has arisen and that it is likely to be ers, large or small , to demand equal around for a considerable stretch of pay for equal work. We should not time then we are all lost in a dead­ demand that employers stop these end alley of disproven dreams. practices. This will only pit one The Militant has held onto a group of less privileged workers postrevolutionary society every­ editorial on Libya in the January The exhibit will be at the St. beautiful , but unrealized, idea for against those who are more where, without exception, to evolve 13 issue. Please keep on with arti­ Louis Art Museum until February a long time. You understandably privileged. into a managerially dominated so­ cles on Palestine and Libya and 19. Then it will travel to Washing­ feared that if we openly said the Kim O'Brien cial order. the U.S. anti-Arab feeling in gen­ ton, D.C.; Brooklyn, New York; workers' revolution would bring, Willimantic, Connecticut Socialists can't keep on telling eral. Toronto, Canada (at the Royal On­ not a workers' state, but a manag­ tario Museum); and Seattle. ers' state, it would hurt the idea of workers that classes are not going I'd like to see more about the to arise after the revolution. The S.H. Reagan fighting against capitalism. Forget oppressed in Ireland. Like many workers know better, so it just dis­ Morgantown, West Virginia Please give us your version of those fears. The damage has al­ others, I rely on the Militant for credits anything we try to say. the Reagan legacy. ready been done. We must recog­ the truth. H.T. nize reality and go on from there. Democratic socialists must con­ P.M. Correction Fresno, California sider the role of loyal opposition New Hope, Minnesota In the article "Government bail­ Go where? Right back to fight­ within the managerial society. The outs for S&Ls point to bigger Economy ing capitalism, of course. Addi­ glasnost-perestroika reforms are Art exhibit crisis for U.S. banks" in the Janu­ tionally, we now have to wage a ary 20 issue of the Militant, the I wouldn't mind some more in­ apt to produce deep-going im­ Last month I saw an art exhibit I fight with the managerial society provements. We have very little statement by Federal Deposit In­ depth analysis of the American for more democracy. We fight to think readers of the Militant would surance Corp. Chairman L. Wil­ political economy, i.e. the mili­ choice but to support and encour­ enjoy. The "Caribbean Festival replace capitalism, but we fight to liam Seidman that banks made tary-industrial complex, and Can­ age this. We can constantly call Arts" show is a multimedia celeb­ refonn managerial society. only $3.6 billion in profits, the ada's role ~ for improvements, but it is utopian ration of the arts and artists of this lowest level since the Great De­ J.D. There is a possibility that the to think that the working class is culturally diverse region. pression of the 1930s, referred to Peterborough, Ontario glasnost-perestroika reforms that going to take over from the manag­ Jonkonnu, a Christmas-time 1987. the Gorbachev wing of the Soviet ers any time soon. Perry Cartwright street masquerade; Hosay, an Is­ New class in USSR? managerial class is now attempt­ The letters column is an open Woodridge, llllinois lamic festival of elaborate floats; Leon Trotsky is on the verge of ing could unleash a working-class and Carnival, the original Mardi forum for all viewpoints on sub­ being rehabilitated in the Soviet upsurge. A resurrected workers' Gras, are explored through videos, jects of general interest to our Union. This must be a source of and farmers' government could Palestine music, and displays of ornate cos­ readers. Please keep your letters satisfaction for the Militant. Your emerge. I'm glad you're finally address­ tumes. The show ends with a film brief. Where necessary they will criticisms of Stalinism have large­ But could we expect it to last if ing the issue of Palestine more of interviews with Caribbean cos­ be abridged. Please indicate if ly been vindicated. it did come about? Probably not. than you had been doing in the tume designers and festi val perfor­ you prefer that your initials be But you still have some things There seems to be a tendency for past. Also, thanks for the excellent mers. used rather than your full name.

February 3, 1989 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Antiabortion disruptions blocked Toronto: abortion foes target clinics, prochoice activist

BY MAGGIE TROWE by the clinic's defenders, including mem­ TORONTO - For three days from Jan­ bers of a number of unions who had been uary 12 to 14 , members of the North Amer­ mobilized by the Metro Toronto Labour ican antiabortion group "Operation Res­ Council. As they were charged by Opera­ cue" tried to shut down abortion clinics tion Rescue attackers, prochoice forces here. The previous week they had unsuc­ sang "We Shall Not Be Moved." Police ar­ cessfully tried to mobilize at the home of rested 150 antiabortion demonstrators as abortion rights activist Joyce Rosenthal, they retreated to the street and attempted to who organizes escorts for women visiting block traffic by lying down on the pave­ the clinics to defend them from antichoice ment. All were released later that day with­ harassment. out charges. These actions come at the time of the A previously planned rally at the Morgen­ first anniversary of the decision by the Su­ taler clinic (which is run by pioneer abor­ preme Court of Canada to strike antiabor­ tion rights movement leader Dr. Henry Mor­ tion laws from the books because they vio­ gentaler) at noon that day drew more than late women's constitutional right to "integ­ 500 people. As a result most of the remain­ rity of the person ." Abortion has remained ing antichoice demonstrators removed their decriminalized since then in Canada but ac­ yellow armbands and left in disarray . cess and funding vary from province to Some 1,000 opponents of women's right to abortion tried to block entrance to Planned province. Support for abortion Antichoice attacks were met on every The Conservative Party maJonty gov­ Parenthood's Sanger Clinic in Manhattan in January. occasion by opposition from women 's ernment of Prime Minister Brian Mul­ rights activists, including unionists and roney , which tabled plans for legislation university and high school students. The recriminalizing abortion during the elec­ Unionists in New York \lrge announced picketing of Rosenthal 's home, tion campaign last fall, is expected to try by which Operation Rescue leaders hoped again soon , in spite of Gallup poll findings to turn neighbors against the longtime that 71.2 percent of Canadians agree that upholding law on clinic access women's rights activist, backfired. Fifty "abortion is a medical decision that should prochoice activists showed up early at the rest with the woman in consultation with BY NANCY BLYTH other clinics in the city . home. As a result, only one person from her physician." NEW YORK - Some I ,500 opponents Clinic workers and patients were joined Operation Rescue showed up to harass Ro­ In August 1988 the Canadian Medical of legal abortion came to New York Janu­ by dozens of activists from the National senthal, while a small number of others Association approved a policy that the de­ ary 12-14 to blockade abortion clinics Organization for Women (NOW) and other drove by in cars. cision to perform an abortion- defined by across the city . Organized by Operation supporters of abortion rights in counter­ the association as the active termination of Rescue, they demonstrated at the entrances demonstrations at the protest sites. Unionists defend clinic pregnancy before fetal viability - is a to six different clinics. Five of the six Project Defend, a coalition of NOW, the At the Morgentaler clinic January 12 and medical one to be made by a pregnant clinics were eventually able to open and re­ National Abortion Rights Action League, the Scott clinic January 13 (two of the three woman and her doctor. ceive patients. and Planned Parenthood, issued a leaflet abortion clinics in Toronto), Operation Res­ At a January 21 rally to celebrate the an­ One of Operation Rescue's main targets stating, "It is important that we organize to cue demonstrators were able to block entry niversary of the Supreme Court ruling, 250 was Planned Parenthood' s Margaret Sanger prevent these clinics from being closed to the clinics for several hours. Prochoice people cheered Morgentaler and sang "We Center in Manhattan. More than 1,000 down. A united prochoice response to Op­ mobilizations of 50 to 150 people pres­ Shall Not Be Moved" as he came to the abortion opponents blocked the clinic entr­ eration Rescue's tactics will make our sured police to clear access to the clinics, podium to speak. Ontario Coalition for ance. As "sidewalk counselors" they at­ voices heard." however, and all scheduled patients were Abortion Clinics leader Carolyn Egan tempted to intimidate women trying to able to go to their appointments. termed the previous week's abortion rights enter the clinic . · The Sanger clinic had been attacked by On January 14 more than 100 opponents mobilizations "one of the most significant The police allowed the disrupters to Operation Rescue earlier, on December 3. of abortion rights attempted to charge the victories for the women's movement" and block the clinic for several hours before In that action, 300 people blocked the several hundred people defending the challenged supporters to "continue to build making any arrests. About 225 people were clinic's doors, and cops allowed them to Morgentaler clinic, but were forced back a strong movement to stop any new law ." arrested at the Sanger Center and 500 at continue doing so for five hours. Following this, Sanger Center workers, who recently won a union at the clinic, or­ ganized an open meeting to seek broader support for the right of the clinic to func­ Actions build April 9 prochoice march tion. The workers, who are members of the Communications Workers of America BY SUSAN LaMONT NARAL spokeswoman Debra Ness ex­ March.l7-18 at the University of Pittsburgh (CWA), urged their union to speak out in Supporters of abortion rights marched plained in a telephone interview from the to help build the April 9 march. defense of the clinic and to protest the inac­ and rallied in several hundred cities and group's Washington D.C., office. The pe­ In Salt Lake City, Utah, 400 people tion of the cops. towns around the country January 21 and tition drive, called "Millions of voices si­ participated in a spirited march and rally On January 10, just prior to the an­ 22 to mark the 16th anniversary of the U.S. lent no more," calls on those who sign to for abortion rights on January 21 . About nounced return of Operation Rescue, CW A Supreme Court decision legalizing abor­ actively work to defend legal abortion. half the participants in the action, which officials sent a letter to the police precinct tion and to protest stepped-up efforts to The effort to create a climate in support began at the state capitol and proceeded to where the clinic is located, with copies to overturn the ruling. of abortion rights, Ness added, is espe­ a local abortion clinic, were students from Police Commissioner Benjamin Ward and The actions also helped kick off building cially important at this time. The Supreme the University of Utah and other campuses. Mayor Edward Koch. It was signed by Jan for the April 9 National March for Wo­ Court recently decided to review a 1986 The demonstration was sponsored by Pierce, vice-president of CW A District 1, men's Equality and Women's Lives in Missouri law that placed major restrictions NOW, NARAL, and a number of promi­ and Vincent Messina, president of Local Washington, D.C., called by the National on women's access to abortion. Opponents nent individuals. 1105. Organization for Women (NOW). The of abortion rights are urging the Supreme In New York 175 people attended a "As representatives of the workers at the demonstration has the endorsement of the Court to use this review to overturn the meeting sponsored by the New York af­ Planned Parenthood Margaret Sanger Coalition of Labor Union Women. 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abor­ filiates of NOW, Planned Parenthood, and Center Clinic in Manhattan, we expect im­ The January 21-22 actions, in many tion. the National Abortion Rights Action mediate and safe access to the clinic for cases, were larger, younger, and more mil­ In Chicago hundreds of abortion rights League. Further meetings to build the April workers and for the clients whom they itant than similar events in previous years, supporters, many of them students from 9 march were mapped out. serve," the union officials stated. and enthusiasm for the April 9 demonstra­ campuses, marched downtown and rallied President George Bush spoke to the an­ "We recognize the right of groups to ex­ tion was high. in front of one of the antiabortion move­ nual antiabortion demonstration held in press their opinions, but we expect the ment's phony clinics. These operations are Washington, D.C., January 23. "I think right of our workers to enter their work­ 'Battle lines are drawn' set up to appear like abortion clinics. Their the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. place as scheduled to be defended. We an­ "If they want a war, the battle lines are purpose, however, is to browbeat women Wade was wrong and should be over­ ticipate the New York City Police Depart­ drawn, and we will fight," NOW National seeking abortion into reversing their deci­ turned," he said. The march was estimated ment will protect this right, as well as the Treasurer Patricia Ireland told the crowd of sion. at around 65,000 by the media, somewhat constitutionally guaranteed right of a 200 in front of the federal building in At­ In Pittsburgh more than 600 people par­ larger than in recent years. woman to choose to have an abortion, lanta, referring to the campaign by oppo­ ticipated in an action called by the Cam­ A few days earlier, Surgeon General C. when these rights are under attack." nents of abortion rights. The crowd signed paign for Abortion Rights . The march went Everett Koop, also an opponent of abortion The Sanger unionists also organized a petitions supporting legal abortion, part of from the Federal Building to the county rights, said in a CBS television interview, contingent to the January 16 demonstration the National Abortion Rights Action morgue, a site chosen to dramatize the "In order to get Roe v. Wade passed, the here on Martin Luther King's birthday League's drive to gather millions of such deaths of women that would occur if abor­ number of back-alley abortion deaths had against racist violence. The workers' par­ signatures in the coming months. The cam­ tion were again made illegal. Speaking at to be exaggerated by a hundredfold ." He ticipation aimed to expose Operation Res­ paign, which is headed by actress Joanne the action were former NOW national pres­ added, however, that if the Supreme Court cue's claim that it is a "civil rights" move­ Woodward, is aimed at "alerting and ident Eleanor Smeal and other NOW lead­ returned control of abortion to the states, ment and to appeal to King Day demonstra­ mobilizing prochoice public opinion," ers. The campaign is planning a conference "we'll have 50 problems instead of one." . tors for support in the abortion rights fight.

16 The Militant February 3, 1989