• AUSTRALIA $2.00 • BELGIUM BF60 • CANADA $2.00 • FRANCE FF1 0 • ICELAND Kr150 • NEW ZEALAND $2.50 • SWEDEN Kr12 • UK £1.00 • U.S. $1.50 INSIDE Manuel Pineiro. on Che Guevara's. internationalism THE _.....PA.GES6~7 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 61.NO. 42 DECEMBER 1, 1997 U.S. gov't prohibits U.S. Hands off Iraq! Teamster Coalition crumbles, Washington suffers defeat

BY MEGAN ARNEY president Washington's latest attempt to launch a military assault on Iraq and consolidate U.S. military and economic dominance in the from race region has ended in defeat. Unable to put back together the coalition that carried out BY BRIAN TAYLOR the U.S.-led slaughter in the 1990-91 Gulf After ordering new elections for the presi­ War, the U.S. rulers had to accept negotia­ dent of the International Brotherhood of tions spearheaded by Paris and Moscow to Teamsters (IBT), U.S. officials on Novem­ resolve the crisis they had provoked. At the ber 17 barred the current Teamster president, same time, the Clinton administration is Ronald Carey, from running. continuing its military buildup in the Per­ Washington launched its latest "anticor­ sian Gulf. Over the weekend of November 15-16, ruption" campaign against Teamster officials during the 15-day strike by 185,000 union Washington's campaign for a military air strike against Iraq, on the pretext of the al­ members at United Parcel Service in Au­ leged threat of Iraqi chemical weapons, was gust. That fight drew broad public support as the main demands -the creation of more still in full swing. But by November 17 the U.S. rulers were forced to openly negotiate full-time jobs, maintaining union control of pension funds, and wage increases - struck with Baghdad. a common cord among other workers. Days Through French and Russian diplomats, after the strikers' victory at UPS, Clinton Washington and London offered to slightly administration officials invalidated the De­ ease the draconian sanctions against Iraq if cember 1996 union election and stepped up U.S. officials were allowed back into that country as part of a group of United Nations their investigation into alleged misuse of Above, dozens of Iraqis gather in front of the presidential palace in Baghdad Novem­ "weapons inspectors." Under restrictions funds by Carey. ber 12, determined to defend their sovereignty against Washington's war threats. Kenneth Conboy, appointed by the U.S. first imposed by the UN Security Council government to oversee IBT elections, dis­ in 1990 at Washington's insistence, Baghdad can sell only $2 billion in oil every six Nizar Hamdoon rejected this scheme as a the UN inspectors back into Iraq. In the ne­ qualified Carey for allegedly diverting union "nonstarter in trying to resolve the current gotiations, Primakov reportedly suggested funds for his own election campaign. months, a large portion of which must go to crisis." Hamdoon reiterated the Iraqi de­ softening and possibly end the sanctions Carey's election was nullified by Conboy's pay "war reparations," and the rest of which mand to end the UN sanctions entirely. against Iraq. Less than a week before, U.S. predecessor in that post, Barbara Zack­ is limited to purchasing food and medical On November 20 Iraqi officials said they president William Clinton had proclaimed Quindel. Conboy wields as his main source supplies. The deal would raise the allow­ had reached agreement with Russian for­ that the sanctions "will be there till the end of evidence a statement by Carey campaign ance to $3 billion. eign minister Yevgeny Primakov to allow director Gere Nash, who pled guilty to Iraqi representative to the United Nations Continued on Page 8 Continued on Page 11 Indiana As debt crisis shakes south Korea, Uniroyal workers resist layoffs and austerity MAURICE WILLIAMS continues to hammer the region. Shik, on November 19 as the Korean won strikers fight The Bank of Korea, south Korea's cen­ A financial collapse in Seoul would com­ fell to a record low of I ,035 to the dollar. tral bank, announced November 17 that it pound the economic turmoil gripping South­ The currency has dropped 16 percent this was dropping its efforts to hold the nation's east Asia. It has the world's 11th largest year, which among other things means that work-rule currency link to the U.S. dollar. The an­ economy and a gross domestic product south Korean banks and companies must use nouncement came the same day that the 1Oth larger than Thailand, Indonesia, and Malay­ more won to repay dollar-denominated largest bank in Japan, Hokkaido Takushoku sia combined. loans. demands Bank Ltd., went belly up. Both moves re­ In response to the nation's currency woes, The country's foreign debt is estimated flect a deepening crisis for the capitalist rul­ south Korean president Kim Young Sam at $160 billion, with about $30 bit­ BY GARY BOYERS ers as the storm of currency devaluations dumped his finance minister, Kang Kyung- Continued on Page 12 AND CHUCK GUERRA WOODBURN, Indiana- "I'm tired of being treated like a piece of meat. I'm a U S HAN 0 S 0 FF IRA 0 I -Spec 1 a I offers from Path f 1 n de r human being. I'd like to be treated that way." Rick Rowe, a mechanic with 20 years' se­ niority at the Uniroyal Goodrich tire plant Opening Guns of World War III ··••· I••r•···•••••.•••·••·••··)JJ!I;~ ~:tta.ng1~ng; Fa:ceof outside of Fort Wayne, was echoing the sen­ WASHINGTON'S ASSAULT ON IRAQ timents of his I ,200 co-workers, members Jack Barnes of United Steelworkers of America Local The U.S. government's murderous assault on Iraq Jacl:

Rail merger and speedup cause gridlock, wrecks- page 11 UN rejects Israeli settlements to about 1 million workers with families On November 13 the United Nations or employer sponsors in the United States General Assembly, in a 139 - 3 vote, con­ who wish to apply for residency and stay demned Tel Aviv's refusal to comply with in the United States while the application UN demands to halt construction of 6,500 is processed by paying a $1,000 fine. Any­ housing units for Zionist settlers in East one seeking residence after January 14 will Jerusalem. The governments of the United still be subject to the 1996 law. States, Israel, and Micronesia voted against Another bill, already sent to the White the resolution and 13 others abstained. House, calls for legal status for 150,000 That same day Israeli soldiers shot eight­ Nicaraguans who left during the revolu­ year-old Palestinian Ali Jawarish at close tion there in the 1980s, 5,000 Cubans who range, leaving him brain dead. Israeli have arrived over the past two years, and troops claim that the rubber-coated bullet 250,000 Salvadorans and Guatemalans. lodged in Jawarish's skull was meant for Haitian rights activists held protests in an older youth who was throwing rocks at Miami and Washington, D.C., demanding them. Officially, Israeli forces are barred that Haitians who fled after the 1991 right- from firing the bullets at youth, must not ist coup in that country be included in the shoot within 40 yards of their target, and bill, but they were not successful. must aim for legs. School bans 'The Color Purple' Opposition forces brew in Israel The Jackson County School Board in Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netan­ West Virginia banned Alice Walker's yahu is facing greater divisions, both within Pulitzer Prize winning book The Color his Likud party and among opposition par­ Purple, a novel about a Black family in ties. The opposition Labor party organized the South during Jim Crow segregation. a memorial demonstration of some m~orri,PII through the streets Brussels, during the weekend of Some 15 other books were banned includ­ 120,000 people on the second anniversary November 8 - 9 calling for justice for Said Charki, a Moroccan who was killed by the ing one titled, 100 Q & A About AIDS. of the assassination of Prime Minister police. Police in the Belgian capital were put on high alert November 10 after immi­ Walker's book, unlike the others, was dis­ Yitzhak Rabin November 8, which in­ grants from North Africa protested this assault by the cops. missed without a review. The school board cluded an amorphous call for "peace." said the books were being banned because of sexually explicit language, homosexual content, and/or violent imagery. Ripley Floods plague Somali villages two high schools who gathered after a group Nally, who finished last. High School principle Jack Wiseman dis­ Torrential rains in Somalia that began of youth chased down undercover agents The pro-British Unionist party had called agreed with the board decision, describing October 5 have flooded villages in the Juba who were snooping around the campus. The for McAleese, who is from Northern Ireland, it as an attempt "to shield all students from Valley, home to more than 1 million people. incident took place just two days after stu­ to quit the race, citing leaked government homosexuality," he said. A UNICEF report place the death toll at dents there held a rally to commemorate the documents claiming that McAleese was a more than 1,000. Rising waters threaten to massacre of pro-independence acti'lists closet supporter of the nationalist party Sinn Mexico gov't rules against union ruin stockpiled food and other supplies. At gunned down by the military in 1991. Five Fein. She denied all allegations of being a least 11,000 head of cattle have died. The students were injured, including one who Sinn Fein sympathizer or supporter. During Welders at Han Young, an automotive European Union said on November 13, that "received a life-threatening gunshot wound the campaign, Sinn Fein president Gerry chassis-making factory in Tijuana, Mexico, it would allocate a mere $2.5 million in aid. in the neck," according to an Amnesty In­ Adams stated that he would back McAleese voted 54-32 in favor of replacing their cur­ Washington and other imperialist govern­ ternational report. Unnamed students said - if he were allowed to vote in the Repub­ rent government-controlled union with an ments have been stingy with aid, following two activists were killed, while cops denied lic. independent one. The October 6 vote was the 1995 ousting of so-called humanitarian the accusation, claiming they only fired rejected by the Tijuana Labor Board on two forces that occupied the country. warning shots. Abortion doctor shot in Canada counts. First, it said the union workers voted In 1992 the UN, and later the U.S. gov­ On November 11 Jack Fainman, a to affiliate to was for metal workers. Sec­ ernment, sent thousands of troops into that New president elected in Ireland Winnipeg obstetrician and gynecologist, was ond, the labor board argued that the vote was country under the pretext of bringing hu­ wounded in the shoulder by a bullet that not sufficient evidence to conclude the work­ Mary McAleese, candidate of the ruling ers wanted a new union. manitarian aid to the famine-struck country. Fianna Fail and Progressive Democratic came through a window of his home. There parties, was elected president of the Repub­ have been two other shootings of doctors Land mines are 'weapon of poor' Cops fire on East Timor students lic of Ireland October 31. She defeated Fine who perform abortions as part of their prac­ On November 14 Indonesian troops and Gael Party candidate Mary Banotti, indepen­ tice in the last four years. Paris, London, and other imperialist re­ riot cops fired shots into a crowd of 300 stu­ dent candidate Rosemary Scallion, Labor Henry Morgenthaler, a physician who gimes recently made a big deal of signing a dents from the University of East Timor and Party choice Adi Roche, and ex -cop Derek served prison time in the 1970s fighting to treaty banning the manufacturing and use of establish women's right to choose abortion, land mines. Washington refused to sign, said the attack is aimed "to scare doctors since it wasn't granted an exemption to con­ off from performing abortions." But he con­ tinue to use mines in Korea, but then tinued, "The service we are providing launched a political campaign supposedly women is absolutely essential." The assault to eliminate the threat of land mines to ci­ THE was also denounced by the Canadian Abor­ vilians. MILITANT tion Rights Action League and the British Meanwhile, Cuban Brig. Gen. Luis Perez Columbia Coalition for Abortion Clinics. R6spide, director of Cuba's Union of Mili­ tary Industries, pointed out that this was not Congress eases immigration law discussed with the working people and peas­ U.S. Congress in early November slightly ants around the world who are threatened eased parts of an anti-immigration law by nuclear weapons, but possess none of passed in 1996 that requires undocumented their own. "Land mines are the weapon of workers applying for legal status to first the poor," R6spide declared. He is respon­ leave the country. Related laws deny reen­ sible for making sure that every Cuban has try for 3 - 10 years to workers without pa­ a basic defense kit consisting of a rifle, a pers who leave the country. Washington land mine, and a grenade. granted an extension through Jan. 14, 1998, -BRIAN TAYLOR

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2 The Militant December 1, 1997 Basque activists speak in U.S. on fight for self-determination, prisoners' rights BY NAOMI CRAINE no rights," Kalzakorta said. If you are ac­ NEW YORK - "Our proposal for peace quitted, "they owe you nothing. If you were is simple: that our territory be recognized, employed you lose your job." that occupying forces be removed, and that Kalzakorta joined Senideak when the as­ · the Spanish government recognize our right sociation was formed in 1991, and ever to self-determination," said Ifiigo Elkoro, since has been "working to let people know speaking at a Militant Labor Forum here about the prisoners.". October 25. He and Blanka Kalzakorta were Arrest of Herri Batasuna leaders wrapping up a three-week U.S. speaking tour on behalf of Senideak, the Association Elkoro noted one of the latest acts of re­ of Relatives of Basque Political Prisoners, pression by Madrid in the arrest of 23 cen­ Refugees, and Deportees. tral leaders of the pro-independence politi­ This was their first visit to the United cal party Herri Batasuna (Popular Unity) for States, said Elkoro, a lawyer who defends making public the peace initiative of the Basque political prisoners. The Senideak ETA. The main points in the proposal are activists spoke in Boston, Houston, New that the Spanish state recognize the right to York, and Washington, D.C., in a tour co­ self-determination and territorial integrity of ordinated by the New York-based Congress the Basque country; the removal of occupa­ for Peace in Euskal Herria. Their itinerary tion forces; and a general amnesty for po­ included a number of campus meetings, a litical prisoners and refugees. It then points conference in Houston commemorating to issues "to be discussed and agreed among Emesto Che Guevara, the National Lawyers the Basque population," including how to Guild convention in Washington, and a visit realize self-determination, normalization of Egunkaria the Basque language, demilitarization of the to the United Nations. "We've gotten a very Demonstration in support of Basque youth who refuse to serve in French army good response, which opens the possibility Basque country, educational rights, and for more·work," Elkoro said. democratic liberties. cal prisoners in Spanish and French jails, to the detainee, who doesn't necessarily The Spanish government is demanding History of tight for self-determination and about 2,000 activists forced into politi­ know who their lawyer is." eight-year prison sentences for the Herri Elkoro began his talk with a brief expla­ cal exile. The Spanish government carries After this hearing, the prisoner can be held Batasuna leaders for televising an ETA nation of the Basque struggle for self-de­ out a systematic policy of dispersing these in "preventive detention" awaiting trial for video explaining these proposals. "This termination. Euskal Herria, or the Basque prisoners throughout Spain, and even in the up to four years. At the trial, self-incrimi­ would open the road to a lot more repres­ country, has a population of about 3 mil­ Canary Islands and Spanish bases in Africa, nation from the "investigation" is permis­ sion," Elkoro said, not just against Basque lion. Most of its territory is incorporated in Elkoro said. This has been a source of out­ sible. Defense attorneys like Elkoro "try to nationalists but against environmentalists, the Spanish state; a portion is in southwest­ rage among Basques and others. prove the use of torture." He gave the ex­ those fighting for land rights, and others. em France. The Basque people face national ample of a trial two years ago where one of He also commented on the reactionary oppression under both the Spanish and 'Antiterrorist' tribunals the prisoners had been taken to the hospital mobilizations by hundreds of thousands French states. Elkoro noted that the use of Speaking from his experiences, Elkoro with injuries, and the Civil Guard tried to protesting the kidnapping and execution of the Basque language was banned under the described the treatment Basque prisoners torture him there. "This was one of the few a Popular Party politician by the ETA last dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco, who receive from the "national tribunals" set up cases where there was proof of torture," July. The actions were orchestrated by the ruled Spain until1975. Today about 25 per­ to try alleged terrorists. Special legislation Elkoro said. Nevertheless, the defendants Spanish government, Elkoro said, adding cent of the population in the Basque coun­ allows the police to detain individuals as were sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. that the incident was rooted in the 10-year try speaks Basque, though it is not recog­ "subversive" and hold them for five days. Kalzakorta described her own experience fight against the government policy of dis­ nized as an official language by the Span­ "During those five days, no one knows with this "justice" system. She was arrested persing political prisoners. After the ETA ish and French governments. The unem­ where they are," he said. "Detention doesn't in 1987 on returning to the country from gave a 48-hour deadline to consolidate the ployment rate there is 21 percent. A major­ follow an investigation; it's the other way abroad. While she was not physically in­ prisoners in the Basque country, "the gov­ ity in the Basque country opposed the Span­ around. Electrodes, beatings, drowning, jured, the police subjected her to "psycho­ ernment made no attempt to meet and ne­ ish Constitution, which rejects self-determi­ putting a bag over the person's head, sexual logical torture" including not allowing her gotiate," Elkoro said. "They started prepar­ nation for Euskal Herria, in a 1978 vote. assault, and death threats" are among the to use the toilet or shower. "After six days I ing a funeral. Within two days all the head­ During the Spanish civil war in the 1930s, methods of torture used to extract "confes­ went before the judge, and in five minutes lines were on the funeral, with no mention the Republican government in Spain, un­ sions" and information. After that, the pris­ was sent to prison." She was jailed for nine of the prisoners." The demonstrations "put der bourgeois leadership, granted limited oner is brought before a judge. In a typical months before being acquitted. Her mother wind in the sails of the fascists," he added. autonomy to the Basque country but not case, Elkoro said, "the judge asks questions had also been arrested, and was sentenced On July 27, some 20,000 people answered independence. Basques joined in the fight and the prosecutor speaks first. We can't to 16 years in prison; she is still incarcer­ the right wing with a march in San Sebastian against Franco's fascist forces because they speak until after that. We can't even speak ated. "The antiterror law means you have in support of Basque independence. "believed a republic would guarantee the rights of the Basque people," Elkoro said. Among the most infamous slaughters by the fascists during the civil war was the bomb­ Ecuador: strikes, protests paralyze gov't ing of the Basque city of Guemica, he noted. With the fascist victory, the brutality BY NELSON PALACIOS sucres ($700,000) for each of the 38 mu­ sive protests were called to oppose the aus­ against the Basque people increased, with a AND LUIS MADRID nicipalities, and 5 billion sucres ($1.2 mil­ terity measures the government was trying toll of some 10,000 political prisoners, lion) for each of the provinces' councils. to implement, including cuts to social ex­ 40,000 exiles, and 200,000 dead. The The wave of protests and strikes that They called for the construction of an inter­ penditures. Bucaram said these cuts were Franco dictatorship carried out "attacks on swept Ecuador in October underscored the Amazonian region highway. Protesters also needed so that Ecuador could continue mak­ culture, bookstores, and any use of our lan­ political paralysis of Fabian Alarcon's in~ seized airstrips and roads in the Amazon, ing payments on its foreign debt and com­ guage," Elkoro said. The armed pro-inde­ terim government, and the increased confi­ which is the country's richest oil region. At ply with the demands of the International pendence group ETA (Basque Homeland dence of workers and peasants in this Latin the same time, a group of 80 indigenous Monetary Fund. and Liberty) was one of the organizations American nation of 11 million people, as activists and others occupied the Papallacta In response to the current government's born out of a resurgence in the national they confront worsening social conditions. water station October 14, closing the valves refusal to convene a new constitutional as­ struggle in the 1950s and '60s. In mid-October, inhabitants from five that control the water supply for half of the sembly - promised by Alarcon when he "'Democracy' has not changed the situ­ provinces in the overwhelmingly indig­ population in Quito, the capital. took office- some 5,000 indigenous fight­ ation," Elkoro continued. ''We have some enous Amazonian region occupied about 50 Others have been fighting government ers and members of labor and social orga­ liberties, but there have been more prison­ oil wells belonging to the state-run austerity as well. The National Union of nizations marched from all four comers of ers and more torture than under Franco. The Petroecuador, in some cases for up to I 0 Educators (UNE) ended a 37-day strike the country to converge on the capital Oc­ dirty war has worsened." Revelations of days. As a result, oil extraction - which can October 16, after Congress gave in to the tober 12. the Spanish government's involvement in reach up to 400,000 barrels per day - was teachers' demands. These included pay in­ A commission of about 90 delegates was death squads that killed at least 27 Basque cut by 15 percent. Nearly 40 percent of creases and improved conditions for edu­ assigned to address economic questions. It independence fighters in the 1980s were a Ecuador's budget comes from oil exports. cation at the elementary school level, and adopted a report proposing that "the state factor in the defeat of social democratic Led by the region's mayors, the protests an increase in the resources allocated to it. ceases paying the foreign debt, which is il­ president Felipe GonzaJ.ez in 1996 elections. demanded more funding for infrastructure "Congress erred in regards to the UNE legal, and was immorally obtained by a Today there are about 580 Basque politi- projects. The protesters demanded 3 billion case," complained Cesar Verduga, secretary minority on behalf of the country." There is to the presidency, saying there was not not unanimous support for this among the enough room in the budget to implement forces involved, however. Napoleon Saltos, the strike settlement~ . a leader of the commission from the popu­ After an eight-month contract dispute and list group Pachakutik, opposed the proposal, four-month strike, workers from Ecuador's which also calls for rejecting the privatiza­ Electricity Enterprise won a court ruling tion of state-owned enterprises. entitling them to profit-sharing earnings The economics commission also de­ owed for more than two years. Their vic­ manded that more of the national budget be tory coincided with a government crisis over devoted to health care, education, and mu­ electricity rationing of up to eight hours a nicipal and province governments. Another day. Many people attribute the power out­ commission proposed the recognition of ages to lack of planning. The blackouts led Ecuador as a multiethnic, multicultural, and Available from bookstores, to the dismissal of Rafael Almeida, presi­ multilingual country. including those listed on page 12, or write Pathfinder, 41 0 dent of Petroecuador, and Miguel The documents that were brought before West St., New York, NY Calahorrano, manager of the country's Elec­ the plenary session of the People's Assem­ 10014.Tel: (212) 741-0690. tricity Institute. bly, which ended October 17, are being de­ Fax: (212) 727-0 ISO. When Al~on himself was named interim presi­ bated in different communities and organi­ ordering by mail, please in­ dent of Ecuador last February after a na­ zations across the country. They will be clude $3 to {:over shipping tional strike that involved 2 million work­ taken up by the assembly again at the end and handling. ers resulted in the ouster of Abdahi Bucaram, of November when it reconvenes and will· six months after he took office. The mas- draft a constitution. December 1, 1997 The Militant 3 - YOUNG SOCIALISTS AROUND THE WORLD------­ YS says no to 'Canada first' at APEC Youth Forum This column is written and edited by their opposition to APEC on the loss of "Ca­ Korean people for self­ the Young Socialists (YS), an interna­ nadian jobs" to other countries with cheaper determination." He tional organization of young workers, stu­ labor markets. Young Socialists explained added, "Ottawa is try­ dents, and other youth fighting for that this stance undermines international ing to impose what you socialism. For more information about solidarity among working people. "The call 'solutions' on the YS write to: Young Socialists, 1573 bosses are only committed to the labor they Asian countries in the N. Milwaukee, P.O. Box #478, Chicago, can exploit and profit the most from," said interests of the banks Ill. 60622. Tel: (773) 772-0551. Grkavac. "It's not like they care about Ca­ and corporations." Compuserve: 105162,605 nadian jobs or American jobs. They Presenters and orga­ would love to pay workers in Canada $2 an nizers advocated letter­ BY JAKE GARVEY hour, which is what they're imposing on the writing campaigns, VANCOUVER, British Columbia­ semicolonial world. It's essential for the boycotts, and reliance Some 100 youth met here November 7-11 workers in imperialist countries to unite with on governments to "im­ to discuss what the Asia Pacific Economic those in exploited nations." prove" APEC. For ex­ Cooperation (APEC) - an 18-country Delegates from Papau New Guinea said ample, one resolution trade forum that will hold a summit here that it isn't enough to reform the imperialist from the forum's steer­ November 19-24- means for youth and trade block, explaining why they oppose it ing committee states working people around the world. altogether. "We're just a source of raw ma­ "APEC countries The APEC Youth Forum was aimed at terial for APEC," Catherine Sasa told the should abide by com­ students and activists aged 16-19 interested Militant. "APEC gives free license for cor­ mon rules dedicated to in finding out more about APEC. Most came porations to rape and pillage, for them to cut trade, human rights and from across Canada, but around 15 came down all the trees, take all the gold, and kill our environment. If any from other countries that participate in all the fish so there's nothing left for the lo­ one of these rules are APEC, including Chile, Hong Kong, Indo­ cal people." violated, that country nesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Another guest speaker, Libby Davies of would have their mem­ Zealand, Papau New Guinea, the Philip­ the social-democratic New Democratic bership revoked." pines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Party, advocated pressuring the Canadian Discussions on hu­ The forum focused on jobs, education, and government to "put human rights on the man rights at the forum the environment. APEC agenda." tended to focus on The youth meeting was part of the broader Keynote speaker Raymond Chan, the abuses in the semi­ APEC People's Summit, a series of forums Canadian Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific), colonial countries such Militant/Carole Lesnick and workshops running throughout Novem­ promoted APEC, saying that the Canadian as Indonesia and the Young Socialists joined actions protesting Washington's war ber in Vancouver. The People's Summit, government plays a progressive role in the workers state in China, drive against Iraq. Above, April Holland pickets in Los An­ organized by groups such as the Canadian economic and political development of the with little mention of geles November 17 with sign that reads "U.S. hands off Iraq!" Labor Congress and nongovernment orga­ region. As an example, he said, "Canadian the role of the imperi­ nizations, is among the many conferences, troops played an important role in Korea." alist governments who install and profit developing countries' human rights viola­ protests, and other actions responding to the Chan's presentation was attacked by many from dictatorial regimes to protect their pre­ tions without talking about Canada's." APEC summit. At that meeting, government delegates during the question period. rogatives. As a young woman from the Phil­ officials and business representatives from Grkavac responded, "Canadian troops inter­ ippines explained in response to Chan's pre­ Jake Garvey is a member of the Young So­ the region will negotiate the deepening of vened in Korea against the struggle of the sentation, "It's hypocritical to talk about cialists in Vancouver. exploitative trade relations between impe­ rialist nations of the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on the one hand and the region's semicolonial U. of Pittsburgh forum celebrates Che countries on the other. Virtually all presentations at the youth forum put forward the view that APEC is BY CHRIS REMPLE Workers Party; the Campus Coalition for role of Cuban troops in helping defend the about trade liberalization, or free trade, and PITTSBURGH- One hundred fifty Peace and Justice, a central group in the fight sovereignty of Angola and defeat the South serves the interests of "multinational cor­ people, most of them youth and students, to prosecute the cops who killed Jonny African army at the battle of Cuito porations," particularly those from the crowded into a meeting on the University Gammage; the Western Pennsylvania Com­ Cuanavale in 1988. United States. Keynote speaker David Or­ of Pittsburgh campus November 13 to hear mittee to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal; and sev­ The South African forces first invaded chard of Citizens Concerned about Free a discussion of Che Guevara's legacy for eral other organizations. Angola in 1975, right after that country won Trade, for example, asserted that "Canada fighters today. Chairs were brought in from Jose Moreno, a Cuban professor of soci­ independence from the Portuguese colonial is a semicolony of the United States, like other rooms and even then, people stood and ology at the university, chaired the meeting. rulers. Mexico." During the question period, some sat in the aisles. "It is a great honor to be here tonight to com­ Immediately, Brutus explained, "when the Young Socialist delegate Vuk Grkavac, 17, The meeting was sponsored by the Pitts­ memorate Ernesto Che Guevara," he said, MPLA [People's Movement for the Libera­ challenged this view. "Canada is an imperi­ burgh Cuba Coalition; the Cuba Studies and introduced the speakers: Rafael Noriega, tion of Angola, the governing party in alist power that oppresses Quebecois, Na­ Group of the Center for Latin American the third secretary of the Cuban Interest Angola] appealed for help, the Cubans sent tive people, and people around the world," Studies at the university; the Pittsburgh del­ Section in Washington, D.C.; Mary-Alice troops, advisers, and arms to confront the he said. egation to last summer's World Festival of Waters, the editor of The Bolivian Diary of South African army and decisively defeat Orchard and other speakers also based Youth and Students in Cuba; the Socialist Ernesto Che Guevara, Episodes of the Cu­ it. This was the most important military ban Revolutionary War by Guevara, and event in the history of apartheid." Pombo:AManofChe's 'guerrilla' by Harry Brutus linked this to the Cuban defense Villegas; Dennis Brutus, a professor and of the-African liberation struggle, when YS fund money starts coming in poet from South Africa and a longtime op­ Guevara and a team of Cuban veterans went ponent of the apartheid regime that was to the Congo to fight alongside revolution­ BY VERONICA POSES office by the end of the first week of the overthrown in 1994; and Gustavo Machin, aries there. He also paid tribute to the cam­ CHICAGO- Pledges to the Young So­ drive. also of the Cuban Interest Section. pus-based divestment movement of the cialists fund drive now total more than the In Minneapolis-St. Paul, YS members Waters placed the commemoration of Che 1980s, which sought to force universities to $4,400 national goal, and YS chapters have organized a dinner before a forum reporting in the context of world politics. "This meet­ cease investing in companies doing business started raising the money. The chart below back from the Million Woman March. They ing is not about the past, not about history, in South Africa. shows what had arrived at the YS national sold refreshments after the forum, raising a but about today," she said. The Argentine­ Rafael Noriega stated, "I was a very total of almost $100. YS members born revolutionary's "example, his legacy, young boy when Che was killed. I was eight Young Socialist Fund Drive · there have sent $50 towards their his writings are weapons in the struggles of years old. This means that since my earliest monthly pledge to the national office November ?-December 19 today. Che Guevara is about the strength of days, I learned about Che and about Fidel, and $35 for the fund drive. Heather the Cuban revolution today - as the Cuban as well as other heroes of our revolution. Wood, a member of the chapter there, people are demonstrating." CITY GOALS PAID % "I don't have enough words to say what reported, "There were a few young Waters noted, "The question is posed of­ Che means for us. Che means justice and Los Angeles 350 73 21% people who came to a Militant Labor ten by many different people and forces: human solidarity.... He was a citizen of the Forum for the first time. We had a Why is Che, 30 years after his death, still world, a man of the 21st century." Acknowl­ Twin Cities, MN 300 35 12% panel that included a member of the the lightning rod that he is; why does he edging the interest in Che's life and ideas, Pittsburgh 450 50 11% Africana Student Cultural Center who continue to be looked to by thousands, even he noted proudly, "Thirty years have passed participated in the Million Woman millions, especially young people coming and Che's legacy has grown, having an im­ Chicago 700 18 3% March in Philadelphia. That evening, into consciousness of the world and trying pact even among people who might not Atlanta 165 0% a young woman we met at a litera­ to figure out what needs to be done? The know that much about Che." ture table asked to join the Young So­ world Che lived in, the world that made him Des Moines 250 0% During the discussion, a questioner asked cialists." a revolutionary, a fighter, remains the world what Guevara would think if he came back Houston 300 Oo/o The YS chapter in New York has we live in today." to life in today's world, after the collapse of started hosting weekly Saturday night Waters concluded her remarks by paying Miami 200 0% the Soviet bloc in eastern Europe. Noriega dinners as a chance to raise money tribute to the Cuban people whose determi­ responded, "We have no fetishes. We are New York 500 0% and talk politics with young people nation to defend their revolution forced the trying to develop our economy and defend interested in the organization. The U.S. rulers to retreat from their plans to in­ our social achievements. This attitude to­ Newark 500 0% first of these events raised $80 and vade Cuba 35 years ago, in October 1962, ward people was not present in the eastern Philadelphia 100 0% drew several youth, two of whom over the pretext of Soviet missiles being bloc. The Soviet leaders were not examples came to a picket against U.S. war installed for Cuba's defense. of leaders of humanity. They destroyed Seattle 500 0% moves against Iraq two days later. She pointed out that their courage and themselves." Washington, DC 150 In order to stay on target, $733 needs determination, not the wisdom of U.S. presi­ Waters noted that Guevara would be to be raised each week. Contributions dent John Kennedy or Soviet premier Nikita proud of the revolutionary response of the TOTAL 4,465 176 4% towards the drive can be sent to: Young Khruschev, tipped the balance against aU.S. Cuban people and their determination to find Should be 4,400 733 Socialists, 1573 N. Milwaukee Ave invasion. a socialist road forward despite the eco­ #478, Chicago, IL 60622. Prof. Dennis Brutus related the important nomic war waged by Washington. 4 The Militant December 1, 1997 SELL THE BOOKS WORKERS OF THE WORLD NEED

'Stop attacks on Iraq,' says socialist candidate BYBRIANWILUAMS its," she added. WASHINGTON, D.C. -In the closing weeks One of the big issues in this election of the election campaign for the D.C. City Coun­ is the disastrous state of the public edu­ cil at-large seat, Socialist Workers Party candi­ cation system. The financial control date Mary Martin has been speaking out against board has led the charge in eliminating Washington's war moves against Iraq and in vitally needed funds for the public support of statehood for D.C. The special elec­ schools while many of the 60-year-old tion is scheduled for December 2. Martin is one school buildings are literally falling apart. of four candidates on the ballot. Her opponents "The rulers' approach has been to set include two Democratic Party politicians and a up an 'education dictatorship,' "stated Republican. Martin at a November 13 forum spon­ "The threat of military attacks by Washing­ sored by the Federation of Citizens As­ ton against Iraq is the flip side of the U.S. sociations of the District, attended by government's drive here at home against the 60 people. An emergency board of trust­ working class, with austerity policies and at­ ees with a retired army general in charge Militant/Hilda Cuzco tacks on democratic rights," Martin told the 50 was appointed to replace the elected Pickets vs. U.S. intervention in Iraq check out theMilitantin New York November 17 people attending a candidates forum November school board. 13 sponsored by Advisory Neighborhood Com­ Martin also spoke out against the Martin gave a 15-minute presentation to call-in program on WPFW, the local Pacifica mission3E. drive to privatize education. ''I'm op­ the November meeting of International As­ radio station. She also addressed the issue of the city's fi­ posed to school vouchers in which pub­ sociation of Machinists Local 1759 in Upcoming events for the socialist candi­ nancial control board, which was put in place lic funds are made available to allow a Herndon, VIrginia, of which she is a member. date include a candidates forum sponsored by Congress and President William Clinton to couple of thousand children attend a After the meeting John Adams, a member of by the Howard University Student Asso­ run the city with powers that supersede those private school," she stated. "I'm against the local and also the union's delegate to ciation; a debate at American University with of the elected mayor and city council. "My the approach promoted by the Clinton the Maryland-DC Machinists Council, told a representative from the Democratic Social­ campaign's answer to the financial control board administration to set up charter schools Martin that he "hoped people had listened ists of America; a meeting sponsored by the is statehood for D.C.," stated Martin, whose in which private boards are put in charge closely and would carefully consider the Chevy Chase Citizens Association; a campaign calls for abolishing the control board. of running particular schools." Under the choices in the election because her message WAMU public radio show; and interviews To resolve the problems facing working people guise of cutting regulations, the boards deserved the support of working people." with the Metropolitan Washington Council, in this city, throughout the United States, and can disregard union rights that protect Martin also participated in a candidates fo­ AFL-CIO, and the Washington Post edito­ internationally, "we need to fight for a workers teachers and students. "What's rum November 11 sponsored by the Capital rial board. and farmers government that can overturn capi­ needed," stated Martin, "is a fight to Area Log Cabin and several other gay rights talist political rule and put in place a socialist fund and upgrade the entire public edu­ groups attended by 75 people. The next day Brian Williams is a member ofUnited Steel­ system that will place human needs before prof- cation system." she fielded questions as part of a one-hour workers of America Local 2609. Ohio bookstores buy range of Pathfinder titles BYSARALOBMAN tion ofthe 1960s andBlackMusic, White land, the buyer did not want to talk much. He complement and boost the efforts by local "Someone just came in asking if I had any­ Business, which will be available soon. carefully read through many of the book de­ supporters to get Pathfinder books and pam­ thing on the stock market crash," the buyer at a She ordered several pamphlets, in­ scriptions in the catalog, marking the order phlets into as many bookstores and librar­ small community college bookstore in Ohio ex­ cludingAt the Side ofChe Guevara and form as he went. In the end he placed an order ies as possible and to introduce the titles to claimed as a Pathfinder supporter showed her a Europe and America: Two Speeches on for 19 books, including To Speak the Truth: professors who might be interested in using copy of the Marxist magazine New International Imperialism by Leon Trotsky, noting that Why Washington's 'Cold War' against Cuba them for their classes. In September and no. 10, with the article "What the 1987 Stock booklets were popular and affordable for Doesn't End, by Fidel Castro and Guevara, October for the first time in many months, Market Crash Foretold." In addition to that title, students. She plans to place some of The Origin of the Family, Private Property, sales to these non-Pathfinder accounts were she also ordered two copies each of Teamster these face out on display so they are and the State by Frederick Engels, and Sex­ higher than for the same period a year ago. Rebellion, by Farrell Dobbs, Pombo: A Man of more visible and do not get lost among ism and Science by Evelyn Reed. Local supporters who are interested in host­ Che's 'guerrilla' and At the Side ofChe Guevara the larger books. The Cleveland trip was part of a regular ing a trip by someone from Pathfinder can by Harry Villegas, Guevara's Episodes of the At another campus, this one in Cleve- series planned by the Pathfinder staff to call the New Yorkofficeat(212) 741-0690. Cuban Revolutionary War: I956-58, Malcolm X Talks to Young People, and Cosmetics, Fash­ ion, and the Exploitation of Women. The visit was part of a successful week of Minneapolis official drops charges sales organized by Pathfinder supporters in Cleveland to bookstores and libraries in the re­ gion. Luis Madrid, from Pathfinder's New York against socialist for selling 'Militant' office, participated in the effort, which won four orders for a total of 112 books. Eight local sup­ BY CHESTER NELSON ent department- the civil division of the speech. More than 200 people have signed porters participated in the visits, several for the MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota- Sup­ city attorney's office- is defending the city petitions supporting the effort and a num­ first time. The buyer for a store near Oberlin porters of free speech scored a victory against the socialists' lawsuit. ber of professors, civil libertarians and union College ordered 70 books and pamphlets. After here November 10 when the city The injunction also bars the city from officials have either sent letters or called saying she wanted to expand the section on the attorney's office dropped the last of two enforcing an ordinance requiring permits for Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton's office de­ labor movement, she ordered The Changing charges against a supporter of Jennifer setting up tables on sidewalks. manding the charges against Jenness be Face of U.S. Politics by Jack Barnes and the Benton, Socialist Workers candidate for In addition to requesting the temporary dropped and supporting the lawsuit. Teamster series by Farrell Dobbs. She also or­ mayor of Minneapolis, for selling the order, the socialist lawsuit calls on the Court dered three copies each of Pombo: A Man of Militant newspaper and posting fliers. to grant a permanent injunction and a de­ Che's 'guerrilla' and The Bolivian Diary by Doug Jenness, the Socialist Workers claratory judgment stating that the permit Ernesto Che Guevara, and two copies each of Party candidate for mayor of St. Paul and scheme is unconstitutional. In all three ordi­ New International nos. 8 and 10 and placed a member of the United Steelworkers of nances in question the only specification advance orders for two new titles by Frank America, was cited by police in the Up­ for obtaining permits is that they are granted Kofsky, John Coltrane and the Jazz Revolu- town area of Minneapolis on August 31 by the city council. In his memorandum under city ordinances that require per­ Judge Tunheim stated that this allows the mits for selling and posting literature. city the opportunity "to discriminate on the 1998 Pathfinder catalog He faced a maximum penalty of a $700 basis of the content of protected speech, fine or 90 days in jail or both for each and that the ordinances lack procedural due citation. process protections for permit applicants." The citation for selling the socialist He added that Benton, the plaintiff, "is there­ weekly was dropped at his arraignment fore likely to succeed in demonstrating that November 7. The second charge was the ordinances are unconstitutional as ap­ dismissed after city attorneys had a few plied to protected speech on this basis days to study a court order temporarily alone .... " enjoining the city from enforcing the or­ Faced with the likelihood of losing in dinances Jenness was cited under. The court, the city attorneys' office has informed injunction was issued October 28 by fed­ Benton's attorney, Randall Tigue, that it is eral district judge John Tunheim in re­ attempting to get the city council to amend sponse to a civil lawsuit brought against the ordinances in question. the city by Benton. The Committee to Defend Free Speech, The lawyer assigned to Jenness' case formed to organize support and raise funds from the criminal division of the city for the socialist lawsuit, has announced that attorney's office claimed that she had it is continuing to fight for a victory in the not seen the 12-page opinion and court lawsuit that would open the door wider to order before the arraignment. A differ- the First Amendment fight to freedom of December 1, 1997 The Militant 5 Che Guevara and the Cuban Revolution 'Aim was to spread anti-imperialist fight' Interview with Manuel Pineiro on Che Guevara's internationalist missions This week we reprint the second half which clearly postponed his continent-wide A: In his view, that guerrilla effort was to counterinsurgency campaign of supporting of an interview with Manuel Pineiro, effort? have become a school for forming Latin the regimes of the area, which it supplied member of the Central Committee of the A: He seemed very impatient. He did not American cadres, above all from the South­ with arms, financial resources, and military Communist Party of Cuba, that was fea­ stop exploring the possibility of joining the em Cone - among them Argentines - training. They wanted to prevent at all costs tured in a special 30th anniversary issue armed struggle in other countries, such as which would help extend the armed struggle the spread of the Cuban revolution's ex­ of the Cuban magazine Tricontinental Venezuela and Colombia. Nevertheless, fa­ to neighboring countries. At the same time, ample. devoted to Ernesto Che Guevara. During vorable conditions did not exist to receive a it would enable him to accumulate political the 1960s, Pineiro was the head of the revolutionary of his political and military and military forces and wait for the most Q: It has been said that after publication General Directorate of Intelligence of the stature, with all the consequences this would opportune occasion to continue the struggle ofhis farewell letter, Chefelt he had made a Ministry of the Interior of Cuba, which entail. toward his native country. moral commitment not to return to Cuba, among other things was in charge of re­ This would depend on the development or not to take on a visible post again in the lations with revolutionary movements in Q: When did he begin thinking about and growth of the mother column established leadership of the revolution .... the Third World. The first half was Bolivia as a scene ofbattle and not just as a in Bolivia. Without that, it would not be A: In my opinion, with or without a fare­ printed in Militant issue no. 40. The in­ zone of support? Why did he decide on that possible to continue toward Argentina, well letter, Che 's plan was unalterable. He terview is reprinted by permission. Trans­ country? where a bloody military dictatorship had was determined to fulfill what he had laid lation and footnotes are by the Militant. A: In 1964 Barrientos carried out a coup also been installed, supported by the United out as his historic and strategic objective: d'etat in Bolivia and a period of intense re­ States and repudiated by the most combat­ to spread the anti-imperialist struggle BY LUIS SUAREZ SALAZAR, pression was opened. At the same time, how­ ive sectors of the Argentine people. throughout the continent. IVETTE ZUAZO, ever, there was a movement of popular re­ In a realistic manner, Che calculated that Q: If we discount Ciro Bustos, only one AND ANA MARIA PELLON sistance, particularly by the miners and stu­ if, beginning with Bolivia, other guerrilla Argentine remained in the Bolivian guerrilla dents. From that time on, Che began to watch columns arose and evolved, composed of Q: During that same period, Che movement, Tania. What do you think was paid close attention to the efforts at the explanation for the almost in­ insurgency in Peru. Is it true that this significant presence of Argentines country was an alternative evaluated there? by him prior to selecting Bolivia? A: Bustos was a liaison who had A: Argentina, Peru, Bolivia - all a series of connections and relations of these were part of his integrated given him by Che, so that contact plan of advancing his strategy of a could be made with Argentines of continental revolution. different organizations and brought Parallel to the Salta operation, in to the zone where he was operating January 1963 a group of Peruvian in Bolivia. After Bustos was taken combatants led by Alain Elias, and prisoner and turned informer- of­ among them Javier Heraud and fering information and drawings Abraham Lamas, attempted to begin identifying Che and the guerril­ armed struggle, entering Peru las - Argentina was "frozen." Re­ through the zone of Puerto member too that when the army dis­ Maldonado, on the border with Bo­ covered the guerrilla base, the whole livia. The young Peruvian poet Javier plan unfolded in an accelerated way. Heraud and other comrades were The guerrilla unit had to stay on the killed there. They had the support of move constantly, and at that stage it various cadres of the Bolivian CP, es­ became very difficult to maintain pecially the Peredo brothers, who contact with the urban base and con­ provided them with logistical sup­ tact with those outside the country. port and served as guides for their Had this not occurred, I believe, column to enter Peru from Bolivia. then when Che's presence in Bolivia Years later the ELN1 reinitiated the became known, many cadres and struggle under the leadership of combatants from various revolu­ Hector Bejar. The guerrilla move­ tionary forces on the continent ments of Luis de la Puente Uceda and would have looked for a way to come and participate. Che's call to Guillermo Lobat6n, leaders of the Editora Polftica Movement of the Revolutionary Left Cuban volunteers training for internationalist mission in Bolivia in San Andres, Pinar del Rio, Cuba, action exerted a great influence on (MIR), also emerged. Che had met fall1966. Left to right: Joaquin, Braulio, Rolando, Urbano, Alejandro, Marcos, Benigno, Antonio, Che many revolutionaries inside and with all these Peruvian leaders pre­ Guevara (Ramon), Miguel, Rubio. Goal was to advance revolutionary struggle through the Americas. outside Latin America. viously. Q: What merit is there to the story In other words, there was a certain de­ the unfolding of events. Two years later, combatants of various countries of the spread around the world that Cuba's politi­ gree of organization and a popular upsurge. while he was in Tanzania, Che decided to Southern Cone, this would provoke as a re­ cal leadership abandoned Che in Bolivia Social struggles were going on, such as the send Papi to Bolivia to evaluate the situa­ action an alliance with the governments and and did not provide him the support neces­ land seizures led by Hugo Blanco. At the tion. The latter confirmed Che's view that armies of the neighboring countries, sup­ sary for the success of his operation? same time Peru was attractive to Che be­ this was the only viable option, in the sense ported by imperialism. Such a development A: From _the very beginning of the Cu­ cause it was closer to Argentina. Besides, that there existed the minimum political would contribute to spreading the revolu­ ban revolution - and much earlier, going in that period a democratic government ex­ conditions and there were experienced Bo­ tionary armed struggle in the region, which back to our first wars of independence - isted in Bolivia, which had arisen out of the livian cadres, who had taken part in assist­ would tum into a scene of cruel, long, and the empire has practiced a strategy of trying revolution of 1952, and it lasted until 1964. ing Masetti and the Peruvian guerrillas. That difficult battles that sooner or later would to divide the revolutionary forces. First it However, the guerrilla effort of the ELN, as is, there were steeled individuals who were lead to Yankee intervention. It would there­ circulated the story that the disappearance well as those of the MIR, were destroyed. prepared, politically and ideologically, to fore become another Vietnam, as he called of Camilo was the result and consequence Luis de la Puente Uceda was killed (in No­ give solidarity to any revolutionary move­ for in his historic "Message to the Peoples of differences within the revolutionary lead­ vember 1965) as well as Lobat6n (in Janu­ ment that arose in the area. of the World" through the Tricontinental.2 ership;3 later it spoke of supposed differ­ ary 1966); Hector Bejar was arrested in 1965 ences between Raul and Fidel; and later be­ and the column he led was defeated .... Q: How did the Bolivian effort fit into Q: Did the original idea and the plan for tween Fidel and Che. In this way it mounted Bolivia come entirely from Che? Q: How did Che react to these reverses, Che's continental strategy? a whole campaign of disinformation that has A: Yes, the selection of the place, the com­ lasted up to the present, to try to sow confu­ batants, the design, and the preparation of sion not only in Cuba but in the Latin Ameri­ the plan were all conceived by him. Natu­ can and world revolutionary movement, and rally, Fidel offered all possible support and in international public opinion. One of the cooperation. He again raised that Che should centerpieces of these campaigns is the sup­ not be part of the advance forces, but should posed abandonment of Che's guerrilla instead go once things were in place and a movement, which is based on questioning minimum set of conditions had been created: why we didn't send military reinforcements logistics, weapons, an urban support net­ to support him and to help him break the work, and the incorporation of Latin Ameri­ Bolivian army's encirclement. can cadres, in particular Bolivians, as well Anyone who knows the laws of guerrilla as their training, adaptation to the terrain, warfare is aware that in the initial and most and so on. In short, he proposed that the difficult phase, the guerrilla column is com­ guerrilla movement should first pass through pelled to be on the move constantly to avoid the stage of survival. But by now Che was the ambushes of the enemy army, especially eager to begin the struggle, above all in a if it is at a disadvantage. In such a phase, country such as this, bordering the one he the guerrilla unit depends on its own forces wanted to take the revolutionary battle to: Argentina. In addition, from the psychological point 1National Liberation Army of Peru. of view he felt very pressed by the passage of years. He knew better than anyone that 2 Guevara's "Message to the Tricontinental," there were elementary physical conditions written in 1966, called for creating "two, three that were indispensable for leading a guer­ ... many Vietnams." It is printed in Pombo: A Man ofChe's 'Guerrilla.' rilla movement. He knew it would not be easy to carry out the plan at the conjuncture 3 Camilo Cienfuegos was a Rebel Army com­ Latin America was then going through, with mander who became chief of staff in January the United States undertaking the demobi­ 1959. He died October 28, 1959, when his plane lizing Alliance for Progress, and the whole was lost over sea. 6 The Militant December 1, 1997 and the backing it can receive from the ur­ constituted a support group in charge of ban network, which at that time had been seeking information and cooperation in the hard hit. Therefore, it would not have been shipment of logistics from that country to such an easy task to send - to use their Che's base in the Congo, the training ofthe term- military reinforcements. It's pure radio operators, as well as other forms of fantasy. contact and communication with Che. On Fidel's instructions, the Technical Q: And is it also a fantasy to compare, as Vice Ministry of the Ministry of the Inte­ has been done, the supposed lack of sup­ rior gave support to Che on everything he port to Che with the successful Cuban ef­ requested in relation to the future mission forts to get its officers out ofVenezuela?4 in Bolivia. We supplied the documents, the A: With absolute knowledge and respon­ false p~sports, the information he requested sibility I can state that in Venezuela the on various situations In Bolivia, the train­ Communist Party, the MIR [Movement of ing in different specialized areas, such as the Revolutionary Left], and other revolu­ communications and conspiratorial meth­ tionary forces, although they had suffered ods. some defeats, maintained clandestine struc­ All the technical details were tures and operational facilities that helped prepared by our officials, but each make possible the patient and meticulous step was analyzed and approved organization of the operation to get these by Che: the routes chosen and who Photos: (Top) Tricontinental, (Left) Granma comrades out. Those circumstances did not would take them; how to pass un­ exist in Bolivia. Top: Manuel Piiieiro (front, third from noticed through airports,. airport right) with Guevara at 1959 May Day cel­ Q: Returning to 1965, you were very characteristics and border checks, ebration in Santiago, Cuba. Left: Fidel Cas­ closely involved in the preparations of the the thoroughness of immigration tro reads Guevara's letter of farewell at Cuban internationalist mission in the Congo checks, at what times and on what meeting to introduce Central Committee of led by Che that year. In your judgment, what days was there less vigilance by Communist Party of Cuba, Oct. 3, 1965. did that stage represent for him in relation the authorities. Toward this end a to his final strategic plan? study was made on the operational, A: At that time, although there was cer­ border control, and immigration the guerrilla struggle in Bolivia. It was in a tainly a revolutionary upsurge on a world situation, and the methods applied safe house where he held, I believe, his last scale, headed by the heroic Vietnamese by the counterintelligence forces conversation with Fidel. Raul Castro and people, and under the impact of the Cuban of the countries Che and the other Vilma Espin were also there. Fidel and Che revolution, nevertheless the minimum con­ combatants would be passing were sitting on a sofa, talking there by them­ ditions for Che to materialize his plan in through. selves, in low voices, for a very long time. Latin America still did not exist. Based on Some day, at the right moment, I didn't think this would be the last time I this, and on the request for aid that had been this story will have to be told in would see him, although those of us in­ made of Cuba, through Che, by the leader­ more detail, and recognition given volved in this type of struggle know that in ship of the Supreme Revolutionary Council to the comrades who worked on it one either triumphs or dies. We were very of the Congo, Fidel proposed that the most that operation, and not a single name will in Bolivia, a supplement to our magazine optimistic, and very confident in the deter­ useful thing Che could do was· to head up be omitted. More than 140 Cubans went to published his "Message to the Peoples of mination, will, and capacity of Che, of the the group of Cuban military advisers who Africa, and more than 20 to Bolivia, with­ the World." Nevertheless, according to some Cubans who accompanied him, and of the would be heading off to that African coun­ out being detected by the organs of Yankee versions, this was not written in Bolivia but Bolivians, who had proven themselves in try. The aim would be to allow Che to gain espionage, nor by the security apparatus of in Cuba. What can you tell us about this? other tasks, to attain their objective and be time while accumulating experience, getting the countries they were passing through. The A: I believe that's basically correct, that able to deal capably with all the difficulties himself ready again, and at the same time work was carried out with great meticulous­ he wrote it during the time he was at the they would encounter. In reality, the Boliv­ preparing some of the Cuban cadres and ness, professionalism, strict division of la­ training camp in Pinar del Rio province, ian guerrilla movement was able to carry combatants who would accompany him later bor, and above all with great motivation before his departure for Bolivia in Novem­ out a number of successful military actions, to Bolivia. since it involved Che and those who accom­ ber 1966. inflicting casualties on the army's soldiers Che viewed the Congo stage as a step­ panied him. and taking prisoners. ping stone, an intermediate phase to prepare We lived through those days in great ten­ Q: It's noteworthy that while he devoted Che did not have a mystical view of death, himself for his definitive goal. There he sion; I'm speaking for the entire team in so many intellectual and practical efforts at as has been attributed to him. Had he sur­ ·would wait for the evolution of develop­ charge of these tasks. We knew that a single iiJte.rnationalism, he didn't attend the his­ vived alone or with another combatant he ments in Latin America to create favorable error of any type could cost the life of a par­ toric Solidarity Conference of the Peoples would have tried to reorganize the guerrilla political conditions to carry out his strate­ ticipant in the mission. These were hours of ofAsia, Africa, and Latin America, held in unit and continue the battle. He was not a gic plans. So much so that as he was leav­ anxiety and permanent vigilance, until we January 1966. What was the reason? man to give his life easily to his enemies, ing the Congo, Che asked Harry Villegas, received confirmation of the arrival of Che A: He couldn't attend because while the nor did he have an inclination to be a mar­ Carlos Coello, and Jose Maria Martinez and the rest of the group at their destina­ Tricontinental Conference was being held, tyr. Proof of this is that even when he was Tamayo if they were willing to continue the tion. I will never forget those moments, nor he was in Tanzania. But while there he re­ wounded and his rifle put out of action, he struggle together with him, in another coun­ will any of the comrades who carried out ceived all the materials and an assessment tried to escape from the encirclement to meet try, a struggle that would be long, complex, that difficult internationalist task in anonym­ of the meeting. up again with his men. He never felt defeated and difficult. These comrades were later part ity. Q: What was the impact on you ofChe's or demoralized. He defended his ideas with of the Bolivian guerrilla movement under his own flesh and blood, unconcerned about Q: What was Che'sframe of mind in the farewell letter? the pseudonyms of Pombo, Tuma, and A: I already knew of it before it was read whether he might give his life in the effort. Ricardo. months between his return from the Congo and his departure for Bolivia? He came from by Fidel in the presentation of the first Cen­ Q: Did Che say goodbye to you? What Q: What was the role ofthe vice ministry a defeat in Africa .... tral Committee of the Communist Party in kind offarewell was it? October 1965. Nevertheless, every time I you headed in the delicate operations to get A: A defeat whose causes he explained, A: He did so in the safe house I men­ hear or read it, I'm deeply moved and it Che and his comrades to Africa, later re­ making a self-criticism besides, as he was tioned. He was happy, smiling. He was fi­ brings back many memories both of Che and turn to Cuba, and then go to Bolivia? accustomed to doing given his personality nally heading off to his long-awaited goal. of his comrades, since I knew all of them A: Our department was in charge of the and standard of ethics. But one must always It was a simple farewell; he was not very and had close personal and working ties with entire technical and operational preparation remember that he went to the Congo to trans­ effusive. Che carried his emotions inside some of them. for the Congo mission, supplying the docu­ mit his experience and to advise, not to lead himself; one had to know how to decipher ments, travel itineraries, and false identities. that war of national liberation. Once he was them. But as always, the expression on his Q: The last time you saw Che alive, did face transmitted great force and conviction. Starting with our embassy in Tanzania, we there he came up against the cultural and you think it would be the last time? religious traditions, the differences among A: I saw him in the early morning hours Q: How did you learn of Che's death? the Congolese leaders, the lack of combat of the day he went to the airport to go join Continued on Page 15 4 In 1967 several leading Cuban volunteers experience. Psychologically this was a very were in Venezuela, assisting in the armed difficult situation to confront, above all for struggle against the U.S.-supported regime in that country. Most were able to return to Cuba our combatants who were steeled in battle, after the guerrillas were defeated. with experience of struggle, and who wanted not only to advise but to participate in di­ rect combat against the enemy. It was not easy, understandably. AVAILABLE FROM PATHFINDER For that reason, Che directly took part in combat, and was prepared to accept the fi­ nal consequences of his acts. Nevertheless, Tricontinental the decisions taken by the Congolese lead­ \1\C\/1\.1 c,!'ICI\1 I'-,'-,L~ ership and by ·the governments of Africa ( l \. C I II ( , L I \ \I~ \ created a conjuncture where there was no alternative but to organize his departure from the Congo and that of all the other comrades. Features interview with Cuban With respect to Che's morale before leav­ leader Manuel Pineiro and ar­ ing for Bolivia, he was like a child with a ticles by Harry Villegas new toy. He was euphoric, happy, because Pombo: A Man of Che's Guerrilla (Pombo), Leonardo Tamayo he was with the group he had selected, and With Che Guevara in Bolivia, 1966-68 (Urbano), and other figures on by then they had already been trained. He HARRY VILLEGAS acted in a very fraternal manner with the A never-before published story of the 1966 - 68 revolu­ Guevara's internationalist ef­ comrades, although he was also very disci­ tionary campaign in Bolivia led by Ernesto Che Gueva­ forts in the Congo, Bolivia and plined and demanding. They followed a plan ra. It is the diary and account of Pombo - a member of other parts of the world. of rigorous physical, military, and psycho­ Guevara's general staff, a young fighter still in his twen­ In Spanish, $5.00 logical training; reading of documents on ties and already a veteran of a decade of struggle around that country, learning the Quechua language, the globe. $21.95 Available at Pathfinder book­ mathematics classes. He was very much con­ stores listed on page 12, or cerned with raising the cultural level of the from Pathfinder. combatants under him. Q: In Apri/1967, when Che was already December 1, 1997 The Militant 7 Washington suffers a blow in Mideast

Continued from front page ' _ however, Washington has never been able of time, or as long as he [Iraqi president to put together the same kind of coalition. Saddam Hussein] lasts." London was the only major power to back At the same time Washington is forced to Washington in its recent war moves. rely on Paris and Moscow to negotiate with The recent events around Iraq began when Iraqi government, White House officials say Washington attempted to tighten the em­ they are discussing whether they will im­ bargo against Baghdad in a UN Security pose sanctions on the oil companies Total Council vote in October. At first the U.S. SA of France and Gazprom of Russia for a government attempted to push through a $2 billion investment in Iranian gas fields. resolution banning travel by Iraqi officials. French oil and gasoline companies have also When the delegates of France and Russia been negotiating further production deals in refused to go along, Washington conceded Iraq, and Russia's Lukoil signed a produc­ to a watered-down version. Even so, five tion-sharing pact with Baghdad in March members of the Security Council -the rep­ valued at $3.8 billion. Baghdad also owes resentatives from France, Russia, China, Moscow billions of dollars incurred during Egypt, and Kenya- abstained. its war with Iran during the 1980s, when the On October 29 Iraqi president Saddam Baghdad after U.S.-organized bombing during the 1990- 91 Gulf War Soviet Union was a major arms supplier. Hussein ordered U.S. members of a United Easing of the sanctions would advance all Nations weapons inspection team expelled. governments - including those in Egypt, gime refused to allow U.S. warplanes op­ of these business interests. The UN arms inspections, imposed follow­ Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and erating from an air base in Dhahran to ing the war, are supposedly to certify that the United Arab Emirates - boycotted the launch air strikes. The government of Tur­ No rebuilding Gulf War coalition Baghdad does not have major weaponry or meeting. Months earlier, Arab officials be­ key would not permit the U.S. military to Washington's current fiasco stems from the capacity to build it. The inspectors, led gan saying their attendance was contingent launch attacks from its bases and the regime its inability to accomplish its aims in the by those from the United States, are a key on the relations easing between the Zionist in Jordan refused to give U.S. fighter jets 1990-91 Gulf War- to remove the Hussein piece in justifying the continuation of the regime in Tel Aviv and the Palestinians. permission to enter its airspace. government and install a subservient client sanctions. Washington seized on the expul­ Since then, the conflict over Israeli settle­ regime in Baghdad that could better support sion of U.S. members of the investigating ments in the West Bank and Jerusalem has Military buildup continues the interests of U.S. capital in the region. team as justification to push through another heated up. Several of the boycotting regimes Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS Using the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait as a pre­ Security Council resolution November 12 publicly expressed that they do not support Washington arrived in the Persian Gulf, text, Washington orchestrated a massive imposing a travel ban on some Iraqi offi­ a military attack against Iraq. U.S. secretary joining the USS Nimitz. This doubles the military assault involving nearly half a mil­ cials. While the resolution warns of "fur­ of state Madeleine Albright, who was at the number of fighters and bombers off the Iraqi lion U.S.-led troops. The U.S. rulers forced ther measures" if necessary, it does not in­ Doha conference, was forced to shuttle from coast that could attack without crossing any their allies, including those with rival inter­ clude an explicit threat of military force. The Qatar to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in an un­ other country's airspace. Each of the war­ ests in the region such as Paris, and most of governments of France, Russia, China, and successful attempt to drum up support for ships has about 50 offensive aircraft. The the governments in the region, into a coali­ Egypt again refused to go along with the the impending U.S. assault. U.S. military also has more than a dozen tion to carry this out. military threat, and Washington conceded a Syrian defense minister Mustafa Tlass ships capable of firing cruise missiles deep For 43 days more than 88,000 tons of weaker resolution to get a unanimous vote. told al-Hayat, a London-based newspaper, into Iraq. The armada includes cruisers and bombs were dropped on the Iraqi people, Four days later, Iraqi deputy prime min­ "All Arab countries are in solidarity with destroyers that can launch a total of about crippling electricity networks and oil refin­ ister Tariq Aziz told Le Figaro in Paris that Iraq." Kuwaiti foreign minister Sabah al­ 500 cruise missiles, frigates, mine sweep­ eries, severing bridges, and destroying the crisis could be defused if the inspection Ahmed al Sabah said, "We do not support ers, support ships, and a submarine. There roads. This was followed by Washington's group were to include an equal number of any military action against Iraq." are some U.S. 20,000 soldiers stationed in 100-hour ground invasion, in which fleeing each permanent member of the UN Secu­ The Arab League voted in mid-Novem­ the area. U.S. military officers say they soldiers and civilians were slaughtered. In rity Council - the United States, Britain, ber to express its "total rejection of any mili­ could conduct round-the-clock bombing all, an estimated 150,000 Iraqi workers and France, Russia, and China. Washington dis­ tary action to be taken against Iraq." And operations. farmers were killed in this so-called war. missed the proposal. "He [Hussein], being according to the New York Times, the Clin- Clinton ordered additional aircraft to the . The U.S. government decided to halt the a parolee, is not in .a po~ition to determine .-ton.administration still does- not ha¥e the Persian Gulf region November 18 for a to-: ground war short of going into Baghdad, who his probation officers are,"'scoffed U.S. backing of the Saudi government, where tal of about 300. Defense Department· leaving the Hussein regime in place. Former defense secretary William Cohen. more than 100 U.S. planes are based. The spokesman Kenneth Bacon said that six F- U.S. president George Bush explained his force could support long-range B-52 bomb­ 117 stealth fighters were being dispatched reasons for this decision in a recent British Qatar conference debacle ers, and having Saudi support would be es­ to the Kuwait city airport. He added that Broadcasting Corporation TV documentary. Over the last few weeks Washington has sential for a prolonged U.S. intervention. six B-52s, capable oflaunching cruise mis­ "The coalition would have shattered," Bush also proved incapable of forcing the regimes Secretary of State Albright and Prince siles, are on their way to Diego Garcia, a acknowledged. "I know the French would in Arab-speaking countries that had backed Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador, British colony in the Indian Ocean. have left us in a minute, I know the Egyp­ the Gulf War to go along with a new assault held a joint press conference during the eco­ A few days earlier, British foreign secre­ tians and the Turks would have been gone. on Iraq. This was brought home at the U.S.­ nomic meeting. When asked if the Saudi tary Robin Cook announced that London Syria would have been long gone had we led Middle East and North Africa (MENA) government were willing to let Washington had ordered an aircraft carrier, the Invin­ rolled into Baghdad." economic conference held in Doha, Qatar, fly over their territory to attack Iraq, Bandar cible, to the Mediterranean from the Carib­ There are still two UN-imposed "no fly" November 16. There Washington suffered replied, "We'll cross that bridge when we bean and put a squadron of Harrier jets on zones in Iraq, which are enforced by U.S, an embarrassing defeat when, despite ma­ get to it." In September 1996 during another heightened alert. French, and British war planes. Since 1991, jor arm-twisting, nearly every one of these military assault against Iraq, the Saudi re- As they prepared for a possible assault on Iraq, Pentagon officials threatened to bomb bridges, military airfields, antiaircraft radar sites, gun emplacements, and other ~~ ~~~" facilities. In 1993, Washington bombed Iraq more than a dozen times. Last year Clinton ordered three rounds of attacks, firing scores of missiles into southern Iraq. Another destabilizing factor in the region .·..• ·· ll¥ MAURJtE ...... ·. ·.···· .• ~titlflS ·..• •wasJti> artelt' •. ••... ······ they )eQ the ilriposect~f JboteatJ.d Mtet ·.• •... t.•·.·_·emre.•..·•··.·.· ..•• ·••....·••· ... •.•.•.··A• ··.. ...••.nn.•.·· .•.•...•• ·.·.n· .•.••.I.Wil"- ·.. ·.· .• ..r ...... ·•.•·••.··············••••·•····••••·•·•····•······ . •··• ye~ w~testaugfitet dum L.·.·~.····.·.··.·.··.· ll.·.··.···.·.~···.····.·········· is the growing crisis in the Israeli regime . . ··.~.am.. • at the. Ita •.··)!Je9.... ~' .·.. .. •· ~led 150 o ... while destroying·.the it}'.dfw~ti\nd Tensions threaten to tear apart the ruling ·· the · ...... ·.· .. ·•·• UN san(;tioos against Cf)~tt'y~s power ;talions~ 8eWage ~ySterils. tfiat 10~ than .··· .. ·.·. e ~11 Likud party. At the Likud convention the theregimeiD.Augt!$tl990:Itwasatotal andf3ctoti~withindiscrintinatebombing; ·.·djd hoth4ve ~c<;ess. ····t·o· po.iabl¢ . tet~··· right wing of the party was furious at sup­

embargo, where anY ship that persisted •···· · He~ ate·s.OOte ofthe resultS: ••·. . .· . w. h.ile ~-•.w .. ag. e ... di.. ~. s.po .. s.. at...t1.o.:r. so.. ··.·. me.·.· ·. 3... ..o ·.··••.f)~:'. r-.·. porters of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who maneuvered to strengthen in tryirtg fo tufi tlle bi(}Ckai:Je risked ))e:.. .. ov.. e"... r•·.M ..... 600... o. re...• .··.······OOOth ...... an.·... ·.•.. •otf······m···. ~.··~.il·l-ml.·o····· n······c· ..•_Thi ..·ra·····t·.·····qdre· .• ·.'.·.s.···nh. a•.•.••••··.v·;.. e".·."" di··· ~ .•.•..•d. ·... m· ... g·· cer)l of~ rouu P()PUiati(>nqid (l~t have ipg blQWU QUlOftJte \Vatet ~ aCOOJdU;tg UIC -..u•• aifeq~f¢ ~lVtCeS.'\Vj~ ~U~hofthe \VaSte their grip on the party structure. At the cen­

tolJNSecuri · · ·· · · ·· · · 5. the.· ...·an·.·.·.· .. •·.. d·••.·.··.•·... ·.. c·.···u·.·... . . · · · >UN ~iogdtsc~argeddi~tlyinroriversand ter of this conflict are disputes over how Thafdocu .. streams...... ·•.. · ..• ·. .•· far to push the expansion of Zionist settle­ ''~ployi ·..... ·. •...... ····· ... ·· ·...... • Th~ Qnited N In responS¢ to g;rowing worldwi(ie op~ ments into the occupied Palestinian territo­ ries and how to respond to Tel Aviv's in­ :t:e:ific~~~!~~~;u;=~~ •··•··.····· ==t~=rc . r;!:i~~!(J';:=:rijJ~~:~~d~~=: ability to crush the Palestinian struggle. essary ·· ····to halt all irtwam artd outward • rtiOn.th (one. ¢hild Resolution 986. the "oil for food'' deal~ The MENA economic conference in maritint~ ·.··· > ·· ··. g.'' i. . ..· .. ··········•· ...•.· ... · ..·.·········: .. ·..•...... · .... ···. prt>ble in 199:).1ta1lo\Ys Bagbdadtoexportlim- Doha ended with a call on Israel to exchange land for peace and "the immediate removal of all restrictions," on the movement of the =:~~ ~ 'Z~~~~J: ~-~.=;;: Palestinian people in the West Bank and ... eVen tal.defol:lllities~ bc)ned~~<.>imiti~s; and child power stations. · ·· · Continued on Page 14

8 The Militant December 1, 1997 Protests demand: U.S. hands off Iraq!

Below are reports from Militant corre­ a high school student from Cambridge, " In the first broad challenge spondents on a few of the protests that Massachusetts, pointed out that "young to the new Labour govern­ took place November 17-19 across the people have a lot at stake here ... it is us ment on foreign policy is­ United States and elsewhere demanding who will be drafted to fight for big busi­ sues, a protest has been or­ an end to Washington's war moves and ness." ganized against U.S. and the UN sanctions against Iraq. British threats of a military strike against Iraq." "Some 40 people demonstrated in down­ Celia Pugh from London said, "A vocal town Boston tonight protesting Clinton's 40 people picketed outside the United States war preparations against the Iraqi people," embassy November 19 in London. They Thirty-five people joined writes Andy Buchanan. "The protesters in­ carried placards that read "end the sanctions, . an emergency picket line in cluded students from a number of local col­ hands off Iraq." Participants included Iraqi front of the White House leges and high schools, Cuba solidarity ac­ exiles in Britain and members of the Lon­ November 18, Brian Will­ tivists, members of pacifist and church don Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. iams from Washington, groups, and others." A few of the young Pugh reported that three students from Lon­ D.C. reported. "UN sanc­ people who passed by the November 17 don universities said their parents were from tions have got to go!" and demonstration decided to join in, while oth­ Iraq. "USA-CIA Hands Off Iraq"· ers stopped and talked with participants in 'This was the first protest of this kind they were some of the chants the action. had joined," Pugh stated. "One explained from the spirited partici­ Buchanan said many signs carried by pro­ that she had just returned from a holiday in pants. The action was sup­ testers opposed both the current U.S. mili­ Iraq and was horrified by the devastation ported by the Washington tary threats and the on-going sanctions wrought by imperialist bombing and sanc­ Peace Center, Nicaragua against Iraq. One read "Sanctions against tions. Another student explained that she Network, National People's Iraq are the real weapons of mass destruc­ lives in Sweden, where she is involved in a Campaign, Socialist Work­ tion." Speakers included representatives of group of young people who want to get the ers Party, Workers World the National Peoples Campaign, the Social­ truth out about the impact of sanctions on Party, and the Young So­ ist Workers Party, a student leader from the Iraq." cialists. University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and The picket organizers, the Committee Among those addressing from the Sacred Earth Network. Elena Tate, Against Sanctions in Iraq stated in their flier, the crowd was Sam Hosseini from the American­ Arab Anti­ Discrimi­ nation Committee Militant/Hilda Cuzco More than people in New York protested (ADC). 100 Washington's war moves against Iraq November "The sanc­ 17. tions them- selves are a weapon of mass ber of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial destruction," he stated. and Textile Employees in New York, re­ Hosseini also announced ported that more than 100 people picketed that the ADC-Iraq Task at Times Square November 17. In Los An­ Force is sponsoring a teach­ geles, some 30 people joined an emergency in at George Washington protest at the Federal Building downtown University on November 20 that same day. around the theme "End the Student groups at the City College of New Silent War on the Iraqi York are planning a forum titled "What's People! Let the children of behind U.S. war threats against Iraq?" for -Iraq U':~!" November 25 (see details on page 12)._ Other ... protests Included August 19 actions of 125 MARY-ALICE WATERS people in Minneapolis and 25 people in Participant in three-week Che Guevara 30th anniversary com­ Deborah Liatos, a mem- Philadelphia. memorations in Cuba President of Pathfinder Press and editor of the English-language editions of Ernesto Che Guevara's The Bolivian Diary and Epi­ Castro at summit: 'A sodes of the Cuban Revolutionary War, as well as To Speak the Truth: Why Washington's 'Cold War' Against Cuba Doesn't End by revolutionary change of Fidel Castro and Guevara. Waters also edited and wrote the in­ troduction to Cosmetics, Fashions, and the Exploitation of Women and is the author of "1945: When U.S. Troops Said 'No!"' course is needed' Below are excerpts of deaths than in any other country in Latin JACK BARNES the speech given by Cuban America; or our elderly, who live more than Participant in international conference in Cuba on 'Socialism president Fidel Castro at 75 years [on the average],just to cite a few as the 21st Century Approaches' the Seventh Ibero-Ameri­ examples. Let it be said by our extraordi­ can Summit November 7- nary people, who for almost 40 years have National secretary of the Socialist Workers Party and author of 9 in Margarita, Venezuela. resisted the longest and most criminal eco­ The Changing Face of U.S. Politics: Working-Class Politics and the Translation is by the Mili­ nomic blockade ever.... Trade Unions. Barnes is an author of "The Politics of Economics: tant. Let others yield to lies and deceit, to the illusions and the interests of the powerful Che Guevara and Marxist Continuity" and "The Fight for a Work­ FIDEL CASTRO of this world. We shall continue to defend ers and Farmers Government in the U.S." He edited Malcolm X At the first summit, the ideas for which we have struggled all Talks to Young People. Mexico invited Cuba. Ap­ our lives alongside the poor; the ill who lack parently it was already time doctors and medicine; the parents without for an end to arbitrary and work, the hundreds of millions of boys and outrageous exclusions of a girls abandoned to their fate or are forced to small country that has de­ work or to prostitute themselves in order to SAT.,DEC.6 fended its right to exist with live, the hungry, the oppressed and exploited great dignity and through a of the whole world, who constitute the im­ Visit Civil Rights Institute solitary and heroic mense majority of humanity. struggle .... A total change of course - even if few Main presentations We have never renounced statesmen understand this today - is the and discussion 1 p.m. our political, economic, and . most moral, democratic, and revolutionary social system, a true democ­ action that must take place in the world to­ Dinner 7 p.m. racy with a government of day. If there is a desire to discuss this sub­ Meeting of Young Socialists the people, by the people, ject, let it be discussed, and let each one, '} and for the people, and not according to their conscience, confront the Cash bar&: social 8:30p.m. of the rich, by the rich, and irrefutable figures and concrete facts that for the rich. In these times demonstrate the accelerating growth of uni­ of so many inequalities and versal and unsustainable financial specula­ injustices, we have tion; the increasing vulnerability of the struggled more than anyone economy; the destruction of the environ­ to defend the most sacred ment; the uncertain future and bottomless SUN.,DEC.7 rights of every human being. abyss to which they are leading us; the blind Let it be said by our chil­ and uncontrollable neoliberalism and crush­ 9a.m. dren, who have the lowest ing and brutal globalism that exists under Summary of conference 12:30 p.m. mortality rates in the entire the aegis of the most powerful and selfish Third World; by our fully power in history. It is not necessary to wait literate population; by the for currencies to lose their value and stock millions of mothers who markets to crash. have given birth with fewer Thank you.

December 1, 1997 The Militant 9 CeRebrate 80 yerurs of the Bolshevik revo11Ultion

Lenin's Final Fight Speeches and Writings, 1922-23 V.I. LENIN The History of the In the early 1920s Lenin waged a political battle in the leadership of Russian Revolution the Communist Party of the USSR to maintain the course that had LEON TROTSKY enabled the workers and peasants to overthrow the old tsarist The social, economic, and political empire, carry out the first successful socialist revolution, and begin dynamics of the first socialist revolution building a world communist movement. The issues posed in his as explained by one of the principal political fight remain at the heart of world politics today. Also leaders of this victorious struggle that available in Spanish. $19.95 Special offer $14.95 changed the course of history in the twentieth century. Also available in Russian. Unabridged edition, 3 volumes The Changing Face of U.S. Politics in one. $35.95 Special offer $26.95 Working-Class Politics and the Trade Unions JACK BARNES A handbook for workers coming into the factories. mines. and mills, as they react to the uncertain life, ceaseless turmoil, and brutality of capitalism in the closing years of the twentieth century. It shows how millions of workers, as The Revolution Betrayed political resistance grows, will revolutionize themselves, their unions, and all of society. $19.95 Special after $14.95 In English, French, and Spanish. What Is the Soviet Union and Where Is It Going? LEON TROTSKY $19.95 S11ecial offer $14.95 Socialism on Trial In Defense of Marxism JAMES P. CANNON The Social and Political Contradictions of the $15.95 Special offer $11.95 Soviet Union LEON TROTSKY The Struggle for a Proletarian Party $24.95 S11ecial offer $18.95 JAMES P. CANNON $19.95 Special•er $14.95 To See the Dawn Baku, 1920-First Congress Revola,tionary Continuity of the Peoples of the East Marxist Leadership in the United States How can peasants and workers in the colonial world FARRELL DOBBS achieve freedom from imperialist exploitation? By How successive generations of fighters took part in the struggles of the U.S. labor movement, _seeking what means can working people overcome divisions to build a leadership that could advance the class interests of workers and small farmers and hnk up incited by their national ruling classes and act with fellow toilers around the world. 2 volumes $16.95 each S11ecial offer $12.75 each together for their common class interests? These Collected Works of V.I. Lenin questions were addressed by 2.000 delegates to the 1920 Congress of the Peoples of the East. Writings of V.l Lenin (1870-1924), the central leader of the Bolshevik Party, the October 1917 Russian $19.95 Special offer $14.95 revolution, the young Soviet republic, and the early Communist International. Available in sets only, 45 volumes plus 2-volume index $500.00 S11ecial offer $315.00 To Speak the Truth Why Washington's 'Cold War' against Cuba Doesn't End FIDEL CASTRO AND CHE GUEVARA In historic speeches before the United Nations and UN bodies, Guevara and Castro address the workers of the world, explaining why the U.S. government so History of the Bolshevik Party hates the example set by the socialist revolution in Cuba and why Washington's from the Beginnings to February 1917 effort to destroy it will fail. $16.95 Special•er $12.75 A Popular Outline GREGORY ZINOVIEV Six talks, given in 1923, on the early history of the party that led workers and farmers to victory over the tsarist regime. $14.95 Special oHer $6.95 1901: Second Congress of the Russian Available from bookstores listed on page 12, or from Pathfinder, 41 0 West St., New York, NY Social Democratic Labour Party 10014. Fax: (212) 727-0150. If ordering by mail. please include $3 for the first book and $.50 The full record of the congress that marked the birth of the Bolshevik Party. These minutes, Lenin said, "present a picture of the actual state of affairs for each additional title to cover shipping and handling. Write for a free catalog. in our party that is unique of its kind and unparalled for its accuracy." $16.95 Special oHer $7.95

Joillltll!t~ PATIIF~D READERS ct:ma Join·the Pathfinder Readers Club for only·$10ayear:Mernbers can take advantage of special offers like this, and receive a 15 perc~nt,qiscount qn all Pathfinder publicafwns purchased at. any of the 28 Pathfinder book~tores around the world or directly ordered from the publisher.

10 The Militant December 1, 1997 Rail merger leads to gridlock in west, while speedup causes accidents to soar BY BARRY FATLAND 70 percent of the workforce not coming in AND CRAIG HONTS to work. According to one local chairman LOS ANGELES -A near gridlock on of the UTU, this amounted to 53 engineers railroads in Texas and California is causing and 30 conductors not coming in to work dislocations throughout the economy of the that day at Needles. southwest, as shippers are unable to deliver BNSF top management then sought and cargo on time by rail. The crisis stemming received an October 31 court injunction from the merger of the Union Pacific and from a U.S. district court judge in Fort Southern Pacific Railroads last year led the Worth, Texas, to stop the action. The re­ federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) straining order says in part, "that BLE and on October 31 to declare a "transportation UTU, their officers, agents, employees and emergency" from California to Oregon and members, and all persons acting in concert the Midwest to the Texas Gulf. The list of with them, be and they are hereby tempo­ deaths and injuries from train wrecks is also rarily restrained from" participating in any getting longer as a result. form of sick-out, strike, or work stoppage Problems on the railroad have clogged in California or Arizona or picketing com­ California ports, stranded grain crops in the pany property or "in any manner interfer­ Midwest, and closed some Gulf Coast pet­ ing with ... any person employed by BNSF rochemical plants that are unable to get from performing his or her work ... " The needed materials. A U.S. Agriculture De­ unions were directed to appear in court again partment official warned of a potential di­ on November 12. saster if Union Pacific doesn't pay more at­ Rail worker untangles 96-car wreck between New York and Pennsylvania in August The BNSF canceled all pay incentives to tention to grain shipments in this record remain available to work seven days a week, harvest year. little as eight hours' rest. after a trip - a right that is about to be taken and instead threatened to send Federal mar­ In Los Angeles the breakdown in rail ser­ On September 10 the Federal Railroad away under the terms of the merger. This shals to workers' homes to serve them with vice tied up vital sectors of the city's Administration issued a report that stated has created a mood of resistance, with work­ the court injunction. economy November 3, leaving 16 ships that the UP Railroad is suffering from a fun­ ers looking for ways to push for their rights, Nearly 150 wives and children of BNSF backed up in the outer harbor unable to reach damental breakdown in safety procedures, refuse to do unsafe work, and take off the workers held a rally November 2, protest­ the docks to be unloaded. The crisis is even primarily from deficiencies in training, dis­ time they need to rest. ing the "unreasonably long and potentially more acute in Texas. The estimated cumu­ patching, and employee fatigue. The FRA hazardous work hours imposed on their hus­ lative impact on that state since UP's ser­ Report documents that 75 percent of all California rail workers hold sick-out bands," the Bakersfield Californian reported vice problems began is in the range of $300 crews work the fulll2-hour limit, and most Other carriers are looking at the crisis on November 5. "According to BLE records, to $400 million. crews wait an additional three or four hours the UP Railroad are trying to take advan­ BNSF engineers and conductors for whom The meltdown in service began early this to be picked up in a van and returned to their tage of the situation to get more of the mar­ Bakersfield is home base are working as summer, just months after the Union Pacific home terminal. One van driver said "she ket, especially the Burlington Northern many as 273 hours a month, with time off bought out the rival Southern Pacific Rail­ worked 18-20 hour days. She recounted Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF), UP's main com­ only to sleep .... 'To get time off they have road, forming a massive 36,000-mile sys­ sleeping in her van between calls in truck petitor. Facing significant crew shortage to call in sick,' said Sherri Sherrer, whose tem with more than 150,000 freight cars. stops and roadside parks off and on for as problems themselves, the BNSF has com­ husband is a conductor," the article stated. The merged railroad was projected to carry many as five days in a row because she was bined harassment with limited pay incen­ According to Steve Benson, chairman of 80 percent of all traffic to and from Mexico simply too tired to drive home after drop­ tives to keep workers continually working. the Bakersfield chapter of the Brotherhood and 75 percent of the petrochemical goods ping a crew off . . . All but one driver ad­ One incentive offered to Los Angeles crews of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), during produced along the U.S. Gulf Coast. mitted that train crew members periodically caused a sharp reaction, as Bakersfield crews October engineers there worked 12 or more UP spent $5.4 billion on the buyout. One drive the crew vans because they were too demanded the bonus as well. After workers hours a day 28.6 percent of the time, 11 or of the first things the merged railroad did fatigued to drive safely," the report stated. staged a sick-out, the company quickly more hours 42 percent of the time, and 10 was cut the overall workforce by more than The FRA also documented long layovers backed down and granted the Bakersfield or more hours 55 percent of the time. f,OOQ .. The drive to squeeze as much work in terminals away from home, often for as c~ewsthe sar,neincentive as Los Angeles. Interviewed by the Californian, BNSF aspossfbleouf of fewer workers lies behind long as JO - 48 hours. One crew was stuck '··'«"1\efi· Efe~n Needles, California, a - spolce'smat'r IUcha.rd Russ!ick "said by tele­ the safety disaster unfolding in Texas. at a terminal away from home for five days. town on the border with Arizona, heard this phone from corporate headquarters in Fort Many of the workers in Houston were they decided to stage their own sick-out to Worth, Texas, he thinks the issue is simply Growing safety disaster former employees of the Southern Pacific, force management to treat all the workers one of wives wanting to spend more time Nine rail workers have been killed since where they had won pay and work condi­ equally. The BNSF immediately threatened with their husbands. 'This is not a safety June 22, as a result of numerous major rail tions over the years that were superior to to run the trains with management person­ issue,' " Russack asserted. accidents. In the last week of October two those on the UP and other railroads. Work­ nel. Union officials said they would seek major wrecks occurred within 4 days of each ers said that under the SP they were allowed strike authorization to prevent that. The sick­ Barry Fat/and and Craig Honts are mem­ other. "What we have on the UP Railroad is to take up to 18 hours of undisturbed rest out proceeded on October 30, with around bers of the UTU in Los Angeles. a case of the chickens coming home to roost," said James Solomon, a conductor who worked on Houston area railroads for 35 years. He was referring to UP's drive to Meatpackers in Canada strike against get the freight over the road at all costs with a disorganized management and a work force stretched to the point of exhaustion. Rail workers in Houston, who asked that company's offensive on wages, rules their names not be used, report that UP trains are sitting back to back without moving over BY KATY LEROUGETEL a drawing of pigs heading "To USA." The per hog in Canada than in the US." vast stretches of track in the state of Texas. BURLINGTON, Ontario- Strikers text asserts that "Canadian labour costs in "We're here for a fight, and we're here Workers told a Militant reporter who vis­ picketing the Maple Leaf Foods wages, benefits, and work rules are until we win," said Greg Zikos, president of ited the Englewood yard November 6 that meatpacking plant here just outside of Tor­ cripplingly high- $3 to $9 an hour more striking UFCW Local 1227 in Burlington. crews sometimes sit on trains for 12 hours onto explain that the company is demand­ than the average in the United States, even at a stretch without moving, with their re­ ing cuts in pay and benefits of up to Can$9 amongst members of the same union! So Katy LeRougetel is a member of United lief crew doing the same. Exhaustion devel­ (Can$1= US$0.70) an hour. Maximum holi­ available dollars go to unionized plant work­ Steelworkers of America Local 5338. Guy ops from being called out to work with as days would be reduced from six weeks to ers instead of farmers who earn up to $6less Tremblay contributed to this article. four, and workers would be allowed a maxi­ mum of 20 minutes a week during work hours to go to the bathroom. After using up available from Pathfinder that allocation, their pay would be docked Carey barred for each trip to the toilet. Currently produc­ tion workers' average wages are Can$17 .50 Teamster Bureaucracy Continued from front page an hour. How the rank-and-file Teamsters leadership or­ charges of conspiring to divert union funds The 900 members of the United Food and ganized to oppose World War II, racism, and gov­ Commercial Workers here hit the bricks No­ and is currently awaiting sentencing. ernment efforts-backed by the international offi­ Official government "supervision" of vember 15, and have since been joined by a Teamster elections began in 1989, after the further 900 who struck the company's plant cialdom of the AFL, the CIO, and the Teamsters­ U.S. Justice Department filed a civil rack­ in Edmonton, Alberta, November 17. The to gag class-struggle-minded workers. $18.95 eteering suit, asserting the Teamsters was Edmonton local members are already gangster-controlled. The settlement coming docked pay for every bathroom visit. They out of that case gave the government pow­ earn Can$14.13 an hour after five years of The 1985-86 Hormel ers to oversee elections. Using government service. Meat-Packers Strike in snoops of various stripes inside the IBT is Almost 500 workers at two other Maple Austin, Minnesota part of this "supervision." Leaf plants have been locked out for weeks Over the course of the most recent inves­ in Hamilton, Ontario, and North Battleford, tigation, both Carey and his main opponent Saskatchewan. in the union election, James Hoffa, called One day into the Edmonton strike, Maple on the federal government to investigate the Leaf, Canada's largest food-processing com­ other. Officials in Washington are now talk­ pany with more than $3 billion in annual ing of going after Hoffa on corruption sales, announced that the plant would close charges. They have also probed taking steps for good. against other union tops including Richard The company has taken out full-page ads Trumka, the AFL-CIO treasurer and former in some of Canada's major dailies to push president of the United Mine Workers union, its demands. "If Canada's pork industry and Andrew Stem, president of the Services doesn't start working together, nothing will Employees International Union. save out bacon," declares the headline, over December 1, 1997 The Militant 11 Debt crisis shakes south Korean economy Continued from front page greater latitude to impose layoffs, and gave branches to North Pacific Bank, its lion of that amount due by the end of the additional powers to the secret police. rival based in the same region. year. The financial turmoil haunting south "I strongly urge depositors not to Investment banks, which specialize in Korea has evoked increasing alarm among worry and to take sensible actions," short-term corporate financing, have had U.S. ruling class figures who touted the pleaded Japanese finance minister their credit lines cut by foreign lenders. country as a role model for Asia's so-called Hiroshi Mitsuzuka at a news the "We've been discouraging new lending," developing nations. "You almost wonder morning the bank collapsed. Tokyo said a foreign banker in Seoul. This action today whether South Korea will collapse was concerned about the possibility could result in a new wave of bankruptcies., before North Korea," complained New York of bank runs that would exacerbate South Korea's debt crisis has provoked Times columnist Thomas Friedman in his the growing instability of the the collapse of seven of the nation's top 30 November 17 opinion piece. Washington country's financial system. conglomerates this year. Each corporate fail­ maintains 37,000 troops in south Korea as a Bank deposits and loans to the ure chips away at the banks' dwindling fi­ weapon aimed at the workers state in north bank are supposedly guaranteed by nances. The nine largest financial institu­ Korea, which also suffers from food short­ the Bank of Japan and the Deposit tions in the country already have bad loans ages. Insurance Corporation, a banking that add up to between 94 and 376 percent The U.S. wealthy class is nervous that the industry deposit program. Politicians of the banks' capital. Enormous loans have bank failures and currency instability in are now floating the idea of using invested in industries such as steel, semi­ Asia, especially in Japan, could resonate public funds to shore up the fragile conductors, and petrochemicals, including across the Pacific and wreak havoc on the banking system. When Tokyo $1 trillion in domestic loans. Hanbo, a steel U.S. banking and credit system. U.S. deputy pumped hundreds of billions of dol­ conglomerate, and Kia, an auto manufac­ treasury secretary Lawrence Summers flew lars into seven housing lenders that turer, have both gone under, leaving banks to Tokyo and later to the Philippines for a went bankrupt in 1995, it sparked with massive bad debts. November 19 conference to discuss the protests. Working people have put up resistance to -Asian financial crisis that included minis­ · Meanwhile, the Japan Chamber of the bosses' and the government's attempt ters and central bankers from 14 countries, Commerce and Industry reported that to impose job cuts and other austerity "re­ as well officials from the International Mon­ more than half of its branches re­ forms," presented as measures needed tore­ etary Fund and the World Bank. ceived complaints about banks refus­ store financial stability. Employees at the ing loans. Another report published Bank of Korea rallied in the streets Novem­ lOth largest bank collapses in Japan November 17 by Tokyo Shoko Re­ ber 17 and threatened to walk off their jobs Japan's economy is on the brink of are­ search stated that more than 1,600 Auto worker at Kia Motors guards gate at Seoul en masse if proposed legislation is passed cession as a banking crisis unfolds there. companies in Japan went bankrupt in plant after 15,000 workers walked out in late that includes cuts in the staff.. Some 15,000 Government statistics dated March 31 re­ October, an increase of 15 percent October to protest job cuts. auto workers at Kia Motors Corp. launched port Japan's financial institutions carrying and the highest level in more than a a 13-day strike October 21 to prevent job around $250 billion in problem loans. decade. cit. "It is clear that substantial increases in losses among the 22,000 employees in the Hokkaido Takushoku Bank Ltd went un­ Deputy Treasury Secretary Summers met the Japanese current account surpluses are plant. der November 17 with an estimated $10 bil­ with Japan's finance minister November 17 troubling to the U.S.," Summers asserted. Last January, hundreds of thousands of lion in bad loans. Regulators said Japan's to discuss Washington's uneasiness over the Some U.S. investment banks have been workers in south Korea took part in a gen­ lOth largest bank will be dissolved at the stagnant Japanese economy and the rapid socked by the currency turmoil. The invest­ eral strike for more than three weeks to de­ expense of shareholders- mostly other fi­ depreciation of the yen. ment ratings of three major U.S. banks­ mand the repeal of antilabor legislation that nancial institutions. It was the first failure Tensions between the two imperialist Bank America, Chase Manhattan, and JP restricted union rights, allowed companies of any of the top 20 banks in Japan. powers was reflected in a letter sent in early Morgan- were downgraded November 12 Government officials at the banking bu­ November by U.S. treasury secretary Rob­ by a prominent Wall Street analyst. George reau of Japan's Ministry of Finance tried to ert Rubin warning Tokyo not to try to ex­ Salem of Gerard Klauer Mattison explained pressure other banks to merge with the failed port its way out of its economic problems at his move saying, "The crisis is broader and one, but bank officials balked due to in­ the expense of its rivals in the United States. deeper, and appears longer lasting than we Educational creased competition and their own financial Summers went to Tokyo to stress that mes­ envisioned even a few weeks ago." Chase problems. That left the bureau with the op­ sage and voice the Clinton administration's Manhattan, the largest U.S. bank, reported Weekend tion of turning over Hokkaido Takushoku 's irritation with a rise in the U.S. trade defi- a $160 million loss in October. November 29 & 30 Pathfinder Bookstore --MILITANT LABOR FORUMS------780 Treamont Street (617) 247-6772. Boston, Massachusettes CALIFORNIA NEW ZEALAND Los Angeles •:• CAPITALISM'S DEADLY WORLD Christchurch Hands Off Iraq! Panel discussion. Fri., Nov. NEW JERSEY Oppose Racist Attacks- How Can We Fight DISORDER: THE ROOTS OF THE 28, 7:30p.m. 2546 W. Pico Blvd. Donation,· $4, Newark Racism? Speaker: Lars Ericsson, Communist Tel: (213) 380-9460. ECONOMIC CRISIS AND DRIVE Che Guevara, the Cuban Revolution and the League. Fri., Nov. 28, 7 p.m. TOWARD WAR 5."00 PM SAT. 1\venty-first Century. Speaker: Martin Koppel, Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Rus­ •:• WHY THE U.S. WAR AGAINST IRAQ MASSACHUSETTS editor of Perspectiva Mundial, just returned from sian Revolution. Speaker: Agnes Sullivan, Communist League. Fri., Dec. 4, 7 p.m. DOES NOT END 10."00 AM Boston Cuba. Fri., December 5, 7:30p.m. 87A Halsey St. ( 1 block west of Broad, 2 blocks north of Both events held at 199 High Street (corner High IMPERIALISM VS. SOCIALIST REVOLU­ Capitalism's World Disorder. Sat., Nov. 29, 7:30p.m .. 780 Tremont St. Donation.- $4. Tel: Raymond), Donation: $4. Tel: (973) 643-3341. and Tuam). Donation: $4. Tel: (03) 365-6055. TION." WHAT ROAD FORWARD FOR HUMANITY? l."JO PM SUNDAY SPONSORED BY THB SOCIALIST WoRKBRS PARTY AND THB YoUNG -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP--- SociALISTS Where to find Pathfinder books and dis­ 6325. Compuserve: 103014,3261 Tel: 0171-928-7993. 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For more information, MINNESOTA: St. Paul: 2490 University BRITAIN Eriksplan). Postal code: S-113 42. Tel: (08) call: (212) 645-5230. Ave. W., St. Paul. Zip: 55114. Tel: (612) 644- London: 47 The Cut. Postal code: SEl 8LL. 31 69 33. Compuserve: 100416,2362 12 The Militant December 1, 1997 -GREAT SOCIETY------Nothing's perfect-The Penta­ ated a race against time for the cash­ Maybe he wanted the candy - They were melted down and recast $100,000, Carrier got a court order gon stopped using Union Pacific starved economy.... The drain of Eating a candy bar wrapped in sil­ to replace a swastika imprint with a to have a company psychiatrist ex­ after the spreading logjam since UP funds and the freeze on billions ver foil, Andre Burgess, a New York U.S. seal. amine her. On the basis of his "find­ took over Southern Pacific left a more trapped in padlocked financial teenager, walked by a U.S. ings," Carrier went back to court shipment of tanks unguarded. A UP institutions have made credit all but marshal's car and got shot in the leg. A long haul - In 1984, Chris­ and moved to have the award re­ nonexistent. Transactions are by The cop said he thought the foil was tine Michaels, an assembly line duced to $5,500. A judge ordered cash or barter. One builder is pay­ a gun. Burgess said he laid on the worker at Carrier air conditioning Carrier to pay Michaels $200,000 ing his debt in cement. Hoteliers are ground, bleeding and handcuffed, in Syracuse, New York, filed a com­ instead. Harry giving their creditors free lodging waiting for an ambulance. Mean­ plaint of sexual harassment by a co­ instead of cash."- Los Angeles while, he said, the marshal "was worker. Carrier responded by ha­ Hip trip -A poster-size sheet, Times report from Bangkok on Thai shaking hands with other cops, or rassing her. She was denied help on "On the trail of Che," announces a Ring currency crisis. agents, whatever they were." heavy lifting and had to take a leave London tour to Bolivia, Peru, and for a shoulder injury. For a time she Chile. In cooperation with Bolivian Sensitive - In the 1950s, the was hospitalized for depression. Tourist Board, it will feature a tour spokesman said the tanks sat at a And the poor sell what? -A Federal Reserve Bank melted down Before she could return to work. of the area of Bolivia where Che and siding without required security Bangkok Mercedes dealer con­ $23 million worth of bars of gold Carrier fired her. Three years ago, his guerrillas fought. (In fairness to checks, but he dido 't know where verted a parking garage into a swap looted from Belgium and the Neth­ a state agency awarded her the tour agency, its ad includes an or when. meet for the suddenly "once rich." erlands by Germany's Nazi regime. $100,000. article about Che which notes he Dollar-bearing tourists are flocking Gold from the jewelry and dental was executed by the Bolivian re­ Thai 'miracle'- "A rapid out­ in to check a range of items, from fillings of concentration camp pris­ Fairly happy ending -After gime, with a CIA advisor on the flow of foreign money. . . has ere- Rolex watches to private aircraft. oners were included in the bars. Christine Michaels was awarded scene.) Lenin on the development of finance capital Below we reprint excerpts from Impe­ over them. They evade these "vexed ques­ gaily responsible for the "daughter com­ capitalist states. On the threshold of the rialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism tions" by pompous and vague phrases, ap­ pany", which is supposed to be "indepen­ twentieth century we see the formation of a written by Bolshevik leader V.I. Lenin in peals to the "sense of responsibility" of bank dent", and through the medium, of which new type of monopoly: firstly, monopolist 1916, while in exile in Zurich. They are directors, by praising "the sense of duty" of they can "pull off' anything .. .. associations of capitalists in all capitalisti­ taken from two chapters; "Finance Capi­ Prussian officials, giving serious study to the Finance capital, concentrated in a few cally developed countries; secondly, the tal and the Financial Oligarchy," and petty details of absolutely ridiculous parlia­ hands and exercising a virtual monopoly, monopolist position of a few very rich coun­ "Export of Capital." Subheadings are by mentary bills for the "supervision" and "regu­ exacts enormous and ever-increasing prof­ tries, in which the accumulation of capital the Militant. lation" of monopolies, playing spillikins with its from the floating of companies, issue of has reached gigantic proportions. An enor­ theories, like, for example, the following stock, state loans, etc., strengthens the mous "surplus of capital" has arisen in the BY V.I. LENIN "scholarly" definition, arrived at by Profes­ domination of the financial oligarchy and advanced countries. "A steadily increasing proportion of capi­ sor Liefmann: "Commerce is an occupation levies tribute upon the whole of society for It goes without saying that if capitalism tal in industry," writes [German social demo­ having for, its object the collection, storage the benefit of monopolists .... could develop agriculture, which today is crat Rudolph] Hilferding, "ceases to belong and supply ofgoods." (The Professor's bold­ Typical of the old capitalism, when free everywhere lagging terribly behind indus­ to the industrialists who employ it. They face italics.) ... From this it would follow that competition held undivided sway, was the try, if it could raise the living standards of obtain the use of it only through the medium commerce existed in the time of primitive export of goods. Typical of the latest stage the masses, who in spite of the amazing tech­ of the banks which, in relation to them, rep- man, who know nothing about exchange, and of capitalism, when monopolies rule, is the nical progress are everywhere still half­ that it will exist under socialism! export of capital. starved and poverty-stricken, there could be But the monstrous facts concerning the Capitalism is commodity production at no question of a surplus of capital. This "ar­ BOOK OF monstrous rule of the financial oligarchy are its highest stage of development, when gument" is very often advanced by the petty­ so glaring that in all capitalist countries, in labour-power itself becomes a commodity. bourgeois critics of capitalism. But if capi­ America, France and Germany, a whole lit­ The growth of internal exchange, and, par­ talism did these things it would not be capi­ THE WEEK erature has sprung up, written from the bour­ ticularly of international exchange, is a talism; for both uneven development and a geois point of view, but which, nevertheless, characteristic feature of capitalism. The semi-starvation level of existence of the resent the owners of the capital. On the other gives a fairly truthful picture and criticism - uneven and spasmodic development of in­ masses are fundamental and inevitable con­ hand, the bank is forced to sink an increas­ petty-bourgeois, naturally- of this oligarchy. dividual enterprises, individual branches of ditions and constitute premises of this mode ing share of its funds in industry. Thus, to Paramount importance attaches to the industry and individual countries is inevi­ of production. As long as capitalism remains an ever greater degree the banker is being "holding system", already briefly referred to table under the capitalist system. England what it is, surplus capital will be utilised not transformed into an industrial capitalist. This above. The German economist, Heymann, became a capitalist country before any for the purpose of raising the standard of bank capital, i.e., capital in money form, probably the first to call attention to this mat­ other, and by the middle of the nineteenth living of the masses in a given country, for which is thus actually transformed into in­ ter, describes the essence of it in this way: century, having adopted free trade, claimed this would mean a decline in profits for the dustrial capital, I call 'finance capital'." "Fi­ "The head of the concern controls the prin­ to be the "workshop of the world", the sup­ capitalists, but for the purpose of increasing nance capital is capital controlled by banks cipal company [literally: the "mother com­ plier of manufactured goods to all coun­ profits by exporting capital abroad to the and employed by industrialists." pany"]; the latter reigns over the subsidiary tries, which in exchange were to keep her backward countries. The need to export capi­ This definition is incomplete insofar as it companies ["daughter companies"] which in provided with raw materials. But in the last tal arises from the fact that in a few coun­ is silent on one extremely important fact - their turn control still other subsidiaries quarter of the nineteenth century, this mo­ tries capitalism has become "overripe" and on the increase of concentration of produc­ ["grandchild companies," etc.] In this way, it nopoly was already undermined; for other (owing to the backward state of agriculture tion and of capital to such an extent that is possible with a comparatively small capi­ countries, sheltering themselves with "pro­ and the poverty of the masses) capital can­ concentration is leading, and has led, to tal to dominate immense spheres of produc­ tective" tariffs, developed into independent not find a field for "profitable" investment. monopoly. But throughout the whole of his tion. Indeed, if holding 50 per cent of the capi­ work, and particularly in the two chapters tal is always sufficient to control a company, preceding the one from which this defini­ the head of the concern needs only one mil­ tion is taken, Hilferding stresses the part lion to control eight million in the second -25 AND 50 YEARS AGO-­ played by capitalist monopolies. subsidiaries. And ifthis 'interlocking' is ex­ UCIMS The concentration of production; the tended, it is possible with one million to con­ monopolies arising therefrom; the merging trol sixteen million, thirty-two million, etc." TH£ MILITANT THE MILITANT PUILISHID IN THIINTIIISTI OF THI WOIKINO PEOPLE or coalescence of the banks with industry - NEW YORK, N.Y. FIVE (5) CENTS such is the history of the rise of finance capi­ Power of the financial oligarchy tal and such is the content of that concept. The "democratisation" of the ownership of December 1, 1972 December 1, 1947 We now have to describe how, under the shares, from which the bourgeois sophists and BATON ROUGE, La., Nov. 20 - CHICAGO, Nov. 24 - Chicago tenants general conditions of commodity production opportunist so-called "Social-Democrats" ex­ "There would have been no violence if the scored a partial victory in their militant cam­ and private property, the "business opera­ pect (or say that they expect) the students had not fired the first shot or what­ paign against the proposed 15% blanket in­ tions" of capitalist monopolies inevitably "democratisation of capital", the strengthen­ ever." Incredible as it may sound, this is crease. This recommendation of the Chicago lead to the domination of a financial oligar­ ing of the role and significance of small-scale one of the first public statements Louisi­ Rent Board, packed with real estate repre­ chy. It should be noted that German - and production, etc., is, in fact, one of the ways ana Governor Edwin Edwards made con­ sentatives, was temporarily rejected by not only German- bourgeois scholars, like of increasing the power of the financial oli­ cerning the death of two Black youths on Tighe Woods, Federal Housing Expediter Riesser, Schulze-Gaevernitz, Liefmann and garchy. Incidentally, this is why, in the more the Baton Rouge campus of Southern Uni­ and 10 new members, including CIO and others, are all apologists of imperialism and advanced, or in the older and more "experi­ versity the morning of Nov. 16. AFL representatives, were added to the Chi­ of finance capital. Instead of revealing the enced" capitalist countries, the law allows the Having brought along an armored per­ cago Rent Board. "mechanics" of the formation of an oligar­ issue of shares of smaller denomination. In sonnel carrier and a tank-like armored ve­ Spearheading this campaign, the [North chy, its methods, the size of its revenues "im­ Germany, the law does not permit the issue hicle equipped with flame-throwers and Side Tenants] League called an emergency peccable and peccable", its connections with of shares of less than one thousand marks bazookas, they [sheriff's deputies and state meeting on Nov. 9 to review the crisis faced parliaments, etc., etc., they obscure or gloss denomination, and the magnates of German police] were prepared to wage war. The by Chicago tenants and to map out a mili­ finance look with an envious eye at Britain, officers themselves, one student remarked, tant program to foil the proposed rent where the issue of one pound shares (=20 were equipped for battle in Vietnam, bear­ swindle. Officers of the League reported that marks, about 10 rubles) is permitted. Siemens, ing tear-gas grenades, Thompson five of the nine members of Chicago's Rent one of the biggest industrialists and "finan­ submachine guns, M-16s, riot-20 shotguns, Advisory Board including Chairman John cial kings" in Germany, told the Reichstag M-79 grenade launchers, and M-1 carbines J. Ryan were real estate operators. The lone Imperialism: on June 7, 1900, that "the one-pound share is -complete with bayonets. labor representative, an AFL official, had The Highest the basis of British imperialism". This mer­ Sheriff Amiss claims his men fired only voted in favor of the increase; the tenants Stage of chant has a much deeper and more "Marxist" tear-gas shells from their weapons. But were not represented at all. No public hear­ understanding of imperialism than a certain according to one student who observed the ings had been held although such procedure Capitalism disreputable writer who is held to be one of incident, "I saw one dude over behind a is recommended by the Federal Rent Act. V.I. LENIN the founders of Russian Marxism" and be­ tree with an M-16 just popping away." Meanwhile, Ryan, ignoring the sentiments lieves that imperialism is a bad habit of a cer­ Other Black witnesses claimed that each of the overwhelming majority of the city and $3.95 tain nation .... time the police fired a round they would recommendations by Tighe Woods to hold But the "holding system" not only serves pick it up from the ground and put it in their public hearings, reapplied for the 15% in­ enormously to increase the power of the mo­ pockets. crease. The Tenants League immediately nopolists; it also enables them to resort with Sheriff Amiss originally claimed that the took steps to carry out the decision for a mass Available at bookstores, including those listed impunity to all sorts of shady and dirty tricks students had thrown homemade bombs picket line. Though held at noon on a work­ on facing page, or from Pathfinder Press. to cheat the public, because formally the di­ loaded with buckshot at the deputies ... and ing day, scores of tenants participated in a rectors of the "mother company" are not le- killed the two students. well organized and militant picket line. December 1, 1997 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Uniroyal Clinton's defeat boosts fighters workers fight Washington has been defeated in its campaign to launch Gulf War really was - a one-sided slaughter of 150,000 an assault against Iraq, tighten the brutal economic sanc­ Iraqi workers and farmers. They find it even harder to against work tions against that Middle Eastern nation, and gain a stron­ hide the facts about their embargo, which has led to death ger foothold in the region. Being forced to shift rapidly and severe malnutrition for hundreds of thousands of Iraqi from organizing a military attack to offering negotiations children. In face of this brutality, many working people rule changes with the Saddam Hussein government, as U.S. "allies" rightly say: Why should we listen to Washington - which bailed out left and right, is a registration of the debacle. has more chemical weapons than anyone, and is the only Continued from front page The political blow suffered by imperialism, and its in­ government ever to have unleashed nuclear bombs -give to the profitability of all three plants under the master con­ creasingly palpable vulnerability, strengthens the hand of lectures to others about weapons of mass destruction? tract and allowing the recalculation of production and all working people and the oppressed who are engaged in The reasons why the imperialist powers are perpetu­ bonus rates on various machines. struggle. Those opposed to the latest war moves should ally driven to war are also more nakedly visible today, as The union refused to agree that the company could ar­ not pause in organizing public protests to raise the politi­ the currency meltdown in Asia sends shock waves through­ bitrarily change work rules without any union input, how­ cal price the wealthy rulers will pay for their actions and out the capitalist world. Washington, the world's final ever. Michelin negotiators argued that the union could file to educate others about why Washington is the real threat empire, is seeking to salvage its declining capitalist order, a grievance against any new work rules it opposes. to humanity. which today is wracked by plunging profit rates, financial Phil Slattery, a tire builder with five years' seniority, The imperial rulers' latest fiasco confirms the fact that volatility, and social catastrophe in country after country. told the Militant that under this setup, a worker with six Washington indeed broke its teeth on Iraq during the 1990- The U.S.-British defeat in Iraq is bad news for Clinton, months to go before retirement could be fired for return­ 91 Persian Gulf War. In that bloody assault on the Iraqi Blair, and presidential aspirant Albert Gore. But it's good ing from a break one minute late, and replaced by a new­ people, aimed at overthrowing the government and im­ news for Palestinians fighting for their self-determination, hire who starts at 70 percent of base pay. A local labor posing a submissive, pro-U.S. regime, they failed to reach for Cuban workers and farmers deepening the socialist studies professor told the Journal Gazette, a Fort Wayne any of their objectives. Instead, the war led to greater in­ course of their revolution, and for all working people who daily, that while "some tire manufacturers are able to re­ stability and heightened all the conflicts and problems are resisting capitalist austerity drives. Fighters every­ vise a limited number of work rules without union ap­ facing imperialism in the Middle East. This accurate as­ where can sense the vulnerability of our common en­ proval," what Michelin wants appears to be broader than sessment is presented in "The Opening Guns of World emy - the imperialist rulers are not as powerful as they its competitors. The president of the Northeast Indiana War III: Washington's Assault on Iraq," the lead article in pretend. Labor Council told the Journal Gazette that he doesn't issue no. 7 of the Marxist magazine New International. At the same time, these developments are blowing wind know of any unionized companies in the area that can Washington's recent war moves further fractured the in the sails of budding fascist politicians like Patrick alter work rules at will. "coalition" that had been cobbled together at the time of Buchanan and his America First banner- a deadly threat Michelin also wants to expand its ability to eliminate the Gulf War. Among the imperialist powers, only Lon­ to working people. job classifications and move people between departments. don - with social democrat Anthony Blair at the helm - Fighting workers and young rebels should keep join­ This would undermine previously won bidding and se­ stuck with its stronger U.S. ally. Paris has pursued its own ing speakouts and picket lines to demand Washington get niority rights. The union also objects to workers accused interests, pressing for easing the sanctions on Iraq in or­ all its troops and warplanes out of the Middle East, and to of violating company rules being immediately suspended der to get its own piece of the Mideast pie. Moscow too call for the immediate, unconditional lifting of the em­ or fired. The union wants an accused worker to have a has balked at tightening the embargo. U.S.-Israeli fric­ bargo against Iraq. This is the time, and special opportu­ hearing with a union representative present before any tions have only sharpened, as infighting threatens to split nity, for socialist workers and others to step up sales of disciplinary action can be taken. the ruling party in Tel Aviv. Even the most pro-U.S. re­ the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial as well as New In­ No negotiations have occurred since early November, gimes in the region, from Saudi Arabia to Kuwait, refused ternational no. 7 and The Changing Face of U.S. Poli­ and none are scheduled. The local school board has re­ to cooperate with Washington's war plans, leading to an tics - on the job, at plant gates, at labor actions, and in quested that a mediator be brought in, citing fears that a overwhelming boycott of the U.S. -crafted summit in Qatar working-class communities. potential closing of the plant could have an impact on its that left U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright as the For those who are repelled by the increasing horrors of budget. While Local 715 has agreed to talk, Michelin has humiliated star of a nonevent. capitalism, this is the time to join the Young Socialists or refused. The U.S. rulers and their partners in crime have an in­ the Socialist Workers Party and dedicate your life to the The company is moving ahead with plans to shift pro­ creasingly hard time covering up the truth about what the revolutionary fight for a world fit for humanity. duction out of Woodburn. The mini-spare tires are to be built in a new, non-union plant in Ardmore, Oklahoma. They are the only products built in Woodburn that go into new cars; the remainder of the plant's production is for replacement tires sold through tire dealers. The company also announced plans to move the T/A line for full-sized Stop intervention in Teamsters pick-ups from Woodburn to its USWA-organized plants in Tuscaloosa and Opeleika, Alabama. About 240 jobs The latest U.S. government move against the Team­ tervention has been used against the labor movement be­ would be lost in Woodburn through the elimination of these sters union is an attack on the entire labor movement. fore. In the late 1930s, as the Washington was preparing products. The company had previously announced that Barring Teamsters president Ronald Carey from running for entry into World War II, 18 union militants of Team­ the mini-spares line would be eliminated by 2000, Slattery in the new elections - ones that were ordered by the Clin­ sters Local544 in Minneapolis and leaders of the Social­ reported. Michelin now says that it will lower the work­ ton administration in a violation of union rights to begin ist Workers Party were railroaded to prison on federal force at Woodburn to 800 by that year. There are 600 fewer with- is an attack on trade union democracy. This out­ charges of sedition. The socialists in that local had waged workers in the Indiana plant today than when the last con­ rageous government intervention into a workers' organi­ a·campaign to organize trade union opposition to Presi­ tract was approved in April 1994. dent Franklin Roosevelt's preparations for the use of work­ zation should be opposed by all fighters. The Woodburn plant was opened by BF Goodrich in The stepped up "anticorruption" campaign against the ers as imperialist cannon fodder. 1961. Uniroyal Tire and Rubber merged with Goodrich in Teamsters officialdom and other trade union tops is a bla­ In addition, the government cooked up "embezzlement" 1986, and four years later Michelin bought Uniroyal tant response by the employing class to the recent strike charges against several of the local officials to try to get Goodrich. Local 715 has a history of militancy. It was the by 185,000 Teamsters at UPS. The new elections were them ousted. last Uniroyal Goodrich local to accept 12-hour, rotating ordered just days after the strikers' victory against the The bosses and big-business media are carrying out a shifts, defying Michelin's threats to shut the plant down if parcel giant. major propaganda campaign to present themselves fight­ the new schedule wasn't agreed to. These shifts were fi­ With this action, the rulers aim to intimidate workers ing against corruption within the union movement. Work­ nally included in the 1994 contract. The local also raised who would try to fight for better wages, benefits, and ing people should not give one inch on this question. The thousands of dollars to support Bridgestone/Firestone working conditions. The move escalates the boss class's internal affairs of a union belong to the members of that workers during their 1994-95 strike. Local 715 presi­ ability to poke into any union's affairs, decide who should union. Working people should demand an immediate halt dent Ray Wiseman was fired from the plant in February be union leaders, and sap the unity and fighting strength to the government investigation of the Teamsters, the re­ of this year, reinstated as part of the master contract in of the labor movement. instatement of the union's elected president, and an end to June, and then fired again in July. Steelworkers from the It's important to remember how such government in- all government interference in union affairs. Bridgestone/Firestone plant in Noblesville, Indiana, sent a delegation to the Woodburn picket lines in mid-Novem­ ber, bringing a check for $500 with them.

Gary Boyers and Chuck Guerra are members of USWA Iraq war moves are set back Locall299 in River Rouge, Michigan. Continued from Page 8 "One was the astonishing defeat of President Clinton Russian oil companies in Iran. The move violates the U.S. on his highest priority, 'fast track,' "he wrote. "Defeat of government's Iran-Libya Sanctions Act, which call on fast track is the first triumph of a blazing new national­ Washington to impose sanctions on any country doing ism. And when the coming tsunami of Asian exports hits business that exceeds $20 million with energy industries America's shores, flooding our manufacturing base, and in either of the tw.o countries. Gazprom and Total SA have drowning industries and factories. the day of the economic defied Washington's threats, saying that the profit to be nationalism will be at hand." made outweighs "those incurred by sanctions against us." Buchanan said the second marked event was the col­ Meanwhile, the Chinese government recently signed lapse of the stock markets and currency values in Asia, two deals to buy state-owned oil companies in the oil-rich which will fuel resentment against what he called the "cor­ country of Kazakhstan, and an agreement to build a 1.860~ porate and banking elites." mile pipeline across the land-locked state. The Caspian "The third event was the UN Security Council's craven Sea, Caucasus, and Central Asia are sorrie of the world's response to Saddam 's ouster of U.S. members of the UN richest regions in energy resources - containing up to 200 team searching for his hidden terror-weapons," Buchanan billion barrels of oil, worth as much as $4 trillion, plus continued. "France, China and Russia all oppose U.S. comparable reserves of natural gas. In recent months U.S. military action, and our Arab allies have defected. With officials have made clear their desire to establish unques­ the exception of the British, America stands alone in the tionable U.S. domination over the region. Gulf. Ultrarightist politician Patrick Buchanan greeted the "What does this portend? The mighty coalition George Clinton administration's def~at in Iraq with a November Bush assembled to win the Gulf War is history. And his 19 column in the New York Post titled. "Exit globalism; dream of a New World Order- where the U.S. (aided by enter American nationalism." He pointed to Washington's allies and sanctioned by the UN) would police the planet, fiasco as one of three factors that mark a blow for arresting outlaws and renegades - is dead .... The New "globalism" and a strengthening of his "America First" World Order evanesces as the old world of nation-states camp. reappears," the rightist politician gloated. 14 The Militant December 1, 1997· Interview with Manuel Pifieiro Continued from Page 7 pation of various comrades in the publica­ A: By a radiophoto I received on Octo­ tion of the Diary in other languages: the Ital­ ber 10, where Che's body was shown in the ian Feltrinelli, a friend of the Cuban revolu­ hospital laundry room. I called Fidel and he tion and an admirer of Che; the Frenchman came to my house. I remember Fidel's ex­ Franvois Maspero; Arnaldo Orfila, of Siglo pression, one of doubt. He saw some resem­ XXI in Mexico; and the staff of the maga­ blance to Che in the photo, but was not com­ zineRamparts in the United States. Also the pletely convinced it was him. He headed publishers in other countries who, under the home, and he was there with Comrade Celia coordination of Rolando Rodriguez, then­ Sanchez when I brought him a second ra­ president of the Cuban Book Institute, made diophoto I'd received, which left no doubt an extraordinary effort to publish the Diary it was Che. That moment remains etched in in Cuba and the entire world before the U.S. Courtesy Richard Dindo my memory like a photograph that I'll never secret services could publish a falsified ver­ Bolivian combatant Serapio, right, with Cuban fighters Pacho, center, and Pombo, forget. There was a great silence in the house. sion, as they wanted to. That battle was won. left, during early stages of campaign to establish international proletarian army in Fidel sent Comrade Celia to find Aleida, Bolivia. "Che is a more powerful opponent of imperialism than ever," said Pineiro. Che's wife, who was conducting research in Q: What is your opinion of the biogra­ the Escambray mountains, to give her the phies ofChe that have recently appeared? them to, and that they are summoned to ev­ of the world are a result of this narrow per­ news personally. He then called other com­ A: I have not read them all, although I ery day by Fidel, who Che called his "teacher ception ofChe's legacy. Rather, they see him rades in the party leadership and began to have seen some comments published in and guide." as a man with tremendous moral force, very give instructions on how the news should newspapers in Latin America where one of The proof that the ideas, thought, actions, honest, sensitive, human, capable of acting be transmitted, and to prepare our people these biographies in particular tries to and example of Che have not failed and that on his ideas, as a symbol of international­ for the harsh news. present Che as purely a cultural symbol, they project the future, is that there is an ever ism and anti-imperialism, of solidarity, of It was a tremendous blow. But on those above all among the youth, stripping him of growing and conscious interest both in Cuba genuine socialism. In short, Che is seen as revolutionary missions, one leaves one's life his political and ideological message and of and the world to study and interpret his an example for the current and future gen­ under one's pillow. his example .. Some -because not all of works, recovering the essence of his ideas erations, who will see in him a banner of them present a negative balance sheet-em­ and analyzing the differences between the revolutionary intransigence, of moral values, Q: How long after that did you learn there phasize that all of Che's economic, politi­ historic moment he lived in and the present. of social justice. were survivors? cal, and military ideas have failed, that they In many countries, the consumer societ­ I believe that as long as there are op­ A: Shortly afterward, when Pombo, are out of date, and that the road taken by ies have sought to turn him into a piece of pressed and oppressors, social injustice, and Urbano, and the now-traitor Benigno suc­ the Cuban revolution has gone against his merchandise. Nevertheless, the image and imperialist domination, and as long as there ceeded in breaking the encirclement, and ideas. example of Che rises above these attempts, is also hope for a just and fraternal world of when Inti Peredo, in particular, established In my opinion, if the Cuban revolution had much to the discomfort of the triumphalists solidarity among human beings and peoples, contact with some members of the Bolivian abandoned Che's ideas, it would not con­ of neoliberalism and the powerful in this the ideas and example of Che will endure. Communist Party and the ELN [National tinue being - as it is - a bastion of anti­ world. Therefore I agree with what Fidel said on Liberation Army] who took them to the Chil­ imperialist and anticapitalist struggles that To try to reduce him to a cultural symbol October 12, 1987, at the event commemo­ ean border. I always remember with great are taking place in the world, and of the fight is a vulgar simplification. I do not believe rating the 20th anniversary of the death in affection the role played by Salvador for socialism. Even in the difficult circum­ that the attraction and solidarity he evokes combat of Che and his comrades, "Che is Allende, at the time president of the Chil­ stances of economic, political, and ideologi­ today among young people around the more alive than ever, has more influence than ean senate, who despite criticism from the cal aggression by imperialism, the Cuban world, within the revolutionary movement, ever, and is a more powerful opponent of right wing, offered his full support and pro­ people maintain the heroism Che summoned and in progressive and democratic sectors imperialism than ever." tection to the three survivors. He informed our ambassador in France, Baudilio Castellanos, that he would accompany the three survivors to Tahiti. Our ambassador Company dumps pesticide into Birmingham creek flew there, and brought them to France, and then to Cuba. BY STEPHEN BLOODWORTH Speaking at the Militant Labor Forum Tuxedo neighborhood have been tested at Equally, the collaboration offered by the BIRMINGHAM, Alabama- One of the here October 31, Magnolia Cook said, "We levels as high as 247.8 parts per billion. Chilean Communist and Socialist parties largest accidental spills ever of the pesticide raised this, and no one had an answer, all All three of the activists speaking at the should be noted, as well as that of Beatriz Dursban occurred here October 2. Some they saw was dead fish." A retired nurse and forum condemned the local government Allende and many other comrades, among 4,700 gallons of the toxin was washed into longtime resident of the area bordering Vil­ agencies' inaction and indifference to this them the journalist Elmo Catalan, who would Village Creek near downtown Birmingham lage Creek, Cook is the president of the Tux­ environmental catastrophe. ADEM's first later die in combat together with Inti Peredo, by the water used to extinguish a massive edo Neighborhood Association. Also speak­ water tests were severely flawed, grossly trying to reinitiate the armed struggle in fire at Industrial Distribution Services Ware­ ing at the forum were John Meehan, an em­ underreporting the concentration levels of Bolivia. house Inc. ployee of Birmingham Steel Company and the pesticide. The black pillar of smoke from the block­ founder of Citizens for Environmental Jus­ Efforts to slow the flow of the contami­ Q: Recently you were able to read the tes­ long warehouse, which primarily houses tice, and steelworker Clay Dennison from nated water down Village Creek and out of timony of the Chilean Manuel Cabieses, paper products for recycling could be de­ the Socialist Workers Party. Bayview Lake weren't begun until six days published in the magazine Liberaci6n, about tected by both satellite photos and pilots cir­ Indeed, the washing of the pesticide into after the fire. Meehan remarked, "The mem­ the arrival of Che's diary in Cuba. What is cling the Atlanta airport, more than 100 Village Creek, which runs through the Black bers of these regulatory boards are all cor­ your opinion of it? miles away. working-class neighborhoods of this city into porate executives. They have no sense of A: It's very objective. Cabieses is a seri­ Questions about the toxicity of this giant Bayview Lake, and eventually into the Black these communities, all they care about are ous journalist, rigorous in his analyses and smoke plume have been avoided by the Dow Warrior River, which supplies drinking wa­ their own necks." journalistic works. In addition, he is a very Elanco Corporation, which manufactures ter to local residents, has killed hundreds of To date, at least 15 firefighters and 27 resi­ consistent revolutionary, with a fraternal at­ Dursban; the Alabama Department of Envi­ thousands of fish. The Jefferson County dents near the fire, Village Creek , and titude of solidarity to Cuba and revolution­ ronmental Management (ADEM); the Board of Health reports water is safe for Bayview Lake have reported health prob­ ary movements in Latin America. Jefferson County Board of Health; and other humans to drink tJP to 30 parts per billion. lems such as nausea and vomiting, sinus and This question reminds me of the partici- government agencies. Samples take from Village Creek around the respiratory problems, headaches, and rashes. -LETTERS------Poultry strike through four generations of tacks on women and gays by A postscript to the Foster Farms emigres. They published several the ruling class - will result UFCW strike: During a conversa­ newspapers in the Punjabi language. in more, not less, abuse of tion with a co-worker, I asked him They are farmers and shopkeepers. women. Rape, wife beating, why there are so many Punjabi A large percentage of them, as was and other forms of violence workers - 25 percent - who evident at Foster Farms, are, and against women are not solely work in the largest chicken process­ have been, industrial workers. (My a matter of individual men ing plant in the country. co-worker has worked in the Bay being wretched (although My co-worker, who informed me Area for more than 10 years.) such behavior is indeed he is Sikh and immigrated to Cali­ Osborne G. Hart wretched conduct). Abuse fornia from Punjab, India, 20 years San Francisco, California and violence towards women ago, explained, there are nearly are fundamentally a result of 50,000 Indians -many who are Great alternative the unequal, second-class sta­ Sikhs from Punjab- in the state. It's so great to have an alterna­ tus of women in society, an The largest concentrations reside, tive paper that represents the inter­ inequality which Promise primarily, in three Central Valley ests of the working class! Keepers seeks to perpetuate cities - Fresno, Merced, and Yuba T.H. and D.V and which women like City - the heartland of California Lafayette, Colorado Coontz are apparently now agriculture. ready to accept. The similarities of climate and Promise Keepers Carol Sholin been echoed by a number of other As if women had no other choice agriculture production the Central Oakland, California The October 20 Militant article formerly pro-feminist writers and than to either be raped or be sub­ Valley offers a convenient transition on the protest at the Promise Keep­ journalists. The gist of their posi­ missive wives! Coontz and others for their immigration. Punjab is the ers gathering quotes from an op-ed tion is that with so many women with her viewpoint have either for­ rich agricultural region in north­ The letters column is an open piece by historian and writer being raped and beaten, and so gotten or never contemplated the western India, and Sikhs are tradi­ forum for all viewpoints on sub­ Stephanie Coontz in which she many men fathering children for possibility of a third alternative, that tionally farmers. jects of general interest to our states "for many women, benevo­ whom they take no responsibility, of women fighting for equality and Sikhs immigrated to California readers. Please keep your letters lent paternalism may be the highest Promise Keepers, despite their sex­ social justice. during World War I. Initially em­ brief. Where necessary they will quality of life they can aspire to." ist and homophobic platform, will In fact, groups like Promise ployed as farm laborers, they have be abridged. Please indicate if Unfortunately, this back-handed · at least make life a little better for Keepers - whose platform pro­ established a significant social base you prefer that yoar initials be support for Promise Keepers has women. motes and seeks to deepen the at- used rather than your full name. December 1, 1997 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Youth protesters in Sweden say no to fascist rally, cop brutality BY BIRGITTA ISACSSON react against the neo-Nazis. But the from the European Union. The Schengen how the Swedish government treated Jews STOCKHOLM, Sweden - For the first antiracists complicate our work sometimes." treaty, which provides for increased collabo­ and other victims of the Nazi terror during time since World War II, an openly anti-Jew­ Asked by the liberal daily Expressen how ration by police forces in the European the Second World War. The government ish demonstration was held here November the police could allow a anti-Jewish dem­ Union and tightens immigration from out­ registered all foreigners living in Sweden, 8 in commemoration of the so-called onstration to take place at all, Gunnemo said, side the region, was added to the EU char­ in February 1939, around 20,000 people, to Kristallnacht in Germany. On Nov. 9, 1938, "We thought . . . stopping it would have ter earlier this year. learn who had a Jewish background. This following a call from propaganda minister caused more fuss than what has actually One speaker described the arrest of 700 information was passed on to the German Joseph Goebbels, Nazi thugs smashed into happened." Swedish law prohibits baiting demonstrators in Amsterdam when the new Nazis. Jewish shops and synagogues across Ger­ against Jews or other peoples. In the bour­ EU charter was negotiated. The demonstra­ On November 15 about 200 people ral­ many. geois press the issue is often posed in the tors adopted a resolution protesting those lied to protest police violence and the cops' Between 50 and 100 Nazi sympathizers framework, "Shouldn't the police have bro­ arrests. Anger against both the police and refusal to protect the antiracists from the took part in the rally here outside the cen­ ken up both the racist and antiracist demon­ the Nazis grew when the crowd learned that Nazi attack the previous week. One of the tral train station. With the Swedish flag in strations, as none of them had police per­ the police had arrested three antiracists the speakers took up the case of three young the forefront, speakers denounced the "Jew­ mits." The conservativeSvenska Dagbladet day before and that the Nazis had smashed men who were arrested outside a ish power concentration," which they editorialized, "Shape up the police in the windows of the Gay-house in downtown McDonald's restaurant after the antiracist claimed "can be seen today in this country, Stockholm. Those without permission Stockholm during the night. Dag Tirsen told mobilization November 8. The three said where the Jewish Bonnier family owns 75 should not be allowed to demonstrate. And the crowd how five skinheads smashed the they were humiliated and beaten up by the percent of the evening press." Their origi­ those who are demonstrating should not bait windows of the Pathfinder bookstore the police, who called them racist epithets and nal plan was to gather outside the national any group of people." night of October 5, and drew a parallel be­ forced them to lay down half naked while union headquarters, the Norra Bantorget, tween how the cops refused to defend the beating them. This has further fueled the and march to the Bonnier publishing house. Protest against Schengen treaty anti-Nazi rally, the Gay-house, and other debate about the police in Sweden in gen­ When they came to Norra Bantorget scream­ The anger against the police was obvious obvious targets for the ultraright. He urged eral and Stockholm in particular. ing, "Kill the reds," they were met by a November 9, when well over 200 people the crowd to adopt a message of support to counterdemonstration of 200 - 300 people, demonstrated here against the Schengen the Gay-house. Birgitta Isacsson is a member of the Metal­ most of them youth. Without interference Convention and for Swedish withdrawal Another speaker, Per Franke, talked about workers union. from the police, the Nazis tried to make a block against the antiracists, but were driven back. With the assistance of the police they marched instead to the central station where Paris aims for bigger role in Europe they held their meeting, The cops focused their efforts on keeping the antifascists in BY CARL-ERIK ISACSSON Duisenberg should accede to the job from place, and arrested one youth who they ac­ to be taken in the next round of talks on the his current role. A statement by the Dutch cused of attempting to instigate a rebellion. STOCKHOLM, Sweden_: In a not-so­ single currency. These include the selection unexpected move, French president Jacques government said "We see no reason for the of the countries that meet the entry criteria Cops assault antiracist protesters Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin nomination. Mr. Duisenberg's reputation is for EMU, the composition of the executive The countermobilization was called by announced Paris's own candidate to head the undisputed and by opening a discussion at board of the ECB, and, indirectly, the inter­ several organizations, including Hasans European Central Bank (ECB) November this time the process and credibility of EMU est rate policy within the "euro" zone. Paris is undermined." Friends against Violence and Racism, the 4. Jean-Claude Trichet, currently head of the favors having Italy within the EMU, to National League to Stop Racism, Antifas­ Bank of France, contends for this post German bankers and politicians reacted hinder competition from a weak lira. Bonn cist Action, and others. Among the demon­ against Wim Duisenberg, the Dutch head of with shock and refuted the idea that the and the Bundesbank, the German central strators were two young people in wheel­ the European Monetary Institute, forerun­ move was part of a deal between Bonn and bank, have hinted at worries that having chairs, whose presence fueled the anger ner to the ECB, which is projected as part Paris. Norbert Wieczorek, German Bun­ Rome within EMU would force higher in­ against the police for not protecting the of establishing a European monetary union destag EU committee chair said, "After the terest rates in the euro zone, to defend the European currency. counterprotest. (EMU). decision of Duisenberg had more or less When the Nazis were driven away and Paris's proposal triggers an open compe­ been taken, it is not helpful to propose an­ Although Paris followed suit in the re­ the countermobilization formally ended, tition for the presidency of the bank and re­ other candidate." cent interest rate hike by Bundesbank, aimed about 100 protesters tried to follow the right­ flects conflicts over what kind of monetary Paris floated rumors that a deal with Ger­ at converging interest rates in the euro zone, ists downtown. After the police got the Na­ policy should be applied in the future euro man chancellor Helmut Kohl guaranteed a it is not keen on further increasing interest zis into a train at Sodra Station, they blocked currency zone. The proposal for Duisenberg French president of the bank in exchange rates, as that might stymie the weak eco­ the antiracists and beat up several young had been backed by Bonn. for locating it in Bonn. Kohl visited Paris nomic recovery in France. The nomination people. One 14-year-old, TheaRikken, was According to the Financial Times of Lon­ for informal talks with Chirac and Jospin of Trichet is a sign of the battles over mon­ struck in the face by the police. She pub­ don, the proposal stunned the European November 5. A Financial Times article de­ etary policy that are to come. licly condemned the assault and said she is Commission, the European Union's (EU) scribed Trichet's nomination as "a calculated Socialist Party prime minister Jospin is suing the cops. "The violence from the po­ executive body, which had hoped that Paris gamble which has the fingerprints of Jacques in favor of an Euro that is not overvalued lice was totally unnecessary," Rikken said. would "refrain from any action that could Chirac, France's Gaullist president all over against the dollar and yen, so as to stimu­ The widespread criticism of the police has complicate an already difficult final run-up it. ... Mr. Chirac has sent a firm signal that late French exports, which he claims will sparked a debate in the media here. The po­ to European economic and monetary union." the French are determined to stop European create jobs in France. He was forced to go lice officer in charge in the region, The Dutch government said it would con­ economic and monetary union being settled along with the conservative president, how­ Llinspolismastare Gunno Gunnemo, said, test the initiative and said it believed "a purely on German terms." ever, and propose a head of the European "Of course I think it is healthy that people broad Europe-wide consensus" existed that Several important decisions are supposed Central Bank whose commitment to the "franc fort" (strong franc) is well known, in order to strengthen Paris's position in rela­ tion to Bonn. Although Jospin 's government depends on stronger economic growth to be t'he s•ruaale Aaa~ns• able to meet the criteria for the EMU, it was Fasc~sm ~n Germany compelled to go along with Chirac 's gamble, Leon Trotsky even at the cost of slower growth rates. And Writing in the heat of struggle against the as this was playing out, thousands of truck­ rising Nazi movement, a central leader of ers had halted transport across France, de­ the Russian revolution examines the class manding wage raises that were largely won. roots of fascism and advances a revolu­ Meanwhile, at a November 17 meeting ofEU finance ministers, the British govern­ tionary strategy to combat it. $28.95 ment was angling for a role in a projected policy-coordinating forum of EMU mem­ bers, despite having announced it will not . ~ join the EMU on the first round in 1999. worker'S and ·· ··· ····· "You can't have a voice in a committee that their allies frem utilizing a..· .. ·· is managing a currency that is not your own revoluti()n~r-Y· situation to··. currency," declared French finance minis­ the capitalists from ter Dominique Strauss-Kahn. London in­ remove sisted that the finance ministers' meetings . power.· $3.00 remain the principle decision-making body on economic policy. German finance minister Theo Waigel took a softer tone toward London, stressing that the policy forum should· be informal and not cut across the regular meetings of all 15 EU finance ministers.

Carl-Erik /sacsson is a member of the met­ alworkers union in Sodertiilje, Sweden.

16 The Militant December 1, 1997