Europe Oceonio the Americas Vol. 13, No. 21 < 1975 by Intercontinental Press June 2, 1975

News Analysis The Seizure of ^Republica' —A Bad Omen

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Livio Mafton The Role of Portugal's Armed Forces Movement GONCALVES: Military "savior" is using CP to discredit all political parties.

Cubans Hail Vietnamese Triumph

Muss Pressure on the Rise in Lues

More on Evacuation of Cambodia's Cities Indian Maoists Criticize Peking the streets. Even such limited shows of force, however, can quickly get out of hand, as the confrontation at the Republica offices has again shown.

It was obvious after the May Day clashes The Seizure of 'Republica'—a Bad Omen that the Intersindical congress scheduled for the end of May would entail a major confrontation between the two reformist The government of the Armed Forces of their alliance with the SP. The author workers parties. The SP offensive in the Movement took a major step toward "insti claimed that the Chinese leaders realized mass media is also linked to an offensive in tutionalizing" a populist military dictator that the SP was the only effective alterna the journalists union. It was equally obvi ship May 20 when it took advantage of a tive to the pro-Moscow party. ous that the CP intended to preserve its Communist party power grab to silence The New York Times editors said that the bureaucratic positions in the unions at all Republica, the Lisbon daily most closely move against Republica came "after Mr. cost. This was what led the Stalinists to linked to the Socialist party leadership. Rego had published a secret Communist provoke a sectarian clash with the SP in the The paper had been a center of conflict party document that urged the military to May Day demonstration. between the two reformist parties for some carry out yet another purge of Socialist The Stalinist Intersindical leaders appar time. The Communist party-controlled employes in the state radio and television ently feared that the SP contingents would printers union refused to print two articles system." take the occasion to protest the military in the May 2 edition criticizing the CP- The information media were singled out government's confirmation of Stalinists in dominated union federation Intersindical as one of the three areas for an offensive by posts seized by them in the union move for trying to exclude the SP from participat the SP after its April 25 electoral victory. In ment. ing on an equal footing with followers of the period since the fall of the old regime, Of the pro-Moscow Stalinist parties, the the Stalinists in the May Day demonstra the CP has used its apparatus plus its Portuguese CP has earned a reputation as tion. privileged position as the military's most the most dogmatic in Western Europe. It is On May 19, the printers union ousted the reliable political agent to win overwhelming the only one on the continent other than the editor, Raul Rego, an SP minister in the predominance in the press and broadcast "exterior" Greek CP that has driven out the first provisional government. The new ing. liberal wing that exists in most of the editors published a statement saying: "We Furthermore, the CP has used its influ others. The tens of thousands of new reject partisan deviations." Rego refused to ence in the mass media in a crude and recruits that have flooded into the party leave his office, and a Socialist party mass arbitrary way. Popular resentment against since April 25, 1974, have been trained in a demonstration surrounded the building. tendentious Stalinist reporting has been on "tough" sectarian spirit reminiscent of the The government then ordered the paper the rise for some time. The Portuguese Stalinist parties in their ultraleft "third shut down and sent troops to evacuate the people remember too well what a "directed period." premises. Clashes occurred between the press" sounds like. However, material factors also promote military and the SP demonstrators, in In his news conference May 5, following sectarianism on the part of much of the CP which the troops fired into the air. the May Day clashes between the CP and membership. Since April 1974 the CP has It is not yet clear what provoked this the SP, Socialist party leader Mario Soares been virtually the government party. As the move by the CP-controlled union. Le told reporters that his party intended to cut only apparatus for mass organization, it Monde's correspondent mentioned the "minority" forces down to size in the press; has offered a path to advancement for coverage given May 16 to the return of an the unions; and in the local government thousands of new members in many areas AOC (Alianga Operaria Camponesa— bodies, where the Movimento Democrdtico of the society. Obviously they would react Workers and Peasants Alliance) delegation Portugues, the CP democratic front for the violently against any force that threatened from China. The CP has said on several "progressive petty bourgeoisie," has gained such perspectives, even without specific occasions that it regards this Maoist group many positions. directives from the party leadership. allied with the SP as "counterrevolution Of these three areas, the unions were At the same time, because of the role it ary." AOC was one of the groups banned by obviously the most important and potential has played as the main political instrument the military government from participating ly the most explosive. It is in this field that of the military government, the CP has in the Constituent Assembly elections. CP dominance is the strongest and it is here tended to become the focus of resentment The other Lisbon daily identified with the also that the CP has proved most useful to among widening sections of the population. SP, Jornal Nova, published an article in the military government. It has not hesitat Its unprincipled policy of class collabora late April claiming that Peking had recog ed to denounce strikers as "provocateurs" tion and subordination to the bourgeois nized AOC as the official Maoists because and "agents of fascism," and even to military regime has put it in the position of mobilize its members to break strikes in taking responsibility for repression, censor order to defend the government's economic ship, and austerity, without holding the real Next Week . . . policy. power in the society. Its subordination to On the other hand, the Socialist party the government and its goal of serving as "War and Revolution in Vietnam: obviously cannot make good its claim to be the privileged political partner of the regime Lessons of the Thirty-Year Struggle." the best political transmission belt for the has led it to split the working class and Ford and Kissinger don't talk about government unless it can win a strong drive the SP ranks, infuriated by Stalinist the real causes of Washington's defeat. organized base in the unions. In Portuguese methods, toward the right. That's all the more reason to take them conditions, a purely electoral party is at a These tactics have also enabled the voice up. great disadvantage. The Socialist party of U.S. imperialism, the New York Times, to Don't miss Allen Myers's succinct demonstrations May 2 were designed to present the conflict as one between an study of the Vietnam War. Reserve your show that the SP was not a normal Social "anti-Communist majority" and a Com copy now. Democratic party but a "mass party" able munist "minority" imposing its control by to mobilize tens of thousands of persons in intrigue and infiltration. The Times, of

Intercontinental Press course, is preparing a democratic cover for intervention. Even more dangerous is the possibility In This Issue Closing Date: May 26, 1975 that the Stalinist tactics will provoke sections of the workers and poor masses to FEATURES 745 "We Will Not Be Guinea Pigs" draw anti-Communist conclusions and thus —by Ernest Harsch promote the development of a mass base for LAOS 724 Mass Pressure on the Rise —by Caroline Lund counterrevolution. VIETNAM 725 Calm In Saigon Punctures "Bloodbath" In the most favorable of possibilities, the Myth—by Peter Green Communist party is still working for an CAMBODIA 726 More on the Evacuation of the Cities ungrateful master. While the CP has been —by Dick Fidler encouraged to take a hard line against the PORTUGAL 728 The Role of the Armed Forces Movement SP by the tacit support of the military —by LIvio Maltan government, the generals themselves have ARGENTINA 730 Workers Win a Number of Strikes been using this conflict to discredit political —by Andres Sanchez democracy in general and to win accept NEW ZEALAND 731 Abortion Pickets Voice Solidarity ance for a paternalistic military regime that With Doctor would "stand above parties." SOVIET UNION 731 Appeal for Jailed Members of Moscow Amnesty International The Communist party itself seems finally NIGERIA 732 Gowon Tightens Screws on Workers to have recognized this danger. In a speech —by Ola Musa published May 19, CP General Secretary Four Political Prisoners Begin Hunger Alvaro Cunhal warned the military that it Strike would be "a grave error" to condemn PERU 734 Deepening Fissures In Velasco's political parties as such. "Revolution"—by Francisco Montes In fact, the crisis coincided with an OUBA 736 Cubans Hall Vietnamese Triumph assembly of the Armed Forces Movement —by Dick Fidler where key leaders advocated setting up Report John F. Kennedy Behind Plots transmission belts directly subordinate to to Kill Castro MEXICO 738 CP Steps Up Popular-Front Line the military. Both the officers and the —by Roberto Torres A imperialist press had an interest in present INDIA 740 Maoists Criticize Peking ing this as' a "soviet" structure. For the —by Sharad Jhaveri imperialists this is another argument for Naxalite Movement Reviews Its Strategy intervention if the mass movement "goes —by Sharad Jhaveri too far." For the military it provides a HONDURAS 743 Pressure Mounts for Take-over of United demagogic left cover for consolidating the Brands—by Judy White kind of mass apparatus necessary to BOLIVIA 743 Gulf CM Under Fire enforce the "labor discipline" Portuguese MALAYSIA 744 The Student Protests—by Ernest Harsch NEWS ANALYSIS 722 The Seizure of "Republica" capitalism needs to weather the world AROUND THE WORLD 746 economic crisis. DOCUMENTS 751 The Case of Czechoslovak Dissident For its purposes, the military can also Ivan Dejmal exploit the neoanarchist propaganda of the An Appeal for Valentyn Moroz CP's ultraleft satellites, which have made a FROM OUR READERS 752 fetish of "grass roots organization" ab DRAWINGS 727 Prince Norodom Sihanouk; 728, Alvaro stracted from political democracy and Cunhal; 732, Yakubu Gowon; 735, Juan general political solutions. The prime exam Velasco Alvarado; 739, Luis Echevern'a ple is the centrist Movimento da Esquerda Alvarez; 750, Henry Kissinger Socialista(MES—Movement of the Socialist —by Copain EN ESPANOL: Left), which has combined promoting "or PORTUGAL 748 El Cierre de "Republica" gans of direct democracy" with support for E.U.A. 749 La "Nueva" Politica Exterior de Kissinger the populist military junta. Trust in military "saviors" is common to all opportunist currents in Portugal. The correct road is, among other things, to intercontinental Press, P.O. Box 116, Village Paris Office: Pierre Frank, 10 impasse Guemenee, consistently defend democracy, including Station, New York, N.Y. 10014. 75004, Paris, France. freedom of the press. This is one of the key Editor: Joseph Hansen. To Subscribe: For one year send $24 to Intercon Contributing Editors: Pierre Frank, Livio Maitan, tinental Press, P.O, Box 116, Village Station, New requisites in struggling for the political Ernest Mandel, George Novack. York, N.Y. 10014. Write for rafes on first class and independence and unity of the workers and Editorial Staff: Michael Baumann, Gerry Foley, airmail. Ernest Harsch, Caroline Lund, Judy White. For airmail subscriptions in Europe: Write to poor masses. □ Business Manager: Reba Hansen. Pathfinder Press, 47 The Cut, London SE1 8LL. in Assistant Business Manager: Steven Warsheli. Australia: Write to Pathfinder Press, P.O. Box 151, Copy Editor: Mary Roche. Glebe 2037. in New Zealand: Write to Socialist Technical Staff: James M. Morgan, Earl Williams. Books, P.O. Box 1663, Wellington. Published in New York each Monday except last Special rates available for subscriptions to in December and first in January; not published in colonial and semicolonial countries. Documents discussed at 1974 Tenth August. Intercontinental Press specializes in political World Congress of Fourth International. analysis and interpretation of events of particular Subscription correspondence should be ad 128 pages, 872 x 11. $2.50 interest to the labor, socialist, colonial indepen dressed to intercontinental Press, P.O. Box 116, dence, Black, and women's liberation movements. Village Station, New York, N.Y. 10014. Intercontinental Press Signed articles represent the views of the authors, Please allow five weeks for change of address. P.O. Box 116, Village Station which may not necessarily coincide with those of Include your old address as well as your new Intercontinental Press. Insofar as it reflects editorial address, and, if possible, an address label from a New York, NY 10014 opinion, unsigned material expresses the stand recent issue. point of revolutionary Marxism. Copyright ® 1975 by Intercontinental Press.

June 2, 1975 The Rats Abandon Ship The air force men grounded all military planes. On May 18 the Laotian navy withdrew its allegiance from the rightist government faction. On May 22 students and Laotian AID Mass Pressure on the Rise In Laos employees took over the AID compound in Vientiane. The compound is a thirteen- By Caroline Lund building, multimillion-dollar complex with its own generators, supermarket, and movie theater. Two marine guards and another Since May 9, student-led demonstrations American were held inside. have spread through the major cities of The U.S. government agreed on the same Laos. The banners call for an end to the day to terminate AID operations outside of U.S.-administered Agency for International Vientiane and to negotiate regarding end Development (AID) programs, an end to ing the program completely. Subsequently corruption by rightist government officials, the U.S. embassy announced that students and relief from soaring inflation. in Savannakhet had released the Ameri The demonstrations have won strong Tonkin— cans they had been detaining, whose support from workers and others, and have number had grown to fourteen. given an impulse to protests by sections of A full-scale evacuation of American AID the armed forces against rightist comman employees was begun May 23, a move ders. They have accelerated the disintegra celebrated by demonstrations in Vientiane. tion of the rightist forces and put pressure In the face of these growing protests on the Pathet Lao liberation forces to move against the rightists, the Pathet Lao leader into territory previously dominated by the ship has insisted on continuing its coalition rightists. with these corrupt and parasitic forces."We The movement began when about 3,000 want the coalition to continue; it will students marched through Vientiane May 9 continue," stated a top Pathet Lao official protesting U.S. interference in the country on May 13 prior to a cabinet meeting that and demanding the resignation of a number was to consider the resignations of the five of rightist ministers. Four of the most Christian Science Monitor rightist ministers. powerful rightist ministers and one deputy According to Andelman in the May 14 minister resigned immediately. This in occupied the offices of the city government New York Times, "In the last few days, all cluded the minister of defense, whose to press for their demands. In another the major powers represented here, includ functions were taken over by a Pathet Lao action, students seized stores of rice, which ing North Vietnam, have apparently been representative. they subsequently sold at half price as a quietly expressing support for continuing Most of the remaining right-wing politi protest against prices that jumped by more the coalition concept." The coalition regime cians and generals fled the country. Rank- than 50 percent last month alone. was set up by the 1973 cease-fire accords on and-file soldiers and lower officers of the Another demand of the students was that Laos. It rules only the territory formerly rightist armed forces, on the other hand, Pathet Lao troops be allowed into the city, controlled by the rightist Vientiane govern began to declare their allegiance to the which was a rightist stronghold. On May 20 ment; the Pathet Lao controls more than Pathet Lao-dominated coalition govern Pathet Lao forces marched into Savanna two-thirds of the country outright. ment. khet, setting off what news dispatches Andelman continued: "Interviews with All 160 cadets at the officer training called a "joyful celebration." New York Western diplomats and Government offi school just outside Vientiane took over their Times correspondent David Andelman said: cials disclose that the major powers here— school May 11, refusing to obey their "The take-over of Savannakhet came with the United States, the Soviet Union, China officers. They issued a statement denoun out violence. More than 20,000 people [in a and North Vietnam—who urged the esta:: cing those in the military whom they called town of 200,000] reportedly lined the streets blishment of the coalition, continued to "bandits who loot the people." They passed to greet the Pathet Lao soldiers, estimated support it." out leaflets to passersby saying, "We have to number fewer than 500." However, a continuation of the mass taken this school over as a liberated area." According to Andelman, the Pathet Lao protests against the rightists, together with On May 14 students mobilized in two had begun "moving into virtually every the disintegration of the rightist military major cities, Luang Prabang and Savanna- major town in the Laotian panhandle area and political forces, can cause the Pathet khet, demanding the disbanding of AID that previously was under rightist control." Lao to go further than they might like operations and an end to corruption and In a May 23 dispatch, Andelman described along the road to taking direct power. inflation. In Luang Prahang, the royal the troop movement as "filling the vacuum In the May 9 demonstration in Vientiane capital, radio reports said that 3,00p stu created by the flight of large numbers of one participant carried a placard referring dents, teachers, and pedicab drivers joined right-wing officers and politicians." to the recent victories of the liberation in the demonstration. Also pressing the Pathet Lao to advance forces in Cambodia and South Vietnam. It In Savannakhet, demonstrators at the were the student demonstrations that oc read: "Phnom Penh—April 17, 1975. home of the rightist provincial governor curred in the two southern provinces of Saigon—April 30, 1975. Vientiane—??, seized three American AID employees to Thakkek and Kengkok. 1975." □ dramatize their demands. They were re Meanwhile unit after unit of the rightist leased the following day but kept under armed forces went over to the Pathet "voluntary house arrest" pending the end of Lao-dominated coalition government. On A subscription to Intercontinental Press AID operations and talks with government May 16, 1,000 troops from the rightist air is still Q BEST BUY. officials on economic grievances. force demonstrated at the Vientiane airport Check rotes inside cover. Later, more than 5,000 demonstrators demanding dismissal of their commander.

Intercontinental Press Refugees in U.S. Demand Right to Return Many of the refugees who fled the country in the panic of the final days, and some who were simply kidnapped, have ex pressed their desire to go home. A State Calm in Saigon Punctures 'Bioodbath' Myth Department spokesman admitted May 19 that about 150 refugees under U.S. control had asked to he sent hack to Vietnam. By Peter Green Three days later. Dean Brown, the director of Ford's "task force" on refugees, said For years the warmongers in the Penta of the Presidential Palace and the avenue there were 1,000 Vietnamese who wanted to gon advanced the myth of a "Communist and park in front for a victory rally. A return. bloodbath" that would follow the liberation three-day holiday victory celebration May Once they get a taste of what life is really of Vietnam. The aim was to justify their 15-17, which also marked the birthday of like in the refugee camps and the United own bloody aggression. Now, with that Ho Chi Minh, included rallies, fireworks States, and once they realize that Washing myth exposed as just one more of the many displays, an air show featuring North Viet ton's stories about a "bloodbath" were a lies spun by imperialism, they have dum namese jets, and a reception at the Presi total fraud, even more of the refugees are mied up. dential Palace attended by leaders of North expected to want to go hack. Not so the Western correspondents in Vietnam, the Provisional Revolutionary The processing of refugees in the United Saigon, however. Many of them have filed Government, and the National Liberation States has practically come to a stop now glowing reports of the new regime and the Front. The An Quang Buddhist church that the easy-to-handle ones with gold liberation forces. formally welcomed the victory May 20 with hoards or good connections have been dealt Not only was there no bloodbath, reported a mass rally of more than 20,000 persons. with. Officials responsible for the resettle Manchester Guardian correspondent Mar "Everybody supposes that the honey ment of refugees acknowledge that most job tin Woollacott, but no one in Saigon "has moon here will soon be over," said James offers seemed to be from people looking for ever seen such a well behaved group of Fenton in a dispatch to the May 21 live-in maids or chauffeurs at little if any soldiers." Washington Post. "They have been saying salary. "They want cheap labor," said one "There are thousands of soldiers in the that since the beginning of the month, and official. "When you start pressing them, city," he said, ". . . yet no rape, theft, yet it goes on." they say,'Pocket money,' what I would call drunkenness, or accidental shootings have Nevertheless, the revolutionary govern slave wages." been reported. . . ." ment still faces many difficulties. The director of another agency said that "They smile and wave, although those Crime is a continuing problem. Saigon's of the 300 offers of sponsorship his organi who have been here for some time are street cowboys—hoodlums on motorcycles zation had received, "a lot of them are from getting a little tired of this routine since the who specialize in bag snatching—are re nuts or perverts or people who want cheap population of Saigon and the entire com portedly as brazen as ever. Adding to the labor." munist army walked around for two days problem are the thousands of former Saigon Washington's security checks are also with permanent grins and right arms soldiers now wandering the streets, as well holding up the processing. The files of the working like pump handles." as the ordinary prisoners who were released FBI, the CIA, the Pentagon, the State The courage and exemplary conduct of along with all the political prisoners. A Department, the Immigration and Naturali the liberation army have turned the soldiers curfew has been reimposed in Saigon, and zation Service, and the Drug Enforcement into "instant heroes," reported Nayan student militias have been organized to Administration must each be searched for Chanda in the May 23 Far Eastern Econ help keep order in the city. After a few what one official called "derogatory infor omic Review. Chanda said that since the weeks a Liberation Military Police was mation" about every refugee seeking asy troops of the National Liberation Front formed. lum. entered Saigon on April 30, "an almost According to a Saigon radio broadcast, John Eisenhower, the chairman of Ford's unreal carefree and effervescent mood has the new authorities feel that the most advisory committee on refugees, said May set in." difficult task they face is finding work for 23 that many of the refugees in the United "As one Vietnamese noted, the 'stupid the more than one million unemployed, the States may have to spend the rest of their anti-communist propaganda of the Saigon three million "parasite" civil servants, and lives in the camps because of security and regime' that presented the communists as 100,000 prostitutes and street urchins. literacy problems. bloodthirsty monsters is now proving of The expected food and gasoline shortages So far Washington has stalled on the immense help to the NLF. Having expected in the wake of liberation have been report requests by refugees who want to be the worst, the average Vietnamese is now ed, but supply ships from Hanoi and the repatriated. Returning them to Vietnam is doubly impressed by the extremely well- Soviet Union have begun to arrive. The "difficult," said the director of Ford's task behaved and disciplined soldiers." government has started to distribute free force May 22, because of the "obstreperous Foreign correspondents in Saigon have rice to the needy, with each person entitled attitude" of the PRG. But the revolutionary been unable to report a single instance of to two kilograms a week. government announced May 11 that it retaliation. Soldiers and government em would even provide the transportation for ployees were told to register with the new Thousands of refugees who fled to Saigon those who wished to return. authorities and submit a report on their or other cities in the closing months of the past activities. It appeared that senior war are now returning home. The PRO At Fort Chaffee in Arkansas, 107 refugees officers and officials might be in for three- announced it had begun a program to said they would hold a protest demonstra month periods of "reeducation." provide transportation, land, and farming tion unless Washington arranged for their The spontaneous demonstrations of wel tools to those returning to their villages. It return to Vietnam by May 29. come in the first week of liberation soon also said it was "encouraging small capital "If the U.S. government does not do us gave way to more planned victory celebra ists having some light industries producing the favor of taking us back, we will have a tions. On May 7, the twenty-first anniver the things that serve the life of the small demonstration," said a spokesman sary of the capture of Dien Bien Phu, population to resume activities so as to for the group May 23. "We will go on the 100,000 persons crowded into the compound afford work to workers." streets and ask that we he taken back." □

June 2, 1975 Selected Peasants Being Trained in Urban Life afternoon, de Beer found the road blocked near the city entrance. No one was being allowed to enter the city. The order to evacuate had been given. More on the Evacuation of Cambodia's Cities "It seems that the soldiers who had entered the city in small groups during the morning had precise orders. The soldiers By Dick Fidler came from five different directions. . . . The evacuation continued systematically for about four days, neighborhood by neigh Almost one month to the day after the government itself provides. And it is report forced evacuation of Cambodia's cities ing very little. All foreigners, without borhood, house by house, before being extended into the suburbs. Some soldiers began, Radio Pnompenh announced May 16 exception, have been ordered to leave the insisted on immediate departure, others that the new government was repairing the country. were more accommodating." capital's airport and other facilities "so that The only eyewitness accounts published the town can become active again." A to date on what has happened in Cambodia The city's hospitals were emptied; about broadcast monitored in Bangkok said some are those provided by the Western corre 25,000 patients, many of them seriously people had already been moved from the spondents who arrived in Thailand in early disabled, were forced to join the trek to the countryside into the city. May after traveling overland from Pnom countryside. Radio Pnompenh indicated that the new penh.' There were reports that the water purifi inhabitants were not previous residents of What they observed was summarized by cation plant was heavily damaged. All the correspondents reported incidents the city. It said that troops and "revolution Sydney H. Schanberg of the New York of looting by the rebel soldiers. But none ary forces" were instructing them in basic Times: portrayed it as a rampage. "When they urban hygiene. "The old economy of the cities has been looted jewelry shops, they kept only one Pnompenh's population, swelled to two abandoned, and for the moment money watch for themselves and gave the rest to million with the massive influx of peasants means nothing and cannot be spent. Barter their colleagues or passersby," Schanberg fleeing the U.S. carpet bombing, was has replaced it. reported. "Transistor radios, cameras and evacuated to the countryside immediately "All shops have either been looted by cars held the same toy-like fascination— following the April 17 take-over by the Communist soldiers for such things as something to play with, as children might, People's National liberation Armed Forces. watches and transistor radios, or their but not essential." Some soldiers who seized Similar action was taken in other cities and goods have been taken away in an organ him for a few hours took some cigarettes towns that had been held by the "Republi ized manner to be stored as communal and clothes, hut passed up, among other can" puppet government headed by Lon property. things, $9,000 in cash in a money belt. Nol. "Even the roads that radiate out of the The homes of some rich were burned, de A Reuters dispatch from Bangkok May 9 capital and that carried the nation's com Beer said. Jon Swain of the Sunday Times reported that the new Cambodian govern merce have been virtually abandoned, and cited eyewitness accounts of the burning of ment had announced "that the economy the population living along the roads, as "the records and millions upon millions of would still be based on agriculture but that well as that in all cities and towns that riels" at the head office of the Banque intensive efforts were also under way to remained under the control of the Khmer de Commerce. rebuild factories. . . ." American-backed Government, has been The looting seemed to result more from A Cambodian radio broadcast said, ". . . pushed into the interior." peasant fascination with the curiosities of our soldiers and workers are now very According to Patrice de Beer of Le Monde, city life than from a breakdown of disci actively devoting themselves to our indus many persons began leaving Pnompenh pline. Schanberg described the troops as try." voluntarily on April 17 even before the "firm, determined, well-trained, tough and The new Cambodian government has main force of insurgent troops arrived in disciplined. . . . also announced efforts to repair the port of the city. Driving north of the city during the "The thousands of troops we saw both in Sihanoukville, as well as factories, roads, morning, he found "tens of thousands of the countryside and in Phnom Penh, while and public buildings in Battambang, a city refugees clogging the road as they headed they included women soldiers and hoy of 500,000. back to their villages." Further down the militia, some of whom seemed no more than road, rebel soldiers had opened a storage 10 years old, looked healthy, well organized, depot and were distributing rice to the These reports indicate that the decision to heavily armed and well trained." people. "It was a frenzied scene. Along the empty the cities and towns may eventually In general. Swain said, "the Khmer roadside were piled bags of rice, which only be modified. But many questions remain. Rouge make an impressive contrast to the yesterday had been so rare and costly." What has happened to the millions of soldiers we used to see in Phnom Penh, Long files of black-clad soldiers, many of persons—possibly half of Cambodia's popu drinking and whoring every night." them women, were advancing toward the lation of seven million—who were forced to "They are peasant boys, pure and city. They did not yet know that it had leave the urban areas? Have they been simple—darker skinned than their city fallen, de Beer discovered. given employment on the land, and medical brethren, with gold in their front teeth," Returning to the capital in the early care where necessary? How are they being said Schanberg. "To them the city is a housed and fed? Will they be permitted to curiosity, an oddity, a carnival, where you return to the cities if they so desire 1. These include Sydney H. Schanberg's articles visit but do not live. . . . sometime in the future? in the May 9 New York Times; articles by Patrice "Often they would climb into abandoned It may be that the new leaders are not de Beer in the May 8, 9, and 10 issues of the Paris cars and find that they would not run, so unanimous on their far-reaching urban daily Le Monde; Jon Swain's report in the May 11 they would bang on them with their rifles London Sunday Times; and articles by Agence like frustrated children, or they would policy. As its consequences become clearer, France-Presse reporters Jean-Jacques Cazeaux divisions among them may deepen. and Claude Juvenal, which appeared in the May 8 simply toot the horns for hours on end or The only reports on the situation inside Los Angeles Times and the May 8 and 9 issues of keep turning the headlights on and off until the country are those the Cambodian the Washington Post. the batteries died."

Intercontinental Press The Western correspondents spent two "We also saw boy militia units on patrol thing connected with the defeated regime, weeks in the French embassy compound in everywhere and male-female work crews They have no time for cities. . . . Salvation Pnompenh, together with 1,500 other for- repairing roads." lies in the fields. . . ." eigners and Cambodians trying to flee the The nature and composition of the new Jean-Jacques Cazeaux and Claude Juven- country. When they finally emerged on regime in Pnompenh remains unclear. It al of Agence France-Presse said the Khmer April 30, in a truck convoy en route for Rouge 'had long ago prepared a plan to Thailand, they encountered a deserted city. move millions of inhabitants into their Not one civilian was to be seen. Soldiers 'liberated zones' where they would he were sweeping the sidewalks and burning instilled with the spirit of service to the dead leaves and debris. Other soldiers were revolution." standing guard in front of stores that had Swain, on the other hand, thought the been looted. decision to evacuate the cities reflected As they left the city, they hun- "poor organisation, lack of vision and the dreds of cars abandoned by the roadside, brutalisation of a people by a long and cannibalized for spare parts. "Motorised savage war." transport in Cambodia is now almost non De Beer likewise seemed to think the existent," Jon Swain reported. "We were to measures taken in the first few days of the see no more than a half-dozen moving new government were ill considered. Part of vehicles in our 260-mile journey." the problem, he said, was that Pnompenh They witnessed the extensive war da fell earlier than was expected. mage in the countryside. Whole regions had "The revolutionists' strategists had fore been devastated by Pentagon bombing and seen a ten-day campaign," he wrote. "But it the "scorched earth" policy of the puppet was all over at dawn of the fourth day. regime's troops. Some units had not yet arrived, nor had Outside Pnompenh the journalists found some top leaders. They had to be summoned that virtually every city, town, and village over the radio. Thus some dissension seems in territory that had been controlled by the to have emerged at the very beginning puppet regime had been evacuated. between the six divisions that participated Driving toward the ancient capital of in the attack." Gudong, they came upon thousands of The evacuation decision may be the refugees traveling along the road. "Some subject of debate within the National were walking in single file," de Beer said, United Front of Cambodia (NUFC), which "some were resting under trees, while others is the political coalition behind the Royal were looking for pagodas to shelter in, or Government of National Union of Cambo- seemed about to settle in the deserted rice SIHANOUK. Will wait till things settle down a (RGNUC). The latter is formally headed bit before returning home. fields." by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, who has The journalists were advised by soldiers lived in exile in Peking for the last five accompanying them not to speak English, appears that for the first few days following years. in order to avoid reprisals by the peasant the take-over, the military forces had full Sihanouk has on many occasions referred victims of the American bombing. But they responsibility, while civilian figures re- to his conflicts with the leaders of the were received without hostility in the mained in the background. An officer who insurgency inside Cambodia.^ There have villages along the route. refused to identify himself told reporters been reports that he is in sharp disagree- They spoke to some refugees. "The April 17 in Pnompenh that political and ment with policies being followed by the situation varies from village to village," governmental leaders had let the military new government in Pnompenh, which has Patrice de Beer said. "Some exhausted enter first "to organize things," Schanberg nonetheless proclaimed him chief of state refugees marched for days without know- said, for life. According to an article in the May 7 ing where to go. Others were permitted to 'One over-all impression emerged from issue of the Buenos Aires daily La Opinion, return to a village where they had relatives. our talk with the commander at the Infer- Sihanouk has censored reports from the Everywhere, we came upon small groups of mation Ministry: The military will be leadership of the RGNUC on the situation people who had been driven out of areas largely in charge of the early stages of the in Cambodia before passing them on to the that remained Republican to the end." upheaval, carrying out the evacuation, press in Peking. organizing the new agrarian program, Sihanouk is apparently in no hurry to Much of the journey to the Thai border searching for hidden arms and resisters, return to Cambodia. In an intervie\y with was through territory that had been in the repairing damaged bridges." the Algerian daily El Moujahid, published hands of the liberation forces for a consider- The new government has not explained May 8, he said he had no desire to "interfere able period of time. A few areas had why it ordered the evacuation of the cities, in the affairs of the Khmer Rouge.".Since escaped the saturation bombings. Residents of Pnompenh were simply told the formation of the NUFC, he said, it had Unlike the inhabitants of areas until the city had to be reorganized. been understood tbat the resistance fighters recently under the control of Lon Nol's Western observers offered various explan- would be responsible for administering the forces, de Beer said, the residents of these ations for the decision. The new rulers new government. His role was to be "the zones seemed to be in good health. Children "appear to be remaking Cambodian society symbol of national unity" and to handle were well fed and clothed. In some areas, in the peasant image," Schanberg said, Cambodia's international relations. □ the peasants reported getting more than "casting aside everything that belonged to one crop in a year from the irrigated land, the old system, which was generally domi- Schanberg noted "reservoirs, dikes, nated by the cities and towns and by the 2. For a description of the various components of bridges—all built with hand tools. No flite and merchants who lived there." the Cambodian rebel forces, see "Lon Nol Can't machines or earth-moving equipment were Jon Swain drew a similar conclusion. Find Address to Surrender To," Intercontinental visible. "The Khmer Rouge are abandoning every- Press, March 24, p. 391.

June 2, 1975 727 A Bourgeois Bonapartist Regime

The Role of the Armed Forces Movement in Portugal

By Livio Maitan

[The following article appeared in the sion of the fighting spirit of the masses— April 27 issue of Bandiera Rossa, the were what prompted the abortive coup fortnightly newspaper of the Gruppi Co- attempt of March 11. munisti Rivoluzionari (Revolutionary Com The more reactionary sections of the munist Groups, the Italian section of the MA bourgeoisie linked with the "Spinolist" Fourth International). The translation is hy wing of the armed forces felt that it was Intercontinental Press.] urgent to halt a trend that they regarded as extremely dangerous and to impose a conservative-moderate turn that would ' ^ necessarily have involved overtly repressive One year ago the fall of the fascist regime actions against the mass movements. In in Portugal marked the opening of a new view of the level of combativity of the stage in the crisis of capitalist Europe. 'tJ masses and the politicalization of growing Having realized that it was impossible to sections of the army and the navy, the maintain the old economic and political operation was clearly adventuristic and structures of the dictatorship or persist in could only end in a miserable failure. an all-out defense of the old colonial empire, The inevitable result has been an acceler the Portuguese bourgeoisie was forced to ation of the revolutionary process in Portu undertake a long-range reconversion opera gal. A new impulse was given to the tion. This reconversion was to include mobilization and politicalization of the shifting from the traditional colonialism to masses, whose impetuous and powerful neocolonialism; integrating the Portuguese action was the decisive factor in the rapid economy into the more modem forms of the defeat of the putschists. international capitalist economy, especially the Common Market; and a political re The leading group in the armed forces, structuring that would provide Portugal represented by the MFA [Movimento das with institutions similar to those of the Forgas Armadas—Armed Forces Move bourgeois democracies in other West Eu ment], could not ignore that fact. It was CP LEADER CUNHAL: One-point program of driven to take more radical steps to cripple ropean countries. full support to Armed Forces Movement. This plan, which undoubtedly reflected the old structures of the Salazarist dictator the long-range objectives of the bourgeoisie ship and to disarm the most conservative and was prompted by needs that had decisive factor, strong mass mobilizations groups in the bourgeoisie that had resisted become urgent, ran up against very serious developed fi-om the start—although with the April 25 operation and had been obstacles in essentially three areas. the inevitable unevenness fi-om region to impelled to turn back, that is, to try to In the first place, the attempt at integra region and sector to sector and the inevi restore an authoritarian regime, by the tion into the European economy came at a table ups and downs—and drew in broad dangers that the advance of a process of radicalization and politicalization posed for time when the world recession was hitting sections of the working class and petty- almost all the capitalist countries and was bourgeois strata, in some cases the peas the vested interests. having very grave repercussions on the ants. These mobilizations had a notable To this end, even more than after April 25 economy of Western Europe. Thus, a recon impact on the ranks of the armed forces and September 28, the MFA had to seek the version that in any case would have been themselves. collaboration of the organized workers burdensome, involving heavy general costs, The scope and dynamism of these mobili movement, primarily the Communist party. proved extremely difficult to carry through. zations in the recent months—the multipli This led to greater openings, including At the same time, Portugal was to cation of strikes and factory occupations, representation in the political apparatus, experience a notable weakening in various the spread of revolutionary democratic for the POP [Partido Comunista sectors of production, a drop in exports, and bodies growing up from below, and political Portugugs—Portuguese Communist party] the closing of the outlets represented hy demonstrations such as those of January 14 and its ally the MDP [Movimento Democ- emigration. and February 7, which although they had a rdtico Portugues—Portuguese Democratic Secondly, for a bourgeoisie that had different content (the first was called by Movement], and to an explicit and syste identified itself with Salazarism for nearly IntersindicaP and the second hy the Work matic recourse to ideological themes, which half a century, it was not easy to come up ers Committees^) were equally an expres- were projected for essentially tactical rea quickly with new political instruments, that sons. is, a party or parties through which it could The process we are seeing today in exercise its hegemony by the standard 1. Intersindical is the national trade-union con Portugal shows clear analogies with those methods of bourgeois democracy, which federation controlled by the Communist party. that have already occurred in neocolonial, most of all require an ability to consolidate 2. The Workers Committees in Lisbon that called or economically and socially underdeve a firm electoral base. the February 7 march were dominated essentially loped countries. We should not forget, of Finally, and at bottom this was the by Maoist groups. course, the differences that remain and will

Intercontinental Press remain between imperialist and colonial or MFA is fulfilling this role, seeking the sie from exercizing its political hegemony semicolonial countries. But this does not indispensable support of the masses, and on directly. We should not forget on the other detract from the fact that in certain aspects the international level, trying to exploit the hand that the program of the Portuguese these analogies are relevant. margin for maneuver offered by the crisis of government includes a substantial wage In the case before us, this analogy imperialism and the interest that the Soviet freeze, preaches austerity, and has imposed consists in the following: In situations laws that seriously restrict the right to where the bourgeoisie finds itself unable to strike (the fact that it has been able to exercise its political hegemony by the enforce them only very partially is another normal means—the bourgeois-democratic story). parliamentary or presidential mechanisms, The most recent political decisions topped the formal or de facto dictatorship of a off these measures. The MFA struck at the bourgeois party, and so on—in periods of right, eliminating a national party with no deep political crisis, the military apparatus real impact from the electoral competition. may emerge as the only force capable of But above all it gave a warning to the running the state. More precisely, the army extreme left by dealing a blow to the MRPP can play the role of a ruling party with the [Movimento Reorganizativo do Partido do capacity to maintain the functioning of the Proletariado—Movement to Reorganize the essential mechanisms of the system. This Proletarian Party, the most extremist of the need not necessarily take the form of a Maoist sects] and the AOC [Alianga Oper- reactionary military dictatorship but can dria Camponesa—Workers and Peasants occur under the leadership of reformist or Alliance, a Maoist grouping allied with the populist tendencies in the military (ohvious- SP]. Still more significant was its compel ly the Brazilian dictatorship falls into the ling the parties to sign an agreement that former category, while the Peruvian regime largely voided the Constituent Assembly comes under the latter, to mention only the and explicitly sanctioned the dominance of two most prominent examples in Latin the MFA. Various military spokesmen have America). not hesitated to dot the i's and cross the t's. We cannot rely on the parties, we have no assurance that the people are mature In Portugal after the breakup of the enough, we do not want to take any risks, Salazarist regime and the explosion of the the control must remain in our hands (one impetuous mass mobilizations we have even said that it was an error to allow the noted, the situation has been characterized formation or reconstitution of parties after precisely by the growing inadequacy of the April 25!). traditional political apparatus and the absence of a bourgeois party with a mass The working class and the revolutionists base sufficiently broad to allow it to cannot endorse a political operation whose exercise hegemony, say, in the manner of meaning cannot but be clear to anyone who the Italian Christian Democracy or the has eyes to see. No elucubrations or apolo English Conservative party. The only solid GONCALVES: Needs Stalinists' help to getics—and il Manifesto has once again apparatus, the only relatively cohesive remodel Portuguese capitalism. taken the lead in this field with an article force, remains the armed forces, and pre by Rossana Rossanda—can wipe out the cisely for this reason they are emerging as Union has in encouraging a certain dynam fact of an economic program designed to the dominant political force. The MFA, ic and a relative independence of Portugal rationalize the capitalist system, political which arose and developed in this context, from the imperialist bloc. methods inspired by a vulgar paternalism, has thus become the real political leader The economic program the MFA has voiding the political rights of the working ship of the country. adopted, even after the recent developments class, and the repression already carried out Of course, as we have already noted, the (nationalizations of the banks and the or threatened against sections of the van MFA needed the collaboration of political insurance companies, the announcement of guard. forces capable of representing broad nationalizations in certain sectors of indus The Portuguese revolutionists mobilized masses. This is why it has come to an try, and so forth), points, in the last against the March 11 "coup," and are ready agreement with the PCP, and the greater analysis, toward a rationalization of the to mobilize again whenever necessary. To difficulties notwithstanding, with the PSP system aimed primarily at assuring the oppose a fascist or authoritarian restora [Partido Socialista Portugues—Portuguese investments needed for reconversion, in tion, they are for a united workers fi-ont, a Socialist party] itself. cluding foreign investments, and at guar united front of all the organizations in the In Marxist terms, this form of exercising anteeing the development of key productive workers movement. But they cannot give political hegemony is defined as "bonapart- sectors, for example, through aid to expor their support to a class-collaborationist ist." Such a characterization, which ap ters. The mechanism of capitalist accumula government, to a bonapartist political pears in the documents of our Portuguese tion has not been put in question by the leadership. For this reason, the comrades of comrades of the LCI^ (section of the Fourth measures that have been carried out or the LCI have waged a struggle, on the International), is entirely justified in this those that have been projected. In fact, if electoral front as on others, for a revolution case insofar as it cannot be said that the these measures are successfully implement ary strategy opposed to the strategy of the bourgeoisie exercises political hegemony ed, this mechanism will be put back on an reformists. It was for this reason that they directly today in Portugal but rather is even keel and gain a new—relative—stabil refused to sign the agreement drafted by the obliged to resort to an intermediary. The ity. In this sense, the MFA in the last MFA, which was signed not only by the analysis is defending the fundamental PCP but also by the PSP, the PPD [Partido interests of the bourgeoisie, even though its Popular Democrdtico—Democratic People's 3. liga Comunista Intemacionalista—Interna decisions may strike at sections of the party, the main bourgeois party], and other tionalist Communist League. bourgeoisie and often prevent the bourgeoi formations. □

June 2, 1975 Trotskyists Play Significant Role munique belong to that union. In the city that was the center of the police proceed ings, Villa Constitucion (there were also proceedings in San Nicolds, Campana, and La Plata), the leadership of the regional Argentine Workers Win a Number of Strikes UOM, whose membership is the personnel working at the Acindar plant, does not By Andres Sanchez follow the line of the national secretariat of the metalworkers union, because the leadership is in the hands of the Partido [The--following articles appeared in the now lasted one month in spite of constant Socialista de los Trahajadores. May 1975 issue of Revista de America, a announcements by the government, which In San Nicolas the local UOM represents revolutionary-socialist monthly published daily predict the imminent resumption of the workers at the General Savio plant of in Buenos Aires. The translation is by work. The Villa Constitucibn plants supply Somisa. This body traditionally was social Intercontinental Press.] a very important part of the national ist, which forced Augusto Timoteo Vandor market; their paralysis is creating a very to take it over and designate Jose Ignacio difficult situation for the construction Rucci as delegate of the leadership council. industry and threatens to bring on a Once the section resumed normal function BUENOS AIRES-The trickle of labor shutdown of the automobile factories. ing, Rucci was elected its head. struggles that began in early March became While this long and heroic strike was Up until the time he was assassinated, a torrent in the following weeks. The developing, a spontaneous work stoppage in Rucci kept that title, although he spent an opening created by the victories at Rigol- Buenos Aires produced the biggest traffic equal amount of time as a national func leau glass fact^y and Centenera metal- bottleneck anyone can remember in the tionary for the CGT[Confederacion General works widened into numerous struggles capital. The subway workers, tired of bad del Trabajo—General Confederation of waged in dozens of factories by all the wages and worse working conditions, Labor]. With the death of this leader and unions. Many of these conflicts have conducted a slowdown during the entire the consequent reorganization of the secre resulted in important victories; in others the second half of March. Armed goons at tariat, it was quite difficult for the Peronist gains are less important; some have yet to tempted to intimidate the strikers. This only candidates of the Blue Slate to win the be resolved. succeeded in touching off a total strike. On elections against the candidates presented There have also been defeats in these Monday, April 7, the one million "Portenos" by the opposition slate of the PST. struggles: At the Ledesma Sugar Mill, [residents of Buenos Aires] who use that At the Somisa plant there are numerous where the union was placed under trustee means of transportation daily found them shop stewards who belong to this political ship by the government and the leaders are selves on foot, leading to a paralysis of grouping. in prison or being hunted by the police, movement in the city. The subway workers In Villa Constitucion, on the other hand, work was resumed after a five-day strike. won the release of their jailed companeros; the resumption of normal functioning by But the victories are more numerous and and granting of the raise they demanded is the UOM was accompanied by the election more important than the defeats. Some of imminent. of a slate in opposition to the national the most outstanding examples, but by no A common attribute of all these labor leadership of the union. This was recog means the only ones, are Propulsora Iron struggles was the role played by the Partido nized by National General Secretary Loren and Steel Works near La Plata, where Socialista de los Trahajadores [PST— zo Miguel, who, joined by other members of employees won an emergency wage in Socialist Workers party, a sympathizing his leadership council, received the new crease, and Indiel, a metal plant in Greater organization of the Fourth International in metalworkers union leaders with greetings. Buenos Aires that won the release of Argentina]. From Villa Constitucibn to the On that occasion the visitors alluded to the thirteen leaders and activists held by the subways of Buenos Aires, from Indiel and different political ideologies held by the two police after an eleven-day work stoppage. Propulsora Iron and Steel Works to the sectors—the national leadership and However, the most important struggle is Ledesma Sugar Mill, the PST played a themselves—and emphasized their respect the one still going on in Villa Constitucibn. front-line role in organizing and publicizing for the top metalworkers union governing In March 1974 an extended conflict at the the conflicts, and as in the case of the bodies. iron and steel plants in that town of Santa current strike in Villa Constitucion, in the It could be added that at another import Fe Province won recognition of the metal tremendous task of assuring economic ant firm, Propulsora Siderurgica S.A., workers' right to freely elect the local solidarity from workers all over the country. located in Ensenada, Buenos Aires, the leadership of the Unibn Obrera MetaWrgica The bourgeoisie and its servants recognize union factory committee representing the [UOM—Metalworkers Union]. A fighting, this. metalworkers there is ideologically identifi class-struggle leadership committee was The following paragraphs reprinted from ed with the PST and the La Plata section of ratified by those elections. On March 20, the daily newspaper La Nacion of March 21 the UOM, of which it is a part. 1975, the government struck a blow against (as part of its reporting on the raids and arrests in Villa Constitucibn) provide the that leadership and other militant sectors of When the latter was ready to put the local proof. the workers movement. The Ministry of under trusteeship for not obeying the Labor ordered the take-over of the Villa union's national governing bodies, it voided Constitucion branch of the UOM and the the shop stewards' orders, above all those 'Among the Unionized Metaiworkers' union at the Ledesma Sugar Mill (in Jujuy). according to La Nacibn, March 21 related to the Social Pact (not asking for At dawn that day police detachments wage increases). But it had to retreat and arrested dozens of leaders and activists at The trade union most affected by yester reinstate the stewards in view of the the steel and iron plants in Villa Constitu day's denunciation from the Ministry of magnitude of the conflict that the step cion, the Ledesma Sugar Mill, and several the Interior was the Unibn Obrera Metal- stirred up. It was practically paralyzing factories in the Rosario area. urgica de la Repiiblica Argentina, since a iron and steel production in the plant, The, outraged metalworkers of Villa large number of the workers at the esta something that affected the national securi responded with a strike, a strike that has blishments mentioned in the official com ty. □

Intercontinental Press Abortion Pickets Voice Solidarity With New Zealand Doctor

K I

V»w» Direct Action

More than 100 persons picketed a court hearing in Auckiand, New Association; Kay Goodger, a leader of the Socialist Action League; Zeaiand, Aprii 28, demanding that aii charges be dropped against and Nan Bailey, a leader of the American Young Socialist Alliance Dr. Jim Wooinough. Wooinough Is accused of performing "iiiegal" visiting New Zeaiand. abortions at the Auckiand Medicai Aid Centre, A petition demanding that the government halt prosecution of A second demonstration in defense of Wooinough, sponsored by Wooinough was taken into Parliament. The minister of justice the Women's Nationai Abortion Action Campaign, was heid the refused to accept it, however, on the grounds that the courts would same day outside Parliament in Wellington. Speakers at the protest have to decide the matter. included Sue Green of the New Zeaiand University Students The hearing referred Wooinough's case to the Supreme Court.

Appeal for Jailed Members of Moscow Amnesty international

[The following is an international appeal fifteen founding members of the Initiative home of the chairman of the Amnesty in behalf of three members of the recently Group for the Defense of Human Rights in group in the USSR, Valentyn Turchin, and established Amnesty International group in the USSR. At the time of his arrest he was the home of a member of the group, the Soviet Union who were arrested within one of only three founders who had not Vladimir Albrekhet, were searched. Earlier, the past several months. been silenced by the intensified crackdown a member of the group, Sergei Kovalyov, [One of the three, Mikola Rudenko, is that began in 1972. was arrested. reported to have been released April 20, two [The translation was done for Interconti These actions by the organs of state days after his arrest. The two others— nental Press by Marilyn Vogt.] security against Amnesty International are Sergei Kovalyov and Andrei Tverdokhle- a challenge to world public opinion and a bov—are still being held. blow to the legality and the democratic and [Tverdokhlebov, who was arrested April humanist principles that this organization 18, is being held in Moscow. Kovalyov was To General Secretary of Amnesty Interna and the members of its group in the USSR arrested in December 1974 and is being held tional Martin Ennals, and the international unalterably uphold. The persecution of its in Vilnius in Lithuania. Both had been public. members in our country arouses indigna active for several years in the struggle for The secretary of the Amnesty Interna tion all the more. Determined and open democracy in the Soviet Union. tional Group in the USSR, Andrei Tver activities by the international public are [Tverdokhlebov worked with Sakharov, dokhlebov of Moscow, and a member of the needed. primarily through the Human Rights Com group, Mikola Rudenko, a writer in Kiev, Andrei Sakharov mittee in Moscow. Kovalyov is one of the have been arrested. Simultaneously, the April 18, 1975

June 2, 1975 Unrest Over Inflation One of the landlords at Apapa Ajeguhle (in Lagos mainland) called a meeting of his tenants and told them that he was going to increase their rent as all of them would be Gowon Tightens Screws on Nigerian Workers getting their "Udoji Bonanza," and he would not like to be left out since he does not work in the public sector. By Ola Musa Strike actions flared in both public and private enterprises, those involved ranging LAGOS, Nigeria, May 2—At a March 3 from doctors, engineers, nurses, techni news conference the federal chief spokes cians, dock workers, railway workers, to man, Mr Edwin Clark, made public the bank workers. arrest and detention of five persons. They One of the posters put up in front of an had been in detention for forty days. indigenous government-owned bank read; Reporting the news conference in its "Our father who art in Doddan Barracks, March 4 edition, the New Nigerian said give us Udoji and save us from inflation that the five were being held under the and starvation." Doddan Barracks is where provisions of Decree 24 (detention without Gowon, the head of the government, lives. trial) for alleged subversive activities The doctors were the first to start the against the Federal Military Government. "work to Udoji" action, as it was called. Their names were listed as Anthony Gowon gave them an ultimatum to get Engurube; Dr Gbolaga Akintunde of the back to work within three days. But the Research Department, Central Bank of doctors turned down the ultimatum and Nigeria; Eddie Madunagu, mathematics scored a solid victory. Other sectors fol lecturer at the University of Lagos; Charles lowed their example. O. Akinde, a Lagos lawyer; and Air lyari, a Progressive organisations, especially the graduate lecturer in Benim, Mid-West. Anti-Poverty Movement of Nigeria (AP- "Giving details of the detained five MON), did a lot in exposing the true nature persons," the New Nigerian continued,"Mr of the award. APMON is devoted to battling Clark said Mr Anthony Engurube was poverty, degradation, oppression, and ex found distributing copies of a leaflet enti ploitation in the country. It has an under tled 'In Solidarity With the Nigerian Work ground paper, the People's Voice. During ers' on Feb. 24 at Lawanson bus stop, the crisis over the Udoji award, APMON Surulere." The leaflet was said to contain a distributed leaflets throughout the country. "strongly-worded statement accusing the When Gowon saw them, he called a Federal Military Government of neglecting meeting of the top military brass. It was a and down-grading doctors." GOWON: Serves notice on "Ill-motivated closed meeting, but following it Gowon held The commissioner was reported as saying elements" protesting higti prices. a news conference on January 29 which that Mr Engurube was accosted by vigilant was reported in the leading reactionary soldiers who arrested him and handed him daily newspaper, the Daily Times, as fol over to Military Police Headquarters. "La her 25, 1972. Among other things, this body lows: ter on the same day, Dr O.A. Akintunde and grades posts in the public services and "General Yakubu Gowon yesterday Mr E. Madunagu visited Military Police establishes salary scales for them. handed out a tough warning to those he Headquarters to secure the release of Mr In its December 1974 decision, the Udoji described as ill-motivated elements. He said Engurube, Mr Clark said." commission put wages for the lowest paid honest attempts of his government to better The paper added, "following interroga worker in the public service at 720 nairas the lot of its workers were being deliberately tions, Dr Akintunde and Mr Madunagu [officially, 1 naira is equivalent to US$1.60] misinterpreted by some ill-motivated ele were held for 'further questioning and a year. The highest paid were granted a ments. 'I will say no more at this stage than investigation.' The Commissioner recounted salary scale of Nll,040 to N13,950 a year. to serve notice that there is a limit to what that in addition, Mr C.O. Akinde was The top levels of the government bureau any government can tolerate in the face of a apprehended shortly afterwards." cracy were granted salaries ranging from calculated plan to disrupt the orderly The New Nigerian went on, "The Com N14,000 to N16,200. progress of our nation,' he warned." The salary scale was backdated to April missioner told the news conference that 'it But Gowon issued his warning after is known that these persons also have 1, 1974, payment to be implemented in arrests were already being made. Engurube, January 1975. associations with others in various workers' who had been followed wherever he went, organisations. . . .'" But the commission failed to take infla was arrested at a bus stop on January 17. He alleged that during the doctors' strike tion into account. From January to April Later, when Akintunde and Madunagu in the country, "The group maintained prices of goods rose as much as 200%r in went to secure his release at the Military constant contact with junior doctors and some instances. Foodstuffs especially were Police Headquarters, they, too, were arrest helped to publicise their case." affected. In Western state, school fees ed. increased by 50%. Their homes were searched, but nothing Today after ninety-six days (the first Landlords increased rents as much as incriminating was found. According to an arrest was made January 17), the fate of the 120% and some ejected tenants on the eyewitness, a typewriter belonging to Ma five is unknown. pretext that they wanted to renovate their dunagu was seized. It all started last December when the houses, and rented them out to those who In February, C.O. Akinde, a lawyer, Udoji salary award was made public. Udoji were ready to pay them the demanded publisher, and distributor of radical Marx is the name of the chairman of the Public increase. This has been called the "Udoji ist literature, who is also a member of Service Review Commission set up Septem- Bonanza." APMON, was arrested at a printers work-

Intercontinental Press shop. His home was also searched. Tortured in Nigerian Detention Camp In the February 23 issue of the Daily Times a colonel was quoted as saying that there would be no mercy for "traitors," and that anyone who tried to disturb the peace Four Political Prisoners Begin Hunger Strike would be "ruthlessly dealt with." The APMON office was also searched. Since their arrest, the five have been held In a leaflet issued clandestinely April 30, proved guilty in the Court of Law? at a military detention camp behind Dod- the Anti-Poverty Movement of Nigeria "(2) The Gestapo Police Officers have dan Barracks in Lagos. This was disclosed (APMON) announced that four of its refused to take Anthony Engurube to the when one of them, Madunagu, the lecturer, members detained by the Gowon regime Hospital even when he is still VERY SICK. was produced in court as a result of had been on a hunger strike since April 26. Tony was forced out of Creek Hospital students swearing an affidavit ordering the The four are Anthony Engurube, Charles while his condition was regarded as serious inspector-general of police to produce him Akinde, Eddie Madunagu, and Gbolaga by the doctor. His first and subsequent and to show why he is being detained. Akintunde. They have been held in a deten appointments with the hospital doctor have However, Madunagu was taken back tion camp since January. Demands for their been refused. Worse, Tony has been denied because the court ruled that his detention release or trial have been ignored. the use of drugs to relieve the pains of his without trial is legal. Since they were arrested they have been stomach ulcer. . . . After the news conference of the informa subjected to severe mental and physical "(3) Police brutality suddenly increased tion commissioner, the APMON issued a torture. They have been beaten, denied last week. The armed guards have been press release entitled "The Lies of Edwin meals, refused medical treatment, and doubled—from two to four. The release of Clark on the Detained Members of the Anti- tormented by specially bred giant mosqui the specially bred mosquitoes has become Poverty Movement." toes. Their cells are under twenty-four-hour frequent and the physical assaults have The release pointed out that Clark's armed guard, and they are kept in total increased. statement was a willful distortion of the darkness around the clock. They are not "We ask, what are the intentions of facts. For instance, Enguruhe, who had few allowed reading materials and are prevent Gowon, Salem and the SMC [other] than copies of the APMON leaflets dealing with ed from even writing poems. the gradual and total destruction of our the salary scale of the armed forces, was The leaflet listed three reasons that members?" arrested on January 17 and not February 24 prompted the hunger strike: APMON appealed "to all patriotic forces as contended in the commissioner's state "(1) The patriots have been forced at to help work for the release" of its members. ment. The release also noted that the GUNPOINT INTO A DARKER ROOM "Equally, we appeal to the country's elders, commissioner claimed that Dr Akintunde WITH ONLY A TINY WINDOW. The new Church and Mosque organisations, student and Madunagu were arrested February 24. cells are real death holes. With two to a bodies, youth organisations, working class The actual date was January 22. dark hole, the new place is the real hell on organisations, peasants associations etc. to The APMON also denied any contact earth. help call on Yakubu Gowon, Kam Salem with the junior doctors. In addition, while a "We ask, is this inhuman treatment and other top military brass to RELEASE solidarity message was issued by the essential for people who have not been our FOUR members and Air lyari NOW." □ organisation in support of railway workers during their demand for Ani Award (a salary increase recommended by Chief Ani five years ago), this was not incitement. Nor had they incited the dock workers. The press release also added that during the news conference, the name of the organisation to which four of the arrested belonged was never mentioned. The reason fcfr this was that the administration cannot and will never "do anything fundamental to end poverty and give the masses a meaningful hope for the future. Blinded by their arrogance, deluded by their mission ary role and surrounded by professional Intercontinental Press sycophants and careerists, these army boys can only continue to bully the Nigerian workers, peasants and progessive intellectu Intercontinental Press als." □ P.O. Box 116 Village Station New York, N.Y. 10014 Michael X Hanged In Trinidad

Michael X (Michael Abdul Malik), a □ $12 for six months. major figure in London's Black power □ $24 for one year. movement in the 1960s, was hanged in his native Trinidad May 16. He was convicted on charges of murder in 1972 and spent two and a half years on death row while his case was appealed. Although an interna tional campaign was waged for clemency, his final appeal was rejected on May 15.

June 2, 1975 Behind the Repeated Crises In Peru gained a certain economic breathing spell. The budget deficit, for example, had been reduced from twelve billion soles to three billion soles. Foreign reserves, thanks to Deepening Fissures in Veiasco's 'Revoiution' state control over the exchanges and currency, had grown from $130 million to $500 million. And national production had By Francisco Montes greatly increased, mainly in the industrial sector, where the rate of growth has shot up [The following article appeared in the political figure responsible for such a to 7.5 percent. March issue of Revista de America, a scandalous fraud. The government brought about this revolutionary-socialist monthly published These two cases are only the initial economic recovery by following a policy of in Buenos Aires. The translation is by superstructural manifestations of the seri reforms and nationalizations. A number of Intercontinental Press.] ous crisis that is undermining Veiasco's measures—including state control over the nationalism. To all outward appearances, fishing industry, some sectors of the mining the Peruvian military junta seemed, in the industry, and the marketing of copper and Latin American context, a more solidly other raw materials; agrarian reform and LIMA—The sixth anniversary of the established government than its counter the subsidies given to industry—all helped "Peruvian Revolution" in 1974 marked the parts in Bolivia and Chile, the governments the government to overcome the economic end of a period of relative bourgeois of Torres and Allende respectively, which stagnation that marked the previous re stability and the opening of a new period were overthrown by bloody military coups. gimes. marked mainly by crises. The two ministeri The reformist Peruvian Communist party Because of the policy it followed, we al crises [President Juan] Velasco had to customarily said that this military regime characterize this regime as bourgeois na meet in the course of the past year showed had carried out a democratic and anti- tionalist. It implemented some measures that a critical stage had opened for the imperialist revolution. That this revolution aimed at reducing the imperialists' profits national bourgeoisie. was building a new society, "neither capi and displacing the oligarchic sectors so as The first crisis was set off by the talist nor communist." That the armed to encourage the development of the inci resignation of the naval minister, Vargas forces were completely integrated into the pient national bourgeoisie. Caballero. This touched off a revolt among revolutionary process. And that the politi But this policy does not make it an anti- naval officers, who issued a public state cal, economic, and social crises that marked imperialist or revolutionary government. If ment voicing solidarity with the former the previous regimes had been definitively the junta were to expropriate without minister. A few days later the minister of overcome. To make a long story short, that compensation all the imperialist monopo housing, Arrdspide Mejla, and the head of Peru had taken the first step along the lies (Southern, Occidental Petroleum, and the Oficina Nacional de Integracion peaceful road to socialism. so forth), if it were to turn the factories over (ONIT)i also resigned from the government. to the control of the workers and permit Behind this initial crisis were internal The present situation itself is enough to them to oversee the distribution and mar contradictions among the bourgeoisie that puncture such mystifications about the keting of goods, if it were to turn the land had been developing and that were reflected Peruvian government. Even President Ve over to the peasants without paying any in the emergence of various camps in the lasco himself has become more circumspect compensation or imposing any control or military cabinet. when he speaks about the situation and the "guidance"—then we would be able to say Vargas Caballero made statements in outcome of the "revolutionary process." that Velasco heads an anti-imperialist and support of the Miro Quesada family, owners Thus in his message to the country on the revolutionary government. of the pro-oligarchy daily El Comercio. completion of six years of the "revolution," This is why the Peruvian economy was Velasco found this conduct unacceptable he announced a campaign to "improve able to gain only a partial breathing spell, and publicly suggested that he resign. A ethics" in the state apparatus. He said, and was unable to shake off the structural few weeks later the government passed the among other things: crisis engulfing it. It is a crisis that has now decree expropriating the newspapers. "The concentration of power, its nonparti- reached new heights as a result of the Less than five months later a second cipatory character, and the underwriting of accelerated rate of inflation on a world cabinet crisis confronted the junta. This one the virtual privileges of those who make an scale. Inflation has, for example, forced the was set off by the discovery of a multimilli- excessive salary—all of these things pave state to spend vast sums of money to on soles [1 sol equals about US$0.02] fraud the way for the emergence of interests that subsidize imports of certain food items. in a state-owned marketing company create and reinforce the danger of bureauc- These subsidies have proved, however, to be (EPSA—Empresa Piiblica de Servicios Ag- ratization. They serve to create conditions absolutely ineffective in halting the in ropecuarios^). The minister of commerce, that promote immorality and enrichment of crease in the cost of living. Barandiardn Pagador, whose ministry held a high bureaucratic strata that thrives at responsibility for the company for several the cost of serious harm to Peru. The Although the agrarian reform did enable months, mysteriously presented his resigna Revolutionary Government cannot permit the sugar-producing sector to double its tion. And much the same thing occurred in the crystallization of a situation of this sort. production, the snail's pace at which it was the case of the minister of agriculture, It is urgent that steps be taken to counter applied, along with its inherent limitations, Valdes Angulo, who was accused by sectors act the tendencies I just called attention to. were reflected this year in a scarcity of food. close to the government of being the main In reality, the destiny of our Revolution is Another important indicator that reveals much at stake here." the opening of a political crisis is the fact A few days later more than 100 high that the contradictions among the different officials in the EPSA were dismissed and sectors of the bourgeoisie have begun to 1. Office of National Integration, the government bureau responsible for matters concerning the turned over to the military courts, and the take on a definite shape and a broader Andean Common Market organization. two ministers handed in their resignations. scope. The first explosion of these contra In the period before the opening of this dictions occurred last year following the 2. Pubhc Corporation for Agricultural Services. critical stage, the national bourgeoisie had expropriation of the daily newspapers. For

Intercontinental Press the first time the right wing mobilized in having support in the navy. This grouping Ultima Hora supported the MLR com the streets, demanding the return of the stands for a more repressive policy against pletely, reflecting the point of view of the newspapers to their former owners, shout workers struggles and greater conciliation bonapartist sector seeking to control the ing slogans against the government, and toward the right-wing opposition. mass movement directly—without any calling for elections. A third grouping, not as strong, lies intermediary whatsoever. This is why the Later, in the pages of the right-wing new leader of Sinamos,^ Sala Orozco, magazine Opinion Libre, the various oppo declared his support to the MLR. sition parties called for the formation of a Expreso on the other hand, reflecting the "Frente Civil Constitucional" [Civilian point of view of the more populist sector, Constitutional Front] to press the govern came out against the MLR, accusing it of ment to hold elections. At the same time, being "fascist" and "divisive." Its cam the right wing adopted a policy of seeking paign against the MLR was supported by new allies to come out against the steps the CGTP,^ the trade-union federation taken by the government, taking advantage controlled by the Communist party; and by of all its difficulties. The Bar Association, all the most important federations and for example, issued a statement criticizing unions in the country. a contract the Peruvian government signed with two Japanese companies to obtain a These disagreements have reopenea an loan. old discussion, which has now taken a more Other magazines, such as the Peruvian concrete turn: the question of the formation Times and Oiga—a weekly that shifted of a government political party. That is fi*om support to the regime to harsh why President Velasco, after making clear criticism—publicized the statement. that the MLR "is not and will not become But what stands out the most in this the political party of the Revolution," entire phase of conflicts among the bour declared that the formation of the govern geoisie is the inability of the national ment's own political movement was not bourgeoisie to develop a consistent anti- under discussion, and that for the present, imperialist and antioligarchical political ■ all Peruvians should "form their own line. In face of the right wing, the govern groups, their own movements, and begin ment oscillated back and forth, alternating the task." □ between repression and concessions. For example, it first suppressed the VELASCO: Organizing campaign to "improve "gilded youth" who mobilized against the ethics" of. state bureaucracy. 4. Slstema Naclonal de Apoyo a la Movilizacion take-over of the dailies, but then it author Social—National Network for Supporting Social ized the reopening of Caretas—which had Mobilization, the government social-service agen been closed because of the reactionary somewhere between these two sectors. Its cy. campaign it was conducting. It also author main concern is to prevent the internal 5. Confederacibn General de Trabajadores ized the return of five leaders of Accibn contradictions fi:om developing to their Peruanos—General Federation of Peruvian Work- Popular^ who had previously been deported. logical conclusion. To fulfill its role as Then it closed Oiga, Opinidn Libre, and arbiter—bonapartism, in Marxist terms— the Peruvian Times, deported ten reaction this sector favors a combined policy of ary journalists, and jailed the Bar Associa concessions to both the right and the left, tion's entire board of directors. Next it without defining itself as either one or the Protest U.S. Plan to Dispose granted amnesty to the jailed lawyers and other. of Vietnam Defoliant In Pacific to the young punks from Miraflores. And, h This bonapartist game has been agreed to bring down the curtain, the government by all the sectors. This is why the national Washington is planning to burn 2.3 issued a communique banning mobiliza ist sector did not take advantage of its million gallons of herbicide orange, which tions of any sort. recent gain in strength to push forward a was used to defoliate the forests of Vietnam, This policy of vacillation, of swinging greater radicalization of governmental in the Pacific Ocean, about 120 miles west back and forth, aids only the rightist policy, which would have polarized the of Johnston Island. The plan has been sectors in the opposition. right wing. And, in the same way,the navy opposed by the Trust Territory of the As we said at the beginning, the resigna has promised to maintain unity between the Pacific Islands and a Hawaiian environ tion of the ministers last year testifies to the naval forces and the government. mental group. Life of the Land. existence of distinct sectors in the cabinet Tony Hodges of the Hawaiian group said and the armed forces. A more nationalist This coincidence of views does not mean, at an April 25 hearing of the Environmen sector, headed by the young officers in the however, that the contradictions have dis tal Protection Agency in Honolulu that the army, favors making concessions to side appeared. residents of the islands in the area "would track the rise of the working class. They As an example to the contrary, we can be strongly opposed to the burning of also want to adopt a more radical policy to cite the press campaign Expreso and herbicide orange upwind of them." He serve as a brake on the right wing and the Ultima Hora carried out around the Movi- added, "The people who used it in Vietnam imperialists. miento Laboral Revolucionario [MLR— should take the risks—not those in Microne The other pole is more conservative, a Revolutionary Labor Movement]. At issue sia." sector headed by the ^laval ministry and was a body, created by a sector of the Demei Otobed of the Trust Territory of government, whose purpose was to mount the Pacific Islands said that the plan "may physical attacks on unions whose leader expose the islands and the people of the ships were classified as either class-struggle trust territory to dangerous health hazard 3. Popular Action, bourgeois opposition party led tendencies or not directly representative of and environmental contamination, the by Beladnde Terr". the interests of the government. extent of which cannot be determined "

June 2, 1975 'A Crushing Defeat for Yankee imperialism' some bourgeois governments in the semico- lonial world. (Peking, for example, gave $300 million in military aid to Pakistan in 1972, compared with military aid to Hanoi of $85 million in Cubans Hail Vietnamese Triumph 1970 and $75 million in 1971. In 1970-71, Moscow gave Egypt $670 million in sophis By Dick Fidler ticated weapons, while its military aid to North Vietnam totaled $170 million.) While Moscow and Peking responded to Prime Minister Fidel Castro and Presi When U.S. imperialism was finally forced the fall of Washington's puppet regime in dent Osvaldo Dorticos sent a message to the to negotiate a withdrawal from South South Vietnam with perfunctory and "res leaders of North Vietnam. "On hailing the Vietnam, the bureaucrats collaborated with trained" commentaries, Havana made the culmination of the extraordinary Vietna Washington in imposing unfavorable terms victory of the Vietnamese liberation forces mese epic," it said, "we reiterate, dear on the Vietnamese through the Paris cease the theme of Cuba's May Day celebrations^ comrades, the unbreakable solidarity of the fire accords. Leading the march of 125,000 persons in Cuban Revolution and we wish you new The policies followed by Moscow and Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion were and great successes in the construction of Peking alike were shaped by their desire for "internationalist workers" recently re socialism in the Democratic Republic of "peaceful coexistence" with imperialism, turned from Vietnam, where they had Vietnam [North Vietnam] and in the and their readiness to betray the Vietna helped repair the damage done by U.S. realization of the most deep-felt aspirations mese revolution in exchange for modest bombing. Marching with them were leaders of all the Vietnamese people." trade and diplomatic concessions from of the National Committee of Solidarity Emphasizing the importance of the world Washington. with Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. wide movement of solidarity with the In the early years of the war, the Cubans The entire side of a large building Vietnamese, the message by Castro and were openly critical of the bureaucrats' overlooking the plaza was covered by a Dorticos referred to the solidarity "of the approach. In his 1967 appeal, Che deplored mural portraying Ernesto "Che" Guevara, workers of the capitalist countries and the "a painful reality: Vietnam, this nation one of the leaders of the Cuban Revolution, encouragement and the sympathy of the representing the aspirations, the hopes for who was killed in Bolivia during an attempt progressive people in the United States who victory of an entire disinherited world, is to emulate the Cuban victory by initiating a realize that the war unleashed by the tragically alone." guerrilla insurrection. In a message made imperialists was contrary to the very Describing the crimes of U.S. imperialism public in April 1967, just six months before interests of the U.S. people." in Vietnam, Che added; his death, Che had called for creating "two, Castro told leaders of the Provisional "But they are likewise guilty who at the three . . . many Vietnams"—that is, to open Revolutionary Government of South Viet decisive moment vacillated in making new revolutionary fronts in Latin America nam, at a reception at their embassy in Vietnam an inviolable part of socialist and elsewhere, and thereby facilitate the Havana, "We welcome this victory as our territory—yes, at risk of a war of global victory of the Vietnamese liberation forces.^ own." Recalling the victory of the Cuban scale, but also compelling the North Ameri Roberto Veiga, the general secretary of revolutionary forces in 1959, he said that can imperialists to make a decision. the Central Organization of Cuban Trade "the only other emotion I've ever had in my "And they are guilty who keep up a war Unions (CTC—Confederacion de Trabaja- life comparable with all that is this excite of insults and tripping each other, begun dores Cubanos), gave the keynote address ment I've felt in the past few hours upon some time ago by the representatives of the at the May Day rally. The Vietnamese hearing about the victory of the Vietnamese two big powers in the socialist camp." triumph, he said, was the victory of "the people." Unfortunately, some recent statements by hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese who The Cubans have every reason to greet the Cuban leaders tend to obscure Gueva laid down their lives in the struggle for the triumph in Indochina as their own. ra's message. their independence and liberation." It was When Johnson first escalated the war, In a May 8 speech marking the thirtieth also "the victory of socialist and proletarian Castro appealed at once for a massive anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi internationalism, the victory of the strong response to the imperialist aggression. The Germany, Castro said that the Vietnamese solidarity of the peoples throughout the Cubans increased their efforts to aid the people, "like us, counted on the supply of world. . . . Vietnamese struggle by opening new revo modem weapons from the Soviet Union. "The victory scored by the Vietnamese lutionary fronts in Latin America. The Vietnamese people, like us, in their people represents a crushing defeat for They organized brigades of workers to go struggle, received the support and solidarity Yankee imperialism and constitutes a to Vietnam to help in the task of reconstruc of the USSR and the socialist camp. And as source of inspiration and encouragement tion in the wake of the bombing. Solidarity the B-52s unmercifully bombed Vietnam for for all those who are building a new life and with Vietnam's struggle was a key theme in the last time, scores of these planes were for those who are struggling to win their their propaganda, both internally and downed by antiaircraft missiles made in the independence," Veiga said. internationally. Not least important, they Soviet Union. campaigned for the formation of a united "These are the facts, these are the truths front of workers states in defense of Viet we are constantly wielding to offset the nam. infamous slander of those who try to lessen 1. The May Day rally and Cuban reaction to the The Cubans' record stands in marked the worthy and outstanding role played by Vietnamese triumph were reported extensively in contrast to the policies followed by the the Soviet people in the big progress and the May 11 issue of the English-language Weekly Review published by Granma, the daily news Soviet and Chinese leaderships. The bu victories which have been won in the past paper of the Communist party of Cuba. Quota reaucrats in Moscow and Peking failed to years by the peoples of the world. There is tions are taken from this publication. close ranks in defense of the embattled not one single just cause that has not Vietnamese freedom fighters. Their stingy received the solidarity of the USSR and of 2. The full text of Che's message, entitled "Viet nam and the World Struggle for Freedom," was allocations of aid to the North Vietnamese the socialist camp. . . ." published in the April 28,1967,issue of Interconti workers state compared unfavorably with Castro may have changed his assessment nental Press, p. 434. the rather generous aid they had given of Moscow's role in Indochina under the

Intercontinental Press influence of Soviet economic and military revolutions. Embellishing the image of the CIA's (and White House's) dirty business aid to Cuba—which has been far greater bureaucrats only aids their counterrevolu has a certain logic. than that accorded to Hanoi. (It is estimat tionary strategy. In the first place, the underworld could ed that this aid amounts to more than $1 Nevertheless, Cuba's enthusiastic ac not operate without its solid connections million a day in economic assistance alone.) claim for the Vietnamese victory indicates with major politicians in both capitalist Exaggerating the role of Moscow and that its leaders continue to identify the parties. Peking, however, in no way serves the defense of their own revolution with the Second, the Mafia's former influence in interests of the Cuban or Vietnamese extension of the world revolution. □ Havana gambling and real estate would provide both a motive for getting rid of Castro, and a possible cover if the plot were exposed. It could all be made to appear like a Mafia job, and not what it really was—a Did CIA Recruit Mafia to Do the Job? joint White House-Mafia operation. In addition, this latest link between the CIA and the underworld coincides with the disclosure that the FBI, which handles Report John F. Kennedy Behind Plots to Kill Castro some White House covert operations within the United States, attempted to set the Mafia against the Communist party Former officials of the Central Intelli infiltrate rifle sharpshooters into Cuba to through a phony letter-writing campaign gence Agency are reported to have told the kill Castro during a public meeting. code-named "Operation Hoodwink." Rockefeller Commission that the White There is written material to support The full details of what these "former House was behind the CIA's preparation of Anderson's allegations, according to a intelligence officials" told the Rockefeller "contingency" plans to assassinate Cuban "former top official of the Department of Commission may not be known for a long Prime Minister Fidel Castro. Justice during the Nixon Administration," time. The commission, set up by President According to a "former senior intelligence who testified secretly before the Rockefeller Ford to "investigate" disclosures of CIA official," quoted in the May 24 New York Commission recently. According to the May covert operations, is meeting behind closed Times, this "contingency" planning in 20 New York Times, he said that depart doors. The majority of its members are cluded proposals to involve two Mafia ment files contain Federal Bureau of eminent Democratic and Republican party chiefs, Sam Giancana and John Roselli. Investigation memorandums that confirm politicians and businessmen who have "The plans, one source said, were exa that the CIA was in touch with Giancana themselves worked for and with the CIA— mined after top-level officials in the White and Roselli, in a plot to assassinate Castro. and who no doubt have plenty to hide on House of President Kennedy indicated a The use of Mafia figures to carry out the their own account. □ desire to have the question of assassinating Mr. Castro examined as one possible solution to the growing Cuban problem in 1961 and 1962," tbe Times reported. The former intelligence official said the CIA's planning resulted from informal discussions at the White House. "He empha sized that what White House officials might have regarded as informal remarks would have been treated as a formal request by- the C.I.A.," the Times report said. olle^ McGeorge Bundy, then assistant to the president for national security affairs, told To help celebrate the tenth anni reporters several weeks ago that White versary of Interconlinenfal Press, House officials did have discussions of reproductions of sketches by Co- "how nice it would be if this or that leader" pain, artist for Infercontinenfal were not around anymore. Press, were published by the New One source who had seen the minutes of a meeting on August 10, 1962, attended by York Local of the Socialist Workers Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Cj /V ^ f;: ; party and bound in an 8.5" x 11" Secretary of State Dean Rusk, CIA director --K Lf book. The aim was to use the money John McCone, and Bundy, told the Asso gained from sales to help us begin ciated Press that "the subject of killing publishing articles in Spanish. Castro was raised." Predictably, he added 'A M' The drawings, of various sizes, in that it "was immediately dismissed." clude portraits of Hugo Blanco, Mal colm X, James P. Cannon, Che These reports confirm disclosures made Guevara, Cesar Chavez, Leon by columnist Jack Anderson as early as Trotsky, and many more, some of 1967, except that Anderson reported that / V which are suitable for framing. the plot actually proceeded. According to A limited number of copies of this Anderson's sources, the CIA recruited collection of drawings are now Giancana and Roselli, and Roselli made two attempts on Castro's life. One was an Larissa Daniel, anti-Stalinist dissident. available for only $5. attempt to use poison capsules supplied by Intercontinental Press P.O. Box 116, Village Station New York, NY 10014 tbe CIA. The other was an attempt to

June 2, 1975 Why the Liga Socialista Said, 'No'

The Mexican CP Steps Up Its Popular-Front Line

By Roberto Torres A.

[The following article appeared in the Fighting for democratic rights is a the PCM or influenced its members as a February 1 issue of El Socialista, fortnight principle for socialists. Moreover, winning result of this movement. That is why ly newspaper of the Liga Socialista (Social them is a necessity to enable us to reach Gerardo Unzueta, when reporting for the ist League), a sympathizing organization of broader sectors of the masses with our Central Committee at the last PCM con the Fourth International in Mexico. The ideas. However, this positive side of the gress, had to criticize even the formulas translation is by Intercontinental Press.] PCM's proposal creates confusion on two previously used by the Stalinists. So, in fundamental questions: issuing their call, the PCM leaders tried to In the first place, the PCM does not say "sugarcoat the pill" for many of their ovra how it proposes to fight for such democratic members. Number 77 of Oposicion, the newspaper rights. In our opinion, the only possible of the Partido Comunista Mexicano[PCM— valid way is through mass mobilizations. The Art of 'Sugarcoating the Pill' Mexican Communist party], dated October To form a "democratic" bloc without 26, 1974, carried a proposal "to all democ specifying what means are required to At the last PCM congress—the ratic and revolutionary organizations." The obtain the end is extremely dangerous. It sixteenth—held at the end of 1973, the "proposal," signed by the PCM Central can create illusions about other ways of Stalinists adopted a "hard" line toward the Committee, was dated October 24,1974. The gaining freedom of expression and organi government of LEA (Luis Echeverria Alvar headline on the newspaper was "Unity in zation for the left. ez). The political resolution stated that the Action by the Left to Win Political Free In the second place, the proposal is PCM had no confidence whatever in the dom." ambiguous as to whether the fight for Echeverria regime and that the govern Our rejection of such a worthy proposal democratic rights is the only point on which ment was totally tied to monopoly and might appear narrow-minded, hopelessly the bloc is to be formed. Let us look at what imperialist capital. sectarian, and worthy of "Trotskyists"(this the most important paragraph of the PCM's As we have said previously in El Socialis final adjective is one we accept with pride). call says: ta, this was only an expression of the fact The fundamental problem presented by "For all these reasons the Central Com that the Communist party leadership had to the PCM's proposal was that it did not call mittee of the Partido Comunista Mexicano bend to the pressure of some of its members for a front "to win political freedom." proposes to democratic and revolutionary influenced by the student radicalization. Instead it called for a broad "democratic, parties, groups, and currents the establish Now, in order to propose a broad alliance anti-imperialist" coalition aimed at making ment of the broadest possible relations." between "democrats" and "revolutionists," an unprincipled bloc against "reaction." In the PCM has had to make a gradual other words, the PCM called for the forma The Mystery Unravels reversal. tion of a "popular front." The new "turn" of the PCM,if we can call In Number 80 of Oposicion (December 31, Note that they do not appeal solely to the it that, began with a June 21, 1974, 1974) the PCM proudly announced that it currents that claim to be part of the workers statement from thd executive committee of movement to join the bloc. They speak of had begun discussions and reached agree the party's Central Committee (see the "democratic and revolutionary currents." ment with some organizations: the PPS front page of Oposicion, No. 70, June 22, Note, too, that they propose "the broadest [Partido Popular Socialista—People's So 1974). There they also called for the win possible relations." In other words, the cialist party], formerly headed by the late ning of democratic freedoms as the priority struggle for democratic rights and the need Lombardo Toledano; the PMT [Partido task. Following the old Stalinist tradition, to win them is nothing more than the Mexicano de los Trabajadores—Mexican they posed this as the only task of the camouflage hiding the real character of the Workers party], headed by Heberto Castillo; Mexican revolution today. Up to this point bloc proposed by the PCM. The positive side the PST [Partido Socialista de los there was nothing strange, since the PCM of the proposition is transformed into a Trabajadores—Socialist Workers party], has always had this line. But further on the headed by Rafael Ferndndez, Cdsar del form aimed at attracting the attention of statement said: Angel, Rafael Talamantes, and others; and many left activists and currents. ". . . it is indispensable to concentrate the the MAUS [Movimiento de Accion Unifica- Perhaps some PCM members became movement's forces on the task of blocking da Socialista—Unified Socialist Action very distrustful of the formulas the party the most recalcitrant sectors of the oli was using just a few years ago—"anti- Movement] of Aroche Parra. All these garchy, isolating those inside and outside imperialist people's alliance," "democratic, organizations are recognized as the farthest the government who are inciting violence anti-imperialist revolution," and so on.- to the right of the groupings in Mexico that and repression against revolutionary and These formulas became very unpopular claim to be "socialist." democratic fighters. . . ." among student activists after the 1968 Here there certainly is a change from the movement.1 Many of these activists joined The Positive Side of the Proposai line of the sixteenth congress: One year ago The PCM's proposal, as it appeared in the Stalinists did not yet notice these No. 77 of Oposicion (it also, by the way, 1. The massive student movement that arose in "recalcitrant sectors of the oligarchy" and July 1968 with strikes in the overwhelming directed their attacks at the "liberalizers." appeared in the Mexican daily Excelsior, majority of educational centers of Mexico City. In the June 21 statement the PCM promised October 26, 1974), poses a fundamental The movement was smashed with the infamous problem: the need of the left to win its October 2 massacre, in which hundreds of to promote "unity" with them. democratic rights. students were killed.—IP This was only a preparation for the

intercontinantai Press second step—the sixth plenum of the PCM confession of the true objective of the call This is the opposite of what Marxist Central Committee (see Oposicion, No. 71, for "unity." theory has always pointed out: Democratic July 10, 1974). We quote the resolution of These quotes have no resemblance to the tasks can only be carried out by a workers that plenum: ultraleft demagogy the PCM used during and peasants revolution and not by an "What can realistically be achieved in the 1971, 1972, and 1973 to lead independent electoral coalition made up of all forces current phase, given the forces of the claiming to be for "democratic and anti- revolutionary movement and the broad imperialist" demands. democratic-minded sectors, is not the elimi nation of the capitalist system. Rather, it is The experience in Chile, where the CP the conquest of political liberty." {Oposi entered an electoral coalition with "democ cion, No. 71, p. 14.) ratic anti-imperialist" aims, fully confirmed Further on, they provide the key to the how mistaken the notion of such a popular entire matter we are dealing with in this front is. The Chilean working class was article: disarmed politically: Day and night the "The main thing now consists in finding popular front repeated that it must not forms in the presidential race^ for a united advance toward the destruction of the participation by the broadest sectors of the bourgeois state. Nonetheless, the popular left." {Ibid., p. 15.) front ended up destroying the Chilean To round out the picture, we will quote the workers movement. editorial in No. 79 of Oposicion: In Mexico the PCM is creating illusions "In addition to what may initially be that the bloc it is proposing can lead to the limited unity in action in the short run, we conquest of democratic goals without a think it is possible to move toward a more workers revolution having occurred first. general agreement—for example, a common platform supporting coordinated action of How Is the 'Turn' Explained? left forces in the next federal election campaign—and even more far-reaching The main resolution of the last National agreements." Organization Conference provides the key i I What this means is evident: The PCM is concerning the origin of the "turn." Its first calling for "unity" to form a broad electoral point refers to the fact that in recent coalition. To accomplish this, it is meeting ECHEVERRIA months links to the international "workers with the PPS, PST, PMT, etc. The PCM is and communist" movement were strength calling for the formation of an "electoral ened. front." Of course, this is a reference to the fact activists up the garden path to their that, after having had some minor frictions The Popular-Front Error organization. They have no resemblance to (criticism of the 1968 Soviet invasion of the "condemnation" of the "liberalizers" Up to now there has not been any sign of Czechoslovakia), its links to world Stalin (ultraleft epithet for those the PCM consid the possibility that some bourgeois political ism, especially to Moscow, have been ered were playing into the hands of LEA), formation could be attracted toward the strengthened once again. Ties have been whom the Stalinists are now coexisting bloc proposed by the PCM. reestablished. Delegations of Soviet Com with and even inviting as guests to the But the PCM's call is explicit on keeping munist youth visit Mexico; the PCM con fifty-fifth anniversary dinner of the PCM open the possibility and the invitation, as gratulates Brezhnev more affectionately (see Oposicion, No. 79). They have no we have shown in the quotes referring to than usual on the anniversary of the resemblance to the old slogan until recently "revolutionists and democrats." Russian Revolution. chanted by the CPers—"We don't want A coalition that invites joint participation Given the world situation, nothing less liberalization, we want revolution." Finally, with bourgeois forces in an electoral contest could be expected. The Soviet CP is in a the quotes have no relation to the notion cannot represent the interests of the work hurry to spread its position internationally, expressed in the resolutions of the sixteenth ing class. Above all when its program and it is pressuring the PCM to adopt a PCM congress that the government and the revolves around "democratic" and anti- monopolistic sector of the bourgeoisie con softer and softer line toward Echeverria. imperialist planks. Brezhnev needs more allies for his detente stitute a monolithic bloc. Let us examine the most recent step taken plans, which are on the brink of failure. in the PCM's "turn"—the National Organi Since LEA is well known for his criticisms The "popular front" called for by the zation Conference of December 1974. Point of imperialism, the PCM has to pave the PCM, one with purely "democratic" and 3 of its main resolution says: way for Moscow to establish good diplomat "anti-imperialist" goals, is a formation "This unity can be the basis for a broad ic relations. If the PCM were to continue designed to muddle up the aims of the coalition, which in the coming general with a "hard" line toward LEA, all possibil working class. Its demands do not go elections may represent the historic current ities of tactical and diplomatic arrange beyond what the PRI [Partido Revolucionar- that has promoted the fundamental democ ments between Moscow and Mexico would io Institucional—Institutional Revolution ratic and anti-imperialist changes that be out of the question. ary party, the ruling party] announces as have occurred in the country." (Oposicion, its program. The very goals of the struggle No. 80.) How Far Can the 'Turn' Go? After having described the various gradu of the working class and peasantry are The fact that the leadership of the PCM al steps taken, we have reached a clear missing. These objectives are postponed until after the struggle for democratic has had to resort to "sugarcoating the pill" demands has been completed (see the end of is quite indicative of the recent division in 2. Presidential elections will be held in Mexico in Point 2 of the cited resolution from the sixth its ranks. But, at the same time, the fact 1976. Although there are other parties participat plenum of the Central Committee of the ing, the PRI dominates, having ruled the country that many "ex-ultraleft" youths are swal for almost fifty years.—IP PCM, Oposicion, No. 71). lowing the medicine without a fuss or a row

June 2, 1975 shows the deep disorientation to which they Fall of Lin Piao Came As a Shock have been subjected. In Oposicion No. 79 there is a (social?) note where a great event is recorded—the fifty-fifth anniversary dinner of the PCM. There the broken hearts of young and old Indian Maoists Criticize Peking alike were mended in the midst of the hullabaloo. Old Stalinists (previously cast By Sharad Jhaveri aside) like Dionisio Encinas were received warmly and considered worthy of conversa JAMNAGAR—A group of Naxalites who The group also suspects that the issues tion and comradeship by the youth— had been followers of the late Lin Piao have behind Lin's downfall go deeper than the something that had not happened for a long raised several questions about the role of explanations given by the Chinese Maoists. time. the Chinese Communist party in Lin Piao's The report noted the sudden and continu On the other hand, the PCM considers the downfall. A report by this group charging ed silence of the Chinese CP and Peking assassination of one of its activists by the that the "CPC owes an explanation," Radio regarding the CPI(ML). "Since 1971 repressive forces and the persecution of appeared in the November 16, 1974, issue of September till this day," it stated, "the CPC twelve of its members as "a provocation" by the leftist West Bengal weekly Frontier, has not had a single word to say about the most reactionary forces of the Mexican which often publishes material on discus Naxalbari or about the CPI(ML) or about bourgeoisie. A display advertisement signed sions within the Naxalite movement. the martyrdom of our beloved leader," by the PCM leadership in the January 12 The pro-Lin Piao group refuses to view Charu Mazumdar. issue of Excelsior explained the assassina the downfall of Lin Piao as an internal The report questions the policy of the tion of Hilario Moreno by the fact that question of the Chinese CP. It says that Chinese CP in aiding the bourgeois regime Federal District chief of police, General Lin's downfall has caused severe divisions in Sri Lanka to crush the JVP. It said that Daniel Gutitoez Santos, who has infiltrat among the Indian Naxalites, because the peaceful coexistence is subordinate to pro ed the state, is a member of an ultrareac- Communist party of India (Marxist- letarian internationalism and that under no tionary clique. Leninist) had based its strategy of guerrilla circumstances can the latter be sacrificed or Conclusion: The PCM knew how to bring warfare on the "people's war" thesis pro ignored, even temporarily, in order to many ultraleft youths from the crassest pounded by Lin. preserve the former. radicalism to the opportunism of a popular- The report said, "Because a succinct The report charges the CPC with sacrifi frontist position. formulation of the role of guerrilla warfare cing proletarian internationalism. It asks, How far will this ticket they have bought in mobilising the masses against the enemy "How can one explain the fact that the CPC from the PCM take them? Much further, is not there in any of the Chairman's is less concerned about the fate of world without any doubt. Oposicion is already [Mao's] works, Charu Mazumdar naturally revolution to-day than at any time before?" talking about "reinforcing" the foreign had to defend himself and his thesis on the The group thinks that "revisionists" have policy of LEA (Oposicion, No. 79) without a authority of Lin Piao." once again gained the leadership of the single word of condemnation of the real Until 1969, the dispatch pointed out, no Chinese CP and criticizes the diplomacy of character of this policy. Naxalites dared question Lin's authority. Chou En-lai. For the Stalinists the PRI government is Charu Mazumdar had called on the not in the least way responsible for such CPI(ML) cadres to establish the authority The discussion among Indian Naxalites actions [assassination and persecution of of "Comrade Lin Piao" as the only means has not yet gone beyond the limits of Communists]. Moreover, the PCM raises as of establishing Mao Tsetung Thought on Stalinist politics and practice. The Naxal one of the reasons for its call for "unity" the Indian soil. All was well so long as Lin Piao ites still do not realize that the manner of need to block that ultrareactionary wing of was firmly in the saddle. Authority flowed Lin Piao's elevation as Mao's successor and the Mexican bourgeoisie. from the chairman through the vice- his sudden downfall is totally alien to the Where will it all lead? In the short run, to chairman to Charu Mazumdar. Leninist tradition and has nothing to do a policy of class collaboration, to forgetting Lin Piao's downfall was a severe shock to with real Marxism. Their utterly blind that the workers revolution is the most this Naxalite group. In an organization like worship and reverence for authority pre important task of our time. In the longer the CPI(ML), engaged in armed actions vents them from critically evaluating Lin run, to support for LEA, since he is being isolated from the mass struggle and closely Piao's thesis of "people's war" from a "attacked by the darkest forces of the patterned on Mao's hureaucratized party, correct Marxist standpoint. oligarchy." □ the influence of authority is quite strong. Nevertheless, this document is signifi In discussing the role of Lin Piao and cant. It shows the extent to which many Charu Mazumdar, the report said, "Authori Naxalites have gone in questioning the ty is science, authority is the correct credentials of the Chinese Communist VW Reports $336 Million Loss In 1974 revolutionary politics and hence makes no party. □ mistake." It further stated that . "the Volkswagen, the leading West German history of the party of Lenin and that of the auto company, announced May 12 a loss of Chairman teaches us that the revolutionary $336 million in its worldwide operations for party grows only around a single individual 1974. It was the first time the company and that the correct politics has always U.S. Unemployment Will Hit reported a loss. Toni Schmiicker, the been associated with the thinking of an 11.5 Percent, Meany Says managing director, predicted a similar loss individual." in 1975. This Naxalite group considered Lin AFL-CIO President George Meany pre Worldwide sales dropped 12%. Sales in the Piao's emergence as Mao's successor the dicted May 6 that the U.S. unemployment United States, which usually account for most significant outcome of the Chinese rate would reach 11.5 percent before the one-third of Volkswagen's total sales, fell Cultural Revolution. It has therefore de current slump "bottoms out." At present, by 30%. The company has laid off 40% of its manded from the Chinese CP more informa unemployment is officially listed at 8.9 German work force. tion about the "crimes" of Lin Piao. percent.

intercontinental Press Debates Role of Armed Struggle The Satyanarayan Singh group of the CPI(ML) and the Chandra Pulla Reddy group of the Andhra Pradesh Revolutionary Communist Committee are reported to have India's Naxalite Movement Reviews Its Strategy discussed the problems of unity among Communist revolutionists in India. Their joint statement called for an end to antago By Sharad Jhaveri nistic relations at once, for an exchange of documents and other publications, and for JAMNAGAR—Eight different groupings can be formed only after base areas are an earnest effort to form a new AICCCR.® are reported to have existed in the Com created) is based on a "mechanical under The Nagi Reddy group was not involved in munist party of India (Marxist-Leninist), standing" of the Maoist strategy. Peking's these unity talks. often known as the Naxalite movement. But "suggestion," according to the six Naxalite The statement poses rejection of the at present, only three tendencies in this leaders, was that "the main understanding parliamentary path as the sole issue of the Maoist party are significant. behind the United Front is the unity Indian revolution. It ignores the question of The diehard faction following the late between the exploiter and the exploited a programme for agrarian revolution. Charu Mazumdar^ ignores Peking's criti (those exploiters who are not the main cism of Naxalite strategy and believes the target of the revolution)." Roots of the Naxalite Movement "annihilation tactic" is correct. That is, it In addition, the letter stated, the Chinese continues to call for the "annihilation" of CP criticized the Naxalite "formulation that Taking its inspiration from the 1967 class enemies such as individual landlords, the open trade unions, open mass organisa tribal peasant revolt in Naxalbari, a small moneylenders, and capitalists. It rejects tions and mass movements are out of date" enclave of West Bengal, the Naxalite mass participation in revolutionary activity and that "secret assassinations" are the movement marked the return of the Maoist and the building of mass organizations. best forms of struggle. "Without mass perspective after the Telengana upsurge.® It The second faction is the Satyanarayan struggle, and mass organisation, the peas has passed through several stages. Singh group. It functions as the breakaway ants' armed struggle cannot be sustained." The first period covered the struggle in CPI(ML) and refuses to accept its share of Moreover, the Chinese CP was said to Naxalbari itself. This was suppressed by responsibility for the left adventurism and have regarded the CPI(ML)'s application of the United Front government of West left opportunism of the CPI(ML). The Singh Lin Piao's theory of "people's war" as Bengal, which was dominated by the CPI group claims to lead the entire Maoist "mechanical." (Marxist).'' movement in India. The letter also said, "No stress has been The second period, dating from the The third faction consists of supporters of given on agrarian revolution and the collapse of this struggle, lasted until the six members of the Central Committee of slogan for the seizure of the state power is formation of the CPI(ML) in 1969. During the original CPI(ML) who have refused to counterposed to the land problem. There is this period the activities of various Naxalite identify with either of the present-day no agrarian programme." groups were under the direction of the CPI(ML)s. This group is trying to reunite In fact, however, the first theoretical AICCCR. the party on a new basis. denunciation of the CPI(ML)'s "annihila The third period began in early April The six leaders—Kolla Venkaiah, Chowd- tion" tactic was voiced as early as 1970 by 1969. It saw the emergence of the CPI(ML) hary Tejeswara Rao (Andhra Pradesh); the Andhra Pradesh Revolutionary Com and the withdrawal of the Nagi Reddy Kanu Sanyal, Souren Rose (West Bengal); munist Committee (the Nagi Reddy group), group. This period lasted roughly up to and Bhuvan Mohan Patnaik and Nagab- which had not joined tne CPRML).^ early 1970. It was marked by the CPI(ML)'s hushanam Patnaik (Orissa)—issued a state The Nagi Reddy group was critical of the attempts to form "red bases" in rural areas ment accusing Charu Mazumdar of sup CPI(ML) from the beginning. While Kanu and by the adoption of "annihilation of the pressing the Chinese CP's criticism of the Sanyal, a main leader of the CPI(ML), CPI(ML)'s tactical line.^ These leaders, characterized the 1967 Naxalbari uprising followed later by Asim Chaterji, have as a struggle for state power, the Nagi issue of the Bombay Economic and Political accepted Peking's criticism. Reddy leadership in Andhra Pradesh Weekly, Kanu Sanyal also criticized the formation of the CPl(ML), calling it a "divisive act."—IP According to their statement, the Chinese viewed it as a struggle for land and not for Communist party criticized the "secret state power in the immediate sense. assassination" line of the CPI(ML), stating The Nagi Reddy group also opposed the 5. The Satyanarayan Singh faction and the that it needed "rethinking." Peking was attempt to impose the All-India Co Chandra Pulla Reddy group have since merged.— also reported to have criticized the CPI(ML) ordinating Committee of Communist Revo IP "formulation that if a revolutionary does lutionaries from above. It did not approve of not make his hand red with the blood of converting the AICCCR into a party—the 6. The peasant insurrection in the Telugu- class enemies, then he is not a Communist." CPI(ML)—overnight without such minimal speaking region of southeastern India lasted from The Chinese leadership thinks that the requirements as a programme and a consti 1946 to 1951, and was led by young members of the Communist party of India, despite the twists CPI(ML)'s idea of a "united front" (that it tution.^ and turns in the CPl's political line in the rest of the country. According to Mohan Ram in his book 3. The Nagi Reddy group, originally known as the Maoism in India (1971), the guerrilla actions in 1. Charu Mazumdar was the main leader of the Andhra State Co-ordination Committee, was Telengana were called off in 1951 under pressure CPI(ML) until his arrest in Calcutta on July 16, affiliated with the All-India Co-ordinating Com from Moscow.—IP 1972. He died in prison twelve days later.—IP mittee of Communist Revolutionaries (AICCCR). When the AICCCR formed the CPI(ML) on April 7. The first popular-front government came to 2. The letter hy the six Naxalite leaders was 22, 1969, the Nagi Reddy group disaffiliated itself power in West Bengal in 1967. It was formally led written from prison and circulated among from the main Naxalite movement and changed by the bourgeois Bangla Congress, although the CPI(ML) members before Mazumdar's arrest and its name to the Andhra Pradesh Revolutionary CPl(M) was the largest component of the coali death. According to the six, the letter was based Communist Committee.—7P tion. At the time of the Naxalbari uprising, on criticisms the Chinese Communist party made CPl(M) leader Jyoti Basu was the minister of of the CPI(ML) line in November 1970.—/P 4. According to a report in the March 8, 1975, police.—IP

June 2, 1975 I class enemy" as the only tactical line for prador New Democratic Revolution against proved fatal in their isolation and virtual revolution. the proimperialist, antinational capitalist suppression) the Indian capitalist state's This was perhaps the most important class—but not against the national bour capacity to isolate and ultimately destroy period in the history of the Naxalite geoisie. sporadic regional armed struggles or at movement in India. Armed struggles were This view completely ignores the capital tempts at armed struggle that do not have launched in several places, including Sri- ist development—by no means modest—of the backing of mass struggles developed on kakulam in Andhra Pradesh, and Debra in agriculture and industry in India. It is an all-India scale. Their conception of West Bengal.® It was during this period that based on a mistaken appreciation of the armed struggle does not take into account the Srikakulam Girijan armed struggle in class character of the Indian state, which is the state's capacity for armed intervention Andhra Pradesh was taken over by Charu a classical bourgeois state and not a feudal at a moment's notice wherever such Mazumdar and eventually destroyed by his formation. struggles erupt and threaten the stability of "annihilation" line. The Naxalites think that the immediate the bourgeois regime. It was also during this period that the tasks of the Indian revolution in the present Because of its adherence to Peking, the CPI(ML) began to ignore all forms of phase cannot be defined in terms of a Naxalite movement could not adequately economic struggle on the ground that "to socialist revolution, that is, the overthrow come to grips with the Bangladesh crisis attempt agrarian revolution without first of capitalist rule and the creation of a and Peking's support to the Sri Lanka smashing the state machinery is straight workers state based on the alliance of the capitalist regime's drive to suppress the forward revisionism." proletariat with the poor and landless Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (People's Even the task of organizing political peasantry. Hence, its overall programme Liberation Front).'" Both these events campaigns was given a low priority in this does not basically go beyond the limitations created considerable consternation among period. Their policy implied the rejection of of a bourgeois-democratic revolution. the Naxalites. the "mass line" and the building of mass It is unfortunate that the Naxalite fer organizations in favor of forming a secret, Two-Stage Theory ment has not yet called into question the elitist organization. basic political postulates of Maoism, both During this period the Naxalites went to They hold a two-stage theory of revolu as an ideology and as a strategy applied to tion. They want to first complete the anti- the villages and ignored the mass move the case of India. The review of strategy ments and proletarian struggles in the imperialist and antifeudal tasks and then now taking place is still being carried on cities. In fact, they had no programme for proceed to the "next stage" of anticapitalist, within the overall political framework of the city proletariat as such. socialist revolution. Maoism. The Naxalites have retained The fourth period was marked by the In their view, there can be no skipping Maoism's basic ideas of a two-stage revolu over the first stage. Hence, their political return of the Naxalites to the cities, espe tion, a "bloc of four classes," and exclusive strategy of forming a bloc of four classes in cially Calcutta and the adjacent towns. reliance on peasant armed struggle. which the anti-imperialist bourgeoisie is to They carried out raids on educational The historic contribution of Naxalism is join hands with the antifeudal peasantry, institutions, disfigured the statues of na that it voiced a powerful protest by sincere the proletariat, and the landless peasantry. tional leaders, and boycotted examinations. revolutionists—the flower of Indian youth— "Annihilation" tactics were also applied in The overall military strategy of Naxalism against the reformist abuse of youthful flows from and is subordinated to this the cities. revolutionary idealism through the parlia The last period saw severe repression by political viewpoint. Since the thrust of the mentary aims of the Stalinist and left- the government. The Naxalites were isolat revolution is to be antifeudal, rich peasants centrist movements. In its original form, opposed to feudalism are to be the allies of ed from the masses and infiltrated by Naxalism represented a search for the agents provocateurs, informers, and spies. the landless peasantry. correct road to building a nonparliamentary Many of their supporters were arrested and The antifeudal character of the revolution mass revolutionary party as the basis for a also dictates, in their view, greater concen tortured. mass uprising against capitalist rule in tration on rural villages than on the cities. Throughout these ups and downs, the India. □ They believe that the villages of India will political ideology and strategy of the rise up and take advantage of the revolu Naxalites has not changed much, despite 10. Peking gave the Pakistani regime political tionary situation and its potential for the differences between the various fac support during the Bangladesh struggle for armed struggle. The villages will then independence in 1971. The JVP was the main tions. In their view, India is a semicolonial, engulf the towns and liberate them. target of fierce repression launched by the semifeudal state ruled by the comprador- This conception patently ignores the Bandaranaike regime in March 1971.—/P bureaucratic bourgeoisie and the feudal ramifications of the massive development, landlords. both bureaucratic and military, of the Washington's Blockade of Cuba The principal contradiction, they believe, centralised state apparatus since the period 'Backfired,' Senator Percy Says is between feudalism and the masses of of British rule. This process has been peasants. They compare the situation in The U.S. embargo against Cuba has stepped up considerably by the Indian India with the prerevolutionary situation in "backfired" and should be ended. Republi bourgeoisie through panchayats,® Commu China before 1949 and want to carry out an can Senator Charles Percy said in a speech nity Development Projects, the National anti-imperialist, antifeudal, and anticom- from the Senate floor May 6. Extension Services, and so forth. "The economic and political isolation of In addition, this conception ignores the Cuba, initiated unilaterally by the United vital and potentially revolutionary role of States, was never successful," he said, 8. Agrarian struggles by the Girijan tribespeople the Indian proletariat that has emerged in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh "despite the fact that 14 OAS [Organization from the massive industrialization drive of American States] nations subsequently began in 1959, leading to mass actions by 1967. In launched by the Indian capitalist state 1969, the state government sent in troops and joined us and agreed formally to the declared many parts of Srikakulam "disturbed since 1951. isolation of the Castro government. In areas." The repression in Srikakulam still conti The Naxalites also overlook (and this retrospect, the policy backfired; instead of nues. (See Intercontinental Press, July 8, 1974, p. bringing down the Castro regime, it helped 896.) Guerrilla actions in the Dehra-Gopivallabpur area of West Bengal were launched in October 9. Panchayats are local administrative units on to unify the Cuban people in support of 1969, largely by students from Calcutta.—7P the village level.—IP their revolutionary leaders." Intercontinental Press Honduras Economy Minister Named in Bribe Inquiry

Pressure Mounts for Take-over of United Brands

By Judy White

The bribery scandal in Honduras contin ting one of the largest U.S. investments in ues to unravel as students, union officials, Central America. and now the country's attorney general United Brands faces court action in both demand that the holdings of the U.S. multi Honduras and the United States. Hernan national corporation United Brands be dez Castellanos announced that the com nationalized. pany would be prosecuted for bribing an On May 15 deposed Honduran Economics official of the Honduran government. The Minister Abraham Bennaton Ramos was U.S. Security and Exchange Commission named as bagman for the $1.25 million has filed a brief accusing United Brands of bribe paid by United Brands to ensure that mounting an "effort to continue to conceal Is- banana export taxes in that country would the true scope and extent" of foreign pay be lowered by $7.5 million a year. Bennaton ments. It has requested examination of the was identified by a fact-finding commission company's records and a full report on set up by the new Honduran government. "corporate funds which may have been Three telegrams uncovered by the commis used for improper payment to government sion revealed that United Brands trans officials, foreign or domestic, or for other ferred the funds to Bennaton's Swiss bank improper purposes." □ Alternativa account on September 4, 1974. Jorge Arturo Reina, speaking for the fact- finding commission, said that Eli M. Black, former chairman of United Brands, went to the Honduran capital in 1974 to personally Gulf Oil Under Fire In Bolivia offer former President Oswaldo Arellano Ldpez "several hundred thousand" dollars Less than a week after Gulf Oil denied selves around the University of La Faz, the "to fix the banana problem." The president having bribed any Bolivian officials. Gulf departure point for the march. □ reportedly refused the offer at the time. But Chairman Bob R. Dorsey admitted May 16 when banana negotiations were "at a to a Senate subcommittee that Gulf had Koreans Shocked at Gulf Bribe difficult point," Black received a phone call made $460,000 in "political contributions" in New York "supposedly from Mr. Benna in Bolivia between 1966 and 1969. Opposition leaders expressed shock at ton," suggesting another meeting on the In 1966, Gulf gave Bolivian President learning May 17 that Gulf Oil, the biggest same topic. Rend Barrientos a hehcopter costing foreign investor in South Korea, had made Bennaton was reported to have initially $110,000. This was followed by two addi $4 million in "political contributions" to the asked United Brands for $5 million and tional contributions, according to Dorsey: ruling Democratic Republican party of Fark then to have settled for $2.5 million—$1.25 "the first apparently for $240,000, and the Chung Hee, $3 million of the total just million to be paid immediately after the second for $110,000." before the 1971 elections. export tax was lowered, the remaining $1.25 Dorsey said that there were "certain Kim Young Sam, president of the New million to be paid in the spring of 1975. indications that various representatives of Democratic party, said the bribe was a The commission said it had placed General Barrientos's political party may "national shame." "If Gulf did it, there is Bennaton with Harvey W. Johnson, a vice- also have been involved," but pleaded no reason why others may not have," he president of the banana division of United ignorance of the details pending further said. Brands, in Miami in mid-August; and with "investigation" by Gulf. John A. Taylor, senior vice-president in On May 18 the Bolivian government U.S. Banana Companies charge of United's banana operations, in made its third demand for an explanation Denounced In Costa Rica Zurich on September 3 and 4—the date and from Gulf Oil. It requested that the com Costa Rican Foreign Minister Gonzalo place indicated in the telegrams regarding pany identify "without delay or ambiguity" Facio charged three U.S. fruit companies of the transfer of funds. all persons who had received political conspiring to keep Central American Lopez and Bennaton have both refused to contributions. banana-producing countries from raising allow the fact-finding commission to exa Two days later, the regime placed Carlos export taxes. According to Associated mine their Swiss bank accounts. They are Dorado Chopitea, Gulf s Bolivian repyesent- Fress, he said May 20 that he had uncon the only two officials questioned by the ative, under house arrest. The government firmed reports that Del Monte, Standard commission to have done so. also ordered Dorsey to appear in court in Fruit, and United Brands set up a $5 In response to the commission's report, Bolivia and said Gulf would be "criminally million fund to destabilize the governments Honduran Attorney General Serapio Her prosecuted" for making illegal political favoring levies on banana exports. nandez Castellanos has called for the contributions. Facio made the charge as the Costa Rican expropriation of all United Brands installa Meanwhile, police in La Faz were placed legislature prepared to vote on a bill that tions in the country. "The chief of state on emergency alert to prevent a student- would expropriate uncultivated lands must make a decision to nationalize," he organized march "to defend the nation's owned by United Brands and Standard said. United Brands holdings are believed dignity." The police—armed with clubs, Fruit. The two companies have $200 million to be worth at least $50 million, represen dogs, tear gas, and guns—stationed them invested in Costa Rica.

June 2, 1975 Inflation and Unemployment Are ttie Targets By the fall of 1974, student protests began to be directed against inflation, unemploy ment, and government corruption. In Sep tember, Federal Reserve Units swept through squatters' settlements on the out The Student Protests in Malaysia skirts of Johore Bahru and began demolish ing the shacks. The inhabitants protested By Ernest Harsch this action and the University of Malaya Students Union rallied to their defense. In the autumn of 1974, the students of table extractive industries like rubber has Students occupied the University of Malaysia followed the example set by their reduced the amount of land used for food Malaya and some went to Johore Bahru to Thai and South Korean counterparts. They production. support the squatters. The regime cracked took to the streets to protest political The dependency of the neocolonial econo down, arresting student leaders and dozens repression, government corruption, and my on a few exports exposes it, and the of squatters. The UMSU was suspended. deteriorating economic conditions. As in the workers employed in those industries, to the Two months later, in the Baling area of massive social outburst that rocked Thai price fluctuations of the world market. northern Malaysia, widespread malnutri land the year before, the actions of the Added to this instability is the general tion among the rubber tappers, who make Malaysian students came at a time when tendency for the price of raw materials up most of the population there, sparked a sectors of the working class and peasantry exported from the semicolonies to decrease series of demonstrations. On November 21, had also begun to move. in relation to the price of industrial imports. about 13,000 persons demonstrated against In "The Student Revolt in Malaysia," Treen notes that the amount of rubber food shortages in Baling. They were at published in the March 1975 Young Social exports needed by Malaysia to pay for one tacked by riot police. Another protest, this ist* the first issue of a new magazine of the ton of imported steel rose 334% from 1951 to time of 25,000 persons, took place December New Zealand Trotskjdsts, Mike Treen 1961. 1. outlines the factors behind the rising "These demonstrations," Treen writes, discontent in Malaysia and recounts the Especially devastating to Malaysia's poor "occurring at a time when workers' strikes major events of the upsurge. The author is has been the rampant inflation. During the were becoming more and more frequent, the welfare vice-president of the Auckland past two years, the prices of basic necessi were the major reason for the government University Students Association and has ties, such as beef, milk, flour, and bread, sensitivity to the militant protests of been active in the defense of Khoo Ee Liam, have risen between 50% and 200%. students that were to follow." a Malaysian student who had studied in The resulting unrest has not been over When the news of the protests in Baling New Zealand and who is now a political looked by the Malay-Chinese ruling classes. reached the students, they took to the prisoner in Malaysia. They inherited the repressive Internal streets in Kuala Lumpur,Penang, and Ipoh, Treen points out that the wretched Security Act from the period of direct protesting inflation, unemployment, falling conditions of the Madaysian masses result British colonial rule and supplemented it rubber prices, and government corruption. firom the same economic problems that face with the Trade Union Ordinance, Trade More than 1,000 students were arrested, and the other semicolonial countries, which Union Act, Sedition Act, Employment paramilitary police occupied the two main have achieved formal independence without Ordinance, and University and University universities in Kuala Lumpur. Student throwing out the imperialist interests and Colleges Act. protests and rallies continued for several overturning capitalism. The regime has the power to jail anyone days, and boycotts of classes and exams Malaysia's foreign exchange earnings are without trial for two years or more. Strikes were launched. heavily dependent on two main products, by unrecognized unions are illegal, and in The Razak regime went on a propaganda rubber and tin, which account for 40% of all the words of the Sedition Act, "a tendency offensive by trying to link student leaders exports. Moreover, 60% of the tin and 50% of to raise discontent or disaffection among with the underground Malayan Communist the rubber exported is owned by foreign the subjects of the King or the ruler of any party, and by charging that they had been companies. Treen cites figures indicating state" is outlawed. inspired by "alien elements." the scope of the imperialist plunder: "There are up to two thousand political Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Hussein On "Between 1957 and 1966 over three prisoners in Malaysia," Treen writes, "in accused the Malaysian students abroad of thousand million Malay dollars [about cluding members of parliament, city coun spreading a "hate Malaysia" campaign. US$1.25 billion] were taken out of the cillors, prominent leaders of opposition Khoo Ee liam and Wong Siong Seng, country in the form of profits to these parties, teachers, students, and trade union another Malaysian student who had stud companies." This figure has increased each ists." ied in New Zealand, were arrested upon year, so that by 1970 the "capital outflow It was against this background that the their return to Malaysia. represents some fifteen percent of Malay Malaysian student movement developed. Treen concludes his report of the Malay sia's Gross National Product." The initial student actions in April 1971 sian upsurge by noting that New Zealand's In addition, about 73% of the best agricul protested the introduction of the University Labour government has close ties with tural land is owned by foreign-controlled and University Colleges Act, which res Kuala Lumpur. It provides the Razak companies. There are 350,000 peasant tricts political activity on campuses. In regime with millions of dollars in "aid," families with no land or not enough to October 1973, during the war in the Arab half of which is military, and refuses sustain them. From one-half to two-thirds of East, Malaysian students held a demonstra asylum to Malaysian students. the rice farmers are tenants, paying from tion of 10,000 outside the U.S. embassy in He points out that New Zealand students one-third to one-half of their crops for rent. support of the Palestinian struggle. can help put an end to this collaboration by The concentration of investment in profi- When the regime of Prime Minister Tun organizing a protest movement to demand Abdul Razak attempted to abolish universi the immediate withdrawal of all New ty autonomy at the beginning of 1974, the Zealand troops in Malaysia, an end to aid students and teachers responded with a ten- to the repressive regime in Kuala Lumpur, *P.O. Box 3494, Wellington, New Zealand. and the release of all Malaysian political NZ$0.35 a copy (US$0.50). Published by the day wave of protests, demonstrations, and Auckland University Young Socialists. boycotts that forced Razak to hack down. prisoners. □ Intercontinental Press 'We Will Not Be Guinea Pigs'

By Ernest Harsch

More than 20,000 persons demonstrated (LMR—Revolutionary Marxist League, ent and planned construction in order to in Paris April 26, protesting the French Swiss section of the Fourth International). examine all uncertainties, shortcomings, government's plans to build dozens of The April 26 demonstrations followed the and dangers involved in this program." nuclear power stations throughout the coun eruption of broad-based movements against On March 15, the CFDT unionists of the try. nuclear power stations and other polluting Centre National de la Recherche Scienti- A leaflet distributed at the demonstration industries in France, Switzerland, and West fique (CNRS—National Center for Scientif said that "nuclear power stations destroy Germany.(See Intercontinental Press, April ic Research) stated, "The danger of radioac rivers and streams and contribute to the 21, p. 531.) tive contamination concerns everyone. Yet death of the ocean." One of the many At Marckolsheim in France, residents it is particularly grave for those workers chants was directed against Westinghouse recently forced the authorities to abandon most directly concerned (mines, reprocess and General Electric, the two main U.S plans for a polluting chemical factory, and ing plants, etc.)." The union then demanded companies involved in the French nuclear at Wyhl, West Germany, villagers from "an immediate halt to the EDF program for progrram: "We will not be the guinea pigs of both the French and German sides of the the massive introduction of nuclear power the multinationals." border halted construction of a nuclear plants" and called for a moratorium on The Paris demonstration was organized power plant by occupying the building site. their construction for several years. □ by Amis de la Terre (Friends of the Earth), A nuclear construction site at Kaiseraugst, Mouvement Ecologique (Ecology Move Switzerland, was also occupied. ment), and Parti Socialiste Unifi^ (PSU— Opposition to the construction of a United Socialist party). Participating in the nuclear plant at Fessenheim, on the French High Cancer Rate Found action was a wide range of groups, includ side of the Rhine River, has been voiced ing Comity Antimilitariste (Antimilitarist since 1971. A demonstration is planned in Atomic Bomb Survivors Committee), Revolution!, and the Ligue there for the end of May. Communiste R6volutionnaire (Revolution The spreading protests threaten the The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission ary Communist League, French section of French government's plans to build from reports that leukemia, a form of cancer the Fourth International). forty to fifty 1 million-kilowatt nuclear known to be induced by radiation, has Similar demonstrations took place in power plants in France by 1980 and to enter increased as much as thirty times among other parts of France. At Paluel, in Nor the international market with its new some groups of survivors of the U.S. atomic mandy, one of the sites chosen by the EDF liquid-metal fast-breeder reactors. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This (Electricity de France, the government In addition to harmful nuclear waste, increase reached a peak in 1953. But for electricity board) for a nuclear power water pollution, and gas emissions, acci those who received the most exposure to station, about 2,500 persons demonstrated dents at the proposed plants would also radiation, the leukemia rate was still higher on April 26 and April 27. On the second pose a serious danger. The planned French than normal twenty-five years after the day, the protesters tried to occupy the nuclear power stations are of the same type bombing. nuclear construction site, but were prevent as twenty U.S. plants that were temporarily Scientists have found that women ex ed from doing so by police. shut down in September 1974 after the posed to the nuclear radiation suffered a In addition, 2,000 persons rallied at a discovery of cracks in their cooling systems. higher risk of breast cancer; for women who nuclear construction site at Gravelines in Moreover, the fast-breeder Phenix reactor were between the ages of ten and nineteen northern France April 26. At Aramon, 300 that Paris plans to develop commercially at the time of the bombing, the risk was six demonstrators protested the construction of lacks many of the minimal safety features times greater than normal. a thermal power plant in that area. An required in the United States. Micronesian delegates to a conference on "antinuclear picnic" was held at Cheppes- The French nuclear program has drawn nuclear bombs at the University of the la-Praire, the site of another proposed criticism from the French labor movement. South Pacific in Suva, Fiji Islands, charged nuclear power station, on April 27, drawing A union of agricultural workers called for a that since a 1954 U.S. hydrogen bomb test 200 participants. halt to the building of the Braud Saint- near Rongelap island, 16 of 17 children The movement against the construction Louis plant, which had removed more than bom on the island have had surgery for of nuclear power plants has spread to other 600 acres of land from cultivation by the thyroid tumors. One of the children died of European countries. A demonstration in end of 1974. myelogenous leukemia in November 1974. Bern, Switzerland, was also held on April Seventeen unions of EDF workers, be In addition, the rate of stillbirths was more 26. Among the participants were members longing to the Confydyration Franeaise et than double the rate for the rest of the of the LOR, Gruppe Internationale Marxis- Dymocratique du Travail (CFDT—French Marshall Islands, while the death rate for ten (GIM—International Marxist Group, Democratic Confederation of Labor), passed all persons on Rongelap stood at 13 per German section of the Fourth Internation a resolution March 20 calling on the 1,000 in 1963 compared with 8.3 per 1,000 al), and Ligue Marxiste Ryvolutionnaire government to "immediately suspend pres for the other islands. June 2, 1975 0/Db l7^::. QODk ooop^p^^y^^ □□□not. z7aOd i/OAu:\^^'ao/ W# V# ¥

Mass Arrests in Basque Country Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, near the refugee taken place in the Soviet Union. . . . The More than 1,300 persons have heen camp there, said in an interview with the world's first socialist state has degenerated arrested in Bilbao since the Franco regime Chicago Sun-Times. "I can tell you, the into social-imperialism and social-fascism. declared a state of emergency in the Basque Governor of Arkansas didn't come out when The socialist bulwark which Hitler troops in provinces of Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya April I came home. And they didn't have no band their millions were unable to conquer has 25. Roman Catholic spokesmen and civil- music. . . ." heen captured from within by the rights lawyers say that at least 2,000 "I hear this guy Quang is in the camp at Khrushchov-Brezhnev renegade clique. This persons were detained for questioning Chaffee. Boy, he was a big crook over there. handful of renegades has accomplished throughout the region in the first month of Everyone knew about him, even us boonie what Hitler wanted but failed to carry out." the decree. rats. Course, that's the way it was in The editorial said that the Brezhnev The churchmen and attorneys said that Vietnam, all corruption, everyone after a leadership only "pretends" to celebrate the several of those arrested were tortured. buck—the Vietnamese and the Americans victory over Hitler Germany. "They negate The state of emergency was declared in a both. Stalin's world-recognised meritorious deeds crackdown against Euzkadi ta Azkatasuna "That's another thing that stinks. You in the anti-fascist war and, with ulterior (ETA—Basque Nation and Freedom), but know these here refugees ain't the rice motives, laud Brezhnev instead." those arrested also include other Basque paddy farmers, the poor ones who never did According to the Chinese leaders, "Stalin, nationalists. Communists, Socialists, have nothin'. These are the people who as the leader of the Communist party of the Trotskyists, Maoists, and Catholic priests. made the buck and spent it in the right Soviet Union and the Soviet people and as Lawyers report that most of them are teen place to get out. When I heard they was the supreme commander of the Soviet age students and workers. comin' over, I was damned mad, I'll tell armed forces, led the war as a whole and all major battles and won final victory. . . . To negate Stalin's meritorious deeds in the Vietnam Veteran's anti-fascist war is to negate in fact the Reaction to Refugees Czechoslovak Arms Supplier Has heroic exploits of the Soviet people and the President Ford let it he known that he Second Thoughts on Sale to Chile Soviet army and nullify the socialist system was "damn mad" at the hostile reception A Czechoslovak proposal to sell arms to under the dictatorship of the Soviet prole America gave to the refugees he had the Chilean junta has been vetoed by the tariat at that time." whisked out of Vietnam. "It just burns me Soviet Union, according to a report in the The People's Daily said further that "the up," he said. May 11 London Sunday Times. Chile had flaunting by the Soviet revisionists of the Ford was not the only angry American, negotiated to buy ten million rounds of role of liberators" in Eastern Europe "is no however. 7.62mm ammunition from Prague. more than a cover-up for their colonialist "They are giving these people the red- The Czechoslovak supplier, Omnipol, rule over a number of East European carpet treatment," a Vietnam veteran in decided to check with Moscow as a precau countries." tion following an earlier rebuke by the These "hegemony seekers will certainly Russians over the sale of machine guns to meet the same fate as Hitler's Third Reich Lebanese Phalangists. and will be consigned to the rubbish heap of history," it said. Peking Leaders Laud Stalin, Compare Brezhnev to Hitler Gandhi Forced to Drop In one of the most virulent attacks to date 'Internal Security' Bill II ■ ' against the Soviet leadership, Peking Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was charged May 9 that "the Soviet Union forced to withdraw a repressive bill she had today is under the dictatorship of the introduced in the lower house of Parliament bourgeoisie, a dictatorship of the big bour after opposition members charged that she geoisie, a dictatorship of the German fascist was attempting to impose a dictatorship. type, a dictatorship of the Hitler type." The bill, proposed as an amendment to The Soviet leaders, said an editorial in the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, the People's Daily, "are trying to embark on would have allowed the government to Hitler's beaten track of world domination." detain persons in "disturbed areas" for two Entitled "Commemorate the 30th Anniv years without trial or the right to appeal to ersary of Victory Over German Fascism," advisory boards. .\meri< j lu- a lindihon of op^nirc it^ door- to immigrdnls the editorial said: ". . . as a result of the Even without the amendment. New Delhi from all counlnei—I'reiitleni lord usurpation of the party and government has used MISA against striking railroad power by the Khrushchov-Brezhnev rene workers, political dissidents, and students. Interlandi/Los Angeles Times gade clique, an historical retrogression has The regime has admitted that 5,000 persons Intercontinental Press are imprisoned under the act. Opponents of International. It also publishes its own Gandhi say the figure is much higher. bulletin called Deltio, the May issue of / er alorsL. The amendment was designed to elimi which contains several articles on the It y A ENCORE 3>U ThOtvJ -DPiHS nate a safeguard in the Indian constitution history of May Day. f . LE MERCURe!.. permitting prisoners to appeal to courts or This issue also includes a communique on advisory boards for their release. the first conference of the Greek section Had the bill passed, virtually all civil since the fall of the dictatorship and the liberties would have been suspended in manifesto of the conference; a document "disturbed areas." The bill also allowed for adopted by a meeting of the Political the detention of anyone "likely to commit or Bureaus of the European sections of the attempt to commit prejudicial acts." Fourth International, "The Development of Minister of Home Affairs K. Brahmanan- the Communist Parties in Capitalist Eu Lutte Ouvriere da Reddy told the members of Parliament rope"; and an article by Leon Trotsky on terrorism. Deltio is entirely in Greek. May 8 that the bill would be reintroduced in "Well, what do you want? the fall. Information on the Group of Communist There's still tuna in the mercuryl" Internationalists and Marxist literature in New Nationalizations in Portugal Greek can be obtained from Vanguard Books, 334 Queen Street W., Toronto, Cana mercury in fish, especially tuna, has sur The Portuguese government nationalized da. passed the safety level. the cement, paper, and tobacco industries The French Ministry of the Quality of May 14. Two days later it nationalized five Life dismissed these findings. It declared unnamed manufacturing concerns, bring Storm of Protest in Britain that "in view of the eating habits of ing to forty-eight the number of companies Over judge's Racist Remarks Europeans, as well as the very broad safety nationalized within ten days. After sentencing five Caribbean youths to margins taken into account in establishing Lisbon also prohibited companies from five years in prison on robbery charges, the norms . . . it is excluded that the declaring bankruptcy or distributing divi London Judge Gwyn Morris declared in possible consumption of such products dends without official approval. It said any court that "ruthless and sophisticated could, under present circumstances, cause businessman caught stripping companies of footpads [muggers]" had become "a monot poisoning." their assets faced eight years in prison. onous feature in the suburbs of Brixton and In addition, the regime decreed that no Clapham," two areas of London heavily Moscow Offers to 'Guarantee' one could earn more than $1,458 a month populated by Black immigrants. The areas, Israel's 'Right' to Exist and that wages above $500 a month would he said, "within memory were peaceful, safe Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko be frozen as of June 1. The national and agreeable to live in. But the immi told the Syrian foreign minister April 23 minimum wage was raised from $137 to grant resettlement which has occurred over that Moscow was prepared to guarantee the $167 a month. the last 25 years has radically transformed existence of the state of Israel. He said: that environment." "Israel may get, if it so wishes, the strictest Honduran Peasants Occupy Land Following a barrage of protest, he quali guarantees with the participation—under Ten thousand peasants who had occupied fied his racist remarks, stating that they an appropriate agreement—of the Soviet land in various parts of Honduras in mid- were "confined to the facts and circum Union. These guarantees would insure May demanding a speedup of agrarian stances of the case I tried." peaceful conditions for the existence and reform decided to withdraw peacefully on development of all states of the Middle May 23, according to a government state Argentine Police Torture Hugo Cores East." ment. Hugo Andres Cores Perez, the former On May 14, Egyptian President Anwar el- The peasants are members of the Nation vice-president of the Uruguayan Conven- Sadat recognized Israel as a "reality of al Union of Farmers. Reuters reported May cion Nacional de Trabajadores (National fact" within its pre-1967 borders. He said 24 that the new military government had Workers Congress) and former president of that Soviet officials made it clear to him threatened to use force if they did not end the Asociacibn de Empleados Bancarios when he visited Moscow in 1971 and 1972 their occupation. (Association of Bank Employees), was that Israel's previous borders could not be The first concrete measure promised by jailed by Argentine police April 14. touched. the junta following its bloodless coup April Cores is an Argentine citizen, having "After [the] October, 1973 war," he 22 was the distribution of 1.5 million acres emigrated from Uruguay after political continued, "the United States and Soviet of uncultivated land to 120,000 families over persecution made it impossible for him to Union showed me that they were working the next five years. The land involved continue living in his native land. together for the continued existence of includes holdings of United Brands and Although his arrest was witnessed by Israel inside its pre-1967 borders." Standard Fruit. several Argentines, police initially denied that he was in jail. For five days he was Protest Denial of Medical Treatment Greek Trotskyists in Canada brutally tortured and questioned by Uru to Soviet Dissident Elena Bonner Hold May Day Celebration guayan authorities. The American Federation of Scientists On May 10, the Group of Communist Although a judge ordered Cores released has asked U.S. scientists to boycott a world Internationalists, Greek supporters of the since there were no grounds for holding scientific meeting in Moscow in July to Fourth International in Canada, held its him, the Argentine executive branch has protest the Soviet treatment of dissident first public meeting in Toronto. About sixty kept him imprisoned. physicist Andrei Sakharov and his wife, persons came to a celebration of May Day Elena Bonner. where speeches were given in Greek and A spokesman for the federation said the English. Tuna From Mediterranean is OK— boycott was called because Soviet authori The Group of Communist International Just Don't Eat Too Mucti of it ties refused to permit Bonner to travel to ists distributes Ergatike Pale, the weekly Recent tests carried out in the Mediter Italy for an eye operation. He said she may paper of the Greek section of the Fourth ranean have shown that the amount of go blind without adequate treatment. June 2, 1975 El PC Portugues Contra la LIbertad de Prensa intencion de mostrar que el PS no era un partido socialdemocrata comiin y corriente sino un "partido de masas" capaz de movilizar a decenas de miles de personas en la calle. Sin embargo, inclusive esta demos- El Clerre de 'Republica': un Mai Augurio tracion limitada de fuerza puede sallrseles de las manos rdpidamente, como lo mostro [La siguiente es una traduccion del taron de que el PS era la dnica alternativa de nuevo la confrontacion en las oficinas de articulo "The Seizure of 'Republica'—a Bad real al partido promoscovita. Republica. Omen" que aparece en este mismo numero. Los editores del New York Times dijeron Es obvio que despues de los enfrentamien [La traduccion es de Intercontinental que la medida contra Republica fue tomada tos del Primero de Mayo, el congreso de la Press.] "despues de que el Sr. Rego babia publicado Intersindical programado para fines de un documento secreto del Partido Comunis mayo implicard una confrontacion de ta en el cual instaba a los militares a llevar grandes proporciones entre los dos partidos a cabo otra purga contra los empleados obreros reformistas. La ofensiva del PS en socialistas del sistema estatal de radio y los medios de comunicacion esta vinculada El gobierno del Movimiento de las television." tambien a una ofensiva en el sindicato de Fuerzas Armadas llevo a cabo el 20 de Los medios de comunicacidn son una de periodistas. De la misma manera fue obvio mayo una medida importante tendiente a la las tres areas donde el PS ba iniciado su que el PC pretende a toda costa preservar su "institucionalizacion" de una dictadura ofensiva despues de su victoria electoral. En posicion burocratica en los sindicatos. Esto populista militar, aprovecbandose de la el periodo que va desde la caida del antiguo fue lo que llev6 a los stalinistas a provocar maniobra burocratica del Partido Comunis- regimen, el PC ba utilizado su aparato y su un enfrentamiento sectario con el PS en la ta que silencio a Republica, el diario de posicion privilegiada como el agente politi manifestacion del Primero de Mayo. Lisboa mas vinculado a la direccion del co de mayor confianza de los militares para Los dirigentes stalinistas de la Intersindi Partido Socialista. obtener un dominio arrollador de la prensa cal aparentemente temieron que los contin- El periodico babia sido por algiin tiempo y las comunicaciones. gentes del PS aprovecbaron la ocasidn para el centro del conflicto entre los dos partidos protestar la confirmacion por parte del reformistas. El sindicato de impresores Inclusive, el PC ba usado su influencia en gobierno militar de los puestos que los controlado por el Partido Comunista se los medios de comunicacion de una manera stalinistas tomaron en el movimiento sindi- rebus6 a publicar dos articulos en la edicion descarada y arbitraria. Por algiin tiempo se cal. del 2 de mayo. Estos criticaban a la ba venido dando un resentimiento popular De todos los partidos stalinistas promos- federacion de sindicatos la Intersindical en contra de esta tendencia stalinista en la covitas, el PC portugues se ba ganado la controlada por el PC por tratar de excluir la informacion. El pueblo portugues recuerda reputacion de ser el mas dogmdtico de participacion del PS en igualdad de circuns- demasiado bien a lo que suena una "prensa Europa Occidental. Es el linico, aparte del tancias con los seguidores de los stalinistas dirigida." PC griego "exterior," que ba expulsado el en la manifestacion del Primero de Mayo. En una conferencia de prensa el 5 de ala liberal que existe en casi todos los El 19 de mayo, el sindicato de impresores mayo, despues de los enfrentamientos del demds. Las decenas de miles de nuevos expulso al editor, Raul Rego, ministro del Primero de Mayo entre el PC y el PS, el reclutas que ban inundado al partido desde PS en el primer gobierno provisional. Los dirigente del Partido Socialista Mdrio el 25 de abril de 1974, ban sido entrenados nuevos editores publicaron una declaracion Soares dijo que su partido pretendia reducir en el esplritu sectario "duro" reminiscente que decia: "Recbazamos desviaciones parti- la influencia de las fuerzas "minoritarias" de los partidos stalinistas ultraizquierdistas darias." Rego se rebuso a salir de sus en la prensa, los sindicatos y los organis- del "tercer periodo." oficinas y una manifestacion masiva del PS mos gubernamentales locales; donde el Sin embargo, factores objetivos tambien rodeo el edificio. El gobierno luego ordeno Movimento Democratico Portugues, frente promueven el sectarismo de una gran parte que el periodico se cerrara y envio a las democratico del PC para la "pequena de los miembros del PC. Desde abril de 1974 tropas a desalojar las instalaciones. Hubo burguesia progresista," ba obtenido mucbas el PC ba sido virtualmente el partido del enfrentamientos entre la tropa y los mani- posiciones. gobierno. Como linico aparato para la festantes del PS, babiendo la tropa dispara- De estas tres areas, los sindicatos eran organizacion de masas, ba ofrecido en do al aire. obviamente los mds importantes y poten- mucbos sectores de la sociedad un mejora- Aun no es claro que fue lo que provoco cialmente los mas explosivos. Es en este miento a miles de sus nuevos miembros. Por que el sindicato controlado por el PC baya campo donde es mas fuerte el dominio del supuesto, 6stos van a reaccionar violenta- tomado esta medida. Un corresponsal de Le PC y tambien es donde el PC se ba mente en contra de cualquier fuerza que Monde bizo alusion a la informacion del 16 mostrado de mas utilidad para el gobierno amenace tal perspectiva, inclusive sin las de mayo sobre el regreso de China de la militar. No ba titubeado en denunciar a instrucciones especificas de la direcci6n de delegacion de la AOC (Alianga Operaria buelguistas como "provocadores" y "agen- su partido. Camponesa—Alianza Obrera Campesina). tes del fascismo" e inclusive ba llegado a Al mismo tiempo, dado al papel que ba El PC ba dicbo en varias ocasiones que movilizar a sus miembros para romper jugado como el principal instrumento politi considera que este grupo maoista aliado al buelgas en defensa de la polltica econdmica co del gobierno militar, el PC ba tendido a PS es "contrarrevolucionario." La AOC fue del gobierno. convertirse en el centro del resentimiento uno de los grupos a los que el gobierno Por otro lado, el Partido Socialista obvia entre sectores cada vez mds amplios de la militar probibio la participacion en las mente no puede bacer valer su pretension de poblacion. Su polltica sin principios de elecciones de la Asamblea Constituyente. ser el mejor corddn de transmision politico colaboracionismo de clase y subordinacidn El otro diario de Lisboa identificado con del gobierno al menos que pueda obtener al regimen militar burgues lo ba puesto en el PS, Jornal Novo, a fines de abril public6 Una fuerte base organizada en los sindica la posicion de ser responsabilizado por la un articulo diciendo que Pekin babia tos. En las condiciones en que estd Portu represion, la censura y la austeridad, sin reconocido a la AOC como los maoistas gal, un partido netamente electoral es una siquiera tener el poder real de la sociedad. oficiales por su alianza con el PS. El autor gran desventaja. Las manifestaciones del 2 Su subordinacidn al gobierno y su objectivo aseguro que los dirigentes chinos se perca- de mayo del Partido Socialista tenian la de servir como socio politico privilegiado del

Intercontinental Press regimen lo ha llevado a dividir a la clase rrecto consiste en constantemente defender, requisitos claves en la lucba por la indepen- obrera y ha impulsado hacia la derecha a la entre otras cosas, la democracia, inclusive dencia politica y la unidad de los trabajado base del PS, enfurecida por los metodos la libertad de prensa. Este es uno de los res y las masas empobrecidas. □ stalinistas. Estas tacticas le ban permitido a la voz del imperialismo norteamericano, el New York Times, presentar el conflicto como uno entre una "mayorla anticomunista" y una A la Luz del Incldente del Mayagiiez "minoria" comunista que impone su control por medio de la intriga y la infiltracion. Por supuesto, el New York Times esta preparan- do la cobertura democratica para la inter- vencion. La 'Nueva' Politica Exterior de Kissinger Ann mas peligroso es la posibilidad de que las tacticas stalinistas provoquen que [La siguiente es una traduccion del Sudeste Asiatico. De esta manera se oyo el secciones de los trabajadores y las masas articulo "Kissinger's 'New' Foreign Policy" dulce canto de botar a la basura la vieja empobrecidaB saquen conclusiones antico- que aparecio en el numero del 26 de mayo de politica que fracaso y presentarle al mundo munistas y promuevan el desarrollo de una Intercontinental Press. algo nuevo, un cambio total en la politica de base de masas para la contrarrevolucion. [La traduccion es de Intercontinental apoyarse en la fuerza militar y en regime- La mds favorable de las posibilidades es Press.] nes dictatoriales y corruptos. que el Partido Comunista este trabajando Con el incidente del Mayagiiez, Kissinger para un amo ingrato. A1 mismo tiempo que y Ford no solo mostraron al mundo su el apoyo tdcito del gobiemo militar ba nueva politica, sino que exigieron que el alentado al PC a que tome una posicion El 29 de abril, Unas cuantas boras mundo la estudie y se db por enterado. dura contra el PS, los mismos generales despues de que el Presidente Ford admitio Probablemente el incidente del Mayagiiez ban utilizado este conflicto para desacredi- la derrota del regimen titere de Vietnam del pronto deje de ser el centro de atencion. El tar la democracia politica en general y Sur, Kissinger sostuvo una conferencia de Departamento de Estado va a decidir pronto obtener la aceptacion de un regimen pater- prensa donde bablo en t^rminos suaves que es mejor que se olvide el asunto. Las nalista militar que este "por encima de sobre una nueva politica para Asia. pruebas que estan surgiendo a traves de las todos los partidos." "Pronto consultaremos con mucbos otros mentiras encubridoras al estilo de Nixon y El mismo Partido Comunista parece que paises en el area, entre otros Indonesia, Johnson muestran cada vez con mayor al fin ba reconocido este peligro. En un Singapur, Australia y Nueva Zelandia," claridad que bubo una provocacion. Que tan discurso del secretario general del PC dijo Kissinger. premeditada fue la provocacion puede Alvaro Cunbal, publicado el 19 de mayo, En esas platicas, continub Kissinger, juzgarse por el simple becbo de que el advirtio a los militares que seria un "grave "Esperamos cristalizar una politica asiatica Pentagono procedio, como lo tenia planea- error" condenar a los partidos pollticos que se adeciie a las circunstancias actua- do, con sus bombardeos, belicbpteros y el como tales. les." desembarco de infantes de marina a pesar De becbo, la crisis coincidio con la No importa cual sea el resultado de la de que el barco y su tripulacion ya babian asamblea del Movimiento de las Fuerzas politica, dijo Kissinger, la nueva politica sido dejados en libertad por los camboyanos Armadas donde dirigentes centrales llama- debe ser realista y a largo plazo. "Efectiva- despues de un registro rutinario. ron a establecer un cordon de transmisibn mente, otra leccion que debemos sacar de la subordinado directamente a los militares. experiencia Indochina es que la politica Docenas de comunicados desde Washing Tanto los oficiales como la prensa imperia- exterior debe sostenerse por decadas si ton asi como todo el comportamiento del lista tenian el interes de presentar esto queremos que sea efectiva." gobierno de Ford ban indicado que el como una estructura "sovi^tica." Para los Los reporteros recibieron mds informa- "rescate" de la tripulacion y el barco, era lo imperialistas 6ste es otro argumento mds cion por parte de funcionarios "que babla- que menos le importaba a Ford. Lo unico para la intervencion si el movimiento de ron en privado" tal como lo definieron los que puso realmente en peligro a la tripula masas "se va muy lejos." Para los militares periodistas. Un comunicado de Associated cion fueron la metralla y los gases lacrimd- esto les da una cobertura demagogica de Press de Kenneth J. Freed informo que genos lanzados por los "rescatadores" izquierda para consolidar el tipo de aparato "estos funcionarios dijeron que la politica contra el pequeno barco en el cual los de masas necesario para imponer la "disci- norteamericana en Asia ba sido vacilante camboyanos transportaban a la tripulacion. plina laboral" que el capitalismo portugu6s en los ultimos dos anos." El caso del Mayagiiez debe ser colocado necesita para enfrentar la crisis econbmica La "elaboracion de una nueva politica en el contexto senalado por la siguiente mundial. asiatica realista" es una de "las principales observacion bastante tipica del New York Los militares tambien pueden sacarle tareas del gobierno de Ford." Times del 18 de mayo: provecbo a la propaganda neoanarquista de Al mismo tiempo que la nueva politica "Desde la evacuacion norteamericana de los satblites ultraizquierdistas del PC, que estard alerta contra "cualquier aventura Saigon, los funcionarios del gobierno ban ban becbo un fetiche de la "organizacion de comunista," buscara tambien "fortalecer los declarado francamente que para restaurar base" abstralda de la democracia politica y antiguos vinculos y desarrollar nuevos la imagen internacional de los Estados las soluciones politicas generales. El ejem- basados en los intereses econbmicos y Unidos era necesario una demostracion de plo principal es el centrista Movimento da politicos mutuos en vez de basarse en fuerza. El Secretario de Estado Kissinger ba Esquerda Socialista (MES), que ba combi- acuerdos militares." creido siempre que la diplomacia funciona nado la promocion de "organismos de En las semanas subsiguientes, los medios mejor cuando los dipomdticos del otro democracia directa" con el apoyo a la junta de comunicacibn se bicieron eco de este bando saben que la fuerza militar de los militar populista. tema. La propaganda de Kissinger obvia- Estados Unidos se usa cuando es necesario. Todas las corrientes oportunistas en mente tenia la intencion de calmar las "Despues de que se uso en el incidente del Portugal tienen en comiin la confianza en demandas de mucbos de que se biciera un Mayagiiez, el Sr. Kissinger dijo que otras los "salvadores" militares. El camino co- balance de la costosa experiencia en el naciones estdn abora advertidas 'que la

June 2, 1975 paciencia de los Estadog Unidos tiene su mise del gobiemo de Ford de respaldar a en las semanas finales del colapso de limite.'" Park precisamente de la misma manera en Camboya y Vietnam,fue notable la modera- Blandir el sable o mas adecuado aun, que re^paldo a Thieu en Vietnam del Sur y cion con que Washington trato tanto a blandir las bombas, es una caracteristica a Lon Nol en Camboya. Moscu como a Pekin. Kissinger insinuo una bastante antigua de la politica exterior La nueva politica exterior de Kissinger no y otra vez que las dos potencias, sobre todo norteamericana, aunque esta contraste con es mas que un ajuste militar impuesto por la Moscu, estaban haciendo todo lo posible, las declaraciones de Kissinger de hace tan tras bambalinas, para ayudar al gobierno solo Unas cuantas semanas. En esta oca- de Ford en su apuro. Kissinger actuo como sion, si se le da cr^dito a los informes que se si supiera que tanto Moscu como Pekin cuelan del Departamento de Estado, el estaban haciendo lo indecible, aunque bajo bianco fue un pals especifico. Citando de las circunstancias no hayan podido lograr nuevo el New York Times del 18 de mayo: todo lo que a el le hubiera gustado. "El gobierno ha sido bien especifico al Lo que en realidad sucede es que en respecto de una nacion, Corea del Norte, a muchas partes del mundo—Portugal es un la cual le ha querido enviar, desde que fue ejemplo conspicuo—Kissinger cuenta con derrotado en Indochina, un mensaje claro y > ^ las dos burocracias stalinistas para que lo energico. Ahora dicen, el mensaje ha sido ayuden a mantener el status quo; es decir, enviado: no tomen ninguna medida contra cuenta en que estas hagan todo lo posible Corea del Sur sin esperar una respuesta para detener o desviar las luchas que militar norteamericana. Hay 40,000 solda- puedan convertirse en revoluciones. dos norteamericanos en Corea del Sur, y el Pentdgono considera vital la presencia La distension sigue siendo uno de los norteamericana para toda su estrategia en elementos mas importantes en la politica el Pacifico del Norte." extema de Washington. Evidentemente, esta politica no tiene Las necesidades politicas domSsticas nada de nuevo. El "mensaje claro y energi tuvieron gran importancia en las medidas co" significa que si estalla la guerra civil en que se tomaron durante el incidente del Corea, el gobiemo de Ford se ha comprome- Mayagilez. Citando de nuevo al New York tido a intervenir militarmente de la misma Times del 18 de mayo: manera que Johnson y Nixon lo hicieron en "El presidente, que dice que el prdximo Vietnam. ano va a ser candidate, ha tenido series De hecho, un contingente considerable de problemas con la derecha republicana y los soldados norteamericanos ya estan acampa- conservadores en general. En parte, porque dos ahi con ese proposito especifico. la nacion aparentaba debilidad ante el KISSINGER comunismo. El despliegue de fuerzas de la El "mensaje claro y endrgico" es tambien semana pasada fue aclamado mas ruidosa- para aquellos en el Congreso que, moti- mente por los conservadores." vados por el sentimiento antibdlico, ban derrota en Indochina. El imperialismo De esta manera la acrobacia de Ford hizo empezado a hablar sobre la conveniencia de norteamericano ha retrocedido su frente de que los patrioteros, los Buckley, Goldwater batalla a un nuevo perimetro. Este perlme- retirar las tropas norteamericanos de Corea y Towers saltaran de gusto, tal como lo tro, indica Kissinger—y de eso se trata toda del Sur. habia calculado. Ford, con cole una medida la celebracion que se lleva a cabo en Es dudoso que Kissinger haya mandado astuta, habia restablecido el prestigio lasti- Washington—sera defendido con los mis- el mensaje a Kim II Sung, es mds probable mero de los Estados Unidos. jEste si es un mos metodos que se utilizaron algo mds que dse haya sido para el dictador de Corea verdadero presidente! del Sur, Park Chung Hee. El mensaje fue: hacia el sur del continente asiatico. Los derechistas como Reagan, que han Por supuesto, el uso de la fuerza militar "Affeate a tu puesto. El Pentdgono aun estado maniobrando para eliminar a Ford norteamericana para sostener a dictadores esta comprometido a apoyarte hasta el de la candidatura republicana de 1976, no final. Con los B-52 y todos los accesorios." tlteres como Park no agota los recursos que les quedd mas remedio que unirse a la tiene a su disposicion el Departamento de celebracion. Park en realidad estd en apuros, y estos Estado. no se los crea Pyongyang sino fuerzas El costo de esta maniobra—hasta la fecha dentro de Seiil. Lo que le preocupa a admitido—fueron cinco infantes de marina muertos, dieciseis desaparecidos (y lo mds Kissinger es el movimiento dentro de Corea En su estructura de alianzas militares de del Sur, que se esta fortaleciendo en la lucha largo alcance, Washington busca "no ser probable, muertos), y de menos setenta por la reinstalacion de los derechos demo- muy notorio" en ciertas regiones. Esto heridos. Aun no se sabe el numero de bajas craticos. Este movimiento sin duda alguna depende de las fuerzas reaccionarias locales camboyanas. ha sido alentado por las victorias de encargadas de la accion policiaca directa. Desde el punto de vista de un candidate Camboya y Vietnam. Un notable ejemplo es la dictadura militar formado en el molde de un gran presidente, Una movilizacion popular lo suficiente- de Brasil. Entre otros estd el sha de Iran y como Nixon, fue un precio modesto el que mente fuerte para derrocar la dictadura de el estado colonizador de Israel. Las poten- pago por una acrobacia publicitaria que Park y que restableciera los derechos cias europeas de la OTAN juegan un papel pudiera ser un factor que le asegurara residencia en la Casa Blanca hasta 1980. democraticos en Corea del Sur lo mas similar, aunque a un nivel mas indepen- probable es que vaya mucho mds alld. La diente. El pueblo de los Estados Unidos quizd se situacion es tal que si Washington retirara Uno de los ingredientes mds importantes haga un juicio diferente. Un pueblo que ya su apoyo. Park no duraria mucho, y las en la receta del Dr. Kissinger para mante- se hartd puede empezar a usar un tone que consecuencias serian quiza mas importan- ner a Wall Street a salvo de la revolucion es aterra a los Kissinger y a los Ford: "Fuera tes que las de Indochina. la distension con Moscu y Pekin. los pillos. Pero esta vez si, ifuera todos!" De esta manera, el "mensaje claro y A pesar de la propaganda sobre la Y la gente sencilla en el resto del mundo energico" era una reafirmacion del compro amenaza comunista que lanzo Washington con toda seguridad aprobard esa demanda.

intercontinental Press easily find as many witnesses as necessary. Fear for the life of Ivan Dejmal is inspired not only by the pending sentence but also, and particularly so, by the psychological pressure he is daily facing. It is unclear how long he will be able to resist, all by himself, the methods of the Czecho The Case of Czechoslovak Dissident Ivan Dejmal slovak police. He would not be the first Czechoslovak political prisoner of the Seventies to surrender his life "voluntari [The following report was given to Inter Prague, where he is held now. ly," either in investigation custody or upon continental Press by members of the Cze This time around, he is charged with returning from prison. Fear for his life is choslovak socialist opposition in exile.] "defamation of the Soviet Union and other further enhanced by the tenacity with friendly countries and of their leaders" and which Ivan Dejmal has been persecuted with "corrupting the morale and the mili even long after he was barred from any tary and political preparedness of soldiers" political or academic activity, even when he One of the victims of the present regime (articles 100 and 288 of the Czechoslovak was reduced to waiting passively for any in Czechoslovakia whose life is in danger is Penal Code). Each count carries the maxi further repressive measures his tormentors Ivan Dejmal, 28. Repression against him mum penalty of three years in prison. Given might choose to subject him to. started in early 1970 when he was arrested the present conditions in Czechoslovakia, It is quite clear that expressions of and charged with being a member of the there is no doubt that Dejmal will be found solidarity of the world's progressive and Revolutionary Socialist Party [an antibu- guilty. The verdict, the sentence, and even democratic public are urgently called for if reaucratic, Marxist group]. At that time, he the type of prison conditions are usually there is to be any hope to save the life of was about to complete his studies at the determined in advance; the authorities will Ivan Dejmal. CH Prague School of Agriculture. Together with about a score of others, he spent a year and a half in cruel conditions of investigation custody, before being brought to trial. His conduct was exception An Appeal for Vaientyn Moroz ally courageous and he failed to give in to the psychological blackmail or to the [We print below an appeal in defense of from hunger; but still worse, added to the physical torments inflicted by the investiga Vaientyn Moroz issued by Tatiana Khodor- hunger was the cold, penetrating his body tors, the Czechoslovak secret police. Equal ovich, one of the three remaining founding that was already so weak. ly courageous was his behavior when members of the Initiative Group for the Those who have spent time in prison facing the court where in the summer of Defense of Human Rights in the USSR who know well what such a punishment cell is 1971 he completely refused to testify and to has not been forced into silence by the KGB like. This cell, a kartser, has water on the participate in its pre-arranged farcical crackdown. walls and an icy cement floor. It means proceedings. He was sentenced to two years [Moroz, who was sentenced to a fourteen- sleepless nights on bare boards used for in prison. year term in 1970 for his writings against beds, in the threadbare prison clothes, The indomitable character and courage of the Russification of the Ukraine, went on a without a blanket. It means sterile isola Ivan Dejmal resulted in further repression. 145-day hunger strike starting July 1, 1974, tion, deprivation of letters or news about his He suffers from consequences of hepatitis to protest the conditions of his confinement. sick son, his wife, or his friends. Is it and has a gall-bladder condition; neverthe He had been held in an isolation cell for possible that Vaientyn Moroz, so worn from less, soon after completing his prison term more than a year. isolation, is again alone in deafening he was drafted to the army. There he was [Because of the international protests in silence? Or is there yet another sufferer treated not in the usual manner but as a Moroz's behalf, he was released fi-om his with him sharing the hunger and cold? The "politically unreliable element." He was solitary-confinement cell in November 1974 kartser is also secrecy, quiet, deadly silence. kept under close supervision, and his two and placed in a cell with another political This is torture, safely hidden away in a cell years in the army amounted for all practi prisoner. By that time his health had where no sounds can penetrate. cal purposes to a continuation of his prison seriously deteriorated. His father, who had What was the crime that Vaientyn Moroz term. been allowed to visit him before his release committed? There was no crime; there is The loss of perspective in life, constant from solitary confinement, said that if he only punishment. Punishment for words. curtailment of his personal freedom, spying was not immediately released and placed in Tatiana Khodorovich and harassment of superiors and informers a hospital, he would not survive. To the best February 22, 1975 who followed his every step—all this drove of our knowledge, he has been given no Ivan Dejmal to a suicide attempt, in the medical treatment since he ended his summer of 1974. The psychological terror hunger strike. Denmark Reverses Gears had apparently achieved its goal. [The translation was done for Interconti in 'Operation Babyiift' But even this tragedy did not appease the nental Press by Marilyn Vogt.] authorities. Ivan Dejmal was "treated" for The Danish government has decided to several weeks in a closed section of the send 208 children back to South Vietnam. Psychiatric Ward of the Military Hospital The children were taken to Denmark via the in Prague (with conditions only marginally On January 3, 1975, Vaientyn Moroz, United States by Henning Becker, who had better than in prison). Then he was sent who had not yet managed to regain his been operating an orphanage for them in back to his unit. In less than a week, the psychological and physical strength after Saigon. The Danish Ministry of Social secret police concocted a case for arresting his five-month hunger strike, was placed for Welfare ruled that Becker had not deve him again, though. Dejmal's next trip thus two weeks in a special punishment cell in loped a satisfactory educational and train led to the infamous Ruzyne prison in Vladimir prison. Again he was to suffer ing program for them.

June 2, 1975 region, the Arab East, and Southeast Asia 0 ra have been putting heavy pressure on our space. However, we'll pass the request on to our correspondents in Scandinavia. What's cooking there?

We received a lengthy letter from Patrick way. I look forward to more such reports by Recently the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, local Neary of Christchurch, New Zealand, in Gerry Foley and I only regret that you have of the Young Socialist Alliance organized a which he argues against turning valuable no reporter in Vietnam at this time." week of expanded sales efforts in conjunc space in Intercontinental Press to consider Vietnam . . . Yes, a series of objective, on- tion with the newly formed branch of the ation of figures like Gerry Healy, the the-spot reports, including personal impres Socialist Workers party there. The highest general secretary of the Workers Revolu sions, by a revolutionary journalist who score was made by Ted—131 copies of the tionary party in Britain. In his opinion, the knows what to look for would he of great Militant and 38 copies of the Young 10,000 words used in the article "The Secret interest. Socialist; and he won the prize of a six- of Healy's 'Dialectics,'" which appeared in If the South Vietnamese decide to follow month subscription to Intercontinental the March 31 issue, could have been put to the example of the Cubans and invite Press by first-class mail. better use. foreign correspondents of whatever political We're glad to be placed in the prize "Actually Sadegh Hedayat in The Blind persuasion to come and see their revolution category. Also we liked the idea of paid-up Owl(1936) perhaps was thinking about men and report the facts, we will certainly be insurance for fast delivery. like Healy when he wrote: 'There are sores among the first to apply. which slowly erode the mind in solitude like Taking advantage of the offer to get a a canker. . S.M. of Washington, B.C., has been copy of a book of drawings by Copain, D.H. The long quotation cited by Neary ends: checking up on our recent coverage of of Minneapolis, Minnesota, enclosed an "Will anyone ever penetrate the secret of Scandinavia: "I am often asked about the extra dollar "for any expense I may cause this disease that transcends ordinary expe Scandinavian countries, and other social- you for changing my address again." rience, this reverberation of the shadow of democratic states, of which I know very, Thanks for the extra dollar. It went to a the mind, which manifests itself in a state very little about; I was wondering if you good cause. Dollar or not, however, we're of coma like that between death and ever got any news from there, and if you glad to make a change of address at any resurrection, when one is neither asleep nor could print some articles once in a while time. Send it in early; helps heat the U.S. awake?" about these countries and their policies, Postal Service, which does not automatical Neary writes that besides having lived in economy, etc." ly forward important mail like Interconti Britain and thus knowing about Healy's We have to admit that the Mediterranean nental Press. □ record in the past, he has worked in the Middle East where he became acquainted with the Arab struggle. "I know just enough -Beginning in the June 16 intercontinentai Press- [about the Islamic problem] to feel con vinced that Intercontinental Press must give more time to expositions of the basis of the real Arab struggle and that to waste time, paper, ink, and sustenance on Healy is an economical disaster and a completely unnecessary dribble of our world's ecologi OUT NOW! cal resources." We have three reasons for dealing with Healy and others like him.(1) Some of those in his camp are there by mistake and can be led to see the mistake through reasoned argument and examples of correct methods of struggle. (2) It is of educational value to analyze and expose the positions and justifications advanced by the Healys. (3) While ordinary workers may he little interested at the moment in disputes of this kind, quite a few revolutionary cadres are interested and expect us to provide material of this kind.

O.K. Starr of Lawrence, Kansas, appre ciates the coverage Intercontinental Press has been giving to Portugal. "I've just Washington, D.C., May 9. 1970 finished reading another of Gerry Foley's on-the-spot reports from Portugal, and I'm A Participant's Account of the American Antiwar Movement very enthusiastic. Such personal, subjective By Fred Halstead, one of the key organiz- The book Out Now! begins June 16 as a reports are a good complement to your ers of the largest national antiwar demon serial in Intercontinental Press. Subscribe analyses of the situation in Portugal. They strations. Member of the Steering Commit- now. Don't miss a single chapter. Send $12 give a feeling for what life is like and what tee of the National Peace Action Coalition, for six months to IP, P.O. Box 116, Village people are thinking at such a critical time Author of G/s Speak Out Against the War. Sta., New York, N.V. 10014. when the balance of forces could shift either

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