Vol. 9, No. 37 © 1971 Intercontinental Press October 25, 1971 50c And the War Goes On

Since Richard Nixon became president of the United States, more tha111 2,700,000 tons of bombs have been dropped on Indochina, more than the combined total of all bombs dropped during the second world war and the Korean war. . . . The Nixon administration admits more than sixty bombing raids on North Vietnam during 7971. ... More than 1,000 tons of bombs per day are being dropped on Laos. . . . Large parts of the Laotian and Cambodian countryside have been covered with "wide-area antipersonnel rpines," which do not explode until their trip wires are disturbed. . . . Another Pen­ tagon favorite, the cluster bomb unit, sprays out 250,000 steel pellets . ... Most of the Plain of Jars is considered a "free fire zone," where any type of ordnance may be used delib­ erately or simply jettisoned by planes overhead. . . . An anal­ ysis by the Asian Development Banlc predicts that there will still be between 110,000 and 200,000 U.S. ground troops in Vietnam at the end of 1972 . ... The U.S. Army is increasing its procurement of ammunition by more than one-third in the year ending June 30, 1972 . ... Nixon spent an estimated $15,000,000,000 on the war in fiscal year 1971 . ... The figure for fiscal 1972 may run as high as $74,000,000,000. In This Issue Death Sentence for

18 Turkish Youths TURKEY 898 Death Sentence for Eighteen Youths On October 9, two days before the ANTIWAR arrival in Turkey of U.S. Vice Pres­ Jon Rothschild 899 Antiwar Campaign Opens With Rallies in 16 Cities ident Spiro Agnew, a military court INDOCHINA WAR in Ankara sentenced eighteen alleged 900 The Fraud of Nixon's "Vietnamization" Policy members of the Turkish People's Lib­ 901 Nixon's Score: 2,700,000 Tons of Bombs on Indochina eration Army to death. The eighteen SOVIET UNION were accused of kidnapping four U.S. 902 Sakharov Defends the Right of Emigration airmen last March (they were held JAPAN for four days, then released), engag­ 902 Tokyo Airport Protesters Appeal for Aid ing in terrorist activity against the po­ ZAMBIA lice, and attacking banks, all with 903 Zambia Charges South African Aggression the aim of overthrowing the govern­ CANADA ment. 904 Protest Against Alaska Nuclear Test Besides those condemned to death, GREAT BRITAIN the only woman in the group received 904 Rising Unrest in Prisons a five-year jail term and two years 909 Labour Party Deals Stab in Back to Irish in of travel restriction. Two others re­ Concentration Camps ceived the same sentence, for "com­ T.J. 0' Flaherty 91 0 Labour Party Shifts to the Left plicity." Three persons were acquitted. IRAN According to the October 1 0-11 Le Allen Myers 905 The Shah Throws a Small Party for His Friends Monde, most of the accused were stu­ ARGENTINA dents. Their average age was twenty­ 906 A Woman Appeals for the Life of Luis Enrique Pujals four. NORTH KOREA The trial was one of several. In 906 Yahya Khan Backed by Kim II Sung? Istanbul twenty-seven young people DOMINICAN REPUBLIC are standing trial for allegedly kid­ J. V. Hanley 907 "La Banda" Slays Five More in Santo Domingo napping and killing Israeli diplomat U,S.A. Efraim Elrom last May. (See Inter­ 908 Florida's Hypocrisy in Abortion Case continental Press, September 13, p. PHILIPPINES 766.) 912 Demonstrators Gunned Down Near Manila In Ankara, twenty members of the REVIEWS outlawed Workers party, including the 911 Calley and His Protector party's chairwoman Behice Boran, 912 How Did Hitler Triumph? are accused of hatching "Communist plots" to overthrow the regime, inciting DOCUMENTS youth to violence, and supporting the 913 Pacheco-the Beginning of the End struggle of the Kurdish national mi­ 915 For a Workers' Slate in Uruguay's "Frente Amplio" nority for self-determination. 916 Tupamaros Clarify Stand on Election In Istanbul eighty-three others, 917 Conditions in the Prison Camps of Ceylon among them life-Senator lrfan Solma­ zer, are accused of creating a secret PHOTOS organization to destroy the regime. 907 Bodies of two students murdered by "La Banda" Agnew stopped in Turkey for two days on his way to the shah's fes­ tivities commemorating 2,500 years Intercontinental Press, P.O. Box 116, Village Post Signed articles represent the views of the ourhors, of Persian monarchy. At the conclu­ Office Station, New York, N.Y. 10014. which may not necessarily coincide with those of EDITOR: Joseph Hansen. Intercontinental Press. Insofar as it reflects editorial sion of his stay, he held a news con­ CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Pierre Fronk, Livia Moi- opinion, unsigned material expresses the standpoint ference (from which the New York ton, Ernest Mandel, George Novack. of revolutionary Marxism. MANAGING EDITOR: Allen Myers. PARIS OFFICE: Pierre Frank, 10 Impasse Gueme­ Times, the Columbia Broadcasting COPY EDITOR: Ruth Schein. nee, Paris 4, France. System, and the Voice of America were EDITORIAL STAFF: Gerry Foley, J. V. Hanley, Jon TO SUBSCRIBE: For one year send $15 to Intercon­ Rothschild, George Sounders. tinental Press, P. 0. Box 116, Village Post Office excluded) at which he praised the mili­ BUSINESS MANAGER: Reba Hansen. Station, New York, N.Y. 10014. Write for rates on tary-imposed regime of Nihat Erim: ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER: StevenWorshell. first class and airmail. Special rates available for TECHNICAL STAFF: H. Mossey, James M. Morgan, subscriptions to colonial and semicolonial countries. "The new Government of Prime Minis­ Lawrence Rand. Subscription correspondence should be addressed ter Erim seems to me a very firmly Published in New York each Monday except lost to Intercontinental Press, P.O. Box 116, Village Post in December and first in January; not po;blished in Office Station, New York, N.Y. 10014. Because of the established one, in a very short pe­ August. continuing deterioration of the U.S. postal system· . riod of time. The officials with whom Intercontinental Press specializes in political analy­ please allow five weeks for change of address. 1.. l sis and interpretation of events of particular interest elude your old address as well as your new addres~ I talked are very solidly pro-NATO, to the labor, socialist, colonial independence, Block, and, if possible, an address label from a recent issue. anti-Communist, pro-West." 0 and women's liberation movements. Copyright© 1971 by Intercontinental Press. 898 Intercontinental Press 'End the War! End the Freeze!' ~fll~li001i1Thlll~ll~i111100111101111~11~111R!IIImlll~lll~lll01111!111111100!miii~II®IIWIIIII~II~JB!~IIIIIt~llllllllffiml~lllffiiiiiM~!~OO!I@IGi!l@llimlla111111~1001~~~1~00-J-~IiM!-@~-JMOOIWIIRffi! Antiwar Campaign Opens With Rallies in 16 Cities By Jon Rothschild

The fall antiwar offensive in the Elaine Morrison, SMC high-school ninety men at the base have signed United States began October 13 with coordinator for Brooklyn, New York, a petition to Senator Edward Ken­ demonstrations in more than six­ announced at the conference that high­ nedy saying that the patrols were sui­ teen cities and on hundreds of college school students will also participate cide missions. and high-school campuses. in the November 3 strike. The largest rally occurred in New The SMC, which has been a lead­ The October 13 Washington Post York City's garment center, a mid­ ing force in organizing student par­ reported that more than 1,000 of the town concentration of light industry ticipation in previous antiwar actions, 4,500-man crew of the aircraft car­ and offices. More than 3,000 people, now claims 30,000 members in hun­ rier Coral Sea, docked at the Ala­ many of them workers in the area, dreds of colleges, high schools, and meda Naval Air Station, have signed attended an afternoon demonstration junior high schools. a petition asking Congress to halt that had been endorsed by twenty­ Support for November 6 has con­ the sailing of the ship for Vietnam five trade unions, the National Peace tinued to mount. Among the most re­ on November 12. Action Coalition (NPAC), an!f the cent endorsers is the 18,000-member "The ship will not go back," said People's Coalition for Peace and Jus­ Michigan Federation of Teachers. Its Seaman Larry Harris, twenty, at a tice (PCPJ). administrative board voted October news conference held by the sailors. Among the speakers were Emil Ma­ 9 to build a statewide contingent of "If petition doesn't work, we have zey, secretary-treasurer of the United teachers in the Detroit demonstration. other means." The spokesman for SOS Automobile Workers, and New York (Save Our Ship) did not elaborate. Mayor John Lindsay. The theme of The Berkeley Board of Education Navy Chief of Information Rear Ad­ the rally, which was widely covered has endorsed the November 6 pro­ miral William Thompson said in in the capitalist press, was "End the test, and the City Council voted to Washington that the Navy has no War! End the Freeze!" allow employees to take the da.y off plans to change the scheduled rede­ (without pay) to participate in it. ployment of the vessel. In addition to the New York dem­ The number of trade-union leaders In Saigon a group of G Is affiliated onstration, actions took place in Bos­ supporting the demonstrations ex­ to the Vietnam Veterans Against the ton, San Francisco, Berkeley, Phila­ ceeded 150 as of October 13. War in Vietnam, the group that or­ delphia, Detroit, Chicago, Washing­ In most cities, contingents of vari­ ganized the dramatic protests in Wash­ ton, D. C., Seattle, Denver, Cleveland, ous constituencies have been estab­ ington last April, have collected more Los Angeles, San Antonio and Austin lished- trade unions, women, high­ than 500 signatures, from all branch­ (Texas), Providence (Rhode Island), school students, Blacks, Latinos, etc. es of the service, on a petition demand­ and Athens (Georgia). ing an immediate halt to fighting in The October 13 activities were As preparations proceeded for the Indochina. According to the October mounted as a prelude to the Novem­ November 6 demonstration, new in­ 13 Washington Post, James Mohler, ber 6 mass demonstrations, which will stances of G I resistance to the war an enlisted man in the Navy, predicted bring the fall offensive to its culmina­ were reported. that the petition would garner several tion. U. S. soldiers defending Fire Base thousand names. The second major pre-November 6 Pace near the Cambodian border Finally, John Isaacs, a twenty-six­ action was officially launched at an northwest of Saigon refused to go out year-old officer of the U.S. Foreign October 14 news conference in New on a night ambush patrol the night Service who was stationed in South York called by the Student Mobiliza­ of October 9. The U. S. Regional Vietnam, quit his job and left the area tion Committee (SMC). On Novem­ Third Assistance Command issued a without notifying his superiors. Isaacs ber 3, students across the country will statement on this: "Some of the mem­ said he had not given prior notice go on strike, transforming their uni­ bers expressed a desire not to go. because that would have meant "two versities into organizing centers to The infantry company commander re­ weeks of hassling." "They don't like draw other sectors of the population peated the order and the men pre­ anyone resigning, so I am leaving into antiwar activity. pared to move out when they learned on my own terms, not on theirs." Called and endorsed by student that an ARVN [South Vietnamese ar­ Isaacs summed up the feeling of leaders throughout the nation, the slo­ my] element had already manned the the majority of the U.S. population, gan of the strike will be "Open it up! ambush position. saying, "The war in Vietnam has been No business as usual!" This is a ref- "At this point the order was with­ lost and the continued participation ( <>.~ence to the concept of the antiwar drawn and no further action was of American forces under the guise ~niversity, developed during the May taken." of Vietnamization is a fraud being 1970 student response to Nixon's in­ According to the October 13 Wash­ perpetrated on the American people vasion of Cambodia. ington Post, more than sixty of the to cover up the loss." D

October 25, 1971 899 'The Illusion of Withdrawal'

The Fraud of Nixon's 'Vietnamization' Policy

In "The Illusion of Withdrawal," an to scale down their struggle, and since will remain in a security role to pro­ article published in both the October the Saigon army has always been not­ tect US forces as Phase II progresses," 2 issue of the liberal U.S. weekly New ed for its concern to avoid fighting, and that Phase Two "will take longer Republic and the October issue of the Laird carefully avoided predicting to complete" than Phase One. (Accord­ French monthly Le Monde Diploma­ rapid U.S. withdrawals, and even ing to government claims, Phase One tique, Gabriel Kolko, professor of his­ mentioned the possibility of further was a nearly two-year operation. tory at Toronto's York University, escalation of the war. Laird's assertion, if taken at face val­ exposes the fraud of Nixon's "Viet­ Budget statistics quoted by Kolko ue, would mean that Phase Two namization" policy. demonstrate that the Nixon govern­ would last at least until the autumn "In my judgment," Kolko writes, "the ment in fact had no intention of al­ of 1973.) cultivated illusion that the President lowing the Saigon regime to assume In addition, for the first time, a has a 'plan' for which he requires the major burden of prosecuting the "Phase Three" was projected, during public and congressional patience is aggression. If the theoretical projec­ which the U. S. would maintain "a belied by what the record shows to be tions of "Vietnamization" called for a military advisory mission, together a quite deliberate policy of protracted snail's pace de-escalation of U.S. mil­ with whatever small security forces US military activity in Indochina and itary activity, its reality did not even are needed to protect this mission." a will to sustain the war and the US go that far. presence there indefinitely." The projected expense for the war While Laird attempted to conceal Kolko presents convincing evidence during fiscal 1970 (July 1, 1969, to the real plans of the Nixon admin­ to support his judgment. June 30, 1970) was between $23,200,- istration with double-talk, the military The "Vietnamization" policy was first 000,000 and $25,400,000,000, of budget requests for fiscal 1972 (which enunciated by Nixon in 1969, less which only $2,200,000,000 was bud­ began in July 1971) revealed a hint than two weeks before the massive geted for aid to ARVN (Army of the of the destructive power the U. S. rulers November 15 marches on Washing­ Republic of Vietnam, the Saigon pup­ intend to use against the Vietnamese ton and San Francisco demanded im­ pet outfit). This was $300,000,000 in the coming months. The air force mediate and unconditional U. S. with­ less than the maximum figure allow­ will enlarge its fleet of AC-130 gun­ drawal from Southeast Asia. Secretary able. ships. "US Army ammunition procure­ of the Army Stanley Resor acknowl­ Thus, approximately 90 percent of ment costs fell from $1.73 billion in edged that the aim of the policy was the war's cost that year was devoted fiscal 1970 to almost $600 million to "make it clear to the enemy that to U. S. actions, not to developing the less the following year, but they are we can reduce the level of the war ARVN, a fact that indicates the U.S. to leap back to $1.57 billion in 1972," to something that the American peo­ government recognized, despite its rhe­ Kolko wrote. ple will support for a significant peri­ torical proclamations, that preparing Most budget data for the war is clas­ od." The hope was that the liberation ARVN to assume the burden of the sified, since its revelation would expose forces would thereupon surrender to fighting was a hopeless endeavor. the dishonesty of Nixon's claim that the U.S. occupying force. This reality was likewise reflected the war is winding down. But after In November 1969 Secretary of De­ in the number of U. S. ground forces carefully culling through House of fense Melvin Laird explained that the remaining in Vietnam. A "semi-official Representatives testimony on Pentagon new policy would have two phases. and restricted Asian Development financial requests, Kolko found proof "Phase One" would consist of trans­ Bank analysis" estimated that troop that the U. S. support for the Thieu ferring the bulk of combat ground withdrawals would slow down toward clique continues to be massive. operations to the Saigon army, while the end of 1971, and there would still The best estimate of the total cost the U.S. would continue to provide be 110,000 to 200,000 U.S. ground of the war during fiscal 1971 was massive air and artillery support. Dur­ troops in Vietnam by the end of 1972. $15,300,000,000. "But close reading ing "Phase Two" the U. S. would func­ At the end of 1970, the Pentagon of the shifts in military spending dis­ tion in advisory and training capaci­ admitted that ARVN could absorb less cussed in the Pentagon hearings, and ties, with the Saigon puppets assum­ than one-sixth of the U. S. helicopters additional estimates in usually in­ ing responsibility for their own air then in use against the Vietnamese, formed US publications, suggests that and artillery support. and that air and naval operations the full costs of the war for the fiscal The timetable for the two phases would remain in the hands of the U. S. year 1972, ending next June 30, are depended, according to Laird, on three "for the foreseeable future," as one ad­ projected for at least $10 billion, and factors: progress at the Paris talks, miral put it. more probably at $12 billion. Various the level of activity of the Vietnamese This would indicate that achievement offhand comments that [Secretary of revolutionists, and the improvement of Phase Two remains a remote pos­ State William] Rogers and other of­ of Saigon's military capacity. sibility at best. Phase One, Laird said ficials have made in recent month~,' ) Since the U.S. never had any inten­ March 4, would be completed by the hint it may run as high as $14 bil::..._! tion of really negotiating in Paris, summer of 1971. He added, however, lion." Less than one-fifth of this since the Vietnamese were not about that "American ground combat forces amount will be spent by Saigon mili- 900 Intercontinental Press tary forces, indicating that the major on apparently thinks he can convince in their vicinity. Others, partially 1;ole in the war will continue to be the U.S. population that "Vietnarniza­ buried, detect ground vibrations. (The I \...,..Played by the Pentagon. tion" will end the Indochina aggres­ air force is attempting to develop still Despite 226,000 troops in Vietnam sion. other detectors that will be sensitive itself, 206,000 others in Southeast Asia As Kolko demonstrates, "Vietnami­ to metal and body heat.) and the western Pacific, a multibillion­ zation" is a policy in which the ad­ Detector signals are sent to planes, dollar military budget for the coming ministration itself does not believe. On which retransmit the data to ground year, and plans for a "residual force" N ovem her 6 the American people will facilities. The planes were formerly to remain in Vietnam indefinitely, Nix- manifest their attitude toward it. 0 converted sup e r-c on s t e 11 at i o n s, manned by large crews, but are now being replaced by modified Beech Deb­ onairs, which can be flown by remote And the War Goes On control. The data are processed by two IBM 360-65 computers in N akhon Pha­ nom, Thailand, some seventy-five Nixon's Score: 2.r700,000 Tons miles west of the beginning of the so­ called Ho Chi Minh trail. (The 360 of Bombs on Indochina system is the largest data processing machine now functional. It can re­ "We are making unusual efforts to Despite the Pentagon claim that trieve information from its vast stor­ avoid having the American young bombing of North Vietnam has been age capacities, not in seconds but in man stand toe-to-toe, eyeball-to-eye­ halted, sixty-four "protective reac:tion" billionths of a second.) ball or even rifle-to-rifle with the strikes have been carried out against The computer lists the times and lo­ enemy." the North so far this year. Some have cations of the detector information, With this statement, U.S. Army involved more than 250 planes. They produces maps with targets indicated Chief of Staff William C. Westmoreland continue at a rate of about two a by blips, and sends the data to the summed up the military implications week. Battlefield Control Center, from which of the Vietnamization policy. To re­ Haseltine lists some of the aircraft attacking planes are dispatched. duce U.S. casualties to a level that being utilized in the new air war: At a cost of more than $2,000,000,- would allow indefinite prolongation 000 in the past five years, the air of the war, the Pentagon has shifted "There are OlE, 02 and OVlO spot­ force has been refining the system, U.S. military operations from infan­ ter planes at 2,000 feet; AlE, A26, aiming at developing mobile commu­ try actions to the most highly auto­ T28 prop bombers, AC47, AC54,. AC- nications centers to replace the bulky mated aggressive warfare in the his­ 119, AC130 gunships, flare ships, res­ nontransportable 360s. tory of the world. An additional aim cue and gunship helicopters at 5,000 It should be added that the attack­ of the new strategy is to reduce re­ feet; F4, FlOO, Fl05, A7, B57 jet ing planes often blanket large areas liance on the strongly antiwar Gls. bombers, jet reconnaissance, EC4 7 with missiles, since the exact locations In the October 16 New Republic, and E C 119 electronic aircraft at 1 0,- of the sensors are not always known. William Haseltine, graduate student 000; KC-135 super-tankers at 20,000; in biophysics at Harvard University, B52s at 30,000; EC130 · command The Commando Hunt attack sys­ provides a glimpse of the destructive and control aircraft at 35,000; and tem, with which Igloo White is closely power being employed by the Nbwn SR71 reconnaissance aircraft at 70,- integrated, is a four-step operation. regime against the Indochinese peo­ 000 feet." First, all distinguishable targets, that ple. "The Automated Air War," as Ha­ But this is not all. The Electronic is, any form of construction, are at­ seltine calls it, absorbs the lion's share Systems Division at Hanscom Field, tacked by bombers directed by TV of the billions of dollars appropriated an air force base near Boston, spe­ cameras and laser beams. Next, anti­ by the U.S. Congress for the war. cializes in developing new computer­ truck mines triggered by sound, pres­ Since Nixon became president, the ized weapons systems. Hanscom's sure, metal objects, or vibrations, are United States has dropped 2,700,000 pride and joy, Haseltine reports, are dropped. Then, the area is saturated tons of bombs on Indochina, more two projects code-named Igloo White with antipersonnel bombs. Finally, air than was dropped on Asia and Eu­ and Commando Hunt. strikes on targets spotted by Igloo rope during the Korean and second White are ordered. The most common world wars combined. The first became operational in No­ antipersonnel device now in use is Since April 1968 more than 1,000,- vember 1967, over Laos. It was ex­ the CB U-24. Each of these, often 000 tons of bombs have been dropped panded in 1970 to cover Cambodia, dropped on heavily populated areas, on Laos alone. In April 1971, accord­ and today it directs much of the bomb­ sprays 250,000 pellets over a 45,000 ing to a Senate report, 340 sorties ing of the "Ho Chi Minh trail." square foot range. were being flown per day over Laos. The great virtue of Igloo White is Despite such genocidal projects as (A sortie is one bombing pass by one that it requires no ground troops. Bat­ Igloo White and Commando Hunt, '1lane.) Adding the bombs dropped tery-operated acoustic and seismic de­ Senate reports indicate that supplies L,'Y B52s in secret flights over north­ tectors are dropped from the air. The from the North continue to flow into ern Laos, the total comes to more than acoustic devices, which float down to occupied South Vietnam, Laos, and 1,000 tons a day. be caught in trees, transmit noises Cambodia. 0 October 25, 1971 901 Soviet Union primary and basic value of a socio­ political system. The freedom to emigrate, which only\_) a small number of people would in Sakharov Defends the Right of Emigration fact use, is an essential condition of spiritual freedom. A free country can- not resemble a cage, even if it is gilded [Andrei Sakharov, academician and tempt to remain abroad during a voy­ and supplied with material things. member of the Committee of the Rights age overseas, was sentenced to ten Respected members of the Supreme of Man, sent the fullowing appeal, years detention by a court in Vilna. Soviet, I appeal to you, I appeal to dated September 20, to the Supreme He was able to jump onto an Amer­ anyone who wants the citizens of this Soviet. We have taken the text from ican warship, but was returned and country to be truly free, to contribute the October 7 New York Times.] sentenced for 'betrayal of the mother­ in every way possible to a solution land." of these problems. In particular, I * * * Finally there is yet another side to appeal to you personally to take the the problem. Persons attempting to initiative in the following: MOSCOW-The trials of recent leave, usually without success, find e It is essential to adopt legislation months have once again reminded us themselves in doing so in the position that would resolve the problem of emi­ of the tragic conflicts faced by Soviet of second-class citizens with regard gration in a democratic spirit so that citizens who wish to emigrate and re­ to retaining a number of their rights anyone who desires to leave the coun­ settle in another country as well as -because of prejudices, traditions and try will be given the opportunity to do the legal, social, psychological and conformism in our society. so and, if he then changes his mind, political aspects of this problem. This involves the opportunity of con­ to return home without hindrance. Soviet citizens, both Jews and tinuing with one's studies or with one's This would be in keeping with the those of other nationalities- Russians, job, and may even result in judicial rights of man that are universally ac­ Ukrainians, Germans, Armenians, prosecution. The recent trials of Palat­ knowledged. Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, nik in Odessa and Kakut in Sverd­ e Further, it is essential that the Meskhi Turks and others-who have lovsk are, in my opinion, examples of section of the criminal code on high sought to leave for personal, ethnic such preconceived and obviously un­ treason be amended so that it will and other reasons, have found their just approaches. no longer be interpreted as broadly lives transformed into constant torture Commenting on the above aspects as has been evident in recent trial by years of expectation only to re­ of the problem as a whole, I would practice. ceive unjustified refusals. like to stress that a humane and just e It is essential to grant an am­ There is another side to this prob­ solution would be highly important nesty to all citizens sentenced in con­ lem. Concern can only be caused by to further democratization of our coun­ nection with attempts to leave the coun­ the fate of those who, having lost try, for the final overcoming of our try and to release those who, for the hope of satisfying their aspirations international isolation, for an ex­ same reason, are being subjected to within the framework of the law, de­ change of people and ideas and for forced treatment in special psychiatric cided to break the law in one way the defense of the rights of man- that hospitals. D or another. Many of these people have been sen­ tenced to long terms of detention in Japan camps or prisons or have been doomed to the horror of forced psy­ chiatric treatment in such strict­ regimen hospitals as the Dneprope­ trovsk special psychiatric hospital and Tokyo Airport Protesters Appeal for Aid others. The attempts made by these citizens, [In previous issues (March 29, p. yama Peasant League Against the prompted by extreme necessity, have 274 and October 4, p. 834) Intercon­ New Tokyo International Airport] and for the most part been categorized tinental Press has reported the strug­ the Kyuen Center [Red Help Center], by the courts as betrayal of the gle of the peasants of Sanrizuka­ wish to inform you of our six-year­ motherland, and have resulted in most Shibayama against the construction long struggle against the construction severe punishment. of the new Tokyo International Air­ of a new military airport, and ask In December, 1970, the world was port. Following the latest wave of po­ for your moral and material support. stunned by the sentences in the so­ lice attacks on the peasants and their The U. S.-Japanese imperialists, who called Leningrad case about an at­ worker and student supporters, were­ already have the U.S. airbase of Yo­ tempted hijacking. Two death sen­ ceived the following appeal from the kota-Tachikawa (in the western sub­ tences were commuted by an appeals Peasant League and the Red Help urbs of Tokyo) and presently utilize court, but the extent of public punish­ Center. It is dated September 21.] nearly half the facilities of the Tokyo ment remained exceptionally strict for International Airport for their unjust the sentenced. * * * war against the Vietnamese peopl\ ) In May, 1971, a Lithuanian, Sim We, the Sanrizuka-Shibayama Ku­ have been expropriating the farms ana-' Kudirka, whose only guilt was an at- kohantai Domei [Sanrizuka-Shiba- fields of Sanrizuka-Shibayama to con-

902 Intercontinental Press struct still another military base in gle has just begun. We have already We ask your support in our fight l the Tokyo vicinity. delayed construction of the airport for against the New Tokyo International "'-'. Realizing that the new airport would two years. The Hantai Domei [Pro­ Airport-that base for the unjust U.S. be used against the Vietnamese, the test Alliance] and the students and war against the Vietnamese and Indo­ peasants of the area refused to sell young workers supporting the peas­ chinese people. We urgently request their land to the Kodan [New Tokyo ants will continue to create a more your moral and material support. International Airport Public Corpora­ and more difficult situation for the Correspondence should be ad­ tion]. They formed the Sanrizuka­ government and its corporation. dressed as follows: Mr. Gan Mito, Sec­ Shibayama Kukohantai Domei to ac­ Many more fighters may be wounded retary, Kyuen Center, Asano Bldg., tively oppose construction of the air­ and arrested by the expropriators. 2-6-8, Nishishinb ashi, Minatoku, To­ base. Dear comrades, brothers and sisters: kyo, Japan. D During the struggle the peasants con­ tinued to farm their lands, creating a sort of commune- simultaneously an Vorster Changes His Mind organ of struggle and production. Twice this year- in February and September- Kodan forcibly seized peasant land, plundering the people's property in the name of the govern­ Zambia Charges South African Aggression ment. The expropriations were carried The government of Zambia on Octo­ sponsibility in this case rests square­ out by the clubs and poison gas of ber 6 asked for an emergency meeting ly on the shoulders of the country the Kidotai [specially armed police] of the United Nations Security Coun­ making available its territory for this and the power shovels and bulldozers cil to discuss South African border sort of aggression." (Emphasis add­ of the government's corporation. raids into Zambian territory. ed.) On September 20, 5,000 special po­ As a result, South Africa's Prime Moreover, after two South African lice surrounded the house of the sixty­ Minister John Vorster has apparent­ cops had been killed by a land mine three-year-old peasant woman Yone in the Strip last May, Vorster was Oki, bulldozed her house, and wounded ly had an attack of the Nixon foot­ her. in-mouth disease. quoted as having said that he would Prime Minister Sato and KodanPres­ On October 5, Vorster told a con­ order "terrorists" pursued "all the way ident Imai praised this cruel and bru­ vention of the Transvaal organization to Lusaka [the Zambian capital]" if tal police action. of his Nationalist party thalt four necessary. South African police constables had The South African press took V or­ The peasants, students, and young been injured and an army officer ster at his word and reported that a workers fought the expropriations, killed when land mines exploded Octo­ police search party had entered Zam­ building barricades, a sixteen-meter­ ber 4 and 5 in the Caprivi Strip. bia. Die Transvaaler, the Nationalist high tower, and other towers on the (The Strip is a narrow panhandle party daily, for example, carried a farms to defend themselves against stretching from northernmost Namibia page-one headline: "South African Po­ the police. (South-West Africa], a disputed terri­ lice Shoot in Zambia." The riot police, armed with dubs tory ruled by South Africa, eastward On October 6, after Zambia had and gas, attacked the defenders on to the Zambezi River. Ranging in protested to the UN, and reports in­ the towers and barricades, wounding width from twenty to sixty miles, it dicated that 100 Zambian military many of them. Eleven students were separates Zambia from Botswana. vehicles were on their way to the South seriously injured when Kodan's power The apartheid government of South African border, Vorster claimed the crane destroyed the tower they were Africa claims sovereignty over the whole thing was a misunderstanding, standing on. One of them remains in Strip, and it is completely closed to which he blamed on the press. critical condition one week after the outsiders. Sparsely populated by in­ "I never said that the police crossed battle. About 2,000 were wounded and digenous tribes, it is rigidly paltrolled the border," he declared. Then, he or­ more than 980 arrested. Many are by South African police.) dered newspaper publishers to meet being hunted as "killers" of three cops Vorster claimed that the land mines with him late in October to discuss who died in the fighting; about 100 had been placed by "Communist­ "information policy." are held by police on suspicion of trained terrorists" operating from It is not clear whether Vorster was arson. Zambian territory. lying in his first or second version The Kyuen Center, together with its According to a report by Stanley of the events, but perhaps the South nationally organized groups, is col­ Uys published in the October 6 Wash­ African press will be more prudent lecting money, medical supplies, etc., ington Post, Vorster told the conven­ in the future when quoting their prime for the wounded and arrested. Many tion: "It will be remembered that I minister. D young lawyers have come to the aid said at this congress last year that of the Peasant League; young doctors if terrorists come into our territory New Land of Opportunity have staffed the Sanrizuka-Shibayama and attack our people, we reserve the Ne\lib Zealand coffin-makers hope to in­ Field Hospital. (The police even right to pursue them wherever they crease sales through exports, according ( raided the hospital itself, wounding might flee .... to the Christchurch Star. One entrepre­ neur was quoted as saying, "There's a ~some doctors.) "This is therefore being done in this fabmous market for coffins in Australia The Sanrizuka-Shibayama Kuko­ case and if the pursuers are attacked, -they have about 100,000 deaths a year hantai Domei declares that the strug- they will defeJJJd themselves. The re- over there." October 25, 1971 903 Canada

Protest Against Alaska Nuclear Test

Thousands of residents of British Columbia have protested Nixon's plans to explode a five-megaton nu­ clear warhead beneath Amchitka Is­ land in the Aleutians. The October 11 issue of the Canadian revolutionary­ socialist biweekly Labor Challenge re­ ported that 10,000 high-school stu­ dents in Vancouver walked out of classes October 6 to protest the sched­ uled test. Opposition to "Cannikin," as the pro­ posed explosion is called by the Pen­ tagon, has been expressed not only by students, but also by labor or­ ganizations, community groups, en­ vironmental organizations, municipal bodies, and even the Vancouver Real Estate Board. The blast area lies over an earth­ quake fault. One week after a similar nuclear explosion on Amchitka in 1969, there was a severe earthquake in Asia and a milder one in Califor­ nia. Residents of the Canadian west coast are also concerned about ra­ diation from the explosion leaking in­ 'Okay, that's that- now let's blow the damned place up!' to the atmosphere. Such leakage has occurred in one-fourth of all the un­ derground tests conducted in Nevada. Signed by eighteen members of the of all mankind. If our hands weren't A group of scientists and antiwar crew, the message read: tied by these military bonds, we would activists have sailed a ship named "Due to the situation we are in, we, be in the same position you are in Greenpeace into the area near Am­ the crew of the Confidence, feel that if it were at all possible. Good luck. chitka Island to dramatize the wide­ what you are doing is for the good We are behind you 100 percent." D spread opposition to the blast. "The ship had great difficulty getting under way," Labor Challenge report­ ed. "Federal government officials Rising Unrest in British Prisons threatened to cancel the vessel's in­ surance and used fishing license quali­ The British Home Office, which is three to a cell that was designed for fications as another impediment. Now, in charge of the country's prisons, is a single inmate; half live in buildings of course, with public support for it studying with considerable trepidation that are more than 100 years old. so obvious, Trudeau expresses his a letter that inmates of the 162-year­ sympathy for the expedition." old Dartmoor prison wrote to the Na­ The consequent miserable conditions The Greenpeace was boarded by tional Council for Civil Liberties, ac­ have led to protests and rebellions in crewmen of the U.S. Coast Guard cording to a report by Bernard Wein­ Albany and Parkhurst prisons, in jails cutter Confidence, according to an Oc­ raub in the October 3 New York in Liverpool and Bristol, and on the tober 12 Associated Press dispatch Times. Isle of Wight. quoting an Anchorage, Alaska, news­ The letter, which arrived nearly si­ The Dartmoor letter, signed byforty- paper. multaneously with the outbreak of the ine prisoners, said in part: "Many The paper said that while the cap­ Attica rebellion in the United States, men after reading the latest accounts tain of the Confidence was informing complained about conditions in the of incidents in prison and hearing the group on the Greenpeace that they overcrowded institution. them on the radio are ready for ac- l were violating "customs regulations," There are now 111 prisons in En­ tion. The situation is coming to a\..../ sailors aboard the Confidence passed gland and Wales with 40,000 inmates. head as it seems only militant action a message to the peace activists. One-third of the prisoners live two or can bring results." D 904 Intercontinental Press Roughing It in the Desert L>mMlmt%Jiiili11Witilll1 l"IIMWIIIIIIImnmmllllltmwiiiiiMIIllMIIiiiiiMiiiMMIHNM!l'IIIIIIIILWIIIMWiiiiMiiiMIItmM.Imutu~&illliiiMJWmMIIII!IIi1tllliiWMmiiiiWiiiJIMm:;MwJmm;mm;\lliliMIIiiWillmmilwiii¥£11111MHIMIImiimlilimw:mmrumiMiiiiiiiiiiHMmiiWi&miili1Miiiil The Shah Throws a Small Party for His Friends By Allen Myers

The shah of Iran merely wanted to and well equipped than the tents to who pays a public utilities bill are throw a little party, but everyone mis­ which the average camper is accus­ all being permitted to participate in understood his intentions. The "Light tomed. this aspect of the celebration. This of the Aryans," Charlotte Curtis re­ "Each of the circular blue and gold may be what David Lilienthal, one ported in the October 12 New York tents," the October 3 New York Times of the shah's American advisers, Times, was quite disturbed by crit­ reported, ''has a circular audience meant when he told Newsweek: icism of the celebrations marking the chamber with two bedrooms, two "Pride motivates people to better 2,500th anniversary of the Persian marble bathrooms, servants' quarters themselves. You have to show them empire. and kitchenettes. Inside, no two of some glamour, and you have to show "Why are we reproached for serving the tents are alike." them what you're bringing them into dinner to 50 heads of state?" he is Other conveniences include three tele­ the modern world for." said to have asked an interviewer re­ phones per tent, damask linen, Li­ Imagine the pride that must be felt cently. "What am I supposed to do, moges plates by Ceralene, and glasses by the Iranian people when they see give them bread and radishes?" by Baccarat. that their average annual per capita As it turned out, not even the com­ The price of the tents is reported income of $350 does not prevent them moners among the 500 guests need to have been roughly equal to what from spending $100,000,000 for the have worried about being given such the construction of a hotel would have greater glory of their beloved mon­ homely fare. The twenty-two tons of cost. arch. Who can conceive of the glam­ provisions were served by Maxim's There were a few other expenses our involved when people who con­ of Paris, and included partridge stuffed involved as well. The cost of the air­ sume an average of 2.7 pounds of with foie gras and truffles, and port constructed for the occasion has meat per month present visiting royal­ poached eggs with caviar. All the not been reported, nor has the price ty with a ton of caviar? food, except for a ton of Persian cav­ tag on the nine-hole golf course. But Of course, there were a few mean iar, was French. the October 11 issue of Newsweek put spirits who were unimpressed by the One of the more elaborate dishes the cost of uniforms for the Royal grandeur. As a considerate host, the was not consumed at all, but used Guards at $1,200 apiece. It is pos­ shah took great pains to see that they only for decoration at a formal din­ sible that the shah may have received would not be allowed to disturb his ner October 14. This consisted of a discount when he purchased the 250 guests. Eric Rouleau reported in the ninety-two imperial peacocks, tail Mercedes-Benz automobiles that saved October 12 issue of the Paris daily feathers spread, surrounded by a his guests the inconvenience of walk­ Le Monde that security was organized "courf' of cold quail in jelly. ing when they wanted to drop in on in three concentric circles. To quench the thirst of his guests, their neighbors. The outer, "blue circle," more than the shah imported 4,500 bottles of The total bill for the celebrations seventy miles in diameter, was cleared the best Bordeaux, Burgundies, and is reportedly more than $100,000,000. of all suspicious elements- "sometimes Champagnes, including Chateau Laf­ It would have been unreasonable, of including entire tribes." It was pa­ fitte Rothschild 1945, which normally course, to expect the shah to bear trolled by several infantry companies. sells for $100 a magnum. the cost out of his own pocket. Being The "green circle," some twelve miles Since the anniversary celebration a reasonable man, he didn't. in diameter, in which journalists and came nine years late (the Persian A deputy to the shah's hand-picked official delegations were housed, was empire is considered to have begun Majles (parliament) was quoted in the protected by paratroopers. in 539 B. C., when Cyrus the Great September 21 Teheran daily Kayhan Finally, the "red circle," some 150 conquered Babylon), the shah had as giving the following explanation acres containing the tents for the plenty of time to make sure that his of how part of the expenses were met: guests, was protected by the imperial guests would be provided with every "Concerning the street decorations, guards and various special units. comfort. they ask where the money has come Military airplanes flew overhead Presumably because the festivities from. Sir, the expenses are paid by night and day, as a further precaution. were scheduled to last only five days, the merchants and shopkeepers." These arrangements, John K. Cooley the shah abandoned his original idea The petty bourgeoisie is not the only wrote in the October 12 Christian Sci­ of building a grand deluxe hotel .to sector of Iranian society that bas ex­ ence Monitor, were estimated to in­ house his guests. Instead, Jansen's of pressed its devotion to the shah by volve some two divisions of military Paris was commissioned to set up fifty­ kicking in the funds to pay for his personnel. four silk-lined tents in the desert near party. The Iranian Students Associ­ Rouleau added the following details Gthe ruins of the ancient capital of Per­ ation in the United States reports that about the impressive security mea­ sepolis. schoolchildren, unions, government sures: These were a trifle more spacious employees, homeowners, and anyone "Hundreds- some say thousands- October 25, 1971 905 of people have been arrested or placed under house arrest, for the celebration Kidnapped by Buenos Aires Police period. Universities and secondary schools have been closed to foil the strike appeals launched by anonymous An Argentine Woman Appeals groups. All ministries, official build­ ings, and numerous public figures are for the Life of Luis Enrique Puials being guarded by the forces of order. Parents of young militants who are [Luis Enrique Pujals, said to have dents that are publicly known (the in hiding or who have joined the been wanted by the Argentinian po­ Martins, Maestre, Verd cases) fear for underground are being held as hos­ lice because of alleged membership his life or his being tortured. tages." in the Ejercito Revolucionario del According to the president of the In such an elaborate production, Pueblo (Revolutionary Army of the nation, acts like these are justifiable a few mix-ups were inevitable. King People), was kidnapped in Buenos Ai­ inasmuch as a domestic war is being Hussein's sister and her husband were res September 24 by unknown assail­ conducted against what he calls sub­ forced to sleep on cots because of an ants. version. But I, like many Argentinians, insufficient number of beds in the Jor­ [His companion, Emilia Susana wonder why the international Geneva danians' tent. Maximilian Cardinal de Gaggero de Pujals, said that she had conventions, which call for humane Furstenburg, the pope's representative, received an anonymous telephone call treatment and respect for the lives of found that he had not been assigned informing her that her husband was prisoners of war, are not being ob­ a tent. After lodging a protest, he fi­ being held by the federal police. How­ served. nally received one, perhaps as a con­ ever, the police denied knowing any­ As a psychologist it is a daily af­ cession to the ecumenical spirit. Kai­ thing about his whereabouts. fair for me to encounter illness and Uwe von Hassel, president of the West [In an open letter to President La­ in some instances death, but I have German Bundestag, was unwilling or nusse, Emilia Susana Gaggero de Pu­ always tried to fight them. That is, unable to pull the necessary strings jals appealed for information about my profession enables me to battle and had to content himself with ac­ her husband and for protection of against them and draw human beings commodations in a hotel. his life. away from their influence. But on the Matters of protocol appear to have [The following is a translation of other hand I have found that men been settled in a straightforward man­ her letter as published in the October exist whose profession it is to pro­ ner, to judge from a report by Char­ 6 issue of La Verdad, a Buenos Aires voke them, and who even draw wages lotte Curtis in the October 15 New weekly newspaper.] and support their families doing it. York Times: Finally, Mr. President, I say to you: "Monarchs, whose families have been * * * You are responsible before the law, royal for centuries, didn't bother to before history, and before the people bow to the Shah, whose father was The federal police have held my for the historical process our country little more than a peasant, but com­ husband for seven days. After taking is undergoing. You are also respon­ moners did." all the steps called for by the law, sible for all the actions of the organs In the convivial atmosphere, most I should like to draw some conclu­ of power. You must guarantee the of the guests felt no need to put on sions as to what has happened to physical well-being and life of my hus­ airs. At the formal dinner, no more my husband. band. As a wife, as a mother, as an than twenty crowns and a dozen or I believe that the way in which he Argentine woman, I demand it. so tiaras were visible. The fifteen-year­ has been dealt with is not something old daughter of Philippine President unique. It could occur to anyone in Emilia Susana Gaggero de Pujals Ferdinand Marcos was content to dis­ view of the fact that our country's play a modest diamond necklace repressive institutions act in general across her forehead. The representa­ with complete impunity, all restraints tives from the East European workers having been removed by new laws Yahya Khan Backed states dressed in simple proletarian giving the government life and death by Kim II Sung? black silk suits with white shirts and powers over individuals without being ties. held accountable. The just-plain-folks mood of the While I do not intend to deny the Kim II Sung has apparently joined gathering was perhaps best symbol­ Mao Tsetung as a supplier of arms political course followed by my hus­ to Yahya Khan's army. In the Octo­ ized by Emperor Haile Selassie of band, it is also necessary to note that ber 15 New York Times Benjamin Ethiopia, who was seen walking his this is part of the reality of our coun­ Welles reported that according to "well pet chihuahua through Persepolis. The try which witnesses conflicts every day informed" Washington sources, the Sip­ dog, of course, wore a diamond­ sah, an 8,000-ton Pakistani ship, ar­ in all areas -labor, culture, and pol­ rived in Karachi from the North Ko­ studded collar. D itics. rean port of Hungnam September 18. My husband is the victim of the Its cargo consisted of crates of small arms and ammunition. Makes It Easier for Nixon only answer your government has to these facts- arrest, kidnapping, and The same unnamed sources reported The constitutional convention voted Sep­ that Pakistan and North Korea had tember 30 to write the Philippines' new refusal to indicate his whereabouts, signed an agreement to open consul­ constitution in English. Some bureau in thereby prolonging the suffering of ates in each other's countries. Washington probably has a draft ready. his family, who, in view of the prece- 906 Intercontinental Press BODIES OF TWO STUDENTS murdered by "La Banda" were the right-wing terrorist gang continue unabated in spite of Do­ discovered early on the morning of October 9. Activities of minican President Balaguer's "suppression" of the group.

'La Banda' Slays Five More in Santo Domingo By J. V. Hanley

The supposedly "dissolved" right­ tista, also known as Johnny Vargas, Estudiantes Revolucionarios) at Juan wing terrorist formation in the Domin­ on October 6. Pablo Duarte Night School. Floren­ ican Republic known as "La Banda" The dead youths were identified by tino Santana was identified as a mem­ has resumed its killings on an ex­ the Santo Domingo daily El Nacianal ber of the Partido Revolucionario Do­ panded scale, setting off a new politi­ de Ahara! of October 10 as members minicano (PRD- Dominican Revolu­ cal crisis for President Joaquin Bala­ of the "Hector J. Diaz Club" of the tionary party). guer. "27 de Febrero" slum district. Their The other slain youths had no ap­ Public opinion was shaken severely group was not apparently affiliated parent political affiliation outside of by the discovery October 9 of five with any political tendency, but its the neighborhood cultural club. Checo new victims of the so-called Juventud cultural activities had a strong ele­ was identified simply as a "student," Democratica Reformista Antieomu­ ment of nationalism. and Pelaez Tejada and Bautista nista (Democratic Reformist Anti­ The club issued a statement con­ Gomez as "workers." Communist Youth). demning the murders as aimed The five victims, whose bullet-ridden at "halting our work of community All of the victims, along with two bodies were discovered in three sepa­ organizing and cultural development." fellow club-members who subsequently rate parts of Santo Domingo, were The group characterized its general managed to escape, were seized by identified by the press as Ruben Daria goals as "struggling on behalf of the a group including known La Banda Sandoval, sixteen years of age; Victor native culture, against Yankee cultural members at approximately 3:00 a.m., Fernando Checo and Gerardo Bau­ penetration, and for national sover­ as they were leaving a wake for a tista Gomez, both eighteen; Reyes eignty," according to El Nacianal de club member who had been killed in Florentino Santana, nineteen; and Ahara! a traffic accident. In full view of uni­ Rhadames Pelaez Tejada, twenty-one. Sandoval and Florentino Santana, formed policemen, who were patrol­ They had all been threatened with both students, were also involved with ling the neighborhood in unusual L,-,death by La Banda members for hav­ left-wing political groups. Sandoval strength that evening, the kidnappers ing expressed satisfaction over the kill­ was reportedly active in the Revolu­ loaded the victims into two sedans and ing of La Banda leader Johnny Ba- tionary Student Union (Union de drove away. The police apparently October 25, 1971 907 had instructions not to interfere with what he termed the 'river of blood key collaborator of La Banda. His the raid. running through our society,'" accord­ hypocritical pronouncement on Octo~ l This latest atrocity was the largest ing to an Associated Press story in her 10 that the murderers would b~ multiple murder in a long series of the October 12 issue of the New York punished "with all the force of the killings perpetrated by La Banda. The daily El Diaria. law" could be expected to carry little furious repression against the left has The Balaguer government, which weight with the Dominican people­ caused increasing public fear and con­ had proclaimed four weeks previously especially among Santo Domingo's cern. that it was launching a crackdown slum dwellers, the most frequent tar­ The October 3 El Nacianal de against La Banda,* moved quickly gets of the vandalism and kidnap­ Ahara! published a list of questions to head off the mounting protests. On pings perpetrated by La Banda. it had submitted to the U. S. embassy October 14, Balaguer appointed in Santo Domingo on September 28 Brigadier General Neit Rafael Nivar Perez y Perez and Nivar Seijas, both concerning North American complic­ Seijas as the new head of the National close associates of Balaguer, have ity in the campaign of police repres­ Police. clashed frequently over the tactics to sion against the left since 1966. ''We Nivar Seijas's predecessor, Major be used in repressing the Dominican are still awaiting the answers, so that General Enrique Perez y Perez, had left. Nivar Seijas went so far as to we can bring them to the attention been implicated as an organizer and have fourteen La Band a members ar­ of our readers," the paper reported. rested last July by an army unit under his command, only to have his action The questionnaire began by point­ *See Intercontinental Press, September 13, ing out that the Agency for Interna­ p. 764; September 20, p. 787; and Oc­ repudiated by Balaguer shortly there­ tional Development (AID) had been tober 11, p. 852 for background material. after. 0 carrying out a police training pro­ gram in the Dominican Republic since 1966, and that a total of 3, 700 agents were to have completed their studies by the end of 1972. It challenged Florida's Hypocrisy in Abortion Case the ambassador, Francis Edward Mel­ oy, to confirm or deny that his em­ Shirley Wheeler, a twenty-three-year­ talities previously accounted for one­ bassy helped direct the capture and old Florida woman, was sentenced third of all pregnancy-related deaths. torture of major left-wing political fig­ October 15 to two years probation On October 13 George Godber, Brit­ ures such as Andres Ramos Peguero, for having an abortion. Convicted last ain's chief medical officer, reported "a Dominican Communist leader" July of abortion-manslaughter, she in his annual review "On the State of whose whereabouts are still not could have gotten twenty years in jail. Public Health" that after abortions known. According to one of her lawyers, Cy­ were legalized under the National AID was responsible for creating ril Means, she is the first woman in Health Service in April 1968, the num­ the "Special Operations" unit of the U. S. history to be tried on such a ber of operations performed rose from National Police, which on September charge. 22,256 during the rest of 1968 to 25 murdered two peasants in the vi­ "I was relieved," Wheeler comment­ 54,158 in 1969 and 83,849 in 1970. cinity of San Jose de Ocoa. The vic­ ed, "but I still think that probation Despite the large increase in the tims were apparently involved in a is totally unjust. The state is the crim­ number of abortions, fatalities have property dispute with local landlords. inal, not I, and I will fight it with fallen "in striking fashion" from an Popular agitation against the terror WONAAC." WONAAC is the Women's average of 52 a year during 1964- campaign fostered by the Dominican National Abortion Action Coalition, 66 to 40 a year during 1968-70. In and United States governments has the organization planning nationwide 1970 there were 29 deaths, the lowest spread to the most conservative cir­ demonstrations November 20 in San figure ever reported. 0 cles. The Santo Domingo weekly Francisco and Washington demand­ Ahara! reported October 11 that the ing repeal of all laws restricting wom­ Correction Catholic Church and the Dominican en's rights to abortion. On page 880 of last week's issue, in Bar Association have recently joined The hypocrisy of the state of Flori­ the article "The Continuing Inhumanity in the general outcry against the wave da's "concern" for human life is shown of Attica Prison," the name of one of the of repression and terror. by reports from two countries indicat­ victims of the Attica massacre was re­ The Bar Association called on Bala­ ing that legalization of abortion re­ ported incorrectly. The Rochester, New York, funeral described in the last para­ guer early in October to send the Na­ sults in a dramatic decline in the ma­ graph was that of Elliott James Barkley, tional Congress a bill decreeing am­ ternal death rate. Dr. David Harris, not Richard Clark. As noted earlier in nesty for all political prisoners. Fol­ speaking October 12 at the annual the article, Clark's fate has not been re­ lowing the October 9 murders, con­ meeting of the American Public Health ported by the authorities. gressional representatives of Bala­ Association, said that since New York guer's own Partido Reformista (Re­ State liberalized its abortion law in When You Move ... formist party) called on the admin­ August 1970, the maternal death rate istration to take firm measures against in New York City has declined by Don't count on the post office forward­ La Banda. more than half. It now stands at two ing your Intercontinental Press! It's against their rules. , l On October 11, "the Archbishop of deaths per 10,000 live births, the low­ Send us your new address. And in "-" Santo Domingo, Hugo Eduardo est in the city's history. plenty of time, please. Polanco Brito, called for an end to Dr. Harris noted that abortion fa- 908 Intercontinental Press Great Britain among some elements here. Every

( ,H::i::m~::::w=;~,,,,,,,,,,,ii==·=·=· ==~===·======·=·======·======·==··=·=·=·=·======~==~======·=;~==~=====:==:::::::q::dillb/tH!t%: :)=tlllf:hi!li1?MiWMM!MHWMN!!Wim!Nti!!WiM&llm1Jiiim'f:m!Mi~i ffiMM\fii!mmMmr:;:;:~m@i@~; Wl i:M!Mf#!!hM party in Ireland, North or South, had \._.,- gone on record against any attempt to remove the border except by agree­ Labour Party Deals Stab in Back ment. To talk in terms of removing the border was simply to remove the to Irish 1n Concentration Camps violence from Belfast to Dublin. He could not, therefore, agree to [At the annual conference of the Brit­ bling about us- a society of despair. the resolution that had been moved. ish Labour party, held in Brighton Because of this, we have an extra Yet some action had to be taken. He October 4-8, the situation in North­ duty not to allow ourselves to sink had bent over backwards to avoid ern Ireland came up for sharp debate. into the depths of despair." criticising the present Government, but [Sean Vernals, representing the Wan­ [He said he had become convinced there was "no doubt that this Govern­ stead and Woodford Constituency La­ that nothing could be achieved with­ ment has allowed the situation to de­ bour party, moved a resolution de­ out first ending internment, and there teriorate by failing to act as swiftly manding that victims thrown into con­ had to be a clear commitment from as it ought." It had been too slow centration camps should either be the platform on this. and too slothful. It should have kept brought to trial or released immedi­ ["I want to see the evidence against the situation in hand the whole of ately. The resolution also proposed these men. I want to know why they the time, and never let it out of its that a commission be set up com­ are in there. It was said that no Brit­ grip .... posed of representatives of Westmin­ ish Minister was told of the names "What can you do?" Mr Callaghan ster, Stormont, and the Irish Repub­ on the lists, or shown the evidence asked. "No great party like ours can lic to consider ways of introducing in advance, but British troops risked fail to take steps that are necessary, a democratic structure at Stormont their lives to arrest these men and or to propose them. Harold Wilson and at local government levels, and bolster up a reactionary, Fascist Gov­ put forward a series of constructive finding a peaceful and just method ernment." proposals which, taken together, of removing the border. [James Callaghan, the Home Sec­ would do what Kevin McNamara [The resolution called for a pledge retary under Wilson and now the Op­ asked, and would assert the continu­ that the next Labour government position spokesman on home affairs, ing authority of Westminster." ... would take such action. The resolu­ was entrusted with the job of beating Mr Callaghan referred to intern­ tion held that the pledge would do down the efforts to have the Labour ment, and said: "It is a loathsome much to encourage a cooling of tem­ party take a progressive position on weapon. It is sanctioned by no peace­ pers and help to create an atmosphere the situation in Ireland. In a speech ful or just society. It is contrary to conducive to arriving at a fair settle­ reeking with hypocrisy, Callaghan our sense of natural justice. It is for­ ment, thereby ending "Britain's Viet­ succeeded in his aim of having the bidden under the Universal Declara­ nam" situation. resolution on Ireland "remitted" to the tion of Human Rights. Article 9 says [Merlyn Rees, MP for South Leeds, executive, ie., killed in committee. that no one shall be subjected to ar­ said that he had returned from North­ [The following extracts reporting bitrary arrest, detention, or exile, and ern Ireland the previous day after Callaghan's speech are taken from Article 10: 'Everyone is entitled in visiting the Crumlin Road prison and the October 8 issue of the London full equality to a fair and public hear­ the Longkesh Internment camp. "I Guardian.] ing by an independent and impartial have an overriding feeling of shame tribunal in the determination of his that in the United Kingdom there * * * rights and obligations, and of any should be camps like this." criminal charge against him.' ["Internment has antagonised the en­ There was no magic wand that "There is no one can stand here and tire Catholic Community," he said. could be waved to solve the problem, defend internment. But let us consider "There is still a chance of a political Mr James Callaghan said, replying the practical problem. It is my judg­ settlement, but it is remote. The Prot­ to the debate on Northern Ireland. ment, based on quite accurate evi­ estants are organising. Paisleyism is There was going to be a long and dence, that there are many people in­ growing. The trade unions are talk­ hard battle, and the elements of sanity terned who should not be interned. ing of sectarianism. were at the moment in retreat. ... But when Merlyn Rees and Kevin Mc­ ["It is the short term that is impera­ It had been said that the case for Namara, if I understand the position tive to the Shank ill and the Falls a united Ireland was unanswerable. aright, went to one internment camp roads. There must be a last chance In logic, perhaps, that might b€! right. there was at least one section of the for Stormont to bring in reforms now, Yet there were a million answers to internees who drew themselves up in and there must be a massive injec­ this unanswerable case, and they lay military formation, all standing in tion of capital." with the people who had said firmly three ranks, with an officer in front [Kevin McNamara, MP for Hull and clearly that they were prepared of them, acting and behaving as North, who went with Rees to North­ to defend their position with guns, though they were prisoners of war." ern Ireland, said that both of them and that they would not be forced There were interruptions from the hall, were particularly concerned because into a united Ireland. but Mr Callaghan continued: L,/a third of the military casualties had There was more recognition of what "If you have got a body of 50 or been members of Yorkshire regiments. such a proposal meant on the other 60 men who regard themselves as ["We visited a society visibly crum- side of the Channel than there was being prisoners of war, whether they October 25, 1971 909 are or not, drawn up in ranks of Democratic and Labour Party, agreed The delegates voted by 5,073,000 this sort, speaking only when their to set up a commission drawn from to 1,032,000 against supporting the officers tell them to, how do we get three parties (the Northern Ireland terms accepted by the Tories for Brit-\J out of that situation? Do we release Labour Party, the SDLP, and the par­ ish entry into the Common Market. them immediately? I will come to the ty in Britain) to meet again as early They then approved a resolution call- question of evidence later. I ask, do as possible. ing for a General Election after Oc­ you release them immediately if there On Wednesday, he said, the new tober 28, the day Parliament is to is evidence that they have been com­ National Executive Committee ap­ vote for or against the Tory position mitting crimes? No. (Cries of "Why pointed the representatives to this com­ on entry. not?") mission. Its purpose would be to dis­ A bloc of about sixty Labour Mem­ Of course, there should be trials, cuss with the Northern Ireland La­ bers of Parliament headed by Roy unless it could be shown to the satis­ bour Party, with the SDLP, and any Jenkins, the Deputy Leader of the La­ faction of an independent tribunal that others who could be brought in, what bour party, talked of voting with the to do so would endanger the lives basis for the future there can be. The Tories in defiance of the position taken of others who would have to give NEC representatives would be the in­ by the delegates on the Common Mar­ evidence.... coming chairman, Mr Anthony Wedg­ ket. The National Executive Committee, wood Benn, Mr Joe Gormley, of the A persistent rumor had it that Wil­ at its meeting in September with the NUM, Mr John Chalmers, of the son had cooked up some kind of deal Northern Ireland Labour Party, the Boilermakers' Society, and Mr Cal­ with these right-wing "pro-Marketeers." Irish Labour Party, and the Social laghan himself. 0 According to the rumor, Wilson pro­ posed that they vote with the Tories on October 28 as "a matter of con­ science" but that in the subsequent vot­ ing-which may go on for many months- to implement the decision to enter the Common Market, they vote labour Party Shifts to the left in every instance against the Tories. Wilson went on TV to vehemently By T.J. O'Fiaherty deny the rumor. It must be said that the rumor may have been initiated London against it from the unions. by the pro-Marketeers as a trial bal­ The annual conference of the La­ The Labour party lost the elections loon. The alleged deal hardly fits in bour party, held in Brighton Octo­ last year because of Wilson's sorry with the new '1eft wing" image Wilson ber 4-8, concluded with a sight that record in betraying his campaign is trying to create for himself. "could make a cat laugh." There was promises and carrying out policies the assemblage of rogues, knaves, and designed to bolster British capitalism. Ian Mikardo, this year's left-wing left-wingers that constitute the new Na­ Prominent among the measures he party chairman (the chairmanship ro­ tional Executive Committee [NEC] took to help the bosses was the wage tates from year to year according to holding hands on the platform and freeze he imposed on the workers. This seniority in the NEC), said at a meet­ singing lustily the Red Flag. was an issue at Brighton. ing organized by the Tribune, the left Harold Wilson, too, joined in this Barbara Castle, former Minister of Labourite weekly: end-of-the-conference tradition. Per­ Employment, and Roy Jenkins, former "If ... a squalid deal has been done haps his voice was even louder than Chancellor of the Exchequer, gave as­ to allow 60 pro-market MPs to eat the others: "Though cowards flinch surances that there would be no re­ their cake and have it, then ... 60 and traitors sneer, we'll keep the Red turn to "the old prices and incomes constituency parties will have the right Flag flying here.... " policy." But these public commitments ... to cast a verdict on this shabby The former Prime Minister, now were made reluctantly and only after manoeuvre." Leader of the Opposition, put his heart strong warnings were given privately On TV, Mikardo said that he be­ into it, no doubt. But what irony in to the NEC by Hugh Scanlon, Presi­ lieves that the Parliamentary Labour the contrast between the words of that dent of the Amalgamated Union of party should be brought under con­ song and Wilson's deeds while in of­ Engineering and Foundry Workers trol of the party conference and the fice! [skilled automobile and steel workers], NEC. He had hardly stood up bravely and Jack Jones, General Secretary of In general the conference marked against the Swiss bankers and the the Transport and General Workers' a shift to the left. The delegates, for City [London's Wall Street]. The work­ Union-the two largest trade unions instance, voted- in face of NEC op­ ers had to bear the burden of those in the country. position-for nationalization of the repeated confrontations. Even the vi­ The NEC document on this question banks, insurance companies, and ciously antilabor Industrial Relations states that "we would seek to establish mortgage companies [building soci­ Act, passed by the Tories after they some kind of permanent but flexible eties], and other "commanding heights" were back in power, had its proto­ system of price controls." To this end of the economy. type in legislation submitted by Bar­ a mobile "prices inspectorate" is to In contrast to this tendency, the con­ bara Castle as a member of Wilson's "tour the country to investigate price ference took a shameful position o'-.J Cabinet. It would have been enacted, restraint at retail level." This weasel­ the struggle in Ireland, in effect back­ too, had it not been for pressure worded document was adopted. ing British imperialism. 0 910 Intercontinental Press ley's crimes. Only 20 percent of those questioned excused his actions. Among that minority, we may be sure, was John Sack. Hammer re­ ports that Sack once told him, "I see Calley and His Protector Rusty [Calley] as Christ on the cross being crucified." The Court-Martial of Lt. Calley by decided that they would file charges Sack interviewed Calley extensively, Richard Hammer. Coward, McCann on their own authority if no one else asking, he says, some 10,000 ques­ & Geoghegan, New York, N.Y. 398 would take the responsibility. Only tions. He then put Calley's answers together to form a continuous nar­ pp. $7.95. 1971. after they had made this decision known did army higher-ups finally rative. It would be generous to de­ scribe the results as banal. Lieutenant Calley: His Own Story as have Calley formally accused- two As Calley runs on through page told to John Sack. The Viking Press, days before the deadline. after page of self-justifying drivel, he New York, N.Y. 181 pp. $4.95. The highest of the higher-ups to in­ begins to look like a parody. The 1971. tervene in the case was Richard Nix­ following passage by Sack's "Christ" on. After one reads Hammer's account is typical: As the Nixon administration con­ of the trial, in which Calley's partici­ "I have pride in America, and I tinues to crank out its propaganda pation in the massacre of scores of hate someone making a slant against about "winding down the war," "Viet­ persons* was clearly demonstrated, it. Sure, it has many flaws. It has namization," and its various other eu­ the cynical motivation of Nixon's an­ made booboos, if you would call them phemisms for aggression, Hammer's nouncement that he would serve as that: I perfer not to. Mistakes. There book comes as a stark reminder of the final judge in the case stands out is too much poverty here. We have what the U.S. government has been all the more sharply. to have integration. This war in Viet­ doing and continues to do in Indo­ nam is ridiculous: but I'm an Ameri­ china. "This was ..." Hammer writes, "the can, and I won't curse it. I won't "Did you ever hear of pacification?" Richard Nixon who had declared over just say, 'It's horrible.' What we have one witness who was present during and over again that he was deter­ in America with its horrors still is the the Mylai massacre was asked. mined that justice and the law should best there is. For what would we have "No." be the rule in the United States and that he would never deviate from the without it? Chaos." "Did you ever hear of the saying, Since he is a caricature, or has cho­ win their hearts and minds?" "No, course of law and justice no matter how loud the cries and demonstrations sen to appear as one for his public I never heard that. But I heard that defense, Calley at times does high­ if you get them by the balls, the hearts in the streets. But of course, when he said that, the demonstrators were from light some of the reality of Nixon's and minds will follow." war. This is clearest when he speaks the left and were protesting the war Hammer, who covered Calley's of the entire Vietnamese population in Viet-Nam." court-martial for the New York Times as the enemy: follows the case from beginning to end Hammer, however, misjudges the "I worry sometimes now. I lie and, despite the fact that much of the nature of the protest that caused Nix­ awake, and I think of Mylai and say, material is a necessary repetition of on's intervention. At one point he My God. Whatever inspired me to what has already appeared in the writes, "Calley, the majority of Ameri­ do it? But truthfully: there was no press, manages at times to illuminate cans seemed to feel, was only a sol­ other way. America's motto there was facts that tended to be glossed over dier doing his duty and obeying his 'Win in Vietnam,' and in Mylai there when they occurred. orders, a soldier, an officer doing­ was no other way to do it.... " Certainly Captain William Ralph as he himself maintained- hil! best When he appears repulsive in this Hill has never been presented the med­ to ensure the safety and welfare of book-which is often- it is frequently al he deserves for blocking the at­ his men." (Emphasis added.) because he so consistently and unques­ tempts by army higher-ups to allow In reality, a Gallup poll conducted tioningly accepts what the U.S. gov­ Calley to escape prosecution. at the time showed that 71 percent ernment is doing. Even the murder Calley had been brought back from of those who disapproved of the ver­ of babies can be justified to Calley: Vietnam on June and in­ 10, 1970, dict did so because they believed that formed that he might be <:ourt­ others shared responsibility for Cal- "On babies everyone's really hung martialed. But in the following weeks, up. 'But babies! The little innocent the army simply dragged its feet No babies!' Of course, we've been in Viet­ move was made to begin prosecution. * Calley was convicted of murdering "not pam for ten years now. If we're in Calley was due to be discharged on less than" twenty-two persons at three sep­ Vietnam another ten, if your son is September 6. If he had not been for­ arate locations inside Mylai. In one case, where a photograph showed a large num­ killed by those babies you'll cry at mally charged before that date, there ber of bodies, the jury could not agree me, 'Why didn't you kill those ba­ would have been no legal way to on the exact number and decided to com­ bies that day?'" bring him to trial. promise on "not less than one." In another Calley appears unaware of the fact Early in September, Hill and three incident, various witnesses testified that that the vast majority of the Ameri­ \._,;other captains in the Fort Benning Calley had participated in killing any­ where from twenty to seventy persons can people already blame Nixon, not legal office- including Aubrey Daniel, and the jury settled for "not less than~ the Vietnamese, for the continuation who eventually prosecuted the case- the lowest number. of the war. More and more of them

October 25, 1971 911 are coming to realize one of Ham­ Nam, that led inevitably to My Lai, munist International to understand the mer's conclusions: that gave Calley and the other Calleys specific character of fascism made it \ "And those who committed the great­ the weapons and the opportunity to incapable of finding a strategy that"-....) est atrocity of them all- those, the vent what was in them upon the in­ could stop Hitler. Lyndon Johnsons and Richard Nix­ nocent, and who then sanctimoniously "The strategic conception of the ons, the Robert McNamaras and Mel­ proclaimed their devotion to peace Communist International," Trotsky vin Lairds, the Dean Rusks and Mc­ and democracy and freedom- will wrote not long after Hitler's triumph, George Bundys and William Bundys face no trial as war criminals, will ''was false from beginning to end. The and Henry Kissingers, the William face no Nuremberg for their crimes point of departure of the German Westmorelands and Creighton against peace and against humanity. Communist Party was that there is Abramses, who brought this country They will go unpunished . . . and will nothing but a mere division of labor to this obscenity of a war, who devel­ end their careers honored and cele­ between the Social Democracy and fas­ oped the policies and the use of the brated." cism; that their interests are similar, if weapons that have destroyed Viet- -David Burton not identical." "... the Communist In­ ternational convinced the reformists and the fascists that they were twins; it predicted their conciliation, em bit­ tered and repulsed the Social Demo­ How Did Hitler Triumph? cratic workers, and consolidated their reformist leaders. . . . It displayed The Struggle Against Fascism in Ger­ "At this juncture, the historic role of persistency and perseverance only in many by Leon Trotsky. Introduc­ fascism begins. It raises to their feet sabotaging the united front, from tion by Ernest Mandel. Pathfinder those classes that are immediately above as well as from below. All this Press, New York, N.Y. 479 pp. above the proletariat and that are it did, to be sure, with the best of in­ $3.95. 1971. ever in dread of being forced down tentions." into its ranks; it organizes and mil­ Trotsky's analysis can help arm the "Fascism," the Belgian Marxist schol­ itarizes them at the expense of finance new generation of radicals with the ar Ernest Mandel points out in his capital, under the cover of the official theoretical understanding necessary to introduction to this book, "was able government, and it directs them to avoid the fatal errors committed by to develop successfully over two de­ the extirpation of proletarian organi­ their predecessors in the 193 Os. cades only because its real nature was zations, from the most revolutionary The present edition has been exten­ not understood; because its opponents to the most conservative." sively annotated and provided with lacked a scientific theory of fascism; In analyzing the rise of fascism, an index of persons and a list of because the dominant theory was a Trotsky dealt at length with its simi­ newspapers and journals cited in the false or incomplete one." larities to, and differences from, other text, all of which should make the Unfortunately, the lessons to be de­ forms of bourgeois rule, particularly book particularly useful in college rived from the German fascist experi­ the "strong government" of Bonapart­ classrooms. ence remain unlearned by many on ism. The failure of the Stalinized Com- - J. V. Hanley the left today. All too often, the epithet "fascist" is applied indiscriminately to repressive measures or regimes that are in fact only the "everyday" weap­ ons of the ruling classes. Worse yet, Demonstrators Gunned Down Near Manila some ultraleftists have even charac­ terized one or another of the workers A demonstration of 800 youths in Waiting for them [the demonstra­ states as fascist. Caloocan, a suburb of Manila, was tors] just beyond the Manila city limits This collection of Trotsky's writings brutally attacked by hoodlums Octo­ were several jeeploads of burly men, on fascism is therefore particularly ber 5, according to a dispatch from some barefoot, armed with wooden timely. Most of the material has been Manila in the following day's New clubs and gasoline bombs. Their lead­ out of print in English since its orig­ York Times. The report said that two ers, wearing handkerchief masks and inal publication, and so becomes were killed and thirty-two taken to carrying automatic weapons, fired available for the first time now to the hospital after the demonstrators, pointblank at the advancing demon­ activists in the developing mass move­ who had been refused a permit for strators, felling the first wave and ments for social change. They will their march, "were met by homemade sending the rest scrambling for safety." find Trotsky's scientific analysis of bombs and by gunfire from masked Macario Asistio, mayor of Caloo­ fascism as informative today as it men in civilian clothing." Many of the can, unhesitanly supported the murder­ was when it was written. "The period casualties were apparently high-school ous attack. In a radio interview shortly of halfway measures has passed," students in their early teens. after the incident, he said: "My instruc­ Trotsky wrote in 1932. "In order to The march was organized by the tions to my men this afternoon were try to find a way out, the bourgeoisie Patriotic Youth and the Union of Dem­ for them to prevent violence. But if must absolutely rid itself of the pres­ ocratic Youth to protest policies of it happened, I am not responsible. sure exerted by the workers' organiza­ the national and local government. These youths impose trouble on th\...) tions; these must be eliminated, de­ The report described the assault on citizens of Caloocan by insisting on stroyed, utterly crushed. the marchers: demonstrating without a permit." D

912 Intercontinental Press Documents kept mounting. Several conflicts in the plants ended in victories or semivic­ ~~~~liii001MIIIIhlftmliiR'@~!M~illllt~m!ll~lliRim~i~!@~!R1&!!~i1RI~IIRI~ID®II®miiR®I®Im~®II~M& tories for the workers. The radicaliza­ tion of the students, particularly in Pacheco -- the Beginning of the End the high schools, continued through­ out the year. The upsurge in the mass [The following article, which ap­ Some 200,000 persons, that is, a struggle again reached a high point peared under the title "Pacheco: al fourth of the population of Mon­ in the demonstrations over the death borde del tunel," has been translated tevideo, marched through the streets, of the young student Heber Santos. by Intercontinental Press from the Sep­ and they were passively supported by The line of march of the not less than tember 15 issue of La Verdad, a Trot­ many more. 150,000 participants stretched for skyist weekly published in Buenos Unfortunately, this intense inclina­ twenty-five blocks. Aires.] tion to engage in struggle was tightly The CNT called a twenty-four-hour * * * restrained by the leadership of the strike for a wage increase of 25 percent One of the most impressive opera- Communist party and the Convenci6n and against the continuation of the tions in the history of urban guerrilla Nacional de Trabajadores [CNT­ repressive measures. The unanimous warfare must surely be counted as N ational Workers Convention]. The response was another indication of having dealt the coup de grace to Tupamaros, with neither a policy nor the popular offensive. President Pacheco Areco and his a program adequate to the cilrcum­ The system of Uruguayan bour­ chances of being reelected in the No­ stances, could not even attempt to geois democracy, which traditionally vember [28] elections. The erosion challenge the CP for leadership of the rested on a strong sector involved of the government and the worsening upsurge, although the Tupamaros in exports and a solid urban mid­ general situation in Uruguay strength­ were nourished by it. dle class, appeared to have been shat­ en the Frente Amplio [Broad Front] This situation discouraged the work­ tered by the new upsurge of the work­ objectively. The immediate strategy of ers and made possible several victor­ ers and the people. While this deterio­ the Tupamaros would itself seem to ies for the reactionary government of ration is not new, it is now to be help open up and smooth the road Pacheco Areca- which further deep­ seen at all levels. In a brief period, to an electoral triumph for the popu­ ened a brief decline. Pacheco vetoed five measures passed lar front. Thus the plans for a wage freeze by the parliament. Repeated confron­ All of Montevideo is admiring and and economic stability went ahead. tations also occurred between the pres­ making jokes about the impeccable But the structural weakness of the ident and the courts. operation that freed 106 compafieros capitalist economy of Uruguay, and An important part of this crisis is of the MLN [Movimiento de Libera­ the historic crisis in the export of wool, the breakup of the two-party system. ci6n Nacional- National Liberation limited the possibilities open to Pa­ This is shown not only by the obvious Movement, the official name of the checo from the word go. The bour­ strengthening of the Frente Amplio, "Tupamaros"J, including its main geois sectors and ministers utilized the which bourgeois celebrities and wings leaders, such as Sendic and Mamera governmental measures to carry on of the Partido Colorado [Colorado Lluveras, who were being held in pris­ scandalous, big-scale operations party] have entered; it is also shown on. What was most appreciated was through illegal manipulation of for­ by the crisis within the sector of the the engineering work (openings in eign exchange and "refunds" or sub­ Colorado party dominated by Pache­ walls, between floors, tunnels) re­ sidies for "nontraditional" exports. co. The president is running into re­ quired in the escape. Less commented Smuggling and the crisis of the sistance in his campaign for reelection. on but just as notable was the <:over meat-packing industry were likewise A wing of the Colorado party is ad­ provided for those who got out and aggravating factors in a situation that vancing the candidacy of Jorge Battle. for those who were cooperating from continued to become transformed into The same goes for the Colorado "op­ the outside. Not a single clue <:auld unemployment and misery for the ponent" Vasconcello. Both Battle and be found. This part of the operation working class, increasing difficulties Vasconcello are opposing Pacheco. reveals most clearly the social base for the formerly stable Uruguayan A recent Gallup poll tends to reflect of the Tupamaros. It is fundamen­ middle class, and serious squabbles this situation. The results indicate that tally middle class. between Pacheco and the bourgeoisie 25 percent of the voters favor the It must also be pointed out that engaged in agriculture and stock rais­ Frente Amplio, 24 percent the Colo­ the fresh strengthening of the Tupa­ ing. rado party, 17 percent the Partido maros in the past year is to be ex­ All this was intensified by the British Nacional [National party, also known plained by the rise in the mass move­ ban on imports of Uruguayan meat, as the "Blanco" party], while 25 per­ ment in Uruguay. The capture of Sen­ a ban that was maintained despite cent are undecided. die and other important leaders of the compliance by the meat-packing Another indication of the crisis af­ MLN marked a phase of defeats plants with the British sanitary regu­ fecting the Uruguayan capitalist sys­ brought about by the decline in the lations. This no doubt had a lot to do tem is the talk about a coup to be 1968 upsurge of the workers and the with Pacheco's refusal to negotiate heard among some sectors. While the people. with the Tupamaros for the release domestic situation in Uruguay makes .· The subsequent upsurge of the Uru­ of Jackson, the British ambassador. this improbable, it must nevertheless \_,guayan masses culminated in the gi­ The resistance of the workers and not be ruled out. Up to now it has gantic demonstration over the murder students to Pacheco's plans and his not gone beyond the stage of rumors, of the student Liber Arce by the police. methods of imposing ''law and order" remaining unassociated as yet with October 25, 1971 913 any institution. officialdom is inclined to cut the re­ the Stalinist leaders and the Commu- All the political forces are stepping pression to small doses, avoiding up­ nist party. They are more concerned. ) up their efforts in the electoral strug­ setting the election campaign, hoping over being in the good graces of the....._, gle that will be decided next Novem­ at bottom that the election will restore bourgeoisie than over mobilizing the ber. The parallel with the process in the lost bourgeois equilibrium. workers. In this way they stake the Chile that brought Allende to power To complete the picture, the Nation­ political advance represented by the is a close one, although the crisis al party is presenting itself as the formation of the Frente on its mere in Uruguay is much graver. Also the alternative that offers "peace" in the electoral fate. The PRT( U), in con­ Tupamaros are taking the election in­ current crisis. However, it does not trast, insists that this political advance to account in their strategy. Along seem to have been able to turn the must be consolidated by deepening with their declaration of support to unpopularity of the Colorados much the organizational base of the Frente, the Frente Amplio, they are altering to its own advantage. Obviously what converting its committees into organs their actions to fit in with this, or the two old parties are thinking about for mobilizing the workers and the suspending them, according to knowl­ is utilizing the law providing for people. edgeable commentators in the press. "lemas," which permits votes to be Without doubt, this is the best way The freeing of the British ambassador, lumped together after the election, to to guarantee an electoral victory, and, concerning which there are various work out a two-party candidacy to what is more important, create an vague versions of the negotiations, offset the Frente Amplio. instrument through which the masses would appear to confirm this. The Frente Amplio, controlled by could conquer power. If the National The current in the Colorado party the Communist party and dissident Liberation Movement ( Tupamaros) that is pushing the candidacy of Jorge bourgeois currents, took another step came to understand this possible Battle has advanced a program with in structuring itself as a variant of dynamic of the Frente Amplio and slogans imitative of those of the Frente reformism, acceptable to the bour­ decided to intervene in it, undertaking Amplio. In addition to "revitalizing de­ geois system. As candidates for the to form a united front with the rev­ mocracy," a key plank of all the bour­ vice-presidency and intendente [gover­ olutionary tendencies, this would con­ eois currents, it is for an agrarian nor] of Montevideo, it named two fig­ stitute a truly explosive combination. reform (of the Frei type) and col­ ures without party connections. The political stand already taken by lective ownership of urban land (not Bourgeois circles reacted favorably to the Tupamaros toward the Frente Am­ urban reform). the two nominations complementing plio is a big advance compared to the Pacheco is also engaged in an elec­ the candidacy of General Liber Se­ attitude of the guerrilla currents in the toral campaign. His coreligionists regni for the presidency. rest of Latin America and the Chilean have gathered enough signatures to We believe that these methods are MIR [Movimiento de Izquierda Rev­ establish his candidacy.* His conces­ not the most apt to guarantee vic­ olucionario], before the elections, in sion on wage increases for the CNT tory for the Frente Amplio. We share relation to the Unidad Popular [the (25 percent) and the textile workers the position of the Partido Revolucion­ Popular Unity movement headed by (37 percent), aside from the attempt ario de los Trabajadores del Uruguay Allende]. But we believe the Tu­ to avert a new general strike, had in [Revolutionary Workers party of Uru­ pamaros are standing in the middle mind the November elections. In any guay], which, from within the ranks of the road, refusing to engage in case, what is most probable is that of the Frente itself, poses the neces­ direct participation in the Frente and Pacheco will resign himself to paving sity of the central trade-union coun­ wielding their influence there, while the way for another Colorado celeb­ cil joining in, and all the candidacies considering it to be a positive thing but rity and opt for "renouncing" reelec­ and decisions being voted on in as­ not a place where it is important for tion. semblies of rank-and-file committees, the revolutionists to engage in strug­ Another notorious fact is that de­ with the slates being drawn up by gle with the reformists for leadership spite Pacheco's decree ordering the them so as to include a majority of of the masses. armed forces to take over the job worker candidates. Obviously, if the upsurge of the of repressing the guerrillas, the army To win popular support, the partic­ masses continues, after reaching such has not launched any operation equiv­ ipation and leadership of the work­ high points as the August 20 one-day alent to the blow dealt by the Tupa­ ers and the fullest internal democracy strike, the huge march over the death maros. This would indicate that the count much more than the candidacy of Santos, and, indirectly, the escape of General Seregni, retired three years from Punta Carretas, then Uruguay *Uruguay's constitution bars a president ago from the bourgeois army, no mat­ will become transformed into one of from succeeding himself. However, the ter what his personal merits may be. the most important fronts of the Latin constitution can be amended by a simple majority vote. To place a proposed This political course would not pre­ American revolution, a front where amendment on the ballot requires the sig­ vent the Frente from deciding, through the revolutionists could establish a natures of 10 percent of the registered the same public and democratic meth­ landmark in the march toward so­ voters. Pacheco's followers estimated that od, any agreements with bourgeois cialism. they needed 183,000 signatures to meet The situation and the perspectives the requirements. If the proposed amend­ currents that might prove useful. ment passes, Pacheco could legally suc­ Up to now the CNT has not given in Uruguay also prove that the gen­ ceed himself; but, under Uruguay's com­ so much as official support to the eral Latin American upsurge is con­ plicated electoral system, he might still Frente, although the rank and file tinuing and that the imperialist vir , lose out to the candidate of a different of the labor movement already view tory in Bolivia is far from havin~ faction in his own party, even if his party as a whole gained more votes than the it as their electoral instrument. The reversed the direction of movement contending formations. -IP major responsibility for this falls on in the current stage. D 914 Intercontinental Press For a Workers' Slate 1n Uruguay's 'Frente Amplio' L [The following article has been stitutes the 'option of broadest agree­ lemas" to factions. How does this work translated by Intercontinental Press ment,' its own anticapitalist and pro­ out? For example, there have always from the September 29 issue of La socialist program." been various sublemas in the Colo­ Verdad, a Trotskyist weekly news­ What the compafieros of the PR T rado party. [ ... ] * who obtains the paper published in Buenos Aires. The ( Uruguayo) [Partido Revolucionario higher total. Thus neither a party nor Spanish title of the article is "Lista de los Trabajadores (Uruguayo)­ a faction can complain. Obrera en el Frente Amplio" (For a Uruguayan Revolutionary Workers At present, the Frente Amplio is Workers' Slate in the Broad Front).] party] are doing through their jour­ listed on the ballot thanks to the nal [ Tendencia Revolucionario] is to "lema" of the Christian Democracy. * * * warn about the contradictory charac­ The PR T ( U) is calling on those who ter of the Frente Amplio. While this claim to be part of the workers' move­ The winning of a general wage in­ is not new, it is becoming ever more ment to constitute a "sublema" called crease and, in particular, the great evident- as the crisis facing the Pa­ Lista Obrera [Workers' Slate]. victory of the textile union, achieved checo Areco regime grows sharper­ This would not fill the vacuum through a strike and plant occupa­ that a widening sector of the Uru­ caused by the failure to include the tions, constitute a milestone in the rise guayan bourgeoisie views the FA as CNT [Convenci6n Nacional de Traba­ of the working class now being wit­ the last card with which to save cap­ jadores-National Convention of nessed in Uruguay. Those who be­ italism. Workers], a result of the policies of long to the genuine vanguard of the Parallel to this, the leaders of the both the Frente Amplio leadership and workers' movement had to devote vir­ FA, that is the bourgeois elements the trade-union bureaucracy. tually their entire efforts to these trade­ backing General Liber Seregni as their But the Lista Obrera would make union struggles. The textile victory candidate, along with the Communist it possible to bring into political ac­ provides a prime example of the im­ party, are increasing their efforts to tion the best activists of the recent portance of this activity carried on display an image of bourgeois respec­ mobilizations of the workers and other by the Uruguayan revolutionists .. tability. They are in the forefront pro­ layers. It would make it possible to The major preoccupation of the ac­ claiming the FA as the best "peace­ strengthen the most positive aspects tivists must now be how to bring the ful solution" to the Uruguayan crisis. of the FA, setting up within it a po­ experience and the advances of the This position of the leadership of larizing center along class lines. This latest stage of workers' mobilizations the FA is not a mere tactical ruse, working-class pole would carry on into the Uruguayan political stream as some would like to believe. From the most energetic and consistent -the campaign leading up to the No­ the very moment the Frente Amplio struggle for the independence of the vember elections. was set up, the bourgeois and petty­ labor movement and the victory of A channel exists in these elections bourgeois tendencies made it the main an anticapitalist and anti-imperialist through which the mass movement question. program. can hit at the bourgeois regime: the With the Communist party as the The constitution of the Lista Obrera Frente Amplio (Broad Front). Its clearest exponent of this view, the call­ would signify the strengthening of the main outlines are indicated by Ten­ ing of a National Convention of the dencia Revolucionario: "(a) For the Workers was rejected. They continu­ first time in the political history of the ally pressed for an electoralist organi­ *Owing to a typographical error, some country, the bourgeois two-party sys­ lines detailing the unique provisions of zation, dedicated to pure and simple the electoral law have been left out of the tem- one of the most solid bases of vote-catching, instead of an organi­ article at this point. the existing bourgeois democratic re­ zation that would seek to take up In the Uruguayan electoral system, each gime- has been broken. (b) With the the needs of the people and root the major political party is granted the right Frente Amplio, a great popular, na­ Front in hundreds of rank-and-file to use a "lema." A faction within a party is entitled to use a "sublema." And this tionalist, democratic, and anti-imperi­ committees, giving these democratic extends to factions within factions. A alist movement has arisen. expression as the decision-making '1ema" or "sublema" is a short phrase "But together with these positive as­ forces in the electoral struggle and expressing the particular aim or program pects, we must also specify the dan­ opening up the possibility of mobi­ of the group using it. The votes cast for "sublemas" within a party are tallied as gers involved for the working class, lizing them both before and after the being cast for the party. However, the namely, that it is the bourgeois or elections. candidate of a "sublema" who receives petty-bourgeois sectors that exercise The Uruguayan electoral system the most votes wins the election. The pro­ leadership in the Frente Amplio. Be­ was organized in such a way as to visions may appear confusing to those cause of this, since the beginning of give the greatest possible effectiveness outside the country accustomed to one faction of a party monopolizing the bal­ its participation in the Front, our par­ to the functioning of bourgeois democ­ lot. Thus in 1966, the Colorado party ty has fought for the necessity of the racy. But both bourgeois democracy had two candidates for president while workers' movement maintaining its and the bourgeois economy are under­ the Blanco party had three. complete independence, with the right going a deep crisis in Uruguay. Despite the apparent concern to make to run its own candidates and to ad­ it possible for factions to present their L The electoral law accords a "lema" own candidates on the ballot, Uruguayan vance, alongside the common pro­ to each recognized political party. politics has traditionally been dominated gram of the Frente Amplio that con- Each party in turn can grant "sub- by a two-party system.- IP October 25, 1971 915 revolutionary current, the alternative tors of the Socialist party, laying bare the direct or indirect victims of a series political and union leadership that is the intention of the leaders of this party of attacks and lies: becoming more and more indispen­ to imitate the CP by calling for a We were blamed for the death of agent . ) sable to channelize the electoral battle Kaulaskas, which was demonstrated to ·"'-" "Frente Socialista" sublema. be a falsehood. and the struggle for structural changes It would also affect the Movimien­ We were blamed for the death of two toward the constitution of a govern­ to 26 de Julio [July 26 Movement], members of the Republican Guard at Pe­ ment of the workers and the people. this nucleus of sympathizers of the dro Visca Hospital, which is also false. The Lista Obrera would call on MLN Tupamaros [Movimiento deLi­ We are being accused of trying to pre­ every sector of the FA that agrees beraci6n Nacional- National Libera­ vent, through our action, the November on the necessity for working-class can­ tion Movement, i.e., the Tupamaros], elections, which is also false. didates to join its ranks. Naturally and centrist elements who have held At the same time, Ramos Filippini, Ni­ this would fall on deaf ears so far to an undefined position within the eto and Sposito were murdered in cold as the Communist party is concerned. Front. blood. Castagneto and Ayala were kid­ It has taken on itself the task of de­ napped. Attacks, threats and attempted In the current continental scene, the assassinations are being committed ciding who should represent the Uru­ Uruguayan revolutionists have the against persons and places of the people. guayan workers, thus saving them possibility of forging a genuine mod­ As is well known, these acts are be­ the "bother" of deciding for themselves el in utilizing the electoral process to ing committed by the JUP [Juventud Uru­ guaya de Pie- Uruguayan Youth on the who should be their candidates. advance independent labor politics, Alert, an anticommunist goon squad] and But the appeal issued by the Lista something of utmost importance in the police elements of the Information and In­ Obrera could have an impact in sec- conquest of power. D telligence departments (headed by Lucas, Macchi and Castiglioni) and the Metro­ politan Guard, all instigated and financed by the Government. The idea is to frighten the people and thus create a climate favorable for another Tupamaros Clarify Stand on Election swindle. Therefore, it is they who are re­ sponsible for the most cruel and wanton [When the Tupamaros released British Many were the sacrifices demanded by violence; it is they who want to prevent Ambassador Geoffrey H. S. Jackson Sep­ victory in this battle - hundreds, thou­ a more or less formal electoral process. tember 9, after holding him for eight sands of Tupamaros took part in it one 3) It is necessary for us to insist on months as a hostage, they gave him a way or another. our position with regard to the elections: statement to be delivered to the press The gauntlet the Government threw in We do not believe they will offer the solu­ explaining why they had decided to set our face when it said it wouldn't negotiate tion to the nation's problems. Nonetheless, him free. was taken up in the only manner be­ we believe the elections should be held, [They included other material indicating fitting an indomitable people. "There will but with guarantees, which are nonexis­ their current stand on other questions, be a homeland for all or there will not tent today. This is because an electoral particularly the Frente Amplio, Uru­ be a homeland for anybody," was our process with political prisoners, press cen­ guay's popular front, and the upcoming reply. sorship, closed-down newspapers, system­ elections. The statement was distributed We have lived up to that watchword atic persecution of popular militants, with­ by the Cuban press service Prensa La­ which we inherited from our past: the Na­ out individual rights and guarantees, with tina. We are publishing below Prensa La­ tional Liberation Movement (Tupamaros) rampant repression in the streets and tina's English version, which we have is an organization of the people and the right-wing violence instigated from above taken from the September 19 issue of people of Uruguay cannot be kicked would be a monstrous swindle, which is Granma.] around. already being prepared. Because of these circumstances, we de­ The people, united in the antioligarchic * * * cided to free Mr. Geoffrey Jackson. The coalition of the Broad Front, have taken battle having been won, there was no up the banner of the fight for the reestab­ A year ago, we Tupamaros began a reason to hold him any longer in the lishment of rights and guarantees. The battle in behalf of political prisoners. We People's Jail. We released him in an act period of time over which this fight is to wanted the least painful battle that was of people's sovereignty notwithstanding be waged is indefinite. Our support of possible. That is why we offered to ex­ the fact that we had begun negotiations the Broad Front includes a positive at­ change several personages with a record aimed at his liberation- negotiations titude regarding the elections. Consequent­ of shady activities and representatives of which had been prompted by the con­ ly, we are not guilty of conspiring to despotic regimes for our imprisoned com­ cern made public by Salvador Allende, vitiate or make void the elections. Those rades. the President of Chile, and which were who maintain the state of siege, who hold The Government, while engaging in se­ highly advantageous to us. that their voice and their reason are the cret negotiations with us without reach­ We also want to point out-so there only valid ones, who club, torture, kill, ing an agreement, assumed a hypocritical­ will remain no shadow of a doubt-that close down newspapers and organize re­ ly tough public attitude expressed in the our decision ties in with other circum­ pression squads are the only ones who words "I will never negotiate with crimi­ stances and reasons, to wit: are conspiring against the elections. nals." 4) The oligarchy-using the repressive Thus the battle for political prisoners 1) We won a battle in behalf of po­ apparatus and the press that was not began a year ago with its consequent litical prisoners, but we have not won closed down-organize the squads that bloodshed and times of anguish for the the war. Many Uruguayans are still held kidnap the families of prisoners, murder nation. Why? in jails and garrisons. Our struggle will students, torture and throw bombs against Today, a year later, we can say with continue. As long as a single one remains social militants and locales of the Broad true satisfaction that we have won that in prison we will fight for his freedom Front. We have abstained from replying battle in the field chosen by the Govern­ in all fields. We call on all people's or­ to these stupid provocations in an effort ment. ganizations not to relent in this urgent to keep the climate of this period from Almirati regained his freedom and so and unshirkable fight. worsening further. did Bidegain. Then 38 women comrades 2) With this position we are reaffirm­ But there is a limit to this. These mur- l and now Ill more social fighters and ing our aim of avoiding fruitless suffer­ ders cannot continue indefinitely. If this\..../ sons of the people rejoined the most ac­ ings. In this connection it is worth re­ path is pursued, our answer-which they tive ranks of the struggle. membering that lately we have been made know we can give-will be a telling one.

916 lntercontinentol Press We will hit with the full power of the peo­ and the FLYs- new names for new there will not be a homeland for anybody. ple against all those who are responsible squadrons made up of old police agents We are sending this political statement L and whose names and addresses we have: trained by Mitrione's successors. We are via Mr. Jackson, who is being freed to­ the oligarch who institutes this policy from telling them in plain words: If they con­ day by the National Liberation Move­ his government post or behind the scenes, tinue on this path, our reply will be im­ ment ( Tupamaros ). the hack writer who is collaborating in placable. They should bear this in mind. the campaign of slander and lies, the We never indulge in idle threats. National Liberation Movement police bosses who organize and head re­ For the freedom of all political prisoners. (Tupamaros) pression squads, the members of the DAN There will be a homeland for all or Montevideo, September 8, 1971

Conditions 1n the Prison Camps of Ceylon

[A brief item in the September 30 issue [The second item is a September 24 quite clear that there were no persons of of the Paris daily Le Monde reported that letter from Avebury to Prime Minister the category of 'prisoners of conscience' Lord Avebury, a British representative Bandaranaike. In addition to the informa­ who were being held in prisons in Cey­ of Amnesty International, had been ex­ tion it provides on the treatment of pris­ lon. It was difficult to describe the April pelled from Ceylon, allegedly for attempt­ oners, it is remarkable for its previously insurgency as a 'nonviolent' happening. ing to visit youthful prisoners arrested unpublished report on the control of some "Mr. Jayawickrema said that he had by the government since the outbreak of prison camps by the young rebels. informed Lord Avebury of this fact at last April's uprising. an interview in the Ministry of Justice [Le Monde's account was apparently [The third item is the text of a letter on September 22 and expressed surprise based on a government communique that sent October 4 by P. Bala Tampoe to that Amnesty International should have was described at greater length in the the Times of Ceylon and three other pa­ sent a representative here. September 29 Times of Ceylon. As will pers that published accounts of the gov­ "Lord Avebury had replied that he was be seen from the material below, this com­ ernment communique on Avebury's ex­ in Ceylon really for the purpose of writ­ munique contained a number of distor­ pulsion. Tampoe is the General Secretary ing an article on insurgent activities for tions and misrepresentations, indicating of the Ceylon Mercantile Union (CMU) 'The Guardian.' that the Bandaranaike government feels and secretary of the Lanka Sarna Samaja "In that connection he had met Mr. Bala some embarrassment at public attention party (Revolutionary), the Ceylon section Tarripoe, Mr. Prins Gunasekera and Mr. being directed to its treatment of the pris­ of the Fourth International. The CMU Edmund Samarakkody and they had, in oners. The first item below is the com­ has been among the most prominent of turn, requested him to speak to certain plete text of the report that appeared in mass organizations in Ceylon in demand­ persons now being held in prison. Lord the Times of Ceylon. ing an end to the state of emergency.] Avebury requested permission to meet these persons at any place. This was, naturally, a request that could not be granted and he was so informed. "Mr. Jayawickrema said that from his The 'Times of Ceylon' Gives Government's Version discussions with Lord Avebury it seemed clear that he was not anxious to obtain The Government on Monday night [Sep­ time to enter the Welikada Prison with the official version of several rumours tember 27] cancelled the visa issued to Mrs. S.D. Bandaranayake, and Mr. Prins and misrepresentations he had picked up. Lord Avebury and ordered him to leave Gunasekera. From the moment of his arrival until the island within 24 hours. This directive his departure. Lord Avebury was in close was communicated to him by Mr. W. T. "Mr. Jayawickrema said that Lord Ave­ contact with several persons who ap­ J ayasinghe, Controller of Immigration and bury had, prior to leaving London, rep­ peared to be anxious to embarrass and Emigration. It is learnt that Lord Ave­ resented to the Ceylon High Commis­ discredit the Government and to smear bury left Ceylon early yesterday morn­ sion in London that he had with him the image of Ceylon abroad. Mr. Jaya­ ing [September 28], states a Press com­ credentials issued by Amnesty Internation­ wickrema said that it was unfortunate munique issued by the Department of In­ al. Mr. Jayawickrema added that Amnesty that Amnesty International should have formation yesterday. International was an organisation con­ become involved in this fashion in the The communique adds: cerned with the detention of 'prisoners present situation in Ceylon." "Mr. Nihal Jayawickrema, Permanent of conscience'- i.e. persons who had nev­ Lord Avebury, who left by BOAC plane Secretary, Ministry of Justice, in a state­ er used or advocated the use of violence, at 11.30 a.m. yesterday, was seen off at ment to the Information Department said but were imprisoned because of the poli­ the Bandaranaike International Airport, that this action was taken because Lord tical and religious views they held. Katunayake by friends including Mr. Avebury had made three attempts to gain "He said that he himself was a mem­ Prins Gunasekera, MP for Habaraduwa, admission to insurgent prisons contrary ber of Amnesty International and it was and Mr. Bala Tampoe. to clear instructions issued to him. "Mr. Jayawickrema said that he had in­ formed Lord Avebury that not even jour­ nalists from Ceylon are permitted to enter these prisons and that an exception could Lord Avebury: 'Some Extremely Disturbing Allegations ... ' not be made in his case. His application was therefore refused. Dear Prime Minister, tween the Emergency regulations in force "However, on Friday, September 24 he here and the ordinary law in Britain. I attempted to enter Kelaniya Prison (Vid­ I see in this morning's "Daily News" am aware of no law in England, other yalankara) in the company of Mr. Prins that you did me the honour of referring than the Official Secrets Act, which re­ Gunasekera, MP. On the night of Septem­ to my presence in Ceylon during the ad­ lates purely to military secrets, permitting ber 26, Sunday, Lord Avebury attempted journment debate yesterday evening [Sep­ the censorship of court proceedings in 1 to enter the Koggala Prison Camp along tember 23], even though I gather your criminal cases brought against police or \,../with Mr. Bala Tampoe and Mr. Prins remarks were not intended to be compli­ army officers. You may not be aware Gunasekera. On the afternoon of Septem­ mentary. This report is very brief, but I that I was for six years Chairman of the ber 27 he made yet another attempt, this understand you made a comparison be- Parliamentary Civil Liberties Group in October 25, 1971 917 my country and was constantly fighting the legal and journalistic professions, and spect, that at least in these cases access against the encroachments of Government, I have heard of the Government's plans by lawyers should be permitted so that 1 the Police and other authorities on the for the future from a variety of sources. due time is given to prepare the defence. \,....) liberties of the people. In particular, I Since I have been unable to talk to At the very least, the individuals whose have always been critical of the handling you in person, I hope you will allow me files are with the Attorney-General should of affairs in Northern Ireland, where, as to address a number of questions to you be so informed in order that they may you know, we have serious disturbances in writing concerning these matters, and begin to prepare instructions for their law­ going on at the moment. since I have to return to England next yers. This is not to say, as I believe you Tuesday, the 28th of September, I should Under the heading (6) of my terms have assumed, that I have come here be extremely obliged if you could send of reference- the conditions of detention­ for the express purpose of criticising your the information to me cjo Amnesty Inter­ I should like to know what medical fa­ Government. I arrived with a completely national. For your information, I attach cilities have been provided in camps. Were open mind, fully sympathetic to the dif­ a copy of the terms of reference of the prisoners examined by doctors at the time ficulties facing your country in the after­ study I have been asked to undertake of their remand, and if so what analysis math of the disturbances of last April. by Amnesty International, and their ad­ has been made of any injuries reported, It is, however, my duty to inform you dress appears on this document. and the circumstances in which those in­ that some extremely disturbing allegations First, as to the conditions in the camps. juries were sustained. I have to ask this have been made to me during my stay I am told that responsibility for Vidya­ question because I have been told by a here by responsible people, and that since lankara was handed over by the pris­ good many people that their relatives were I have met a blank wall of non­ on authorities to the military on Wednes­ brutally treated by police officers at the cooperation from official sources, I have day, the 22nd September, and that they time of their arrest and that some sus­ been unable to get any explanation or only enter the camp for the purpose of tained very serious injuries indeed. I have refutation of these allegations. To be pre­ taking a count of the prisoners and of first-hand accounts from ex-detainees, and cise, your Private Secretary shunted me handing over to the prisoners' group lead­ not just reports from their friends and off on to your Permanent Secretary and ers any parcels sent in by their relatives. relations. I do not wish to go into great when I finally contacted him after some As far as all other administration is con­ detail but I might just mention the case difficulty, he informed me that it was im­ cerned, the camp is still under the control of two people who had sulphuric acid possible for you to grant me an inter­ of the detainees. Will you please let me poured on them, and others who had view, neither could he give me any an­ know why the Army has taken over and limbs amputated as a result of injuries swer to the requests I made for permis­ whether the same steps have been taken inflicted upon them by the police. Regard­ sion to visit individual detainees whose in all the other camps. I was told that ing the health of the detainees at present, names I would have given to him. The on Wednesday the Cabinet decided that there might be the opportunity of sug­ Private Secretary to the Minister of Home the detainees should be treated as pris­ gesting to the representative of the Inter­ Affairs after promising to telephone me oners of war, and I am wondering whether national Red Cross, Mr. Roger Du Pas­ back, in response to my requests for an there is any connection between this de­ quier, who is now in Ceylon, that medi­ interview with him, did not even have the cision and the handing over of respon­ cal assistance could be provided through courtesy to let me have his blank refusal sibility by the prison authorities to the their good offices. Mr. Roger Du Pasquier direct, but sent it in a message through Army. If this is true, may I please be told me that when he previously visited a third party. The Minister of Justice has assured that all the provisions of the Ge­ Ceylon in May, he recommended the es­ been equally unhelpful in spite of an ap­ neva Convention will be applied, includ­ tablishment of a bureau for the tracing proach to him on my behalf by Mr. E. A. ing full rights of access by the Inter­ of missing persons, but this recommen­ de Silva, the Secretary of Amnesty Ceylon. national Red Cross to the prisoners. dation has not been implemented. I have I did succeed in obtaining an interview Next, may I inquire about your Gov­ met the parents of persons taken into with the Permanent Secretary to the Min­ ernment's plans for either releasing de­ custody during the Emergency who say istry of Justice, who was extremely cour­ tainees or bringing them to trial. Mr. Ja­ that they can obtain no information con­ teous and gave me a certain amount of yawickrema told me that by the end of cerning the present whereabouts of their information. He promised to see what this week 2,100 would have been released sons and daughters. I have personally could be done about interviews with min­ as compared with 1,651 at the time of met the mother of three sons who wit­ isters and visits to detainees. He ex­ the last official statement on September nessed the arrest of one of them and saw plained, however, that as far as these 9th. At the same time, I hear that arrests him being taken into the local police sta­ visits were concerned, there was the prac­ are continuing, so that the net total in tion. She has sought the assistance of both tical difficulty that the Colombo remand detention may not have been reduced from members of Parliament representing her jail and Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara the figure again given me on September area, one the Leader of the Opposition, prison camps were entirely under the con­ 9th of 14,744. I shall be grateful if you and the other the Acting Minister of Fi­ trol of the detainees and therefore no vis­ will let me know what is the net total nance. Neither has been able to give her its even of relatives were possible for the now remaining in custody, and the num­ any information about the present where­ time being. Since my interview with the ber of arrests and releases respectively abouts of her sons, or indeed whether Permanent Secretary on Wednesday [Sep­ since the statement of September 9th. they are still alive. The Government has tember 221 I have been told that Kandy Mr. Jayawickrema told me that an anal­ not even released any information about prison has also been taken over by the ysis had been made of the social, educa­ the total number of persons reported as detainees. tional and employment backgrounds of missing, or of the number of those whom Having heard nothing from the Perma­ all detainees and that the data had been it is impossible to trace. I am wondering nent Secretary to the Ministry of Justice processed by computer. This study has whether the recommendation of the Inter­ since I saw him on Wednesday morning shown, inter alia, that 83 percent of the national Red Cross, which could give re­ (September 22), I rang him again this detainees had been in employment at the assurance to thousands of anxious par­ morning and he now tells me that it is time of their arrest. Please will you let ents and relatives, might be implemented not possible for me to see any minister, me know all the other information which even at this late stage. nor to visit any of the camps, even those is being derived from this computer anal­ Mr. Jayawickrema informed me that un- which are still in the hands of the au­ ysis. der the regulations for the camps, visiting thorities. As you will see from the terms of ref­ magistrates have to go to each one of In the circumstances, I have had to erence I am enclosing, I have been asked them at least once a fortnight and listen obtain as much information as possible to inquire about the legal rights of de­ to any complaints which may be laid from unofficial sources, some of them not tainees. So far, I am informed, no law­ before them by the prisoners. But a former wholly in tune with the Government's point yer has been permitted to visit clients detainee told me that although magistrates , of view. I have obtained evidence of the who are held in custody, even though did visit the camps, only persons selecte<)..._) conditions in the camps from ex-detainees; 16 files which may lead to prosecution by the authorities were allowed to appear I have discussed the Emergency regula­ are already in the hands of the Attorney­ before them. Furthermore, in the case of tions with a number of experts, both in General. May I suggest, with great re- four camps now stated to be administered

918 Intercontinental Press by the detainees themselves, if no visits ommended for release, but I wonder country" during May. Four months have / . at all are permitted, then presumably the whether there has been any hitch in the elapsed since then, and I would have L.magistrates themselves cannot enter. arrangements when I compare this with thought this gave adequate time to pre­ Under the Emergency Regulations (Es­ the figure of 2,100 quoted earlier from pare the cases against the alleged crim­ sential Services Order), any person not my interview with Mr. Jayawickrema. I inals or insurgents. appearing at his place of work is deemed am sure that it would be valuable if you My visit to Ceylon has necessarily been to have vacated his employment, and this were to make a fresh statement indkating limited to only nine days, and as you means that detainees automatically lose not only the position to date but your will gather from the questions I am pos­ their jobs. Those who are subsequently expectations for the future regarding the ing in this letter, there are many aspects released and who are completely inno­ work of the Special Investigations Unit, on which I would like to have acquired cent of any offence may thus be deprived that is to say by what date it is antic­ further information. I am, therefore, send­ of their livelihood. Although former em­ ipated they will have examined all the ing copies of this letter to those who have ployees of Government departments and cases and the number expected to be re­ been good enough to help me during public corporations are reinstated, I am leased. If 7,000 had already been exam­ my stay here in the hope that they can told that these bodies will not take on ined at the time of your statement of last also add details which will be helpful in any former detainee not previously em­ July 20, it might have been expected that reaching a fair and balanced picture of ployed by them. Furthermore, in the pri­ in the intervening two months they would the present situation. Furthermore, in view vate sector, employers have refused to almost have completed their work. In oth­ of the fact that your own newspapers re-engage ex-detainees, pleading the ex­ er words, if they had worked at the same are censored and that there is world-wide cuse of the Emergency regulations. There speed, they should by now have conducted concern about the continuance of the is much talk of the rehabilitation scheme, 14,000 examinations; and if the propor­ Emergency in Ceylon, I shall release a but a man will not become a responsible tion of innocent persons were the same, copy of this letter to the World Press on citizen if he is forced into permanent un­ it would be reasonable to assume that my return to Britain. employment, when there is no evidence 5,000 would have now been recommended whatsoever that he has been implicated for release. I should add, however, that Yours sincerely, in any offence and when he may already I have had instances quoted to me where Avebury have suffered great hardship during his recommendations have been made by the unjustifed imprisonment. Committee for release, and yet the per­ P. s. This brings me to the question of re­ sons still remain in custody. Bandaranaike Airport habilitation itself. It was originally stated Finally, may I deal with the question 1971 September 28, 10.35 a.m. that detainees would be classified accord­ of trials. I have heard estimates varying I am writing this P. S. from the Air­ ing to whether they were innocent, "mod­ between 200 and 2,000 of the number port named in memory of your late hus­ erately" guilty or "seriously'' guilty. I am who will ultimately be charged, and I band, who was noted for his liberal views. not a lawyer, but every single advocate should be grateful for at least some rough I was informed this morning as I was with whom I have discussed this procedure indication of the total you would expect about to leave the hotel for the Airport, has told me that there can be no such to be charged and the dates when the that I was to leave the country imme­ thing as "moderately guilty". However, courts will begin to hear the cases. Some diately as my "Visa" had been cancelled, leaving the question of semantics aside, of the detainees have been in custody even though no visa is required for U. K. the rehabilitation of those who are said for over six months and yet not one trial citizens to enter Ceylon. I wonder wheth­ to be moderately guilty is presumably has begun. Whilst I reiterate that I fully er those with liberal views from outside a process which takes place within a plan understand that your first task was to Ceylon are now no longer welcome in you have already determined in accord­ deal with the Emergency, the Minister of your country if they act in pursuance of ance with a definite time scale. Could I Home Affairs did say (Hansard, 4th May them. As a matter of interest, would you please have the details of this plan and 1971, column 581) that he looked for­ please let me know what act of mine has when you expect that it will have been ward "to the restoring of total order occasioned your Ministry's displeasure. fully implemented. Some prisoners have throughout the length and breadth of this Avebury been offered the chance to work, I am told, on a purely voluntary basis. I shall be grateful for your assurance that no pris­ oner will be compelled to work, bearing Tampoe Corrects the Government's Distortions in mind that none of these people has been convicted of any offence. In the case of The Editor, attributed to Mr. Jayawickrema: those who voluntarily agree to work, I The "Ceylon Daily News", The "Ceylon "On Sunday, 26th night, Lord Avebury suggest that some payment be made in Daily Mirror", The "Times of Ceylon", attempted to enter the Koggala Prison order that prisoners who are the bread­ The "Sun". Camp along with Mr. Bala Tampoe and winners of their family can make some Mr. Prins Gunasekera". contribution to their support. I could Dear Sir, In point of fact, I was in the company quote to you some tragic cases of families I refer to the report published on the of Lord Avebury and Mr. Prins Guna­ left entirely destitute because the bread­ front page of the issue of your newspaper sekera on the night of Sunday, 26th Sep­ winners have been taken into custody, and of 29th September, which refers to Lord tember, at Koggala, and I can state cat­ I am concerned to find that no provision Avebury, who left Ceylon on the morning egorically that Lord Avebury made no at­ is made by the Ministry of Social Security of 28th September, after a 10-day stay tempt to enter Koggala prison camp as for helping in these cases. There is not in this Island. This report contains the alleged. What did happen was as follows: even any help given to relatives in meeting text of a communique said to have been I was driving back to Colombo in my the costs of journeys to visit detainees in issued in the evening of 28th September, car on 26th September at about 6.30 camps far away from their homes. Of giving reasons for the Government action in the evening, together with Lord Ave­ course, one appreciates the grave econom­ in ordering Lord Avebury to leave the bury and Mr. Prins Gunasekera (M.P. ic difficulties facing your Government, but Island, when he was about to return to for Habaraduwa), on the return from I believe that with encouragement, volun­ London in accordance with travel arrange­ a trip that we had made to places that tary bodies, both in Ceylon and overseas, ments that he had made before his arrival Lord Avebury had desired to visit in would be prepared to assist financially in Ceylon. the South of Ceylon. When we were pass­ in meeting the needs I have described. Mr. Nihal J ayawickrema, Permanent Sec­ ing through the Habaraduwa constituen­ Amnesty International itself would I think retary to the Ministry of Justice, has been cy, Mr. Gunasekera requested me to turn be glad to know whether such assistance quoted in the communique as having al­ off the main road to the former Home { would be welcome to you. leged that Lord Avebury ''had made three for the Aged at Koggala, which is in his 0 In your statement of the 20th July, you attempts to gain admission to insurgent constituency, and which he said had been said that 2,500 people (out of 7,000 cases prisons". In that context, my name has converted into a prison camp while he processed up to that date) had been rec- been mentioned in the following statement was abroad recently. He mentioned that

October 25, 1971 919 he wished to meet a detainee who was said Claude Bourdet (French journalist and formation I gave him or assisted him to be in that camp. Having turned off President of the International Confedera­ to secure, at first hand, from an ex- .. the Galle Road accordingly, I halted my tion for Disarmament and Peace), Father detainee, and from the mothers of miss- ·l car at a barrier, at which there was an P. Blanquart (leading Dominican priest, ing persons, as well as from documents of \...... ,I army sentry. Mr. Gunasekera got down, France), Father Rozueplo (leading Domin­ the Ceylon Mercantile Union, can correctly spoke to the sentry and went into the ican priest), A. P. Lentin (journalist, Edi­ be described as "rumours and misrepre­ office of the army post that was outside tor of Politique Hebda, independent Left sentations", as has been insinuated in the the prison camp. Lord Avebury and I newspaper, France). The Committee is communique you have published. remained seated in my car for some time, called the Ceylon Committee. Though Lord Avebury was unable to after which an army officer came up to I was informed that the Ceylon Com­ meet any Cabinet minister, he did meet the car at the barrier with Mr. Gunase­ mittee had been set up several other persons who have not been kera, and invited us to come in to a room "1. to arouse world attention to the state mentioned in the communique. They in­ outside the entrance to the prison camp of affairs in Ceylon; cluded Mr. H. W. R. Weerasooriya, Q. C. itself, a short distance away from the "2. to assist in the setting up Qf an in­ -Chairman, Amnesty Ceylon, Senator S. barrier. Mr. Gunasekera told us that he dependent Committee of Enquiry into the Nadesan, Q. C. -President, Bar Council, was waiting to meet the superintendent uprising in April and the following months Mr. Victor Tennekoon, Q. C.-Attorney of the prison camp. Whilst we were wait­ and into the atrocities said to have been General, Mr. E. A. G. de Silva- Secretary, ing, an army officer served us with some committed by the police and/or the armed Amnesty Ceylon, Arch-Bishop Lakdasa mineral-water refreshment. A little later, forces; de Mel- Metropolitan of India and Cey­ Mr. Gunasekera was informed that the "3. to direct world attention to any forth­ lon, Mr. J. R. Jayawardene, M.P.- Lead­ superintendent of the prison camp had coming trials of the detainees in order to er of the Opposition, Mr. Reggie Michael­ gone to Galle and that an effort was being ensure that such trials will be fair, and Editor, "Ceylon Daily Mirror", Mr. Mervy made to contact one of his subordinates to provide legal and other assistance de Silva- Editor, "Ceylon Daily News", by the army officers. As it was 7 o'clock where necessary; Mr. H. G. S. Ratnaweera- Editor, "Aththa", by that time, and as we had to be back "4. to assist in the rehabilitation of fam- · Mr. Walter Jayawardena, Q. C.- Perma­ in Colombo, over 80 miles away, before ilies reduced to paupery and to provide nent Secretary to the Ministry of Con­ the curfew, I suggested that we should financial and other assistance to families stitutional Affairs and Ambassador Des­ leave. Mr. Gunasekera agreed, and in­ whose breadwinners have been interned ignate to Czechoslovakia, Mr. W. Daha­ formed the army officers that he would without trial; nayake, M.P., Mr. S. Canagarayar- For­ call over on some other occasion when he "5. to support all resistance to the sup­ mer Commissioner of Prisons, and Mr. visited his constituency. We then left for pression of political freedom in Ceylon." Day a Perera-Advocate. Colombo. I was advised that the Committee hoped In the context of the omission of any A second direct reference to me has that I would do everything I could to mention of these persons, and the specific been made in the communique you have assist Lord Avebury. references made to me in the communique, published, following a statement that Lord When Lord Avebury arrived on 18th the statement contained in its concluding Avebury had told Mr. Nihal Jayawick­ September, I was introduced to him by paragraph that, "from the moment of his rema that he was in Ceylon "really for Mr. Prins Gunasekera; and, in his very arrival until his departure, Lord Avebury the purpose of writing an article for 'The first discussion with me, Lord Avebury was in close contact with several persons Guardian'". This reference to me is as handed me a photostat copy of a letter who appeared to be anxious to embar­ follows:- dated 16th September 1971, written by rass and discredit the Government and "In that connection, he had met Mr. Martin Ennals, Secretary-General of Am­ to smear the image of Ceylon abroad", Bala Tampoe, Mr. Prins Gunasekera and nesty International, addressed "TO is a clear imputation against me, amongst Mr. Edmund Samarakkody and they had, WHOM IT MAY CONCERN", and read­ other persons mentioned in the commu­ in turn, requested him to speak to certain ing as follows: nique, which is false. Furthermore, ir­ persons now being held in prison". "Lord Avebury (Mr. Eric Lubbock) has respective of whether embarrassment was I must say that Lord Avebury did not been asked by Amnesty International to caused or may be caused to the Govern­ meet me for the purpose of writing an visit Ceylon from 17th to 28th Septem­ ment, in consequence of Lord Avebury's article for "The Guardian", but as a rep­ ber to discuss Government plans for the contact with me during his stay in Cey­ resentative of Amnesty International, and release, trial, or rehabilitation of those lon, or not, the insinuation that I was that I know for a fact that his main pre­ detained during the present State of Emer­ one of several persons who "appeared occupation whilst he was in Ceylon was gency. He will make inquiries into: to be anxious ... to smear the image to carry out the mission that had been "1) the emergency legislation in regard of Ceylon abroad" is not only false but assigned to him by Amnesty International. to political detention; obviously malicious. Never in my life I am sure that other persons whom he ''2) the possibility of release of those have I said or done anything to smear met here will bear out this fact. detainees against whom no criminal the image of Ceylon, in this Island or I was first informed, in the middle of charges have been, or can be, made; abroad. Whatever discredit the Govern­ September, that Amnesty International "3) the provisions for trying the remain­ ment may suffer due to Lord Avebury's was sending Lord Avebury to Ceylon, ing prisoners at the earliest opportunity; visit can hardly be attributed to me. and that he was expected to arrive in "4) the legal rights of the detainees; I request that you give as much pub­ Ceylon towards the end of September. "5) the position of the families of the licity to this statement of mine as you This intimation was given me by a Com­ detainees and the social services at their have given to the communique to which mittee consisting of several persons of disposal; it refers. international repute, that had been set "6) the conditions of detention; up in London in the first week of Septem­ "7) the possibility of cooperation, by Yours faithfully, ber, including the Venerable Dr. Rahu­ Amnesty International or some other inter­ P.B. Tampoe la (Ceylon), Professor Rene Dumont national organisation, in a programme of (France), Professor E. F. C. Ludowyck rehabilitation of the detainees. (Ceylon), Peggy Duff (International Con­ "Any assistance or co-operation which federation for Disarmament and Peace), can be given to Lord Avebury in his It's Easy to Subscribe C. R. Hensman (Ceylon), Dr. Malcolm mission will be greatly appreciated." For 26 issues send $7.50 with your Caldwell (Britain), Tamara Deutscher In view of my Union's well-known con­ name and address to: (Britain), Chris Farley (Bertrand Russell cern with the matters covered by Lord Peace Foundation), Rosemary Adams Avebury's terms of reference, and in con­ (Britain), Stephan Feuchtwang (Britain), sideration of the request already conveyed Intercontinental Press Michael Walsh (Britain), Bernard Lam­ to me by the Committee I have mentioned P. 0. Box 116 bert (Parti Socialiste Unifie, Leader of above, of which I informed him, I agreed Village P. 0. Station the Peasant Unions, France), Jean-Marie to give Lord Avebury whatever assistance New York, N.Y. 10014 Domenach (Editor Espri~ France), I could in his mission. None of the in-

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