• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

------------------- . AUSTRALIA $2.00 . BELGIUM BF60 • CANADA $2.00 • FRANCE FF10 • ICELAND Kr150 • NEW ZEALAND $2.50 • SWEDEN Kr12 • UK E1.00 • U.S. $1.50 INSIDE U.S troops provoke incident at Guantanamo — PAGE 9 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE | VOL. 58/NO. 32 SEPTEMBER 19, 1994 COSATU Cuba: 70,000 youth rally convention opens in in defense of revolution South A fric a Students, young workers protest U.S. aggression BY JAMES HARRIS AND GREG ROSENBERG BY MARTIN KOPPEL SOWETO, South Africa — Under a AND LAURA GARZA banner reading “ Reconstruction for W ork­ H A V A N A — Tens o f thousands o f chanting, jumping, ing Class Power!” more than 1,700 dele­ clapping, and dancing youth jammed the steps of the Uni­ gates gathered at Vista University here versity o f Havana and spilled onto the streets here Septem­ September 7 for the opening o f the 5th ber 7 in a rally to mobilize mass support for the Cuban congress o f the Congress o f South African revolution. Trade Unions (COSATU). Tens o f thousands o f other students and young workers A major topic o f the meeting is the fight marched and rallied in cities across the country, including being waged by the working class and rural toilers to eradicate all forms of discrimina­ tion against Blacks after decades of Eyewitness report apartheid rule and to forge a South African nation. Since May, more than 100,000 the eastern cities o f Bayamo and Santiago, where a sizable workers have participated in strikes. Most march took place. The Federation o f University Students of the major walkouts are over for now. (FEU) and the Federation o f High School Students The day delegates convened, some (FEEM) called the actions. CNN reported that more than Continued on page 14 70,000 students and others participated in the demonstra­ tions. “ W e’re in a battle o f ideas, and we have no doubt we’re Prison officials going to win,” FEU president Otto Rivero told the enthusi­ astic crowd. “ Revolutionaries are the majority here, and we must make sure they see us.” file charges The demonstrations occurred at a moment when the U.S. government has been stepping up its aggressive moves against Curtis against Cuba, and a time of growing social polarization in­ side Cuba between the broad majority who defend the rev­ BY JOHN STUDER olution and those who oppose or give up on it. The latter is FORT MADISON, Iowa — After hold­ reflected in the tens o f thousands of people who have been ing political and union activist Mark Cur­ leaving the island by raft or boat in an attempt to reach the tis in “ investigative segregation” lockup United States. for more than a week, officials at the Iowa “ For every Cuban without dignity, there are 100 more State Penitentiary filed charges against with dignity” was the slogan of the student mobilization. him on September 2, accusing him of “ assault, threats and intimidation, damage Clinton not popular to property, and obstructive/disruptive Students boisterously chanted throughout the rally. conduct.” “ Long live free Cuba, down with the Yankees” was one Curtis, who continues to be held in popular chant. Whenever Cuban president Fidel Castro’s lockup, has been in prison in Iowa for six name was mentioned, waves o f “ Fidel, Fidel” would erupt years, framed up on charges o f rape and among the youthful demonstrators. burglary. He was arrested and brutally U.S. president B ill Clinton was not popular in this beaten by Des Moines cops in the middle crowd. Groups o f youth shouted inventive and humorous o f a defense campaign for 17 coworkers chants denouncing Clinton for his anti-Cuba policies. AP W ide W orld Photos who had been seized in an immigration The students, like many Cuban working people, were Tens of thousands of university students and young workers rallied raid at the Swift packinghouse plant where Continued on page 8 September 7 in Havana to support Cuba’s socialist course. they worked. He was thrown in lockup by prison au­ thorities just as his supporters around the world launched an ambitious campaign to Clinton threatens invasion o f Haiti press the Iowa State Board o f Parole to free him. Curtis, who is due for a parole hearing in November, is more than eligible BY PAUL MAILHOT the 13-nation Caribbean Community and to provide 266 soldiers to an invasion force for release. "The time for action has arrived,” Common Market (Caricom) in Jamaica. that w ill likely number almost 15,000, the Curtis was given a report summarizing Deputy Defense Secretary John Deutch “ There can be no doubt in anybody’s mind Clinton administration is acting as if all its Continued on page 12 stated following the late August meeting of that the multinational force is going to ducks are in a row and m ilitary interven­ Haiti.” tion against Haiti is not only likely, but in­ Deutch along with Deputy Secretary of evitable. The record of Washington’s State Strobe Talbott attended the Caricom preparations demonstrates that the threat is meeting to secure political support and deadly serious. military backing for an invasion of Haiti In May and June Washington secured from the assembly of Caribbean countries. the agreement o f the United Nations to Although only four of the seven Caricom tighten an economic embargo on Haiti with nations that possess m ilitary forces decided comprehensive trade sanctions, a ban on to commit troops to the effort, U.S. o ffi­ flights in and out o f the country, and re­ cials touted the decisions of the meeting as strictions on financial payments between broad regional support for an invasion of Haiti and the United States. neighboring Haiti. In July, the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for “ all necessary Clinton flexes military muscle means,” to bring Aristide back to power, at u nder the guise or trying to reinstall ex­ the same time indicating that all diplomatic iled president Jean-Bertrand Aristide and avenues were being exhausted. Adminis­ reestablish “ democracy” in Haiti, the Clin­ tration officials view the Security Coun­ ton administration has begun campaigning cil’s action as legal justification for an in­ with a new urgency to flex its military vasion. might in the Caribbean and assert U.S. domination in the hemisphere. Washington Washington stages provocation is taking these steps as it has escalated ag­ In a provocative action shortly before gressive actions against socialist Cuba. the Caricom meeting, a 183-foot U.S. With the recent decision o f Barbados, Navy patrol boat zoomed across the edge Belize, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago Continued on page 4 5,000 rally in Decatur, Illinois, on Labor Day — page 10 IN BRIEF Women in Seoul protest many energy companies to pay their Japan war reparation plan workers over the past few months Korean women angrily demonstrated could provoke mass action by coal in front o f the Japanese Embassy in miners, as well as oil and gas workers. Seoul August 31. Th ey denounced a $ 1 billion plan from Tokyo to finance cul­ Athens deports immigrants tural and student exchanges throughout The Papandreou government in Asia as atonement for forcing as many Greece has begun one o f the biggest as 200,000 women to be sex slaves for purges of Albanian immigrants in re­ Japanese soldiers during World War II. cent history. Since August 15, more No actual victim o f the Japanese atroci­ than 20,000 Albanians have been ties w ill receive compensation. driven to the border and forced back Many o f the women who were into Albania. The deportees are pri­ forced from their homes, often at gun­ marily young immigrant workers who point, and herded into huge brothels sought jobs in Greece. Nearly all en­ came from South Korea. The Japanese tered the country after trekking for government also forced Chinese and days across mountains that divide the Filipino women to serve in the brothels two countries. for Japanese soldiers. After many years Albanians being sent back are al­ of silence about this chapter of their lowed few of their personal belong­ lives, Korean and Filipino women have ings, and have had to leave furniture, begun to organize and demand direct rent deposits, and bank savings behind. compensation for being forced to serve Landlords and employers, many of as “comfort women” for Japanese sol­ whom benefit enormously from the sit­ diers. uation, have been asked by the govern­ The Japanese also conscripted tens Some 1,000 people marched in Hilton Head, South Carolina, September 3 to protest the ment to hand over all Albanian immi­ o f thousands o f Koreans and used them flying of the confederate flag over the state capitol. The NAACP called the demonstration. grants for screening. as forced labor in lands Japan con­ quered during the second world war. Selloffs in Argentina Japan has avoided all individual payments The Argentine government is prepar­ o f compensation for fear that it would en­ years. W hile only half o f the 6.1 percent escorting relief convoys, and training a ing another round of privatizations aimed courage massive accumulated demands unemployment figure for the United States, new Somali police force. However, the UN at completely selling o ff federal enterprises from the many victims o f Japanese colonial the long-held belief by Japanese workers force has for some time now largely re­ to private businessmen. Economy minister aggressions across Asia before and during o f job security and stability is fading with mained inside their compound in order to Domingo Cavallo said the remaining state World War II.

Load more

  16

Copy Link