AUSTRALIA $1.50 · canada $1.50 · france 1.00 euro · new zealand $1.50 · uk £.50 · u.s. $1.00 INSIDE SWP convention sets course to build revolutionary party — PAGE 8-9 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE vol. 81/no. 5 February 6, 2017 Trump moves Syrian toilers Freedom for Oscar López! into White face disaster Release is set for May 17 House, faces as area rulers liberal outcry seek leverage by maggie trowe by Naomi Craine Republican billionaire President Two days of talks seeking a politi- Donald Trump provoked an uproar cal settlement that would defend the among liberals Jan. 20 when he de- sponsoring capitalist regimes’ inter- scribed the bleak conditions mil- ests ended Jan. 24 without any agree- lions of workers face in his inaugural ment between the Syrian regime of speech. On the steps of the U.S. Capi- Bashar al-Assad and opponents of tol he declared, “This American car- his dictatorial rule. The sponsoring nage stops right here and stops right governments of Russia, Turkey and now.” Iran announced they would set up a These critics called Trump’s ad- joint system for monitoring the shaky dress “dark” and “divisive,” expos- cease-fire that has been in effect since ing the fact that they live in a differ- Dec. 30, with details to be worked out ent world from working people and later. don’t experience the crisis workers The talks took place in Astana, Ka- and farmers face under today’s grind- zakhstan, with United Nations envoy ing depression conditions. They can’t Staffan de Mistura serving as media- understand that Trump won the presi- tor. The Donald Trump administra- tion decided not to send a delegation Above, Militant/Ron Richards; Inset, Reuters/Alvin Baez dency by acknowledging the eco- Above, May 29, 2016, march in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Inset, Oscar López’s daughter Clarisa nomic and social devastation workers from Washington; the U.S. ambas- at Jan. 17 press conference in San Juan, announcing that the fighter for independence from face and promising to deal with it, sador to Kazakhstan attended as an U.S. colonial rule would be released by May 17 after nearly 36 years in federal prison. something neither he nor any capital- observer. ist politician can accomplish. This new cooperation between SWP: Victory for Puerto López: Step up fight to end “The US ruling families and their Moscow and Tehran (both have Rico, all working people colonial rule in Puerto Rico rivals in Europe and the Pacific en- backed Assad) and Ankara (which has The following message to Puerto by seth galinsky Continued on page 6 Continued on page 11 Rican independence fighter Oscar After nearly 36 years in jail in the López Rivera was sent Jan. 21 by Os- United States — including more than borne Hart, Socialist Workers Party 12 in solitary confinement — Puerto Fidel Castro, Cuba’s revolution candidate for mayor of New York. Rican independence fighter Oscar López Rivera will be released with- Dear Oscar, out conditions by May 17. President celebrated at Washington forum The Jan. 17 commutation of your Barack Obama announced the com- sentence is a victory for the people of mutation of his sentence Jan. 17. Puerto Rico and all those around the Supporters of López’s fight for free- world who fought for your freedom. dom celebrated across Puerto Rico; It’s a testament to your intransigent in New York; Chicago; Kissimmee, Continued on page 11 Continued on page 6 ‘Women’s march’ no advance in fight for rights of women by maggie trowe demands. It wasn’t aimed at spur- WASHINGTON — The day after ring state-by-state battles to defend the Trump inauguration, several hun- a woman’s right to choose abortion dred thousand people took part in a against continuing attacks. It drew bourgeois “Women’s March on Wash- Continued on page 3 ington” happening organized by po- litical forces bitterly disappointed that Hillary Clinton had not been elected. The Bernie Sanders “Our Revolution” Inside group, the Communist Party and nu- Editorial: Step up the fight Le Canal Nabo News merous others promoted the action as to free Leonard Peltier! 11 Cuban Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas, with microphone, and Gnaka Lagoke, far right, part of resuscitating the Democratic of the Revival of Panafricanism Forum, at Jan. 7 meeting in Washington, D.C., to celebrate political life and leadership of Fidel Castro and internationalism of Cuban Revolution. Party with a more progressive veneer UK: Hundreds protest against and fighting “Trumpism.” Similar ral- cop killing of Yassar Yaqub 2 by ARLENE RUBINSTEIN proletarian internationalism. lies took place in many U.S. cities and WASHINGTON — Some 200 peo- “Thank you for talking about Fi- around the world. Thousands march in Gaza ple gathered here Jan. 7 for a meeting del’s life with happiness, and without The action was called the day after against cuts in electricity 4 to pay tribute to the historic leader of a sentiment of loss,” said José Ramón the November election by people who the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Cabañas, Cuban ambassador to the had expected they would be celebrat- –On the picket line, p. 5– Ruz, who died Nov. 25. Titled “Cuba, United States. “Many U.S. workers ing the ascendancy of the first woman Momentive strikers rally Africa and the World: A Tribute to president. respect Fidel.” against Wall Street owner Fidel Castro,” speakers discussed Fidel’s enemies have been wonder- Far from signaling the rise of a new Castro’s decisive political leadership ing about the ‘post-Castro Cuba’ for women’s movement, the rally weak- West Coast crab fisherman at all the crucial turning points in the years, Cabañas said. Describing how ened the fight for women’s rights. It end strike against price cut Cuban Revolution and his unbroken Continued on page 7 wasn’t organized around any concrete UK: Hundreds protest against Mother: ‘Facts show NY police killed Mohamed Bah’ cop killing of Yassar Yaqub BY HUGO WILS “We are protesting because we’re AND TONY HUNT determined to get justice, at least we HUDDERSFIELD, England — can try to stop this from happening Some 80 people attended a protest vigil again,” Mohammed Rizwan, a protest on the ramp off the M62 motorway Jan. organizer, told Pete Clifford, Commu- 9, where Mohammed Yassar Yaqub, 28, nist League candidate for Greater Man- was shot dead by police a week earlier. chester mayor, at the Jan. 9 action. “We A protest brought traffic to a standstill don’t know exactly what happened, but Jan. 3 in nearby Bradford. Hundreds at- they didn’t have to kill him.” tended Yaqub’s funeral here. “The police should be prosecuted for Dozens of young people mainly from this crime,” Clifford said, “so they’ll Pakistani families joined the Jan. 9 ac- think twice next time before carrying tion, wearing sweatshirts saying, “No out a hard stop and killing somebody.” justice, no humanity, no peace” and An official inquest into the death “No chance to surrender, no warning opened in Bradford, establishing that shots, unlawful killing.” Yaqub died from gunshot wounds to Justice Committee At 6 p.m. Jan. 2, Yaqub was traveling his chest. The police say a firearm was NEW YORK — “I was happy to get parents and families together” involved in a car that was boxed in suddenly by found in the car. in actions against cop brutality and killings, Hawa Bah told the Militant Jan. unmarked West Yorkshire Police cars The big-business newspapers have 18. The “Faith Action for Mohamed Bah,” above, at the Department of Justice in a “hard stop.” The cops didn’t wear been using this claim, and the fact he offices here Jan. 12 was organized by the Justice Committee to demand U.S. body cameras, so there is no recording was charged in 2010 with attempted Attorney Preet Bharara prosecute the cops who killed her son, Mohamed Bah. of what transpired. Photographs showed murder, for which he was acquitted, to On Sept. 25, 2012, Hawa Bah dialed 911 to ask for an ambulance for her three bullet holes in the windscreen of launch a smear campaign, alleging he son, a student and taxi driver who was suffering from a mental breakdown. Yaqub’s car. was a “drugs kingpin.” Instead of medical personnel, five heavily armed cops arrived. “I told them, Mohammed Yaqub, Yassar’s father, ‘My son didn’t do anything wrong. He’s sick and needs to go to the hospital,’” answered the attacks on his son. “He she said. They pushed past her, went up to Bah’s apartment and shot him dead. Malcolm X, Black The original account by police spokespeople claimed Mohamed Bah had hasn’t got a bad past, because he’s never plunged a 13-inch knife into two officers, slicing their protective vests and Liberation, & the Road been convicted of anything,” he told a to Workers Power prompting detective Edwin Mateo to yell, “He’s stabbing me, shoot him.” BBC reporter, “I want answers, full an- In November 2013 a grand jury ruled that the “use of deadly physical force by Jack Barnes swers, nothing but the truth. How can was not unlawful” in Bah’s killing. But documents showing that Mateo later you kill someone like this, at a time like changed his story, saying that he was actually hit by a police Taser, were kept Why revolution- this, without giving him a chance to get ary conquest of from Bah and her attorneys. Officials say the knife and other evidence in the out or anything?” case were never tested for fingerprints and are now “contaminated” or “lost.” power by the Clifford and other Communist working class will In a civil lawsuit filed by Hawa Bah against the city, her attorney Randolph League members campaigned in McLaughlin deposed Mateo, who admitted that Bah had not stabbed him. make possible working-class neighborhoods in the — brian williams the final battle for area before the protest, discussing the Black freedom deepening crisis of the capitalist sys- and open the tem worldwide and the need to build a fear working people will respond to “The killing was wrong. Why didn’t way to a socialist world— $20 working-class party to lead the fight for the grinding depression conditions they they arrest him and let a jury de- pathfinderpress.com workers power. face, League members said, and the po- cide whether or not he was guilty of a The capitalist rulers increasingly lice are beginning to use more heavy- crime?” Mohammed Afzil, an engi- handed methods to try and keep the neering factory worker, told Clifford. working class in line. “We have to challenge the way the “If they had some prior knowledge cops act as judge, jury and execution- about criminal activities they could er, and then spread smears to justify have arrested him in a different situa- it,” Clifford said. “This is similar to tion,” Andy Ammon, a self-employed the hard stop used against Mark Dug- plumber, told Clifford. “It doesn’t mat- gan in London in 2011 and by Greater Back workers’ struggles worldwide ter whether he is a drug dealer or not, Manchester police in 2012 that resulted like any other human being he deserves in them killing Anthony Grainger. It’s Workers are fighting a fair trial. I think it is easier to slander an assault on the rights all workers have bosses’ attacks worldwide, him because he is Asian and a Muslim, won, on the presumption of innocence from coal miners in west- racism plays a role in this.” and the right to trial by jury.” ern Ukraine who went on

a hunger strike demanding Africa, Asia, and the Middle East: For three months’ back pay to The Militant one year send $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to unionists striking against Vol. 81/No. 5 above address. Closing news date: January 25, 2017 Canada: For one year send Canadian $45 Momentive in Waterford, to the Militant, 7107 St. Denis #204, Mon- New York. The ‘Militant’ KVUP Editor: John Studer treal, Quebec H2S 2S5. Members and supporters of Ukraine miners Managing Editor: Naomi Craine champions these struggles. during hunger strike for back pay Nov. 7-14. United Kingdom: Send £26 for one year Editorial volunteers: Róger Calero, Seth by check or international money order Galinsky, Emma Johnson, Jacob Perasso, made out to CL London, 2nd Floor, 83 Maggie Trowe, Brian Williams. Kingsland High St., Dalston, London, E8 2PB, England. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Published weekly except for one week in January, one week in June, one week in Republic of Ireland and Continental July, one week in December. Europe: Send £85 for one year by check or international money order made out to CL NEW READERS NAME Business manager: Lea Sherman London at above address. The Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 306 W. France: Send 120 euros for one year to 37th Street, 13th floor, New York, NY q.$5 for 12 issues ADDRESS 10018. Telephone: (212) 244-4899 Diffusion du Militant, BP 10130, 75723 Fax: (212) 244-4947 Paris Cedex 15. New Zealand: Send NZ$55 for one year RENEWAL CITY STATE ZIP E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.themilitant.com to P.O. Box 3025, Auckland 1140, New Zealand. Correspondence concerning subscriptions PHONE e-mail Australia: Send A$70 for one year to P.O. Box q.$10 for 12 weeks or changes of address should be addressed to the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 13th 164 Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia. Pacific Islands: Send NZ$55 for one year to UNION/SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION floor, New York, NY 10018. q.$20 for 6 months P.O. Box 3025, Auckland 1140, New Zealand. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. Submissions to the Militant may be pub- Clip and mail to the militant, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to lished in the newspaper in print and digital q.$35 for 1 year 306 W. 37th st., 13th Floor new york, ny 10018. the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 13th floor, format. By submitting, authors represent New York, NY 10018. that their submissions are original and 12 weeks of the Militant outside the U.S.: Australia and the Pacific, A$10 • United SUBSCRIPTIONS: United States: For consent to publication in this manner. Kingdom, £3 • Canada, Can$7 • Caribbean and Latin America, US$10 • Continental one year send $35 to above address. Signed articles by contributors do not Europe, £10 • France, 8 euros • New Zealand, NZ$7 • All other areas, US$16 (Send Latin America, Caribbean: For one year send necessarily represent the Militant’s views. payment to addresses listed in business information box) $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to above address. These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant February 6, 2017 ‘Women’s march’ no advance Continued from front page from, to win workers to a perspective few unionists or African-Americans. of fighting to end the dictatorship of The action did mobilize large num- capital with its dog-eat-dog values and bers of middle-class marchers caught replace it with a society run by working up by hysteria depicting Donald Trump people and built on human solidarity.” and the “deplorables” who backed him “That sounds pretty good,” Adams as some kind of latter-day Nazis. said, adding she would like to meet Hillary Clinton angered millions of Richter when she gets home. workers last September when she de- At the Chicago rally Raven Reed scribed Trump supporters as a “basket overheard SWP member Dan Fein tell- of deplorables” who are “racist, sexist, ing another marcher, “This rally would homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic never have been organized if Clinton — you name it” and “irredeemable.” had won the election. The Democrats Billionaire capitalist Trump is re- say they’re for women’s rights, but they building the Republican Party by ap- have demobilized the fight. We are pealing to workers angry about the ef- building the Socialist Workers Party to fects on their lives from the world capi- lead the working class in making a so- talist crisis. With nationalist demagogy cialist revolution.” Shiffa Rizki “I think you’re right,” Reed told Fein, SWP member Betsy Farley shows The Clintons’ Anti-Working-Class Record: Why Washington he promises to “Make America Great Fears Working People to Alex Bergstrom at Jan. 21 “Women’s March” in Chicago. He bought it. Again” and create jobs and prosperity. joining the conversation. Alex Bergstrom, a writer for a train- said Madhu Tikkisetty, a 32-year-old West Virginia, told me and Tikkisetty. ‘Join the Socialist Workers Party’ ing company, talked to Samir Qaisar at Indian-born information technology “But most of them yelled, ‘How can you Socialist Workers Party members the SWP table, saying he was looking worker from Baltimore, when she ran support Trump? He’s a racist and a fas- went to the Women’s March on Wash- for “an alternative vision.” into SWP members and subscribed to cist.’ I argued it wasn’t true, told them ington and other actions looking to de- “We have one — revolutionary the Militant in Washington. “When Clinton was part of globalization and bate and discuss political perspectives Cuba,” Qaisar replied. Bergstrom we talked with Black and immigrant that we need jobs where I come from.” with those who participated, seeking to bought a copy of The Clintons’ Anti- workers at Metro stops last year, a lot of Her friend Teresa Jones, a special meet those who want a serious discus- Working-Class Record. SWP members them said they were for Trump because education teacher’s aide from Bethalto, sion about how working people can fight in Chicago got the names of nine people he talks about jobs.” Tikkisetty spent Illinois, said she liked Bernie Sanders back effectively. While many disagreed who wanted to get together to discuss the rest of the afternoon with us as we as well, “but he got a raw deal” from with our working-class outlook, or further, sold 26 books, seven subscrip- talked with people at the march. She left Democratic Party tops. complained about one of the books we tions and 66 single copies of the Mili- with six books on working-class history I told them I had supported Alyson offered — The Clintons’ Anti-Working- tant. and communist politics under her arm. Kennedy, the Socialist Workers Party Class Record: Why Washington Fears Some Bikers for Trump who had presidential candidate, and am part of Working People — we found quite a ‘Looking for socialists’ stayed in Washington after the inaugu- building a party that fights for unions few interested in the SWP and how we “I was looking for the socialist and ration were playing country music near and unity of the working class and has can fight for unions, for women’s equal- union movement, so I signed up to the Women’s March. “I tried to talk with confidence in the capacity of ordinary ity, against police brutality and to end campaign for Bernie Sanders with the people from the march,” Debbie Clay, a workers to take power. They got copies the colonial oppression of Puerto Rico. Democratic Socialists of America,” union lab worker from Barboursville, of the Militant to learn more. We discussed and debated why neither Democrats nor Republicans serve the interests of the working class. And we NY prison authorities punish, move Jalil Muntaqim pointed to the examples for working people of the Cuban and Russian revo- by seth Galinsky hour a day in a small metal cage called Cuomo. Clark was found guilty of driv- lutions. NEW YORK — Former Black Pan- the “kennel.” ing a getaway car in the 1981 robbery, SWP member Glova Scott met Lau- ther Jalil Muntaqim (Anthony Bottom) Authorities at Attica had singled out allegedly by Weather Underground, of ren Adams, 30, a sports videographer was transferred from Attica Correc- Muntaqim for a while, putting him on a Brink’s armored car that left a guard from Pasadena, California, who has tional Facility to Southport Correctional mail watch and punishing him for writ- and two police officers dead. Cuomo taken part in protests against racism Facility, a notorious supermax prison ing to a prison reform group. In 2015 reduced her sentence from 75 years in and police brutality since 2012. “I’ve just south of Elmira, New York, in early he was not allowed to receive several prison to 35 years to life. This makes her been in the streets. But we’re lacking January. books, including a book of poems that eligible for parole this year. perspective. I think that’s true here as “This is clearly a punitive transfer,” he wrote. After he was placed in soli- At the same time, Muntaqim noted, well,” she told Scott. Anne Lamb told the Militant Jan. 11. “It tary, Lamb reports, he was finally given officials in New York and elsewhere re- “I’m in the Socialist Workers Party,” also means he’s much farther away from the book. fuse to take any action that could lead Scott told her. “The fight against police his legal advisers in Buffalo.” Lamb is a Prison authorities also impounded to the release of “Black political prison- brutality is important, but to end cop spokesperson for the Jericho Movement, several issues of the Militant sent to ers suffering the government’s relentless violence we must uproot its source — a group that Muntaqim helped found, Muntaqim, which the Militant is fight- vindictive posture,” including Sundiata the capitalist system. The SWP runs its which works to win amnesty for politi- ing. Acoli, Mutulu Shakur, Herman Bell and own candidates, like Dennis Richter cal prisoners. Lamb visited Muntaqim in South- Seth Hayes. This highlights the “perva- for mayor of Los Angeles where you’re Muntaqim was put in solitary con- port Jan. 14. “Jalil’s spirits are high, as sive racially discriminatory practices in finement at Attica on Dec. 6 and then always,” she said. Visitors are separated the New York State prison and parole sentenced to four months of solitary. In a from prisoners by plexiglass, “but there system,” he said. Muntaqim, Bell and Communist Continuity letter to supporters Muntaqim explained is about a 3 to 4 inch space at the bottom Hayes were sentenced to 25 years to life and the Fight for that during a class he was teaching to so you can hold hands and share food.” in New York, but have been repeatedly fellow inmates on Black History he had Muntaqim is fighting to get all the denied parole. Muntaqim’s support- Women’s Liberation stated that gangs need to “get organized, charges dropped and to get trans- ers are asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to Documents of the Socialist get away from criminal behavior and ferred out of Southport and returned commute his sentence. Workers Party, 1971-86 tribal warfare.” to the general prison popula- This three-part Prison officials twisted the comments tion. Supporters of free speech series helps po- to find him guilty of encouraging others and constitutional rights can Campaign for the litically equip the “to engage in gang activities,” “violent aid this fight by writing to the generation of conduct,” and encouraging other in- New York State Department Socialist Workers Party and women and men mates to participate in a work-stoppage of Corrections. Address letters Communist League candidates joining battles or “other actions which may be det- to Anthony Annucci, Acting in defense of rimental to the order of [the] facility.” Commissioner, New York State for mayor across N. America! women’s rights They dismissed initial charges of mak- Department of Corrections today. $12 each; ing a speech “without authorization,” and Community Supervision, Calgary — Katy LeRougetel $30 for set and “unauthorized organizational ac- Harriman State Campus, 1220 Los Angeles — Dennis Richter Vol. 1: Women’s Liberation and the tivities.” Washington Ave., Albany, New Miami — Cynthia Jaquith Line of March of the Working Class Southport holds the second largest York 12226. Minneapolis — David Rosenfeld Vol. 2: Women, Leadership, and the number of prisoners in SHUs — Spe- Muntaqim has been in prison Proletarian Norms of the Communist cial Housing Units — that is, solitary since he was 19 years old, ac- Montreal — Philippe Tessier Movement confinement, in New York state. Except cused of killing two police of- New York — Osborne Hart Vol. 3: Abortion Rights, the ERA, and for prisoners called “cadre” who are as- ficers in 1971. the Rebirth of a Feminist Movement signed to aid prison staff, all inmates are In a letter to supporters, Seattle — Mary Martin confined to their cells 23 hours a day Muntaqim said that he is “elat- To get involved, for information or to make a www.pathfinderpress.com and given food through slots in the cell ed that Judith Clark was grant- contribution, contact party units listed on page 10 door. They are allowed to exercise one ed clemency” by Gov. Andrew

The Militant February 6, 2017 3 Thousands march in Gaza vs. Hamas cuts in electricity by Lea sherman well as schools and hospitals. Working people in the Gaza Strip The Israeli government tightly con- won a victory when they forced the trols the entry of everything from con- Hamas government to restore electricity crete to medical supplies into the ter- to previous levels, following a series of ritory, exacerbating shortages. Some protests. In the middle of winter, resi- 95 percent of water in Gaza isn’t fit to dents were provided with just four hours drink, the unemployment rate is over 40 of electricity at a time followed by 12 percent, and hospitals face dire short- hours without power. This was a steep ages of medicines, equipment and sup- cut from the already low levels of eight plies. hours prior to the crisis. Every few weeks Salah Haj Yahya The largest action was Jan. 12 when and a few other Israeli Arab doctors some 10,000 Palestinians in Jabaliya, from Physicians for Human Rights take the largest of eight refugee camps in a mobile clinic to Gaza. Gaza, took to the streets. “They [Hamas] can bring out hun- In a rare sign of public protest in dreds of thousands of people. But there Gaza, which is tightly controlled by the are many angry people who are very Islamist group Hamas, they marched to frustrated with Hamas,” Haj Yahya told the offices of the electricity company. the Israeli daily Haaretz Jan 7. “Many Protesters chanted, “Raise your voice, people tell me they dream of returning to Israel to work, as they once did. They AP Photo/Khalil Hamra electricity cuts mean death,” “Oh, Hani- Some 10,000 residents in Jabaliya refugee camp demonstrate Jan. 12, one of a series of ya and Abbas, we are being trampled!” feel that no one cares about them, not the protests in Gaza Strip against Hamas government reduction of electrical service to four- and “The people want the fall of the re- Israelis, not the Egyptians, and not the hour intervals alternating with 12-hour outages in middle of winter. Hamas met actions gime.” Palestinian Authority.” with attacks and arrests, but were forced to restore power to previous low levels. The chants were aimed at Ismail Haniya, leader of Hamas, and Mah- moud Abbas, head of the rival Fatah Bosses’ profit drive caused Lac-Mégantic rail disaster party and the president of the Palestin- BY JOHN STEELE permission from Transport Canada disaster, Transport Canada says. ian Authority ruling in the West Bank. “We have a very strong defense, forced workers to run the railroad’s The incident took place on Feb. Hamas security forces fired live am- which will show that Harding was not trains with only a single person, the 15, 2015, hours before the Teamsters munition in the air to disperse the crowd, criminally responsible for what hap- engineer. union strike deadline at the railroad. hit participants with batons and arrested pened and get at the truth of who is “Train accidents happen regularly Some 3,000 Canadian Pacific rail some of the protesters. really responsible for the disaster at all over the world,” Walsh told La Tri- workers went out on a Canada-wide Nearly 2 million Palestinians live in Lac-Mégantic,” Thomas Walsh, attor- bune Sherbrooke. “Most of the time strike against the rail bosses’ moves Gaza, one of the most densely populat- ney for locomotive engineer Thomas it’s the engineer who is fingered in that endanger workers and those who ed areas in the world. To keep electric Harding, told the Militant Jan. 5. Be- these rail catastrophes.” live along the tracks. Union pick- power running round the clock would cause of continual delays, which have The rail bosses’ utter disregard for ets wore vests saying “fatigue kills,” require 450 to 500 megawatts a day, but stretched over three years, Walsh and safety in their drive for profits was pointing to Canadian Pacific’s efforts the territory receives less than half of Harding had considered demanding highlighted again when Transport to increase work hours between rest that. the charges be tossed out. “But the Canada officials laid charges Nov. periods. The union ended the strike Israel supplies 120 megawatts, Egypt people of Lac-Mégantic and Harding 15 against the Canadian Pacific Rail- after one day when the government supplies 30 megawatts and Gaza’s only want and deserve a trial,” he said. way and two former CP managers threatened to impose strike-breaking power plant, which runs on diesel fuel Harding and train controller Rich- under the Railway Safety Act. They legislation. and was bombed by the Israeli army in ard Labrie — both members of United are charged with illegally ordering a CP representatives and the two 2006 and 2014 and never rebuilt to full Steelworkers Local 1976 — and Jean freight train crew — over strenuous former managers are set to appear in capacity, generates 60 megawatts. Demaitre, operations manager for the objections from the conductor and en- court in Revelstoke Feb. 1. The cause of the latest shortages is not now defunct Montreal, Maine and At- gineer — to park a 57-car train carry- Solidarity messages for Harding entirely clear, but Hamas and the Pal- lantic Railway, face frame-up charges ing dangerous goods on a slope above and Labrie can be sent to USW Local estinian Authority blamed each other. of 47 counts of criminal negligence in the town of Revelstoke, British Co- 1976 / Section locale 1976, 2360 De Hamas buys diesel from the Palestinian relation to the July 2013 Lac-Mégantic lumbia, and leave it unattended with- Lasalle, Suite 202, Montreal, QC H1V Authority, which taxes the fuel. oil train disaster that killed 47 people out the handbrakes applied. 2L1. Copies should be sent to Thomas Capitalist and middle class families and burned out the downtown core. If This was a direct breach of emer- Walsh, 165 Rue Wellington N., Suite living in wealthy neighborhoods have convicted, the three could face life in gency directives by the government 310, Sherbrooke, QC Canada J1H 5B9 solar panels, Al-Monitor newspaper prison. established after the Lac-Mégantic or [email protected]. reported last year. But the panels, re- Walsh said that at the upcoming chargeable batteries and transformers Jan. 26-27 court hearing in Sher- that can cost $1,000 to be able to light brooke, Quebec, he will demand a Tennessee woman framed up a house for eight hours, are beyond the court order to give the defense access reach of the vast majority. to the original reports and documents By Jan. 16 the government of Qatar that the federal Transportation Safety on abortion charges is released had come to the rescue of Hamas, send- Board used to prepare its report, as BY SUSAN LAMONT abortion” with a coat hanger at home. ing $12 million to pay for diesel fuel. well as a separate English-language ATLANTA — After spending more Yocca was 24 weeks pregnant at the The Turkish government also promised trial for Harding. than a year behind bars on frame-up time. She sought help at a local hospi- aid. Since the disaster, the official re- charges stemming from an alleged at- tal, where two weeks later doctors de- The Israeli government pulled its citi- port of the board and a hard-hitting tempted self-abortion in September livered a dangerously premature baby zens and military out of Gaza in 2005, series of articles in the Globe and 2015, Anna Yocca walked out of a boy, weighing 1.5 pounds. The baby turning control over to the Palestinian Mail, Canada’s English-language dai- Murfreesboro, Tennessee, prison Jan. faces serious medical problems, and Authority. The next year Hamas defeat- ly, have shown that the cost-cutting 9. She was released after agreeing to has since been adopted. ed Fatah in elections and then pushed profit drive of the rail bosses, along a deal in which she pled guilty to “at- Yocca was initially charged with fel- its rivals out in bloody street clashes in with complicity from Ottawa’s Trans- tempted procurement of a miscar- ony attempted murder, with a potential 2007. port Canada agency, was the cause of riage.” six-year prison term, based on a Ten- The people of Gaza have paid a high the deadly disaster. “Anna doesn’t face probation, parole nessee law passed in 2012 that expand- price for Hamas’ reactionary, anti- “Company rules prevented Harding or any fines,” Lynn Paltrow, execu- ed the definition of “personhood” to working-class program, its calls for the from using a 10-second procedure to tive director of National Advocates for include a fetus. Similar “feticide” laws destruction of Israel and its promotion activate the automatic air brakes that Pregnant Women, told the Militant in are on the books in at least 38 states, of Jew-hatred, which has brought three would have prevented the disaster, in a Jan. 10 phone interview. “The plea part of the ongoing assault on women’s wars with Israel in the past 10 years. In order to save 15 minutes of start-up deal meant that the remaining charges right to choose abortion. the 2014 war Tel Aviv retaliated for mis- time the next day,” Brian Stevens, Na- against her were dropped and she was The murder charge against Yocca siles Hamas fired into Israel. The Israeli tional Railway director of Canada’s released for time served.” was reduced to aggravated assault in the attacks killed more than 2,100, injured largest private sector union Unifor, Yocca worked at an Amazon fulfill- spring of 2016. Last November, howev- some 11,000 and destroyed factories. told a Dec. 8 University of Ottawa ment center in Murfreesboro when she er, Yocca was hit with three new charg- The casualties were so high because conference on the Lac-Mégantic di- was arrested in December 2015. Three es: aggravated assault with a weapon, Hamas’ strategy was to place its weap- saster. months earlier, Tennessee authori- attempted procurement of a miscar- ons in working-class neighborhoods, as In addition, company bosses with ties charged, she had attempted “self- Continued on page 5 4 The Militant February 6, 2017 on the picket line Momentive strikers rally against Wall Street owners Maggie Trowe, Editor

Help the Militant cover labor struggles around the world! This column gives a voice to those engaged in battle and building solidarity today — including strikers at Momentive, California port truckers fighting to be classified as workers, not owners, and United Auto Workers members locked out by Honeywell in Indiana. I invite those involved in workers’ battles to contact me at 306 W. 37th St., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10018; or (212) 244-4899; or [email protected]. We’ll work together to ensure your story is told. — Maggie Trowe

Newark, New Jersey, airport Crab fishers — rank and file mem- workers rally for higher wages bers of the Half Moon Bay Seafood Hundreds of airport workers and sup- Marketing Association — at Pillar Point porters marched through the Newark, Harbor here told the Militant Jan. 19 that New Jersey, airport Jan. 16, Martin Lu- their solidarity action with their north- ther King Day, demanding higher pay. ern brothers was necessary, but they “We don’t think it’s fair,” skycap thought the $3 price could have been Militant/Jacob Perasso NEW YORK — A couple hundred strikers and supporters rallied in down- Nancy Vazquez told the Militant in a retained given the strength of the coast- wide action. town Manhattan Jan. 13 in support of some 700 workers, members of Interna- phone interview. “Workers at JFK and tional Union of Electrical Workers-Communications Workers of America Lo- LaGuardia airports in New York make “It was a total eyesore that we banded together and didn’t even get the quarter,” cal 81359, who have been on strike for over two months against Momentive $11 an hour. We’re still making $10.10, Performance Materials in Waterford, 160 miles north of here. The protest took fisherman Don Marshall told the Half working for the same companies.” place outside Apollo Global Management, a $186 billion private equity firm Moon Bay Review Jan. 12. He said he Workers at the New York airports re- that owns the majority of the company. ceived the $2 increase in the city’s mini- was not happy with the way the negotia- “This company doesn’t know what it’s up against,” Local 81359 President mum wage Jan. 1. It will rise to $15 an tion was handled. Dominick Patrignini told protesters. “For 73 days we have maintained round- hour at the end of 2018, in response to Crabber Jimmy Phillips “says that the-clock picket lines. The will of our people will not stop.” Several district and national protests over this issue. you don’t become a crab fisherman to local CWA union officers spoke in solidarity with the strikers. After a fight by contract workers in get rich,” reported the Review. “He says The striking unionists delivered a petition with 4,000 signatures from their collaboration with Service Employees when the stars align properly fishermen community demanding Apollo press company bosses to negotiate a contract. International Union Local 32BJ, the might make decent money but that is Local Vice President Darryl Houshower told the Militant that Momentive Port Authority mandated a $10.10 wage typically the exception over the rule. bosses had applied for an injunction against strikers the previous week, but for airport workers on both sides of the “‘We work for a loss for a lot of times,’ a judge denied it, postponing a decision. In a blow to Momentive’s efforts to Hudson River in 2014. The $8.44 New Phillips said. ‘If you were to put an intimidate and restrict strikers, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department pulled Jersey minimum wage lags far behind hourly wage on our scale it would be their officers off the picket lines Jan. 16, Patrignani said. New York’s. pretty gross.’” — jacob perasso In December, 8,000 workers em- — Joel Britton ployed by private contractors at area air- ports represented by 32BJ signed their first union contract after a four-year fight. Now more than half of airport Woman framed up on abortion charges is released contract workers are in the union. Continued from page 4 leased from the state women’s prison in July 2016. The judges ruled that the “This is definitely a work in prog- riage, and attempted criminal abortion. in Indianapolis after being convicted a state’s feticide law wasn’t meant to be ress,” Vazquez said. “We didn’t get rais- The latter two charges are part of Ten- year and a half earlier under Indiana’s used to prosecute women for their own es or benefits. But now the companies nessee’s criminal abortion code dating feticide law. The prosecution charged abortions, but rather to prosecute people can’t just get rid of whoever they want. back to the late 1800s. she had used abortion drugs bought on- who attacked pregnant women. We have protection.” Workers also won Yocca’s bail was set at $200,000 at line to murder her fetus. She was also However, they also ruled that Patel the right to company-provided protec- the time of her arrest. Because she was found guilty of child neglect when she could be resentenced on a lower-level tive clothing, and will receive schedules unable to pay the bond, she remained in gave birth to a stillborn child. child neglect charge. a week in advance. Full-time employees the Rutherford County Adult Detention During her trial, Patel said she had put She remained in prison while the State are guaranteed 32 hours per week. Center this entire time, even though she it in a dumpster behind her family’s res- Attorney General’s Office contemplated — Candace Wagner was never tried or convicted of anything. taurant in an effort to hide the pregnan- an appeal. When the attorney general Yocca was not the first woman in the cy from her family. She was sentenced decided not to, a St. Joseph County West Coast crab fishermen United States to be imprisoned on fe- to 20 years in prison. judge resentenced Patel to 18 months of end strike against price cut ticide charges. On Sept. 1, 2016, Purvi The Indiana Court of Appeals va- prison time, less time than she had al- HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Patel of South Bend, Indiana, was re- cated the two contradictory convictions ready served, and she was released. Dungeness crab fishermen up and down the California, Oregon and Washington coasts ended their more than one week 25, 50, and 75 years ago strike Jan. 6. Northern California crab- bers initiated the action in the last days of December when a wholesaler cut the price offered for the traditional holiday delicacy from $3 to $2.75 a pound. San Francisco Bay Area fishermen joined in February 7, 1992 February 6, 1967 February 7, 1942 solidarity even though they were still PEORIA, Ill. — Some 5,000 people During his recent visit to Puerto Fraud is the only word to describe the getting the $3 price. gathered for a rally here January 26 to Rico, Stokely Carmichael, chairman War-Time Price Control Bill signed last Oregon fishermen, in talks organized support the fight by the United Auto of the Student Nonviolent Coordinat- week by President Roosevelt. by the Oregon Department of Agricul- Workers for a contract at Caterpillar. ing Committee, concluded an agree- Instead of halting price inflation, this ture, settled for $2.875 a pound with The rally was organized by United ment of mutual support and solidarity measure will induce further price rises processers, who imposed this price Auto Workers Local 974, which repre- between his organization and the two and protect the price-fixing practices of throughout the West Coast. sents the 8,000 workers at the massive leading pro-independence organiza- the big monopolies. It will give a legal Caterpillar complex across the Illi- tions of Puerto Rico, the Movement cover to price-gouging. nois river in East Peoria. It was one of for Puerto Rican Independence (MPI), Not even its sponsors have been able militant a series of rallies being organized by and the Federation of University Stu- to say an unconditionally kind word for the union locals at Caterpillar plants dents for Independence (FUPI). it. labor across the country this week. Carmichael’s press statement [said]: The Office of Price Administration Caterpillar has refused to negoti- “Brothers, we see our struggle linked stated that it expected “nothing sweep- forums ate with the UAW. The union called a to the struggles of the peoples of Asia, ing or radical” from the measure, but selective strike involving 400 workers Africa and Latin America against for- that it might have a “psychological” ef- united kingdom in East Peoria and 2,000 in Decatur, eign oppression, particularly by the fect on manufacturers and merchants to Manchester Illinois. In retaliation, the company United States. We all have the same curb their prices. The real “psychologi- Trump’s Inauguration: Why the locked out 6,000 workers here. enemy. For this reason, we strongly cal” effect intended, however, is to de- Propertied Rulers Fear Working People. Speaker: Caroline Bellamy, Communist While the majority of the partici- support your just struggle for inde- ceive the workers and poor farmers into League. Fri., Feb. 3, 7 p.m. Donation: £2.50. pants were Caterpillar workers on pendence. For this reason we support the belief that “something is being done” Room 301, Hilton House, 26-28 Hilton St. M1 strike or locked out, there were also all peoples who are struggling for to protect them from inflation and its at- 2EH. Tel.: (016) 1478 2496. Caterpillar workers still on the job. self-determination.” tendant war profiteering.

The Militant February 6, 2017 5 Trump moves to White House Continued from front page ernment agencies to minimize the act’s gage in ceaseless efforts to maximize “unwarranted economic and regulatory their own profits the world over,” burdens,” like the penalty for those who wrote Socialist Workers Party leader can’t prove they are unable to pay. Steve Clark in the introduction to The The Senate overwhelmingly approved Clintons’ Anti-Working-Class Re- nominations of former Marine generals cord: Why Washington Fears Work- James Mattis as Secretary of Defense ing People by SWP National Secre- and John Kelly as Secretary of Home- tary Jack Barnes. “Growing carnage land Security. Mattis announced plans and the dispossession of millions of for an Asian trip with stops in Japan human beings is the result.” and South Korea. Trump has sharpened Workers’ anger at the impact of the the stance toward the capitalist rulers in deepening capitalist crisis of jobs, pro- China over trade and other matters. duction, trade and finance became the Trump signed a memorandum with- central question in the 2016 election, drawing the U.S. from the 5,500-page leading to irreparable political instabil- Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. ity in both capitalist parties. What the rulers call “trade pacts” or After his victory, the Republican Par- “free trade” are in fact massive sets of ty is being rebuilt around Trump. The agreements between rival imperialist Reuters/Shannon Stapleton powers dividing up arenas for invest- Workers waiting to enter job fair in Uniondale, New York, October 2014. Capitalist rulers Democrats face a deeper crisis. Many, and both their parties fear millions of workers angry about bleak conditions they face. including former presidential candidate ment, trade and exploitation of wage la- Bernie Sanders and most of the left, de- bor, with the strongest calling the shots. sary policy changes required to build a aid today’s anemic uptick in the busi- mand a “revolution” in the party, look- Trump contacted the heads of state of fair and just global economy.” ness cycle, no policy of any wing of ing to take it over and install a more pro- Mexico and Canada and said he wants Trump campaigned promising to ne- the capitalist rulers can turn around the gressive capitalist reform program. to renegotiate the North American Free gotiate bilateral agreements good for long-term contraction of production and “The old guard of the Democratic Trade Agreement. “all Americans.” But the U.S. is divided trade. The workings of the capitalist sys- party has to go,” left-wing filmmaker AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, into two sharply conflicting classes, and tem, exacerbated by the political turmoil and Sanders supporter Michael Moore a champion of the labor officialdom’s whether the rulers choose “free trade” and ongoing wars that mark today’s told a rally the night of the inaugura- class-collaborationist policies, praised or protectionism to defend their profits, world, ensure that another sharp down- tion. “They are supported by corporate the president’s “America First” moves workers go to the wall. turn like the 1987 stock market crash America. We need new leadership, new on trade as good for workers, calling While the Trump administration’s or the 2008 real estate bubble collapse blood and young people.” Moore pre- them “just the first in a series of neces- moves on trade and infrastructure may looms on the horizon. dicted Trump’s victory after the Repub- lican National Convention last summer. These forces, along with the editors of López: Step up fight to end US colonial rule the New York Times, Washington Post, Continued from front page participated in any violent action, U.S. Fight for independence CNN and other liberal media, along Florida; and in Cuba. Many also plan prosecutors made their main charge with the bulk of the federal bureau- The victory for López takes place as to stay vigilant until he actually walks against him “seditious conspiracy.” cracy, and the millions of professionals, the Fiscal Oversight Board appointed free. In New York, 35 Women for Os- López and the others, arguing they academics, and others that make up the by Obama continues to press the colo- car López will rally and celebrate Jan. were prisoners of war, refused to take cosmopolitan meritocracy, are waging nial regime to slash health care, wel- 29 in Times Square. part in the trials. All were found guilty. political war against the new president. fare, pensions and wages. Many in the “Everyone is happy. It demonstrated In 1999 President Bill Clinton par- capitalist class in Puerto Rico worry Trump takes office the strength the people have when we doned most of the Puerto Rican politi- that López’s return could strengthen the are united,” cattle rancher Armando cal prisoners, but López did not accept In his first few days in office Trump fight for independence and against the Arcelay said by phone from Aguadilla, because two prisoners, Carlos Alberto issued a series of executive orders re- fiscal board’s shock therapy. Puerto Rico. scinding steps taken by former President Torres and Haydée Beltrán, were not in- Once he is released López plans to “My father emphatically wanted me Barack Obama and pushed a number of cluded. Beltrán was freed in 2009 and visit all 78 municipalities in Puerto Rico to publicly thank all the Puerto Rican his cabinet nominees through. He met Torres in 2010. to thank people for their support and people, the people of Latin America and with a delegation of CEOs of auto, com- After Torres’ release the campaign promote the fight to end colonial status. especially Cuba, Venezuela and Nica- puter, steel, aerospace and other indus- to free López picked up steam. In May In a Jan. 23 column José Saldaña, ragua,” Oscar’s daughter Clarisa López trial giants, pressing them to put more 2013 thousands protested in Puerto former University of Puerto Rico presi- told a press conference in San Juan. investment into plant and production in- Rico. Similar actions took place in the dent, smeared López as a terrorist and side U.S. borders, while assuring them At the Jan. 17 volleyball finals in San U.S. and Cuba. argued against those who support inde- Sebastián, Puerto Rico, where López pendence. “Patrioteers who are using his administration would take steps to Widespread support to free Oscar remove regulatory restrictions on the was born, the fans only wanted to talk Oscar are trying to sell us the illusion bosses to bolster their profits. about the news of his impending release, Leaders of the Catholic Church and of a free and sovereign homeland,” he He also convened a meeting with half reported El Nuevo Día. other religious denominations in Puerto wrote. “They don’t tell you that this will a dozen construction union officials, “I can’t imagine 35 years in prison, Rico, the U.S. colony’s main capitalist risk your U.S. citizenship, there won’t be who agree with Trump on advancing much less all those years in solitary,” political parties, trade unions in Puerto Medicare or Medicaid.” certain “infrastructure” projects, includ- Sergio Obell Cruz told the paper. “We Rico and the U.S., and prominent in- In a letter to a supporter in May 2015, ing construction of the Keystone and will be waiting here for him with a huge dividuals around the world, including López noted that Cuba before the revo- Dakota Access oil pipelines. The latter party.” Bishop Desmond Tutu from South Af- lution was “a nation in shambles, with has been fought by the Standing Rock López, 74, moved to Chicago when rica and Pope Francis, were among the an economy in chaos and responding Sioux tribe in North Dakota, backed by he was 14. He was drafted into the U.S. many who called on the U.S. govern- primarily to the economic interests of thousands of Native Americans and oth- Army in 1965 and sent to Vietnam. By ment to free López. the USA, [and] a poor educational sys- ers, seeking to defend the tribe’s water the time he returned to Chicago he was The fight got a boost with the release tem.” Today it is a “beacon of hope and sources and sacred burial sites. an opponent of the war and joined fights of the last of the Cuban Five in De- an example to emulate” and “it is the In another executive order, Trump against discrimination in hiring and cember 2014. The five revolutionaries most literate country in all the Carib- signaled intent to repeal and replace the housing, against police brutality, for bi- spent up to 16 years in jail in the U.S. bean and Latin America.” Affordable Care Act, calling on gov- lingual education and for independence on frame-up charges of “conspiracy At a Jan. 21 celebration at the com- for Puerto Rico. to commit espionage” because of their munity center El Maestro in the Bronx, In the 1960s and ’70s, support for in- work to protect Cuba from violent at- Ana López, a leader of the New York dependence grew among Puerto Ricans tacks by counterrevolutionaries based in Coordinator to Free Oscar López, read Paying Tribute to on the island and in the U.S., inspired by the U.S. an email he sent her from prison. “Now Fidel Castro the 1959 Cuban Revolution. One of the El Nuevo Día spoke with Fernando more than ever we must work for the fu- FBI’s largest Cointelpro disruption cam- González, one of the Five, who is now ture of our beloved homeland,” he said. Celebrating the life of the historic paigns targeted independence support- vice president of the Cuban Institute for “We can decolonize our people and our leader of the Cuban Revolution ers and unionists on the island. Friendship with the Peoples, during a nation and transform it into the edenic Sat., Feb. 4, 7-9:30 p.m. In 1980, 10 Puerto Rican independen- celebration in Havana Jan. 17. González garden it has the potential of being.” New York City tistas were arrested in the U.S. and ac- shared a cell with López in Terre Haute, “Oscar should never have been in cused of being members of the Armed Indiana, for four years. prison,” Rafael Cancel Miranda, who Malcolm X and Betty Forces of National Liberation, a group “This is a great victory for the people spent 25 years in jail in the U.S. for his Shabazz Center which took credit for bombings of busi- of Puerto Rico and all those with a good actions in defense of independence for 3940 Broadway at W. 165th St. nesses with investments in Puerto Rico. heart throughout the world,” González Puerto Rico, told the Militant by phone New York Cuba Solidarity Project On May 28, 1981, López was ar- said. He saluted López’s “resistance, his Jan. 23. “Fighting for independence is Info: (718) 601-4751, nycsproject.org rested and accused of being a leader of revolutionary caliber and his steadfast- not a crime. The criminal is U.S. impe- the group. With no evidence that he had ness in what he believes.” rialism and colonialism.”

6 The Militant February 6, 2017 Tribute to Fidel Castro in DC Continued from front page nialism, the revolutionary leadership Cuban workers and youth, in their in Cuba sent ships to take weapons to millions, reaffirmed their commit- the Algerian National Liberation Front ment to Cuba’s socialist revolution and bring war orphans and wounded and its values, he continued, “They children to the island for treatment and know they have something to contrib- education, just two years after their own ute — that is how Fidel educated us. revolutionary victory, he said. For many years, he told us, if at some José Pertierra recounted how during a point you are isolated, anywhere in Christmas day lunch at Fidel’s home in the world, you will be your own co- 2010, Fidel got on the phone with volun- mandante. You will know what to do, teer Cuban doctors combatting a cholera and how to do it. You will also know epidemic in Haiti. “He talked to them that our revolution will never forget like a general who was moving troops you. Fidel said the Cuban Five would from one place to another giving them return, and we won their freedom.” courage and enthusiasm,” he said. Miguel Fraga, first secretary of the A number of speakers described the Cuban Embassy, accompanied Cabañas decisive role of some 425,000 Cuban in- Le Canal Nabo News and was introduced at the meeting. ternationalists battling alongside Ango- “We will need more meetings about the Cuban Revolution, especially in Africa,” said Gnaka Other speakers included Gnaka lan and Namibian forces in a hard-fought Lagoke, founder of Revival of Panafricanism Forum and chair of D.C. tribute to Fidel Castro. To Lagoke’s left is José Pertierra, Cuban-American attorney who represented Juan González, Lagoke, founder of Revival of Panafri- war for freedom against South African father of Elián González; to his right, Jennifer Bryant, an organizer for Venceremos Brigade. canism Forum, who chaired; José Per- apartheid invaders and their backers in tierra, a Cuban-American attorney who Washington. The struggle began in 1975 gola, Waters explained. “Fidel was one Clinton or Obama or another capitalist represented Juan Miguel González, fa- as Angola won independence from Por- of the great military commanders of the politician, the propertied families who ther of Elián González; Dr. Piero Glei- tugal and lasted for sixteen years. toilers of the world. He understood that dictate Washington’s foreign policy jeses, professor at John Hopkins Univer- “Cuba’s example was unprecedented. military leadership of the working class have worked consistently for decades sity and author of Conflicting Missions: They were not guided by narrow self- in revolutionary struggle begins with to destroy the revolution, regardless of Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959- interest, but by Castro’s sense of revo- political leadership. That above all is de- tactical shifts or which capitalist party 1976; Mary-Alice Waters, a leader of the lutionary mission. His internationalism cisive,” said Waters. held the presidency. We need to build a Socialist Workers Party and president of trumped everything else,” Piero Gleije- “There were two great socialist revo- movement to demand that the U.S. re- Pathfinder Press; Heather Benno, AN- ses said. Fidel called the fight to defeat lutions of the 20th century — the Rus- turn Guantánamo now, right now, end SWER Coalition and Party of Social- apartheid “the most beautiful cause of sian and the Cuban,” Waters said. “Nei- their economic embargo and end their ism and Liberation; Jennifer Bryant, an humanity.” ther was the product of any one individ- subversive ‘regime change’ programs. organizer for the Venceremos Brigade; In face of growing U.S. military ual — they grew out of the conditions “The U.S. rulers fear the example of and Netfa Freeman, International Com- threats in the 1980s, Cuba refused to pull created by capitalism itself. But without Cuba’s socialist revolution, and for the mittee for Peace, Justice and Dignity, back or withdraw from Angola, he said, the presence and political leadership of first time in decades they have begun Pan African Community Action, and even when it meant rejecting the course Lenin and Fidel, in those revolutions at to fear the U.S. working class,” she said. Institute for Policy Studies. Carlos Ron, of the leaders of the Soviet Union, who decisive moments and turning points, “Workers here have the same capacities consul at the Venezuelan Embassy, gave were focused on achieving detente with the odds that either one of them would to transform ourselves and we’re ca- greetings. Washington. “When President Jimmy have triumphed are small.” pable of taking power and transforming “In the years to come, we will need Carter offered to re-establish relations “There are times when the role of an society.” more meetings about the Cuban Revolu- with Cuba if Cuba would withdraw individual in history is decisive. Fidel’s During the far-reaching hourlong dis- tion in more countries, especially in Af- from Angola, Cuba said no,” Gleijeses ability to lead the other leaders at key cussion, speaker after speaker pointed rica,” said Lagoke, who has organized said. “The wave of the Cuban victory in turning points was crucial,” she said. to examples of Cuba’s internationalism, annual meetings to discuss Africa and Angola washed over the region.” “Without Lenin and Fidel, the history from aid to Venezuela in its efforts to re- the Cuban Revolution. of the 20th century and 21st century sist Washington’s attacks to its response People came from the Washington, Fidel belongs to Cuba, the world would be hard to imagine. It’s why to the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Af- D.C., area, Philadelphia, New York, and “Fidel belongs first and foremost to those two giants tower above all oth- rica. The back and forth continued in- as far away as Chicago. the men and women of Cuba. But he ers and why we think of them together. formally over a delicious West African The internationalist solidarity that also belongs to the working people of the They knew that only by eradicating dinner. binds revolutionary Cuba and Africa world,” SWP leader Mary-Alice Waters capitalist relations could a new order Participants picked up 13 copies of was a central theme of the meeting. “Fi- said. “He demonstrated in action what be built.” Cuba and Angola: The War for Free- del is our link to Africa. For us in Cuba, proletarian internationalism means, Two different courses were presented dom, Pathfinder’s newly released first- Africa is not something else, we are Af- and how and why it is inseparable from at the meeting on how to defend revolu- hand account of the Cuban interna- ricans, ” Cabañas said to applause. the socialist revolution in Cuba and the tionary Cuba today. Some speakers ar- tionalist mission in Angola, by Harry “Fidel was a Pan Africanist of the strengthening of that revolution. gued that “stopping” new U.S. President Villegas, a brigadier general of Cuba’s highest order and Cuba’s solidarity and It was Fidel’s historical understand- Donald Trump is paramount. Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) footprint in the Pan African movement ing that the struggle in southern Africa The Trump agenda is to smash labor who served as Fidel Castro’s direct liai- goes all the way back to the ’60s,” said would last until apartheid was defeated, unions, abolish environmental regula- son to Cuban forces there. Netfa Freeman. During Algeria’s war and only its defeat would guarantee the tions, carry out mass deportations and “The whole meeting was eye- for independence against French colo- sovereignty and independence of An- unleash massive attacks on women’s opening and inspiring, including the books,” Bryan Carrigan, a warehouse rights, Heather Benno argued. “His goal worker and Teamster, told the Militant. is to return the United States to the most “I didn’t know Cuba had helped in Af- The Cuban Revolution in World Politics unrestrained form of capitalist rule — rica, like in Angola, and stayed for the with no protections for oppressed sec- long haul.” tors,” she said. “Protesting Cuba & Angola Trump is the heart and soul The War for Freedom of El Comandante’s legacy.” Harry Villegas (“Pombo”) She urged participants to The story of Cuba’s unparalleled contribution to the fight to join in a Jan. 20 protest or- free Africa from the scourge of apartheid. And how, in the ganized by the ANSWER doing, Cuba’s socialist revolution was also strengthened. Coalition seeking to disrupt Also in Spanish. $10 Trump’s inauguration. “We’re not only protest- ing Trump, we’re protest- How Far We Slaves ing the system that allowed Have Come Trump to be elected to head South Africa and Cuba in Today’s World the largest imperialist war- Fidel Castro, Nelson Mandela mongering country in the Also in Spanish and Farsi. $10 world,” Jennifer Bryant said. Capitalism and the “Our responsibility here Transformation of Africa is to keep our fire on the Reports from Equatorial Guinea U.S. government,” Waters countered, in response to a Mary-Alice Waters, Martín Koppel Militant/Glova Scott Also in Spanish and Farsi. $10 question during the discus- “The U.S. rulers fear the Cuban Revolution, and for the first www.pathfinderpress.com sion that ensued. “Whether time in decades they have begun to fear the U.S. working the president is Trump or class,” SWP leader Mary-Alice said at tribute to Fidel Castro. The Militant February 6, 2017 7 bourgeois leftists of every stripe on one Socialist Workers Party convention sets course side, and machine politicians like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the other, to build revolutionary party workers need today are already maneuvering to take over the party in hopes of making a come- back in the 2018 and 2020 elections. by Naomi Craine In addition, Barnes told convention Similar capitalist-crisis-fueled politi- and john studer participants, there are new openings to- cal breakups are unfolding in the United NEW YORK — The Socialist Work- day for party members to conduct politi- Kingdom, France and other imperialist ers Party held its 48th Constitutional cal activity in the unions. This is partic- countries in Europe and beyond. Convention here Jan. 14-16, setting a ularly true among rail freight workers, Since 1990 the Socialist Workers Par- course to advance carrying out pro- where dangerous conditions — from the ty has explained the global reverbera- paganda activity in the working class one-person operating crew on a growing tions of the fact that U.S. imperialism at workers’ doorsteps, on strike picket number of freight trains, to long and er- lost the Cold War. lines and in other labor fights and social ratic work schedules, to moving trains in As a byproduct of the implosion of the protests. Through this work, the party crowded rail yards with remote-control Soviet Union and other Stalinist regimes seeks to broaden its geographical reach, units — have led to widespread discus- in Eastern and Central Europe by the Militant photos: Left, Lea Sherman; right, Edwin Fruit the number of workers and youth the sion and protests. This is part of the fight opening of the 1990s, there was a rapid Delegates discussed importance of communist election campaigns. Left, Osborne Hart, SWP candidate for New York mayor, at Jan. 21 women’s party is working with and to win new against the bosses’ speedup, job combi- disintegration of the counterrevolution- march there. Right, Seattle SWP mayoral candidate Mary Martin (at left) and campaign supporter Leah O’Conner (right) campaign door to door. members. nations, and assaults on safety among all ary obstacle of governments and parties shared experiences that underscored that capitalism’s devastation extends to more In addition to delegations from party workers. The party and the Young Socialists that falsely called themselves Com- the party-building openings discussed at branches, convention delegates in- Running candidates for public office and more of the world. are also building the World Festival of munist and for decades had politically the convention are worldwide. cluded members who have moved is important to party-building today, Revolutionaries must push for recog- Youth and Students taking place in So- misled and undercut working-class and nition of the right of Israel to exist, Clark chi, Russia, Oct. 14-22. This presents to Denver, northern New Jersey Barnes said. Most workers continue to popular struggles around the globe. As Books to prepare us to fight and win and the area around Albany, New see politics through the framework of said, including the right of return for another opportunity to work with youth a result, while the working class world- The Clintons’ Anti-Working-Class Jews looking for refuge from persecu- around the world looking for ways to York, to extend party-building Militant photos the elections. Communist campaigns wide today has no mass independent Record is one of three books published tion, as well as for recognition of a state fight against imperialist domination and work in those areas. Along with Socialist Workers Party National Secretary Jack have already been launched across the class leadership, it faces coming class by Pathfinder Press in 2016 “to help for the dispossessed Palestinian people. capitalist exploitation. branches of the SWP across Barnes, left, speaks to delegates and observers U.S. and Canada, running for mayor in battles unbroken and free of Stalinist at party’s 48th Constitutional Convention. working people address the far-reaching This is the only way to open the space Waters noted increasing interest in the U.S. and of the Communist Calgary, Alberta; Los Angeles; Miami; disorientation, something that wasn’t political questions that we and others in for working people who are Arab and books published by Pathfinder. There League in Canada, they will be on women’s right to choose abortion, Minneapolis; Montreal; New York; and true for decades. Washington hadn’t the working class need answers to in or- Jewish to build solidarity and fight to- are new openings to get these books joining other workers to run can- multiple deployments for workers in Seattle. “won” the Cold War. der to fight more effectively and win,” gether against capitalist exploitation and into workers hands internationally. She didates backed by the party for uniform sent to fight and die in Wash- To be effective in this work, Barnes The U.S. rulers acted on an opposite Steve Clark said in the introduction to imperialist oppression throughout the pointed to growing interest across Afri- mayor and other offices this year. ington’s wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and said, requires increasing attention to po- assumption. They were convinced they the Clintons’ Anti-Working-Class Re- region. ca, including in South Africa, in Namib- (See list on page 3.) more. While Trump claimed he spoke litical education. Class conscious work- had triumphed and had a free hand cord. The other titles are: Are They Rich ia — a former colony of South Africa For years workers have faced for working people, he demagogically ers need to dig into lessons from the worldwide. They intervened in Iraq, Because They’re Smart? Class, Privi- ‘Two great socialist revolutions’ whose independence was won as a result slow-burning depression condi- targeted Mexicans, Muslims, women, founding of the modern revolutionary Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Libya and lege, and Learning Under Capitalism, Convention delegates also discussed a of revolutionary Cuba’s internationalist tions as the capitalists’ profit rates unionists and others, aiming to divide workers movement in the mid-1800s; elsewhere — with disastrous results for also by Jack Barnes, and Is Socialist mission in Angola aiding those fighting have continued their decadeslong and weaken the working class and our to the Bolshevik revolution under the toilers in those regions and seemingly Nov. 27 letter from SWP National Sec- Revolution in the US Possible? A Neces- the apartheid army — in Tanzania, and decline, Jack Barnes, SWP na- unions. leadership of V.I. Lenin (this year is its endless military involvement for Wash- retary Jack Barnes to Raúl Castro, first sary Debate Among Working People by in West Africa. Bookstore orders for tional secretary, said in the opening po- This crisis for the working class be- The only way forward for workers 100th anniversary); of the Cuban Revo- ington. secretary of the Communist Party of SWP leader Mary-Alice Waters. Pathfinder’s books containing speeches litical report. As prospects have shrunk came the central factor in the 2016 presi- and working farmers, Barnes said, is to lution, the living socialist revolution to Another side of these developments Cuba, marking the political legacy of Fi- In addition to English, Spanish and of Thomas Sankara, leader of the 1983- for profitable investment in the expan- dential campaign. The SWP said there recognize ourselves as the political van- our south; to experiences of the SWP in is now becoming clearer, Barnes said. del Castro, on the occasion of his death French, these books, and others from 87 popular revolution in Burkina Faso, sion of factory buildings, mines, equip- were two classes and three parties — guard of the “deplorables” — to see the trying to build that kind of party here in The U.S.-dominated NATO military al- Nov. 25 (see Dec. 12, 2016, Militant). Pathfinder Press’ arsenal, “are right now are growing there. ment, and jobs, the employers have sat the capitalists had their Democrats and need and capacity of the working class the U.S. together with communist work- liance has been weakened. The illusion The message highlighted the two great being translated in Iran into the Farsi This is deeply connected to the work on growing hoards of cash or plowed it Republicans, Barnes said, and working and our allies to put an end to the rule of ers the world over. is coming apart that an “ever closer” socialist revolutions of the 20th century, language,” Clark wrote. “They will be of the SWP and Communist Leagues, into stocks, bonds and other forms of people had the Socialist Workers Party. capital, of the small handful of superrich economic and political European Union in Russia and Cuba, and the indispens- speculative financial paper. At an ac- And the capitalist rulers increasingly Crisis of U.S. two-party system distributed widely in bookshops and able leadership of them by V.I. Lenin she said, as growing numbers of toilers families that hold state power in the U.S. could transcend the nation states within from Africa who have come to the im- celerated pace, this has increased the displayed fear of the working class, see- and control both the Democratic and The victory of Trump in the U.S. it — most of them imperialist powers, libraries there and well beyond Iran’s and Fidel Castro. relative weight of money capital at the ing a future of deeper class struggle presidential election reflects the deepen- borders. Their broad circulation demon- Barnes wrote that the SWP will con- perialist centers in North America and Republican parties. but at very different levels of economic Europe to work and study look to learn expense of manufacturing capital. to come as the carnage continues and That’s the reason to join the Social- ing economic and political crisis of U.S. might and social conditions — and be- strates how the scope and explosiveness tinue to “publish and spread the truth In 2008 a deep global financial crisis spreads. imperialism — and a resulting historic of the capitalist crisis, and the response about the Cuban Revolution and Fidel’s more about politics. ist Workers Party. The SWP is the only come a united capitalist Europe. Among those invited to attend the and contraction of production and trade Hillary Clinton revealed her anti- party armed with a communist course shake-up in its two long-standing bour- Sharpening competition among ri- of working people to its consequences, leadership, to make it known to working shook capitalism on a world scale. The working-class contempt when she geois political parties. are truly worldwide.” people in the United States and through- convention, in addition to members of carrying out regular propaganda ac- val ruling classes under the pressure of of the SWP and Communist Leagues, employers and their government contin- called millions of workers “deplorables” tivity in the working class and joining The Republicans are being remade by the international slowdown in capitalist In a report to the convention, Clark out the world. With unshakable confi- ue to load the devastating consequences because many of them backed Donald Donald Trump, a multibillionaire pre- expanded on these points. These books dence in the working class and its allies, were a number of people from across in fights by workers and the oppressed, production and trade is undoing what Continued on page 11 of that crisis — the “carnage” referred Trump in hopes he would address the as the party politically prepares for the tending to speak in the interests of work- many bourgeois politicians refer to as and more than 40 other Farsi-language we will continue to organize and act on to by the newly elected U.S. president worsening economic and social condi- bigger class battles and revolutionary ing people while seeking to find policies “globalization,” including so-called Pathfinder titles are finding a growing the course Fidel uncompromisingly pre- at his inauguration a few days after the tions they face — a decline in the size struggles we know are coming. that further enrich the capitalist class, trade pacts in Europe, North America, readership across Iran and beyond, in- sented to the world in 1961, a month be- SWP convention — onto the backs of of the working class as jobs disappear, For years SWP members have found in a futile attempt to end the inevitable and the Pacific and Asia. These class- cluding in Afghanistan and the Kurdish fore the victorious battle of Playa Girón: Socialist Workers Party working people. falling real wages, cop brutality, attacks growing interest as they knock on crisis of their system. This has noth- less terms are cover for the profit-driven region of Iraq. ‘There will be a victorious revolution National Committee doors in working-class neighborhoods ing to do with hysteria about “fascism” efforts of finance capital to compete to Workers and farmers in the Middle in the United States before a victorious to discuss the party and its activities. among liberal and middle-class radicals, exploit workers and farmers and suck East face the effects of the world capital- counterrevolution in Cuba.’” Elected by 48th Convention For the first time in decades, the US rulers Although there are no sustained labor Barnes said. In fact, the Trump electoral the wealth they produce with their labor ist economic crisis, compounded by the Mary-Alice Waters spoke to this in Regular Members have begun to fear the working class battles or social movements like the civ- victory is weakening already marginal from every corner of the globe. impact of a devastating civil war in Syr- her convention report on “Party-Build- Jack Barnes ultrarightist currents, who are unable to ia, more than a decade of bloody wars in Books for the deepening debate among workers seeking a way forward in face il rights battle that overthrew Jim Crow Delegates at the SWP convention ing and the Cuban Revolution.” The John Benson Afghanistan and Iraq, and the advanc- of capitalism’s global economic crisis, social calamity and spreading wars. segregation, many workers respond gain any traction in U.S. politics. seated international fraternal delega- working-class mobilizations in tribute Róger Calero when party members explain the need The Democrats are in disarray. Ber- tions, including from Australia, Canada, ing Kurdish struggle for national rights, to Fidel Castro across Cuba following Steve Clark SPECIAL OFFER $5! The Clintons’ for the working class to chart a course nie Sanders and bourgeois and petty- New Zealand, France and the U.K. They Clark said. This has sparked interest in his death, and Raúl Castro’s speeches Ellie García to build our own political party to take books that present the program and his- in Havana and Santiago, demonstrates Alyson Kennedy Anti-Working-Class Record tory of the Socialist Workers Party, as power. once again that the socialist revolution Paul Mailhot well as the Russian and Cuban revolu- Convention delegates discussed and in Cuba lives and fights to this day. The Mary Martin tions. adopted the next decisive steps to sus- Socialist Workers Party defends that Omari Musa tain, as the axis of party activity, turning Convention delegates also discussed revolution and champions the fight to the importance of the fight against Diana Newberry that interest among working people into end the U.S. embargo, to get Washing- Jacob Perasso expanded influence and recruitment. Jew-hatred. History shows that assaults ton out of Guantánamo and return it to Dave Prince The party leadership has worked on Jews increase in times of capitalist Cuban sovereignty, and to end Wash- Norton Sandler with a number of members to move to crisis, as the rulers seek scapegoats to ington’s “regime-change” policies. John Studer new areas where the SWP has made divert the middle classes and layers of One of the party’s priorities in the contacts, Barnes explained. Together toilers from recognizing the true source coming months, Waters said, will be Mary-Alice Waters with adjustments in organization and of their worsening conditions, the profit working to build a brigade of workers Alternate Members priorities in party branches to enable system. Clark reviewed the decadeslong to visit Cuba for the May Day celebra- 1. Dennis Richter members to step up political campaign- continuity of the SWP on this question, tion in Havana, to learn firsthand about 2. Maggie Trowe Also in Spanish, French Also in Spanish ing and use of the Militant and books and that of Fidel Castro and the leader- the gains working people made through 3. Naomi Craine and magazines on communist politics ship of Cuba’s socialist revolution, from their socialist revolution. This includes a 4. Osborne Hart Also in Spanish Are They Rich Because They’re among workers, these moves can lead to the impact of the rise of Nazism, the chance for some to also participate in a 5. Rebecca Williamson Smart? and Is Socialist Revolution in horror of the Holocaust during the sec Contact Socialist Workers a convergence of political activity in the Reuters - May 4-6 conference and related activi- 6. Anthony Dutrow Party or Communist the US Possible? $7 each or $5 each branches, in new areas — and by new Afghans protest killing of residents in U.S.-led raids in Taloqan, Afghanistan, May 2011. World capital- ond imperialist world war, to growing ties in Guantánamo, near the base occu- 7. Santos Ramos League nearest you. See with a subscription to the Militant. party members. ist economic crisis and seemingly unending wars have had devastating impact on workers worldwide. attacks on Jews and Muslims today as pied by Washington for over a century. directory on page 10. 8. Eduardo Rivera

8 The Militant February 6, 2017 The Militant February 6, 2017 9 ‘Washington never accepted the Cuban Revolution’ Nothing Can Stop the Course of His- considered to have no desire to work tory, one of Pathfinder’s Books of the and no patriotic feelings and to be per- Month for January, contains excerpts fectly indoctrinated in anticommunism from an interview Cuban leader Fidel and antisocialism, totally impervious to Castro gave to Professor Jeffrey M. a revolution by virtue of U.S. ideology Elliot and U.S. Congressman Mervyn and culture. I believe that, at present, M. Dymally. First published in 1985 the United States would have no reason by Editora Politica (Havana, Cuba), to underestimate the Cuban people. the nine-day interview spans dozens During these past twenty-six years, of topics, including U.S.- Cuban rela- Cuba has shown what a Latin Ameri- tions, the role of the individual in histo- can people is capable of doing; that this ry, the moral and political qualities of mixture of Spaniards, Africans, and In- leadership, Cuba’s fight to defend An- dians has far greater political, organi- golan sovereignty against attacks by zational, and combat capacity than the apartheid South Africa and more. The United States ever imagined. piece below is from the section “U.S.- We are no different and no bet- Cuban relations/Cuba’s international ter than the Central Americans, the principles and peaceful coexistence.” South Americans, or the rest of the Copyright © 1986 by Pathfinder Press. Latin Americans. No, I consider that Reprinted by permission. they have the same potential quali- Granma archive ties we had, and perhaps even more. From beginning, “U.S. set about trying to destroy the revolution in Cuba,” said Fidel Castro, The day came when we rebelled and Books of central leader of 1959 Cuban Revolution, using “the most insulting and slanderous campaigns, resolved — despite the risks and at all plans of subversion, acts of sabotage that killed many people, mercenary invasions.” Above, costs — to follow our own independent Castro, center in glasses, directs response to U.S.-backed invasion at Bay of Pigs, April 1961. the month path and carry out the social changes and medical services. It never really Cuba. If the United States doesn’t we have undertaken. Those problems by fidel castro cared about the unemployment, ra- change those policies, I don’t see how can’t be solved by force or by arms. … In my view, the United States is re- cial discrimination, and enormous so- these differences can be overcome. I If the United States believes it is en- sponsible for the present situation. It has cial problems in our country. It never state categorically that we aren’t the titled to intervene in Grenada, Santo never wanted to accept the existence of cared. These were never reasons for ones responsible for the current situa- Domingo, and Nicaragua — to wage the Cuban revolution or the establish- concern or for blockades against Cuba. tion. … a dirty war in the latter — then we ment of a social system that is different Then, when a revolution took place I remember when, over a year ago, cannot be friends. If the United States from its own. The United States never that put an end to those problems, the the representatives of the creditor gov- feels it is entitled to overthrow the Ar- cared about the existence of dishonest, United States set about trying to de- ernments met here. They were all giv- benz government in Guatemala and tyrannical governments in this country stroy the revolution in Cuba. That’s en a document that attacked Cuba’s ar- the Allende government in Chile, or — governments that killed thousands really the origin of some of the prob- guments for rescheduling the debt. We to promote the overthrow of Goulart of people and stole huge sums of mon- lems. It is also what, ever since the had a copy of that document, too, and, in Brazil, then we cannot be friends. ey. It never cared about this country’s very beginning, has brought about all in our discussions with the bankers, I If, furthermore, the United States de- poverty, ignorance, unsanitary condi- kinds of measures — from the most showed it to them and asked, “Isn’t it a clares, as it did a while ago, that the tions, or the lack of schools, hospitals, insulting and slanderous campaigns shame that the United States is attempt- Western world should be thankful to against Cuba, to plans of subversion, ing to block all this?” Pinochet for overthrowing the constitu- the organization of armed bands, acts That is, the Reagan administration tional government elected by the people of sabotage that killed many people, has implemented a constant policy. in Chile, thankful for the overthrow and JanuaryBooks mercenary invasions, the cancellation Not only does the U.S. blockade ban death of Allende, for the rivers of blood of the Month of the sugar quota that Cuba had had all trade between the United States shed since, and for the untold suffering for 100 years, the economic blockade, and Cuba, it even bans trade in medi- it entailed for the people there, what PATHFINDER the policy of isolation, plans of aggres- cine. This is shameful! We can’t get a should we do? Keep our mouths shut and READERS CLUB 25% discount sion, and assassination attempts against single aspirin from the United States; not speak about those things? Not de- SPECIALS the leaders of our revolution. It’s an it is legally forbidden. Medicines that nounce those things, so as to have good relations with the United States? There Fidel Castro: endless list of U.S. actions against our may save many human lives are for- Nothing Can Stop the country. Plus there is the maintenance bidden. No medical equipment can are economic, political, and moral prob- Course of History of a military base by force, against the be exported from the United States to lems — all very serious — and we feel it Interview by Jeffrey Elliot will of our people. That is what lies be- Cuba. Trade is also prohibited in both is our duty to denounce them before the and Mervyn Dymally hind these divisions. directions. The United States has also United Nations, before all international Takes up wide-ranging topics, Naturally, this has caused great in- expanded its boycott throughout the organizations everywhere. including U.S.-Cuban relations. dignation among our people and their world, as part of its policy of unceas- Can we then compromise on these $22. Special price: $16.50 strong repudiation of all those poli- ing harassment — shameful and in- things? I think that there may be top- Marxist Theory of Alienation cies. However, we haven’t attempted to famous harassment — against Cuba’s ics, different types of questions on by Ernest Mandel, George Novack blockade the United States or engaged economic operations. … which compromises can be made. But $12. Special price: $9 in other acts of aggression against Cuba was the most secure, docile, on these really basic questions which that country. No, it has been the Unit- and best indoctrinated colony of the involve the reality we are witnessing, The Third International ed States which has done so against United States. The Cuban people were concessions are impossible. After Lenin by Leon Trotsky $25. Special price: $18.75 if you like this paper, look us up Cuba and the Coming American Where to find distributors of the NEBRASKA: Lincoln: P.O. Box 6811. CANADA Militant, New International, and a full Zip: 68506. Tel: (402) 217-4906. Email: QUEBEC: Montreal: 7107 St. Denis Revolution display of Pathfinder books. [email protected] by Jack Barnes #204 H2S 2S5. Tel: (514) 272-5840. Email: [email protected] ALBERTA: Impact of the 1959 Cuban NEW YORK: New York: 306 W. 37th St., UNITED STATES Calgary: Dragon City Mall, 328 Centre St. Revolution on workers and youth 13th Floor. Zip: 10018. Tel: (646) 964-4793. CALIFORNIA: Oakland: 675 SE, Suite 246. 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10 The Militant February 6, 2017 Editorial Syrian toilers Continued from front page supported opponents of the regime) reflects shifts Step up fight to free Leonard Peltier! in the region as governments maneuver to defend Barack Obama exposed the true face of liberal “de- Francis. The fight was given a boost by the mobili- their conflicting economic, political and military mocracy” by refusing to release Leonard Peltier, a Na- zations of Native Americans and others at Standing interests. Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s regime in Tur- tive American activist framed up on charges of killing Rock that blocked the passage of the Dakota Access key has dropped demands that Assad step down. two FBI agents during a shootout on the Pine Ridge Pipeline across sacred land and a river near the reser- Moscow in turn has substantially reduced relations Sioux Reservation in South Dakota in 1975. Obama vation. More people than ever are learning about the with Democratic Union Party (PYD), the dominant denied his request for clemency on Jan. 18, just two case. Syrian Kurdish party, and its armed Peoples Pro- days before his term expired. When the sentence of Puerto Rican independence tection Units (YPG). Peltier, who has serious health problems, has been fighter Oscar López was commuted Jan. 17 it showed After the conference broke up, the two Syrian del- in jail more than 40 years, six of them in solitary con- that it is possible to fight and win. But victory never egations — one from the regime and the other of op- finement. comes easy. position fighters — held competing press conferences. The frame-up was so blatant that even James Reyn- The freeing of López was not a gift from Obama, “We don’t accept any role for Iran in the future of olds, one of the lead prosecutors who helped send it was the result of a decades-long fight that actively Syria,” said Mohammad Alloush, head of the opposi- Peltier to prison, has called for his release. The trial involved tens of thousands of people around the world tion group, demanding that all Iranian-backed foreign “was unusually troublesome” Reynolds now says. “It and won the support of hundreds of thousands more, militias leave Syria. was a very thin case that likely would not be upheld by especially among working people on the island and Assad’s envoy Bashar Ja’afari said it was “pitiful” courts today.” in the diaspora, an important component of the U.S. that the opposition criticized one of the conference’s Peltier and other members of the American Indian working class. three sponsors. Movement were at Pine Ridge to protect residents The Socialist Workers Party and its candidates are It remains to be seen what course Trump’s stew- from a reign of terror, including beatings and murders, joining with others to build on this victory, to demand ardship of U.S. imperialism will take in Syria. White instituted by then tribal chief Dick Wilson. Reynolds the Donald Trump administration free Peltier and oth- House press secretary Sean Spicer said Jan. 23 Trump admits that the FBI played a “role in the creation of ers who are in prison on frame-up charges and dis- would like to work with Moscow wherever possible, dangerous conditions on Pine Ridge.” proportionately long sentences because of their po- including in combating Islamic State there. Among those calling for Peltier’s release are the litical beliefs. We can take the fight to free Leonard Moscow and Ankara brokered the truce following National Congress of American Indians, the Oglala to unions, churches and other organizations under the the defeat of rebels in the city of Aleppo by Iranian sol- Sioux Tribe, the World Council of Churches, the Eu- labor banner of “An injury to one is an injury to all.” diers and allied Shiite militias along with troops loyal ropean Parliament, Amnesty International and Pope Keep up the fight! Free Leonard Peltier now! to Assad, backed by Russian airstrikes. The cease-fire does not include the jihadist Islamic State, nor Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. And it does not include the Kurds. As soon as the fighting eased there were renewed SWP: Oscar López victory for all workers street protests against Assad’s rule. Al Jazeera broad- Continued from front page Panthers Mumia Abu-Jamal in Pennsylvania, Ed cast video of hundreds rallying in Douma, Idlib, Daraa resistance, courage and dignity in the face of 35 Poindexter in Nebraska and Jalil Muntaqim in New and elsewhere the day after the cease-fire took effect. years of imprisonment by Washington. This vic- York; Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steven Ham- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights re- tory strengthens working people in Puerto Rico, mond; and other political prisoners. ported Jan. 20 that hundreds of people demonstrated the U.S. and all those fighting against imperialist And it advances the fight against U.S. colonial in suburbs east of Damascus to oppose the ongoing domination worldwide. We joined the celebration rule of Puerto Rico at a time when the crisis of cap- government siege of Wadi Barada, a valley northwest here in New York when we heard the news and will italism is crashing down with brutal force on the of Damascus that is the source of water for the capital. celebrate with tens of thousands more when you workers and farmers of the island. The U.S. rulers’ “They also called for a ceasefire in the entire Syrian walk out the prison doors. “fiscal control” board, acting to protect the profits territory and the release of detainees held by the re- We hail and will join the 35 Women’s protest of the bondholders, is imposing wage cuts, attacks gime,” the Observatory reported. here in Times Square Jan. 29 and every month until on unions and gutting of social spending. In an effort to expand their long-term presence in you are free. We must remain vigilant! The Socialist Workers Party insists that workers the Mideast, Russian officials signed an agreement The U.S. capitalist “justice” system acts in the in the U.S. can never be free as long as our Puer- with Damascus Jan. 20 to double the space for Rus- interests of the propertied rulers to maintain their to Rican brothers and sisters are held in colonial sian warships at the Syrian port of Tartus and extend repressive rule and divide and weaken working bondage. their access to an air base near Latakia. people. Your victory strengthens the struggle to “United States imperialism, exploiting the mass- The conquest of Aleppo put pro-government forces expose and condemn the dehumanizing conditions es within its national boundaries, at the same time in control of most of Syria’s western cities and coast. millions in prison face, including the torture of and to an even greater degree, exploits the peoples But Assad lacks the ground forces to control this ter- solitary confinement you are all too familiar with, of Latin and Central America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, ritory without substantial backing from Tehran and overcrowding, restrictions on freedom of speech Hawaii, Liberia, the Philippines,” the SWP de- Shiite militias such as the Lebanese Hezbollah. and voting rights, and denial of needed medical at- clared at its founding convention in 1938. “These As a result, Iranian capital’s influence in Syria has tention. peoples are thus the potential allies of the Ameri- grown. In mid-January, Iranian officials signed con- Your victory strengthens the fight to free Native can workers in the struggle against U.S. imperial- tracts with Damascus, gaining control over Syria’s American leader Leonard Peltier; former Black ism, and neither they nor the American workers largest phosphate mine and receiving a license to op- can expect to win freedom except in joint combat erate a mobile telecommunications network. against the common enemy.” Working people in Syria face continuing catas- The Socialist Workers Party “stands for the im- trophe — with hundreds of thousands killed by the SWP convention mediate and unconditional independence of all the regime and its allies and Islamic State and millions Continued from page 9 territories, colonies, and dependencies of the U.S. driven from their homes. North America who are members of committees that and for the withdrawal of all troops from them.” lead work by party supporters to keep Pathfinder But independence will never be granted, it must Attacks on the Kurds books in print for use in the party’s political activity, be taken! Both U.S. and Russian warplanes have been bomb- and raise funds for the SWP’s work. As you have said, “For those of us who love jus- ing near al-Bab, in support of a Turkish-organized of- Convention delegates adopted the three reports and tice and freedom, want a better and more just world fensive against Islamic State. Ankara’s central aim is summaries, the introduction to the Clintons’ Anti- free of colonialism and imperialism, revolutionary to block the Syrian Kurds from taking that city and Working-Class Record, Jack Barnes’ letter to Raúl Cuba has been and will continue to be a beacon of connecting territories they control on Turkey’s border. Castro, and other motions on the party’s political hope and an example to emulate.” Under the lead- The Kurds are the largest oppressed nationality in course. They elected a National Committee to lead the ership of Fidel Castro, Cuba’s workers and farmers the world without their own homeland. implementation of convention decisions. have shown that, yes, it is possible to make and de- Ankara has organized a 450-person “Free Police,” The Socialist Workers Party is organizing an Ac- fend for over 50 years a socialist revolution under including special forces, to patrol in Jarablus, con- tive Workers Conference in Ohio June 15-17, to bring the nose of Yankee imperialism. quered by Turkish-led Syrian forces in 2016, driving together workers campaigning for the SWP, helping The Cuban people and their leadership worked the Kurdish YPG from the area. A video of the cops circulate the party’s books and the Militant, joining in continually to advance the international solidarity on the internet shows recruits chanting in Arabic, labor struggles and social protests, and other common movement that helped win your freedom. “Long live Turkey, long live Erdogan.” activity to discuss world political developments and to We will continue to tell the truth about the Cuban Ankara is currently engaged in a bloody campaign register progress in building the party. Revolution and the fight against Washington’s co- to put down opposition by the Stalinist Kurdistan lonial domination of Puerto Rico. We are confident Workers Party (PKK) inside Turkey. The Erdogan ‘Militant’ Prisoners’ Fund that here, in the belly of the imperialist monster, government claims the YPG in Syria is just a different The Prisoners’ Fund makes it possible to send pris- working people can unite to end forever the dicta- name for the PKK. oners reduced rate subscriptions. To donate, send a torship of capital and extend the hand of solidarity At the same time, Washington has been working check or money order payable to the Militant, ear- to the peoples of the world. with forces led by the YPG to attack Islamic State’s marked “Prisoners’ Fund,” to 306 W. 37th St., 13th Osborne Hart capital in Raqqa, Syria, and with the Kurdish pesh- Floor, New York, NY 10018. Socialist Workers Party candidate merga in Iraq in a drive to retake Mosul from the ji- for mayor of New York hadists — putting the U.S. rulers at odds with Ankara. The Militant February 6, 2017 11