Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! DEC. 13, 2007 VOL. 49, NO. 49 50¢ Victory in Rhode Island

Crisis Colombia y Venezuela 12 Buses liberated

CHAVeZ: ‘Continue to build socialism’ on rosa Parks Day Referendum setback By Frank Neisser During the meeting, activists spoke on prisons, environmen- in Venezuela 9 Providence, R.I. tal racism and hunger in Rhode Island, showing how much had to be done. The number of people in prison in the state has Dec. 1 is Rosa Parks Day. In Rhode Island this year, it was increased by 700 percent in the last 20 years. The rate of incar- offi cially Rosa Parks Day, and everyone rode public transporta- ceration for Black males is eight times that of white males. tion for free in honor of the Civil Rights heroine, who died in Environmental racism feeds directly into the track to school 2005 at the age of 92. absence and jail. Lead-paint poisoning and asthma from rats, What brought this people’s victory to the smallest state was roaches and pollution are the leading causes of school absence. a concerted public campaign that started two years ago. The Schools are built on top of toxic waste sites. local Rosa Parks Human Rights Day Committee had aimed at Hunger is also on the rise. According to the census bureau, the 2005 date—the 50th anniversary of the day Parks refused 48,000 people were hungry during the year and 16,000 were to give up her seat on the Birmingham, Ala., bus to a white hungry regularly during 2004-2006, up by 3,000 in each cat- MUMIA ABU-JAMAL man and launched the struggle that won equality on that city’s egory from 2001-2003. And Rhode Island is cutting back on transit system. food stamp workers. 2 A case of media bias In Providence, as well as in New York, Boston and other cit- In the discussion on these points, community activist Asata ies that year, local committees demanded and got city councils Tigrai pointed out that these drastic conditions must all be to pass resolutions declaring Dec. 1 “Rosa Parks Human Rights traced back to capitalism and to money that is going to kill Day.” people in Iraq. In 2006 in Rhode Island, the House passed the resolution, Everett Muhammad of the Nation of Islam chaired the con- FIGHT IMPERIALISM, which the Senate signed in 2007. This not only made Rhode ference and spoke on Rosa Parks’ legacy. Island the fi rst state to honor Parks Day, but the resolution Jasmine Woodbury, youth organizer for DARE youth, STAND TOGETHER urged free transportation on the Rhode Island Public Transit described the program to train youths as organizers and activ- • Cops attack Denver Authority (RIPTA) buses. ists, including teaching political terms, public speaking, media Black activist This year the RIPTA board acted on the resolution and and information on great civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks. declared the bus rides free. Local activists say they will continue She described the community organizing project that got the • ‘Bushwick 32’ the struggle to ensure that the practice is made permanent. school disciplinary code revised to reduce the number of sus- supporters arrested Providence’s Rosa Parks Human Rights Day Committee, pensions and involves the community and youth themselves in which organized the struggle and which has held commemora- monitoring how the schools apply the revised code. • Tribute to Lin Biao 6-7 tions in December each year since 2005, this year conducted a Lisa Reels read Leonard Peltier’s statement to the 2007 community activists’ conference on Dec. 1 on the State of Human National Day of Mourning march in Plymouth, Mass. Everyone Rights in Rhode Island. More than 60 people, mostly from the at the conference gave a rousing round of applause to Billy African-American community, attended the conference. Kennedy, a retired steelworker who is a member of the RIPTA ANNAPOLIS, PALESTINE board and fought tirelessly to have the free fare on Rosa Parks Conference discusses action Day adopted. State Senator Howard Metts spoke on oppos- & ANTI-IRAN ALLIANCE The event discussed strategies for fi ghting back against mas- ing hospital mergers. Robert Parham read poetry from both sive looming state budget cuts, including building for a march Langston Hughes and the Lost Poets. 10 WW commentary on the State House in Providence on April 4, 2008, the anniver- Larry Woodbury, a youth coordinator with the Rosa Parks sary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the 40th Human Rights Day committee and member of Fight Imperialism, anniversary of the Poor Peoples Campaign. Stand Together (FIST), presented a verse, saying in part, “The people got to unite as our future isn’t so great as the rich keep getting richer, LOU DOBBS World AIDS Day slavery is in sight. They got our youth Why he must be in the prisons, African Americans in jails. It cost $68,000 to free Michael stopped 5 Bell. And our houses are for sale, the banks is buying them out. I’m starting to think the rich want us to move down South. Sometimes I think about Ms. TIJUANA Parks to shut my mouth and ease my pain. Nonviolence, I’ll try those things. CONFERENCE But there still remains that line you cannot pass. Keep killing our youth and Uniting workers’ watch City Hall go up in a fl ash.” n struggles Rosa Parks, Dec. 1, 1955 worldwide 9

WW PHOTO: LIz GREEN Above, Boston College's Subscribe to Workers World Phaymus Dance Company 4 weeks trial subscription: $1 One year: $25 performs on Dec. 1. See page 3 article. NAME PHONE EMAIL Right, members of Rosa Parks ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP Human Rights Day Committee, wOrkerS wOrlD NewSPAPer Providence, Dec. 1. 55 W. 17 St. NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994 www.workers.org WW PHOTO: ED CHILDS Page 2 Dec. 13, 2007 www.workers.org Media bias in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal H In the U.S. Buses liberated on Rosa Parks Day...... 1 By Betsey Piette by also featuring as guests Media bias in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal ...... 2 Philadelphia Linn Washington, Jr., Philadelphia Tribune col- New Orleans demolition of public housing...... 3 As the case of Pennsylvania death-row political umnist and associate profes- New York crowd demands 'Free the SF8!'...... 3 prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal enters its 27th year, sor of journalism at Temple ‘A job is a right! Housing is a right!’...... 4 despite the growing body of evidence that sup- University, and Dr. Suzanne Lou Dobbs: Why he must be stopped...... 5 ports both his innocence and the charge that he was Ross, clinical psychologist Black activist attacked by Denver police...... 6 denied a fair trial, the mainstream media have been and co-chair of the Free ' Bushwick 32' supporters arrested on phony charges . . . 6 relentless in their bias against this award-winning Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, African-American journalist. This media bias is well NYC. The International Student group formed on Rosa Parks Day...... 6 documented by Covert Action Quarterly, FAIR.ORG, Action Center also helped Committee steps up defense of Victor Toro...... 7 and the documentary film “Framing an Execution.” launch an online petition for Media coverage was sparse during Abu-Jamal’s May 17 people to send to MSNBC. Go to www.iacenter.org. H Around the world Philadelphia hearing before a three-judge panel from the As of result of the campaign, “Today” scheduled a tele- World AIDS Day observed...... 3 United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The judges phone interview with Pam Africa of ICFFMAJ, who pro- Remembering Lin Biao ...... 7 heard oral arguments on four different issues regarding vided them with a press packet on the case. Afghanistan: Reaction to NATO massacres ...... 8 the fairness of the original 1982 trial. Attorneys for Abu- The Fraternal Order of Police and the state powers Lavender & red, part 116 ...... 8 Jamal, including Christina Swarns of the NAACP Legal that want to execute Mumia Abu-Jamal have always Chávez on referendum: 49% say yes to socialism. . . . 9 Defense Fund, argued that there is strong evidence that counted on people’s ignorance of and confusion about a racist judge and racist jury practices contributed to the the facts surrounding this case. Since most people will Confrontation at Venezuelan Consulate...... 9 sentencing of Abu-Jamal to death row. never read the trial transcripts, the FOP feels free to Tijuana conference...... 9 Only progressive media like The San Francisco Bay present its own “facts”–lies that are never challenged Annapolis conference...... 10 View, a national Black newspaper, have published any of and frequently repeated by mainstream media outlets U.S. resisters continue fight for Canada asylum. . . . . 10 the 26 crime scene photos taken by photographer Pedro like the Philadelphia Inquirer. That newspaper publishes Meeting plans int'l conference...... 11 P. Polakoff. The photos—which the 1982 jury never saw— a regular column by the pro-death-penalty Smerconish, Israel wages war on Gaza population...... 11 call into serious question the prosecution’s scenario. who recently tried out to replace “Imus in the Morning” But with a ruling from the May 17 appellate court on WNBC after host Don Imus was fired for racist H Editorials anticipated at any time, the big-business press and their remarks. A vicious cycle...... 10 allies in the Fraternal Order of Police are rehashing an The official myths have been rehashed by former old tactic in their arsenal: trial by front page and jury Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Buzz Bissinger in Vanity H Noticias En Español made up of talk-show hosts. Fair magazine (August 1995), which also ran the “wid- Crisis Colombia y Venezuela ...... 12 They are unwilling to let Abu-Jamal exercise his con- ow-fighting-by-herself” myth, thus hiding the role of the stitutional rights to a fair trial with a jury of his peers in FOP. front of an unbiased judge, so lies and distortions about In 1998 on ABC’s “20/20,” Sam Donaldson made no the case are presented as “facts” on the front pages of effort to hide his racism as he stated, “African-American newspapers like the Philadelphia Inquirer, TV shows like activists believe that a black man was railroaded, and NBC’s “Today,” and a recently released book co-authored will continue to believe it, no matter what’s presented Workers World by right-wing radio shock jock Michael Smerconish and to them.” Donaldson was talking about major African- 55 West 17 Street Maureen Faulkner, widow of slain police officer Daniel American figures like Angela Davis, Cornel West, Alice New York, N.Y. 10011 Faulkner, entitled “Murder by Mumia.” Walker, Toni Morrison, Sonia Sanchez and many more. Phone: (212) 627-2994 “Murder by Mumia” repeats the FOP’s official myths He failed to mention that most of the prosecution wit- Fax: (212) 675-7869 that “Mumia Abu-Jamal was unanimously convicted nesses had credibility problems. E-mail: [email protected] of the crime by a racially mixed jury based on the testi- Today, Faulkner’s book also fails to mention all the Web: www.workers.org mony of several eyewitnesses, his ownership of the mur- discredited prosecution witnesses, that the police never der weapon, matching ballistics, and Abu-Jamal’s own performed the standard “wipe test” to check for gunshot Vol. 49, No. 49 • Dec. 13, 2007 confession.” residue on Abu-Jamal’s hands and clothing, that the fatal Closing date: Dec. 5, 2007 bullet was too damaged to link to the particular traits of Editor: Deirdre Griswold Cops, media and courts in collusion Abu-Jamal’s gun, or that Abu-Jamal’s alleged “hospital Technical Editor: Lal Roohk “The Today Show” has invited Maureen Faulkner and confession” was first officially reported to police more Smerconish, a former lawyer and fundraiser for the FOP, than two months after the Dec. 9, 1981, shooting. Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, to appear on Dec. 6 to talk about their book. The group Polakoff’s crime scene photos also show police officer Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia James Forbes holding both Faulkner’s and Abu-Jamal’s West Coast Editor: John Parker Abu-Jamal is demanding that “Today” give equal time guns with his bare hands touching the metal parts. Contributing Editors: Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, to present information of Abu-Jamal’s innocence and On the 26th anniversary of Abu-Jamal’s arrest in con- Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, about the unfair trial he received. nection with the shooting death of Faulkner, his sup- David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, Cheryl LaBash, The New York Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition and porters are readying themselves for the next stage of the Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Minnie Bruce Pratt other supporters will protest outside the “Today” taping struggle when the appeals court’s ruling is announced. Technical Staff: Shelley Ettinger, Bob McCubbin, in New York City on Dec. 6. A demonstration at Philadelphia’s City Hall at noon Maggie Vascassenno To ensure fairness for Abu-Jamal on “Today,” the on Dec. 8, followed by an indoor rally at 2 p.m. at the group Journalists for Mumia, along with ICFFMAJ Friends Center, 1501 Cherry, will also be used to air new Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, and Educators for Mumia, initiated their own media- evidence in support of Abu-Jamal’s innocence and to Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Carlos Vargas activist campaign urging people to write the “Today make clear that he sits on death row due to his revolu- Internet: Janet Mayes Show” at [email protected] asking it to present both tionary outspokenness against police brutality and all Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator sides of the Mumia Abu-Jamal/Daniel Faulkner case, forms of injustice. n Copyright © 2007 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium JOIN US. National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Houston Richmond, Va. without royalty provided this notice is preserved. 55 W. 17 St., 367 Delaware Ave. P.O. Box 595 P.O. Box 14602, Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published week- Workers World Party New York, NY 10011 Buffalo, NY 14202 Houston, TX 77001-0595 Richmond, VA 23221 ly except the first week of January by WW Publishers, (WWP) fights on all 212-627-2994; 716-566-1115 713-861-5965 [email protected] 55 W. 17 St., N.Y., N.Y. 10011. Phone: (212) 627-2994. issues that face the Fax (212) 675-7869 [email protected] [email protected] Rochester, N.Y. Subscriptions: One year: $25; foreign and institutions: working class and [email protected] Chicago Los Angeles 585-436-6458 Atlanta 27 N. Wacker Dr. #138 $35. Letters to the editor may be condensed and edited. oppressed peoples— 5274 West Pico Blvd., [email protected] P.O. 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New Orleans. Demolition of public housing to take place Dec. 15 By Monica Moorehead If housing officials truly represented the breeched levees, and you can see a con- able future. Without access to affordable interests of poor and working people, the certed effort to deny the vast majority of housing, thousands of working class New The Housing Authority of New Orleans combined amounts of the $30 million in African Americans—tens of thousands of Orleanians will be denied their human announced at its Nov. 29 public meet- contracts for demolition and $35 million people—the right to return to New Orleans right to return. ing that, in conjunction with the fed- in tax credits for “rehabilitation” could be where generations lived before them. “Although this situation is unique and eral Department of Housing and Urban used for expanding public housing, not What’s happening in New Orleans urgent in the city of New Orleans, it does Development, it has rescheduled the tearing it down. might remind some people of what has not occur in isolation. The plans for rede- demolition of five public housing projects Housing activists in New Orleans and been happening in Iraq during nearly velopment here are part of a national in New Orleans. The demolition will now elsewhere have exposed this plan to five years of a racist military occupation. assault on public housing, in which tens begin on Dec. 15. destroy public housing as nothing more In Iraq there has been the systematic of thousands of homes have been demol- The projects are St. Bernard, Lafitte, than racist gentrification as a means to destruction of an entire country. Iraq’s ished in the past decade. C.J. Peete, Fisher and B.W. Cooper. discourage poor residents from moving so-called rehabilitation is carried out with “In coming to New Orleans, you are Originally, some of this demolition back to New Orleans since being displaced multi-billion-dollar contracts provided by helping us to draw this line in the sand. was to take place earlier in November. by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A dispro- the U.S. government to Halliburton, KBR You are taking part in a critical piece of the Nationwide demonstrations protesting portionately high percentage of these (formerly Kellogg Brown and Root) and ongoing fight against neo-liberal incur- the demolition, including one in New displaced people are African American. other corporate interests, which have col- sions into our cities. Here in New Orleans, Orleans, took place on Nov. 13. HANO and HUD are in cahoots with the lected the money but still fail to provide as the bulldozers arrive to destroy any Ignoring the outcry of residents from big real-estate and private developers in sufficient water and electricity to Iraq. hope for the right of return for thousands the working-class neighborhood of Algiers, transforming New Orleans into a city to The New Orleans-based Coalition of families, you can help us push back this HANO officials stated their approval of attract mainly white, affluent people and to Stop Demolition stated on Nov. 30: agenda, and stand fast with us to promote $30 million in contracts with demolition businesses. “What is at stake with the demolition of a more people-focused reconstruction: companies to bulldoze these projects, Combine the impending destruction public housing in New Orleans is more one that is based on a vision of justice which are generally still in good condition. of public housing with the devastation than just the loss of housing units: it and rights for all people, and not profits The plan is to replace these public-hous- of the lower Ninth Ward, where massive destroys any possibility for affordable for corporations and the desires of those ing units with “mixed income” neighbor- flooding took place during Katrina due to housing in New Orleans for the foresee- with power.” n hoods—meaning a mixture of low-income and luxury housing, at least on paper. According to the Nov. 29 Times- Picayune, the breakdown of the demoli- tion contracts include: “$9 million for the demolition of 132 buildings at the vacant St. Bernard development, in agreement to St. Bernard Redevelopment; $6 million for demolition of vacant buildings at the B.W. Cooper, in agreement with Keith B. Key Enterprises; an additional $955,000 to Keith B. Key for ‘certain predevelopment expenses’; $5.8 million for the demolition of 55 buildings at the vacant C.J. Peete, in an agreement with Central City Partners; $2.5 million for the demolition of 70 vacant buildings at the Lafitte, awarded to WW photos: G. Dunkel D.H. Griffon of Texas, Inc.; $6.3 million Four of the San Francisco 8, from left to right: Francisco Torres, Hank Jones, Harold Taylor, Ray Bourdreaux. for the demolition of buildings and the construction of streets, lighting and oth- New york. er utility infrastructure at the Fischer, to Animated crowd support new home construction, awarded to Boh Brothers Construction.” Once the demolition concludes, the demands ‘Free the SF8!’ Louisiana Housing Finance Agency has reserved $35 million in tax credits for n energetic, standing-room-only audience of hundreds par­ Boudreaux, Richard Brown, Henry W. HANO to “rehabilitate” these buildings, Aticipated in an uplifting event in New York City Nov. 30 to (Hank) Jones, Jalil Muntaqim (Anthony affecting 1,949 units. celebrate the legacy of the Black Panther Party and to demand Bottom), Richard O’Neal, Harold Taylor that the charges against the San Francisco 8—Herman Bell, Ray and Francisco Torres—be dropped. The meeting took place at the Martin Luther Boston. King Jr. Labor Center in Manhattan. These former Black Panthers were arrested Jan. 23 on charges related to the World AIDS Day observed 1971 killing of a San Francisco police offi- cer. Similar charges were thrown out in By Shelly Smith state to do so. And whether it was the 1975 after it was revealed that police had Boston Rev. Keith Magee, president of Healing used torture to extract confessions from Our Land Inc. and Pastor of Berachah some of the eight in 1973. World AIDS Day was observed Dec.1 Church, or, on the international stage, Boudreax, Jones, Torres and Taylor, in Boston at the Community Church of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, we saw accompanied by their partners and Boston at an event organized by Dor­ compassionate Black leaders reaching Soffiyah Elijah of the Criminal Justice chester’s Healing Our Land and its direc- out and mobilizing the masses on World Institute at Harvard Law School, pre- tor, Minister Franklin Hobbs. AIDS Day. sented a moving history of their survival Communities as diverse as Healing Our They know that if they do not, the cur- of the COINTELPRO torture, frame-up Land in Boston and National Mandela in rent leaders of the world will continue a and renewed case against them. South Africa commemorated the victories lackluster effort in stopping the spread of The program was emceed by Kamau we have won and the work ahead of us a deadly disease that is preventable. Franklin of the Malcolm X Grassroots in fighting and conquering the AIDS epi- Mandela’s leadership on the issue Movement, and featured stunning per- demic. The deadly virus has taken untold contracts starkly with that of President formances by youth from the IMPACT! millions of lives. George W. Bush, who has reduced fund- Repertory Theatre (impactreptheatre. Healing Our Land—a faith-based orga- ing for AIDS in the U.S., despite the ris- org); a welcome from Bruce Richard, vice nization combating the spread of AIDS ing numbers of those becoming infected president of SEIU 1199; Gil Noble, veter- in the Black communities of Boston—has in communities of color. an producer and host of WABC’s “Like It made major strides in reaching out to poor For example, Black women represent 75 Is”; and more. The event brought out the African-American communities in Boston. percent of the new cases of HIV infection largest attendance to date of this national It succeeded in moving the Boston in the U.S. Imagine if you will, Mandela tour for the eight. City Council to declare an “HIV State of as president of a socialist South Africa or For more information on the case, visit Emergency” for people of color in Boston a socialist U.S. AIDS would by now be a freethesf8.org. WW photo: Liz Green Rev. Franklin Hobbs, Dec. 1. in 2005, making it only the sixth city or footnote in history. n —LeiLani Dowell Page 4 Dec. 13, 2007 www.workers.org ‘A job is a right! Housing is a right!’

Excerpted from a talk given by Now contrast that with the six-hour companies could run the plants with Martha Grevatt, a 20-year Chrysler strike, the shortest in UAW history, only 50 people inside. Mass layoffs have worker, executive board member of called against Chrysler by the inter- already begun, and the ink on the con- UAW Local 1234 in Twinsburg, Ohio, national union’s leadership on Oct. tracts is barely dry! and writer on the UAW and auto indus- 10, 2007. The rank-and-file still don’t All the things that had been guaran- try for Workers World, at a Dec. 1 know what, if anything, they were teed, that were won through long strikes forum. The forum, “Fighting Takebacks, striking for, or why they went back so lasting weeks and sometimes months, Two-Tier Wages, Plant Closings and soon. It was all decided bureaucrati- and made possible by that great struggle Lay-offs; Analysis of the recent conces- cally, with no input from below. The of 70 years ago—all these gains are being sionary contracts between the UAW term “Hollywood strike” was coined, surrendered and replaced with a market- and GM, Ford & Chrysler; Lessons of not to describe the screenwriters’ driven agreement. And it couldn’t hap- the Flint Sit-Down Strike–Learning strike on the West Coast, but to refer pen at a worse time. from our past to fight for our future,” to a strike that was “just for show.” The whole thing is a massive transfer was sponsored by the Detroit chapter of Yet for the brief time I spent pick- of wealth from the workers to the bosses. Workers World Party. eting I witnessed tremendous power GM says within four years its labor costs WW photo: Susan Schnur will be cut in half–labor costs the bosses Grevatt was instrumental in her local and solidarity. We did stop production, Chrysler workers. Martha Grevatt, on the union voting down the recent giveback after all. We turned away trucks and told right, has worked at Chrysler for 20 years. claim amount to $75 an hour. Multiply the contract between the UAW and Chrysler. our hated supervisors, “You can’t go to savings of $37 an hour by 2,080 hours per She is the author of the upcoming book, work today.” When they protested we told nies each put in a one-time contribution worker per year by 173,000 UAW work- “In Our Hands is Placed a Power: them, “We’re in charge today.” to the VEBA, but they are now off the hook ers at the Big Three. You’re talking maybe Lessons of the Flint Sit-Down Strike.” As different as these two strikes were, for any future payments. VEBAs at com- a $6.5 million dollar per hour rip-off of Seventy years ago Flint, Mich., was the any hope for the future of my deeply panies such as Caterpillar and Copperweld workers’ labor! scene of one of the most important battles troubled union lies in their similarity: the are nearly bankrupt. Marxists call it surplus value, the in U.S. labor history: the Great Sit-Down. exercise of workers’ power. In the case of Copperweld, much of unpaid portion of the working hours—the For 44 days—from Dec. 30, 1936, to Feb.11, The brief work stoppage ended when the VEBA was held in stock in CSI, the part the bosses keep for themselves in the 1937– auto workers occupied key General the UAW and Chrysler reached an agree- company that bought Copperweld and form of profit and executive compensa- Motors plants. They didn’t walk out and ment, similar to that just ratified by GM later went bankrupt. The Big Three set tion. Wyndham Mortimer, the commu- put up a picket line; they sat down and UAW workers and to the contract Ford up the VEBA with a portion of it in com- nist UAW vice president at the time of the formed a community inside the plants. workers later passed. These three con- pany stock. Soon after, GM stock tanked sit-down, called it the “loot.” In four years In 1936, some 43 percent of the U.S. tracts are by far the most concessionary on a reported $39 billion loss in the third time, the bosses double the loot. automobile industry belonged to General in the auto union’s history. They represent quarter–really just a paper loss tied to But enough is never enough for them. Motors. Its profits for that year totaled a qualitative leap backward from the con- closing tax loopholes. Imagine that! A After the recent contract was ratified, nearly $284 million. Its assets—including cession bargaining that has plagued nego- corporation finally has to pay their share Chry­sler CEO Bob Nardelli said that the 69 plants in 35 states—were valued at $1.5 tiations over the past couple of decades. of taxes and they can write it off as a industry has “an insatiable appetite for billion. The company had 37 percent of The contract didn’t go through without “loss.” So now the GM retirees’ VEBA is cash.” They have weakened the union to the worldwide car and truck market. GM opposition–one-third of GM workers and already worth less than when it started. If such a degree, they feel they can go in for President Alfred P. Sloan was the highest almost half of all Chrysler workers voted one of the Big Three were to go bank­rupt, the kill. It’s like imperialist foreign policy paid executive in the country. no–but in the end the fear factor took over it would pull the VEBA down as well. on another front–like how they had Iraq The assembly line was a living hell. The and the contract passed. The VEBA will save the companies bil- so weakened by sanctions, disarmed by ever-increasing pace of work on the line— New hires will now start at $14 an hour, lions of dollars every year indefinitely. Yet those who made bogus charges of weap- speedup—gave many workers the appear- 1.5 times the federal poverty level for a the workers pay for it by giving up nearly ons of mass destruction, then came “shock ance of a 50-year-old before turning 30. A family of four and $3 less than the medi- all of their Cost Of Living Allowance. The and awe.” sit-down participant described “hands so an national wage, maxing out at $16.23. bosses are double-dipping! Not only that, Shock and awe has come home, and in swollen I couldn’t get my fingers between They will have worse benefits. They may, when they compute the workers’ “profit the case of Chrysler’s owners, Cerberus, each other.” A sociologist of the time if lucky, be able to move into a “tradi- sharing” bonus at the end of the year, prof- a lot of the players are the same: John P observed “occupational psychosis” from tional” wage job, but they will never get its reaped from savings due to the VEBA Snow, chair; Dan Quayle, chair of global the monotony and overwork. a traditional defined benefit pension. It’s are immune from being “shared.” They’re operations; and Donald Rumsfeld is a On Feb. 10, GM finally signed an ini- divisive. It’s the enemy of solidarity. not double dipping, they’re triple dipping. major shareholder. tial agreement to recognize the UAW as A VEBA–which stands for Voluntary Then there are the plant closings and The latest job cuts go well beyond what the sole bargaining agent, for a period of Employee Beneficiary Association (or as phony promises of job security—phony even a depressed market would allow for six months, at the most important plants. Soldiers of Solidarity says, “Vandalize because they depend on “market condi- under the current concessionary contract. This initial victory laid the foundation for Employee Benefits Again”)– was set up to tions.” Plants like mine are covered by Chrysler is going to cut one in three jobs the many gains that followed. fund retiree health care. The three compa- a moratorium on plant closings–but the in North America. The 13,000 job cuts announced last February were nearly doubled last month. And just a few days ne of the most significant labor battles of These lessons and the history behind them are We are asking you to help us with ago, Nardelli said the 25,000 might not be Othe last century was the Great Sit-down the subject of "In Our Hands is Placed a Power: The the costs of publishing this book. “enough.” Enough is never enough. These Flint Sit-down Strike," a new book from World Strike. Seventy years ago, the workers of Flint, Be sure to fill out the coupon so you cuts are propelled by the drive to maxi- Mich­igan held General Motors plants for 44 View Forum set to come out next year. can be recognized as a contributor mize profits, pure and simple. Now the days. Their heroic occupation forced GM to The author, Martha Grevatt, has written to the project. finally grant recognition to the UAW, setting the extensively­ on the crisis facing “poor” company is getting ready to build stage for the great wave of strikes and sit-downs auto workers for Workers World Yes! I support the publication of a plant in Russia–with money stolen from that brought hundreds of thousands into the newspaper. A Chrysler worker and the workers. ranks of organized labor. UAW member herself for over 20 In our hands is placed a power And it’s not just Chrysler. When Ford There is much to be learned from that dyna­ years, she has spent many hours The Flint Sit-down Strike. CEO Alan Mulally proclaimed that the mic struggle. There are lessons about solidar- researching the sit-down. target of 44,000 job reductions through Sign me on as a: $250 Sponsor $100 Supporter ity and courage in the face of adversity, and This is the first full-length buyouts had been reached, the next sen-  $50 Contributor $20 Friend  Other $ ______about the daring tactics that beat the company book on the sit-down to come tence was that more cuts were needed. despite incredible odds. There are lessons about out since 1969, and the only work  List my name in the Acknowledgments section as: These are not merely “market-related” the necessity­ of women’s involvement and on the subject to be written by ______­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ layoffs. They are part of a longterm cor- about the indispensable contributions of Black an actual worker on the shop porate strategy they used to call “down- and immigrant workers. There are lessons about floor. “In Our Hands” brings new Or In memory of ______sizing.” Now that that term has negative taking on the state, class-conscious leadership, insight to the subject, relying on  H e re is my donation of $ ______but don’t list my name. connotations they call it “right-sizing.” (I the rejection of red-baiting and bigotry, materials not available when pre- Donors will receive a signed copy of the book. and slogans still vious books were published. call it “wrong-sizing.”) Even the contracts   needed today. What also makes the book Please charge $ ______to VISA M Cd we are saddled with limit the conditions

special are the inter­­views Card # ______Exp. Date: ____ /____ under which jobs can be cut. The goal of sister Grevatt herself permanently shrinking the work force is conducted with the last Signature:______not one of them. Yet the attitude of the living veterans of that Write checks to World View Forum. (Note “In Our Hands” on the memo line.) UAW leadership seems to be “you can’t earthshaking event. fight city hall” or “they own the company, Name they can do what they want.” Local leaders are either following that line or feel pow- Union/School/Organization erless to go against the current. We need a radical departure from the Title strategy of labor-management coop- Address eration. Marxists have always opposed it in principle but in the past, conserva- City/State/Zip tive bureaucrats were able to maneuver within its parameters and deliver the Phone Email goods. Now a raging capitalist crisis, in Return to: World View Forum 55 W. 17th St., #5C, NY, NY 10011 Continued on the next page www.workers.org Dec. 13, 2007 Page 5 Lou Dobbs: Why he must be stopped By Teresa Gutierrez and is a regular columnist in Money Maga­ dangerous for the workers and poor. diers sent by the Mexican government to zine, U.S. News and World Report and the At a time when an ugly economic crisis re-conquer the Southwest and by the end For some time now, many in the immi- New York Daily News. He is the author of is rearing its head, at a time when count- of the hour, we have seen the enemy—and grant rights and anti-racist movement several books, including, “Independents less homes are being foreclosed, when he is a Spanish speaking immigrant.” have been warning about the danger of Lou Day: Awakening the American Spirit”; Citicorp announces thousands of layoffs, One episode of his show resulted in Dobbs, a CNN news anchor and the host “Exporting America: Why Corporate Dobbs’ rants against immigrants are not quite a scandal. It should have led to of “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” who uses part Greed is Shipping American Jobs Over­ only detrimental, they are exceedingly major punitive action against Dobbs for or all of his show to blame immigrants— seas”; and “War on the Middle Class: dangerous. its outlandish charges. especially those without legal papers—for How the Government, Big Business, and Populism a la Dobbs is a slippery road When Dobbs was interviewed on “60 all the ills of U.S. capitalist society. Special Interest Groups are Waging War that has similarities to fascism. Like the Minutes” earlier this year, background Is Dobbs dangerous, and if so why? on the American Dream and How to Fight classical fascist movements of the 1920s research showed that on one of his Should his nightly anti-immigrant dia- Back.” The last book is a New York Times and 1930s, Dobbs mixes an appeal to shows in 2005 contagious diseases came tribes on CNN just be ignored? best seller. workers’ suffering with a vicious scape- up. According to the May 30 New York Or should the movement that disap- His CNN nightly show is reported to goating of “others”—and in Dobbs’ case Times, one of Dobbs’ correspondents said proves of him ratchet up its tactics and reach about 800,000 people. It does the others are the mostly Latin American on that show that there had been 7,000 organize to stop him altogether? Let us not reach nearly as many people as NBC immigrants. cases of leprosy in the U.S. over the last take a close look at Dobbs and what he Nightly News, which has a viewer audi- The nightly rants on his show are unde- three years. The Dobbs show led viewers represents. ence of about 9 million. But according to niably geared to working people. But his to believe that this was a result of immi- many press accounts, not only is Dobbs’ views absolutely do not represent their grants coming to the United States. Who is Dobbs? viewer audience growing, so is his politi- interests. Dobbs’ rants are meant to divide It turns out of course that this was not Dobbs comes from the working class, cal influence. people, disarm the masses as well as fos- true. The cases arose not over three years although his father for a time was a small- In fact, there are rumors that Dobbs is ter divisions among the working class. but 30 years. According to health experts, business owner. He was born in Childress, considering running for president of the They are meant to derail the struggle of this was not reflective of any kind of seri- Texas, which is near Amarillo and on the United States. the workers against those very people he ous epidemic. Texas panhandle. When Dobbs was 12 claims to harangue against: the rich and But of course business on Lou Dobbs years old, his family moved to Rupert, Man of the people or for the rich? powerful. Tonight went on as usual. Dobbs was nev- Idaho, when they lost the propane busi- The mainstream press repeatedly char- Dobbs is in fact a demagogue in the er forced to retract this lie. ness they co-owned. acterizes Dobbs as a populist. That doesn’t worst sense—his appeals to the public are Dobbs attended Harvard with a full sound so bad, does it? based on prejudice and racism. His claim Demonizing immigrants, scholarship, graduating in 1967 with a One dictionary defines populism as “a to defend “America’s working people,” the dividing the working class degree in economics. Surprisingly, one political philosophy supporting the rights unprotected “middle class,” is a lie. His Why is Dobbs carrying out such a hate- of his early jobs after college graduation and power of the people in their struggle harangues and views benefit one class and ful, repulsive and racist campaign against was in federal so-called anti-poverty pro- against the privileged elite.” one class only: the ruling capitalist class, immigrants? Because, trained at Harvard, grams in Boston and Washington, D.C. A populist therefore should be a which stands to gain a great deal from Dobbs sees the writing on the wall. On the In 1980, after many jobs in the news “suppor­ter of the rights and power of the Dobbs’ success. horizon looms a serious economic crisis. industry, Dobbs was recruited to join people.” A working class fighting among itself More homes will be foreclosed, Home CNN when it was first launched. He This characterization is based much is a class that cannot fight its real enemy: Depot will make less profit, more jobs served as its chief economics correspon- on Dobbs’ many nightly programs on U.S. imperialism. will be lost. dent and host of “Moneyline.” Dobbs left the loss of jobs as a result of “outsourc- Isn’t it more convenient to blame CNN for a while because of differences ing.” Many workers who have lost their Journalism or jingoism? immigrant workers than the bosses? Isn’t but was aggressively recruited back by jobs or whose jobs are insecure might find The Lou Dobbs show has turned from it easier to point the finger at one of the CNN founder Ted Turner in 2001. this approach appealing. Mother Jones an analytical news show, if it ever was, to most vulnerable sectors of the working In June 2003, “Moneyline” became magazine, usually considered progres- a platform for right-wing ideas. It broad- class? “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” where he has been sive, printed a friendly interview on this casts an hour-long rallying cry for nativ- Also on the horizon, however, is the the managing editor ever since. subject in 2005. ism rather than a news hour with facts, struggle of the workers and oppressed. Dobbs also hosts several radio shows But make no mistake about it, Dobbs is even pro-capitalist facts. Sooner rather than later, even some of Dobbs attacks free trade, but not by those workers who are being taken in Continued from page 4 er industries.” A downturn in auto affects exposing it as a cover for imperialist pen- by Dobbs’ view of the world will come which the subprime mortgage disaster is every sector of the economy: rubber, glass, etration of oppressed countries that ben- to realize it is not immigrant workers only the tip of the iceberg, is making the and steel, everything that becomes part of efits only the imperialists and a few very who are carrying out the layoffs. It is not strategy unworkable. It has run its course. a vehicle. It affects the public sector with rich collaborators. Instead his attacks immigrant workers who are foreclos- The bosses just keep making the union lost tax revenues. A drop in purchas- are based on anti-foreigner jingoism and ing on their homes. It is not immigrant smaller and weaker, and at one point, and ing power affects everything from travel chauvinism, which in the long run can workers who destroyed the levees in New we should prepare ourselves for this, they to retail to–and this gets into your fight benefit imperialism as all the anger of Orleans or hung the nooses in Jena. may decide to dispense with the UAW around foreclosures–housing. Imagine workers is turned against foreigners and It is the capitalist class and the capital- altogether and just flat-out bust the union. on the other hand if everyone had a job at immigrants. ist system and all its infrastructure—the We can’t put anything past them. union wages. How many workers would be No one in the higher echelons at CNN, banks, the government, the military—that We need a new strategy now, before it losing their homes? the government or even the Federal are to blame for all of society’s ills. gets to that point. Trying to fight it through Likewise a drop in home building Communications Commission is chal- Perhaps Dobbs did learn one thing the grievance procedure alone would and remodeling affects a multitude of lenging the fact that Dobbs lies on his after all at his so-called anti-poverty job: be futile. We need a new old program, a workers–from materials to retail to the show, and lies often. Poor people ain’t gonna take it forever. 70-year-old program that at the time of the public sector–and it affects auto. The In August 2006 The Nation magazine They will fight back. sit-down was a widely held assumption: drop in light truck sales reflects a drop wrote this about Dobbs: “Night after When they do, Dobbs wants to play the that a job is a worker’s property right. in construction and remodeling, and the night, under the rousing headline ‘Broken role of mobilizing one part of the work- We have to spread this thinking around. domestic automakers depend heavily on Borders,’ the distinguished looking ing class to fight against the other. That’s We have to revive it. We have to challenge truck sales. When construction workers 61-year-old instructs his growing audi- what he offers to the big capitalists. And a strategy dictated by Wall Street, dictated aren’t working they aren’t buying cars. ence that illegal immigrants [sic] import that’s why it is important for workers’ by the ones who have a stake in capitalist So we need to link these two most basic deadly diseases, rampant crime and inter- organizations to expose him and fight ideology. We have to disown the capital- rights into a struggle that says housing is national terrorism; they live off welfare, him tooth and nail. ist crisis. It isn’t our doing, and it isn’t our a right, a job is a right. The struggles in destroy public schools and burden hospi- The writer is a leader of the May 1 responsibility to bail them out over and the neighborhoods and the struggles in tals; what’s more, most haven’t learned to Immigrant Rights Coalition in over. Their property rights don’t take pre- the work place can make common cause. speak English. Add that they’re foot sol- New York City. cedence over our property rights: We have The capitalist crisis should not cost us a property right to our jobs. our homes or our livelihoods. Only the We need to take it further. Many of the rottenest of systems would give a bank the • Are your house payments rising out of sight due to a variable rate /subprime mortgage? jobs being cut do not involve mass layoffs. “right” to put someone out of their home. • Are you about to lose your home to foreclosure? Rather, they involve buyouts—paying So we need to build a movement, a grass- • Are you facing a winter without heat, water or electricity because of rising utility bills? workers to leave but not replacing them. roots movement, a united movement. And But our communities have a community it’s that need for unity that brings me back Come to an organizing meeting SAT., DEC. 8 • 1 p.m. property right to these jobs and these tax to the other protest you just held, against to build a fight-back movement revenues upon which they depend. the fascist immigrant basher Lou Dobbs. If Central Methodist Church, 4th Floor, 23 E. Adams (Grand Circus Park, Detroit) And furthermore the right to work is a we don’t take on this vicious racism, then human right. It’s even in the U.N. Charter we don’t have real solidarity. And without Demand Governor Granholm declare on Human Rights. That brings me to solidarity we can’t win. a State of Emergency and a MORATORIUM TO another human right, and the tremendous Fighting the banks and the auto barons We need emergency action now to campaign you are initiating here, around to save our jobs and our homes is hard protect our homes and keep people STOP FORECLOSURES the issue of housing. And this issue is com- enough when you have solidarity, across all from freezing this winter. & pletely inseparable from the issue of jobs. lines that reject racism, immigrant-hating, UTILITY SHUT-OFFS Both the auto industry and the construc- homophobia, transphobia, the patriarchy, Get involved. Call 313-319-0870 for more information. www.mecawi.org tion industry are what are called “multipli- Continued on to page 6 Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI) Page 6 Dec. 13, 2007 www.workers.org Rights violated Black activist attacked by police at his home By John Parker Shareef Aleem, take steps to enforce the policy which Denver Larry Hales and requires all officers to carry business Melissa Kleinman at cards and surrender them upon request Dec. 3 press conference. At a Dec. 3 Denver news confer- and that any records of abuse related to WW photo: John Parker ence, more than 60 supporters of Fight an officer’s refusal to surrender said card Imperialism, Stand Together (FIST) orga- case against the Denver and subsequent retaliation upon the sub- nizers Larry Hales and Melissa Kleinman police. At the time of the ject who may have requested a card be gathered in front of the Denver Police Nov. 30 police raid that especially scrutinized; that the officers Station at night despite cold winds to pro- parolee was living at responsible for the act on Nov. 30 against test the brutal beating, terror and arrest the home of Hales and Hales and Kleinman be suspended with- of Hales, who is African American, after Kleinman. out pay pending an investigation; that police broke into their home Nov. 30. Since the police attack, a People’s Review Board, comprised of Shareef Aleem, a Black Denver activist this young man is no lon- civilians from communities of color, be who was himself a victim of police bru- ger permitted to stay at allowed to decide the fate of the officers tality and helped organize the news con- that residence. He must involved; that a real Independent Monitor ference, said, “In the last couple of years also pay $100 for an electronic ankle position, one with the power to prosecute many of us involved in police accountabil- bracelet to monitor his whereabouts. Julie Winby also stood strong in the and beholden to a People’s Review Board, ity work have been attacked by the police After hearing this and the fact that a crowd. Her son Allen Kerford faces a 30- be established; that the rights of parolees and we know that when it happens we all hefty bail was paid for Hales’ release, the year sentence after being framed by police be respected and that they be allowed to have to stand up.” attendees at the news conference imme- to cover up a severe beating by them. enjoy their full rights without harassment Aleem noted that part of the motivation diately took up a collection for the youth, Community demands that were given from officials, this includes the ceasing of for this latest act of police brutality was to Hales and Kleinman. out at the news conference are: “That all parole sweeps which are designed to harass begin the process of neutralizing activists In addition to Aleem, other supporters charges be dropped immediately and that and which violate the constitutional rights like Hales who will be involved in help- there had been victims of police brutality. an official apology to Hales and Kleinman of and criminalizes not only the parolee ing to organize the Democratic National Loree Mcormick Rice and her daughter be given; that the names of all officers and but those she or he may be living with.” Convention protests. Cassidy bravely stood in solidarity despite Parole Officers on the scene for the inci- If this news conference was any indi- Hales also noted that the attack was the terror they have endured. Cassidy’s dent that happened Nov. 30 at approxi- cation, it seems that the terror tactics of aimed at both his activism around police collar bone was broken during a police mately 10:30 p.m. be given; that the police brutality and fear are beginning to brutality and the fact that he was helping a beating in June 2006 when she was 12 records of abuse any of the officers may inspire less fear and more determination Black youth on parole who had filed a civil years old. have on file be made public; that Denver to fight back. n ‘Bushwick 32’ supporters arrested on phony charges By Tyneisha Bowens During the court proceedings four sup- On Dec. 1, the four supporters were against and what we need is a revolution.” Brooklyn, N.Y. porters of the Bushwick students—John arraigned in the same courthouse where The defendants let tears run down their Mekins, Brian Favors, Mario Cox, and they had been the previous day standing faces as more supporters joined the crowd On Nov. 30 than 20 Black students Jesus Gonzalez—were forced out of the up against racial profiling and the racism outside. were in the Criminal Court of Brooklyn, courtroom for attempting to have counsel of the entire judicial system. More than For all those who are against these rac- N.Y., facing charges from their arrest in with one of the students’ lawyers and call- 60 supporters of the four men packed ist acts of injustice, come out to Criminal May while walking peacefully to the wake ing out injustice when they saw the court’s the courtroom. Most of the crowd in the Court at 120 Schermerhorn Street in of a fellow student and friend. The charg- treatment of fellow supporters. courtroom consisted of Latin@ and Black Brook­lyn on Dec. 7, Dec. 12 (room AP1) and es they face include “unlawful assembly,” Once in the hall a fight between the sup- community members, while the judge, Jan. 7 (room AP6) and show your support. although the students had permission porters and the court officers broke out. prosecution and the bulk of the officers The writer is a Fight Imperialism, to attend the wake from both their par- “We could hear what was going on in the present were white. Stand Together (FIST) youth organizer. ents and the administration of their high hallway but when we wanted to go out and Mekins, Favors, Cox, and Gonzalez were Email: [email protected]. school. Originally these students were the stop it we were told to sit down before the accused of starting the altercation with “Bushwick 32” but some of the students same thing happened to us,” said one of court officers and resisting arrest during had their charges dropped or had been to the Bushwick youths on trial at the time. the prosecution’s statement. The defense A job is a right court before Nov. 30. The four men were arrested in the hall teams for the four men used character The Bushwick youths have had support and held in the courthouse. During the statements about them to prove that they Housing is a right from fellow students, community mem- initial time of their holding, Brian Favors’ had no intention of or interest in causing bers, organizations like Student Coalition spouse and Mario Cox’s mother were not an altercation with the officers and that Continued from page 5 Against Racial Profiling and Make the allowed to see their loved ones and were doing so would have stood in contrast to anti-Islam, etc. A divided movement, a Road since the May arrest, and had unaware of the charges and details of the their community work and past behavior. movement weak on the national question, planned a news conference for Nov. 30. incident. Due to the circumstances of the Cox, a high school student, was sched- surely cannot get anywhere. Unfortunately, no bourgeois news outlet case and the arrest of the students’ sup- uled to take the SAT at the very time he The ruling class has any number of found this incident important enough to porters, the Bushwick youths’ case was was in court. Favors is a teacher and a tricks when it comes to keeping us divid- dispatch even one news crew, camera per- moved to Dec. 7. trusted advisor to the Buschwick students ed, but at this moment the greatest dan- son, or reporter. and their parents. Gonzalez is a dedicated ger to our unity is anti-immigrant rac- community organizer and college student. ism. It’s the big issue. Just listen to the And Mekins’ removal from the courtroom Democratic and Republican debates. All Student group formed was a case of mistaken identity which was the candidates know how to do is bait cleared up by Favors before the arrest. one another on the question of immigra- The four defendants had visible bruises tion. And they try to outdo one another on Rosa Parks Day during the arraignment. They had been by demonstrating their hard-line stance The Third Annual Rosa Parks Day was taken to the hospital for their injuries after against undocumented immigrants. celebrated at Springfield Technical Com­ the fight. All four men were released with- The issue played out in a little-known munity College in a very appropriate way out bail, but the charges were not dropped. aspect of the auto contracts. I wrote a on Nov. 30. The newly created student Cox and Gonzalez will be in court on Jan.7, resolution to the national bargaining con- group, Mobilization Against Poverty, and Mekins and Favors on Dec. 12. vention, which my local forwarded, to Racism and War, based at the college, was After their release the four pillars of the amend the non-discrimination language– officially inaugurated that day as a student community greeted and thanked each of and believe it or not it was amended. organization. their supporters outside of the courtroom. What’s called the Equal Application sec- Rodnell Collins, nephew of Malcolm X, Pictured above are members of the new The defense team and defendants spoke tion includes marital status. And while delivered the keynote address for Rosa group, from left to right: Stephan White, vice to supporters outside the courthouse. it doesn’t say gender identity or gender Parks Day at the college-wide commem- president; Dede Hassell, president; Ray Boudreaux of the San Francisco 8, expression, there’s carefully worded lan- and Catherine Donaghy. oration. Members of the Mobilization members of the Black Panther Party and guage that protect transgender workers. were instrumental in organizing support Parks Committee co-founders Professor political prisoners, came out in support Imagine that! The UAW! The blue-collar for the recent Sept 29th Encampment Nick Camerotta of the Western Mass. of these men and had this to say: “They unions have always lagged behind the and March on Washington, organized by IAC and E. Henry Twiggs. For more info: attacked these brothers because they are service-sector unions when it comes to the Troops Out Now Coalition. The Rosa [email protected] organizers for our community. ... This is defending LGBT workers. Eleven years Parks Day event was organized by Rosa —Report & photo by Gerry Scoppettuolo the whole U.S. government that we are up ago we were picketing Chrysler dealer- www.workers.org Dec. 13, 2007 Page 7 Committee steps up defense of Victor Toro By Arturo J. Pérez Saad and 1 p.m. The Victor Toro Defense Committee is demanding from the The threat to deport Victor Toro, a Department of Homeland Security Chilean national and co-founder of the that Victor be granted political Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) asylum. in that country, back to Chile from the Toro’s next court appearance is on United States, has grown more intense. Jan. 18, 2008, and his defense com- Since Toro is a known revolutionary lead- mittee asks everyone to come out and er, there is serious concern that he will show your support. be in danger in Chile even if the current Toro, Ayress and their family are government doesn’t target him. Toro’s targeted again by U.S. government friends and allies have stepped up efforts policies aimed at the sovereign coun- to organize vigils and a social event to stop tries of Latin America and especially deportation. the poor. First, the U.S.-sponsored Adding to the danger, in 1978, the ille- overthrow of Allende, and now the gitimate undemocratic government of persecution of all immigrant workers, Augusto Pinochet declared Toro dead and the more recent of whom have been published this declaration in the Chilean forced off of their lands by free trade press. This falsehood, which can deprive WW photo: Dustin Langley agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA Toro of normal protections, has not been Berta Joubert-Ceci and Victor Toro at Sept. 29 anti-war rally in Washington, D.C. to migrate north to survive. corrected even though the Toro family has To mobilize support and raise made many attempts to do so. Toro arrived in the U.S. in 1984 and and detained by the Border Patrol (ICE) funds, the Victor Toro Defense Committee Toro was arrested and tortured by the settled in the South Bronx, N.Y. In 1987 in Rochester, N.Y. His supporters mobi- will be hosting a party on Saturday, Dec. fascist Pinochet-led junta that with full U.S. he co-founded La Peña del Bronx, a com- lized and quickly collected $5,000 to 8, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Martin backing had just overthrown the Salvador munity grassroots organization serving bond him out. Luther King Jr. Labor Center (310 W. Allende government in September 1973. the poor and the needs of the community, Legal Counsel Carlos Moreno was able 43rd St., New York City) with live music After being released from a concentration with his life partner and partner in strug- to get the venue changed from Rochester from REBELDIAZ and Los Chamanes camp prison in 1976, Toro was given an gle for social justice, Nieves Ayress. to New York City. Toro’s defenders hold and dancing to the tunes of D.J. Laylo exit-only passport and forced to leave his On July 6, 2007, while on an Amtrak informational pickets in front of 26 International. For more information call homeland. pas­senger train, Victor Toro was arrested Federal Plaza every Friday between noon 718-292-6137. n Remembering Lin Biao By Caleb T. Maupin ers of China’s socialist revolution. A civil italist restoration and elitist policies. war broke out between the feudalists and In the state-owned factories, work- It is 100 years since Lin Biao, an out- the nationalist forces in which Lin com- ers began to criticize their bosses. In the standing military leader in China’s anti- manded nationalists in battles against the schools, teachers once above criticism feudal, anti-imperialist revolutionary war regime of emperors and landlords. became targets of massive student dissent. and later a political leader in the Cultural In 1928, Chiang Kai-shek, head of the Empowering the common people and the Revolution, was born on Dec. 5, 1907. nationalist Kuomintang party, turned on collective became the rallying cry of what After his death in 1971, Lin was almost his Communist allies, slaughtering thou- would be known as the Great Proletarian erased from public recognition in China. sands. Lin, Mao Zedong, Zhou and other Cultural Revolution. But in July, the Shanghai Daily News Communists eventually regrouped and Lin, acting as Mao’s official represen- reported that Lin had finally been returned established a new army that fought the rul- tative during this period, wrote a book, to hero status and his portrait placed in ing classes. Its aim was to put the factories, “Long Live the Victory of People’s War,” the Beijing Military Museum. the land and political power in the hands that said a world revolution was going on Lin Biao Who was Lin Biao? Why should he be of the workers and peasants, the over- against the U.S. imperialists. It argued Mao Era” that Lin had been killed and remembered? whelming majority of the Chinese people. that the underdeveloped world and forces that his death represented the beginning Lin came from the Chinese countryside, Lin and Mao both mastered the art of gue- of socialism and communism could sur- of the rightward turn in China. which was impoverished and oppressed rilla warfare. Their strategy of “people’s round and overwhelm the imperialists. The view that the Soviet Union was the by feudal landlords. At an early age he war” depended on the support of ordinary When the workers of Shanghai, China’s “main danger” became the official line of developed a desire to see things change. people to gradually build up a new kind of most industrial city, revolted, Mao and the Chinese Communist Party. The next At 18 he left home, joined the Socialist army, highly political and democratic. Lin began to develop different views. The year U.S. President Richard Nixon was Youth League and became a student at the workers of Shanghai set up a new govern- invited to Beijing, even as the Pentagon Anti-Japanese war of resistance Whampoa Military Academy, a hotbed of ment in their city modeled after the Paris was continuing its war against the peoples nationalist and Marxist thought. In the 1930s and 1940s, Lin and Mao Commune. Its lead­ers were subject to of Southeast Asia. Lin studied alongside Zhou Enlai and led a guerrilla war against Japan’s invad- immediate recall by the workers. There Following Mao’s death, Deng Xiaoping many others who would become lead- ing imperialist army. In the areas con- was free speech and total access to the came to power. The leaders of the Cultural trolled by their People’s Liberation Army, media by common people. Revolution were put on trial for “counter- land was distributed to the poor peasants, Lin was blown away by what he wit- revolutionary activities.” Soon, China Continued from page 6 who combined with Communist Party nessed in Shanghai. He called for all China began to adopt policies of “market social- ships just to get “sexual orientation” cadres to run their villages in the interest to become a Commune state. No more ism.” Foreign corporations were free to set included, and this was in the face of death of the people. Ordinary people for the first bureaucracy, he proclaimed. Direct demo- up factories on Chinese soil. Many of the threats, sexual degradation, and for at time had a say in decision making. The cratic control by workers’ councils. He was socialist policies of the Chinese Revolution, least one worker physical assault. And landlords and nobles were tried for their joined by , Jiang Qing, Mao's partner, and including the job, health and food security now without even a petition campaign we crimes against the people. others later labeled as the “gang of four.” guaranteed by state-run communes and have protection for trans workers. Lin and Mao were seen as Robin Hoods. But Mao disagreed. He argued that factories, were abandoned. However, the But here’s the other side of the coin. Tens of thousands of Chinese people doing so would give rise to “bonapartism.” Communist Party continued to play the That same resolution also called on the began to join their ranks, seeking to build Mao felt the Commune was too weak to leading role and the state that had emerged union to add the words “immigration sta- a socialist future in China. suppress the opposition. from the revolution was not destroyed, as tus” to the Equal Application clause. Not In 1949, the revolution was victorious Lin also began to advocate a better rela- happened later in the USSR. done. The UAW was too afraid to confront and Chiang Kai-shek, who had been sup- tionship with the Soviet Union. Lin viewed What followed was an enormous indus- the mounting campaign of hatred and ported by the U.S., fled to Taiwan. “The all the socialist countries as on the same trialization of China and, along with great- educate their more backward members, Chinese people have stood up!” proclaimed side in the people’s war raging across the er inequality, a huge increase in the size of too afraid to confront the state, the media, Mao to a giant rally. Lin, whose troops had world. But Mao had begun to proclaim the working class. and the Lou Dobbses. just liberated the capital, was at his side that the Soviet Union was a “social impe- The Chinese Ministry of Labor reports They divide us. They set us up in com- In 1959, Lin became China’s defense rialist empire” and the “main danger to dealing with more than 130,000 cases of petition with workers who come here from minister. He abolished privileges for offi- the people of the world.” “industrial unrest” this year. China is cur- other countries. Likewise, they turn us cers and insignia of rank. Lin and Mao’s disagreements grew rently undergoing a massive strike wave against workers in other countries. They In 1966, students at Tsinghua Uni­ver­ acute. Lin died on Sept. 13th, 1971, in mys- as workers demand better conditions. would foster protectionism to have us sity hung “big character posters” attack- terious circumstances. There is also a revival of support for the think it is workers in other countries who ing elitism and bureaucratic tendencies The official story is that Lin tried to socialist policies and workers’ democracy are “stealing our jobs,” when the only true and formed the Red Guards. Mao and Lin assassinate Mao but failed and died in a of the revolutionary period. threat to our jobs is the capitalist drive to came out strongly in support of the stu- plane crash while trying to escape to the It is in this environment that the por- maximize profits. The exploiting class that dents’ “right to rebel.” It was the begin- Soviet Union. trait of Lin Biao was finally placed in the circles the globe scours the planet for the ning of a massive revolution within the The founder of Workers World Party, Beijing Military Museum. cheapest source of labor and materials. revolution. Chinese youth became a fight- Sam Marcy, argued in his pamphlet The writer is a FIST organizer. E-mail: [email protected] ing force against those who defended cap- “China 1977: End of the Revolutionary Page 8 Dec. 13, 2007 www.workers.org Afghanistan: Reaction to NATO massacres By G. Dunkel have been killed in the six years since. The about this “terrible, terrible mistake.” On strengthen Poland’s ties to the U.S. Tusk U.S. Department of Defense admits to 401 behalf of the U.S. government, he turned says he will continue to keep a significant A NATO air attack on Nov. 28 dropped military fatalities as of July 2007. Another over $2,000 as compensation for the Polish force in Afghanistan. two bombs on tents where workers were 278 from other NATO countries have also deaths and injuries. According to a recent public opinion sleeping in Nuristan, a rugged province in been killed. Many more Afghan civilians A few weeks later, the Marine Corp’s poll, 72 percent of Poles want Poland out eastern Afghanistan. The bombs killed 14 than NATO troops have been killed, and top general said that Nicholson was wrong of Afghanistan. workers, with no survivors. These work- most have been killed by NATO troops. to apologize because investigators had yet The Polish edition of Newsweek ran a ers had been building a road for the NATO Past examples indicate that even if it to determine whether any wrongdoing front-page headline, “Blood on the uni- occupation forces. were clearly established that the ISAF air occurred. As of the middle of November, form,” the week the news broke of the NATO’s International Security Assis­ and helicopter attack was aimed the road the Defense Department was saying that Aug. 16 massacre. The Polish Business tance Force (ISAF) admitted it conduct- workers, it is highly unlikely that any seri- a formal investigation would be opened News Agency raised the charge that Polish ed air strikes against Taliban fighters in ous charges would be brought against the sometime in December. army commanders knew about the mas- the area but denied any workers were forces involved, especially if they are from sacre and the cover up. killed. ISAF spokesman Brig. Gen. Carlos the U.S. or other big imperialist powers. Polish troops jailed Tusk announced that if the charges Branco claimed at a news conference a The Polish military reacted differently. were proven, he would apologize to the few days later that a “Taliban leader” was U.S. Marines’ impunity When the military prosecutors in Poznan, Afghani people. The Polish military pros- targeted and that “there were no civilian During a routine patrol last March 4, Poland, became aware that Polish sol- ecutor intends to try the soldiers early in casualties.” U.S. Marines were attacked by a suicide diers, who were operating together with the spring of 2008. While it may be no surprise that bomber. They responded by killing at U.S. troops, mortared the Afghan town of Washington, the imperialist capital with Gen. Branco denied the bombing, it least 50 civilians and seriously injuring an Nangar Khel on Aug. 16, killing six civil- the most powerful military, has insisted its wouldn’t be the first time NATO forces in unspecified number more. Three weeks ians including women and children, they soldiers be exempt from the jurisdiction Afghanistan have caused heavy civilian later, after large, angry protests, Marine jailed the troops on Nov. 15. The authori- of the International Criminal Court, and casualties. Accord­ing to United Nations commanders­ agreed to open an investiga- ties are holding the Polish troops in sepa- that the actions of its occupation troops in reports, NATO and Afghan government tion and announced that they would keep rate cells, to avoid collusion. The investi- Iraq and Afghanistan are virtually unpun- forces killed 314 civilians in the first six the platoon implicated in the massacre gating judge has held that it is established ished. Poland is a poor neo-colony of U.S. months of this year. The same source says in Afghanistan even though they were that the killings took place. and Western European imperialism. More 279 civil­ians were killed by the Afghan sending the company involved out of the Poland currently has about 1,200 than two million of Poland’s young work- resistance. country. troops in Afghanistan and 900 in Iraq. ers have left for Western Europe in the Mark Herold, a well-respected econo- On May 9, Col. John Nicholson, who The new prime minister, Donald Tusk, past three years. Though Poland’s youths mist at the University of New Hampshire, commanded the brigade to which the appointed at the end of October after his are also acceptable as cannon fodder for estimates that U.S. forces killed 3,767 Marine Special Forces were attached, apol- Civic Platform party won the parliamen- imperialist wars and occupations, they civilians in Afghanistan—and that’s only ogized to the families of the 69 civilians tary elections, had run on a platform of don’t get the same arrogant protection as between October and December of 2001, who were killed or wounded. Nicholson withdrawing from Iraq by the summer of the imperialist troops when they commit during the initial bombing. Many more said he was “deeply, deeply ashamed” 2008. His platform also included trying to war crimes. n U.S. and Afghanistan The cynical abuse of ‘women’s rights’ By Leslie Feinberg overtime to frame this as a campaign for peasants, sharecroppers and tenants held did.” Carter later admitted in his memoirs women’s rights. in virtual bondage to landlords and mon- that his administration actually consid- The U.S. did not unleash war on Laura Bush delivered the presiden- ey lenders. ered the use of tactical nuclear weapons Afghanistan in 2001 to “liberate” women. tial radio address on Nov. 16, 2001—a Before the revolution, 5 percent of the against the progressive developments in But pro-war spin doctors—embedded with month after the Pentagon assault began. landlords claimed ownership of more Afghanistan. the corporate media—went into overdrive Her speech focused on women’s rights in than 45 percent of the country’s arable to create that impression after 9/11. Public Afghanistan: “The fight against terrorism land. “When the PDPA took power,” the U.S. set women’s rights back relations campaigns “sold” as liberation is also a fight for the rights and dignity of Pentagon report noted, “it quickly moved centuries a high-tech imperialist war against an women.” It was a total lie. to remove both landownership inequali- By 1992 the Soviet Union was over- impoverished country with no air force. ties and usury.” One of the revolution- turned and the progressive government This was designed to obscure the fact Afghan Revolution ary land reforms was the cancellation of in Afghanistan was defeated by imperial- that imperialism had no right to violate advanced women’s rights mortgage debt for agricultural laborers, ism. After four years of internecine strug- Afghanistan’s self-determination and An article in Workers World on Oct. 10, tenants and small landowners. gle among different Afghan factions, the sovereignty. 1996, by Deirdre Griswold showed how a On the eve of the revolution, Taliban came to power. The New York Times offered a more progressive revolution in Afghanistan in 96.3 percent of the women of lavender Michael Meacher, a senior candid geopolitical view as early as Jan. 1978 had taken measures to liberate wom- Afghanistan were illiterate; Labor Party member of Parliament 18, 1996, in an article entitled “The New & en and challenge centuries of landlord- rural illiteracy for all the sexes 116 who had been a member of British Great Game in Asia”—referring to the 19th ism. In response, the U.S. pulled together was 90.5 percent. The progressive red Prime Minister Tony Blair’s cabinet, century struggle among capitalist powers an army of pro-feudal elements to crush government created massive litt- observed in a Sept. 6, 2003, article in to control the Eurasian landmass and the that revolutionary government, forcing it eracy programs and printed Htextbooks in the Guardian of London, “Until July 2001 warm-water ports of the Persian Gulf. to call on the USSR for support. Dari, Pashtu, Uzbek, Turkic and Baluchi. the U.S. government saw the Taliban The Times explained, “While few have The WW article quoted from a 1986 The 1986 Pentagon report stated, “The regime as a source of stability in Central noticed, Central Asia has again emerged as Department of Defense publication titled government trained many more teachers, Asia that would enable the construction a murky battleground among big powers “Afghanistan—a Country Study.” Even built additional schools and kindergartens, of hydrocarbon pipelines from the oil and engaged in an old and rough geopolitical this Pentagon book had to admit that the and instituted nurseries for orphans.” gas fields in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, game. Western experts believe that the 1978 revolution brought many gains to The Washington Post admitted that Kazakhstan, through Afgha­nistan and large­ly untapped oil and natural gas riches Afghan women and girls. Afghan women were the strongest sup- Pakistan, to the Indian Ocean. of the Caspian Sea countries could make Women were organized in the porters of the 1978 revolution. “But confronted with the Taliban’s that region the Persian Gulf of the next Demo­­cratic Women’s Organization of But this revolution was crushed by a refusal to accept U.S. conditions, the U.S. century. The object of the revived game Afghanistan. The national group had been well-funded, well-armed counterrevolu- representatives told them ‘either you is to befriend leaders of the former Soviet founded in 1965 by Dr. Anahita Ratebzada. tion in which U.S. imperialism made com- accept our offer of a carpet of gold, or we republics controlling the oil, while neu- Her companion Babrak Karmal, who mon cause with feudal patriarchs. Women bury you under a carpet of bombs.’” tralizing Russian suspicions and devising founded the People’s Democratic Party of were then bought and sold as property Washington took advantage of the secure alternative pipeline routes to world Afghanistan the same year, later became once again. attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, to launch an markets.” the country’s president. National Security Adviser Zbigniew invasion of Afghanistan. After overturning the bloc of workers’ One of the first actions of the revolution Brzezinski and former CIA Director U.S. occupiers appointed former Unocal states in the Soviet Union and Eastern was to end “bride-price” and allow women Robert M. Gates later publicly bragged advisors to be both the titular president of Europe, U.S. finance capital schemed to to make marriage choices. Punishment of that, beginning in early 1979, the CIA had Afghanistan and the U.S. ambassador to secure ownership of trillions of dollars women who had sex outside of marriage funneled money and arms to counter-rev- the country. worth of buried oil and gas treasure in the was prohibited. Women could choose to olutionary groups, many of them mem- The continuing imperialist blitzkrieg Caspian Sea region, which had for decades wear or not to wear the veil, travel in public, bers of militias loyal to local landowners. has destroyed the infrastructure—includ- been collectively owned by the workers get an education and work at a job. Women Democrats and Republicans had ing potable water, sewage and electricity— and peoples of the region. of all classes—not just the well-to-do—were approved at least $8 billion for this coun- worsening hunger and disease. Soviet- Transnational energy giants like Unocal trained as doctors, teachers and lawyers. terrevolutionary effort that hired, armed built public urban housing complexes and and Enron saw Afghanistan as the best Brigades of women and other young and trained the Taliban, Osama bin Laden schools lie in ruins. path to pipe oil and gas from Central Asia Afghans brought medical care to rural and other forces. These conditions create suffering to the world market. peasants. CIA historian John Ranelagh recalls for all sexes, genders and sexualities in The Bush neo-cons, Pentagon brass and The revolution impacted the life of one that then President Jimmy Carter OK’d Afghanistan, particularly for women. In the military-industrial complex worked third of the rural population—landless “more secret operations than Reagan later Continued 0n page 10 www.workers.org Dec. 13, 2007 Page 9 Chávez on referendum: 49 percent say yes to socialism By Berta Joubert-Ceci be answered, we should look closely at production still exists in Venezuela. The was a severe food shortage, created mostly the results. Of the estimated 27 million U.S.-allied oligarchy is in a constant fight by the hoarding of basic food items by the The Venezuelan National Electoral Venezuelans, 16 million are registered to against the progressive measures and the oligarchy’s agribusiness and food distri- Commission (CNE) early on Dec. 3 vote. The election commission reported prospect of building socialism. bution sector. For weeks many people had announced the results of the previous that 8,883,746 valid votes were counted, The traditional opposition, the old to stand in long lines in the Mercales, the day’s referendum on proposed major reflecting a high level of abstention: 44 parties of the Fourth Republic that car- government-subsidized markets. This, changes to 69 articles of the Venezuelan percent. In the presidential elections a ried out the U.S.-instigated coup against the oligarchs said, is what can happen Constitution. The “No” vote opposing the year ago, Chávez won with 63 percent of Chávez in 2002, had been fractionalized under socialism. The campaign also tried reforms had won by a margin of less than the vote and the abstention rate was only and weakened. But a new layer has sur- to scare people into thinking that a social- 2 percent over the “Yes” option, which 25 percent. faced that has brought hope to the oligar- ist government could take away their chil- would have deepened progressive changes The Constitutional Referendum was chy. These are mostly the offspring of the dren and homes. and ratified the reconstruction of society complicated, with 69 articles divided into white and wealthy Venezuelan bourgeoi- In late November, Venezuelan counter- on a socialist basis. two separate blocks, voted on separately. sie. Some come from public colleges but intelligence obtained an internal CIA mem- Announcing the results on national Taking both blocks, the results were 50-51 most are from private and Catholic col- orandum on “Operation Tenaza [Pliers]” radio and television, President Hugo percent of the vote for the “No” option and leges. They have been staging sometimes from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. The Chávez said that his proposed reform 48-49 percent for the “Yes.” violent demonstrations opposing the con- memo was authored by a CIA officer sta- “could not happen for now, but I continue Several of the articles in question dealt stitutional reform and complaining that tioned in the embassy, Michael Middleton to propose it, the most advanced in the with concrete issues like decreasing the President Chávez wants to be a dictator- Steere, and was addressed to CIA Director planet and the one that aims to reach the work hours and guaranteeing social secu- for-life because one of the articles called General Michael Hayden in Washington. maximum social inclusion, a fundamental rity for workers in the informal economy. for ending term limits on the presidency. It revealed different aspects of the CIA principle of our system.” Others dealt with more abstract matters These sons and daughters of the rich campaign against the revolution, includ- Chávez emphasized that “as president that required careful study and explana- hide under the banner of “freedom and ing the work of the USAID, the creation of the nation, I have listened to the voice tion. These included a new division of democracy,” showing arrogant and racist of fraudulent polls and the distortion of of the people and will always keep listen- the national territory, how to deal with a contempt against not only the president but information about the referendum in ing to it. I will take it into my heart for national emergency, and steps toward a the poor and the rest of Venezuela’s youth, conjunction with private national and our analysis and to continue construct- transition to socialism. who are strongly with the revolution. international media. Multiple destabiliz- ing the Bolivarian Venezuela for our chil- Efforts were made to inform the popu- U.S. imperialism is trying new tac- ing actions described range from violent dren.” In a later statement, he said, “We lation about the proposed reforms. The tics to stop the revolution. In the Dec. 2 street protests and the creation of a cli- will have to mature and continue building National Assembly distributed 10 million Washington Post, Juan Forero wrote that mate of ungovernability to military inter- our socialism.” copies of the proposal between August “some student groups have received fund- vention. President Chávez read the text on When the news was known, forces and October. A special phone line was ing for workshops from the U.S. Agency television, calling on the people to be alert opposed to the Bolivarian Revolution established for consultation and more for International Development, accord- and ready for action. began celebrating in the wealthy neigh- than 9,000 events were held throughout ing to documents made available to The The elation of the right wing may not borhoods over what they called the “end the country. Washington Post on Saturday. … The U.S. last. The pro-revolutionary forces, instead of Chávez” and the revolution—in other However, it is clear that this was not documents, obtained through a freedom of feeling sad or defeated, are expressing a words, their hopes to bring back the old enough. Bolivarian Venezuelans are now of information request filed by a research- new enthusiasm for advancing the revolu- system of privilege and wealth for the in the process of seriously analyzing this er for the National Security Archive at tion and building socialism. few and poverty and exclusion for the outcome. George Washington University, show Letters to the Web site Aporrea and majority. President Chávez said: “We were short that $216,000 was provided from 2003 statements of organized parties and forma- Since Chávez took office in 1998, the 3 million people who did not vote [this through this year to unnamed student tions all point to the need to filter out what pro-revolutionary forces had prevailed in time]. Why? We have to evaluate this. groups at several universities for ‘conflict they call opportunist elements around every local and national election, includ- I am completely sure that the immense resolution,’ ‘democracy promotion’ and Chávez that are preventing the revolution ing the 2004 attempt by the right wing to majority of those people are still with other programs.” from moving forward and to increase the remove the president from office in a Recall us. They did not vote for the Yes; they In this deeply religious country, dialog with the population explaining the Referendum and the presidential reelec- abstained—doubts, fears, we did not have the Catholic Church has also played a concepts of socialism. One such opportun- tion a year ago, in December 2006. They enough time, capacity to explain. … There destabilizing role. Vice President Jorge ist is former Defense Minister Raúl Isaías had won a total of 10 electoral processes. are many political elements that we must Rodríguez sent a video to Papal Nuncio Baduel, who joined the opposition against What happened this time? Is the rev- consider in this battle.” Giacinto Berloco, recorded earlier in one the reforms, stating that they represented olution weakening? Is the right-wing He noted, however, that “The fact that of the Caracas churches, showing calls to a “constitutional coup.” opposition getting stronger? Are the 49 percent have voted for the socialist ignore the outcome of the elections if the The revolutionaries also agree on the people disillusioned with the revolution project, in spite of everything, is a great Yes option won. need for serious reflection and analysis to or opposed to the idea of building social- political step.” Another tactic used by the opposition try to correct any mistakes committed. n ism in Venezuela? Besides the electoral process, what methods can be used to U.S. behind the opposition advance the revolution? Despite the advances made on behalf of Before any of those questions can the poor majority, the capitalist mode of Confrontation at Venezuelan Consulate

Tijuana conference Uniting workers’ struggles worldwide By Cheryl LaBash Five from U.S. prisons and screen the new film, “The Trial,” narrated by Danny In Tijuana, Mexico, on Dec. 7, 8 and Glover. 9, an historic conference will discuss Also new at this fourth conference is pressing issues faced by the U.S. work- the participation of union leaders from ing class in relation to the emerging Latin Bolivia and Nicaragua joining Venezuelan American cooperative alternative to impe- and Cuban union leaders, representing rialism—ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative workers from all four countries which for the Americas). The Cuba/Venezuela/ have joined in the Bolivarian Alternative North America Labor Conference - IV will for the Americas (ALBA). ALBA is the Supporters of the Bolivarian Revolution in the arrogant expression used by the Bourbon address topics ranging from international alternative to the imperialist proposed Venezuela demonstrated near that country’s king of Spain against Chávez at the Iberian relations to immigration, from building Free Trade Area of the Americas that is consulate in New York on Manhattan’s 51st Summit in Chile, shouting to the progres- solidarity across borders and nationalities attempting to extend the North American Street near 5th Avenue on Dec. 2, as the vote on sive demonstrators, “Why don’t you shut up?” the referendum was taking place in Venezuela to ending war and war threats. Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) from the Perhaps they longed for the pre-Simón Bolívar and also at the consulate office. At about 2 p.m. A special session on Friday evening with Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego at the days when Venezuela was still a Spanish colony. a shouting match broke out between oppo- honored guests Irma Sehwerert, mother southern tip of Argentina and Chile. It was also telling that the New York cops moved nents of President Hugo Chávez—from the rela- the pro-government demonstrators away from of Cuban Five hero René González, and Malik Rahim, organizer of the Common tively wealthy Venezuelan expatriate communi- the government office, while allowing the anti- Silvia Lozano, Cuban National Assembly Ground Collective in New Orleans, brings ty—and the demonstrators, who also included Chávez forces to gather there. member, will call for freeing the Cuban Continued 0n page 11 Venezuelans. The anti-Chávez forces picked up —Report and photo by John Catalinotto Page 10 Dec. 13, 2007 www.workers.org Annapolis conference A vicious cycle Not ‘peace’ but cover n article in the Dec. 1 New York Times reports that almost half of the 50 U.S. states pass none of the money collected for for a new U.S. war Achild support to families on welfare; most of the other states Anti-war movement must embrace Palestinian struggle pass along only $50 per month to the custodial parent. By Joyce Chediac In Wisconsin, a federally approved experiment gave all child sup- Gaza. The six-month U.S.-Israeli blockade of Gaza, port money directly to the custodial parent. The results revealed which is slowly strangling 1.4 million Palestinians, what probably seems like common sense to most: “Studies of the The Middle East “peace” conference held by the was not even on the Annapolis agenda (see related Wisconsin experiment showed that when support payments were Bush administration in Annapolis, Md., on Nov. article). fully passed along to mothers, more fathers came forward and paid 27 was not meant to address the just grievances of the Palestinian people. The Annapolis meeting One million in Gaza say: more of the support they owed. ... As families receive more support “Don’t recognize Israel!” money, they are less apt to require public assistance, making up for cynically exploited the suffering of the Palestinian any short-term loss of revenues. And fathers are more likely to estab- people as a screen to hide a pro-war alliance aimed While Palestinian Authority President Abbas lish lasting patterns of payment and connection with their children.” at Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and all who struggle for attended the conference and appears willing to go (New York Times, Dec. 1) self-determination in the Middle East. along with this deception, Palestinians in Gaza, Of the total uncollected child support—$105 billion in 2006—half Addressing the 50 representatives of organi- the West Bank and in the diaspora organized was “owed” to the federal and state governments for welfare costs. zations and states in the Middle East, George angry demonstrations against the phony peace The article states that in 2009, due to legislation passed in 2006 by Bush called the timing of the Annapolis confer- talks, and Abbas’ participation in them. In Gaza, Congress, states will be “permitted”—not required—to pass along up ence “right” because “a battle is under way for the 100,000 chanted: “Don’t recognize Israel!” West to $100 for one child and $200 for two or more children. future of the Middle East, and we must not cede Bank demonstrations were attacked by the Abbas Year after year, so-called “deadbeat dads” and “welfare moms” are victory to the extremists.” [Bush uses “extremists” forces, killing one (see related article). demonized in the mainstream media. The media say they’re heartless, to refer to Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas—J.C.] Since the Oslo Accords of 1993, Washington abandoning and/or profiting off their own children. It’s always people Even the terms agreed upon at Annapolis are has brokered a series of peace accords. All have of color that are portrayed. Rarely if ever portrayed, however, is the full of contradictions. A “final agreement” is to been meant to confuse progressive people and hardship these parents face in finding jobs, or simply surviving. be reached between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian divide the Palestinians. Israel broke each accord Meanwhile, as the custodial parent, mostly mothers, scrape to find Authority by 2008, the end of the Bush term. But while Washington sat on its hands. Since 1993, money to pay the bills in a worsening economy, the prospects for the Israeli Prime Minister Olmert said, “We will do all Israel has placed half a million Zionist settlers in noncustodial parent are made bleaker. A 2006 article entitled “Plight we can to try to reach an agreement as soon as the West Bank, has confiscated more than half Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn” cites two factors that have possible, and we can do it. It doesn’t mean you can of the West Bank’s territory, refuses to define its slowed Black employment. One is the high rate of incarceration; the implement it.” (New York Times, Nov 29) own borders, has annexed East Jerusalem, denies second, the stricter enforcement of child support. Bush claims he will be the “arbitrator” of the Palestinian refugees the right to return, and has “Improved collection of money from absent fathers has been a talks, yet his National Security Advisor Stephen J. incarcerated 10,000 Palestinians, including half pillar of welfare overhaul. But the system can leave young men feel- Hadley said the U.S. would neither impose terms the Hamas cabinet. ing overwhelmed with debt and deter them from seeking legal work, of a peace treaty on the two sides, nor “force a res- Mustafa Barghouti, the former Palestinian since a large share of any earnings could be seized. olution of differences.” information minister, said Annapolis was “deja vu” “About half of all Black men in their late 20s and early 30s who And who has Bush appointed to follow up on and it was unlikely any real agreement would be did not go to college are noncustodial fathers. ... Some fathers give the sham “peace process”? He named not a career reached “as long as there is no serious pressure on up, while others find casual work. ‘The work is sporadic, not the kind diplomat, but the former supreme commander of Israel to end occupation ... and be forced to respect that leads to advancement or provides unemployment insurance,’ NATO, Gen. James L. Jones, to follow the sham international law.” (aljazeera.net, Nov. 27) [Georgetown University economist Harry J.] Holzer said. ‘It’s noth- “peace process.” Jones’ real job will be to funnel overt and covert arms for use against national lib- Israeli think tank calls conference ing like having a real job.’” (New York Times, Mar. 20, 2006) “a triumph” And so the cycle continues. The Dec. 1 article confirms this: eration struggles. “Young fathers with little education or job prospects find themselves Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Even the Israelis agree that Annapolis offers in arrears and facing jail time or the loss of their driver’s license as a Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas little hope for peace. Michael B. Oren, a senior fel- result, making it all the harder to start earning and paying.” talked “peace,” while the Israeli military waged low at the Israeli think tank Shalem Center, calls For all the scapegoating of poor people of color, it’s the govern- war. Armed with U.S. weapons, Israeli attacks Olmert and Abbas “two of the region’s weakest ment that is callously profiting off of poor children and their parents. continued in the West Bank and especially in leaders, unpopular among their own people and While the government is busy collecting money from individuals, claiming that it is needed to cover the cost of welfare, it spends bil- lions on war and the prospect of expanding war. The same children that the government collects child support for, it will later try to recruit to fight its wars. At the same time, huge sums of corporate welfare—in the name of tax breaks and subsidies—are the rule and not the exception. When it comes to supporting its people, the capitalist system in Boston school bus driver, Robert the United States has produced deadbeat governments—year after Traynham, at Nov. year, whether Democratic or Republican—and welfare corporations. 27 rally against As the economic and political crises deepen, the grassroots move- Annapolis “peace” ment will grow, demanding that all mothers and fathers receive the conference. support they need to raise healthy children and live healthy lives. n WW photo: Liz Green U.S. resisters continue fight for Canada asylum By Dustin Langley Resisters Support Campaign (www.resist- the Canadian courts, however, denied a Resist in support of asylum for resisters, ers.ca) organized rallies across Canada in hearing on these facts. located online at www.couragetoresist. From 1965 to 1973, while the U.S. gov- support of the right of U.S. war resisters to Gerry Condon, a Vietnam-era resister org. For more information, go to www. ernment was engaged in a brutal war receive political asylum in Canada, a right who lived in Canada for three years, now resisters.ca. n against the people of Vietnam, more than supported by 65 percent of Canadians. works with Project Safe Haven (www. 50,000 draft-age men from the U.S. fled Hinzman and Hughey were among the soldiersayno.blogspot.com ). Condon to Canada, refusing to participate in what first Iraq War resisters to arrive in Canada said, “While the refusal of the Supreme U.S., Afghanistan they considered an immoral war. in 2004. They applied for political refugee Court of Canada to hear the appeals is Then, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre status on the basis that the U.S. invasion very disappointing, the struggle for sanc- & women’s rights Trudeau said: “Those who make the con- and occupation of Iraq is illegal under tuary in Canada is being stepped up. All Continued from page 8 scientious judgment that they must not both U.S. and international law. along, we have known that a political 2004, some provinces reported 593 mater- participate in this war ... have my com- Hinzman said: “They said there were solution was ultimately what would be nal deaths for every 100,000 live births. plete sympathy, and indeed our political weapons of mass destruction. They needed. While the sanctuary campaign Pentagon Special Forces commandos approach has been to give them access to haven’t found any. They said Iraq was ramps up in Canada, we in the U.S. can can kick in the door of a home at any hour Canada. Canada should be a refuge from linked to international terrorist organiza- seize this moment to become much more of the day or night, body search Afghan militarism.” tions. There haven’t been any links. This supportive.” women and their loved ones, and drag Today, soldiers refusing to fight in was a criminal war. Any act of violence in On Dec. 6, Canada’s Standing Committee them all off in hoods to torture chambers. another U.S. war for empire face much an unjustified conflict is an atrocity.” on Citizenship and Immigration will be That’s imperialist-style “liberation.” greater challenges. Two weeks ago, the Hinzman and Hughey claimed that holding hearings on the issue of allowing Research by Minnie Bruce Pratt Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear according to the United Nations con- U.S. war resisters to stay in Canada. contributed to this article. appeals from U.S. war resisters Jeremy vention, they should not be prosecuted The War Resisters Support Campaign Next: U.S. warmakers gay-baited Hinzman and Brandon Hughey seeking for refusing to fight in an illegal conflict. is asking supporters in the U.S. to join the and gay-bashed Afghanistan. refuge in Canada. On Nov. 15, the War Canada’s Immigration Review Board and appeal campaign launched by Courage to E-mail: [email protected] www.workers.org Dec. 13, 2007 Page 11

discredited by corruption charges.” Bush, he says, because he refuses to enter into any direct role, “further diminishes any hope for break- Meeting plans Int’l conference through.” (New York Times op-ed, Dec. 2) But Oren is really excited about Annapolis. “Yet in spite of its glaring handicaps,” he con- tinues, “Annapolis must be deemed a triumph— Support the right to return not of peacemaking, paradoxically, but of gird- ing the region for conflict,” as participants in the By Cheryl LaBash villages. The conference will reaffirm and Phoenix, Ariz. As each attendee conference were mostly motivated to attend by San Diego, Calif. the right of displaced Palestinians to introduced themselves, they included their fear of Iran. “This fear has deepened with return to the lands stolen from them— the town or area in occupied Palestine the success of the Iranian proxies Hezbollah On Dec. 1, the San Diego Chapter not just in theory, but in reality. from which they or their families were and Hamas in Lebanon and Gaza, as well as the of Al-Awda hosted the Third Al-Awda Through panels, workshops and displaced, including the first wave of expansion of Iranian influence westward into West Coast Regional Conference to pre- cultural presentations the 2008 con- displacements in 1948. One young the Iraqi vacuum.” pare for the Sixth Annual International ference will educate and inform man now living in the U.S. had parents Al-Awda Convention, which will be Palestinians, supporters and others who were born in the Sabra and Shatila Arab regimes “losing own youth to held on May 16-18, 2008, in Anaheim, seeking to understand the roots of the refugee camps in Lebanon after their religious militancy” Calif. The theme is “Palestine: 60 Years anti-imperialist struggle in the Middle parents were driven from their homes In truth, the Arab reactionary regimes, all cli- of Forced Exile—Time for Return.” East. Topics will include modern his- in Palestine. ents of the U.S., have entered into this anti-strug- This important 2008 conference will tory, current affairs, the goal of one Supporters who also attended the gle alliance with the U.S. and Israel out of weak- mark the sixtieth year of Al-Nakba, the democratic secular state, the parallels planning meeting included representa- ness. These regimes fear their own people, who cataclysm that forcibly displaced a mil- with the former South African apart- tives from Alternate Focus, Campaign feel a strong bond with the Palestinian struggle lion Palestinians from their villages and heid regime, and the current status of to End Israeli Apartheid, International and are outraged that for 60 years Palestinian cities. The Zionist settler state of Israel refugees and racism and discrimina- Action Center/Troops Out Now-LA, grievances have never been addressed. was installed by U.S. and British impe- tion faced in the U.S. Workers World Party and the ANSWER “Those Arab nations fear that the tide of his- rialism on May 15, 1948, through the To plan with the San Diego Chapter Coalition. Go to www.al-awda.org for tory is moving away from them, and that they massacre of civilians and the razing to of Al-Awda, Palestinians traveled registration, agenda and other infor- are losing their own youth to religious militan- the ground of hundreds of Palestinian from as far away as Portland, Ore., mation on the 2008 Conference. n cy,” said the New York Times, Nov 28. Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat professor of government at the University of Maryland, said of the Arab regimes, “They’re very worried about Israel wages war on Gaza population militancy and their public’s great sympathy with Hezbollah and Hamas. … They were all stunned By Joyce Chediac on United Nations food handouts to sur- will run out in two weeks. by the Hamas takeover of Gaza” in June. vive is 1.2 million, or 86 percent of the “Aid officials working in Gaza say the Hisham Melham, the Washington bureau It is the elephant in the living room population. The private sector recently reality of life here is barely understood chief for Al Arabiya television, in the same that the participants at Annapolis collapsed due to the blockade, resulting abroad. ‘You must be on the ground for source, points out that the “Israeli-Palestinian refused to see. While talking “peace” in the loss of 80,000 jobs and an unem- days and weeks to begin to appreciate conflict has always been the focal point for they have looked away from the mili- ployment rate over 50 percent. the full horror of the situation,’ said mobilization of Islamic and radical groups.” tary and economic war waged on the Israel has further reduced gasoline John Ging, the Gaza director of the An exception is Syria, subject of U.S. and 1.4 million Palestinian people who live and diesel supplies entering Gaza, so U.N. Relief and Works Agency, which Israeli attack, which for fear of isolation joined in Gaza. that every gas station is now closed. works with Palestinian refugees. … ‘By the other Arab League governments to attend Gaza is under siege. Israel, with the This fuel is also used for cooking stoves. what other definition or name can these at Annapolis. full backing of the U.S., has blockaded Israel plans to soon begin cutting elec- sanctions be described, other than arbi- Gaza for six months. This barren strip tricity to Gaza. trary collective punishment of a civilian U.S built for Iraq war of beach, overcrowded with refugees Infant mortality in Gaza is now 25 population, helplessly caught in the on backs of Palestinians expelled from their homes in Palestine per 1,000 live births, and many expect middle of a conflict?’ This is not the first time the Bush adminis- in 1948, was already the poorest and it to climb, as Gaza is running low on “‘We are on the verge of a real catas- tration has used the suffering of the Palestinian most overcrowded part of the occupied medicines needed for the vulnerable. A trophe,’ added Raji Sourani, director people, and the deep feelings the working and territories. Today, the civilian popula- Nov. 27 Guardian article, entitled “Sick of the Palestinian Center for Human progressive people of the Middle East have tion is being slowly strangled, in viola- are in the frontline as supplies and rights. ‘What is the meaning of inter- for this struggle, to cover its war moves. Five tion of international law and human hope drain away for isolated Gazans,” national law? Is it just something for years ago, Bush cried crocodile tears for the decency. Yet it was not a topic on the quotes the health ministry in Gaza, academics to discuss? This is the law of Palestinians and lied about “moves towards Annapolis “peace” agenda. which says there are no stocks left of 85 the jungle.’” peace” in order to get the backing he needed for At the same time, Israel uses U.S.- essential medicines, including chemo- It is up to the mass movement world- the invasion of Iraq. supplied weapons to daily bomb Gaza therapy drugs, strong antibiotics and wide, and especially in the U.S., to “By June 2002, Mr. Bush and Ms. Rice real- neighborhoods. several psychiatric drugs. For another defend the people of Gaza. Protests and ized that before the Europeans and Arabs would According to the Nov. 27 British 138 medications, there are stocks only meetings are needed to demand an end support an American-led invasion [of Iraq], the Guardian, after six months of blockade, for three months at most. Supplies of to this brutal blockade and to expose administration would have to prove that it cared the number of Gazans now depending nitrous oxide for surgical anesthesia the U.S. role behind it. n about more in the Middle East than the security of Israel.” (New York Times, Nov. 26) So “Mr. Bush ... called for Palestinian elec- Tijuana conference tions.” Then, at “the eve of the [Iraq] war in March 2003, and then only under pressure from Tony Blair, the British prime minister, the White House finally endorsed the ‘road map,’ a Uniting workers’ struggles worldwide peace plan that was to lead to a Palestinian state Continued from page 9 in three years.” Mexicano de Electricistas (SME); workers from the U.S. travel to Cuba The end result was not peace. It was the inva- to the Tijuana Conference the front line World Organization for the Right of the exercising their constitutional right to sion of Iraq, and worsened conditions for the struggle against racism and criminal People to Healthcare, SEIU 1199 NY; associate with Cuban workers, letters Palestinian people. neglect for the rights of Katrina/Rita National Network on Cuba (NNOC); from the U.S. Treasury Dept. threaten But today is not 2003. The brutality of Bush’s hurricane survivors. Camilo Romero, Venezuela Solidarity Network (VSN); hefty fines. The U.S. government even war on Iraq and the steady gains of the Iraqi Coca-Cola boycott representative, will International Action Center (IAC); reaches outside its national borders resistance have exposed Washington’s preda- show U.S. corporate collusion with Cuba Solidarity New York (CSNY); to impose trade restrictions on sub- tory nature and its weakness in the face of pop- Colombian paramilitaries to murder Southwest Workers Union, San Antonio, sidiaries of U.S. corporations in other ular resistance. The oppressed people and the trade unionists in that country. Texas; C.O.M.P.A., Converjencia de los countries. On Feb. 5, 2006, a Sheraton liberation movements of the Middle East will The Sunday panel will feature major Movimientos de los Pueblos de Las Hotel in Mexico City refused to rent not be fooled by Annapolis. currents in the immigrant workers Americas; Peace and Freedom Party; hotel rooms to Cuban representatives The situation here in the U.S. is another struggle including Elvira Arellano, cur- Movimiento Latino USA; Cuba-U.S. participating in trade negotiations. question. Here, the Palestinian struggle is still rently on a hunger strike in Mexico Sustainability Project; Coalición 25 de Solidarity messages and dona- one of the most misunderstood. The imperial- after being deported from the U.S., Marzo; International Committee for tions are welcome from organizations ist maneuvers at Annapolis, however, show and Emma Lozano from La Familia the Cuban Five; and other organiza- and individuals who cannot person- the centrality of the Palestinian struggle to all Latina Unida, Teresa Gutierrez from tions and individuals. ally attend the Cuba/Venezuela/North events in the Middle East. The anti-war move- the May 1 Immigrant Rights Coalition, Tijuana, Mexico, the conference site, America Labor Conference. Make ment cannot push the Palestinian struggle to the a representative from the March 25 just minutes from San Diego, Calif., donations payable to Labor Exchange, sidelines simply because the Republicans, the Coalition, Juan Jose Gutierrez of Latino was chosen to break through the inter- P.O.B. 39188, Redford, MI 48239. Democrats and the press deliberately obscure Movement USA, José Jacques Medina, national isolation being imposed on Email solidarity messages to laborex- the just nature of the Palestinian cause. member of the Mexican Congress and U.S. residents by their government in [email protected] or laborexchange@ To end the Iraq war and stop the Pentagon others. Washington. Cuban union represen- action-mail.org. Conference details are from starting new wars in the Middle East, The conference is supported by the tatives and leaders are not granted available on the Web at laborexchange. progressives here must be armed with a firm U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange; Sindicato entry visas by the U.S. government. If blogspot.com. n understanding of the Palestinian struggle, and must embrace it with the deepest solidarity. n Books to change the world. that's the point! www.leftbooks.org ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Uribe interrumpe relaciones entre Colombia y Venezuela Por Berta Joubert-Ceci para un Intercambio Humanitario (IH) nados de la lista de canjeables si su presen- Los parientes de l@s cautiv@s de las de prisioner@s en la guerra civil de cia iba a crear un problema para el IH. FARC respondieron al anuncio de Uribe El desarrollo político entre Colombia y Colombia ha frenado de pronto las bue- Chávez y Córdoba se reunieron con con críticas acerbas. Un artículo en el Venezuela, dos países en Suramérica que nas relaciones. Las negociaciones estaban enviados de las FARC en Caracas y tam- Washington Post del 23 de noviembre comparten una frontera de 1.380 millas, dirigidas a lograr un intercambio entre bién fueron a Europa para reunirse con reporta que, “Jo Rosano, la madre de Marc es estratégico para el clima político y la 45 personas retenidas por las fuerzas de Sarkozy. Avances importantes fueron Gonsalves, uno de los estadounidenses, estabilidad de la región. Esto además los liberación de Colombia conocidas como reportados. Los familiares de la guerrilla culpó a Uribe, diciendo que él había soca- pone en la mira de la administración de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de encarcelada y de l@s retenid@s por las vado los esfuerzos de mediación de Chávez Bush y el Pentágono. Colombia—Ejército Popular (FARC—EP) FARC expresaron su gratitud de que por y la senadora colombiana Piedad Córdoba, Ambos países gozan de grandes recur- y l@s 500 miembr@s de las FARC que primera vez se hacía un verdadero intento una izquierdista cercana a Chávez.” sos naturales. Colombia goza de la ventaja están en prisiones de Colombia. para negociar y propiciar la liberación de “Ésta no es la primera vez que él ha geopolítica de tener acceso a las costas del sus seres queridos. L@s colombian@s saboteado esto, y no será la última,” dijo Pacifico y del Atlántico. Venezuela tiene Intercambio Humanitario, esper- reportaron un tremendo sentido de espe- Rosano desde su casa en Connecticut. grandes reservas petroleras. Las corpo- anza de paz en Colombia ranza a través del país. “Debería darle vergüenza, es todo lo que raciones transnacionales encuentran esto El creciente movimiento por el acuerdo Durante la Cumbre Iberoamericana puedo decir. Los ojos del mundo están muy tentador. humanitario en Colombia se opone al plan celebrada en Chile a principios de novi- sobre él.” Los gobiernos de estos países tienen de Estados Unidos y Uribe de “rescatar” embre, Chávez le pidió a Uribe que ideologías opuestas. El neofascista presi- a l@s prisioner@s en manos de la guer- fuera más flexible. Aunque Uribe había Las relaciones entre Colombia y dente Álvaro Uribe Vélez, el aliado más rilla por medio de intervenciones mili- aprobado las negociaciones, estaba esta- Venezuela en crisis cercano de Bush en toda América Latina, tares. En el pasado, cada ataque militar bleciendo límites muy estrictos. Uribe Chávez criticó la decisión de Uribe, gobierna Colombia. El presidente ven- de este tipo ha resultado en más muertes enérgicamente rehusó crear una zona de diciendo que este anuncio unilateral no ezolano, Hugo Chávez Frías ha estado de prisioner@s. despeje en Colombia para permitir que las estaba acordado. Puso en tela de juicio la promoviendo una revolución con miras Es posible que este movimiento, con negociaciones procedieran con seguridad sinceridad de Uribe por alcanzar la paz en a construir una sociedad con una base amplio apoyo tanto en Colombia como y sin interferencia militar como las FARC Colombia. También acusó a la interferen- socialista; para la congoja de Washington, internacionalmente, haya instado a Uribe habían requerido. cia imperialista de ocasionar este fin tan varios países en Sur y Centroamérica están el aceptar negociaciones que podrían lle- A mediados de noviembre, Uribe acen- súbito. siguiendo el ejemplo de Chávez. gar a un intercambio. Hasta el conservador tuó su intransigencia, estableciendo el 31 Uribe respondió con el ataque más La agenda de Estados Unidos ha sido la presidente francés, Nicolás Sarkozy, puso de diciembre como fecha límite para las feroz que ha expresado hasta ahora con- de desestabilizar la revolución Bolivariana presión para comenzar las negociaciones, negociaciones. No era razonable creer tra Chávez, acusándolo de perseguir en Venezuela, principalmente a través ya que ha tenido que mostrar su interés que un conflicto armado que ha durado un “proyecto expansionista” en Latino­ del financiamiento de grupos violentos en la liberación de Ingrid Betancourt, la por más de 40 años pueda súbitamente américa, y diciendo que Colombia “cer- opositores que se esconden bajo la más- ex candidata presidencial colombo-fran- proveer una solución tan importante con rará sus puertas” a este proyecto. También cara de “democracia” y por la interven- cesa de Colombia. Además, los padres de tanta prisa. Hasta Chávez mencionó varias acusó a Chávez de “no querer la paz para ción política de Estados Unidos. Mientras los tres contratistas del Pentágono han veces las dificultades en comunicarse con Colombia sino que Colombia sea víctima tanto, Washington respalda el gobierno exigido que se den éstas negociaciones. las FARC por los intensos bombardeos del de un gobierno terrorista de las FARC.” de Uribe con más de $4 mil millones has- Las FARC-EP tienen a estas personas ejército de Colombia en las selvas donde El 27 de noviembre el gobierno venezo- ta la fecha por medio del Plan Colombia. retenidas. se encuentra la guerrilla. lano retiró para consulta a su embajador Estados Unidos interviene políticamente Las mismas FARC han dicho que les en Colombia. Chávez también ha dicho en Colombia por intermedio de su emba- gustaría que el IH lleve a negociaciones EEUU ordena un alto al IH que el comercio con Colombia podría jador en Bogotá. Colombia es tercera en con el gobierno hacia un eventual plan de Dos días después, el 21 de noviembre, afectarse. recibir ayuda militar de los EEUU después paz con justicia social. interesante y trágicamente, el ex emba- Y lo más extraño fue que la Corte del Oriente Medio y Afganistán. A mediados de agosto Uribe sorprendió jador de los EEUU a Venezuela, William Suprema de Colombia acusó a la senadora La meta de Estados Unidos de enfren- a l@s observadores al elegir a la senado- Brownfield, que había sido acreditado Córdoba de “traicionar a la Patria” porque tar Colombia contra Venezuela ha fallado ra afrocolombiana Piedad Córdoba para como embajador a Colombia el 12 de ella se había reunido con representantes hasta ahora. A pesar de las diferencias servir como representante del gobierno septiembre declaró públicamente, “Ya de las FARC en su esfuerzo de mediar el entre estos dos países, han aumentado el colombiano en la facilitación de las nego- han pasado dos meses y 22 días de este intercambio. comercio entre ellos. Ambos países son ciaciones. Córdoba es una líder oposi- proceso y aún no tenemos pruebas de Todo esto ocurre cuando el escándalo el segundo socio comercial entre ellos tora del Partido Liberal, que ha expuesto vida”, pocas horas después, Uribe unilat- de las conexiones con paramilitares de los después de los Estados Unidos. Hace los vínculos de los aliados guberna- eralmente anunció que las negociaciones aliados de Uribe en el gobierno está en varias semanas se inauguró un gasoduc- mentales cercanos a Uribe a las fuerzas habían sido suspendidas y que Córdoba y pleno apogeo. to en Colombia, un proyecto conjunto paramilitares. Chávez terminarían sus responsabilidades También ocurre pocos días antes de la colombo-venezolano. La senadora Córdoba luego invitó al en torno a las negociaciones. celebración del crucial referéndum consti- Por supuesto que Estados Unidos Presidente Chávez a ser parte del esfu- El pretexto usado por Uribe fue una tucional en Venezuela el 2 de diciembre. ha tratado de intervenir. Paramilitares erzo. Chávez, quien había expresado conversación por teléfono que duró 30 Hay un amplio apoyo de las masas para el colombianos fueron capturados en anteriormente su voluntad de participar, segundos entre Chávez y el General del referéndum. Pero Washington está inter- Caracas hace unos años planeando asesi- aceptó con gusto. Uribe aprobó estos Ejército de Colombia, Mario Montoya. viniendo al financiar organizaciones no- nar al presidente Chávez. Otros incidentes pasos. Para poder mediar efectivamente, Uribe alega que la llamada de Chávez a gubernamentales (ONGs) que estimulan en ambos países apuntan hacia la deses- l@s facilitador@s tenían que reunirse con Montoya fue una violación de protocolo. la violencia de grupos opositores, ayudan- tabilización de la Revolución Bolivariana el secretariado de las FARC. Para comen- En realidad, fue Córdoba quien hizo la do a las manifestaciones de “estudiantes” llegando desde Colombia. zar este proceso la senadora Córdoba se llamada como una de las muchas que contra el referéndum que han recibido Y ahora la decisión unilateral y abrupta reunió con el vocero de las FARC Raúl había hecho a Montoya en su esfuerzo por mucha publicidad en los medios masivos. de Uribe de detener las negociaciones Reyes el 15 de septiembre. mediar. Estos “estudiantes” son en realidad la rep- Chávez y Córdoba le dieron alta priori- Podemos imaginar la pérdida abrupta resentación de la oligarquía rica a través dad a las negociaciones del IH. Córdoba de esperanza sentida por los parientes, del sector comercial, religioso y opositor. viajó a Caracas, Paris y a Washington, y en general, por el pueblo colombiano Las magníficas demostraciones de las donde se reunió con l@s miembros de las que quiere paz. Y por la comunidad inter- masas en apoyo a Chávez sin embargo, FARC Simón Trinidad y Sonia, que actual- nacional que está en solidaridad con las han sido ignoradas por los medios corpo- mente están encarcelad@s en los EEUU. valientes masas colombianas en su lucha. rativos en Venezuela y en los países impe- Ambos generosamente dijeron a la sena- Hasta Sarkozy exhortó a Uribe a reconsid- rialistas. n dora que sus nombres debían ser elimi- erar su acción.

Fernando González, Ramón Labañino, Libertad para los cinco Cubanos Antonio Guerrero,­­ Gerardo Hernández y René González.