Political Explosion Spreads As Argentine Crisis Grows
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· AUSTRALIA$3.00 · CANADA$2.50 · FRANCE FF10 · ICELAND KR200 · NEW ZEALAND $3.00 . SWEDEN KR15 . UK £1.00 . U.S. $1.50 SPECIAL Introduction to 'From the Escambray to the Congo' THE -PAGES8-11 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL 66/NO. 02 JANUARY 14, 2002 Bush: U.S. Political explosion spreads will keep bombing as Argentine crisis grows Mghanistan Workers, students take to streets; four presidents resign BY MARTIN KOPPEL, BY BRIAN WILLIAMS CHRISTIAN CATALAN, Stating what has been the intent of the AND ROMINA GREEN U.S. rulers from the start of their war against BUENOS AIRES. Argentina-An erup Afghanistan, President George Bush made tion of mass protests across the country, in clear at a news conference at his ranch in cluding the capital city of Buenos Aires, Texas December 2.8 that U.S. troops will forced President Fernando de Ia Rua tore remain in that country for "quite a long pe sign halfway into his four-year term. In face riod of time." of continuing street mobilizations, his re Since October 7 Washington has dropped placement, Adolfo Rodriguez Saa, stepped 12,000 bombs throughoutAfghanistan, kill ing thousands of civilians. A convoy of Pashtun tribal elders traveling to Kabul to Firsthand report from attend the December 22 inauguration of Hamid Karzai as the leader of the newly team in Argentina appointed Afghan government, became one ofWashington 's bombing targets. About 65 people were killed in the attack, which the down barely a week later. On New Year's Pentagon insists was a Taliban convoy. Day, hours after the Argentine Congress The new Afghan defense minister, Gen. appointed Peronist leader Eduardo Duhalde Mohammed Fahim, asked in an interview as president-the fifth in 12 days, thousands December 28 for Washington to end its of protesters were once again in the streets, bombing raids inAfghanistan. Bush promptly chanting, "I didn't vote for him!" dismissed this request and the Afghan De On December 20, with tens of thousands fense Ministry December 30 backed down of angry demonstrators in front of the presi from objections to the U.S. bombings. dential house defying a newly imposed state Three days later Reuters reported that a of siege and chanting "Out with him!" de Ia U.S. air strike killed more than 100 civil Rua announced his resignation, climbed to ians, many of them women and children, in the roof of the building, and took off in a the village of Qalaye N iazi in Paktia prov- helicopter. Continued on Page 12 The protests by working people, as well Militant/Romina Green as by middle-class layers, were a response Thousands march to presidential house on evening of January 1 to protest congres Garment Continued on Page 6 sional appointment of Peronist leader Eduardo Duhalde as president of Argentina. strikers say, 'World events make production of 'We'll keep revolutionary books more important' Waters, was held eight days earlier, on De December, he reported, volunteers in the Meeting celebrates cember 15. In the course of the week be Pathfinder Reprint Project had prepared nine fighting' tween the two celebrations, work crews had books from Pathfinder's catalog for reprint progress of work crews transformed the meeting location from a ing. The figure registered the increasing BY SYLVIE CHARBIN helping to reorganize largely empty area into a freshly painted pace of the international work to convert AND NATHAN CECCKIN space ready for installation of sheetfed Pathfinder's 350-plus titles to digital files, MONTREAL-Despite colder weather Pathfinder's printshop presses on which all Pathfinder books and which can be easily turned into plates for and a two-week holiday plant shutdown, pamphlets are produced. the printing presses. striking garment workers here continued to Barnes, the Socialist Workers Party na Two days earlier, he said, socialist work BY PATRICK O'NEILL walk picket lines they set up December 14. tional secretary, opened the meeting point ers in Upper Manhattan held the first Mili Of the 3,000 union members who struck A public meeting held in the Pathfinder ing to other steps forward by members and tant Labor Forum at their new Washington some two dozen men's garment shops in printshop on December 23 celebrated a supporters of the communist movement. In Continued on Page 3 Quebec, two-thirds work in four big plants "major turning point in the work of the in here: Golden Brand, Jack Victor. SFI, and ternational communist movement," said Samuelsohn. Jack Barnes. the chairperson, in his intro The strike by members of the Union of ductory remarks. He was referring to the War tensions grow between India Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Em ongoing work by volunteers from across the ployees (UNITE) began after garment work country and Canada to reorganize the and Pakistan; U.S. backs New Delhi ers narrowly rejected for the second time a printshop. and in the months to come, the contract offer by the Men's Clothing Manu offices of the Militant, Perspectiva Mundiul, BY ROGER CALERO Borrowing from the imperialist rhetoric facturers Association (MCMA). The second and Pathfinder. Facing a massive military mobilization by used by Washington to justify its war moves proposal improved by a nickel the initial Held under the banner, "The place of the government of India and severe diplo against Afghanistan and other countries in wage hike of 40 cents an hour over a three Pathfinder books in building the interna matic pressure from Washington, Pakistani the region, Indian prime minister A tal Behari year contract. Most workers earn between tional communist movement," the meeting, president Gen. Pervez M usharraf announced Vajpayee said December 30 that India's "ob $7.25 and $8.40 an hour (Can$l=US 63 which drew 90 people, was the second in a January 1 that his government will cut off jective is to put an end to Pakistan-spon cents). In previous negotiations, the MCMA series of such events. The first, which fea all support to "nonindigenous" groups fight sored cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Continued on Page 4 tured New International editor Mary-Alice ing India's occupation of Kashmir. Among Kashmir and the rest of the country." Seiz other measures, Musharraf ordered the sec ing on the opportunity provided by the tion of military intelligence that provided armed attack on the Indian parliament, New Coming February 1 from Pathfinder training and military support to the groups Delhi seeks to deal a decisive blow to the to be closed down. Kashmir independence movement, and gain From the Escambray to the Congo: Continuing a military escalation aimed at ground over its neighbor and capitalist rival In the Whirlwind of the Cuban Revolution Pakistan that has brought the region to the in the region. brink of war, New Delhi insists that the gov "Lowering the level of insurgency is not (• Interview with Victor Dreke, leading participant in Cuba's ernment in Islamabad extend its crackdown too high a price to pay for protecting the revolutionary movement. See advertisement page 9. on Islamic groups accused by India of carry country" against attack from India, whose ing out an armed attack on the Indian parlia conventional forces far outnumber •:• Read the introduction and first chapter of the Spanish-language ment December 13. The five attackers killed Pakistan's, said Musharraf on January 2. edition in the January issue of Perspectiva Mundial. eight people outside the parliament, most of The Pakistani regime had earlier moved them guards, before being gunned down. Continued on Page 4 Support grows for fight of fired garment worker- pages 4-5 Volunteer crews help reorganize printshop Brian Williams, Hilda Cuzco. and Romina Green On December 22-23 more than 80 volunteers joined crews in the Path finder building on Manhattan's westside to continue the work of reorganizing the publisher's printshop. Volunteers also took part in an auction of bound THE MILITANT volumes of the Militant and Perspectiva Mundial, disused tools, and com puter and other equipment that raised $2,500. A dinner, meeting, and social event were organized December 23 (see article page 3). Defend workers' rights The following week, a crew prepared the relocation of the two sheetfed presses to the refurbished factory area. The work included the dismantling of Imperialist governments from the an enclosure around the presses needed to maintain air quality. United States to New Zealand Clockwise from top left: volunteers clear the debris left after a crew re have stepped up their campaign to moved the press enclosure; a meeting to assess and organize the work; paint restrict rights utilized by working ing the factory walls and floor to tum the space into a press room; looking people in our struggles against over sale items; taking down the walls around the sheetfed presses; restacking boxes ofPathfinder books moved to the first floor; and preparing photographic capitalist brutality and exploita film of books to send the Pathfinder Reprint Project volunteers. tion. 'Militant' correspondents from around the globe keep read ers abreast ofthese developments. above address. By first-class (airmail), send $80. Don't miss a single issue. The Militant Asia: send $80 drawn on aU .S. bank to above address. Vol. 66/No. 2 Canada: Send Canadian $75 for one-year Closing news date: January 2, 2002 subscription to Militant, 4613 St. Laurent, Editor: GREG McCARTAN Montreal, Quebec H2T IR2. SUBSCRIBE TODAYI Business Manager: MAURICE WILLIAMS Britain, Ireland: £36 for one year by check Editorial Staff: Roger Calero, Martin Koppel, or international money order made out to Mili Jack Willey, Brian Williams, and Maurice Will tant Distribution, 4 7 The Cut, London, SE I 8LL, NEW READERS iams.