Interview with editor of THE 'Are ito' magazine Pages 8-9

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 53/NO. 3 JANUARY 27, 1989 $1.00 Blacks in Mianti rebel Mexican gov't against killing by cops attacks oil workers' union• BY SUSAN LaMONT Joaquin Hernandez Galicia, head of the 200,000-member Mexican oil workers' union, was arrested January 10 after gov­ ernment troops staged an armed assault with rocket launchers and automatic weap­ ons on his home in Ciudad Madero. Doz­ ens of soldiers and three helicopters were used in the attack, ordered by the adminis­ tration of President Carlos Salinas de Gor­ tari. The 66-year old union leader was dragged off in his underwear. The Revolutionary Oil Workers Union of the Republic of Mexico (SRTPRM), the largest union in Latin America, organizes workers in Mexico's oil industry, PetroIeos Mexicanos (Pemex), which was national­ ized in 1938. Oil is Mexico's most important industry, Police arrested 400 people and wounded six during their occupation of Miami's Black community. Miami's rulers are trying accounting for more than 40 percent of na­ to pin blame for conditions faced by Black workers on Latino and immigrant workers. tional revenue, 40 percent of export earn­ ings, and 10 percent of the country's gross national product. BY TONY THOMAS started chasing them, allegedly for speed­ Lloyd died instantly. Blanchard died the A spokeswoman for Salinas said the at­ MIAMI, -On the evening of January ing. When they tried to stop, another cop, next day from injuries sustained in the tack on the oil workers' leadership "was a 16 Miami's Black community rose in re­ William Lozano, who had just stepped out crash. matter of national security." She claimed bellion after Miami cops murdered two of an apartment building, shot Lloyd at A crowd of community residents sur­ the federal attorney general's office had Blacks, Clement Anthony Lloyd, 23, part­ point-blank range. rounded Lozano and other cops, shouting, uncovered evidence that Hernandez was owner of a car wash, and Allen Blanchard, Lloyd, who was driving the motorcycle, "You no-good killers," "Why are white planning to "damage Pemex installations." 24, an unemployed construction worker. lost control and crashed head-on into· a police officers shooting Black men?" and Hernandez, known popularly as La Lloyd and Blanchard were riding a Buick driving in the opposite direction. "How can they kill him on Martin Luther Quina, was initially charged with illegally motorcycle through Overtown, Miami's The shooting barely missed children play­ King's birthday?" stockpiling weapons and ammunition. The poorest Black community, when a police car ing in a nearby park. When Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez and government claims to have found 200 sub­ City Manager Cesar Odio came to the machine guns, 30,000 rounds of ammuni­ scene they were pelted with rocks and bot­ tion, and other firearms in his home. Two tles. Police in full riot gear beat back the days later, charges of resisting arrest and Socialist candidate hits Bush crowd. murder were added, for the death of a fed­ Hundreds of Miami and Dade County eral agent killed in the assault. police rushed into Overtown. Within a few Eight others were arrested with Hernan­ support to Angola contras hours more than 140 blocks of Overtown dez, and during the 24 hours that followed, were cordoned off, and reporters were or­ some 40 more union officials and associates CHICAGO - "Working people here with UNIT A, "my administration w·ill con­ dered out. Some 400 people were arrested were arrested on charges of fraud, tax eva­ and around the country need to raise their tinue all appropriate and effective assis­ in the first few days. Most of them have sion, and illegal possession of weapons. voices in opposition to President-elect tance to UNIT A." been charged with "prowling" or "inciting Among them was the union's secretary George Bush's commitment to continue A Bush spokesman emphasized that to riot." general, Salvador Barragan Camacho. He backing UNIT A's fight to overthrow the such "assistance" means continuation of was put into police custody in a Mexico government of Angola," said Omari Musa, existing covert military aid, which has av­ Overtown residents began defending City hospital, where he had been brought Socialist Workers Party candidate for eraged $15 million a year since 1986. The themselves against police attacks with after suffering a heart attack. Union offi­ mayor of Chicago, in a statement released letter also congratulates UNITA for "its rocks and bottles. Cars, meat markets, cials have appointed Ricardo Camero Car­ here January 17. courageous demonstration over more than groceries, and other buildings were set diel, a close associate of Hernandez, as act­ Musa, a veteran Black rights and union a decade that solutions to Angola's prob­ afire. Cars carrying whites became targets ing secretary general of the union. activist, blasted Bush's January 6 letter to lems cannot be found through repressive after a white male in a luxury car fired into Meanwhile, the government deployed National Union for the Total Liberation of military force." Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 10 Angola (UNIT A) leader Jonas Savimbi. In "UNITA's forces are to Angola what the it, Bush states that until the Angolan gov­ contras are to Nicaragua," Musa explained, ernment agrees to a negotiated settlement "an armed force that specializes in terror­ izing, murdering, and maiming civilians Forums focus on Curtis defense and attacking non-military targets." "The BY MARGARET JAYKO why he is sitting in the state penitentiary in South African- and U.S. -backed UNIT A The stakes in the international political Anamosa, Iowa, today. forces have been fighting to overthrow the fight to free frame-up .victim Mark Curtis The forums will discuss the importance government of Angola since 1975, when will be the centerpiece of a series of public of winning thousands of new sponsors for Angola won its independence from Por­ talks by national leaders of the Socialist the Mark Curtis Defense Committee. The tugal. In the process, they've killed, Workers Party. campaign's goals are to maximize the price wounded, and displaced hundreds of Curtis is a unionist and political activist the ruling class has to pay for railroading thousands." from Des Moines, Iowa, who is serving a Curtis to jail, to bust up the frame-up, and "It's not an accident that Bush's first 25-year jail sentence on false charges of to free Mark Curtis. foreign policy initiative is to reassert U.S. third-degree sexual abuse and first-degree The talks will be sponsored by the Mili­ imperialism's backing - in partnership burglary. Curtis is also a member of the tant Labor Forum and will take place in six with the apartheid regime in Pretoria- for Socialist Workers Party. cities across the United States on three con­ this terrorist outfit," Musa continued. The speakers will trace the roots of the secutive Saturday nights: January 21, Janu­ "The Brazzaville accords, signed last Curtis frame-up in the developing econom­ ary 28, and February 4. John Gaige, SWP month between Angola, Cuba, and South ic and social crisis of the capitalist system national farm director and SWP organizer Africa, mark an important step toward end­ and the resistance to the attacks on workers in Des Moines; James Warren, SWP or­ ing the war against Angola," Musa said. and farmers by the employers and their ganization secretary; and Craig Gannon, "But as long as Washington continues its government. As a packinghouse worker at SWP administrative secretary, will be the support for UNIT A, the war will continue, the Des Moines Swift plant, Curtis is one speakers. with devastating results for the people and of tens of thousands of young workers The forums will occur during six region­ Militant/James Kendrick economy of that country." around the world who have refused to re­ al political conferences sponsored by the Omari Musa, Socialist Workers Party The accords Musa cited were signed treat in the face of assaults on wages, SWP and Young Socialist Alliance. For candidate for mayor of Chicago. Continued on Page 13 working conditions, and rights. This is more information, see the ad on page 3. Jobless textile workers snatch up Action Program

BY YVONNE HAYES here, and five textile workers loans by a management group in explained that the bank's holding The Action Program's proposal AND DEVIN OLDENDICK bought subscriptions to the Mili­ 1983. company loans were satisfied with for affirmative action hiring, train­ GREENSBORO, N.C.-"Scott tant. At its White Oak plant, jobs management's performance. ing, and promotion programs for Libin reports this evening on radi­ A massive and ongoing restruc­ were eliminated in spinning, Cone officials have blamed tex­ women and minorities also gener­ cal politics at the plant gate." This turing of the industry, including whole shifts abolished in beaming tile imports and a "soft denim mar­ ates debate. report on the team of socialist buyouts and mergers, has left and finishing , and weavers and ket'' for the layoffs. But as of last Racial discrimination has been campaigners at the gate of Cone some 4,000 textile workers in the creelers have been stretched out September the textile trade deficit prevalent in textile mills through­ Mills Corp.'s Minneola plant in Southeast unemployed since last along the line - responsible for was down 21.4 percent from the out the South, especially during more looms than ever before. previous year, according to indus­ the Jim Crow system of legal Over the last year the work force try publications. segregation, which was abolished SELLING OUR PRESS of 1,700 was reduced by 10 per­ Some textile workers today are under the impact of the civil rights cent. Workers in the plant are more open to questioning the anti­ movement. To this day the em­ members of ACTWU Local 1391 . imports campaign of the mill boss­ ployers exploit the divisions that AT THE PLANT GATE es and union officials, which are the legacy of the past. Cone's announcement last Oc­ blames workers in other countries At the Minneola plant gate one nearby Gibsonville was the lead April. tober that it would close its Edna for layoffs in this C')Untry . The worker argued that quality suffers item on Channel 8 news here Oc­ Burlington Industries, Inc. tossed and Minneola mills sent shock perspective in the Action Program when affirmative action quotas are tober 27 . The socialists also cam­ out 1,200 workers and sold several waves through communities in the that workers are part of an interna­ instituted. "That's why Japan and paigned among workers at Cone's of its other plants in 1987. Some area. The closings affected 8 per­ tional working class with a com­ Korea are ahead. They only hire Edna mill in Reidsville. I ,300 Amalgamated Clothing and cent of the manufacturing work mon enemy - the international the most qualified workers," he Nearly 100 copies of the Action Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) force in Reidsville. Some 200 of capitalist class- is an idea work­ said. After some discussion he de­ Program to Confront the Coming members were dismissed from the 4,000 residents of Gibsonville ers are willing to consider more cided to buy a copy of the Action Economic Crisis, proposed by the Avtex in Front Royal, Virginia, worked at the Minneola mill . seriously than before. Program so he could read it and Socialist Workers Party, were sold last fall. The plant reopened when In negotiations with the union, The Action Program's proposal think about its proposals some here in late October as hundreds of it obtained $38 million in contracts Cone has refused to grant sever­ to fight for a shorter workweek more. textile workers were laid off. from the National Aeronautics and ance pay, earned 1989 vacation with no cut in pay as an answer to At the Minneola and Edna plant Space Administration and the Air pay, and 1988 holiday pay to the the bosses' layoffs and work load Yvonne Hayes is a member of gates 24 workers snatched up Force. Edna workers. At White Oak, the increases generates lively debate AC1WU Local 1391 and works at copies of the Action Program. Last year Cone Mills Corp. the company refused to grant a pay in­ in the mills, at union meetings, Cone Mills' White Oak plant in Another 25 were sold in the two largest cotton, denim, and cor­ crease in 1988 despite record 1987 and on the job. Will the companies Greensboro. Devin Oldendick is a rural communities where the mills duroy manufacturer in the world, profits. grant this demand? What kind of member of AC1WU Local 2376 are located. Five were sold at dropped 1,800 workers. Cone was In a letter to employees, Cone movement is necessary to fight for and works at Fiber Dynamic in Cone's flagship White Oak mill bought out with $450 million in Mills Chairman Dewey Trogdon it? High Point, North Carolina. Anti-imperialist organizations solidarize with Cuba

BY DON ROJAS Today, it noted, "the Cuban [Commu­ and its stolen wealth. " late it from the family of Caribbean and HAVANA, Cuba- "Cuba's victory is nist] Party and people are actively engaged The Anti-Imperialist Organizations cited Latin American nations. At the same time our victory as well ," declared a statement in a process of rectifying past errors and the example set by Cuban President Fidel we must condemn the empire's continuing issued here January 5 by the Anti-Imperial­ shortcomings, a process aimed at improving Castro, particularly his leadership on the blockade, its occupation of Guantanamo, ist Organizations of the Caribbean and economic efficiency, eliminating bureau­ question of the Third World's unpayable and its campaigns of disinformation. Central America. The declaration saluting cratism, and further deepening the revolu­ foreign debt - "the single most critical the 30th anniversary of the Cuban revolution tionary consciousness of the masses." This "We wish to reiterate our militant solidar­ problem common to all our countries and ity with the Cuban revolution and to reassure was signed by Cheddi Jagan, the former will "serve to strengthen the revolutionary peoples ." prime minister of Guyana and president of process in our region," the statement of the the Cuban people that all the anti-imperialist the Anti-Imperialist Organizations. Anti-Imperialist Organizations said. On the occasion of this 30th anniversary, and anticolonialist forces of the Caribbean The organization is made up of 43 polit­ the statement concluded, "We must cele­ and Central America will continue to sup­ Turning to the arena of world politics, ical groups from more than 20 countries. brate also imperialism's failure not only to port fully their endeavors to build a truly just the declaration hailed the Cuban people's roll back the Cuban revolution but to iso- and equitable society for all ." Its declaration hailed the example Cuba "unmatched internationalism", which, it had set for other oppressed nations by be­ noted, "stems from the basic principles of coming "the first truly free , independent, their revolution." and democratic country in our Americas." Hundreds of infants in United States "We are deeply impressed," it said, "by It is thanks in part to Cuba's inter­ the array of Cuba's social, economic, and nationalist aid that "our sisters and brothers cultural successes over the past 30 years, in Namibia will later this year taste the die from diarrhea every year against enormous odds and in the face of sweet fruit of freedom and independence, Diarrhea, an easily treated illness, kills deaths a year, with the number declining the criminal Yankee economic blockade." and that the republic of Angola's security hundreds of infants in the United States from 719 in 1973 to 372 in 1983. It took struggle, sacrifice, and discipline will be guaranteed by the glorious victories each year, most in the South, according to The death rate from diarrhea for Black by the Cuban people to register this "out­ last year at Cuito Cuanavale [Angola] over a study recently released by the Centers for infants is four times that of white infants. standing record ," the statement said . And the racist forces of South Africa." Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta. Dr. Mei-Shang Ho, who directed the these gains have been "fortified by the rev­ "For 30 years," the declaration said, Diarrhea is the second leading cause of study, said about 200,000 children under olutionary victories of other peoples and "Cuba has said 'No!' to imperialism. In the death among children in Africa, Asia, and five are hospitalized each year because of nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America face of ceaseless attacks Cuba has never Latin America, killing an estimated 4.5 diarrhea. Some 10 percent of preventable over the past three decades." bowed its head in shame, has never com­ million each year. Only respiratory illness infant deaths are caused by the disease. promised its revolutionary principles and has a higher mortality toll. A simple and inexpensive treatment for Don Rojas is a leader of Grenada's ideas , has never retreated. Instead, it has The CDC study found that 5,539 U.S. diarrhea exists called rehydration therapy, Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement and a fought back and it has won great victories children from one month to four years old which resupplies the body with water, Coordinating Committee member of the over imperialism, giving us all resounding died from diarrhea in the decade 1973 - sugar, sodium, and potassium. It is the ex­ Anti-Imperialist Organizations of the proof that the empire is not invincible, that 1983 . Eighty percen~ died in their first tensive loss of these elements that accounts Caribbean and Central America. we must never be intimidated by its power year. Overall there was an average of 504 for most deaths. THE MILITANT TELLS THE TRUTH The Militant Closing news date: January 18, 1989 Coeditors: MARGARET JA YKO and DOUG JENNESS Circulation Director: NORTON SANDLER SPECIAL RENEWAL OFFER Nicaragua Bureau Director: LARRY SEIGLE Business Manager: JIM WHITE With 6 mos. or longer renewal, New International #5 or #6 only $3.50 Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Seth Galinsky (Up to $3 saving) (Nicaragua), Arthur Hughes, Cindy Jaquith, Susan LaMont, Sam Manuel, Harry Ring, Judy White (Nicaragua). The Militant carries news and analysis • Reports on advances in Cuba Published weekly except one week in August and the last on the developing world economic week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 410 crisis and resistance by workers and • On-the-scene coverage from our West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. Telephone: Editorial Of­ fice, (212) 243-6392; Telex, 497-4278; Business Office, (212) farmers to employer and government at­ bureau in Managua, Nicaragua 929-3486. Nicaragua Bureau, Apartado 2222, Managua. Tele­ tacks -from the U.S. to the Philippines, phone 24845. Britain to South Africa. Correspondence concerning subscriptions or cbanges of address should be addressed to The Militant Business Of­ Enclosed is fice, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014; 0 $4 for 12 weeks, new readers 0 $9 for 12 weeks, re­ Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. 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2 The Militant January 27, 1989 New York forum celebrates Cuban revolution Socialist leader hails Cuba's 'place in the world today'

BY SAM MANUEL as the Cubans are discussing again today, if NEW YORK- Some 300 people at­ a socialist revolution tries to use capitalist tended the Militant Labor Forum here Jan­ methods, capitalist instruments, what you uary 14 to hear Socialist Workers Party generate is not capitalist restoration neces­ leader Mary-Alice Waters report on the sarily but capitalist consciousness. You celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the can't use the laws of capitalism, they use Cuban revolution held recently in Cuba. you," Waters said. Most of those attending the meeting came In 1986 the Cuban leadership began a from the area surrounding New York City, discussion aimed at correcting the mistak­ including northern New Jersey and cam­ en idea that there is some mechanism - puses in upstate New York. Some came whether it is an economic plan or Cuba's from as far as Boston and Philadelphia. system of democratic representation, Peo­ Waters represented the SWP Political ple's Power- whose automatic function­ Committee at the celebrations in Cuba. She ing could advance the country toward so­ has reported on the Cuban revolution for cialism. The new perspective places the the Militant and is editor of the Marxist working people themselves, led by the journal New International. Communist Party of Cuba, at the center of She noted that many articles that have the battle for socialism. That process is appeared in publications around the world, known as rectification. even by some individuals who consider themselves to be supporters of the Cuban The organization of volunteer work revolution, have questioned its relevancy brigades to plan and build new schools, day­ for today . care centers, housing, hospitals, bridges, "We're here to celebrate tonight. But and roads has been a pillar of the rectifica­ what we're celebrating is not an event that tion process. took place 30 years ago, as important as The rectification campaign has also that event may have been in the history of given renewed emphasis to Cuba's per­ Cuba, of Latin America, and of working spective of internationalist solidarity. Hun­ people the world over. We are here tonight dreds of thousands of Cuban construction because of everything that has happened workers, teachers, and doctors have served on internationalist work brigades in Africa Mary-Alice Waters, who represented Socialist Workers Party at anniversary cele­ since then. For what the Cuban revolution brations in Cuba, speaks at January 14 meeting. is today, and its place in the world today," and Latin America. Waters explained. Same spirit Gains of revolution This same kind of spirit, of collective ef­ Socialists to host She reported on the tremendous gains fort , led to the victory in southern Africa the revolution has continued to make in last spring, where Cuban and Angolan health care, housing, education, and other troops fought shoulder-to-shoulder to de­ conferences in 6 cities social needs, especially over the last two feat South African troops at Cuito Cuana­ vale, Angola, Waters explained. "No The Socialist Workers Party and will discuss perspectives in the inter­ years. "Last year alone, in 1988," reported the Young Socialist Alliance will be national campaign to defend Mark Waters, "they built the equivalent of eight single Cuban or Angolan soldier could ever defeat South African imperialism." hosting regional political conferences Curtis, a framed-up Iowa packing­ 600-bed hospitals, and completed them in in six cities in January and February. Waters' presentation was followed by a house worker serving a 25-year jail full and on time, by January I, to celebrate Members and friends of the SWP sentence. the 30th anniversary." wide-ranging discussion. Participants asked about the extent of participation in the and YSA and supporters of the Mil­ Each conference will feature a Waters noted that there are also those itant will hear reports on and dis­ public talk by an SWP leader on the who concede that only the socialist revolu­ work brigades, their impact on the organi­ zations of People's Power, Cuba's policies cuss major developments in interna­ political stakes involved in the fight tion in Cuba made social gains possible but tional and U.S. politics today. They to defend Curtis. who challenge whether socialism remains on nuclear power, and civil liberties and valid today. They ask: can socialism pro­ the role of opposition groups in Cuba. Host city participating Host city participating duce what capitalist market mechanisms One participant said that while he sup­ produce? She explained that these critics ported the Cuban revolution, it is wrong to January 21-22 often point to the "market reforms" being refer to Cuba as a socialist country. Isn't Oakland Portland Pittsburgh Baltimore introduced in other countries where capi­ doing so, he asked, a departure from the San Francisco Charleston talism has been overturned. Marxist view that socialism can only be Seattle Cleveland "Fidel answered this very well in a based on a world economy? Detroit Morgantown speech on the 20th anniversary of the as­ Waters pointed out that V.I. Lenin, the Washington, DC sassination of the Cuban revolutionary Che central leader of the October 1917 Russian January 28-29 Guevara," Waters said. "He said some revolution, referred to the Soviet Union as Atlanta Birmingham Chicago Austin, Minn. people believe human beings are really just a socialist country in the early 1920s, a Greensboro Des Moines nasty little animals and the only way you country which had made far less progress Houston Kansas City can make them work is by whipping them in that direction than Cuba has today. Miami Milwaukee with a stick or holding a carrot or a piece of "Lenin said we also have to talk about Omaha St. Louis grass in front of their nose." our course, our direction, where we are Twin Cities "Fidel said that anyone who thinks like heading, what we are trying to accomplish. February 4-5 that can never be a revolutionary, will He said that in that sense it is correct to Los Angeles Phoenix New York City Boston never be a communist, will never be able to refer to the Soviet Union as a socialist Price, Utah Brooklyn lead working people to accomplish any­ country . And in that sense I also think it is Salt Lake City Newark thing," Waters explained. correct to use the term in relationship to Philadelphia "AsChe Guevara said 25 years ago, and Cuba," Waters explained. For more information call: Oakland (415) 420-1165; Pittsburgh (412) 362-6767; Atlanta (404) 577-4065; Chicago (312) 363-7322; Los Angeles (213) 380-9460; New York (212) 219-3679.

Militant Labor Forums The Political Fight to Free Mark Curtis

Pittsburgh: Hear JameS Warren Socialist Workers Party national organization secretary. Sat., Jan. 21, 7 p.m. Sewell Center Robt. Morris Business College, Narrows Run Rd. Near Days Inn Motel at airport. For more information call (412) 362-6767. San Francisco: Hear John Gaige National farm director for the Socialist Workers Party and SWP organizer in Des Moines, Iowa. Sat., Jan. 21, 7 p.m. ILWU Local 34 Hall, 34 Berry St. For more information call (415) 282-6255 or (415) 420-1165. Chicago: Hear John Gaige. Sat., Jan. 28, 7 p.m. Congress Hotel, Windsor Room 520 S. Michigan Ave. For more information call (312) 363-7322 Atlanta: Hear Craig Gannon, SWP Political Committee New York antiracist march Jan. 16, 1989. Supporters of Palestinian struggle were among 1,000 people who marched on Martin Luther King Day. Sat., Jan. 28, 7 p.m. City Centre Hotel, 70 Houston St. Near downtown and Highway 75. For more information call (404) 577-4065

January 27, 1989 The Militant 3 Prominent Alabama activists back Curtis fight

Mark Curtis is a unionist and will be targeted for more such the Des Moines police were acting political activist from Des Moines, frame-ups. The frame-up of Mark alone in the attack on Mark." Iowa, who is serving 25 years in Curtis must not go unchallenged. Stephano said he met Curtis at the jail on frame-up charges of rape Any one of us fighting for justice oil workers' union convention in and burglary. The Mark Curtis here and around the world could Florida last August. Defense Committee is leading an be singled out next." • international protest campaign Signers include: Abraham Woods, Curtis described what the holi- to fight for justice for Curtis. To Jr., president, Southern Christian days were like in the Iowa state contact the committee, write Leadership Conference, Birming­ penitentiary in Anamosa in a letter Box 1048, Des Moines, Iowa ham chapter; George Paris, farm to the defense committee. 50311. Telephone (515) 246- activist; Fred Shepherd, United "We didn't do anything special 1695. Steelworkers of America; Johnny over the holidays, but we (in all "Imani" Harris, political prisoner; the shops anyway) got a day off More than a dozen civil rights, Linda Smith, president, Greater for Christmas, and another for union, farm, religious, student, Birmingham Chapter, National New Year's, with pay . The in­ academic, and political leaders in Organization for Women; Albert stitution gave us all four candy Alabama have signed an appeal Carson, president, Local 255 , bars for Christmas and we had for support to Curtis. Glass, Molders, Plastics, Pottery, steak for New Year's. The next The jailed packinghouse worker and Allied Workers Union; and holiday we are looking to is Mar­ tin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday." According to Pathfinder sales representative Priscilla March, the DEFEND MARK CURTIS! New York-based publishing house received a letter from Curtis re­ lived in Birmingham from 1981- Spiver Gordon, Eutaw city coun­ questing literature. "Please send 85, where he was active in his cilman. me a Pathfinder catalog, and the union and in the local affiliate of the Supporters of the Curtis defense following books: Thomas Sankara Committee in Solidarity with the effort in Christchurch, New Zea­ Speaks, Che Guevara and the Cu­ People of El Salvador (CISPES). land, got a good response when Militant/Eric Simpson ban Revolution, and volumes l-6 Documents the FBI was forced to they set up a . table outside the Hazel Zimmerman, secretary of Curtis defense committee, pro­ of the New International." release showed that Curtis was one movie Evil Angels (currently screen­ posed that supporters launch new effort to gain sponsors in the Des Curtis explained that there is a of the Birmingham activists who ing in the United States under the Moines area. library of 10,000 books at the was spied on as part of the govern­ name Cry in the Dark). Thirty-six prison but very few of them "could ment's anti-CISPES campaign. movie-goers signed a petition for help workers and farmers here un­ "Your help is urgently needed Curtis. committee secretary Hazel Zim­ Local 230; and Anne Johnstone, derstand the international class to defend a young unionist and The movie tells the story of merman singled out Des Moines Iowa organizer, Nicaragua Net­ struggle, the nature of capitalism political activist, Mark Curtis, Lindy Chamberlain and her hus­ and the surrounding area as the work. and imperialism, or the road for­ who is the victim of a frame-up by band. In 1983 Lindy Chamberlain most important place to organize ward to national liberation, an end the Des Moines, Iowa, police," was wrongly accused of murder­ new support. • to racism and sexism, and to so­ Denis Stephano, secretary-trea­ the letter begins. It was sent with a ing her nine-week-old baby in Aus­ She proposed that pairs of de­ cialism. surer of Oil, Chemical and Atomic packet of materials to 175 ac­ tralia. Like Curtis, she did not re­ fense committee activists, with "I found one book on Nelson Workers Local 8-234 in Linwood, tivists. ceive a fair trial. She was con­ more experienced members teamed Mandela," wrote Curtis, but noth­ Pennsylvania, recently sent a letter "Although the authorities rail­ victed nonetheless and sentenced up with newer people, go out and ing with the African National Con­ to the defense committee urging roaded Mark to jail, they were not to life imprisonment. Her husband talk to the long list of people that gress leader's writings. Che's Bo­ "all workers to support Mark and able to close people's minds or si­ was found guilty of being an ac­ the committee wants to win as livian diary is the only book by the committee's efforts in his de­ lence Mark and his supporters. In­ cessory after the fact. sponsors. Guevara in the library. Curtis in­ fense ." ternational support has grown since A public defense campaign even­ Among the many Iowa figures tends to donate to the library all the conviction," the letter con­ tually forced the Australian gov­ who have already signed sponsor Stephano wrote "Anyone who the books he gets so they will be tinues. ernment to release the Chamber­ cards are Harold Dunkelberger, has read the Militant knows Mark available to all inmates. "Police frame-ups of political lains from jail and officially exon­ American Agriculture Movement, Curtis. You don't need to meet activists and unionists are nothing erate them. Inc., Pilot Mound; Edna Griffin, Mark in person to realize he is in­ Felicity Brereton from New Zea­ new in the United States. As social civil rights activist, Des Moines; nocent and is being victimized by land, and Sandra Nelson from Des and economic conditions worsen, At the January• 7 meeting of the T.J. Lauritsen, president, United the Des Moines Police Depart­ Moines, contributed to this col­ working people who fight back Mark Curtis Defense Committee, Food and Commercial Workers ment. I would be very surprised if umn. Mark Curtis wins approval to receive 'Militant'

On New Year's Day, Mark Curtis sent a class fighters hope they will be forgotten rican National Congress, which has had so oner Subscription Fund would be much letter to the Militant reporting that "after an and become demoralized, but the Militant many of its ranks pass through the iron better. Cards, letters, and photos are ap­ initial denial and review by the publication is helping to make sure that doesn't hap­ gates, always reminds its comrades to stay preciated though." committee, the Militant is now an ap­ pen. strong. Do the same." To write Curtis, address letters to: Mark proved publication here at the Iowa Men's "I salute those fighters and also those Curtis added a note to readers who want S. Curtis, No. 805338A, Box B, Anamosa, Reformatory. I received numbers 50 and 51 , [prisoners] whose letters were printed in to write to him: Iowa 52205. His defense committee would and eagerly read them for the first time since your last two issues. I do not yet have per­ "In lieu of all the gifts your readers have like to receive copies of the correspondence. I was sentenced November 18. I would very mission to correspond with other prisoners, asked to send to me , a contribution to the Its address is Box 1048, Des Moines, Iowa much appreciate back copies since that but they are in my thoughts often. The Af- defense committee or to the Militant's Pris- 50311 . . time." Curtis explained that he "hoped to intro­ duce others here to the Militant although the only sharing of literature can be done in Iowa llJeat-packers fear wage cut in takeover the library. Last night an inmate was given a major report for looking at another in­ BY JACKIE FLOYD there and get carpal tunnel syndrome for $6 fined IBP $3.1 million for injuries in its mate's magazine while sitting with him on PERRY, Iowa - On December 23, an hour." Carpal tunnel syndrome is a de­ plants. a bench in the cell house. He is appealing Iowa Beef Processors (IBP) announced it is bilitating injury caused by repetitive hand Most workers at the Oscar Mayer plant, the report. If he doesn't win, he'll go to buying the hog slaughterhouse here. IBP is motions. particularly those planning to apply for 'the hole' (solitary confinement). the largest meat-packer in the United Roy Essing, 55 years old, has worked jobs with IBP, want to keep the plant union organized. They say this will be the only "The radio reports this morning that a States. IBP's announcement comes after for Oscar Mayer for 25 years. "It used to be way to exercise some control over wages prisoner at the state penitentiary in Fort Oscar Mayer Foods Corp. announced its when you were hired on with a company, and working conditions. Madison has been on a hunger strike since plans to close the plant on February 3. the longer you were there the more respect Some workers have tended to blame November 23 to protest conditions in the "This is great news, especially before you got. It seems now, the longer you are Christmas," said Hawn, acting mayor IBP's employees for the low wages and disciplinary detention unit there. C.L. there, they want to get rid of you so they of Perry. "If no buyer had been found, it don't have to pay for the longer vacations brutal conditions. "Thank you for all the excellent cover­ would have had a devastating impact on or the pensions," said Essing. One example is the complaint that IBP age on the growing international campaign our city." will bring "low-class" people to Perry, This is not the first time that workers at for justice and my freedom. Your readers Des Moines banker John Chrystal, who willing to work for $6 an hour. Racist Oscar Mayer have faced the prospect of . are doing an incredible amount of work for had business interests in Perry, said the slurs, particularly against workers born in lower wages and worse working condi­ my release. Many of them have written to purchase of the plant by IBP "is a wonder­ Mexico, are combined with denunciations tions. Over the last several years the com­ me here, especially over the holidays, and I ful Christmas present for west-central Iowa of IBP. Of the 600 production workers at pany has used the threat of a plant shut­ would like to thank them for their encour­ hog farmers, grain producers, businesses, Oscar Mayer, only about 20 are Black, down to wrest concessions from the work­ agement and all they're doing to reverse and labor." Mexican, Southeast Asian, or other op­ force. Oscar Mayer has imposed wage this frame-up. Reactions of workers in the plant, mem­ pressed nationalities. cuts, wage freezes, medical benefits cuts, a "The holiday appeal for solidarity in bers of United Food and Commercial Ted Leonard, who has worked in the . three-tier wage scale, and a steady increase your last issue was excellent [Militant No. Workers Local 1149, were quite different. plant for two years, responded, "This and in production and line speed. Newly hired 51]. Those who frame up and jail working- ''I'm married. I've got kids. I'm buying a other divisions have thrived because of workers are paid $6 an hour. It takes them house," said Daniel Starr, 28, who makes years of pursuing the dead-end strategy two years to earn the base pay of $9.20. $9.45 an hour. "At $5 to $6 an hour, which promoted by the union officialdom of 'pro­ 'Militant' Prisoner Fund is what they're paying in some places, it's Workers' hatred of IBP is based on the tecting my job, in my plant, in my town.' The Militant's special prisoner fund not worth the trouble. You can't make a meat-packing giant's record of attacking To win the fight to keep a union in this makes it possible to send reduced-rate living." Starr and other workers are con­ wages and working conditions in the pack­ plant will take solidarity among all work­ subscriptions to prisoners who need cerned that IBP management will impose inghouses it owns. Of the 14 IBP plants, ing people." help paying for the paper. Please send lower wages, as well as longer hours and only four have unions. In July 1987 the your contribution to: Militant Prisoner unsafe working conditions. company was fined $2.6 million for under­ Jackie Floyd is a member of UFCW Local Subscription Fund, 410 West St., New 1149 and works at Oscar Mayer in Perry, York, N.Y. 10014. Ralph Sheldahl, 24, said, "IBP kind of reporting injuries. In May 1988, the Occu­ scares everybody. I'm not going to work in pational Safety and Health Administration Iowa.

4 The Militant January 27, 1989 Jordan and the Palestine national liberation struggle

BY HARRY RING son Hussein succeeded him and remains (Second of two parts) king today. Our previous article sketched how the Hussein ascended the throne in 1953, at a country of Jordan was created in 1921 by time of resurgence of nationalism through­ British imperialism, which installed King out the Arab world. Hussein's grandfather, Abdullah, as its rul­ Adapting to this, he moved toward end­ er. ing his dependence on Britain and improv­ From the outset, Abdullah sought an ac­ ing relations with Egypt and Syria. commodation with the capitalist leaders of the Zionist settlers moving into neighbor­ Baghdad Pact ing Palestine, then still ruled by the British. At the same time , Hussein attempted to In 1947 the British colonialists, recog­ join the Baghdad Pact with Iraq and Tur­ nizing they could no longer hold onto key. The reactionary pact was initiated in Washington . Palestine, turned over responsibility for the country to the United Nations. This touched off a storm in Jordan. Mas­ That body partitioned Palestine, grant­ sive demonstrations forced the ouster of ing some 55 percent of it to the Jewish Hussein's cabinet, and a new one quickly minority for its "homeland." decided that Jordan would not join the im­ On May 14 , 1948 , British troops with­ perialist-sponsored alliance. drew , and that same day the Jewish Na­ In 1956, Hussein finally removed the tional Council proclaimed the state of Is­ British commander of the Arab Legion. rael. U.S. government recognition came Later in the year, the opposition National within hours . Socialist Party won the Jordanian elec­ Zionist military forces, already in place, tions, and Hussein had to appoint its leader prime minister. stepped up a bloody drive to conquer more Arab Information Center land and clear it of Palestinians, driving In early 1957, he followed up by ab­ rogating the British-Jordanian treaty of Palestinian refugees crossing Jordan River into Jordan after June 1967 war in which 700,000 of them out. Israel seized West Bank and Gaza Strip. On May 15 the neighboring Arab gov­ 1948. Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia ernments, including Jordan, went to war agreed to make up for the lost British sub­ sidies. against Israel . Strip, which had been administered by dan if it appeared that Hussein might be Hussein also decided at that point to es­ Egypt. The Golan Heights area of Syria was toppled. Grabbed 50 percent more tablish diplomatic ties with the Soviet occupied and later annexed to Israel. PLO forces, driven from Amman, estab­ When a UN cease-fire was established Union and to accept Soviet aid, including The impotence of the Arab regimes in the lished themselves for a time in hills and military aid. on Jan . 7, 1949, Israel had increased its face of the Israeli assault gave a big impetus wooded areas in northern Jordan. But by the originally assigned territory by 50 percent. Then he launched a harsh internal to the PLO, particularly in Jordan where a following summer, Hussein's forces had Meanwhile, Jordan's Arab Legion had crackdown. He claimed he had bared a plot major new immigration of Palestinian refu­ driven them from these positions too. The occupied the West Bank of Palestine and against him sponsored by Syria and Egypt. gees took place after the defeat. PLO was compelled to withdraw its forces the Palestinian sector of Jerusalem. These He booted out the cabinet. When Fatah guerrillas fought off an Is­ from Jordan, regrouping in Lebanon. areas then came under the rule of the Protest demonstrations broke out, and in raeli attack on Karameh, Jordan, in 1968, In recent years, the Jordanian economy Hashemite monarchy. response, all political parties were out­ there was a massive surge of support for and infrastructure have become more de­ Prior to and during that war, Abdullah lawed and remain so to this day. the Palestinian fighters. The PLO was able veloped. There have been some road build­ persisted in his efforts to get an accommo­ At this critical point, Washington moved to set up its headquarters in Amman and ing and electrification projects. Univer­ dation with Israel . to prop up his regime. In April 1957, Pres­ soon asserted its leadership in the swollen sities have been established and some refugee camps. A Political Dictionary of the Middle ident Dwight Eisenhower dispatched units schools and hospitals opened. East, published by the New York Times of the Sixth Fleet to the area in a show-the­ Entire areas of the long Jordanian border Apart from outside aid, Jordanian Book Co., states: flag demonstration of support for Hussein. with Israel were controlled by the PLO, capitalism is largely dependent on its prin­ "Prior to the Arab-Israeli war of 1948, The following year, after a Hashemite which launched commando attacks into Is­ cipal export- Palestinian labor. monarchy was toppled in neighboring Iraq, rael and shelled various areas. Abdullah sought a peaceful solution with In 1980, 52.9 percent of the work force the Jewish leaders .. . . When he felt com­ 2,000 British troops arrived in Jordan to se­ Hussein was compelled to deal with the cure the monarchy. PLO on a power-to-power basis. - mainly Palestinians - was employed pelled to join the war, he avoided attacking outside of Jordan, mostly in the oil fields of the areas earmarked for the Jewish State, U.S. military and economic aid began to The PLO agreed not to recruit deserters flow into Jordan. from Hussein's Arab Legion or youth eligi­ the region. and the fighting centered on Jerusalem (des­ The world glut in oil production has cut ignated as an international enclave.)" Hussein continued his precarious bal­ ble for the draft. In return, the Hashemite ancing act in the region, making and break­ monarch agreed the PLO could issue its into that export. In 1984 Jordanian citizens The Jordanian annexation of the West working abroad sent home $1 billion dol­ Bank was roundly condemned by the Arab ing alliances with the various Arab re­ own ID cards and that he would not inter­ gimes. fere with the passage of weapons to the lars. In 1985, it dropped to $898 million. world as a blow to the Palestinians' right to The Middle East, a book edited by self-determination. guerrilla forces. Birth ofPLO Almost symbolically, across from Hus­ Michael Adams, assesses the Jordanian More Palestinians arrive In 1964 Hussein faced what was for him sein's palace stood a sprawling camp with situation this way: a new crisis of historical dimension - the 70,000 refugees. Dubbed "The Republic of "As oil prices tumbled in 1985-86, the Meanwhile, some 600,000 of those driv­ return of several thousand Jordanian citi­ en from Israeli-occupied Palestine made birth of the Palestine Liberation Organiza­ Palestine," it was outside Jordanian con­ tion. trol. The camp was governed by the PLO. zens from the Gulf countries, where they their way to the West Bank. Many con­ were no longer needed, presented a serious tinued across the Jordan River to the capital Hussein had always regarded the Pales­ Inevitably, conflicts developed between tinian people as a threat to his rule. He Hussein's forces and the PLO. Agreements social problem with political as well as city of Amman. economic overtones ... concurrently, eco­ This huge influx of Palestinians meant a realized that the emergence of a movement to moderate the tensions were made, bro­ capable of leading a massive struggle for ken, and renewed. nomic prosperity widened the gap between profound social and political transforma­ rich and poor, which had been hardly tion for Jordan. Virtually overnight, the Palestinian liberation from the Israeli rulers will galvanize the nearly 2 million Palestin­ Hussein attacks noticeable 30 years earlier. The refugee majority of those under Hashemite rule camps too still stood as witness to a tragic were Palestinian. ians in Jordan . Hussein's rule would be In June 1970 a battle erupted. Hussein's doomed. forces bombarded refugee camps outside and as yet unresolved problem." As they still do, large numbers of the ar­ His treacherous record in relation to the Amman and attacked PLO centers in the Meanwhile, Hussein has continued on riving Palestinians lived in wretched refu­ PLO confirms that he sees the Palestinian capital. The guerrillas seized control of his reactionary course. When Iraqi forces gee camps administered by the UN . people as a greater threat than the Israeli re­ several districts of the capital . invaded Iran in 1980, he threw his support But the Palestinians, inside and outside gime or its mentors in Washington. The Palestinian fighters won a truce and to the Iraqi regime as a means of containing the camps, quickly made their political pres­ When the PLO was established, Hussein by agreement between Hussein and the and weakening the Iranian revolution. Jor­ ence felt in Jordan. They were soon recognized it only reluctantly, and permit­ PLO, the various Arab governments estab­ dan's principal port played a key role in the granted Jordanian citizenship. Half the ted it to open an office in Jerusalem. Two lished a committee to mediate between the shipment of supplies to Iraq. seats in the parliament were allotted to years later he shut the office down, charg­ two forces . The agreement, in effect, gave In 1985, in a renewal of relations, Hus­ them. ing it was engaged in "procommunist pro­ the PLO equal status with the Jordanian sein and the PLO agreed to a joint approach The Palestinians began to press for paganda." monarch. to negotiations with the Israeli regime, in­ greater democracy. They demanded that In June 1967 came Israel's six-day war In September Hussein moved to crush cluding a proposal for a future confedera­ the king's power be curbed, including that against its Arab neighbors. the Palestinian forces. On September 16 he tion of Jordan and Palestine. When the the cabinet be answerable to parliament. About to launch the attack, the Israeli declared martial law ·and dismissed his PLO refused to accede to Hussein's de­ Rumors of Abdullah's secret negotia­ government sent word that if Hussein government, replacing it with military mand that the struggle against Israeli rule tions with the Israelis fueled Palestinian stayed out of it , Jordan would not be hit. commanders. end, however, the agreement broke down opposition to his rule . This continued to But the king joined the other regimes in re­ A murderous assault was launched on the next year. build until his assassination in Jerusalem in sponding to the aggression. the Palestinian camps. Resistance was The basic record of the Jordanian regime 1951. Israeli planes struck at the Egyptian air fierce , but the Jordanian forces , heavily was summed up in an article in the October His son Talal succeeded him. force, wiping it out. armed by Washington, prevailed. Casual­ issue of Commentary magazine. The writ­ Deferring to Palestinian pressure, Talal Hussein's army was shattered, and his ties were estimated as high as 20,000. ers, Daniel Pipes and Adam Garfinkle, are approved a constitutional change making air force, too, was destroyed. A cease-fire was declared after 10 associated with tffe Foreign Policy Re­ the cabinet responsible to parliament. And Hussein was later able to rebuild his bloody days in what became known as search Institute and are supporters of the Is­ he modified Jordan 's foreign policy, seek­ forces with aid from Washington. - "Black September." Throughout the Mid­ raeli government. ing to mend fences with the other Arab re­ Meanwhile, the victorious Israelis grabbed east, Hussein was condemned as a butcher. They describe Hussein's regime as "the gimes. the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Egypt's It was later confirmed that Richard Arab government that for three generations Within a year, Talal was declared men­ Sinai Peninsula (later returned in the wake of Nixon's administration had a contingency has done the most to accommodate its [Is­ tally ill and removed from the throne. His a 1979 treaty with Egypt), and the Gaza plan in place to dispatch U.S. troops to Jor- Continued on Page 12

January 27, 1989 The Militant s Bush presses for further lifting of homework ban BY FRED FELDMAN hearings held by the House Subcommittee President-elect George Bush has urged on Labor Standards. the Department of Labor to prepare a mea­ Juana Perez, a worker who came from El sure lifting the ban on work at home in the Salvador in 1983, described earning an av­ women's apparel industry. Reagan admin­ erage of $1.60 an hour. To meet produc­ istration Secretary of Labor Ann McLaugh­ tion quotas, she regularly relied upon her lin said December 22 that the Department 12- and 16-year-old daughters. of Labor plans to issue an official notice of Another described earning less than $1 the change and hold hearings on it in Feb­ an hour. Connie Jorgensen, a farmer forced ruary. to hire out to make ends meet, had to draw Bush acted after the Reagan administra­ on her husband and eight-year-old daugh­ tion lifted a 46-year ban November 10 on ter to meet production requirements and work at home in the production of gloves earn between $1 . 50 and $2. 25 per hour. and mittens, buttons and buckles, embroid­ The company required her to produce ery, handkerchiefs, and jewelry. In 1984, when she was ill. "Several times the own­ the government ended the prohibition on ers brought me new pieces at 11 :00 PM or homework in making knitted outerwear. midnight to be finished by 6:00AM. But I The January 6 Wall Street Journal hailed received no overtime or extra benefits." New York, 1910. Bush wants to bring back the days when women garment workers and their children worked long hours doing piecework at home. the measure, portraying homework as en­ Government officials claim there will be abling people to work "at their own pace in strict enforcement of wage and hour laws their own homes." as homework expands under the new rules . In spite of the ban, hundreds of thou­ An internal investigation by the Labor De­ sands of workers have been engaged in partment concluded, however, that the de­ Union protests dragnet homework. They are paid well below the partment had been unable to enforce wage legal minimum wage and are denied medi­ and hour laws among homeworkers in the cal and other benefits. The work assigned knitted outerwear industry since the 1984 and rates paid often aim at imposing work­ rule change. staged by steel bosses ing hours well beyond legal maximums. As hired workers tire, their children are ex­ On January 7, a suit was filed to block being carried out in the mill against mem­ pected to pick up the slack. the most recent moves to legalize home­ BY CAROLYN ALLEN work. The International Ladies' Garment AND MIKE CHAMBERLAIN bers of United Steelworkers of America "They keep children up until all hours in Workers' Union filed the legal action, PITTSBURG, Calif.- "Hey, hey, ho, Local 1440 and other workers. the night," wrote a report on homework in joined by the Amalgamated Clothing and ho, POSCO's spies have got to go," steel­ USS POSCO President A.E. Roskoven­ the August 21 Providence Journal, a Textile Workers Union , Service Employ­ workers chanted outside the gate of the sky announced the dragnet at a November Rhode Island daily . "In one home, we ees International Union, three apparel in­ USS POSCO steel mill here December 1. 21 meeting of employees. The operation found a child in a high chair putting backs dustry employer associations, and the state About 100 people, including representa­ had included electronic surveillance and on earrings." governments of New York and Pennsyl­ tives of the Contra Costa County Central private detectives posing as steelworkers. Several women homeworkers described vania, where homework is still officially Labor Council and Building Trades Coun­ The purpose, Roskovensky claimed, was the conditions they faced at September banned. cil, were protesting the company dragnet to root out drugs, theft, vandalism, and other "misconduct." Beginning the week before Ros­ kovensky spoke, dozens of workers had been brought in for questioning. At least 26 Officials demand socialist candidates workers are expected to be fired. "The union believes that more than 70 turn over names of their contributors workers were interrogated," declared a statement by Local 1440 President Joe BY MARK WEDDLETON In fact, a few days after the November Assistant District Attorney Beckwith has Stanton that was distributed at the protest. SAN FRANCISCO- Two local social­ elections a grand jury investigating the said he is studying the evidence provided They were "not told their rights: the right to ist candidates in the recent elections face a beating of United Farm Workers Vice­ by the Socialist Action candidates before union representation, the right to know January 30 deadline for turning over the president Dolores Huerta by San Francisco deciding on whether to proceed with the what you are being accused of and what names of their campaign contributors or police not only whitewashed the police case. evidence is being used against you, the risk possible criminal charges. brutality, but called on the cops to step up The American Civil Liberties Union has right to remain silent," he wrote. Joseph Ryan and Sylvia Weinstein were spying on local protest groups. Huerta was agreed to represent Ryan and Weinstein in "The company attempted to blackmail the Socialist Action candidates for San attacked by the cops at an anti-George their fight to get the government to with­ these workers into informing on their co­ Francisco Board of Supervisors and Board Bush demonstration in September while draw its demand for disclosure of their workers," the local president continued. of Education respectively in the November she was passing out leaflets promoting the campaign contributors and not file any "They were led to believe that it would 1988 elections. The local district attorney's farm workers' grape boycott. criminal charges they might face for refus­ office is demanding they tum over records Also in November a memo by Morgan ing to disclose the names. 'go easier' on them if they gave names of of all those who contributed to their elec­ Lynn, the author of a study of the San Fran­ Ryan and Weinstein are asking that mes­ other employees who they thought were tion campaign. January 30 is the deadlline cisco Police Department commissioned by sages of protest be sent to George Beck­ guilty of some wrongdoing." for filing the final campaign financial re­ a federal court, declared "I cannot em­ with, District Attorney's Office, 732 Bran­ "The reason for this raid is not 'safety' ports. phasize enough how deeply ingrained rac­ nan St., San Francisco, Calif. 94103. or company concern over substance Ryan and Weinstein have vowed to pro­ ism and sexism are in this department." Copies should be sent to Socialist Action, abuse," Stanton declared. tect the right to privacy of their supporters. The memo was intended to be kept secret 3435 Army St., Suite 308, San Francisco, He concluded: "The company is trying Socialist Action has fielded local candi­ but was accidentally released to the public. Calif. 94110. to intimidate all workers at the mill. The dates for public office since 1984. Until company is trying to divide us - to pit now the local authorities have left unchal­ union member against union member. A lenged their right to keep the names of their scared and divided work force is easy to contributors confidential . The U.S. Su­ Customs raids Vietnam-tour agency manage. A scared and divided union is preme Court has ruled, most notably in the easy to bust." case of Brown v. Socialist Workers Party, BY FRED FELDMAN Kampuchea is included on the grounds that In 1987 Local 1440 accepted a conces­ that political parties with dissident view­ Armed with a court order authorizing Vietnamese troops are stationed there. sion contract, under threat that the plant points like Socialist Action have the right them to seize correspondence, contracts, Violations are punishable by up to I 0 would be shut down. The new contract di­ to be exempted from this aspect of cam­ and other information, U.S. Customs Ser­ years in prison and $50,000 in fines . vided the work force into "modernization paign disclosure laws to protect their mem­ vice agents staged a search October 6 at the The court order, coming after a five­ trainees," other "permanent" workers, and bers and supporters from harassment and offices of Lindblad Travel Inc. in month undercover investigation of the temporary workers. political victimization. Westport, Connecticut. travel agency, was based on testimony pro­ Last October Assistant District Attorney The raid came after Lars-Eric Lindblad vided by a customs service agent. Imper­ The modernization trainees, chosen George Beckwith sent the two candidates a appealed to the Tourism Policy Council , sonating a would-be traveler and using the without regard to seniority, spend their letter demanding they provide the govern­ part of the federal U.S. Travel and Tourism name Maryann Ambrose, the agent claims work hours in company classes. ment with a list of the names. In a phone Administration, for help in rescinding a to have been signed up for an October 16 "Temporary" workers are new hires who conversation with Socialist Action repre­ prohibition on his sale of tours to Vietnam. trip by an employee of the agency. have had to sign an understanding that they sentatives, Beckwith declared that there is The agents also took passport informa­ The government says that Lindblad's are being hired for 36 months, at the end of no political victimization of those holding tion and names and addresses of persons license to organize travel to the two coun­ which time the company has the option of dissident viewpoints in San Francisco so booking tours to Vietnam and Kampuchea, tries expired in October 1987. rehiring them. the socialist candidates do not qualify for and a folder titled, "Cambodia- requests The moves against Lindblad for foster­ The mill is now being rebuilt. When this the exemption. for information." ing travel to Vietnam and Kampuchea are is completed, the new facility is slated to Ryan and Weinstein have responded by The firm is accused of violating provi­ part of a pattern of restrictions on travel to operate with less than half of the current pointing to evidence of such victimization sions of the Trading with the Enemy Act by various countries. Last summer, actor work force of 1 , 100. on a national level. They have also pro­ organizing tours to Vietnam and Kam­ Robert Redford received a letter from the Unionized production workers are cur­ vided the District Attorney's office with a puchea in violation of regulations set by the Treasury Department demanding that he rently outnumbered 2 to I by 2,000 non­ documented list of examples of city, fed­ federal Office of Foreign Assets Control. explain a trip to Cuba that he had recently union construction workers who are re­ eral, and private harassment of political ac­ This agency is designated under the act to made. The letter asked whether he paid his building the mill. These are employed by tivists in the San Francisco Bay Area, in­ regulate travel to countries that the U.S. own expenses or whether they were paid by BE&K, which provided replacement work­ cluding the 1985 bombing of the headquar­ government has officially designated as Cuba or a third country, and how and ers for the company in the Jay, Maine, ters of the Humanist Party. "enemies" -- Vietnam and North Korea. where he entered the country . strike against International Paper.

6 The Militant January 27, 1989 Beauty contests return to Nicaragua

BY THERESA DELGADILLO sought to balance its enthusiastic coverage MANAGUA, Nicaragua - The year of the bathing beauty contests with articles 1988 saw a revival here of beauty contests, featuring women participating in tasks of which had virtually disappeared since the the revolution. triumph of the revolution in 1979. One, subtitled "The Everyday Miss For some Nicaraguans, the development Maja," described Ligia Garcia Vanegas, was a welcome one, representing a victory 22, who answered a call for teachers in the over "dogmatic" thinking. But for others it countryside. Over family objections, and was a step backward in the fight for in spite of the war dangers, she spent two women's rights. years teaching in a rural area and was de­ Of last year's two well-publicized termined to stay on. beauty contests, the first , Miss Maja (Miss A second article discussed the chal­ Elegance), was part of an international lenges faced by Lt. Mirna Fabri, director of contest sponsored by the tourist industry. It the Advisory Section of the Department of was held here on August 28 under the aus­ Criminal Investigations of the Ministry of pices of hotels, restaurants, airlines, and the Interior. the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism. Both articles centered on the dedication Then, in October and November, a Miss of these women to their tasks in the revolu­ Juventud (Miss Youth) contest was spon­ tion, and the self-confidence, indepen­ sored by the Sandinista Youth (JS-19), the dence, and fulfillment they have gained in Sandinista People's Army, and the San­ return. They reflected some of the gains dinista Television System. Candidates for won by women since the triumph of the the title of Miss Juventud were elected in revolution. schools and workplaces across the country leading up to the final event on November 26. The public criticism voiced during the Miss Juventud was a major activity of the Miss Maja contest, sponsored by the tourist JS-19, which viewed the contest as an im­ businesses, was largely absent at the time portant recreational activity for the nation's of the second contest, held under the ban­ youth, especially young men in military ser­ ner of the Sandinista Youth. Nonetheless, vice. Organizers of the event considered it a the discussion is continuing. break with the "elitism of Miss Nicaragua On January 5 El Nuevo Diario published contests in the past, where only the yet another column by Miranda answering daughters of the bourgeoisie participated some unidentified critics. He said, "Of and which were purely commercial." course, the winner in these events is not In the Miss Juventud finals, 25 candidates meant to be the 'model woman,' just the from around the country briefly donned prettiest. If women are awarded for traditional Nicaraguan dress. The contes­ heroism and intelligence, why not for tants then modeled swimsuits for most of the beauty?" remainder of the evening, while the judges And after the Miss Juventud contest, made their selection. Ventana, the cultural supplement to Bar­ ricada, applauded the pageant's success as 'Square schemas' a blow against "prejudice." The reappearance of beauty contests was Ventana said that the Miss Juventud '88 accompanied by a lively discussion, some contest surpassed all other events in popu­ of it in the press, that touched on questions larity, "bringing frowns to the faces of the ranging from perestroika to the place of dogmatic and orthodox individuals whore­ women in Nicaragua. fused to support this festive and youthful The discussion had been touched off in activity." Barricada/R6ger July by a columnist for the progovernment It looks like the debate will continue in tie newspaper El Nuevo Diario, who de­ 1989. - scribed the first Miss Moscow contest in the Soviet Union, and encouraged Nicara­ gua to do the same. The columnist, Adolfo Miranda, wrote, "Steps taken by the Youth mobilize to combat illiteracy Soviets to break from the prejudices they harbored for years against everything from the 'West' or 'capitalist' is a stimulus to BY THERESA DELGADILLO "Based on that, we wrote up a textbook field - it is more difficult than they are those in the rest of the world to break with JALAPA, Nicaragua - It seems as if that includes information on agriculture used to. Nonetheless, both are enjoying the 'square' schemas." the whole town is contributing to the battle and health problems. It is different from experience. against illiteracy here. the text used in the national campaign in There are a total of I ,337 people receiv­ There are people in Nicaragua, he added, On Monday mornings, young people 1980. We mimeographed the whole thing ing instruction as part of this campaign. whose "political education was very dogma­ hitching rides dot the roads out of Jalapa as The literacy workers have an average of tic, from the manuals. A product of that here ." they head back to the farm settlements five students each. education is that it created prejudices In an interview here, three young where they work and teach. Pickup trucks against many things, including religion, brigadistas on the Tauquil settlement de­ already packed with passengers stop to No material resources the market economy, and beauty contests. scribed the campaign. Carla Ruiz is 13, make room for these literacy volunteers. The brigadistas have virtually no materi­ "Unfortunately, Cuba, which has not while Indira Ruiz and Santiago Alberto The youth are participants in the first al resources to count on. Peralta explained, been as much of a perestroika enthusiast as Dfaz are 14. phase of the "Manuel Ruiz Sanchez Liter­ "In the 1980 campaign, we were able to other socialist countries, is lagging behind provide some basic supplies and clothing to the times and its influence is felt among acy Operation." They teach reading and 'Objective, to eliminate illiteracy' writing on seven settlements in the area. the brigadistas, such as lanterns, boots, and some Sandinistas." "The Ministry of Education came to our These settlements are communities of rain gear. But this time we have no Another column in the paper, signed by school to recruit volunteers and we signed people who either fled or were evacuated budget." W.V.G ., also supported the idea of a Miss up," said Carla Ruiz. "Our objective is to from remote areas during the war. They are Nicaragua contest. This writer said that "a eliminate illiteracy, share the life of the Makeshift chalkboards were put together organized into cooperatives and collective beauty contest in a capitalist country is one farmers, and learn from them. using cardboard treated with battery fluid, farms. thing, but a contest of this type in a social­ "Already I've learned about medicinal cement, and plaster. The John XXIII Foun­ The current phase of the Jalapa literacy ist country or revolution where the aim is plants - because I got sick. At first, we dation in Managua donated 7,000 pencils, campaign involves 234 brigadistas, most not one of profit, commercialization, or ac­ felt really strange and we wanted to go and the education ministry sent 10,000 of whom are between the ages of 13 and cumulation of capital is different." home. But after a little while we got used to notebooks. 20. They have put aside their own studies it, and now I think it's great." But items such as kerosene, gasoline, These positions, however, weren't shared to live, work, and teach in the communities "We've been out to pick coffee - some­ chalk, clothing, soap, and toothpaste are by everyone . Ligia Alvarez wrote in El for five months. thing none of us ever did before," said San­ still lacking. Nuevo Diario that the Miss Maja contest The brigadistas have volunteered their tiago. wasn't "much different than those that were efforts, and they don't get paid. They work "Some assistance we were expecting is These three brigadistas are teaching common in the Somocista past." Alvarez in the fields three days a week in addition now being sent to the Atlantic Coast, basic literacy skills and first grade. Most of said that despite efforts to try to give the to teaching five evenings a week. where the need is greater because of the their students are between 14 and 25 years event a new look, "it continues to be degrad­ hurricane," said Peralta. old. "They are eager to learn. They don't ing for us as women." Illiteracy on the rise The brigadistas have helped to organize care that we're younger than they are," said Some young people at the Central Ameri­ With the National Literacy Crusade in collections and fund-raising parties on the can University here shared this view in rela­ 1980, illiteracy in Nicaragua was reduced Carla. settlements for the victims of Hurricane Carla, Indira, and Santiago are confident tion to the Miss Juventud competition. to 13 percent. However, it has been on the Joan, which hit Nicaragua last October, that their students will be able to read and "Given the new ideology that the Nicara­ rise again. Ministry of Education officials causing widespread destruction. write at the end of the five-month cam­ guan people are developing, it should have in Jalapa estimate that it is up to 25 percent Peralta hopes that improving the level of paign. been a contest to choose a cultural represen­ on the settlements. organization on the settlements will con­ tative for our country, rather than focusing Ramon Peralta, who is assistant director One thing they have had to get used to is tribute to plans already under way to follow on beauty," Alicia Molina, a student of so­ for the campaign, explained that the liter­ the periodic shelling from Honduran troops up this campaign with further adult educa­ cial work at the university, told theMilitant . acy drive in Jalapa goes hand in hand with on the other side of the border. "It hasn't tion and primary school classes so that illit­ Raquel Salc6n, also a student, said, an effort by the Ministry of Health to re­ come this close, but when the a larm sounds eracy doesn't increase again. "Considering that one of the principles of duce infant mortality. we all run to the command post to take up The brigadistas will return home in late the revolution was to eliminate that type of "The more secure military situation that our positions," said Santiago. February, when this stage of the campaign contest here , it seems highly contradictory exists now in this area and the existence of "The first time it was really scary, but ends. But the effort will continue into 1990 that this is happening now. I don't agree the cooperative movement serve as the we're ready to defend ourselves." throughout the area. with it." foundation for these campaigns," he said. Melania del Rosario, 18, and Sonia "Nicaragua is going to free itself of illit­ "First we did a census to find out how Elizabeth Matute Arce, 2 1, are teaching at eracy region by region, town by town," Image of women many people were illiterate. Then we did the Santa Cruz settlement. Although the said Peralta. "This is part of the Sandinista Barricada, which is published by the surveys to find out what people were in­ work in the fields isn't something new for National Liberation Front's historic pro­ Sandinista National Liberation Front, terested in learning about," said Peralta. them - their high school works a bean gram, and we must carry it out."

January 27, 1989 The Militant 7 ;Help us break lhe silence U. on lhe Cuban revolution' HA An interview with 'Areito' editor Andres Gomez BY CINDY JAQUITH April to September 1980. They are quite formed . Gomez became one of its leaders. In the spring of 1987 a magazine began different from the earlier post-revolution The brigade, made up of young Cubans appearing in community centers, at shop­ immigrants politically and in their class in the United States and Puerto Rico, con­ ping malls, and on doorsteps in Miami's composition, Gomez stressed, a point he tinues to bring groups of CubaP youth liv­ Cuban community. would come back to later. ing outside Cuba to visit the island. It also A bright yellow flag on the magazine's There are also Cubans in their twenties, carries out educational work in support of cover declared: "Good morning, Miami! thirties, or early forties who came to the the Cuban revolution and for normalization We're back again." United States as very young children after of relations with the U.S . government, as The magazine was Areito, published in the revolution, and youth born here after well as participating in political discussion Spanish four times a year by Cubans living their parents left Cuba. and activities in the U.S. Cuban communi­ in the United States . "And we musn't forget that in 1959 there ty . Supporters of the Cuban revolution, were already about 80,000 Cubans living The December 1977 visit to Cuba that Are{to's staff members seek to educate in the United States who had come here be­ led to the brigade's formation was quite about what is happening in Cuba today and fore the revolution," Gomez added. "They important, Gomez explained. 'The revolu­ to promote a free and open discussion in were mainly people who had never had any tion for the first time had extended the the U.S . Cuban community. They favor a economic opportunity in Cuba, working­ bridge of reconciliation to the exiles. You dialogue between Cuban-Americans and class or middle-class people, who came have to understand that over the previous the people and government of Cuba and here in search of work." 17 years the Cuban people had suffered ter­ the Caribbean, including its military threats normalization of relations between the The wealthy Cuban counterrevolution­ ribly from the consequences of U.S. pol­ against Cuba, and intensifying its propagan­ U.S. and Cuban governments. icy. So it was very difficult for the majority aries who came to Miami in the early 1960s da aimed at isolating the Cuban revolutim;. Arefto first began publishing in 1974 in established political control of the Miami of the Cuban people to accept the return of Many Cuban-American figures who had New York. It was suspended in 1985 and those they considered traitors." Cuban community. They collaborated with favored the dialogue with the Cuban gov­ Dialogue opens up ernment began to retreat out of fear or de­ moralization, said Gomez. The dialogue between Cubans in the Over the next five years, he said, "the United States and in Cuba began to sectors of the Cuban community in the broaden, to include U.S. Cubans who did United States who had favored this opening not support the revolution . pulled back and so did Cuba. Cuba also r Two conferences took place in Havana duced the number of individuals who had in 1978, attended by prominent Cubans liv­ left Cuba after 1959 who could return for a ing in the United States who wanted toes­ visit." tablish a dialogue with the Cuban govern­ ment on such questions as reuniting Shifts in situation families. But the breakdown of the dialogue ard The result of the meetings was a decision atmosphere of discussion proved short~ by the Cuban government to release, be­ lived. In 1985, Felipe Riguero, a leader r l . tween 1978 and 1980, 10,000 prisoners the Cuban Nationalist Movement, agre~d who wanted to be reunited with their to debate Gomez on a Miami radio station. families in the United States. The arrange­ The Cuban Nationalist Movement has been ments were made through the U.S. Cuban directly linked to terrorist attacks on forces who had gone to Havana. This supporters of the Cuban revolution around Antonio Maceo Brigade, made up of young Cubans in United States, is organizing special group became known as the Committee of the world. trip to Cuba in summer of 1989. 75 . "What was important about the debate," "It was not the counterrevolutionary Gomez explained, "was two things. First. resumed publication in the spring of 1987 the CIA to set up paramilitary organiza­ leadership that did this," Gomez stressed, that a debate would take place between m... , in Miami. tions with the goal of overthrowing the "but the Committee of 75, even though representing a position completely in favm As the editorial in the spring 1987 issue Cuban government. within the committee there were some who of the Cuban revolution, and Riguero, a. explained, Are{to "will serve as a forum These terrorist outfits were quite in­ had once been members of the paramilitary principal representative of the straight-up where the matters that concern and affect fluential in the community until the mid- groups." anticommunist position. And second, that our community can be analyzed and dis­ 1970s, when, says Gomez, Cubans in the The Cuban government also took the in­ it would be the most-listened-to radio pro­ cussed - from the different political posi­ United States realized "that the Cuban rev­ itiative to relax immigration restrictions so gram of the year." tions that exist, right to left - in an atmo­ olution wasn't going to be overthrown, that more Cubans from the United States could Then in 1986, a group of 1, 500 counter-. sphere of respect." it was going to be permanent, that it en­ visit the island. Gomez estimated that revolutionaries physically assaulted 2_ J Noting that there are forces in the joyed majority support in Cuba." 100,000 Cubans visited Cuba between people peacefully protesting the U.S . wat Cuban-American community who oppose At about the same time, he continued, "a 1978 and 1980. "One hundred thousand!" in Central America on a downtown Miam1 open discussion on Cuba and politics in group of us living here began rethinking he emphasized. "The counterrevolution street. general, the editorial stated that "the major­ our role, as Cubans, in the Cuban revolu­ has never been able to mobilize that many A big outcry protested the thugs' action . ity in our community is in favor of a real tionary process. We were young. Most of people in the 30 years of the Cuban revolu­ discussion in which we all have an equal us hadn't belonged to any of the counter­ tion!" right to participate." revolutionary political organizations, al­ "The need to know about Cuba and what though we had all been surrounded by the New wave of terror In December '88 is happening on the island is basic for all of counterrevolution's politics through our The counterrevolutionary Cuban forces us living abroad. Are{to will continue families, social life, and because we were in the United States reacted sharply against issue of analyzing the revolutionary process of the part of the immigration. the growth of reconciliation sentiment in Cuban people," the editorial pledged. "For the first time since the 1959 immi­ the Cuban community here. A wave of ter­ "Help us break the silence." gration, groups arose that took a public po­ rorist attacks - including bombings and Arefto editor Andres Gomez spoke with sition of support to the Cuban revolution." assassinations - was carried out. In April the Militant last fall in Miami about the re­ All along there had been older Cuban 1979, Carlos Muniz, a member of the na­ sults of Arefto's reappearance on the polit­ supporters of the revolution in the United tional committee of the Antonio Maceo ical scene in that city and the changes in the States, Gomez noted, people who aided the Brigade, was gunned down in Puerto Rico, • Come With Us on a Contingent Cuban community in Miami over the last July 26 Movement, led by Fidel Castro, in where he lived. In November 1979, Eulalio to Cuba three decades. its struggle to overthrow the Fulgencio Negrin, who belonged to the Committee of • The True Story of AIDS in Batista dictatorship. These veterans never 75, was murdered in Union City, New Jer­ Cuba Post-1959 immigration retreated from publicly supporting the rev­ sey. In September 1980, Felix Garcia, an He began by describing the contradic­ olution. "They kept this position alive" in attache at the Cuban Mission to the United • The Visit to Cuba by the tory political and class character of the cities such as New York and other places, Nations, was shot dead in New York . Special Delegation of the Cuban community, and how successive he said, singling out Casa de las Americas, This was coupled with the February Commission on Human Rights waves of immigration to the United States a Cuban-American political center in New 1980 resignation of one of the members of • Interview With Sergio since the 1959 victory of the Cuban revolu­ York that sponsors activities in defense of the Committee of 75, Manuel Espinosa, tion have affected this . Cuba and in support of anti-imperialist who suddenly claimed that the reconcilia­ Ramirez "The first immigration after 1959 was struggles around the world. tion effort was in reality a Cuban govern­ • An Analysis of Unemployment mainly composed of the Cuban bour­ Are{to was founded in 1974, uniting ment plot to infiltrate the Cuban-American Among Puerto Ricans in New geoisie, professional sectors, businessmen those Cubans who wanted to support the community. York - those who in reality were running the Cuban revolution, and opening up a debate These developments within the U.S. country before 1959," he said. within the Cuban community. Cuban community were part of broader • The Dominican Community in "What we could consider a second im­ world events taking place. In 1979, work­ Manhattan migration was made up of middle-class ele­ Antonio Maceo Brigade ers and farmers in both Nicaragua and the ments, including professionals, and some The widening discussion led to the or­ Caribbean island of Grenada overturned Subscriptions: $12 a year, United remaining bourgeois elements, who came ganization of a trip to Cuba by Cuban hated dictatorships and established popular States and Puerto Rico: $18 other from 1965 to 1972." youth living in the United States. The tour revolutionary governments. The U.S. gov­ countries. Write to Areito, P.O. The third big immigration, often called took place in December 1977 . After that ernment responded by greatly stepping up Box 44-1403, .Miami. Fla. 33144. the Marie! immigrants, arrived here from trip the Antonio Maceo Brigade was its militarization of Central America and

8 The MUitant January 27, 1989 .. " ~" · · . / / :u,. ~ ' h Left: 1980 protest in New York against U.S. attacks on Cuba. Above: 1987 demonstration by Miami Cubans against Washington's Radio Marti.

..They lost politically," said Gomez. "This also students who begin to question the port of Marie!. "Many of these were young let's treat them like the enemy. But this is was the culmination of a whole period in political nature of this society. And as part people, and they didn't come from a political work, political work over an ex­ h .-tich they had dictated who could meet, of this questioning process, they come to bourgeois background. They were born tended time period. What we have to do is and who couldn't, who could speak out and see the necessity of understanding what into the revolution and grew up in the rev­ try to win over the majority of the exiles for who couldn't. And they didn't just dictate Cuba is ." olution. In their majority they are com­ the good of Cuba, rather than leave them in 10 the Cuban community, but to everyone: pletely different politically from those Cu­ the hands of the enemy. North Americans, whites, Blacks. 'Areito' distribution bans who emigrated earlier. Now some of "Fortunately, we've won the support of "You weren't allowed to speak about This openness is reflected in distribution them want to go back." influential sectors of the Cuban govern­ certain topics, not just Cuba, but also Nic­ of Arefto, said Gomez. Since no distributor The Marie! immigrants, he pointed out, ment at the highest levels who understand aragua, the Ku Klux Klan, and other social in the Cuban community is willing to take have many of their close relatives still in what we're trying to do, who agree with '· .estions. Up to the point of this demon­ the magazine, its supporters pass it out for Cuba, and they maintain strong ties. "For us." stration, no one had confronted them on free . About 7,500 copies of each issue get this reason they don't want to see anything Since . the Militant interview with this. And we did. Ever since, they've been out this way . happen to Cuba," Gomez explained. "They Gomez, the December 1988 issue of Are ito ceding more ground." "We pass it out to people in the shopping don't want it to undergo a war, or suffer has appeared. Featured in its editorial is the He gave as an example a struggle that malls on Saturdays and Sundays," he ex­ any more from the consequences of the November 1988 decision of the Cuban took place in the spring of 1988 over plained. "Or we leave it in restaurants, in U.S. economic blockade. government to modify immigration policy whether the Cuban Museum of Art and coffee houses, funeral parlors, wherever. to permit more Cubans residing in the Culture in Miami should display works by With our July 1988 issue, which dealt with "These people know quite well what the United States to return for visits. f'·1ban painters who support the revolution. the question of religion in Cuba, we left off Cuban system is . And even if perhaps the I"he majority of the museum's board, made copies in the stores that sell religious arti­ majority don't want to live under that kind The change includes granting visas, for 1p of wealthy Cubans in exile, decided to cles. of system, they know the system is differ­ the first time, to those who left Cuba after ent than the Cuban counterrevolutionaries ;purn the demands of the board's minority "In about 80 percent of the places where Dec. 31, 1978. The government will issue make it out to be." itat the works of Amelia Pelaez not be we ask to leave the magazine, they say yes. visas to 260 of these persons a year, or five mown. Pelaez was a prominent painter Gomez said that some of those who left a week. In addition, Cubans aged 30 or less vho died in the 1960s. She never left Cuba Cuba in 1980 are today members of the who left Cuba after 1978 may now visit the dter the revolution's triumph. Antonio Maceo Brigade. "These are sisters country with the Antonio Maceo Brigade. and brothers who over the years have dem­ The Pelaez exhibition came off, and the Are{to's editorial called the new policy ,..,ponents attempted to picket the museum. onstrated their commitment to the revolu­ tion, despite their grave error in leaving. "a historic step." It urged young Cuban Jut only 15 protesters turned up. "They readers to sign up for the Antonio Maceo lad to call off their demonstrations so peo­ After leaving they realized that the reality here is not what they thought, and they Brigade's trip next summer to Cuba, which rle wouldn't see how little support they was announced shortly after the new immi­ lad," commented Gomez. have had the courage to correct their mis­ takes and support the revolution. gration policy was adopted. The three­ In October 1988, just a week before the week trip will be the first to include youth Jfilitant interview with Gomez, I ,700 Cu­ "So some of these have come around the who left Cuba after 1978. lans had met in Miami to demand that the Antonio Maceo Brigade and joined, and l . S. government take steps to improve re­ others have joined other organizations, not Are{to called the contingent "perhaps as ktions with Cuba, particularly around im­ as political as the brigade necessarily, or important as the first contingent [in 1977] nigration policy. The desire for normal re­ they have joined North American political in terms of showing the Cuban people that htions with Cuba has also been coupled organizations. Immigrants from 1980 have here those of us defending their rights and vith more Cubans in this country feeling done likewise in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and bey can express pro-Cuba views. Spain." 'There are more Cubans here who sup­ For more information on the An­ IOrt the revolutionary process than we have 'This is political work' tonio Maceo Brigade and its sum­ ~ '!n so far," Gomez noted. "Interestingly In light of these political opportunities, mer 1989 contingent to Cuba, mough, many are older people, people Gomez said, Arefto supporters have urged contact the brigade at P.O. Box vho lived in Cuba before the revolution, the Cuban government to remove what bra while after the revolution, and today, they consider unnecessary barriers to great­ 248829, Miami, Fla. 33124; or ~utside of Cuba. er dialogue between Cubans inside Cuba P.O. Box 20219, Greely Square "Many of them are women. They may and outside. In particular, they have Station, New York, N.Y. 10001. 1ave come here with their husbands; that suggested that immigration fees be lowered s, their husbands wanted to leave Cuba Andres Gomez: "We have to win over and the number of tourist visas be in­ the majority of exiles for the good of creased. interests grows larger every day." And it f ·en though the wives didn't. Cuba, rather than leave them in the "Many of these are women who have predicted that the brigade "will be received enemy's hands." All along, Gomez said, the immigration with affection and joy" in Cuba. watched their children grow up in U.S. so­ question "has been a very delicate process, ciety," Gomez said. "The children have a very complex one. We knew there would The editorial placed the new oppor­ gained consciousness and have helped their Only 20 percent say no. But even if it were be many contradictions. tunities for visits to Cuba in the context of mothers realize it was a mistake to leave the other way around - 20 percent saying the changes in the Miami Cuban communi­ "There would be people who aren't in Cuba. Some of them are today more con­ yes, and 80 percent saying no - it would ty Gomez described above. "The people favor of the revolution but who want to go scious than their children. still be a victory." have lost the fear of speaking out, of ex­ back to visit their families . There would be • "Then there are those - men and The changing political climate has also pressing their opinions, of discussing - people who really are part of the counter­ women - who have seen their children de­ benefited the Antonio Maceo Brigade in especially those who came from Marie!, revolution, but who are ready to go to Cuba stroy themselves in this society, through organizing trips of young people to Cuba. who up to now have been treated as sec­ to see their family and will take advantage drugs or by developing the kind of social In addition to the brigade trips, they have ond-class citizens by those who dominate of the circumstances to provoke tensions in attitudes this society promotes. organized special visits for young Cubans politics and the media in our community," Cuba. Just as there are individuals who are "We have others who left Cuba for polit­ who are less politically committed so far, the editorial said. ical or economic reasons," he continued, "who virtually know nothing about Cuba." neutral in terms of politics, whose sole in­ "Now, those of us who want to reunite "who were antigovernment, but in the This kind of trip has been successful, terest is in their family. Such people want with our families on the island, who favor to see normalization of relations because it course of entering the work force here, ex­ Gomez said. "Not in the sense that they re­ normalization of relations between the means they can visit Cuba and stay there a I--riencing the class contradictions of this turn and join a political organization, but United States and Cuba, who are fed up little longer." society, have regained their consciousness that they return and talk about what they with such inhumanity against our people, or gained it for the first time. saw." The idea of increasing Cuban visits to who want them to be allowed to develop "This occurs for the same class reasons the island has not gotten a favorable recep­ their country in peace - we need to or­ among young Cuban workers, those who Mariel youth tion from everyone in the Cuban govern­ ganize ourselves better to make our voices feel themselves to be exploited, or who Gomez took up specifically the situation ment, Gomez continued. Some think those heard and our efforts felt. sense that others are exploited. There are of those Cubans who left in 1980 from the who left Cuba "behave like the enemy, so "We are the majority, we know it."

January 27, 1989 The MDitant 9 Dozens arrested as Mexico gov't attacks oil workers' union Continued from front page agribusiness, and banking capitalists, along army troops to guard refineries and trucks with the backing of official PRI-backed delivering fuel, and the navy was reported unions and peasant organizations. For de­ guarding Pemex installations on the Gulf of cades, the PRI won every election for pres­ Mexico. ident, governor, and senator. As news of the arrests spread, thousands The oil workers' union - the largest in of oil workers walked off the job. Some the CTM - has been among the PRI' s 6,000 striking oil workers and supporters most important bases of popular support. demonstrated at the National Palace in During the national elections held last Mexico City January 10, and wildcat July, however, significant opposition to strikes spread to seven of Mexico's nine oil the PRI developed for the first time, re­ refineries. On January 12 a demonstration flecting the growing polarization taking of 20,000 oil workers and supporters again place in the country under the impact of the took place at the National Palace. worsening economic situation. The oil workers' union took out a full­ page ad in several Mexico City dailies to There were reports that oil workers' build the demonstration and demand re­ union leader Hernandez opposed the lease of the union's leaders. The arrests, choic.e of Salinas to run as the PRI's the ad said, are part of "the agreements the nominee for president, and that he backed Cuauhtemoc Cardenas instead, candidate government has established with the inter­ Soldiers follow gasoline trucks as part of show of military force connected with arrest national banks to guarantee payment of in­ of the National Democratic Front. The front is a bloc of nationalist and left-wing of leader of oil workers' union. Crackdown on union came soon after Mexican Con­ terest on loans and, at the same time, hand gress earmarked 60 percent of 1989 budget to meet payments on foreign debt. over the nationalized oil industry to foreign parties formed after Cardenas split from the capital." The loans referred to by the union PRI in 1987 over the party's refusal to hold are the $104 billion debt owed by Mexico primaries to nominate its presidential can­ When inflation hit 160 percent at the end as minister of budget and planning under to banks in the United States, Britain, didate. of 1987, then-president Miguel de Ia Ma­ the previous administration of Miguel de la Japan, and other imperialist countries. (Cardenas, a former PRI governor of the drid announced an "Economic Solidarity Madrid, is one of the architects of these Mexico's main union federation, the state of Michoacan, is the son of the late Pact" aimed at stabilizing the economy by austerity, debt-repayment, and anti-infla­ Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), Lazaro Cardenas, president of Mexico devaluing the peso and instituting a series tion policies. also condemned the government's actions from 1934 to 1940. During his presidency, of austerity measures. The pact, which in­ and demanded the release of those arrested. Cardenas carried out a substantial land dis­ cluded a wage freeze, was in place Salinas is also an advocate of continued The oil workers are part of the 5-million­ tribution and nationalized the railroads and throughout 1988. privatization of Mexico's state-owned com­ memberCTM. panies, which could include some of British and U.S. oil operations in the coun­ In December 1988, newly elected presi­ While the strikes were reported to be Pemex's operations. Since 1985, some 400 try.) dent Salinas announced a revision of the largely over by January 12, demonstrations state-owned enterprises have been sold, pact, including an 8 percent raise in the demanding the release of the union leaders In October, the oil workers' union pub­ merged, or liquidated. minimum wage. The country's inflation continued in the central plaza of Ciudad licly charged that a former director of rate is now about 52 percent, according to Madero, a port city and oil-refining center Pemex and ally of Salinas', Mario Ramon Glee Mexico's central bank. some 300 miles northeast of Mexico City . Beteta, was involved in a multimillion dol­ Washington and Wall Street can scarcely "We're going to stay here until La Quina lar fraud scheme. On December 29, Mexico's Congress contain their glee at Salinas' attack on the oil workers' union. "It is difficult to over­ gets out of jail," said oil worker Carlos Al­ Economic crisis approved a $107 billion 1989 federal berto Torres. "It doesn't matter if it takes budget. Nearly 60 percent of it is ear­ state the importance and significance of one month or two or three months. We're Mexico's working people have been hit marked for debt service, an even higher Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gor­ going to stay here until he's free." hardest by the country's economic stagna­ percentage of the budget than last year. tari's arrest" of Hernandez, said the Wall tion and decline during the 1980s. The Street Journal in a January 12 editorial ti­ Crisis in PRJ country's dependency on revenues from oil The Salinas government is seeking $6 tled "Corralling La Quina." billion in new loans for 1989. In October Salinas' attack on the oil workers' union exports has made it especially vulnerable to the fluctuations in world oil prices. Washington made a direct loan of $3.5 bil­ A column that appeared in the paper the is the latest example of the pressures build­ lion to Mexico. New loans are needed be­ same day was even more blunt. "If Mr. ing on the Institutional Revolutionary Party Between 1982 and 1987, real wages of cause of the country's growing trade def­ Salinas succeeds in breaking Latin Ameri­ (PRI) as a result of the country's deepening Mexico's workers declined by about half, icit, caused in part by low oil prices and the ca's largest union," it said, " ... he would economic crisis. while inflation soared and unemployment flood of imports into Mexico since tariff be in a better position to press his economic The PRI has been Mexico's ruling party and underemployment grew. In early barriers were lowered a year ago. The tariff reform program of austerity, privatization for the past 60 years. During that time, it 1988, almost three-fourths of Mexico's reduction was made when Mexico joined of state-owned companies, and trade has governed based on a consensus of sup­ workers earned at or below the $5-a-day the General Agreement on Tariffs and liberalization. He might also gain the stat­ port from the country's ruling industrial, minimum wage. Trade. Two-thirds of Mexico's imports ure needed to wrest concessions from cred­ come from the United States. itors in negotiations over Mexico's $104 Salinas, who served his apprenticeship billion foreign debt." Subscribe to 'Perspectiva Mundial' Speech by Fidel Castro Int'l campaign demands release As a reader of the Militant of kidnapped Mexican activist you are familiar with our week­ ly coverage of the struggles of An international campaign is being or­ march of 4,000 was held in Cuautla, led by working people around the ganized to demand that authorities in Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, former presidential world. Mexico release political activist Jose candidate of the National Democratic If you can read or are study­ Ramon Garcia Gomez. Garcia was kidnap­ Front; Rosario Ibarra de Piedra, presiden­ ped from his hometown, Cuautla, De­ tial nominee of the PRT; and Ana Santan­ ing Spanish, there is a com­ cember 16 and has not been heard from der de Garcia, Garda's wife. A rally was plementary monthly magazine since. also held at the Mexican parliament, and a for you: Perspectiva Mundial. Garda was the candidate of the Revolu­ number of deputies have asked that the PM is a Spanish-language so­ tionary Workers Party (PRT) for mayor of Chamber of Deputies Human Rights Com­ cialist magazine that carries Cuautla, near Mexico City, during the mission take up Garda's disappearance. A many of the same articles you Mexican elections last July. Since then, he petition campaign is being organized, as read in the Militant. had been harassed and warned repeatedly well as other activities. by government authorities and police be­ The governor of Morelos, the state in The January issue of PM fea­ cause of his political activities, which in­ which Cuautla is located, initially re­ tures a speech by Cuban Presi­ cluded involvement in protests against the sponded to the case by denying any knowl­ dent Fidel Castro to the Second outcome of the presidential vote. edge about what had happened to Garda Meeting of the Women's Con­ Carlos Salinas de Gortari, candidate of and threatening those trying to win his re­ tinental Front Against Inter­ the Institutional Revolutionary Party lease. Under pressure of the campaign on vention held in Havana in June (PRI), which has governed Mexico since Garcia's behalf, however, the governor 1985. 1929, was elected president, defeating named a special investigator for the case Subscriptions: three other candidates. The voting results, December 30. Castro's speech centers on Introductory offer: $3 for six however, were widely disputed. Telegrams and messages demanding the grave economic, social, and months; $9 for one year. On the day of Garda's disappearance, Garcia's immediate release should be sent political crisis gripping the ·two unmarked police cars sat outside his to Embassy of Mexico, 2829 16th St. NW, people of Latin America and 0 Begin my sub with current issue. house all morning, while agents questioned Washington, D.C. 20009. Until a new am­ the Caribbean. He explains Name------­ neighbors about him. bassador is appointed, the charge d'affaires that the debt owed by these He was kidnapped from his car, a Volks­ there is Jorge Pinto. countries is "immoral, illegal, Address------wagen, in front of eyewitnesses, who re­ Protests can also be sent to President City/State/Zip ______ported that his assailants were from the Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Palacio Na­ and unpayable." Ministry of Interior's national security cional, Mexico, D.F., Mexico. Clip and mail to PM, 410 West St., police. Copies of messages and telegrams should New York, NY 10014. On December 18, demonstrations de­ be sent to the National Front Against Re­ manding Garcia's release were held in pression, Medellin 366, Col. Roma Sur, Cuautla and Cuernavaca. Six days later, a 06760 Mexico, D.F., Mexico.

10 The Militant January 27, 1989 Negotiators discuss

OOOAR f'o41E A N CHE'I'

, •• ••• ' PRl'.: A H V IHEAR future of Kampuchea, ..... ·· ! • t. .·· .. Tben$ Ht~n Chty

Vietnam's withdrawal ....~ ...· · ..······ \ ...... : BY FRED FELDMAN supported the U.S.-dominated regime of The pace of negotiations for a political Gen. Lon Nol, which succeeded Sihanouk. settlement concerning the future of Kam­ After the coup, the U.S. military in­ puchea is accelerating. Steps toward an vaded Kampuchea in 1970 and carried out agreement began to quicken in December years of saturation bombing to counter a 1987, when Kampuchean Prime Minister broad resistance movement that included Hun Sen first met with Prince Norodom the Khmer Communist Party and Prince Sihanouk. Sihanouk, formerly the heredi­ Sihanouk. The CP-Ied peasant guerrillas tary ruler of Kampuchea, has often served were known as the Khmer Rouge. as head of the coalition of three armed an­ When the U.S. war was defeated and tigovernment forces backed by Washing­ Lon Nol fell, one wing of the Khmer ton. Rouge took power, headed by Pol Pot. Last July the first meeting between rep­ Sihanouk briefly served as chief of state resentatives of the Kampuchean govern­ under this regime. ment and leaders of the three opposition Claiming to be communist, the Pol Pot groups took place in Jakarta, Indonesia. regime carried out mass executions and Another round of talks involving Hun Sen other policies that were responsible for the KAMPUCHEA and Sihanouk occurred in November. deaths of well over I million Kampu­ Over the weekend of January 14, Viet­ cheans. namese Deputy Foreign Minister Dinh Nho The Kampuchean population is now es­ and-run attacks. province of Kompong Cham, told the Far Liem held talks with Chinese officials, the timated at more than 7 million. The number of guerrilla actions against Eastern Economic Review that about I ,000 first direct talks between the two govern­ the regime in 1988 dropped 50 percent Khmer Rouge guerrillas still operate in his ments in nine years. The Chinese govern­ Beginning in 1977, Pol Pot's regime from 1987 according to the Far Eastern district. ment reportedly agreed to reduce its aid to launched all-out attacks on southern Viet­ Economic Review. Across the country, he said, they have the Khmer Rouge, the militarily strongest nam. By the end of 1978, 30,000 Vietnam­ The Phnom Penh government says that been able to kill between 7,000 and 8,000 opposition group, as Vietnamese forces ese had been killed, scores of villages de­ the Pol Pot group has 20,000 troops; other people over the last 10 years, including up withdrew from Kampuchea. stroyed, and hundreds of thousands of estimates range as high as 40,000. The to 2,000 civil servants. In addition to China and Vietnam, the peasants had fl ed the area. Kampuchean government estimates its The Vietnamese government says that governments of the Soviet Union, United Pol Pot was toppled by a joint operation own troop strength as 40,000. They are its troops have suffered 25,000 deaths in States, and the member countries of the As­ of Vietnamese troops and Kampuchean re­ supplemented by village militias. the last I 0 years - many from malaria and sociation of Southeast Asian Nations have sistance fighters , who captured the capital Pres Samsoeur, deputy governor of the other illnesses. been taking an active, although formally in­ city of Phnom Penh on Jan. 7, 1979. The direct, part in the negotiations. ASEAN is a resistance fighters proclaimed the People's bloc of semicolonial regimes that includes Republic of Kampuchea, naming Heng Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, In­ Samrin as president. -WORLD NEWS BRIEFS-- donesia, and the Philippines. Pol Pot's forces fl ed to the border with Thailand where they were rearmed with as­ Haitian priest expelled taining its status as an autonomous re­ Early withdrawal sistance from the Chinese government and gion incorporated in Azerbaijan." The Vietnamese and Kampuchean gov­ provided with bases and military protection from Salesian order Throughout the protests last year, ernments, which had previously an­ by the Thai regime. Soviet government officials labeled the nounced that the withdrawal of Vietnamese Havana Radio Reloj Network has re­ Armenians' demand as "anti socialist." In the years that followed , the PRK ported that Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a troops from Kampuchea would be com­ made strides toward repairing the damage Last March Soviet leader Mikhail Gor­ pleted in 1990, have now offered to com­ priest and one of the Haitian popular bachev said the Armenians' demand done by the U.S. war and the Pol Pot re­ movement's most prominent leaders, plete the process by September 1989. Early gime. Rice production this year is expected would not be approved. Large numbers withdrawal is conditioned on reaching an has appealed his expulsion from the of militia troops were sent to the region to come close to pre- 1970 levels. Salesian order. Aristide's appeal is sup­ agreement on the pqlitical makeup of the The widespread hunger that Kampu­ with instructions to restore order. Kampuchean government and on a cutoff ported by more than 90 Haitian priests cheans suffered under Pol Pot and the near­ who issued a strongly worded message of U.S. , Chinese, Thai, and other aid to famine that struck the country after the col­ antigovernment forces based in Thailand. criticizing the Salesians. S. African businesses lapse of his regime have been overcome. Aristide's expulsion was made public The Kampuchean government has called But the country faces massive problems, fear sanctions for establishing a "national reconciliation" in a statement by the Salesian order from stemming from the destruction wrought by the Vatican. The statement accused the council with Sihanouk as its head. It de­ nearly two decades of U.S. aggression, Fearing sanctions and protests, South mands the central leaders of the Khmer priest of being a "destabilizing" influ­ African business is being tight lipped civil war, and aid and trade embargoes. ence, and that he instigates "violence" Rouge be barred from the reshaped govern­ The average per capita gross domestic pro­ about its overseas companies. "The sim­ ment. and "class struggle." ple fact that you are born in South Africa duct is estimated by the United Nations at Last October Salesian officials at­ In November, Hun Sen announced that only about $80 annually. is a mark of Cain," complained Donald one central leader of the Khmer Rouge, tempted to transfer Aristide from Haiti Gordon, chairman of Liberty Life As­ Khieu Samphan, was welcome as a par­ Policy changes to Canada. The directive order was met sociation of Africa Ltd. Gordon has with a massive wave of demonstrations ticipant in the negotiations. "These past 20 In what is described as an effort to been a major figure in the insurance years we have misjudged Khieu Sam­ in Haiti. Aristide ignored the transfer business in Britain for two decades. further spur production and trade, the gov­ order. phan," Hun Sen said. ernment has recently announced several To help cover up this mark, the South Washington and Peking provide military Aristide is one of the foremost oppo­ African government introduced legisla­ policy changes aimed at encouraging nents of the various military regimes that and other aid, by way of Thailand, to the capitalist investment and other forms of tion that exempts companies from hav­ coalition of opposition groups. have ruled Haiti since the dictator Jean­ ing to disclose anything about their private enterprise. Claude Duvalier fled the country in The groups maintain military bases and Authorities in the provinces have been foreign operations, on the grounds that are allowed to control refugee camps in 1986. Last September rightist gunmen such information could harm the na­ given permission to trade directly with attacked Aristide's church as he was Thailand, and to carry out raids and other foreign countries. Highway checkpoints tional interest. The government is so guerrilla operations inside Kampuchea. saying mass and burned it to the ground. concerned that it won't even disclose have been removed, making it easier for At least 13 people were killed and nearly None has been able to hold territory inside farmers to engage in trade and also lifting anything about the nondisclosure law. Kampuchea. 80 wounded. Aristide escaped only by "I won't comment on why we do it, some obstacles to the extensive quasi-legal seconds. Despite this, Washington and its allies smuggling along the Thai border. how we do it, when we do it, and when have been able to impose diplomatic and Following that attack, noncommis­ we don't do it," says J.F van Rensburg economic isolation on Kampuchea. The The U.S.-organized economic embargo sioned officers supported by troops of the Registrar of Companies, which United Nations General Assembly has con­ against Kampuchea has begun to fray . overthrew the regime of Gen. Henri administers the nondisclosure law. tinued to recognize the Khmer Rouge, with Japanese capitalists are now building a Namphy and replaced him with Gen. A favored technique for concealing the coalition serving as a fig leaf, as the of­ sawmill on the outskirts of the capital of Prosper Avril. In late November, Aris­ South African-owned foreign companies ficial representati ve of the country . This Phnom Penh. tide called on the poor to crush the pow­ is to buy controlling interest in a small stance was reaffirmed in November in a Economic recovery, in a context where erful and called Avril's military govern­ company, perhaps British-owned. Then 122-19 vote. capitalist relations predominate in trade ment unfit. all other foreign investments are stashed and agriculture, has been accompanied by under that company. "That way," said Origin of groups some increase in social tensions. "The gap Moscow imposes rule one South African businessman, "when The opposition groups represent forces between the rich and the poor is growing," we expand it will be as a British com­ from Kampuchean regimes that ruled prior one international aid worker in Phnom in Armenian region pany." to the establishment of the People's Repub­ Penh told Far Eastern Economic Review Altron Ltd., a South African elec­ lic of Kampuchea in 1979. correspondent Murray Hiebert. The Soviet government placed Na­ tronics firm did just that when it ex­ Norodom Sihanouk heads one group. He "For us socialism means we have to im­ gorno-Karabakh , a predominantly Ar­ panded last year. Altron bought control­ became hereditary ruler of Kampuchea in prove the living standard of the people," an menian region of the Azerbaijan repub­ ling interest in Telemetrix PLC, a small 1941, when it was a French colony. He official told Hiebert concerning the recent lic, under its direct rule on January 12. British company listed on the London headed the government from the winning changes in economic policy. "We must try N agorno-Karabakh has been the scene Stock Exchange. Bill Venter, Altron's of independence from France in 1954 until to develop a strata of businessmen to build of widespread protests by Armenians de­ chairman, said that within 18 months he he was toppled by a coup in 1970. our economy, while the state tries to pro­ manding . that the region be annexed to would build an international electronic Washington backed the coup because tect the poorest people." the neighboring Armenian republic. group with sales exceeding $100 mil­ Sihanouk had resisted pressure to give fu ll The military situation remains tense. The Soviet news agency Tass said, lion. backing to its war against liberation move­ Since early 1985, when Vietnamese and "The Presidium of the USSR Supreme "If we say, yes, our operation is doing ments in neighboring Vietnam and Laos. Kampuchean forces forced the antigovern­ Soviet, in keeping with the USSR con­ such and such, the next day we'll have a . The Khmer People's National Liberation ment forces to abandon their camps just in­ stitution, found it expedient to introduce demonstration outside that office," says Front is another component of the coali­ side Kampuchea and set up others in Thai­ temporarily in the Nagorno-Karabakh Jacques Sellschop, an Altron spokes­ tion. It stems from the Khmer Serei bands land, the opposition has been unable toes­ autonomous region a special form of ad­ man. "A certain clandestineness has that were backed by the CIA before the tablish new bases in Kampuchea. They ministration with Nagorno-Karabakh re- been forced on us," he explained. overturn of Sihanouk. The Khmer Serei have been restricted to terrorism and hit-

January 27, 1989 The Militant 11 -CALENDAR------ARIZONA gram 7:30p.m. 5019 1/z Woodward Ave. Dona­ Speaker: Dave Prince, Socialist Workers Party Thousands Threatened With Deportation. tion: $3 . Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For visited Cuba 1968-69 and 1981. Sun., Jan. 29, Speakers: Nancy Pocock, coordinator, Quaker Phoenix more information call (313) 831-1177. 5 p.m. 253 E Main. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Committee for Refugees; Tom Clark, Inter­ Abortion Rights Under Attack. A panel dis­ Militant Labor Forum. For more information church Committee for Refugees; Hani Samber, cussion. Translation to Spanish. Sat., Jan. 28, 7 MINNESOTA call (801) 637-6294. chairperson Legal Defence Committee for p.m. 1809 W Indian School Rd . Donation: $2. Mahmoud Mohammad, Palestinian facing de­ Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more infor­ Austin Salt Lake City Defend Abortion Rights. A panel of speakers portation; Tom Leys, Revolutionary Workers mation call (602) 279-5850. 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For more information call (416) 861-1399. son Blackstock, participant in the 1964 Missis­ MISSOURI Palestine Uprising Enters Second Year: sippi Freedom Summer, former staff member of Kansas City What the Palestinians Are Fighting For. the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Commit­ A Victory Against Apartheid. Showing of WASHINGTON, D.C. Speaker: Abdullah Abdullah, Palestine Libera­ tee. Sat., Jan. 21, 7:30p.m. 2546WPicoBlvd. Cuban TV documentary "The Response to the Why the Minimum Wage Should be Raised. tion Organization representative in Canada. Donation: $3. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. South African Escalation," on the Angolan and Speaker: Deborah Lazar, Socialist Workers Fri., Feb. 3, 7:30p.m. 410 Adelaide St. W, For more information call (213) 380-9460. Cuban victory over South African troops in An­ Party, member United Steelworkers of America Suite 400. Donation: $3 . Sponsor: Socialist San Francisco and Berkeley gola. In English and Spanish. Sat., Jan. 21, 6 Locall4287. 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A meeting and discussion forum . Sat., cisco). January 22 march and rally to celebrate Workers; Veronica Jones, president Associa­ South Africa; Dr. Ben Chavis, United Church Jan. 28, 10:30 a.m. Pathfinder Bookstore, of Christ Commission on Racial Justice; enter­ legalized abortion; meet II a.m., Lafayette tion of Black Collegians at University of Mis­ Klapparstig 26. For more information call (91) Park (Gough and Sacramento, S.F.), rally 2 souri; Jonathan Taylor, member Association of tainment by Shirley Scott trio. Sun., Jan . 29. 17513. Reception 6:30p.m.; program 7 p.m. Howard p.m. at Federal Building. Sponsor: Bay Area Black Students at Washington University. Sat., University, Cramton Auditorium. Sponsor: Af­ Coalition Against Operation Rescue. For more Jan. 21, 7 p.m. 4907 Martin Luther King Dr. rican National Congress, South Africa Wo­ information call (415) 824-8562. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. SWEDEN men's Day Committee, Howard University Af­ Vietnam: Photographs of Life Afler War. For more information call (314) 361-0250. Stockholm rican Students Association. For more informa­ Cuban and Angolan Victory Over South Af­ Photographer Adam Kufeld with slideshow of tion call (202) 882-1817. his recent trip to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and NEBRASKA rica. Cuban documentary video on the Angolan Mekong Delta. Also speaking, Bill Eisman, Omaha and Cuban victory over apartheid regime's U.S.-Vietnam Friendship Association . Thurs. , Abortion: A Woman's Right. Speakers: • troops in Angola. Sun., Jan. 29, 15:00 in Med­ Jan 26, 7:30 p.m. La Peiia Cultural Center, Elizabeth Stawycznyj, state coordinator, Na­ CANADA borgarhuset, rooms 403 and 404. T-bana Med­ 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. Donation: $5. tional Organization for Women; Arlene borgarplatsen. In English and Spanish. Spon­ Also Fri., Jan. 27, 7:30p.m. The Eye Gallery, Katzman, prochoice advocate; Lacy Hansen, Toronto sors: Cuba-Sweden Friendship Society, Stock­ 1151 Mission St., S.F. Donation: $5 . Socialist Workers Party. Sat., Jan. 21, 7:30 No to the New Laws Against Refugees! holm Africa group, Pathfinder. p.m. 140 S 40th St. Donation: $2. Sponsor: FLORIDA Militant Labor Forum. For more information Miami call (402) 553-0245. Defend Abortion Rights! A panel discussion. Jordan and ~he Palestinian struggle Translation to Spanish and French. Sat., Jan. NEW JERSEY 21, 7:30p.m. 137 NE 54th St. Donation: $2. Continued from Page 5 Like Hussein, Peres sees a united Pales­ Newark tinian people as a mortal threat. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For more infor­ Stop Threats Against Libya. Speaker: Nick rael' s] interests." mation call (305) 756-1020. Gruenberg, Socialist Workers Party, member "The two major Jordanian monarchs, Neither Hussein nor Peres are paranoid United Auto Workers. Translation to Spanish Abdullah and Hussein," they continue, in this respect. Further development of the ILLINOIS and French. Sat., Jan. 28, 7:30p.m. 141 Halsey "consistently sought decent relations with Palestinian liberation struggle, and of the Chicago St., 2nd floor. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant the Zionists, and they worked over many class struggle throughout Israeli-held Fight for Abortion Rights! Speakers: Mary Labor Forum. For more information call (201) years with Israel in endeavors of mutual in­ Palestine, will topple the status quo in the Lee Box, vice-president Amalgamated Clothing 643-3341 . terest. area. and Textile Workers Union Local 144, member "In a manner symbolic of the two states' Advances in the fight will lead toward Coalition of Labor Union Women; Delores NORTH CAROLINA mutual needs, their leaders have met se­ Piiia, member National Abortion Rights Action Greensboro unity. And as the Palestinians' unity and League; Olga Vives, National Board member, cretly with each other about 20 times since strength increase, so will their links with The Frame-up of M~rk Curtis:, An Injury to 1947." National Organization for Women; Robin Tril­ One is an Injury to All. Sat., Jan. 21, 7:30 Jewish workers and farmers, whose con­ ling, Socialist Workers Party, member United p.m. 2219 E Market. Donation: $2. Sponsor: sciousness will develop as Israel's social Steelworkers of America Local 1608. Transla­ Militant Labor Forum. For more information • and economic difficulties deepen into full­ tion to Spanish. Sat., Jan. 21,6 p.m. 6826 S call (919) 272-5996. scale crisis. Stony Island Ave. Donation: $3. Sponsor: Mil­ In our first article, we cited a New York itant Labor Forum. For more information call PENNSYLVANIA Times guest column by Shimon Peres, then Palestinian success in wresting control (312) 363-7322 or 363-7136. Philadelphia Israeli foreign minister and now finance of the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem Palestine and the Arabs' Fight for Libera­ minister. In that article, Peres opposes the from the Israeli rulers - which the PLO MASSACHUSETTS tion. Speaker: representative of Palestine Sol­ idea of an independent Palestinian state. has declared as its current goal - would Boston idarity Movement and Socialist Workers Party. Peres argues that such a state would arti­ mark an advance in this process. Abortion Rights Under Attack. A panel dis­ Translation to Spanish. Sat., Jan. 21, 7:30p.m. ficially divide the Palestinian people, dem­ These developments go in the direction cussion. Translation to Spanish. Sat., Jan. 28 , 2744 Germantown Ave. Donation: $2. Sponsor: agogically pointing to their national iden­ of replacing the reactionary Israeli regime 7:30 p.m. 605 Massachusetts Ave. Donation: Militant Forum. For more information call tity with the Palestinians now living in Jor­ $2. 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(416) 861-1399. 0852. Tel: (602) 795-2146. N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul. Zip: 55104. Tel: 522-8054. Vancouver: P.O. Box 69742, Station K, CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 2546 W. Pico (612) 644-6325. UTAH: Price: 253 E. Main St. Mailing ad­ V5K 4Y7. Tel. (604) 873-8898. Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380-9460. Oak­ MISSOURI: Kansas City: 5534 Troost dress: P.O. Box 758. Zip: 84501. Tel: (801) land: 3702 Telegraph Ave. Zip: 94609. Tel : Ave. Zip: 64110. Tel: (816) 444-7880. St. 637-6294. Salt Lake City: 147 E. 900 South. ICELAND (415) 420-1165. San Francisco: 3284 23rd St. Louis: 4907 Martin Luther King Dr. Zip: Zip: 84111. Tel: (801) 355-1124. Reykjavik: Klapparstig 26. Mailing address: Zip: 94110. Tel: (415) 282-6255. Seaside: c/o 63113. Tel: (314) 361-0250. WASHINGTON, D.C.: 3165 Mt. Pleasant P. Box 233, 121 Reykjavik. Tel: (91) 17513. Brian Olewude, 1790 Havana St. Zip: 93955. NEBRASKA: Omaha: 140 S. 40th St. Zip: St. NW . Zip: 20010. Tel: (202) 797-7699, 797- Tel: (408) 394-7948. 68131. Tel: (402) 553-0245. 7021. NEW ZEALAND FLORIDA: Miami: 137 NE 54th St. Zip: NEW JERSEY: Newark: 141 Halsey. Zip: WASHINGTON: Seattle: 5517 Rainier Ave. Auckland: 157a Symonds St. Postal address: 33137. Tel: (305) 756-1020. Tallahassee: P.O. 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. New Brunswick: South. Zip: 98118. Tel: (206) 723-5330. P.O. Box 8730. Tel: (9) 793-075. Box 20715. Zip: 32316. Tel: (904) 877-9338. c/o Keith Jordan, 149 Somerset St. Zip: 08903. WEST VIRGINIA: Charleston: 116 Mc­ Christchurch: 593a Colombo St. (upstairs). GEORGIA: Atlanta: 132 Cone St. NW, Tel: (201) 828-1874. Farland St. Zip: 25301. Tel: (304) 345-3040. Postal address: P.O. Box 22-530. Tel: (3) 656- 2nd Floor. Zip: 30303. Tel: (404) 577-4065. NEW YORK: Mid-Hudson: Box 1042, An­ Morgantown: 221 Pleasant St. Zip: 26505. 055. ILLINOIS: Chicago: 6826 S. Stony Island nandale. Zip: 12504. Tel: (914) 758-0408. New Tel: (304) 296-0055. Wellington: 23 Majoribanks St., Courtenay Pl. Ave. Zip: 60649. Tel: (312) 363-7322. York: 79 Leonard St. Zip: 10013. Tel: (212) WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: 4707 W. Lisbon Postal address: P.O. Box9092. Tel:(4)844-205. INDIANA: Muncie: c/o Brian Johnson, 219-3679 or 925-1668. Pathfinder Books, 226- Ave . Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) 445-2076. 6191f2 N. Dill St. Zip: 47303. Tel: (317) 747- 8445. SWEDEN 8543. NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: 2219 AUSTRALIA Stockholm: P.O. Box 5024, S-12505 Alvsjo. IOWA: Des Moines: 2105 Forest Ave. Zip: E Market. Zip: 27401. Tel: (919) 272-5996. Sydney: 181 Glebe Point Rd., 2nd floor, Tel: (08) 722-9342.

12 The Militant January 27, 1989 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------

Side benefit - A Massachu­ Like the $6,000 bite on the Repub­ the contamination figures were is­ chain's president."- Wall Street the most expensive military plane setts entrepreneur is marketing red lican National Committee toward sued the next year - after new Journal. yet. contact lenses for chickens. They his skiing vacation. Or that he permissible-level standards were will assertedly make the chickens would like donations to fix up the designed to show the fallout wasn't The military way-The Penta­ But not to worry - "Some of happier since red is supposed to vice-presidential mansion. Plus dangerous. gon is replacing the communica­ the chemicals used in cosmetics getting himself on the White tions system at the Cheyenne and hair products have been linked House transition-office payroll un­ Hey, no problem - The Du Mountain "early warning" center. to cancer, birth defects, nervous til he starts collecting as veep. Pont company, which manages the The new system's wiring is incom­ system disorders, and other ill­ Savannah River nuclear weapons patible with other electronics at the nesses. The dangerous ingredients Housing tip- ZsaZsa Gabor's plant in South Carolina, acknowl­ installation, which the air force are rarely banned. In fact, the Food Harry Bel-Air estate, just around the edged that the installation is sitting knew when it ordered it. The solu­ and Drug Administration has no au­ comer from the Reagan's new pad, atop an earthquake fault at least 20 tion? The wiring throughout Chey­ thority to test cosmetics for safety Ring is for sale. "We're giving it away miles long. Company scientists as­ enne Mountain will be changed to before they are marketed."- Col­ for $15 million," said the broker. sured it wasn't big enough to work with the new system. umnist Jack Anderson. cause a major earthquake. pacify them. Also, incidentally, The world's richest country­ they'll eat less and lay more eggs. Just getting their act together Things are tough all over - Not his money - "Whatever it The United States is falling far -We reported the British govern­ "At F.A.O. Schwarz, high-priced costs, it's worth it."- U.S. Air short of objectives established in Not as· dumb as he looks - ment tried to conceal a 1957 nu­ items such as $5 ,000 stuffed giraffes Force Secretary Edward Aldridge 1979 for infant mortality. Of 13 Despite the Quayle family fortune, clear accident that contaminated just aren't selling as well as in the on the B-2 Stealth bomber that will goals set for 1990, only three are Danford takes care of himself. milk at some 800 farms. Actually, past, says Peter Harris, the toy cost more than a halfbillion a piece, likely to be met. Cop killing sparks revolt in Miami Black community

Continued from front page day, spreading to Liberty City , Miami's conditions, rotten housing, homelessness, A Dade County officer who participated a crowd of Blacks, wounding one person. largest Black community, and to the Black and poverty still afflict Overtown and other in arresting Lee admitted seeing about 20 Overtown resident Tom Scott expressed section of Coconut Grove. More than 700 Black and Latino communities. Miami cops punch and kick Lee in the face the community's sentiment when he told cops from Miami, Dade County, and The unemployment gap between Blacks and strike him about his body repeatedly. the Miami Herald: "We've been victimized nearby cities and the state police invaded and whites has risen dramatically in Dade Lee was in handcuffs throughout the beat­ all our lives, and now they're treating us the Black communities. Florida Gov. Bob County. According to Bureau of Labor fig­ ing. like animals with no respect, and especially Martinez has placed 500 National Guards­ ures , the unemployment rate for Blacks In an emergency session January 18, the on this day , Martin Luther King Day." men on alert. rose from 9 percent to 10.4 percent between City Commission voted to set up a citizens' That same day, some 60,000 people had Police blocked off 170 blocks of Liberty 1981 and 1987. For whites it dropped from review panel to investigate the shooting of marched in Miami to celebrate Martin City. More than 200 people were reported 6. 9 percent to 4. 7 percent. Unemployment Lloyd. The police department, the local Luther King's birthday. arrested that night, and at least three people rates for Latinos dropped from 8. 7 percent prosecutor, and the U.S. Justice Depart­ The rebellion continued on the following were reported shot by police. to 5.8 percent during the same years. ment are also investigating the killing. In Overtown on the night of January 17 According to city officials, unemploy­ Similar investigations over the past 10 this reporter saw scores of police with riot ment in Overtown is 55 percent. And the years have cleared cop after cop. ~---Miami-----. shields, shotguns, truncheons, and gas average yearly income is $7 ,000. masks riding into the community in police The shooting of Blanchard and Lloyd is cars and big armored wagons. Police heli­ part of a long series of incidents of police What's Behind copters with searchlights droned overhead. brutality against Blacks in the Miami area. Miami officials try An Overtown resident who said he was Eighteen Blacks were killed and hundreds to bar Nicaraguans on his way to the homeless shelter for a ·injured in 1980 when a massive rebellion in the Miami Liberty City protested the acquittal of the meal, explained, "The problem is so much The number of Nicaraguans in Miami land and too little jobs." cops who murdered Black businessman Rebellion Arthur McDuffie. Like Lloyd, he was ac­ has grown to about 100,000 over the last He pointed to the fancy new sports arena cused of a motorcycle traffic violation. 20 years. Central Americans comprised built on the edge of Overtown and to In 1982 a rebellion shook Overtown fewer than I percent of Latinos in Miami in speaker. Thabo Ntweng, Miami 's multi-colored downtown sky­ when Miami cop Luis Alvarez gunned 1970, but now total almost 17 percent, scrapers just beyond it. He then pointed to down Nevell .tohnson, Jr., in a video ar­ most of them Nicaraguans. Socialist Workers Overtown's unpainted, barracks-like hous­ cade just blocks from where Lloyd and A federal court order in effect until Jan­ ing, its garbage-strewn streets, and the Blanchard were killed. Overtown and Lib­ uary 31 in Brownsville, Texas, will allow Party homeless women and men camped under erty City erupted in 1984 when Alvarez thousands of immigrant workers to travel the neighborhood's overpasses. City Man­ was acquitted. inland from the Mexican border while their Thurs., Jan. 26, 7:30p.m. ager Odio estimates that 10,000 homeless In 1988 Miami cops launched a series of requests for political asylum are weighed. Translation to Spanish and French persons live in Miami . brutal "drug raids" against innocent Blacks, Many of the immigrants are Nicaraguan. Despite the "new image" of Miami being including a Baptist minister and his three Dade County officials have said that 137 NE 54th St. promoted in publicity for the Super Bowl since the ruling, the pace of immigration to $2 donation children and a young Black mother. football game to be held here January 22, Last month eight cops beat to death an the Miami area has increased to between unemployment, low wages, bad working unarmed Puerto Rican in front of his neigh­ 150 and 200 a week. Many arrive with only bors and family. a handful of personal possessions. The city In December the Miami Herald exposed is housing 260 Nicaraguans in a baseball an incident in which a judge hushed up a stadium. Candidate: 'No aid to UNIT A!' cop beating of a Black "suspect," Alfred The Dade County government has dis­ Lee, who turned out to be a Dade County patched officials to Brownsville to spread Continued from front page notes, UNIT A has 'willfully and purposely the word that unless Nicaraguans have after months of negotiations, agreed to by targeted the civilian population,' in viola­ police officer. The judge claimed that he feared publicity around the case could lead friends or relatives to support them, they the South African regime only after it was tion of international law . Some 20,000 should stay away from Miami. defeated, along with UNITA, in a major women and children have been mutilated to a "riot." battle at Cuito Cuanavale, Angola, last by land mines. Between 15,000 and March. 20,000 children have been orphaned and "Together, fighters from the Angolan abandoned because of UNIT A attacks. -10 AND 25 YEARS AGO--- and Cuban armies, and from the South Children have been forced to watch the West Africa People's Organisation of Na­ murder of their parents and friends , and the integrated group of students tried to get into a Krystal hamburger stand in down­ mibia, dealt a smashing military blow to destruction of their homes. THE MILITANT town Altanta. Ten hooded, white-robed Ku South Africa and UNITA. That's what "The health situation is deteriorating, in­ Klux Klansmen had occupied the seats at forced Pretoria to withdraw from Angola and Jan. 26, 1979 fant mortality is soaring - and health cen­ the counter in a move to prevent a sit-in. start negotiating," Musa said. The agree­ Deserted by his imperialist supporters ters are among UNITA's targets," Musa But they didn't scare anybody, and the stu­ ment calls for independence for Namibia, continued. "Sabotage of communications, and despised by the Iranian people, Shah withdrawal of South African troops from Mohammed Reza Pahlavi fled into exile dent demonstrators organized by the Stu­ mining farming areas, stealing cattle, and dent Nonviolent Coordinating Committee that country, and noninterference in the in­ January 16. The tyrant ended his dark and destruction of villages that refuse to back (SNCC) and the Committee on Appeal for ternal affairs of the countries of southwest­ UNIT A are the kinds of atrocities UNIT A bloody reign without even waiting for his em Africa. An agreement between Angola rubber-stamp parliament to confirm his Human Rights chanted and sang outside. carries out - not to mention killing and Some of their number attempted to enter and Cuba provides for the phased with­ choice of Shahpur Bakhtiar as Iran's new wounding tens of thousands of people." the restaurant, and the police began arrest­ drawal of Cuban internationalist fighters prime minister. "UNITA's real record makes Bush's ing them. from Angola. As news of the shah's departure spread, praise for its 'courageous' role all the more the New York Times reported, "hundreds of Other demonstrators lay down beneath "Now is the time to step up pressure on repugnant," said Musa. thousands of people poured out of their the wheels of a patrol wagon and were Bush to end U.S. support for UNIT A and homes shouting 'Shah raft!' (The Shah is themselves arrested. SNCC Chairman John recognize the government of Angola, as The socialist candidate has been actively campaigning now for several months. gone!)" ·Lewis and SNCC Executive Secretary Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos San­ James Forman were among some 30 per­ tos recently called for," Musa said. Musa has spoken to high school and col­ lege audiences, campaigned at plant gates sons arrested outside the restaurant. A report issued last August by the and at street- comer literature tables, and in THE The next day, SNCC Chairman Lewis United Church of Christ's Commission for Chicago's low-income housing projects. announced a demonstration for January 24 Racial Justice gives an idea of the human Some 2,500 pieces of campaign literature for the edification of a delegation from a MILITANT human rights subcommission of the United and economic damage done by UNIT A, have already been distributed, in both En­ Publl... ecl In the Interests of the Working People Nations. The group is headed by Morris Musa explained. The report was based on a glish and Spanish. Jan. 27, 1964 Price •ot fact-finding trip by Black church and com­ Abram, formerly of Atlanta. Lewis said munity leaders, lead by political activist The general election is April 4. The Abram had asked SNCC not to demon­ Ben Chavis. Democratic and Republican primaries are ATLANTA, Ga. Jan. 21- Racial pro­ strate while the UN committee was in At­ set for February 28. tests continue here daily as high school and lanta because that would "embarrass the "They found that children, women , The Socialist Workers Party campaign college students sustain their struggle to nation." men, and the elderly have become the main headquarters in Chicago is located at 6826 make Atlanta an "open city." In announcing the demonstration, Lewis targets of UNIT A," the socialist candidate S. Stony Island Ave., Chicago, Illinois Seventy-eight demonstrators were ar­ said Negroes had been embarrassed a long said. "In the last year especially, the report 60649. Telephone (312) 363-7322. rested Saturday night, January 18, after an time by segregation.

January 27, 1989 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------Lenin on abortion and Halt cop violence in Miami! population control BY DOUG JENNESS The explosion of outrage in the Black communities of The cold-blooded killings of Clement Lloyd and Allen The revolutionary workers' and farmers' regime in Overtown and Liberty City in Miami, sparked by the Blanchard that triggered the rebellion in Miami were the Soviet Russia was the first government to permit abor­ latest cop killing of two innocent Blacks, has its roots in latest in a long series of cop brutalizations suffered by the tions at the request of the woman involved. Along with the sharply worsened conditions of life now faced by Black community of that city. For years, incident after other measures, including liberalizing divorce and mar­ whole sections of the working class - conditions that incident of humiliating abuse, beatings, jailings, and kill· riage laws, this showed the Bolshevik-led government to bear down with disproportionate weight on Black and ings have been part of routine police functioning - de­ be a pioneer in advancing the emancipation of women. Latino working people. spite "community relations" seminars and "stress coun­ One of the results of adopting the 1920 law was the Despite the recent upturn in the capitalist business seling" for overly barbaric members of the force. sharp decline in the number of deaths resulting from cycle, reported record low unemployment, and assur­ As one person testified at the Miami City Commission ances from politicians, the media, and other capitalist meeting January 18, "People see the police as execution­ mouthpieces that times have never been better, for mil­ ers. We get shot, and that's it." lions of working people, including many in Miami, times The bankers, capitalists, and real estate speculators LEARNING ABOUT have never been worse. who run Miami are anxious to put a lid on the growing Growing and permanent joblessness, segregated hous­ anger at these increasingly oppressive economic and so­ SOCIALISM . ing and education, declining health care, increased cial conditions. homelessness, decaying social services - this is what At the same time, Miami's rulers are putting in over­ botched abortions conducted by women themselves or by working people in Overtown and Liberty City have to time trying to pit workers who are Black against those back-alley abortionists. · face. who are Latino in an attempt to deflect the anger in the Before the Russian revolution, abortion was consid­ Workers in Miami who are Black have more than dou­ Black community and deepen divisions in the working ered murder and could be performed legally only if the ble the unemployment rate of white workers, and just class as a whole. Latino workers, especially immigrants woman was dangerously ill and only if approved by more slightly less than double the rate for Latino workers. This from Central America and in particular Nicaragua, are than one licensed doctor. Persons performing illegal is a significant change from just a few years ago, and the being blamed for the conditions workers in Overtown and abortions were severely punished, including with loss of gap is continuing to widen. For Black youth, decent jobs Liberty City face. Immigrants, it is said, get favored medical licences, long prison terms, or even in some are next to impossible to find . And those lucky enough to treatment at the expense of Blacks. cases the death penalty. get jobs have to get by on less-$7,000 a year for the av­ This turns reality on its head. Immigrant workers in But these harsh measures of the tsarist government erage Overtown resident. Miami, from Latin America and other parts of the world, dido 't prevent women from seeking abortions as a means face many of the same conditions that Black and U.S.­ of birth control. And in the first decades of this century More Black working people, and their families, have born Latino workers do- discrimination, low wages, the number of illegal abortions was rapidly rising. The been pushed out of their homes and apartments. The high unemployment, denial of social services, and viola­ inevitable result was the death of many women. streets of Overtown and Liberty City are where many of tions of democratic rights. Immigrant workers who are Doctors were among those who began taking a stand in Miami's 10,000 homeless working people are now liv­ Black, such as those from Haiti, are among the worst off. those years for legalizing abortion. In 1913, for example, ing. Those who still have a roof over their heads are A Black woman told the January 18 Miami City Com­ at a meeting of the Pirogov Society of Doctors, the prin­ forced to put up with dilapidated housing and deteriorat­ mission meeting, "We know what the problems are. cipal medical association in tsarist Russia, a long debate ing city services. What we need is solutions." Those solutions don't lie in was held on the question. A resolution was adopted with Overtown and Liberty City residents, like millions of keeping more immigrants out, as the powers-that-be in a majority agreeing that abortions should not be punish­ other Black workers, have to send their children to in­ Miami have proposed by throwing up a "stop" sign to able. ferior schools and bear the brunt of slashed social ser­ more Nicaraguans seeking to come to that city. In addition to the medical considerations, however, an vices. The road forward lies rather in a common struggle by important element in the debate was the role of abortion The decline in Blacks' life expectancy for the second Miami's working people -Black, Latino, and white, and contraceptives as a means of population control. consecutive year, while that of whites continues to rise , immigrant and U.S.-born- against the oppressive con­ The Bolshevik leader V.I. Lenin entered into this dis­ underscores the impact on Blacks of the decay in medical ditions created by the capitalist system. cussion in the June 16, 1913, issue of Pravda, the Bol­ care and the overall weight they bear as inequality in the A fight by working people throughout the city de­ shevik party's paper. He expressed support for "the un­ work force grows. manding an end to racist police brutality, a halt to the oc­ conditional annulment of all laws against abortions or Part of the deepening oppression and exploitation of cupation of Overtown and Liberty City, and that the cops against the distribution of medical literature on con­ working people who are Black and Latino is the escala­ responsible for Lloyd and Blanchard's deaths be brought traceptive measures, etc." These laws, he said, "are espe­ tion of police violence against them, especially the most to justice is the place to start. cially painful for the oppressed masses." impoverished workers who make up the long-term un­ This can -be an impetus to forging a united struggle to But "freedom for medical propaganda and the protec­ employed. Under growing social pressures, cop brutality protect working people from the worsening conditions of tion of the elementary democratic rights of citizens, men against these workers is mounting in Miami, New York, this system, especially the lack of jobs. Jobs for all can be and women, are one thing. The social theory of neomal­ and other cities. Recent killings of Blacks by cops in To­ achieved by shortening the workweek with no cut in pay. thusianism is quite another." ronto show that this trend is far from confined to the The city's unemployment statistics prove that affirmative Neomalthusianism was the view that contraceptive United States. action also has to be a central part of the struggle, to over­ measures should be used to restrict births in order to con­ Millions of people who saw the video on national tele­ come the special discrimination faced by workers who trol population growth. It was based on the false propo­ vision news of a California off-duty police officer, who is are Black and Latino. Another part of the battle must be sition of Thomas Malthus, put forward in 1798, that Black, having his head shoved into a plate-glass window a common defense of immigrant workers and their rights. population growth would inevitably outstrip the earth's in an utterly unprovoked assault by other cops got a The rebels of Overtown and Liberty City have shown that capacity to provide food . glimpse of the kind of savage treatment Black and Latino they will be among the most determined in moving for­ Lenin emphatically rejected the linking of reactionary workers and youth face every day . ward along this road . population control policies with the progressive demand for legalizing abortion. He singled out a sarcastic com­ ment by one of the participants in the Pirogov Doctors' conference, who said, "We have to convince mothers to bear children so that they can be maimed in educational establishments, so that lots can be drawn for them, so that Latin American labor under fire they can be driven to suicide!" The implication was clear: It is better not to have chil­ The efforts of Latin American governments to keep up The interest on the debt - much less the principal - dren than to bring them into this terrible world with all of interest payments on the $430 billion they owe to finan­ can never be paid. The Venezuelan government, consid­ its problems. cial institutions in the imperialist countries are creating a ered a "model debtor" because it has made more pay­ Lenin argued that this was not the standpoint of class­ social and economic catastrophe for working people. ments on the principal since 1982 than any other debtor conscious workers, but a middle-class view. The middle­ This fact was driven home by two recent events- the at­ country, announced December 31 that it would halt such class neomalthusian, he wrote, "protests as the represen­ tack by Mexico's government on the oil workers' union payments. Venezuela's debt is $30.3 billion. tative of a class that is hopelessly perishing, that despairs and the imposition by Brazil's government of new, anti­ Workers and farmers in the United States and other im­ of its future, that is depressed and cowardly. There is working-class austerity measures. perialist countries have a vital stake in supporting the re­ nothing to be done ... if only there were fewer children The attack on the oil workers' union, the largest union sistance of our brothers and sisters in Latin America to to suffer our torments and hard toil, our poverty and our in Latin America, is a deadly threat to working people debt-driven austerity and antiunion assaults. humiliation. Such is the cry of the petty bourgeois." throughout the Americas. It comes at a time when the The wage reductions, cuts in social services, large­ In response to the Pirogov doctor, Lenin added, Mexican and other governments are imposing creditor­ scale unemployment, homelessness, and desperate pov­ "'Bear children so they can be maimed' ... For that dictated austerity programs, which center on devastating erty bearing down on working people in Mexico and the alone? Why not that they should fight better, more unit­ cuts in real wages and social services. The January 10 rest of Latin America are a more savage version of what edly, consciously, and resolutely than we are fighting and 11 arrests of oil workers' officials is aimed at silenc­ is already happening to some sectors of the working class against the present-day conditions of life that are maim­ ing opposition to these and other measures, including in the United States, Canada, Britain, and other countries ing and ruining our generation?" privatization of Mexico's nationalized oil industry. - and will become generalized with the next sharp eco­ The Marxist leader said, "Yes, we workers and the Mexico's foreign debt stands at just over $100 billion, nomic crisis. mass of small proprietors lead a life that is filled with un­ and 60 percent of this year's budget has been earmarked Driving down the standard of living of workers and bearable oppression and suffering. Things are harder for for the international bankers. our generation than they were for our fathers . But in one The Brazilian government has announced a currency farmers in Latin America makes it easier for the employ­ ers to step up attacks on wages, living standards, and respect we are luckier than our fathers. We have begun to devaluation and an indefinite wage freeze, and barred learn and are rapidly learning to fight . ... Our children . cost-of-living raises included in many union contracts. union rights elsewhere. If the Mexican government gets away with its attack on the oil workers, the U.S. employ­ will fight better than we do, and they will be victorious." These measures are aimed at curbing inflation that last Lenin added that the working class in Russia was not year hit 934 percent. While a price freeze is nominally in­ ers and government will be in a stronger position to attack unions here. · perishing, but growing in size, becoming politically cluded in the plan, Brazil's toilers can expect that infla­ stronger, and steeling itself in battle. tion will continue to slash their standard of living. The labor movement and farmers' organizations He contrasted the optimism and self-confidence of Brazil has a foreign debt of $115 billion - the largest around the world need to throw their full backing behind workers as they developed class understanding with mid­ among the debt-burdened semicolonial countries of Asia, the working people of Latin America in the defensive dle-class couples who mistakenly identify their own Africa, and Latin America. Last year a total of $9.2 bil­ struggles they are waging. We should join them in de­ hopelessness with that of the country's future and "who lion was transferred out of the country to wealthy cred­ manding that the unpayable and inhuman debt be can­ whisper in scared voices: 'God grant we manage some­ itors in the imperialist countries. celed now. how by ourselves. So much the better if we have no chil­ dren.'"

14 The Militant January 27, 1989 -LETTERS- Death penalty " AtJ AllZ. vA~BoN Those who support the death Ff?@,H~N~ Mc:i'NOXf ~- · · DI~S~~ penalty to prevent the killing of FUM~, ... law enforcement officers should TI«T~Matb take a look at the 1988 statistics on U!(~Tti~~T the killing of police officers. In 1988 153 police officers were OVT£/OC*.? killed in the line of duty. Most ~2:~ were killed in states having the death penalty. The three states leading the list and accounting for more than a third of all the killings were California with 23, Texas with 21 , and Florida with 13. Texas also leads the nation in the The Wizard of ld number of executions, with 27, and 276 on death row, followed by "Awali" Swift at the hands of can be sick and still orgaHize a mil­ Florida, which has executed 18 Alberto Aranda My important education Alberto Aranda, a longtime po­ death row prisoner Demouchette. itant fightback campaign against I'm a 43-year-old Puerto Rican and has 289 awaiting execution. the "health-care for profit" system California has 233 on death row . litical activist in the Texas Depart­ The only reason Aranda was comrade doing life in Folsom. I'm ment of Corrections, has been sentenced to 40 years, and not to is new. "Victims" aren't supposed a former captain of paratroops and Jim Murphy to do that. Director, New York State framed up by the state of Texas to the usual "deuce," is his militancy I have six years of college-level Coalition for Criminal Justice serve 40 more years in prison. He as a political activist, as a prison­ "People with AIDS" is what the work. But my important education Albany, New York was due to be released soon, hav­ ers' rights activist. He deserves leadership of the fightback against came about as a result of indepen­ ing served his present sentence, our help. AIDS has chosen to call itself. The dent study and communication Nicaragua and was ready to return to his fam­ largest magazine in New York City with other brothers and sisters in ily and political activities outside Letters of support can be sent for people with AIDS is called the struggle. In a visit to the Berta Calderon prison. to: Alberto Aranda, TDC No. PWA Coalition News line, pub­ A prisoner Hospital for women in Managua 300823, Ellis I Unit, Huntsville, lished by and for people with AIDS Represa, California last April it became clear to me that Aranda is a leading member of Texas 77343. Letters of protest to: Prisoners United for Revolutionary and AIDS-related conditions. It a big problem is the consequences Jim Lynaugh, Director, TDC, P.O. isn't called AIDS Victims' News­ of botched abortions. Abortion is Education. He is known through­ Box 99, Huntsville, Texas 77343 Struggles of world out the Ellis I Unit as one of the line! The editors of the Militant Not long ago I had the privilege illegal in Nicaragua. and Judge Jerry A. Sandel, 278th should be sensitive to this . About 20 women arrive at the most active jailhouse lawyers - Court, II 00 University Ave., of being able to penetrate Che prisoners who defend other prison­ George Kontanis Guevara and the Cuban Revolu­ hospital every day suffering the re­ Huntsville, Texas 77340. Please New York, New York sults of incomplete abortions. And ers in court and/or denounce the send copies of letters to Aranda. tion. between one and three women die prison system's corruption and Ana-Lucia Gelabert I've found myself caught up in every month from abortion-related lawlessness. Prisoners United for Ethiopia the struggles of the world, which I infections. Aranda's conviction is for al­ Revolutionary Education As a reader I'd like to inform will be caught up in until a change The hospital lacked the equip­ leged "aggravated assault" of guard you that the Militant has been an is brought about. I am interested in mf;!nt necessary to complete the Peter Miles. insight in understanding the real­ the books Cointelpro, by Nelson AIDS ities of life in America and the Blackstock, and Cosmetics, Fash­ abortions. Further surgery, such as Out of 44 potential jurors, 14 hysterectomies, could have been The editorial "Too little, too late" world. ions. and the Exploitation ofWom­ were tied directly to the Texas De­ in the January 20 Militant spells en, by Joseph Hansen and Evelyn avoided if adequate instruments partment of Corrections (TDC). Yet there is no information on had been available. out the cold-blooded facts in the the revolution in Ethiopia. I hope Reed. Despite protests, Aranda's jury rising human toll from AIDS in A prisoner When I returned to the United had no less than seven TDC that in 1989 the Militant will do a States, I wrote a grant to the Nica­ New York City- 9,000 dead and full-scale update on the Ethiopian Trenton, New Jersey guards in it. Yet the judge denied a counting. The article correctly ragua solidarity organization Ma­ change of venue. revolution. What is the current rela­ dre asking for $2,000 to buy places blame on the corporate tionship of President Mengistu and Aranda was denied the right to owners, Wall Street bankers, and Ruling class equipment. I received the grant Cuba? How much has the Dergue I am a member of International and in November took the equip­ represent himself. Up to the last politicians of the Republican and made Ethiopia Marxist-Leninist? minute, the court ignored his pro­ Democratic parties in New York Association of Machinists Local ment to Nicaragua. I taught a If you have a book or pamphlet 1781 in San Francisco. I work as a course to residents and staff physi­ tests. Then all of a sudden he was City, who have shed crocodile granted self-representation and tears while thousands die because on the Ethiopian revolution, or the ramp serviceman at United Air­ cians on its use . interview with Fidel Castro, No­ lines. I am a supporter of the Mil­ The director of the hospital given three days to prepare the of the government's criminal n~­ case. His motions for continuance, glect. thing Can Stop the Course of His­ itant newspaper. came to observe and decided to tory, I wish you would forward it make this the new method of treat­ to get some more time, to have his But the editorial refers to people A coworker and myself have requests for evidence complied to me . As a prisoner my funds are been able to sell 20 to 25 Action ment at the hospital. The new pro­ with AIDS as victims. This term is not up to par. cedure was even filmed by a tele­ with, etc. were all ignored. used by the government and big­ Programs and a few Militant sub­ A prisoner scriptions at work . vision news program. Peter Miles is the same guard business press to imply that people Dannemora, New York Regula E. Burki, M.D. who in 1983 orchestrated the mur­ who have AIDS are not capable of In the course of our discussions Salt Lake City, Utah der of prisoner activist Johnny fighting back. The idea that you Haitians' struggle about these documents a question I recognize your effort to help has come up. Many of us under­ workers' struggles go forward. I stand that this country, like other can say from the bottom of my capitalist countries, is run by a From a Puerto Rico/Hartford 15 defendant heart, I am with you . handful of superrich. We would I am without work and cannot like to see an article in the Militant I want to thank you for your nine of the defendants was post­ get a subscription and send money that identifies this ruling class. support and solidarity for the poned. The government was to buy a book. Please continue to Who are these people and how do past three years, and especially forced to acknowledge indirectly send me the Militant . In this way, they exercise their power through this past year, with the Puerto that, three years after the arrest of you help the Haitians' struggle be­ the government in this country? Rico/Hartford 15 and the strug­ the nine, it was not prepared to cause I share them with friends. Wayne Schiller gle for independence for Puerto bring them to trial. At this mo­ Y.L. San Francisco, California Rico. ment we are awaiting the deci­ Port-au-Prince, Haiti The past year has been rich in sion of the Second Circuit Court A sister comrade experiences for our case and the on the government's appeal re­ The people's book Revolutionary greetings! Your struggle in general. We've had garding these tapes. We rtope to Thanks for having my article material here behind these oppres­ big victories, as well as defeats, win, with your support and sol­ put in the paper to help awaken the sive bars is highly guarded and and have learned a Jot from idarity. consciousness of our people. cherished at all times. them. We successfully con­ Again I'm back in solitary con­ cluded our campaign to win bail Without a doubt, the rearrest I have a sister comrade who is finement. Therefore I have a lot of for all of the defendants, dem­ of Filiberto Ojeda and the con­ doing time in a ladies' concentra­ reading and study time. onstrating that if we 're tena­ viction of Luz Berrios have tion camp and I have attempted to cious enough, we can win no been significant blows by the Revolutionaries reach excel­ share my paper with her. But the . matter how difficult the battle government. We must continue lence from discipline and hard mail room won 't allow me to send appears to be . to fight for the freedom of both. study, from love for the people. it to her. So if you would please We commemorated the third Can you send me the book Thomas place her on your mailing list, I Next year will bring more would appreciate it. anniversary of the Aug. 30, struggle and victories. The trial Sankara Speaks: The Burkina F aso 1985, arrests with activities in Revolution 1983 -87? I really want A prisoner under way for five of the defen­ Tennessee Colony, Texas almost all cities where we have dants will conclude, and there to study this "people's book." support committees, including A prisoner will be a decision on whether The Militant special prisoner mass events in San Juan, Puerto Lawrenceville, Virginia the trial of the nine remaining fund makes it possible to send Rico, and Hartford, Connec­ defendants will begin. We must Militant/Holbrook Mahn reduced-rate subscriptions to ticut. Thousands of our compa­ redouble efforts to better or­ Elias Castro Skinheads and KKK triots, people from progressive­ prisoners who can't pay for ganize ourselves to be able to Recently I attended a class on them. To help this important minded sectors of the United successfully meet this chal­ fascism at the Pathfinder book­ port. No matter how difficult the cause, send your contribution States, and other struggles lenge. We must continue the store in Los Angeles. With the present can be, we know that to: Militant Prisoner Subscrip­ mobilized in support and sol­ education campaign directed to spread of the skinheads and the Ku victory will be ours and Puerto tion Fund, 410 West St., New idarity. We continue to carry out the people of the United States Klux Klan, I strongly believe Rico will have a splendid future York, N.Y. 10014. protests every month in front of and progressive sectors on the of freedom, work, and justice more should be done organization­ the federal court building in real situation in Puerto Rico and ally in this area. The letters column is an open Puerto Rico and the prison in for everyone. History is on our the effects of colonialism in our Personally I feel the working forum for all viewpoints on sub­ New York. side. country. class, particularly Blacks, Jews, jects of general interest to our We forced the court to sup­ Today we are stronger than EUas Castro Ramos gays, and other targeted groups, readers. Please keep your letters press part of the tapes obtained we were yesterday. More peo­ Puerto Rico/Hartford 15 should be willing and ready to de­ brief. Where necessary they will illegally by the FBI in Puerto ple know about our case and defendant fend themselves. be abridged. Please indicate if Rico. This meant the trial of give us their solidarity and sup- Hartford, Connecticut Richard Mote you prefer that your initials be San Francisco , California used rather than your full name.

January 27, 1989 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Toronto cops indicted in Blacks' deaths Protests demand cops face murder charges

BY GEORGE A. ROSE one, David Deviney, shot him at point­ TORONTO - Two cops who shot and blank range. Donaldson had been harassed killed Blacks in separate incidents last year by police for some time. In fact , cops had have been indicted for manslaughter. shot him once before, leaving him dis­ The polarization over police violence abled. deepened dramatically January 15 as the On January II Deviney was charged cop association held a meeting of more with manslaughter. than 2,000 to protest the charges. The manslaughter charge carries a lesser That evening, in the Toronto suburb of penalty than murder, and it removes from a Mississauga, several hundred Blacks and jury's consideration the issue of the intent other opponents of cop violence gathered at of the cops. a memorial service for slain Black youth The BADC' s Dari Meade points out, Wade Lawson. The service became adem­ however, "When you leave your house onstration of solidarity with Black Action with a hollow-point bullet, that is a pre­ Defence Committee (BADC) leaders who meditated act." Police sources have unoffi­ are vowing to continue protests to demand cially confirmed to the media that Wade charges of murder- not just manslaughter Lawson was killed with an illegal hollow­ - and an independent civilian investiga­ point bullet, which expands on impact to tion into the killings. cause maximum damage. 'Whitewash' Barge into church This confrontation has been building up Anger against police brutality was during several weeks of revelations and further fueled when shotgun-wielding protests. "I think this is a whitewash," Metro Toronto cops barged into a church Lawson's mother, Evelyn Lennon-Lyon, service January 8 to arrest four Blacks and told a candlelight vigil on January 8. The one South Asian, including a 13-year-old vigil marked one month since Lawson was girl. The cops said the five were suspects in shot in the back of the head by police in a robbery. Church deacon Harold Brown Mississauga. Lawson, 17 , was unarmed. said the cops were "shoving and grabbing Constable Anthony Melaragni was people and using foul language." All five charged on January 4 with manslaughter in youths were later released; the police say it Lawson's death; his partner, Constable was a case of "mistaken identity ." Militant/George A. Rose Darren Longpre, with aggravated assault. Even the limited charges of manslaugh­ Joyce Ewers, aunt of Wade Lawson, speaking at December 17 Toronto rally protest­ "The charge of manslaughter assumes it ter have enraged the cops, who are ing Lawson's killing at hands of police. Activists are demanding an independent civil­ was an accident," said Akua Benjamin of threatening "job actions" such as refusal to ian investigation into cops' killing of Blacks. the BADC. "When so many of our Black patrol or hand out tickets. Art Lymer, head brothers are being killed, it is no accident. of the cop association, warns that cops will It is racism. We will not rest until we have "be reluctant to arrest Black people, and provoked against them," said Lymer. "And member Rico John and held him overnight justice." they'll just take over the city ;md you 'll be if they put somebody's life in danger, their - supposedly because of an outstanding Protests have also kept a spotlight on the back to Detroit." life is going to be put in danger." marijuana possession warrant from 1985. police killing of Lester Donaldson last Au­ More plausible are thinly veiled threats Harassment of protest leaders may well John hosts a radio program called "Black­ gust. Donaldson was alone in his rooming­ of more cop violence. "If they [Blacks] be stepped up. Already, over the New line" and has played an important role in house bedroom when four cops entered and provoke violence, violence is going to be Year's weekend, cops arrested BADC publicizing the facts in the cop killings and calling for murder charges. Meanwhile, the big-business news media as well as the cops are campaigning to iso­ New York meeting builds March actions late the BADC. Columnists in the Toronto Sun rail against "the self-appointed spokes­ men for a small, highly politicized segment against U.S. role in El Salvador war of Metro's black community" and warn that "the criminal element in the black BY JON HILLSON doran army forces while on a human rights A tour by members of the General As­ community surely will take advantage of NEW YORK - Efforts are being mission in Usulutan province. "Our phones sociation of Salvadoran University Stu­ such a dangerous situation." stepped up to make a planning meeting for rang off the hook," Bradwell said, as pro­ dents, who are also members of the Revo­ The media have especially sought out the upcoming March actions against the tests were relayed to elected officials, the lutionary Student Federation, will be a pro-cop political figures who are Black U.S. war in El Salvador as broad as possi­ U.S. State Department, and the U.S. em­ focus of campus building work leading up who will join in condemning the BADC as ble. bassy in El Salvador. Hammond was freed to the March actions , Bradwell said. "extremists" and a "vocal minority." The gathering- set for 7:00p.m. Janu­ within 48 hours of his capture. Protest activities will be taking place in The January 15 memorial service for ary 24 at the United Church of Christ build­ Bradwell said the January 24 New York more than 50 U.S. cities. They are timed to Lawson gave a powerful rebuff to these at­ ing, 132 West 31st Street in Manhattan­ meeting will discuss proposals for a March coincide with the March 19 elections called tacks. The 300 people who attended cheered was initiated by the New York City af­ 18 demonstration in Times Square and by the Salvadoran regime. as speaker after speaker urged unity behind filiates of the Committee in Solidarity with nonviolent direct action at the Federal For further information call (212) 431- those who have taken the lead in protesting the People of El Salvador (CISPES) and Building March 20. 9251 . cop violence. the Central American Refugee Center. The initiative is in response to a national call signed by more than 160 organizations and individuals - from Central America sol­ Concert to boost Nicaragua hurricane relief idarity groups and religious organizations to union officials and political officehold­ BY JON HILLSON American Health Rights Network, and to come in at the rate of I 0 to 20 donations ers. NEW YORK - Recording artists Herb­ Walk in Peace. daily. These contributions have raised an Invitations to the meeting have been sent ie Hancock, Ruben Blades, Regina Bell, The aim of the benefit, Madre staff additional $32,000, bringing the total to out to more than 130 New York-area or­ Kris Kristofferson, and Richie Havens will member Martha Swan said, is to "generate $93,000. ganizations, New York CISPES leader share billing at New York's 2,700-seat unprecedented support for Nicaragua at The New York Hurricane Relief Fund Scott Bradwell said in an interview at the Beacon Theater in a major benefit concert this time" and to "hopefully be the first of has embarked on a new, six-month cam­ group's office. for Nicaraguan hurricane relief. The con­ such events that can spark similar, grass­ paign to raise an additional $100,000 in aid The January issue of the New York Nic­ cert will be Tuesday, February 7, at 7:30 roots efforts across the country." by July 19, the lOth anniversary of the aragua Solidarity Network newsletter high­ p.m. A Nicaragua solidarity group, Madre triumph of the Nicaraguan revolution. Ac­ lights the planning meeting and March ac­ Hurricane Joan devastated Nicaragua's and its activities have focused on projects tivists are continuing to sort and pack over­ tions, as well. Atlantic Coast October 22 leaving 230,000 related to Nicaraguan women. flow material-aid donations to send a sec­ "The response to our mailing has been people homeless while inflicting over $1 The New York Hurricane Relief Fund, a ond I 0-ton shipment of medicine and very positive," Bradwell said, with early billion in economic and agricultural dam­ broad, citywide coalition spearheading clothing to Nicaragua. commitments from two dozen organiza­ age. local relief efforts has decided to make This work will be wrapped up with a tions to send representatives to the meet­ packing session and party at the Church The New York City concert will refocus promotion of the concert its top priority for ing. the next month. World Services warehouse, 637 West These include El Salvador and Nicara­ attention on the impact of the hurricane and !25th Street in Manhattan on January 28 gua solidarity groups; organizations based the need for continued massive emergency The hurricane relief fund campaigned to from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m. send a tractor-trailer load of clothing and in the Puerto Rican, Dominican, Salvador­ relief. Tickets for the February 7 hurricane re­ medicine to Nicaragua, along with $50,000 an, and Haitian communities; church com­ It is sponsored by After the Storm: Na­ lief benefit concert may be purchased at mittees; Vietnam veteran organizations; tional Hurricane Relief for Nicaragua, a in financial assistance, immediately fol­ Ticketmaster outlets, or at the Beacon The­ campus antiwar groups; and political or­ nationally coordinated coalition that in­ lowing the disaster. ater box office, 2124 Broadway (at West ganizations. cludes Madre, Clergy and Laity Con­ Both goals were surpassed by their early 77th Street) for $25 and $40. On January 10 Hunter College professor cerned, Interreligious Foundation for Com­ December deadline. To volunteer to help in these activities John Hammond was kidnapped by Salva- munity Organization, National Central Since then, contributions have continued telephone (212) 769-4293 .

16 The Mllitant January 27, 1989