US Troop Maneuvers Rallies Threaten Ntcaragua Right To
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Quebec unions set general strike . 7 TH£ Debate at farmers' convention . 8 Fidel Castro on imperialist aggression 10 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEQPLE VOL. 47/NO. 3 FEBRUARY 4, 1983 7SCENTS U.S. troop maneuvers Rallies · • support threaten Ntcaragua right to Sixteen hundred U.S. military personnel will be sent to Honduras during the first week of February, the Pentagon announced abortion January 18 . They will assist some 5,000 Honduran troops in carrying out a major January 22 marked the lOth anniversary military provocation near the country's of the Supreme Court decision legalizing border with Nicaragua. abortion. While the major media focused These "joint maneuvers" - of a scale on what opponents of abortion are doing unprecedented in Central America - rep and saying, significant actions in favor of resent a further escalation of the Reagan abortion rights took place in more cities , administration's ·counterrevolutionary war than had been the case in recent years. In against the Nicaraguan people. This is a some cities, important steps forward in war in which workers, farmers, teachers, labor support were registered. Below are accounts by Militant reporters from around the country on some of these EDITORIAL actions. BY BARBARA KLINE AND ANN OWENS doctors, students, and children are being ST. LOUIS - Braving the area's first killed every day with U.S. guns and U.S. winter snowstorm, 275 supporters of a ammunition. woman's right to choose abortion poured American workers have no interest into Trinity Presbyterian Church on Janu whatsoever in Washington's mounting at ary 21 for the program "A Decade of Free tacks on the people of Nicaragua. They are dom," sponsored by the Freedom of fellow toilers whose only crime has been to Choice Council. overthrow the U.S.-backed Somoza dic The Council includes five area abortion tatorship and install a government that puts clinics, five chapters of the National Or the needs of workers and farmers above all ganization for Women (NOW), American other considerations. U.S. military adviser (right) with Honduran Gen. Gustavo Alvarez (left) and other Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Missouri Several thousand of the murderers and Coalition for Abortion Rights, Coalition of military officials. Planned U.S.-Honduran maneuvers are part of escalation of Wash torturers from Somoza's National Guard ington's war against Nicaragua. Continued on Page 14 Labor Union Women (CLUW), Women's International League for Peace and Free dom, and others. The extensive rally publicity included posting and distribution of leaflets at area 20,000 march in Mexico City against campuses, factories, and garment shops. One of the six panel speakers was Harold O'Reilly, education director of the U.S. intervention in El Salvador United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 5. O'Reilly told the audience that the UA W BY JIM CUNRADI death and destruction for the Salvadoran which organizes activities in Nicaragua in had passed a resolution in support of AND ANDREA GONZALEZ people are the Yankees," Martin declared. support of liberation struggles throughout women's right to choose abortion, and he MEXICO CITY - "El Salvador listen, "The imperialists oppose peace and oppose the world. U.S. 4ltervention, he said, was proud that the UA W, since its incep Mexico is with your struggle!" dialogue because they want to control all of could not stop "the freedom-loving peoples tion, has dealt with social issues. "Yankees out of El Salvador!" Central America." who are fighting for their national self-de O'Reilly said, "I am personally of a These chants reflected the sentiments of "But we· are convinced," the FMLN termination, their sovereignty, their mind that makes me feel a woman should the 20,000 people who came out to de FDR representative went on, "that the economic and political independence." have freedom of choice of what she's going monstrate here January 22 against U.S. in people of the United States themselves sup The rally also heard from Sabino Her to do with her own body. As individuals in tervention in El Salvador. Actions iHso took port us. We know we can count on the sup mindez of the Mexican Committee in Sol the UAW we might not agree with what place in Cuba, Vietnam, and other coun port of the American people; that in the idarity With the Salvadoran People. He ever choice a woman might make regard tries in response to a call by the World United States itself they are demonstrating pointed out that the U.S. government was ing pregnallcy. But it's her body and we Front in Solidarity With the People of El against Reagan's certification. The U.s". defeated in Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, support her right to make that choice." Salvador. The World Front was founded in people are also in favor of a political solu Nicaragua, and now the task is to defeat it His remarks were punctuated with Mexico last March by representatives of re tion in Central America." in El Salvador. The Mexican people, Her applause. ligious, political, solidarity, and labor or Among the other speakers was Edgardo mindez said, have a special responsibility Sister Virginia Williams of the National ganizations from around the world. Perez, representing the Nicaraguan Com to the Salvadoran revolution because they Coalition of Catholic Nuns was warmly re The march to the U.S. embassy here was mittee in Solidarity With the Peoples, Continued on Page 4 ceived and given a standing ovation at the led off by banners of the Farabundo Marti end of her talk. During the week preceed National Liberation Front (FMLN), the ing the rally, she was the target of a barrage Revolutionary Democratic Front (FDR), of Catholic-hierarchy-led antiabortion and the World Front. These were followed U.S.-Mexico border actions call for rhetoric in the media. by contingents from solidarity committees, In addition, she was the target of a ten religiousgroups, and trade unions. · solidarity with Salvadoran people day fast that was undertaken by one of the The marchers were greeted by thousands ringleaders of area antiabortion forces in an more who lined the route with FMLN flags effort to pressure her not to speak. The man and placards protesting U.S. intervention. BY PAM BURCHETT border that was a highpoint of the weekend's events. who fasted was just out on bail after a re Many joined the demonstration as it went AND JERRY FREIWIRTH The World Front was formed in cent contempt of court conviction for re by. LOS ANGELES - "It's impossible to March 1982 by an international conference peatedly blocking the entrance to the The rally began with a speech by Juan defeat the people of El Salvador through in Mexico City. Its purpose is to unify all Ladies Center, a women's clinic that per Jose Martin of the FMLN-FDR. He repression alone. When people want free dom, even the most genocidal actions by existing :;olidarity organizations and others forms abortions. explained that this demonstration and those Sister Williams said, "It is paradoxical like it around the world were all part of the U.S.-backed governments can't stop them. opposing U.S. intervention in order to That's the story of El Salvador today. It's reach out to antiwar forces among working to us that the same leaders who are cur Salvadoran people's revolutionary struggle rently demanding that women bring preg- against imperialist domination. Inside El the same story that occurred in Grenada, people and the oppressed. Nicaragua and Cuba." Plans for the January 22 activity in . nancies to term, are simultaneously vot Salvador, Martin said, "the people and the ing to cut off food stamps, child nutrition FMLN are taking gigantic steps forward in The speaker was Roberto Alfaro, ad California were mapped out by a cross-bor der conference last October in Tijuana. Es programs, and related benefits essential to this struggle. That is the people's response dressing a January 21 meeting here in sol the health and well-being of our children." to the certification Reagan presented to idarity with Central America. More than tablished as an affiliate of the World Front, Congress yesterday. The Salvadoran 300 people crowded into the First Unitarian this conference planned a series of solidar Other speakers included State Senator people's response to this certification is to Church to participate in this event, which ity actions, beginning with the January 22 Harriett Woods; feminist attorney Arlene redouble the struggle." served to kick off a weekend of activities demonstrations on both sides of the San Zarembka; Dr. Melvin Schwartz, Repro At the same time, Martin continued, the called by the World Front in Solidarity Ysidro-Tijuana border. ductive Health Services; and Episcopal Salvadoran people seek a political solution With the People of El Salvador. The Los Angeles kick-off meeting fea Rev. Susan Klein. to the conflict, a dialogue. In this they are The following day many of those attend tured musical groups and a mime troupe Certificates were presented to directors supported by the Mexican people, the ing the meeting, as well as activists portraying the fight of Central Americans o( the Hope Clinic and the Ladies Center Nicaraguan people, people from around throughout California and the Southwest, against U.S. intervention. Interspersed for personal bravery in the cause of repro- _the world. "The only ones who want more caravaned to a rally at the U.S.-Mexican Continued on Page 4 Continued on Page 6 War on ·Nicaraguan.border: Made in U.S.A. BY MICHAEL BAUMANN mies and take place less than 10 miles .