• AUSTRALIA $2.00 • BELGIUM BF60 • CANADA $2.00 • FRANCE FF1 0 • ICELAND Kr150 • NEW ZEALAND $2.50 • SWEDEN Kr12 • UK £1.00 • U.S. $1.50 INSIDE 'Triumph is clearly in sight' Articles by Che.Guevara TH£ . -PAGES A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 60 NO.3 JANUARY 22, 1996 NATO troops open fire in 'Stop NATO war drive, Yugoslavia BY MAURICE WILLIAMS emulate Cuban road' NATO forces fired the first shots in their war mission against Yugoslavia, in Socialists organize campaign to defend Yugoslav workers state separate incidents involving Italian and British troops in the first week of January. BY STEVE CLARK National Committee of the So­ On January 4, NATO troops shot sev­ Some 560 workers and cialist Workers Party at a four­ eral rounds in response to an attack that young people from across day meeting in New York De­ wounded a soldier guarding an Italian North America participated cember 9-12. Leaders of com­ post, in territory held by Belgrade-backed over the New Year's week­ munist leagues in Canada, Serb forces. They apparently did not hit end in four regional social­ New Zealand, Sweden, and the the unknown gunman. ist educational conferences, United Kingdom participated The attack occurred in Vogosca, a centered on the theme, in that SWP leadership meet­ northern suburb of Sarajevo where 2,500 "Organiz~ a Working-Class ing, as did supporters of the troops from Italy will be deployed. The Campaign to Oppose the communist movement from soldier was the first NATO casualty from Imperialist War Drive France and Iceland. hostile gunfire since NATO forces began against Yugoslavia." The In addition to discussing the their occupation of Bosnia in late Decem­ gatherings, held in Atlanta, working-class campaign ber. Four British soldiers and one U.S. GI Boston, Detroit, and Seattle against the NATO war drive at . have been wounded by land mines. December 30-January 1, the four public conferences; NATO officials reported that British were sponsored by the So­ the SWP is organizing meet­ troops came under hostile fire January 6 cialist Workers Party and ings of groups of its members, while on patrol in the northwest Bosnian Young Socialists. called national fractions, who town of Sanski Most. The soldiers jumped "During this conference belong to one of seven indus­ off their Warrior armored vehicle and fired we will be celebrating the trial unions: the International 62 rounds, but were unable to hit or iden- 37th anniversary of the Association of Machinists; tify their attackers. · Cuban revolution," said Ar­ Oil, Chemical and Atomic Some 29,000 out of an expected 60,000 giris Malapanis in the open­ Workers; United Auto Work­ NATO troops had been deployed as of ing talk in Seattle. "The ers; Union of Nee-dletrades, January 3. All of the forces from NATO purpose of this gathering is Industrial and Textile Employ­ member countries are to be in place by the to further the recruitment to ees; United Food and Com­ end of the month. The armies of the vari­ the communist movement mercial Workers; United Steel ous warring forces in Bosnia are supposed of the dangerous men and Workers of America; and to pull back 2.5 miles from a 600-mile­ women - dangerous to the United Transportation Union. long "confrontation line': by laollifY .19, powers that be -who want As communist workers and allow ·the NA"TO military force to to follow the Caban road; to · learned during· the . U.S.· move in between them. The U.S.-led force take power out of the hands organized assault against Iraq took over from United Nations troops De­ of the capitalist exploiters fled city where people of all nationalities can live together. Despite in 1990-91, under the intensi­ cember 19. and advance the fight for a brutal "ethnic cleansing," millions throughout Yugoslavia refuse to fying pressures of an imperial­ The Clinton administration and its im­ socialist world." give up on working-class unity gained through 1945 revolution. ist war drive, there is no more perialist rivals in London, Paris, and Bonn The events succeeded in important arena in which to aim to overthrow the workers state in Yu­ advancing this aim. In all, campaign against the capital­ goslavia. Their goal - to wipe out the some 15 people asked to join the Socialist conferences. ists' rapacious goals and antilabor course gains of the socialist revolution that tri- Workers Party, Young Socialists, or the The gatherings were a chance to report than among co-workers on the job, at plant Continued on Page 4 Communist League in Canada during the the political conclusions, and organize to gates, and elsewhere in the working class seize the opportunities, decided on by the Continued on Page 8 Activists Gov't workers demand pay as Clinton, protest threat Congress prepare to slash social wage to Montreal BY MARTIN KOPPEL As 1996 began, the Clinton administra­ bookstore tion and leaders of both parties in Congress stepped up their joint campaign BY BRIGITTE GROUlX for deep cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, and . MONTREAL- Organizers of the other social gains of working people - all Pathfmder bookstore here made a public under the banner of "balancing the bud­ appeal against a threat to deface the shop's get" within the next seven years. sign. During the afternoon of January 8, a But as capitalist politicians used a par­ message was written on the front-door tial shutdown of federal offices to try to window. It read, "101. Warning. Remove drive through .the cutback plans, their de­ the word bookstore from your sign or we cision to force' half a million government will do it for you. (Signed) Law 101." The employees to work without pay backfired. message was written in French except for Federal workers staged protests in the U.S. the word "bookstore." which was in En­ capital and many other cities January 3. glish. The White House and Congress were The "10 1" in the scrawled message forced to back off from the blatant assault refers to Quebec Law 101, a French­ on federal workers, but pressed ahead on language affirmative action measure en­ the overall bipartisan effort to gut entitle­ acted in 1977. One clause of the legisla­ ments. tion required all public signs to be in After orchestrating a three-week shut­ French. It was modified several years ago down of numerous federal offices and cut­ to permit other languages in addition to ting off pay for 760,000 government em­ French. ployees, White House officials and Con­ Workers rally outside State Department January 3 demanding pay, end to layoffs. The store is located on St. Denis Street, gressional leaders announced they were one of the busiest commercial streets in closer to an agreement on cutbacks in so­ · people, by $52 billion. chop Medicare by $168 billion and Medi­ downtown Montreal. Its sign reads cial spending. The White House has proposed a series caid by $89 billion. "Pathfinder" in large letters, and, in On January 6 President Bill Clinton an­ of other attacks on social benefits as well, At the same time, both sides have also smaller type underneath, "Bookstore" in nounced his latest plan. He proposed such as raising monthly Medicare premi­ called for billions of dollars in tax cuts for English, French, and Spanish. slashing Medicare payments for retired ums, now $46, to $77 over the next seven the wealthy. "This is an unacceptable attack against people by $102 billion. The president also years. Each round of negotiations has shifted freedom of expression," declared Michel called for reductions in Medicaid, a pro­ The Republican Congressional leaders the bipartisan debate toward sharper at­ Continued on Page 12 gram covering impoverished working countered with their latest proposal - to Continued on Page 12 ...... Transit sffiljts.Wih~ict0ry in Marseille- pages ... Okinawa governor repeats improved police force to replace the call for U.S. forces to leave hated thugs of the previous military regime. In one example of the "I'm determined to work toward changing mood, the new 24-man po­ establishing a peaceful Okinawa lice unit in Cite Soleil, cheered by Prefecture [state] without any bases residents last June, was driven out of in the 21st century," Okinawa gov­ town in November under a hail of ernor Masahide Ota told state gov­ rocks by angry citizens who burned ernment employees January 1. Ota down the police station. has refused to force local landown­ Meanwhile, the U.S. government ers to renew their leases to the U.S. is pressing the government of Jean­ mjlitary, as demanded by Tokyo. Bertrand Aristide to maintain a po­ Opponents of the U.S. military lice force suited to Washington's bases, includmg Ota, placed an ad­ needs. On December 22 a U.S. con­ vertisement in the New York Times gressional subcommittee froze $5 that Cited the September 4 rape of a million in funds earmarked for the 12-year-old Okinawan girl by three U.S.-sponsored cop training pro­ U.S. Gls, currently on trial. Some gram. Rep. Benjamin Gilman, chair­ 50,000 outraged Okinawans staged man of the committee, charged that a protest against the bases soon after Aristide was packing the police the rape. force with his political supporters. Food used against N. Korea Surge in executions The South Korean government invasion of Panama, held a protest march in Panama City on the anniversary of the assault. Activists against the death penalty announced December 27 it will no are forecasting a surge in the num­ longer send rice to North Korea un­ ber of executions, with the annual less Pyongyang changes its rate soon to surpass 100. Prison au- "attitude" toward Seoul. Seoul shipped a Israeli troops pulled out of Ramallah barred it from being airlifted into Iraq. thorities executed 56 people in 1995, the miserly 150,000 tons of rice to North Ko­ December 27, completing a withdrawal largest number of legalized murders in the rea, which is facing severe food shortages from six West Bank cities. The move S. Africa asks for Cuban doctors United States since 1957. The U.S. gov­ after floods devastated its summer grain ended 28 years of occupation over much Addressing a graduation ceremony for ernment is waging an assault on the rights crop. International aid agencies say the of the region, to pave the way for the elec­ primary health-care nurse facilitators in of inmates by shortening the appeals pro­ country needs almost 4 million tons of rice tions. "Out!," shouted scores of jubilant mid-December, South African minister of cess and eliminating funding for centers to prevent widespread famine conditions. Palestinian youths who hurled rocks and · health Nkosazana Zuma spoke about her that provide legal representation for work­ "For additional rice assistance, there bottles at the receding Israeli convoy. recent visit to Cuba. On that trip she re­ ing people who land on death row. must be a change in North Korea's attitude cruited doctors to come to work in South toward us," declared Song Young Dae, UN sanctions remain on Iraq, Africa in 1996. The announcement gener­ Deportations escalated in 1995 Seoul's deputy unification minister. The •United Nations secretary-general ated some controversy, which tJ:le health Clinton administration officials an­ editors of the Wall Street Journal were Boutros Boutros-Ghali announced De­ minister said "was based on ignorance, nounced December 27 that the number of even more blunt in wielding the shipment cember 28 that economic sanctions prejudice, and propaganda" against Cuba. undocumented immigrants deported in of food as a political club. In a January 4 against Iraq will remain. The embargo was Zuma said Cuba has one of the best 1995 was a record 51,600, up 15 percent editorial they declare, "If North Korea is imposed in 1990 as Washington prepared health-care systems, not only among third from 1994 and up almost 75 percent from to be given rice ....donors must be allowed the Persian Gulf slaughter, in which U.S. world nations but in the world. 1990. The Immigration and Naturalization to supervise distribution. More impor­ forces killed tens of thousands in January­ Service also reported a sharp increase in tantly, rice must be tied to demands for February 1991. "These sanctions cause London to deport Saudi activist the number of immigrants rejected at U.S. policy changes in North Korea." me pain," BQutros-Ghali stated, referring The British government ordered the de­ borders, from 5,669 to 9,400. to the disastrous conditions the embargo portation of Saudi Arabian political ac­ Scapegoating of immigrants by big­ Palestine elections in January has inflicted on the Iraqi people. A recent tivist Mohammed al-Masaari, saying that business politicians is on the rise and "is The Palestinian election commission UN study estimates that as many as . it wanted to protect relations with the rul­ being exploited by people in the Republi- has declared the campaign open for 1 mil­ 576,000 children in Iraq. have. died as are­ itt~:Saudi mona,rchy. Masaari w:ill.be sent c,~. ~d, Q~m~f,tllJic P~:f.:' ~!li-4 }~:!_~~, lion voters to elect their first president and sult of the economic embargo. to . the Caribbean country Dominica. · Guttentag, ~ctor of the 1-utional-unmi-, legislature on January 20. Palestinian resi­ Meanwhile, Moscow shipped 27 tons of ~'British interests as a whole do require his grants Rights Project of the American dents in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and food and medical supplies to Baghdad De­ removal," Home Office Minister Ann Civil Liberties Union. Candidates of bQth Gaza Strip who are 18 years or older and cember 28. Russian government officials Widdecombe stated. "We have got enor­ parties have made attacks on immigrant are not Israeli citizens will elect a Pales­ in Jordan said the shipment was sent by mous export considerations." workers a campaign theme. tinian Council of 88 people in 16 districts. truck via Jordan because UN officials The government in Riyadh reportedly threatened to stop placing new orders with AT&T to lay otT 40,000 British companies unless London took The AT&T Corp. announced January 2 measures against Masaari, head of the op­ that it would eliminate 40,000 jobs over position Committee for Defense of Legiti­ the next three years, after offering volun­ mate Rights, which the Saudi regime has tary buyouts to half the 150,000 employ­ banned. The Saudi government signed a ees in managerial positions. With the contract eight years ago to purchase $7.5 8,500 jobs that AT&T already said it billion in arms from British companies, in-· would eliminate from its computer com­ eluding 48 Tornado fighter-bombers. The pany, Global Information Solutions, the deportation came as a bill to tighten asy­ total reduction will be almost 50,000. lum procedures was being debated in the "AT&T's decision comes when the British Parliament. company is healthy and when almost all segments of its business are profitable and Haiti cops losing support growing," the New York Times reported. Popular disenchantment with the U.S.­ "Wall Street cheered AT&T's trained cop force in Haiti has grown in re­ action- the company's shares rose $6.25 cent months. Since Washington's military each, to close at $67.375 on the New York invaded Haiti in 1994, U.S. officials have Stock Exchange." trained 3,000 cops for a supposedly new, -MAURICE WILLIAMS

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2 The Militant January 22, 1996 Electric workers in Puerto Rico strike BY RON RICHARDS strike, reported Juan Guerra, a heavy SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico- Thousands equipment operator in the Rio Piedras sec­ of members of the Electrical and lriigation tion of San Juan. The AEE wants to Workers Union (UTIER) walked off the change many workers from a Monday-to­ job here December 27 and marched on the Friday schedule to two shifts, one working governor's mansion, La Fortaleza. The Sunday to Thursday and another working 24-hour work stoppage was in response to Tuesday to Saturday. · contract violations by management. Unionists passed out leaflets to mo­ UTIER is the largest union at .the torists on the busy Ponce de Leon A venue government-owned Electric Power Au­ that passes in front of the AEE headquar­ thority (AEE). ters. The leaflet cited the contract viola­ Workers picketed their workplaces at tions and also warned of the government's the 7:00 a.m. shift change and then drove . intention to privatize the electric utility, to the central offices of the AEE in cars that is, to allow capitalist investors to op­ and chartered buses. By 11:30 a.m., sev­ erate privately owned power plants. The eral thousand unionists had gathered. union said that private owners of the util­ They spent the next several hours march­ ity would carry out thousands of layoffs, ing to the residence of Governor Pedro increase rates by 25 percent, and allow Rossello in Old San Juan. greater pollution by the power plants. sul•~i""'r to Leonardo Miranda, a lineman in Joining the UTIER workers were family Puerto Rican governor, outside La Fortaleza during demonstration December 27. Arecibo, said the most important issue members and several members of the was that the company wanted to change Brotherhood of Non-Teaching Employees member of the island's legislature~ ex­ AEE offices, a supporter of Pathfinder the health plan, from Blue Cross to PCA, at the University of Puerto Rico campus in pressed support for the UTIER work stop­ Press sold $40 worth of books on revolu­ without a vote by the union membership Bayamon. Workers driving telephone page and said he would investigate tionary politics to electrical workers and as required by the contract. company and propane gas delivery trucks whether the AEE was truthful about its others. The building is on a commercial Proposed changes in work shifts and the honked in solidarity as they passed by. claim that there will be no rate increases in street that passes through a working-class use of subcontractors to do the work of Meanwhile, David Noriega, a leader of case of privatization. neighborhood with many immigrants from UTIER members were also reasons for the the Puerto Rican Independence Party and At a literature table set up in front of the the Dominican Republic. Cuban youth leader completes Scandinavian tour BY CATHARINA TIRSEN employment as well as a November 30 for holding different political views. pre-university school, a youth said he had STOCKHOLM- "We want to fight to demonstration against racism. At the main public meeting, a youth seen the Cuban film Strawberry and increase production, whether at work­ On a visit to the labor court he met with asked how far Cuba would go in introduc­ Chocolate, which criticizes antigay preju­ places, at the university, or in the army, bakery workers from Stockholmsbagarn, ing elements of capitalism in the economy dice, and asked whether artists are sup­ and win youth to the revolution," said who had been sued for an "illegal strike" and when would the revolution advance pressed in that country. "Did you like the Jonathan Quiros Santos. He was describ­ after a protest earlier this year. One of the again, if what is happening now is a tem­ film?" Quiros 'asked. "Me too. In Cuba it ing the work of the Union of Young Com­ victimized workers, Maria, a member of porary retreat. is very popular." He picked up a copy of munists (UJC) of Cuba, of which he is a the Foodworkers Union and originally "The most important thing right now is La Gaceta de Cuba, the magazine of the leader, to members of the Sweden-Cuba from Chile, gave Quiros a vivid descrip­ to get the country out of the crisis," Quiros Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba, and Friendship Association here. During a tion of conditions in the bakery that had replied. "The joint ventures [with foreign noted that the director of the film and five-week tour of Sweden and Iceland, led to the protest. capitalist investors] are limited to 10-15 many others have expressed a range of with short stops in Oslo, Norway, and years, and we have no intenti9n of giving views on many issues. Copenhagen, Denmark, Quiros spoke to BY PETER HEMGREN up control of the basic means of produc­ QuirOs got a taste of the U.S. military more than 1,000 students in high schools MALMO, Sweden- Jonathan Quiros tion. Once we are out of the crisis and presence in Iceland. The Keflavik school, and colleges, and another 500 individuals visited southern SwedenNovem~r 17-18 stronger, we will see." which he visited, is close to a NATO air who attended public meetings· organized. at the~ !pyf~tinvetsatioil'Witli' a· Quiros spoke of the current efforts. by and in Landskrona, at the Department of val and half-million-strong rally held last group of teachers~ one· told him that at the Cuban people to overcome the effects Economic History of the university in August in Havana. times the F-16 planes flying over the of the deep economic crisis in his country, Lund, and at a forum organized by the school are so loud they disturb the class. which was precipitated six years ago by Cuba association. BY SIGURLAUG GUNNLAUGSD6T­ In reply to a question by Quiros, a teacher the end of favorable trade relations with Many questions were asked about an TIR AND 6LOF ANORA PROPPE noted that youth whose families live on and aid from the Soviet Union. Amnesty International report stating that REYKJ A VfK, Iceland - During his the base attend classes at the military facil­ "Many people have been surprised that there are 500 political prisoners in Cuba. Scandinavian tour, Jonathan Quiros was ity, and that other local residents also at­ a small country like Cuba, a country with­ Quiros said they could be viewed as politi­ invited to spe¥c at seven pre-university tend classes there. The teacher said this out coal or oil, has been able to resist for cal prisoners, but that they are prison for and vocationalschools in and around this showed how the closeness of the base · so long," he said. "And we have had to do committing violent acts and sabotage, not city. In a Spanish class in the Hamrahlid twisted society in that city. many things we did not like to do, like le­ galizing the use of dollars and other things that have increased inequalities in Cuba. We have seen things appear that those of -YOUNG SOCIALISTS AROUND THE WORLD us who are young never experienced be­ fore!" The economic crisis and certain mea­ Fund drive off to running start in N.Y.C. sures taken to earn hard currency, such as the expanded tourist trade, have been ac­ This column is written and edited by ity and talk about the strike wave in addition to the joint literature tables we set companied by an increase in crime, black the Young Socialists, an international France and NATO's war drive against the up on the streets with members of the So­ marketeering, prostitution, and other so­ organization of young workers, stu­ workers of Yugoslavia. This is how we cialist Workers Party. Our chapter set a cial problems that the Cuban revolution dents, and other youth fighting for so­ began building our fund event. goal of asking at least 30 new people for had successfully combated over the past cialism. For more information about the The next evening, we went back to the contributions toward our fund drive. three and a half decades. YS, write P.O. Box 2396, New York, NY pickets until about 1 a.m., talking to strik­ We are eager to hear what YS members 10009. Tel: (212) 475-6482, Fax: (212) ers around Penn Station and the Rocke­ are doing across the country to reach and QuirOs described the debate in Cuba on 388-1659. . feller Center. This time we had the oppor­ go over the $10,000 mark. YSers should proposals to tax the workers' income, tunity to 1talk to a group of about 10 strik­ e-mail, fax, or write in to the YS office by which had been raised in the country's BY JACK WILLEY ers blocking an entrance for garbage the Sunday of each week to have their National Assembly as one way to deal NEW YORK- The Young Socialists trucks trying to pick up the building's contributions includeq in the next week's with the fmancial crisis. "Mter the discus­ kicked off our national fund drive with a trash. issue of the Militant. sion in the Assembly, the discussion was s)llashing success at the regional socialist As a reminder, membership dues for taken into every workplace in the coun­ While we were there, more than 30 cops educational conferences held in four cities January should be sent in as well. try," he said, referring to the "workers par­ arrived, with their billy clubs drawn, to over the New Year's weekend. We raised break up the line and allow the trucks liaments" held in 80,000 factories and of­ more than $3,713 in cash donations and Jack Willey is a member of the Young So­ fices. "In these workers parliaments, through. After standing their ground for through raffles, and $6,318 in pledges to­ cialists in New York, Union of Needle­ workers could discuss not .only this but another 15 minutes, the pickets reluctantly ward our goal of $10,000. This puts us in moved over to the sidewalk. trades, Industrial and Textile Employees other measures to take against people en­ an excellent position for each chapter and This spurred a great deal of discussion Local 6232, and the YS national steering ~aged in speculation. area to lay out the battle plans to reach and on the role of the police and on what needs committee. · "There was a broad consensus among surpass our goal. to be done to strengthen the strike. One the workers that they [working people] The New York YS met directly after the striker was very interested in the report­ should not be taxed." Following debate, regional conference in Boston to get the back from France. the parliament vote.d to make wages tax­ ball rolling on going over our local $1 ,500 able but not to establish such a tax now. goal. Our chapter is also linking up with "Workers and students are part of the On January 12, we are kicking off the fighters against police brutality at an up­ solution in Cuba. This cannot be done in fund drive locally with a reportback from coming protest against the murder of other countries because they have a differ­ the worker and student revolt in France. Maria Rivas by a cop and at a speakout ent political system," he concluded. As part of the evening's events, there will against police brutality. We are producing During his stay in Sweden, Quiros met be a dinner and party to raise money, talk a YS T -shirt against police brutality as with representatives of youth groups and politics, and get more contributions to­ part of our work to raise funds and recruit Latin American organizations. He visited ward our goal. to the YS. Our goal is to reach out as the Scania truck factory in SOdertiilje, Five YSers visited some of the picket broadly as possible in our fund drive and nurses on strike at South Hospital in lines of over 30,000 office building work­ draw other fighters into our organization. Stockholm, and took part in a demonstra­ ers on January 4, the day they began their We have begun to put up YS tables with tion of construction workers against un- strike here. We came to offer our solidar- our communist literature every week, in January 22, 1996 The Militant 3 '.\.·-

tiaued from front page bridge where the bulk of Washington's umphed there in ·the mid-1940s and to 20,000 occupation troops will cross over. reestablish capitalism - will require a Clinton himself is projecting a visit to military confrontation with the workers Bosnia the weekend of January 13-14. and peasants of Yugoslavia. Perry left the Balkans for the Middle The warring gangs in Bosnia continue East, another volatile region where Wash­ to c1ash with each other and with working ington maintains a military presence to de­ people. Two Croatian cops shot and killed fend its imperial interests. On January 8, a Muslim youth who ran a road block in the defense secretary told reporters in Mostar December 31. Males between the Jerusalem that Washington would be will­ ages of 16 and 60 are prohibited from ing to include troops in a "peacekeeping" crossing a line that divides the city in force in the Golan Heights, a piece of Syr­ southwestern Bosnia into Muslim and ian territory occupied by Israeli forces. Croat sections. Since 1979, U.S. Gis have been deployed in the Sinai desert as part of a 2,400- Clashes in Mostar member international force. Croatian cops wounded two Muslim Washington's expanded intervention in policemen January 4 and a Croatian po­ the Balkans comes at the expense of its liceman was killed January 6 by gunftre imperialist rivals, particularly Paris. Lt. originating in the Muslim area of Mostar. Col. Virginia Pribyla, an Air Force Later that night, Croatian forces launched spokeswoman, announced plans on Jan­ grenades into the Muslim side of the city. uary 5 to launch U-2 spy flights from an During the 10-month war that erupted airfteld in southern France. The Air Force there in 1993-94, Croat forces backed by is already flying KC-135 tankers from the the Zagreb regime proclaimed a country in French base. This move underscored the British armored vehicle in Bosnia. Imperialists plan to use massive tire power. a region of Bosnia and called it Herceg­ French capitalist rulers' weakened posi­ Bosna. They still maintain an army and tion relative to their U.S. competitors. collect customs duties and taxes there. Ac­ anywhere and challenge anyone in their Karadzic reappeared on television in cording to the London Financial Times, way. On a January 6 scouting patrol in early January for the ffist time in several Chechnya war adds to volatility Croat officials in Mostar have imposed a Vlasenica, a caravan of heavily armed weeks. "Although we were successful in In addition to the friction between the $10 tax on every truck delivering relief U.S. troops from the 4th Battalion 12th In­ defending them militarily, we have lost by imperialist powers, the role of Russian supplies to central Bosnia. fantry pulled up in front' of the Drina political means our ancient homes in Sara­ forces in the Yugoslav conflict remains a Under the Dayton agreement imposed Corps Command, the center of operations jevo," he said. "Now we must regain them major source of tension. Moscow has its by Washington, Herceg-Bosna would dis­ for 30,000 Serb troops backed by Bel­ by a long and uncertain political struggle." own interests that diverge from those of solve by late January. The territory would grade. , They confronted · a group of KaradZic was referring to his opposition Washington and other NATO powers. The become part of the federation that is sup­ Bosnian Serb soldiers carrying machine to a provision of the Dayton agreement Russian government has backed the Ser­ posed to be jointly administered by Mus­ guns, although no clash took place. under which Vogosca and four other sub­ bian regime of Slobodan Milosevic. lim and Croat forces, while under a central The scouting mission was to help U.S. urbs of Sarajevo controlled by his forces Political instability within Russia gives government with its capital in Sarajevo. commanders determine where to establish are supposed to return to the control of the the imperialist governments added Mostar is considered to be a crucial part of six base camps of the First Armored Divi­ Bosnian government by mid-March. headaches. Most recently, the war in the so-called Muslim-Croat federation that sion's Second Brigade. Each camp will The. Dayton accord also requires Chechnya has again flared up. An esti­ is to control half of Bosnia. hold 600-800 troops. Karadzic to give up his post on the basis mated 20,000 people have been killed in Taking advantage of the clashes in Two days earlier, a convoy of 13 U.S. that he was indicted as a war criminal by that 13-month-old conflict, which began Mostar, NATO forces increased their Humvees loaded with machine guns and the International War Crimes Tribunal in after Moscow sent troops to crush a popu­ armed patrols in that city. Bosnian govern­ grenade launchers, along with 46 para­ The Hague. "I am here, and I will stay lar independence movement there. ment authorities have reportedly asked troops from the 3rd Battalion of the 325th here," said a deftant Karadzic, the Associ­ On January 9 a band of Chechen fight­ NATO officials to take control of Mostar Airborne Combat team, swept into the ated Press reported. ers stormed a large hospital in Kizlyar in from the European Union. The European town of Lopare. The operation, also in­ Another component of the Dayton pact the autonomous republic of Dagestan - Union assumed control of the city as part tended to display Washington's military was Washington's agreement to lift its which is part of Russia- and took an es­ of an agreement in 1994 that called for an might, passed unchallenged through the military and economic sanctions against · timated 2,000 hostages. They vowed to end to the ftghting between Muslim and Serb checkpoint at Memici on its way to Serbia, which the U.S. government im­ leave orily after Russian troops withdraw Cro~ forces in Bosnia. Lopare. A garrison town in Bosnia held by posed three years ago to increase its.~u­ from Chechnya. Most of the hostages While Croatian president Franjo Tudj­ "Belgrade-backed fortes, Lopare falls. in a .ence in the region, Qn December~ Presi­ we.re released the next day. A .few, days man stated his support for the Dayton zone to be patrolled by 1,500 Russian dent Bill Clinton suspended the sanctions. earlier, 100 prominent Russian writers, ac­ pact, local Croatian authorities in Bosnia troops. According to the Washington Post, Meanwhile, the Clinton administration tors, composers, and singers published an would lose considerable power if it were the Russian force "has been slow in get­ sent Secretary of Defense William Perry to open letter calling on President Boris implemented. ''Their real problem is they ting" there. Europe and the Middle East. Perry, ac­ Y eltsin to end the "fratricidal war" in have to give up Herceg-Bosna," a Euro­ In yet another incident, NATO forces companied by NATO commander George Chechnya. The letter was printed on the pean official told the New York Times. pressed troops loyal to. chauvinist Serb Joulwan and the Chairman of the Joint front page of the Izvestia newspaper under Washington's military forces are gradu­ leader Radovan Karadzic to release 16 Chiefs of Staff, Gen. John Shalikashvili, the headline "Stop the War in Chechnya." ally expanding their occupation of Bosnia, Bosnians they had detained in Sarajevo visited U.S. troops in Hungary who were ''The senselessness and unpopularity of seeking to establish their right to move suburbs under their control. bound for Bosnia. They then went to Sara­ this war is obvious to everyone," the letter jevo, Tuzla, and the Croatian town of Zu­ stated. "How much more evidence is panja. There they re-entered Bosnia by needed to show that a solution by force is walking across the newly built pontoon hopeless?" Socialists discuss war drive·:i

against Yugoslavia with Gls BOOKS FOR WORKING-CLASS CAMPAIGN AGAINST WAR DRIVE

BY RONI McCANN through the Militant. "A woman's choice· Pathfinder publishes a number of books and pamphlets that are valuable weapons for working FAIRBORN, Ohio- Opinions about of abortion is the only choice she can people opposed to the imperialists' march toward war in Yugoslavia. Below is a selection of Washington sending troops to Yugoslavia make by herself," he commented on the titles documenting earlier opposition to imperialist war, battles to defend unions and demo­ varied among workers and soldiers here, struggle for abortion rights. · where Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is An aircraft mechanic who was recently cratic rights at home. and the struggle for socialism. located. The base was the site of the discharged after three years said interven­ much-publicized meetlngs where the U.S. tion into Yugoslavia was a bad idea. "You government pushed through the supposed probably won't like what I have to say peace agreement that calls for placing about [U.S. president Bill] Clinton but I 20,000 U.S. troops in Bosnia. Supporters hate him. He's a self-serving politician of the Militant newspaper spent a day just like all the rest of them." He said he showing the paper around and discussing would go back to Bosnia if called upon, the war drive now under way. though, to back the troops. "If the heads of governments want to A former U.S. Army reservist who took ftght over Bosnia they should get in a ring a few minutes to talk said his views went and do it themselves," said one former back and forth. "On the one hand the U.S. Army soldier who spent time in the troops are trained to do a job and they Persian Gulf. His opinion was echoed by know that when they sign up. But it does bother me that the president himself got OpenlngGune The Truth about lm...... The Balkan Wen a friend who had just returned from a of World War Ill Yugoelevle MIII'ChTow.d three-month stint in Croatia. "We out of going to war yet he's sending troops THE WAR CORRESI'OIIlENCE OF WASHINGTON'S WHY WORKING PEOPLE SHOUW FMCI8mlllldWer lfON TROTSKY shouldn't go," she said, "We have enough over now." ASSAULT IJl IRAQ OPI'OSE INIERVENOON Jack Barnes $32.95 problems here." Some people expressed the view that Jack Barnes George Fyson, In New lnlBmBlianal no. 7 In New lntBmstionBI no. 10 Pointing to the Militant's coverage on troops being sent would not resolve much, Argiris Malapanis.llld $14.011 $12.011 Jonathan Silberman the strike wave in France, she commented if anything. ''The ftghting has been going $8.95 that they hadn't heard this was going on on for thousands of years and it won't stop (Special offer $6.0111 over there because news and information now," said one person, echoing a frequent Available from Pathfinder was limited. The armed forces' Stars and theme in the media. ''The government will bookstores listed Stripes and newspapers in Serbo-Croatian just send more people to get killed." Also from Palldlnder: on page 12. or write: Pathfinder. were often . the only sources available. Another wonian whose brother was sta­ 410WestSt .• They did hear of the struggle for indepen­ tioned in Georgia and just got deployed to The Changing Fighting To Speak New York. NY 101114. dence in Quebec, but U.S. troops were ad­ Bosnia was emphatic, ''They should not be Face of U.S. Racism In the Truth Fax(2121727-0150. WorlciW•II vised not to talk with the Canadian sol­ over there!" She liked the paper's cover­ Politlce WHY WASHINGIUN'S Please include $3 C.LA. James. 'COW WAfr AGAINST postage and handling for diers about the subject so as not to stir up age of the struggles of working people, in­ WDRKif«l..CCASS POLmCS George Braitman, CUBA DOESNT EMl AND THE TRAiiE UNIONS the first title and $.50 for controversy. cluding against the war drive, and bought Edgar Keemer. Fidel Castro Jack Barnes and others and Che Guevara each additional title. '·· Dennis Cooper, a Native American who a copy. All told, the team sold ftve copies $19.95 $20.95 bas two brothers currently in Bosnia, said of the Militant and one of the Spanish­ $16.95 'he's for Quebec separatin~. He paged language magazine Perspectiva Mundial. 4 The Militant January 22, 1996 Marxist magazine; finds eager audience in France BY ROLLANDE GIRARD against Yugoslavia, was happy to meet by Thomas Sankara PARIS - "This is the war of some someone who had the same ideas she did. and Fidel Castro and Serbs, but it is not our war," said a Serbian Her friends didn't agree with her, she said. the article "The Sec­ now living and working in Paris. He had ond Assassination of stopped by a literature table set up by an Differing views on Cuban revolution Maurice Bishop" by international team of socialist workers and The international team has also gotten Steve Clark. youth who are on a campaign here to sell into ongoing discussions with people who A woman came hundreds of copies of the Marxist maga­ are for and against the Cuban revolution. by one literature zine Nouvelle lnternationale. One person exclaimed, "Socialist Cuba, table and bought a A French student gave a different view. you must be crazy!" One rail worker, who copy of Nouvelle In­ "It's too bad you're saying this about Yu­ is also a member of the French Commu­ ternationale no. 3. goslavia," he said, referring to the sign on nist Party (CP), said Cuba had made a She explained that the table that read, "No to French and "mistake by helping Angola," referring to she really re$pected NATO troops in Yugoslavia." the participation of hundreds of thousands Sankara. Sh¢ said "My brother is over there and I believe of Cuban volunteers in the fight against re­ she was one of the he saved a lot of people's lives," the stu­ peated invasions of that country from organizers of a mass dent said. 1975 to 1988 by the racist army of demonstration and From December 16 to January 8 the in­ apartheid South Africa. "They should rally in Burkina Faso ternational team of volunteers has sold have kept the resources they had to take on March 8, 1987, in 269 copies of Nouvelle Internationale. care of their own people," the CP member support of the revo­ The best-seller in this series has been issue said. lution. That's when Many workers originally from Africa, Sankara, the former Militant/Katy LeRougetel no. 5 with the articles "Imperialism's Hawking Nouvelle Internationale at University of Paris march toward fascism and war" by Jack however, and many young people of all president of that Barnes and "Defending Cuba, defending nationalities interviewed by Militant re­ West African coun- Cuba's socialist revolution" by Mary­ porters, expressed a different view. Sev­ try, gave his well-known speech in favor workers in Marseille, forcing them out of Alice Waters. Some 165 copies of this is­ eral said the Cuban revolution showed its of women's r,i,ghts. (This talk is available the bus depots they occupied (see accom­ sue have been sold. real internationalism in Angola, and won in the Pathfmder pamphlet Women's Lib­ panying article). Jose Lopez, one of the The volunteer salespeople from abroad the respect of many working people for eration and the African Freedom Strug­ rail strikers, noted that the government came to France during the strikes and that reason. gle.) Sankara was assassinated later that had used a terrorist bombing in a metro mass actions in December against the on­ "It's very important what you're doing year by a group of counterrevolutionaries last fall "as an excuse to put more cops in slaught on social security by the Alain for Cuba because a lot of people here at­ in the army, some of whom were Stalin­ the streets." Juppe government. This mass movement, tack it," said a man walking by the social­ ists. "There is no future for young people," which forced the government to retreat, ists' literature table. Team members visited rail workers in Lopez stated. "They get less pay" for the ebbed just before the holidays. At the Elisabeth, a student from Jussieu Uni­ Paris who remained on strike the first same work. The company has sharply re­ same time, the battles of November and versity, said she was attracted to the week of January. They were demanding duced the number of rail workers by not December continue to generate broad po­ Cuban revolution despite the campaign of the withdrawal of financial penalties im­ hiring new employees as older rail work­ litical discussions among workers and the big-business media here to portray the posed on the workers for their walkout in ers retire. youth that show working people gained government in Havana as a dictatorship. December. The administration of the Several strikers pointed out that life ex­ self-confidence through their victorious She emphasized she could "never find state-owned rail company (SNCF) backed pectancy for rail workers in France is 57 struggle. anybody who could explain the real situa­ down on January 5. years old. That's one of the reasons they The international team has regularly set tion and why Cuba was different" from the "It's their fault if we had to strike; we fought tooth and nail against raising the up tables with Pathfinder books, the Mili­ Soviet Union, until she met this group of shouldn't pay for their mistakes,'' said rail retirement age from 50 to 55 - and tant, and Perspectiva Mundial on cam­ communists. Jean-Pierre Seguinel, talking about SNCF they won. Nouvelle Internationale no. 3 has also puses and street comers in Paris. The signs management. on the tables read, "No to the Juppe plan," attracted a lot of attention here. This issue The strikers were furious about the ac­ Rollande Girard is a laid-off garment "France, NATO out of Yugoslavia," and of the Marxist magazine features speeches tions of the CRS riot police against the worker in Miami, Florida. "Defend the socialist revolution in Cuba." ' At one of the·tables on a busy street cor­ ner, a young high school woman came by Framed.., up union-ist prepares for parole and asked ·the socialist workers their opin­ ion about Yugoslavia. After listening care­ BYJOHNSTUDER to move· to Chicago to live with his wife The framed-up unionist continues to re­ fully, she said, "I agree. I'm Serb. I've DES MOINES, Iowa- "We received Kate Kaku, get a job, and resume political ceive congratulations from around the lived here for 13 years but I go visit my the parole papers for Mark Curtis from the activity outside prison. world for his parole and for his tenacity in family. They tell me 'Nobody asked us if state of Iowa on December 27," Illinois The illinois state authorities told Stone fighting for freedom. we wanted a war,' because they sure corrections officials told Jed Stone Jan­ they intend to conclude their investigation The Committee in Defense of Liberties didn't want it." Her family had lived to­ uary 4. Stone is a Chicago defense lawyer into Curtis's parole plan by the end of Jan­ and the Rights of Man in France and in the gether with Muslims and Croats without recently retained by Curtis to aid in final­ uary. World sent such a message December 27, any problems before, she explained. izing his release from the Iowa State Peni­ Curtis, a member of the United Food entitled "Mark Curtis is Finally Free." It At the Jussieu campus, Bauchera, a stu­ tentiary in Fort Madison. Curtis has re­ and Commercial Workers Union and of read in part, "This significant victory - dent opposed to the imperialist war drive quested to be paroled to lllinois, in order the Socialist Workers Party, was impris­ and no one should doubt how this has oned in Iowa in 1988 on frame-up charges come about- is the fruit of his courage of attempted rape and burglary. His real and the determination he has shown, re­ "crime" was participating in a defense gardless of what they threw at him he held campaign for 17 co-workers from Mexico his head high while imprisoned, and be­ and El Salvador who were seized by fed­ cause of the broad support won in the eral agents in an immigration raid on the United States and around the world. Monfort packing plant where they "The Committee in Defense of Liberties worked. and the Rights of Man, chaired by George While in custody, the cops beat him Marchais, is proud to have participated in bloody and called him "a Mexican lover, this struggle, and sees this victory as an just like you love those coloreds." advance for the struggles of others in Curtis has remained politically active France and in the world against inequality behind bars. The Mark Curtis Defense and for justice." Committee, formed to campaign for his Curtis also received a letter headed freedom, has publicized his case and "CONGRATULATIONS!" and signed by fought for his release on parole. On 11 union and political activists in Athens, November 21, after seven years of impris­ Greece. onment, the Iowa State Board of Parole "You always said 'stay strong' and it is voted to grant Curtis his release. He will precisely by you staying strong that this be freed on parole after the completion of victory became possible," they wrote. the investigation by illinois corrections of­ "We are gathered in Athens for a small ficials into Curtis's living situation in celebration in your honor but we will re­ Chicago and potential job offers. main vigilant until you walk out of the Curtis backers continue to gather politi­ prison walls and take your rightful place cal and fmancial support. Nearly $20,000 on the front lines of fighting free men and has been collected toward a $25,000 fund women." drive, launched by the committee on the The signers included airline workers, announcement Curtis had won parole, in members of the Union of Filipino Immi­ order to cover ongoing legal expenses. grant Workers in Greece, garment work­ The political activist will face new po­ ers, a member of the Network for Social litical challenges upon his release. They and Political Rights, and an activist from include whatever conditions lllinois pa­ the African National Congress in South role authorities may impose on him, spe­ Africa currently living in Greece. cial restrictions from a law recently en­ People who have just heard of Curtis's acted in lllinois that attacks the rights of fight also continue to write in. One person those convicted as "sex offenders," and wrote from Chicago to say he had seen a potential chall~nges from political sup­ note on the Internet on the case and was porters of his victimization by the police. writing to find out details. That is why Curtis has retained Stone, as To contribute to the defense committee well as well-known Chicago civil liberties fund drive, or to get more information, lawyer Matt Piers, who will serve as his contact the Mark Curtis Defense Comdiit­ general counsel. tee, Box 1048, Des Moines, Iowa 50311. January 22, 1996 The Militant s 'Rebel triumph is clearly in sight' Articles by Che Guevara from Sierra Maestra

The following are three articles by letting us use their houses, all as a contri­ Emesto Che Guevara, one of the central bution to the cause. leaders . of the Cuban revolution. They Afterward came the battle of Uvero, were published in El Cubano Libre (Free where we achieved a great though painful Cuban), the newspaper of the Rebel Army triumph, costing us the lives of seven of in Cuba, which led the revolutionary war our comrades. to overthrow the U.S.-backed tyranny of The subsequent forced evacuation of Fulgencio Batista. peasants by the government was the pre­ El Cubano Libre-also the name of a text for a thousand crimes, robberies, and paper published by Cuban patriots during abuses against them. Again the peasants the independence wars against Spanish responded with renewed support to the colonialism in the 19th century - was es­ cause of the July 26 Movement. tablished by Guevara in November 1957 Our fair treatment toward the in the Sierra Maestra. peasantry - respecting their property, Granma "As for the dissemination of our ideas, paying for what we consumed, tending Front page of El Cubano Libre no. 6. Right, mimeograph machine and typewriter first we started a small newspaper, El their sick, helping those most in used to prepare paper, Che's Rebel Army column, Sierra, late 1957 or early 1958. Cubano Libre, in memory of those heroes need - was the total opposite of the gov­ is no longer a bizarre spectacle for the en­ of the jungle," says Guevara in the chapter ernment's bestial policy. goes normally" for the government. d) All tertainment pages; it has now become an "One year of armed struggle" of his book At that point the relationship of forces the revolutionaries, no matter which coun­ international political factor. Episodes of the Cuban Revolutionary in the Sierra Maestra began to shift try or region they are in, are receiving But there is a question on the minds of War-1956-58. "Three or four issues greatly. Four well-armed columns were "secret aid from communists." the Cuban people: Does the pact exist? . came out under my directorship; it was formed, Estrada Palma atld Bueycito were How much the world resembles Cuba! And if so, what is the United States trying later edited by Luis Orlando Rodriguez, attacked, the· enemy was compelled to It is the same everywhere. A group of pa­ to achieve? and subsequently by Carlos Franqui, who maintain a defensive post14'e, and their triots is murdered, with or without arms, Yes, the pact exists, and die revolution­ gave it new impetus. We had a mimeo­ columns were decimated wlfen they tried whether or not they are rebels. After a ary general staff knew that Batista would graph machine brought up to us from the to ascend the mountains. " "ferocious struggle," they fall under the lift the censorship and Prio :would be ar­ cities, on which the paper was Printed," Now the Movement has proposed to ob­ guns of the oppressors. No prisoners are rested the · day before these things oc­ In February 1996 Pathfinder Press will struct the sugar harvest as long as Batista taken because all witnesses are killed. curred. What we cannot answer is what release a new edition of the Episodes. The is in power. We intend to overthrow him: The government never suffers any casu­ goals are being pursued by the United English-language translation of the arti­ through economic pressure caused by the alties, which is sometimes true - since States of North America, the Great Power cles below, which are not included in the loss of the sugar harvest, his principal murdering defenseless individuals is not defending democracy and the free world, Episodes, is copyright © Pathf'mder Press. source of income; through the revolution­ particularly dangerous. But sometimes it backing a semidefeated dictatorship They are reprinted by permission. Foot­ ary general strike, which will be called at is also pure lying; the Sierra Maestra gives against the clear will of the people. notes are by the Militant. the appropriate moment; and through the irrefutable proof of this. It would seem ridiculous for our small pressure of our columns, which will re­ And fmally, there is the handy accusa­ forces to attempt to threaten the giant. + pulse every attempt by the enemy to enter tion, as always, of "communists." Those Threaten them? No, never. We are simply BY ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA the mountains, while preparing to take the who are fed up with so much poverty and reminding them. Reminding the United struggle down onto the plains once and for pick up a gun, wherever it may be, are States of North America that behind the The article below was published in no. 3 all. Now that our triumph is clearly in "communists." Those who murder the in­ July 26 Movement's army there is a peo­ ofEl Cubano Libre in January 1958 under sight, when a Fidel Castro is not needed to dignant people: men, women, or children, ple in struggle, there is a unanimous civic the title "One Year of Combat." see its approach, the politicians of old, liv­ are "democrats." will. To put them on notice, simply put, The first year of our struggle in the ing comfortably in exile, tried to make a How much the world resembles Cuba! that the July 26 Movement is advancing Sierra Maestra has now been completed. pact in which our name was invoked.4 Not But everywhere, as in Cuba, the people toward its goal, fulfilling the will of the The road has been long and difficult. only did they not consult us, but they boy­ are standing up to brutal force and injus­ masses. And tQ put them on notice $at opr oii the third day after our landing in cotted us in a clear attempt to return to .the tice. And it is they who will have the last conduct·~is~ guided· bycthe-~~-t: Cuba on December 2, 1956, our troop of. swamp that existed prior to Mirrch 1952. word: that of victory. serves as this publication's motto: . ' 82 expeditionaries was taken by surprise, But the blood of the people has not been Freedom or death! dispersed, and almost annihilated at a shed in vain. Each and every one of our + place known as "Alegria" [joy].' dead over these five years of dictatorship The article below was published in no. 4 constitutes a solemn pledge to carry our i On Dec. 2, 1956, 82 expeditonaries reached Bitter· days of dispersal followed. The ofEl Cubano Libre in February 1958. The Cuba at Las Coloradas beach in Oriente province defeated rebels- hungry, thirsty, dis­ revolution forward, far beyond the simple original article had no title. aboard the yacht Gramna. Three days later the rebel couraged, in small groups -roamed the ouster of Batista - as far as necessary to combatants were surprised by Batista's troops at Ale­ woods aimlessly. Some lost faith and ensure there will be no going back to the There is a notable difference between gria del Pfo and dispersed; half the rebels were subse­ quently murdered or imprisoned.. ~.,. turned in their weapons. Then came death status quo of old. that tattered and filthy "army" of twelve men (p.1ease don't count them) who 2 Cuban national hero Jos6 ~art! (1853-1895) at the hands of military killers, as Laurent That is why we fight. And neither the was a noted poet, writer, speaker, and journalist. He and other jackals gorged their lust for latest crimes that drag the army down to roamed as isolated inhabitants of the high­ founded Cuban Revolutipnary Party in 1892 to fight blood, and great comrades fell victim. An­ the lowest rung of barbarism, nor the be­ est peaks of the Sierra Maestra, and our Spanish rule and oppose U.S. designs on Cuba, trayal of the pseudo-oppositionist and new anny of twelve columns and great of­ launched the 1895 independence War, and was killed tonio LOpez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Jose in battle later that year. - Smith, and Candido Gonzalez were electoralist groups, will make us change fensive might. The difference is not only military, although perhaps the military as­ 3 New York Times correspondent Herbert among the murdered. our stance. Matthews (1900-1977) was frrst journalist to inter­ Days passed and finally the dispersed pect provides the basis; today it iulso po­ view and photograph Fidel Castro in the Sierra Maes­ litical. There is a world of difference be­ traonFeb. 17,1957. fighters were reunited: fifteen poorly 4 Guevara is referring here to the Miami Pact. It armed men with even less ammunition. tween the pictures of bearded guerrilla This was one of the regular articles Gue­ fighters that used to appear on the amuse­ was issued Nov. 1, 1957, by forces including leaders What sustained them was a common ideal: vara wrote for El Cubano Libre under the of the Authentic Party, Orthodox Party, Revolution­ Cuba. And they were driven by a faith that ment pages, taken from Life and Coronet ary Directorate, and others who falsely claimed the heading "No Bullet in the Chamber," and magazines, and the serious declaration by document had been signed by authorized representa­ could move mountains: that of Fidel. signed with the pen name "Sharp­ tives of the July 26 Movement. The pact created the Few times can it be said so truthfully the State Department denying Fidel Cas­ shooter." It was published in no. 3 of El tro's comments to Homer Biggart de­ Cuban Liberation Junta dominated by Authentic that one man was the creator of a revolu­ Cubano in January 1958. Party leader Carlos Prfo; it was denounced by the tion. Martf proclaimed that those who nouncing the pact between that depart­ Rebel Army and July 26 Movement in a letter drafted Here in the mountaintops of our Sierra, march at the head have the obligation of ment and Batista. The July 26 Movement by Fidel Castro. the voice of a dis- seeing farther. Fidel marched at the head tant world reaches of a tiny guerrilla unit, and saw what no us via the radio one dared to see; during those days of de­ Spt•t'ial pre-puhlh'alion offer and newspapers. feat he saw victory, and his wonderful The media are faith in the power of the people sustained more explicit in Ep~sodes of ~he Cullan and inspired everyone. describing events Later came the victories at La Plata and abroad, because Palma Mocha. Subsequently a traitor they are unable to ReYOIU~~ona~ War - 1056·58 whom Casillas introduced in our midst mention the had us in the jaws of the jackal on three Emesto Che Guevara crimes committed occasions; the worst period eventually here on a daily ba­ passed, and we eliminated the internal en­ Ernesto Che Guevara, Argentine by birth, became a central leader of the sis. emy. Later, when the world had given us Cuban revolution and one of the outstanding communists of the 20th century. Thus we learn up for dead, the interview with Matthews This book is his firsthand account of the military campaigns and political of the distur­ put the lie to our disappearance.3 · events that culminated in the January 1959 popular insurrection that bances and deaths Thus. we can say that the timid stage of overthrew the U.S.-backed dictatorship in Cuba. in Cyprus, Alge­ the revolution was brought to an end. ria, Ifni, or With clarity and humor, Guevara describes his own political education. He Up until then we saw in each peasant a Malaya, all of explains how the struggle transformed the men and women of the Rebel Army potential informer; we saw in each peasant which have com­ and July 26 Movement led by Fidel Castro. And how these combataots forged hut a threat to our security. We ate boiled mon characteris­ malanga or yucca, often without. salt or a political leadership capable of guiding millions of workers and peasants to tics: lard. We had still not understood the enor­ the socialist revolution in the Americas. a) The govern­ Guevara's Episodes of the Cuban Revolutionary War appears mous capacity of struggle of the Cuban ment authorities peasant. In response to the threats, the here complete for the first time in English. "have inflicted mistreatment, the burning of homes, and heavy losses on murder, they responded by supporting us join lhe Patlllliidw ...... , Cub for a $10 annual fee, and receive special discxlunts Hke the rebels." b) this, as well as a 15 percent discount on all Pathfinder ddes from boolcstor51iad on pace 12 with greater enthusiasm; giving us their There are no pris­ and direct from the publlsla'. Contact lhe Pathfinder bookstore .,.,... you, or write children as combatants and guides, and Pathfinder, 410West St., NewYoric, NY 10014. Fax (212) n7-0150. When~ by oners. c) "All mall, Ill-include $3 for posap and hancllin&-

6 The Militant January 22,1996 U.S. rivalry with EUrope led to world war .~ Trotsky on Washington's emergence as the chief imperialist power in 1920s,

Reprinted below is an excerpt from the Moreover, it has not been shown that 1928 article "The Draft Program of the the inevitable further development of Communist International: A Criticism of American expansion, the contraction of Fundamentals," by Leon Trotsky, a cen­ the markets of European capital, in­ tral leader of the Bolshevik-led revolution cluding theEuropeari market itself, en­ of October 1917 and of the Communist In­ tail the greatest military, economic, and ternational in its early years. The entire revolutionary convulsions, beside document appears in The Third Interna­ which all those of the past fade into the tional After Lenin, published by background. Pathfmder Press. Again, neither has it been made clear Trotsky directed his article to the dele­ that the further inexorable pressure of gates at the Sixth World Congress of the the United States will reduce capitalist Communist·~·. International (Comintern), Europe to constantly more limited ra­ held in Moscow in 1928. It presented a tions in world economy; and t!tis, of communist perspective in response to the course, implies not a mitigation, ,but ori anti-internationalist policies of the in­ the contrary, a monstrous sharpening creasingly Stalinized Comirttern. of interstate relations in Europe accom­ The excerpted section of this document, panied by furious paroxysms of mili'­ describing the growing rivalries in Europe tary conflict, for states as well as between Washington and other imperialist classes fight even more fiercely for a powers, is titled "The United States of meager and a diminishing ration than America and Europe." Copyright © for a lavish and growing one. Pathfinder Press, reprinted by permission. The draft does not explain that the Subheadings are by the Militant. internal chaos of the. state antagonisms· in Europe renders hopeless any sort of serious and successful resistance to the constantly more centralized l'lJorth BY LEON TROTSKY American republic; and that the resolu­ To characterize the ·first, fortunately tion of the European chaos through the discarded draft, it suffices to say that, so Soviet United States of Europe ~. one City of Caen, France, bombed into rubble by mid-July 1944. Interimperialist competition over domination of world's markets.....;.. between Washington, London, and Paris on one far as we re~l. the name of the United . of the ft.rst tasks of the proletarian revo­ States of America was not even mentioned lution. The latter (precisely because of hand and Bonn, Rome, and Tokyo on the other -led to slaughter of World War II, in it. The essential problems of the imperi­ the existence of barriers) is immeasur­ much like World War I. alist epoch-which, because of the very ably closer in Europe than in America character of this epoch, must be examined and will, therefore, most likely have to de­ justification whatsoever for the attempt to opment so that we may not be caught un­ not only in their abstract and theoretical fend itself from the North American boor~ conclude from this that the hegemony of awares by their action. but also in their concrete and historical geoisie. North America will be restricted or weak­ If in the past decade the main source of ened.. Such a conclusion can lead only to revolutionary situations lay in the direct cross section-were dissolved in the first U.S. hands in every powder keg draft into a lifeless schema of a capitalistic the grossest strategical errors. consequences of the imperialist war, in the country "in general." However, the new On the other hand, no mention at all has Just the contrary is the case. In the pe­ second postwar decade the most important · draft-and this, of course, is a serious step been made of the fact (and this is just as riod of crisis the hegemony of the United source of revolutionary upheavals will be forward-now speaks of "the shift of the important a phase of the same world prob­ States will operate more completely, more the interrelations of Europe and America. economic center of the world to the United lem) that it is precisely the international openly, and more ruthlessly than in the pe­ A major crisis in the United States will strength of the United States and her irre­ riod of boom. The United States will seek strike the tocsin for new wars and revolu­ sistible expansion arising from it, that to overcome and extricate herself from her tions. compels her to include the powder maga­ difficulties and maladies primarily at the ·We repeat: there will be no lack of revo­ zines of the whole world into the founda­ expense of Europe, regardless of whether lutionary situations. The entire question tions of her structure, i.e., all the. antago­ this occurs in Asia, Canada, South Amer­ hinges upon the international party of the nisms between the East and the We~t. the ica, Australia, or Europe itself, or whether ·proletariat, the maturity and fighting abil­ class struggle in Old Europe, the uprisings this takes place peacefully or through war. ity of the Comintern, and the correctness of the colonial masses, and all wars and of its strategical position and tactical revolutions. · Source of revolutionary·situations methods. On the one hand, this transforms North We must clearly understand that if the In the draft program of the Comintern American capitalism into the basic coun­ first period of American intervention had absolutely no expression is to be found of terrevolutionary force of the· modern the effect of stabilization and paCification this trend of thought. A fact of such great epoch, constantly more interested in the on Europe, which to a considerable extent importance, it would seem, as "the shifting maintenance of "order" in every corner of still remains in force today, and may even of the world economic center to the United the terrestrial globe; and on the other recur episodically and become stronger States," is glossed over by a casual jour­ hand, this prepares the ground for a gigan­ (particularly in the event of new defeats of nalistic remark. It is, of course, utterly im­ tic revolutionary explosion in this. already the proletariat), the general line of Ameri­ possible to justify this on the ground of dominant and still expanding world impe­ can policy, particularly in time of its own lack of space, for what should be allowed rialist power. The logic of world relations economic difficulties and crisis, will en­ space in a program if not the fundamental indicates that the time of this explosion gender the deepest convulsions in Europe questions? cannot lag very far behind that of the pro­ as well as over the entire world. Besides, it should be added that too Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky (center) letarian revolution in Europe. From this we draw the not unimportant much space is devoted in the program to States of America"; and of "the transfor­ Our elucidation of the dialectics of the conclusion that there will be no more lack questions of secondary and tertiary impor­ mation of the 'Dollar Republic' into a interrelations between America and Eu­ of revolutionary situations in the next tance, to say nothing of the general literary world exploiter"; and finally, that the ri­ rope have made us the target in recent decade than in the past decade. That is looseness and innumerable repetitions by valry (the draft loosely says "conflict") be­ years of the most diversified accusations, why it is of utmost importance to under­ elimination of which the program could be tween North American and European cap­ charging us with the pacifist denial of the stand correctly the mainsprings of devel- reduced at least one-third. italism, primarily British capitalism, "is existence of European contradictions, with becoming the axis of the world conflicts." the acceptance of Kautsky's theory of It is already quite obvious today that a ultra-imperialism, and many other sins. Writings of L-n Trotsky program which did not contain a clear and There is no need to dwell here upon precise definition of these basic facts and these "accusations," which are at best due factors of the world situation would have to a complete ignorance of the. real pro­ The Third International nothing in c(>mmon with the program of cesses and of our attitude toward them. after Lenin We cannot refrain from observing, how­ the international revolutionary party. Trotsky's alternative to Stalin's course toward Unfortunately, the essential facts and ever, that it would be hard to waste more effort in confusing and muddling up this gutting the revolutionary program of the Com­ tendencies of world development in the munist International. Addressed to delegates modern epoch which we have just indi­ most vital world problem than was wasted attending the 1928 congress of the Interna­ cated are merely mentioned by name in (incidentally, by the authors of the draft tional in Moscow, Trotsky's critique was the text of the draft, grafted on to it, as it program) in their petty struggle against banned in the Soviet Union. But its publication were, by way of theoretical back-writing, our formulation of the problem. Our for­ in other countries helped gather together the without having any internal connection mulation has, however, been entirely con- forces that would continue to fight for an in­ with its entire structure and without lead­ 'firmed by the course of events. ternational communist perspective. $25.95 ing to any conclusions about perspective Even recently, efforts have been made or strategy. in leading communist. organs to mini­ mize-on paper-the . significance of Coming economic, military convulsions American hegemony by alluding to the In Defense of Maml•• impending commercial and industrial cri­ The Revolution America's new role in Europe since the THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONTRADIC­ capitulation of the German Communist sis in the United States. We cannot here Betrayed enter into an examination of the special TIONS OF THE SOVIET UNION Party, and the defeat of the German prole­ WHATIS THE SOVIET UNION problem of the duration of the American During the buildup toward U.S. entry in World tariat in 1923, has been left absolutely on­ AND WHERE IS IT GOING? evaluated. No attempt at all has been made crisis and its possible depth. This is a ·War II, Trotsky explains why workers have a question of conjuncture and not of pro- stake in opposing imperialist war and in com­ Classic study of the Soviet work­ to explain that the period of the bating assaults on the degenerated Soviet ers state and its degeneration "stabilization," "normalization," and gram. '· It goes without saying that in our opin­ ~ workers state by either the fascist or under the brutal domination of "pacification" of Europe as well as the · l E 0 ,ii T R <;>,t ~ •>v. "democratic" capitalist powers. $24.95 the privileged social caste "regeneration" of the social democracy, ion the inevitability of a crisis is entirely whose spokesman was Stalin. II- · has proceeded in close material and ideo­ · beyond doubt; nor, considering the pre­ luminates the roots of the Rus- . , logical connection with the first steps of sent world scope of American capitalism, Available from ,Pathfinder bookstores listed on page 12, or from Pathfinder. sian crisis of the 1990s. Also do we think it is out of the qu,stion that 410 West St .. New York, NY 10014. Fax (2121727-0150. Please include $3 available in Russian and Spanish. American intervention in European af­ postage and handling for the first title and $.50 for each additional title. fairs. the very next crisis will attain·.extremely $19.95 great depth and sharpness. But ·there is no January 22, 1996 The Militant 7 · Socialists map working-class campaign

Continued from front page struggle. "The center of world politics is in and unions. That provides the only prole­ Europe today," he said. "Right now, under tarian political foundation from which to the banner of the 'peace of Dayton,' participate along with other workers in NATO is actually engaged in a war drive any picket lines, speakouts, or other against Yugoslavia, with the goal of over~ protests that· begin to be organized, on throwing the workers state established however small a scale initially, if the war through a workers and peasants revolution drive intensifies. in 1945 and reimposing capitalist social The lessons of that earlier campaign are relations in that country." contained in talks by SWP national secre­ At the same time, Malapanis said, the tary Jack Barnes, published under the title slaughter in Yugoslavia launched several "Opening Guns of World War III'' in issue years ago by rival bureaucratic gangs, who no. 7 of the Marxist magazine New Inter­ draped themselves in nationalist garb, was national. Classes at several of the regional from the outset also a proxy war for the gatherings reviewed these experiences and competing imperialist powers - a prod­ lessons. uct of the intensifying conflict between the Explaining the stakes in fighting Wash­ capitalist rulers in Bonn, Paris, London, ington's war drive will be at the center of and Washington. activity of the Young Socialists too, as This intensifying interimperialist con­ they work over the next few months to flict, SWP leaders explained at the confer­ build their first national conference, to be ences, is and will remain the most power­ held in Minneapolis over the Easter week­ ful single motor force in a world increas­ end, April 6-7. ingly marked by deflationary pressures on The regional conferences also marked the rulers' profit rates and narrowing ac­ the public launching of the single largest cess to markets. The result of such con­ effort by the communist movement de­ flicts is sharpening class polarization; as­ cided by the December National Commit­ saults on the rights, living standards, and tee meeting: to increase the sales of revo­ Partisan fighters during World War II, such as those above, forged a movement that job conditions of working people; the lutionary books and pamphlets by united workers and farmers across national lines to fight the fascists. The movement growth of rightist and fascist movements; $100,000 in 1996. Workers and youth will also led the overthrow of the landlords and capitalists, expropriating land and facto­ and ultimately the launching of a world be organizing to expand and regularize ries, a history not explained in the big-business press today. The aim of the current war. The working class has already lived the hours of bookstores where communist NATO occupation is to overturn the Yugoslav workers state. through su~h conditions twice before in literature can be bought in more than 30 the 20th century, and paid a heavy blood cities around the world; upgrade the ap­ price each time. pearance of and political attention to those ences. It is also a precondition to finan­ the SWP National Committee: Naomi In discussing these political facts, par­ bookstores; increase the sales of books cially sustaining a publishing program that Craine in Atlanta, Thabo Ntweng in ticipants in the New Year's conferences and pamphlets off SWP and Young So­ makes it possible for these political Boston, Chris Hoeppner in Detroit, and frequently referred to the article cialists literature tables at political events, weapons to be produced, kept in print, up­ Argiris Malapanis in Seattle. They were "Imperialism's March toward Fascism and on street corners in working-class neigh­ graded, and circulated as widely as possi­ based on the political perspectives dis­ War," based on several1994 talks by Jack borhoods, and on campuses; and organize ble among fighters the world over. cussed and adopted at the party leadership Barnes, featured in issue no. 10 of New In­ to get revolutionary titles onto the shelves meeting eadier in December. ternational (as well as in its sister publica­ of more commercial bookstores. Center of politics is in Europe As Malapanis explained at the Seattle tions in French, Spanish, and Swedish). Not only is such a sales effort necessary Each of the conferences opened with conference, the unfolding of the war in The world's leading capitalist powers to meet a growing political need for revo­ keynote talks on "Fight NATO's War Yugoslavia over the past five years - in are battling among themselves for position lutionary literature by workers and youth, Drive: Emulate the Cuban Revolution!" the continent of Europe - registers an im­ in the feeding chain of imperialism, SWP leaders explained at the four confer- The talks were presented by members of portant shift in the international class Barnes. explained in his opening political report to the SWP National Committee meeting in early December. Those capital­ ist classes highest up in imperialism's 'Joining the.fight against ~ar andfor_socialism feeding ~hain have the gre.atest ~ce~ to ' - i - ways to buffer the resistance by working BY NAOMI CRAINE people that begins to erupt as· class ten­ Recruitment to the communist move­ sions increase. ment was one of the aims of the four re­ That's why the U.S. capitalists, in seek­ gional socialist educational conferences ing to bolster their competitive position, held over the New Year's weekend. The still have greater flexibility, the SWP events were a success in this regard. leader explained. They are not yet pressed About 15 people asked to join the Socialist to launch the kinds of direct confronta­ Workers Party in the United States, the tions that sparked nationwide strikes and Communist League in Canada, or the massive demonstrations by rail workers Young Socialists. and other workers and youth in France in The decision of the communist organi­ late 1995. The U.S. rulers keep reaching in zations to carry out a working-class cam­ that direction, nonetheless, and, as they paign in opposition to imperialism's war do, begin getting a response. drive against Yugoslavia had a big impact The NATO war drive against Yu­ on many of the people who decided to goslavia marks another step by the U.S. join. . ruling class in strengthening its position Ryan Lewis explained that what im­ vis-a-vis its rivals in Europe and Asia. As pressed him about the Young Socialists Barnes explained, "Another historic step and members of the Socialist Workers is being taken in the process, begun in the Party at the Detroit conference was the first quarter of the 20th century, of the "tough questions" they asked in order to United States of America becoming the hammer out an effective response to the premier 'European' imperial power." imperialist war drive. Lewis, a 20-year-old This process began at the conclusion of student and bus driver at Kent State Uni­ Militant/Osborne Hart YS members Joellyn Manville, Brian Black, and Linda Jarven at Seattle conference. the first interimperialist slaughter of 1914- versity in Ohio, decided to join the Young 18. And the U.S. capitalist rulers consoli­ Socialists. dated their position by emerging from "I see more clearly now why the U.S. YS and SWP, and was attracted to their tional team selling revolutionary literature World War II as the unrivaled military and military is moving into Yugoslavia," said working-class perspective. He and Jarven in France. economic victor over both their enemy Lionel Taylor from Dalton, Georgia, who are now trying to get industrial jobs where "We are part of building something." capitalist competitors in Germany, Japan, joined the YS at the Atlanta conference. they can do political work in the unions He spoke at the Boston conference about and Italy, and their allied capitalist com­ "The !eal reason is securing the country together with other party members. the worker and student revolt in France, petitors in France, the United Kingdom, and about the fight for Quebec indepen­ for investment, not peacekeeping." Tay­ The Seattle YS chapter grew from six to and Canada. lor, 18, has been reading the Militant for eight members during the conference. dence. In Seattle, Malapanis called attention to about a year. He originally contacted the Jarven is also part of the Seattle-Cuba At all four conferences, the Young So­ the decision by Paris, announced Decem­ Socialist Workers Party after finding it Friendship Coalition. She worked with Ty cialists organized meetings for young peo­ ber 5, to rejoin the NATO military chain listed in a student source book at his high Moore, who joined the Young Socialists, ple interested in learning about and joining of command, from which it had with­ the communist movement. school. and coalition activist Scott Winn to staff a drawn in 1966 in a conflict with Washing­ April Holland, 20, from Birmingham, table and display at the conference to sign In Detroit, YS members organized a ton. As a result of this new move, French Alabama, also decided in Atlanta to join people up for a summer youth brigade in "Meet the Young Socialists" panel discus­ officers in Yugoslavia are now serving un­ the YS. She described the conference as a Cuba. sion that was a highlight of the confer­ der the direction of the U.S.-dominated "reality pill about the imperialist persecu­ Joellyn Manville, a high school student ence. The panel included five YS mem­ NATO command structure, including a tion of the working class." from Salt Lake City, also joined the SWP bers from the U.S. Midwest and Canada U.S. chief of operations. Several YS members asked to join the during the Seattle conference. Manville, who have been active in fights against po­ This recognition by Paris of Washing­ Socialist Workers Party over the weekend. who has been leading a young socialists lice brutality and supporting the Boeing, ton's hegemony was necessary for the group at her school, attended the Cuba Caterpillar, and Detroit newspaper strikes Like party's working-class perspective French rulers to continue pursuing a bar­ Lives youth festival last August. and other struggles. gain with Bonn to drain surplus value Brian Black and Linda Jarven, both Carlos Catalan, a leader of the YS They outlined the organization's plans from their common capitalist rivals in leaders of the Seattle YS chapter, decided group in Montreal, decided to join the to hold a conference in April in Minneapo­ London, Madrid, Rome, and elsewhere in to join the party. Black was working in a Communist League there. "I like how the lis. Also speaking on the panel was a stu­ Europe. An intensifying battle is under warehouse as a union organizer for the Communist League comrades act in an or­ dent who traveled to Detroit from Paris. way as to who is going to be in the top tier Teamsters, but had become disillusioned ganized, disciplined, and serious manner She described the explosion that occurred of capitalist classes in Europe. Who is with the bureaucratic misleadership of the at an international level," said Catalan, among youth in France following attacks economically strong enough, and who has labor unions when he met members of the who had just returned from an interna- on their education benefits.

8 The Militant January 22, 1996 to· oppose war drive against Yugoslavia

pushed back past gains of the working backgrounds may be." That's what the history of the 20th cen­ class enough, to be in the top tier domi­ So, Washington and its tury teaches; there have been no excep­ nated by German capital and its national collaborating imperialist tions. It takes time and experience before currency, the mark? Will the rulers in powers will not have aQ antiwar attitudes and activity begin in the France (and their national currency, the easy .time accomplishing working class and among the soldiers franc) be pushed out of the "mark ring" what they have set out to themselves. And how communist workers into the second tier? Is British capital do in Yugoslavia, even and youth use that time to campaign - strong enough to remain in that second with armed forces on the against the war, as part of the working ring, and can the Italian rulers fight their ground. class and its class institutions, can make a way in? And how can those in the top tiers "It's wrong to leap to decisive difference. keep Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Greece talking about the 'former President Bill Clinton publicly an­ at the bottom :...._ and even start drawing Yugoslavia' right now," nounced in a nationally televised address Turkey into a "common market," to rake Barnes said at the SWP at the end of November how he intends to off still more of the surplus value. pro­ National Committee meet­ become a popular war president, Barnes duced by the toilers there? ing. "If it were clearly and pointed out at the SWP leadership meet­ Mounting conflict over this chain of truly the 'former Yu­ ing.. domination is at the heart of politics in goslavia,' then · they Clinton said.that U.S. troops would be capitalist Europe, not the "common cur­ wouldn't need to send "heavily armed and thoroughly trained...• rency" talked about so much in the daily 60,000 troops there in the Anyone- anyone- who takes on our press. Amid depression conditions - in next several weeks. They troops will suffer the consequences/' Clin­ which average unemployment in the Euro­ could achieve their aim in ton stressed. "We will fight fire with ftre, pean Union has been stuck at some 11 per­ a much more leisurely and then some." And then some, count on cent during an upturn in the business cy­ way. But that's exactly it. cle, and at 15-20 percent or more in Bel­ one of the things they've Whether Washington's propaganda tar­ gium, Spain, and elsewhere - other failed to do." gets of the moment llfe "Islamic funda­ struggles like those in France are sure to Discussion on Yu­ mentalists" in Bosnia, Serbians, or Croat­ come. goslavia and the commu­ ians, Clinton's television message accu­ nist understanding of the rately stated the U.S. ruler's intentions: Aim is to overturn workers state workers states continued anyone who seeks to resist their domina­ Among the liveliest discussions throughout the sessions tion will pay the consequences. And that throughout the four weekend gatherings and free time at the con­ will be the pretext for further steps to was why Washington and its rival capital­ ferences. In Atlanta some deepen the drive toward war. ist rulers in NATO are launching a war 15 Young Socialists and drive against Yugoslavia. Why are they other youth met with Emulate the Cuban revolution sending an occupation army of some Naomi Craine and other Speakers at the regional conferences 60,000 troops- 20,000 of them U.S. party leaders during a explained that workers and youth who rec­ troops, backed up by some 12,000 other meal break to hash out ognize the need to emulate the socialist U.S. soldiers nearby in the region? these questions some revolution in Cuba are in the best position The war drive, the SWP leaders ex-· Council of State Office of Historical Affairs, Havana more. . to organize effectively to fight the imperi- · plained in the opening talks, is the first Emulating Cuban revolution was central conference In addition to encourag­ alist war drive against Yugoslavia. They massive use of armed forces by the impe­ theme. Above, Cbe Guevara addresses peoPJe of liber­ ing these fighters to read understand that only in Cuba today are rialist rulers on the soill-of a workers state ated Fomento in Las Villas province, Dec. 18, 1958. the issues of New Interna­ workers and farmers consciously organiz­ since the Korean War. tional previously cited, the ing, gllided by a communist leadership, to ''The big-business media won't tell you SWP leaders pointed them combat imperialist domination and defend about the socialist revolution in Yu­ As the keynote speakers at the confer­ to classic revolutionary works such as The their workers state. goslavia and what it accomplished," said ences explained, however, the effort by Revolution Betrayed and In Defense of Above all, as Thabo Ntweng pointed Chris Hoeppner in Detroit. "They won't imperialism to use an indirect agency Marxism by Bolshevik leader Leon Trot­ out in Boston. the most revolutionary­ tell you how workers and peasants of all among privileged social layers within the sky, as well as to several Education for minded workers and youth in Cuba are national origins and beliefs in Yugoslavia workers state to. restore capitalism failed Socialists bulletins on the post-:-World.War proletarian internationalists. They re~· O:tglmized to throw off German imperialist in Yugoslavia, as it has in the Sov.!et II . social revolutions and workei:s '' and committed to doing what they can, when­ occupation during World War II, and in Union and elsewhere. farmers governments by Joseph Hansen ever the chance presents itself, to advance the process launched a powerful social The disintegration of the former Stalin­ and Jack Barnes. the struggle for national liberation and so­ revolution." The toilers took political ist apparatuses has accelerated economic cialism around the world. power out of the hands of the landlords and social dislocation, as well as sharp Campaign against war drive Ntweng pointed to an interview with and capitalists. By the end of the 1940s conflicts within the petty-bourgeois caste. The most important task facing socialist Cuban brigadier general Harry Villegas they had carried out a radical land reform But neither in Yugoslavia nor elsewhere workers and youth is to-Ca.Ihpaign against that had recently appeared in the Militant. ana expropriated -the bourgeoisie's facto­ have the crisis-ridden regimes of these de­ the imperialist war drive, the speakers at Villegas is a veteran of multiple interna­ ries, warehouses, and banks. They had es­ formed workers states succeeded in creat­ the four regional conferences explained. tionalist aid missions to Angola between tablished a workers state. ing the necessary conditions to restore "This must be a working~class cam­ 1975 and 1990- during which he took At the opening of the 1990s, the Stalin­ capitalist social relations: the establish­ paign," said Craine, speaking in Atlanta. part in the historic defeat of South Africa's ist regime and Communist Party that dom­ ment of a capitalist ruling class and ac­ "Everything we've been doing day in and invading forces at the battle of Cuito Cua­ ,inated the Yugoslav worker state began to companying system of bourgeois values; day out to build the communist movement navale in 1988. That victory opened the crumble, as was happening in the workers stable legal and contractual relations; and and its proletarian institutions - its road to the fall of the apartheid regime a states in the Soviet Union and across east­ dominance of privately owned industrial, branches and its industrial union few years later and the establishment of em and central Europe as well. In Yu­ banking, financial, and commercial capi­ fractions -becomes more important than South Africa's first nonracial government goslavia, members of the petty-bourgeois tal. ever when the imperialists launch a war under the leadership of the African Na­ social layer that dominated the state appa­ The current war drive, the socialist drive," she said. tional Congress. Using the nom de guerre ratus organized along nationalist lines, leaders explained, is the imperialists' ef­ "By campaigning against Washington's "Pombo," Villegas had also fought under scrambling to grab turf to consolidate their fort to exploit the situation that has devel­ war drive;'' Barnes explained at the De­ the command of Ernesto Che Guevara in own parasitic access to wealth produced oped in Yugoslavia since 1991 to use di­ cember party leadership meeting, "we're the Rebel Army in Cuba in 1957-58, in the by the toilers. These rival gangs of Stalin­ rect force and violence to overturn a work­ not predicting how or when an actual Congo in 1965, and then in the mouniains ist bureaucrats and wannabe ers state - something they have not at­ shooting war might be launched by the im­ of Bolivia in 1966 and 1967. capitalists - first and foremost those tempted in Europe since the Axis powers' perialists in Yugoslavia. Our obligation as The Militant interviewers noted that based in Serbia and Croatia -launched a failure to crush the Soviet Union during workers is to campaign as effectively and with the onset of serious economic diffi­ _bloody war of "ethnic cleansing" in 1991 World War II. That is what Washington energetically as we can against the accel­ culties in Cuba over the last half decade, in an effort to accomplish these goals. and its capitalist rivals will be driven to try erating imperialist war drive. We can't some Cubans began to express the view · At the December SWP leadership meet­ once again in the Soviet Union and eastern wait for a war to begin before we start or­ that the resources that went to help Angola ing, national secretary. Barnes explained European workers states as openings ganizing as a working-class organization · would have been better utilized at home. that the imperialist ruling classes watched arise. · to fight it". They asked Villegas for his opinion. the bloodbath unfold, waiting to see if the As elsewhere, it is the working class in Throughout this century, the keynote "Cuba's aid to Angola was not only Yugoslav workers state could be ripped Yugoslavia, of the various nationalities, speakers explained at the New Year's con­ worthwhile," be replied, "but if we were apart and overturned in the process. At the that remains the obstacle to overturning ferences, communists have had to con­ capable of doing it again, we would do same time, each of these capitalist powers the conquests of the socialist revolution. -front denial among broad layers of fellow so." actively pursued their own interests in the In face of the murderous assault on the workers as the capitalist rulers crank up a It is that political consciousness and un­ region, fueling the slaughter. Muslim population of Bosnia by terror war drive and militarization campaign. flinching determination among a broad ''The German ruling class was .initially gangs backed by self-proclaimed govern­ The socialist leaders explained that the layer of Cuban working people and youth, the most aggressive in pressing this ments in Serbia and Croatia, communist U.S. rulers understand that a war will only Ntweng told conference participants, that course," Barnes said, encouraging forces workers support the Bosnians' right to na­ become ''popular" iti this country, includ­ means the revolution is still alive today within the bureaucracy in Croatia to pro­ tional self-determination, Malapanis ex­ ing in the working class, after the shooting and remains a weighty factor in any ad­ claim independence from Belgrade, the plained in Seattle. But the fight against na­ starts and some clear-cut "enemies" are vance of the world class struggle. capital of Yugoslavia and the major city in tional oppression in Yugoslavia today, as targeted by Washington and its propagan­ "The Cuban working people have Serbia. ''The French were somewhat throughout this century, has not taken the dists. That "enemy" will be whichever shown the only way to put an end to impe­ slower, but gave de facto support to Bel­ form of the fight for independence. force, or forces, respond to U.S. frrepower rialist war- by taking power out of the grade, in a bloc with the Y eltsin regime in "Despite years of 'ethnic cleansing' by and begin killing American Gls. hands of the capitalist war-makers," said Russia. The English capitalists hunted for armed . terror squads. loyal to regimes It's a pacifist illusion, conference Hoeppner in Detroit. a policy of national interest but could based in Belgrade and Zagreb," Hoeppner speakers emphasized, to think· that when Hoeppner and other speakers .at the re­ never unite around one. explained in Detroit, "millipns of working body bags start being flown back to the gional gatherings urged participants to "And Wall Street and Washington people in Yugoslavia have not given up on United States, that's when an antiwar buy and read Guevara's Episodes of the adopted the slogan 'Let it bleed' for a the unity they've conquered. And they movement begins; to the contrary, that's Cuban Revolutionary War-1956-58. while, gradua:lly bringing to bear arms don't accept the social conditions that in­ when the war fever begins. That's when The first complete edition of the book in shipments and sporadic air power to in­ evitably come with capitalism. Millions of the petty-bourgeois pacifists begin divid­ English will be available from Pathfinder crease their leverage in the conflict and workers and farmers still see themselves ing and ·retreating, with the majority rally­ block the aims of their European rivals." as Yugoslavs, whatever their national ing behind the war. Continued on pagelO

January 22, ·1996 The Militant 9

~-·. Conferences set goals to e.xpand socialist

Continued from Page 9 ated discussion on the tasks before the in February. Some 150 advance orders of communist movement, in light of the po­ the book were purchased at the New litical questions discussed throughout the Year's conferences. weekend. The talks were presented by Displays of photographs from the SWP leaders James Harris in Atlanta, An~ ·Episodes at each conference highlighted gel Lariscy in Boston, Martin Koppel in the main lesson of the book, and of the Detroit, and Maggie.Trowe in Seattle. Cuban revolution itself: that in the course The description of fighters who can be of organizing to transform political and won to the communist movement as . social conditions along revolutionary "dangerous men and women" originated lines, workers and farmers have the capac­ with a phrase used by veteran Black rights ity to begin transforming themselves into fighter Edna Griffin in explaining how it disciplined and self-acting makers of his­ was that Mark Curtis, a socialist and union tory as w~ll. activist, came to be framed up and rail­ roaded to prison seven years ago by Iowa Workers resist bipartisan assault ·authorities. Curtis was tried and convicted By the time of the New Year's confer­ on false charges of attempted rape and ences, the initial sniping by many Repub­ burglary in 1988. Given the character of lican politicians at Clinton administration the charges leveled against him, some policy was on the wane, and a bipartisan people asked, what could possibly be be­ consensus was growing in support of the hind Curtis's insistence he had been dispatch of U.S. troops to Yugoslavia. framed? Why should anyone believe him? At the same time, the Democratic ad­ At a defense rally just before the open­ ministration and Republican majority in Militant/Bill Estrada ing of Curtis's trial, Griffin presented her Congress were shadowboxing over the December 30 abortion rights march in Boston. Many attending socialist conference answer. The authorities who arrested Cur­ 1996 federal budget. Clinton, who participated. Fight for women's rights is part of working-class resistance today tis, she pointed out, knew he was active}~ pledged during his 1992 campaign to "end involved in struggles by working people welfare as we know it," proclaimed him­ ten, Ntweng explained at the Boston con­ thousands of Black workers on the streets in the Des Moines area, including right self the defender of working people, while ference. They are surprised when workers of Washington. And suddenly all the then in a fight to defend immigrant co:! pushing the entire framework of proposed vote down contracts union officials 'family values' and 'self-blame' gibberish workers at the Swift packinghouse who assaults on health and other social benefits thought they had "sold" to the member­ seemed beside the point. They saw a mas­ were picked up in an immigration raid just to the right. ship. Union workers remain on the defen­ sive outpouring of Afro~Americans, a days before his arrest. For the powers that In going after entitlements won by labor sive when they enter into struggles, massive working-class mobilization. And be in Iowa, Griffm said, that made Mark and the oppressed over decades of strug­ Ntweng said. And strikes often don't end their class instincts told them they hated Curtis a dangerous man. gle, the keynote speakers explained, in victories, since the union bureaucracy what they saw." Griffin's estimate was confirmed by politicians in both parties are coarsening blocks the kind of class solidarity that is Classes on the struggle for Black libera­ what the cops told Curtis as they beat him their rhetoric, aiming to push back atti­ both possible and necessary. tion in the United States were held at each bloody the night he was arrested. They tudes of social solidarity among working What's most important right now about of the four conferences. called him a "Mexican lover, just like you people. By targeting immigrants and those these skirmishes, Ntweng emphasized, is love those coloreds:" · they brand as "welfare cheats," the White that workers keep on resisting. Strikes are Reports from France, Quebec In November 1995, after holding Curtis House and congressional leadership em­ less about this or that particular demand or The talks "Reportback from Revolt in in prison well beyond the average tmre bolden ultrarightists such as Patrick grievance than they are about workers' as­ France and the Fight for Quebec Indepen­ served in Iowa for the sexual assault Buchanan. What's more, liberal commen~ sertion of their dignity as human beings, dence" were a highlight of the confer­ charge on which he was convicted, stat~ tators and spokespersons for the union bu­ as producers. In face of repeated failures ences. These were presented by members authorities granted him parole. reaucracy are more openly embracing of the officialdom's class-collaborationist of the Communist League and Young So­ This was a victory that had been earned Buchanan's chauvinist claims that lower­ perspectives, workers are· increasingly as­ cialists in Canada who had recently been by Curtis and those around the world who ing trade barriers along the Rio Grande serting in practice that "We are the union." to France as part of communist sales had joined his defense effort and de­ and Washington's "bailout of Mexico" are Many similar points apply to the Mil­ teams: AI Cappe in Detroit, Carlos manded. his release over the past seven costing "American workers" their jobs. lion Man March in October 1995. Catalan in Boston, Guy Tremblay in Seat­ years. During that period, Iowa. authorities The employers and their governments "We must not ascribe the reasons for tle, and Michel Prairie in Atlanta. failed in their efforts to break Curtis. 'He in the imperialist countries, however, have the large turnout for the march to its lead­ These reports provided vivid, firsthand remained actively engaged in politics and not been able to stanch resistance by ership,. to Nation of Islam leader Louis accounts of the strikes and demonstrations continued.· to talk socialism and carry out working people to growing assaults on Farratdta.n.~Barnes explamed'at the SWP by workers and; students . against the political actNity'bellihd prison walK This· their rights and living standards. Speakers National Committee meeting in Decem­ French government's austerity plan, in­ fall, state officials came to the conclusion pointed to examples from the picket lines ber. "It simply underlined once against the cluding its assault on retirement plans for they would pay too high a price to con­ and mass protests in France, to the striking overwhelmingly proletarian character of rail workers and other public employees. tinue their prejudicial course of denying workers who stood up against union bust­ the oppressed Black nationality in this The talks described the political openness Curtis parole. ing by Caterpillar; from unionists em­ country, the centrality of the fight against team members found to the communist "Mark wasn't framed up because he or ployed by Boeing who pushed back com­ white racism and for Black freedom in the ideas in Nouvelle lnternationale. Selling his party got too far out ahead of the rest pany efforts to begin gutting their medical coming American revolution, and the dis­ that Marxist magazine was the axis of of the working class," said Lariscy at the benefits, to workers for Kmart in North proportionate weight workers from the their activity in France. Boston conference. "He didn't make a tac­ Carolina who are fighting for a union con­ Black nationality have in the political van­ At the Boston conference, Catalan, a tical mistake or get involved in some ad­ tract. Conference participants also pointed guard of the working class and labor Young Socialist from Montreal, recounted venture. No, he was part of a vanguard to the young rebels fighting against the movement." discussions by team members with rail layer of young fighters who the rulers al­ death penalty and to stop the execution of Barnes pointed out that in the weeks and factory workers; with young soldiers ways go after. And they will do so as often Mumia Abu-Jamal, as well as for leading up to the Million Man March, in France being mobilized to go to Bosnia; as they can, as working-class resistance women's equality and against attacks on much of the big-business press and many and with students and youth. He described grows." the right to abortion. bourgeois commentatorS, including right­ prisoners waving to demonstrators from When Curtis walks out of the state peni~ In Detroit and Boston, workers who wingers, began to make positive noises their cells in Paris as the workers marched tentiary in Fort Madison in early 1996 and have been on strike for six months against about the action. They lent some credence by. He also described the efforts by the moves to Chicago, Lariscy said, he will the Detroit News and Free Press made to the talk by Farrakhan and· other leaders government in Paris to divide and disori­ keep on carrying out the communist politi­ presentations and set up tables with litera­ about its message of "family values" and ent the working class and labor movement cal activity he never stopped doing in . ture. about their fight and to raise needed "atonement." by whipping up an anti-immigrant cam­ prison, only once again on much better funds. "Blaming Black folks for their own paign and .French national chauvinism terrain. He will be able to function as a Both the capitalists and trade union offi­ problems - that seemed just fine to these around questions ranging from trade pol­ member of a local unit of his party, begin cialdom have been misjudging the fight­ reactionaries," Barnes said. "But then the icy to the war in Yugoslavia. looking for a unionized job, and help win ing mood of workers more and more of- march occurred, and they saw hundreds of The talks in the four cities described the other fighters much like himself to the mobilizations in Quebec this fall in sup­ communist movement. port of a "y~s" vote in the referendum on As Barnes putit at the SWP leadership Education for Socialists Quebec sovereignty and the mass support meeting earlier in December, "Mark will Bulletins available from Pathfinder among workers and youth of the op­ be the same person, doing the same things pressed Quebecois nation for indepen­ he was doing before he was framed and dence from Canada. These mobilizations, sent to prison." That was the one thing Class, Party and State Workers and Farmers the speakers explained, were the most im­ Curtis could promise his supporters on the and the Eastern Governments Since the portant manifestation of the class struggle eve of his trial: that regardless of the out­ in North America in recent years. Their come, he'd keep on doing what he'd been European Revolution Second World War political thrust and character pointed be­ doing. And he did. yond defensive struggles and limited de­ By Robert Chester. How were the capitalist govern­ mands, posing the question of state power. New probe by antilabor group ments in Eastern Europe and Yu­ "Following the second world war," The political scope of this upsurge in SWP leaders at the regional conferences goslavia overturned and capital­ writes Chester, ''workers and farmers Quebec, said Prairie at the Atlanta confer­ pointed out that Curtis's supporters must ism abolished? What repercus­ governments emerged in Yugoslavia, ence, and the profoundly destabilizing nonetheless remain vigilant to defend his sions did the establishment of China, and other countries that won challenge it posed to the imperialist state rights. Reactionary "sexual offenders noti­ these workers states have for im­ their independence in national libera­ in Canada, underlined a political conquest fication laws" have recently been stiffened perialism? Contains 1951 report, tion struggles. The establishment of a of the modem communist movement. in lllinois, as well as in many other cities "The Yugoslav Revolution," government in opposition to the bour­ Wherever there are nations at this stage in and states across the United States. The adopted by the Third World geoisie was a decisive step in making history that are oppressed by imperialism December 18 arson attack on the Des Congress of the Fourth lnterna- possible the measures that over­ . tional. and have a distinct geographical configu­ Moines, Iowa, bookstore where the Mark turned capitalism in several in­ ration, communist workers and youth are Curtis Defense Committee organized 8 112" x 11" format $7.00 stances." Examining the historical in favor of independence. many of its activities is a further indication background and revolutions in Yu­ of the kind of continuing attacks enemies goslavia, China, Cuba, and Algeria, Dangerous men and women of the workers movement will attempt to Available from bookstores listed on page Chester's work is essential for those Each of the conferences concluded with direct at Curtis and those who support his 12 or order from Pathfinder, 410 West St., defending the workers states from an talks on "Building the Communist Move­ fight. . New York, NY 10014. Tel: 212-741-0690. imperialist war drive today. · ment Today: Recruiting Dangerous Men In this regard, both the opening and Fax: 212-727-0150. 8 112" x 11" format $6.00 and Women." These presentations initi- closing talks at the regional socialist con-

10 The Militant January 22, 1996 propaganda

ferences pointed to a renewed probe double agents of against the communist movement by an U.S. spy agencies antilabor group known as the Workers and Moscow's se­ League. This organization has been in the cret police. (Some forefront of those campaigning to keep 40 conference par­ Mark Curtis in prison, and it has become ticipants purchased known among packinghouse workers, copies of another coal miners, paper workers, and others in Education for So­ the union movement for its disruptive ac­ cialists bulletin an- tions aimed at setting back working peo­ swering these ple engaged in strikes and other labor bat­ smears, entitled tles. Healy's Big Lie: On December 6, just two weeks after The Slander Cam­ Curtis's parole had been announced, an at­ paign against torney for the Workers League, Daniel J. Joseph Hansen and Kornstein, wrote to SWP national secre­ George Novack.) tary Barnes that it had "come to the atten­ The new bulletin tion of our client. .. that Militant, the news­ reprints several arti­ paper of the Socialist Workers Party, is cles and editorials publicizing meetings and other activities from the Militant by the 'Young Socialists.' " Kornstein summanzmg the continued that the Workers League had 10-year disruption Militant/l'ony Hunt "established the Young Socialists (the campaign orga­ Workers in imperialist countries keep on resisting bosses' assaults. Above, striking transit workers demon­ 'YS') as its youth organization in Decem­ nized by the Work­ strate in Marseille, France, Dec. 28, 1995. ber 1971," and he demanded that the SWP ers League around a 'c'cease and desist from further use of the lawsuit filed by Alan Gelfand against the continue producing, reprinting, and using over the last 60 years. 1;1ame 'Young Socialists,' which serves to Socialist Workers Party and several SWP these invaluable political weapons. This spring, every issue of the Marxist inislead and confuse the public." leaders in 1979. Gelfand petitioned the Speakers at the closing sessions of the magazine of politics and theory produced Michael Krinsky, the SWP's attorney, federal courts to directly intervene in the New Year's conferences explained that by the communist movement in the United replied to Kornstein on December 22. affairs of the SWP by throwing out the the communist movement had launched a States over those years - currently under Krinsky wrote that he had reviewed the party's Political Committee, which he two-year effort to increase net revenues the name New International- will be f letter and found "your client's claim to be charged was FBI-dominated. This assault from sales of literature produced and dis­ available on several CD-ROM computer lacking for at least the following reasons: on the constitutional freedom of political tributed by Pathfinder Press, initially by disks. A complete index of subjects and "1. The Soci!llist Workers Party is not association was aimed at tying up SWP $100,000 in 1996. that amounts to an in­ authors will also be available on the disk, responsible for the actions of the young leadership time and party fmancial re­ crease in sales of some 1,500 books and and readers can get to the articles they Socialists," which is an independent youth sources. pamphlets each month over the coming look up in this index by a simple click of organization in political solidarity with the At the close of the case in late 1989, year. the button. SWP. · Federal Judge Mariana Pfaelzer was Following the conferences, party lead­ A computerized slideshow presented at "2. The Socialist Workers Party is not forced to admit that Gelfand's case ''is ers are traveling to each city where there is each of the conferences reviewed a small {rsponsible for the actions of The Militant groundless and always was"; that the a branch of the SWP to discuss a battle sampling of the invaluable lessons com­ 1;1ewspaper," which is a socialist weekly Workers League was ~'footing the bill for plan to meet this goal. Only consistent munists have drawn over the decades in "whose reportage is in any case protected Mr. Gelfand's case"; that the court's rejec­ work by communist workers and youth the pages of the magazine -lessons that by the First Amendment to the United tion of repeated motions by the SWP's at­ who know these books and why they are are needed today more than ever, but have States Constitution. torneys to dismiss the case had "drained so important can result in the needed in­ previously been available to only a very "3. Based on the representations in your the party treasury"; and that the pretrial crease in sales- from Pathfinder book­ few. letter and our own research, we believe depositions of SWP members and leaders stores in these cities, from the shelves of An initial version of the CD-ROM, cov­ that the Workers .. League cannot make a were "abusive, harassing, and in large part ering the years 1934-1956, was the most valid claim to the right to exclusive use of [conducted] to generate material for politi­ coveted prize in fund-raising raffles at the term 'young socialist' or 'young so­ cal attacks on the SWP by the Workers each conference. The winners will receive cialists' .... " Krinsky went on to explain League." the final product when it is available later that groups calling themselve.s "young so­ Nonetheless, the judge permitted this this year. ciaij.!lts': bave functioned actively in poli­ disruption effort. to drag on for a decade ... , tics across the United States before, dur­ At the SWP National Committee meet­ Young Socialists conference · ing, and after the formation of the Workers ing in December, national secretary Members of the Young Socialists were League's group, and that a newspaper by Barnes pointed out that the Workers involved in every aspect of the confer­ that name was published and distributed League probe was not only this outfit's re­ ences. They presented several of the talks nationwide from 1957 through the closing sponse to Mark Curtis's parole, but regis­ and classes and chaired many sessions. years of the 1980s. tered something more that class-conscious They organized mealtime get-togethers · Speakers at the conferences urged par­ workers needed to keep their eyes on as with young people to encourage further ticipants to purchase and read a new Edu­ well. Even initial stirrings of resistance by questions and discussion and set up tables cation for Socialists bulletin entitled A working people and youth, Barnes said, to sign up participants for their upcoming New Probe by the Workers League will be met by efforts on the part of gov­ Easter conference in Minneapolis. against the Communist Movement: ernment police agencies and antilabor Speaking at the closing conference ses­ Record of an Antilabor Outfit, from the groups of all kinds to drive a wedge be­ sion in Detroit, Martin Koppel, editor of Gelfand Harassment Case to the Cam­ tween vanguard workers and youth and Perspectiva Mundial, said that now is the paign against Mark Curtis. Altogether, those in the communist movement who time for communists to get out and talk to 290 copies were sold over the New Year's are fighting shoulder to shoulder along­ young people and working-class fighters }Veekend. side them. who are looking for an alternative to the · In addition to containing the correspon­ brutality, destructiveness, and insecurities dence quoted above, the bulletin reprints Selling the books workers ne.ed of life under capitalism they see all around an article documenting this group's smear The talks on building the communist them. campaign launched in 1975 charging that movement also reported the decisions of "We should tell thein," Koppel said, the SWP leadership was controlled by the SWP National Committee a few weeks "that if you want to be like Mark Curtis, if earlier to respond to the political opportu­ Militant/Eric Simpson you want to emulate those who made a so­ nities to sell more revolutionary books and Conference participants discussed step­ cialist revolution in Cuba, then join the 'Former' Yugoslavia? pamphlets. The goal is to transform ping up sales of communist books. communist movement. It doesn't offer Pathfmder bookstores across the country other retail outlets, at political events and you money, a career, or a solution to your Continued from Page 14 and around the world into a springboard campus and street-comer literature tables, personal problems. But it offers you the this fight by the people of Bosnia to from which communist workers and youth and through expanding the membership of only element of freedom available to a defend their right to self-determination, to can participate more effectively in politi­ working person under capitalism - oppose the carving up of their unified the Pathfmder Readers Club. cal activity and attract fighters to the revo­ Sales of revolutionary books and pam­ working-class politics and the opportunity republic. lutionary movement. The report that was to work alongside others, as political This is different from calling for the phlets to co-workers on the job, at plant discussed and adopted by the party leader­ gates, and elsewhere is also at heart of the equals, in the fight for a socialist world." secession of Bosnia. The Militant never ship body -was presented by Mary-Alice working-class campaign against the impe­ advocated the independence of Slovenia, Waters, who is also the editor of the new Croatia, Macedonia, or Bosnia. The rialist war drive. Among the books fea­ Pathfinder Press edition of Guevara's tured at the literature tables at each of the declarations of independence came from Episodes of the Cuban Revolutionary the petty-bourgeois regimes in those gatherings were The Changing Face of A New Probe by the War. U.S. Politics: Working-Class Politics and republics in their efforts to grab resources Workers League against The books produced by the communist the Trade Unions and The Truth about Yu­ for the castes they represented. Working movement, Waters said, "are the accumu­ the Communist people never began a movement for goslavia: Why Working People Should lated lessons of 150 years of class-struggle Oppose Intervention. independence tied to the fight .against experience by the modern working-class Movement national oppression in those republics. During the discussion after the presen­ Record of an Antilabor Outfit, from movement. They are a guide to forging tations on building the communist move­ . The autonomous region of Kosovo in revolutionary workers parties, made up of the Gelfand Harassment Case to the southern Serbia is the exception. There, in ment, socialist activists from Cleveland; Campaign against Mark Curtis cadres who have the capacity and the au­ Greensboro, North Carolina; and Newark, the late 1980s, miners and other workers dacity to organize working people to $5 fought the discrimination . against the New Jersey, described trips they had made struggle to take power out of the hands of to military bases to sell the Militant and Healy's Big lie majority-Albanian population and the exploiters, and the willingness to fol­ demanded to maintain regional autonomy, other socialist literature. The Slander Campaign against low thatstruggle through to the end. Joseph Hansen and George Novack a gain of the 1945 revolution. "Unless we start selling the books we Mining communist continuity On the question of self-determination, $10 produce much more widely, however," At each conference, participants learned like on the question of the workers state, Available from bookstores listed on page Waters said, "we won't be able to take ad­ about a new way they and others will soon the Militant's starting point is the working vantage of the openings in front of us." 12, or write Pathfinder, 410 West St., be able to have at their fingertips many of New York, NY 10014. Tel: (212) 741- class, not the proclamations and actions of The National Committee proposed anum­ 0690. Fax (212) 727-0150. the regimes in any of the Yugoslav the most important articles and documents ber of steps to reverse a several-year-long produced by the communist movement republics. decline in sales and make it possible to

January 22, 1996 The Militant 11

~·. Bookstore /-.-MILITANT·LA·BOR FORUMS The Militant· Labor Forum is a weekly to Spanish. Pittsburgh free-speech meeting for workers, farmers, The Fight for Women's Rights Around the threatened youth, and others. AD those seeking to ad­ NEW YORK World: From the Beijing Conference to De­ vance the fight against injustice and ex­ Brooklyn fense of Abortion Rights. Speaker: Estelle ploitation are welcome to attend and par­ DeBates, member, Union of Needletrades, In­ France: Workers in Revolt. An eyewitness dustrial and Textile Employees and Socialist in Montreal ticipate in these discussions on issues of report from Paris and Marseille. Speaker: Har­ importance to working people. Workers Party in Morgantown, West Virginia. Continued from front page vey McArthur. Fri., Jan. 19, dinner 6:30p.m., Fri., Jan. 19, 7:30p.m. 1103 E. Carson St. Do­ At the Militant Labor Forum you can program 7:30p.m. 59 Fourth Ave. (corner of iri nation $4. Tel: (412) 381~9785. Prairie a press release sent out the express your opinion, listen to the views of Bergen). Donation $5 for dinner, $5 for pro­ mornirig after the threat. Prairie is a volun­ fellow fighters, and exchange ideas on how gram. Tel: (718) 399-7257. teer and spokesperson for the bookshop. best to advance the interests of workers UNITED KINGDOM "Other bookstores in Montreal have re­ and farmers the world over. ceived similar threats or were vandalized PENNSYLVANIA London for the same reason in. the past months," Philadelphia The Truth about Che Guevara and the Prairie continued. "We oppose the idea CALIFORNIA . Eyewitness Report on Strike Wave in Cuban Revolution: A Reply to Slanders of that the struggle against the national op­ Los Angeles · France. Speaker: Pete Seidman, Socialist the New York Times and Channel4. A panel France: How Unions Mobilized to Block So­ Workers Party. Fri., Jan. 19, 7:30p.m. presentation. Fri., Jan. 19, 7:00p.m. 47 The pression of the Quebecois includes forbid­ Cut (opposite Young Vic theater, nearest tube ding languages other than French." cial Benefit Cuts. Speaker: Craig Honts, mem­ Struggle Continues to Defend Abortion Rights. Speaker: Glova Scott, Socialist Work­ Waterloo). Donation £2. Tel: 0171-401-2409. The Montreal Pathfinder bookstore is a ber, United Transportation Union and Socialist Workers Party. Participated in December Mili­ ers Party and member, United Transportation Manchester volunteer-run, multilingual establishment tant sales and reporting team to France. Fri., Union. Fri., Jan. 26,7:30 p.m. Lessons of the Gulf War - Five Years On. with books in French, English and Span­ Jan. 19, 7:30p.m. 2546 W. Pico (2 blocks west Both forums at 1906 South St. Donation $4. Fri., Jan. 19, 7:00 p.m. Unit 4, 60 Shudehill. ish. It specializes in books and magazines of Vermont). Tel: (213) 380-9460. Translation Tel: (215) 546-8218, Tel: 0161-839-1766. · by working-class and communist leaders on the history of .the labor movement and ongoing struggles for social justice and socialism. Among the books it sells are Bipartisan assault on social wage advances several on .the struggle for the indepen­ Continued from front page dence of Quebec. end the federal guarantee of welfare pay­ from going home. But if I choose to, I risk tacks on these social gains. The White ments for all those deemed eligible for it, repercussions later on, a reprimand, a Attack weakens the struggle House, for example, had previously called and instead would give each state govern­ warning, even loss of my job." for axing Medicare by $97 billion and "Our bookstore opened its doors to sup­ ment a fixed sum of federal funds to dole Working people were incensed at the Medicaid by $37 billion. Announcing his porters oJ the Yes (pro-sovereignty) side out. The president chided the Republican arrogant statements of Congresspeople latest proposal, the Democratic president plan, saying it did "too little to move peo­ during the recent referendum vote in Que­ such as George Nethercutt, who justified declared it was time to "put aside partisan­ ple from welfare to work." bec," said Prairie. ''The bookstore volun­ the mass layoffs by declaring, ult's a ship and work to craft a balanced-budget In mid-December, a quarter of a million teers support the independence of Quebec greater principle than just today's federal agreement that upholds our values." because they think that this is a struggle federal employees were laid off when worker." Further outrage was sparked by · In the bipartisan dance over the budget, Congress let government agencies' spend­ for justice and democracy. No matter what a federal judge who rejected a request by Clinton has postured as an alternative to ing authority expire. Federal offices, from their language and nationality, all workers the federal employees unions to prohibit the "heartless" Republicans whose mea­ the Social Security Administration to and youth should support this struggle. the government from forcing workers sures would hurt the aged and poor. A Jan­ Yesterday's attack on.the bookstore weak­ passport offices, were closed for three back to their jobs without pay. uary 9 editorial in the New York Times, weeks. Others, such as the Pentagon and ens the struggle for ,the rights of the Que­ Faced with the prospect of growing however, while backing what it called becois," he concluded. the postal service, remained open. Some protests and public support for the work­ Clinton's "less harmful budget," acknowl­ 480,000 workers involved in "essential Since the referendum vote in October, a ers, Congress backed down. By the end of edged that the differences between the to debate on Quebec independence continues services" were required stay on the job, the week it voted to end the shutdown of White House and Congressional positions but were told they would not receive their in schools and workplaces on what should federal offices and reinstate pay for em­ were somewhat "illusory.·~ . paychecks until a budget deal was con­ be the next steps in the fight against na­ ployees who had been forced to remain at Because of number-juggling, the pro­ cluded. Both Democratic and Republican tional oppression. The pro-sovereignty their jobs. posed cuts might all be considerably politicians used the shutdown to press side lost the referendum by a narrow mar­ Budget talks, which were suspended for greater than the figures cited. Clinton's their case for social cutbacks. gin. But the obvious rise of the pro­ a few days, are due to resume after Clinton seven-year plan, the Times editorial noted, independence forces has dominated all returns from a trip to Bosnia. to rally sup­ piles up many of itsJ:uts in the last two Protests by federal workers discussion on Quebec ever since. port for Washington's war drive there. As the shutdown dragged on, 96,000 The threats against the Pathfmder book­ years, so that by the. :Year 2002 spending store are part of a pattern of increased po­ "might be cut by 30 pe~nt or more." federal employees were forced to apply fqr l.Jn~mployfilent .compensation .. ,The l~ in -politics ~ross.(:anada qver -CALENDAR; ---' ' .• ) i '~--1 - 1, • '~ • -- _: :. 1 ~ '- ~- '! ~~~~~~~ .. ·.· ~~~ HOuse Repres>entanves voted December '-''--1' i: • ' ' ...''' ·- .,. .-. vvhat many working people and bOurgeois of welfare programs. Clinton has taken the 30 to order the 260,000 laid-off employees commentators alike describe as the in­ NEW YORK initiative since the 1992 election cam­ to return to work with no pay January 2. evitable victory by the Quebecois who Manhattan paign, with his vow to "end welfare as we This added insult to injury, and govern­ support sovereignty. Town Meeting and Speak-Out Against Po­ know it." While criticizing the Republican ment workers took to the streets. Members In November, a document of the rightist lice Brutality. Everywhere our youth are cutback proposals as too "tough on chil­ of the American Federation of Govern­ falling to police abuse and murder. Come par­ Reform Party, entitled "20 Realities of Se­ dren," Clinton has continued to call for ment Employees and other unions held ticipate, tell your story, develop solutions. Fri., cession," became public. It sets out the gutting the program. In December the ad­ protest rallies January 3 at the State De­ Jan. 19, 7 p.m. St. Mary's Episcopal Church, party's proposals on how the Canadian ministration proposed making most partment and other federal· offices. 521 W. 126th St.. (between Broadway and Ams­ government should organize to deal with "legal" immigrants ineligible for the Sup­ ''To me, it's a higher class of slavery," terdam). For more information call: Parents the consequences of a future "yes" vote Against Police Brutality at (718) 796-1176, plemental Security Income program. said a furious Aleta Hicks, who works as for sovereignty. Reform is the third largest Committee to Remember Anthony Baez at Clinton vetoed a Republican welfare a secretary at the Justice Department. party in the Canadian parliament. (718) 653-1681, or Free Mumia Abu-Jamal "reform" bill January 9. The bill would "They are not physically preventing me The document says the Canadian gov­ Coalition at (212) 330-8029. ernment should use all necessary powers to block the Quebecois from exercising the right to self-determination. Party -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP--- leader Preston Manning has ·said that one Where to find Pathfinder books and (612) 644-6325. E-mail: Compuserve 26507. Tel: (304) 296-0055. of those measures could be the partition­ distributors of the Militant, Perspectiva 103014,3261. AUSTRALIA ing of the province along language. lines. Mundial, New International, Nouvelle In­ NEW JERSEY: Newark: 141 Halsey. temationale, Nueva Internacional and Ny Mailing address: 1188 Raymond Blvd., Suite Sydney: 19 Terry St., Surry Hills 2010. Mailing address: P.O. Box K879, Hay­ New party launched in Montreal International. 222. Zip: 07102. Tel: (201) 643-3341. In November, a new party, the Quebec NEW YORK: Albany: P. 0. Box 2357, market, NSW 2000. Tel: 02-281-3297. National Liberation Movement (MLNQ), UNITED STATES E.S.P. Zip: 12220. Tel: (518) 465-0585. BRITAIN was launched in Montreal. It says its Brooklyn: 59 4th Avenue (comer of Bergen) · ALABAMA: Birmingham: 111 21st St. London: 47 The Cut. Postal code: SE1 membership is secret. Several dozen peo­ Zip: 11217. Tel: (718) 399-7257. Com­ 8LL. Tel: 0171-928-7993. South. Mailing address: P.O. Box 11252, Zip puserve: 102064,2642. New York: 214-16 ple attended its first public function. Ac­ 35202. Tel: (205) 323-3079. Manchester: Unit 4, 60 Shudehill. Postal cording to a TV report, the group is dedi­ Avenue A. Mailing address: P.O. Box 2652. code: M4 4AA. Tel: 0161-839-1766. cated to "fight relentlessly to free Quebec CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 2546 W. Zip: 10009. Tel: (212) 388-9346; 167 Pico Blvd. Zip: 90006. Tel: (213) 380-9460, from Canadian domination and from its · Charles St. Zip: 10014. Tel: (212) 366-1973. CANADA 380-9640. E-mail: Compuserve 74642,326. NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: Montreal: 4581 Saint-Denis. Postal code: internal enemies." The party demands a San Francisco: 3284 23rd St. Zip: 94110. moratorium on immigration until Quebec 2000-C S. Elm-Eugene St. Zip 27406. Tel: H2J 2IA. Tel: (514) 284-7369. Tel: (415) 285-5323. E-mail: Compuserve (910) 272-5996. E-mail: Compuserve Toronto: 827 Bloor St. West. Postal code: forms an independent republic. 75604,556. In December, death threats against for­ 75127,2153. M6G 1Ml. Tel: (416) 533-4324. CONNECTICUT: New Haven: Mailing OHIO: Cincinnati: P.O. Box 19484. Zip: Vancouver: 3967 Main St. Postal code: mer Bloc Quebecois (BQ) leader and address: P.O. Box 16751, Baybrook Station, soon-to-be Quebec Premier Lucien 45219. Tel: (513) 662-1931. Cleveland: V5V 3P3. Tel: (604) 872-8343. West Haven. Zip: 06516. 1832 Euclid. Zip: 44115. Tel: (216) 861- Bouchard were made by an anonymous FLORIDA: Miami: 137 N.E. 54th St. FRANCE group called Anglophone Action Group 6150. Zip: 33137. Tel: (305) 756-1020. PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 1906 Paris: MBE 201, 208 rue de la Conven~ (AAG). The BQ is a pro-sovereignty bour­ tion. Postal code: 75015. Tel: (1) 47-26-58l geois party and the official opposition in GEORGIA: Atlanta: 803 Peachtree NE. South St. Zip: 19146. Tel: (215) 546-8218. Zip: 30308. Tel: (404) 724-9759. · 21. . the Canadian parliament. Pittsburgh: 1103 E. Carson St. Zip 15203. Tel: (412) 381-9785. The threat against the Pathfinder book­ ILLINOIS: Chicago: 545 W. Roosevelt ICELAND store received widespread radio and tele­ Rd. Zip: 60607. Tel: (312) 829-6815, 829- TEXAS: Houston: 3260 South Loop Reykjavik: Klapparstig 26. Mailing ad? vision coverage on January 9. Two of the 7018. Peoria: P.O. Box 302. Zip: 61650- West. Zip: 77025. Tel: (713) 349-0090. E­ dress: P. Box 233, 121 Reykjavik. Tel: 552 0302. Tel: (309) 674-9441. mail: Compuserve 102527,2271. largest daily newspapers in Montreal sent 5502. l journalists and photographers to cover the INDIANA: Bloomington: P.O. Box 1304. UTAH: Salt Lake City: 147 E. 900 S. Zip: 47402. (812) 333-6859. Zip: 84111. Tel: (801) 355" 1124. NEW ZEALAND story. The Associated Press carried a brief Auckland: La Gonda Arcade, 203 Karan­ wire story on the threats. Two television IOWA: Des Moines: 2105 Forest Ave. WASHINGTON, D.C.: 1930 18th St. Zip: 50311. Tel: (:515) 246-8249. N.W. Suite #3 (Entrance on Florida Av.). gahape Road. Postal address: P.O. Box 30251 networks interviewed Prairie for evening Tel: (9) 379-3075. news broadcasts. The largest English­ MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: 780 Tre­ Zip: 20009. Tel: (202) 387~2185. E-mail: mont St. Zip: 02118.Tel: (617) 247-6772. Compuserve 75407,3345. Christchurch: 199 High St. Postal ad­ language radio station in the city, CJAD, dress: P.O. Box 22-530. Tel: (3) 365-6055. carried t4e story on its news broadcasts MICHIGAN: Detroit: 7414 Woodward WASHINGTON: Seattle: 1405 E. Madi­ mat day and interviewed Prairie on its Ave. Zip: 48202. Tel: (313) 875-0100. E­ son. Zip: 98122. Tel: (206) 323-1755. E­ SWEDEN late-afternoon program. mail: Compuserve 74767.1050. maii: Compuserve 74461,2544. Stockholm: Vikingagatan 10 (T -bana St MINNESOTA: Twin Cities: 2490 Uni­ WEST VIRGINIA: Morgantown: 242 Eriksplan). Postal code: S-) 13 42. Tel: (08) versity Ave. W., St. Paul. Zip: 55114. Tel: Walnut. Mailing address: P.O. Box 203. Zip: 31 69 33. 12 The Militant January 22,1996 · , A dicey business - If you abroad. The State Dept. sent ad­ "quick to give people a chance." were startled to discover that the mean trimming 40,000 jobs, the think it's easy to clean up on the vance notices of his needs: "Sen. Like, for instance, in 1981 when word "breast" had been purged Los Angeles Times said: "Wail stock market, consider that Or­ Specter is an avid squash player. prisoners were getting early re­ from their personal profiles. Hit · Street, in keeping with its cl:leertUl ange County went bankrupt de­ Request matches be arranged at lease for lack -of eell space, give­ with protests, America Online re­ attitude about · layoffs, sent spite the fact, recently. disclosed, air-conditioned courts in each lo­ ' em-a-chance Missildine sug­ treated, declaring: "Body parts AT&T's shares up $2.625 ....The that county treasurer Robert Cit- cation with local opponents. Sen. gested castrating rapists and that might be named in medical news led the Dow Jones industrial Specter will supply his own putting juvenile delinquents in pil­ diagnoses do not fall under the average to rise more than 60 equipment except balls." lories. category of offensive on-line points as investors bet that profit­ communications." sweetening job cuts ... would re­ Harry Camcorder included? - Dur­ Man, check it out - Market main in vogue among large corpo­ ing my career as a policeman I've research indicates it appeals to Joe Plain talk dep't - "The mod­ rations." Ring had to knock down a lot of doors. Macho, if he can afford it. The ern workplace has room for one On one occasion, however, a door Hummer, civilian version of the thing and one thing only - and Think you're crazy?- "Che's withstood all the battering I could military Humvee. Including air that's the bottom line. And the philosophy and work was to liber-· give it. .. .It was a Stanley steel en­ conditioning, cruise control, audio bottom line doesn't have any pro­ ate the oppressed. The same phi­ try door."- Advertising en­ system, and a lighted makeup mir­ visions for the holidays or any­ losophy is shared by the U.S. Army antiguerrilla branch whose ron was getting guidance and pre­ dorsement by Police Officer Dave ror, $70,000. Arnold Schwar­ thing else that isn't profit­ Hood. zenegger has five. driven." - U of Minnesota prof. members led the operation result­ dictions from a psychic and a mail ing in Che's execution."- Letter order astrologer. John Budd on the increase in As good as they come - Dale Big nose, small brain OK­ holiday-time firings. to January 2 Los Angeles Times Missildine, a retired Iowa district Women who are suffering breast from Phill Coleman, Senior Li­ Despite no lack thereof- Sen. judge, checked out last month. cancer, or have survived it, and For some, less is more - Re­ brarian, American Foreign Con­ Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) took a re­ Fellow judge Harry . Perkins who participate in electronic dis­ porting that the AT&T decision to flicts Electronic Library, Gardena, cent "official business" trip saluted him as a jurist who was cussion through America Online split into three companies would California. .Gaza: 100,000 Palestinians protest assassination j BY CANDACE WAGNER percent of the West Bank Arab population One hundred thousand Palestinians in has come under the Palestinian Authority. the Gaza Strip attended the funeral of Seventy percent of the land area, however, Yahya Ayyash January 6, the day after his remains under Israeli control. Palestinian assassination. The Israeli political police, areas are broken up into 100 small en­ Shin Bet, are almost universally held re­ claves surrounded by Israeli-controlled sponsible for the January 5 booby trap territory. The accords call for the gradual bombing. transfer of more West Bank territory to Ayyash was killed in a private home in Palestinian control. the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip. The agreement retains for the Israeli au­ Both the Israeli government and the Pales­ thorities the "overriding right" to enter any tinian Authority had publicly announced of the 400 Palestinian villages for P1at they were hunting for Ayyash, who "security" reasons. -Tel Aviv claims was the architect of many of the bombings in Israel carried out by Fight over water rights the Palestinian opposition group Hamas. A critical issue for Palestinians on the Several Hamas leaders addressed the huge West Bank remains access to water re­ crowd at the funeral, which chanted angry sources. "Since 1967, the Israelis have had slogans denouncing the murder. a complete hold on the Palestinian natural A Washington Post article stated, "In Is­ water supply," noted Allegra Pacheco, rael, the assassination is thought to be a staff attorney for a human rights and legal boost for Prime Minister Shimon Peres, aid office in Jerusalem, writing in the demonstrating his toughness to skeptical magazine Washington Report on Middle voters." Israeli official~ have .9~p.ly ,ex­ East Affairs. . pressed their :support •for the killing of . '.'In 28, years. of. occ.upation, only ~ Ayyash. wells have been dug for a population of 1 The assassination occurred just two million Palestinians. By contrast ... 32 weeks before ·the Palestinian elections, wells [have been dug] to serve Jewish set­ Palestinians carry coffin of Yahya Ayyash through Gaza January 6. Israeli officials scheduled for January 20. Palestine Liber­ tlers in the West Bank numbering no more openly expressed their support for his murder, most likely carried out by Shin Bet. ation Organization chairman Y asir Arafat than 100,000 persons,"Pacheco wrote. is expected to win by wide a margin "The Palestinian village of Obadiyya against his only challenger, Samiha outside of Jerusalem has been without wa­ Khalil, an opponent of the Palestinian­ ter for more than a year," she stated. "The. -25 AND 50 YEARS AGO--- Israeli accord. Palestinians will also elect Israeli water company in the occupied an 88-member parliament. territories - Mekorot -has been pump­ tion have been dealt a staggering blow by · Hamas has refused to run in the elec­ ing just enough water into the local piping the sweeping world-wide protest demon­ tions, but agreed not to call for an electoral system to reach the neighboring Israeli THE strations of the American Gls. boycott. settlements of Maale Adumim and Qedar, In actions unprecedented in the history while Obadiyya re.mains dry." of victorious imperialist armies, hundreds Continuing troop withdrawals Tel Aviv has refused to negotiate the MILITANT of thousands of battle-scarred veterans Published in the Interest of the Working People Just 10 days before the funeral march, control of the water supply in the West have shaken their mighty fists at Washing­ Price 10¢ on December 27, Palestinians cheered, Bank. January 22, 1971 ton, shouting: "Get Us Home!" danced, and raised hundreds of Palestinian Frank Collins wrote in . the Octo­ The angry, bitter protests against the de­ flags as Israeli troops withdrew from Ra­ ber/November issue of the Washington JAN. 12-The last week has seen a lay in demobilization came from all over mallah after 28 years of occupation. Report that the Israeli government has new outbreak of fighting in Jordan be­ the world. The press publicized only the Ramallah was the last of six West Bank promised to raise the Palestinian water al­ tween the Palestinian resistance forces and most spectacular - Philippines, Ger­ cities scheduled for Israeli army pullout lotment by 25 percent over a four-year pe­ the troops ofKing Hussein. many, Hawaii, France, Japan, Korea, under the agreement- signed September riod, at the same time proclaiming that The same factors that impelled Hussein China, India, England, Alaska and 28 by then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak "any increases in water supply to Pales­ to attempt to wipe out the Palestinian lib­ "dozens" of other places. This colossal Rabin and Arafat- that grants Palestini­ tinians are not to come out of the Israeli eration movement in September still exist. new wave of protests was provoked by a ans limited self-rule. share of the water." First is the contradiction between the at­ January 4 War Department announcement On December 21 Israeli soldiers with­ In the December issue of the Washing­ tempts by various Arab governments, that demobilization would be slowed drew from Bethlehem. Young men raised ton Report Shawn Twing covered a recent backed by both Moscow and Washington, down. This reversed a December 26 the Palestinian flag and tore down a 12- U.S. tour of Palestinian businessmen seek­ to reach a settlement with Israel, and the promise to speed up demobilization. foot-high fence surrounding a former Is­ ing investment in the West Bank. refusal of the Palestinian resistance to ac­ The Gls reacted with a swiftness that raeli military compound. "I can't express They report that measures taken by the cept any settlement that maintains Zionist stunned official circles. On January 6, in what I feel inside," quarry worker Issa abu Israeli government since the signing of the Israel and denies them their right to self­ Manila, thousands of Gls demonstrated at Kamel told the New York Times. "That accords have worsened conditions for determination. Second is the danger pre­ separated points, shouting their resent­ fence was like a prison for the Palestinian Palestinian businesses. sented to Hussein's regime in Jordan by ment. Military police "broke up" one band people, and now Bethlehem is free." the fedayeen's mobilization, politicaliza­ marching toward headquarters of Lt. Gen. "When I saw the fence come down, I Cumbersome permit system tion, and arming of the Palestinians, a ma­ Styer. Another crowd was dispersed on thought: the occupation is gone and the Where delivery to Israeli markets re­ jority of the Jordanian population. Quezon bridge. Meanwhile, half a dozen Palestinian state is on the way," Maha An­ quired a single permit before, now sepa­ The Jan. 9 New York Times reported Army outfits issued mimeographed calls dini said. "We waited 28 years for this. . rate permits are required for the vehicle, that the day before Hussein's troops began for action. There's nothing sweeter." its driver, and for the vehicle's cargo. an attack on commando bases in the north ' Simultaneously, on the 9ther side of the The permits are good for only a short of Amman. Al Fateh, the largest of the world at Camp Boston, France, 2,000 Gls Young people visit their former jails period. An Israeli requirement that Pales­ Palestinian resistance organizations, re­ demonstrated. In Rheims more than 200 In cities across the West Bank, young tinians rent Israeli trucks when transport­ ported that the Jordanians had shelled a Gls cabled protests to the Senate and people visited cells where they had been ing goods from the West Bank to Gaza in­ Palestinian Red Crescent (Islamic equiva­ American newspapers, and 400 at Mar­ imprisoned by the Israeli occupiers. creases the costs. substantially. lent of the Red Cross) hospital at El Rum­ seilles sent cables. Protests likewise came Israeli forces also withdrew from 400 Meanwhile, in another controversy, man. from 100 Gls at Frankfort, Germany; smaller villages and towns in the West Maher al-Alami, editor of the Palestinian 1,800 officers and enlisted men of the 8th B~. daily AI Quds, was detained for six days in Air Force at London; and Gls at Tidworth, The city of Jericho was turned over to December by the Preventive Security Ap­ THE MILITANT England. In the Pacific theatre, 6,000 men Palestinian authority in May 1994. In paratus, the Palestine Authority's security PVIUIHID IN THIINTIUITI Of Till WORK .. NCWLI on Saipan wired protests. At Guam more March 1996 Hebron will be turned over, force. He was arrested the day after he re­ NEW YORK N.Y. FIVE (S) C!NTS than 3,500 enlisted men and officers of the with the Israeli authorities retaining partial fused to publish on the front page an arti­ 315th Bombing wing of the Twentieth Air control of the city. cle about Arafat' s meeting with the Greek January 19, 1946 Force staged a "hunger strike" in protest With ·the December withdrawals, 90 Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. Wall Street's plans for global domina- against the· demobilization slowdown. January 22, 1996 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS-----...;.....,...----...;.....,..------Why Yugoslavia is not yet 'former' Federal workers say back off! BY ARGIRIS MALAPANIS In a letter on the next page Jeff Jones raises questions It takes two to tango. That's true of the so-called bud­ a little too far in forcing hundreds of thousands of federal about referring today to all the republics that comprised get debate. As they twirl and posture, President Bill employees to work without pay. Washington's arro­ Yugoslavia siri.ce the 1940s as the "Yugoslav workers Clinton and Congressional leaders keep shifting the gance backfired as the workers held protests, forcing state." He also asks that the Militant editors clarify their "debate" toward proposals for deeper and deeper cuts in surprised government officials to back down. position on self-determination for Bosnia. These ques­ the basic social gains of working people. · This unexpected resistance is just a taste of the fight­ tions touch on some of the main issues at stake in Clinton denounces the "heartless" Republicans in back the capitalist rulers will provoke among working NATO's war drive against Yugoslavia. Congress and poses as a defender of children, the el­ people in the United States and other countries, who will Since mid-December, the Militant stopped using the derly, and the poor. But that's like the fox in the chicken defend the social rights they won through hard-fought term "former Yugoslavia.'' We did so to underline the coop pointing at the wolf. Clinton, in fact, is not a lesser struggles. That is exactly what happened in France with evil to the Republicans. Around the world, it has always the massive strikes and demonstrations by millions of been liberals (or social democrats) who, camouflaged by workers and students, which forced the Chirac-Juppe their rhetoric, have led the charge against workers' so­ government to pull back from its assault on social secu­ DISCUSSION WITH cial wage.- rity. True to form, the Democratic White House has been In parallel fashion, the imperialist assault on the Yu­ OUR READERS the driving force in the campaign to gut welfare. Clinton goslav workers state will run smack into resistance by has set the tone since his 1992 election campaign vow to working people there to any attempt at rolling back the "end welfare as we know it." social advances they won through their revolution. fact th~t neither the warring · gangs that rule Serbia, The constantly changing_ figures cited by the big­ To the bosses' cry to "balance the budget," we say: Croatia, and Bosnia, nor the imperialist powers now in­ business media can have a numbing effect. But the scope that's their budget and their problem, not ours. Their pri­ tervening militarily have succeeded in overturning the of the proposed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and other ority is to keep paying billions in interests to the rich . workers state that Yugoslav workers and peasants estab­ social programs is staggering. Both Clinton and the Con­ bondholders - at the expense of workers and farmers. lished through a mighty anti-capitalist revolution in the gressional Republicans have called for cuts of more than Our priority, as working people, is completely different: mid-1940s. They haven't overthrown the working . "Islamic fundamentalism.~· The rulittg classes with large greater U.S. domination in the region. ._ that ran along nati.6nal as we'n. as- class lmes under ifre stakes and investments in Turkey, especially in Ger­ Turkey provides evidence that the tensions between former king. The anti-imperialist and class-struggle con­ many and the United States, f~ the greater instability imperialiSt powers seeking to shore up their flagging sciousness of working people was reflected in the mass the elections and recent large labor mobilizations sig­ economies will only increase, particularly as workers student protests in 1968 demanding that the regime of naled. and peasants repeatedly disrupt the plans of the rulers. Josip Tito drop its "neutral" stance and denounce the Sticking to protocol, Turkey's president invited Wel­ The question of who will take top place in the imperialist U.S. war against Vietnam. The process that led to Yu­ fare Party leader Necmettin Erbakan to form a coalition feeding chain when it comes to Turkey also becomes goslavia's formal break-up in 1991-92 is a later devel­ government. But the ruling class in Turkey has made it more important as NATO's drive toward war against opment that is not consolidated as an unambiguous clear it prefers a coalition with the main capitalist parties Yugoslavia escalates. course until well into the 1970s. that have ruled up to now. These are the considerations of the sharks of Wall Tito's Stalinist regime was never able to return Yu­ Tansu Ciller, who resigned as prime minister after the Street and the Bundesbank alike, in their sudden concern goslavia to being a "prison house of nations." The Stal­ elections, and her True Path Party, immediately began for defending "western values" in Turkey. The working inists in powe.r did not and could not act like the king, scurrying to put together a governing coalition with the class throughout the world should be wary when the the fascist Nazi-backed Ustashi regime in Croatia, or other major conservative group, the Motherland Party, boss class starts trying to convince us to help them de­ Hitler's thugs, who recruited under the banner of exter­ and whoever else they can get to make up the requisite fend their idea of democracy somewhere. There is a long minating Jews and other "non-Aryans." number of votes in parliament. Ciller and company are history in Turkey of military coups and bloody repres­ The counterrevolutionary policies of the bureaucratic posing as the defenders of a secular Turkey. But the sion, including under recent civilian rule with the fre~ regime weakened the gains of the Yugoslav workers and main concern of the capitalist parties in Turkey is de­ quent use of martial law, restrictions on democratic peasants. But it's one thing to betray the revolution and fending their capacity to impose the· austerity measures rights, and arrest and torture of trade union militants and another to overthrow it. As in the Soviet Union, the that are already taking a heavy toll on the working class. other political activists. petty-bourgeois ruling stratum in Yugoslavia proved The biggest blow to Ankara's ability to proceed apace As the capitalist economic crisis causes the stability of much weaker than the working class and the workers came from the mass strike mobilizations that began in country after country to crumble, there will be a greater state. It never succeeded in creating the necessary condi­ September, forcing the government to agree to wage tendency to rely on harsher methods, rule by decree, and tions to restore capitalist social relations. While the bu­ hikes and sparking the current crisis facing the capital­ Bonapartist regimes. The rulers of Algeria, backed by reaucratic caste itself shattered into competing gangs, ists. In the face of the organized labor resistance the rul­ French imperialism, responded to the widespread resent~ · the working class did not. As a result, the Yugoslav ing parties split over how far and fast they could push to ment among working people to their austerity policies, workers state has not been dismembered into little impose the demands of imperialist investors and the In­ which was registered by the elections four years ago, by pieces, or multiple workers states, that imperialist troops ternational Monetary Fund. The crisis in Turkey is the declaring martial law and sparking a bloody civil war. are going in to scoop up. product of the imperialist domination of that nation in a Amid -the warnings about the dangers of Islamic funda~ Millions of workers and farmers of various nationali­ world marked by capitalist depression. More instability mentalism, the capitalist press speculates about the pos­ ties still consider themselves Yugoslavs- not Serbs, is on the horizon as the rulers there are forced to provoke sibility that the military in Turkey ,will step in if things Croats, or Muslims. They refuse to give up on the unity further polarization and resistance by their drive to pro­ get out of hand from the rulers' point of view. Washing­ they gained and will resist any "shock therapy" mea­ tect their profit system and satisfy their masters in Wash­ ton and Bonn both have a sordid history of supporting sures aimed at restoring capitalism. It is this working ington and Bonn. crackdowns on the labor movement in order to protect class that is the obstacle to the invading imperialist pow­ The events in Turkey are being watched closely by the their interests. ers. It is the same working class that has already pro­ imperialists in Germany and the United States as they Working-class fighters should be alert for any move to vided countless examples of active opposition to the vie for domination of the country's markets and strategic close down the space our class has in Turkey to resist the slaughter they were subjected to by the competing Stal­ . military bases. Turkey has massive trade with Germany, drive against their standard of living and democratic inist bureaucrats and would-be capitalists in the various and Bonn pushed heavily to incorporate Ankara into the rights. Working people around the world should oppose Yugoslav republics. European customs union for one reason alone: to rake any attempts to crack down on democratic From the beginning of the war in 1991, the Militant off still more of the surplus value produced by working rights - whether under the guise of combating terrorism has explained-that this slaughter was orchestrated above people there. or Islamic fundamentalism, or under the banner of pro­ all by the regime of Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia. But Because of the large Turkish immigrant population, tecting stability. the governmentofFranjo Tudjman in Croatia has blood­ among them many Kurds, Germany is directly impacted The stability the ruling classes are interested in comes soaked hands as well. These parasitic regimes- frag~ by events in Turkey. From the ceaseless assaults by on the backs of the workers and farmers. We look for­ ments of the formerly centralized Stalinist apparatus - Ankara's army on the oppressed Kurdish nationality to ward to the shake-ups of the capitalist system that the used nationalist rhetoric to justify their drive to terrorize the impact of the U.S.-led war drive in the Balkans, Ger­ resistance by the toilers has begun to usher. working people in order to grab control of land and many will continue to feel the vibrations of any upheaval As in many other countries, the Turkish working class other economic resources. in the region. will likely find its chance, through its struggles, to take In the face of massacres of Muslims in Bosnia by For the U.S. government, with its control of the power out of the hands of the local landlords and capital­ gangs supported by Belgrade and Zagreb, hundreds of NATO military bases sprawled throughout the country, ists, put an end to imperialist domination oftheir coun­ thousands of people in that republic - Muslim; Serb, Turkey is also strategically located. It shares a border try, and join the fight for a socialist world. Working peo­ and Croat - took up arms to oppose the division of with the Soviet Union, has been key to operations in the ple and youth the world over should stand with our Bosnia along national lines. The Militant has supported Middle East like the U.S. bombing raids against northern brothers and sisters in Turkey at every·turning point in Continued on Page 11 Iraq during the Persian Gulf War, and is a gateway to the this battle. 14 The Militant- January 22, 1996

'l Quebec Firestone strikers: 'We have no choice'· This column is devoted to re­ to other provinces and countries one with the largest porting the resistance by work­ In 1992, the company de­ and broadest sup­ ing people to the employers' as­ manded and received concessions port. sault on their living standards, to run the plant all seven days a Rolls Royce en­ working conditions, and unions. week with 12-hour shifts, impos­ gineering workers We invite you to contribute ing the same alternating 48- (machinists) from short items to this column as a hour/36-hour workweeks on night Bristol; rail workers way for other fighting workers shift workers as the day shift was from Perth, Scot­ around the world to read about already putting in. land, and Manch­ and learn from these important The union is now demanding ester, England; struggles. Jot down a few lines the right for night shift workers to Merseyside printing about what is happening in your take an occasional Saturday night workers and bus union, at your workplace, or off without pay, but the company drivers; and Ford auto workers from the local Halewood plant marched with ON THE PICKET LINE many others behind their union banners. The dockers keep other workplaces in your area, refuses. up direct pressure including interesting political "More than anything this is a on the harbor discussions. fight for the guys who work night bosses, maintaining shift," explained union executive 24-hour picket lines The strike of 750 workers at the committee member Alain Long­ at the dock gates Bridgestone/Firestone tire factOry pre. "The schedule the company is with frequent mass in Joliette, Quebec, continues with running is too hard, we can't do it. mobilizations. A no end in sight. We are humans, not machines." · solidarity group "We have no choice but to con­ made up predomi­ tinue the strike," said oil worker nantly of wives and Philip Tremblay. "We can't work Liverpool dock workers companions of the dock workers, tier wage setup and slash medical older workers and hire others at under the conditions that the com­ fight for jobs Women of the Waterfront, is be­ care, holidays, sick days, and the lower rate. pany wants to impose." Some nine weeks after being coming moi:e and more a part of other benefits. "They want us to do double the Workers are striking for a wage sacked, 500 dockers in Liverpool, picket line activities, and orga­ "Their contract offer is the work too," said a worker who has increase and pension improve­ England, continue their fight for nizes many of its own events. worst," said one of the strikers been cleaning the offices above ments, for relief from a crushing their jobs and against the union­ picketing the office buildings at Penn Station for 25 years. "You Penn Station in midtown Manhat­ used to just have half a floor to work schedule, and against an ar­ busting operation of the Mersey 30,000 janitorial workers bitrary attendance policy and Docks and Harbour Company. tan the first day of the walkout. clean, and now they want one per­ other roles that the company is de­ The Mersey docks are the only ·strike in New York City Under the contract that expired son to do the entire floor." manding. There has been no wage unionized docks in Britain since a Picket lines went up January 4 December 31, the janitors' wages increase at the plant since 1991 bitter and unsuccessful national in front of some 1,000 office were about $15 an hour. Roger Annis, member of Commu­ and the pension plan pays only dock strike in 1989. buildings in New York, as more The Realty Advisory Board, a nications, Energy and Paper­ $23 a month per year of service. On December 2, trade unionists than· 30,000 cleaning and mainte­ coalition of building owners and workers Union Local841 in Mon­ Strikers are taking their fight to from many parts of Britain joined nance workers walked off the job. managers, is demanding that new treal; Tim Rigby, member of the other workers in Quebec, appeal­ dockers for a march and rally of The members of Service Employ­ hires start at half of that, reaching Transport & General Workers' ing for financial support as well as 3,000 in downtown Liverpool. It ees International Union Local wage parity only after six years. Union in Manchester, England; a boycott of Bridgestone /Fire­ was the sixth rally since the dis­ 32B-32J are fighting manage­ Strikers explained that manage­ and Militant staff writer Naomi stone tires. They are also traveling pute began September 28, and the ment's attempt to impose a two- ment will use this to push out Craine contributed to this column. --LETTERS------shut-ins, school lunCh ·· ~~!!!J•~::i~i~!n~=~~ ~i- ·~·~·r:rm~~;f·~i::~ programs, food titude toward self-determination relations m all the stamps, and Social for Bosnia? Your editorial calls fofm:er Yugoslav re­ Security. In the mean­ for a campaign opposing the im- pubhcs. ... 7 .._ a time, members of a Congress and the perialist war drive against Yu- Je!f Jones . . a ... goslavia and refers several times Mmneapolzs, Mmn. President are being to Bosnia as a Yugoslav republic. paid. You state that the underlying goal Irish freedom .Supporters of the of the intervention is the over­ Militant should con­ As the euphoria throw of the Yugoslav workers tact AFGE locals·· in surrounding Presi­ state. Bosnia, however, has de­ their areas and take dent Clinton's visitto clared its independence from the part in protests. The Ireland ends, we Yugoslav federation, which was Militant carries news ought to consider a the proximate cause of the war. that federal workers few truths about the Aren't there now multiple can learn from, like so-called peace pro­ workers states existing in the for­ the example of the cess in British­ mer territory of Yugoslavia, just French workers of occupied Ireland. as there are now two states- from how to conduct a suc­ First of all it is a the former Czechoslovakia and 15 cessful fightback mistake to view both from the former Soviet Union? campaign. parties in the conflict It seems important to me to be Lenore Sheridan as having claims that clear on this as the Belgrade San Jose, California are equally valid and Peace Comes Bosnia regime demagogically advanced to morally just. The so- Serbian nationalist goals, often called majority in the north was an behind the cloak of being the de­ Catholic, were penalized in em­ Francisco Federal building, 75- artificially created majority made Caterpillar strikers fender of "Yugoslavia." Today it ployment, yoting, and housing for 100 protested at the Richmond at the point of a British bayonet. keeps a romp Yugoslavia in feder­ exercising their religious con­ Social Security office, and _75- I received holiday greetings That majority lorded it over the ation with Montenegro.· It should science. The continued existence 100, including this writer, from two activists in the United Catholic minority in the same also be noted Athens's campaign of Northern Ireland as a part of protested outside the Menlo Park Auto Workers 17-month strike manner as Southern whites used against Macedonia forced it to ac­ Britain will _simply mean that the Veterans Hospital. The slogans of against Caterpillar. They said Cat to lord it over Blacks when Jim cept the name "Former Yugoslav. British version of Jim Crow will the pickets included "Furlough is refusing to recall 61 members of Crow ruled the old Confederacy. Republic of Macedonia" for mem­ continue in that land. Have the Ian Congress, not Federal Workers," UAW Local974 who were termi­ bership in the United Nations. Were Blacks expected to nego- · Paisleys and the Orange lodges re­ "Don't Pay Congress," and "Nuke· nated during the· strike. The com­ The Militant should differenti­ tiate with the white political estab­ nounced Protestant supremacy? . Newt." The majority of pickets at pany is bringing back four or five ate itself from those giving cover lishment in order to have their hu­ Of course they haven't. When he­ the Menlo Park facility had never strikers at a time in each depart­ to . Belgrade by claiming the man rights respected? The an­ land is re-united within the frame­ participated in a picket line. The ment, so they are outnumbered by breakup of YugoslaVia was engi­ swer, of course, is no. Therefore, work of an appropriate timetable· picket line gave workers the op­ scabs. Five strikers were frred the neered by resurgent Germany how can the Catholic minority be then and only then will peace . portunity to voice their anger at week of December 16, two for pushing for Croatian indepen- expected to view their oppressors come to Ireland. For that will be a . the government shutdown. Work­ wearing union T -shirts and three 9ence. The Stalinist bloody coun­ as equal moral partners during the peace with justice. ers I spoke to said they would be for "poor work effort." The scabs terrevolution against the Bolshe­ present cease-fire? William Gartland willing to picket again. play a big role in deciding the vik program on· national self­ The result of the negotiations · Rio, Wisconsin Furloughed workers received quality of work performed by re­ determination set the fra.Iilework between the PrOvisional Irish Re­ checks for only half a pay period. turning strikers. SalmKolis for the ~turn of Yugoslavia to a publican Army, the Republic of [They] are not eligible for unem­ Atlanta, Georgia prisonhouse ~f nations in the Ireland, and Briiain must end with Federal workers protest. ployment because they are techni­ years a.fter the 1945 revolution the announcement of a timetable Federal workers have begun to · cally not unemployed. Workers and then its brutal dismember­ for the transfer of sovereignty of · fight back against the government who are working don't know The letters column is an open ment. The imperialist intervention what is now called Northern Ire­ shutdown. On January 3, federal whether they will receive their forum for all viewpoints on sub­ seeks to take advantage of this by . land to the Republic of Ireland, workers who are members of the ilext checks or not. . jects of geAeral interest to our dictating the character of any· whose constitution grants liberty AFGE [American Federation of In the next two weeks money readers. Please keep your letters Bosnian state and leaving open a of religious conscience to all. It Government Employees] staged runs out for many federal pro~ brief. Where necessary they wiU partitioning of it between Serbia must be emphasized that the informational pickets and grams, including federal unem­ be abridged. Please indicate if · and Croatia. They hope through Catholics in British-occupied Ire­ protests. One hundred fifty work­ ployment insurance, Meals on you prefer that your initials be this method to gain the leverage to land, although allowed to be ers took part in a protest at the San Wheels which provides meals for used rather than your full name. ·January 22, 1996 TbeMUitBnt 15 THE MILITANT London attacks immigrant rights BY CELIA PUGH goslavia had applied for asylum. Of LONDON- In January, 13,000 these, only 2,000 had their applica­ asylum seekers in the United King­ tions processed and only 25 got full dom could lose all welfare, housing, refugee status. and government benefits, according to the Department of Health and So­ Deportation of Nigerian cial Security. The agency plans to ap­ Rousing applause greeted Lola ply new regulations under the 1993 Onibiyo at the meeting. She led a Immigration and Asylum Act. Two fight against the deportation of her fa­ weeks before the January 8 imple­ ther to Nigeria. The government with­ mentation date, public protest forced drew his permanent residency status the government to postpone the plans although he had lived in Britain for 30 until after a debate in Parliament. years. Before his deportation Abdul The Campaign Against the Immi­ Onibiyo was beaten by the police and gration and Asylum Bill denied medical treatment at the deten­ (CAIAB)- a broad coalition of tion center. refugee, immigrant, and Black rights Onibiyo left behind his wife and groups, churches, · and political five children. He is an opponent of the organizations -denounced the mea­ regime in Nigeria and his relatives sure and said it "will lead ·to severe fear for his well being. They have not hardship, destitution, and homeless­ heard from him since his deportation. ness." On December 7 Lola Onibiyo 's 19- The new regulations apply to all year-old brother Ade was within half refugees seeking asylum after they an hour of deportation to Nigeria. The enter the country. The government es­ Home Office was forced by the public timates that 40,000 people apply for Militant/Celia Pugh campaign to concede a delay to allow asylum each year, with 12,000 depen­ Protest against racist and anti-immigrant attacks in Tower Hamlets area of London in October a fmal appeal. The youth remains in dents. Of these some 30 percent ask 1993. British government is on campaign to curtail rights of asylum seekers. detention. Lola Onibiyo told the audi- for refugee status immediately at the ence at the meeting, "We have to form port of entry. The remaining 70 percent convicted and fined for employing illegal crowd of 200 that in 1995, 92 percent of a united front to fight these laws. We all enter on temporary tourist, student, or workers if they failed to inspect national refugee applicants from Algeria were have a right to be here. I am here to stay business visas and apply for asylum once insurance numbers, birth certificates, or turned down, as were 89 percent of those and here to fight. We have a right to hu­ they are in Britain. passports. from Sri Lanka. man dignity." Claude Moraes, director of the Joint The new laws could include further visa Lee Jasper of the National Black Al­ Amir Hussain Mashkur from Tower Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, restrictions and lost benefits for liance told the same meeting, "The gov­ Hamlets College Student Union echoed told the national daily The Guardian, "sponsored immigrants." These are ernment is moving to identification cards this at a November 4 conference of the "Claiming asylum at the port of entry can mainly elderly or disabled relatives of im­ to see who are 'legal' and who 'illegal' newly founded Student Assembly Against be a recipe in the minds of asylum seekers migrants resident in Britain who are al­ immigrants. South Africa has done away Racism. "As young people we represent for being returned to their country of ori­ lowed to stay if cared for by families. with pass laws, and the British govern­ the future," he said. "We have to get ac­ gin." In 1994, the Home Office only rec­ ment is implementing their own." tive, get involved, and get organized." ognized 4 percent of asylum applications. 'White list' Another speaker, Rev. Theo Samuel of The Student Assembly is building a na­ The January benefit cutoff will apply to all The proposals include a "white list" of the Churches' Commission for Racial Jus­ tional CAIAB demonstration against the new "after entry" asylum seekers, as well countries deemed safe, on the basis of tice, pointed out, "People are here from Immigration and Asylum Act in London as those who have been turned down, are which immigration officials would auto­ E;astern Europe; they are affected too." February 24. Two thousand protesters appealing, or await deportation. m~cally challenge appl!Eations for asy- J,ast Augpst, Refugee Council figures joined a rally and lobby ofParliament De- In addition to the January regulations, ·lum. · showed that 11,000 people from Yu- cember 19. · the government is preparing legislation to Following the execution of Nigerian toughen the asylum and immigration laws. dissident Ken Saro-Wiwa, the government ·A bill is to come before parliament in . was forced to deny that Nigeria was on the March. "white list." Other countries rumored to be Maori workers occupy plant Proposals for the regulations include an deemed "safe" were Sri Lanka and Alge­ obligation on teachers, doctors,. hospitals, ria, which Howard also denied. housing, and benefit officials to inform on But refugee organizations report that to defend land and jobs suspected immigration violations. Benefit such a procedure effectively exists. Home claim forms will ask a person's national­ Office figures show that since January BY BRIGID ROTHERHAM what happens. We want to have a say in ity. The government says this will "act as 1995, only one of 2,032 Nigerian refugee BENNEYDALE, New Zealand - In a who buys the plant and what they do with a trigger question for further enquiries applications has been accepted. fight to protect their land and jobs, 50 it." Hand-painted signs in Maori attached where appropriate." At a November 16 CAIAB public meet­ Maoris have occupied the car park at the · to the gate beside the occupiers' caravans Home Secretary Michael Howard said ing at the House of Commons, Kate Allen gates of the King Country Lamb meat pro­ stress this demand. They read ''Nga November 20 that employers could be of the Asylum Rights Campaign told the cessing plant since the morning of Decem- Whenua o Rereahu" (Rereahu's lands). , ber 22. The Tiroa Trust is owed money in back The occupiers are members of the Tiroa rent by King Country Lamb and is un­ Tahiti unionists fight arrests Trust of the Rereahu tribe, which owns the happy with the location of the plant's two land on which the factory stands. Most are oxidation ponds, which were built on sa­ also workers at the plant who are con­ cred land. One trustee, Hardie Peni, told following antinuclear protests cerned about their jobs since the plant the New Zealand Herald that the protest went into receivership on December 14. "is also an action about spiritual values. " BY MALCOLM McALLISTER post office union official, Henri Temaiti­ Before the plant opened in 1992, there The Tiroa Trust says it wants to buy the AUCKLAND, New Zealand- Fol­ tahia, had to be hospitalized from the as­ was little employment in the area. Many plant, and is negotiating with the re­ lowing the September 6 protests that sault. lost their jobs due to cutbacks in forestry ceivers. greeted Paris's first underground nuclear Six of the 16 were held under arrest for work and the closure of a small coal mine. test in French Polynesia in four years, several months before being released on King Country Lamb employed more than Brigid Rotherham is a member of the French riot police targeted a group of bail. Their lawyers lodged 15 claims of 170 workers at the height of the season Meat Workers Union in Auckland, New proindependence trade unionists with a cruel and inhumane treatment with the Pa­ from the small North Island farming towns Zealand. particularly brutal assault. Six unionists, peete courts and a claim against the of Benneydale, Marigakino, and Te Kuiti. detained for several months, are facing tri­ French state was registered with the The majority were young Maoris. als on frame-up charges of involvement in United Nations Committee on Torture. Workers explained in interviews that in The politics of rioting. A regional antinuclear conference of 1994, under the threat of closure, they ac­ Dressed in full combat gear and toting rail unionists, scheduled to be held in cepted a 19 percent pay cut and a 15 per­ Chicano Liberation guns, police burst into the offices of the A Tahiti, was shifted to Wellington, New cent increase in productivity. Ti'a I Mua union in Papeete, the capital of Zealand, because of the continued deten­ The company told workers in mid­ Edited by Tahiti, on Sept~mber 9. They bashed and tions. Forty delegates from the East Japan October that the plant was closing for two Olga Rodriguez handcuffed the 16 people who were in the Railway Workers Union- some of weeks' maintenance, but it has remained The rise of the Chicano offices and then threw them into a police whom lost relatives in the U.S. nuclear de­ shut since. Some of those laid off are still movement in the United van. The cops used electric truncheons on struction of Hiroshima in 1945 - not entitled to receive unemployment ben­ SUites in the 1960s and the unionists. marched to the French Embassy there on efits. Others had taken out mortgages on 1970s: from the United At the police station, the labor activists November 28 to protest the nuclear testing houses, believing their jobs were secure. Farm Wori

16 The Militant January 22,1996

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