Warren, Mickells kick off THE fall campaign tours Pages 4-5

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 52/NO. 35 SEPTEMBER 9, 1988 $1.00

Millions in Burma press Marroquin wins victory; for gov't gets immigrant visa ouster, democracy Fight continues to force INS to grant green card BY CINDY JAQUITH BY FRED FELDMAN TORONTO - A big victory was won About half a million people marched in here August 31, when the U.S. State De­ Burma's capital city of Rangoon August partment finally granted Hector Marroquin 26. The demonstration culminated a series an immigrant visa to the United States. of protests by hundreds of thousands dur­ A national committee member of the So­ ing the week. The actions demanded re­ cialist Workers Party and a leader of the moval of the government and the establish­ struggle for immigrant rights, Marroquin ment of democracy. was born in Mexico. He has been fighting A general strike backing the demands for 11 years for his right to live and work in continues to grip the country. The strike has the United States. After 11 years of gov­ shut down the docks, railways, bus lines, ernment efforts to deport him because of communications, and the postal system. his communist views, the State Depart­ A growing number of government em­ ment finally decided to give up and grant ployees have walked off the job. The gov­ him the visa he needs to get a green card, ernment-controlled newspapers have shut which would make him a permanent resi­ down. One paper's editors declared they dent of the United States. would not resume publication until censor­ ship has been lifted. At the Toronto airport a few hours later, Marroquin presented his visa to the U.S. Demonstrators attempted to storm Insein Immigration and Naturalization Service prison in Rangoon. As prisoners attempted (INS), which is supposed to stamp his to flee the jail, government forces opened passport to show he is a permanent resi­ fire- killing dozens. Hundreds of prison­ dent. But the INS agents refused to do this, ers reportedly succeeded in gaining their openly citing his politics as the reason. In­ freedom. Prison rebellions and liberation of stead, they deferred a ruling on his case inmates were also reported at other prisons. and scheduled a September 20 appointment The continuing demonstrations and gen­ with the INS in Newark, New Jersey. eral strike marked the rejection thus far of President Maung Maung' s attempts to pla­ The Hector Marroquin Defense Com­ cate the protesters and buy time for the mil­ mittee is now urging all supporters to im­ itary-dominated regime. mediately send telegrams to Commissioner The revolt in Burma is a response to the Alan Nelson, Immigration and Naturaliza­ Militant/Cindy Jaquith deepest economic, social, and political tion Service, Washington, D.C. 20536, Socialist Hector Marroquin (second from left) displays his immigrant visa outside crisis that the country has experienced in demanding an end to this unconscionable U.S. consulate in Toronto. With him are (left to right) his attorney Claudia decades. The government is increasingly delay and that the INS immediately stamp Slovinsky; Priscilla Schenk-Marroquin, his wife; Haitian rights activist Ben Dupuy; unable to meet payments on a foreign debt his passport as a permanent resident. and John Studer, director of Hector Marroquin Defense Committee. of $4 billion, prices of rice and other goods (Copies should be sent to the Hector Mar­ are soaring, and youth face rising un- roquin Defense Committee, Box 761, Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 2 Push needed in Curtis defense ·Momentum building toward effort as Sept. 7 trial nears Sept. 9 sales drive start Stepped-up efforts are needed in the coming days to defend Des Moines, BY NORTON SANDLER Curtis defense rally in Des Moines. Iowa, political activist Mark Curtis. From London to Auckland, New Zea­ "In two days, we sold 63 single copies of He goes on trial September 7 on land, from Stockholm to San Francisco, the Militant and PM and 10 subscriptions trumped-up rape and burglary charges. our distributors are finalizing plans for the while collecting 79 signatures on petitions If convicted, he faces a 25-year manda­ international circulation drive to win I 0,000 demanding that the charges against Curtis tory sentence. new readers. be dropped," Harkness said. "Our best suc­ Here's what you can do to help: We urge all our readers to join in the 10- cess was at plant gates. • Send Polk County prosecutor James week campaign that kicks off on Sep­ "At Fawn, a plant organized by the Smith messages protesting the attempt to tember 9. United Auto Workers, we sold eight papers railroad Curtis to jail. Write Polk County Distributors in the United States, Cana­ and collected 14 signatures for Mark. Later da, Britain, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, in the day, another supporter who works at As we were going to press, a Sweden, Australia, Iceland, and other coun­ Fawn sold five more papers inside the tries will be building on recent successes in plant. Des Moines judge rejected the sales of the Militant, the Spanish-language "We also had a booth up outside the Polk County prosecutor's claim monthly Perspectiva Mundial, and the Iowa State Fair," she explained. "It didn't that Curtis violated a court Marxist magazines New International and net big sales, but we had numerous discus­ order. The prosecution tried to Nouvelle Internationale. sions about the case. Some said they sup­ They will sell6,500 introductory andre­ ported the cops' position on the case. But deny Curtis' supporters the newal subscriptions to the Militant, 1,750 we met many young people who dislike the democratic right to distribute to PM, and 1,750 individual copies of New police and were anxious to sign the peti­ leaflets. (See article pages 8-9.) International and the French-language tion." Nouvelle Internationale. Estelle DeBates is heading up a team of Supporters are taking on the additional Young Socialist Alliance members that has Attorney James Smith, Room 408 Court­ challenge of selling 20,000 copies of the been visiting Midwest campuses and plant house, 500 Mulberry St. Des Moines, Pathfinder pamphlet An Action Program to gates. Iowa 50309. • Funds are urgently needed. Curtis' Confront the Coming Economic Crisis, "We delivered to the Mark Curtis De­ Mark Curtis which contains proposals put forward by fense Committee more than 250 signatures defense committee must raise more than the Socialist Workers Party. gathered on petitions at campuses in Kan­ $14,000 to cover immediate legal ex­ They are also helping to publicize the facts sas, Missouri, and Nebraska," she said. penses for his trial and to continue get­ ers Party. (See ad for rally page 8.) surrounding the frame-up of Des Moines, Several of those who signed are trying to ting out he facts on his case. • Stay over and attend Curtis' trial, Iowa, political activist Mark Curtis. get to Des Moines for the rally." • Attend the Second International which starts the following Wednesday at "We have been selling the Militant and That team has also sold 15 subscriptions Defense Rally for Curtis in Des Moines the Polk County Courthouse in Des PM as publications that defend Mark Cur­ to the Militant and PM. on Sunday, September 4. Speakers will Moines. tis," Holly Harkness reports. She is part of In North Dakota, a team has collected include Susan Mnumzana from the Afri­ Send copies of the protest messages a five-person team that has been concen­ more than 5,200 signatures to get the So­ can National Congress; Puerto Rican au­ and contributions to the Mark Curtis De­ trating its efforts in the Des Moines area, cialist Workers Party presidential ticket of thor, poet Piri Thomas; and Jack Barnes, fense Committee, P.O. Box 1048, Des where Curtis goes on trial September 7. James Warren and Kathleen Mickells on national secretary of the Socialist Work- Moines, Iowa 50311. The team is publicizing the September 4 Continued on Page 13 ·Hector Marroquin wins his immigrant visa

Continued from front page ceived a new appointment to complete his emment to exclude people from this coun­ "When did you enter the U.S. illegally?" Church Street Station, New York, N.Y. application. try because of their political affiliation. By Marroquin said that on precisely these 10007.) He and his attorney, Claudia Slovinsky, signing such a statement, in other words, questions he must have his lawyer present. Thousands of working people in the were briefly interviewed here August 31 by Marroquin would be concurring that the The agent refused. Then she asked him, United States have heard about Marro­ Kenneth Shivers, the U.S. consul. SWP is in fact a proscribed, "subversive" "Are you a communist?" Marroquin ex­ quin's case and signed petitions, written organization. He has consistently refused plained again that his lawyer should be pres­ letters, or joined rallies in his defense. 1986 court decision against FBI to do so throughout his long fight. ent and this entire matter had been settled Symbolizing that support, Marroquin was Shivers tried to return to Marroquin a Shivers said Marroquin could sign the with the State Department, pointing to his accompanied here at the U.S. consulate by copy of the 1986 federal court decision that statement if he chose to. Marroquin asked file. The agent then asked, "Are you a a delegation that included Priscilla Schenk­ bars the U.S. government from spying on his lawyer's advice, who said he did not member of any political party in the United Marroquin, his wife; Harry Hynd, assistant or otherwise victimizing members of the have to sign it, and he declined to do so. States?" and Marroquin answered that he director of District 6 of the United Steel­ Socialist Workers Party because of their Shivers said, "OK, you don't have to," and was a member of the SWP. workers union; a representative of the political beliefs. That decision establishes dropped the matter. The agent then left the room and entered Committee in Solidarity with the People of that the SWP's political activities are fully Attorney Slovinsky later told the Mili­ another office several times, apparently to El Salvador (CISPES); Ben Dupuy, head legal and constitutionally protected, mak­ tant she had never seen or heard of such a make phone calls. At one point Slovinsky of the New York-based Committee Against ing no distinction between the rights of statement before. "We reject the idea that asked the agent what was delaying her Repression in Haiti; and John Studer, di­ SWP members who are U.S. citizens and the SWP is a proscribed party," she in­ client's getting his green card. "He may rector of the Hector Marroquin Defense those who are not. Marroquin explained to sisted. need another waiver," she replied. The Committee. Shivers that the text of the decision should A little more than an hour later, Marro­ agent added that because of "some of the Dozens of prominent individuals had remain in his file because it is at the heart quin received a one-page document called also sent the State Department letters urg­ "Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration." political groups he belongs to" the INS of his case. would have to examine whether Section ing it to give Marroquin his residency. Before concluding the interview, Shiv­ It included the number of his future green 901 applies to him. Slovinsky explained These included three members of Con­ ers presented a two-paragraph prepared card: #40534934. Along with this docu­ this matter was all settled but the agent ig­ gress, Mervyn Dymally, Esteban Torres, statement to Marroquin and attorney ment, he received a sealed envelope con­ nored her. and Ronald Dellums; actor Ed Asner; Slovinsky. The statement said in part, "I , taining the file on his green card applica­ Tomas Villanueva, president of the United ___ , am aware that my immigrant visa tion. When the agent returned again, she an­ Farm Workers of Washington State; and application can be processed under the pro­ All other successful green-card appli­ nounced that Marroquin was being given a Oscar Sanchez, United Steelworkers inter­ visions of Section 901 of U.S. Public Law cants were receiving the same material at "deferred inspection." She said the super­ national representative. 100- 204. I am also aware there are other the consulate, with instructions to tum it visor of the INS at the Toronto airport had Marroquin had applied for his green card possible grounds for relief through a find­ over to the INS when they re-entered the instructed her to cease processing Marro­ in 1983 based on his marriage to a U .S. ing of non-meaningful membership .. .. I United States. Like Marroquin, they also quin's application, to allow him to enter citizen. When he came here to the consu­ nevertheless do not wish to wait to have got a four-page informational piece on the the United States, and to assign him an ap­ late on July 6 of this year, State Depart­ these questions adjudicated at this time, procedure for receiving their green card, pointment in Newark. and on Social Security and taxes. The piece ment officials refused to give him his visa and ask that my visa be issued under the The INS refusal to stamp Marroquin's explains that "At the time of your admis­ until he got a waiver from the INS for en­ provisions of Section 901 ." passport showed they still can't quite be­ sion [to the United States] you will receive tering the United States without all the Section 901 refers to the law passed by lieve that they are going to be forced to proof of your admission as a permanent re­ proper documents. The INS granted the Congress suspending the provisions of the give an avowed communist and worker sident alien." Normally this is done by the waiver on August 5 and Marroquin re- McCarran-Walter Act that allow the gov- from Mexico a green card. Some of them INS stamping the person's passport to indi­ perhaps believe the INS is actually above cate they are a permanent resident. The the law and can openly deny residence to green card arrives later in the mail. Racist abuse by U.S. Customs someone like Marroquin because of his INS agents at airport views. TORONTO - A U.S. Customs Service arrested at the U.S.-Mexican border. When Marroquin got to the U.S. Immi­ Attorney Slovinsky told the Militant she agent unleashed a torrent of racist abuse at The agent then told Marroquin to move gration booth at the Toronto airport, he ap­ is confident the INS will be unable to deny Hector Marroquin and his attorney Claudia on to the U.S. Immigration line "where proached the INS agent with his attorney Marroquin his green card because he is a Slovinsky as the two were going through you're going to have a tough time." and presented all the documents the consul­ communist. "Legally we will absolutely the Toronto airport here on their way to the This racist treatment is standard proce­ ate had given him. The agent began going prevail," she predicted. United States. dure for U.S. customs and immigration of­ through the documents, assuring Marro­ quin, "What we're going to do is routine." Marroquin told the Militant that both the When Marroquin came to the U.S. cus­ ficials. These border cops can't tolerate the U .S. consulate decision to give him an im­ toms bay he presented the agent with the right of someone whose skin is not white He asked him a few questions, such as his home address, telling Marroquin "that's migrant visa and the INS refusal in Toronto immigrant visa granted him by the State having the right to come to the United to stamp his passport show "the momen­ Department and his Mexican passport. The States and get a green card. They go out of where we' re going to send your green card." tous character of this fight that we are win­ agent then snarled, "So, you used to be a their way to insult such workers and all im­ ning. We're establishing that a communist mojado in my country." Mojado is Spanish migrants, trying to intimidate them or pro­ But when the agent looked further at the worker born in another country does indeed for "wetback," the racist term often used voke them. file, he decided to check Marroquin's have the right to be active in politics in the by border cops to describe Mexican immi­ The Hector Marroquin Defense Com­ name in his computer. Then he told Marro­ United States. grants. mittee has decided to urge all its supporters quin, "We're going to have to double­ The agent then added, "So you lived il­ to send immediate telegrams to the U.S. screen this." "We won a giant victory with the State legally in my country." Customs Service and the U.S. Treasury Taking Marroquin and Slovinsky to a Department decision to give me the immi­ Marroquin refused to be provoked, but Department it is part of, demanding im­ separate INS office, he introduced them to grant visa. But we still have another battle. did explain that his attorney was with him. mediate disciplinary action against the another INS agent stating, "Looks like we We have to keep up the fight until I get that The agent turned to Slovinsky and said, agent involved. Send your messages to have a hit- an A-28." A-28 refers to the green card. "So, you make your money off bringing Commissioner of Customs, U .S. Customs part of the McCarran-Walter Act that has "The victory we're winning is so big," these mojados in." Service, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Rm. been suspended, the section allowing the he continued, "that the INS can't quite The agent kept repeating the racist slur 3 136, Washington, D.C. 20229, and Sec­ government to exclude people from the stomach it. That means that all the trade and also entered Marroquin's name in his retary, Department of the Treasury, 15th country because of their political views. unionists, solidarity activists, civil rights computer. When he finally let Marroquin St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washing­ This agent decided to submit Marroquin figures, and others who have come to my pass, he first wrote on his boarding pass, ton, D .C., 20220, with copies to the Hec­ to an interrogation and barred Slovinsky aid will have to let INS Commissioner "Excludable, 9177." This is a reference to tor Marroquin Defense Committee, Box from being present as his attorney. After Alan Nelson know right away that they the fact that Marroquin was deemed de­ 761, Church Street Station, New York, asking a couple of routine questions about won't stand for any further delay in my portable in September 1977 when he was N .Y. 10007. - C.J. his marriage , the agent asked Marroquin, case." - ' The Militant tells the truth - Subscribe today! The Militant Closing news date: August 31, 1988 Coeditors: MARGARET JA YKO and DOUG JENNESS Circulation Director: NORTON SANDLER "I like the Militant because of its Nicaragua Bureau Director: LARRY SEIGLE Business Manager: JIM WHITE Editorial Staff: Susan Apstein, Fred Feldman, Arthur Hughes, bold approach to the issues and Cindy Jaquith, Susan LaMont, Sam Manuel, Harvey McArthur (Nicaragua), Harry Ring, Judy White (Nicaragua). problems of the working people." Published weekly except one week in August and the last week of December by the Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 410 -Tomas Villanueva West St. , New York , N.Y. 10014 . Telephone: Editorial Of­ fice, (2 12) 243-6392; Telex, 497-4278; Business Office, (212) 929-3486. Nicaragua Bureau, Apartado 2222, Managua. Tele­ phone 24845. Correspondence concerning subscriptions or changes of address should be addressed to The Militant Business Of­ Enclosed is fice, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014. 0 $4.00 for 12 weeks, new readers Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. POSTMAS­ D $9.00 for 12 weeks, renewals TER: Send address changes to The Militant, 4 10 West St., New D $17.00 for six months York, N.Y. l 0014. Subscriptions: U.S., Canada, Latin Amer­ D $30.00 for one year 0 $55.00 for two years ica: for one-year subscription send $30, drawn on a U.S. bank, to Name ______above address. By first-class (airmail), send $65. Britain, Ire­ land, Continental Europe, Africa: £22 for one year, £ 12 for Adme••------six months, or £6 for three-month renewal. Send check or inter­ City ------State ___ _ _ Zip ____ _ national money order made out to Pathfinder Press and send to Telephone Union/School/Organization ______Tomas Villanueva, president Pathfinder, 47 The Cut, London SEI 8LL, England. Aus­ of the United Farm Workers of tralia, Asia, Pacific: send Australian $60 to Pathfinder Press, Send to THE MILITANT, 410 West St., New York, N.Y. 10014 P.O . Box 153, Glebe, Sydney, NSW 2037, Australia. Washington State. Signed articles by contributors do not necessarily represent the Militant's views. These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant September 9, 1988 After strike victory, French miners greet int'l delegation BY JOHN HAWKINS ing power station midway through the GARDANNE, France - On August 9 strike, for example, the majority of power the coal miners of this area in southern workers joined in the picketing. France, organized by the General Confedera­ Foremost among international support­ tion of Labor (CGT), scored a resounding vic­ ers of the Gardanne miners, were Britain's tory in their three-and-half month strike. National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) They were fighting the provincial Houil­ and its allies in Women Against Pit Clo­ leres de Provence, the management of the sures (W APC). mine, and the national Charbonnages de The NUM and the W APC hosted a tour France. Charbonnages supervises the gov­ of French miners that traveled through the ernment-owned mines much as the British British coalfields raising funds and ex­ Coal board does in Britain. plaining the issues in the strike. Through their determination and mili­ A delegation of 13 British and U.S. min­ Militant/Clive Turnbull tancy, the miners overcame stiff company ers led by W APC and NUM members re­ Britain's National Union of Mineworkers and Women Against Pit Closures backed and government resistance, halting plans to cently concluded a four-day visit here help­ recent French miners' strike. Above, NUM President Arthur Scargill (with hat) and introduce sweeping changes in work rules. ing to strengthen solidarity among miners W APC leader Ann Scargill at 1984 demonstration during British miners' strike. They forced management to grant pay in­ internationally. creases totaling more than $1 ,400 over a Our delegation traveled by minibus cov­ two-year period. ered with signs in English and French that We crossed the English Channel from ers' Organisation, the delegation continued Key to the victory achieved by the min­ read: "British and American miners sup­ Dover, England, by ferry on the evening of on to Gardanne, arriving in the early eve­ ers, their families, and supporters here in port French miners," "British and Ameri­ August 25 . We were met in France by Dan­ ning. We were greeted there by a rousing Gardanne was the solidarity they received can miners bringing aid to the French min­ iel Demoncourt, a secretary of the National reception from 250 CGT miners at their from other workers in France and interna­ ers on strike at Gardanne," and "Solidarity Federation of Miners- CGT. headquarters. tionally. among British, American, and French min­ After an all-night trip to Paris and break­ Louis Suzanne, secretary of the Pro­ When the miners occupied the neighbor- ers." fast at the offices.of the International Min- vence region miners' union and a leader of the strike, greeted the delegation and intro­ duced Ann Scargill, a leader of the W APC and wife of NUM President Arthur Scar­ U.S. gov't drops Cuba literature ban gill. She presented Suzanne with more than £2,500 (US$4,200) collected by miners BY CINDY JAQUITH mational materials in quantity for commer­ tries whose governments don't toe Wash­ The U.S. government has dropped its cial purposes was legally required to apply ington's line. and their families in the British coalfields. Scargill reminded the assembled miners 26-year-old ban on importing literature and for another kind of license. If they got the Through the Berman provision, the two other informational materials from Cuba to license, such importers could also be re­ laws have been amended to exclude infor­ ofthe importance of the solidarity they dem­ the United States. quired to deposit all money from sales of mational materials from the retaliatory onstrated for the British miners during the 1984-85 strike by the NUM. This action came with the signing into the Cuban material in a "blocked" bank ac­ trade measures available to the U.S. gov­ law of the new trade bill by President count, with the funds prohibited from en­ ernment. This applies not only to Cuba but "We view our donation today not only as Ronald Reagan on August 23. A provision tering Cuba. to any country affected by U.S. trade sanc­ an act of solidarity, not only as a debt of in the bill ends all restrictions on importing By imposing such prohibitive financial tions. The amended language is incorpo­ gratitude, but as a duty in the fight of min­ books, newspapers, magazines, films, rec­ conditions, Washington was able to se­ rated into the new trade bill. ers worldwide to defend our lives and stan­ dard of living against the greed of the coal ords, tapes, posters, microfilm, and micro­ verely limit the amount of literature and re­ Berman's original amendment also called bosses," she said. fiche from Cuba. It also lifts restrictions on corded material from Cuba in this country. for lifting restrictions on U.S. citizens' right exporting similar informational materials The very idea of registering for a license to travel to Cuba, Halperin said. But that While the Gardanne miners have been from the United States to Cuba. The provi­ with the government often had the intended portion of the amendment was defeated in a back to work for nearly a month, contribu­ sion was introduced by Rep. Howard Ber­ chilling effect on U.S. residents interested congressional committee. tions are still needed to help them get back man (D.-Calif.). in making material from Cuba available. When Reagan vetoed an earlier version on their feet after the long strike. Morton Halperin, director of the Ameri­ The ban even included Cuban art, in the of the trade bill, he cited the provision lift­ Contributions and messages can be sent can Civil Liberties Union in Washington, form of posters, films, and musical tapes, ing literature restrictions as one reason, to the Association for Solidarity With the D.C. , helped Berman's office draft the at a time when Cuban artists are undisputed claiming it would "prevent the president Miners' Families, Credit mutuel de Gar­ provision. In a telephone interview he said leaders on an international scale in many from moving swiftly to block blatant danne, 1320 Gardanne, France. All con­ lifting of the restrictions is "a very signifi­ fields of culture. enemy propaganda material from entering tributions should bear the association's ac­ cant step. It reaffirms the basic principle The restrictions were based on two laws, the United States, even during wartime." count number: 000 1500 1140. that the U.S. government should not inter­ the Trading With the Enemy Act and the The White House chose not to openly at­ fere with the ability of citizens to learn for International Emergency Economic Pow­ tack the provision, which remained in Con­ John Hawkins is a member of the United themselves about other countries." ers Act. Both give powers to the U.S. gov­ gress' reworked version, and Reagan fi­ Mine Workers of America Local 2368 in Prior to this, Berman explained, anyone ernment to impose trade sanctions on coun- nally signed the bill. Brookwood, Alabama. who wanted to import even a single copy of a Cuban book, for example, could be re­ quired to have a government-issued li­ cense. The government was under no obli­ $250,000 fund to help Pathfinder get around gation to grant such a license to those re­ questing it. Anyone wishing to import Cuban infor- BY CINDY JAQUITH 28 cricket match, attended by thousands of the frame-up of the Puerto Rican indepen­ An Afro-Caribbean carnival in London, English-speaking Caribbean people from dence fighters known as the Hartford 15. England . A proindependence march in San the New York area. David Rosenfeld, a Ron Richards, who staffed the table, re­ Juan, Puerto Rico. And yes - a cricket Conrail brakeman, was one of those staffing ported that other popular titles were Habla ...-New York-----. match in Mt. Vernon , New York. the table, which sold $80 in literature. Malcolm X (Malcolm X Speaks) andRe­ A public discussion Distributors of Pathfinder books and Rosenfeld said that Pathfinder's Mau­ portaje de Vietnam y Kampuchea (Report pamphlets were at all these events the last rice Bishop Speaks was a popular title from Vietnam and Kampuchea). Alto­ weekend of August, introducing working among those who stopped by the table. gether, demonstrators bought $64 worth of Caribbean people from various Caribbean islands to the Some were already familiar with the book Spanish literature by Pathfinder. broad selection of literature Pathfinder pub­ of speeches by the Grenadian leader mur­ And in the Notting Hill section of Lon­ Political Unity lishes on working-class struggles around the dered in 1983, and had also read the book's don, a Pathfinder table at the annual Afro­ Eusi Kwayana, leader, Working world. introduction by Steve Clark. That led to Caribbean festival - which attracted well Peoples Alliance of Guyana Printing these books and distributing sales of several copies of the magazine over 100,000 people - sold $300 worth of Don Rojas, exec. member, Mau­ them throughout the globe doesn't come New International containing an article by literature. rice Bishop Patriotic Movement cheap. Pathfinder needs a quarter ofa mil­ Clark on "The Second Assassination of Your donation to the Pathfinder Fund and Anti-Imperialist Organiza­ lion dollars this fall to get the job done. Maurice Bishop." will help make sure these literature tables tions of Caribbean and Central A special Pathfinder Fund has been set keep popping up wherever workers in­ America up to raise donations. All $250,000 must Pathfinder's books on the African revo­ terested in revolutionary politics gather. D r. James Millett, historian, pres­ be collected by December 1. lution were also in demand. One man pur­ All you need to do is send in the coupon ident of Trinidad and Tobago chased a copy of Thomas Sankara Speaks: below. Anti-apartheid Committee Already, $163,000 has been pledged to­ The Burkina Faso Revolution I983- 87 and Michael Douglas, leader, Dom­ ward this fund. But that means Pathfinder then stayed at the table to encourage others supporters need to raise nearly $100,000 Clip and mail to: Pathfinder Fund, 410 inica Labour Party to get the book. West St. , New York, N.Y. 10014. more in pledges and collect all $250,000 Pathfinder's book of speeches by Afri­ by the December 1 deadline. Thus far, Fri., Sept. 9, 7 p.m. can National Congress (ANC) leader Nel­ D Enclosed is $ _ ___ for the Path- $8,500 has been collected. son Mandela, The Struggle Is My Life, also Hunter College Playhouse Raising this much money requires a seri­ finder Fund. attracted buyers. This included one cricket I want to pledge $ _ _ __ to the ous organizing effort . Inspiring workers to D Park Ave at 68th St., Manhattan fan who was a white man from South Af­ Pathfinder Fund. contribute to the fund will be linked to in­ rica. Sponsors: Coalition for Caribbean volving them in both reading and helping Meanwhile, demonstrators in San Juan, Name ______Unity, Anti-Imperialist Organiza­ distribute Pathfinder books themselves. In Puerto Rico, were buying up copies of tions. of Caribbean and Central fact, one of the best ways to convince Habla Nelson Mandela (Nelson Mandela Address ------­ America. For more information, someone they should make a donation is to Speaks), Pathfinder's Spanish-language call (718) 941-2087 or (212) 226- invite them to stand behind a Pathfinder lit­ selection of the ANC leader's speeches. City ------8445. erature table and see the results. The book was the best seller at a Pathfinder State _ _ __ Zip/Postal Code --'-- - Take the Pathfinder table at the August table set up at an August 28 march against Country ______

September 9, 1988 The Militant 3 N. Carolina workers, students hear Warren on 'action program'

BY GREG McCART AN tions. I'm at the point of asking- where liance organized a meeting for Warren at GREENSBORO, N.C.-The highlight do I go to solve these problems. the University of North Carolina at Greens­ of Warren's tour here was his discussions "Warren made a good point as far as fil­ boro on August 29. "He addressed the is­ with workers who are fighting to lead other ing charges with the NLRB [National sues that none of the other candidates will workers to defend their interests in the tex­ Labor Relations Board]," Martin con­ bring up," one student commented after­ tile and garment industries and other fac­ tinued. "We have to go back to the old way wards. "I bought a copy of the Action Pro­ tories in the area. - enforcing contracts through strikes. gram to Jearn more about it. I know the "I try to get my coworkers to see their Working people need to be educated and way things are right now is not the way own humanity and worth," said one pro­ involved in politics." they're supposed to be." duction worker from the local newspaper. Martin planned on reading "An Action Another said that he "needed to get more This, he said, helped workers stand up, see Program to Confront the Coming Econom­ involved. The big problem is that those their common interests, and wage a strug­ ic Crisis" proposed by the Socialist Work­ who are directly affected by the economic gle. He asked why it was harder to get ers Party and setting up a follow-up discus­ crisis have hardly any way to respond. I'm younger workers involved, especially sion with campaign supporters. She said, going to take these ideas out and discuss young Black workers. "A different course is needed for us to them with others." "These young workers have no experi­ fight, and I'm going to figure out what that Nearly 40 people turned out to hear War­ ence in political struggle," Warren said. is." ren at a campaign forum at the Pathfinder Socialist Workers Party presidential "Miiiions of ordinary men and women Members of the Young Socialist AI- Bookstore. candidate James Warren. made history during the civil rights move­ ment. We marched, fought, and died, and knew that only by taking action ourselves could we bring about change. Mickells blasts Ohio ballot exclusion "After the victory of the civil rights movement and with the decline of the lays and confusion in processing voter reg­ Black nationalist movement, there was a istration forms, said Pettit, makes this a lull in the Black struggle to the point where highly suspect category. there was no mass organized movement of On August 22, campaign manager Scott Blacks in struggle. The responsibility for Ware filed a challenge with Brown's of­ this lies in the fact that for 20 years the so­ fice, citing the discrepancies in the valida­ called Black leadership has told us that tion procedure. they will take care of the problems that "We collected more than II ,000 signa­ confront us," Warren said. tures from people in this state who believed "The rally today in Washington, D.C. we have the right to be on the ballot," re-. on the 25th anniversary of the 1963 March marked vice-presidential candidate Mick­ on Washington is a case in point," he said. ells. "And now the secretary of state says it has nothing whatsoever to do with strug­ that we have to start from scratch, despite gle or building a movement. the rock-hard evidence that we more than "It was a campaign rally that promised to met the onerous and undemocratic legal re­ solve the problems of the Black middle quirements for ballot access in this state," class if they can mobilize Black working she explained. people to vote for Dukakis," Warren noted. "The Black middle class," he continued, Claims no responsibility "is and will continue to divide themselves The secretary of state's office denies that off from working people who are Black political discrimination is involved in this and more and more address themselves to case. "That is nonsense," said Steve Fought, their own interests, not ours. This is a a spokesperson for Brown. "We send the necessary process that working people who petitions to the Board of Elections, and are Black must go through to begin to lead they rule on them." themselves." According to Dwayne Pielech, the sec­ Another worker at the meeting said she retary of state's assistant communications marched in the 1963 March on Washington director, the signatures that the party is as a teenager. She said she did not see, de­ contending were wrongly disqualified have spite the claims of Black politicians , that been sent out to county officials to be re­ Blacks as a whole are making any prog­ checked. After that process is completed, a ress. final decision will be made on the SWP's Warren said, "Every one of them tells us ballot status. they will bring about change for us. They Seven other parties have applied to be on will solve our problems. Even if they the November ballot in Ohio, said Pielech. wanted to, they couldn't. We need to ap­ The Democrats and Republicans have al­ peal to our class, to working-class Blacks ready filed and been approved. The New Al­ liance Party, Workers World Party, Liber­ and whites who must forge a leadership in Mickells talks to media about ballot rights fight during August 26 stop in Cleveland the fight for working-class emancipation tarian Party, Workers League, and Lyndon and Black liberation . LaRouche, head of the fascist National "In this year's elections, workers and Democratic Policy Committee, have all BY MARGARET JAYKO ter to presidential candidate James Warren submitted petitions. None of these have farmers are not in a position to impose our CLEVELAND - Kathleen Mickells saying that 6,898 signatures were invalid. political perspectives as a mass alternative been checked yet, said Pielech. September made a special 24-hour stop here on her That meant the campaign was 751 short of 9 is the legal deadline for finalizing the bal­ in the November elections," Warren ex­ nationwide campaign tour to talk to the the 5,000 needed. plained. "What vanguard workers do on lots. media about the attempt by Ohio Secretary In addition, Brown ruled that supporters Campaign organizer Pettit stressed the election day will not be decisive. What is of State Sherrod Brown to keep the names of the SWP ticket couldn't go out and just decisive is what we do between now and importance of "maximizing the political of the Socialist Workers Party candidates collect the 751 signatures, but that statutes pressure on Secretary of State Brown by November and beyond. We must begin to for U.S. president and vice-president off require all 5,000 signatures to be recol­ prepare those we can for the battle ahead." flooding his office with letters" demanding the November election ballot. lected. This, in effect, invalidated every that Warren and Mickells' names be placed petition. "We aren't trying to overthrow the com­ Starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp on August on the ballot. Dozens of such messages pany," said a textile worker. "We want the 26, vice-presidential candidate Mickells Campaign organizer Marty Pettit said have already been sent. The address is company to see that we are human beings, was on the phone in her Cleveland cam­ that once notified of the ruling, supporters Sherrod Brown, secretary of state, State Of­ that we keep the plant running, so that they paign headquarters and spent most of the immediately made photocopies of all the fice Tower, 14th Floor, Columbus, Ohio can treat us fairly. Until they do that, we day talking with reporters at several radio petitions they had fi led in order to investi­ 43266. Copies should be sent to the Ohio will keep fighting. stations. She was also interviewed by the gate Brown's charge. Next to each signa­ Socialist Workers 1988 Campaign Com­ "That is what has changed," Warren re­ Akron Beacon Journal. ture was either a check mark indicating its mittee, 2521 Market Ave., Cleveland, sponded. "With the October stock market validity, or some letters indicating the rea­ Ohio 44113. crash, the announcement has come that In three weeks in May and June, cam­ son the official who checked it was de­ they want to overthrow you. They seek to paign supporters fi elded daily teams to col­ claring it invalid. drive you out of the plant, break your lect signatures on nominating petitions. NEW YORK - Supporters of the So­ union, tear up your contract. They hit industrial work sites, college cam­ More than 200 signatures were termed cialist Workers election campaign aim to "Since World War II," he continued, the puses, shopping centers, and downtown "illegible." A quick look through the peti­ get the party's presidential ticket on the imperialist rulers have carried out wars street comers . Petitioners covered the tion sheets, however, reveals that at least ballot in 18 states and the District of Co­ abroad and have been able to afford rela­ state, gathering signatures in 53 counties. several of these are perfectly clear. lumbia. According to the campaign's bal­ tive class peace at home - not for ev­ More than I 00 names were dubbed "not lot coordinator, Andrea Morrell, the SWP State delays processing signatures eryone, Blacks, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, genuine." Several of these are printed, ticket has been certified on the ballot in and others - but for a majority. Now they The net result was II , 14 7 signatures - rather than in script. 'But in several cases, New Jersey, South Dakota, Utah, Wash­ have to do both ~ go to war in the world more than double the 5,000 legally re­ the printing on the petitions and the print­ ington, and Washington, D.C. and wage class war here. quired. ing on these peoples' voter registration In addition to Ohio, where state officials Koren Martin, president of United Gar­ have challenged the candidates' petitions, The petitions were submitted to the state cards is identical. ment Workers Local 270, commented fol­ ballot requirements have been met in Ala­ on June 23. But Brown's office waited two Cuyahoga County alone disenfranchised lowing Warren's campaign forum: "Of the bama, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, New and a half weeks - until July 11 - to send 563 residents, claiming that the address 150 workers in the plant, 50 belong to the Mexico, New York, and Tennessee. The them to the county boards charged with ex­ they listed did not exist. But a spot-check union. The company has especially vic­ ticket is waiting to be notified of certifica­ amining them. This delay, Mickells charg­ shows that many of these are legitimate ad­ timized workers in their divide-and-rule tion in these states. ed, seriously hampered supporters' ability dresses. tactics. We are part of the 40 percent of the Efforts to get the Warren-Mickells ticket workers in this country who earn Jess than to examine the results of the state's "count" The largest category of signatures dis­ on the ballot in Louisiana, Michigan, and prepare to challenge its ruling. $11 ,000 a year. We have experienced the qualified was the roughly 4,500 that were North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, takebacks in wages and working condi- On August 8, Brown's office sent a Jet- declared "not registered." Enormous de- and Wisconsin are stiii under way.

4 The Militant September 9, 1988 Mickells talks with coal miners, students on Pennsylvania visit

BY MARGARET JAYKO labor movement, and changed the lives of EDINBORO, Pa. -Coal miners in the hundreds of women in the coalfields, who small town of Marianna south of Pitts­ became politically active for the first time burgh, and students here in Edinboro in the ever as part of this battle. northwest comer of the state, were able to White agreed with that, but said the have political discussions with Kathleen question was how to save British coal jobs. Mickells, Socialist Workers Party candi­ "I think that's the wrong starting point," date for U.S. vice-president, when she answered Mickells. "Coal miners in Brit­ toured western Pennsylvania August 27- ain, the United States, and everywhere else 29. in the world have to be concerned about At the annual picnic of United Mine each other's interests, and not about the ef­ Militant/Margaret Jayko fect of competition on British or U.S., or Workers Local 1197 on August 27, many Students at Edinboro State University were interested in learning more about Cuba attending already knew Mickells. She's a any other, coal bosses." There's no solu­ laid-off coal miner from the Marianna area. tion to layoffs if looked at from just a na­ Most of the miners Mickells talked to tional standpoint, she said, "We must join ers were attacking health-and-safety condi­ political activist Mark Curtis. Several peo­ were middle-aged and older, reflecting together in an international fight to ac­ tions on the job. And these conditions will ple signed petitions and some agreed to massive layoffs and years of no new hires complish this ." get worse, she said, as the social and eco­ help gather signatures. at the mine here. Local 1197 organizes nomic crisis facing many working people Discussion Beth Energy's Eighty-Four Complex mine. United States and the Philippines today qualitatively worsens tomorrow . The 420 active miners in the local won a Mickells introduced each person she Mickells talked about the decline of the Mickells was then introduced to Frank, a three-day strike in July over health-and­ U.S. empire since World War II . In tack­ Black miner who's a Vietnam veteran. He talked with to a pamphlet titled An Action safety questions. Program to Confront the Coming Econom­ ling the task of getting rid of the decaying described the racism he experienced in the ic Crisis. It describes the crisis facing capitalist system, she explained, working navy, where Blacks were given almost ex­ Miners in Britain workers and farmers around the world people can learn from the example of the clusively jobs cleaning and cooking. Mickells talked with Gwen White from today, the even graver one that's coming, Cuban socialist revolution and its leader­ Bamsley, a coal-mining center in Britain. "The United States is the best country in and some proposals from the Socialist ship. She urged those present to join the White had first visited the United States in the world," said Frank. He contrasted it Workers Party on how to unite working SWP and Young Socialist Alliance. Every­ 1986 as part of a delegation from Women with the Philippines under Ferdinand Mar­ people internationally to fight back. body stayed for the discussion. Against Pit Closures, a group that was cos' dictatorship. Frank had been there as a Ron asked, "If you were elected, what formed to support the 1984-85 strike by sailor. "People were treated like dirt," he Edinboro State University would your administration do to bring Britain's National Union of Mineworkers. said. On August 29 Mickells went up to Edin­ about the changes that you speak of?'' He White and her husband were back here on "That's a result ofU .S. government pol­ boro State University. The school, situated later told Mickells he was a registered vacation, visiting friends made on the pre­ icy," responded Mickells. Washington in this rural area, has about 7,000 students, Democrat, but he had . always been in­ vious trip. backed the Marcos regime right up until the mainly working-class youth from Pennsyl­ terested in finding out what socialism is all Mickells and White discussed the prob­ very end when a mass popular movement vania and Ohio. Classes hadn't begun yet, about. lems facing working people in the British swept him out of office in 1986, she but freshman were on campus for orienta­ Mickells responded, "There is no ad­ coalfields today in the wake of the defeat of pointed out. tion. ministrative way to solve the big problems the 1984-85 miners' strike and the stepped­ A miner who supports Pat Robertson , Mickells and campus supporters set up a we face here and around the world. The up government attacks on the miners' the fundamentalist television preacher who socialist literature table in the lobby of the difference between my campaign and the union. ran for president in the Republican dining hall . A cafeteria worker helped dis­ Democrats and Republicans is that I don't White, who was a firm supporter of the primaries, joined the discussion. He said it tribute leaflets for a meeting with Mickells think any politician - not even a socialist NUM's strike, said now she wasn't sure was necessary for Washington to tum a that evening. one -can solve working people's prob­ that the battle had been worth it. Weren't blind eye to the abuses committed by Mar­ The posters around the table of Nelson lems. It's only the workers and farmers the miners worse off now than they were cos in order to protect the two mammoth Mandela, imprisoned leader of the African ourselves, organized politically, that can before the strike? U.S. military bases that are located in the National Congress of South Africa, at­ bring about fundamental social change. Philippines. "My opinion is that the government tracted many students. And several Black "The main thing the Socialist Workers wants to close down all the pits [mines], "What do you think those bases are there students were excited to see books and Party has to offer," Mickells continued, "is for?'' Mickells asked him. "To fight the and then reopen some, which would be pamphlets by Malcolm X. our ideas, our fighting perspective, and our privatized," White said. The coal industry enemy," he responded. Mickells said she Erich, from the philosophy club, helped political organization." in Britain is nationalized. But it's not pos­ thought the bases were there - like all staff the table. He used to be in the air The discussion kept returning to the sible, White said, for miners to go on strike other U.S. bases the world over - to de­ force. Now he helps take care of a farm, Cuban revolution. Many participants had again. Many lost their homes and meager fend U.S. economic and political domina­ along with some other students, 30 miles bought that week's issue of the Militant. tion in that area of the world. "They are di­ savings during the strike, and the coal outside of town. which reprinted a speech by Cuban Presi­ bosses have succeeded in splitting the rected against the workers and farmers dent Fidel Castro. They decided they NUM and forming a company union. there - people like ourselves - who de­ Most of the 20 people who came to hear should get together again soon and or· Mickells said she thought the strike had cide to stand up and fight for their rights." the socialist candidate speak at the student ganize a discussion on Cuba. accomplished something. It prevented the Kipp Dawson, a campaign supporter in union learned about the meeting at the table After the meeting, Lance thanked Mick­ government from going ahead unim­ the local, then introduced Mickells to the that day. Some workers from nearby Erie ells, saying that most politicians wouldn 't peded with its plan for closing down mines only member of the local's three-person also participated. Susan Skinner, a Pitts­ even consider coming to their campus and and laying off miners. More importantly, underground safety committee that hadn't burgh steelworker, chaired the meeting. having a real discussion. Several students stressed Mickells, the broad movement been fired after the three-day strike. Mick­ She urged everyone present to join the fight expressed interest in joining the Young So­ that the NUM organized around its strike ells told him that everywhere she had against the cop frame-up of Des Moines cialist Alliance. strengthened the union and the rest of the traveled during her campaign, the employ- Socialist Workers 1988 Israel: Sept. 8 trial set for Campaign pro-Palestinian journalists Volunteers needed! D I endorse the Warren for U.S. president, prisoners, incited by the authorities. They BY HARRY RING Mickells for vice-president campaign. A prison hunger strike by four left-wing were then assigned to an isolation wing on journalists forced the Israeli government to the claim that they had "provoked" the at­ D Send me candidates' biographies. f. ease the particularly harsh conditions im­ tacks. English __ Spanish __ . Or \lice .. As punishment, prisoners are put in the posed on two of the prisoners who are D Here is $4 for a subscription to the Milt . Preside,, women. isolation wing for several days at a time. The four are editorial board members of Efrat and Schwartz were held there for D Here is $3 for a subscription to Perspectiva Mundial. Derech Hanitzotz (Way of the Spark), a about two months. D Send me Action Program to Confront the Coming Eco­ Hebrew-language biweekly, published in The two men, Yaacov Ben-Efrat and nomic Crisis. $1 each; 10 and up, 50¢ each. Specify English Jerusalem, that supports the fight for Pales­ Assaf Adiv, were not put in an isolation or Spanish. Enclosed is $ __ . tinian liberation. wing, but they are denied the right to speak An editor of the Arabic-language edition with fellow prisoners. Officials have of­ D Send me campaign button (pictured above). $1 each; 10 or of the paper is being held without charges fered no justification for this. more, 75¢. each. Enclosed is $__ _ in a prison in Nablus on the West Bank. The four went on the hunger strike in D Enclosed is my $ contribution to the campaign. July to protest the victimization tht~y were The four are slated for trial September 8 D I want to join the Young Socialist Alliance. on charges of membership in the Demo­ being subjected to . They demanJed that their isolation be ended and that they be as­ cratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Clip and mail to Socialist Workers 1988 National Campaign, An affiliate of the Palestine Liberation Or­ signed with other political prisoners. Three leading Palestinian Israeli politi­ 79 Leonard Street. New York, N.Y. 10013. Tel. (212) 941-1174. ganization, the Democratic Front is out­ Name ______lawed by the Israeli government. cal prisoners joined their hunger strike for a day in an act of solidarity. Address ______A legal Israeli publication, Derech Hanit­ The hunger strike won wide media zotz was shut down last February. Soon coverage and, on its conclusion, the two City------State _____ Zip ______women were transferred from the isolation after, the jailing of its editors began. Phone ______Union/school/organization ------The two women editors, Roni Ben-Efrat wing to the regular prison population. and Michal Schwartz, were subjected to A supporter of the four, Ruben Bitter­ Paid for by the 1988 Socialist Workers National Campaign Committee verbal abuse and physical assault by other Continued on Page 12

September 9, 1988 The Militant 5 Fidel Castro's trip to Ecuador deals blow to U.S. efforts to isolate Cuba

BY FRED FELDMAN in Cuba several years ago. The inauguration of President Rodrigo The Cuban team proceeded to organize Borja of Ecuador was the occasion for the systematic elimination of breeding Cuban President Fidel Castro's first trip to places of the mosquitoes in the coastal South America in 17 years. Castro was one areas. About 8,000 breeding places were of seven heads of state who attended the cleaned up, and 250,000 homes were fumi­ In addition to Castro and other heads of state, U.S. Secretary of State Shultz at­ August 10 event. gated to keep the insects out. In about two tended inauguration of new Ecuadoran president, which took place in Congress Castro's last trip to Latin America took months, the epidemic was overcome. meeting hall in Quito (above). Shultz denounced hall's mural as " an insult to the place in 1971, when he toured Chile at the "Cuba's help was quick, without any red United States" because of its characterization of CIA. invitation of President Salvador Allende, tape .. . . It acted as if it were its own prob­ who was assassinated in 1973. lem," declared Dr. Plutarco Naranjo, now Castro was welcomed at the airport in Ecuador's minister of public health, in the the Ecuadoran capital city of Quito by out­ Quito daily El Comercio. going President Leon Febres Cordero. "Aid in difficult times demonstrates true Sandinista leader explains While in Quito, the Cuban leader met with Latin American brotherhood ," Febres Cor­ Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, Argen­ dero said of Cuba's efforts. tine President Raul Alfonsfn, Uruguayan President Julio Sanguinetti, and Portu­ Shultz denounces mural Cuba-Nicaragua solidarity guese President Mario Soares. The inauguration of Febres Cordero's The Cuban head of state also held a dis­ successor was also attended by U.S. Sec­ On July 26 Nicaraguan Interior Min­ proportions than what other countries have cussion with 71 members of the Ecuadoran retary of State George Shultz. Shultz de­ ister Tomas Borge held a news confer­ given us. Cuba has helped in everything. Congress headed by Congress President nounced a mural on the wall of the ence in Santiago, Cuba, for local and in­ Moreover, the Cuban people's infinite Wilfredo Lucero. Castro voiced gratitude Ecuadoran Congress, where the inaugura­ ternational journalists. The Nicaraguan generosity has never come with conditions. for the warm reception from "countless tion took place, as an "insult to the United leader was in Cuba as head of the San­ And Cuba's respectful treatment of our de­ Ecuadorans from all political and social States." One part of the mural depicts a dinista National Liberation Front dele­ cisions has never wavered, from the first levels." skeletal head wearing a military helmet gation to Cuba's July 26 rally, which day of the triumph of our revolution. So Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega had bearing the insignia "CIA." The mural was was addressed by Cuban President Fidel much has been said about Nicaragua being also been invited to the inauguration by the created by Ecuadoran artist Osvaldo Guya­ Castro. a satellite of Cuba, just as it is said that incoming president, but Febres Cordero, samin. Cuba is a satellite of the Soviet Union - who severed diplomatic ties with Nicara­ During Borge's news conference he that is, we are a satellite of a satellite. Shultz delivered a warning to President was asked a question by Julia Preston of gua in 1985, refused to allow Ortega into Borja, according to the August 11 New Things like this are said and I want to tell the country for the event. Ortega arrived the Washington Post about Cuban aid to you that neither Cuba, Fidel, nor any other York Times. A State Department spokes­ Nicaragua. The following is his answer. the next day. man said that Shultz had told Borja that the leader of the Cuban revolution has ever im­ The transcription and translation are by posed on us the slightest condition or asked combination of the mural and the visits of the Militant. Dengue fever epidemic Castro and Ortega "would not send a good us to make a decision in Cuba's interest. One of Borja's first acts in office was to message to the people of the United Our views on issues have coincided, but al­ resume diplomatic relations with Nicara­ Julia, you've given me the opportunity though Fidel sometimes says, "I believe States." to say something important, something I gua. Castro and Ortega's trips to Ecuador this" or "This is my opinion on this or that" Castro's enthusiastic reception from the have always wanted to say. If we had to it's never to the extent of even giving ad­ marked another setback to Washington's measure the solidarity of a country , there Ecuadoran people followed Cuba's active efforts to isolate Cuba and Nicaragua. vice. Such has been Fidel's tact and respect solidarity with Ecuador in the face of a re­ would be no tape measure long enough to toward us. He would say, "Although I In the case of Cuba, where the U.S. pol­ measure Cuba's solidarity with Nicaragua. cent epidemic there . In the first months of icy of ostracism has been in place for de­ know you are going to do something else, the year, dengue fever swept the coastal It would be impossible to set parameters to this is my opinion." cades, the shift, while gradual, has been understand Cuba's infinite degree of sol­ areas around Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest striking. By the end of 1964, every Latin In fact, we frequently do things that do city. More than 900,000 people were strick­ idarity with Nicaragua. What is unseen is not coincide with the Cuban point of view. American government except Mexico had much greater than what is seen. Yes, the en. followed Washington's lead in breaking re­ Although often we do coincide, which is aid we have received from Cuba has no natural since we are brothers. The Cuban government sent a brigade of lations with Havana. Today, every Latin limits. eight doctors and 94 health technicians to American government except those of Co­ Efforts have been made to hinder, deny, Ecuador in May. Cuba's medical personnel lombia, Paraguay, and Chile has diploma­ From the first day that [Nicaraguan Min­ and break up this relationship with Cuba. I had combatted an outbreak of dengue fever tic relations with Cuba. ister of Education] Fernando Cardenal or­ must say- since I am in Cuba and I've al­ ganized the literacy crusade, thousands of ways wanted to say it - that anything can Cuban teachers came to Nicaragua. When happen here. We could all be destroyed. If volunteers to go to Nicaragua were re­ all Nicaraguans had to choose between Subscribe to 'Perspectiva Mundial' quested here, all the teachers of Cuba of­ dying, or maintaining our relations with fered to go. A selection had to be made. I Cuba, we would all prefer to die before haven't the slightest doubt that if it was breaking relations with our brother repub­ Castro's July 26 speech necessary to ask for volunteers to go to lic of Cuba. work with the Nicaraguans or fight for the I am not saying this out of demagoguery As a reader of the Militant Nicaraguans, if sign-up tables were set up or because I am in Cuba, but because it is you are familiar with our week­ here and everyone who wanted to go was necessary to express this sentiment that we ly coverage of the struggles of accepted, Cuba would be left without any have kept to ourselves - I at least have inhabitants. working people around the kept it locked in my heart for many years Although it is not an oil-producing coun­ - and I wanted to say it in this country world. try, Cuba has given us oil, and in greater some time. I have finally done it. If you can read or are study­ ! Libertad para Nelson ing Spanish, there is a com­ Mandela! plementary monthly magazine for you: Perspectiva Mundial. 1980s U.S. immigration higher PM is a Spanish-language so­ cialist magazine that carries than any time in history many of the same articles you read in the Militant. Immigration to the United States in the law. Assuming a similar pace of legal im­ "Cuba will never adopt meth­ 1980s has been the highest in the history of migration for the rest of the decade, the the country. At current rates, by 1990 some statisticians predicted the record total. ods of capitalism," said Cuban 9 million immigrants are expected to have The immigration statistics highlight the President Fidel Castro during a been officially admitted to the United changing composition of the U.S. popula­ speech he gave in Santiago, ESPECIAL : 'Cuba jamas adoptara States in this decade, surpassing the total of tion. The largest group of immigrants from Cuba, on July 26, 1988. metodos del capitalismo' -Fidel Castro 8.7 million who came from 1901 to 1910. 1901 - 1920 came from southern and east­ The bulk of this speech is The expected figure is double the em Europe, with people from western featured in PM's September number who were admitted in the 1970s. Europe and Scandinavia close behind. Subscriptions: Introductory issue. The years 190 1- 10 and the 1980s are the In the current decade, the largest number offer: $3 for six months; $9 for only decades that the number entering has of legally admitted immigrants has come In this speech Castro focuses one year. surpassed 8 million. from Asia, with immigrants from Latin on Cuba's rectification process The statistics, included in a report issued America in second place. Asia and Latin Begin my sub with current issue. and the decisive role Cuban D by the Center for Immigration Studies, America account for 85 percent of recent troops played in the historic Name ------does not include several million un­ immigrants. victory this spring in southern Address ______documented immigrants - so-called "il­ About 70 percent of the recent immi­ Angola against invading troops legals" - who also arrived since 1980. grants settled in six states - New York, of South Africa's apartheid re­ City/State/Zip ------­ The figures include 4 million people ad­ California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, mitted as permanent residents in the first and Illinois. Nearly 100,000 immigrants gime. Clip and mail to PM, 410 West St., seven years of this decade, thousands who settled in New York City during the 1987 New York, NY 10014. have been granted political asylum, and fiscal year alone , while some 64,000 set­ 2.4 million undocumented immigrants who tled in the Los Angeles area and another have applied for amnesty under current 38,000 in Miami.

The Militant September 9, 1988 6 ' .. • .. ' ,' f -~ . ~· '! . Communist movement wins new members 39 decide to join at Socialist Workers Party national convention

BY HARRY RING "One really important thing for me," he Hearing his description of the six-story Wayne, a New Yorker, had started out A gratifying number of people joined the adds, "is when I went to a rally of striking mural featuring international revolutionary aiming to be a professional artist. He soon Socialist Workers Party and Young Social­ paperworkers in Jay, Maine. figures, she immediately wrote to Alewitz learned that it isn't that easy. In community ist Alliance at the party's convention and "I got to see what actually happens when explaining she was a novice artist who college he got involved in consumer and the international educational and activists workers get into a struggle," he said. "And would like to help. Her offer was accepted environmental issues. conference held in conjunction with it. how these workers progress so much in and on a visit to New York she was able to In April of 1987 he went to Washington At the Oberlin, Ohio, gathering in early their understanding of capitalism. It con­ work for a number ofdays on the mural. for the march of 125,000 against the U.S.­ August, 29 people joined the SWP and 12 vinced me there was hope for major prog­ That was an exciting experience, she sponsored contra war in Nicaragua. the YSA. Of these , two joined both organi­ ress." said. But even more so was learning what zations, for a total of 39 individuals. When he came to Oberlin, Dave was was inside the Pathfinder Building, all of Read 'Young Socialist' Also, two people joined the Communist weighing the idea of joining the SWP. which was news to her. She visited the There, he and a friend bought a copy of League of Britain, and one the Revolution­ "Then," he said, "I heard Jack Barnes' re­ Pathfinder offices and the offices of the the Young Socialist. On his return, that ary Workers League of Canada. port and that decided me ." He said he is Militant , Perspectiva Mundial, and New brought him to the Pathfinder Bookstore, In the weeks prior to the gathering it was planning to move to another city. ''I'm re­ International. And saw the presses roll in the YSA, forums, and classes. apparent that there were new opportunities ally excited about going somewhere else, the printing plant. Wayne joined the YSA and, at Oberlin, for winning members to the movement. A getting an industrial job and seeing what I On her return to Los Angeles, Mary Ann decided he also wanted to be in the party. special recruiting effort was organized ac­ can do," he said. began visiting the Pathfinder Bookstore "I met people from around the world," he cordingly. At Oberlin, Julie from London decided and attending forums and classes. The next said, "and I decided I wanted to be part of The principal political report to the con­ to join the Communist League of Britain. step was to come to the Oberlin conference this international movement." vention by SWP National Secretary Jack She had met league members while active where she made the decision to join. Francisco is a factory worker in the Barnes concluded with a strong appeal for in anti-apartheid and abortion rights cam­ "Politics have been part of my life since Newark area. He first met the SWP at one people to join up. Other major reports also paigns. She also began reading Pathfinder I realized they existed," she explained. of its literature tables during a demonstra­ zeroed in on this . books "and became more and more aware "But now I've found a framework where tion for Puerto Rican rights. He talked The convention took the unusual step of of what was happening in the world. I felt I they can be an integral, working part of my briefly with the people at the table, "and I electing a committee empowered to vote on wanted to do something about it. At first I life." decided on the spot to subscribe to Per­ membership applications. thought you could do something on an indi­ spectiva Mundial. This committee was augmented by a vidual basis." Farm worker "After that I subscribed to the Militant, broader task force including revolutionary But, she added, the work of the Com­ Sergio, 16, came from Mexico only a began going to the forums , doing small activists from other countries. It organized munist League made a big impact on her, few months ago and is a farm worker in tasks to contribute to the struggle. and then coming to Oberlin and participat­ Northern California. special meetings for those considering "It's been pretty clear to me for a long joining, and there were countless addi­ ing in the rich political agenda "was like He had taken some high school courses time that you have to approach the Puerto the last straw. There was no way I couldn't in political science, but his real political tional hours of individual discussion. Rican struggle in the context of the interna­ join." education began with his experiences in the Those who joined the SWP came from tional working-class struggle," he ob­ Initially, joining had seemed like a big 15 cities. Los Angeles took first place with United States. served. five new members. Miami was second with commitment. "Your whole life is taken up "In Mexico," he said, "people have the Francisco has helped staff literature ta­ by it, going into industry, joining the fight." four. The new members included two Ira­ idea that the United States is a bank where bles in his community and found "a grow­ But now , she added, "It's become very nians, two Haitians, two Salvadorans, a you go to draw out money. " ing· enthusiasm" for the party's ideas, "not important to me to do this . Now it doesn't Grueling work in fruit orchards, living in Cuban, a Puerto Rican, and a Honduran. only among Puerto Ricans and other feel like a 'commitment.' It's a question tents with no beds, and wages as low as The youths who joined the YSA in­ Latinos, but also among North American of, 'When can I start?'" cluded a Kenyan, a Pakistani, a Mexican, a $15 a day quickly disposed of whatever il­ workers, particularly Black workers." Mary Ann of Los Angeles joined both Puerto Rican, and an Australian. Three lusions Sergio may have had. Jose, a student in the Newark area, is the YSA and SWP. She was initially at­ In addition, he met Carlos, a cannery former members of the SWP rejoined. from Guatemala and says he's always been tracted to the movement by the Pathfinder worker who had been involved in the bit­ interested in politics. So, when he saw an What lead them to join? Mural Project in New York. terly fought , victorious 18-month strike of SWP-YSA literature table at his campus he Earlier this year she had visited Mexico cannery workers in Watsonville. Carlos In interviews, a number of the new bought some books and a subscription to and had been impressed by the many out­ discussed politics with Sergio, provided members discussed what led them to join. Perspectiva Mundial . He received notices standing murals there. Most of these have him with copies of Perspectiva Mundial, At 16, Karla, a Salvadoran from Los of Newark forums and began attending. social and political themes. and invited him to forums of the SWP in Angeles, is already a veteran of the YSA , Intent on winning others, Jose said, "I Returning, she thought about why there which she joined three years ago. Oakland. have a lot of friends that I want to tell about seemed to be no similar mural movement At Oberlin, Sergio decided to join. "I've Initially, she was attracted to the Los this and why they should join. Many of Angeles Pathfinder Bookstore, located in a in this country. learned a lot at the conference about the them are already thinking about politics. large Central American community. There Then, on a Los Angeles radio station, she situation we're living in," he said. "And I This is the best way to support Nicaragua heard an interview with Mike Alewitz, the learned about how to communicate that to she saw the Young Socialist magazine, and and Central America. It's something we artist who conceived the idea of the Path­ other people so that we'll be able to do right below it, a sign, "Join the Young So­ must do here to defend the revolutionary cialist Alliance." "So," Karla recalls, "I fig­ finder mural and prepared its basic design. something about it." movements in Central America and all of ured I was young and I considered myself a the world." socialist, so I decided soon after to join." Now, she says, "after three years in the Literature table YSA, I figured it's time for me to broaden Derold, a student in the Miami area, is my mind. The YSA is a great organization, Convention-goers grab up from Haiti. He first encountered the SWP but if you really want to be a communist, and YSA at a literature table in Miami's you belong in the party." Marxist books, pamphlets "Little Haiti." He bought several books and Participating in classes leading up to the began attending meetings. convention, and hearing SWP presidential nominee James Warren had pretty much He had already been interested in poli­ convinced her to join the SWP. But the tics and had read a good bit, "But I wasn't Oberlin gathering cinched it. very well informed about socialism. Now I'm learning a great deal from the party and · Wisconsin worker YSA." He added, "Coming across that table Sam, a factory worker and shop steward was very important to me and it's impor­ from Green Bay, Wisconsin, met the party tant for the community. So, yes, I'll be early this year when an SWP member from proud to be behind that table, to help Milwaukee sold him a Militant at a rally of spread the ideas, help make people aware." striking paperworkers. Ronald is also from Haiti and also first In the 1960s, Sam had been active in encountered the SWP and YSA at a litera­ Democratic Party politics but finally saw ture table in Little Haiti. "it was rigged in favor of the capitalists." "But," he said ruefully, "I didn't get the For a number of years he limited himself address." to activity on the job but kept thinking At the table, he bought Che Guevara about politics. For the past several years, and the Cuban Revolution, a compilation he said, "I considered myself a com­ of the writings of the famed revolutionary munist." leader. "I had always admired Che," After reading the Militant, he subscribed Ronald said. "But when I read the book, I and began attending forums and classes in was amazed by the many ideas Che had. So Milwaukee and reading Pathfinder books. I wanted to meet the people who sold me "The first thing was the Communist Man­ the book." ifesto," he said. "I think that's as relevant Then he ran into another literature table today as when it was written." at Miami Community College. And, also, From the outset, Sam felt at home with there was a leaflet announcing that Kath­ the SWP. He says, "This is the first group­ leen Mickells, the SWP vice-presidential ing of people that I've been around who candidate, would be speaking there. Ron­ think like I do." ald attended, listened to Mickells' presen­ Dave was a college student in Albany, tation, and had the opportunity to have a New York. Last spring, he dropped out, 1em political discussion with her. came down to New York City and joined An expansive Pathfinder table at recent Socialist Workers Party national con­ He too began attending meetings and the YSA. vention and international education and activists conference was site of brows­ classes. And then he piled into a van with When he entered college, he explained, ing, buying, and political discussions. Almost $15,000 in literature was sold others from Miami for the 22-hour drive to he had been a liberal. "I campaigned for over five days. Best sellers were Thomas Sankara Speaks , 455 copies; FBI on Oberlin. Mario Cuomo for governor." It took two Trial and Cointelpro:The FBI's Secret War on Political Freedom, 200 copies It was well worth it, he says. "The con­ years of discussion with a campus YSA each; Action Program to Confront the Coming Economic Crisis, 782 copies; So­ ference drove home to me that this is really member and a fight to get CIA recruiters cialism and Man in Cuba, 39 copies; and 79 separate volumes of Capital. an international struggle, not just in my off campus to finally persuade Dave where Eighty-six copies of different issues of New International were also sold. country or just in this country. It's every­ he belonged. where around the world."

September 9, 1988 The Militant 7 iark Curtis political activist. unionist. GJ

BY NORTON SANDLER life for the last 11 years." "The mining companies are destroying "The union officials at Hayes were much DES MOINES, Iowa- "The cops and Curtis recounted how he became in­ the beauty of the area. There used to be a lake older." Curtis said . "Many were in their prosecutor say this is a criminal case, not a volved in politics. up there," Curtis recalled, "but it's gone now. 50s and had been in the plant when it was political case. The mining lowered the water table. Every segregated. I asked one of them if he had "They say it's a coincidence that the FBI Indian struggles in New Mexico year I would go home and the lake was smal­ heard about the demonstration. has files on me," Mark Curtis explained. His family lived on Indian reservations ler and smaller. Now it's just dry." "He said, 'Yes, somewhere.' I noticed "They claim it's just a coincidence that a while he was growing up. His father, Stan, the UA W International's mailing on the union activist, a political activist, was ar­ was a teacher for the Bureau of Indian Af­ YSAmember march lying in a trash can. He embar­ rested three days after immigration cops fairs. His mother, Jane, worked as a nurse Curtis joined the Young Socialist Al­ rassedly fished it out and said, 'Yes, we raided the Swift meat-packing plant and for the Indian Health Service. liance within weeks of enrolling at the Uni­ should go to this. ' " , just a few hours after I attended a meeting For a number of years, the family lived versity of New Mexico in Albuquerque in "Because of company-inspired harass­ to protest that raid." in New Mexico. "Our home in Mariano the fall of 1977. ment, it was a fight for socialists to conduct Curtis, a 29-year-old packinghouse work­ Lake was about 50 miles from Gallup on "I met YSA members at a literature political activity at Hayes," Curtis -x­ er, was talking about his frame-up on rape the New Mexico side of the Navajo Na­ table," he said. "All the things they were plained. "The company would egg on a and burglary charges during an interview at tion," said Curtis. talking about fit with what I had been group of right-wingers. My roll-away [tool his defense committee office in Des "There was a lot of racism in the schools thinking." box] was vandalized around the time of the Moines a few weeks ago. He is accused of there," he said, "but my parents taught me He became involved in the antinuclear U.S. invasion of Grenada. forcing his way into a house and attempting not to be a racist." movement on campus and the fight against "Harassment came up maybe five times to rape a 15-year-old Black high school The struggles of the Navajos against the the Bakke decision - a court case that in a big way while I was there. Each time student last March 4. conditions they face had a big impact on sought to overturn affirmative action gains we got a lot of backing from our coworkers Curtis has explained that when he left his Curtis. for Blacks, Latinos, and women. and the right-wingers would get isolaterl." house that evening, after attending the In 1975, activists from the American In­ Inspired by the revolutions in Iran and Curtis ran as a Socialist Workers f>-<'<.ty meeting to protest the raid at Swift, a dian Movement (AIM) took over the Fair­ Nicaragua, Curtis joined the Albuquerque candidate for Congress from Alabama in young woman flagged him down at a traf­ child electronics plant in Shiprock, New branch of the Socialist Workers Party in 1984. fic light. She said a man was after her and Mexico, demanding an end to layoffs and 1979. The company didn't like having antiwar pleaded with Curtis to drive her home. discrimination in the plant. Rather than He went to work at the Motorola plant and antiracist fighters in the plant. After an When they arrived at the house a few min­ give in to their demands, the company that year after the YSA decided to concen­ incident with the right-wingers , the com­ utes later, she asked Curtis to wait on the closed the plant. trate its members in the industrial unions. pany claimed Curtis and another socialist "We did some good work there collecting had falsified their job applications and fired porch while she checked inside, which he During this period, AIM leaders de­ did. 75 names on petitions opposing the them. tained the mayor of Gallup in a sporting reinstitution of the military draft," Curtis He never saw the woman again. goods store to dramatize their demands. remarked. Central America solidarity The cops arrived a moment later and After the mayor ran out of the store, the In 1981 Curtis went on a YSA-organized During his four years in Alabama, Curtis grabbed him. They took him inside the police opened fire, murdering the Indian youth tour to Cuba. He saw firsthand how was active in the Birmingham Committee house and pulled down his pants. He was activists. The next Saturday there was a the Cubans were building a society that in Solidarity With Central America. "I was then taken to jail and brutally beaten. Cur­ huge demonstration in Gallup. There were served the interests of working people, not one of the two or three people who took a tis was charged with second-degree rape. also a number of walkouts by Indian stu­ a handful of wealthy employers. lot of organizational responsibility for the He was also charged with assaulting the dents at the high schools, Curtis said. He moved to Birmingham, Alabama, committee," he said. cops who beat him. "My parents knew I would take the In­ the same year. "A recession was coming on The group carried out educational activ­ At an arraignment hearing in April, the dians' side, but they didn't want me to get and it was tough to get a job. The steel in­ ity and participated in demonstrations prosecutor changed the charges to second­ involved." dustry in particular was really down," he against the U.S.-organized contra war in degree burglary and third-degree sexual as­ After graduating from high school , Cur­ sault. Under Iowa law, anyone convicted said. He worked a year in a nonunion lum­ Nicaragua and Washington's backing to tis worked at the United Nuclear Co. in the government in El Salvador. on these counts, faces a mandatory 25-year beryard before getting hired as a mechanic Church Rock. "At that time it was the at Hayes Aircraft in 1982. That company "We didn't know it at the time, but the jail term. biggest uranium mine in the world. It was made C-130 military transport planes. FBI was investigating our group as part of It wasn't until Curtis attended a deposi­ cold going down and hot underground. Curtis was active in the United Auto their investigation of the Committee in~ l­ tion hearing on May 31 that he found out Most of the workers were experienced hard­ Workers union (UA W) at Hayes, helping idarity With the People of El Salvador that the woman he gave a ride to on March rock miners from back east or Colorado," to get the union to participate in the August (CISPES). I only found out about this after 4 is not the same woman the cops claim he Curtis said. 1983 march for "Jobs, Peace, and Free­ my arrest," Curtis said. attempted to rape. "The 'grizzly man' job, which was the dom,:' in Washington, D.C., which was "The FBI was trying to destroy CIS PES. Curtis' trial will begin at the Polk hardest in the mine, was always forced on an organized by civil rights organizations and The government used this investigation as County Courthouse here on September 7. Indian. The grizzly man had to take large endorsed by several unions. a jumping off point to go after 150 organi- "Why was I arrested, why was I beaten? hunks of ore and hit them with a sledgeham­ Why did the FBI spy on me? It wasn't be­ mer until they broke into small chunks." cause of any crimes I committed," Curtis Curtis said the company had the workers emphasized. "It's because of who I am, shower in water that was pumped out of the what I stand for, what I've done with my mine. Prosecutor uses bearing to hm .------Des Moines------...., BY ELLEN WHITT DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. I - The Iowa Des Moines prosecutor tried to use a hear­ ing early this morning to harass and attack CoDJe to 2nd the democratic rights of Mark Curtis and international his supporters. Judge Anthony Critelli called the hear­ defense rally Eor ing after Assistant Polk County Prosecutor Catherine Thune claimed that the judge's July 19 court order had been violated be­ Mark Curtis cause Curtis defense committee leaflets Political activist were passed out at Hoover High School where alleged rape victim Demetria Morris framed-up on rape charges attends school. That order prohibited contact between &: beaten by Des Moines cops Curtis and Demetria Morris and her family. During the past week, leaflets contain­ ing the facts on Curtis' case and publiciz­ Sunday, September 4, 2 p.m. ing a September 4 rally, have been distrib­ uted at four high schools, two colleges, Detroit Mayor Coleman Young (left) am! Des Moines Convention Center two dozen factory gates, and several shop­ 5th and Grand ping centers in this city. are among those who have sent messa~ ; o Thune argued that the young woman got Speakers: upset when her friends at school received signed to intimidate working people from the leaflets. But Thune added that Deme­ getting involved in politics and standing up Susan Mnumzana representative of the Mrican National Congress tria Morris did not see Mark Curtis distrib­ for their rights. Today they tried to take the of South Mrica • Jack Barnes national secretary of Socialist Workers ute the leaflets. additional step of banning the constitu­ Party • Piri Thomas Puerto Rican author and poet • Roger Alii· The judge asked if Thune had any wit­ tional right to freedom of speech," he said. nesses who had seen Curtis distribute the "These kinds of attacks will more and son director of Missouri Rural Crisis Center • Hector Marroquin leaflets. The prosecutor said no. more be the norm as the economic and ~ J ­ Mexican-born socialist fighting for permanent residence in the U.S. • Will· Critelli turned to Curtis' attorney Mark cial crisis deepens in this country and iam Taylor president of Oil. Chemical and Atomic Workers union Local Pennington, and asked him if Curtis had around the world. That's why workers, authorized the distribution of leaflets. farmers , and young people have such a big 7-507 • Father William Callahan national coordinator of Quest After Pennington said no, Mark Curtis was stake in defending the Bill of Rights." for Peace • Carroll Nearmyer Iowa State president. American Ag­ called to the stand. Curtis testified that he As his trial nears, Curtis is continuing to riculture Movement • Ed Long, Jr. striking member of United Paper­ had not authorized the leafleting. win new support for his fight against the The judge then ruled that his court order frame-up. workers International Union Local 1787 • Kathleen Mickells So­ had not been violated. cialist Workers Party candidate for vice-president • Afterwards, Curtis defense committee "I write to express my concern regarding Catherine the arrest and upcoming trial of union and New Wave. Iowa City • director. Latin Ameri­ coordinator Stu Singer said, "This hearing Walsh Mike Henry reinforces what we have been saying all political activist Mark Curtis ," Detroit can Human Rights Advocacy Center, Iowa City • Edna Griffin along about this being a political case, Mayor Coleman Young wrote to Polk longtime Des Moines civil rights fighter • Julie Mungai defendant in which is an attack on the democratic rights County Prosecutor James Smith . of everyone." 8 deportation case • "As an early union organizer, I am con­ ~•,s5C "c ~ Mark Curtis "The frame-up of Mark Curtis is de- cerned that Mr. Curtis may be being haras-

8 The Militant September 9, 1988 112iwar lighter the victim ol a frame-up

Curtis and other YSA leaders went on the right of the immigrants to live and work speaking tours explaining the significance here. Curtis attended the second meeting at of the Nicaraguan revolution and the strug­ the community center. gle against apartheid in South Africa. "It was mostly guys from the kill-floor," "In early 1986 the YSA participated in Curtis said. "Company representatives were the 100,000-strong proabortion march in there as well. Speaking in Spanish, I said, Washington, D.C.," Curtis said. 'We need to get the union involved. It's not In the fall of 1986 he was one of a just an issue for the workers arrested, it's number of SWP members who moved to an attack on everybody in the plant. I vol­ Des Moines; Omaha, Nebraska; and Austin, unteered to begin to reach out to the rest of Minnesota, to join the struggles of working the workers at Swift." people there. A few hours later Mark Curtis was ar­ Curtis got hired at the Swift beef-pack­ rested on the frame-up charges. ing plant. His wife Kate Kaku works at the "The prosecutor claims," he continued, Oscar Mayer plant in nearby Perry, Iowa. "that in the midst of all this political work, Mark Curtis, who has never been arrested, Packing industry had no criminal record, managed to at­ Meat-packing had the highest injury rate tempt a sex crime but was prevented in the of any industry in 1986 - the last year nick of time by the police." government figures are available. Since getting back on his feet from the Nearly 80 percent of the 600 workers in police beating, Curtis has spoken to dozens the Swift plant suffered an injury last year, of meetings around the country and in Can­ Curtis said. Cuts from the knives, amputa­ ada. Thousands in the United States and in­ tions, and carpal tunnel syndrome are the ternationally have sent messages to the Des most common injuries. Moines cops demanding that the charges "Swift treats workers as if they were dis­ against him be dropped and the cops who posable razor blades," Curtis explained. beat him be prosecuted. A layer of workers "They use you for a while and then throw at Swift, Curtis says, are among his strong­ you out. At a union meeting last spring, the est backers. business agent reported that Swift had He is also proud of the support his par­ hired 3,000 workers in a 12-month period. ents and other family members are giving "The company uses this to try to break him. A file folder in the defense committee down solidarity. They tell you it's not offices is full of protest letters Curtis' rela­ worth learning the new workers' names be­ tives have sent the Des Moines police. cause they won't be there tomorrow." In the last several months he has spoken The company tried to fire Curtis in De­ to or corresponded with a number of other cember 1987. "I was grabbing cattle paunch­ victims of government frame-ups. "We es. They were too heavy and I pulled the have been able to back each other up in our muscles in my back. I told the boss that I fights for justice. Mark Curtis and his wife Kate Kaku. A few hours before arrest, Curtis attended had to see a doctor. He said I couldn't "All the support I've gotten gives me meeting to protest immigration cop raid at the Swift beef-packing plant in Des leave. confidence that we will ultimately win this MQines. "After a couple hours, I told him I was fight," Curtis emphasized. leaving because of the pain. He walked zations involved in legal political activity," during Curtis' tour of that city last spring. alongside me hollering, 'You're going to he emphasized. "Those files aren't some After an article on the case appeared in a be fired, you're going to be fired.' Iowa activist wins ~;nd of harmless stenography. The FBI vis­ Birmingham daily newspaper, Curtis said, "I got help in fighting the firing from my ited people's landlords, they got them he got several more calls from people ex­ union steward and from many coworkers," kicked out of their apartments. They tried pressing solidarity. said Curtis. "It actually came down to a lit­ new support at to get people fired from their jobs." Curtis moved to New York in the sum­ tle hearing where a company official lied A number of Birmingham solidarity ac­ mer of 1985 to work in the Young Socialist through his teeth about what happened. But union conventions tivists are giving Curtis strong backing in Alliance national office. He served as na­ two coworkers who saw what happened his fight. Some attended the public meeting tional chairperson of the YSA. testified on my behalf and I got the job "Unions and union members are among back." the best supporters of my case," Mark Cur­ tis said in a recent telephone interview. In Many workers at Swift were born in July and August the packinghouse worker Mexico, El Salvador, Laos, Thailand, attended four union conventions. Vietnam, and other countries, in addition russ Curtis and his supporters At the United Food and Commercial to the United States. There is no way you Workers convention in San Francisco 200 can fight for better conditions, he said, un­ tis and prosecute the cops who beat him. delegates signed a petition demanding that In Des Moines, supporters of the Curtis less you fight to cut across the divisions Des Moines prosecutor James Smith drop defense committee got a warm welcome management promotes among the workers. the charges against Curtis. "A significant On March 1 Immigration and Naturali­ when they spoke about the case at the New number of UFCW members had heard zation Service cops invaded the Swift Friendship Church of God and Christ in the about my case, particularly the delegates Black community on August 27. More than plant. The raid took place not long after the from Canada," Curtis said. new immigration law went into effect. 20 people signed the petition. At the United Steelworkers of America "The INS cops would begin weaving On August 27 in Minneapolis, supporters convention in Las Vegas, Curtis met dele­ their way down the line," Curtis said. "A of Mark Curtis attended the "Take Back the gates from Birmingham, Alabama, where boss was with them. They would just come Night" conference and rally. These events he used to live. "They introduced me to up to somebody and grab them." are sponsored annually by a variety of union vice-president Leon Lynch," Curtis Seventeen Latino workers were arrested feminist organizations, battered women's said. A delegate from Minnesota and one and charged with felonies. Several had shelters, rape-crisis centers, and academic from southern Illinois went out of their way applied for amnesty under the new law. bodies such as the University of Minnesota to help out by bringing others to the guest The government went through the Swift Women's Studies Center. section to meet me." The aim of the event is to draw attention personnel files, comparing the information "At the Postal Workers convention in there with the supposedly confidential am­ to violence against women and children. Chicago I spoke with the head of the Iowa Over the course of the day, several thou­ nesty application forms . delegation, and the unionist who puts out sand participated. The next day many other Latinos didn't the newsletter in Des Moines," he said. Working off an information table, back­ California Congressman Ronald Dellums come to work. "The company had to slow Others from Des Moines came down to ers of Mark Curtis were able to introduce down the line because so many workers visit the Curtis defense committee table C ~tis case to Des Moines officials. many to his case. They began by explain­ were out," Curtis said. "That's when the and took literature on the case. ing that Mark Curtis is charged with at­ discussions about the raid really began to "No less than three workers said they sed for his political beliefs, rather than fairly tempted rape. take place." knew of cases where postal union members investigated and brought to trial for actual Eighty-five signed the defense commit­ The following day, however, most were had been framed up. It is always the same criminal activity," Young continued. tee petitions. Many expressed anger that back on the job. By March 4, many Latino story," said Curtis, "a supervisor doesn't In a message to Des Moines Police Chief the cops and prosecutor would cynically workers at Swift and their families were in like a worker and has them falsely accused William Moulder, California Congressman use the rape frame-up against Curtis, a a fighting mood. A meeting was called at of theft." Ronald Dellums wrote, "I add my voice to longtime fighter for women's rights. the nearby Mexican American Community At the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Work­ t. . .! many who are asking that you investi­ Twenty more signed the petition the Center that afternoon. When the company ers union convention in Florida, Curtis' de­ gate the circumstances surrounding the ar­ same day at a picnic sponsored by the Min­ tried to block their attendance at the meet­ fense committee collected dozens of signa­ rest and severe beating while under deten­ neapolis Urban League. ing, eight or nine workers walked off the tures on petitions and raised some $200 for tion of Mark Curtis." The September 4 defense committee line. They only returned after Swift brought his legal expenses. The Mark Curtis Defense Committee rally in Des Moines will begin at the down­ a community activist to the plant to assure Curtis also had a successful tour of the has also received copies of letters protest­ town Convention Center at 2:00P.M. them that a second meeting would be held Chicago-Gary area, speaking before three ing the arrest and beating of Curtis from The committee is organizing a reception later in the day. steel union locals. Loni Hancock, the mayor of Berkeley, at its office in the Pathfinder bookstore in Curtis says the resistance that developed The vice-president of Local 1014 at the ( lifornia; George Baker, president of the Des Moines after the rally. The next day to the raid shows that immigrant workers, USX mill in Gary introduced him at the Mailhandlers union Local 300 in New the committee is sponsoring a class on the in increasing numbers, not only aren't union meeting. "The membership really re­ York; and Dis mas Becker, a Wisconsin political legacy of revolutionary leader going to be intimidated from fighting back sponded," Curtis said. "A woman sug­ state representative. Malcolm X, followed by a fundraising pic­ against the conditions the employers try to gested that a collection be taken up on the At the annual meeting of the Federation of nic at a nearby farm. impose, but they are also going to be spot for my defense. Someone else urged Southern Cooperatives in Birmingham, Al­ among the leaders of future union battles. that a plant-gate collection be taken. Others abama, 51 farmers si g~ed petitions demand­ Natasha Terlexis in Minneapolis also con­ At Swift, Curtis was involved in dozens indicated that they would try to get to Des ing that Smith drop the charges against Cur- tributed to this article. of discussions about the raid. He defended Moines for the September 4 rally."

September 9, 1988 The Militant 9 Imperialism's problems in subjugating Caribbean

Imperialism's attempts at cultural domination of the Since 1986 several Caribbean heads of state have spo­ far from being vanquished, is regaining its place on the Caribbean in the 1980s have been more successful than ken out, some desperately, others plaintively, at the U.S. political agenda for the region as we move into the 1990s. its efforts at complete political subjugation. Unedited government's arbitrary cuts in its import sugar quotas. What effects has the Reagan administration's econom­ U.S. television programs (with commercials et. al.), In a move that surprised some for its boldness, but that ic policies had on the social and economic life of the peo­ trashy Hollywood movies, comic books, and comical con was hailed in many quarters as courageous, Caribbean ples and nations of the Caribbean? Where can we find the men masquerading as evangelical preachers have com­ leaders recently sent a collective letter to Reagan protest­ wondrous results of Reagan's magic marketplace or the bined to unleash an unprecedented cultural invasion on ing the heavy-handed manner by which the U.S. Justice "triumph of democracy and freedom" anywhere in the re­ Caribbean mass consciousness. Department and U.S. drug enforcement agents were dis­ gion in 1988? Search as you may, such rosy pictures are Despite this all-pervasive onslaught, however, more regarding Caribbean laws and interfering in the region's difficult to find. and more patriotic elements of Caribbean society are affairs as they carried out their antidrug operations. Instead, a critical view of the Caribbean's political With their political futures in jeopardy, stemming from economy will reveal the other face of paradise, the face their inability to solve the grave social and economic hidden behind the glitzy tourist brochures, the pock­ problems of working people, some of these politicians marked face of the crisis. CARIB NOTES are demonstrating a newfound sensitivity to the progres­ We are left with massive unemployment throughout sive sentiments of the masses. the islands in the sun and a collective indebtedness so On the other hand, an emerging convergence of factors huge that the Caribbean today ranks first as the region Don Rojas already alluded to is creating new revolutionary currents with the highest per capita foreign debt in the world. We and opening up new prospects and possibilities for the ship out more money to the transnational banks in New Caribbean left. This is so even though, in absolute terms, York, Chicago, and Philadelphia than we receive as in­ the left remains weak following the overturn of the Gre­ vestment capital from the north. today joining efforts to defend the cultural and intellec­ nada revolution in 1983. But neither is the right in there­ tual sovereignty of the peoples of the islands. Countries with some of the most fertile soil to be found gion as powerful a force as Reagan and his cowboys set anywhere and surrounded by waters teeming with fish Nationalist trends in the Caribbean mass conscious­ out to make it. ness have also put pressure on the neocolonial political still must import $1 billion worth of food paid for with and economic elites to modify and in some cases even For example, the Caribbean Democratic Union (CDU), hard-earned foreign exchange in order to keep their peo­ abandon the more vulgar proimperialist attitudes and po­ a coalition of conservative political parties, has yet to live ple from starving every year. sitions they used to adopt on key regional and interna­ up to the hopes invested in it by its architects at the Heri­ Then there is the systematic abuse of human rights and tional issues. tage Foundation and the National Endowment for Demo­ civil liberties, particularly in countries such as Haiti, the For example, Caribbean governments (with the excep­ cracy in Washington. Meanwhile the Anti-Imperialist Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Jamaica. Every­ tion of Herbert Blaize's regime in Grenada) have all Organizations of the Caribbean and Central America where, violent crime is on the rise while drug abuse, voted in the United Nations for mandatory, comprehen­ forges ahead, expanding its ranks and gaining in respec­ juvenile delinquency, and prostitution are spreading. sive sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Af­ tability and influence. All the major indices on hunger, malnutrition, and il­ rica. Following earlier differences over Haiti, today they Even the CDU-inspired project for uniting the islands literacy show that the quality of life has been steadily de­ are unanimous in their condemnation of the recent coup of the Eastern Caribbean into a more manageable (from clining in recent years while the less easily measured in­ by military strongman Henri Namphy. the standpoint of imperialism) single state has lost dicators of mass social psychology, such as levels of alien­ Much to the annoyance of the White House and State momentum as the ruling elites of each mini-nation state ation, demoralization, and hopelessness, are all rising Department, their Caribbean client states consistently struggle to reach consensus on harmonizing their indi­ throughout the Caribbean. Our region is in deep crisis. supported the Contadora process to negotiate an end to vidual interests. And only revolutionary solutions can pull us out of this pit. the contra war in Nicaragua and hailed the signing of the Both the Jamaican (under Seaga) and Grenadian Five years after the overthrow of the Grenada revolu­ 1987 Esquipulas II accords. (under Blaize) models of dependent capitalist develop­ tion and notwithstanding all the trauma, confusion, and Three months ago a Caribbean Community ment, which were championed by the Reagan administra­ despair that ensued, the masses of the Caribbean, in ever (CARICOM) foreign ministers' meeting criticized U.S . tion as the alternative "democratic" path for Caribbean increasing numbers, are coming to the realization that, in economic warfare on Panama and supported that Central states, are abysmal failures. Both regimes are being dis­ the words of the late Maurice Bishop, imperialism is not American government's right to defend its sovereignty credited in the eyes of the masses. Indeed, the historic invincible and that more peoples' victories are possible and self-determination. example and inspiring vision of the Grenada revolution, in the future. Right to travel is issue in contempt-of-court case

BY AUGUST NIMTZ pie's Committee for Libyan Students Bellecourt attended and was linked to the lecourt, Brown, and Means argue that the MINNEAPOLIS -"We see this as a (PCLS). The three could be imprisoned for meeting through a TV-satellite hookup. surveillance violated the act. threat to First Amendment rights including as long as the grand jury is in session. "Our belief is that they wanted our tes­ "As a representative of the American In­ the right to travel," said Vernon Belle­ Jailing of the three has been stayed while timony not just as witnesses but rather to dian Movement, we see this from another the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in court. implicate others who went with us to perspective," he concluded. "We reserve Asheville, North Carolit1a, considers the Libya," Bellecourt stated. Bellecourt and Bill Means, leaders of the the absolute right to carry on our own legality of the contempt citations. "I don't want to go to jail but I am ready American Indian Movement and Interna­ foreign policy and to travel anywhere. We to go to jail. There are some principles in­ tional Indian Treaty Council, and Robert Grand jury indictments reject the Reagan administration's slander Brown of the All African Peoples Revolu­ volved. I am not going to do anything to in­ campaign against Libya." On July 28 the grand jury handed down tionary Party, are facing jail on contempt­ criminate other people that I invited, or­ indictments against eight people said to be of-court-charges. ganized, and asked to go to an international Lawyers from the Center for Constitu­ linked to the PCLS. They are charged with peace gathering." tional Rights and the firm of Rabinowitz, Bellecourt, Means, and Brown were found violating the 1986 federal regulations that Boudin, and Standard in New York City in contempt and ordered immediately im­ forbid travel to Libya or transactions with Phone calls intercepted are representing Bellecourt, Means, and prisoned when they refused to testify July it. The eight have pleaded not guilty to all During the grand jury hearings, it was Brown. "The most immediate thing we 25 before a grand jury in Fairfax, Virginia. charges, and are scheduled to go on trial revealed that telephone conversations of need," said Bellecourt, "is for people to be­ The government sought to force them to October 17. Brown and the AIM leaders had been inter­ come aware of the constitutional issues at give information against alleged members The Justice Department charged that the cepted and recorded, supposedly under the stake as well as political and financial sup­ or supporters of the Virginia-based Peo- PCLS was a front for the Libyan govern­ Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Bel- port." ment, with which Washington broke dip­ lomatic relations in 1986. The indictment charges the eight with using funds al­ Largest newspaper in Iran describes legedly sent from Libya for student ex­ penses to establish "relationships with" and important role of Pathfinder mural provide "financial support to selected American groups to call on them to carry The following article on the Pathfind­ completion. out actions in support of Libya's foreign er Mural Project appeared in the Aug. Tile Pathfinder mural reflects the impor­ policies." 17, 1988, issue of Kayhan, the largest tant role the printing industry can play in Among other alleged crimes, the PCLS daily newspaper in Iran. The article, advancing revolutionary ideas and defend­ is charged with spending $26,000 to pro­ which was on the "Contemporary Art" ing worldwide movements of the oppressed. duce 10,000 T-shirts bearing a picture of page, was headlined, "Sattar Khan and An image of a gigantic printing press with the infant daughter of Libyan leader Baqer Khan join Zapata, Mandela, and two press operators next to it forms the Muammar Qaddafi. She was killed in the Bishop in New York." Sattar Khan and centerpiece of the mural. On rolls of paper April 1986 U.S. bombing of Libya. Baqer Khan were Mojahids, leaders of churning out of the press, portraits of doz­ the armed bodies of the councils that ens of revolutionary figures of this century "The indictments indicate," Bellecourt sprang up during the Constitutional Rev­ are painted: from Mexican revolutionary explained, "that it was the political ac­ olution, 1905-11. The translation from Emiliano Zapata to Malcolm X, leader of tivities of the American Indian Movement Farsi is by the Militant. the Black movement in the United States. and others who sympathize with Libya" And recently, with the effort of Nikzad that are at issue in the contempt citations Nodjoumi, an Iranian activist living in against him and the others. Portraits of two Mojahids, Sattar Kahn and Baqer Khan, have been painted on the New York, the features of two Iranian The government charges that the PCLS wall of the Pathfinder Press building. A Mojahids have also been added to this helped fund a trip by 200 U.S. citizens, led major U.S. publishing house, Pathfinder unique collection. Now next to portraits of by Bellecourt and Means, to Libya in April specializes in subjects of political and so­ such revolutionaries as Augusto Cesar San­ 1987. They attended an international con­ cial interest. In addition to printing and dis­ dino (Nicaragua), Farabundo Marti (EI ference to commemorate and denounce the tributing socialist literature, it is widely ac­ Salvador), Maurice Bishop (Grenada), U.S. bombing. tive in promoting Third World liberation Nelson Mandela (South Africa), "Mother movements as well. Jones" (United States) ... stand two emi­ Bellecourt noted that, in presenting its nent and imposing eastern faces of Sattar case against the eight, government attor­ Beginning a year ago, the idea of creat­ Khan and Baqer Khan, Mojahids of the neys frequently cited a demonstration in ing a huge mural that would cover the en­ Constitutional Revolution. Emerging from Washington, D.C.'s Lafayette Park that tire south wall of the Pathfinder Building the wide wall of the Pathfinder Building, AIM helped to organize on the first an­ materialized, and with the assistance of a they all look into the eyes of thousands of niversary of the bombing. The protest coin­ number of international artists, the project motorists speeding along New York's Vernon Bellecourt cided with the conference in Libya that got under way. The work is now nearing Westside Highway every day .

10 The Militant September 9, 1988 Prime minister of Canada hits right to abortion

BY MARGARET MANWARING Alberta, held last May, the Ku Klux Klan TORONTO, Canada- "I don't believe marched in full dress with hoods. in abortion on demand," declared Canada's Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He favors Injunction against abortion abortion in "certain personal situations." In early July a civil court in the western Asked to elaborate, he responded, "incest city of Edmonton agreed to grant an initial and rape." 48-hour injunction denying 18-year-old Mulroney's statement came on August Michelle Brandanburg the abortion she 20, almost a month after his administration was seeking. The injunction was requested lost the vote in the House of Commons on by her former companion, Randy Mock, proposed guidelines for recriminalizing who charged her with breach of contract, abortion in Canada. At that time Mulroney claiming that she had verbally agreed to had refused to state his opinion on abortion bear "his" child. Militant/Ilona Gersh and had stayed away from the House on the While the request for a permanent in­ A 1983 march in Toronto for abortion rights day of the vote. Now he's hinting that he junction was thrown out, the judge ruled will attempt to push through antiabortion that "the causes of [Mock's] action are not with a clear antiabortion agenda." tion of civil liberties, of the right to dis­ legislation. frivolous" and suggested that he could sue Hutchinson pointed to the provincial sent." Last January the Canadian Supreme Brandanburg for damages. Surrounded by government decision last February to cut Opponents of this spy operation are call­ Court ruled that the existing abortion law well-known foes of abortion rights, Mock all funding for abortions, a flagrant viola­ ing for a full public inquiry and for the return was unconstitutional. It condemned the announced that he intended to do just that. tion of the Supreme Court decision making of all files to the CCCA. law for its denial of women's right to lib­ Abortion rights forces countered with ral­ abortion legal. The provincial govern­ The provincial ombudsman, Stephen erty and security of person. It rejected fed­ lies and street actions. ment's action was later ruled illegal. Owen, announced on July 28 his intention to eral abortion law that made a woman's Resolutions defending a woman's right "This government will go to any lengths carry out a full investigation of the case. As choice on abortion subject to veto by hospi­ to choose and opposing any new law were to prevent people from speaking out," he gained access to the files of the covert op­ tal abortion committees comprised of three debated and voted up at the convention of Hutchinson explained. "That's why this is eration he made them available to the CCCA doctors. The court noted that abortion ser­ the Canadian Labour Congress, represent­ not just an abortion issue per se. It's a ques- for inspection. vices were unequally and sparsely avail­ ing close to 2 million unionized workers, able throughout the country. and at the National Action Committee on There was widespread support for that the Status of Women, representing more decision from the labor movement and than 350,000 women's rights supporters. other supporters of women's rights. Polls In the face of this deepening polariza­ -WORLD NEWS BRIEFS-- show that more than 70 percent of people tion, Prime Minister Mulroney attempted Thousands massacred on alert, including the 40,000 U.S. in Canada support a woman's right to to rally a so-called middle ground in order troops iri the country. Recent talks be­ choose abortion. Yet the federal and pro­ to recriminalize abortion. He brought a in Burundi tween Pyongyang and Seoul on in­ motion before the House of Commons with vincial governments have called for new An estimated 5,000 people were creased relations and the possible par­ legislation to restrict abortion rights. the declared intent of achieving a "balance" ticipation of the north in the Olympic between women's rights and the "right of killed in Burundi in mid-August in fight­ Within a month of the court ruling, ing between the country's two main Games broke down August 26. limits imposed on existing abortion fa­ society to protect the unborn." The motion proposed guidelines allowing for "early groups, the Basahutu and Watusi . In cilities meant that fewer abortions were 1972 some 100,000 Basahutus were available than before the Supreme Court term" abortions under certain conditions South African unionist while making "later term" abortions illegal killed by the Watusi-dominated govern­ decision. ment and army. dies in custody Emboldened right-wing zealots took to unless the woman's health was endan­ the streets, picketing hospital abortion gered. No definition of "early" and "late" Basahutus make up 85 percent of the Alfred Makaleng died in a hospital in clinics and holding rallies and demonstra­ was attempted. central African country's 5 million peo­ Johannesburg, South Africa, on August ple. Most Basahutus are excluded from 26 . The preceding day Makaleng was tions in favor of new restrictive legislation. The July 23-28 debate in Parliament on At a rally against abortion rights in Calgary, the government, military, and univer­ rushed, in serious condition, from prison this motion was dominated by a large anti­ sities. For centuries Basahutus have where he had been detained for more abortion rights majority who used this as a worked the land as sharecroppers or ten­ than two years. The union organizer was tribune from which to rally antiwoman ants of the Watusis. This minority-domi­ arrested on June 12, 1986, the day that Iraq's rulers continue forces across the country. They were un­ nated social structure was maintained President Pieter Botha declared a state of use of poison gas able to agree among themselves, however, under Belgian occupation during the emergency, which remains in effect. on how far and how fast to proceed with re­ World War I. An estimated 30,000 people have in attack on Kurds criminalization. The recent fighting took place in the been detained without charge since Only a small handful of members of Par­ Kirendo region on the border with 1986. At least five are known to have The regime of President Saddam Hus­ liament, most of them from the New Dem­ Rwanda, which has a large Basahutu died in custody. The Congress of South sein of Iraq is unleashing poison gas ocratic Party, argued that no new law on population. Burundi government offi­ African Trade Unions, the country's against Iraqi Kurds who are demanding au­ abortion is needed. cials have charged that members of the largest, nonracial labor federation de­ tonomy. The government's main motion and all Paliphutu party, which is made up of manded that the authorities explain the On August 20, the day that a cease-fire amendments failed in the vote that fol­ Basahutu refugees in Rwanda, incited circumstances surrounding Makaleng's went into effect in the Iraq-Iran war, the lowed. the Basahutus to attack the W atusis. death. Iraqi military carried out a large-scale gas Government spies on rights activists The government has deployed 2,00o attack against villages in northern Iraq, soldiers in the region against the Bas­ near the Iranian border. The villages were The offensive against abortion rights ahutus, who are armed only with ma­ Soldiers murder believed to support the Kurdish Democrat­ was further pushed back after an admission chetes and spears. The region has been 10 Haitian youths ic Party. on July 26 by the former attorney general sealed off to the press. About 40,000 Kurdish spokespeople have denounced of British Columbia, Brian Smith. He Basahutu refugees have fled into The Haitian Radio Solei! reported the "virtually genocidal" war waged by the stated that while in office he had authorized Rwanda. from Port-au-Prince that 10 youths were Saddam Hussein regime against Kurds in a covert spy operation against abortion killed by soldiers August 14 in Labadie, Iraq. rights activists. Smith explained that this a small town 80 miles north of the capi­ A delegation of members of the Turkish was carried out in consultation with Pre­ North Korea condemns tal. The victims were members of the parliament from the opposition Social mier Bill Vander Zalm, head of the prov­ U.S. military maneuver Movement of Labadie Youth (MJL), Democratic Populist Party recently visited ince's Social Credit government. who were celebrating the first anniver­ the area near Turkey's border with Iraq. Five undercover private investigators In a statement issued by its observer sary of their founding on July 14, 1987. They reported that honey farms and large posing as supporters of abortion rights mission to the United Nations, the Dem­ The MJL has campaigned against gov­ areas of vegetation on the Turkish side had joined Concerned Citizens for Choice on ocratic People's Republic of Korea has ernment and military abuses in the re­ been badly damaged by mustard gas or Abortion (CCCA) in early 1987. They pro­ condemned U.S .-planned military ma­ gion. nerve gas seeping across the border from ceeded to copy mailing, telephone, and neuvers in waters off the peninsula to The celebration had been postponed Iraq . donors' lists; secretly tape meetings and take place on the eve of the Olympic for a month due to the assassination of "The evidence of citizens and of the au­ conversations; surreptitiously photograph Games. The Olympics are scheduled to the group's lawyer, Lafontant Joseph. thorities all points to chemical weapons members and supporters; and compile begin in the southern Korean city of Witnesses told the radio station that po­ having been used," said Onder Kirli, leader "profiles" on CCCA members. Smith Seoul on September 17 . lice chief Baguidy Grand-Pierre emerged of the delegation. claims this operation was necessary in The Pyongyang government's state­ at the site of the celebration with a group A United Nations committee sent to the order to block the establishment of a com­ ment said the Pentagon planned to send of soldiers. They opened fire on the Persian Gulf region to study reports that munity abortion clinic in British Columbia. an aircraft carrier "task force consisting gathering without warning or provoca­ chemical warfare was being waged found B. C. Federation of Labor spokespersop of 10 warships, including the Nimitz" to tion. that the Iraqi military has been using Tom Fawkes denounced the spy operation waters off the Korean coast in August. A police report on the shooting claimed poison gas in its war with Iran since 1984. as "political intimidation of the basest U.S. warplanes and combat forces at the firing was done by men in civilian Chemical warfare continued after the Ira­ kind ." Mike Harcourt, leader of the oppo­ bases in Japan and the Philippines had clothes and that only four people were nian government announced readiness to sition New Democratic Party, condemned been put on alert for possible use in killed. It also charged that the MJL had implement a cease-fire on terms set by a the government's "contempt for democ­ southern Korea during the Olympic organized a procommunist rally and that UN Security Council resolution. racy," stating that the premier and the gov­ Games, the statement also noted. the youth had chanted "Long live the UN investigators confirmed that Iraq ernment as a whole, not just Smith, must Since being awarded the 1988 games communists!" just before the shooting had used mustard gas against Iranian civil­ be held accountable for the spying. the Seoul government has charged that began. The report also said that the ians during an air attack near an urban Norah Hutchinson, leader of the CCCA, Pyongyang or "terrorist" groups may at­ police chief could not have been in­ center early in August. The Iranian govern­ stated, "This is not just Keystone cop an­ tack and disrupt the games. Thousands volved in the shooting because he had ment reported that I ,000 people were in­ tics. This is much more serious. This took of police and soldiers have been placed been sick at the time. jured in the attack. place in the framework of a government

September 9., 1988 The Militant 11 -THE GREAT SOCIETY------Unlike U.S. politics- Asses­ on the business page. The owner itary service. asparagus tips and broccoli with The critics assert it will promote sing King Hussein's decision to of the Kings estimates that what tangerine dip, or chicken breast promiscuity . cut Jordan's ties with the West with added ticket sales and cable Sounds like a ripoff- Geral­ fingers with French mustard and Bank, the New York Times ad­ TV rights, plus a bigger cut on hot dine Ferraro defended her son who honey. Foolproof - For bomb man­ vised, "In the subtle style of Arab dogs and popcorn, they'll have was convicted on a drug charge ufacture, the feds operate three nu­ their money back in three years. and is doing four months house ar­ clear reactors at a Savannah River, rest in a $1 ,500-a-month Vermont They take food stamps? - South Carolina, plant. Currently, Tender, loving care - Offi­ apartment. Denying that it's a lux­ One purveyor of infant gourmet one reactor is shut down for cials are probing a mix-up at a ury apartment, the former vice­ fare says most of his customers are maintenance, and the other two for New York nursing home . An el­ presidential candidate said, "He working parents who, he specu­ emergency repairs. derly patient died and her body doesn't have a maid. They give lates, feel guilty about not giving Harry was packed in a burial bag and you clean linens once a week and enough attention to the kiddies. The Big Sleazy - New Or­ Ring sent to a funeral parlor. Only it they vacuum." He adds, "We think there may be a leans officials deny they were was her roommate, who was being potential to change the way soci­ pouring pine-scented oil down treated for a stroke. The error was Cultural imperialism - Some ety feeds their children. We really French Quarter sewers just for the McDonald's are offering "Fiesta Republican convention delegates. politics, words do not always caught and rectified, assertedly in think we're changing people's McNuggets." Buy the big box and They said the sewers there reek so mean what they say ." time. lives." get a genuine Latin American bad they dump the oil whenever Proud, confident- A survey coin. Plus merengue muzaked in they get a complaint. Sports, American style - by the Israeli Council for the Pre­ the background. Cancer's better? - Religious When the Los Angeles Kings paid vention of Emigration found that groups at the University of Vir­ Suggestion box - Wonder if the Edmonton Oilers $15 million 27 percent of Israeli high school Yummy - Specialty caterers ginia are opposing a school deci­ those New Orleans officials have for hockey star Wayne Gretzky, students are seriously considering are offering upscale gourmet dish­ sion to convert dormitory cigarette considered spraying some of that the New York Times headlined it leaving the country after their mil- es for babies and toddlers. Like, machines to dispense condoms. pine scent on city hall . -CALENDAR------ILLINOIS Cuban TV documentary on battle of Cuito The Peace Accords in Southern Africa. Speak­ LONDON Chicago Cuanavale in southern Angola, where Cuban, ers: Andrew Hunt, managing editor Utah Daily Angolan, and Namibian troops defeated South Chronicle; representative of Socialist Workers New International Forum Decline of the U.S. Empire and the Road African army. Translation to English and Forward for Working People. Speaker: Kath­ Party . Sat., Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m. 147 E 900 S. French. Sat., Sept. 3, 6:30p.m. 79 Leonard St. leen Mickells, Socialist Workers Party candi­ Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. Drop the Charges Donation: $5. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum/ For more information call (80 I) 355-1124. date for U.S. vice-president. Translation to Foro Perspectiva Mundial. For more informa­ Spanish. Sat., Sept. 10, 6 p.m. 6826 S. Stony Against Mark Curtis tion call (212) 226-8445. Island Ave. Donation: $4 . Sponsor: Socialist WEST VIRGINIA Justice for Juan Rodriguez, Dominican Work­ Workers Campaign. Charleston Speaker: Brian Lyons er Killed by Cops. Citywide rally . Thurs., Sept. Profits, Leaks, and Explosions: The Kana­ Open House at Pathfinder Books/Libros 8, 4-6:30 p.m. City Hall . Sponsor: Latino Co­ Fri. Sept. 9, 7:30p.m. Pathfinder. Meet Omari Musa, Socialist Work­ wha Valley Chemical Industry. Speakers: Jim alition for Racial Justice. For more information ers candidate for mayor, and Kathleen Mick­ Gotesky , Socialist Workers Party, member In­ (212) 614-5315 . ens, SWP candidate for vice-president. 6826 S. ternational Association of Machinists Local Friends Meeting House Stony Island Ave . Sat., Sept. 10, 3-6 p.m. Re­ Caribbean Political Unity: A Public Discus­ 656; others. Sat., Sept. 10, 7 p.m. 116 McFar­ sion. Speakers: Eusi Kwayana, leader of Work­ Euston Road freshments served. Sponsor: Pathfinder Books . land St. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor ing Peoples Alliance of Guyana and opposition Forum. For more information call (304) 345- London NWI KENTUCKY member of Guyana Parliament; Dr. James Mil­ 3040. Donation 50p lett, Caribbean historian and president of the Victory in Southern Africa. Speaker: Andrew Louisville Trinidad and Tobago Anti-apartheid Commit­ Pulley , Socialist Workers Party. Sat. , Sept. 17, Facts, Not Fantasy: Protest Reagan's Poli­ tee; Don Rojas, executive member of the 7 p.m. 116 McFarland St. Donation: $2 . Spon­ cies. Picket the president's appearance in Louis­ Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement and of the sor: Militant Labor Forum. For more informa­ jabari, Black community activist; Ahmed Mba­ ville. Tue., Sept. 6, 6 p.m. Convention Center, Anti-Imperialist Organizations of the Caribbean tion call (304) 345-3040. 4th St. between Jefferson and Market. Sponsor: and Central America; Michael Douglas, leader lia, member of Pan African Revolutionary So­ Vets for Peace, Louisville National Organiza­ of Dominica Labour Party and opposition mem­ WISCONSIN cialist Party; Tony Prince, Socialist Workers tion for Women, Pledge of Resistance, Rain­ ber of Dominica Parliament. Fri., Sept. 9, 7 Party, visited Cuba twice. Sat., Sept. 10,7:30 bow Coalition, Socialist Workers Party 1988 p.m. Hunter College Playhouse, 68th St. at Milwaukee p.m. 4707 W Lisbon Ave. Donation: $2. Spon­ Campaign. For more information call (502) Park Ave . Donation requested. Sponsor: Coali­ South Africa's Defeat in Angola: What It sor: Militant Labor Forum. For more informa­ 363-5550. tion for Caribbean Unity, Anti-Imperialist Or­ Means for Southern Africa. Speakers: Akili tion call (414) 445-2076. ganizations of the Caribbean and Central Amer­ NEW YORK ica. For more information call (212) 929-0066 Manhattan or (718) 941-2087. Turning Point in the Liberation Struggle in Israel trial set for journalists Southern Africa. U.S . premiere showing of TEXAS Continued from Page 5 So far, he added, the government has of­ Houston man, said in a telephone interview from fered no evidence other than "confessions" Stop Government Attacks on Veterans Peace Jerusalem that the victimization suffered Guevara book launch Convoy. Speakers: John Dickerson, Veterans by three of the prisoners, obtained under for Peace; Raul Valdez, Chicanos Against Mil­ by the two women had been difficult for prison duress and retracted immediately af­ in Harare, Zimbabwe itary Intervention in Latin America; others. them, but that their health and morale was terward. Sat. , Sept. 10, 7:30p.m. 4806 Almeda. Dona­ now all right, "much better than before." The book Che Guevara and the Cuban Their paper reflects the views of the or­ tion: $2. Sponsor: Militant Labor Forum. For In a statement issued when they began the ganization Spark, which favors "an inde­ Revolution will be launched in Harare, tpore information call (713) 522-8054. Zimbabwe on September 9. strike, the four d~clared that despite the pendent Palestinian state under the leader­ Organized by Grassroots Books of Zim­ cruelties directed against them, they would ship of the PLO" and, in Israel , "a new babwe, the launching will include speakers UTAH not retreat from their condemnation of the Is­ democratic regime, free of national dis­ from organizations in Zimbabwe, as well Salt Lake City raeli repression of the Palestinian struggle. crimination and class exploitation." as the Jose Marti Publishing House of The Debate Over Surrogate Motherhood and Bitterman said that while the charges Bitterman estimates that the legal costs Women's Rights. Speakers: Robin Blumner, alone will come to some $70,000, a huge Cuba and Pathfinder/Pacific and Asia of American Civil Liberties Union; representative against them involved alleged membership Australia, the book's publisher. of Socialist Workers Party. Sat., Sept. 10,7:30 in a "terrorist" organization, there is no amount in Israel. Contributions to aid the A seminar on the political contribution p.m. 147 E 900 S. Donation: $2. Sponsor: Mil­ claim of any illegal action by any of them, defense can be sent to: Fund for Freedom of Che Guevara will be held the following itant Labor Forum . For more information call "only what they have written" in a legal of the Press, P.O. Box 4362, Tel Aviv, Is­ day. (801) 355-1124. paper. rae161043. -IF YOU LIKE THIS PAPER, LOOK US UP------Where to find Pathfinder books and dis­ 50311. Tel: (515) 246-1695 . OHIO: Cleveland: 2521 Market Ave. Zip: Glebe. Postal address: P.O. Box 153 Glebe, tributors of the Militant, Perspectiva Mun­ LOUISIANA: New Orleans: P.O. Box 44113 . Tel : (216) 861-6150. Columbus: P.O. Sydney NSW 2037. Tel : 02-660 1673 . dial, New International, and Nouvelle lnter­ 53224. Zip: 70153. Tel: (504) 484-6418 . Box 02097. Zip: 43202. nationale. MARYLAND: Baltimore: 2913 Green­ OREGON: Portland: 2732 NE Union. Zip: BRITAIN mount Ave . Zip: 21218 . Tel: (301) 235-0013 . 97212. Tel: (503) 287-7416. London: 47 The Cut, SEI 8LL. Tel: 01-401 UNITED STATES MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: SWP, YSA , PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 2744 2293 . ALABAMA: Birmingham: 1306 1st Ave . 605 Massachusetts Ave. Zip: 02118 . Tel: (617) Germantown Ave. Zip: 19133. Tel: (215) 225- N. Mailing address: P.O. Box 11963 . Zip: 247-6772. 0213. Pittsburgh: 4905 Penn Ave. Zip: 15224 . CANADA 35202. Tel: (205) 323-3079. MICHIGAN: Detroit: 5019 112 Woodward Tel: (412) 362-6767. Montreal: 4274 Papineau, suite 302, H2H ARIZONA: Phoenix: 1809 W. Indian School Ave. Zip: 48202 . 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GEORGIA: Atlanta: 132 Cone St. NW, Tel: (201) 828-1874. Farland St. Zip: 25301. Tel: (304) 345-3040. Postal address: P.O. Box 22-530. Tel: 656-055 . 2nd Floor. Zip: 30303. Tel: (404) 577-4065. NEW YORK: Mid-Hudson: Box 1042, An­ Morgantown: 221 Pleasant St. Zip: 26505. Wellington: 23 Majoribanks St., Courtenay ILLINOIS: Chicago: 6826 S. Stony Island nandale . Zip: 12504. Tel: (914) 758-0408. New Tel : (304) 296-0055. Pl. Postal address: P.O. Box 9092. Tel: 844- Ave . Zip: 60649. Tel: (312) 363-7322. York: 79 Leonard St. Zip: 10013. Tel: (212) WISCONSIN: Milwaukee: 4707 W. Lisbon 205 . INDIANA: Muncie: c/o Brian Johnson, 219-3679 or 925-1668. Pathfinder Books, 226- Ave. Zip: 53208. Tel: (414) 445-2076. 61 9'12 N. Dill St. Zip: 47303 . Tel: (317) 747- 8445. SWEDEN 8543. NORTH CAROLINA: Greensboro: 2219 AUSTRALIA Stockholm: P.O. Box 5024, S-12505 Alvsjo. IOWA: Des Moines: 2105 Forest Ave . Zip: E Market. Zip: 27401. Tel: (919) 272-5996. Sydney: 181 Glebe Point Rd ., 2nd floor, Tel: (8) 722-9342.

12 The Militant September 9, 1988 Millions demand ouster of Burma government

Continued from front page part by sympathy for the protesters among employees are required to apply for mem­ employment and underemployment. some in the military. During the demon­ bership. On August 19 Maung Maung became strations that brought down Sein Lwin, The party chiefs are beneficiaries of the president and head of the Burma Socialist there were instances of troops refusing to military-dominated regime's efforts to con­ Program Party (BSPP), the only legal party fire on protesters. trol legal trade and industry, as well as of since the military coup that brought Gen­ "As the troops were leaving the City corruption and a variety of illegal econom­ eral Ne Win to power in 1962. Hall area," a diplomat in Rangoon told the ic activities. Ne Win resigned as head of the ruling New York Times, "they were waving to the The government now appears t9 have party on July 23 as outrage and unrest grew people and the people were waving back. lost control of neighborhoods, towns, and over the repression of student-led protests There were exchanges of handshakes and possibly major cities. Kathleen Kouri) re­ in March and June. His successor, Sein congratulations." ported from Rangoon in the August 29 Lwin, was forced out August 12 after the Wall Street Journal: "At every comer we slaughter of hundreds of protesters failed to Maung Maung offered to hold a referen­ were challenged by neighborhood guards crush a general strike and demonstrations dum on maintaining the single party re­ carrying clubs and homemade slingshots. by hundreds of thousands. gime, provided a September 12 congress of We were politely waved on once we were On August 24 Maung Maung lifted mar­ the BSPP agreed to the proposal. A party seen to be foreigners. tial law, and troops withdrew from the congress in July rejected a similar proposal "Thousands of Burmese are patrolling streets of cities and towns. On the follow­ made by Ne Win in submitting his resigna­ the capital in such hastily organized 'street ing day, some 1, 700 people arrested for tion. protection groups.' At night the streets are participating in the wave of protests were The Burmese Socialist Program Party, a maze of barricades . ... " released from jail. despite its name, is a political machine Tension was heightened by violent out­ The decision to lift martial law and pull controlled by the top commanders of the breaks August 24 and 25, when groups set back the troops may have been spurred in armed forces. All troops and government fire to shanties and attacked individuals in some neighborhoods. Kouri) said that many believed the violence was carried out by government hit squads. Protests mount in Toronto "A tourist who returned from the city of Revolt in Burma is response to deepest Pegu said that local administration was not social crisis in decades. functioning and that a committee of stu­ over police killing of Black dents was running the affairs of the city, organize further protests against the gov­ about 50 miles northeast of the capital," re­ ernment. ported the August 29 New York Times. BY MAGGIE TROWE dent Paul Walter characterized an August "There were unconfirmed reports that On August 28 , some 50,000 students TORONTO, Canada - The protests 13 march on Division 13 police headquar­ the nation's second-largest city, Mandalay, gathered on the campus of Rangoon Univer­ against the police killing of Lester Don­ ters as "hysterical and disgusting," accord­ was being administered by a committee of sity to form the All-Burma Students Union aldson are gaining support in spite of a ing to the Toronto Star, and denounced the Buddhist monks." headed by Min Ko Naing . All student campaign of slander and misinformation leaders of the march. He attacked the pro­ unions have been banned in Burma since by the Ontario attorney general, the Metro posal for an independent investigation, New political party 1962, when the Ne Win regime crushed stu­ Toronto police, and two Toronto dailies. saying, "I want the best professionals In defiance of the ban on political par­ dent protests and demolished the student Donaldson, a disabled Jamaican-born available to investigate the police and I ties, a number of veteran politicians, in­ union building at Rangoon University. worker, was shot dead by police constable think that happens to be the police." cluding former Prime Minister U Nu, and "Our fight for democracy is not yet David Deviney when Deviney and three After Toronto Police Commissioner Roy former Defense Minister U Tin Oo, an­ over," Min Ko Naing told the student other cops entered his rooming house bed­ Williams, who is also president of the nounced formation of the League for Demo­ gathering. "We want democracy and right room August 9. Donaldson was repeatedly Jamaican-Canadian Association, called the cracy, Peace, and Freedom. U Nu headed of association and we will continue to resist victimized by police harassment and was Donaldson killing "unnecessary" at an­ the government during most of the years any government that will deprive us of partially paralyzed after having been shot other spirited rally August 21, Walter from independence in 1948 until 1962, these rights." by police last April. called publicly for Williams' resignation, a when he was ousted by Ne Win's coup. Deviney remains on the police force. demand echoed by some other city officials Burma is a southeast Asian country of 39 A march and rally of 200 in downtown and Toronto Sun columnist Christie Blatch­ With the dictatorship in retreat, some of million people. It is listed by the United Toronto on August 27 was the latest of a ford. the groups and individuals taking the initia­ Nations as one of the least developed coun­ series of protest actions. The marchers A series of articles in the Sun and the tive in organizing mass actions are now be­ tries in the world, with an official annual called for murder charges against Deviney Star have focused on allegations that the ginning to function in the open. On August per capita domestic product of about $200. and an independent civilian investigation. Black Action Defense Committee is using 29, dockworkers and teachers organized The real figure is somewhat higher, how­ The march was organized by the Black Ac­ the Donaldson family and that Lester the country's first open, independent trade ever, since many of Burma's goods are tion Defence Committee, a group formed Donaldson had a history of violence, drug unions in decades . produced and traded outside the legal econ­ to protest the Donaldson slaying. trafficking, and mental illness. On August 30, government employees omy, which the military regime has at­ Linda Tomay, Metro Toronto Labour Leaders of the BADC and other groups from 120 departments and state-owned tempted to monopolize. The official liter­ Council president, told the rally, "We in responded angrily to these charges. "We corporations formed the All Services Gen­ acy rate is 78 percent. Sixty-six percent of the Labour Council do not want to live in a say to the media, 'You can't divide us,' " eral Strike Committee, which pledged to the population is employed in agriculture. kind of society that is based on racism. We Jamaican-Canadian Association leader Paul do not want to live in a kind of a society Kafele told several hundred cheering peo­ where there is one law for the rich, one for ple at the August 21 rally . -10 AND 25 YEARS AGO--- poor, one for Blacks, one for whites .... Mobilization against the Donaldson kill­ And we do not want to live in a police ing has led to the revelation of other cases passage out of the country for the political state." of police brutality. BADC leaders have THE MILITANT prisoners and the commandos. The Wash­ June Veecock, Human Rights Commit­ helped expose the July 9 death in police AIOCWJIT NEW8WEE1U. Y~ .. lME INYUESTS OF lME WOMI«i P'EOfiU 25c ington Post has described what happened tee chairperson of the 800,000-member custody of Gardner Myers, whose body Sept:-8, 1978- the next day: "Thousands lined the route to Ontario Federation of Labour, reported showed evidence of severe beating. The the airport cheering the guerrillas as they that OFL President Gord Wilson sent a committee has also criticized a police bul­ Massive support for a general strike that drove past. The crowds chanted 'Down telegram to Ontario Attorney General Ian letin to downtown rrlerchants concerning began August 25 has brought the U.S. gov­ with Somoza!' and 'Somoza to the gal­ Scott demanding an independent inquiry. store break-ins, warning that "suspects in ernment-backed Nicaraguan dictatorship of lows!'' Metro Toronto Police Association Presi- these entries are usually young Blacks." President Anastasio Somoza to the greatest crisis in more than 40 years of Somoza family rule. THE Momentum builds toward sales drive The strike was called by the Broad Op­ position Front (FAO), a coalition of prom­ MILITANT Continued from front page In New York supporters sold several inent businessmen, attorneys, religious, Publi,hed in the lntere•h of !I.e Wor~in9 People the state ballot. In the process, they sold dozen copies of the Militant with the Cas­ and academic figures, as well as most of Sept. 9, 1963 Pri~ 10c 300 copies of the Action Program and col­ tro speech in it while building a September the country's trade unions and political par­ lected dozens of signatures for Curtis. 3 forum that will feature the Cuban video ties. The FAO also maintains links with the Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the few A good response came from coal miners on the battle of Cuito Cuanavale. dominant faction of the Sandinista Na­ great men born in this country in modern involved in a contract battle with the In Washington, D.C., at the event com­ tional Liberation Front (FSLN). times, died at 95 in Accra, Ghana, August operators in Zap, North Dakota. memorating the 25th anniversary of the Within four days the strike was 80 per­ 27, the eve of the great civil rights demon­ Aug. 28, 1963, civil rights march, 200 cent effective in Managua. The Washing­ stration in Washington. That was a mile­ Afro-Caribbean carnival in London Militants and PMs, several subscriptions, ton Post reported, "Many areas outside the stone in the struggle to which Du Bois had At the Notting Hill Afro-Caribbean car­ and $700 in Pathfinder books and pam­ city appeared to be in a virtual state of war devoted his life and talents. nival in London August 27-28, dis­ phlets were sold. between youth and worker-led vigilantes There were many aspects to Du Bois' tributors sold 170 copies of the Militant A focal point of the upcoming drive will and the National Guard. In Matagalpa, a greatness. He achieved literary greatness. and several copies of New International. be expanding the readership of the Mili­ city of 60,000, large barricades blocked all Had he written no more than his early More than 200 signed the Curtis defense tant, PM, New International, and Nouvelle entrance roads. book, The Souls of Black Folk, his literary committee petition. Internationale among industrial workers. This deepening crisis for the regime was reputation would have been securely estab­ Militant supporter Jonathan Silberman This includes talking politics with union­ foreshadowed by the masses' response to lished. reports that thousands in the predominantly ists who were introduced to the Militant or an August 22 guerrilla raid on the National His second great achievement was in the Black crowd wore stickers demanding free­ PM during the last drive. Through the Palace. field of history. He singlehandedly opened dom for imprisoned South African revolu­ course of those discussions, many will de­ After a brief shootout with National up the whole field of Negro history, which tionary leader Nelson Mandela. "There cide to resubscribe. Guard troops, about 20 FSLN commandos had been buried under piles of neglect and was interest in the speech in the Militant by Distributors in several countries are also succeeded in taking over the palace. the muck written by anti-Negro Southern­ Fidel Castro that details the defeat of the putting an emphasis on organizing teams to They captured the minister of the in­ ers. His crowning achievement here was South African forces at Cuito Cuanavale in outlying campuses and plant gates during terior, his deputy, and between 40 and 60 Black Reconstruction, the first work to re­ Angola," Silberman said, "as well as the the first weeks of the campaign. members of the Chamber of Deputies. ally examine the Reconstruction Era and statement by SWP candidates Warren and An initial scoreboard with goals from The regime made no attempt to dislodge show its true importance in the unsuccess­ Mickells demanding the release of Man­ around the world will be printed next the guerrillas but instead opened negotia­ ful struggle for democracy in this country. deJa." week. tions with them. Late in the evening of Au­ There are two other great achievements At the festival in the Butetown Black If you want to help, look us up in the in­ gust 23, Somoza agreed to allow three in his life. He was a founder of the Pan-Af­ community, in Cardiff in South Wales, the ternational directory on page 12 or contact FSLN communiques to be read over the rican movement even before World War I. same weekend, distributors sold 50 copies the Militant business office at (212) 929- radio; to pay a $500,000 ransom; to free 58 And he broke ground in the battle for of the Militant. 3486. political prisoners; and to provide safe Negro equality in the United States.

September 9, 1988 The Militant 13 -EDITORIALS------How Cuba instills Pledge of Allegiance debate students with respect for work Proposals to require teachers to lead students in pledg­ supposedly voluntary- has no place in the public school ing allegiance to the U.S. flag have become an issue in system. the presidential campaign. Bush's baiting of Dukakis on this issue is a reflection BY DOUG JENNESS Vice-president George Bush, the Republican candi­ of the atmosphere of intimidation that such religious or In his July 26 speech reprinted in our last issue, Cuban date, denounced Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis ideological rituals are often used to create in classrooms. President Fidel Castro noted that one of the reasons Cuba for vetoing, as governor of Massachusetts, a 1977 mea­ These rituals are introduced for one reason: to heighten has been able to successfully launch a mass movement sure that imposed fines on teachers who declined to lead pressure on students and teachers to affirm and conform around voluntary work is that young people have been classes in pledging allegiance. to officially sponsored views, whether they believe them educated through a combination of study and work for Dukakis expressed no opinion on the attack on demo­ or not, or face the consequences. the past 25 years. cratic rights that such measures represent. He explained There is not much support for that kind of regimenta­ "We have already whole generations- every young that he had been advised by a majority of state supreme tion among masses of people in the United States today. person 35 years old or under has in one way or another court justices that the measure was unconstitutional. The 1943 Supreme Court decision, which reversed an Their view was consistent with a 1943 U.S. Supreme earlier ruling, reflected the sentiments of tens of millions Court decision, holding that students could not be re­ of working people when it stated: LEARNING ABOUT quired to recite the pledge. This legal precedent in the "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constel­ case of students applies to teachers as well. lation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe The Massachusetts legislature overrode Dukakis' veto, what shall be orthodox in politjcs, nationalism, religion, SOCIALISM but no attempt has been made to penalize teachers under or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by the law. word or act their faith therein." taken part in programs combining study and work," he Instead, Dukakis and the state educational commis­ Such sentiment grew more widespread with the demo­ said. "That's why when called upon to join a particular sioner urged school systems to set a policy of having cratic gains won by the civil rights movement and other project, or do voluntary work, they are not afraid." teachers "voluntarily" conduct recitation of the pledge struggles. Among working people, opposition to attacks Castro explained that Cuba is the first country "in the daily. on democratic rights has continued to deepen. world to massively and reasonably apply those principles Bush insisted that he would have ignored the court rul­ Recognizing this , editorials in the New York Times and and today we see the fruits in the behavior of our youth." ings and signed the bill. He and his supporters have Washington Post urged the Republican and Democratic He said that the idea of combining work and study as suggested that Dukakis is unpatriotic for not having done presidential candidates to drop the "Pledge of Al­ part of the education of young people was advocated by so. The Republican candidate projected his stand onto the legiance" issue. Karl Marx, one of the founders of the modern communist "Founding Fathers," claiming that they would have fa­ Right-wing forces will continue to press on this front, movement, as well as by Cuban independence leader vored requiring teachers and students to recite the pledge. however, as they have pressed efforts to overturn the Jose Marti. The "Founding Fathers" never recited the pledge or advo­ right of women to have abortions, reverse court-ordered Probably nobody has surpassed Marx in describing the cated reciting it , since it was written in 1892, long after desegregation of schools and housing, reintroduce prayer physical and mental deformities resulting from child they were all dead. In 1954 Congress adopted, and Pres­ in the schools, and attack democratic rights in other labor under capitalism, nor more ably explained how and ident Eisenhower signed into law, a bill inserting the ways. Their campaigns dovetail with broader efforts by why children were drawn into production. The abomina­ words "under God" into the pledge. the employing class and the U.S. government to probe ble deformation of children and juveniles working in so­ Measures to compel or pressure teachers and students for ways to restrict the rights of working people to fight cial production should be abolished, Marx argued. But to recite the pledge of allegiance violate the First Amend­ against their policies. "in a rational state of society every child whatever, from ment to the U.S. Constitution. All working people should oppose these campaigns. the age of nine years, ought to become a productive la­ Like the opening prayers that used to be required in The government has no right to impose any religious or borer . . . ,"he wrote in 1866. This labor, he said, should classrooms in many states, classroom recitation of the political belief - whether in a supreme being, capi­ be combined with mental and physical education and Pledge of Allegiance - whether openly compelled or talism, or flag-worship- on anyone. technological training. A few years later Marx noted that "an early combina­ tion of productive labor with education is one of the most potent means for the transformation of present-day soci­ ety." Why did New York cops run amok? Marx didn't live to see how true this insight is . It's taken the experience of the Cuban revolution to affirm it. New York City Police Commissioner Benjamin Ward 31 years; in 1980, it was 38, they point out. Because The Cubans, however, weren't the first to experiment has issued a report on the police department's investiga­ most cops weren't on the force in the 1960s, they haven't with work-study methods of education. In the early years tion of the August 7 cop riot at Tompkins Square Park. got the experience in "crowd control" that older cops of the Russian revolution attempts were made to initiate The handling of the anticurfew protest was not the de­ have. Being confronted with angry demonstrators, says such policies. Under the conditions of civil war (1918- partment's finest hour, the August 24 report said. It went the police report, "was a new and alarming experience to 20) students and other youth helped establish and work in on to criticize the police commanders on the scene that many of our young officers." suburban gardens to augment the food supply. night, as well as the conduct of individual cops. Harlem residents who were the victims of what the In a speech to a communist youth convention in 1920, The report was lauded in the capitalist press for its crit­ Militant termed a "racist orgy" in July 1964 will dispute Bolshevik leader V.I. Lenin urged the Young Com­ ical stance. Mayor Edward Koch termed it "brilliant." that New York's cops had a more delicate touch in years munist League to "combine its education, teaching, and A number of recommendations are contained in the re­ gone by. Following protests in Harlem against the cop training with the labor of the workers and peasants, so as port, including that the cops get intensive crowd-control murder of a 15-year-old Black youth, "the police went on not to shut itself up in its schools and not to confine itself training and new riot equipment. a rampage throughout the district," the Militant reported. to reading communist books and pamphlets. Only by Several of the 450 cops involved in the riot are being "The police fired 2,000 rounds of ammunition, using all working side by side with the workers and peasants can punished, and the ranking commander on the scene that they had. They killed one Jay Jenkins ... and wounded one become a genuine Communist." night is being forced to retire. The commissioner also ap­ scores of others .... Harlem was occupied as if by a Lenin discussed the work-study approach in the con­ proved the first two of more than I 00 charges of police foreign power." text of promoting voluntary labor in general. When brutality made by the cops' victims. Protesters against the Vietnam War during the 1960s young people participate in these volunteer projects "to More than 44 people were sent to the hospital that also remember being attacked, beaten, and jailed by New help the population," he said, "the people will cease to night. Unarmed demonstrators protesting enforcement of York's "finest." look upon labor as they looked upon it before." a curfew in the park, helpless passersby, and even report­ The list of workers, especially Blacks and Latinos, But under the pressures of international isolation, de­ ers and photographers were beaten and bloodied. Vivid who have been brutalized, framed up, and murdered by vastation from war, and economic difficulties the major­ pictures of club-wielding cops in action, shown by the the New York City police grows longer every year. ity of the leadership of the Russian revolution abandoned media in the days after the riot, fueled anger throughout The latest report, despite its self-critical facade, at bot­ the communist course after Lenin's death in 1924. And the city at the police violence. Hence the swift report by tom is simply another cover-up of the cops' role as a rac­ this promising beginning was smothered by administra­ the police commissioner, and its critical tone . ist, anti working class army, ready to uphold "law and tive routinism and bureaucratic careerism as a privileged Why did the cops run amok? The answer, according to order" for the bankers, real estate tycoons, and indus­ caste usurped power from the workers and peasants. the police, city hall, and the capitalist media, lies in a trialists who run the city. What happened August 7 In the early years of the Cuban revolution, one of its combination of lack of crowd-control training and youth­ wasn't an aberration - the cops were just doing their foremost leaders, Che Guevara, explained that the phys­ fulness . The average age of New York's 26,000 cops is job, and a few too many people saw them. ical work students do during their vacations or along with study "is a means of education" or even "a reward in some cases," but "is never a punishment." This contrasts sharply with the experience in China during Mao Tse-tung's "Great Proletarian Cultural Revo­ Reagan defeated on PLO UN office lution" in the 1960s when millions of secondary and uni­ versity students were forced to go to work in the coun­ The decision of the Reagan administration to drop its resource center for information on the Palestinian libera­ tryside, factories, and mines in order to "reform through efforts to close the Palestine Liberation Organization's tion struggle. labor." This shameful coercion was not accompanied by observer mission at the United Nations is a welcome de­ The decision to drop the fight on the PLO UN mission any educational program meriting the name. In fact, the velopment. came in the wake of broad international protest. The UN universities, specialized colleges, and secondary schools In June, a federal judge ruled that Washington did not General Assembly had opposed Washington's move by a were closed for nearly three years. have the legal right to close the PLO mission. After a dis­ vote of 148-to-2. Only the U.S. and Israeli representa­ Castro has described how combining productive activ­ pute within the Reagan administration, the Justice De­ tives voted no. ity - manual labor - with studies instills a respect for partment announced August 29 that it would not appeal The move against the PLO was particularly gross com­ physical work among students at an early age. Working the decision. ing at a time when the Israeli regime - armed and fi­ with one's hands assumes a new dignity and most impor­ The court had ruled that the closure order violated nanced by Washington- has been waging an unremit­ tantly, attitudes of respect and solidarity with those who Washington's agreement not to interfere with those in­ ting campaign of terrorism against an embattled Palestin­ do physical work regularly are strengthened. It helps to volved in official UN business. ian people seeking the elementary right of self-determi­ break down divisions between those who do mental work In 1974, the UN invited the PLO to establish an ob­ nation. and those who work with their hands. server mission, which it has maintained ever since. In announcing they would not appeal the court deci­ Moreover, as students and professionals join volunteer The Justice Department had acted after Congress passed sion on the PLO mission, officials said they would con­ brigades, Castro pointed out in a speech last November, an "antiterrorism" law in 1987, including an amendment tinue to oppose moves to reopen the Palestinian Informa­ "The whole business has become a school for Com­ specifically, and falsely, tagging the PLO as "terrorist." tion Office. munists; it really develops the feelings of equality and Using that law, the Justice Department also shut down Shutting that office was a curb on everyone's demo­ fraternity." a separate agency, the Palestine Information Office in cratic right to get the Palestinian side of the story. Pres­ Washington. That office, which remains closed, was a sure to reopen it needs to be continued.

14 The Militant September 9, 1988 Shorter workweek would benefit shift workers

BY SCOTT BREEN ease and stress. Studies of shift workers in Sweden show days, and an end to mandatory overtime. This is some­ As part of the 1988 contract, Amoco and my union they have 20 percent more heart attacks than those not thing our unions can fight for now. local- Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCA W) 2- working shifts. And we desperately need to forge a political and social 286- agreed to establish a joint "schedule committee" Shift work disrupts our "biological clock." We get less movement to fight for a shorter workweek for everyone. In to investigate alternative shift schedules, and propose sleep, and what sleep we do get is of poorer quality. addition to spreading the available work, thus reducing un­ changes in the current one. These problems have been summarized in several books, employment, a shorter workweek would help combat the We certainly need a change. Operators currently work including one appropriately titled Wide Awake at 3:00 destructive effects of shift work and possibly end rotating a rotating shift schedule: seven graveyard shifts in a row; a.m. shifts altogether in some industries. This is not an unrealis­ one day off; seven afternoon shifts in a row, including a tic proposal. In Brazil, for example, the Constitutional As­ Shift work has two other social effects. First, it in­ sembly recently approved a bill calling for a six-hour creases the chances of accidents on the job. It's not sim­ workday in industries with 24-hour-a-day operations. ply a coincidence that many major industrial accidents in In the absence of a fight to shorten the workweek, UNION TALK the last decade have occurred at night. some shift workers are pulled in the opposite direction­ Second, "shifters" work longer hours because we are toward 12-hour daily shifts. Under such schedules, work­ mandatory 16-hour "double shift" (6:30 a.m.-10:30 ers are promised more days away from work- four days p.m.); two days off; then six day shifts in a row. After tied to machinery that must be operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A typical shift worker labors 300 to 500 one week and three the next, for example. But the actual four days off, we start this barbaric cycle all over again. hours away from work remain the same as for eight-hour This schedule has been compared to working a week in extra hours every year, by working holidays, weekends, and mandatory overtime. That's up to 12.5 extra weeks of shifts. Tokyo, taking a jet to Paris for another week's work, then Twelve-hour shifts also cause problems for us as indi­ continuing on to New York City to work another week­ work each year. This in tum makes it possible for these in­ dustries to run with millions fewer workers. viduals. We'll be rotating shifts sometimes twice a week, each and every month. In short, we suffer from perpetual causing more destruction to our bodies. The daily expo­ jet lag: waking up in the middle of sleeping, inability to Although there is no "cure" for shift work under pres­ sure to toxic chemicals and gases will increase, with less sleep, sleeping through alarms. ent conditions, there are ways to minimize the toll it takes time to recover. This is especially hard on older workers. It's no wonder shift workers are looking for relief from on us. We'll have to come to work sick more often. Acci­ this destructive schedule. First, we need to abolish all rotating shifts that change dents will increase as a result of the 12-hour day. And the Some 21 million workers in the United States work against the clock. They should all rotate with the clock, principle of forcing the company to pay premium pay for shifts in virtually every branch of industry. Many hospi­ that is, from a block of day shifts to a block of afternoon time worked over eight hours will be eroded. tal and other service workers also work shifts. Some shifts to a block of graveyards. Studies have shown that And if premium pay is somehow preserved, the com­ work rotating shifts, like us; others work the same shift we adjust to our shift 50 percent faster and have fewer pany will insist on lowering the hourly wage rate to keep all the time. health problems, when our shifts progress in this way. the total weekly pay the same. Recent studies have uncovered the fact that "shifters" Second, we need more time off for our bodies and have a higher than average incidence of gastrointestinal minds to recuperate from shifting, including more vaca­ Scott Breen is an operator for Amoco Oil in Salt Lake problems, emotional disorders, fatigue, and general un- tion time, more compensation time off for working holi- City, Utah. He's a member ofOCAW 2-286. -LETTERS----- Nicaragua embargo for the immediate reopening of the On April 24 President Reagan society and the cessation of the once again renewed the economic harassment of its president, Mrs. embargo against Nicaragua. In his Samiha Khalil. The humanitarian letter of notification to Congress, services of this society must go he stated, "The actions and on , hence we kindly ask you to policies of the Government of Nic­ make an urgent appeal on its be­ aragua continue to pose an unusual half to Israeli Minister of Defense and extraordinary threat to the na­ Yitzhak Rabin; the Israeli ambas­ tional security and foreign policy sador in your country; and to your of the United States." government. In addition, a regulation was Committee of Friends contemplated and circulated that for In' ash El-Usra would have prohibited the impor­ tation into the United States of any Send sub Nicaraguan product reprocessed in Please send me a six-month a third country. Due to moves subscription. Having worked in made in both houses of Congress Managua for over a year, I often to oppose this toughening of the read the Militant and New Interna­ sanctions, the regulation was put tional. on hold. M.S. A national coalition of religious Playa Del Rey, California and secular organizations is cal­ ling for a lifting of the embargo as Super Barrio an integral component of nor­ I thought the Militant would ap­ malizing relations with Nicaragua. preciate having attention called to Congressional support for this ef­ a phenomenon in Mexico City re­ fort is already significant. Jim Borgman ported on in the August 15 New "I keep forgetting . • . which one of these four millionaires represents the little guy?" The campaign calls for exten­ York Times . Headlined "The Poor sive lobbying efforts by citizens Man's Superman Bounds to Fame directed at all members of Con­ in Mexico," the article focuses on and disclose who I am, all of that column, "Who fights Washing­ Too expensive gress. Even congressional offices the exploits of "Super Barrio," a changes and you lose the collective ton's wars- and for whom?" in Great reporting. Too expensive. strongly opposed to contra aid are self-styled champion of working identity." the September 2 issue of the Mili­ It doesn't compare favorably in expressing the need to hear the people and the oppressed who Kevin McGuire tant. price with other working-class; support of constituents before dons a mask and costume while San Francisco , California communist -oriented newspapers. going out on a limb to pursue lift­ fighting greedy landlords threaten­ Impressed D.F. ing the embargo. Leaders of the ing tenants with eviction. Distorted society We're very impressed and often Washington , D.C. business community who previ­ Emerging out of the neighbor­ It is helpful for me to under­ cut out articles for future reference ously invested in Nicaragua are hood struggles for housing in the stand different aspects of the or to send to relatives in Latin Changes for better being contacted to support an end wake of the 1985 earthquake, SB world in which we live. Thank America. to the embargo. I find the Militant very informa­ appears to be a synthesis of Super­ you for your efforts to make prog­ / .B. tive and it helps me a Jot to get a Finally, Nicaraguan "coffee man, Batman, and Marx as he ress in our distorted society. Albany, California parties" (modeled after the Boston better understanding of interna­ wages a never ending struggle for S .W. tional news. It also helps me by Tea Party) were held in many fair housing, electricity, and sew­ Flushing, New York cities around the United States. Unfair to Daffy Duck giving me concrete suggestions of ers. He calls his apartment the how I can become involved to get John Van Heeke "Barriocave," which is complete At the recent Republican con­ St. Paul, Minnesota Quayle affair vention, a TV pundit stated that some changes for the better hap­ with a telephone hotline and a pening. "Barriomobile." I can't understand how in the Sen. Dan Quayle was a cross be­ tween Robert Redford and Daffy E.K. Reopen In'ash EI-Usra He is a genuine hero in the bar­ last issue of the paper not one Duck. This remark was repeated Middletown, Connecticut For the past eight months, Pal­ rios of the city - the picture ac­ word was printed about the Quayle several times. estinians in the Israeli-occupied companying the article showed SB affair. Didn't you feel that it was The letters column is an open West Bank and Gaza have risen up holding hands with a group of worthy of mention? I found the remark was grossly forum for all viewpoints on sub­ against the Israeli occupation of children in front of a mural of him Also, some weeks ago you had unfair to Daffy Duck, a true work­ jects of general interest to our their land and the continuous bru­ leading a large procession of towns­ headlines that the contra war in ing-class hero. In his numerous readers. Please keep your letters tal harassments and human rights people marching with clenched Nicaragua was over. I did not at cartoon films , Daffy Duck worked brief. Where necessary they will violations committed daily against fists in the air. the time share your optimism and as a telephone lineman (chasing be abridged. Please indicate if them. Super Barrio is rapidly becom­ still don't. Reagan is a dangerous crows), a farmer (chasing more you prefer that your initials be One of the latest and most alarm­ ing a national figure, winning the snake who can attack anytime. I crows), a miner, ranch hand, used rather than your full name. ing of such violations is the two­ endorsement of National Demo­ dread it but I still don't rule out an plumber, babysitter (numerous year closing of the society ofln' ash cratic Front presidential candidate American invasion of Nicaragua. I small ducks), fireman, short-order The Militant special prisoner El-Usra. This is a philanthropic, Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, appearing hope with all my heart that I'm cook, sailor, carpenter (chasing fund makes it possible to send charitable women's society carry­ at university conferences, and anti­ wrong. more crows), and crossing guard. reduced-rate subscriptions to ing out vital welfare work for nuclear demonstrations and taking Sam Lesser Daffy Duck had a remarkable prisoners who can't pay for thousands of Palestinian families on issues such as police corruption, Danbury Connecticut career in the working class, and them. To help this important in the occupied territories. It oper­ pollution, and transportation. his exploits should be remembered cause, send your contribution ates from the town of Bireh, seven He zealously guards his true Editor replies: with the proper honor and respect. to: Militant Prisoner Subscrip­ miles north of Jerusalem. identity, explaining, "We are all For coverage on Dan Quayle, Tom Jones tion Fund, 14 Charles Lane, We urge you to support our call Super Barrio. If I take off my mask see the Learning About Socialism Morgantown, West Virginia New York, N.Y. 10014.

September 9, 1988 The Militant 15 THE MILITANT Namibia Day celebrated in New York Rally marks SWAPO founding, advances against apartheid regime

BY SAM MANUEL NEW YORK - "The battle of Cuito Cuanavale will be recorded in the annals of military history as the time and place where the guns of freedom smashed the long-held myth of the military invincibility of racist South Africa," explained Don Rojas, a leader of the Maurice Bishop Patriotic Move­ ment of Grenada. The MBPM leader joined other speakers at a rally of 250 people here, August 26, to celebrate Namibia Day. On that date 22 years ago soldiers of the People's Libera­ tion Army of Namibia (PLAN) fired their first shots against South African troops, which have occupied Namibia since 1915. PLAN is the armed wing of the South West Africa People's Organisation of Namibia (SWAPO). Today there are 100,000 South African troops and police in Namibia, a country of 1.3 million people. In March of this year South African troops and those of the Angolan counter­ revolutionary group, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), were dealt a crushing military defeat by combined combat units of An­ Militant/Sam Manuel gola, Cuba, and PLAN. That battle for the (From left) Hage Geingob of South West Africa People's Organisation, Toco Serao of Angolan mission to UN, and Don Rojas strategic Angolan town of Cui to Cuanavale of Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement were among speakers at New York rally. decisively altered the relationship of forces against the apartheid rulers. encouraging signs for its own fight against Pretoria regime." the South African regime to go to the Negotiations held the apartheid regime inside South Africa it­ negotiations was international pressure. "We know that we cannot consider our­ It has led to a series of meetings between self, "said Solly Simelane, deputy repre­ And we call on the American people to say selves free if the people of Namibia con­ sentative of the African National Congress no to apartheid, no to aggression against representatives of the South African, U.S., tinue under the colonial and racist occupa­ of South Africa to the United Nations. the Frontline States and no to the illegal oc­ Angolan, and Cuban governments in an ef­ tion of South Africa," said Toco Serao, The ANC leader appealed to those present cupation of Namibia," concluded Serao. fort to negotiate an end to the U.S.-and South representing the Angolan government. African- sponsored war against Angola and and to all opponents of apartheid around Other speakers included Black rights ac­ to obtain independence for Namibia. the world to "intensify support and assist­ Serao told the crowd, "Your solidarity tivist Herbert Daughtry , Elombe Brath of At the last meeting in Geneva, Switzer­ ance to all victims of apartheid" and to step has also been very, very important for our the Patrice Lumumba Coalition, Samori land, South Africa agreed to withdraw its up the campaign to "impose comprehen­ cause in the region. We know that one of Marksman of the African-Caribbean Re­ troops from Angola by September 1, begin sive, mandatory sanctions against the racist those important elements that compelled source Center, and attorney Lennox Hinds. implementation of United Nations Resolu­ tion 435 for the independence of Namibia by November I, and to complete with­ drawal of their troops from Namibia by Immigrant farm workers score victory Feb. 1 , 1989. New talks in Brazzaville, Congo, were taking place as the rally happened. Those BY LINDA JOYCE preliminary injunction against the Immi­ The judge also ordered the INS to give talks concluded with no agreement on a MIAMI - Immigrant farm workers in gration and Naturalization Service's denial temporary work authorization to the farm timetable for the withdrawal of Cuban the Southeast recently won a significant of residency to 15,000 Haitian and Mexi­ workers, pending the final outcome of their troops from Angola. Cuban troops came to victory in their fight to win legal residency can farm workers. Atkins ordered the INS suit. He further ordered the INS to provide Angola in 1975 to help repel a massive in the United States. On August 22 U.S. to review all these cases, using procedures competent translators in Spanish, Creole, South African invasion. They have re­ District Judge C. Clyde Atkins granted a more favorable to the farm workers. and other languages where necessary at the mained ever since, helping to defend An­ Under the Special Agricultural Worker amnesty hearings. gola's sovereignty. The negotiations will Program of the Immigration Reform and Atkins' ruling applies directly to 15,000 resume September 5. Control Act of 1986, undocumented work­ immigrant agricultural workers in Florida, ers who harvested perishable crops for 90 Alabama, and Georgia. Lawyers for the SWAPO fights to free Namibia days during the year prior to May 1986 Haitian Refugee Center said this case will "When I was in this country we went could apply for amnesty until Nov. 30, also set a legal precedent for similar court around to churches, schools, and other 1988. With amnesty, a person can apply cases in other parts of the country . "The places to appeal for support for our cause," for temporary residency. lawsuit will have a far-reaching and signif­ said Hage Geingob, a SWAPO political Thousands of Haitian and Mexican work­ icant effect on farm workers throughout the bureau member and director of the United ers submitted their applications along with United States," Ira Kurzbaum, an attorney Nations Center for Namibia in Lusaka, affidavits from employers. The INS , how­ for the farm workers , said. Zambia. "I remember speaking about the ever, demanded payroll records, which em­ The ruling came after a summer of dem­ American revolution and telling people ployers do not ordinarily supply to farm that we want what you had," he said. onstrations in Miami - including several workers, who usually receive cash from that drew I ,000 people - supporting the Geingob continued, "We petitioned the labor "contractors." UN for our independence. We even went to farm workers' demands. Hundreds of farm the highest court in the world, the Interna­ The INS then denied many applications, workers, organized by the Haitian organi­ tional Court of Justice in Amsterdam, but with no explanation. In one case, an em­ zation Veye-Yo (Watch Them), rallied re­ at that time they simply threw out our case. ployer supplied identical affidavits to an peatedly at the federal courthouse and INS We had to decide whether we would sub­ entire work crew. Half were rejected, and offices here. mit to that or fight. We decided to fight," half accepted. Those who were rejected Gerard Jean-Juste, director of the Hai­ the SWAPO leader explained. lost their work permits and were threatened tian Refugee Center and a central leader of with deportation; Stressing the important role of the Cuban Veye-Yo, said that they would continue to internationalist fighters in southern Africa, In June, the Haitian Refugee Center, the pressure the INS with legal action and Geingob told the crowd, "SW APO Presi­ Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach, street protests. dent Sam Nujoma told me to be sure to and 17 Mexican and Haitian farm workers "The Haitian Refugee Center, Veye-Yo, clear up any misunderstanding about one filed suit in federal court charging the INS and I are demanding that the Reagan ad­ little island. Some are saying the Cubans with violating the immigration act. ministration issue a blanket parole to all are interfering. That they may go to In his ruling, Atkins ordered the INS to Haitians who arrived here before November Namibia after Angola. We say don't worry reconsider all cases that had been denied on 1986," Jean-Juste said. "We demand that about the Cubans, they are our friends." the basis that the applicant failed to pro­ this administration give us work permits Giengob explained that SW APO is briefed duce payroll records. "Congress intended and stop the deportations. We have suf­ daily by Angola and Cuba on the negotia­ that the Special Agricultural Worker Pro­ fered enough - first in Haiti under the tions. gram be liberally applied," he said. "The U.S. -backed military government, then in­ Militant/Robert Kopec evidence before this court suggests that ap­ terdiction at sea, and now racism in the African National Congress Participant in July 23 rally at INS center plicants are being required to produce United States. Stop the deportations, give "As comrades in arms the ANC sees the in Miami, demanding residency for exactly what they cannot, i.e., payroll rec­ us our work permits, and extend these unfolding events in Angola and Namibia as farm workers. ords." rights to all immigrant workers!"

16 The Militant September 9, 1988