NOVEMBER 27, 1981 75 CENTS VOLUME 45/NUMBER 44 . A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY/PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING PEOPLE 1cara• ua, rena a on aert As evidence grows of U.S. military plans By Fred Murphy that "'you're not going to get El Sal­ Evidence continues to mount that vador' and make them believe it." the Reagan administration and its re­ "Something must be done to bring gional allies are preparing to take these bandits under control," Nutting military action in Central America said. and the Caribbean. Cuba, Nicaragua, These and similar declarations and Grenada are on military alert in serve to confirm warnings by the Cu­ expectation of imminent counterrevo­ ban and Nicaraguan governments lutionary attacks. that imperialist military actions The most ominous U.S. statements against their countries or in El Salva­ thus far came November 12, when Se­ dor are now being prepared. cretary of State Alexander Haig testi­ Armies on alert fied before the Foreign Affairs Com­ The Cuban armed forces have been mittee of the House of Representa­ on full alert since October 31. In Nica­ tives. ragua, the Sandinista People's Army "Can you provide this committee · and the popular militias have been in and this Congress with an assurance a similar state of readiness since No­ that the United States is not and will vember 8. The island of Grenada in not participate or encourage in any the eastern Caribbean -whose revo- · way, direct or indirect, efforts to ove~­ lutionary government has also been throw or destabilize the current gov­ the target of U.S. threats mid pres­ ernment of Nicaragua?" Haig was sures - is on military alert as well. asked. Appeals have come from all three "No, I would not give you such an countries for solidarity actions to get assurance," Haig replied. out the truth about Washington's On November 15, Lt. Gen. Wallace moves. Nutting, chief of the U.S. Southern The Soviet Union has warned Command in Panama, declared that Washington of the grave results an the situation in El Salvador is "fra­ attack on Cuba could have. "Recent­ Barricada gile" and that Washington had to ly, the campaign of malicious attacks Militia Reserve Battalion 95-32 from Managua's San Judas neighborhood make it clear to the rebel forces there against the republic of Cuba has in- leaves to take up positions on Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast, November 10. - with military force if necessary - Continued on page 4 Report fro.m Havana: 'We are without fear' ban revolution." Washington, he said, By Larry Seigle Caye; Huese . ... · ~Nassau . HAVANA - With calm determi­ is "also threatening to intervene in \ ·:...• .... nation, Cuba remains mobilized in Nicaragua, in El Salvador, in Central · • \ Isles Behemes the face of continuing threats from America." '"I • Washington. The response ofthe Cuban people to this speech was immediate and dra­ The army reserves and portions of matic. Beginning the day after the the territorial troop militia are on speech, people throughout the island alert. Workers in public health and took to the streets in marches and ral­ other sectors that would be involved lies with handmade signs and ban~ 1il case of an attack or other military ners to register their support. Demon­ emergency remain on twenty-four­ strations were organized by unions, hour call. student organizations in the high Billboards across the island carry schools and universities, the CDRs, the slogan, "We are absolutely with­ the Federation of Cuban Women and out fear!" the National Association of Small On October 24, Fidel Castro set the Farmers. tone of the Cuban response to reports In Havana on November 1 - a that the United States is planning Sunday - demonstrators assembled military action against Central outside the People's Power assembly America or th~ Caribbean. for the central section of Havana, Speaking at the second congress of which was in session. The streets the Committees for the Defense of the were jammed with people. Contin­ Revolution (CDRs), he said, "If we are gents were organized by student or­ not capable of defending ourselves, ganizations from area schools, and we can't expect solidarity from any­ workers were mobilized by their CDR one. If we are capable of defending chapters. ourselves, then we will see what hap­ Signs and banners said, "Cuba will pens. That will be decided by history never surrender," and "Fidel, tell us and the way in which everyone ful­ what more we have to do." One quote fills their duty of solidarity to the Cu- Continued on page 7 In Our Opinion VOLUME 45/NUMBER 44 NOVEMBER 27, 1981 CLOSING NEWS DATE-NOVEMBER 18 The fact is that Nicaragua's Government of ration and friendship to our brothers and sisters Scurrilous resolution National Reconstruction does represent the in Nicaragua, and opposes the war moves of the The AFL-CIO convention that met in New workers and farmers - the majority - against bosses' government. York City this week adopted, with no discus­ the bosse·s. sion, a scurrilous resolution attacking the Nica­ In the past two years, despite the extreme raguan revolution. poverty of the country, Nicaragua has made tre­ Chance to discuss This adds the voice of the labor officialdom to mendous strides forward in health, education, On November 20-22, the second National La­ the shameless chorus of lies and slanders by the land reform, workers' rights and wages, and de­ bor Safe Energy and Full Employment Confer­ big-business media. And this at a time when the mocratic rights. ence will be held in Gary, Indiana. This meeting Reagan administration is looking for any pre­ The Council of State, which is the national offers an excellent opportunity for unionists to text to move militarily against the government legislative body, includes official representa­ discuss some important matters facing working established by Nicaragua's working people. tives of the trade unions (including the CUS and people that were taken up badly, or not at all, by The AFL-CIO resolution claims that "the rev­ the CNT), the Indian minorities, the mass or­ the AFL-CIO convention. olution which deposed the tyrannical Somoza ganizations of women, youth, and neighborhood First is the threat of imminent military regime now threat~ ns to be more oppressive defense committees, the Catholic clergy, and the moves by Washington against Cuba, Nicara­ than its predecessor." It accuses the Sandinista universities. gua, Grenada, and the struggle of the oppreseed National Liberation Front (FSLNJ-led govern­ Even a CUS leader was forced to admit in a people- of El Salvador. Getting out the facts ment of trying to "silence all democratic opposi­ recent interview, "We believe that the Council about these developments and organizing pro­ tion." of State is an institution where we can freely tests against them are especially important re­ What "faCts" are mustered to support these discuss and dissent. We are taking advantage of sponsibilities for labor activists. outrageous assertions? its openness . to explain our point of view Second, these moves are occurring in the con­ The resolution says leaders of the "democratic about the national situation." text of the Reagan administration's military trade union movement" - the Confederation of The AFL-CIO also charges that "various build-up, including the expansion of its nuclear Trade Union Unification (CUS) and the Confed­ Christian denominations . have been the arsenal. Washington's plans to station nuclear­ eration of Nicaraguan Workers (CTN)- are be­ subject of religious persecutions." tipped missiles in Europe, along with fiendish ing unjustly persecuted by the FSLN. This is an out-and-out lie. neutron bombs, have spurred massive mobiliza­ But far from being democratic, the CUS col­ Last year, the FSLN issued a statement on ' tions in most European countries. In this coun­ laborated for years with the Somoza dictator­ "The Role of Religion in the new Nicaragua." It try thousands have participated in p,ublic meet­ ship against opposition. forces in the trade included the following: ''The FSLN sees freedom ings against nuclear weapons during the past unions. to profess a religious faith as an inalienable week. Since the revolution, both of these organiza­ right which is fully guaranteed by the revolu­ The struggle against nuclear weapons and tions have consistently sided with the bosses tionary government." their continued production is not only part of the against the workers. This statement continues to guide the govern­ fight against the employers' war drive; it's also Consequently, the CUS and CTN have been ment's actions. linked to their decision to press ahead with the sharply criticized by both the Sandinista gov­ The AFL-CIO's miserable resolution ends use of nuclear power plants. ernment and other unionists. with a call to the "international labor move­ The Reagan administration is pushing ahead And that's also why these unions are tiny ment . to take appropriate action . to re­ with measures that can speed-up the licensing compared to the pro-revolution Sandinista verse this disturbing trend" of the Nicaraguan of nuclear power plants, including the country's Workers Federation, which organizes 85 per­ revolution. first breeder reactor in Clinch River, Tennessee. cent of the workforce. But U.S. workers have every reason to ap­ They are doing this in the face of many new The resolution complains that "elections have plaud the gains made by-the workers and farm­ , revelations about the hazards of nuclear power. been postponed until 1985." ers of Nicaragua as they use their government For t!'xample, the pressure around reactor cores But Nicaraguans do vote- in the mass or­ to advance their interests. has caused steel to·turn brittle after only four ganizations and the unions.