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• Protesta del 20 de Marzo • Afganistán: Marjah 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite!


feb. 25, 2010 vol. 52 No. 7 50¢

AfghAnistAn offensive
Pentagon spends billions
to terrorize civilians
by deirdre Griswold

Feb. 16 — It is now four days since U.S. Marines Meeting Mobilizes to free MuMiA Abu-JAMAl 7 .
stormed into the town of Marjah in Afghanistan, backed
up by helicopter gunships, fighter jets and drones. Some
9,000 U.S. troops are taking part in Operation Moshta-
rak, which means “together” in the Dari dialect — a
bright idea from some psyops genius meant to beguile
the local population.
These U.S. troops, part of the Obama administration’s
“surge” of 30,000 additional forces sent to Afghanistan,
are supplemented by 4,000 British soldiers and a few
thousand Afghans. So altogether you have some 15,000
troops, equipped with the most modern weapons, pitted
against what the Pentagon estimated to be about 400
Taliban fighters with only handheld guns and mortars
and dug-in improvised explosive devices to slow the ad-
vancing forces.
The types who thrilled to Hitler’s tank battalions roll-
ing across the farmlands of Eastern Europe and the So-
Chilean leader Victor Toro and Pam Africa of International Concerned
viet Union would undoubtedly find this display of raw Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal spoke at the Feb. 13 teach-in.
imperialist military power in Afghanistan equally stimu-
PhotoS_of_SPEAkErS:_PVN_____ww_Photo:_LAL_roohk__
lating. For ordinary working people around the world
who are not turned on by the latest death machines, it
is appalling. as states slash budgets and services
No cuts! Make banks, bosses pay
In what has become a monotonous Pentagon mantra,
the media repeat that everything is being done to pre-
vent civilian casualties. In this well-publicized-in-ad-
vance campaign, the U.S. generals told the people to stay
home and not risk being hurt. So why did their fighter by fred Goldstein In addition to the state cutbacks, the Obama admin-
jets bomb a building in Marjah with people inside, kill- istration is preparing to issue an executive order for the
ing 12, half of them children? After six months of so-called “recovery,” massive un- creation of a so-called “independent budget commis-
The NATO commanders in charge also admit to an- employment remains and foreclosures reach new highs. sion” to cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. The
other eight civilian deaths so far in the offensive in Now another fundamental aspect of the capitalist eco- target time for the establishment of the commission is
Helmand province, but shrug it off as an acceptable cost nomic crisis — the budget crisis — is escalating as mil- after the 2010 elections.
of war. lions of people face the loss of vital services, threatening As reported by Workers World on Jan. 21, the eco-
How afghans view the ‘surge’ their futures and their very survival. nomic crisis has slashed state revenues and 43 states
What kind of war is it where one side has all the tac- Hundreds of billions of dollars are going to bankers plus the District of Columbia have carried out severe
tical advantages? Where only the determination of the and corporations in interest, bailouts and low-interest budget cuts, with more on the way. According to a re-
loans provided by the government. Hundreds of billions port by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 28
Continued on page 10 more are going for war and occupation. Yet states all states are cutting health care services; 24 are cutting
across the country are taking the axe to budgeted social services to the elderly and disabled; 36 are cutting aid
services and laying off public service workers. Continued on page 5

COMMEMORATE
BLACK HISTORY fight for childcare,
MalcolM X 6
education 3

hAiti & unAsur 8,9

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Page_2_ feb._25,_2010_ workers.org

protests demand justice as WORKERS WORLD

this week ...


slain Muslim leader’s
autopsy released  in the u.S.
Pentagon spends billions on Afghan offensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
As states slash budgets: No cuts, make the bosses pay . . . . . . 1
by abayomi azikiwe Detroit. Conyers issued a letter requesting an internal in- Muslim leader’s autopsy released . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
editor, pan-african News Wire vestigation of the actions of the FBI field office in Detroit. Farmworkers fight firings, harassment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
detroit Conyers wrote in the letter to Attorney General Eric Rhode island protests defend public education . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Holder that he seeks Holder’s “personal assurance that
Day care cuts protested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
On Feb. 1 the long-suppressed autopsy of slain Muslim the Department’s investigation into the shooting death
Ohio students sit-in for LGBT rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
leader Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah was released to of Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah … will be appropri-
the public at the Dearborn, Mich., police headquarters. ately rigorous, thorough, and — most critically — trans- NYC rally demands: ‘Save St. Vincents’ hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Imam Abdullah was killed in Dearborn, a suburb of De- parent. In addition, I call for the Department’s Civil Health care is a right. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
troit, on Oct. 28. Rights Division to conduct a separate, independent re- Malcolm X legacy lives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The autopsy report states the imam was shot 21 times, view of whether the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Int’l teach-in builds support for Mumia Abu-Jamal . . . . . . . . . . .7
with numerous wounds in the midsection, waist and use of confidential informants in our nation’s houses of
Protestors tell Schwarzenegger: ‘Terminate foreclosures’ . . . .10
groin areas. At least one shot was through the back. worship may constitute a deprivation of protected con-
There were also numerous lacerations on his hands and stitutional rights under 42 U.S.C. 14141.”  around the world
forehead, presumably from the attack dog that was killed At the Feb. 2 press conference, the widow of Imam
U.S. reinforces occupation as Haitian mourn, rebuild . . . . . . . . .8
during the FBI operation. Abdullah was on the panel. It was revealed that federal
There was much anticipation in the Detroit area prior immigration authorities are attempting to deport her Human blockade keeps neo-Nazis out of Dresden . . . . . . . . . . .8
to the release of the autopsy report. The Michigan Emer- from the United States. Amina Abdullah, a national of the Regime change in Honduras brings more repression . . . . . . . . .9
gency Committee Against War and Injustice held a dem- east African state of Tanzania, has been placed on a tether. South American countries give concrete aid to Haiti . . . . . . . . .9
onstration and press conference outside Dearborn police One of the imam’s sons, Mujahid Carswell, is a defen- Protest demands aid, not occupation for Haiti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
headquarters on the day of the release. dant in the Detroit 10 case. Members of the imam’s fam- Euro-bosses try to make workers pay Greece’s debt. . . . . . . . . . 11
These actions were supported by the Detroit Coalition ily and mosque were victims of FBI infiltration of their
Ukraine voters say no to NATO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Against Police Brutality and attended by the imam’s son group. The information supplied by the FBI lured the
as well as members of his mosque, Masjid al-Haqq. Ten imam and his followers to the warehouse where he was
members of the mosque currently have felony charges gunned down by federal agents.  editorials
pending against them in connection with FBI infiltration MECAWI told members of the international press on Cuba and Haiti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
of Masjid al-Haqq. Feb. 1 that the assassination of Imam Abdullah repre-
MECAWI described the death of the imam as a “tar- sented a pattern of systematic harassment and persecu-  Noticias en español
geted assassination.” This quote was picked up by news tion of Muslims in the U.S. and abroad. This assassina-
Editorial: Protesta del 20 de marzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
agencies throughout the world, including the Associated tion must also be viewed within the context of standard
Press, UPI, Islamonline.net and Russia Today. government policy to both neutralize and liquidate effec- Ocupación estadounidense de Afganistán y Pakistán . . . . . . .12
On Feb. 2 another press conference, called by U.S. tive leadership emanating from the oppressed African-
Congressperson John Conyers Jr., was held in downtown American community.

Farmworkers fight firings, harassment Workers World


55 West 17 Street
New York, N.Y. 10011
by kathy durkin biggest global table-grape-producing companies, distrib- Phone: (212) 627-2994
uting and marketing fruit and vegetables from all over E-mail: ww@workers.org
The year is 2010. Yet discrimination against and ex- the world. Web: www.workers.org
ploitation of the workers who grow and harvest our food This voracious, capitalist enterprise carries out ram-
Vol. 52, No. 5 • Feb. 16, 2010
supply continues today and in its vilest forms — against pant abuse of its workforce to maximize profits and
Closing date: Feb. 25, 2010
immigrants and women. quash any resistance. For several years, Giumarra work-
When a young woman farmworker was sexually ha- ers in the U.S. have been working with the UFW to win Editor: Deirdre Griswold
rassed and abused at a Giumarra Vineyards Corporation a union contract to stop this agro-industrial giant from Technical Editor: Lal Roohk
facility in Edison, Calif., her co-workers came to her aid mistreating its employees and to protect the workers’ ba- Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell,
and objected to her treatment. sic human rights. Leslie Feinberg, Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead,
The day after they reported the incident, the company The UFW explains: “The company has a long history Gary Wilson
retaliated against the woman and her supporters by fir- of intimidating and bullying workers and violating their West Coast Editor: John Parker
ing all of them. They are all Indigenous people who trav- rights … .” Not only did the company interfere with a Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe,
eled from Mexico to toil in these fields for their economic union election in 2006, but the UFW says, “Two farm- Greg Butterfield, Jaimeson Champion, G. Dunkel,
survival and that of their families. workers died of heat-related causes while laboring in Gi- Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales,
The United Farm Workers union reports that the U.S. umarra’s fields.” (ufw.org) David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, Cheryl LaBash,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has just The UFW is circulating an online petition and asks Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Betsey Piette,
filed a lawsuit against Giumarra Vineyards “for violat- supporters to sign it and send it out as widely as possible. Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac
ing federal law by sexually harassing a teenage female It defends the woman worker who charged harassment
Technical Staff: Sue Davis, Shelley Ettinger,
farmworker” and retaliating against farmworkers who and her supportive co-workers and demands an end to
Bob McCubbin, Maggie Vascassenno
witnessed the abuse and reported it to company officials. sexual harassment and retaliation against workers who
(ufw.org) protest their horrific working conditions and who sup- Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez,
Giumarra Vineyards Corporations is the largest U.S. port the UFW. Visit ufw.org to sign on. Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez,
grape-growing company, with 2,500 employees. The A delegation of women leaders will present the peti- Carlos Vargas
workers pick one out of every 10 bunches of grapes in tion to Giumarra/Nature’s Partner and try to meet with Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator
this country. Giumarra/Nature’s Partner is one of the company representatives in February. Copyright © 2010 Workers World. Verbatim copying
and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium

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workers.org_ feb. 25, 2010 Page 3

rhode island.
Protests defend public education,
support March 4 national action
bill bateman Hope High School’s turnaround and
providence, r.i. progress since being put into receivership High school
in 2005 — through hiring more teachers student tells
200 support-
Attacks on public education in Rhode and advisors, and going to 90-minute ers he wants
Island are coming one after another. Gov. class blocks — are now in jeopardy of be- his school
Donald Carcieri proposed $125 million in ing reversed. kept open.
cuts to education and services this year The closure plan is seen as a way to keep ww_Photo:_BiLL_BAtEmAN

and proposes to cut $162 million next year. students packed into oversized classes. The school superintendent of the city safe, secure buildings, up-to-date books,
Providence, with the state’s largest school Teachers from various schools explained of Central Falls presented an ultimatum quality resources and equipment, smaller
system, has lost $5.8 million in state fund- that more students per school will also list of six demands to the teachers union. class sizes, and appropriate and specific
ing for its 24,000 students in the last two deprive students of the spaces needed for The teachers said they were willing to spaces for art, music, science, etc.
years and will lose $7.1 million next year. physical education and the special areas sit down and talk but they would not be On March 4 — the National Day of Ac-
The Providence School Department un- needed for quality music and art classes. forced into anything by bullying tactics. tion to Defend Education — the S.O.S.
veiled a proposal to close seven schools. The Rhode Island Unemployed Coun- The superintendent then said all teachers Coalition together with the Rhode Island
In a series of six public forums in Jan- cil pointed out that Providence has an of- and staff would receive layoff notices and Unemployed Council will march for jobs
uary and February, 500 parents, students, ficial unemployment rate of 14 percent, only 50 percent would have a chance of and education. A rally will take place from
teachers and concerned community and that some of the 11,000 unemployed being rehired next year. 3 to 4 p.m. at the Providence School De-
members turned out. One hundred peo- should be put to work fixing the schools. In response to these attacks, the partment headquarters at 797 Westmin-
ple took the microphone and spoke to op- It said that federal stimulus money is ex- S.O.S. — Save Our Schools — Coalition ster Ave. A march downtown will start at
pose the school closings. Not one person plicitly targeted for repairing schools and was formed. Its goal is to defend public 4 p.m. and end with a rally at 5 p.m. at
supported the idea. hiring more teachers. education in Rhode Island and fight for Providence City Hall.

Day care cuts protested


yet their efforts are sabotaged when day there’s not enough
care support is taken away, making reli- money for the ser-
able care for their children while work- vices people need.
ing or going to school impossible. They Instead, most are
chanted “90 days” over and over, and talking about the
demanded more time to find the money. huge transfer of
Sympathetic women county legisla- tax money to the
tors representing the poorest districts banks. People are
ww_PhotoS:_LESLiE_fEiNBErg
have revealed that there are surplus also very aware Buffalo protest against cuts in early childhood education.
county funds that could be used to of the county and
cover subsidies until other sources can city tax funds that are repeatedly directed ternational Action Center’s sign that said,
be found. Legislator Maria Whyte said to Lake Erie waterfront development for “No to more cuts! Unite to fight for pro-
there is unanimity in the legislature to big business and expensive condos, even grams we need.”
delay the cuts. Collins, however, refus- during this deep recession. Several protesters carried signs say-
es to use the surplus funds. He and the Protest signs on the march reflected ing, “Cuts = Lost Jobs.” Youth members
by beverly Hiestand powerful corporate forces behind him the struggle between these rich corporate of People United for Sustainable Housing
buffalo, N.Y. have been under fire not only from work- forces and those representing the needs (PUSH) brought out supporters. Other
ing mothers but also from many other of working and poor people. Mothers activists demanded, “Our tax dollars for
Working mothers and their children, county residents who are suffering from and children carried signs such as, “Cuts our needs, not big business!” and noted,
unionized day care workers and com- the impact of cuts to services that are not hurt our children” and “Invest in our chil- “Big bucks for developers never trickle
munity supporters, outraged by slashed mandated by state or federal bodies. This dren’s future.” Voice-CSEA, the Voice of down.” Protesters from the International
day care subsidies, marched and rallied includes closing down the last two health Organized Independent Childcare Educa- Action Center and the Bail Out the Peo-
in protest Feb. 9 in downtown Buffalo, care clinics in inner-city poor neighbor- tors, showed that there is common inter- ple Movement pointed out that there is
mobilized by the religious group VOICE- hoods. est between those who need day care and enough money for day care, jobs and all
Buffalo and an outspoken county govern- Fewer and fewer people here believe that those who provide it. They held up the In- human needs.
ment representative from the inner city,

Ohio students sit-in for LGBT rights


Betty Jean Grant.
Over 100 protesters weathered the
cold, windy and snowy day to march to
the County Office Building, where they
stood below the offices of the Social Ser- by caleb t. Maupin were put down with violence and torture. suit and Catholic mission and teachings.”
vices Department and the County Execu- cleveland John Carroll University is run by this (cleveland.com, Feb. 13)
tive chanting demands for reinstatement archaic religious order, though it is also a On Feb. 4, 15 students took action.
of day care subsidies. John Carroll University in University center of leftist activity, including strug- As half time of a basketball game be-
Millionaire county executive, Chris Col- Heights, Ohio, was recently the site of gles against repression in Latin America, tween John Carroll and its historical rival
lins, and his administration decided that a protest for lesbian/gay/bisexual and illiteracy in the U.S. and for health care Mount Union College was about to end,
the subsidies that have made day care af- transgender rights. The university was reform. the students walked onto the court. They
fordable for many families are too expen- founded in 1886 as St. Ignatius College There was anger among the students sat down at midcourt, waving rainbow
sive for county taxpayers. In December, by members of the Society of Jesus, a Ro- when university president Robert L. Nei- LGBT liberation flags and holding signs
almost without warning, the rules were man Catholic order commonly known as hoff declared that “traditional Catholic demanding protection of the LGBT com-
changed to eliminate subsidies for over “Jesuits.” moral teaching properly locates sexual munity from discrimination.
1,100 children — four in 10 of those who The Jesuits are sometimes referred to activity within the relationship of a man When confronted by college officials,
were covered last year. Parents were given as “God’s marines” due to their role in and a woman united for life through mar- the students defiantly held their ground
only a 10-day notice. helping in the conquest of Native peoples. riage as husband and wife.” This explic- until finally being removed gradually by
This was met with a shocked outcry In addition to the thousands of soldiers itly anti-LGBT language was released as the police. The response of the crowd was
from the community, and the county was and slave traders who traveled the world a supplement to the university’s nondis- mixed as some booed, yet others cheered
forced to extend the deadline to 30 days. enslaving Indigenous people for the co- crimination policy. in support of the students’ civil disobedi-
Parents were told to find alternative ar- lonial empires of Europe, this religious In addition to making this condemna- ence. Video of the protest has circulated
rangements. order went along as well. The Jesuits re- tion of LGBT people, the statement of- on the Internet, drumming up more sup-
Mothers protested that even that inforced the oppression of Indigenous fered no protection for the LGBT com- port for the students.
amount of time was ridiculously inade- peoples, often with forced conversions to munity in its discrimination policy. In In response, the administration met the
quate. Many noted they needed day care Roman Catholicism and brutal repression October 2008 the faculty voted “very following week with over 200 faculty and
because they did not have other resources of Native religions and practices. strongly” to change the policy to include students who oppose the bigoted language
for caring for their children as they worked The Jesuits also took part in the brutal LGBT persons. The college defended the of the president and the lack of protection
or went to school to attain job skills. Oth- “counterreformation” movement in Eu- exclusion. Vice President Jonathan Smith for LGBT students. Many are hopeful that
ers spoke about how they are portrayed as rope, where moves away from feudalism, said the university “strives to achieve a the policy will finally be changed as a re-
not wanting to work, which is just not true, absolute monarchy and Catholic theocracy much higher standard based upon its Je- sult of the students’ action.
Page_4_ feb._25,_2010_ workers.org

another NYc hospital in peril On the Picket Line


Community rally demands
by Sue davis

Borax workers fight lockout


‘save st. vincent’s!’ After 500 members of International Longshore
and Warehouse Union Local 30 who work the Borax
mine in Boron, Calif., owned by Rio Tinto unani-
by dolores cox mittee representative; some former noted, but people won’t stop getting mously rejected a contract offer that would have
New York patients; and community residents. sick or injured. This is about saving changed seniority rules, the company brought in re-
The urgency of the situation was jobs as well as protecting the com- placement workers on Feb. 1. The mine is the largest
In the Greenwich Village section of stressed throughout the evening. munity, many said. open-pit mine in California and the second-largest
Manhattan, a 162-year-old hospital What’s at stake, it was stated, is the It was stated that the government borax mine in the world. Rio Tinto, a London-based
fights to remain open. On Feb. 10 the integrity of the city’s health care sys- must invest in St. Vincent’s. Mention mining giant with operations on five continents,
Coalition to Save St. Vincent’s Catho- tem. The hospital’s closing will set a was made that if AIG and other cor- wants to hire nonunion workers and change the se-
lic Hospital and Medical Center held precedent of making the most vul- porations were considered “too big niority system so it can promote people based on skill
a community forum at Service Em- nerable in society suffer, namely the to fail” and entitled to a bailout, then and performance rather than just years of service.
ployees International Union Local poor, elderly, uninsured, homeless a full-service hospital like St. Vin- The union says the proposed changes will lead to
32-BJ headquarters. More than 300 and mentally ill. St. Vincent’s is also cent’s should be saved too. nepotism. “I think the company had the impression
people attended. Other rallies and considered to have a vanguard HIV/ It was disclosed at the forum that we were going to roll over and let them feed us the
town hall meetings were also held AIDS program, with nothing compa- behind-closed-door agreements poison,” Jim Freeman, who has worked at the mine
during the prior couple of weeks. rable nearby. were made on Feb. 5 to close the for 31 years, told the Feb. 1 Los Angeles Times. A
It was recently learned that St. Vin- It was noted that closing St. Vin- trauma center, emergency room solidarity rally is planned in Boron on Feb. 16.
cent’s Hospital is slated to be closed cent’s will cut the medical care safety and behavioral science clinic and to
in a proposed takeover. The hospital net if there is no massive protest no longer accept new patients. But Continental ground workers
is $700 million in debt. Because of
staff and community protests and
against it. It was emphasized that
coalition building is needed between
the power of staff and community
protests thwarted the secret deal, at
join Teamsters
appeals to the state, Gov. David Pat- unions, staff and elected officials. A least for now. Keeping up the pres- Continental fleet service employees — baggage
terson has just loaned the hospital lot of anger was expressed about why sure, staying focused and remain- handlers, ramp workers and cargo agents — voted
$12 million. GE Capital has also put the proposed closing is happening. ing strong were emphasized. It was to join the Teamsters union on Feb. 12. Teamster offi-
up money to keep the hospital open. The closing will cause a ripple effect noted that no responses on this issue cials say that their winning strategy included holding
These monies, however, are expected and put a strain on the resources of have been made by Mayor Michael major rallies at Continental hubs in Cleveland, Hous-
only to keep the hospital out of trou- other parts of the city. St. Vincent’s Bloomberg. ton and Newark, N.J., as well as organizing activities
ble through the end of February. is considered the litmus test for the Two days after this meeting the at other airports around the country. The Teamsters
Among the speakers at the forum future of health care in the city. hospital announced that 32 doctors built upon a 2008 unsuccessful attempt to organize
were forum moderator and Commu- Several speakers emphasized the had been laid off. In addition, all ex- these 7,600 workers, who remained one of the largest
nity Board 2 chairperson, Jo Hamil- ongoing need for the Level One trau- ecutives will be taking a 25 percent groups of nonunion workers in the airline industry.
ton; Manhattan Borough President ma center in that part of the city. The pay cut; directors, managers and No wonder the Teamsters called this win “a big vic-
Scott Stringer; Public Advocate Bill distance to other trauma centers and physicians will take a 20 percent pay tory.” (New York Times, Feb. 13)
previous closings of other hospitals cut. All other nonunion workers will
DiBlasio; City Council members
Mary Chin and Christine Quinn; means the closing of St. Vincent’s either take a pay cut or be laid off Migrant workers win $2.75
City Comptroller John Liu; Kevin would be a matter of life or death.
St. Vincent’s trauma center, it was
by the end of February. The hospi-
tal says the pay reductions are only
million settlement
Finnegan, SEIU Local 1199 political
More than 2,200 migrant workers from Mexico
director; Jessie Blumenthal, head of noted, is known worldwide since temporary, but necessary because of
and Central America, who planted pine seedlings
St. Vincent’s Trauma Center; and Dr. the 9/11 attack on the World Trade its financial situation.
throughout the Southeast, won a class-action settle-
Xavier Jiminez, SEIU, representing Center, because it treated the first Staff morale is reportedly low, but
ment worth $2.75 million on Feb. 12. Superior For-
the hospital’s interns and residents. responders. It was also stated that they are willing to make sacrifices if
estry Services, which hired them under the federal
Also speaking were Eileen Dunn, St. Vincent’s treated survivors of necessary in order to keep the hospi-
guest worker program, was charged with paying the
president of the nurses union at St. the Titanic sinking and the Triangle tal open. Doctors, nurses and mana-
workers less than the minimum wage and not paying
Vincent’s; John Hilton, nurse and Shirtwaist factory fire. gerial staff say they’ll work side by
them for all the hours they worked. The Southern
co-chairperson of the Nurses Asso- It was emphasized repeatedly that side with union members.
Poverty Law Center led the team which filed the law-
ciation; Dr. Mike Wayne, surgeon; the community must rise to the oc- “Keep fighting!” “Save St. Vin-
suit in 2006 to win justice for the workers. (Associ-
paramedics and Local 1199 Emer- casion, step up the fight and take to cent’s!” “Save our jobs!” were the
ated Press, Feb. 13)
gency Response Team workers; a the streets when necessary. Health rallying cries repeatedly shouted out
New York State Senior Action Com- care has become a business, it was throughout the forum.
Reuters reporters make news

health care is a right!


On Jan. 29 Reuters reporters and supporters
were making the news instead of covering it as they
demonstrated outside Reuters offices in Washington,
D.C. Responding to Reuters’ declaration on Jan. 19 of
an “impasse” over contract negotiations, the protest-
Judging from the number of police assigned ers chanted, “Impasse, my ass!” reported Union City,
to follow demonstrators on Feb. 8 at New the online daily newsletter of the Metro Washington
York’s Port Authority bus terminal, the de- AFL-CIO. (Feb. 1) Reuters announced the day before
mand for universal health care must be very that it was going to start imposing new working
dangerous. After being told they couldn’t conditions that will mean more work and effective
stay inside with signs or chants or fliers or
pay cuts of at least 10 percent. The union noted that
cameras or speakers, the group, organized by
Reuters’ actions are “especially hypocritical” in light
Private Health Insurance Must Go, marched
around the outside of the busy transporta- of the company’s profitability and the CEO’s $36 mil-
tion hub with fists in the air. Their T-shirts got lion pay package in 2008. The Newspaper Guild of
a warm reception from commuters. PHIMG New York represents 110 Reuters workers in D.C. and
has also taken its message to bustling Grand over 400 across the country; the rally was supported
Central Station, and will continue to have by the Washington-Baltimore Guild.
monthly demonstrations.
— report and photo by anne pruden S.F. Labor Council supports
organizing in the South
The San Francisco Labor Council unanimously
“low-Wage capitalism by Fred Goldstein is a most timely work, passed a resolution on Feb. 8 that both commemo-
as the working class prepares for a fightback during the greatest crisis rates the 10th anniversary of the historic victory of
of capitalism since the Great Depression.” the Charleston 5 and extends solidarity to the Jobs
clarence thomas, ILWU Local 10 and Co-chair, Million Worker March Movement with Rights Now campaign, which seeks to organize
and defend workers in the South. Initiated by Local
10 of the International Longshore and Warehouse
Low-wage CapitaLism Union, the resolution recounts the successful struggle
to free five members of International Longshoremen
What the new globalized high-tech imperialism means
for the class struggle in the u.S. Association Local 1422 — four Black, one white —
who had been charged with inciting-to-riot felonies
Fred Goldstein’s book provides an easy-to-read analysis of the roots
after 600 cops charged their lawful picket line and
of the current global economic crisis, its implications for workers and
oppressed peoples, and the strategy needed for future struggle. brutalized the workers on Jan. 19, 2000. As the
resolution notes, “[T]his historic victory serves as a
Paperback,_336_pages._includes_graphs,_charts,_bibliography,_endnotes_and_index.
model for all who seek economic and social justice in
Available at www.leftbooks.com our nation.”
workers.org_ feb. 25, 2010 Page 5

as states slash budgets and services


no cuts! Make banks, bosses pay
Continued from page 1 Massachusetts proposes to eliminate part time, foreclosing on homes, etc. The One third of workers in Greece are gov-
to higher education. $174 million in Medicaid provider rates, bosses and bankers are responsible for ernment workers.
More than 132,000 state and local gov- restorative dental services for 200,000 this economic crisis.
ernment workers have been laid off and adults and state funding that provides When their governors cut budgets, it ‘Not one euro to be sacrificed
hundreds of thousands more jobs are on housing vouchers for the homeless. is to try to make the workers pay for this to the bankers!’
the chopping block. The crisis has left the All these cutbacks fall the very hardest crisis. Meanwhile, trillions of dollars flow The Greek working class has a very mil-
50 states with projected total shortfalls of on the African-American, Latino/a, Mid- out of the public treasuries in the form itant history of class struggle and has won
$350 billion for the years 2010 and 2011. dle Eastern, Asian and Native communi- of bank bailouts and unlimited funds to many concessions from the Greek capi-
The CBPP has now updated its study — ties, which were already in near-depres- the military-industrial-banking complex talists. Now the bankers in Europe and
“Governors’ New Budgets Indicate Loss sion status before the economic crisis. It for conquest, death and destruction. This the ruling class in Greece want to destroy
of Many Jobs if Federal Aid Expires” — to also greatly spreads and intensifies the adds up to trillions in bank bonuses and those concessions on the basis of bringing
warn about the coming year: “States con- suffering of undocumented workers. profits for stock brokers and speculators. down Greece’s budget deficit.
front an estimated $180 billion budget This is just a sampling of the types of The banks and corporations make huge The answer to this argument was given
gap for fiscal year 2011, which begins July planned cuts across the 50 states. They profits off the exploitation of workers in a massive one-day strike on Feb. 10
1, 2010, in most states.” come at a moment when poverty and de- and then cry for government help when that shut down most of Greece. A reporter
This date should become a deadline for privation are escalating due to unemploy- it looks like those profits may be whittled was on the scene of a mass demonstration
mass mobilization across the country to ment, foreclosures and evictions. Public down. and wrote the following:
stop the planned attacks from coming services are needed more than ever at the There is a budget crisis and the ques- “[T]he government’s proposals for
down. very moment they are being destroyed by tion boils down to which class created the deep spending cuts to rein in the deficit
heartless government officials. crisis and which class is going to pay. The have met significant resistance.
Hitting seniors, children,
the sick and disabled rich capitalists created this crisis and this “‘We won’t pay for their crisis!’ voices
bankers demand ‘austerity’ — tiny minority of parasites who live off the amplified by loudspeakers blared from
As an example of the cuts, Arizona’s for workers, not themselves people should pay to keep disaster from Klafthmonos Square. ‘Not one euro to
governor plans to eliminate the state’s
These officials are acting on orders falling on tens of millions of workers and be sacrificed to the bankers!’” (New York
children’s health insurance program,
from the bankers and bondholders who on the communities in which they live. Times, Feb. 12)
which covers 47,000 children, and repeal
want to make sure that the state govern- It will be very educational for the work- And a few days before the strike, Pan-
Medicaid coverage for more than 310,000
ments don’t default on their loans and ers in this country to pay attention to agiotis Vavougios, the 80-year-old head
adults with low incomes and/or serious
that interest payments keep flowing to what workers in Greece are doing about of the powerful, 200,000-strong retired
mental illness.
bolster profit margins. a similar budget crisis. The Greek govern- civil servants union, told the Times: “It
Mississippi would cut funding for K-12
Social services, public education, subsi- ment owes hundreds of billions of dollars is not the workers that should be blamed
schools by more than 9 percent and close
dized medical care, cash assistance to the to bankers around the world, especially in for this; it is bankers and large capital. We
four state mental health clinics. Hawaii
poor and many other benefits have been Europe but also in the U.S. — including will take to the streets.”
plans to eliminate a program providing
fought for and won over the decades. The the bandits at Goldman Sachs. This message should reach the la-
cash assistance to low-income people who
purpose of these services is to protect sec- Many European countries share a bor movement here and all progressive
are elderly or have disabilities; the state
tions of the working class from the harsh- common currency, the euro. The world’s forces in the community, on the cam-
also plans large layoffs of state workers.
est features of capitalism and its system of bankers, headed by the German ruling puses and in high schools, throughout the
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
exploitation and oppression. class, are demanding that the Greek gov- anti-war movement. The cutbacks must
is proposing deep cuts to health care, ed-
Even in so-called “normal” times, the ernment solve its budget crisis by cutting be stopped; services must be restored;
ucation, the state workforce and human
ruling class is always trying to cut back back on public workers’ pensions and sal- layoffs must end. Not one dollar for the
service programs, beyond the draconian
on social services. Beginning at the end aries, extending retirement age and so on. bankers! Let the rich pay!
ones already in force. The cuts include
of the Carter administration and continu-
reductions in Medi-Cal (Medicaid), a $1.5
ing through the Reagan years and Clin-
billion cut in K-12 schools and communi-
ty college funding, a 5 percent cut in state
workers’ salaries, a reduction in monthly
ton regime (which destroyed the welfare
system), this trend has been steadily ad- Help to publish:
‘what is Marxism all about?’
vancing.
grants to low-income people who are el-
In the present economic crisis not only
derly or have disabilities, and elimination
are the bankers and bosses laying off
of cash assistance for very poor families
workers in the millions, but they want to World View Forum is publishing this guide for
with children.
cut back even more on those very services activists, which explains Marxist terminology in
New York Gov. David Paterson is pro-
that would cushion the hardships. non-technical language. Terms like “imperialism,”
posing $1.1 billion in cuts to state educa-
With massive unemployment and the “self-determination” and “socialism” are defined and
tion; more than $400 million in reduced
shrinking of the capitalist economy, gov- illustrated. The Marxist definitions of these words
payments to health care providers and
ernment revenues have declined drasti- help sharpen an understanding of society from a
$100 million in other health-care cuts;
cally. A fundamental feature of the pres- working-class perspective.
$143 million in funding cuts for four-year
ent economic crisis is that the capitalist The book that was first published in the 1970s
public colleges and cuts to a financial
governments, not just in the states and as a pamphlet, has been revised, updated and
program serving students from low- and
not just in Washington but all over the edited by young activists in Fight Imperialism,
moderate-income families; and elimina-
world, have to hold up the capitalist sys- Stand Together — FIST. It gives relevant analysis
tion of state revenue-sharing aid to New
tem. The bosses and the bankers are use- about the conditions faced by millions of people in
York City and other localities.
less as far as getting masses of workers capitalist society today, as the economic crisis hits
back to work. working and oppressed people, including students
So the capitalist government has given and youth.
high teCh, tax breaks, bailouts and subsidies to the It is also a guide to action. This book is a must-
low PAy capitalists while having to provide some read for students and youth organizers involved in the many struggles going on
a Marxist analysis assistance to the workers in the form of today across the country. Its short, concise chapters make it very usable as an
of the changing extended unemployment insurance, food organizing tool as well as for discussion groups, classes and meetings.
character of the stamps and other subsidies to keep them
Working class FIST organizers are committed to getting this new edition of “What is Marx-
from starving. ism all about?” to student and youth activists nationwide.
By Sam Marcy, The underlying cause of the present
Second Edition Your help is needed! All aspects of writing, editing, proofreading, cover and
economic crisis is capitalist overproduc-
with a new book design were done by voluntary labor. However, printing and binding costs
tion on a massive, global scale. So the
introduction by are high, causing us to turn to readers and activists for financial support.
Fred Goldstein capitalists, from the owners of the auto
Your contribution to print this book will make a difference! Everyone who
industry to the technology industry to the
donates $20 or more will receive a copy of “What is Marxism all about?”
Twenty years ago Marcy wrote that the construction and housing industry, are
scientific-technological revolution is accelerat-
ing a shift to lower-paying jobs and to more
shrinking the economy.
The creation of new value — real value
Yes! I want to help with publishing costs.
women and Black, Latino/a, Asian, Arab and created by workers, not fictitious, purely Here is my donation of $500 $250 $100 $50 $35 $20
other nationally oppressed workers. paper value created by speculators, stock $ _____ Other (Write checks to World View Forum)
Using Marxism as a living tool, Marcy ana-
brokers, hedge fund managers, etc. — is
lyzes the trends and offers strategies for labor Name________________________________________________________________________ _
including the occupation of plants. lagging. Income in wages is declining.
A new introduction by Fred Goldstein, author Thus taxes collected from workers and Address_______________________________________________________________________
of low-Wage capitalism, explains the roots of businesses are declining, along with state
the current economic crisis, with its disastrous revenues. City/State/Zip__________________________________________________________________ _
unemployment, that has heightened the need But the capitalists are the ones shutting
for a working-class resurgence. down the factories, laying off the workers, Phone/Email___________________________________________________________________ _
lowering wages, forcing millions to work Return to: World view forum, 55 W. 17th St., Fifth floor, New York, NY 10011
Available at www.Leftbooks.com
Page_6______________feb._25,_2010_______________workers.org

COM MEMORATE B LAC K H I STO R Y


Malcolm X’s legacy lives on 45 years after his as
by abayomi azikiwe He rose swiftly through NOI ranks to
editor, pan-african News Wire become the Boston and later New York
minister during the mid-to-late 1950s. Af-
ter he gained national exposure through
Forty-five years ago on Feb. 21, Malcolm X — El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz
public speaking and media coverage, the
— had begun his address to a mass meeting of the Organization of press once again set out to discredit an-
Afro-American Unity in New York City at the Audubon Ballroom when other fearless spokesperson for the Afri-
several men opened fire on him with shotguns and pistols, killing him. can-American masses.
Malcolm X created a newspaper for
At the time the corporate media framed Malcolm X: a transformative figure in the Muslim organization, Muhammad
the threats, attacks and assassination of african-american history Speaks, which as with the Garvey move-
Malcolm X as a feud between the Nation Building on the legacy of Marcus Gar- ment proved to be a powerful vehicle for
of Islam under Elijah Muhammad and vey, Malcolm X emerged during the 1950s the transmission of the NOI’s ideas to the
former members of the organization who as a leader within the Nation of Islam and general public. In addition, Malcolm’s ra-
were led by Malcolm X. Yet it has been a militant spokesperson for urbanized dio and television interviews and debates
well documented that the membership of African Americans in the U.S. Born to drew national attention from both the
the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X were Garveyite activist parents Earl Little and African-American masses and from U.S. rumah of Ghana, Ahmed Sekou Touré of
all under FBI and local police surveillance. Louise Little in 1925, Malcolm’s exposure political police agencies like the FBI. Guinea, Gamal Abdel Nassar of Egypt and
The FBI wanted to cause a rift between to nationalist and pan-Africanist thought By 1963, Malcolm X’s speeches had Abdul Rahman Mohamed Babu, a leading
Malcolm X and the members of Elijah began at a very early age. become more decisively political and government official and Marxist theoreti-
Muhammad’s family in order to weaken Malcolm was one of seven children in secular. He began to de-emphasize cer- cian from Tanzania.
the impact of these organizations on de- the Little family. His father Earl, a Baptist tain aspects of Elijah Muhammad’s Black It was Malcolm’s connections with Babu
velopments within the broader African- minister, often carried him to the mass Muslim theology. His remarks at a mass that resulted in Malcolm’s meeting with
American struggle. meetings he attended during the depres- rally held during a grassroots organizers’ the Cuban revolution leader, Che Gue-
Malcolm X’s assassination came at a sion years of the 1930s. His father was conference in Detroit in November 1963 vara, during Guevara’s visit to the United
critical point during the African-Ameri- originally from Georgia and his mother reflected his developing world outlook. Nations in late 1964. Malcolm took a keen
can political movement of the 1960s. The Louise had been born in the Caribbean In this address, which was recorded interest in Cuba and Che’s role in Cuba’s
Nation of Islam’s newspaper, Muhammad nation of Grenada. (The Autobiography and issued under the title, “Message to pending aid to Congo’s revolution during
Speaks, had done a superb job in cover- of Malcolm X) the Grassroots,” Malcolm X said, “The 1965.
ing developments within the civil rights Malcolm’s parents had originally met same man that was colonizing our people Malcolm had been one of the most
movement from 1961 to 1963, but had at a Universal Negro Improvement As- in Kenya was colonizing our people in outspoken critics of U.S. foreign policy
remained largely aloof from the direct sociation-African Communities League Congo. The same one in the Congo was towards Congo during 1964, when the
action efforts of the Southern Christian conference, the organization founded by colonizing our people in South Africa, Johnson administration had intervened
Leadership Conference (SCLC), the Stu- Marcus Garvey, in 1919 in Montreal. They and in Southern Rhodesia, and in Burma to halt the advances of the revolutionary
dent Nonviolent Coordinating Committee were leading members of the UNIA-ACL. and in India, and in Afghanistan, and in forces. These revolutionaries were fighting
(SNCC), the Congress of Racial Equality Louise Little’s articles were often pub- Pakistan. They realized all over the world against the Western-backed forces that
(CORE) and other organizations. lished in the Garveyite newspaper, The where the dark man was being oppressed, had overthrown and assassinated Patrice
The program of the NOI called for the Negro World. he was being oppressed by the white man; Lumumba in 1960-61.
creation of a separate state for African Despite the economic crisis facing the where the dark man was being exploited, Malcolm’s public statements became
Americans in the United States or in Af- U.S. at the time, Malcolm’s family, a close he was being exploited by the white man.” more anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist
rica. The organization felt that based on unit, remained self-reliant. The nation- (Malcolm X Speaks, 1965) in character and many believed that had
the legacy of racism and national oppres- alist mood and self-pride exhibited by In March 1964 Malcolm announced the he lived longer, Malcolm would have ad-
sion it would be impossible for Blacks this family caused tremendous hostility formation of an orthodox Muslim Mosque vanced socialism as a political objective.
and white people to be integrated into the among racist whites in Nebraska, where that would rival the NOI and arranged Malcolm X also visited England and
same society on an equal basis. Malcolm was born. Malcolm and other to make hajj in April to Saudi Arabia in France during late 1964 and early 1965. In
After the April 1962 police attack on family members believed that Earl Little order to authenticate himself as a Sunni England he made alliances with organiza-
the NOI mosque in Los Angeles that re- was murdered by white racists in 1931 in Islamic believer. When he returned to the tions within the Black and Islamic com-
sulted in the killing of NOI member Ron- Mason, Mich., near the state capital of U.S. in May 1964, he then established a munities. In France, he embarked upon
ald Stokes and the wounding of several Lansing. political group, the Organization of Afro- efforts to form alliances with expatriate
others, Malcolm X wanted to engage in The social pressure from the white American Unity, whose objectives were Africans and Caribbean nationals residing
broader political efforts to seek justice in power structure in the area around Lan- decisively revolutionary nationalist and in Paris. Just before his assassination, the
the case. City authorities found the killing sing, Mich., and economic isolation pre- pan-Africanist in orientation. French government prevented his making
justifiable. Differences between Malcolm cipitated a nervous breakdown for Lou- In July 1964, Malcolm departed again another visit, apparently in response to
X and Elijah Muhammad over the charac- ise Little. Her eventual commitment to a for Africa and the Middle East to engage U.S. State Department pressure.
ter of the NOI’s response to the killing of state mental hospital and the breakup of in further study, analysis and research During this period Malcolm began to
Stokes, coupled with the burgeoning mass the family by the welfare department had and to establish deeper contacts between emphasize the central role of women in
movement for civil rights, increased ten- a tremendous impact on the Little chil- the OAAU and other revolutionary move- the national liberation process. In an in-
sions inside the organization. dren. ments in the so-called Third World. Al- terview in Paris he told the public, “One
When the Ku Klux Klan bombed the During his primary school years Mal- though many writers have placed em- thing I became aware of in my traveling
16th Street Baptist Church in Birming- colm exhibited intellectual capabilities phasis on his conversion to Sunni Islam, recently through Africa and the Middle
ham, Ala., in September 1963, killing and talents. He dreamed of being a lawyer Malcolm never lessened his commitment East, in every country you go to, usually
four African-American girls, Malcolm X’s but was discouraged by a racist teacher to the revolutionary transformation of the the degree of progress can never be sepa-
statements became even more militant in who told him that he had to be realistic U.S. and the world. rated from the woman. If you’re in a coun-
response to this act of racist terrorism and because he was Black. By 1941, Malcolm Malcolm spent the bulk of his time be- try that’s progressive, the woman is pro-
the failure of the John F. Kennedy admin- had relocated in Boston to stay with his tween July and November of 1964 in vari- gressive. If you’re in a country that reflects
istration to take effective action in sup- older sister, Ella Collins, the daughter of ous revolutionary and progressive states the consciousness toward the importance
port of civil rights. Earl Little from a previous marriage. in Africa, including Egypt, Ghana, Alge- of education, it’s because the woman is
Consequently, when Kennedy was as- Malcolm worked in menial jobs in ria, Tanzania and Guinea. He developed aware of the importance of education.”
sassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, and Mal- pool halls and on transport trains during close political relations with Kwame Nk- Malcolm continued, “But in every back-
colm later made comments at the Man- World War II. He eventually drifted into
hattan Center on Dec. 1 that Kennedy’s criminality and drug abuse that resulted
death was a case of “the chickens coming in his arrest and sentencing to prison for MarxisM, reparations
home to roost,” he was silenced by Elijah burglary in 1946. & the Black Freedom struggle
Muhammad. Malcolm would eventually While in prison he was influenced by
An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper.
leave the organization by March 1964. an older inmate to read and develop his Edited by Monica Moorehead. Includes:
Following his departure from the NOI, mind. He then set out to learn as much as
racism, National oppression & Self-determination
Malcolm formed two other organizations, possible and to participate in the prison Larry_holmes_
the Muslim Mosque Inc., a Sunni Islamic debating teams. black labor from chattel Slavery to Wage Slavery
organization, and the Organization of Malcolm soon accepted the teachings Sam_marcy
Afro-American Unity, a pan-Africanist of the Nation of Islam at the urging of his black Youth: repression & resistance LeiLani_Dowell
group patterned on the Organization of brothers, who had entered the organiza-
the Struggle for Socialism is key monica_moorehead
African Unity, in an effort to build a unit- tion prior to him. When he was paroled in
black & brown unity: a pillar of Struggle for Human
ed front in the U.S. in solidarity with the 1952, he immediately began to work as an
rights and Global Justice! Saladin_muhammad
struggle for independence and unity on NOI organizer under Elijah Muhammad’s
the continent of Africa. leadership.
CoVEr_grAPhiC_By_SAhu_BArroN
workers.org___________________________________feb._25,_2010___________________Page_7

ssassination int’l teach-in builds support


for Mumia Abu-Jamal
by audrey Hoak
philadelphia

Activists from Philadelphia, across the


U.S. and around the world participated in
a video conferencing and live teach-in Feb.
13 to take up the next stage in the struggle
to free Mumia Abu-Jamal. The hall at
the Abiding Truth Ministries Church was
full despite nearly 50 inches of snow that
hampered public transportation and put
parking in the city at a premium.
ward country you’ll find the women are The resounding message
backward, and in every country where from all fronts was to keep the
education is not stressed, it’s because the pressure on and fight harder
women don’t have education. So one of the than ever before to free Abu-
things I became thoroughly convinced of Jamal.
in my recent travels is the importance of Pam Africa of Interna-
giving freedom to the woman, giving her tional Concerned Friends and
education, and giving her the incentive Family of Mumia Abu-Jamal
to get out there and put that same spirit opened the event by remind-
and understanding in her children. And I ing people that we overturned
frankly am proud of the contributions that the death penalty for Mumia under Gov.
our women have made in the struggle for Tom Ridge and now we must do it again.
freedom, and I’m one person who’s for giv- She stressed the need to educate people,
ing them all the leeway possible because particularly youth, about this case and its
they’ve made a greater contribution than relevance to the struggle for Black Libera-
many of us men.” (By Any Means Neces- tion and against the death penalty.
sary, p. 179, 1970) Journalist and Temple University pro-
fessor Linn Washington Jr., who has been
Malcolm X’s secure position in african- investigating this case since the day of top, journalist
american history Abu-Jamal’s arrest on Dec. 9, 1981, said, linn Washington, Jr.
Despite the efforts of the corporate me- “The focus shouldn’t be whodunit, but on left, ramona africa,
dia to distort his legacy and international exactly how corrupt the proceedings have Move.. .
image since his assassination, Malcolm X been starting with police and judicial mis-
has been immortalized by many writers conduct and courts that have consistently right, Suzanne ross, ..
and commentators on African-American ignored their own laws and rulings, creat- N.Y. free Mumia coalition.
bottom right, ..
affairs. According to journalist M.S. Han- ing what is now called the ‘Mumia excep-
Monica Moorehead, 9
dler, “No man in our time aroused fear and tion’ for those standards which apply to Millions for Mumia/
hatred in the white man as did Malcolm, everyone but Mumia.” int’l action center...
because in him the white man sensed an Washington noted, “If not for the fact
implacable foe who could not be had for that Abu-Jamal’s very life is at stake
any price — a man unreservedly commit- and the many future cases that hinge on
ww_PhotoS:_LAL_roohk__
ted to the cause of liberating the Black its outcome, the state’s antics would be
man in American society, rather than in- laughable. But they are deadly because Hurricane Katrina, on behalf of Palestin- both U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
tegrating the Black man into that society.” Abu-Jamal is a revolutionary facing ex- ian people, in solidarity with Cuba, and and to President Obama will be followed
(El Hajj Malik Shabazz, documentary film) ecution who has become the symbol of against attacks on immigrants and other up with a phone campaign to congres-
During the later years since his martyr- justice to people all over the world.” forms of racism and legal lynching. sional leaders on Feb. 26 and in-person
dom Malcolm has gained a secure posi- Many refuse to stand by and let the Nana Soul of Black Waxx Recordings meetings on April 26.
tion within the collective consciousness of state take his life. Ernesto Luisa, an Afro- and Artists & Activists United for Peace Miya Campbell of Fight Imperialism,
Africans, oppressed peoples and workers Venezuelan leader in Caracas, Venezuela, streamed in with a poem telling Mumia that Stand Together was streamed in from
worldwide. His image proliferates in the called in to extend support for Abu-Jamal he cannot be extinguished or contained. Boston. She encouraged people to come
urban areas of America and his name and and for the eradication of the death pen- While citing that courts are not the out, teach and make Mumia accessible to
spirit are often evoked in relation to the alty, which is so often applied to African answer, Ramona Africa, one of only two everyone. FIST is proposing the formation
uncompromising character of the Afri- Americans. Luisa demanded the Justice survivors of the state’s murderous attack of Students and Young People for Mumia,
can-American struggle for total liberation Department listen to the international on the Philadelphia home of MOVE in and will raise Abu-Jamal’s case during na-
from national oppression and economic community regarding this case. 1985, described plans to use the courts as tionwide student actions March 4.
exploitation. Unable to join the session by phone, a tool to keep the pressure on the authori- Plans are also underway to raise Abu-
Consequently, the efforts of the mass me- Abu-Jamal sent a message read by Johan- ties. To mark the 25th anniversary of the Jamal’s case at the upcoming U.S. So-
dia, U.S. intelligence services and the capi- na Fernandez of Educators for Mumia, Osage Avenue bombing on May 13, Africa cial Forum in Detroit in late June and
talist class in general have failed to obscure who had visited him that morning. He and the MOVE organization will be filing for demonstrations in Philadelphia July
or co-opt his message due to the efforts of said, “This is an intense time for me and murder complaints with District Attorney 3 and again on July 4 when President
the political heirs of Malcolm X, who have for all of us. It’s a time to struggle more, Seth Williams against those responsible Obama will be in town.
continued to maintain the integrity and not less. As you know, in my case law isn’t for the death of their family members. A solidarity message from incarcerated
principled character of his legacy. law and precedent is not precedent. I en- The program was dedicated to the late human rights lawyer, Lynne Stewart, was
courage you to look at Amnesty Interna- Veronica Jones, who courageously stood read by her partner, Ralph Poynter. De-
alabama’s black belt: legacy tional’s case for me and ORGANIZE! OR- up to menacing cops and a threatening spite health problems stemming from her
of slavery, sharecropping and segregation GANIZE! ORGANIZE!” judicial system when she recanted a false incarceration, Stewart insisted the case
Consuela_Lee_ Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney statement forced out of her to incriminate for Mumia needs to come before every-
Harriet tubman, Woman Warrior General and a founder of the Internation- Abu-Jamal. Her sister, Valerie Sundail, thing and everybody, and stressed that
mumia_Abu-Jamal al Action Center, sent a statement, saying, reported that Jones wrote a book that will people need to act, not just plan or pledge.
“Don’t fail or falter, we need maximum soon be released. Poynter acted by raising $400, which he
are conditions ripe again today? 40th
anniversary of the 1965 Watts rebellion effort now. We stand no chance to dump delivered in person to Pam Africa.
U.S. militarism if we can’t save Mumia.” time to act is now A highlight of the program came when
John_Parker
Speakers addressed how Abu-Jamal’s Various proposals for action were Victor Toro, a Chilean leader who faces
racism and poverty in the delta
Larry_hales life is threatened because he defends raised at the event. One prong in the fight deportation, said, “Mumia is a symbol
those in prison and speaks out against is to demand a civil rights investigation and an extraordinary man. He is a 21st
Haiti Needs reparations, Not Sanctions
the U.S. wars against Afghanistan and as well as an investigation into the role of century Mandela. His resistance is that
Pat_Chin
Iran, military bases in Colombia, the the federal COINTELPRO program that of immigrant people. Social activists of
Books available at Leftbooks.com. coup in Honduras and the U.S. invasion targeted Abu-Jamal since he was a young South America join to get Mumia out of
and in bookstores around the country of Haiti. His is a voice for the survivors of student activist. Petitions addressed to jail. He is ours.”
Page_8_ feb._25,_2010_ workers.org

u.s. reinforces occupation as haitians


mourn, rebuild
by G. dunkel tion and food being used as a tool to force that it was previously anchored in the In- to keep off the rain and that they needed
the hungry homeless to go to where the dian Ocean and used to hold prisoners tents. They confronted the Haitian cops
Haiti remains a country devastated authorities want to send them. (Publico, from Afghanistan. who came out to stop them. There was
by the Jan. 12 earthquake. The disaster Feb. 5) According to the Washington Post (Jan. some pushing and shoving, but no inju-
has been successfully used by the United Epidemics of diarrhea, flu, scabies, 22), the 20,000 or so members of the U.S. ries resulted.
States as a pretext for reoccupying the ringworm and many other prevent- armed forces currently in Haiti are oper- There have been a number of earlier
country with thousands of military troops. able diseases are raging throughout the ating under an agreement with the U.N. demonstrations at the government’s cur-
On Feb. 12, Haiti mourned its dead. makeshift camps that are estimated to to “oversee all Haitian air and sea ports, rent headquarters, which is the former
Tens of thousands came out to the cer- be home to more than 300,000 people in and to help secure Haitian roads.” They headquarters of the judicial police. On
emonies in Port-au-Prince at the ruined the capital alone. People in these camps also have “broad scope to intervene in Feb. 5, when Bill Clinton and U.N. Secre-
National Palace. have scant water, which means no baths, civil disturbances, subject to a request by tary-General Ban Ki Moon came to visit
The mourning was made heavier be- no sanitation, no latrines and no way to Haitian authorities.” They will, however, Préval, a group called PLONBAVIL came
cause tens of thousands of the dead were dispose of their garbage. operate under their own “autonomous” out to demand that aid be given to the
tossed, unidentified, into mass graves. A few maquiladora shops have opened, command structure. true victims of the earthquake. The or-
The Haitian government estimates the but getting supplies in and product out is This agreement appears to put Haiti ganization includes a number of former
death toll at 213,000. Thousands of the dicey. The U.N. has hired a few thousand under a U.N. and U.S. protectorate. public employees in the telephone com-
living are amputees, facing a hard life Haitians to clear the streets and remove But Haitians, no matter how desper- pany, the ports and so on, who were ille-
made harder because of the loss of a limb. tottering buildings. However, some esti- ate their situation, have not remained gally laid off.
Over a million Haitians are now homeless mates put the unemployment rate at 70 passive. Some of them are going through Berthony Dupont, the editorial director
in the cities devastated by the earthquake percent before the earthquake. (National collapsed buildings, salvaging metal rein- of Haïti-Liberté, points out, “Indeed, the
— Port-au-Prince, Petionville, Carrefour, Public Radio, June 14) Saying it has got- forcement, lumber and furniture to reuse finishing stroke that the country received
Jacmel, Leogane and Petit-Goave. Hun- ten “significantly worse” means almost or resell. Jan. 12, despite the immense suffering of
dreds of thousands have fled to cities not nobody has a job. When about an inch of rain fell on Feb. the people, seems to be a good thing for a
touched by the earthquake, where they are Adding to the desperation, the U.S. 11 around 4:30 a.m., the first response was group of speculators and mercenaries in
living doubled up with family and friends, Coast Guard returned 78 Haitians who wails of helplessness and misery. Then the pay of the occupiers. That’s the reason
scrambling and scraping to survive. were seized near the Bahamas in an over- anger at the U.N. and the René Préval why the imperialists’ aid never reached
Even as Haitians grieve, rebuild and loaded sailboat. A Coast Guard spokesper- government took hold and spontaneous, the masses of the people.”
struggle, the country is occupied by son said there was no sign that more Hai- large demonstrations began marching to Those in the U.S. in solidarity with
20,000 U.S. troops that do little to help tians than usual were fleeing by sea, but it U.N. headquarters and the Haitian gov- the people of Haiti must continue to de-
the population. had still stepped up patrols. (AFP, Feb. 12) ernment’s headquarters, both located mand that U.S. troops be withdrawn im-
Food is still in short supply, but the The USS Bataan has arrived in Hai- near the airport, which is currently a U.S. mediately, that exiled and democratically
United Nations’ World Food Program ap- tian waters. (Haiti-Liberté, Feb. 10-16) base. (Kevin Pina, www.haitiaction.net, elected President Bertrand Aristide be al-
pears to be getting enough distributed so Although the Pentagon has both denied Feb. 11) lowed to return, and that the Haitian peo-
nobody is starving to death. Many Hai- and admitted that the Bataan is outfitted The protesters chanted, “If Aristide was ple be able to rebuild their country free
tians complain of graft, corruption and as a floating prison to be used outside the here, he would be soaked along with us.” from imperialist domination and military
insensitive incompetence in its opera- U.S., the Guardian (U.K.) has established They also chanted that they had nothing occupation.

dresden 65 years after firebombing


Human blockade keeps neo-Nazi marchers out
by John catalinotto of this brutal slaughter of civilians
that was a common event in the war
Progressive residents of Ger- waged by imperialist forces — on
many won a victory as 12,000 both sides — and in which Germa-
people used their bodies and ny’s Nazi-led military reveled.
their organization to blockade Except that it was home to Ger-
a neo-Nazi march in Dresden, a mans, Dresden was the least likely
major city in Saxony, located on military target. Its population had
the Elbe River in the southeast of doubled as German civilians from
the country near the Czech bor- the east ran before the advance
der. It was a welcome triumph of the Soviet Red Army. The Brit-
not only over the fascists but over ish and U.S. military fire-bombed
the German government which Dresden because it was a military
was prepared to defend the neo- experiment they could get away
Nazi marchers. with. In addition, it was a show of
The fascists had chosen Feb. 13 force and ruthlessness to the Red
for their march for a special rea- Army, as later on, in an even more
Photo:_gABriELE_SENft
son. It was the 65th anniversary Anti-Nazi blockade, Dresden, Germany, Feb. 13. Banner reads: ‘Never again fascism! Never again war!’ dramatic and inhuman way, were
of when U.S. and British bombers the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima
had dropped so many incendiary bombs it was icy cold, but it was worth it.” (Ger- would allow a major fascist march to take and Nagasaki in Japan.
on the center of this German city that it man daily Junge Welt, Feb. 15) place. As anti-fascist Joachim Guilliard For readers who are unfamiliar with
created a firestorm, sucking out all the A stream of Twitter messages that from Heidelberg told Workers World, the firebombing of Dresden, perhaps the
air and burning or suffocating between Workers World followed showed how the “There was one bus from here going to best way to learn of it is to read “Slaugh-
35,000 and 70,000 German civilians. anti-fascists coordinated their actions Dresden. But when people found out what terhouse Five,” the novel by Kurt Von-
The neo-Nazis wanted to take the le- to block the Nazi march into Dresden. A the government was doing, the organizers negut, who himself was a prisoner of war,
gitimate grievance over this war crime favorite signoff on the site was “Dresden had to hire two more buses.” forced to work underground in Dresden
and make it their issue. It’s to the credit of Nazifrei, no pasaran,” meaning “No Nazis The chairperson of the Union of Vic- when the bombing took place. A factual
the German anti-fascists that they joined in Dresden, they shall not get in.” tims of the Nazi Regime, Heinrich Fink, description might leave one numbed by
together — 600 organizations and 2,000 Young workers played a major role in said, “The successful blockades have numbers, while Vonnegut’s novel makes
individuals supported the Dresden-based the anti-fascist blockade. Ringo Bischoff, impressively shown that in the struggle vivid the charred logs that were the re-
coalition — and came from all over the federal youth secretary of the service against the old and new Nazis we can rely mains of tens of thousands of civilians.
Federal Republic to physically stop the workers union ver.di, stated: “The ver.di- only on ourselves, and not at all on the The imperialist politicians who ordered
Nazis. youth is committed to an anti-fascist pro- state regime or the police or the courts.” Dresden’s destruction are gone, but their
The success required both a country- gram and will also in the coming period (Junge Welt, Feb. 15) successors in the Pentagon and the British
wide mobilization and a political struggle remain active against Nazis and rightist military are now carrying out a slaughter
against those who simply wanted to make ideologies in the factories and the union.” dresden: feb. 13, 1945 of civilians with newer weapons in the
a symbolic protest, that is, to protest the (Junge Welt, Feb. 15) Dresden is known for its art museum, mountains and valleys of Iraq and Af-
neo-Nazi march but not confront it. The The role of the government, which mo- the bridges across the Elbe and the brutal ghanistan. What is the current offensive
anti-fascists succeeded in both areas. “It bilized thousands of police to protect the fire-bombing as World War II drew to a on Marjah, Afghanistan, but another war
wasn’t easy,” said Lena Roth, spokesper- fascist marchers, boomeranged. Support close. Germany’s neo-Nazi movement has crime? Neither the Nazis nor the “demo-
son for the Dresden anti-fascist coalition. for the counterdemonstration grew after no right to seize Dresden’s history as its cratic” imperialists should be allowed to
“We took casualties from Nazi attacks and people found out that the state in Saxony issue. At the time, there was little protest get away with war crimes.
workers.org_ feb. 25, 2010 Page 9

regime change in honduras


brings more repression
by berta Joubert-ceci in captivity in the Brazilian Embassy, Ze- trafficking, etc. Colombian paramilitaries computer and spilled blood on his bed as
laya would fly to the Dominican Repub- have been operating in Honduras in co- a warning. Ponce was in charge of hosting
On Jan. 27 Jose “Pepe” Lobo was inau- lic accompanied by the president of that ordination with the country’s army and an International Action Center solidarity
gurated as the new president of Hondu- country. police. They were invited by the previ- delegation to Honduras from the United
ras. His inauguration was the product of In a moving ceremony, resistance ous, fraudulent Micheletti government, of States in October.
illegitimate elections held under a coup leader Juan Barahona received the legiti- which Lobo’s regime is the continuation. Hermes Reyes, member of the Artists
d’état, with pervasive repression of the mate presidential sash from Zelaya. In his Illustrating the repressive character of Movement in Resistance, was temporar-
opposition forces and with only 30 per- speech, “Honduras has changed forever,” the new regime and its declaration of war ily disappeared and tortured on Feb 12.
cent of eligible voters participating in the Barahona laid out the tasks ahead for the against the resistance, several peasants Three days later, Julio Fúnez Benítez, an
elections. resistance: organizing, mobilizing and from the Unified Peasant Movement of active member of the resistance and the
The inauguration ceremony was held formulating ideology in order to strength- Aguán were shot and injured by army and Union of Workers of SANAA, the Nation-
in a stadium that holds 35,000 but was en the resistance “as the instrument of the police on the day of Lobo’s inauguration. al Service of Water and Sewage Systems,
almost empty. Only three other heads of peoples’ power for the conquest of pow- On Feb. 2, two videographers who was shot dead by two paramilitaries on a
state attended: Ricardo Martinelli from er.” This, said Barahona, must be done in cover the resistance were temporarily ab- motorcycle.
Panamá, Leonel Fernández from the Do- a very unified way and inclusive “of all the ducted and tortured. The following day, This is the government that the United
minican Republic and Ma Ying-jeou from exploited, oppressed and marginalized of the body of 29-year-old union leader Van- States recognizes as “the road to democ-
Taiwan. Colombia, Peru, Malta, Japan our nation, with no exception whatsoev- essa Zepeda was found after being disap- racy” in Honduras, just like it does with
and the United States sent representa- er.” (www.redaccionpopular.com) peared and tortured. On Feb. 10, Edgar paramilitary president Uribe in Colombia.
tives. The new Lobo government has started Martínez, his spouse, two brothers and a Despite this criminal repression, the
The resistance, led by the Popular Na- as a furiously repressive one, similar to friend were temporarily kidnapped and resistance is determined to prevail. Their
tional Front of Resistance (FNRP), filled the fascist Álvaro Uribe regime in Colom- tortured. Two women were raped. slogan is “¡Resistimos y Venceremos!”
the streets with more than 300,000 peo- bia. In fact, Uribe was the first president to On Feb. 11, two men raided the home (We resist and we will win!) It is the task
ple who marched to show their opposi- visit Lobo after his inauguration, in order of Porfirio Ponce, resistance leader and of all progressive people around the world
tion and non-recognition of the new gov- to sign security cooperation agreements. vice-president of STYBIS, the beverage to follow the direct request of the resis-
ernment. They also bid farewell to their Other treaties have since been signed by industry workers union whose Teguci- tance: Expose these crimes and refuse to
beloved legitimate leader, President Jose the two countries in matters of defense, galpa headquarters serves as the resis- recognize the government of Pepe Lobo.
Manuel Zelaya. After four months housed surveillance, terrorism, kidnapping, drug tance’s main office. The men took Ponce’s E-mail: bjceci@workers.org

South American countries give concrete aid to Haiti


by berta Joubert-ceci ture and health. Their work will be fully any Haitian external debt. nor” countries, including Japan and the
coordinated and approved by the govern- In what Correa described as “South-to- European Union, joined this conference
The Union of South American Na- ment and the people of Haiti. “They will South cooperation,” UNASUR approved to “contribute to establishing a clear and
tions — UNASUR — held an emergency tell us about the progress that we make $100 million for aid, and will request an common vision within the international
meeting on Feb. 9 in Quito, Ecuador, to and the needs that they have,” stated Cor- additional $200 million in a loan from the community for the early recovery and lon-
examine the situation in Haiti after the rea. (Telesurtv.com, Feb. 9) Inter-American Development Bank, to be ger-term reconstruction of Haiti.” (www.
earthquake and make plans for short- and Some of the concrete actions will in- paid, not by Haiti, but by the UNASUR international.gc.ca)
long-term assistance to the destroyed na- clude providing materials, machinery and countries in a 15-to-20-year repayment The conference was also attended by
tion. Exterior ministers and special en- engineers to work on infrastructure, par- plan with minimum interest. representatives of the main imperialist
voys from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guy- ticularly in the construction of roads and In another show of solidarity from the financial institutions that strangle Haiti
ana, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela electrical networks, plus studying the im- South, the ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for with debt — the International Monetary
and the presidents of Colombia, Paraguay pact of gas as an alternative source of en- the Americas) countries, of which Ecua- Fund and the World Bank. There was no
and Peru joined current UNASUR Presi- ergy. The countries will provide special- dor is also a member, recently decided to mention of debt forgiveness or how debt
dent Rafael Correa from Ecuador and ists, seeds, fertilizers and other resources cancel any debt that Haiti held with their has kept Haiti from moving forward.
Haitian President René Préval. for the reconstruction of the agricultural countries. On Feb. 5 Representative Maxine Wa-
This meeting took place 11 days after sector. They will supplement the actions ters introduced legislation in Congress to
Correa visited Haiti to personally assess already implemented by the South Ameri- Migratory amnesty signed by ecuador relieve Haiti’s debt by requesting that “the
the situation. He was accompanied by the can Health Council and help in joint ac- To ease the lives of undocumented Hai- upcoming $100 million loan from the
Health and the Risk Commission Secre- tions to funnel humanitarian aid and re- tians living in Ecuador, President Correa IMF be given to the Haitian government
taries (both women) and a delegation of construction coordinated by the Haitian signed a decree on Feb. 9 legalizing their in the form of a grant.”
physicians, rescue workers, experts in government. migratory status. In addition, those Hai- According to standwithhaiti.org: “Hai-
clinical and intensive therapy and in the These measures are in addition to pro- tians who arrived in Ecuador before Jan. ti’s $709 million debt to the international
management of natural disasters, and viding other necessities such as tents and 31 will receive their immigrant visa com- financial institutions breaks down as fol-
specialists in plastic, vascular and emer- the construction of emergency shelters as pletely free. These measures will legalize lows: Inter-American Development Bank
gency surgeries. well as the development of a reforestation the status of 15,000 immigrants from (IDB), $447 million; International Mon-
program. Haiti. This will also help to open the doors etary Fund (IMF), $165 million; Interna-
uNaSur’s integral plan UNASUR is also encouraging its mem- to their families who are still in the Carib- tional Fund for Agricultural Development
These countries, many of them rich in ber states that have not yet done so to bean nation. (IFAD), $58 million; World Bank, $39
natural resources but impoverished by apply special processes to regulate the million.”
centuries of colonialism and neocolonial- migratory status of Haitians in their another kind of ‘relief’ The Montreal conference called for “ur-
ism by the countries of the North, par- countries, assist in the educational sec- On Jan. 25 a very different kind of gently convening” an international con-
ticularly the United States, unanimously tor, temporarily eliminate any tariffs to meeting was held in Montreal, Canada, ference of key donors and partners to be
agreed to help in the reconstruction of Haitian export products, stimulate in- concerning relief for Haiti. With the Unit- held at the United Nations in New York
Haiti in the three main areas proposed by vestments by South American enterprises ed States and Canada leading the “Group City in March.
Préval: infrastructure and energy, agricul- that use local Haitian labor, and cancel of Friends of Haiti,” a dozen other “do- E-mail: bjceci@workers.org

Protest wants aid, not occupation for Haiti


Despite rain and wind last Jan. 25, at Africa — be brought back. The demon- getting distributed.” He re-
least 150 local Haitians and their sup- strators called for emergency food, water minded the crowd of “Haiti’s
porters rallied during evening rush hour and medical aid, and not foreign military rich mineral resources, like
at the famous Powell & Market Cable Car armed occupation. gold, copper, silver, uranium
Turnaround in downtown San Francisco Local Haiti Action Committee member and oil, that profit-moti-
to “Stand with Haiti.” Organized by the and trade union activist Dave Welsh sang vated foreign companies …
Haiti Action Committee, speakers called a few inspiring songs and spoke about ad- have always enriched them-
for true solidarity with the plight of the ditional actions taking place that week to selves with, at the expense
Haitian people since the catastrophic Jan. stand with Haiti. of the cheap labor extracted
12 earthquake, demanded that Haiti’s Pierre Labossiere, co-founder of the from the Haitian people, like
legitimate President Jean-Bertrand Aris- Haiti Action Committee, said: “U.N. beasts of burden … as shops are closed in “Stand with the people of Haiti; we are all
tide — who U.S. operatives kidnapped in troops have been firing rubber bullets the U.S. and go to Haiti, for slave wages.” Haiti, Haiti is us!”
a 2004 coup and is now exiled in South at Haitians … while food and aid are not Labossiere concluded his remarks with: — report and photo by Joan Marquardt
Page_10_ feb._25,_2010_ workers.org

WORKERS WORLD
AfghAnistAn offensive
editorial Pentagon spends billions
Cuba and Haiti to terrorize civilians
M
Continued from page 1 nium there and British transport planes
any people think it is human that meets the needs of all the Haitian
population to resist the invaders keeps the land and take off from this area several
nature to be greedy, to put people.”
outsiders from completely taking over the times every day.’”
the interests of the individual This is no quick fix, but a long-term
country? What this shows is that, while the im-
before the common good — in a word, to program to help develop and train a
No matter what cozy labels U.S. and perialist militaries may enjoy enormous
live in a dog-eat-dog society. At the same public health system run by the Haitians
British military planners attach to their technological advantages, the resistance
time, they may be moved by suffering themselves.
hideous offensives in order to “win the in Afghanistan is neither insular nor ig-
and want to help others but usually find What is the price tag on all this? Noth-
hearts and minds” of the Afghan people, norant of what is going on in the world.
themselves stymied. Hey, that’s capital- ing. Cuba leads the way in international
it isn’t working. While U.S. politicians have used semi-
ism, what can you do about it? solidarity.
A well-informed article in the British religious terms, like “evil-doers,” to pro-
Such an outlook leads to a pretty bleak ELAM was started in 2005. Since then,
newspaper Guardian on Feb. 16, called vide some rationale for the war, this Tal-
view of the future of humanity. it has graduated 7,290 physicians from
“How Afghans see Operation Moshtarak,” iban commander is pointing out material
The media, especially the tabloids and the Americas, Africa, the Mideast, Asia
says international coverage of this military reasons why the imperialists are trying to
shock jocks that pitch their message to a and Oceania. Immediately following
push “is in sharp contrast to the way it is control the region.
mass audience, love to dish up examples the earthquake, its graduates began e-
regarded on the ground in Afghanistan.” Workers in the U.S. and Britain — and
of the most selfish and destructive behav- mailing former classmates and recruited
The writer, Nushin Arbabzadah, is an Afghanistan too — are being forced to
ior. At the same time, they avoid like the hundreds willing to serve in Haiti.
Afghan woman who grew up in Kabul. cough up the money for this war. Unlike
plague reporting on societies where social- According to a report from Medical
She reports that the opposition news- the resistance fighters, who seem invisible
ist revolutions have made it possible for Education Cooperation with Cuba, which
papers, which regard the government because they dress and look like the peo-
there to be serious planning and develop- helps students from the U.S. attend
of Hamid Karzai as illegitimate after an ple, the troops “surging” around Marjah
ment that bring out the best in people. ELAM, the graduates now volunteer-
election riddled with fraud, have “belit- look like they are landing on the moon,
Take Cuba, for example, and what it is ing to work in Haiti have come from
tled the operation, casting doubt over the so swaddled are they in protective armor
doing to help the people of Haiti recover South America, the Caribbean and North
strategic importance of Marjah and Nade and encumbered with all the things that
from the horrible wounds caused by America and as far away as Mali in
Ali, and highlighting the issue of civilian soldiers from an alien country need to
the recent earthquake. If you live in the Africa. Dr. Bechri Ahmed Ali hails from
casualties there.” survive — from water and food to night vi-
United States, you won’t read or hear the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic:
Her article also summarizes the main sion equipment, not to speak of weapons
about it in the media. But Cuba is doing “But Haiti is where I belong right now.”
points in an interview with Mullah Abdul and ammunition.
more to provide its neighbor Haiti with “This isn’t an adventure. This is a
Rezaq Akhund, identified as the Taliban And it all costs — big time. At a time
medical help than any other country in commitment,” said Dr. Wilberth Barral,
commander in Marjah. It was conducted when bridges are falling down in the U.S.,
the world. a Bolivian ELAM graduate preparing
in Pashto and posted on the Cheragh Dai- the Pentagon is buying portable ones
Many Cuban medical personnel had to depart for Haiti. “My classmates are
ly website. strong enough to hold armored vehicles
been working there before the earth- Haitian. Some lost their whole families,
Mullah Akhund put forward four rea- as they cross the canals that crisscross
quake in facilities set up to treat the fathers, siblings, their homes. They need
sons why the NATO forces considered Helmand province. It’s another piece of
poorest people, often in the countryside, our help.”
Helmand province of geostrategic im- equipment the grunts have to carry with
but were home on vacation. On news of Is it possible to foresee a world in
portance and therefore had chosen it for them as they “surge.”
the disaster, they rushed back, bringing which the people of the United States
their well-publicized offensive. Reporter How many school buses can be bought
emergency equipment with them. could help repair the damage done by
Arbabzadah characterizes these as “con- for the price of a light armored vehicle?
By early February, Cuba’s Interna- centuries of colonialism and imperial-
spiracy theories,” but adds that “Mullah The Army has signed a contract for 2,131
tional Henry Reeve Medical Contingent ism, could gladly pay reparations to those
Akhund’s views reflect those of a majority LAVs, adding up to $4 billion. That’s al-
was the largest medical relief operation nations whose people were kidnapped
in Afghanistan.” most $2 million apiece, or the equivalent
in Haiti, with 1,147 trained medical per- for the infamous slave trade, whose
According to the Guardian reporter, of nearly 30 school buses every time one
sonnel there — including 411 non-Cuban infrastructures have been destroyed in
“The Taliban commander alleged that the of these wheeled tanks gets blown up in
graduates of Havana’s Latin American Pentagon wars, whose labor has been
U.S. and the U.K. intend to set up surveil- Afghanistan.
Medical School (ELAM), which provides stolen, and whose lands, water and even
lance centers along the border to collect Congress added $160 billion to the fiscal
a free medical education to students who air have been polluted by profit-hungry
Iranian military and intelligence data. Ak- year 2010 Pentagon budget for Overseas
agree to use their skills to help the poor U.S. corporations?
hund further alleged that since Helmand Contingency Operations — about half of
in their home countries. Of those, seven There can be such a world. Even now,
is also close to Gwadar, a Pakistani port it for the war in Afghanistan. The drain of
were from the United States, two from when the grip of capitalist rule and
which is of economic significance to Chi- imperialist wars on the economy is bleed-
Nicaragua and 402 from Haiti. Another ideology is so strong, more than half the
na, controlling Helmand allows Washing- ing all social programs in the U.S. — which
200 Havana-trained doctors will have people in the U.S. contributed to relief
ton to curb the influence of its main eco- is especially painful in this period of high
joined this large team by late February, efforts for Haiti in its hour of need. The
nomic rival in the region. unemployment and low wages, when tens
coming from 24 different countries. great crime is that the Pentagon domi-
“He then went on to allege that the U.S. of millions of workers and their families
Cuba’s Minister of Public Health, Dr. nates the U.S. presence in Haiti, occupy-
and the U.K. were also interested in tak- need every bit of help they can get.
José Ramón Balaguer, presides over a ing the country and even obstructing
ing control of the drug production labora- Several opportunities are coming up
system that provides everyone in Cuba medicines from getting past the U.S.-
tories located in Helmand in a bid to profit for the anti-war, pro-people movement in
with free, quality medical care. At a cere- controlled airport in Port au Prince.
from the international heroin business. the U.S. to carry out its own “surge”: the
mony in Havana for the departure of the Cuba before its 1959 revolution was
The fourth reason, as alleged by Akhund, March 4 demonstrations of students and
ELAM teams, Balaguer emphasized the a playground for the rich and a bloody
is Helmand’s uranium resources. In the youth against cutbacks and tuition hikes;
long-term responsibility of the young dictatorship for the poor. That socialist
Taliban commander’s own words: ‘Ac- the March 20 anti-war protests; and the
physicians and their Cuban partners revolution liberated the people from cyni-
cording to eyewitnesses, British forces are April 10 March for Jobs in Washington.
to “help build a public health system cism and despair. It can happen here.
bringing a large amount of equipment to Be there! Stop the wars and occupations!
the area and have started extracting ura- E-mail: dgriswold@workers.org

protestors tell Schwarzenegger


‘Terminate foreclosures’
More than 50 people who have either person for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
lost a home through foreclosure or are During a packed meeting in assem-
facing foreclosure took a bus from Los bly chambers, after hearing testimonies
Angeles County to Sacramento on Feb. of the brutal nature of evictions due to
10. The predominantly Latino/a and ma- foreclosure — with sheriffs sometimes
jority women caravan demanded that aiming their guns at children — state
the governor immediately respond to the Assemblyperson Nava pledged he would
foreclosure crisis by declaring a state of sign on to a demand for the governor to
emergency in California. issue an immediate declaration of a state
A state-of-emergency declaration is re- of emergency.
quired by the California Emergency Act No such pledge was given from the gov- When Schwarzenegger did finally come quickly fled, without even uttering “I’ll be
whenever the safety and health of a signif- ernor to protesters lined up outside of and out of his office hours later, to speak at back.”
icant number of its residents are in jeop- knocking on his office doors. After about an unrelated press conference, some of The protest was initiated by Herman-
ardy, and the local and state governments 20 minutes, realizing protesters weren’t the activists who remained waiting for dad Mexicana Trans-Nacional, the Inter-
are ill-equipped to deal with such a crisis. going anywhere in spite of a growing po- him quickly began chanting, “Terminate national Action Center and Bail Out the
A letter was presented to both state As- lice presence, a staff person came out to foreclosures.” Not even flexing a muscle, People Movement.
semblyperson Pedro Nava and to a staff accept the letter from protesters. he turned to the chanters, grimaced and — report and photo by John parker
workers.org_ feb. 25, 2010 Page 11

euro-bosses try to make workers


pay for greece’s debt crisis
by G. dunkel but one of the poorest. Besides Greece,
Portugal, Ireland, Spain and even Italy
The elected leaders of the 16 countries face a sovereign-debt crisis, that is, the
of the euro zone gathered in Brussels, Bel- inability to pay debt service on their sov-
gium, on Feb. 11 and said they would work ereign debt. A sovereign debt is one con-
to prevent Greece from defaulting on its tracted by selling bonds the government
debt. By Feb. 14, they made it clear that issues, especially in a currency other than
their intention is not so much to bail out the one the government can print, such as
the Greek government but to pressure it a Greek government debt in U.S. dollar- or
into making a direct attack on the Greek euro-based bonds.
working class. Shares in euro zone banks had slumped
The European big bourgeoisie gathered as the sovereign-debt crisis developed,
in Brussels to prevent any possible col- with Greek banks falling by more than 50
lapse of the euro, and to assure that the percent.
cost of the debt crisis was placed on the
shoulders of the workers — in Greece and Greek workers refuse to submit
in the rest of the euro zone. The day before the Feb. 11 Brussels
European Union President Herman meeting, 500,000 Greek civil servants
Van Rompuy said, “We call on the Greek went out on a one-day strike. In Greece,
government to implement all these [aus- civil servants include teachers, doctors,
terity] measures in a rigorous and deter- air traffic controllers, and many other
workers who keep the country running. Banner in Athens reads, ‘We’re not paying’ for the debt.
mined manner to effectively reduce the
budgetary deficit by 4 percent in 2010.” A major slogan of the workers on strike nuses and stipends. It includes raising the its workers down so far that it creates an
(CNN World, Feb. 14) was, “It’s not us who should have to pay average retirement age by two years to 63 “internal devaluation.”
At a televised cabinet meeting on Feb. for this crisis.” (l’Humanité, Feb. 10). and hiking taxes. For every five civil ser- It appears likely that the European
12, Greek Prime Minister George Papan- Maria Ioakimidou, a middle-aged so- vants who retire, the government is going Central Bank or EU commissioners, with
dreou criticized the plan to “help” Greece cial worker at an Athens hospital said, to hire only one replacement. This means technical assistance from the Interna-
as “timid” and late. The plan is suppos- “After 20 years on the job I only earn speedup for the remaining workers. tional Monetary Fund, will have monitors
edly designed to help Greece pay off the 1,300 euros [a month] and now the gov- The Greek workers, with Communist or examiners in every department and
big European banks that hold its debt and ernment wants to steal from me. The big leadership in the PAME labor confedera- major office of the Greek government to
get new loans. Greece has a debt of 53 bil- guys who stole in the past [through cor- tion, have a well-deserved reputation for make sure that the budget guidelines that
lion euros, now equivalent to about $71 ruption] should be paying,” she added, combative responses to attacks on their Papandreou’s government promulgated,
billion, coming due this year. referring to Greece’s rich elite. (Financial living standards. Europe’s big capitalists under intense pressure, are followed.
Along with the dominant U.S. dollar Times, Feb. 11) also fear that a successful mass movement The ECB is already asking for even
and the Japanese yen, the euro is one of On Feb. 11, Athens’ taxi drivers — a ma- in Greece could inspire similar struggles more intense austerity. Germany is the
the world’s major currencies. The euro jor part of that capital city’s transporta- in Portugal and in Spain, Italy or Ireland, dominant financial power in the euro
zone consists of the 16 countries in the tion system — struck for a day over high where similar “reforms” are in the works. zone and its bankers will have the most
EU that use the euro as their currency. fuel prices. Meanwhile, Greek farmers influence with the “monitors.”
The big capitalists and bankers of West- strengthened their blockades of roads Sovereign debt and German tutelage Athens is on a very short leash, since
ern Europe created the EU and the euro along the border with Bulgaria to express Since the Greek government no lon- there is to be a mid-March interim prog-
zone so they could strengthen the hand their continuing outrage at the govern- ger controls Greece’s money supply — it ress report, a further one in mid-May, and
of European capital against the European ment. They have been blockading on and uses the euro, not a national currency — it quarterly updates thereafter.
working class and the oppressed nations off for a month. can’t devalue its way out of this economic Both industrial production and retail
of their former colonies. Before the Brussels meeting, Papan- crisis. Devaluing currency is the tradi- sales have been falling since the middle
Germany, France, Italy and Spain are dreou’s government had announced an tional cure for a government in financial of 2007 (Financial Times, Feb. 6), so it
the countries in the euro zone with the big- austerity program that includes freezing distress. The Greek regime, however, is very unlikely that Greece is going to be
gest economies. Greece is also a member, civil servants’ salaries and cutting bo- plans instead to drive living standards for able to export its way out of the crisis.

ukraine voters say no to nAto


by Heather cottin Soviet republic. It failed to deliver. ernment debt is the third-most expensive tion had both contracted by more than
Last November the “Orange” govern- to insure in the world. (Business Week, half year-on-year. Thousands of workers
Viktor Yanukovych, who has declared ment, losing support by the minute, came Feb. 14) were put on unpaid leave. (Feb. 20, 2009,
his opposition to joining NATO, won up with a ploy to try to postpone the elec- Last year the International Monetary Reuters)
the recent presidential election in the tions until May of this year, citing fear Fund refused to lend any more money Last year Australian economic blogger
Ukraine. He defeated Prime Minister of the H1N1 flu. (Itar-Tass, Nov. 6) That to Ukraine after it raised wages and pen- Mike Whitney wrote, “Ukraine is teeter-
Yuliya Tymoshenko, who was a leader of didn’t work. sions. Yanukovych said during his cam- ing on the brink of bankruptcy. Poland,
Ukraine’s pro-Western “Orange Revolu- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vis- paign that he would keep those increases Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary have all slip-
tion” in 2004. ited Ukraine in December. She spoke in in place. But unemployment is rife and ped into a low-grade depression. The
Yanukovych says that Ukraine “will join Kiev to promote Ukraine’s further in- wages are low in Ukraine. countries that followed Washington’s eco-
no military alliance. This is the Ukrai- tegration into NATO and the European Ukrainians in the cities of Kiev and nomic regimen have suffered the most.
nian people’s position, which we should Union. “By working together as partners, Cherkassy were interviewed in a Feb. 3 They haven’t developed their consumer
respect.” (Novosti, Jan. 18) Viktor Yush- I am confident that we can meet the chal- Financial Times video report, “Ukraine’s markets, demand is weak, and capital is
chenko, the previous president, who was lenges and seize the opportunities of the Economic Chill.” One man said, “It’s hard. scarce. Businesses are being forced to de-
openly pro-NATO, came in last in this 21st century,” she said. (Interfax, Dec. 10) I am not paid regularly. It’s hard to find a leverage to avoid default.”
election with only 3 percent of the vote. It’s not happening. job and so many people are looking.” Now, almost all the debts of the East
Months of anti-NATO protests last An older woman said, “Pensions are European countries are owed to West
year in the former socialist state result- economic meltdown small. This is a crisis. It’s affecting young European financial institutions: Aus-
ed in Ukraine’s Parliament blocking the When the countries of Eastern Europe people and us old pensioners.” trian, German, Swedish, Greek, Italian
presence of foreign troops. had planned economies, the workers A younger woman said, “It’s difficult. and Belgian banks. They hold 74 percent
Yanukovych hinted that he wants to could count on a steady job with health [In] these elections the struggle is for of the entire $5-trillion portfolio of loans
renew the contract that allows Russia a care, paid vacations and a pension. Since power, not for people.” to “emerging markets.” According to the
base in Ukraine for its Black Sea fleet. He the capitalists got back in at the beginning These desperate conditions have at- IMF, these banks are five times more ex-
also promised to recognize the indepen- of the 1990s with promises of freedom tracted investors. Neoliberal policies posed to the meltdowns in the economies
dence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia — and prosperity, all that has been lost. promote crushingly low-waged labor. of the former socialist countries than are
which U.S. client state Georgia invaded Ukraine’s economy contracted 15 per- Ukraine is a major manufacturer of pas- U.S. or Japanese banks, and they are 50
last year and Russia defended. (Guardian cent last year, the steepest decline since senger cars and adds non-factory parts to percent more leveraged.
[UK], Feb. 14) 1994. The global capitalist financial crisis motor vehicles. But demand is down. This Washington and Wall Street must ac-
The “Orange Revolution,” an orches- cut demand for its exports, such as steel industry is failing, too. cept that Ukraine is not joining NATO and
trated regime change financed by George and chemicals, and dried up investments. Last year at this time, Ukrainian indus- is closer to Russia. Their color revolutions
Soros’ Open Society Foundation and the Its currency, the hryvnia, has slumped 42 trial output had shrunk by over a third, are fading, popular support is nonexist-
National Endowment for Democracy, percent against the dollar since the begin- the worst drop in more than a decade. ent, and their European bourgeois bud-
had promised prosperity for the former ning of September 2008. Ukrainian gov- Machine building and mineral produc- dies are sinking in economic quicksand.
Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países uníos!

editoriAl.

protesta del ocupación estadounidense de


20 de marzo Afganistán y Pakistán alcanza
e nuevo momento de la verdad
n el año desde que el Presidente Barack Obama
llegó a ser el comandante en jefe de las fuerzas
armadas de Estados Unidos, las ilusiones de
millones de personas que ya no querían más guerras por John catalinotto haber un gran combate”, dijo Abdul dor Jeremy Scahill, que escribe so-
Manan, un refugiado de la zona de bre el creciente uso de mercenarios
— tanto en el Medio Oriente como en otras partes —
Las declaraciones tanto del mando Marjah. (Reuters, 7 de febrero) para llevar a cabo aventuras militares
se han ido al suelo.
de ocupación EEUU/OTAN como Mulla Sharfuddin, comandante estadounidenses en Irak y Afganis-
Tantas pancartas y marionetas que se llevaron en
de los portavoces de la resistencia talibán en Helmand, dijo por telé- tán, escribió el 4 de febrero sobre la
las manifestaciones contra la guerra antes de las elec-
afgana, indican que se cierne un en- fono a la Prensa Islámica Afgana “los muerte de tres “fuerzas especiales”
ciones, se enfocaron en la personalidad del Presidente
frentamiento militar en la provincia talibanes no tienen miedo de la gran estadounidenses en el noroeste de
George W. Bush como la razón de las brutales e ile-
Helmand de Afganistán, concreta- ofensiva planeada por las fuerzas ex- Pakistán. (www.thenation.com)
gales invasiones y ocupaciones que sin piedad abatían
mente en la zona de Marjah. Al mis- tranjeras en Helmand. Estamos con- “Los soldados murieron el miér-
a la resistencia en Irak y Afganistán. A Bush se le veía
mo tiempo, la muerte de tres agentes tentos de que los extranjeros salgan coles en el Bajo Dir cuando su convoy
como listo pero obtuso — la guerra como un terrible
de EEUU en Pakistán — ya sea de de sus bases y nuestros combatientes fue alcanzado por un coche bomba
error cometido por un hombre bruto, egoísta y sin
las Fuerzas Especiales o de los mer- los atacarían”. en lo que parecía ser un ataque di-
principios, de horizontes estrechos. Y por supuesto,
cenarios “contratistas” — expone el Sharfuddin, quien dijo que los tal- rigido contra los americanos. Según
siempre estuvo la figura siniestra del vicepresidente
aumento de la participación militar ibanes cuentan con el apoyo popu- el Comando Central, los soldados es-
Dick Cheney.
estadounidense en ese país de 170 lar, también negó la propaganda de tadounidenses estaban en el país en
Ahora hay un equipo presidencial muy diferente
millones de personas y que posee ar- EEUU-OTAN que acusa a la resis- una misión para entrenar las fuerzas
en la Casa Blanca. Pero las guerras continúan como
mas nucleares. tencia de sostenerse con fondos de fronterizas paquistaníes. El capitán
antes, aún si la justificación que se da es más refinada
La administración de Obama la venta de drogas ilegales. “Los tal- Jack Hanzlik, portavoz del Coman-
y la jerga patriótica no es tan obvia. De hecho, la ad-
anunció su intensificación de la ibanes han prohibido el cultivo de do Central de Estados Unidos dijo
ministración democrática está poniendo más dinero
ocupación de Afganistán el pasado drogas durante su gobierno”, dijo. que hay cerca de 200 miembros del
aún en los bolsillos del complejo militar-industrial-
otoño. Si el ataque sigue adelante y la (www.thenews.com.pk) personal militar de EEUU en Pakis-
banquero y ha ampliado sus guerras para incluir a
resistencia se defiende y lucha, esta tán”. Cerca de 60 a 100 de estos son
Somalia, Pakistán, Yemen y una gigantesca armada eeuu y karzai intentan
intensificación traerá un nuevo nivel “entrenadores”.
alrededor de Irán. sobornar a los talibanes
de bajas en lo que el Pentágono llama Scahill sostiene que el aumento en
Una elección nunca ha detenido una guerra.
“la región de Af-Pak”. El otro filo de la ofensiva es la la presencia de estos “entrenadores”
Fuerzas mucho más poderosas que unos simples
En Afganistán, las fuerzas de la supuesta oferta de Karzai de nego- es generalmente precursor del de-
oficiales electos están detrás de la gigantesca máquina
OTAN y su gobierno títere de Afgan- ciar un acuerdo, y al mismo tiempo sembarco de un mayor número de
del Pentágono. Debemos recordar que fue Richard
istán, encabezado por el presidente ofrecer a las tropas de los talibanes tropas regulares de EEUU. También
Nixon, quien no era ningún liberal, el que finalmente
Hamid Karzai, están llevando a cabo puestos de trabajo. Hasta la fecha, señala que gran parte de la labor de
presidió en la terminación de la Guerra de Vietnam.
una ofensiva de dos filos. Washington se ha negado a admitir formación se lleva a cabo por tro-
Como Bush, este criminal en la Casa Blanca había
Uno es la amenaza de un ataque que está tratando de negociar con los pas mercenarias. En Pakistán hay
tratado todos los trucos para permanecer en el puesto
en Marjah, previsto para mediados talibanes o con otras fuerzas de la re- operarios de Blackwater (o como se
y justificar la guerra. Pero durante su presidencia las
de febrero. Miles de tropas de la sistencia. Es difícil concebir sin em- llama ahora, Xe) que trabajan como
manifestaciones estaban suplementadas con desercio-
OTAN y de las tropas títeres afga- bargo, cómo Karzai podría perseguir subcontratistas de una empresa paki-
nes, rechazo a pelear en la guerra y acciones masivas
nas, encabezadas por los infantes de una maniobra diplomática seria sin staní, la Kestral Logistics.
militantes por jóvenes y soldados activos.
marina estadounidense que acaban el apoyo de los EEUU ya que su régi- Un portavoz paquistaní del Tal-
Los vietnamitas continuaron luchando heroica-
de ser enviados a la zona, atacarían men títere es totalmente dependien- ibán, Tariq Azim, también habló so-
mente, el mundo estaba indignado y la clase gober-
Marjah y expulsarían a la resistencia te de Washington para dinero, armas bre los mercenarios: “Sabemos los
nante de Estados Unidos finalmente decidió que
de su base más segura. Los reportes y protección armada. movimientos de los infantes de mari-
no podía ganar. Entonces Nixon se convirtió en el
dicen que 2.000 de las 80.000 per- El imperialismo estadounidense na estadounidenses y de Blackwater
“estadista” que presidió sobre la retirada final de las
sonas que residen en la llanura Mar- siempre buscará la manera de divi- y hemos preparado ataques de bom-
tropas.
jah se han refugiado en la capital dir las fuerzas que luchan contra él. bas suicidas para ir tras ellos”. (The
Ha tomado mucho tiempo — tiempo en el que de-
provincial Lashkar Gah, para evitar Esto es especialmente cierto cuando Nation, 4 de febrero)
cenas de miles de personas han muerto — para que se
los enfrentamientos. se hace imposible que las fuerzas de El aumento de la intervención es-
entienda la realidad de que el cambio de administra-
El General EEUU Stanley McChry- ocupación de EEUU ganen militar- tadounidense en la región está provo-
ciones no va a traer el fin de la guerra en Irak. En este
stal dice que la ofensiva tiene como mente. Así que el rumor de “dar a cando cambios también entre las fuer-
período, los/as trabajadores/as en Estados Unidos
objetivo limpiar la región de los com- los combatientes talibanes puestos zas antiimperialistas. En enero hubo
han sido golpeados/as con la peor recesión capitalista
batientes de la resistencia para que de trabajo”, implica que la ocupación en Pakistán una reunión de diferentes
desde la década de los treinta — una en la que una
las fuerzas aliadas al gobierno de está en problemas. tendencias de la izquierda que por
corta recuperación del mercado de valores no produjo
Karzai puedan tomar el control. Tampoco es convincente el ar- años han estado divididas, pero que
ninguna recuperación del mercado de trabajos, a
Según el Secretario de Defensa gumento de que la mayoría de los ahora han llegado a un acuerdo para
pesar de los colosales rescates para los bancos y las
de EEUU Robert Gates, la OTAN ha combatientes de la resistencia son fundar un “Frente Antiimperialista”.
firmas financieras por parte de la administración de
dado a conocer el asalto “[para que] simples mercenarios, que luchan por En Afganistán, la propaganda es-
Obama.
la gente sepa lo que viene con la es- paga. Esto es especialmente dudoso tadounidense llama a todos en la
Mientras las guerras continúan, los empleos en el
peranza de que el centro de los tal- cuando se aplica a los combatientes resistencia “Talibán”. Otros obser-
sector público están desapareciendo conforme los es-
ibanes, o muchos de los talibanes, de la resistencia que participan en vadores señalan sin embargo, que
tados enfrentan grandes recortes en sus presupuestos.
simplemente se retiren, y así tal vez misiones suicidas. mientras el Talibán es la principal
A nivel federal, el presupuesto está siendo balanceado
habría menos confrontación”. (Re- Washington, por el contrario, se fuerza organizada en la resistencia af-
en las espaldas de los/as trabajadores/as aún cuando
uters, 7 de febrero) está volviendo más y más dependi- gana, hay muchos otros envueltos. No
Obama libera a la máquina militar de cualquier con-
Los refugiados sin embargo, dicen ente de las fuerzas mercenarias para todas estas fuerzas son fundamental-
gelamiento en sus gastos.
que los guerrilleros han estado atrin- luchar en sus guerras coloniales. istas y algunos son incluso seculares y
Las guerras en el exterior y la miseria económica
cherándose. “Los talibanes no van a marxistas. No son ahora un frente de
aquí no pueden verse de manera separada. Son las “fuerzas especiales” caen
dejar Marjah. Hemos visto cómo se liberación unido, pero todos quieren
dos caras de la misma moneda. En ambos casos, la en batalla en pakistán
están preparando. Están trayendo echar a los EEUU y la OTAN fuera de
clase depredadora de los explotadores súper ricos
personas y armas. Sabemos que va a El escritor y periodista investiga- Afganistán y de toda la región.
está usando el estado para proteger y garantizar sus
monstruosas ganancias mientras espera que los/as
trabajadores/as en uniforme o en ropa civil pongan su
dinero y su vida en peligro.
Las manifestaciones contra la guerra que se han Libertad
programado en Washington y otras partes para el 20
de marzo — el séptimo aniversario del asalto del Pen-
para
tágono contra Irak — será un barómetro importante los cinco
para saber si el movimiento ha podido recuperar el
impulso en el nuevo ambiente político.
cubanos
El Partido Workers World/ Mundo Obrero apoya
las acciones del 20 de marzo y participará en éstas en Libertad para los cinco cubanos: Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino Salazar,
todo el país. Rene González Sehwerert, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez y Fernando González Llort.

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