* Latin America
Brazilian landless leader murdered
On August 12 a Brazilian federal judge dismissed murder charges against four young men from wealthy families who fatally assaulted Galdino Jose dos Santos, a leader of the Pataxo indigenous nation, in Brasilia on April 20. Dos Santos was in the capital for demonstrations by the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) and for meetings with officials, including President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The defendants found Dos Santos asleep at a bus stop, doused him in gasoline and set him on fire; he died after he was taken to a hospital. Judge Mello reduced the charges to "causing bodily harm," saying that the defendants didn't realise that dos Santos might die. Two of the accused are sons
Meanwhile, the MST has announced that it will resume land occupations in Pontal do Paranapanema, in the western part of Sao Paulo state, despite threats of violence by landowners. The organisation, with 2.5 million members, uses land invasions as a way of forcing agrarian reform measures. The MST had observed a three-month truce in Pontal de Paranapanema after promises by the state government to get land for thousands of campesinos (peasants).
On Aug. 9 Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, former president of the leftist Workers Party (PT), proposed that Brazil's governors should emulate the tactics of the MST and of Sao Paulo's homeless organisations. State governments have come up short following tax law changes and wage increases they gave to end a strike by police in 10 states. Saying that a "passive position doesn't get you anywhere," Lula suggested that the governors should occupy the presidential palace, Planalto, to demand federal asSource: Committees In Solidarity with Latin America & the Caribbean (CISLAC), PO Box A431, Sydney South, NSW 2000, Australia. www.peg.apc.org/-stan/cislac/ Indigenous strike in Ecuador
Ecuador's indigenous and campesino (peasant) movement shut down the country on Aug. 11 and 12. Members of the state-run Campesino Social Security and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) blockaded highways to demand that the government go forward with a Constitutional Assembly during 1997.
Congress had postponed the calling of the Assembly, which was approved in a referendum on May 25 of this year, until August 1998. The protesters are preparing to build for a "social uprising" if the government 16 International Viewpoint #292 doesn't agree to indigenous and campesino demands for the Constitutional Assembly to be held on Oct. 12, and for neither the executive or legislative bodies to be invited.
Deputy Napoleon Saltos of the New Country-Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement (NP) insists that protests will continue until October when the "Popular Assembly" called by broad social sectors is
Saltos explained that by seeking to postpone the Assembly, President Fabian Alarcón was hoping people would lose interest in the process. Because of this, said Saltos, the grassroots sectors would continue with their plans for a parallel alternative Assembly this October.
NP deputy Leonidas Iza, has asked for Church mediation, "to help overcome the gap between the government and the social sectors, who are angry that the transition government has failed to fulfil the mandate of the national protests" in February that drove out President Abdalá Bucaram.
CONAIE representative Antonio Vargas criticised police and military repression during the strike; at least one person was killed, eight were injured and 20 were Argentine general strike
Despite a lack of active support from opposition political parties, a national general strike staged by Argentina's opposition unions on August 14 shut down public transport and schools in Buenos Aires and several
The strike was called by the Congress of Argentine Workers (CTA) and Movement of Argentine Workers (MTA); it was not endorsed by the pro-government General Workers Confederation (CGT). Strike organisers had harsh words for CGT leaders, who recently pacted with the government to sign a labour flexibilisation agreement that strips power from unions and grants more flexibility to companies to hire
This was the fifth general strike against the government's economic policies since President Carlos Saul Menem was re-elected
Argentina's two main opposition political parties — the Radical Civic Union (UCR) and the centre-left Front for a Country in Solidarity (FREPASO) formally endorsed the strike, but did not actively participate in protest action. The centre-left daily Clarin suggested that the new alliance was "more concerned about showing itself as guaranteeing economic stability than about participating in a strike against the [neoliberal economic] model."
Clarin reported nearly 70 highway blockades across the country, and more than 30 strike soup kitchens and demonstrations. Interior Minister Carlos Corach estimated
"only" 27% of workers stayed away from work. The main adhesion to the strike came from workers affiliated with the CTA and the MTA—primarily state workers, metalworkers, drivers, judicial workers, teachers and university professors. By contrast, empLoyees of banks and private businessesmainly affiliated with the CGT-were at work as usual. Corach called the strike "the least successful and most violent of all the strikes" against Menem. He said there were 278 conflicts, including highway blockades, bus burnings (184 buses were damaged), demonstrations and four telephoned threats. Corach reserved his harshest criticism for
Buenos Aires mayor Fernando de la Rua of the UCR announced that city employees would not get their pay docked if they participated in the strike.
While in other provinces roadblocks were staged by unemployed workers and unionists, in the area around Buenos Aires it was groups of radical leftist activists who blocked major thoroughfares. In the area around La Plata, capital of Buenos Aires province, about 50 militants of the leftist group Quebracho burned several buses and clashed with some 200 police agents, who used tear gas and rubber bullets; 75 people were arrested and a young woman was injured by a rubber bullet. * Feminist brigade to Cuba
An International Feminist Brigade will travel to Cuba from September 20 to
October 2, 1997. This first of its kind Brigade is jointly sponsored by the Federation of Cuban Women and the US group
Radical Women. In Havana, brigadistas will meet with women's organizations, government officials, and activists from the lesbian/gay, Afro-Cuban and
Chinese-Cuban communities. Visits will be arranged to schools, day care centres, hospitals, housing projects and other sites of interest in the capital. Two days spent in nearby provinces will provide brigadistas a view of conditions in the countryside and an opportunity to work alongside Cubans in the fields and
A highlight of the tour will be a two-day Solidarity Conference in Havana where brigadistas, Cuban activists and community leaders will plan international actions to defend and support Cuba's right to build a socialist country. Crucial time for Cuban women
The lives of the Cuban people are harshly affected by US policies of harassment and the vicious embargo. Additionally, the fall of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc has deprived Cuba of its major trading partners and resulted in severe shortages of medicine, paper
goods, cooking oil, gas, and building materials.
Cuban women are most affected by the economic troubles. Factory closures have increased unemployment among women. As a way to sustain their families, many are turning to low-paid domestic labour - cooking, cleaning, taking care of children - or making crafts. Moreover, the rise of international tourism has revived the sexual exploitation of women. On top of all this, women continue to be the main care givers and organizers in the home. * For more information, write to: Feminist Brigade, 5018 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118 USA, Phone 206 722-6057, Fax 206 723-7691, Email: franrose@aol.com Roberto ¡Presente!
Fourth International supporter Roberto McLean Torres was shot dead by paramilitares in Barranquilla, Colombia, as he returned home on the evening of July 11th. He would have been 39 years old in November. His last 24 years were dedicated to the struggle, in youth, student and political organisations. He won a reputation as a struggler. A proud black Colombian, Roberto fought to bring basic services to his barrio.
His struggle for a better society brought him to the Liga Comunista Revolucionaria, the Colombian section of the Fourth International. As a revolutionary, he tried always to promote unity in action. When the section dissolved, he concentrated on regional initiatives. He was the Organisational Secretary of Barranquilla's Movimiento Ciudadano (Citizens Movement), which may soon win its third term in the town hall. Roberto brought all his creativity and determination to the creation and nurturing of organic structures of popular distrust of the two-party system. His strength was in organisational work.
He was a delegate to the Fourth International's 11th World Congress, and a number of other international gatherings.
His only sin was to belong to the political opposition in a country which, unlike Roberto, cannot tolerate differences. A country with one of the worst records in human rights violations, the second most violent country in the Americas, and the third most corrupt country in the world.
The Fourth International deeply regrets his passing away, and shares the pain of his departure with his family and companions. * Canada: Socialist Action conference
Speakers at the second Socialist Action conference, in Toronto Canada on Jul 18-20. described "the state of the fight back against the neo-conservative agenda" in the Canadian state. Socialist Action Editorial Board member Joe
Flexer emphasized the need to expose the 'debt myth, and to challenge the present union and NDP mis-leaders with the demand for general strike action to bring down the bosses' governments and fight for a Workers' Agenda.
Montreal SA member Robbie Mahood explained "Why Socialists Defend Québec's Right to Independence", and how threats to partition Québec are part and parcel of the bosses' agenda to divide working people while escalating the social cutbacks and the rate of exploi-
Jeff Mackler, National Secretary of Socialist Action in the United States, spoke on "The CIA - Crack Cocaine Connection" and "The Relevance of Trotskyism in the Fight for Socialism
SA members voted to focus their activities on mass action against Bill 136 in Ontario, and the capitalist agenda of cutbacks and union busting across the country; preparing solidarity for a possible postal workers' strike this Fall, and in support of Quebec self-determination; and attempting to build class struggle rank and file groups in the unions and the NDP to fight the right wing leadership and to advance a Workers' Agenda.
Socialist Action has members in Kingston, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph, North Bay and other Ontario centres, as well as other Canadian cities. The conference was attended by about 30 militants, including guests from the USA. [BW/JD] * Cuba Youth Festival a big success
The 14th World Youth and Students Festival, held in Havana, Cuba from July 28 to August 5, was a big success, surpassing organisers' initial expectations. A total of 12,326 delegates from 132 countries attended, representing more than 2,000 national organisations.
The Festival represented both continuity with previous such events -organised by the Communist Party youth groups and organisations in their orbitas well as new world political realities and the recognition that today's progressive youth movements are characterised by a broad pluralism.
Attendance was greatest from the Americas. The U.S. delegation was the largest international contingent -849 delegates- despite White House threats of jail sentences and fines for violating the ban on travel to Cuba. Then came Mexico (with 644 delegates) and Argentina (561); large delegations were also present from Germany, Angola, North Korea, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Spain, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico. Delegations from Eastern Europe, including countries where the ex-CPs are in power, were noticeably weak.
In addition to a wide range of social and cultural activities. political discussion and debate marked the 10-day event, both as part of overall Festival activities as well as through dozens of impromptu meetings organised by different participating national organisations. Thus, roundtable discussions were held on the Middle East, Kurdistan, the Zapatista struggle in Chiapas, gay rights, feminism and women's issues and ecology, as well as meetings promoting Stalin's legacy called by the Belgian Workers Party and other groups from a Maoist background or those held by supporters of the Fourth International from Europe and Latin America.
While traditional Festival themes such as world peace and the rights of young people were included, major emphasis was placed on anti-imperialist and national liberation struggles and support for revolutionary Cuba. The example and timeliness of Che Guevara was a constant, from the opening day march to the closing rally. All these issues, as well as a heavily applauded call for defending women's rights everywhere, were approved in a final declaration read at the 35,000 strong closing rally in the Pan American Stadium.
The final declaration also ratified the commitment to continue the Festival movement, without defining any concrete organisation forms such as the World Federation of Democratic Youth. Proposals on where to hold the next festival have thus far come from Russia, Palestine and South Africa, but neither a place nor date have yet been set.
All Havana was organised for the Festival. Delegates stayed with Cuban families, thus allowing them to get a first-hand view of life in Cuba and interact with the local population in neighbourhood parties and visits to schools, workplaces, childcare centres and hospitals. Thousands visited the provinces in a special Solidarity train and by bus and plane. Delegates' registration fee and special fund raising financed the Festival, with the Cuban Young Communist Union providing the efficient organisational muscle. * by Fernando Zamora
Marxist magazines
meet
The fourth Latin American Conference of Marxist Magazines took place on May 1-4 in Florianopolis, Brazil. The meeting was a continuation of interchange and joint work begun in May 1995, where an Interchange Protocol was begun among several Marxist magazines from the region.
17
* Latin America The meeting was organised by the Brazilian groups Praxis and Critica Marxista, and various departments of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The meeting was sponsored by the Santa Catarina regional CUT, the PT/SC, the PCdB, PCB and the unions APUFSC, SINERGIA, and the Doctors' Union of Santa Catarina.
The theme for the 1998 meeting will be "150 Years After the Communist Manifesto." Argentinean magazines will investigate the possibility of holding the meeting in Buenos Aires. A bi-lingual publication of the conference papers was also planned, together with the prefaces from the earlier editions published in the region.
The following magazines from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay participated in the conference or joined the list for interchange and communication: • Trabajo y Capital, Uruguay, address in Brazil Guillermo
The following member magazines were unable to attend.
• Critica de Nuesto Tiempo, Argentina, Casilla de Correo
3509, Correo Central (1000) Buenos Aires
• La Marea, Argentina
• Apuntes del Mannana, Argentina, Piedras 989/95
(1070) Cap.Federal, tel/fax 3311480
• Cuadernos de Debate and Praga, Brazil
• El Rodaballo, Argentina, Dean Funes 446 (1214)
Buenos Aires, tel 93225533
• Cuadernos del Sur, Argentina, Casilla de Correos 167,
6b, (1406) Buenos Aires
The following magazines were urged to continue and deepen their involvement with the network
Salud Problema y Debate, Argentina, Terrada 237, 140
Federal, tel/fax (541)7474074/823137
• Teoria & Praxis, Brazil, Rua C 126, Qd 235 Nro 8
Jardim America Cep 74225, tel 287344/22946799 Golana
• Brasil Revolucionario, Brazil
• Espacios, Ecuador, Casilla Postal 17107169 Quito, tel
• Actuel Marx, France, CNRS, 19 Boulevard du Midi 506175 92000 Nanterre, tel (1)47245219 fax(1)469950351 • Le Marxisme d'Aujourd'hui, France, BP 276 F 38407 St.Martin-d'Heres, Cedex • Vientos del Sur, Apartado Postal 70176 Mexico 04510 DF, fax 6716873 andraca@servidor.unam.mx • Against the Current, USA, 7012 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48210, (313)84110180, fax (313) 8418884, cfc@igc.apc.org, Home page http://www.labornet.org/solidarity • Papeles de la Fim, c/Alameda 5 2da izq, 28014 Madrid, tel 4201388 fax 42002004 • Alternatives Sud, Belgium, Av.Snt.Gertrude 5,B-1348 Louvaine-La-Neuve
Further information is available from the secretary of the network, currently the magazine Alfagura in Uruguay, or via the PRAXIS web page rvpraxis@gold.com.bry eliton.azevedo@gold.com.br
Into a new and better century!
Foladori fola@cce.ufpr.br tel(041)26322913
• Periferias, Argentina, Av.Rivadavia 2358 5 'B' izq.
(1034) Buenos Aires, tel/fax (541)9543671/72 asambi@microtar.com.ar
The International Institute for Research and Education in Amsterdam is a research and
• Principios, Brazil, R.Adomiran Barbosa 53,Bela Vista, Sao training centre that is meeting the challenges of the neo-liberal world order by renewing and
Pablo CEP 01318-020, agrincipios@ax.ibase.org.ar re-founding an alternative perspective. Fields under study at the IIRE include economic
• Critica Marxista, Brazil, A/C Prof. Caio Navarro de
Toledo, IFCH, Dto. de C.Politicas, Unicamp, 13081, globalisation, 20th-century history, ecology, feminism, ethnicity, racism and radical
Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Revistas marxistas cubanas en Brasil, Ileana Hodge
The results of our work are made available to a larger public mainly through our publication
Limonta (Cuba), Rego Freitas 501 ap 32, V. Buarque, Sao
Pablo, CEP 0122-010, Brazil
• Alfaguara, Uruguay, Casilla de Correos 1616, CP 11000,
Montevideo, Uruguay, Telefono (5892)959141/558431,
Fax (5892)964256
• Raizes, Brazil, Univ.Fed. Paraiba, CH, Mestrado en
Sociologia, Av.Aprigio Veloso 882, 58.109.970 Campina
Gde. PB (083)3101051
• Doxa, Argentina, Maria A.Gutierrez, Cordoba 559 2 Piso
(1414) Buenos Aires, tel/fax (541) 7725463, mariagut@clacso.edu.ar
• El Cerebro de los Vivos, Argentina, Rivadavia 2358 5 izg. (1034) Buenos Aires, tel (541) 9543673/ 7715463/
9513416 aaboron@mail.retina.ar
• Praxis, Brazil, Av. Alfonso Pena 748 sala 1613, Centro,
Belo Horizonte, MG (5531) 2222493 rvpraxis@gold.com.bry eliton.azevedo@gold.com.br
Electronic
Viewpoint
Some of the articles for the next issue of
International Viewpoint are already viewable at our web site. We are slowly adding a downloadable archive of articles published in previous issues www.internationalen.se/sp/ivp.html
The International Viewpoint list server enables you to receive all our articles, as soon as they are translated into English. Several weeks earlier than they are available in paper form!
As well as announcements and updates from our sister organisations around the world.
We also have lists in French and Spanish.
Subscription is free
To add your name, send a message to:
<100666.1443@compuserve.com>.
International Viewpoint is at
<100666.1443@compuserve.com>
18 International Viewpoint #292 series, the Notebooks for Study and Research. No.1 The Place of Marxism in History. Ernest Mandel (40 pp. E2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 2 The Chinese Revolution - I: The Second Chinese Revolution and the Shaping of the Maoist Outlook. Rousset (32 pp. E2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 3 The Chinese Revolution - II: The Maoist Project Tested in the Struggle for Power. Pierre Rousset (48 pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 4 Revolutionary Strategy Today. Daniel Bensaid (36 pp. E2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 5 Class Struggle and Technological Change in Japan since 1945. Muto Ichiyo (48 pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 6 Populism in Latin America. Adolfo Gilly, Helena Hirata, Carlos M. Vilas, and the PRT (Argentina), introduced by Michael Lowy (40 pp. E2, $3.50, 20 FF) No. 7/8 Market, Plan and Democracy: the Experience of the So-Called Socialist Countries. Catherine Samary (64pp. £3, $5, No. 9 The Formative Years of the Fourth International (1933-1938). Daniel Bensaid (48 pp. E2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 10 Marxism and Liberation Theology. Michael Löwy (40pp £2, $3.50, 20 FF) No.11/12 The Bourgeois Revolutions Robert Lochhead (72pp. £4, $6, 40FF) No. 13 The Spanish Civil War in Euzkadi and Catalonia 1936-39. Miguel Romero (48pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 14 The Gulf War and the New World Order. André Gunder Frank and Salah Jaber (72pp. E2, $3, 15 FF) No. 15 From the PCI to the PDS. Livio Maitan (48pp. £2.50, $4, 25 FF) No. 16 Do the Workers Have a Country?,
Jose Iriarte Bikila (48pp. £1.50, $2.40, 12 FF) No. 17/18 October 1917: Coup d'Etat or Social Revolution. Ernest Mandel (64pp. £2, $3, 15 FF) No. 19/20 The Fragmentation of Yugoslavia. An Overview. Catherine Samary (60pp. £2.50, $4, 20 FF) No. 21 Factory Committees and Workers' Control in Petrograd in 1917. David Mandel (48pp. £4, $5, 35 FF) No. 22 Women's Lives in the New Global Economy, Penny Duggan & Heather Dashner (editors) (68 pp. £4, $5, 35FF) No. 23 Lean Production: A Capitalist Utopia?, Tony Smith (68 pp. £4, $5, 35FF) No. 24/25 World Bank/IMF/WTO: The Free-Market Fiasco, Susan George, Michel Chossudovsky et al. (116 pp. £6, $8.75, 45FF) In the second half of this year we will be publishing three more Notebooks: • Claude Gabriel on South Africa. • Michael Löwy on the national Question. • On the Holocaust. Subscription: for four issues (in Europe), £10 or 100FF; for four issues (outside Europe), US $20, £12 or 120 FF; for eight issues (in Europe), E20 or 200 FF; for eight issues (outside Europe), US $40, E24 or 240 FF. Individual back issues are also available (ADD 20% FOR POSTAGE OUTSIDE EUROPE). All payments must be made to P. Rousset. Preferred: French francs payable in a bank located in France. Postal giros to CCP Paris 11 541 97 T. Next best: sterling payable in Britain or dollars payable in the US. Contact us if you would like to pay in Dutch guilders or Belgian francs. Please avoid Eurocheques. IIRE, Postbus 53290, 1007 RG Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: 31-20-67 17 263 Fax: 67 32 106. E-mail: iire@antenna.nl