Successful Salvador Solidarity conference in Britain any government support for the present government of El Salvador or for the United States intervention in Central America'.
An appeal was made for the labour movement to build for the September 11 demonstration on the tenth anniversary of the coup in Chile. In a speech which
The recent advances by the Salvadoran liberation forces and the counteroffensive launched against them reconfirms the need for consistent solidarity work.
following article from Socialist Action No 10, May 20, 1983 reports on a very suc cessful labour movement solidarity conference in Britain.
Celia PUGH and Pete BRIGGS workers peasants and
Salvadorean through their clandestine radio stations received a telegram of solidarity from the highly successful labour movement conon El Salvador in London on ference
May 14.
Three hundred and forty delegates and
100 observers crammed into County Hall delegates from over
- this included 183
20 unions and 105 from the Labour Party.
The biggest union contingents came from the mineworkers, transport, engineers and teachers unions and the local government and civil service associations.
All rose to their feet with emotional applause after hearing Juan Martinez of the Salvadorean trade union federation,
CUS, and Salvador Moncada, the UK representative of the Salvadorean liberation movement, the FDR-FMLN.
Martinez explained the history of his
It is ridiculous to say that our people.
struggle is imported. It started centuries ago when the Spanish arrived on our shores. I doubt whether the Soviet Union existed then!...Popular and armed struggle are not imported, because it is the response to a national situation that the people live through day by day...We will fight against any force that violates our right to self determination.
"That's why our workers are in the liberated zones, in the mass organisations, in the neighbourhoods and the factories.
The That's Reagan's mistake. He thinks the whole thing is just a military affair, that the problem for him is merely a military stalemate. But we understand that it's political power that makes the difference. We understand that we have to build a political-military force that can combine the military offensive with an insurrectional general strike...
•We have Nicaragua a free country defending itself with arms in hand. We have an obligation to ask for your solidarity with the just cause of Sandino. The only way that Nicaragua and El Salvador will be able to thank you for your help will be in the definite triumph of our people.'
Salvador Moncada underlined these points. •We come to you with the knowledge that the main, long lasting support for our struggle comes from working people throughout the world.
'Only one thing can reverse the aggression against us and that is the joining together with working people throughout the world. We need your help and not just in our present struggle but also when we take power, when we are subjected to the same kind of disinformation directed against the people of Nicaragua.
These links were stressed in greetings from Nicaraguan ambassador, Franceso
Other platform speakers outlined the pressing solidarity tasks - Jeanny Pearce, author of Under the Eagle, John Fraser MP and Terry Marsland, assistant general secretary of the Tobacco Workers Union.
raised 4500, chair of the conference ACTT (Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians) general secretary Alan Sapper explained "There must be no more Chiles. We must take to the streets on September 11 to say US hands off Central America'
Delegates outlined practical examples of solidarity like the report from the National Union of Teachers executive delegate about their work to raise funds for schools in the controlled zones. Others explained the importance of challenging British government backing for Reagan, in particular the Tory pledge to send observers to the phoney elections in December [1983].
### UNITY
Juan Martinez's call for a trade union delegation to El Salvador was taken up as a demand on the TUC.
The mood of optimism, unity and defiance at the May 14 conference can now be used to deepen the roots for solidarity in the labour movement.
The contribution from Tyrone O'Sullivan, secretary of the South Wales Miners union shows the potential. He received thunderous applause when he brought greetings from the NUM. 'We had someone from El Salvador to speak to our members.
"Then the miners asked us "What the hell are you going to do on El Salvador?" We said we'd been writing letters and they said that's not good enough. You've got to mobilise the rank and file. Power lies with the rank and file, they can move mountains. I'll tell you this, we'll go from here and make sure we fight.
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