/* Written 5:42 pm Oct 29, 1992 by pnews in cdp:p.news */ /* ---------- "Ortega" ---------- */ From: Hank Roth Subject: Ortega <<< via P_news >>> =-=-=-=-=-=-= To: ALL From: Rene Bilodeau Subject: MESSAGE FROM DANIEL ORTEGA {Cross-posted from P_news on Fidonet} MESSAGE FROM DANIEL ORTEGA Printed from The Western Bulletin In our country, we are committed, in the first place, to changing the direction of the economic policies that are presently being applied. The costs which are being imposed on our country are intolerable and a change in economic policy is both urgent and possible. We continue to defend the revolutionary project that emerged on July 19, 1979. In this project there are elements of a strategic character. Here there is an army and police that have revolutionary roots and are truly respectful of the constitution. This gives space to the popular forces, to the people, it gives space for civil society to organize itself and fight against those who assault the popular classes. This is a space which is a model of what pluralism is; such a space is not found in any Latin American country that has opted for "pluri-partyism." We well know what the armed forces and the police signify in Latin America, what it means for workers and students to take to the streets. There is a great will to fight among the workers and campesinos, in the Nicaraguan people. But whatever agreements or victories are won will only be -respected if they are consolidated on the military plane, if we prevent reversion to a repressive apparatus as it existed in the Somoza era. These are elements, strategic elements, that we are defending as part of the alternative we began to build in 1979. We also have debate in the heart of Sandinismo, which the enemy is attempting to present as a weakness or a sign of division. We believe rather that it is a sign of vitality. We have contrary points of view among us. For example, some companeros believe that we must find a way to approach the U.S. because without U.S. approval we will never regain the government. We do not believe this. We think there are enough examples here in Central America to see what befalls governments that become servile to the U.S. Promises come, but in the end nothing is given for social- economic development. It is not genuflection to the U.S. that determines the increase or decrease of funds. We have this type of debate, openly, publicly. And sometimes they say here, the Sandinistas are dividing. But the truth is those who believe one or the other way, when the time comes to close ranks before the onslaughts of imperialism or capitalism, then we close ranks. And of utmost importance is the attitude of the people. This is a people that feels committed to a struggle that has cost so much blood and sacrifice; it is not disposed to surrender .... We also feel the need for this forum of the Latin American revolutionary left in order to address international themes. We are glad international resolutions were adopted. Because it would be absurd and suspect to forget the other regions of the world, to avoid mentioning situations where international law is being violated. We cannot, in hopes of strengthening Latin American unity, limit ourselves only to Latin America, to looking at the U.S. and Canada or even Europe. We need to link up with Africa and Asia It is not a bad thing to meet with the Europeans, or the North Americans. But we also want to meet with Africans and Asians. Where are our original relations, where are our primary interests? They are in the South. The struggle of the South African people is our struggle. If the U.S. does not allow President Arafat into the U.S. must we walk on eggshells because the U.S. will be upset? I believe we would err if we took that road. If the Europeans are going to be upset because we condemned the manner in which they submitted to U.S. imperialist policy at the United Nations, does that mean we halt criticism so they will let us into the Socialist International (SI)? No - our principles come first! We consider it very important to strengthen our ties with the struggles of other peoples in other parts of the world. If the U.N. continues to adopt resolutions like it has since the collapse of Eastern Europe- and I refer not just to resolutions but actions, such as the passive and complicit attitude the U.N. took toward the invasion of Panama we must resist. In Panama the Panamanian military chief was kidnapped. We are not judging the particulars of the kidnapping, but a Panamanian citizen was kidnapped. Who gave the U.S. the right to kidnap citizen Noriega? Tomorrow they will come and kidnap us here. And they want to do the same with Libyan citizens. For that they were able to get a resolution in the U.N. Security Council, where we know how those negotiations are carried out with threats of blackmail. Now there are no vetoes in the U.N. to stop the hegemonic actions of the U.S. When the Cuban delegate petitioned the U.N. for extradition of the criminals that blew up the Cuban airliner with 70 athletes on board, the U.N. did not make any pronouncements. Are we to accept this law of might? We cannot ignore the struggles of the Palestinians and South Africans. This forum is not submitting to the politics of blackmail by the U.S. We will assert ourselves as a force with an identity of our own, particularly in this 500th anniversary year 1992. This is what will give us the strength to resist the new invasion we are suffering, an invasion using sophisticated war technology and neo-liberal policies led by the U.S. Today, after 500 years, we face this new invasion, this new occupation on the economic and ideological levels. It is not submitting to blackmail, but strengthening this forum that will gain us support among the North American people themselves and will gain us the respect of the very rulers of the U.S. Widening our international contacts, struggling for the democratization of the U.N. entities - all these elements must be in our agenda. We must project ourselves in our own countries, mobilize and organize the poor, the campesinos, the workers. This is the way to create a force that can transform this America of Marti, Bollvar, Morazan, Sandino, Tupac Amaru, and Enesto Che Guevara. --- * Origin: CUSTOM design SOFTWARE (1:351/1106)