Broadening movement of solidarity with for a negotiated settlement. Several of their more recent statements clearly go in this direction.
the FMLN-FDR initiative
Formally, was rejected by the spokespersons of the regime. But, over and above this, it aroused numerous and divergent reactions in the military and political circles that Central America support the regime.
Major d'Aubuisson, head of the Republican Nationalist Alliance, the main far-right group, and chairman of the so-called Constituent Assembly that was elected on March 28, categorically rejected negotiations in principle. As he saw it, "even thinking about negotiations is treason."
But the Constituent Assembly disassociated itself from the extremism of its chairman, rejecting the motion that he presented, which excluded "any attempt at dialogue or discussion with the terrorist minorities."
The Magana - in fact the puppet of the sections of the general staff grouped around General Garcia, the minister of defense -has publicly envisaged the naming of a "peace commission.
This commission could propose the entry of representatives of the Salvadoran left into the city councils, which will be up for reelection in early 1984, on condition that it first lay down its arms. The Catholic hierarchy and particularly Monsignor Rivera y Damas, the influential archbishop of San Salvador, are pushing for such a settlement.
Facing a military impasse and growing dissention among its allies, which have been thrown on the defensive politically, the U.S. imperialists are going to have to try to make a decisive move soon to avert a rapid deterioration in the position of those trying to defend their fundamental interests in El Salvador.
What will the U.S. do? Beef up its military aid again? Swell the already large number of "military advisers"? Take a more direct part in the fighting? All these options mean increasing the U.S.'s stake on the more and more dubious prospect of crushing the insurgent forces.
Or will the U.S. imperialists go for opening up negotiations, clashes among their allies. This is obviously a difficult choice. And a desire to assess the implications more thoroughly was undoubtedly a factor in the decision to include Honduras in the presidential since the overthrow of Somoza in July 1979 has the Nicaraguan revolution been as directly threatened as it is today. Never has its fate been so closely tied up with that of the Salva-
Everything possible must be done to assure that the repeated cries of alarm raised by the Sandinista leaders do not go unheeded. This is necessary to avoid the worst — an invasion of Nicaragua and the isolation of the Salvadoran fighters, which in the long term would prove fatal. The decisive moments seem to be approaching.
A MEYLAN The following is a somewhat shortened version of an article from the latest issue of "La Breche," the fortnightly paper for French-speaking Switzerland of the Swiss Fourth Internationalist organization, the Socialist Workers Party. Since the victory of the Sandinista Front in Nicaragua in 1979, a movement in solidarity with Central been developing in Switzerland. But for more than a year now, it has been evident that this movement has been taking on a new
The Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala committees continue to play an indispensable role in maintaining ongoing mobilizations around specific objectives, and in getting information. But the movement has begun to go beyond the committees.
In the trade union field, Swiss Workers Aid launched a rather successful appeal for "One hour's wages for El Salvador." In those circles devoted to aiding the so-called third world, there have been some concrete actions around Central America, such as the sale of Nicaraguan coffee by the Magasins du Monde. Religious organizations such as Pax Christi International have stepped up their denunciations the massacres in El Salvador and Guatemala. And finally in all the peace demoncondemnation of U.S. intervention.
In these circumstances, the idea arose of trying to bring together all these forces the united-front mobilizations against U.S. intervention. For this reason the National Coordinating Committee of the Committees for Solidarity with Nicaragua and El Salvador decided in June to set up a United Forum for Solidarity with justified all the hopes.
Many organizations and personalities support the forum. The Swiss National
Confederation (USS) decided in August to back it. The Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party, the POCH and the Labor Party (PST), lian Communist Party are represented on the sponsoring committee. This body also includes representatives of organizations devoted to aiding the third world, such as
Declaration, Workers Aid (Oeuvre d'etre-aide ouvriere), Terre des
Freres sans frontiers, Magasins du Monde, and Unite. A number of immiworkers organizations have also joined in, such as the Christian Worker Youth of the Spanish State and ATEES.
Among the personalities that represent other forces than those previously cited, we could mention B. Bianchi, from the International Association Against Torture; I. Bosch, from Swissaid; B. Gurner, from the Third World Information Group; M. Mugglin from SKAAL; M Oltramere, from the Swiss Health Workers Union; R. Renfer, chairman of the Third World Commission of the Protestant Church; L Vogel, from the Anti-Apartheid Movement; A. Zoeller, from Pax Christi; J.B. Waeber from the Association
Youth Organization; Memetrey, from the Manifeste Democratique Vaudois; A. Murmann, CRT Public Workers Union in Geneva; G. Chicherio, general secretary of the Swiss Human Rights League.
The call issued by the forum states: "We can no longer be silent about those responsible for the massacres in Guatemala and El Salvador. A minority of rich landowners are fighting, with the aid of military dictatorships to hold onto their threatening a generalized war in this
The call says that U.S. intervention has already begun and appeals to all participants in the forum to "form a broad movement in Switzerland interference of the U.S. government" and to fight for recognition of the FDR/ force an inquiry into Swiss material being used against the Central American peo-
The forum will be held on January 14,
FA
13
----- photo credits and running heads -----
*
War What happens to those