World The grave of Archibishop Oscar Romero in the cathedral in ‘San Salvador. The cd Catholic church is demanding safe passage for nine injured FMLN guerillas who sought sanctuary in the cathedral. FIMLN turns contra weapons on Right Special to the Tribune oh Salvadoran guerrillas are making unpre- cedented advances into the capital city with the help of new, more sophisticated auto- matic weapons being purchased from con- tras in Nicaragua, says a member of the FMLN. Luis Peralta, an official of the FMLN’s Radio Venceremos, said in a recent inter- view that contras have been selling Chinese- made AK-47s.and other guns to the guerrillas, in spite of their opposing political perspective. “Since military aid has officially stopped to the contras, the FMLN has acquired armaments of a higher calibre. That’s why they are able to equalize the airforce,” said Peralta, who is on a major North American tour to explain the rapidly-changing situa- tion in his native country. “At one time the FMLN was forced to halt day-time operations because the C-47 (aircrafts) were very effective. The FMLN was forced to do operations during the night-time,” he said. ‘ “Operating in the day-time is very impor- tant because it has a political impact not only on the military in San Salvador, but people are seeing the FMLN combatants in the street and it increases their morale.” Peralta spent last fall working for the radio station on top of a volcano on the outskirts of San Salvador as the FMLN launched one of its greatest offenses on the capital, bombing a military installment in broad daylight. ‘But the FMLN has also been victimized by the increased repression that has bat- tered popular organizations and trade MDM gathers anti-apartheid unity By WILLIAM POMEROY Despite the intense and continuing repression by the South African regime, a vast new anti-apartheid movement is emerging in that country. Known as the Mass Democratic Move- ment, it has embarked on a campaign of protest and civil disobedience that strikes at hitherto unassailed features of the apartheid system. Even before it has fully taken shape, the MDM has the affiliation of 1,000 or more anti-apartheid organizations in the. Coloured, Indian and white communities as well as in the Black townships and home- lands. Its predecessor, the United Democratic Front, brought together over 600 organiza- tions. The strength it showed in mass actions was a leading reason the Botha regime imposed a state of emergency in 1986. Emergency regulations were used to ban the UDF and many of its main affiliates and to arrest and detain over 30,000 people, including virtually all the UDF’s original leaders. It was clear the apartheid govern- ment thought it had substantially regained control of the situation. It apparently felt it could reinforce that semblance of control by manufacturing an image of “reform” for the ruling National Party and its new leader F.W. de Klerk. That was an illusion. Early this year the new movement began to employ somewhat more peaceful forms of defiance and protest in place of the UDF’s more confrontational approach. The first was a hunger strike by a large number of detainees. It drew interna- tional attention and support and as a wave of deaths became a real possibility, the regime released most detainees. At the beginning of August, efforts were begun to break down racial segregation in the hospitals. Organized by MDM affiliates, 8 e Pacific Tribune, September 4, 1989 - Black patients needing treatment demanded admission and medical attention at white , hospitals. A number of white hospitals yielded surprisingly quickly and accepted Black patients. Despite threats from Law and Order Minister Adrian Vlok, the government did not intervene. Indications are that the MDM will use the same peaceful tactics against segrega- tion in schools, on trains, buses and in other areas. At this time, the MDM does not have a clear-cut organizational shape with a cen- tral leadership. Those speaking for it in var- ious regions tend to have diverse approaches. But former UDF leaders who have been released from detention are evidently giving it considerable direction. The people have emerged with high morale and determina- tion, prepared to defy every effort of the apartheid regime to silence them. They are spurning orders to stay away from any gathering of over six people, to observe a curfew and to refrain from speaking at any public occasion. On Aug. 6, for example, 20 Black leaders who had been detained defied the ban when they gave militant addresses at a large church service in a Capetown Coloured suburb. Qn the same weekend, thousands ignored police to attend the funeral of two African National Congress and Umkhonto we Sizwe (the armed wing of the ANC) activists killed in a bombing attack. In defiance of police orders, political speeches were made at the funeral service and ANC flags and banners were openly displayed. Mourners prevented the police from reach- ing the speakers and those who carried the banners and flags. On June 27, an ANC executive commit- tee communique hailed the fact that the “spirit of mass resistance has ‘not been crushed.” It declared: “After the initial dis- location occasioned by the state of emer- gency, the democratic formations, activists and militants have creatively devised the means of operating under conditions of total illegality.” Last week, the ANC committee called for an intensification of the defiance campaign, urging movement leaders to launch a “‘week of action against apartheid ... to confront the regime on every front: in the factories, school and universities, villages, farms, churches, mosques, temples and syn- agogues.” The most outstanding feature of the emerging Mass Democratic Movement is that its core and leading force is the power- ful, anti-apartheid trade union movement, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, to which the government has been careful not to apply bans because of the potential for a strike reaction that would be disastrous for the already fragile economy. COSATU’s growing role has increased working-class leadership in the fight for democracy. At its third national congress in July, COSATU announced that its membership had grown to one million since its birth on Dec. 1, 1985. It pointed to the “growing ideological coherence and unity in action between COSATU, the affiliates of the UDF and other mass formations.” It also cited challenges facing MDM, including strengthening and building grass- roots structures at all levels; building struc- tured links between the various sectors of the MDM at the local and national level; deepening the ideological content and clar- ity in its ranks by encouraging open discus- sion; making it impossible for the apartheid regime to regain the initiative; building the anti-apartheid coalition and achieving democracy and socialism in South Africa. Alliance, the party linked to the tiny coun- try’s notorious death squads, took powe! three months ago. Since August 20, nine injured guerrillas have been holed-up in the city’s central Catholic cathedral, while the church has been demanding their safe departure from the country for medical treatment. So far, the response of the ARENA government has been to put a military col don around the famous landmark, where nine years ago troops massacred people attending the funeral of popular Archbi- shop Oscar Romero. (ARENA founder and president for life, Roberto D’ Aubuisson, }§ suspected in Romefo’s assassination.) “The relationship between the govern- ment, church and military is becoming more tense — as tense as when Romero was killed,” said Peralta, a tiny woven black cross hanging around his neck. ; “They are attacking the church, accusing priests of putting bombs in ARENA member’s homes. They have attacked the Catholic university and bombed its printing installation.” But Peralta said a positive result of ARENA’s repression has been the dialogue it has created amongst former political foes: including a meeting between commandels | of the FMLN and leaders of the right-wing — Christian Democratic Party, which refused to aid real change in the country when it was in power from 1984 until June. “We now have once again the oligarchy and the extreme right in power and then know very well that in ordér to maintain their political and economic priveleges, they have to have a policy of repression,” he said. “We are fighting’ the’same enemy an looking at bringing the same changes: That’s why in El Salvador right now, ev ryone has become a target. The Christia? Democrats and the other parties are als? targets. So they are responding now to thé objective conditions of the FMLN.” He said that with everyone against ARENA, there is the basis of a negotiat solution that would include the FMLN and its supporters, as well as people in the popU" lar movement who have faced decades © horrendous repression. “There has to be a way out of the wa! We feel the best way at this pointis to beg!" a process of dialogue that will lead us to 4 negotiated settlement with the FMLN, the government and all the social organiza tions. All have to be part of this process. Tools for Peace issuing appeal As Nicaragua celebrates the 10th anni- versary of its revolution, Canadian solida!- ity has become more crucial than evet- Tools for Peace is currently carrying on tw campaigns to build support for Nicaragua —one a postcard campaign aimed at increasing Canadian governmental aid to the Nicaraguan people, the other the con- tinuing material aid campaign in which Canadians in past years have sent much needed materials to the beleaguered coun- try. i The solidarity organization is calling 0? the federal government to commit itself t© $25 million a year for five years in aid t0 Nicaragua as well as to pressure the US. government to end its economic embarg? and support for the contras. : Tools is also gearing up for its material aid campaign, focussing this year on note books, educational materials, rubber boots: farm tools, health and safety gear and roof ing as the priority items.