a lo = Ot 0000 TT | —— —_ | “My Lai’ repeated in Nicaragua Condemning the massacre of innocent women and children in the village of Rancho Grande, March 26, by former Somosa Na- tional Guardsmen operating from Honduras, Nicaraguan consul to Canada Pastor Valle-Garay told the Tribune it was ‘‘an act of ‘Savagery comparable to U.S. at- rocities in the Vietnamese village of My Lai. “This act cannot be dismissed as just another in the series of at- tacks by imperialism against Nicaragua and the Sandinista revolution,”’ he said. “This attack is of a more seri- Ous nature because it happened immediately after the announce- ment by the Reagan administra- tion of a so-called Soviet military build-up, and of the intentions of the Reagan administration’s using CIA funds and CIA secret agent operations in E] Salvador, Nica- ragua and Costa Rica to de- Stabilize the government of Nicaragua economically and mili- - tarily. : “What we are experiencing now in Central America,’’ the consul said, “‘is something that we have been bringing to world attention for some time — that is we are now seeing what are in effect the tactics used by the U.S. Green Berets in Vietnam. The tragedy in Rancho Grande is no different than the tragedy that oc- curred to the villagers of My Lai and other villagers in Vietnam and Kampuchea. Terror Tactics “These are clearly the tactics being used- by the National Guardsmen who are trained, armed and financed by the CIA and the Reagan administration. They have decided to unleash them now on the civilian popula- tion of Nicaragua, a population es is almost completely defence- less. “We believe that Reagan has removed all pretences of a demo- cratic change in Central America and is determined to implant a policy which is totally similar to the terrible atrocities committed against Vietnam in the name of so-called American democracy. “We hold the U:S. Govern- ment wholly responsible for the Massacre of these women and children and for the assassination of the French doctor, Pierre Gros- jean, who was in the village as a volunteer worker combatting mountain leprosy. He was there in a medical capacity and in no other possible way.” Criminal Policy Pastor Valle-Garay reported his government “‘would like to call to the attention of the people of Canada and the United States that what the Reagan administra- tion is doing is creating animosity, not against the people of the U.S. who object to this criminal policy, but against the US. Government and the State Department who are attacking the people of Nicaragua. “This is not only an attack against the Government of Na- tional Reconstruction, but is a di- rect attack on the civilian popula- tion and especially the. peasant PACIFIC TRIBUNE—APRIL 8, 1983— Page 8 By JOHN WEIR Tribune Moscow Correspondent Why should Soviet people organize public meetings, youth parades, adopt resolutions call- ing for a stop to the arms race, for preventing nuclear war? After all, their own government is consistently working to achieve those ends. It is exactly to show support of the Soviet Government’s efforts and to appeal to the peoples of all countries to strengthen the work to preserve peace that these meetings are held. Two weeks ago I was present at one such demonstration in Donetsk, the coal and steel capital of the Ukraine and the whole Soviet Union. The assembly hall of the Chelyuskintsy mine was packed. Their faces hard set as though hewn from granite, war and labor, veterans stood in the front row, breasts blazing with medals. Young miners in their work clothes were next. Some of the workers had even managed to go home and bring their families. ~ Trade union chairman Mikhail Kukhar took only a few minutes to present a round-up of international events. ‘‘We know very well what war means,’’ he said. ‘‘No Reagan or his yes- men such as Kohl and Thatcher can scare us. We resolutely declare: Down with war! No to the Pentagon’s plans! No to the arms race! No to fascism! We Donbas miners appeal to our class brothers, to all people of good will on the earth, fight along with us for peace and detente!” . There were several speakers. A war veteran mentioned the memorial with 420 names of Chelyuskinstsy mine workers killed by the fas- cists during the occupation of the area by Hitler forces, and how they razed the city. A young worker pledged the resolution of the youth to fight for peace.and if it should become necessary _ to defend their country as valiantly as did their fathers in the war. Time and again the 20-million Soviet people who died in that war were mentioned. “‘I am a common Soviet woman, a worker,”’ said Lyubov Velikova. ‘‘I have brought into the world and am raising three children, and natur- ally I want them to grow up healthy and happy, never to experience the horrors of war and see the smoke of conflagration. I know that all the mothers in the world will support me in this.”’ A letter to the workers of the Federal Re- public of Germany was read and adopted un- animously. After explaining the peril which Reagan’s policy and West German govern- ment’s agreement to permit deployment of U.S. TRIBUNE PHOTO — EDYA WEIR Veterans and young workers. ‘first strike’’ rockets on German soil hold for - the West Germany’s people themselves, the let- _ ter concludes: ‘‘For 38 years we have lived without war. This has been achieved by joint effort, through Overcoming the past and re-establishing trust. Let us continue to live as good neighbors in our common European home. : “We believe that the people of the Federal Republic of Germany don’t want war; we iden- tify ourselves with the peace supporters in the FRG who are upholding the national interests and security of their country. Let us then to- gether not permit the repetition of past errors, let us not permit the tragedy which Europe could not now survive. “The USSR continues to view future Soviet-West German relations in peaceful co- existence and co-operation, and not in conflict and hostility. We want to exchange products of our labor, not nuclear strikes. We want to build the trans-European gas pipeline, not rocket- launching pads. We want to compete in sports arenas, in concert halls and theatres, not in military assembly lines. ‘Time is urgent! “Peace is needed not only by the Donbas miners. It is also necessary for the Ruhr miners. The working class of all countries has always been distinguished by such features as solidar- ity, cohesion, and a firm determination in strug- gle for a just cause. Working people are true to those traditions today as well. So let us unite our efforts in the struggle for the right to live; make. our contribution to the prevention of nuclear war, to disarmament. We’ll strengthen friend- ship and co-operation among peoples, we’ll st- rive for a peaceful solution to all international problems. We firmly believe in the victory of sense Over madness.”’ population. It is consistent with Worker-to-worker call to save peace for all Nicaraguan Deputy Foreign Minister Victor Tinoco shows United N® tions’ delegates where U.S.-backed counter-revolutionary forces vaded his country from neighboring Honduras. the terrorist tactics used by the U.S. in Vietnam, in the hope it will remove popular support for the Sandinista revolution. “As in Vietnam, the Nicara- guan people are completely and totally united behind their government and will defend to the end the Nicaraguan. revolution. After all, it is their revolution. Contempt, Hatred “It’s important for the Ameri- can people to know that .the Reagan administration is spend- ing millions of dollars of hard- earned U.S. money to earn the U.S. Government and the United States the contempt and hatred of the people of Central America and the poor peoples of the world. “There is no way Reagan will make anyone in Central America, including the military dictatorship in El Salvador, have more respect for the U.S. so-called democratic institutions when they provide arms to Salvadoreans to kill other Salvadoreans, to Guatemalans to kill other Guatemalans and to Nicaraguan criminals to kill Nicaraguans. “‘The American people should think seriously — not so much perhaps about the destabilization of Nicaragua economically or whether we will or will not defeat this invasion by 2,000 former Na- tional Guardsmen, because we will defeat these criminals — but _ about what the U.S. Government will do with these people they have trained in insurrection, mayhem and assassination. p, lier in the day a letter was pres- 2 ented to the U.S. Counsel-Gen- # eral protesting U.S. military aid ‘‘What will they do when ea find themselves forced to #Y% these criminals a place to live asked Valle-Garay. ‘‘Sooner 2 later these people will have to 8 somewhere. We are certain they are not acceptable to the people Central America. aan “‘Sooner or later the money effort provided by the Government for counter-revolu” tionary attacks against Nicarag’@ will boomerang back to the USA: These killers will need a place ! live — and it’s not going to Nicaragua. t “The American people mus face the final consequences of this madness. ‘American’ troops They will, sooner or later, havé to take these criminals into the! own society. Those not killed 1 Nicaragua will not find a placé anywhere in Latin America. N® self-respecting country wants such people. ee “These traitors will land back in Miami and the Reagan admit istration will have to find them 4 home and ajob. They are not com sidered Nicaraguans, they a! considered American troops. “They went into Rancho Grande with bazookas and shot three- and four-year-old kids. Si* died — all of them women an children — at least 15 people weré wounded. The French doctof died as well. It was just horrible. These people were absolutely mad; it was strictly a case of savagery against the peasants ...”’ El Salvador TORONTO — More than 200 persons demonstrated in front of the U.S. consulate protesting planned increased military aid to El Salvador. Ear- to El Salvador. In this group were two Ontario MPPs, Sheila Copps (Liberal) and Ed Phillips (NDP). The demonstration was spon- sored by the Committee of Sol- idarity with the People of El Salvador.