“NICARAGUA _ Despite a U.S. vote Senate giving them an additional $40 million and CIA plans to Bive them maps and blueprints to key Nica- Taguan installations, the contras will still not be able to make inroads into Nicaragua — Cause they do not have any support among the people, the ambassador from icaragua to Canada told audiences in Vancouver last week. “The contras have not been able to win Support in six years. Despite all their tech- Nology, despite the money that the Reagan administration has given them, they have Not been able to keep a single town, because they can offer the people nothing except a return to dictatorship,” Sergio Lacayo told 4 public meeting in Vancouver Friday. “You can buy soldiers but you cannot uy people — and President Reagan has Not yet understood that,” he declared to applause. Lacayo, the Nicaraguan ambassador to ‘nada for the last two years and a former Vice-minister of reconstruction funds for the Sandinista government, was in Vancouver for the Sth annual Conference on Central Merica, one of several events scheduled by Solidarity groups and aid organizations for ntral America week. He also addressed the law school at the Niversity of B.C. and was the guest of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council at the First Nations Cultural Celebration in B.C. Place Friday. _ But if the contras have not been able to €stablish a base of support within the coun- try, the Reagan administration continues to Pursue a “military solution” in Nicaragua, cayo said. ~ Last week, the U.S. Senate voted 52-48 to telease the $40 million in funding for the Contras, a victory for Reagan, although a far Narrower one than was expected. At the Same time, the New York Times revealed that the CIA is providing the contras with detailed maps and blueprints of bridges, dams, electrical stations and other installa- “ons inside Nicaragua which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helped to build in the 1960s and 1970s. The information will be Used to help the contras in destroying the largets in a stepped-up attack against civ- ilian targets. But in carrying out those attacks, the ‘©ontras will only be continuing the same ~ Policy that they have been following for Years, the ambassador noted. ei : € contras have never engaged in mil- tary combat,” he said. “They have always attacked health collectives and schools and Other Civilian targets.” Oincidentally, recent news reports have “tated that the Canadian reporter for the ronto Sun who was killed last week in ;, Catagua while travelling with the contras, fad just taken part in an attack on a public } alth clinic in which several Nicaraguan “Ivil defence workers were killed and two "Tl Children injured. ever ot tetrorism has increasingly alienated ae the limited support that the contras see held in the border areas. And in sharp htrast, the Sandinistas “have not allowed eave to hamper the development of Bove acy” said Lacayo, adding that the ana nomen “went ahead with the elections With the constitution despite the war.” the Ut the people of Nicaragua have paid ae of the contra aggression and the eran mbargo in economic devastation, he mphasized, , Po are an economy of survival,” he told Magee at a press conference at UBC Millio 19. “Last year we had only $230 Yea N In exports, the lowest in about 20 ties of Or ordinary people there are scarci- Not a ine — even hand soap was e cften® war has an incredibly distorting ~ if you need a truck to get people SERGIO LACAYO ...a negotiated peace depends on “‘ending Reagan’s obsession with a military solution.” up to the front, then it has to come before the needs of industry,” he said. For the Sandinistas, achieving peace and negotiating an end to the conflict is the paramount policy, he said. “But the Reagan administration is not interested in negotia- tions. “They want only a military solution,” he warned. Lacayo noted that the countries in Cen- tral America had framed various plans to ‘bring about a negotiated end to the conflict “but each time Nicaragua comes out pub- licly and says it will sign the peace propos- als, Washington turns round and says, no, these proposals don’t meet the require- ments.” Nicaragua is to meet again in Guatemala in May with the countries of the region but unless the U.S. is prepared to break with what he called “Reagan’s obsession with Nicaragua”, there will be little accomp- lished, Lacayo said. However, the scandal surrounding the arms sales to Iran and the diversion of the funds to the contras has created a crisis for the Reagan administration, he said. And that may enable Congress to re-assert its role and curb the covert action against Nicaragua that the Reagan administration has sponsored and initiated. — “We can have good relations with the USS. once the obsession of the Reagan administration is ended ... and once the government realizes we are not a banana ~ eeeevee eevee eoeeee eevee ee Introductory offer, 3 mo. $ i i i Name i Rees Eeass g Address. 22-922 so eet i i E i Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V5K 1Z5. Phone 251-1186 ee ey Postal Code losing tyr. $160) 2yrs.$280 6 mo. $100 fementya 30 Foreign 1 yr. $250 Bill me later O READ THE PAPER THAT FIGHTS FOR LABOR Renewed contra offensive ‘won’t make any inroads in Nicaragua’ republic but a sovereign nation,” he emphasized. “There is nothing in Nicaragua that can be of security concern to the U.S. We are a nation of only three million people — half of us barefoot. ““We have repeated to the Reagan admin- istration and to Congressmen who have come to Nicaragua: we are willing to sit down and put on the negotiating table all those things which are of legitimate concern to the U.S. We are prepared to sign a docu- ment that states that we will never do’any- thing that would threaten the security of the United States, that we will not have foreign military bases on our territory. But our eco- nomic system, our democracy, our way of life — they will never be on the table,” he declared. On relations with Canada, Lacayo noted that Nicaragua has “no complaints” about trade with this country which last year bought some $30 million in goods and exported $22 million in products to Nicara- gua. “Canada has also maintained inde- pendent from the U.S. trade embargo, and that is an irritant to the Reagan administra- tion,” he said. He added that sensitive negotiations are currently underway for a high level meeting with representatives of the Canadian government at which Nicaragua “can pres- ent its point of view.” TRIBUNE Ce eee weer eee eee reer eee ne TRIBUNE PHOTO — SEAN GRIFFIN Classified Advertising COMING EVENTS MAR. 27 — Kingsway Pub Night. 8:30 p.m. Chilean Co-op. 3390 School Ave. Singalong with Tom Hawken and Doug Stewart. APR. 5 — International Peace Concert in song, dance and music (7 ethnic groups partici- pating). Sponsored by Federation of Russian Canadians. 2 p.m. 600 Campbell Ave. $4 All proceeds to End The Arms Race. MAR. 29 — Basics Series. Topics will cover Marxist-Leninist philosophy, political economy, Strategy and tactics, and the Road to Socialism — CPC Program. Also Apr. 5, 12, 26. 7:30 p.m. Centre for Socialist Education, #105- 2747 E. Hastings St. $10 registration cost. Call (Kim) 254-9836 or visit #102-2747 E. Hastings St. — or register at class. APR. 1 — The Role of the Corporate Media: What is the Alternative? A public forum with Ron Johnson, Geoff Meggs ahd Sean Griffin. 7:30 p.m. Maritime Labor Centre, 111 Victoria Drive. Sponsored by Centre for Socialist Educa- tion. KAMLOOPS APR. 3 — Public meeting to hear Val Carey report on the changes in the USSR (““Glasnost’’) and kick-off the Tribune drive. 7:30 p.m. Down- town Kamloops library. sponsored by Kamloops Club, CPC. COMMERCIAL GRAMMA PUBLICATIONS. Complete print- ing services. Brochures, menus, leaflets, etc. A union shop. 1595 W. 3rd Ave. Vancouver. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 733-6822. Ht 4 AUTOPLAN, GENERALINSURANCE, home, business, trade union. Dave Morton, bus. 986-9351; res. 433-4568. ELECTRICAL PLUMBING, appliance repairs. Don Berg 255-7287. VICTORIA sci BILL HARTLEY your AutoPlan man. All types of insurance. Mail in or phone in. 2420 Douglas Street, Victoria, V8T 4L7. 388-5014. LEGAL SERVICES RANKIN, BOND, McMURRAY. Barristers and Solicitors. 2nd Floor, 157 Alexander Street, 682-3621. DIRECTORY COMMUNIST PARTY OF CANADA offices located at 102, 2747 E. Hastings St. Vancouver. Phone 254-9836. Office hours: 9:30-12 noon; 1-5 p.m. Mon to Fri. For information on political issues or assistance in political activity. HALLS FOR RENT RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME — Available for rentals. For reservations phone 254-3430. UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CULTURAL CENTRE — 805 East Pender St. Vancouver. Available for banquets, weddings, meetings. Phone 254-3436. Classified advertising rates $1 per line per week. Deadline for insertions: Wednesday of week prior to publication. Workers’ Benevolent Association An incorporated fraternal insurance society existing since 1922. We invite you to join our progressive association @ Endowments (insurance-savings plans) @ Whole Life (insurance plan only) @ Combination (insurance & savings plan) @ Pension (insurance, annuity or lump sum payment at age 65) @ Special children’s endowments (from 10 payments to 20) Plus generous dividends; policy loans at low rates; special mortgages below market rate. : write to: WBA Head Office 595 Pritchard Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2W 2K4 PACIFIC TRIBUNE, MARCH 25, 1987 e 11