Ui aT | TT l |__| | or WORLD ———— Change urgently needed says CPG ~ Greek society at a crossroad By MEL DOIG ATHENS — The 12th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece (May 12-16 in Athens) took place at a time when, as the Central Committee’s report to the Congress put it, Greek society has reached a crucial crossroads, a turning point in the life of the country. One road leads to the further integration of Greece’s dependent state-monopoly capitalist system in the European Economic Community and to ever greater dependence on imperialism, U.S. imperialism and NATO. To the question, is there another road Greek society could follow?, the 12th Con- gress answered: ‘‘Yes, there is! It is the road of change in the direction of socialism.’’ This road will bring about a new-type develop- ment for Greek economy and society. Sucha change is urgently required. There is chronic mass unemployment in Greece, officially 10 per cent. The working people’s standard of living continues to fall. The unemployed search for part-time jobs and for piece work to be done at home — a form of exploitation markedly increasing. There is a deepening of the structural crisis of Greece’s dependent capitalist system. The ruling class answer is to increasingly bind Greece to the EEC and the imperialist system, to attempt reinforcement of mono- poly capital, and to further attack the work- ing people’s living standard and democratic nights. Such policies are mainly expressed by the New Democracy (ND) party, the mainstay of big capital and the system of dependence. It’s the opposition party in Greece’s parliament. But these policies are to a large extent being pursued by the PASOK (Pan Hellenic Social- ist Movement) government. The CP of Greece calls for an end to this two-party sys- tem or ‘‘game.”” The 12th Congress maintained that the crit- ical development problem created in Greece ‘cannot be tackled in the contest of the dependent state-monopoly capitalist system in a way corresponding to the needs of the working people and the demands created by the contemporary SXR and the international- ization of economic life.”’ The CPG sees as ever more necessary the concentration together of those forces that are in favour of another course — a new-type development course to the benefit of the working people. And, despite their -dif- ferences, the social forces wanting change are broadening. “‘The anti-imperialist and anti-monopoly character of change is deepen- ing.’ These forces are in the working class, first of all, in the trade union movement. They are also in the PASOK membership, 35 per cent of them, as ina recent poll by the CPG- Central Committee. They are in the ranks of New Democracy itself. And-new political forces are being born or being formed. New possibilities, the 12th Congress de- clared, are now in the making for the forma- tion of the alliance of the forces of the left and progress. Such a coalition of the forces of change ‘‘constitutes a prerequisite of strategic importance for change in the direc- tion of socialism.” Here it should be noted that the ruling class’ efforts to isolate the CP of Greece have failed and that the prestige of the party has been reinforced among the masses. Also, that while the CPG considers some of: PASOK (a social-reformist party) positions for detente and peace as positive, it sees these as down- graded by the PASOK government’s ‘increasing confinement of more general for- eign policy within the framework of NATO and the EEC.” In his concluding remarks at the Congress, CPG General Secretary Florakis stressed that “‘we can no longer solve the problems (of economy, independence, democratization) without breaks with the system that will get us closer to the socialist solution.’’ Solutions today, he said, cannot be seen outside the perspective of a socialist solution. ‘This is the dialectic of ‘change in the direction of socialism’.”” The spirit of internationalism of the 12th CPG Congress was seen in its full support of the Soviet Union and its peace initiatives and proposals. In the Congress’ very well or- ganized and enthusiastic welcome of the rep- resentatives of 77 Communist and Workers parties, of other progressive parties and of national liberation movements. All socialist countries including China were represented. Such is the role, the influence and prestige of the CP of Greece, the opening session of the Congress was greeted by leaders or lead- ing representatives of all Greek political par- ties — left, centre and right. The militancy of the CP of Greece was symbolized, as it were, _ in the fact that the delegates, 777 at the Con- gress, included National Resistance and Democratic Army militants representing a total of almost 1,300 years of imprisonment an exile. The 12th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece was an historic event. Mel Doig, a member of the Central Executive Committee, represented the CPC at the 12th Congress of the CPG. Barbie given life sentence LYON — Former SS Ges tapo commander Klaus Barbie was convicted here of counts of crimes against ht manity and sentenced to life imprisonment. After World War Two, Bal bie, 73, was rescued by U.S: secret service agencies, aM lived in South America until tracked down and captured Bolivia in 1983. In his summary, the Frend prosecutor said, ‘‘This is 1 the trial of a German but of? torturer. It is of a man still loy# to his nazi ideals.” Haiti strike to _ ‘end Duvalierism : | : PORT-AU-PRINCE — 4, general strike called by o¥@ 100 organizations paralyZ@ | Haiti last week as the cou” . try’s Catholic church opem™- cil of General Namphy to $ law!’’, “Down the country as people took ! the streets. So, too, did poll and military, freshly arm with new U.S.-provided ™ 2 gunned wounded and countless arre ed. : The people are opposing | June 22 electoral law wht disqualifies all but a handful right-wing groups from P cipating. - tt INTERNATIONAL FOCUS Tom Morris 4 ——— accounts and their president is lying, 50 per Then there was President North Some years back a film, ‘““Seven Days in May,” por- trayed a military take-over of the U.S. government which, much to the audience’s relief, was nipped in the bud. The scenario was the usual frustration by U.S. general staff types at whimpy, weak- kneed civilians who don’t understand the enemy is lurk- ing behind every bush. Sec- urely wrapped in the flag, the Senate investigators, ranged from nuclear war to domestic opposition to U.S. invasions abroad. -Massive anti-Vietnam war opposition which swept America in the 1970s, under North and his gang, would have been a perfect candidate for a military take-over. Similarly, had the U.S. in- vaded Nicaragua during the three years (1983-1986) of this parallel government, setting off a storm of public opposi- tion, North could have played Hitler and his cronies might have imitated assorted other nazis. , The memo reveals that, fol- lowing suspension of the constitution, a ‘‘Federal Emergency Management Agency’’ would take power. Military officers would run federal, state and _ local governments. It showed that between 1983 and 1986 North and his group exercised wide powers. They had their own army, air force, diplomatic people, Swiss bank intelligence capacity. The operation had money, motivation and powerful friends — including Reagan himself. Still it failed. The collabora- tors are now exposed as cor- rupt, self-serving, right-wing zealots. The spectacle of each trying to cover his tracks while protecting the Oval Office is in- formative. How close eight years of Reaganism has come to subverting the U.S. constitu- cent give Reagan a good job- approval rating. the heavyweights in global aif- craft and aerospace display their goodies and this year was | no exception. No one can accuse the U.S. voter of not being politically sophisticated ... A difference in outlook The Paris Air Show is where But 1987 crowds were able military sets a plan in motion to save the people from them- selves. Outside the theatre, all seemed normal. It was, after all, only a movie. But on July 5, the Miami Herald reports that Lt-Col. North, former CIA boss Casey, Attorney General Meese and former national se- curity adviser Clark had drawn up contingency plan to sus- pend the U.S. constitution and impose martial law on the country ‘‘in the event of a na- tional crisis.” Incredible. The ‘‘national emergency,” wrote the newspaper, quoting 6 PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JULY 15, 1987 ~ tion and imposing a regime run by a self-imposed military junta is frightening. Getting what you pay for - Probing the Ameri¢gan na- tional psyche should really be left to historians, behavioural experts or advertising sharks. How can you explain this: A U.S. News & World Re- port poll conducted just before North was to testify found that only 31 per cent of Americans believe Reagan is telling the truth about Irangate. Fifty-one per cent say he’s lying and 18 per cent don’t know. to see more than hardware — they also saw the clear distinc- tion between Soviet an American priorities. The hit of the show was the USSR’s 35-meter long space station Mir (see Fred Weir's story on page 5). Thousands toured the structure as well as viewing models of the un- manned spacecraft that will be launched to Mars next year. By contrast, the U.S. fea- tured its ugly, menacing B-1B nuclear bomber complete with its $285-million price tag. And even at that price its engines failed when it was scheduled to leave France. : Two views of how hi-tech should be used ... a secret memo prepared for If the Constitution gets in the way, dumpitinthe name offreedom. _ But while 51 per cent say : i}