ie WORLD CHILE TODAY Flexibility combining methods of struggle By A. ALLARD _ “With every passing day, it is becom- ing increasingly necessary to effect the Social mobilization of all Chileans and coordinate their actions at all levels in the ranks of the opposition, be it in the Left, the Centre or the Right,”’ says the Com- munist Party of Chile in a document writ- ten by its General Secretary, Luis Corva- lan where placing the view of the party on the struggle Chile is engaged in today In Its effort to overthrow the fascist Pino- chet dictatorship supported by U.S. im- Peiialism. _ The party document continues by say- ing: ‘‘In its letter of reply to the chairman of the Christian Democratic Party in May, 1985, the Central Committee of the Communist Party wrote: ‘Dear Mr. Valdes: ' We believe that in the course of struggle we should set ourselves the task of jointly charting the concrete Path that will enable us to abolish the dictatorship and fascism. As we see it, the main factor here will be the strug- gle of the people, a resolute mobiliza- tion of the public which will find its expression in a heretofore unknown combination of peaceful and violent methods. To see our concept of the Struggle as a purely military program would be a simplification and a distor- tion. However, if account is taken of the features that characterize the dic- tatorship and its actions. it will be- come unquestionably clear that a de- cisive role must be played by what the People can do to improve their methods of self-defence and increase their influence in the armed forces.’ And further Corvalan says: ‘‘The Communists maintain that the develop- ments will most probably result ina clash between the people and the dictatorship. The report to the recent plenary meeting of our Party’s Central Committee stated in part: ‘We foresee this as an uprising of the masses involving the entire popula- tion, the majority of political and social forces and a part of the army opposed to the dictatorship. The aim is to reach such a level of universal protest when popular action in the main cities with the indus- ‘trial proletariat, students, middle sec- tions and peasants taking part, would re- ally paralyze the country. Such action would be backed up with effective blows to incapacitate the regime and hasten the political and moral collapse of the re- pressive forces. The process would cul- minate in the encirclement of the coun- try’s major political centres by the people.’”’ Regarding the position of U.S. im- perialism, the Chilean Communist Party says: ‘‘There is evidence that the scale of militant action by our people in recent months has made the U.S. State De- partment uneasy. It should be abundant- ly clear that the Reagan administration Only intervenes to thwart a really demo- cratic outcome. Imperialism intends to prevent the handling of the present situa- tion along progressive lines, preferring superficial changes that would not dam- age its interests. While it is possible, im- perialism will support Pinochet.”’ Later in the document, the Chilean communists indicate: ‘‘The reply to the chairman of the Christian Democratic Party which we have already quoted mentions the incontrovertible fact that ‘the Communist Party did not have re- course to violence with respect to Chi- lean society’, and further, ‘We are not inclined to use violence. If we consider it politically and morally necessary to re- Sort to it today, it is only because the dictatorship uses violence against the people, against the country, against all Chileans. As to peaceful methods of struggle, we do not only have a high opin- ion of them but also at the present mo- ment, use them in most of our actions against the dictatorship. We flexibly combine various methods of struggle.’”’ The Communist Party, which Pinochet proposes to destroy, is today is the centre of the struggle of the people against the dictatorship. It learns from the people and drives them to action. The popular rebellion established by Chilean Communists in 1980 was given flesh by the people and will continue in its development until the overthrow of the tyrant. INTERNATIONAL FOCUS Tom Morris Bad writing, worse advice Right-wing journalist Peter Worthington may have switched Newspapers, but his Jottings in the Financial Post these days are as loony as his former efforts at the Toronto Sun. His Jan. 18 column, ‘‘Mili- , Action on Libya Over- due”, should give hope to thousands of Struggling journalism students who are wrestling to master two of the profession’s axioms: you should get your facts straight and, you should write logical- ly. Worthington shows neither are necessary to be a scribe for the Big Press. Facts and logic, it seems, come a poor second to hate-peddling and bombast. Worthington advocates war against Libya. He urges the bombing of its centres along- side direct military invasion .and occupation of that coun- try. He bemoans Reagan’s “mild response’’ (sanctions), but whistfully suggests it ‘‘may simply be on ‘hold’ until 1,500: Americans working in Libya are evacuated’’. And in case Reagan is get- ting cold feet, Worthington puts his simple solution before a simple president with the clarity of Patton: ‘‘A military operation to eliminate Gadaffi (sic) seems not only justified, but overdue. The regime should be relatively easy to knock off... **A successful military oper- ation would require troops on the ground — not just bomb- ing. Bombing is easiest, but least effective and would likely strengthen Gadaffi ... The only qualification for military action (mounted by America, Israel, combined Western forces, or whatever) is that it asucceedi....} ’ The only details the good journalist omitted were dates and division unit numbers. Freedom of the press? Free- dom of opinion? The fact is that were Worth- ington (or anyone) to advocate war in the press of a socialist state he would be arrested and charged under its constitution. In those nations war-monger- ing, fascist and militarist propaganda and incitement of hatred against nations and races are prohibited by law. In Worthington’s case they might also nail him for bad journalism. Persecuted for going home Read these accounts of de- fiance and heroism: Business Day: ‘‘Security po- lice detained Black dissident Winnie Mandela under the In- ternal Security Act, in a week- end of drama during which she was twice physically removed from her Soweto home. “‘Journalists who witnessed the arrest yesterday said plain- clothes police carried 50 year- old Mrs. Mandela ‘kicking and screaming’ from her home ... (They) said that after a three- hour altercation, armed police backed by troops bundled Mrs. Mandela into a car and drove her to the Holiday Inn near Jan Smuts airport where they left her, with a bruised ankle, pen- niless and without luggage.” The Times (UK): ‘‘Winnie Mandela was released without bail from a Johannesburg court and at once courted re-arrest by defying a government order banning her from staying in her home. ‘As far as I’m con- PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JANUARY 29, 1986 e 13 cerned,’ she said, ‘it (the order) is a non-issue, a law that should not be obeyed by any honorable human being. I’m going straight back home ...’ “On Sunday she took up re- sidence once again in the fam- ily home. The police came for her again shortly after 11 a.m. Once again Mrs. Mandela put up a tremendous struggle and was dragged to a waiting police car then held overnight in a cell at the Krugersdorp police sta- tion.”” Guardian (UK): ‘‘The di- lemma of South African au- thorities as they contemplate the spirited resistance ‘of this woman ... is exquisite, even though the consequences for her are nothing of the sort. If they leave her alone she seizes every chance to preach the demolition of apartheid. Ifthey - lock her up, her hard-earned ‘Status as an African heroine is enhanced ...”’ “‘Apartheid South Africa,’’ Winnie Mandela commented, “‘is the only state in the world where you're arrested for going home.”’ Think about this next time the CBC or anyone else offers a platform for the regime’s mouthpieces or Mulroney cons us about a ‘“‘measured re- — sponse’’.