__ Guatemala’s newly-installed civilian
_ government is simply a ‘legitimate” front
for the country’s U.S.-backed military
regime, according to a leading Guatemalan
revolutionary.
Im reality, the government of president
Vinicio Cerezo does not signify an end to
_the brutal repression in the Central Ameri-
_can nation, in which the military has devised
_ numerous strategies to quash the revolution
for national liberation, Gabriel Peralta told
_a Vancouver audience March 4.
“The governments of Guatemala, during
ore than 15 years, have been part of Gua-
temala’s military. .. These governments were
nearly always the result of military coups, or

- social scientist and author, tolda meeting at
the Centre for Socialist Education.
“These governments were illegitimate, in
the sense that of course everybody in Gua-
temala itself, or in international opinion,
“knew that these governments were some-
thing to be compared with that of Mr. Mar-
cos in the Philippines.”
_ Peralta said the Guatemalan revolution
| 1981 was strong, with operations in three
rovinces, with 6,000 soldiers under arms,
and with the support of 250,000 peasants.
The military responded with an offensive
ed “Victory ’82” in which some 50,000-
5,000 people were killed, 440 villages of the
ntry’s largely Indian population were
destroyed, and more than one million peo-
were made homeless. In a follow-up
ensive, “Firmness ’83,” the army attemp-
d to move people into “strategic hamlets”
the aim of waging “psychological war-
” to change the political consciousness
the population, he related.

ATHLIL CAL (LYELL ISLAND)

ORPHEUM THEATRE
MARCH 21 W949 BOOP

of fraudulent elections,” Peralta, a lawyer, |

a

GABRIEL PERALTA. . .Guatemala’s mil-
itary still in control.

The government lacked the resources to
relocate a desired one million people, man-
aging only to move some 25,000 into the
strategic hamlets.

The military was successful in organizing
armed “civilian defence leagues” among
some five per cent of the population loyal to
the government, said Peralta. Subsequent
offensives in 1984 and 1985 were designed
to create a “political climate” for elections.

“Everybody. ..who can’t accept this type
of political system, who may want to reform
or change it, (could not) take part in the
elections...In this way, the Christian
Democratic party won,” he explained.

It is possible the new government might
want to enact some reforms, said Peralta,
but the military won’t permit it.

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‘Army still runs Guatemala’

The crushing two years ago of the revolu-
tion in Grenada by the Reagan administra-
tion might make it seem U.S. influence in
the Central American-Caribbean basin is
on the upsurge. But that was an exception
to the general rule, Peralta asserted.

“Five years after the Reagan administra-
tion came to power the Sandinista revolu-
tion in Nicaragua...is still there. The
revolutionary forces of the FLMN in El
Salvador have not been destroyed,” he
pointed out.

And, he said, even though the revolution
in Guatemala has suffered some tactical
defeats, it is still there. With all the military
and diplomatic pressure it exerts on the
region, the Reagan administration fails
because “‘you cannot win, even if you are
the United States. . .because even with wea-
pons you cannot destroy the roots of a
revolution.”

In Guatemala, the system of “ethnic dis-
crimination” that has persisted for 500
years is not about to be changed by the
Tuling class, said Peralta.

“The military men, some of whom come
from the ruling class, are not about to con-
duct agrarian reform. I mean, there are no
social classes which kill themselves. That is
why. ..it is not possible, or at least very
difficult at this historical moment, to fighta
peaceful revolution.”

It is theoretically possible to solve Central
America’s conflicts through a political set-
tlement, but that only works if both parties
“have the same conception,” said Peralta.

“But in (the case of Nicaragua) you can
not have one of the parties negotiate, and
the other not. I don’t believe the Reagan
administration wants to put an end to the
conflict with Nicaragua through negotia-
tions. What he really wants is to destroy the
Nicaraguan revolution.”

Peralta said that makes him a “bit of a
pessimist” about the possibilities of political
solution in Central America. And he
warned that any attempt by the Reagan
administration to escalate its activities in
Nicaragua from a “low-intensity” war to
“medium intensity” will embroil the entire
region in the conflict.

(“Low-intensity” warfare is what Reagan
wages now with aid to Nicaragua counter-
revolutionaries — “contras” — and. with

the propping up of the government of
Napoleon Duarte in El Salvador. “Medium
intensity” means the involvement of U.S..-
troops, Peralta explained.)

“But the situation in Central America is
not desperate, and there is a lot we can do to
help people wage the just fight in Central
America,” he said.

He said sympathetic forces in the United
States and Canada can develop a kind of
“peace movement to end the myths pro-
moted through media about Central Amer-
ica, and pressure the U.S. government to
negotiate peace in the region.

Happy Birthday
to
GEORGE

GIDORA ©
on the occasion
of his
90th birthday

on April 1, 1986

from all his family,
comrades and friends

Classified
Advertising

COMING EVENTS

MAR. 22 — Testimonial evening honoring
Sophia Podolezuk, Harry Hoshowsky and John
Bobb. Three veteran instrumentalists in string
orchestras of the AUUC. Cocktails: 6 p.m.
Dinner: 7 p.m. Dancing at 9 p.m. to Harry's
Good Times Band. Ukrainian Hall, 805 E.
Pender St. Tickets in advance: $10. Phone
253-3032.

MAR. 22 — Welcome social for Soviet guests
participating in Technological Change confer-
ence. Russian People’s Home, 600 Campbell
Ave. Doors: 6 p.m. Dinner: 6:30 p.m. $5
employed, $3 unemployed. Sponsored by
Canada-USSR Friendship Society. For info. call
731-3048.

MAR. 29 — Benefit dance for El Salvador.
Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pender. 8 p.m.

MAR. 30 — Open house to celebrate G
Gidora’s 90th birthday. Sunnyside Hall, 154th
St. and 18th Ave. in Surrey. 7:30 p.m. to 10
p.m. For info. call 594-0539 or 531-2597.

APR. 5 — Russian Bazaar. 600 Campbell Ave.
12 noon. Russian brunch, gift boutique, home
baking, book sale, white elephant, bingo, raffle.
Special Russian dinner Starting at 5 p.m. ALL
WELCOME. Further info. 255-6488 or
253-3032.

APR. 12 — Hold this date for third annual
COPE auction. To donate or for more info.
Phone Sue at 254-9797 or Lydia at 874-4806.

APR. 13 — International Concert for Peace.
Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Ave., 2 p.m. Partic-
ipating groups will include: Jewish Folk Choir,
Yugoslav Orchestra, Chinese Dancers, Salvad-
orian and Chilean participants, Ukrainian and
Russian performers. Tea and refreshments.
Admission: $4. All proceeds to End the Arms
Race for this year’s Peace Walk. Support this
multicultural event. Invite your relatives and
friends for a very enjoyable and worthwhile
afternoon. For info. please phone 253-3032.

NOTICES

CLUE #1: — BUZZARDS RUN QUOTATION
OF THE WEEK. “‘It is to this original chromo-
somal deficiency that all the various troubles to
which the male falls heir can be traced.”

— Ashley Montague
(Save this quotation until “The Hunt” on May
10.)

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.

ELECTRICAL PLUMBING, appliance repairs.
Don Berg 255-7287.

AUTO TUNE-UPS and repairs. Reasonable
rates. Phone Richard 879-4038.

DRYWALL, TAPING and ceiling systems. Ask
for Tony at 596-1355.

GENERAL INSURANCE, home, business,
trade union. Dave Morton, bus. 986-9351: res.
433-4568.

VICTORIA
BILL HARTLEY your AutoPlan man. All types
of insurance. Mail in or phone in. 2420 Douglas
Street, Victoria, V8T 4L7. 388-5014.

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.

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PACIFIC TRIBUNE, MARCH 19, 1986 e 11