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World

The dramatic announcement Nov. 15 in
Algiers by the People’s National Council

tinian state was greeted with jubilation in
the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Gaza and
East Jerusalem despite the tightest mil-
itary curfew in recent years.

Street demonstrations erupted under
the noses of Israeli troops, and fireworks
broke over the night sky of Jerusalem
amid the acrid stench of tear gas. The
banned Palestinian flag appeared every-
where, and a general strike was virtually
total.

In issuing the declaration in the name of
the 338-member PNC, PLO chairman
Yasser Arafat called on the world com-
munity to support this Palestinian initia-
tive aimed at a peaceful settlement of the
Middle East crisis. He called for an inter-
National conference based on UN Resolu-
tion 242, which speaks of respect for “the
Sovereignty, territorial integrity and politi-
cal independence of every state in the
Tegion.” :

Israel’s new’s newly-elected right-wing
Likud bloc of Yitzhak Shamir was quick
to reject the PNC initiative, and was
immediately echoed by Labour Party
leader Shimon Peres, both of whom are
Negotiating with the country’s fanatical
teligious parties, representing some 70,000

ee

(PNC) proclaiming an independent Pales- .

Palestine Liberation Organization Chair Yasser Arafat making historic declaration

at Palestine National Council Nov. 15.

illegal Israeli settlers who hold the balance
of power in the new Knesset.

The United States, saying it must
further study the PNC position, also
appeared to reject the unilateral declara-
tion of statehood. Ottawa also is studying
the situation.

In Moscow, Alexander Bessmertnykh,
First Deputy Foreign Minister told a news
conference Nov. 18: “Faithful to the fun-
damental principle of freedom of choice,

the Soviet Union recognizes the proclama-
tion of the Palestinian state.”

Earlier, Soviet Foreign Ministry spo-
kesperson Gennady Gerasimov said that
the USSR “welcome the PNC decision as
an important step toward.a peaceful Mid-
dle East settlement. The Palestinian lead-
ership, he said, displayed the highest
degree of realism and a fresh approach to
the most essential aspects of the Arab-
Israeli conflict.

- PLO declaration wins world backing

“We especially welcome the deep com-
mitment reaffirmed by the Palestinians
toward settling international regional
problems by peaceful means in keeping
with the UN Charter. The USSR has
always recognized the Palestinian right to

their own state,” he told a news briefing
Nov. 16.

“The PNC decisions confirm to the
whole world that the PLO — the only
body expressing the Palestinian people’s
interests, and their authoritative political
representative — has displayed a high
sense of responsibility toward the destiny
of the people and of peace in the Mid-
East.”

He noted the USSR is in contact with
the PLO leadership, and with other UN
Security Council members, and will con-
tinue to work for a general conference of
all parties to set out a just and durable
peace agreement.

So far, 35 countries have extended
recognition to the Palestinian state, includ-
ing China, Czechoslovakia, the Ger-
man Democratic Republic, Egypt — the
only Arab state which maintains relations
with Israel — Algeria, Saudi Arabia,
Iraq, United Arab Emirates, North and
South Yemen, Mauritania, Malaysia, Sin-
gapore, Kuwait and Nigeria.

A shipment of humanitarian aid goods
Sent from the United States to Nicaragua
Was seized by U.S. Treasury agents on Can-
adian soil last September, the Tribune has
learned,

The incident, which received no coverage
by daily media outlets, arose when Canada

Ustoms agents informed their U.S. coun-
'erparts that the goods, which included
‘ools, building materials, medical aid and
Clothing, may have been in contravention of
the U.S. economic and trade embargo
4gainst the Central American nation.

-he shipment was taken by the agents to
Blaine, Wash., but later released after the
‘Upport group which had gathered the
items demanded their return through the
8toup’s lawyer.

b Steven Kerpen of the Topanga, California-
ased Architects and Planners in Support of
the wasua (APSNICA) said the seizure of

© 800ds, valued at $6,000 US, is part of a
Tal policy of harrassment by U.S. Cus-
ores Of American support for Nicaragua

Tganizations,

€ said he thought Canadians would be
»ncerned since the goods were seized at the
ort of Vancouver by U.S. agents.

| wissstoms Canada local spokesperson Al

boxes

‘ Son confirmed that the items were seized
Nder a bilcceral agreement between Cana-
'an and U.S. customs.

U He said Canada Customs called their

S. Counterparts after detaining the ship-
ment the day it was to leave Vancouver, on
© Suspicion that the goods may have been

Violation of U.S. embargo regulations.
gery Pither, a Gabriola Island resident
as monitored the situation, said 65
of goods cleared U.S. and Canada
toms at the Blaine-Douglas border

Ssing on Aug. 6. The boxes were bonded
n the Canadian side.

item SNICA also subsequently purchased

con Sin Canada which were added to the

V. lainer stored at Greer Shipping at the

term dock.

adgeossing the border separately and

to the container was a Nicaraguan

Pe the property of the Sandinista

‘tment, which had toured the United

Cro.

States under the sponsorship of a Portland,
Ore. group.

U.S. Customs, which is a branch of the
Treasury Department, was notified of the
shipment on Sept. 9. Just prior to loading
on Sept. 12, two Treasury agents arrived,
and, after separating the art show and US.
originated goods from the Canadian goods,
seized the items and removed them to
Blaine.

By that time it was too late to load the
Canadian goods aboard the ship, although
they have subsequently been sent, Pither

id.

_ Customs sent a letter Sept. 23 to the Peo-
ple’s Centre for Housing Change — the
organization sponsoring the APSNICA
project — stating that the goods were

declaration and indicate to U.S. Customs
the country of ultimate destination is trans-
parently false.” The letter was accompanied
by a photocopy of the document, clearly
stating the country of destination.

“It further strikes me as highly unusual
for U.S. Customs to enter the territory of a
foreign sovereign, in this case Canada, to
seize a shipment that: it had previously
cleared for export,” he wrote. ;

The lawyer took issue with Customs’
interpretation of the regulations by which
they claimed the tools were in violation of
the embargo. He demanded that all the
items be returned to Vancouver for ship-
ment.

Ina reply Oct. 12, Stephen Pinter of for-
eign assets control wrote: “Based on the

[ge
it strikes me as highly unusual for U.S. customs to

enter the territory of a foreign sovereign, in this case
Canada, to seize a shipment it had previously cleared

for export

— lawyer Michael Withey

a

seized under regulations prohibiting ship-
ment of goods to Nicaragua through a third
ountry. ;
4 Bite letter Sept. 20 from APSNICA’s
Seattle lawyer, Michael Withey, to Donald
Bridges of the Treasury Department's for-
eign assets control branch, mentions the
reasons given for the seizure as a claim that
the items lacked proper documentation and
did not state that the destination was Nica-
ua.
tlh the letter it is apparent that U.S. Cus-
toms was prepared to release the medical

‘ and clothing items to the group but claimed

that the tools needed a special permit to
ass. .

; Withey wrote the customs agent: ‘The

information provided to you that my clients

had failed to complete a shipper’s export

information provided, we have determined
that the entire shipment seized by Customs
may be exported to Nicaragua without
further authorization from the Treasury
Department.”

Kerpen said the Treasury Department
will release all the items provided the group
signs a “harmless” statement, “which
means they avoid being sued.”

He said APSNICA would likely comply
in order to take advantage of a Pastors
Peace Convoy which is leaving Seattle and
other points for Nicaragua soon, and which
can take the tools as personal baggage. (He
said he understood that the Nicaraguan Art
Show, which had apparently lacked proper
shipping documents due to an error by the
Treasury Department, is to be shipped
home from Tacoma.)

“It does leave the issue unresolved.
They’ve managed to skirt the issue,”
Kerpen said.

He pointed out that the seizure is part ofa
series of recent attacks by U.S. government
agencies on Nicaragua support groups. Last
July a Veterans Peace Convoy was stopped
at the U.S. border at Laredo, Texas. That
group recently won an action allowing their
convoy to proceed, although Kerpen said
the ruling appears to apply caly to the
Laredo area.

A press release from APSNICA also
notes a raid Aug. 31 by Customs officials on
the office of Trade For Peace in Wisconsin.
The agents seized Nicaraguan coffee — an
item sold at outlets in Vancouver — and
crafts.

The embargo was declared by President
Ronald Reagan on May 1, 1985. Although
it exempted shipments for humanitarian
purposes, groups such as Oxfam and the
Catholic Relief Services were denied licen-
ces to ship agricultural and housing tools in
1986.

Those actions adversely affect APSNI-
CA’s operations, which include sending
tools and personnel to help construct hous-
ing, sewers and water systems, Kerpen said.

“The entire embargo regulations are
criminal. They constitute an attack, not so
much on the government, but the people of
Nicaragua,” he charged.

““When one can’t get necessary parts, that
action winds up killing people.”

Pither, whose brother Ron on nearby
Mayne Island is also involved in aid projects
in Nicaragua, said he tried to interest several
major media outlets in B.C. with the story.
But none carried the story.

Brief items have appeared in Barricada
International, an English-language publica-
tion based in Nicaragua, and in Nicaragua
News, a Toronto-based information bul-
letin.

Pither decried the action whereby Can-
ada Customs aided U.S. agents in enforcing
their embargo, on Canadian territory.

He said it was “a warning of what could
happen” under the Canada-U.S. Free
Trade Agreement.

Pacific Tribune, November 28, 1988 ¢ 9 ~

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