NICARAGUA

4

‘Toys for Nicaragua’ campaign launched

An international campaign to send thousands of children’s toys to Nicaragua has been launched by the Budapest-based International Committee of Children’s and Adolescents’ Movements (CIMEA), an affiliate of the World Federation of Democratic Youth.

The campaign, called ‘‘A toy for every Nicaraguan child’, is intended both as gesture of world-wide solidarity with Nicaragua and to meet genuine needs in the country, which because of the attacks by U.S.-backed “‘contras’’, has few resources to put into toy production.

In a letter to youth organizations, CIMEA general secretary Sandor Molnari wrote: “‘The escalation of aggression against the Nicaraguan Revolution. . . has demonstrated the short term goal of the Reagan administration: to destroy the pro- ductive capacity and to paralyze the economy of the country. Following the brutal military intervention by the U.S. in Grenada, the possibility of a similar military intervention against Nicaragua is a tragic reality.

“*The attacks have resulted in the deaths of heroic Nicaraguan people, youth and even children,’’ he said. ‘‘Many children, peacefully studying or assisting in the harvest, became victims of attacks by the counter-revolutionary forces. Many schools had to be closed in the Las Segovias region (next to the Honduran border) and, as a consequence, several thousand children are not able to attend school, day after day.”’

“‘The solidarity of the progressive and

democratic children of the world and of |

their organizations is needed to help. Nicaraguan children, like all children in the world, want to play, to smile, to be happy and want to havea toy of their own, asmall thing to be happy about amidst the present circumstances in which their very childhood is being threatened continuously by the U.S.-backed counter-revolutionary forces.”

The toy campaign was launched in con- junction with the WFDY-affiliated organization in Nicaragua, the Luis Alfon- so Velasquez Sandinista Children’s Association. In this province, the initial work is being done by the Young Com-

munist League, also an affiliate of the |

WEDY.

All kinds of toys, for children up to 14 years are being collected although cam- paign organizers have put particular im- portance on toys for collective play, especially various kinds of balls which are apparently in short supply in the country.

In this province, toys can be dropped off or mailed to the Centre for Socialist Educa- tion, 105—2747 East Hastings St., Van- couver, B.C. V5K 1Z8. In the Greater Van- couver area, pickup can be arranged by phoning Peter Greenwell at 299-2788.

The campaign is to run until March, -

1984 and the toys will be sent to the San- dinista Children’s Association in Managua.

CIMEA has also issued the postcard il- lustrated here which will be sold to raise funds to cover the costs of shipping the toys to Nicaragua.

POSTCARD

international, children’s movement.

IN THE STRUGGLE FOR — I PEACE

"A TOY FOR EVERY NIGIRAGUAN CHILD

RE EEA A EG OA IA A OE NA OE EG EO HO OIG ¥ ‘

: Canadian Cuban

: Friendship

% Association

§

: We extend season’s greetings and

¥ heartfelt wishes to all our friends

§

x for PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP in 1984 ¥ A NUESTROS AMIGOS IN CUBA

ry iFELIZ ANO NUEVO!

¥ iPAZ Y AMISTAD!

MSOE SOK WERK SEK YER SES PEE BEDE BERK SO YEE BSE BEE BEE eS BL

PICKCOTTON ~—_—i IN NICARAGUA

WHEN @ 4-5 weeks

beginning Feb. 6, 1984

COST @ Organizers estimate

Send

resume and

costs will be $1,500

letter

explaining why you want to go to:

B.C.-Nicaragua Solidarity Committee P.O. Box 69367 Station K

Applications accepted until Jan. 8, 1984

The brigades have been requested by the FSLN in order to help get in the crucial cotton crop and to show solidarity with the

Vancouver, B.C. V5K 4W5

Nicaraguan fight for freedom.

immediately

PACIFIC TRIBUNE— DECEMBER 21, 1983—Page 14

eb aunt Phil Westman checks over goods as containers are loaded Dec. 7.

Tools’ drive sends $1m aid |

The warehouse on Pine Street in Vancouver was filled, and more equipment was still arriving Dec. 7,

providing an overwhelming

testimony to the international sup- port Canadians and Canadian in- stitutions gave to the struggling Central American nation of Nicaragua.

Altogether, more than $1 million in goods and cash was donated to the third annual cam- paign to send medical, school and other supplies to Nicaraguans,

‘*That’s three times as much as the Canadian government has given Nicaragua this year,’’ said Phil Westman, co-ordinator of the “Tools for Peace’? campaign. Behind him, volunteers of the Coalition for Aid to Nicaragua were busy loading the first of

several containers to be delivered to the waterfront and loaded onto a visiting French ship.

The campaign has grown in size and influence since it was started by a coalition including international agencies, local support groups and the members United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union three years ago. This year -the three- month coast-to-coast campaign succeeded in collecting everything from hospital beds to rocking horses, surpassing the target of $500,000 worth of goods by 100 per cent, and dwarfing last year’s $125,000 achievement.

Sponsors of the yearly campaign include several prominent in- dividuals from church, labor, government and support organiza- tions. Former Supreme Court of

Canada justice Thomas Bergél Is B.C. Federation of Labor prest dent Art Kube, Mayor Mike Hat 4 court and Alderman Harry Rank,” of Vancouver, and Father | Roberts of the Solidarity Coalitiol).* are listed among the sponsors. Broken down by region, # value of contributions was: Brit Columbia, more than $100, 000 3 the prairie provinces, $307,00%}, Toronto, $125,000; Ottawa $15,000; Halifax, more thal bs $50,000. Cash donations 9% $50,000, a ‘matching grant’ fro™). the Canadian Internation@ Development Agency of $90, ae h: donations from the Canadian a American chapters of OXFAM 9% « $132,000, and $40,000 worth 9h, free transportation: brought total to more than $1 million.