ew

Mobilizing \

“Canadian women feel the threat of war is real, it’s in our Own _ backyard,’’ Nan McDonald told a gathering of women’s organizations at a special consultative meeting of the Women’s International Democratic —_ Federation (WIDF) in Berlin, GDR, Jan. 22.

The consultative meeting, McDonald told the Tribune, stressed that *‘1983 is the deci- sive year” in the’ struggle to prevent a dangerous escalation of the arms race. She said the meeting heard reports of a wide range of actions around the world campaign and set out the immediate tasks in the Struggle to avert war.

These include:

e Acampaign to send letters to U.S. President Reagan and NATO headquarters opposing the deployment of new mis- siles in Europe;

e Intensified actions in favor of the establishment of nuclear weapons-free zones through out the globe;

e Urging NATO states to seriously consider the wide- ranging peace and disarma-

McDonald, representing the Congress of Canadian Women (CCW), described to the gathering intensified actions to prevent the testing of the U.S. Cruise missile in this country and the growing campaign to make Canada a_ nuclear weapons-free zone.

The WIDF meeting was cal- ied within the context of the World Women’s Action for Peace and Disarmament cam- paign launched last October. It’s purpose was to examine

A NUCLEAR WEAPONS-FREE CANADAI NO CRUISE TESTS!

ment proposals offered last month by the member states of the Warsaw Pact, especially its

“the role and tasks of women’s organizations in the further

1982 Stockholm to Riga peace march enters Moscow.

development of the peace movement”, especially in light of NATO plans to deploy new U.S. medium-range missiles in Europe this year.

tary force.

proposal to conclude a treaty on the mutual non-use of mili-

The WIDF meeting urged

Financial crisis . forcing Pinochet’s hand

SANTIAGO — The disastrous shape of Chile’s economy, most recently seen in the collapse of two major banks and state takeovers of five others, has produced press circulation over the future of the nine year-old dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.

The current financial crisis, an unemployment rate of up to 25% and an inflation rate of 2 ® have forced Pinochet to twice

interrupt his vacation to deal with speculation of his political demise.

Saudi Communists appeal for world support

RIYADH — The Communist Party of Saudi Arabia has ap- pealed to all progressive forces to protest the reign of terror being launched by feudal regime against the national opposition forces in the country. Ina letter to the Communist Party of Canada, the CPSA writes ‘‘a campaign of arrests is taking place throughout Saudi Arabia against persons from every walk of life and political viewpoint who oppose the regime.”’

The CPSA letter charges that Many are now jailed and several Persons have died under torture. It reports that the terror cam- paign is coupled with complete news blackout and urges a public response to the campaign be developed.

U.S. physicists | urge nuclear arms ban

WASHINGTON — The council of the American Physical Society, representing 32,000 physicists employed in government, industry and education passed a resolution, Jan. 26, asking presi- dent Reagan, Congress and the USSR to limit nuclear arms and end nuclear weapons’ testing for all time. The resolution, drawn up by experts in nuclear arms control, estimates the world today eRe explosive power equal to that of one million Hiroshima

mbs.

Warsaw Pact states Jan. 6 offered NATO a comprehensive plan to stop production, testing and deployment of nuclear weap- ons as part of a broad disarmament program.

women to step up every form of action for peace — Vigils, signature campaigns, rallies, national peace marches, reg- ional actions and other forms

and to make International, Women’s Day, March 8, 1983,.

a world-wide statement for peace and life.

“The key question’’ McDonald said, is to prevent Cruise testing in Canada and to have our country declared a nuclear weapons-free zone. Unity on these demands is gal- vanizing the women’s move- ment. It is uniting women from all political viewpoints and so- cial strata.’’ :

She reported that Canadian women’s groups are circulat-

ing a petition calling on Ottawa.

to urge all nuclear powers to pledge not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. ‘‘The USSR’s public pledge of ‘no first use’ has given fresh im- petus to this demand,’’ McDonald said. Other actions underway in- clude support: for a Women’s International League for Peace

and Freedom ‘‘Stop the Nu- .

clear Arms Race’ (STAR) campaign which will culminate by sending a large delegation to NATO headquarters in Brus- sels on March 7-8.

McDonald urged support for a planned rally at the Peace © Tower on Parliament Hill of” Mothers’ Day to demand” Canada’ divorce itself from — U.S. war policies and develop ~ an independent course for peace, disarmament and inter- national cooperation.

She said that March 8 events | across Canada in 1983 will } highlight the issue of peace and |) disarmament, No to Cruise testing, for a nuclear weapons -free country and against new missile deployment in Europe. “These issues are part of our struggle for liberation and for life,"” McDonald concluded.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FEBRUARY 18, 1983—Page 8

Invites FRG to join in initiative

GDR backs A-arms free zone

By FILS DELISLE Tribune Berlin Correspondent

BERLIN — The German Democratic Republic has proposed to West Germany that both German States support the Swedish government’s proposal fora zone free from nuclear weapons in Central Europe, running from the northern states to the Mediterranean. The Soviet Union, according to Stockholm, has also endorsed the Swedish prop- osal.

The Swedish government, it is now revealed, wrote to the GDR government Dec. 8 to propose a Central European zone free of nuclear weapons between the NATO states and the cc untries of the Warsaw Pact. ‘‘In this zone,’’ it proposed, ‘‘no nuclear warheads nor the storing of same would be allowed, nor would there be any preparations for the stationing of nuclear explosives or manoeuvres

with the simulated use of nuclear weapons.’” It

Suggested the nuclear zone extend 150 kilometers on both sides, making it 300 kilometers wide.

In a letter to the Swedish government, Jan. Jf and now released for publication here, the GDR

gave full support to the Swedish proposal. The-

GDR said it shared the concern of the Swedish leaders ‘‘over the high concentration of nuclear weapons on this continent’’. It also agreed with Sweden that it is necessary to do everything to reduce ‘‘and even eliminate completely’’ all nu- Clear weapons. It added: ‘“‘the Swedish proposal offers a possibility to come closer to this goal and to markedly lower confrontation in Europe. At the same time it expresses the view of the GDR and the

_ initiative and the responsibility of both Germaf

other Warsaw Pact states that, with the creation? zones free of nuclear weapons in various regions® Europe, the danger of a nuclear war would reduced and relaxation of tensions and mut

advantageous cooperation would receive ne" impulses.”’

The GDR wrote that it was especially interesté! in the Swedish proposal, since it has as ‘‘a dire neighbor’ — West Germany — ‘‘a state that is the most thickly sown with nuclear weapons, at plans exist for it to station even more nucl | weapons on its territory”’

The GDR proposed to Stockholm that the suggested zone of 300 kilometers be made wide and declared it is prepared to include the whol territory of the GDR in such a zone on the basis ® similar action on the NATO side. |

In a further letter to West German Chancello! Helmut Kohl, simultaneously released with th? other documents, the GDR put forward the thes! that “‘the creation of such a (nuclear free) zon could be a useful step in’ strengthening peace # Europe and the advancement of relaxation of te” sions’’. For that reason, the GDR informed Chai cellor Kohl, it was supporting ‘‘the Swedish inv tiative’’ adding: ‘‘on the basis of the Swedis!

states for peace, and bound up with it the respon’ sibility to contribute actively to prevent a nuclea catastrophe, it would be of great significance if thé government of the Federal German Republic suf’ ported this initiative.”’