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April 30, 2010 - No. 81 May Day 2010 Uphold the Spirit and Significance of
May Day!
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On this important occasion
of May Day 2010 -- the Day of
International Working Class Unity and Struggle, the Communist Party of
Canada (Marxist-Leninist) sends its revolutionary greetings to the
workers and oppressed people of all lands who are fighting for their
rights and in particular their right to chart
their own destiny without imperialist interference. CPC(M-L) greets all
the workers and people in Canada who are fighting for their rights
under the conditions of the brutal anti-social offensive and the
warmongering and annexationist agenda of the rich and their governments.
To fulfill its international
duties, the working class
must bring into being anti-war governments that settle international
disputes without resorting to force and threats of war. This means in
practice to reverse the tide of militarization of life such
as U.S. imperialism's militarization of earth and space, and the
building of global navies and military bases by competing countries
within the imperialist system of states. The working class must reverse
this growing militarization and use of force and war to settle
international disputes. The well-being and future
of humanity and Mother Earth depend on the working class leading the
people of their
countries by taking up its international social responsibilities.
May Day focuses the
attention of the working class on
its central role in nation-building to vest sovereignty in the people
and to renew the economy based on cooperation and self-reliance. A
renewed economy must serve the actual producers of social
product and providers of services and their communities, regions,
nation and the general interests of society. Comrade Ho Chi Minh, legendary leader of the Vietnamese people. |
Thirty-five years ago, the U.S. imperialists were defeated in Viet Nam. Photos showed them scrambling to escape Viet Nam, trying to save the last of their worthless skins from the wrath of people's war. After 15 years of courageous resistance against every form of criminal aggression by the U.S. invaders, the people of Viet Nam succeeded in chasing the imperialists from their land and won total victory. In the mid-1950s, the Vietnamese people had already completely defeated the French colonialists and they suffered greatly at the hands of first the French colonialists and then the U.S. imperialists.
On this occasion, the Communist Party of Canada
(Marxist-Leninist) sends its warmest revolutionary greetings to the
Vietnamese people and their revolutionary leadership. CPC(M-L) will
forever hold in highest regard the Vietnamese resistance, the great
leader of Viet Nam, Comrade Ho Chi Minh,
and the other revolutionary Vietnamese leaders. Ho Chi Minh summed up
the struggle of his people in Hanoi in May, 1969: "My only desire is
that all of our Party and people, closely united in struggle, construct
a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic and prosperous Viet Nam,
and make a valiant contribution
to the World Revolution."
The government of Canada played a nefarious role in the
Viet Nam War. While not at war with Viet Nam Canada covertly assisted
the U.S. in myriad ways. In 1962, the Canadian delegation was the
main author of the Special Report to the Co-Chairman of the Geneva
Conference on Indo-China
that "justified" U.S. allegations of "internal aggression" by North
Viet Nam. In this way Canada supported the false claim of "two Viet
Nams." Then Prime Minister Diefenbaker's external affairs secretary
stated in 1962 that "any action the U.S. has taken has been in a
measure of defence against communist action."
In 1965 Paul Martin Senior spoke for Pearson's Liberal government
stating that "the American forces were in their right in answering
those attacks against them and South Viet Nam." Canadian delegates
furnished the U.S. with strategic intelligence and relayed threats
issued by the American military. The Canadian
government let the U.S. use Canadian facilities for training exercises
and weapons testing. Canadian companies exported billions of dollars of
military supplies such as ammunition, napalm, and Agent Orange to the
United States, which were later used against the Vietnamese people.
 Memorial to the courageous Vietnamese resistance at the site of the infamous My Lai massacre by U.S. forces. |
The Vietnamese people suffered tremendous losses as a
result of this Anglo-American Cold War "democracy." In the name of this
"democracy" brutal aggressions were also launched against Korea,
against the peoples of Indochina, and against other peoples of Asia,
Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well
as the former Soviet Union and the peoples' democracies, leaving behind
hundreds and thousands of victims. The open wars of aggression were
accompanied by covert dirty wars carried out under the auspices of the
CIA which left millions of victims. The examples are well-known:
Greece, Korea, Viet Nam, Iran,
Indonesia, Cuba, Guatemala, the Congo, Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua,
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Grenada, Panama, Venezuela, to name
only a few. Today, at a time this Cold War "democracy" has reinvented
itself, the dirty war tactics that were once carried out under covert
operations have been formally adopted
as the official tactics of the U.S. imperialists and its allies
including Canada as seen in Iraq and Afghanistan. The actions of Israel
in the Middle East are another case in point. While first the Korean
people and then the Vietnamese people defeated the U.S. imperialists,
the peoples of Asia, Africa, Latin 
America
and
the
Caribbean have also dealt them one resounding defeat after another
and are defending their democratic rights and opposing impunity.
Nevertheless, the
U.S. imperialists, Canada and the Big Powers of old Europe are
declaring that the dirty wars through which crimes were committed
against humanity by engaging in horrendous
illegal activities, all justified in the name of fighting communism,
should now be made legal in the name of fighting terrorism and
defending national security. This must not pass! The sacrifices of the
Vietnamese and world's people will not be in vain!
On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the heroic
victory of the liberation movement of the Vietnamese people against the
U.S. imperialist aggressors, let us step up the struggle against U.S.
imperialist aggression and war!
The Party youth have prepared a slide show to commemorate this important historic event. Click the image at right to view the slide show (MP4 format -- requires QuickTime Player).
Vale Inco
The Legal Front of the Class Struggle
Throughout the ten-month strike in which Vale Inco has arrogantly continued to demand unsustainable concessions from its workers it has not only refused to negotiate but has gone whole hog to engage the workers and their union in legal issues. Numerous Superior Court proceedings have been engaged to limit picket line activities; civil suits against the workers and the union for exposing scabs to public scrutiny; citing "confidentiality" under the Canada Investment Act to cover violation of commitments made as a condition of approval for taking over Inco; firing workers without legal justification or cause etc.
The experience of the
workers when it comes to the use
of the courts is clearly that there is no equality between workers and
the monopolies before the law. The fact that Vale's cases are frivolous
but the court does not rule them so and that they are intended to
exhaust the union and its resources is
not ruled as mischief. Nonetheless, the workers have no choice but to
wage the struggle on the legal front as well.
While the legal form of struggle is an integral part and parcel of the class struggle the workers are waging, its outcome is decided on the basis of the relative strength in the correlation of class forces. In other words, the workers cannot rely on the courts to see justice done, but must step up their struggle for the realization of their demands. Other forms of the class struggle are the economic, political, ideological, organizational, legislative, cultural and so forth. In this regard TML hails the militant actions of the workers in their attempts to oppose scabbing, including a rally outside Liberal MPP Rick Bartolucci's office for May 20 and actions pressing Sudbury City Council to adopt an anti-scab motion.
The working class has to mobilize the entire class and its allies to defeat the offensive of the monopolies. The government, courts and legal system have no business supporting monopoly dictate over the public right, and the legitimate demands of the workers.
Yet Another Failed Attempt to
Further Restrict Picket Line Activity
Picket line activity from the outset of the strike has been severely restricted by court order, aimed at rendering the strike ineffective. The Superior Court has already limited the number of strikers allowed on a picket line and imposed protocols to allow scabs and minerals through the line. But Vale Inco has ready access to the court and repeatedly applies for the Court to impose further picket line restrictions. Vale's latest attempt was heard on March 24. The company asked the court to impose a limit of no more than three picketers at any of the ten established picket locations. Vale Inco also asked to court to ban "secondary picketing" of scab outfits contracted to do work of striking employees and to order the police to intervene. Vale Inco's claims were so unsubstantiated, it once again lost its case.
Vale Ignores Municipal By-Laws with Impunity
Striking workers have fought that housing scabs on company property is a violation of municipal by-laws. City fire and building officials investigated the housing facilities Vale Inco has set up for scabs, for compliance with fire and building codes. City zoning by-laws do not permit rooming housings and the likes in the central core of the city or in industrial areas. Despite the fact that city officials have determined housing scabs in offices and temporary trailers on company property contravenes the city by-law, company spokesman Steve Ball declared: "We will be talking further to the city about these issues, but those talks are between us and the city." Vale Inco meanwhile continues to house scabs on industrial property with impunity.
Six Months to Hear Bad Faith Bargaining Case
The United Steelworkers filed a "bad faith" bargaining complaint against Vale Inco in January. It wasn't until March 30 that the Ontario Labour Relations Board convened a meeting to set a hearing schedule. The OLRB set hearing dates for May 3, June 25, 28, 29, July 9, 12 and 13. It will be six months since the USW filed the complaint and the one year anniversary of the strike before the OLRB concludes hearings -- let alone makes a decision!
The union filed the complaint because of Vale Inco's refusal to negotiate. The aim was to force Vale Inco back to the bargaining table. Subsequent to the filing of the complaint, Vale Inco entered into ten days of mediated talks but the company's "final offer" was so non-serious, the striking workers rejected it by 88 percent in Sudbury and 98 percent in Port Colborne. That itself is evidence that the company has shown no interest in reaching a just negotiated settlement.
In its complaint, the union
submitted documents showing
that Vale Inco had an agenda other than negotiating with the workers
and their union. Vale Inco's plan is to reduce the workforce by 40
percent. An
internal Vale Inco document says the company wants to reduce the number
of miners in Sudbury
from 2,000 to 1,800 or even 1,500.
At the time, in January, CEO Tito Martins, arrogantly dismissed the USW claims saying there were no layoffs planned. He told Northern Life news that "about 500 strikers have already retired, many more won't return to work after the strike," which actually confirms the USW's claim.
Despite this, the way the OLRB administers labour relations justice in Ontario, Martins could show up and admit it's all true and still the workers and the union may not win their case. Six months of delay in hearing the case is justice denied. Fifteen months ago, in February 2009, Ontario's part-time college teachers managed to force a certification vote on their determination to join OPSEU. The part-timers and OPSEU, are still waiting for the OLRB to count the votes!
Arizona's Anti-Immigrant Law
Federal Government Provides Blueprint for
Arizona
Senate Bill 1070
Phoenix, Arizona: Militant opposition to anti-immigration Senate Bill 1070 including a walkout
by highschool students at the Capitol building to demand that Governor Jan Brewer veto the bill.
(Photos: standing-firm.com)
Senate Bill 1070 (SB 1070) was passed by the Arizona Senate April 19, following an earlier vote by the Arizona House of Representatives. SB1070 represents the final bill that reconciles earlier versions passed by the Arizona House and Senate. It was signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer April 23. It is to come into force 90 days after the end of the current legislative session, which will be early August.
The Arizona law is being passed in the context of
federal programs, such as "Secure Communities," which allow local and
state law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law. They also
serve to put Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in charge of
local law enforcement, with local and state agencies
coming under their command in raids and other enforcement activities.
The federal programs, like "Secure Communities" and "287g," together
with the ICE raids, have already unleashed the terrorizing and
collective punishment of communities -- themselves crimes by the
government. They have also unleashed widespread
racist government profiling, arrests and searches without probable
cause, and mass deportations across the country. Indeed, while SB 1070
was being debated, a massive ICE raid using 800 agents terrorized four
communities in Arizona, including Phoenix and Tucson.
The federal government's "End Game," plan -- with "Secure Communities" and "CAP," programs focussed on criminalizing and deporting immigrants -- provided the blueprint for the Arizona law. The federal government is also critical for SB 1070 to function. Police stopping individuals will attempt to verify their status through the federal government, using systems like e-verify, based on a federal government database. The database itself is notoriously inaccurate, with names that are similar, misspelled, changed due to marriage, etc. often returning a result of "illegal" status to individuals who are documented or citizens. And it will be the federal government that acts to brand individuals as criminals for the Arizona police, by saying they do not have documents.
Given that local police in various cities have refused to cooperate with the federal programs, as they oppose targeting workers and families who have committed no crime, Arizona SB 1070 is written to force police to do so. The law specifically allows any Arizona resident to sue the police, or conceivably landlords, or school officials, to force them to arrest people "reasonably suspected" by that resident to be undocumented. It also forbids actions such as sanctuary cities. Out of state drivers are targeted as well. Officials in Phoenix, for example, say they will require out-of-state drivers to have a passport or visa or be subject to arrest. Already truck drivers are planning to boycott the area. All of these features of the bill serve to foment conflict among the people. They could also set local police against government officials opposed to the law, state police against local police, and so forth. It is the federal government that has unleashed this dangerous situation, fraught with conflict and anarchy, by encouraging and providing legal backing for laws like SB 1070. It has provided the example of turning immigration into a criminal issue, when it is a matter of rights -- rights of immigrants, of workers, of all.
President Barack Obama can immediately intervene to stop all raids and stop programs like "Secure Communities" and e-verify, which are all actions by the executive. Doing so would effectively nullify Arizona SB 1070. People in Arizona and across the U.S. are demanding that he do so immediately.
Central America and Mexico Protest New Law
Governments and mass organizations in Central America and Mexico are expressing their opposition to anti-immigrant legislation passed in the U.S. state of Arizona, condemning it as xenophobic, unjust and contrary to human rights. Legislation SB 1070, signed on April 23 by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, enables police officers to arrest and interrogate anyone who does not produce identification documents. The law requires legal immigrants to carry documentation at all times. The legislation is expected to heighten racial profiling practices of the police, as it stipulates that police are expected to request documents of any individual where there is a "reasonable suspicion" that the individual is in the country illegally. Individuals whose papers are not in order will be assumed to be in the country illegally. Restrictions on the hiring and transportation of "undocumented" individuals are also tightened by the legislation. For instance, the law makes it illegal to hire day labourers off the street.
In response to the legislation, the Salvadoran Foreign Ministry expressed its opposition and warned that immigrants should not be treated as criminals in any country for the mere fact of having entered or remained in an irregular manner. Archbishop of San Salvador José Luis Alas stated that the legislation "is very unjust because it incriminates our undocumented brothers as criminals."
The Guatemalan government issued a statement expressing its deep concern over the new law, describing it as "a threat to basic notions of justice." Marila Prinz, executive coordinator of the National Bureau for Migration in Guatemala has called for a protest march against the legislation, stating that it promotes discrimination, hatred and persecution.
In Costa Rica, Secretary General of the Public Employees National Albino Vargas described the law as racist and criminal. He urged the governments of Central America and particularly the Mexican government to repudiate the law.
On Monday, April 26 Mexican President Felipe Calderon, speaking in Mexico City at a meeting with immigrant groups, criticised the new immigration law, stating that it would cause hate and discrimination. "Legislation, which opens the doors to unacceptable racial discrimination, is set in motion," Calderon said at the meeting. He stated: "Mexico's government will use everything in its power to defend the rights of Mexicans who are affected by this legislation and we'll spare no effort to ensure the dignity of every fellow compatriot." He also said at the meeting, "It would be difficult to understand the growth and prosperity of the United States in the 20th century without the help and contribution of Hispanic and Mexican workers. It would also be very difficult to expect a solid economic recovery in the United States if the work of migrants is excluded in any way, because it's highly lucrative." Calderon is to meet President Obama next month in Washington DC, and said that he would be raising the issue with the president at that time.
In the U.S, civil and political democratic activists are challenging the law as being racist and a violation of civil rights.On Sunday, April 25 thousands of people demonstrated in Washington, DC with individuals such as Democratic representative Raul Grijalva urging President Obama to take a stand against the law. President Obama is said to have referred unfavourably to the legislation last week and requested the Justice Department to intervene in the issue to see if it is within the framework of the Constitution.
U.S. organizations that work with migrant workers are expressing concern about the impact of the law, especially in regards to fears that Hispanic immigrants will be subjected to increased racial profiling. "What is a father to do if, in 90 days, they can be stopped by any police officer and questioned ... when their family is at home and their kids in school?" Elias Bermudez, the founder of Phoenix nonprofit Immigrants Without Borders, said. "That's going to create havoc, so a lot of them are saying, 'Look, before they pick me up, I'd rather leave the state of Arizona and either go to another state or back home.'" Demonstrations against the anti-immigrant law are planned in cities across the United States.
Given the long border between Arizona and Mexico, the state has a history of criminalizing immigrants. According to estimates, in the U.S. there are 11 million illegal immigrants of which 62 percent come from Mexico, followed by El Salvador (530,000), Guatemala (480,000) and Honduras (320,000). There are an estimated 460,000 in Arizona.
(Prensa Latina, Al Jazeera)
Reflections by Fidel Castro
The Insanities of Our Era
There is no alternative but to call things by their name. Anyone with minimal commonsense can observe without much effort how little realism remains in the current world.
When United States President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Michael Moore stated "Now please earn it!" That witty comment pleased a lot of people for its acuity, although the Norwegian committee's decision was perceived by many as no more than demagogy and an exaltation of the apparently inoffensive politicking of the new president of the United States, an African American, a good speaker and an intelligent politician at the head of a powerful empire enveloped in profound economic crisis.
The Copenhagen world meeting was about to take place and Obama raised hopes of a binding agreement in which the United States would join a world consensus in order to avoid the ecological disaster that is threatening the human species. What occurred there was disappointing; international world public opinion had been the victim of a painful deception.
In the recent People's World Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, which took place in Bolivia, responses full of wisdom were put forward by the ancient indigenous nationalities, invaded and virtually destroyed by European conquistadores who, in their search for gold and easy riches, imposed over the centuries their egotistic cultures, incompatible with humanity's most sacred interests.
Two news items that arrived yesterday express the philosophy of the empire in its attempt to make us believe in its "democratic," "pacific," "altruistic" and "honest" nature. Suffice it to read the text of those agency cables from the capital of the United States.
"WASHINGTON , April 23, 2010—The Obama administration is considering deploying a new group of intercontinental ballistic weapons that could deliver large conventional warheads, non-nuclear but capable of reaching targets anywhere in the world in approximately one hour and with an extremely powerful explosive capacity.
"While the new super-bomb, mounted on Minuteman missiles, will not have nuclear warheads, its destructive capacity will be equivalent, as confirmed by the fact that its deployment is anticipated in the recently signed START 2 agreement with Russia.
"The Moscow authorities demanded and succeeded in having inserted in the agreement, a provision demanding the United States decommission one nuclear missile for every missile it deploys.
"According to reports in The New York Times and on CBS News, the new weapon, baptized PGS (Prompt Global Strike), could carry out tasks like killing terrorist Osama bin Laden in a cave, destroying a North Korean missile as it is being transported to the launch pad, or demolishing an Iranian nuclear site -- all without using nuclear bombs.
"The advantage of having a non-nuclear weapon with the same localized impact effects of a nuclear bomb is considered interesting by the Obama government.
"The project was initially proposed by Obama's predecessor, Republican George W. Bush, but was blocked by Moscow's protests. Bearing in mind that the Minuteman also transport nuclear warheads, the Moscow authorities said, it would be impossible to establish that the deployment of a PGS was not the beginning of a nuclear attack.
"But Obama's government considers that it can give Russia or China the necessary guarantees to avoid misunderstandings. The launch facilities of the new weapon will be mounted in sites at a distance from nuclear warhead deposits and will be open to periodic inspection by Moscow or Beijing experts.
"The Prompt Global Strike warhead would be launched on Minuteman missiles armed with 1,000-lb. conventional warheads, designed to strike targets with incredible accuracy.
"Responsibility for the PGS project -- which is estimated to cost $250 million just in the first year of experimentation -- has been handed to General Kevin Chilton, chief of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Chilton explained that the PGS will fill a gap in the Pentagon's current range of options.
"'Today, we can present some conventional options to the president to strike a target anywhere on the globe, but within a time span of at least four hours,' said the general. 'To act on a particular target faster than that, the only thing we have is a nuclear response.'"
"In the future, with the new missile, the United States could act rapidly and with conventional resources, both against a terrorist group or an enemy country, in a much shorter time period and without arousing international anger at the use of nuclear weapons.
"It is anticipated that the first tests will begin in 2014, and that by 2017 it would be available in the U.S. arsenal. Obama will no longer be in power, but the super-missile could be the non-nuclear legacy of this president, who has already won the Nobel Peace Prize."
"WASHINGTON, April 22, 2010—An unmanned Air Force space plane was launched this Thursday from Florida, in the midst of a veil of secrecy over its military mission.
"The rocket carrying the reusable X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle lifted off at 7:52 p.m. EDT (2352 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, according to a video distributed by the army.'
"'The launch is imminent,' Air Force Major Angie Blair told AFP.
"Resembling a small space shuttle, the aircraft is 8.9 meters in length and 4.5 in wingspan.
"The manufacture of the reusable space shuttle has taken years and the army has only offered vague explanations as to its objective or role in the military arsenal.
"The vehicle is designed to 'provide the environment of a 'laboratory in space' to test new technologies and components before these technologies are assigned to satellite programs in operation,' stated the Air Force in a recent communiqué.
"Officials have stated that the X-37B will land at the
Air Force Vandenberg Base in California, but they did not say how long
the inaugural mission will last....'
"'To be honest, we don't know when it's going to come back,' Gary Payton, second assistant secretary of Air Force space programs, told reporters this week.
"Payton stated that the shuttle could remain in space for up to nine months.
"The aircraft, manufactured by Boeing, began as a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) project in 1999 and was then transferred to the Air Force, which plans to launch a second X-37B in 2011."
Is anything more needed?
Today they have found themselves with a colossal obstacle: the now uncontainable climate change. The inevitable temperature increase of more than two degrees centigrade is being mentioned. Its consequences will be catastrophic. In just 40 years the world population will increase by two billion, thus reaching a total of nine billion people; in that brief period: docks, hotels, seaside resorts, communications, industries and installations in the vicinity of ports will be submerged in less time than is required for the enjoyment of half of the existence of the generation of one developed and rich country, which is currently refusing to make the most minimum sacrifice to preserve the survival of the human species. Agricultural land and potable water will be considerably reduced. The seas will become polluted; many marine species will become impossible to consume and others will disappear. This is not affirmed by logic but by scientific investigations.
Via natural genetics and the transfer of varieties of species from one continent to another, human beings succeeded in increasing production per hectare of food and other products useful to humans which, for some time, alleviated the scarcity of foodstuffs like corn, potato, wheat, fibers and other necessary produce. Later, genetic manipulation and the use of chemical fertilizers similarly contributed to the solution of vital needs, but they are now reaching the limit of their possibilities for producing healthy food appropriate for consumption. On the other hand, in barely two centuries, hydrocarbon resources that nature took 400 million years to form are being exhausted. In the same way, vital non-renewable mineral resources that the world economy requires are being exhausted. At the same time, science created the capacity of self-destroying the planet several times in a matter of hours. The greatest contradiction in our era is, precisely, the capacity of the species to destroy itself and its incapacity to govern itself.
Human beings have succeeded in raising their possibilities of life to limits that exceed their own survival capacity. In that battle raw materials in their reach are being consumed at an accelerated rate. Science made it possible to convert matter into energy, as occurred with nuclear reaction, at the cost of enormous investments, but the viability of converting energy into matter is not even on the horizon. The infinite cost of investment in pertinent investigations is demonstrating the impossibility of achieving in a few dozen years what the universe took tens of billions of years to create. Is it necessary for the child prodigy Barack Obama to explain that to us? Science has grown extraordinarily, but ignorance and poverty are also growing. Can anyone demonstrate the contrary?
Fidel Castro Ruz
April 25, 2010
6:30 p.m.
(Translated by Granma International)
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