Fifth Estate Collective
News Shorts
Argentine Ransom
Buenos Aires, Argentina—Members of the Argentine National Liberation Front (ALF) bargained on March 25 over the exchange of two government-held political prisoners for their own political hostage, the Paraguayan Consul to Argentina.
If the release was not made, the ALF pledged to assemble a firing squad and off the diplomat.
The Government reported on the 25th that the return of the two revolutionaries, Carlos Dellanave and Alejandro Baldu, was not possible. They stated that Baldu is a “fugitive from justice,” which means that he is not in their custody, and that Dellanave is a “common criminal.”
The ALF replied that if a new date was not arranged for the release, they would assassinate every top-ranking U.S. businessman who lives in Argentina.
Paul Wallin, in the role of President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Argentina (or in other words, imperialist in residence) said that an estimated 350 American business buildings in the country house between 700 and 800 executives.
It is more than evident that the ALF has drawn the connections between the political repression in their own country and the presence There of the U.S. businessmen.
Throughout South America these tactics have been employed in recent months and have resulted in important victories for the nationalist, anti-U.S. revolutionaries.
They have all consistently identified the Amerikan ruling class and its international corporations as the global oppressors.
Dominican Ransom
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic—Lt. Col. Donald J. Crowley, air attache at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo was exchanged by revolutionaries last Thursday as ransom for the release of 20 political prisoners.
Crowley was returned a half-mile from a polo field where he was captured. He was reported in good condition and, in all-Amerikan Honk fashion, the first thing he asked for was a Coke.
Maximiliamo Gomez, top on the list of liberated revolutionaries, visited communist countries in Eastern Europe in 1963–64 and was cited by police as a “veteran of revolutionary struggles in Cuba and VietNam as well as the Dominican Republic.”
The ambassadors from Santo Domingo, Spain, France, Britain, the Vatican, El Salvador and Costa Rica accompanied them to the airport where they boarded a plane to Mexico. A warning to these tag-along ambassadors: you have been fingered.
Indian Invasion
Seattle—In an attempt to re-claim part of the land stolen from them by the U.S. government, around 100 American Indians invaded the Ft. Lawton military base in Seattle, Washington during the last week in March.
The liberation attempt was the second such act of retaliation initiated against Ft. Lawton by the native American organization. Following this latest confrontation, over 70 Indians were arrested by U.S. Army officials.
The group moved against the Amerikan government to protest this nation’s history of genocide and exploitation of the Indian people and the blatant robbery of their land.
The Indians, who came to set up camp on the base property, were demanding the immediate establishment of an Indian Cultural Center and University at Ft. Lawton. They were trying to re-occupy the land that had always been theirs.
It was theirs by heritage and it was theirs by treaty. The Ft. Lawton Army Base is scheduled to be closed and labeled surplus Federal property, thus giving the Indians the further right to claim it. It was known, however, that this demand would cause problems, because it seems that the money and power people who run nearby Seattle, also want the land for a park of their own.
Instead of taking this opportunity to begin to repay a small part of the immense debt owed to the American Indians, the Seattle town fathers and the U.S. Army elected to squelch the cultural center plans, the treaties, and the Indians.
Another angle to the issue that the government undoubtedly considered, is that had they yielded to the Indian demands at Ft. Lawton, Washington would then, in effect, be admitting guilt to those charges leveled and, further, any compliance would establish a precedent for other manipulated Indian minorities.
Following the arrests, a military spokesman said that if any of the Indians arrested in this second attack were among those previously arrested in the first attempt to take over the base, they would be charged with violating the expulsion order and turned over to Walter J. Reseburg, the commissioner from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
All other individuals held by the Army were issued warnings, ushered out of the fort, and given letters forbidding them to ever return. Yet, even while members of the group were arrested and being interrogated, more supporters had gathered outside the gates and were picketing the area with signs that read: “Give us back our stolen lands.”
Leaders of the group that were among the ones arrested are Bob Satiacum, Bernie Whitebear, actress Jane Fonda, and Grace Thorpe, daughter of the athlete Jim Thorpe.
The U.S. Army versus the Indians...For the Indians it must sadly evoke memories of early Amerikan pioneer imperialism. This native American minority must still continue its struggle for self-determination.
Earth People Park Elsewhere
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—In the last issue of the Fifth Estate we reprinted an article from El Grito del Norte, a Chicano and Indian newspaper from New Mexico. In that article a representative of New Mexico’s native people explained why they did not want Frisco culture freaks to invade their lands.
In the most recent issue of the Earth People’s Park newsletter they have indicated that New Mexico may not be chosen after all as the site for the “ecology haven.”
The newsletter notes that “after many meetings with local Chicanos, Indians and communards we have reason to believe that politically and ecologically, New Mexico may not be the right place to focus our energies.
New Mexico is in an area of the U.S. where there is a very delicate balance of land/water/people.
“A large population influx within a small area of this region could easily upset this delicate balance and cause resentment among the indigenous population as well. It is important that Earth People’s Park be located in areas where they can exist in harmony with the regional ecology and the local population.”
Other sites, including a number of small sites, are being explored. The newsletter also reports that Earth People’s Park Inc. has $4,500 on deposit in a San Francisco bank. Supporters are asked to send one dollar.
The address is Earth People’s Park, Box 313, 1230 Grant Ave., San Francisco, Calif. 94133.
Spanish Student Strike
BARCELONA, Spain (LNS)—The usually efficient repressive apparatus of Spain’s fascist government was not sufficient to prevent 8,000 students at Barcelona University from striking and demonstrating in the streets, according to a report in Hsinhua, the Chinese news agency.
On Feb. 9, medical students at the University went on strike against the archaic educational system. Following several days of striking and a demonstration in the streets of Barcelona, the government sent police onto the campus to break up the rallies.
This action led to greater support for the strikers, as students from the schools of science, arts, philosophy and law joined the medical students in their struggle.
Peace Thieu
Can Thou, S. Viet Nam—In an incredible display of audacity, Presider Nguyen Van Thieu, puppet dictator of South VietNam, stated recently that his fondest wish was to visit the United States and take part in an anti-war demonstration.
Thieu made his facetious statement to a group of Amerikans who belong to the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), a right-wing U.S. organization that is making a ten-day tour of South VietNam.
“I’m anti-war too,” Thieu said. “The point the demonstrators seem to miss though is knowing the difference between who is waging the war and who is trying to defend democracy and freedom.”
Well, much to your disappointment, Mr. Thieu, we know exactly who is fighting for liberation in Vietnam. We also know that people’s war in Vietnam has waged a vanguard struggle against U.S. Imperialism and that the Viet Cong have won.
We also know who is selling out his own people by his complicity in a corrupt government organized by U.S. war-profiteers. We also know that the South is rich in rubber plantations and that they have already been stolen from your people so that Amerikans can drive to work.
Yes, Mr. Thieu, we know this and we are working from the inside, inside Amerika, inside its Army. It is too late for such obvious lies. What this means is that the next American G.I. you encounter may shoot you.
The God Squad
WASHINGTON, D.C. (LNS)—Theologians have given up disputing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin to speculate how many pinheads can pray to the angels.
Julius Hoffman, an old hand at preying, joined Richard Nixon and Billy Graham for Sunday services at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue here March 15.
So now the count is up to three.
Philippine, Riot On!
MANILA—In the Philippines recently, the police had their hands full trying to protect the American Embassy from groups of angry students. The authorities found it necessary to resort to the use of tear gas, nightsticks and firearms in order to quell the uprising. During the attack on the U.S. Embassy one Filipino student was shot to death by security guards.
The central issue there was the continued expansion of U.S. financial influence in the Philippines. Despite the heavy police action the students did succeed in breaking several windows and setting bonfires throughout the city.