Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, October 12, 1972, Page 6, Image 6

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    T
Page 6 Portland i Observer Thursday,
October 12,1972
_ -
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LA S A LL E HOTEL
:WCAGO. ILLINOIS.
Eighth year of War of Liberation:
Frelhno calls for unified effort
September 25 marked the
eighth anniversary of the
armed liberation snuggle in
the East .African nation of
Mozambique. In cominerating
that observance, the U. S,
representative of the M oza m ­
JU
I
Coalition of Black I rade 1 uonists members are i standing) B ill Lues. secretary-treasurer
of the American Federation at state. County in,I Mu ic r ’.il Employees, AFL-CIO. Washington.
O /'.. (to his right'. Nelson Jack I twards, of l 'é tro it, vice president of the I nited Auto W orkers
and Cleveland Hayes, ct New A rk. president ot the D istributive Workers of America.
Trade unionists form coalition
The largest gathering of
black labor officials and rank-
and-file members in ¡story
has set the stage fo r form a­
tion of a permanent nation il
organization to focus attention
on the needs of blackworkers.
More than 1,200 u n io n
members and leaders met fo r
two days in Chicago and ham­
mered out a beginning agend i
designed to give blackw ork­
ers a greater voice m their
unions and in th e ir commu­
nities.
.Adopting the name Coali­
tion of Black Trade Union­
ists, men and women from
37 national unions agreed that
blacks have a role to play
in bringing the labor move­
ment more closely in step
w ith the needs and aspira­
tions of black working fami­
lies.
The group named a five-
member steering committee
fro m among those .ttending
and directed them to come
up witt' a structure and a
program fo r n a t io n a l mem-
bership organization fo r black
union members.
The Coalition w ill hold a
second national meeting to
adopt a structure a-xi by-laws
early next year.
Lucy spoke fo r the delegates
when fie condemned the neu­
tra lity stance adopted by the
n a t io n a l AFl -CIO in the
presidential campaign. "W e
are here to chart a course
whicf we feel w ill helpelect
a president of this nation
who is committed to foster­
ing the principles of trade
unionism and whi se economic
policies would assure a fa ir
break for the SO m il I ion work­
ing people of this nation," he
said.
The conference denounced
the Nixon adm inistration's
policies toward Blacks and
workers and vowed to do
everything possible to assure
the defeat of Richard Nixon
in November.
Rep W illiam Clay (D-Mo.)
said that if blacks stayed neu­
tra l
th e y w o u ld n e v e r
achieve "to ta l freedom, eco­
nomic equality and social jus­
tic e ,”
"W hether you know it or
not, this group has sounded
the clarion trumpet of rebel­
lio n ...", Clay added.
bique L i b e r a t i o n
Front
(F RE LIMO) called fo r com-
tinued assistance from Black
people in the U.S. to help
bring about a hastening of
victory lo r the African people.
(m that date in 1W'4, three
groups of freedom fighters
from FRELIMO crossed over
the Ruvuma riv e r and began
the war of liberation to over­
throw centuries of Portu­
guese colonial rule and build
a new Mozambique.
W hat started as a mere 250
men is now an army of over
5,000 regular soldiers and a
host of people’ s m ilitia s . They
are active m ilita rily in four
of the country's provinces
and, in the liberated zones,
have begun the lutiding of a
new African society which
"e lim inates the exploitation
of man by man."
"Perhaps Die most impor­
tant aspect of the last eight
years,” said Shafurdine Khan,
F RE LIM O's official repre­
sentative in this country, "has
been not so much the growth
of tlie armed struggle itself
as tlie development of the
popular revolution aimed not
just at expelling the Portu­
guese invaders, tu t at de­
stroying forever their p o liti­
cal and economic system and
all that this entaUs."
Khan cited several specific
events which could be con­
sidered pa rticu la r milestones
In the past year of struggle.
Among them were the opening
of a new m ilita ry front in
Mamca-Sofala province, the
spread ot g u e rrilla operations
south of the Zambezi riv e r,
a vaccination campaign and
the opening of a new school.
But, he added, “ the gradual
process of tlie budding of a
new Mozambique passes fo r
the most part unnoticed —
day by day, week by week."
Further evidencing the un-
romantic view the freedom
fighters have of th e ir struggle,
Khan pointed out that It was
cle a rly realized by FRELIMO
that it would be long, pro­
tracted and committed work
that would win the war rattier
than spectacular acts and
isolated achievements.
The FRELIMO representa­
tive made a special appeal
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Choice o f one:
Choice o f tw o:
fo r continuance of tlie assis­
tance Icing given (o his o r­
ganization and icople by per­
sons outside Mozamtqque.
Specific praise was given
to the world wide demonstra­
tions field on May 27 of this
year, African 1 iteration pay.
In Canada, Washington, 1'.('.,
San Francisco, C a ll!., and
throughout
Die Caribbean,
icople ot African descent
gadieted in numbers exceed
mg SO.OtXJ to show tlie ii sup
port to r tlie struggle to tree
Soutliern African and Guine i-
Bissau.
Bob 'W ■ ly ' W in- i t i of In n e r C ity Development Company
d e m o n -.ira te • the Mu s e illa ls p " l s h it a i G eneva's Re­
g u la tio n I a id e s.
Khan said that African
1. iteration Day was oie of
the most significant acts yet
in support ol tlie freedom
lighters. Even though ma­
te ria ls and financial support
had teen receive: on past
occasslons, an event " o f such
magnitude has never happened
before in Dus co u n try," le
explained,
"T h is was Die tirs t tm e,"
he added, "and it was highly
appreciated by our people. It
tiad a very positive impact
Diroughout Die world — not
only among Die M oza m b ica n
people, tu t throughout Africa
as a whole.”
GENEVA’S
4228
N . W illia m *
Back W to IT H School
SEM LER r
Uganda- Tanzania conflict:
Problems of African unity
by M ilton Coleman
The Coalition can be ex­
The recent armed conflict
In terms of A frican unity.
pected to move into such
the
Uganda-Tanzania
It was Libya’ s role which
c ritic a l areas as voter re­ on
border in East A f r i c a has
firs t was startling. Libya is
gistration,
economic
and
generally recognized as one
community development and ended fo r the moment with Die
reported acceptance of a truce
of
the more progressive
a campaign fo r organizmgun-
A frican governments — es­
orgamzed black workers as a pact by the two heads of state.
General fd i Amin of Uganda
pecially in its foreign rela­
result of its initial meeting.
and Tanzania's president,
tions. Yet it was only a few
Mwaitmu Julius K. Nyerere.
technical steps away from
T he eight days of hostilities
engaging its troops in battle
centered around fighting in
with another of A fric a ’ s most
sou Diem
Uganda
between
p r o g r e s s iv e
g o v e rn ­
members of its armed forces
ments. Tanzania, on behalf of
and an invading force of sol­
one of Africa's most ques­
diers generally agreed to be
tionable governments. Gen­
seeking the return to power
eral Amin in Uganda.
in Uganda of President A , M il­
Colonel Qadaffl’ s allegiance
ton obote.
with Uganda la reportedly
President obote was over­
based on Amin’ s flight from
thrown in January, 1971 by a
and sul sequent vehement de­
coup led by General Amin.
nunciation of Isra e li Zionism .
Since that tim e, tie has been
Z ionist aggression is Die im ­
living in adjacent Tanzania
mediate enemy of the Arab
where he was given asylum.
people, who make up tlie vast
A reported force of 1000 sol­
m a jo rity of Libya’ s people.
diers loyal to PresxlentObece
Libya is one oi tlie strongest
and others crossed the border
supporters of Die struggle of
into Tanzania after the coup.
the Palestinian g u e rrilla s, as
It was these men who re­
evidenced by its fittin g le ro lc
portedly began the incursions
burial of the fedayeen killed
into Uganda on September 17,
last month in Munich.
The
events were com­
Yet
its allegiance with
pounded by several Ugandan
Uganda could have brought it
bombings of Tanzanian tow ns
to w ar with one of the moat
(k illin g eight persons* and
stalwart c h a m p io n s
of
Malcolm X addresses audience in the authentic film story of his life. "M alcolm X ," based on
allegations by General Amin
A
f
r
i
c
a
'
s
other
freedom
the best selling "Autobiography of Malcolm A ." The film is now showing at the Alameda
that the invading force was
fighters, T a n z a n ia , which
Theater.
being assisted by Is ra e lim e r-
openly and consistently sup­
cenaries and Tanzania regu­
ports Southern African guer­
la rs along with planning from
rilla s . Such a confrontation
Israel and B rita in .
could only have set A frica
The entire a ffa ir soon
back.
came to involve other African
Even within North A frica,
countries as Libya made an
(1« Uganda invasion threat­
attempt to hasten troops and
ened to ruin internal rela­
supplies to General Amin’ s
tions. President Jaafar Nu-
assistance. Planes carrying
m e irl of the Sudan is said to
this aid were forced down
have ordered the downing of
while over the Sudan. Mean­
the Libyan fighters carrying
while, A frican s ta te s m e n
assistance to General Amin.
under the leadership of So­
Oddly enough, last ye a rw le n
malia pusled fo r reconcilia­
N um ein had been tem porarily
tion, while General Amin soon
deposed by a coup, it was
implicated others in tie plot
Libya’ s President Qudaffiwho
by leveling a blast of accusa­
ordered down the place c a rry ­
tions at Zambia.
ing N um elrl's
successor.
A t this point, tie hostilities
This subsequently led to a
are ended. Yet, the Uganda-
quick counter-coup which re­
T a n z a n ia clash contained
11:30am —2:00pm
stored N um eirl to power.
within it aspects of almost
In the face of continued
every significant problem to
Isra e li aggression in North
be faced in Die quest fo r
A frica , such a sp lit between
African unity.
two NorDi A frican countries
Uganda and Tanzania have
supporting the Palestinian
had strained relationships
struggle could also tie only
since the overthrow of P re si­
defeating in terms of African
dent Obote. On at least two
unity and progress of the en­
occasions since the coup,
tire T hird World,
border skirrnislies have teen
The Internal problems faced
reported.
by General Amin also had
Contrary to m erely alleged
ram ifications
w h ic h
re­
HAM
CABBAGE
favoritism on tlie part of
sounded outside Uganda and
CHICKEN
MIXED GREENS
President Nyerere towards
echoed in the arena of the
P resi'lent Obote, the d if­
CHOPPED STEAK
entire continent. Ills expul­
BLACKEYE PEAS
ferences have sound ideolo­
sion of Aslans (who control
FISH
RED BEANS
gical s u b s ta n c e s to them.
85 per cent of the country’ s
PORK STEAK
President obote leaned more
CORN
economy, yet stubbornly re­
towards socialist practices,
fuse to accept citizenship
SHORT RIBS OF BEEF
GREEN BEANS
s im ila r to tlie Ugatnaa prac­
Diore, was reflective of a pro­
MEAT LOAF
RICE
ticed in Tanzania. General
blem common to several other
Amin, on tie o tte r hand,
East African countries as well
Above includes Salad and Cornbread or Roll
trained in Israel and widely
as Black lands In the C arib­
believed to have teen en­
bean.
Spaghetti and M eat Balls with Salad
gineered Into power (In both
In all of these situations,
tle o ry and practice; by the
Chicken and Dumplings with Salad
Aslans represent a legacy of
Isra e li Zionists, has clearly
De colonial rule w le re It was
accepted a more capitalist
they — as a class more so
Macaroni and Cheese and Vegetable
path.
than a people — who became
F or reasons cle a rly un­
middlemen lo r the control of
Chili Burger with Salad
Skillet Hash with Salad
known though widely believed
Black economies from the out­
he based on Is ra e l's and
side by the European (lowers,
Corn Beef and Cabbage
Hof Beef,Potatoes & Gravy
B rita in ’ s refusal to give de­
A s
portrayed by white
sired a rm i, the general sud­
press and B ritish diplomats,
DESSERT $.35
denly turned against these two General Amin’ s expulsion of
last March and signed a pact
Aslan citizens w a s ’ B la c k
with Col. Muammar Qadaffl
racism ’ o r 'racism in re­
of Libya and was soon an
verse.’ Yet in an objective
outspoken anit-Z ionist.
sense It represented Amin’ s
open
Ploy Pool
solution to a very real pro­
blem, even though it may not
have been a co rre ct solution
tactically.
The danger was that due
to Die race-baiting of thew hitr
press, it threatened to some­
how throw another thorn into
Die sale of unity tetween
peoples of color.
President Nyerere has Dus
same problem in lanzarua,
and, as widely reported, lie
condemned General Amin’ s
expulsion orders to all Asians
as "c le a rly racialism and
representative ol tlie same
thing that Africans are de­
p lo rin g ."
But President Nyerere was
not in line with the race-
bGtiers, fo r tie clearly pointed
« it that le could undei stin t
Amin’ s ex(>ortation of those
Aslans who were not citizens.
His disagreement was w itl
ousting those who held Uganda
passports.
Threats of Arab-A frican
divisions (Libya-sudanj and
African-Asian divisions (in­
side Uganda) are ail very
real. They could te ex­
trem ely detrimental if
a l­
lowed to he means by which
the form er colonial powers
play
peoples of color
against one another.
A final inherent problem
was Die age-old trib a lism as­
pects of African life . Many
ol General Am in’ s internal
problems
stem from his
ruthless dealing wiDi Baganda
tribesmen, whose support re­
portedly helped get him into
power, but against whom lie
has turned; and the massacre
last year ol Langl and Acholi
tribesmen, Die tribesmen who
traditionally supported P resi­
dent Obote (a Langi) and who
are said to have made up a
good deal ol the invading
force.
So reckless has teen Gen­
e ra l Amin’ s playing ol trib a l
politics that now even tie
sole remaining trib a l illy foi
him inside Uganda — those
from his native West Nile
region — is said to le fast
lecomlng a burnt bridge and
some reports say that almost
half his present army is < orn-
posed of mercenaries.
Tlie problem which emerges
from all this is that tie move
to return
President obote
to (lower must le motivated
by more than trib a l con­
siderations it ii Is to le suc­
cessful. If the invading Acholi
and La n g lg u e rrllla sw e re o n ly
interested In trib a l concerns,
they were potentially |ust as
dangerous as (Jeteral Amin.
T ie current East African
truce has submerged these
many problems for the mo­
ment.
But just as It may
well he only a cease fire
agreement postponing to an­
other date tie struggle to re ­
move General Amin ib y e ltle r
Internal o r external forces),
tie problems which emerged
wIOi It may also he expected
to reappear in otlier foim s
in the continued quest fo r
A fr ic a n
unity and unity
throughout the peoples of coloi
of the Third World.
G ro u p m e e tin g acco m m o d atio n s
THE UNITED WAY
FO R
B e tte r Grades
Don t let B L U R R E D V IS IO N and E Y E S T R A IN be ■ handi
ap
have a Scientific Eye Exam ination and Freciwon
G ro u n d I z n v i h e t.re School or C ollege at art«
NO
Appointment
Needed
S m o rf
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H I .IH I l e r m * ]
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Other Othtn.rUtlM I EUGENE •
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