Democratic Left - Volume 022 Number 03

24 Pages·1994·7.4 MB·English

Breaking Bread
Inside: with Cornet West and bell hooks
PUBLISHED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA
May /June 1994
Volume XXII Number 3
Our Common Future
Social Justice in the Americas
+Struggles for Democracy and Workers' Rights•
+ Reports from Canada, and El Salvador+
Chiapa~
Also
Sf eW all 2 5
Oll
inside: A Quarter Century of Lesbian and Gay Politics
Inside Democratic Left
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE AMERICAS On the Left
An Interview With Jos' LaLuz by Harry Fleischman. .12
by Chris Riddiough ...3
Commission Notes. .13
Hope and Struggle In Ch/apas
Breaking Bread
by Al Rojas . . 6
by bell hooks and Comel West. . .14
Steps Toward a North'Amerlcan Soc/al Charter
DSActlon . ..1 6
by Bill Dixon . . . 8
Stonewall 25: A Quarter Century of Gay Politics
Canada: The Left Rebuilds and Reaches Out
compiled by Dorothee Benz. . .18
by Mike Martin ...9
Janie Higgins Reports. . .24
Forward Motion In El Salvador
by Karen Marie Gibson. . .1 O cover photo: Alain Mclaughin/Impact Vi&uals
ludicrously inflated. It's certainly true Into thic; media vacuum have walked
EDITORIAL
that Arkansas's is an oligarchic political conservatives, who are eager to generate
culture, where the country-club boys have enough public revulsion at the Ointons'
WHITEWATER
been running everything for the past cen transgressions, real or imagined to over
tury; and it's also true that as governor come the public's desire for social
AND THE MEDIA
Clinton accommodated the Arkansas oli change. They fear that health care reform
garchy in a succession of deals and ap could re-invent the Democrats could
pointments that were hardly models of bind them to the electorate as the party of
BY HAROLD MEYERSON
statecraft. Yet most of these deals, and a newly responsive, if chastened govern
Here, class, is a li<st of three presiden most certainly Whitewater, were reported ment. Against that dread possibility,
tial scandals. Whichonedoesnotbelong? on at some point during the '92 campaign. they play the Whitewater card m hopes
A) Watergate was about the clandes Why, then, have these stories returned, that some combination of lucky revela
tine intervention of a sitting administra nearly crippling a president who survived tion and American moralism ~ill derail
tion in the affairs of its political opposi them when he was merely a candidate? an incipiently liberal decade and ratchet
tion. One reason i5 that the administra us back to the brutal comforts of the
B) Iran-Contra concerned the Re tion's bunker mentality hasn't deflected Reagan age.
agan White House's funneling money to allegations, but instead raised suspicions.
a war whose funding Congress had ex But a broader reason lies in journalism's Harold Meyerson, a Vice CJum of DSA, is
pressly prohibited. increasingly narrow focus on personal executive editor of L.A. Weekly u: which a
C) Whitewater concerns the dubi scandal. The reporter's task today is to longer version of this essay origuudly ap
ous, possibly illegal, practices (though uncover the private history underlying peared.
his 1980 trial ended in acquittal) of Bill the public career: the deals, the scandals, LEFT
DEMOCRATIC
Clinton's onetime bitsiness partner, the compulsions. That's the stuff that
James McDougal, in the years between matters -- and it follows that such con National Director
1978 and 1985, a period that preceded cerns as ideology and rudimentary politi Alan Charney
Clinton's presidential inauguration by cal distinctions are mere surface appear
Managing Editor
eight to fifteen years. It's about whether ances a reporter pursues at the risk of bor
David Glenn
McDougal illegally channeled money ing his or her reader and to no discernible
from his troubled S&L to cover losses on end. Editorial Committtt
Shakoor Aljuwani, Joanne Barbn,
the Whitewater real estate investment he According to the Tyndall Report, the
Dorothee Benz, Suzanne Crowell,
shared with the Clintons, whether he nightly news broadcasts of A BC, CBS, and
Mitch Horowitz, Sherri Levine,
used S&L funds to help Clinton's guber NBC have devoted 220 minutes to cover
Steve Max, Maxine Phillips
natorial campaign or otherwise gave ing Whitewater since January l --roughly
Clinton special treatment, and whether three times the coverage they've given to Formding Editar
Clinton's regulators --and Clinton him thehealth-carewars. Thepersonalhasnot Michael Harrington (1928-1989)
self - were in tum soft on McDougal's only become the political, it has all but k
Dnnocntic Left (ISSN 016403207) pd:lilhed bluallhlya t
failing S&L. supplanted it. No wonder a recent poll 180 Varick Street, NY, NY 10014.Seccr.d<luap >OUgt paid 11
New York, NY {Publlca1lon No.0701 -9602). ~:SS
If you answered C), don't pat your showed that Americans rank seventh out ttgular; $15 tnstilUli.<Jnat Po01n""'°" Send address dumva
to lllO Varick Strttt. NY, NY 10014. Dmiocntic Left ii
selfon the back just yet. The more serious of eight West!.!m nations in their knowl publiahrd byt he O.mocratkSod.&lisb ofA mub, 180 Varick
question is why Whitewater has been so edge of current affairs. S(re<-1, NY, NY 10014 (212) 727 ~10.S1gwdmidno:rrrstl!oi
optnoor1'oflht1Utlioni"""""' ~11-a/IMorr-z<dlOll.
2 DF.Mociv.Trc Lm
Social Justice
in the Americas
An Interview withjose LaLuz
T he U.S. Left faces huge challenges in the wake of the fight over the North A' merican Free Trade Agreement.
Now more than ever, we must work across borders to nurture international movements for workers' rights
and environmental protection. In early April, Chris Riddiough, the chair of DSA 's Global justice Task Force,
sat down with DSA Vice Ch.air Jose LaLuz to discuss these issues. Lil Luz, who is the Associate Director of
Education at the American Federation of State, Co1111ty, and Municipal Employees, has met extensively with trade un
ionists and other progressive activists throughout the Americas.
Chris Riddiough: First of all, what is your more standards, more rights, more of the things
general sense of where things stand politically that haw made each of our respective socit!ties
in North America and the Western Hemispliere bt!tter,inordertocompete. And thatis thecode
generally? word that is being used: We have got to be
"competi ti Vt!."
Jose LaLuz: The future presents enormous The people in Mexico are faced with this,
challenges as well as opportunities. To a large people in Brazil, people in the Caribbean and
extent the democratic and progressive forces in Central America, as well as those who reside
this country failed to capture the moment d ur here in the United States. And the key to this
ing the debate on the North American Free will be somehow coming together with men and
Trade Agreement to clarify what was really at women throughout the Americas to forge a
stake. 1t wasn't a question of whether or not common investment in the hemisphere.
there should be increased trade with Mexico,
with Canada, and the rest of the countries in the Riddiough: You mentioned that you saw
hemisphere, but what kind of trade and invest progressives here in the United States fail in the
ment policies we need to increase the standard struggleagainstNAPTA. AsidefromNAPTA's
oflivingand to democratize the mstitutions that actual passage, how does that shape what can
affect people's lives. Most people see NAPTA as happen now, and what do we do to overcome
something that happened -but the truth of the that?
matter is the economies of the countries
throughout the hemisphere are being restruc LaLuz: I think that we needed to have our
tured, and citizens and people are not partici own vision of what kind of trade for North
pating in any meaningful way in determining America would have been good for all, and
what kind of economies, what kind of societies that's where we failed. It was a lot more of, "We
we need. are against this thing," as opposed to, "Here's
Right now what we seem to be witnessing is the kind of agreement that we have to offer that
a process in which people are being pitted one will benefit the many as opposed to benefiting
against the other. Men and women from the the few"
north are being pitted against men and women But we have got to make sure now that we
from the south of the hemispht!re in a mindless build on what is there, and in order to do that,
race to the bottom, as to who is going to give up we're going to have to put what exists to the test.
MAY/JUN£ 1994 3
Social Justice in the Americas
portant social and environmental organizations
as well. We have got to figure out a \vay to
connect with that process, to learn as much as
we possibly can about how they have advanced
what we refer to as the social dimension of
economic integration - or, as the Europeans
refer to it, the social charter --and see how some
of those things could be tailored to our own
needs and reality in North America. We have
got to figure out a way of connecting with these
social actors and sharing experiences. l'm
afraid that sometimes we lack imagination in
terms of how to do something like this.
For instance, how do we respond creatively
to job migration? Gigantic pharmaceutical
firms in New Jersey are now finding ways of
operating more freely in many of the countries
in the southern part of the hemisphere; many
manufacturers like General Motors and Ford
and others are now expanding their operations
in places like Mexico; many of the apparel and
textile firms have practically relocated their
entire operations to U1e Caribbean Basin -
they're here already, these companies, :.o this
August 1993: For instance, if environmental rights and regu offers us opportunities to make these struggles
Anti-riot lations are being downgraded in any of the three into meaningfuJ struggles that haYe local appli
police countries in order for one of the countries to cation. If there is going to be a plant shut down
confront become "more competitive" at the expense of in some city or small town in any of the states of
striking
people, then somehow we' re going to have to this country, that will become an opportunity
workers at a
denounce that, to expose it. But we must also for us to do education that will bring people
VW plant in
offer our own alternative vision of what it together. We have to say, look, these Mexican
Mexico.
would mean to protect the environment in the men and women are not our goddamn enemies
three nations. We're going to have to engage who are taking our jobs, as we heard sometimes
men and women in Mexico and Canada because in the anti-NAFTA fight, but instead, how can
the fact is that our economies are integrated. We we shape a community of nations in the Ameri
also have to reach out to men and women in cas where those men and women down there
those other countries to make sure that we've have jobs butitdoesn'thave to beat the expense
got a common view and a common strategy. of mine --and that's going to take a hell of a lot
of creative th.inking. And in order to do that we
Riddiough: One of the things that has been cannot allow the corporations to be the only
talked about is the concept of expanding ones that are dictating the pace and the needs
NAFTA to other countries in the Western here.
Hemisphere. Thatsuggeststhatwealsoneed to
be thinking about what do we do as those efforts Riddiough: I was in Santo Domingo two
move forward. What are our next steps in terms and a half weeks ago for a Socialist International
of that broader picture? Women meeting, and many of the parties from
our hemisphere were represented there. One of
LaLuz: ln negotiations for the Mercosur the things that I found is sort of an increasing
agreement to create a common market in the sense of trying to explore the particular role of
Southern Cone ofS outh America, there has been women in some of these issues, in terms ofw ork,
significant participation by many of the social the environment. One woman from the Mexi
actors, not only trade unionists but several im- can Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRO)
4 DEMOCRATIC LEFT
Social Justice in the Americas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
was there and talked about the role of women in people raised this very question: How do we Young
Chiapas, for example. Have you found much of shape an environmental policy that addresses maquiladora
that as you've been talking to people? people's most basic needs, for food, for shelter, workers In the
for clothing? This triggered a lot of tension with Dominican
Republic earn
LaLuz: Absolutely. Thequestionoftherole activists from the more developed nations. They
roughly four
of the sectors of the population that have been may say, for example, "Well, I'm just concerned
dollars (U.S.)
historically disenfranchised throughout the about shutting down that nuclear reactor near
per day
hemisphere and throughout the world becomes my house." But for people in Brazil, this may
manufacturing
critical now. And that obviously means women mean how do we strike a balance between pre
goods for U.S.
and indigenous people, who are now finding serving the rain forests, for instance, and mak apparel
their voice-not only in Mexico but throughout ing sure that our population has enough to eat, companies.
many other countries in the Americas, and not particularly those thousands of children that are
necessarily in partnership or in conjunction abandoned in the streets.
with our traditional democratic and progres This challenges once again many of the basic
sive forces. The explosive growth of the so premises of those of us who thought we had all
called informal economy --which involves pri the answers; it becomes an exercise in which we
marily women and children -- raises the ques have to realize that, wait a second, it's important
tion of how can we articulate responses that to protect that particular species of bird that is
engage and give the::.e disenfranchised people becoming extinct, but also to make sure that
their own voice: They are the ones who are being people have enough to eat, and to put clothes on
exploited in these free-trade zones that are ex their back, and shelter, and so forth. Environ
panding throughout the entire hemisphere. mental as well as development-oriented organi
zations are recognizing the need to bridge this
Riddiough: The other thing that I've run gap. And women's organizations are going to
into is discussions of development and the play a fundamental role, because we're talking
environment. Many environmental organiza about development policies that affect the over
tions, I think, are beginning to see some connec whelming majority of the people that are carry
bons between poverty and inequity, but it's a ing the burden right now -- women and chil
m
new area for environmentalists, and while it's a d~.
little different from trade, it seems like there are
connections. What's your sense of what's going
on? Chris Riddiough is a Vice Chair of DSA aud a
member of the Natwnal Political Committee. She
LaLuz: Yes, there are huge connections. At also chairs DSA 's Global justice Task Force and co
the summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, many clzairs tlze DSA Feminist Commission
MAY/JUNE; 1994 5
Hope and Struggle
A Human Rights
Delegation Visits Chiapas
BY AL ROJAS
T he New Year's Day uprising in the burning and clear-cutting forest areas in order
southern Mexico state of Chiapas to create grazing land. This process has forced
caught many people by surprise. But thousands of indigenous people from their rural
anyone truly familiar with the au homes. In the town ofS an Cristobal de las Casas
thoritarian record of the Party of the Institu our delegation visited a squatter encampment
tional Revolution (PRI), which has governed where over four hundred families have occu
Mexico for 65 years -- or with the far longer pied public land as a protest against the govern
history of the oppression of indigenous people ment's position on the distribution of land to
in southern Mexico --should not have been too indigenous people. Although the encampment
shocked. has been brutally attacked several times by the
Especially in rural areas like Chiapas, the Chiapas state police, the families have tena
working people of Mexico have slowly lost all ciously held on.
faith in their government and the rule of law. It was during this visit that our delegation
Vote-buying is a regular feature of life, and so got its most vivid taste of the character of Chia
are campaigns of intimidation against dissident pas politics. While we were speaking to the
political figures. When ordinary citizens seek encampment's leaders, two helicopters landed
justice, they usually find that the police and across the street. Javier Lopez Moreno, the
courts are too entangled in the corrupt PRI governor of Chiapas, was paying a visit to the
networks of power. Mexico is currently going town. Governor Lopez Moreno, like fifteen
through a tremendous period of evolution, other governors in Mexico, is an "interim"
which is usually credited in the press to the governor, appointed by President Salinas and
allegedly "reform" government of Presi not directly .elected by the people. As his heli
dent Carlos Salinas de Gortari. In fact, the credit copter touched down, hundreds of people from
for the impending breakdown of the old order the encampment crossed the street and de
should go to the hundreds of grass-roots demo manded to speak with him inn the presence of
cratic groups throughout the country. our human rights delegation; Lopez Moreno
In April, I had a chance to witness social flatly and coldly refused in a way that would be
conditions in Chiapas directly when I traveled unimaginable in the U.S. I was later hassled by
there with a human rights delegation including the local police for videotaping this scene.
ten other California activists and scholars. We The most chilling day of our journey was a
spent ten days documenting rights abuses and visit to Ocosingo, a town that was the :.ite of one
meeting with leaders of the Zapatista rebels. of the bloodiest conflicts in the January fighting
After interviewing hundreds of Chiap as indige between the Mexican army and the EZLN guer
nous people whose homes have been lost illa soldiers ("Zapatistas"). On January
through deforestation and whose lives are 4, the Mexican army surrounded a group of
chained to the will of local large landowners and Zapatista fighters in the marketplace in the
other elites, we had a much deeper understand center of Ocosingo. Using helicoJ>ter gunships
ing of why social conflicts here have come to the and tanks, the army slaughtered not only the
point of armed rebellion. Zapatistas but also many civilians who hap
The land in Chiapas is mostly rain forest pened to be in the marketplace. People we
but, as in Brazil, local cattle ranchers have been interviewed estimate that between 350 and 400
6 DEMOCRATIC LEFT
Social Justice in the Americas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
people were killed in the marketplace that day; berries were safe to eat, and how to cook snail On January
most of the corpses were removed by the army soup. Later in the day a group of eight Zapatista 12, a hundred
and have not been found. leaders wearing ski masks arrived. Since I was thousand
As we approached Ocosingo in April, the the person in charge of the delegation, I was the people
marched in
military presence was still very visible; our first person invited to speak with them. I was
Mexico City
Volkswagen van was forced to make several Jed into a clearing and introduced to a man
for
very long stops at military checkpoints. When known as Major Mario.
democratic
we finally entered the town and walked through Before he would answer any of my ques
reforms and
the marketplace, there was an incredible atmos tions, Major Mario wanted to know who we
against the
phere of solemness. There were numerous were. As I described our work , he asked me, bombing of
machine-gun posts on rooftops, and tanks and "Are you the group that shut down the Mexican Chiapas.
other heavy equipment still sat in the town. consulate in Sacramento?" (A coalition includ
Bullet holes were still visible everywhere, in ing the DSA Latino Commission led a series of
cluding some wide-diameter holes that had cut pro-democracy demonstrations at this consu
through thick steel beams. People avoided late in January; on two occasions our rallies
making eye contact with the soldiers patrolling became so large and militant that the consulatt:!
the town, and when we asked the tenderos chose to close for the day.) "Because I want you
(merchants) about the events ofJanuary4, every to know," said Major Mario, "that that kind of
one of them denied being in town that day. Only international solidarity is what has kept the
in the evening, out of sight of the army patrols, Mexican army from just marching in here and
did a few people come back to us and offer their committing great massacres. We owe you a
stories. great debt." lm
The last stage of our journey took us deeper
into the forest, into the area controlled by the
Zapatistas. Word had somehow gotten to the Al Rojas is a member of the DSA National
Zapatista leadership that a human rights dele Political Committee and a co-chair of the DSA
gation from California would be visiting. We Latino Commission. He is president of North Ameri
were met by a small group of people and led to cans for Democracy in Mexico.
a set of temporary barracks, where we were
housed with a pair of Chilean journalists who'd Tile DSA Latino Commission is collectingftmds
been waiting for days for a chance to meet and in-kind donations to support El Ti emp o, a small
Zapatista leader Subcommandante Marcos. newspaper in Chiapas that is one of tfze few independ
We finally arrived at a point where we met ent and democratic news outlets in the area. El
the Zapatistas, who were heavily armed; they Tiempo currently strains to publish on a printing
led us to a village. This area of the rain forest press that dates from 1895. For more infonnation, or
was one of the most beautiful places I have ever to make a donation, contact the DSA Latino Com
visited. Children from the village showed us mission at P.O. Box 162394, Sacramento, CA
where it was safe to bathe, which plants and 95816.
M.w/JUNE 1994 7
Social Justice in the Americas
Border Crossing
Toward a North
American Social Charter
BY BILL DIXON
With last year's debate over the ada, and the United States. A cam -Increased freedom of movement a.cross
North American Free Trade Agree paign for a broad social charter, borders.
-Detailed consumer-rlghl!I regulations.
ment, politics traveled to an obscure however, is very feasible.
-A continental minimum wage, raised in
frontier of the modem nation-state, a In May of 1992, Congressman index to inflation.
ground contested by a broad range of George Brown (D-CA) introduced -Continental employment and training
policies.
commercial and public interests. legislation calling for "a social and
-Transnational civil rights guarantees.
Following NAFfA 's arrival will environmental charter" to be in
- Democratic, ecologically sustainable,
be an historic visit from NAFfA's cluded in NAFfA. Developed with regional development plans.
global counterpart, the General John Cavanagh of the Institute for -Banning nuclear power as a. consumer or
industrial energy source.
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Policy Studies, Brown's proposals
-Developing alternative energy sources
(CATT). Because of the enormous provide a starting point for a Left
to fossil fuels.
jurisdiction these trade agreements North American transnationalism: - Facilitating worker-representation In
establish for commerce policies, corporate decisions,
-Transnational rights to free association, -Helping unions bargaj n transnationally
NAFfA and GA TT force us to at last
collective bargaining, and the strike, helping with employers.
acknowledge the importance of unions through Canadian-style right-to-or -EstabUshing through the North Ameri
transnational politics. Against elite ganlze laws. can Development Bank (created by NAFTA)
fantasies of a continent-wide corpo - Detailed standards for work place programs for long-tenn social investment,
health and safety. aimed at job creation, stimulating low-income
rate park, where wages are low, state
- Minimum age requirements for full consumer markets, and eliminating poverty.
regulations weak, and the environ time workers, aimed at the elimination of
ment up for bid, U.S., Canadian, and chJld labor. For socialists, the goal of a demo
-Rights to freedom from discrimination cratic transnationalism is a specific
Mexican citizens must finally put
at the work place based on factors unrelated to
forward an internationalist vision for response to elite power, answering
the performance of work.
the threats corporate profit-seeking
a just and democratic future. -Guarantees of humane wages and de
In Western Europe, public de cent working hours, which, while acknowl and centralized states pose to public
edging differences in regional development, sovereignty and basic social welfare.
bate over what is now the European
also mandate improvement Indexed with in
Union (EU) has progressed for over creases in productivity. Some might advocate conceding
transnationalism in order to better
forty years. In particular, North -Environmental protection through ex
Americans could look to theSocialist plicit conservation laws, public disclosure of fortify support for national and local
toxic discharges, and required use of environ protections. But by now we should aJI
led strengthening of the European
mentally sound technologies.
Parliament and the victories for the -Prohibition of exports from companies recognize the threat capitalism poses
EU's so-called "social dimension," which fail to meet either continental or na to even the most militant "local" poli
partially realized in the Social Char tional labor, environmental, and consumer tics. Our socialist internationalism,
ter of1989 and the MaastrichtTreaty. laws (whichever laws are more stringent). still global and utopian, but now also
Obviously, massive differences As much as we could debate the urgent and tangible, faces an urunis
between Europe and North America particulars of the above, Brown's takable opportunity. Im
divide feasible Left strategies toward proposals offers a good place to be
transnational policy. Appeals to gin. Of course, socialists should rec Bill Dixon is co-chair of University of
world-federalism aside, political and ognize that we can do better. To Chicago DSA and editorofThe Activist,
economic integration on the order of supplement (and partially correct) the jounzal oft he DSA Yout}J Section, in
the Maastricht Treaty isn't immedi Brown's proposals, a socialist social which a longer version of this article
ately conceivable for Mexico, Can- charter might broadly commit to: originally appeared.
8 DEMOCRATIC LEFT
Canada After NAFTA
Tl1e Left Rebuilds
and Reacl1es Across Borders
BY MIKE MARTIN
Where are we in Canada today? right. The election quite frankly deci tional economic agenda, including
Right now, permanent full-time jobs mated and demoralized the Cana control of speculative capital, major
are now held by only 58 percent of the dian left. TI1e social democratic public inve::;tmenl programs, and
workforce; the other 42 percent work party, the New Democratic Party, lower interest rates.
part time, or on a seasonal or tempo won only nine seab, and does not In responding to NAFTA, Cana
rary basis. Working women fare the even have official party status. dian labor's goal is to place the agree
worst -- only half of them hold per NAFTA passed m Canada with ment within a new regional develop
manent full-time jobs, and only one in out a whimper, but there are now ment and trade package. We want to
five makes more than $30,000 a year. some signs of life on the left. The build new links with progressive
TI1e official rate of unemployment Action Canada Netvvork, a coalition forces in the U.S., Mexico and across
among young people aged 16 to 25 is of 50 national organizations and re our own country. We want to de
now 18.8 percent, and in some parts gional coalitions, has launched a velop a common agenda for acti.on to
of the country it is as high as 40 per campaign callee! Where is the build a multinational progressive
cent. Mo::;t of the job::; held by those Wealth?, which is designed to try and coalition to fight the free trade
who are employed are low-paid, move the public debate away from agenda of the transnationals and the
part-time, insecure, non-unionized. the need for socia I spending cuts and Reaganites.
Since 1989, when the Canada public spending cuts into the whole This particular year is a critical
U.S. Free Trade A!,rreement (FTA) question of who's paying their share one for the left in Canada, as we seek
came into effect, the Canadian econ in terms of taxation. It focuses on to find ways to combat the corporate
omy has lost over 500,000 full-time 93,000 profitable corporations in agenda that has hurt our people so
jobs. Canada's official unemploy Canada that paid no tax at all in 1992 much. The fact that we elected a new
ment rate, which is now above 11 The Action Canada Network government doesn't seem to help us;
percent, has stayed in double digits plans to continue lo monitor the in fact, the Liberals seem quite con
under the FT A and has not been be impact of FTA, NAFTA and CATI, tent to co-opt the Tory agenda, and
low 7 percent since 1975. The real rate and we want to start defining our even to move it faster.
of unemployment, taking into ac progran1 for a social agenda in the Over the years the Canadian left
count the part-time workers who hemis1 ere, and expanding our tri has developed slrong links between
want full-time jobs, as well as those nationa. work in North America into the social movements and labor do
who've given up trying to find work, Central and South America. Labor's mestically, and it has begun to de
is close to 20 percent. Those are agenda, as identified by the Canadian velop some links across borders. Our
chilling statistics for a rich country Labor Congress, has many similar ma1or challenge will be to try and
Like Canada, but that's the reality of goals. Domestically, the key areas build and strengthen those links over
the corporate agenda at work. TI1at's will be a focus on redistributing work the next year and into the post
how we approach NAFTA. Where time, organizing the unorganized, NA FT A era. Im
we go after NAFTA we don't yet organizing the unemployed, helping
know. youU1, protecting social programs, Mike Martin is Assistant to the National
The federal elections in October and controllmg investments, and fi President oft lze Public Smiice All i.anceof
brought U1e Liberal Party to power. nally, fighting for a fair taxation sys Canada. This article is based upon re
The Liberals campaigned on the left tem. Internationally, labor will be marks lze gave at t11e Socialist Scholars
in 1993 but have governed from the pushing for an alternative interna- Conference in New York on April 2.
MAr/juNr. 1994 9
Forward Motion
in El Salvador
Evaluating the Elections
.....
BY KAREN MARIE GIBSON
A polling T he democratic left scored a victory for deaths of 75,000 Salvadorans. Although the
place on jusbce in the first round of the 1994 Accords do not address the socio-economic
March 20. elections in El Salvador. Despite conditions that led to the armed conflict, they do
massive irregularities in the voting demand substantial changes in the way the
process, including the exclusion of more than government does business.
300,000 citizens who registered to vote but were Critical reforms include the dismantling of
"lost" in the paperwork, a coalition including the national police, reforms of the judicial sys
the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberaci6n tem (which has a dismal record of bringing the
Nacional (FMLN), the National Revolutionary death squads to justice), land transfers to ex
Movement (MNR) and the Democratic Conver combatants of the war, and the reconstitution of
gence (CD) forced a run-off election for presi the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (fSE) to facili
dent against the ruling Nationalist Republican tate the 1994 elections.
Alliance (ARENA). (The left coalition, behind The ARENA government has complied
presidential candidate Ruben Zamora, lust the with the agreements only partially, which has
April 24 run-off.) The FMLN, in its first effort in set back the democratic process. Indeed, the left
electoral politics, also secured representation in coalition faced great challenge!> going into the
the National Assembly and mayoral positions in March 20 elections. Death squad activity had in
many municipalities. For hundreds of thou creased; the National Police had not been fully
sands of people, it was the first time they had demobilized; and many of i_ts officers were
been offered political representation in El Salva simply transferred to the Civil Police Force es
dor. tablished by the Accords. Politically motivated
These elections, held under United Nations killings have taken the lives of 36 FMLN mem
supervision, were brought about by the negoti bers since the end of the armed conflict, and
ated Peace Accords of 1992. H1ese Accords many people have experienced death threats
followed a t\velve·year armed struggle and the and torture.
10 DEMOCRATIC L£Fr