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Bolivian Miners Show Skepticism toward Junta Ee utes 1 "New Frontier" for Chile? -- by Livio Maitan oo ee Demonstrations Continue to Shake Sudan... Bn aitnciicmnaatiene Ot aD Cuba's Annual Rate of Growth Placed at Nine Per Cent 7 Reading Cuban Literature a Criminal Offense in Jamaica... 9 The Cost of the Arms Race .......... a 7 es LO Victor Allen Sentenced in Nigeria ae [ae ith Pee erm EE A Curious Criticism -- by Joséph AMON: nist eit 2 cvanmthaam! “tae Kerala Faces Famine 2000 i ca, ieee wien” fae Documents: South African Freedom Fighters Report on Activities. sissscstcangeenane LS
BOLIVIAN MINERS SHOW SKEPTICISM TOWARD JUNTA
According to an exclusive story in the November 13 Los Angeles Times, Bolivia's tin miners are not placing any political confidence in the Barrientos military regime which replaced the Paz Estenssoro government. George Natanson, staff writer of the California daily, visited the Siglo Veinte tin mine November 12 where he interviewed Federico Escobar, a well-known miners! union leader and member of the Bolivian Communist party.
"History has taught us not to trust the armed forces," Escobar told Natanson. "They have massacred our people in the past, and they have always served the interests of Yankee imperialism, not the interests of Bolivia.
“what we must fight for and what we will fight for is a true people's government. Sooner or later Bolivia will be governed by Bolivians." f
The union leader told Natanson that his union has listed four reforms as a condition for "co-operation" with Barrientos, the pres-
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ent head of the ruling military junta. As reported by Natanson they are as follows:
"(1) Diplomatic recognition of all nations, including the entire Communist bloc, (2) Free elections 'as soon as possible to give Bolivia the opportunity it has waited for, to vote for a true people's government.' (3) Recognition of the minerst ‘human rights.! (4) Reestablishment of the Labor Control Board, which will give the miners a voice (and an absolute veto) in all decisions made by COMIBOL, the Bolivian federal agency which operates the nationalized tin mines."
Escobar told Natanson that he hopes an exchange of ambassadors will result in renewal of the offer by the Soviet Union three years ago to give Bolivia a tin refinery and to extend a credit of $150, 000,000. The offer was turned down by Paz Estenssoro under pressure from Washington,
"Bolivia must look where it can for aid from the industrial nations of the world," Escobar said. "The fact that the Chinese government can explode an atomic bomb is proof that it is now an industrial nation willing to help the underdeveloped nations of the world,
"We are not interested in the theories of government. What we want are results. Government is like bread -- if it is stale, you throw it out,"
He added, “ominously" according to Natanson, "And if the military junta brings a fresh attitude and not a simple change of the guard to the presidential palace in La Paz, then we will co-operate. But if not, we have no other choice but to actively oppose the army with all the power at our command.”
The miners are organized into battalions of an armed militia that elects its commanders. Natanson reports that they claim to have 25,000 miners trained for combat,
"Daniel Ordonez, second in command after Escobar," continues the Times correspondent, "warned that any attempt of the Bolivian military junta to disarm the mine army will be met by force,"
The Communist union leaders at Siglo Veinte told Natanson that they will remain “independent” even if the Barrientos regime is toppled or if an election is ordered.
Natanson noted the claim of Juan Lechin that he enjoys the support of the miners. "Yet Ordonez. . . accused Lechfn of being ‘an accomplicet because he was vice president of Bolivia under Paz Estenssoro from 1960 until last August. ‘Lechfn will have to prove himself,’ Ordonez declared bitterly,"
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"NEW FRONTIER" FOR CHILE?
By Livio Maitan
SANTIAGO DE CHILE -- President-elect Eduardo Frei, the victor in the September 4 election, was sworn into office at La *Moneda, the presidential | palace, November 5, In his inaugural address and later in a..press..conference, he outlined the situation in Chile and his own . political and ideological orientation. A