to El Salvador.
guerrilas of the FMLN.
This is have launched the -sustained offensive, briefly capturing the towns of Berlin, Corinto Meanguera, and inflicting heavy casualties governel tops The left wing victories have thrown the regime into crisis. A deep rift has broken out between the semi-fascist leader of the National Assembly, Roberto D'Aubuisson, the more pro-American presiacli Mangana and his military leader General Garcia At the same time the political front of the opposition the Revolutionary Democratic Front (FDR) - has launched a diplomatic offensive for unconditional talks. UN ambassador Jean Kirkpatrick on an urgent visit Her mission: to assure the right wing military dictatorship that the United States would not allow the government to be defeated by the revolutionary Hemisphere, CVCHtally at us' ; he told an audience at the San FranCommonwealth Club. . Salvador should fall I think Costa Rica, Honduras Panama would follow' Reagan's domino theory is of course part of his Russian plot' theory. But there is a strong element of realism in his concern.
The whole of Central America is being turned into a battlefield between the corrupt oligarchies and the surgents. In Nicaragua the oced SUC cessful, while the Salvador are tottering.
Nothing better il lustrated the turmoil in the region than the recent visit by the Pope. The Pope's line for 'peace and reconWas Cerwice rejected — and quite rightly. Peace and reconcillation with the death squads is not a feasible project.
While condemning the bloody Vullazes of the Rios Montt regime in Guatemala. the Pope reserved his main condemnation for the left. Pope crowd something which Caused him •spiritua distress'. In San Salvador he had the affrontery to besmirch the name of Bishop Oscar Romero, murdered by the right wing death squads, by telling people that ideological interest' (read: the left wing) 'should try to exploit his sacrifice.
But Romero's sacrifice was made precisely because he, like many Catholic priests, sided with the poor and revolution.
PLACE: U.L.U. Malet St.
LOnd
America, whatever the rOpe : thinks, is regional revolutionary war.
Last week in Washington government spokespeople were defining the precise conditions under which American troops might be sent to El Salvador.
The time has come for the international labour LOVE ICE step solidarity with Nicaragua revolutionary alle forces of El Salvador and Jualcillaid hand of US imperialism.
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BANDA TEPEUANI Conference on