against Bishop.
It is not impossible for the disease of. extremism to take hold ot some people; this often occurs even among petty-bourgeois elements who draw up utopias and try to put them into practice. Unfortunately, aso been cases of extremism in other revolutionary processes.
In however, believe it was an extremist policy on Coard's part. Rather, I think, SOlOl ambition Was Coard's motivation and what really confused many people in whom he inculcated extremist ideas revolutionary positions, as a means of' ganıng supoort. in ine name or tne purity of Marxist-Leninist principles, he portraved Bishoo as a man insutiiciently prepared to lead the country. Very subtly, he did it very subtly.
He worked in the rank and file of the the armed forces, Ministry ot the interior presenting himself as an apostle of the purity of ideas — and astutely, little by little, he created the image acillating, reformist Bishop. he culuscu naly OCUDIC faith in the revolutionary ranks.
Bishop had great popular support and was well liked by the population. But Coard and his gulur belonged to one of the organisations that joined with Bishop to form the Néw Jewel Movement with the masses. That is, the Coard group didn't work with the mässes; it worked among the party members who were a small group of about 200 and with the cadres and the Ministry of the Interior.
This fifth column, this undermining of Bishop's authority, coalesced at a moment when Bishop had the support of the immense majority of the people -ty within the party, both in the Central Committee membership. This was the fruit of the led by Coard Colsolak' group. It explains the senseless and mad step of arresting Bishop and even worse, of firing upon the people and assassinating Bishop. It was that unfortunate event that made it possible for the Reagan administration to perpetrate the cynical tunistic invasion of the country.
If Bishop had been alive leading the people, it would have been very difficult for the United States to orcnestrate te pouncal aspecis or its inter vennon and bring together that group or Caribbean stooges in a so-called coalition that didn't include a single policeman from the Caribbean - It'was exclusively US soldiers. short, Coard and his group served the United States, on a silver platter, ideal conditions invasion I don't per- court in basid former members supposedly minister Maurice Bishop.
Evasion 1983.
the diwdys oI a discredit the Thus, government of Bishop.
of good Obviously, who - didn't work unitedi States, of the army for Bishop's death.
group. - though he eraclcate establish the • lost the majori- country. That's all.
the offered any his fired on the people.
great and oppor- prestige ternational airport, left Grenada We fully they well-being, for them ON 5 DECEMBER a puppet Grenada sentenced to death Bernard Coard and 13 other the New Jewel Movement, for the murder of Grenada's revolutionary prime Coard was arrested following the US inof Grenada in October Coard The trial was a farce. It was not aimed to find out the truth on Coard, the verdict was ordained vasion.
the outset, but to try to revolutionary the United States wanted a show of force, some muscleflexing, to teach a lesson in Grenada. In my view, it committed one of the most inglorious and infamous deeds that a powerful country, such as the could ever. commit against a small country. The United States did not really do this in a spirit of justice, or out of solidarity with He Bishop, or to punish those responsible Rather, it could have been grateful to that irresponsiIt inaded Grenada the revolution and to reformer regime in that The government (of Coard) could not have endured. We wouldn't have support to that government after it murdered Bishop and tion After we had assumed that attitude, it would have been difficult for any other socialist or progressive country to support that group, because Bishop actually had authority and great nerna. deep As soon as we had finished the inwe would have endorsed Bishop's policies, because they were realistic. They weren't extremist policies. They were basca upon une counury s Silua tion and its level of development, and were working for the people's Grenada's development. I think the airport would have meant great economic progress for was receiving different kinds of assistance to develop revolted, A campaign is being carried out by the Morning Star to present Coard as a martyr of the Grenadan revolution. But truth is that Coard does bear full responsibility for the murder of Maurice Bishop — and would be brought to by Grenadan people themselves.
staged the coup which overthrew Bishop responsible for his death creating the pretext for the US inCoard by his ultra-leftism, his personal ambition, its energy networks, roads, infrastructure, and agricultural production.
I spoke with Bishop when he stopped over in Cuba for the last time both before and after a trip to several socialist countries. He went there to request credits equipment for power plants and some light industries, The returned very pleased. highly appreciated cooperation.
Despite everything that happened the United States had no right to invade that nation. Nor does it ever have the right to keep that extremist prison try them, because no inading force has the right to run the courts and inforce the laws. I think all that is illegal.
Those responsible for the situathose who opened the door for th United States - showed that they weren't really such fanatics and exNone of the leaders fought against the US army; what they did was to surrender like cowards. they really been revolutionaries, with convictions, they would have died fighting the inading forces and would not have surrendered.
That is the sad story and the explanation of the events that enabled United States commit shameful crime in Grenada.
Bishop was a man greatly loved bı the people. He was the leader of th Grenadan people. He had the real, sincere, and enthusiastic support of the people. The group involved in the coup plotted against Bishop, arrested him, fired upon the people when they futhermore, bureaucratic methods destroyed a revolution. The current campaign by the Morning Star to present the Coard as a revolutionary hero and martyr reflects the Stalinst nature both of Coard and of that paper. the To set the record straight we are printing the account of the destruction of was revolution by from his book Nothing Can Stop the Course of History. poses both the show trial staged by the United criminal responsibility of Coard his and his supporters themselves.
assassinated Bishop and other leaders. Naturally, this caused and confusion among the masses. 'The United States invaded, insisting that its sole purpose was the noble aim of berating the country trom those people and that it was going to punish Bishop's murderers had fired upon the people. It was OUI thai aliona large neven most ofleie that countr population cepting, that invasion as desirable We do not employ an intelligence appartatus, intelligence bodies, or intengence metnoas lo galner IlolIllation about what may be happening in a country tions of trust truth is we didn't know about the pro. cess that was evolving, has been of criticisms of those in charge of co. operation with Grenada diplomatic representation there.
Had During that entire period, one woman comrade from the Federa. tion of Cuban Women been there for a few days on an exchange visit — had written a brief report to her organisation on the problems she perceived there. its The wild idea of a split in the country's leadership conceivable. What really did happen? The party was made up of a'small group of members — some 200. The leadership group Coard worked with great subtlety. He did not work openly. He started placing cadre group that had joined Bishop's party.
Trades problem.
problem and, head of the party the Grenadan When This ex- withın a lev iclile.
States minority prison, ACL ULad port.
Frankly, serious involved and those who — to be susceptible to ac- rule the almost blindly and friendship. The and that Gucuns oncesi our harshest our only wno nare Ilces was in quite small. interventior • that is, people from the jective truth.
in the Political Bureau, the comrade vice presidents of the exectuvive committee of the government, and the ministers who had to do with co-operation in Grenada.
When Bishop returned to Cuba, he didn't say a single word about his As l see it. this was tor twc reasons. First, he underestimated the second, he :may have been embarrassed by the idea of raising an internal problem of his party By that time, Coard and his group - who by then had gained control of the majority of the leadership bodies had already made some major decision. They decided to leave him as . Ine government. but reneve him of his reponsibilities as head of Bishop arrived at the Grenada airport, Coard was not there to welcome him. A short time later — days there was a ana ne was now in an ob vious minority. He was already in a the leadership!
Events rushed ahead When the pople's uprising took place, and Bishop was taken out of OlC of Bishop's comrades went to the embassy to seek our supwould have been a mistake to Lavd authorised Cuban personal to become Grenadian ¡Cull. tinaries' domestic troubles. Bloody combat would have ensued, and, even if things had turned out in Bishop's favour and the US intervention hadn't occurred, Bishop would have had to country without his party without his army, without the police and security units, and without the revolutionary cadres. Coard had gained control of those institutions, and many of their members believed -- that they were serv. ing the revolution. It was an absurd situation. I would never, under any IlaVe authorised the Cuban personnel to have become in. volved. Of that you can be sure. Our answer would have been 'No. But there wasn't even time to answer; there was honce le mswe When Bishop's assassination was reported, we issued a very harsh state"making c ea that political relations with the new leaders of Grenada would nave to undergo profound and serious analysis.
What kept us from withdrawing? We might have had to withdraw in a week, in view of the tenseness of the relations between us. What kept from doing so was the news that US CEONe. sailing toward Grenada. That was the one moment when we couldn't withdraw from the country. And that's the ob.
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Socialist Action 19 Dec 1986