A tions' power'. So said the border with Provocations against the FSLN government and violations of Niearaguan sovereignty are occurring almost daily: • Reagan has ordered a naval task force, as big as the British invasion fleet to the Malvinas, to Nicaraguan waters. On board are 5000 US soldiers. • The United States is organising huge arms shipments to counter-revolutionaries in Honduras from Israel, in cluding artillery, mortars and ammunition. • Honduran fighters are overflying Nicaraguan territory on an almost daily basis. Planes have 'THERE IS NO chance of serious negotiawhile the Sandinistas are still in President last began a huge military In addition to the considerable preparations being made by the Honduran army on the United States is preparing to use its own forces to co-ordinate and assist the invasion effort.
flown within 25 miles of the capital Managua. • 5000 US soldiers will join the Honduran army for military manoeuvres in the first two weeks of August. Last February US-Honduran manoeuvres came within five miles of the Nicaraguan border. • US newspapers have reported that the CIA is carrying out cartographic studies of Nicaraguan waters to prepare for possible mining of Nicaraguan ports. • Honduran patrol boats have attacked. Nicaraguan vessels, in Nicaraguan waters in the Gulf of Fonseca. Through these military preparations the US is maximising its options for an invasion. It seems clear, however, that US forces would at the very least be used to 'quarantine' Nicaragua while a Honduran-backed invasion took place. US ships would prevent supplies of arms or other equipment coming in by sea.
Other options short of the use of US troops include using US ship-based planes to attack targets inside Nicaragua, and the use of US planes to transport Honduran and counter-revolutionary troops.
The US possesses the capability to use its air force base at Fort Howard in Panama to carry out these operations, in addition to its naval task force.
Reagan and his friends are preparing, in full view of world public opmon, a crime agalnsı the people of Central America. It is vital that the international solidarity effort is stepped up nOw. Sandinista militia ticipation in the army is not at the same level as men's - - our army is still But very many women are involved in our struggle at all levels. Women too at the rural level: involved in our struggle all must fight for the liberation of all.
What are the differences between the ¡ves or women in une noeratea zone. as compared to their lives previously?
Women always used lo grave to work a The differences are Peasant - working alongside the men in the fields despite the fact that her household tasks Now everyone just has one job. Those example work doing the do only this work. They also People chary ge the tasks they have to military and pollical alnilg People's personal What changes have there been in the lives of children in the liberated ordinary children in C Oll country has always been hard. For the children of working class in the they would leave school at twelve to learn a trade and start work For. the children of te was even harder. They wouldn't be able to go to school at all Decause there wouldn't be a school Instead they'd get up at four or five i the morning to work like adults in th doesn't fill the stomachs, working in the fields does But now in the liberated zones the main task of the children is to go to Is also attended by when there isn't an offensive and when the day's work is finished.
But the children also have tasks to ao, Ior example in the house. which 1 work not just for girls or women. But they don't have the same obligations as before to work a full day on the - they are tasks for children They are given responsibilities must oe responsible for We are trying to create a new kind of person, a more just society. Everyone is fighting for a better society for all and so everyone must par…exten they're
----- pull-quotes -----
week, as the US build-up against Nicaragua.