[unclear: cernational] Briefs

[unclear: From] the sublime to the ridiculous, in [unclear: hington] DC last week, the Middle East [unclear: ace] accords" were signed in scenes of [unclear: jubilation]. It's going to be a very [unclear: ely] time for Messers Carter, Sadat and [unclear: in] in the months to come. Most foriegn [unclear: espondents] hold little hope for the [unclear: ements] in achieving peace and justice [unclear: peoples] in the region. Kurt Waldheim [unclear: e] out last Wednesday saying that un[unclear: the] Palestinian issue was settled, which [unclear: early] isn't in the accords, there would [unclear: ittle] hope for peace.

[unclear: e Soviet] influence

[unclear: Meanwhile] in the Middle East, Soviet [unclear: teen] Minister Gromyko has been quiet[unclear: avelling] around - undoubtedly trying [unclear: urry] favour with states like Syria and [unclear: who] have been spearheading the con[unclear: nation] of the accords. So militant in [unclear: r] messages of support for Arab unity, [unclear: Soviets] have given such countries raw [unclear: s] in the past (the main reason they [unclear: e] kicked out of Egypt in the first place). [unclear: le] wishing to maximize, their influence [unclear: he] region Soviet aid has mainly [unclear: extend- o] shipping loads of slightly used arms [unclear: hese] countries.

[unclear: Despite] the apparent militancy of the [unclear: b] states and the false friendship of a [unclear: iet] Union that only wants to secure the [unclear: as] one of it's "sphere's of influence", [unclear: Palestinian] people can only gain back [unclear: r] country and national self determin[unclear: n] by armed struggle. Dependence on [unclear: hbouring] Arab states has proved fatal [unclear: e] past for the PLO when a large part [unclear: he] Palestinian armed forces as well as [unclear: sands] of Palestinian refugees were wi[unclear: out] by the Jordanian army in "Black [unclear: ember]" 1970.

[unclear: Only] if there is justice and national [unclear: pendence] for the Palestinians without [unclear: interference] of either superpower, can [unclear: e] ever be peace in the Middle East.

[unclear: e] American risk

[unclear: One] spin-off from the Middle East treaty [unclear: tat] America has further lost influence in [unclear: area] and that Jimmy Carter is certain to [unclear: the] next U.S. Presidential election if he [unclear: cky] enough to gain the Democrat [unclear: nom- ion].

[unclear: One] current joke going around Washing[unclear: runs:] "What do you think of Carter?" [unclear: er] person replies: "I like him. I like his [unclear: brightness] and I like his Middle East [unclear: cy]. The only thing I don't like about [unclear: is] his brother - the one in the White [unclear: ise]."

[unclear: f he] does dip out, it will be another [unclear: y] blow to an America which is seeing [unclear: conomic] and strategic world domin[unclear: s] crumbling week by week. The U.S.'s [unclear: growth] rate dropped 30% to what it [unclear: in]1976, and the trade deficit grew to [unclear: w] high of $US 28,450 M. This has [unclear: n] coupled with growing inflation (now [unclear: nd] 9%) and an official unemployment [unclear: of] around 6 million.

[unclear: The] effect of this decline, along with [unclear: rising] power of a unified Europe and [unclear: ilitarily] aggressive Soviet Union, who [unclear: loving] in wherever the U.S. moves out, [unclear: hat] America's political influence in the [unclear: ld] is becoming increasingly paralysed.

[unclear: re] Troubles for a Troubled Country

[unclear: The] first visit of Western journalists to [unclear: "new"]Kampuchea has just occured and [unclear: ording] to a BBC foriegn correspondent, [unclear: situation] for the Vietnamese invasion [unclear: ce] is becoming increasingly difficult.

[unclear: The] Hanoi puppet government is having [unclear: success] in administering the country, [unclear: n] in the cities, which were formerly the [unclear: places] they controlled, the population [unclear: ecoming] so impoverished that the pup[unclear: government] can only rule by shipping [unclear: nassive] amounts of grain from Vietnam.

[unclear: They] control practically none of the [unclear: n] agricultural areas where the bulk of [unclear: Kampuchean] people live. In fact the [unclear: cultural] network is still exporting rice, [unclear: ordinated] by the Khymer Rouge, through [unclear: iland]. The Vietnamese troops are based [unclear: utlying] areas, having acute supply prob[unclear: s] because of a breakdown in transport[unclear: en] links.

According to the French paper "Le Monde" the invading troops have abandoned doing military sweeps of rural areas as it was proved too expensive in losses. They now concentrate on holding small provincial centres, with difficulty;

Resistance to Vietnam

One of the reasons they lack support in these centres, Le Monde went on, is that the new imported provincial administrators are unable to speak Khymer or only very badly. This apparently has not endeared them to the local Kampucheans. In a recent meeting in Phomn Phen to map out a new health system for the country, the only personnel the puppet government could muster were 3 doctors, a mid-wife and a medical student.

Ayatollah Khomeini

Riot Police in Denain (France)

Steelworkers Fight with Riot Police

Meanwhile, the underground Pol Pot government and the Khymer Rouge resistance forces have called for a new target of 900 Vietnamese enemies killed or wounded a day.

Torture in Uruguay

Amnesty International has recently brought a Uruguayan refugee to Geneva to testify about the situation there. He is Cesar Cooper, a 25 year old lieutenant formerly with the Uruguayan army. His main activity was torture. He was discharged with a court-martial and left the country after finally refusing to torture any more.

His testament reveals brutal and systematic torture being commonplace amongst the armed forces - in his estimation 90% of all the ranks engage in it. He was personally involved in beatings, submersions, rape, electric manipulation and psychological torture.

Uruguay has 5000 political prisoners, the highest rate for any country in the world given that the total population is only 3 million. The state in Uruguay has firmly based on systematic terrorism since the Pacheco / Bordaberry dictatorships in the early 70's which followed the country's severe economic crisis in it's predominantly agricultural economy.

Kurds V Ayatollah

The new Islamic republic in Iran has turned out not to be as revolutionary as some of its most vocal supporters in New Zealand would, I'm sure, have liked. Ever since the downfall of the Shah some three months ago, the significant Kurdish nationality has kept up armed struggle against new regime. Their complaint has been that after the Shah fell and many of the local big landowners with him, the Kurdish peasants took control of the land in their area. The Ayatollah wasn't so keen on this and has forced a "land tribunal" on the people of the area.

Last week the Kurds had the major city of Sanandaj under seige and were conducting raids against both the barracks of the Iranian army and the local "Islamic militia".

Anger in Africa

Who knows what Julius Nyrere may be invading Uganda for, but it has perhaps reflected badly on his image as one of the more statesmanlike and progressive African leaders. It doesn't matter how despotic Idi Amin is; that doesn't give the Tanzanians the right to go in and "liberate" the Ugandan people.

The last thing that is needed in the tense situation in Southern Africa at present is disunity among the independent black nations. No doubt Patrick Mulrennan and the Socialist Action League will transpose their analysis of S.E. Asia on the present situation in Africa - that Tanzania is "saving" it's own revolution by invading Uganda, just as Vietnam is doing to Kampuchea. I'd be interested to hear from them.

Riots in France

Newsweek reports that in the french steel town of Denain there has been virtual civil war with 1,500 riot police and 3,000 steelworkers fighting with stones, slingshots and guns. The steelworkers are fighting against massive lay-offs in the french steel industry imposed Finance Minister Barre. After two days of fighting 22 workers were hospitalised and seven policeman wounded by sniper fire.

Best Wishes to a Comrade

Apparently French Prime Minister, Giscard d'Estaing has had to cancel] a trip to Moscow because of Soviet leader Breznev's recoccuring bad health. We wish him a speedy journey — Breznev that is!

International Correspondant