I am writing in response to the "Taking Note" column entitled "A Question of Solidarity" in the December issue of NACLA Report on the Americas [Vol. XXVI, No. 3]. You state the obvious when you say that "Latin America today is no less desperately in need of the support we can offer." But soli- darity is different from charity. Many, perhaps most, of the people I met in the solidarity movement were involved in solidarity activism because it was a ready and handy way to educate North Americans about U.S. imperialism and other related issues. We also engaged in a dialogue between North Americans and Central Americans, which helped us edu- cate ourselves as well. But the leadership of the largest U.S. solidarity organization was not interested in solidarity work based on North American condi- tions. They were more interested in fund-raising drives and lobbying efforts in response to immediate Central American crises than in addressing long-term North Amer- ican needs. The solidarity movement never grew deep enough roots. Working people in the United States are exactly like the masses in Central America in the sense that they too have their own needs and their own historical situation. But the leadership of the solidarity move- ment did not take this into account, and thus could not respond, maneuver or change when political circumstances changed. Both the solidarity movement and the Left in general must under- take a basic reappraisal of our cur- rent political situation as North Readers are invited to address letters to The Editors, NACLA Report on the Ameri- cas, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 454, New York, NY 70175. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Americans. NACLA Report on the Americas continues to serve this purpose by analyzing the hemi- spheric conditions to which the Left must respond. Crossroads and other magazines which focus on our situation as leftists and work- ers in the United States is a good place to look for that "independent agenda to propel us forward when outside provocation is lacking." Our agenda as North Americans is by absolute necessity determined by the conditions of people here. When the solidarity movement set itself up as a leftist version of Oxfam America, it strictly delimit- ed its own long-term potential. Sesshu Foster Los Angeles, CA Felt that the remarks you made about Cuba in "A Question of Solidarity" were arrogant and superficial. No one has ever said that Cuba is a human-rights par- adise; however, Cuba guarantees certain basic human rights (not mentioned in your editorial): the right to employment, the right to shelter, the right to education, and the right to health care. For the majority of the population of Latin America, these rights are violated daily. With respect to the Cuba rally you criticize, representatives from many liberation movements includ- ing the FMLN "intoned the revolu- tion's many triumphs," and praised Cuba for its internationalist role. I remember the first time I visited the 26th of July camp for Salvado- ran refugees in Havana and saw all those wounded young FMLN com- Continued on page 45 ERRATUM The Introduction to "A Market Solu- tion For the Americas?" (Vol. XXVI, No.4) erred on the year of President de la Madrid's inauguration in Mexico. He was elected and took office in 1982. batants who were being given free medical care and rehabilitation by Cuba. While the U.S. government sends helicopter gunships to El Sal- vador to massacre people, a poor Third-World country like Cuba provides this type of aid. Cuba is not paradise, and is admittedly going through its most difficult time since the beginning of the Revolution. Yet even the New York Times concedes that Cuban socialism means Cubans suffer equally. Now, more than ever, is the time to offer solidarity to Cuba. This includes the need to present a balanced view of Cuba with all its contradictions. One can voice concern over Cuba's treat- ment of dissidents like Elizardo Sanchez, but one must also point out Cuba's real human-rights achievements of which no other country in the region can boast. I am sure it would have been a lot easier to build the "perfect democracy" in Cuba had there not been over 30 years of an immoral embargo, assassination attempts, sabotage, the Bay of Pigs, Oper- ation Mongoose, and the present I am sure it would have been a lot easier to build the "perfect democracy" in Cuba had there not been over 30 years of an immoral embargo, assassination attempts, sabotage ... Torricelli Bill, which seeks to starve the Cuban government into submission. However, with all its faults, the Cuban Revolution still represents a beacon of hope and source of inspiration for many in the Third World. It needs to be defended by all those who believe in peace, justice and the right to self-determination. Frank Scoff Fort Lee, NJ "n "A Question of Solidarity," you express deep concern that solidarity work in the United States has contracted precipitously despite continuing needs. You ask how we could have accomplished more; how we could have better educated the public; whether mate- rial-aid efforts should have been better supplemented with support for social change here and in the region; whether we should have devoted more attention to move- ment-building; and whether we need a strong, independent agenda. Those same concerns led, via a grassroots effort, to the Central America Solidarity Roundtable. Last October, 30 leaders of nation- al solidarity organizations met for three days of intensive sessions. Together with invited resource people, we reviewed the past, pre- sent and future of the movement, the region, and U.S. policy. We found the Central America solidarity movement in the United States still large, dedicated, experi- enced and skilled, but with a num- ber of problems which should be faced, particularly in organizing for the long haul. The U.S. government continues to roll back Third-World efforts at independence and nationalism, imposes development with inequity and injustice, and threat- ens democracy itself. Peace processes can be expected to fail. All of the conditions needed for recurrent violent struggles remain. Environmental collapse in the region is also a distinct possibility. Given this situation, we agreed that we should expand the move- ment by working with other pro- gressive movements (such as labor, environment, women, peace, people of color, and the faith com- munity) and with coalitions con- cerned with the problems of free trade, and economic and social jus- tice in the United States. We also acknowledged that we should bet- ter coordinate the movement and educate ourselves in the economics of aid, trade and alternative models for sustainable development. The Roundtable's report is avail- able from us at 57 South Main Street, Pittsford, NY, 14534. Peter and Gail Mott for the Central America Solidarity Roundtable Pittsford, NY Deidre McFadyen responds: Iwas surprised at the volume of response to my Taking Note col- umn. A number of people called or wrote to thank me for openly and honestly discussing the state of the solidarity movement. I touched a nerve with others, who complained that my comments about Cuba were unhelpful. I am convinced more than ever that the solidarity movement needs a forum where it is safe to discuss the nature of soli- darity work and the things we find troubling about the movements or political struggles we support. I agree with Sesshu Foster when she says that the Latin American solidarity movement must build links with working people in North America. Indeed in this new era of global economic processes, we must be able to see the relationship between the struggle for social change in the North and the South. In particular, I think solidarity committees should pay more atten- tion to Latin American immigrants in their own communities. Even if these Latinos have different poli- tics than we do, or no interest at all in political activism (often for very good reasons), it is incumbent upon us in the solidarity movement to support them. Having fled polit- ical turmoil or economic devasta- tion, they are often our most concrete link to the struggles we are backing. In addition, immi- grants increasingly fill the the bot- tom tier of the U.S. labor force, and so are an essential part of any conception of the U.S. working class. Frank Scoff has misinterpreted my remarks about Cuba. In fact, his comments reflect the very problem I pointed out in my col- umn. In some circles, you cannot criticize a leftist government with- out being a traitor to the cause. I recognize the many achievements of the Cuban Revolution. If I didn't reiterate them in the column, it was because I assumed that my readers had a similar political ori- entation, and that in the pages of NACLA Report on the Americas we could freely discuss how we might best defend the Revolution.
