The United States is moving closer than ever to a direct attack on Nicaragua. The most public sign of this was Reagan's Nicaragua was a 'terrorist state' everyone knows what the United States does when it claims 'terrorism' is involved.
more ridiculous in the case of Nicaragua as it is the United States which is financing one of the biggest real terrorist operations in the world against that country with its open support for the 'contras'. But in addition to the verbal threats United States forces are now operating border. CINDY JAQUITH reports from Nicaragua on the increasing US military pressure on that country and the response of the FSLN. 'WE are now facing a Vietnamisation of the struggle Central America, •Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega told a news nere OI March. By sending US piloted by US icicobles. military personnel, to the Honduran-Nicaraguan border area, said Ortega, the Reagan administration has taken concrete steps that directly commit US troops in support of the mercenary contra forces attacking Nicaragua.
He warned that if this leads to a US invasion of Nicaragua, not only many Nicaraguan but many US youth as well will die.
The COnTeCIC! was held the day after the US senate approved $100 million in military aid to the mercenaries. This continues to be discussed by the US as whole.
While sharply condemning the Ortega stressed that 'this is not the most serious thing. The most serious act is the use of US helicopters piloted by US pilots which have been used to move troops declaration last week that - and after Libya The accusation of 'terrorism' is of course even right up to the Nicaraguan of the Honduran army to the edge of the border with Nicaragua, a border area that is in extreme conflict, that is extremelv tense.' Taking up the charge that thẹ Sandinistas had invaded Honduras in March, Ortega explained the of Nicaraguan acliuls troops. 'There have been no Dallies between Honduras and Nicaragua,' he emphasised. 'Rather, tere have been battles between our army, defending the sovereignty and integrity of with the mercenary forces who had their CalulUs Honduras and are trying to penetrate our territory.
The day before, Nicaragua's Ministry Defence had released a communiqué reporting inal sanainista troops had dealt 600 casualties to the 'at several points contas, Honduran-Nicaraguan border territories.' 'Our troops also destroyed several camps of importance to the enemy, including their principal training centre, Defence Ministry said, put out of action some means of transport including one helicopter.
The Sandinista daily, Barricada, called the operation 'the principal military blow the counterrevolution in the last few years.' And, Ortega said, with the official introduction of advisers and helicopters in direct support of the con'what the US Contras. gress is doing is committing itself to a policy of in*ervention in Nicaragua.' Ortega appealed to the US government to open talks with to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict, and reported that the Sandinistas had urged the Contadora and Lima support groups to intervene. (The Contadora Group is made up of the governments OI ia, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela, seens negotiated settlement in Central America. The Lima Group, in turn, supports the contadod llations in their efforts, and is maoe up Auzeuuuld Brazil, Peru, Uruguay.)
are prepared to have a dialogue with the United 'States,' said Ortega, matters of security and the war in the 'What we not al ca prepared L• OHSCUSs with the US government -av e csc z is our inter. nal situation, the kind of pontical social, economic regime we have. Hese. questions, he said are being decided by the Nicaraguan people in up coming open hearings on country's draft constitution.
Nor, he said, would the Nicaraguans accept Reagan's demand that Honduran border. 6,000 have died in contra attacks.
they with the mercenaries. coltle 'We will never have a dialogue with them,' he asserted 'Honduran BULULY. or a part of it, has been occupied by the mercenary forces,' answered Ortega.
.is, Honduras has lost its sovereignty over a part of its territory. The mercenaries launched their attack (from there) against ana lnus has been converted The US „o avưe government and the CIA are robbing Honduras its territory and giving it to advised by ree us gorees forces, ment, are the ones crossing from Honduran LemnOV into to assassinate our people; to destroy the people's property, schools, and health clinics; to assassinate Women members of Nicaragua's reserve battalion on the children and women. Our forces are doing, nothing than defending in the border temuseve We are violating no principles The one who is violating the principle of sovereignty is the United States.
He pointed out that the Nicaraguan commanders of the contra mercenaries have insisted all along that their bases Nicaragua. The Hondurar government 'has denied VA COTIDA IDIA TATI W0 ist in Honduras,' ne explained.
Ortega repeated that Nicaraguan troops would continue defensive operations in the border area 'so that the mercenary forces don't advance one single inch into our territory. US helicopters 'attack us, if they penetrate our ritory, they will be shot aowil. EI Salvador WUTKCS.
Salvador headquaters of the UPD.
Duarte's regime is in serious difficulties. A new, broad popular opposition has emerged including organisations which supported him in his bid for the presidency and have now moved into opposition. The UNTS (National Union of Salvadorean Workers) with some 300,000 members, has held two large demonstrations and called a general strike last Thursday, demanding a solution to the economic problems facing and a peaceful end to the war The UNTS includes, notably, the UPD (Democratic Popular Union) which not only supported Duarte in the past but entered a form of 'social contract' with him, and was set up by the AFL-CIO. On 21 February the UNTS held a demonstration of 80,000, and on 3-5 April a public forum 'in defence of the workers' which was supported by the Agricultural Co-operatives and the Association of Small Business people.
Duarte has responded by stepping up repression against the unions. On Wednesday 16 April his troops attacked and seized the San