A WAVE of violent attacks on the Argentine Partido Socialista de los Trabajadores (PST - Socialist Workers Party, a sympathising organisation of the Fourth International) reached a climax on 30 May with the murder of three of its trade union militants.
It was 12.30 am when a gang of 15 right-wing thugs, using walkietalkies and armed with machine guns, clubs, and other weapons, burst into the Pacheco headquarters of the PST in the northern zone of the capital, Buenos Aires. They beat up most of the twenty or so people present, and then dragged six of them outside and bundled them into waiting cars Three of the captives, all women.
But the other three - two metalworkers, Antonio Moses and Oscar Dalmacio Mesa, and a textile worker, Mario Sida, - were found dead by the roadside several hours later.
after another PST member, Inosencio killed in the same area of the city. Like Moses and Mesa, Fernandez was an activist in the metalworkers' union.
'SOCIAL PACT'
The PST comrades are the latest victims of the war of repression which CAMBODIA has been waged by Peron ever since his return to the country a year ago. At first this was mainly directed at members of the urban guerrilla groups; but it has cachers. now, us predicted, been extended to militants in the trade unions opposed to the Government's "Social Pact'.
ingly important to Peron as a means for keeping wages down and thus attracting imperialist investment. Indeed, one of the reasons for the 'mini-coup' in Cordoba in March when police took over the city and kicked out the leftwing governor and his deputy that the authorities had allowed the bus drivers to smash through this incones policy by granting them a 40% wage increase.
of the strugele to defend the workers standard of living through the formation of an opposition "class struggle tendency in the trade union movement. Thes fight against the bureaucracy has decends won some successes in a militant strike by metalworkers in the Rosario suburb of Villa Constitudion.
As a result the PST has more and more become a major target for the gangster-like methods of the Peronist burcaucrats. The murder of Moses, Mesa and Sida on 30 May was the tenth violent attack ooPs members and premises in recent months WORK STOPPAGES These repressive moves have not been allowed to go unchallenged, however. Work stoppages in several factories were reported when news of the 30 May assassinations became known, and there were also strikes in several Tocal secondary schools.
students at the University of Buenos Aires two thousand of them attended a meeting that night in solidarity with the PST.
campaign against repression, and has appealed for international solidarity. Messages should be sent to: Partido These murders came just three weeks Socialista de los Trabajadores, 24 de Noviembre 225, Capital Federal, Fernandez, had been gunned down and Buenos Aires, Argentina. NOTES La pilched battle in Plutom Pesh on Tuesday 4 June with over 1,500 students and The latter had occupied a school in the city, and were holding the regime's EducaThe "Social Pact" has become increas the release of five students arrested the seek before. Both hostages were killed in the battle, along with four students.
The bartle was the latest incident in a campaign by students and teachers which began over a wage demand but has since developed in explicit political opposition to Lon Not (although their cethusiaser was for Son Samn, a pro-US liberal, illustrates their confusion).
At dis rate Lon Not may soon find himself crushed between the insurgents The Notional Liheration Froet are keeping ap their offensive on the town of Ben Cat, un sapons burthern detensive perimeter notably Soath Vietnamese forces finally managed trials have been taking place all over Chile, and the local commanders in cach area are empowered to pass the death sentence.
at importance to the junta. The first of the Air Force and 10 civilians which began in the middle of April.
This trial - unlike the others - has been open to the press and has been attended by newsmen from all over the world.
The defendants are all charged with offences said to have been committed before the coup. The prosecution's argumeat is that the Allende government There was also a big reaction among fore illegal. Consequently all dioss who behaved unconstitutionally and was theresupported if in any way can be accused of supporting an 'illegal' regime, passing national secrets to the enemy', ete. lo Live cases the prosecution has askod for The PST is now trying to broaden the the No th enterer.
No witnesses are prescored by the prosecution, Instead, it relies on the agned confessions which have been obtained from all 67 detendants Of course these have all been ohtained under torture. One defence lawyer who dared to protest that his five clients had only to retake An Diers, another town nearby, of the town and scrounding settlenson ts were destroyed.
has been under heavy bombardment for carly too weeks, and a Korean ship in the Police and soldiers of Lon Nol's army fought Mekong River was blown up by NLF sippers only six miles from Saigou Saigon itself. The purpose of chese attacks tion Minister and his deputy hostage against zones, as well as giving the NLF very prevent them from attacking the liberated important military tochokis.
to the population the extreme weakness of the Thiee regime and the tikelihood of its impending collaper.
LAOS intervention in Laos, the lust US army person. nef left the capital, Vicetiane, a week ago. Only Embassy stiff and numeroes CIA operoutside and the opposition within, especially atives are now left.
The last of the 9,000 Thai mercenaries who formed the backbone of the reactionary regime - left a week earlier.
the strongest armed force in the country, It remains to he seen what advantage they will draw from it.
DAVID JOHNSON
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il the Red Khmers attempt to forge teal The PST has beer in the leadership links with the uran demitte