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| x   x x x   x   x  x  xx  xxx xxx  xxx                   |
| xx xx x xx xx   xx x x  x  x  x   x       Issue #22      |
| x x x x x x x   x xx x  x  x  xx   xxx                   |
| x   x x x   x   x  x x  x  x  x       x   02/14/86       |
| x   x x x   x   x  x  xx   x  xxx  xxx                   |
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|    Newspaper of the Maoist Internationalist Movement     |
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   PHILIPPINES FISSURES
   
   MARCOS MAY ACCEPT SALVADOR LAUREL AS VICE-PRESIDENT
   As the two candidates Aquino and Marcos argued as to who 
won the Philippino election, Reagan continued to say that he 
would work with Marcos. Also, he noted with satisfaction how 
the Philippines had adopted American style democracy with a 
"good" election and a "strong" two-party system. (New York 
Times, 2/11/86, p. 1)
   Reagan tried to appear neutral, but Aquino threatened 
Reagan that he'd better recognize her presidential victory. 
(AP, 2/12/86) She said that she would not necessarily be able 
to restrain her disappointed followers who saw violence as 
the only recourse. Some of her Parliamentary allies even 
threatened to turn to the semi-Maoist New People's Army if 
Reagan and Marcos did not give Aquino her due. Aquino says 
that there will be violence unless Marcos resigns and that 
there will be local and national strikes about once a week 
until Marcos resigns. (Detroit Free Press, 2/12/86; AP, 
2/13/86)
   Reagan seemed to suggest that compromise was the best 
thing and that Aquino should receive some kind of input in 
the government. Speculation continued to focus on Marcos's 
acceptance of Salvador Laurel--Aquino's running mate--as his 
own vice-president, especially given Marcos's picking a 
rather obscure running mate and Laurel's relative 
conservatism even compared with Aquino.
   
   HAITIAN REVOLT NOT SETTLED YET
   A celebration of Duvalier's fall took something of a 
political tone. "Despite our joy, people who remain vigilant 
see with uneasiness the infiltration in the National Council 
of Government and in the Ministries, some men of the past--
former ministers who supported the dictatorial Duvalier 
regime in all its ferocity." ("Manifesto of Committed 
Gonaives Citizens," New York Times, 2/12/86, p. 4)
   "These elements do not have any place in the bosom of the 
new government... The people watch and wait for their 
liberation to be total and definitive." (Ibid.)
   "Brother Luciano Pharaon, who had been active organizing 
anti-Duvalier resistance, said in an interview: 'The majority 
of people here are very skeptical. They're not enthusiastic. 
For them this represents Duvalierism without Duvalier.'" 
(Ibid.)
   
   COMPANY ABANDONS "RAPE" PERFUME
   Citing intense pressure from the public, a New York-based 
perfume company has decided against the name "Rape" for a new 
perfume. The NOW New York Media Reform Task Force 
orchestrated the public pressure after a New York woman 
attorney alerted NOW to the proposed name. (Soujourner, Jan. 
1986)
   There are many examples of rape or other violence against 
women being "sold" in the mass media--in the movie "Purple 
Rain," for instance, rock star Prince was shown beating his 
devoted girlfriend. The victory against "Rape" perfume is 
only one battle in a long war against the patriarchy.
   
   BHOPAL WOMEN SURVIVORS: BREAKING SILENCE
   For women who survived the Union Carbide leak of December 
1984 in India, the problems of adjustments are just 
beginning. The prisons have affected them in dangerous ways. 
Women who protested on May 10 were beaten by police.
   Significant side effects for women are: painful 
menstruation, infertility, reduced lactation, pain during 
intercourse, and continuous exhaustion. The agony of the 
survivors is still acute; one said "we're on the brink of 
death still...it is slowly killing us. Isn't it better to die 
fighting than be killed gradually by this gas?" (Off Our 
Backs, Jan. 1986)
   
   CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT FOR JAILED REVOLUTIONARY JUDY 
CLARK
   At Bedford Hills Prison in New York, because the FBI 
claims it discovered a vague "conspiracy to escape," 
Weatherwoman and Brinks expropriator Judy Clark has received 
a sentence far beyond the dictates of even so-called "maximum 
security."
   The FBI claims that it found documents in Judy's 
handwriting outside the prison gates, proving her 
involvement. Although women caught in the act of escaping 
have been given one year in solitary, Judy Clark received two 
years. This means she will be in one cell 23 hours a day, 
denied all human contact except when she showers, has one 
hour recreation, or gets visits.
   Fellow radical Kathy Boudin, who has written to feminist 
newspapers on Judy's behalf, terms this "an unjust 
sentence... essentially [given] for written ideas which the 
FBI says were hers." In the wake of the aborted Brinks 
robbery of 1981, many of the participants received 
discriminatory treatments--Sekoe Odinga and Sam Brown 
tortured in prison, Judy Clark held in total isolation for 
months, and Kathy Boudin, who eventually pleaded guilty, 
enduring a media circus before she received a 20 year 
sentence.
   To protest Judy's sentence, write to:
   Superintendent Elaine Lord
   247 Harris Road
   Bedford Hills, NY 10507
   (Off Our Backs, Dec., Feb. 1985)
   
   WALL STREET JOURNAL SAYS BIG MONEY UNDER CONGRESSIONAL 
ATTACK
   According to the Wall Street Journal, the Congress is 
moving towards restricting the role of Political Action 
Committees (PACs) in making donations to campaigns for 
federal office. Some congresspeople are even considering 
public financing for candidates.
   Well, heck, there's only two parties anyway. Why not get 
the taxpayers to pay for the election of millionaires?
   Tsk, tsk, ultraleftists, won't public funding reduce the 
influence of corporate donors on electoral politics says the 
"democratic socialists."
   Funding for Congressional races was under $100 million in 
1974 and rose to over $350 million in 1984. Most of the 
increase came from PACs and large donors.
   Jesse Helms paid $16 million for his latest Senate term. 
Even the Wall Street Journal acknowledges that a serious 
House contest means a half a million dollars--and that's only 
for a two year term. (Wall Street Journal, 1/20/86, p. 34)
   The MIM NOTES recommendation on public electoral funding, 
the end of the domination of millionaires and political air 
time based on the political work of volunteers: Don't hold 
your breath. Make revolution.
   
   THE PROGRESSIVE GETS DIRT ON SALVADORAN DEATH SQUADS
   An admitted death squad officer who took part in the 
assassinations of civilians said that he worked for the CIA. 
The CIA admitted his being on the payroll, but the death 
squad officer's commanding CIA liason had no comment on the 
matter.
   The Progressive interviewed the death squad officer to 
prove the U.S. connection and to show the truth about 
Reagan's claims that the CIA is not connected to death squad 
activity. (Progressive, March 1986) To the best of MIM NOTES' 
knowledge, no major press service or newspaper picked up the 
story.