Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/3/84; site teddy.UUCP Path: utzoo!lsuc!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!petrus!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!teddy!lkk From: lkk@teddy.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: politics of oxfam america Message-ID: <1884@teddy.UUCP> Date: Fri, 3-Jan-86 14:30:08 EST Article-I.D.: teddy.1884 Posted: Fri Jan 3 14:30:08 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 4-Jan-86 22:13:57 EST References: <1657@bbncca.ARPA> Reply-To: lkk@teddy.UUCP (Larry K. Kolodney) Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass. Lines: 135 Summary: In article <1657@bbncca.ARPA> rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) writes: > [Discussion of implicit Oxfam support of Marxist regimes ] >The Fall 1985 Oxfam America News has articles on Nicaragua, Mozambique, and >Ethiopia that implicitly endorse their regimes, & certainly portray them as >acting in good faith, contrary to widely-known facts. I know of no widely known facts which indicate that the Sandanistas or the government of Mozambique are not acting in "good faith." You might disagree with their solutions to the problems in those countries, but that is another matter entirely. From what I've heard about Ethiopia, there does seem to be evidence of malfeasance on the part of the Dergue, but considering how little any of us know about the politics of that region, its hard to make a blanket condemnation. > The articles construe >"elimination of hunger" broadly by discussing military conflicts, US foreign >policy, etc., yet omit hunger-causing policies and acts of mass starvation >committed by these regimes. Please explain why the Sandanista or Mozambiquan regime would want to starve THEIR population. > >Most external observers and many ordinary Nicaraguans admit the economy and >living standard are considerably worse now than before the 1979 revolution; >though civil war and the embargo have worsened the economic situation, the >decline under the Sandinistas PRECEDED significant contra activity (see >articles by the Leikens in the 10/8/84 New Republic). The New Republic is hardly a neutral source. Is this where you find "well-known facts"? > Nicaragua under >Somoza may've been poor but wasn't seriously hungry, unlike many other >underdeveloped nations, or even other central American countries. Now >everything must be rationed, and food ration cards are blatantly used as >weapons by the FSLN to coerce obedience (see Leiken or Shirley Christian >or others: I'll soon post an extensive bibliography of articles and books >on Central American conflicts that don't echo Sandinist or contra agitprop). >Much current Nicaraguan hunger was created, often deliberately, by the Sandi- >nistas or their policies. Please do that. Please don't forget to mention how much of the national wealth was taken out of the country by Somoza before he left. > >It's well-known that Ethiopia's ruling Dergue (a clique of Marxist-Leninist >military officers that slaughtered members of the Selassie regime and have >created 1 million Ethiopian exiles abroad who fled for their lives and/or >freedom) has deliberately promoted mass starvation of Eritreans, inhabitants >of Tigre province and other ethnic groups, because some of them support gue- >rilla opponents of the regime: by preventing delivery of food or access for >international relief organizations or by letting food rot in storage. There's >not a word about this in the newsletter. No argument. This is the one instance where you have real evidence of wrongdoing. You are using it to paint all revolutionary regimes as evil. > >The Mozambique article describes "the destructive presence of the insurgent >Mozambique National Resistance Movement which received support from South >Africa and continues >its campaign of economic sabotage and terror in much of the country." The >MNRM is opposed to Mozambique's Marxist regime, which for many years prior >to independence waged a campaign of economic sabotage and terror in much of >the country. For hundreds of years, Mozambique was a Portugese colony. Its wealth exploited by European companies. During most of the 20th century, Portugal and thus Mozambique was ruled by a neo-fascist dictatorship. Wouldn't you use guerilla tactics against such a regime? What evidence do you have of wrong doing in the present day? I've only heard good things about Mozambiquan food policy. Please don't use guilt by association. > >AI certainly doesn't laud nasty regimes simply because it can't currently >identify human rights abuses (hard to do for any communist country, given their >complete control of information). Oxfam America seems to be systematically >ignoring promotion of hunger by some revolutionary regimes. Perhaps they don't want to alienate regimes whose cooperation they require. > >>>I've decided not to give them another cent until they "clean up their >>>act." Amnesty International, they're not; maybe they should be, that >>>is, strictly impartial but morally sensitive. > >>Well I hope you enjoy basking in your self-righteousness while >>one more person goes starving because you didn't contribute. > >Now isn't this a case of the pot calling the kettle beige! I wonder how long >Larry's support of Oxfam America would last if it began criticizing Sandinist >or Dergue uses of hunger & starvation? My support of Oxfam will continue as long as they continue to be an effective hunger elimination program. I consider their work to be outside of politics. > There are two ways to eliminate >hunger: > >1. Feed the hungry; or, > >2. Starve them to death. > >The regimes Larry admires for their progressive and enlightened social >policies are precisely those that have frequently resorted to mass starva- >tion, food discrimination, or whose ruinous & antihuman economic programs >have destroyed or disabled entire economies, causing hunger and famines that >were avoidable: > > > [Usual list of Stalinist and Maoist instigated famines ] > I have never expressed admiration for the Stalinist or Maoist regimes. Your redbating paranoia is showing. >Food rationing common to communist countries is a principal tool of political >control. Larry's hot and indignant response is misplaced. Economic policy is a tool of control in all third world countries. I think that has a lot more to do with the nature of third world countries than with Marxism. -- Sport Death, (USENET) ...{decvax | ihnp4!mit-eddie}!genrad!panda!lkk Larry Kolodney (INTERNET) lkk@mit-mc.arpa -------- Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. - Helen Keller