October 1, 1998

A Successful Nationwide Strike

     All across Peru, men and women are mobilizing to express
their rejection of the neo-liberal model and the dictatorship.
     Eight years of increasing poverty have been caused by the
economic model, which does not seek to serve the interests and
needs of our people, against whom it discriminates and whom it
excludes from a life of dignity. Eight years of brutal and wanton
repression, which seeks to destroy the organizations and
resistance of the people in order to guarantee the implementation
of unrestrained capitalism. 
     Men and women, youths and pensioners, have taken to the
streets and squares to demand their right to work, health care,
education, and a life of dignity. To say "No!" to state
terrorism. Our entire people are on a march towards their
ultimate goal: To make a utopia into a reality, to build a Peru
of peace and social justice. This day of protest has been
successful, thanks to the intensive organizational efforts of our
people, who worked on the basis of unity in action against the
neo-liberal model and the dictatorship - it was this unity that
made the strikes possible. And this unity will make it possible
to defeat the neo-liberal model and the dictatorship, if we
continue and strengthen the work of organizing and raising
consciousness among the people.
     Unity is fundamental, but a unity of all those who struggle
against the neo-liberal model and the dictatorship and for the
creation of a new Peru in a new world - not of those who wish to
continue with neo-liberalism, and who struggle for a "democracy"
which includes the economic model of the dictatorship.
     Today, we have the chance of determining our ultimate goal:
To build a society of justice, dignity, and freedom, or to
continue on with a "humanized" version of neo-liberalism, which
the neo-liberal opposition forces promise us, those who were
disturbed by the recent "clashes" which broke out during the
nationwide strikes on September 30, and who called on the
"security forces" to step in and restore "order". In other words,
those who called for repression against our people. Our people
will know who the provocateurs are and they will reject them,
just as they will reject the continuation of Fujimorism without
Fujimori by the neo-liberal opposition.
     The anger, the aggression which has been building up during
the years of neo-liberalism, the rising poverty, and the blows of
state terrorism, all of these elements caused some youths to
storm the gates of the Governmental Palace - today it was just
the outer square, but tomorrow the entire people will storm into
the 'Casa de Pizarro' and bring an end to all symbols of colonial
power and today's neo-liberal power, as well as 500 years of the
shame of oppression. Our entire people will march towards a
second and definitive independence.

There Are No Victories Without Struggles!!
Freedom For All Those Arrested During The Strikes!!
Freedom For All Political Prisoners!!
With The Masses And Arms...Socialism Or Death...We Will Win!!

Communique from 'Voz Rebelde', Official Publication of the
Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)

(Source: Voz Rebelde, http://www.voz-rebelde.de; Translated by
Arm The Spirit)