robin
Banned
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The American Dichotomy has always intrigued me. Whilst in some cases the USA has overthrown dictators & opposed people like Mao & Stalin, it has also supported or installed dictators on the basis that it's SOB's were better than anyone else's & that the interests of American multi national corps were far more important than human rights, in what amounts to economic psuedo colonialism.
As for anyone that might have resisted this policy, the US philosophy seems to have been... If you're not happy living under fascist tyrants you must be a goddam commie !
For example the CIA backed the coup that lead to Pinochet being installed as a dictator in place of the democratically elected president Salvador Allende.
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/09/19/us.cia.chile.ap/
Here's a list of some of the family Frankenstien characters supported by the USA.... http://home.iprimus.com.au/korob/fdtcards/Cards_Index.html
Here is another example out of dozens.....
A very short history of Guatemala:
The Spanish conquest turned the country into a series of giant feudal estates, the latifundios. The majority Mayan population was totally subjugated, and a system of serfdom, whereby Indians would owe their landlords up to 150 days servitude a year, existed well into the 20th century. Repeatedly, the peasantry attempted to change the balance of land ownership, and were brutally put down. By the middle of the 20th century, the dominating player in Guatemalan politics was the United Fruit Company,(referred to by Che Guevara as the 'Green Octopus' and run by the brother of Allen Dulles, head of the CIA at the time), owning huge tracts of land throughout the country, all the railway lines and the only Atlantic port. In many ways, Guatemala was, at this point, a banana plantation for the American market.
In 1944, the Jorge Ubico regime was defeated in democratic elections by a liberal left coalition lead by Jacobo Arbenz, and Guatemala embarked on its only 10 years of anything remotely resembling a democratic regime. The most significant development was the attempt by the new government to effect large scale land redistribution throughout the country. A huge proportion of the country's most fertile land had been turned over to banana growing, and intensive banana plantations require that 85% of the surrounding land be left fallow to prevent the spread of disease. Somewhat timidly, the Arbenz regime began to square off with the United Fruit Company, in an attempt to kick-start independent development in Guatemala.
However, despite the government compensating the United Fruit Company for the land it was redistributing, the multinational was extremely powerful in Washington, and under the banner of "fighting the evil spread of communism in the Americas," a CIA backed coup in 1954 installed the extreme right-wing regime of Castillo Armas. Land redistribution was halted, and once more the poor were subjected to feudal servitude. Resistance grew and guerrilla movements of the poor arose. However, for the next 30 years, Guatemala was ruled by a series of military dictators backed by the US government. This culminated in the horrific atrocities of the 80s, when over 400 Mayan villages were totally wiped out under the Garcia and Mont regimes, under the policy known as "scorched earth." Up to 150,000 people died in this period, and 50,000 disappeared. With the virtual annihilation of the resistance, Guatemala returned to a democratic facade, but the military never really left power, and the same elite is firmly in control.
The 1996 peace accords specifically promised the redistribution of land, amongst many other things. The feeling among the poor, however, is that they have been cheated. This is consistent with the experience of the communities in resistance in Chiapas, where the terms of the 1996/ 97 San Andres Peace Accords have not been implemented. Don Tancho, the community leader in Las Quebradas explained, "The government here is just big business, the money is spent on yachts and chateaus in the mountains, there is nothing for the poor." Tired of waiting, people have begun taking direct action to call attention to their plight, and, more importantly, to help themselves to the basic necessities of survival.
The struggle for land, justice, and social development in Guatemala is entering a critical phase. Poverty is endemic, and once again the poor are mobilizing to take control of their own lives. The question is whether they will be allowed to, or whether once more the US backed elite will succeed in repressing them.
For those who are interested in going to Guatemala as human rights observers, the contact details of CUC are listed below. A basic knowledge of Spanish, and an ability to deal with tense and potentially dangerous situations are the only pre-requisites. It is important to add that the need for observers is great, and that no foreigners have been hurt or threatened to date. Orientation can be provided by a member of Chiapaslink in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, for those who are travelling down to Guatemala via Mexico (Please contact Chiapaslink prior to leaving Europe). CUC is based in Guatemala City, which has an international airport, or can be reached overland from either Mexico or Honduras.
Comite Unidad Campesina 14-46, 31 A Avenida, Cuidad de Plata II, Zona 7, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
As for anyone that might have resisted this policy, the US philosophy seems to have been... If you're not happy living under fascist tyrants you must be a goddam commie !
For example the CIA backed the coup that lead to Pinochet being installed as a dictator in place of the democratically elected president Salvador Allende.
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/09/19/us.cia.chile.ap/
Here's a list of some of the family Frankenstien characters supported by the USA.... http://home.iprimus.com.au/korob/fdtcards/Cards_Index.html
Here is another example out of dozens.....
A very short history of Guatemala:
The Spanish conquest turned the country into a series of giant feudal estates, the latifundios. The majority Mayan population was totally subjugated, and a system of serfdom, whereby Indians would owe their landlords up to 150 days servitude a year, existed well into the 20th century. Repeatedly, the peasantry attempted to change the balance of land ownership, and were brutally put down. By the middle of the 20th century, the dominating player in Guatemalan politics was the United Fruit Company,(referred to by Che Guevara as the 'Green Octopus' and run by the brother of Allen Dulles, head of the CIA at the time), owning huge tracts of land throughout the country, all the railway lines and the only Atlantic port. In many ways, Guatemala was, at this point, a banana plantation for the American market.
In 1944, the Jorge Ubico regime was defeated in democratic elections by a liberal left coalition lead by Jacobo Arbenz, and Guatemala embarked on its only 10 years of anything remotely resembling a democratic regime. The most significant development was the attempt by the new government to effect large scale land redistribution throughout the country. A huge proportion of the country's most fertile land had been turned over to banana growing, and intensive banana plantations require that 85% of the surrounding land be left fallow to prevent the spread of disease. Somewhat timidly, the Arbenz regime began to square off with the United Fruit Company, in an attempt to kick-start independent development in Guatemala.
However, despite the government compensating the United Fruit Company for the land it was redistributing, the multinational was extremely powerful in Washington, and under the banner of "fighting the evil spread of communism in the Americas," a CIA backed coup in 1954 installed the extreme right-wing regime of Castillo Armas. Land redistribution was halted, and once more the poor were subjected to feudal servitude. Resistance grew and guerrilla movements of the poor arose. However, for the next 30 years, Guatemala was ruled by a series of military dictators backed by the US government. This culminated in the horrific atrocities of the 80s, when over 400 Mayan villages were totally wiped out under the Garcia and Mont regimes, under the policy known as "scorched earth." Up to 150,000 people died in this period, and 50,000 disappeared. With the virtual annihilation of the resistance, Guatemala returned to a democratic facade, but the military never really left power, and the same elite is firmly in control.
The 1996 peace accords specifically promised the redistribution of land, amongst many other things. The feeling among the poor, however, is that they have been cheated. This is consistent with the experience of the communities in resistance in Chiapas, where the terms of the 1996/ 97 San Andres Peace Accords have not been implemented. Don Tancho, the community leader in Las Quebradas explained, "The government here is just big business, the money is spent on yachts and chateaus in the mountains, there is nothing for the poor." Tired of waiting, people have begun taking direct action to call attention to their plight, and, more importantly, to help themselves to the basic necessities of survival.
The struggle for land, justice, and social development in Guatemala is entering a critical phase. Poverty is endemic, and once again the poor are mobilizing to take control of their own lives. The question is whether they will be allowed to, or whether once more the US backed elite will succeed in repressing them.
For those who are interested in going to Guatemala as human rights observers, the contact details of CUC are listed below. A basic knowledge of Spanish, and an ability to deal with tense and potentially dangerous situations are the only pre-requisites. It is important to add that the need for observers is great, and that no foreigners have been hurt or threatened to date. Orientation can be provided by a member of Chiapaslink in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, for those who are travelling down to Guatemala via Mexico (Please contact Chiapaslink prior to leaving Europe). CUC is based in Guatemala City, which has an international airport, or can be reached overland from either Mexico or Honduras.
Comite Unidad Campesina 14-46, 31 A Avenida, Cuidad de Plata II, Zona 7, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
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