PCP
Chairman Gonzalo
The
Fight to End the Isolation
More
than three years after the capture of Communist Party of Peru Chairman
Gonzalo, the stakes in the battle to defend his life remain very
high for both the world's revolutionaries and the world's reactionaries.
This battle has been tortuous, filled with unexpected twists and
turns, attacks and counter-attacks, and yet the threat of execution
continues to hang over his head. It was to be expected that such
a battle would be difficult; winning it will require that many more
people have a firm grasp of what is at stake and a spirit of persevering
to the end.
Comrade
Gonzalo played the central role in initiating and steadily advancing
the People's War in Peru, and played an outstanding role in fighting
for and strengthening Marxist-Leninist-Maoist ideology within the
international communist movement. He became recognized as the leader
of millions of people in Peru and became known internationally for
his vision of a communist future. The uncompromising nature of the
People's War in Peru became a beacon to revolutionaries everywhere
who were daily being bombarded with the imperialists' claims that
"communism is dead".
Comrade
Gonzalo's role was crucial in creating the situation in Peru today,
where in the face of ever-increasing repression, a genuine People's
War is continuing to threaten the very existence of the old reactionary
state, and the beginnings of a new state are beginning to blossom.
This is the leadership the reactionaries are trying to eliminate.
This is the dream they want to crush.
When
Chairman Gonzalo was interviewed by El Diario in 1988, he
was asked what it felt like to be the world's "most wanted man".
He responded:
"It feels
like you're doing your job and working hard at it. What remains
is to shoulder more responsibility for the revolution, the Party,
Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, for our class, the people and the masses.
And to always understand that we carry our lives on our fingertips.
If that weren't so, we couldn't be communists. So they have their
reasons. Mine are those established by the Party, to which I wish
to be more and more true and useful, because life can become entangled
anywhere along the road, moreover it has a beginning and an end,
more time, less time."1
For
more than a decade, three successive Peruvian regimes stalked Chairman
Gonzalo. At the same time, the world's most sophisticated counter-revolutionary
apparatus carried out an international campaign to isolate and demonize
him - to create the kind of international opinion that
was necessary to swiftly and efficiently kill him when he was captured.
When
the Fujimori regime, led at each step by the US-CIA, finally succeeded
in capturing Comrade Gonzalo on 12 September 1992, they were confident
that their careful preparation would ensure their success. Fujimori
announced his plans to kill Comrade Gonzalo. His date of execution
was set. The firing squad was chosen.2
But
all of the years of planning didn't prepare the reactionaries for
the determined resistance of the PCP and the Peruvian masses, nor
for the spectre of an international campaign springing up on every
continent to defend a revolutionary leader they had so carefully
and systematically vilified.
There
is little doubt that the international battle to defend the life
of Chairman Gonzalo at first astounded and bewildered, and then
frightened and infuriated the Fujimori regime, its US imperialist
masters, and reactionaries around the world. What they were confident
they had prevented, had happened. And what was more, something they
hadn't even dreamed of was coming into being. With the formation
of the International Emergency Committee to Defend the Life of Dr
Abimael Guzman (IEC), the revolutionary people of Peru and Maoists
around the world were joined by people with many different political
views to defend Comrade Gonzalo. The reactionaries were now faced
with a battle for the sentiments of many broader forces whom they
had thought would either blindly agree with their lies that Comrade
Gonzalo was a "bloodthirsty terrorist" who "deserved whatever he
got", or would stand silently by. This new situation not only increased
the risk of exposing the true nature of their regime to some who
had had illusions, but risked creating increasing support for the
People's War among those people who believe that a fundamental right
of the oppressed is to fight against their oppressors.
But
while the reactionaries have thus far been prevented from killing
Comrade Gonzalo, they have never given up their plans to do so.
For three years, their threat to kill him has hovered overhead,
while they have employed all kinds of attacks and dirty tricks to
accomplish their goal of extinguishing the life of this revolutionary
leader and everything he symbolizes. In Peru, they have unleashed
their arsenal of counter-revolutionary warfare against the people
in an effort to crush the People's War with wave upon wave of genocidal
military offensives. Reinforcement of the entire apparatus of repression.
New harsher laws. Increased imperialist intervention. Psychological
warfare. All wrapped up in a facade of "democratic elections" and
neo-liberal economic policies. Internationally, they have resorted
to the psychological warfare operations (psy-ops) familiar in every
counter-revolutionary war. Yet a broad array of people from every
continent have courageously continued the uphill battle to defend
Comrade Gonzalo's life.
Chairman
Gonzalo has now been in the dungeons of the regime for more than
three years. The regime has been able to totally isolate him - including
from his Party, from the People's War, from the international communist
movement, and from the masses in Peru. Nonetheless, in spite of
the wishful ravings of the reactionaries that his capture and that
of other revolutionary leaders spelled the inevitable defeat of
the People's War, the Central Committee of the PCP, armed with Marxism-Leninism-Maoism
and its specific application to Peru developed by Chairman Gonzalo,
has been able to surmount these serious blows and continue. In the
midst of this battle (and through battle), they have also waged
an uncompromising campaign to defend Comrade Gonzalo. The stakes
are high. Defending Comrade Gonzalo means defending the hopes, the
visions, the aspirations of millions of people in Peru and around
the world who dream of one day throwing off all class divisions
and imperialist domination. Defending Comrade Gonzalo is telling
reactionaries everywhere that the days when they could rip off the
life of such a precious and uncompromising revolutionary communist
leader with impunity are over.
The
IEC Campaign and the Battle to End the Isolation
From the moment
Chairman Gonzalo was sentenced to life in prison, one of the main
demands of the IEC was that he be allowed access to lawyers, to
adequate medical care, to reading materials, and to direct means
of communication. So long as he is isolated, the regime has more
freedom to attack him. The IEC rightly demanded that the Fujimori
regime comply with internationally recognized norms regarding the
treatment of political prisoners and prisoners of war, which condemn
isolation as a form of torture.
In the
autumn of 1993, the outbreak of the two-line struggle in the PCP
posed sharp challenges to IEC activists. There was widespread speculation
in the media, fuelled by the regime, about Chairman Gonzalo's "real
position" on the peace negotiations line. Yet so long as Chairman
Gonzalo is held in isolation by the regime, the IEC has categorically
refused to accept any of the regime's representations as to what
he said or thought, and it has refused to allow such speculation
to induce any hesitation in its determined efforts to defend Chairman
Gonzalo's life and end his isolation. The two-line struggle in the
PCP stimulated IEC activists to take a fresh look at the campaign's
basic points of unity. From the beginning, the campaign had taken
up the defense of Chairman Gonzalo's life on the basis that he was
looked to by millions of Peruvians as a leader in their struggle
against an unjust, repressive regime backed by the US imperialists,
and he had gained the respect of the oppressed around the world
on that basis. That has not changed. Moreover, the Fujimori regime
is clearly as intent as ever upon ensuring Chairman Gonzalo's isolation
and carrying forward their plans to kill him. In these circumstances,
and as the PCP carries forward the People's War, the IEC reaffirmed
its determination to carry the fight through to victory.
Because
of the IEC's dogged persistence in pursuing its goals, tens of thousands
of people signed petitions and letters demanding an end to the isolation;
an Ad to End the Isolation was signed by prominent people in more
than 20 countries and published in several newspapers. International
lawyers and lawyers in Lima pursued the legal avenues available
to them. At the same time, while the main focus was the battle to
end the isolation, the IEC also continued to expose the true nature
of the Fujimori regime, report on the continuing People's War, and
to bring the truth about events in Peru to the light of day. International
leaflets exposing the military offensives against people living
in the countryside were disseminated and published in many countries
and languages. On 14 March, while holding a press conference in
New York City, Fujimori stood stunned and red-faced while activists
from the IEC and the Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru
(CSRP) denounced him and demanded an end to Dr Guzman's isolation
in front of the international press. Days later, hundreds of Nepali
protesters "greeted" Hillary Clinton at the Kathmandu airport, raising
banners and shouting "US Hands Off Peru", "Defend the Life of Comrade
Gonzalo" and hurling black flags at her, a traditional form of protest
in that country.
In January
1995, an attack taking advantage of the struggle around the so-called
"peace accords" was launched against the international campaign.
This attack specifically targeted Comrade Gonzalo's lawyers in an
attempt to close down his legal defence. According to a "letter"
which the Fujimori regime claimed had been authored by Comrade Gonzalo,
Comrade Gonzalo was said to be critical of his legal representation
and wanted to defend himself. Advocates of "peace accords" used
this "letter" to allege that the lawyers were not acting as professionals,
but were instead acting as advocates of the continuation of the
People's War, and attempted to withdraw the right of the lawyers
to represent Chairman Gonzalo.
The
reaction of the IEC was swift. They refused to accept any letter
released by the Fujimori regime purporting to represent Comrade
Gonzalo's views. The Lima lawyers and international lawyers confirmed
that Dr Abimael Guzman was their client and also rejected any representations
made by the Fujimori regime regarding his wishes. If Dr Guzman wanted
to dismiss them, why wouldn't the Fujimori regime allow him to speak
to them directly? They began to make plans to once again go to Lima
to demand to speak to their client in person.
On 4
May 1995, the regime launched another attack on the IEC campaign
when a pack of reactionary lies and slanders appeared in the Peruvian
press and international media claiming that two American supporters
of RIM had travelled to Peru to carry out a Rambo-style "kidnapping".
According to them, this "kidnapping" was part of the "international
campaign in favor of Guzman to later achieve his freedom". It then
confused things even further (deliberately) by saying that RIM had
organized the demonstrations against Fujimori in the US (which had
in fact been organized by the US-IEC and/or by the US-CSRP).
Once
again the regime was trying to frighten people around the world
who were demanding an end to the isolation of Dr Guzman and defence
of his life. The IEC issued a refutation of their slanders that
pointed out that they were trying to discredit the international
campaign in order to deepen the isolation of Comrade Gonzalo and
kill him. They were trying to divide the campaign and frighten away
those supporters who demanded respect for the life of Comrade Gonzalo,
but who have different political views than either RIM or the PCP.
Then
on 21 May 1995 Fujimori issued another murderous threat: "Abimael
Guzman is very sick. He will be dead within three years. He suffers
from psoriasis... and is very depressed. Nobody has a long life
in the prison where he is held.... I believe he should remain in
isolation." This announcement was nothing short of a threat of pre-meditated
murder! Who can forget that this prison "where nobody has a long
life" was built especially for Chairman Gonzalo? Who actually believes
that death from a medically treatable disease such as psoriasis
could be called "natural"? This open threat to Comrade Gonzalo's
life - this boastful confirmation that the regime intends to murder
him - makes it even more important to mobilize people to energetically
demand an end to the isolation of Comrade Gonzalo.
6th
IEC Delegation Travels to Peru
On 16
July, the 6th IEC delegation arrived in Lima. Their very presence
in Lima put the regime on notice that all of their dirty tricks,
their series of lies and innuendos, their threats and bellicose
pronouncements, had failed to get the international campaign off
track. Once more a delegation representing the strength and determination
of thousands around the world was standing at the very gates of
their palace, their courts, and their prisons to tell the regime
that they couldn't do whatever they wanted with impunity, and to
let the people of Peru know that the international campaign would
continue to defend Dr Guzman, other political prisoners in Peru,
and their lawyers.
The
6th delegation included international lawyers who had been to Lima
in the past, prominent individuals known for their defence of political
prisoners, an IEC activist, and a specialist physician in dermatology
qualified to examine Dr Guzman and speak about his medical condition.
Their presence could not be easily dismissed. Reporters crowded
the delegation's first press conference. The presence of the IEC
delegation made headlines in the daily papers. Television reports
quoted the lawyers' demands to see their client and spotlighted
the international leaflet denouncing Fujimori's threats against
Dr Guzman. Radio stations disseminated news of the presence of the
delegation to the furthest reaches of the Andes. News coverage about
the delegation spread to dozens of countries around the world.
While
in Lima, the delegates renewed the IEC's long-standing request to
visit Dr Guzman. Two of the international lawyers walked right up
to the gates of the prison in El Callao where Chairman Gonzalo is
held. Before the eyes of a large number of Peru's press, officials
from the Fujimori regime once again turned them away, revealing
the terrible fear they still have of ending this man's isolation.
The
delegates were also able to meet with the International Red Cross
and with sympathetic members of religious and human rights organizations,
and were able to gather new and important information about the
oppression of the Peruvian people.
The
impact of the delegation was not lost on the regime, which scrambled
to denounce their presence. Fujimori's party issued a press statement
calling for the delegation's expulsion. DINCOTE agents swarmed the
hotel lobby, shadowed delegates on the streets, and attempted to
impede their activities. But the impact of the delegation was most
powerfully evidenced by the faces and actions of the people, especially
the poor. Members of the delegation reported being greeted with
smiles, thumbs up signs, pats on the back, and even with hugs and
gifts. A waitress asked them to go to the restaurant's kitchen so
the kitchen workers could greet them; a hotel worker asked for an
autograph; as they walked in one place, a band struck up "Zorba
the Greek", a tune associated with Chairman Gonzalo in the minds
of many Peruvians. Vendors on the street gathered eagerly around
the delegation's press conference, scrambling to get their hands
on delegation press statements, IEC leaflets and the Ad to End the
Isolation. The support the delegates felt from the people strengthened
and emboldened them, increasing their determination to overcome
all of the obstacles the regime had placed before them.
Sending
the 6th delegation to Peru represented a very important step in
the international battle to defend Comrade Gonzalo. It occurred
at a crucial time in the battle. Concrete steps were taken to end
the isolation. People of Peru learned of the continuing efforts
of the International Campaign. A better basis was laid for the IEC
to achieve its goals. The regime was deeply stung.
IEC
Calls for Intensifying the Battle to End the Isolation
As
in any campaign, the international campaign has experienced ebbs
and flows during the course of the past three years. But not even
the dirtiest, most low-down tricks of the regime have been able
to de-rail it. As the regime plunges to ever greater depths in its
counter-revolutionary war against the People's War, it becomes more
and more exposed. Their campaigns of genocide against the people,
their open presentation of political prisoners showing signs of
torture, their general amnesty to all military and police personnel
connected with torture, disappearances, rape and murder during the
past 15 years of the People's War, all serve to expose them further.
Their barbarous acts increasingly illustrate to many more people
around the world - many of whom are not themselves revolutionary
- the necessity for the oppressed people to fight against this
tyranny and for their own liberation. It provides further evidence
of the true revolutionary role of Comrade Gonzalo in leading this
fight, and provides an even greater basis for more people to step
forward to defend his life and what he symbolizes.
With
his statement that Chairman Gonzalo will die within three years,
Fujimori has once again thrown down the gauntlet to the millions
of people around the world who have defended Comrade Gonzalo's life.
He has admitted that he is slowly murdering him! He has admitted
that the special prison he built for him was meant to kill him.
This is a very obvious threat and makes the battle to end the isolation
an even more urgent necessity. But it must be understood in a broader
context. It is another component in the regime's overall plan of
counter-revolutionary war. It is another attempt to demoralize people
in Peru and around the world who have for three years demanded respect
for the life of this revolutionary leader. It is another attempt
to convince people that the regime will remain intransigent -- that
no amount of protest and exposure will get them to end the isolation.
As the regime steps up the repression of the Peruvian people, it
wants Comrade Gonzalo and everything he symbolizes to be forgotten.
They want to murder him in silence - just as they wanted to do at
the beginning of the campaign.
But
the political atmosphere in the world has changed since the arrest
of Chairman Gonzalo. A gaping hole has been punched in the shroud
of secrecy that the reactionaries had so carefully wrapped around
the People's War in Peru. The battle lines have been redrawn. Tens
of thousands of people who had previously been either ignorant or
confused now know the truth about what is going on in Peru. They
know who Comrade Gonzalo is. They've read his words. His historic
24 September 1992 speech has reached millions. To increasing numbers
of people, the People's War in Peru has come to represent the right
of the oppressed to fight against their oppressors. Whether or not
the leader of such a struggle can be defended against all of the
might of the imperialists has become an ever more crucial battle.
For
three years Comrade Gonzalo has been isolated in the dungeons of
the Fujimori regime. He has been isolated from the people of Peru.
He has been isolated from the Communist Party of Peru. He has been
isolated from the international communist movement. It is of great
importance that this isolation end. This is a crucial part of the
battle to defend his life.
Move Heaven
and Earth to Defend the Life of Chairman Gonzalo!
Footnotes
1 Interview
with Comrade Gonzalo, reprinted in its entirety in AWTW 1992/18.
2 The 8 Dec
92 issue of Le Monde reported that the firing squad was held
off by "fear of international reaction".
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