MIR to re-run fatal «Popular Unity"

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always maintained an open door towards the large bourgeois parties of the right, in, particular the In the last crisis-ridden ienced hands. heir shameful joint declaration Christian Democrats.

months of the Allende government in 1973, sections the Popular Unity, especially the Communist Party, made their strategic aima the forging of an alliance with the rationary Christian Democratic Party ki by former right wing President Eduardo Frei.

In the final weeks of the Popular Unity before the coup of September 1973, the Communist Party leaders openly advocated that the government should abdicate in favour of Frei and the Christian Democrats.

Savage reaction

It was a grotesque confession of the way in which the class collaboration of Popular Front government leads inevitably to the most savage reaction.

But an even more horrifying illustration of this was to be provided. The Christian Democrats would not accept the Stalinists' offer of government.

They did not dare to take power in conditions where growing sections of the working class were engaged in bitter struggles against capitalists, landlords and the The Christian Democrats, like the whole of the Chilean ruling class and the American imperialists they were so closely allied to, saw the clear need to smash the organisations of the working class.

Supported coup

The Christian Democrats, therefore, supported the bloody coup carried out by Pinochet and other "democratic" generals who had been raised to high military office by the Popular Unity government itself.

Of course, once the most brutal period of anti-working class repression was over, with independent unions and workers' political parties all but destroyed, and tens of thousands of workers dead, jailed exile, Christian Democrats hoped ienced hands.

Pinochet and the generals had other ideas and, even though they have asked Frei to join the powerless Council of State, they have made it clear they will not hand back possI eren to the most reactionary of civilians in the forsezable future.

I hate at All this means that, over the last two years Christian Democrats, deeply implicated in the crimes of the junta, have nonetheless moved opportunistically into "opposition" to the dictatorship.

There is not an ounce of political principle behind this change. They would support another bloody coup in the future if that is what is needed to break the back of the organised working class.

Welcomed

But that does not the Popular Unity ive always bee matter leaders ready arms.

The Christian Democrats are now presented by the Popular Unity as the "progressive section of the bourgeoisie" with whom their Stalinist • and reformist political "principles" tell them to ally themselves in defence of bourgeois demoThe Popular Unity leaders sunk deeper into this political swamp last month in Algeria.

Leaders of Popular Unity and the Christian Democrats came together at a session of the international commission of enquiry into the crimes of the junta to jointly denounce Pinochet.

Unity

They both spoke impending political unity.

Stalinist leader, Luis Corvalan-released from jail just over a year ago in exchange for Vladimir Bukovsky-said of the Christian Democrats:

«We still haven't arrived at direction of unity".

A Christian Democrat leader, Fuente Alba, echoed this, supporting:

• a regroupment of social and political forces in a great pluralist morement... to struggle against the dictatorship and build a future in Chile.

•The contacts between Popular Unity and our party are more and more cordial The Popular Unity and the MIR (exterior) have held conversations with the object of arriving at an understanding which allows them to undertake common action against the Military Junta.

They have stated that there remain differences of understanding between the MIR and the Popular Unity about very important political and ideological questions on the course of the Chilean revolution.

Moreover, in a number of countries, problems remain on the plane of practical action.

However, we believe that these must be settled through a frank and respectful ideological struggle, always placing the emphasis on unity to confront the common enemy.

The Popular Unity and the MIR, taking into account the experiences acquired from the coup of September 1973 and everything which has happened since then, have reached an understanding to co-ordinate and push forward joint actions in the areas listed below:

1. To combine efforts to forge unity and understanding of all those who are ready to fight against the Military Junta, convinced that the only true alternative to it must be based on the widest possible unitary base, starting with the unity of the popular movement and its parties.

2. To combat repression provide no socialist alternative to the class collaboration of the Popular Unity.

Now, as between 1970 and 1973, they can only cover up for it.

The reformists and Stalinists show again that they are thus prepared to carry their class collaboration to include the extreme right of the bourgeoisie.

Days before the pings and disappearences, demanding the real and effective dissolution of the DINA, freedom for prisoners and the re-establishment of political rights; to insist on the overthrow of the legislation which suppresses trade union rights, especially those of meeting, free election of leaders, collective bargaining and the right to strike.

3. To fight for the defence of the standard of living of the masses, supporting their specific demands, combatting the economic policy of the Junta, based on the superexploitation of the workers, on handing over the national wealth to imperialism and on the rule of the economy of the country by national and foreign monopolies.

4. To defend the culture and spiritual heritage of Chileans, to fight against militarisation and fascistisation of education and in favour of university autonomy.

5. To stimulate international solidarity with the Chilean people. To intensify the political and economic isolation of the Junta, especially promoting boycott on the supply of arms on the granting of loans and investments which benefit the international economic monopolies, on the export of food needed for the people.

To strengthen for this purpose the unitary work in (the Left Revolutionary Movement) are failing in that duty now, as they failed in it during the Allende period.

Between 1970 and 1973 the MIR, claiming to be independent of the Popular Unity, nonetheless clung cringingly to its coat-tails and failed utterly to prepare the working class for the attack which the popular front inevitably led to.

TLIN thing which favours division and duplication of organisations, ensuring leadership shared among all the participating forces.

6. To promote and strengthen trade union unity outside the country around the single Trade Union Centre of Chile (the CUT), opposing every attempt at dividing and duplicating trade union organisations.

The above agreements assume the maintenance of fraternal, loyal, friendly and constructive relations between the different popular organisations, no interference by any of them in the internal affairs of the others, and the unreserved carrying out of all the agreements reached.

The common actions promoted will first be co-ordinated by the political leaderships, for which purpose they will have periodic meetings.

As to the interior of the country, , the implementation of common activities is the responsibility of the leaderships in the country.

Tactical unity in joint actions against the dictatorship is at the same time a condition and stimulus so that practice and ideological dialogue go on developing and deepening within the people and its organisation.

(Undated-issued late 1977).

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1978