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Observation after Nicaragua visit of Central America possible if Reagan wins Comfort Wednesday Apr 11 by Murray Another four year term for President Ronald Reagan and hi administration could mean the Vjetnamization of Central America Eldon Comfort Comfort a Speyiide area resident has a burning Interest in the Third World and International issues Frequently he has travelled abroad to see the picture we get in Canada of international hot and events a true one as he did last month to Nicaragua Eldon is very heavily involved In disarmament movement and programs through the United Church like Ten Days for World Development He says he t know if Nicaragua and other small Central American nations can survive reelection of the Reagan team without the end result being a regional full scale war In fact Comfort can see scenario whereby American troops are involved too He points out that the use of military ad visors in Central America and tons of military aid to various factions in the region is just the way the whole Vietnam ex perience began Raids into Nicaragua by trained and equipped guerrillas from the old regime hove stepped up from neighboring nations Comfort observed Raids used to consist of to men armed with light weapons now these Insurrections involve forces of or more men with helicopter gunships and mortars Recent raids have been bids to occupy remote of Nicaragua Jungle Com fort explained and if they could occupy a portion of the country they could declare theyd formed a provisional government a new icaragua and then call on the United States to help them keep the new country afloat This kind of scenario could result in American troops moving Into the region and It wouldnt take long for the turmoil to spill over oil borders much like the Vietnam conflict spread Into Cambodia and Lagos Consciousness raising Over years Comfort has studied the situation in Central America quite a bit and went on the tour sponsored by the Assoc a lion of Cultural Workers a Toronto based group which is affiliated with an inter national organization of writers poets etc to put some flesh and blood on the statistics contact the people ask questions and observe I wanted personal confirmation of the many contradictions I ve been reading and hearing the situation There were seven others In his tour and he says they went to Nicaragua because it would be a consciousness raising experience For me my conscious was raised long ago The Pentagon US National Security Council and White House who claims put out a lot of misinformation about the situation today In Nicaragua try tq point the country as one which is becoming com munist and so must be stopped by the western world From his observations from March 10 to Comfort says thats not the case He notes theres elections coming up In November and six of eight political parties have met the various criteria theres criteria for running in elections here too notes required to appear on the ballot Six political parties that doesnt sound much like communism or too totalitarian to me Comfort observed He also notes with a twinkle in his eye that one of the two parties not approved for the election yet is the Communist Party or Nicaragua You ask a person on the street and I asked many if theyre communist and they dont know what youre talking about All they know Is what things used to be like in their country and what things are like now and promise the future holds for them he declared Comfort added hes not saying Nicaraguas present military government leaning left but its not communist Hed label It democratic socialist The Installed Samoia govern ment ruled the country cruelly and op pressively for over SO years before falling in the late 70s see other story The Sandinistas a rebel group took over the country and is the biggest poltlcal party With no American aid to the country under its then three wan and later nine man military Junta the country was driven into the arms of Russia Cuba Bulgaria etc Comfort says For example they had to switch to communist stales to buy wheat when the U S cut them off Comfort notes the US cut off polio vaccine the nation was buying the Yugoslavs stepped In and gave the vaccine as a gift With three priests holding cabinet posts and other religious leaders involved with the government in top positions this is another sign Comfort says that the com taken over Nicaragua isnt communist now but It could be someday The Americans would have nobody to blame but themselves either Theyve been shoving Nicaragua into the communist camp Literacy health Under the Sandinistas much of the land has been returned to the people small farm log communes have been established the literacy level In the country has improved astonishingly and health program nave been bolstered quite significantly Land which was productive and by foreigners including Americans wasnt confiscated if the workers were being treated fairly Citizens can buy land and own It free and clear paying per cent interest rates but they cant later sell it only will it to others Its a very government Is a unique experiment a combtnatim of private and state enterprise with a prominent role for the church Thats why the American fear It so much It succeeds there other Central American countries will want It too a real threat to Ameri JEU white towing fltt Ml taowHOijcBsartlT another tear years of The old Samonfl military farces fed to Honduras and from there raid the country Eldon Comfort recently returned from a trip to Nicaragua and fears another four years of Reagan could mean the lion of Central America there even three airstrips in the Jungle beside the border The Americans are trying to destabilize the region and disrupt the upcoming elections Comfort himself saw war torn areas oil tanks destroyed etc The has mined their harbors there are gun boats off either coast They arent just fighting the US and their backed counterrevolutionaries but also enemies from within like rich landowners whose property was bought by the new govern Comfort found Cubans there along with Norwegians Dutch West Germans Swedes etc helping with many social programs He didnt see Cuban or Russian troops but Imagines there might be some military advisors They are a beautiful friendly affec tionate people Also it s a very young population average age is less than 20 They have a real passion for protecting the gains of the last few years They are also very forgiving They have a deep hatred for the Reagan tion but surprisingly not for the American George waited patiently to donate Ms pint of blood at the Red Cross clinic March at the Acton Legion 119 donate at clinic Acton Red Cross sent 119 pints of blood to the Toronto Blood Bank following last Tues day blood donor clinic here In all peo ple made donations but 11 pints were rejected In announcing the results of another successful clinic Acton Red Cross thanked the many volunteers Acton Legion Ladies Auxiliary and Branch 197 The Free Press Clergy Association and Dr Richard Telford for sponsoring the clinic Of course they also thanked all the donors who gave the glftoflife t the lul down J Anoka J fit Align- HA Bauer DA U U Bluhuk J Binder It Brown I Bjnw 11 M K lonnjy C Cairo J M I A A Duty A Dm lint A Easing A Enlwtsu J A U M PA J Coring J J Guy Guy AJ IllWra G I alien Ifolldl B Kunming J Hamming Ktlln KG Killing tck Ktoei II Km Kroei J J Km A I Krwitn Knxrm S Kueihlw Kulpcry Kit IjDduy It I Marroux J Mum A A McDonald J A J R MUlcr J Mania VS Horn G It Donwll PPetcnOBJJ tell J A Rtach TD Schick J Schmbrr I Schrnbrr K Snort A Vandctiakii M VinSpronwn FA J I W J G E Tnut AJ Tribe TUlminLF It VtndnHal MA Wilkrr Wilson I J Wright Meanderings by M Bark man The bone I hung In the tree Tor the birds to feed on wasnt exactly the type I wanted But It was all the butcher hod that day Anyway the chickadees end the wood peckers seemed to like it even though it looked like the of a rabbit It seemed that something else thought it might be connected with a rabbit because got the thrill of lifetime A Urge northern barred owl commonly called a hoot owl landed in the tree and for about five minutes I was able to watch him dose up had beard familiar hoot many in the woods but bad never been able to see him There were no little birds at the feeder while Uili big ominous creature stayed there and when be left it many more minutes before they ventured near again Accept resignations Board of Education Thursday evening tne of Bar- bin from X Bennett School and Lynn Stokes from School as of August people Theres great interest in the S election don and others involved in Ten Days for World Development have been pushing Ottawa to frame a new foreign policy for the area They believe our government should embrace the Contadora Groups Mexico Columbia Panama Venezuela proposal that all foreigners get out of the region Russian and Americans and that there be negotiated settlements and In Central America They also want to see Ottcwa distance itself from Washington on Central American issues Comfort is encouraged since Allan Mac Each en Is going there he seems to support the Contadora proposal Comfort and others are also calling for Canada to tie increased aid to the region to human rights records speak out at the United Nations and before the World Bank and International Monetary Fund on Nicaraguas behalf and establish an cm bassy in Nicaragua Comfort feels Ten Days and others have been instrumental in starting the shift In Canadian policy for the region and theyll continue to urge changes In fact he and others met just recently Brampton Georgetown MP John McDermld He concluded though that theyre having trouble making a case with Hal ton MP Otto Jell nek because they can i get an appoint He s too busy or off in Yugoslavia watching skating American involvement dates back to the early Comfort has just recently returned from a factfinding trip to Nicaragua after years of study of the history and affairs of this and other Third World nations is a brief synopsis of the political history of the country and American involvement there as Com fort sees it American involvement Nicaragua which is about the same size and population as our times began around the turn of the Century A Yankee adventurist took over and ruled the nation for five years and after that the history of Nicaragua is one of years and years of American intervention In fact the Marines occupied the country pretty much steadily from to 33 Forces were there to protect American business and political interests and American involvement drastically changed life in the country The Americans have long considered them like they were children living in their back yard The S had big fruit company interests in the country for decades and were also involved in mining coffee and cotton With all this U S involvement what had been a landed peasantry of small farms was changed dramatically The big foreign firms took over the best land and then hired the peasants at poverty wages to work seasonally This is a tale of exploitation which has been repeated time and again in the Third World Eldon added In the late to a man named San and his bands of guerrillas kept sing the Marines and finally the US forces got tired of the stalemate and decided to pull out However the S decided to leave behind a military regime which they equipped and financed under Samozas family ruled the country until Sandino was called to a meeting with he new rulers to workout a truce and at the end of the meeting they assassinated Sandino a martyr of the rebel for the whole country to follow The cruel and oppressive govern ments wound up owning all the banks and major commercial interests as well all the best land over the years Comfort noted There was always resistance everywhere especially in he rural parts of he country and to the people Sandinos ideas and goals never died Nicaragua Is a very religious country there are many more signs of piety there than youd ever see here Comfort observed and the Catholic Church took the sides of the poor and oppressed people While the courted the church hierarchy he church at the parish level was firmly in the resistance or liberation corner The lance grew stronger and more organized in the 60s and 70s and by the war was on in earnest There never was any hope of the liberation movement going away because the people knew what the Samoias were do ing God will for their country They had nothing to lose through revolu tion Comfort admits the rebels accepted arms and aid whereevcr they could get it in eluding from the communist block By late 70s too Comfort notes most tlons except the S had dropped all sup port for the Finally this untenable regime lost American backing under Jimmy Carters administration and Samoza fled later to be assassinated in ex lie He t go empty handed he and his supporters emptied their banks leaving just enough money to keep the country going for a day Nicaragua was also lefwtth the debts Tho fifth anniversary of Triumph Day is coming up July 19 and there are signs of this celebration everywhere in the country Also there are signs reminding people San dino lives years later OUR BIGGEST SALE Of THE YEAR WITH SAVINGS UP TO 500 Right now weve got a terrific line riding mowers high up of quality John Deere products at pressure washers off gas grills substantial savings for example These are limited time offers so you can save up to off our hurry in and get yourself a Down to regular selling price of a new John Earth Value Deere lawn and garden tractor up to OPEN HOUSE AT OUR NEW LOCATION FRIDAY ft SATURDAY APRIL ft 7 ft Community Calendar Bazaar There will be a craft and bazaar at Durham St on Saturday April 1 from l There will bit crafts ceramics ten and draw St Admission is Adults SI and children SO Christian Fellowship Saturday April I the date Christian Womens Fellow ships popular annual guest night at St George s Anglican Church Hal at m A roast beef dinner will be served Speaker be Brian Stiller and music Mill be by The Canadian Gospel Echo a Tickets at each and arc available at Col Craft Georgetown Decorating Centre and The Hope Chest Historical lecture The winner of the General s award for fiction Chrlslopher Moor will speak the Georgetown Wednesday April at His new book be released in The Exile and will be the theme of his talk Admission Is free and coffee will be served Sponsored by the Library and Historical Society La Leche League La League of Alton will hold their next meeting on Monday April at in Trinity United Church Acton for interested women The will be Nutrition and For information call or Marmalade preserves An additional mtercsl at Coffee Books and Conversation meetings 3D am 3D m on Friday April and May 4 will be the opportunity taste an assort of marmalades and preserves- man made at home Recipes available April is Marmalade Day and May IB Preserve Day All welcome at the licorgetown Public Library Tack auction Pony Club Consignment Auction and nearly new apparel will be Sunday April the town hall 10 loom For information call or TO 3817 Film A special showing the new Wide Pictures release Jesus Is Victor II scheduled Sunday April at Mountain view Baptist Church on Mountalnvieu ltd The free showing is at 7pm Jesus Victor Is an Intimate portrait or Cor He Ten Boom a Dulch Christian traveled the globe telling of her ex In Nanoccupied Holland World War She and her family the lives of hundreds of Jews through- their work with the underground Jewish singles Re Connect a life skills support group for separated and divorced Jewish women will hold eight Tuesday sessions May 7 Price I refundable Coll the Jewish Singles Project Connect 731 1600 mors nlngs for information or registration Travel series Thinking of a trip Why not take short trip to and we 11 take you around the world The Choir and and Union Youth Group present a travel series On April hear Europe Including On April Hawaii will be discussed and on May cruises eluding Alaska Admission is S0 for one night and SO for alt three There be refreshments and door prizes Film Series Imagine Davis Humphrey Cary Grant and Henry Fonda all in Georgetown The Hills lion Department is presently putting together a Golden Oldies film series on Monday evenings April 9 and 1G at pm Tickets arc for adults and SI for seniors each night at the cultural centre Flower Show The Georgetown and District cultural Society Is sponsoring a trip to tho Toronto Civic Garden Centre Spring Flower and Garden Show on Saturday April 14 Tickets are for members and SB for nonmembers Call June Dean for Information Sax Concert Internationally famous saxophonist Paul Brodle will perform during evening of April II at John Theatre In a concert sponsored by the Hills Arts Council Tickets for evening are available through Books and Georgetown Fabrics Plaza or by phoning The architect of the Secondary School program BUltambleL will adress all Interested educators A parents and students on Thursday April at m in George Kennedy School Weber Drive Georgetown If you concerns or comments please come out For Information contact Pineview soccer Final registration for the Soccer Club will be Thursday April at Call Tilrtra at