First Published: Unity, Vol. 3, No. 10, May 9-22, 1980.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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A delegation from the Central Committee of the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L) visited the Dominican Republic at the invitation of the Unified Central Committee of the Unified Structure for the Foundation of the Dominican Workers Party (PTD) in March 1980. The League delegation, headed by Central Committee member Reese Erlich, held fraternal and informative discussions with leading members of the Central Committee of the Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party, including comrades Juan B. Mejia and Esteban Diaz Juquez. The League delegation traveled to various parts of the Dominican Republic and talked with activists in the trade union, student, anti-imperialist and peasant movements.
The Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party was formed in April 1979, as a result of the merger of two major Dominican Marxist-Leninist organizations, Bandera Proletaria and Linea Roja. Both groups have a long history of struggle against imperialism, and a number of their cadre were part of the armed resistance against the 1965 U.S. invasion of the Dominican Republic. Today the Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party is an important force in the Dominican trade union and student movements, and is fighting for national liberation and socialism.
After all the preparations are completed, the Dominican Workers Party will be founded in the latter half of 1980.
In future issues of UNITY, we will print articles about the conditions in the Dominican Republic, the struggles of the Dominican people and the work of the Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party.
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Between March 24 and 31, 1980, a Central Committee delegation of the U.S. League of Revolutionary Struggle (Marxist-Leninist) visited the Dominican Republic at the invitation of the Central Committee of the Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party. The delegation of the Central Committee of the League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L) and the representatives of the Central Committee of the Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party held a comradely and revolutionary exchange of opinions about the political situation in their respective countries, the efforts they are carrying out to unify Marxist-Leninists, as well as on the ever-sharpening international situation.
Prevailing throughout the conversations was a high spirit of communist fraternity and a profound desire to learn from each other about the political experiences accumulated in the revolutionary work of both organizations, which will contribute to advancing the revolutionary struggle in both countries.
Both organizations affirm that there exist growing Marxist-Leninist movements in the United States and the Dominican Republic, which are making efforts to form one unified Marxist-Leninist party in each respective country which would ensure the direction of the working class and of the popular masses.
In appraising the situation of their respective countries, both organizations express their sympathy and resolute support for the struggle of the two peoples to shake off their oppression by the reactionary ruling classes.
The U.S. League of Revolutionary Struggle (Marxist-Leninist) expresses firm support for the efforts of the Dominican working class and nation to break with the domination and control by U.S. imperialism, the upper level native bourgeoisie, the landowners and the hegemonistic intentions of Soviet social-imperialism; and to achieve the construction of a free, independent, democratic, prosperous and happy homeland.
On its part, the Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party supports the struggle of the working class and oppressed masses of the United States against the imperialist bourgeoisie and for the attainment of socialism; the struggle of the oppressed nationalities for full equality and national democratic rights; and to eliminate at its roots the oppression that the U.S. ruling class exercises against the peoples and nations of the world. The Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party holds in high esteem the struggle of the U.S. Marxist-Leninists to overthrow the domestic domination of one of the two superpowers.
Both organizations feel concern for the deterioration in living conditions and the increasing attacks on the political rights of the masses of the two countries and express their determination to unite and mobilize the working class and the masses of their respective peoples to fight for the defense and attainment of their rights and liberties, and based on these struggles to advance towards their higher goals.
In evaluating the international situation the Marxist-Leninist organizations agree that since the blatant Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan, the danger of Soviet expansionism has grown extraordinarily; and that the struggle of the U.S. and the Soviet Union for world hegemony accentuates the class tensions and accelerates the development of the factors for the outburst of World War III.
Based on this, both organizations assess that the peoples of the Dominican Republic and the U.S. have to quicken their struggles and the efforts towards the formation of the world united front against the two superpowers, since they constitute the principal obstacle to overcome to win independence, sovereignty, liberty, popular democracy and the – advance to socialism.
Both organizations reiterate their adherence to the correct and scientific theory of the three worlds and commit themselves to carry out greater efforts so that the two peoples elevate their struggle against the-two superpowers and advance towards revolution and socialism.
Both organizations recognize the outstanding achievements and example of the Communist Party of China in its sustained aid to the struggle of the peoples of the world against the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, and for independence, sovereignty, the right to self-determination and emancipation. Likewise, our organizations recognize the great contributions that Comrade Mao Zedong made to the revolution and socialism in the world.
Seeing the war preparations of both superpowers, both organizations consider that the Soviet Union is the main source of a new world war, and the most dangerous threat to world peace. Both organizations also recognize that U.S. imperialism continues to be an imperialist superpower and is the principal enemy to be overcome in order to achieve the emancipation of both the people of the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Both organizations took note of the quickening pace of the U.S.S.R.’s interference and aggression around the world in South Yemen, Eritrea, the Mideast and in Southeast Asia in its expansionist drive to contend for world hegemony with the other superpower.
Both organizations condemn the expansionist moves of the two superpowers in Central America and the Caribbean – the U.S. trying to preserve its position and interests, and the U.S.S.R. trying to conquer new areas of influence; both recognize the role Cuba has been playing in the international arena as a Trojan horse at the service of social-imperialism, and concur that it is a growing threat to the independence and sovereignty of the Caribbean countries.
Both organizations strongly support the struggle waged by the heroic people of El Salvador and the rest of the peoples of Central America for their liberation and against the threat of yanqui (U.S.) intervention and denounce the threat of using the Dominican Republic against Haiti. They condemn the visit by a U.S. military delegation to the Dominican Republic headed by Schweitzer and Train II and the anti-communist campaign that, as a result of those visits, is unfolding in the Dominican Republic. Likewise, they denounce Cuba’s and the U.S.S.R.’s activities to penetrate the Caribbean and Central American countries.
Both organizations support the struggle of Kampuchea and Afghanistan to kick the Russian and Vietnamese invaders from their territories. These valiant struggles are in the front lines of the fight against Soviet social-imperialism and are making important contributions to the defense of world peace.
The two organizations sup-port China in the great task of achieving the Four Great Modernizations. They condemn the counter-revolutionary activities of the gang of four and support the efforts of the Communist Party of China and Chinese people in the continuing construction of socialism.
Likewise, the two organizations support the parties and organizations that persevere in Marxism-Leninism and will strive for closer fraternal relations with them.
Both organizations expressed their support to the countries and peoples of the third world that are struggling for their national liberation, independence, sovereignty and emancipation, and which constitute the main force in the struggle against superpower hegemonism.
After an extensive and detailed interchange of information about the work of the two organizations and after discussing the respective efforts of Marxist-Leninists in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic to unite and build a vanguard political party of the working class, both organizations express their enthusiastic support for these efforts and hope that they will culminate victoriously.
In that context, the comrades from the Unified Structure for the Dominican Workers Party fervently wish that the discussions among U.S. Marxist-Leninists to unite and establish the single communist party in that country grow strong and be crowned with success. Equally, the comrades from the U.S. League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L) welcomed the unity of the Dominican Marxist-Leninists and express their wishes that the founding Congress of the Dominican Workers Party will be celebrated this year and that it will obtain great lasting success.
The two organizations agree on the necessity to build Marxist-Leninist parties to correctly guide the struggle of the two peoples for their liberation and the working class for its emancipation. They oppose revisionism and other forms of opportunism; and agree that at the same time that they promote unity, organization and the struggle of the people against their oppressors, they must develop a thorough struggle to unmask, isolate and defeat the revisionist and opportunist trends that weaken and create obstacles to the advancement of revolution and socialism.
The two organizations recognize that given the noble objectives that they pursue and taking into consideration the efforts of the opportunist forces internationally to confuse the masses and gain their leadership and the leadership of their organizations, it is necessary that they dedicate themselves to found true vanguard detachments of the class, parties of a new type armed with Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, with steel-like unity of will, valiant willingness to fight and work, and prepared to combat in adverse conditions. These parties must be intrepid and bold in the struggle against U.S. imperialism, Soviet social-imperialism, and the bourgeoisie and a constant opponent of opportunism.
The meetings held on March 24-31 between representatives of the Central Committee of the U.S. League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L) and the Unified Central Committee for the Dominican Workers Party formally established relations between the two organizations, which they expect will be strengthened in the heat of struggle against both superpowers, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., and in defense of the interests of the oppressed of the world, and which will contribute to the deepening of the unity processes of Marxist-Leninists from the two countries.
Long live the unity between U.S. and Dominican Marxist-Leninists!
Long live Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought!
Long live proletarian internationalism!
Signed,
Political Committee of the Unified Structure for the Foundation of the Dominican Workers Party
Central Committee of the U.S. League of Revolutionary Struggle (M-L)