Oldal 2 [2]
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dent Arbenz in early June, canceling all licences to carry fire¬
aise Under this measure ali people who are lmown to be hostile
to Communism are deprived of their arms, which are handed over .
by local officials to the local Reds. This way the Trade Unions,
fully Communist dominated, have received ams supplies with which
they have wiready begun active terrorization in the smaller towns,
in the capital itself terrorisa is also carried out ~
against Anti-Communistse Thus three Students - luis Mendizabal,
Mario Qvinonez end Roberto Fergandez = were arrested by the Police
and inhumaniy tortured, in away closely reminiscent the practi-,
ces of the Red Chekas The only erime of these young men was
to have partaken in the organization of Anti-Communist Sudentse
Then on dune 16th was passed by Parliament the land- .
reform bill. It was forced through Parliament by its Red Presi¬
dent Julio Estrada de la Hoz, a man who, while not a Communist
Party Member is so close to Communism, that nothing candistinguish
him from a real Communist, This law allegedjy gives land to the |
poor Indians and breaks up the large estates, The reality,
though, looks different. First cf ali, the Indians wili not
gain titie to the land which is taken from the awners, The land
Will go to the governement, which henceforth will own everythings
It will be under the administration of the Ministry of Agricul¬
ture, which, as we pointed out more than once in p evious dig
patches, is fully controlled by Commuists and is the main orga¬
nizetional center of the party, By the law thus the buik of land.
passes under Communist control, and it is alveady an open secret,
that land will be given oniy to such Indians, who join the Commu=
nist movements In fact, the lend being distributed without ade=
quate provisions for eredit or equipment, it is obvious that _
it can not be en economically sound operetion, What will happen
is clear ~ the land in Guatemala is becoming rapidly a large Khol~
khoze under Communist controle The Indians, in order to live and
work, will have to join the Communist Trade Union and thus become
the militarized force for revolutions It should be pointed out
furthermore, that im an underpopulated land in which most of the
soil is still untilied, there is no reason or justification ae
he land reform and the measure as taken will mean only rave eco=
nomie troubies to come — which can be met only by the establish=
ment of a full dictatorship as is preparing the present regime,
But these are only preliminary measures. It is qu te
clear now, that further restrictions of civil rights and of pros
perty rights will be taken before the end of the year. Even the
blind should see, that the Communist dictatorship is proceeding
in Guatemala with the seme iron logic as in other countries, —
; The importance of Guatemala for the Commnist regines
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