Strikers aim to remove Noriega

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 11

Strikers aim to remove Noriega

NZPA-Reuter Panama City The Panamanian Opposition pressed ahead with a general strike yesterday to force General Manuel Antonio Noriega out of Panama after rejecting his conditional offer to step down before next year’s elections. Shops, schools and factories ■ remained closed, including those in working class areas which had not responded to previous strike [calls aimed at removing Panama’s military strongman. ! ; i Sold ers in battle fatigues guarded the mains streets but there were nd signs of disturbances anti traffic ( was unusually light. ( At the public market on the city’s waterfront,; one of the[|few places open, shoppers lined up to buy one of the few shipments of meat which had arrived in several days, i 1 “People hope this whole thing tlvill be resolved by peaceful means,” said Jose Bolano, a meat vendor at the market. “But if this man (General Noreiga) doesn’t go, there will be violence.” I The Government last week jmposed a state of urgency which gave it wide powers to suspend civil rights, including the right to private property. There |was no immediate indication that the Goy-

ernment planned to (force stores to open or!’ take) other actions to break the strike. ) 1 : ■ I); ■;) | ) )Mr Noreiga’s offer, announced) in a speech by the acting President,; Manual (Solis Palma, ohi Monday night, was conditional on a dialogue with all political forces in Pan-

ama( It wap quicly Rejected! by th|e Opposition and [by the United I States, who i both want General Noriega to go intoiekile. “Our position is |) [the same as it’s, always' Ijeen — we’re ready! to talk [but only. (at the moment Noreiga says he’s leaving. The j strike 'will goj <)n.”

said Pierre Leighdgnier, a leader of the Opposition National Civic Crusade. [ The White House on Tuesday issued a (Wither; ing denunciation of Genj eral Noreiga’s offer to retire land urged his officer colleagues to sup-i port civilian rule. , I “Yesterday’s call for

negotiations between the illegal Palma regime and Opposition groups; ' was nothing more than ;a transparent ploy [to legitimise the Palma regime}”; a White House I spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, said. ; |• i IL; Government officials had hoped General

Noreiga’s proposal: wi mid sofjten the United! i Stites position and bring the Opposition to the negotiating (tafe L i r ■ LI I|-nr! ‘We expect this ; step wilkjhelp the United State to begin l to loosen the| (economic) pressures. What Justification (will i there be I for such irijustice, such aggression?” saidl Rigoberto Pare les, head of the National Assembly's Budget comTnittee.: I I J ' I ];:i ■ I The United 1 States] is] 1 waging a campaign of economic pressure against Pariama and froze SU]SSO million ($74.5 milltori)! in 1 Panamanian bank , deposits in an effort to fqrce General Noriega to leave The sanctions, stepped up last month, caused a leash crisis which has left workers unpaid and! (widleneWJ the opposition ||to General Noriega beymd the largely middle-cass Crusade. : ,j j: i : ,l | General; Noriega,: the country’s de facto military ruler!] since 1984,: was indicted by two | Florida grand juries last month on drug-running charges. IL I The United States |recogti ses Eric Arturo DeliValJp I as president eten Bgh the National 1 imbly I ousted hirn n he tried to dismiss eral | Noriega. The general appointed Scllis Palma as I Acting Presi-i dent.]; I ■ T i