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VVAW-WSO Holds 11th N.S.C. Meeting

By VVAW

Vietnam Veterans Against the War/Winter Soldier Organization recent held its 11th National Steering Committee Meeting in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Delegates from across the nation met for five days to determine policy and direction, and elect the National Coordinators for the organization.

The National Steering Committee is the highest policy-making body in VVAW/WSO. Delegates are elected democratically from their regions to attend the meetings which are held 3 times a year.

The first day of the meeting was spent reviewing and analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, and direction of the organization. The body then broke into workshops concerning specific areas of work for the purpose of continuing discussions and returning to the whole body with reports and proposals.

INDOCHINA
It was decided that continued work around Indochina as the primary emphasis of U.S. imperialism was essential; and that with this, there should be work around cutting off aid to Thieu and Lon Nol and insuring the release of Saigon's political prisoners. It was also decided that VVAW/WSO is to sponsor or participate in demonstrations across the country in memory of last year's signing of the Paris Peace agreements.

PRISONS
The initial work we have been doing around prisons has met with phenomenal success. Starting with less than 60 prisoners in 30 prisons just four months ago, we have now grown to over 300 prisoners in over 60 prisons across the country. There are also four VVAW/WSO chapters in existance in prisons, and many ore prison chapters are in the process of formation. Because of this, it was decided that we should move forward with our prison work by establishing a National Prison Project whose project office is located within the National Office.

AMNESTY
It was decided that during the next 6-9 months, we will be making major efforts to set up official VVAW/WSO Discharge Upgrading Projects in as many chapters as possible. Along with this, steps are being taken to organize a national action on amnesty in Washington, D.C., which is to be held at the end of June or beginning of July. Also, the slogans for this demonstration are to include: Universal and Unconditional Amnesty; A Universal Discharge for all Vets; U.S. Really out of Indochina!

Along with these, many other topics were covered, ranging from work place organizing to "the Possibility of a Domestic Coup," and Operation County Fair to the upcoming trial of Gary Lawton and Zurebu Gardner.

The meeting was closed with a VVAW/WSO solidarity song whose chorus says: "VVAW/WSO will struggle hard for unity and victory, you know!"

UNITY-STRUGGLE-VICTORY