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Radio Incoming, Assistance Thru Truth

By Gary Sisco

(The following is a press release from MACV—Material Assistance Committee—Vermont—concerning their most recent project in support of the people of Central America.)

MACV is pleased and excited to announce our newest, and we think most important, solidarity project: Radio incoming—radio broadcasts by anti-war U.S. vets from Nicaragua to U.S. enlisted military and Nation Guard people in Honduras. The broadcasts will feature music, news and commentary about Nicaragua and Central America (as well as U.S. foreign policy in general) and their struggle for self-determination, and live and taped interviews with anti-war U.S. veterans speaking from the heart about their personal experiences in Vietnam since, with the emphasis on what this repeat of history means for people in Central America as well as for young GIs.

MACV is a support/action group for the Nicaraguan people and their revolution, founded in late 1984 by three U.S. vets (two Vietnam, one era) then living and working in Nicaragua Libre. Since 1984, we have been sending regular care packages directly to the Nicaraguan foot soldiers who are forced daily to defend their people and revolution from U.S. aggression by proxy in the form of the "Contra" mercenaries.

Currently, we have two people living full-time in Nicaragua, developing Radio Incoming and strengthening our older material aid campaigns. We can use your help and support for this project, the purpose of which is to counter the Reagan Administration's indoctrination and disinformation about the nature of the Nicaraguan revolution by offering enlisted personnel access to other viewpoints, especially those of anti-war veterans. Our hope is that Radio Incoming will help enlisted people to begin thinking in an independent way about their roles in Central America, and that our efforts will plan the seed which will mature the seeds which will mature into an anti-war GI movement such as the one which grew in Vietnam. Radio Incoming isn't so much a propaganda program as it is a reflection of our belief that if people, including those in the military and Nation Guard, are presented with alternative information they will develop, on their own, a critical analysis of Central America and its political context and begin questioning their role in furthering the militarization of the area.

Radio Incoming is, above all, a direct effort to intervene, with our voices, in the process begun in Washington that is leading inevitably to a full-scale war. We believe it is our responsibility as veterans to prevent this by sharing our experience and though with this new generation of U.S. soldier, before it's too late.

Vets and non-vets alike can participate directly in this program and help sustain it. The following are some suggestions for people wishing to help support MACV and especially Radio Incoming:

1. Financial Support is needed now and on an ongoing, dependable basis. MACV is committed to guaranteeing the self-sufficiency of our people in Nicaragua, so that they are never a burden on the already strapped Nicaraguan people. We need your help in meeting expenses, mainly housing and food, but also for material support (tapes, news resources, technical equipment, etc.) If you or your group can make a donation or monthly pledge (however large or small) we will very much appreciate it and you will receive regular updates from us on the project's progress.
2. Taped Interviews with Anti-War U.S. vets are needed also on a regular basis and in as large a quantity as possible. Interviews should be done on high-quality cassette tapes, should include the name and the hometown of the interviewed vets, and should be 10-20 minutes in length. Vets can talk about their experiences in Vietnam, what they learned from them what that experience has been since then in their civilian lives, and what they think about the Reagan Administration's war in Central America. If they've been to Nicaragua or El Salvador, it's great if they can speak about what they saw and learned from the people there. All vets are welcome, from any war and role, combat or non-combat. Some people are put off by tape-recorders—those folks should know they can write a statement and send it to us for airing in Nicaragua.
3. Existing Groups or Committees Can Support Radio Incoming and Lend the Organization Name as an Endorsement.There are many ways to support the project. Groups or individuals can send us news clippings about resistance activities. We need many good-quality cassettes of all kinds of music. We need to hear from vets and vets' groups—let them know about Radio Incoming and how to contact us. We need a network of reliable couriers (if you or a friend are traveling to Nicaragua, let us know); most of our communications and material transport is done through courier as the mails are slow and at times interfered with (the U.S. postal service has a habit of "losing" mail and packages bound for Nicaragua).

We look forward to hearing from you.

Gary Sisco, co-coordinator

MACV's address is:

MACV
231 S. Winooski Avenue Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: (802) 863-6757