Grenada: PNP severs ties with New Jewel Movement; will recommend its expulsion from the Socialist International
Confidential Department of State Incoming Telegram
Page 01 Kingston 10366 01 of 04 211756z Action: ARA-00 Info: OCT-00, Copy-01, ADS-00, INR-10, EUR-00, SS-00, OIC-02, CIAE-00, H-01, IO-11, NSCE-00, NSAE-00, SSO-00, SY-06, HA-08, L-03, PM-08, PA-01, MCT-02, OMB-01, INRE-00, SYE-00, USIE-00, SP-02, SNP-01, PRS-01 / 101 W
O 211732z Oct 83 FM Amembassy Kingston To Secstate Washdc Immediate 5918 Amembassy Bridgetown Immediate Info Amembassy Antigua Immediate Amembassy Georgetown Immediate Amembassy Caracas Immediate Amembassy Paramaribo Immediate Amembassy Port of Spain Immediate CINCLANT Norfolk VA Priority USFORCARIB Key West FL Priority NAVFORCARIB Roosevelt Roads PR Priority DIA Washdc Priority USMission USUN New York Priority
Confidential Section 01 of 04 Kingston 10366
E.O. 12356: Decl: OADR Tags: PINS, PGOV, GJ, JM Subject: Grenada: PNP severs ties with New Jewel Movement; will recommend its expulsion from the Socialist International
Ref: (A) Kingston 10281, (B) Kingston 10313
- (U) Speaking on behalf of the National Executive Committee of the People’s National Party (PNP), Party Leader Michael Manley issued a statement on Grenada October 20. The PNP announced its decision to: repudiate and not recognize the Revolutionary Council; formally sever all relations with the New Jewel Movement (NJM) “in its present guise;” recommend the expulsion of the NJM from the Socialist International; appeal to the international community “to isolate the ruling clique in Grenada;” and demand the lifting of martial law, cessation of executions and respect for the rights of free movement and individual liberty. Statement concluded with a warning “against any external efforts to exploit a deplorable situation and… any attempt at foreign intervention from any source whatever.”
- (U) Full text reads: Begin Text: The People’s National Party has had a close relationship with the New Jewel Movement which goes back to its earliest days more than ten years ago.
The New Jewel Movement and its leaders faced terrible years of repression involving murders, beatings and frequent imprisonment under the brutal and corrupt government of Eric Gairy. In the end the rigged election system and plans to eliminate certain leaders of the New Jewel Movement left them little choice but to resort to revolution to save Grenada from the tyranny of Gairy’s rule.
The People’s National Party gave birth to the existence of a plural democracy in Jamaica and has at all times remained firmly committed to the electoral process. Against this background, we have nevertheless consistently and resolutely defended the Grenadian revolution under the leadership of the New Jewel Movement. We have given that support because of our conviction that the NJM, as a party, was genuinely committed to democratic principles and was itself organised on strictly democratic lines.
There can be no doubt that Gairy was overthrown by the will of the people and that the revolutionary government of Grenada enjoyed popular support at all times during the 4 1/2 years of its existence. At every stage the People’s National Party encouraged the holding of elections in Grenada. We received the solemn assurances that the revolutionary government of the NJM intended to move to constitutional government and the holding of elections in due course. The recent announcement of a constitutional committee which was to prepare a draft constitution for discussion in the country at large, was evidence of an effort to meet with that solemn commitment. We were prepared to permit them a reasonable time in which to fulfill it.
We have observed the careful work carried out in the name of the revolution in encouraging the emergence of genuine democratic organisations representing farmers, working groups, professional groups and other occupational groupings. Participation was not confined to party cadres but extended to involve all Grenadian citizens. We also observed the growing voice that was accorded to these democratic organisations in the running of the country and, in particular, in their relations with the government itself.
While complaints were raised as to individual detentions and press freedom, we noted the continuance of the judicial system and that no executions were ordered by the regime.
The events which began in Grenada several days ago and which ended in the brutal killing of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop along with cabinet colleagues and trade union leaders were marked by one critical and decisive fact. There had clearly been differences of opinion within the leadership of the New Jewel Movement about the implementation of certain party decisions. The party decisions themselves and any argument about their implementation are not our business nor the business of anyone else anywhere in the world. However, in the midst of the argument a clique used the army to detain the leader of the country and to keep him under house arrest. There he was silenced so that he was unable to present his side of the argument to his party or to his country. By the act of introducing the army to silence one party to an internal democratic argument, those responsible abrogated absolutely and irrevocably the very democratic process to which the New Jewel Movement had been committed throughout its existence.
By that act, the clique among the leadership of the party and among the leadership of the army had removed themselves from any semblance of the democratic process. They have, therefore, disqualified themselves as members of the great family of progressive movements and parties in the world who are committed to the democratic process.
The People’s National Party deplores the imposition of army rule on the people of Grenada and denounces the introduction of any totalitarian regime whether in the CARICOM region or elsewhere.
We deeply regret the loss of a great young leader and his comrades in these brutal circumstances. Furthermore, we state categorically that those who breached the democratic process by detaining Prime Minister Bishop instead of allowing the matter to be handled by democratic discussions and decision-making in the party, set in train a series of events that made virtually inevitable the brutal unacceptable events which transpired on Wednesday, October 19. We hold the clique which originally sent the army to detain Bishop absolutely responsible for the final outcome.
During his tenure, Maurice Bishop earned international recognition and respect for his efforts to implement basic reforms and beneficial programmes for the advancement of his people. To the very end he continued to enjoy their love and admiration.
The People’s National Party has considered the question of its relationship with the clique which now forms the Revolutionary Council and with the New Jewel Movement as it now stands after the events of the last week.
Taking note of the arbitrary seizure of political power by the military and a clique; being satisfied that Prime Minister Bishop enjoyed overwhelming popular support and that the clique of persons who had him detained and who bear the clear responsibility for his death and the death of the other leaders of the revolution were acting contrary to the wishes of the people; the PNP has unanimously taken the following decisions:
- We repudiate the Revolutionary Council and as a party we do not recognise its right to speak for the Grenadian people.
- We formally sever all relations with the New Jewel Movement in its present guise.
- We will be recommending to the Socialist International the expulsion of the NJM as it is now composed and in the light of the events of the last week.
- We appeal to all members of the international community, liberation movements and progressive forces to isolate the ruling clique in Grenada and thereby encourage the return of a government consistent with the wishes of the Grenadian people.
- We demand the lifting of martial law, that the executions cease and the right of free movement and individual liberty be fully respected.
At this time, we share a feeling of profound grief with the people of Grenada and we hope and pray for their early release from the military oppression which has been so brutally imposed upon them. We grieve with the relatives of all those who have died.
Finally, the future path of Grenada must be settled by its own people. Only they have the competence to decide their own political process. We warn against any external efforts to exploit a deplorable situation and denounce any attempt at foreign intervention from any source whatsoever. End Text.
(C) Comment: In discussing Manley’s statement with the DCM, Prime Minister Seaga interpreted its thrust as a warning to any internal clique not to involve the military in settling political differences. The PM also saw it as an attempt to portray events in Grenada as a purely domestic affair and thus “keep the heat off Cuba.” According to Seaga, Manley believes Grenada is already sufficiently socialized to “remain a communist bastion,” but fears that someone might intervene.
(C) The Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) intend to use the Grenada situation to the fullest to discomfit the PNP and revive public fears about Manley’s ties with Cuba. The references in Seaga’s October 20 speech (Septel) to the “mistaken, naive and virginal view of many people… who believe such things cannot happen here,” follow this tack. So too does the statement that “moderate leaders are only used… to win the people’s support in the beginning, while military commands are put in place to keep the people under oppressive control when the time comes to remove the sheepskin of moderate leadership and make way for the wolf underneath.” Nine references to Cuba (and one to Russia) clearly identify the wolf; the identity of the naive, moderate sheep is left to the audience to determine.
(C) By PNP standards, the statement on Grenada is tough. Despite the fulsome praise for Bishop, there is no attempt to explain away recent events as a radicalized response resulting from outside pressures (a line frequently taken with respect to the Sandinistas). The PNP has adopted a non-recognition policy with regard to the new Grenadian authorities and is moving to isolate and ostracize the NJM until it cleans up its act. The warning against intervention is to all. End Comment.
Drafted/Approved: Pol: AK Slight
Confidential Department of State Incoming Telegram Page 01 Kingston 10366 04 of 04 211802z 9164 Action: ARA-00
Info: OCT-00, Copy-01, ADS-00, INR-10, EUR-00, SS-00, OIC-02, CIAE-00, H-01, IO-15, NSCE-00, NSAE-00, SSO-00, SY-06, HA-08, L-03, PM-08, PA-01, MCT-02, OMB-01, INRE-00, SYE-00, USIE-00, SP-02, SNP-01, PRS-01 / 101 W
O 211732z Oct 83 FM Amembassy Kingston To Secstate Washdc Immediate 5921 Amembassy Bridgetown Immediate Info Amembassy Antigua Immediate Amembassy Georgetown Immediate Amembassy Caracas Immediate Amembassy Paramaribo Immediate Amembassy Port of Spain Immediate CINCLANT Norfolk VA Priority USFORCARIB Key West FL Priority NAVFORCARIB Roosevelt Roads PR Priority DIA Washdc Priority USMission USUN New York Priority Confidential Section 04 of 04 Kingston 10366 Hewitt
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