-DATE-
19720506
-YEAR-
1972
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
LABE SPEECH
-PLACE-
STADIUM IN LABE, GUINEA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA DOMESTIC SVC
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19720509
-TEXT-
Havana Domestic Service in Spanish 0130 GMT 6 May 72 F

[Speech by Cuban Prime Minister Maj Fidel Castro at a stadium in Labe,
Guinea, on 5 May--presumably recorded]

[Text] Comrade and brother Sekou Toure, comrades of the party in Labe,
brothers of Labe: Some 3 days ago, we arrived in your country. During this
time, we have toured several regions of Guinea. Today, a beautiful, cool
day, we have finally arrived in Labe. Everywhere we have observed the same
spirit of solidarity and friendship towards our country; everywhere the
same warmth; everywhere the same kind of people, the same spirit, the same
enthusiasm, the same strength; everywhere the same trust placed in the
party; and everywhere the outstanding love, the outstanding trust placed in
President Sekou Toure. [applause] Everywhere we have observed the results
of 25 years of struggle and we see those results in all the people.

President Sekou Toure said that it was not easy to carry out a revolution,
and this is true. It is not easy to educate the people. It is not easy to
organize the people, because it is not easy to defeat imperialism, to
defeat colonialism, to win independence, to defeat backwardness, to defeat
illiteracy, to defeat poverty. This is not easy, especially when you begin
with very little, with very few resources, with very few weapons, with very
little strength. However, with a just cause, with correct ideas, with a
great love for the people, with noble feelings, based on those ideas and
feelings, the Guinean movement forged ahead, [applause] based on the
traditions of the country, on the glories of the country, on the heroism of
the country, the country which during decades fought against subjugation.

The country took up arms in [word indistinct]. Now, we have here a people
totally independent, a people with full awareness and political culture, a
united people, an organized people, a mobilized people, an armed people, a
people underway, people moving ahead. This is the work of the party and
Sekou Toure, identified with their people, [applause] for whom we have to
have great admiration, great warmth and great understanding. This
solidarity towards other peoples, towards our remote country -- the small
island near the United States!

When we hear the name of the Cuban fatherland from the lips of the children
in elementary grades, we know that this is the result of your political
culture. This is the revolutionary awareness. This is the education of the
masses; of the world tacitly. Some 20 years ago, 15 years ago, what Cuban
child knew about revolution? What Cuban child knew about Guinea? Or
Vietnam? Fifteen years ago, what Guinean child knew about revolution? What
Guinean child knew about Cuba? But, something else, how many Cuban children
and how many Guinean children had teachers? How many Guinean children and
Cuban children had schools?

The delegate minister told us that before independence there was one
intermediate level school, and now there are 67 intermediate level schools
in this region. [applause] Before independence, there were 25 schools in
this region, that is, in the central part of Guinea, and now there are 500.
[applause] What was taught at those schools? What was being taught? The
ideas and the doctrine of colonialism; the evil of impersonalization, as
stated so many times by comrade Sekou Toure; humiliation; the cultural
values of other societies that have nothing to do with our countries
[applause]; humiliation; recrimination.

What is being taught in the schools of the revolution? The real fraternity,
the real solidarity, the revolutionary ideas, the most legitimate values,
the culture of our peoples, their dignity, their greatness. This is taught
to them with love. They are taught patriotism, internationalism, justice,
techniques, the trust in the people, the revolutionary ideas of the future.
That is why whatever the material successes, they are important. Important
are the industries, the roads. Important is the hydroelectric plant under
construction in (Sincon). Important are the industries under development in
Tougue, the preserves factory, the perfume factory, the concrete factory.
This industry is very important. You will understand this when you see what
can be constructed, when you have 100,000 and 200,000 tons of concrete
transformed into industries, into bridges, into roads, into hospitals, into
schools, into dwellings. All this is very important.

You must continue working in order to conquer nature, in order to conquer
poverty, in order to be stronger, in order to have more resources with
which to help the people themselves and with which to help other peoples if
they need it. But, above all other material wealth, we are impressed by the
work of the revolution with the people, the cultural and humane work
carried out by the revolution with the Guinean people. We are impressed by
the strength of the people, their unity, their combativity, and this is
very important. The struggle has not ended yet for our peoples. The
struggle has not ended for the Cuban people, who have been constantly under
threat by imperialism. The struggle of Vietnam has not ended. The struggle
in Guinea has not ended. The struggle has not ended in Latin America, in
Africa or in Asia.

But, today there are still peoples totally subjected to a state of
colonialism, to the oppression of neocolonialism on the three continents.
There are still great injustices. There is still racial discrimination.
There is still exploitation. There are still many injustices in this world
that have to be defeated. Our peoples have to be ready. Our peoples have to
be united in this struggle. You must not forget 22 November. It is
unbelievable, inconceivable, that such a crime has been committed. Why?
With what right? Without previous declaration, by surprise, the imperialist
mercenaries attacked the capital of Guinea. [applause]

If somebody had attacked Lisbon, if somebody had attacked Washington, New
York, Rome, London, it would have brought about a great scandal in the
world. It would have been unusual, terrible. We ask ourselves: With what
right then was the home of the president bombed in an attempt to murder him
in the early morning hours? The presidential palace attacked? The
industries attacked? The garrisons attacked? With what right?

They did the same thing to us. They did the same thing to other countries,
with mercenaries, with regular army troops disguised, with aircraft bearing
the emblem of our country. These are the crimes and misdeeds of the
imperialists. But they taught us a lesson in that we must keep our guard
up, that we must be ready, that we must be armed, that we must be strong,
that we must remain united in an indefatigable struggle until we attain
final victory against the imperialists. [applause] [shouts from audience]

Guinea can count upon Cuba because Cuba counts upon Guinea. If the
imperialists attempt to commit these crimes against the Guinean people, our
people will be at the side of the Guinean people. If necessary, our
combatants will be at the side of the Guinean people.

It is necessary that the imperialists be aware that our peoples are not
alone, that our peoples united are strong. Above all, they are strong not
because of our wealth which is yet to be developed. We are strong because
of our ideas, the justice of our case, our revolutionary spirit and our
dignity. That is why we are sure of attaining victory. We are sure that
nothing and nobody will be able to defeat our peoples. Long live the
friendship of the revolutionary peoples! Long live the Guinean people! Long
live the Guinean revolution! Long live President Sekou Toure! [applause]
Down with imperialism, colonialism, neocolonialism, exploitation,
injustice, discrimination! Glory, victory, honor! Fatherland or death, We
will win!
-END-