BY GREG ROSENBERG

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Activists in this city are in the midst of efforts to build the October 12 national march on Washington in defense of the rights of immigrants.

The national action will highlight seven demands: human and constitutional rights for all; equal opportunities and affirmative action; public education for all children; preserve and expand public health services; labor law reform and a $7 per hour minimum wage; opposition to police brutality and a all for citizen police review boards; and extension of the eligibility date for amnesty for immigrants to get citizenship.

An August 23 letter from the coordinators states that the event "will bring the fight for Latino civil rights to Washington, D.C., in an effort to combat the current wave of anti-Latino scapegoating and attacks on the fundamental interests of working people."

The Metropolitan Coalition for the October 12 March on Washington has been holding weekly meetings here since August 23. Attendance has ranged from a dozen to 35 people. Organizations active in the coalition include the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), the Council of Latino Agencies, Latino Civil Rights Task Force, Socialist Workers Party, Workers World Party, and Young Socialists. The Sacred Heart and Lutheran churches have also offered support. A number of activists in the local Latino community have shouldered responsibility in building the demonstration.

At its September 6 meeting, the coalition heard a report from Juan José Gutiérrez. Gutiérrez and Meredith Brown, two national coordinators of Coordinadora '96, recently arrived in the area from Los Angeles. They have established an office for the march, located in the national headquarters of the International Union of Electronics Workers.

Gutiérrez said the October 12 demonstration was conceived three years ago and got a national boost during the 1994 protests against the anti-immigrant Proposition 187 in California. He said the upcoming action would be "the first-ever Latino march and rally in the nation's capital," and urged activists to reject "the doom and gloom voices who are speaking now, just like they did in 1994." He stated that 200 buses had been chartered for the march and rally so far.

Gutiérrez said organizers hope to include everyone who agrees with the demands of the action - adding that he had recently been contacted by Irish-American groups that want to participate and hope a speaker from Sinn Fein will address the rally.

Several activists interviewed said some national organizations are reluctant to lend support to the march or are not making any effort to build it because they are working to re-elect president William Clinton. Clinton signed the welfare and "anti-terrorist" bills this year, which contain major assaults on the rights of immigrants. These organizations include the AFL-CIO, National Organization for Women, and many Black rights groups. A national endorser list is currently in formation. Among those who have stated they would agree to appear on the platform is Linda Chavez-Thompson, executive vice- president of the AFL-CIO.

D.C.-area activists have begun outreach work, including in northern Virginia and Maryland. Two fund-raising parties for the local coalition are scheduled - one on Friday, September 13, at the Latin Jazz Alley, another for Sunday, September 22, at Habana Village. On September 8, coalition activists set up a table to publicize the march during the popular annual Adams Morgan day street festival. March posters and flyers drew many thumbs up and interest. Several dozen people - overwhelmingly youth - signed up to help distribute flyers.  
 
 
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