I am afraid that it cannot be avoided to spend some sentences on the rejection of Martens‘ pamphlets "News on Congo" 27-29 resp. "Unite!" #104 and in defense of the Group Neue Einheit against his slanders.

What has gone before:
The Group Neue Einheit translated into German an imported speech by L.D.Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and issued an internet statement (#99/19) on Congo. A link to the french original text was put on the homepage and this text should be distributed also in English. The "DR Congo Committee, Sweden" had made an English translation, so we asked for the permission to put it on our homepage.

It speaks for itself that just this request was an occasion for Rolf Martens to start his smear attack.

As we already use to know, he cannot substantiate his terrible accuses with proofs. 

Addressing an official request to the committee to the official Chairman is the most normal thing in the world. From this R.M. derives his empty talk about the alleged contradiction between "Fuehrerprinzip" here and collectivism there. Typically enough, he once more makes a nonsense of his talk by his own behaviour when he uses this committe as a tool for his intrigues and slanders he has committed for years against the Group Neue Einheit, by this trampling under his feed the aim to make solidarity with the Congo as broad as possible.

Also his allegation that without a reason we use to stab in the back of forces to whom we gave support before absolutely is the contrary of reality. 

His description of an alleged change of our position concerning the PCP in August 97 is a fairy tale from the beginning to the end. (Eventually he is constructing something in an inproper manner out of single words or single sentences he has taken out of context like he already did before.)

In reality in these times a sharp debate took place about the article "José Carlos Mariátegui and Cultural Questions of the Peruvian Revolution" by Klaus Sender which dealt with fundamental questions and made a criticism in a constructive manner. Some people who allegedly were standing close to the PCP attacked like crazy the author in person and the Neue Einheit. The position which is taken in this fundamental article has been upheld untill today. You can find this article on the homepage in German, English and Spanish. Mr. Martens could not help calling this article by Klaus Sender about Mariátegui and cultural questions of the Peruvian revolution a "well founded criticism" (Posting in the mailing list "Marxism-General" of July 7, 1997) and a "correct criticism" (ibidem Dec. 28,1997).

If one has followed Rolf Martens‘ smear attacks for a longer time, he finds a pattern which was repeated for years:

Allegedly the Neue Einheit, as R.M. says, is so incredibly nasty because again and again they are making right political steps forward which alledgedly only are serving to cover up their character which in the truth is reactionary. The solution is: The policy of the Neue Einheit without its representatives but as a signboard for Mr. Martens an his endeavours.

There are already existing several articles about Rolf Martens. I think that the Group Neue Einheit will also deal with the questions which were touched on here in a more detailed discourse.

July 22, 1999
W.Gerhard