en mee ‘oy i Fa — - Genady Yermakov, head of the International Department of the Committee of Youth Organizations of the Soviet Union is interviewed by Tribune assistant editor Tom Morris. POPE SPEAKS OF ‘JOYS OF THE POOR’ AMIDST HISSES PUEBLA, Mexico — Pope John Paul II was hissed at a Mass in Puebla, Mexico, when he referred to the ‘‘simple joys of the poor.’’ The comment was part of the Pope’s campaign against progressives and radicals in the Catholic Church of Latin America. “This idea of Christ as a political figure, a revolutionary, as the subversive man from Nazareth, does not tally with the church’s teach- ing,’ the Pope told the opening of the third Latin American Bishop’s Conference (CELAM). The.Chirch in Latin America is strongly affected by what has come to be called the “‘theology of liberation,”’ a progressive religious view that holds that the church must aid social movements for justice and liberation. The conservatives in the Church, with the aid of the new Pope, are challenging this trend. The Pope counseled a group of nuns to help the poor through religiosity “instead of inspiring them with socio-political motivations which ... in the end are shown to be inopportune and counter- productive.”” ~ The incident at the Mass occurred when the Pope, wearing a green cape and gold mitre, said that in the midst of suffering there are still “the simple joys of the poor, in the humble shacks of the peasants, the Indians, the immigrants.”’ At the words “‘joys of the poor,” hissing broke out from the crowd. FOURTH CONGRESS OF ALGERIA’S NLF CONVENES ALGIERS — The fourth congress of the National Liberation Front of Algeria opened to chart Algeria’s political course following the death of President Houari Boumediene and to nominate a successor. The congress was attended by 3,100 delegates, representing party organizations, factories and agricultural cooperatives. Acting president Rabah Bitat opened ‘the session by affirming the path of socialism as ‘the only way”’ for Algeria. Ne The influence of fascist ideas on many young people in the Federal Republic of Germany is becoming more dangerous. Organized within various neo-Nazi groups they Participate in para-military exercises, commit raids on banks and army weapons depots. In Cologne, 15 year- olds play “burning the Jews” and in other cities and towns slogans are scrawled on school benches saying: “Hess must live in liberty” and “Jew murder Is a lie”. Parades through downtown areas are organized where Nazi symbols (officially banned by FRG law) are openly used without hindrance from the police. Photo shows a military band perform- ing at the recent neo-fascist NDP congress in Frankfurt-Main dressed in the uniforms of the Hitler Youth. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—FEBRUARY 16, 1979— Page 8 3 = 3 tion and ideas. 2 o> w ! tant because it was the first time al Eo Genady Yermakov, head of the International Department of the Committee of Youth Organiza- tions of the Soviet Union recently visited Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal and met with represen- tatives of various youth and stu- dent groups to exchange informa- The visit was especially impor- that a delegation of Soviet youth invited by the Young Com- munist League has received visas _@ to enter Canada. Previously ev- ery effort by the Canadian YCL to have a Soviet youth delegation visit this country has been met with official refusal on behalf of Canadian authorities. The Committee of Soviet Youth Organizations is an um- brella organization which co- ordinates the activities of all USSR youth organizations and is the representative of more than 40. million Soviet young people. Yermakov visited the offices of the Tribune where he answered our questions about the life and work of Soviet youth.. * * * -Pointing to the vitally important role the youth of the USSR play in the life of the country, Yermakov said that October, 1978 was the 60th anniversary of the Young Communist League of the USSR (Komsomol). It is estimated, he said, that some 145 million people have been members of this or- ganization over that time. Today the Komsomol counts 38 million members. ‘‘Soviet life cannot be viewed without taking into account the Komsomol’s role,’ Yermakov stated. ‘‘It has played and continues to play an active role in the defence and construction of the Soviet Un- ion.” He gave some facts about the Komsomol: it comprises youth in the 14-28 age bracket, some 60% are workers; it is a socio-political organization which, while.putting the policies of the Communist Party into life, is organizationally independent. A Reading Country Some further idea of the scope of the Komsomol’s activity can be gained by the organization’s publishing program. ‘‘The USSR is a reading country,” said Yer- = First Soviet YCL delegation allowed into Canada . ‘All avenues are open to youth’ makov, ‘“‘the Komsomol has 230 publications covering every pos- sible topic of interest to youth. The main newspaper, Kom- somolskaya Pravda, reaches 10 million youth daily. Three pub- lishing houses (in Moscow, Kiev and Uzbekistan) print materials. geared to working youth, stu- dents, farmers — not only news- papers, but magazines, theoreti- cal and technical publications. Yermakov told the Tribune that the new Soviet constitution has ‘offered an even greater role to the country’s youth. The Komsomol, for example, has an important legislative role with 20% of parliamentary seats being filled by persons under 30. But it is in the massive con- struction programs being under- taken in the USSR that one sees the trust placed in the young. people and their leading youth organization. . This year 144 crucial construc- tion projects have been under- taken by the Komsomol as ‘‘ Van- guard Projects’’. They include the Baikal-Amur Railway project in - eastern Siberia, atomic energy factories, the Olympic games complexes, the re-building of Gagarin City, the sending of 100,000. youth to develop the ““non-black soil’’ regions of European USSR and responsibil- ity for improvements going on in Soviet services and retail trade activities. Privileged Class? Yermakov spoke in some detail about the life of Soviet students and how they fit into the activities of youth in general. ‘‘The main goal of our students is to be well educated and prepared to become active members of society,’’ he said. ‘‘Students are socially ac- tive. We have a tradition that stu- dents take part in construction projects during their vacations. The size of this contribution to society can be seen in the fact that students added some five billion roubles in wealth in this manner between 1970-75. He touched briefly on the over- all outlook of the Soviet educa- tional system and said that from the outset, every effort is made to _ discover the talents and likes of the child. ‘‘All avenues are open Suffers heart attack, CPI leader recovering BOMBAY — S.A. Dange, chairman of the Communist Party of India, and president of the All- India Trade Union Congress, is reported making steady progress fe g after suffering a heart attack in 7 | supervising the arrangements for € a central trade union school January. Dange, who will be 80 in Oc- tober, was at Khandala, near here which he was to inaugurate on Jan. 22, when stricken and taken to hospital. It is reported: that the. CPI chairman was fully alert and-was making steady progress»: At Dange’s request, the CPI general secretary inaugurated the ‘trade union school. ris Messages wishing Dange a speedy recovery were received juncture”’ the telegram said. from a number of public figures and political leaders. In a tele- gram to Dange’s daughter Rosa Deshpande, former prime min- ister Indira Gandhi said she was ‘deeply distressed’’ over his ill- ness. His guidance and services were required at this ‘‘critical Enrique Pastorino, general sec-. retary of the World Federation of Trade Unions told the AITUC in’ a cable: ‘‘We’are deeply con- cerned over the nealth of Com- rade Dange. Wish him speedy re- covery. Request you transmit our - best wishes to him. Keep us in- formed of his progress.” _ Political opponent Jayaprakash ‘Narayan expressed ‘‘concern”’ in a telegram to the Communist Par- ty, and also wishes Dange ‘‘a speedy recovery”’. 3 to our children,’’ said Yermako: Turning to the internation; side of the life of Soviet Youth Yermakov placed great emphas on the struggle for peace. ‘‘Qy youth understands that the figt for peace and prevention of w will guarantee we will enjoy th fruits of our labors,’’ he said. In this regard, the Committe of Soviet Youth Organizations } very active internationally, main taining friendly relations 1,350 youth organizations in countries, Soviet youth are out spoken against fascism apn colonialism and stand solidly ¢ the side of young people fightin for freedom wherever they ma bes: Through its international ties! Soviet youth directly assist mate rially those projects designed t help overcome backwardness especially in the developing coup tries. ; Yermakov concluded by point. ing out that an international cop. ference is being organized thi September in Moscow on ‘hf problems of the child sponsorel. jointly by Soviet youth and wo. men’s organizations as part of tht Soviet Union’s activities for Ip ternational Year of the Child. — Step up boycott against Chile — witnesses urge J CALGARY — Paula Mullengll nun from Lethbridge and A.J, Knox, associate professor of L tin American history, Universit of Calgary, held a press com ference here Jan. 22 following; two-week fact-finding tour 9 Chile sponsored by the Chilea Association of Calgary :am Lethbridge. , Professor Knox pointed oj that while the terrible repression well known to the world, has be come more subtle in recent months, it could quickly return to the previous open brutality international attention and jp terest in Chile abates or interna political pressures threaten the regime. — 4 He said that the question of th missing persons still remains yj answered and that there is ng much progress on the question political representation, freedo} of expression and trade unio rights. In fact, he said, Pinochet’§ promise to restore trade union’ resulted in abolition of the trade union movement and the removal of effective union leadershi recently. } Paula Mullen spoke of the con: ditions of bare. survival faced by working people as the inflation rate reaches 350% per year. She pointed out that nearly half a Chile’s industrial capacity lies idle and that there are no material or medical benefits for the coun: . try’s jobless. : She said that there isevidence that large sections of the Chilean people are non-responsive to far Right cries of ‘‘Marxist sub version’’ and ‘“‘communist to talitarianism’’ and’see the junta for what it is —the architect of the destruction of democracy and freedom in a country which o took pride in those aspects of its society. ° 4 Both speakers urged a contin ation and spreading of the inte asa aa ~ national boycott of the junta.