THE MYTH OF 'DIFFERENT' COMMUNISM

"Central authority is being challenged. Communism, and Euro-communism in particular, has a place in a democracy, according to party leaders in Spain, Italy and France... For the men in the Kremlin, the threat of Euro-communism looms every bit as large as Archbishop Lefebvre's defiance does to the hierarchy at the Vatican." Charles Forbes from London in The Age, Melbourne, July 11th.

When Tito of Yugoslavia allegedly broke with Moscow, superficial and wishful observers hailed this development as a major crack in the monolithic structure of International Communism, one that could lead to further cracks and the end of Communism as a threat to the free world. The Sino-Soviet cleavage set off another wave of optimism concerning the decline in the influence of Communism on the future of mankind. But whatever the truth about the serious internal differences in the ranks of the Communists, with even the hard-line Albanian Communists now criticising their Chinese friends, the record of the continuing global Communist advance is beyond dispute.

One feature of the mythology about the history of Communism is that it was Stalin who betrayed the noble principles of the great idealist Lenin. But as Solzhenitsyn has stressed, it was Lenin, not Stalin, who pioneered the use of terror as a political weapon.

Santiago Carillo, the Spanish Marxist who is publicised as the strongest advocate of "Euro-communism", charges the Soviet leaders with having betrayed Lenin. The followers of Trotsky have done the same, but in Australia as elsewhere the Trotskyites join with fellow Marxists against the "capitalist enemy". Irrespective of how much the Soviet criticises "Euro-communism" in Western Europe, Soviet long-term strategists are well aware that such criticism helps to foster the image of Western European communists being "moderate" and not aligned too closely with Moscow.

Success for the Euro-communists in Western Europe would lead to the breakup of NATO, leaving Western Europe militarily defenceless against the massive military force of the Soviet. No doubt influenced by his Foreign Affairs advisers.
Prime Minister Fraser accepts the dangerously superficial view that there are now different kinds of Communism.

DOUBLE TALK ON HUMAN RIGHTS

President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania stood shoulder to shoulder with Prime Minister Fraser in condemning Rhodesia at the recent Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in London. There are, according to the New York Times, more than 3,000 political prisoners in Tanzania. One of these is Andreas Shipanga, one of the many defectors from the South West African People's Organization (SWAPO) being held in detention camps in black African countries. Probably at least 1000 of these defectors are being held in "reeducation centres " or in "protective custody".

The grieving wife of Andreas Shipanga has been appealing to politicians all over the world to help secure the release of her husband. One of those least moved by Mrs. Shipanga' s appeals is that outspoken American liberal, Vice President Walter Mondale. It was left to Prime Minister John Vorster of South Africa to take up Mrs. Shipanga' s cause. When he met Vice President Mondale in Vienna he suggested that as a condition for the release of South West African detainees by South Africa, SWAPO detainees like Shipanga should likewise be freed by Tanzania and Zambia.

President Kaunda of Zambia, who also applauded Prime Minister Fraser's anti-Rhodesian stand in London, not only has SWAPO dissidents detained, but also still holds leaders of the Opposition in prison without trial. Vice President Mondale showed no enthusiasm for the Vorster proposal, suggesting that South Africa should in a spirit of generosity free all political detainees in South West Africa unilaterally.

So much for the alleged concern about human rights. The Carter Administration, allegedly concerned with an agreement to free the "oppressed" Africans in Rhodesia, is prepared to adopt a policy of the blind eye concerning the "front line" African States. What about what the Observer of London describes as the frightening "horror camps" of Mozambique?

The Fraser Government must be faced with these unpleasant facts and told that they are betraying Australia's real interests by adopting, along with the Carter Administration, a policy of double standards. The real beneficiaries are the Communists.

AIDING THE ANTI-RHODESIAN TERRORISTS

In last week's On Target we commented on UN Security Council decision to invite all UN members to provide greater assistance to Communist Mozambique. In a statement issued in Rhodesia on June 26th, Mr. P.K. van der Byl, Rhodesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that after President Machel of Mozambique had charged that his country was being invaded by Rhodesian troops, that "we invited the British and American Governments, who are the co-sponsors of the current settlement initiative, to send observers to Rhodesia who could assess for themselves the position on our border with Mozambique and report accordingly to the Security Council. They have both declined the invitation, which tends to confirm the impression that they are more interested in applying pressure to all Rhodesians through the Security Council than in ensuring that that body is given a fair and unbiased report.

"If the Security Council is to consider the allegations of President Machel with even a semblance of impartiality there are certain basic facts it must take into account. If these are ignored it will be yet another example of the double standards and selective morality practised by the United Nations today.
"1. It was not the Rhodesian Government, but President Machel who declared his country to be in a state of war with Rhodesia. He did this on March 3, 1976, when he closed the border.
"2. At that time and on numerous occasions subsequently President Machel has stated his intention of giving every possible assistance to Rhodesian terrorists operating out of his country. He has certainly done so. He has fed them, armed them with communist weapons, set up base camps and staging posts for them and has transported them to the border. He has used his own troops to provide a screen on the border from which the terrorists can sally forth to carry out their programme of murdering, assaulting and abducting black Rhodesian civilians, including school children.
"3. Terrorists operating from Mozambique have murdered more than 1,200 Rhodesian civilians. More than 90% of these have been defenceless black villagers living in the Tribal Trust Lands.
"4. No apparent attempt has been made by the United Nations, the Commonwealth Prime Ministers or any other body to restrain the terrorists. On the contrary, they are given every encouragement to continue their murderous attacks.
"5. In these circumstances the Rhodesian Government has both the right and the duty to protect its citizens from these attacks launched from a neighbouring territory. It has the right, in terms of accepted international law, firstly to cross the Mozambique border in hot pursuit of terrorist groups, and secondly to take defensive actions which have led directly to the saving of many black Rhodesian lives in the rural areas.

I wonder whether the Security Council will deny Rhodesia the right to protect its own citizens from terrorist attacks. The Security Council provided the answer by ignoring the hard facts given by Mr. van der Byl, branding Rhodesia as an aggressor, and urging all members to help Communist Mozambique resist what in fact are non-existent invasion threats by Rhodesia.

BRIEF COMMENTS

Did Prime Minister Fraser and his foreign policy "advisers" note that Idi Amin received a standing ovation when he made his surprise visit to the conference of the Organisation of African Unity in Gabon? Those cheering Amin are fellow black dictators who insist that Rhodesia and South Africa must be "liberated." Prime Minister Fraser has some strange allies in his campaign against civilised government in Southern Africa.

Let's give credit where it is due. The closing by the Federal Government of radio station 3ZZ was long overdue. Notice how the Communists and their dupes protested. They had been using the station to promote Communist backed causes.