Life with Uncle Tito
Sia,—The hardly veiled sneer element in Tibor Szamuely's 'Life with Uncle Tito' is sufficient for most informed readers to consign the article to the wastepaper basket where it rightly belongs. Un- fortunately so many people in this country are entirely uninformed of the nature and spirit of the new society that is evolving in Yugoslavia, that to allow Tibor Szamuely to go unchallenged wo,n1d leave the smear.
When in July the Yugoslav government published news of the far-reaching reforms that were in progress they were giving expression to the fact that a stage had been reached in a continuing process of liberal- isation and the withering-away of state power, that merited such publicity. There are many Western speculators who would dearly love to see a weakening of Yugoslav socialism. Rich pickings await the investor who could build luxury hotels along the Adriatic coast, exploit Yugoslavia's mineral wealth or plant factories in a country where labour and power are relatively cheap. So far the Yugoslays have resisted the temptation of joining the Western rat- race, rightly believing that happiness and lasting prosperity can only be achieved by developing from within.
Regarding the rights and freedoms of national minorities, these are protected by the Constitution. Visitors and tourists who have appreciated the rich and varied pattern of life in Yugoslavia have done so by virtue of the government's determination that minorities must enjoy full political and economic rights and freedom to develop their national culture and characteristics.
We know repressive measures have been adopted against certain members of the Albanian minority because these crimes against the Constitution have been revealed by the Yugoslav government and resulted in the dismissal of the chief of police, Aleksander Rankovic. Tibor Szamuely writes of sixteen Albanians liquidated over a period of years, using the word 'genocide.' What word would he find to describe the infinitely greater slaughter and tortures taking place daily in South Vietnam in the name of democracy? One high-explosive or napalm bomb causes more death and suffering among inno- cent villagers in a second than the Yugoslav police have been responsible for in years.
The US government brazenly and unashamedly tries to justify the bombing, torturing and killing of men, women and children as necessary to uphold an acknowledged corrupt regime. In Yugoslavia it is the government which has exposed and punished
those responsible for climes against the people.
Professor Dedijer would appear to have ample justification for joining Lord Russell's tribunal in the knowledge that in his own country he has a government prepared to defend the principles of humanism and basic human rights. JACK SHEPPARD
Grove House, Little Haven. Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
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