Information on the Activities of the WFDY and the International Assemly of Muslim Youth (IAMY)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-00915R000400310001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 22, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 1, 1956
• Content Type: MEMO

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SUBJECT: Information on the Activities of the WFDY and the Inter-
national Assembly of Muslim Youth (IAMY)
1. This memorandum is intended not only to provide information
on some of the activities of the WFDY and the International Assembly
of Muslim Youth (IAMY) but also to elicit any information you may be
able to obtain in answer to the attached "Questionnaire" we have
prepared,
2. The following is a verbatim copy of a "Press Communique"
entitled "WFDY Delegation in Egypt", which appeared in the WFDY
Information Service No, 5, April 1956, pp. 5-6-
"A WFDY delegation composed of Messrs. Chen li Jen sic;
correctly CHIEN Li-jen7 Secretary of the WFDY; Prabir Mitra,
Members of the Editorial Board of the magazine 'World Youth';
Karim Mroue, Member of the WFDY Executive Committee and Aldo
Monaco, leader of the Italian Cycling Federation, visited
Egypt during the second fortnight of March.
"For 12 days the delegation members were the guests of
the Egyptian Olympic Committee. During their stay they visited
different youth organisations, young people's clubs, rural,
sports, workers and university clubs in different towns and
villages, where they expressed the WFDY's sentiments of
friendship to the Egyptian youth.
"They were received by the Minister and Vice-Minister of
Social Affairs and the Director of Social Education and Sports
at the Ministry of National Education, and by the Head of the
Social Affairs Department at the Secretariat of the League of
Arab 3tateso
"The delegation had meetings, in particular with the
Supreme Youth Council, the Youth Liberation Organisation, the
Egyptian Youth Organisations, the Olympic Committee and the
Federation of Rural Clubs, to discuss future relations and
cooperation between them and the WFDYO They all expressed
their sincere desire to develop cooperation with the WFDY in
this field of youth activities. The delegation, on its part,
expressed the sincere desire of the WFDY to cooperate with
Egyptian youth organisations on the basis of understanding
and respect for each other's interests.
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"Agreement on cooperation was reached between the WFDY
delegation and different Egyptian youth organisations. The
Egyptian Youth Organisations asked to affiliate to the WFDY.
The delegation invited youth organisations to participate in
different WFDY activities and was invited to take part in
Egyptian youth activities.
"The delegation also had friendly discussions on co-
operation with the International Assembly of Moslem Youth.
Agreement on cooperation was reached between the W.'JFDY and
the International Assembly of Moslem Youth for joint
celebrations of February 21st, International Day Against
Colonialism and of Solidarity with the Young People of
Colonial Countries. This organisation will send a delegation
in the course of the summer to visit the WFDY Headquarters
in Budapest, where different discussions will take place,
"On its part the WFDY delegation received an invitation
to participate in an international Moslem youth camp, which
will be held in July in Alexandria.
"The WFDY Secretariat thanks all Egyptian youth organi-
sations for the friendly welcome given to the delegation and
sends its best wishes and greetings to the young men and
women of Egypt."
3. The following article was published in World Youth No, 5
(May) 1956, the monthly organ of the WFDY:
"From our-special correspondent KARIM...
When I arrived in Damascus, the capital of Syria, on a
beautiful sunny morning, I stepped into the midst of the
events stirring this part of the world. All eyes and
conversations were turned to the events in Jordan. The big
demonstrations of the people of this country are being felt
here in a big way. This can be seen and heard from the
people talking in the streets, reading the papers displayed
outside the newspaper stands, students coming out of school
and lectures, enthusiastically talking to one another, workers,
small businessmen. The whole of the people are learning the
news and discussing it. Resistance to the Bagdad Pact is a
question of life or sovereignty for the Syrian people.
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Everyone I asked said the same thing, and I can well
understand their reaction. The barber cutting my hair
said, 'The Syrian people aren't alone in this question.
Their Arab brothers are at their side. They are all
hostile in one way or another to foreign aggressive
pacts, and particularly the Bagdad Pact.' I wasn't
surprised, tnerefore, to see big united demonstrations
of young people and students in solidarity with Jordan,
against this disgraceful pact: Nor was I surprised to
see later in Beirut a youth gathering being organised for
the same purpose. 'The Bagdad Pact? It's been hard hit,'
said a young Syrian to me in conclusion!
Talking about the Festival
My discussions also led to the Festival. I was, of
course, interested in finding out the opinion of young
people on this question. A member, of the Festival Bureau,
with whom I spoke, told me, 'The Festival is a great event
for young people,' And guessing my next question, he
added, 'For 5 years the Syrian youth were oppressed under
a regime which limited their participation in international
events such as Festivals. The popular uprising in 1954 put
an end to this oppression, and combined with changes which
have resulted in the life of the country, has opened up
tremendous horizons for the youth. Because of this, they
were able to send a worthy delegation to Warsaw, 300 young
people of the most varied trends and organisations,'
I was surprised to meet Oum-Kamel (Mother of Kamel),
whom I had had the pleasure of seeing in Warsaw. He is
a celebrated actor and head of the most popular Ensemble
in Syria. The leaders of the People's theatrical troupe
and the Kusicians Union are jointly preparing a spectacular
programme for the Moscow Festival, and everyone is proudly
and impatiently looking forward to, it?
On the third day of my stay in Damascus I visited the
University where a literature student recalled, not with-
out pride, his conversations at the Warsaw Festival. He
told me about the signature collection campaign for the
Vienna Appeal, against the atomic bomb, in which students
took an active part. 'Yesterday,' he said, 'there was a
big demonstration against the Bagdad Pact,'
Near the University, in the centre of Damascus, I
.could see the Amyade Mosque. This is a living image of
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the rich and ancient culture of the Syrian people. To
reach it, I had to cross the large and ancient Souk-
Alkamidieb market-place. It was with this picture in
mind that I left Syria.
A wide road, bordered by two rows of trees and
following the Barada river, runs through Damascus and its
surroundings. An hour and a half later, our car climbed
the famous mountains of Lebanon. We passed through
villages, lit by electricity,~strewn among the forest-
covered mountains, In Sawfarm, we could look right down
into the Lamartine valley, and then from Bhamdoume and
Aley we could finally see the sea and Beirut, which
seemed to enlace one another...
We stopped at the much frequented Martyrs Square,
There near the fountain, several dozen leaders of the
national movement of Syria and Lebanon were hung by the
Turks in 1915. That is why May 6 is celebrated by all
the Lebanese people, to affirm their hostility against
colonialism and their support for peace and liberty.
The place was humming with activity when I arrived,
The people and youth were out helping the inhabitants of
Tripoli, capital of the North, who'had been hit by floods
killing 100 people, leaving several thousands without
homes and causing several tens of millions of dollars
damages. Tripoli, a town of about 15,000 inhabitants, has
a tradition of fighting against colonialism. The young
people, to whom Tripoli is extremely precious, were working
continuously to make up for the tragedy. They expressed
their satisfaction for the solidarity of the Arab countries
and other parts of the world. The people and youth of
Lebanon were very grateful for the help of the WFDY and
the government also expressed their thanks for this help.
Visit to the School of the Moslem Girls Association
I was very interested in the school of the Moslem
Girls Association, which I visited with a friend. The
girls in this school learn, under the guidance of Mme>
Yakar (president), to do magnificent folk works 'More
than 60 girls,' said Mme, Yakar, 'leave with a diploma
which makes it possible for them to find work. If the
girl is illiterate, she can read and write on leaving.'
(These are some of the things won by the youth).
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The plane then dipped its wing in the direction of
Cairo. Through the window I can see the endless sea
glistening below me. An hour later we can see Port Said
and the Suez Canal. Then the desert, that vast expanse
of land, which, if exploited, would yield immense wealth,
Might not this be one of the wonderful tasks awaiting the
Egyptian youth in the near future? And then, at last, the
lush green of the Nile Valley, and we landed in Cairo.
Here we could also sense an unusual atmosphere,
Yesterday the new Constitution was proclaimed, a great
event in the life of the Egyptian people. Everywhere,
the youth were celebrating, They had chosen this day
to hold the Ilnd National Festival of Egyptian Youth,
65,000 young people took part and 250 programmes were
presented. All of this helped me to understand the
atmosphere in Cairo,
Sports Journalist
Who could visit Cairo without seeing the pyramids and
the sphynx? I, too, was curious, and so hurried to Gizeh,
on the outskirts of Cairo, where I could leisurely
comtemplate the great pyramid and sphynx, living symbols
of the rich Egyptian culture,
And now I have become a sports journalist, which I
would never have imagined possible. Nevertheless, I
happily took up the invitation of Mr. Touny, General
Secretary of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, to follow a
part of the 3rd International Cycle Race between Cairo
and the new province of Attalir.
In this province one can see results of the wonderful
work carried out to cultivate the desert and build new
modern villages.
One of the 10 most important events of 1955
On returning from Cairo I visited several organi-
sations, including the International Assembly of Moslem
Youth, the Supreme Council of Youth, the Youth Section of
the Liberation Organisation, the Federation of Egyptian
Women, the Writer's Association and many others. All these
organisations showed certain interest in co-operating with
the WFDY in the preparation and participation in the Moscow
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Festival, as well as on other cuestions. With Captain
Adel Taher, General Secretary of the Supreme Council of
Youth and Commander Ahmed Chouhayeb, General Secretary
of the Youth Section of the Liberation Organisation, and
accompanied by Mr. Khalife, a journalist, I was received
by the Minister of National Education, who is also the
President of the Supreme Council of Youth. We discussed
Egyptian participation in the Moscow Festival, The
Minister assured me that Egyptian youth would be worthily
represented at this Festival.
Following this, Mr. Khalife, editor of the Daily
paper 'Algoumharia', told me how the press of his
country had summed up the Vth Festival. It had been
regarded as one of the 10 most important events of 1955.
I had many discussions in Egypt, Everyone told me
about the hostility which exists to the Bagdad Pact. The
Egyptian people want peace and to be friends with all
peoples, especially those helping them in the development
of their country.
And my voyage was ended. I am now deeply convinced
that the youth of the Near and Middle East countries,
including those most oppressed, as in Irak, for example,
are firmly determined to struggle against colonialism
to free themselves from their heavy heritage and broaden
their horizons, in order to establish friendly relations
with the youth of all countries,
4. KARIM, the author of the above article is Abdel Karim
MROUE, a Lebanese, who is a member of the WFDY Executive Committee.
5. These reports of the activities of the WFDY delegation
to Egypt, Lebanon and Syria are of particular interest when
examined against recent reports from a former IODY functionary,
which state:
(a) Some staff members at WFDY Headquarters in
Budapest were required to travel for the
purpose of conferring with representatives
of affiliated youth organizations or of
gaining new affiliates for the WFDY.
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(b) Such WFDY delegations usually consisted of
two to six persons who sometimes passed
themselves off as sales representatives,
students or tourists in order, to obtain
necessary visas, but once their various
destinations were reached, they then carried
out their WFDY activity.
(c) The trips made by various WFDY delegations
varied in duration, Those who went to South
America or Africa, for example, usually
stayed four to six months while delegations
who visited, say, North Korea after the WFDY
Council Meeting in Peking in August 1954
remained several weeks,
(d) WFDY correspondence with affiliates in countries
where Communism is banned is routed through
cover addresses known only to the national WFDY
Secretary or WFDY National Representative for
the country in question. '
6. It should be noted that at least two, and possibly three,
members of the four-member WFDY delegation to Egypt(and probably
to Lebanon and Syria as well) were WFDY National Representatives,
responsible for the affairs of the countries they represented,
i.e., Abdel Karim MROUE of Lebanon for Lebanese and Syrian affairs
and CHIEN Li-jen (aka CHEN Li-jen) for Chinese affairs. It is
possible that a third member of the delegation, Prabhat MITRA
of India, is the WFDY National Representative for Indian and
Pakistani affairs, if he is identical with one Sarasadu MITRA of
India who is reported to be serving in this capacity at WFDY
Headquarters.
7. It should also be noted that two, and possibly three,
members of the four-member WFDY delegation to Egypt are connected
with the WFDY's important Colonial Bureau, This Bureau is
responsible for handling all colonial youth organizational matters
and maintaining contact with youth and youth groups in the so-
called "colonial" and "semi-colonial" areas. CHIEN Li-jen, as
Chief of this Bureau, as well as a Secretary of the WFDY and a
member of the Liaison Bureau, is one of the more important and
influential 19F.DY Communist officials, He was also the leader of
the Chinese delegation to the Asian-African Student Conference
in Bandung, May 31 - June 7, 1956, Abdel Karim MROUE and Prabhat
MITRA (if identical with Sarasadu MITRA) are also staff members
of the Colonial Bureau,
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8. According to an April 11, 1956 Voice of the Arabs
broadcast from Cairo, the 14FDY is interested in opening a
school in the Sudan, and a WFDY representative has discussed
this matter with the Sudanese Minister of Education and the
to report any additional information that could be obtained
concerning this matter and the identity of the WFDY representative.)
9. According to reports of the Asian-African Student Con-
ference in Bandung, the head of the Chinese delegation, CHIEN
Li-jen (who was one of the members of the WFDY delegation to
Egypt in March 1956) invited the student delegations of Egypt,
India, Pakistan and other countries to visit China after the
conference to see for themselves the life of the Chinese people,
and particularly the Chinese students.
10. In addition to defraying the travel expenses of WFDY
delegations, the WFDY often paid for the travel expenses of
Western youth delegations to WFDY events and to Eastern Europe.
In fact, according to the former WFDY functionary, travel costs
for most Western delegates to WFDY-IUS World Youth Festivals
were borne by the WFDY.
11. Generally speaking, most Communist-organized WFDY
affiliates receive their direction and financing from local
Communist Party channels,-with WFDY Headquarters acting more
as a coordinating body than as a directing one,
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QUESTIONNAIRE
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