STAFF NOTES: MIDDLE EAST AFRICA SOUTH ASIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000400020016-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2004
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: March 4, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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Middle fast
Africa
South Asia
March 4, IST5-
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Libya: Students Resisting Military Training
ProgramP r o g r a m ... 1
Morocco: King Hassan's Throne Day Speech . . . . 3
India: Prime Minister Maintains Tough Line
Toward Narayan
Mar 4, 1975
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Libya
Students listing Military Training Program
Libyan university students have become embroiled
with the government over President Qadhafi"s compulsory
military training program. The students are threatening
demonstrations unless they are allowed to delay their
training until after graduation; the government has
countered with warnings of massive arrests.
When the program was first announced last July,
many students felt the training would be an interest-
ing diversion from their studies and-few expected a
rigorous dr;.Il. But, over the-last six months, stories
about the poor conditions in the training camps, the
strict military regimen, and night exercises three or
more times a week have dampened enthusiasm.
All able-bodied -Hales and females. over seventeen
are required to participate in this latest feature of
Qadhafi's two year old "cultural revolution." Many parents
outraged by the prospect of sending their daughters to
the camps have complained about the radical departure
from conservative Libyan tradition, but most groups have
until recently undergone the training-without much
grumbling.
The current tension stems from the government's
insistence that university students train for one week
every two months during the next twelvemonths. Presi-
dent Qadhafi apparently was willing to discuss the matter,
but was given such an unceremonious reception late last month
from students and faculty at-the University-of Tripoli, he
promptly cancelled a scheduled school-vacation, thus
aggravating the situat,'6on.
Prime Minister Jallud fared even worse during meet-
ings last week at Tripoli and Benghazi universities.
His audience was reportedly unpersuaded=by!'his argument
that the military training program had become all the more
necessary because of alleged threatening-activity by the
US Sixth Fleet. The meetings ended with .a l parties be-
coming even more angry and frustrated.
(Continued)
Mar 4, 1975 1
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Morocco
King Hassan's Throne Day Speech
King Hassan announced on Monday--the 14th
anniversary of his accession to the throne--the
indefinite postponement of parliamentary elections.
Last September, the King expressed his desire for
parliamentary elections this year. Hassan cited
as the reason for the delay Morocco's continuing
dispute with Spain over. Spanish Sahara and the
enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. He added that he
still hoped to hold general elections once
Morocco's "usurped territories" were liberated.
In the interim, King Hassan stressed the need
for national unity. He expressed his desire that
political organizations work within the government
and invited the opposition political parties "to
do their share in the functioning of the state."
In the past, the various parties hare balked at
joining a government of national unity unless it
had a clear mandate from Hassan to organize
elections. This time, however, some of the parties
may be willing to join the government on the King's
terms. The parties have grown weak and disorganized
during the decade they have been out of power.
Mar 4, 1975
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India
Prime Minister Maintains Tough Line
Toward Narayan
Prime Minister Gandhi's firing on March 2 of
minister of state for works and housing, Mohan
Dharia, indicates her continuing opposition to
any reconciliation with J. P. Narayan, the 72-
year old reform movement leader seeking to topple
her government. In recent weeks, Dharia, along
with several other Congress Party mavericks in
parliament, has publicly urged cooperation between
Mrs. Gandhi and Narayan in the interest of finding
remedies for domestic problems which the reform
leader asserts have worsened under Mrs. Gandhi's
leadership. Dharia says he does not agree with
Narayan's demand that the allegedly corrupt Bihar
state government be ousted, or with Narayan's
concept of a democracy without political parties.
Dharia, however, does favor a constructuve joint
effort to alleviate corruption in government, un-
employment, and inflation, and to consider reforms
in the electoral and educational systems.
Dharia's firing is likely to exacerbate a grow-
ing rift within the Congress Party over how to deal
with Narayan. Moderates and rightists in the party
are generally sympathetic with Narayan's appeal for
a new moral order, and they are particularly unhappy
about the vigorous anti-Narayan position of Con-
gress' fair-weather ally, the pro-Moscow communist
party.
Many Congress Party leftists, on the other hand,
support Mrs. Gandhi's denunciation of the Narayan
movement. She claims the various small opposition
parties supporting Narayan are irresponsible and
opportunistic. She says they are trying to capital-
ize on India's economic difficulties and Narayan's
popularity in order to replace her "responsible and
stable" Congress Party government with an unworkable
alternative.
(Continued)
Mar 4, 1975
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Mrs. Gandhi seems to have had little hesitation
about removing Dharia, despite the risk of revitaliz-
ing an undercurrent of left-right division within
her party. In the past, she has unsuccessfully
tried to remove the threat by dissolving formal
intra-party groups representing the left and right.
Mrs. Gandhi's move against Dharia may be a
signal that she will not tolerate outspoken critic-
ism from her appointees. It is likely to have
special meaning for the 66-year old agriculture
minister, Jagjivan Ram who is a potential contender
for the prime ministership. Ram has been calling
for reforms within the Congress Party and warning
that the close alliance with the communists raises
the danger of their infiltration into party ranks.
Mar 4, 1975
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