Czechs to help released priests and nuns

FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
CZECHOSLOVAKIA is to raise about £100 million to compensate former political prisoners, many of them priests, nuns and monks, for their unjust loss of freedom and property, Dr. Kucera. the Czech Minister of Justice, announced on Monday.
In March, soon after the new "liberal" regime took over under President Dubeek, a petition signed by thousands of Czech Catholics asked for the restoration and renewal of normal parish life, religious instruction of children, amnesty for imprisoned priests and the reopening of seminaries.
More than 1,500 priests and bishops were arrested in the 20 years of the Stalinist regime. and 3,000 priests were deported in 1951.
Until the Dubcek regime took over few of the 7.000 to 8,000 nuns in the country had been allowed to pursue their vocations, but were restricted to working in State homes for the aged, and were not allowed to nurse or teach.
10-YEAR PROGRAMME Dr. Kucera said on Monday that between 60,000 and 70,000 Czechs, mostly victims of political trials held from 1950 until 1965, and former prison camp inmates would be rehabilitated under a 10-year programme. There were now only 80 political prisoners in Czech jails, including spies and war crimina Is.
There had been no political trials or arrests during the past few months. Only 12 former State security officials were being detained, on suspicion of torturing prisoners. Those officials who had shot and killed prisoners without legal sentences would be treated as murderers.
Dr. Kucera said Russia's influence on Czechoslovakia's Ministry of the ;interior had ended. There were only two "liaison officers" attached to the Russian State security service. This was a "normal system" similar to Interpol.
The latest stage of Russia's "cat and mouse" pressure on the Czechs was a victory for Dubcek.—Russia's agreement to meet the country's leaders on their own soil.