POLAND: CONTINUING UNREST

Created: 2/5/1982

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

POLAND: Continuing Unrest

The firet confirmed strike pro tee ting price increases has Uzkcn place, and student activity against ths vayim lias mount-Western banks, meanwhile, are stepping up presr-ov on Poland.

Workersactory in Krakow on Tuesdayalf-hour work stoppage to protest price increases instituted the previous day. bbbbbbbW

Comment: Although it is unclear how the strike was ended, such short job actions could be partlan by Solidarity to rebuild worker self-confidence and reestablish the union's strength. Short strikes could temporarily frustrate efforts by the regime to maintain control. bj

Student Unrest Increasing

Young people in secondary schools also appear to be caught up in the ferment. High school students in several provinces have been distributing leaflets and attempting to organize demonstrations; earlier this week half the students at two Warsaw highschools attended class one day dressed in black.

Despite evidence of increasing opposition from yoong people, the government announced yesterday that most universities will reopen next Monday.

Commonti The authorities apparently believe they can better control students on the campuses rather than at homo. The regime is gambling that tightenedand the threat of expulsion and possible induc^on into the military will keep students in line.

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The government still seems to be moving with caution, however, because several technical schools known foractivity apparently will not yet reopen. Unrest among secondary students is particularly difficult for the regime to deal with becauselaw regulations do not permit internment of anyone fj

Pressure From Creditors

Western bankers are demanding more money from Warsaw before they will conclude the much-delayed private debt rescheduling agreement They want Poland to0 million of overdue interest payments1 byebruary. In addition, they also insist that Poland0 million in interest due in the first two months2 before the agreement1 takes effect on April.

Comment: Although the banks may not declare default if Poland does not make the payments, the threat offorces the Poles to attach high priority to interest payments to private banks in allocating their meager hard currency funds.

Original document.

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