Pope John Paul defends Africa

Press, 10 May 1980, Page 8

Pope John Paul defends Africa

NZPA-Reuter Accra, Gnana | Pope John Paul has ac-' cused industrialised countries of dealing with Third World nations in terms of; self-interest and attempts to strengthen already dominant' positions. ■ I The Pope made his com-: ment to President Hilla Li-u mann, of Ghana, after flying' across Africa from Kenya on Thursday to a chaotic but’ happy welcome in Ghana on the : next stage' of his sixnation African tour. He was nearly over-run by' a crowd at Accra Airport' who broke through a police cordon but was isolated: from his enthusiastic well-! wishers by a podium. He! later left for the city to; celebrate an open-air mass! in Independence Square. “Too often the relations,; between states are seen in|’ terms of mere self-interest i or of strengthening already;i dominant positions and of pressure applied, through i aid,’’ the Pontiff told the : Ghanaian leader. i “The result is- that older!;

iand economically more advanced nations fail to see [that the young countries jhave .much more to offer than simply a share of their natural resources or being a market for the products of industrialised nations,” he I added. !

Ine Pope is apparently developing a church attitude towards the Third World. In previous speeches on his tour he had denounced the tyranny and exploitation in Africa and told Africans they should do more to take part in political decisions affecting their society. On Ghana, whose economy is in ruins and whose political scene is sometimes tense, the Pope said:. ‘‘lt is my h'ope- that all citiziens will loyally work together without” letting barriers arise between individuals and groups.” He was apparently referring to sporadic tension between President Limann, who was elected last September) and former Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, who toppled a military regime last April and paved the way for the election.' Mr Rawlings was prematurely retired from the Air Force but remains a very popular figure and he was loudly cheered when he made an appearance on -the Pope’s motorcade route.-