Priest’s funeral becomes rally

Press, 5 November 1984, Page 6

Priest’s funeral becomes rally

NZPA-AP Warsaw The funeral of a proSolidarity priest turned into a huge rally for the outlawed union yesterday as between 150,000 and 250,000 mourners jamming the streets, perched in trees and camped on roof-tops, chanted “Solidarity” and cheered Lech Walesa. “Solidarity lives because you gave your life for it,” Mr Walesa told the cheering crowd gathered to pay last respects to the Rev. Jerzy Popieluszko at his Warsaw church. “A Poland that has such priests and such a population so faithful and so devoted in Solidarity hasn’t perished and will not perish.” Mr Walesa said.

“We shall never forget this death.” The crowd repeated Mr Walesa’s words, then broke into a deafening chant of “Solidarity.” Father Popieluszko’s funeral was the biggest show of support for the outlawed independent labour federation since Pope John Paul II visited in June, 1983. His voice thundering from large loudspeakers, Mr Walesa spoke from an outdoor altar on the balcony of the St Stanislaw Kostka Catholic church. Looking on were most of the former Solidarity leadership, much of the Western diplomatic corps and representatives of the nation’s Council of State,

Parliament, and the Warsaw city authorities. No uniformed police were visible in the area and there were no reports of violence. Church volunteers kept order in the crowd. Convoys of Zomo;.. riot police, including [some water cannon, were earlier spotted heading in the direction of the church and Sparking in nearby streets, ii The Primate of Poland, Cardinal Jozef Glemp, told mourners that Fathej* Popieluszko’s death aft the hands of police agents should serve to bring the Communist Government into dialogue with the Polish people. “Perhaps the sacrifice of Father Jerzy is necessary so

that the Polish people wil not meet again around the coffin of a martyr but around a table,” Cardinal Glemp said, appealing tc the authorities to undertake a “real dialogue” with the Polish people. “Reflections over this coffin give us perspectives foi our social life. Social and political thought should follow the reflections.” An Interior Ministry communique carried by the official Pap news agency said the director of an Interior Ministry department, Major-General Zenon Platek, had been suspended “for lack of sufficient supervision” in the wake of Father Popieluszko’s death. Two colonels have been arrested.