Prepared and Distributed by the Polonia Media Network
SPULA ASKS POLAND FOR INFO
ABOUT COMMUNISTS
Chicago (PMN)—Twenty years after communist rule ended in Poland, Frank J. Spula, National President of the Polish American Congress (PAC), wrote to Janusz Kurtyka, President of Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), on January 29, 2009, regarding alleged communist influence in American Polonia.
"For some time now," wrote Spula, "Polonian circles in the United States are being informed of attempts undertaken in Poland and the U.S. - based on documentation of the IPN - to reveal former agents, collaborators with the secret services of the Polish People’s Republic (PRL), who operated, and, possibly, continue to operate, within American Polonia."
Spula stated that this information engenders much interest from Polonian organizations and Americans of Polish descent. But, he said, information about these matters is, at present, selective and incomplete. That creates the possibility of varying interpretations, aggressive speculation, mutual accusations and personal conflicts. He suggested that this could have a negative impact both on American Polonia and on its cooperation with Poland.
He appealed to IPN to undertake systematic studies on the activities of agents of PRL within Polonian circles in the United States, and to inform the Polish American Congress of the results of such studies.
"Comprehensive and credible information prepared by IPN specialists, in accordance with scientific principles of thoroughness and openness," he added, "would serve to reveal historical truth and to strengthen relations between Polonia and democratic Poland. On our part, we guarantee full cooperation in filling in the blank spots of our mutual history."