World League for Freedom and Democracy
The World Anti-Communist League (WACL) was an international right-wing political organization. It was founded in 1966 in Taipei, Taiwan, under the initiative of Chiang Kai-Shek, and with the aim of opposing Communism around the world through "uncoventional" methods. It had eight regional branches, with a presence in up to 100 countries on six continents. The honorary life chairman of the WACL was Dr. Ku Cheng-Kang, a senior leader of the Kuomintang, and the president of Taiwan's National Assembly.
The WACL performed elaborate annual conferences at various locations throughout the world. The WACL's core activity involved providing financial and material aid to right-wing organisations and anti-communist militias around the world, notably by providing scholarships for psychological warfare trainings at the Political Warfare Cadres Academy in Taiwan.
The WACL had close ties with the governments of Taiwan under Kuomintang] rule, and (to a lesser extent), South Korea. Naturally, WACL had firm enemies on the International Left and major efforts were made to discredit it by saying that numerous groups, some of questionable repute, also participated in the WACL, i.e: the Unification Church, and, it was said various Latin American death squads, and some former World War II Axis government officials wanted for war crimes. Both the Soviet and Red Chinese government front organisations in the West funded disinformation about the WACL.
In 1978, Roger Pearson, said to be a well-known 'fascist' and white supremacist, became the chairman of the WACL, until he was deemed too extreme and therefore expelled in 1980. During the 1980s, the WACL was particularly active in Latin America, notably by aiding the Contra forces in Nicaragua.
WACL produced numerous publications, such as "Can the Two Chinas become One?" by S.Senese, and D.Pikcunas, (1989).
The 21st WACL Conference was held in Geneva, 27-29 August, 1988, which was addressed by U.S.Congressmen Richard Armey and George Wortley, as well as Major-General John K. Singlaub. The League held its 22nd World Conference in Brussels in July 1990. But following the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1990 and 1991, WACL's main purpose, at least in Europe, became less clear.
On September 17, 1994, The "Irish Times'" reported that the WACL is now known as the 'World League for Freedom and Democracy'. It is still sponsored by Taiwan and South Korea and now officially has turned itself to "global affairs, the need for peace initiatives and co-operating with developing countries."
Two further reports have been noted holding the World League for Freedom and Democracy responsible for producing what its opponents call "troops of killers", while ostensibly organizing to provide support for Corazon Aquino from the right-wing in the Philippines (The Village Voice, February 27, 1996) and for supporting the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) movement in Mozambique ('"The Guardian", August 6, 1994).
See also
- John Gamble, a former Canadian Member of Parliament, who led a Canadian affiliate of the WACL in the 1980s.
- Ron Gostick, another long time leader of the Canadian WACL chapter.
- Australian League of Rights
Further reading
- Witold S.Sworakowski, "The Communist International & Its Front Organisations", The Hoover Institution, Stanford, California, 1965, Library of Congress Cat.no: 65-12622.
- Charles Hobday, "Communist & Marxist Parties of The World", U.K.,1986, ISBN: 0-582-90264-9
- Ian F.W.Beckett, "The Roots of Counter-Insurgency" London, 1988, ISBN: 0-7137-1922-2
- "Free World Report", January, 1989, p.4.
- Scott Anderson and Jon Lee Anderson, Inside The League: The Shocking Expose Of How Terrorists, Nazis, And Latin American Death Squads Have Infiltrated The World Anti-Communist League, Dodd Mead, New York, 1986. ISBN 0-396-08517-2.
External links
- World Anti-Communist League, background on WACL from Right Web advocacy journalism and analysis of right-wing organizations.