I# • Laurie Nathan, National Organiser, End 2pm - 6pm : Registration Conscription Campaign. "ECC : where we come from, what we stand for and why we call for peace." • Jennifer Fergusson : Music and poetry. Registration for the festival costs R40.00 for • Stan James : Music. salaried individuals and R30.00 for others. These amounts are requested to help defray some of the festival expenses. If you are intending to come for only one day, or a part of one day, you are requested 9.30 pm : Concert to pay a R5,00 registration fee for that day. Stop the Call-up! Subsidy forms are available on request but subsidies cannot be guaranteed. • Facts • Rapula • The Softies • Nude Red 6.30 pm : Public meeting • Mapansula World in conflict — the need for peace

C h a ir: Benita Pavlecevic, Chairperson, End Conscription Committee, Johannesburg. • Cardinal Arns, Archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil,, internationally recognised as the leading critic of the excesses of Brazil's mil­ itary rulers. "The Latin American people's pursuit of justice". • Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate. "Conflict in Southern Africa : the South African Defence Force as aggressor and agent of destabilization" • Dr Beyers Naude, General Secretary, South African Council of Churches. "Civil war in : the need for justice, the requirements for peace". • Sir Richard Luyt, Civil Rights League. Local and international messages of sup­ port. his morning is taken up by options. Thefirst set begins at 9,00 am and the Tsecond at 11.00 am. Each set contains four options. You can choose to go to one in each set. Some options may tend more towards participa­ tion and workshopping; others lean more towards presentation and learning. But in all cases the options are the core of the festival where all delegates can make a creative contribution. Feel free to discuss and guestion. This will make them a success. For the weary, there is also the choice of a film.

OPTION 2: 9 am Options The Board for Religious Objection Co-ordinators : Conscientious Objector Support Group (COSG), Durban. OPTION 1: The International Cold War OPTION 3: Co-ordinators : Tony Karon, UDF Area Women and the military Committee, Observatory. Co-ordinator : WITS Women’s Movement. Max Ozinsky, National Union of South Afri­ can Students (NUSAS). OPTION 4: Black involvement in the SADF OPTION 2: Co-ordinators: Janet Cherry, End Conscrip­ The Defence Act, detentions and you tion Committee. Port Elizabeth. Co-ordinators : Johannesburg Detainees David Pijpers, ex-Cape Corps. Support Committee (DESCOM).

OPTION 3: South Africa's nuclear capacity Co-ordinator; John Weinberg, Koeberg Alert.

OPTION 4: Civil war in South Africa Co-ordinator : Chrispian Olver, End Con­ scription Committee, Cape Town.

11.00 Options

OPTION 1: Education — preparation for war? Co-ordinator : Ian Moll, National Education (NEUSA). THE PROGRAM AT A GLANCE THE PROGRAM AT A GLANCE Time Friday 18 June Venue 2pm - 6pm Registration Arcade 6.30 pm WORLD IN CONFLICT : THE NEED FOR PEACE Great Hall 8.30 pm Supper Box Theatre foyer 9.30 pm END CONSCRIPTION CONCERT Senate House parking garage

Saturday 29 June 9.00 International The Defence Act Civil war in South South Africa’s Film The Long Day Cold War or Detentions and you or Africa or nuclear capacity or is D ying (SS1) (Box Theatre) (SS2) (Mandela Room) (SS3) 10.30 Tea Arcade 11.00 Education: Prepa- The Board for Women and the Black involvement Film ration for War? or Religious Objection or military or in the SADF or Coming Home (Mandela Room) (Box Theatre) (ID Macrone) (SS5) (SS3) 12.30 Lunch Bozzoli Sports Pavillion 2.00 THE INTERNATIONAL STRUGGLE FOR PEACE Great Hall 3.30 Walk-about and tea Arcade 5.00 Southern Africa Non-violent Conscription and mili “There shall be peace Film post-Nkomati or Action Workshop or tarization: The role of or and friendship” or The Line (SS1) (Box Theatre) he Church (SS2) (SS3) v ' (Mandela Room) 6.30 Supper Bozzoli Sports Pavillion 8.00 TROOPS OUT! Great Hall 10.00 Bar Box Theatre foyer

Sunday 30 June

9.00 SADF in Namibia: Workshop on Dad’s The psychological SADF Hearts and Total strategy, total Film people's agony or Army or effects of militarization or Minds Campaign or war, military state or The Long Day is SHB2 (ID Macrone) (Mandela Room) (Box Theatre) and economy (SH03) D yin g (SHB1) 10.30 Walk-about and tea Arcade 11.30 SOME SAY NO SH6 1.00 Lunch Bozzoli Sports Pavillion 2.30 SCHOOLS' PANEL DISCUSSION SH6 4.00 Tea Box Theatre foyer 4.30 THE WAY FORWARD Arcade 6.30 Supper Bozzoli Sports Pavillion 7.30 SERVICE FOR PEACE Arcade 9.00 Bar and Peace Concert Box Theatre foyer SATURDAY AFTERNOON

2.00 pm Panel Discussion 5.00 pm: Options The international struggle for peace OPTION 1: Southern Africa post-Nkomati Co-ordinator : Keith Gottschalk, Chair­ Chair : Janet Cherry, End Conscription person, Civil Rights League. Committee, Port Elizabeth. OPTION 2: Participants : Non-Violent Action Workshop • Cardinal Arns, Archbishop of Sao Paolo, Co-ordinator: Conscientious Objector Sup­ Brazil. port Group (COSG), Durban. •Carol Tongue, Campaign for Nuclear Dis­ OPTION 3: armament, London. Conscription and militarization : the • Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace role of the Church Laureate. Co-ordinators : Father Albert Nolan, Insti­ • Murphy Morobe, Transvaal Executive, tute for Contextual Theology (ICT). United Democratic Front. Steve Sadie, Churches International Year of • Richard Steele, Conscientious Objector the Youth (IYY) Co-ordinating Committee. Support Group, Durban. OPTION 4: “There shall be peace and friendship” : The Co-ordinator for the '50s: Ezra Sigwela, 3.30 pm: Walk-about Active in the ’50s in the South African Peace Council. . . . for the '80s Khehla Shubane, Azanian Walk-abouts are the time to examine the Students Organisation (AZASO). displays and the stalls. In each walk-about (the other is at 10.30 on Sunday morning) there is also some music, some drama and 8.00 pm Public meeting some poetry. Troops out Stalls open during the walk-about will bethe • ECC stall • SASPU stall • JODAC stall A representative of the people of South Afri­ • War and Peace Group stall • UDF stall ca's townships and a Namibian represen­ • Conscientous Objector Support Group tative share a common platform. The End Advice Bureau • Bookshop. Conscription Campaign adds its voice to the call for the withdrawal of SADF troops from Displays include • War toys • Troops in Namibia and from our country's townships. the townships • Churches and militarization Chair: Molly Blackburn, Progressive • Women and militarization • Military and Federal Party (PFP) MPC, Port Elizabeth. education • A display of peace posters from Speakers: around the world • An ECC display. Stone Sizane, Publicy Secretary, United Democratic Front (UDF), Eastern Cape. Drama, music and poetry from • the Representative of the South West African JODAC culture group • Steve de Gruchy People's Organisation, SWAPO. • Katy Alexander • Jessica Sherman. Paddy Kearney, Director, Diakonia. In addition, there will be the premiere of the Music and Poetry: • Steve Kromberg ECC video. • Mzwakhe Mbuli • Roger Lucey. If you support our call to end conscription 9.00 am : Options: and the call for a just peace in South Africa, and you wish to become involved in the work of the campaign, leave your name with the people at the ECC stall. OPTION 1: SADF in Namibia : people’s agony Co-ordinator : Namibian Council of Chur­ ches (CCN). OPTION 2: 11.30 am Some say ‘No’ Workshop on Dad’s Army Panel discussion with Co-ordinator : Grahamstown Conscription Advice Bureau (GRACONS). conscientious objectors OPTION 3: The psychological effects of militarization Dr Ivan Toms, an objector who works at the SACLA clinic in Crossroads, outside Cape Co-ordinators : Organisation for Appropriate Town, is chair. Social Sciences in South Africa (OASSSA). The four participants are: OPTION 4: The SADF’s hearts and minds campaign Co-ordinators: Gavin Evans, Johannesburg Richard Steele, from Durban, who served a Democratic Action Committee (JODAC). year in detention barracks in 1980. He has Paul Dobson, conscientious objector, for­ recently presented evidence on behalf of mer SADF Civic Action Programme teacher. South African objectors to the United Nations Committee on Human Rights in OPTION 5: Geneva. Total strategy, total war: military, state and economy Pete Hathorn, who served a year in Polls- Co-ordinator : Graham Simpson, National moor Prison in 1983. He has since been Union of South African Students (NUSAS). active in the Conscientious Objector Sup­ port Group, Cape Town.

10.30: Walk-about David Schmidt, former chairperson of the National Catholic Federation of Students and of the Cape Town End Conscription This morning’s walk-about is the last oppor­ Committee who appeared before the Board tunity to see the displays and talk to people for Religious Objectors in September 1984. staffing the stalls. There will also be drama, He is now doing his community service as a music and poetry contributions from: teacher in Cape Town. • Port Elizabeth UDF Area Committee • James Kibby David Pijpers from Oudtshoorn who served • Katy Alexander for two years in the Cape Corps. He has • and the ECC video will be shown for those subsequently declared that he will refuse to who missed it yesterday. complete his contract with the SADF. SUNDAY AFTERNOON

2.30 pm : Schools’ panel 7.30 pm : Service for peace discussion Father Albert Nolan

The schools' panel discussion brings toge­ The service for peace is an opportunity for all ther pupils from Natal and Transvaal who have attended the festival to assert their schools. Each school is represented by a unity and their commitment to the demands team of five, one of whom co-ordinates. of the End Conscription Campaign. The ser­ Each team will be given a topic on the sub­ vice is open to Christian and non-Christian ject of war and peace. Ten minutes is set alike. It will include music and drama by aside for preparation and ten for presenta­ • Jessica Sherman tion. It is up to each team to apply their topic • Dave Schmidt to South Africa in any way they wish. The • Steve de Gruchy teams won't be competing against one ano­ • Kuvangano theatre group ther, nor will they be adjudicated. Rather than a debate between opponents, this discus­ sion will be a dialogue through which all will learn. There will be no single winner. Chair: Ian Moll, National Education Union of South Africa (NEUSA). • SUCA, the Student Union for Christian Action, will present "Minutes of Silence"

Chair: Clare Verbeek, End Conscription Committee, Johannesburg. • Carol Tongue, Campaign for (CND): The challenges facing the European . • Cheryl Carolus, former United Demo­ cratic Front (UDF) Executive : The special role of the youth in the struggle against cons­ 9.00 pm : Peace concert cription and for a just peace in our land. Unwind and relax with • Nadine Gordimer, Poetry reading • Malombo • Michael Evans, Chairperson, End Cons­ • Roger Lucey cription Committee, Cape Town: Building our • Stan James campaign - the way forward. • and others

= r H r Published by the End Conscription Campaign, produced by Typesetting Services. STOP THE CALL UP

£r\U fpt'L^rrx C&rnpouyK) ECC s path to peace In 1979, South African Defence Minister Many organisations responded to this General Magnus Malan said : “The decision and came together to establish (South African) Defence Force supports End Conscription Committees in Johann­ government policy and is responsible esburg, Cape Town and Durban by the for peace, law and order in this country. end of the year. The first national ECC This policy is the same as that laid down meeting took place at Wilgespruit near by Dr H F Verwoerd, namely multi­ Johannesburg in July 1984. It was nationalism and self-determination of decided to draw up the ECC Declaration nations.” (Cape Times 28/10/79) calling for a just peace in SA. The Declaration was endorsed by many Government policy has since changed organisations and individuals over the to entrench in the new tri- next few months. In October and racial constitution. Malan’s assertion of November the Declaration was launched South African Defence Force (SADF) in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg support for government policy remains. with extensive support for the campaign This political nature of the SADF has and widespread publicity of the Declara­ been a cause for concern in the white tion endorsers. community for many years. Opposition to the role of the military is not new. Church groupings have made repeated calls on the government to provide an TOWARDS A JUST PEACE IN OUR LAND alternative non-military form of national A Declaration fro E n d C o n s c r i p t i o n service. The late 1970s and early 1980s iA/e li/e in an unjust society where basic human rights are denied saw a rapid increase in the number of to the majority of the people. young men conscientiously objecting to We live in an unequal society where the land and wealth are serve in the SADF on religious, moral owned by the minority. and political grounds. This objection to iVe live in a society in a state of civil war, where brother it called on to fight brother. conscription is, however, confined to individuals and was severely curtailed \Nt call for an end to conscription. Young men are conscripted to maintain the illegal occupational by the Defence Amendment Act of Namibia, and to wage unjust war against foreign countries. 1983. (This Act increased the sentence Voung men are '«>r»ecripted to assist in the implementation and for consientious objectors from a defence of apartheid policies maximum of two years to a mandatory Young men ujho refusd-to serve a re faced with the choice of a six). life of exile or a possible si* years in prison. IVe call for an end to conscription.

The first more generalised opposition We be lieve -that the financial cost of the war increases the poverty of to the role of the military came from the our country, and that money should rather be used in the interests of peace when at its annual conference We believe that the extension of conscription to coloured and indian in 1983, a motion was passed calling for youths will increase conflict and further divide our country. an end to conscription. Subsequently, in WE BELJEVE THAT IT 15 THE MORAL RIGHT OF SOUTH AFRICANS TO EXERCISE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE July that year, at the fourth annual AND TO CHOOSE NOT TO SERVE IN THE SADF. conference of the Conscientious WE CALL FOR AN END TO CONSCRIPTION Objectors Support Group, a decision WE CALL FOR A JUST PEACE IN OUR LAND was taken to launch the End Conscrip­ tion Campaign. The ECC held its first national con­ ference in January 1985 where its constitution was drafted and a national organiser appointed. Here the idea to convene a national festival for peace was raised. Over the next months, amidst frenetic planning for the festival, ECCs were established in Port Elizabeth and Pietermaritzburg. Five End Conscription Committees (JHB, PE, PMB, CT, DBN), in which over 40 organisations have participated nationally have been set up in less than two years.

This rapid growth of the ECC has occurred with organi ations uniting around a number of areas of opposition to conscription. These have been express­ ed as follows: 1) Conscription intensifies the violent conflict in South Africa. This is engend­ ered by a political system which denies most South Africans basic human rights; 2) Conscription prolongs the war in Namibia. Forcing young men to fight in Namibia inhibits the implementation of United Nation’s Resolution 435 and the demand of many church and human concept of a just peace in our land, a rights groups that SA troops withdraw peace that can only be realised in a non- from Namibia to allow UN supervised racial, democratic South Africa. elections to take place. 3) Conscription is a cornerstone in the With the basis of opposition to con­ militarisation of South Africa. Conscrip­ scription so defined, the End Conscrip­ tion conditions society to accept the tion Committees have set themsevles a intrusion of the military into schools, number of tasks. Firstly, the ECCs are townships and the highest levels of attempting to create a coherent and political decision-making, and the SADFs educated voice of opposition to the role ongoing destabilisation of Southern of the military and to conscription. African states. Secondly, the ECCs provide a supportive 4) Conscription violates the right of the and stimulative environment for their individual to refuse in conscience to member organisations to take up this render military service and be granted opposition. And thirdly, the ECCs instead a non-military alternative. endeavour to propogate non-racialism 5) Conscription forces South African and build support for the non-racial youth to work hand in hand with the organisations representing the majority South African Police in the implementa­ of South Africa’s people, in order to tion of oppressive apartheid laws. work towards the goal of a just peace 6) Conscription is antithetical to the in our land. Violence is present wherever people are Racial classification forced to live in such a way that their Access to health, housing, education human potential and needs can never and employment is based on colour. be realised. Needs can only be adequately There is one doctor for every 400 whites met by a system of government that is in South Africa, and one doctor to answerable to the people it governs. every 90 000 blacks. While R129 million 73 per cent of South Africa’s people is spent on forced removals, only R8 have no say in the government of their million is allocated for housing in the country — a government that since 1948 has entrenched the system of apartheid latest budget. in the laws of this land. Detention and security legislation Influx control and migrant labour

Africans are forced to suffer the 70 people have to date died whilst humiliation and degradation of the in the custody of the South African ‘dompas’. There are over 200 000 police, and torture by the security arrests for pass law offences each year police is widely alleged. The accepted and 3,5 million people have been leaders of the black population have been forcibly relocated. Family life has been imprisoned. So far this year, 55 people destroyed for millions through the policy are facing charges of treason for their of migrant labour. active opposition to the system of apartheid and the hardships it imposes The homeland policy has deprived on the majority of South Africa’s more than 8 million South Africans of people. their citizenship. The impoverished The violence of apartheid is thus Bantustans are unable to provide even structured into every facet of South the bare essentials of an adequate African society. With the new tri- existence. Of every 1000 children born, racial parliament, apartheid has been 130 in the and 240 in the incorporated into South Africa’s will die from malnutrition before constitution. Until apartheid has been the age of one. eradicated, there can be no peace. To provide adequate meals for a is calculated to be about R250. Over family, parents need to have either 50 per cent of African households have land and the means to grow food, or the an income of less than R150 p/m and purchasing power to obtain food. over 70 per cent have less than R250. Land and the means to grow food Money shortages are severely exacer­ bated by price rises of essential food­ The Land Acts of 1913 and 1936 stuffs. In 1975 the bread price was 13 allocated 13 per cent of South Africa’s cents and 15 cents for brown and white land to 70 per cent of the total popu­ bread respectively. Now it stands at 40 lation. In the overcrowded Bantustans cents for brown and 60 cents for white poverty, malnutrition and disease are bread. A further 50 per cent price rise rife. In Kwazulu, the population density has recently been announced. in 1980 was 99 people/square km. The GST was introduced in 1979 at 4 per Buthelezi Commission found that even cent. It now stands at 12 per cent. with a 500 per cent increase in agricul­ GST most severely effects those with tural productivity, Kwazulu could only low purchasing power. support 1,5 million people. Already, the population is more than double this. While economic power in South Purchasing power Africa becomes increasingly centralised — 80 percent of the companies in the In 1984, white wage earners received Johannesburg Stock Exchange are an average of R1380 per month, while controlled by 7 corporations — life for African wage earners received an average most South Africans under apartheid is of R204 per month. Household income a battle for survival against the combined is an effective indicator of poverty. forces of poverty and the laws of the The monthly household subsistence level government. WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY IN A STATE OF CIVIL WAR WHERE BROTHER IS CALLED ON TO FIGHT BROTHER

Thoroughout South Africa’s history if not for a twisted government ideology people have struggled to create a just and the unjustifiable preservation of society. Strenuous efforts to bring about white supremacy. The barrel of a gun — democratic change by peaceful means this is the final meeting place, for black have consistently been made. In response and white, decreed by apartheid.” the state has repeatedly demonstrated its readiness to use violence to crush Professor John Dugard, a University peaceful opposition. In recent times of the Witwatersrand legal expert, has it has been conscripts who have had to perform this task against fellow South described the Eastern Cape as “Gestapo Africans. country”. Subsequent to the Uitenhage shootings on March 21st Mr Adriaan Vlok, simultaneously Deputy Minister The current situation was recently of Law and Order and of Defence, described by a speaker at a Civil Rights referred on SATV to the people of the League VE Day meeting as follows : Eastern Cape as “the enemy.” “Across the country, the townships are in a turmoil. The army occupies The increasing polarization of South the ‘hotspots’, patrols them, searches African society and the escalating spiral them — saracens and ratels dominate the of violence will continue as long as the streets — at every exit, a roadblock. root causes exist. A just peace in our land Behind the rifle a white kid’s eyes stare... can only be realised when apartheid is Hey, soldier for what are you fighting — replaced by non-racialism and democracy. YOUNG MEN ARE CONSCRIPTED TO MAINTAIN THE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF NAMIBIA AND TO WAGE UNJUST WAR AGAINST FOREIGN COUNTRIES

It is 14 years since the International The suffering of the Namibian people Court of Justice declared the South in their war-torn country is immense, African occupation of Namibia illegal. particularly in nothem Kavango and This 1971 ruling is no less valid today. Ovamboland where the war is most intense. ’ Intimidation, torture and South Africa has openly defied the brutalization of innocent people by consensus of the international commu­ South African armed forces is wide­ nity by increasing the number of troops spread. Andreas Kapitingo was spit- in Namibia and by bringing into exis­ roasted by Koevoet members resulting tence successive regimes not supported in the amputation of his right arm. The by the majority of Namibians (for offenders were fined R50 each. It is example, the Democratic Turnhalle estimated that over 10 000 Namibians, Alliance and the present Multi-Party 1 per cent of the total population, have Conference.) died in the 19 year war.

The escalating conflict in Namibia which has been described as ‘unwinnable’ by Lieutenant General Jannie Geldenhuys South Africa has repeatedly conduct­ is daily exacting a heavy cost in lives and ed acts of military aggression against finance. neighbouring countries. Since the 1975 invasion of Angola there have been numerous attacks. Examples are : 1978 In 1980 P W Botha announced that Cassinga (Angola), 1982 Maseru South Africa had spent R3000 million (Lesotho) and 1983 Maputo (Mozam­ on “infrastructure and defense” in bique). The latest of these is the shocking Namibia. Annually the war is costing raid into Gabarone, Botswana, where 14 R600 million, over 1 million per day, people were killed including a six year with more being spent bolstering old child. Many were injured including a Namibia’s apartheid society. pregnant woman who is still in a critical condition.

It is widely believed that South Africa follows a generalised policy of destabili­ zation, providing support for the MNR in Mocambique, UNITA in Angola, super- ZAPU (dissidents) in Zimbabwe and the LLA in Lesotho. Pik Botha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has recently admitted that South Africa has assisted the MNR (Renamo) in the past and would assist them in the future if necessary. YOUNG MEN ARE CONSCRIPTED TO ASSIST IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND DEFENCE OF APARTHEID POLICIES

The SADF is increasingly being used to Migrant workers carry out government policy. Such activities have ranged from assisting in In 1981, during the municipal work­ forced removals, arresting people for ers’ strike, prior to any settlement, the pass offences, patrolling townships and SADF sealed off the workers’ compounds manning roadblocks around the country. and forced workers onto trucks returning Some of the more recent examples to the homelands. follow: Roadblocks, cordons, sweep and Forced removals search operations One of the most publicised removals was in 1983 when the people of Magopa 1982 - SADF aids SAP in 633 road­ were forcibly removed to Pachsdraai by blocks, 22 cordon operations, 10 sweep the SADF. Magopa was declared an and search operations. (RDM 23/10/83 operational area for the duration of the as quoted from Dr Philip Frankel in removals. ‘Pretoria’s Praetorians’) The SADF has also been involved in re­ 1983/84 — 27000 SADF troops involved movals in the following areas : in manning roadblocks in SA from April * The Zimbabwe and border area. ’83 to March ’84. (Cape Times 18/5/84) * St Lucia, where a SADF missile base 1984/85 — Since October 23 1984, was to be built. The whole area was when 7000 troops sealed off and searched sealed off and declared an operational the townships of Sebokeng, Sharpeville area. and Boipatong there has been a contin­ * Mafeking to Zeerust, relocating people uous presence of SADF troops in the in Bophutatswana. Transvaal and Eastern Cape townships. * Ditakwaneng in the Northern Cape. Over twenty townships across the count­ * Riemvasmaak near Augrabies Falls. ry have been occupied by the SADF. * Maremane area — now Lohatla — the site of operation thunderchariot. * Kosi Bay to Ingwavuma. Involvement in townships

Pass arrests The SADF have become permanently garrisoned in many townships. They have Many of these have occurred in the been involved in the tear-gassing of last year during the seal and search mourners at funerals and in breaking up operations conducted by the SADF and peaceful rent protests. They have made the SAP (largely in Tembisa, Sebokeng, numerous arrests and according to the Sharpeville, Boipatong and Thokoza). Minister of Law and Order Mr Louis Le Most offenders in these arrests hae been Grange, replying to a question in parlia­ pass offenders. (Information : Star — ment, have been responsible for 5 deaths 23/10; 24/10; 14/11; 16/11 1984) in the townships since the Uitenhage shootings this year. (C. Times 13/6/85) YOUNG MEN WHO REFUSE TO SERVE ARE FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF A LIFE OF EXILE OR A POSSIBLE SIX YEARS IN PRISON

The only grounds on which alternative service to the military is made available are those of universal religious pacifism. Such cases are heard by the Board for Religious Objection headed by Judge Steyn. This definition excludes most potential objectors : provision is not made for those objecting to military service on religious grounds in terms of the Just War theory or on moral and political grounds. The present sentence for such objectors is a mandatory six years in a civilian prison.

Several people such as Peter Moll, Billy Paddock, Peter Hathom and Paul Dobson have served time for their beliefs under the previous legislation, which carried a 2 year maximum sentence. For the majority who feel that they are unable to render service in the SADF on grounds of individual con­ science, the options are extremely Increasing numbers of young men are limited. Young men who are not pre­ refusing to serve in the SADF on moral, pared to fight in the SADF but who religous and political grounds. The wold like to serve their country in a number of men who failed to report for constructive and peaceful manner, are national service this January (1985) faced a choice of a life in exile or six alone was 7589, as compared with 1956 years in prison. for the whole of last year. WE BELIEVE THAT THE FINANCIAL COST OF THE WAR INCREASES THE POVERTY OF OUR COUNTRY, AND THAT MONEY SHOULD RATHER BE USED IN THE INTERESTS OF PEACE

...... —. the war in Namibia alone over the last few decades, and consumes is estimated to be some R600 million a significant proportion of the budget. annually, while the total daily defence In 1960 the defence budget was R44 budget is estimated at R12 million. million. The 1984/5 defence budget is Although R12 could build one hospital, R4,2 billion, 15,4 per cent of the total Mitchell’s Plain with a population the budget. This in itself could be a conser­ size of Bloemfontein’s, is denied a general vative estimate, given that money can hospital allegedly due to lack of funds. be channelled to defence through other This is but one isolated example. Basic state departments. A Special Defence human rights such as health and housing Account exists, and during the fiscal are suffering at the expense of the escalat­ years of 1979/80 and 1980/81, amounts ing and on-going war. were allegedly drawn from this account equal to more than half again of the In the most recent Defence White regular budget. “If the same proportions Paper, Minister of Defence Magnus Malan apply today, another R2150 million has indicated that defence spending will could be added to the latest defence remain a top priority. Defence spending budget of R4274 million” (Sun. Star undboutedly adds a severe strain to an 14/4/85). Much military related expendi­ already strained economy. This was one ture is the responsibility of other govern­ of the motivations for raising of GST ment departments, for example housing made by the Minister of Finance, who for personnel and construction of bases said that the military had overspent its is not reflected in the defence budget budget by R300 million. itself. While state expenditure on education The End Conscription Committee has increased, budget allocations for believes that a direct correlation exists fundamental necessities such as health between defence spending and the and housing remain alarmingly low. increasingly depressed living standards Infant mortality rates, squatter camps of the majority of our people. No amount and gross over-crowding are merely of military spending will provide the an aspect of this. solution to political problems. WE BELIEVE THAT THE EXTENSION OF CONSCRIPTION TO COLOUR­ ED AND INDIAN YOUTH WILL INCREASE CONFLICT AND FURTHER DIVIDE OUR COUNTRY “You can’t ask a man to fight for his the UDF and National Forum have country if he can’t vote.” started conscription activities. F W de Klerk, leader of Tvl NP ’82 There are already substantial numbers of coloured and Indian youth in the “When they have the vote, gradually SADF. One of the main reasons for this we will extend their service too, is the high unemployment experienced naturally as we did with the whites.” by these groups. In the words of a Cape P W Botha, Cape Times 4/11/83 Corps recruit : “There are many people living arourd us who have sent their With the new constitution, extension sons to the army because they do not of conscription to coloured and Indian have work and are no longer schooling. South Africans has become imminent. Sometimes the police come and frighten It has frequently been made clear that you, and the best way to stay out of extension of “rights” implies the obli­ trouble is to go to the army — where gation to defend those “rights.” else can you go? We get a lot of money there. I would not get such money in a It has been speculated that one of the job.” motivations for the new constitution was to increase the number of eligible con- The extension of conscription will scriptees, as the currently conscripted give the South African conflict a non- white community becomes more strained racial appearance reinforcing the idea in combatting internal unrest. Extension that the conflict is between South of conscription will result in militarism African and a foreign agressor, and is and military ideology being more effect­ not a result of apartheid policies. As ively extended to a wider community. Comdt. M Swanepoel of 21 batallion (a black unit said: “With blacks in SA Opposition to these initiatives has army uniforms you can say, ‘heck, this begun amongst many youth, student and proves that this is not a white man’s other democratic organisations. Both struggle any more.” WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE MORAL RIGHT OF SOUTHl AFRICANS TO EXCERCISE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND TO CHOOSE NOT TO SERVE IN THE SADF WE CALL FOR AN END TO CONSCRIPTION WE CALL FOR A JUST PEACE IN OUR LAND

Issued by End Conscription Committee 126 Chapel Street Woodstock Printed by Allies Press College Road Greenhaven 1985

Collection Number: AG1977

END CONSCRIPTION CAMPAIGN (ECC)

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