END CONSCRIPTION COMMITTEE P. 0. B O X 208 WOODSTOCK 7915

26 February 1985

Dear Friend

The End Conscription Committee (E.C.C.) is a broad front of organisations which have come together to oppose compulsory conscription into the South African Defence Force. The campaign is being waged nationally and aims to raise awareness of the militarisation of our society and to unite and mobilise as broad a sector of the population as possible. A brief history of the campaign is enclosed.

Young people are most directly affected by conscription. They are often antagonistic to the S. A. D. F. and its role in defending Apartheid. They are therefore potentially open to the message of E.C.C.

E.C.C. has decided to prioritise the International Youth Year campaign in 1985. In particular it is aiming to give a strong anti-conscription content to the npeacen theme. E.C.C. is taking up the I.Y.Y. campaign in two ways: firstly, through the organisation of the youth constituency against conscription and secondly, by participating in other I.Y.Y. structures. Presently E.C.C. is represented on the I.Y.Y. committees of both the United Democratic Front and the South African Council of Churches. The Western Cape E. C. C.'s plans for Youth Year are enclosed.

We would greatly appreciate any assistance you might give us, in particular any resources. Anything received from you will be circulated to our branches in Johannesburg and Durban.

We are also currently trying to raise finances through overseas agencies. Once again, any assistance which you could give would be appreciated. A budget application i3 attached.

We look forward to working with you in the I.Y.Y. campaign and in the worldwide struggle against Apartheid.

Yours in the struggle for peace

MICHAEL EVANS Chairperson: END CONSCRIPTION COMMITTEE (WESTERN CAPE) t « G i l s ' End Conscription Campaign

227/9 Khotso House 42 De Villiers Street BOX 537

9nnnnnesburs Kengray 2100 Tel: 337-6796 ^ March 1988 Telex: 4-86519 S.A.

Dear Friends

I am writting to you to inform you about the trial of conscientious objector Ivan Toms, the recently held ECC National Conference and to provide you with an update of our activities over the last few months.

Ivan Toms 1 Trial Ivan appeared in court on 29 February, in , for refusing to serve a 21 day camp in the South African Defence force in November last year. His trial lasted four days and he was convicted and sentenced to 21 months in prison. He started his jail sentence on the night of 3 March.

After being convicted by the magistrate, a number of witnesses appeared in mitigation of his sentence. The Anglican Bishop of Grahamstown, The Right Rev David Russell, told the court that Ivan was being obedient to his church and obeying the bible by refusing to serve in the SADF, and that he had the backing of the Anglican churchj.

Another witness, Prof John Dugard, Professor of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand, argued that in terms of international law, conscripts faced a 'Waldheim dilemma1 by serving in the SADF. Conscripts who served in the townships or Namibia could find themselves arrested and prosecuted in 81 countries for the crime of aiding Apartheid, he said.

Pastor Oswald Shivuti, Secretary to the Ovamboland Assembly in Namibia, told the court that in six years he had received 632 complaints of SADF mistreatment of civilians. He said that two white men had left a package at a bank in Oshakati, in Namibia last month, just before a massive explosion took place, which killed 26 people. South Africa has blamed SWAPO for the bomb blast.

The trial received excellent press coverage in the newspapers around South Africa (See enclosed press clippings). Other aspects of the campaign in support of Ivan included vigils being held simultaneously the night befor the trial in Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth and Pietermaritzburg. On the whole, they were fairly well attended. A country wide picket was held the day after Ivan was sentenced. Follow up plans include protest meetings to be held by some of the branches around the country, a monthly fast on the day that Ivan was sentenced and support work for Ivan while he is in jail.

As usual, we feel that any sort of support you could give ECC and Ivan would be very useful and appreciated. We believe that foreign pressure does have an effect on our government and it could help in reducing the time Ivan has to spend in jail.

You could show your support for Ivan and his refusal to participate in the SADF by: * Writing letters of protest or sending petitions to General , the Minister of Defence, at the following address: The Minister of Defence Box 47 Cape Town 8000 * sending copies of the letters to the following newspapers: The Editor The Editor The Cape Times The Star 122 St George's St 47 Sauer St Cape Town Johannesburg 8001 2001 * sending letters of support to Ivan at: 28 Bell st Kenilworth 7700

We will keep in touch with you and let you know how Ivan is getting on in Pollsmoor prison.

ECC National Conference

We managed to hold a conference attended by 150 delegates from our branches around the country. We have not held a conference since the State of Emergency was been declared , one and a half years ago. The conference therefor , was important in terms of rebuilding the national character of our campaign, which has tended to become regionally dispersed under the Emergency. The fact that we were able to hold a conference during the State of Emergency, albeit at a secret venue with delegates having secret travel plans, was an accomplishment.

The major focus of the conference was on building a common understanding of our "new" focus on conscription. The State of Emergency regulations have restricted us from calling for an End to Conscription. Therefor, in the last year and ahalf we have focussed on the broad militarization of South African society and have tended to lose our sharp and clear focus of being opposed to conscription into the SADF.

Our assessment was that we have not been as effective as we have been in the past and the feeling was that although we had faced harassment from the state, part of the problem was that our message was not as clear as it had been in the past. Therefor the Conference was important in bringing together the conceptual discussions that had been held in the different regions and forging a common understanding of our "new" focus on conscription.

In essence, the "new" focus that emerged during the conference was that we need to address all of our constituencies in terms of how they are effected by conscription. In this focus, the most important constituency that we need to be getting to is the conscript. The conscript constituency is seen as consisting of the soldier, the veteran, and the person eligiable for service in the SADF.

In order to reach the conscript, Conference felt that we needed to be providing them with information about the SADF and with a service. For example, we have decided to embark on 'Know your Rights' forums and the preparation of a 'Know your Rights' booklet to inform conscripts of their rights in the SADF. We will also be putting more emphasis on our Conscription Advice Services.

Our "new" focus on conscription has implications for ECC as we need to become more representative of the conscripted community; we need to have more conscripts in ECC, especially those who have served in the SADF. To reach soldiers, our public spokespeople need to be people who can speak authoritatively about conscription and the SADF - those who have served in the SADF.

While the focus does have implications for ECC and changes that need to be made in order to make ECC and its message more accessible to the conscripted community, we are still opposed to conscription into the SADF and the role of the SADF in South Africa and Southern Africa. The "new" focus on conscription was concretised at the conference in terms of a campaign that is planed to take place from April to August. The Campaign is called "Action for Alternative National Service". It will begin with a launch of a Know Your Rights Booklet that will be widely distributed amongst conscripts. The early phase of the campaign will focus on informing conscripts of their rights in the SADF. As the time of the August call up approaches we aim to lobby for realistic alternatives to miliatry service and engage in debate with different constituencies and with the state on the issue of conscription. We will also be involved in a number of substantial Alternative Service Projects demonstrating the sort of alternative service that should be avaliable to conscripts. At the time of the August Call-up we will embark on a number of protest actions. We aim to climax the campaign with a consultative conference flowing from which will be the presentation to the state a set of demands demanding realistic alternatives to service in the SADF.

The Conference also resolved that we need to pay more attention to the role of the SADF in Southern African countries and in Namibia. We also felt that we needed to pay much more attention to research and to provide information about the SADF and its activities. Other sessions focused on our internal structures and the sharing of information between the different regions.

All in all, the conference was very successful and generated enthusiasm amongst all of our activists, with clarity being provided on our direction and plans formulated for the forthcomming year.

Public work

Most of our energies over the past few months have been channeled into Ivan's campaign. However, we ran a call-up focus around the February call-up. This included running 'Know Your Rights' forums for conscripts in the different cnetres and church services. Pamphlets informing conscripts of their rights were also distributed.

Orientation weeks were held for new students on the university campuses in February, and ECC participated successfully in them, with 500 new students signing up as active members of ECC.

Smear Campaign

In December last year, thresconscripts were arrested by the SADF and were court- marshalled for conspiring to disclose information to the ECC. The information that they were "conspiring to disclose" consisted of evidence that the SADF was involved in producing and distributing anonymous smear pamphlets and posters in an attempt to undermine and discredit ECC. In the words of the officer presiding over the court marshall, the SADF had attempted to discredit ECC in order to undermine its goodwill- in the sense of its ability to attract members and funds.

We have long been aware that a well co-ordinated smear campaign has been conducted againstus in an attempt to undermine the effectiveness of our campaign. Smear pamphlets have been distributed to schools, teachers, churches and within the SADF. Pamphlets have also been dropped by helicopters at our public events. We have suspected that the SADF has been involved in this smear campaign and now concrete proof has emerged that the SADF have illegally been trying to discredit us in the eyes of the white community. The content of the smears against us have usually been to link us to Moscow and to expose us as 'comunists'.

The three conscriptshave been sentenced to 18 months in detention barracks, but their case is presently under review by the supreme court.

(SEE enclosed press clippings) Harassment

We have not experienced much directharassment from the state. Smear publications have continued to appear, although they have started to appear under the guise of organisations such as 'Vetrans for Victory1 and 'Women for South Africa'

Two ECC member were arrested and held briefly by Security Police in Johannesburg. They had confronted two suspicious looking people with guns who were prowling around looking at cars outside the vigil. They refused to identify themselves and arrested the ECC members, Eckardt Scholtfeld and Andrew Wais, and charged them with obstruction of police, assult and resisting arrest. They are due to appear in court shortly, but our lawyers feel that the charges will most probably be dropped. After the Vigil held in Pretoria, two members retur ned to their homes, one to find that a brick had been thrown through her window and the other to a graffitied 'Traitor' sprayed inside his bedrooom.

Generally, the state seems to be tightening up on anti-Apartheid groupings. 17 organisations including the UDF and DPSC were all but in name banned , while COSATU was severely restricted. While all of these organisations worked predominantly in the black community, other organisations will probably be targeted in the future. These will probably include 'white' organisations such as ECC, the National Union Of South African Students (NUSAS), the Black Sash and Idasa.

New legislation has also been tabled in Parliament to enable the government to cut off foreign funding of organisations, (SEE press clippings).

Please find enclosed press clippings relating to Ivan's trial, the SADF's smear campaign, foreign funding, and some general press clips.

Yours for a just peace

A-

Alastair Teeling-Smith ECC National Secretary End Conscription Campaign EndConscription

G M - 5 " 337-6796 Tel: Telex: 4-86519 SA 4-86519 Telex: Johannesburg 2000 Vi De II42 Slreel i House ers Khoiso 227 ;9 * Writing letters of protest or sending petitions to General Magnus Malan, the the Malan, Magnus General to petitions sending or protest of letters Writing * You could show your support for Ivan and his refusal to participate in the SADF SADF the in participate to refusal his and Ivan for to support has by: your Ivan show time could the You would reducing in Ivan help and ECC could it give and government could our you on support effect of sort any that feel we usual, As e ey sfl n apeitd W eiv ta frin rsue os ae an have does pressure foreign that jail. in believe spend We appreciated. and useful very be monthly fast on the day that Ivan was sentenced and support work for Ivan while while Ivan for work support and include sentenced was Ivan plans up that Follow day the on sentenced. fast was Ivan monthly after day the held was picket wide rts etns o e ed y oeo h bace aon tecuty a country, the around branches jail. in the is country of he A some by held attended. be well to fairly meetings were protest they whole, the On Pietermaritzburg. and blast. bomb the for SWAPO blamed has Africa South people. 26 The trial received excellent press coverage in the newspapers around South Africa Africa South around newspapers the in coverage press excellent received trial The Oshakati, in bank a of at package a mistreatment left SADF had of men white complaints two 632 that said received He had he civilians. years six in that for court countries 81 in said. he prosecuted and Apartheid, arrested aiding of themselves crime find the could Namibia or iwtrrn, rudta i trs f nentoa lw cncit fcd a faced conscripts the law, of University international the of at terms Law in of that Professor argued Dugard, John backing Witwatersrand, Prof the had witness, he that Another and SADF, the in Rev Right serve church. to The Anglican refusing the by of Grahamstown, of bible the Bishop obeying Anglican The sentence. his of mitigation Pastor Oswald Shivuti, Secretary to the Ovamboland Assembly in Namibia, told the the told Namibia, in Assembly Ovamboland the to Secretary Shivuti, Oswald Pastor in Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth Elizabeth Port trial London, the East befor Durban, night the Johannesburg, simultaneously Pretoria, held Town, being Cape in vigils included Ivan killed which place, took explosion massive a before just month, last Namibia in and church his to obedient being was in Ivan that appeared court the witnesses told of number Russell, a David magistrate, the by convicted being After 21 day camp in the South African Defence force in November last year. His trial trial His year. last November in force Defence African South the in camp day 21 Friends Dear (See enclosed press clippings). Other aspects of the campaign in support of of support in campaign the of aspects Other clippings). press enclosed (See started his jail sentence on the night of 3 March. 3 of night the on sentence jail his started months. few last the over activities our of update lasted four days and he was convicted and sentenced to 21 months in prison. He He prison. in months 21 to sentenced and convicted was he and days four lasted Ivan appeared in court on 29 February, in Cape Town, for refusing to serve a serve to refusing for Town, Cape in February, 29 on court in appeared an Ivan with you provide Toms’ to Trial Ivan and objector Conference conscientious National of ECC trial held the about recently you the inform Toms, to Ivan you to writting am I 'Waldheim dilemma' by serving in the SADF. Conscripts who served in the townships townships the in served who Conscripts SADF. the in serving by dilemma' 'Waldheim iitro eec, t h floig address: following the at Defence, of Minister 8000 47 Box ae Town Cape The Minister of Defence Defence of Minister The £ r < d Ca£ m r < p d O ' y ” Box 537 537 Box ac 1988 March 7 2100 Kengray year and ahalf we have focussed on the broad militarization of South African African South of militarization broad the on have focussed have regulations Emergency of we ahalf and State year The conscription. on focus "new" our branches our from delegates 150 by attended conference a hold to managed We in on getting is Ivan how know you let and you with touch in keep will We more representative of the conscripted community; we need to have more conscripts conscripts more have to need we community; conscripted the of representative will We more SADF. the in 'Know a rights of their of have preparation we the conscripts and example, inform For forums to Rights' service. booklet a your 'Know Rights' with and on your SADF embark the to about decided information with them understanding common a past. forging the in and conscription. been regions on had it focus as different "new" the in clear our as of held not past was been had the in that been message have our we as that was effective problem as the been of not have we that was assessment Our a at albeit that Emergency, of fact The State the Emergency. during the under conference a , was hold dispersed to able therefor Emergency of regionally were we State conference become the to The since ago. tended has years half a and , conference one a held not declared have been We was country. the around prison. Pollsmoor at: Ivan to support of letters sending * e r sil poe t osrpin noteSD ad h oeo teSD in SADF the of role the and SADF Africa. made the be into to Southern need and that conscription Africa to South changes opposed and ECC still for are we implications SADF. have the does in focus served the have While who those - SADF the and become to conscription need we as ECC for implications has conscription on focus "new" Our SADF. the in service for eligiable conscription. person by the and effected are veteran, they the how of terms in constituencies our of all address to discussions conceptual the together bringing part in state, important the from was Conference harassment the faced had Therefor we although that was feeling the and SADF. last the into the in Therefor, conscription to Conscription. of to End an for understanding calling common a from us building on restricted was accomplishment. an conference was the of plans, focus travel major secret The having delegates with venue secret Conference National ECC newspapers: following the to letters the of copies sending * public spokespeople need to be people who can speak authoritatively about about authoritatively speak can who people be to need spokespeople public Services. Advice Conscription our on emphasis more putting be also opposed being of focus clear and sharp our lose to tended have and society important in terms of rebuilding the national character of our campaign, which which campaign, our of character national the rebuilding of terms in important in ECC, especially those who have served in the SADF. To reach soldiers, our our soldiers, reach To SADF. the in served have who those especially ECC, in providing be to needed we that felt Conference soldier, conscript, the the of reach to to consisting order In as getting seen be is to need we constituency that need conscript we The constituency that was important conscript. the most is conference the the focus, during this In emerged that focus "new" the essence, In in order to make ECC and its message more accessible to the conscripted community, community, conscripted the to accessible more message its and ECC make to order in 01 2001 8001 ae on Johannesburg Town Cape The Cape Times The Star The Times Cape The h Eio Te Editor The Editor The 122 St George's St 47 Sauer St Sauer 47 St George's St 122 Kenilworth Kenilworth 7700 st Bell 28 The “new" focus on conscription was concretised at the conference in terms of a Harassment campaign that is planed to take place from April to August. The Campaign is called ''Action for Alternative National Service'1. It will begin with a launch of a We heve not experienced much directharassment from the state. Smear publications Know Your Rights Booklet that will be widely distributed amongst conscripts. The have continued to appear, although they have started to appear under the guise early phase of the campaign will focus on informing conscripts of their rights of organisations such as 'Vetrans for Victory' and 'Women for South Africa' in the SADF. As the time of the August call up approaches we aim to lobby for realistic alternatives to miliatry service and engage in debate with different Two ECC member were arrested and held briefly by Security Police in Johannesburg. constituencies and with the state on the issue of conscription. We will also be They had confronted two suspicious looking people with guns who were prowling involved in a number of substantial Alternative Service Projects demonstrating around looking at cars outside the vigil. They refused to identify themselves the sort of alternative service that should be avaliable to conscripts. At the and arrested the ECC members, Eckardt Scholtfeld and Andrew Wais, and charged them time of the August Call-up we will embark on a number of protest actions. We with obstruction of police, assult and resisting arrest. They are due to appear aim to climax the campaign with a consultative conference flowing from which will in court shortly, but our lawyers feel that the charges will most probably be be the presentation to the state a set of demands demanding realistic alternatives dropped. After the Vigil held in Pretoria, two members retur ned to their homes, to service in the SADF. one to find that a brick had been thrown through her window and the other to a graffitied 'Traitor' sprayed inside his bedrooom. The Conference also resolved that we need to pay more attention to the role of the SADF in Southern African countries and in Namibia. We also felt that we needed Generally, the state seems to be tightening up on anti-Apartheid groupings. to pay much more attention to research and to provide information about the SADF 17 organisations including the UDF and DPSC were all but in name banned , while and its activities. Other sessions focused on our internal structures and the COSATU was severely restricted. While all of these organisations worked sharing of information between the different regions. predominantly in the black community, other organisations will probably be targeted in the future. These will probably include 'white' organisations All in all, the conference was very successful and generated enthusiasm amongst such as ECC, the National Union Of South African Students (NUSAS), the Black all of our activists, with clarity being provided on our direction and plans Sash and Idasa. formulated for the forthcomming year. New legislation has also been tabled in Parliament to enable the government to Public work cut off foreign funding of organisations, (SEE press clippings).

Most of our energies over the past few months have been channeled into Ivan's campaign. However, we ran a call-up focus around the February call-up. This included running 'Know Your Rights' forums for conscripts in the different cnetres and church services. Pamphlets informing conscripts of their rights were also distributed. Please find enclosed press clippings relating to Ivan's trial, the SADF's smear campaign, foreign funding, and some general press clips. Orientation weeks were held for new students on the university campuses in February, and ECC participated successfully in them, with 500 new students signing up as active members of ECC. Yours for a just peace Smear Campaign

In December last year, three conscripts were arrested by the SADF and were court- marshalled for conspiring to disclose information to the ECC. The information that they were "conspiring to disclose" consisted of evidence that the SADF was Alastair Teeling-Smith involved in producing and distributing anonymous smear pamphlets and posters ECC National Secretary in an attempt to undermine and discredit ECC. In the words of the officer presiding over the court marshall, the SADF had attempted to discredit ECC in order to undermine its goodwill- in the sense of its ability to attract members and funds.

We have long been aware that a well co-ordinated smear campaign has been conducted againstus in an attempt to undermine the effectiveness of our campaign. Smear pamphlets have been distributed to schools, teachers, churches and within the SADF. Pamphlets have also been dropped by helicopters at our public events. We have suspected that the SADF has been involved in this smear campaign and now concrete proof has emerged that the SADF have illegally been trying to discredit us in the eyes of the white community. The content of the smears against us have usually been to link us to Moscow and to expose us as 'comunists1.

The three conscriptshave been sentenced to 18 months in detention barracks, but their case is presently under review by the supreme court.

(SEE enclosed press clippings) The Nuremberg Tribunal laid down the principle that claiming allegiance to the laws of one / e ~ J & / j c y lawyer spells MEN who did township duty in South Africa for the Defence Force could find themselves arrested and prosecuted in 81 countries for the crime of aiding apartheid, top international law authority Professor . a f t / o u t some of the John Dugard testified this week. THE SOUTH AFRICAN Giving evidence in mitigation at the trial of conscientious objector Dr Ivan Toms, ^^Cy'Uangers facing those who who was sentenced to jail tor 630 days by a Wynberg regional court magistrate (or failing to render military • No Christian needs to justify any decision not to /''a r e blindly ‘doing their duty' service, Professor Du­ gard also said that any SADF member who fight: it is those who go into the army who have to served in Namibia made • Under himself party to an inter­ national illegality. try to justify their decision — Bishop David Russell international law, He said it was quite clear under international throughout the four days in a very difficult situa Botha, as the head of Airways plane found it­ was a violation of a per­ law that South A frica’s of the trial, and there tion. He had the dilemma state, and his principle self forced to land in Ni­ son’s humanity to at­ occupation of Namibia were emotional scenes of whether to obey South representatives, could be geria. he could find him­ tempt to make him vio­ the Republic’s was illegal. Thus any when they embraced him African law or interna­ held responsible at some self tried and prosecuted late his individual con­ SADF person serving and said goodbye after tional law, and the di­ time in the future for under Nigerian law. science. there exposed himself in be was sentenced. lemma was even more South Africa's presence Bishop Russell told the The Anglican Church occupation of the future to the “Wald­ Dr Tom s grew up in acute when he regarded in Angola (as mem bers court there was deep the­ taught that it was im­ heim dilemma”, whereby Durban, and went to the international law as of the German authori­ ological confusion im­ moral and unchristian to the Austrian Chancellor Glenwood High School. morally superior. ties were charged with plicit in the Defence Act attempt to force a per­ Namibia is illegal, faced moral opprobrium PROFESSOR John Dugard (left) He is well known for He said any decision war crimes after the provisions about con­ son to fight against his 40 years after the Nazi and Oiw ald Shivute, both who his work as a medical simply to follow South World War 2), as the UN scientious objection, and conscience, and to make atrocities for failing to gava evidence in mitigation doctor serving the needs African law was not a Security Council had un­ the Board for Religious a criminal out of some­ dissociate himself at the of poor communities in way out of the dilemma. animously depicted this Objection as presently one who renounced vio­ its presence in time from the interna­ □ Top Ovambo civil again wear a SADF uni- as an act of aggression constituted was pro­ lence. form had been triggered areas like Crossroads. The Nuremberg Tribu­ tional offences commit­ servant Oswald Shivute, which was an interna- foundly inadequate. It was essential to be off when riot police had His father, Edward, a nal had laid down the ted then. gave evidence of wide­ tional crime. He said the law, by in­ true to the Church’s un­ In other evidence in attacked women and retired water-meter principle that simply Angola an act of spread atrocities by the claiming allegiance to Professor Dugard said sisting that conscientious derstanding of biblical mitigation: Defence Force and other children in Crossroads in reader at the Durban the laws of one’s own any form er m em ber of objectors had to be uni­ principles, that people □ The Most Reverend security forces in north­ 1983 w ith te arg as and municipality, wept after country was not a good the Defence Force would versal pacifists, ruled should be allowed to ob­ David Russell, Anglican ern Namibia, which he rubber bullets, simply sentence was passed. defence when a crime be wise to avoid the 81 out 99 percent of Chris­ je ct on ethical grounds. aggression, and in bishop of Grahamstown, said were often inade­ because they had tried to “I’m proud of him,” he against humanity should signatory countries to tians, who followed the The fundamental chal­ said no Christian needed quately investigated and hold on to the sticks said afterwards, strug­ the International Con­ “just war” theory. lenge of the Gospel was to justify any decision in the perpetrators unpun­ which they used to build gling to control his emo- have been known to the vention on the Suppress­ He said all the main­ that Christians should conscience not to fight; it pathetic shelters to keep uons. individual to be unac­ 81 countries aiding ished. ion and Punishment of a line churches, including seek to love their ene­ was those who decided to out the Cape winter. Professor Dugard said ceptable Professor Dugard tes­ Crime of Apartheid of the Dutch Reformed mies, not kill them. go into the army who □ Dr Ivan Toms told The court was packed anyone considering 1973. churches, had had a long­ His church fully sup- had to try to justify their the court that his deci­ with friends and sup- whether to enter the De­ tified that: apartheid a crime If, for instance, a SA standing teaching that it ported Dr Toms' stand. decision. sion that he could never porters of Dr Toms. 35, fence Force was placed State President PW cieni a r after the attack. their uniforms and buried them in the bush He said it was fre­ • Toms nearby with a mortar quently difficult to get bomb. the police to investigate Then they had called atrocity cases properly, wasn’t a SOLDIER’S DILEMMA Mr Haindongo’s wife and so be had been forced to another woman and said investigate them himself. A TOP Ovamboland civil servant, Oswald Shi­ they must come and look As a result of this, the vute, told the Wynberg Regional Court this • The people have a saying: at the uniforms and people saw the police not criminal, week that many more than 600 complaints of weapons which Swapo as neutral keepers of law atrocities by the security forces in his area had buried the previous and order, but as part of had been brought to him for investigation dur­ night the fighting forces. he was ‘If the snake has bitten you, Another complaint ing the last six years. The people had a say­ Mr Shivute, secretary to the Ovamboland Legisla­ handed in by Mr Shivute ing: “If the snake has bit­ tive Assembly and personal assistant to Peter Kalan- was that of Titus Paul us, ten you, you don't go to told; it gula, chairman of the Ovambo administration, said you don’t go to the snake to 13. the snake to treat you.” the acts included murders, rapes, destruction of He said white and In sentencing Dr houses and property, and mutilation. black security force Toms, the magistrate, was sad At the trial of Dr Ivan Toms, he handed in sworn treat you* — Oswald Shivute members had grabbed AP Kotze, said he was statements about a number of atrocities. He said he him and asked him if be sure there was substance had selected these because they would give a picture had seen any “Swapos”. in the allegations about When he had said he had he had of what was going on in be there. tu.” SADF atrocities in Na­ northern Namibia, and he They had surrounded The letter lists as ex­ not, they had struck him, mibia. blindfolded him, thrown had cases which could be and attacked him “with amples of these: If what Mr Shivute had him to the ground, and worse in his files. sharp words” until chil­ said was true, and he had to waste □ The arrest of Ruben kicked and hit him. dren from a local high no reason to disbelieve He said: “We want Na­ Edmund Muhama, who is They had hit his geni­ school turned up. him, it would appear that mibia as a free land. We now missing or dead. tals with a stick. They “They chased him there was more need for time in don’t want to be ruled by □ The killing of Josef had burnt him with ciga­ South Africa." away with the words: Dr Toms's services on Dumeni. rette lighters, and had the border than at Cross­ The sooner the South 'You must know that □ The burning to the SPENCER-SMITH your house is near our made a fire and held him roads. African Defence Force ground of the building jail; he base and we can do with over the flames. He told Dr Toms he lulled out of Ovambo- housing the tribal au­ and and Namibia as a you what we will because In another complaint, was not a criminal; far we have bombs’. thority. Portus Blasius claimed from being a menace to {whole, the sooner a solu­ the court a letter from had gone to the base to □ The blowing up of a IVAN Tom s at court this week tion would be found to the Ombalantu tribal au­ inquire about two detain- “The tribal authority white members of the society, be was an asset should car with mortars. members of Koevoet, a white officer struck army had attacked him It was rather sad that he the country’s problems. thority to the Ovambo has decided not to be pa­ □ Attacks on three who allegedly smashed him with a thick stick when they had asked him had to waste his time in If South Africa contin­ administration last year, The security police tient about this as in the women. ued to act as it was at asMng for the removal of present, including “a cer­ past, where these securi­ into his homestead in until he fell to the ground to open a shop. He had jail, and he urged him to rethink present, the situation the security police base tain Erasmus", the com­ ty policemen committed One of the complaints five Casspirs. and died in front of his told them it was not his. secure his release from would get worse and be­ in the area. manding officer, had told certain misdeeds against handed in concerned an When Mr Haindongo two sons. Mr Shivute told the prison by reconsidering come uncontrollable. The letter said senior him be meant nothing to the tribal authority and attack on the home of asked them why they The members of Koe­ court the man's face had his attitude to military his views Mr Shivute also handed headman Oswln Mukulu them, and had no right to the people of Ombalan­ Shikudule Haindongo by were breaking his house. voet had then taken off been grossly swollen service. Whites blamed for blasi Oshakati bank Amnesty ‘adopts’ clients saw the T o m s ^ f e LONDON. — A m nestyln- jhen — claim ■m ternationai, the human- rights organization, yes- l-JUr SAio^L(f^s terday said it had G&PE TOWN — A local government official adopted as a prisoner of 2j>m Namibia says two white men left a conscience Ivan Toms, a package at a bank just before a bomb explod­ doctor sentenced to jail in SA this week for refus­ ed last month, killing 26 people ing to serve in the army. £M r Oswald Shivute, secretary to the Ovambo- “Amnesty Internation­ leihd regional legislature in northern Namibia, said al regards SA law as pu­ & Thursday that he was investigating the Febru- nitive in its treatment of l9 blast at the First National Bank building in conscientious objec­ town of Oshakati tors,” the London-based t►South Africa, which administers Namibia, has blamed organization said. tie bombing on black guerillas of the South West Africa An alternative to mili Piople’s Organization (Swapo), who have been conduct- tary service, compulsory if* a 22-year-old insurgency in a bid to win Indepen­ for all white men, was dence for Namibia. available only to official­ '*Swapo guerillas frequently operate in Ovamboland, ly recognized religious txjt the organization has denied responsibility for the objectors, Amnesty said. ” ' and suggested that Government agents were to A spokesman said the organization would start VTwo white men in suits came into the bank with a a cam paign for Dr Toms’s immediate and uncondi­ parcel, put it on the counter and left,” Mr Sivute said, tional release. He was riling conversations with witnesses. sentenced to 21 months' I “The packet was apparently making (bleeping) noises imprisonment. lifce a watch and (there were) fumes which came from “The South African au tjie packet,” he said. “While people were still speculating thorities can expect oq the parcel, there was an explosion." barrage of letters.” '•Mr Sivute made the statements in Cape Town where Sapa-Reuter was testifying on behalf of Ivato Toms, a 35-year-old (fcctor who was sentenced on Thursday to 21 months imprison for refusing to serve, even as a non-combatant, ifih e South African Defence Force ►[Toms had called on Mr Sivute to testify about alleged Jfm y mistreatment of civilians in Namibia. Mr Sivute said he had received 632 such complaints in the past six years. Mr Fanuel Kozonguizi, Justice minister in Namibia’s ‘Good Samaritan’ is sent to iail Transitional Government, said it was a “blatant lie” to A GOOD Samaritan” doctor who has In sentencing Dr Toi suggest security forces planted the bomb. served the poor for eight years has been m a g istrate Nlr A I* Ko “Have we become so gullible that we can believe that sentenced to nearly two years in prison said that he had to accept l the security forces can plant a bomb in a bank in which for refusing to serve in the Defence argument of the prostruti Force. that the court had no disc their own relatives work?” he asked. “I love this country,” said Dr Ivan Toms, lion in imposing sentence. 1 Among those killed in the blast was a bank em­ ‘‘and I am a true patriot. Once I have served "I am sad that you went ployee married to a police inspector. She and a few my sentence I will go back to my clinics and far as refusing, as your s< other victims were white, while most were black. — carry on with my work,” he said before vices will now be lost to I Associated Press. hugging crying friends and supporters in an community, and you are i emotional scene in the courtroom after sen­ a criminal." / • See Page 4. tence had been passed. He was then escorted from the court to "It u preposterous U begin serving his sentence. this man should go to jai the Very Reverend Fdwu A Cape Town magistrate had just given him the maximum sentence for refusing to King. Dean of Cape To’ Angry police reaction said. serve a six-week period in the SADF last “Helping hand” Ivan Toms ... jailed for 21 months WINDHOEK — Namibian police have reacted angrily year. "If he goes to jail then c (o allegations that white men may have planted the Dr Toms, a conscientious By SYBRAND MOSTERT service with the SADF as a uniform. Both are feared and system of values has becoi non-combatant he had come perverted " Oshakati bomb last month, killing 26 people objector, had completed his hated. I cannot wear one." two-year stint in tne army’s into contact with the poorer He called for a "construc­ • Amnesty International h ’> Mr Oswald Shivute, secretary to the Ovamboland conscience about serving in communities around Cape medical corps and was still the army,” he said in an in­ tive alternative" to conscrip­ adopted Dr Tom s as a pris* legislative Assembly in northern Namibia, told a Cape liable for 420 days' service. Town through the work of tne tion. er of conscience. terview before he was sen­ South African Christian Town court that witnesses saw two white men leave a He had reported for a tenced. parcel in the bank shortly before the blast at Oshakati camp in November last year L eadership A ssociation (SA “I feel that I have given a CLA). \ Police in Windhoek said on Friday that Mr Shivute and then told his command­ true service to South Africa should give all his information to police ing officer that he refused to in working among the poor Before he was sent to jail. serve in the SADF. Dr Toms was working with \ If he failed to do so, “I cannot but think that he has communities on the Cape Flats for the last eight the SACLA Health Project. malicious intentions”, Chief Inspector Kierie du Rand Experiences y ea rs.” He said (hat since 1984 the said He was given a prison Dr Toms came from a SADF had been used to con­ / Police blame the blast on the South West Africa term one-and-half times as humble background — his fa­ trol the black population and People s Organisation (Swapo). Swapo has denied re­ long as the days for which he ther was a water meter read suppress resistance to apart sponsibility. — Reuter. was still liable. er — and he put himself Throughout the trial Dr through through medical “In the community that 1 Toms maintained that his ex­ school. serve, no distinction is made periences in the homelands After his initial two-year between a police and army and on the border during his r initial two-year stint, as well I as the role he had seen the 1 security forces play in deal- I ing with squatters on the Cape Flats, had made him I determined never to don a uniform again. “I find myself in a crisis of ‘ditty; tricks’ ______. - ■___, >.x • . o - ' John MacLenrum ly applied for a stay against — service you would tachment and balance to be ex-’l their 18-month sentences pre­ support?" ' i pected of a judicial officer. . THE SADF has been run­ viously imposed by a court mar­ ECC is the target of SADF IS the submission to the court While the prosecution had} ning a clandestine and al­ tial. th

‘Supreme Court Reporter assisting Umkhonto we Sizwe (the m ilitary wing of the banned ANC) by THE Minister of Defence attempting to neutralize the SADF. Although he was not a member of w u yesterday restrained the ECC, he understood it to be a frpty placing three soldiers lawful organization. He said he had worked in the Com­ — convicted of conspiring munications Operations Department tc disclose military infor­ (known as “Komops”). The Argus, Friday February 19 1988 He intended seeking a review of mation to the ECC — in both his conviction and sentence. detention barracks. He said Colonel Dempers exhibited In an urgent application in the “gross bias and partiality" in his judg­ ment on sentence. Supreme Court brought by Mr Hein “Detention barracks, unlike impris­ Mdnnig, Mr Peter Pluddeman and Mr onment, further involves a directly Desmond Thompson yesterday, an in­ terim order was granted restraining punitive regime. Hard labour is a fea­ ture, as is incarceration with drug of­ the Minister of Defence, the Officer Commanding, Western Province Com­ fenders,” he said. mand, Brigadier A K de Jager, and “I have no doubt that I and my co­ Today’s News Today court martial president Colonel M accused will be subject to the har­ Dempers from executing the sentence shest victimization.” Mr Mdnnig said that after his initial pending review proceedings. 132nd YEAK: FOUNDED 1857 The sentence imposed by the court a rre st he had been made to strip to his martial was confirmed at the Castle underpants and "stripped of my per­ sonal effects, save for certain basic yesterday and the men were required essentials such as blankets, linen and to report to the military police at 4pm. a pillow. I was then handed a military In an affidavit before the court, Mr overall to wear and placed in a cell in Mdnnig said that on February 4 this SADF and the ECC year he and two other national ser­ solitary confinement for 21 days". Because of the court martial he had vicemen (Mr Pluddeman and Mr been suspended from teaching by the I1K reputation of the SA Defence Force is being Thompson) were convicted by the Cape Education Department, Mr Mon tarnished by persistent speculation that it has military court of conspiring to dis­ T close information to the ECC and sen­ nig said. ECC calls embarked on a covert operation to discredit the End Granting the interim order, Mr Jus Conscription Campaign (ECC). tenced to 18 months’ each in a deten­ tice King said a person who had been tion barrack?. This bas its roots in factors such as an as-yet- •-•The verdict was “palpably incompe­ convicted should not have to start a for release sentence till he h M euEfcausied all unsolved incident in which a helicopter showered anti- tent” in that the “information’’ in avenues of appeal. w ECC pamphlets on a fete in Cape Town and the i question did not constitute protected information as contemplated by the “That is consistent with the ftinda of soldiers appearance of “news posters" denouncing ECC office mental principles of freedom of move­ D efence Act, but was eith e r “evidence ment and the right not to have those bearers. And it has been heightened by the recent in­ of clandestine operations conducted The End Conscription camera court martial of three young soldiers accused principles interfered with." by the SADF against the ECC or en­ The hearing was adjourned to ,,mPa‘*n y e s te r d a y and convicted of conspiring to pass on “military tirely anodyne information”. called on General Jannie M arch 21 information” to unauthorised people. Speculation about Copies of pamphlets produced at Mr J J GaunileU, Instructed by Mr Reid Conn. of Geldenhuys to lift the aspects of the evidence has become the core of a the Castle (ostensibly produced by the Arthur B Abraham and Groaa. appeared for Mr sentences on three Cape “Anti-Liberal Alliance”) were at­ M6nnlj|. Mr J van der Berg appeared for Mr Plud­ Progressive Federal Party inquiry. deman and Mr Thompson. M r W i Louw. instructed Town soldiers "who had tached to his affidavit by the State Attorney, appeared for the retpon attempted to expose the No matter how unpopular the ECC’s cause may be One pamphlet accused the ECC of dents. dubious role of the among a large sector of the population, the fact is that SADF," a statement from it Is a lawful organisation. This is because, in spite of the national secretary, the battery of legislation protecting the armed Mr Alastair Teeline- services, the ECC has not done or said anything illegal. Smith said. The mere suggestion that a large and powerful arm of "We admire the at­ the state Is spending time and money on undermining tempts of the three sol­ a legal organisation within the society it is paid to diers to expose the du­ protect is a serious one. bious role of the SADF So far the SADF has said nothing in public to refute and ask General Gelden­ all this. We think it should. huys to lift their one-and- a-half year sentences in detention barracks. "The attempts to con­ ceal the SADF's role in this campaign (to dis­ credit the ECC) by hold­ — W1“ LU losoPny 01 - n m go physical train- ca on the man and we hope to ing the trial in camera ' J T I T * ------—------HL- tQ10 W«IUBUIUU! «u imtnuie in uuaUlis vowcuunuy.TJ have failed. ‘The sentencing of the soldiers has confirmed to our suspicions that the Z ’ ECC t0 Probe anti-ECC campaigns sit authorities are engaged Campaign in undermining and dis­ FT a (Q^ToOTVoem“tta,anU E C C campaigns04" HAT PEVEREAUX P ^ Q O r , f e 0 ti\ crediting the ECC by con­ in- si< ducting a shadowy, but tha its lawyers had bee^U nstruM ^to^^u^te' S* ^ announced the recent sonie of fa well co-ordinated cam­ view to applying (or a court *ith a paign to sm ear the ECC. will dissociate itself from such campaigns! ako th solution" in South Africa Dr Olve/Sd “ eventual peaceful "We are dismayed at de- Pr the severity of the sen­ • P ^ ^ ch— Dr Ch- fh tences handed down to national servicemen based at the C asU e^ 6” court martlal of three ,te r m the soldiers.” — Sapa. iver- ed the chief spokesman on defa^ M “ was “«*■- in Mr S * * MT g and br'^ ,°n >he matter from the military. d obUm a in sc were ailegaUoradilri^ thftriaU f a ravertDrf0* ^ wheUler lhere U to discredit the ECC, said a recent

THE End Conscription campaign has Mdnnig, 23, and Desmond Thomp­ •W hether the SADF intended con­ mous smears and harassment”. instructed attorneys to investigate son, 20, were convicted of conspir­ By GAYE DAVIS, tinuing with such campaigns. This campaign has unfolded along­ possible Defence Force involvement ing to disseminate information to un­ C a p e T o w n Colonel Hans Stempfle, of the side formal attacks from government in “unlawful activity aimed at authorised persons and sentenced to SADF’s public relations wing in Pre­ representatives and right-wing organ­ discrediting the ECC”. 18 months in detention barracks. •W hether it was SADF policy to toria, declined to answer any ques­ isations — and the battering the or­ The organisation may also apply for They are free until their sentence is conduct illegal campaigns against le­ tions. “We are not saying anything ganisation has had through the deten­ an interdict restraining the SADF ratified by the officer commanding gitimate organisations and, if so, more,” he said. "Everything we tion and restriction, undt r Emergency from involvment in any such Western Province Command, Briga­ whether any other organisations had wanted to say about the trial has al­ regulations, of its members. activity. dier AK de Jager, after which they been targeted ready been said.” The systematic nature of the attacks SADF involvement in anti-ECC ac­ must report for detention. All three •W hether the decision to act clan­ Although the judgement revealed causal the ECC to voice its suspicion tivities — aimed at affecting the or­ men are taking their case to the su­ destinely against the ECC originated SADF involvement in anti-ECC ac­ in June last year of a “nationally co­ ganisation’s ability to recruit mem­ preme court on review. within the National Security Manage­ tivities, it carried no specific details. ordinated campaign launched at top bers — emerged at (he conclusion of The Weekly Mail put a set of ques­ ment System, in which the SADF During the past two years, howev­ government level”, with the aim of the secret military trial of three nation­ tions on the matter to the Defence plays a central role er, the ECC has documented what it discrediting and undermining the or­ al servicemen in Cape Town recently. Force, which declined to comment. •T he nature and scope of the cam­ describes as an “alarmingly regular ganisation so as to soften white opin­ Peter Pluddeman, 25, Hein The questions asked were: paign, as well as its duration and systematic campaign of anony- ion for further anti-ECC measures. '1'he organisation believed this effort was co-ordinated at Slate Security Council level and implemented through a network of joint manage­ ment centres, part of the National Se­ curity Management System network spanning the country. Since the declaration of the State of Emergency in 1985, unsourced Military in charge, pamphlets and publications have been distributed in centres where the ECC has a presence — usually crude at­ tempts to link the organisation with the ANC and the Soviet Union. claims professor While legitimate ECC posters have been tom down, anonymous anti- ECC posters and slickers have ap­ South Africa is ruled by an extra- By Adele Baleta parliamentary government — the peared in city suburbs and centres military, says Professor Peter Vale, grammes to portray its view whie with apparent impunity. head of the Institute of Social and showing those of the opposing sice A disturbing development, which Economic Research at Rhodes Uni­ as "darkness”. the ECC saw as an attempt to bewil; der supporters and alienate the pub­ versity. “The government is saying, ‘Ei­ Speaking at a recent seminar or­ ther you are with us or you starel lic, was the emergence of posters car­ ganised by Maputo University’s for anarchy and chaos*. There is no rying illegal left-wing slogans, pur­ Centre of African Studies, Professor competing message in South Africa porting to emanate from the ECC. Give all Vale said the South African military vis-a-vis white South Africans ” Tke Anti-ECC graffiti appeared in most was the force that really governed only exception was the End Con­ major centres, often directed at prom­ the country. scription Cam paign (ECC). inent members, such as Crossroads objectors It had used the media, particular­ Professor vale said the ECC’s doctor and conscientious objector Dr ly television, to successfully keep identification of a weakness in the Ivan Toms, and often defamatory. South Africans ignorant of the out­ “seemingly unassailable penetra­ ECC workers can cite a litany of side world and believing in the exis­ tion” of the SADF in the white com personal harassment. tence of a Soviet led "total on­ munity was one of the most impor­ At a press conference in Cape Town says bCC slaught" on their country. tant political developments in re­ this week, the ECC released a six- cent years. page document citing 56 incidents of The End Conscription In his 49-page paper, titled “The The state’s concern over this was harassment or smears perpetrated in Campaign (ECC) has Inevitability of Generals: The Anat­ in direct proportion to the impact *f the Peninsula since January 1986. called on the Govern­ omy of White Power in South Afri­ the campaign in the white commi- ECC chairman Dr Crispian Olver ment to allow religious ca", Professor Vale said one issue nity. said while many of the incidents objectors to work for greatly underestimated was how far “Undoubtedly, the ECC has bein could be ascribed to sporadic right- welfare and religious removed southern Africa was from helped by the deployment of troo.w wing activity, there was “common organisations instead the consciousness of the majority of South African whites. in the townships. Nevertheless it logic” behind much of the slander, of State departments. does represent a competing view to ECC national secretary The government had acutely none of which focused on the issue manipulated TV and actuality pro- the South African Government aid of conscription itself. Alastair Teeling-Smith its future. said religious objectors “Many of ihe smears, and the pos­ “The security establishm ent, p»r- ters in particular, demonstrate access had “made a sacrifice ticularly the SADF, have been v«ry by being prepared to to a certain level of media skills and confident of their emerging role in resources, capable of producing on a serve a period of six the public lives of white South Afri­ years which is 1V4 large scale a consistent series of me­ cans.” dia items,” Olver said. times more than that For nearly 20 years, for exanple, of military service and “It has been widely rumoured there had been universal male i n ­ among national servicemen in the many of them have scription as a result of which Here university degrees and Cape Town area, as well as among was scarcely a white family vhich the broader public, that some of these useful skills that could had not been touched by the mili­ benefit welfare and re­ smears originate from the SADF.” tary. , The recent judgement in the trial of ligious organisations.” Professor Vale argued if was The ECC called on the the three national servicemen — none wrong to assume only Afrilpners of whom had had any contact with Government to provide had taken part in in the makiig and all conscripts, not only the ECC — had served to heighten defence of apartheid. Many English- suspicions about the role of the those who were reli­ speaking white South African were gious pacifists, with re­ SADF in co-ordinating smears equally responsible for the present against the organisation, Olver said. alistic alternatives to situation and in fact supposed the military service. “...the involvement of government Conservative Party. departments in subterfuge ‘dirty With alternatives being He said the record of the verligtes offered for all con­ tricks' campaigns against legitimate, in the National Party had not been albeit opposition, organisations is un­ scripts, we would see a impressive and the State President acceptable.” decrease in the number was “unsympathetic” towards them. of skilled white men Professor Vftle said minority leaving the country to power had flourished as a result of avoid njilitary service, a conjuncture between southern a loss that our country A frica's geographical isolation and can ill afford,” Mr the use of externally induced coer­ Teeling-Smith said. cive power, mainly of Western ori­ gin, by the Pretoria government. This geographical isolation bad resulted in “a negative understat­ ing of what is going on in Soith Africa.” “From outside southern Africi, it is difficult if not impossible to counter Pretoria’s domination of the region. Isolation makes it costly for outside powers to project competi­ tive influence into the sub-conti­ nent,” he said. Unwillingness to change was directly proportionate to the state’s perception of its power — which arose from the Government’s mani pulating of whites’ sim plistic fear* into support. Own Correspondent, aganda purposes, it is not customary to divulge the figure.” P arliam en t Members of the defence force killed RESISTANCE !0 compulsory mili­ Magnus says little. But his 460 people in the operational area, in­ tary conscription was growing and cluding 340 “terrorists”. the number of young men failing to The remainder, he said, were killed report for national service was emba- in shooting accidents, motor vehicle rassingly high. silences speak volumes accidents and crossfire during contact This was the obvious inference L? 6 f______with the enemy. from the refusal by the Minister of manyi soldiers were killed or injured seven of attachment of property. The one piece of information Malan Defence, General Magnus Malan, to in ihe townships or whether any resi­ Magnus Malan refuses to By the end of last year, 18 of these did disclose was, perhaps, the most answer a question about how many dents of the townships were killed or answer questions on cases had been finalised: one case revealing. men failed to report for national ser­ injured by members of the SA De­ conscription for fear that a was withdrawn, 16 claims prescribed He said no black people had volun­ vice, Ken Andrew, chairman of the fence Force. ‘certain organisation’ might and one settled. teered for national service in 1987 but Progressive Federal Party’s federal Coloured and Indian members of make propaganda capital Malan then added: “These figures 5 145 coloured people had volun­ executive, said this week. will not be supplied in future as they teered (4 145 were accommodated) the defence force were deployed in out of his replies Andrew sharply criticised Malan for black townships in 1987, but Mit is may • be abused ‘ for dpropaganda f pur- and 329 Indians had volunteered (291 refusing to answer questions about policy not to divulge personnel poses.' were accommodated). the defence force and its involvement strengths”. him for acts committed by members He also refused to disclose how A further 818 white people had vol­ in black townships. Malan also said one soldier had of the defence force in the townships, many members of the defence force unteered and 252 were accommodat­ Malan’s refusal to answer questions been convicted, and four charged, These civil actions involved 22 were killed or injured in the opera- ed, Malan said. that clearly did not endanger the se­ with assault after exceeding the shooting incidents, 40 cases of as- tional area: “As our enemy may abuse The Minister of Defence did not dis­ curity of South Africa "shows an ar­ bounds of duty while serving in sault, three of theft, four of malicious statistics on the number of SA De­ close much, but the unwillingness of rogant contempt for the rights of black townships. Ninety-seven civil damage to property, one of indecent fence Force members who have been a single black person to volunteer for South Africans to know what is go­ actionss had been instituted against assault, 20 of unlawful arrest and killed in the operational area for prop- national service said it all. ing on. “The South African Defence Force receives billions of rands of taxpay­ ers' money every year, yet the mini­ ster is happy to throw a cloak of se­ crecy over any of its activities that he Funding bill: The finds politically embarassing,” An­ drew said. Malan refused to inform parliament how many military bases were set up targets are vague, in black townships, but “this infor­ mation, in respect of last year, could not possibly compromise our securi­ ty,” Andrew said.

IT is still unclear who the proposed Own Correspondent, drastic and arbitrary controls on for­ Cape Town eign funding are aimed at, but the “Promotion of Orderly Interna; Poli­ off all funds but the new proposal tics Bill” will give total power to the would mean that a person’s business Minister of Justice to ban any organi­ would not be totally destroyed and sation or individual from receiving would ensure that such funds which money from abroad. were brought in were used for “good, The decisive clause three in the Bill laudable aims”. leaves no doubt that it is up to the However, Coetsee did say the Bill minister to decide whether to restrict had been drafted in keeping with the not one J an organisation or an individual from principal that internal politics should black receiving funds from outside South be conducted in the best interests of volu nteer Africa. the country and it was not in best in­ "The result of this withholding of “If the Minister is satisfied that an terests if hostility or violence were in­ information is that the South African organisation or person engages or stigated. public is kept in the dark. They have participates in the furthering, propa­ “The acceptance of funds from out­ no idea of what is going on in their gating, pursuing or opposing of any side the country for the pursuance of country. political aim or object,” he may cut political objectives inside the country 'They have to rely on censored and off foreign funds for that organisation lays the recipient open to be precribed doctored information released by the isation or person. to by the donor. The risk that foreign Nationalist government that has been Or “if the Minister is satisfied that donors will act in their own interests characterised by an abuse of power an organisation or person is being and not necessarily in the interests of and a distortion of the truth,’’ Andrew used as a channel for introducing the recipient country is overwhelm­ said. money which in the opinion of the ing.” Minister is to be used for the financ­ Malan had refused to say how But, he said, the Bill was a docu­ ing of activities which may endanger many people failed to report for mili­ ment “which may serve as a point of the safety of the public or the mainte­ tary service, citizen force camps and departure and does not purport to nance of public in the Republic or commando camps, or how many had bind either the govemmeni or those which may delay the termination of a been charged and convicted for fail participating in the committee.” state of emergency the existence of In key respects, the bill proposes a ing to report for service or camps. which has been declared in the Re­ similar system to that used in the He said he was not prepared to fur public, from outside the Republic into Fundraising AcL nish this information “as the particu the Republic" he may cut off foreign There will be a registrar of restricted lars which were supplied in the past funds. organisations and persons. This reg­ were abused by a certain organisation The minister of justice will have the istrar will have enormous powers, in­ which campaigns for the discontinua­ power “without prior notice to that cluding the right to appoint inspectors tion of compulsory military service”. organisation or person and without to search premises without prior no­ He did not name the organisation, hearing any person” to publish a no­ tice. The inspectors may search all but was clearly referring to the End tice in the government gazette declar­ records, accounts and documents, as Conscription Campaign (ECC). ing an organisation or person well as examine any office-bearer of a All he was prepared to disclose was “restricted". restricted organisation. that 29,47 percent of citizen force and That could mean anyone or any Money received by a restricted or­ commando members called up to at­ body: for instance, a freelance jour­ ganisation from a foreign source will tend camps had applied for defer­ nalist writing for an overseas news­ be returned but if this is not practica­ ment, 8,28 percent failed to report for paper could be stopped from being ble it may be disposed after consulta­ service and 0,394 percent requested paid. tion with the minister of national exemption from service in black The Progressive Federal Party health and population development. townships in 1987. spokesman on justice, David Dalling, People who contravene the main said any organisation — “be it Idasa, He also said one member of the citi provisions of the bill may be fined up be it the South African Institute of zen force and five national service­ to R20 000, or to a fine equal to twice Race Relations, perhaps even the Na­ the amount of money involved, or men, but no members of the perma­ tal/KwaZulu Indaba — could be nent force, deserted in 1987. imprisonment not exceeding 10 “restricted" if it engaged in politics or years, or both Malan added: “These figures will if it was used as a channel to bring not be supplied in future as they may funds ipto the country to be used for be abused for propaganda purposes.” “subversion”. He refused to say how many na In the short debate in the House of tional servicemen, members of the Assembly this week, none of the Na­ permanent force, citizen force and tional Party speakers, including Mini­ commandos were employed in com­ ster of Justice Kobie Coetsee, disput­ batting urban unrest in 1987, or how ed his interpretation. What did emerge from government MPs is that they believed foreign funds were being used to set up front organisations for banned movements and to promote revolution. Coetsee put it graphically: the aim was to create “a climate in South Af­ rica which will lead to reform taking place. As long as there are funds pouring into our land, it will not take place, because such funds arc like petrol for a fire.” Coetsee argued that the Affected Organisations Act, which had been used previously to restrict the fund­ ing of certain organisations, had shortcomings, one of which was that individuals could not be declared af­ fected. “It iv a fact that persons are End Conscription Campaign

227/9 Khotso House 42 De Villiers Street Johannesburg 2000 Tel: 337-6796 NATIONAL OVERVIEW FIRST QUARTER OF 1987 Telex: 4-86519 S.A. ~

INTRODUCTION

The End Conscription Campaign (ECC) has continued to maintain both its national and regional peesence during the first three months of 1987. Despite the more stringent Emergency Reaulations of 11 December 1986, it has been clear that there are still avenues through which ECC can address its primary concern - the opposition to conscription into the SADF.

0 There has been growing resistance to the militarisation of our society and increased support for ECC activities which focus on this issue. The Cape Town "War Is No Solution" campaign at the end of 1986 was perhaps the clearset illustration of this support and also one of the most successful campaigns held reoionally.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

ECC has not embarked on any national campaign since the WJP campaign in April 1986. However regions have embarked on small symbolic actions during the first part of 1987 and the latter part of 1986.

Durban and Pietermaritzburb held a short and very successful campaign around Valentines Day (February 14) - using stickers and valentines dav cards with the ^ s l o g a n "Make Love not War". This received local and national press coverage - all tacked onto the commercial hype already created around this day.

The 5 ECC campus branches have been buzzing with excitement Orientation Week. All 5 campuses had very successful recruitment drives. The question now is one of how to absorb these new, enthusiastic members into meaningful work and action. One of the highlights of the first term on campus has been the distribution of a national campus publication, War is no Solution,using a comic style. There is not a single publication to be found - all devoured by interested readers. At the moment 2 of the campus branches (Wits & Durban) are building floats for RAO which will have a clear anti-military theme.

The Eastern Cape region, particularly P.E. has been mobilised around the campaign in support of Philip Wilkinson. It's perhaps the first overtly public action that they have been involved in since the declaration of the State of Emergency on June Johannesburg ventueed out into the public eye very boldly with the large public opening of the Art Exhibition, P.O.W (Prisoners of War). This was an ECC project with concerned artists. About 800 peoDle attended the opening night on February 15th,1987 at the Market Theatre. It was not always clear whether people had seriously come to view the art or to give their support to ECC. The Exhibition ran for three weeks ans included cabaret performances over the week-ends. The press coverage was excellent, ranging from comments on our tight security, to revies under the arts, theatre and

women's Daqes. ECC produced a series of anti-war sloqan stickers and posters which were sold at the Market-Theatre.

STRUCTURES Most regions have reported an increase in membership which has meant the development # o f new sub-groups and the expansion of existing sub-groups.All regions continue to operate with executive and/or co-ordinating bodies and the membership works in sub­ committees or interest groups.

Stellenbosch has just set up a new structure which includes an executive body and the following sub-groups : contact and recruitment, culture, community work , media. Some regions such as Johannesburg are not able to have general body meetings which places agreat need for frequent contact between the carious sub-groups through the structure of the co-ordinating committee. This has created some feelinas of isolation and fragmentation but attempts at increasing social contact and full reports back have helped to alleviate tis to some extent. Whilst PE. is also unable to hold GB's, the Cpae and Natal regions are having regular GB's.

The feeling from regions is that, although there needs to be greater contact between ^regions,the security situation does not allow us to have a national conference. It is therefore very important that regions initiate contact between each other and place greater emphasis on interregional contacts. Regions must also channel information through the national secretary on aregular basis through the existing structures.

National Committee continues to meet on a regular basis with a reoresentative -From each region, one rep from each campus branch, and the national employees.

Pitermaritzburg have employed a regional worker (as from March 1), which brings the number of regional workers to 3. Johannesburg is seriously considering employing a regional worker and nominations have been put forward for the position. This decision comes particularly in the light of considering a system of associate membership. This is being considered as a national strategy for broadening our base. REPRESSION

Repression against both individual members of ECC and the organisation itself continues. Jhb. campaus members were raided and interrogated shorlty after the distribution of the national campus publication at Wits University. Documents, books, records and minutes of meetings were confiscated.

Port Elizabeth members have been harassed, recceiving abusive and intimidating phone calls - ostensibly connected to their work around Philip's trial.

About 6 Pretoria members were raided in their homes in February. The Security Police said they were looking for ECC material.

The distribution of the Aida Parker Newsletter(APN) Number 79 in the Eastern Cape schools and in the Defence Force to new recruits (Natal and Eastern Cape region) —^indicates that there are still those who will use any means to discredit ECC's campaign. We have viewed this in a serious light and have sought legal counsel on how to proceed, Subsequent to their widespread distribution, regional ECC branches took the story to the press.

CONCLUSION

The first quarter of 1987 has been one of consolidation and direction setting for ECC. The emphasis has been on strengthening our organisation through activities such as skills training, counselling workshops, and internal education forums but it has also been a period of testing the ground in the public eye - and it would seem that we have survived that extremely well!

We would see the next few months (we cannot yet talk of the year ahead) as a time ^ i n which we test our ability and creativity to enter into a national campaign which takes on a slightly broader, more low profile form. We also see the need to strengthen our links with our member organisations, to draw on their skills and support, as well as to actively provide support for their actions and programme.

ECC has continued to explore ways Of taking forward our campaign and has obviously found new scope on how to do this effectively. There is much work to be done but also a great deal of energy and committment from our membership. ECC Festival Committee Khotso House 42, De Villiers Street Johannesburg 2001

1 1th Apr il, 1985

I am writing to you on behalf of the End Conscription Committee (ECC) to inform you of our activities and our plans for a National Festival in July, 1985, and to request your support for the Festival.

The End Conscription Campaign

The End Conscription Committees were formed at the end of 1983 out of a growing concern amongst a number of progressive individuals and organisations over the intensifying civil war in South Africa. A campaign to end conscription was seen as an appropriate response to the growing militarisation of our society, the role of the South African Defence Force (SADF) inside and outside South Africa and the compulsory conscription of young white men into this army.

There are at present End Conscription Committees in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, which are collectively comprised of about 40 student, youth, church, political and women's groups. A list of organisations affiliated to ECC is included (appendix 1). There is a good prospect of forming an ECC in Pietermaritzburg during the course of this year.

Whatever their political or theological perspectives, the organisations affiliated to ECC have in common the following beliefs: that in Southern Africa the SADF is an aggressive* force and an obstacle to peace; that in South Africa the SADF's primary function is to defend apartheid; that the so—called enemy is not a foreign external aggressor but the South African and Namibian people; and that it is a breach of a fundamental human right to deny young men the right to refuse to serve in the army on grounds of conscience.

The ECC is committed to working for a just peace in our land and to an equal society in which basic human rights and access to land and wealth are no longer denied to the majority of South Africans.

These beliefs and this commitment are encapsulated in the ECC Declaration. A copy of the Declaration, and a list of some of the organisations and individuals that have endorsed it, are attached to this letter (appendix 2). During 1984 the ECC's engaged in a variety of activities to publicise and win support for its call to end conscription. There were anti-war concerts, press conferences, public meetings and picket demonstrations. Pamphlets, posters, stickers, buttons and t-shirts were produced and distributed. These activities and forms of media revolved around three main issues - Namibia, the launch of the ECC Declaration and the SADF's invasion into the townships - and reached thousands of people throughout the country.

I have included a more detailed description of the formation of ECC and the basis of its opposition to conscription, its activities in 1934 and plans for 1985, its structure, administration and finances, and its relationship to other organisations (appendix 3). Also attached is an up to date list of ECC activities so far this year (appendix 4).

ECC ?eace Festival

At its National Conference in January this year the ECC decided to held a National Festival in Johannesburg from 27 to 30 of June. The proposed theme of the Festival is "Stoo the call-up : ECC Peacp Festival".

The objectives of the Festival are to make an impact on the general puolic and raise their awareness of ECC and its position on conscription, to deepen the understanding of the people who attend the Festival, to build ECC organisationally and to strengthen the relationship between ECC and its affiliates.

The ECC's are currently in the process of brainstorming ideas for the content of the Festival. The provisional programme at this stage is as follows:

Thursday evening: opening of Festival with key-note speakers Dr. Beyers Naude, Bishop Tutu and speakers from ECC, the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Namibian Council of Churches.

Friday morning and afternoon: seminars, workshops, videos and drama covering militarization and the role of the SADF.

Friday evening: panel of conscientious objectors including objectors to the SADF and the and a Swapo objector.

Saturday morning and afternoon: seminars, workshops, videos drama covering resistance to militarization and conscription.

Saturday night: anti-war concert. Sunday: Conscientious Objector Support Group (COSG) Conference.

The impact of the Festival will obviously be heightened in the context of the July call-up and the ongoing activities of the SADF in African townships.

We are confident that, with your support and assistance, the Festival will significantly advance the development of the growing movement for peace in South Africa.

We see international solidarity with the struggle of the South African people generally and with ECC specifically as being of great importance - it contributes to the pressure being applied to the South African government from inside our country and is a source of strength to our organisations. International solidarity also provides organisations in South Africa with a significant degree of protection from State harassment.

We have some ideas of the kind of solidarity action you can engage in: you can send messages of support to the Festival; you can publicise amongst your membership or constituency an ECC statement which we are preparing for this purpose and will send to you; churches could hold days of prayer on the Sunday of the Festival; other organisations could hold protest meetings in solidarity with the campaign against conscription around the time of the Festival. There might well be other forms of action that would be more appropriate to the nature of your organisation.

If you decide to focus on our campaign or Festival, could you inform us of this at the above address or via the South African Council of Churches (SACC) telex no:48651 9 or through South Africans that you have contact with. It would be helpful if you could also tell us something about your organisation - its policy, membership and activities.

We would greatly appreciate your passing this letter on to other sympathetic organisations in your country or to your affiliates in other parts of the world.

If you would like a copy of the Festival programme once it is finalised or would find it useful to receive ECC media and statements on an ongoing basis, we would be glad to make these available to you.

Yours in peace and solidarity,

Laurie Nathan ECC National Organiser End Conscription Campaign

227/9 Khotso House 42 De Villiers Street Johannesburg 2000 Tel: 337-6796 Telex: 4-86519 S.A.

13 April 1987

Dear Friends

Warm greetings to youl There has been a fairly long break in communication with most of our overseas supporters but hopefully the news and resources shared in this package will bring you up to date with the activities of ECC as well as the general internal functioning of our organisation.

The first quarter of 1987 has just passed and ECC has survived the year very well. We entered 1987 with greater uncertainty than ever before, against the background of the December 11 Emergency regulations which were more stringent with regard to opposing conscription; a major campaign in Cane Town, War is No Solution, having being severely hampered with the detention of 9 of its members (subsequently released after 2 weeks and charged under the Emergency regulations but the charges were eventually withdrawn); 4 members of the Johannesburg branch detained on the 2 December ( 3 released after a 2 week period and the fourth person, Clare Verbeek, Johannesburg ECC Chairperson, released on 10 March after 98 days in detention) ; increased press censorship; having to abandon the national February Call-Up Campaign.

Despite the above scenario, ECC maintained its internal structures and took the oppurtunity to improve our internal education and organisational skills. But these activities, valuable though they are, are not sufficient to keep ECC members satisfied and soon we were on the streets again, distributing pamphlets, holding public events , such as the very successful ooening of the P.O.W. (Prisoner of War) Art Exhibition in Johannesburg on 15 February 1987, and beginning Dlans for a major national campaign. The theme of the campaign is "War is not Compulsory Let's Choose Peace".

In someregions the campaign has already got off the ground and should peak in mid-late April with a major event being the national day of reflection and mourning 'on the 23rd April 1987. We are calling on people to fast from sunrise to sunset and the focus will be on the increasing cost of this war for all South Africans.

A major focus for ECC this year has been the campaign around Philip Wilkinson, a conscientious objector who appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on the 25 March, facing charges of having failed to report for a military camp in April last year. We were unable to do a national speaking tour due to his restrict­ ions but all ECC branches participated in vigils and/or support services on the day before his trial. A separate report of his trial will follow.

Despite the lack of overt State action against ECC, we do not expect this temporary situation to last indefinitely and so our security precautions remain a priority for the maintenance and cohesion of our organisation.

We value your continued support and interest in the work of ECC, especially5.as it relates to the broader struggle for justice in this country.

In Peace with Justice

— — Adele Kirsten (ECC National Secretary)

Enclosed :

At Ease - newsletter of the Durban ECC Media on the "War is Not Compulsory - L e t ’s Choose Peace" Campaign. Press clips of the P.O.W Art Exhibition and media Peess clips on Philip's trial and some media Press clips on general ECC activities of the year National overview for first 3 months of 1987 Media produced by Durban ECC for Valentines Day End Conscription Campaign 227/9 Khotso House . » • . 42 De Villiers Sireel Johannesburg 2(MM) Tel :»7-6796 Telex 1-86519 S A.

! 9 June 1987

Dear Jean

Sincere apologies fj r the confusion over the returned US 2 000 , via fCC's national account with the Standard Bank of South Africa.

This amount was originally deposited directly into the ECC National account on 14/oi/87. Ide only became awnre of it several weeks later. However, under the present legislation of the Fundraising Act, ECC is unable to receive funds from the public - this would include overseas funding organisations as well as once off donations.

I trust that when Laurie Nathan was in the USA he explained in more detail the sensitive nature of receiving foreign funds.

A covering letter from ECC, explaining the return of these funds, should have accompanied the bank draft. I am not sure what the error was. I hope this letter will suffice to clear up any further misunderstanding.

I have enclosed some of the press coverage ECC received over the past few months during the "Uar is not Compulsory - Let's Choose a Just Peace" campaign as well as some national media.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of ECC and the work we do. Strength in your own struggle for justice in your, country.

1’ou r s towards a just peace

% • Adele Kirsten (CCC National Secretary) End Conscription Campaign

227 '9 Khotso House 42 De Villiers Street Johanrtesbu rg 2(K)l) Tel 337-6796 Telex 4-S6.r»l9 S.A

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227/9 Khotso House 42 De Villiers Street Johannesburg 2000 Tel: 337-6796 Telex: 4-86519 S.A.

REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES AND DIRECTION OF ECC - May - August 1987 .

Since the period of post-election analysis in May this year, ECC has focussed on analysis and evaluation of our content and the form of our message. At points we have been harsh in our criticism, particularly with regard to the unstructured and sometimes ad hoc nature of our message : too much media output which has a large propagandists value but has insufficient meaningful content. We have also recognised that the Emergency Regulations and repression used by the government against ECC, has forced us to adapt our message and the style in which we work.

We have come out of a period of defensiveness and generally our morale at a national level is high. As a result of the emphasis placed on the conceptual discussion, most of our work over the past 4 months has been evaluation, internal consolidation, restructuring in some regions, internal review and education. This has meant a lack of concerted public work, perhaps with the exception of the Durban branch.

Despite the intense conceptual discussions that have occured, we recognise that it is an ongoing process and that there are still some gaps in our understanding of where the future direction for ECC lies and that we need to be developing a more systematic approach to our work. This has generated a sense of renewed energy and vision for ECC. We are undoubtedly at our strongest point since the State of Emergency.

At the National Committee held in Natal in August1987, regions reported a consoli­ dation of this evaluation process and there was a recognition that no conceptual discussion is an end in itself but rather that it is an ongoing process of review which is vital to inject new direction and action for any organisation. A concensus emerged that ECC needs to maintain its single issue focus but that we need to contextualise our opposition to conscription more firmly within an anti-apartheid stance. We agreed that we need to continue taking the gaps wherever possible , particularly within the public sphere and that we need to re-assert our public presence. Since the State of Emergency we have been very focussed on our right to exist as an organisation, and now that we have regained some of our legitimacy, we need to on the offensive.

Most regions have had some forms of public work , but happening mostly as single events and not necessarily in the context of a campaign.

Durban ECC has perhaps had the most consistent and comprehensive public programme in the last 2 months. Their campaign encompassed several aims and foci : the national call-up day on August 3rd; the month of compassion(August is the month of compassion in the ecumenical churches' calender); International Namibia Day on 26 August. They held a "Conscripts Right to Know" meeting on the night before the call-up day; there was an unbroken fast from August 1st - August 26th - remembering the victims of the war( these pamphlets were enclosed in the most recent package)- it culminated in the breaking of the fast on INternational Namibia Day with a hurch service; a cultural concert; media tables, seminars and debates on the University of Natal campus.

Perhaps the most exciting event in the country around the call-up, was the statement by the 23 objectors in Cape Town, on their refusal to serve in the SADF. This action received widespread media coverage, particularly in the Cape papers. I have enclosed copies of the pressclips and the Cape Town regional newsletter.

During the past few months we have had two mini tours/reports back from two ECC members. The first was that of Ivan Toms. He had received a call up for an army camp to report on July 1st. He had decided to refuse to serve rather than to 'fail to serve' as in the case of Phillip Wilkinson. In order to gain support for his stand he did a mini speaking tour of the country. The intention of the tour was specifically low profile (mostly for security reasons) and was seen as something around which to mobilise ECC members and our member organisations. The personal contacts that were made during his natioanl tour were invaluable both for ECC and for the issue of his stand as a C.O. His call-up was withdrawn 5 days before the due day of reporting.

After Laurie's return from the United States, he did a very quick mini tour report back to all the regions around the country. It was very important for ECC members to hear this experience first hand and it generated a lot of enthusiasm for the whole issue of working with veterans of the war in South Africa ie: those who have served their two years and no longer want to continue serving in the SADF and/ or who have real crises of conscience about serving their camps. In most of the regional newsletters the US tour is covered very positively as people were able to get a real sense of what the tour had been for ECC through this process of personal report back.

With both of the mini tours,the sense of ECC as a national organisation was enhanced and it enabled a flow of information from region to region. It was also a morale booster.

The most recent 'national action1 of ECC was the focus on International Namibia Day on 26th August. Activities ranged from a morning picket of about 45 people in Durban, protesting the continued illegal occupation of Namibia; a public meeting on Pietermaritxburg campuswith a Namibian speaker giving the main adress - he was a vicitim of the Kassinga riads and also gave evidence at Philip Wilkinson's trial in May; the opening of a photographic exhibition depicting^the war situation in Nambia - organised by the Johannesburg ECC - whcih also included a talk by a conscript who had done his initial two years of military service andhad served some time in Namibia; a series of 3 seminars with the focus on Southern Africa and looking at the role of the SADF in the destabilisation of the region, orgainsed by Cape Town ECC; church services remembering the victims of the war in Namibia.

There have been several large and successful cultural events. In May, Cape Town organised a public fair whcih was attended by thousands of people throughout the day. Activities included kite-flying, finger painting, games, media displays and tables, video shows, etc. The organisers received several threats prior to the day and on the day of the fair a helicopter flew overhead and dropped hundredsof anti-ECC smear pamhlets. ECC has made a formal enquiry with regard to the legality of this action interms of the aviation regulations. This is still being investigated and was raised at parliamentary level.

Durban had a very successful cultural concert on August 8th. Ihe event featured poetry, dance, cabaret, art exhibitions and music. It was well attended and raised some funds for the region.

Johannesburg ECC organised a cultural concert ( otherwise referred to as a jorl) on August 8th and it was called Combat Combat! Again a very successful event drawing about 1000 people and boosting ECC's coffers.

Collection Number: AG1977

END CONSCRIPTION CAMPAIGN (ECC)

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