AFRICA NETWORK Resources Information Action
P.o. Box 5366 Evanston, IL 60204
Chairman Denn.s BruluS APARTHEID GOVERNMENT DECLARES ILLEGAL BANS
Vic e-C ha "pe rsons Today's news (2/25/88) of the Pretoria Government's Jan Carew Nancy S.ngt'lam ruling to enforce cross-country censorships and bannings of "the activities of 17 leading Secretary anti-apartheid organizations, including the nation's Yodeta Bee Holly largest, the United Democratic Front, prohibit(ing) Treasurer the major labor federation from all political action" Joy Carew is a heartbreaking, disgraceful violation of international human rights law. Organizational Secretary Steve Kohn Through this ruling, the apartheid government also stands in violation of the preamble of its own Washington constitution's decree: Coordinator Allan Ebert "To uphold Christian values and civilized norms ... International Coordinator "To safeguard the integrity and freedom of our Michael Kotln country ...
Educational "To uphold the independence of the judiciary and Outreach equality of all under the law.
"To respect and to protect the human dignity , Con necticul life, liberty and property of all in our midst. Representative Srooke BaldWin "To accept our duty to seek world peace in Iowa association with all peace loving peoples and Represe ntalive nations." Winsome Munro Urgently request Congress to take action declaring Massachusetts apartheid government's conduct as illegal before Representative Pon.e Brockway international court of law.
Michigan Please contact Congressional Representatives in your Representative area accordingly and forward copies of correspondence Don Cooney (requests and responses) to Africa Network, P.O. Box New York 5366, Evanston, IL 60204. Representative Vera Myerson Many thanks for your concern and efforts.
Texas RepresentOitive HOII Wylie fiI10'1i--t V /(~/,s;~ Dennis Brutus Jan Carew Nancy Singham Chairman Vice-Chairperson Vice-Chairperson q\kQ~J"~ Itt;/I; ,./ f; Y8 Joy Carew YB Holly ~, Treasurer Secretary (over) (complete text) RSA
PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION
IN HUMBLE SUBMISSION to Almighty God Who controls the destinies of peoples and nations, Who gathered our forebears together from many lands and gave them this their own, Who has guided them from generation to generation, Who has wondrously delivered them from the dangers that beset them,
WE DECLARE . that we ARE CONSCIOUS of our responsibility towards God and man ; nllr - ARE CO NVINCED of the necessity of standing united and of r -- suing the following national goals:
To uphold Christian values and civilized norms, with recognition and protection of freedom of faith and worship , To safeguard the integrity of freedom of our country, To uphold the independence of the judiciary and the equalit y of all under the law, To secure the maintenance of law and order, To further the contentment and the spiritual and material welfare of all, To respect and to protect the human dignity, life , liberty and property of alf in our midst, To respect, to further and to protect the self-determination of population groups and peoples, To further private initiative and effective competition :
ARE PREPARED TO ACCEPT our duty to seek world peace in association with all peace-loving peoples and nations; and
ARE DESIROUS OF GIVING THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA A CONSTITUTION which provides for elected and responsible forms of government and which is best suited to the traditions , history and circumstances of our land. NEW YORK, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1988 South Africa Bans Most Anti-Apartheid Activities
Key Labor F'ederatian Will Also Be Barred From Political Action
By JOHN D. lJATTERSBY Sp<'"c iallO The New York Times JOHAN NESBURG, Feb. 24 - The South African Government today banlled the ilctivitics of l7lcading anti apartheid organil.
COllllnLlf!d From POl!e 1 ates will not take this Sitting down. We South Africa will challenge these curbs in a court of gruups - already severely hampered bans the activities law." by the Government's earlier crack Mrs. Sisulu and Mr. Gumede were the last Front leader~ not restricted, downs - and rest ricting their le3ders, of 1 7 leading detainee or involved in protracted trea so the Government can release de son trials. tained rank-and-file members without groups., concern that the groups can resume Emphasis Away From Detention their operations. In this sense the I------l A police legal adviser, who did not measures differ from outright bans im detalllees or the legalization of out want to be identified, told journalists posed on the African National Con lawed political organizations, or to that the restriction of individuals, some gress in 1960 and on 18 black-conscious mobilize opposition to the Government of whom were still in detention, was an ness organizations in 1977. sanctioned system of local government attempt to shift the emphasis away The decree, published in the official or call for work stoppages on anniver from oetaining people to returning Government Ga ze tte early today, pro saries of significant dates in the history them to society whjle curbing subver hibits the 17 anti-apartheid groups of anti-apartheid protest. sive acLvities. from "ea rrying on or performing any The measures were announced just a The people restricted include a num week before three whiles-only by-elec acts what soever " ber of leaders of anti-apartheid groups tions, in which the National Party Gov involved in violence between black fac To Retain Legal Status ernment faces strong opposition from tions in Natal province, but no one from The decree s~ll d the affect.ed organi the extreme right-wing Conservative the opposing group, Inkatha, is affect zations would retair. their legal status Part\,. Political commentators also ed. suggested that the ban was intended to The ,(ffected groups include leading and could k eep their assets_ They can forestall anti-apartheid groups' plans civil rights groups such as the Detain also keep their r ec ords and books up to to encourage a boycott of multi-racial ees Parents Support Committee, which date and perform related administra elections for local councils in October. has been in the forefront of campaign tive funct ions. Movements Restricted ing against large-scale detentions. At his news conference, M r. Vlok "T!-.f lights are finally going out in said the GO\'ernment did not wish to The Government also announced re South ilfrica, and with them the last ve prohibit all the activities of all the or strictions on the movements and ac tiges of freedom to criticize or resist in ganizations concerned but "only those tivities of 18 anti-apartheid leaders, in any w~y the suffocating tentacles of which endanger the safety of the pub cluding Archibald Gumede and Alber apartheid," said Dr. Max Coleman, a lic." tina Sisulu, co-presidents of the United physician who is a spokesman for the Some lawvers said the restrictions Democratic Front, an anti-apartheid committee. "To oppose it is to invite were so wide and vague that they coalition of more than 600 community liquid
By MARK A. UHLIG ted to reform, and commilted to dia :the House Foreign Affairs Commit Western officials and analysts re logue," said Neo Mnumzana, the per . tee's subcommiltee on Africa. acted with sharp dismay yesterday to manent observer at the United Nations "It is absolutely critical that the South Africa's crackdown on major for the African National Congress. United States, by its own actions, strip anti-apartheid organizations and pre The Governments of the United away the Afrikaner fantasy that some dicted that the move would hasten the States and Britain, the two nations long how they can hold on to their monopoly growth of violent conflict between the considered to be South Africa's most of power without fundamental eco Government and its opponents. important foreign friends, bluntly con nomic cost and growing isolation from Congressional advocates of eco demned the crackdown. the international community," .said nomic sanctions against South Africa "We are appalled by the announce Mr. Wolpe, who is expected to hold predicted that the move would lend ment from the South African Govern hearings on new sanctions proposa Is strong momentum to a drive for fur ment today that it is effectively outlaw next month. ther measures this spring. And repre ing the activities of a large number of sentatives of the African ~ational Con organizations," said the State Depart Reagan Oppositlon Stands gress, the largest outlawed opposition ment spokesman, Charles E. Redman. But State Department officials said group seeking the overthrow of the He said the Assistant Secretary of the Reagan Administration had not re Pretoria Government cited the crack State for African Affairs, Chester laxed its opposition to new sanctions. down as proof that the authorities Crocker, had summoned the South Af Mr. Redman said sanctions '.'do not could not be trusted to deal in good rican Ambassador, Piet Koornhof to accomplish what we're trying to ac faith with black opponents. express to him the Reagan Administra complish - bringing an end to apart Many experts expressed particular tion 's "shock and distress" at the an heid." surprise at the breadth of the new re nouncement. American experts on black politics in strictions, which include several organ Move for Sanctions Seen South Africa said they were baffled by izations that are widely considered to the scope of the Government's action. be relatively moderate. In London, British Foreign Secretary "It's hard to understand why at ihis Sir Geoffrey Howe declared his Gov "The Government is isolating itself particular moment they would slap ernment to be "totally opposed to re from popular leaders because of its such severe restrictions on a ny type of pressive measures of this kind." own misconceptions about who the opposition gathering," said Senator Congressional crit·ics of the South Af popular leaders are," said Thomas G. Nancy L. Kassebaum, a Kansas Repub rica predicted that the new restrictions Karis, professor emeritus of political lican who is the ranking minority mem would revive efforts to impose strong science at thl:: City University of New ber of the Senate Foreign Relations new economic sanctions against South York and editor of a four-volume docu Committee's subcommittee on Afr·ica. Africa. mentary history of South African black ''IUs a major disappointment for any "What the South African Govern politics. one who has had hope for even small ment is doing is an open invitation to "This further polarizes the situation, !steps forward in South Africa." greater violence and bloodshed," said further alienates the Government from ! "This action betrays the hollowness Representative Howard E. Wolpe, a many blacks who were prepared to '~ of the regime's claim that it is commit- Michigan Democrat and chairman of talk with it," Dr. Karis said. r