THE DEVELOPmenT AND FORMATION OF THE END CONSCRIPTION

THE DEVELOPmenT AND FORMATION OF THE END CONSCRIPTION CAl' PAI GN (,TEST .T CAPE). Paper to be presented to the Black Sash National Conference, Johannesburg, March 193k. 1. Black Sash Resolution. At our National Conference in 1983 we passed a resolution on conscription and conscientious objection (Appendix i). This issue was raised because of the provisions of the 1983 Defence Amendment Act which was then before Parliament. Because of the increased difficulties in supporting conscientious objection we felt that focusing on conscription and working towards its abolition were constructive and legal ways of promoting the entire issue of conscience and the unjust war. 2. The National Conference of Conscientious Objectors Sunoort Groups"' 7 Drba n.' July 198) Black Sash members attended this conference as official delegates. The new law was thoroughly examined at the conference, and it was felt that the valuable moral support given to conscientious objectors must continue, but that the public needed greater exposure to the ilitarization taking place in our society; the practicality of the "'Black Sash Call", as it has been labelled, vas raised. Conscription was seen as a valid and worthwhile issue to confront and the different regional C.O.S.G.s went home to start working on some form of campaign, 3. Formation. The Western Cape C.O.S.G. set up s steering comittee which convened a preliminary iecting on October 3rd to arrange the inaugural moeting of the End Conscription Campaign committee. 4. Inaugural Hooting - 17th Lovenor. The Cape Town C.OS.G. invited 16 organisations to this meeting (Appendix ii). Each organisation sent a representative and an observer. The following things were discussed and clarified: i) The Working Principles of the End Conscription Committee (Western Cape). 1. This committee is brought together on the common understanding of the harmful effects of compulsory military conscriptioft and increased militarization on our lives and our society. 2. The committee believes the SADF is active in upholding injustice in our society. 3. The function of the committee will be to decide on and c6ordinate a campaign against enforced conscription. 4. In order to effectively oppose conscription, education should take place within constituent organisations as well as the community at large. 5. This committee will liaise with similar committees to coordinate the campaign nationally. ii) The Structure of the End Conscription Committee (Q. Ca ) 1. Representation. The committee shall consist of reIr.LLLi\ o11 ofoYncoin ho accept the comamittee's wor!:ing prindiples as thec basis for cooperation to opposo conscripticor,. 2. iDolorsz TIlio c or'it too ~nl wkrceniondaticns to 7_broroi~tos through their representatives on nctivities to or0or; in. Tho!ý covrý,iittee sholl de-cide ns a- výjholc 0o rOrLm of actions onCA tasks to onoein to irnplwiqeit thoc carnoign., 3. 7,Xocutive. Tho coiito sh'bll eléct an executive from~ r rj MtE- a on t110 coriittoo. The Executive shz:il1 incivde: Chnirperson, Vico-chnirrerson, Secretory, 1h½,ison Officer, The 1xoecutive slill 1wre.lonnible for: a)cnoi( regulor meetings of the coraiittoe, and, b) Llltro:nkýi 9(v 3-inistrotivc toslis mhich mny enrse. (V.U.S.A.S., Block Sash ond VJestern Provincé Council of Ch~urches oro- ra-presentej. on tho executive). 5. Second i Voetinr - Jo uor t11 119(31,. 1,1o ha e by, n o v lear i f io o ovoral ýqoints about the compoicsu: i) Potionolooft'heCiT ' The cal to o777 conseniptioni oons up D ncwA opportunity for constructivoly opposing :.ilitarizotion; it hos o. nu:mbor of odvantagbs over sirply to1-ing up -Glc issuo of Consciontious Objecetion: a) The campaign hos far brooc½r oppeol: - everyane is o~ctdby conscription, yct only a feon are concorned i.'ibh co,,-scientious.,, objecetion. - it drowis en p'oplc' s rornti-.ont of conscription. b) It is n leCDl conpigil uhich co not contrave11o seotion 121(c) of -the Defonco, Act. c) It allowos the oppjortunicy for strengthoning -an11(1 bro.a_(oriIL; the ollioncos botooo . i~ps concorrnoud viith the grovjinr; vnilitorization of our sociotýY. d) It has the potentiol for c, far morc, eytmtcl~ucntio3.i and oloareoss drive thon conci--,iotis olbjeetion, o) The initiative of the campani hos sidesteppod the attompt of tho Defence Arnon.ýdr-ent 1ot_ .t.o re.dotce rJsistonce to the ntilitony. It con tb'orof'ore, devolop its ann mori.entui'i. ii) mnin Ainsof thi, oi a) T-o reote a cohent voico of opposition to tho råilitory wjithin tho whnite connmunity. This would be a significont force in undormining thoe- -e support base ond in building non-rocial oppoitin.X b) To crt2.tte a supportivoeii1vironnienI for political organlisations to take up opposition to conseription in the oppressod comunitics. iii) T .9rg4§pp ituencies (tho focus Of this Conmteei 1n) Ycuth b) Churches c) Orgonisotions such as the, Block Snsh, oe' Movoyent for Pende ond South Åfiscm Instituto for Raoco Rela-tions, which hove also cloorly rejectr.,d aportheid. iv) National Chornc*tcr of CaUpin ao) Tho first stoge.c of the cnrlpaitpi Could bo defined os the prom,,otion of aono's ndý the un&orstincling of dp-pGsition to coniptionl.

-3- i) 'it tlo pcc. o .I0, z"ofioi;s, 2) to suit constituent organisations, 3) and to adopt the co-Mcign to comle 'pent other corm"aijns. 6. Concrete Suggestions for taking up the Campaign Following the 19th January meeting the Coamittee has been :leetiag regularly. A definite scenario has boon drawn up which focuses on the many different issues facing us and uses them to create peaks of interest and activity through the year. It is very flex-ible because of the uncertainty of the political situations that might occur - e.g. peace initiatives in Angola, extendec conscription, etc. i) Survey: The Cape Town End Conscription Committee accepted the proposal to undertake c survey/questionaire. To date NUSAS have, sot up their draft questionnaire which is intended to raise issues, give statistical results and form the first part of an awareness-raising programme this year. The Church group have a draft questionnaire pinpointing moral and religious issues; this is quite a long questionnaire with multiple choice onsweres. (The E.C.C. is formulating r survey to be forwarded to other organisations for their use appendix iii). ii) Preparation Day: This tooh place of March 3rd and was very successful. We had about 35 people present and some valuable discussion and ideas wiere generated. iii) Declaration by E.C.C.: A draft of the proposed declaratibn has been prepred and as soon as this has the ratification of all bodies concerned it will be printed and will be used in the most effective ways open to us. (appendix iv). It is intended to be circulated for endorsement by as many organisations as possible, and is planned to be released at the time of the Defence debate in Parliament nox"t month. ....** *. . BeverleyRunciman APPe4DIX 1 - 1983 Resolution on Conscrintion and Conscientious Objection. During World Vlar II the South African Government respected the conscience of individuals and there was no conscription. The country is even more seriously clivided now than it was then-. South Africa is illegally occupying Namibia and this is cause for many in conscience to refuse miilitary service. 'bfhen South Africa withdraws from Namibia there should be no need for a massive ilitary establishment unless there has boon a political failure to respond to the desires of the citizens. If a conscripted araiy is necessary it will be because of the political failure to respond to the desires of the citizens, and that army will be engargod in a civil war, ,,hich is good cause for many to refuse military service. In such a civil war, if the state has to rely on conscription to man its army the war is already lost, Therefore the Black 'Sash demands that the South African Government abolish all conscription for military service. We maintain that there is no total onslaught against the people of South Africa and the total strategy demanded of us is not the military defence of a minority government but the total all-out effort of all South Africa's people to bring about democratic government and the relief of the poverty and deprivation suffered by the majority. It was further agreed that all regions of the Black Saish should inform and educate their members about the nmiilitariseation of our society and the reasons for the Conference ma ing the above statement.

APPE\TDIX ii: List of 211 the or,2niztions involed to Q-0 Q tMConscientious Objectors Support Group United Womens Organization Student Union for Christian Action University of Crp, '0ohn S..,. Ton, - - M ccu nicr! Acti -, NUSAS Detainees Action Committee Mothodist Church Anglican Board of Social Responsibility Women's ove ent for Poace Western Province &RnAlsof Students Christian Association Catholic Justice and Pepce Black Sash APPENDIX iii 1. Are you liable for conscription? YES White male between t6 - 60 iTO Done it already Woman African 777YET (Coloured,Indian) 2. .Y-,y are oi7 whites conscripted? Whites have the vote - Obliged to defend privileges Too unpopular among black South Africans 3. hyQoyouthink people scr conscriptod for 4. years? --Because of total onslaught soainst South Africa -- To provido a 'ilitary shield behind which internal change can occur To defend apartheid. 4. o-you think the SADF dofon'U the i. trests of all South Africans whites those with privileges Christianity and western civilization none s0 5. Now do you feel about conscription? --- necessary evil would like to end it would like to have a choice to serve or not. APPENDIX iv Draft Proposal for Discussion Declaration in Support of an End to Conscription elnonvtojptooc ety where basic human rights are denied to '1Vo6t~, unequal society whore the land and wealth are owned by We live in a society in a state of civil war, where brother is called on to fight brother. We call for an end to conscription. Youp".men -&e concriptedto .seititpille lel pupation of bainbia, ahto wage-ar agaThSet cI . c ounr so .t to assist in the implementation and defence u men who r t ere ire fced with the choice of c life of i-or a p~OiDeil MI yas An pr son. We call for an end to conscription. ....un rh kl S ,AM mN nJ S-it!_no us in, h 8L[ bilt slLL D! D@ace, Ain a~~ FIA PFA SFhMPI GTH~O1 ~rnh~~ un try, WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE OA, RIG T OF ALL SOUTH AFRICAiTS TO 27rUJ TO BE CONSCRIPT D IHTO THE SADF. WE CALL FOR IN 1TD TO COiSC.ITI.ION.