Canti-Apartheid Movement Canti-Apartheid Movement A
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CAnti-Apartheid Movement CAnti-Apartheid Movement A 13 Mandela Street London NW1 ODW Tel 071-387 7966 Fax 071-388 0173 NC/MAY 92/2 4INUES OF ME MEETING OF THE NATI(OML COMMITTEE 15 FEUARY 1992, NAIGO HO, LQaDCH Individuals: R Hughes (Chair), M Terry, S Kamath, R Harris, C Haswell, B Filling (& Scottish Ctte), R Jewkes, T Oshodi, G Watson, D Craine (& Eltsa), P Blomfield, C Burford (& Haringey AA), M Pye, D Kenvyn, M Ling (& MAC), F Fletcher, J Richardson, M Sparham, N Canavan, M Malik, P Carroll, A Barrett (& Tyneside AA) Local Groups & Regional Cttees: SW Reg Ctte: D Starrs, Tyneside AA Youth: C Morgan, Sheffield AA: C Owen & K Harding, Hackney AA: S Thompson, Oldham AA: S Morris, Greater Manchester AA: C Sutherland, Nottinghill AA: C Gurney, Kingston & District AA: D Gandolfi, Barnet AA: P Long, London Ctte: A Kruthoffer, Oxford AA: S Snowden & H Kimble, Bristol AA: D Spurgeon, Birmingham AA: A Chaffer, Wessex Regional Ctte: D Hoadley, Southampton AA: D Smith VotinQ Orcianisations: R Kareh: UNA, J Stockwell: NALGO, T West: ASLEF Observer Organisations: L Naidoo: ANC, Staff in attendance: G Omasta Milsom, B Paterson 1.00 APOLOGIES J Jones, C Onwurah, T Huddleston, A Minty, C Roskelly, H Bhamjee, L Higgins, AEU - T Butler, CIIR - M Paterson, BDAF - E de Keyser, Nottingham AA, Aberdeen AA, Edinburgh AA, Ipswich AA, Exeter AA, Plymouth AA, Swindon AA, Bedford AA, Camden AA, Bradford AA, Birmingham AA Under this item Robert Hughes apologised for any inconvenience which may have been caused by the change of date of the meeting, which the EC had made to avoid a clash with the Anti-Racist Alliance demonstration the following Saturday. 2.00 MINUTES OF NATIG L OMI=MEENGS 2.01 Minutes of the meeting 14/9/91 - The minutes (NC/FEB 92/2) were agreed as a correct record. 2.02 Minutes of the meetin 30/11/91 - The minutes (NC/FEB 92/3) were agreed with one correction - Glenroy Watson was incorrectly listed as present as a voting representative from the NURMT. 3.00 MATMS ARISM Fm 14/9/91 & 30/11/91 The meetings attention was drawn to Section A of the Report to NC (NC/FEB 92/9) which provided a written report on these matters. The following additional points were made. 3.01 Matters arising from 14/9/91 i) Front Line States - It was agreed that the NC would be circulated with a report on the meeting with Lynda Chalker and the follow up. This would include details of EC & UK development aid to Southern Africa. ii) Media Watch - It was accepted by the meeting that it would not be viable to continue with the media watch, in view of the "sliming down" of the AAM. iii) Financial Sanctions/Loans - In addition to the written report of action which had been taken in this area since the September NC meeting, Dave Crane (ELTSA) reported on further recent developments. He explained that just prior to the NC the South Africans had successfully raised two loans with the prospect of more to come. They came with extortionate interest rates attached, thus potentially saddling any future democratic government with an enormous burden of debt. The NC's attention was drawn to the statement on sanctions made by Nelson Mandela to the Financial Times. It was agreed to keep up pressure on this issue especially in relation to TSB, which is the only UK high street bank participating in such loans. iv) COSATU Trial - The written report on the outcome of the trial was noted. FOR FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA v) Report of Consultative Conference - The NC noted that this report had been revised as agreed by the September NC. 3.02 Matters arising from 30/11/91 (3.02 i - iii) i) Co-options - No further proposals regarding co-options were made. ii) NC Meetings - The question of the venue for the next NC was discussed. Offers were made Tyneside, Birmingham and Sheffield to host the meeting of 16 May. The advantages of London were also stressed. It was agreed to ask the EC to take a decision. iii) Remitted motion on NPT - At the NC meeting immediately following the AGM which had considered this matter at the request of the AGM it had been decided to adopt the remitted motion on the nuclear relations with South Africa as AAM policy. Bristol AA had written indicating that they did not agree with this The text of their letter was read to the meeting in which they argued that the AAM should seek a permanent ban on all nuclear relations with SA, even when a democratic government was in power. The NC, after discussing the matter, decided to maintain the position as set out in the motion i.e. to oppose nuclear collaboration with apartheid South Africa. 4.00 HOWRARy 71EAsINRRS REpcR N.B. This item was in fact taken after agenda item 7.00 due to the Honorary Treasurer being delayed. The Report was presented to the NC by Richard Caborn. The report covered financial performance for the first half of the financial year (July - Dec '91) and the revised budget for the second half of the year (until June '92). It showed that whilst there was still a considerable amount to be done some progress had been made. The situation was now being managed. The NC discussed in particular: i) Debt - The document gave a report on action that had been taken to reduce the AAMs debt. The NC was unanimous in its thanks to the trade unions who had given further financial support in converting loans into grants - this had helped considerably in reducing the total of the AAMs debt. A particular thanks was given to NALGO which had converted £20,000 of a £50,000 loan into a grant and had agreed new arrangements for the repayment of the remaining loan. The overdraft facility had been extended and the bank was being reported to on a monthly basis. ii) Staff - The NC was informed about the necessary steps which had been taken to slim down the staffing levels of the AAM. iii) Income Generation - The information provided in the report on income generation was noted. However concern was expressed concern about the suggestion that the AAM sell its membership list. It was explained that it would be on a one-use only rental basis with safeguards to prevent further use. It was agreed that the EC should look at this again and in particular that AA News should carry an opt-out clause for members who did not wish their name to be on any list sold. In addition the list would not be sold to any political party and there would be safeguards about who it was available to. In relation to the question of a special appeal to meet the AAM's debt it was agreed to postpone any such action and to discuss this matter further at the May NC. The NC expressed its thanks to Mike Terry and Richard Caborn, as well as other staff and EC members, who were doing the day to day financial work. The meeting also recorded its very sincere thanks to the trade unions which had provided such generous support. The report and the recommendations in it, with the agreed provisos regarding membership lists, were approved. 5.00 CREDENTIALS (LUITTEE REPCNT The Credentials Committee Report (NC/FEB 92/13) was formally moved and agreed. 6.00 REPORT TO THE NATi camITEE (NC/FEB 92/9, Section C) i) Anti-Racist Alliance - The NC welcomed the support being given to the ARA and in particular the Statement from Executive. ARA publicity material was being circulated on a regular basis to Local Groups and the NC. The BEM Committee reported that they had taken a decision to affiliate to the ARA. ii) BART - This item was formally noted. iii) European Community - The report of the lifting of the 1986 EC sanctions, formally lifted at the end of January, and the work of the Liaison Group in relation to this was discussed. The European Parliament resolution, adopted on 13th February (NC/FEB 92/14), was welcomed. It was suggested that letters be sent to the British Labour and Conservative Groups of MEPs welcoming their support for this resolution. In particular a letter should be sent thanking Roger Barton, MEP for Sheffield Central, for his support and hard work. The Liaison Group would be looking at further initiatives to prevent the lifting of the 1985 sanctions measures. The NC asked for their appreciation of the work being done in this area by the Executive, and particularly Mike Terry, to be formally minuted. iv) De Klerk's visit - This report was formally noted. v) Nelson Mandela's visit - This report was formally noted. vi) SATIS - The memo (circulated to the NC), 'Political Imprisonment in SA', showed that 1 in 4 political prisoners had yet to be released. Release of prisoners was being carried out on an arbitrary basis. Mike Terry reported that there was growing evidence that the regime was using these political prisoners as hostages to secure concessions by the ANC over the future of Umkonto we Sizwe. Political prisoners were being discussed in one of the CODESA Working Groups. People were urged to write to their MPs with a copy of the memorandum. Oxford AA reported that they had circulated a petition on prisoners which would be sent to the Prime Minister. vii) CODESA - This report was noted. viii) Violence - It was noted that C.A.S.E. had prepared a briefing on political violence for the AAM which would be circulated to Local Groups as soon as possible.