NEWSLETTER NUMBER 6, February 1982 CONTENTS Letter from Executive Secretary 1 African Studies and U.S. Intelligence . . 2 ACCESS Report on Springbok Tour . . . • . 5 ACAS Political Education and Action . . . 6 Why Optimism About a Namibian Settlement? 7 ASSOCIATION OF CONCERNED AFRICA SCHOLARS Recent Publications of Interest . • . . . 8 P.O. Box 791, East Lansing, Michigan 48823 We Say No to Apartheid Sport ...... 9 Reagan Administration and Western Sahara 12 Summary of Solidarity Conference Papers . 14

LETTER TO ACAS MEMBERS FROM EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Through this committee, ACAS has provided de­ positions and helped rally support for the Dear Fellow ACAS Members, Dennis Brutus Defense Campaign and we are playing a central role in trying to free Pr o­ In the fall I wrote to you on behalf of the fessor Ernest Wamba-dia-Wamba detained in Board urging that you join with us to revital­ Zaire. We are also monitoring and collectinc ize the Association of Concerned Africa Scho­ information about the massive deportation of 0 lars. It is our belief that as specialists Ethiopian students and expect to participate in ~r~c~n St~dies we are not likely to impact as individuals on American foreign policy but in an effort to block such actions. Finall y, our plans for a high-quality informative as a group of concerned scholars working to­ newsletter to be published three times a gether with other broad-based progressive or­ year are proceeding well as are our efforts ganizations, . we can and indeed must vigorously to organize ACAS panels at the African Stu­ make our voice heard. We must challenge the dies Association and, hopefully, at the Reagan administration's misdirected policies African Heritage Studies Association meetings. which are neither in the interest of the people of this country nor those of Africa. In short both the Board and I are confident During the past few months ACAS has made a tha~ ACAS can play an important role in defining progressive alternative policies number of important advances which I would toward Africa. For us to succeed we need like to share briefly with you. Our member­ your help and support. Please send us ship has tripled. The Research Committee is suggestions about the directions in which coordinating the writing and distribution of a ACAS should move as well as criticisms of number of "background" and "crises" papers pro­ our initial activities and try to organize duced by ACAS members. These will be distri­ projects locally which we can help to coor­ buted to all of you as well as to a national dinate at the national level. We, in turn, network of organizations concerned about Africa expect to increase substantially our com­ (American Committee on Africa, American Friends munications with you and with the larger Service Commitee, TransAfrica, Washington Of­ network of progressive organizations con­ fice on Africa and the Inter-faith Center on cerned about Africa. Corporate Responsibility.) Our findings will also be sent to key Congressional members and Allen Isaacman the media. The Political Education and Action Executive Secretary Comm.ittee is organizing a telephone tree to disseminate information quickly and to coor­ dinate a national campaign on various issues. propose a new partnership between those who have particular language and area studies knowledge and the agencies. In the African INTEP.NATIONAL STUDIES IN THE UNIVERSITY AND THE INTELLIGENCE NEEDS OF GOVERNMENT: studies community, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has indicated a desire to develop SOME COMMENTS a relationship with several of the leading African studies centers·. The DIA has sought David Wiley a direct tie, a public relationship, with us Director, African Studies Center in order to provide funding for our centers Michigan State University for a wide variety of activities including travel and conference attendance of indivi­ The foZZowing paper was presented at the dual faculty members and the sponsoring of a:nnuaZ meeting of the National Assoaiation conferences and state- of-the-art papers and of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges surveys concerning both African language and i n Washington, D.C. and has been revised for African soci al science issues . a forthcoming American Counail on Education Assistance is also sought for specialized Consultation on University Relationships with language and area training for analysts, on­ Intelligence Agenaies. call assistance for in-house studies and analyses, assistance with conferences, The university community has given very colloquia and workshops on specific regions, little consideration to its relationship with development of improved and updated biblio­ the federal governme~t intelligence agencies graphies of regional literature, the prepara­ during the 1970s. Now, a series of new ini­ tion of improved, updated language training tiatives by the U.S. defense intelligence com­ materials, and development and application~ of munities toward our _universities has once again region-specific analysis techniques and posed the issue of what should be the univer­ sity's relationship with these intelligence approaches. Special emphasis was placed on needs of the federal government, as well as with the study of Hausa, Amharic, Somali, Swahili the intelligence agencies themselves. We work and Shona. Subsequently, the DIA has advertised in the Commerce Business Daily for expressions in institutions of higher education which, normally, are devoted ·to seeking knowledge and of interest from other individuals and in~:itutions in the fields of history, political understanding about the entire world and to service of the American co11D11unity . Indeed, we science, economics, geography, linguistics, cultural anthropology , social psychology, cooperate, especially in the land-grant institu­ tions, on the foundation of the principle t hat sociology, geophysical sciences, and i nter­ disciplinary research. Research by the our universities exist to foster the intelligent scholars may include studies of stability, service of the needs of the America'' peoples as well as the rest of the world. elite groups, the social structure of a society and its ability to respond to modern We already serve the intelligence needs conditions, and the linguistic and religious of the federal government indirectly. Our forces which drive the society. The research Title VI-supported National Resource Centers is to be unclassified. The DIA initiative for the study of various world areas have is regarded as a demonstration program with educated the bulk of the national pool of initial funding of $500,000 in FY 1982 , scholars with foreign language and area possibly to increase to circa. $1.5 mill in studies training. These scholars and FY 1983. Apparently, Africa is of highest centers have written most of the foreign priority for DIA at this time, according to the area studies texts, IDQnographs, and articles Research Monitor News. and, thereby; provide the lion's share of the This DIA initiative i s part of a larger - accurate scholarly knowledge on which any development in our nation as the Reagan Admini­ good U.S . understanding of the rest of the stration seeks $316 mill. in FY 1982 in world must be built. Our foreign area and Department of Defense support for basic language centers are therefore national research from universities, a funding which resources for the entire nation, even several university presidents have supported though we do not serve as part of the govern­ actively in recent months. (See statements ment bureaucracy. At the same time, we are by the University of Rochester's Robert L. members of an international community of Sproull and Rutgers University President scholars who cooperate to achieve a univer­ Edward Blouwstein in this regard as reported sal body of knowledge and understanding in Science, Vol . 212, May 29, 1981.) of Africa, of the United States, and of the global system in which we participate and to The directors of· the ten leading African which we are linked. This knowledge is studies centers funded by the U.S . Department available to all who seek access to it of Education have recently considered this regardless of nationality. This knowledge matter. This included the directors from is developed about Africa only because of UCLA, Wisconsin, Stanford-Berkel ey, Indiana, the existence of the international co11D11Unity Illinois, Northwestern, Boston, Howard, of scholars -- above narrow national policies Florida, Yale, and my own Michigan State. We - which allows African, American and other are especially concerned because most of our scholars to cooperate with each other in institutions are under difficult financial open conferences, empirical research, and constraints, because we could very quickly and shared teaching responsibilities in each efficiently use t he money for good scholarly other' s institutions of higher education. purposes, and because we have been consistently underfunded. Africa has never been the highest The issue of what should be our relation­ priority of the U.S. Department of Education ship to the intelligence agencies has been for foreign language' and area studies funding . posed concretely by approaches of one of Each year the African area centers receive these agencies to several university foreign approximately ten to eleven percent of all language and area studies centers and, more funds appropriated, totaling about $3 million recently, to individual scholars in order to

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for the entire nation's African language and with African scholars and institutions. Here area studies effort, including all Fulbright we must note that there is great variation in exchange programs, research, and center the universities among the various foreign grants and fellowships. Thus, the entire area studies centers and between the distinctly annual federal expenditure to assist different practices of foreign area and foreign universities to comprehend the 750 languages policy scholars. Many who study the northern and the culture, politics, policy, and econo­ hemisphere, especially the Soviet and East mics of the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa Europe, have received funding from U.S. intel­ averages about $60,000 per country and is ligence agencies for some time, both through spread across twelve universities. public and covert channels. By contrast, As much as these Africanist scholars there has been less interest in Africa, South are committed to the welfare of this nation, and Southeast Asia, and Latin America among this government, and the people of the the intelligence agencies and the Departments United States, as much as we desperately of State and Defense . As a result of this need the support, and as committed as we globalist bias in our intelligence agencies, are to an intelligent U.S. foreign policy those scholars who study the southern hemi­ about Africa to serve U.S. and Africa long­ sphere have received relatively little term interests, the African studies directors intelligence funding over the years. Because have developed a consensus that we could not of their easy access to the countries of accept these funds. We made this decision Africa, our scholars have frequently developed on the basis of our common commitments to excellent relationships with African acade£:i. cs, the integrity of the scholarly process, to universiti es , governments, and officials. the maintenance of our collegial relationships Despite these relationships , our African with African scholars and institutions and colleagues frequently conjecture that an continued research access to African nations, individual U.S. scholar actually is an and to insuring the highest quality of knowledge "intelligence agent" or at least that he will possible about Africa. share all he knows with intelligence agencies. In Africa, this perception of U.S. scholars First, we are committed to the integrity, dates from the popularity of the book Hidden openness, and public nature of the scholarly Government in the 1950's, from the various process . Most of our i.nstitutions already other exposes of the C.I.A. , and, more r ecently, have legislated against engaging in covert from John Stockwell's revelations in In Search or classified research. This commitment also of Enemies about the C.I.A. in Angola. means that our classrooms and our scholatiy These questions and conjectures have sensitized publications are open to all who desire them; the North American Africanist scholar to therefore, we have said to the DIA that a avoid intelligence entanglements if he or relationship with one of our centers would not she wishes to maintain research access to buy them very much, even if we agreed to Africa. accept that relationship. Our services already are free or set at bargain-basement prices to In recent years, the African governments, all students who enroll in our classes, study some of which are very fragile, have grown in our language programs, use our libraries, increasingly sensitive to the possibility and read our journals. All of these services of foreigners meddling in local affairs, are available to employees of the U.S. govern­ especially intelligence representatives of ment. Eastern Bloc and Western governments . This great fear sometimes reflects the attempt of Furthermore, the existence of a relation­ a local politician to whip up internal ship between a particular university and the cohesion with the threat of a sinister intelligence agency suggests to our African foreign intelligence villain; however, the and Africanist colleague that there is covert facts are that foreign intelligence agents intention, covert collaboration, and covert have intervened; there is confirmation of ends of the work, even if it is not actually intervention in the affairs of Uganda to place the case, especially in light of the history Amin in the seat of Milton Obote and to of the past twenty years. And even an open cooperate with Amin's Bureau of State Security, and public relationship almost certainly ~ in Ghana in the unseating of Kwame Nkrumah, eventuate in a request in some situation for in Ethiopia to temporarily reinforce the covert consultation, if not research. Selassie Monarchy, in Zambia and Mozambique Intelligence relationships with our universities in recent months, in Angola and Zaire . The are a threat because of the continuing existence U.S. now has increased mili tary and presumably of programs of classified research on some intelligence liaison with the Pretoria govern­ campuses, of recruitment of foreign students ment. All these cases are well-known in and faculty for intelligence activities (some­ Africa and serve to increase the sensitivity times unbeknownst to those foreign visitors) of African peoples to the bona fides and the and of covert collaborations between individual intentions of visiting American scholars. scholars and the intelligence agencies. As a result, American Africanists, by and Indeed, the continued use of "academic cover" large, and especially those in the nation' s by intelligence agency employees , both on our largest centers, fear greatly· that these new campuses, at professional conferences, and initiatives will link them with the deeply abroad, will continue to undermine the ingrained suspicion of what Western intelligence potential for any valid and constructive public agencies plan for Africa. cooperation between our universities and the intelligence agencies in the years ahead. The fear of this linkage with intelligence operations in Southern hemisphere nations is Second, and much more important to many not such a great concern for scholars in area studies specialists, is the importance the large centers for foreign policy studies, to our university centers of our relationships as distinct from foreign ~ studies. This

-3- is because the former normally do not base their intelligence process from our universities scholarship on field research in the foreign and their scholars -- both in gathering countries. knowledge and in operations. Not only will Furthermore, we also strongly believe that the quality of public knowledge about foreign our access to Africa and our independence from nations be maintained or increased as a the intelligence process constitute a .Yf!!! result of continued access, but the diversity resource which is in the strategic interest of theory and opinion in the academic market­ for this nation, this government, and indeed, place will better ensure the checks and the intelligence agencies themselves. As a balances which U. S. foreign policy needs to result of this access and because these African avoid the myths and over-generalizations states are relatively open societies, the about the non-Western nations and peoples . quality of our knowledge as reflected in Finally, the str ength of our public know­ public scholarship, is excellent. When we ledge about foreign peoples and nations study the politics, economics and societies of will be realized only if the necessary funding Africa, we frequently are able to see government for such a l~gitimate arena of peculiarly documents and unpublished data, speak directly federal government responsibility is not only with political officials, conduct surveys of saved from the current budgetary reductions the populace, and even visit remote or but is increased to a moderately adequat e disaffected areas. Our colleagues who study level. The recent proposals to slash both • countries with which our government has more the Fulbright exchange and Title VI funding hostile relations, are limited to such methods will further cripple our access to and as reading Pravda and Isvestia, listenimz to knowledge about foreign nations. At this Radio Moscow, and studying satellite photographs. time, we urgently need greater engagements with We think it is in the best interest of the foreign peoples on whom our economic and everyone in this society that these relation­ political future lies. West Germany, which ships of trust in Africa be maintained for the has only one-fourth the population of the sake of the quality of knowledge. We believe United States, understands better her own that scholars who become closely associated global future and invests approximately four with Western intelligence agencies, even in a times the U.S. level for foreign studies and public way, compromise this research access in cultural exchange. At this key time in our Africa. The very nature of the secret history, our future well-being as a nation judgements and plans of the intelligence agencies, depends on our positive and public engagement which are not open for debate, requires that with foreign peoples and requires us to even if active intervention in African affairs maintain the diversity of scholarship with were to cease, it would require some period of increased resources for an enlarged effort. time before the open relationships of scholars with i ntelligence agencies could be accepted in In conclusion, we, as Africanists, would Africa or on our campuses. recommend to those in the intelligence community that they ~ develop particular Third, we believe that the best interests relationships with institutions, that they of U.S. knowledge about foreign areas are not seek to maintain a "stable" of served by the open and free debate and the specialists who are on standby, but rather pluralism of information and knowledge which that they seek the the particular knowledge have usually characterized our universities. and information they need from their own agency There is a very great danger that a relation­ area experts, when and as they need i t. A ship between an intelligence agency and a kept "stable" of scholars will not best: serve particular university, a center, or a scholar U.S. intelligence i nterests . may become the basis for limiting our understanding of the realities of Africa and the policy options there which exist for this nation. We believe that U.S. intelligence operations and political judgements concerning Africa frequently have revealed a globalist bias, which gives scant attention to local political realities, and an inability to comprehend African social and political ACAS RESEARCH COMMITTEE complexity; therefore, these efforts have resulted in choices which are not in the long The Research Committee is compiling a list tenn interests of this nation and its economy. of scholars who will produce research papers Furthermore, it is the very nature of govern­ on topics of interest to ACAS members. The ment bureaucracies to avoid criticism of and papers will be circulated to members and to dissidence from current policy even though others who share our interests. If you (or these are the very hallmarks of free inquiry a colleague) have done/would like t o do re­ and scholarship. Just as officials in search on topics relating to U.S. po licy agencies sponsoring development projects in toward Africa, please contact: Africa frequently do not warm to social impact analysis or projects of evaluation research, so Professor Joel Samoff intelligence agencies, from all the accounts ACAS Committee on Research we receive, do not warm to strong differences SIDEC, School of Education of opinion or public debate about the wisdom Stanford Univers~ty of their choices. Stanford, CA 94305 In sum, the best long-term interests of this nation, its governments, corporations, and intelligence agencies will be served if first there is a careful separation of the -4- ACCESS REPORT ON 1981 SPRINGBOK in the Muldergate Ministry of Information RUGBY TOUR Scandal. Finally, on the last day of the tour, another $50,000 gift mysteriously Overview surfaced. The Treasurer of the ERU didn't ACCESS has recently completed its even know about this gift and many have involvement in one of the largest anti-apart­ speculated that either more money has already heLd mobilizations in United States history. been received or had been promised. To The Springbok rugby team that toured the place the $75 , 000 in some perspective, the United States was the first national South entire ERU budget for 1980 was $5,000 . African team to come to the United States since 4. South Africa was clearly using rugby as the Davis Cup matches in Nashville in 1978 part of a major international campaign and the reaction to it was extraordinary. to break out of sports isolation. This­ The mobilization was not only from coast was in spite of the fact that rugby is to coast but also international in scope. the most segregated sport in the most ACCESS initiated calls for cancellation of segregated society in the world. the tour in June and sponsored most of the British and Irish teams went to South early protests. Then, as it did in 1978 , Africa within the past year. The ACCESS joined a much larger coalition of groups Springbok tour of New Zealand preceded that became known as the Stop the Apartheid the American tour. Rugby Tour(SART) coalition. By September, 5. As much as any other factor, that tour ~ more than 100 groups had joined the national of New Zealand captured the imagination organization based in New York City as well and attention of the American community. as SART affiliates in Chicago , Rochester and Prior to the arrival of the Springboks Albany. SART worked with the participation 50,000 and 75,000 New Zealanders turned of the African N~tional Congress (South Africa) out to protest against the tour. During the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, and the the six- week tour, more than 100,000 South West African Peoples Organization (SWAPO). demonstrated. The results were more The United Nations, the Organization of than 1,000 arrests, many injuries and the African Unity (OAU) and many individual nations almost total disruption of New Zealand had condemned the tour. The International society. The demonstrations were the Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United States most massive and militant in the history Olympic Committee (USOC) called for cancella­ of the anti-apartheid movement. Two of tion to avoid potential problems with the the 12 scheduled matches were cancelled. United States' hosting the 1984 Olympics. Any potential propaganda value that the South Africans hoped for was destroyed. The opposition tothe tour at the grass­ The opposite, of course, was the result. roots level was organized by the SART coalition. It grew rapidly because of several important factors: In conclusic-n, it is accurate to 1. Many people saw the tour as an attempt by say that while we failed in our goal to the Reagan Administration to expand its stop the tour from taking place, the mobili­ growing alliance with South Africa. It zation that occurred once the team arrived was viewed as a vehicle for the Administra­ resuited in what South African j ournalists tion to soften the overall image of a called "the most humiliating tour in South segregated South Africa by bringing an African sports history. " 'integrated' team here to compete in Of the three games originally scheduled front of American spectators. for Chicago, Albany and New York City, only 2. More specifically, many feared that the the Albany game was held and that was after Administration would use the presence of the entire U. S. court system overruled the four members of the South African Defence Governor of New York State. Governor Carey Force and two policemen in the Springboks had ordered the game to be cancelled. to improve the image of the brutal Rescheduled games in Lake Geneva military forces in South Africa. This (Wisconsin) , Evansville (Indiana), and seemed especially relevant since the Rochester (New York), were also cancelled. Administration acknowledged that one area The first game was held in secret in Racine in which it might act was that of expanded (Wisconsin). Blacks in Racine protested for military ties with Pretoria. the next month. 3. The scandalous behavior of the Eastern The only public game was held in Albany Rugby Union, the tour host in the United on September 22nd only two hours after the States, increased the anger of the Supreme Court ruled the Springboks could Americans as it became clear that South play. Between 2,500 and 3,000 stood in a Africa was buying its way back into drenching rain for five hours in protest competition with Americans. The ERU while only 300 spectators attended the tour's solicited funds from more than 300 US showpiece event. corporations to help finance the tour. The ERU informed the corporations that The test match between the U. S. and sponsorship would help them inside South South Africa was played on a farm field in Africa and promised anonymity if so Glenville, New York. There were no specta­ desired. Then it was revealed that the tors and the President of the U. S. Rugby ERU accepted $25,000 from Louis Luyt a Union was not even told that the game was few days prior to inviting the Springboks. taking place. Luyt was the acknowledged conduit for up The U.S. Rugby Union is conducting an to $25 million spent illegally

-5- investigation of the Eastern Rugby Union in In conclusion, we believe that such a light of how it handled the tour and why it humiliating tour - with 5 cancellations, 2 accepted the $75,000 from South Africa. secret matches, massive protests and Although it had originally supported the extensive adverse publicity - sent the tour, the USRU called the tour bad for Pretoria regime the appropriate message that rugbv and bad for the country. A large group apartheid is despised and opposed by the of almost 300 rugby players in the ERU had vast majority of the American people . protested its union's policy of ties to Pretoria. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Public officials condemned the tour and South Africa in unpr ecedented numbers. Two hundred members of Congress voted for a sense of the Congress resolution calling for the tour to be cancelled. The top public REPORT OF THE ACAS officials in Chicago, New York City, Roches­ POLITICAL EDGCATION AND ACTION COMMITTEE ter and Los Angeles opposed the tour. The Governors of New York and Illinois joined them. Even the City Council of Newark, The Political Education and Action which had no relation to the tour, voted to Committee seeks to promote greater awareness condemn it in a resolution. of Africa-related issues in the United States and greater support for the struggle The extent of the media coverage of South of the African people for freedom and ~ Africa was also unprecedented. There were development. The Committee hopes to ful­ three national television shows on the tour fill these objectives through the campus and more than 300 newspaper articles. An and community activities of ACAS members, Albany reporter wrote that "in August no one in close collaboration with the ACAS in Albany knew what apartheid was . Now we Research Committee, TransAfrica, the know, now we understand why the world condemns Washington Office on Africa, the American apartheid." Committee on Africa, and other progressive However, wherever the representatives of groups. apartheid go , they bring with them the Following the very encouraging response climate of violence t hat permeates their own of over sixty people to our call for the country. It was true in New Zealand and it formation of a political action network, the was true in the United States. There were Committee is in the process of putting bombings of rugby off ices in Schenectady together a telephone tree that will be use­ (New York) and Evansville (Indiana). A number ful f or action alert and mobilization through­ of anti-apartheid activists were arrested out t he country. Whenever necessary, each and some were badly injured. While the U.S. member of the phone tree will be expected t o constitution was used to protect the Spring­ do one or all of the following: telephone boks, SA.RT activists, i ncluding co-convenor five other ACAS members in his/her state or Mike Young, were denied basic rights after region, participate in letter-writing or being arrested in Albany. telegram campaigns, and be available for Richard Lapchick, ACCESS Chairperson, was local or regional conferences, symposia and again singled out for special forms of teach-ins. harassment as he was in 1978 when the last During the next three months, the Committee national team came . His apartment was broken plans to activate the phone tree, which i s into, one car was destroyed and the other soon to be sent to all ACAS members ; to broken into. There were numerous threats circulate a petition on the scholarly on the phone and the f amily had to live with community's opposition to Reagan's Africa bodyguards around the clock for one month. policy; and to organize teach-ins on Personal security costs for the family Southern Africa throughout the country to exceeded $3,000. Other SART activists were coincide with the ACOA-initiated "Two Weeks harassed on the phone. of National Action in Support of Southern In spite of this, all actions of the African Liberation Movements," from March 21 SART coalition conformed to the principles of to April 4, 1982. non-violent, peaceful demonstrations. Attempts The teach-ins are to focus on three major to intimidate SART leaders or provoke issues: (1) U.S. support for apartheid as d~onstrators failed in all coalition-planned part of the so-called constructive engagement actions. strategy, with particular emphasis on U.S. SART objected to the South Afri·cans ever sales to the South African military; (2) the coming to the United States as it supported Namibian independence issue; and (3) the United Nations resolutions callinR for the South African-led destabilization of the total isolation of South Africa. · SART hounded independent states of Southern Africa and the them everywhere they went . However, it chose Indian Ocean. It is our hope that these to isolate them on their departure because teach-ins will be followed by letters of SART wanted the Springboks to feel the fu11 concern and other appropriate lobbying efforts impact of what apartheid means to most of the directed at U.S. policymakers. American people. They departed under the full Nzongola-Ntalaja and Chris Root protection of 150 riot-geared policemen. It was no small irony that American policemen were used and taxpayer dollars spent to protect the representatives of the most repressive police state in the world today.

-6- .. WHY OPTIMISM ABOUT A NliMIBIAN SETTLEMENT? By Gerald J. Bender, ACAS member and associate professor of international relations at the University of Southern California. (Reprinted from the New York Times.)

LOS ANGELES-The Reagan Ad­ leaders, has been Angola's chief nego­ you can't expect South Africa to make ministration is optimistic about its tiator on Namibia in recent years. Yet concessions that it believes will .greatly diplomatic efforts to reach a Namib­ Mr. Haig gave strict orders that no one jeopardize its security. On this point ian settlement with a two-track policy from the Administration was to meet there is broad agreement In the United - an approach that depends on both with him; The 1!aine oraer wem vu~ States and Africa. South African and Angolan coopera­ when Foreign Minister Paulo Jorge re­ The same logic has not been applied tion. Yet while both tracks are consid­ placed Colonel Rodrigues as head .of to the Angolan side of the equation. Not ered equally necessary, the Admin­ the delegation. only did the Administration refuse to stration has until now essentially ig­ These and other refUsals to meet with discuss Angola's "legitimate security nored the Angolan track. Why then is the Angolans raised concern and some concerns and needs," but, on the con­ anger among the four other members of there so much optimism that an inter­ trary, it h~ gone out of its way to un­ nationally recognized Namibian set­ the Western Contact Group (Britain, necessarily exacerbate Luanda's fears. tlement is imminent? France, West Germany, and Canada), Attempts to repeal the Clark Amend­ · The Administration began its search which is coordinating negotiations. They ment, which prohibits American mili­ for peace in Namibia (or South-West , have repudiated Washington's linking of tary aid to any faction in Angola, the re­ Africa, as it is also known) with the be­ the Cuban and South African withdraw­ fusal to condemn South Africa's fre­ lief that there was only one track to a als because they do not believe that quent and large-scale invasions of An­ settlement and that it ran directly to Luanda can, or should, agree to send the gola, Central Intelligence Agency South Africa. Pretoria, however, in­ Cuban troops in Angola home before meetings with factions and govern­ sisted that Washington lay a second Namibian independence rather than ments that oppose the M.P.L.A .. and track. running through Angola. As after a settlement, as . the:. M.P .L.A. the highly publicized December visit to long as 10,000 to 20,000 Cuban troops re­ promised. Washington of Mr. Savimbi, Unita's mained in Angola, South Africa At the meeting of the Contact Group leader, are only some of the ways in warned, Pretoria could not contem­ foreign ministers in New York in late which ·Uie Administration has in­ plate withdrawing its troops from September, Mr. Haig, therefore, could creased, not decreased, Angola's se­ Namibia. And without such a with­ not report that he had met with Ango­ curity concerns. Moreover, the State · drawal there could be no settlement, lans. He was strongly admonished by Department's decision to grant Holden Pretoria maintains. the other ministers, who warned him Roberto, former leader of the National So Secretary of State Alexander M. that if America was intent on negotiat­ Front for the Liberation of Angola Haig Jr. fashioned a ~track policy. ing with Angola, it should get on with (F.N.LA.), a visa to visit the United America began to negotiate with South it. As a result, he hastily arranged a States early this month will clearly be Africa and is ready to take necessary meeting with Mr. Jorge, who was viewed in Angola as yet another threat. .steps to ensure South African coopera­ packing his bags to return home. Al­ Mr. Roberto, who first attracted C.l.A.· tion on Namibia. Washington also in­ though both Mr. Haig and Mr. Jorge aid in 1961, was the American favorite tended to negotiate with the Angolan · reported that the ·rpeeting went well, during the Angolan civil war in 1975-76. Government, in Luanda, with the aim the subject of Cuban Withdrawal was The Administration. justifies these of ensuring its cooperation not only on oot even broached• NOi"was it brought decisions on the basis of "principle," ig­ a Namibian settlement but also on the up by Chestei' G['Q<;kei'; Msistant Sec­ noring their effect on Angola's percep. withdrawal of Cuban troops from An­ retary of State fdrAfrica, wheri he re­ tions of our'aims. In this respect, Presi­ gola and on American assistance in tutned 'fi'om Luandif irt November to dent Reagan has merely emulated the promoting unity between the Popular meet Mr: Jorge and 'Angolct's Presi­ errors of his two predecessors, who also Movement for the Liberation of An­ dent, Jose· Eduardo dos Santos, along demanded that Luanda send the Cubans gola (M.P.L.A.), the ruling party, and with other Contact Group delegations. packing while signaling America's in· Urata (NationalUnion for the Total In­ By•cofttrast, Mr. Haigha5 made con­ tention to aid Unita - thus laying the dependence of Angola), an opposition siderable progr'eSs along the South groundwork for exploiting the party led by Jonas Savimbi. African: track toward a settlement. M.P.L.A.'s vulnerability after a Cuban. Thus far, the South African track has Frequent and substantive talks be- withdrawal . borne considerable diplomatic traffic. . tween-Washington and Pretoria have · · The Administration has demonstrated Almost monthly meetings have been been justified on the ground - as extraordinary sensitivity to the security held between high-level American and ieane;L Kirkpatrick, 'tlie thief dele­ oroblems South Africa would face after South African officials to spell out a gate to·the Unitt!d Natlon5~ put it ,;..., a puUout from Namibia, but it has shown quid pro quo - what Washington is that "we believe that tlie chance for in­ only calloused indifference to the se­ prepared tct offer in exchange for ntienclng go\remmentS is better if we curity problems a Cuban withdrawal Pretoria's cooperation on Namibia. Mve reasonably g6od 'relations with would present for the Angolan Govern­ The exact content of these talks has them." Why has this logic been limited ment. J:l>t been publicly spelled out, but ap­ to South Africa and not extended to An­ Luanda has maintained that it is . parently Mr. Haig is convinced he has gola? noes· the· Admihistration have served orily by enough Cubans to guar­ won South Africa's cooperation, and different principles for white.. and antee its security needs. In fact, the bu predicted a settlement for 1982. black-ruled countries mAfrica? · number of Cuban combat troops has Progress bas ·been considerably •· r. one of the most highly touted ·and con­ been reduced from roughly 30,000 in 1976 slower on the Angolan track. By late :trowrsial sttategies•ln the Administra­ to around 10,000 last fall. (The number September, only one brief and superfi- tion'! Namibia policy has' been its insist-, was reported to have increased to 12.000 . c:ial conversation had taken place be­ ence on taking Into account "South Afri­ to 15,000 after South Africa's recent inva­ tween senior American and Angolan of­ ca's leltitimate security concerns and sions.) Given the importance that the ftdals. An excellent opportunity for dis­ needs." Pretoria's concerns are indeed M.P.L.A. attaches to the Cubans for en­ cussions was lost in early September considerable - fears of Cuban troops in hancing its security in the face of South when the Angolan Interior Minister, . Angola; Soviet influence on Swapo (the African attacks, the United States must ·Alexandre Rodrigues- better known by South-West Africa .. People's Organiza­ find some way to alleviate Angolan fears 1ds nom de guerre, "Kito" - spent 10 tion), the principle Namibian liberation about how it would defend itself from days in New York City as head of his movement; and a determination to limit South Africa after the Cubans departed. country's delegation during United the number of African troops In any Certainly, the Reagan Administra­ Nations debate on Namibia. Kito, one United Nations ~acekeeplng force dur­ tion will have to offer a better guaran­ al the three most important Angolan ing the transition to Namibian independ­ tee than its word that the South Afri­ ence. The Administration argues that cans will not attack again. The United -7- States does not possess enough lever­ age over Pretoria to prevent it from at­ tacking Angola or any other black RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST state in Southern Africa. What is needed now is some imagi­ native thinking in Washington on how THE PLIGHT OF BLACK WOMEN IN APARTHEID America can help fill the security gap SOUTH AFRICA, Dept. of Public Information~ that a Cuban withdrawal would United Nations, NY 10017. produce in Angola. Is the Administra­ tion prepared to send SAM missiles, INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SANCTIONS AGAINST Awacs, or other military hardware SOUTH AFRICA. UNESCO House, Paris. Report of that could be used to deter South Afri­ can attacks against Angola? Success conference cosponsored by UNESCO and the Or­ in Namibia may ultimately depend on ganization of African Unity. finding a satisfactory answer to the question of Angola's security con­ PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION cerns, but it is not clear that Mr. Haig OF THE DECLARATION ON THE GRANTING OF INDE­ has seriously considered this or re­ lated complex issues. How many PENDENCE TO COLONIAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES. Cubans must be withdrawn before a Dept. of Public Information, United Nations. settlement, for example, and would this number include military and civil­ OBJECTIVE: JUSTICE. A U.N. review dedicated ian personnel? If it applied only to the to the promotion of justice through the self­ military, would it include combat and noncombat troops and those in Ca­ determination of people, the elimination of binda province protecting Gulf Oil's apartheid and racial discrimination, and the operations? These and many other dif­ advancement of human rights. Price $1. 50. ficult questions must be solved before there can be any progress along the U.N. Dept. of Public Information, NY 10017. second track. South Africa has made it clear that NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. All the following are progress on Namibia will grind to a available from the U.N. Center Against Apar­ halt if America fails to deliver a satis­ theid, United Nations, NY 10017. factory Cuban withdrawaL This, in ef­ fect, gives Pretoria "an American TilE ROLE OF SOUTH AFRICAN COAL IN THE card" to play whenever it wishes to stall negotiations, enabling it to blame BENELUX COUNTRIES, by Ruurd Huisman. Number any breakdown on the United States' 13/81. failure to make sufficient progress In negotiating a Cuban departUre. South SECOND SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISS­ African leaders are calm about ION OF INQUIRY INTO THE CRIMES OF THE RACIST Namibia because they know the United States has not really begun to AND APARTHEID REGIMES OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. negotiate with Luanda. (Number 14/81) Until the United States starts down the second track by entering into NO TO CONSCRIPTION IN SOUTH AFRICA'S ARMED realistic talks with the Angolan Gov­ FORCES, by Connnittee on South African War ernment, there should be less opti­ mism and more concern over the fu­ Resistance. (Number 16/81) ture of a Namibian settlement. THE FINANCING OF SOUTH AFRICA'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME, by Rev. David Haslam. (No. 17/81)

BRICKS IN THE WALL. (Studies in interna~ional financing of South Africa) (Number 15/81) ISRAEL AND SOUTH AFRICA: AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE? by Rosalynde Ainslee (Number 20 /81) ROLE OF BANKS IN STRENGTHENING SOUTH AFRICA 1 S MILITARY CAPABILITY, by Terry Shott (No.21/81) THE ARMS EMBARGO, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE STRUGGLE AGAINST .APARTHEID, by Kader Asmal. (Number 23/81) PUBLICATIONS OF THE CENTER AGAINST APARTHEID, 1976-1980. Lists all publications available. (Number 3/81) RESOLUTIONS ON APARTHEID ADOPTED BY THE UoN. GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 1980. The texts of reso~ lutions and the record of votes are reproduced in this issue. (Number 4/81)

-8- WE SAY NO TO APARTHEID SPORT Springbok team come from the Defence Force that invaded Angola and that two others came by Richard Lapchick and from the same police force that arrested Franklin Williams the women and children. Visas were issued (Originally published in because the State Department claims it does Crisis Magazine) not interfere in private arrangements. The US-led Moscow Olympic boycott could hardly A rugby team visited the United States be recalled by State and when it was , it in September and American sports and part was referred to as an "exception". However, of American society may never be the same the State Department denied entry to three again. By insisting on the tour taking Cuban members of a trade delegation because place, a handful of rugby officials has their country had troops in Angola. Apparen­ jeopardized the future of all the best tly invading Angola is acceptable, while American athletes and brought the foreign helping to support the Government of Angola, policy motives of the Reagan Administration recognized by all countriesbut the United into serious question. States, is unacceptable. Racists are wel­ come, Communists are not. That is the mes­ Sports enthusiasts might wonder how an sage that the Reagan Administration is athletic event could provoke such reaction. beaming around the world. The message is Sports, after all, is an everyday, ordinary welcomed in few places. Black African .. event . When your opponent is the national nations are bristling while South Africa is team of South Africa, however , all bets ecstatic with its new friend . are off because sports is viewed in an It is no accident that Abie Williams extraordinary context in South Africa. It and Erroll Tobias were the principal is a tool of foreign policy abroad and a spokesmen for the 36-man Springbok group. domestic pacifier inside South Africa for It is in the interest of South Africa to whites and the few blacks willing to be project a softened image of apartheid to coopted into the brutal apartheid system the people of the United States. If Reagan of racial segregation and domination. wants the American people to believe that However, for the black people who demand South Africa should be our friend , then non-racial principles in sport, the res­ such a softened image of apartheid is ponse of the regime is the same as f or important for him to project. What better those who go on strike in factories , who way to accomplish this than to have an protest inferior education or who try to "integrated" South African team come to the keep their families together in the face United States to play in a sports event. of the forced removals policy of the state. The American people could thus see coloreds For. them, it means harassment, intimidation, and whites, soldiers, police and civilians arrests, bannings, the withdrawal of pass­ all under the cloak of "sportsmen" in the ports, or forced exile. Only last year, best athletic tradition. we sat in the off ices of the Phelps-Stokes Fund with M.N. Father, Secretary-General of So Williams and Tobias held press the non-racial South African Council on conferences everywhere to tell the American Sport. Within months of his ret urn t o people what South Africa is really like. South Africa, his passport was confiscated They said that while there were some problems by the police. No other SACOS official left, South Africa was moving in the right can leave the country. South Africa knows direction and making good evolutionary pro­ that they would speak the truth to the gress. They said that anti-apartheid groups world about apartheid sport and how t he did not understand South Africa. They said regime uses it to its advantage. The regime that the fact they were associated with the does not want us to listen to t he M.N. national team of South Africa proved their Fathers of South Africa. Instead, they send point. us men like Erroll Tobias , the colored When asked if they could vote, they said (mixed ancestry) rugby player and Abie no! When asked if they could live where Williams, the colored manager of the Spr ing­ they wanted to, they said no ! When asked if bok rugby team. their children could attend the school of As protesters gathered their forces at their choice, they said no! In fact, no every stop in New Zealand and the United was the answer to all questions about what States, events inside South Africa served they could ·do inside South Africa. The to. reinforce their opposition to the tour. bottom line was that they could not even In August, South African police arrest ed socialize with white team members when they Z,OOO. women and children in Nyanga who were r eturned from their two-month journey away trying to live with their husbands and fathers. from apartheid. · It is illegal to live together as families Ignored in the whole process was the fate in urban South Africa. A few weeks l ater, of black sportsmen and women inside South the South African Defence Force (Army) Africa. There were 236,000 black rugby invaded the independent African nation of players who were not even considered f or Angola. When the· Security Council held the Springbok team because they are members an emergency session to condemn this blatant of non-racial unions. Tobias didn't bring act of aggression, the United States broke up the fact that the Government spends more even with its European allies and cast the than 180 times more per capita on white only veto. athletes than on blacks for facilities, The United States Government conveniently training, coaching and equipment. Williams ignored the fact that four members of the didn't mention that sports at the club level , -9- where more than 99% of blacks compete, are protests in the history of the United States. totally segregated. Neither commented when The 6,000 demonstrators outnumbered spectators asked why the colored captain of the nation­ by 3:1. One month later the South Africans al non-racial team was arrested in August were suspended from playing in future Davis because he tried to watch a black rugby game Cup competitions by the International Tennis without a permit in a black township in Federation. Port Elizabeth. Tobias and Williams were South Africa had tried and failed dismally not sent to discuss these things. Suddenly to break out of i ts sports isolation. I t was they were answering, "We are sportsmen, not cruci al for them to do so since investment politicians . " But sports , like all other and loan monies from the United States were aspects of life in South Africa, are gradually drying up after the mur der of Black thoroughly bound up wit h the r epressive Consciousness l eader · Steve Biko i n police machinery of the apartheid state. cu stody in September 1977 and the banning of No other sports controversy has so t he major opposition spokespeople in October dominated the international scene as that of 1977 . Anti-apartheid activities in the US South Africa's apartheid sports policy. The peaked in that year i n beating back the South International Olympic Committee has not allowed African i ni tiatives. Thus the loss in tennis South Africa to play in the games since 1960. was a major blow. Even the $72 million spent The IOC's position is that it is South Africa illegally in the United States and Europe by that has brought politics into sport by the Ministry of Information of South Africa creating a sports system based on race . When coul d not stem the flow of anti-apartheid pushed on why South Africa is singled out in sentiment . a worl d where repression abounds, the roe main­ However , the climate is very different tains that South Africa is the only society in 1981 with Reagan, the Prime Ministers in the world that has institutionalized Thatcher i n Britai n and Muldoon in New Zealand . racism in i ts Constitut ion. Overt support f or South Africa has given For those who might wonder if support ing gr eat comfort t o t he Pretoria r egime in the call of civil rights and anti-apartheid spite of the f act t hat it has r ecently under­ gr oups to i solate Sou th Africa in spor t would t aken their widest r ange of po l i tical r epres­ pu t them in a unique posit ion, then the sion s i nce 1977 . More than 200 student, following points shoul d be considered. In church and union l eaders have been arrest ed addition to being the only nation barred from since May 1981. t he Olympic movement, South Africa has been Is i t an accident t hat the Springboks have bar red f rom competition in no less than 22 come her e at this t ime ? We think not . We i nternational sports federations . The Uni ted believe i t i s a del iber ate po licy of the Nations General As s embl y adopted the I nt er­ government t o t est the waters in a sport that nati onal Declaration Agai nst Apartheid i n has no cons i t uency in the United Sta t es . Sport in 1977 without a dissenti ng vot e . The Rugby seemed like a "safe" sport for the t est. Decl aration calls f or an end to all i ndividual and t eam sports contacts with South Africa Although Reagan wou l d not say no t o t he and suggest s means for governments to make Springboks , the American people di d. Within the Declaration an effective instrument. The hours after the Boks touched down at JFK General Assembly has passed numerous resolu­ airport on July 16th as they transited to tions supporting the Organization of African New Zealand, the Stop t he Apart hei d Rugby Tour Uni t y 's cal l for the total isolati on of South Coalition was f ormed at a mee ting held at t he Africa in sport . The UN 's Centre Against Organization of African Uni t y Headquarters Apartheid instituted a Register of Spo r ts in New York City. By the end of Sep t ember, Contacts wi t h South African in May 1979. The ther e were mo r e than 100 groups i n t he coali­ Re gist er, popularly known as the "UN Blackli st", tion i n New Yor k, Ch i cago , Albany, Ro chest er , i s a r ecord of all sports contacts with South and Los Angel es . The people in t hose cit i es Afr ica and is used by many governments that were all directl y af fected by the tour . pl ace sanct ions against those who compete with Los Angeles is the schedul ed s ite f or the South Af rica. 1984 Olympics . The African nations made clear Even South Africa's major allies have that if t he tour t ook place then a boycott taken a stand. Both the Gleneagles Agreement of the Olympics wa s pos sible. New York City, of the Commonwealth nations and the agreement Chicago , Albany and l at er Ro chester were r eached by the European Economic Community planned as the sites f or the rugby matches were negotiated by the heads of state of both with the Springboks . groupings. They call f or governments to take The militant and hostile r ecepti on tha t every practical step to discourage sports the Springboks r ecei ved in New Zealand contact s between t heir countries and South sparked both interes t and expectations in the Afr ica. The Cart er Admini stration, under United St ates. Pr ot ests mounted . First, pr essur e f rom anti-apartheid gr oups , began t o Mayor Koch cancel led t he game scheduled for di scour age sports exchanges in 1977. In hi s New Yor k City, citing t he threat of violence four years a s Presi dent, only one na tional i nst ead of any opposition t o apart heid. spor ts t eam from South Africa came to play i n t he Unit ed States . Then it was reveal ed that t he Eas t ern Rugby Union, the hosts f or t he t our, had That was in March 1978, when the South accepted a $25,000 gift from South Af r ican African Davis Cup team came to play the US Louis Luyt . Lu yt was acknowledged by his t eam in Nashville, Tennessee. Many groups, own government as the key f inancial conduit led by the NAACP and ACCESS, the American for the ~!inis t r y of Information du r i ng the Coordinating Committee for Equality in Sport scandal that eventual l y t oppled t he Gov ernment and Society, staged the largest anti-aparthied

- 10- of Prime Hinister John Vorster. The gift The last match was scheduled to be played was received a few days before the invitation on Saturday, the 26th at a secret site within was issued. A second $50,000 gift from South 150 miles of Albany. SART had organized car Africa to the ERU was revealed during the pools in nine cities within that radius. tour. Protestors were to be on stand-by at 7 am. Key U.S. political figures came out However, ERU President Tom Selfridge took the teams to farm field in Glenville, New York against the tour. 200 members of Congress on Friday night at 5:30. This was "the big voted for a resolution opposing the tour. game" between the USA and South Africa. Mayors Koch and Bradley of Los Angeles called Selfridge did not inform the several hundred for the denial of visas. They were joined by people who had come to Albany to see the game. William Simon, the former Nixon and Ford He did not even tell the President of the Cabinet member. Simon is now President of United States Rugby Union whose team was the U.S. Olympic Cotmnittee. Governors Hugh playing. As a result, no one ' saw the game. Carey of New York and James Thompson of It was yet another blow to South Africa's Illinois condemned the tour. The Congress­ prestige. ional Black Caucus in Washington and the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Caucus That evening the President of the U.S. were opposed to the tour. Rugby Union held a press conference to criti­ cize Selfridge for his unilateral actions . Protestors were everywhere. More than Individual rugby players had been coming out 100 picketed at Los Angeles International Airport at 1:30 a.m. when the team transited against the tour for several weeks. NoW' the chief of US rugby has called for an investi­ through Los Angeles. They were followed everywhere they went in Chicago. More than gation within the rugby cotmnunity. South African correspondents have said that this 800 had demonstrated in Chicago a few days was "the most humiliating tour in the history before the team arrived. Finally, the of South African sport". Since President Chicago City Council passed a resolution saying that the Springboks were not welcome Reagan would not stop the team, the American people once again rose to the occasion and in Chicago. let the South Africans know that they were not Rugby officials then moved the game to at all welcome in the United States. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. As soon as the news But there were costs. American athletes now became public, town officials had the game face sanctions in future sports competition. cancelled. The same thing happened in Evans­ A climate of violence existed in the United ville, Indiana. Finally, the Springboks States surrounding the tour. Wherever the crept out of the Chicago Athletic Club respresentatives of apartheid go, they bring during the early morning hours on Saturday with them that climate of violence that and drove to a park in Racine, Wisconsin. permeates th.eir own country. It was true i::i Town officials were not notified and local New Zealand and it was true in the United residents poured out of their homes once States. The position of the SART coalition they learned that it was the South African was that it could conf rQnt the Springboks team that was playing. Two people were with peaceful, non-violent protest. In spite arrested when they tried to disrupt the game. of numerous attempts to intimidate SART Nearly 400 black residents went to a town leaders and to provoke demonstrators, all meet:ing to express their anger that the game actions planned by the coalition conformed had taken place there. It was the first time to those principles of peaceful , non-violent that a South African rugby team had been protest. forced to play a game in secret. New York Governor Carey had ordered the The South Africans should never have been allowed to enter the United States. We Albany game to be cancelled due to the threat should be upholding the resolutions of the of violence. However, the Eastern Rugby Union United Nations that call for the total isola­ went to court and obtained an injunction tion of South Africa. We wanted them to feel which .was upheld in two separate appeals. the full impact of the scorn of the American The final appeal was denied less than one people and therefore ignored them when t hey hour prior to game time. The confusion about left from JFK Airport. They departed under whether or not the game would be played, a the heavy protection of 150 riot-clad police, drenching day-long rain storm, the eJtlllosion even though it had been announced that there of a bomb at the ERU headquarters in would not be a single demonstrator at the Schenectady, New York early on the morning airport. It is no small irony that American of the game, and the arrest of four protest policemen were used and taxpayer dollars organizers all combined to reduce the size spent to protect the representatives of the of the demonstration. However, in spite of most repressive police state in the world all the problems, between 2,500 to 3,000 today or that the American court system was stood in the rain for five hours to protest used to grant them a constitutional right the game. Only 300 spectators came and they to play when the vast majority of their own were outnumbered by more than 8:1. Organizers South African countrymen have no constitutional mobilized locally by the NAACP and more than rights at all. 30 other groups and regionally by the Stop The Springboks should never have come . Now the Apartheid Rugby Tour Coalition (SART), that they have left, we say that no other considered the protest to have sent a clear South African team should ever return to the message back to Pretoria: most of the United States until apartheid has been American people are not fooled by South eradicated. Africa's token integration and are appalled by apartheid.

-11- THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION AND THE STRUGGLE Recent Reagan administration moves appear FOR SELF-DETERMINATION IN WESTERN SAHARA to signal a significant shift in policy. In by Richard Knight early November 1981 a 23-member military American Committee on Africa delegation visited Morocco and the battle zones in Western Sahara. The struggle for self-determination and This U.S. mission marks a significant independence continues in Western Sahara new public commitment to Morocco and its under the leadership of Polisario. King territorial claims. In the past , despite Hassan of Morocco, unable to defeat Poli­ evidence to the contrary, the State Depart­ sario and facing increased political prob­ ment had claimed that US-supplied weapons lems at home, has turned to the United States were unrelated to the war in Western Sahara for help, which the Reagan administration and basically not useful to Morocco in the seems more than willing to provide. conflict. Eackground The Reagan administration •'s policy of escalating support f or Morocco is consistent Western Sahara was colonized by Spain with its overall foreign policy. In the past in the late nineteenth century, but wide­ there have been US military bases in Morocco spread resistance prevented full control and the US Navy regularly uses Moroccan ports. from being established until 1934. Opposition The US sees King Hassan as an ally in need to Spanish rule continued in the 1950s and 60S and on May 10, 1973 , Polisario and fears that if Morocco loses in the (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguiet Sahara the King may lose his throne. el Hamra and Rio de Oro) was formed to Another factor in the US government's intensify the fight for independence. Ten attitude toward Polisario stems from its cold days later armed struggle began. war policies toward the Soviet Union. Many By 1975, Spain was ready to end its Soviet-aligned countries have supported Polisari o diplomatically and several, including formal colonial rule, but both Morocco and Mauritania were now laying claim to Western Cuba, have r ecognized the Saharawi Arab Demo­ cratic Republic. Polisario obtains arms from Sahara. As a result of these claims, the both Algeria and Libya, and the administra­ United Nations sent a mission to the area. tion's view of Libya's Col. Muammer Qaddafi It reported that the people of Western as a pro-Soviet terrorist leader must inevit­ Sahara were "categorically for independence ably affect its attitude. and against the territorial claims of Morocco and Mauritania" and that Polisario Secretary of State Alexander Haig has was the dominant political force. shown a particular sympathy for Morocco. In one of his official acts, he approved the Polisario rejected the Spanish agreement sale of 108 M-60 tanks to Morocco. with Morocco and Mauritania, declaring it illegal because it denied the people of President Reagan's policy differs from Western Sahara the right to self-determination. President Carter's more in degree than in On February 27, 1976, one day after the approach. Carter was restrained by members Spanish withdrawal, Polisario declared the of his own party in Congress who were Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic and cont­ opposed to arms sales or at least to the use inued armed resistance. Over the next three of US-supplied arms in the Sahara. The years Polisario grew in strength, making strongest opponent was former Senator Dick the war more costly to its adversaries. In Clark, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee August 1979, Mauritania sued for peace and on Africa. However, Clark was defeated in withdrew from Western Sahara. Morocco promp­ his re-election bid in 1978 and congressional tly extended its claims to include the area concern over events in Iran and Nicaragua formerly claimed by Maurit ania, and the war weakened opposition to arms sales. Carter continued. moved ahead with significant sales of military Morocco is determined to hold on to equipment and aircraft to Morocco in 1979. Congressional opponents of the sale did get Western Sahara for both political and from Carter a vague agreement that delivery economic reasons. The war draws attention of the arms would be contingent on unidenti­ away from political and economic problems fied "progress" in peace negotiations. at home and builds the nationalist and The Reagan administration, which does not face patriotic image of the monarchy. There any of the same political problems, has are also large phosphate reserves located in eliminated this criteria. the Western Sahara at Bu Craa, just 58 miles from the coast. A by-product that can be The War extracted from the phosphate is a form of The US military mission visit to Morocco Uranium, U-238, which can be used to make came just weeks after a major battle in fuel for nuclear reactors. Exploitable oil Western Sahara on October 13th. Polisario and iron deposits are also thought to exist won a significant victory over Morocco at in the area. the garrison town of Guelta Zemmur. US Policy Survivors of the 2,000-strong Moroccan garrison were forced to flee to the mountains US policy toward the region has long been until reinforcements came . In the fighting centered around close military ties with around Guelta Zemmur, Polisario. shot down Morocco, but the Carter administration five aircraft, two of which, a C-130 Hercules maintained a position of neutrality on the transport and an F-5 fighter plane, were US­ issue of Western Sahara. supplied.

-12- Morocco was particularly upset by the loss On August 24-25 the OAU Committee establ­ of the aircraft because of the importance of ished to implement the ceasefire and referen­ reconnaissance flights and air support in dum called for at the June summit, met in battle. Claiming that the aircraft were shot Nairobi. The Committee decided that the down with Sam 6 or Sam 8 missiles, Morocco referendum "shall be one of self-determination implied the presence of non-Saharawi in which will enable the people of Western Polisario's forces by arguing that the use of Sahara to express themselves freely and these missiles was beyond the technical democratically on the future of the territory" expertise of Polisario. Morocco also and that the choice to be put to voters will claimed that Polisario used Soviet-made T-54 be "independence, or integration into Morocco." tanks. However, journalists who visited the King Hassan, on the other hand, had announced area were unable to find any evidence of only a week earlier that the referendum "must Morocco's claims, despite the fact that only be a confirmation of the return to the Morocco said that Polisario had been able to mother country." carry the destroyed tanks off the battlefield. In other decisions the committee decided The battle at Guelta Zemmur shows Poli­ that the referendum should be conducted by the sario' s continued military strength. As a OAU and the UN, and that "for a fair and im­ result of the attack Morocco has withdrawn partial interim administration supported by from Guelta Zemmur and Bir Anzaran, both civilian, military and police components shall key outposts in the southern part of Western be set up." Moroccan and Polisario force:s Sahara. would be confined to bases and a UN peace­ keeping force would be present. Most of Morocco's forces in Western Sahara, including those withdrawn from Guelta Zemmur Morocco, while declaring itself satisfied and Bir Anzaran, are now behind a 400-mile wall with the plan, has refused to negotiate of sand. In the past year Morocco has built directly with Polisario on a ceasefire. the wall around what it calls the "useful" Polisario has declared itself ready to start Sahara. Essentially the wall is designed negotiation at any time. Morocco's refusal to to protect the capital of Western Sahara, El negotiate with Polisario has been seen as a Aaiun, the city of Smara and the phosphate stalling tactic and many observers wonder mines at Bu Craa. But the wall is more than whether Morocco will ever allow implementation just sand. There are forts every few miles of the plan. Lacking a ceasefire, Polisario and the wall is equipped with sophisticated has pushed ahead with its military activities. electronic equipment. Moroccan forces remain Morocco's Internal Problems in only a few towns outside the wall. Negotiations Morocco has significant internal problems, making it increasingly difficult to sustain King Hassan has not confined his struggle the high cost of the war . The war leaves against the Polisario to the battlefield. In little or no money for development and a a dramatic diplomatic move at the OAU heads continuing drought has devastated the economy of state meeting last June, the King announced of the country. To make matters worse, the that Morocco would accept a "controlled price of Morocco's main export , phosphate, referendum" to determine the future of the has declined while its import bi1l, especially area. That move succeeded in keeping the for oil, has ri~en significantly. OAU from admitting as a member the Polisario­ Because of the drought Morocco lost half formed Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, of its last grain crop and the outlook for despite the fact that it is recognized as the current crop is no better. Farmers have the official government of Western Sahara by been forced to slaughter their livestock over· half the organization's member .;tat es. because of lack of grazing land, causing long­ The OAU has consistently supported self­ term damage to the economy . An estimated determination for Western Sahara, although 1 , 000 people a day are leaving the countryside the issue is a sensitive one as it involves for the cities , creating a large unemployed, inter-African conflict. Morocco had previously disaffected, urban population. rejected a referendum proposed by a special Conclusion OAU committee set up to study the issue of Western Sahara. But Morocco has become The Reagan administration appears increasingly isolated on the issue while conmi.tted to support for Morocco , which it Polisario's support has continued to grow. regards as a reliable friend and ally in an unstable region. In this context US fears There is some question as to whether Morocco that King Hassan may not be able to hold on to will go through with its offer • . James M. his throne under the dual pressures of economic Markham of the New York Times reported from collapse and the loss of the Sahara seems to Morocco in July, "Few well-placed Moroccan be moving Washington into a more active role or Western diplomats here believe that the against the Polisario-led struggle for King has any intention of allowing a ref eren­ independence. Thus although the US continues dum that would challenge Morocco's long­ to declare support for OAU efforts towards a standing claim to the phosphate-rich desert . " peaceful solution in Western Sahara, it is in It appears that Morocco is stalling for time, fact supporting Moroccan efforts to achieve a perhaps having taken a lesson from South military victory over Polisario and ·crush the Africa. South Africa agreed to an election in legitimate struggle of the population for Namibia in 1978, but has been able to put off self-determination. implementation for. more than three years.

-13- WOR.~ING PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE CONFERENCE regime in South Africa. This alignment is ON SOLIDARITY WITH THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE clearer in the area of cooperation between OF THE PEOPLES OF SOUTHER.~ AFRICA. NEW military and intelligence agencies from the YORK, OCTOBER 9-11, 1981. U.S. and South Africa. In March of 1981, - summarized by Christopher Oladosu Gidigbi just three months after the Reagan adminis­ tration came to Washington, an audience University of Minnesota was granted to the head of South African military intelligence by Jean Kirkpatrick, 1. ~ollars in Southern A,frica -­ U.S . Ambassador to the U.N. ~reaking the Lin~s - by Jennifer Davis, et al, The U.S . Central Intelligence Agency helped start and t r ain a South African The superstructure of apartheid was Bureau of Security and r egularly shares constructed largely as a response to the information with the apartheid state. The needs of the first major industrial inves­ U.S . and South Africa have cooperated in tors in South Africa who were predominantly the silver mine network monitoring much of British and European. Because the apartheid Southern Africa. South Africa assisted the system worked so well for these investors, CIA in the support of its mercenaries for the economy expanded rapidly. The wealth operations in the Congo in the early 1960's; produced by these investors was shared worked with the CIA in 19 75 in the Angolan along racial lines. The average white/black invasion; and , most recently, U.S. mercenaries per capita income ratio is 11:1. work for the South African defense forces Foreign capital has played a central role in Namibia. in the growth of this super-exploitative Yet perhaps the most alarming aspect of economic system. It has steadily grown over Western collaboration with apartheid comes the past decades. U.S . direct investment in the area of nuclear collaboration. Un­ in South Africa has grown dramatically over doubtedly, the mos t destructive aspect of the past fifteen years. (Presently it is South Africa's military strength is its about 1 percent of its world-wide foreign possession of a nuclear weapon capability. investment total.) South Africa could not have developed its These years of maximum economic growth and military, nuclear, or int elligence gathering investments were also years of intensifying capacity without the active assistance of the political repression for the black majority U.S. and other Western powers . The evidence in South Africa. The U. S. economic link is clear.and it is vital that the U.S. libera­ with South Africa is only fueling an already tion support movement take an active stance aggravat ed case of suppression. It is time agai nst Western collaboration with apartheid. to cut these links , to stop the loans , end (8 pp .' $1. 25) t he investments , ·cut all trade. 3. The Killing Business: Mercanarie~ _!_n The rationale for disengagement clearly Southern Africa lies i n the criticisms of the so-called Sullivan principles. A lot of local, state, - by Dr . Robert Schware national and international movements have "(The) practice of using mercenaries started campaigning for divestments. Their against movements for national liberation strategies clearly lie in trying to stop the and independence is punishable as a criminal flow of technology, capital and military act and that the mercenaries themselves are supplies to South Africa by t he American outlaws," U.N. General Assembly Res . 2548 oil grants . (XXIV), December 1969. What can we do? Under U. S. law, it i s illegal for any U. S. national to r ecruit or enlist in t he services Consumers and shareholders should put of a foreign power or to leave the U. S. with pressur e on Caltex, Mobil and others t o the intention of so enlisting . To date , no withdraw from South Africa. indivi dual mercenary who has fought in Africa, Pressure should be put on the U.S. govern­ has been known to have done so , has been ment to remove its veto of a mandatory U.N. either charged or indicted .in the U. S. for any security council oil embargo of South Africa. mercenary related activities, in direct violation of the law. Oil and shipping workers should pass information to SWAPO and ANC on companies The U. S. government has never been involved in supplying embargoed oil t o offi cially at war with Mozambique, Zaire , South Africa. Angola, Zimbabwe or Namibia; yet it i s a known fact that U.S . nationals are partici­ The U.S. banks will have to f ace more pating in confl icts in these countri es , pressures to f orce them to change their sym­ contrary to law. Recruitments of mercenaries pathy towards apartheid. (17 pp. $2.50) have reportedly taken place at several locations in the continental U.S. 2. U.S. Military. Nuclear and I ntelligence Links with Apartheid The Committee of Concerned Citizens on - by Dr. Ronald Walters. Mercenary Activities was organized in May 1979 with the aim of exposing the activities "In South Africa . . . it i s not our task of Soldier of Fortune magazine and its to choose between Black and White," Chester associates. Crocker, U. S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa. Yet the choice has already been Points of action recommended in order to made and the Reagan admi nistration has help curb the South African armed forces and clearly aligned itself with the apartheid

-1 4- their mercenary activities against the International Committee Against Apartheid, oppressed South Africans are: Racism and Colonialism in Southern Africa, among others. - A national tour should be conducted com­ posed of civilians from Zimbabwe and Angola Organizations which have been active on who have been the object of repeated aggression the national level in maintaining cultural by mercenaries. boycotts would include : the American Committee on Africa; National Anti-Imperialism - An international legal commission should Movement in Solidarity with African Liberation be organized to investigate mercenary activi­ (NAIMSAL); TransAfrica; the Congressional ties in Southern Africa. Black Caucus; and Operation 3-3-3-3 Cultural -The U.S. should play an active role in Boycott. The above is also a partial listing. monitoring mercenary activities around the Recommendations include : world. (5 pp. 75¢) Establish a national working group 4. The Struggle to Isolate South African composed of interested organizations to Sports coordinate activity and to develop a - by Richard E. Lapchick national strategy. South Africa has increasingly turned to Launch a national media campaign bilateral sports relations as a result of directed primarily at national Black being barred from most international sports publications, local Black newspapers competition. In the U.S. , tennis became and local radio stations. the first target of the sports anti-apartheid Create an outreach program for movement because the .first major contacts in cultural organizations, and all unions the U.S. were the Davis Cup tournaments in 1977. of cultural performers which would include advertisements in all union Other sports have been targets for protests publications. and sometimes disruption since the 1977 Davis (5 pp., 75¢) Cup competition. Boxing, amateur golf, and rugby are prominent on the list of this 6. Biblio~raphv on U.S. Policy towards movement. Southern Africa Network television and individuals have by Kevin Danaher of Institute for yielded to the pressures of various anti­ Policy Studies (14 pp. $2. 25) apartheid movements that are campaigning to isolate South African sports contacts in the 7. Building the Anti-Apartheid Movement U.S. - by Lockwood, Collins, et al. (14 pp. $2 .25) South Africa, on the other hand, is pouring millions of dollars into big-time sports promotion to lure American athletes to go there to compete. This makes the task of stopping contacts all the more difficult. These papers can be purchased through ACAS. Amounts in parentheses at the end of each Private sponsorship and government funding summary cover duplicating and postage costs. play a major part in aiding the government­ All inquiries should be sent to: recognized white establishment bodies maintain ACA~, Box 791, East Lansing, MI 48823 firm control over sports in South Africa. Rugby in South Africa closely reflects the racist politics of the white minority . Therefore, by outlaying large sums of money to influence rugby administrators and players, it is confident that it will break out of isolation. It is crucial that all anti-apartheid forces lEili5E5iEi55E55ii!:a!55E5iE5iiE!i5i555i:C5!555'555555'555=:!5!55i!: take immediate action to counter this apartheid maneuver. (12 pp . $1 . 50)

5. Boycotting Cultural and Entertainment JOIN ACAS NOW! TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND Events: Achievements, Problems and COLLEAGUES ABOUT OUR ACTIVITIES. Recommendations - by Micheal Beaubien ACAS membership dues are based on income: The United Nations resolution 2396 (1968) , the final declaration of the International Income under $10 , 000 .• $10.00 Conference on the European Economic Community Between $10,000 - 20,000 $20.00 (EEC) and apartheid (January 1979) ; the World Over $20,000 .... $30.00 Conference of Youth and Students in Solidarity Students/Unemployed $ 7.50 with Peoples, Youth and Students of South.em Africa. The above listing of pertinent Please send dues to: resolutions and declarations is only a partial ACAS list. Other international organizations and Box 791 conferences which have passed similar resolu­ East Lansing, MI 48823 tions include the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Non-Aligned Movement and the

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