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4Ii^ END CONSCRIPTION CAMPAIGN P.O 4ii^ END CONSCRIPTION CAMPAIGN P.O. Box 537 Phone: 836-8423 Kengray 2100 Fax: 834-3189 25 August 1992 John Kani Fax No: 492-1235 Dear Mr Kani URGENT APPEAL FOR SUPPORT FOR CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF CHARGES AGAINST MERRICK DOUGLAS. Merrick Douglas is due to appear in the Randfontein Magistrates Court on September 2 on charges of having refused to do an army c a m p . Merrick Douglas is just one of hundreds (if not thousands) of men in this country who have decided that they are not prepared to serve in the SADF. In the current period an increasing number of these individuals are people who, like Merrick Douglas, have done an initial period of service in the SADF, but who feel that what they have already done is sufficient. The government knows that they will not be able to prosecute all of these people so they have chosen to single out Merrick Douglas to make an example of him. If he is convicted he will be the first person to have been convicted under this provision since November 1990. The law under which he is being charged provides that he could be imprisoned if he is found guilty. We are intending to send the attached letter as an open letter to the State President at the end of this week and are in the process of approaching a cross section of people from the community to request that they add their signatures to it. I would like to ask you to give your support to the call for the withdrawal of charges against Merrick Douglas by signing the attached letter. Yours sincerely David Bruce ECC national worker. ^ M xcUpf ^c.^.fpcA bc-CC-, ( j c.o>tlA % Z O C - C / $ \1<5° C ) (A ( 3 " i - p o 9 C o c 0 flavl h S c - r J ' , g&£ - J«f<3£ k I r sfc-f < C O O f O a C'V ( (jo(\^5<Oc^ T c a x o M C 6 t s j) it/I OffcJOS (f R)<2 fd/(I* s Sister Margaret Kelly 14 September 1992 SACBC, Pretoria Fax 012 326-6218 From: Nan Cross Luis Mitras Herewith a rough draft for the letter to the Minister of Justice (with copies to the Minister of Defence, Minister of Manpower, and Luis’lawyer Mandy Taylor at PO Box 8694, Jhb, 2000. 1. Introduction - charge and date of court appearance 2. Details of Luis’ work with psychiatric patients, and testimony to his Christian commitment 3. Why he stopped his service as allocated 4. Unjust to convict anyone for Defence Act charges under the present racially discriminatory system 5. Request for the charges to be dropped. D r a f t : The Minister of Justice Pretori a Dear Mr Coetzee re: Luis Mitras, Conscientious Objector. 1. Mr Mitras, who was classified as a Religious Objector in 1991, has been charged with failing to complete the community service which was allocated to him by the Department of Manpower. He is due to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on O ctober 19 1992. 2. Mr Mitras is a Christian pacifist, with a strong sense of service to the whole community of South Africa. Since his skills and training are in the field of Psychology, he has worked since 1988 as a counsellor and crisis interventionist for organisations involved in rehabilitation work with the drop-outs of society such as drug and alcohol abusers. In 1988 he held the post of Crisis Interventionist at the Threshold Foundation, a non-racial State-funded psychiatric centre. In 1989 he was the Crisis Interventionist and supervisor of the occupational centre, Walberton Manor, a State-funded psychiatric half-way house and rehabilitation centre. In 1990 he was the supervisor for two rehabilitation units and Crisis Interventionist again for the Threshold Foundation. And in 1991, after leaving his Community Service placement with the Department of Health (where his job was filing clerk), he returned to the Threshold Foundation as supervisor of the residential programme for six months. He is currently studying for two post graduate degrees while also teaching part time for the David Ferreira College. 3. His reasons for failing to complete the community service allocated to him was his frustration with the system. He had been in constant contact with the Department of Manpower, and finally informed both the Department and the Board for Religious Objection of his decision to leave. 4. Under the present racially-based system of whites-only conscription, it would appear unjust to convict anyone for contraventions of this system. 5. In the case of Luis Mitras, with his history of sincere Christian pacifism, the fact that he has already shown his commitment to true service to the community, and the total waste of his skills that would result from a sentence to detention as envisaged by the Defence Amendment Act, I would earnestly request that the charges against him be withdrawn. A / i c M o l l s , u C f a a firr. / y r)fl^Q'/ fY^flA//)y: / A> 64 6_ ocrpc^ &Lu. J.W. DOWNIE 205 CATHCART HOUSE . 0 VANDERBIJLPARK 1911 SIR I was originally called up for a two month camp commencing 12/09/92. I informed Vaal Commando (through their admin, office), that I would not be collecting the call up instruction at the Post Office, (thus making it quite clear my refusal to serve in the S.A.D.F.). On Monday 14 September I spoke with a Major van Wyk at Vaal Commando. After explaining my reasons for refusing to serve in the S.A.D.F., he produced another call up instruction (92/09/28-92/11/27) and proceeded to record on paper what he was d o i n g . He informed me that there were three options open to me: 1. I must report for the camp commencing 28/09/92 2. I must contact the Board for Conscientious Objection in Bloemfontein and register as a Conscientious Objector. 3. If I refuse to serve in the S.A.D.F., I will be charged and subjected to civil prosecution. After much deliberation and soul searching, I have decided that my only recourse is to continue with my original decision of refusing to serve in the S.A.D.F. My reasons for this decision are as follows: 1. Due to the fact that the Population Registration Act has b e e n repealed, race classification no longer exists in South Africa, therefore a whites only call up is in fact invalid. 2. The system of call ups (especially two months every year) is disruptive to the economy and peoples lives. 3. The present Commando system places an unfair burden on people who have already performed a substantial period of military service. P.O. Box 537 Phone: 836-8423 Kengray 2100 Fax: 834-3189 Sopt.omfeer 1992 The President Pan Africanist Congress of Azania Old Arcade Building Commisioner st, Johannesburg Fax No: 838-3705 Dear Mr Makwethu ONGOING PROSECUTION OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS AND 'DRAFT D O D G E R S " ■ On 23 September 1992, the Pretoria Supreme Court dismissed an application by the ECC to declare the whites-only military call- up legally invalid. Nonetheless, the ECC is appealing against this decision, and we are hopeful that the Appellate Division will confirm our belief that a whites-only call-up is invalid. In the meantime, the chief of staff of the SADF, General Pierre Steyn, has indicated that the present call-up system is being phased out. The SADF has embarked on a rationalisation program, with units being disbanded and major military bases being closed. The SADF has begun retrenching thousands of surplus staff members. At the same time, thousands of volunteers are turned away from the SADF every year. Clearly, the SADF does not have a shortage of personnel - it has a surplus. Yet, against all reason, the SADF continues to enforce the whites-only call up and to prosecute those who fail or refuse to serve, on a selective basis. We believe that, irrespective of one’s political viewpoint, the prosecution of individuals on call-up related offences is unacceptable in this period of transition. Since, by the SADF’s own admission, the call-up system is being phased out, we believe that prosecutions of this kind should be stopped immediately. It is immoral and cynical to prosecute people under a law which is due to be repealed within the next few months. We ask you to endorse our call on the government to halt call- up related prosecutions and to declare a moratorium on any further prosecutions of this kind. We would greatly appreciate it if you could send us a brief indication of your support by fax to the above number. We believe that even organisations which have not supported the ECC in the past will agree that it is time to stop the prosecutions, and we hope that you will see fit to support us on this issue. Yours faithfully Q - S i Chris de Vi 11iers (t For: The End Conscription Campaign e o P.O. Box 537 Phone: 836-8423 Kengray 2100 Fax; 834_3189 7 October 1992 Letter to leaders of political oartips PROSECUTION OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS AND "DRAFT On 23 September 1992, the Pretoria Supreme Court dismissed an un UaaVi°n y t1he.ECC to dedar e the whites-only military call- up legal ly inval id. Nonetheless, the ECC is appealing against this decision, and we are hopeful that the Appellate Division will confirm our belief that a whites-only call-up is invalid In the meantime, the chief of staff of the SADF, General Pierre Steyn has indicated that the present call-up system is beinq phased out The SADF has embarked on a rationalisation program, Thi sbanded and major military bases being closed.
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