Vol. 2, No. 8 The Black American lobby for Africa and the Caribbean

SAM NUJOMA AND HARRY BELAFONTE: AMONG KEY SPEAKERS AT TRANSAFRICA'S SEVENTH ANNUAL DINNER I,; On September 25, 1976, the scape of Southern Africa. Congressional Black Caucus The most pressing and com­ convened the Black Leadership plicated of foreign policy issues Conference on Africa. The con­ have always determined Trans­ ference, comprising the leader­ Africa's choice of speaker at ship of virtually every national their Annual Dinner, and the black civil rights and social or­ much-publicized truce accords ganization, accomplished two of Southern Africa make Sam noteworthy objectives. It Nujoma's insights and inter­ authored the African-American pretations at this time of great Manifesto on Southern Africa, importance. Though heralded and mandated a task force to by the western media as great propose and execute an institu­ political breakthroughs, these tional vehicle through which _ cease-fire agreements have black Americans could express TransAfrica Sixth Annual Dinner. Keynote speaker: The late motivations which are far from to the U.S. Congress and the Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister of Grenada noble, and implications which Administration their views on transcend the obvious. Those this country's foreign policy toward Africa battling South Africa's military onslaught and the .Caribbean. in the region know that the costs to South The fruit of that process was Trans­ Africa have been phenomenal. Pretoria's Africa, and in seven seemingly-short years, dogged determination to eradicate what was then an exciting, though untried, SW APO troops from both their home base idea has been transformed into this na­ in Namibia as well as the theoretically safe tion's premier foreign policy lobby for haven of Angola demanded expenditures Africa and the Caribbean. by the South African Treasury of $1 On June 9, 1984, TransAfrica celebrates million per day. In addition to this, the its seventh anniversary in keeping with other costs associated with Pretoria's what is now a tradition-a gala dinner at Sam Nujoma, President SWAPO, military operations in Namibia raised the the Washington Hilton attended by some and keynote speaker at the Seventh costs of South Africa's illegal occupation fifteen hundred persons. TransAfrica Annual Dinner of that country to $1.2 billion per year. True to its mandate to not On December 6, 1983, Assis­ only take the foreign policy tant Secretary of State for priorities of black America to African Affairs, Chester the US Congress, but to also Crocker, and South African bring leading thinkers and Foreign Minister Roelof Botha shapers of Third World self­ met in Rome. Under discussion determination in direct contact was the outlook for the region. with America's foreign policy It was at this meeting that constituency, TransAfrica is South Africa unveiled its plans this year bringing Sam Nu­ for a ceasefire in Angola in ex­ joma, President of SW APO, to , change for an Angolan pledge outline to its dinner audience "not to exploit" the resulting the Namibian independence situation for thirty days. The movement's perspective on the TransAfrica Fifth Annual Dinner: Keynote speaker, Prime rapidly changing political land- Minister Michael Manley, Jamaica (Continued on page 4) TRANSAFRICA- BUILDING BRIDGES IN FOREIGN POLICY

When the late Maurice Bishop, Prime Minister of Grenada, was under constant attack by the Reagan Administration, TransAfrica invited Prime Minister Bishop to respond to these allegations before the American public by arranging for him to be the key-note speaker at TransAfrica's Annual Dinner. Prime Minister Bishop's time-table for constitutional reform and free elections in Grenada were then unveiled before the 1983 Sixth Annual TransAfrica Dinner audience.

When the former Manley Government of Jamaica was the target of much retrospective criticism, particularly in light of the then-new Caribbean Basin Initiative, TransAfrica nego­ tiated a personal response by Prime Minister Manley to the TransAfrica Sixth Annual Dinner Audience. The promised revitalization of the Carribean in general, and Jamaica in par­ ticular, had been closely linked to the displacement of the Man­ ley Administration. At the Sixth Annual TransAfrica dinner, Prime Minister Manley established in the audience's mind the precise lines between fact and fallacy.

When in 1981, Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa was "banned", his passport seized and his movements within South Africa restricted, TransAfrica arranged for the Bishop's tape recorded appeal for continued American support to be brought to this country by the Bishop's wife-Leah Tutu. This record­ ing, black South Africa's urgent message to America, was the key-note address at TransAfrica's Fifth Annual Dinner.

When Mayor Andrew Young was appointed United States Ambassador to the United Nations, TransAfrica felt it im­ perative that its constituents be made aware of the rationale for and implications of the major foreign policy thrusts being enunciated by then-Ambassador Young. Of particular concern was this country's stance towards Africa and the Caribbean. These issues comprised the focus of Ambassador Young's TransAfrica Dinner address.

2 TRANSAFRICA NEWS • VOL. 2 NO. 8

- ... ~----TRANSAFRICA DINNERS PAST------

Sidney Poitier Ossie Davis

1-r: Mayor Marion Barry, Kwame Toure, Mayor Richard Hatcher (I'ransAfrica Board Chairman), Calvin Rolark, Ivanhoe Donaldson

VOL. 2 NO. 8 • TRANSAFRJCA NEWS 3 NATIONAL TRANSAFRICA'S SEVENTH SUPPORT COMMITTEE CONFERENCE: ANNUAL DINNER EXECUTIVES MEET TO FORMULATE LEGISLATIVE THRUST AND PRIORITIES (Continued from page 1) Reagan Administration's expressions of 1984/85 "cautious optimism" regarding the associated possibility of a settlement in Support Committee executives and cial discounts for its support committee Namibia were soon dashed completely members across the country are now in members with the Washington Hilton however, for while South Africa was un­ the final stages of preparation for Hotel-the site of the TransAfrica veiling its ceasefire offer in Rome, it was TransAfrica's Annual Support Commit­ Weekend activities. Bus charters which simultaneously launching a massive in­ tee Conference. This year's conference are being arranged by Support Commit­ vasion into Angola, with a force of some will be held at the Washington Hilton tee executives are reducing the cost of 5,000 troops. Hotel, June 9, 9:00 am-12:00 pm (State participating in the TransAfrica Week­ What then, do these much-heralded Room). end even further. "peace accords" really mean? It is via this forum that TransAfrica Those Support Committee Executives South Africa's motivation in invading National and its support committees who have at this time communicated Angola was the elimination of Sam Nu­ jointly review the past year's legislative clear plans for their groups' participa­ joma's SW APO forces, since the latter, and project achievements, and agree tion in The Weekend's activities are: from 1958 onwards has been resisting upon the coming year's strategic priori­ the political repression and mineral ex­ ties. Mr. Chuku Lee TransAfrica ploitation of their country by South Congressional perspectives and in­ New York African forces. Angola's commitment sights are particularly valuable in this to provide refuge to SW APO and Narni- regard, and the Congressional viewpoint Dr. Willard TransAfrica - bian refugees accounts for South Afri­ ca's military onslaught against that and forecasts will be provided by Rep­ Johnson Boston country. resentative Howard Wolfe (D-Michi­ (TransAfrica Board gan), Chairman, House Subcommittee Pretoria's aggression has not been on Africa. of Directors) without cost however, both economical­ Congressman Wolpe, along with ly as well as in political terms, and it was Congressmen Gray, Solarz and Berman Dr. James Davis TransAfrica · these realities combined with the have been the House's major propo­ Washington weakened states of Angola and Mozam­ nents of greater sanctions against South bique which made even discussion of Africa, and jointly are responsible for Ms. Carrie TransAfrica cease-fire agreements possible. affixing major anti-apartheid provisions Crawford Baltimore The December 1983 South African of­ to the House version of the Export Ad­ fensive into Angola exacted much higher ministration Act. The anti-apartheid Mr. Howard TransAfrica casualties that anticipated, and it is reported that for the white community provisions of this legislation are found Manning Los Angeles in South Africa, the bodies returning in Title 111 of the bill. (TransAfrica Board Legislative priorities, membership from Angola were beginning to have a goals, fundraising methodologies, and , of Directors) "Vietnam" effect. Also, South Africa's special national objectives will be the investment in supplying Angola's focus of the morning's discussions. Dr. Cheryl Johnson TransAfrica UNITA insurgents had become extreme­ Support Committee executives and Chicago ly burdensome. Finally, the Soviet members will attend a private briefing Union's warning at the height of by Sam Nujoma to the TransAfrica Ms. Margaret TransAfrica Pretoria's Angola invasion that an Board of Directors at the annual Board Baylor Detroit Angola further bombarded would be an of Directors Meeting, Sunday June 10, Angola securely buttressed by Soviet 9:00-10:00 am. military might, gave South Africa pause. So did the reality of its burgeon­ Support Committee members from Rep. Bill Crawford TransAfrica ing military budget of $3 billion per outside the Washington-Baltimore area Indianapolis who attend the dinner are eligible for a annum. 600Jo discount in the price of the dinner, The regional dynamics in Southern due to the travel expenses associated Our next Newsletter will outline the Africa have reached a watershed, with with attending the dinner. In addition, -objectives and commitments made dur­ the implications for the ANC and TransAfrica National has arranged spe- ing this session. SW APO being most ominous. On June 9, 1984 Sam Nujoma presents to the TransAfrica constituency his nation's blueprint for survival. Harry Belafonte, a member of TransAfrica's Board of Directors, addresses the issues of Trans­ Africa' s past and future. Brock Peters will be Master of Ceremonies. Join us! 4 TRANSAFRICA NEWS • VOL. 2 NO. 8 POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE THIRD WORLD FOREIGN POLICY Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid, in conjunction with TransAfrica, have already orchestrated, and will con­ CONCERNS TO BE GIVEN tinue to orchestrate nation-wide television and radio c~m­ TELEVISED COVERAGE paigns, arts and athletic celebrity symposia, public hearings plus a multiplicity of other channels via which their program On April 24, 1984, the first in a series of monthly, half­ will maintain its momentum. hour televised critiques of US foreign policy was shown on PBS stations across the country. Plans at this time are for the series to begin regular programming in January 1985. EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL The show is moderated by TransAfrica's Executive Direc­ AID TO AFRICA tor, Randall Robinson, and is titled THIRD WORLD REPORT. In response to the severe famine affecting nations THIRD WORLD REPORT has as its focus the most throughout the African continent, the Appropriations Com­ pressing challenges facing the developing world today. The mittee has approved a food aid supplemental bill which first program of the series examined South Africa by alter­ would provide $150 million in emergency assistance to the nating up-to-date film footage of conditions in that coun­ more than twenty nations in Africa whose populations are try with in-depth debate and analysis by leading thinkers threatened by drought. on South Africa-Representative Howard Wolpe (Chair­ The House approved the supplemental bill by an extremely man, House Subcommittee on Africa), Pat Buchanan (syn­ wide margin. The Senate has yet to act on the bill. Accord­ dicated columnist and former Nixon speechwriter), Morley ing to the House Subcommittee on Africa, the supplement Nkosi (Chairman, African Studies Program, Hofstra would increase the United States contribution toward solv­ University and former ANC member), and John Chettle ing the food crisis in Africa to nearly one million tons. (Director, South Africa Foundation). However the US response to the crisis has fallen dramatically Subsequent shows will follow the same format. relative to other donors and previous American responses. Whereas the United States had traditionally provided some 50% of emergency food aid to Africa, the US response to ARTISTS AND ATHLETES AGAINST date accounts for less that 25 OJo. APARTHEID LAUNCH NATION-WIDE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT VICTORY ON D.C. DIVEST BILL CAMPAIGN IN COMMEMORATION The long battle to pass divestment legislation in the District of Columbia was finally won on March 8, as a result OF THE SHARPEVILLE MASSACRE of an arduous campaign waged by the D.C. DIVEST Coali­ Arthur Ashe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Harry Belafonte, tion, including a core of key anti-apartheid organizations Art Blakey, Rita Moreno, Tony Randall and Sidney Poitier, in Washington and the TransAfrica District of Columbia all executive committee members of Artists and Athletes Support Committee, chaired by Dr. James Davis. Restric­ Against Apartheid, launched a nation-wide Public Service tions placed on D.C. Home Rule necessitate Congressional Announcement campaign re-affirming their organization's approval of D.C. City Council bills; however, the House commitment to isolating South Africa culturally until apart­ of Representatives District of Columbia Committee defeated heid is completely abolished. two disapprovals of the D.C. Divestment bill and it has Aired throughout the month of March on radio stations become law. The District's Retirement Board is now re­ across the country, Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid quired to divest $65 million worth of stock from corpora­ (AAAA), along with TransAfrica, selected this media cam­ tions with investments in South Africa, and the City must paign as their means of garnering public awareness of and now deposit public funds only in banks which have no loans support for their drive to hasten the dismantlement of apart­ to South Africa. Congratulations are due. to all who par­ heid in South Africa. ticipated in this accomplishment. Prompted by the March anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, the message broadcast nationwide by SENATE ACTION ON IDA VII Messrs. Ashe, Belafonte et al is as follows: ON MARCH 21, 1960 IN THE SMALL SOUTH The Reagan Administration has consistently rejected AFRICAN TOWN OF SHARPEVILLE, 69 BLACK World Bank proposals outlining the need for an interna­ M,EN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE KILLED tionally funded $16 billion for the seventh replenishment of BY SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE WHILE PEACE­ the Internationally Development Association (IDA). IDA FULLY PROTESTING SOUTH AFRICA'S POLI­ is the "soft-loan" window of the World Bank which has CIES OF RACIAL TYRANNY. traditionally been a major source of development funding THIS MONTH, ARTISTS AND ATHLETES for the poorest nations of Africa. Though all projects funded ACROSS AMERICA COMMEMORATE THE by IDA must meet stringent feasibility criteria, the funding SACRIFICE OF THOSE 69 AND THE MILLIONS is provided at concessional terms. WHO'VE SUFFERED SINCE, IN THEIR QUEST World Bank cut-backs in their proposals to a total FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE. replenishment of $12 billion, which would have simply con­ IN KEEPING WITH THE DICTATES OF MY tinued at the previous funding level, were also rejected by CONSCIENCE, I HAVE DECIDED THAT I WILL the Administration, which will agree to only a $9 billion total NOT VISIT, PLAY OR PERFORM IN SOUTH replenishment. All international donor countries lobbied the AFRICA UNTIL APARTHEID IS ABOLISHED. (Continued on page 6) VOL. 2 NO. 8 • TRANSAFRICA NEWS 5 United States in an attempt to convince the Administration These amendments would: of the importance and validity of World Bank projections their own willingness to commit to the higher IDA-7 -Prohibit all new investment in South Africa replenishment, and the importance of the United States as (Introduced by Rep. William Gray, PA) ~ major economic power internationally, joining with the -Prohibit the importation of South African krugerran, mternational community in this regard. and other South African gold coins, the provision of US The Administration has not yielded. bank loans to the South African Public Sector, and would The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has introduced make the Sullivan "fair workplace principles" man­ the authorization of $2.25 billion for IDA-7. A $500 sup­ datory. plemental has also been placed at the President's discretion (Introduced by Rep. Stephen Solarz, NY) to be applied if the severity of economic conditions in his opinion, warrant its use. The House has yet to consider this -Reimpose export controls on goods to the South African issue. military police which were relaxed by the Reagan Admin­ istration "PEACE ACCORDS" (Introduced by Rep. Howard Berman, CA) -Expand nuclear non-proliferation controls to include parts IN SOUTHERN AFRICA an~ technology to countries (including South Africa) which refuse full scope International Atomic Energy Three years of utter failure under the United States policy safeguards on their nuclear facilities. of constructive engagement toward South Africa has made (Introduced by Rep. Howard Wolpe, Mich) the Administration anxious for favorable reports on the All four sponsors are represented on the Conference Com­ "progress" of the region. mittee, and on opening day Representatives Gray and Solarz ~ecent cease-fire negotiations misleadingly boast progress. defended their amendments against attacks by Senator Jack An mformal agreement featuring a one-month cease-fire on Garn (R-Utah) and Congressman Gerald Solomon (R-NY), the Angola/Namibia border, and withdrawal of South who urged that the House recede to the Senate, striking Ti­ African troops from southern Angola has been negotiated tle III from the Export Administration Act completely. between Angola and South Africa. The negotiations, Solomon's recommendation was defeated by an 11 :2 vote however, mediated by US Secretary of State for African Af­ by those House members present. fairs, Chester Crocker, barred involvement of SWAPO­ Senator Heinz, whose support was crucial, called for a N~mibia's liberation movement, and deals only indirectly compromise on Title III which would involve some mixture with the issue of Namibian independence as outlined in of the three sub-provisions of the Solarz amendment and United Nations Security Council Resolution 435. In addi­ possibly the Gray amendment-which is the most mean­ tion to this, SWAPO's headquarters being in Angola, the ingful sanction of Title III. group's use of its main facilities will be seriously obstructed. Both Senators Cranston and Proxmire lent the anti­ Although the United States may attempt to market these apartheid effort considerable support during conference a~cor~s as indications of a greater peace process, another deliberations. view is that unless SWAPO is made party to any negotia­ TransAfrica prefers that Title III be incorported complete­ tions pertaining to the future of Namibia, any peace thus ly. Any compromise legislation focussing only on the secured would be tenuous at best. Analysts have also noted S~~livan ~rinciples would not be acceptable, since these pro­ the "coincidence" of these accords being announced dur­ v1s1ons fail to address the crucial issue, which is the disman­ ing a US Presidential election year. The track record of tlement of apartheid. "constru:Ctive engagement" to date has been indisputably There is still time to voice concern about the anti-apartheid gloomy. amendments to the conferees if one of them represents your district or state. They are listed below. EXPORT ADMINISTRATION ACT

. A jo~nt House/Senate conference committee began con­ House Rep. Douglas Bereuter (NE- 1) s1derat10n of the four anti-apartheid provisions of the Ex­ Rep. Dante Fascell (FL-19) Rep. Gerald Soloman (NY-24) Rep. Lee Hamilton (IN- 9) Rep. Ed Zschau (CA-12) port Administration Act on Friday, April 13. The conference Rep. Gus Yatron (PA- 6) Rep. William Gray (PA- 2) is .comprised of select members of the House Foreign Af­ Rep. Stephen Solarz (NY-13) Rep. Don Bonker WA- 3) fairs and Senate Banking Committees, and its purpose is Senate Rep. Dan Mica (FL-14) to decide upon a final draft of the Export Administration Sen. Alan Cranston CA) Rep. Michael Barnes (MD- 8) Sen. Jake Garn (UT) Act. Rep. Howard Wolpe (MI- ) Sen. William Proxmire (WI) The Senate version of the bill contained no anti-apartheid Rep. Sam Gejdenson (CT-2) Sen. John Heinz (PA) amei:idments, thereby necessitating a thorough lobbying ef­ Rep. Howard Berman (CA-26) rort m the Senate. Those opposed to these provisions, both Rep. Tobi Roth (WI- 8) m the House and the Senate, are seeking to have them Rep. Olympia Snowe (ME- 2) dropped completely.

Vol. 2, No. 8, 1984 TRANSAFRICA 545 8th Street SE Editor: Hazel-Dean Ross NEWS Suite 200 Contributing Writer: Washington, D.C. 20003 David Scott 202/547-2550

6 TRANSAFRICA NEWS • VOL. 2 NO. 8