Trinity College Trinity College Digital Repository Resist Newsletters Resist Collection 11-30-1989 Resist Newsletter, Nov. 1989 Resist Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter Recommended Citation Resist, "Resist Newsletter, Nov. 1989" (1989). Resist Newsletters. 218. https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter/218 Newsletter #220 A Call to Resist Illegitimate Authority November, 1989 Sharpeville to Stonewall: Linking Liberation Struggles Tseko Simon Nkoli was arrested to bring together lesbians and gay men release he has continued his political with 21 others in September, 1984, as a of all races, and to help them to con­ activities, despite his long ordeal in result of his involvement in the rent front homophobic physical attacks and prison. Simon Nkoli 's tour through strikes held that year in the Black town­ problems emerging from isolation. Bail Canada and the U.S. was supported by ships surrounding Johannesburg, restrictions severely curtailed Nkoli 's a wide range of organizations that share South Africa. While Nkoli had helped political involvement, but since his his vision of dislodging the entrenched to organize only the rent boycott and a system of apartheid in South Africa. non-violent march, violence did break The tour was sponsored by Men of All out, and Jive government-appointed Colors, N. Y., the Simon Nkoli Support local councilors were killed. The state Committee, and the Zulu Project. His arrested 22 people, including Nkoli, September visit to Boston was organ­ and held them in solitary confinement ized by the Simon Nkoli Coordinating for nearly two years be/ore ofJicially Committee (see grant report, page 8 ). charging them in January, 1986, with The background information, above, treason, subversion, and conspiracy to was provided by the Simon Nkoli Coor­ murder. dinating Commitee. The ensuing Delmas treason trial In this issue we include an edited ver­ developed into perhaps the biggest trea­ sion of Nkoli 's Boston address describ­ son trial in South Africa since that of ing his experiences in prison and his Nelson Mandela in the 1960s. Nkoli extraordinary decision to come out as a himself was released on bail on June gay man in the course of his trial. We 30th, 1987, and was finally acquitted of also include introductory remarks by all charges on November 18th, 1988. South African activist, Themba Vila­ Although no evidence was produced kazi. Vilakazi made his comments as a linking any of the accused to the deaths spokesperson for the Fund For a Free of the officials, the state proceeded to South Africa, but noted that both per­ convict eleven of Nkoli's co-defendents sonally and as a member of the African of treason and terrorism. National Congress, he fully supports Prior to his arrest, Nkoli had been a the liberation struggle of gay men and leader in the anti-apartheid student lesbians "in South Africa and every­ movement. He was also the coordinator Simon Nkoli speaking at MIT September 16, 1989. where. "He said that "it will require a of the Saturday Group, whose aim was Photo: Laura Wulf. continued on page two Justice continued from page one undercut all peaceful resistance against lowers, who have been participating in lot of education on the issue of sexual apartheid. We are seeing an example of the defiance campaign, that they preference to make the ANC and all the state choosing those people who shouldn't march. They said, "No, we other political organizations (in South were working in the forefront of the are going to march because we have a Africa) come up with policy positions struggle, pinpointing them and coming right to march. We have a right in this . it remains upon the members of the up with trumped up charges that have country to demonstrate against injus­ organization, upon gay and lesbian very serious consequences. This trial in tice, to state our aspirations, and so we people within the organization, to bring fact exemplified a strategy of the state are going to march.'' And then the boss the issue into the forefront ... there is to make all peaceful resistance criminal said, "Well, ask for permission then if still a struggle to be fought here also. " and treasonous. you are going to march." And they As in the Mandela treason trial ear­ said, "No, we're not going to ask for lier, the only thing that saved most of permission. We're going to march." South Africa's Palace these people from the maximum pen­ And the boss said, "Well, I give you alty; and most of these people from in permission." of "Justice" fact being found guilty, was the atten­ And so we saw in Capetown, I think tion that was focused on South Africa, the largest demonstration in that city, THEMBA VILAKAZI and on the Palace of Justice, by the and everybody says there was a peaceful international community. I, like many march in Capetown, but we in the mass other people here in Boston, really movement against apartheid have There's a place in Pretoria which is became familiar with the name Simon always said that except for the violence called the Palace of Justice. It has a spe­ Nkoli through Gay Community News. of the police, except for the violence of cial place in the history of struggle in Most of the people on trial were mem­ apartheid's goon squads, there would in South Africa because this is the same bers of the United Democratic Front. fact be no violence in any of the demon­ court in which one of South Africa's What made Simon unique in this group strations that are launched by the mass best known political prisoners, Nelson was that he was the only one who was democratic movement in South Africa. Mandela, was tried and sentenced. public about his sexuality, his gayness. So there is movement in South Twenty-four years later there was South Africa, like most other soci­ Africa, but we should not be fooled. We another treason trial in the same place, eties, is very conservative, especially have to keep the pressure on. Even at a and twenty-two were accused, among about what we all do - sex. It takes a time when these demonstrations were them Simon Nkoli who is here with us lot of bravery to fight against apartheid going on, with permission that was not today. In South Africa, for a Black in South Africa, but there is some solace asked for, there were still people being man, in a white court, in the Palace even in that sacrifice in the sense that arrested. An executive member of the of Justice, being charged with treason is you have so much support from mem­ United Democratic Front was here in a very serious crime which carries the bers of your community; most of the the United States one month ago, and possibility of death, or of life imprison­ Black community is with you if you are met with President Bush. He was one of ment. That is how I first came to know struggling against apartheid. But I kind those arrested just yesterday. So, in as of Simon Nkoli, because all us who are of doubt that most of those either in the much as most of you here have followed concerned with the struggle for justice Black or white community are with you and supported Simon Nkoli, I think you in South Africa had our eyes focused on if you declare yourself gay and are have to keep your attention on South the Palace of Justice. proud of it. I think it takes a special Africa, because it is precisely your at­ All of those accused were refused bail courage to be not only a fighter against tention that can limit the amount of tor­ for a long time and when some eventu­ apartheid in South Africa, and all those ture the regime can impose on its vic­ ally were given bail, all were restricted. men in the Delmas prison trial exempli­ tims. Some families were denied a bread­ fied an extreme measure of courage, but We are not yet at a point ot victory. winner, some wives a husband, some in Simon's case it required an extra There are still some who are imprisoned sisters a brother, and there was a lot of measure. Here was a man who had paid as we speak. We are all in the struggle pain and sacrifice involved with being so much, but still was willing to con­ for human rights. The struggle for one of the treason trialists. The trial, front much more in order to bring jus­ human rights means fighting beyond which started in June of 1985, eventu­ tice, in a fuller sense, to our society in oppression across the color line, it ally was completed in November of South Africa. means fighting opression across the 1988, and happily Simon was one of So I am glad to be here on behalf of gender line, it means also fighting op­ those released. the Fund for a Free South Africa. I am pression across the sexual preference Eleven of his comrades were found glad that Men of All Colors and the line. There is nobody in South Africa guilty of some charge or other, and long Simon Nkoli Support Committee have who more exemplifies the universality prison sentences were imposed on them. organized this talk, and I am glad that of the struggle for human rights than They were tried for treason not because all of you are here. We are all involved Simon Nkoli. There is another gentle­ they ever really picked up a gun against in the struggle for justice in South man right now in South Africa, Ivan the state; in fact they had been quite Africa.