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ACTION ALERT September 1992

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ACTION ALERT September 1992 South Africa Human Rights Campaign ACTION ALERT September 1992 PROTEST THE CISKEI MASSACRE On September 7, without any warning, Independent eyewitness accounts 1. Establish a full, public judicial soldiers of the Ciskei Defence Force confrrm that the attack was unprovoked. inquiry into the massacre. (CDF) fired on a large crowd of demon­ The demonstrators were unarmed and strators, killing 24 and injuring 195. acting peacefully. The fact that the 2. Bring those responsible for the killing The demonstrators were taking part in Ciskei troops had been issued live to justice. a march, sponsored by the African ammunition supports the conclusion 3. Compensate the families of the National Congress, the Congress.of that the demonstrators were deliberately victims. South African Trade Unions, and the trapped and massacred. South African Communist Party, to 4. Ban the use of live ammunition protest the continued existence of the Blaming the victim against nonviolent demonstrators. "homelands" and the oppressive regime The news media and Western govern­ 5. Protect residents of the Ciskei who of Brigadier Oupa Gqozo, the military ments have increasingly blamed the participated in the march from the ruler of the Ciskei bantustan. ANC for the massacre, maintaining that reprisals now being taken by the Ciskei ANC leaders should have known that The Ciskei, possibly the most repressive Defence Force. of the "homelands" created under apart­ Oupa Gqozo would turn his army on the heid, has effectively banned the ANC demonstrators, and therefore should 6. Require the "homelands" to alIow from organizing meetings, and has have cancelIed the march. peaceful, democratic expression of repressed political opposition. According to this distorted logic, people opposition. The South African Defence Force daring to exercise their right of peaceful Brigadier Oupa Gqozo (SADF) is actively involved in the CDF. assembly and protest, with the permis­ Chairman of the Military Council The head of the CDF, Brigadier Marius sion of the courts, have only themselves Private Bag XOOl6 Oelschig, and many other CDF officers to blame if the military mows them Bisho, Ciskei are or have been employed by the down without warning. This is hardly South Africa SADF, including the officer in charge on the message the West has been giving Mr. F.W. de Klerk the day of the massacre. the pro-democracy protesters in the East­ ern European countries and in China. State President The Ciskei magistrate's court had ap­ Private Bag X83 proved the march, but limited the The South African government regards Pretoria 0001, South Africa demonstrators to the sports stadium just bantustan leaders such as Oupa Gqozo Fax 01127 123233982 outside Bisho, the capital of the bantu­ as important allies in its struggle to Mr. R.F. Botha stan. The CDF enclosed the stadium retain power and influence in a new Minister ofForeign Affairs area with razor wire. The firing began South Africa. The South African govern­ ment, by legitimizing the Ciskei regime Dept. of Foreign Affairs when a small group of demonstrators Private Bag X152 left the stadium through a back entrance and providing military support to it, must bear fulI responsibility for rile Pretoria 0001, South Africa that was still open and headed towards Fax 011 27 12323 1664 Bisho. massacre. Sources for this Action Alert: Africa Fund. The Ciskei Defence Force used auto­ African National Congress, Amnesty Interna­ matic weapons to fife two barrages, WHAT YOU CAN DO tional, Southern Africa Partnership Project lasting over five minutes, at both the Please write to Brigadier Gqozo, breakaway group and the main group of Ifpossible, please send us copies ofyour President de Klerk and Foreign Minister letters. To obtain more information or to join demonstrators. The terrified protesters Botha and urge that they: the Campaign and receive monthly Action were shot in the back as they fled. Alerts, please contact us at the address below. South Africa Human Rights Campaign clo Boston Mobilization for Survival, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge MA 02138 (617) 354-0008..
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