Anti·Apartheid

FREE anti·apartheid iACTION! October 1985 BAY AREA FREE SOUTH AFRICA MOVEMENT No.4 BAFSAM Opposes Trade With Apartheid On October 8, the Bay Area Free South Africa Movement (BAFSAM) met with the Oakland Port Commission to demand that the Port of Oakland forbid the handling of both incoming and outgoing trade with South Africa. The struggle to get the Port Commis sioners to agree to this demand is part and parcel of an international call to break all diplomatic, economic and cul tural ties with the apartheid (racially segregated) regime. The call for breaking these ties with South Africa has been made by the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) and other black trade unions. It has been endorsed by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the World Fed eration of.Trade Unions (WFTU) and the International Labor Organization of the United Nations (!LO). Given that the United States is South Africa's number one trading partner, the BAFSAM has always stressed the importance of cutting off trade relations with the South African regime. the BAFSAM joins with the workers and community activists of New Orleans, Vancouver, B.C., Los Angeles, Tacoma, and Vancouver in Washington state, and picket line at the Oakland offices of the SAM, along with representatives from San Francisco who have refused to Pacific Maritime Association, and mon 20 other community organizations and unload or have delayed unloading itored and picketed other incoming trade unions, attended the West Coast South African car_go. ofteh risking vio ships laden with South African goods. Meeting to Stop South African Trade. lation of state and· tederal labor laws On one occasion in mid-August, BAF held at the Local 10 meeting hall of the and existing contract agreements. SAM activists, in a small craft of the International Longshore Workers BAFSAM was formed last December anti-nuclear Peace Navy, delayed the Union. Over 100 people attended in all. to gather community, trade union and entry of another N edloyd vessel for a After a morning of spirited presenta religious support for San Francisco considerable time before being arrested tions from Leo Robinson of Local !O's dockworkers who, for 11 days last by the harbor patrol. African Liberation Support Committee, and from Solly Simelane of the African November and December, refused to Organizing Against South African National Congress, there were afternoon unload cargo from the Dutch vessel Trade Nedloyd "Kimberley''. Since that time, presentations and workshops leading to the BAFSAM has kept up an on-going On August 17, members of BAF- coniinued on page 4 Reagan's Toothless Government Terror Sanctions Apartheid's On September IO-in what the media Africa's number-one trading partner, Bottom called "a major reversal"- Reagan and one of it s few remaining apologists. announced his decision to impose the U.S. government was taking a lot of limited sanctions against South Africa. heat for its cozy relationship with the Administration officials admitted that apartheid regime. Each new incident of Line the move was intended "to avoid foreign government violence- the mass shoot policy disarray ... and humiliation at ings, police torture of detainees, the Police and army terror are not new home." death squads- was a serious blow to the facts of life for South Africa's black The Reagan Sanctions must be rec continued credibility of the Reagan majority. What is new, however, is that ognized for what they are: a new tactic administration's foreign policy. the nation's black majority has sus to buy time for the apartheid regime. There is some basis for concern that tained a struggle against the apartheid This move enabled the Administration Regan's move will serve to undermine (racially-segregated) government for to avoid having to veto stronger Con the groundswell of support for strong over a year now. Government gressional sanctions-a politically costly sanctions against South Africa. At this sponsored "urban councils" have been move. But close study of the sanctions writing, the Republican-dominated dismantled and genuine people's coun proposed by Reagan reveals that most Senate has halted all further motion on cils established. Known police informers of the provisions are not even as strong the Congressional sanctions package. have been run out of town and in some as the measures already being imple Reagan's supporters are claiming a vic cases killed . mented by many U.S. banks and tory, saying that the President's move The year-long struggle has been businesses. has returned authority for making U.S. largely coordinated by the United A ban on U.S. bank loans to the foreign policy to the Oval Office. Des Democratic Front (UDF), a multi-racial South African government has already pite complaints voiced by South African coalition of over 3 million people. The been implemented by the banks them President P. W. Botha, the apartheid UDF was formed in 1983 to organize a selves. Among them, the Bank of Bos regime is now assured that Reagan's boycott against sham elections in which ton, Citibank and Chase Manhattan "active constructive engagement" will be mixed-race and Asian peoples were to have each decided to stop all lending to no different than the policy he's been be given limited citizenship and separate South Africa. They are fearful of the implementing all along. Botha's so "chambers" of representation in a white risky business climate created by the called reforms demonstrated that the dominated parliament. The U OF turned year-long rebellion. apartheid regime will continue its pro the 87%-effective electoral boycott of The ban on sales of computer tech gram of granting cosmetic changes while August, 1984 into a full-blown cam nology to agencies of the South African employing force to maintain the politi paign to make the apartheid system government that administer or enforce cal and economic foundations of white ungovernable. apartheid is misleading because under minority rule. the current "state of emergency" all In the U.S., the anti-apartheid move BAY AREA FREE agencies of the South African govern ment is faced with the challenge of SOUTH AFRICA MOVEMENT ment, as well as all businesses licensed regrouping and launching a new offen for operation in South Africa, are sive. And while the character of its next 5424 E. 14th St., Oakland (First Universe Baptist Church) required by law to assist in the enforce campaign has not yet been determined, P.O. Box 3581, Oakland CA 94609 ment of apartheid. (See BAFSAM / it is clear that the movement must con ACTION #3, Ed.). tinue to target the U.S. role in maintain The Bay Area Free South Africa Movement (BAF SAM) is a local, multi-racial grouping of men and The ban on sales of nuclear technol ing the system of apartheid. women-members of community, labor, religious, ogy has already been circumvented political, peace, youth and student movements-who through the close cooperation with are determined to change the United States govern ment's policies supportive of the racist apartheid Israel- South Africa has been a nuclear regime of South Africa, and support the liberation power since 1979. movement in South Africa. Finally, the ban on export assistance Anti-Apartheid Action is published by the Bay Area to U.S. corporat .~ons which fail to Free South Africa Movement and produced by the "No amount of intimida Publicity-Media Committee. The newsletter is dis adhere to the fai'r~mployment practices tributed free by the BAFSAM Outreach Committee. outlined in the so-called "Sullivan Prin tion can stop us on our ciples" ignores the fact that these volun way to liberation." Chairperson: John George tary principles are little more than Coordinators: Franklin Alexander, window-dressing to justify the continued -Thami Mali, UDF Lorenzo Carlisle, Willia Gray presence of U.S. corporations in South Editor: Phil Gardiner Africa. Media Committee: 436-7130 Taken as a whole, the Reagan Sanc Divestment Task Force: 451-5127 tions reflect the Administration's recog Outreach Committee: 533-3392 nition or political realities: as South The U OF has proven its ability to On June 27 , four prominent UDF the chief defense lawyer since the coordinate a long-term struggle. It is leaders left a meeting in Port Elizabeth murder of Victoria Mxenge; Albertina also an open secret that the African and started home to Craddock Town Sisulu, whose husband, Walter, is serv National Congress (ANC) has provided ship, some 120 miles north of the city. ing a life sentence along with Nelson both the moral standing and political They had told people at the meeting Mandela; and Archie Gumede, 70 years guidance in the UDF that has enabled that they would only stop for a police old, a life-long activist in the Asian the UDF to do its work well. After 25 roadblock. They never made it home, community. years of underground existence as a and four days later the burned and mut South African President P. W. Botha banned organization, the ANC has ilated bodies of Matthew Goniwe, Spar makes speeches offering sham citizen emerged as the leading anti-apartheid row Mkhonto, Siselo Mhlawuli and ship to blacks in South Africa while force in South Africa. Nelson Mandela, Fort Calata were found in the sand South Africa's black leadership is being the ANC's imprisoned leader, is consi dunes north of Port Elizabeth. The assassinated or put on trial for their dered by most South Africans to be that death squads had deprived Craddock lives. Government blue-ribbon commis country's only legitimate leader. Township of four of its leaders in the sions call for the scrapping of identity struggle for quality non-apartheid edu passes while upwards of 16,000 people Government Reprisals cation and decent, affordable housing.

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