Mary Burton - Black Sash
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We, South Africans, reject conscription ™"“ ~ MARY BURTON - BLACK SASH ... ............... - I support the declaration to End Conscription because I believe that all young South Africans should be allowed the right to choose how they wi11 work for justice and peace in their count ry. I do not believe that service in the SADF is the road to the goal shared by many : 'a united South Africa where true democracy and the protection oh human rights offer a better chance of achieving justice and a lasting peace. REV DOUG BAX - CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, RONDEBOSCH I support the E.C.C. because: the State would not need to conscript for a justifiable war; the State has no right to conscript for an unjust- i f i a b1e wa r. Many young South Africans utterly reject being cons cripted into an army that is being used to deal with what - in the final analysis is a political problem: the protests of the excluded and oppressed. To be sure military forces may contain these protests for a time, but to suppose that institutionalised vio lence can transform South Africa into a stable, decent and democratic society is absurd. It is to the credit of those working to end conscription that they realise this, and rather than being hounded , as traitors, 1 join with many other South Africans in praising them for their vision and compassion. SIR RICHARD LUYT - EX-VICE CHANCELLOR UCT Conscription for all the population of a country would be unacceptable to me in most circumstances; conscription of an ethnic section of the population, as in South Africa, is unacceptable in all circ umstances . ^INIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIII|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlU4JillllllllMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|fa llllfllllltllllMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIHIIIIIIIItllllllllllllflllltllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllHllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllimHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIimilll1 Towards a Just Peace A Declaration Er»W Conscription Wft live in an unjust society where basic human rights are denied i to the majority of the people. We live in an unequal society where the land and wealth ane owned by the minority. iVe live in a society in a state of civil war, where brother is § called on to fight brother. We call for an end to conscription. Voung men ane conscripted to maintain the illegal occupationaf 1 Namibia, and to wage unjust war against" foreign countries. Voung men ana conscripted to assist in the implementation and § defence of apartheid policies. § Young men u»ho refuse to serve ane faced with the choice of a life of exile or a possible si* years in prison. IVe call for an end to conscription. Ms believe "that the financial cost of the war increases the poverty of [f our country and that money should rather be used in the interests of peace. 1 We believe that the extension of conscription to coloured and indian 1 yt»u+h will increase conflict and. further divide our country. WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE MORAL RIGHT OF SOUTH I AFRICANS TO EXERCISE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE I AND TO CHOOSE NOT TO SERVE IN THE SADF. 1 WB C A LL FDR. AN END TO CONSCRIPTION I WE CALL TOR A JU S T PEACE IN OUR LAND | IIUlllUIIIIIIUIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIItllllllllllllllllMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllliiiiuJllllllllllliiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiHtiiiitHiiiil Published by: End Conscription Committee P.O. Box 208,Woodstock. Printed by: Allies Press P.O. Box 62 Athlone STOP THE ^ CALL-UP Published by the Ini Conscription Committee lox 208 We. *took Printed at 131 Lower Main Road# Observatory. WHAT ARE WE SAYING ? Most people with call-ups aren’t into going - two years, in some army camp up north, getting bored out of our skulls, is not our idea of fun, Botha and his generals tell us that we are fighting to keep the communists away from our borders - to maintain law and order so that peaceful change can come about. The point is - we no longer believe this, the thresT: that the South African government is talking about is not on our borders - it is here, inside South Africa* it is the legitimate deman ds of the people for a say in the governing of their lives. The unrest in the Vaal and Eastern Cap© over the last few months has confirmed our worst suspicio ns. The army is being used to put down protest in the townships, and over a hundred people have died as a result. This is nothing n«w. WHY MUST THIS In March 1980 10 000 municipal workers went on strike. The army sealed off their compounds and deported them to the homelands, where there are no jobs. During the Soweto riots of 1976 the army helped the police in their ’operations' against protest ing schoolchildren. Uprisings by the black workers and students are not the result of ’communist agitators’. They are caused by the structures^ apart heid, which entrench black poverty and give them no rights in the land of their birth. We d o n ’t support apartheid. We do not want to serve in an army that is defending apartheid. It is the right of every individual to exercise freedom of conscience. It is our choice whether we want to serve in the army or not. We there fore call for an end to compulsory conscription, so that we are not forced to fight in an unnec essary war. HAPPEW TO US? TOWARDS A JUST PEACE IN OUR LAND A Declaration K> End ConscHptfon V& live in an unjust society where basic human righH are denied is the majority of the people. We live in an unequal society whem the land and wealth are owned by the minority, We live in a soaety in a state of civil war, where brother is called on to fight brother. We csii h r an end to conbcrlptfon, VWntf men a rt conscripted ho maintain the illegal ©ccupationof Namibia, and tt> wage unjust war against1 foreign countries, \ o a n g m e n ana conscripted to assist in the implementation and d e f e n c e of apartheid policies, Yovmg men uiho refuse to serve are faced with the choice op a life R e vile or a possible si< years in priaen, We call for an end to conscription, W& believe that- the financial cost of the war increases the poverty of eur country and that money should rather be u«ed in the Interest* of peace, We believe that the extension of conscription to coloured and indian eiticens will increase conflict and further divide our country, WE CALL AN BNP TO CONSCRIPTION WE CALL R)R A JUST PEACE IN OUR LAND END CONSCRIPTION CAMPAIGN PO Box 208 Woodstock 795 Fast for a Just Peace CATHEDRAL PROGRAMME BCC CATHEDRAL PROGRAMME: Monday 30 September to Monday 7 October VENUE; Cathedral Crypt MONDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 1 pm Video on Vietnam - protest and the building of an anti-war movement in the United States. 8 pm Rape Crisis Workshop on " A scream from silence " TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER 1 pm Molo Songololo Puppet Show 8 pm " Celebration of Peace " A candle-light service in St^ohn's Chapel in the cathedral. An opportunity for all to demonstrate their fellowship with Ivan Toms and their personal commitment to the cause of justice and peace in our country. WEDNESDAY 2 OCTOBER 1pm " Oppositional Art - Protest and Accomodation in Black Art ” Slide-tape show presented by Gavin Younge of Mlchaelis School o f Art. 8 pm " Threads * A video on the consequences of nuclear warfare. John Weinberg of Koeberg Alert will introduce the video and answer questions. THUR S D A Y 3 O C T O B E R 1.15 pm Justice and Peace prayer service in the cathedral. 8 pm Detentions Workshop. Know your rights - Ad Hoc Detentions Action Committee (ADAC). Psychological effects of detention on detainees and family. Effects on organizations - Detention Treatment Team (DTT). "ART FOR PEACE" 17 SEPT-7 OCT BAXTER THEATRE FOYER OVER 100 WORKS BY 30 OF CAPE TOWN'S LEADING ARTISTS FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 1 pm Latin America video or slide-tape show with David Pig 6f the OCT Sociology Department. 8 pm ECC Open Forum: " Unrest " - What the SABC Hasn't Shown Os, Part II. Venue: Cathedral Hall. Overseas television footage plus a short informal talk - " Impressions from the townships " SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER 1 Dm Women Writers Workshop 2.30 pm Video on the British Miners Strike. Jeremy Krikler of the Miners Support Group will give a short talk and answer questions. 8 pm " The Trial of Dedan Kimathi " The Community Art Project's production of Ngugi's.play. There will be a small charge for those who can afford it. Production of this play is dependant upon the conditions laid down by the Publications Appeal Board. For confirmation ask in the cathedral crypt or phone Mark at 654987. SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER 8 pm ECC national fast day begins. Called to support our call for the withdrawal of troops from the townships and our vision of a future peace founded upon justice. All who are able to are invited to spend this 24 hours, or any part of it, in St George's Cathedral with Ivan Toms. There will be a Sunday evening programme. MONDAY 7 OCTOBER A programme of activities will run throughout the day, including songs, film and art. More details will be posted in the Cathedral Crypt or phone Mark at 654987. Issued by End Conscription Committee 126 Chapel Street Woodstock Printed by Allies Press College Road Greenhaven 1985 PEACE RALLY Beyers Naude Archbishop Russell Molly Blackburn Mike Evans C ITY HALL MON 8 PM OCT 7 This is not ‘just another pamphlet’. critical enough. But many of us, or our We don’t believe it can be, because we sons, brothers, friends, are not even don’t believe wliat happened in Uiten- allowed to choose where we stand on hage on Thursday 21st was ‘just these questions.