EPISCOPAL CHURCHPEOPLE for a :REE SOUTHERN AFRICA E 339 Lafayette Street, New York, N.Y. 10012·2725 C (212) 4n ..
Mandela's release will be seized upon by the South African regime and its allies to declare apartheid dead and a free South Africa assured - so, get rid of those economic sanc tions. Ms Winnie Mandela stated on the weekend that her husband would not accept release until the demands of the African National Cong£€S5 ai"1d the VldSS Iemocratic !"lovement are met: release of all poIitical prisoners; end of the state of emergency; lifting of all restrictions on banned organizations and individuals; the end of all political trials and executions. .
Even with Nelson Mandela free the struggle is not won - it enters a new phase. fure than ever, the international com munity must enforce total economic sanctions and all other pressures to complement the drive.for liberation by those Artist's sketoh of NeLson MandeLa brave people in South Africa. as he Looks today oonstruoted from desoriptions from eye witnesses. Last-minute nerves delay
Mandela's release date I
emergency and Ihe unb&nnin& BUI rhetoric _nen ill thia De K1erk risks provoking! .Johannesburg of Ihe ANC's inlernal ally, !he delicale game ofpre-negotiation trouble on Ihe domeslic front as t Uniled Democratic Franl. He poaturina. Nerves are edp' and well if his Friday speech is too mighl also unveil IOverom~nl Preloria needa to placate Ita 'se much of a lel-down. A series of THE freeing of African Na plans 10 change lhe law 0II1epa curocrata' .. much .. !he ANC riolll and clashes with the police tional Congress leader Nelson rale amenities. does ita auerri1laa, both of during lhe pasl week Suggesls Mandela has been delayed and The release of Mandela, who which see !heir power bases di thaI racial lensions are rising ~ is nol now expecled "'!ltil ~ither WI!! jailed 27 yean: -,,0, will be m".ishing if negotiations gel agaL'I - 2ltd dashing of hop'" Ihe second halfofnexl monlh or Jefl unlillaler - possIbly taI Hangings in South Africa (excluding Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei) 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 132 133 130 95 100 90 115 137 121 164 117 Hangings in South Africa (including Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei) 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 132 138 132 100 107 93 130 165 129 181 121 4.Death row representative in respect of an appeal or any other matter, must take place within Sight and hearing 3. Statistics 'They are taken down a long. barred corridor, distance of a member or special warder of the prison From the creation of the Union of South Africa in through 1I series of gates, with 1I lot of clanking services. 1910 until the end of 1988 over 4 200 persons have and unlocking. A low murmuring song of the Offidal comment from the prison services been hanged in South Africa. From 1978 until the end other prisoners will accompany them and often emphasises that those on death row are treated with of 1988 a total of 1 335 people were executed in South those who are to be executed ago sing consideratior and respect. They are afforded greater Africa (excluding the nominally independent rhythmically as they take their lut walk... privileges than long-term prisoners and "there is no "homelands"), the number exceeding 100 each year The whole prison is silent at the end. You restriction on visits from families or friends; except for 1981 and 1983. cannot really hear it, it is more of a shudder. prisoners are allowed to buy a 'reasonable amount' of In 1987, 164 people were executed at Pretoria Then, strangely enough, life continues: tuck and cigarettes or tobacco; there is no restriction on the number of letters they may receive; they are Central Prison, the highest annual figure ever in not expected t.o do labour or exercises; tranquilisers, South Africa's history. In one week in December 1987, These are the words of Breyten Breytenbach, well ~xecuted prescribed by a doctor, will be given to them on 21 people were in groups of seven on three known exiled South African poet, who spent two of request; they are given a prescribed diet; the head of different days. ht the end of June 1989 there were 274 his seven years in prison for treason in Pretoria the prison visits them regularly to carry out people on death row. Central Prison, the prison where most of South 'reasonable requests'; they are given spiritual books In the five years between 1983 and 1987,627 Africa's executions take place. and spiritual leaders visit them regularly; medical people were executed in South Africa. It took Britain l1le convictt;d person will be taken by the deputy help is available, and women may use make-up, hair half a century to hang about the same number of sheriff to the prison stipulated by the minister, which solutions and deodorants." (A prison services people, namely U32. The 1987 figure of 164 executions would normally be Pretoria Central Prison. There the spokesperson quoted in Die Beeld, 26 July 1983,) was four more than Iran with a population of 47 prisoner will be placed in a cell on his or her own or million and 32 more than China with a population of with other death row prisoners, but totally apart 5.The execution two billion. (South Africa, excluding the TBVC states, from other categories of prisoners. Prisoners might had a popuiati0\1 of just under 30 million at the end Prisoners normally receive their notices of execution live for up to two years in the shadow of death before of June 1987.) In 1987 there were 25 executions in the their appeals are finally decided. seven days before they are due to hang. Those who whole of the United Stales, while Western Europe has The lights on death row are never switched off. A have received their notices are then taken to a section had no executions since 1985. (SA LAw!ounllll, normal day starts at 6am and a bell rung at 8pm of the prison I called the "pot" by prisoners) where February 1989, p.43.) In the late 1960's Professor signals the end of the day. The convicted person may they are placed in isolation. A more lenient attitude is Barend van Niekerk of the University of Natal, receive no visits from anyone without the permission adopted by warders towards those in isolation, and calculated that 47 per cent of all executions in the of the Commissioner of Police. All visits to the "(they) are allowed to sing day and night. Or to speak world take place in South Africa. prisoner, including a visit from his or her legal or make any noise.l1ley're given all the freedom." filE GL'AROIA:-J I rJday .January 26 1990 ANC leader pushes for lasting peace The following is the text of the document submitted' by the jailed ANC leader, Nelson Mandela, nght, to South Africa's former state presi dent. Mr P W. Botha. before their talks last year. It is his first compre hensive statement of political principle since his famous "statement from the dock" in the 1964 Rivonia trial. The document triggered the .. alks about talks" going on between Pretoria and the ANC leadership in exile, through Mr Mandela HE d..,pcn,"~ politi· cal CriSIS In OUf 'fhd lXlSltIon of the ANC un country has been a the qUl'Sflon uf violence is very mailer uf I:f3ve l:00 simple The orwawsation has no I (ern hJ me fur qUite .. csted tn{('rCSt In violence. II T~Olc lime ~nd InolN' coruuder 11 abhors an) aellon '.Iuch ruay nl"C"l.'S"klr)' to [he national inter· causa loss 0( hfe. dC5truetion gf 1....1 for the Arm:a" National prop It is in fact a call on us to "It is true. as I have alread)'1 No worthy leaders of a f..... Such reconcihatlon Will be commit SUICide. Wh.ich man of stated that I have tx.oen ,nfIu· dom movement will ever su~ achieved 9nly If both part".. By ignoring honour Will ever desert a Ufe Icnced .by MarXISt thought. Hut 1 mit to renditions which are es· are willing to compronuse The long friend at the instance 0( a I thiS is abo truc of many leaders senllally terms of surrender oraanisation will determine credible black common opponent and sull of the new md('pcndcnt statl'~ I dictated by a .... ictonous com· prtcls~ly how necouatluns retain a measUft ,. c:red1bUily Such '#t'ldl>l~ dlOcrent pt!rson, mander to a beaten enemy and should be conducted. leaders the amonK hiS people? as Gandhi, Nehru, Nkrum;Jh ' which really intended to It may well be that thIS Which opponent will eyer and Nasser all acknuwl..'(hw \ weaken th~ or'¥anisation and to should be done al least 10 two government' lrust such a treache~ Tree thi~ fact WI.' all a~c('pt llll' ncc.-tl hunuHatc Its leadership. slalleS. The first. where the dom fillhter? Yet tills is what for SUlnl' lonn hI ~""Iahslll th The key to the whoie situa· organisation and the govern· prolongs strife lhe goyemmenl is. io effect. cl1allle our ~ple tu catch up tion is a negotiated settlement, ment Will work out togcther the asking us 10 do. to desert our wllh the advanced coulltnl'S of I and a meetin" between the gov· precondiuons for a pro~r cit· faithful aUle... We will not fall Ihe .~ ..... ,d, and :v ll,~CrCQ1,,~ \ ernment and lhe ANC wiH be I mate for negol1allons. Up to i We equaUy reject the cha'll" into thAt t",p. their legacy ofpo.... ~rtv. the first mHjor step towards I now both parties have Simply that the ANC Is dominated by TIle llOyentlllOftl aiIo IlX\ISl!5 My views an~ suU the same. laslln" peace In the (;ountry, been broadcasting their condl' the SACP and we r01lard the ac· us 01 belnK 3b"Cnts of the Soviet Equally Important IS the fact better relations with our neill:h· l10ns for negouauons wlthuut cusauon as pan of the smear· Urtion. TIle truth is that the that many ANC leaders whu ' bour states. admission to the putting them directly to each lDI campaign the Kovernment . ANC is not>oaliened. and we are labelied Communists by 'he! Organisation of African Umty, other. is waginc apinst us. The accu· welcome sUPl'Ort from the East ~o\('rnment embral'l' n(l(hHl~ I readmission to the United The second sta~e would be satioo has. in effect. also been and the West. from the SocialISt dlffcrent from theSl' 1.)l,.. lIcf~. Nations and other world bodies., the actual negouauons thcm' refuted by two totally Indepen· and capitalist count'nes. The Th(' tcrm "Communlst" .... hen to imenl3tional markets and selves when the climate IS npe dent sources. In January. 1987 only dltTercnce. as we have e~ u~C'd b~ the ~uvcrnmcnl has a I improved Jnternational rela· for dolO& so. Any olher ap the American State Department plaint!d on countless occasions totallv dlt1erclll mcantng frnm I l10ns generally. proach would entail the dan~cr report on the actiyi· published a before. is that the socwist tht, ~on\ocntlonaJ Of1l' Praco· I An accord with the ANC. and of an irresolvable stalematc. ties of the SACP in thia a>WItry countries supply us with cally c\('ry freedum li~hter \ll.ho the introduction of a non·ractal Lastly, I must lJOlnt OUI that which contrasts Yet'll s!IarlIly weapons. which the West re societ)' 1S thc only way in which lhe move I have taken prOVides WIth tile subjectiye pIcture the fuSt.'S to WIve us. We have no l"f'C'eIVt'$ his military traininc or ~ our nch and beautiful countr}' you ¥llth the opportunIty to llOyemment has tried to paJn1 Intention whatsoever of chana education an the Socialist wlJI bt.' sa .... l't:1 from the stigma o.... ercome the current deadlock, ap1Nl us oyer the ye..... ma our stand on this questK>n. countril"':1 is to the IOvernmenl. which re~ls the world. and to nonnallSl' the countn's TIle """"""" 01 that report is TIle IlOvemmenfs ~r· • Communist. . Two poltllcal ISSUes Will have poliucal SIlU3uon. I hopt' you that. a1tbDul1b the influence of ated hostility to the SACP and It would appear to be estab- I to be al.h.1ressed at such a meet· wul seize It WIthout delay I tx>. tile SACP'oa tha ANC is strunI. its refusal to haye any dealinp Ilshed government policy that. iog: first I)' tht:' demand for rna· heve that the overwhclmln~ il" unIIUIy lIlal the Party wiU with that party haye a hoUow as long as the National Party is Jonty rul~ in a unitary state, majority of South A(rlt.:an~. e...duminale the ANC. rina. Such an attitude is not an power in thiS country, there secondly, the concern of white black and white, hope to sec the The s.amc &JOint is rn.adc !OrrIC ordy out of step with the grow· I can be no back freedom ANC and the government work· whal dIlI'erently by Me Ismail ing Cl>Operation between t.he strullKle. and no black freedom South Atrica oyer thil demand. 109 closely tOl5eth~r III la) tl~c Omar - membft' 0( the PrelIi· capitalism aQd Soclalut: fiGhter. Any ~Iack political .s V:21l as the ins1s1enct' of foundari ns for a nl'Yo era 1M dent's Council. in bIs book counlnes In dlf{ercnt parts of orpnisauon WhiCh, like us, whiles on strueturaJ guaran. our country. 1O which raCial Reform in Cnsis publi:lhed in the world but it 15 also InconSIS fights for the liberation of its tees that lIUlJority rule Will not discnmlOauon ami preJudlcl~, 1988. in which he giyes concrete tent ""th the polICY of lbe gOY' people through armed Itrugle. mean domination of the white coerCIOn and confrontation. examples of important issues of ernment 1l5clf. ..hen dealing must inyariably be donunated minon!}' by blacks. death and destruction '#tIll IJc the day oyer which the ANC ..ithout netdlbOUrine states. by the SACP. The most crucial task whIch forgotten. and the SACP haye differed. No! only has South Al'rica This attitude is not only the will face the government and He also points out that the concluded treaties with the result of government propa. the ANC Will be to reconcile ANC enjoys IlfO&ler popular Marxist slalell 01 AftCOIa and ganda. it is • IoIical OODJeo these IWO positions. support than the SACP. He MO'...mbiq.... - quite rightly in quence of white lupremacy·lliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ~~-_:~----_=___= adds that. despite the many our opirtion - but she also After mure than :lJO years of II yean of combined strul:&le. the wants to ~trcf\lCthcn ties Wt(h two remam distinct organisa Mar.dst Zimbt.ibwe. "hc .:oycrn· UOI\I with uIeolOlPcaI and pu!- mc.:nt will l.:c1131n1y lind It dim· ~td=:~~~*~~~~ cult, if not alloKclher 1t'.'Pos~n· blacks as to belieye Wt we can· Mandela stands by ANC ICY differences which preclude blc, to reconCile Its readiness 10 a mc~cr of identity. work With forei"n ManislJ fur These ubscrvallons KO !tOme lhe peaceful resolution of mu ~~~.::~re~~7..J,"tJ~8':.lo~~political rights without incite- way towanis disprovlnK me ac· Il-ne on natl·onall-sa-·tl-on tual problems. with its uncom· menl by some while agitation. Icusation. But since the aUcga promiSing refusal to IaIIt to In accusing the ANC of domi· I tlOO n.as bcl.-ume W foca! POUlt South Afncan Marxists. nation by the SACP. and in call· ~oYernment NELSON MANDELA. in a sur vf propaganda The reason for this il1COl1S1s ina 011 the ANC mamben to IagaJnst the ANC. I pJ'1lllOSC to lency is obvious. As I have al· n...... nee the party. the lOyem· prisingly provocative politiaJ From John carlin use thiS opportumty to I!Pve.you ready said. the goyemment is mont is deliberately exploitinc move. has issued a statement de in Johannesburg the correct Information. in the still too deeply committed to that contempt. The go.... ernment scribing as "ioconceiYable" aay hope that litis wtll help you to the principle ,. white domina 1S equally vehement in con· DOtJon of dropping the AfricaD wIIich is c:ertain to plOYOke alarm sec lhe matter In its proper per· tion and. Human Rights Commission - AnalOmy of RclPI'ession -FORMAL REPRESSION OF PERSONS Human RighlS COmmission - Al1Iltomy of Repression (continued) POLITICAL TRIALS purpose" os in tM co..ofthe "Sharpeville Six". 1. FORMAL REPRESSION • Over the yeors increosinsly h""vy use has been made of o Durinll the last 2 yeors, 7 such prisoners how been the courts to criminali.. political octivity and to .-etnOW executed by hanSins ond currently there ore Il4 on death row FORMAL REPRESSION IncI.... theM fo"". of ftl'ftMlon with '""kit Ih~ .parthrid ...hn~'" ...powOftd Itlftf by opponents from the politicoloreN, either .. ow-ditinS-t,;,,1 or awaitins exKUlion, including the Upinston Fourteen. This ~ts _an. of lesJIlallon placH by It on th~ ''''tul~ boo... of th~ South African parllaawnl. on-triAl prisoners (for o. Ions os 3 yeors) or .. convicted lotter number nearly one third of the touol deoth politicol prisoners. row population. • Extensiw iellislation for Ihis purpose includao the ISA REPRESSIVE LEGISLA110N (ond its forerunners and homeland. va';"nt.), ttwo PSA and ill OTHER REPRESSIVE ACTIONS AGAINST Emersency Regulations. 1M Defence Aft. common law PERSONS Th~ seole. PortW SOE'. how been declared in 19(,0 ond 1985 and o Internal Security Act, No 74 of 1982 USA) i. Jlft1Ila (I_son. public violence. etc). and countleH others. 011l~ C...... ldatod u.~ mainloined under the ISA. is 0 NotioNI SOFs declored in 1986, \987, 1988 ond 1989 extend nently in foree (includins and espodally durinS period. when o The occused might be engased In totally pEr.cefu1 list of ~s who may nofbe quoted in ony woy (under poin ins uninterruptedly /rum 12 June 1986 up to and including no State of Emersency has been declared) and confen wide opposition ond yet face charr ranSing from ttuson and of 0 prison sentence of up to three yeon). The List is re th~ present tim~. powers of detention without t';"l. bennins of penon., 0'5"n subwrsion to pos....ion of banned litel1llure, ott,ondlns on ~wed onnuolly. but can be omended ot ""y time, to include o The Public Sefet)' Amendment Act, No 67 of 1CJll6 iwtion., Il"therinll'. publication•• etc. 1i h.. been in foree, in unlowful Sotherins or po~dpotinsIn a boycort. Alterna nlmes of tho. convicted of treuon or -=urity offences. ,and (PSAA) enobles declarJtion of Unrest Are.., the ideo betnS to one fonn or onother, .ince 1963. and i. fully operational at the tiwly. the oceused lNy haw been cauSht up in politicol other categories. NewspapeT editon must const.l.ntly m,ain· how SOE-type power> within specified ore.. without aCluolly p.-nt time. All the SO Since the HCtion on Hit Squ.d. wu writt~n. clear evidence hOI (orne to lisht of exten.ive police-b..~d hit .qu.d .ctivity. Human Rights Commission - Anatomy of Repression 2. INFORMAL REPRESSION INfORMAL REPRESS'C'N i"""',," th_ form. of black violence". reprnllion whid'l lj~ outside the dir«t control. of f01"llY1 I • Easily demonstrable links exist between vigilante groups 3. TARGET REPRESSION ",('urily t~i.Yllon and which Ire exerci..d by IUlle ,true· and homelands police, munidpal police of blxk counClI~ and tur•• ~t one end of ttw Kille Ind by penon. unknown 011 the I "kitskonstl1bels". Sometimes common facilities are used, and A numbn of w.lI-deflned pouplns. of tIM population han • Olhen have been titd up in lengthy politic.ltri.I., .nd other end of the Kale. 'n ordft' of dncendins overt link. often the v;gUantes !leT'Ve as a recruiting source for these become the t'rsefed vlctl... of Ip.rthoid ftJ'...ion. A. 50me are ~ dath row. with the 51..1., ""e have th. N.. tiori.. l M..nolilfment Sy,tem (.a police ~tructures earning them the description of "vigilantes will be'HI! from th~ 1111 oppoolte. th_.,....,," co", • M.ny trade union memben have been .ubject to .rson p.lnllilfl or ,h.daw .yttem of IOVftnnwnl)i viIUlntesroup., in uniform". links with the South African Police (SAP) are almott ~vft"Y ..ped and .ph~ of our toritty, with eome atUcks on the;r homes, and lOme disappearances and whol. ,'.a•.,link. 1ft' oft.n but thinly di'SUi.f'd; ,and hit 1C5~ obvious, but numerous c1aim~ have been made of free "ouble ftc."Uonl. such .. tIM bu.in... collUftunity. l'1M as5115sinati~sIreon record. Vigilante ..erion, ,quad, compowd of unknown penon, but whose polilinl rein and even spon5Onhip being given to vigilantes by the ,hHr compfth~".iYm".of thit Ii.t Ift1III8 to IUliftt • epeeillly in N...." hIS been particul.rly promin.nt. dfilUition lind intent i. clear. SAP as a f«tor which has stimulated the growth of such 80vem_nt which I. at war with Ito .....pl•• Ind. popula • The m.jor federation. COSATU, h•• been "ngled out for groupings. Typical of these c1aim~ was the manner In which tion whim queotlon. the l~tlJIYC}' and authority of 111I restriction under the SOE resulation., prohibiting .ny NATIONAL MANAGEMEN"iSYSTEMS (NMSI the Vigilante group known as the "witdoeke" accomplished In 8ov~n,.n~nt. Th. impact of ftprn.ion on .ome of the .....jor aetiv;ty constnaed as polirical. Its offimls Ire • The NMS was until recently named the N.ational5ecurity a few weeks what the state had failed to do In 10 years, tarSef. i. dncribed below, refused p...ports, its memben .ubjected to considenble Management System. but the word "5eCurity" hils been namely the destruction of the Crossroads and KTC squatter police harasament, Uld its offices constantly .tUcked dropped from the title, p""um.bly to pl.y dOWll,h. real c.mP' hou.ing 70 000 peopl., UDF AND AFFILIATES .nd bU'1lled. Situation~ purpose of the System. The NMS. which has no constitutional • which invite v;gilante intervention, always of Th. Uni'ed [)emocntic Front, founded in August 1983 to status, Wat set: up in 1986 by army general~ and police chieh extreme br..:tality, are, in the case of the homelands, resistance oppose the introduction of the t,;- FAR from allaying fears, recent re sponses by the government to allega bons of stale-sponsored death squads have deepened suspicions that the au thorities are attempting to cover up a crisis which reaches deep into the standsbeweging badges were pur In the ..weeks IInce bean of South African state power. portedly found in an arms cache Equally dubious are a series of shown off by police investigators. elleg8IIons of sta.. spOllSOred "breakthrOlighs" by police in the in On Monday Botha was released af hit !K'",.Jeds beceme public little vestigation of the murders of Johan ter Mr Justice JC Kriegler declared progress hubeen made In the nesburg activist Dr David Webster his detention under Section 29 of the 1nvesIgIIIons. and Swapo lawyer Anton Lubowski, Internal Security Act unlawful and in By IVCR POWELL both earlier tl:is year. valid. Despite well-founded a1legation~ In ordering Botha's release the situation, then the coun had no alter that the two detainees linked to the judge said a counter-affidavit present native but to order Botha's release. WebsterlLubowski killings - former ed by Brixton Murder and Robbery But why are the investigations be policemen Ferdinand Barnard and· Unit head Brigadier Floris Mosten, ing construed as being so sensitive? Calla Botha - were acting on orders the sensitivity of police investigations On one hand the state is quick to from Military Intelligence, all evi notwithstanding, was too vague to make allegations of rightwing in .. volvement, to release information dence released from police investiga convince him that Botha's continued FonMr ClIp..., DIrt! eo.a.e tions points to far-rightwing killers. detention was justified. which has some political payoff for In the wake of the interrogation ot He said the public had a right to the government or anti-rightwing week. Among other political institu Barnard and Botha, five other alleged know what was going OQ, and that if propaganda element. See for example tions it listed such Iigptweight assas rightwing extremists have been ar Mosten could do DO better than to al the hit list sourced to the police and. sination targets as Herstigte Nasio rested aDd Afrikaner Weer- lude to the extreme sensitivity of the published by TM Sunday Times this nale Party leader Jaap Marais' prize budgies and AWB head Eugene ere! cross border operations. TerreBlanche's Brahman bulls. The Weekly Mail can reveal that On the other the need for secrecy is both the Normandie and Vygeboom stressed as being overwhelming and heart of the state· power stations are listed as "reaction absolute. Why? A partial answer points" in the State Security Council might lie in a depanrnental investiga van Zyl, and Ferdinand Barnard. According to former Official Secrets connected National Management Sys tion launched some years ago in The investigation led to great bitter Act trialist Ben Greyling, secret "dirty tem and have been provided with which Colonel Basie Smit (now head ness and over the years Smit had tricks" units were set up within the "reaction facilities" for this purpose. of the security police) was promi been lAic subject of numerous zssazsi structures of the State Security Coun nently involved. nation threats. cil, whose head at the time was for The evidence is rapidly mounting In the wake of drug and murder It is known that at the time many of mer state president PW Botha. that the death squads scandal has thus scandals surrounding Brixton Murder those at the centre of the alleged cor These units were allegedly funded far merely scratched the surface of a and Robbery Unit and other connect ruption were promptly recruited as through secret channels and WCIIC. far more sinister reality. ed branches in the Witwatersrand ~ operatives in other units of the so thus not answerable in any way.to It may turn out that, in the run up to lice many heads rolled. called special forces of the South Af parliament. Recruitment was from the the State of Emergency, the govern Key players in the scandals were, rican security establishment ranks of the civil service but answera ment, under PW Botha and the secu among others, former death row pris Military involvement in death squad bility was essentially to the joint se merats, devised desperation strategies oners ex-<:aptain Jack Ie Grange and activities was alleged some weeks curity structures, not to the particular in dealing with internal dissent and ex-warrant officer Robert van der ago by former Recce Mervyn Malan branch of the service. the emergence of hostile regimes on Merwe, former lieutenant "Slang" in the Netherlands, and last week the Further evidence suggestive of its borders. As part of these it seems Wedly Mail published evidence state strategic involvement in illegal likely a range of special forces, police suggesting the dirty tricks depanment operations emerged last week when and military, and perhaps even of the security apparatus was con Radio 7m Eyewitness News revealed "freelance", were created, answerable trolled via the State Security Council, that two Eskom power stations were only to the secret security structures almost cenainly at cabinet level. used as jump-<>lf points for poli~ se- of the state. W,'SIll;'lr;Tn~ ------_-:.:..::::...... :..:..;=~-.:...-Tm: POSi A12 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1,0, 1990 SANCTIONS, From A12 South Africa in 1981 he observed "some changes in the thinking of WORLDNEWS some elements of the [whitej « Afrikaner community," but he said uovernment officiaJ8 have said that after meeting with de KIerk and they hoped such visitors would be other South African leaders, he felt Tougher impressed with de KJerk's recent that "there has been no commitment reform moves and contribute toward to substitute for this minority regime at least a partial lifting of sanctions a democratic, nonracial society." adopted in 1986, largely as a result Morella said, "We don't feel it is Sanctions of Wolpe's success in marshaling a appropriate to relax sanctions now. congressional override of then-pres However, we will be watching to see ident Ronald ReallD's veti). .. if within a reasonable time period Wolpe said that cengress delayed there is substantial change." Are Urged action on new sanctions in order to When asked whether the release "give de Klerk tUne to get his pe0 of imprisoned African National Con u.s. Legislators See ple and policies in place.· HoweveJ:, gress leader Nelson Mandela and at the congressman siid, "what could. least a partial lifting of the emergen have been done by decree has not cy-steps de KIerk is expected to No Gain in S. Africa yet been achieved:'" announce when parliament recon He mentioned lifting the state of venes in February-would justify a emergency,' rele:1Sir.g all politics! By William Claiborne partial li!tiJig of sanctions, Wolpe WaabiqIon Poet l'oreiIn Service prisoners, reacinding bans and re replied, "I hope the prisoners' re strictions on political organizations leases will occur. I hope the emer JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 9-A I and removing troops from black gency will be lifted. But you can't do u.s. congressional deleption, com townships. things in a partial way and talk about pleting a five-day fact-finding tour WOlpe said since he was last in conditions for negotiations." of South Africa, urged today that See SANCTIONS, Al5, CoL 6 Wheat, who is a vice chairman of punitive economic sanctions be the Congressional Black Caucus, "greatly" tightened because recent added that he felt "President de political reforms have left the apart Klerk has considerable ground to heid system of racial separation es cover before it can be said that an sentially intact. atmosphere conducive to fundamen Led by Rep. Howard Wolpe (D tal change exists in South Africa." Mich.), chairman of the House For eign Affairs subcommittee on Africa, the three-member delegation said Six Killed as Strikers, that while there have been some Non~nion Workers Clash "positive developments" initiated by President Frederik W. de Klerk, Washington Post Foreign Service they "leave the most significant el JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 9-Six ements of the apartheid system of people were killed and 31 injured white domination wholly unchanged.If today when a bitter 10-week strike At an airport news conference erupted in clashes between striking before leaving, Wolpe said, "The black railway workers and non-union tragic reality seems to be that while employees on a railway platform in a those in control of the white minor suburb south of Johannesburg. ity government believe that the Police said that about 1,000 changes that have already occurred strikebreakers, many armed with in South Africa are profound, South machetes and wooden clubs, were Africa's vast, excluded majority is waiting on the station platform at keenly aware that government lead Germiston when a train arrived car ers have yet to come to terms with rying about 800 striking members of the transfonnation of South .ttrica HOWARD WOLPE the South African Railway and Har into a nonracial democracy." ••• apartheid system "unchanged" bor Workers' Union. The strikers The conclusions by Wolpe and planned to attend a union meeting to Reps. Constance Morella (R-Md.) consider contract proposals sub and Alan Wheat (D-Mo.) appeared to mitted by the state-owned South Af be a setback to Pretoria's attempts rican Transport Services, which has to give credence to its reform efforts already fired nearly 23,000 striking by playing host to even its most stri workers in the labor dispute. dent critics, some of whom have As police fired tear-gas canisters been denied entry visas in the past and warning shots in an attempt to on the basis of what the government disperse the battling crowd, the has called hostile preconceptions. non-union workers stormed com The Foreign Ministry said it has muter railway cars from nearby approved a visit by the Rev. Jesse black townships and attacked the Jackson, a vocal foe of apartheid, striking employees, police and who is expected here month. I union officials said. -- ..next. SUNIMY.JAMJAU-lA•.U'l/U.__....;,..;-L~~.:..;,,:;:~.;...... :.. _ .------. " OUTLOOK Commentary and Opinion South Africa's Quiet Revolution Slowly but Surely, Black Resolve-and Economic Sanctions-Are Destroying Apartheid I remember my feeling of panic that the rev rica's civil upheaval was still in its final spasms. it By William Claiborne olution would be over before [ could move down had claimed upwards of 2,000 lives over the pre OHANNESBURG-In the spring of .to cover it. With apocalyptic visions swimming in vious 2'12 years. Some of the violence in the com· 1986, when the black townships of my head, I pleaded with the South African em ing months was as ugly as I had seen anywhere in South Africa were in flames and the bassy in Tel Aviv to expedite my visa application the Middle East or in India and Pakistan. white government seemed to be on the so I wouldn't miss the story of the century. As I recently glanced through old notebooks brink of collapse, I was finishing a tour I blush at the recollection of my naivete. With about to be thrown away after my assignment in as The Post's Jerusalem correspondent in months after my arrival, the uprising was me South Africa, images came racing back: automat· and was waiting impatiently for Pretoria thodically ~nd brutally crushed by the OlIl.mbined ic rifle fire reverberating through the smoky dusk to issue a visa so I could take up my new army and police forces, accompanied by some of of Soweto as armored personnel carriers roared assignment here. the most Draconian emergency laws ever ilR' down Old Potchefstroom Road in menacing con South Africa's economy was failing, whites posed in a country claiming a place among West voy; young black militants with scarves around were fleeing the country, the revolution was in ern democracies. The violence did focus world their faces barricading Alexandra streets with full swing, and people kept asking me-as if I' attention on South Africa, but it altered little on horse carts, garbage containers and burning tires could know-how long I thought the beleaguered the political landscape. as they stoned passing cars; two white policemen, government of President Pieter W. Botha could South Africa's real revolution. it gradually each on a motorcycle, laughing as they frog· hang on. Veteran Irish diplomat Conor Cruise dawned on me over the next 3'12 years, would marched a manacled black man toward a police O'Brien was predicting it wouldn't be long-that ultimately be a bloodless one, driven by forces station, one motorcyclist on either side of the the "civil war" in South Africa was headed toward more powerful than the stone-throwing black prisoner as he struggled to keep up. a joint U.S.-Soviet military intervention that youths who were bravely but ineffectually bat An estimated 13,000 blacks were detained would depose the white government. ling the most powerful military and state secu without charges in August 1986, and in the en· William Claiborne will become Tile Washington rity machme on the African continent. suing months prohibitions against political dissent Post's Toronto correspondent III Febmary. When [arrived hat Julv. however. South Af· See SOUTH AFRICA. 82, Col. 1 In the previous two years. the economists terview that South Mrica's isolation is fi ers of an onion until the center is left ex said, South Mrica had sustained net capital nally beginning to take its toll, his reforms posed and unprotected and is ultimately Quiet Revolution outflows of nearly $4 billion, not so much and promises to negotiate a new and dem destroyed. because of trade sanctions but because of a ocratic constitution are driven in large Significantly. the process of change has cutoff of U.S. and European investment in measure by the effects of the squeeze put SOUTH AFRICA, From Bl aroused Congress imposed punitive eco gathered a momentum of its own. For nomic sanctions against South Mrica in Oc South Africa and the calling in of outstand on the country's economy in 1986. years, it has had less to do with the initia were tightened. In 1983, it had seemed in tober 1986. ing loans by'foreign lenders. The country's Since becoming president in September, tive of government reformists like de Klerk credible enough that a black could be sen However, I was skeptical about sanctions annual growth rate had plummeted from 5 de Klerk has issued a flurry of announce than with choices made by ordinary black tenced to 1V, years in prison for scratching then and remained So for a good part of my to 2 percent. In effect, de Kock and du Ples ments of reforms or promises of reforms to people from day to day. an innocuous slogan of the outlawed Mrican tour in South Mrica. sis were saying, "We can't go on this way": come. He has lifted prohibitions against dis As a conaequence, changes in the law National Congress onto his tin coffee mug. It seemed to me that punitive economic South Mrica was paying an unendurable sent, freed political pri90ners, effectively have followed rather than preceded changes But under the state of emergency decreed sanctions might be effective as a threat, but price for apartheid. legalized banned organizations like the in the social structure. Black labor unions on June 12, 1986, a black could be impri once they were impoee SuNDA~JANUARYI4,1990 --.,..----