'198 Broadway * New York, N.Y. 10038 * (212) 962-1210 Tilden J
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'198 Broadway * New York, N.Y. 10038 * (212) 962-1210 Tilden J. LeMelle, Chairman Dl Jennifer Davis, Executive Director Visit to New York by Murphy Morobe and Mohammed Valli Moosa January 1989 PRESS PACKET For more information contact: Jim Cason or Rob Jones Established by The American Committee on Africa, 1966 • Contributions are tax-deductible 198 Broadway * New York, N.Y. 10038 * (212) 962-1210 Tilden J. LeMelle, Chairman Jennifer Davis, Executive Director UNITED DEMOCRATIC FRONT The United Democratic Front is an umbrella organization of some 600 groups in South Africa with a combined membership of approximately 2 million people. In February of 1988 the Government prohibited the Front from "conducting any political activities whatsoever". Despite the banning and detention of most of the leadership of the Front, it remains one of the largest sources of opposition to the apartheid regime. Its leaders, while embattled, continue to be dynamic and active in the political life of the country. These people will play a large role in any legitimate attempt at creating a democratic South Africa. MURPHY MOROBE, 33 became involved in educational protests against apartheid in the 1970s. As a member of the Soweto Students Representatives Council he was convicted of sedition in 1977. Following his release from Robben Island in 1982 he became involved in trade union and community affairs, organizing for the General and Allied Workers Union and helped launch the Soweto Students Congress and the UDF's Million Signature Campaign. In 1985 Morobe was elected Rural Secretary for the UDF, but soon assumed the position of Acting National Publicity Secretary following the detention of Patrick Lekota. He has been detained periodically since 1986, but continues to be actively involved in the democratic movement. He is married and has two children who live in Soweto. MOHAMMED VALLI MOOSA, 32 was born in Johannesburg, but his family was relocated to the township of Lenasia under the Group Areas Act in 1964. He was a member of the South African Students Organization prior to its banning in 1977, after which he returned to teaching. He became instrumental in the formation of a community residents association, before becoming actively involved in a campaign against the South African Indian Council in 1981 and 1982. He helped revive the Transvaal Indian Congress in 1983 and was elected Transvaal General Secretary of the UDF in June of that year. In 1985, following the detention of Pope Molefe, Valli was voted Acting General Secretary of the UDF's National Executive Committee. He has been aetained repeatedly, despite this, he has remained active in the campaigns against apartheid. He has a daughter who is 3 years old. VUSI KHANYILE, 37, is Chairperson of the National Education Crisis Committee, which was formed to help mediate the school boycott. He is currently an educator working at the University of the Western Cape and is involved in efforts to build a democratic education system in South Africa. These men dramatically highlighted the plight of South Africa's detainees in September 1988 by making a daring escape from detention and taking refuge at the U.S. consulate. All three men had been held in detention without charge for over 14 months. January 1989 Established by The American Committee on Africa. 1966 • Contributions are tax-deductible 198 Broadway * New York, N.Y. * 10038 (212) 962-1210 Tilden J. LeMelle. Chairman Jennifer Davis. Executice Director NY • NEWSDAY. THURSDAY. JUNE 4 197 U.S. Actions Anger S. Africa Rebels By Vivienne Walt A senior U.S. Embassy official last Newsday Staff Correspondent month told American journalists that Johannesburg - Officials of South the U.S. Agency for International De Africa's major antiapartheid coalition velopment program here was worth warned yesterday of increasing hostil- $25 million this year. Its exact nature ity toward the United States by the is kept under wraps in South Africa, country's black militants and urged where both radical organizations and their members to rejeit much of the the government regard the funding, private and federal U.S. funding of- which goes to antiapartheid groups, as fered for antigovernment projects controversial. In addition, private U.S. The United Democratic Front, foundationsextensive aid and to corporationsantigovernment provide pro which is believed to be supported by jexts. more than 2 million people in about Morobe said antiapartheid activists 700 labor, rural and civil associations, were angered by a Senate vote two resolved at a secret national confer- weeks ago to cut offaid to black south ence last weekend to reject any U.S. ern Alfrican nations unless they re funding that appeared to discourage nounce the guerrilla campaign of the economic sanctions against South Af- outlawed African National Congress. rica.oulwdArcnNtoaCoges group contends that some u "e Senate confirmed our people's The _s_ animosity towards U.S. policy, egpe corporations use aid to antiapartheid cially under the Reagan administra efforts as a justification for continuing tion," said Morobe. 'The vote ampli to do business in South Africa. fled a long-held view within the The resolution also opposed funding demrticr 0oXa L.t.l _ _t 90 from U.S. agencies that "supply funds percent of U.S. aid has always been to counterrevolutionary activities in given with the view to controlling other countries" or that "support pup- events in the country." pet structures, death squads and other Socialist-inclined movements work counterrevolutionary groupings." ing to end South Africa's racial poli "Events in Nicaragua and El Salva- ies long have been suspicious of U.S. dor have pointed out that U.S. aid has upports fr their cause. had potential to be used for counter- 8"The United States was always on revolutionary purposes," said the the side of South Africa," maid Nkwabi front's publicity secretary, Murphy Ng'wanakilala, information offlicer of Morobe wthe Southern African Development Co Morobe, who has been on the run ordinating Conference, under which from security forces since President the front-line states are grouped. In an Pieter W. Botha declared a national interview in Gaborone, Botswana, last state of emergency last June 12, came week, he said that seven months afer briefly out of hiding yesterday to meet U.S. sanctions were impoed against a small group of journalists at a secret souti, were theyd ad site in a white suburb of Johannes- S outhAfricat"weth.*ghttheyhadhd burg. a 6hange ofheart." He said that even though the orga- This report was prepared under nization has been driven virtually un- media restrictions which prohibit derground over the past year, 200 journalists from reporting and UDF delegates were able to meet to publishing news about antigo forge a program of action against the vernment violence and security government, force actions. A-i Established by The Americaon Corn itte on Africo. 1966 • (_ onri butto is (re tt i-dCidiittbl,. I I The Africa Fund * N 962-1210 Tilden J LeMelle, Chairman 198 Broadway ew York, N.Y. 10038 0 (212) Jennifer Davis. Executive Director OC'ro3JO 2l, 98 71E NE W I' OKI rIM) S INTERNATIONAL rJlkSI)AY 3 Apartheid Foes Leave U.S. Consulate By CHRISTOPHER S. WREN Advice 'F-ont Comrade Nelson' Sic .(ahv INS. Y.r k Ihnms 'We decided to leave the con.itnati' JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 19 - Three after having had consultations with our anti-apartheid leaders who escaped family, fiends and several other from detention and took refuge in the prominent South Africans," their state American Consulate 37 days ago ment said. They specifically meitioned walked out today, apparently on the ad- "a communication from Comrade Nel vice of Nelson R. Mandela. I son Mandela" on Monday. I he South African Government, t "The suggestion of Comrade Nelson seeking to avoid a diplomatic confron- I Mandela was that we should leave the tation with the United States, had said z consulate as soon as possible," Mr. on several occasions that the three, Moosa said. Morobe, Vusi Khanyile and Mr. Mandela, South Africa's most Murphy been Mnohammed Valli Moosa, were free (o celebrated political prisoner, has ieing deltined again. Today it ap- recuperating from tubercilsis under ieared to be honoring its pledge. police guard in a Cape tfown clii. In a statement read at a news confer- There has been speculaliiin thai iresi ence this afternoon, the men said they dent 1'. W. Botha, who is under iiterit decided to leave the consulate because tional pressure to free Mr. Mandela, they had successfully publicized the might release him next month. of 1,300 other people who they The conduit between the three esca status was Witinie said had been detained under the Gov- pees and Mr. Mandela ernment's emergency declaration. Mandela, Mr. Mandela's wife, who ine' They had previously pledged not to ,with the men in the consulate Monday leave the consulate until other detain- after she visited her husbans! in cape ecs were freed and laws including the 'T'own over the weekend, emergency declaration repealed. There has been some criticismi of the spokesman for the United States tree fugitives within tlI( anti-apart A and a1 E bntassy in Pretoria, Barry Walkley. liiild movement, because they said the American Government did not " i(irth detainee, Clifford Ncgolbi, es negotiate the departure of the threi' caped while undergoing medi-cal care Mi. who sought refugeon Sept. 13. at a Johannesburg hospital. "They arrived at their decision inde- . Ncgobo left the consulate earlier. Their pendently," Mr. Walkley said. "Having escape had prompted concern that the prIovided them with refuge, we will of authorities might he eluctatt 10 at course remain interested it any devel- range medical treatment for others opments concerning them..