For the attention of the Anti-Apartheid Movement Executive Committee,

For the attention of the Anti-Apartheid Movement Executive Committee, National Committee, WAAM, Scottish Committee, Regional Committees and Local Anti-Apartheid Groups REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN BY THE ANTI-APARTHEID MOVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE BANNINGS IMPOSED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHORITIES ON FEBRUARY 24 Introduction: On the morning of February 24th news reached London of the Banning Orders imposed on the UDF and 16 other anti-apartheid organisations in South Africa and the bans on COSATU prohibiting it from engaging in anti-apartheid activities. In the following hours and days, further repressive measures were taken, including the restriction of many prominent anti-apartheid leaders, the seeking of new powers to prohibit the overseas funding of anti-apartheid activities and the banning of the Committee for the Defence of Democracy, established by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other church leaders. The Anti-Apartheid Movement has sought to mobilise the widest possible condemnation of these actions, both in Britain and internationally, and to secure the adoption of effective measures against apartheid South Africa in response to the imposition of the banning orders and other repressive actions. On the same day that the banning orders were imposed, the President of the Anti-Apartheid Movement issued a public statement, an emergency protest was held outside South Africa House, and contact was made with a whole range of British and international organisations to seek their support and their condemnation of the actions of the Pretoria regime. Emergency Press Conference: On the morning of the following day a press conference was held at the Royal Commonwealth Society, chaired by Robert Hughes, MP. It was addressed by Thabo Mbeki, the Secretary for Publicity and Information of the ANC, Archbishop Huddleston, Gerald Kaufman (Shadow Foreign Secretary), Norman Willis (General Secretary, TUC), Rodney Bickerstaff (General Secretary, NUPE), Revd. Brian Brown (Africa Secretary, British Council of Churches) ,Vicky Phillips (President of NUS), the General Secretary of War on Want and CIIR, and representatives of Oxfam, Christian Aid and WUS, Jerry Dammers of Artists against Apartheid, Geoffrey Bindman, Chairman of SATIS, Ivor Richard and Malcolm Harper (Chairman and Director of UNA). Archbishop Huddleston released at the press conference a major statement on behalf of the Anti-Apartheid Movement. Immediately following this press conference there was another emergency demonstration outside South Africa House. Representation to British Government: On February 24th Archbishop Huddleston wrote both to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. Later that day a meeting was sbught with the Foreign Secretary and this took place two days later, on Friday, 26th February. Norman Willis, the General Secretary of the TUC, joined Archbishop Huddleston for this meeting.

A further letter was presented to the Foreign Secretary at this meeting, urging the Government to undertake the specific measures which he had proposed in the statement made at an emergency press conference the previous day. At this meeting, Sir Geoffrey Howe rejected all the proposals made by the AAM. A further letter was sent to Sir Geoffrey Howe by Archbishop Huddleston following Britain's veto of a draft resolution calling for mandatory sanctions, in the UN Security Council. Representations to Members of Parliament: Immediately the news of the banning orders was received, the AntiApartheid Movement lobbied for an Emergency Debate in Parliament. Bob Hughes, MP, and Richard Caborn, MP, of the AAM Executive Committee, were instrumental in persuading the Opposition to agree to have a debate in the House of Commons on 29th February. A special briefing was prepared and distributed to some 250 MPs in advance of the debate. The Movement's Honorary Secretary was able to have a special briefing session with the Leader of the Liberal Party, David Steel. Many of the specific issues put forward by the Anti-Apartheid Movement were raised during the debate. Significantly, half of the back benc? Conservative MPs who took part in the debate called for stronger action by the Government. The Government's majority at the end of the debate was reduced to 56. Representations to the United Nations: On February 24th Archbishop Huddleston sent messages to the President of the UN Security Council and the Secretary-General of the UN, calling for an emergency debate in the UN Security Council. This was followed up by extensive lobbying of Ambassadors to the UN, to stress the importance of such a debate. These representations helped to ensure that the Security Council was convened. It met on the 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th of March. On the 8th of March a draft Resolution, submitted by the African and non-aligned States was vetoed by the UK and USA delegations. The 3 other Western members of the UN Security Council, France, FRG and Japan, abstained. The draft Resolution only sought to make mandatory for a period of one year some of the existing EEC sanctions measures. Britain therefore vetored the mandatory enforcement of all UN Member States of measures which it which it itself formerly subscribed to. Representations to the Commonwealth: On 24th February the Commonwealth Secretary General issued a strong statement condemning the bannings and the following day Archbishop Huddleston called for an emergency meeting of the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers in order to underline the importance of action which the South African authorities had taken. A meeting was sought with the Commonwealth Secretary General that day, and this took place the following morning, on Friday 26th February. At the meeting a letter was presented to the Secretary General proposing such a meeting or a similar Commonwealth initiative.

The Chairman of the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Committee on Southern Africa subsequently issued a statement. Extensive contact has been maintained with the Commonwealth High, Commissioners, especially from the Front Line States, to discuss further initiatives which can be taken by the Commonwealth. Representations to European Community: At the press conference on Thursday 25th February, Archbishop Huddleston called for an emergency meeting of European Foreign Ministers and specifically proposed that all EEC Ambassadors be recalled from South Africa and that Sanctions against South African coal should be imposed immediately. The following day, Friday 26th February, a formal letter to Herr Genscher, the President of the European Council of Ministers, was handed over at the FRG Embassy by Archbishop Huddleston during a meeting with the Minister Clounsellor of the FRG. Archbishop Huddleston was informed that the European Prime Ministeres were meeting informally the following week-end and as a result of representations by the AAM and others, South Africa was on the agenda of this meeting. However, the only decisions which appear to have been taken-were to protest to the South African authorities, especially over the proposed prohibition on the overseas funding of anti-apartheid activities. However, it was decided to review South Africa's diplomatic representation in EEC countries. In response to this decision, the Memorandum which the Anti- Apartheid Movement prepared for the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, outlining illegal and improper activities by the South African Embassy in London, was sent to all Foreign Ministers of the EEC. On Monday 7th March, the EEC Commission denounced the measures taken by the South African authorities. The AAM, however, laised closely with the AAMs of the EEC and with the ANC, to ensure the most effective representation to the EEC. March 21st: Day of Protest: In order to provide a framework for nation-wide protest activity, the Anti-Apartheid Movement called for a Day of Protest Action or March 21st. A special leaflet and sticker with the slogan "Ban Apartheid: Sanctions Now" was prepared. An emergency mailing was sent to all Local Anti-Apartheid Groups asking them to organise activities on Saturday 19th March to prepare for the Day of Protest, Action during which it planned to persuade half-a-million people to wear t'e "Ban Apartheid:Sanctions Now" stickers. An emergency mailing was sent to all national members and affiliated organisations, withcopies of the leaflet and stickers, urging them to participate in the Day of Action and outline other activities they could undertake. An emergency meeting to consult with national organisations involved in campaigning in Southern Africa was also called for March 21st. 4. General Campaigning Initiatives: A series of other events and activities have been organised in response to the bannings. These have included a special event outside South Africa House in which 18 prominent individuals stood with black gags around their mouths. Those present included BBC Disc Jockey, Paul Gambaccini, Billy Bragg, Glenys Kinnock, Louis Mahoney, John Edmonds of the GMB, Joan Lestor and Marie Staunton, Director of the British Sector of Amnesty International. Close liaison has been maintained with the TUC and a special mailing with the COSATU statement on the bannings was sent to all national and Trade Union affiliates. A range of background briefing material, including the Government Gazette imposing the bannings, has been reproduced in large quantities and sent to interested individuals and organisations. Press and Media: Extensive contact has been maintained with the press and media, both British and international, throughout this period and although there has been some reporting of the activities organised by the Anti-Apartheid Movement, it has been extremely limited. In general, the press and media coverage of developments in South Africa over this period has been far from adequate. Relations with ANC and SACTU: On February 24th an emergency meeting was held at the AAM Headquarters with ANC and SACTU to ensure effective co-ordination and liaison in response to the banning orders in South Africa. Further meetings and contacts have been maintained and every effort made to secure press and media coverage for the ANC and, SACTU. The ANC itself held a special briefing meeting which was addressed by Thabo Mbeki of the ANC EC and Mike Terry, the AAPM's Executive Secretary was also invited to speak to outline the AAM's response and campaigning plans. Thabo Mbeki also addressed a special meeting of the Royal Commonwealth Society and both he and other representatives of both ANC and SACTU were interviewed on television and radio and reported in the press. Contact was also maintained with other ANC Missions, especially in New York and Bonn, in relation to the UN and the EEC. Attachments: 1. Archbishop Huddleston's Statement of 25 February 1988. 2. Letters from the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to Trevor Huddleston. 3. Draft Security Council Resolution.