2(,.3 2(,.3 Anti-Apartheid Movement 13 Mandela Street
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2(,.3 2(,.3 Anti-Apartheid Movement 13 Mandela Street, London NW1 ODW. Tel: 071 387 7966. Fax: 071 388 0173 NC/SEPT 93/2 MINUTES OF THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE 10TH JULY 1993UNISON, 1 MABLEDON PLACE, LONDON WC1. PRESENT Individuals: R Hughes (Chair), I Stuart, M Sparham, P Carroll, B Switzer, D Craine (& ELTSA), R Jewkes, D Kenvyn (& Redbridge AA), G Watson, C Gurney, R Harris, C Burford, A Kruthoffer, M Stacey (& Southwark AA), H Kimble (& Oxford AA), M Terry. Local Groups and Regional Committees: SW Region: D Starrs, Wandsworth A: M Sawyerr, Kingston & Sutton AA: N Laurence, Tyneside AA: S Allcroft, Lewisham AA: C Duah, Wessex Region: D Hoadley, Haringey AA: J Rudin, Southampton AA: A Ridehalgh, Birmingham AA: A Chaffer, Bristol AA: D Spurgeon, Swindon AA: A Kempshall. Voting Organisations: UNA: R Karesh, MAC: P Brayshaw, CRS London Political Cttee: R Dixon. Observer Organisations: LAAA: N Roy. Guest: Mandla Langa, ANC Acting Chief Representative. Staff in attendance: G Omasta-Milsom, J Hughes, R Dadoo. 1.00 APOLOGIES: Bishop Huddleston, Oldham and district AA, Huddersfield AA, Yorkshire and Humberside AA, Aberdeen AA, MSF, Bradford AA, P Blomfield, Sheffield AA, Canterbury AA, Merseyside AA, Blackburn and Darwin AA, Nottingham AA, Greater Manchester AA, UNISON, GMB, C Adkins, GPMU, M Malik, Sir David Steel, V Pillay, A Minty, M Ling, Colchester and District AA. 2.00 MINUTES OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEETING 24/4/93 fNC/JLY 93/2): The Minutes (NC/APR 93/2) were agreed as a correct record. Under this item Bob Hughes drew the meetings attention to the revised agenda and timetable. These were agreed except that it was agreed to take item 4.00 as the first agenda item, as Mandla Langa had to leave the meeting early. 4.00 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ASSESSMENT OF THE PEACE. FREEDOM AND VOTE CAMPAIGN (NC/JLY 93/3.4.6.7 & 13): Bob Hughes welcomed Mandla Langa to the NC meeting. Since the last NC meeting, he recalled, that there had been major developments in South Africa including agreement on the date for elections and it was particularly important that we were able to be briefed fully by the ANC. He also drew the NC's attention to two documents from the ANC which had been made available at the meeting, the ANC Negotiations Bulletin and a Statement on Violence. Mandla Langa then gave a briefing on the current approach of the ANC towards the negotiating process. He emphasised that their priority was to progress as quickly as possible toward democracy in a unitary state and that in order to maintain progress at the negotiating table the ANC had to demonstrate flexibility. He saw as the most difficult hurdle at present the issue of control of the SADF and their links with rightwing terrorist elements. To this end he emphasised the need for the international community to help ensure that the election would be sufficiently monitored, as well as to concentrate on raising funds for the ANC to carry out effectively its election campaign. He also referred to the meeting between Nelson Mandela and Chief Buthelezi which the ANC had hoped would result in a de-escalation of political violence. Following Mandla Langa's briefing there was a period for questions and discussions which covered the question of impartial policing and prospects for a military coup. The meeting then moved on to discuss the campaigning implications. Anna Kruthoffer presented the Assessment of the 'Peace, Freedom and the Vote' Campaign (NC/JLY 93/13). It was felt that overall the campaign had been successful and that the march and rally, although not turning out as many people as had been hoped, had gone down well by those attending. Whilst admitting that it was not possible to mobilise in the same way as had been done in the past, and that in general the level of political activism had gone down, it was felt that more work could have been done to mobilise for the event. FOR FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA In discussion there were varied opinions by local groups outside of London to the march and rally. Tyneside felt that mobilising people to an event in London was very difficult in the present climate and that therefore they had not prioritised the event, whilst Birmingham felt that they had managed to put out a lot of material and managed to get a good turnout down to London. Bob Hughes noted the work that had been done by the staff and local groups for the campaign and it was agreed to put on record the NC's appreciation. 3.00 MATTERS ARISING FROM NC MEETING 24/4/93 (NC/JLY 93/12): Mike Terry drew the meeting's attention to Section A of the Report to the NC, which was a written report on Matters Arising from the last meeting of the NC. In addition to this written report the following points were made: 3.01 Trade Union Work It was agreed that every effort should be made to ensure the trade union seminar took place, especially since the TUC Emergency Fund had now raised a total of £35,000 and this was designed to provide funds for such activities. 3.02 Pilatus Aircraft In addition to the written report it was agreed that the Officers should seek a meeting with Thabo Mbeki to seek clarity on ANC policy on this matter and to discuss this and other matters since he was planning to visit London the following week. 3.03 Sanctions Policy The written report outlined developments in this area since the last NC meeting both in relation to the general policy on sanctions as well as the specific issue of South Africa's debt. The National Committee advice was sought as to the priority to attach to this area of work, especially in the light of developments in relation to the negotiations. In particular it was noted that the decision taken by the NC in April to approach companies had not been acted upon because of other developments. The NC agreed that the Executive Committee should look at the matter and report back to the NC meeting in September so that further consideration could be given in the light of progress or otherwise in the negotiations. Bob Hughes suggested that this could be a matter which the Officers could raise with Thabo Mbeki in order to seek clarification on the ANC's approach. 3.04 South Africa's nuclear policy NC/JLY 93/12 outlined that although the issue of nuclear policy has not been prioritised, in representations to the European Council of Ministers and to the British government the case for maintaining the EC ban on nuclear relations with South Africa had been made. It was agreed that the EC should give this matter further consideration. 5.00 ASSESSMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: A written report on developments relating to the International Conference was set out in the Report to the NC (Section B). Mike Terry also drew the meetings attention to the documents which had been circulated arising from the International Conference, namely the Conference Declaration and Secretary's Report as well as the draft Strategy Document. A mailing was due to be despatched to all the participants in the near future. To follow up the Conference, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Bishop Huddleston had written to the Secretary-Generals of the UN, the OAU and Commonwealth as well as the EC with the main documents. The UN has also agreed to reproduce the Conference Documents as an official UN Security Council document. Mike Terry added that it is envisaged that the Strategy document - 'Southern Africa: Towards a New Agenda for International Solidarity' would be published in its final format at the beginning of September and therefore comments and suggestions were sought as a matter of urgency and by the end of Julyat the latest. The National Committee thanked Mike Terry and the office staff for the work they had put in to organising the Conference. Peter Brayshaw said that Lopo do Nascimento had raised with him the absence of any specific reference to the current crisis in Angola. He suggested that this feature in the Strategy document. Mike Terry replied that the Conference Secretary's Report circulated at the meeting had been a draft and that the issue of Angola had been incorporated in the printed text. The Strategy document was a different type of document which sought to look to the future in relation to new forms of solidarity, however it contained references to both Angola and Mozambique. 6.00 FURTHER DISCUSSION ON CAMPAIGNING FOR 'FREE AND FAIR' ELECTIONS (NC/JLY 93/5.5a,10 & 11) INCLUDING FUNDRAISING FOR THE ANC AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC FORCES (NC/JLY 93/10): Mike Terry introduced this item by recalling that the demands of the 'Peace, Freedom and the Vote' campaign had been for an election date, the establishment of a TEC and joint control of the security forces. Now the election date had been set for April 27th and the establishment of a TEC seemed likely to follow, ensuring that the election process would be 'free and fair' should be the Movement's priority for the next nine months. The AAM had already made extensive preparations for this situation. A draft Programme of Action had been agreed at the NC meeting in February and a successful Seminar organised in March. In order to move the campaign forward a report had been prepared for the meeting (NC/Jly 93/11) immediately following the agreement on 2 July that the elections would take place on 27 April 1994.