American mmittee on Africa 164 Madison Avenue. New York, N. Y. 10016 • (212) 532-3700 • Cable AMCOMMAF Washington Office: 711 14th Street, N. W., Washington D.C. 20005 • (202) 638-0835 Chicago Office: 1514 South Albany, Chicago, Illinois 60623 • (312) 762-1821 January, 1971 Dear Friend, The week that the enclosed Annual Report of ACOA for 1970 went to press, two things happened that confirmed our pessimistic political analysis. They were frontal attacks - one by the U.S. government and the other by U.S. business - on the struggle for freedom in southern Africa. On January 11, the United States withdrew from the United Nations Colonialism Committee. U.S. spokesmen have been uncomfortable on that Committee, where they have mouthed opposition to colonialism. They have been justly and repeatedly condemned for the military alliance with Portugal through which they help the Portuguese fight against liberation forces in Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. While contributing to this Portuguese violence, and using violence as an instrument of foreign policy elsewhere, the U.S. opposes the use of violence as a means of change in Africa - that is, violence against the oppressor. The Committee has exposed this hypocrisy. The next day, the Polaroid Corporation, under attack by its workers for doing business in South Africa, bought full-page ads in seven major newspapers and twenty black weeklies to explain why it is remaining in South Africa. Claiming opposition to apartheid, it promised to raise wages and to contribute toward financing black education. But Pola­ roid admitted, under pressure, it must operate within the South African laws whicn deprive nonwhites of all political rights and severely limit economic and social gains. We estimate that Polaroid - just one U.S. company - spent around $50,000 for these ads just to promote the idea that it's all right to be in South Africa provided you help a few blacks a little. That amount is about a third of ACOA's 1971 budget. We can't even think in terms of full-page ads. But we have to challenge the Nixon Administration, to rally enough public support to change government policy. Instead of a spare $50,000, ACOA has - you. What ACOA can do is what you make possible: no more, no less. In a few weeks you will receive a copy of ACOA's 1971 budget, explained in terms of our program. Please think about what we're up against when you make out your check: the government of the United States, and corporate profits. Send all the help you can. And thank you. Yours sincerely, .~~«J~ George M. Houser Executive Director for mass distribution is under way. A radio and other substantial amount for medical work in Guinea-Bissau for media campaign has been projected, and it is hoped the first time this year, and a lesser amount for Angola. that special funds can be raised to make this possible. The Africa Fund aids political prisoners, refugees, and In this connection, a director of public communications exiles and their families, and similar causes. During the has recently joined the staff. Additional field workers summer The Africa Fund's Executive Secretary toured the A UAL EPO T would be an important asset. areas of its particular concern in Africa including Conakry, CHICAGO OFFICE. Public education through speaking Kinshasa, Lusaka~ Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Bagamoyo-, engagements and literature distribution has been a major Nairobi, and Addis Ababa. He visited educational and A ERICA COMMITTEE concern of the Chicago Office in 1970. The Chicago medical institutions- which the Fund helps to support and Director, Prexy Nesbitt, has filled eight to ten speaking met with aid recipients. o AFRICA engagements a month and has arranged others for liberation movement speakers including Dennis Brutus, FI A CE JANUARY, 1971 Sharfudine Khan, Robert Resha, and Thami Mhlambiso. In The national recession has hit ACOA hard and the expan­ addition to Chicago work, the Director has filled speaking sion reported in each of the past few years has been engagements in southern Illinois and Wisconsin and has replaced by contraction and forced economy. About toured as far west as Col'orado and California. local $27,000 less was raised than had been budgeted for the activities have included a one-day seminar for high school year, with consequent loss in program effectiveness. The social studies teachers; a summer liberation school; demon­ preliminary unaudited figures for 1970 income and ex­ strations against U.S. corporate invol¥ement in South penses prepared on a cash basis are summarized below: Africa and Portuguese policy; programs commemorating Education & Program & Sharpeville and September 25; and Polaroid leafleting. Membership Information Proiects Administration Total Several neighborhood groups are developing. Income $94,352 $24,929 $43,932 $ 1,544 $164,757 OTHE FIELD WORK. A special grant in spring, 1970, Incurred Expenses $35,533 $33,923 $88,405 $14,630 $172,491 made field work possible in New Jersey for a short time. It was concentrated on work with students and trade C CLUSIO unionists, and focused on the Engelhard interests, although 1971 must be viewed both optimistically and peSSimiS­ the Cambodia-Kent inspired student strike made a tically. On the plus side, both interest in Africa and over-all planned major demonstration impossible. In New York, concern about U.S. foreign policy and military commit­ field work has centered on building a communications ments are growing. ACOA has had some success in network and on filling speaking engagements. disengagement policies and will have more, especially WASHINGTO OFFICE. The Washington Office plays a with growing numbers of allies in the black community, key role in the various disengagement campaigns such as the churches, and among young people. In Africa, the in­ the sugar quota and SAA which involve go,vernmental creasing stability of the free- areas under control of support to the southern Africa regimes and in other issues liberation movements and the refusal of underground which become questions of national policy. In 1970 this movements to die despite repression promise certainty of included the campaign to secure entrance to the United success in the long run. But on the debit side, the Western States for Mrs. W. E. B. DuBois. The Executive Director world appears determined to increase its involvement testified against retention of the U.S. consulate in Salis­ with the colonial and racist past, still hanging on in Africa. bury, Rhodesia. The Washington Director, Charles High­ And ACOA must face the challenge of reaction with tower, testified against appointing Texas oil millionaire dwindling financial support and threatened curtailment of John G. Hurd as U.S. Ambassador to South Africa. activities that should, instead, expand. The challenge, thus, is really to ACOA supporters for action commensur­ AF ICA EFE SE A AID FU D ate with the need. The Defense and Aid Fund has raised and spent $10,871.37 in 1970, mainly in support of the liberation movements and for particular needs of movement people AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON AFRICA in Africa or the United States, especially in connection 164 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10016 with trips to petition the U.N. or to appear there. .. .Enclosed is my contribution of $ _ ... THE AFRICA FU D ..................Please send literature list. ..................Put me on the action list. I'll write to Congress, join local The Africa Fund is an independent agency with its own actions, etc. board of trustees which qualifies with the Internal Revenue Name __ _ _ .. Service for tax benefits to donors. The major contribution of The Africa Fund continues to be to the work of the Add ress __ _ _ .. Mozambique Institute. It has also been able to give a City State Zip _ .. saw reaction take the offensive. South Africa was held at Town Hall with outstanding entertainers in­ cess, however, with some media refusing to accept SAA 1970 and Rhodesia welcomed a friendlier atmosphere cluding Miriam Makeba and Letta Mbulu, and a full house. advertising. It has influenced a similar target, Holiday Inn, in the West as governmental changes first in the United NAMIBIA. The Security Council at its fall 1970 session which has stated that it will not publicize its new South States and then in Great Britain began to bear fruit. decided to raise the question of the status of Namibia African facilities in the United States. The British Conservatives had barely taken office when (the former League of Nations Mandate, South West SUGAR. Ending the sugar quota and subsidy given to they announced the policy of arms for South Africa and Africa) with the InternationaJ Court of Justice by asking South Africa this year is a priority in A.COA's work with of renewing negotiations with Rhodesia as that regime for an advisory opinion on the question: What are the Congress, although efforts to end other government aid moved toward apartheid. The Nixon Administration legal consequences for member states of the continued such as the space program will continue. revealed change slowly. It cast the first U.S. veto in presence of South Africa in Namibia? ACOA submitted SPORTS AND CULTURE. British success in stopping a United Nations history in March 1970 against a resolution a 50-page brief to the Cpurt concerning South A.frica's proposed South African cricket tour was the international to extend sanctions on Rhodesia to include postal and illegal presence in Namibia and action which should be sports highlight of the year, and the boycott of South telecommunications which, the U.S. said, also implied the taken by U.N. member states in the light of this. Africa spread to additional international sports federa­ use of force.