EPISCOPAL CHURCHPEOPLS 10r a FREE SOUTHERN AFRIC~ E 339 Lafayett. Strut. New YOM<, N.Y. 10012·2725 C (2' 2) 477-ooee FAX: (212) 979-1 01 3 S A #140 25 August 1993 ¥ THE INDEPENDENT"' MONDAY 23 AUGUST 1993 ". Buthelezi'threatens to boycott SA's first democratic election Inkatha leader's demand comes as 10 more are murdered MANGOSUTHU Buthelezi, warning rently engaged in talks. He wants the of civil war "or worse", said on Satur­ JOHN CARLIN forum, besides, to set in stone a fed­ day that he would boycon South Afri­ in Johannesburg eral constitution granting a new ca's first democratic elections sched­ "Kwa-Natal" province a degree of au­ uled for 27 April next year. large: "What to do about Inkatha?" tonomy tantamount to secession. He For ten ofthose trapped in the civil Since Inkatha walked out of the went a step further on Thursday when war already afflicting the black popu­ talks two months ago this has also he declared that what he really sought lation south<ast of Johannesburg ­ been the question uppermost in the was a federation of ethnic states ­ 400 have died since June - the issue minds of British, US and other diplo­ something vinually identical to the is no longer ofsignificance. Unknown mats united in their anxiety to see a confederal neo-apanbeid option of gunmen yesterday opened fire on a peaceful, democratic and stable out­ those in the far right calling for an in­ gathering of people in the grounds of come in South Africa. The US ambas- dependent Afrikaner state. a factory, killing ten - nine of them - sador, for example, is said to have Such was the dismay this proposal women - and wounding 21. been particularly forthright in recent caused that one of Chief Buthelezi's The manner of the killing was all encounters with Chief Buthelezi. most devoted friends in the govern­ too familiar, as were the conditions Which is what prompted the chief, a ment, the National party's Natal lead­ Chief Buthelezi imposed for his re­ welcome guest at the White House in er, George Bartlett, broke all prece­ t\Ifn to the multi-party talks debating the Eighties, to do the previously un­ dent and openly criticised him the • political settlement. The Inkatha thinkable and attack the US during a next day. This leads to the great ques­ Freedom Party leader said he would speech in Durban two weeks ago. tion: why doesn't the government only panicipate if the government, "The proposals at the World Trade simply ignore the chief and proceed the African Nationai Congress and Centre that the US wants me to accept towards elections without him? the other 17 political organisations are proposals that will thrust this One reason is that the likes of Mr which agree on 27 April -and which country into civil war," be said. "I get Bartlett in the cabinet have thus far represent 80 per cent of the South Af­ the impression that the US is actually remained obstinately attached to the rican population - bowed to his will backing a Mandela victory because idea offighting an election against the and changed the rules for the election. the US wants a settlement tomorrow, ANC in alliance with Inkatha. For "There is no way that ... as presi­ and it is a case ofwanting a settlement .President FW de Klerk, who views dent ofinkatha I am prepared to fight at any price." Chief Buthelezi with almost as much elections over who is going to write As most Western diplomats will distaste as Mr Mandela, to sever ties the constitution," Chief Buthelezi readily afflrm, the chief is holding de­ with Inkatha would be to risk the laid. "I am just not prepared to do mocracy in South Africa to ransom. It break-Up of his party. that because it is a disaster for our is common cause, as an analysis of the A more compelling reason, shared country." Government and ANC offi­ negotiations in yesterday's Johannes­ by the ANC and the government, is cials say privately, for they dare not burg Srar concluded, that whereas the that if Chief Buthelezi does bovcott antagonise the sensitive lulu chief in government and the ANC have each elections - or rejects the result": the public, that "disaster" in hi s lexicon made huge concessions to secure a possibility exists that Inkatha will means an election result that dimin­ peaceful political settlement, lnkatha join forces with the far right and make ishes his power. has made none. good on his promise of civil war. Mr At Johannesburg's World Trade What does Chief Buthelezi want? de Klerk's and Mr Mandela's uncer­ Centre, where multi-party talks hav: He says he wants the constitution to tainty as to where the police and army been going on all year to pave the way be written and ratified not by an would stand in such an eventuality to democracy, one question looms elected body, but by the forum cur- only reinforces the chiefs hand. The far-right counts down to war With scant chance of winrl1ng a volkstaat through THE WEEKI..Y MAlL & GUARDIAN negotiations. the right has ~ 13" 191993 started the countdown to war. reports Jan Taljaarel HE rtghtwtng Is actively gearing for ed In the mounlaInous Waterberg area and while poUcemen would support "the YOlk' In "Plan C" - secesston by armed strug· areas adjoining the northern border DC Swazi­ lIUc:h a war. Its reals\rength In regard to mall· gle - as a means of wtnning an land. JIOWer would be the SADF commando struc- tures. Afrikaner homeland. Added to this, a message was gent oot to the TThInk tanks assoctated with the Afrikaner AWB falthfu1last weekend thai they had Urnit· ~ a surpr1slng1y rea1Isue assessment. Volksfront have concluded that the chances of ed time In which to prepare for war. Dexter also notes thai the AWB could provide a volkstaat beingachieved bynegotiated settle· At a "closed" meeting held on the Schweizer· ..~ 4 000and 10000men and women (as ment are no more than three to flve percent. as Reneke showgrounds after the AWB Wenkom­ opposed to claims by AWB leader Eugene against a 30 to 40 percent possibility of war mando was granted the freedom ofthe town. a Terre'Blanche that the Wenkommando num· breaking out and a volkstaat unilaterally senior memberoftheAWB's "general st.a1l" told bers more than 50 000 active members). declaring Independence. members that they have sIX to nine months Dexter slales thai the llrst 12 10 24 hours of The lalest Issue ofDexter. widely regarded as before war broke out. a secessionist uprIsing are of critical Impor· the most Important AVF mouthpiece, takes a It was not the usual rhetorIc reserved for lance. "During this tlrne as many as possible comprehenstve look at the strengths and Joyal. pubUc meetings. bUI a toned-down and mea· SADF and police units, Insla1lauons and bases ties of the armed forces. The pubUcatlon also sured assessment of things to come. must be consoUdated under the command of addresses the practlcallmpUcatlons ofmiUtary Apparently assumIng that the media ana the volkstaat. conlUct. non-AWB members had left the showgrounds, "Furthermore the new volkstaal government With scant possibility ofeslabUshlng a volk­ Wenkommando members.were ordered to will have tOJIaUonaUs>e all means of C0tnrmml-­ staat by way -of parUamentary procedures or assemble In a shed. There theywere told thai In caUon. bankS. mines and strategic industries." negotiations. "more and more people are a discussion betwren CP leader FerdJ Hartzen­ The publication foresees myrtad factors bear­ preparing themselves for the onlyother option, berg and AWB generalS, Hartzenberg had said Ing on the oulcome of armed struggle, includ· Plan C. the option of reslslance and violence", that rlghtwlngers would have two choices In a Ing economic disintegration. the possibility of Dexter says. corning electlon. , Internallonallnlerventlon arid even moral The Weekly Mall &. Guardian Is In possession The first was for rtghtwtngers to vole and, decay amid "death. destruction and illness". of Independenl Information that SADF com­ having voted, abide by the results. "Once you Itenvisages thai If the acl ofsecession Is well mandostruct:lfes In the Northern and Eastern have voted you will have no rtght to resist a planned and continuously supported by Transvaal are being subverted for use In a p0s­ future government: he said. The second was Afrikaners, Ihe war could be over In six sible conllict. not to vote and to start preparing for war. ThIs months. Recently members of the AVF"s directorate option was greeled bycheering approval. "Ills howeverdestrable: Dexter cautions, "10 have also privately slated that 100 000 men In Dexter, var10us methods ofwarfare are dis­ avoid war completely ... But Iflt seems to be the could be mobl1lsed at short nol1ce using exlsl­ cussed. Addressing the possibility of guerrilla only way out. the yolk must have no illusions Ing commando structures. warfare. the pubUcaUon says that this method about what It will entall: Reliable rlghtwtng sources say that all but may be elfecUve. but can go on for years. In three of the SADF commandos In the volkstaat addition. It would not necessartly lead to a volk­ area will side with the rtght Ifconllict breaks staal and defealed guerrilla fighters Would not be,trealed as prisoners ofwar. oot.CertaIn areas have also been earmarked as I Guerrilla warfare had. therefore, to be seen potentla1 "Uberated wnes" In the case ofa pro­ as a last option, and was not to be embarked tracted guerrilla war. These are rnaInIy sltuat- I on before "Ihe way of secession and conven- . tiona! warfare Is attempted".