DATE=10/29/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240897
TITLE=SAF TRUTH / ANGOLA & MOZAMBIQUE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE FINAL REPORT OF SOUTH AFRICA'S TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION COMMISSION SAYS THE MAJORITY OF VICTIMS OF GROSS
VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTED DURING THE APARTHEID ERA
WERE LIVING OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY'S BORDERS AT THE TIME THE
VIOLATIONS WERE COMMITTED. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA
REPORTS FROM JOHANNESBURG.
TEXT: THE TRUTH COMMISSION REPORT SAYS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SINGLE
INCIDENTS OF GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WAS A 1978 ASSAULT
BY SOUTH AFRICAN TROOPS ON A BASE AT KASSINGA IN ANGOLA WHICH WAS
USED BY REBELS OPPOSED TO SOUTH AFRICA'S CONTROL OVER WHAT IS NOW
CALLED NAMIBIA. MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE RAID,
MANY OF THEM CIVILIANS.
OVERALL, THE TRUTH PANEL'S REPORT ACCUSES THE FORMER WHITE
MINORITY GOVERNMENT OF CONDUCTING A MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN ANGOLA
FROM 1977 TO 1988 THAT CONSTITUTED A SYSTEMATIC PATTERN OF ABUSE.
IT SAYS THAT IN ADDITION TO DESTROYING TOWNS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN
ANGOLA, SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES TARGETED ECONOMIC INSTALLATIONS,
INCLUDING PETROLEUM FACILITIES.
IT SAYS THE EFFECTS OF THE WAR ON ANGOLAN CIVILIANS WERE
DEVASTATING, CHIEFLY BECAUSE OF WAR-RELATED FAMINE. IT ALSO
BLASTS THE FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT FOR THE VAST
DESTRUCTION OF FOREST LANDS AND WILDLIFE, CALLING IT, QUOTING
NOW, A RAPE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE REPORT DETAILS SIMILAR INVOLVEMENT BY SOUTH AFRICAN SECURITY
FORCES OR THEIR SURROGATES IN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN EIGHT
OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES -- BOTSWANA, LESOTHO, MOZAMBIQUE, THE
SEYCHELLES, SWAZILAND, TANZANIA, ZAMBIA, AND ZIMBABWE.
THE REPORT ALSO COVERS THE TRUTH PANEL'S RE-INVESTIGATION OF THE
DEATH OF MOZAMBICAN PRESIDENT SAMORA MACHEL IN A SUSPICIOUS 1986
PLANE CRASH NEAR THE SOUTH AFRICAN-MOZAMBICAN BORDER.
IT SAYS THAT ALTHOUGH THE COMMISSION COULD FIND NO CONCLUSIVE
EVIDENCE OF SOUTH AFRICAN STATE INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRASH, IT SAYS
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE LED THE PANEL TO QUESTION THE FINDINGS OF
A PREVIOUS PROBE THAT VINDICATED THE FORMER WHITE MINORITY
GOVERNMENT AND BLAMED THE PLANE'S PILOTS.
THE REPORT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THE POSSIBILITY OF FALSE SIGNALS
HAVING BEEN SENT TO THE AIRCRAFT BY A DECOY BEACON IN ORDER TO
DIVERT THE PLANE AND BRING IT DOWN. IT SAYS THE MATTER REQUIRES
FURTHER INVESTIGATION. (SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH
29-Oct-98 10:37 AM EST (1537 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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