DATE=10/29/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240894
TITLE=SAF TRUTH WRAP (L)
BYLINE=DELIA ROBERTSON
DATELINE=PRETORIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH AFRICA'S TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION SAYS
THE COUNTRY'S APARTHEID-ERA GOVERNMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR VAST
AND SYSTEMATIC GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. HOWEVER, AS
V-O-A'S DELIA ROBERTSON REPORTS FROM PRETORIA, LIBERATION
MOVEMENTS SUCH AS THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS ALSO WERE CITED
FOR SERIOUS VIOLATIONS.
TEXT: SOUTH AFRICA'S TRUTH COMMISSION SAYS IN ITS FINAL REPORT
THAT THE APARTHEID ERA GOVERNMENT WAS MORALLY AND POLITICALLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR VAST AND SYSTEMATIC GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING MURDER AND TORTURE. THE COMMISSION SAYS
THESE VIOLATIONS OCCURRED BOTH IN THIS COUNTRY AND BEYOND ITS
BORDERS IN NEIGHBORING STATES --- AS WELL AS IN BRITAIN AND
ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE.
IT ITS REPORT, WHICH WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT
NELSON MANDELA AND RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, THE COMMISSION NAMES
LEADERS IN THE APARTHEID-ERA NATIONAL PARTY GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING
PRIME MINISTER JOHN VORSTER, PRESIDENT P-W BOTHA, DEFENSE
MINISTER MAGNUS MALAN, AND GENERAL CONSTAND VILJOEN.
ALL WERE CITED FOR DECISIONS WHICH LED TO OFFICIALLY SANCTIONED
MURDER, MASS DETENTIONS WITHOUT TRIAL, CROSS BORDER RAIDS --
WHICH SOMETIMES RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF HUNDREDS AT A TIME --
AND WHAT THE COMMISSION CALLED AN OFFICIAL POLICY OF SYSTEMATIC
TORTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA'S POLICE CELLS AND PRISONS.
/// OPT /// IN ACCEPTING THE REPORT WITHOUT RESERVATION, MR.
MANDELA SAID THAT IN APPORTIONING BLAME, THE COMMISSION HAS NOT
SINGLED OUT ANY PARTICULAR RACIAL OR CULTURAL GROUP.
/// OPT // MANDELA ACT ///
LET US CELEBRATE OUR RICH DIVERSITY AS A PEOPLE, IN THE
KNOWLEDGE THAT WHEN THE T-R-C (TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
COMMISSION) IN ITS WISDOM APPORTIONS BLAME, IT POINTS AT
PREVIOUS STATE STRUCTURES, POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS -- AT
INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS -- BUT NEVER AT ANY
COMMUNITY. NOR CAN ANY INDIVIDUAL SO IDENTIFIED CLAIM
THAT THEIR BRUTAL DEEDS WERE THE RESULT OF SOME
CHARACTER INHERENT IN ANY COMMUNITY OR LANGUAGE GROUP.
/// END ACT // END OPT ///
THE COMMISSION ALSO CITED SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTIONS -- SUCH AS
THE MEDIA AND THE JUDICIAL SERVICES AS WELL AS GROUPINGS SUCH AS
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY -- FOR COMPLACENCY, INACTION AND
COLLABORATION WITH THE APARTHEID GOVERNMENT AND SECURITY FORCES.
OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS ALSO CITED WERE CHIEF
MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI AND HIS INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY, CONSTAND
VILJOEN AND HIS FREEDOM FRONT, AND THE AFRIKANER RESISTANCE
MOVEMENT AND ITS LEADER, EUGENE TERRE'BLANCHE.
THE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS, SUCH AS THE NOW-RULING AFRICAN NATIONAL
CONGRESS, WERE ALSO CITED FOR GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.
THESE INCLUDE BOMBING CIVILIAN TARGETS, PLACING LANDMINES,
ASSASSINATION OF POLITICAL OPPONENTS, AND -- IN THE FINAL YEARS
OF APARTHEID -- FAILURE TO ESTABLISH LEADERSHIP AND CONTROLS IN
SOME TOWNSHIPS WHERE A-N-C SUPPORTERS TOOK THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN
HANDS, RESULTING IN HUNDREDS OF DEATHS.
THE COMMISSION SAID THAT IN MAKING THIS FINDING, IT HAD DRAWN A
DISTINCTION BETWEEN JUST AND UNJUST MEANS IN WHAT IT CALLED THE
JUST STRUGGLE OF THE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS AGAINST THE EVIL OF
APARTHEID, WHICH IT SAID WAS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.
COMMISSION CHAIRMAN ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU URGED SOUTH AFRICANS
TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AND TO ALLOW IT TO CLEANSE AND BRING
HEALING.
/// TUTU ACT ///
WE WILL HAVE LOOKED THE BEAST IN THE EYE; WE WILL HAVE
COME TO TERMS WITH OUR HORRENDOUS PAST AND IT WILL NO
LONGER KEEP US HOSTAGE. WE WILL CAST OFF ITS SHACKLES,
AND HOLDING HANDS TOGETHER, BLACK AND WHITE, WE WILL
STRIDE TOGETHER INTO THE FUTURE, THE GLORIOUS FUTURE GOD
HOLDS OUT BEFORE US. WE WHO ARE THE RAINBOW PEOPLE OF
GOD, AND LOOKING AT OUR PAST WE WILL COMMIT OURSELVES:
NEVER AGAIN.
/// END ACT ///
THE FULL IMPACT OF THE REPORT IS LIKELY ONLY TO BE KNOWN AND FELT
IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD AS SOUTH AFRICANS SLOWLY ABSORB AND
BEGIN TO DEAL WITH ALL OF ITS REVELATIONS AND FINDINGS. MR.
MANDELA SAID THAT THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION HAS
ENSURED THAT SOUTH AFRICANS ARE ALL INDEED FREE AT LAST, AND IN
CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DESTINY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAR/JWH/JO
29-Oct-98 10:42 AM EST (1542 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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