AS BOTHA reintroduced the state of emergency in South Africa, the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG) published a report of its failed attempt to negotiate an end to apartheid. The saga of the EPG represents a fascinating insight into the relations between Britain and the apartheid regime.
The stated objective of the October 1985 meeting of Commonwealth leaders, which established the EPG, was the potential threat of increasingly severe sanctions against the white minority regime in order to force the dismantling of the apartheid system.
The real aim, by Margaret Thatcher, was to head off the demand for sanctions. No effective sanctions have been applied. The EPG's six-month tour of South Africa ended in dismal and public failure. The work of the EPG was used — by Botha and by Commonwealth heads of government alike - as the opportunity to diffuse the pressure which has been mounting against South Africa. But despite this even the 'eminent persons' reveal some of the true horror of the apartheid state and the struggle against it. CAROL TURNER reviews the EPG report. minate the then existing state of emergency; 'im. mediately uncondiNelson Mandela other political prisoners; lift the ban on the ANC and other political parties; and, 'in the context of a suspension of violence on all sides' Inlale a alalogue icaullig to the establishment of a 'non-racial tative government'.
The muscle behind this call was supposedly joint action the Comcountries, including. enorcencil the United Nations managainst South Africa and other 'economic ures'. Among the latter were: a ban on the sale and export ot _oll to South Africa, unilateral action to stop the import of Krugerrands, and a ban on sales et, pment and technology. exports oI millary after month review, such measures had failed, the Commonwealth heads of government would look again' at further and more stringent sanctions against Botha.
Time is up. No effective action was taken by member states. No signifi cant results have been achieved by the EPG.
In fact, while the Botha regime has run rings round the EPG (as chapter 6 of the published report makes clear), Margaret Thatcher and others have used its existence as a Licalls of avoiding the issue of sanctions. British Commonwealth governments face an irreconciable contradiction that is, the dependence of their own ruling classes on profits generated by the exploianon of the black majority in South Africa and their fear of black majority rule.
For this reason, far increasing international Pretoria, the EPG was the occasion for defusing it. The failure of its mission was inevitable Rut the nublication of the EPG report is itself a damning indictment of the apartheid system. That is all the more dramatic for the sharp contrast between 'analysis' and 'concluSIons 'None of was prepared for the full realiiy of apartheid, says the report. 'As a contrivance of social engineering, it is awesome lets cell It is achieved and sustained onlv through torce creating human misery deprivation blighting the lives millions standards BOULD Africa's white cities towns must rank with the highest anywhere; those of the black townships which surround them defy living standards rms of . Apartheid creates and separates them; black and white live strangers in the same land.' The irreformable nature of apartheid is laid baře in page after page of the EPG report.
'The reserves,' it says, 'were used by the chitects or apartnela. nol only to create the so-called homelands, LINC after u was Jurevomoed enduring cent per cent antly becomes Willle.
tinues: "It reason remainder whelming over years, ment tions fected, ner and on reveal ter camp report the says discarded rugated Wilt 'The water farm labourer was summarily dismissed from his job basis of a more formal and division of the land to was to be "self"independcountry black conthat nearl) of the terthe over.
million the govern rough-shod people afinherent symbol EPG. 'were and lined have communal Yet, Ill Above: A family whose child was born by the roadside after the Below: Headquarters of the Release Nelson Mandela Campaign triumph of the human spirit, the people were the shacks generally tidy. Even in conditions such these the infant mortality rate, we were told, is barely a quarter o that in the nome aros a telling commentary on there "Indeed. the almost of course, families, these of South they the leaders ANC UDF, the ANC's view, crisis in Africa mediately the steps accord. coincided with what South had been demanding for years.
negotiations essential issue, of reform the was under.
ANC black that the main purpose of the EPG group 'to assist relieving the pressures South African government' discussions with black organisations were summed UD 'Almost without exception, the government was regarded deceitful trustworthy, a past-master "double-speak" "double-think"
. Its word was not to be believed. In any case, the country was now looking for deeds not words.' This view, of course, is completely vindicated the EPG account of its discussions with the apartheid regime The group put forward proposals to Pretoria, the 'Possible Negotiating Concept', designed enable negotiations on dismantling apartheid to commence Despite welcoming the EPG itiative, .E. practice the African regime cocked a public snook On 19 May, just prior to the EPG's plauned meeting with the cabinet constitutional committee Cape Town, South African broadcasting stations announced that raids. had taken place against so-called ANC bases in Zam1012 Zimbabwe Botswana. . The ANC commented that the attacks were 'the regime's crystal clear response' to the EPG The accepts that: It was all too plain that, while talking to the group about negotiations and peaceful solutions, the government had been planning these armed attacks.' The Eminent Persons left South Africa Ten days later, while the preparation of report was underway, they received trom foreign minister South African government,' said, 'cannot accept the suggestion that violence should be discontinued only for as long as negotiations take place. The judgement' of the EPG was furthe would lead nowhere The conclusions in the EPG published. report with regard to the five points were as follows: • Specific and dismantle apartheid *We have examined the government's have been forced to conclude that at present there is no genuine intention on the of the South African government to dismantle apartheid.' • Termination of the existing state of emergency:
Although the state of emergency was technically lifted the substantive powers remain broadly in force under the ordinary laws of the land which, Call We alc being Tur ther strengthened in this direction. • Release Nelson Mandela and other DOE DRUIN 'Nelson Mandela other leaders remain in prison.
Lift the ban on the ANC and other political organisations:
is far from being established; if anything, rigorously The ANC parties remain banned.
• Initiate a dialogue to establish a non-racial and representative govern ment in the context of a suspension of violence on all sides:
Tuner-le of vilence and counter-violence spiralled and there is no present prospect of a pro gress of dialogue leadin to the establishment of a non-racial and represen tative government.
As an exercise in peaceful ly ending apartheid - and an attempt to defuse international pressure the EPG mission was doome to failure from the start But from the point of view of an authoritative and effective exposure of the real character of the white South Asta: The Com monwealth Report should be read and digested. It can be used by every anti apartheid activist to heh bring pressure to bear fo breaking all links with the South African regime TO to defuse pressure for sanctions th EPG produced a repor reveal the fall horror o which helps to apartheid and the duplicit!
and vileness of its government. ricission the 10 i South Africa: Com monwealth Report available in Penguin paperback, priced £2.50 for 176 explosive pages
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