THIS YEAR has seen a number of successes for the campaign regime. has taken its toll with both the undermining of business confidence and the beginning of international sanctions, writes PHIL WATERHOUSE.
The British government remains a bulwark against the tide of opinion and action Against this background the National Committee of the AAM launched its new strategy for sanctions This Oftensive for Sanctions' is meant to put the issue firm v back the agenda right from the beginning of the year. As the document states, 'we need to hit much harder at those directly inyolved in collaborating with the apartheid regime; and we need to be able to present the case for comprehensive sanctions ie the total isolation regime, with much greater CHICCL There is a danger in the incremental application of partial sanctions packages against Pretoria in that it gives all opportunity for the African adapt.
Moreover, there is really escalating series Solu tions over a period of time. AAM President Abdul Minty wrote in AA News that 'the present situa tion, the AAM's tradiconsistent policy of demanding comprehensive, mandatory sanctions against South Africa takes on a new importance.' The new package of offensive aves 'people's' sanctions a central role. Local AA groups are asked to start the ball rolling,. by calling local coThese will lead to meetings. These tional Month of Action in action by the trade union movement. •Appeal RATESE Inland 16 months EB:
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Name iddress isolate the apartheid The crisis-ridden South African economy People's Sanctions' will be published to identify the range of popular actions which undertaken.
'National Convention tor sanctions will be held in June to prepare for the next stage in the cam paign.
The whole programme for 1987 is to be roundec off with a major national al lne of October. The AAM will 'Manifesto publish a Sanctions', arguing the 'case for sanctions and ex posure of British policy.
The manifesto, while not in isent a comprenensive package for sanctions against South Africa seen as of such necessary occase. demanding the implementation of what has already been agreed to in principle. It is planned to get the manifesto adopted local councils, trade union bodies and other organisations. Candidates and parties are to be approached during the genera to soonsor lic manicslu giving an opportunity for the Labour Party to give a clear commitment as would do government as opposed to what it would like the UN to implement.
B Within this overall campaign the AAM Will concentrate its energies on particulal with the deepest links in apartheid South Africa -Shell and Barclays.
Send ro: Socialist Action Subs, PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Shell has already been the target of an internationally co-ordinated series of actions this year, in Holland and the US as well as Britain.
statement on Barclays was issued jointly by the AAM End Africa (ELTSA). . It registered the decision to sell up its South Africa holdings as an imvictory for the sanctions campaign. At the same time it explains that Barclays by no means has withdrawn completely from apartheid. They tend to maintain responding relationship with the new bank, involving technology assistance;
will continue credit lines; the siow repatriation of the sales proceeds means that Barclays still have substantial investments in the country, they have already colluded on a rescheduling of the £¾ billion outstanding debt to them. The paign against Barçlays will continue, with a six month moratorium to demand that Barclays actually complete its withdrawal South Africa, and completely repatriate all its concerns South Africa. The bank is worried and have requested a meeting with AAM.
«Unlop The National Committee took a series of further discussions to regularise the financial situation movement, to finalise details of the AGM and to repeat the very successful week of action over Namibia next year. All the proposals will be put to the movement's annual general meeting on 10/11 January. FANIE GODUKI is Last year he was arrested sheltering from the rain. "The police wanted me to say 1 stones. I told them I did nothing and they said they would hit me until I told the truth. They started to hit me with pipes and with their fists. They kicked me all over with their big boots. They only stopped very sore?
Fanie eventually 'confessed'. He was locked up with 12 adults in the main police station in Johannesburg He stayed there for 57 days — one of some 8.00 vouths aged betweer and 18 detained under present state of until his him released was charged January ne with public violence, and found not guilty.
Under South Africa's new press censorship it is now illegal Fanie's story. It is illegal to detention, treatment or release of detainees held under the emergency regulations'. It is even 1llegal to leave blank spaces in newspapers, symbolising words censors. Nothing may be printed about anti-apartheid organisations, boycotts, strikes or campaigns of civil disobedience.
Winnie Mandela responded to the censorship saying that the regime takes such action 'when it has a lot to hide.
Admist a wave of international conculatul front bench
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