JUSTITIA |
Die Konflik van die Verlede:'n Feitlike OorsigJohan van der Merwe, voormalige kommissaris van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie.
(Afgetree 31 Maart 1995) |
“Taking all these facts into consideration, the Tribunal is of the view that one-sided impressions were created in the programme, which are to the detriment of the security force officers. This does not mean that we are of the opinion that these officers were innocent of any atrocities. They (or some of them) admitted to such atrocities. What we find is that there was not sufficient balance in presenting this particular programme, because a lasting impression is created in the mind of the reasonable viewer, firstly, that the security officers were the only people who committed atrocities during the armed struggle, and, secondly, that they then tried to prevent victims from giving evidence against them at the TRC hearings. In finding thus, it is not our intention to interfere with the editorial prerogative of the presenter. The presenter is free to take a particular angle or line and to emphasize aspects that he or she considers to be more important than others. However, when the presenter is dealing with controversial issues of public importance, he or she should treat all parties involved in the issue fairly, and see to it that balance is obtained in presenting different viewpoints. If this is not done, the broadcast can deteriorate into propaganda, a situation that cannot be allowed in any democracy.”
“The two parties agreed that all prisoners whose imprisonment is related to the conflict of the past and whose release could make a contribution to reconciliation should be released.”
“We are horrified and deeply distressed by the savage attack on the congregation at St James's Church, Kenilworth, yesterday evening. Not only is this a monstrous crime against humanity, but also a shameful desecration of a place of prayer and worship.
This is the latest in a series of barbaric and vicious armed attacks that have taken place since the announcement of significant agreements at the World Trade Centre. This tragedy can only strengthen our belief that there are dark forces at work, determined to wreck all efforts to build peace and democracy in our country.
We wish to express our deepest and most sincere sympathies with the families of the deceased in their grief. From the bottom of our hearts we wish them the strength and courage to endure a tragedy that goes beyond the personal and must affect our country as a whole.
We call on the security forces to launch an immediate and urgent investigation into this terrible crime and to bring its perpetrators to justice. For the sake of all South Africans, it is absolutely crucial that the sinister forces behind these horrifying attacks are brought to book before they can do any more damage."
-- Issued by Allan Boesak, Chairperson.
"It should therefore not surprise anyone that targets like the St James Church, King Williams Town Golf Club, Heildeberg Tavern etc were selected. The leadership of the APLA takes full responsibility for all these operations. The APLA forces who carried out these operations followed the directives from their commanders and those directives were from the highest echelons of the military leadership. We do not therefore regret that such operations took place and there is therefore nothing to ask forgiveness for”
"We, the applicants, having at various times between 1 March 1960 and 10 May 1994, as indicated below been members and leaders of the African National Congress (hereinafter referred to as the ANC), elected and/or appointed to serve in various structures including its highest organ, the National Executive Committee, do hereby make the following declaration:
During the said period, the ANC played the foremost role in the leadership of the struggle of the masses of our people for the end of the hateful system of apartheid, appropriately dubbed a crime against humanity by the international community.
In the course of our people’s struggle, with the intent to induce the apartheid government of the National Party to abandon apartheid with its concomitant violent repression, and with the intent to achieve, bring about and promote fundamental political, social and economic changes in the Republic, the ANC, inter alia, established its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, through which it prosecuted an armed struggle.
At all material times, Umkhonto we Sizwe operated under the political authority, direction and leadership of the ANC.
Due to its peculiar circumstances, and the attacks mounted upon it by its adversary, the apartheid government, the ANC established various organs at various times such as the RC, PMC and a security organ NAT which at all material times also operated under its authority, direction and leadership.116 Due to the circumstances which prevailed in the townships, in the early 1990s as a result of third force activities, the leadership of the ANC established and, in some instances encouraged the establishment of self-defence units (SDUs), which played a critical role in the defence of defenceless communities.
In the event, and to the extent that any of the activities of any of the above-mentioned institutions and structures including the SDUs could in any manner whatsoever be regarded as the kinds of acts or omissions or offences envisaged in the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, we collectively take full responsibility therefore applying for amnesty in respect thereof."
Die Redakteur
Rapport Deur epos: rapport@rapport.co.za Geagte redaksie Na aanleiding van Jacques Pauw se ope brief aan president Zuma in Rapport van 10 deser, skryf ek hiermee ook ‘n ope brief aan die president. Mnr Pauw pleit emosioneel daarvoor dat president Zuma moet woordhou om “elkeen van die polisiemanne wat gemoor het, aan die pen te laat ry”. Mnr Pauw het die saak teen die polisie gestel en ek wil graag help om die saak teen ANC-moordenaars te stel. Audi alteram partem. Ek reageer nie op die Eugene de Kok-saga nie en stem met Rapport se mening daaroor saam. Geagte president Zuma Ek aanvaar dat u kennis geneem het van mnr Jacques Pauw se beroep op u in Rapport van 10 deser om woord te hou deur “elkeen van die polisiemanne wat gemoor het, aan die pen te laat ry”. U sou hierdie belofte in Februarie 1990 aan hom in Harare gemaak het. Sou u aan mnr Pauw se oproep gehoor gee en opdrag gee dat vervolgings teen die polisie van die ou Suid-Afrika ingestel word, is die vraag of u dan ook al die ANC-lede wat moord en ander wreedhede gepleeg het, “aan die pen gaan laat ry”. Mnr Pauw is klaarblyklik nie gepla met die moorde en wreedhede wat die ANC gepleeg het nie. As ons dan na 16 jaar nog nie die hoofstuk oor ons apartheidsverlede wil afsluit nie, dan kan u sekerlik in alle billikheid nie net een kant vervolg en die ander met moord laat wegkom nie. Vergun my asseblief die geleentheid om kortliks besonderhede van ANC-moorde en wreedhede te gee, wat tans nog ongestraf is. Amnesty International (Sien Amnesty International 2 December 1992: All Index: AFR 53/27/92) het in 1992 ‘n 24 bladsy verdoemende verslag teen die ANC uitgebring en bevind onder andere – “For a dozen years or more, prisoners of the ANC were subjected to torture, ill-treatment and executions. These abuses took place at military and prison camps run by the ANC in several African countries, notably Angola, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda...” Volgens Amnesty was die slagoffers hoofsaaklik lede van MK. Die ANC se verduideliking van die wreedhede is dat hulle agente van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering was. Die waarheid is dat baie van hulle inderdaad bona fide MK-lede was wat bloot oor toestande gekla en vrae oor ANC-beleid geopper het. “In either case,” bevind Amnesty, “torture and execution of prisoners cannot be justified”. Amnesty beskryf die aaklige omstandighede van die ANC-aangehoudenes in die ANC-kampe. Aangehoudenes kon hulself en hul klere slegs eenkeer in ‘n aantal weke was. Net een drom water is gebruik en is van sel tot sel aangestuur sodat meeste selle ‘n drom “water” gekry het wat dik van die vuil was. Daar was geen kans om komberse te was nie, wat spoedig met luise besmet was. Sommige aangehoudenes het gekla dat hulle slegs een koppie drinkwater per dag gekry het. Siektes, soos malaria en maagkoors, het uitgebreek en daar was geen geneesheer beskikbaar nie en eerstehulp-personeel was in die algemeen onsimpatiek en het selfs aangehoudenes aangerand. Marteling en wrede aanrandings het algemeen voorgekom. Aangesien mnr Pauw ‘n aantal voorbeelde genoem het, doen ek dieselfde:
Daar is ook die boek MBOKODO van Mwezi Twala en Ed Benard wat in 1994 verkyn het. Twala is self in ANC-kampe aangehou en vertel van sy onmenslike ondervindings.
President Mandela het in 1991 ‘n Kommissie van Ondersoek aangestel om die beweerde wanpraktyke te ondersoek. Die Kommissie bevind dat daar wyd verspreide martelings en mishandling was en dat die gebeure nie versinsels van ANC-vyande is nie. Die Kommissie se beperkte mandaat het verhoed dat bevindings oor moord en “verdwynings” gemaak kon word. Sommige getuies is wreed aangetas, gebroke en hul lewens is verwoes deur armoede, onderbroke skoolgaan en ongeskiktheid. President Mandela het in 1991 ‘n Kommissie van Ondersoek aangestel om die beweerde wanpraktyke te ondersoek. Die Kommissie bevind dat daar wyd verspreide martelings en mishandling was en dat die gebeure nie versinsels van ANC-vyande is nie. Die Kommissie se beperkte mandaat het verhoed dat bevindings oor moord en “verdwynings” gemaak kon word. Sommige getuies is wreed aangetas, gebroke en hul lewens is verwoes deur armoede, onderbroke skoolgaan en ongeskiktheid. Die Kommissie maak die belangrike aanbeveling dat ‘n werklik onafhanklike ondersoek ingestel word om die moorde en “verdwynings” te ondersoek, wat natuurlik nog nooit gebeur het nie. Die Kommissie het ‘n vertroulike lys name aan president Mandela gegee van persone wat na bewering skuldig aan die wandade was, maar sê die lys moenie tot die genoemdes beperk word nie. Die ANC het nie die name bekend gemaak nie. Geagte president, dan is daar die voorlegging wat mnr FW de Klerk in 1996 aan die WVK gemaak het waarin hy onder andere sê 505 mense is wreed met die sogenaamde halssnoer-metode om die lewens gebring. Ek doen met eerbied aan die hand, mnr die president, dat as u sou besluit om mnr Pauw se advies te volg, u dan almal wat oortree het, laat vervolg. Ook die ANC-skuldiges. U sien, niemand is nog ooit oor die moorde en wreedhede in die ANC-kampe vervolg nie. Niemand is ook nog ooit vir die onbeskryflik aaklige halssnoer-moorde vervolg nie. Ten slotte, mnr die president, anders as mnr Pauw, doen ek ‘n beroep op u om die boek oor die verlede te sluit. Laat ons eerder die item “versoening” die ereplek heel bo aan ons sakelys gee. Die uwe JH VAN DER MERWE LP rapportpauw100110 |