SOUTH AFRICAN POLICY

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29192, 30 April 1960, Page 14

SOUTH AFRICAN POLICY

Asian Churches’ Opposition

The Dutch Reformed Church was strongly criticised, along with the South African Government, at a meeting of Asian churchmen in Hong Kong earlier this month.

Only two Europeans were at the meeting. The Rev. Alan Brash, of Christchurch, was one. Mr Brash, who is general secretary of the National Council of Churches in New Zealand, is also one of the three secretaries for inter-church aid for the East Asian Council of Churches. “We are greatly disturbed by the continuation of the apartheid policy of the Government of the Union of South Africa which has led to the recent killings and humiliation of Africans in their own country,” said the resolution passed in Hong Kong. “It is distressing that in the face of world opinion against its racial policy, the South African Government has refused to abandon it. “We are heartened that within South Africa, some of the leaders of the Christian Church have raised their voice and have affirmed that confession of Christ in Africa today demands of Christians and churches that they participate in the political _ struggle against racial segregation and discrimination. “Injustice, Oppression" “We invite the Dutch Reformed Church to see that apartheid implies injustice and oppression and leads to violence and disaster, and we appeal to them in the name of Christ to declare themselves in favour of multi-racial African society in which none will be discriminated against on the basis of race or colour. “We make this appeal in the name of justice which is not our own, but of Christ freely given to us all, and making us members one of another. “We offer our sympathy to the Africans in South Africa in their long suffering and their struggles for human rights. We pray especially for the Christian leaders of all races as they strive to remove bitterness and exercira their ministry of reconciliation.”