Stop Arms For S.A., Says Lutuli

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 11

Stop Arms For S.A., Says Lutuli

I N.Z P A -Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, Mar. 28.

Chief Albert Lutuli, president of the banned African National Congress and a Nobel Peace Prizewinner, today appealed for. action to prevent the export of arms from Britain to South Africa.

From his village in South Africa where he has been confined for years. Chief Lutuli sent a message to Canon John Collins, chairman of the Chris-

tian Action Defence and Aid Fund, London, saying Britain was “foremost among the countries guilty of arming the savage Nationalist Party regime" in his country. “I ask you to unite in protesting, vociferously and unremittingly, against the shipment ot arms to South Africa.” he said. South Africa today gave notice she might place a big order for military training aircraft outside Britain. The Defence Minister (Mr Jim Fouche), speaking in a Senate debate, said South Africa would have to replace its obsolete trainer aircraft shortly, but as a “responsible individual” he did not know

whether he could dare place the order with Britain.

British Labour Party sup--porters earlier this month heard the party's new leader, Mr Wilson, tell a London rally that Labour supported an arms embargo against South Africa. In a brisk reply, Mr Fouche said on March 15 that he would have to consider “in deadly seriousness” whether South Africa could place any more defence orders with Britain.

Speaking in the Senate today, he said: “It will be a large order and it will be a good thing if we have British military aircraft in which to train our personnel because it is certain that it will be with them (the British) .that we

wilt have to fight another war

"But now I want to ask the question as a responsible individual Can I really dare to do that—place such an order now or in the near future? “I do not know what Is going to happen to such an order. I cannot take a chance.” he said

The Defence Department would do the beat it could, he said, but he did not elaborate South African security police are reported to have discovered a big arms cache hidden by the anti-white organisation. Poqo, according to the British United Press. The arms were believed to have been intended for terrorist raids on Pretoria.