Row over inquiry into "massacre"

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33610, 12 August 1974, Page 13

Row over inquiry into "massacre"

(N Z.P.A -Reuter—Copyright) STOCKHOLM, August 11. The Swedish television service has said it was turning down an invitation from the South African Government to join in an investigation into an alleged massacre by South African troops in Namibia (SouthWest Africa).

The invitation was being' (refused because the South Africans would not agree to' have the United Nations (commissioner for Namibia 'take part in the ini vestigation, said a spokesman for .the television station, TV2. Swedish television reported the alleged massacre of 105 villagers last month after a visit by two of its reporters to the territory with guerrillas of the SouthWest Africa People’s Organisation (5.W.A.P.0.). They said an old man called Aaron — the only survivor — had told them of the massacre last September and shown them human remains. When South Africa offered the investigation, the Swedes said they would take part providing the United Nations official and a Namibian guide of their own choice took part.

The television spokesman said: “Since the South African Government is not willing to meet the conditions we set, we can regrettably not accept the invitation." In a statement in Cape Town last Thursday, the South African Foreign Minister (Mr Hilgard Muller) said a press trip would be arranged to the area of the alleged massacre even if the Swedes declined to come. Trafficker pooled East Germany has announced that another West German had been gaoled for helping East Germans flee the country. Freidrich Weissbarth was the forty-sixth West German or West Berliner in the last month to have been gaoled for “antiState human trafficking."— East Berlin, August 11.