‘Conscience’ of the exploiters

Press, 23 February 1978, Page 17

‘Conscience’ of the exploiters

The Nobel Peace Prize of 1977 could not have gone to a more deserving organisation than Amnesty International. For more than 15 years it has opposed violation of human rights and worked for tiie release of people imprisoned in many countries for their beliefs, colour, ethnic origin, and religion. It has more than 100,000 active member in 78 countries. Last year was "Prisoners of Con-

science Year” and Amnesty waged a world-wide campaign for the victims of oppression and torture. With a permanent staff of more than 100 at its international secretariat in London, Amnesty has access to information about political persecution, torture, and murder in more than 100 countries. It estimates that half a million people are in prison for political reasons alone. Amnesty has been in-

creasingly successful in its fight for protection of human rights, and thousand's of its “adopted prisoners” have been set free. It is hardly an organisation to rest on its iaureis. Conscious of the gross and. persistent violations of human rights in South Africa, it is at present running a campaign to free political prisoners in that country. This comes at a time when the government in Pretoria has stepped up

its repression of the black population, while black anger has reached flashpoint. A white editor who recently fled his country, Donald Woods, has warned that a civil war might become inevitable there in about three years. There is tacit government approval for the use of torture by security police, says Amnesty. South Africa’s security police work unchecked, and have been responsible

for the deaths of detainees in their custody, including the founder of the black Consciousness Movement, Steve Biko.

A harsh and uncompromising attitude is taken towards political prisoners, who are often treated worse than ordinary criminals.

To maintain its system of apartheid, the South African Government has passed a series of extensive and draconian laws under which most political prisoners are held. It is these outrageous laws which give the police powers of sudden arrest and detention for long periods without trial.

Amnesty International does not make its allegations lightly. In a report just published in London, “Political Imprisonment in South Africa,” there is horrifying evidence from reports, eye-witness accounts, and descriptions by relatives of black prisoners of brutality, torture, and discrimination.

It says, for example, that although the South African security police have consistently denied claims, there is convincing evidence of detainees being tortured.

Methods include, “physical attack, beatings, electric shocks to the body, being made to stand for long periods, wearing shoes containing small, sharp stones, and to assume a sitting position — the ‘invisible chair’ — for several hours at a time,” Amnesty says.

“Many former detainees have also alleged they were subjected to murder

threats, to threats against their families, to prolonged interrogation, sleep deprivation and psychological disorientation through long-term solitary confinement.” This month, the Justice Minister in South Africa (Mr James Kruger) admitted that 10 people, including Steve Biko, died last year while being held in dentention under the country’s security laws. Meanwhile, the United States has called on the United Nations Human Rights Commission to consider supporting efforts to reopen investigations into the death of Biko.

Amnesty in New i Zealand is organising a petition to the Prime Minister of South Africa (Mr Vorster). He will be asked to: immediately repeal all repressive and discriminatory legislation; release all prisoners of conscience; and immediately establish a full, open, and independent inquiry into the circumstances of detainees’ deaths and allegations of torture by security police.

Amnesty has not been without its critics, especially right-wing governments which have accused it of directing its efforts only to countries taking a strong anti-communist stand.

Amnesty replies that it takes a stand independent of any system, government, political faction, or other organisation. The secretary of the Christchurch group (Mr Gordon Spence) points to action on behalf of an East German prisoner, Thomas Bels.

This man recently wrote: “After my emigration to the Federal Republic of Germany, it has now become possible for me to thank you heartily for your help during my imprisonment from March, 1973, to December, 1975. “Your efforts were not wholly in vain. For me, it was a great moral support to know that one was not alone. I think this gives the strength to endure to any prisoner.”

Amnesty is well aware that journalists and writers are particularly vulneZble to political imprisonment. It has a list of 67 imprisoned in 17 countries. One such is Vyacheslav Chornovil, a Ukranian dissident journalist, who became disturbed at what he regarded as the illegality of the trials of a number of intellectuals.

Aftei the publication outside the Soviet Union of protests about the trials, he was sent to a labour camp for 18 months. Later, after further appeals and critical articles, he faced charges of “anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda,” and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment and five years’ exile. The philosophy of Amnesty is summed up by this statement from the Nobel Prize Committee:

“Through its activity for the defence of human worth against degrading treatment, violence, and torture, Amnesty International ha.> contributed to securing the ground for freedom, for justice, and thereby also for peace in the world.”