Diplomats boycott

Press, 23 June 1978, Page 6

Diplomats boycott

Pretoria theatre

5 I 1; NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg .1 An unprecedented diplo- . Imatic boycott of the segre- . gated Breytenbach Theatre . in Pretoria precipitated by • the Israeli Ambassador has i been joined by most West- > ern envoys in South Africa. Ambassadors of the United States, Britain, 'France, the Netherlands, BelIgium, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, and West I Germany all indicated they iwould not attend the openling night of the play ! “Golda” on July 6. j None would comment, I however. ; Diplomatic sources said

I privately that the ambassaIdors, many of whom have 'regularly declined to attend ' segregated functions in the I past, were reluctant to I create a demonstration ’which could harden South African attitudes. Political observers said a diplomatic protest of this kind was unprecedented in South Africa. Pretoria alone among big South African cities refused a recent move to integrate its theatre. Twenty-six other theatres across the country were opened to all races. On Monday the Israeli Ambassador (Mr Itzhar

jUnna) announced in Cape ■Town he would not attend Ithe premiere of “Golda,” a play about the former Israeli Prime Minister (Mrs Golda ■Meir). He was to have the been 'the guest of honour. Mr Lima said that as a member of a people that had ) been discriminated against, .officially visiting a theatre [which excluded segments of Ithe population because of ■the colour of their skin ■would commit an act of inI fidelity to his heritage. :■ The diplomatic boycott I; came after statements by; I) top Afrikaans-language play- 1 ;) wrights that they would not ) permit their works to be /shown at the Breytenbach II until it was opened to all ’races. Afrikaner newspapers, l ;iusually close to the Govern-' ment, also deplored the bar. ) :i P. P. Oom Brevtie Brey-i jtenbach, the Afrikaner play- 1 ■ wright for whom the theatre ■'is named, welcomed rhe boy-, jcott and blasted the hardline, five-member Pretoria ! management committee that 1 refused to open the theatre.