Botha launches attack on S.A. Churches

Press, 2 June 1980, Page 6

Botha launches attack on S.A. Churches

NZPA'-Reuter, Johannesburg

A direct confrontation between Church and State in South Africa appeared imminent at the week-end after the Prime Minister; (Mr Pie--ter Botha) accused a leading religious organisation of financing racial unrest in the country. As violent pupil protest against the country’s apartheid system of education increased, Mr Botha accused the South African Council of Churches of channelling overseas funds to the country’s enemies. He said that in 1978 the multi-denominational body passed about $3- million to numerous bodies and projects “with only one purpose —• that is to promote unrest.”

’Mr Botha’s allegations were angrily rejected by the council’s general secretary (Bishop Desmond Tutu). “If they have evidence of our nefarious activities, why for goodness sake don’t they •charge the S.A.C.C, in open court,” he told a press conference.

Bishop Tutu .was one of more [than 50 people, including prominent black and white clergymen, arrested last week for staging a protest march against the detention of a Coloured (mixed race) colleague who opposed the Government’s racial policies. .

The angry exchange between Mr Botha and Bishop Tutu follows six -weeks of increasing unrest in the opposition to the country’s apartheid system •of educa* tion.

Two Coloured pupils were shot dead by the police last week and baton charges and tear-gas were used against demonstrating school.

children. In Dar-es-Salaam, the Tanzanian Prime Minister (Mr Edward Sokoine) has called on South Africa to bring about internal change or. be forced to change .through the barrel of a gun, Speaking at the opening of the thirty-fifth session of the liberation committee of the Organisation of African States and pledging the support of independent black Africa for an end to apar-

theid, he said: “This Is In our favour in the struggle to oust South Africa’s white rulers.” The Prime Minister condemned Pretoria for its “brutal killings” during attacks on neighbouring countries and praised Angola for its resistance.

The drily way to get rid of the Government set up by South Africa in Namibia (South-West Africa) was by violence,’ he* said. . The O.A/U.’s assistant sec-retary-general (Mr Peter Onu) called on the liberation committee to map out soberly strategies to complete the liberation of £he continent. It was not enough just; to deplore South Africa’s intransigence pnd manoeuvres, he said. South' Africa was. playing for time to entrench’ puppet rulers in Namibia, Mr Onu said. While Africa was waiting for a peaceful solution under the United Nations independence ‘plan for the territory, the O.A.U. members should step up their military aid to Namibia. This would be the decisive factor, he said.