U.S. slant alarms Africa

Press, 3 September 1981, Page 6

U.S. slant alarms Africa

NZPA Correspondent WasV ■-/ ingtbn The Reagan Administration has, over the. last few days, allied itself more closely with South Africa than any United States Government in recent years. In doing so, it has justified the worst fears of black African nations about a new alliance that threatens independence for Namibia.

At the same time, the United States has put itself offside with its closest allies, who have been striving for five years to negotiate independence for Namibia (South-West Africa). In the eyes of many observers, there could not have been a worse lead-up to the special emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly which will open in New York tomorrow, with the Namibian issue the sole item on the agenda. The ■ Organisation of African Unity has warned that,.“Africa's- patience has beeii stretched over time,” and that if no peaceful solution is forthcoming there is

no alternative to a continued armed .liberation struggle in Namibia.After, months of vacillation, the Administration finally unveiled its African policy in an important speech by Chester Crocker, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, on Saturday.

The United States would not “choose between black and white” in South Africa, he s'aid. It would not try to undermine the South African Government “in order to curry favour elsewhere.”

The United States would not “align ourselves with one side or another” in African disputes.

American officials declare this a policy of neutrality or “evenhandedness.” But, the black Africans say, such'a policy is out of line with’ the United Nations and the rest of the world which has consistently demanded that South Africa give Namibia its independence. The Secretary of State (Mr Alexander Haig) appeared to have moved even further out

of line when he recently described the South-West Africa People’s Organisation, which is waging a guerrilla war in Namibia, as “terrorists.” .

The United Nations has recognised S.W.A.P.O. as the legitimate representative of the people of Namibia, as did Washington' under previous administrations.

America’s break with its allies came in a vote at the Security Council at the. the United Nations earlier this week after a special session on South Africa’s raid into Angola last week, in pursuit of S.W.A.P.O. guerrillas.

The United States has been working with France, Britain, West Germany, and Canada — the so-called “con-

tact group” — to try to reach an agreement with South Africa on Namibian independence. The other four had all previous'y criticised the South African incursion. The Security Council voted 13-1 to strongly condemn it, but the United' States used its veto, saying the resolution singled out South Africa for blame and did not put the incident “in context.” The American view is that South Africa’s raid was a response to repeated attacks by S.W.A.P.O. from Angola into Namibia. The black Africans say this is irrelevant as South Africa is illegally administering Namibia in defiance of the United Nations.