Pilots’ ban

Press, 13 September 1983, Page 16

Pilots’ ban

Sir,—Your editorial article on the Soviet air ban deserves to be shot down in flames. It is the duty of every citizen to take note of what is happening in the world, and it is his right to applaud and assist, or condemn and obstruct, any act or omission of others, provided only that his actions must be reasonable (an objective test) and appropriate in the circumstances. Had the people of Hitler’s Germany, or Amin’s Uganda, or Pol Pot’s Kam-, puchea fulfilled their duty and exercised their rights, history would have read differently. The action of the airline pilots is patently reasonable and eminently appropriate. I hope the day will never come when Kiwis will leave it to their govem-

ment alone to act in protest or approbation, whether the issue be a Springbok tour, a Falkland Islands invasion or the Soviet murder of airline passengers and crew. — Yours, etc., D. J. O’ROURKE. September 12, 1983.

Sir, — Why have air line pilots’ associations throughout the world not demanded to know why the American and Japanese Government agencies did nothing to alert the Russians that a Korean commercial aeroplane was accidentally over sensitive Russian territory for more than two hours? The Korean jet’s pilot appears to have been unaware of the circumstances, while American and Japanese authorities watched the whole tragedy take place. Is there no constructive discussion on how to prevent these dangerous situations? — Yours, etc., J. T. KITNEY. September 10, 1983.