Sanctions in context
Lambert, Rollins E.
SOUTH AFRICA SANCTIONS IN CONTEXT BISHOPS REAFFIRM SUPPORT When the U .S. news media received word that a special commission of the South- ern African Catholic Bishops' Confer- ence (SACBC)...
...Whites who a few years ago fled Zimbabwe in fear of socialism are now returning, having seen that government moving only slowly to redistribute land and regulate the economy...
...We ourselves believe that economic pressure has been justifiably imposed to end apartheid . . . [that it] should continue and, if necessary, be intensified should .. . developments...
...Its recommendations in the field of education, community support, international cooperation, and other areas would redefine the U.S...
...One hears, these days, many cries for the president to assert leadership in foreign affairs...
...The secretary of state's Advisory Committee in South Africa has pointed the way to steps which will increase the chances of a peaceful future for South Africa...
...The net economic effect of such cooperation should be at least equal to the net economic effect of the measures imposed by this Act.'' In light of this and other provisions, it is difficult to see any justification for vetoing a U.N...
...Several other members — Dixon, Gray, Leland, and Wolpe — have introduced bills to give economic assistance to the front-line states, South Africa's neighbors, which are subject to devastating economic pressure by that aggressive, white-minority-dominated country...
...The Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 was taken for granted, and the Committee moved on to look to the future...
...change toward a just society in South Africa...
...The president should make it clear that the sanctions and other provisions of the 1986 Act are, in fact, being enforced...
...sanctions...
...ROLLINS E. LAMBERT Rev...
...What the bishops said in 1986 was: The system of apartheid has caused so much suffering and so much harm . . . and is now being defended, despite some reforms, with so much repressive violence, that the people have had to resort to the strongest possible forms of pressure to change the system...
...It is interesting to note that the Advisory Committee, composed of people whose political philosophy ranges from center to right, paid little attention to the sanctions issue...
...Sanctions Reviewed," said the other...
...Congressman Dymally (D-CA) wants to prohibit the importation of South African diamonds into the U.S., and has agreed to introduce specific legislation about Namibia, illegally occupied by South Africa for decades...
...As it is, their repeated invasions and occupation have been confined to southern Angola, while the Cubans have remained largely in the north and occupied 166 themselves with protecting American economic interests — the oil fields in the Cabinda enclave...
...At the same time, led by the Namibian churches, the people there have been demanding independence with more vigor than ever...
...and European petroleum industries which provide most of their revenue...
...The recently released report of the secretary of state's Advisory Committee on South Africa, titled "A U.S...
...but under a "State of emergency" for nearly a year, both whites and blacks find themselves more than ever oppressed, with the government backtracking on promised reforms of the apartheid system...
...role in southern Africa from its present focus on anti-Communism to a positive emphasis on the development of a future democratic, non-racial society in South Africa itself and the support of development in the neighboring countries...
...At the other end of the political spectrum, Mr...
...The U.S., however, has been financing UNITA, a movement also backed by South Africa, to overthrow the government of Angola which is generally recognized as legitimate...
...Congress...
...He should throw the weight of his influence against congressional attempts to provide support for the Savimbi forces in Angola and to levy sanctions against that country...
...action which corresponded to the U.S...
...The bishops discussed the report and decided that their prior statement on economic pressure need not be revised at the present time...
...401, a, 1): "It is the policy of the United States to seek international cooperation with the industrialized democracies on measures which will encourage an end to apartheid...
...The president would do well to accept and follow such advice...
...South Africa is the economic and military giant of the region...
...There is need for an immediate commitment to change in southern Africa: change from poverty and devastation in Angola and Mozambique to developmental projects...
...Owens (D-NY) has proposed a resolution asking the president to grant asylum to those individuals who seek asylum in the United States rather than serve in the South African armed forces in support of apartheid...
...It seems that the most effective of nonviolent forms of pressure left is economic pressure...
...With its conflicting ideologies, economic systems, races and tribes, the southern region of Africa approaches the legendary complexity of the Middle East...
...The protracted guerrilla war in Namibia has drained both human and financial resources...
...Both rebel groups are smart enough to know that "anti-Communism" can get them a lot of support from the American right...
...Policy toward South Africa," takes note of the contradictions in recent U.S...
...show little hope of fundamental change...
...The journalistic interest in southern Africa is matched on Capitol Hill where several conflicting bills have been introduced...
...These themes are touched on by some of the congressional proposals, too, but the administration continues to send mixed signals to the southern Africa region...
...Rollins E. Lambert is the advisor on African affairs to the United States Catholic Conference's Office of International Justice and Peace...
...The Wall Street Journal and the Richmond Times-Dispatch — to mention two which I have seen — swiftly produced editorials, "Sanctions Backfire" headlined one...
...Recently the U.S...
...The new president of the SACBC, Bishop Wilfrid Napier, said that while the special commission found economic pressures to have been counterproductive as far as the government was concerned, such pressures were generally welcomed by "politicized and socialized" black people and had raised the consciousness of the business sector and the white community...
...Bishop Napier went on to say that the SACBC still subscribes to the view that economic pressure was justifiable and should continue, but should not destroy the country's economy and cause further suffering...
...news media received word that a special commission of the South- ern African Catholic Bishops' Confer- ence (SACBC) had some negative things to say about the effect of economic sanctions, they quickly took it up...
...vetoed a move in the United Nations to impose sanctions on South Africa which were virtually the same as those enacted by the U.S...
...The main problem, in the eyes of some American conservatives, is that South Africa's neighbors, Mozambique, Angola, and Zimbabwe, have adopted a "Marxist-Leninist" ideology...
...The rulers of Angola have had no difficulty in working with the U.S...
...Congressman Bill McCollum (R-FL) has introduced a bill mandating disinvestment and an end to all trade with Angola...
...One area which urgently needs his attention is southern Africa...
...Mozambique has been making friendly noises about relations with the U.S...
...The presence of Cuban troops in Angola is particularly provocative to such ideologues, who ignore the fact that, without the Cubans, South African forces might well have occupied the entire country...
...South Africa has continued, despite commitments to the contrary, to support a similar rebel movement in Mozambique...
...First, the report is not a pronouncement by the SACBC: it was prepared by their special commission on economic pressures and submitted for the conference's consideration...
...The second important omission was the special commission's finding that there have been some positive effects from the sanctions heretofore invoked against South Africa...
...The Catholic bishops of the region have indicated that they still support economic pressure...
...That move came close to violating the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 which says (Sec...
...Representative Dannemeyer (R-CA) has a bill which would give $27 million in military aid to UNIT A, the South African-sponsored rebel force in Angola...
...Probably neither Marx nor Lenin would recognize their doctrine, were they to visit these countries which in reality are more pragmatic than doctrinaire...
...policy when it states that "efforts to build positive relationships with black leaders in South Africa have been significantly damaged by the failure to deliver a long promised settlement in Namibia and the decision to provide military support for Jonas Savimbi's UNITA in Angola...
Vol. 114 • March 1987 • No. 6
