A total of 771 men yesterday publicly declared – at the launch of a national register of conscientious objectors – that they would not serve in the South African Defence Force. The event was the biggest-ever demonstration of anti-conscription sentiment in South Africa It comes a year after the banning of the End Conscription Campaign, and after three years of Emergency regulations which make it illegal to undermine the system of military conscription. Thus part of what was said at the various press conferences around the country cannot be reported in terms of Emergency regulations.
The objectors – who made their declaration simultaneously in seven cities – include. 30 Stellenbosch University students, a veteran of the crucial battle for Cuito Cuanavale in southern Angola, a lieutenant in military intelligence, businessmen, clerics, senior advocate Wim Trengove, author Andre Brink, and 33 members of the National Jewish Conscientious Objectors. The 771 cited religious, moral and political grounds for refusing to do any SADF service, saying ”the Defence Force is used to uphold the system of apartheid”. Some of them cited disturbing experiences during their national service as reasons. ”We have decided in good conscience and of our own accord that we cannot serve in the defence force despite possible prosecution and imprisonment. ”We object to serving in the racist defence force that upholds a racist government and we are not prepared to defend apartheid,” ECC branch chairman Chris de Villiers said.
Conscientious objectors face up to six years’ imprisonment, depending on the service they owe. The objectors called for non-punitive and constructive community service as an alternative to military service. The national co-ordinating committee of yesterday’s event plan to hand the national register to Defence Minister Magnus Malan at a meeting next week. Durban committee member Steve Collins said it was hoped that if they saw him to hand over the names it would prevent the ”panic and confusion” of the state response to last year’s action in which 143 conscripts declared they would not serve. in the SADF.
The ECC was blamed and banned soon afterwards. In Johannesburg, about 70 conscientious objectors gathered at a secret press conference yesterday morning to announce their refusal to go to the army. More than 280 conscripts from Johannesburg and Pretoria have signed the register. Four marshals co-ordinating the Johannesburg meeting were detained by security police in an early raid on their homes. They are former University of the Witwatersrand SRC president Bettina von Lieres and fellow students Judy and Sarah Klipin and Ginger Payne. Tirree of them were later released. Payne is expected to appear in court this morning on charges of possession of banned literature.
Addressing the Johanneburg press, conference, De Villiers said (cut to comply with Emergency regulations) He challenged Minister of Defence General Magnus Malan to hold a referendum and test how many young South Africans object to doing any, service in his army. He said many of the objectors would face intense pressure both in their communities and work places for yesterday’s public stance. De Villiers announced there will be custodians of the register in each region for people who wanted to add their names to the objection list. The register for the Johannesburg region will be administered by Reverend Peter Storey of the Methodist Church, former South African Council of Churches general secretary Dr Beyers Naude, Bishop Reg Orsmond of the Catholic Church and Professor Philip Tobias of the Wits University Medical School. Some of the objectors, who had already done the two-year initial service, described their experiences in the army which led to their disenchantment with the SADF.
The National Jewish Conscientious Objectors cited the SADF’s ongoing destabilisation of the frontline states and role in the townships as well as the general militarisation of South African society as their concerns. ”We see our objection to serving in the SADF as an expression of our Jewish faith and heritage, and as loyal to the majority of South Africans,” they said in a statement.
The Durban news conference was attended by dozens of the 86 Durban objectors, one of them a Benedictine monk wearing long black robes. It was addressed by Archbishop Denis Hurley, Catholic archbishop of Durban, who said it was a moving experience to be present at an expression of courage, especially when it was ”the outcome of very noble motives”. In Port Elizabeth, 19 objectors, who included three ministers of religion and three businessmen, publicly stated they would not serve in the SADF. ”We will respond to the call-up in different ways. Some will go to jail, others will opt for religious objection status (cut to comply with Emergency regulations),” said the objectors. – Phil Molefe and Thandeka Gqubule
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.
