From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:SOUTH AFRICA: PAC UNDER FIRE FOR STAND OVER ARMED ATTACKS
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 03:10:13 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Africa, east
Title: SOUTH AFRICA: PAC UNDER FIRE FOR STAND OVER ARMED ATTACKS


johannesburg, dec. 8 -- (ips/phillipa garson) -- the pan african
congress (pac) tuesday reaffirmed its links with its military
wing the azanian people's army, amid a mounting furore over
apla's latest declaration of war on whites and its supposed
''operational independence'' from the pac.

the pac has come under fire from several quarters for
refusing to confirm or deny whether apla was responsible for two
attacks on white civilians last week which left five dead and 35
injured.

several callers claiming to be members of apla have
accepted responsibility for the attacks, which are sending
political temperatures soaring.

the attacks have been roundly condemned by the african
national congress (anc), government and the international
community, while right-wing white organisations have vowed to
retaliate with armed action.

president frederick klerk has hinted at an imminent crackdown
on apla, saying that the government was urgently considering
steps against the guerilla army. wednesday's scheduled meeting
between the pac and government on the former's entry into
negotiations now hangs in the balance.

anc leader nelson mandela said apla's activities would not
derail the peace process. ''peace forces in south africa are too
strong to be paralysed by any other force in the country. it's
not the time for violence.''

even the anc's radical marxist worker's tendency condemned
the attacks in a statement issued tuesday. the group said
attacks by apla on whites would lead to increased repression
against blacks and were a threat to fragile unity achieved
between black and white unionised workers.

''apla's pointless terror attacks will drive whites into the
hands of the (rightwing) afrikaner weerstandsbeweging and the
conservative party and will pitch south africa into a bloody
racial war.''

in a joint statement the u.n., the organisation of african
unity (oau), the commonwealth and european community (ec) said
they ''particularly deplore the irresponsibility shown by apla
for saying certain sectors of the community are legitimate
targets for their military operations,'' the statement read.

their statement comes in the wake of recent threats by apla
spokesman congo jibril who said from ''somewhere in
johannesburg'' that apla had been ''requested by the people to
intensify the attack against whites so they can cease their
support to the south african police and the south african
defence force.'' (more/ips)


south africa: pac (2)

ironically, the oau has been named by the pac as the supplier
of funds to apla via its liberation committee. the oau's special
representative in south africa, legwaila j. legwaila has
rejected the ''provocative link'' which he said implied that the
organisation backed acts of terror against innocent civilians.

''the oau has learnt with dismay of the attempts to link it
with the recent attacks against defenceless communities.''

he said the oau insisted that liberation movements must take
responsibility for their structures and day-to-day activities,
adding that oau secretary general, salim ahmed salim, would have
to decide whether the body would continue funding the pac in the
light of the recent events.

the group of observers, in the country to monitor political
violence, urged all leaders to recommit themselves to the
national peace accord.

according to pac secretary-general benny alexander, the pac
could not comment on activities of its armed wing, which
operates seperately and in secret. in an interview on national
television alexander admitted however that funds are channelled
to apla through the pac.

''the pac is responsible for the establishment of and the
continued existence of apla. apla has operational independence.
it has its own headquarters, its own command structures as well
as its own hierarchy of command structures,'' said alexander.

pac publicity and information director waters taboti
reaffirmed tuesday that apla was an integral part of the
organisation and the pac would not abandon it even if this could
jeopardise tomorrow's scheduled meeting with the government,
which he described as the government's '' own indaba'' (own
problem).

democratic party (dp) leader zach de beer tuesady criticised
the pac for its ''evasive attitude'' and called on the
organisation to either renounce its military wing or take
responsibility for its actions.

there is speculation that the attacks may have been waged by
renegade apla members unhappy with the pac's recent moves
towards entering negotiations with the government and anc.

meanwhile, others believe the calls by apla members claiming
responsibility for the attacks are hoaxes and that they may
actually have been carried out by unruly members of the anc's
armed wing, umkhonto we sizwe. (end/ips/pg/tvh/92)
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