Human Rights Violation Hearings — Krugersdorp — 1996-11-13

AMINA DESAI: Well, I think the community was terrified. I think they were just terrified.  They felt that they did not want to be involved.  The only people who really stood by me all the time was my brothers, my sisters and who helped me financially, because I was not a member of the Congress. I had never been a party member or anything like that.  My brother got the lawyers for me while I was still in detention.  So of course financially we had to see that the lawyers were paid.  I didn't get any help from the community, not one cent from any one of them. I think they were really very much afraid.

CHAIRPERSON: I have two more questions, sorry. My one is related again, to what you said in your statement, about you expressed some very interesting views on reparation.  Sorry, in terms of some form of compensation, you talked about symbols and expensive symbols and I think you said it would
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be better if the money was put into schools and other things. Do you want to tell us something about that?

AMINA DESAI: Yes, well, when I saw that, I find that people, that they were going to make Robben Island a sort of showpiece, a museum, and I thought all those people who had put our people at Robben Island, they should be put there.  They should be left to stay there. That's one thing. I felt that whatever money we could garner should be used for education, should be used to help the people who need it. I don't feel that we need expensive statues and that kind of thing.  Money should be used, whatever money we have should be used for the benefit of those people who never had anything, who never had any privileges.

CHAIRPERSON: The last question, Mrs Desai. We thank you for coming here today. Can I ask you what your expectations, what were your expectations from coming here today.

AMINA DESAI: To be honest, I have never cared for publicity of any kind. I felt that if I can come - at first I was very reluctant. But afterwards I thought over it and I thought I must come and tell people what the ordinary woman, the ordinary middle-class woman, who lived for her family, and who was perhaps aware of the terrible things that were happening in the world,  but felt that they really could not contribute excepting in their own small way, perhaps with their own children.  That was the contribution you make to society.  You try and foster in your children a care for humanity. That is all that you can do as a human being, that you should care about what happens to people.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mrs Desai, I have no further questions.  Perhaps my colleagues may have some questions. Ms Seroke?
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MS SEROKE: Mrs Desai, you have already given your views about what you would recommend in terms of reparation. I would like to know that after your harrowing in prison, during your detention, living in solitary confinement under unhygienic conditions in the cells,  and later being subjected to house arrest, what would you recommend to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in terms of a new culture of human rights, particularly with, you know, regarding the way security police were dealing with people, what would you recommend to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission regarding this new culture of human rights that would lead to reconciliation in our country.

AMINA DESAI: Well, I think there are so many people, younger people, people who are not obsessed by memories, bitter memories, who can plan things, who should plan things for our people here.  I think the extravagance that we see, sometimes that we read about, that we should simplify things.  People should realise that - and the functions should not be so costly. We should really live as simple a type of life and try and - the important thing is really to educate our children.  The most important thing here, I think is to teach people, to make people aware of humanity as such and that we are here, not merely for ourselves, but to try and make the world a better place.  Of course, I eschew all violence. I don't think that by hitting somebody over the head you can do anything much to them, but I believe that people can speak to one another. I think that is what we should teach our children too.  But the most important thing of all is that we should educate the young.

MS SEROKE: Thank you very much, Mrs Desai.

CHAIRPERSON: Mrs Desai, thank you very much for coming here KRUGERSDORP HEARING TRC/GAUTENG
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today.  Like you said, you had to think deeply before you came.  What we found remarkable in the eight months that we have been having public hearings, is the many people in our country who have come forward, from all sides, who have lost something either in terms of a person, a loved one or lost time, like yourself, that period that - I don't think you could have ever imagined that that would have happened to you.  You have said that so eloquently yourself.  But what is remarkable is that how little bitterness people hold within themselves, and you, to me, are testimony to that as well.  I thank you very much for coming and we wish you well in the future.  Thank you very much.

AMINA DESAI: Thank you.
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