Truth and Reconciliation Commission

[Andy Rabagliati <andyr@wizzy.com>]

Folks,

  The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was formed in 1995, a
  year after the election that brought the ANC to power.

  It was headed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a great man.

  Its purpose was to offer amnesty in exchange for full disclosure of
  events in the apartheid years. This way the country would know what
  happened, grieve, forgive, and move on. Without the disclosure, the
  past cannot be put to rest. The world will not wait for South Africa,
  and South Africa has much to contribute to the world.

  The report came out this week. Evidence in its weighty tomes said that
  FW De Klerk was "morally accountable" for actions during his rule,
  including bombing of the World Council of Churches.

  There was wholesale destruction of evidence by the National
  Intelligence Agency from 1990 onwards.
  
  There was government research directed towards finding diseases that
  only black people would suffer from.

  And lots more.

  Though the bulk of the investigation was directed at the apartheid
  regime, the ANC was also investigated for its actions in its struggle.

  Winnie Mandela stands accused of being central to the formation and
  activities of a vigilante group, the curiously named Mandela United
  Football Club, whose members were involved in at least 18 cold-blooded
  murders, mostly of "informers" to the apartheid regime. One of these
  was a 14 year old.

  The ANC was implicated in killings of civilians and torturing of
  informers at its training camps in the Eastern Transvaal.

  Buthelezi, who as leader of the KwaZulu government for many years
  *during* apartheid rule - and leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party
  (IFP) was held accountable for 3,800 killings during the mandated
  period (34 years) for investigation. Compare this to 1,100 for the ANC
  and 700 for the South African Police.

  The IFP is also accused of training a force specifically to furnish
  the party with military capacity to prevent the 1994 elections.

  The ANC, currently in power, and likely to win the elections next
  year, should have simply accepted the report, and left the lions share
  of guilt to rest on the National Party.

  Instead, there has been a last minute fumble, as De Klerk filed an
  injunction (successful) to prevent accusations against him appearing
  in the first release of the report. The ANC then tried the same, and
  was unsuccessful. The ANC now remains uncomfortably in the limelight,
  complaining that they, the freedom fighters, are being compared to the
  apartheid regime, the scapegoat of todays ills.

  However, the truth is that the ANC has been in power for 5 years, and
  looks likely to get another five, and they can no longer conveniently
  blame the "old regime".
  
  Desmond Tutu leaves for the US to take up a university post for a year,
  a representation of an ideal job to most, especially white, South
  Africans.
  
Cheers,      Andy!

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