African Activist Archive

The report says for at least the last 15 years, U.S. foreign policy has been playing both ends against the middle. gave verbal supports for majority rule in Africa as long as it comes about gradually and non-violently. In practice, U.S. policy has been bolstering the status quo, especially colonial regimes, white settler rule, and neo-colonialist governments. The Kennedy administration leaned a bit more towards democratic verbalizations and held back some on direct aid to the status quo powers. During the Nixon administration, Henry Kissinger shifted the U.S. strategy. In the infamous NSSM Memo 39, he effectively called for more open support to the settler and colonialist regimes. Our first task is to define to the public and media a position on southern Africa that is oriented to a democratic, pro-national independence policy. The following points should be included in an alternative policy: a) Recognize the People's Republic of Angola. b) Normalize relations with Mozambique. c) Repeal the Byrd Amendment and fully support UN sanctions of Rhodesia and recognize the Zimbabwe liberation movements as the legitimate political expression of the black majority. d) Immediate independence to Namibia in accordance with the UN's policy and recognize SWAPO as the legitimate political expression of the black majority. e) Immediate full political rights to all in South Africa and support to groups that work for this demand. Demand civil liberties of political prisoners and grant them political asylum in the U.S. f) Minimize U.S. economic and diplomatic intervention in southern and central Africa and cut military and related aid to Kenya and Zaire. g) Press for a set of domestic demands that would also be in opposition to southern African involvement. For example, demand of major banks that they not invest in South Africa, but use the funds for investment in redlined areas in U.S. cities. The report mentions the Ford administration, the OAU (Organization of African Unity), covert aid, Communism, detente, Southwest Africa, the Smith regime, the Urban League, Rev. Leon Sullivan, OIC (Opportunities Industrialization Centers), apartheid, anti-war people, and the Congressional Black Caucus.

African Activist Archive

WORKING PAPER FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TO KISSINGER'S SOUTHERN AFRICA POLICY

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