The press release says the Rev. Allan Boesak said at observances culminating a month-long U.S. church campaign against apartheid that words of moral outrage against apartheid mean nothing while the U.S. government and businesses continue to provide the economic support that "oils the wheels of the apartheid government." Boesak addressed nearly 2,000 people at an evening worship service June 16 and more than 3,000 people at a rally and march June 17. June 16 is the 13th anniversary of the beginning of the Soweto uprising in which some 1,000 Black South Africans, many of them children, were killed by South African police. On June 16, 300 church people from 40 states anticipated Boesak's call by...
The press release says the Rev. Allan Boesak said at observances culminating a month-long U.S. church campaign against apartheid that words of moral outrage against apartheid mean nothing while the U.S. government and businesses continue to provide the economic support that "oils the wheels of the apartheid government." Boesak addressed nearly 2,000 people at an evening worship service June 16 and more than 3,000 people at a rally and march June 17. June 16 is the 13th anniversary of the beginning of the Soweto uprising in which some 1,000 Black South Africans, many of them children, were killed by South African police. On June 16, 300 church people from 40 states anticipated Boesak's call by meeting with their congresspersons to urge them to support the 1989 comprehensive economic sanctions bill (H.R. 21 / S. 507) introduced by U.S. Rep. Ronald V. Dellums (D-Calif.) and U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.). The bill would extend existing U.S. sanctions against South Africa with a near total trade embargo, total disinvestment, bans on loans and extensions of credit, and a prohibition on multinational oil companies doing business with South Africa from bidding on U.S. coal, gas and oil leases. The June 16-17 events in Washington ended a month-long U.S. church campaign against apartheid, "From Pentecost to Soweto." Sponsoring the effort was the South Africa Crisis Coordinating Committee, broadly representative of U.S. churches. The press release says "From Pentecost to Soweto" was part of an ongoing program, "Stand for Truth Until South Africa is Free." The Africa Office of the National Council of Churches and the U.S. Office of the World Council of Churches are facilitating the work of the crisis coordinating committee; other participants are the Sojourners community, Evangelicals for Social Action, Bread for the World, and the Roman Catholic Church. The press release mentions President George Bush, the state of emergency, attempted poisoning of the Rev. Frank Chikane, the South African Council of Churches (SACC), arrests without warrants and detaining people indefinitely, torture, restriction of anti-apartheid movement leaders, political assassinations, "constructive engagement," Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Washington, D.C., June 17 rally at the Sylvan Theater, a march to the White House, Lafayette Park, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Edmond L. Browning, non-violent civil disobedience, arrests for demonstrating without a permit, the Anacostia Police Station, Rev. Joan Campbell, the UCC U.S. office, and the U.S., British and West German governments.
