Action Alert sent out as a mailing. The Action Alert says during the week of June 16-24, the House passed several damaging amendments to the State Department Authorization Bill (H.R. 1777); the Swindall and Burton amendments are right-wing attacks on the ANC and SWAPO which attempt to undercut the growing U.S. public support for the struggle for justice in southern Africa. The Action Alert says on June 18, Representative Patrick Swindall (R-GA), who represents a district which includes a section of Forsythe County, Georgia, introduced an amendment restricting travel of ANC and SWAPO representatives (as well as the PLO) and specified "communist" nations; the Swindall amendment was passed by a...
Action Alert sent out as a mailing. The Action Alert says during the week of June 16-24, the House passed several damaging amendments to the State Department Authorization Bill (H.R. 1777); the Swindall and Burton amendments are right-wing attacks on the ANC and SWAPO which attempt to undercut the growing U.S. public support for the struggle for justice in southern Africa. The Action Alert says on June 18, Representative Patrick Swindall (R-GA), who represents a district which includes a section of Forsythe County, Georgia, introduced an amendment restricting travel of ANC and SWAPO representatives (as well as the PLO) and specified "communist" nations; the Swindall amendment was passed by a voice vote and is now a part of the House version of the State Department Authorization bill. The Action Alert says the Burton amendment cuts off 25% of U.S. funding for U.N. projects "whose primary purpose is to benefit the ANC." The Action Alert says another amendment by Mr. Burton calls for a study of alleged "ANC forced detention camps"; the entire State Department Authorization Bill was accepted by the House on June 23; the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed their version of the State Department Bill (S. 1394) on June 18; to ensure that the Swindall and Burton amendments do not become law, we must stop right-wing attempts to add similar language to the Senate version of the State Department Authorization Bill. The Action Alert says the growing international prestige of the ANC and SWAPO and the solid backing they enjoy in South Africa and Namibia, has forced even the Reagan administration to acknowledge the importance of, for example, talking to the ANC; Oliver Tambo's meeting with Secretary of State Shultz in January has infuriated the right wing. The Action Alert asks people to write, call, or telegram their Senators Immediately and tell them to oppose any attempts to include language similar to the Swindall or Burton amendments in the Senate version of the State Department Authorization Bill; visit your Senator's home office during the July 2nd-6th Congressional break; and write Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Senator Paul Simon (D-IL), Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa and Presidential candidate. The Action Alert discusses the ANC (African National Congress), SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organization), swift grassroots action, concerted lobbying pressure, and a joint House-Senate Conference Committee. • SWINDALL AMENDMENT • BURTON AMENDMENT • TIME LINE • STRATEGY • ANALYSIS • WHAT WE MUST DO TO STOP THESE ATTACKS ON THE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS
