The Washington Office on Africa denounced the detention of 35 members of the United Democratic Front (UDF) by the South African government and called on President Reagan to condemn this heinous action. Among the members of the non-racial organization arrested on August 20 are UDF president Archie Gumede, publicity secretary Patrick Lekota, Natal Indian Congress vice-president and chairman of the Democratic Lawyers' Association N. J. Naidoo, and lay minister Aubrey Mokoena. The UDF, founded in August 1983, opposes changes in the South African constitution that provide for limited parliamentary representation for the country's 2.7 million "Colored" and 870,000 Indian citizens in a segregated,...
The Washington Office on Africa denounced the detention of 35 members of the United Democratic Front (UDF) by the South African government and called on President Reagan to condemn this heinous action. Among the members of the non-racial organization arrested on August 20 are UDF president Archie Gumede, publicity secretary Patrick Lekota, Natal Indian Congress vice-president and chairman of the Democratic Lawyers' Association N. J. Naidoo, and lay minister Aubrey Mokoena. The UDF, founded in August 1983, opposes changes in the South African constitution that provide for limited parliamentary representation for the country's 2.7 million "Colored" and 870,000 Indian citizens in a segregated, tricameral legislature. The over 20 million Blacks remain without parliamentary representation under the new system. The UDF has attracted over 500 member and affiliate organizations and has led mass opposition to elections for the new parliament, scheduled for August 22 and 29, 1984. Leading members of the UDF have faced increasing government harassment, and its meetings have frequently been banned. Despite the Reagan Administration's policy of "constructive engagement" which seeks to "dialogue" the forces of apartheid into change, there has been no significant change in South Africa. The new constitution provides no political rights for Africans; inadequate education and overwhelming oppression have caused 40,000 Black students to boycott their classes in the last weeks; and thousands of Black miners have walked out in protest of high accident and death rates on the job, starvation wages, and unjust laws that force them to live apart from their families. Forced removals, arrests, and detentions without trial all continue at alarming rates. The press release quotes Jean Sindab, Executive Director of the Washington Office on Africa (WOA). Cables and letters of protest may be sent to South African Prime Minister Pieter W. Botha and The Honorable George Shultz at the U.S. Department of State.
