European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 2, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and strikes saturday november 2, 1985 Colu mris & comments Anthony Lewisii Ivi i Vii 9 South african bus Ness recognizes a Basic truth this year of crisis in South Afri Pic Basic rights because of their skin whips and suns arc students. No one who knows Botha Cin Thi f i Ca one important event has been the change in business altitudes. The business Community is now pressing urgently for in end to the apartheid system. Some business leaders boldly went to Zambia to talk with the african National Congress. Why business people Are not by nature political reformers. Why arc they now taking such an Active role in settling South Africa s Central political question i think it is because they have san a simple truth in i hair country s turmoil. From that truth much follows for South africans and for those of us outside. The Basic truth is that apartheid no longer works. A system that divides a nation humiliates most of its people and attracts the obloquy of the world imposes too heavy a Burden on the society. And its victims will no longer humbly Bear it. The curious thing is that the rulers of South Africa perceive much of that truth too. That is Why president . Botha and his colleagues talk about Reform and disavow the word apartheid. They have lost the old National party Faith in the tightness of racial separation. But Botha has nothing to replace the old Faith. He cannot justify denying pc George will i f r color or at least he docs not try to. But he has no vision of an alternative South african society. He gives his people no plan no goal. And those who demand change get repression. That is Botha s tragedy and his country a for the Lack of vision in this Lime of crisis is a mortal danger to South Africa. Every week every Day that passes in rudderless turmoil makes it less Likely that South Africa will arrive in passable shape at a decent future. By now most people know what that future will be. Some Day. South Africa will have a non racist system. Racial differences will exist of course As in other countries. But South Africa will no longer have the distinction of writing them into Law of a fining in racial terms who May vote who May live with his family and so on. The Only question is when that future will arrive. It � an absolutely critical question and it is what the business Lead ers apparently have understood. Business sees what is happening in the Black Community. Its acknowledged Lead ers Are mostly in prison or exile. In their place pushing the protests in the face of whip guns the old leaders were Middle class men and women lawyers like Nelson Man Dela doctors ministers. The new leaders Are scarcely educated suspicious of mid dle class status in any Black because it smacks of dependence on the White world. In Short business sees a Black Community Hal is increasingly radicalized increasingly disconnected from Middle class values. And it sees that government policy is causing the process the policy of refusing to envisage or even to talk about reasonable political change. In those circumstances it is not sur prising that the business Community wants net Ion. It would rather negotiate with Mandela than with those who will follow. When 91 business leaders stated their position in an advertisement last month a Cardinal Point of their program was negotiating with acknowledged Black leaders about Power last week 52 american Heads of businesses that operate in South Africa endorsed the program of their South Afri can counterparts. Their aim apparently was to try to move Botha and his govern ment. But 1 think they misconceived the Way they can apply Power to that end. No one who knows Botha can a Devi that he will be moved toy political id vict from american business leaders. But i must listen if they begin to say something else Hal their companies Are going u leave because they cannot operate prof Italy in today s South Africa. This investment serves conservative interests. But even the Rev. Leon Sullivan whose principles of have been used to justify . Corpora presence in South Africa says that now he will urge companies to pull out if apartheid has not been dismantled by 1987. There is a deeper conservative Lei to Crest in applying the most effective ores sure for change in South Africa. Beyten Brett Inbach the great afrikaans Poci who served 11 prison term Tot his anti apartheid Active pics. Putt it that Way in the current new Republic the rulers of South Africa Are do stabilizing and ruining the region., they arc destroying the credibility in the viability of Western values. They Art endangering in the Long run whatever strategic and financial interests the Weh May have in the my Portt Tymn Newt so vex tra Veters should tread and speak with care the Celebration yes that word is used of the United nations 40ih birthday has caused much travel ing to and fro. So has the pre Summit minuet. One wishes that world leaders especially our nation s Leader could be More like Macon scary. Scary a character in Anne Tyler s novel the Acci dental hates travelling. He writes guidebooks for people who feel As he does telling people who would rather be at Home where to find a Taco Bell in Mexico City a Rome res Laurall that serves chef boy a de Ravioli a Madrid hotel with Bucu Lyrist mattresses. Generally he advises food in Britain is not As jarring us in other what s inc harm in i Ravel consider the confusion shown by recent and anticipated treks. Because the president is to travel to Geneva he trav eled to the United nations to say sensibly that there re Summit issues other than arms control. But this attempt to lower expectations was vitiated by the proclamation of a utopian exp Calion .-Sovici differences can be resolved through because the Geneva trip now drives All policy the administration succumbs to the sentimentality of democracy. A few Days before announcing yet another soviet violation of Salt limits on offensive weapons deploy ment of the ss-25, a new Mobile ballistic missile the adminis Iraklion made an announcement. Under the pres sure of pre Gencva mane vering it said that it would bind itself with an unnecessarily restrictive Reading of inc treaty concerning defences against ballistic missiles. Why this irrational decision to embrace what the administration says is a misreading of a treaty the s vict Union it. Flagrantly violating the president not trying the Jaimot Uherc for the trip to Geneva he would not have said this the Correct Reading of the abm treaty allows development and testing of space based defences against ballistic missiles but we shall abide by an incorrect Reading Hal forbids even development of an integrated by Stem. If Reagan thinks this ii an innocuous conces Sion to nervous allies and Domestic foes he understand neither the sociology of a Large scientific undertaking nor the politics of a major military procurement. The strategic defense initiative will require Many scientists to devote their prime years to it. If the administration i commitment seems tenuous they will find other devotions. Furthermore Congress always is reluctant to diminish discretionary spending opportunities by committing vast sums to weapons systems. Congress confronts simultaneously a future Barren of disc ratio to of Moll co mid to it column no croon on that my fort Tinl to two of it Tun Wrt of a Fri no win to a Contd wed at Thow 0 the Slan and Sirl but an Early arrival at the . S birthday Baik Gen. Jaruzelski asphyxia or of Poland was Given i dinner by the Council on foreign relations. Well traveler must Eal. And at the Council the general fount neither the food nor the talk Yolk Tomt Kiwi str let reason Campos Simbir have hot witing 3world leaper to
