Religious Society of Friends

(Quakers)

Central and Southern Yearly Meeting

PO Box 36087, Glosderry, 7702

 

Wynand Malan

Commissioner

Human Rights Violations Committee, TRC

PO Box 1158

Johannesburg

Dear Wynand Malan

9 July 1997

Submission by the churches to the truth and reconciliation commission

Enclosed is our submission which is a response to the request in your letter of 29 May 1997.

This is a partial response and does not come with the authority of the decision making body of the society as this meets once a year in December. We have a representative meeting in July which will consider this response and may add or subtract. I hope this is helpful.

As the work of the TRC unfolds we continue praise God for those who contributed to our transition and for the spirit of healing that is so apparent.

God bless you in your work.

Yours in Peace

Jeremy Routledge

 

 

SUBMISION TO THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

BY THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AFRICA YEARLY MEETING (C&SAYM) OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)

 

 

Reflecting on gross human rights violations of the past.

We do not believe that the theology of the Society of Friends contributed to the formation of motives and perspectives of those individuals and organizations responsible for rights violations. We are a very small group (<200 in C&SAYM). We have traditionally supported non-violence and the abolution of the death penalty.

A central Quaker belief is the recognition of that of God in everyone which informs our belief in the equality of all. This has also led to the practice in recognizing women as ministers from our early days.

Quakers are one of the historic peace churches and opposed the defence of apartheid by military means (by supporting conscious objection to military service) as well as the use of the armed struggle to overthrow the state. We did support non-violent direct action to oppose apartheid.

We contributed to the conflict of the past, being a largely white middle and as such benefited

from apartheid, in that we failed to protest and act where we could as we were isolated to some extent from the black majority who suffered under apartheid.

As the Society of Friends we passed a number of resolutions over the years:

Detentions Forced removals Sanctions

As monthly meetings we started a number of projects to put our faith in action: Quaker service Quaker service Quaker peace work committee Kagisong Refugee centre Project to rebuild house destroyed by SADF raid.' Mozambique visit 1989 Two American Friends Service Conunittee visits

Transvaal Monthly Meeting

Cape West Monthly Meeting

CWMM

Botswana MN4

Botswana MM

 

As individuals a number of Quakers opposed human rights violations individually or by being members of organizations:

DESCOM

Conscious Objector Support Group

End Conscription Campaign

UDF

Diakonia

SACC

NEUSA

NOW

Black Sash

N~A

Free the Childrens Alliance

Work of HW van der Merwe in political mediation.

Work of Rosmary Elliott in community development and reconciliation in E Cape

Work of George Eflis in exposing 3 rd force

Work of Rommel Roberts in 1986 when Crossroads was burning and his work in supportinh people resisting

removals.

Richard Steele, conscious objector

Richard Steele and Anita Kromberg. IFOR. Training in non-violent direct action.

Work to assist families of detainees. Cowley House.

 

Reflecting on the present and the future: the road to reconciliation

C&SAYM has an Arms Trade Committee to work towards the elimination of this trade.

Quaker Peace Centre

Training in Peace Education

Peace Education curriculum development

Training community mediators

Youth project

Participation in defence review

Community development

Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting Religious Society of Friends, (Quakers) PO Box 36087 Glosderry. South Africa.

June 1997