Doug Collins

® get this straight @
|

me

THE PICTURES of silly Joe Clark prancing and dancing

in front of Gencral Jaruzelski of Poland reminded me that
Angus Gunn, a West Vancouver professor, has written an
excellent book on South Africa.

The pictures from Poland
brought the book to mind because
although Clark sees nothing
wrong in hobnobbing with a Red
dictator, he would rather dine on
dirt than be seen shaking hands
with Président P.W. Botha of
South Africa. Which is a revealing
double standard. .

“The. book is of special interest
because only the other day the
South Africans inexplicably re-
jected the pious advice they get
, from Ottawa and put Botha back
J into power.

How could a pariah state be so
cheeky?

There are many reasons why we

have come to view South Africa as
a special kind of villain. First,
there's the one-sidedness of the
reporting we get. Secondly, politi-
cians like Clark and Brian
Baloney are ignorant amateurs in
foreign affairs. Thirdly, hypocrisy
can be profitable. | ;
_ As the ‘professor points out,
sanctions suit us fine whep, ‘by
shutting out the Krugerratid, we
can ‘create a boom in Maple Leaf
‘gold. coins. Let us not forget,
either, that Ottawa loves being
patted on the head by the Robert
Mugabes of the world.- ;

Asa result’ of - the one-
dimensional
Canadians believe that the trouble
in the Republic results from a few

reporting, ..many .

whites dominating a lot of blacks.
But as the author shows, South
Africa is many countries in one.
We also have the luxury of view-
ing the Third World from a
distance. South Africa, however,
has the Third World on its
doorstep,

__ Liberals will scoff at it, but con-
sider a tiny example given by Mr.
Gunn: the widespread burning of
witches.

“In 1984 a black woman in the
Transvaal...was sentenced to be
burnt at the stake because a witch-
doctor ‘sniffed her out’ as being
responsible for the deaths by
lightning of several members of
the tribe...While awaiting execu-
tion, the woman was not guarded.
She could have escaped if she
wished, but she chose to stay.’’ In’
other words, she thought her fate
was inevitable. :

“Racism”? is White South
Africa’s big offence, of course.
But racism is not confined to the
whites. In my opinion, indeed,
white South Africans are far less
racist than the people of many
other countries. Remember’ the
mass slaughter when India and
Pakistan became separate “en-
tities? How about Mugabe’s more
recent slaughter of the Matabeles?

Professor Gunn puts it this
way:

“African countries are fre-

quently racist. They discriminate
against Westerners, Asians, |
religious groups, and tribes that
happen to be out of favor. It
would he hard indeed to find a ge-
nuine multiracial
anywhere on the continent.”

What applies to Africa at large
applies also to the non-white races
of South Africa itself.

“Early in January, 1949, there
was a three-day melee between
blacks: and East Indians in the
Durban area. One hundred were
killed and another thousand
injured.”’

There have been many other
clashes. And the problem is not
helped by there being ‘‘at least 24
languages’’ in South Africa.

Led by irresponsible media and
by politicians who don’t want to
know,. we lend our parrot voices |
to the clamor against a country
that has done us no harm. An ex-
ample of our officiat -dim-
wittedness was seen last week,
when Governor-General Sauve
lectured the new South African
ambassador as to how his country
should behave. No class, that’s
us. }
Meanwhile, the -Marxist states
that border on South Africa
watch happily as we attempt to
put down a state whose enormous
mineral .wealth is coveted by the
U.S.S.R. : i

This book is a scholarly primer
on a republic that is the target of a
vicious international campaign.
(South Africa, A World Challeng-
ed: by Angus W Gunn; Legacy
Press; $9.95.)

- This week at councils

BECAUSE OF the Victoria Day
Holiday, Monday. North Vancouver
dé West. Vancouver District

councils :will. not hold a meeting

until the following Monday... .

North Vancouver City Council
has rescheduled its meeting. for
‘Tuesday, May. 19 at 6 p.m. The
- following is North Vancouver Ci-

‘HREE HISTORICAL walks °

through West Vancouver. have

been arranged in recognition of the

listrict’s 75th anniversary and to
elebrate Participaction Day.

The walks will -all ‘take place

‘Wednesday, May 27, beginning at

wson Pier around 5:30 p.m. :

| walk through

ide and

walk is being organized by
undarave

‘A route map will be handed out
Lawson Pier between 5:30 and

is informa’
this mfolt at 922-

Vs

ty’s council agenda.

Public hearing re: rezoning ap-
plications for 242-254 East 11th
Street, 213 East Keith Road and

- 1509 Mahon Avenue/ Mahon Park

Revitalization Plan/ Wood decks
and play ‘structtires at Mahon
Park/ Horseshoe Pitch.at Mahon
Park/ Nozth Shore Gardens Con-
test grant request/ Road link re:

8262 or George Wilson at 922-
9272,

East 3rd, 4th and 5th streets,
Heywood Street and Mountain
Highway/ City mileage allowance
review/ Rezoning application re:
216 West 17th Street/ Family suite
application re: 565 Tempe Cres-
cent/ City of North Vancouver
Heritage Program report/ Closure
of lane from East Ist Street to the

Low. Level Road/ Street lighting - .

on Cloverley Street/ “Local im-
provement re: West Grand Boule-
vard, 15th to 17th Street, 21st
Street from Larson Road to
Westview Avenue, Carrie Cates
Court to Rogers Avenue and
Moody Avenue from 3rd Street to
Keith Road.

‘SOclety |B

9 - Sunday, May-17, 1987 --North Shore News

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