A NZer in Africa

Poor Mr Muldoon! He is reaping what he sowed as far as sporting links with South Africa are concerned.

New Zealanders will be interested to know that South African Radio (the Voice of Apartheid) and newspapers have given great prominence to Mr Muldoon's hysterical attacks on Hart and McCarthy-like references to the laws against treason. The media of the most racist regime in the world was happy to quote Mr Muldoon's attacks on Hart; a sure sign that he has won for himself a place in the hearts and minds of the upholders of the South African regime.

The real tragedy is not that New Zealand's image has been harmed by Hart — it hasn't — but that the policies of New Zealand's National government with regard to sporting ties with South Africa, have seriously harmed the image of New Zealand in Africa.

The truth or otherwise of Hart's information which they purportedly handed to the UN Committee Against Apartheid, is unknown to me. However, Mr Muldoon should realise that most people in Africa have not heard of Hart. Nevertheless, a vast number of people in Africa do know that while hundreds of school children were being shot in the streets of South Africa, New Zealanders were playing rugby with the people who were doing the shooting. It was this action and the support of the New Zealand government for these sporting ties which has caused untold harm to the image of New Zealand in Africa.

Statements of moral indignation do nothing to change Apartheid, whereas the isolation of the Apartheid regime in the area of sport is a small but positive action by the international community in ending this crime against humanity.

Talk by Mr Muldoon of New Zealand's treason laws are reminiscent of frequent statements made by Vorster to silence his opponents.

Hart warned NZers a long time ago that playing sport with South Africa went much further than a game of rugby, and was tantamount to supporting a regime which at the present time tortures large numbers of school children, keeps 5 children below the age of 16 on a prison island, and denies the right of self-determination to 80% of its people.

As a New Zealander, living permanently in Southern Africa I am frequently asked why NZ supports Apartheid — not because of the statements by Hart or Mr Muldoon, but because of NZ's sporting links with SA, in the face of the condemnation of the international community.

It appears that Mr Muldoon has burnt his fingers through his long-pursued policy of sporting links with Apartheid, and is now trying to use Hart as a scapegoat. If as NZers, we are committed to the truth, to the brotherhood of man, and the freedom of the individual, we need to steadfastly attack totalitarianism, and the tendency towards it, whether it manifests itself in Parliament in Wellington or in the streets of South Africa.