76-16-A3
- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1977
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South Africa[edit]
Transcript[edit]Let's start off by agreeing that apartheid -- the separation of the races as practiced in South Africa -- is not something Americans can be comfortable with. Let's also admit that our discomfort is heightened by our own memories of bigotry, discrimination and prejudice in our own land. We've come a long way toward solving our problem here, although no one claims the job is finished. But, has our own experience made us intolerant and quick to criticize -- indeed to punish -- this other nation without trying to understand complexities we were never faced with? For example, is the problem in South Africa simply one of racial difference? Unfortunately, the answer is "no". It's not that simple. The black majority in South Africa is made up of several different tribes with long histories of conflict and animosity between them. If majority rule should come to be -- in the sense that the black majority came into power tomorrow -- there could very easily be outright tribal war as each tribe refused to be ruled or dominated by one of the others. In coping with this problem, South Africa has embarked on a plan of setting up separate Republics for each tribe -- with self-rule and autonomy for each. Those most critical of South African policies have charged this is a subterfuge; an extension of apartheid, and that the new Republics will be mere puppet states. But is this true? One such state has come into existence already, the Republic of Transkei. It will celebrate its first birthday in October. Here are some vital statistics on the baby nation; population - two million; larger than Belgium, Israel, Lebanon and more than a score of other nations in good standing in the U.N. Indeed, its population is greater than some 3O-odd U.N. members. It has a per capita income higher than 17 of its neighbors and a literacy rate higher than 19. Freedom House, a liberal group which monitors civil liberties throughout the world, finds Transkei providing more civil liberties for its people than a score of African nations including Angola, Mozambique, Zaire and, of course, Uganda. The United Nations refuses to recognize or admit Transkei to membership, calling it a puppet state. But, it has happily accepted a number of puppets whose strings are tied to Moscow. If the U.N. can keep a straight face while calling East Germany an independent nation, it has truly reached the ultimate in hypocrisy. Is it possible that Transkei is unacceptable because it came into being without bloodshed or the help of Cuban mercenaries? The new little Republic is pro-western and anti-Communist -- two characteristics the United Nations does not seem to possess these days. As a matter of fact, we may be on the trail of why Transkei is being ostracized by New York's Tower of Babel. Transkei's Prime Minister Matanzima has said that developing countries can't afford socialism -- nor can other nations for that matter. He has proclaimed that the free market, when it is allowed to function, is the way to provide the people with goods, services and food. And if that isn't enough to keep him out of the U.N., he is staunchly anti-Communist and has an anti-communism clause in the Transkei constitution. All of these may be reasons why Transkei can't get into the U.N., but they sound like good reasons why the U.S. should recognize Transkei and stop acting foolish. |
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