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Fighting The Draft In South Africa

By Clarence Fitch

The state of emergency in South Africa has resulted in increased military occupation in the country's Black townships.

Unlike the civilian police force, the South African Defense Force does not include Blacks. The government needs every available white male for compulsory military service. Increasing numbers of young men are refusing to serve in the SADF on moral, religious and political grounds. Of the 30,000 or so high school graduates drafted in January of 1985, 7,000 did not report for duty. This was a fourfold jump from the 1984 figure of 1,589. The only grounds on which alternative service to the military is made available are those of universal religious pacifism. This definition excludes most potential objectors. Provision is not made for those objecting to military service on religious grounds in terms of the just war theory or on moral and political grounds. The present sentence for such objectors is a mandatory six-year term in civilian prison. Most youths face a choice of a life in exile or six years in prison.

In 1984, after many efforts, various groups in South Africa came together to establish the "End of Conscription Campaign." In addition to opposition to conscription, the "End Conscription Committees" around the country (52 in all) have set themselves a number of tasks.

First, the ECC's are attempting to create a coherent and educated voice of opposition to the role of the military and to conscription.

Second, the ECC's provide a supportive and stimulating environment for their member organizations to take up their opposition. And, third, the ECC's endeavor to propagate non-racialism and to build support for the non-racial organizations representing the majority of South Africa's people in order to work toward the goal of a just peace in South Africa.

In May the New York peace community was privileged to hear one of the leaders of the End Conscription Campaign.

Gavin Evans, a 26-year-old white South African who will be eligible for the draft after he completes one semester of law school, has already told the government of South Africa that he will not sign up. In South Africa, in order to maintain apartheid, the government depends on all the whites in the country to stand together. But bit-by-bit that has begun to change. Businessmen, churchmen and students have begun to resist. Now the young men, which the government must have for its military, have begun to say, "Hell No, We Won't Go!"

Members of VVAW from NY/NJ went to one of the presentations by Mr. Evans in the New York City area. We presented him a VVAW button and literature from our organization. He was grateful for our support and could understand the special identification we feel with the anti-military, anti-racist struggle.

Clarence Fitch
NY/NJ VVAW