Swedish People's
Parliament urges SA
International solidarity is vital to help overthrow the apartheid regime (DR)
a reservation" if the People's Parliament voted in favour of disinvestment.
Representatives of local trade unions and, in some cases, of national trade unions which had adopted the demand of disinvestment, protested against that measure, which would have seriously weakened the public presentation of the decisions of the Parliament. They launched a petition urging trade-union rep-
TOTAL BOYCOTT of South Africa! That was the main orientation confirmed by the People's Parliament against Apartheid that gathered in Stockholm, Sweden, at the end of February.
The People's Parliament - with 900 delegates from 170 national organizations - was no doubt one of the biggest and broadest manifestations against apartheid ever arranged.
The call for the Parliament had been issued several months earlier by ISAK, the Isolate South
Africa
Committee, and the United Nations
Association in Sweden. All Swedish organizations - except for the political parties — had been called to participate.
The representation was very broad
There were solidarity groups, committees against racism, local groups of
Nations
Association,
United the the youth and religious groups, women's associations of the political pupils' and organizations.
parties
There were also trade-union representatives, but their representation was considerably weaker - a fact that also reflects a central weakness of the anti-apartheid movement of Sweden.
the initial greetings to the
In invited
Parliament, the speakers broached the most controversial theme question of withdrawal of the
Swedish companies from South Africa.
The prime minister, Olof Palme, in his last public speech, spoke in favour of sanctions against South Africa. But he also made it clear that the Swedish government does not plan to withdraw
Swedish companies unless the United decides on such sanctions.
Nations
ARE
VENTE
24
On the other hand, ANC leader Oliver Tambo stated:
"This People's Parliament will not its time with self-serving and paternalistic arguments that sanctions will hurt the Black oppressed and the neighbouring independent African
The continuing unwillingness of Swedish companies to withdraw from South Africa constitutes a contemptuous rejection of the view of the Swedish people which is in favour of disinvestment. Perhaps the time has come for action to be taken to compel these companies to discontinue their with the murderous apartheid system.
One of the six commissions formed centered on the question of sanctions. A sharp debate arose between representatives of the leadership of the LO [Landsorganisationen], the main trade-union confederation, representatives. representatives for withdrawal of Swedish arguing that contacts in South African trade unions stay. They even threatened to "register resentatives to withdraw their reservation - a pressure which proved to be effective. The following day, at the final plenary discussion and voting, the trade-union representatives neither spoke in favour of nor voted for their own reservation.
The People's Parliament also pronounced itself in favour of a total trade with South Africa. It urged the government not to allow companies with investments
Africa to participate in governmental projects in developing countries. It called for increased support for the AN and SWAPO [South West African Peoples Organisation].
In this context the People's Parliament stressed "the right of the South African people to freely decide on its methods of struggle in the process of liberation from apartheid" That is, the People's Parliament supported even the armed struggle that is waged by the anti-apartheid organizations.
The representatives of the Conservative Youth wanted the People's Parliament to disassociate itself from the ANC, since "it is an organization that blows innocent children to pieces". They were met by indig nant hootings. The majority of the People's Parliament had no doubt about who was to blame for the present violence in South Africa.
Among the concrete campaigns decided by the People's Parliament was a call for strikes for disinvestment at the big• Swedish companies with investment in South Africa. There will also be a big national campaign to collect funds for the resistance in South Africa.
The People's Parliament was more than anything else a huge manifestation of the solidarity movement. At the same time it showed that big Swedish organizations with a popular base - like the LO - are still not won to the demand for a total boycott.
But the People's Parliament and the documents adopted at it can lay the basis for further broadening solidarity. The next step in this steady work to broaden opinion in favour of disinvestment will probably be the coming LO congress in September.
International Viewpoint 5 May 1986
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SWEDEN trade boycott