FW’s talk canned after objections
The American Bar Association (ABA) has cancelled its planned programme with former president FW de Klerk after a flood of objections from, among others, former Truth and Reconciliation commissioners, human rights activists, American academics and the son of slain Cradock Four anti-apartheid activist Fort Calata.
Late on Saturday, the ABA International Law Section confirmed that De Klerk’s conversation about “rule of law, constitutional democracy, minority rights, social change, racism and global security” had been cancelled.
“Presenting the programme would not help the association advance our Goal III priority,” it stated, in reference to its aim to “eliminate bias and enhance diversity” by promoting “full and equal participation in the association, our profession, and the justice system by all persons” and eliminating “bias in the legal profession and the justice system”.
De Klerk’s spokesman, Dave Steward, did not respond to requests for comment. However, he previously denied that De Klerk had played any part in the murders of the Cradock Four.
“Mr De Klerk was never aware of any instruction at any meeting of the State Security Council, or any other body, to murder anyone.”
Fort Calata’s son Lukhanyo – who was the first person to write to the ABA and ask it to reconsider its De Klerk invitation – said that the association’s decision to cancel De Klerk’s address was “courageous … and we applaud them”.
“Our wish is that organisations around the world will follow the ABA’s lead and give careful consideration before extending an invite to De Klerk to speak on matters that he’s wholly unqualified to opine on.
“We just wish that the National Prosecuting Authority could act as swiftly as the ABA in taking decisions to act against those implicated in the murders of the Cradock Four. For now at least we can mark the 35th commemoration of their murders this coming Saturday, knowing that we had stopped De Klerk from taking a public platform where he would no doubt have dishonoured their lives and legacies.
“Instead, we should ensure that it is De Klerk’s legacy that is unveiled to the rest of the world, for them to see him in the same way we do, as a criminal that perpetrated crimes against our humanity. Hopefully the NPA will charge De Klerk soon, so that we can write to the Nobel Prize International Award to request them to reconsider their decision to award him a Peace Prize that he remains completely undeserving of.”
Calata maintained De Klerk was complicit in the 27 June 1985 state-sanctioned murders of his father Fort and his fellow teachers, Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli and Sparrow Mkhonto. The men became known as the Cradock Four. – News24 Wire