Tambo Proposes Trade Boycott Of S. Africa

The United Nations must bring economic sanctions against The Union of South Africa to unseat the Nationalist party, Oliver Tambo, Deputy President of the African National Congress, told the Quincy House Africa Forum last night.

If allowed to continue, the present course of events will inevitably lead to a bloody conflict worse than that in Algeria or the Congo, he stated.

Tambo said that all means of democratic opposition to Afrikaner oppression of the blacks had been suppressed, and that the country is preparing for conflict. He cited the recent arming of all whites and said that such massacres as occured at Sharpeville might well continue until they triggered a nation-wide upheaval.

Pointing to his own experiences, Tambo said that he had been forced to flee the country to escape arrest. A few days later the government jailed many members of his party.

History of Conflict

The historical causes which are bringing the country to a state of open armed conflict, can be traced back to the Boer War, Tambo stated. But the inherent friction between whites and Africans arose with the accession of the Nationalist Party in 1948.

At this time, Tambo said, the Nationalists put into effect laws to reduce the Blacks to a position of total inferiority. They forced the non-white population to work at slave labor rates, and destroyed equality of education. They also restricted the influx of liberal English settlers.

In order to uphold their policies, Tambo said, they were forced to deprive the opposition, and particularly The African National Congress of all means of political expression. Their recent actions, such as the Sharpeville massacre, are creating widespread unrest among the Blacks and the very strong possibilities of further bloodshed, he declared.

The only way to prevent this outcome, Tambo claimed, is for the western nations to boycott South Africa. He said that economic sanctions would quickly bring a severe recession. The resultant unemployment and turmoil would bring about the downfall of the present government and the return to power of moderate elements. Tambo said.