70,000 Welcome Freed ANC Leaders

CROWN MINES, South Africa--More than 70,000 Blacks chanting in triumph welcomed freed leaders of the outlawed African National Congress on Sunday at the largest anti-government rally in the country's history.

Virtually every aspect of the rally--including repeated praise for the ANC's guerrilla campaign--violated security laws, but police kept their distance.

Government-run television reported the rally as the top item on the evening news.

"Today, the ANC has captured center stage in South Africa," said Walter Sisulu, 77, the group's former general secretary, from a podium erected beneath huge banners of the ANC and the South African Communist Party. He and six ANC colleagues were freed unconditionally from prison October 15. All but one had spent at least 25 years in prison.

The crowd, which also included white South Africans and diplomats from at least 15 countries, filled most of the seats in a soccer stadium recently opened outside Johannesburg.

"We have come here to witness a historic event," said West German diplomat Andreas Zobel.

Police and soldiers set up road-blocks nearby and searched vehicles, but few security force personnel were visible at the stadium itself.

Sisulu said his movement would never abandon its guerrilla campaign unilaterally but would consider suspending violence and entering talks if the government freed all political prisoners, legalized the ANC and lifted the 40-month-old state of emergency.

"To date, we see no clear indication that the government is serious about negotiation," said Sisulu, who urged intensified economic sanctions. "All the utterances are vague."

The government gave permission for the rally to take place, part of an attempt by President F.W. de Klerk to promote Black-white negotiations new constitution. But a magistrate had warned organizers that speakers should avoid promoting ANC aims.

"We refused," said Cyril Ramaphosa, a union leader and one of the main organizers. "The ANC lives. It is amongst us."

Deafening cheers erupted when Sisulu and his colleagues emerged from beneath the grandstands and slowly circled the playing field behind an honor guard of 20 young militants, clad in khaki uniforms and marching in military style.

At the end of the parade was 80-year-old ANC official Oscar Mpetha, being pushed in a wheelchair. He was the country's oldest political prisoner before his release.

"ANC, ANC," shouted the crowd, many dressed in the movement's green, black and gold colors.

Another roar came when prominent activist Murphy Morobe read a letter of greeting from Oliver Tambo, the exiled president of the ANC, who may not legally be quoted in South Africa.