A Response to Mendelsohn

To the Editors of The Crimson:

I would like to comment on the article of November 12 on "Working for an End to Apartheid" by Professor Everett Mendelsohn:

First, Professor Mendelsohn claims that government failures in reform have so polarized the country that there is "no middle ground." I do not believe that this is so. The white liverals in the PFP, student groups, large sections of the colored and Indian populations and such non-violent multi-racial groups as the UDF represent a very broad middle ground, one on which I and many other South Africans of all races pin our hopes for the future.

Professor Mendelsohn also agrees that disinvestment will further promote the Afrikaaner "laager mentality" but dismisses this point as unimportant. I believe he severely underestimates the stubborness that this involves, as evidenced by the state President P.W. Botha's statement to business leaders last week that he would not increase the pace of reform as it would look as if he was giving in to international pressures. The Afrikaaner desire to forcefully assert independence intensifies opposition to local reform.

Lastly, when commenting on whether Blacks will be hurt by company withdrawals his answer is "maybe yes." The real answer is definitely yes, and it is already happening. With each withdrawal it is Black, unskilled labor that must be cut to retain profitability, worsening the astronomic 25 percent unemployment rate in a country that has no Social Security or state welfare. Professor Mendelsohn uses as justification the fact that Black organizations are willing to make sacrifices to achieve their goal. While this is true it appears to hold water only in the theoretical statement, as evidenced by the recent strike by GM workers after the company's withdrawal. As Mr. Wilson Jonas, a former union shop steward at Ford, said "For me as a leader to say I'm for disinvestment, knowing that I'm sending thousands of people into darkness is something I can't do. The rank and file don't understand about the sacrifices you have to make to get long-term benefits. They just ask `what about our jobs?'" (Wall Street Journal, Nov.7)

The basic American justification for sanctions can be seen in Archbishop Tutu's statement that there is no guarantee that sanctions will work, it is merely the last peaceful option. Is this possibility enough to allow the West to incur further hardship on an already oppressed populace? This must be a personal question. Yes, even in the event that sanctions do work, however unlikely that may be, and when ultimately a Black government does (as it inevitably will) come into power, will the West guarantee to reinvest the money it has withdrawn and restimulate a dying economy? Mark Suzman '90