Editorial
Impose sanctions,
end U.S. hypocrisy
Restrictions on news coverage may prevent the world
from seeing the South African government's brutality, but
the violence continues just the same. Black opposition to
apartheid has not diminished, nor has the violence against
this protest.
Shortly after the South African Parliment reconvenes at
the end of this month. President P.W. Botha is expected to
announce reforms in the laws that regulate the daily lives of
blacks. In all likelihood few, if any, meaningful changes in
that nation’s racial laws will be proposed.
Last August, Botha announced several measures that
were touted beforehand as the beginning of the end of
apartheid. The hype, however, failed to match reality.
Pass laws still regulate the movements of blacks. Educa
tion continues to be segregated and funded dispropor
tionately in favor of white children. Political opposition
groups are banned from meeting. A state of emergency exists
in most areas, bringing with it curfews, government arrests
and detentions without charge and a ban on gatherings arid
political speeches at funerals. In short, more than 70 percent
of the South African population continue to be treated as
non-citizens by a government that advocates racial
superiority.
Botha's August speech and subsequent remarks follow
one line of thinking — South Africa will resist outside
pressure and reform at its own pace, if at all.-After meeting \
with Botha in South Africa last week,'a group of U.S. .con
gressmen voiced their skepticism at the prospect" of major
changes in apartheid. One member of the delegation called
Botha "totally closed and unwilling to be.responsive."
For South Africa’s blacks, the time'for peaceful change
may already have passed. Reacting to increased government
violence against black dissent, the leader of the African Na
tional Congress recently called for an increase in the group.'s
guerrilla war against the, white tegime.Thus, the cycle of
violence will escalate and further hinder the prospects of a .
peaceful solution to the political and. social polarisation.
While far from laudable, the reaction of the ANC to an
intractable government is understandable: Bishop Desmond
Tutu, while retaining his opposition to all forms of violence/
recently stated his equally firm conviction that injustice
must be combated. . /*
I here comes a time, the 1984'Nobel Peace Prize win- ‘
ner stated, “when it is justifiable to overthrow ah unjust
system by violence.” , ° .
Tutu’s remark is significant in that it acknowledges the
limits to black patience with apartheid/ While it may be;
argued that the Afrikaner government will abolish t.h°e more •;
significant aspects of apartheid over time, it is just as likely .
that civil war will erupt beforehand.’The potential cost in
human life would be great,, given the sophistication of the
= South African military. And as past events-have shown, the
government has not shiedaway from the useof force tq quell •
unrest.
Given the increasingly dim chances for reconciliation, .
what role should the United States play? There are those, iri
cluding President Reagan, who have resisted meaningful
U.S. economic sanctions against South Africa. Supporters of
the U.S. administration’s policy of constructive engagement
claim the United States can bring a quicker end to apartheid
by increasing business ties. U.S businesses operating in
South Africa, they argue, provide blacks with jobs and pro
mote so-called progressive employment practices.
This argument is flawed. First , it ignores the history of
U.S.-South African relations. Despite increased business
investment over the last 37 years, apartheid has become
more entrenched and resistant to change.
In fact, the rise of the South African economy and the
subsequent high standard of living for most whites is a
direct result of apartheid. The exploitation of a readily
available supply of cheap, surplus black labor is the essence
of this brutality. Those who argue that sanctions would
cause suffering for black South Africans ignore the past and
current pain blacks have already endured and the call by
many blacks themselves for U.S. sanctions.
Further, Reagan’s eagerness to impose economic sanc
tions against Nicaragua and, more recently, Libya, ring
hollow given his timidity to impose sanctions on South
Africa. There is no doubt about whether the South African
government is a terrorist nation. Its daily brutalization and
treatment of the black population is terrorism on a scale
equal to that of Nazi Germany. Thus we urge the president to
speak with one face, and hit South Africa where it is most
vulnerable to U.S. pressure — its economy. U.S. business
interests cannot be placed above the immorality of
apartheid.
Page 2
;
Room tax:
. Eugene Mayor Brian Obie unyeiled:a
plan to raise the tax on hotel and '(hotel,
rooms from 6 percent to 9 perqpnt n\ 4iis„
annual state-of-the-city address last Mon-*
* day... He said the. tax woujd raisct'nearly,
.one third of the cost' Id expand Eugene’s
Mahlon Sweet Airport. * ’ •" ”• '
Airport'expansion is a worthy goal.
Economic * progress will be,‘hindered °
unless-the airport’s.capacity is increased. '
~ Bui a"room-fax increase would be an inafT"
propriate method of 'generating ’ the
necessary funds. * • -. . ' ‘
Obie" argues, the tax is' justified
: because those who use the airport for*
business trips stay' in hotels and motels.’
True, 'some of those who .fly into Eugene'
visit on-business, but they-usually dpt for '
larger-facilities such as the .Miltori.- The.
smaller motels and hotels” still Would be
forced to raise their rates. And;because.
. the. increase would be imposed drily on•
'.-Eugene hotels and. motels, consumers!
would be attracted to nearby Springfield’s
lower rates, • . > •
' lObie also contends the -increase.
. wduld not divert convention business to
Portland because Portland's rate’ js
already 9 percent. This may Be true, but it
seems ironic to raise -rates charged to the
very people Eugene is trying to attract.’, ’
And even with the $3 million
generated by the tax increase, officials
will be $7 million short of the region’s
$10 million share of the project's price
tag. Obie referred to additional federal or
state grants and indicated the airlines
Oregon Daily
EmeraM
The Oregon Daily Emerald Is published Monday
through Friday except during exam week and vacations
by the Oregon Oaity Emerald Publishing Co, at the
University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403
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The Emerald is private property The unlawful removal
or use of papers is prosecutable by law
General Staff
Advertising Director Susan Thelen
n^"n3,\a0er Russell Steele
Classified Advertising Vince Adam*
Assistant to the Publisher jean Ownbey
Advertising Sales David Wood Sales Manager, John
Boiler, Michael Gray, Robin Joannldes, Carlos Lamadnd
nhaC an^,u,r<1' ^,ha*n L®u,h0,d- Ju,,e Lewis, Catherine
Lilfa, Anne Mane Vramzan, Laura Willoughby
Production Vince Adams, Kelly Alexandre, Shu Shm0
Chen, Ellen Cross, Monica Dwyer, Stormi Dykes, Manuel
Flores, Steve Gibbons, Rob Hare, Mary Lewis, Jim Marks
Ann?< u",‘in' ^ary J^ay MarV McGonigal, Rob Miles
Angie Muniz, Kara Oberst, Charla Parker, Ken Parrott
Jennifer Peterson, Jim Ptafl. Geof< Ramviiie, Michele
floss. Alyson Simmons. Peg Solonika Gregory Tipps
would Jh- required tp.cbugh.up a greater0
• portiondh.tHe costs. • Wh «t H e r -or hot these
•' measures.-will raise $7. Million is- unclear.
• •. • . • • » • : • -
Other questions Remain.:unarte.\yefit»d.
The proposed. city ’income! ;.h»x.; which
'wquld’ havtf- financed airport • expansion
.ami'other'projects-' Was rejected-by > 4-1
margin in'Nov.emi>er in;pa.rtj»pca.use the,
■ entire hill.for enlarging the.airpqrt-would
have been. paid by ftu genii', -Under; the- pro
* ■ posed • room-tax increase. Eugene still
would -pay. for a- service .that residents
throughout;the county would.‘-ivjoy.
t ‘ • Obi'e asked Springfield and .the rest of
.* the . county, to. match ..the .increase, but
county officials-are, !i.keiy'to be-upenthus
ed about the jequest because they recfeh'tly
'announced plans to sebka PperconVcbUh
ty .‘rooni-tax "increase Jo fund; tourism
pipmqtioo; .
. Afstc .voters-will be dehied.the 6pp»)r
tun'jty to. vote on the proposal The fax can
be ' implemented' following City ’Council
a p pit) vail' Ob i e pro ha b I y particularly sup
ports this filature because voters rejected
• the city income-tax prbpusfjl in November
and .Oregonians as "a .w hole ^ha.ve greeted
V propejjy" tax increases with hostility,
witnessed by“ a ‘substantial increase in
school levy, failures Iasi year
Most bC these problems would be
solved.if airport.expansion whs funded by
a . countywide property-tax increase.
Voters may be less hesitant to approve a
property-tax increase' .if they are convinc
ed airport expans’oiris-a necessity.
J
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Monday, January 13,19*8(