R epor t o n th e P r e s i de n t ' s v i si t t o pa r i s

June i5 t h t o J une 20 t h , 1986

T he o r g a n i s a Ci o n o f t h i s v i s i t' w as d i s a s t e r o u s C o s a y th e l ea s t a l t ho ug h
I h a d Cw o c o mr a d e s to as s i s C me ; Comr a d e J o h n n y w h o c a me h er e t wo week s
b ef o r e t h e Co n f e r e n c e and Co m r a d e T h a mi , who c am e f r o m Br u s s e l s to a s s i s t
xi th the organi sa ti on o f t h e ' abor t e d co n eer t . To g e t he r t h e t hr ee o f us
manage d t o f o u l u p e v e r y t h i n g .

Publi c Relati ons Officers

C omr ad e T h a m i m a d e i t q u i t e c l e a r t o me t ha t h e wa s re s ponsi bl e for s e e -

i n g t o p ubl i c r el a t i on s and t h a t h e w o u l d be going t o a ce r t ain embassy
about th i s m a t t e r . This he di d b u t di d n ot m e e t wi th th e p e r s o n w i th w h o m
he ha d t h e a p p o i n t me n t b e c a u s e I s us p ec t tha t h e wa s ho p e l e s s l y l a t e .

After t hi s i n c i d e n t h e sa i d t h a t h e would discus s t h e ma t ter wi th C o m -

rade J o h n n y t o se e w h a t t h e y c o u l d s o r t o u t . O n th e F r i d a y b e f o r e t h e
arrival of the d elegation, I d i s c u s s e d th e ma t ter wi th som e b o d y w h o as-
sured m e th a t he wo u l d lo o k in t o th e ma 'CCar a n d t h a t h e w o u l d p h o n e me
during t h e da y . I di s c uss e d th e m a tt e r wi t h Thami an d a s k e d h i m t o see
t he per so n i n q u e s t i o n . W he n t h e p e r s o n p h o n ed, T h a m i r e f u s e d t o g o a n d
see him a n d r u s h e d ou t o f t h e o f f i c e b e c a u s e he had an ap p oi ntment. I
subseq u e n tl y f o u n d o u t t h a t h e ha d g o n e to a r e c e p t i o n w i C h C o m r a d e Dan
Ci ndi .

I t h e n ma d e a n a p p oi n t me n t wi t h t h e p e r s o n c oncer ne d f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g
morning . Rs Co m r a d e J o h n n y wa s w i th m e, h e c ame a l o n g to make the neces-
s ary a r r a n g e m e n t . Th e p R O th at Thami s p ok e a b o u t n e v e r m a t e ri ali sed.

Tra n s p o r t
If at thi s l at e stage I ha d kn ow n th a t w e s ti11 had no transpor tati on,
I wo u l d h a v e a ppeale d t o t h e s a m e s o u r c e f o r a c a r . B u C a s l a t e a s Sa t u r -
d ay af t e r n oo n b e f o r e g o i n g t o Che a i r p o r t , was t o l d b y Co mr a d e J o h n n y
th a t al 1 h e h a d Co do wa s ph o n e a n d r e mi n d hi s co n t a c t . I f s ome bo d y h a d
made v a g u e p r o mi s e s or had no t p r o m i sed a t a l 1 t h a t t r a n s p o r t a C i o n was g o i n g
t o b e p r o v i d e d , nothing sh o u l d ha v e b e e n l e f C Co c h a n c e o r as t h e Chi e f
Repr e s e n t a t i v e , I sho u l d n o t h a ve pl ac e d m y t r u s t i n o c h r r s Co c a r r y o u t
Chei r p ar t of t h e w o r k d e l e g a t e d t o t h e m. t h e r e w e r e Cwo
F o r tun a t e l y ,
a mbas s a d o r s a t t h e a i r p o r t
who so k i n d l y b r o u ghC us ba c k Co Pa r i s .

On Su n d a y we had a fu l l p r o gr am m e b uC not c r a ns po r t d t i on a nd ha d co do
the u nforgivable and tak e t ax i s .

B y Mo n d e y mo rni ng, I ha d f o u n d s o m e b o d y
who h a d ch ' nec es s a r y d oc ume n t s
whi 'ch
c h e n ab
a b lleedd h i m t o h i r e a car Fo r us . T hi s e a s e d Ch e t r a n s p o r ta t i o n
prob l em .

t u c k i n g b a c k o ve r t h i s Cr a n s p o r t a t i o n t i a s c o I r eal i s e th a t we c a n n o t
use t h e e x c us e t he C car s ha d b e e n p r o mi s e d a n d t h a t t h e s e p r o mi s e s h a d
n ot b e e n k e p t . The c r u x o f t h e mat te r is t h aC we s h o u l d se r i ously l o o k
at o u r me t h o d s of w o r k ; t h e f a c t t h a t we d o n o c o ord i n a t e , t h a t w e g e t
i nvolved in m a t C e r s whi ch in m y o p i ni on are of I es s i mp o r t a n c e , e g . g o i n q
to the a i r p o r t a f e w h o u r s b e f o r e Ch e p r e s i d enC 's del e g a t i o n a r r i v e d t o
wel c o m e t h e Ge n e r a l i n s t e a d o f u s i n g t h o s e p r e c i o u s h o u r s Co s e e t h a C we
 T he w e r e ma n u m, I F r a h l > m > ,, t a r x n mp l > , l h a c c a mo l a t i o n I C o m r a l >
m> w a s x >' n > I > h >k .I I> u i I w h i c h Cur n 0 o u t t o b a ra cr m . Mo r e t h a n
l I In b >
am I nv > l v r l i n I h >' a > r I n q i n ! ot C h i n t 's p rogramme w i C h n u t
nxu l I > n < I w> l h m> wh o w I s actually responsible for arra ngi ng hi s programmo.

n I I

Th n t h r w a s t h e r on< I l wh i c h a ls o Cu r n e d o u t Co b e a fi as c o an d h ad
I I l ' e c a n c ' 1 1d . Il r r > lo a , l th i n k th e C C o mr a d e Joh nn y ha d bi
g i dea s
w h> h c o u l d no C b ' p u t i n l a p r ac t i c c. We , ( T h a mi a n d I) , c ou l
d g o a he ad
w>r h t h e t e c h n i c a l a r r a nq> m ' n t s b u t h h a d ch e k c y to th e b i g a r Ci s t s . We
kp t o n s e n d i n q t e l x s la l l O , r r p o rl in g o n o u r p r o g r e s s and r eq u es t i ng
I n format a on on th e a r t i s l s bul o n l y m ana g d t o gc t a r epl y af t e r a ppe a l l i n g
Ca l b r Pr s i dn t 's s >c r el , > r > a t . By Chat Ci me ve r y p r e ci o u s ti me h ad
l II n w a s Ce d .

When t h e c o n c e r t w s e v e n t u a l 1 y c a n ce l l e d , a c er t ai n pe r s on was i n v o l -
I ed I n t hi s d e c i s i o n - mekong who h ad n e v e r c a r e d a b o u t t h e A N C . SWAP O ,
Lho wa s c o - n r q a n i s e r o f t h e e v e n t wa s n o t i n v o l v e d i n thi s f i nal con s u l t a -
I Ion, no r w e r e t h e r e pr e s e n t a t i ves of t h e c o ordi nating c o m m i t tee
who w e r e
present a t the c on f e r en c e wh er e the d eci sion wa s t a k e n . I was j u s t i n -
formed t h a t a de c i sion ha d b e e n t a k e n . I Co o w a s not i n t h e f i na l d i s c u s s -
1 one .

The c a n - e l l a t i o n o f t h e concer t i s ha v i n g se r i o u s p o l i ti cal r e p e r c u s s -

i o n s f o r t h e A NC . P e o p l e f e e l le C down an d a r e c omp l a i n i ng a bo u t C h e
manne r i n wh i c h th e wh ol e mat t e r wa s h an d l ed . C om r a d e J o n n n y s a i d th a t
h e wa s a t t h e h al l t o mak e e x p l a n a t i o n s , but m a n y people came af ter h e
had l e f t , i n c l u d i n g a mb a s s a d o r s , consei I gene r als an d ot h e r p e r s o n a l i ti es
~mong wh o m , so m e ha d a l r e a d y m a d e d o n a t i o n s .

The l o n g a nd t h e short o f t h i s f i a s c o i s t hat A N C a n d SW A P O F ran c e a re

I ei ng held re s p o n s i ble. W e are a s k e d t o gi v e
trans l a te d c o p y o f a l e tte r which s h o u l d explanations.
I e n c l os e a
gi ve a g o o d i d e a of wh a t i s
bei n g sa i d . A FAS p A , MRAp a n d MA A a r e g e t t i n g their sh a r e o f c o m p l a i n t s
a s wel l .

We hav e a v e r y i mpor t a n t l e s s o n t o l e a r n f r o m Ch i s fi a s c o . Th e l es s on
b ean y t h a t w e sho u l d n o t l e t b i g i d e a s g e t th e b e t t e r of u s . Thi s c o n c e r t
was o r g a n i s e d o n Che u n d e r s t a n di n g th a t we we r e y o un g to ha v e f a mo u s
arti s t s to p e r f o r m . But a t t h e el e v e n t h h o u r n o t h i n g ma teri ali sed.

T he l o c a l a r t i s t s w ho a r e r e s p o n s i h i e f o r t h e d
a parthei d musi c i n th i s
evelopment of' t h e a n t i -
c o u n t r y and w h o a re ve r y po p ul ar wer e gi v en v e r y
lxttle c o n s i d e r a t i o n . If thi n g s ha d b e e n pr o p e r l y or g ani s e d g r o u p s ap -
p roac he d i n t i m e and fi r m b o o k i ngs made we w o u l d h a v e h a d a r t i sts f o r
t he e v e n i n g . Incid e n t a l l y a gr o u p Ch a t we h a d a pp r o ac he d t o p er f o r m
actua ll y tu r n e d u p a t the h a l l , s o m e o f i t s m e m b e r s h a v i ng c o m e f r o m o u t -
s id e Pa r i s . B u t a gain , t h e y c o u l d n o t b e c on t a c t e d a b o u t t h e c a n c e l l a t i o n
bec a u s e t he y we r e at w o r k .

I feel v e r y s t r o n g l y , and so d o re p r e s e n t a t i ves o f M R A p , A F A S p A an d M A A

who fo r m e d t h e c o - a r d i nati on commi t tee, an d S W A P O , t h a t w e sh o ul d no t h a ve
- a n c e l l e d t h e eve n i n g a n d ch a t w e s h o u l d h a v e taken th e o p p o r t u ni ty to
add r e s s t h e pe op l e as th ey w e r e v e r y s e r i o u s a b o u t i t b e i n g S o w e t o D a y .
Ther e w e r e a b o u t 3 , 0 0 0 d emo n s t r a t o r s i n f r o n t o f t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n e mb a s s y
hat n i gh t , ma n y o f wh o m i n t e n d e d ma k i n g thei r way t o t h e co n c e r t a f t e r -
my way b a c k t o th e h o t e l ( f r o m t h e d e mo n s t r a t i o n ) , w e m et w~
p~~pl ~ w h o wer e c omi n q to t h e c o nc er t . wh e n w e tol d t he m t h a t t he
 . ven t h a d b e e n c ancell e d , the y d e ma n d e d to k n o w wh y we
ld a me e t i n g o n S o we t o Day.

The o t h e r p r o b l e m that w e f a c e i s th a t AN C w i l l no t b e abl e to o rg r se

f u n d - r a i s i n g e v e n t h e r e soon as we w o n ' t be tak en s e r i o u s l y .

B esi de s t he ab ou t p roblems, a n u mb e r o f t hi n g s h a v e ha p p e n d t h a t p l a c e
he ANC i n a b a d p o s i ti on. F o r ex a m p l e a t t h e pr es s c onf e r en c e wh er e
Lang ( a t o u r in v i tati on) and M a r r y B e l a fo n t e a p p e a r e d to la u n c h A r ti s t s
Agar ns t A p a r t h e i d , B r e y t e n b a c h m a d e a n a pp e a r a n c e a n d t ook th e p l a t f o r m
(although Comr a d e J o h n n y h a d r e q u e s t e d t h a t h e d o e s n o t a t t e n d ) . B r ey ten -
bach , w h o j u s t a f e w we ek s p reviously i n an i n t e r vi e w wi t h L e Mo n d e h a d
sa r d , a mo n g o t h e r a n t i - A NC t h i n g s , t h a t th e A N C w a s a m yst er y i n S o u t h
I fri ca, spoke o n s o u t h A f r i ca. w ha t w e sho u l d b e v e r y cl ea r on is t h a t
wen L a n g i s i nvi ted, i t is li k e i n vi ti ng B r e y t e n b a c h .

guestions t h a t ar e b eing rai sed he r e a r e , w h y wa s n o b o d y f r o m t h e A N C

at the p r e s s c o n f e r e n c e a n d f o r th a t matt er , o n t h e p l a t f o r m an d w h y d i d
Comr a d e J o h n n y le a v e t h e r o o m ju s t a f ter the c o n f e r e n c e ha d s tar t e d .

Now abou t th e l a u n c h in g o f th e A r ti sts Against A p a r t h ei d : s u c h a c o m -

mitteeee already ex i sts, ha v i ng b e e n la u n c h e d b y t h e Y o u n g c o m m u n i s t s b e f o r e
the Ne l s o n H a n d e l a Fe S ti Val . AN C kn e w ab ou t th i s. A v e r y i m p r e s s i ve l i s t
of ar t i s t s a g a i n s t a p a r t h e i d i n F r a n c e ha s a l rea dy be e n d r a w n up . W e ca n
ask wh e t h e r i t was ne c e s s a r y t o l a u n c h a se c o n d c o m m i ttee. I h a d th o u g h t
that we ha d fo r g o t t e n a b o u t t h i s i d e a a f t e r i t ha d be e n m e n t i o n e d a t a c o -
ordi nati ng meetin g t h a t su c h a co m m i t t e e h a d already been s e t up. The p r o -
blem th a t we n o w f a c e i s h o w th e s e tw o A A A 's ar e g o i ng t o b e r e c o n c i led.
9n this q u e s t i o n t h e Y o u n g c o m m u n i s t s f e e l ve r y le t down by th e A N C as t h e y
know t h a t w e w e r e i nvolved i n t h e l a u n c h i n g o f th e s e co n d c o m m i t tee. I
thi nk that t h e y a r e r i g h t f u l l y d i s a p p o i n t e d as t h e y h a v e w o r k e d v e r y h a r d
generally on th e q u e s t i o n o f ap a r t h e id an d parti cularly on a pa r t h ei d s p o r t s

As far as th e A N C a n d t h e c o ordinat ing c o m m i t t e e f o r t h e c o n c e r t i s

conce r n e d , we ha v e wa s t e d ti m e , ene r g y a n d mon e y . I n v i t a t i on s a n d l e t t er s
w er e p r i n t ed a n d p os t ed .

T his o f f i c e h a d T h a m i h ere s i n c e a f t e r t h e B r u s s e l s c o n f e r e n c e . A lot

of mone y w e n t i nto hi s kee p, i ndi scri mi nate pri va te use o f t h e t e l ep h on e
and po s t aye n o t t o m e n t i o n the la n g u a g e th a t wa s u s e d wh e n h e wa s ha v i ng
el tercati
erca ti ons ons wi th a woma n, o r w h e n t h i s sa m e w o m a n c o m e t o t h i s of f i c e
t wo o c c a s i o n a n d wa s respon s i b l e f o r k i c k i n g up s u c h a n o is e . w he n
spok e t o Th a mi a b o u t t hi s h e t hought that I was tr e a t i n g h i m l i k e a c h i 1 d

Besi d e s t hi s , h e offen ded a pe r s o n w h o g i v e a l m o s t al 1 her spa re ti me

to assist t h e A N C voluntarily. Th o b s c e n e r ema r k s h a v e r e s u l t e d i n h er
n o t w a n t i n g t o c o me to thi s offi ce. T h e q ue s t i o n t h a t is b e i ng p o s e d i s
is ANC n o t us e d t o w o r k i ng wi th wom e n as e q u a l s . A qa i n o n e i s s ad d l e d
wi th a p r o b l e m that mu s t b e s o r te d o u t at a l l c o s t s . I have a l r e a dy r e -
p or t e d t hi s ma t t e r t o Co mr a d e Johnny .

Afte r h a vi n g b r o u gh t my s e l f t o wri t e t hi s r e po r t ask m y s e l f ~ he r e

does on n e g o f r om h er e ? To answe r t h i s q ues ti on I c a n o nl y s a y t h a t we
mus t seri ousl y examine our a t r o c i o us met h o d s o f wo r k and o u r a tti tude t o -
ards p e o p l e . A n d i n the f i n a l an a l ysi s, i t is I w h o s h a l l h a v e t o t r y
o un d o wh a t h a s b een do n e h er e .