This is the last part i want to share from this book, but once again suggest that you grab a copy and read it in its entirety, especially if you are a white South African trying to get a fuller education of this country’s history.
This is a letter that Frank Chikane wrote on the 26th June 1986 that is addressed to the Institute For Contextual Theology but would have done well to land in the hand of every pastor in every church at that time. What is incredible is seeing the alternative response of violence he feared might be the inevitable solution [and breathe deeply on how we somehow managed to avoid that] and to ask what type of letter might be written today which should be placed in the hands of every pastor and Chris-following leader across the land with reference to unity and reconciliation and restitution and justice and more…
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Dear Friends,
Events have been happening so fast that it looks like ages after one had visited Europe. Maybe it is because since the last three weeks or so the whole face of South Africa has changed radically. Suddenly people can be detained and kept in prison indefinitely or for periods of six months for no particular crime or misdeed. If a policeman thinks you should be removed, he can do so without explaining his action.
No publication of names of those who is detained is allowed. Even passing information from one family member to another about a detained brother or sister could constitute an offence. And in all this, one has no recourse to a court of law or justice. Because of this strange new face of South Africa, many people have disappeared and it is very difficult now to make out whether some are in detention, in hiding, dead or have left the country. Those who have some information, those who have seen residents in the township gunned down along the streets, cannot make their witness known.
This brings us to the witness of the Church in South Africa. Is it still possible under the circumstances where no one is allowed by ‘law’ to critique the regime, its State of Emergency, and its security forces? Is it still possible to be a conscience of the State? Is it still possible to minister effectively to the black masses of South Africa who are victims of this system when one cannot talk about their suffering, pain and death? When one cannot even talk about the evil that is responsible for this death? The Catholic Church cannot even announce that its General Secretary, so and so, is detained or deported. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church cannot even announce that its Moderator, so and so, is detained. How does the Church carry lout its mission under the circumstances?
Given this set-up, the people of South Africa, especially the victims, are looking forward to the Church as their only Salvation at this stage. Is it possible that the Church could go on according to the emergency regulations, where using a descriptive word (adjective) would fall within the law? Or is the Church going to submit and be quiet? Is this not the time when the whole church should go to prison and join the people there rather than imprison itself by subjecting itself to these regulations? Is this not the time when the Church should say now in a louder voice than ever before that ‘WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN’ (Acts 5.29) – when the Church is faced with this kairos in the country and in its history? Shouldn’t the Church review what the Lordship of Christ means at this stage?’
This is the time, the moment of truth. As the Kairos Document says that there is ‘no place to hide and no way of pretending to be what we are not in fact. At this moment in South Africa, the Church is about to be shown up for what it really is and no cover-up will be possible’ (p.1).
Most of you will remember that I said after the end of March that if the Botha regime did not accede to the demands of the people, there will be only two options in the offing for us, that, either the International Community (particularly the USA, the UK, West Germany, France, Switzerland, and Japan) put pressure on South Africa to change peacefully by taking to the people’s leadership, or the other option which is too ghastly to contemplate: direct violent confrontation between the forces of apartheid and the oppressed masses of South Africa. This will be brutal, merciless and cost millions in life, leaving a trail of maimed people and a devastated country. A determination of the people to die for their freedom and the determination of the regime to preserve white domination and apartheid at all costs spell only death and death ahead.
The tragedy of our situation is that the five Western countries I referred to above and Japan have come out clearly that they are not going to apply pressure on their partner in the oppression and exploitation of the black people of South Africa. The fact is that, unless these Western powers and Japan are pressured by their own people, who must also be prepared to sacrifice in this regard, they are not going to move on a purely moral basis. Where capital, profits and power are involved, there is no room for morality!
This leaves us with the option I said is ‘too ghastly to contemplate’. This option has already been embarked on and the world is going to see the type of violence it has never seen before in the days ahead of us. Maybe we, as South Africans, are caled to face this reality. May God help us to die in faith with a clear goal in mind, the Kingdom of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Belonging to the one Body of Christ, we are looking forward to your solidarity, support and prayers in this regard.
Your fellow brother in Christ
Frank Chikane (Rev.)
General Secretary
NB: Letter written from the Wilderness. Is it not in Midian, or is it here in the land of my birth? Or have we already moved to the west side of the wilderness, and come to Horeb, ‘the mountain of God’, to be reckoned with God? Yes, it is real wilderness away from the family, friends, with no freedom to walk along the streets of the country of one’s birth.
[…] [For the next passage dealing with Violence Avoided, click here] […]