P.M. hits back at S.A. sports links criticism

Press, 1 July 1983, Page 1

P.M. hits back at S.A. sports links criticism

PA Wellington Criticism of New Zealand’s anti-apartheid record by the United Nations special committee chairman, Ambassador Victor Gbeho, of Ghana, was rebutted by the Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon yesterday.

He said that Ghana was hardly in a position to criticise New Zealand. “I think Ghana's record in the field of human rights is one that cannot Stand up to scrutiny in any circumstances,” Mr Muldoon told journalists. Speaking in London at a conference onl sanctions against apartheid sport, Mr Gbeho said New Zealand had persisted in collaborating with South Africa. He also said New Zealand was led by a reactionary Government and a Prime Minister who was insensitive to the aspirations of the Third World.

However, Mr Muldoon said, “This is only the comment of one individual who is chairman of this group. We would certainly take notice of criticism from someone representing that country.” Mr Gbeho said New Zealand anti-apartheid protesters were being harassed and jailed. Mr Muldoon said, “They are, when they break the law.”

The conference called on the New Zealand Government to “bring about” the cancellation of next month’s visit to South Africa by seven All Blacks, and called for a co-ordinated international campaign to stop the 1985 All Black tour of South Africa.

The conference also urged the International Olympic Committee (1.0. C. to institute a code of conduct and take action against countries which continued sports contacts with South Africa.

In his closing statement, Mr Gbeho singled out Britain and the United States also for criticism. “The United States Government has done virtually nothing in support of the campaign (to discourage sports contacts with South Africa), while the British and New Zealand Governments have lacked firmness in dealing with violators of the Gleneagles Agreement and the Commonwealth Code of Conduct,” he said. “Quite apart from the fact that such an attitude violates various United Nations and Commonwealth decisions, it constitutes a direct support for apartheid which sportsmen and women of conscience can no longer tolerate.

“If this collaboration does not cease and if these three countries do not change their attitude, we fear that they will be needlessly endangering the 1984 Olympics and other international meetings subsequently.”

Mr Gbeho said that the New Zealand anti-tours

leader, John Minto, who has been attending the conference, had been “dragged through the courts, reduced to penury and humiliated." Speaking after the conference, Mr Minto said, “future action taken by international organisations in relation to New Zealand will largely depend on how the Government reacts from now on.”

“Over the next two weeks I think it is very important for our Government to be seen to be taking a much stronger stand against the tour, particularly by making a direct request to the Rugby Union and the players not to go.” Participants in the conference included the Commonwealth Secretary-Gen-eral, Sir Shridath Ramphal; the president of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa, Dr Abraham Ordia; the U.N. Assistant Secretary-General, Mr Enuga Reddy; the former British Sports Minister, Mr Denis Howell; the International Amateur Athletic Federation secretary, Mr John Holt; the former Commonwealth Games Federation secretary, Mr Sandy Duncan; the chief of the sanctions section of the Organisation for African Unity, Dr Solomon Gomez; the Ethiopian Sports Minister, Mr Tsegaw Ayele; the Sanroc chairman, Mr Sam Ramsamy; and representatives of the Algerian, Botswana, Chinese, East German, Libyan, Nigerian, Tanzanian, Soviet Union and Zimbabwe Olympic Committees.