End Conscription Campaign

The End Conscription Campaign was an anti-apartheid organisation allied to the United Democratic Front (UDF) and comprised of conscientious objectors and their supporters in South Africa. It was formed in 1983 to oppose the conscription of all white South African men into military service in the South African Defence Force.

Apartheid Government's Policy on Compulsory Military Conscription

The apartheid government had a policy of compulsory conscription for white men who were expected to perform military service at regular intervals. Increasingly stringent laws were passed increasing periods of service, broadening the base of eligible white men who could be called up, and providing stringent sentences for those men who objected. Conscripts provided the major part of South African Defence Force (SADF) and South African Police(SAP) personnel. They were seen to support the government's policies with actions against liberation movements, exercises in the black townships and the repression of anti-apartheid activities.

1983 The End Conscription Campaign Formed

The End Conscription Campaign (ECC) was formed in 1983, in protest against compulsory military service. It mobilised support for its campaigns, proposed service alternatives, supported conscientious objectors and provided a forum for the public with information and education on conscription and the alternatives. Conscientious objection was a serious choice as the consequences were severe. The reasons for conscientious objection included political, ethical and religious reasons. Some religious organisations, parent groups and student organisations such as the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) also engaged in anti-conscription activities. At its peak, conscription in South Africa consisted of two years of mandatory military service, followed by camps at intervals. Under apartheid, the call-up applied to all white men after completing their schooling or further studies.

Objections against War and participation in the Apartheid State

Objections to military service and the War in Angola were generally based on the role of the military and security forces in enforcing the policy of apartheid. Although South Africa's defence forces were active against various liberation movements in Southern Africa and the frontline states ( countries bordering the republic including Angola, South West Africa (now Namibia) and Mozambique), suppressing a guerrilla war, they also waged war against Swapo and Cuban forces in a conventional war at the battle of Cuito Curnevale. The military had also became increasingly active in suppressing a civil war in South Africa's black townships.

Those who refused military service were subject to contempt from the minority white community, and left with the choice of either going underground (internal exile) fleeing the republic (external exile) or imprisonment of up to double the length of the allotted military service. Many conscripts simply went Absent Without Leave (AWOL), failed to arrive at BASICS (training) or got lost in the system.

The End Conscription Campaign, one of many anti-war movements alongside Congress of South African War Resistors (COSAWR) mobilised against the draft, promoted alternatives to military service, provided information about the situation in the townships and support to those brave enough to speak out against the war, as conscientious objectors.

1985 Troops out of the Townships

In 1985, the ECC held the "Troops out of the Townships" rally and were overwhelmingly successful in demonstrating the growing dissatisfaction within the white community, with the government of the day

The rally was preceded by a three-week fast by objectors Ivan Toms, Harold Winkler and Richard Steele.

1987 Group of 15 refuse military call-up

In 1987, a group of 15 conscientious objectors, including Cameron Dugmore, then University of Cape Town Students Representative Council Chairperson and Jonathan Handler, South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) Chairperson, refused to do military service in the Apartheid war machine. Handlers' objection was based upon the notion of an "Unjust War" as opposed to the Pacifist position held by many Christian students.

1988 ECC Banned

The organisation itself was also banned in 1988, and in a press statement Adriaan Vlok who was by that time the Minister of Law and Order said: "The changes posed by the activities of the End Conscription Campaign to the safety of the public, the maintenance of public order and the termination of the State of Emergency, leave no other choice than to act against the ECC and to prohibit the organisation from continuing any activities or acts."

After the End Conscription Campaign was banned hundreds of white South African war resistors refused the call-up, and conscription into the War in Angola and Civil War raging in South Africa's Black Townships. Some dodged the draft, others fled the country, some stood-up and faced the consequences for what they believed. None were ever given recognition by either the South African government or the newly elected democracy.

1989 Forced Conscription shortened

In 1989, conscription was reduced from two years to one year, and during the negotiation period from 1990 to 1994 was less rigorously enforced. A Kairos campaign against conscription was the 1989 Campaign focussing on the End Conscription Campaign with participation of Alistair Teeling Smith, Rob Watson and Mandy Tailor. Saul Batzofin, 27, a member of the End Conscription Campaign, was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment in 1989 for refusing to serve in the South African Defence Force. After he had completed his sentence he later told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that he wanted to apply for amnesty to clear his criminal record. Although he was proud to have been a conscientious objector, the record caused difficulties with visa applications for foreign countries.

During September 1989, thirty Stellenbosch conscientious objectors joined more than 700 listed COs nation-wide by publicly refusing to do military service. The National Registry of Conscientious Objectors was also launched.Argus, Thursday 21, September 1989

1993 The End of Conscription Announced

On 24 August 1993 Minister of Defence Kobie Coetsee announced the end of conscription. In 1994 there would be no more call-ups for the one-year initial training. But although conscription was suspended it was not entirely abandoned. Indeed in January 1994 for the first time there was no call-up for initial training, but at the same time conscripts who had already undergone training could be subject to "camp" call-ups. Actually "camp" call-ups reached record proportions over the period of the April 1994 elections, and for the first time in history the ECC called on conscripts to consider these call-ups to be different from previous call-ups.

1994 Conscription Morotorium

Until the August 1994 moratorium on prosecutions for not responding to call-ups, several of those who did not respond to "camp" call-ups were fined. After the first multi-racial election in 1994, conscription has no longer applied in South Africa and the civilian draft has been exchanged for a professional standing army.

End Conscription Cases

Prominent cases of conscripts refusing to serve included: Philip Wilkinson; Ivan Toms (now the Director of City Health, Cape Town), David Bruce, Charles Bester, Saul Batzofin, Andre Zaaiman, Billy Paddock, Neil Mitchell, Charles Yeats, Brett Myrdal.

Forces Favourites and Musicians against Conscription

In 1986, Shifty Records released Forced Favourites in conjunction with the ECC. Named after a radio programme for "tannie en sussie to stuur groete to boetie who was doing his bit op die grens. (Or in English for the benefit of our international readers a dedications programme for family to send greetings to the boys fighting on the borders of South Africa).

The ironically titled "Forces Favourites" compilation features some of the strongest political songs of the time.

Pambere - Mapantsula
National Madness - Aeroplanes
Potential Mutiny - Stan James
Numbered Again - The Facts
Shot Down In The Streets - Cherry Faced Lurchers
Don't Dance - Kalahari Surfers
Whitey - The Softies
Don't Believe - In Simple English
Too Much Resistance - Nude Red
Spaces Tell Stories - Roger Lucy
Suburban Hum - Jennifer Fergusson

External links

Kairos collection documents about conscription in South Africa

Refusing to bear arms: a world survey of conscription and conscientious objection to military service

References

Sources

Out of Step; War Resistance in South Africa. CIIR, 1987

KAIROS documents http://www.wits.ac.za/histp/kairos/AG2918series7.html

Anti-Apartheid organisations | Conscientious objection | Peace organizations

Gourt Home::Gourt :: End Conscription Campaign