Israel Matzav

A reminder that Goldstone had other choices

With Richard Goldstone insisting that he was just following orders, the death of another South African of his generation reminds us that there were other choices that could have been made (Hat Tip: Jennifer Rubin).

Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, 70, who helped South Africa chart a peaceful way out of apartheid by leading fellow whites into talks with exiled black leaders, died May 14 at his home in Johannesburg after being treated for a liver-related complication, Reuters reported.

...

Mr. Slabbert tried to lead, leaving behind an early career as a sociologist in academia to enter politics. He represented the Progressive Federal Party, a precursor to the current opposition Democratic Alliance, in parliament during the apartheid years. He resigned as party leader and left parliament in 1985, during a crackdown on black activists, saying the whites-only legislature was no longer relevant.

Helen Suzman -- who had promoted him as the new face of Arikanerdom and a way of making her all-white, English-dominated progressive party more inclusive and influential -- was angry and saddened when he walked away from parliamentary politics.

Soon afterward, Mr. Slabbert and rights advocate Alex Boraine formed the Institute for a Democratic Alternative in South Africa, known as Idasa, to organize meetings between whites and blacks in apartheid South Africa. The group is now the Institute for Democracy in Africa.

In 1987, Mr. Slabbert led a delegation of white South Africans to Senegal to meet the African National Congress -- which was banned in South Africa at the time but is now the country's governing party. The white government labeled Mr. Slabbert's group traitors.

In a statement Friday, South African President Jacob Zuma said Mr. Slabbert showed "courage and foresight" by going to Senegal.

There were other choices aside from 'following orders.' Small men didn't make them. Great men did.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:13 AM