Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: ANC rips selection of general for probe Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 15:30:30 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \SS (WS) \HD ANC rips selection of general for probe \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT JOHANNESBURG JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The African National Congress criticized the appointment yesterday of a general to investigate allegations the military tried to smear the black group, saying it underscored the need for a new government. Government spokesman Dave Steward defended the appointment of Lt. Gen. Pierre Steyn, telling reporters Gen. Steyn will submit relevant information from his probe to an independent commission investigating political unrest. But the independent commission is not authorized to investigate the security forces as called for by the ANC and the U.N. Security Council, leaving the military in charge of investigating itself. ANC leader Nelson Mandela, in informal comments early yesterday, said President Frederik de Klerk's appointment of Gen. Steyn was an "encouraging step," but after studying the matter further, the ANC later criticized it. "The only solution for this country is to move without delay to establish a transitional executive authority, wherein all security forces are brought under multiparty control," the ANC said. The head of the independent commission, Supreme Court Judge Richard Goldstone, said Monday that evidence showed military intelligence hired Ferdi Barnard, an former policeman with two murder convictions, to lead a dirty tricks campaign against the ANC from May to December 1991. Mr. Barnard has admitted investigating the ANC but denied it involved dirty tricks. One of Gen. Steyn's tasks as the overseer of military intelligence will be to determine if Mr. Barnard is telling the truth. Mr. Steward said the military's employment of a notorious personality such as Mr. Barnard could be legitimate when it investigates opposition groups that may be involved in arms dealing and other criminal activities. "In this business of sources and paid informants . . . you'll find the people who provide information are not the people who sit on church councils," Mr. Steward said. Despite the latest crisis in ANC-government relations, both sides stressed their desire to continue negotiations aimed at ending white rule. An ANC committee accepted Wednesday the idea of sharing power with the white-led ruling party, a sign that moderates in the nation's leading black group have gained the upper hand over hard-liners. Mr. Steward said ANC talks with the government were being held regularly in an effort to resume multiparty negotiations on power sharing. The talks broke down in June over ANC protests about mounting political violence in black townships. Also yesterday, Mr. Mandela and other ANC leaders met for the first time with representatives of a new, white conservative party that favors a separate homeland for whites. The ANC opposes separate homelands, but Mr. Mandela welcomed the meeting with the Afrikaner People's Party, saying the doors to negotiations "remain wide open." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM