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NEWS ÜVERVIEW
Understandi World Events and Trends
Zulu Chief
Urges
Moderation
E
veryone, it seems,
knows what South Africa
should do about its complex
racial issues. But few seem
to really understand exactly
what those issues are and
what the results would be
if their ideas were carried
out.
In a
World Opinion
Update ,
52 percent of
Canadians, for example,
admitted that they had not
" heard or read anything
about the racial policies" of
the South African
government. Yet only 5
percent answered " don' t
know" when asked what
Canada should do about the
situation in South Africa .
One man whose views
are seldom heard outside
his native South Africa is
Mangosuthu Gatsha
May 1986
Buthelezi, who opposes the
government's apartheid
policy but who also is
against demands for
economic sanctions and
disinvestment. He seeks
solutions by nonviolent
means that will encourage
cooperation among all
ethnic groups.
" lf we destroy the
productive capacity of the
[South Africanj economy,
millions of people will
starve," Dr. Buthelezi has
said. Sanctions would
actually hurt blacks the
most. In a speech befare
legislators in California, he
told blacks and liberals in
the United States not lo get
involved in the affairs of
South Africa. Rather they
should inform themselves
and come to the conclusion
"that it would be
counterproductive for them
lo willfully destroy the South
African economy."
The Zulu chief refuses to
order his people into a
violent confrontation with the
white government. Dr.
Buthelezi is a toe of the
communist-backed African
National Congress (ANC),
whose aim is the violen!
overthrow of the South
African government. He
accuses the ANC of
exhorting blacks to kili
blacks who refuse to take
part in violence.
Dr. Buthelezi hopes that
South Africa can learn from
other countries that were
formerly ruled by white
minorities. He said in a
speech quoted by
South
African Oigest :
"When
1
see
how many countries in Africa
have not got enough food
for their populations ,
1
often
wonder whether those who
advocate the destruction of
the economy ... [want to
reduce) South Africa to a
state of economic ruin so
that we also can look
forward to a dependence on
crumbs of charity from the
West alter liberation." •
Plan
Promotes
Forest
Preservation
E
ach year agriculture,
rural development and
logging claim sorne 27
million acres of forest in 56
countries. Sorne 500 to
1,000 plant and animal
species are wiped out
annually, and more than one
thousand million people are
affected.
In addition, in Europe and
North America acid rain and
other pollutants damage
large wooded sections. In
N
early half of al/ U.S.
deaths are caused
by cardiovascular
disease. Other /eading
causes of death,
according to the U.S.
Public Health Service,
are, in
orde~ canee~
accidents and lung
dísease.
the Mediterranean region,
tires are the main threat. In
arid areas deforestation has
speeded up the spread of
deserts.
The World Bank, United
Nations Development
Program and World
Resources lnstitute have
combined lo formulate a
plan to hall the problem,
emphasizing the principies of
reforestation and intelligent
forest management. The
plan will cost US$8,000
million and is intended to
increase the nations'
commitment lo protecting
forests.
" Forests are vital for the
environmental stability of our
planet and the quality of lite
on it," said Edouard
Saouma, director of the
United Nations Food
and Agricultura!
Organization. •