Issued by: Truth and Reconciliation Commission
January 30, 1977
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission today began its monthly meeting with a full discussion on the question of anonymous leaks about alleged internal Commission issues and concerns.
We were appointed by the President to reflect a wide cross-section of South African society, so it should not come as news to anyone that we have differences of approach, opinion and mindset on many of the extraordinarily challenging issues we face. We have always acknowledged these differences and we are determined that they will not divert our attention from the objectives of the Commission. However, we are all firmly agreed on one critical issue in the current circumstances, and that is that differences on internal Commission organisation, structures and administration should be dealt with internally. Further, we will intensify our efforts to ensure that channels for resolving internal differences are more effective and better utilised.
The work of the Reparations and Rehabilitation Committee is taking off, the Amnesty Committee is gearing up for an intensive year of work, and the Human Rights Violations Committee is preparing for a major drive to increase substantially the number of statements it will take from victims. It is in these areas that we owe it to the public to provide news and information about our activities, and we agree unanimously that the focus of our endeboth publicly and internally, must be the interests of victims of human rights violations, the exposure of the truth about our past and the promotion of reconciliation.
INQUIRIES: John Allen 082- 452-7859