9. Hearing on Abductions by South Africa in the frontline states, 1988

Index

Held in Amsterdam on the 16th December 1988 in the Municipal Hall of the city of Amsterdam.

Organized by the Anti Apartheid Move­ment Netherlands (AABN).

 

The proceedings of the Hearing included the poignant testimo­nies of victims of abduction and their questioning by the two prosecu­tors Gay McDougall and Boris Dittrich and the panel.

The panel consisted of:

Professor dr. Reg Austin, Zimbabwe

Professor Kader Asmal, Dublin

Dr. Karel Roskam, journalist

Mr. Willem van Manen, lawyer in Amsterdam, and observer at the trial of Helene Passtoors in 1986

Mr. Jan Willems, lecturer in Maastricht

Mr. Meindert Stelling, chairman Dutch Lawyers for Peace

 

Prosecutors:

Ms. Gay McDougall, Director of the Southern Africa Project of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights in Washington

Mr. Boris Dittrich, former lawyer in Amsterdam, judge in Alk­maar, attended political trials in South Africa.

 

Testimonies by abducted persons:

Joe Pillay

Ms. Grace Cele

Ms. Khumbuzile Maphumulo

Swiss nationals: Ms. Corinne Bischof and Daniel Schneider

 

Furthermore the expert witnesses:

Chris Watters

Ismael Ayob

 

Publications:

. Beyond Fear: Ebrahim Ismael Ebrahim versus the Apartheid State by Rudi Boon, 56 pages, 1988.

. The Crime of Kidnapping: Abductions by South Africa from the Frontline States by Roskam and Dittrich, 55 pages, 1989. This booklet contains the proceedings of the Hearing and trans­criptions of the testimonies.

 

Material shot by Maarten Rens via video and sound system at the city hall

NB. Some of the tapes with a humming sound.

 

00:01:03-01:02:13   [SECTION 1

. Opening the Hearing, introducing the panel and prosecutors by Conny Braam,      chairlady AABN.

. 12.37" Gay McDougall, introduction and on Ebrahim case.

. 20.40" Testimony Grace Cele, abducted from Swaziland on the 12th of December 1986, a discon­certing story. Panel questions.

. 50’ The case of Ebrahim Ismael Ebrahim, abducted in Mbabane, Swa­ziland on       the 15th of December 1986. His affidavit read by prosecutor Boris Dittrich.

 

Tape includes shots of the audience and mayor of Amsterdam, mr. Ed van Thijn.

 

00:02:01-01:04:30   [SECTION 1

. Reading affidavit of Ebrahim by Dittrich contd.

. 8’ Joe Pillay, SA national, abducted 19 February 1981 from Manzi­ni- a bewildering statement and experience. Questioned by the panel.

. 30.40" Ms.Khumbuzile Maphumulo, S.A. national, kidnapped in Swazi­land the night of 12 December 1986. Her husband died in the car of the abductors.

Questioned by the panel.

. 52’ A request by cable of the mayor of Haarlem to release Ebrahim is read.

. 53’ Corinne Bischof, Swiss, together with Daniel Schneider was abducted on the 12th of December in Swaziland - her story.

               

00:02:02-01:03:25   [SECTION 1]

. Bisschof contd.

. 18’ Daniel Schneider, Swiss national, was abducted on the 12th of December in Swaziland: his story, the international (Swiss) response and their release.

 It was the same case as Bischof.

From 24.17" till 25.30" McDougall reads transcript of statement president Botha about the abduction case on SABC.

. 33’ Expert witness Chris Watters, defender of Ebrahim on Municipal Law and questions from the panel.

. 01.03" Expert wittness Ismael Ayob, attorney of Mandela.

 

00:01:01-01:02:48   [SECTION 1]

. Ayob contd. on domestic law and Prisoner of War status etc and questioning.

. 23.50" Kader Asmal as expert witness on international law aspects with regard to abduction and questioning.

. 50.50" Summation by Gay McDougall.