South Africa

Since the press activities have been curtailed, we hear very little of the children and young adults being detained, brutalized and tortured on a daily basis.

I agree with Coretta King (Op-Ed Page, June 27) that any regime that denies its people basic human rights and hides behind the state-of-emergency decree in order to abuse and repress innocent people is certainly a terrorist regime.

That the white government (in South Africa) is expert in cover-up tactics of banning and silencing the people, the media and any and all opposition to its cruelty is evident.

We have first-hand knowledge of the two-faced operations of South Africa. We happened to be in a tour group in 1976 during the Soweto uprisings. We were not allowed to see any negatives. The black, smoked-filled cloud hanging over Soweto, seen at a distance, was the result of the smoke of the native cooking pots of the township, we were told by the white guide.

Ever so carefully, we were escorted to view the terrain, plant and animal life. There was nothing in the newspapers to alert us to the slaughter going on in the township of Soweto. Not until we got home did we learn of it. We had experienced deception in action.

While our experience was minuscule, it was a part of an established pattern of lies and deceptions to cover up terrorist brutalities and massacres of black people.

Our government by association, should not condone this evil regime by looking for excuses to support it.

VERA JACKSON

Corona