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Journalism of Courage
JOHANNESBURG, July 25: South African President Nelson Mandela and former president F W de Klerk have been summoned to testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, investigating the alleged human rights violations during the apartheid era.
The TRC8217;s decision to summon the two leaders comes following accusations made by General Johan Van der Merwe, a former police commissioner, that Mandela and Klerk were 8220;fully aware8221; of the 1994 bombing of a building allegedly carried out by the police.
Merwe, who had applied for amnesty to the TRC, told the commission that he urged the two leaders to drop the investigation into the bombing of the headquarters of council of churches and the trade union federation in Johannesburg.
The TRC, which was established more than two years ago, is finalising its investigations into the alleged human rights violations during the apartheid regime. Meanwhile, a former police commissioner, Adriaan Vlok, who has also applied for amnesty to the commission along withVan der Merwe and other 30 generals, accused Klerk and another former president P W Botha, of being fully aware of the police actions in bombing of the building.
Police Commissioner Vlok said Botha had issued instructions for the bombing of Khotso house, headquarters of the South African Council of Churches, because he wanted to neutralise the church, trade unions and the United Democratic Front UDF, who were opposed to the racial discrimination.
Chief Investigator of TRC, Dumisa Ntsebeza, said that the commission is empowered to call Mandela and de Klerk to testify before the commission. 8220;Our job is to get to the truth and we would like to hear what President Mandela and de Klerk have to say about the allegations,8221; he said, adding, that Botha would also be called to testify. Botha had previously been called to testify about the actions of the State Security Council, where he appeared and defended his actions. A spokesman for President Mandela said that the president would be 8220;only too willing totestify.8221;
