Message from: TransAfrica

For contact information see also:

http://www.africaaction.org/adna

contact: Mwiza Munthali" <mwiza.munthali@verizon.net>

Jubilee South Africa's Apartheid Debt and Reparations Campaign Media Statement

Friday, 21 February 2003

Backing for International Apartheid Reparations Grows

Jubilee South Africa welcomes the filing of a further major apartheid reparations complaint against international corporations and banks that aided and abetted the apartheid state, in the New York Eastern District Court today.

Despite growing international popular opinion that the multinational banks and businesses that propped up and profited from apartheid abuses should acknowledge their complicity and take measures to repair the damage their actions made possible, the corporations have refused to take responsibility for their actions.

The campaign is now being backed up by concerned and highly respected members of the legal fraternity. Finkelstein, Thompson and Lougrhan, the American legal firm filing today's complaint, have a long and distinguished history in class action litigation.

The complaint names seven banks, and twelve international corporations from Germany, Switzerland, Britain, the United States, the Netherlands and France.

Instead of threatening undue economic and political pressure on South Africa to stop the call for apartheid reparations, the corporations and the governments of their home countries should respect the right of citizens to legal recourse, as has the South African government.

The relevant European and American governments should support the South African government in its position regarding the lawsuits, acknowledging that the rule of international human rights law must be upheld.

We have always indicated that several legal suits would be filed by various groups of victims and lawyers.

In today's complaint and those that preceded it, South Africans express their commitment to the future of apartheid's victims, to the protection of human rights, and to the rule of law.

For comment please contact:

South Africa: Neville Gabriel, Spokesperson: Apartheid Debt & Reparations Campaign,

cell. +27 83 449 3934

Charles Abrahams, Lawyer: Jubilee SA,

cell. +27 82 560 7152

Germany: Dieter Simon or Theo Kniefel,

German Campaign for Apartheid-Caused Debt Cancellation & Reparations,

tel. +49 521 986 4851

Switzerland: Mascha Madoerin,

Swiss Camapign for Apartheid-Caused Debt Cancellation & Reparations,

tel. +41 61 693 1700

Joe Elsener,

Swiss Campaign for Apartheid-Caused Debt Cancellation & Reparations,

tel. +41 41 375 7223

USA: Bill Fletcher, President: TransAfrica Forum, tel. +1 202 223 1960

American Lawyers: Douglas Thompson, Jr., Finkelstein, Thompson, Loughran,

tel. +1 202 337 8000

Michael Hausfeld, Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll PLLC, tel. +1 202 408 4600

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This message from TransAfrica is distributed through the Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)

Nunu Kidane

Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)

Communications Facilitator for ADNA

Africa Action

1634 Eye Street, NW, #810,

Washington, DC 20006, USA.

Tel: (202) 546-7961 Fax: (202) 546-1545

http://www.africaaction.org