'Day of Dialogue' Addresses Controversy on South Africa

About 100 people yesterday attended a comprehensive series of discussions on South Africa, which analyzed the current status and history of the apartheid state along with United States involvement in the country.

The series of afternoon talks at the Kennedy School included experts from several universities and South African political groups, in addition to two undergraduate speakers.

Approximately 40 people attended a wrap-up discussion at Leverett House in the evening.

The "day of dialogue" was first suggested during a hunger strike held last spring by several Harvard undergraduates who were fasting to protest the University's policy on divestiture, said S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard race relations Foundation, which co-sponsored the event.

"After that I sat down with those eight students and President Bok and we made a commitment that this year we would hold a major symposium on South Africa," he added.

The event, also sponsored by Leverett House, was the first program on South Africa at Harvard to cover such a wide range of viewpoints on such a large number of issues, said Counter.

Apartheid conditions in South Africa have sparked lively debate at Harvard for many years, in part because Harvard owns stock in many companies that do business in the country.

"The issues of South Africa have been hotly debated on campus for a long time," said John E. Dowling '57, master of Leverett House. "But too many of us don't know as many facts as we would like."

During the discussion of U.S. policies in South Africa, Randall Robinson of Trans Africa, a Black-American lobby group for Africa and the Caribbean criticized the U.S. government and businesses still doing business in the apartheld state, contending they have not divested because "it is one of the most profitable investments anywhere."

After detailing the extent of U.S. involvement in the South African business sector, he added. "The Reagan administration's stupidity is illustrated by their encouragement on investment."

But John Chettle of the South Africa Foundation, a private group which reports to South Africa on American sentiment on these argued that "South Africa does not need isolation but more American investment."

"The important point is that this country [the U.S.] has experience and there is a crying out for that experience in South Africa by all races," he said. "American corporations are our allies in the flight against apartheid," he added.

He also attacked the opponents of the South Africa government by claiming that "some members of the panel have been trapped in a balloon since the 1960s. People are unaware that changes have been taking place."

Quiet Crowd

Although the speeches drew hissing or shouts from the crowd a few times, the audience remained quiet and calm throughout the program.

In another session a member of the African National Congress, the oldest opposition group in South Africa's Progressive Federal Party, disagreed about the way to change conditions in South Africa today.

Gonway, a Center for International Affairs fellow, stressed that "evolutionary change" is necessary, and that both whites and Blacks must "use the system" and work within the framework of the country's constitution to bring about the necessary changes.

During the dialogue on the history of South Africa Leonard Thompson, a Yale professor, gave a chronology of major events in South Africa's history. He stressed that the nation had a rich history prior to 1652, when whites from Holland settled there.

University of Massachusetts professor Agrey Mbere gave an analysis of the development of capitalism in South Africa and how it contributed to apartheid.

The two undergraduates, Errol T. Louis '84 and Carla D. Williams '86, along with Andrew Clarkson '75, served as moderators, summarizing the speeches and posing questions to the debators.

Louis and Williams, who are Crimson editors, participated in last spring's fast. Clarkson, who is currently doing research for a Harvard professor, was reportedly active in the divestiture movement as an undergraduate.

The program was taped and may be broadcast on the National Public Radio network

"The important point is that this country [the U.S.] has experience and there is a crying out for that experience in South Africa by all races," he said. "American corporations are our allies in the flight against apartheid," he added.

He also attacked the opponents of the South Africa government by claiming that "some members of the panel have been trapped in a balloon since the 1960s. People are unaware that changes have been taking place."

Quiet Crowd

Although the speeches drew hissing or shouts from the crowd a few times, the audience remained quiet and calm throughout the program.

In another session a member of the African National Congress, the oldest opposition group in South Africa's Progressive Federal Party, disagreed about the way to change conditions in South Africa today.

Gonway, a Center for International Affairs fellow, stressed that "evolutionary change" is necessary, and that both whites and Blacks must "use the system" and work within the framework of the country's constitution to bring about the necessary changes.

During the dialogue on the history of South Africa Leonard Thompson, a Yale professor, gave a chronology of major events in South Africa's history. He stressed that the nation had a rich history prior to 1652, when whites from Holland settled there.

University of Massachusetts professor Agrey Mbere gave an analysis of the development of capitalism in South Africa and how it contributed to apartheid.

The two undergraduates, Errol T. Louis '84 and Carla D. Williams '86, along with Andrew Clarkson '75, served as moderators, summarizing the speeches and posing questions to the debators.

Louis and Williams, who are Crimson editors, participated in last spring's fast. Clarkson, who is currently doing research for a Harvard professor, was reportedly active in the divestiture movement as an undergraduate.

The program was taped and may be broadcast on the National Public Radio network

Gonway, a Center for International Affairs fellow, stressed that "evolutionary change" is necessary, and that both whites and Blacks must "use the system" and work within the framework of the country's constitution to bring about the necessary changes.

During the dialogue on the history of South Africa Leonard Thompson, a Yale professor, gave a chronology of major events in South Africa's history. He stressed that the nation had a rich history prior to 1652, when whites from Holland settled there.

University of Massachusetts professor Agrey Mbere gave an analysis of the development of capitalism in South Africa and how it contributed to apartheid.

The two undergraduates, Errol T. Louis '84 and Carla D. Williams '86, along with Andrew Clarkson '75, served as moderators, summarizing the speeches and posing questions to the debators.

Louis and Williams, who are Crimson editors, participated in last spring's fast. Clarkson, who is currently doing research for a Harvard professor, was reportedly active in the divestiture movement as an undergraduate.

The program was taped and may be broadcast on the National Public Radio network