TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library
TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library
TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library
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<strong>TRIBUTE</strong> TO TUSK <strong>ABDUL</strong> RAHMAN<br />
together with Mr. Louw at the end of the morning and afternoon<br />
sessions.<br />
Informal talks on apartheid actually began next morning and<br />
were resumed in the afternoon. But just after luncheon that day,<br />
Wednesday, May 4, Mr. Louw gave a Press conference at South<br />
Africa House in Trafalgar Square. As it turned out his action in<br />
doing so was to have remark* results. There were about 150<br />
journalists there by invitation; all of them were white, not one was<br />
an Asian or an African, ldid not receive an invitation but I attended,<br />
arriving a little late. There was some discussion as to whether I<br />
could go in. But I got my way: I did not really see how they<br />
could refuse.<br />
1 shall never forget the experience. The atmosphere was like<br />
ice, when Mr. Louw made his opening statement, declaring flatly<br />
that South Africa intended to stand by apartheid. The temperature<br />
rose rapidly during question time, One news man said in print the<br />
next day that it was the most belligerent Press conference he had<br />
attended in 38 years of reporting The news men did not spare Mr.<br />
Louw, and he did not spare them The headlines tell the story best;<br />
"Louw speaks, I am not a penitent, Our policy stays" - "Mr. Louw<br />
unyielding on apartheid; World condemnation blamed on press" -<br />
"Mr. Louw comes near to losing temper". The Times declared<br />
sedately, "Hostility at Mr. Low's Press Conference". The<br />
Manchester Guardian headlined its front-page story, "With<br />
Mr. Louw through the looking-glass; Picture of contented South<br />
Africa".<br />
Mr.Louw seemed to be unaware of Mr- Diefenbaker's views<br />
on racial discrimination. He also declared that some Premiers<br />
backed him, although he was not prepared to name them. He said<br />
he had been invited to visit Ghana but forgot to mention that this<br />
invitation depended on a return one for the Foreign Minister of<br />
Ghana. Each of these statements was later to react on Mr. Louw.<br />
I cannot refrain from quoting from Stephen Barber's story in the<br />
News Chronicle. He said that Mr. Louw "stood off a barrage<br />
of hard, hostile questions". Except for his officials there was<br />
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