TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library

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