Speak out on Swapo
Sir: For several years the International Society for Human Rights alone has drawn attention to the persistent and documented reports of prolonged imprisonment and torture under Swapo in southern Angola. Elizabeth Endycott ('Swapo shopped', 16 September) is right to draw attention to the role of the British Council of Churches in preventing a sooner and wider acknow- ledgement of the problem which may have helped avoid the current tragedy.
Others in this country such as the Labour MPs who first gave support to our efforts and then withdrew it after pressure from Swapo agents must be seen as equally culpable.
The United Nations is finally to attempt to investigate the situation in the camps it has given funds to for many years. This is not only too little too late but fundamental- ly flawed in that former detainees and critics of Swapo are not included in the investigative team.
`Some human rights are less humane than others' in the past record of the Church and international organisations re- lating to Swapo but let us hope there is still time to solve the problems of the hundreds of people missing under Swapo. If the British Council of Churches has any consci- ence or morality left at all it will speak out to bring pressure on Swapo as a matter of urgency.
Robert Chambers
Secretary-General, ISHR (British Section), 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1
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