Description:
Christy George reports that Zwelakhe Sisulu (Editor, The New Nation) has been detained by the South African government. George notes that Sisulu's friends and colleagues in the US held a press conference to draw publicity to his case in the hopes of protecting him. George reports that Sisulu lived in Cambridge in 1985 when he was a fellow at the Niemann Foundation at Harvard University. George's report includes footage from a press conference of present and former Niemann Fellows including Michael Pride (Editor, Concord Monitor), Carmen Fields (WBZ-TV), Derek Jackson (Newsday), Callie Crossley (documentary producer), Paul Solman (documentary producer) and Carol Rissman (WBUR-FM). Pride says that the group has written a letter to P.W. Botha (President of South Africa. He adds that the group will hold Botha personally responsible for Sisulu's safety. Members of the group speak out against Sisulu's detention. George reports that the Niemann Fellows hope that the South African government will treat Sisulu carefully because he has prominent friends abroad. George's report includes footage from an interview with Sisulu in 1984, photos of Sisulu and his family and footage of South Africa.
1:00:12: Visual: Footage of Zwelakhe Sisulu (Editor, The New Nation) being interviewed in 1984. Sisulu says that the contradictions in South Africa are increasing and intensifying; that the media do not give an accurate portrayal of the situation. Christy George reports that Sisulu has been arrested; that Sisulu was abducted by four white men wearing hoods on Friday. George reports that Sisulu is the editor of the New Nation newspaper; that Sisulu lived in Cambridge last year while he was a journalism fellow at the Niemann Foundation at Harvard University. V: Shot of four issues of the New Nation newspaper; of a photograph of Sisulu and his family. George reports that his friends and colleagues held a press conference today to make his case public in the hopes of protecting him. V: Footage of a press conference by a group of present and former Niemann Fellows in the US. Shot of a cameraman at the press conference. Michael Pride (Editor, Concord Monitor) says that the group has written to P.W. Botha (President of South Africa); that the group will hold Botha personally responsible for the safety of Sisulu. Footage of Carmen Fields (WBZ-TV) at the press conference. Fields says that Sisulu's life is in danger because he is a journalist. George stands outside of the WGBH offices. George reports that journalists look out for one another; that journalists will act in defense of any journalists whose rights or life are threatened. V: Footage from the press conference by the Niemann Fellows. Derek Jackson (Newsday) says that reporters regularly risk their lives in black areas in South Africa; that reporters are often accused of being government informers. Footage of Callie Crossley (documentary producer) speaking at the press conference. Crossley says that South African reporters are forced to omit facts and temper their opinions; that some South African newspapers leave holes in the stories to indicate what has been cut out by government censors. Shot of a South African newspaper article which has been censored by the South African government. Footage of Paul Solman (documentary producer) speaking at the press conference. Solman says that Sisulu's colleagues would often censor themselves when speaking to Sisulu. Footage of Carol Rissman (WBUR-FM) speaking at the press conference. Rissman says that the South African government has imposed restrictions which are tight but ambiguous. Rissman says that Sisulu and his newpaper have not broken the law. Shot of a black and white photo of Sisulu. George reports that Sisulu has been detained since Friday without seeing a lawyer. George notes that both of Sisulu's parents have spent time in South African jails. George reports that Sisulu's father has been jailed for twenty years along with Nelson Mandela (black South African leader). V: Shot of a black and white photo of Walter Sisulu (father of Zwelakhe Sisulu). George notes that Sisulu's mother has been recently released from jail. V: Shot of Albertina Sisulu (mother of Zwelakhe Sisulu). George reports that the Niemann fellows hope that the South African government will treat Zwelakhe Sisulu carefully because he has prominent friends abroad. V: Shots of individual Niemann Fellows at the press conference. Footage of Crossley speaking at the press conference. Crossley says that anonymity can be life-threatening to a South African prisoner. George reports that Zwelakhe Sisulu believed in that theory when asked about the safety of Bishop Desmond Tutu (black South African leader) last year. V: Footage of Zwelakhe Sisulu being interviewed in 1984. Sisulu says that the South African government would like to jail Tutu; that the government cannot jail Tutu because of his international standing. George reports that thousands of South Africans are being detained by the South African government; that most of them do not have prominent friends. V: Shots of black South Africans on a street in South Africa; of white military soldiers with guns on the streets of South Africa; of a black woman standing with her naked children; of three black South Africans sitting on the street near a small campfire..
Date Created:
07/01/1986
