MR ISMAIL READS STATEMENT
Mr Chairperson and Honourable Members of the Committee, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was brought into being by the ANC led government.  It is called upon to discover the truth about our past and to facilitate reconciliation.  It is an unique process in the world.  More unique because for the first time we have a situation where the oppressed talk about reconciliation rather than calling for Nuremberg Trials.  The history of the struggle is well-documented.  The ANC has made extensive submissions to the TRC on this.  Ms Burton has sought to vilify the entire basis of the struggle for freedom.  We reject her charges of terrorist operatives and terrorist army with contempt.  The policies of the ANC over decades of armed struggle ensured that our country did not descend into a racial war.
	Two weeks ago, we reminded the Committee of blacks stretching out the hand of friendship to whites with whites generally spurning the gesture.  Every day of this hearing has been spent with victims in an attempt to bring about reconciliation.  Reconciliation, however, is not a one way process and Ms Burton's remarks show that reconciliation is a road little travelled.  Ms Burton seems to forget that the majority of victims of apartheid were blacks and civilians, whether in Sharpeville, Langa or Uitenhage, black civilians died.  Nobody batted an eyelid because they were black.  The truth is the blacks have not been seen as people.  Nothing is said about the loss of black lives.  
	In 1976 when the so-called well-trained and well-armed police and soldiers of the apartheid regime went into the townships they killed innocent children in Soweto and other parts of the country.  When they killed those children they were protecting Afrikaans and Afrikanerdom and white privilege as fascists.  Those Security Forces consisted largely of 17 and 18 year old white conscripts, that the white society gave to the system to defend white power and privilege.  We recognised the rights of victims to oppose applications for amnesty and to speak their minds.  However, the statement made by Ms Burton this morning is inadmissible and unacceptable and against the spirit of this process.  We ask the Honourable Committee to make a ruling to this effect.  The ANC and the applicants reserve their right to institute legal proceedings in as far as Ms Burton's statement goes outside and beyond the law.  Thank you.