TRC Final Report

Volume 5

Chapter 6

Subsection 32

THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MILITARISATION OF YOUNG WHITE MALES THROUGH CONSCRIPTION.

THE MASS AND LIBERATION MOVEMENTS MOBILISED AND, IN THE CASE OF THE LATTER, ARMED AND TRAINED CHILDREN AND YOUTH AS PART OF THEIR ARMED FORMATIONS. THE LIBERATION MOVEMENTS AND THE IFP ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR RECRUITING YOUTH INTO THE SDUS AND SPUS IN THE 1990S AND TRAINING THEM TO KILL, THUS DEHUMANISING AND DESENSITISING THEM.

THE WAR BETWEEN THE ANC AND THE IFP DISPLACED LARGE NUMBERS OF YOUTH, LEAVING THEM HOMELESS. IN THIS RESPECT, THE STATE, THE ANC AND IFP ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMMISSION OF GROSS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

THE FAILURE BY THE ANC AND THE IFP AFTER 1994 TO REINTEGRATE YOUTH TO ENABLE THEM TO BECOME VALUED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY AND TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF SELF-ESTEEM, HAS LED TO THEIR CRIMINALISATION AND CREATED THE POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER GROSS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

Women

161 Many of the statements made to the Commission by women detail the violations inflicted on others – children, husbands, siblings and parents – rather than what they themselves suffered. Undoubtedly the violation of family members had significant consequences for women. However, women too suffered direct gross violations of human rights, many of which were gender specific in their exploitative and humiliating nature.

THE COMMISSION THUS FINDS THAT:

THE STATE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SEVERE ILL TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN CUSTODY IN THE FORM OF HARASSMENT AND THE DELIBERATE WITHHOLDING OF MEDICAL ATTENTION, FOOD AND WATER.

WOMEN WERE ABUSED BY THE SECURITY FORCES IN WAYS WHICH SPECIFICALLY EXPLOITED THEIR VULNERABILITIES AS WOMEN, FOR EXAMPLE RAPE OR THREATS OF RAPE AND OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE, THREATS AGAINST FAMILY AND CHILDREN, REMOVAL OF CHILDREN FROM THEIR CARE, FALSE STORIES ABOUT ILLNESS AND/OR DEATH OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND CHILDREN, AND HUMILIATION AND ABUSE AROUND BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS SUCH AS MENSTRUATION AND CHILDBIRTH.

WOMEN IN EXILE, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN CAMPS, WERE SUBJECTED TO VARIOUS FORMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT, INCLUDING RAPE.