THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 19, 1994 TAG: 9408190573
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A11 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Interview
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Rocklyn Mark Williams helped enforce apartheid as an officer in South Africa's all-white military until a change of heart led him to his former enemy - the African National Congress. He served the ANC as a guerrilla fighter and a spy before he was captured, imprisoned, then exiled to London. With the end of apartheid, the 34-year-old Williams has returned as an army general. His assignment: Integrate South Africa's 130,000-member defense force. He was interviewed this week by staff writer Jack Dorsey during a tour of Hampton Roads military bases.
What have you been able to see or learn?
We're in the process of integrating a guerrilla army which belonged to the present government, the ANC, into the army of the old defense force to create a new national defense force. So that's on the one hand. And the other is your Department of Defense in particular - the way it's organized, the way one can truly take civilian control of the military, the way that equal opportunity has worked, and looking at your experience in peace operations.
What kind of a challenge do you face with integration?
The challenge is to make sure that those (ANC fighters) coming into the national defense force aren't disadvantaged in terms of rank, in terms of career opportunity, and that former white officers coming in from the old regime's army are not disadvantaged in terms of their color or their background.
How many from each side have come together?
The old South African defense force is bringing 90,000. Of that about 60,000 are uniform personnel. The ANC's army is bringing about 23,000. Another guerrilla army claims to be bringing about 6,000 people. And then we have the home land armies (adding) about 12,000.
Your nation has no enemies. You will be a home force more than anything. Would you be available for humanitarian relief?
The (main) focus of the South African national defense force is internal stability. The second is humanitarian assistance - Rwanda, a case in point. The third is international . . . your commitment to allies and support of countries. Clearly there is no threat, but I don't think that militates against the need to retain a capable deterrence.
What types of armament do you have?
Our navy is small - about 12 frigates. We have minesweepers. We have three submarines. Our air force, because of sanctions, still flies the old French Mirages and British Buccaneers. We run quite a sophisticated artillery system. Of course we were involved in bush wars (so) our mine technology is one where we are considerably more advanced than the States.
The murder rate in South Africa is one of the highest in the world. Do you have any solutions?
The solutions are two-pronged. Primarily they're socioeconomic. You've got this incredible disparity in wealth. It's unbelievable. But the second thing is that you got to have effective policing.
Are the armed forces and the police forces totally separate?
They're totally separate. There's quite a lot of antagonism between the two, actually. The armed forces see themselves as quite a professional outfit and the police force is just totally demoralized, lacking in professionalism. And that is why the bulk of your internal law-and-order roles and internal stability roles are done by the army.
Are the wounds healing?
There's much more that unites than actually divides. It's a quite Christian country. . . and that's had a very strong influence on the reconciliation. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Williams
KEYWORDS: SOUTH AFRICA by CNB