Within the idyllic landscape of Table Mountain, Devil’s Peak, Signal Hill and Lion’s Head an act of dispossession was perpetrated that to this day brings great emotional pain and distress. The scar remains as a vivid reminder to all of us of the grievous wounds caused by apartheid.

The restitution process, however, makes possible to start the healing of these wounds Since 1994, the previously dispossessed could submit claims, particularly in District Six, where people were not only forced out of their homes, but the buildings, the dwellings and the landscape were bulldozed and razed to the ground. This area, where 60,000 people lived and worked and played for generations, was flattened and the people dispersed under the Group Areas Act. Now at last there is the beginning of the process of physical return of the dispossessed.

Beneficiaries have made claims for the return and those who have met the requirements of the legislation hope to return one day to their place of birth and their old neighbourhoods. People have waited long to return to the land from the bleak and dense housing schemes of apartheid. District Six is an icon of all forced removals, a symbol of the inhumanity of apartheid.

For many ex-residents, however, the process has been too late and too slow, and older people have died. But we owe it to their memory to hold faith that reparation will be made finally.

There has been so much emotional trauma and pain. An act of renewal and restitution is sorely needed so that people can live together again in racial harmony and safety, in the sacred space of the scarred land. Many District Sixes did not make claims and ways need to be found for their inclusion.

The Museum Foundation was established in 1989 and launched as a museum in 1994 to keep alive the memories of District Six and displaced people everywhere. It came into being as a vehicle for advocating social justice, as a space for reflections and contemplation and as an institution for challenging the distortions and half-truths which propped up the history of Cape Town and South Africa. As an independent space where the forgotten understandings of the past are resuscitated, where different interpretations of that past are facilitated through its collections, exhibitions and education programmes, the Museum is committed to telling the stories of forced removals and assisting in the reconstitution of the community of District Six by drawing on a heritage of non-racialism, non-sexism, anti-class discrimination and the encouragement of debate.

The feelings and dreams of ex-residents are inscribed on the map and in the linen calico cloth that hangs from the high ceiling of the museum. It is a way of writing themselves back into the fabric of District Six living – from memory to a written exercise, from memory to another way of recording. Originally inscribed in black pen, the record has been embroidered in coloured cotton.

One of the thousands of poignant expressions read, “Happy days in District Six. Living was cheap, life precious. Now in Hanover Park, living is expensive and life is cheap.” - how succinct a description of social hardship. From happy days of safety in the ambience of neighbours to the bleak and monotonous tenement structures, canceling out people’s individuality.

I have heard it said that memory is more indelible than ink. For memory to be refreshed, we need to tell our stories. Through story telling, we keep abreast of history. Narratives engage us. Even the act of inscription has the power of healing, as one who was dispossessed of his land and birthright could narrate:

“I feel honoured that in my 87^th year, I’m privileged to have my name inscribed on this sheet, on the 25^th November 1995. Born 25 Lee Street, Cape Town.”

Land issues and dispossession are as old as history. The recording of our stories and our memories is ever the challenge for justice, dignity and the constant struggle for healing. Where there is injustice, the voices of truth must be heard. We must not fail the messages of hope longing for a return to heritage and healing.

East Timor

The first part of our journey took us to the half-island state of East Timor. Invited by President-elect, Mr. Xanana Gusmao, we were there to celebrate the birth of the world’s newest democracy. Just after lunchtime on Sunday, 18 May 2002, we began making our way to the stadium. Literally thousands upon thousands of East Timorese took to the streets to participate in the festivities which started with a huge Mass that included Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Bishop Carols Belo. After Mass, the real celebrations began and the crowd, well in excess of 100,000, were entertained with lavishly choreographed dances and displays of East Timorese culture. At midnight the moment that the people of Timor Larosae both struggled for and dreamed of, arrived: the official handing-over ceremony. Tears flowed unashamedly as the new flag was raised and President Gusmao sworn in as the new president of East Timor.

Switzerland

After flying half-way across the world, we whisked off to the Wolfsberg Conference Centre about one-and-half hours drive from Zurich. Michael has been invited by the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to speak at their International Humanitarian Forum. For two days, delegates deliberated on the theme, War and Accountability, which started with a keynote address by Dr. Nkosoza Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa’s Foreign Minister.

Among the invited delegates were a group of so-called victims of war that included countries such as Chile, Rwanda, South Africa and Afghanistan. Michael took the opportunity to speak of his pain and incredible loss, and he expressed some of the frustrations of the victims and survivors of apartheid on the lack of reparations after the TRC process.

On the other hand, the meeting was represented by the custodians of millions of dollars of charity funds, who listened to the stories of people affected by war. Their deliberations will hopefully go a long way in determining which projects they will support especially in areas where war remains a daily feature and where those areas do not get the media attention they deserve.

Sri Lanka

After yet another inter-continental flight, we arrived in beautiful Sri Lanka for the latter part of our journey. Our arrival coincided with the birthday celebrations of the Lord Buddha. From all accounts it seems that this was the first real celebration in more than 18 years of constant civil war.

We were invited to attend the South Asia Christian Youth Conference, with more than 150 delegates from all across the region. The theme was the very apt, “Called for Peace”, especially as the tension in the disputed region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan reached crisis proportions at this time. For the first time for many Indians and Pakistanis met each other face-to-face. Towards the end of the conference, both delegations signed a symbolic peace treaty, promising enduring friendship to each, even if their respective countries do decide to go to war.

After the conference, Michael and I visited a military rehabilitation centre that specializes in the fitting of artificial limbs on soldiers injured in the war. We took the opportunity to meet patients, mostly amputees, in their wards and Michael also addressed a group of soldiers who, too, lost their limbs.

“Facing South Africa’s past, facing it ourselves as youth”

Themba Lonzi – Youth Development Officer

Born in a country with a complex history and socialised to see difference. Born in a space where you receive a lot of mixed messages, and struggling to choose the right message. Feeling like a station of injustice, a parking place of transferred trauma from former generations.

The youth of South Africa are faced with the challenge of learning from and about the past of their country. Some of the youth have experienced the apartheid years and some have not been directly affected by the past. Some of the former are still angry, bitter, and guilty and they feel ashamed about what happened in the past. Some have managed to move on and find their place in the new dispensation. We say the youth are the future but are we providing them with tools to avoid repeating the past? Are we helping our youth to unlearn the negative aspects of our past they have learnt from family, community and the nation?

The Institute for Healing of Memories Youth Programme is facilitating a process of assisting the youth of South Africa in learning from and about our past.

The young people at our workshop have many questions about the South Africa’s past. They feel they can create a better South Africa. Some young people are worried about whether we are engaging them in the past to make them angry, guilty or to perpetuate revenge. The Institute Youth Programme engages young people in learning from the past and unlearning the negative attitudes of those who experienced apartheid so that they can make better choices for their own future and that of the nation.

A writer, Ellen White, once remarked, “Young people should be trained to be thinkers, not mere reflectors of other people’s [hateful] thoughts.” As young people let us stand courageously for a just South Africa. The negative values, behaviors and attitudes are learned habits that can be corrected.

Our time requires that we celebrate our differences. We must never forget that being human necessitates living together and that we are all members of the human race.

Editorial

Our editor has taken a short break for this issue and Michael Lapsley has kindly stepped into Brenda’s shoes.

The articles in this issue give a glimpse of the ways in which our wee baby Institute is imprinting itself in the global village. Stan Abrahams’article on District Six sets the tone as he reflects on the relationship between land, restorative justice and healing. With our roots solidly in Cape Town we have sought to contribute and be part of the healing journey of many peoples. We have shared the pain not only of South Africans but were also seared by the deep hurt of Zimbaweans in their deepening crisis.

Johann Magerman's article highlights the joy of East Timor's independence celebrations, his experiences of exploring issues of war and accountability in Zurich and visiting Sri Lanka whilst war loomed between India and Pakistan. Jenny Southwood and Ghebrehiwet Mehari from Eritrea give us insights into what participants and facilitators experience at a Healing of Memories workshop and their motivation..

Themba Lonzi gives us a peep into the minds and hearts of young South Africans coming to term with the country's past. This issue also introduces our innovative new project Ndabikum which began earlier this year. Shanti Mather's trip down memory lane tells us about the journey we have travelled as an institute. We hope what you read will encourage you in your own journey towards healing and wholeness.

Some of our readers might not know that our Institute had its beginnings at the Trauma Centre in Cape Town.

When Fr. Michael first returned to South Africa in 1993, he became one of the first two employees, and was appointed Chaplain, at the Trauma Centre for Victims of Violence and Torture in Cape Town. The Centre had relocated at Zonnebloem Estate temporarily whilst the Chapel Street building was being renovated. The Chaplaincy Project, as it was called, in partnership with the Religious Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, developed what we all know as the Healing of Memories workshops.

My first memory of Michael was a talk he gave to a group of Black Sash women sometime between ‘94 and ’95. My second memory of him was when I went to the Trauma Centre in

Zonnebloem Estate in 1997 for a job interview. I was impressed at how he could put a person at ease in a normally formal situation. I was lucky – I also got the job.

Initially there were just three of us in the Project, - Michael, Chaplain and leader of the project; Barry Bekebeke who was the organiser/trainer and myself. Bonisile Hove, from Zimbabwe, who had previously been Michael’s PA at work and at home, now consolidated into providing assistance at home. It

probably won’t surprise you to read that my Introduction to the Trauma Centre was that both Michael and Barry disappeared for about 2 weeks

– conducting workshops for the SACC around the country! This pattern was one with which we are all familiar! It felt a bit like working for two Scarlet Pimpernels.

By 1998 it was clear that the Chaplaincy Project was developing a life of its own, and negotiations during the year resulted in our little unit becoming a separate body. But before that, we were relocated to Kenilworth when the Trauma Centre moved back to Chapel Street because there wasn’t space for us in the newly vamped premises. We lived in the chilly attic of a cottage in the grounds of Selby House. It was a big learning curve for all of us. We no longer had the infrastructure of the Trauma Centre, such as reception, telephone and accounting facilities and catering. Many of the sweet and elderly retired bishops living at Selby House assumed that we were there to provide fax facilities for them and tottered upstairs to request our assistance whenever the occasion arose.

This however was a temporary home. The Diocese made it clear that they were reorganizing and they would soon need the space themselves. How lucky we were then to find that there was an annex at the Western Province Council of Churches, which had only been used for storage and into which we could move before the end of the year. Any change, move or separation is traumatic and this was no exception, but by October of 1998 we were functioning pretty well as the Institute for Healing of Memories. The Trauma Centre launched us on our way with their blessing and the WPCC provided a safe harbour. With this anchorage we were able to settle down and consolidate.

Barry had, however, by this time had reached saturation point and needed a change When he left to work in hotter temperatures in the northern Cape in February 1999, the post was reorganized and filled by Zandile Mamfanya who had previously been one of our budding facilitators. She spent about 16 months with us working closely with Yvette Rogers of the Centre for Ubuntu developing contacts with schools and really bringing to consciousness the need for a youth project. (This happened In July of 2001 when Themba Lonzi took on the Youth Development Project.)

Meanwhile the work of the Institute had gathered momentum. Michael was roaming the world and we needed more administrative support, so Helene van der Walt joined the gang at the end of 2000 as Michael’s PA and receptionist whilst I moved over to the bookkeeping side of the job. Now there were four of us. Zandile’s departure led to Mongezi Mngese joining us in October 2000 when his work at the TRC was done, and Jette Hansen slipped comfortably into Helene’s place when she moved on to the Open Society in October 2001.

Themba’s arrival in July 2001 brought our numbers up to five and our space at Lente Road is fully utilised. From a small body of three we have almost doubled in the few years of our functioning. Of course, this account is only about employed staff, not to mention the Nadbikum project which is referred to elsewhere, the volunteer body has also grown enormously, but that is another story…..

Themba Lonzi and I travelled to Zimbabwe to conduct two Healing of Memories workshops during July 2002 at the invitation of Women’s Net, a group of Christian women seeking to live out their Christian faith in a practical way and to contribute to national reconciliation.

I had wondered whether it would be possible to deal with issues of the past whilst coping with the overwhelming present. Indeed a recurring underlying theme was how to keep hope alive. Without even speaking of the politics of fear and repression, continuously rocketing inflation, widespread shortages, looming famine and mass starvation, for most people their standard of living drops every week.

Our first workshop took place in Mutare and was organised by the Revd Shirley De Wolf, a United Methodist Church pastor. The group was inter-generational and included first language speakers of Shona, Ndebele and English, mainly black and a few white people. Another feature of the workshop was the presence of a number of people living with physical disabilities. Undoubtedly participants were able to speak about the country’s past events and how they had been damaged by then, as well as more personal hurts.

In Harare, Women’s Net held a small reception to welcome us. We had the opportunity to meet a couple who had just been told that they would have to leave their farm as a consequence of the Government’s latest plans to acquire more farms. The individual had only owned the farm for 4 years and had not believed that he would become a target of forced land acquisition. As traumatic as it is for the farm owners, the much more painful issue is what happens to the farm workers many of whom have nowhere to go.

We began our second workshop at the Christian counselling

centre in Harare and I was very encouraged by the racial mix at the workshop.

As usual the workshop culminated in the celebration of a liturgy. Three women each with different racial backgrounds took the opportunity to read out letters to their mothers that

Three workshop participants in Harare

they had written in the light of what they had shared of their own journeys with one another. Another poignant moment came during the “Thank you speeches” when a white Zimbabwean man spoke of his own indifference and sense that I had got what I had deserved (“…if you play with fire, you will get fire.”) when I was bombed in Harare in1990. He asked my forgiveness for his attitude.

A feature of the workshop was the number of people who felt that they did not really belong, and were of less value because of race, or tribe, or gender, or things which had happened in the family. I had a sense that people left the workshop with a renewed sense of self worth and a willingness to contribute to the healing of others.

Roman Catholics and Anglicans in particular are deeply divided at leadership level along political lines. Many many Christians feel abandoned by God and agonise about what they can and should do.

Numerous Zimbabweans expressed great frustration about the failure of South Africa to take a stronger stance particularly in regard to the Presidential election. In my own tiny way, I tried as a South African to come with a loving embrace to show people that they are not forgotten and abandoned. I had a sense that those in power in Zimbabwe are committed to retaining political and economic power no matter what it costs. With frequent shortages of basic commodities and mass starvation looming, one wonders how long it will be before there are food riots or other responses coming out of desperation and a frightening question is how the state will respond. There seems to be a lack of clarity from the opposition about a clear way forward out of the present impasse.

Clearly it is true that healing of memories is not yet the most important agenda item for most Zimbabweans. It is a question of surviving and enduring. However the day will come when healing and reconciliation will be the order of the day. It is important that some people are further down the track than others to point the way forward.

In my hour of need, after I was bombed in 1990, I felt embraced by the prayers and love of the Zimbabwean people. It was now time to return the compliment. As painful as it was I was glad I went to Zimbabw

Healing of Memories workshop reunion held at Mutare, Zimbabwe in August 2002:

Shirley De Wolf

We started our reunion by sharing what has emerged so far as the most lasting effect of the HOM workshop. It was remarkable how many changes have taken place in people’s lives as a direct result of that event. Apart from some who said they had learned to accept and integrate past disappointments and hurts into their lives, there was little talk of past memories even though that had been the focus of the workshop.

The workshop helped some people to identify the need to take a major directional decision in terms of future career - as though somehow they had been walking backwards all this time unable to look at what lay ahead and map out their forward direction. One man has accepted a calling to the ministry as a result of what he cleared away in the workshop.

For other participants the workshop helped them to open up to receive insight and nurturing from others. One man said this experience helped to save his marriage; another that it had changed his whole concept of pastoral style. He used to stand in the pulpit as a tower of exemplary strength and morality - now can see ‘his natural smallness and his needs as a human being alongside his parishioners’.

The workshop gave people the courage to come out of their shells and to seek and find belonging in the community. For some the workshop taught new listening skills, and they have begun to make use of some of the exercises and rituals in their churches, Mother’s Union groups, and classes.

Rarely have I known such a short event make such a strong impact on people!

I arrived in South Africa in February 2002 as a student at UWC, and in June I attended a workshop and later the Facilitators' training end of July. As a Christian I have had various spiritual experiences in my life, but very few of them percolated to my heart and brought me to a turning point in my life.

The workshop group was the first multi-racial and multi-faith group I have ever attended. I found Christians of different denominations, Jews and Rastafarians, whilst racially we were blacks, whites and colored from South African, Israel and Eritrea.

After the warm welcome and introductory session, the drama scratched the wound within my heart to an extent that I didn’t realize I was weeping. During that night I uncovered my life-long wound and decided to share my story with my small group the following day. This made me feel as if a heavy burden was taken away from my shoulders.

At the Sunday morning celebration, we burned all the grievances in our hearts that we couldn’t say in words by writing them on paper and burning the paper. We presented our clay peace symbol and lit the candle for every one on our earth, which is crying out for peace.

One of the outstanding features of the workshop was that the group was free to share prayers together and to experience that, in spite of our differences of faith, race and nationality, we all belong to one God.

Thanks to all the facilitators for helping me to see things another way - to praise God for what I have and to love my brothers who hurt me in the past. You filled me with a desire to reach out to say, ‘I am sorry’ and to start healing the wounds in my heart. Once again thank you for making me see that love and to say sorry have the power to heal.

As a privileged white person, I hardly know what it must feel like to be oppressed, so I can easily say, "This doesn't concern me”. And you may say that there is no more oppression in South Africa, so how can I possibly benefit from or contribute to these workshops?

However, we all fit in to the process of reconciliation, which of necessity has to follow such oppression. Many of those who haven't suffered oppression may say "Let's not dwell on the past, but let's get on and work together."

I can tell you as a facilitator, who has listened to many true and completely credible stories during workshops, that this is a totally false approach. We can say this glibly because we haven't suffered. But it is simplistic just to sweep things under the carpet. I am convinced that the workshops are part of God's healing for our beautiful country, and that they are a space where we can verbalize the hurts of the past and begin to forgive one another. I have seen too many miracles take place there, not to believe this!

My only sadness is that at times I have been the only white person at a workshop and I have often been asked the reason for the apparent lack of interest from the white community - what can I answer?

Some time after attending the workshop I decided to train as a facilitator - I might tell you, in fear and trepidation!. But I was totally convinced by the end of it that this is where the Lord wanted me, and I have never been sorr

Even now I still approach each workshop with a certain amount of apprehension. However, this makes me utterly reliant of the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and makes me appreciate the sacred ground I tread on each time I listen to someone's life story and the emotions that go with it.

I feel privileged as a white person to be present and to show that I care deeply about another's suffering. Don't think that you haven't a story to tell, because we have all been affected in some way by those forty years of apartheid - we each have a story to tell!

Open Letter to President Thabo Mbeki from the NGO Working Group on Reparations

13 August 2002

Dear Mr President,

With the presentation of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, it seems the long wait for final reparations by those officially declared "victims" by the TRC will soon be over.

The TRC Act provided that victims would lose their right to take criminal or civil action against perpetrators who applied for amnesty. Victims would relate their stories and be awarded reparations. Amnesty for perpetrators, in exchange for full disclosure, could justifiably be granted in light of the provision for reparations. This was also the judgment of the Constitutional Court in the AZAPO and others versus the President of South Africa and others case. The victims have waited since 1998, while perpetrators have received amnesty or pardon.

It is our view that without comprehensive reparations, along the lines recommended in the TRC Report of 1998, the Commission will continue to be regarded as a "perpetrator friendly exercise" This will be a moral tragedy for victims, the government and all South Africans, as growing disillusionment impacts negatively on the nation and the credibility of government for years to come.

We agree that all black South Africans suffered grievously under apartheid and that people did not fight for monetary gain. This is why broad-based communal and symbolic reparations are appropriate. We submit, however, that important as these reparations are, they are insufficient. Victims and survivors are expecting individual, including financial, reparations - and this is surely their due.

Our cri de coeur, Mr. President is that our government and parliament act quickly, generously and decisively in implementing final reparations, in consultation with relatives of victims and survivors.

With all good wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Fr. Michael Lapsley, SSM, Chairperson

NGO Working Group on Reparations.

What is it?

Ndabikum is a programme of the Institute for the Healing of Memories. It provides a holistic package of personal support, career planning and skills training to help ex-combatants achieve personal and financial independence. The Institute for Healing of Memories provides a space for individuals to deal with the past in this country and how this has affected them.It is funded by the Department of Social Development through the Poverty Relief Programme.

Who is eligible?

Ndabikum offers assistance only to people who are living in poverty and fall within one of the following categories:

· Ex-combatants

· Members of Mkhonto we Sizwe and APLA

· Returned exiles

· Survivors of human rights abuse referred by the Trauma Centre

· Referrals from Healing of Memories workshops

· Immediate dependants of the above.

The programme is specifically designed to assist unemployed or underemployed adults.

What does Ndabikum offer?

The process that Ndabikum has established has several stages:

· The clients are recruited and invited to attend an Intake workshop. This is to introduce the programme to the clients and to help each individual to begin a self-evaluation process.

· Clients attend workshops for the Healing of memories to help them in the process of dealing with their experiences.

· If the client is eligible for assistance s/he is invited to an individual counselling session. During this counselling, the client’s skills and experience are discussed. Ndabikum will endeavour to help the client to achieve his/her goals by providing skills training, and sponsorship for further education, where appropriate.

· The client can then attend all or any of the workshops that Ndabikum offers. This includes Enterprise Skills, Craft Skills, and Job Finding Skills.

Where possible, Ndabikum prefers to place clients for training with the developmental/ NGO network or within state-funded institutions for further education. Ndabikum prefers not to use private training institutions.

Diary

October – November -December

WORKSHOPS:

International: Uganda in December

Irish./SA joint workshop to be held in Cape Town

National:

Kwa Zulu Natal

Western Cape:

11-13 October – St Raphael’s in Faure

15-17 November – Schoenstatt, Constantia

For more information on these and workshops next year, please contact:

Mongezi Mngese

WANTED

Our aim in the coming year is to recruit people from the following target groups to attend Healing of Memories workshops.

· Prisons

Education – teachers
People infected and affected by AIDS
Older people
People with disabilities
Refugees – women

If you have ideas and/or contacts please be in touch with Mongezi

We are looking for volunteers to assist with:

Reunion meetings -

Marketing – Fund-raising - Organising focus meetings

STOP PRESS

We have been deeply shocked and greatly saddened by the news of the murder of one of our newly trained facilitators from Osizweni near Newcastle in Kwa Zulu Natal, the Revd. Nana Kumalo and her children.

If you would like to be considered
for training as a facilitator, please
let the office know.

Donations to cover the costs of this newsletter and to the work of Healing of Memories are most welcome.

Our banking details are:

Bank: Standard Bank, Mowbray

Address: Main Road, Mowbray 7700

Branch code: 02-49-09-06

Name of Account: Institute for Healing of Memories

Type of Account: Current

Account No: 071341455

And mark your deposit clearly please.

Or send a cheque to us made out to

Institute for Healing of Memories

and mail to us at:

2 Lente Road, Sybrand Park, Cape Town 7700

NEWSLETTER FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR HEALING OF MEMORIES

Land and Healing in District 6

Open Letter to President Thabo Mbeki from the NGO Working Group on Reparations

Diary

October – November -December

Bank: Standard Bank, Mowbray

Branch code: 02-49-09-06