SOUTH AFRICA: MANDELA CALLS MEETING TO STOP ZULU NATION VIOLENCE

(23 Jan 1996) English/Nat

South African President Nelson Mandela and his rival Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi have called a meeting of the Zulu nation in a bid to stop the violence sweeping KwaZulu-Natal.

The meeting will be used to air Zulu grievances against Mandela's ruling African National Congress.

Scores of people have died in recent weeks in clashes between members of the A-N-C and Buthelezi's Zulu followers.

The two leaders met at President Mandela's official residence in Pretoria on Monday.

They agreed the only way to stop the fighting between their supporters was to call a "imbizo" - a meeting of the Zulu nation to allow the warring parties a chance to air their grievances.

In the past 12 months, more than 830 people have died in clashes between Zulus and supporters of President Mandela's A-N-C Party.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"So the next step is to call a meeting of amakhosi where His Majesty, Shenge, and Nxabalala, and myself will be present. And I am going to get in touch with His Majesty tonight to indicate to him that it is our opinion here that this meeting should be called as soon as possible."
SUPERCAPTION: Nelson Mandela, South African President

Buthelezi says the situation in KwaZulu-Natal is very serious.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"With all the things that have happened up to now, one can not control what happened if we don't if we don't have this family `closed' meeting prior to the imbizo."
SUPERCAPTION: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Inkatha Freedom Party leader

President Mandela believes the only way to end the fighting is through negotiation.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"The A-N-C can not settle this matter through armed warfare with the I-F-P. The I-F-P can not settle this matter through armed warfare with the A-N-C. Those who advocate violence are saying that our people should continue for decades killing one another because there can be no military solution for a situation of this nature. Only negotiations between the respected leaders can bring about a solution."
SUPERCAPTION: Nelson Mandela, South African President

The imbizo meeting is the next best chance to end the cycle of killing.

But there's unlikely to be a swift end to the violence.

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