Word: idaf
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Despite this constraint, the IDAF has continued to exert a strong influence in South Africa. During a recent testimonial dinner in Cambridge. Woods spoke in emotional terms of "the hundreds of people I know of " whom the IDAF has helped. And a Black South Africa studying in this area who asked not to be identified says the IDAF "has saved lives. Supported countless families of prisoners and proved to be a big thorn in the side of the government...
...Kenneth N. Carstens, the IDAF's executive director for the United States, explains the organization cannot cite specific examples of people it has helped for fear of reprisals against those people their lawyers and their families in South Africa...
This fact of life makes the task of fundraising extremely problematic, because it is difficult to elicit funds for a cause whose effectiveness cannot be documented, Carstens says. Nonetheless, the IDAF raises millions of dollars a year that make their way to South Africa. But of the 10 national committees-England, Ireland, Canda, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, NewZealand, India and the U.S.-the American branch contributes the smallest amount, last year about...
Carstens explains that this because the U.S. government gives no support to the IDAF. By comparison, the Swedish government contributes over $ 52 million a year. "The sad truth is that the least sympathetic government of all are those of the United States and England," Carstens says. "So much for conservatives concerned for justice...
Still, the IDAF powerful advocates in Washington Sen. Paul E. Tsongas (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate ad hoc monitoring group on Southern Africa, is a sponsor of the organization and has worked closely with Carstens in the past. At Carsten's Suggestion. Tsongas and other members of congress "adopted" political prisoners in South Africa to whom they corresponded and lent moral support...