A TEST OF NEUTRALITY

South Africa left the British Commonwealth and became a republic in May 1961. This was a time of political turmoil and increasing violence in the country. In efforts to contain the situation, the ruling government stoked the spirit of nationalism, and this caused difficulties for Jehovah’s Witnesses in the years that followed.

For many years Jehovah’s Witnesses had not been required to perform military service. This changed in the late 1960’s when the country became increasingly involved in military operations in Namibia and Angola. New legislation required that every young, white, medically fit male perform military service. Brothers who refused were sentenced to a military detention barracks for 90 days.

Mike Marx was with a group of detained brothers who were ordered to put on army overalls and helmets. He recalls: “Because we did not want to be identified as part of the military, we refused. The commanding officer, a captain, then imposed on us the loss of privileges, solitary confinement, and a spare diet.” This meant that the brothers could not write or receive letters, have visitors, or possess any reading matter except the Bible. Spare diet​—ostensibly for incorrigible prisoners—​consisted of water and half a loaf of bread per day for two days followed by normal army rations for seven days before the next two days of bread and water. Even the so-called normal diet frequently left much to be desired in quality and quantity.

Every effort was made to break the integrity of the brothers. Each one was locked up in a small cell. At one stage, showers were not permitted. Instead, each brother was given one bucket for a toilet and another one to wash in. In time, shower privileges were restored.

“One day,” recalls Keith Wiggill, “after we had a cold shower in the middle of winter, the guards took away our mattresses and blankets. They did not allow us to wear our civilian clothes, so we wore only a pair of shorts and an undershirt. We slept on a damp towel on the ice-cold concrete floor. In the morning the sergeant major was amazed at how happy and well we were. He acknowledged that our God had looked after us during that icy winter night.”

Shortly before they completed the 90-day sentence, the brothers would be taken to court again because they would not put on the uniform or train with the other military prisoners. Then it was back to detention. The authorities made it clear that they intended to resentence the brothers until they reached the age of 65, when they would no longer be eligible for military service.

In 1972, after strong public and political pressure, the law was changed. Brothers received a single prison sentence commensurate with the length of military training. The sentence was initially 12 to 18 months. Later it was increased to three years and eventually to six years. In time, the authorities did make some concessions, and the brothers were allowed to hold one weekly meeting.

While in the detention barracks, the brothers did not forget Christ’s command to make disciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20) They spoke to fellow inmates, those in authority, and others with whom they came in contact. For a while they were permitted to use Saturday afternoons to share the good news by writing letters.

At one time, the military authorities ordered the 350 Witnesses to have their meals along with the 170 military inmates. The detention barracks became the only territory with a ratio of 2 Witnesses to 1 non-Witness, and the authorities soon decided that the brothers should have their meals on their own.

CHRISTENDOM AND NEUTRALITY

How did the churches of Christendom respond to the issue of compulsory military service? The South African Council of Churches (SACC) passed a resolution on conscientious objection in July 1974. Rather than sticking to the religious issue, however, the statement had distinct political overtones. It supported conscientious objection on the grounds that the military was defending an “unjust and discriminatory society” and was thus waging an unjust war. The Afrikaans churches, as well as other church groups, were not in favor of the SACC resolution.

The Dutch Reformed Church supported the government in its military pursuits. It rejected the SACC resolution as a violation of Romans chapter 13. Another group that opposed the SACC stand was that of the religious chaplains serving in the South African Defense Force, which included clergymen from churches that were SACC members. In a joint statement, the chaplains of the English-language churches condemned the resolution and declared: “We . . . urge every member of our churches and especially the young men to make their personal contribution in the defence of the country.”

Furthermore, the individual member churches of the SACC did not take a clear position on neutrality. The book War and Conscience in South Africa admits: “Most . . . failed to clarify their positions to their membership, let alone challenge their members to be conscientious objectors.” The book shows that the government’s strong reaction to the SACC resolution, backed by strict legislation, made the churches hesitant to stress their convictions: “Attempts to commit the church to a constructive programme of action met with failure.”

In contrast, this book acknowledges: “By far the majority of conscientious objectors who were imprisoned were Jehovah’s Witnesses.” It adds: “Jehovah’s Witnesses focused on the rights of individuals to oppose all wars on grounds of conscience.”

The Witnesses’ stand was strictly religious. While they concede that “the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God,” the Witnesses remain politically neutral. (Rom. 13:1) Their primary allegiance goes to Jehovah, who reveals in his Word, the Bible, that his true worshippers will have no share in carnal warfare.​—Isa. 2:2-4; Acts 5:29.

After this system of detention had been operating for a number of years, it was clear that Jehovah’s Witnesses would not abandon their neutral stand to avoid harsh treatment. Furthermore, the detention barracks were overcrowded and attracting negative publicity. There was pressure from some quarters to send the brothers to civil prisons.

Some favorably disposed military authorities disagreed. They respected our young brothers for their high moral standards. If the brothers went to a civil prison, they would have a criminal record. They would also be exposed to the worst elements of society and the threat of rape. Thus, arrangements were made for them to do community service in governmental departments not connected with the military. When the political climate in the country changed in the 1990’s, compulsory military service was abolished.

How were our young brothers affected by being detained for a lengthy period at such a crucial time in their lives? Many built up a fine record of loyal service to Jehovah and used this opportunity wisely to study God’s Word and to grow spiritually. “My stay in the detention barracks marked a turning point in my life,” says Cliff Williams. “The clear evidence of Jehovah’s protection and blessing during my detention motivated me to do more to further Kingdom interests. Shortly after my release in 1973, I started regular pioneering, and the following year I entered Bethel, where I still serve today.”

Stephen Venter, who was 17 years old when he went to the detention barracks, said: “I was an unbaptized publisher with a limited knowledge of the truth. The spiritual support I received from the daily Bible text discussion​—which we had in the mornings while we polished the floors—​the regular meetings, and the Bible study conducted with me by a more experienced brother made it bearable. Although there were some bad times, it’s amazing how little I remember of those! In fact, the three years in detention were perhaps the best years of my life. That experience helped me to make the transition from boyhood to manhood. I got to know Jehovah, and that motivated me to take up the full-time service.”

The unjust detention of our brothers served a good purpose. Gideon Benade, who visited the brothers in the detention barracks wrote, “Looking back, one realizes what a powerful witness was given.” The endurance of our brothers and the many news reports about their trials and sentences left an indelible record of the neutral stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which made an impression both on the military and on the country as a whole.

[Box/​Pictures on page 114-117]

Maintaining Integrity During Detention

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROWEN BROOKES

BORN 1952

BAPTIZED 1969

PROFILE Held in detention from December 1970 to March 1973 because of Christian neutrality. Started regular pioneering in 1973 and went to Bethel in 1974. Now a Branch Committee member.

What were conditions like in a detention barracks?

The barracks were long blocks, each with two rows of 34 cells facing a passage with a storm-water furrow down the middle. In solitary confinement, we had our own seven-by-six-foot [2 x 1.8 m] cell. We were let out of our cells only twice a day: in the mornings to wash, shave, and clean our toilet pans and in the afternoons to shower. We couldn’t write or receive letters. We were allowed no books other than the Bible and no pens or pencils. We could not have any visitors.

Prior to entering the detention barracks, most brothers had their Bibles bound together with other books, such as Aid to Bible Understanding. The guards were none the wiser because it resembled their large, old Afrikaans or Dutch family Bibles.

Were you able to obtain Bible literature?

Yes, we smuggled in literature when we could. All our possessions were kept in suitcases in one of the empty cells. This included toiletries. Once a month a guard would let us go to our suitcases to replenish our toiletry supplies. We also had literature in these suitcases.

While one of us distracted the guard by talking to him, another brother would hide a book under his shorts or undershirt. Back in the cell, we divided the book into signatures, which were easier to hide. We passed these around so that all could read them. We found many hiding places. Some of the cells were in a neglected state, and there were holes everywhere.

Our cells were frequently searched, sometimes in the middle of the night. The guards always found some of the literature but never everything. One of the more sympathetic soldiers often warned us when there was going to be a search. We then wrapped literature in plastic and pushed it up the drainpipes. One day there was a tremendous storm, and to our dismay, one of these packages came floating down the furrow inside the cellblock. Some of the military inmates started playing soccer with it. Suddenly a guard appeared and ordered them to get back into their cells. To our relief no one paid further attention to the package, and we were able to retrieve it when we were let out of our cells shortly afterward.

Was your integrity tested while you were in detention?

Constantly. The prison officials were always trying something. For example, they would be very nice to us​—give us extra food, take us out to exercise, and even let us lie out in the sun. Then after a few days, they would suddenly command us to put on the khaki military overalls. When we refused, they treated us as severely as before.

After that, we were told to wear the plastic army helmets, which we refused to do. The captain was so enraged that from then on, he didn’t even allow us to have showers. We were each given a bucket so that we could wash in our cells.

We had no shoes. Some brothers’ feet were bleeding, so we made shoes. We collected pieces of old blankets that were used to polish the floors. Then we found some copper wire, flattened one end, and sharpened the other. We made a hole in the flat end with a pin and used this wire as a sewing needle. We stripped threads out of our blankets and sewed moccasins from the pieces of blanket.

Without any warning, we were once ordered to go three to a cell. Although we were cramped, this proved advantageous. We arranged that spiritually weaker brothers went in with more experienced ones. We had Bible studies and field service practice sessions. To the captain’s dismay, our morale soared.

Realizing that this scheme had failed, the captain ordered each Witness to share a cell with two non-Witness inmates. Although they had strict orders not to speak to us, they started asking questions, and we had ample opportunity to witness. As a result, one or two of these inmates refused to engage in certain military activities. We were soon back to one to a cell.

Were you able to hold meetings?

We held our meetings regularly. Above each cell door was a window with a wire mesh and seven vertical bars. We knotted two ends of a blanket around two of the vertical bars and made a little hammock that we could sit in. From up there we could see the brother in the cell across from us, and we could shout and be heard by the others in the block. We did the daily text each day, and if we had the magazine, we did the Watchtower Study. We closed each day by taking turns in offering a public prayer. We even made up our own circuit assembly program.

We weren’t sure if an elder was going to get permission to come in and observe the Memorial with us. So we made our own preparations. We made wine by soaking some raisins in water, and we flattened and dried out some of our bread ration. On one occasion, we were given permission to receive a small bottle of wine and some unleavened bread from the brothers outside.

Did conditions change in time?

In time, conditions did improve. The law changed, and our group was released. From then on, religious objectors received one sentence of prescribed length, with no resentencing. Later, after our group of 22 brothers was released, the remaining 88 brothers in custody were granted normal prison privileges. They could have one visit a month and could write and receive letters.

When you were released, did you find it difficult to adjust?

Yes, it took time to adjust to life on the outside. For example, it was quite unnerving to mix with crowds of people. Our parents and the brothers kindly assisted us to take on more responsibilities in the congregations gradually.

While those were difficult times, we benefited from the experience. The tests of faith strengthened us spiritually and taught us endurance. We really came to appreciate the Bible, and we learned the value of reading it and meditating on it every day. And we certainly learned to trust in Jehovah. After having made those sacrifices to remain faithful to Jehovah, we were resolved to carry on, giving our best to him, doing so in full-time service if possible.