Robben Island (Press, 31 March 1969)

In a letter published on 31 March 1969, a writer, signing off as "TH® WALRUS," responded critically to Mr Picton Jones’s endorsement of an article by Amnesty International regarding conditions in a South African prison. The writer dismissed Jones's views as nonsense and accused him of being misled by prison authorities, claiming that both Mr Hynning and the Red Cross had similarly been deceived. The letter focused on the complaints made by an ex-prisoner about the conditions in the prison. The author questioned the significance of the complaints, particularly highlighting a claim about inadequate toilet paper—asserting that two rolls for 80 prisoners per week was sufficient, given that toilet paper is not commonly used by Africans. The letter also addressed allegations of the warders encouraging homosexual activities and stated that the design of lavatories being open to view served to deter such practices. Furthermore, the writer suggested that Amnesty International, represented by Mr Brutus, has a stronger focus on prisons in countries ruled by white governments, while failing to adequately assist political detainees facing severe conditions in African-led nations like Zambia and Tanzania. The tone of the letter is confrontational and critical of both Mr Picton Jones and Amnesty International, suggesting an underlying sentiment of bias in the scrutiny of prison conditions based on the governing bodies of the countries involved.

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