Militant liberals
From Dr J. L. Insley
Sir: Mr L. Clarke (September 11) really cannot be allowed to get away with it. Wearing the shining armour of militant liberalism is no excuse for misrepresentation and distortion of facts. I have been involved in tropical paediatrics in b_ oth Central and Southern Africa for the past few years, and take issue with him on the following grounds. First, his mortality figure tor South Africa's malnutrition is out of date and thus multiplied by a factor of between five and ten (I do not have the exact figures by MO. Secondly, apartheid, which 1 too deplore, is not a cause of malnutrition, which arises because of the African social practice of
having as many children as possible and so ordering things that the youngest is the last to get at the food. Thirdly, to compare South Africa's child health with almost any country north of the Zambesi is invalid, since only the South African figures will be anywhere near accurate. This is mostly due to the lack of facilities for the collection of figures in the less developed countries but I have seen malnutrition figures suppressed for political reasons, much as some countries denied the recent cholera outbreak in Africa.
I would also question the ethics of a previous resident of South Africa who withdraws to the security of metropolitan London, there to conduct a campaign of vilification of the country. The aim, presumably, is to stir up trouble he will never have to face, or even, ultimately, a war he will never have to fight. It would be more honest to remain and help in the solving of South Africa's problems, or to remain silent and leave the job to those who have elected so to do.
.1. L. Insley PO Box 92, Wankie, Rhodesia
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