The International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) is a transnational religious community “committed to nonviolence as a principle of life for a world community of peace and liberation” . The group was founded following the Second World War, in response to its horrors, and has branches in over forty countries. 

In this issue from October 1980, the IFOR discusses the anniversary of the crackdown on opposition groups and individuals by the South African apartheid government. Their specific concern for this year is the issue of political detainees. These prisoners, which included Children as young as 10 who were involved in the Soweto uprising, were held without charge and without trial for long periods of time where they faced abuse, torture and solitary confinement. The IFOR calls on its readers to participate in its upcoming campaign: sending key tags (as pictured in the cover) to the South African government, either directly or through an embassy.

The Commonweal Collection includes around 100 copies of the IFOR Report  published between 1949 and 1985. Other materials in the Collection about Reconciliation & Peacebuilding (Jb) can be found on the catalogue here.

Josie Mulligan (Commonweal volunteer).

A full list of over 1,700 magazines, newsletters, bulletins and journals that are in the Collection can be found here.