Life Imprisonment For African Leaders PROTESTS IN BRITAIN AND AT U.N. Sentences of life imprisonment were imposed yesterday on Nelson Mandela and the other seven men-five Africans, a white man and an Indian-convicted of sabotage after an eight-month trial in Pretoria. Delegates at the United Nations Security Council meeting in New York protested against the sentences. Demonstrators lined the pavements outside the South African Embassy in London and British trade union and political leaders expressed anger and sym- pathy. A statement from Mr. Albert Luthuli called on the west to impose sanctions on South Africa. PLEA FOR CLEMENCY AT TRIAL From Our Correspondent-PRETORIA- JiJNv 12 Nelson Mandela and the other seven men found Guilty yesterday of sabotage and plotting violent revolution were today all sentenced to life imprisonment. Judge-President Quartus de Wet said that the crime on which they had been found Guilty was in essence one of high treason. He added that the state had decided not to treat the crime in this form. Allowing for this " I have decided not to impose the supreme penalty". But that was the only leniency he could show. The judge said he had heard in mitiga- tion the submission that the accused were recognized political leaders and had been motivated in their acts by a desire to allevit:: the grievances of the African people in this country. He was by no means convinced that this was so. PERSONAL AMBITION People who organize revolution usu- ally plan to take over the Government as well through personal ambition ", he declared. It was the function of the court to enforce the laws of South Africa. The accused showed no emotion on being sentenced. They were: Nelson Mandela, aged 46; Walter Sisulu, 52, former secretary-general of the banned African National Congress; Dennis Goldberg. 33, a white man, a former leader of the banned Congress of Demo- crats; Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, 44; Elias Motsoaledi. 39; Andrew Mlangeni, 38 (all A.N.C. officials); and Ahmed Kathrada. an Indian and former leader of the Indian National Cotigress. PRETORIA, June 12.-Before the sen- tence was read several hundred police surrounded the court building and patrolled Pretoria's Church Square facing the court. Whites outnumbered Africans in the crowds in Church Square. For hours members of both races stood silently to await the sentencing. At the end, a group of African women suddenly un- furled canvas painted banners bearing the words, "You will not serve these years as long as we live," " We are proud of our leaders," and " A milestone of freedom has been reached." Holding the banners in front of them the women sang " Nkosi Sikelele Afrika" (God Bless Africa) until police with linked arms cleared the roadway in front of the court and seized their banners. MEN OF SINCERITY Mr. Alan Paton, author of Cry, the Beloved Country, made an appeal in court for clemency for the accused. "I came here because I was asked to come ", he declared after taking the oath. Mr. Paton said that as the national president of the Liberal Party he knew Mandela, Sisulu and Mbeki well. He described Mandela as "heir apparent" to Mr. Albert Luthuli, the former A.N.C. leader. " I have the highest regard for him- he holds a very high position in the African community. His name among Africans is as well known as Luthuli," Mr. Paton said. He described Mandela, Sisulu and Mbeki as men of "sincerity and a very deep devotion to their people." There was a clash between Mr. Paton and Dr. Percy Yutar, the deputy Attorney-General, who declared he would " unmask " the author and show him to have come to court to spread propaganda. ' Where do you stand ? " Mr. Paton was asked in cross-examination. He replied: " I am a believer in the removal of any racial discrimination whatsoever, also economic discrimina- tion. I am in favour of a reconstructed society (in South Africa), in favour of some measure of the redistribution of the land and wealth of this country and the removal of the grosser inequalities." He declared he did not "believe in violent action as an expedient or as a principle ". He thought the African people in this country felt they had only two choices--" either to bow their heads and submit or to resist by force". He added: " It is very painful to think that people think tl-.- thtre are only these two choices." Mr. Yutar asked Mr. Paton: "Are you a communist ? " " No ", was the reply. " Are you a fellow-traveller ? " "I don't quite know what a fellow- traveller is, but I am not." STRUGGLE FOR RIGHTS M r. Paton said he disapproved of the communists' totalitarian methods. Mr. Harold Hansen, Q.C., told the Judge in his mitigation plea: "These accused represent the struggle of their people for equal rights. Their views represent the struggle of the African people for the attainment of equal rights for all races in this country. " They are men who have been moved by the poverty of their people moved by the existence of barriers which prevent their people attaining the status of full human beings." The A.N.C. had turned to violence and i'lega' actions in the period 1952-61 when it was "a sad fact" that laws were passed which deprived Africans of what rights they had until then enioyed. Their motivation was not to over- throw the state and its institutions, to despoil anyone of their property and rights. Their motivation was to make public their people's grievances and to ameliorate the conditions of non- Europeans. LACK OF A FORUM "There was no forum through which grievances of the Africans could legiti- mately be expressed. T-he leaders inevitably aspired to acts of sabotage to draw attention to their plight. " My plea is not a plea for mercy, but a plea for understanding, wisdom and compassion. . . . We in this country understand well the struggle for national liberation. We understand its motivation. Political offences rarely take place when there is an avenue through which grievances can be stated and remedies sought." Defence lawyers said afterwards that an appeal was unlikely but steps might be taken to lodge an appeal on behalf of Kathrada, who was con- victed on only one of the four counts. Life sentences in South Africa can actuallv last a lifetime, but the State President reviews all cases after 21 years and can commute the sentence. Before that the prisons board can reduce sen- tences. It is possible for prisoners to be freed after 12 to IS years.-Reuter. Demonstrations throughout Britain, page 9 LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR AFRICAN LEADERS " IN ESSENCE THIS WAS CRIME OF HIGH TREASON "