Reacting to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's finding that the cross-border raid was a gross violation of human rights, he said the South African Defence Force (SADF) operation had been conducted by a lawful army in a war situation.
Viljoen, who was chief of the army at the time of the raid, denied the raid had resulted in human rights violations, and said Cassinga had a parallel in Operation Boleas in Lesotho.
He also denied that his involvement in the then Volksfront had resulted in any gross human rights violations, as claimed by the TRC.
The report said Volksfront leaders such as Viljoen and Pieter Groenewald, as well as Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leader Eugene TerreBlanche should be held accountable for gross human rights violations resulting from inflammatory speeches, arming supporters and random attacks.
"We expressly forbade that," Viljoen said.
Except for the TRC's bias, the great vacuum in the report was that untested evidence was held out as the truth.
It was also regrettable that the TRC did not propose general amnesty in the report.
The TRC's activities in regent years had hardened attitudes, and the report did nothing to improve the situation.
"On the contrary, it will only contribute further to entrenching these attitudes.
"The report no way brings us closer to solutions to major problems of joblessness and crime," he said.
The report would not result in reconciliation because of its bias.
The fact that truth commissioner Wynand Malan found it necessary to draft a minority report, was proof of this.