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[4] Leading up to the Sharpeville massacre, the National Party administration under the leadership of Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd used these laws to enforce greater racial segregation[5] and, in 19591960, extended them to include women. He became South Africa's . What caused the Sharpeville massacre? - Federalprism.com The ANC and PAC were forced underground, and both parties launched military wings of their organisations in 1961. On that day, demonstrations against the pass laws, which restricted the rights of the majority black population in apartheid South Africa, began in the early morning in Sharpeville, a township in Transvaal. Even so and estimated 2000 to 3000 people gathered on the Commons. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar. At this conference, it was announced that the PAC would launch its own anti-pass campaign. I hated what it did to people, As Israelis dedicated to peace, we oppose Trump's apartheid plan, UN human rights head in unprecedented action against Indian government, Anyone can become a climate refugee. As the number of UN members from Africa increased, the commission reversed its no power to act position and turned its attention to the human rights situation in South Africa. Reddy. Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. Tafelberg Publishers: Cape Town. After apartheid ended, President Nelson Mandela chose Sharpeville as the place to sign South Africas new constitution on December 10, 1996. Find out more about our work towards the Sustainable Development Goals. These protests were to begin on 31 March 1960, but the rival Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), led by Robert Sobukwe, decided to pre-empt the ANC by launching its own campaign ten days earlier, on 21 March, because they believed that the ANC could not win the campaign. Later, in the fifties and the sixties, these same goals, enlign poll taxes and literacy tests, were once again fought for by African American leaders, through advocacy and agitation. These protestors included a large number of northern college students. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Copyright 2023 United Nations in South Africa, Caption: Selinah Mnguni, a Sharpeville massacre survivor, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Time Magazine, (1960), The Sharpeville Massacre, A short history of pass laws in South Africa [online], from, Giliomee et al. Eyewitness accounts and evidence later led to an official inquiry which attested to the fact that large number of people were shot in the back as they were fleeing the scene. Baileys African History. The Supreme Courts decision in the famous and landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 set a precedent for desegregation in schools. These two industries experienced rapid growth in the immediate aftermath of World War II and continued growing into the 1950s and 1960s. Sharpeville was much more than a single tragic event. The significance of the date is reflected in the fact that. But change can also be prompted by seemingly minor events in global affairs such as the Sharpeville massacre the so-called butterfly effect. The United Nations Security Council and governments worldwide condemned the police action and the apartheid policies that prompted this violent assault. When the demonstrators began to throw stones at the police, the police started shooting into the crowd. As they attempted to disperse the crowd, a police officer was knocked down and many in the crowd began to move forward to see what had happened. On the day passes were suspended (25 March 1960) Kgosana led another march of between 2000 and 5000 people from Langa to Caledon Square. Everyone should have an equal rights and better community . In conclusion; Sharpeville, the imposition of a state of emergency, the arrest of thousands of Black people and the banning of the ANC and PAC convinced the anti-apartheid leadership that non-violent action was not going to bring about change without armed action. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. It also came to symbolize that struggle. "[6]:p.538, The uproar among South Africa's black population was immediate, and the following week saw demonstrations, protest marches, strikes, and riots around the country. Sixty-nine Africans were killed and 186 were wounded, with most shot in the back. Mandela and was given a life sentence in prison for treason against the South African government in 1964. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The Sharpeville massacre sparked hundreds of mass protests by black South Africans, many of which were ruthlessly and violently crushed by the South African police and military. Riding into the small group of protestors, they forced most to withdraw, but a few stood fast around a utility pole where horsemen began to beat them. These laws restricted blacks movements within the country. Robert Sobukwe and other leaders were arrested and detained after the Sharpeville massacre, some for nearly three years after the incident. Philip H. Frankel, An Ordinary Atrocity: Sharpeville and its Massacre (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001); Henry F. Jackson, From the Congo to Soweto: U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Africa Since 1960 (New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1982); Meredith Martin, The History of Apartheid: The Story of the Colour War in South Africa (New York: London House & Maxwell, 1962). Furthermore, the history of the African civil rights movement validated: Nationalism has been tested in the peoples struggles . Amid confusion, two shots were fired into the air by somebody in the crowd. According to his "Testimony about the Launch of the Campaign," Sobukwe declared: To read more witness accounts of the Sharpeville Massacre, click on the, According to an account from Humphrey Tyler, the assistant editor at, Afrikaner Nationalism, Anglo American and Iscor: formation of Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation, 1960-70 in Business History", The Sharpeville Massacre: Its historic significance in the struggle against apartheid, The PAC's War against the State 1960-1963, in The Road to Democracy in South Africa: 1960-1970, The Sharpeville Massacre - A watershed in SouthAfrica, Saluting Sharpevilles heroes, and South Africa's human rights, New Books | Robert Sobukwes letters from prison, South African major mass killings timeline 1900-2012, Origins: Formation, Sharpeville and banning, 1959-1960, 1960-1966: The genesis of the armed struggle, Womens resistance in the 1960s - Sharpeville and its aftermath, Eyewitness accounts of the Sharpeville massacre 1960, List of victims of police action, 21 March, 1960 (Sharpeville and Langa), A tragic turning-point: remembering Sharpeville fifty years on by Paul Maylam, Apartheid: Sharpeville Massacre, 21 March 1960, Commission of Enquiry into the Occurrences at Sharpeville (and other places) on the 21st March, 1960, Volume 1, Johannesburg, 15 June 1960, Commission of Enquiry into the Occurrences at Sharpeville (and other places) on the 21st March, 1960, Volume 2, Johannesburg, 15 June 1960, Documents, and articles relating to the Sharpeville Massacre 1960, Editorial comment: The legacy of Sharpeville, From Our Vault: Sharpeville, A Crime That Still Echoes by J Brooks Spector, 21 March 2013, South Africa, Message to the PAC on Sharpeville Day by Livingstone Mqotsi, Notes on the origins of the movement for Sanctions against South Africa by E.S. Along with other PAC leaders he was charged with incitement, but while on bail he left the country and went into exile. That impact is best broken down into its short-term, medium-term, and long-term significance. During the shooting about 69 black people were killed. This set the UN on the path towards the recognition of all human rights for all and, eventually, the establishment of the Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review of the human rights performance of all states. The OHCHR Regional Office for Southern Africa also produced a series of digital stories on the Sharpeville massacre and young peoples concerns about their human rights. The policemen were apparently jittery after a recent event in Durban where nine policemen were shot. Kgosana agreed to disperse the protestors in if a meeting with J B Vorster, then Minister of Justice, could be secured. It was a sad day for black South Africa. Find out what the UN in South Africa is doing towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The subject of racial discrimination in South Africa was raised at the UN General Assembly in its first session, in 1946, in the form of a complaint by India concerning the treatment of Indians in the country. Eyewitness accounts of the Sharpeville massacre 1960 What were the causes of the Sharpeville Massacre? - eNotes The Sharpeville Massacre is commemorated through Human Rights Day, a public holiday in South Africa, which honours those whose lives were sacrificed in the fight for democracy. He was followed by Dr. Yusuf Dadoo, Chairperson of the South African Indian Congress and Chairperson of the underground South African Communist Party. The campaign slogan was "NO BAIL! We need the voices of young people to break through the silence that locks in discrimination and oppression. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. One of the insights has been that international law does not change unless there is some trigger for countries to change their behaviour. Pheko, M. (2000) Focus: 'Lest We Forget Sharpeville', The Sowetan, 20 March. The protesters offered themselves up for arrest for not carrying their passes. Yet only three policemen were reported to have been hit by stones - and more than 200 Africans were shot down. The foundation of Poqo, the military wing of the PAC, and Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC, followed shortly afterwards. How the 1960 Sharpeville massacre sparked the birth of international A state of emergency was announced in South Africa. The presence of armoured vehicles and air force fighter jets overhead also pointed to unnecessary provocation, especially as the crowd was unarmed and determined to stage a non-violent protest. They were mild campaigns at first, but as the government became more hostile, so did ANC protests. According to his "Testimony about the Launch of the Campaign," Sobukwe declared: At the press conference Sobukwe emphasized that the campaign should be conducted in a spirit of absolute non-violence and that the PAC saw it as the first step in Black people's bid for total independence and freedom by 1963 (Cape Times, 1960). They met a police line a few blocks from the Courthouse and were forbidden from proceeding because they did not have a parade permit (Reed 26). The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. In addition other small groups of PAC activists presented themselves at police stations in Durban and East London. [6]:p.163, The African National Congress (ANC) prepared to initiate a campaign of protests against pass laws. In order to reduce the possibility of violence, he wrote a letter to the Sharpeville police commissioner announcing the upcoming protest and emphasizing that its participants would be non-violent. The rally began peacefully, the iron bell was rung (usually it was rung to signal victories in football games) and one speaker started to speak. Police witnesses claimed that stones were thrown, and in a panicked and rash reaction, the officers opened fire on the crowd. Massacre in Sharpeville. Foundation remembers Sharpeville Massacre victims The massacre also sparked hundreds of mass protests by black South Africans, many of which were ruthlessly and violently crushed by the South African police and military. Apartheid in South Africa. - GCSE Politics - Marked by Teachers.com The poet Duncan Livingstone, a Scottish immigrant from the Isle of Mull who lived in Pretoria, wrote in response to the Massacre the Scottish Gaelic poem Bean Dubh a' Caoidh a Fir a Chaidh a Marbhadh leis a' Phoileas ("A Black Woman Mourns her Husband Killed by the Police"). On 24 March 1960, in protest of the . Nelson Mandela was a member of the banned African National Congress and led an underground armed movement that opposed the apartheid by attacking government buildings in South Africa during the early 1960s. the Sharpeville Massacre Its been 60 years since the Sharpeville massacre, when 69 unarmed civilians were killed by armed South African police on March 21 1960. In 1960, states had no binding international human rights obligations with oversight mechanisms. The police shot many in the back as they turned to flee, causing some to be paralyzed. Following the dismantling of apartheid, South African President Nelson Mandela chose Sharpeville as the site at which, on December 10, 1996, he signed into law the countrys new constitution. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Sobukwe was only released in 1969. The quest for international support, mass mobilization, armed operations, and underground organization became the basis for the ANCs Four Pillars of Struggle. Significant reshaping of international law is often the result of momentous occurrences, most notably the first and second world wars. On March 21, 1960, police in Sharpeville, South Africa, shot hundreds of people protesting laws that restricted the movement of blacks. However, the police simply took down the protesters names and did not arrest anyone. Furthermore, a new police station was created, from which the police were energetic to check passes, deporting illegal residents, and raiding illegal shebeens. Many people set out for work on bicycles or on foot, but some were intimidated by PAC members who threatened to burn their passes or "lay hands on them"if they went to work (Reverend Ambrose Reeves, 1966). Aftermath: Sharpeville Massacre 1960 | South African History Online There were also youth problems because many children joined gangs and were affiliated with crimes instead of schools. He was tricked into dispersing the crowd and was arrested by the police later that day. Sharpeville Massacre - BlackPast.org Just after 1pm, there was an altercation between the police officer in charge and the leaders of the demonstration. On 30 March 1960, the government declared a state of emergency, detaining more than 18,000 people, including prominent anti-apartheid activists who were known as members of the Congress Alliance including Nelson Mandela and some still enmeshed in the Treason Trial. Over five thousand individuals came to protest the cause in Sharpeville. . By lunchtime, the crowd outside the police station had grown to an estimated 20,000 people. Another officer interpreted this as an order and opened fire, triggering a lethal fusillade as 168 police constables followed his example. The targeted protest became infamous in the Civil Rights Movement, marked Bloody Sunday and was crucial to gaining favor of the public (civilrights.org). The apartheid in South Africa which was in effect from 1948 until 1994 was not only a racist policy which greatly affected the quality of life of minorities in the country for the worse but was a outright crime against humanity. The adoption of the Race Convention was quickly followed by the international covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights in 1966, introduced to give effect to the rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In her moving poem Our Sharpeville she reflects on the atrocity through the eyes of a child. These resolutions established two important principles: that the human rights provisions in the UN Charter created binding obligations for member states, and the UN could intervene directly in situations involving serious violations of human rights. All that changed following the worlds moral outrage at the killings. The Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa - Owlcation It is likely that the police were quick to fire as two months before the massacre, nine constables had been assaulted and killed, some disembowelled, during a raid at Cato Manor. When protesters reconvened in defiance, the police charged at them with batons, tear gas and guns. Sharpeville: An apartheid massacre and its consequences Sobukwe was only released in 1969. This abuse towards people of colour in South Africa made people around the world want to protest against South Africa's government. Our work on the Sustainable Development Goals. Many thousands of individuals applied for the amnesty program and a couple thousand testified through the course of 2 years. When an estimated group of 5000 marchers reached Sharpeville police station, the police opened fire killing 69 people and injuring 180 others in what became known as the Sharpeville Massacre. The protesters responded by hurling stones (striking three policemen) and rushing the police barricades. After some demonstrators, according to police, began stoning police officers and their armoured cars, the officers opened fire on them with submachine guns. Confrontation in the township of Sharpeville, Gauteng Province. The police and army arrested thousands of Africans, who were imprisoned with their leaders, but still the mass action raged. As part of its response, the General Assembly tasked the UN Commission on Human Rights to prepare the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the first global human rights treaty. Eventually a few of the demonstrators dared to cross the street, led by James Forman who had organized the march. How the Sharpeville massacre changed the course of human rights Updates? As the protesters tried to flee the violent scene, police continued to shoot into the crowd.