Massacre of Sharpeville

The Massacre of Sharpeville is relating to the police repression which take place the March 21st 1960 with Sharpeville, a Township (black Banlieue) of the Ville of Vereeniging in the Transvaal in South Africa.

History

In 1960, within the framework of the national campaign of the black movements against the obligation of the port of the step (interior passport), the militants of the young person Congrès African Side (CAP) immobilized public transport blocking the commuters in their township. The latter were then numerous to come to peacefully express their anger in front of the police station to burn their discussed documents of identities there.

Overflowed and barricaded in their small building, the police officers lose their cold blood, draw without summation in crowd and cause a massacre. One raises 79 dead and among the 178 wounded ones, a very impressive number of wounds by balls in the back.

The emotion gains the country and causes an international shock wave putting for the first time for a long time South Africa on the front of the international scene.

The event starts a general strike the March 28th 1960 in spite of prohibitions and warning statements of the government of Hendrik Verwoerd which starts the process to prohibit ANC and the CAP and to issue the state of emergency.

Repression will be brutal leading many black militants in prison or exile.

In 1984, Sharpeville returns to the fronts stations of the topicality following the Lynchage of a black city council man. This event starts a wave of dispute and demonstration in all the country which emerges in 1985 the hardening of the international sanctions imposed by UNO against South Africa.

The authors of lynching are condemned to died then pardoned by the president Pieter Botha following an international vast campaign (To save the 6 of Sharpeville).

The March 21st 1985, is 25 years day for day after the massacre of Sharpeville, in the South-African city of Port Elizabeth, the police force drew on a funerary procession set up in antigovernment demonstration. One does not count less than 19 dead This involves a wave of protest in all the country.

Homages

In remembering the massacre of Sharpeville, UNO will make of March 21st the world Journée of fight against the Racial segregation.

See too

List of the massacres

External bonds

the massacre of Sharpeville
an article of the book of African studies

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