The effects of the apartheid movement
What would you say if a race was separated from all others because another race believed they were superior? What would you do if you couldn’t stop the segregation because it was an actual law that you were required to obey? One example of this was the Anti-Apartheid movement took place in South Africa from 1948 to 1994 to end the segregation and brutality between whites, the Dutch and British who conquered during that time, and African people. During this time, many events and violent acts, such as mass killings and retaliation, occurred. The most recognized events included the Sharpeville Massacre and the making of the TRC, the Truth and Reconciliation Committee, because those events were the most brutal and wrong in many different ways and because those events were the rationalism (because of all the violent acts against Africans) for the African people to fight back and end the Apartheid laws. Most of the causes between these two events were because segregation, discrimination, and brutality against the Africans. Many different perspectives, allies, and enemies were made throughout the Apartheid, especially in the Sharpeville and TRC events.
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The Sharpeville Massacre is one of the most recognized event of police brutality because of the effects that happened afterwards and one of the most important, in the Apartheid history. The Sharpeville Massacre took place in the 1960’s and it begun with civil disobedience. During Apartheid, Africans were required to carry ID card after the age of 14. These cards specified the specific areas Africans were allowed to be in and identified them. After years of agreeing to carry the passes, the top two Anti-Apartheid organizations (African National Congress and Political Action Committees) decided they would march and hand the passes over to the police. This was a strategy of civil disobedience and proved that they were willing to go to jail. The disobedience resulted in a massacre, and from this one major effect was the TRC granting amnesty, or having protection from jail if one admits to their crime and it has political reasoning behind it. Many can argue that if the African’s wouldn't have refused to use their passes, they wouldn't have lost so many people, but this was an event that brought people together. Many people participated and were proud to honor their country. Another major effect from the Sharpeville Massacre was the media attention and world-wide spread about the Apartheid . In certain parts of the world, they supported the Apartheid and were believing that the Africans were the problem by showing framed photos or using passive-aggressive information or cases and proving that the government was not the problem. Both sides had their advantages, but the Sharpeville march and massacre was an advantage to the government, and not the Africans.
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As result of of Sharpeville Massacre, the South African government definitely had advantages over African citizens. For example, The government then allowed the white people to carry weapons to defend themselves since the Africans were “dangerous”, in the context that the Africans are violent, and the whites were “fearful.” The Sharpeville MAssacre was so recognized because it ultimately gave white people more supremacy. According to the “About: South Africa Page “The South African government used the threat of black violence to bolster its legitimacy with whites and justify its repressive practices.” This quote is stating that the whites used the African actions as an excuse to continue to treat them the way they did. The whites were given a leeway and were allowed to kill Africans and be given amnesty, pay a fine, or have no consequences and state that they were “mentally ill.” The Sharpeville massacre did not benefit the Africans in an social or economic ways. The Sharpeville march did not help them gain better medical care, jobs, or education. The Sharpeville march ended up giving the South African government and the white people more supremacy then they had before. The Sharpeville massacre gave the South African government an excuse to justify their oppressive actions. The government was now allowed to look at the blacks as a physical threat to them and could claim physical defense if they did attack or hurt a black person. Overall, this just lead to excused repressive actions.
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The government was also given the advantage to make the Apartheid law more rigorous. The government put all laws into full force and paid attention to detail and were finding anyway possible to either place Africans in jail or kill them. The Africans could not defend themselves because they would easily face jail time for violence. These rights were not given to the Africans and they could not get out of any crimes they committed, or that they were blamed for. The Sharpeville massacre also lead to a lot of international attention that benefited the South African government. The United Nations recommended that countries should no longer be in any deals with South Africa. Other countries were influenced by the media with statements that the Africans were barbaric and they they should completely support the Apartheid, but some countries pulled out of any economic ties they had with South Africa and cut off all contact. Most of the media completely praised the white rule and supported the government in any decisions they made. This lead to a lot of controversy between the countries and broke a lot of bonds. Many countries became allies and others became enemies. Overall, the end result wasn’t in favor of the Africans and the march did not supplement the steps to end the Apartheid.
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The lessons learned from the Sharpeville Massacre not only gave the South African government an advantage, but also let the African be unbiased to other strategies. From the massacre, Africans learned that civil disobedience, or in violent defiance against something, would only cause them to get hurt and decrease in numbers, so they tried other strategies like protesting, boycotting, and sabotage. They also learned that if they wanted the Apartheid to end, they had to understand the media was not in their favor. What they wanted was media attention to show others how bad the Apartheid really was. On the other hand, whites learned that they could use the media as an efficient way to get more people to be apart of the Apartheid. From this, Africans had the greater advantage because they were not limited on strategies. The Africans were allowed to do twice as many strategies as the government could. The government could only arrest, abuse their power, and shutdown organizations, but the Africans could boycott and protest continuously and use violence. The Africans could use almost every strategy to their advantage. The government couldn't protest or boycott anything, and they only had the strategy of media and violence. Although the government did rule for a very long time solely on violence and did not need a lot of the other strategies, the government did not take over completely, considering the Apartheid government was overthrown after South Africa had its first respected African president. Furthermore, from this massacre, others were inspired to take part in the movement to end the Apartheid. Even though the Anti-Apartheid as a whole was a great movement, some of the organizations started during the movement were terrible and irrational.
One of the most irrational organizations started by the South African government was the TRC because it provided so flexibility to those who had committed a crime against Africans. The Truth and Reconciliation Committee was made by the new South African government. This committee accepted applications for amnesty, or protection against jail if one admits to a political crime. This program was taken advantage of, since over 7,000 people applied. Many political leaders did not apply considering it would ruin their image and have them credited a bad leader. When the TRC was created, people could say that any crime they committed was in their political perspective. Any crime committed had to be in political favor if one wanted amnesty. This lead to anybody who had been accused of killing an African to say that it was in political favor and that they should not be charged with murder. Many have argued that the TRC provided closure for the loved ones who had lost a member of their family or friends because the murderer was allowed to apologize and all charges would be cleared. Although they received closure, the TRC was unfair because it was in favor of white people. All whites that committed crimes were always pronounced innocent, but for Africans, they were immediately arrested. The TRC let the white claim they wanted their differences to end, but not to be charged with any of their previous brutal actions. The TRC provided amnesty to the wrong people, and the only success was for the whites. The successes of the TRC were in favor of the whites because the TRC provided amnesty and justified all the repressive actions the whites committed. Some can state that the Africans used the TRC to their advantage as well because the TRC provided them amnesty as well, but the Africans had committed less crimes that were in political offense, or in any offense at all. The TRC stated that “the public hearings held by the TRC ensured that South Africans became aware of the atrocities that had been committed during the apartheid years.” How does that benefit the Africans by knowing what horrific crimes have been committed? To know how poorly their friends and family have been treated and to know that not one act of punishment is going to be done about it? It doesn’t benefit them at all except knowing that the Apartheid has ended and that the whites are waiting for them to forget what has happened. Furthermore, the TRC was created to benefit and support white families, but it was inhumane and disgraceful because it cultivated old memories and enraged thoughts. Although there is no way to make up for a loss of a loved one or the feeling of injustice, the Apartheid ended years ago and most is forgotten.
In spite of the fact that the Apartheid ended, the process was complicated and unjust as the African people fought for freedom and independence. The South African government made choices that not only hurt the Africans, but their media image as well. Although both sides made a different choices, whether they were right or wrong, the Sharpeville massacre was a huge mistake on both sides, or the African people agree the TRC was a valid way to make peace between the races. Despite that, these events were definitely the most important and memorable because it lead to many different events that ended the Apartheid. Ending the Apartheid added to the civil rights movement and lead to the racial acceptance we all share today.
In spite of the fact that the Apartheid ended, the process was complicated and unjust as the African people fought for freedom and independence. The South African government made choices that not only hurt the Africans, but their media image as well. Although both sides made a different choices, whether they were right or wrong, the Sharpeville massacre was a huge mistake on both sides, or the African people agree the TRC was a valid way to make peace between the races. Despite that, these events were definitely the most important and memorable because it lead to many different events that ended the Apartheid. Ending the Apartheid added to the civil rights movement and lead to the racial acceptance we all share today.