page 5

Remembering Soweto

Last Friday night one thousand Wellingtonians demonstrated in solidarity with the oppressed Black majority in South Africa. This was an unprecedented step in the history of the New Zealand Anti-Apartheid movement. For the first time New Zealanders looked beyond their own New Zealand contacts with Apartheid and marched in solidarity with the struggle for justice in South Africa.

The Wellington Anti Apartheid Plenary (the body which organised the march) chose to have a march of a different nature because of the rapid political developments that have taken place in South Africa over the past two years. We felt it was important to draw public attention to the horrific massacre of one hundred and seventy six school children on June 16 1976 and to the implications of this event. For the massacre shows dearly the inhumanity of the Apartheid system and also marks the beginning of a new development in the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa.

The Sharpeville killings in 1960, of 69 Black Africans protesting peacefully against Apartheid, succeeded in silencing Black unrest then, but the murders in Soweto in 1976 sparked off solidarity demonstrations in every Black city in South Africa. Since Soweto Blacks have become far more confident in their belief that they can achieve independence and liberation. For the last seven months continued strikes and demonstrations have been waged against Apartheid at great cost to the Black people.

The success of the demonstration on Friday 18 March can be measured by the numbers who took part. One thousand people is a considerable number given the new emphasis, of solidarity rather than direct protest, that the demonstration took. Future activities the Wellington Anti-Apartheid Plenary (W.A.A.P.) is planning include protest action against the South African Squash team which is visiting Hamilton in mid-April, and a seminar on Angola on Saturday 28th May.

The Halt All Racist Tours movement has called a national day of protest against the South African squash team on 15th April 1977. In Wellington on this day W.A.A.P. intends to have a photographic display in a public place downtown during lunch-time, a film showing on South Africa, and extensive leafletting calling for an end to New Zealand contact with Apartheid. The seminar on Angola will include disscussion on the controversial role of the two super-powers U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. in the struggles of the Angolian people.

The continuing activities of the Anti-Apartheid movement in New Zealand are surely a clear indication to the New Zealand people and Mr Muldoon that we will not give up in our determination of supporting the majority of South African people that are fighting for a just solution in their country. But for this struggle to continue in New Zealand we need all the support we can get from the ordinary New Zealander. The Vietnam movement lasted ten years, the Anti-Apartheid movement has already last eight years. Whatever the length of our campaign though, one thing is sure, we must continue our efforts until Apartheid is eradicated.

Students in the past have made a very important contribuation to the Anti Apartheid movement. So we are asking for your continuing support in the future.

Watch Salient for more information on future activities of the W.A.A.P.

Attend the next W.A.A.P.

Sunday 24 April,

2pm, Trades Hall, Rooms E and D, Vivian St.

B. Taylor and L. Morris