March 21 – A Sad Anniversary and Two Important Holidays

nPostednon March 21, 2016

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Itnwas a horrific system of racial segregation and discrimination. n

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nItnkept the white minority in power, and it limited the rights andnfreedom of the majority black population.

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nInbet you know that I am talking about apartheid in South Africa, ansystem that held sway from World War II to the early 1990s.

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nOfncourse apartheid sparked resistance and protest! Today is thenanniversary of a peaceful protest against the Pass Laws, a part ofnthe apartheid system. The protest occurred in Sharpeville on thisndate in 1960. We remember the day, not so much for the peacefulnprotest, but instead for the violent and deadly response by police,nwho shot into the crowd and killed 69 people and wounded 180 more!

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nNownthat the apartheid system has been ended, now that South Africa has anconstitution that gives equal rights to all, the nation remembers thentragedy with a day that is meant to reaffirm the importance of humannrights, liberty and justice for all, equality – all that importantnstuff. Although the international Human Rights Day is December 10,nSouth Africa’s Human Rights Day is March 21.

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nThenhorror of the Sharpeville massacre reverberated around the world andninspired protests from international sources. Of course, there hadnbeen some international criticism from apartheid’s beginnings, but after the massacre, more and more organizations spoke out against the system. SouthnAfrica found itself increasingly isolated from the rest of the worldnin several ways: sports, culture, tourism, trade. There were cultural boycotts and economic sanctions. South Africa could no longer be a member of the British Commonwealth.

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Startingnin 1966, the United Nations declared March 21 to be the InternationalnDay for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. We are all urged tonfind ways to fight racism, promote tolerance, discuss human rights,nand so forth.

nSome young people participate in online discussionsnabout racial discrimination on Voices of Youth, an onlinenbulletin board.

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