The suppression of the Soweto uprising Flashcards
How did authorities respond to the demonstrations in Soweto? How many school children were killed?
Whose Corpse shocked global media?
Who did the Minister of Justice Kruger blame for the violence?
What type of revolution did gov’t officials explain the students were attempting to raise?
What did they argue about the conditioning of African education?
-They responded by the use of brutality; police began to fire on the school children. Killing as many as 20.
-The world were shocked by a photo showing the corpse of a thirteen year old, Hecter Peterson.
-The Minister of Justice Jimmy Kruger blamed the demonstrations for forementing trouble.
-Gov’t officials accused them for seeking communist revolution.
-The official line remained that as the government provided the resources for African education it had the right to choose the form it would take.
How were killled by the security forces by the end of the protest?
What did gov’t pass to further suppress organisations seen as involved?
What became apparent as the demonstrations continued regarding its organisation?
Who took part in these protests?
How was this type of protest more dangerous?
Following the protests where did thousands of young people move to join?
What was the international reaction to gov’t suppression of Soweto?
-The security forces killed 1000 people.
-Government passed banning orders, imprisoment and the suppression of 18 organisations including the Christian institute.
-As the demonstrations continued it became apparent that no central organisation was directing them; not the ANC, PAC or even BCM.
-Most were localised, spontaneous and organised by school children themselves.
-This was a new feature of protest. Even more dangerous because of its unpredictability.
-Thousands of young people slipped away, to join armed groups preparing for guerilla warfare.
-Government reaction to the Soweto uprising led to widespread international condemnation.
What had Biko been arrested for in 1974?
When was SASO banned?
What did Biko use his trial to do?
What did he become from this?
When did Biko die? Where?
What was he accused of doing initially?
What did a subsequent inquiry find?
Was anyone prosecuted over his death?
-Biko had been arrested in 1974 for breaking his banning order in 1973: he attended rallies in support of the independence of Mozambique & Angola from Portugal.
-SASO itself was banned in 1975.
-Biko used his trial in which he was a self defence witness, to explain his case, attracting wide publicity and becoming an international figure.
-Biko died in police custody in September 1977.
-He was intially accused of attacking police officers during interrogation and falling against a wall during a violent struggle.
-A subsequent inquiry found that he did in fact die of brain damage worsened by a 700-mile journey to hospital covered only in a blanket.
-No one was ever prosecuted over his death.
How many deaths did the ANC record in police custody in 1977? What did Biko become the face of?
Which superpower and world peace organisation protested over his death?
What movie was made in his honour?
When was this released?
How did authorities in SA remain about the situation? What did Minister of Justice Krugger state about Biko’s death?
What did an inquest report Biko had done before hitting his head?
Was this believed?
-ANC recorded 14 deaths in police custody in 1977 alone.
-Biko had in a sense due to his popularity become the face of black protest.
-The USA and UN both protested over his death.
-There was widespread condemnation. He was the subject of a popular movie, Cry Freedom, in the following decade, which led to even more international condemnation of the apartheid regime.
-The authorities remained impassive.
-Minister of Justice Kruger asserted that Biko’s death left him cold.
-An inquest reported improbably that Biko had gone berserk before fatally hitting his head against the wall. Few believed it.
Following the death of Biko and Soweto uprisings what did many people feel about the transition of apartheid?
What did gov’t offer to Indians and Coloured vaguely in 1977?
Did this have an affect of calming tensions?
-The death of Biko and Soweto uprising made many end their considerations for the chance of a peaceful solution to the problems of apartheid was possible.
-The gov’t spoke vaguely in 1977 about giving coloureds and Indians more political rights but this had no impact at the time.
