The Acts of the Democracies

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Years : ALL

Aggressor / Perpetrator Country : South Africa

25 Items Selected

Generated : 8th September 2024

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1952

South Africa (The Pass Laws)

In South Africa, non Whites are compelled to carry passes. These pass laws will cause much resentment amongst the majority population.

1955

South Africa and the UN

South Africa leaves the United Nations after being censured over its apartheid policies.

1960

Rhodesia, South Africa (Sharpville)

Repressive legislation against black people (who cannot vote) is passed in Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe).

Over 70 people are killed in Sharpville, South Africa while demonstrating against the pass laws. These laws require non-Whites to carry documentation or else face imprisonment.

The African National Congress (ANC), an organisation seeking a multi-racial state with universal voting rights, is banned in South Africa.

White supremacy gains in strength in southern Africa.

1961

South Africa and Apartheid

The United Nations condemns apartheid in South Africa. The West continues trading and supporting this undemocratic country.

1964

South Africa (Imprisonment of Nelson Mandela)

Nelson Mandela is imprisoned for 27 years in South Africa. He becomes the world's most famous political prisoner. During his imprisonment many Western leaders support and trade with South Africa and call him a terrorist.

South Africa creates Bantustans, areas where ethnically cleansed black people must live. Only white people can vote (30% of the population). Opponents to the regime (both black and white) are assassinated, exiled, imprisoned and tortured.

1965

Rhodesia

The 220,000 white settlers in Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe), decide to ignore the wishes of the 4,000,000 black Africans and declare independence. Ian Smith rules the country for the whites and does not allow the blacks to vote.

The UK imposes sanctions that are ignored by multinational companies, Portugal controlled Mozambique, and apartheid South Africa.

1966

South Africa and Namibia

South Africa extends its apartheid laws to its colony South West Africa (later Namibia). The United Nations requests South Africa to withdraw from the territory.

Coup in Central Africa (Bokassa)

A military coup brings Bokassa to power in Central Africa. For 13 years he rules brutally. Opponents are publicly clubbed to death in the streets (including 100 children in 1979) and all power is centralised to him and his family who bleed the country's finances.

France supports this regime because of concessions in mining the huge Uranium deposits. South Africa and the USA loan money to the government.

1970

Coup in Bolivia

A military coup overthrows the government of Bolivia. The coup is led by USA trained officer and Gulf Oil beneficiary, Hugo Banzer with direct support from the USA. During the coup, Banzer's forces have a breakdown in radio communications; USA Air Force radio is placed at their disposal.

The previous president (Juan Jose Torres) had nationalised Gulf Oil properties and tin mines owned by USA companies.

Within two years, 2,000 people are arrested and tortured without trial. The native Aymara and Quechua people are ordered off their land and deprived of tribal identity. Tens of thousands of white South Africans are enticed to immigrate with promises of the land stolen from the indigenous people. Catholic clergy who aid the victims are harassed and killed.

1978

Rhodesia

Rhodesian (later Zimbabwe) forces kill 90 opposition supporters during elections.

Between 1971 and 1978, United Nations sanctions had been in place on Rhodesia. Three countries had violated the sanctions: The USA, Portugal (under a Fascist regime), and South Africa (under apartheid).

South Africa and Angola

In the Kassinga refugee camp in Angola, over 600 civilians are killed by the South African military.

1979

Central Africa

Over 100 children are killed by police in Central Africa. They had been protesting against having to buy all their school uniforms from shops owned by the president. This country is backed by France and financed by South Africa and USA.

1980

South Africa and Angola

South Africa attacks dissidents in Angola. American oil companies work in an enclave and fund one of the warring factions.

South Africa

30 protesters are killed in South Africa by police. The USA, UK and France veto a United Nations resolution offering assistance to the oppressed people of South Africa and their national liberation movement. The vote is 137 to 3.

1981

Southern Africa

South Africa attacks dissidents in Angola. A major invasion of the southern part of the country occurs. 11,000 men and several battalions of tanks and armored cars are deployed in Cunene province. Over 80,000 people become refugees.

South African commandos raid Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. They begin to create, arm and deploy special military units in Mozambique to attack roads, railways, bridges and other economic targets, as well as to terrorise in rural areas.

South African agents carry out sabotage and assassinations in Zimbabwe.

South Africa (with help from the USA's CIA) attempts to mount a coup against President Kaunda in Zambia. The CIA director, William Casey flies secretly to Lusaka and threatens sanctions against Zambia if the role of the CIA is exposed.

In addition to these military activities, South Africa begins a full scale economic war against Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

After being elected to the USA presidency, Ronald Reagan states that closer relations with South Africa are a means "to counter Soviet influence in southern Africa". Arms and money are passed by the USA's CIA to groups supported by South Africa in the region.

The USA blocks the implementation of the United Nations plan for a settlement in Namibia, currently under South African rule. It does this by unilaterally linking the Namibian issue with Angola. While the USA continues to state its support for the United Nations plan, the USA Secretary of State, Al Haig, informs the South African Foreign Minister "that the United States would not press South Africa to settle the Namibian question unless Cuban troops were withdrawn from Angola."

The USA vetoes seven United Nations resolutions condemning the actions of South Africa, condemning apartheid and attempting to strengthen sanctions. These votes are 145 to 1, 124 to 1, 136 to 1, 129 to 2 (with UK), 126 to 2 (with UK), 139 to 1, and 138 to 1.

South Africa and the Seychelles

South Africa, backed by the USA CIA, fails in an attempt to mount a coup against the government of the Seychelles. The country's leader, France Albert René, had persued a non-aligned foreign policy, wanted to have a nuclear free Indian Ocean, and objected to a USA satellite tracking station on the islands.

The USA vetoes a United Nations resolution condemning the attempt and naming South Africa as the agent.

1982

South Africa and Mozambique

Militias backed by South Africa terrorise Mozambique. They attack transport routes, mine roads, burn shops, schools and health posts, poison wells, and mutilate peasants. South African commando units advise the militias.

South African commandos attack and destroy the oil depot in the city of Beira. The raid cuts supplies of petroleum to Zimbabwe and costs the country millions of dollars in lost revenue.

South Africa's actions in the country would kill 100,000 people between 1982 and 1983.

South Africa and Lesotho

South African commandos fly by helicopter to Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, and carry out a raid against houses inhabited by South African refugees killing 42 people.

1985

South Africa

18 demonstrators are killed by police in South Africa. Inter racial sex and marriage are made legal after 34 years. The USA and European Community finally impose economic sanctions. The UK government of Margaret Thatcher carries on trading with the regime.

1986

South Africa

30 demonstrators are killed in South Africa. South Africa attacks targets in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The USA Congress imposes economic sanctions on South Africa in spite of a veto by President Reagan. Only 25% of the trade between the two countries is affected. Iron, steel and uranium continue to be exported from South Africa. In the next two years, USA exports to South Africa increase from $ 1,280 million to $ 1,710 million.

1990

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela is released from prison in South Africa after 27 years.

1997

Rwanda

In Rwanda, over 6000 civilians are killed by the military. The military is trained and funded by the USA and South Africa. The slaughter in this country is largely unreported by the West.

2002

Botswana's Kalahari Bushmen

The government of Botswana decides to cut the water supply to the traditional lands of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen of the Kalahari.

The Bushmen have lived in the area for 20,000 years and are one of the oldest cultures on Earth. Only 700 are left; another 2,000 have been settled in camps away from the lands of their ancestors.

The South African company, De Beers (owned by UK and USA company, Anglo-American), have diamond surveying rights in the region. This business is worth $3,000 million per year.

Survival International have criticised the lack of consultation between the Bushmen and the government.

2003

Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, the government of Robert Mugabe arrests over 1000 supporters of the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), are arrested and tortured.

Many people are forced to sit on hot stoves, suffer electric shocks, and several people are beaten to death. Women are raped, and some men are forced to have sex with their children.

South Africa lobbies other African nations to prevent a vote condemning Zimbabwe within the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The UK continues to trade with the regime.

Police close the last privately run daily newspaper.

2005

South Africa

Authorities in South Africa evict thousands of people from their homes in the Johannesburg area using laws created during the apartheid era. The evictions are used to clear an area required by business for the 2010 football World Cup. Some evictions are by force with private security personnel beating people up and stealing their property.

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