Giving a few examples of positive historical events in 1993,
there were the approval of the Maastricht treaty in Europe, the
agreement reached in the Middle East peace talks between Israel
and the Palestinians and the collapse of Communism in some of the
countries of the former Soviet Union. Negative events were the
warfare in Bosnia Herzegovina, the civil war in Somalia and the
racism in Europe, especially Germany. However, it would seem wise
to also consider the multiracial elections in South Africa, which
will be held in April (1994), as one of the most significant
events. We should also look at the joy of freedom from the past
terrible policies. However, before this dramatic election, it
might be advisable to look at the history of South Africa.
Looking back at the history of South Africa, it would be much
easier to know how there happened to be a country in which whites
and blacks hate each other. The story goes back to 1652 when the
Dutch East Indies ship landed in Cape town for replenishment on
the way to Oriental trade. Next, the immigrants from Holland came
and deprived the aborigines of their land, and what is more, they
ran the farms while treating the aborigines as slaves. During the
Napoleonic war, Britain was afraid of the alliance between France
and Holland, and invaded Cape town in 1795 and colonized it in
1814. Boer (Holland) built the Transvaal Republic and Orange Free
state, and in 1867, when diamonds were found there, South Africa
became an industrial country. Britain invaded the Orange Free
State in order to govern this industry, and the Boer War broke
out. After the war, Cape town, Transvaal and the Orange Free
state united and established the Republic of South Africa
(Yoshida 151-52). Examining the history, it is definite that
South Africa was founded by various conflicts of interest of
European countries. Hence, it would be wise to make sure that
South Africa had many serious problems from the beginning.
Writing about South Africa, there is an important fact that
must not be forgotten, which is the existence of apartheid. It
shows that the majority of non-whites (colored, Indian and
African) were segregated from the minority of whites just because
the color of their skin was different. It is interesting to
examine how this unreasonable apartheid came into existence and
how it works in the life of South Africa. There were various
reasons why apartheid was founded in South Africa. The most
important ones were the development of the nation's liberation
movement and the collapse of colonization in Asia and Africa
after World War 11. Whites who recognized the crisis in their
society must have formed apartheid to block the wave of the
nation's liberation movement, as well as to protect and keep the
low status and lack of privileges with respect to the blacks.
There were also economic, religious, historical and political
factors behind it. Apartheid infiltrated into the society so
widely that blacks could hardly live without restricting their
freedom and happiness. There were countless unreasonable
regulations against blacks in areas such as where they were
allowed to settle, transportation, education, employment,
marriage and assembly (Yoshida).
It must be remembered that there have been various groups
which were strongly opposed to apartheid, such as the ANC (the
African National Congress) (Yoshida 155). Among the anti-
apartheid groups, ANC is the most outstanding. It was organized
by intellectuals in 1912 and insisted on the rights of Africans.
Through a lot of severe difficulties and with their great
efforts, apartheid was legally abolished; however, it still
exists in society. It may take a long time for such unreasonable
and cruel apartheid to disappear from the hearts of Africans.
Nevertheless, the disappearance of apartheid will make Africans
have hope for their future, that they will be able to live better
than how they used to.
Taking history and policy into consideration, it is obviously
a dramatic and wonderful event to hold the first universal
suffrage election in South Africa, in which a black majority will
be able to participate and vote for their new constitution for
the first time in their history (The Daily Yomiuri). However,
there are groups that resist this election. They state that the
majority of blacks will govern South Africa, deprive whites of
their rights and that the status of whites will decrease
suddenly. In contrast, the ANC says that the coexistence of
blacks and whites will be possible if whites realize what they
have done to the blacks, and that whites should accept blacks as
equal to make the country peaceful.
In conclusion, I will mention the quotation of Steve Biko, who
said that "the most important thing to do for blacks it to banish
the idea that blacks are inferior to whites. Don't confuse whites
with the highest good" (Biko 100). He stated this in the 1970s in
order to change the thoughts and ideas of blacks. This time,
whites should create the new idea and open up their hearts for
the future of South Africa. If blacks and whites live equally and
peacefully, South Africa will develop rapidly economically and
culturally.
However, this is just the beginning of a long and difficult
road. South Africa should not be in a hurry for development, but
gain steady progress step by step.
by Akihiro Watanabe
Works Cited
Apartheid. Shinnihon Shuppansha, 1987.
Asahi Shinbun. 8 December 1993.
Biko, Steven. I Write What I Want To. 1978
The Daily Yomiuri. 9 December 1993.
Yoshida, Ruriko. "Apartheid." Otsukishoten, 1989.
