International Organisations
Several AAMs and general organisations operated at an international level in the struggle against apartheid. The United Nations and its agencies played a major role in the international arena.
Anti-Apartheid Organisations/People
Alexander Defence Committee (ADC)
The ADC started in 1964-1968 to support Dr Neville Alexander and other political prisoners and their families in South Africa. It was active in Canada, Europe and the USA. It organised speaker tours and raised funds, also for the families of political prisoners.
The Wisconsin Historical Society holds a collection of documents on microfilm.
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org
Centre against Apartheid – United Nations
The Centre against Apartheid started in 1976 in the UN Secretariat under the name Unit on Apartheid. Its role was to promote publicity against Apartheid and it worked under the guidance of the Special Committee and in cooperation with the Department of Public Information. During its existence, it published hundreds of posters, audio materials and documentary films. It organised art competitions and exhibitions. It had radio broadcasts to South Africa in several languages. It worked closely together with the liberation movements and the AAMs. Many document published by the Centre were written by members of liberation movements and the AAMs.
The United Nations holds the archives of the organisation.
The UWC/RIM Mayibuye Archives holds a collection of documents.
http://www.robben-island.org.za
Commonwealth Pressure Groups, Trade Unions and Political Parties Materials
The Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London has three big collections covering pressure groups, trade unions and political parties within the Commonwealth. The collections started in 1960 and have a special emphasis on primary materials. Besides printed materials, the collections also contain posters, badges, stickers. Anti-apartheid activities are covered in the collections.
http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/
International Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa (IDAF)
IDAF started in 1956 as Christian Action, later becoming the British Defence and Aid Fund which started its work with the 1956 Treason Trial in South Africa. IDAF became an international organisation in 1965. The South African Defence and Aid Fund was banned in 1966. Over the years, many national affiliates and branches were set-up. It smuggled millions of pounds into South Africa to defend thousands of political activists and provided aid to their families. It paid lawyers to defend political detainees and provided financial support families of political prisoners. It published numerous books and films on repression in South Africa.
The UWC/RIM Mayibuye Archives holds the entire archive of the organisation, including photographs and audio-visual materials. Most national archives are held locally.
http://www.robben-island.org.za
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)
The ITF was founded in London in 1886 by European Seafarers and Dockers’s union leaders who realised the need to organise internationally against strike breakers. The ITF represents transport workers at world level and promotes their interests through global campaigning and solidarity. It works for the advancement of fundamental human rights and trade union rights and opposes discrimination. The Reports on Africa contains reports on its activities, amongst others, in South Africa.
The Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London holds the archives covering the period 1952-1975.
http://commonwealth.sas.ac.uk/
Programme to Combat Racism, World Council of Churches (PCR)
The Programme to Combat Racism started in 1968 as part of the WCC Programme Unit on Justice and Service. Its aim was to develop ecumenical policies and programmes contributing to the liberation of victims of racism. Much of its attention and focus was on southern Africa, especially apartheid and the divestment campaign. It established a special fund from which donations to liberation movements were made and to solidarity organisations around the world. The fund was from voluntary contributions from churches.
The organisation holds its own archives and contains reports, correspondence, papers, trial reports, country files. The archive also contains materials on the international AAM’s.
http://library.oikoumene.org/archives.html
The Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library holds the archive from Ms. Annette Hutchins-Felder, US commissioner for the WCC PCR. It contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, financial statements and printed materials. Of particular interest are the reports of the Executive Committee’s Special Fund which granted funds to, amongst others, the ANC. The archive also includes materials on other international AAMs and covers the period 1968-1982.
The IDC Publishers sells the archive on microfiche, covering the period 1939-1996.
South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SAN-ROC)
SAN-ROC started to operate in South Africa in 1962 but had to go into exile in 1966. Forerunners where the Committee for International Recognition, formed by non-racial sportsmen in 1955 and succeeded by the South African Sports Association (SASA) in 1958. Its aim was to fight against racism in sports and press for international recognition of the non-racial sports bodies in South Africa. As a specialist organisation it worked for the international sports boycott of South Africa. It played major role in South Africa being excluded from the Olympic Games in 1966 and the entire Olympic movement in 1969.
The UWC/RIM Mayibuye Archives holds the official archives of the organisation covering the period 1960-1990s. The papers of Sam Ramsamy, who was chairman from 1976-1990 are included in the collection.
http://www.robben-island.org.za
Special Committee against Apartheid – United Nations
The Special Committee against Apartheid was set up in 1963 and operated till 1994. One of its main roles was to secure effective, mandatory sanctions against South Africa. It was the most dynamic and action oriented committee of the UN. It worked closely together with the OAU, the liberation movements and the AAMs.
The United Nations holds the archives of the Committee.
United Nations Trust Fund for Publicity against Apartheid
The Trust Fund was set up in 1975, mainly to give grants to AAMs and other NGOs to support their publicity work against apartheid in consultation with the Special Committee and the Centre against Apartheid.
The United Nations holds the archives of the Committee.
World Campaign against Military and Nuclear Collaboration with South Africa
The World Campaign started in 1977/78 on the initiative of the AAM and the patronage of President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, and was supported by the Special Committee of the UN. It monitored and strengthened the arms embargo against South Africa and exposed military collaborations. It worked closely with the special committee. In the 1980s, it lobbied for expulsion of South Africa from the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA). Abdul Minty was the Director from 1979 to 1994.
The archives have not yet been located.
Other Organisations/People
Amnesty International (AI) – International Secretariat
Amnesty International was founded in 1961 in London as an independent organisation to mobilise public opinion in defence of people who are imprisoned because their ideas are unacceptable to the government in their country. One of their areas of work is campaigning for the release of political prisoners and actions against torture.
The IISH holds the entire archive of the organisation covering the period 1961-1997. It contains country reports and political prisoners’ campaign reports as well as the ‘oral history project’ and personal papers. The archives of national AI’s are held separately.
The Alden Library Microforms Department at the University of Ohio has a collection of published and unpublished materials from AI’s Research Archives dating from 1962 to present. They are updated annually. It contains the research materials, reports, country dossiers, press releases and briefing papers.
http://infotree.library.ohiou.edu/
The UWC/RIM Mayibuye Archives holds a collection of published materials and reports.
http://www.robben-island.org.za
The Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick Library holds papers of AI covering the period 1974-ongoing. It contains bulletins, campaign materials and magazines.
Churches Commission on International Affairs (CCIA) – World Council of Churches
The CCIA started to operate in 1946 and is comprised of thirty people nominated by churches and regional ecumenical organisations to advise the WCC in international affairs. It focuses on peace-making and peaceful resolution of conflicts, militarism, disarmament and arms control. After 1975, a Human Rights Advisory Group was formed within the CCIA to advise on policy in this area.
The WCC holds the archives of the Commission.
http://library.oikoumene.org/archives.html
International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICFTU)
The ICFTU was founded in London in 1949 by unions opposing growing communist control of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). Its activities on South Africa were organised through the Coordination Committee on Southern Africa and the International Solidarity Fund Committee.
The IISH holds the archives of the organisation.
International Labour Organisation (ILO) - UN
The ILO was founded in 1919 to work for the betterment of people in their place of work under conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. It is the only ‘tripartite’ UN agency in that it brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies and programmes. It organised numerous conferences on South Africa and apartheid and was active on boycott issues workers’ rights. The organisation holds its own archives.
International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR)
The IMADR was formed in 1988 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is based in Japan and it worked towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination, including apartheid. It works closely with the UN.
The Law Faculty at Florida State University holds materials covering the period 1988-1998 and includes mainly reports, yearbooks, brochures and publications.
Non–Aligned Movement (NAM)
The Non-Aligned Movement started in 1955 as an organisation of over 100 countries which considered themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. The purpose was to ensure ‘the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries in their struggle against imperialism, colonialism, apartheid, racism, etc. It focused on national struggles for independence, eradication of poverty and economic development. It supported the liberation movements and took an active anti-apartheid stand.
The archives are held by the individual member-states.
Oxfam International Secretariat
Oxfam International is an organisation of 12 independent NGO’s committed to fighting poverty and injustice around the world. It participated in anti-apartheid campaigns organised by AAMs as well as own campaigns.
The International Secretariat holds mainly the administrative archives and international policy documents. The individual, independent NGO’s in America, Belgium, Canada, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Quebec and Germany hold their own archives.
United Nations (UN)
The UN is an international organisation that aims to facilitate cooperation in international law, security, economic development, social progress, human rights and achieving world peace. It was founded in 1945 and replaced the League of Nations. It has been concerned with the issue of racial discrimination since its beginning and racism became an important item on the United Nations agenda after African nations attained independence and after the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa in 1960. The Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1963), which led to the International Convention in 1965. It proclaimed the International Year for Action to Combat Racial Discrimination in 1971 and the three Decades for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination in 1973. Besides the specialised agencies on Apartheid, several other agencies of the UN were also involved in anti-apartheid and solidarity activities.
The UN holds its own archives which are accessible on line.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
UNESCO was founded in 1945 as a specialised agency of the UN. Besides working at a practical level it also played an important role in the international political arena. It gave material and political support to the liberation movements. It organised numerous conferences to highlight the situation in South Africa.
The organisation holds its own archives, including an audiovisual collection.
The UWC/RIM Mayibuye Archives holds a collection of the Artists against Apartheid exhibition which was organised by UNESCO.
http://www.robben-island.org.za
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
The UNHCR is the UN agency for the protection and care of refugees. It started to operate in 1951, based on the Geneva Refugee Convention. Besides playing a role in improving the status of refugees through international agreements and measures at national level, it also works at a practical level. It supported the liberation movements.
The organisation holds its own archives.
War Resisters’ International (WRI)
The WRI was established in 1921 as an organisation against war. Its members refuse to support war or preparations for war in various forms: refuse to engage in military service, pay taxes to support the military, etc. It is fundamentally committed to nonviolent action as a form of social struggle. WRI has provided training in nonviolence, held international conferences on themes such as “Nonviolent Struggle and Social Defence” and “Feminism and Nonviolence,” and organized nonviolent action campaigns. WRI was involved with solidarity work with the End Conscription Campaign and the Conscientious Objectors Support Group, which was formally affiliated with WRI.
The IISH holds the archive of the organisation.
Resources
Aluka
Aluka, founded in 2003, is a digital library with materials about Africa. The Struggles for Freedom in Southern Africa content area is dedicated, amongst others, to the international anti-apartheid struggle. It has a huge collection of materials from organisations all over the world.
Political archives
Political Archives is a website, located at the University of London, sponsored by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICS) and the Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA) to improve access to and use of their extensive collections of political ephemera. The political archives held by the ICS are very substantial and includes current Commonwealth members, ex-members and ex-colonies of other imperial powers. They mainly date from the 1960s and 1970s. Southern African is particularly well represented, with materials from wide variety of different political parties, trade unions and pressure groups.
The Human Rights Internet (HRI)
The HRI in Ottawa has been serving as an unofficial depository for the documentation of NGO’s throughout the world. It makes a vast amount of material available and brings together a wide variety of reports on human rights issues, which would otherwise be very difficult to locate, obtain and consult. The collection which HRI has amassed over the last twenty-five years includes publications by more than 350 nongovernmental organizations and includes a number of AAMs.
The Road to Democracy in South Africa Project
Published by the South African Democratic Education Trust (SADET), volume 3, part 1 and part 2 are dedicated to International Solidarity and gives an inside story to many organisations. Some chapters are available on line in PDF format. Volume 5 will be on African Solidarity
United Nations
The United Nations holds a wealth of information and cover, besides the UN agencies, many national and international AAMs and other organisations that were involved in the anti-apartheid struggle
