Norway / Kongeriket Norge
The first anti-apartheid activities in Norway date back to 1959 with consumer boycott activities organised by the trade unions. The South Africa Committee also started to operate in 1959. Awareness about apartheid received a big stimulus in 1961 when Chief Albert Luthuli received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. The Norwegian government began to support the ANC directly in 1977.
Anti-Apartheid Organisations/People
International Solidarity Committee of the Norwegian Labour Movement / Arbeiderbevegelsens Internasjon
The Solidarity Committee of the Norwegian Confederations of Unions started around 1969 with a consumer boycott campaign. It became one of the key organisations in support of the liberation struggle in Southern Africa. It participated in campaigns with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and supported emerging trade unions in South Africa as well as larger campaigns against South Africa. It also supported the liberation movements financially.
The Labour Movement Archive and Library holds the entire archive, covering the period 1969-1994.
Norwegian Action against Apartheid / Norsk Aksjon Mot Apartheid (NAMA)
NAMA started in 1963 as an association of youth, Christian and humanitarian organisations, doing a lot of education-related work. It merged with the Crisis Fund for South Africa, the national affiliate of IDAF, in 1967.
The Labour Movement Archive and Library holds the entire archive of the organisation, covering the period 1963-1967.
The UWC/RIM Mayibuye Archives holds a collection containing publications, pamphlets and press cuttings.
http://www.robben-island.org.za
Norwegian Council for Southern Africa (NOCOZA) / Fellesrådet for det sørlige Afrika
The NOCOZA was formed in 1967 by a merger of NAMA and CFSA. It was an umbrella organisation for youth organisations and undertook solidarity work for southern Africa and anti-apartheid activities. It opened for individual membership and other organisations in 1976 and started local committees. It also worked with the Shipping Research Bureau on the oil boycott of South Africa. It continued to operate after 1994 as Norwegian Council for Africa
The Labour Movement Archive and Library holds the entire archive covering the period 1967-1993. More recent materials are with the Norwegian Council for Africa.
http://www.arbark.no
Other Organisations/People
Council on Ecumenical and International Relations, Church of Norway / Mellomkirkelig råd
The Council of the Church of Norway, the official Norwegian church, became involved in anti-apartheid issues through their contacts with churches in South Africa around 1948. It worked especially with the South African Council of Churches and the Christian Institute. South Africa became the central focus for the Church of Norway’s international work. It gave a lot of direct, financial support as well.
The National Archives of Norway holds the archives covering the period 1919-1984.
Materials from 1984 are held by the organisation itself.
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) / Kirkens Nødhjelp
The NCA is a Christian emergency relief and development aid organisation. It was formed after World War II and started its work in Europe. In the 1970s it expanded its work to the rest of the world. It has supported many projects in Southern Africa, mainly through church organisations. The South African Council of Churches was one of its main counterparts and channelled funds to the liberation movement inside South Africa.
The NCA holds its own archives
Norwegian Operation Day’s Work / Operasjon Dagsverk (OD)
OD is an organisation that organises annual solidarity campaign by students in Norway. The money they earn by working for one day is donated to projects and NOCASA and SAIH have been the recipients on numerous occasions
OD holds its own archives and they cover the period 1985-2000. It contains campaign materials, publications and materials from NOCASA and SAIH.
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) / Norsk Folkehjelp
The NPA was formed in 1939 as a humanitarian organisation with emergency relief and development aid programmes. It was the voluntary organisation of the trade union movement. It started to support the liberation movements in Southern Africa financially during the 1970s and became the main channel for Norwegian assistance to the ANC.
The Labour Movement Archive and Library holds a substantial collection covering the period 1939-1990.
Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund / Studentenes og Akademikernes Intenasjonale Hjelpefond (SAIH)
The SAIH started in 1961 and worked with other NGOs and institutions to support projects in Africa and Latin America. It organised local universities and colleges around educational projects and supported many projects from the liberation movements. A substantial amount of their funding came directly from students’ contributions.
The Labour Movement Archive and Library holds the substantial collection covering the period from 1960 onwards.
Resources
The Nordic Documentation on the Liberation Struggle in Southern Africa Project
This site provides archival lists of primary source materials that can be found at Nordic archival institutions, NGOs and archives of individuals who have been involved in the liberation struggles of Southern Africa. The website includes interviews, photographs, publications, posters and newspaper cuttings from 1960-1996. It also provides some archival materials in PDF format.
This site provides archival lists of primary source materials that can be found at Nordic archival institutions, NGOs and archives of individuals who have been involved in the liberation struggles of Southern Africa. The website includes interviews, photographs, publications, posters and newspaper cuttings from 1960-1996. It also provides some archival materials in PDF format.
http://www.liberationafrica.se
