UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS (MARCH 18, 1965) (UNITED NATIONS)

LS EXT. U.N. BUILDING
MS U.N. COMMITTEE STANDS FOR ONE MINUTE SILENCE (2 SHOTS)
CS's VARIOUS DELEGATES
Background: THE MASSACRE AT SHARPVILLE, SOUTH AFRICA, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON MARCH 21, 1960, WAS REMEMBERED AT A MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS APARTHEID COMMITTEE IN NEW YORK YESTERDAY (THURSDAY).
DELEGATES AT THE UNITED NATIONS MEETING STOOD IN SILENCE FOR ONE MINUTE, THEIR HEADS BOWED, NEXT SUNDAY IS THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHARPEVILLE INCIDENTS, AND THE PROBLEMS THAT LED TO THE SHOOTINGS IN 1960 ARE STILL THE SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION IN THE U.N.APARTHEID COMMITTEE.
THE SHARPEVILLE MASSACRE OCCURRED WHEN THOUSAND OF AFRICAN PROTESTED AGAINST A SOUTH AFRICAN LAW WHICH SAID THAT ALL COLOURED RESIDENTS MUST CARRY IDENTITY PASSES.THE LAW HAD ALREADY LED TO NUMEROUS DEMONSTRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.A NON-VIOLENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE LAWS WAS INITIATED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PAN-AFRICAN CONGRESS, MR.R.M.SOBUKWE.THE GATHERING AT SHARPEVILLE WAS PLANNED TO BE A MASS DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE PASS LAWS.
POLICE, QUIPPED WITH ARMOURED CARS AND AUTOMATIC WEAPONS, OPENED FIRE ON THE DEMONSTRATION.PANIC FOLLOWED - AND WHEN OFFICIAL COUNT WAS MADE IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT SIXTY-SEVEN AFRICANS HAD DIED.IN ADDITION NEARLY TWO HUNDRED WERE WOUNDED.
THE MASSACRE WAS THE WORST INCIDENT IN THE AFRICAN PROTEST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S APARTHEID POLICY.IT IS THIS POLICY THAT LED TO THE SETTING UP OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON APARTHEID, AND HAS LED TO WIDESPREAD ECONOMIC BOYCOTT OF SOUTH AFRICAN GOODS THROUGHOUT THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.