ANC STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF UPCOMING PALESTINE SOLIDARITY ISRAELI APARTHEID WEEK (IAW) CAMPAIGN
10 - 16 MARCH 2014
Comrade President Jacob Zuma, in his recent State of the Nation Address, reminded us that: "Democratic South Africa's foreign policy was shaped many decades ago during the fierce international campaign to isolate the apartheid state. ANC President Oliver Tambo played a key role in that regard, assisted by among others, the late Johnny Makatini, former head of international affairs."
In delivering democracy to South Africa, the ANC did this with the help of others, particularly through the ANC-led international anti-apartheid solidarity movement and successful international isolation of Apartheid South Africa. At its height, the ANC had over 40 Chief Representatives posted to various countries during the 1980s who were engaging with students, unions, churches and governments raising awareness of Apartheid South Africa's oppressive policies, organising solidarity campaigns and lobbying people of the world to divest, boycott and end their support for Apart.
The ANC recognises that the international anti-Apartheid movement and sanctions campaign was shouldered, taken on and defended by thousands of ordinary citizens from numerous countries around the world. These ordinary citizens, made our struggle, their life. We are forever indebted to them.
Today we humbly continue the internationalism of our movement in lending our solidarity to the people of Cuba, Western Sahara, Swaziland, Palestine and other struggling people.