Human Rights Day for all South Africans

 The Sharpeville massacre picture

South Africa's Human Rights Day, 21 March – declared International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination by the UN – is synonymous with an innocuous but historic township, Sharpeville, situated between the industrial cities of Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging about 50 kilometres south of Johannesburg.  On this day this day the police killed 69 people at Sharpeville who were participating in a protest against the pass laws. Many were shot in the back and180 people were injured who refused to carry the hated dompas identity document that was meant only for indigenous Africans.  The carnage made world headlines. Four days later the government banned black political organisations, many leaders were arrested or went into exile.  For many South Africans, the day will always remain Sharpeville Day, a commemoration of the 21 March 1960 Sharpeville massacre The day, sometimes also referred to as Heroes' Day, was a watershed in the country's liberation struggle, hence its inclusion in South Africa's post-apartheid holiday calendar.

 http://www.southafrica.info/about/history/sharpeville.htm#ixzz1pyMLa03b

South Africa Human Rights Day is of critical importance in the lives of all South African citizens. Since South Africa has a long history of Apartheid, where thousands of African and other people of ethnic origins were tortured by the white ruling class, this day has come to be a symbol of human rights guaranteed to all.  During the Apartheid era there were human rights abuses by all sides; Human Rights Day is one step to ensure that the people of South Africa are aware of their human rights and to ensure that such abuses never again occur.  Its might be a a sad and painful memories to those who have lost their family and friends on that day, but we are free and have equal rights today because of their lives.   Although they are some South African citizens who still do not understand the reason we celebrate Human Rights Day, majority of this people is youth.  My question   today is how do we make them understand the reason why we celebrate this day, since they are the future of the country?  If we truly understand the principle of human rights, we cannot exclude anyone from today's celebration. Indeed, I challenge us to invite those whom we seldom see at national events to join us in celebrating Human Rights Day. 

But are we matured enough after 18 years of democracy to acknowledge the human rights of others, even those who live in our hearts, as equally worthy of protecting, respecting and celebrating?