Witness Seminar and Open Forum Series (No 9)
The Anti Apartheid Struggle in Scotland
Recorded on 23 June 2007
On 26 June 1959 a group of South Africans and their
British supporters held a public meeting in Holborn Hall, Theobalds
Road, London, to call for a boycott of fruit, cigarettes and other goods
imported from South Africa. The choice of date for the meeting
was 26 June, South Africa Freedom Day, and the choice of tactic, like
the date, had wholly South African origins. On 29 December 1959
the Committee met for the first time under its new name the Boycott
Movement Committee. This Committee cast its net wide and letters
for support were sent to trade unions, co-ops, women organisations,
constituency labour parties, local liberal parties, conservative
associations and churches and religious organisations. The Boycott
Movement became the Anti Apartheid Movement after the Sharpville
massacre of 21 March 1960 and this movement not only fought for an end
to apartheid in South Africa, but reorientated its strategy to counter
the evolving “unholy alliance” against African freedom in Southern
Africa.
As far as the Anti Apartheid Movement in Scotland is
concerned, branches supporting the organisation existed in Glasgow and
Edinburgh through the 1960’s, however the mid 1970’s (minutes begin from
8 May 1976) saw the establishment of a Scottish
Committee. It had a certain degree of autonomy within the
UK structure. Brian Filling remained in the Chair and John
Nelson
remained Secretary of this Scottish Committee for its complete
existence and went on to hold the same positions in Action for Southern
Africa, ACTSA, Scotland.
This Witness Seminar and Open Forum brings to life
some of the work done in Scotland in support of the struggle against
apartheid.
In collaboration with 
Part 1 : 1 hour, 10 minutes, , 07 seconds
 [67.8MB]
Part 2 : 1 hour, 17 minutes, , 28 seconds
[64.9MB]
Copyright Information
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23 July, 2007
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