Afrique

Apartheid in South Africa and British Foreign Office Foreign Office briefing document titled 'The measures which have been taken to establish the policy of APARTHEID in South Africa and its effect on the European Indian and African communities'.

21255 — United Kingdom Foreign Office Whitehall London. Circa 1953. From a batch of Foreign Office documents including material from the Information Research Department for whose activities financed from the budget of the Special Intelligence Service otherwise MI6 see The Times 17 August 1995; and also Michael Cullis's obituary of Sir John Peck in the Independent 20 January 1995. Duplicated typescript. Headed: 'g The measures which have been taken to establish the policy of APARTHEID in South Africa and its effect on the European Indian and African communities.' 10pp foolscap 8vo. Pagination on pp.2-10 preceded by 'g'. Ending abruptly so perhaps incomplete. Lengthy single-spaced typewritten document. In good condition lightly-aged and worn. With the following section headings the second of which is handwritten the others being typed: 'What Apartheid is' with preamble: 'Before considering the 1953 elections and the Constitutional issues that gave rise to them it would be as well to examine the problem of Apartheid through the eyes of Mr. A. L. Geyer High Commissioner in London for the Union of South Africa who broadcast during March 1952 as follows: -' 'Constitutional crisis in South Africa' 'The emergence and character of Malan nationalism' 'The main opposition forces' 'The 1953 elections' 'Reaction of non European organizations' 'Reactions in Natal' 'Formation of Liberal Party and Union Federal Party' 'The cost of Apartheid' 'Dr Malan's new gambit' 'South African Apartheid policy and U.N.O.' There would appear to be some indication of sympathy with the South African regime. Geyer is quoted in the first section as stating that 'The policy of Apartheid or separated development is certainly not one of oppression.' The second section begins: 'The riots which have occurred during the past year and much criticism which is levelled at the South African government does not have the policy of Apartheid as the prime reason.' The section 'The cost of apartheid' praises 'a brave budget' which 'seeks to arrest at this late stage the spirit of boundless optimism which is so characteristic of the South African business and commercial community'. A short section on the 'Reaction of non white organizations' to the 1953 elections reports at length from an ANC statement ending with a call for 'the non-European population to “demonstrate unmistakably†their indignation and resentment at all that White supremacy and apartheid stood for and to make the policy of apartheid unworkable in every sphere of life'. [United Kingdom Foreign Office, Whitehall, London. Circa 1953.] unknown