South Africa Girds for Soweto Violence Me 14
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Monday, June 16,1666 25 Cents South Africa girds for Soweto violence me 14. I9B6 By John lams The deaths reported today United Press International brought to 31 the number of people Related stories killed in unrest since the nation JOHANNESBURG, South on page 7 wide state of emergency was Africa — Blacks boycotted work declared Thursday. Among the today and the government de dead were three women — two of ployed thousands of police and them white — killed by a car bomb soldiers in the nation’s riot-torn In Johannesburg. Bishop Des outside a restaurant in Durban black townships to prevent an mond Tutu condemned the govern Saturday. outbreak of violence on the 10th ment’s resort to emergency rule Authorities banned direct re anniversary of the bloody Soweto when he conducted a service of porting from the townships, tom uprising. “ prayer for justice and peace.” by 20 months of racial violence that The government said eight Under the new emergency restric has claimed more than 1.700 lives, blacks were kiiled in political tions, his criticism cannot be and said local and foreign journal violence in the 24-hour period reported. ists could report only information ending at 6 a.m. today, the fifth day In a call for peace. Tutu said, released by the government on of a state-of-emergency crack “ Most blacks don’t want violence. actions of the security forces. All down on political dissent and They don’t want bloodshed and telephones lines to Soweto were cut criticism of the government. chaos. Why don’t we get together early today. Opposition groups and unions and make it quite clear to the In Soweto, the sprawling black had called for work stoppages to authorities that we don’t want our township outside Johannesburg, a mark (he anniversary and country destroyed by the madness car was stoned and gutted by fire n hundreds of thousands o f blacks of apartheid?” as if emerged from the area known HeraM photo by Rocha stayed away from their jobs, “ Police and security forces are as “ Orlando West,” said residents locking themselves inside their on standby and are on patrol at leaving the township. homes in the townships. The every possible place where trouble They said the township — scene Joseph LaRosa, supervisor of the from about 16 to 26 percent and that 25 government said up to 90 percent of could have been expected.” go of the rioting that began June 16. percent of students drop out of state 1976, and triggered a 10-month Regional Adult Basic Education pro workers stayed away from their vernment spokesman Leon Mellet high schools every year. jobs in some areas. said in Pretoria. nationwide wave of rioting that gram, says that the number of adults killed nearly 600 people — was without diplomas in area towns ranges tense and that a scheduled reli gious service was canceled. Witnesses said rioting erupted in Town leaders see Bonteheuvel, a suburb of Cape Town for “ coloreds,” a term in the Thousands quit schools: lexicon of the white-ruled nation’s system of racial separation that cause for concern means people of mixed-race. Youths set up street barricades By Georoe Layng riots that began in the town of and burned cars, witnesses said. Herald Reporter Soweto in 1976. Those riots began In Cape Town, authorities out What happens next? -I an 11-month period of violence in lawed a meeting scheduled in the U.S. citizens should be con which 575 people were killed, most City Hall by the white Progressive cerned about the events taking of them blacks. Federal Party, the leftist opposi Editor’s note: Today, the Manchester Herald low of 16.1 in Hebron to a high of 31.2 in East Hartford. I place in South Africa — particu In contrast to others. Zinsser tion group in the white house of begins a three-part examination of the way the Andover has 18.4 percent, Coventry 20.4 percent. larly the recent crackdown by the said the U.S. should be cautious in Parliament. A party official said dropout phenomenon affects area schools and the South Windsor 18.7 percent, and Vernon 26.5 percent. white minority government, local trying to influence events in South the meeting would be moved to students they seek to educate. And the lack of education is by no means limited to 1 political leaders said this morning. Africa, where more than 30 people another location. In interviews with educators, school officials and towns east of the Connecticut River. In some more "What is happening over there have been killed since the emer The Rev. Allan Boesak, leader of students, reporter Susan Vaughn found divergent affluent Hartford suburbs — West Hartford and happened over here in a way. Most gency restrictions were imposed the World Alliance of Reformed f views of the reasons for which students leave school Wethersfield, for example — the percentage of people j people forget that." said Robert Thursday. Churches, condemned emergency and the best way to combat the trend. But there was without high school diplomas in 1980 stood at around 18 Faucher.- chairman of Manches Zinsser said the U.S. should measures during a service in Cape little dispute about the result: a large number of percent. ter’s Human Relations Commis continue quiet talks with the South Town. He said the 1976 uprising Americans who have trouble reading, writing and Although the state Department of Education and I sion. “ Once people seem to get African government in order to erupted when “ after generations finding their way to success in a demanding economy. local school systems say they do not keep statistics on their rights and things, then they persuade them to change of passivity, children said no to dropouts, LaRosa says the state average is about 25 forget they were knocked around a apartheid. apartheid, exploitation and percent, with the rate nearing 50 percent in urban By Susan Vaughn bit,” Faucher. though, said more racism.” areas such as Hartford. The government barred all pub Herald Reporter Mayor Barbara Weinberg action is needed and called for ; Such numbers, up to date or not, have many agreed. economic sanctions against the lic commemorations of today’s educators and employers scared ?! anniversary of the Soweto riots, Joseph LaRosa. supervisor of the Regional Adult "This world of ours is getting government. Even though such Basic Education program, begins his presentation to smaller and smaller,” she said. sanctions might hurt blacks ” a sparked by the police shooting of a M ANCHESTER OFFICIALS have begun a compre the school boards in 15 towns from East Hartford to “ The world’s too small to be little bit. in the long run it will help schoolboy during a protest against hensive study using the sophomore class in the school isolationist and say it doesn’t a little bit,” Faucher said. the government-ordered study of Union with some alarming statistics. year that ends this month. About 27 million adults in the United States cannot matter because we’ve got two Second District Congressman Afrikaans, the official language of This year, about 30 members of the class of ’88 left read. oceans between us.” Sam Gejdenson. a Democrat, this South Africa’s white minority. MHS for various reasons, according to Conrad Another 45 million can read only on a survival level. State state Sen. Carl Zinsser. morning also called for economic Mellet confirmed that police Strietelmeier, director of data processing for the Between 850.000 and 1 million students drop out of R-Manchester said that because sanctions. fired tear gas Sunday night at the schools. Most of those who left moved out of town — the U.S. is a world power, events “ They are morally r i^ t and will Athans Road Mosque in Athlone. a American schools every year. blit some departed due to lack of interest or were In Connecticut, with a population of 3.1 million, around the globe have an effect on send the proper message to both mixed-race suburb of Cape Town. expelled for poor attendance, he says. some 600.000 adults 18 ant’ older do not have high the lives of its citizens. the black majority and the govern He said people in the mosque were The MHS study will not produce significant data for “ Everybody should be con ment of South Africa that apar not holding a religious service and school diplomas. about two years. But by then, it should provide In 1980. almost 23.700 students between 16 and 19 left cerned. We no longer live unto theid is reprehensible and the that calls were made to kill complete numbers and some insight into students’ a secondary school before completingthe curriculum. ourselves.” he said. government of the United States is policemen and defy the state of reasons for dropping out, Strietelmeier says. And one-third of all women over 18 in Connecticut do However, what role the U.S. sincere in its efforts to end it.” emergency. MHS Principal Jacob Ludes says defining a dropout should play in South Africa was the Gejdenson said in a statement rea^ “ About 20 policemen arrived and not have high school diplomas." is one of the main problems. “ What do you do about a The statistics really hit home when LaRosa brings subject of dispute. by his press secretary. Chip ordered dispersal.” he said. young man who entered school in 1978 and dropped out I The South African government Parker, “ While an officer was issuing this them to the local level. almost every semester over a six-year period?” has proclaimed a national state of Parker said Congress is sche order, a shot was fired at police Ludes asks, “ Do you count him once or six times?” “ YOU’RE ON the positive side,” LaRosa tells the emergency that gives the police duled to consider a bill co from above the mosque.