Rising of a hero whose vision never dies
 

HARSHA Udayakantha Peiris

HUMAN RIGHTS: For most white South Africans working at Port Elizabeth Police Headquarters, September 8, 1977, was just another day to feed the prisoners and interrogate black anti-apartheid activists.

But that day was not like all others; it was different. That was the day Stephen Biko was beaten just short of death in an interrogation room six-one-nine.

The events of that day and those events of the following day will remain etched in the minds of countless citizens of the world.

In retrospect, Biko was recognised by the general population of South Africa as the father of the black consciousness movement.

Steve Biko's place of birth was Tarkastad, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. After being forced out of high school due to his brother's arrest for political activism, in 1963, Biko entered a Catholic boarding school.

In 1966, Biko entered the University of Natal Medical School. During medical school, the ambitious student joined a group called the National Union of South African Students.

Biko was perturbed that most of the leaders were white, so Biko started the South African Students Organisation which was an exclusively black association.

Oppressed Black

Biko deemed that the basis of the black South Africans' dilemma was psychological. In a famous oration, Biko stated, "The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the oppressed. Blacks had been oppressed under white rule for a long time, institutionalising oppression in the eyes of blacks.

Biko insisted that blacks become self-sufficient and find black leaders in order to overcome inferiority.

This philosophy was called black consciousness.

To promote self-reliance, Biko established health clinics in the country, so rural blacks could have healthcare. Biko also set up programs offering literacy classes and developing useful skills such as fabricating clothing.

The government recognised that Biko's influence was growing and deemed Biko as a powerful opponent. From 1973 until his death, Biko was not permitted to go out from his hometown, have his ideas published, or give public addresses.

In addition, Biko was only allowed to be in a room with one person at a time. It was during this period, the time of Biko's banning, that Donald Woods began his relationship with the influential black activist.

The escape

Donald Woods was a white South African and editor of a daily South African newspaper. Woods and Biko had many meetings together during which time the two learned more of each other.

Woods knowledge about the world in which blacks lived was increased. After Biko's murder, the South African government discovered that Woods had information that was potentially harmful to the future of the apartheid system.

The government placed a five-year banning order on Woods. During that period. Woods escaped to Lesotho by hitchhiking and disguised as a priest.

After arriving in Lesotho, Woods flew to London, England, where, in the face of threats to his life, the courageous South African exposed Biko's slaughter to the world.

The father of black consciousness was incarcerated for the fourth and final time without a trial on the eighteenth day of August in 1977. On September 12, 1977, the South African police announced that Biko had died in jail.

The account began at a roadblock near Port Elizabeth when Biko was arrested for leaving his banning area. Peter Jones, Biko's friend, was imprisoned with Biko.

In a holding cell in Port Elizabeth, Jones and Biko ate a secret document to destroy if before these two friends were separated. That cell was the last place the two friends saw each other before Biko was led to an interrogation room.

Biko's death

Biko was not the sole anti-apartheid activist to be murdered by the police. Officers involved in Biko's murder as well as many other murders of the apartheid age wanted to give information about the crimes in exchange for amnesty. Over 3,500 applications for amnesty have been submitted.

Many stories have surfaced about Biko's murder. For instance, two policemen stated that the only aggression, which took place during Biko's interrogation, was those two policemen making Biko's head hit the wall with great force.

The Biko death had yet to surface. Fourteen years ago, Colonel Harold Synman applied for amnesty for murdering eight people including Biko. Synman died in November of 1998, without paying in any way for his crimes.

Homage

President Nelson Mandela in East London on September 12, 1997 at the commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of Steve Biko's death, stated, "We are gathered here to pay homage to one of the greatest sons of our nation, Stephen Bantu Biko.

His hope in life, and his life of hope, are captured by his resounding words; 'in time, we shall be in a position to bestow on South Africa the greatest possible gift - a more human face.'

Today's occasion speaks of our resolve to preserve the memories of our heroes and heroines; to keep alive the flame of patriotism which burnt in the hearts and minds of the like of Steve Biko; to redeem the pledge to give a more human face to society for centuries trampled upon by the jackboot of inhumanity".

Having pride and enjoyment in being a black was made popular by Steve Biko.

The murder of the father of black consciousness led to outrage by foreign nations as well as increased pressure for equal rights within South Africa.

Together, these two effects led to the end of apartheid in death, had gained support from such an immense number of young blacks.

Countless South Africans, black and white, as well as millions of citizens of the war will remember Steve Biko and the motives of this great man for many years to come.