Human Rights Day: Harrowing pictures of Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa

Human Rights Day is celebrated on December 10 across the world but South Africa celebrate it on March 21. This day marks the Human Rights Day since 1994. This day has its origin in a racist massacre that happened on this day in 1960. Some 69 innocent people in South Africa were shot dead by police during an anti-pass laws protest. So, Human Rights Day in SA is observed on the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre.

In pictures Sharpeville massacre:

Official records claim that police shot and killed 193 persons and wounded 763 others for protesting against specific places identified in the Proclamation.

In response to this massacre, There were demonstrations, marches, strikes and riots on March 30, 1960, then after the government declared a state of emergency.

 Anti-pass campaign for which the protesters gathered was a way to control and direct migrant labour. This was a kind of internal passport system designed to segregate the population, manage urbanisation, and allocate migrant labour.

 It was officially confirmed that none of the protesters was armed. But, according to official figures, police fired 705 bullets.