To the young generation today , the word ” apartheid ” may not ring a bell unless they refer to a dictionary or Wiki . Here is a real situation where I encountered this process of social and racial separation perpetuated by the white population in South Africa for a very long time till the eighties .
I was a participant in the prestigious Defense Services Staff course in 1975 at Wellington , Nilgiris in South India . We were selected through an All India Competitive Examination and this was a tri services residential program for 10 months.We also had many foreign officers from various commonwealth countries and other friendly countries from the middle east attending this program . The atmosphere was very congenial to open discussions on International Affairs and one could express his ideas freely without any inhibition and the faculty encouraged this all the time.
During a central discussion on the hot topic of the times “Apartheid in South Africa ” , there were many exchanges of ideas on its evil effects and why it should be abolished through International efforts . India has been always championing this stand and wanted Nelson Mandela to be released from prison .
One student officer belonging to the Royal Air Force [UK] got up and asked the audience what is wrong with Apartheid. He said he spent more than 10 years in South Africa and found the ” Blacks ” well cared for and looked after by the White Government whereas recently when he visited Madras [now Chennai] in India , he found beggars all over the streets pestering him for alms . According to this officer , if this was the state of India under a democratically elected government which preaches equality for color, race or creed , then ” apartheid ” is any time a better economic option!!!
The audience were taken aback for a moment by this outburst but one Indian officer got up and said ‘ My dear Squadron Leader ——- , yes ,we agree we have many beggars in India but the main difference is that in India they are free to beg for a living whereas in South Africa under “apartheid ” the native population is denied this freedom !!!.
I understood the meaning of “apartheid ” then very clearly.