South Africa returns remains of activist executed 40 years ago
Representative Image (AI-generated)
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's government handed to his family Saturday the exhumed remains of a political activist whose execution by the apartheid regime 40 years ago caused an international outcry.
The ceremony for
Benjamin Moloise
came amid new scrutiny of politically motivated atrocities committed during white-minority rule, which ended in 1994, with President
Cyril Ramaphosa
announcing last week an inquiry into delays in prosecutions.
Apartheid authorities hanged Moloise in 1985 when he was 30 years old for the killing of a security policeman, which he denied. His execution sparked riots in South Africa and protests from several international capitals.
The
United Nations
passed a resolution calling for the death sentence to be commuted and Pope John Paul II condemned the execution as adding "anguish to a persistent situation of objective injustice".
The remains of another ANC activist executed by the apartheid government, Abraham Mngomezulu, were given to his family at the same ceremony in Johannesburg's Soweto.
Mngomezulu was hanged in 1989 aged 23 after taking part in protests against evictions in which a person was killed, the government said.
Both men were buried in unmarked graves without the presence of their families. Their reburial "marks an important milestone in South Africa's ongoing journey towards healing, justice, and reconciliation," the ministry said.
The remains of 74 other people executed by the previous regime had already been handed to their relatives for reburial, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said in a speech for the ceremony.
The government was "determined to ensure that the heroes of our people receive the recognition befitting their contribution to the liberation of black people," she said.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) created in 1996 to expose crimes such as murder and torture during apartheid held 2,500 hearings over two years with the possibility of offering amnesty.
It has resulted in few trials and Ramaphosa announced Wednesday a judicial inquiry into claims of deliberate delays in prosecutions.
Inquests into deaths of some political activists have meanwhile been reopened this year, including that of ANC leader and
Nobel Peace Prize
winner Albert Luthuli, who died in 1967. An inquest that year said Luthuli was killed when he was struck by a train.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Nations under pressure to save the seas at UN-hosted summit
The United Nations has sounded the alarm over an oceans 'emergency' and leaders gathering in Nice will be called to commit money and stronger protections for the seas read more French President Emmanuel Macron delivers remarks during a meeting at Nice conference centre ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which gathers leaders, researchers and activists to discuss how to protect marine life, in Nice, France. Reuters World leaders arrive in the French Riviera on Sunday ahead of a high-level summit on ocean conservation, as nations face pressure to adopt tougher stances on overfishing, pollution and marine protection. The United Nations has sounded the alarm over an oceans 'emergency' and leaders gathering in Nice will be called to commit money and stronger protections for the seas. The UN Ocean Conference, starting Monday, seeks to turn a corner as nations feud over deep-sea mining, plastic litter and exploitative fishing, against a backdrop of wider geopolitical tensions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We have a duty to mobilise, because the science is clear and the facts are there,' said French President Emmanuel Macron in Monaco on Sunday, where he attended a pre-conference event on ocean finance. Some 60 heads of state and government are expected in Nice, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his Argentine counterpart Javier Milei. 'The planet can no longer tolerate broken promises,' said Lula on Sunday. 'Either we act, or the planet is in danger.' 'No excuses' Later Sunday, Macron was to arrive in Nice from Monaco and tour the conference venue, made to look like the cavernous belly of a whale. In the evening, he was to host leaders for a dinner of Mediterranean fish. France has deployed 5,000 police to Nice for the five-day summit where scientists, business leaders and environmental activists were also to attend in big numbers. A strong turnout was expected from Pacific Island nations, whose delegations will urge financial aid to combat the rising seas, marine trash and plunder of fish stocks. The United States under President Donald Trump – whose recent push to fast-track seabed mining in international waters sparked global outrage – was not expected to send a delegation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Conservationists have warned the summit – which will not produce a legally binding agreement – risks being a talkfest unless leaders come up with concrete proposals to restore marine health. On Saturday, Macron said France would restrict bottom trawling – a destructive fishing method that indiscriminately scrapes the ocean floor – in some of its marine protected areas. Britain also said it would announce plans looking to extend a ban on bottom trawling to more than half of protected English seas. Environmental groups said such steps were good but do not go far enough. Pay up Nations will also face calls to cough up the missing finance to protect 30 percent of the world's oceans by 2030, a target agreed by nearly 200 countries in 2022. 'We've created this sort of myth that governments don't have money for ocean conservation,' Brian O'Donnell, director of Campaign for Nature, told reporters. 'There is money. There is not political will,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So far, only around eight percent of oceans are designated marine conservation zones and even less are considered truly protected. Greenpeace says at this rate, it could take another 82 years to reach the 30 percent goal. In a boost this week, Samoa declared 30 percent of its national waters under protection with the creation of nine new marine parks. Conservationists hope others at the summit follow suit. 'All eyes should be on the many Pacific leaders attending…. Their ambition and dedication to ocean protection can serve as inspiration to all countries,' said Kevin Chand from the nonprofit group Pristine Seas. Another summit priority will be inching towards the numbers required to ratify a global treaty on harmful fishing subsidies, and another on protecting the high seas beyond national control. France is also spearheading a push in Nice to build support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining ahead of a closely-watched meeting of the International Seabed Authority in July. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Indian, Mongolian contingents exchange best practices in counter-terrorism operations in joint exercise
Military contingents of India and Mongolia participating in an ongoing bilateral exercise in Ulaanbaatar are actively exchanging best practices in counter-terrorism operations and precision sniping, thereby improving interoperability, officials said on Sunday (June 8, 2025). Through joint drills, both forces are working to strengthen their ability to respond effectively to contemporary security challenges, they said. Also read: Multilateral peacekeeping exercise in Mongolia in 2024 The 17th edition of the joint military exercise 'Nomadic Elephant' is being held from May 31 to June 13 at the Special Forces Training Centre in Mongolia. The exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability between the two forces. 'Focused on the conduct of non-conventional operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate, the exercise aims to enhance the operational capabilities of both the forces,' a senior official of the Indian Army said. The participating contingents are actively exchanging 'best practices in counter-terrorism operations and precision sniping', thereby improving interoperability, he said. The two-week exercise is an annual event conducted alternately in India and Mongolia. Its last edition was conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya, in July 2024. The exercise reflects the growing defence cooperation between India and Mongolia. 'Extensive training activities are being conducted to bolster mutual coordination and preparedness. Troops from both the countries are refining their operational tactics and developing the ability to operate in complex terrains and environments,' an official said. A key feature of the exercise includes simulated U.N. peacekeeping operations, designed to 'mirror real-world scenarios' where multinational forces must collaborate efficiently in diverse and challenging conditions,' he said. As the exercise progresses, both sides are engaging in a variety of tactical drills, sharing combat experiences and exchanging valuable knowledge and expertise. These engagements are instrumental in building interoperability and ensuring that Indian and Mongolian forces can operate seamlessly in future peacekeeping or humanitarian missions, they said. In addition to tactical training, exercise 'Nomadic Elephant' places strong emphasis on fostering cultural understanding and camaraderie between participating troops, the official said. Soldiers from both nations have had the opportunity to showcase elements of their respective cultural heritage, strengthening the bond of friendship and mutual respect. This cultural exchange plays a vital role in developing enduring ties between the two forces, he said. The exercise also lays emphasis on key lessons likely to emerge to improve future joint operations. This collaboration not only boosts the defence capabilities of India and Mongolia, but also reaffirms their shared commitment to promoting peace, security and stability in the region, he said. The Indian contingent, comprising 45 personnel, will be represented mainly by troops from a battalion of the Arunachal Scouts, the Indian Defence Ministry had said in a statement ahead of the exercise. The Mongolian Armed Forces contingent, also comprising similar strength, will be represented by 150 Special Forces unit, it had said.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Money, mining and marine parks: The big issues at UN ocean summit
UN Ocean Conference to start in Nice, France (AP) NICE: France is hosting world leaders this week to confront what the United Nations calls a global "emergency" in the oceans but what is expected, and can the summit make a difference? There is pressure on the UN Ocean Conference starting Monday in Nice to show that countries can unite and deliver more than just talk for the world's ailing and neglected seas. Plundered parks Several countries are expected to announce the creation of new marine conservation zones within their national waters, though how protected they really are will come under scrutiny. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Some countries impose next to no rules on what is forbidden or permitted in marine zones. France and other EU states, for example, allow bottom trawling, a damaging fishing practice, in protected waters. This means just three percent of oceans are considered truly safe from exploitation, far short of a global target to place 30 percent under conservation by 2030. High seas Key to achieving this goal is enacting the high seas treaty , a landmark global pact signed in 2023 to protect marine life in the vast open waters beyond national control. France had pinned success at Nice on delivering the 60 ratifications necessary to bring the treaty into force, saying the conference would be a failure without it. But it could not get the required number, drumming up roughly half ahead of the summit. Those outstanding will be pushed to explain when they intend to do so. Uncharted waters France will be leading diplomatic efforts in Nice to rope more countries into supporting a moratorium on deep-sea mining, a contentious practice opposed by 33 nations so far. Bolstering those numbers would send a rebuke to US President Donald Trump, who wants to allow seabed mining in international waters despite concerns over how little is understood about life at these depths. But it would also carry weight ahead of a closely watched meeting in July of the International Seabed Authority, which is haggling over global rules to govern the nascent deep-sea mining sector. Actions not words At the summit's close, nations will adopt a pre-agreed political statement that recognises the crisis facing oceans, and the global need to better protect them. Critics slammed the language in the eight-page document as weak or in the case of fossil fuels missing altogether, but others cautioned against reading into it too much. "The end declaration from here isn't really the only output. It's much more important, actually, what governments commit to, and what they come here to say on an individual basis," said Peter Haugan, policy director at the Institute of Marine Research in Norway. Money matters The conference is not a COP summit or a UN treaty negotiation, and any decisions made between June 9 and 13 in Nice are voluntary and not legally binding. But countries will still be expected to put money on the table in Nice to plug a massive shortfall in funding for ocean conservation, said Pauli Merriman at WWF International. "What we lack what we still lack is the ambition, the financing and the delivery needed to close the gap," she told reporters. "It's not enough for governments to show up to Nice with good intentions."
