Document 2 Prime Minster Hendrik Verwoerd's Speech in Parliament, April 14, 1961 in Response to UN Resolution on Race Conflict
In many of these (other) countries there is still discrimination, including those which say that they are the enemies of
discrimination. Amongst those countries where the position is really bad, our accusers are in the forefront, In India, that
is true for various groups; some of them have already been mentioned in public. The Nagas are the youngest section, but
there are also others like the Sikhs. In Ceylon there is discrimination against the Tamils. In Malaya there is
discrimination against the Indian section of the population, and even to some extent against the Chinese there. Britain
also is not guiltless of still practising domination, as e. g. in the Protectorates. Australia is not guiltless of ruling over
others. It is the guardian over the population of Papua in New Guinea. Canada is not guiltless of discrimination in its
behaviour towards the Indians and the Eskimos. All these countries say: Yes, that is true, but it is not the policy of
our Government; it is only characteristic of a transition period. Now my standpoint this morning was that the
Government in fact tries to find a policy whereby, whatever might happen in the transition period (just as in other
countries), it is the object and the motive to evolve a method as a result of which eventually there need not be
discrimination or domination.
*Verwoerd banned the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC). He was assassinated in
1966. In the 1980s, the title for the South African head of state changed from Prime Minister to President
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