On the 27th of April 2006 Abahlali BaseMjondolo (AbM) decided to host an “Unfreedom Day” to highlight how there is “no democracy for the poor”[1] and to replace the usual “pompous speeches” by politicians to “be reminded ‘how far we have come’” with music, dance, theatre, poetry, and education as well as political speeches against the ruling elite.[2] An UnFreedom Day rally has been held every year since 2006[3] , including in 2009 when SAPS attempted to ban the event.[4]
“UnFreedom Day is also a call for dignity. Because we are poor, the government treats us as though we are less than human. This is why we are forced to hold UnFreedom Day - to assert our right to dignity.”[5]
UnFreedom Day rallies have since been held collectively by Abahlali BaseMjondolo, the Anti-Eviction Campaign, and the Landless People’s Movement amongst others.[6]
End notes:
[1](AbM, 2009) ↵
[2](AbM, 2006) ↵
[3](AbM, 2017) ↵
[4](AbM, 2008) ↵
[5]Quoted in (NGOPulse, 2011) ↵
[6](NGOPulse, 2011) ↵
References
AbM, 2006. UnFreedom Day. [Online] Available at: www.abahlali.org/node/26/ [Accessed 15 02 2018].
AbM, 2008. Police Attempt Illegal Ban of unFreedom Day. [Online] Available at: http://libcom.org/library/unfreedom-day-2009[Accessed 15 02 2018].
AbM, 2009. Abahlali baseMjondolo to Mourn UnFreedom Day on 27 April 2009. [Online] Available at: http://libcom.org/library/unfreedom-day-2009 [Accessed 20 02 2018].
AbM, 2017. UnFreedom Day 2017: The poorest of the poor will gather once again. [Online] Available at: http://abahlali.org/node/15965/ [Accessed 15 02 2018].
NGOPulse, 2011. NGOs Hold ‘UnFreedom Day' Rally. [Online] Available at: http://www.ngopulse.org/newsflash/ngos-hold-unfreedom-day-rally [Accessed 15 02 2018].