Africa Groups of Sweden, AGS 1974-1992
History
The Africa Groups of Sweden (AGS) was constituted as a national organization in April 1974 in Uppsala. The initiators were local Africa Groups in Uppsala, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Lund and Jönköping. A number of these groups were originally organized in the early 1960s as South Africa Committees, i.a. in Lund and Uppsala. The object was to support the liberation fronts in Southern Africa against colonialism, imperialism and racism on the liberation movements’ own conditions.
Autonomous local groups had already cooperated earlier to a certain degree in studies, production of material and common actions, i.a. the publishing of the periodical “Africa Bulletin”, which was issued from 1963 on under the name of “South and South West Africa Information Bulletin” and further on “Southern Africa Information Bulletin”. Its name was changed in 1994 to “Southern Africa”. Twice a year the local groups met at conferences, but there was no common platform. The most important joint production during these years was the study book “Imperialism and Liberation Struggle in Africa”, which was published in 1972. Fund raising for MPLA in Angola, FRELIMO in and PAIGC in Guinea-Bissau were launched.
The highest decision-making body of AGS was the Annual General Meeting, which elected an executive board and designed programmes and annual plans. Directly responsible to the AGM were the editorial staffs of the bulletin and the serial booklets. This independent status of the editorial staffs soon faded away. There were, apart from an executive subcommittee of the board, also a number of other subcommittees dealing with practical work in different fields like campaigns for South Africa and Zimbabwe. A few slightly autonomous working groups were directed i.a. studies and health care aid for the liberation organizations.
The membership was individual via the local groups. An office was established in Stockholm in 1976 and staff were engaged from 1977.
A main activity of AGS was lobbying the decision-makers of authorities dealing with issues on Southern Africa through campaigns, fund raising and information activities. As early as in 1973 the first “Southern Africa Week” was arranged all over the country, which for many years became an annual event. Tours with African guests were also arranged annually, often to schools. Various courses, sometimes in the form of summer camps, were another activity. Conferences and seminars on different subjects were arranged, i.a. seminars for choirs teaching liberation songs. Furthermore AGS published books, booklets and other information material. Eventually the international cooperation with other anti-apartheid organizations became intensive, especially with the other Nordic countries.
When the Portuguese colonial empire broke down in 1975 and Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau became independent states AGS started project and volunteer activities in these countries. From then on the campaign activities were concentrated more on South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe with support for ANC, SWAPO and the Patriotic Front.
The volunteer activities in Southern Africa eventually became extensive and in 1978 AGS formed a special organization for this work, The Africa Groups’ Recruitment Organization (ARO). This volunteer work started in Mozambique but as the other countries became independent ARO started activities in Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. The support of projects in the latter two countries was clandestine up to the elections of 1989 and 1994 and was handled by AGS from 1986. Six years earlier AGS started the project “Health Care for SWAPO” in cooperation with the organization “Bread and Fishes” in the SWAPO refugee camps in Angola.
In 1978 AGS initiated the establishment of the “Isolate South Africa Committee” (ISAC). It was an umbrella organization consisting of all types of organizations and institutions that in some way were engaged in support for the struggle against apartheid. ISAC eventually represented 1.5 million people altogether and became a very influential lobby organization. AGS and ISAC cooperated closely.
With the liberation of Namibia in 1990 and the fall of apartheid in 1994 the anti-apartheid work ceased and AGS eventually concentrated on aid activities for the liberated countries in Southern Africa. Consequently AGS and ARO merged in 1992 and formed one organization, “Afrikagrupperna” (Africa Groups of Sweden).
In the 1990s even organizations and institutions as well as individuals were allowed to become members of the organization.
In 1970 there were four local Africa Groups in Sweden. Five years later there were seven and in 1982 they had increased to 17 together with 18 contact persons all over the country. The four local groups together had about 100 members in 1970. In 1982 AGS had roughly 1,000 members and in 1992 almost 1,500.
The volumes contain extensive correspondence, primarily with solidarity workers but also authorities in various aid countries. There is also material from seminars on solidarity work and minutes and accounts of the organizations' operations as well as material from various projects and campaigns along with courses and seminars.
Access
The archive is available at ARAB.
Repository
Archives and Library of the Swedish Labour Movement, ARAB
[Arbetarrörelsens arkiv och bibliotek]
Postal and visiting address: Elektronvägen 2, 141 49 HUDDINGE, Sweden
Telephone: +46 8 4123929
Fax: +46 8 4123990
http://www.arbark.se/en/
Address
The Africa Groups of Sweden [Afrikagrupperna]
Tegelviksgatan 40
SE-116 41 Stockholm
SWEDEN
Telephone: +47 8-442 70 60
E-mail: post@afrikagrupperna.se
http://www.afrikagrupperna.se/
External link, opens in new window.
| Extent: | 176 vol. + 12 boxes. |
|---|---|
| Ref. code: | 1325 |
| Country: | Sweden |
| Period: | 1974-1992 |
| Keywords: | Africa Groups of Sweden AGS Afrikagrupperna Voluntary organizations Nonprofit organizations Uppsala Stockholm Gothenburg Lund Jönköping History Anti-apartheid movements Solidarity movements Liberation organizations Anti-racism movements Anti-imperialism Africa Bulletin South and South West Africa Information Bulletin Southern Africa Information Bulletin Southern Africa Imperialism and Liberation Struggle in Africa MPLA Angola FRELIMO Mozambique PAIGC Guinea-Bissau Southern Africa Week The Africa Groups’ Recruitment Organization ARO Cape Verde Zimbabwe Namibia South Africa Health Care for SWAPO Bread and Fishes BF Brödet och Fiskarna Isolate South Africa Committee ISAC Isolera Sydafrika Kommitteen ISAK ARO solidarity work |