As she drove three friends home to the township of Gugulethu, outside Cape Town, on August 25, 1993, a mob pulled her from the car and stabbed and stoned her to death.[1][3] The attack on the car driven by her was one of many incidents of general lawlessness on the N2 highway that afternoon. Bands of toyi-toying youths threw stones at delivery vehicles and cars driven by white people. One delivery vehicle was toppled over and set alight, and only the arrival of the police prevented more damage. There was evidence that some of the possessions belonging to her and the passengers were stolen.[4]
Four people were convicted of killing her.[5]: 17–18
PardonsEdit
In 1998, all were pardoned by South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, when they stated that their actions had been politically motivated.[2]: 71
Biehl's family supported the release of the men.[2]: 71 Her father shook their hands and stated,
The most important vehicle of reconciliation is open and honest dialogue... we are here to reconcile a human life [that] was taken without an opportunity for dialogue. When we are finished with this process we must move forward with linked arms.[6]
LegacyEdit
In 1994, Biehl's parents, Linda and Peter, founded the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust to develop and empower youth in the townships, in order to discourage further violence.[5]: 17–18 Two of the men who had been convicted of her murder worked for the foundation as part of its programs.[5]: 17–18 In 1999, Biehl's parents were honored with the Aline and Norman Felton Humanitarian Award.[7]
Among those we remember today is young Amy Biehl. She made our aspirations her own and lost her life in the turmoil of our transition, as the new South Africa struggled to be born in the dying moments of apartheid. Through her, our peoples have also shared the pain of confronting a terrible past, as we take the path towards the reconciliation and healing of our nation.[8]
On August 25, 2010, on the 17th anniversary of Biehl's death, a bronze plaque mounted on a stone was unveiled by the U.S. Ambassador, Donald Gips, and Biehl's mother, Linda Biehl, at the Cape Town site where she was killed.[9]
biehl, elizabeth, biehl, april, 1967, august, 1993, american, graduate, stanford, university, anti, apartheid, activist, south, africa, murdered, cape, town, residents, while, black, shouted, anti, white, slurs, four, convicted, murder, were, granted, amnesty,. Amy Elizabeth Biehl April 26 1967 August 25 1993 was an American graduate of Stanford University and an anti Apartheid activist in South Africa who was murdered by Cape Town residents while a black mob shouted anti white slurs 1 The four men convicted of her murder were granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Amy BiehlBornAmy Elizabeth Biehl 1967 04 26 April 26 1967Santa Monica California United StatesDiedAugust 25 1993 1993 08 25 aged 26 Gugulethu Western Cape South AfricaCause of deathStabbing stoningAlma materStanford UniversityOccupationScholarParent s Linda BiehlPeter BiehlAmy Biehl Foundation Trust Gugulethu Contents 1 Background 2 Death 3 Pardons 4 Legacy 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksBackground EditBiehl who was of German descent was a student at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town as a scholar in the Fulbright Program 2 71 Death EditAs she drove three friends home to the township of Gugulethu outside Cape Town on August 25 1993 a mob pulled her from the car and stabbed and stoned her to death 1 3 The attack on the car driven by her was one of many incidents of general lawlessness on the N2 highway that afternoon Bands of toyi toying youths threw stones at delivery vehicles and cars driven by white people One delivery vehicle was toppled over and set alight and only the arrival of the police prevented more damage There was evidence that some of the possessions belonging to her and the passengers were stolen 4 Four people were convicted of killing her 5 17 18 Pardons EditIn 1998 all were pardoned by South Africa s Truth and Reconciliation Commission when they stated that their actions had been politically motivated 2 71 Biehl s family supported the release of the men 2 71 Her father shook their hands and stated The most important vehicle of reconciliation is open and honest dialogue we are here to reconcile a human life that was taken without an opportunity for dialogue When we are finished with this process we must move forward with linked arms 6 Legacy EditIn 1994 Biehl s parents Linda and Peter founded the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust to develop and empower youth in the townships in order to discourage further violence 5 17 18 Two of the men who had been convicted of her murder worked for the foundation as part of its programs 5 17 18 In 1999 Biehl s parents were honored with the Aline and Norman Felton Humanitarian Award 7 In his speech accepting the Congressional Gold Medal on 23 September 1998 Nelson Mandela said Among those we remember today is young Amy Biehl She made our aspirations her own and lost her life in the turmoil of our transition as the new South Africa struggled to be born in the dying moments of apartheid Through her our peoples have also shared the pain of confronting a terrible past as we take the path towards the reconciliation and healing of our nation 8 On August 25 2010 on the 17th anniversary of Biehl s death a bronze plaque mounted on a stone was unveiled by the U S Ambassador Donald Gips and Biehl s mother Linda Biehl at the Cape Town site where she was killed 9 The novel Mother to Mother by Sindiwe Magona refers to Amy Biehl s death from the perspective of the mother of one of Biehl s killers 10 11 August 25 2013 marked the 20th anniversary of Amy Biehl s death and a ceremony was held at the Cape Town site where she was killed in Gugulethu 12 Amy Biehl High School in Albuquerque New Mexico is named in her honor Amy Biehl Community School at Rancho Viejo in Santa Fe New Mexico is also named after her 13 Biehl s uncle was teacher Dale Shewalter 14 References Edit a b Amy Biehl Was a Casualty of the System Los Angeles Times 27 January 1994 Retrieved 2022 04 18 a b c Graybill Lyn S 2002 Truth and reconciliation in South Africa miracle or model Boulder u a Rienner ISBN 158826081X Parents of slain Fulbright scholar embrace her cause in South Africa The Chronicle of Higher Education 19 January 2001 Retrieved 13 June 2013 Statement By The Truth And Reconciliation Commission On Amnesty Arising From Killing Of Amy Biehl Archived from the original on October 24 2013 Retrieved 27 May 2015 a b c R Pressler J S Saner I Wasserfall 2009 FCS Criminal Justice Structures and Mandates L3 Cape Town Pearson Education ISBN 978 1 77025 354 4 Peacemaker Hero Amy Biehl Annual Awards Dinner Death Penalty Focus Archived from the original on 2009 11 23 Retrieved 2010 05 31 Nelson Mandela Speech Accepting the Congressional Gold Medal Memorial to Amy Biehl unveiled in South Africa Archived July 16 2011 at the Wayback Machine United States Diplomatic Mission to South Africa Mother to Mother CL Mother to Mother www goodreads com Retrieved 2019 05 28 Maditla Neo 26 August 2013 My daughter didn t want to be famous Cape Argus p 3 Retrieved 20 May 2019 Amy Biehl High School Our History Retrieved 27 May 2015 Obituary The Daily Herald Chicago Illinois January 9 2000 p 143 Further reading EditMagona Sindiwe 1999 Mother to mother First ed Boston Beacon Press ISBN 0 8070 0948 2 OCLC 41096205 External links Edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp South Africa portal nbsp United States portalAmy Biehl Foundation USA Amy Foundation South Africa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amy Biehl amp oldid 1176917546, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
