Immortal symbol
- The death of South African Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela has captured the attention of the citizens of the five continents. After 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid, he became the country’s first black and democratic president. One of the main icons of the 20th century, its name relates to resistance, dignity and reconciliation.
“A true leader in all the senses of the word, one of those people who are born once in the century. It has all the characteristics necessary to guide a people and decides to follow their leadership instinctively.” These are the words of attorney Brian Currin, who told Argia that Mandela was still alive. One of the most well-known political prisoners of the twentieth century has died at the age of 95 in his house. On 5 December, lehendakari, Jacob Zuma, explained that this is a case of "peace" due to a lung infection. Following the State funeral of 15, which has attracted heads of state from all over the world, Qunu will be buried at his own request in his hometown.
When Mandela was born in 1918, his parents named him Rolihlahla and in xhosa means “creative problem” or rebel. Nelson's name was put in school by a teacher in honor of a British hero. Political awareness was gradually acquiring, as Long walk to Freedom explains in his autobiography.
He escaped to Johannesburg from a concerted wedding. Gradually he became aware of “anger, rebellion and desire to fight against a system that would put my people in jail.” It was the white minority in South Africa and 14 per cent of the population owned 87 per cent of the land. Blacks, Indians and mestizos were at the bottom of the political pyramid, without the right to vote, crushed and without freedom of movement.
Political activist
Thus, Mandela became a revolutionary in 1942, as he himself let it be told. At the age of 24, he entered the ANC, where he was part of the youth branch, along with several friends. They led the party to more radical positions. Contrary to the laws they considered unfair, they put civil disobedience into practice, promoting boycotts and massive actions. He was arrested several times. Despite being a poor student, he studied law and opened an office with a friend. It was the first law firm to open black members in the country and to receive citizens who would otherwise not have been able to defend themselves at low prices.
The political situation deteriorated greatly in 1948, when nationalists Afrikaner (descendants of Dutch settlers) won the elections in which only white people could participate with a racist program. The atmosphere was becoming more and more confused and protests were becoming more and more frequent. In March 1960, the police killed 69 civilians in the village of Sharpeville during a demonstration against the laws of apartheid. In the country where the state of emergency was declared, 18,000 people were arrested, which led to the ANC being banned.
Although this is something that many have wanted to put aside later, Mandela organized and defended the armed struggle for years. He was the first head of the armed organization of the ANC, convinced that there was no other way than to oppose the racist government. It was the year 1960. “This soldier who had never been, had never participated in a battle, had never fired a gun at the enemy, had been commissioned to form an army. We call the organization Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated MK.”
After turning for funding in Europe and Africa, he was arrested in 1961. Inspired by self-defense known as the History of Fidel Castro, I will be absolved, defended during the trial, and deeply criticized the Apartheid system. Despite knowing that they could be punished with death, he concluded his attempt in this way: “In my life I have been linked to the struggle of the Africans. I have fought white domination, as I have fought black domination. I have loved the ideal of a free and democratic society. I would like all people to live together in harmony and on equal opportunities. I will live in favor of that ideal, and I hope to reach it once. But, at the same time, if the situation requires it, I am willing to die for that ideal.”
Many of the countries now considered heroes of Mandela gave their full support to this racist South Africa that protected the power interests of the few. The United States, France and Britain, for business interests, vetoed motions against South Africa at the UN. To this day, they have played boluses on social networks criticizing David Cameron, since at that time the conservative party "hung Nelson Mandela and all the ANC terrorists".
He was arrested in 1962 at the age of 44 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Mandela turned 27 years in jail. The United States did not withdraw the ANC from the list of terrorist groups until 2008, nine years after Mandela resigned as President of the European Union.
Who is Mandela? The question was answered by the historic member of the ANC Mac Maharaj, three years ago in his office as President of Pretoria: “In conflicts around the world, the struggle for freedom has turned some individuals into leaders, because they have certain characteristics. They maintain the fullness, they see things clear, they are loyal to the conflict and they do not despair. They suffer the great pain of repression for being at the service of people defending their ideals. Mandela has been one of those people. The world used it as a symbol to represent all Apartheid prisoners, and based on that image they could identify, it called for the freedom of all political prisoners in South Africa.”
And they did. As international pressure grew, he was offered to leave prison on more than one occasion in exchange for rejecting armed struggle. He always refused. He repeated that he would not be free until his people were free. Mandela was released on 11 February 1990. The fist is raised with the woman then, firm. With the strength to continue fighting racism and apartheid, at the age of 71. Without dazzling the violence against all the people he had suffered on his skin, he believed in the freedom and equality of the races.
The wrestler on the street
In his address to more than a million people in the city of Cape Town, he again stressed the need to continue the armed struggle for democracy. With the Government they were negotiating a situation in which all citizens could have the same political rights, and when they saw that their attitude was sincere, they decided to end the armed struggle. In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to him and his then President, De Klerk.
The country was near the civil war, with attacks and shootings every day. Subsequently, political analysts have explained that, after killing the leader of the Communist Party, Chris Hani, before the elections, Mandela became president at a time when he called the citizens of television to peace. The country needed a signal so that the black people could raise their arms with their hands. That had not happened. Democratic elections were held for the first time in 1994, in which the majority of citizens voted for the CDC. The ANC defeated and formed a government of national unity alongside its historic enemies.
He insisted on the need for democracy and dialogue for conflict resolution. In a number of concessions, the same objective that was set to unite the country in the legislature in which it was president. It would be a mistake, however, to attribute the path of South Africa to the miracle of Mandela, without at least taking into account the work of ANC. All the agents recognize Mandela's strong leadership, but in the shadow worked a lot of people, as shown by the bunch of books that have been published below. Three years ago, the new recognitions related to the political conflict constituted an important volume of books of the year.
Mandela made great political achievements, but it is legitimate to recognize that what we know as Madiba is not perfect. Two things have mainly been criticised. On the one hand, not having given such importance to AIDS in one of the most polluted countries in the world; and on the other hand, the powerful continued to be powerful in maintaining the economic system. In two words, Parliament for blacks and banks for whites. For example, if the multinationals that exploit wild natural resources are not nationalised, it is difficult to change the situation of citizens who continue to be in extreme poverty.
Nevertheless, the patience and commitment of Mandela and his role in national reconciliation must be acknowledged. And they've left power after a legislature. This is not common among the authorities. Your government focused on closing the wounds of the past, and once you do this, you face new challenges.
What is clear is that Mandela enters history with figures like the 20th century Ghandi, Luther King, Kennedy or Fidel Castro. The charismatic leader, a great strategist, has been a symbol of the entire African continent. The clarity of the objectives was his main strength, and he managed to find the way to achieve them.
Mr Mandela deserves rest. In the country of the rainbow, in addition to showing her mourning for death, it has been decided to celebrate the birth of a person like this.
ACCRA, Ghana — Urte luzez, bazirudien Nelson Mandelaren argazki bakarra zegoela. Argazki horretan Mandelak ile trinkoa, masail guriak eta begirada serio deliberatua zituen. Baina zuri-beltzeko argazkia zen, hain pikortua ezen antzinakoa zirudien (aspaldi joandako garai eta norbanako baten dokumentu bisuala).
1960ko hamarkadaren hasieran, afrikar indigenak jasaten ari ziren zapalkuntza sistematikoaz eta trataera gizagabeaz nazkatuta, Mandelak indarkeria eta gerrilla taktika bidezko plan arrakastatsua proposatu zuen, funtsean Afrikako Biltzar Nazionalaren adar militarra osatuz. Urte gutxitan, adar armatu hura aurkitu zuten eta buruzagiak atxilotu zituzten. 1964an Mandela erruduntzat jo zuten sabotajea egotzita eta bizi bitarteko espetxe zigorra ezarri zioten. Epaiketan, lekukotasuna eman ordez, Mandelak hitzaldia eman zuen akusatuen aulkitik. “Pertsona guztiak harmonian eta aukera berdinekin biziko diren gizarte demokratiko eta librearen itxaropena dut”, esan zuen. “Ideal horretarako bizitzea eta lortzea espero dut. Baina, behar izanez gero, ideal horregatik hiltzeko prest nago”.
Bost urte nituen Nelson Mandela 46664. presoa bihurtu zenean, eta Robben uhartera, Lurmutur Hiritik iparraldera dagoen bost milia koadroko lur zatira deserritu zutenean, geratzen zitzaizkion urteak han eman zitzan. Robben uhartea legenardunentzako kolonia, eroetxea eta presondegia izana zen. Erbesteratze, zigor eta isolamendu gunea zen, pertsonak hara bidali eta ahazteko tokia.
Baina argazki horretako irudi oroitarazleak ez zigun ahazten utzi. 1970eko hamarkadan, bidegabekeria sozial eta politikoak salatzen zituen African Youth Command-eko (Afrikako Gazte Komandoko) kide izan nintzen. Mandela idolatratzen genuen. Argazkiaren posterra geneukan zintzilik logeletan; argazkia panfletoetan inprimatzen genuen. Ez genuen utzi Mandela hutsaltasunean itzal zedin; martxak, manifestazioak egin genituen, kontzertuak antolatu, prentsaurrekoak eman. Ahal genuen guztia egin genuen Apartheidaren gaitzak gaitzesteko, eta haren izena jendearen ahotan izan zedin. John Vorsterrne, Jimmy Krugerren eta gobernuak baimendutako zurien nagusitasunaren aldeko beste zenbaiten irudiak ere erre genituen.
Afrikan askatasunaren alde borrokatzeko irrikaz geunden. Hala ere, etsita geunden Mandela hil artean espetxean egongo zela eta hegoafrikarrek ez zutela berdintasuna lortuko gu bizi ginen artean. Baina 1990eko otsailaren 11n miraria gauzatu zen; Mandela askatu zuten.
Mundua liluratuta zegoen. Bere azalean egonda zer egingo genuen galdetzen genion gure buruari. Amorru biziaren zain geunden, zentzuzko edonork ulertuko lukeen ordaina exijituko zuela espero genuen. Bizitzako 27 urte betiko joanak. Egunak joan, egunak etorri, gatibu lanean, kareharria erauzten, harri zuriari etengabe kolpeka eguzki distiratsu errukigabearen azpian, eguzkitako betaurrekorik gabe, malkobideak hondatu zitzaizkion eta, urte askotan, Mandelari negar egiteko gaitasuna ere kendu zioten.
Hala ere, Mandelak barkamena adierazi zuen behin eta berriz. “Ideiengatik espetxera joatea”, esan zuen, “eta sinesten duzunarengatik sufritzeko prest egotea merezi du. Gizakiarentzat lorpen handia da bere eginbidea betetzea, ondorioak gorabehera”.
Nelson Mandela buruz buru topatu nuenerako, Bakearen Nobel Saria emana zioten eta lehenago beltzek bozkatzeko eskubiderik ez zuten herrialdeko presidente hautatu zuten. Itxaropenaren ikur bihurtua zen, baita zauriak ixteko aukeraren ikur ere.
Garai hartan legebiltzarkide eta Komunikazio ministroa nintzen, eta nahiko berria politikan. Lurmutur Hirira joan nintzen lehenengoz. Lagunekin berandu arte kalean ibili ondoren, hoteleko gelara eramango ninduen igogailuaren zain nengoen. Ateak ireki eta Nelson Mandelarekin egin nuen topo. Pauso bat atzera egin eta geldirik geratu nintzen. Atea zeharkatu ahala, niregana begiratu zuen eta buruaz agur egin zidan. Ez nion keinua itzuli. Ezin nuen mugitu, ezta begiak kliskatzeko ere. Hantxe geratu nintzen, baldituta, zera pentsatuz: gizon honen alde aldarrikatu, kantatu eta negar egin genuen; zuri-beltzeko argazkiko gizona da. Hegoafrikarentzat eta, automatikoki, kontinente osoarentzat iparrorratz moral berria sortu zuen gizona.
Ez da ustekabekoa Mandela askatu zutenetik Afrikako hainbeste herrialde demokraziara eta legearen agintera hurbildu izana. Bakea askapenerako bitarteko gisa erabili zuen, eta horrek Afrikari erakutsi zion kolonizazioak eragindako zatiketa gainditzeko eta geure buruari egindako zauriak sortutako oinazea arintzeko errukiak eta barkamenak gobernuaren parte izan behar zutela. Herrialdeek eta herritarrek jasan duten trauma aitortu behar dute, eta adiskidetzeko bidea, hautsita zegoena bateratzeko bidea aurkitu behar dute.
Gau hartan, Nelson Mandela nire paretik pasa zenean, bere historia, askatasunerako bide luzea, Afrikaren historia ere bazela ulertu nuen. Garai batean gure kontinentean hedatu zen gaitzidura inspirazioak ordezkatu du. Orotariko gaitzen erasoak (gerrak, estatu kolpeak, gaixotasunak, pobrezia eta zapalkuntza) eragindako pesimismoa pixkanaka hazten ari den aukera sentipenak ordezkatu du.
Ez zen Nelson Mandela izan espetxealdiko urteetan aldatu zen bakarra. Denok aldatu ginen. Eta Afrika askoz hobea da horri esker.
John Dramani Mahama
Ghanako presidentea eta My First Coup d’État: And Other True Stories From the Lost Decades of Africa (Nire lehen estatu kolpea: eta Afrikako hamarkada galduen benetako beste istorio batzuk) autobiografiaren egilea da.
Jesús Chucho García,
Bamakotik, Mali. (La voz de Afroamérica).
Madiba hitzak “aita” esan nahi du xoxa hizkuntzan, eta 95 urterekin hil den arte hala esaten zioten 1917ko uztailaren 18an jaio zen Nelson Rolihlahla Mandelari. Egun, Mandela gizadiaren ideal gailenen uste osoaren sinboloa da.Ideal horiek espetxera eraman zuten 1962an, eta han eman zituen 27 urte apalgarri, ziegan bakartuta, munduarekin inolako harremanik izan gabe.
Apartheidaren aurkako etengabeko borroka garaietan inork ez zion laguntzarik eman militante zaharrari, eta soilik Kubak lagundu zuen Wunkhoto We Sizwe (Nazioaren Lantza), Afrikako Biltzar Nazioanalaren adar armatua, sortzen. Garai hartan ez ziren existitzen gaur gorazarre egiten diotenak, egunkarietan eta gainerako hedabideetan haren irudia lortzeko bere atzetik dabiltzanak edo, ongi idatzitako eta egituratutako sentsibilitate faltsuzko esaldien bidez antzekotasun behartuak bilatzen dituztenak.
AEBko egungo presidente Barack Obamak Conversations with Myself (Nire buruarekin hizketan) Nelson Mandelaren azken liburuaren hitzaurrea egin zuen. Hitzaurrea ongi idatzita dago, salmenta estrategiari erantzunez, baina bere burua Mandelarekin alderatzeko ahalegin behartua ere bada.
(...)
Ez naiz ausartzen Mandela ezkerraren eta eskuinaren artean sailkatzen. Kolonialismoaren historiako eta historia garaikideko erregimen arrazista okerrenaren aurka, Apartheidaren aurka, borrokatu zuen gizontzat daukat. Berak bazekien garai zailenetan jaso zuen laguntza, hein handi batean, nazioarteko ezkerretik etorri zitzaiola, eta inperialismo estatubatuar, ingeles, frantziar edo israeldarretik, horiek guztiak 27 urteko espetxealdiaren konplize izan baitziren.
Hegoafrikako testuinguruan kokatu zen gizona izan zen; lau milioi zurik, indarraren eta errepresioaren bidez, Xoxa, Zulu, Koishan eta jatorriz Hegoafrikakoak diren beste herri batzuetako 18 milioi pertsona mendean zituzten, baita hainbat etorkin hindu ere, horien artean Hegoafrikako arrazismoa jasan behar izan zuen Mahatma Ghandi. Hori ezkerrekoa izatea baldin bada, Mandela ezkerrekoa zen. Irakeko gerraren aurka azaldu zen eta , sarkasmoa erabiliz, Ingalaterrako presidente Tony Blair AEBko kanpo harremanetarako ministro modukotzat salatu zuen, hark, NBEko kideekin, Collin Powellekin eta George Bushekin batera, Sadam Husseinek ustez zituen arma nuklearren inguruan gezurra esan zutenean, NATOren inbasioa justifikatzeko.
Mandela... amets osatugabea
Mandelaren borrokak emaitza politikoak izan zituen: batetik, zientifikoki faltsuak eta moralki justifikaezinak ziren teoria horiek guztiak, afrikarrak beren herria gobernatzeko gai ez zirela ziotenak, Apartheidaren erregimenak asmatutako teoriak, bertan behera utzi zituen. Bestetik, presidente izan zen tarte laburrean (1994-1999) bidea zabalik utzi zuen adiskidetze nazionala lortzeko, bereizkeriaren eta arrazakeriaren kontrako borrokan aurrera egiteko. Eta hori ez da batere erraza, Mandelaren alderdiak, Afrikako Biltzar Nazionalak, boterean eman dituen 17 urteak ez baitira nahikoak 400 urtetako zentzugabekeria sozial eta psikologikoa erabat gainditzeko. Baina ahalegina egiten ari dira, eta Hegoafrika gizarte bidezkoagoa eta orekatuagoa lortzeko bidean dela uste dugu. 2001ean Durban hirian burutu zen Arrazakeriaren Aurkako Munduko Biltzarrean izan ginenean, bide horretan emandako pausoak ikusi ahal izan genituen.
Gaur, Chávez eta Fidel Castro bezala, Mandela ikurra da Hegoaldeko herrialdeentzat, mendebaldekoek momifikatzen eta objektu bihurtzen saiatu diren arren. Kontsumo eta moda objektu bihurtu nahi izan dute, Che Guevararekin egin zuten moduan. Gaur, inoiz baino gehiago, Mandelaren diskurtsoak berrikusi behar ditugu, Fidel Castrori erakutsi zion esker ona, Irakeko gerra gaitzetsi izana. Ezin diegu utzi Mathir Luther Kingek “Amets bat dut…” esaldiarekin abiatu zuen hitzaldi ezagunaren ametsean ipini dezaten. Mandelak ez zuen lortu gizarte bidezkoagoa eraikitzeko ametsa boterean izan zen tarte laburrean… Mandela ondorengo Hegoafrikako ziurgabetasuna ez da adoretzeko modukoa. Gaur, Mandela, hegoafrikarrek hil zuten Mozambikeko buruzagi Samora Machelen alargun Graza Machelekin batera, planetaren adiskidetzearen erreferentzia puntu dira.
Lurmutur Hiria (Hegoafrika), 1990eko otsailaren 11. Nelson Mandela aske utzi zuten, 27 urtez giltzapean egon ondoren.
Gaur, abenduak 5, munduko agintariak Nelson Rolihlahla Mandelaren izaera goraipatzen ari dira, heriotzaren laugarren urteurrenarekin bat. Hegoafrikako Apartheidaren aurkako borrokan “terrorista” izandakoa, bakearen aldeko ikur dugu egun, baita gerra eta biolentzia... [+]
All symbols are manipulable, but some more than others. Che Guevara remains the emblem of young insurgents, as well as adorning fashion garments. The moment Mandela’s praise has reached the sky above, Lenin’s statue has been torn down and destroyed by right-wing protesters... [+]
Nelson Mandela's death took many pages of newspapers around the world and many minutes of television channels. We have seen that the cynicism and hypocrisy of many politicians and governments has been appalling, because they have sought to appropriate their image with the... [+]
Ehortzi dute Nelson Mandela, Hegoafrikako lehen presidente demokratikoa. Qunu jaioterrian izan da, estatu hileta baten ostean.
Sinbolo guztiak dira manipulagarriak, baina batzuk gehiago besteak baino. Che Guevarak gazte matxinatuen ikurra izaten jarraitzen du, halaber, modako arropen apaingarri. Mandelaren laudorioak goiko zeruraino iritsi diren unean Leninen estatua lurreratu eta txikitu dute... [+]
Hegoafrikako lehenengo presidente beltza izan zen Mandela eta apartheidaren aurkako ikur nagusia. Atzo hil zen 95 urte zituela, Johannesburgoko bere etxean senideek inguratuta. Estatu hileta abenduaren 15ean egingo dute.
Nelson Mandelaren osasun egoera makurrak mundu mailako kezka eta ikusmina sortu du. Herrialdeko presidentetzak iragarri du igande arratsaldean Mandelaren egoera kritikoa dela eta medikuak beren eskuetan den guztia egiten ari direla.
Nelson Mandela ospitalean dago beste behin, biriketako infekzioa dela eta. Azken urtean hainbat aldiz ospitalizatu badute ere, 94 urteko liderraren gertukoen erreakzioek oso egoera larrian dagoela iradokitzen dute.