Celebrating Nelson Mandela's Life

7/28/2019 Celebrating Nelson Mandela's Life

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Celebrating Nelson Mandelas life


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Celebrating Nelson Mandelas life

- Uday Dandavate

Nelson Mandela serves as a role model for revolutionaries

worldwide who want to replace discrimination and injustice

with an egalitarian and peaceful society.

In comparing various mass movements for social justice and

struggles against oppressive regimes, non-violent methods,

espoused by Mandela, stand out as the most difficult yet

impactful tools for sustainable transformation of societies.

While Karl Marx mobilized the working class with the vision

of dictatorship of the proletariat, Mahatma Gandhi

introduced into the vernacular of revolutionaries the concept

of non-violent resistance and Satyagraha (assertion of truth).

Followers of Marxian ideologies only succeeded in replacing

one kind of authoritarian rule with another kind. On the other

I learned that

courage was not

the absence of

fear, but the

triumph over it.

The brave man isnot he who does

not feel afraid,

but he who

conquers that

fear.


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hand proponents of non-violence such as Budhha, Gandhi,

Martin Luthar King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu

Kyi were able to introduce into mass imagination an alternate

model of an egalitarian society that is inclusive of both- the

supporters and the opponents of the system they wanted to

replace.

A Jewish friend recently gave me an innovative idea for

bringing peace to the West Bank. He said, Israeli and

Palestinian forces have perfected the art of resistance and

retaliation through violent means. What if instead of indulging

in violence those who want to see true peace in the west

bank, faced their opponents with non-violent

demonstrations? The security forces and the leaders who

have a stake in perpetuating violence in the region would be

at a loss. Their armed forces will not know how to deal with

non-violent Satyagraha (assertion of truth). My friend

proceeded to suggest an alternate scenario, where, instead

of fighting for two separate countries would it be possible to

consider an inclusive society that allows both Palestinians

If you want to

make peace with

your enemy, you

have to workwith your

enemy. Then he

becomes your

partner.


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and Israelis to live together peacefully? He pointed out- that

a vision for two opposing parties to co-exist was the most

impactful strategy that helped Nelson Mandela and F W de

Klerk to end apartheid and share power.

A similar consideration for saving his nation from conflict

between Hindus and Muslims, was in the mind of Mahatma

Gandhi when he wanted the leadership of the Congress

Party of India to reject British governments proposal for

division of India as a precondition for freedom. Gandhi went

to the extent of suggesting that either the congress party

should reject the proposal and continue the freedom struggle

in a non-violent manner or make a counter offer to the British

of making Mohmad Ali Jinah Prime Miniter of undivided

India. Gandhi failed to prevail upon the Congress leadership,

which accepted separation of India and Pakistan. The

communal riots and mass massacre that followed partition of

India created a permanent setback to the process of

integration of India.

To deny people

their human

rights is to

challenge theirvery humanity.


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Nelson Mandela learned from Indias missed opportunity for

embarking on long-term social harmony. He prevailed upon

the African National Congress leadership to commit to a

South Africa where the Black and the White population

could, forget the history of violence between them and build

a multi-racial SouthAfrica together.

For the younger generation Buddha, Gandhi, and Martin

Luthar King Jr. are only characters from the history books.

Nelson Mandela, on the other hand, serves as an example

from the present times. Through deft handling of dismantling

of the Apartheid, Mandela has demonstrated that non-violent

methods and inclusive mindsets can alone provide a long-

term solution to conflicts that are dividing nations and

prompting them to take up arms at slightest provocation.

Nelson Mandela has also demonstrated that a leader can

have a profound influence on his people even after

Education is the

most powerful

weapon which

you can use tochange the

world.


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relinquishing power (as he did after one term in the office as

the President of South Africa). In a political environment

where occupying positions of power by hook or by crook is

seen as the only means of solving countrys problems, and

being the voice of dissent an unpatriotic act, Mandelas

experiment of partnering with the perpetrators of injustice

against the black population in building the future of South

Africa stands out as an inspiration. Just as Mahatma Gandhi

served as an inspiration for leaders of non-violent revolutions

around the world, Nelson Mandelas life will serve as a

beacon for those who want to see a world free from conflict.

Nelson Mandela will live for a long time in the imagination of

revolutionaries.

Let us all join South Africa in celebrating a life that is bound

to inspire imagination of a peaceful and intercultural future.

Any man or

institution that

tries to rob me of

my dignity willlose.

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Celebrating Nelson Mandela's Life