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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.