Happy Birthday Mandela!
By Pauline Waruguru
Nevis Reporter-SKNVibes.com
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – TODAY, Friday, July 18, 2008 marks the 90th birth anniversary of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned for 27 years, but forgiving of his former captors and is hailed a shining example of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.
His smile and sense of humour have made him a treasured international icon. He is rare among African leaders in agreeing to give up power after only one term following the 1994 end of apartheid.
He transcends races and opinions in South Africa itself, acclaimed by all sides of society, including the whites whose rule he fought to overthrow.
Yet his birthday comes at a time of crisis in the country under the rule of his successor, Thabo Mbeki, widely attacked for failures in fighting AIDS, poverty, a major power crisis, violent crime and the disaster in neighbouring Zimbabwe.
“It is a humility that puts other people first, it comes straight from the heart and it was this quality that enabled Nelson Mandela to rise above political party loyalty and create a vision that was all-inclusive,” Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille said.
~~Adz:Right~~ His hometown of Qunu in the Eastern Cape is prepared for a private party with 500 guests today, the provincial agricultural ministry announced that it would hand out 150 goats to impoverished communities to celebrate his birthday. Nelson Mandela, the man credited with ending apartheid in South Africa, has marked his 90th birthday by calling for the rich to do more for the poor.
“If you are poor, you are not likely to live long,” he said at his village house in Eastern Cape Province for a birthday interview. He is expected to spend the day at home with his family.
His predecessor as president, FW de Klerk, described him as one of the greatest figures of the last century. “Nelson Mandela used his personal charm...to mould our widely diverse communities into an emerging multicultural nation,” FW de Klerk is reported saying.
Mandela was jailed for 27 years for his ANC activities but went on to become the country’s first black president in 1994.
Since stepping down in 1999, he has become South Africa’s highest-profile ambassador, campaigning against HIV/Aids and helping to secure his country’s right to host the 2010 Football World Cup.
In 2004, at the age of 85, Mandela retired from public life to spend more time with his family and friends and engage in “quiet reflection”.
Today, appearing before reporters, he said: “There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so fortunate who have not been able to conquer poverty.”
The world continues to honour Mandela, as the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace 2008 will be made to him in Durban next week.
The honour will be bestowed in his absence at a function hosted by the Gandhi Development Trust (GDT) and Satyagraha - in pursuit of truth.
Paddy Kearney, a GDT trustee, said that in celebrating Madiba’s 90th birthday, he would be honoured as an international figure whose contribution and sacrifice had touched the hearts of millions of South Africans and people across the world.
“We thought it would be an ideal way to celebrate his 90th birthday and thank him for his tremendous contribution to our democracy,” he said. “We hoped that Mandela would attend the event and collect his award. However, Ahmed Kathrada will receive it on his behalf.”
Mandela had said on many occasions that Gandhi had a great influence on him. ~~Adz:Left~~
“The former president was chosen because of his remarkable peacemaking skills, which have benefited millions of people. Through his negotiated settlement, he brought about peace in South Africa by non-violent means,” said Kearney.
Mandela is retired from active politics but he supports numerous charities, including the Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Mandela Rhodes Foundation.
Two of the more familiar charities are the 46664 campaign, which is meant to raise global awareness of HIV and Aids through live events and music-related initiatives, and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
Driven by his love for children and a desire to end their suffering, Madiba established the fund in 1995 to promote a humanitarian response to the plight of South Africa’s children and youth.
To celebrate Mandela’s birthday, his charity organisations launched an international premium SMS service to allow millions of people to send their birthday messages to him.
The campaign ended yesterday and the proceeds will go to his charities.
