amazing leader

.: Last Friday in London, there was this huge concert held in honor of a very famous man, Nelson Mandela. This guy's done everything and been through a lot. Way back in the day in 1948, the Afrikaner-dominated National Party took power in the South Africa. They had an racial segregation policy or apartheid. Nelson Mandela came along with the African National Congress (ANC)and its military arm, Umkhonto we Sizwe aka MK, around 1952 to resist this type of government. He believed in Mahatma Gandhi's method of non-violent mass struggle to protest. But he used MK as means of sabotage. He was captured and then tried for this and treason and sentenced to imprisonment. He spent most of his time in prison on Robben Island. He was finally freed on February 11, 1990. He returned to assume leadership of ANC and took reins to a multi-racial democracy. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with they guy who freed him, President F.W. De Klerk. They had some squabbles, but anyway, the next year, ANC won the elections on April 27, 1994 and Mandela became the first Black President on May 10, 1994. He retired in 1989. He's fought for a lot of things and one of the biggest things is AIDS. He has a charity campaign called 49994, which was his prison no. on Robben Island and for which the concert was mainly about. One thing noted during his speech at the concert is the condition in Zimbabwe and the actions of current President Robert Mugabe. Mugabe has been compared to Mandela as they share similar backgrounds on their rise to power, but very unlike Mandela, Mugabe has abused his authority and brought the country to an economic downfall. Mandela is quoted saying the situation w/ Mugabe and Zimbabwe as a “tragic failure of leadership!” He actually turns 91 on July 18th but the concert's celebrating his 90th and all his achievements. Hopefully as one of the best gifts possible, he'll be removed from the US terrorist lists in time before he celebrates his birthday. Hope that brings everybody up to date on the BASICS of this important man in history, Nelson Mandela, Happy B-day yo!

One of his well known quotes, which he said on trial before being imprisoned:
"During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

Mandela on the day of his release, after 27 years in prison.
(Photo by Alexander Joe)

Mandela giving his speech at the 46664 HIV/AIDS charity campaign benefit concert
(Photo from news.bbc.co.uk)