The legacy of Mandela
Dear Sir,
As South Africans, we will always remember and honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, the founder of our democracy. It could be argued the greatest heroes are not those who are there at the end of justice but those who pave the road to justice but do not live to see the full fruits of their labour.
Mandela earnestly believes that in the midst of death, life persists. In the midst of untruth, truth persists. In the midst of darkness light persists. He refuses to repay hate with hate and instead did everything to seek reconciliation between white and black in South Africa.
He sincerely believes that the result of violence or the aftermath of violence is bitterness. The aftermath of non-violence is reconciliation and the creation of a beloved community. A boycott is never an end in itself. It is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor but the end is reconciliation, the end is redemption.
The legacy of Nelson Mandela and his yeoman service to humanity will now live long and achieve immortality when most of us, lesser men, will have died and been forgotten.
Tata (father) Mandela is a rarity upon the South African scene and his condition leaves an aching void.
Mandela saved us from tyranny, rescued us from bondage, gave us our freedom and prevented a racial holocaust. He is a titan in global affairs. Sooner or later we will lose Madiba, the world will never be the same.
Farouk Araie
[email protected]
Egypt must stand united
Dear Sir,
One year after the revolution in Egypt, things are going from bad to worse in Egypt. Despite intensive efforts by the Mursi government, Egypt is passing through its worst economic crisis.
Unfortunately, instead of preparing a joint strategy to tackle poverty and unemployment, the opposition is trying hard to get political mileage from the situation. Cities in Egypt are in the grip of violence.
But it is not Egypt alone which is going through an economic crisis in our world. Several European economies are also in a bad shape. After long years of the Mubarak rule, Egypt has just started its democratic era. Public expectations remain high but the fact is that no one can bring about sweeping economic changes in just one year. Only a united Egypt and a joint strategy by the political leadership can do that.
Khawaja Umer Farooq
[email protected]