2 February 2021 - INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT NELSON MANDELA

 

INTERESTING FACTS 

ABOUT NELSON MANDELA 

G'day folks,

One of the most undisputed heroes of recent history is Nelson Mandela. Most of us are aware of his imprisonment and anti-Apartheid work, which he continued to do even behind bars. He was also, of course, elected to be South Africa’s first black president in 1994. 

 

As incredible as those accomplishments are, they are far from the totality of why he was such a celebrated leader. These facts shed light on some lesser-known aspects of Nelson Mandela’s life and add detail to his unbelievable story.

Mandela’s birth name was Rolihlahla. In the Xhosa tribe’s language, the name means ‘pulling the branch of a tree’ or troublemaker. The name Nelson was given to him by his elementary school teacher, as she wasn’t able to pronounce Rolihlahla. It isn’t clear why she chose that particular name, but some speculate it was after the British admiral Horatio Nelson.

Mandela began his long road to a college degree in 1939, at the University College of Fort Hare. However, he was expelled for participating in a protest against the university’s policies. Mandela finally received his law degree in 1989 from the University of South Africa, during the last months of his imprisonment. But at 22, after being expelled, Mandela faced a complicated situation; the king of his village intended to arrange a marriage for him. To escape that fate, he and his cousin ran away to Johannesburg.

Mandela did end up marrying for love in 1941, to Evelyn Mase, but their relationship was soon marred by tragedy. Their second son, Makaziwe died at infancy. Sadly, the couple lost two other children: Madiba Thembekile (Thembi), who died in a car crash while Mandela was in prison in 1969, and Makgatho Lewanika, who died of AIDS in 2005. Mandela had two other children with his second wife Winnie, 20 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren.

Before being arrested and sentenced to 27 years in prison for his fight against apartheid, Mandela eluded the authorities for a long time. He disguised himself in various ways and was dubbed the Black Pimpernel by the press for his legendary ability to escape capture. He had disguised himself as a chef, a fieldworker, and a chauffeur. He was dressed in the chauffeur’s outfit when he was arrested in 1962.

During his trial, Mandela gave his now-famous courtroom speech 'I Am Prepared to Die’. He chose to make a speech from the dock instead of testifying and held the court spellbound for four hours. He ended it with the words “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,” in reference to his wish for a democratic and free society, where everyone is equal. The speech received international attention and was published in various media outlets. Ironically, expressing the willingness to die is probably what spared Mandela of the death penalty.

Nelson Mandela could have been granted his freedom 5 years earlier than he did, in 1985. The president of South Africa at the time offered to release him if he renounced his armed struggle. He refused, saying, “What freedom am I being offered while the organization of the people remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.”

Clancy's comment: What an interesting life.

I'm ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21 September 2018 - Aung San Suu Kyi - Burmese Activist

Aung San Suu Kyi 

- Burmese Activist -

G'day folks,

Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese politician, diplomat, and author, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is the leader of the National League for Democracy and the first and incumbent State Counsellor, a position akin to a prime minister.

Aung San Suu Kyi AC born 19 June 1945 in Rangoon, is a pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma. During the military control of Myanmar, she was a noted prisoner of conscience and advocate of nonviolent resistance. For many years (1989-2010) she was held under house arrest. However, on her release, she led the National League for Democracy and serves as the first and incumbent State Counsellor, a position akin to a Prime Minister. From 2016, she has come under international criticism for failing to stem the persecution of the Rohingya people in Rakhine State on the border with Malaysia.

Aung San Suu Kyi was born on 19 June 1945 in Rangoon (then British Burma). She is the third child in her family. Her name is derived from three relatives; “Aung San” from her father, “Kyi” from her mother and “Suu” from her grandmother. Her father, Aung San, was instrumental in negotiating independence from Britain in 1947. He also founded the Burmese army and was assassinated by political rivals in late 1947.

Suu Kyi studied at primary schools in Rangoon, before studying in India (graduating from New Delhi University, 1964) and St Hugh’s College, Oxford University (1968). After Oxford University, she worked for the United Nations for three years. In 1972 she married  Michael Aris who was living in Bhutan – they had two children.

In 1988 she returned to Burma to visit her ailing mother but became caught up in the 1988 uprising as protests against the Burmese Junta sprang up around the country. Suu Kyi became active in supporting the League for Democracy and soon became promoted to a prominent position in the movement.

 Around this time her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but he was not allowed an entry visa to the country, however, despite her husband’s ailing health Suu Kyi was reluctant to leave now she had a prominent position in the movement for democracy.

In 1989, she was placed under house arrest by the military junta. She was told she could have freedom if she agreed to leave the country, but she preferred to stay. Under house arrest, she spent time studying Buddhism and political activism and remained popular with those who supported the ideals of democracy in Myanmar.

For her principled, non-violent protest against the military and support for democratic principles, she was lauded by many human rights groups and influential bodies around the world. Suu Kyi won the Rafto Prize and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. In 1992, she was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru peace prize by the Government of India for her peaceful and non-violent struggle under a military dictatorship.

For many years she was kept under house arrest, with the Burmese junta repeatedly extending her detention. According to the results of the 1990 general election, Suu Kyi earned the right to be Prime Minister, as leader of the winning National League for Democracy party, but her detention by the military junta prevented her from assuming that role.

She is frequently called Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Daw is not part of her name, but an honorific similar to madam for older, revered women, literally meaning “aunt”. Strictly speaking, her given name is equivalent to her full name, but it is acceptable to refer to her as “Ms. Suu Kyi” or Dr. Suu Kyi, since those syllables serve to distinguish her from her father, General Aung San, who is considered to be the father of modern-day Burma. The U2 album All That You Can’t Leave Behind was banned in Burma because one of the songs (Walk On) was written about her struggle and how, even when the government threatened her, she “walked on” the other way.

In 2010, she was released from house arrest and travelled around the world speaking up for democracy in Burma. In the summer of 2012, she received an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. (Aung San Suu Kyi studied PPE at St Hugh’s College, Oxford University)

On 2 May 2012, she was elected to the National Parliament with other Democrat MPs. In 2015, her party, the National League for Democracy won a sweeping victory, although she was ineligible for the Presidency (due to provisions which prevented widows and mother of foreigners.) She claimed she would hold the real power in the new government. The president, Htin Kyaw, created a new role for her – the position of State Counsellor on 1 April 2016. This enabled her to assume the dominant position in the government.

In December 2016, the United Nations strongly criticized the Myanmar government for its poor treatment of the Rohingya people, and called its approach “callous” and warned of possible crimes against humanity. The United Nations called on Aung San Suu Kyi to end her silence and stand up for the oppressed Rohingya minority.

 On 4 September 2017, the UN’s released a report on human rights in Myanmar. It criticised Suu Kyi’s response arguing that given reports of crimes against innocent people in  Rohingya villages  “The de facto leader needs to step in – that is what we would expect from any government, to protect everybody within their own jurisdiction.”

Clancy's comment: I've always admired her struggle against fairly big odds. However, her recent silence regarding the Rohingya people is somewhat disturbing, considering her long struggle for democracy,

I'm ...