The greatest son of the South

Outpourings of grief on Nelson Mandela’s death almost jammed the air on December 5. Accolades began appearing instantly on television, internet blogs, Facebook posts, news items, opinion columns, editorials and every nook and cranny of virtual and writable space. People couldn’t help themselves but join in the international mourning of the most revered icon of liberty, in recent times.

While his death was imminent since nearly a year now, the actual happening was bound to trigger the emotional expression that has been released. Tributes from presidents — from Barack Obama to Mamnoon Hussain — were expected and probably prepared much in advance for such an eventuality. It was the spontaneous sentiment of the ordinary people that was more powerful as individuals began remembering the many different ways in which Mandela and his struggles had affected them. Some South Africans, who had lived and fought during and against apartheid, were too emotional to even comment.

I have heard first hand stories of what life in apartheid South Africa was and what ‘Madiba’ — as he was called by the people of his soil — meant to those who were in some way connected to him. To South Africans, he was not just the father of their free nation but also an icon of all that was morally right and just.

In Canada, many South Africans who had fled from apartheid rule, had also rallied hard for his release, asking the Canadian government to pressurise South Africa into ending its anti-apartheid policies. Mandela then became the first 'foreigner' to have been given Honorary Citizenship of Canada. Only two others have been awarded that honour since Mandela — Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi.

Obituaries summarising his gigantic contributions to humanity will be taking up news space for many days as they detail his labours leading to the emancipation of more than 30 million black and coloured South Africans. There is just so much to tell of his life, be it his legacy of peaceful resistance lasting 27 years in captivity or his work of rebuilding South Africa’s segregated social order.

It’s perhaps, noteworthy that Nelson Mandela’s death happened the same year that America celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Civil Rights movement. The American Civil Rights story, too, has many poignant tales woven around numerous courageous individuals who stood up for freedoms which seemed like an impossibility to their future generations.

The year 2013, in fact, seemed to have been a particular year of milestones in America, as the 50-year anniversary of John F Kennedy’s (JFK) assassination and death was also observed this year. For the American public, that was a tragedy of enormous proportions at the time which many could never get over. Men and women had wept openly on streets and the shock had brought Americans together, even making them forget party differences.

The conspiracy theories that followed the JFK assassination are, to this day, the subject of movies and books, feeding the American public and even the world imagination. Since several weeks now, documentaries are continuing on Canadian channels as well, detailing the events of November 22, 1963 in Dallas, when Oswald aimed the shot at President Kennedy’s head.

There is something about death and assassination which holds fascination for people. Especially violent death as it triggers a response in every individual who hears about it. For Pakistanis, the day Ms Benazir Bhutto was shot is still crystal clear and no one has forgotten what they were doing at that moment, when they heard the news and mayhem broke across the country.

Mandela’s death, however, is not one that will be connected in any way with violence. He will be remembered, instead, for his peaceful teachings, diplomatic wisdom, unfailing courage and his almost stubborn perseverance for justice in an environment that was conflictingly violent and extremely unjust.

Before the invasion on Iraq, Mandela's vehement stance against war must still sting America. He had categorically stated, "If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America.”

It was befitting that the crowd that gathered on Thursday night at the Mandela home in Johannesburg, after his death, was a multiracial gathering singing liberation songs. And for once, South African President Jacob Zuma, who otherwise is a sorry mass of political and moral misconduct, had some profound words to say, “Our nation has lost its greatest son; our people have lost a father … This is our moment of greatest sorrow … God bless Africa.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2013.

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