Nelson Mandela, que morreu no dia 5 de dezembro de 2013, aos 95 anos, foi um revolucionário antiapartheid que serviu como presidente da África do Sul de 1994 a 1999.
Nos anos 1950, enquanto trabalhava como advogado antiapartheid, Mandela foi preso repetidamente por "atividades de sedição" e "traição". Em 1963 ele foi condenado por sabotagem e conspiração contra o governo e sentenciado a uma vida encarcerado. Mandela passou 27 anos na prisão ante de uma campanha lobista internacional finalmente conseguir a sua soltura em 1990.
Em 1994 Mandela foi eleito presidente e formou um Governo de Unidade Nacional na tentativa de desarmar tensões étnicas. Como presidente, ele estabelece uma nova constituição e iniciou a Comissão da Verdade e Reconciliação para investigar abusos passados aos direitos humanos e descobrir a verdade sobre crimes do governo sul africano utilizando a anistia como um mecanismo.
Nelson Mandela foi um líder poderoso e inspirador que de forma eloquente e vigorosa falava a verdade ao poder. Enquanto tributos serão publicados ao longo dos dias, a mídia corporativa irá pintar um retrato polido que deixará de fora muito do que ele era. Gostaríamos de deixar algumas frases que não esperamos ler nos obituários midiáticos:
"A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favor. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens."
"If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don't care for human beings."
"The current world financial crisis also starkly reminds us that many of the concepts that guided our sense of how the world and its affairs are best ordered, have suddenly been shown to be wanting.”
"Gandhi rejects the Adam Smith notion of human nature as motivated by self-interest and brute needs and returns us to our spiritual dimension with its impulses for nonviolence, justice and equality. He exposes the fallacy of the claim that everyone can be rich and successful provided they work hard. He points to the millions who work themselves to the bone and still remain hungry."
"There is no doubt that the United States now feels that they are the only superpower in the world and they can do what they like."
“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”
“Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.”
“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” E ele já dizia que liberdade parcial não é liberdade.
“No single person can liberate a country. You can only liberate a country if you act as a collective.”
"If the United States of America or Britain is having elections, they don't ask for observers from Africa or from Asia. But when we have elections, they want observers."
“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
On Gandhi: "From his understanding of wealth and poverty came his understanding of labor and capital, which led him to the solution of trusteeship based on the belief that there is no private ownership of capital; it is given in trust for redistribution and equalization. Similarly, while recognizing differential aptitudes and talents, he holds that these are gifts from God to be used for the collective good."
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