Archbishop Desmond Tutu R.I.P.

[Infinite Chaos]

A contemporary of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, he was was one of the driving forces behind the movement to end the policy of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the white minority government against the black majority in South Africa from 1948 until 1991.

Obituary: Desmond Tutu - South Africa's rebellious priest

Inspirational cleric and anti-apartheid campaigner who played a major role in the process of reconciliation in South Africa.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sad day in much of Africa, I always loved reading about this man. I never saw the truth and reconciliation hearings but I saw the ones he did in Northern Ireland and that was powerful T.V.

R.I.P. Desmond.

 

[btthegreat]

For some reason I thought he had already died. A good man, an intelligent man. RIP

 

[joluoto]

R.I.P archbishop, one of the last voices for peace.

 

[Juks]

Strange that there are only 3 posts here. His greatness seems to have passed the Americans unnoticed.

He is the man who ended apartheid. From the church he has led demonstrations with tens of thousands of participants demanding the release of Nelson Mandela and the dissolution of the apartheid system.

He wanted the anti-apartheid movement to be peaceful. Mass mobilization, civil uprising but no violence. He could understand that violent uprising could become inevitable if the repression continued as in Soweto or during the mass deportations in Cape Town. But he chose the strategy of uniting peaceful resistance with international solidarity against apartheid. He turned to the Western world, which systematically encountered and profited from South African racism. The most powerful politicians of the time was Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Reagan preferred "constructive cooperation" with the apartheid government and Thatcher said no to British sanctions. Thus, Tutu seemed to have failed. However, his campaign did not end and was supported by smaller countries (such as Sweden), broad popular alliances such as the United Democratic Front (UDF) in South Africa and by the rapidly growing international anti-apartheid movement. In the end, the Western world was forced to capitulate and give up the support of the apartheid regim.

One of the last centuries biggest. Rest in peace

 

[PeteEU]

RIP.. but was this not posted in Breaking News?

 

[RAMOSS]

Strange that there are only 3 posts here. His greatness seems to have passed the Americans unnoticed.

He is the man who ended apartheid. From the church he has led demonstrations with tens of thousands of participants demanding the release of Nelson Mandela and the dissolution of the apartheid system.

He wanted the anti-apartheid movement to be peaceful. Mass mobilization, civil uprising but no violence. He could understand that violent uprising could become inevitable if the repression continued as in Soweto or during the mass deportations in Cape Town. But he chose the strategy of uniting peaceful resistance with international solidarity against apartheid. He turned to the Western world, which systematically encountered and profited from South African racism. The most powerful politicians of the time was Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Reagan preferred "constructive cooperation" with the apartheid government and Thatcher said no to British sanctions. Thus, Tutu seemed to have failed. However, his campaign did not end and was supported by smaller countries (such as Sweden), broad popular alliances such as the United Democratic Front (UDF) in South Africa and by the rapidly growing international anti-apartheid movement. In the end, the Western world was forced to capitulate and give up the support of the apartheid regim.

One of the last centuries biggest. Rest in peace

It's still morning here. I am extreme east coast, and it's not 9 am yet

RIp

 

[Infinite Chaos]

Reagan preferred "constructive cooperation"

Nice way of saying that America under Reagan did nothing to help except find ways to keep doing business with the Apartheid Govt. Pretty strong suspicion that the USA also helped with satellite and military information for the South African Govt in its wars in Angola and Namibia.
You are right that Tutu and the little mentioned alliances with European nations were the ones that grew the anti-Apartheid movement. If it wasn't for these groups with Tutu, South Africa would still be the cancer on the continent.

was this not posted in Breaking News?

Not at the time I posted this, I did a forum search. You know as well as I do that International events like this would be swallowed up by local USA news on the breaking news section.

I also specifically posted it as an R.I.P. thread to deter the kind of poster who will come and insult Tutu and his achievements.

 

[PeteEU]

Nice way of saying that America under Reagan did nothing to help except find ways to keep doing business with the Apartheid Govt. Pretty strong suspicion that the USA also helped with satellite and military information for the South African Govt in its wars in Angola and Namibia.
You are right that Tutu and the little mentioned alliances with European nations were the ones that grew the anti-Apartheid movement. If it wasn't for these groups with Tutu, South Africa would still be the cancer on the continent.



Not at the time I posted this, I did a forum search. You know as well as I do that International events like this would be swallowed up by local USA news on the breaking news section.

I also specifically posted it as an R.I.P. thread to deter the kind of poster who will come and insult Tutu and his achievements.

Okay, thought I saw one in Breaking News.. guess my post Christmas food coma is still around.

 

[Manc Skipper]

"When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land.
They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes.
When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land."

Desmond Tutu

RIP Archbishop Tutu

 

[HangLow]

Obituary: Desmond Tutu - South Africa's rebellious priest

Inspirational cleric and anti-apartheid campaigner who played a major role in the process of reconciliation in South Africa.

www.bbc.co.uk

Sad day in much of Africa, I always loved reading about this man. I never saw the truth and reconciliation hearings but I saw the ones he did in Northern Ireland and that was powerful T.V.

R.I.P. Desmond.

​

 

[Ginza]

He is the man who ended apartheid.

I had to smile at that one.

Ever heard of Nelson Mandela and F.W. De Klerk who both received Nobel Peace prizes for their efforts to bring about democracy in South Africa?

 

[Juks]

I had to smile at that one.

Ever heard of Nelson Mandela and F.W. De Klerk who both received Nobel Peace prizes for their efforts to bring about democracy in South Africa?

Yes I have but it was Desmond Tutu that lead the movement that forced F.W Klerk to free Mandela from prison and start negotiating. It was Desmond Tutu who founded the anti apartheid movement and it was Desmond Tutu that grounded and built up the support abroad.


At the end of the day, he didn't want power or fame he just wanted a free south Africa so....

Makes him greater in my view.

 

[Ginza]

Yes I have but it was Desmond Tutu that lead the movement that forced F.W Klerk to free Mandela from prison and start negotiating. It was Desmond Tutu who founded the anti apartheid movement and it was Desmond Tutu that grounded and built up the support abroad.


At the end of the day, he didn't want power or fame he just wanted a free south Africa so....

Makes him greater in my view.

There were many in South Africa that did the exactly same, both black and white. Tens of millions of white South Africans contributed by voting in the 1992 Referendum to bring in democracy. Has any other group of people in history ever voted itself out of power? Surely a rare event?

As for your claim that he "founded the anti apartheid movement"....that is obviously incorrect as the ANC and other political parties began opposing the apartheid system in the early 1950's, when Tutu was still a student.

Mandela and De Klerk were the most deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize, in my opinion.

Tutu did contribute as well, but loved being in front of the camera, almost until the day he died.

My greatest admiration for him relates to the fact that, in recent years, he has not hesitated to criticise the ANC for the mess it has made of running the country. The ANC, like many failed African political parties/despots, blamed past regimes for their own failures. Tutu wouldn't accept that feeble excuse.