Africa Unite

Liberation Heroes VI

“South Africa’s conscience”

By Tesfu Telahoun

The spiritual and moral liberation of the African continent has as much importance as the physical liberation from colonization to sovereignty. The liberation heroes who took up arms can be equally compared to those men of the cloth who chose the different and yet complimentary path of non-violent struggle. Few living personages fit this description as does Bishop Desmond Tutu, often described as 'South Africa's conscience'.
Born in 1931 of teacher parents in Klerksdorp, Transvall-South Africa, Desmond Tutu was drawn to theology while a high school teacher. He was ordained in 1960 and then left to the United Kingdom to pursue further studies where he obtained a Masters of Theology. This was a period when apartheid was entrenching itself with strict race separation laws and other harsh measures including the implementation of a regulation making Afrikaans a curriculum subject. This among other things, led to the Sharpville massacre of 1960 when 69 people, mostly peacefully demonstrating black students, were brutally massacred.
Desmond Tutu, prior to becoming the first black secretary - general of the South African Council of Churches in 1978, taught theology in the UK and in South Africa, was the Dean of Johannesburg's St Mary's Cathedral and from 1976 to 1978, Bishop of Lesotho.
Desmond emerged as a strong voice of the oppressed black majority in South Africa while remaining optimistic about a workable accommodation of co-existence among all of South Africa's racial groups. He articulated four core ideas as the frame of his objective:
1. Equal rights for all
2. Abolition of South Africa's notorious passport laws
3. A single system of education for all the races
4. An end to the forced deportation of blacks from South Africa to "homelands" set up by the apartheid regime.
These cardinal tenets remained firm until apartheid's numerous structures, gradually and at huge cost and sacrifice were dismantled, eventually leading to the release from 27 years inceration of Nelson Mandela on February 11, 1991 and later that same month, President F.W. de klerk pledged to abolish all apartheid era laws. A year later, President Mandela set up a truth and reconciliation commission to record human rights abuses during the struggle. The TRC as it came to be known, was headed by Bishop Desmond Tutu.
The TRC's highly acclaimed work could be considered as the crowning achievement of Tutu's long career which includes1984 when Bishop Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The TRC Report was submitted to President Mandela by Desmond Tutu on October 29, 1998 at a historic ceremony in Pretoria. The Bishop's eloquent and moving speech is regarded as one of the most epic of addresses:
"We thank the victims and all who came to us with such dignity despite their anguish and trauma. They are the heroes and heroines of our story. We dedicate our work to all of them, and those who did not come (today).
Thanks too to the faith community and the NGOs who have done sterling work to support our work, particularly for the victims. Thanks too to the media especially to SABC TV and Radio for helping to take our work to every nook and cranny of our land and elsewhere.
Madiba (the affectionate name for Nelson Mandela), the world has looked in amazement and generosity at your willingness to forgive and to work for reconciliation. They have thrilled as they heard the stories of Mrs. Savage, of Mr. Smit, of the mothers of the Gugulethu Seven, of Mrs. Roux, the Biehl family, of Neville Clarence and many, many others. They have seen the miracle of April 1994 continuing in people who suffered grievously, ready to forgive.
And the world sees South Africa as a beacon of hope for those places like Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Rwanda, so different from Sierra Leone where just last week (October20, 1998) they executed 24 people by firing squad. They see a new way, a better way to deal with a post conflict, a post repression period."
The sad fact that today's South Africa is a far cry from "… a beacon of hope" that the Nobel Laureate justifiably saw at the time, does not however, diminish in any way, but rather enhances the Ghandiesque traits of an immensely humble person with a heart full of compassion. Africa Unite wishes Bishop Desmond Tutu a long and contented old age.

AFRICAN UNITY TIME LINE 1963 - 1977

May 25, 1963 - Capping decades of struggle and after a torturous and fractious route, the 32 member Organization of African Unity (OAU) is born in Addis Ababa capital of the nation that by its very nature and history, became the sole country that could bring together the many opposing regions and sub regions.
October 25, 1965 -The General Convention on the Privileges Commission and Immunities of the OAU enters into force.

September 1968 - African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
January 17, 1969 - Constitution of the African Civil Aviation Commission is signed. Enters into force March 15, 1972.
January 18, 1974 - Constitution of the Association of African Trade Promotion Organizations, adopted, yet to enter into force.
August 1, 1975 - Inter African Convention proposes an African Technical Co-operation Program.
July 5, 1976 - A Cultural Charter for Africa is embraced but remained unratified until 1990.
July 3, 1977 - Hailed at the time as an important development - the Pan African Telecommunications Union Convention is signed.
January 17, 1980 - A Pan African Postal Union follows suit.

Beyond passionate Ethiopia, opportunity to share ideas

By Addis Mulugeta

A 21 year old American, Watt Smith came to Ethiopia six months ago as tourist to appreciate the culture. His visit is to share ideas with Ethiopian youngsters for an opportunity to use the resources of their country to start businesses. He found few Ethiopian friends to share his aim of “Let any person create a personal music video to the music of his or her favorite musician”. It allows tourists to commemorate their Ethiopian experience and share a piece of this country with their friends at home. Basically, Smith said that the idea is called “Awesome Videos “it takes a person out for a day of filming and fun around the beautiful areas of Addis Ababa. Afterwards the footage of the day is edited and combined with the music of the customer’s choice, and the customer receives a DVD. This is the perfect souvenir of Ethiopia, says Smith.
Currently, Smith is leaving his university studies to pursue a career as a standup comedian. He said that he is not only giving an idea to his Ethiopian friends but also with amount of money. The money has invested to his friends for on “Awesome Video” is 40,000 birr.
He has a plan to engage in business, here but there are challenges to create a business as a foreigner and says it is hard to understand Ethiopian business practice.
“I will offer them any advice or help they need, I trust their judgments completely and I hope that when I come back in a year “Awesome Video” is a thriving, popular business that everyone is talking about.”
“Personally, I plan on moving to my country and pursuing a career as a comedian and actor.  I’m determined to accept life on my own terms, and I fully expect to succeed in everything that I choose to do well. In the long term, I am very interested in creating opportunities an culture.
It is recalled that the series opened on June 21, 2007 with the embassy presenting the works of Ethiopian painter Abyalew Assefa and on March 26, 2008, Seyoum Ayalew’s work was on display to the diplomatic community in Addis Ababa, government representatives, artists, and members of the public.