Nelson Mandela, Opponent and Remover of Apartheid

 By  Akhmad Zamroni

Source: The New York Times

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Mvezo, South Africa, on July 18, 1918. His childhood was spent in Thembu. His father, Henry Mandela, was the chief of the Thembu tribe. Mandela died in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 5, 2013 at the age of 95.

Mandela was the first person in his family to attend school. Related to this, Mandela stated, “Neither in my family has ever attended school…. On the first day of school, my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each student an English name. This was the custom of the African people at that time and certainly due to the British influence on our education. That day, Miss Mdingane told me that my new name was Nelson. I don't know why he chose that name. "

At the age of 16, Mandela entered the Clarkebury Boarding Institute to study Western culture. In 1934, he studied law at Fort Hare University. After moving to Johannesburg, he attended the University of South Africa. After completing his studies in 1942, he returned to study law at the University of Witwatersrand.

During his life, Mandela underwent three marriages. First, he married Evelyn Ntoko Mase; and after surviving for 13 years, divorced in 1957. His second marriage, to Winnie Mandikizela, which lasted 38 years, also ended in divorce (1996). On his 80th birthday (1998), Mandela married Graca Machel, the widow of former President of Mozambique, Samora Machel.

A.  Actively Opposing Apartheid

Since he was young, Mandela was known as a critical person. He is sensitive to all forms of injustice. In 1940, while studying at Fort Hare University, he had already staged a demonstration against university policies which he considered unfair so he was expelled from campus.

Entering his 20s, Mandela became active in social and political movements. He joined the African National Congress (ANC), a multiracial nationalist movement organization whose mission is to change the social and political conditions in South Africa. He also co-founded the ANC Youth League (1944).

Mandela began to fight as the social and political temperature in South Africa escalated in the late 1940s. He got the motivation and enthusiasm to fight back when the white South African government regime imposed apartheid politics in 1948. White community groups that almost completely dominated the South African government, through apartheid claimed to be the superior group that should receive special treatment and exclude people of color. –– especially blacks –– as a lowly group whose rights do not need attention.

Since apartheid was imposed by the white regime, people of color - especially blacks who make up the majority in South Africa - live in oppression and are overshadowed by violence. Apartheid policy caused the rights of people of color as human beings and citizens to not be implemented properly. They, among others, were prohibited from exercising their right to vote, were prohibited from living in white communities, and were denied access to higher education and to obtain decent work.

Apartheid, which caused inequality, injustice and oppression, whipped up Mandela to increase the militancy of his movement. After being appointed as one of the ANC's deputy chairmen (in 1952), he worked hard to change ANC policies to become more militant. This led to him being accused of being a traitor, but later found not guilty (1959).

B.  Sentenced to Life Sentence

The white government regime apparatus carried out the massacre of the demonstrators in Sharpeville (1960). This massacre caused 69 black people to die. The brutality and cruelty of this white government regime fueled Mandela's determination and courage to fight against apartheid.

Mandela began to be confrontational with the white regime. About a year after the atrocities at Sharpeville, he initiated the formation of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (1961), a resistance army under the ANC. Umkhonto we Sizwe was prepared for physical and armed resistance against the white regime.

To improve his military and combat capabilities, Mandela attended military training in Algeria. In 1962 he returned to his homeland to continue his confrontational resistance to white rule. However, shortly after arriving in South Africa, Mandela was arrested and tried by the white government regime. He was sentenced to five years in prison on suspicion of leaving South Africa illegally.

Before his sentence ended, Mandela was again brought to court with his colleagues. In 1964, Mandela was convicted by a non-independent white regime trial and sentenced to life in prison. He was accused of sabotage and conspiring to overthrow the government.

C.  Reconciliation

Despite his imprisonment, Mandela's enthusiasm and determination to fight apartheid did not diminish. From behind bars, he did not stop stirring up the spirit of resistance to apartheid. His comrades in arms and followers outside the prison took up resistance efforts through various means. The international community also supported Mandela.

Mandela's extraordinary resistance with the black South African community and continuous international pressure finally made the white government regime surrender. The President of South Africa, F.W. de Klerk, on 11 February 1990 ordered Mandela's unconditional release. Apartheid policy was declared to be lifted from South Africa, along with the preparation for holding general elections. Through the elections held in 1994, Mandela was declared the winner and elected president of South Africa. He became the first black president in South African history.

After successfully eliminating apartheid and becoming the number one person in South Africa, Mandela embraced all components of the South African nation to carry out reconciliation (national reconciliation), promote unity, and jointly rebuild South Africa. For his great and outstanding services, Mandela has been named a phenomenal figure by the international community. In 1993, Mandela with F.W. de Klerk was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his major contributions to the abolition of apartheid and peacemaking in South Africa.