Mandela’s struggle symbolic for Guyana - “It Always Seems Impossible Until It’s Done”

Mandela’s struggle symbolic for Guyana – “It Always Seems Impossible Until It’s Done”

Jul 19, 2020 Eye on Guyana with Lincoln Lewis, Features / Columnists

Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Eleven years ago, the United Nations declared 18th July “Nelson Mandela International Day.” This body saw such dedication fitting to this man’s “contribution to global peace and freedom.” On this day, the world is called on to remember his achievements in working towards conflict resolution, human rights, democracy, peace, and reconciliation. Undoubtedly, he blazed a trail and left footprints in the sands of time, though hard to fill, nonetheless allowed us a path to walk.
He who today earned this rightful place of honour needed none to tell him that “only through hardship, sacrifice and militant action can freedom be won.” On peace he noted, “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” In his Long Walk To Freedom he suffered dehumanisation but never wavered in conviction and determination.
It was a walk that to ask for a drink of water, having been tortured by the white prison officers, he was instead urinated on. As President of South Africa he told a story, in response to enquiry about inviting a former prison officer to dine with him who was visibly uncomfortable during the encounter that, “Often, after the torture I was subjected to, I used to scream and ask for a little water. The very same man used to come every time and urinate on my head instead.”
His was a fight to topple the brutal system of apartheid, a system built on white domination and black subjugation. It was a system of ‘might is right’ and to challenge the establishment meant death, imprisonment, and other acts of dehumanisation. Mandela and fellow South Africans fought the system, a fight that was internationalised and had the support of the Government of Guyana.
Conscious that his fight could result in further deprivation of his freedom, it is said his last public statement in 1962 before heading off to jail was: “During my lifetime, I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal that I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
Such is the making of man, not unlike our own National Hero, Cuffy, who would rather die on their feet fighting for freedom than live on their knees. We look around the world and see similar struggles to ensure the respect and dignity of others. For instance, in the United States the burning issue of police brutality, where black lives seemingly have no regard by law enforcement, has become an international rallying cry for justice under the banner “Black Lives Matter.”
In China, the Muslim community is under attack, isolated, and encaged for their belief. India shares a similar experience of marginalisation based on a caste (belief) system of birth and/or colour where life is doomed to servitude or privilege. At home, we remember the three Lindeners, Ron Somerset, Shemroy Boyea and Allan Lewis who were gunned down by state police on 18th July 2012 during the people’s struggle with the government to be included in decision-making with regards to their electricity situation.
Linden, Region 10 will be recorded as the place of Guyana’s first mass struggle to give meaning to “inclusionary democracy” as outlined in Article 13 of the Constitution. Nineteen years after this article was assented to, the nation sees no action or political will on the part of our leaders to give meaning to same.
Everyone has a responsibility to stand up for what they believe in and for justice. Everywhere you look around the struggles for peace and freedom are daily, some may seem never ending. Struggles are necessary because peace and freedom can only exist in the presence of justice and fair play. Where there is contempt for the latter two the former two cannot stand.
As Guyanese mark Mandela International Day let us be equally guided by his philosophy that “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” As we continue the struggle with election, let us recognise he who was once considered a terrorist, a pariah in the international world, because of the principles he stood by and suffered for in his fight for freedom, lived to become a Nobel Peace winner, a symbol of greatness, of dignity, pride and morality in the world. History stands always as the best judge tomorrow of what we do today.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)