2. Nelson Mandela’s Most Notable Achievement -Although it is quite obvious that Nelson Mandela has done amazing things for the problems in South Africa, particularly the horrible policy of apartheid, there is one achievement of the once-imprisoned man that stands out above the rest—his launch of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996. -As Elleke Boehmer states in her book, this commission was put into place by Mandela in order to correct the wrongs that had been done in the past, but in such a way that it was a conciliation towards those that had committed the wrongs. -This could be seen as one, if not the most important thing he ever did because instead of punishing those who did horrendous acts to the blacks of South Africa during the policy of apartheid. -The perpetrators of crimes such as torture and oppression were given a kind of amnesty in the judicial system if they would confess to such offenses. Also it was needed that they could prove their actions were politically motivated. -Mandela also provided relief for those who were the victims of these awful crimes, by encouraging them to come forward to indict their torturers. Mandela believed this would give the victims psychological and emotional release from the burden they carried for the harsh crimes they endured because of apartheid.
3. Mandela’s Fight Against HIV/Aids in South Africa -In addition to the many other causes that Nelson Mandela fought for while he was president of South Africa, he also made other strides for the welfare of the people after he stepped down from his notable leadership. -In 2001, Mandela formally made an effort to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic that had been sweeping across the country for years, his son was even a victim of the virus. -Due to the complacency and reluctance of the ANC, there were numerous cover ups and denials that characterized the handling of the problem of AIDS. -Akin to Mandela’s constant struggle to help the people of South Africa in any way possible, he joined the Treatment Action Campaign and began to persuade the Mbeki government to make medication to treat HIV/AIDS available to the victims suffering from the virus. -Including his fight against AIDS, he also made great strides in other arenas of the social welfare of the people of South Africa, including helping the poor and the children of the country. -It is because of all the help, justice, and kindness that Mandela provided to the people of South Africa that he was awarded the position as Ambassador of Conscience at Amnesty International in 2006.
4. Gandhi’s Nonviolent Approach to Peace With the Help of the People -Much like Nelson Mandela, Gandhi believed in social justice and the rights of the people, rather than oppression by the government. -I believe that the most interesting and inspiring of Gandhi’s policies and practices was his belief that the people of any country, whether it be a democracy or dictatorship, are responsible in the running of such a government by either passive or active cooperation. -Gandhi believed that the government did not exist independent of it’s citizens, and the state could accomplish nothing without the cooperation of it’s citizens. Specific services like paying taxes, fighting wars, and obeying laws were all done by the citizens as a means of, as Bhikhu Parekh puts it, “a system of institutionalized cooperation between state and citizen.” -Gandhi once put this system into an analogy of a river, stating, “A mighty river was made up of individual drops, each of which contributed to it’s creation.” -Gandhi also adhered to the belief that as moral beings, humans had a duty to decide if they should in fact cooperate and give loyalty to a state or government, and that the person’s dignity and self-respect should not be taken for granted or abused by that system. -Gandhi also believed that if a law was unjust, it could be broken. Only in two ways could an unjust law be broken however, civilly and with a moral right to disobey such a law.
5. Gandhi & The Salt March -One of Gandhi’s most memorable campaigns to fight against the oppression of Indians, and for their independence was the Salt March, or Salt Satyagraha. -It’s main purpose was to protest against the salt tax that the British were trying to impose upon the people of India. -The pictures to the left depict the actual march, with Gandhi at the forefront. -This was just another campaign in which Gandhi was using nonviolent action to fight against the mistreatment of the Indians by the British, and to challenge the authority which British was harshly imposing onto the people of India. -Gandhi was leading the people towards Dandi, Gujarat in order to use the resources there to produce salt without any taxation from the British. -This led to the arrest of Gandhi on May 5, 1930, which was only days before he planned to lead the march into the Dharasana Salt Works. -Over 80,000 Indians were arrested for participating in this protest march, and forever changed the way the British looked upon the strength of a united India in their fight for independence.
6. Sources -Boehmer, Elleke. Nelson Mandela: A Very Short Introduction . 1st. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print. -Parekh, Bhikhu. Gandhi: A Very Short Introduction . 1st. 1. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. Print. -News One http://newsone.com/world/associated-press/nelson-mandela-celebrates-20-years-of-freedom/ -Wikipedia: Nelson Mandela http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela -Nobel Prize http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/articles/gandhi/ -Wikipedia: Gandhi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi -Wikipedia: Salt Satyagraha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Satyagraha
