The Elders honour the memory of their Founder, Nelson Mandela
06 December, 2013
Khartoum, (Sudanow)- The Group of world vetrian politicians and prominent socio-religious vetrans, Mandela established, six years ago, honoured the memory of their fallen leader, saying they were “deeply saddended” by the death of their inspirer.
“The Elders are deeply saddened by the death of their founder, Nelson Mandela. They join millions of people around the world who were inspired by his courage and touched by his compassion. All will mourn his passing” a release issued by the group, received by sudanow.info.sd in Khartoum on Friday said.
In a release it issued, the group said Mandela – or Madiba as he is known in South Africa – called the Elders together in 2007, urging them to be bold, independent and to speak the truth. He told them to be a robust force for good, and to work in the interests of peace for all humanity.
The release said the The Elders have taken Madiba’s words as their mission and endeavour to honour his memory in their work. On this sad day they give their love and condolences to his wife Graça Machel, who is also a member of The Elders, and all the Mandela family.
“The world has lost a visionary leader, a courageous voice for justice, and a clear moral compass. By showing us that the path to freedom and human dignity lies in love, wisdom and compassion for one another, Nelson Mandela stands as an inspiration to us all” the release quoted Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General, Chair of The Elders, as saying.
The release quoted Ann as saying he would never forget Mandela’s expansive smile and gentle demeanour, nor his steely determination and wonderful sense of humour.
“I have lost a dear friend. While I mourn the loss of one of Africa’s most distinguished leaders, Madiba’s legacy beckons us to follow his example to strive for human rights, reconciliation and justice for all.”
Meanwhile Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Chair of The Elders, has stressed that “God was so good to us in South Africa by giving us Nelson Mandela to be our President at a crucial moment in our history.”
Reverend Tutu said Mandela has inspired south Africans to walk the path of forgiveness and reconciliation and so South Africa did not go up in flames.
“Thank you God, for this wonderful gift who became a moral colossus, a global icon of forgiveness and reconciliation. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”
On the other hand, Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland, has stressed that Mandela was the most impressive man of his generation has passed away.
“No one has influenced my life more than President Nelson Mandela. Anyone supporting the just struggle for democratic change in Southern Africa cannot have been untouched by President Mandela’s life. “ ahtisaari was quoted as saying.
Ela Bhatt, founder of India’s Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), on his part stressed that the “world has lost a great leader. Madiba showed the people of the world that great nations are built with moral courage and collective strength, with justice and equal opportunity, with truth and reconciliation, with love and forgiveness, with vision and wisdom. He was indeed the Gandhi of South Africa. His spirit lives on in the people of South Africa and in the hearts of all who loved him”
Former Algerian Foreign Minister and member of the Elders, Lakhdar Brahimi, has stressed that men and women everywhere feel they have lost someone very close to them, a man they loved deeply and respected and admired profoundly.
“It was such a privilege to have known him, to have listened to him a number of times, to have participated, however modestly, in his gigantic achievement: the end of apartheid and the restoration of lasting peace and reconciliation in South Africa.”
Deputy Chair of The Elders, Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway, has pinpointed that Mandela “embodied the greatness of human dignity and restraint under terrible pressure…No one else in our lifetime has made such a lasting mark on our minds and attitudes, all across the world, as Nelson Mandela.”
Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former President of Brazil, on his part said “The whole world laments the loss of Nelson Mandela. For us Brazilians and for me personally, his action went beyond the struggle for a free South Africa. It illustrated the struggle to liberate human beings from the shackles both of racism and of revenge.”
Jimmy Carter, former US President, said he was “deeply saddened by the death of Nelson Mandela. The people of South Africa and human rights advocates around the world have lost a great leader…I was gratified to be able to work with him through The Elders to encourage resolution of conflicts and advance social justice and human rights in many nations.”
Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, was quoted as stressing that they would strive to uphold the values of justice, of listening, and of mutual respect for others that he embodied.”
It is to be noted that Nelson Mandela founded The Elders in Johannesburg on his 89th birthday, 18 July 2007, after the idea was brought to him by the entrepreneur Richard Branson and the musician Peter Gabriel. With the help of Graça Machel and Desmond Tutu he brought together ten ‘Elders’ – independent, progressive leaders committed to peace, justice and human rights – to work together on global problems including peace-building and reconciliation in war-affected regions, sustainable development and equality for girls and women.
The Elders are Martti Ahtisaari, Kofi Annan (Chair), Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland (Deputy Chair), Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Hina Jilani, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson and Ernesto Zedillo. Desmond Tutu is an honorary Elder.
At the group’s launch in 2007, Nelson Mandela called on The Elders to act as “a fiercely independent and robust force for good, tackling complex and intractable issues – especially those that are not popular.”
After founding The Elders, Nelson Mandela did not play an active role, but he remained an Honorary Elder and the inspiration for The Elders’ work. In May 2010, the Elders reunited with Nelson Mandela during one of the group’s biannual meetings, in Johannesburg. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, then Chair of The Elders, said: “It gives us such a strong sense of purpose and determination to sit with dear Madiba who brought us all together
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