DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Ex-official: In 1962, the CIA Helped Jail Mandela

**brraverishhh** · 07-01-2013, 02:23 AM

That's a gross oversimplification of the situation that places too much blame on Mandela. While it's true that he helped found MK, that event occurred in 1961; in another year he would be arrested by South African police. Mandela spent the next 27 years in prison, during which time he was effectively isolated from the ANC and MK.

MK was founded as an organization of violent resistance, but in the beginning it was focused on acts of high profile sabotage which targeted infrastructure such as power plants and not people. It was only in the 1980s when much of the previous generation had been imprisoned or otherwise neutralized that more radical youth took the helm of the MK and other groups and almost all the killings you describe took place. Frustration with apartheid was running high, and while Mandela may not have liked the turn towards overt violence, he was in prison. A man like that has influence as a symbol, but little operational power. Calling MK operatives in the 1980s "Nelson Mandela's MK terrorists" is a stretch and makes it sound like Mandela was personally ordering hits from his cell.

Botha offered Mandela freedom during this period, but he refused to take it. His statement on this matter reads:

I am a member of the African National Congress. I have always been a member of the African National Congress and I will remain a member of the African National Congress until the day I die. Oliver Tambo is much more than a brother to me. He is my greatest friend and comrade for nearly fifty years. If there is any one amongst you who cherishes my freedom, Oliver Tambo cherishes it more, and I know that he would give his life to see me free. There is no difference between his views and mine.

I am surprised at the conditions that the government wants to impose on me. I am not a violent man. My colleagues and I wrote in 1952 to Malan asking for a round table conference to find a solution to the problems of our country, but that was ignored. When Strijdom was in power, we made the same offer. Again it was ignored. When Verwoerd was in power we asked for a national convention for all the people in South Africa to decide on their future. This, too, was in vain.

It was only then, when all other forms of resistance were no longer open to us, that we turned to armed struggle. Let Botha show that he is different to Malan, Strijdom and Verwoerd. Let him renounce violence. Let him say that he will dismantle apartheid. Let him unban the people's organisation, the African National Congress. Let him free all who have been imprisoned, banished or exiled for their opposition to apartheid. Let him guarantee free political activity so that people may decide who will govern them.

I cherish my own freedom dearly, but I care even more for your freedom. Too many have died since I went to prison. Too many have suffered for the love of freedom. I owe it to their widows, to their orphans, to their mothers and to their fathers who have grieved and wept for them. Not only I have suffered during these long, lonely, wasted years. I am not less life-loving than you are. But I cannot sell my birthright, nor am I prepared to sell the birthright of the people to be free. I am in prison as the representative of the people and of your organisation, the African National Congress, which was banned.

What freedom am I being offered while the organisation of the people remains banned? What freedom am I being offered when I may be arrested on a pass offence? What freedom am I being offered to live my life as a family with my dear wife who remains in banishment in Brandfort? What freedom am I being offered when I must ask for permission to live in an urban area? What freedom am I being offered when I need a stamp in my pass to seek work? What freedom am I being offered when my very South African citizenship is not respected?

Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Herman Toivo ja Toivo, when freed, never gave any undertaking, nor was he called upon to do so.

I cannot and will not give any undertaking at a time when I and you, the people, are not free.

Your freedom and mine cannot be separated. I will return.

TL;DR - He saw himself as a representative of an oppressed people and banned political party, and was unwilling to enter into unequal negotiations while still a prisoner.

07-01-2013, 02:23 AM	#8
brraverishhh Join Date Jan 2006 Posts 5,127 Senior Member	That's a gross oversimplification of the situation that places too much blame on Mandela. While it's true that he helped found MK, that event occurred in 1961; in another year he would be arrested by South African police. Mandela spent the next 27 years in prison, during which time he was effectively isolated from the ANC and MK. MK was founded as an organization of violent resistance, but in the beginning it was focused on acts of high profile sabotage which targeted infrastructure such as power plants and not people. It was only in the 1980s when much of the previous generation had been imprisoned or otherwise neutralized that more radical youth took the helm of the MK and other groups and almost all the killings you describe took place. Frustration with apartheid was running high, and while Mandela may not have liked the turn towards overt violence, he was in prison. A man like that has influence as a symbol, but little operational power. Calling MK operatives in the 1980s "Nelson Mandela's MK terrorists" is a stretch and makes it sound like Mandela was personally ordering hits from his cell. Botha offered Mandela freedom during this period, but he refused to take it. His statement on this matter reads: I am a member of the African National Congress. I have always been a member of the African National Congress and I will remain a member of the African National Congress until the day I die. Oliver Tambo is much more than a brother to me. He is my greatest friend and comrade for nearly fifty years. If there is any one amongst you who cherishes my freedom, Oliver Tambo cherishes it more, and I know that he would give his life to see me free. There is no difference between his views and mine. I am surprised at the conditions that the government wants to impose on me. I am not a violent man. My colleagues and I wrote in 1952 to Malan asking for a round table conference to find a solution to the problems of our country, but that was ignored. When Strijdom was in power, we made the same offer. Again it was ignored. When Verwoerd was in power we asked for a national convention for all the people in South Africa to decide on their future. This, too, was in vain. It was only then, when all other forms of resistance were no longer open to us, that we turned to armed struggle. Let Botha show that he is different to Malan, Strijdom and Verwoerd. Let him renounce violence. Let him say that he will dismantle apartheid. Let him unban the people's organisation, the African National Congress. Let him free all who have been imprisoned, banished or exiled for their opposition to apartheid. Let him guarantee free political activity so that people may decide who will govern them. I cherish my own freedom dearly, but I care even more for your freedom. Too many have died since I went to prison. Too many have suffered for the love of freedom. I owe it to their widows, to their orphans, to their mothers and to their fathers who have grieved and wept for them. Not only I have suffered during these long, lonely, wasted years. I am not less life-loving than you are. But I cannot sell my birthright, nor am I prepared to sell the birthright of the people to be free. I am in prison as the representative of the people and of your organisation, the African National Congress, which was banned. What freedom am I being offered while the organisation of the people remains banned? What freedom am I being offered when I may be arrested on a pass offence? What freedom am I being offered to live my life as a family with my dear wife who remains in banishment in Brandfort? What freedom am I being offered when I must ask for permission to live in an urban area? What freedom am I being offered when I need a stamp in my pass to seek work? What freedom am I being offered when my very South African citizenship is not respected? Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Herman Toivo ja Toivo, when freed, never gave any undertaking, nor was he called upon to do so. I cannot and will not give any undertaking at a time when I and you, the people, are not free. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated. I will return. TL;DR - He saw himself as a representative of an oppressed people and banned political party, and was unwilling to enter into unequal negotiations while still a prisoner.
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