At the end of the 20th century, despite being a democratic country, there was a country where 80% of the people did not have the right to vote. South Africa.
Apartheid(=apartness)
In the 17th century, when a colony was established in the Cape of Good Hope, Dutch settlers migrated to South Africa. With a ‘chosen people’ ideology based in the Bible, they legitimised their subordination of other South African ethnic groups.
After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, its all-white government immediately began enforcing existing policies of racial segregation. That’s ‘apartheid’, which means ‘apartness’ in the language of Afrikaans.
Under apartheid, nonwhite South Africans would be forced to live in separate areas from whites and use separate public facilities. By 1950, the government had banned marriages between whites and people of other races, and prohibited sexual relations between black and white South Africans. Their goal was not only to separate South Africa’s white minority from its non-white majority, but also to separate non-whites from each other. Since then, black people have faced relentless violence and unjustified arrests.
The racial conflict has become increasingly serious. Young black people rioted in arms. White people put heavily armed police and troops in front.
Hundreds of people were killed, thousands were injured. Hatred and anger filled South Africa.
At the height of tension between the two sides, a man walks into the middle of the battlefield. The first black bishop in South Africa, Desmond Tutu.
“Let’s pray for white people.”
He risked his life and shouted “nonviolent peace,” saying that violence only begets more violence.
“We’re all human beings, brothers and sisters, that can’t be separated by color”
Bishop Tutu criticized the ruthless racism of white people, and at the same time led black people to nonviolent peace.
Nonviolent peace begins with dialogue
Dialogue is necessary for people to reconcile with each other. However, dialogue is possible on an equal footing. So Tutu constantly sent letters to the government.
He did not hesitate to appear on overseas TV shows and to express the discriminated lives of black people, in order to get help from the international community.
He also asked developed countries to impose economic sanctions on South Africa.
Over time, Tutu’s efforts paid off. In 1984, Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for “his role as a unifying leader figure in the campaign to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa.”
After Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, developed countries began to pressure South Africa by boycotting their coal. And the international community’s condemnation of South Africa’s atrocities grew bigger and bigger.
First Black President
The situation changed in an instant. The former president, Botha, was pushed out by a power struggle, and Frederic Willem de Klerk became president. President de Klerk announced that he would abolish the apartheid policy, saying there is no more conflict and discrimination.
Nelson Mandela was released unconditionally. And in April 1994, for the first time, a historic general election was held where all the people were given the right to vote. The result of the vote was a landslide victory for the African National Congress to which President Nelson Mandela belonged. Finally, freedom has come to black people.
Until We Become One Familiy
As Nelson Mandela became president, systemic discrimination such as education, employment, and citizenship gradually disappeared.
However, the long time of sediment in history was still stained with anger and hatred towards each other. Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to ensure that no more bloody revenge takes place in South Africa.
The purpose of the <Truth and Reconciliation Commission> is to promote ‘reconciliation and forgiveness’ between the perpetrator and the victim. Victims appealed to the perpetrators for their past pain, the perpetrators confessed their sins, and restored honor and material compensation to the victims to obtain forgiveness.
Over 7 years, as many as 22,000 cases were received from victims, and the perpetrators confessed their guilt in tears at the hearing. 7,000 applications for amnesty were received, of which 1,500 were granted. These individual events were broadcast live to the entire nation, healing the dark history of apartheid in South Africa and promoting reconciliation and forgiveness.
South Africa, which used to be a country of discrimination and oppression, has now become a “country of rainbows” that expresses the unity of diversity. In the background, there were ‘reconciliation’ and ‘forgiveness’ that put an end to endless conflict and revenge.
And there was Bishop Tutu.
“Without confession there is no forgiveness, without forgiveness there is no future.”