Once upon a time, he was branded a terrorist on the very land of his birth. A 27- year jail sentence was slapped upon his chest for his activism. Perhaps, his modus operandi was not the best but he meant goodwill, equality and freedom for the rightful owners of the ‘booty’. If we are to define terrorism under today’s premises, then I am afraid to say that opponents to his efforts decades back were just pots calling the kettles black because the institution of racial segregation itself was a terror tactic!

Just last year, a nine-foot statue was unveiled at Parliament Square, London to honour the man whose forgiving heart has endeared him to many. A couple of weeks ago, the US deleted names of Nelson Mandela and other top members of the African National Congress (ANC) from the terror watch list. As my eyes raced through the announcement in a famous blueprint, I came across a misguided comment beneath the article implying that Madiba might still have the logistics to bomb I don’t know who. Obviously infuriated (maybe just a little bit) by such a statement, I thought this gesture was long overdue. Maybe, it was just hypocritical, who knows?

By Daniel P. Clerk

Imagine this suburban neighbourhood in a war-torn territory whose streets have been lined with pines and oak trees to form natural canopies. There is a 24-hour security service to protect the families of people of high places although the well-built armed guards are bored beyond imagination. There is a beautiful playground where all the little ones jump and roll and tumble and scream.
On the outskirts of the city, there is also a small village cosseted away in a leafy gated community where the real meaning of abject poverty can be understood in its entirety. The only source of portable water is a river flowing through a nearby thicket of bushes. Most children there while away their evenings telling folktales under a moonlit sky amid drumming and dancing.