[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 118 (Thursday, July 17, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6933-S6934]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING NELSON MANDELA

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today, I am pleased to recognize a man 
whose work has touched so many people in Africa and beyond, and whose 
life has demonstrated the power of transformation. Tomorrow, former 
South African President Nelson Mandela will celebrate his 90th birthday 
and I would like to send him my very best wishes.
  As I have traveled across Africa, I have witnessed the respect 
Mandela commands and the pride he evokes in all Africans, across 
borders and boundaries. It is nearly unmatched. He is a symbol of the 
enduring truth that even the most intractable systems of repression and 
violence can be overcome with courage and persistence.
  The lessons of Mandela's leadership are made that much more 
remarkable when juxtaposed with another African liberation leader, 
Robert Mugabe. Upon being released from jail after 27 years, Mandela 
chose to pursue a path of reconciliation rather than retaliation. When 
he became President in 1994, he continued that approach and worked to 
unite the country around his vision of a ``rainbow nation.'' After one 
term, he stepped aside as President, realizing that institutions must 
take precedence over individuals in building a stable democracy. Though 
South Africa certainly had its share of problems since--including a 
skyrocketing rate of HIV, increasing political turmoil and a recent 
wave of xenophobic attacks against immigrants--Mandela continues to be 
a voice for peace and stability, a voice of and for all people of South 
Africa. The contrast with the continued bloodshed and repression in 
neighboring, Zimbabwe is stark.
  President Mandela's vision for South Africa not only sought peace 
within its borders, but also beyond them. In 1993, he famously said 
that human rights would be ``the light that guides our foreign 
affairs.'' After leaving office, Mandela continued to embody that 
vision in South Africa and across the continent as he focused on 
building support for this critical principle--whether with civil 
society groups or government officials. He has been actively involved 
in peace processes around the world and a leading advocate for global 
action to address HIV/AIDS. His willingness to speak out against 
injustice wherever it festers has inspired and challenged all of us.
  I am gravely concerned that the current South African leadership is 
moving away from this vision. Its unwillingness to publicly criticize 
recent abuses in Zimbabwe or allow for an expanded mediation is 
undermining pressure on the Mugabe regime to accept a transitional 
government. In addition, the announcement by the South African 
Government that it will oppose the International Criminal Court's 
indictment of Sudanese President Al-Bashir is deeply disappointing. I 
have deep respect for the leadership South Africa demonstrates on the 
continent and that is precisely why I challenge its leaders to play a 
more active and constructive role in efforts to promote peace, 
security, and democracy.
  Mandela's legacy challenges not only South Africa, but all of us who 
care about the future of Africa. There is a tendency to look for easy 
answers or quick fixes to the challenges facing the continent today. 
Mandela's life is testament to the reality that sustainable peace and 
democracy require continued investment and long-term vision. They

[[Page S6934]]

are not static and cannot be taken for granted. As we celebrate his 
90th birthday tomorrow, I hope we will take seriously that challenge 
and commit ourselves to the hard work of standing up for freedom and 
justice. For the people of Sudan, Zimbabwe and so many other parts of 
the world, the stakes have never been higher.

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