[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[October 14, 1999]
[Page 1794]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1794]]


Statement on the Death of Former President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania
October 14, 1999

    On behalf of the American people, Hillary and I extend our deepest 
sympathies to the family of former President Julius Nyerere, to 
President Mkapa, and the people of 
Tanzania. President Nyerere's death is a great loss for Tanzania, for 
Africa, and for the international community as a whole.
    President Nyerere was a pioneering leader for freedom and self-
government in Africa. Many African leaders sought his guidance as they 
crafted their own new societies.
    President Nyerere dedicated his life to a vision rooted in the 
belief that all people have a responsibility to protect those who cannot 
protect themselves. He practiced this ethic personally, aiding not only 
courageous African leaders but also ordinary victims of regional 
conflict; he opened Tanzania's borders to refugees from wars in 
Mozambique, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, and Uganda.
    President Nyerere's legacy of determination and compassion lives on 
in the generous people of Tanzania today. We join our friends in 
Tanzania and Africa in celebrating his achievements and mourning his 
death. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fellow 
citizens.