Introduction
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Chapter Summary
This unit is an extract from Nelson Mandela’s autobiography — ‘Long walk to freedom’. In 1994, first democratic elections were held in South Africa. Nelson Mandela’s party — African National Congress won the elections and Mandela was sworn in as the first Black President on May 10, 1994. On the occasion of the inauguration ceremony, Nelson Mandela expresses his views on freedom and its importance.
Here he recalls the history of the South African struggle and the past days of his own struggleful life. He pays tribute to thousands of South African patriots who suffered endlessly and sacrificed their lives for the cause of freedom. He calls himself the sum of all those patriots who have gone before him. In spite of all those sacrifices, Mandela bears no ill-will against the Whites. He says, “Each man has two obligations — first towards his family and the second one for his country.” He says the oppressor is as much a prisoner as the oppressed. The oppressor remains chained to hatred, while the oppressed one gains height in character in proportion to the depths of torture he is subjected to. Mandela also says that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over fear. The brave man is not the one who does not feel afraid, but the one who conquers that fear. One man can be free if he respects another’s freedom with same degree as he desires for himself.
Oral Comprehension Check (Textbook Pg. No. 18-24)
Q1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer. The ceremonies took place in the campus of the Union Building of Pretoria. The Parliament House in New Delhi, the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi and Madras High Court in Chennai are some examples of Indian public buildings that are made of sandstone.
Q2. Can you say how 10 May is autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer. 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa because on this day there was the largest gathering of international leaders on South African soil for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.
Q3. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster.” What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious … human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
Answer. By human disaster Mandela means to say that coloured people have suffered a lot due to discrimination in the hands of whites. He considered it as great glorious human achievement that a black person became the president of a country where the blacks are not considered as human being and are treated badly.
Q4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Ans. Mandela felt privileged to be the host to the nations of the world because not too long ago, the South Africans were considered outlaws. He thus thanked all the international leaders for having come to witness his investiture as President since this event could be considered as a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.