Call to renew fight against racism on anniversary of Madibas release

Struggle stalwarts Ahmed Kathrada and Laloo Chiba have called on South Africans
on the 25th anniversary of Nelson Mandelas release from prison, to renew the fight
against racism.
Their statements follow an increasing number of reports of racial and xenophobic
incidents, and public debate around matters relating to race over the past few
weeks.
Kathrada and Chiba, both in their mid-80s, were jailed alongside Mandela for 26 and
18 years respectively.
As Mandela walked out of prison with the Amandla salute, we knew that the
values of non-racialism and democracy were triumphant over apartheid. It is
however, disheartening and of great concern to me, that 25 years on, we still see
blatant acts of racism being perpetrated. We have made significant progress since
1994, but racism still lurks under the surface, said Kathrada.
I read the newspapers daily, and I am perturbed at the reports of racism, especially
at places of learning. Young people are the future of this country, and it worries me
when they are being separated in classrooms based on race, or when one hears that
race may have played a role in the recent Northern Cape school abuse case. One
hopes that such incidents are isolated. We need to pay more attention to youth
development so that young people can become agents of non-racialism, he stated.
Kathrada added that as South Africa celebrates Mandelas release, it is imperative
that his ideals one of which was non-racialism be upheld. We can join the call
by the ANC and others to remain vigilant when racism arises, and we can take the
initiative to speak out against it. If necessary, we should hold demonstrations
against it. Racism must be tackled head on, he said.
Kathradas sentiments were echoed by Chiba, who said that Mandelas release was
the apex of the fight for democracy. This in turn led to a negotiated settlement,
democratic elections and the Constitution, which upholds the ideal of a non-racial,
non-sexist South Africa.
Chiba said that he was extremely disturbed to see that racial discrimination carries
on in a big way. I never thought that evidence of racism would be so rife 20 years
after democracy. It is absolutely essential that we carry on the struggle against
racism.
Like Kathrada, he emphasised that the key to a non-racial future lies with young
people. We invite young people to join the Ahmed Kathrada Foundations Youth
Leadership Programme. Through this course, the essence of non-racialism is
instilled in the youth, he said.
Free Marwan Barghouthi
The struggle stalwarts also used the occasion of the anniversary of Mandelas
release to renew their call for the freedom of Palestinian political prisoner, Marwan
Barghouthi.

While we celebrate this historical event that changed the face of South Africa and
the world, we are reminded of the fate of another symbol of freedom, Marwan
Barghouthi. We are once again calling on Israel to release Marwan and all
Palestinian political prisoners, Kathrada said.
The apartheid government signalled through the release of Mandela and antiapartheid prisoners its readiness to engage in serious dialogue towards peace and
reconciliation, he added.
History has taught us that releasing Mandela led to a negotiated settlement in
South Africa, without bloodshed. Similarly, we are calling on Israel to release
Marwan Barghouthi. This could well lead to a fair, negotiated settlement between
Palestine and Israel, Chiba said.
2015 marks the 13th consecutive year that Barghouthi, known as the Palestinian
Mandela, has been imprisoned, with the total period he has spent in jail over time
amounting to 20 years.
In October 2013, the South African struggle stalwarts were part of the launch of the
international campaign for the freedom of Barghouthi and all Palestinian political
prisoners from Nelson Mandelas cell on Robben Island.