Diplomats pay tributes to Mandela at South African embassy

Members of the diplomatic community have visited the South African Embassy to pay tribute to the late Nelson Mandela.

Tarek Bettaieb, Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia, writes in the Book of Condolence at the South African Embassy in Abu Dhabi. — KT photos by Nezar Balout

In a special room at the South African Embassy dedicated for this purpose, well-wishers spent time to reflect on the good deeds of the former President and share their thoughts and messages of sympathy in the Book of Condolence.

“To the people of South Africa and the family of the late Madiba, we convey our profound condolence and express our feelings to the path of the leader Mandela. Mandela will stay with us forever, in spirit and in soul; especially the struggle of Nelson Mandela and the ANC (African National Congress) against apartheid. We hope that Mandela will be in peace,” was the general message imparted by Tunisian Ambassador, Tarek Bettaieb.

In particular, he reassured Mandela that his people will not forget the letter he wrote them after the Tunisian revolution in 2011.

“I reassured Mandela that the Tunisian people will be inspired by his letter after the revolution (about) how to handle the transitional phase without revenge, be fair and look forward to the future, and how to tackle issues with wisdom and comprehension. I reassured him that the letter will be always on our minds.”

For Irene F.P. Wekiya, Ambassador of Uganda to the UAE, Mandela is an epitome of virtue whose beliefs and principles have to be carried through even after his death.

“We have lost a great man and I was wondering when such a man will come on this earth again. He’s an inspiration, not only for the South African people, but for the whole world. He’ll always be remembered as someone who fought for the rights of the minority by ending apartheid in South Africa. He is an icon of peace and reconciliation. I’m calling upon the South African (people) not to lose what he started, but to carry it on,” she said.

Ahmed Yousif Mohammed, Sudan Ambassador, recalled his encounters with Mandela as a young diplomat and how he became his hero.

“I served as chief of cabinet for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan and in that capacity I travel with my minister to many countries. I met Mandela three times, took pictures with him and all those times I made sure that I spoke to him.”

What struck him about Mandela was his capacity to give and his consideration of others.

“He is so pleasant and friendly and if you ask him about anything he will spend time with you. I was then a young diplomat, yet he spent some time with me and answered all my questions thoroughly,” Mohammed related.

In his conversations with Mandela, his love for his people was transparent. “He said, ‘what I am fighting for is liberty for my people. If I do that for myself, I will not go to prison. If any harm comes to me, it does not have any value compared to the victory I made for my people’.”

“He is always thinking about others, not himself. He’s a great hero and cannot be replaced. I’m very sad about his loss,” Mohammed said.

Counsellor Mazita Binti Marzuki, Charge d’affairs at the Malaysian Embassy, writes her condolence message at the embassy.

Counsellor Mazita Binti Marzuki, Charge d’affairs at the Malaysian Embassy, was also at the South African mission on Monday to express her government’s and the Malaysian people’s “deepest and heartfelt condolence”.

She said Mandela’s legacy of democracy and freedom are what she thought about on this occasion. “To me personally, it’s his legacy of freedom for the young people, to believe that you can have peace, believe that you can make a change in the world and his fight of what he believed in.”

Sheelah Turner, a South African national who just moved with her husband to Abu Dhabi last week from the UK, was unable to hold back her tears after signing the book.

“He was such a great man, he taught us so much humility. From last year, he has been ill and his relief from his own suffering as well is what I thought about. He was one of the few leaders respected all over the world.”

“I wrote quite a long message but my main message was to ask his spirit to keep guiding the leaders of our country,” she told Khaleej Times.

The Book of Condolence is open for the public from 9am to noon till Thursday at the South African embassy. The book will be sent later to the South African government in Pretoria where it will be kept in the national archive.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com