Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country', but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe,

Author: Craig Lock

Article Title: Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT MBEKI (and the WORLD) Author Name: Craig Lock Line Space: 65 characters Category (key words): ""Inspiration, Spiritual"", South Africa, Inspirational Writings. Web Site: http://kompuwiz.com/kompustore Other Articles: http://www.soulful-writer.com and http://www.bridgeniche.com

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* Look at South Africa - 'Celebrate the Beloved Country' ...but now time to show some firm leadership on Zimbabwe, PRESIDENT MBEKI (and the WORLD)

Introduction: As a South African writer living in tranquil far-off New Zealand, I am enclosing a ""letter"" about my thoughts and impressions following on from a visit, together with some personal views on the current dire problems in Zimbabwe, which may be of interest. Just sharing a few thoughts and remembrances after a recent visit to my former homeland, this incredible, vibrant and diverse country at the tip of the vast (""dark"") continent of Africa, which may be of interest. This piece that I wrote is based upon an inspiring address by former Archbishop, Desmond Tutu. It is ten years since the first democratic elections, so we can celebrate a decade of the birth of a new country, where in spite of an endemic crime rate most people accept each other and work together as common citizens of the ""beloved country"". Well, I'm always looking at some positive aspects and this is my reason for sharing this piece about my former (yet always in my heart) country! * In the light of current world events and global uncertainty, I say: ""Look at South Africa""... Thousands of people died over the years of South Africa's turbulent, history (and under the ""nightmare"" called apartheid - forgotten already ???)...which has ended relatively peacefully. Out of a violent and bloody past, South Africa's extraordinary relatively peaceful transition to democracy was a minor ""miracle""... and I believe, South Africans have accomplished something unprecented, unparalleled in the last decade. Perhaps there is a message in South Africa's violent and tortuous path to democracy somewhere to the ""trouble spots of the world""... perhaps there was a reason for the misery and tragedy of apartheid (as well as many centuries of colonialism around the globe), after all... A possible role-model? In spite of the corruption, crime and ""cheapness of life there, South Africa may be the ""trail-blazer"", the beacon of magnanimity, hope and reconciliation to the world. With strong leadership, a spirit of goodwill, tolerance, acceptance ...and most importantly, attempts to understand other peoples and cultures, who are different to us (yet we humans have far more in common than our differences)...and especially with the SPIRIT of peace, your nightmare too will end. An end to the evil of terrorism, man's inhumanity to man and the ""impossibility"" of world peace CAN one day be achieved. Let the world celebrate the quite magnificent achievement South Africans of ALL races and creeds, ""The Rainbow People of God"" have accomplished in the past decade. With your ""torch of light"" you may yet illuminate the path to a world one day at peace with itself. CELEBRATE THE ""BELOVED COUNTRY"" - a land of such contrasts, a ""happy, sad"" land of great wealth and great poverty, yet the beauty and richness of the land ...and most importantly its most valuable resource, the spirit of its 45 million diverse peoples always seems to shine through in conquering adversity. ""How apartheid was finally buried, without requiem; but in joyous celebration, will remain forever in the hearts and minds of a nation reborn. When tears came, and there was dampness in the eyes of even the most stern, it was for putting the past in the past and hoping for hope in the future.""

""South Africa's ability to overcome deep divisions, to negotiate a common future and to commit itself to reconciliation and reconstruction offers new hope - not only to South Africa, but across the globe.

""God does work in amazing and miraculous ways...and every person and country has a unique purpose in ""God's Divine Plan"". * ""South Africa is blessed in resources beyond many. It dare not live just for itself. It must work and labour to bless Africa and the world...but especially Africa. If only for Africa's sake we dare not fail; because as South Africa goes, so will the rest of Africa.""

and as Zimbabwe goes, so perhaps may eventually even the economic power-house of it's Southern neighbour, South Africa. Doesn't the world need a leader like Nelson Mandela today? ""Cometh the hour, cometh the man."" The problems of the world today cannot be solved by thinking at the same level that created them. Jesus Christ challenged the conventional thinking of the day over 2000 years ago. PPS: Why can't the world and especially South Africa now try a radically different approach to South Africa's ""largely forgotten"" neighbour, Zimbabwe in ""darkest Africa"". Even though it's not a strategic country, like Iraq!

Like South Africa in the past decade, let the INTERNATIONAL (including African) COMMUNITY NOW show in a spirit of ""unity"" how the immense problems under a brutal and repressive government can also be solved PEACEFULLY through ""constructive engagement and negotiation in a show of peaceful unity with FIRM LEADERSHIP"". Time to show some strong effective leadership and to act decisively on Zimbabwe now, President Thabo Mbeki (though you were allies in bringing freedom to your constituents, you can immediately make the lives of thousands of Zimbabweans far better by firmly condemning the brutal repression of its citizens by Zanu-PF and through South Africa's economic might bring pressure on your neighbour by giving some ultimatums to Robert Mugabe!

Standards of behaviour and repression that the international community will NOT tolerate! And the world MUST support you. Those leaders, who ignore the lessons of world history are doomed to repeat them.

Let's not wait for ten years idly passing by (as in Iraq!). It is now time to ""raise the bar"" - what and what we will not accept in the global community, as 'acceptable behaviour' what the world expects now as acceptable (and decent) standards of behaviour in the community of nations. A radically different approach is needed with the problem of Zimbabwe to that imposed on Iraq; yet with the same ""force and passion"" as the US military have shown, yet without violence. Now it's time for the world to stand up and be counted. To show the peaceful, yet FIRM way to resolving seemingly insurmountable problems and bring a more ""democratic"" form of government to that beleagured country. To at last show some effective leadership and shower the people of that beautiful, yet blighted land under Southern skies with humanitarian aid in the form of desperately needed food, health supplies and education. That is the ""pressure"", which will raise the standards of what the citizens of Zimbabwe will and will not tolerate from their brutal dictator. Pressure from within AND without, as with Apartheid South Africa. A more educated, well-fed and healthy population will bring about change naturally and according to the will of the people..... so that eventually ""the people will govern"". Let's fight the ""war for peace"" with passion and with all of our energies. In the ""WAR FOR PEACE"" everyone then benefits (a ""win/win"" situation). I believe, that is the only true way to lasting world peace in living with and acceptance of each other... And so helps make a better world. Let us take courage. The years are passing. The time for decision by all of us to shine that ray of light (and hope) in an often dark world, President Mbeki and the world is NOW.

Craig Lock ""The greatness of a nation consists not so much in the number of it's people or the extent of it's territory as in the extent and justice of it's compassion.""

- Inscription at the Horse Memorial in Port Elizabeth, for horses killed in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

P.S: I am reminded of something Mahatma Gandhi's said not long before he was assassinated: ""When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible; but in the end, they always fall. Think of it, ALWAYS."" ""Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."" 1 Corinthians 13

""When the world is filled with love, people are overflowing with hope."" - Craig Lock

Craig Lock's second novel 'The New Rainbow' is a moving tale of the diverse peoples of South Africa, which is based on fact. Like Alan Paton, Craig Lock reaches to the heart of his troubled ""beloved country"". In his new novel, Lock, perceptively and with an understanding of the historical elements, writes of the situation as it was, as it is, and as perhaps one day it will be, in the New South Africa. 'The New Rainbow' is available at: http://kompuwiz.com/kompustore (click on SoulfulBooks)

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