Sir, – In the sadness at his death, some aspects of his success are overlooked even by modern historians. The background to a tolerant South Africa came from the meetings between Gorbachev and Reagan in the 1980s. Reagan was reluctant to impose sanctions on South Africa but eventually did so. Lifting them, with an undertaking from Gorbachev not to arm the ANC, created the right climate for the 1992 agreement. Mandela handled the new reality with great humanity.
In the same way Reagan and Gorbachev decided on levels of support in Palestine that led on to the 1993 Oslo accords. Ending the supply of Semtex helped the 1994 ceasefire in Northern Ireland. Reagan is dead but was honoured at Ballyporeen; isn’t it about time that we expressed our gratitude to Gorby as well? – Yours, etc,
PATRICK GUINNESS,
Furness,
Naas, Co Kildare.
Sir, – For us to lose Seamus Heaney and Nelson Mandela in the same year seems an unaccountably cruel trick on the part of the universe. – Yours, etc,
NIALL McARDLE,
Wellington Street,
Eganville,
Ontario,
Canada.
Sir, – The hypocrisy of the Irish media, Government and main opposition party on the death of Nelson Mandela is truly baffling. As a trade unionist, I stood on the picket line with Dunnes Stores workers to protest against the importation of produce from South Africa whose unjust segregation laws were condemned throughout the free world.
However, I was under no illusions, Nelson Mandela was indeed a great and inspirational leader but on the other hand he was head of the ANC, an organisation which espoused violence for political gain and whose terror tactics in some instances would make the IRA look like altar boys.
As president, Nelson Mandela sought to promote reconciliation and equality in South Africa and was encouraged by world leaders in his efforts. He certainly did not suffer the demonisation that Gerry Adams is undergoing at the moment though both men supported organisations that used violence to bring about political change.
Mandela was encouraged with his peace process and reconciliation strategy not so Adams whose political destruction seems to be the main objective of the media, government and main opposition.
Be careful in what you wish for.
PATRICK DOYLE,
Slaney Bank View,
Rathvilly,
Co Carlow.
Sir, – I suggest it would be an appropriate addition to the 2016 celebrations to rename the Spire on O’Connell Street “Nelson Mandela Pillar”.
Here are some reasons. It is very close to the Dunnes Stores on Henry Street where workers refused to handle apartheid goods in the 1980s.
The Spire is infamously a monument to nothing in particular, while other monuments in the same street are dedicated to emancipatory leaders such as Daniel O’Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell and James Larkin.
2016 will be the 50th year anniversary of the destruction of the original Nelson’s Pillar as well as the centenary of the 1916 rising.
As well as being a fitting tribute to the international stature of Madiba, it would remind people of the history of inter-continental solidarity that has existed for centuries between Ireland and other former colonies. – Yours, etc,
FIACHRA Ó LUAIN,
Reuben Avenue,
Rialto,
Dublin 8.