Long Walk to Freedom

The last century the world over has been one of liberation from colonial rule. It is amazing that the small European nations ruled the entire world for more than 200 years, probably on the basis of their technological strength, which the industrial revolution brought in terms of superior arms and ammunition. One such story is of Nelson Mandela, described in his book, "Long walk to freedom". It reminds you of the story of hundreds of freedom fighters in India, who took on the route of armed fighting to achieve their goals. Majhi Janmatheph or "My imprisonment" by Savarkar is his account of solitary confinement in Andamans. In times when laws could be easily twisted to suit the colonial rules, Savarkar was caught on neutral territory in France while escaping from his captors and sentenced to life. He spent 15 years in Andaman, a place from where few returned. The hindi film on Savarkar shows the hardships he faced there.

While the world over countries became free post World War II, the Africaner white rulers of South Africa continued their policy of Apartheid, denying basic rights to the blacks in their own land. This led to a long struggle of the African National Congress (ANC) led by Mandela and others like Oliver Thombo and Walter Sisulu.

Like its title, the book is a particularly long read. Starting with his childhood in a traditional Xhosa community, his links to the Xhosa aristocracy, his relatively easy education, and his coming to Johannesburg, running away from his arranged marriage. In Johannesburg is where his political career is shaped gradually. Mandela is not too much taken in by the "moral high path" of non violence, to him the goal was to free the black man from years of injustice, and pave the way for a multiracial South Africa with equal rights for all. Convicted of treason and plotting sabotage, Mandela was sent to Robben Island prison along with other ANC top brass.

Mandela describes the pathetic conditions on Robben Island, where he spent more than twenty years. In spite of every effort by the rulers to break their morale, Mandela and team continued their struggle from within. For over twenty years they tried to keep the flame alive in their hearts. At the same they tried to keep in touch with the outside world to gauge where the struggle was going.

Mandela also highlights the pain and sacrifice suffered by his wife Winnie, in raising their children alone, at the same time being harnessed by the rulers.

In the whole book, Mandela comes out as a pragmatist and a moderate who took all the steps to achieve his dream and vision of a free South Africa. His policy of reconciliation probably also helped in the final negotiations to convince the white man that post freedom they would be safe in South Africa not be "thrown in the sea" as some people wished.