Mandela retires from public life

[Dover]

Tuesday 01 June 2004


South Africa's anti-apartheid icon and revered statesman, Nelson Mandela, has announced he will be scaling back his public schedule to enjoy "a much quieter life".

Mandela, who turns 86 next month, said he wanted to spend time with his family and friends, write memoirs about his tenure as South Africa's first black president, enjoy reading and engage in "quiet reflection".

"My diary and my public activities will, as from today, be severely and significantly reduced," Mandela said during a farewell press conference at his charity foundation in Johannesburg.

"We trust that people will understand our considerations and grant us the opportunity for a much quieter life."

The former president, who spent 27 years in prison for his anti-apartheid activities, is often called upon to lend his prestige to events including leading the delegation that travelled to Zurich last month to win the right to host the 2010 World Cup...>>

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/40772FEC-C267-45CD-AB0C-EBA30BC7B87F.htm

[Judi Lynn]

1. Hope he'll have the chance to live to a very healthy old age.

I still remember reading in the last 6 months, probably, that the police near his house caught a carload of men with weapons who appeared to be there to assassinate him.

I hope the vicious people who want him dead will simply leave him alone. He's a truly heroic, and civilized person. He deserves some peace of mind and security now.

[Champ]

4. That's a thing I'll probaly never understand

Why is it always the good ones being targetted for assassinations and stuff while many of the bad ones get to live on and die of natural reasons? I mean what is so offensive that people want to kill you for trying to make the world a better place?

[Judi Lynn]

7. Maybe they make themselves targets by attempting to protect

the interests of the helpless, and become enemies of those who prefer to use and abuse their constituency.

Champions of the poor are despised by certain deeply flawed and morally diseased, rigid, power-hungry human failures. They may win economically, but they lose spiritually.

[goddess40]

8. that is how the extreme right deal with opposition

When someone on the right gets shot at it is for some obscure reason.

When someone good is shot at the shooter sometimes feel that their religion justifies it, doctors who perform abortions are a good example.

[Skidmore]

2. May he enjoy a well deserved rest

in these years of his life. He has earned them. The planet is blessed to have such a leader on it.

[Just Me]

3. He deserves a quieter life.

Peace be with him. I love him, will be forever grateful for his contributions to humanity, and will always admire his incredible courage and endurance.

[sushi]

5. He's just scaling back

his public schedule. I think, I hope, he will accept invitations sometimes. He was at the wedding of the Spanish Crown Prince a week ago.

[struggle4progress]

6. Retiring Mandela Says 'Don't Call Me, I'll Call You'

South Africa's first post-apartheid president Nelson Mandela formally bowed out of public life Tuesday with a crisp message for those making demands on his time: "Don't call me, I'll call you."
<snip>

"I am turning 86 in a few weeks time and that is a longer life than most people are granted," he said. "I am confident that nobody present today will accuse me of selfishness if I ask to spend time, while I am still in good health, with my family, my friends and also with myself."
Such has been the demand on Mandela's time since stepping down from the presidency that he said Tuesday he has at times longed to be back in prison where he had more time "for reading, thinking and quiet reflection."
<snip>

Mandela said he would now give his "urgent attention" to writing a memoir about his presidential years, the second volume of his autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom."

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5310462