The Lawyers Collective of Sri Lanka in mourning the passing of global icon Nelson Mandela has reminded Sri Lanka’s political leadership of some of the key messages of his celebrated life.
Mandela
“Unlike many other authoritarian rulers in Africa and world over, Mandela did not want to be President for life. He is respected for leading the way for reconciliation with a different model of accountability. His leadership in introducing one of the most democratic constitutions is a hallmark of his commitment to Rule of Law. He is much respected as a global statesman who did not have a vested interest for himself, his family or cronies of his own political party. He stood for human rights for all and independence of judiciary. He firmly stood against abuse of power and corruption,” the Collective said in a statement issued today.
Following is the full text of the statement by the Lawyers Collective on the passing of Mandela:
Lawyers Collective mourns the death of Nelson Mandela: Reminds Sri Lanka of his key messages
Lawyers Collective mourns the passing away of Nelson Mandela who accomplished his historic mission to end apartheid and established a free nation. First an activist and then a lawyer,he became the icon in the freedom struggle in South Africa. He had enormous capacity and ability to sustain the struggle to end one of the world’s worst crimes against humanity. Having served a long prison sentence for 26 years, he became the President of South Africa – a position he could have easily kept for himself till he breathed his last. Yet he served just one term. “After winning the war against apartheid, Mandela committed himself to establish democracy, instead of conspiring to rule for life or to amass wealth for his family”, says Lawyers Collective.
Lawyers Collective sees this as an appropriate timefor our future leadersto look at his life as an example. Unlike many other authoritarian rulers in Africa and world over, Mandela did not want to be President for life. He is respected for leading the way for reconciliation with a different model of accountability. His leadership in introducing one of the most democratic constitutions is a hallmark of his commitment to Rule of Law. He is much respected as a global statesman who did not have a vested interest for himself, his family or cronies of his own political party. He stood for human rights for all and independence of judiciary. He firmly stood against abuse of power and corruption.
Nelson Mandela has commenced his legal practice in 1952 and pushed for social justice through a law firm, formed with his friend; ‘Mandela & Tambo’ was the first all -black law firm in South Africa, which offered pro bono and low cost legal services to the clients charged with violation of segregation laws. His commitment persuaded the legal fraternity in South Africa to lead the struggle for Democracy. His practice influenced the entire civil liberties movement in the world who perceived him as the “Moral Center of legal legacy”.
With his activities against an all- powerful White Government, which was run by a deadly Defence Establishment, he was charged with treason before Court where he faced a trial and was sentenced to life. He said, during his trial in 1962, “I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of what I thought, because of my conscience.”
Lawyers Collective salutes the Great Leader for his commitment and inspirational leadership.
JC Weliamuna
On behalf of Lawyers’ Collective
Saro / December 8, 2013
World statesman and Co-Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela defined terrorism when asked if he was a terrorist that “an individual, a group or a state harm an innocent individual”.
He was an inspiration to anyone under oppressed regime to fight for freedom and a roll model to any leader who wants to make peace in a country of dissension.
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Ben Hurling / December 8, 2013
Lawyers Collective should ask for seperate appointments with our King and Ranil W. Agenda: What can we learn from the Great Man today. Cheers!
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Max Silva / December 10, 2013
We have a leader of the opposition for life in the form of our Jathika Nayakaya Ranil!
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gamini / December 11, 2013
Adey, Gon Max Silva, Nelson Mandela struggled for many years against all odds to become President of South Africa. Similarly Ranil is fighting heavy odds and he will succeed very soon, when the moda Sinhalese realize the fake MR is, after the Americans and the Indians presented VP’s head on a platter which MR boasts that MR got the Forces to accomplish. With this false claim of a war victory MR believes that he can fool the masses for ever. True the Americans and the Indians are covertly helping MR, shielding him from being probed of War Crimes at the moment. But be assured they can not shield MR for ever. You have trampled your tail asking Ranil to step down even before he assumes power comparing with Nelson Mandela. There is no comparison whatsoever and only a fool like you think so. So have patience. I know ‘Patience’ is not a virtue of the mentally demented as yourself and only the intelligent posses such. So go on BARK now!
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Appubaba / December 13, 2013
This is but very strange. :(
Lawyers collective seems to be mourning that loudly for the loss of Mandela.
Why not the very same lawyers collective stayed dumb ( or is further staying dumb and deaf) while MR thuggish regime goes on with their criminal agenda like, contract killings (across the country), land grabs (in northern areas), attacking women, raping women etc.
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Rama / December 9, 2013
mandela didn’t become president to make money unlike the chingala black monkey.
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Max Silva / December 10, 2013
Rama,
I agree with you.Black monkey the Jarapakse.It’s a matter of time before we WHITE Tamils conquer the whole bloody world.Phew awful smell 50+ million WHITE Tamils farting in White Tamil Nadu!
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Rama / December 12, 2013
lungiwallah was ignored by world leaders at mandela’s funeral service. lungiwallak looked a pathetic figure.
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Rama / December 12, 2013
[Edited out]
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Rama / December 13, 2013
max silva, it’s strange that this has come from you. after all you ate a descendant of tamils imported by portuguese from coastal areas of tamil nadu to catch sardines. silvas, fernandos, pereras, zoysas, rodrigos, and other chingala people with portuguese names are all originally tamils. rest of the chingala black monkeys are exiled convicts.
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Native Vedda / December 12, 2013
Rama …………. “mandela didn’t become president to make money unlike the chingala black monkey.” …………. Do you think Tamil monkey is any different to chingala monkey?…………..
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Rama / December 13, 2013
native vedda, i am not in a position to comment how will a tamil guy conduct himself in the unlikely event of him or her having access to country’s finances. however, all i know is chingala black monkeys in power are looting the country’s finances.
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Attorney Sri Ranatunga / December 9, 2013
Excellent message to Sei Lankans. This statement tells it all.
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Mahela / December 9, 2013
Mandela was a true Statesman. He loved his country and his people. He never robbed the country and it’s peoples wealth. He governed according to his conscious. He was never a power hungry power greedy pig. He was more concern about his country than his own family. He never accumulated wealth and he never was a “Show off” Drama actor. He never played Double Game and never was a Fake Religious leader. We offer him our Prayers and love and everlasting life in Heaven.
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Max Silva / December 10, 2013
I cannot agree with you.It was our Sun god Prabakaran who was not only a true statesmen but a god!Long Live Prabakaran!
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Native Vedda / December 13, 2013
Max Silva …….. So you have sold your soul to Tamil Diaspora LTTE rump. ……. It would not have cost them an arm and a leg to buy you out, may be its a petty cash expense for them. …….
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sense / December 9, 2013
An excellent article.
It applies to ALL leaders and not necessarily Sri Lanka , no country can be spared.
They ALL have skeletons in their cupboards ( some dating back a few centuries !)
Rama……..your selection of name says it all. What’s chingala, by the way ? And black ?
What colour are you btw ?!! And does color matter to you ? Perhaps you thought that Mandela was white ?
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Lanka de Silva / December 9, 2013
Best possible statement on Mandela by any Sri Lankan organisation or political party. Thank you CT for publishing. Thank you Lawyers Collective for this.
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Mohamed Marzook / December 9, 2013
The greatest deed of Nelson Mandela more than any other of his is to even divorce his wife, who had led the freedom struggle when the husband was incarcerated, because she was involved in a few killings that affected the husband’s good reputation. Can we find any other leader of with such strong character?
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Despem / December 10, 2013
This so called collective group is so backword and with no back born. they have no courage to put it straight and say that President Rajapkse, a man who who changed the country’s constitution for his private benifit, to remain in power for third consecutive time, is unworthy of compairing with the great selfless statesman Mandela.
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gamini / December 11, 2013
Although both Mandela and MR are both Lawyers, Mandela is a genuine Lawyer unlike MR who was helped to become a Lawyer by Jeyraj Fernandopulle, whom MR got killed to pave the way for his familial rule, to be in power forever. This sakkili bugger MR’s doom is not far away.
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Appubaba / December 13, 2013
better not to even mention that these buggers are lawyers, for degrees they have abused through all gilmarts. Not only the bugger, his offspring is said to have gotten a degree from that law college.
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Darlin Silva / December 13, 2013
“Unlike Many Others Mandela Did Not Want To Be President For Life – Lawyers Collective” Surely Mandela did not belong to the Medamulana clan.
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