Editor’s Note: The following statement was released by Africa4Palestine on December 26, 2021 on the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the age of 90.
The human rights organization #Africa4Palestine joins fellow South Africans, Africans and peace-loving peoples across the world in mourning the loss of Archbishop Desmond Tutu – a dear friend of the Palestinian people.
Archbishop Tutu was a close confidant of #Africa4Palestine – someone whom we consulted with, asked for advice and sought support from. Tutu was an ally of all oppressed peoples across the globe and specifically of the Palestinian people in their struggle against Israeli Apartheid.
#Africa4Palestine Board Member, Professor Farid Esack, a personal friend of the Archbishop, commented:
“We and the Palestinians have lost an indomitable fighter, a courageous leader and a moral icon without equal. We are bereft of a prophet who consistently warned against ideas of cheap peace which may come without justice. I am immensely grateful for having travelled and worked with the Archbishop in the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa, in solidarity with the Palestinians against Israeli occupation and in supporting various other causes. His boundless love, his wit and humour and his unflinching and principled commitment to a better world will always inspire us”.
The human rights organization, #Africa4Palestine, pays homage to the life and struggle of our comrade and father, Archbishop Tutu, and we offer our deep condolences to Mama Leah and his children – Trevor Thamsanqa, Naomi Nontombi, Theresa Thandeka, and Reverend Mpho.
We, in a profound and deeply painful way, say “Hamba Kahle” (go well) our leader, inspirer and energiser of the oppressed.
Here is a short video of Archbishop Desmond Tutu addressing a rally for Palestine in Cape Town. The protest march, attended by over 250,000 people, was the largest that South Africa witnessed (on any issue) since the dawn of democracy. The protest march for Palestine was organized by the MJC, ANC, NC4P and #Africa4Palestine together with other organizations. It was attended by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada, several government Ministers, MPs and others including members of the South African Jewish community.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu:
“I’ve been very deeply distressed in my visit to the Holy Land; it reminded me so much of what happened to us black people in South Africa. I have seen the humiliation of the Palestinians at checkpoints and roadblocks, suffering like us when young white police officers prevented us from moving about.” (The Guardian, 29 April 2002 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/apr/29/comment)
Rev. Desmond Tutu had seen a lot, experienced a lot, and worked hard to help his people get the freedom and rights, they were deprived of for decades. He was fully qualified, and personally experienced to recognize apartheid policies, and did so by bringing attention to it, but was demonized by that guilty nation, and attacked in the most vile ways, as we are now familiar with. Time shows that he was indeed right, and now many human rights organizations internationally, and within Israel, agree with what he has said.
The Palestinians have indeed lost a credible voice, and they deserve to have many more speak out.
May he rest in peace.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu: “I’ve been very deeply distressed in my visit to the Holy Land; it reminded me so much of what happened to us black people in South Africa. I have seen the humiliation of the Palestinians at checkpoints and roadblocks, suffering like us when young white police officers prevented us from moving about.” (The Guardian, 29 April 2002 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/apr/29/comment)
There are people for whose long lives I am grateful. Desmond Tutu is one. Another is Ed Wilson, evolutionist and ant man, who died at 92 on the same day. And yes, they leave big shoes that I for one cannot fill.
When you have a hammer everything looks like a nail. He saw everything through an apartheid lens so everything was apartheid, especially where the audience wanted to hear just that. He was confused, and it’s ok. He was old and he gave people what they wanted to hear even if it was nonsense. Can’t blame him too much. At some point people just want to stay relevant just a little bit longer.
May he rest in peace.