By Dr. Halim Gençoğlu
Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader Nobel Peace Prize winner, president of the Palestine Liberation Organization with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
The widespread and multifaceted support for Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment underscores the global nature of the anti-apartheid movement and highlights the collective effort required to dismantle such a deeply entrenched system of racial discrimination. The relationships between Mandela, Yasser Arafat, Fidel Castro, and Muammar Gaddafi reflect a period of intense geopolitical struggle and the enduring importance of international solidarity in the fight against colonialism and apartheid. Their interactions serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness of global revolutionary movements and the complexities of international diplomacy.
While Nelson Mandela was in prison, numerous statements of support came from various individuals, organizations, and governments around the world. For instance, Oliver Tambo, the acting president of the African National Congress (ANC) in exile, consistently campaigned for Mandela’s release and kept the global spotlight on his imprisonment. The ANC regularly issued statements demanding Mandela’s release and highlighting the injustices of apartheid. Various world leaders called for Mandela’s release. For example, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and U.S. President Ronald Reagan eventually joined the call for his release, despite initially maintaining cautious or oppositional stances due to Cold War politics. Nordic countries like Sweden and Norway were particularly vocal in their support for Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement.
The global anti-apartheid movement, with organizations such as the American Committee on Africa, the British Anti-Apartheid Movement, and others in Europe, Asia, and Africa, kept Mandela’s imprisonment in the public eye and organized protests, petitions, and campaigns for his release. However, South Africans did not forget that the regime called apartheid was started by the British Empire in nineteenth-century South Africa.
International figures like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, musician Stevie Wonder, and actor Sidney Poitier publicly supported Mandela and campaigned for his release. Prominent politicians, intellectuals, and cultural figures across the globe lent their voices to the cause. Mandela’s legal representatives, including George Bizos, Joel Joffe, and Bram Fischer, tirelessly worked on his behalf, both in the courts and in the public sphere. These statements and acts of solidarity were crucial in maintaining international pressure on the South African government and in bolstering the morale of Mandela and his fellow political prisoners.
International Support for the democracy campaign of Mandela
Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for his fight against the apartheid regime, received significant support from various people and countries during his 27-year imprisonment. This support played a crucial role in maintaining international pressure on the South African government and his eventual release in 1990. Notably, many leaders who supported him were openly enemies of America. This dynamic might explain why the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc countries provided financial and military support to other liberation movements in South Africa, such as the ANC. Leaders such as Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere, Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda, and Mozambique’s Samora Machel provided significant support to the ANC and other liberation movements. According to a document dated 1967, Turkey’s ambassador to Morocco, Vecdi Türel, attended an international congress in Tanzania in 1967 to protest South Africa’s racist regime.
The relations between Yasser Arafat, Fidel Castro, and Muammar Gaddafi developed according to the dynamics of international politics and revolutionary movements in solidarity with Mandela that took place in the second half of the 20th century. Despite different backgrounds and political ideologies, these three leaders found common ground in their shared opposition to Western imperialism and support for liberation movements around the world.
Nelson Mandela, the iconic leader of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, had deep respect for Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. This admiration was rooted in Cuba’s unwavering support for African liberation movements. In 1991, Nelson Mandela visited Cuba to personally thank Castro for his support. In his speech in Havana, Mandela said, “We come here with the awareness that we are indebted to the Cuban people. What other country can demonstrate more dedication than Cuba shows in its relations?” he expressed his gratitude.
This visit strengthened the bond between the two leaders as a symbol of the unifying struggle against oppression and colonialism. Nelson Mandela’s relationship with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was also significant in the eyes of the international community. When Western countries labeled the ANC a terrorist organization, Gaddafi was providing financial and military aid. After Mandela was released from prison, he maintained close relations with Gaddafi and often referred to him as a brother. This link became clear when Mandela visited Libya in 1994, despite international sanctions and widespread condemnation. Mandela defended his relationships with Gaddafi and Arafat by emphasizing the importance of loyalty to those who supported him at a time when the fight against apartheid was neither popular nor profitable. Both leaders saw their anti-imperialist rhetoric as part of a broader struggle against Western domination and capitalist exploitation.
Despite their ideological differences and the controversies surrounding their actions, Mandela, Castro, Arafat, and Gaddafi shared a common determination to challenge Western hegemony and support liberation movements. Mandela attracted criticism, especially from Israel’s allies such as the United States, due to his close relationship with Yasser Arafat and his open support for the Palestinian cause. Mandela’s statue, still standing in the city of Ramallah, is a sign of this friendship. Mandela argued that his support for Palestine was consistent with his lifelong commitment to justice and human rights.
Mandela’s gratitude to Arafat, Castro, and Gaddafi lies in the often-overlooked contributions of these leaders to the global struggle against oppression. While the legacies of Castro and Gaddafi, like those of many leaders’ hostile to American imperialism, are marred by human rights abuses and allegations of authoritarianism, their support for African liberation movements remains an important aspect of their international influence.
Conclusion
Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro, Muammar Gaddafi, and Yasser Arafat shared a mutual interest in opposing Western imperialism and supporting global liberation movements. Their friendship was rooted in solidarity against colonialism and apartheid, with each leader offering significant political, financial, and military support to one another’s causes. Despite differing political ideologies and backgrounds, they found common ground in their commitment to challenging Western domination and advocating for the rights of oppressed peoples. Mandela’s relationships with these leaders were characterized by a shared determination to fight for justice and human rights, even in the face of international criticism and controversy.
Nelson Mandela and Yasser Arafat, 1990s.