ACM pays tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu
"If we really want to pay tribute to his legacy, we must emulate all that he stood for."
THE Active Citizen’s Movement has paid tribute to the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu who they said he distinguished himself over a lifetime of contribution to South Africa’s freedom struggle.
In a statement, the local civic organisation said the archbishop was foremost a man of the cloth, even though he straddled the vast divide between religion and revolution.
“By implementing his religious teachings he practically demonstrated both the churches and his opposition to Apartheid. He showed the world that the church would not be neutral in the face of injustice, but would rather be an active participant in the quest for freedom in South Africa.
“Whilst rubbing shoulders with icons of the struggle such as Nelson Mandela, and numerous other national and international statespersons and leadership figures, he retained the common touch, relating well to ordinary people and identifying with the poor, the destitute in the unrelenting pursuit of a more equal and just society. The arch led from the front,” the statement reads.
The ACM noted the struggles of the 1980s stating that political leadership was suppressed, banned or detained. They said Tutu bravely stepped into the breach and took to the streets in protest, staring down the might of the brutal Apartheid security forces without flinching.
“As the recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, he used the worldwide reach and recognition that this afforded him, to expose the cruelty of the Apartheid government and its brutal practices in furthering the fight for freedom in South Africa.
“On international affairs in Tibet or Palestine and various other oppressed nations, the arch courageously spoke about injustice and oppression, lending his support and expressing condemnation. The nation also owes the arch a debt of gratitude for his sterling contributions to nation building as the chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“No one other than Tutu could have led us on that process of healing. Archbishop Tutu also took a clear stand against patriarchy, gender discrimination and GBV and supported the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. As a country, we would do well to heed his wise counsel.
“If we really want to pay tribute to his legacy, we must emulate all that he stood for. The Active Citizens Movement send its deepest condolences to the Tutu family and salutes them as well, in particular Leah Tutu, who was a great pillar of support to her late husband. Hamba Kahle Archbishop Desmond Tutu. A man of peace, love and a liberator. A life well lived in service of God and the people of South Africa.”
