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Reconcile black and white, says Mandela

By Michelle Grattan in Pretoria

17 November 1999 - Former South African president Mr Nelson Mandela sent a subtle message urging Aboriginal reconciliation when he accepted an Order of Australia from the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, at the Australian Residence in Pretoria.

In a moving speech which was also laced with wit, Mr Mandela recalled his visit to Australia soon after he was released from prison.

An Aboriginal delegation had asked him: ``Who gave you the right to come here?"

``I said, `Well, I was invited ... by the Government', and they said, `Well, you know this is our country'.

``I said, `Well, I'm sure it is your country as well'.

``I had to negotiate because they were very angry ... and I said to them that I am very sorry that I came here without permission, but at the same time I would like to say that we have been arguing about these questions in South Africa, but what we decided to do was to stop the argument and to go to our enemies at the time and say let's sit down and talk."

Mr Mandela said that in his youth ``we thought that Australia was another name for Sir Don Bradman later, of course, we came to know about eminent citizens of Australia like Sir Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke ... and now, of course, the man who cracks the whip is here."

In his speech, Mr Howard said Mr Mandela's moral example ``is without peer in our generation".

``You are a great man of this century. You are a person whose moral leadership, your moral depth, your political skill, your compassion, your capacity for forgiveness and reconciliation have given to the world an example that I don't think in our lifetime we will see again."

Mr Mandela has been made an Honorary Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia. It was Mr Howard's last official function before flying home from South Africa.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald.

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