Jul 01
2008Mandela off U.S. terrorism watch lists - Is apartheid still alive ?
Filed Under (Politics) by Sheern Tami on 01-07-2008
Tagged Under : African National Congress, MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY, Nelson Mandela, President Bush, South Africa, U.S. Terrorism
US President Bush George W. Bush today signed the bill H.R. 5690, which removes the African National Congress Leader and Former South African President Nelson Mandela to be removed from U.S. terrorism watch lists. As a result Nobel Laureate and former South African President Nelson Mandela is no longer considered a terrorists in the United States.
The iconic leader, who celebrates his 90th birthday this year, will be able to apply for a visa to United States without triggering additional investigations. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called the additional review of ANC members’ visas “embarrassing” and has advocated a legislative change to lift it.
Mandela and other members of the African National Congress have been on the list because of their fight against South Africa’s apartheid regime, which gave way to majority rule in 1994.
Apartheid was the nation’s system of legalized racial segregation that was enforced by the National Party government between 1948 and 1994.
He spent 27 years in prison on charges that included sabotage committed while he spearheaded the struggle against apartheid. He was released in 1990.