WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, released the following statement on the passing of former South African president Nelson Mandela:
“The world has lost a true hero. It is hard to overstate Nelson Mandela's transformative impact on his country and the world. The lesson of his personal determination in the face of decades of imprisonment and oppression, followed by his unwavering grace and forgiveness towards his former captors is one of the great reconciliation stories in human history.
“In my work with the South African Council of Churches in the 1980’s, I saw firsthand the terrible cruelty and fundamental injustice of an apartheid system that attempted to determine the destiny of South Africans based on the color of their skin. Nelson Mandela refused to accept the destiny that was handed to him, and instead led a movement to remake South Africa into a flourishing, multiracial democracy. His integrity and personal commitment to the progress of that democracy was exemplified in his willingness to relinquish power after just one term as president of a post-liberation South Africa, which set an important standard for democratic leaders in Africa and around the world.
“Long after his presidency, he continued to inspire people seeking freedom and justice around the world. He helped forge renewed bonds between the United States and South Africa, which remains part of his enduring legacy. Today, the American people join with the South Africans in grieving the loss of this extraordinary man, and in remembering the legacy of freedom, justice and equality he leaves behind.”