Defend freedom with non-violence

THE recent violent clashes between police and protesting students has brought our country to the brink of disaster. Our politicians and the born-free generation are too deeply entangled in their own interests. The police and the students must develop self-restraint and refrain from anger and malice, intemperance of thought and speech, from violence of every kind. It will be the crown of our leaders like Gandhi, Madiba, Nkosi Albert Luthuli and Bishop Tutu if we settle down as good neighbours and address our problems in a spirit of peace and goodwill.

The way to remember their ideals and sacrifices is by reconciliation and sympathetic adjustment of all differences. Institutions are of little avail unless we obey our conscience and develop brotherly love.

Gandhi and Luthuli, who were the apostles of non-violence till their dying days, said the creed of non-violence was an extremely active force. It had no room for cowardice or weakness, and there is hope for a violent man to become non-violent, but not for a coward. The students should heed the words of these great men who suffered so much so that we could enjoy the freedom we have today.

Freedom is a matter of mind and heart. If the mind is narrow and the heart is bitter, there is no freedom. Our country has not lacked leaders who rose above national feuds and put humanity above everything else. Freedom won cannot be easily surrendered. We should not allow a few demagogues to reduce our democracy to mob rule. We should never lose faith in democracy and the right to peaceful demonstration without the destruction of property and injury to another human being.