Eternal vigilance needed

THE grim revelations emerging from the new Ahmed Timol inquest are a painful and sorrowful mirror into our hideous and sordid past.

Using torture as a political weapon is an affront to any civilisation.

Our hard-won democracy must never allow torture as a political weapon.

No fewer than 100 cadres were murdered by the apartheid security establishment.

Never were the people of our land so united, so brave, so strong, so worthy of freedom, so certain of freedom, that they poured out their treasured lives in helping us attain freedom and liberty.

They unshackled our chains, and rescued us from bondage.

Liberty has her martyrs now, and with her martyrs, liberty is safe. Although we shall never bow before the shrine of intolerance, we will forgive our enemies, but we will never forget their names.

We shall never again lack loyalty, never again think lightly of our sacred freedom. Never again will we yield our rights to despots. Never again will we allow racism to take control of our destiny.

We are free men now, and intend to remain so. Eternal vigilance is the price of safeguarding our freedom. FAROUK ARAIE

Benoni