World mourns death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, read reactions pouring in

Desmond Tutu is famous for envisioning the ‘rainbow nation’. The South African social activist, best known for championing minority rights, died at the age of 90. Here are some of the reactions to his demise. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa noted the legacy and loss of the Archbishop, stating, “The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa.” 

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The Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, noted “Desmond Tutu was a patriot without equal; a leader of principle and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead.” Also, the Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed his sorrow, saying, “Sad to hear of the passing of Desmond Tutu. A truly great figure, who I had the privilege to meet in The Hague when he was working for the victims of war crimes. His adage, ‘Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument’, has never felt more apt.”

Condolences have also arrived from the Nelson Mandela Foundation, noting, “Desmond Tutu’s legacy is moral strength, moral courage and clarity. He felt with the people. In public and alone, he cried because he felt people’s pain. And he laughed – no, not just laughed, he cackled with delight when he shared their joy.”

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Martin Luther King’s daughter, Bernice King, also shared her thoughts, saying “A great little man who showed the power of reconciliation and forgiveness … Tutu’s point was that injustice and abuse must not be forgotten, but that at the same time it must not be avenged if a society was to move on.” 

The Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, noted “I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He was a critical figure in the fight against apartheid and in the struggle to create a new South Africa – and will be remembered for his spiritual leadership and irrepressible good humour.” Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, also voiced his opinion, “A true South African giant has left us today, but his spirit will live on in the everyday kindness we South Africans show each other, and in our continued effort to build a united, successful, non-racial South Africa for all … When we lost our way, he was the moral compass that brought us back.” 

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Tutu, who has long been revered by Palestinians for extending support to their movement, has been remembered fondly. Basim Naeem, a senior official with Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist militant group, stated “Our Palestinian people lost a strong supporter of their march towards freedom and independence. Father Desmond Tutu spent his entire life struggling against racism and defending human rights and especially on the Palestinian land.” Meanwhile, Wasel Abu Yousef, member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) expressed gratitude, saying, “Father Desmond Tutu was one of the biggest supporters of the Palestinian cause. He had always advocated the rights of the Palestinians to gain their freedom and rejected Israeli occupation and Apartheid.”