President of Mongolia speaks with Bloomberg
Dolgion: Mr. President, thank you for accepting our invitation to meet with us. The leaders around the world say that Nelson Mandela’s passing away marks an end to a whole era. What does Nelson Mandela mean to you?
President Elbegdorj: Every morning, I start my day with watching CNN news to see what is happening in the world. This morning I learned of the death of Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela will live on, because freedom is endless, immortal. As a human being, he lived a life of 95 years. But he created a legacy which will live longer than he as a human did. His legacy will live on for many generations of humankind ahead. He lived a human life, he belonged to a human family, but now he belongs to the time, to history. There are not many people to live life like he did.
All over the world today people are talking about Nelson Mandela. All media, all press writes and shows about Nelson Mandela. Leaders in Africa, America, Europe are talking about him, and this shows that Mandela was a great man of the farthest reach.
Dolgion: Today is December 6, a historic date of democratic Mongolia. Mongolia and South Africa have many similarities. What are your thoughts about Nelson Mandela?
President Elbegdorj: 70-80s were the years of socialism in Mongolia. The years when the world was divided into two systems, two camps. And what is remarkable about Nelson Mandela is that he was talked about in both systems, the capitalist and socialist. Both systems regarded him as a good man, struggling for human rights and freedom, against discrimination. Although the world was divided then, Nelson Mandela made the world one for he fought for the wellbeing of the entire, one human family. In the 20th century, now into the second decade of the 21st century, there are still not that many leaders, not many men of the same values as Mandela to be spoken of throughout the world.
When he was born, he was given a name which translated into English meant a “troublemaker”. Later, when he entered school, he was given a name Nelson. A student of law, the “troublemaker” started revolutionary activities against apartheid. He fought in the political system of segregation, division and discrimination and prevailed in that struggle. In videos and photos of those times, we see a man walking in into the prison with a smile, a man who was doing what he had to do. Prison, detention did not break the will of this man. He re-emerged as the President of the country.
Some people change upon arriving at high positions. Many seem to be loaded and distressed. But Nelson Mandela never changed. In presidency and in prison he was the same humble man. In prison, he was not alone. His like-minded freedom fighters against apartheid were imprisoned too. The will, the fight of these people symbolized a collective human desire for freedom, not only of people in Africa, but of all the people on the globe who wanted to live free. He was firm and determined in his struggle.
The Presidency did not change him as a man. He was elected by his people, and that means that he becomes a President together with the nation, the people. He was the President who served in the name of his people.
The reason why everyone today is talking about Nelson Mandela is that he reached everyone’s heart, he could deliver his values to the people.
Dolgion: What memory would this all-respected man leave in the world history?
President Elbegdorj: Nelson Mandela fought against centuries-long discrimination on the basis on the colour of the skin, the racial discrimination, which date back to the age of slavery. People fought for freedom and equal rights. Recall Martin Luther King, who did achieve his mission to bring freedom to people. And that wave of fight for freedom reached and ended in Africa, ended with the successful fight of Mr. Mandela and his friends. Therefore, the world will know Nelson Mandela as a man who ended the epoch of racial discrimination, of apartheid.
Nelson Mandela was an ordinary human being, but now, after his death, he becomes an ideal, a symbol, a flag. There are still many people on earth who have no freedom. There are still countries like prisons without roof where people are oppressed and jailed in hundreds of thousands for their convictions and beliefs. These people are inspired by Nelson Mandela and his cause. Therefore, Mr. Mandela is a great man who is leaving a lasting legacy for the humankind.
As for Mongolia-South Africa relations, the Vice President of South Africa visited Mongolia not long ago. Our two countries want to expand relations, and are discussing to establish the Mongolian Embassy in South Africa, and South African Embassy in Mongolia. Since 3-4 years ago we have started actively discussing opportunities of broadening the avenues of cooperation. I met several times with South African President Jacob Zuma at Davos and other international fora and discussed our bilateral relations.
Since two years ago, I have been asked to visit South Africa. Vice-President of South Africa confirmed the invitation. When speaking with the Vice President, we, of course, talked about Nelson Mandela. I inquired about his health and asked to convey my warm greetings. I said:”Mongolia holds freedom and democracy dear. Please convey the greetings of the people of Mongolia who have always supported and taken pride in Nelson Mandela and his noble cause”. The Vice-President promised he would take my words to Mr. Mandela.
Our two countries have great prospects of cooperation. We have shared commitment to common values. And that is the basis for a lasting friendship. Nelson Mandela did not only represent the black people, he represented the quest for freedom of all the people who were deprived of freedom. Even during the times of division, the world spoke as one about this great man and his struggle. In 70-80, when Nelson Mandela was in prison, in fact, we did not know his face and race. But we still knew of him as a freedom fighter. Just think of it – 27 years in prison, for more than a quarter of a century he was detained. But he never abandoned his aspiration, his cause in the hard years of jail. After the prison, he led, united, consolidated, and was made by his people the President of the nation. He is indeed a remarkable man with an amazing destiny. Therefore, he is being talked all over the world.
Nelson Mandela is one of the many people on earth, but he is one of the very few, maybe, the only one of our times who has and can represent the entire human race.
