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Tanzanias tidligere præsident, Julius Nyerere, er død i London, oplyste den
tanzaniske præsident, Benjamin Mkapa, torsdag 14/10-99. Han blev 77 år. Ifølge Mkapa
døde Nyerere kl. 09.30 torsdag på det hospital, han var indlagt på for at gennemgå
behandling for leukæmi.
Præsident Mkapa gav sine landsmænd nyheden i en radio- og fjernsynstransmitteret tale.
- Kære tanzanianere, det er med stort chok og sorg at jeg meddeler, at vor elskede
landsfader, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, er død, sagde Mkapa.
Nyerere, en af Afrikas mest karismatiske statsmænd, blev diagnosticeret med kronisk
leukæmi sidste år.
Han ledede sit lands frihedskamp, der førte til løsrivelse fra Storbritannien i 1961 og
var Tanzanias præsident fra 1962 til 1985, da han blev en af de første afrikanske ledere
efter kolonitiden, der afgav magten frivilligt.
Landsfaderen Julius Nyerere død
(InternetAvisen Jyllands-Posten)
Tanzanias landsfader og første præsident, Julius Nyerere, døde torsdag et
hospital i London, hvor han 9. september blev indlagt med leukæmi. Han blev 77 år.
Med Nyereres bortgang siger verden farvel til en af Afrikas store politiske skikkelser -
og en af de meget få, der fredeligt og frivilligt trådte ned fra den politiske scene.
Efter at have ledet sit land siden uafhængigheden i 1962, trådte Nyerere tilbage fra
præsidentposten i 1985. I næsten et kvart århundrede havde "læremesteren" -
Mwalimu, som han oftest blev kaldt i folkemunde - styret den østafrikanske nation ud fra
principperne om etparti-demokrati, selvhjulpenhed, alliancefrihed og ikke mindst den
særlige form for afrikansk socialisme, som han selv gav navnet "ujamaa" -
swahili for at "trække på samme hammel".
Da Nyerere trådte tilbage i 1985, var det med en plan om at slå sig ned i den lille
landsby Butiama ved Victoria-søen. Det var her, at han kom til verden en aprildag i 1922,
som søn af høvding Nyerere Burite og en af dennes 22 hustruer.
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Julius Nyerere ses her sammen med pave
John Paul II den 10. marts 1980. Arkivfoto: AP |
Unge Julius Kabarage Nyerere var en opvakt dreng, der efter skolegang på en
romersk-katolsk missionsstation fik en uddannelse som lærer ved Makarere-universitetet i
Uganda. Senere studerede Nyerere britisk historie, filosofi, politisk økonomi og
forfatningsret ved universitetet i Edinburgh i Skotland.
Foruden at pleje sin voksende politiske bevidsthed oversatte Nyerere under sit skotske
ophold flere af Shakespeares værker til swahili.
Efter sin hjemkomst var Nyerere en af grundlæggerne af og den første formand for den i
1954 etablerede selvstændighedsbevægelse, Tanganyikas Afrikanske Nationale Union
(TANU).
Nyerere var selvskreven til posten som det daværende Tanganyikas premierminister ved den
britiske kolonis overgang til selvstændighed i december 1961 og blev året efter
præsident efter indførelsen af republikken.
Det lykkedes behændigt for Nyerere at få øen Zanzibar ud for Tanganyikas kyst til at
slå sig sammen med hovedlandet, efter at det afrikanske befolkningsflertal på øen havde
styrtet Zanzibars arabiske herskere i 1963. Unionen, der fik navnet Tanzania, blev dannet
med vidtgående selvstyre til de to stater.
Et andet højdepunkt i Nyereres karriere og Tanzanias udvikling var den såkaldte
Arusha-erklæring fra 1967. Her erklærede Nyerere sig for første gang entydigt for
etableringen af en decentraliseret, socialistisk arbejder- og bondestat - med tydelig
inspiration fra Kina, som Nyerere da også lige siden har haft varme politiske
forbindelser til.
De store industriselskaber, kaffe- og sisalplantager, finansinstitutioner med videre blev
overtaget af den tanzanianske stat fra de hidtidige overvejende britiske ejermænd.
Udviklingen på landet blev koncentreret omkring de nyetablerede
"ujamaa"-landsbyer, hvortil bønderne flyttede - eller blev flyttet - ud fra det
motiv, at man ikke kan give undervisning, sundhedsfaciliteter og teknisk assistance til en
spredt landbefolkning.
En af Nyereres fortjenester er, at der i Tanzania er opbygget et elementært
sundhedssystem, der omfatter hele befolkningen, og som er koncentreret om forebyggende
sygdomsbekæmpelse uden de prestigehospitaler, der ses i mange andre udviklingslande.
Desuden blev der under "læremesteren" etableret et udbygget skolesystem.
Omkring 90 pct. af befolkningen fik mindst syv års skolegang, og hovedparten af
befolkningen - omkring 70 pct. - kunne læse og skrive - mod 10 pct., da briterne
afsluttede deres koloniherredømme.
Til Nyereres fordel kan også anføres, at Tanzania trods den elendige økonomiske
situation er et relativt stabilt land uden de voldsomme stridigheder mellem politiske og
etniske grupper, der hærger så mange andre lande på kontinentet.
Under "læremesteren" var Tanzania eneste tilladte parti Chama Cha Mapinduzi
(Revolutionspartiet), der blev dannet i 1977 ved en sammenslutning af regeringspartierne
på fastlandet og Zanzibar. Men partiet blev et folkeligt baseret masseparti - ikke et
marxistisk-leninistisk eliteparti - og der forgik en livlig og åben diskussion i partiet
og i parlamentet, ligesom flere kandidater konkurrerer om parlamentspladser og
partiposter.
Nyereres mistelten er den økonomiske politik. Alt så ud til at gå rimeligt i Tanzania
indtil slutningen af 1970erne, da krisen satte ind med voldsom styrke. På ingen tid blev
landet tømt for beholdningen af udenlandsk valuta, der var derfor ikke midler til at
indkøbe reservedele og råstoffer, og udnyttelsen af produktionsapparatet menes at ligge
lavere end 30 pct. Tanzania har måttet standse betalinger af renter og afdrag på
udlandsgælden med det resultat, at der ikke er nye kommercielle kreditter at hente.
Nyerere har selv givet udefra kommende forhold hovedparten af skylden for tingenes
tilstand: Den internationale økonomiske krise, den kendsgerning, at prisen på råvarer
fra u-landene er faldet drastisk, mens olieprisen og priser på andre importerede
produkter er steget, og direkte faldende bistandsmidler til Tanzania angives som årsager.
Men Nyerere har også - med en for afrikanske statsledere enestående åbenhjertighed -
erkendt, at regeringen har begået store fejltagelser i sin økonomiske politik. Blandt
fejltagelserne kan nævnes nationaliseringen af de store kaffe- og sisal-plantager, der
kun har ført til plantagernes forfald og drastisk reducerede indtægter, opløsningen af
de lokale andelsbevægelser til fordel for statslige marketingsselskaber, afskaffelsen af
det kommunale selvstyre og den manglende satsning på landbrugssektoren til fordel for
opbygningen af industrien.
Nyerere var en af Afrikas sidste store statsmænd fra tiden omkring
afkolonialiseringen.
Hans internationale mærkesager blev kampen mod det hvide apartheid-styre i Sydafrika og
for et politisk samlet Afrika. Også fordrivelsen af despoten Idi Amin fra nabolandet
Uganda havde han en ikke ubetydelig rolle i.
Nyerere kom ikke til at trække sig tilbage til Butiama - fødelandsbyen ved
Victoria-søen.
Mens hans efterfølgere på den politiske arena i Tanzania indførte en flerpartistat,
trådte Nyerere selv med jævne mellemrum op på den internationale scene som mægler. Som
eksempelvis i 1996, da han sammen med den tidligere amerikanske præsident Jimmy Carter og
den sydafrikanske kirkeleder Desmond Tutu søgte at finde en løsning på den humanitære
og politiske situation i Rwanda og Burundi.
Til det sidste forblev en af Nyereres store mærkesager kampen for at samle de
gældstyngede udviklingslande mod de vestlige kreditorer.
Flere gange besøgte Nyerere Danmark, hvis tillid til ham udmøntede sig i et
vidtrækkende bistandssamarbejde med Tanzania. Endnu i dag er Tanzania et af de få
såkaldte "programsamarbejdslande", Danmark favoriserer i bistandsøjemed.
Julius Nyerere efterlader sig hustruen Maria Magige og parrets fem sønner og to døtre.
Nyrup beklager Nyereres død
Statsminister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (S) siger i anledning af Tanzanias tidligere
præsident Julius Nyereres død, at det er med "dyb beklagelse", at han har
modtaget budskabet.
- Nyerere indtog en central rolle i sit lands udvikling fra selvstændigheden
og til sin tilbagetræden fra præsidentposten i 1985. Blandt hans mange fortjenester var
en målbevidst indsats for at skabe samling om den nye stat. Han formåede at skabe en
national tanzanisk identitet, og var den samlende leder for sit folk, siger han.
- Nyerere havde et særligt forhold til Danmark, som han besøgte flere gange,
og Danmark har altid haft et særligt forhold til Nyerere og Tanzania. Det er derfor ikke
blot en stor afrikansk statsmand, der er gået bort, men også en ven af Danmark, siger
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, 14.oktober 1999
Nyerere Profile
1922 Born in April
1935 Starts primary education at Mwisenge Middle school
1942 Joins Makerere University
1943 Father Mathia Koenen baptised Nyerere
1949 Joins Edinburgh University
1950 Married to Maria Gabriel Magige
1952 Awarded (MA) from Edinburgh
1954 Forms TANU and elected Chairman
1961 Leads Tanganyika to independence, elected as Prime Minister
1962 Becomes the first Tanganyika President
1978 Sends Tanzanian troops into uganda to depose Idi Amin
1979 Helps shape peace plans for Rhodesia/Zimbabwe
1985 Steps down as Tanzanian President
1990 Resigns as Head of the ruling party |
Mwalimu Nyerere og Kenya's president Daniel Arab Moi!
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Tanzanias First
President Dies In Britain
Panafrican News Agency, October 14, 1999
by Nicodemus Odhiambo
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - The first president of the United Republic of
Tanzania, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, who died Thursday in London, was born in March 1922 at
Butiama, a village near the Lake shore town of Musoma, to a Zanaki chief, Nyerere
Burite.
He received his early education at the Mwisenge primary school in Musoma before joining a
secondary school at Tabora, a former slave town in the heart of Tanzania.
From Tabora, Nyerere spent two years at Makerere College, Uganda, then returned to Tabora
to teach at St Mary's school. In 1949, he went to Edinburgh University, where he graduated
with a Master of Arts degree in 1952.
On his return, he taught at St. Francis, Pugu, in Dar Es Salaam. He later briefly served
as a Temporary Nominated Member of the colonial Tanganyika Legislative Council.
In 1954, Nyerere was a founder member of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), and
was elected president of the party. He accepted a further nomination to the legislature in
July 1957, having forfeited his teaching post, but resigned in protest in December the
same year.
In Tanganyika's first elections in 1958, he was elected a member of Parliament, and was
returned unopposed in the second general election in 1960.
In May 1961, he was sworn in as chief minister and led the country to independence on 9
December, 1961. After the decision to make Tanganyika a republic, Nyerere was nominated as
a TANU candidate for the post of president.
In 1962, he entered State House (formerly Government House) as Tanganyika's first
president.
In April 1964, Nyerere was signatory to the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, and became
president of the new United Republic, later renamed Tanzania.
On 30 September, 1965, he was declared president for a second term of five years, having
secured a massive mandate from the people.
Nyerere ruled Tanzania for 22 years under a socialist regime. But of it he once
said:
"We cannot go 'full-speed' into socialism. Where are the leaders for 'full-speed'
socialism?."
During his life, he backed independence movements in Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe (former
Rhodesia) and the fettering of apartheid in South Africa. He was also the chairman of the
South-South Commission.
And in recent years, he was mediator in a number of peace talks especially in trying to
end the civil war in Burundi. In Tanzania, he is credited for uniting the over 120 tribes
into a cohesive society.
Known as 'Mwalimu,' Kiswahili for 'teacher,' Nyerere was a darling to millions of
Tanzanians. He is survived by his wife, Maria, and six children.
James D. Wolfensohn
Statement On The Death Of Julius Nyerere
The World Bank
October 14, 1999
Washington - For the men and women who have served the great cause of
development in the world, one of the lights of our lives went out today. Mr. Julius
Nyerere was one of the founding fathers of modern Africa. He was also one of the few world
leaders whose high ideals, moral integrity, and personal modesty inspired people right
around the globe.
While world economists were debating the importance of capital output ratios, President
Nyerere was saying that nothing was more important for people than being able to read and
write and have access to clean water.
He gave his compatriots a sense of hope and achievement early in their life as a country.
And he gave them a sense of nation with few parallels in Africa and the world-bound by a
common language (Kiswahili) and a history almost entirely free of internal divisions and
conflict. His political ideals, his deep religious convictions, his equally deep religious
tolerance, and his belief that people of all ethnic and regional origins should have equal
access to knowledge and material opportunities have marked his country-and
Africa-forever.
He was a leader in the liberation of Southern Africa. He looked after hundreds of
thousands of refugees forced to live in western Tanzania by political turmoil in central
Africa. And he left office peacefully at an age when he could certainly have
continued. He
was known as "Mwalimu" (or "Teacher")-which was his first profession.
Many of us still regard ourselves as his students, and we feel very honored to have known
and worked with him in his life.
To the people of Tanzania-and to his wider family across Africa and around the world-I
want to say how much we share your sadness at his passing. However, the example he set and
the ideals he represented will remain a source of inspiration and comfort for all of
us.
That is a legacy which even President Nyerere-modest as he was-would have been proud
of.
- James D. Wolfensohn, October 14, 1999
 ANC
Statement On The Death Of
Julius Kambarage "Mwalimu" Nyerere
African National Congress of South Africa
October 14, 1999
Johannesburg - The following document was released by African National Congress
of South Africa: The ANC is devastated at the news of the death of Julius Nyerere earlier
today. The organisation weeps in memory of this giant amongst men.
Julius Kambarage "Mwalimu" Nyerere was an outstanding leader, a brilliant
philosopher and a people's hero - a champion for the entire African continent. He shall
always be remembered as one of Africa's greatest and most respected sons and the father of
the Tanzanian nation.
Throughout his long life he enjoyed respect and popularity that extended far beyond the
borders of Tanzania. His wise counsel was sought from around the globe, even after he
resigned from the presidency in 1985.
A legacy in his own lifetime, he served as a symbol of inspiration for all African nations
in their liberation struggles to free themselves from the shackles of oppression and
colonialism.
Mwalimu will always occupy a very important place in the hearts and minds of South
Africans in general and the supporters of the ANC in particular.
The ANC is indebted to his memory for the unflinching support that he offered during our
dark days of struggle against racist apartheid rule and for freedom and
democracy. Our
celebration of these basic rights today is to no small degree as a result of the
benevolence of Julius Nyerere and the support, both moral and material, received from
Tanzanian people under his rule.
The ANC pays homage to a true African legend, a man deserving of great
admiration, respect
and affection.
The ANC conveys its sincerest condolences to his family, friends and the Tanzanian people
during this painful period.
Issued by Smuts Ngonyama,African National Congress 51 Plein Street Johannesburg 2000
14 October 1999
Issued by The African National Congress, Department of Information and
Publicity, P.O. Box 61884, Marshalltown 2107, Johannesburg. Email: info@anc.org.za
Pan-African News Wire,
Weekly Dispatch, Thursday, 14 Oct. 1999
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1999 12:46:22 -0400 (EDT)
From: Pan-African News Wire <ac6123@wayne.edu>
Tanzania's Nyerere Dies In London
PANW-BBC. LONDON, 14 Oct. (PANW-BBC)--Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere
has died--one of the most influential African statesman of his generation.
The 77-year-old statesman was diagnosed with Leukaemia in August 1998 and was being
treated in a London hospital.
The man who led Tanzania to independence and served as its first president from 1961 to
1985, had what was described as a massive stroke earlier this week and doctors said he
would not recover. Addressing the nation on television, Tanzania's current President
Benjamin Mkapa announced that he died at 0730gmt at St. Thomas's hospital in London.
"I know it is shocking news to all of us Tanzanians who loved and revered
Nyerere,
the father of our nation. I am asking you my fellow countrymen to remain calm at this
difficult time of extreme grief," he said.
He said the challenge now was for Tanzanians to build on the important foundation which he
laid for our nation. An important opponent of colonialism and apartheid, Dr. Nyerere stood
out as an African leader who ignored the trappings of power.
Moreover, as an African socialist his policy of "ujamaa", community-based
farming collectives, generated tremendous discussion and debate in Africa and throughout
the world. In addition, he assisted in the founding of the Organization of African Unity
(OAU) in Ethiopia in 1963.
After stepping down as president, Dr. Nyerere became an influential figure on the
international scene.
Most recently he had been mediating talks in northern Tanzania aimed at ending the ethnic
and political conflict in Burundi.*
Statement By Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa on the Death of Former President Dr.
Julius "Mwalimu" Nyerere.
A special and unscheduled address to the nation by President Benjamin Mkapa, broadcast by
Radio Tanzania on October 14th 1999:
Dear citizens, it is with great sadness that I announce to you that our beloved
father of the nation, Comrade Julius Kambarage Nyerere, is dead.
Mwalimu died this morning at 10:30 Tanzanian time at St. Thomas's Hospital, London, where
he had been undergoing treatment for Leukaemia since the 24th of September.
As our earlier statements have indicated, the condition of the father of the nation
changed suddenly on Wednesday night, 30th September, and all his organs began to
deteriorate. This caused the doctors to transfer him to the intensive care unit, where he
passed away today.
I know that the death of the father of the nation will shock you and sadden all
Tanzanians. Many will feel anxiety. Mwalimu created the foundations of unity for our
nation and struggled for it with all his strength.
 Mwalimu and the
late Mzee Abeid Amani Karume created the United Republic of Tanzania, by uniting the
Republic of Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar. Mwalimu gave this country
fame and respect by leading national and international struggles to liberate the countries
of southern Africa and making efforts to resolve political and military conflicts in
independent neighbouring states.
Given this remarkable leadership record there will be some citizens who will fear that the
unity of the country will be jeopardised, that our union will disintegrate and our
relations with neighbouring countries will be affected. I beg you, citizens, to believe
that Mwalimu succeeded in building a firm and strong foundation in all these
areas. We,
who inherited that unity and union, took an oath to make it everlasting and
continuous.
I beg you, citizens, to cooperate in paying deserved respect to the father of the nation
by remaining committed to the legacy of his work, his service and his love. Comrade
citizens, as we await the body of the father of the nation, I beg you to remain calm and
to maintain our solidarity, brotherhood and love at this heavy and unique moment of grief
facing our country.
The father of the nation will be accorded a full state funeral. The government will issue
further statements later about the reception of the body of our beloved, and about the
funeral arrangements.
We pray to God to rest the soul of our beloved elder in heaven.
God bless our country. God bless Africa.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release October 14, 1999
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT.
On behalf of the American people, Hillary and I extend our
deepestsympathies to the family of former President Julius Nyerere, to PresidentMkapa and
the people of Tanzania. President Nyerere's death is a great lossfor Tanzania, for
Africa,
and for the international community as a whole. President Nyerere was a pioneering leader
for freedom andself-government in Africa. Many African leaders sought his guidance as
theycrafted their own new societies. President Nyerere dedicated his life to a vision
rooted in the beliefthat all people have a responsibility to protect those who cannot
protectthemselves. He practiced this ethic personally, aiding not only courageousAfrican
leaders but also ordinary victims of regional conflict; he openedTanzania's borders to
refugees from wars in Mozambique, Rwanda, Burundi,Congo, and Uganda. President Nyerere's
legacy of determination and compassion lives onin the generous people of Tanzania
today.
We join our friends in Tanzaniaand Africa in celebrating his achievements and mourning his
death. Ourthoughts and prayers are with his family and his fellow citizens.
Bill Clinton
Secretary of
State Madeleine K. Albright
Statement of the Death of Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere
October 14, 1999, Washington, D.C.
As released by the Office of the Spokesman
U.S. Department of State
I was deeply saddened to learn of the
death of former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere in London. As the first president of
Tanzania, he laid the foundation for over thirty years of peace and stability in his
country. His belief in the need to provide security for all the people of his country
guided his unique vision of the social compact. President Nyerere built strong
institutions to ensure that Tanzania's gains would be shared by future generations. His
decision to lead Tanzania's transition to democracy demonstrated his profound respect for
the will of the Tanzanian people. President Nyerere's selfless contributions, in
turn,
earned him the deep respect of all Tanzanians.
A giant on the world stage, President Nyerere was an eloquent spokesman for the
developing world. His long record of achievement as an international figure includes many
contributions to regional peace. President Nyerere was a leader in the fight against
apartheid in South Africa, ended the cruel reign of Idi Amin in Uganda, and aided other
liberation struggles across Southern Africa. Most recently, he brought his considerable
diplomatic talents to bear as Facilitator of the Burundi peace negotiations. President
Nyerere's wise counsel and moral authority will be missed throughout Africa, in the United
States, and by people across the globe. I offer my most sincere condolences to his family
and to the Tanzanian people.
Madeleine K. Albright
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