US Senate moves to lift Mandela's 'terror' label

[Jahness]

US Senate moves to lift Mandela's 'terror' label



The US Senate has approved a bill to remove former South African president Nelson Mandela and his African National Congress from the US terror watch list, lawmakers said Friday.

"Today the United States moved closer at last to removing the great shame of dishonoring this great leader by including him on our government's terror watch list," said Senator John Kerry.

The bill now heads to the White House, where it is expected to be signed by President George W. Bush in time for the anti-apartheid leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner's 90th birthday on July 18.

"Nelson Mandela does not belong on a terrorist watch list -- period," said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. "The Senate's vote today will help fix a problem that has caused injustice to South African leaders and embarrassment to the United States."

In April, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged a Senate committee to remove the restrictions on the ANC party, calling it a "rather embarrassing matter that I still have to waive in my own counterpart, the foreign minister of South Africa, not to mention the great leader Nelson Mandela."

A similar bill also passed the House of Representatives. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat who co-sponsored the House version, said last month she was "especially pleased we are taking this important step to finally right this inexcusable wrong."

Lee and others said the legislation introduced during the 1980s while Ronald Reagan was president is anachronistic and wrongfully labels as terrorists men and women who are heroes and freedom fighters.

Lee recalled that the ANC could travel to United Nations headquarters in New York but not to Washington, DC, or other parts of the United States.

US Senate moves to lift Mandela's 'terror' label - Yahoo! News

Copyright © 2008 Agence France Presse.

[Jahness]

Mandela finally dropped from US terror watch list



President George W. Bush has removed former South African president Nelson Mandela and his African National Congress from the US terror watch list, the White House said Tuesday.

The bill was sent to the White House last week and signed in time for the anti-apartheid leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner's 90th birthday on July 18.

"Today the United States moved closer at last to removing the great shame of dishonoring this great leader by including him on our government's terror watch list," Senator John Kerry said after the bill was approved Friday.

When a similar bill passed the House of Representatives last month, Barbara Lee, a California Democrat who co-sponsored it, said she was "especially pleased we are taking this important step to finally right this inexcusable wrong."

Lee and others said the legislation introduced during the 1980s while Ronald Reagan was president was anachronistic and wrongfully labeled as heroes and freedom fighters as terrorists.

Lee recalled that under the legislation the ANC could travel to United Nations headquarters in New York but not to Washington, DC, or other parts of the United States.

In April, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged a Senate committee to remove the restrictions on the ANC party, calling it a "rather embarrassing matter that I still have to waive in my own counterpart, the foreign minister of South Africa, not to mention the great leader Nelson Mandela."

Mandela finally dropped from US terror watch list - Yahoo! News

Copyright © 2008 Agence France Presse.