Country of My SkullEver since Nelson Mandela dramatically walked out of prison in 1990 after twenty-seven years behind bars, South Africa has been undergoing a radical transformation. In one of the most miraculous events of the century, the oppressive system of apartheid was dismantled. But how could this country - one of spectacular beauty and promise - come to terms with its ugly past? How could its people, whom the oppressive white government had pitted against one another, live side by side as friends and neighbors? To begin the healing process, Nelson Mandela created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, headed by the renowned cleric Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Established in 1995, the commission faced the awesome task of hearing the testimony of the victims of apartheid as well as the oppressors. In this book, Antjie Krog, a South African journalist and poet who has covered the work of the commission, recounts the drama, the horrors, the wrenching personal stories of the victims and their families. Through the testimonies of victims of abuse and violence, from the appearance of Winnie Mandela to former South African president P.W. Botha's extraordinary courthouse press conference, this award-winning poet leads us on an amazing journey. |
From inside the book
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Page 198
... Death Row was hanged - you were dropped beneath the floorboards into a great cavern that was the South African Mint . There , for the rest of your life you made money . You would never be allowed out because then you would be able to ...
... Death Row was hanged - you were dropped beneath the floorboards into a great cavern that was the South African Mint . There , for the rest of your life you made money . You would never be allowed out because then you would be able to ...
Page 229
... death , the families of victims are often plagued by their own guilt . A sudden death also may leave all sorts of issues between the victim and the family unresolved . Siblings feel guilty that they survived . Parents are torn by self ...
... death , the families of victims are often plagued by their own guilt . A sudden death also may leave all sorts of issues between the victim and the family unresolved . Siblings feel guilty that they survived . Parents are torn by self ...
Page 248
... death has been trimmed to suit political interests . To dispel this suffocating fog of silence and lies is very important for the future of this country . This week for the first time there is a probing beneath the surface of the skin ...
... death has been trimmed to suit political interests . To dispel this suffocating fog of silence and lies is very important for the future of this country . This week for the first time there is a probing beneath the surface of the skin ...
Contents
They Never Wept the Men of My Race | 1 |
None More Parted than Us | 14 |
First Hearings | 22 |
Copyright | |
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