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February 11
Thousands of people clamour to hear Nelson Mandela
1990: Freedom for Nelson Mandela
England have
Leading anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela has been freed from prison
in South Africa after 27 years.
His release follows the relaxation of apartheid laws - including lifting
the ban on leading black rights party the African National Congress (ANC) - by
South African President FW de Klerk.
Mr Mandela appeared at the gates of Victor-Verster Prison in Paarl at 1614
local time - an hour late - with his wife Winnie.
Holding her hand and dressed in a light brown suit and tie he smiled at the
ecstatic crowds and punched the air in a victory salute before taking a silver
BMW sedan to Cape Town, 40 miles away.
Doctors treated over a hundred people as police clashed with youths looting
shops in various cities and townships and several people were reported shot
dead.
Mr Mandela, the deputy-president of the ANC, appeared on the balcony of
Cape Town"s City Hall to speak to the 50,000 people assembled outside at 2000
local time.
He acknowledged Mr de Klerk was a man of integrity, but said: "Our struggle
has reached a decisive moment. Our march to freedom is irreversible."
"Now is the time to intensify the struggle on all fronts. To relax now
would be a mistake which future generations would not forgive," he
continued.
As he addressed the crowd South African state television broadcast a
profile of Mr Mandela - including a BBC interview from 1961 - which was the
first time he had been shown speaking on TV.
Now 71, the lawyer from the Transkei homeland was convicted of treason and
sabotage in June 1964 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He spent most of his sentence on Robben Island, off Cape Town, doing hard
labour.
Since the 1980s he has refused numerous offers for early release from the
government in Pretoria because of the conditions attached.
Supporters of the Ayatollah have armed themselves and seized control of the
city
1979: Victory for Khomeini as army steps aside
Artificially 1969:
The Supporters of the Ayatollah Khomeini appear to be in control of the
Iranian capital, Tehran, tonight.
Only 10 days since Khomeini"s triumphant return to Iran from exile in
Paris, the army has returned to barracks and given up the fight to defend the
old regime.
Prime Minister Shahpour Bakhtiar, brought in by the Shah only last month in
an effort to win back popular support, has resigned and disappeared.
Iran radio is reporting rumours he has committed suicide after his home in
North Tehran was attacked and burned down.
Abandoned tanks
Civilian demonstators have again been on the streets today, seizing control
of police and fire stations, forcing the officers to flee and arming themselves
with the weapons they found inside.
Khomeini set the country on a collision course five days ago when he
established a provisional government under Mehdi Bazargan and called on people
to demonstrate their support for an Islamic regime.
Ten people died in a battle for one police station today. In total the
death toll is now put at 200 with 700 injured.
Demonstrators have taken control of the airport and radio and television
station, where staff who had been on strike in support of the Ayatollah returned
immediately and began broadcasting news about the takeover of the country.
Elsewhere protesters have set fire to barricades across the streets, even
in the heart of the main shopping and business districts of the city.
Abandoned tanks have been left behind after soldiers previously loyal to
the Shah have switched allegiances.
Foreign embassies have been raided for their weapons.
The only remaining resistance came from soldiers of the elite Imperial
Guard, who were defending their headquarters in the north of the city at Lavizan
and at two royal palaces.
An announcement on television said the three bases had been surrounded by
revolutionary forces and negotiations were under way for their surrender.
Although there was no official announcement from Dr Bakhtiar of his
resignation, the news has been repeatedly broadcast by the media.
There had been rumours of a possible military coup. But a meeting of senior
generals this afternoon acknowledged this would split the army and cause serious
bloodshed.
They put out a statement at 1400 local time ordering troops to return to
their garrisons in order to prevent further bloodshed and anarchy .
Vocabulary:
ecstatic : feeling great rapture or delight(狂喜的)
anarchy: a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a
failure of government)(无政府状态) |
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发表于 2016-7-9 23:20:22