Death of Desmond Tutu: Back on his meeting with Annick Cojean

From our archives. Infatigable wrestler against apartheid, Nobel Peace Prize 1984 and friend of Nelson Mandela, the former Archbishop of Cape died on December 26 at the age of 90. In 2004, he confided to the “world” to remain optimistic about human nature and particularly on the strength of women.

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[The old archbishop of the CAP and icon of the fight against Apartheid Desmond Tutu died, Sunday, December 26, at the age of 90. Annick Cojean had met him in 2004, an archive we republish in full.]

These flameches in the look! These flakes of cheerfulness, humor and energy in his dark iris! And this big laugh in cascade! This beneficent laugh that you asparagus, contaminates you, delicious and jubilant. This man is disarming. Because it’s love that reads also in his apple. Something intensely attentive and benevolent. That’s why right away this look you warm, like his hand that he offers you at length, and like his cheerful laugh to welcome you. That’s why also, even before he speaks, starting the interview with a small improvised prayer aloud, you would like the meeting lasting hours. So much to ask him, to this activist, champion of the fight against apartheid, symbol of the Ghetto de Soweto, Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. But the time will be missed. Professor invited to King’s College of London for eight weeks, Archbishop has a job schedule. So before he returns to his native South Africa, and finds his friend Nelson Mandela to celebrate ten years of democracy, please do some messages. They are refreshing.

 Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, May 17, 2003.

because This man who is constantly traveling, this man who, all his life, was attentive to the struggles of the peoples, the human rights, this man does not understand the lack of lucidity of the great powers on the war in Iraq. Because he does not believe in violence to guarantee security. Because he defends the UN and respect for international law.

As early as January 2003, he participated in demonstrations against the war in Iraq. “It was so stimulating! In London, Paris, New York. Millions and millions of people scored around the world. It made confident in the human being. And yet the war took place. The immoral war. With fallacious justifications that we are now trying to minor to advance more. And for good reason! We still have not found, the famous weapons of mass destruction! Then we discuss the necessary change of diet. But it is to whom to decide on regime changes? To the most powerful? Apart from international law? It is still incredible! The Americans dare today assert that more than 10,000 civilians killed constitute a very low cost to get democracy . A very weak cost? Do you remember as they cried their 3,000 deaths from September 11th? “

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/Media reports.