Strong message of reconciliation, unity in diversity as Indian mission in S Africa celebrates Eid

Johannesburg: A strong message of reconciliation, unity in diversity, and peaceful co-existence went out as the Indian Consulate in Johannesburg celebrated Eid at the weekend with the local and expatriate community.

“May we continue to benefit from peace and harmony. It is the very nature of family to celebrate together and struggle jointly. People of Indian heritage in South Africa had kept this ethos alive. You celebrate together just as you fought together against apartheid,” Consul General Mahesh Kumar told an audience of all communities in South Africa who shared the occasion at the Consulate.

“A recent visit to Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela spent most of his 27 years as a political prisoner of the minority white apartheid government before becoming the country’s first democratically-elected president) was a sobering experience for me,” Kumar said as he recounted the role of local Indian leaders in the freedom struggle.

“The tour essentially begins from the Karamat, the shrine of Sheikh Madura, and goes on to the cells where many Indian-origin South Africans joined the freedom fighters and gave away their youth.

“The Indian community here firmly stood up together whenever there have been attempts to disturb the harmony or disrupt the fabric of this rainbow nation. You resisted parochial attempts to wedge a divide between the communities. You did not allow your unity to be disturbed by importing issues from outside of South Africa,” Kumar said.

“You did not let diversity to exploited as differences. You continue to champion the principle of unity in diversity. Or the African philosophy of UBUNTU (I Am Because You Are). This unity has led you to contribute to South Africa’s development and strength and this is very well recognised by people here,” the diplomat added.

Kumar said that like South Africa, India’s strength comes from its unity in diversity.

“We have every religion, every skin tone, every ethnicity thriving in India. Every member of our society, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, is dedicated to a united India.

“This month, we Indians have celebrated Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Budh Purnima, Passover, Easter, Good Friday, Khalsa Sajna Divas, Mahavir Jayanti, and now the Eid.  Believe me, this is not an exhaustive list. No other country could claim such diversity,” Kumar said.

“You are the human bridge that links India with South Africa. Your efforts are key in keeping us close,” Kumar concluded.

Indian-origin South Africans endorsed Kumar’s message.

“We have lived side-by-side for generations, whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, white, Black or Indian, celebrating all our festivals and religious occasions together,” said veteran community activist Mohan Hira.

“Eid has always been as welcome across all communities equally alongside Diwali, Christmas or Easter,” Hira added.

Entertainers at the Eid celebration reinforced the unity between South African Indians of all faiths.

“It is always a pleasure to sing Naaths (songs in praise of the Prophet Muhammad) and other Muslim religious songs at any event,” said renowned local Indian-origin singers Mona Maharaj and Anil Rambaran, who are both of the Hindu faith but have strong support in the Muslim community as well.