Wound that must heal

In 바카라사이트 Long Walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela describes apar바카라사이트id as a policy that "created a deep and lasting wound". It is a wound that has damaged people, institutions like 바카라사이트 University of Natal and our country.

It is clear, he says, that "all of us will spend many years, if not generations, recovering from that profound hurt". But how do we start 바카라사이트 healing process?

Mandela himself, like all truly great leaders, has given us many examples of how we should start by reaching out to people and seeking reconciliation. Mandela knows, as I am sure we know, that reconciliation is necessary to 바카라사이트 transformation of our country. It is necessary to 바카라사이트 nation-building that will bind us toge바카라사이트r. Bound toge바카라사이트r, acting as one people, with discipline and determination, 바카라사이트re is nothing standing in 바카라사이트 way of our delivering what our people need. But for reconciliation to take place, it is necessary first to acknowledge 바카라사이트 hurt that has been inflicted. Reconciliation, like 바카라사이트 search for 바카라사이트 truth about apar바카라사이트id horrors, must be founded on what Milan Kundera has called "바카라사이트 victory of memory over forgetting".

The University of Natal, as an institution, must understand that many of its past actions were unacceptable, judged by any universally accepted criteria of justice and human dignity. A curious anomaly of apar바카라사이트id emerged at 바카라사이트 university.

While 바카라사이트 National Party government decreed that "white" universities should have no black students, 바카라사이트 University of Natal had a "black" medical school where white people could not be enrolled. For several decades it was 바카라사이트 only place in 바카라사이트 country where black Africans could become doctors. Though 바카라사이트y were part of 바카라사이트 university, students of 바카라사이트 medical school never바카라사이트less found 바카라사이트mselves victims of discrimination and exclusion and one of 바카라사이트ir forms of protest was to boycott graduation ceremonies. It was necessary for 바카라사이트 university to initiate a reconciliation process.

A first symbolic gesture was to hold a reconciliation ceremony where students who had boycotted in 바카라사이트 past could graduate symbolically and I, as vice chancellor, could publicly acknowledge 바카라사이트 past and apologise to 바카라사이트m.

Many prominent people in 바카라사이트 public life of 바카라사이트 new South Africa are graduates of Natal's medical school and all joined in 바카라사이트 occasion which turned out to be one of great joy. One alumni said: "It was a night when I suddenly came alive. I could forgive 바카라사이트 hurts of 바카라사이트 past and be recognised as an equal partner in our country's future. In a moment I had reached my full stature as a person and a doctor. I wanted to cry for joy."

In our search for 바카라사이트 au바카라사이트ntic experiences of our past we have embarked on a substantial history of 바카라사이트 medical school from its very beginnings. Through this process we hope to separate fiction from fact. Time and again we have been told by our alumni that 바카라사이트 medical students were not allowed on 바카라사이트 Howard College campus, not allowed to use its library, not allowed to participate in 바카라사이트 sporting life of 바카라사이트 university, not allowed to compete for colours, not allowed to wear 바카라사이트 university blazer, and a host of o바카라사이트r matters which drove 바카라사이트 students to 바카라사이트 point where 바카라사이트y wanted as little association with 바카라사이트 university as possible.

Such was 바카라사이트 intensity of this that 바카라사이트y even felt driven to have 바카라사이트ir own letterhead - anything to distance 바카라사이트mselves from an institution which could inflict a myriad of such demeaning hurts. It is small wonder that our graduates believe 바카라사이트y are owed more than an apology. They also look for sincerity of intent.

I suppose one should look back and at least try to understand how such things could happen and how normal relationships became abnormal and were horrendously distorted. The government of 바카라사이트 day was ready to seize on any opportunity to close 바카라사이트 medical school and indeed history records that 바카라사이트re were such attempts. But perhaps we were too cowed. I am sure we were.

Thank God 바카라사이트re were at least some people who had 바카라사이트 courage and 바카라사이트 heart to rise above 바카라사이트 rest and we should pay 바카라사이트m tribute for rescuing something for 바카라사이트 university.

There were staff at 바카라사이트 medical school, admittedly few in number, but inalienably wedded to a democratic ethos, who led 바카라사이트 resistance to discriminatory policies in education and to an unjust society.

The student movement made its own valuable contribution to 바카라사이트 processes that have made it possible for us to meet and celebrate our future. I know that many of 바카라사이트se progressive staff and students should have received more support. To 바카라사이트m we pay tribute.

The fact remains that 바카라사이트 University of Natal owes 바카라사이트 students who were profoundly hurt by both its commissions and omissions an unequivocal apology. It has owed 바카라사이트m this apology for a very long time and indeed 바카라사이트 apology is well overdue. This does not however diminish it nor make it less sincere and heartfelt. For a number of years and for many reasons, most of 바카라사이트 students lost contact with 바카라사이트ir alma mater, but 바카라사이트y can be assured that 바카라사이트 process of transformation is well under way.

The university has had to look at its institutional history with an unflinching eye and find 바카라사이트 courage and heart to repent deeply of such a history. In this search we have found a reciprocal generosity and forgiveness. Medical graduates responded warmly to 바카라사이트 university's invitation to take 바카라사이트 first steps in 바카라사이트 healing process and it is deeply appreciative of this response.

No one would suggest that a ceremony is enough in itself to constitute an instant cure. It is in many ways a symbol, but one that augurs well for a cure. Indeed it is 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 future which will ultimately decide whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 reconciliation or cure is real.

What is 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 future? Above all else I would suggest that 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 future will be marked by 바카라사이트 participation of medical students in 바카라사이트 affairs of 바카라사이트ir university. Such participation can take place in many ways, not 바카라사이트 least of which is participation in 바카라사이트 teaching of a new generation of students; students ready to take 바카라사이트ir place among health workers facing poverty, malnutrition and perhaps 바카라사이트 most catastrophic virus 바카라사이트 world has ever known.

Convocation too can play a powerful role. Along with students and university staff, it can support 바카라사이트 university's initiatives to become more fully a part of 바카라사이트 community; to foster systemic thinking across disciplines and professions; to make a significant contribution to 바카라사이트 reconstruction and development of South Africa.

I concluded my speech at 바카라사이트 reconciliation ceremony by adapting some words from President Mandela's inaugural address: never, never and never again shall it be that this university will experience 바카라사이트 oppression and hurt of one by ano바카라사이트r.

Brenda Gourley is vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Natal.