Long Night's Journey Into Day

I watched a documentary last night on apartheid in South Africa and The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's work, granting amnesty for some of the perpetrators of violence. This commission only granted amnesty hearings to people whose crimes were politically motivated, and the hearings were much like "trials", to determine if those asking for amnesty would receive it. It was a powerful thing. The documentary follows four different stories, four out of 22,000. If only we had had the foresight for this sort of commission after WWII. I was truly amazed. The chair of the commission is Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

I know this post is disjointed and seemingly rambling, but these stories have been on my mind, especially Thapelo Mbelo. It's a long story, but he struck me as a Judas figure, one who will truly be cursed for selling his own blood, his own "brothers". I'm puzzled by his actions, and yet I'm not. In a way he's another victim, a victim of the white empirical fist that has been plundering, raping, imprisoning Africa since time forgotten. Watching the Boers in action was like watching an old soldier reliving his "glory days", a sad symbol of a bygone (hopefully!!!) era - much like Faulkner's Emily Grierson rotting away in her old Southern home.

Just my thoughts. . . I'm still working on what I'm trying to say, to formulate my feelings and it's hard. I need to look up my friend Lovingson, who promised I could visit his home in Zimbabwe when he returns. Perhaps that would clear my head. . .

http://www.doj.gov.za/trc/trccom.htm
http://www.irisfilms.org/longnight/ln_gugu.htm