Address to Members of Parliament

It is with a sense of humility and profound respect that I accept the gracious invitation to address you from this rostrum. Your generous words of introduction will be kept in our hearts. We are the guests and the witnesses to a nation building itself. What I have seen and heard from afar and during my stay is a fierce commitment to succeed. - An uncompromising determination to compromise.

The outside world cannot be allowed to be indifferent towards this great endeavour. You have a right to expect support. Success has many fathers and failure is an orphan. There are many outsiders who require a place for themselves when the story of the dismantling of apartheid will be told. But the bottom line is this: The peaceful transition to democracy in South Africa is the work of South Africans, and solely the work of South Africans themselves.

If other countries and organizations have had the good fortune to be allowed to support this great struggle for democracy, and if that support will have strengthened the negotiators and conciliators only a trifle, then it has not been futile. Then your reward is our reward. And your freedom means that our freedom is enriched with a more profound meaning. Because freedom is incomplete as long as it is not shared by all people, black people and white people, by men and women alike, and by all creeds and religions.

There were times when the black South African had freedom of thought, but not of expression, movement or self-determination. But even amidst the most profound and desperate poverty - even there we meet the most dignified, superior people. Bent, but not broken, like a flower in a storm, swaying back - upright.

That situation could not last. This momentous achievement of democracy will forever be set in stone as South Africa's own coming to terms with itself, in a magnificent display of grace, courage and humanity.

Looking back - there were decades when the official paths between our governments were unused and became overgrown. The open paths, from people to people, were hidden paths. In times of great trial and tribulations for the majority of South Africans, there were people, good people, decent people, around the world who sided with the oppressed, and engaged.

In my own country, the quest for democracy in South Africa became a defining political issue for many people, young and old. Trade unions, churches, solidarity movement and also the government, - your cause was our cause.

There are many who now can tell stories of difficult years. Of clandestine talks. Of financial and other tangible support being channeled from abroad at times when this was unlawful. But the belief that new South Africa would soon emerge was strong, also among its supporters in other countries.

In Norway, we remember how Albert Lutuli came to Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for 1960. The Prize, he said, could not be for him alone, not for South Africa alone, but for the whole of Africa - torn with strife and struggle, haunted by famine and poverty. The Prize, he said, was for nationbuilding, for welding tribes together. For creating a sense of oneness. The mother of liberation movements, the African National Congress, was dedicated to this purpose - he knew, himself a Zulu.

The first comprehensive demonstrations against racial segregation in my country happened over South Africa, when an all white team came to play against Norway in the Davies Cup. There were arrests. Norwegians went to jail in solidarity with black South Africa. For many Norwegians, the struggle for democracy in South Africa came to dominate their political view of the world during important and formative years.

Then came the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. And his monumental speech. "Above all", he said, " we want political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent". Why did we identify so strongly with this man, his cause and this struggle? Perhaps because Norway itself is old as a nation, but young as a free country. We knew foreign domination. We knew occupation and oppression. And we knew that we could not be indifferent - that is the greatest sin on earth - to be indifferent to the plight of your brother and sister.

The aggregate support we have given over the years of struggle for the cause of democracy in South Africa comes close to 1 billion Rand.

We helped create organizations in particular trade unions. We supported the refugee camps in neighbouring countries.

And later, we helped facilitate meetings between some of the parties, inside and outside South Africa itself.

Our non-governmental organizations can tell incredible stories about how financial support would reach its destinations. Adventurous stories. True stories. About brave people.

The former South African government was all but pleased with our diplomatic representation here. Our ambassador once, having taken a scolding in the Union House, said to reporters: "I have been kicked out of a number of fine places, but never out of such a fine place like this".

Trade Union representatives too, took quite some risk. Our Trade Unions were always active - convincing other western trade unions that there was no truth in the accusations of Soviet influence being directed at COSATU and the ANC. This was slander, aimed at weakening democratic forces in South Africa. We fought against this slander. Truth prevailed, at last.

Our trade unions met with COSATU and others. Under cover. Again taking risks. Once a group of trade union representatives were caught in the situation in which they were not supposed to be. Facing the barrels of police forces - tension building - a trade unionist started singing

"A policeman's duty is a heavy one but his job has to be done, done, done".

All parties smiled. The human touch won. Everybody was allowed to leave.

This was at the time when South Africa could have no better visiting ambassador to Norway than Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He became the second South African to come to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize - in 1984. Good Desmond Tutu. All of Norway loved him. All of Norway sang with him: We shall overcome!

We needed to hear his lively tales of how hope survives amidst oppression and despair. We knew that non-violent struggle was supported by people of great strength and perseverance.

Then came the non-violent revolution. His hair had grayed, but his grace and dignity was untouched by time and refined by hardship. His walk held a whole world captive before flickering TV images. Nelson Mandela was free.

The song had echoed all over the world where people are drinking from the cup of freedom, in schools and kindergartens and in political meeting, all over where solidarity was alive, impatient and eager to see that day - free Nelson Mandela.

It is my honour today, to salute the architects of this new South Africa - a country that has resumed a seat long held vacant - among countries whole and free.

Now is the time for reconstruction - and South Africa can rightfully expect that those countries that supported you during the long night of entrenchment, now will stand firm by your side.

Now is the time for reconciliation - and like every seminal move along this country's rise towards prosperity - South Africans themselves are the pilots and the captains.

Norway's modest financial contributions, to the Truth Commission, elections, constitutional work, are no more than tokens of unbroken solidarity. We meet as equal partners now. Building on deep-rooted friendship.

South Africa is a winning nation. I come from a country where sports is spoken fluently. We know what success in sports means to a nations self- esteem, and what it means to a nation to something that others want to win. Few of us have missed the frenzy of the moment when Mark Williams crowned his team's performance and secured the African Nations Cup for South Africa. Congratulations Bafana Bafana.

Yes South Africa is a winning nation. I visited Kayelitsha three days ago. We saw there the new self-esteem in the eyes of hundreds of children, they who are the future of the nation and its most precious resource. And we signed a new agreement between your sports council and ours to promote sports for everybody. As a token of our new cooperation, we invited a youth team to play next year in the greatest youth tournament in the World: the Norway Cup.

We want to be a part of the new tide of opportunity. That will lift South Africa to new hights of freedom.

We have also come to resume trade. There were times of embargo and sanction when trade between us fell to almost nothing. It was by our own decision that we withdrew from this country, and it will be by our own performance and excellence that we will make the comeback. Because we too want to be a winning nation.

So let us build new alliances. We offer the services to this new South Africa of the world's most modern maritime sector, one of the largest in the world. We offer first class expertise in the management of telecommunications as you begin building millions of telephone lines. We have excellence to offer to your fishing industry, and in managing marine resources.

We wish for a new beginning in the field of the environment - and an environmental agreement was signed yesterday to help save natural resources for future generations.

But above all, we are here to strengthen our political relations. Already we have a solid basis. Our challenges are different. But the essence of what we must do - we share.

We have seen the eyes of poor children - the hope and the most precious capital of any country. Our prime responsibility - whether we live in affluent societies or in squatters and shantytowns - is to give children opportunity.

Education is key to any development strategy. And South Africa can set an example, for the whole of Africa, - by putting its children first. All over the world, and in the international organizations - this view is the dominating: It is by investing in people and by an equitable distribution, that poverty will be overcome.

Knowledge is a democratic resource. There is enough for everybody if we distribute it equitably. My own country was among the poorest in Europe 100 years ago. Now we are in a fortunate and in an opposite position because we gave people more equal opportunity. The educational system is key.

The most valuable resources of South Africa is not its gold or minerals - but its people. Norway is an oil producing country, but its worth to the nation would be little could we not find it, produce it and market it in the most effective ways. People can do that, not oil or gold itself.

Health is vital. The point is not to build the most expensive health systems in the world, - but to secure an equitable access to basic health services. A good primary health care system is the spine of a healthy nation. The rich will always be able to pay their way.

Equitable distribution. A non-racial, non sexist country will ensure that little black girls and boys will have the same opportunity, nutritional opportunity educational opportunity as their little white brothers and sisters, and soon they will share in the building of this great nation, which can become a role model for much of Africa and the world.

Our concern are with the disenfranchised and destitute who belong in inclusive societies, but who are not there yet. New South Africa has not rid itself of racial segregation to allow new tiers of elitism to emerge. No country can afford such thinking.

South Africa can become a beacon of hope for a continent thirsting for the healing vaccination that only good government can provide. Even in times of Apartheid, South Africa was not a lawless land. There was a legal basis, after all, not least in administration and in working life. Much of the foreign assistance went to court litigation, in support of workers and their rights.

What we now see is that the qualities of South Africa that used to serve a minority are shared with the whole nation. South Africa has a better chance than many countries to build a strong and effective public sector, to direct the savings you accumulate as a nation, put them to use for the common good, and to hold at arms length the usurpation of corruption that draws the blood out of the veins of so many countries in Africa.

Government is central, regional and local. Many of those self-effacing individuals that worked so hard in the voluntary organizations in the past are now the backbone of local government and administration. These people were our friends. It was these people we worked with, at times when they had to hide their activities. Now, they are in charge.

But friendships last. We want to continue to work with you. We want to see and contribute to the final fruition, not only to celebrate the change. That is why we separate our financial support. Part of it is state to state. Part of it is NGO to NGO, church to church, trade union to trade union.

And finally. There were enormous efforts in the United Nations, castigating a practice that the world community could not tolerate. The least that South Africa now can expect from the United Nations, as you return to that table, is a seat and a voice becoming of a country great and free.

Already, we have seen South Africa speak with candor and conviction in important negotiation on disarmament and development. We have seen at last years UN summits how the world listens to the voice of South Africa.

We recognize the potential of South Africa as a stabilizing factor in the South of Africa, and we have started to work with you to share experience from peace-keeping operations.

We expect that South Africa will play an assertive role also with regard to the issues of environment and development. With regard to human rights, where, all too often, those who are right, and who say what is right may find themselves walking in solitude.

I am confident that this country can grow an all-infusing culture of human rights. Since the founding idea of the New South Africa is the rejection of the systematic denial of human rights. You have risen above a situation where normality was criminalized and criminality normalized. The rejection of this past abnormalcy will forever rank as a constitutional founding principle for this new beginning.

So remind us, whenever you face a complexity of challenges. Daunting tasks and great expectations that cannot all be fulfilled in the course of a few years only.

South Africa must be judged not by the heights of the expectations and needs of the people, but by the depth from which it has emerged.

So though you face great difficulties - South Africa seems destined to become a winning nation. Let the RDP become a force multiplier, driven by a civil service committed to the goals of the government.

When the townships become electrified and a doctor is available and affordable, there will be new hope in Kayelitsha, Sharpville and Soweto.

When schools are built where the people live and when the small children see their elder brothers and sisters take up normal employment, they will find new hope that there is an adult world out there, where they will be accepted and appreciated.

When there is a wage structure which allows for more upward mobility, there will be new home-owners, first home-owners, and the economy will grow. The changes will require more solidarity among those who live in great affluence, but South Africa can as little afford an economic apartheid as it could a racial one.

All over the world, we depend not only on our own work, but on each other's work. This is patriotism. Creating a working nation. Bridging the gap between the fortunate few and the powerless poor - healing the scar on humanity's face.

Some degree of affirmative action is needed in all countries. This is the nature of all social schemes. There isn't one country in the world, not Norway, not anyone, where men and women enjoy complete equality of opportunity. Some affirmative action is needed.

In Norway almost half of the cabinet members are women and almost 40 per cent of the members of parliament, but some affirmative action is needed to encourage and sustain that level.

There will be no foreign investors, or multinational companies coming here to run schools and primary health services. There will be no private telecom company coming to wire the townships for profit. While the market is good at allocating resources effectively, the market forces alone will not promote justice or social security or assert the larger vision of solidarity between present and future generations that only people, acting politically can have.

A strong, modern public sector is the backbone of any growing economy. This is the challenge of any government and parliament - to make the state work. South Africa can do this, with its immense human resources. Is patience required? - no impatience! - but a cool, and peaceful impatience.

South Africa must have peace with itself and peace with its neigbours. The enduring discords of the past can now be transformed into a symphony of brotherhood as the bright day of justice emerges.

I shall leave you now, but our hearts and minds will remain with you, knowing that out there in the townships, there are future doctors, future teachers, future engineers, and all kinds of soldiers of peaceful development, for this winning nation.