by ISSA SHIVJI
Revolutionary leader Che Guevara (right) meeting with French existentialist philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir at his office in Havana, March 1960. Sartre later wrote that Che was “the most complete human being of our time”. In addition to Spanish, Guevara was fluent in French. PHOTO/Wikipedia
Che, the revolutionary thinker and organizer whosebirthday falls on June 14, has left us two major elements of his legacy. One: Revolution is everything and we as individuals, in isolation, are nothing. And two: Injustice anywhere against anyone is injustice against all of us everywhere.
“Dear Hildita, Aleidita, Camilo, Celia and Ernesto,
If you read this letter one day, it will mean that I am no longer alive. You will hardly remember me, and the smallest among you will have entirely forgotten me.
Your father was a man who acted as he thought best and who has been absolutely faithful to his convictions. Grow up into good revolutionaries. Study hard to master technique, which gives you mastery over nature.
Remember that it is the Revolution which is important and that each of us, taken in isolation, is worth nothing. Above all be sensitive, in the deepest areas of yourselves, to any injustice committed against whoever it may be anywhere in the world.
Yours always, my children. I hope to see you again. A big strong kiss from Daddy”
[Source: http://www.hey-che.com/goodbye-letter-to-his-children- 1965/]
Che wrote this letter to his children around the time he was leaving for Bolivia to continue the struggle there. Of course at the time no one knew where Che had gone.
In this letter, Che has left us two major elements of his legacy. One: Revolution is everything and we as individuals, in isolation, are nothing. And by Revolution is meant a fundamental transformation of society to build a new social order – a humane social order based on human equality and social equity. The second element is: injustice anywhere against any one is injustice against all of us everywhere.
Salim Msoma’s and my generation were inspired by this legacy and we tried to live that legacy. We were at the University of Dar es Salaam during the period when there was great revolutionary turbulence all over the world. We felt a part of that great struggle for socialism and against imperialism and capitalism. We considered ourselves part of the African Revolution. We demonstrated against the US Embassy when it was raining napalm on Vietnamese people. We demonstrated against the Soviet Embassy when it invaded Czechoslovakia. Some of our comrades went to live in liberated areas of Mozambique. We closely followed student struggles in France against De Gaulle. We celebrated the achievements of the civil rights movement in the US. The humanity in us was one, undivided by caste, colour or creed.
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