The African National Congress (ANC) was designated as a terrorist organisation by South Africa's old apartheid regime. Since that time, things changed. Apartheid is not legal anymore, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and the ANC became the government.



Other things have not changed: all ANC leaders, including Nelson Mandela, are still tagged as 'terrorists' in US security databases and need to get a special waiver to enter the US.



US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has now asked for the "embarrassing" travel restrictions to be lifted. Good. I am happy the US administration is keeping up with the fast moving pace of world politics. The ANC has been South Africa's governing party since 14 years. (Full)



Soon, one embarrassment less. Some more challenges still to tackle, though. Like convincing US President Bush statements like "Mandela is dead" is not really OK. Not really.







It might have something to do with the fact that Mandela has never been short of criticism on US politics or the current US presidency. Remember that back in 2003, he commented: "If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don't care."

Mandela was rather specific on Bush too: "What I am condemning is that one power, with a president who has no foresight, who cannot think properly, is now wanting to plunge the world into a holocaust (referring to the Iraq war)." (Full)