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NNA - Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri issued the following statement:"With the passing away of Nelson Mandela, we lose an exceptional man in the life of Africa and the world. His outstanding personality, which became a symbol of struggle for justice, freedom, and peace and fight against racial discrimination, has marked human history.The true legacy of Mandela is that of a man who continued, after 27 years in prison, to defend justice in the face of revenge and reconciliation in the face of violence. He proved that a society with all these racial and religious differences and this violent heritage can become a successful pluralistic democracy.Mandela became almost one hundred years old, and remained till the last minute a rare piece of brown gold that scintillates over humanity and that presents live examples of the values of forgiveness, reconciliation, the recognition of the other, and inflicting moral and ethical punishment to all the concepts that make the human being a fierce beast struggling for survival with the spirit of domination and revenge.It was not surprising that humanity honored this man in his life, that he received more than 250 honor medals, and that statutes were raised for him and squares named after him in many countries of the world, particularly in the capitals of great countries that compete to follow his example, he who was guided by the sufferings of his people and was a witness to the injustice that fell on them, and discovered that true freedom cannot happen without forgiveness and adherence to the values of justice and coexistence.May God guide us all on this path and grant our peoples mercy, affection and security".==============