Xinhua News Agency (
June 27, 2008
The Senate
unanimously green-lighted the legislation on a voice vote late on Thursday,
removing the "terrorist" label and travel restrictions imposed on
Mandela and other senior members of his African National Congress (ANC).
A same legislation
was passed on May 8 at the House of Representatives.
In an address to the
Senate last month, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged for the
removal, saying "It is frankly a rather embarrassing matter that I still
have to waive in my own counterparts -- the foreign minister of
"I really do
hope that we can remove these restrictions on the ANC. This is a country with which
we now have excellent relations - -
The ANC was banned by
the South African apartheid government in 1960, its leaders jailed or forced
into exile until the ban on the movement was lifted 30 years later.
Mandela was jailed for
27 years for his leadership in the struggle against apartheid in
"It is shameful
that the United States still treats the ANC this way based solely on its designation
as a terrorist organization by the old apartheid South African regime,"
said Howard Berman, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs who
introduced the legislation.
Mandela, who is
turning 90 on July 18, celebrate his 90th birthday with
a concert in