Honouring Desmond Tutu - interview with legendary anti-apartheid activist Fr Michael Lapsley
Channel: Afri
Date: 2022-01-18

While serving as a priest, Father Lapsley became involved in politics as he felt it was his duty to speak out against the injustices of the Apartheid regime. In 1976,  the Apartheid government exiled Father Lapsley for his affiliation to the African National Congress (ANC) as well as for the support of students after the 1976 student uprising. On the 28 April 1990, Father Lapsley received two pieces of mail from South Africa. Included in one of the pieces of mail was a powerful letter bomb that gravely injured him. This attempt on his life was organised by the Civil Cooperation Bureau, a covert organisation of the South African Government's security apparatus. He has dedicated his life to helping others deal with the suffering and scars inflicted by oppressive regimes. Father Lapsley currently runs The Centre for Healing Memories in Cape Town.

This is a short interview with Fr Lapsley Michael by author and activist Ruairí McKiernan taken from an online celebration of the life of Archbishop Desmond Tutu which was held for his Irish friends and supporters. You can watch the full version is available to watch here : https://youtu.be/Tf2cZb3OO74

For over four decades Afri has been involved in opposing war, promoting food sovereignty and tackling climate change - working especially with  Secondary and Third level students as well as with the general public. We organise the annual Famine Walk in Mayo, a Hedge School in TU Blanchardstown and Féile Bríde in Kildare. Thank you for continuing to support our work.

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