Minister Marty Mourns Mandela

Jakarta, Dec 6 (Antara) - Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa on Thursday mourned the passing of Nelson Mandela. "We deeply mourn the passing away of a man of honour and principle; a towering figure against the heinous policy of apartheid whose struggles served as a rallying call the world over against racialism, colonialism and other forms of injustice", Minister Marty said. South Africa`s first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela died on Thursday evening. Mandela, 95, led South Africa`s transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s, after 27 years in prison. BBC reported that he had been receiving intense home-based medical care for a lung infection after three months in hospital. In a statement on South African national TV, Jacob Zuma said Mr Mandela had "departed" and was at peace. "Our nation has lost its greatest son," Zuma said. He said Mandela would receive a full state funeral, and flags would be flown at half-mast. BBC correspondents say Mandela`s body will be moved to a mortuary in Pretoria, and the funeral is likely to take place next Saturday. A crowd has gathered outside the house where Mr Mandela died. Some are flying South African flags and wearing the shirts of the governing African National Congress, which Mr Mandela once led. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was one of the world`s most revered statesmen after preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.