Aug 23, 2006 6:24 pm US/Central
Obama Pays Tribute To Victims Of Apartheid
Illinois Senator Honors Dead Teens During Trip To South Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa
(CBS)
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Sen. Barack Obama comforts Antoinette Peterson during his trip to South Africa.
CBS
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Sen. Barack Obama pays tribute to South Africa's victims of apartheid.
CBS
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Antoinette Peterson as her 13-year-old brother dies in a friend's arms.
Hector Peterson Museum
Apartheid's terrible toll dominated the fourth day of
Barack Obama's African journey on Wednesday as the Illinois senator honored teens gunned down during past peaceful protests.
Obama paid tribute to the dozens of youths in
South Africa who were slain by police in 1976, when the teens' peaceful call to end official racism was met with bullets.
"It's a good way for all of us to remember the struggle that people went through for their freedom," Obama said. "That's an inspiration."
Obama comforted
Antoinette Peterson, whose horror was caught in a famous photo of her as her brother Hector, who was 13, was dying in a friend's arms.
"All of us drew inspiration from what happened here," Obama said. "All of us wept when we saw some of the deaths."
Obama said his entry into politics was a reaction to the injustice of apartheid.
"If it wasn't for some of the activities that have happened here, I might not have been involved in politics," he said. "[It was] an important moment not just for South Africa but for people all around the world."
CBS 2 Politcal Editor Mike Flannery is traveling with Sen. Obama and will begin live reports from Africa this Friday night at six and ten.
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