Britain unveils statue of Nelson Mandela

LONDON: Former South African president Nelson Mandela will watch as a statue of him is unveiled outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Wednesday before dignitaries including Prime Minister Gordon Brown.   

The 2.7 metre (nine foot) bronze sculpture will take its place in Parliament Square alongside figures including Britain's World War II leader Winston Churchill and 19th century United States president Abraham Lincoln.   

The ceremony at 10:30am (0930 GMT) will be a celebration of the achievements of the 89-year-old, who spent 27 years in prison before being freed in 1990 and becoming South Africa's first black leader in 1994 after the fall of apartheid.   

Gospel singers and dancers will perform in the square, while Brown will say the statue is a "beacon of hope that signals to anyone suffering injustice anywhere that their suffering will not last for ever, will never be in vain, and will be overcome," according to pre-released extracts of his speech.   

The new British premier wrote about Mandela's achievements in his recent book, "Courage", and said Tuesday he was "the greatest and most courageous leader of our generation".   

Brown, who took over the top job in June from Tony Blair, has signalled that tackling poverty in Africa will be a key priority for his government and has held talks with Mandela during his visit.   

Mandela himself has said he is glad to be in Britain because "this was one of our rulers, but we overthrew them."   

The Nobel Peace Prize winner stepped down as South Africa's president in 1999 and from public life in 2004 after being treated for prostate cancer three years earlier.   

However, he has since continued to speak out on anti-poverty and human rights issues.   

Brown's Downing Street office said on Tuesday that Mandela's wife, Graca Machel, is also to be honoured -- she will be made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her humanitarian work tackling poverty in Mozambique.   

Mandela married Machel, widow of a former president of Mozambique, in 1998 after his divorce from Winnie Mandela.   

Other figures attending the unveiling ceremony include film director Lord Richard Attenborough, whose 1987 film "Cry Freedom" told the story of newspaper editor Donald Woods and anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko.   

The site of the statue has prompted a rumbling five-year disagreement between officials -- London Mayor Ken Livingstone, who is also attending the ceremony, wanted it in Trafalgar Square, but the local council disagreed.   

It gave its assent to a statue in Parliament Square earlier this year.   

Other historical figures with statues in the square include former South African prime minister Jan Smuts.