▁to ▁violence ; ▁when ▁this ▁form ▁was ▁legisl ated ▁against , ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁Government ▁res orted ▁to ▁a ▁show ▁of ▁force ▁to ▁cr ush ▁opposition ▁to ▁its ▁policies , ▁only ▁then ▁did ▁we ▁decide ▁to ▁answer ▁with ▁violence . ▁ ▁The ▁manif esto ▁referred ▁to ▁by ▁Mand ela , ▁ad du ced ▁by ▁the ▁pro sec ution ▁at ▁his ▁trial ▁as ▁Ex hib it ▁AD , ▁included ▁the ▁statements : ▁ ▁Our ▁men ▁are ▁armed ▁and ▁trained ▁freedom ▁f igh ters ▁not ▁" ter ror ists ". ▁ ▁We ▁are ▁fighting ▁for ▁dem ocracy — major ity ▁rule — the ▁right ▁of ▁the ▁Afr icans ▁to ▁rule ▁Africa . ▁ ▁We ▁are ▁fighting ▁for ▁a ▁South ▁Africa ▁in ▁which ▁there ▁will ▁be ▁peace ▁and ▁harm ony ▁and ▁equal ▁rights ▁for ▁all ▁people . ▁ ▁We ▁are ▁not ▁ra cial ists , ▁as ▁the ▁white ▁opp ress ors ▁are . ▁The ▁African ▁National ▁Congress ▁has ▁a ▁message ▁of ▁freedom ▁for ▁all ▁who ▁live ▁in ▁our ▁country . ▁The ▁aim ▁was ▁to ▁act ▁only ▁against ▁hard ▁targets ▁such ▁as ▁power ▁p yl ons ▁and ▁avoid ▁any ▁injury ▁or ▁loss ▁of ▁life . ▁ ▁Dom estic ▁campaign ▁▁ 1 9 6 0 s — 1 9 7 0 s ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁Mand ela ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁South ▁African ▁newsp apers ▁warning ▁the ▁government ▁that ▁a ▁campaign ▁of ▁sab ot age ▁would ▁be ▁launched ▁unless ▁the ▁government ▁agreed ▁to ▁call ▁for ▁a ▁national ▁constitution al ▁convention . ▁Begin ning