ECSA

=

339 Lafayette StreetNew York, N.Y. 10012

Phone: (212) 477-0066

- For A Free Soutbem A/tieD ....

21 June 1985

from: NAMIBIA COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE~ London Windhoek: June Z8~ Z985

'INAUGURATION DAY' NAMIBIA: AN AMERICAN WITNESS

SOUTH AFRICA'S KOEVOET POLICE ATTACK PEACEFUL MARCH IN WINDHOEK

Hundreds of peaceful derrorlstrators against· South Africa's interim goverrunent in Namibiawere brutally beaten by police last night in the black township of Katutura, outside Wind~

hoek, the capital of Namibia. According to a spokesperson for the Council of Churches inNamibia, the hospitals and clinics in the township were filled with people who had beenclubhed and teargassed by South African Police. Reports today indicate that at least 71people have been kept in hospital and are being treated for severe bruises, broken bonesand concussions. At least one woman is known to have lost her eye due to the jarring ofa baton by one of South Africa' s elite counterinsurgency police.

The violence came unexpectedly, according to eyewitnesses. About 4,000 persons had at­tended a rally at the junior sports field in the township.· The meeting had been organizedby SWAPO and other political parties opposed to the government that South Africa was in­stalling at a celebration on the other side of the capital. At the end of the rally, closeto 1500 persons left the field and marched into the black township, away from the whiterun city of Windhoek.

'The crowd was peaceful , it was rrore of a celebration than a confrontation,' said GaryNelson, an Arrerican who is teaching this year in Namibia. Marchers were singing happilyand chanting "435 Now fl

, when 6 Koevoet anrored personnel carriers drove up behind thecrowd. A few minutes later 8 JIOre Koevoet vehicles came in front of the crDWd, blockedthe way and star t ing firing tear gas grenades.

'I saw the Koevoet getting out of the trucks and thrDWing their batons at cars and beatingthe people,' said HI' Nelson. There was no warning, and no provocation for the assault. 'Ayoung woman was lying on the ground, covering her head with_ four Koevoet beating her,' HI'Nelson continued. 'I had decided to go back the other way when a. Koevoet threw a rock atme in the back.· He saw I was white and had a camera, he ran·up to me and apologized,'said HI' Nelson. 'His commanding officer, who was white ,. then came up to me and said itwasn't his soldier who·':-threw -it, it was SWAPO who had thrown it.' .

HI' Nelson is teaching mathematics and science at Martin Luther High School this year on achurch volunteer program. He is a member of University Lutheran Church, Seattle ,Washington.

Reports indicate that the Koevoet police threw tear gas at the crowd and into houses inthe tOwnship, and went on a rampage, beating everyone in sight. According to eyewitnesses,the majority of the people beaten were women, and the police followed people mside houseswhere they had fled for refuge.

'I have seen the prograrrme of the celebration in the white part of town,' said HI' Nelson.'It seems that at the time the beatings were taking place, the official celebration wasreleasing white doves of peace. '

* * * * * * * * * * * *

-"-"

THE OBSERVER SUNDAY 16 JUNE 1985

':Namibia ma~chkrs teargassedas new government installed

From Barry Streek .. ', .;. '.. " 'te.rim Government T·shiTt; who rated t'he new govern",e"t.10 Windhoek" I :,:.., •. ,'. :. .. a~companied her to a, nearby sard that the multiparty Coli.. Police last night baton clinic, said: "We were only ference (MPC>, a' mulli.racial

charged and teargased a march going home." alliance consisting of six politi.of some 2,000' people': ini ·t~e··. It was impossible in the cal parties. had heen .g;ven lheblack townstiip' of Katatura ," growin darkness to establish power to administer the ~.rri­near the capital. how many people had been in. tory in the interest of aU

The marchers. mainly .. sup- )ured during the clash or Namibians.porters of the South' weSt .Af· whether anyone w~s arrested. Mr Botha, who described therican People's Organisation But the· mtroooctlon' of the event as an important one in(Swapo), were singing freedom new government had been Namibia's history. wished thes9ngs after leaving a meeting .marked by an ugly mCldent of new government well in main·held to protest against the new. taining and broadening thetransitional government which THE UN General Assembly growing consensus between thews installed.. yesterday. president, Pauls Lusaka of different groups. communities

They had' marched. ·soem dis· Zambia, yesterday coo- and parties in t'he territorytance from a soccer ground demned South Africa's estab- and in providing the type ofwhere the meeting ws held IIshment lbe Interim govern- government "which will· in·when the' pollee. in annoured ment In Namibia as an crease support for yourvehicles stopped them, fired. lIIegal att . initialive."teargas cannisters and hit the The new government, Con.i>articip~nts with batons. violence. relfecUng the con. sisting of eight ministers and

I watched as a black police- tinuing conftict and division in eight deputy ministers is blackman delivered at 'least six the country. . dominated. There are four Af.heavy blows to an injured . Earlier in the day the rlean ministers, two Colouredswoman· lying. ill the road - ·organisors called off a plan to and two whites. ContrarY' toand then one of-· them gave her march through the streets to expectalions. the leader of thea solid kick in the stomach. avoid a conftict. At the rally. South·West African National

A man standing next to my' speakers claimed that police Union (Swanu). Mr ·Mosescar watching the scene was vehicles had .deliberately Katijiuongua, was not elecledSUddenly attacked by anotber rammed a tar advertising t'he as the ,<,.binet·s first chairman.group of black policemen. one meeting and said that another The labour leader. Mr Dawidof whom' broke his baton in three people had beeo arrested Bezuider>hout, is the firsthis ·head. ... . .. ' and tbeir-· loudspeaker' chainnan.. Afterwards tbe 20·year-old ·confiscated. Mr Bezuidenhout. aged 50,

woman.' 'Zebedenia. said: the new Internal govern- addressed the mull,.racmld they do this, we .' ment, meanWhile; was installed crowd of about'· 15,000 after the.

were just singing and. march- yesterday but speciftc restrie- ;nauguration. saying' that the _ing.'· Her face was splattered tions in. the country's new con· new government had come to·....ith blood and her upper lip. stitution wlll ensure that South ftuitlon "on the basis of ourhad been badly cut .. by the Afrlea keeps overall control. understanding of the richnessblows.- The South African President,. and value" of diversity of .the

A. maB wearing a. No .to In· Mr P. W. Botha. who inaugu· country.

! . I' :'~' '. • FORE'

these powers is' to be dangledbefore what are regarded asSWAPO's' pragmatists,' in thehope of luring some into break­iog with Nujoma and joiningthe new system.

Pretoria is also paying thenew Ministers what in theNamibian economic context is aprincely salary of nearly£30,000 a year, plus a housing Iallowance of £1,000 a monthand other fringe benefits.

SWAPO members in Wmd­hoek scoff at the prospect of thestrategy succeeding. They saythere is no chance of agreeiog toparticipate io what they havedenounced as a •conspiracy. '

, In facr the whole thing willbackfire and lead to furtherdiscrediting of the internalparties, as happened with theMudge administration,' saidAnton Lubowslti, a Windhoeklawyer who joined SWAPO lastyear. 'After the experience ofMuroteW3 in Rhodesia, I can'tunderstand why South Africakeeps playing these games.'

South Africa bu nothing tolose. With the worst racialunrest for nearly a decade athome, the last thing it wantsnow is a Namibian settlement intenDS of a Resolution 435,which would result in aSWAPO triumph and giveblaCK nationalism a massivemorale boost.If the strategy works, South

Africa will have pulled off apolitical coup. If it fails, Preto­ria will be no worse off. Itretains its public .commitmentto seeking an mternatIonalsettlement on the basis ofResolution 435, providedAngola gets. rid of its 30,000Cuban troops - an unlikelyprospect as long as the LuandaGovernment feels threatened.

Either way, there is no onehere who believes there is theslightest prospect of Nan,ubiabecoming independent WIthin(he nextlWo or three years.

Botha presseson with his ownNamibia set-upfrom ALLISTER SPARKS In WindhoekTHERE IS compelling UN plan because it would('Vidence that the • Govern- almost certainly lead to a com­ment of national unity' plete SWAPO take-over,which will be installed here whereas a ' regi~na1 settJemen~ ,tomorrow to run this dis- would be more likelr to result mPuted territory is part of an a SW~O-Ied c?&!itIon WIth a

. restral!llDg conStItutIon.elaborate South African stra- While the Angolan end of thetegy to~ the agreed strategy is aimed at increasingUmted ~a.ti?JI:S programme the pressure on SWAPO, thefor NllIIlIbla s IDdependence Namibian end is to make theand impose a ' regional set-new 'government of nationaltlement ' of its own uniry' look as credible asdeviSing. possible. It will. have gn:ater. The plan involvessteppingup powers than the prevJ(~us

South African aid to the administratIon headed by.DlrkUNITA rebels in Angola in the Mudge, which Pretona ~ssol­hope of putting Dr Jonas vedtwoyearsago,mcludingtheSavimbi in a position where he power to draft a new mtenmean negotiate a place in the constItutIon .and to abolishLuanda GQvemment. many aparthetd stnJetnres.. Western observers here Unlike Mudge's administra-

believe the recent attempt by a tion, .";hich was se.en asSouth i\mean commando unit Pretona s puppet, this o.ne10118boll1geAngola's oil installa- includes. some .m~bers WIthnons in the northern province authentIc nationalist back­nfCahindawa..partofthepJan. grounds, notably MosesNot onIv would the sabotage Katjiuongua, 43-year~ldlIavecrippJed Angola's depleted leader of the South-West Africaeconomy, but a disruption of its NatIOnal Umon (SWANU),oil supplieo wunld have reduced who.is likely to be thenew Qlief~mobiliryof its anny. Minister. _'. U Angola's left-wmg MPLA' SWANU has been m the

GovemiDeut can be forced to independence stnJgg!e since.ccommodate SaVlmbl, the before SWAPO was formed,UNITA leader would be expec- and Katjiuongua served a longted to IDcrease Luanda's apprenticeship inexiJe, much ofpressure'on SWAPO·1O aban- it!D Peking. Pictures of himdon its' increasingly hopeless bemg warmly embraced byattempt to wm iodependence Mao Tse-tung lend an 1!1co~­for Namibia through guerrilla groons touch (0 his office m thiswarfare; and switch to a politi- coloma! caPital dommated bycat campaIgn through the new Afrikaner South Africans.lIelf-~ent stnJcture. Andreas Shtpanga, one of the'If SWAPO~ to do that, foundersofSWAPO,whoJater

South Africa would drop its fell out with its leader, Saminmstence on Cuban troops Nujoma, and formed his ownleaving Angola as a precon- breakaway party called thedilion for Namibian iodepen- SWAPO-Democrats, isdeuce. That would effectively another. He will be Minister offinesse the UN plan. As one Economic Affairs, responsibleWestern diplomat in Cape forNamibia'srichdiamondandTown put it: •If SWAPO uranium mines.accepted. how coukl the Wes- South Africa is handing overtern Five, or the FrontJioe all powers except foreign aff­State!ooreven the l"""l say it was airs, defence and internalunacceptable to them? securiry,to the new admiiristra-

South Afnca wants (0 kill the tion. The prospect of WIelding

from: NAMIBIA COMMUNICATIQNS CENTRE~ London Windhoek: June 2l~ 1985l?OO hours

STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN NAMIBIA

1 - A special contingent of the police codenamed Koevoet violently attacked people whowere returning to their houses after attending a meeting at the Katutura juniorsports grounds on Monday, 17 June 1985. The meeting was organized by the NationalIndependence party and had speakers from SWANU, SWAPO, Damara Council and NUDO-PP,all opposed to the inauguration and introduction of the South Africa-sponsored in­terim gove:rnnent in Namibia. At the end of the meeting at 1753, the chainnan ofthe meeting, Mr.Vekuii· Rukoro of SWANU, ordered the people to march behind theirleaders. on the sportsfield and to then disperse. At this particular time, specialpolice contingent coden.arred Koevoet was called to the scene (where they had drivenby off and on during the whole day) and they followed those returning to theirhouses en masse, blocking all exits at half a kilometer from where the meeting washeld. There they threw tear gas and started to baton charge the people.

2 - Up to now 71 people were counted as ll(j LlI'€d or hurt. One man was shot in the legand is adrnitted at the Katutura hu3pital with a fraCtured leg. One lady's two annswere fractured and another one with two deep wounds in the head and a fractured legis also in the hospital. A pregnant lady was beaten up and as a result she abortedthe fetus. The assailants appeared to be enjoying their work as they went aroundtaunting people (by making SWAPO signs and by swearing at people) before beatingthem up.

3 - We are told by many who suffered injuries during the attack that when they visitedthe Katutura hospital they were told by the doctor that they must go and look forSWAPO doctors. As a result some could not be treated at the Katutura hospital.Even those now still at hospital were about to be discharged on the 17th June 1985immediately after their admission. .

After we made investigations we discovered the following people injured or hurt on17th June 1985:

(There follows a nwnbered Zist of names of n people~ with in some cases the extent)(of their wounds.)

(In addition there is a partial list of homes and automobiles damaged.)

'The COuncil of O1urches in Namibia condemns in the strongest terms the--p61ice batoncharge and shooting of innocent people at Katutura on the 17th June 1985. Theseharsh and cruel actions against people cannot lead to a peaceful solution for thiscountry. As already stated by us - the so-called 'interim government' imposed onthe Namibian people and against the wishes of the majority will bring more blood­shed, killings of innocent peC5ple and destruction. It can already be seen fromthe very first day of the imposition of the interim government. What happened toour people on June 17th 1985 clearly demonstrates that we are moving far away fromany peaceful solution in Namibia and more inj ustice and inj uries to innocent peoplewill increase.

We call upon South Africa once again to stop carrying on with the delaying tacticsand to let United Nations resolution 435 be implemented without any further delay.We further wish also to appeal to the Olristian world to continue praying for peace,justice, freedom and true independence of our country.

Namibia must be free.Dr Abisai ShejavaliGeneral-SecretaryCouncil. of O1urches in Namibia

NAMIBIA .. - The "Inauguration i\',ihile American Gary Nelsonwas caught up in the midst of the Koevoet police assaults onNamibians in Katutura tamship') on the far side of \Alindhoek at the official cerenoniesother .Americans were honored guests of Pretoria and its Poteml<in igovernment'. 'They in­cluded: Howani Phillips) dlairman of the Conservative Caucus and the founder of a newtiring - the American Comnittee to Rescue Africa From the Grip of Soviet 'IYr'anny; RowaniPollock of the National Rifle Association: James van De Graaff ~ legislative aide to Rep.Philip Crane (R-11) ~ 'iA1illiam Cheshire ') editorial page editor of '!HE WASHINGTON TIMES:and Marion H. Sm:>ak, lawyer and chairman of the l'Jashington-based U.S.-Namibia (South if,lestAfrica) Trade & Cultural Council ~ the US lobby group for Pretoria's entity in the occupi:­ed Territory. As the registered agent for the administrator-general in Namibia ~ Smoak'soutfit will undoubtedly become an 'embassy i for the illegal regime in \vindhoek.

P11illips announced a letter from Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) who wrote: iAll Americanswho believe in freedom and democracy should applaud the efforts of Namibians to formtheir oon goverrunent free from the oppressive interference of the totalitarian govern­ments who nake up the rnajority of the states in the United Nations. ' , ,

Representatives more official were invited from other lA1estern Contact Group countries andwere in \vindhoek. 'There were five Tory MPs from Britain's parliament. Four I"IPs of theBundestag and the chief justice on the constitutional court came from 'VJest Gennany.

NAMIBIA -~ At The United Nations

On 19 June 1985, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 566 ') with the United Statesand Britain abstaining. 566 was a drastically watered·-·down version of a strong drafton the Namibian issue brought in by the Non-Aligned countries warning Pretoria that ifit did not comply with Resolution 435 of 1978 and relinquish Namibia the Council wouldi.rrq:lose mandatory economic sanctions under O1a.pter VII of the UN Charter. Days of debateand behind the same argument failed to move the two leading members of the Western· Con­tact Group. The text of 566 was negotiated by another Contact Group member, Fra.l"lce~ toread that South Africais failure to comply 1;vould compel the Council 'to meet forthwi.thto consider the adoption of appropriate measures under the UN Charter ~ including Chap­ter VII. i UN member states 1;l1ere urged to consider voluntary action ~. stopping new in-·vestments I and application of disincentives to this end': 'reexamination of rnaritimeand aerial relations with South Africa' the prohibition of sale of Krugerrands ') restric-·tions in tne field of sports and cultural relations. The Council will meet in September.

SvJPPO President Sam Nujoma spoke to the Security Council on 10 June. He denounced thesetting up of Pretoriais illegal regime in Windhoek. He also said:

If}.;JN!O reiterates, without fear or favor, before this a~"USt body that the prima:ry obs­tacle today to the attainment of Namibia I s independence is the United States precondi..~tion of linking the independence of our country to the presence of Cuban troops in thePeople I s Republic of Imgola. To add insult to injury, the implementors of this abomi­nable policy have the arrogance to allege that we must accept this outrageous impositionas the reality of the situation whether we like it or not and that there will be no in­dependence for Namibia as long as the Cuban troops remain in Angola. In other words,the United States Administration is responsible for holding Namibia's independence toransom and for prolonging the suffering and misery of our people. The racist regime ofPretoria is making full use of this situation, thanks to the linkage precondition. Itis no secret that the Reagan Administration has, right from the time of its inception ~

engaged in endless maneouvrings to find alternatives to Resolution 435 (1978), whilepublicly professing scrupulous adherence to it. '

The UN Secretary-·General is requested to report on the implementation of Resolution566 not later than the first week of September 1985.

NAMIBIA ·COMMUNICATIONS CENTREPost Office Box 286, London WC1X OEL, U.K. Telephone:(44 1) 833 2905/6

Windhoek: June 14, 1985

OPEN LETTER TO THE STATE PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA BY THECOUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN NAMIBIA

Your excellency, the State President of South Africa~\

We, the Church leaders and members of the Counci 1 of Churches inNamibia wish to express our deep disappointment at your refusalto meet with us this year.

We represent the Anglican Church, the African Methodist EpiscopalChurch, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South West Africa/Namibia(Rheinish Mission), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South WestAfrica/Namibia ( ELOC), the German Evangelical Lutheran Church,the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the EvangelicalReformed Church and the United Congregational Church.

This entitles us to make the following points:

1. Two months ago we made a request for an urgent meeting withyour excellency to discuss the situation in our coun~ry. We wereinformed by the Administrator General personally that such ameeting could not take place because you were too busy. Ourstrong desire to meet with you is caused by the deterioratingsituation in our country and the suffering of our people. Ourcontinuing efforts to see peace prevail are motivated by thedesire to see an end to the death, destruction, bloodshed andracial hatred which are ravaging our country and its people.

2. We note that, on several occasions, your excellency has metwith the so-called internal leaders who, ·themselves, have nodemonstrable support from the majority of the Namibian people.Your refusal to meet with the spiritual leaders who do representa substantial section of the people; is a sad reflection of theone-sidedness of the counsel you receive, and a contradiction ofbasic democracy. The need for open and honest communicationbetween people - even when they differ - is a principle which webelieve to be fundamental in the building of Christiancommunity.

The N3mibi3 Comillunications Centre is a project of the Namibia Christi3n Communications Trust, an ecumenicalagency working in cooper3tion with churches in Africa. Europe and North America.

Registered charity no. 288842.

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3. We continue to urge upon you the immediate and unconditionalimplementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution435 to which your government has already subscribed. Thedecision made to impose a 'transitional government' upon ourcountry is contrary to this resolution and we believe that it isagainst the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people.

4. A transitional government, which to all intents and purposeswill be run by your government assisted by a few Namibians, isnot representative of the real interests of our people and cannever bring a complete solution to the needs of the country. Wefear that the delays brought by such a transitional governmentwill, instead, create more bloodshed, death and destruction andthe goal of greater unity among the people will be reversed.

5. Preparations for the imposition of ~his MPC Government arealready causing people and school children to experienceintimidation. This is no way to help forward peace and harmonyin our country. In our experience of this kind of action, furtherdivisions are created, instability increases and more sufferingis caused to the people. We appeal for democratic methods to beu~ed to test the real feelings of the people and we stronglyreject the secrecy which has characterized the dealings of youradministration with Namibia in the past. In the words of Jesus:

"Everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come tothe light lest his deeds should be exposed. He who does whatis true comes to the light that it may clearly be seen thathis deeds have been wrought in God." (St.John 3. 20-21)

It is in this spirit, the spirit of truth, that we address yourexcellency at this time and we continue in persistent prayer fora just and peaceful solution in our land.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Abisai ShejavaliGeneral Secretary - CCNOn behalf of the Executive Committee, Council of Churches in Namibia.

June 14, 1985

END

EPISCOPAL CIlU~l-IMEN;,,.

SOUTH ~ AFRLCA.339 Lafayette Street, New York, H.Y. 10012 PHONE: (212) 477-0066

-For A Free Southem Alrica-From: the Namibia Communications Centre, London 30 May 1985

BeLow is the text of a petition presented on 22 February LE85 to the visitingdeLegation of British parLieunentarians (DonaLd Anderson" Laboln'; Robert RhodesJeunes" Conservative; and Lord Kennet"SociaL Democrat) by a group of Lutheranpastors (EvangeLicaL Lutheran Chu.roch and EvangeLicaL Lutheran OvamboKavangoChurch) who were attending a five week refresher course at the Otjimbirzgweserrrinary •

A copy of this dacument was confiscated by seC7n'ity poLice on Mond.ay" 27 Mayat the home of Mr. Fro:nz KambanguLa. Mr. KambanguLa" as the Secretary forTransport for the CounciL of Chln'ches in Ncunibia" was responsibLe for drivingand escorting the British deLegation during their visit to Ncunibia.

ro 'IHE BRITISH MEMBERS OF PARLLAMENT VISITrnG NAMIBIA

1. Namibians larrent the shedding of the blood of their sons and daughters by the SouthAfrican milltary forces and IXllice.

2 • Namibians refuse to be forced into the milltary service where they have to kill theirown people.

3. Namibian minerals are being exploited by South Africa and her allies.

4. Namibians are tired of being oppressed by South Africa through the apartheid systemwhich denies them htmlaI1 rights such as voting. -----

S. Namibians are tired of detentions under A.G. prorrn.l1gations which the AdministratorGeneral only can change. --~ .---'--

6 . The inferior bantu education system and the systematic failing of black students atschools are greatly impeding the intellectuality and education of the Namibiansociety.

7. Many innocent Namibians are killed by specially trained people who go around in thenight and blame SWNrO.

8. The aim of the presence of the i)legal South African government in Namibia is to SCM

hatred aIrong the Namibian IXlpulation.

9. The five Western pCMers and their child, South Africa, must subject themselves toadhere to and obey the decisions and resolutions of the United Nations with regardto Namibia and elsewhere where people are suffering inhuman treatment.

10 . The war in Namibia is intentionally prolonged by the Big Five and so delays ourindependence by sUPIXlrting South Africa diplomatically and economically. Britain.and the rest of the Big Four must exercise pressure on and influence South Africaso that Namibia may gain her independence, especially Britain who abstains or

(continued" over)

,Lutheran Statement (continued) 30 May Z985

vetoes when decisions are taken against South Africa with regard to the Namibianissue. They must also diligently analyse the South African propaganda and dis­cern truth from falsehood and lies.

11. Namibians desire an i.nDrediate election under the auspices of the United Nations,and the imnediate implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 435 of 1978which guarantees the total independence of the whole of Namibia including WalvisBay as a natural integral part of Namibia.

12 . The Cuban presence in Angola should not and must not be linked with the Namibianissue. Angola is a sovereign state which has to be consulted on matters touchingher. fmlerica should and must stop her intentional linkage of the Cuban presencein .Angola with the Namibian independence question. Cubans are in Angola by theinvitation of that country to help defend her against the British and fmlericaninvasion through South African forces and UNITA. Withdraw your support of theUNITA ghost and your troops out of Angola and then there will be peace in theregion.

13 . The A!rerican constructive engagement policy over Africa which Mrs. Thatcher sup­ports is deplorable.

14. How long are the Big Western Five O1ristian countries going to lead a parasitic,oppressive, selfish, unjust, imperial and colonial life which has no love for aneighbour, and which is against the commandment of God, 'Do Not Steal'?

How long, Britain - How long ,America - How long,Canada - How long, France ­How long, West Germany - Fbw long do you have to kill us?

Presented by:

J. Keisber, MaltahoheTomas Iihuhwa, OshitutumaSi.rron R. Shiwagala, Onarrn.JkuloFilippus Shikanba, EngelaSakaria Nashongo, El0010N. E. Kepofi, OtjimbingweHendrik I:engeinge, OngwedivaN. Sirongo, MpunguG. R. Uhiharna, WindhoekFilenon S.. Alugongo, Onerna.nyaE. A. Anderson, Bethanie .Simson Ndatipo, NakayaleS. T. Shanyenge, Tshandi

J. Beukes, MarientalJohannes M. Mufeti, OhainguP. S. Mativa, SwakopmundE. Neramba, RuparaD. S. du Toit, AroabJ. Musutue, OmaruruElla Haipinge, Ompundj aTitus Ngula, OshitayiV. U. Shiyandja, GrootfonteinA. H. Gao-Gasab, 1<horixasJ. N. Nashongo, TsumebA. Matthys, Keetmanshoop

from: • NAMIBIA COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE" London Windhoek: June Z?" Z985

CHRISTIANS THROUGHOUT NAMIBIA PRAY FOR PEACE AND DELIVERANCE

On June 16, the day before South Africa installed a new government in Namibia, thousandsof Christians gathered in open air meetings and rural village churches praying for deliv­erance from the suffering they have endured under South African rule. The largest gather­ing took place under the hot sun and watchful eye of South African security forces inKatutura, the black township outside Windhoek , site of today' s goverrunent celebrations.Near the Lutheran and Roman Catholic church buildings, more than 3,500 Christians prayedand sang for four and a half hours while South Africa's Koevoet special unit troops pa­trolled the area. In spite of the taunting presence of South African troops, and a warn­ing from the South African police chief in the occupied Territory, Lt Gen rolf Gouws, theeCtnnenical service was attended by persons from all of Namibia's ethnic conmmities, in-cluding a number of whites from the German Lutheran Church. .' I

The service was peaceful, but the rrood of the prayers was a defiant lament at the ,longsuffering condition of Namibia's black majority. Dr Abisai Shejavali, general secretaryof the Council of Churches in Namibia, told the crowd that the Christians in NamibiaI condemned strongly the move taken by the illegal occupationist forces to install in ourcountry a goverrunent that has no support from the majority of the Namibian sufferingp~opleI. In a prayer that was used by many congregations around the Territory, the peo­ple asked, 'Will You allow, 0 Lord, our children to live under the destructive burden ofcolonialism into the coming century?'

Dr Zephaniah Kameeta, Lutheran Church vice president, told the crowd that 'God is oursource of strength and hope in this dark rroment of our history.' 'We believe,' saidKameeta, 'that Jesus triumphed over death and so we will triumph over the injustice inour land.'

The service in Katutura was only one of hundreds of church services around the Territory... as .Christians responded to a Council of Churches call for a day of prayer for peace and

independence. In services in Ovamboland, well inside the 'operational area' where SouthAfrica's martial law control is most brutal, Christians celebrated the day of prayer intheir local churches. Since travel is restricted and churches are widely scattered, atthe Lutheran cathedral at Oniipa, close to one thousand persons gathered to pray" 'Weare day and night living in the fear of those who call themselves oUr protectors. 1\ Andat one of the small rural chapels at the village of Omulongo, more than 200 people asked,'0 Lord, how long will evil rule our country?'

The services took place the day before South Africa installed an 'interim government' inthe Territory, in defiance of the United Nations and the major Western powers, includingthe United States, the United Kingdom and West Germany.

In Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Keetmanshoop, and other towns and villages, congregationsjoined in special prqyers for freedom and justice in the Territory. The Council ofCh.urches in Namibia which represents African Methodist Episcopal, Anglican, Lutheran,Roman Catholic, Congregational and Methodist churches (70% of Namibia's population),had called uPon the churches not to celebrate the installation of the new interimgoverrunent.

The Namibia Communioations Centre" London" is an eownimioaZ informationagenoy serving the ohurohes in Namibia and is supported by Anglioan"Lutheran" Roman Catholio" Methodist" CongregationaZ" Reformed andQuaker ohurohes and agencies.

Windhoek, June ~8, ~985

from: NAMIBIA COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE, London

c56rir • ) ~WH 0 W

'The Devils Are Really 'Now Among Us.'

Reports from church officials and others in Namibia indicate that the brutality of theSouth African special police unit mown as 'Koevoet (Crowbar)' is spreading from thenorth of the country to Windhoek, the capital city of the ,Territory .

According to 'church sources, a Namibian christian, who had been arrested this weekendin protests against South Africa I s new government, in the Territory, told of a frighten­ing incident in the police station where she was being held. When the protesters werebrought to the station, two Koevoet constables were' standing there saying to their whiteofficer, 'Please, Baas, give us the permission to kill them.' They were pleading repeat­edly and the white officer was saying, 'Not now, there will be a chance, there will be anopportunity to kill them. '

Koevoet, a much feared police unit st.::iffed by the thugs and miscreants of Namibian soci­ety and led by white South AfricaTl police officers, has long been mown for i ts brutalityto the people of Ovambo and Kavango in northern Namibia. With recen~ changes imposed bySouth Africa, including the imposition of a new government in the Territory, Koevoet nowseems to be operating openly in the black and colo1..lI'Bd townships of the capital city. Mrlouis I.e Grange, South Africa's Minister of Law and Order, has said that Koevoet is anoutstanding unit which had been maliciously maligned by certain sectors of the media. Buta different view was put forth today by a leading Namibian church official, Dr ZephaniahKameeta of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

According to Dr Kameeta, 'The devils are really now among us. '

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