An Interview with Bishop James Kauluma Friendship to the Racist Government of South Africa

400 D Editorial 1k.m i In a recent meeting Bishop Kleopas Dumeni, leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Ovambokavango Church, said that the continued bloodshed of the Namibian people is now the responsibility of two persons, Prime Minister P . W. Botha of South Africa and President Ronald Reagan of the United States. The addition of the American president's name would have been unheard of even one year ago . But the sad fact is that Namibians see the U .S. government policy of "constructive engagement" with South Africa as supporting the brutal occupation of Namibia. And their analysis is far from wrong. Lutherans worship in a Namibian refugee camp The U.S. government has recently allowed the sending of electric shock batons, aircraft with military capability, Church Leaders sophisticated computers, military advisors and attaches — and open signs of cordial An Interview with Bishop James Kauluma friendship to the racist government of South Africa. And now the Reagan administration has added a new condition Earlier this year, the editor of Dateline :Namibia met with the Right Reverend James to South African withdrawal from Kauluma, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Namibia . Bishop Kauluma is the first Namibia — the removal of Cuban troops Namibian to hold this position, to which he was elected following the resignation of from Angola, an independent country Colin O'Brien Winter in 1981 . (see Dateline :Namibia No. 2) The following is north of Namibia that South Africa daily excerpted from that interview with this eloquent and forthright leader of the Anglican invades with its troops and mercenaries. church. The Namibian churches have asked for an end to bloodshed and occupation. They see independence as a God-given Q: Perhaps you can tell us a little bit about Namibia and about yourself. right. They want to choose their own government and bring human rights and A: I was born in the northern region of Namibia, which is referred to as Ovamboland . I justice to their daily life. grew up looking after my father's cattle . My father was not a Christian . He was a Why, then, has the United States gov- polygamist and I grew up among many mothers as well as my brothers and sisters, ernment chosen to impose the East-West about twenty-seven children of Kauluma . After looking after my father's cattle and conflict on the people of Namibia? other animals, I decided to go to the Anglican mission school . That was in 1950, and it Christians in North America want was during that time that I decided to become a Christian . I was baptized in 1951 and human rights and justice for their brothers confirmed in 1952. and sisters in southern Africa — Namibia, In 1953, I left the northern region and went to work under contract in the southern Angola and South Africa itself. Though part of the country where I was, well, they called me houseboy but I think I was grown South Africa boldly proclaims it is a Chris- up enough to be called houseman . That is the practice in Namibia — that no black will tian democratic capitalistic country, it is be treated as really grown up the very antithesis of all those adjectives. Even a gray-headed man can be called a boy by a small Though South Africa self-righteously pro- white child . After I finished my first contract, I went back home until 1955, when I claims it is fighting godless communism, in went to work on contract to the diamond mines. fact its godless practices are dangerously After that, I went to Pretoria, South Africa, where I was studying in a Bible school . I close to terrorizing people into thinking completed two years of Bible studies and then I went back to the mines in Namibia. At that communism may be their only choice the same time, I was also holding some religious classes for the men who work in the for freedom. mine, holding Bible studies in the evening. We had a lot of blessings during that time, a The United States government is sup- lot of people who did turn to faith and to the church . Most of these people also come porting all that should be understood as from the north on contract . They leave their families behind and then they come to the intolerable and anathema to freedom- mines for a long period. loving people. It is very understandable for Bishop Dumeni to say with great Q: Aren't they allowed to take their families with them? sorrow that the bloodshed of his suffering people is now the responsibility of two A: At that time they were not, and even today it is nearly impossible for the workers to men, Ronald Reagan and P . W. Botha. bring their wives to the south. Interview continued An Interview with Bishop James Kauluma Q: The area that you came from and did your early studies in is what the South Africans like to refer to as a "homeland," isn't it? A: Yes. The whole region in the north is considered as an ethnic region of the Ovambo people . That is also where the majority of the population of Namibia lives. It's the same region which is now covered by martial law curfew. Because of the war, people are not allowed to move outdoors after sunset until sunup again in the following day . It's a very very unfortunate kind of difficult situation that people are placed under. Bishop James Kauluma Q: What is the cause of the war? elements which the war itself has created . There seem to be A: The war's going on because South Africa is not giving some people who have become enemies of the church . Just a independence to Namibia. I believe if South Africa comes to year ago, the Lutheran church in Ovamboland lost its printing the point where they say, "Let us settle this," and they agree to press which was bombed by unknown persons . Also last year, the UN plan, a cease-fire will be signed and an election will be our Anglican diocese and seminary buildings at Odibo were called and Namibia will become independent and the war will blown up in the same fashion . So we can say there are great effects upon the church's work as well as the church's property. be over. Some say it's not as simple as that, but this is the fact of the matter. This war is going on because the people of Namibia have not been given the opportunity to become independent as Q: Who would want to do this kind of thing to the church? a nation. Why would someone want to bomb a church printing press or a seminary? Q: If South African troops would leave, would the killing stop? A: Possibly someone who doesn't like the position of the A: Definitely . Yes. church and the prophetic message which the church proclaims in the midst of this difficult period . We did ask the South Q: There's a massive military buildup of South African soldiers African authorities to conduct a thorough investigation . That in the north of Namibia and there are Namibians who are in- didn't happen. volved in an attempt to rid the country of the South African Q: Have any of your church services been disrupted or the soldiers. What does the war mean to the people of the north and what does it mean to the churches? work of your priests been disrupted in any way by this war situation? A: The war is the source of suffering and death taking place in A: Definitely the church work is being hindered and affected. the country. It has brought certain laws which place the whole We are prevented in some areas from carrying out the region of the north under curfew, which brings hardship upon spreading of the Gospel. One of our archdeacons, Philip the people. For instance, if one moves outdoors in the night, Shilongo, was detained twice by the South African police and you will be shot if the soldiers see you . If it happens that one member of your family got seriously sick during the night, you he was placed under conditions where he must report weekly to the police. And of course it is not only our church leaders. cannot take that person to hospital because the curfew law says There are church leaders or clergymen within the Lutheran you should not move outdoors . These laws also empower the church who are still required to report to the police under those police or the army to act in any manner . The people have had same conditions. to be subjected to individual army members who may make a decision about your life on the spot if he suspects you. Q: What crime did the authorities charge Archdeacon Shilongo Sometimes people are pushed and beaten in the process. Sometimes your home might be burnt down or your crops may with having committed? be burnt down . This has happened. A: He was never required to come to court . The legal system allows people to be detained and not appear in a court. Q: So if some of the independence fighters move through an area, then you are immediately suspected by the South African Q: The authorities have the legal right to put a person in prison army of being a fighter or a helper? for no stated reasons at all? A: There are individuals who have lost their homes and crops as A: Yes, until they are satisfied.

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