nam'ibia ne nam'ibia ne VoI. 9 No. 9 September 1976 Published by PEOPLE'S ORGANISATION OF (SWAPO) Price 20p I SPECIAL SECURITY COUNCIL ISSUE] Inside: SOUTH AFRICA'S CRIMES IN NAMIBIA Also: Swapo political programme The businessmen backing V -.

Solidarity Justice South West Afr'ica PeopIO's Organ.iton of Nam,.ia ISWAPOM SWAPO otfce ,n the United Kingdom: 21 25 Tabernacle Street London EC2 Telephone 01.588 1878/9 SWA PO 0f ices abroad Prov,,s, oial Headquarters: P 0 So. 2603 Dar es Salaar Utd Republic ot Tanzania Telephone 23749 Ofhce P 0 o. 577 Lsaka. Republic of Zambia Teeui,ne 74692 ent 4 A. RE Ofice. 5 Anmeo H Ishmal Street Zamalek. Cairo Arab Republic of Egypt Teephone. 807 658 Algeria Office. 20 R e Oirah Hydra - Algiers Telephone 603136 Scaiiil, iJfldn Oftlice Kl,,luansflrmaargat n 4. 3tr 111 52 Soikholm. Sweden Telephone 08:21 55 85 Helsinki Office Domusacademica 8216 Leppasuoinkatu 7 Helsinki 10. Finland Telephone, 440T 71 American Office: 801 Second Avenue Room 1401 New York. NY 10017 USA Telephone: /2121 679-202213 West African Offe: 33 rue Jules Ferry Dakar Senegal Telephone: 32743132562 NAMIBiA NEWS is the bi-monthly publication of SWAPUI (South West African People's Orgpniation). Gives information of the current slate of the struggle to end South Afica's ,lHegal occupation of Namibia. Subscriptions ate £2.00 P2 in the UK, £2.50 fog Europe and surface mail ewhere, or £4.00 airmail. Write to SWA'O, 21/25 Tabernacle Street, London EC2. Editorial THE evidence of torture and systematic brutality by South African forces which we publish in this issue is an overwhelming indictment of South Africa's occupation of Namibia. South African brutality is nothing new to people: South African rule has always been harsh, exploitive, and deeply repressive. But we want.to ampbasisethat thew numerous reports of intensified South African aggression against the Namibian people comes at the very time when South Africa claims to have made significant progress towards a 'peaceful solution' in Namibia. The Turnhalle conference, in its August 18 announcement concerning Namibia's 'independence' on December 31, 1978, said: 'We reject once again any attempt to solve our country's problems by violence and urgently appeal to all civilized nations to oppose with all the strength at their disposal any attempt to solve our problems by force'. On the very day that statement was made, Namibian men, women and children were suffering death, torture, conscious and deliberate violence, at the hands of the South African occupying police and army. SANCTIONS NECESSARY Now is the time for the international community to to unite, not only in condemnation of South Africa's vicious occupation of our country and its efforts to smash our people's resistance, but also in action, positive action, that will support our liberation struggle and hasten the collapse of the Namibian people's enemy. South Africa has been given more than enough enough time to show its good intentions in Namibia. South Africa has shown it has no good intentions in Namibia. 5WARO calls for the immediate imposition of mandatory sanctions against the South African regime. The Security Council, meeting this September, must reognise unanimously that if international committment to the cause of freedom and is to have any meaning, now is the time for effective action. The permanent veto powers, Britain, France a. d the US, must realise that their credibility athong the people of Southern Africa and Africa as a whole'will not be worth a cent if they again act to block the will of the international community expressed in the urgent demand for sanctions against South Africa. SWAPO remains unimpressed by the efforts of British and US 'lone-ranger' politicians to resolve the southern African situation. The benefits, from what we can see, all accrue to Mr Vorster. He is acclaimed for his allegedly peaceful intentions (even while South Africa and Namibia explode with the resistance and will to liberty or our people); and what he's after is time, always more time, to try to consolidate his iniquitous hold on our country. The formula for achieving Namibia's independence is simple. South Africa withdraws its police, army and Continued on page 5 M"O

IN the past few months SWAPO has repeatedly drawn attention to the horrifying intensification of South African atrocities against our people in northern Namibia, where South Africa proclaimed a 'state of emergency' on May 19. In this issue we publish two detailed accounts of such atrocities, the first by Bill Anderson, a conscript so appalled by what he saw and experienced in Namibia that he has taken the courageous step of making known the brutalities he witnessed. The second is a compilation, by SWAPO's own reporters in Namibia, of incidents which erveal-forCesdisCri.minate terrorising of the civilian population. The crimes committed by South Africa in Namibia today have the sanction of South African law. In May 1976 a proclamation in terms of the Defence Act gave South African Government employees, including Security Forces (both police and army), P u:mn~ nf ~flhi indemnity against civil and crin inal action, retrespcrive to 25 January 1972. increasing numbers of people, many of them priest and churchmen, are now coming forward to add to the weight of torture evidence against the South African regime. One local priest is reported to have said that 'torture has become a systematic policy in the emergency area' (London Guardian, 29 August 1976). We do not think that Bill Anderson will be the only young white South African to come forward and tell the truth about what the army of occupation is doi_ . We a-ch wrldto cry out against South African terrorism in Namibia. The rapists, torturert, thieves and murderers now raging through our country must be made accountable for their crimes against the Namibian people. ,th Afrina's aryopao Un amy ;I occupation 15,000 South African soldiers are stationed in northern Namii. In the past few months South African forces hoe cleared many thousands of Namiblan people out of their homes in the north in order to create a 100m-e-wide fre-fire" zone along the border with . Many reports have reached SWAPO of the atrocitin committed by South African troops in their efforts to smash our people's resistance and prevent assistance beinq given to SWAPO'a freedom fighters. Now a young white South African conscript soldier who wee stationed in northern Namibia during the security sweep - codenamed 'Operation Cobra' has now muade VAlic the brutalities he witnessed. Bill Anderson (21) was made to serve a health orderly and cook in northern Namibla from November 22, 1975 until June this year. This is his account of what he saw, as It was published in the London Guardian on August 3, 1976. On November 22, 1975 we were sent 20km north of the border with Angola, where we guarded the . . Cunene dam until mid-February 1976. We detained cattle thieves, who were suspected MPLA/SWAPO ' . agents. I saw three of them beaten by my battalion commander with . his stick and I saw one of them subjected to water torture. A rag was placed on his face and water poured on continuously until he suffocated. My battalion commander was there and ordered this to be done. The men remained silent under the beatings but after the water torture they admitted to being cattle thieves. One riflemanr-diver of A cowpony in my battalion cut the ear off one deed prisoner whom he had shot shot and sent the ear home in a maths maths bottle. He cut off the scrotum mid tried to uroe it, for his gear lever, but it rotted. He had been ordered to take the three suspect dov to the river by the battalion commander and shoot thipm. We were then moved back to a military camp at Sodoliet in South- Scars of South AfM repression West Africa, and stayed patrolling wounds he received when South, J fOrders were to shoot to kill' In Nembla: A, mn Hiale show the bayen ,frcan troops bumed down his village in * ot m %Alptnli in I411 1- mm the border until mid-April, when we were given one week's leave at home." We were then sent up to , the main South African camp, and then to the north-west base at Ondongwa, the military centre for Ovamboland operations. We drove in convoy to a new base near the small village of 12km from the Angola border. For the first four weeks, we were on battalip .n _atroslY!th other battalions patrolling. nearby. They were the 4th and 5th SAI, Witwatersrends, East Rand and Uitenhage regiments. Our battalion covered about 20( square kilometres up to the border We had helicopter support, based with a paratroop battalion at Ondongwa. This was all known as Operation Cobra. Our patrols, which were on foot, usually lasted about three days. Torture began almost at once when the suspects were broughst back back. The first few were interrog ated by a section of 10 inside the tent of battalion HQ. I saw the troops beating the suspects with rifles and fists and kicks for two hours before they were taken into the tent. All the troops were welcomed to join in the beating. Whenever torture was going on, either in battalion HQ or in the *. open space behind, a crowd would gather to watch. I would not watch but every night I heard the screams. (Anderson explains that there was a drinks tent, for the use of the regular soldiers only, mainly officers and NCOs, where beer and spirits were served. It closed at about 9pm]. Torture would begin when the dub dosed. The screams would go on until well after midnight. Officers boasted In front of me of using field telephones for electric shock torture to the genitals, nipples, and ears. It was common knowledge that this was being done. I saw two suspects given water torture at the camp near Eenhan. Their heeds were stuffed into an h ordinary Iron bucket full of water' and they were held under until they ceed to struggle. It lasted a good minute. I sa one large suspect who struggled so that five men had to hold him Into the bucket. I often saw young boys being roughly manhandled and kicked. They were blindfolded. Some were about 13 and some a little older. All suspects were blindfolded and beaten when broulit in. The conditions they wer kepi in were . appalling. They were handcuffed to trees at night. Some were kept in pits. It was winter and very cold, approaching freezing point at night. Susects were handcuffed to trees, dressed only in loin- cloths and drenched in cold water. I was the cook and the only food I know they were given was scraps once a day which were piled into a big bin. On average, they were interrogated by our battalion for two days before being 'coptered back to Ondongwa. Early in June the five battalions mounted a joint operation, sweeping in to the centre. My battalion swept dovn ifrom near the border, while other batalions moved in from the flanks towards a stop batallior in the south. My battalion swept 100 square kilometres, with one section per kilometre, moving at 1 1kn a day. Every male over the 'Age of puberty was brought in. The orders were to kill those who ran and arrest those who did n6t run. All the arrested men were beaten, tortured, and interrogated without exception. They were then taken to Ondongea. 1000 detained captured between 200 and 300 men, and the other battalions captured a similar number. I believe. Of the 1000 or so detained men, we were later told that 40 were to be charged with terrorism offences. All went to Ondongwa where those not charged were ordered to fill sandbags endlessly while soldiers emptied them and ordered them to fill the bags again. They filled the bags with their bare hands. A good 90 per cent of the troops in my battalion cooperated. The bulk of my company took part in the beatings - it was spoken of as a pleasure. For the first two hours of detention the troops had a free hand. I regularly saw beatings with fists, boots and rifles, burning with cigarette ends and the filling of mouths with sand. THE following account of South African crimes against the people of northern Namibia has been prepared by SWAPO's own reporters inside Namibia. All the incidents occurred since January this year. Names and, where necessary, precise localities have been smitted to prevent further suffering to those involved. Rape * A 50-year old mother of eight was raped by 20 South African soldiers when she asked them to pay for the corn they had bought from her. After this horrific assault she had to be hospitalised, and was on blood and saline drips for a lengthy period. * A 14-year old schoolgirl on her way home was raped by four South African soldiers on foot-patrol. Some of her schoolfriends saw the assault and called the girl's parents; the girl spent a month in hospital recovering from the attack. Arrest, detention, interrogation and torture * South African forces arrest anyone who does not have an ident.ity document or whose document has been newly issued. They arrest people if anyone is missing from a house or when they know that a member. of the famlV has crossed the border Into Angola. * It is common practice when South African forces arrest someone for them to blindfold the person and keep him or her blindfolded for several days. There have been instances when blindfolded people have had ropes tied around their necks and been led about to fall over objects or walk into trees. * Most of the people are detained in the rhilitary camps, where often they sleep out on the ground at night, chained together and without any protective covering. * There are detention centres attached to all the military bases. One of the biggest is at , and is Uivided into three sections: the first is a reception centre, where those people who have been previosuly beaten up and tortured but are thought not to have information about the guerrillas are detained; the the second is the torture section; the third is a detention section for those who are to be tried under South Africa's Terrorism Act for giving assistance to the guerrillas. * Corrugated iron jails, known as jails for SWAPO members, exist at , Epinga and Eenhana, and elsewhere. They are about seven to eight feet long and two and a half feet wide, with slightly sloping roofs about six feet high. They have no windows. Six people at a time are held in these jails, so that they cannot sit down. They are given water but no food. The corns-gated iron gets burning hot during the day, so that if anyone touches It or Ileas against a wall they are scorchad. People ae held in these jails for up to six days and nights. Such Jalls have existed for a long time under the South African occupation. In 1973 Ms Magdalene Shemnen, Chairman of the Namibian Women's League, sent an appeal to the United Nations in which she aid that Namibia's freedom fighters were being 'roasted alive' in such jails. - At the detention centre at Onuno military base people are held with sacks over their heads. Earlier this year SWAPO reported the existence of a mass grave outside Onuno camp. * Men and women who are detained are subjected to burning and electric shock on their sexual parts. Another frequant totture is to hang people up by se wrW so aest mm feat do not touch wound. People are denied sleep for days on end: there re accounts of people being tied, standing, to poles, and having cold or scalding hot water thrown over them to keep them awake. Many people have been permanently maimed and parts of their bodies paalysd by beatings. Indiscriminate shooting * A man in the Ukwluudi district of northern Namibia protested when he found South African soldiers had shot one of his cattle. The soldiers killed him, then shot four more of his cattle and loaded them into a truck, leaving the dead man on the Wound. * Attheand fMayfotrea . girls were shot dead anda young boy was shot and wounded In the Ukwanyama district by South African forces in helicopter. The young people were in a kraal, and started to run away when South African helicopters hovered over head. The soldiers shot at them from the air, wounding the four girls. The helicopters then landed and soldiers shot the girls dead. In April 1976 a 'cattle feast' was held in the kraal of a man 75-years old. Soldiers arr.ived, accused the old man of providing food for SWAPO freedom fighters, and killed him. , * In April three small boys eating figs in a fig-tree were shot at by South African soldiers in an armoured car. Two boys were killed and the third injured when he fall out 6f the tree. * A number of people, including children, have simply disappeared. In May a 12- year old boy who had been shot by soldiers was taken away away by them and has never reappeared. There have been numerous similar incidences. Theft * South African soldiers constantly steal cattle,- goets,-vegetables and money from the people. Anyone's house can be searched without a warrant, and the search always entails theft and destruction. In addition, the houses of those suspected of being sympathetic to the guerrillas are frequently smashed up or burnt down. South African soldiers in the streets of round up members of a peaceful demonstration in July 1976. Continued from page 5 administration, and, under the control of the United Nations, free national elections are held to elect a democratic Namibian legislative assembly. There is no need for the Turnhalle to take two and a half years debating a formula. There is no need for endless discussions between Vorster and Dr Kissinger. RESPONSIBI LITIES But since South Africa, instead of withdrawing, is entrenching its occupation of our country, in defiance of the clear demands of the UN, the international community must accept its responsibilities towards the people of Namibia, however hard those responsibilities may be. The international community must strike directly against South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia. Our freedom fighters, our men and women in the torture camps, who sacrifice everything for Namibia's freedom, demand nothing less than full support.

At its enlarged Central Committee meeting in Zambia from July 28 to August I this year, SWAPO adopted a new political programme and a revised version of the constitution, long extracts from which are published here. 0 c SWAPO's new Political INTRODUCTION The historical development of SWAPO up to the present time can WAftae--- daij- ' o--fliur tOor" tent stages and their respective tiaf Noe fundsmental question which confinted the Namibian people during the latter half of the 1950's was the estaolishment of a political orponization or a party which was capable of providing leadership and an organizational framework through which spontaneous and scattered anti-colonial activities which chansctersed that period could be given an organizational expression. Prior to the formation of SWAPO, uncoordinated, anti-colonial activities were expressed in the form of localisei strikes against colonial rule and individual petitionings to the United Nations concerning the South African racist oppression in Namibia, It was realized then that theecstalishment o f a oiical organization was the ffost effictive way by which the politically conscious elements of our society could come into-direct and constant contact with thd broad masses of our people to give artiulate expression to the problems, aspirations and .hopes of these masses. Thus SWAPO was formed on 19 April 1960, as a concrete response to that fundamental need. The initial confrontation between movement and the gouth African apparatus of repression helped to underline two facts which were to prove basic to the evolation of the straggle in subsequent years. That is: a) The Namibian people were made fully to realize the limitless nature of South Africa brutality when it came to the defence of white supremacy and " b) SWAPO was obliged to take stock of the fact that only a political organization with firm roots in the broad masses of our society could weather the storm of repression and bring the liberation struggle to a successful conclusion. Thus, rooting SWAPO firmly in Namibian society came to be the main task during the early half of the 1960's. Steps were taken to establish branches in different parts of the country, gpecially in the industrial areas of indhoek, , , and . Extracts from revised SWAPO Constitution Definition S WAPO is a national liberation movement rallying together, on the basis of free and voluntary association, all freedom-inspired sons and daughters of the Namibian people. It is the organized political vanguard of the oppressed and exroited people of Nanmibia. In ulfilling its vanguard role, SWAPO organizes, unites, inspires, orients and leads the broad masses of working Nanibian people in the struggle for national and social liberation. It Is thus the expression and embodiment of national unity, of a whole people united and orpnized in the struggle for total independence and social liberation. Aims and Objectives A. PREAMBLE 1) Whereas Namibla is still under foreign domination; 2) Whereas the Namibian people's inalienable and imptescrlpti6le right to self-determintion and national Independeance is denied; 3) Wherea the occupying colonial power pesist in its refusal to unconditionadly withdraw all Its repreive military and police forces and its administation from Namibia; 4) Wheres the occulpying regime - ...... persists in its efforts to consolidate its illegal occupation by intensified repression and the fragmentation of Narmbia into bantustans; and 5) Whereas the regime continues to disregard the Namibian people's deep yearning for freedom; B. NOW, THEREFORE DO ,DECLARE THE BASIC AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF SWAPO ,AS FOLLOWS: 1) 1o fight relentlessly for the immediate and total liberation of Namibia from colonial and imperialist occupation; 2) To unite all the.people of Namibia,irrespective of race, religion, sex or ethnic origin, into a cohesive, representative, national political entity; 3) To foster a spirit of national consciouness or a sense of common purse and collective destiny among the people of Namibia; 4) To combat all reactionary tendencies of individualism, tribalism, aclsm, sexism and regionalism; S) To cooperate to the fullest extent with all the genuine national liberation movements, oeainatons and individuals throughout the woid towards complete elimination of the colonial system of imperialism; 6) To 'establish in Namibia a democratic and secular government founded upon the will and participation of all the Namiian people; 7) To ensure that the people's government exercises effective oontrol over the means of production and distribution and pursues a policy which facilitates the way to social ownership of all the resources of the country; 8) To work towards the creation of a non-exploitative and nonoppressive classless society; 9) To ensure that a people's government in an independent Nanbia cooperates with other states in Africa in bringing about African unity; 10) To see that the people's government works in close co-operation with an pece-loving states towards world peace and security. MEMBERSHIP Membership of SWAPO shall be 6pen to every Namibian who accepts the aims and objective as set out above. rogramme Workers Since the system of contract labour has been and continue to be ione-oftemost blatant manifestatiDaof colonial oppression in Namibia, it was felt essential initially to root the movement in the worker? section of the population. This close identification of our movement with the interests of the toiling masses of Namibian people is one of the main factors which explains the resilience of our movement when compared to other anti-colonial groups which had emerged in Namibia and have either collapsed or remained paper organizations. The task of rooting the movementlin the society entailed also i concentration of the principle issues around which the masses had to be mobilised. This meant that SWAPO had to place the particulararized problems, such as those of arbitrary residential relocation and contract labour into the broader context of Namibia's national independence. This was the real beginning of the development of Namibian national consciousness. But since this trend of development represented a direct antithesis to South African colonialism in Namibia, it brought about new waves of repression against SWAPO. For instance, by December 1963 the South African government banned ali public meetings in Namibia. A score of SWAPO cadres came under severe harassment in the form of dismissal from jobs, schools, and expulsions from urban areas to the countryside. Concomitant with this stream of harassment, the South African government set up a commission (known as the Odendal Commission) early in 1964 to draw up a plan for the balkanization of Nanubia into a chain of bantustans. Military wing In the face of these new colonial measures designed to thwart the growth of our movement,-ft became necessary to establish a guerrilla network of which the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) SWAPO's military wing - is today the living expression. Consequently, armed struggle is now the main form in which politics is being expressed. In summary, it can be said that the roots of the &,ntemporary Namibia national liberation movement can bt tracid to the formation of political organization during the latter half of the 1950's. The early 1960's saw the dynamic development of the movement characterized by the consolidation of SWAPO in the Namibian society. SPECIAL FEATURE Conditions The latter half of the 1960's Witnessed the beginning of the armed liberatioatrug&e .Namibia,. spcirheaded by SWAPO, and in the present phase of the struggle, armed struggle has become the main form of resistance to the South African illegal occupition of our country until the following pre-conditions are met. 1. South Africa must publicly accept the right of the Namibian people to independence and national sovereignty. 2. South Africa must publicly announce that Namibian territorial integrity is absolute and not negotiable in any quarter. 3. All political prisoners must be released, including Herman ya Toivo and our many other leaders and colleagues on Robben Island and elsewhere. 4. All political exiles, of whatever political organization, must be allowed freely to return to their country without fear of arrest or victimization. 5. South Africa must commit herself to the removal of her police and army and stop using Namibia as a base for aggression against neighbouring, independent African countries. 6. Any constitutional talks on Namibia must take place under United Nations supervisionj and should aim at the holding of free elections in Naenibia under United Nations supervision and control. To this end, we will continue to fight on and intensify th-. liberation struggle both politically and militarily in order to oblige South Africa to abandon her present imperialist design to impose on our people a weak and fearful pupper confederation of Bantustans, a conferderation which is incapable of contradicting orders from Pretoria to allow the Namibian people to proceed to genuine independence, without which there can be no peace in Namibia. SWAPO'S PRESENT AND FUTURE TASKS a) The immediate liberation and winning of independence for the people of Namibia, by all possible means, and the establishment of a popular democratic people's Government. b) The realization of genuine and total independence of Namibia in the spheres of politics, economy, defence, social and cultural affairs. c) Tb persistently mobilise and organise the broad masses of the Namibian people to actively participate in the National Liberation struggle. d) To mould and heighten the bond of national and political consciousness o'failthe-Namibian people" in the thick of the National liberation struggle. e) To combat all manifestations and tendencies of tribalism, regionalism, ethnic orientation and racial discr imination in order to cement and advance our strugle against coloiialism and imperialism. f) To unite all Namibian people particularly the working class, the peasantry and progressive intellectuals into a vanguard Party capable of safe-guarding national independence and the building of a classless nonexploitative society based on scientific socialist ideals and principles. g) To work in solidarity with other National and social liberation movements and other anti-imperialist. progressive and peace-!oving forces throughout the world with a view toriddingNamibia, the Af-ican continent and mankind of colonialist and imperialist domination. h) SWAPO shall sever all relations with the South African racist regime until there is a democratic government in that country based on the principles of Majority Rule. i) To support and contribute to all positive efforts towards the realisation of the Unity of the African continent. SWAPO'S POLICY ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS SWAPO holds high the banner of African and International Antiimperialist solidarity: a) To support and promote the ideals towards the unity of Africa as provided for in the Charter of the Organ zation of African Unity (OAU). b) To co-operate closely with all those progressive and authentic Liberation Movements fighting remnants of colonial neocolonial and imperialist domination in frica. c) To work in close co-operation with progressive Governments, Organizations and forces for the total emancipation of the African continent. d) To fight against any imposition or manoeuvres of a reactionary character from any quarter which is contrary to the total liberation of Namibia. e) To foster anti-imperialist unity for the strengthening of the world socialist, progressive and peaceloving forces.

Tumhalle's phoney freedom ON August is the so-called Consttutional committee of the Turhalle tribal conference issued a statement saying that 'with reasonable certainty, 31 December 1978 can be fixed as the date for independence for South West Africa'. ., Theitnouncement was cearly. intended as an answer to the UN Security Council's deadline of August 31, established unanimously in January this year by Resolution which called for South Africa to withdraw its police and army and agree to the holding of free national under UN sup supervision and control as the prelude to genuine national independence for a united Namibia. Much publicity has been given to the South African regime's alleged about-face on Namibia. But how much is this really an about-face? Just what kind of promise for Namibia's independence is being held out by Vorster and his Turnhalle agents? South Africa to stay The Tumhalle statement makes no mention of elections, nor does it say anything about the withdrawal of South African occupying forces. It does not call on the South African African regime to end its reign of terror in Namibia and halt its atrocities against the Namibian people. It does not ask for the release of of Namibian political prisoners. What it does say, in Section 2. headed 'Territorial Integrity', is this: 'The Committee reaffirms the interdependence of its various population groups and its firm desire to maintain South West Africa as a unity'. The very constitution of Turnhalle makes it ludicrous for delegates to talk about 'maintaining Namibian unity'. Under the South Africans, what unity? Ovamboland and Kavangoland have for a few years nowbeen functioning as separate and fully-fledged bantustana', and It Is members of their so-called 'governments' deeply traditionalist, firmly collaborationist, rooted in hatred of SWAPO's billlty to command mass support acoris tribal lines - who have been attending Tumhalle as the 'representatives' of their pe pie (Ovamboland and KLavangoland are the South Africans' major 'operational zone'; where army terr- orism is carried out with the full support of the quisling bantustan regimes). More Bantustans Since Turnhalle began in September 1975, South African legislative. machinery has moved-to implement bantustans in no less than three areas. At the end of July, South Africa orglnjsed elections in the Caprivi area for a 'Caprivi Legislative Assembly'; this semblance of democratic procedure (bantustan elections are always carried on with the full presence of South African police and army-) now guarantees Caprivi status in South African terms as a 'self- Africans, but elections for a 'Rehoboth Legislative Assembly' will still be held in September 1977. None of these moves is cow demned ih the Tumhalle statement with its alleged commitment to 'territorial integrity'. Nowhere do the delegates call for the abolition of bantustansor of the ethnically based institutions which attempt to keep the people of Namibia divided, and the reasons are dear: the Turnhalle delegates have only the South African police and army, and South African-created 'ethnic' institutions, to support them. South Africa's 'Legal Advisers' Moreover the South African regime has in the past few months New pro-SA propaganda body in Namibia THE South African regime is now desperately trying to sell its fraudulent proposals for Namibia's independence and to win international support for the proposed ,multi-national provisional government'. In order to boost the image of the Turnhalle tribal talks, a new propaganda organisation known as the 'Pro-South West Africa Foundation' has been formed. An inaugural meeting, attended by businessmen and other prominent personalities, was held in Windhoek at the end of August, and it was decided that the main objectives would be to support the Tumhlle decisions and to make contacts with 'friendly African states'. Although supposedly 'non-political' in character, the new body will be receiving backing from the notorious South Africa Foundation, governing native nation'. On 27 July, Hennie Smit, South African Minister for 'Colbured, Rehoboth and Nama Relations' in Namibia announced the formation of a 'Name Advisory ouncil' another step along the road to 'Name salf-determinatlon'. In March 1976 the 'Rehoboth Self-Government Bill' was presented to the South African House of Assembly. Angry demonstrations in Rehoboth (see accompanying report on Rehoboth Volksparty's decision to join SWAPO) caused some back-pedalling by the South Q3C~ 14717 which has agreed to assist it in making initial contacts in African states. According to information received from SWAPO sources inside Namibia, the organisation has already launched an appeal for a pre-liminary £650,000. Many western nining corporations with interests n Namibia have been approached for funds, including Rio Tinto Zinc, whose £120 Rossing uranium mine will shortly be opening, and the USowned Tsumeb Corporation, Namibia's largest producer of base minerals (copper, lead and zinc). Funds are also being sought frorr West German foundations, and gmany Germans resident in Namibia are known to be sponsoring the Foundation. Kurt Dahlman, editor of the German-language Algemeine Zeitung is a key member of the committee deciding on the Foundation's precise structure. We have learned that tt- s first major activity undertaken by the Foundation is to be a tour of Britain, West Germany and other European countries by a number of Turnhalle delegates, including Chief . Dr Africa, and other Vorster collaborators. This will be during the first week of October. with probable arrival in Bonn on October 4th. They are then scheduled to pay a visit to Ivory Coast and Liberia, the two aiginators of 'dialogue' with Vorster. We can therefore expect to see a flood of so-called 'facts' and 'information' designed to improve tightened its hold on the tribal dalegations. 'Legal advisers' have been appointed to the Damara, Tswana, Coloured, Ovambo, Caprivi and Name delegations. These lawyers are all, according to Arnold J Bums, a member of Burns and Jacoby, the American law-firm advising Chief Kapuuo, 'men of high calibre. They have worked for the Republic of South Africa before many, if not all, of them in connection with the South West Africa case before the World Court in the Hague. They are paid by the Bantu administration of the Republic', (statement to US House oi Representatives Subcomnittee on 27 August). So six of the tribal delegations are now receiving legal advice' from lawyers paid by South African Government and all, on Bums' own admission, committed to ongoing South African occupation and control in Namibia. the image of the Vorster regime in Namibia over the coming weeks. SWAPO names some of the men behind it SWAPO ha lrmt the identity of a number of prominent members of the settler community who have become members, or are financially supporting, the newly-formaed propaganda orgenisation In Namibia. Many of these Individuals have extensive business connections, including companies involved in ex! plaiting Namibia's natural resources. It is noteworthy that a large proportion represent non-Namibians by birth - mainly Germans and South Africans. BEarger, Josef-Andres. Born: Obbayem, Germany 1915; to Namibia 1956. Interests: Owner, Marble Crush, Dr Berger's Mines. Bessaling, Johan B. Born: Cape Town 1924. Interests: Gen. Mng & Director, Oceanm Fishing Co Ltd., Swasfico (pty) Ltd, Lurles Canning Factory Ltd, African Canning Co (SWA) Ltd, Luderts BEy Canery Ltd, Sea Products (SWA) Ltd: member Fisheries Devpt Advisory Board. Buhr, Hseman Wilhelm Otto. Born: Hanover 1913; to Nemibia 1953. Interests: Mng Dir of Freight Burns and Jacoby themselves described by Bums as 'principally business lawyers, with a great deal of international business experience' - don't appear to be in Namibia out of simple love for the Herero nation. Burns told the House subcommittee that they represent 'one American firm doing business in Namibia. . . a small one, not of any consequence', and also that they represented 'other business interests, non-American, doing business in Namibia'. Burns had first visited Namibia and made contacts.there in 1972. Turnhalli; is clearly a medium not only for South African manoeuvring but also for those concerns which have a vested interest in ensuring that the Namibian people do not assume control, not only of their political destinies, but of their economic resowces. Services (SW Services ISW Walvis Bay H Board. Collins, Gerald Born: Londo 1930. Interests: Di ional Bank L Trustees of t Davis, Samuel. Born: Trans Interests: Di ions (pty) L SWA Annua Publicity & Trustee SA Filitz, Friederi Born: Berlin 1956;WWII Navy. Interests: D (pty) Ltd, Rembrandt Rupert Co. Lafranz, Edmu Born: Kiel Member De 1943-45. Interests: D Lafrenz Ho other cos. Mathews, Des Born: Swak Interests: Mining Ca Trustees Si Becays N Mining Co SWA (pty) SWA (pty) Ltd. Nomsindorff, Bqm: KIos to Namibla Who Needs the Interim? An 'interim government' rising out of Turnhalle, with Kapuuo and the 'enlightened' Mr Mudge at its helm, will simply perform a holding operation while South African and other economic and geopolitical interests try to entrench themselves in Namibia - not a quick or easy process in the-face of Namibian resistance. It is clear to the majority of Namibians.that what they are.being 'offered' by Turnhalle is South African rule in another guise. Turnhalle goes hand in hand with the systematic violence practised by South Africa in our country, and the Namibian people are committed at all costs to rooting out South African rule 3nd South African brutality. A) Ltd,Chairman man Arm/1932-45. larbouy Advisory Interests: Dir of Brockmann& Kriess (pty) Ltd. George. Pagels, Karl Weiner. on 1906;to Namibia Born: Rostock 1925; to Namibia 1953; WWII in German Army r of Barclays Net- Heavy Artillery 1943-44. .td, Chairman of Interests: Mng Dir of Precast he SA Foundation. Concrete Industries of SWA (pty) Ltd. veal, 1903. Paterson, John Carmichael. ir of SWA Publicat- Born: Krugersdorp 1921. td, Publisher of Interests: Sec to De Beers I, Chairman SWA Contolidated Mines Ltd, Dir of Tourist Association, De Beers Prospecting SWA (pty) Foundation. Ltd. ch Karl. Schoeman, Hendrik Petrus. n 1925; to Namibia Born: Cape Province 1919; to I served in German Namibia 1939. Interests: Dir Philips Electronics 'ir of Rembrandt SWA (pty) Ltd, Trustee SA Walvis Bay, Mng Foundation. (pty) ltd. (Anton Spies Stefanus Johanes. Born: Cape Province 1922; to ind Georg Ludwig. Namibia 1945. 1925; Namibia 1952; Interests: Dir of Protes Holdings utsche Wehrmacht SWA pty) Ltd, Consortium Fisheries pty) Ltd, Ohlthaver & ir of Edmund List Finance& Trading Co. Ltd, dings (pty) Ltd & Member SWA Publicity Association. nond O'Niel. Van Wyk, Dekker Adam. :opmund 1923 Born: Cape Province 1933. ec to Association of Interests: Chairman of apanies of SWA. Afrikoanse Sakekamer, Member k Foundation. Dir of of Board of Voortrekkef Comitlonal Bank, Oemites mando, Elder Dutch Reformed (pty) Ltd, Anglovel Church. Ltd, Falconbridge of Von Shut4 Ham Albrecht Ltd, Matjo & Ziegler Born: , 1912. Interests: Chairman of Karakul Warner. Board, Dir of Hudson's Bay & slow, Germany 1913;. Anninga (SWA) Ltd, The Bank '195M; Major in Ger- of SWA. we pbih here a letter recently received from a Namilin imprisoned by the South Afuican on Robbeti Island, which exposes the and inhuman treatment to which ou Jailed comnades are su*ected. Way of our people lave died or been irreparably injured! at the bands of South Af~rica torturers and jilets. The recent trial of Amron Mushiinba and five others in Swakopmuiid TONS accompsanied by the systematic andl brutal torture of more than 200 Nanslhians detained with them under South Africa's rAct. Souh Af s courts and prisons are weapos used ainst the Namiian people im their struge for freedom. ser Is nopoussbility for a peaceful and jut'solution' in Namilia while South African forces continue to arrest and torture _.J. Znd-&, tbeiemeNamibi polfical prisoners suffering in South Africa's jails. Letter I am writing to you to tell YOU of our ight and to try to summare - ei m -iln u f- ar obben 1sland, lithe bopett Yo will be ale to make these things known to the world. The South African regime spreads a lot of lies about this place, and we want you to broadcast the truth. Labour We are forced to do the dirtiest and worst kinds of lard labour thought up by the Boers and designed to make life difficult and unbearable for us. For one year we were working at the "Bamboos" (it is a kind of sea.weed) factory. Some of us were drawing the Hman jTolvo, co-founder 0T SWAPO, imprisoned on Robben Island since 1968- South Africa tried to make him a pawn In its Turhall' game. Festoe Nahate died on Robben Island on 8 March 1970 after Boer medical butchery. from Robben 'Bamboos" from the sea, wlle others carried them to the factory. Afta.Wbdrlyth a i.J1Iked,.. _7 put Into bags, and exported to the United States, through San Francisco; to Japan, through Yokohawa; and to France, through Marseilles. We were forced to produce up to 40 bals a day, each weighing 200kg. We understand fr6m a reliable source that these imperialist powers who are now sucking the last drops of blood of the prisoner - are producing about 26 different products from these "Bamboos" including jelly and perfame. The factory where we were milling the "Bamboos" was full of dust from the machines. A doctor established that the dust is dangerous and injurious to the lungs and throat. The "equipment" we were given for protection against the dust was of the poorest quality, and didn't even serve its purpose. In November 1975 we decided to go on strike, since they had constructed an enclosure which was accessible to the dust coming from the machine, and forced us to chop the "Bamboos" in that enclosure. The strike was successful in a sense, for they replaced us with common law prisoners, who have their gaol about one kilometre from ours. Early this year the Boers .tried us for this: they found us 'guilty' and punished us. Comrades also have to work on the lime quarry, which is about 80 metres long and 40-50 metres wide. Its depth in approximately 10-15 metres! The surface is bard like a stone, but we are forced, violently, to break it with picks. Often the lime is not needed, and they throw Lazarus Sakarisa: suffering from tuberculosis. Island it into the sea. If you were to visit Robben Island and to see the lime quarries dug by human strength, you woi u. dZirty not believe your eyes.We also have to break stones, for gravel. South Africa always tries to make visitors to the Island believe -that hard labour does not exist ,there. They do this by concealing the existence of the quarries and wood camps; by giving those who work in these places other kinds of work to do whenever they have a visitor from abroad; and by giving deceptive explanations as to why people are working in such places. Medical Treatment There is in fact a place called the "hospital" but it is one only in name, for people do not get proper treatment there. The "doctors" who visit the Island are quacks: comrades are often given wrong tablets and medicines. Or the officers see to it that we don't get the tablets at all. We have put this matter on many occasions to the International Red Cross, but the Boars explain it away, and our complaints only intensify our maltreatment. Sometimes those who are ill and need urgently to be in hospital are put in isolation cells and receive no medical attentio. The following comrades lost their lives or parts of their bodies because they were not given pt,,ler medical attention by the Boer doctors: Erasmus Kapolo had an abcess of the gum while in detention in Petoria from 1966. The doctor extracted his tooth without anaesthetic, and when the abcess got worse and he asked for further treatment he was given electric John Shiponeni: permanently disabled. shock torture. A few days later, in 1967, he died. Anguha Shoonyeka was wounded during the capture at Ongulumbashe, but had recovered by the time he was taken to Pretoria. There the Security Police tortured and murdered him. They hung his body in his cell and said he had committed suicide. Two or three days before his death, on 9 October 1966, he told one of his comrades that he had been beaten and was going to be taken back to the torture chamber. Festus Nehale had an incomplete rectum operation andwas returned to the section only three days after the operation. The surgeon had not sewn him up properly, and comrade Nehale was so weak that the comrades had to wash him and support him. On 8 March 1970, a few days after the Boers had finally taken him to the local 'hospital', comrade Nehale died. Petrus Nilenge died on 4 March 1974, from TB. He had been taken to Cape Town for treatment, but returned in a worse condition. The back of his head swelled up, and he partly lost the power of speech. All the time until his death he was kept in isolation in the hospital - we were not allowed to see him. The Boers refused to admit for about 20 days after his death that he had died - they said they had released him. John Shiponeni's knee was injured by the Boer torturers in Pretoria. One day on the Island he stumbled in the lime quarry and further damaged it. He was refused treatment for a month, then taken to Cape Town where his leg was amputated, without his knowledge or consent. They told him he had cancer and there was nothing they could do to save his leg. He now stays permanently in the 'hospital'. Nghidipo Haufiki has high blood pressure; so does Sakeus Itika; Lazarus Sakaris has T.B.; Jonas Shimweefeleni has kidney trouble, the doctors have on numerous occasions recommended that he be released, but this request has been refused by the South African regime. Study Study on Robben Island is a privilege which the Boers may take away or suspend whenever it pleases them. Books ire taken away from us soon after we receive them; those who take examinations never pass them, no matter how hard they work. It is very expensive to study - the greedy capitalist college owners are squeezing prisoners dry. There is a library, %but we are only allowed to visit it at intervals of months, If at all. When we are sent books by the Red Cross or other international orpanlutions, they simply do not reach us. Punishments The comrades are punished every day by the Boers to destroy their payehological resistance. But brutality only helps to tough en the comrades. There is a "court" condpcted by the Boer warders to punish us: If you are found "guilty" you are sent to iso- lation cells for 20-30 days, where you undergo a dietary punishment called 'spare diet': for breakfast you get mealie-meal in hot water without salt; for lunch you get a beaker of soup without salt; dinner is the same as breakfast. Maltreatment is an everyday thing, We are assaulted by warders and officers alike, then left in isolation cells until we no longer bear the marks, then taken to the hospital so the doctors can 'prove' we have not been beaten. Sometimes they come and beat us up with handles in the night. Food - ... - - :. The food is very unwholesome. For breakfast one gets porridge; for lunch - me.alies; for dinner - por-. ridge, with a tiny piece ofemeat or fish. "Coffee" is made from roasted mealie-meal and tates terrible. Because of the poor food and brackish water, more than 3/4 of the prisoners suffer from high blood pressure. Letters and Visitors We are allowed to write one letter a month, and receive one a month; if one has no visitor that month, one can write and receive two letters. The letters 'take months to reach us; Ihey are censored and mu tilated. Sometimes one only receives the name and address of the person who wrote the letter the contents have been cut out. Our letters are also censored. We are not allowed to have contact-visits, or even to shake hands with out visitors. We have to speak through a glass panel about 40 sq. cm., so that we cannot even see each other clearly. The visit lasts 30 minutes - once a month - and the Security Police are present and tape our conversations. General There are no beds - we have to sleep on hard sisal mats. Sometimes the cement is so cold that one cannot sleep and has to spend the night awake. Comrades Ja Toivo, Mandels. Sisulu. and 37 other South Africans are kept in isolation in what the Boers call "single cells" (in order to deceive the international bodies which visit the Islands): they are very tiny. On days when there is no work we are locked up the whole day and only given a few minutes outside the cells. The Boers treat us here worse than they would treat dogs. They try to subdue and frighten us. But we are determined and resolved never to cringe before the Boers. We will continue to resist until the day of victory. We are prepared to be killed rather than to go over to the enemy's side. Rumour have been circulating recently that-comrade Ja Toivo and some others are to be released so that they can participate in the Turnhalle. This is only South African propaganda aimed at dividing our People's Movement. The Namibians on Robben Island have discussed this issue several times, One of our main decisions was that we will never talk to the South African regime because we are in prison and the South Africans are quite aware of the fact that we don't get any news about what is going on outside prison walls. We have no newspapers or radios. We also feel we have nothing to negotiate with the South African regime, since it was given the Mandate to administer Namibia without consultation with the Namibian people. I fee that South Africa will only transfer us to Namibia when international pressure and the effect of our political and armed struggle have become unbearable - that is when Soulh Africa will be completely de. feat' J. Rehoboth Volksparty joins SWAPO The Rehoboth Volksparty, which has always opposed South African bant ustan policies in Namibia, and vigorously denounced Turnhalle, announced on 17 August that it was disbanding and that its members had joined SWAPO. The move was motivated, raid Dr F.S. Stellmacher, former chairman of the Volksparty, by a krrowing feeling among Rehobothers that it was necessary to work: for the liberation of Namibia as a whole. The Volksparty had decided unanimously to disband. Dr Stellnacher said I hat there were many t, ohnic political parties in Namibia which differed only in name, while their policies were very similar. The Voiksparty had dissolved itself and joi.ned.SWAPO in order to set an example to other parties. It-was now necessary, he said, o unite and work together for the liberation of Namibia. SWAPO offices are to be opened in the Rehoboth area. A SWAPO spokesman said the move was most heartily welcome. SWAPO worked for the liberation of all Namibians, and the struggle demanded that all the people unite to achieve freedom and independence from illegal South African rule. *

SWAPO 1977 POSTER CALENDAR In English Spanish French and Arabic Depicts the struggle of the Namibian People Size A2 23x16 inches Price £1.50 20 Discount for orders of 10 or more copies -Full colour SOUTH WEST AFRICA PEOPLE'S ORGANISATION 21/25 TABERNACLE STREET LONDON E.C.2 I would like to order.-.-.SWAPO calendars I enclose £ E IN0, 0 Name and address in blockletters Mr.Mrs. V.. .1 ______m El mira