E EPISCOPAL CHURCHPEOPLE for a FREE SOUTHERN AFRICA 339 Lafayette Street, New York, N.Y. 10012·2725 C (212) 477-0066 S A 17 June'1988

GWEN LISTER DETAINED

Gwen Lister, editor of the progressive newspaper THE NAMIBIAN, was detained incommunicado today by South African security police in the occupied territory of . Details are contained in the dispatch from the Namibia, Communications Centre, , on the reverse side.

Ms Lister is a seasoned newsperson and founder of the weekly English language THE NAMIBIAN in August 1985. She has been a target of the Preto­ ria regime - which rules Namibia illegally in de­ fiance of the lawful authority, the , and of Pretoria's puppet 'government' in . In 1984 she was tried in a South African court for ~ bringing in documents from a United Nations confer­ ence held in , but was acquitted. Several weeks ago she and an assistant editor were summon­ ed before a South African military tribunal; both refused to answer any questions.

Gwen Lister's arrest occurs as virtually the entire Namibian populace is preparing for a giant nation-wide demonstration in sympathy with students who are protesting the military occupation of their country. The National Union of Namibian Workers has called a two-day strike Monday/Tuesday, 20/21 June, in support of the young people. It is highly unlikely the occupation authorities will not respond with typical Pretorian brutality.

SEND YOUR PROTESTS TO:

State President P.W. Botha Private Bag X213 (Cables) Pretoria 0001,

Telexes: 3-21695 SA 3-21890 SA 3-22158 SA

Administrator General Louis Pienaar Private Bag 13278 Windhoek 9000, NAMIBIA (Cables)

CALL ON THEM TO RELEASE ALL DETAINEES IN NAMIBIA AND IN SOUTH AFRICA

MESSAGES OF SUPPORT:

Ms Gwen Lister THE NAMIBIAN (Cables) POBox 20783 Windhoek 9000, NAMIBIA TO:EDITORS AND AFRICA DESKS FROM:NAMIBIA COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE LONDON TELEX '89505~1 ONEONE G, FIRST,LINE: ATTN NAMIBIA Windhoek: June 17, 1988 t . . GWEN LISTERcEDITOR OF ."THE NAMIB-IAN." ,ARRESTED BY SECURITY POLICE I t :~..,.. ,.<':-, "." "::"'~' -i--r·:,.··'"-.·-~· • .;.!,,~ . -, ..:. .~. . Ms. Gwen Lister, editor of II'The . Namibian":, an independent weekly newspaper, was seized at her offices today by South I; ·African Security p'olice at 1:55 PM Windhoek local time. She is being detained under a law known as "AG. 9",' a security act I promulgated by South Africa's colonial administrator in Namibia that provides for arrest without trial or access to a lawyer. Ms. Lister, 34; who has a long history of challenging South I Africa1s authority, was apparently detained in connection with a front page story in todays "Namibian". The story, written by I Lister, reveals the details of a proposed new law, dra~ted by the I police, giving sweeping new powers to the police commissioner to i repress any action or person in the interest of "maintaining law. and order. II , ' . I South Africa I~' appointed government in .Namibia is currently I reeling under the effects of an almost nationwide student strike --More-- :,;,'...... I against South African Defense Forc~ b~.s'es, near, school,s in. .•..-_," lt northern Namibia arid the announced intention of the major unions to· join the students in a nationwide s,trike June· 20 - 21 it the bases are not removed. . I Lister1s story was based on a document that may have been leaked from police sources~ laying out what is virtually a state I of emergency for Namibia•. The draft law makes provi~ons for ~rohibiting freedom of' movement". declaring certain areas as no­ go-zones, the closing of any business or enterprise, the :ieclaration of certain peopl.e. as "affect~d: persons"',: and. includes,' new powers to prohibit,meetings and gatherings~~Upder the proposed new taw,. the 'pol'ice, army ·an-d'govermn~nt·members are ...... "•.1 "._ indemnified :agairist any action by'persons Or organisations i' The'·'··.".· ~roposed law provides for punishme~ts"up:to 20;00-0 :aand' and 10' .' " . years .in jail.. . _. -. . _- . ... :.. '. . _ -. .- , Security police visited Lister yesterday, demanding that 'she' turn over the document. ' She complied with the demand but was n-ot instructed: by the police that' th'e' doclJ.Iilent 'was 'declared: secret. After-:wai1:ing for a proinised return. visit from the ?olice, she 'printed what.sneremembered of the document for-- todayIS edition.- " ,'-c.>:, ... \;.--" ',;¢", .:' ':"~.;;:>:.:":'::<;.>;'';'~ .':' .,.:"y,-.::< '~·'·'~".<.t:.:; , '~:Lawyers ~acting:. for the n:ewspape~':'ha:ve:'a:sked'South 'Afri'cafs' ~ppo.inte(fgQvernmentt·operini): .legal 'acce~sto' Ms.' Lister, but:

- ·-.~More·~~~ : :0,: ~,>.~:,;::,:~::';':":"~':- .~;:':·~>;~~'·:~>,'::·::,:~"~;'--'~~~~~·~:/:;:~~~~;Jr:': ~>L~.·\, /~.:;:>,,·.~'t ,'.'=.',::~~.:",.;: ~ ~~.~: :;.;'::'> the present Chairman 'of the Cabinet, Mr.' ~drew Matjila,saidhe . ~ill not' be able to discuss 'this until the cabinet meets on ' 1010nday, June 20~,,' .,-,.,<.':: :'.',: __. :.-... .. '..;c'.::'2;'.--;' ~,.::,.. :' _.':' ',' ,".> ,,- _;.:T.Tp~ay'tlappens to be the~tl;ird anniversary of P·.W: Botha~~... ' :': ... __ appoin:t.m~nt:.Qf t?e "TransJ.tJ.?:na1 G()~er~~n.t o~--_Na~J.o:n,ct:~P~:i:,~Y.J.n. ~:~--.:~ ~~:.~~,~j>~ ,"~,.' ~ ':.:'.,':'.:'~.:c"" ~.~.;,. '<.'~ ~,: -;~'~.~'~ ,~~~.",,~. . '.:' C'.. :'" ,:': -'.: j' .'-:.: ;;:" .•',:" .. ' ;." Namibia .,.. ~awYers- for "The.. Nami.bian". say the draft' law "is ':in" <~, complete conf1fctwith mosi;. of the'basic rights"contained in" th~tgovernment':-s~"Billof 'Rights.' ..;, .... ,.;.." •. :>:...:, ;':-:.:.<":..-0:•.,,,,< ...~>.,--'::;;":: .. :~::",~<;., -- ;"':..? ...... >~:. ;~': '--;" ··;;Ms.' Lister wa~" recently 'named' Third World Editor of the Year ,for-,-l988by the Inte:):' Pressnewsservice. lends. ",,,:, <,_' .;~:. ,-- ":"::"!;''':~:~::';'.'.~.::., :-;~·.:;<~.:~'~:~:5~ '.~.~':': :"-~",':~:,:~,~:'",:.<.~Z~·>/;"':i.-·.: _:o"~,.-' 'Above may'be,,:!sed-wJ.thout fee;' Illease,credit where'po'ssible Namibia Cormnunications Centre, :news'. age~cy" Y!9rking witl1. the 'c' ' Christian 'churches in Namibia. For further' information contact' Rev-ld 'John Evenson, London"833' 2905" __ ' . ,..." ." -' - •-• ..:' ~.", • ~ <- : -::... .:.,