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Koevoet) in Northern Tor Kierie Du Rand Ofthe Public Rela­ Namibia

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Koevoet) in Northern Tor Kierie Du Rand Ofthe Public Rela­ Namibia -- BISHOPS ·TO BOTHA ~ o inform SA State President that war,situation is r~aching calamitous stage -------- BY GWEN LISTER NAMIBIAN churchleaders, meeting with the Ad­ ministrator Gener~, Mr Louis Pienaar, on Wednesday afternoon, requested an urgent meeting with the South African State President, Mr P W Botha, ·in order to resolve the war situation which they describe as hav­ ing reached a "calamitous stage". A spokesman from Mr Pienaar's office confirmed that the request had been transmitted to the office of Mr Botha, and added that the State President's attitude. to such a meeting would depend on the "motive" behind the request by chur­ cQIeaders, and that the meeting would be unlikely to take place before the elections in South Africa. Churchleaders, including Bishop James Kauluma of the Anglican Church; Bishop Hendrik Frederick of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; Bishop Kleopas Dumeni of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN); Reverend Karl Sundermeier of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church and other member churches of the Council of Churches in Namibia, said in a brief statement that they were seeking an urgent appointment with Mr Botha "so that an opportunity may be given to us to express our concern over this dangerous situation of escalating conflict", Reca1ling the "concerns and warn­ tions which he would pose to them_ ings which we have previously brought Such questions concerned statements to the attention of the South African by churchleaders made in various State President", the churchleaders parts of the world. The spokesman said that the "situation is referred in particular to a recent state­ deteriorating month by month and day ment by Bishop Dumeni concerning by day. and needs urgent attention to­ allegations that helicopters of the prevent it from escalating beyond the SADF had been seen In nortbern present already dangerous point", Namibia with the bodies of dead peo­ The churchleaders said in the state­ ple suspended from them. Mr Botha, WORKERS in the Walvis Bay Municipal compound for several days refused to eat the food provid­ ment that Mr Pienaar had been said the spokesman, would demand ed for them, on the grounds that it was "rotten and filthy". Employers of some of the approximate "receptive" to their request, and in­ dates and times and evidence of such 4 200 workers housed in the compound met with Municipal officials this week to try and resolve dicated that it would be communicated allegations in order to investigate. the situation. Workers ate again for the first time since last Friday on Wednesday night of this week. to MrBotha, but cautioned that there­ He added that churchleaders had Full stories and pictured on Walvis Bay by Rajah Munamava and John Liebenberg inside today. quest for a meeting might not be met made it clear that the wished solely to before mid-May (after the elections). discuss with Mr Botha, the escalating Mr Botha's office was approached for war 'situation, and that they did not would facilitate a meeting with Mr . comment, but a spokesman said no in­ want to deal with allegations of Botha. This meeting would largely de­ formation could be given on any ofthe atrocities on the part of Swapo. Mr pend on whether the churchleaders State President's meetings. Botha would not agree to talks on the had an "honest motive" and "recon­ Also approached for comment, a "escalating war" since it was the opi­ ciliation" in requesting the meeting, EASTER spokesman from the office of the Ad­ nion of the authorities that Swapo ac­ and were not. mereiy "playing to the ministrator General said that the re­ tivities had "diminished" and were public gallery". quest for a meeting had already been Church sources confirmed that the SPECI·AL ~'w inding-down" rather than sent to Mz:Botha's office, and confirm­ escalating. deteriorating war situation in nor- ed the meeting with Mr Pienaar and The spokesman said he felt, in view thern Namibia wou~d be the topic of churchleaders on Wednesday. of the fact that Mr Botha refused, two such a meeting. They added that the He said that Mr Pienaar had made years ago, to meet with CCN chur­ meeting with the A4ministrator WE OFFER it clear in the meeting, that chur­ chleaders, that ifthe churchleaders in General was in order to pass the re­ chleaders would, ifthey met with Mr question "spoke out against violence quest for discussions with the State Botha, have to answer certain ques- from all sides", that such an attitude President . 200/0 DISCOUNT ON ALL CAMPING EQUIPMENT FROM 30 MARCH TO 16 APRIL AT COREL CKS 119, Kaiser street Tel: 37700 , 2 Friday April 10 1987 .Tt:te .NAMIBIAN UNEASY CALM DESCENDS ON WALVIS BAY The workers, mostly migrant BY RAJAH MUNAMAVA were still dissatisfied with the bread, labourers from northern Namibia "There is talk of special bread being of­ have been refusing to eat since last Fri­ NAMIBIA'S ONLY deep water harbour, Walvis Bay, returned to calm this week after five days of ten­ fered at the compound. I don't know day, bringing about the- biggest sion and uncertainty, as over 4000 workers - who (orm the bulk of the labour force for the fi!jlhing, whether this is special bread for kaffirs workforce incident since the miners' construction, transport and railwaY-industries - 'refused to eat the food provided at the Kuisebmond or .what kind of bread it is. There is strikes of the 1970s. Municipal compound, demanding proper preparation ofthe meals, alleging that often it was "filthy" nothing like kaffrr money and we want On Wednesday, about forty and cooked days before it was actually dished up. food that everybody eats". employers met Municipal officials to In another development, Mr Max­ look into the grievances of the workers. huilili disclosed that a worker was ar­ No details of the meeting were rested this week and assaulted by the released. police near a fish factory in Walvis Bay_ The workers charged that the food The man, he said, was on a bicycle pass­ provided by the Municipality at the ing by the factory when police pulled compound was badly prepared, and up in a van and started to assault him. sometimes rotten and filthy. Mr Maxhuilili strongly denied a They alleged that mealiemeal was police report that they had arrested a cooked two or more days prior to it be­ man and had used teargas to disperse ing served. They also complained a "rowdy" mob near a factory in Walvis about the tea, saying it was seryed Bay. "Since the merger of the railway without sugar. police·and the SAP, these police don't .one ofthe workers pointed out that sit in their offices, they must always go ifno changes were brought about in the out and cause trouble," Mr Maxhullili quality and preparation of meals, they said. i would demand the closure of the Walvis Bay was annexed by South kitchen. Africa in August1977 and is being ad­ The Municipal compound houses ministered as an intergral part ofthe aapproximately 4 200 workers, most­ South African Cape Province_ ly Owambo-speaking from nor~hern Theoretically the state of emergency Namibia. A total sum of about R80,00 as proclaimed in the Cape Province in is substracted on a monthly basis from South Africa, applies to Walvis Bay as their wages and payed to the well. Municipality to cover board and lodg- EMPLOYERS of workers in Walvis Bay visited the hostel this week to assess the complaints about food. Pic- Last February two members ofthe ing at the compound. tured above, the drums containing porridge for the workers. Namibia Food and Allied Union A spokesman for the workers cop.; _', ,. demned what he callell "police pro- < the workers to form a committee in vocation" during the period workers order to .open up a communication refrained from eating th~ meals. channel. The spokesman, who declined to be .Mr Vermaak claimed that it was the identified, safd camoUflage police in '.. firsttimethatttlieworkershadwanted Casspirsmoved into the hostel on ' to n.ave-:tea,.with·lIiilk and said that Saturday and started to intimidate the previo\i'sly' tney: had preferred _9fack hostel residents. He added that atone tea. He claimed that his Municipality point a resident was nearly run down had tried to provide a balanced diet for by a Casspir after police chased him in the workers, out they had complained the compound. and had preferred porridge every time. Kuisebmond Municipal Secretary, He denied that the food was badly Mr Salmon Vermaak, said yesterday prepared, but conceded that left-overs that the situation had been resolved were dished Qut if they were found to and that everything was back to be good. normal. Mr Vermaak defended the police Mr Vermaak said the boycott had presenceatthehostel,sayingthatthey been instigated by certain elements, had been called in because there was and added that a note calling on the a group of workers who were molesting . wo~kers..llQ~ t.q .e~ter the dini}1gJlall others, pre"enting them from getting • was discoveredon tt: dliofwa'yoflhe :"'"~theirshareoffood , lnaddition,hesaid, , hal~ .;:-,..-;._ """ " -. " , --., ' some workers had.been giv.ing "Swapo He said he had a'ssured the workers signs". that the food would be improved, but Swapo's Acting President, Mr added however, that it was a difficult Nathaniel Maxhuilili, confirmed that task to cook for over four thousand the food situationa,tthe compound had people. been solved. He also said that he had requested He said however, that' the workers THIS HOLE was made in the floor of the Walvis Bay hostel in order to ac­ comodate unemployed people stay­ ing in the compound.
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