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---- * * * * * Interview with Commmissioner"." t for Namibia inside * * * * * STUDENTS A D UNIONS CHALLENGE -THE STATE BY GWEN LISTER AFFILIATES of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) and the Namibian . National Students' Organisation (NANSO) confirmed this week that they had instructed lawyers to launch a court application to declare Act 16 of 1988 (Protection of Fundamen­ tal Rights Act) in conflict with the Bill of Fundamental Rights and therefore invalid and without force and effect. Lawyers for the Legal Assistance Centre when approached said the application had been launched yesterday (Thursday) and is set down for hear­ ing on October 24. The papers were served on the Affidavits by Ignati us Shiwhameni, the fourth; Metal and AlliedN amibian Speaker for the interim government Ben Ulenga, John Pandeni, Barnabus Workers Union as the fifth; and the National Assembly, first respondent; Tjizu and Petrus Hongo, were used to Namibia Public Workers' Union the the Cabinet of the interim govern­ support the application. sixth applicant. ment, second respondent; the Ad­ Nanso is the first applicant; Mr Ignatius Shiwhameni said in his af­ ministrator General andthe Attorney Shiwhameni the ' second; the fidavit that he was a final ye~ BA stu~ General as third and fourth Mineworkers Union of Namibia, the respondents respecti vely, yesterday. third; Namibia Food and Allied Union, Continued on page 2 SADF BLAMES SWAPO-FOR STRANGE ROBBERIES but residents-point out several .inconsistenQies BY CHRIS SHIPANGA SEVEN ARMED robbers, believed to be Unita members, broke dialect of the robbers, that they were into a supermarket in northern Namibia on Tuesday and stole of Angolan origin, and she also cited an unspecified number of goods and cash before fleeing back the fact that they had given orders to the shop.assistants to come and report into southern Angola. back that PLAN was responsible for The thieves, who spoke both The owner was on an overseas visit the deed. Oshiwambo and Portuguese, at gun­ at the time ofthe incident, but his wife The female shop assistants said that point forced shop assistants to carry and sister, Mrs Theresiah and Meme the armed robbers arrived at about some ofthe goods to a remote destina­ Queen were both around and in charge. 03:00 on Tuesday, awakened them and tion ~everal hundred metres across the On Wednesday, September 21,1988, ordered them to hand over the keys to bon;,r into southern Angola, where yet another supermarket, and a bottle tbe market and cash. they ordered the assistants to return store belonging to the same owner, was When they told them that they did and report that PLAN was responsible_ broken in and several boxes of beer, not have the keys, the women were The supermarket, registered as alcohol, and other goods were stolen_ rounded up, ordered to fonow the men Omafo, and owned by a wellknown Meme Queen, who is sister to the to the market, where the robbers pro­ businesman, Mr Eli'akim Namund: owner, said that it was clear that arm­ ceeded to break down the door with a jebo, is situated about three kilometres ed Unita bandits were responsible for piece of iron bar. from the Namibian/Angolan border, at the robbery on Tuesday at Omafo_ Two males who are employed as Oshikango. She said that it was clear from the security and guards of the market ran for fear of their lives, but were AFTERMATH of robbery with some of the goods which could not be threatened and told to come back and taken by the thieves in the foreground: help with the carrying of the stolen goods into Angola. The women said that although it was dark, they could see that the robbers Unita -bandits or were dressed in camouflaged uniform. They were using torches throughout. Large suitcases, and handbags were 'real' refugees? filled with all sorts of items, and a safe was broken into. and an unspecified _______ BY CHRIS SHIPANGA _______ cash amount stolen. "As if this was not enough, we were NUMEROUS reports of Angolan refugees streaming into certain 'parts then fo,rced at gunpoint to carry the of northern Namibia are the talk of the day in the area, but residents goods on our heads across the border. claim SADF involvement into the sudden influ~ allegedly to try and We were very scared, because the rob­ rescue Unita. bers threatened to kill us if we A SWATF spokesman said on inquiry that the defence force was in resisted;' said one young woman. no way involved in rendering any assistance to Angolan refugees in "We then carried the articles to a the territory. The spokesman confirmed however that such reports of place where the robbers had seven refugees, have reached military headquarters at Oshakati. bicycles hidden behind some shrubs. Meanwhile, Mr Peter Kalangula, who chairs 'the Administration for They ordered us to go back to Namibia, Owambo, at Ondangwa, this week conf"lrmed that security forces were involved in the assistance and provision of temporary accomodation Continued on page 2 to Angolans crossing into Namibia. Continued on .page 2 THE ONLY SALON IN TOWN SPECIALISING IN BLACK HAIR. THE INTRODUCERS OF "AMERICAN _~~RM" IN THIS COUNTRY IN 1982. IS YOUR HAIR FALLING OUT, NOT GROWING? COME TO THE BLACK HAIR :::::;': : : '::::: : ::::: Ai:~i : : ::: g~F:::: ER?exTENbEtfTtFSEPttEMi~;;':~I$_LS FOR FREE ADVICE! CF~IEEE WASH TO OUR CLIENTS: INTRODUCE THREE ~:;;;: ' §j:Ub--;:;;;;"'· ···"'·-"~~~tr1:~20' 1lt:(.q~t:Il: Il W~T;R~N8N~i~~~~L~ ~~JN~~~~IDE! pe.~. / RM: R30 , 6\.0 <8. TEL. 31171 FROM SAM-7.30PM. 2 Friday September 23 1988 THE NAMIBIAN Challenge by students and unions NP says it can concern in this way ..." he said. The Nanso Secretary General added Continued from page 1 Therefore the circumstances in the matter was one of urgency since only accept one­ dent at the Academy, and Secretary which students be encouraged to abs­ prosecutions were presently pending General ofN anso. N anso, he said, had tain from using any public service, in respect of a number of students a membership of about 3 000 and its whether in protest against its quality under the Act, who were arrested, held D1.an one-vote on primary objective was to serve the in­ or prices, in the form ofboycotts, could for several days, and released on terests ofN amibian students. Issues of in terms of the Act be interpreted as stringent conditions. He said the ac­ concern to students included cir­ discriminatory. He added the tivities of Nanso were seriously imped­ a 'group' basis cumstances where students be en­ penalties of the Act were severe -up to ed and future activities of the students couraged to abstain from attendance ten years imprisonment or a fine of up movement were also directly impeded to R20 000 or both. by such detentions and prosecutions in THE National Party of Mr Kosie Pretorius has again presented the at certain lectures or other activities "frnited Nations Secretary-General, Dr Perez de Cuellar, with a docu­ at their schools. Such could be caused He added tl:J.at the Act was invalid on the future. It would also threaten the functioning, mobilisation of support ment setting out its position on Resolution 435 which was given to the. by qualifications, conduct, nature of grounds of uncertainty; invalid in its UN official at his last visit in 1983. courses, or working conditions for ambit and operation; and invalid in and recrui tment ofthe student move­ ment and fundraising. Mr Pretorius saiq in Pretoria yester4ay that progress had been made on the courses or classes. "I would point out that the lawgivers failed to apply their issue of the Cubans in Angola during his party's talks with Dr de Cuellar, that it has traditionally been recognis­ minds in framing its provisions_ It was He had also brought the application in his personal capacity as he himself but that his party remained committed to a settlement based on the protec­ ed that students may legitimately, further in conflict with the Bill ofFun­ tion of group rights and a system of voting based on population groupings_ peacably and lawfully express their damental Rights, he submitted. had been arrested, together with 36 students, and had been released on He said that their participation in the interim government implied "our stringent bail conditions, which in­ honest attempt to achieve reconciliation although we disagree with certain cluded payment ofR500. aspects". Affidavits of trade unionists sup­ He said that Resolution 435 was an attempt to aim at a peaceful settlement. SWANKIE LOOK - ported that ofMr Shiwhameni, saying However, his p¢y wanted an a..cceptable solution with economic politic'al and that their organisations were effected social stability. ' FOR THE MODERN WOMEN for the same reasons and the matter "If we have to chose between that and a settlement without, we chose tpe was one of urgency for the unions too. first," he said. The respondents have been called '''We cannot accept one man one vote on a universal basis, but only one a upon to file opposing affidavits, ifthey group basis." - intend opposing the application, by Earlier, Mr Bryan O'Linn ofNPP 435 said that they had discussed his group's noon of October 10. interpretation of Resolution 435 with the Secretary-General, and had concluded that their 'interpretation was correct and in line with his own. SWATF admits Unita bandits or liability for bu rned kraal Angolan refugees? A SWATF spokesman has confirmed that a fire caused Continued from page 1 accidental damage-to a kraal 3km north of Ogongo (see No spokesman or official at the Department for Civic Affairs was story p3), when an army available for comment or confirmation on the matter.
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