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The Africa Fund

198 Broadway • New York, N.Y. 10038 • (212) 962-1210 Tilden J. LeMelle. Chairman Jennifer Davis, Executive Director

~ - ' . - " -- - ' • If : •, • , . I ' '· ' THE WASHINGTON PosT • SUNDA\', NOVEMBER 5, 1989 C7 '·---- . -- .. ' ' ---·- ·-· - ~- .. - ~ ------·- ---"ti-''·''- Erwin N. Griswold ' < - ' • • • ., ·- ~outh Africa Is ami ia's Elections This week, hwulreds of thousands of black reported a dramatic surge of vigilante-style attacks tion-and is absent in · tOday. In October and for ·U.N. officials fighting an uphill battle voters in the southwest African territory of Namib­ on SWAPO activists by armed members of the the United Nallions secretary general reported that against South African control of the transition ia will go to the polls to end 70 years of South demobilized territorial army, who remain on the if unchanged this contiriUing monopoly of the South process. But much more needs to be done.

African colonial rule and set the country on the· South Afiican military payroll through November. West Africa Broadcasting Corp. would also present Voters this week will. be electing members of a . ' . road to independence. The agreement governing It was concern for this situation that led the problems throughout the transition period before constituent assembly that will draw up a new the process, which began in April, Security Council last week to pass a independence. . constitution and schedule a date for the actual required the withdrawal or demobilization of South . resolution unanimously demanding that all parties, has also ignored its obligation to declaration of independence. But South Africa's Mrica's army, the return of political exiles and free and particularly South Africa, strictly comply with repeal all race· and security Jaws affecting the elec­ administrator general will remain in control elections under United Nations supervision. But the independence plan. The Security Council also tion. The legal comer-stone of racial separation and throughout this period, and may well unless effective measures are taken to make the called for the immediate disbanding of all remaining in Namibia, AG 8, has continued to be . seek to use its powers to control the critical United Nations independence agreement fully op­ South African paramilitary and ethnic forces, in­ enforced by the South African colonial administrator transition process. _ erative, the Namibian elections are UJ}Iikely to be cluding , and the dismantling of the De­ general. The United States, as the principal author and either free or fair, and the next stage of the fense Force command structures, which remain in At the same time, apparently seeking to discredit mediator of the independence agreement, independence process ·may be seriously compro­ place to this day. They also demanded that the SW APO, South Africa has twice in recent weeks should make it clear to Pretoria that continued mised. Police begin cooperating .fully voiced alarm at impending SW APO military incur­ violations will damage relations with Washing­ Further, the heritage of Sopth African-inspired with the United Nations; .sions. Both times these claims were refuted after ton. The administration should also adopt a divisions in the territory could undermine the · Pretoria has ignored other elements of the U.N. U.N. teams were sent to investigate and could find more evenhanded approach in its public state­ stability of a future independent Namibia for years plan as well-including the critical provision that to come. no evidence that SWAPO was preparing military ments, instead of singling out SWAPO-the South Africa's colonial authorities, who remain in operations. lil~ely winner in a genuinely open contest-for What South Africa's white minority government charge of civil government, Jaw and order and even For all of these reasons the United Nations criticism. fears most is a strongly independent, majority-ruled the elections themselves-act with strict impartial­ nation on its borders. Thus its pre-election strategy mission in Nanlibia, badly understaffed and limited to The international community has a great ity. According to Namibian church leaders and a monitoring role by the Western-drafted indepen­ was aimed at denying to SWAPO, the Namibian international monitors alike, South African officials stake in the successful decolonization of Namib­ independen~ movement, the 48 seats it would in charge of voter registration, for example, were dence agreement, has been unable to ensure the ia, both as a democratic model for change in need to write an independence constitution 'in the responsible for extensive delays and harassment of conditions necessary for free elections. In the end, South Africa itself and as a test of the United constituent assembly. registrants in the north, where support for SW APO only the great powers have the political and econom­ Nation's ability to carry out the expanded role The greatest threat to the elections came from is strong. Jt appears too that the registrars mis­ ic leverage on Pretoria to guarantee a genuinely slated for it in the post-Cold War era. Yet the South African-controlled security forces, which marked thousands of registration cards, raising the democratic and peaceful transition in Namibia. There success hangs very much in the balance. To tip continued to interfere with supporters of SWAPO. possibility that many eligible voters coi,Jld be disen­ is evidence that such pressure is effective. that balance toward democracy, the United Ahnost 2,000 members of the paramilitary unit franchised on technical grounds. In August, the United States and other members States should weigh in heavily on the side of Koevoet, scheduled for demobilization in April with Further, two studies of news coverage by the of the Security Council rejected a draft South free and fair elections. the rest of South Africa's locally recruited troops, state-run radio and television monopoly, conducted African election law that violated fundamental re­ were instead transferred by Pretoria into the civil by a non-partisan Namibian monitoring agency, quirements for ballot secrecy and a fair vote. The The writer, a former dean ofHarvard Law rebuke forced fretoria to withdraw its. flawed School and a former U.S. solicitor general, is a police force in northern Namibia and were only revealed systematic bias · against SW APO. In a • '"' • ,,'? partially demobilized on Sept. 30 after months of country where 40 percent of the electorate are proposals and aecept major revisions in the laws member ofNamib{a Election Watch, a pressure. illiterate, equal access and fair reporting by the governing the November poll. monitoring group sponsored by The Africa The respected Namibian Human Rights Centr~. , electronic media is a pret~ui* for a fair elec- That was good new§ for the Namibian people, F,und. ' - ' - --- -