Copy of a letter to Mr. Herman J, Cohen, Assistant Secretary of State in Washington, DC from Ilah J. Weiblen, Midwest Coordinator. The letter says on Tuesday September 12, 1989 nine political parties in Namibia signed an agreement among themselves to establish a Code of Conduct during the days preceding the election in November; the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) and the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) were among the parties who signed. The letter says the past two week-ends have seen outrageous and violent actions by members of the DTA against Namibians who have shown interest in SWAPO; the enclosed reports from Namibia emphasize the need for more forceful demands from...
Copy of a letter to Mr. Herman J, Cohen, Assistant Secretary of State in Washington, DC from Ilah J. Weiblen, Midwest Coordinator. The letter says on Tuesday September 12, 1989 nine political parties in Namibia signed an agreement among themselves to establish a Code of Conduct during the days preceding the election in November; the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) and the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) were among the parties who signed. The letter says the past two week-ends have seen outrageous and violent actions by members of the DTA against Namibians who have shown interest in SWAPO; the enclosed reports from Namibia emphasize the need for more forceful demands from your office for the removal of former Koevoet members from any of the South West Africa Police (SWAPOL) units, and their restriction to base until after the elections in November; we would like to know what action the U.S. State Department has taken on this situation. The letter says these reports clearly show that South Africa is controlling the DTA and its disruption of the election process, and also shows the weakness in the "peace agreement'' brokered by the U.S. The letter says because of the restrictions of Resolution 435 the United Nations Transitional Assistance Group (UNTAG) can neither intercede for the Namibian people nor defend themselves against the South-African financed DTA; and, we find that the Interim Government's SWAPOL do not seem willing to defend the Namibian people, either. The letter asks what is your office doing about the helpless situation in which the UNTAG now find themselves? The letter says in your October 3rd address to the Senate Foreign Relations Sub-Committee on Africa you pledge to remain active in seeing that the opportunities for the Namibian people which the U.S. helped create on December 22, 1988 are carried through to success; we ask your sincere attention to this promise so that Namibia is truly free and independent!
