The statement says on April 1 a remarkable transformation began in Namibia; but tragically it has not been the transformation we had hoped for: the initiation of a process to end the illegal South African occupation of Namibia and ensure free and fair elections; instead we have watched with horror the re-legitimization of South Africa as a force for "law and order"; on April 1 South African troops gunned down SWAPO fighters peacefully assembling to present themselves to United Nations forces; the incident was only the latest in more than two decades of bloody atrocities perpetrated by South Africa's illegal occupation army; but instead of condemnation, the United Nations and the West condoned...
The statement says on April 1 a remarkable transformation began in Namibia; but tragically it has not been the transformation we had hoped for: the initiation of a process to end the illegal South African occupation of Namibia and ensure free and fair elections; instead we have watched with horror the re-legitimization of South Africa as a force for "law and order"; on April 1 South African troops gunned down SWAPO fighters peacefully assembling to present themselves to United Nations forces; the incident was only the latest in more than two decades of bloody atrocities perpetrated by South Africa's illegal occupation army; but instead of condemnation, the United Nations and the West condoned a process whereby the occupying power became the defender of peace and justice. The statement says we are particularly disturbed by the attitude of our own government; last Friday we arranged for the Lutheran Vice Bishop of Namibia, Zephania Kameeta to meet with high ranking State Department officials; Rev. Kameeta later told me he was shocked by what he heard in Washington; some, officials, he said, literally repeated unsubstantiated and partisan charges made by the South Africans. The statement says while the Bush Administration has been quick to condemn what it characterizes as SWAPO violations, it has remained silent about well documented South African attacks on civilians and a host of other South African violations; as the principal architect of Resolution 435, we believe the United States has a particular obligation to ensure that the plan is implemented fairly, and the November elections are genuinely free and fair. The statement discusses Koevoet, the death of eight Namibian civilians killed by a South African helicopter on April 1, northern Namibia, Non-Aligned countries, and UNTAG (United Nations Transitional Assistance Group).
