African Activist Archive

Report sent to members of Namibia Election Watch. The scheduled elections in Namibia is just two months away, and the legal and political situation has become uncertain. Last week, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution which seeks to force South Africa to adhere to the terms of the independence agreement. While the resolution seems likely to lead to the disbandment of "Koevoet" elements in the police, there has been no favorable response yet to other urgent problems in the transition process. The UN Africa Group, SWAPO, the Nonaligned movement, and other observers have called for immediate actions to put the implementation of Resolution 435 back on track. These include an increase in the military and police contingents of UNTAG to put an end to intimidation; redrafting the draft election proposals to decrease the possibility of rigging by the South African-appointed administration; extension of the registration period in northern Namibia and increase in the number or registrars; and changes in the draft Constituent Assembly law to make its functioning independent of South African control. The UN Secretary General last week send a special representative, Paul Szasz, to assume responsibility for redrafting the election law. Previous efforts to firm up the UN's negotiating position--which were repeatedly criticized in the Security Council debate preceding passage of the resolution--had apparently been unsuccessful. Public pressure has made a difference. Recently, some disturbing reports have appeared about the treatment of political dissidents and suspected South African agents under detention in SWAPO camps. The report includes "'WE DETAIN NOBODY' Swapo issues an invitation to those complaining to see for themselves" reprinted from The Namibian; "UN TAKING TOUGH STANCE ON GUIDELINES FOR NAMIBIA ELECTIONS"; "SWAPO CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF NAMIBIAN VOTER REGISTRATION"; a press release by the Council of Churches in Namibia signed by Bishop Hendrik Frederik; Open letter from the GREENS IN THE BUNDESTAG signed by Uschi Eid to SWAPO of Namibia; RESOLUTION 540 (1989) Adopted by the Security Council on August 29, 1989; and RE: REGISTRATION OF VOTERS IN OVAMBOLAND AND RELATED to Hisham Omayad, Electoral Section, UNTAG and Gert Visser, Chief Registration Officer, Office of the Administrator General, Windhoek by Nahas Angula, Head of Voters Registration.

African Activist Archive

Report Number 4--Prospect for November Elections

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