African Activist Archive

Don McHenry has just returned from several weeks in southern Africa, concentrating mostly on Namibia. It was hoped some agreement could be found so that both South Africa and SWAPO would accept, even in an amended form, proposals of the five Western countries led by the United States. McHenry explained that SWAPO was dealt with not as the only political party in Namibia, but as the largest and most effective liberation movement. The Turnhalle Group is not dealt with in the same way. The Western five had hoped there would be a Security Council meeting prior to the special session of the General Assembly on April 24, where strongly worded statements could hurt negotiations. Clemens Kapuuo's death could both help and hurt SWAPO; it helps because, from their perspective, Kapuuo was their most prominent and effective opposition. It hurts because the atmosphere is so tense in Namibia that all the internal leaders of SWAPO have had to flee. The U.S. made it possible for them to leave, which South Africa might have blocked. The schedule of reducing South African troops to 1,500 in 12 weeks, of having UN forces brought in, of releasing political prisoners and amnesty for those outside, and having four monthes for campaigning and elections--all of this took precedence. The key will be whether the call of Sithole and Abel Muzorewa to the Patriotic Front, the guerrillas, to put down their arms and return inside the country will actually work. The U.S. administration is strongly behind the end of loan guarantees from the Export-Import Bank to South Africa. The report mentions the Soviet Union, Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, economic relations with South Africa, rightwing South Africans, Herero, police, UN civilian representatives, Ian Smith. [This may have been written by George Houser.]

African Activist Archive

Summary Notes on Discussion with Don McHenry, April 19, 1978

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