NAMIBIA*

* formerly named South West Africa. The people of the country chose that name for themselves. The Republic of South Africa, still regards the country by its former name.

Micah 6:8

Hear what the Lord says:

^"He has showed you, 0 people, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

WHEREAS the rightful inhabitants of Namibia are suffering from three types of violence:  apartheid, economic exploitation and collusion by the silence and inactivity in Western countries; and

WHEREAS religious organizations suffer persecution and sixty-six percent of the Blacks in Namibia are Lutheran; and

WHEREAS the International Court of Justice at the Hague, as well as the U.N. General Assembly has declared that South Africa's control over Namibia is illegal (General Assembly resolution-2145 of October 1966-House 1971); and

WHEREAS the people of South Africa refuse release of the Namibians from the present regime of injustice; and

WHEREAS Namibian church leaders have appealed for support from-the international church community;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Lutheran Student Movement send letters of support to church leaders in Namibia; and

BE IT RESOLVED that the Lutheran Student Movement Council members begin to receive information on Namibia from Rev. Ed May's Office of World Community, LC-USA; and

BE IT RESOLVED that local LSM groups shall designate one individual whose responsibility is to keep abreast of the political, economic, and social conditions of the peo^ple of Namibia. These local representatives plus a national coordinator, selected at the annual conference shall constitute a task force on Namibia for the 1976 annual convention; and

BE IT RESOLVED that LSM members write their local senators and Congress people to support our State Department and U.N. representatives in their attempt to establish Namibian independence; and

BE IT RESOLVED that the LSM Executive Council send copies of resolutions along with a statement of support to the Honorable Dick CLark, Chairman of the African Affairs Subcommittee, the United States Senate, Washington DLCL, 20510; and

BE IT RESOLVED that LSM obtain a film, Last Grave Dimbaza, from the World Council of Churches to be shown at the gathered assembly next year. The film is on the expression of apartheid in South Africa.

(Namibia, continued)

ACTION TAKEN:

*Last Grave Dimbaza will be shown as part of an interest group at         the 1976 Conference.

*The following letter was written by LSM President Keith Inman to the Church leaders in Namibia:

Bishop Auala of the Ovambokavango Lutheran Church

Rev. Edward Morrow, of the Anglican, Church,

President De Vries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church

 of South West Africa.

TO THE CHURCH LEADERS OF NAMIBIA:

I am writing to communicate the prayers and support of the Lutheran Student Movement in the United States of America for our brothers and sisters in Namibia. We are struggling to become aware of the plight and injustice suffered by our fellow Christians in Namibia. We realize that while events in Namibia may appear remote and distant from our lives, they do reflect the suffering of other members of the Body of Christ, without whom we ourselves cannot be whole. We are humiliated that in the night of the struggle for Namibian independence we find that we do so little for. those in real need. At times it seems difficult for us to shape the opinions and actions of the American government and American corporations toward supporting the Namibian cause, that we become too tired. In spite of the' fact that our own efforts are small and our results seemingly negligible our hope is real and faith strong that freedom for the people of Namibia is a near accomplishment. Likewise the faith and hope of our fellow Christians in Namibia gives us strength as well. And you should know that when that day of independence comes, we shall have overcome too.

Who shall atone for South Africa? Who will reveal her injustice? Woe be to South Africa when God's judgment is revealed. Meanwhile, we wish you grace peace and strength in carrying out your work.

Yours in Christ,

Keith Inman

This article appeared in the LSM newsletter: Windhoek, South West Africa--(LC)---Charges under South Africa's Terrorism Act carrying possible penalties ranging from five years imprisonment to death have been filed against six black Namibians from Ovamboland, one Roman Catholic and two Lutheran men and three Lutheran women nurses. Their trials are scheduled to start February 16. (1976)

The accused. are among some thirty persons arrested in the wake of the assassination of Ovamboland Chief Minister Filemon Elifas last August 16. According to recent reports, some 20 of those held have now been released.

Charges against the six cite two articles of the Terrorism Act; In summary they:

Make it a-criminal offense "to commit any act anywhere with intent to endanger the maintenance of law and order in the Republic (of South Africa) or any portion thereof, or to attempt, conspire, incite, instigate, command, aid, advise, encourage or procure. the commitment of such act", and - make it an offense "to harbor, conceal, or render assistance to terrorists. That is, those who violate Article 2".

The penalty section states that no parole or suspension of sentence is possible.

Accompanied by security police, former U.S. Solicitor General Erwin N. Griswold, an eminent American legal expert, was able to have brief discussions with all the persons ultimately charged. Griswold was commissioned by - the Lutheran World Federation to travel to-Namibia and look into the cases of the persons held in solitary confinement. On his return from Namibia, the attorney said, his talks with-South African officials had indicated that charges may be filed against the three men, but not the women.‑

Leaders of the black United Evangelical Lutheran Church in South West Africa are in contact with the LWF in Geneva, which has offered to cooperate in legal assistance for the prisoners.

********WHAT IS NAMIBIA?**********

*At the 1975 LSM Legislative Assembly Wright Williams of Florida State University, was chosen as national coordinator for the implementation of the resolution. He has prepared the following articles for LSM:

Lying between the Namib Desert on the coast and the vast Kalihari wastelands in the interior is the arid plateau where most of the people of Namibia live. This nation, still governed illegally by South Africa, drew its name from the desert in a 1968 decision of the United Nations General Assembly. South Africa. rejects the name and punishes those who utter the word, "Namibia". While the nation covers more land area than France and Great Britain combined, its population is smaller than the city of Baltimore. Recent census figures report that 655,670 non-whites and 90,638 whites reside in the territory. Unofficial estimates however, place the non-white population much higher. To South Africa, Namibia serves two basic strategic purposes. First, it provides a buffer to Black African states in the north. Secondly, it serves as a wealthy economic storehouse which further fuels the South African economy. "Economically, the Territory is rich in natural resources.; diamonds, found mainly in the coast desert and coastal waters; copper, lead, zinc, vanadium and uranium; its rich off-shore 'fishing, dominated by large South African or international companies. Namibia is one of the world's largest producers of diamonds; in recent years there has been extensive development of copper and exploration

of uranium and prospecting for petroleum has been intensified. Almost all of these economic activities are located in the area reserved for white settlement." The illegal landlord from Pretoria charges devastating rent in terms of economic exploitation and human suffering: However, it is not merely the South African violations o human rights which cause the Namibian controversy; it is instead the fact that South African domination is in clear violation of international law.

The recorded history of Namibia begins in 1884-1890 with the process of conquest, colonization, and native subjugation by the Germans. From the beginning European rule meant that the African people were forced into bonds of slavery. After World War 1, rule of this former German colony was transferred to the British colonial rulers of South Africa. However, the lot of the African people worsened, if anything, even though the territory was supposedly a mandate territory of the league of Nations.

South African control continued even after independence from Great Britain. However4, in 1946 with the formation of the United Nations, a world organization began trying to fulfill the mandate by bringing self-determinatinn to Namibia. Negotiations and resolutions continued until 1966 largely without success. Finally in the 27 October 1966 decision, the General Assembly of the U.N. terminated the mandate and declared Namibia to be under UN supervision. Later decisions of the International Court of Justice further confirmed the illegality of the South African occupation: Given that the vast majority of Namibians both white and black, are Lutherans, we feel it is our special duty to support self-determination for Namibia. The South African domination not only further depreciates the value of international law and human rights, but, moreover, the people of Namibia are our neighbors. in Christ.

*******Namibia: WHAT CAN YOU DO?*******

How many people do you know that have never ridden an airplane, or seen an ice cube, or called a friend on the telephone? Not many, I suspect. However, most of the people in Namibia never have. How many members of LSM live off more than $45 a month? Frankly, I don't know any college students living off of less than double that amount, yet that is the average family income in Namibia, and many people there live off of much less. How many students own cars, or expensive stereos, or even sailboats? Quite a number. Yet these commodities are beyond the reach of all but the barest minority of native Africans in Namibia.

The point of all this is not merely to emphasize

the disparity between the American and Namibian standards of living, but instead to call attention to our own economic power. We as students often feel powerless and inadequate to deal with everyday world problems. Yet

in fact we have a good deal more economic power and political power than do the majority of people living in third world countries. Politically, we can vote in relatively free elections, we can travel without massive governmental restrictions, we may live where we choose. The native Africans in Namibia are neither so fortunate nor so politically powerful.

South Africa's government has forced people to vote in rigged elections, moniters the travel of individuals, requires black Namibians to live in special designated reserves in the especially-poor sections of the country. It sends people off to work in industrial plants far

from their families. Such is the disgrace of "apartheid".

Yet, ironically, we American students are more politically powerful than are the vast majority of Namibians. As a Christian, I believe that with our power comes our responsibility to act. Fortunately it is clear that merely informing our congressmen and fellow Americans of the Namibian situation would be a powerful force for change. After all, how many Americans have even heard of Namibia? In spite of official policy of our government supporting the United Nations position an Namibia, the U.S. government has not always adhered to its own Stated policy. While the United Nations. has decreed that no international corporation may destroy the natural resources of Namibia without UN approval, several large American corporations still make millions of dollars from their operations in Namibia. And last June the United States, along with France and Great Britain vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for an arms embargo on South Africa for their refusal to terminate their occupation of Namibia. Thus merely writing to Congress and passing along to friends our concern for the people of this obscure African nation may force America to take a more positive stand in its foreign policy. In spite of our recent Watergate ^-cynicism, the voice of the people is still the most powerful force in our government. Now is our chance to speak.

Please write to your own Congressmen and Senators, and especially to: Dick Clark, D-Iowa, of the Senate Sub-Committee of its Foreign Relations Committee, called the African Affairs-Sub-Committee.; and Representative Thomas Morgan, D-Pennsylvania, Chairperson of the International Relations Committee of the House Then work on informing your friends, roommates, or local LSM group. It is the least we can do.

*******Namibia: DOLLARS AND SENSE*******

Colonial rule of Namibia has meant the exploitation of the country's natural resources and enslavement of the native population. Namibia is one of the richest nations in Africa in terms of its mineral deposits. It is one of the world's largest producers of gem diamonds, is an important producer of copper, and is known for its production of lead, tin, zinc, and numerous other trace-minerals. The Rossing Uranium Mine, slated to begin production this year, will further add to South Africa's nuclear capacity. Fishing and sheep-raising industries in Namibia are secondary industries, although the fish catch has tapered off in recent years, du: to the over-zealousness of South African fishing companies.

The capital and technology to explore and initiate these mining ventures-necessarily comes from the West. Thus, while Namibia has the second highest gross domestic product per person among all the nations in Africa, it

also has one of the lowest per capita incomes for the native Africans. Foreign (or South African) corporations reap most of this wealth. In 1971 alone, De Beers Consolidates (diamond) Lines of South West Africa, Ltd., has a profit of 33.3 million rands and paid taxes of 17.7 million rands (1 rand-$1.4^. American) Two American companies, Newmont Mining Corporation and  Amax Corporation, own the lion's share (65%) of the Tsumeb Copper Hine, reported to be the_. richest such mine in the world in terms of the grade of copper produced; In 1974, the parent Tsumeb Corporation earned $21 million. Yet while they employ 40% of the contract laborers involved in the mining industry, at least one report claims they could raise the wages of the employees by 6 times, their present pay and still have - a return on their equity equal to that of all Newmont 's interests worldwide.

The economic exploitation of Namibia has begun to take a toll/ Gem Diamond output as well as the copper production at Tsumeb has already begun to decline. This has perpetuated the cycle of exploration, discovery, and distrution of the nation's resources.

The continuing loss of mineral resources in Namibia finally let to the 27 September 1974 UN Decree #1 for the Protection of Natural Resources of Namibia. The act declared illegal any further depletions of natural resources of Namibia, in any form, without UN approval. Thus South Africa's scheme of inviting foreign companies into its illegally held territory becomes suspect. While it has been politically likely that these corporations would in--nuance their governments to favor South Africa, the United Nations decree branded the continued operation of these corporations just as illegal as the occupation of South Africa. However, the exploitation continues at the expense of the rights of the people of Namibia.

South Africa's uranium exploration is particularly ominous for the world community because it further strengthens South Africa's nuclear capacities. It has long been known that in addition to South Africa's use of uranium for nuclear power, South African scientists also had the potential to produce nuclear weapons. According to one author, "Although nuclear research is shrouded in secrecy, it appears that nuclear tests may well have been carried on at the South African Anomaly, an area where radiation belts surrounding the earth touch the ocean." (and thus tests could not be detected) Given the vulnerable position of whites in South Africa and the fact that this is one of the few nations in the ,world which have not signed the n nuclear non-proliferation treaty, speculation concerning South Africa's use of its nuclear capacity may well become a frightening reality.

*** Namibia: A Matter of Human Rights***

The seriousness of the economic exploitation of Namibia tends to pale in comparison with the deprivations of human rights, which occur daily to the native population. For the South African regime has instituted its policy of enforced slavery known as apartheid. One of the key elements in this policy is the re-settlement of all native groups into small chunks of desert wastelands known as bantustans, or euphemistically, "homelands". In spite of South African rhetoric about the rights of the natives to "self-government^" in these reserves, the government through its well organized police force rules these areas as well, even to the point of controlling the ownership of the tiny African stores in these regions.

One result of this policy is that Africans who work in the industrialized area are required to leave their families for six months of the year in order to support them and be able to pay the government poll tax. Another is that it permits the police to regulate the employment and movement of all Africans. A system of pass laws require that all non-whites must have a permit to travel or even to leave their "homelands". Wages are a fraction of that paid to the white employees, even when considering the fact the Africans are inevitably poorly qualified because of the limitations on African education. Furthermore, the contract workers in mines and industry are generally forced to live in labor camps, which are corn- - parable to concentration camps in appearance and systematic humiliation of the people who live there.

Those who violate the rule of the masters have little to hope for. Even the innocent are lucky to get justice-in the courts. Substantial reports have in fact been received that torture with electric shock, physical abuse, and solitary confinement have been employed by the police in numerous cases. According to Amnesty International's report on torture, even an Anglican priest was tortured to elicit information from him about the activities of the Anglican and Lutheran churches. Need we add that accused political prisoners, particularly members of SWAPO "(South West Africa People's Organization) and SWANU  South West African National Union) frequently serve years in prison for petty crimes and trumped up charges. Many others are sent to prison outside the territory, making it virtually impossible for them to even receive a visit from friends or relatives.

The incipient nature of the South African government is far more vivid in, the telling of it than in merely reading about it. Those of us who recall Jorgen Lissner's discussion of his trip to Namibia at the national conference last summer in Knoxville will recall that he recounted a picture that seemed more real and bleak than 'even the most discolored written reports. Much of the shock effect of the gestapo style police, and the day to day living situation^-is not recounted in the objective clean wordings of UN reports. Moreover, much information concerning the worst atrocities undoubtedly never reached the West. One reliable report from a European engineer on the Cuene Dam project in Namibia indicated that Africans who caused problems were simply murdered. How many other unknowns have been murdered?

AVAILABLE RESOURCES:

Jorgen Lissner, of the Lutheran World Federation, has published a book, NAMIBIA 1976: Hope, Fear, and Ambiguity__

____  For a copy, write to:

LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION- Department of

P.O. Box 66,

1211—Geneva 20, Switzerland,. $5