IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN : THEORY AND PRACTICE

THE UNITED NATIONS INDEPENDENCE PLAN FOR NAMIBIA

2) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN : THEORY AND PRACTICE

The os e sible aim of he pla is o e s re a smoo h a d eq i able ra si io o i depe de ce for Namibia(5) . I heor i pro ides for a e d o he ar, for he re r of ref gees, he repeal of racis a d repressi e legisla io , a d for he holdi g of 'free elec io s

der he s per isio a d co rol of he U i ed Na io s' o a

co s i e assembl leadi g o i depe de ce i 1990 . U for a el he he pla is looked a i de ail i emerges ha o e of hese aims are likel o be easil achie ed i prac ice .

5 See Appe di 2 for he ime able for he impleme a io of

he UN Pla .

L2flNiI L

The LJNs ma o he gro d d ri g he elec io campaig ill b he UN Secre ar Ge erals Special ^{Represe± a i e .} Ho e er, i appears ha he ill ha e li le real po er . He is ag el charged i h sa isf i g himself of ' he

fair ess a d appropria e ess of all meas res affec i g he poli ical process', gi e he righ o 'make proposals', a d req ired o repor back o he Secre ar Ge eral . I ge eral his job is o ork i h he So h Africa colo ial go er or ho ill be req ired o admi is er he

elec io s . I is highl do b f l ha he Sec ri Co cil hich has so m ch poli ical capi al i es ed i he

c rre ersio of he i depe de ce pla o ld accep a ref sal b he Special Represe a i e o cer if he

res l s of he elec io or o s gges ha he process be s spe ded beca se of irreg lari ies .

ii: !JTAc

UNSCR 435 pro ides for he es ablishme of a UN

Tra si io al Assis a ce Gro p (UNTAG) comprisi g bo h a ci ilia a d a 7,500-s ro g mili ar compo e o ork

i h he UN Special represe a i e o mo i or he

ceasefire, he demobilisa io a d i hdra al of he So h Africa forces from Namibia, a d he disba dme of local mili ia forces, a d o o ersee he co d c of he

elec io s .

D ri g Ja ar a d Febr ar of 1989 i became appare

ha he Perma e Members of he Sec ri Co cil (Bri ai , he US, Fra ce, USSR a d Chi a) ere de ermi ed o slash he mbers of he mili ar compo e of UNTAG . Os e sibl his as a cos -c i g e ercise, b as as idel repor ed i ac all represe ed a

'diploma ic ri mph' for So h Africa (a d b implica io a e ample of f r her appeaseme of he colo ial regime) . Despi e he

o er helmi g case for he eed for a larger mo i ori g force ha ha e isaged i 1978 - he h ge So h Africa mili ar b ild p o er he pas decade, he ar i A gola e c - he UNTAG mili ar compo e ill o i i iall mber o l 4,650 .

b) A Formal Cessa io of Hos ili ies 1 So h Africa Defe ce Force

A ce ral par of he pla is he phased i hdra al from Namibia of all SADF roops . B he ime of he elec io s i No ember, o l 1,500 ill be allo ed, co fi ed o base a Groo fo ei a d Oshi elo i he Nor h . The oo m s lea e af er he cer ifica io of he elec io s i

No ember . The earl i dica io s are promisi g . D ri g Ja ar a d Febr ar , Ch rch so rces i hi Namibia

repor ed o a co i ed mili ar b ild p, hile he A gola go er me complai ed ha So h Africa forces

ha e o ce agai i aded heir co r o 8 Febr ar . ii The So h Wes Africa Terri orial Force

The So h Wes Africa Terri orial Force (SWATF) is a

locall recr i ed, 30,000 arm , orga ised alo g racial

iices a d ope a i q alo gside he S/\DF . Formed be ee 19Th a d 1980 from ario s e h ic mili ia, i fails i hi

he ambi of he UN Pla . The UN Secre ar Ge eral's

Repor of 23 Ja ar 1989(6) is q i e e plici . A ke ask of he mili ar compo e of UNTAG ill be 'To mo i or he disma li g of he comma d s r c re of ci i e forces i cl di g he So h Wes Africa Terri orial Force(7) .' i fac recr i me i o SWATF has co i ed il he las possible mome . The So h Africa a hori ies ha e i dica ed ha he SWATF is merel o be s ood do o f ll pa il af er he elec io s i No ember . I is diffic l o imagi e a hi g less likel o i spire co fide ce i a smoo h ra si io o i depe de ce . iii/! o her Forces

I addi io

o he SADF

a d he SWATF, here are a mber of o her mili ar , paramili ar , a d o her forces li ked

o he colo ial occ pa io . These i cl de he Koe oe (see 'Polici g he Elec io s' belo ) ; IJNITA he So h Africa a d US spo sored rebel

orga isa io

figh i g he A gola go er me , ma of hose members ha e bee repor ed as e eri g or her Namibia ; hi e se lers, all armed, a d mos l s ppor ers of he Na io alis Par ; a d far-righ :.

igila e gro ps s ch as he so-called Whi e Wol es' hich claimed respo sibili for he firebombirig of 'The Namibia ' i 1988 .

) The Elec oral S s em

iiDra i g p he elec oral roll

Tiie UN pla lea es clear he process b hich he elec oral role is o be dra p, al ho gh i ill be i

he ha ds of he AG a d m s be appro ed b he UN Special Represe a i e . D ri g o pre io s So h Africa

orches ra ed 'elec io s' ma legi ima e o ers ere o regis ered . Co ersel ma i eligible people ere gi e he righ o o e . This ime hese migh i cl de UNITA members ho ha e e ered Namibia a d bee gi e Namibia ide i doc me s . Gi e he basic disagreeme abo he si e of he pop la io he So h Africa a hori ies p . i a aro d 1 .1 millio , hile he UN es ima es ma be 1 .6 millio - here are ample gro ds for fears of

ma ip la io of he roll b he AG . If So h Africa's a e a io of Wal is Ba (8) is o s ccessf ll

challe ged, Namibia s bor a d perma e l reside i Wal is Ba ill be dise fra chised .

i The Vo i g Age

I had bee idel ass med ha , as i mos co ries, all 6 Doc me 5/20412 . This repor as prod ced a he req es of he Sec ri Co cil a d forms par of he i depe de ce pla .

7

Para 43(d) S/20412 .

8 See "Fragme i g he F re" for a ider disc ssio of he

iss e of Wal is Ba ,

5

Namibia s o er he age of 18 o ld be e i led o o e . Rece l he AG has arg ed ha he age sho ld be 21, a mo e specificall aimed a SWAPO's s ppor amo g o g people .

iii/ Vo i g S s em

The AG has op ed for a s s em of propor io al

represe a io i h a s ip la io ha i order o i sea s i he co s i e Assembl par ies m s achie e a cer ai propor io of he a io al o e . This has had he delibera e effec of promp i g he forma io of a mber of coali io s i ed mai l b heir opposi io o SWAPO

h'ch is idel ass med o e jo he s ppor of he majori of he pop la io .

d) Re r of he Ref gees i/ Repa ria io Programme,

The UN Pla co ai s specific pro isio s for he re r of Namibia s from e ile . A repor of he Secre ar Ge eral, accep ed b he Sec ri Co cil(9), s a es ha i order

o e s re ha 'all Namibia ref gees or Namibia s de ai ed or o her ise o side he Terri or of Namibia

(are) permi ed o re r peacef ll a d par icipa e f ll a d freel i he elec oral process i ho risk of

arres , de e io , i imida io or impriso me , s i able e r poi s ill be desig a ed,' a d ha he U i ed Na io s High Commissio er for ref gees(UNHCR) sho ld make pro isio for ra si ce res so ha 'all re r i g

Namibia s ill be free o loca e here he ish .' 'A o her arra geme s,' he Repor co i es, ' o ld be co rar o he g ara ee of f ll freedom of mo eme .'

I has lo g bee agreed ha he UNHCR sho ld ha e a si gle Namibia par er i he repa ria io programme, amel he Co cil of Ch rches i Namibia (CCN), as he o l Namibia NGO i h

a lo g record of admi is eri g h ma i aria projec s . Af er

disc ssio s be ee he UNHCR represe a i e a d he AG, co er- proposals ha e emerged . I is o s gges ed ha Ch rches o side

he CCN (ei her er small or e plici l racis ) sho ld also be par ers, a d also ha he AG himself sho ld pro ide some of he recep io ce res of re r i g ref gees . This o ld be a clear

iola io of he UN Pla . ii/ N mber of ref gees

SWAPO has repor ed o he UN High Commissio er for Ref gees (UNHCR) ha i has regis ered some 74,000 Namibia ref gees e eri g A gola a d Zambia . This is aro d 5% of he o al Namibia pop la io a d ill

co ai a large propor io of SWAPO ac i is s . SWAPO has asked for be ee 41,000 a d 42,000 of hese o be

repa ria ed der he erms of he UN PLAN . (The remai der are o g people a d comba a s .) Smear s ories ema a i g from So h Africa a d o her es er so rces ha e claimed ha he ac al mber is far lo er, e e ha here are o ref gees! Gi e ha he So h Africa AG is

9 Doc me S/13120, Febr ar 1979, paras 8 & 9 .

10 For more i forma io abo i imida io i pre io s

elec io s i Namibia see "Elec io s i Namibia" b J s i Ellis, BCC

& CIIR 1979 .

11 See Appe di 3 .

12 See Doc me S/20412 Para 42 . 6

respo sible for dra i g p elec oral rolls, here is he real hrea ha a emp s ill be made o e cl de ma of

he ref gees from he elec oral process . e) The Elec io Campaig

i/I imida io of Vo ers

Gi e he large mbers of mili ar a d paramili ar forces hich ill effec i el s ill be s a io ed i

Namibia (see 2b abo e) a d he pla ed fo r mo h elec io campaig , here are bo h he mea s a d he oppor i o i imida e he elec ora e . D ri g pre io s 'elec io s'

So h Af ica o s police a d pri a e mil' i me ere m ch i e ide ce( ) . Apar from ob io s Pfi sica hrea s, a emp s ere made o i fl e ce o ers b

hrea e i g o i hhold heal h care, a d b he offeri g of bribes .

.i/ Polici g he elec io s ---

Accordi g o he

UN Pla , 'Primar

respo sibili ' for mai ai i g la a d order d ri g he ra si io period

i cl di g he elec io campaig shall res i h 'e is i g'

police, i o her ords i h he colo ial police force . These ill mber some 6,300 o be mo i ored b some 500 UNTAG police . This is a sligh i crease i he mbers e isaged i 1978 i respo se o do bli g of So h Africa force, al ho gh i clearl does o compe sa e for he c i g of he mili ar compo e of UNTAG .

The mos dis rbi g aspec of he polici g q es io is he

rece So h Africa a o ceme ha he o orio s 'co er-

i s rge c ' i , he Koe oe , k o o be respo sible for a hole

series of a roci ies agai s he ci ilia pop la io are o be reclassified as a police force, a d herefore o be direc l co cer ed i h he polici g of he elec io s(11) . This direc l

co radic s he UN Secre ar ge eral's Repor of 23 Ja ar 1989 i hich i is s a ed ha UNTAG ill o ersee he disba dme of

Koe oe (12) .

ii/ Co rol of he Media

Al ho gh mos Namibia people ill o eed a radio broadcas or e e a poli ical rall o help hem decide ho o o e, he UN"Pla crea ed a ge eral obliga io o he Special Represe a i e ,-e s re ha access o he media be free a d fair, ha par ies i he elec io be permi ed o impor elec io eq ipme a d ma erials, a d

ha o erseas mo i ors be allo ed i o he co r . I sho ld be o ed ha Namibia ele isio a d radio ser ices are co rolled direc l b he So h Africa

a hori ies . Mos of he press is also pro-So h Africa .

fThe Co s i e . Assei U

J i

Decisio s of he Co s i e Assembl are o be b a 2/3 majori . This has cr cial co seq e ces for So h

Africa's s ra eg i he comi g period . The aim ill clearl be o de SWAPO a o hirds majori i he assembl a d h s force hem o compromise i h he hol elec oral allia ces se p i h So h Africa s ppor . [E re ched Righ s

As o ed i ld) abo e, he po er of he Co s i e Assembl is alread delimi ed b he 'Co s i io al

Pri ciples' e shri ed i he UN Pla . As e i is clear o ha e e So h Africa i e ds o i sis po he pro ec io of so-called 'mi ori righ s', a e phemism for

hi e pri ilege . O er he pas o ears hi es ha e bee repea edl ass red b he So h Africa go er me a d AG

ha s ch pro ec io o ld be g ara eed .

4iJ From he Co s i e Assembl o l dee de ce

No here i he UN pla is i se o ho he fi al

ra si io o i depe de ce is o b achie ed . UNTAG has a ma da e o remai il he e d of March 1990 he i is

ass med ha he Co s i e Assembl ill ha e fi ished i s ork . I is clear, ho e er, ha is s pposed o happe sho ld he Co s i e Assembl fail o agree a co s i io . The fear is ha sho ld his occ r, So h Africa's allies i hi he assembl ill resor o force . The e is e ce of a SWATF mai ai ed all he hile o f ll pa , repor s ha ario s of So h Africa's clie

poli icia s i hi he old p ppe go er me ha e bee recr i i g pri a e armies, a d he rece a o ceme b

he hi e Na io al Par ha he oo migh be forced o 'la ch a libera io s r ggle' sho ld he be dissa isfied

i h he o come of he i depe de ce process all hrea e o pl ge Namibia i o ci il ar .

g) The Regio al ,Agreeme

Al ho gh he UN pla for Namibia i depe de ce does o i cl de agreeme s rela i g o regio al iss es, he So h Africa go er me o l agreed o i s impleme a io o he basis of a ripar i e agreeme be ee i self a d he go er me s of A gola a d C ba . Accordi g o his deal, ime able for he i hdra al of So h

Africa roops from Namibia is li ked o a o her ime able for he i hdra al of C ba roops from A gola .

There are se eral a s i hich he C ba i hdra al migh be slo ed do leadi g o So h Africa ref sal o p ll o of Namibia . So h Africa i self, feari g he o come of he elec io s i

No ember, migh a emp o sabo age he i depe de ce process b o ce agai i adi g A gola (mos rece l o 8 Febr ar af er he

sig i g of he regio al peace se leme ), a d pro oki g a C ba mili ar respo se . Al er a i el ei her So h Africa or he U i ed S a es co ld emplo i s s rroga e, UNITA, o pro oke s ch a

de elopme . S ch de elopme s o ld be he logical o come of he i famo s polic of "li kage" p rs ed b Washi g o arid Pre oria

hich aimed bo h o j s if he illegal colo ial occ pa io of

Namibia b he prese ce of C ba roops i A gola, a d o sec re for

UNITA a place i he A gola go er me .