rr
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-fl
f ' ` ;' of all So h
sec ri g of a SWAPO o .i
--- c.-, - IC
ids of he progressi e Namibia, joi he hose ho ha e li ed
c a
orkirig i h all d as a i ed a d firs he illegal C d O e . h ra mi is er ided ha he ha s cc mb o Ni go
ch rch has a he libera io pie . The CCN ospel of "reco - L d freedom""
a domi a io
e- a io of R435
I i depe de ce a d ee ac i el i -
meri " .0
Ch rch his or
The ch rches pla a i al role i he poli ical a d c l ral life of Namibia people . O er 80% of he pop laio is Chrisia , i h mos of hese bei g L hera s . The mai L hera ch rches are he E a gelical L hera Ch rch' i Namibia(ELCIN) a d he E a gelical L hera Ch rch (ELC),10% of Chrisia s are Ca holic a d 9% A glica . The firs missio aries i he co r ga e ideological s ppor o colo ial r le b grad all mos of he ch rches ha e mo ed a a from his al ho gh some sill s ppor he s a e, 1971 marked a ri g poi . The heads of ELC a d ELCIN of he L hera ch rches ro e a ope le er o he Prime Mi is er i s ppor of he World Co r R li g declari g he So h Africa prese ce i Namibia, illegal . Si ce 1971 he a i de of he ch rches has harde ed a d he ha e become more ac i e i defe di g people agai s he s a e . D ri g he co rac orkers' s rike i 1971 /2 he A glica s ere aci e i p blicisi g he orkers' side of he s or a d bri gi g So h Africa Police (SAP) a roci ies i o he media . I 1977 he mai ch rches iss ed a s a eme sa i g ha or re as 's a dard pracise' d ri g i erroga io . I 1978 he o ch rchme -p blished a bookle o or re, he ere kicked o of he co r .
The ch rch has become more alig ed i h he aio alis mo eme i rece ears . I 1977 he A glica s ppor ed SWAPO's call for a bo co of he ba s a elec io s i O ambo . The L hera s, Ca holics a d A glica s ere b o s ppori g he posiio of he UN a d also recog ised SWAPO as ha i g he s ppor of he majori of Namibia s . Ma of he ch rch people are members of SWAPO i cl di g ch rch officers represe ed i he SWAPO leadership.
The more he ch rches ha e become i ol ed i orki g i h he oppressed majori a d defe di g heir righ s, he more he ha e bee persec ed b he s a e . Those s ro g oppo e s of apar heid i he ch rch ho ere forei g ci i e s ha e bee e pelled from he co r . A glica Bishops Coli Wi er a d Richard Wood ere depor ed i 1972 a d 1975 respeci el . Ch rch hospi als ha e e e bee sh do despi e he shor age of medical facili ies forblacks . I 1973 he pri i g press for he L hera s a O ijpa i O ambo as e per l blo p i a opera io i hich he So h Africa s ere implica ed . A o her bomb des ro ed he pri i g press i 1980 . I Ja ar 1986 he b ildi g ho si g he Co cil of Ch rches as des ro ed i a arso a ack . Ch rch members ha e bee harassed a d de ai ed a d ch rch b ildi gs desecra ed .
I 1978 all he mai de omi aio s e cep he hi e D ch Reformed ch rch came oge her o form he Co cil of Ch rches i Namibia . The E a gelical L hera Ch rch i Namibia, he E a gelical L hera Ch rch, he Roma Ca holic Ch rch, he A glica Ch rch, he Africa Me hodis Episcopal Ch rch a d he Me hodis Ch rch are all members of he Co cil of Ch rches.
The Co cil of Ch rches has ried o dra he a e io of he orld o he ab se of h ma righ s i he co r . The ha e called for he impleme aio of a cha ged Resol io 435, free elec io s a d a e d o So h Africa r le . This posiio of he Co cil of Ch rches has bee s ppor ed i er a io all , eg b he Bri ish Co cil of Ch rches, he So h Africa Co cil of Ch rches a d he So her Africa Ca holic Bishops Co fere ce . I 1986 he major ch rches i Namibia a d se e poli ical par ies i cl di g SWAPO sig ed a impor a doc me called he Ai-Gams Declara io . The sig a ories commi ed hemsel es o
!el resis he s a s q o, o e d he r le of he democra ic ra si io al 'go er me ' a d for he impleme a io of Resol io 435 .
The ch rches ha e bee esse ial i mai ai i g ser ices for blacks i he co r beca se of he lack of co cer b he So h Africa - co rolled go er me . U il he 1960s i as respo sible for he ed ca io of black people . The ch rches o .r schools, hospi als a d cli ics hich are par ic larl impor a for
he people i he or h . I a rece de elopme a fe schools ha e es ablished hemsel es i h comm i s ppor a d help from he Co cil of Ch rches, as 'al er a i e schools' . The dis i g ishi g fea re of he schools is he amo of comm i par icipa io a d combol . The Co cil of Ch rches has a co r ide programme of eachi g E glish o ad l s a d assis s correspo de ce s de s . The Co cil is also orga isi g a heal h programme hich aims o form heal h commi ees i ario s poor comm i ies . The commi ees mee a d disc ss heir o heal h problems . Ac io s o impro e heal h is ake b he local people. The CCN also r s a legal aid scheme o help he ic ims of arm harassme .
I a i depe de Namibia he ch rch's ork i pro idi g help i h de elopme projec s a d pro idi g ser ices ill remai i al . Some ser ices ill probabl i some a eed o be i egra ed i h ser ices i order for a iform polic o be impleme ed ho gho he co r . As he ch rches ha e bee sed o
orki g i h SWAPO a d ha e orked o ards he crea io .of a i depe de go er me ( hich is likel o be a SWAPO o e), a d as so ma SWAPO members are also Chrisia s, he gro d is laid for co i ed coopera io af er i depe de ce .
S a eme of he Co cil of Ch rches i
Namibia o he U i ed Na io s Secre ar -Ge e- ral a d he members of he Sec ri Co cil
Da e : 16 Ja ar 1989
To : U.N . Secre ar -Ge eral a d Members of he Sec - ri Co cil
From : The E ec i e Commi ee of he Co cil of Ch rches i Namibia, represe i g o er 900 .000 Na- mibia Chris ia s
`Re ai UNTAG gro p a 7,500'
We, he leaders of he Namibia ch rches, make a despera e a d rge plea o he members of he U i ed Na io s Sec ri Co cil o re ai he si e of he U i-
ed Na io s Tra si io al Assis a ce Gro p a 7 .500 a d o o red ce i i a a .
O r plea is made despera e b o r co ic io ha he i depe de ce process i Namibia ill be serio sl jeo- pardised if he UNTAG force is red ced .
O r co ic io is based o o r a are ess o ha is o happe i g i Namibia . We ha e s ro g reaso s o belie e ha :
1 . Arms are bei g cached a s ra egic places i Namibia b forces frie dl o Namibia i depe de ce.
2 . Some people i Namibia are bei g s pplied i h arms i order o des abilise he i depe de ce forces . 3 . Yo g Namibia s are o o l bei g recr i ed b are bei g i egra ed i o he prese mili ar gro pi gs i Namibia . The are bei g s bjec ed o a i-Namibia propaga da a d rai i g .
4 . UNITA members are bei g iss ed i h Namibia ci i e ship doc me s o e able hem o o e agai s SWAPO.
5 . The So h Wes Africa radio a d ele isio ser ices a d he core go er me press are co i all prod - ci g biased propaga da aimed'a i fl e ci g he co rse of elec io s i Namibia .
6 . The So h Africa mili ar b ild- p is co i i g i Nor her Namibia . Lo g co o s of arm r cks are see mo i g Nor h e e i Ka a go . Ne `police s a- io ' are bei g b il i O ambola d i h he So h Africa flag fl i g higher .
7 . Members of Koe oe , he br al So h Africa co er- i s rge c force, are o be i egra ed i o he reg lar police force.
8 . Police a d Arm forces are alread campaig i g for
elec io s. The call people o mee i gs, offer o plo gh heir fields or o pro ide piped a er. This m s be r- ge l a d adeq a el mo i ored b UNTAG members or he elec io s ill be fairl i fl e ced .
9 . If he UNTAG force is red ced, he C ba i hdra- al, alread beg i good fai h, ill be sei ed b cer- ai par ies a a oppor i o bols er UNITA, h r A gola a d allo So h Africa o re ai i s grip o Na- mibia .
10 . The So h Wes Africa Admi is ra or-Ge eral's proclama io of Whi e elec io s o 1s March 1989
ill f r her co f se he i depe de ce process .
Th s e are co i ced ha o red ce he si e of he UNTAG force ill serio sl jeopardise he Namibia i depe de ce process, he Namibia people ill be lef a he merc of he So h Africa forces a d he hole of So her Africa ill remai s able . I addi io , he dela occasio ed b he Sec ri Co cil deba e is fr s ra i g he pla i g a d f draisi g of ell- i e io ed people here. The repa ria io programme is especiall a risk . This dela i i self ma eake he effec i e ess of he i depe de ce process i Namibia . We herefore plead i h he U i ed Na io s Sec ri Co cil mos despera el a d rge l ha he UN- TAG be held a 7 .500 a d his force be co s i ed a d es ablished i Namibia i ho dela .
Sig ed :
R . Re . He drik Frederik (Preside , Co cil of Ch rches i Namibia a d Bishop of he E a gelical L -
hera Ch rch)
Dr . Abisai Sheja ali (Ge eral Secre ar , Co cil of Ch rches i Namibia)
R . Re . James Ka l ma (A glica Diocese of Nami- bia)
R . Re . James Pri (Me hodis Ch rch)
Re . Pe er Lamoela (U i ed Co grega io al Ch rch) R . Re . Kleopas D me i (E a gelical L hera Ch rch i Namibia)
R . Re . Bo ifa i s Ha shik (Roma Ca holic Ch rch)
Re . Bar olome s Kar aera (Africa Me hodis Episcopal Ch rch)
I er ie o RR
RRR programme RESETTLEMENT RECONSTRUCTION
Kei h Verm le of CCN asked Mr Imma el D me i, co-ordi a or of he RRR programme o e plai i . DUMENI: ch rches i Namibia ere alread approached i 1978, af er he adop io of Resol io 435,' b
he U i ed Na io s o assis i he process of repa ria i g e iled Namibia s . Alread he , he ch rch readil agreed .
I Oc ober 1988, af er a ele e ear dela of he impleme aio of Resol io 435, he U i ed Na io s rei era ed heir req es o he ch rches a d he obliged a d he es ablished a "Repa ria io , Rese leme a d Rehabili a io (la er cha ged o Reco s r c io ) commi ee as a ra her i depe de age c of he Co cil of Ch rches i Namibia .
VERMULEN : Ca o o li e he s r c res of he RRR commi ee .
DUMENI : The RRR Commi ee is made p of 7 delega es from he member ch rches of he CCN + has 5 f ll ime officers - a Co-ordi a or, Tra spor , Logis ics, Admi is ra i e officers + a Treas rer .
VERMULEN : Wha is he f cio of he RRR Commi ee.
DUMENI : The RRR Commi ee is a crea io of he member ch rches of he CCN . I as bor as a ser ice arm of he ch rches o help i h recei i g re r i g Namibia s der he pro isio of Resol io 435 . The RRR has he ask of pro idi g s i able recep io + s ppor ce res. The la er are o be sed b people ho ca o fi d immedia e ho si g.
This respo sibili ill i cl de he i s ala io of cooki g a d sa i ar facili ies, a er + elec rici s ppl . I ill also i ol e he ra sor a io of re r ees from he e r poi s o he recep io ce res a d from here o he respec i e homes of he re r ees o he special ce re of he member ch rches of
he CCN .
The member ch rches of he CCN ill also make pro isio for hose i ho famil , childre , orpha s, elderl people, disabled a d ha dicapped people . The RRR is also o pro ide basic ecessi ies s ch as food, bla ke s, medical ser ices, ed ca io al a d spiri al care .
VERMULEN: Who are he par ers i he RRR e re?
DUMENI : The U i ed Na io s High Commissio for Ref gees (UNHCR) hich ill be respo sible for bri gi g Namibia s back is defi i el a par er. Bo /so are ma o her frie ds ho ha e s ppor ed Namibia o er he ears . This ob io sl i cl des he orld co cil of ch rches (WCC), he L hera World
Federa io (LWF) a d ma more . ,
VERMULEN : Yo ha e o orked o he RRR for he pas 5 mo hes . Tell s of o r e perie ces so far . DUMENI : A he ime of he crea io of he commi ee, e had o idea ha la ahead of s i h ime he de elopme s aro d 435 came alo g a d shed some ligh , boos i g o r co fide ce .
The reac io of he ch rches a d he people of Namibia o he ork ha la ahead as er impressi e . Ch rches offered places a d ce res o he RRR for se i ser i g o r re r ees . Some ch rches sacrificed heir op perso el o ser e i he ra ks of he RRR . I di id al people offered heir ser ices a d some e e s ar ed collec i g mo e o assis he programme .
Their posi i e reac io boos ed o r morale a d e ere lef i h o do b ha so e er ha e ere i ol ed i a a io al programme, ha had a impressi e backi g from he Namibia people . VERMULEN : Zimbab e e hro gh a similar process i 1980 . Ha e o ake p a co ac s i h
hem?
DUMENI :The RRR commi ee e abled s o make co ac s i h bro hers a d sis ers i he fro li e s a es, especiall i h he Zimbab ea s ho e hro gh repa ria io a d rese leme less ha 10 ears ago.
The shared i h s heir e perie ces a d ga e s good ad ice. We shared ideas a d go rich e perie ces from he eighbo ri g Chris ia co cils as ell . S ch co s l a io s ill co i e + ill be i e sified . VERMULEN : Wha as he respo se from he i er a io al comm i
DUMENI : For ears he i er a io al comm i has s ppor ed he s r ggle of he Namibia people . E e o he Namibia s prepare o re r , ha s ppor remai s a d he i er a io al respo se o he ork of he RRR as grea . O r req es s for assis a ce ere a s ered i h pledgeds a d commi me s of moral a d ma erial s ppor hro gh he WCC a d LWF, o her commi me s e also made .
VERMULEN : Ha e o had a co ac i h hose ho are o re r ? Wha is heir a i de?
DUMENI : I as grea for he RRR s aff o mee some of o r people i e ile, a d o alk o hem abo heir comi g home .
The happi ess o heir faces is co agio s. The ha e s ffered a d sacrificed for Namibia all hese ears . No ha he ha e s ccessf ll comple ed heir missio , he are looki g for ard o a er ic orio s re r .
VERMULEN : Wha o ld o regare as he mos serio s ask of RRR?
DUMENI : The hole programme is a serio s ma er . The Repa ria io is he 1s chap er i he process of impleme i g Resol io 435 .
I his regard o r asks ca o be separa ed from he hole impleme a io process.
We ha e see ha So h Africa did i he las fe eeks . I herefore feel ha o r mos impor a ask is o make arra geme s i s ch a a ha he sec ri of o r re r ees as g ara eed, a d ha he repa ria io piece falls i i s righ f l place i rela io o Resol io 435 .
F r hermore, e ha e a impor a ask of mobili i g o r people o par icipa e . The s ccess of RRR lies i he Namibia people as a holes, o i he ha ds of a fe RRR officers or commi ee members. All Namibia s m s ork a d pra for a smoo h repa ria io process, he eed o ope heir homes for he re r ees a d m s see o i ha re rees are o harressed b )e remai i g illegal force i Namibia .
We eed o e co rage o r people o repor all iolaio s a d all mal rea me s o UNTAG .
VERMULEN : Gi e he se backs ca sed b he clash of S .A roops a d SWAPO comba a s i he Nor h, ill RRR co i e o ork o sched le a d ill hese se backs i a a affec he ch rches prepara io s o elcome a d rese le he re r ees?
DUMENI : As I hi ed before, he S.A . forces are o o i i ia e e e s ha co ld sabo age he impleme a io of Resol io 435 .
-The a o crea e a a mosphere of i imida io fear a d chaos i order o se i as a eapo o pre e he re r of o r people, beca se s ch a re r hrea e s hem .
This lea es a h ge challe ge o he UN, amel ok e s re ha his So h Afirca mo e is hal ed . We are mo i g for ard i h o r prepara io s a d e're de ermi ed o be o sched le .
We're ho e er calli g o UNTAG a d he UNACR o make appropria e sec ri arra geme s i ime for he arri al of o r people .
Wha happe ed i he Nor h ser ed o remi d s ha he ses abli i g forces are sill o der co rol .
This is a impor a home ork for Mr Ar hisaari o be do e i a er shor ime before he repa- ria io s ar i mid-Ma .
We're orki g hard o be read b ha ime beca se e do ' a Repa ria io o be dela d e o lack of pre pared esso o r side . I o ld gi e he e emies of 435 a good e c se.
VERMULEN : Ho do o perso all see he f re of RRR Programme? I rela io o a i depe de Namibia?
DUMENI : RRR is reall a emerge c programme o pro ide assis a ce a d g ida ce d ri g his ra si- io period .
The projec s a d programmes e pla ill eed o be reassessed b he e go er me . The respo sibili ies ill e e all be ake o er b he go er me elec .
The ch rches m s ho e er be prepared o carr he respo sibili he ha e carried il s ch a ime he he e go erme ca ge i s arra geme s i place .
U i ed Na io s Sec ri Co cil Resol io 435 (1978)
Adop ed b he Sec ri Co cil a i s 2087 h mee i g, o 29 Sep ember 1978
The Sec ri Co cil
Recalli g i s resol io 385 (1976) of 30 Ja ar 1976 a d 431 (1978) of 27 J l 1978,
Ha i g co sidered he repor of he Secre ar -Ge eral s bmi ed p rs a o paragraph 2 of Resol io 431 (1978) a d his e pla a or s a eme made i he Se- c ri Co cil o 29 Sep ember 1978 (S/12869), Taki g o e of he rele a comm ica io s from he Go er me of So h Africa o he Secre ar -Ge eral, Taki g o e also of he le er da ed 8 Sep ember 1978 from he Preside of he So h Wes Africa People's Orga i a io o he Secre ar -Ge eral,
Reaffirmi g he legal respo sibili of he U i ed Na- io s o er Namibia,
1 . Appro es he repor of he Secre ar -Ge eral o he impleme a io of he proposal for a se leme of he Namibia si a io a d his e pla a or s a eme ; 2 . Rei era es ha i s objec i e is he i hdra al of So h Africa's illegal admi is ra io from Namibia a d he ra sfer of po er o he people of Namibia i h he assis a ce of he U i ed Na io s i accor- da ce i h Sec ri Co cil resol io 385 (1976) ; 3 . Decides o es ablish der i s a hori a U i ed Na io s Tra si io Assis a ce Gro p i accorda ce i h he abo e- me io ed repor of he Secre ar - Ge eral for a period of p o el e mo hs i order o assis his Special Represe a i e o carr o he ma da e co ferred po him b he Sec ri Co cil i parapraph 1 of i s resol io 431 (1978), amel , o e s re he earl i depe de ce of Namibia hro gh free elec io s der he s per isio a d co rol of he U i ed Na io s ;
4 . Welcomes he prepared ess of he So h Wes Afri- ca People's Orga i a io o co-opera e i he imple- me a io of he Secre ar -Ge eral's repor , i cl -
19
DOCUMENT NO . 3
di g i s e pressed readi ess o sig a d obser e he cease-fire pro isio s as ma ifes ed i he le er from i s Preside o 8 Sep ember 1978 ;
5 . Calls po So h Africa for h i h o co-opera e i h he Secre ar -Ge eral i he impleme a io of he prese resol io ;
6 . Declares ha all ila eral meas res ake b he il- legal admi is ra io i Namibia i rela io o he elec- oral process, i cl di g ila eral regis ra io of o- ers or ra sfer of po er, i co ra e io of resol io 385 (1976), 431 (1978) a d he prese re- sol io , are ll a d oid ;
7 . Req es s he Secre ar -Ge eral o repor o he Se- c ri Co cil o la er ha 23 Oc ober 1978 o he impleme a io of he prese resol io .