SPECIAL REPORT: NAMIBIA -- AFRICAN STATES CALL FOR EMERGENCY SESSION OF U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Record ID: 645706

  • Title: SPECIAL REPORT: NAMIBIA -- AFRICAN STATES CALL FOR EMERGENCY SESSION OF U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
  • Date: 18th August 1981
  • Summary: NAMIBIA & UNITED NATIONS GV PAN Namibia's mountain country and desert landscape. 0.08 GV EXTERIOR Old colonial German building. 0.16 GV Dutch Reformed Church with white couple leaving. 0.27 GV Luxury Hill suburb with castle-style white houses. (3 SHOTS) 0.40 GV PAN Shanty buildings and black people sitting in garden. (2 SHOTS) 0.46 SV PAN FROM Rubbish in children's playground TO children on swings. (2 SHOTS) 0.54
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 1981 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Namibia
  • Country: Namibia
  • Topics: General,Economy
  • Reuters ID: LVA5WNSDONZ7W5Q9M5V6HLNZ1BQK
  • Story Text: NAMIBIA & UNITED NATIONS

    INTRODUCTION: African states are preparing for a new political onslaught against South Africa for failing to grant independence to Namibia (South West Africa). They have asked for an emergency special session of the U.N. General Assembly and are expected to renew their calls for sweeping economic sanctions against South Africa which has ruled Namibia for sixty years. The session, planned at a meeting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in June, is due to start on September 3. The Assembly last recommended sanctions against South Africa in March. But the United States, Britain and France vetoed the recommendations in the Security Council, the only United Nations body with the power to enforce punitive measures. The General Assembly, with its Third World majority, has repeatedly declared the South-West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) to be the only true representative of the Namibian people.
    SYNOPSIS: The United Nations talks may help to decide the future of a large, sparsely populated, but very wealthy country.
    Namibia was a German colony until South Africa was given control by the League of nations after World War One. The South Africans introduced apartheid laws but repealed them later. At the Dutch Reformed Church however, services are still racially segregated.
    Namibia's social divisions run deep. The country's 80,000 whites are divided into Afrikaans, German and English speaking groups. Between them they run most of the economy. This includes Namibia's most valuable exports -- diamonds and uranium.
    The comfortable life-style of white and coloured contrasts sharply with that of the black people who form the majority of Namibia's one million inhabitants. From them SWAPO commands its major support.
    SWAPO guerrillas and supporters marching through Dar es Salaam carry pictures of their leader, Sam Nujoma. His organisation has successfully waged an international propaganda campaign and won the backing of the United Nations and major western countries.
    In 1966, the organisation launched an armed struggle against South Africa to win independence for Namibia. Fifteen years of bitter guerrilla warfare were to follow, most of it in northern Namibia. South Africa recently claimed successes against SWAPO bases in pursuit actions across Angola's border. The casualties have been mounting in a war that may escalate if United Nations discussions don't succeed.
    Some black tribesmen in Namibia are being trained to fight against the SWAPO guerrillas. They fled Angola when Portuguese rule ended in 1975. They supported Portugal's colonialists in Angola and now fear a SWAPO victory in Namibia.
    At the last U.N. meeting, Uganda's Olara Otunnu outlined African intentions. South Africa made an unsuccessful attempt in March to return to the General Assembly debate on Namibia. But the Assembly voted to reject the nation's credentials because of its racial policies. South africa was also suspended in 1974 for the same reasons. It's hoped the General Assembly's September meeting will bring Namibia closer t o the U.N.'s independence plan: South Africa's withdrawal and elections supervised by the United Nations.
    <strong>Source: Source to be verified</strong>
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