Namibia

The 1988 Week of Action on Namibia, 27 October–3 November, took place as talks on the implementation of the UN Plan for Namibia were entering the final stage. Hundreds protested outside South Africa House on 1 November, after South Africa reneged on the original timetable for the plan. A highlight of the week was the Seminar on Children, Apartheid and Repression in Namibia held on 29 October. The SWAPO flag was flown over many town halls and local AA groups held meetings calling for pressure on South Africa to implement the UN Plan.

As talks on the implementation of the UN Plan for Namibia entered their final stage, campaigning on Namibia became top priority for the AAM. This bilingual leaflet publicised a march through the centre of Cardiff organised by Wales AAM.

Over 400 people attended a conference on Children in Namibia at the headquarters of the National Union of Teachers in London on 29 October 1988. Participants heard first-hand accounts of torture and repression from young Namibians. Speakers included a paediatrician from the northern Namibian war zone and Ignatius Shigwameni of the National Namibian Students Organisation.

Poster publicising a lobby of parliament held during the final stages of negotiations for Namibian independence. Its aim was to keep up the pressure on the South African government not to renege on its agreement and to highlight the need for continuing support for liberated Namibia. Hundreds took part and attended a House of Commons meeting addressed by SWAPO leaders and former Labour Foreign Secretary David Owen. Many local AA groups lobbied MPs in their constituencies.

In December 1988 South Africa agreed to a UN Plan for the Independence of Namibia, which laid down conditions for the holding of free elections in November 1989. The conditions included the release of all political prisoners and confinement of South African troops to base. This leaflet accused South Africa of incorporating members of Koevoet, a South African Defence Force unit known for its brutality, into the police force. The Namibia Emergency Campaign was set up by the AAM and the Namibia Solidarity Committee to campaign for free and fair elections in Namibia. 

In December 1988 South Africa signed the UN Plan for the Independence of Namibia, which led to the holding of free elections in November 1989. With the Namibia Support Committee, the AAM set up a Namibia Emergency Campaign to mobilise British support for Namibian independence and solidarity with the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO).

Protesters in Southampton demonstrated against the import of uranium from Namibia through the city’s docks in February 1989. The protest was organised by Southampton AA Group and local supporters of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the Green Party.

In December 1988 South Africa signed the UN Plan for the Independence of Namibia, which led to the holding of free elections in November 1989. Church Action on Namibia marked 1 April 1989, the date set for the implementation of the plan, with a street theatre performance outside the South African Embassy showing British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher greeting South African President P W Botha.