from Contact of 6th Sept.
Windhoek: The political struggle in South West Africa is entering a new phase as more and more people become aware that the struggle for South West Africa, in the final analysis, degnds on their own efforts and that any effort boing made outside for their cause is only supplementary to their own. Until recently, it was generally believed by some that the United Nations would ultimat— ely succeed in removing the territory from the South African Administration without any active combat against the Administration by the people themselves. In opposition to this belief, a strong appeal is being made by the South West Africa lational Union in leaflets circulated all over the territory "to replace reformism ia : struggle with the militant and revolutionary method and carry the struggle beyond petitioning for concessions and mere ‘improvements of conditions',."
This spirit of initiative has culminated in a strong anti-apartheid move by the people of Rehoboth and in moves to unite the major political organisations in the territory. In Rehoboth, a mass meeting was convened to discuss the consititutional development of the Rehoboth Gebiet on the basis of their Patriarc— hal Laws, as opposed to the government's ‘proposed Transkei-type constitition for the Gebiet. Not only was the desire of the people to get rid of the South African Administration stated strongly, unity with the people in the rest of the territory was expressed. The immediate programme is to evacuate all White officials from Reh oboth including the magistrate (called “Captein" in Rehoboth), the vacancies to be filled by Rehobothers. All the rights of legislation and administration should be vested in the Basterraad. For speedy development of the country, technical assistance could be secured from United Nations through its specialised agencies.
Political leaders in Rehoboth are convinced that Rehoboth has every . right to sece&é from the rest of the territory and have its own sovereignty. Their conviction is based on history: Rehoboth had a written constitution under which the people lived as a sovereign nation, They have never been conquered but only asked for German protection and they can qualify under International Law to form a state for they have all requirements such as a common boundary, the population unity and organization. This move is motivated by the present political situation created by the aparthied South African Administrations: in an independent and demo— cratic South West Africa they will not disassociate themselves from their fellow countrymene