By Frederick Philander
WINDHOEK
This year exactly twenty years ago thousands of Namibian students made history when they successfully participated in a nation-wide strike against the South African apartheid regime.
This information is contained in a press release by the Secretary General of the Namibia National Students Organization (Nanso), Neville Itope Andre.
“The Namibian demonstration was initiated in solidarity with students who were innocently killed by South African Defence Force troops in northern Namibia, as well as the continuous existence of military forces at Namibian schools at the time,” said Andre.
This nation-wide strike organized under the auspices of Nanso lasted the entire year with some activists only returning to school after the 1989 elections and some joining the Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan).
“This decisive action, together with the national Union of Namibian Workers, no doubt accelerated the implementation of Resolution 435, which led to the subsequent independence of Namibia. Nanso is proud of the contribution it made during the liberation struggle and will continue to be part of the development of the country,” he said of the event that is celebrated.
“We would like to call on all comrades who participated during the 1988 boycott and former Nanso comrades to join us for a discussion this Friday at 17h30 at Club Masquerade, to brainstorm on how best we can celebrate this important historic milestone,” he emphasized.