David Fono Shoombe
The morning of 4 May 1978 remains one of the dark days in the history of the Namibian liberation struggle. The sounds of crying babies, the painful voices of the civilians as they are fragmented by the bullets and bombs from an airborne attack of the South African Forces, are some of the live memories from the survivors and witnesses of the Cassinga attack.
Historical records indicate that around 700 people were killed, mainly non-military women and children. One can imagine the sorrowfulness, pain and shock on the faces of the people of Namibia on the day the South African paratroopers attacked a refugee camp in Angola. Parallel to that, one has to think about the burden on the men and women on all fronts of the struggle, and most importantly the heaviness of the news to the unwavering, uncompromising commander-in-chief of the time, Dr Sam Nujoma. It is, therefore, true that heavy is the head which wears the crown. Indeed, their blood waters the freedom of Namibia and its entire wealth. It requires a strong man with a high level of strategic leadership to lead people of different backgrounds through painful days to reach the common goal of freedom and independence.
Cruelty of humans
Thomas Hobbes, in his 1651 manuscript titled, “Leviathan”, indicated how men can be cruel to other men in fulfilling their natural innate ego and persuasion of power. The deployment of the fully-armed South African paratroopers to Cassinga, a refugee camp on 4th May 1978, is a manifestation of how human beings can be cruel to the extent of violating all laws guiding war. The unpleasant asphyxiation of pregnant women, children and capable youths are some of the historical facts that shall not be taken for granted, but to give us a lesson on how far we have come to date. This shall keep us together as we share the same historical wounds which have built the foundation of our democratic state. Jordan Peterson, a Canadian clinical psychologist and former Harvard professor, indicated that “good people are controlled beasts”, which means that for the person to be kind, he must know what it means to be evil, but keep his innate ego under control. Therefore, the lesson here is that the avoidance of unconceivable pain as what the dark days of liberation taught us, shall be the priority of all
citizens.
There is an important observation when one looks at the common pain which the Namibian people went through, and how they have behaved to help one another to move forward and focus on the bigger picture. It is also crucial to look at the records which indicate the events which have followed after the Cassinga attack. It is undoubtedly true that the political, military and diplomatic fronts during the years of struggle were commendable, as people had picked themselves up and continued the struggle rather than blaming one another and focused on how to outmanoeuvre the enemy’s cords. It is praiseworthy that 44 years after the Cassinga attack, the State went through transformation, from independence, institutional transformation, population expansion and extension of state relationships to global affairs.
Current common pain
The common enemies which our nation is sharing have now changed the forms, and multiplied in different units. As Namibians rose from the impacts of Cassinga and looked forward, it is my hope that the nation shall rise from the battle of economic advancement. It is very excruciating for a Namibian parent to see his/her four born-free children unable to economically thrive, even when guaranteed opportunities to the system they went through. In the same vein, it is heartbreaking to look at the faces of retrenched workers who are supposed to be providers and respected community members due to their monetary power and contributions. The common pain is shared by the corporate chiefs who are demoted due to the liquidation of their companies and their assets. It is, however, indicated that the commonality of the struggle is one thing that can bring individuals together in order to reach the common good. The current common pain has direct and indirect casualties, as individuals are turning to committing criminal activities in the name of survival. These are the days which we need courageous corporate leaders and political leaders to express their unpopular views or projects, which might in the same way make them not to be liked, but at least have long-term solutions to the current common pain.
As we are commemorating Cassinga Day, we shall indeed find it in our hearts to give true respect to the individuals who suffered and sacrificed their lives with the aim of ending suffering. The respect shall be paid by doing what is ethical, such as the promotion of human development, protection of lives and properties, and the pursuit of happiness. Understanding the pain and incorporating it to improve lives is an important lesson which we shall learn from history. The current state of Rwanda is one of the examples which we can learn from as their state rose from the deadly tribal genocide of 1993/4 to where they are now. We shall honour and respect the dead that we shall never let them down on what they wished to accomplish, which was left for us to complete.