Concern at its image internationally, following the publication of a number of reports of atrocities committed by members of its security forces, has prompted the South African Defence Force (SADF) to set up a Board of Inquiry to investigate these allegations. The Board, appointed by the Chief of the Defence Force and headed by Brigadier Ben de Wet Roos of SADF headquarters in Pretoria, began to hear evidence in March about atrocities committed in the Kavango region the previous month. These were reported after a visit to the region by a French journalist from Le Monde, the leader of the Namibia Christian Democratic Party, Hans Röhr, and journalists from South African and Namibian newspapers.
Speaking to local journalists, Major General Charles Lloyd said that every allegation of Defence Force brutality would be investigated and when necessary those responsible brought to justice.
At the same time, however, a spokesman for the SADF in Pretoria denied allegations made by Rev. Peter Storey that 90 per cent of the atrocities in the operational area were committed by the SADF.
The SADF has stressed the need for co-operation from the local people, claiming that the soldiers are in Namibia for the protection of the people, not to act against them. Meetings between local leaders and the SADF would take place at regular intervals to discuss relations with the army. In practice, Namibians who have suffered at the hands of the security forces have no means of redress and generally fear retribution if they complain about their treatment.
Villagers told the group of journalists visiting Kavango of one incident where a 70-year old man was shot dead by members of the SADF while resting under a tree. There was no apparent reason for the shooting. In another incident, a man was apparently killed without reason by security forces while he was taking a can of milk to his children.
The journalists heard from Johannes TJAPWA how he was taken from his home by members of the security forces one morning and taken to an army base for interrogation. He was accused of being an Angolan citizen and an MPLA spy. He was severely beaten, and was subsequently taken to another military base where he was put in a cell too low to stand up in and only big enough to hold five detainees, sitting shoulder to shoulder. Tjapwa said he and the other detainees had been forced to imitate the sounds of various animals such as dogs, cows, cats and donkeys for the amusement of their warders. Another detainee told him that he had been put in a 30 cm high cage because the security forces had mistaken him for another man they were looking for. Tjapwa was released after eight days and warned not to mention anything about his experiences to anyone.
Jaakko KANGAJI, a headmaster, was subjected to a similar experience. He was arrested by local soldiers on 29 December 1981 and kept in detention for two weeks. During his detention, he was accused of being a member of SWAPO and of conducting pro-SWAPO meetings in Kavango. He was blindfolded, assaulted and beaten with fists and a stick. He sustained a broken rib and bruises on his face and body.
While kept at the military base at Mosese, he recognised one of his fellow detainees, Emanuel SILAS, by his voice, since all detainees were blindfolded. Another detainee, Nicholas NUJOMA, was subjected to electric shocks during interrogation, and Kangaji heard him screaming in pain. Kangaji himself had been subjected to electric shock, having wires attached to his little fingers, his tongue and the back of his head.
Chief Daniel Sitentu MPASI, leader of the Kwangali tribe which, with about 35,000 people, is the largest of the five tribes in Kavango, expressed strong resentment to the journalists about the activities of the army in the region. He said that people feared the army and the secret police more than they feared SWAPO. He told the journalists about attacks on his residence at night, and about soldiers pushing rifles in his stomach and demanding that his wife be handed over for sexual purposes. Two of his children had been blown up by landmines near his farm. He said SWAPO would never have done this.
Because of his opposition to the DTA, he was being constantly harassed. Mortars had been fired near his residence. He was offered 'protection' by the army, which he declined. He was accused of being a supporter of SWAPO by a group of soldiers, and shortly afterwards found the entrance to his home burning one night.
The chief told the journalists that at a meeting in October 1981, attended by the local army commander and other high ranking officials, 200 of the 2000 people present had laid personal complaints about treatment by the army. He was later told by SWATF headquarters that the complaints had been investigated but 'only a few could be substantiated'.
On their return from Kavango, the journalists submitted a report of their investigations to the SWATF headquarters for comment. An army spokesman said: 'We view the complaints contained in the report in a very serious light. Intimidation or harassment of the type mentioned is rejected by the Defence Force in the strongest terms.' He said it was regretted that such complaints against the security forces were not made through the official channels so that immediate investigations could be carried out. However, as one of the journalists pointed out, the people interviewed said they were frightened to complain to the same people who mistreated them.
