Twenty-two long term Namibian prisoners who were released on 14 November 1985, pledged to continue the struggle for freedom in their country.
All but one of the prisoners were released from Windhoek Central Prison, where they had been taken in September from South African prisons. The remaining prisoner, Hendrik Kariseb, was released in the northern Namibian town of Grootfontein.
Those released in Windhoek included all the remaining SWAPO members who were sentenced with Toivo ja Toivo and other Namibians under the Terrorism Act at a trial in Pretoria in 1967 and 1968. Ja Toivo and others were freed during 1984.
Prominent amongst those released was Eliazer Tuhadeleni, one of the Pretoria accused sentenced to life imprisonment. Tuhadeleni and his colleagues have been the focus of an international campaign demanding the release of all Namibian political prisoners.
At least five Namibians remain in long-term imprisonment for political offences, including Veiko Nghitewa and Sam Mundjindji, two SWAPO members who were sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment each on charges of murder arising out of the killing of an announcer for the state radio station in Namibia.
A further seven Namibians are facing trial in Windhoek on charges under the Terrorism Act and the Internal Security Act, and 75 SWAPO members are on trial for holding meetings and demonstrations in and around Windhoek. During November 1985 over 50 Namibians were being detained without trial in terms of emergency legislation.
The first words of some of the released prisoners were for their fellow Namibians and South Africans still in prison or detention. 'I would like to see them released as soon as possible', said Kaleb Tjipahura, who had spent nearly 20 years in prison, mostly on Robben Island, where the prisoners endured harsh conditions, harassment, beatings and forced labour.
There were scenes of jubilation when the prisoners were freed. The men were met by SWAPO leaders and taken to the offices of the Council of Churches where arrangements were made for their welfare and accommodation. They then drove to the township of Katutura in a motor cavalcade, which was greeted by streams of schoolchildren and residents shouting 'A luta continua' - 'The struggle continues'.
Similar scenes of jubilation greeted the release a month previously of Ida Jimmy, who served her full sentence of five years' imprisonment (reduced from seven years on appeal) for a speech she made at a SWAPO rally in Luderitz. SWAPO supporters, gathered in groups of 10 to 15 to avoid being arrested for constituting an illegal meeting, waited outside the prison gate. Jimmy was hoisted on the shoulders of the crowd and presented with a SWAPO flag. After spending four days in Windhoek, she left for her home town of Luderitz, to pay her last respects to her son Richard. The child was born in prison in December 1980. After 18 months he was taken away from her, and died a year later, while being cared for by Jimmy's mother. Jimmy was refused permission to attend his funeral.
Like Jimmy, most of the 22 made it clear that they still supported SWAPO. The Vice-President of SWAPO in Namibia, Daniel Tjonalgarero, pointed out to the released prisoners that 'although you are free, Namibia is not yet free'. 'We shall call upon your zeal and courage to work for the freedom of our country', he said.
Credit for the release of the prisoners was taken by the Multi-Party Conference (MPC) administration established by the South African regime. International observers pointed out that the South African regime would be bound to attempt to use the release to promote the MPC Administration, which had been pressing for a hearing at the United Nations. Nico Bessinger, said that the release was the result of years of appeals from SWAPO and the international community. Kaleb Tjipahura stated that there could only be genuine peace and reconciliation in Namibia if UN Resolution 435 was implemented and the people could decide on their own government. 'We will continue the struggle - we cannot rest until Namibia is free', he said.
