Namibia's Independence

Namibia is a country on the southwestern tip of Africa. The geography of Namibia has shaped its course through history. Characterized by two deserts, it was assumed Namibia had little to offer. Despite its low population when Germany took it as a colony in the early 1900’s, it still bitterly revolted. Likewise, when South Africa began an attempt at cheap migrant workers for the region’s diamond and gold mines, nationalist sentiment caused Namibia to fight for its freedom. Freedom was a long and hard struggle, but after overcoming many hard trials, the country of Namibia gained its independence from external powers in 1990.

Namibia’s earliest occupants were the San people (also known as bushmen). They lived in the area now know as Namibia as early as 8000 BC. Although they were the first inhabitants, they were eventually pushed aside by Bantu-speakers, who, with the advanced technology of iron working for them, pushed the bushmen into the Kalahari. The Bantu-speakers spread throughout the country, and had varied governments in various places. There were villages with chiefs, kingdoms with hereditary succession, and cattle-raisers. These various people occasionally traded goods and had various conflicts with each other.

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Ultimately, Africans inhabited only 40% of the colony, and white settlers (who only made up 7% of the total population) occupied the other 60%. When Germany received Namibia as a colony, the Namibian people revolted against it, only to fall from the pot into the fire.

The struggle for the independence of Namibia was long and hard, involving much bloodshed. South Africa, however, continued the German policies of racial segregation. The discovery of diamonds in the 1850’s brought a veritable flood of miners and traders. After WW1, the UN changed the status of the colony from a mandate to a trust territory, setting up for its eventual independence. The increasing occupation of Europeans in the 1800’s brought about a major change. This eventually led to the ‘Red Line’ which divided the south (whites), and the north (Africans). By the late 1950’s, three major groups had formed, the OPO (Ovamboland People’s Organization), SWANU (South West African National Union), and the Herero Council. Only in 1990, when South Africa finally backed down did Namibia fully gain its independence, holding an election, and starting a new government with Sam Nujoma as president. PLAN and its supporters continued to fight, and then in 1987 a major breakthrough occurred. These proposals satisfied neither Namibia nor the international community. In 1990, independence was reached with Sam Nujoma becoming president of the Republic of Namibia.

After 1948, when the first blacks graduated from secondary school, Namibia began to protest the discrimination in the educational policies.

Approximate Word count = 886
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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