Every Day Is Special: March 21 – Independence Day in Namibia

March 21 – Independence Day in Namibia

Posted on March 21, 2018

The African nation of Namibia is small and dry - although it's got a chunk of Atlantic Ocean coast! - and it's famous for these sorts of vistas:

The complex history of Namibia since the late 1800s include it being part of the German Empire and then South Africa. In 1948 the government of South Africa installed its awful segregation- and discrimination-by-law apartheid system in the region (which was then called South West Africa), and of course the people there resisted. After several uprisings and demands for political representation, the UN said it would take responsibility for the territory, although in fact South Africa still ruled the region. In 1973, the UN recognized the South West Africa People's Organization as the official representative of the Namibian people - but still South Africa maintained the actual power. Finally, in 1985, South Africa installed an interim government in Namibia, and on this date in 1990 the country FINALLY became fully independent.

There is some good news to report:

Namibia made a successful transition from white minority apartheid rule to a parliamentary democracy!

Even though SWAPO has won every election, there are several political parties.

The nation has held local, regional, and national elections on a regular basis.

A policy of "national reconciliation" has helped the nation transition from guerrilla war against the powers-that-be to rule of law, with the government granting amnesty to anyone who fought on the losing side.