A mass rally was held in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam on Friday (26 August) marking the 11th anniversary of the launching of the armed struggle in Namibia by SWAPO-the South West Africa People's Organisation.

SYNOPSIS: Among those attending the rally were Tanzania's Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Hassan Nassor Moyo, leaders of the African National Council of South Africa, as well as Mr. Anthony Katamila, the SWAPO representative in East Africa. The rally was held at a youth organisation office and attracted a large number of students and young people.

Mr. Aaron Pemba, of the ANC, was the first to address the rally. Namibia, or south West Africa, was taken over by south Africa from the Germans during World War I. South Africa was granted a mandate to rule by the now-defunct League of Nations. The mandate was later revoked by the United Nations. A white South African judge, Mr. Justice Martinus Steyn, was appointed in July as administrator-general for the territory and to oversee Namibia's progress to independence.

Mr. Katamila thanked Tanzania for her support to the people of Namibia. He also paid tribute to President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania for "his active participation in the struggle for the liberation of Namibia." Mr. Katamila said Namibians supported all those engaged in liberation movements everywhere in the world.

Mr. Moyo said Tanzania would continue to support liberation movements until all Africans were free and he called on Western powers to stop supplying arms to South Africa.