1985 The Windhoek High Court rejects Subya Chief Moraliswani’s application (April 1983) to become the supreme leader of all communities in the Eastern Caprivi Strip. The Subya reject this court ruling and repeat their demands from time to time. Tensions grow between Fwe and Subya. The result is that the majority of the Fwe (Muyongo) join the DTA and the majority of the Subya join SWAPO.
The True Namibia Independence Party (TNIP ) is formed, and becomes defunct in 1986.
The Committee of Parents is formed. It splits later in the year and the Parents’ Committee is formed to lobby for the release of alleged "SWAPO detainees". Its leaders are Stella-Maria Boois, Talita Schmidt and Phil Ya Nangoloh.
Timothy Hadino Hishongwa opens a SWAPO mission in Melbourne, Australia.
The Roman-Catholic priest Bernhard Nordkamp succeeds Heinrich Henning in his position as Vicar General of the church.
The Namibian Agronomic Board is established in terms of the Agronomic Industry Proclamation (AG 11 of 1985). The Agronomic Board has to regulate and control the production and marketing of controlled agronomic products. These amount to a one-channel, fixed price marketing scheme for controlled crops.
February The "Joint Monitoring Commission (JMC)" is disbanded and the fighting in southern Angola involving Cuban, South African and SWAPO troops escalates again until 1988 when a military stalemate is reached in Cuito Cuanavale.
April The Roman-Catholic Commission on "Justice and Peace" under the fathers Heinrich Steegmann and Willy Amutenya condemns plans by the MPC to create a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGNU).
01.04. Assets of South African Transport Services in SWA and of Namib Air are transferred to the Administrator-General.
18.04. The MPC adopts a "Bill of Fundamental Rights and Objectives", meant to guarantee "fundamental liberties". It agrees on a formula for an interim government and requests SA to create a "Transitional Government of National Unity (TGNU)". The Bill is contained in an annex to Proclamation R101 of 1985. The status of this Bill becomes subsequently an issue before the Courts. In the "State vs Angula and Others", the South West Africa Division of the Supreme Court of SWA decides in 1986 that the Bill is part of the substantive law of the country. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa in Bloemfontein, however, finds that the Bill has no application to existing laws. The formulation of the Bill also clearly indicates an intention to protect the existing Apartheid structure including segregation in schools and hospitals.
06.06. In S/17242 the UN Secretary-General summarises significant new developments in the Namibian situation. He reiterates that although virtually all outstanding issues are resolved in UNTAG’s view, SA’s insistence on a Cuban troop withdrawal bars the implementation of SC Resolution 435. He also opposes SA’s plan to establish a new interim government in Namibia.
17.06. The TGNU is installed after SA agrees to the MPC proposals. The TGNU is granted legislative and executive powers under SA Proclamation R101 but always subject to South Africa’s authority.
For three months under a rotational system, Dawid Bezuidenhout, Minister of Transport of the TGNU, is the first Cabinet Chairman. Further ministers are: Hans Diergaardt, Minister of Local Authorities and Civic Affairs; Moses Katjiuongua, Minister of Manpower, National Health and Welfare; Jariretundu Kozonguizi, Minister of Justice, Information, Post and Telecommunication; Andrew Matjila, Minister of Education and Central Personnel Institution; Dirk Mudge, Minister of Finance and Government Affairs; Andreas Shipanga, Minister of Nature Conservation, Mining, Commerce and Tourism and Eben van Zijl, Minister of Agriculture, Water Affairs and Fisheries.
At the inauguration of the TGNU, thousands of supporters celebrate. But at the same time 4 000 people attend a meeting called by the Peoples Consultative Conference in Katutura (Windhoek) in protest against the MPC government. After the meeting 600 demonstrators march peacefully through the streets of Katutura. They are then set upon by members of the para-military unit Koevoet, clubbed and tear-gassed. Many supporters are women who are beaten, some of them while they are on the ground. Seventy-one people are injured.
19.06. In SC Resolution 566 the UN Security Council condemns SA for installing an interim government in Windhoek, and declares this action to be illegal, null and void.
Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi grants SWAPO gets full diplomatic status. Other countries follow suit.
27.06. The Chief of the Uukolonkadhi area, Elenga David Shooya, is sworn in at Onesi.
July South Africa and Botswana demarcate the international boundary around the Kasikili Island according to the Pretoria Agreement of December 1984. The survey comes to the conclusion that the northern channel of the Chobe River represents the main-thalweg of the river. Kasikili thus belongs to Botswana. This survey is never ratified by the General Assembly of the United Nations and so is not binding. Thus, the conflict is not resolved, even after Namibia’s independence when further "Chobe island conflicts" arise, for instance, around the Situndu Island situated between Linyanti (New Linyanti) and Sangwali, near the village Batubaya. Ownership of the island can only be determined on the basis of the positions surveyed in relation to the thalweg of the Chobe River. The ICJ gives a judgement on the Kasikili island conflict on 13.12.1999. It rules in favour of Botswana.
08.07. Mishake Muyongo returns to Namibia. Subsequently the United Democratic Party (UDP) is formed by a merger of CANU and CAP. CANU and CAP dissidents do not join the UDP and reconstitute CANU (under the leadership of Siseho Simasiku) and CAP. The UDP joins the DTA. The UDP’s President is Muyongo and its leadership includes, inter alia, Cooks Muyoba and Geoffrey Mwilima.
August The Namibia National Trade Union (NNTU) is founded as an umbrella body to encourage the establishment of trade unions.
The US "Clark Amendment" is repealed, allowing the US to resume its aid to UNITA.
PLAN attacks the SA army base Eenhana in the Ohangwena area.
During the annual congress of the IG most board members resign. New president becomes Konrad Wilfried von Marées.
30.08. The Namibian newspaper is established in Windhoek, this being the first newspaper to advocate for Namibian independence on the basis of SC Resolution 435. Its editor is Gwen Lister.
September The Parents’ Committee in Windhoek approaches the Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN), and later the public world-wide, to express its distress concerning the fate of relatives in exile.
17.09. SA troops enter Angola claiming to be pursuing SWAPO guerrillas.
December The Namibia Trade Union (NTU) is established to represent domestic, farm and metal workers.
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