From 'One Namibia, One Nation' towards 'Unity in Diversity? Shifting representations of culture and nationhood in Namibian Independence Day celebrations, 1990-2010

In 2010 Namibia celebrated its twentieth anniversary of independence from South African rule. The main celebrations in the country’s capital Windhoek became the stage for an impressively orchestrated demonstration of maturing nationhood, symbolically embracing postcolonial policy concepts such as ‘national reconciliation’, ‘unity’ and ‘diversity’. At the same time, nation building in post-apartheid Namibia is characterised by a high degree of social and political fragmentation that manifests itself in cultural and/or ethnic discourses of belonging. Taking the highly significant independence jubilee as our vantage point, we map out a shift of cultural representations of the nation in Independence Day celebrations since 1990, embodied by the two prominent slogans of ‘One Namibia, one Nation’ and ‘Unity in Diversity’. As we will argue, the difficult and at times highly fragile postcolonial disposition made it necessary for the SWAPO government, as primary nation builder, to accommodate the demands of regions and local communities in its policy frameworks. This negotiation of local identifications and national belonging in turn shaped, and continues to shape, the performative dimension of Independence Day celebrations in Namibia.Web of Scienc

The Unforgiving Land – Basis for a Post Liberation Programme in Namibia

SUMMARY Namibia's independence will pose a number of challenges to its first government. History, ecology, the structure of productive forces and the mode of production have imposed constraints and a need for change. The degree of freedom available is very limited. ‘Gradualism’ and ‘moderation’ are no longer viable options because of the course of the liberation struggle and of the efforts to repress it. Initial priorities are examined including maintenance of production in key industries and expansion of provision of basic services. These are also reviewed in terms of SWAPOs political programme goals which appear to be potentially consistent with a workable transitional strategy. RÉSUMÉ Le pays sans pardon. Base pour un programme d'après la libération pour la Namibie L'indépendance de la Namibie va poser un certain nombre de problèmes à son premier gouvernement. L'histoire, l'écologie, la structure des forces productrices et le mode de production ont imposé des contraintes et la nécessité d'un changement. Le degré de liberté possible est très limité. Le ‘gradualisme’ et la ‘modération’ ne sont plus des solutions viables en raison du déroulement de la lutte pour la libération et des efforts pour la réprimer. L'article examine les priorités au nombre desquelles le maintien de la production dans les industries clef et le développement du système assurant les services de base. Ceux?ci sont également envisagés dans le cadre des objectifs du programme politique de SWAPO qui semblent pouvoir s'accorder avec une stratégie de transition susceptible de réussir. RESUMEN La tierra que no perdona. Las bases de un programa posterior a la liberación en Namibia La independencia de Namibia planteará numerosas disyuntivas a su primer gobierno. La historia, la ecología, le estructure de les fuerzas de producción y el modo de producir han impuesto restricciones y exigen el cambio. El grado de libertad disponible es muy limitedo. El ‘gradualismo’ y la ‘moderación’ ya no son alternativas viables debido al curso tornado por la luche de libereción y e los esfuerzos para reprimirle. Se examinan las prioridades iniciales, que incluyen el mantenimiento de la producción en industrias clave y la expansión de la disponibilidad de servicios básicos. También se examinan estas prioridades en relación con los objectivos del programa político de SWAPO que parece tener consistencia probable con una estrategia pragmática de transición

Customary Legal Empowerment in Namibia and Ghana? Lessons about Access, Power and Participation in Non-state Justice Systems

Since the early 2000s, legal development cooperation has displayed an increasing willingness to engage with customary justice systems. However, this engagement is frequently problematic. External actors often lack knowledge about the different versions of customary law, the negotiable nature of customary justice and the power differentials involved in defining customary law. In customary justice systems, norms are defined and negotiated in administrative structures and dispute‐settlement institutions. Inclusion in these fora is therefore of paramount importance to improve the position of vulnerable groups. To illustrate the point, this article analyses two case studies of customary justice reform, respectively focusing on gender dimensions in northern Namibia and land management in Ghana. These case studies demonstrate that when programming ignores issues of power and empowerment, it will not have the hoped‐for positive impact on vulnerable groups.Effective Protection of Fundamental Rights in a pluralist worl