MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR SAM NUJOMA, FOUNDING
PRESIDENT AND FATHER OF THE NAMIBIAN NATION, ON THE III AFRICAN MEETING OF
SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA, INTERGRATED BY THE ANGOLAN LEAGUE OF FRIENDSHIP
AND SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLES (LAASP)
11-12TH SEPTEMBER 2010
LUANDA, REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA
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Director of Ceremonies;
His Excellency José Eduardo dos Santos, President of the Republic of Angola;
Comrade Domingos Coelho da Cruz, Chairperson of Angolan League of Friendship and Solidarity with
the Peoples (LAASP);
Comrade José Fernando Jaime, General Secretary of the Angolan – Cuban Friendship Association
(ASAC);
Comrade Kenia Serrano Puig, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP);
Comrade Members of the Organizing Committee of the III African Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba;
Distinguished Invited Guests;
Comrades;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Government
and people of Angola for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation since
our arrival in this beautiful city of Luanda.
Secondly, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the Angolan Cuban Institute of Friendship with
the Peoples (ICAP) for extending an invitation to me to come and address the III Regional Meeting on
Solidarity with Cuba, Angola and Sub-Sahara Africa.
The People of Cuba and the peoples of Africa enjoy strong bonds of solidarity and friendship which
date back since the early 1960s when the African people were waging the wars of national liberation to
free themselves from the yoke of colonial occupation and foreign subjugation.
As the winds of change signaled the emergence of national liberation movements across the length and
breadth of the African continent, the former colonial powers intensified their colonial repression and
subjugation of the African people. During that period, it was only Cuba, the then Soviet Union and
China who stood by us and rendered all round political, diplomatic and material support to the national
liberation movements in Southern Africa and other oppressed peoples of Asia and South America.
Indeed, the government and people of Cuba under the revolutionary leadership of EL Commandante
Fidel Castro Ruz, first President of the Republic of Cuba, dedicated their human, material and financial
resources to assist the peoples of Africa to fight for their genuine freedom and independence. The
Cuban Government commissioned combat troops to train and fight alongside freedom fighters in
various African countries in Africa, thus including Namibia under the vanguard of SWAPO of
Namibia.
As a result, the Cuban Government has established the solidarity military force of volunteers known as
the Cuban Internationalist Forces which were specifically assigned by the Cuban Government to fight
alongside our national liberation movements in Africa and defeated the imperialist forces as well as to
get rid of the vestiges of colonialism and imperialism from the face of the African continent.
Director of Ceremonies;
The people of Africa, especially the Angolan and Namibian people will forever remain indebted to the
Government and people of the Republic of Cuba.
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Upon Angola’s attainment of its independence in 1975, the Government of Angola under its first
President, Camarada Dr. António Agostinho Neto, immediately and without wavering offered to render
support to SWAPO of Namibia to establish military bases and set up Namibia Health and Education
centres for Namibians who were seeking refuge from the colonial repression and brutality of the
minority white apartheid regime of South Africa. Thereafter, the apartheid regime of South Africa in
concert with western imperialists invaded the Republic of Angola.
It was at that point in history when the solidarity of the people of Cuba with the African peoples was
tested. Without hesitation, the Government of Cuba sent the Cuban internationalist forces to Angola to
assist the MPLA Government to defend their independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of
Angola.
The Angolan people have suffered from the aggression and brutalities of the apartheid regime in its
quest to destroy the liberation movements, as well as to install a puppet Government in Luanda that
would have worked in the interest of apartheid South Africa and Western imperialist countries.
Hundreds of Angolans were maimed by bombs and landmines, numerous others were displaced
because of the war but the Angolan people and MPLA government were not cowed down by this
brutality and stood in solidarity with our heroic struggle for independence until the final victory was
achieved on the 21st March 1990.
On the 4th May, 1978, the white apartheid South Africa in an act of barbaric armed aggression sent its
troops across Angola and unashamedly attacked a Namibian refugee settlement at Cassinga in a
calculated strategy and attempt to derail progress at the diplomatic front where the apartheid regime
was under international pressure to relinquish its illegal occupation of Namibia. This barbaric attack
was carried out by about 500 apartheid South African paratroopers in an operation code named
Reindeer. About 800 people were cold bloodedly killed and among those were toddlers, children less
than 16 years, expected mothers and elderly persons.
Once again, we were helped and consoled by the revolutionary people of the Republic of Cuba under
the leadership of EL Commandante Fidel Castro Ruz.
By the invitation of Fidel Castro, the majority of our children who survived the traumatic experience of
the Cassinga massacre were offered free education in Cuba. Two schools were set up on the Island of
Youth in Cuba for this purpose. Thousands of young Namibians, who are today playing vital roles in
the socio-economic development of Namibia, including in leadership positions were educated at the
Hendrik Witbooi and Hosea Kutako Secondary Schools as well as at other institutions of high learning
in Cuba.
Meanwhile, after the Cassinga Massacre, the Angolan government also offered to relocate our refugee
camp and brought it in the interior of the country in Kwanza Sul Province, near Luanda and far away
from the border with Namibia, where the military operations were taking place.
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The people of Namibia will forever remain thankful and indebted to the revolutionary people of Cuba,
Angola and other friendly countries around the world for the solidarity and assistance they have
rendered to us during the difficult years of the liberation struggle for our freedom and independence.
I bow down to the Angolan people and their leaders and stand here greatly humbled by their support
and solidarity during the dark days of our struggle for independence up until now.
It was indeed the decisive Battle of Quito Cuanavale in 1988 where the racist troops of the minority
white apartheid regime of South Africa were finally and thoroughly defeated by the combined forces of
the Cuban Internationalist Forces, the Angolan FAPLA and the Combatants of the People’s Liberation
Army of Namibia (PLAN), SWAPO’s military wing. As a result, the racist troops of the minority white apartheid regime suffered heavy military defeat and a
blow to the regime itself. The entire world watched in shock how the racist forces retreated in
desperation and humiliation.
At the final stage of the military offensive, the combined, Cuban Internationalist Forces with the
FAPLA Forces and PLAN Combatants launched the final assault, and Cuban and Angolan MiG 23s
bombed Calueque Dam where apartheid South Africa built its military bunker.
The enemy then realized that its war machinery was broken and its soldiers demoralized without
having neither the capacity nor the stamina to match the well-prepared combined forces of Cuban
Internationalists Forces, FAPLA and PLAN Combatants.
The battle of Quito Cuanavale was a decisive turning point and battle that brought the white apartheid
South Africa colonial system to its knees. The defeat of the colonial South African army at Quito
Cuanavale, Chipa and Calueque had great psychological effect and was a severe shock to the South
African white minority settlers. In February 1989, P.W. Botha suffered a stroke and after that his
political demise was inevitable.
Indeed, the military strategy of the Cubans became a decisive factor for further military successes
against the supremacist racist troops of the South African colonial regime in Namibia. Therefore, it
was not a surprise that the Ronald Reagan’s Administration linked the withdrawal of the Cuban
Internationalist Forces from Angola with the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 435,
which was a United Nations Independence plan for Namibia.
On 16 January 1989, the UN Security Council passed enabling Resolution 628, endorsing the Tripartite
Agreement signed at the UN on 22 December 1988, and setting down 1st April 1989 for the
commencement of the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 435, thus signaling the
truce and suspension of hostilities between the warring parties. In the final analysis, victory of
SWAPO was inevitable and SWAPO of Namibia was declared the winner under the United Nations
Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) supervised and controlled elections, when I solemnly declared
that Namibia is forever free, sovereign and Independent and that the destiny of our country was now in
our hands as accurately predicted and prophesied by our forefathers.
With Namibia’s independence, the South African colonial and minority oppressive regime of apartheid
finally succumbed and relinquished power to the majority government of the ANC, after peaceful and
democratic elections were held for the first time in that country. As such, thanks to the historical battle
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of Quito Cuanavale, that history has been rewritten not only in Southern Africa in particular but in the
entire African continent.
During many years of active combat in Angola, the Cuban people have sacrificed their lives, material
and financial resources at their disposal for the just cause of our genuine freedom and independence so
that we can achieve peace and political tranquility.
The peace and political stability that we enjoy today in our countries has been due to the selfless
sacrifices of the Cuban people, hence this historical occasion to remember that memorable epoch in the
history of our countries.
Indeed, the contributions of the revolutionary people of Cuba will continue to shape our future destiny.
Their precious sacrifices will be engraved in the annals of our history and we therefore bow down and
say in humility: “obrigado” “Muchas Gracias”.
Director of Ceremonies;
While we attend this historic III African Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba, the Cuban Five Comrades
continue to languish in the draconian USA jails. The continuous incarceration of the five Cubans in
USA jails demonstrates a clear violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms.
The USA claims to be the most democratic country in the world, yet it is the most violator of human
rights in the world. It holds prisoners who have never been tried. It exposes the hypocrisy,
intransigence and lies of the USA Government and its commitment to the ideals of freedom and justice.
Twelve years have passed since the Cuban Five were incarcerated in high security prisons in the USA
causing pain and suffering for the Cuban Five families while those who committed heinous crimes
against the Cuban people enjoy privileges awarded by the US government that claims to uphold human
rights. In the same vein, we are deeply concerned about the continuous economic and financial
blockade imposed to Cuba by the USA. These economic sanctions continue to cause economic
hardships to the people of Cuba and should therefore be lifted without further delay.
The merits of the Cuban revolution can be measured by the fact that such a small nation that is only 90
miles off the coasts of the Empire has for so long been capable of putting up resistance against the
hostile policy and criminal actions carried out against its people by the USA.
This resistance would never have been possible without the dignity and ethics of the Cuban policies, a
country harassed with revolting lies and slanders. Alongside ethics, there was built a culture and
conscience that made possible the resistance of more than five decades. Thanks to the revolutionary
Cuban people and their revolutionary leadership.
The Cuban people also survived the economical, commercial and financial inhumane blockade on their
homeland imposed by the USA.
Cuba still remains on its feet and determined to hold its ground. In solidarity with our Cuban brothers
and sisters, we therefore demand immediate removal of the inhumane economic blockade on the Cuban
people and join those who demand the US government to order immediate release of the imprisoned
Cuban Five from the USA’s jails. I further call upon other peace-loving people around the world for
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the unconditional and immediate release of the Cuban Five so that they could be reunited with their
families back home in the Republic of Cuba. Their continued detention is the most barbaric and
heinous act of human rights violation by the USA, which must be condemned in the strongest terms.
Until the Cuban Five are released from USA jails, we will continue to raise our voices and condemn
their barbaric detention.
Director of Ceremonies;
Now that we have achieved political freedom, we should now embark upon the second phase of the
struggle for genuine economic independence.
We are grateful of the fact that our countries and Cuba continue to enjoy strong bonds of friendship and
solidarity. Namibia, particularly has signed various bilateral agreements of co-operation in various
fields of human endeavor that are aimed at promoting mutually beneficial cooperation and enhancing
commercial trade investments and technical cooperation in education, agriculture, tropical medicine,
culture, sport and health.
Our countries should therefore work harder to implement and realize this co-operation so that we can
improve the standards of living of all our peoples. I am therefore greatly humbled to add my voice and
firm commitment to promote the Cuban-Angolan and Namibian economic cooperation and trade
relations to a high level.
We have always highly valued and cherished our friendly and cooperative relations and are satisfied
with the current status of development of such relationship and fully confident in the broad prospects
for future bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
I stress that a long-term friendly relationship between our sister countries and peoples is not only in the
interests of our nations as well as the people, but is also conducive to promote world peace, stability
and prosperity.
We should make concerted efforts to push forward our cooperation in the field of economy cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges as well as exploring new fields and create new patterns for
further cooperation, treasure our friendship in the bid to pass it on from generation to generation.
In conclusion, our resolve continues to be rooted in our aspirations to work together as a united peoples
anchored on the rich history of comradeship brotherhood and solidarity.
We should continue to strengthen our friendship and transform it into practical cooperation in various
fields of human endeavor and we should also work harder to strengthen South-South Cooperation and
promote the maintenance of world peace and security.
Long Live the Angolan League of Friendship and Solidarity with the Peoples (LAASP).
Long Live the Angolan-Cuban Friendship Association (ASAC).
Long Live the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).
I thank you.