The1988 Oshakati bomb blastwas a bombing inOshakati,Ovamboland,South West Africa(nowOshana Region,Namibia) which killed 27 people and left 70 others injured on 19 February 1988. The target of the bombing was theBarclay's Bank in the town. The perpetrators were never identified or convicted. Both theSouth Africanpolice andSouth West Africa People's Organization(SWAPO), the major independence movement in Namibia, were blamed.[1]At the time of the blast, both SWAPO and the South African authorities blamed each other.[2]
Background
edit19 February, the day of the blast, was the traditional time when state employees were paid. At approximately noon, a car bomb exploded.[3]Oshakati in the 1980s was a major hub for both the South African military as well as thebantustanOvamboland government.
Commemorations
editIn the years since the bombing, the day has been marked by commemorations by many Namibians, including prominent religious leaders and politicians. They called for national reconciliation in honour of the victims.[4]
References
edit- ^THE INDEPENDENCE PROCESS LEADS TO NAMIBIA'S FREEDOM: 1988-1990KlausDierks.com
- ^Bomb Kills 14 Near a Base in NamibiaThe New York Times, February 20, 1988
- ^Sharing research techniques in the new millennium: Drawing from the experience of the Oshakati bomb blast[dead link]Journal for Educational Reform in Namibia, Journal 14, May 2001[dead link]
- ^Oswald Shivute (20 February 2007):Oshakati bomb blast remembered.The Namibian,also available onallafrica.com(subscription required)
  | ThisNamibian history-related article is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | Thisterrorism-related article is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |