Ian Liebenberg FOTO VERSKAF
Ian Liebenberg FOTO VERSKAF

‘Morele aktivis’ Ian Liebenberg sterf

Professor by die department van politieke studies by Unam
Hy was vir jare betrokke by die liberale politiek, onder andere as lid van die destydse groep Dakar-gangers, saam met prominente Afrikaners soos Max du Preez, Breyten Breytenbach, Jannie Gagiano, Gerhard Erasmus en André du Pisani.
Henriette Lamprecht
As een van die verkiesingsmoniteerders vir die voor-onafhanklikheidsverkiesing in Namibië het hy ’n belangrike rol in die land se geskiedenis gespeel.

Verskeie artikels en boeke oor die Bosoorlog en onder meer die Kubaanse en Russiese betrokkenheid by die oorlog in Angola het ook uit sy pen verskyn.

Ian Liebenberg, in sy laaste dae ’n professor by die departement van politieke studies aan die Universiteit van Namibië (Unam), is verlede week op die ouderdom van 60 jaar by sy huis in Saldanha dood.

Die skrywer Piet van Rooyen beskryf hom as ’n diep denker en morele aktivis en sê hy was ’n “geswore veldseun uit die Keidebees naby Upington met die e-posnaam van jankalahari”.

Hy het sy enigste seun I-Ben Mangeliso gedoop, na aanleiding van Robert Sobukwe se tweede naam, en was vir jare betrokke by die liberale politiek, onder andere as lid van die destydse groep Dakargangers, saam met prominente Afrikaners soos Max du Preez, Breyten Breytenbach, Jannie Gagiano, Gerhard Erasmus, André du Pisani, en ander, wat vir die eerste keer die Muur van Koue tussen die ANC en die Afrikaner help deurbreek het, met Thabo Mbeki as hooffasiliteerder.

Liebenberg was ook een van die stigterslede van die Instituut vir Demokrasie in Suid-Afrika (IDASA) en van 1986 tot 1990 ’n politieke ontleder en projekkoördineerder by die instituut. Hy was vir 16 jaar lank betrokke by die Sentrum vir Militêre Studies (SEMIS), by die Fakulteit van Militêre Wetenskap by die Stellenbosch Universiteit. Liebenberg het terselfdertyd ’n passie gehad vir Afrikaans as taal. Van sy kortverhale het in die Tydskrif vir Letterkunde verskyn, en hy was juis besig met ’n meer substansiële bundel kortverhale tot met sy dood. Sy goeie vriend, mede-Dakarganger, en kollega, die akademikus André du Pisani, skryf oor sy “beste vriend” dat hulle onder moeilike omstandighede ontmoet het en soos “broers” was.

“Ek het nie woorde nie, maar ek wil hom onthou vir die vrygewigheid van sy gees, sy skerp intellek en sy ongelooflike menslikheid. Ian was die stem vir die ‘underdogs’ van die lewe en is gedryf deur ’n ongelooflike passie vir die lewe, vriendskap en die krag van die natuur,” sê Du Pisani.

“’n Ware radikale, gevorm deur die smeltkroes en boosheid van apartheid.

“’n Beginselvaste radikale met ’n oog vir argument. ’n Geleerde met substansie. Ons het onvergeetlike ervarings saam gehad. Sy afdruk is onuitwisbaar. Hy was ’n man van letters. ’n Vriend van vriendskap. Behalwe baie ander kwaliteite, het Ian sy eie rede gebruik en aangevoer. Hy het alles oordink, ondersoek en ontleed. Hy het nie enige owerheid toegelaat om hul sienswyse op hom af te druk of sy begrip te dikteer nie. Ian het een belangrike waarheid verstaan en dit was om nie, soos wat soveel mense doen, die moeilikheid van dink te vermy nie – want dit is die beste en mees bruikbare moeilikheid in die wêreld.”

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Premier League: Aston Villa 3 vs 3 Liverpool | Manchester United 0 vs 1 Arsenal | Nottingham Forest 2 vs 3 Chelsea | Newcastle 1 vs 1 Brighton | Wolves 1 vs 3 Crystal Palace | Everton 1 vs 0 Sheffield United | West Ham 3 vs 1 Luton Town | Bournemouth 1 vs 2 Brentford | Tottenham Hotspur 2 vs 1 Burnley | Fulham 0 vs 4 Manchester City LaLiga: Barcelona 2 vs 0 Real Sociedad | Real Betis 3 vs 2 Almería | Valencia 0 vs 0 Rayo Vallecano | Atletico Madrid 1 vs 0 Celta Vigo | Cadiz 1 vs 0 Getafe | Athletic Club 2 vs 2 Osasuna | Granada 0 vs 4 Real Madrid | Villarreal 3 vs 2 Sevilla | Mallorca 1 vs 0 Las Palmas SerieA: Fiorentina 2 vs 1 Monza | Lecce 0 vs 2 Udinese | Atalanta 2 vs 1 AS Roma | Juventus 1 vs 1 Salernitana | Genoa 2 vs 1 Sassuolo | Hellas Verona 1 vs 2 Torino | SS Lazio 2 vs 0 Empoli | AC Milan 5 vs 1 Cagliari | Napoli 0 vs 2 Bologna European Championships Qualifying: West Bromwich Albion 0 vs 0 Southampton | Norwich City 0 vs 0 Leeds United English Championship: West Bromwich Albion 0 vs 0 Southampton | Norwich City 0 vs 0 Leeds United Katima Mulilo: 13° | 31° Rundu: 13° | 30° Eenhana: 17° | 32° Oshakati: 17° | 32° Ruacana: 18° | 32° Tsumeb: 15° | 28° Otjiwarongo: 13° | 27° Omaruru: 13° | 29° Windhoek: 12° | 25° Gobabis: 14° | 25° Henties Bay: 15° | 32° Wind speed: 26km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 13:52, High tide: 07:51, Low Tide: 02:00, High tide: 20:47 Swakopmund: 17° | 24° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 13:50, High tide: 07:49, Low Tide: 02:00, High tide: 20:45 Walvis Bay: 20° | 32° Wind speed: 30km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 13:50, High tide: 07:48, Low Tide: 02:00, High tide: 20:44 Rehoboth: 14° | 26° Mariental: 15° | 29° Keetmanshoop: 19° | 30° Aranos: 16° | 28° Lüderitz: 18° | 35° Ariamsvlei: 19° | 31° Oranjemund: 14° | 29° Luanda: 24° | 27° Gaborone: 13° | 27° Lubumbashi: 13° | 27° Mbabane: 12° | 24° Maseru: 9° | 24° Antananarivo: 14° | 22° Lilongwe: 13° | 26° Maputo: 19° | 26° Windhoek: 12° | 25° Cape Town: 16° | 20° Durban: 17° | 26° Johannesburg: 15° | 23° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 31° Lusaka: 16° | 26° Harare: 12° | 23° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.09 | EUR to NAD 19.88 | CNY to NAD 2.54 | USD to NAD 18.39 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.71 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.55 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.05 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.6 | USD to EGP 46.8 | USD to KES 129.48 | USD to NGN 1498 | USD to ZAR 18.39 | USD to ZMW 25.25 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 78632.56 Down -0.07% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1710.9 Down -2.52% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13501.46 Down -0.29% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 25339.77 Down -0.16% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9151.06 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 357.05/OZ UP +0.79% | Copper US$ 4.85/lb UP +2.20% | Zinc US$ 3 006.00/T UP 0.27% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 82.81/BBP DOWN -0.0124 | Platinum US$ 1 036.97/OZ UP +3.56% Sport results: Premier League: Aston Villa 3 vs 3 Liverpool | Manchester United 0 vs 1 Arsenal | Nottingham Forest 2 vs 3 Chelsea | Newcastle 1 vs 1 Brighton | Wolves 1 vs 3 Crystal Palace | Everton 1 vs 0 Sheffield United | West Ham 3 vs 1 Luton Town | Bournemouth 1 vs 2 Brentford | Tottenham Hotspur 2 vs 1 Burnley | Fulham 0 vs 4 Manchester City LaLiga: Barcelona 2 vs 0 Real Sociedad | Real Betis 3 vs 2 Almería | Valencia 0 vs 0 Rayo Vallecano | Atletico Madrid 1 vs 0 Celta Vigo | Cadiz 1 vs 0 Getafe | Athletic Club 2 vs 2 Osasuna | Granada 0 vs 4 Real Madrid | Villarreal 3 vs 2 Sevilla | Mallorca 1 vs 0 Las Palmas SerieA: Fiorentina 2 vs 1 Monza | Lecce 0 vs 2 Udinese | Atalanta 2 vs 1 AS Roma | Juventus 1 vs 1 Salernitana | Genoa 2 vs 1 Sassuolo | Hellas Verona 1 vs 2 Torino | SS Lazio 2 vs 0 Empoli | AC Milan 5 vs 1 Cagliari | Napoli 0 vs 2 Bologna European Championships Qualifying: West Bromwich Albion 0 vs 0 Southampton | Norwich City 0 vs 0 Leeds United English Championship: West Bromwich Albion 0 vs 0 Southampton | Norwich City 0 vs 0 Leeds United Weather: Katima Mulilo: 13° | 31° Rundu: 13° | 30° Eenhana: 17° | 32° Oshakati: 17° | 32° Ruacana: 18° | 32° Tsumeb: 15° | 28° Otjiwarongo: 13° | 27° Omaruru: 13° | 29° Windhoek: 12° | 25° Gobabis: 14° | 25° Henties Bay: 15° | 32° Wind speed: 26km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 13:52, High tide: 07:51, Low Tide: 02:00, High tide: 20:47 Swakopmund: 17° | 24° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 13:50, High tide: 07:49, Low Tide: 02:00, High tide: 20:45 Walvis Bay: 20° | 32° Wind speed: 30km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 13:50, High tide: 07:48, Low Tide: 02:00, High tide: 20:44 Rehoboth: 14° | 26° Mariental: 15° | 29° Keetmanshoop: 19° | 30° Aranos: 16° | 28° Lüderitz: 18° | 35° Ariamsvlei: 19° | 31° Oranjemund: 14° | 29° Luanda: 24° | 27° Gaborone: 13° | 27° Lubumbashi: 13° | 27° Mbabane: 12° | 24° Maseru: 9° | 24° Antananarivo: 14° | 22° Lilongwe: 13° | 26° Maputo: 19° | 26° Windhoek: 12° | 25° Cape Town: 16° | 20° Durban: 17° | 26° Johannesburg: 15° | 23° Dar es Salaam: 23° | 31° Lusaka: 16° | 26° Harare: 12° | 23° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.09 | EUR to NAD 19.88 | CNY to NAD 2.54 | USD to NAD 18.39 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.3 | EGP to NAD 0.38 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.71 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.55 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.22 | USD to DZD 134.05 | USD to AOA 834.06 | USD to BWP 13.6 | USD to EGP 46.8 | USD to KES 129.48 | USD to NGN 1498 | USD to ZAR 18.39 | USD to ZMW 25.25 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 78632.56 Down -0.07% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1710.9 Down -2.52% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 13501.46 Down -0.29% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 25339.77 Down -0.16% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI 9151.06 Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 357.05/OZ UP +0.79% | Copper US$ 4.85/lb UP +2.20% | Zinc US$ 3 006.00/T UP 0.27% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 82.81/BBP DOWN -0.0124 | Platinum US$ 1 036.97/OZ UP +3.56%