Incorruptible Anton Lubowski

JOHN FREDERICKS WRITES:

In the research book, titled “Incorruptible”, the author slaved 12 to 15 years researching the reasons for the assassinations of Anton Lubowski, Chris Hani and Dulcie September.

Research indicated that all three of them knew about corrupt dealings that some of their comrades were involved in. That within the ranks of the liberation movements were shadowy leaders and figures that corrupted the noble ideals of the struggle for economic and political freedom and independence.

Anton Lubowski, like the other two leaders were principled and passionate about their people and the people they ought to serve. They never regarded themselves as more important, but rather to serve, and in serving, they were prepared to pay the ultimate price.

Anton was not a saint, and like all people also had earthly weaknesses, but surely no evils like being corrupt, greedy or suffering from incurable self-importance. As a person who were well versed in the study and field of Law, it is no secret that he had an illustrious career ahead of him, if only he would have been less caring about the sufferings of others, and that of black people for that matter.

Anton was not out of his league, he was unfortunately surrounded by people who were out of their league. He was maybe too trusting of those whom he might had felt were at the receiving end of the brutality of the Apartheid system, and as such, would, and have made greater sacrifices than himself.

He never questioned his comrades. Anton was passionate, but politically naïve. He believed in one Namibia, one nation. He never believed that he would be betrayed by his trusted comrades.

Anton was principled. He never compromised, even though he was framed by friend and foe. The Ill-principled, compromised and rudderless leadership, rooted in self-importance would have made Anton an enemy of his own comrades. He had to die because he was a threat to both friend and foe.

We, as Namibians, must not allow the memory of Anton Lubowski to be compromised, to fade into the dustbins of history, because of his name biting at the conscious of some of our leaders. We, as a nation must declare 12 September, Anton Lubowski Day.

It need not be a public holiday, as he would not have had it, but a Day of Remembrance, where we, as a nation, salute the sacrifices of the “white terrorist”.

The renowned author, Jacques Pauw described Anton Lubowski in his book, In the heart of the whore, the story about Apartheid’s Death Squads, as follows:

"Anton Lubowski was my friend. Once we travelled to New York and back in one weekend to see if we could bring about a reconciliatory meeting between Sam Nujoma of the South West People’s Organisation (Swapo) and Dirk Mudge of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA). That was quite some time before the implementation of Resolution 435 began, which culminated in the Constituent Assembly elections that led to Namibia’s independence.

"According to the following account, his assassination was probably part of a campaign to disrupt Swapo’s participation in that elections. One of the CCB operatives involved called it a 'terrible mistake' - a gross misstatement. His death was a mindless, brutal senseless act of terror.

"On such a long weekend flight to New York and back, a friendship deepens and explores many confidential and intimate contours of the other’s existence - marriage, children, fidelity, politics, Africa, music, existential angst - the whole sense of it all. Anton was a big-hearted, lovable paradox of a man. His total absence of malice and calculation was not enough to protect those close to him from the hurt he caused them and that he himself experienced because of it. If anything, it was the consequence of a powerful zest for life and an inability to deny himself any opportunity to experience it with others. He was incapable of deliberately hurting any living thing and was filled with a deep rage by those who did. He died at the hands of such . . ."

Do I need to write more?