Axel-Ivar Berglund - Nordic Documentation on the Liberation ...

in Namibia. When one person was killed who was known to be an informer,
he was to conduct the funeral service. I was present because I happened to
be in Windhoek and we travelled from Windhoek to Onipa. Bishop Auala, a
very strong hefty man, stepped forward and refused to have the funeral in the
church, because he said that the church is for God’s children and the
behaviour of this man has not been that of God’s children. So he conducted
the service at the graveyard, next to the grave, and it was a costly business,
the whole thing. The coffin wasn’t a cheap one, but all he said is, “We are all
to die and the question is how have we prepared for our death? I leave the
question to you, my friends.” and he stroked his hands over the congregation.
That was the end. Now to do that in those days, this must have been 1978, to
do that and to imply that the people are to respond, requires courage.
Apartheid had a very different notion. You were told what to say from above.
Bertil Högberg: I thank you very much for this interview. It was very
interesting, thanks.
34