Embarrassment for Botha

During his 16-day, eight-nation tour of Western Europe, which concluded last week, South African Prime Minister P.W. Botha emphasized his eagerness to resolve the issue of Namibia, the South West African territory that his nation has ruled for decades in defiance of the United Nations. In Bonn and London, Botha agreed to remove his troops from the area on condition that five West European nations take over at their own expense and, at the same time, that Cuba withdraw its forces from neighboring Angola. In Zurich, Botha guaranteed "safe passage" for Sam Nujoma, head of the nationalist South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), to discuss independence in the Namibian capital of Windhoek.

Meanwhile, back in Namibia, scores of camouflaged policemen were stealing up on a group of 37 SWAPO leaders and supporters enjoying a barbecue. All 37 were jailed without charge, then released from custody just as abruptly four days later. Were Botha and his government embarrassed by the timing of the arrests? "Yes," snapped a government official in Pretoria. "Next question."