emergency regulations by calling on all Christians to boycott the elections
of October
26 for segregated municipal councils. "The truth cannot be
bound by unjust laws," they declared. "By involving themselves in the
elections, Christians would be participating in their oppression or the
oppression of others." No elections could be free and fair under the emer-
gency because "the structures of the constitutional system in South Africa
are based on racial and ethnic identity. "49
The government, meanwhile, was suffering setbacks abroad. In spite of
its claim to be recognized as "the regional power" in Southern Africa, the
financial and human costs of intervening in Angola and administering
Namibia proved 'excessive. In 1988, the army incurred losses in engage-
ments with well-equipped Cuban and Angolan troops in southern Angola,
and on December 22, South Africa signed an accord with Cuba and An-
gola through the mediation of the United States and the cooperation of the
Soviet Union. There was to be a phased withdrawal of 52,000 Cuban
troops from Angola and of South African troops from Namibia. A U.N.
peace-keeping force wasto monitor an election for a constituent assembly,
and Namibia was to become independent during 1990, in accordance with