Editing Basters (section)

===Independence===
The ''Baster Gebiet'' operated until 29 July 1989 and the imminent [[independence of Namibia]]. Upon assuming power in 1990, Namibia's new ruling party, the [[South West African People's Organisation]] (SWAPO) announced it would not recognise any special legal status for the Baster community. Many Basters felt that while SWAPO claimed it spoke for the whole country, it too strongly promoted the interests of its own political base in [[Ovamboland]].<ref name="nyt">[https://www.nytimes.com/1981/07/30/world/mixed-race-namibian-group-seeks-political-allies.html JOSEPH LELYVELD, Special to the New York Times, "MIXED-RACE NAMIBIAN GROUP SEEKS POLITICAL ALLIES"], ''New York Times'', 30 July 1981, accessed 9 April 2016</ref>

The Kaptein's Council sought compensation for Rehoboth lands that it claimed had been confiscated by the government, with much sold to non-Basters. The council was given ''locus standi'' (the right of a party to appear and be heard before a court), but "in 1995, a High Court verdict declared that Rehoboth lands were voluntarily handed over by the Rehoboth Baster community to the then new Namibian government."<ref name="challenge">[http://rehobothbasters.org/news/756-namibia-039-rehoboth-community-in-danger-of-extinction-039?id=756 Magreth Nunuhe, "Namibia: 'Rehoboth Community in Danger of Extinction' "], 18 February 2013, Rehoboth Basters website, first published in ''New Era (Namibia),'' accessed 9 April 2016</ref><ref name=padlangs/>

In 1998, Kaptein [[Hans Diergaardt]], elected in 1979 when Rehoboth had autonomous status under South Africa, filed an official complaint with the [[United Nations]] [[Human Rights Committee]], charging Namibia with violations of minority rights of Basters. In ''[[Diergaardt v. Namibia]]'' (2000) the committee ruled that there was evidence of linguistic discrimination, as Namibia refused to use [[Afrikaans]] in dealing with Basters.<ref>[http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/undocs/session69/view760.htm HRC views]</ref>

In 1999, following the death of Diergaardt, Basters elected [[John McNab]] as the 6th Kaptein of their community. He has no official status under the Namibian government. He has protested against the government's management of former Baster land and says his farmers were forced to buy it back at high prices. Much of it has been sold to others since independence.<ref name="challenge"/>

As preparations were underway for Sam Khubis Day in 2006, a respected social worker, Hettie Rose-Junius, asked the organising committee to "consider inviting a delegation from the Nama-speaking people to this year’s festivities and in future." The chairperson rejected the suggestion by saying that historically the Nama had a separate fight with the Germans and were not involved with the Basters. Activities on this day include a re-enactment of the attack on the Basters in 1915, a flag raising, wreath laying and a church service.<ref name="forBasters">[https://www.newera.com.na/2006/05/08/sam-khubis-day-is-for-basters/ Frederick Philander WINDHOEK, " ‘Sam Khubis Day Is for Basters’"], ''New Era (Namibia),'' 6 May 2006, accessed 10 April 2016</ref>

In February 2007, the Kapteins Council has represented the Basters at the [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]] (UNPO),<ref name="challenge"/> an international pro-democracy organisation founded in 1991. Operating in [[The Hague]], it works to "facilitate the voices of unrepresented and marginalised [[nation]]s and peoples worldwide, helping minorities to gain self-determination." Since November 2012, the UNPO has called on the Namibian government to recognise Basters as a 'traditional authority' in their historic territory,<ref name="challenge"/> as it has for some other ethnic groups in the country.