Churches support dungeons inquiry
A proposed investigation into alleged war crimes is gaining momentum.
The joint committee of the Committee of Parents and the Truth and Justice Committee reported that a number of church leaders in Namibia have pledged their support for the envisaged commission of inquiry into the Swapo dungeon saga.
The chairperson of the joint committee, Erica Beukes, in a communiqué to international and United Nations institutions, governments, including the Namibian government, and the leader of the Labour Party in Great Britain, Jeremy Corbyn, said the inquiry would go a long way to redeem the Namibian nation by starting a healing process, “without which there is no such possibility”.
Despite the fact that the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has not responded to a demand for an apology for its alleged silence on allegations of war crimes committed by Swapo in exile, the joint committee has written letters to all churches in Namibia to support the inquiry.
The joint committee said it has met with Anglican Bishop, Luke Pato and canon Samuel Kaxuxuena earlier this month who pledged their support and assistance.
Bishop Pato was the South African representative in the genocide inquiry in Burundi.
The joint committee reported that it has similarly met with Reverend Winifred G. van Rooi-Baumann of the Methodist Church who has agreed to take the matter up with other church leaders. It said she expressed the sentiment that the matter needed to be dealt with to, amongst others, address post-traumatic stress syndromes of those who were involved in the war situation.
A bishop of ELCRN has advised that the matter be taken up with the Council of Churches of Namibia (CCN), while the general-secretary of the CCN, Ludwig Beukes, said the matter would be discussed at a meeting with church leaders in August.
Roman Catholic Bishop Liborius Nashenda also agreed that the matter be discussed at the CCN meeting.
Erica Beukes has similarly informed Gordon Cassim of the South African Indigenous Peoples Association of the inquiry and reported that Cassim has given his approval for the inquiry.
The joint commission stated in its communiqué that this association has a direct interest in the inquiry because members of the Khoisan were “summarily executed in exile by the Swapo leadership for the reason that they were Khoisan”.
The joint committee has also written to the United Nations Committee against Torture to ask for its support and assistance to the inquiry.
The joint committee has convened the commission of inquiry with nine commissioners. They are Namibians Hendrik Christian, Monika von Wietersheim, John Nakuta, Sebron Ekandjo and Paul Thomas.
Others include South Africans Fuad Arnold and John Arthur Liebenberg, as well as London-based Nick Bailey and Mirek Vodslon living in Berlin.
It is anticipated that the inquiry will commence in September.
Catherine Sasman
The chairperson of the joint committee, Erica Beukes, in a communiqué to international and United Nations institutions, governments, including the Namibian government, and the leader of the Labour Party in Great Britain, Jeremy Corbyn, said the inquiry would go a long way to redeem the Namibian nation by starting a healing process, “without which there is no such possibility”.
Despite the fact that the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has not responded to a demand for an apology for its alleged silence on allegations of war crimes committed by Swapo in exile, the joint committee has written letters to all churches in Namibia to support the inquiry.
The joint committee said it has met with Anglican Bishop, Luke Pato and canon Samuel Kaxuxuena earlier this month who pledged their support and assistance.
Bishop Pato was the South African representative in the genocide inquiry in Burundi.
The joint committee reported that it has similarly met with Reverend Winifred G. van Rooi-Baumann of the Methodist Church who has agreed to take the matter up with other church leaders. It said she expressed the sentiment that the matter needed to be dealt with to, amongst others, address post-traumatic stress syndromes of those who were involved in the war situation.
A bishop of ELCRN has advised that the matter be taken up with the Council of Churches of Namibia (CCN), while the general-secretary of the CCN, Ludwig Beukes, said the matter would be discussed at a meeting with church leaders in August.
Roman Catholic Bishop Liborius Nashenda also agreed that the matter be discussed at the CCN meeting.
Erica Beukes has similarly informed Gordon Cassim of the South African Indigenous Peoples Association of the inquiry and reported that Cassim has given his approval for the inquiry.
The joint commission stated in its communiqué that this association has a direct interest in the inquiry because members of the Khoisan were “summarily executed in exile by the Swapo leadership for the reason that they were Khoisan”.
The joint committee has also written to the United Nations Committee against Torture to ask for its support and assistance to the inquiry.
The joint committee has convened the commission of inquiry with nine commissioners. They are Namibians Hendrik Christian, Monika von Wietersheim, John Nakuta, Sebron Ekandjo and Paul Thomas.
Others include South Africans Fuad Arnold and John Arthur Liebenberg, as well as London-based Nick Bailey and Mirek Vodslon living in Berlin.
It is anticipated that the inquiry will commence in September.
Catherine Sasman
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