Appeal handed to LWF

The heads of the Forum for the Future (FFF) and NamRights, Samson Ndeikwila and Phil Ya Nangoloh, last week handed over an urgent appeal for an apology from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) for its silence on Swapo human rights abuses in exile and a request for assistance for a truth and reconciliation process in Namibia. The appeal was received by Ralston Deffenbaugh, the assistant secretary-general of the LWF, at the federation's 12th assembly currently under way in Windhoek. Before Ndeikwila and Ya Nangoloh could hand over the appeal, the head of security at the conference facility, a certain Namibian police inspector T. Haimbodi, tried to get the two men to leave the premises of the hotel, where the event is taking place. Ndeikwila and Ya Nangoloh at no stage tried to enter the conference hall and were standing outside near a parking lot waiting to hand over the appeal. Haimbodi claimed that “proper procedure” for the handing over of the appeal was not followed since Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga had not been informed about it. Haimbodi also said it was “not good for the image of the country” for the appeal to be handed over without the knowledge of the chief of police. “This was proper,” responded Deffenbaugh, who received the appeal. Ya Nangoloh later said Haimbodi's behaviour was not only “unreasonable and discourteous conduct” and a “serious embarrassment” to him and Ndeikwila, but also “tantamount to harassment”. The appeal of the FFF and NamRights claims that the LWF was deliberately silent on alleged human rights violations by Swapo despite it having been given substantial documentary evidence demonstrating that the federation was fully aware that the Swapo leadership was involved in war crimes in Angola and Zambia. Deffenbaugh wanted to know from Ndeikwila and Ya Nangoloh why they only brought the appeal to the assembly now, since it had been drafted four years ago. Ya Nangoloh responded that they wanted the appeal to be read to the entire assembly and not just to individual churches. They expressed hope that the LWF would “side with the innocent victims, not the one that seeks to endear itself to the rich and powerful”. FFF and NamRights said the urgent appeal should be handed over to the general secretary of the LWF, Reverend Dr Martin Junge, and Reverend Dr Emma Nangolo, the chairperson of the Namibian assembly preparatory committee. Junge said he would have to assess the appeal before a decision could be reached on whether it would be placed on the assembly's agenda. CATHERINE SASMAN

Appeal handed to LWF

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-17

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Appeal handed to LWF

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-17

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