Discrimination, racism, tribalism rife

Racism, racial discrimination, tribalism and general discrimination against women, marginalised communities, people with disabilities and others are alive and well in Namibia.

This is the key finding in a report compiled by a team of experts and spearheaded by the office of the ombudsman following an in-depth inquiry into all forms of discrimination in Namibia that was launched last week.

The sub-heading of the report states that Namibia remains a deeply divided nation and asks why racism and other forms of discrimination still persist after 27 years of Namibian independence.

The authors write in the report that by listening and reading the stories of victims, they discovered that racism, racial discrimination, discrimination in general and tribalism are “present in the workplace, in education, sports, health, service delivery or the lack thereof, the spoken word and in our thoughts.”

Racism is any action or attitude, conscious or unconscious that subordinates an individual or group based on skin colour or race.

Racial discrimination is when preference is given based on biological characteristics.

The authors, including Advocate John Walters, Toni Hancox, Linda Baumann and Nico Horn, state in the report at the start of the inquiry “one may have thought that racism was a thing of the past, not realising that it was in fact very much alive, in spite of the fact that it has become more veiled and insidious.”

They noted that a major step in the fight against widespread prejudice begins with being informed, a step the report itself contributes to.

The experts also note that the earliest education on racism and other forms of discrimination starts at home. “We accept that children by nature are not racist” but are taught to be.

Walters said there is an urgent need for unlearning racist language and dismantling of fixed identities through radical change.



In their own voice

One submission that was made to the committee during the public hearings, stated racism in Namibia was alive and well and present across the board. “I've experienced it on several occasions and for someone to say there is none, is either white or ignorant.”

With regard to discrimination based on health status, a woman told the committee that before she discovered she was HIV positive and pregnant, “I was okay. But after I tested positive, they treated me badly. They said why do you want to have a baby, if you are HIV positive?”

A lesbian woman told the committee that after she reported her rape to the police they told her it was too late to investigate as there was not enough evidence to pursue.

Another group highlighted unequal distribution of resources, by telling the committee that the majority of fishing quotas are allocated “to people of the north, while Nama people do not have fishing quotas.”

The committee said people informed them that “the inequality gap is no longer just about race and tribe, but class and how those in power use tribe to entrench certain positions of power and wealth.”

Self-classifying terms are still in wide use, such as “Basters, Bushmen, Coloureds, Damaras”, Walters said.

Racial slurs are widely used to degrade and demean.

People with disabilities are still told they are deaf, instead of hearing impaired, and blind, instead of visually impaired.



Action needed now

The report was submitted to parliament last week.

The authors said they hoped parliament would review the report and instruct those “responsible to implement the recommendations will do so with dedication and conviction.”

Moreover, the committee sent the report that includes “substantive recommendations … that can and should be implemented” to various line ministries.

The ministries have been given a six-month deadline to provide concrete measures how the recommendations will be implemented.

The Ministry of Education in particular should consider “tolerance education”

The authors also noted that recommendations and concluding observations made by UN treaty bodies, to which Namibia is a signatory, should be acted on urgently.

A chief finding is that the “anti-discrimination law fails dismally to bring about social change as it disempowers those who experience racial discrimination.”

The committee also wrote “it is clear the current legal framework does not provide sufficient protection of a person's rights to equality and dignity and equal access to courts.”

They recommend that that government establish a user-friendly court environment, in the form of a tribunal.

“A tribunal which will provide easy access to justice to the most disadvantaged to seek speedy redress against discrimination on grounds of disability, HIV status, age, political affiliation, gender, religion and more.”

Another key tool to help is for government to urgently implement the recommendations prescribed by a number of UN treaty bodies, to which Namibia is a signatory.

JANA-MARI SMITH