Geingob called to halt Swapo probe
The planned investigation of human rights abuses by Swapo during 1966 and 1989 has been described as a conspiracy and a threat to peace.
Swapo Party youth activists have petitioned President Hage Geingob to intervene in the intended probe of party leaders by two bodies who have agreed to investigate claims of human rights abuses perpetrated by Swapo in exile.
Hofni Iipinge, Sam Shipiki, Emmanuel Aron and Pendapala Nakathingo signed the petition which was handed over at the Oshana regional governor's office on Friday and follows Namibian Sun's reports dated 13 and 19 December last year where two groups, the Committee of Parents, and the Truth and Justice Committee, called for an international enquiry into the alleged crimes committed during 1966 to 1989 in the so-called Swapo Dungeons.
According to the four youth activists, who held a media briefing on Friday at the Oshana regional Swapo office in Oshakati, they condemned the probe by these groups saying that it is a conspiracy against the party's leaders and furthermore, such a probe would also ignore the issue of national reconciliation.
“This is a conspiracy which we should not allow. We are allowing ourselves to be abused. We must interrogate this action which is coming from unguided missiles,” the petition reads.
“When we attained our independence, one of the things we said we should do was that we should reconcile and forgive each other and move on as a nation. However, as we speak to you now our country is divided because there is a talk of the past and is spoken of in hushed tones.”
They also argue that such a probe would be a non-starter as there was no government of Namibia during 1966 to 1989, but an interim government of the then South West Africa, now known as Namibia.
They argue that Namibia is governed by the rule of law and the supreme law being the Constitution, saying that Article 25 clearly states that an aggrieved person by any action can approach the court to seek relief, which they say has not been done.
They further argue that this is also the requirement as stipulated by the United Nations that any complaint should be lodged domestically after which the legal resources of the concerned government should first be exhausted, and if the courts fail to adjudicate it is only thereafter that the matter can be referred to the Committee Against Torture (CAT).
Meanwhile, the two groups argue that a commission of inquiry has been necessitated because the Swapo leadership has to date refused to account for the disappearance of fellow Namibians in exile.
This refusal, the two committees claim, in itself constitutes a continued crime against humanity.
They want the commissioners to investigate the alleged killings and detention of refugees, torture, forced confessions of detainees, complaints against Swapo's leadership made by members of its youth league and members of Plan in 1976, the alleged involvement and complicity of foreign missions and other instances, the Johnny Ya Otto Commission of Inquiry, and other related matters.
So far the groups have announced the names of Namibians and other international players who have agreed to investigate the claims.
They are John Nakuta, Leah Shaanika, Hendrik Christian, Monika von Wietersheim and Paul Thomas while Paul Threwela from the United Kingdom, a former Robben Island prisoner and member of Umkhonto weSize, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) during the liberation struggle, has agreed to assist the inquiry with international press coverage.
Namibian Sun understands the names of the commissioners were submitted to attorney-general Sackey Shanghala, who is tasked to address the concerns of the joint committee on behalf of the Namibian government which the youth activists also questioned in their petition.
“There is a question as to who tasked attorney-general Sacky Shangala to address the concerns by the joint committee as reported in the newspaper?”
The names of the commissioners would also be submitted to the CAT, international churches and all other bodies with involved in this matter.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Hofni Iipinge, Sam Shipiki, Emmanuel Aron and Pendapala Nakathingo signed the petition which was handed over at the Oshana regional governor's office on Friday and follows Namibian Sun's reports dated 13 and 19 December last year where two groups, the Committee of Parents, and the Truth and Justice Committee, called for an international enquiry into the alleged crimes committed during 1966 to 1989 in the so-called Swapo Dungeons.
According to the four youth activists, who held a media briefing on Friday at the Oshana regional Swapo office in Oshakati, they condemned the probe by these groups saying that it is a conspiracy against the party's leaders and furthermore, such a probe would also ignore the issue of national reconciliation.
“This is a conspiracy which we should not allow. We are allowing ourselves to be abused. We must interrogate this action which is coming from unguided missiles,” the petition reads.
“When we attained our independence, one of the things we said we should do was that we should reconcile and forgive each other and move on as a nation. However, as we speak to you now our country is divided because there is a talk of the past and is spoken of in hushed tones.”
They also argue that such a probe would be a non-starter as there was no government of Namibia during 1966 to 1989, but an interim government of the then South West Africa, now known as Namibia.
They argue that Namibia is governed by the rule of law and the supreme law being the Constitution, saying that Article 25 clearly states that an aggrieved person by any action can approach the court to seek relief, which they say has not been done.
They further argue that this is also the requirement as stipulated by the United Nations that any complaint should be lodged domestically after which the legal resources of the concerned government should first be exhausted, and if the courts fail to adjudicate it is only thereafter that the matter can be referred to the Committee Against Torture (CAT).
Meanwhile, the two groups argue that a commission of inquiry has been necessitated because the Swapo leadership has to date refused to account for the disappearance of fellow Namibians in exile.
This refusal, the two committees claim, in itself constitutes a continued crime against humanity.
They want the commissioners to investigate the alleged killings and detention of refugees, torture, forced confessions of detainees, complaints against Swapo's leadership made by members of its youth league and members of Plan in 1976, the alleged involvement and complicity of foreign missions and other instances, the Johnny Ya Otto Commission of Inquiry, and other related matters.
So far the groups have announced the names of Namibians and other international players who have agreed to investigate the claims.
They are John Nakuta, Leah Shaanika, Hendrik Christian, Monika von Wietersheim and Paul Thomas while Paul Threwela from the United Kingdom, a former Robben Island prisoner and member of Umkhonto weSize, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) during the liberation struggle, has agreed to assist the inquiry with international press coverage.
Namibian Sun understands the names of the commissioners were submitted to attorney-general Sackey Shanghala, who is tasked to address the concerns of the joint committee on behalf of the Namibian government which the youth activists also questioned in their petition.
“There is a question as to who tasked attorney-general Sacky Shangala to address the concerns by the joint committee as reported in the newspaper?”
The names of the commissioners would also be submitted to the CAT, international churches and all other bodies with involved in this matter.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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