Govt pays lip-service to human rights - NamRights

NamRights asserts in its latest report submitted to the United Nations Rights Committee that the Namibian government has “generally failed” or has neglected to give effect to the principles recognised in most UN human rights treaties. This special report, which was sent to Geneva, Switzerland, on January 25, is to be used as verification of the government’s national report on the status of civil and political rights. The UN committee will hold a session on Namibia in March. The special report focuses specifically on certain provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which include the right to self-determination, minority rights and non-discrimination. Among other things, NamRights says the War Veterans Act of 2008 “blatantly discriminates for obvious political reasons” against former South West African Territory Force (SWATF) and Koevoet members. In the report the human rights organisation calls on the Namibian government to amend the Act. According to Section 1 of the Veterans Act, only former members of the liberation forces who “consistently and persistently participated or engaged in any political, diplomatic or underground activity in furtherance of the liberation struggle”, and those who were convicted for their participation in the liberation war, are considered as war veterans. The Act further stipulates that a war veteran “does not include a person who during the war deserted the liberation struggle unless that person subsequently rejoined the struggle”. War, according to the Act, means “the armed struggle waged in Namibia and other countries by the liberation forces against the colonial forces, and which struggle resulted in the attainment of the independence of Namibia”. NamRights says these provisions in the Act are “grossly at variance with the general definition of a war veteran”. Generally, a person who has served in active military, naval or air service who was discharged under conditions “other than dishonourable” is considered a war veteran. NamRights further states that the Veterans Act is “inconsistent” with the general essence of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) doctrine relating to ex-combatants as espoused by the United Nations (UN). The NamRights report further states that “high-ranking state party officials” have “persistently engaged in acts of overt hostilities and/or vengeance” against former SWATF/Koevoet soldiers, which include propaganda for war and other hate speech. It states that the Act has also been “extensively used” to exclude former members of the liberation forces “who fled Swapo for their lives owing to well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership to a particular social group or political opinion”. MINORITY RIGHTS NamRights further says that the Namibian government has “systematically denied” minority rights of especially the Rehoboth Baster group that has been alienated from its properties and institutions since independence. According to Schedule 5 of the Namibian Constitution the ownership and control of all property previously held under the Rehoboth government was transferred to the Namibian government without any payment. NamRights says this was in total disregard of Chapter 3 of the Namibian Constitution which recognises the right to own property and the right to enjoy, practice, profess, maintain and promote minorities’ own cultures. CATHERINE SASMAN