Hundreds speak out against travel ban

ELLANIE SMITWINDHOEK More than a thousand people have already signed a petition against the travel bans and restrictions implemented against Namibia and other southern African countries, while more and more voices are starting to speak up publicly. The travel bans came as a result of the identification of Omicron, a new Covid-19 variant, in South Africa. At least 16 other countries have recorded cases of the new variant thus far. The petition - started by Africa’s Eden Tourism Association on Monday - had more than 1300 signatures by yesterday morning, only 3 days after it was started. “We are appealing to all governments who have imposed an immediate travel ban to consider the science regarding the new variant and to understand the cost of travel bans on communities, conservation and economic recovery.”It said the people of southern Africa have been devastated by the announcement that not only the United Kingdom (UK), but a list of countries - including the United States of America, Japan, Singapore and member states of the European Union (EU) – have imposed travel restrictions on southern African countries.Southern Africa has been economically destroyed by Covid-19, while the tourism industry has been especially hard hit, the petition read.“For the first time since 2019, tourism facilities had reported significant occupancies and a positive forward booking outlook for 2022. The return to optimistic positivity was reversed in an instant on Friday and the full impact of this is yet to be determined.”Misguided actionMeanwhile, President Hage Geingob condemned the “misguided action” and called for progressive and inclusive leadership from peer countries.He said these bans have many undesired impacts, including stalling much-needed economic recovery in the global south, stoking tensions and sowing seeds of division between countries and citizens.Geingob added that Namibia has not yet detected Omicron. “Yet we, too, have been blanketed by the same unnecessary collateral punishment.”Ohlthaver & List executive chairman Sven Thieme said the action will indefinitely result in the complete crippling of economies of the affected countries. “We are talking about a combined population of more than 300 million [southern African] lives at stake and the rest of the world slams the door on us without any consultation - despite all the commitments we have shown over time. “This is criminal! And those countries responsible for this should be held liable for their action.”‘We became outcasts’Gondwana Collections Namibia managing director Gys Joubert addressed the matter in an open letter on Linkedin, addressed to the British secretary of state for health and social care, Sajid Javid. “When you decided to cut us off from the UK, quickly followed by the EU, our fragile world came tumbling down - again. Overnight we became outcasts to be avoided at all costs. I still don’t understand why; I can only assume it is because we are neighbours to South Africa and Botswana where the new Omicron variant was identified,” he wrote. He said the devasting impact of the travel ban on Namibia was both instant and guaranteed, and has now been realised. Joubert pointed out that Covid-19 has spread to every corner of the world and the variant - as predicted - has also spread to other countries such as the UK. “From this side of the world, your actions can only be seen as balanced and proportionate if we are simply dispensable. We are simply not important.”Namibia recorded only 11 new Covid-19 cases on Monday. ellanie@namibiansun.com

Hundreds speak out against travel ban

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Namibian Sun 2022-05-26

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Hundreds speak out against travel ban

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Namibian Sun 2022-05-26

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