Wild claims by NTTU’s Januarie against police, NDF

Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) President Werner Januarie claims that his union has been harassed and threatened by Namibian Police officers who said they wouldn’t allow the union’s planned strike to go ahead next Monday. Januarie also claimed to have information that the army has been informed to be ready and armed for possible action next week Monday, since the NTTU has been “linked to an international terrorist organisation”. According to Januarie, police harassment started in January already, before they had issued a statement that they would embark on a non-peaceful strike on June 16. The union has since then retracted that statement. Januarie explained that they retracted the statement because the government was linking them to an international terrorist organisation. He said the statement was issued in anger because of a lack of response from Nampol Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga to complaints that the union was being harassed by the police. Januarie charged that he had received calls from police officers telling him that they would use maximum force to disperse striking taxi drivers make sure that the June 16 strike does not take place. The NTTU said it was going on strike because the government had not responded to its demand to reduce high traffic fines. The union is also complaining about insufficient taxi ranks, and lack of respect and recognition of taxi drivers by law-enforcement officers. Januarie said he had informed Ndeitunga of instances where NTTU members were harassed by the police, and nothing came of it. “I sent a letter to Ndeitunga that we received calls from police with low and high ranks harassing us. I quoted a few numbers in a letter addressed to him that these are the numbers and names calling me. He (Ndeitunga) did not do anything,” he said. In response, Inspector-General Ndeitunga said the police would not tolerate people threatening violence against public institutions. He said maybe the “threats” Januarie was referring to were the police investigating him. “We did not intimidate anyone,” he stated. Ndeitunga said he couldn’t confirm that police officers had been calling and threatening Januarie because he didn’t know who had called him. He also said he had not seen the letter addressed to him. However, he added that if Januarie’s life is being threatened he has the right to be protected under the law. Januarie told Namibian Sun that the strike would go ahead, with most of the action in Windhoek where their main organisers are stationed. Giving a rundown of events, Januarie said on June 18, taxi drivers will converge on the Wernhil Park taxi rank in the city centre to wait for parliamentarians who are expected to address them and give a definite answer on the reduction of fines. On June 19, they will have a “special guest” addressing them and offering a solution to their predicament. Januarie did not want to reveal the name of the person, but said the guest had contributed immensely to the liberation and independence of Namibia. Asked whether the NTTU is linked to international terrorism, he replied in the negative. He also said they are not linked to any political party but they are open and willing to listen if political parties have anything to offer to their predicament.