EDITORIAL: Who exactly qualifies as a Namibian hero?

The death of former Robben Island prisoner Helao Shityuwete has ignited another wave of debate over who qualifies as a Namibian hero and who does not.

This comes just weeks after 16-year-old Cornelius Shimwaafeni was bestowed that very honour after saving twin babies from drowning in Omusati.

As matters stand, our definition of a hero remains highly subjective. And it will probably remain so for a long time.

Perhaps, then, it is time for Namibia to take another look at the definition of the term itself. Not the Oxford Dictionary definition. A Namibian definition.

The circumstances matter. Some Namibians were detained for merely violating apartheid-era restrictions such as night curfews. Others were arrested for political activity. Others were captured while engaged in armed combat. There were people who endured torture, imprisonment and exile, and there were those who made extraordinary sacrifices in different ways.

These experiences should not be flattened into one category simply because they happened during the same historical period. Participation in the liberation struggle cannot, by itself, be an automatic qualification. Nor should imprisonment on Robben Island necessarily place someone beyond scrutiny.

At the same time, we must be careful not to diminish the sacrifices of those who fought for Namibia's freedom. The liberation struggle was a defining chapter in our history, and those who made genuine sacrifices for it deserve recognition.

The important thing is that Namibians should know what that yardstick is. Until then, every death will reopen the same argument. Every new hero will be compared with an old one.

We cannot continue defining heroism case by case, depending on the mood of the country or the politics of the moment. Namibia needs to decide, once and for all, what a hero means. And then apply that definition fairly.