Army veterans protest over alleged missing UN money
UN say allegations are a 'scam'
Claims that more than US$100 million in United Nations demobilisation funds never reached former SWATF and Koevoet members prompted coordinated protests in Swakopmund, Keetmanshoop and Rehoboth this week.
Veterans say the money, along with additional contributions from South Africa, the EU and Commonwealth nations, has been unaccounted for since independence.
Protesters in Swakopmund gathered at the amphitheatre before marching to four commercial banks. Parallel actions took place in Keetmanshoop and Rehoboth. Other towns withdrew after failing to obtain police approval in time.
Lorenzo Beukes, whose father took part in the march, said veterans have been fighting for the release of the UN-linked funds “for the past thirty-plus years” and still have not received anything.
He said the demonstrations also targeted government’s alleged refusal to recognise former South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF) and Koevoet members as war veterans and the economic hardship many now face. “Many of the veterans have no income, no medical cover, no jobs,” he said.
Long battle
According to the petition delivered to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations paid about US$100 million in 1989 into a demobilisation fund intended for SWATF, Koevoet and People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) members.
Veterans allege the money never reached them. The petition also refers to 36 million rand from South Africa and further unspecified contributions from the EU and Commonwealth countries that similarly “never reached the intended beneficiaries”.
The petition states that only a small number of SWATF members were integrated into the Namibian Defence Force after independence and that the force was instead filled almost entirely with former PLAN fighters.
It says this exclusion denied SWATF and Koevoet members employment, benefits and housing, and violated UN human rights articles on equality, non-discrimination and adequate living standards.
Willem Coetzee, one of the coordinators, said the veterans believe compensatory “programmes” linked to the UN and EU exist inside the commercial banks but remain locked pending authorisation.
He said they were allegedly told one of the systems “can only be opened with a UN PIN number” and that staff either deny its existence or say managers are unavailable. Coetzee said veterans want to know what happened to the alleged funds and whether interest has accrued on them.
“Why must we still live in poverty,” he said, “if there is money in the banks that is supposed to be paid out to us?”
Threats of international action
Veterans say they have repeatedly sought meetings with authorities, but appointments are postponed or ignored. Beukes said the group “runs into a concrete wall” every time it tries to find out where the money went or when payments can be expected.
The petition calls on the UN, the EU and the Namibian government to intervene and order the release of the alleged funds through the Bank of Namibia and commercial banks. It warns that former SWATF and Koevoet members now survive only on old-age grants that are not enough for food or rent. It says that, if authorities remain unresponsive, the group will seek international recourse through the Rome Statute.
Standard Bank confirmed that it received the group’s petition and requested further information to verify the alleged payment files.
“Based on the information currently provided, we are unable to trace or verify the payment files referenced," the bank said. The bank asked that the veterans supply dates of the transfers, the entity from which the funds were sent and any relevant account or reference numbers so that it can conduct a full review. Other commercial banks acknowledged the petitions and indicated that they will provide formal responses in due course.
A call to the United Nations country office produced an immediate dismissal of the claims. The UN representative said the allegations are a "scam", that the veterans "are being misled", and that they in turn are "misleading others".
"The United Nations does not owe them any money, has no such funds and has repeatedly attempted to communicate this to the group without success," the representative stated.
A response from the Bank of Namibia is still pending.
Veterans say the money, along with additional contributions from South Africa, the EU and Commonwealth nations, has been unaccounted for since independence.
Protesters in Swakopmund gathered at the amphitheatre before marching to four commercial banks. Parallel actions took place in Keetmanshoop and Rehoboth. Other towns withdrew after failing to obtain police approval in time.
Lorenzo Beukes, whose father took part in the march, said veterans have been fighting for the release of the UN-linked funds “for the past thirty-plus years” and still have not received anything.
He said the demonstrations also targeted government’s alleged refusal to recognise former South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF) and Koevoet members as war veterans and the economic hardship many now face. “Many of the veterans have no income, no medical cover, no jobs,” he said.
Long battle
According to the petition delivered to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations paid about US$100 million in 1989 into a demobilisation fund intended for SWATF, Koevoet and People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) members.
Veterans allege the money never reached them. The petition also refers to 36 million rand from South Africa and further unspecified contributions from the EU and Commonwealth countries that similarly “never reached the intended beneficiaries”.
The petition states that only a small number of SWATF members were integrated into the Namibian Defence Force after independence and that the force was instead filled almost entirely with former PLAN fighters.
It says this exclusion denied SWATF and Koevoet members employment, benefits and housing, and violated UN human rights articles on equality, non-discrimination and adequate living standards.
Willem Coetzee, one of the coordinators, said the veterans believe compensatory “programmes” linked to the UN and EU exist inside the commercial banks but remain locked pending authorisation.
He said they were allegedly told one of the systems “can only be opened with a UN PIN number” and that staff either deny its existence or say managers are unavailable. Coetzee said veterans want to know what happened to the alleged funds and whether interest has accrued on them.
“Why must we still live in poverty,” he said, “if there is money in the banks that is supposed to be paid out to us?”
Threats of international action
Veterans say they have repeatedly sought meetings with authorities, but appointments are postponed or ignored. Beukes said the group “runs into a concrete wall” every time it tries to find out where the money went or when payments can be expected.
The petition calls on the UN, the EU and the Namibian government to intervene and order the release of the alleged funds through the Bank of Namibia and commercial banks. It warns that former SWATF and Koevoet members now survive only on old-age grants that are not enough for food or rent. It says that, if authorities remain unresponsive, the group will seek international recourse through the Rome Statute.
Standard Bank confirmed that it received the group’s petition and requested further information to verify the alleged payment files.
“Based on the information currently provided, we are unable to trace or verify the payment files referenced," the bank said. The bank asked that the veterans supply dates of the transfers, the entity from which the funds were sent and any relevant account or reference numbers so that it can conduct a full review. Other commercial banks acknowledged the petitions and indicated that they will provide formal responses in due course.
A call to the United Nations country office produced an immediate dismissal of the claims. The UN representative said the allegations are a "scam", that the veterans "are being misled", and that they in turn are "misleading others".
"The United Nations does not owe them any money, has no such funds and has repeatedly attempted to communicate this to the group without success," the representative stated.
A response from the Bank of Namibia is still pending.
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