•  December 2000February 2001 Local News Headlines

Friday, March 2, 2001 - Web posted at 9:23:46 AM GMT

Govt's got a secret
MAX HAMATA

GOVERNMENT yesterday refused to name the shareholders and directors of the company responsible for running Namibia's controversial diamond mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Defence Minister Erkki Nghimtina took cover behind "military confidentiality" when pressed in the National Assembly to answer particular questions about Government's "murky" diamond dealings in the vast Central African country.

Asked by DTA-UDF coalition MP Piet Junius to name the shareholders and directors of the August 26 Holding-Congo, the State subsidiary said to be running Government's mining operations at Tshikapa in the DRC, Nghimtina refused to answer, saying "that information is of confidential nature"."

"This business is like military combat ... because August 26-Congo Holding is linked to militaristic business.

Those issues cannot be discussed."

" He was also not prepared to table the relevant documents in parliament nor to make available the company's first annual report as requested by Junius.

The Minister also refused to mention the number of Namibians and the number of people employed by the company."

"As to public scrutiny of August 26-Congo books, it would not be a secret.

However the company being registered in the DRC, the procedures and rules pertaining to the inspection of books is that of Congolese domestic laws.

The honourable member, however, is free ... to visit Kinshasa for all the details."

"The DTA-UDF coalition's Johan de Waal said Nghimtina's response "has opened up more questions.

The issue will unfortunately not die here because the Government will have to answer to the international community and the United Nation for exposing itself to dealing in blood diamonds."

"CoD's Chief Whip Ignatius Shixwameni described Nghimtina's reply as "childish" adding that it raised "a lot of contradictions".

He said Government had "shown that it is by itself completely unable to come clean and take the Namibian people, all the taxpayers and the voters, into its confidence to tell them the truth even on a simple matter such as statistics on the number of our soldiers based in the DRC, the amount of money we spend per day in the DRC and how many soldiers we have lost"."

"This is a Government of cover-ups and well-guarded secrets.

Vital information is being withheld from the public to incapacitate them in making a proper judgement as to what is true and what is false, what is honourable and what is dishonourable," he added.

•  Swapo zooms in on Etosha controversy
•   Extradition target Koch dies
•   We will not budge: War 'vets'
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Quirky SMSes
•  Aquaculture needs financial support
•   Senior citizens should not pay clinic fees: Kamwi
•   Ministry saves the day for Namcol students
•   WAD lashes out against witchdoctors
•  Jobless Omaruru youth empowered
•  Headman Heitha dies
•  Nam governance improves: Report
•   Keetmans woman raped and murdered
•   Scrap copper corruption trial postponed to '09
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Quirky SMSes
•  Treason witnesses' trial set to continue June '09
•  Town council suspends its foreman
•  Stolen dog rescued at Swakopmund
•  Water for Kavango wildlife
•  Biodiversity management - Walvis Bay sets an example
•  NSHR sets 'conditions' for Police
•  RDP takes stock of Omuthiya election
•  Young woman raped at dam
•   Tanzanian PM to tour Namibia
•  Husband and wife bust for cocaine
•  Witchcraft giving car thieves easy ride
•  Outcry over shebeens grows