•  December 2000February 2001 Local News Headlines

Monday, February 26, 2001 - Web posted at 6:12:21 AM GMT

Osire linked to Unita activities
TANGENI AMUPADHI

GOVERNMENT has said unsubstantiated reports of Unita activities alleged to be taking place between the Osire Refugee Camp and Namibia's border with Angola did not prompt the rushed decision to transfer refugees to a remote area in the east.

Home Affairs Ministry spokesperson Mikka Asino confirmed to The Namibian that Government was aware of "allegations and information" related to Unita activities between people at Osire and southern Angola.

But there was no evidence of the alleged activities."

"Even if that was the case the move of the camp was not prompted by political issues at all," said Asino, adding that Osire was overcrowded.

The official reason for the move of the camp is that it was carrying more than five times the capacity of asylum seekers it was initially earmarked to accommodate.

The camp was initially built for 3 000 refugees but was now home to about 20 000.

Privately the decision to move camp relates to the easy accessibility of Osire by road and telecommunication links.

Fear has reportedly been expressed that many Unita soldiers may be among the asylum seekers, having fled southern Angola following that government's offensive of 1998 and subsequent support from Namibia.

Unita is facing an assaults from many fronts.

Allegations of Unita activities resurfaced a few weeks ago when Police at Osire impounded a truck belonging to refugees more than 80km from the camp.

Sergeant James Matengu of the Police public relations unit said the truck was impounded to "verify that there were no stolen goods".

The truck, which some say was headed for north-eastern Namibia, was released without a case being recorded.

Matengu said the truck and it occupants were destined for Otjiwarongo.

It was carrying maize, mattresses and pots belonging to people who had hitch-hiked.

Chief Inspector Hophni Hamufungu of the Namibian Police said he was unaware of reports alleging Unita activities between the camp and the northern border.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had unilaterally decided to move the camp to M'kata in the former Bushmanland, and had asked Cabinet to approve the site.

But the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) threw a spanner in the works, prompting the ministry to agree to a feasibility study.

Osire situated in central Namibia, 300km north of Windhoek.

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