Leaders Should Gauge Public Opinion
I HAVE been following all the debates, and listened to the opinions of the people in the streets about this communication bill for all these past days, hence I decided to air my views about this bill, because once it becomes law it will affect all of us, either directly or indirectly.
To begin with, if one analyses this bill critically one realises that it is not needed at all, since it will spy on people’s private lives.
Although some will like to agree to disagree with me on that, can those who are saying that it will not interfere with individuals’ communications tell us why are the interception or “inspection” (as the honourable deputy minister call them) centres needed? Interception centres to intercept what, if not individuals’ e-mails, calls or SMSes?
As a youth of this great nation, I think we need some other things to be addressed and debated by the honourable MPs apart from this communication bill.
Since when has Namibia become a spy nation which cannot accept and accommodate opposing views?
Zimbabwe is one of the best examples of how spying can go terribly wrong, or are we impressed by the situation in Zimbabwe and now we want to imitate them? Fellow Namibians, if this bill passes through Parliament and becomes law, we will kiss goodbye to our hard-earned and well-deserved freedom.
To some of our leaders who are supporting this bill, be informed that the masses of this nation are against it, and you can only enact this bill into law against the wills of the ordinary citizens of this country.
If you are not convinced by this argument, an opinion poll will be necessary to listen to the opinions of the ordinary people and it should be carried out by a competent impartial organisation, for example the IPPR , so that the honourables will know how the masses feel about this bill.
I must say most Namibians, especially us the youths, are not interested in knowing who did what to whom during the liberation struggle, contrary to some leaders who still live in the colonial era.
We need to know about the things that will affects our lives, that’s why we are keenly following the debate about this bill.
I hope our leaders will listen to public opinion and postpone the debate on this bill until public polls are held, or alternatively seek legal advice on this.
Finally I would like to guarantee our leaders that Namibians are still peace-loving, law-abiding citizens, hence there is no need for them to be paranoid and suspicious and enact a law which calls for spying on the Namibian people.
Sem ‘Radical’ Kateta
Oshikoto Region