6 in court over Osire demo

SIX refugees appeared in the Otjiwarongo Magistrate’s Court yesterday in connection with a demonstration that disrupted commemoration of the World Refugee Day at Osire on Monday.

Officials at the court said the case was postponed to August 9 for further investigation. They were granted bail of N$500 each and are only expected to pay it today.MacGoddins Lushimba, Souleymane Kabwe, Alex Kasians, Shungu Abubakar, Elia Luboya and Alex Mandiangu were charged with public violence, incitement to public violence, resisting or wilfully hindering or disrupting a member of Police in the execution of his or her duties.They were not asked to plead.The six refugees were arrested on Monday after hoisting placards during the official World Refugee Day commemoration.Police arrested them saying they were disrupting public order.But the refugees argued that they merely tried to seize the opportunity to send a message to the international community that Namibian authorities have been violating refugee rights and have failed to grant them refugee status.The Government’s refugee commissioner, Elizabeth Negumbo, singled out those arrested – members of the Association for the Defense of Refugee Rights (ADR) – as troublemakers.National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) Director Phil ya Nangoloh said yesterday that his organisation will bail out the six accused today after they had asked for help.”It’s a human rights case, and refugees have rights too,” said Ya Nangoloh when asked why they were getting involved.”They fall in our category of indigent”.Ya Nangoloh said the accused had a strong case “because they did not engage in a violent act”.They were granted bail of N$500 each and are only expected to pay it today.MacGoddins Lushimba, Souleymane Kabwe, Alex Kasians, Shungu Abubakar, Elia Luboya and Alex Mandiangu were charged with public violence, incitement to public violence, resisting or wilfully hindering or disrupting a member of Police in the execution of his or her duties.They were not asked to plead.The six refugees were arrested on Monday after hoisting placards during the official World Refugee Day commemoration.Police arrested them saying they were disrupting public order.But the refugees argued that they merely tried to seize the opportunity to send a message to the international community that Namibian authorities have been violating refugee rights and have failed to grant them refugee status.The Government’s refugee commissioner, Elizabeth Negumbo, singled out those arrested – members of the Association for the Defense of Refugee Rights (ADR) – as troublemakers.National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) Director Phil ya Nangoloh said yesterday that his organisation will bail out the six accused today after they had asked for help.”It’s a human rights case, and refugees have rights too,” said Ya Nangoloh when asked why they were getting involved.”They fall in our category of indigent”.Ya Nangoloh said the accused had a strong case “because they did not engage in a violent act”.