Bullied Into Silence

CERTAINLY we need space to concentrate on national development projects.

Be we should not idolise a man who was merely once a freedom fighter. Namibians or any human being needs to know the truth before forgiveness can take place or reconciliation for that matter.Reconciliation must have two parts -disclosure and forgiveness.It is sad to see Namibian nation being bullied into silence.Many children of those veterans walk around Namibia, regretting the day they were born, constantly at war with themselves.And we live in peace at the expense of their sanity.It is heartbreaking and disappointing to see the youth of Namibia and leaders of tomorrow taking to the streets as opportunists and expressing no interest in the truth and true history of Namibia.Why is the truth so scary for some if a reconciliation policy was initially agreed upon? If the reconciliation policy was genuine then there should be no hard feelings.I am afraid we are no longer “One Namibia One Nation”.It is a pity those with the “eyes, brains and brave hearts” have gone up yonder before Namibia’s judgement day.People tell me ” It was war, people were bound to be lost or killed” But nothing will justify this “Cain and Abel” behaviour in exile.Whenever I page through ‘A struggle betrayed’ and ‘Journey to exile’ tears of deceit, shame, regret, sorrow and even hatred blur my vision, when I think we are worshipping a man who is accused of committing atrocities against his fellow man and he has shamelessly betrayed their trust.Young people, if we don’t seek the truth, if we remain scared and silent, absorbed by petty loyalty, then they have died in vain.Then our anthem is a mockery.Then we are not the land of the brave, we are the land of the mental slaves.Then their blood has not watered our freedom; it has only blinded our eyes and watered our brains.We are certainly not free if we fear for our lives when uttering any negative thing about Sam Nujoma.Merely stating his name in public makes some people cringe with fear.Why is that? Fear doesn’t just develop, fear must be sparked by something.Who said those are vendettas? Everything Phil ya Nangoloh said is what our elders wanted to hide from us to keep the peace.Which peace? The Namibian context totally defines the meaning of peace.Ya Nangolo deserves the same back-up, support, and respect which the government grants Sam Nujoma.Why is he then treated as an inferior? That already violates the Namibian Constitution.Article10 – Equality and freedom from Discrimination: All persons shall be equal before the law, No persons may be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.I am not at all in a position to accuse Sam Nujoma, but I am in an informed position to ask questions and to demand explanations.I do this not in vain, but because it was my people “who have watered our freedom”.Jemima Beukes WindhoekNamibians or any human being needs to know the truth before forgiveness can take place or reconciliation for that matter.Reconciliation must have two parts -disclosure and forgiveness.It is sad to see Namibian nation being bullied into silence.Many children of those veterans walk around Namibia, regretting the day they were born, constantly at war with themselves.And we live in peace at the expense of their sanity.It is heartbreaking and disappointing to see the youth of Namibia and leaders of tomorrow taking to the streets as opportunists and expressing no interest in the truth and true history of Namibia.Why is the truth so scary for some if a reconciliation policy was initially agreed upon? If the reconciliation policy was genuine then there should be no hard feelings.I am afraid we are no longer “One Namibia One Nation”.It is a pity those with the “eyes, brains and brave hearts” have gone up yonder before Namibia’s judgement day.People tell me ” It was war, people were bound to be lost or killed” But nothing will justify this “Cain and Abel” behaviour in exile.Whenever I page through ‘A struggle betrayed’ and ‘Journey to exile’ tears of deceit, shame, regret, sorrow and even hatred blur my vision, when I think we are worshipping a man who is accused of committing atrocities against his fellow man and he has shamelessly betrayed their trust.Young people, if we don’t seek the truth, if we remain scared and silent, absorbed by petty loyalty, then they have died in vain.Then our anthem is a mockery.Then we are not the land of the brave, we are the land of the mental slaves.Then their blood has not watered our freedom; it has only blinded our eyes and watered our brains.We are certainly not free if we fear for our lives when uttering any negative thing about Sam Nujoma.Merely stating his name in public makes some people cringe with fear.Why is that? Fear doesn’t just develop, fear must be sparked by something.Who said those are vendettas? Everything Phil ya Nangoloh said is what our elders wanted to hide from us to keep the peace.Which peace? The Namibian context totally defines the meaning of peace.Ya Nangolo deserves the same back-up, support, and respect which the government grants Sam Nujoma.Why is he then treated as an inferior? That already violates the Namibian Constitution.Article10 – Equality and freedom from Discrimination: All persons shall be equal before the law, No persons may be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.I am not at all in a position to accuse Sam Nujoma, but I am in an informed position to ask questions and to demand explanations.I do this not in vain, but because it was my people “who have watered our freedom”.Jemima Beukes Windhoek