Cops teargas combatants

AT least 10 people were allegedly beaten by Police last night, as authorities tried to disperse a group of former Plan combatants demonstrating in front of the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs in central Windhoek.

Four people who were allegedly injured were reportedly taken to hospital. A day-long demonstration by the former fighters, pressing for compensation, went off relatively peacefully amid a strong Police presence during the day, but as darkness fell, Special Task Force members started moving in.At around 18h00, Police used teargas amongst a smaller group of marchers who had vowed to sleep in front of the building until their demands were met.By the time of going to press, four people claimed to have been hurt by teargas, while 10 were allegedly beaten by Police.The rest of the group, while ducking for cover at times, refused to budge, singing liberation songs and hurling comments at the Police.At around 16h00, traffic police had started blocking off the section of Independence Avenue where the demonstrators were situated, while Police increased their presence.After repeatedly ordering the group to disperse, orders had apparently come from a commanding officer to use force.National Society of Human Rights (NSHR) Director Phil ya Nangoloh, who had been monitoring the situation, noted that a group of white and coloured officers had been moved to the front of the Police line.He claimed that this appeared to be aimed at instigating anger among the demonstrators.As peace returned to the scene after the teargas incident, demonstrators were heard chanting: ‘Down with Police, down with Boers’.Between 200 and 300 ex-combatants took to the streets at around 09h00, marching from the Greenwell Matongo Community Hall on the outskirts of the city to the Ministry’s offices in the city centre.The group got one of their two main wishes granted when Veterans’ Affairs Minister Ngarikutuke Tjiriange personally received their petition on Government’s behalf.Their biggest wish however – getting a positive response from Government on their demands for money – was not realised as easily.”My mandate is to receive your petition and share it with Cabinet,” Tjiriange told the marchers, shattering any hopes they had of getting an immediate answer.”One thing I can say without hesitation is that this Ministry does not have any money to give to anyone.But Government takes serious cognisance of the sacrifices you’ve made,” he said.Tjiriange repeated his request for the war veterans to remain patient with his Ministry, which he said was still in its infancy.”Our (Ministry’s) only calling is that the lives of our fighters are improved and that their plights are heard.But we must be systematic; it must be done in a manner befitting the Government of Namibia,” Tjiriange said.The veterans refused to move after Tjiriange departed, his refusal to meet their demands morphing their earlier jovial mood into a more agitated atmosphere.”We will not leave here until we get a positive promise in writing,” group chairperson Ruusa Malulu told the Minister.”I have said what I have said and that is it,” Tjiriange replied before returning to his office in the Justice building.”Cabinet cannot have started this ministry without money,” spokesperson Alex Kamwi told his fellow marchers in response to the Minister’s comments.”We need our positive response in writing today, and in black and white,” he said.The group remained singing in front of the building throughout the day, at times attracting crowds of onlookers.Police officers of NamPol and the Windhoek City Police, as well as Special Task Force members, kept their eye on the demonstrators throughout the day.While the demonstrators’ numbers started dwindled during the day, many of the marchers who had left returned towards late afternoon with sleeping bags and blankets.According to Kamwi, they were to sleep in front of the building last night, and would continue doing so for as long as it took to get what they wanted.In the petition handed to Tjiriange yesterday, the group demanded a cash sum of N$32 000 per person, multiplied by the number of years each spent in exile.Alternatively, they are prepared to accept a lump sum of N$500 000 for each veteran.The group charge that, upon their return to Namibia after Independence, the United Nations had made provision for war veterans to be compensated.”As Untag (the United Nations Transition Assistance Group) did not have a post-conflict mandate to assist with the reintegration of the demobilised combatants, this was left to the devices of the independent government,” the group’s petition reads.”Ironically, according to (a) World Bank Report it is alleged that our government provided us with demobilisation packages, shelter construction and a one-time severance pay to cover our basic needs.However, not one of the ex-freedom fighters received any of the above-mentioned social amenities,” group secretary Loide Ankambo read.* Additional reporting by Brigitte WeidlichA day-long demonstration by the former fighters, pressing for compensation, went off relatively peacefully amid a strong Police presence during the day, but as darkness fell, Special Task Force members started moving in.At around 18h00, Police used teargas amongst a smaller group of marchers who had vowed to sleep in front of the building until their demands were met.By the time of going to press, four people claimed to have been hurt by teargas, while 10 were allegedly beaten by Police.The rest of the group, while ducking for cover at times, refused to budge, singing liberation songs and hurling comments at the Police. At around 16h00, traffic police had started blocking off the section of Independence Avenue where the demonstrators were situated, while Police increased their presence.After repeatedly ordering the group to disperse, orders had apparently come from a commanding officer to use force.National Society of Human Rights (NSHR) Director Phil ya Nangoloh, who had been monitoring the situation, noted that a group of white and coloured officers had been moved to the front of the Police line.He claimed that this appeared to be aimed at instigating anger among the demonstrators.As peace returned to the scene after the teargas incident, demonstrators were heard chanting: ‘Down with Police, down with Boers’. Between 200 and 300 ex-combatants took to the streets at around 09h00, marching from the Greenwell Matongo Community Hall on the outskirts of the city to the Ministry’s offices in the city centre.The group got one of their two main wishes granted when Veterans’ Affairs Minister Ngarikutuke Tjiriange personally received their petition on Government’s behalf. Their biggest wish however – getting a positive response from Government on their demands for money – was not realised as easily.”My mandate is to receive your petition and share it with Cabinet,” Tjiriange told the marchers, shattering any hopes they had of getting an immediate answer.”One thing I can say without hesitation is that this Ministry does not have any money to give to anyone.But Government takes serious cognisance of the sacrifices you’ve made,” he said.Tjiriange repeated his request for the war veterans to remain patient with his Ministry, which he said was still in its infancy.”Our (Ministry’s) only calling is that the lives of our fighters are improved and that their plights are heard.But we must be systematic; it must be done in a manner befitting the Government of Namibia,” Tjiriange said.The veterans refused to move after Tjiriange departed, his refusal to meet their demands morphing their earlier jovial mood into a more agitated atmosphere.”We will not leave here until we get a positive promise in writing,” group chairperson Ruusa Malulu told the Minister.”I have said what I have said and that is it,” Tjiriange replied before returning to his office in the Justice building.”Cabinet cannot have started this ministry without money,” spokesperson Alex Kamwi told his fellow marchers in response to the Minister’s comments.”We need our positive response in writing today, and in black and white,” he said.The group remained singing in front of the building throughout the day, at times attracting crowds of onlookers.Police officers of NamPol and the Windhoek City Police, as well as Special Task Force members, kept their eye on the demonstrators throughout the day.While the demonstrators’ numbers started dwindled during the day, many of the marchers who had left returned towards late afternoon with sleeping bags and blankets.According to Kamwi, they were to sleep in front of the building last night, and would continue doing so for as long as it took to get what they wanted.In the petition handed to Tjiriange yesterday, the group demanded a cash sum of N$32 000 per person, multiplied by the number of years each spent in exile.Alternatively, they are prepared to accept a lump sum of N$500 000 for each veteran.The group charge that, upon their return to Namibia after Independence, the United Nations had made provision for war veterans to be compensated.”As Untag (the United Nations Transition Assistance Group) did not have a post-conflict mandate to assist with the reintegration of the demobilised combatants, this was left to the devices of the independent government,” the group’s petition reads.”Ironically, according to (a) World Bank Report it is alleged that our government provided us with demobilisation packages, shelter construction and a one-time severance pay to cover our basic needs.However, not one of the ex-freedom fighters received any of the above-mentioned social amenities,” group secretary Loide Ankambo read.* Additional reporting by Brigitte Weidlich