Critics and Credits

PENDAPALA raised relevant issues in his/her response to my recent public activities (letter of 24/02).

I agree that criticism for the mere sake of a destructive blame game is anything but helpful. But so is praise-singing to cultivate uncritical national pride.Analysis and advocacy should be motivated by a loyalty to the country and its people.It should not place a party or individuals above the public interest to reduce or overcome poverty, corruption and many other problems, which Pendepela also acknowledges to exist.Yes, we need honour and respect as part of self-dignity to build and consolidate a truly Namibian nation among the people.But we gain such values and recognition for them also by openly and frankly dealing with sobering realities.This includes the need for at times even painful public debate.Creating and protecting space for such dialogue does anything but tarnish our image on the world map: It adds to our reputation as a country fostering truly democratic values and participation.While we could achieve much more we are indeed in many respects better off than a lot of other countries.That’s why – after having been unable to return to Namibia for 15 years under Apartheid – I am among those who (also on numerous public occasions) proudly acknowledge that despite all limitations we have achieved a lot.Not least because so far critical voices were able to speak out and by doing so contributed to the credits we are given.By the way: home-based critical research is by all means better, no doubt, and should be deliberately encouraged even by those who are criticised (instead of promoting circumstances, which force critical minds and dissenting voices to either censor themselves or move to somewhere else)! I do not think that the power-hungry corrupt sycophants, who embark upon self-enrichment schemes, are a better way of promoting Namibian pride and dignity.Quite the opposite: ‘good governance’ and a human-rights-oriented democratic culture aiming at redistribution of wealth to the benefit of all Namibians are in need of partisan analysis (and of a leadership permissive enough to benefit from its results).’A luta continua’, the old slogan from the struggle days, should finally not – as a frustrated comrade from South Africa suggested a few years ago at a conference in Windhoek – translate into ‘the looting continues’.After all the sacrifices by its people, Namibia deserves better.Henning Melber Uppsala/SwedenBut so is praise-singing to cultivate uncritical national pride.Analysis and advocacy should be motivated by a loyalty to the country and its people.It should not place a party or individuals above the public interest to reduce or overcome poverty, corruption and many other problems, which Pendepela also acknowledges to exist.Yes, we need honour and respect as part of self-dignity to build and consolidate a truly Namibian nation among the people.But we gain such values and recognition for them also by openly and frankly dealing with sobering realities.This includes the need for at times even painful public debate.Creating and protecting space for such dialogue does anything but tarnish our image on the world map: It adds to our reputation as a country fostering truly democratic values and participation.While we could achieve much more we are indeed in many respects better off than a lot of other countries.That’s why – after having been unable to return to Namibia for 15 years under Apartheid – I am among those who (also on numerous public occasions) proudly acknowledge that despite all limitations we have achieved a lot.Not least because so far critical voices were able to speak out and by doing so contributed to the credits we are given.By the way: home-based critical research is by all means better, no doubt, and should be deliberately encouraged even by those who are criticised (instead of promoting circumstances, which force critical minds and dissenting voices to either censor themselves or move to somewhere else)! I do not think that the power-hungry corrupt sycophants, who embark upon self-enrichment schemes, are a better way of promoting Namibian pride and dignity.Quite the opposite: ‘good governance’ and a human-rights-oriented democratic culture aiming at redistribution of wealth to the benefit of all Namibians are in need of partisan analysis (and of a leadership permissive enough to benefit from its results).’A luta continua’, the old slogan from the struggle days, should finally not – as a frustrated comrade from South Africa suggested a few years ago at a conference in Windhoek – translate into ‘the looting continues’.After all the sacrifices by its people, Namibia deserves better.Henning Melber Uppsala/Sweden