Down With Hate Speech

PROMPTED by the publication of… “instances of hate speech” by the National Society of Human Rights in our media allow me to pass some comments, and express my personal opinion on this very serious issue.

I don’t think it would be necessary to write or explain more about the grave consequences of hate speech. It’s all well known and documented in places like Bosnia (the country of my birth) and Rwanda.I have to mention that for many years I used to live under two, which I would call “evil systems”, being communism and apartheid respectively.However evil the two were, none of the two allowed hate speech to be directed towards other nationalities or races.Under the communists, hate speech even heavily punishable by the law.Here in Namibia where the building of ; “one Namibia one Nation” and reconciliation should be the priorities for the sake of peace and stability.We have destructive elements among the democratically elected public figures, like some government officials and union leaders, who are by their speeches finding it very difficult to connect their mouths with their brains.What makes matters even worse, their speeches are broadcasted, over and over, in most of our spoken languages.Even winning by 99% of votes, no government can claim for itself to be transparent and democratic if it allows the rights of minorities to be disrespected and violated.However, NBC and other instigators of racial hatred in our society didn’t achieve anything so far and hopefully this will be so in the future.I, as a white Namibian, can still walk freely in any of the “black residential areas” without fear of racial motivated attacks.If Namibian fallen heroes, who died for a multiracial society and justice in this country, could now hear what comes out of the mouths of Kapenda and Kapia, believe me, they would turn in their graves.My sincere congratulation goes to all peace loving Namibians on their shown maturity and tolerance.D Filipovic OkahandjaIt’s all well known and documented in places like Bosnia (the country of my birth) and Rwanda.I have to mention that for many years I used to live under two, which I would call “evil systems”, being communism and apartheid respectively.However evil the two were, none of the two allowed hate speech to be directed towards other nationalities or races.Under the communists, hate speech even heavily punishable by the law.Here in Namibia where the building of ; “one Namibia one Nation” and reconciliation should be the priorities for the sake of peace and stability.We have destructive elements among the democratically elected public figures, like some government officials and union leaders, who are by their speeches finding it very difficult to connect their mouths with their brains.What makes matters even worse, their speeches are broadcasted, over and over, in most of our spoken languages.Even winning by 99% of votes, no government can claim for itself to be transparent and democratic if it allows the rights of minorities to be disrespected and violated.However, NBC and other instigators of racial hatred in our society didn’t achieve anything so far and hopefully this will be so in the future.I, as a white Namibian, can still walk freely in any of the “black residential areas” without fear of racial motivated attacks.If Namibian fallen heroes, who died for a multiracial society and justice in this country, could now hear what comes out of the mouths of Kapenda and Kapia, believe me, they would turn in their graves.My sincere congratulation goes to all peace loving Namibians on their shown maturity and tolerance.D Filipovic Okahandja