‘Go to hell,’ NUNW tells Germans

GOVERNMENT should take drastic steps and ensure that ‘some European organisations and elements’ would not visit Namibia anymore, especially German foundations affiliated to that country’s political parties if they do not respect Namibian laws, a labour movement demanded on Friday.

Germans could otherwise ‘go to hell’.’These Germans and other such Europeans who harbour the intentions of a regime change in Namibia must be chased out,’ threatened Evilastus Kaaronda, Secretary General of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).Kaaronda reacted to a recent report by the Deutsche Afrika Stiftung (DAS) on Namibia’s November 2009 presidential and national elections.The report contained some critical remarks about the ruling Swapo party and party funding for opposition parties. The German observers were assisted in Namibia by another foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).The NUNW also saw the recent visit of German Economic Cooperation Minister Dirk Niebel to Namibia as a provocation and linked it to the December visit of opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress leader Hidipo Hamutenya to Belgium.Hamutenya was in Germany to attend a conference of opposition parties from southern Africa which was organised by KAS.’Only a fool would not see a connection in the visit to Belgium, the DAS report on the elections and a German minister coming here telling us all kind of crap about the KAS,’ Kaaronda told reporters.He referred to a story in the State-owned newspaper New Era recently, which had interviewed Niebel about reactions to the activities of the two German foundations in Namibia.Niebel had said that the foundations had the mandate to promote political dialogue and debate on democracy in those countries where they had offices. Kaaronda said Niebel’s reaction was ‘arrogant and provocative and defending Hamutenya’s visit to Belgium’.Last week Prime Minster Nahas Angula also condemned the election report and interpreted it as a move by German organisations to bring about ‘regime change’ in Namibia.The Prime Minister also claimed Hamutenya’s attendance in Belgium was ‘proof’ of his allegation. The Namibian has learnt that top officials from the Namibian Embassy were also invited and attended the meeting.’We will begin to closely monitor movements of these people. Britain airlifted British nationals from Zimbabwe years ago. Germany might do the same here. We want to know what interest Germans have in Namibia. It is time for our Government to zoom in on the activities of the German Embassy [in Windhoek],’ Kaaronda said.He said Namibia was ‘not a banana republic’, where German nationals can come and do what they like.’We are not for sale. If some Germans do not respect our country and the sovereignty of our State, they can go to hell!’ Kaaronda said. He urged the Namibian and German authorities to discuss the matter and iron it out.Last month the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) also called on Government to expel KAS from Namibia.That statement was supported by the NUNW at the beginning of this month when Kaaronda called on the Government ‘to institute appropriate measures and expedite the expulsion of the German foundation.’