Hakaye gets worked up about Misa

THE National Council (NC) “will never be prescribed to” when it comes to issues of human rights, the House of Review declared yesterday.

During the last day of the NC’s current session, Swapo Chief Whip Jhonny Hakaye led the house in condemning a call by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) for it to withdraw a motion tabled earlier this week to regulate the media. Hakaye tabled a motion on Monday to examine and review the status of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), after it came to light that the organisation had requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate former President Sam Nujoma and three former military leaders.During Hakaye’s motivation on Monday, he lashed out at media houses, who he said gave critics of Government such as the NSHR’s Director Phil ya Nangoloh a platform.”When I came across the many writings of Ya Nangoloh, mostly in the biweekly (sic) Windhoek Observer, I said to myself, this is too much uncalled for and unwarranted.Don’t we have a law in this country to regulate these, both the human rights body, the Windhoek Observer, The Namibian, and the likes?” Hakaye said.The following day, Misa Namibia issued a press statement in which it called on the NC to withdraw any part of the motion which calls for stricter laws to regulate the media, adding that it was shocked to learn of the idea.”They say they are shocked.Well I have to promise them that more shocks are to be provided in the future,” Hakaye said yesterday to applause from fellow members.”This august House will never be prescribed what to do when it comes to human rights,” he said.Again naming the weekly newspaper The Observer, Hakaye said the newspaper was using the freedom of speech granted to it to tarnish the names and characters of political leaders.”In the same vein, The Namibian seems to have provided for their own parliament with this SMS line they have created,” Hakaye said.”This only provides for hooliganism.Any person, regardless of their age, can just say what they want.And they conveniently forget that the same Government who they are insulting is the one who provided the platform for them to do this,” Hakaye charged to applause.”The National Council stands by its motion, we will not disappoint those who we are representing,” he said.Hakaye tabled a motion on Monday to examine and review the status of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), after it came to light that the organisation had requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate former President Sam Nujoma and three former military leaders.During Hakaye’s motivation on Monday, he lashed out at media houses, who he said gave critics of Government such as the NSHR’s Director Phil ya Nangoloh a platform.”When I came across the many writings of Ya Nangoloh, mostly in the biweekly (sic) Windhoek Observer, I said to myself, this is too much uncalled for and unwarranted.Don’t we have a law in this country to regulate these, both the human rights body, the Windhoek Observer, The Namibian, and the likes?” Hakaye said. The following day, Misa Namibia issued a press statement in which it called on the NC to withdraw any part of the motion which calls for stricter laws to regulate the media, adding that it was shocked to learn of the idea.”They say they are shocked.Well I have to promise them that more shocks are to be provided in the future,” Hakaye said yesterday to applause from fellow members.”This august House will never be prescribed what to do when it comes to human rights,” he said.Again naming the weekly newspaper The Observer, Hakaye said the newspaper was using the freedom of speech granted to it to tarnish the names and characters of political leaders.”In the same vein, The Namibian seems to have provided for their own parliament with this SMS line they have created,” Hakaye said.”This only provides for hooliganism.Any person, regardless of their age, can just say what they want.And they conveniently forget that the same Government who they are insulting is the one who provided the platform for them to do this,” Hakaye charged to applause.”The National Council stands by its motion, we will not disappoint those who we are representing,” he said.