‘Media fabrication’ blamed for sex charges against 3 NDF members

A LIBERIAN media report has been blamed for sparking sex-crimes allegations against three Namibian Defence Force soldiers serving in that country last year.

Defence Minister Charles Namoloh told the National Assembly on Thursday that although the three men had been repatriated in June after reports surfaced that they were among United Nations peacekeepers who had sexually exploited young girls and women, no investigation had verified these allegations. He was responding to questions by the Congress of Democrats’ Nora Schimming-Chase, who wanted to know what Government was doing to restore the honour and protect the name of the Namibian Defence Force, since it found the allegations against the soldiers to be untrue.”These allegations were not made personally by victims but by a reporter of newspaper.A local reporter made the allegations in a newspaper and based on that report, the NDF members were summarily repatriated,” said Namoloh.He offered to show Schimming-Chase a letter written by Liberians who protested against the report and who wrote to the UN maintaining that the story had been fabricated.In January, The Namibian reported that women interviewed in Liberia had said the claims against the men were false and that neither of the three accused had impregnated any of them.The NDF then told this newspaper that it had cleared its soldiers of the allegations.A UN report released in April last year accused soldiers from a number of countries of sexual exploitation, especially in exchange for goods.”It is true that by false publication the names of the three members and that of the NDF were tarnished and need to be cleared.We did not deem it wise to rush into demanding that from the UN without first gathering all the necessary details,” Namoloh told the National Assembly.Namoloh said the UN was aware that the three soldiers had been repatriated based on false information.Namoloh said there was no evidence to suggest that three accused had fathered any children in Liberia.But he told Schimming-Chase that DNA testing to confirm this could not be carried out, unless both parents and the child were available.”To carry out the DNA tests you need three people and in this case there is none,” said Namoloh.He told Schimming-Chase that if the media were not present in the National Assembly chamber he would share more information with her as to “what’s going on in Liberia”, but that she was welcome to discuss Namibia’s operation in Liberia with him behind closed doors.Namibian soldiers have been assigned to the peacekeeping operation in Liberia since February 2004.The current peacekeeping agreement ends next month, but is open for extension.He was responding to questions by the Congress of Democrats’ Nora Schimming-Chase, who wanted to know what Government was doing to restore the honour and protect the name of the Namibian Defence Force, since it found the allegations against the soldiers to be untrue.”These allegations were not made personally by victims but by a reporter of newspaper.A local reporter made the allegations in a newspaper and based on that report, the NDF members were summarily repatriated,” said Namoloh.He offered to show Schimming-Chase a letter written by Liberians who protested against the report and who wrote to the UN maintaining that the story had been fabricated.In January, The Namibian reported that women interviewed in Liberia had said the claims against the men were false and that neither of the three accused had impregnated any of them.The NDF then told this newspaper that it had cleared its soldiers of the allegations.A UN report released in April last year accused soldiers from a number of countries of sexual exploitation, especially in exchange for goods.”It is true that by false publication the names of the three members and that of the NDF were tarnished and need to be cleared.We did not deem it wise to rush into demanding that from the UN without first gathering all the necessary details,” Namoloh told the National Assembly.Namoloh said the UN was aware that the three soldiers had been repatriated based on false information.Namoloh said there was no evidence to suggest that three accused had fathered any children in Liberia.But he told Schimming-Chase that DNA testing to confirm this could not be carried out, unless both parents and the child were available.”To carry out the DNA tests you need three people and in this case there is none,” said Namoloh.He told Schimming-Chase that if the media were not present in the National Assembly chamber he would share more information with her as to “what’s going on in Liberia”, but that she was welcome to discuss Namibia’s operation in Liberia with him behind closed doors.Namibian soldiers have been assigned to the peacekeeping operation in Liberia since February 2004.The current peacekeeping agreement ends next month, but is open for extension.