Namibians mourn Arafat

AN inspiration to the oppressed all over the world…

This is how many Namibians will remember Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died early yesterday in a French military hospital outside Paris at the age of 75. He had been hospitalised there for almost two weeks.Namibia’s main political parties yesterday remained steadfast in their belief that Palestinians had to continue to fight for their independence following the death of their long-serving leader, who was relentless in his fight for freedom.”President Arafat distinguished himself as a true revolutionary of our times.In his passing, the people of Palestine have lost a great leader, who has also inspired millions of struggling masses around the world, including the people of Africa in their fight against colonialism and foreign occupation,” President Sam Nujoma said in a message of condolence sent to the Palestinian Authority yesterday.Arafat is expected to be buried at his home in Ramallah late this afternoon.”Arafat was Palestine and Palestine was Arafat,” said DTA Secretary General McHenry Venaani.”He was a great leader who shaped world politics.”Venaani said Arafat’s death would undoubtedly bring a different dimension to the peace process and that the DTA supported the Palestinian cause for independence.Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange said Namibia always respected Arafat as the “formidable man” who fought a similar fight to Namibia in the corridors of the United Nations for many years.Tjiriange said he hoped Arafat’s successor would carry on the fight with the same vigour and determination Arafat did until his death.Mahmoud Abbas, a former prime minister, was yesterday elected to succeed Arafat as Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation – the Palestinians’ highest decision-making body.Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie was expected to remain in charge of day-to-day governing.Noting that Arafat had not lived to see his dream fulfilled, CoD spokesperson Ignatius Shixwameni criticised the Bush (US) and Sharon (Israel) administrations for shunning Arafat in the peace talks.”It has been shameful to watch that they have been reluctant to deal with the genuine and authentic leader of the Palestinian people,” said Shixwameni.”They have disregarded the pain and suffering the Palestinian people have been going through.”Shixwameni said he believed SADC leaders had a role to play in ensuring that Arafat’s dream was realised.The CoD’s National Chairperson Tsudao Gurirab said:”He has left an indelible imprint for an oppressed people everywhere to rise in defence of their land, rights and dignity.Millions stand ready to complete the just fight which he personified.”A former Special Assistant to Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab Andre September wrote to The Namibian yesterday to recount his special personal face-to-face meeting with Arafat when he was part of a United Nations delegation in 2000.September recalls being invited by Arafat to sit next to him at the dining table after a meal in Ramallah.”Minister Nabil Shaath would tell me later how fortunate and honoured I should be since what President Arafat did at table was an honour bestowed on very few people – as far as he could remember less than a handful in his lifetime.”While many Israelis and others who support them revelled in Arafat’s death and labelled him a “terrorist”, local political analyst Fanuel Kaapama said that he did not agree with critics who viewed Arafat as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East.”He didn’t act as an individual.What he advocated I believe was the position of his party.He was a man of principle and was not only going to agree to appease a situation but a man who advocated what he believed in, what is right even if it made him unpopular,” said Kaapama.Kaapama said the future Palestinian leader would have to command the same level of control among the factions within their territory as Arafat did, to ensure stability in the aftermath of this death.He had been hospitalised there for almost two weeks.Namibia’s main political parties yesterday remained steadfast in their belief that Palestinians had to continue to fight for their independence following the death of their long-serving leader, who was relentless in his fight for freedom.”President Arafat distinguished himself as a true revolutionary of our times.In his passing, the people of Palestine have lost a great leader, who has also inspired millions of struggling masses around the world, including the people of Africa in their fight against colonialism and foreign occupation,” President Sam Nujoma said in a message of condolence sent to the Palestinian Authority yesterday.Arafat is expected to be buried at his home in Ramallah late this afternoon.”Arafat was Palestine and Palestine was Arafat,” said DTA Secretary General McHenry Venaani.”He was a great leader who shaped world politics.”Venaani said Arafat’s death would undoubtedly bring a different dimension to the peace process and that the DTA supported the Palestinian cause for independence.Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange said Namibia always respected Arafat as the “formidable man” who fought a similar fight to Namibia in the corridors of the United Nations for many years.Tjiriange said he hoped Arafat’s successor would carry on the fight with the same vigour and determination Arafat did until his death.Mahmoud Abbas, a former prime minister, was yesterday elected to succeed Arafat as Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation – the Palestinians’ highest decision-making body.Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie was expected to remain in charge of day-to-day governing.Noting that Arafat had not lived to see his dream fulfilled, CoD spokesperson Ignatius Shixwameni criticised the Bush (US) and Sharon (Israel) administrations for shunning Arafat in the peace talks.”It has been shameful to watch that they have been reluctant to deal with the genuine and authentic leader of the Palestinian people,” said Shixwameni.”They have disregarded the pain and suffering the Palestinian people have been going through.”Shixwameni said he believed SADC leaders had a role to play in ensuring that Arafat’s dream was realised.The CoD’s National Chairperson Tsudao Gurirab said:”He has left an indelible imprint for an oppressed people everywhere to rise in defence of their land, rights and dignity.Millions stand ready to complete the just fight which he personified.”A former Special Assistant to Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab Andre September wrote to The Namibian yesterday to recount his special personal face-to-face meeting with Arafat when he was part of a United Nations delegation in 2000.September recalls being invited by Arafat to sit next to him at the dining table after a meal in Ramallah.”Minister Nabil Shaath would tell me later how fortunate and honoured I should be since what President Arafat did at table was an honour bestowed on very few people – as far as he could remember less than a handful in his lifetime.”While many Israelis and others who support them revelled in Arafat’s death and labelled him a “terrorist”, local political analyst Fanuel Kaapama said that he did not agree with critics who viewed Arafat as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East.”He didn’t act as an individual.What he advocated I believe was the position of his party.He was a man of principle and was not only going to agree to appease a situation but a man who advocated what he believed in, what is right even if it made him unpopular,” said Kaapama.Kaapama said the future Palestinian leader would have to command the same level of control among the factions within their territory as Arafat did, to ensure stability in the aftermath of this death.