Nam’s racism report ‘not the full story’

NAMIBIA’S report to the United Nations on the country’s efforts to fight racial discrimination is not a true reflection of the situation on the ground, says the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR).

The Ministry of Justice submitted a report to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in July last year. The report said although it was not possible to say that incidents of racial discrimination have been eradicated, it was fair to say that Government’s efforts to promote national reconciliation were beneficial and had a positive effect on race relations.The NSHR, in its “shadow report” giving an alternative view on racial discrimination to the CERD, said Namibia had failed to comply with several key provisions of the convention and was thus in “serious material breach”.The rights body said it backed its statement up with “facts and figures from various sources”, including legal opinions and other reports regarding the state of racial discrimination, racism, xenophobia and related intolerance in Government.It said Government was “in breach of virtually all substantive and procedural provisions of the Convention”.According to the NSHR the existence of racial discrimination, racism, xenophobia and related intolerance was a very strong pointer to the absence of democracy in Namibia.The rights body said racism existed in the white-dominated private sector where blacks suffered abuse while there was also widespread perception among minority ethnic groups that Government was involved in reverse discrimination against whites and members of other ethnic groups in respect of access to the public service.Other specifics referred to in the report include a demonstration in July 2006 of Nama-speaking people to protest against high unemployment and poverty in the Karas Region despite the abundant natural resources there.They claimed Nama people were overlooked in the public service.The NSHR said the Caprivi treason case in Namibia was a “monumental travesty of justice”.It said there was compelling evidence that torture was used extensively against the accused and certain witnesses and magistrates, judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers had failed dismally to ensure proper investigations into the allegations.The Office of the Prosecutor General decided that Police officers accused of torture could only be prosecuted once the Caprivi treason trial was over.The NSHR said it believed the trial was “procedurally flawed” and the accused could not receive a fair trial.The UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is expected to have a hearing on Namibia’s submission this week.The report said although it was not possible to say that incidents of racial discrimination have been eradicated, it was fair to say that Government’s efforts to promote national reconciliation were beneficial and had a positive effect on race relations.The NSHR, in its “shadow report” giving an alternative view on racial discrimination to the CERD, said Namibia had failed to comply with several key provisions of the convention and was thus in “serious material breach”.The rights body said it backed its statement up with “facts and figures from various sources”, including legal opinions and other reports regarding the state of racial discrimination, racism, xenophobia and related intolerance in Government.It said Government was “in breach of virtually all substantive and procedural provisions of the Convention”.According to the NSHR the existence of racial discrimination, racism, xenophobia and related intolerance was a very strong pointer to the absence of democracy in Namibia.The rights body said racism existed in the white-dominated private sector where blacks suffered abuse while there was also widespread perception among minority ethnic groups that Government was involved in reverse discrimination against whites and members of other ethnic groups in respect of access to the public service.Other specifics referred to in the report include a demonstration in July 2006 of Nama-speaking people to protest against high unemployment and poverty in the Karas Region despite the abundant natural resources there.They claimed Nama people were overlooked in the public service.The NSHR said the Caprivi treason case in Namibia was a “monumental travesty of justice”.It said there was compelling evidence that torture was used extensively against the accused and certain witnesses and magistrates, judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers had failed dismally to ensure proper investigations into the allegations.The Office of the Prosecutor General decided that Police officers accused of torture could only be prosecuted once the Caprivi treason trial was over.The NSHR said it believed the trial was “procedurally flawed” and the accused could not receive a fair trial.The UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is expected to have a hearing on Namibia’s submission this week.