No Respite From Shebeen

I WISH to appeal to the government and legal fraternity in Namibia on behalf of the residents of Hakahana, to save the people living in the vicinity of Okasisti bar and barber shop situated at the junction of Etetewe/Omulunga street, near Moses Garoëb Primary School Hakahana, from criminal activities and loud music noise brought about by this bar.

Since the opening of this bar, many school going children have dropped out of school while some girls are now trading as independent prostitutes at the same bar because it operates until 4h00 or 5h00 am especially at weekend and month ends. Many criminal complaints including gunshots and stabbings have been reported to the Namibian police and the City Police since the opening of this bar about two years ago, but the problems continues unabated.The residents are finding it hard to sleep during the day or at nights including our school going children who are often woke up in the middle of the nights with loud music and fighting among drunkards, especially during weekends, because this bar mostly operate from 9h00 am to between 3h00 and 4h30 am with loud music and violent drunkards usually running amok throwing bottles and stones and hitting our homes in the process.All complaints to the Namibian police and the City Police amount to nothing.Several consultations to reduce the effects of this bar on our lives have been met with arrogance and inconsiderate attitude of the operators and owner.More than twenty complaints against this bar to the police over the years failed to achieve anything, and we think that enough is enough, because we are constantly made captive in our own homes.On September 6 there was a volley of stones on my house as usual, when drunken customers of Okasisiti bar started their ritual of stone and bottle throwing in the middle of the night.Two neighbours’ cars were also damaged in the process.I woke up at 12h55 AM with my children in the panic that ensued and phoned the Namibian Police Emergency Unit which referred me to the City Police where constable Titus promised action but to no avail.It took over thirty minutes before the City Police van with registration number: N 107824 W arrived, at the shebeen around 1h50 AM.Surprisingly a young police officer who drove the police vehicle simply went into the shebeen and left without making any arrests or stopping the irritating loud music noise of the bar, despite the bar operating beyond the recommended time of 12h00, and the noise continued unabated until 4h20 AM.Again on the weekend of 20th September at exactly 2h39 AM, the similar disturbances occurred as we were suddenly woken up with loud stone noise against our home.I phoned twice the City Police before Constable Hashela transferred me to constable Maria who was initially very rude and unprofessional.But she later promised to send the police patrol that never arrived until the bar finally closed at 4h00.When I questioned constable Maria for the reason why the same bar over the years continues to operate beyond the recommended time of 12h00 midnight, she told me that some shebeens are allowed longer hours to operate than others.Different members of the Hakahana community have laid complaints with the City Police, which seems to be unconcerned with our plight.On the 5th October drunkards from the same bar damaged my fence.When I went out to see what was happening, I was confronted with volley of stones.I have now decided to get a firearm to protect my family if the government no longer cares about our human rights and protection.We also deserve peace and tranquillity in our homes like politicians who have police protection.We can’t even play music in our homes or watch television because the loud noise from Okasisiti bar always drowns out our speaker volumes.They are very inconsiderate people who only care about their shebeen income at the expense of our happiness and rights.It is unfortunate that our children’s academic wellbeing has also been sacrificed by the impunity of this bar owner because our children are no longer able to study at nights due to the irresponsible and arrogant disposition of the owner of the bar.My question is why is it possible that only Okasisiti bar is posing danger to the community out of the six bars that operate in the radius of 50 metres of my residence.How is it possible that the Namibian Police and the City Police are so incompetent to protect us from these people who are sacrificing the safety and happiness of other community members because of their uncontrollable alcoholic business activities.I am humbly appealing to the government to intervene to protect our constitutional rights and the rights of others members who suffer due to the attitude of the owner of this bar.I also appeal for legal assistance from the Legal Assistance Centre or any organisation, to assist us with legal means to save our children and family in the face of this.Concerned Resident HakahanaMany criminal complaints including gunshots and stabbings have been reported to the Namibian police and the City Police since the opening of this bar about two years ago, but the problems continues unabated.The residents are finding it hard to sleep during the day or at nights including our school going children who are often woke up in the middle of the nights with loud music and fighting among drunkards, especially during weekends, because this bar mostly operate from 9h00 am to between 3h00 and 4h30 am with loud music and violent drunkards usually running amok throwing bottles and stones and hitting our homes in the process.All complaints to the Namibian police and the City Police amount to nothing.Several consultations to reduce the effects of this bar on our lives have been met with arrogance and inconsiderate attitude of the operators and owner.More than twenty complaints against this bar to the police over the years failed to achieve anything, and we think that enough is enough, because we are constantly made captive in our own homes.On September 6 there was a volley of stones on my house as usual, when drunken customers of Okasisiti bar started their ritual of stone and bottle throwing in the middle of the night.Two neighbours’ cars were also damaged in the process.I woke up at 12h55 AM with my children in the panic that ensued and phoned the Namibian Police Emergency Unit which referred me to the City Police where constable Titus promised action but to no avail.It took over thirty minutes before the City Police van with registration number: N 107824 W arrived, at the shebeen around 1h50 AM.Surprisingly a young police officer who drove the police vehicle simply went into the shebeen and left without making any arrests or stopping the irritating loud music noise of the bar, despite the bar operating beyond the recommended time of 12h00, and the noise continued unabated until 4h20 AM.Again on the weekend of 20th September at exactly 2h39 AM, the similar disturbances occurred as we were suddenly woken up with loud stone noise against our home.I phoned twice the City Police before Constable Hashela transferred me to constable Maria who was initially very rude and unprofessional.But she later promised to send the police patrol that never arrived until the bar finally closed at 4h00.When I questioned constable Maria for the reason why the same bar over the years continues to operate beyond the recommended time of 12h00 midnight, she told me that some shebeens are allowed longer hours to operate than others.Different members of the Hakahana community have laid complaints with the City Police, which seems to be unconcerned with our plight.On the 5th October drunkards from the same bar damaged my fence.When I went out to see what was happening, I was confronted with volley of stones.I have now decided to get a firearm to protect my family if the government no longer cares about our human rights and protection.We also deserve peace and tranquillity in our homes like politicians who have police protection.We can’t even play music in our homes or watch television because the loud noise from Okasisiti bar always drowns out our speaker volu
mes.They are very inconsiderate people who only care about their shebeen income at the expense of our happiness and rights.It is unfortunate that our children’s academic wellbeing has also been sacrificed by the impunity of this bar owner because our children are no longer able to study at nights due to the irresponsible and arrogant disposition of the owner of the bar.My question is why is it possible that only Okasisiti bar is posing danger to the community out of the six bars that operate in the radius of 50 metres of my residence.How is it possible that the Namibian Police and the City Police are so incompetent to protect us from these people who are sacrificing the safety and happiness of other community members because of their uncontrollable alcoholic business activities.I am humbly appealing to the government to intervene to protect our constitutional rights and the rights of others members who suffer due to the attitude of the owner of this bar.I also appeal for legal assistance from the Legal Assistance Centre or any organisation, to assist us with legal means to save our children and family in the face of this.Concerned Resident Hakahana