NSHR fears for Ya Nangoloh’s safety

THE National Society for Human Rights has called on the Inspector General of the Namibian Police to provide security for its Executive Director, Phil ya Nangoloh.

The NSHR said Swapo’s statement last week, which said it was time that somebody called Ya Nangoloh to order, was enough concern to warrant protection for him. Swapo Secretary General Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange said on Thursday that the NSHR’s submission to the International Criminal Court to have former President Sam Nujoma and three others tried for the disappearance of some Namibians constituted “a serious threat to security in Namibia” and that Ya Nangoloh “should be held responsible for the submission and possible consequences”.The NSHR interpreted that as a “virtual death sentence” and that Tjiriange called upon “anyone to carry out such sentence”.”The remark ‘It is time somebody called [Ya Nangoloh] to order’ is understood by both reasonable citizens of this country who called us since last night and by Ya Nangoloh himself to be a very clear euphemistic instigation and/or call by Tjiriange upon anyone to physically eliminate Ya Nangoloh upon sight.We are therefore calling upon the Inspector General of the Namibian Police to provide physical protection for Mr Ya Nangoloh as a matter of utmost urgency,” said NSHR spokesperson Dorkas Phillemon in a media statement on Friday.Phillemon also made an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary executions to help protect Ya Nangoloh.Tjiriange said the consequences and implications of the NHSR submission were “too ghastly to contemplate” and Swapo could not sit by idly and watch Namibia’s peace being shredded and its heroes vilified and humiliated by the NSHR and its sponsors.He said the NSHR and its sponsors were “hell-bent on destroying peace and political stability in Namibia”.The NSHR has requested the ICC to investigate Nujoma and three others for “instigation, planning, supervision, abetting, aiding, defending and or perpetuating” the disappearances of a number of Namibians before and after the country’s Independence.The ICC has confirmed that it received the submission and is weighing the merits of the case.Tjiriange said he was one of those who established the ICC and was not concerned about its ruling.The NSHR submitted that Nujoma, former Defence Minister Erkki Nghimtina, former Chief of Defence and now retired Lieutenant General Solomon ‘Jesus’ Hawala, and NDF First Battalion Colonel Thomas Shuuya be charged under the court’s “continuous violation doctrine” even though some of the crimes were committed before the court’s establishment in 2002.It will be the first time that the ICC’s continuous violation doctrine will be tested.Swapo Secretary General Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange said on Thursday that the NSHR’s submission to the International Criminal Court to have former President Sam Nujoma and three others tried for the disappearance of some Namibians constituted “a serious threat to security in Namibia” and that Ya Nangoloh “should be held responsible for the submission and possible consequences”. The NSHR interpreted that as a “virtual death sentence” and that Tjiriange called upon “anyone to carry out such sentence”.”The remark ‘It is time somebody called [Ya Nangoloh] to order’ is understood by both reasonable citizens of this country who called us since last night and by Ya Nangoloh himself to be a very clear euphemistic instigation and/or call by Tjiriange upon anyone to physically eliminate Ya Nangoloh upon sight.We are therefore calling upon the Inspector General of the Namibian Police to provide physical protection for Mr Ya Nangoloh as a matter of utmost urgency,” said NSHR spokesperson Dorkas Phillemon in a media statement on Friday.Phillemon also made an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary executions to help protect Ya Nangoloh.Tjiriange said the consequences and implications of the NHSR submission were “too ghastly to contemplate” and Swapo could not sit by idly and watch Namibia’s peace being shredded and its heroes vilified and humiliated by the NSHR and its sponsors.He said the NSHR and its sponsors were “hell-bent on destroying peace and political stability in Namibia”.The NSHR has requested the ICC to investigate Nujoma and three others for “instigation, planning, supervision, abetting, aiding, defending and or perpetuating” the disappearances of a number of Namibians before and after the country’s Independence.The ICC has confirmed that it received the submission and is weighing the merits of the case.Tjiriange said he was one of those who established the ICC and was not concerned about its ruling.The NSHR submitted that Nujoma, former Defence Minister Erkki Nghimtina, former Chief of Defence and now retired Lieutenant General Solomon ‘Jesus’ Hawala, and NDF First Battalion Colonel Thomas Shuuya be charged under the court’s “continuous violation doctrine” even though some of the crimes were committed before the court’s establishment in 2002.It will be the first time that the ICC’s continuous violation doctrine will be tested.