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President warns of ‘havoc’ as heroes laid to rest at Eenhana

President warns of ‘havoc’ as heroes laid to rest at Eenhana

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba used the official Heroes’ Day commemoration at Eenhana on Sunday to hammer home his – and his party’s – stance on the NSHR’s submission to the International Court of Justice (ICC).

Earlier that morning, the President unveiled the Heroes’ Shrine at Eenhana, where the remains of Swapo combatants found in mass graves in 2005 were reburied. Pohamba and many other dignitaries laid wreaths on the grave after the internment.In his official Heroes’ Day speech later that morning, Pohamba said the NSHR submission was an issue to be dealt with by all patriotic Namibians.”Those who are attacking and vilifying Comrade Nujoma are engaging in a dangerous game that can take our country down a very slippery slope and plunge Namibia into the dark depths of instability and mistrust,” President Pohamba told thousands of people from across the country who had gathered at Eenhana.He said Namibians had seen the havoc and ruin that political conflicts had caused in other African countries and elsewhere in the world.The NSHR has asked the ICC to investigate former President Sam Nujoma and three other former military leaders in connection with the disappearance of thousands of Namibians during the liberation struggle.’UNITY ABOVE ALL ELSE’ Pohamba called on all Namibians to unite in condemnation of those who wanted to disturb the country’s hard-won peace and stability.He said while many Swapo supporters had gone into exile, others stayed behind and waged the struggle inside Namibia, suffering hardships such as torture and imprisonment.All of them were united for a common goal, whether on the political, diplomatic or military fronts, he said.”Let their blood water our freedom.This peace and stability we enjoy today is one of the most important assets that are critical for the development of our country, because without peace and stability, we will not be able to achieve our development objectives, and without that our National Development Plans and Vision 2030 will remain an unachievable dream,” he said.Pohamba said there was no doubt that the ICC submission, and other “verbal attacks” on Nujoma, were part of an “ongoing ploy to disrupt peace and stability in Namibia.He told the crowd that it was the duty of Namibian citizens to jealously guard the peace and stability that Namibia enjoys, and direct their time, skills and resourcefulness towards activities that build the country and to leave aside those things that destroy the country and its people.’DANGEROUS’ “The sustained and uncalled for attacks by some misguided individuals and organisations aimed at our Founding Father and Father of the Namibian nation, Comrade Sam Nujoma, and three other patriotic Namibians, is an issue that has the potential to disrupt peace and stability in our country, and I am again taking this opportunity to address the nation on this serious matter,” he said.”Our Founding Father Nujoma, I want to assure you that we are behind you on this issue,” Pohamba said.He said as Namibians paid homage to fallen heroes and heroines of the struggle, they also needed to remember the contributions of those, such as Nujoma, who were still alive and had dedicated their entire lives to the country’s liberation.”I know there are some people who are saying that I am a puppet of Nujoma.I want to tell you that I was not, am not and will never be a puppet of anybody,” Pohamba emphasised.”I want to make this clear that the mandate to come home to challenge the apartheid colonial regime was a decision of the Swapo leadership and not of Nujoma or Pohamba.”He said the overwhelming majority of Namibians regarded Nujoma as a hero of the liberation struggle and those who vilified him were, knowingly or unknowingly, disturbing peace and stability in Namibia.Pohamba and many other dignitaries laid wreaths on the grave after the internment.In his official Heroes’ Day speech later that morning, Pohamba said the NSHR submission was an issue to be dealt with by all patriotic Namibians.”Those who are attacking and vilifying Comrade Nujoma are engaging in a dangerous game that can take our country down a very slippery slope and plunge Namibia into the dark depths of instability and mistrust,” President Pohamba told thousands of people from across the country who had gathered at Eenhana.He said Namibians had seen the havoc and ruin that political conflicts had caused in other African countries and elsewhere in the world. The NSHR has asked the ICC to investigate former President Sam Nujoma and three other former military leaders in connection with the disappearance of thousands of Namibians during the liberation struggle.’UNITY ABOVE ALL ELSE’ Pohamba called on all Namibians to unite in condemnation of those who wanted to disturb the country’s hard-won peace and stability.He said while many Swapo supporters had gone into exile, others stayed behind and waged the struggle inside Namibia, suffering hardships such as torture and imprisonment.All of them were united for a common goal, whether on the political, diplomatic or military fronts, he said.”Let their blood water our freedom.This peace and stability we enjoy today is one of the most important assets that are critical for the development of our country, because without peace and stability, we will not be able to achieve our development objectives, and without that our National Development Plans and Vision 2030 will remain an unachievable dream,” he said.Pohamba said there was no doubt that the ICC submission, and other “verbal attacks” on Nujoma, were part of an “ongoing ploy to disrupt peace and stability in Namibia.He told the crowd that it was the duty of Namibian citizens to jealously guard the peace and stability that Namibia enjoys, and direct their time, skills and resourcefulness towards activities that build the country and to leave aside those things that destroy the country and its people.’DANGEROUS’ “The sustained and uncalled for attacks by some misguided individuals and organisations aimed at our Founding Father and Father of the Namibian nation, Comrade Sam Nujoma, and three other patriotic Namibians, is an issue that has the potential to disrupt peace and stability in our country, and I am again taking this opportunity to address the nation on this serious matter,” he said.”Our Founding Father Nujoma, I want to assure you that we are behind you on this issue,” Pohamba said.He said as Namibians paid homage to fallen heroes and heroines of the struggle, they also needed to remember the contributions of those, such as Nujoma, who were still alive and had dedicated their entire lives to the country’s liberation.”I know there are some people who are saying that I am a puppet of Nujoma.I want to tell you that I was not, am not and will never be a puppet of anybody,” Pohamba emphasised.”I want to make this clear that the mandate to come home to challenge the apartheid colonial regime was a decision of the Swapo leadership and not of Nujoma or Pohamba.”He said the overwhelming majority of Namibians regarded Nujoma as a hero of the liberation struggle and those who vilified him were, knowingly or unknowingly, disturbing peace and stability in Namibia.

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