Reconciliation tests lawmakers to hilt

FINGERS were pointed and accusations were hurled in the National Assembly yesterday about which political factions were guilty with regard to the deaths and disappearances of Namibians during the liberation struggle.

Swapo Members of Parliament and those of the opposition uttered “guilty” verdicts regarding the assassination of Herero leader Clemens Kapuuo, the bombing of a bank in Oshakati and the fact that hundreds of Swapo members languished in the dungeons of Lubango in Angola, accused of spying for apartheid South Africa. DTA Vice-President Philemon Moongo accused Swapo of allegedly killing more Namibians than South Africa did.The atmosphere heated up when Chief Justus Garoëb of the UDF contributed to the debate on national reconciliation, which was tabled by CoD Member Tsudao Gurirab.Chief Garoëb stated that many surviving Lubango victims had later on joined his UDF party and since Independence these victims had waited for a national pardon and clearing of their names, but 17 years down the line, the Swapo government had still not done that.He said he had tried twice in the National Assembly since 1990 to get Government to issue a national pardon in this regard.”I was vilified and no serious attention was given to the matter.If I were taken seriously, we would not have been under the threat of the International Criminal Court (ICC) today,” he said.Garoëb was referreing to a recent submission to the ICC by the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) to investigate former President Sam Nujoma for the disappearance of hundreds of Namibians in exile under the care of Swapo.An admission by the former or present Head of State of atrocities committed during the liberation struggle on the side of Swapo and announcing a national pardon would “wash away all ill feelings and pave the way for genuine reconciliation”, he said.Chief Garoëb was repeatedly interrupted when he asked why some heroes were forgotten, such as Moses Garoëb and Anton Lubowski, who were not buried at Heroes Acre.He also asked whether people who are not Swapo members would ever be buried there.”Not a single person who is not a Swapo member is buried at Heroes’ Acre,” he charged.Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah pointed out that former Defence Minister Peter Mueshihange was buried at the Hochland Park cemetery and not at Heroes’ Acre.Works and Transport Minister Joel Kapaanda then rose and called the CoD motion biased and unclear.”Why don’t you mention atrocities committed by apartheid South Africa against our people?” he wanted to know from the opposition.”Swapo killed more Namibians than (apartheid) South Africa!” Moongo interjected.Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga demanded that Moongo withdraw the statement and name exact figures.At this, Deputy Justice Minister Utoni Nujoma, son of former President Sam Nujoma, said apartheid was a crime against humanity.”During the liberation struggle people got caught between the crossfire.Why don’t you start with atrocities of apartheid South Africa?” Nujoma asked.DTA President Katuutire Kaura said nobody refuted Swapo’s role as liberation movement and that apartheid was terrible, but people wanted answers about who bombed a bank in Oshakati before Independence, were many civilians were killed or maimed.”Freedom fighters of Swapo went into the Kaokoveld area and many Ovahimba people were killed.Admit that mistakes were made – don’t think you have no skeletons in your closet,” Kaura stated angrily.”Radio Luanda in Angola proudly announced the bomb blast and that ‘boers’ were killed,” he added.Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila rose to point a finger at the DTA.”When does the DTA admit they collaborated with apartheid South Africa and that you beat people up and told them to join your party?” The Finance Minister then said it would have made no sense for Swapo to plant the Oshakati bomb.Kaura then said several years ago the Swapo Youth League had decided that no other political party should exist in Namibia, which had caused a fight with youths of other political parties in Katutura near the Nudo office.”It nearly caused a civil war.”Deputy Local and Regional Government Minister Kazenambo Kazenambo then rose and alleged that the assassination of Herero Chief Clemens Kapuuo in 1978 was done by “the people among themselves.””I can give you the names (of the killers), they were proudly announced by Radio Luanda,” Kaura retorted.Kazenambo then accused the UDF of also having committed atrocities.Angrily Kaura rose again.”The Swapo Government in an independent Namibia practices tribalism,” he said in the direction of Kazenambo, while Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab banged his gavel.The debate was then adjourned to next week.DTA Vice-President Philemon Moongo accused Swapo of allegedly killing more Namibians than South Africa did. The atmosphere heated up when Chief Justus Garoëb of the UDF contributed to the debate on national reconciliation, which was tabled by CoD Member Tsudao Gurirab.Chief Garoëb stated that many surviving Lubango victims had later on joined his UDF party and since Independence these victims had waited for a national pardon and clearing of their names, but 17 years down the line, the Swapo government had still not done that.He said he had tried twice in the National Assembly since 1990 to get Government to issue a national pardon in this regard.”I was vilified and no serious attention was given to the matter.If I were taken seriously, we would not have been under the threat of the International Criminal Court (ICC) today,” he said.Garoëb was referreing to a recent submission to the ICC by the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) to investigate former President Sam Nujoma for the disappearance of hundreds of Namibians in exile under the care of Swapo.An admission by the former or present Head of State of atrocities committed during the liberation struggle on the side of Swapo and announcing a national pardon would “wash away all ill feelings and pave the way for genuine reconciliation”, he said.Chief Garoëb was repeatedly interrupted when he asked why some heroes were forgotten, such as Moses Garoëb and Anton Lubowski, who were not buried at Heroes Acre.He also asked whether people who are not Swapo members would ever be buried there.”Not a single person who is not a Swapo member is buried at Heroes’ Acre,” he charged.Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah pointed out that former Defence Minister Peter Mueshihange was buried at the Hochland Park cemetery and not at Heroes’ Acre.Works and Transport Minister Joel Kapaanda then rose and called the CoD motion biased and unclear.”Why don’t you mention atrocities committed by apartheid South Africa against our people?” he wanted to know from the opposition.”Swapo killed more Namibians than (apartheid) South Africa!” Moongo interjected.Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Ilonga demanded that Moongo withdraw the statement and name exact figures.At this, Deputy Justice Minister Utoni Nujoma, son of former President Sam Nujoma, said apartheid was a crime against humanity.”During the liberation struggle people got caught between the crossfire.Why don’t you start with atrocities of apartheid South Africa?” Nujoma asked.DTA President Katuutire Kaura said nobody refuted Swapo’s role as liberation movement and that apartheid was terrible, but people wanted answers about who bombed a bank in Oshakati before Independence, were many civilians were killed or maimed.”Freedom fighters of Swapo went into the Kaokoveld area and many Ovahimba people were killed.Admit that mistakes were made – don’t think you have no skeletons in your closet,” Kaura stated angrily.”Radio Luanda in Angola proudly announced the bomb blast and that ‘boers’ were killed,” he added.Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila rose to point a finger at the DTA.”When does the DTA admit they collaborated with apartheid South Africa and that you beat people up and told them to join your party?” The Finance Minister then said it would have made no sense for Swapo to plant the Oshakati bomb.Kaura then said severa
l years ago the Swapo Youth League had decided that no other political party should exist in Namibia, which had caused a fight with youths of other political parties in Katutura near the Nudo office.”It nearly caused a civil war.”Deputy Local and Regional Government Minister Kazenambo Kazenambo then rose and alleged that the assassination of Herero Chief Clemens Kapuuo in 1978 was done by “the people among themselves.””I can give you the names (of the killers), they were proudly announced by Radio Luanda,” Kaura retorted.Kazenambo then accused the UDF of also having committed atrocities.Angrily Kaura rose again.”The Swapo Government in an independent Namibia practices tribalism,” he said in the direction of Kazenambo, while Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab banged his gavel.The debate was then adjourned to next week.