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Rise in suicides alarming

Rise in suicides alarming

MORE than 135 people have committed suicide in the Omusati Region since 2005, a workshop organised by ELCIN’s Western Diocese was told.

The conference, funded by the Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN), was attended by church and traditional leaders, Police officers and social workers. The Police commander in Omusati, Deputy Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa, told the workshop that the oldest of the suicides was a 99-year-old man and the youngest an 11-year-old boy.Only eight of the people left suicide notes stating why they took such a drastic act, he said.Chief among these reasons were poverty and personal relations.Kashihakumwa said Okahao and Tsandi were the constituencies with the highest suicide rate in 2005, while Outapi and Onesi overtook them last year.Around 27 suicides a year occurred in each of these constituencies, he said.This year, Okahao and Tsandi are again in the lead, with six suicides reported up to last Thursday, followed by Outapi and Onesi with four suicides so far this year.Dr Mathew Shapaka Kapolo of the CCN said that the number of suicides had risen alarmingly since Independence.He ascribed this to people feeling disappointed that their lives hadn’t changed for the better after Independence.”Serious poverty is the biggest threat to the wellbeing of our people today.Many hopes of our people ended halfway,” Reverend Kapolo said.He said in the past people respected laws, norms and values, which is no longer the case today.”It seems that criminals are more protected by the law while the law-abiding citizens are being told to be patient.This has brought much doubt to our people and they do not know anymore what the future holds for them, resulting in some committing suicide,” Kapolo said.He called on all church, traditional and political leaders to work together to encourage communication, understanding and caring in their communities.The Police commander in Omusati, Deputy Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa, told the workshop that the oldest of the suicides was a 99-year-old man and the youngest an 11-year-old boy.Only eight of the people left suicide notes stating why they took such a drastic act, he said.Chief among these reasons were poverty and personal relations.Kashihakumwa said Okahao and Tsandi were the constituencies with the highest suicide rate in 2005, while Outapi and Onesi overtook them last year. Around 27 suicides a year occurred in each of these constituencies, he said.This year, Okahao and Tsandi are again in the lead, with six suicides reported up to last Thursday, followed by Outapi and Onesi with four suicides so far this year.Dr Mathew Shapaka Kapolo of the CCN said that the number of suicides had risen alarmingly since Independence.He ascribed this to people feeling disappointed that their lives hadn’t changed for the better after Independence.”Serious poverty is the biggest threat to the wellbeing of our people today.Many hopes of our people ended halfway,” Reverend Kapolo said.He said in the past people respected laws, norms and values, which is no longer the case today.”It seems that criminals are more protected by the law while the law-abiding citizens are being told to be patient.This has brought much doubt to our people and they do not know anymore what the future holds for them, resulting in some committing suicide,” Kapolo said.He called on all church, traditional and political leaders to work together to encourage communication, understanding and caring in their communities.

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