Struggle children press for ‘greater sense of urgency’

THE demonstrating ‘Children of the Liberation Struggle’ living on a Swapo farm 20 km outside Windhoek, were on Thursday visited by Swapo Deputy Secretary General, Nangola Mbumba.

The group, who are demanding education and employment, were last year evicted from the TransNamib property at the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs in Windhoek after a demonstration that lasted for two and a half months.
They were relocated to the farm by the Swapo Party Youth League to prevent their arrest.
The group praised Mbumba for being the first Cabinet Minister to visit or address them collectively since the start of their demonstration in September last year, and used the opportunity to air their grievances.
Salomo Shinedima, the group’s spokesperson, told the Deputy Secretary General that they wanted their demands addressed with a greater sense of urgency, adding that the members of the group should receive preferential treatment, above other Children of the Liberation Struggle who took part in the registration process.
‘We were the ones to initiate the registration process, and we were there right until the end when the Court evicted us. If we had been sent to jail, they would not have been in jail with us. So, we should be the first to receive the jobs and education opportunities we have requested,’ he said.
A total of 8 335 people were registered during this process, which is expected to continue this year. Only 98 of the initial group live at the camp.
The group also demanded better feedback on progress being made on their demands, and questioned when they could expect action to be taken. ‘Many of us in the group have asked for education. But the school year has now already started. When exactly will we be accommodated?’ asked one of the demonstrators.
Mbumba, who was accompanied by SPYL Secretary Elijah Ngurare, told the group that the Swapo Party would follow up with the technical committee to see what progress has been made to date, and said they should give a clear indication of what their individual needs are.
By the end of last year, a date had not yet been set with regards to when the registration and verification processes would be completed, or when the demonstrators’ demands would be met.
Prior to Mbumba’s arrival at the camp, Shinedima also complained to The Namibian, amongst others, that the Namibian Exiled Kids Association formed late last year ‘is supposed to look after us’; that the Ministry of Health and Social Services, which is a member of the technical committee, should provide them with regular health check-ups; and that transportation to and from the city should be provided to them.
The Namibian has also received complaints from residents at Dobra and surrounding farms, who say that with the presence of the Children of the Liberation Struggle at the farm, they no longer feel safe. They pointed to an increase in house break-ins, a strong presence by group members along the roadside looking for lifts, and not being able to walk around without fear of attack by members of the group, who they allege last week chased a girl on her way to school at Dobra.
Shinedima denied these allegations, saying that the group did not go onto certain farms because the farmer of a nearby farm had threatened to shoot anyone found on his property; and adding that the group’s members were not engaged in any illegal activity.
Another demonstrator, who stated that ‘each member of the group has his or her own way of making money’, despite almost all of them being unemployed, stated that the group members are ‘restless’ and have ‘personal problems’.
Asked what these problems were, he answered: ‘We want jobs. We want to build our lives. We don’t want to go back on the streets to continue a life of hustling.’ nangula@namibian.com.na