DESPITE Minister of Justice Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana’s public statement that the Swapo Party was not responsible for her parents’ death, Phil ya Nangoloh of Namrights has laid the blame squarely with the party.
In a statement issued by Namrights, ya Nangoloh said it was ‘common knowledge’ in the former Ovamboland and among Swapo members in exile that the Minister’s parents, among a large number of innocent people, had been killed by Swapo insurgents. These killings, he said, were perpetrated by two Swapo commanders known as ‘Africa’ and ‘Johnny Kalyamboga’, on April 20, 1981. The killings were purportedly triggered by mostly malicious and false accusations that those killed were either witches or had collaborated with South African security forces then occupying Namibia. Ya Nangoloh said according to information available to Namrights, ‘Africa’ and ‘Johnny Kalyamboga’ are also responsible for the so-called Oshikuku massacre which took place at the Oshipanda village 10 kilometres west of Oshikuku on March 10, 1982. He also blamed the so-called 1987 Oshitutuma massacre of two members of the Kayeya family on the two Swapo insurgents. Iivula-Ithana has earlier blamed the death of her parents on an Oshiwambo speaking man from the surroundings of her parents’ village at Uukwandongo in the Omusati region. Ya Nangoloh said while Iivula-Ithana should be commended for standing up for her parents and for justice, Swapo Party has repeatedly rejected calls for the establishment of a Namibian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He, however, noted that such a TRC should not be to punish those responsible for among others war crimes and crimes against humanity, but should concentrate on establishing ‘as accurately as possible’ the truth about the past and systematic violations of human rights, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. ‘Those who decide to tell the truth should not be prosecuted, while those who are deliberately telling lies should face criminal prosecution,’ Namrights said. ‘The long-term objective of the proposed TRC is to ensure reparations for the victims and assurances of non-repetition.’
