SYL’s Kapia labels critics ‘enemies of the State’

THE Swapo Youth League (SYL) Central Committee claims that Judge Elton Hoff’s ruling in the case of the 13 Caprivi treason suspects who were abducted was “unfair” and a “flagrant disregard of national interest and security”.

The ruling party’s youth wing also accused the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC), the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), the Society of Advocates as well as The Namibian and its Editor Gwen Lister of being unpatriotic and enemies of the State. The condemnation was delivered by the Youth League’s Deputy Secretary, Evelyn !Nawases, in support of SYL head Paulus Kapia’s attack on Judge Hoff’s decision.Hoff ruled that Namibia’s court system did not have jurisdiction to try the Caprivi 13 as they were not brought to the country through proper procedures.The 13 said they had been abducted from Zambia and Botswana.Yesterday Kapia took a swipe at Lister at a press conference on the work of the SYL Central Committee meeting held at the weekend.Referring to criticism in a column in which Lister called Kapia and a trade unionist “self-appointed guardian(s) of the Namibian nation”, Kapia said: “She is mad …”, adding that he did not “know what is really up here” pointing to his head, with The Namibian newspaper.Kapia said the SYL “noted with indignation” the way the Caprivi trial was unfolding and urged “the judiciary to treat this case with all its sensitivities in the wider national interest of preserving peace and stability in Namibia”.!Nawases, who issued a special statement shortly after Kapia had left, said the SYL Central Committee “support and endorse” the youth wing’s leader.”Comrade Kapia was not speaking as an individual, but as an elected leader,” she said.According to !Nawases, the lawyers and human rights organisations as well as The Namibian had a “collective agenda” that “stems from their common hatred for the Swapo party and its dominance throughout the country”.The Youth League said those organisations were “self-declared defenders of the enemies of the Namibian people”.”For many of us, we have only one home, namely Namibia.There is no Europe for us to run to should the peace and stability we enjoy today be disturbed by reckless conducts of the LAC, the NSHR, the Society of Advocates and The Namibian newspaper – especially its Editor.”Kapia said the SYL wanted Government to quickly amend the Constitution in order to broaden the Judicial Service Commission “to involve all stakeholders”.Asked who should be included, Kapia said: “The Swapo Party Youth League wants to have a representation there so that we can perfect the judiciary.”Other issues that came up at the weekend meeting, were that the youth wing agreed to send the 15 delegate who attended the last Swapo Congress in 2002 to the Extraordinary Congress in May.But Kapia skirted the question of whether the SYL had chosen a person who would contest Swapo’s nomination in the presidential elections later this year.The Central Committee also discussed the possibility of having more agricultural colleges, but decided to first undertake a study of the needs.The condemnation was delivered by the Youth League’s Deputy Secretary, Evelyn !Nawases, in support of SYL head Paulus Kapia’s attack on Judge Hoff’s decision.Hoff ruled that Namibia’s court system did not have jurisdiction to try the Caprivi 13 as they were not brought to the country through proper procedures.The 13 said they had been abducted from Zambia and Botswana.Yesterday Kapia took a swipe at Lister at a press conference on the work of the SYL Central Committee meeting held at the weekend.Referring to criticism in a column in which Lister called Kapia and a trade unionist “self-appointed guardian(s) of the Namibian nation”, Kapia said: “She is mad …”, adding that he did not “know what is really up here” pointing to his head, with The Namibian newspaper.Kapia said the SYL “noted with indignation” the way the Caprivi trial was unfolding and urged “the judiciary to treat this case with all its sensitivities in the wider national interest of preserving peace and stability in Namibia”.!Nawases, who issued a special statement shortly after Kapia had left, said the SYL Central Committee “support and endorse” the youth wing’s leader.”Comrade Kapia was not speaking as an individual, but as an elected leader,” she said.According to !Nawases, the lawyers and human rights organisations as well as The Namibian had a “collective agenda” that “stems from their common hatred for the Swapo party and its dominance throughout the country”.The Youth League said those organisations were “self-declared defenders of the enemies of the Namibian people”.”For many of us, we have only one home, namely Namibia.There is no Europe for us to run to should the peace and stability we enjoy today be disturbed by reckless conducts of the LAC, the NSHR, the Society of Advocates and The Namibian newspaper – especially its Editor.”Kapia said the SYL wanted Government to quickly amend the Constitution in order to broaden the Judicial Service Commission “to involve all stakeholders”.Asked who should be included, Kapia said: “The Swapo Party Youth League wants to have a representation there so that we can perfect the judiciary.”Other issues that came up at the weekend meeting, were that the youth wing agreed to send the 15 delegate who attended the last Swapo Congress in 2002 to the Extraordinary Congress in May.But Kapia skirted the question of whether the SYL had chosen a person who would contest Swapo’s nomination in the presidential elections later this year.The Central Committee also discussed the possibility of having more agricultural colleges, but decided to first undertake a study of the needs.