Veterans’ Ministry not for struggle children

SEVERAL meetings and discussions by Government ministries, including that of Veterans’ Affairs, have not convinced a group of some 80 youths to abandon their protest in front of the Ministry’s headquarters.

“It seems that all efforts did not work and these children are still camping at the Ministry,” the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs, Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, told Parliament yesterday. The group is part of some 500 children born in exile to Namibian parents during the liberation struggle, many of whom do not have sufficient documents to receive identity cards or Namibian citizenship.They also want jobs and opportunities to study or receive vocational training.The Ministry of Youth and Culture promised them assistance two weeks ago and recorded their names on a list with the aim to draft special forms to register them in their home regions.Most of the group then abandoned the protest and went back to their villages, but a smaller group remains, stubbornly demanding immediate action from Government.”I had meetings with them, the matter went to Cabinet and they met President Hifikepunye Pohamba and the Youth Ministry informed them that they would be helped,” Tjiriange said in a ministerial statement yesterday.”If you are born from veterans [of the liberation struggle] you are not automatically a veteran.If you are born from parents who are medical doctors, you are not a doctor, you must study first,” the Minister said.”I emphasise once again that these youths are not the responsibility of my Ministry,” Tjiriange told the House.The group is part of some 500 children born in exile to Namibian parents during the liberation struggle, many of whom do not have sufficient documents to receive identity cards or Namibian citizenship.They also want jobs and opportunities to study or receive vocational training.The Ministry of Youth and Culture promised them assistance two weeks ago and recorded their names on a list with the aim to draft special forms to register them in their home regions.Most of the group then abandoned the protest and went back to their villages, but a smaller group remains, stubbornly demanding immediate action from Government.”I had meetings with them, the matter went to Cabinet and they met President Hifikepunye Pohamba and the Youth Ministry informed them that they would be helped,” Tjiriange said in a ministerial statement yesterday.”If you are born from veterans [of the liberation struggle] you are not automatically a veteran.If you are born from parents who are medical doctors, you are not a doctor, you must study first,” the Minister said.”I emphasise once again that these youths are not the responsibility of my Ministry,” Tjiriange told the House.