Vets withdraw deadline to Govt

A COMMITTEE of Swapo war veterans has withdrawn a deadline it gave Government on its demands for compensation.

The deadline would have passed tomorrow. A spokesman for the Committee on the Welfare of Ex-Combatants, Alex Kamwi, said yesterday that this was in response to mediation efforts by the Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN), through Lutheran Bishop Zephania Kameeta.Earlier this month, Bishop Kameeta persuaded the group to call off a planned march through Windhoek, offering to act as mediator between them and Government.Kameeta told The Namibian yesterday that he had discussed the matter with the CCN, and the church council agreed to take over the responsibility for the mediation from him in his personal capacity.The Bishop said the CCN held a meeting with Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange last week, and the ruling party indicated it was working on a “comprehensive plan” on the war veteran issue.The party requested patience from the CCN and the former combatants, Kameeta said.In the meantime, Kameeta says, the church council has appealed to the veterans to take control of their own destinies by starting businesses based on the skills taught to them during the service in the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan).”They didn’t just learn fighting.We’ve discovered that some have acquired skills as carpenters, others know judo and karate, some are cooks,” Kameeta said.Kamwi told The Namibian that his committee agreed to this idea, and that members are now listing their skills on a central register.He said the committee was forming an association within which individual business could be registered, and which would make a contribution towards taking care of war veterans who were too old, sick or disabled to work for themselves.Kamwi said former SWATF and Koevoet members who fought against Swapo during the struggle would also be welcome to join the co-operative.But he said the committee was pushing for financial compensation for former Plan fighters only.A spokesman for the Committee on the Welfare of Ex-Combatants, Alex Kamwi, said yesterday that this was in response to mediation efforts by the Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN), through Lutheran Bishop Zephania Kameeta.Earlier this month, Bishop Kameeta persuaded the group to call off a planned march through Windhoek, offering to act as mediator between them and Government.Kameeta told The Namibian yesterday that he had discussed the matter with the CCN, and the church council agreed to take over the responsibility for the mediation from him in his personal capacity.The Bishop said the CCN held a meeting with Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange last week, and the ruling party indicated it was working on a “comprehensive plan” on the war veteran issue.The party requested patience from the CCN and the former combatants, Kameeta said.In the meantime, Kameeta says, the church council has appealed to the veterans to take control of their own destinies by starting businesses based on the skills taught to them during the service in the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan).”They didn’t just learn fighting.We’ve discovered that some have acquired skills as carpenters, others know judo and karate, some are cooks,” Kameeta said.Kamwi told The Namibian that his committee agreed to this idea, and that members are now listing their skills on a central register.He said the committee was forming an association within which individual business could be registered, and which would make a contribution towards taking care of war veterans who were too old, sick or disabled to work for themselves.Kamwi said former SWATF and Koevoet members who fought against Swapo during the struggle would also be welcome to join the co-operative.But he said the committee was pushing for financial compensation for former Plan fighters only.