War vets’ blessing denied

WINDHOEK – The Swapo Party Elders Council has distanced itself from remarks by the war veterans committee that the Swapo wing had given its blessing to the committee’s resolutions.

A statement by Kanana Hishoono, Secretary of Swapo Party Elders Council, issued on Friday said: “What [the] Swapo Party Elders Council is denying is that the committee’s resolutions have the blessing of [the] Swapo Party Elders Council. Let it be categorically clear to the committee and all those who might harbour similar sentiments that [the] Swapo Party Elders Council does not know the Committee on the Welfare of Ex-Plan Combatants and does not prescribe to that committee’s resolutions.”Hishoono was reacting to an article which appeared in a local daily newspaper on July 27, which stated that “The committee resolutions were not new, as they apparently had the blessing of the Council which proposed a scheme in a document titled ‘Swapo Party Elders Council Comments on the Technical Committee on former Robben Island Prisoners and Long-serving Ex-Plan Combatants.’ In the document suggestions were made to compensate all ex-combatants.”Hishoono strongly denied claims that the war veterans committee had the blessing of his wing.He said the Swapo Party Elders Council document referred to contained the wing’s comments on the draft report of the Technical Committee on Former Robben Island and War Veterans, set up by the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development.Minister John Pandeni was mandated to examine the housing situation of former Robben Island prisoners, war veterans of the liberation struggle and nationals who had been made homeless by the colonial forces.Hishoono said the report of the Government technical committee was still being compiled before its final draft would be presented to Pandeni for submission to Cabinet.Last month, the committee of war veterans and ex-combatants demanded a lump sum payment, an extension of their retirement age as well as free education for their children from the Government.The demands were dismissed by Swapo Party president Sam Nujoma and President Hifikepunye Pohamba.NampaLet it be categorically clear to the committee and all those who might harbour similar sentiments that [the] Swapo Party Elders Council does not know the Committee on the Welfare of Ex-Plan Combatants and does not prescribe to that committee’s resolutions.”Hishoono was reacting to an article which appeared in a local daily newspaper on July 27, which stated that “The committee resolutions were not new, as they apparently had the blessing of the Council which proposed a scheme in a document titled ‘Swapo Party Elders Council Comments on the Technical Committee on former Robben Island Prisoners and Long-serving Ex-Plan Combatants.’ In the document suggestions were made to compensate all ex-combatants.”Hishoono strongly denied claims that the war veterans committee had the blessing of his wing.He said the Swapo Party Elders Council document referred to contained the wing’s comments on the draft report of the Technical Committee on Former Robben Island and War Veterans, set up by the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development.Minister John Pandeni was mandated to examine the housing situation of former Robben Island prisoners, war veterans of the liberation struggle and nationals who had been made homeless by the colonial forces.Hishoono said the report of the Government technical committee was still being compiled before its final draft would be presented to Pandeni for submission to Cabinet.Last month, the committee of war veterans and ex-combatants demanded a lump sum payment, an extension of their retirement age as well as free education for their children from the Government.The demands were dismissed by Swapo Party president Sam Nujoma and President Hifikepunye Pohamba.Nampa