Youth leagues have mixed feelings on ‘struggle kids’

OPPOSITION party youth leagues have finally pronounced themselves on the ‘children of the liberation struggle’, reflecting a mix of opinions on the demonstrators who have been demanding for the past 10 months that Government provide them jobs, education, and training.

Nudo broke the ice at a press conference on Wednesday, when it ‘dismissed the so-called liberation struggle kids for demanding jobs from Government without applying, but by demonstration’.The Nudo Youth League Secretary for the Khomas Region, Pro-Laste Ngueumenga, said that ‘they [the protesters] must know that our Government was not formed by a certain political party but by multi-political parties, meaning we as youth from different political parties must respect the law.’ He added that as per the Namibian Constitution, ‘we are all equal before the law’.Ngueumenga also questioned why the ‘struggle children were not applying for the youth training programmes of the National Youth Service, and criticised those who had jobs or were recruited by the Defence Force and Police Force, but have ‘run away because of their behaviour’.’We got freedom for our country under Resolution 435, meaning reconciliation to accept one another as Namibian people, not to say ‘I liberated this country’. Also we must know that freedom goes with responsibility,’ Ngueumenga said.In line with Nudo’s sentiments, the Secretary General of the CoD youth wing the Young Democrats, Kalimbo Iipumbu, said that the actions of the group were unacceptable.’We are against the way they are going on. We all, as citizens of Namibia, regardless of whether we were born outside [in exile] or inside [the country], need to be treated the same,’ he said.He added that ‘while the unemployment rates in Namibia are exceptionally high, the way they go on is not the solution,’ adding that Government’s addressing of the unemployment problem should not simply be governed by ongoing demonstrations, but should be in line with national policies.Iipumbu also expressed surprise that the ‘children’ are now demonstrating at Swapo party offices in different parts of the country.Also sceptical about the new location of the demonstrations was the RDP Youth League’s deputy Secretary General, Sam Hamunyela.’If they are demanding jobs and education from Government, why are they at the Swapo headquarters?’ Hamunyela questioned.’If Swapo was not the ruling party, where would they demonstrate?’Contrary to Iipumbu and Ngueumenga, however, Hamunyela said that the demonstrating youth should have their needs addressed, but on a case-by-case basis, and with a need to look at the bigger picture.’Looking at the general unemployment situation, Government has failed to provide jobs to the youth. But this starts with the Ministry of Education, who are failing the nation, and have left thousands of youth on the streets.’Hamunyela added that ‘there are some that still have a chance’, and said that Government ‘should make thorough investigations into what they are able to do.’Swanu Youth League SG Simeon Angombe expressed mixed feelings about the ‘struggle kids’.’Personally, and as an organisation, we feel for them in that somehow they have been left out,’ he said, but added that ‘I am in agreement with Pendukeni Ithana (Swapo Party SG) in that national projects are underway, and that they should be patient, and that they are not special’.Angombe added that the group are right to make demands, but said that such demands should come from the whole nation, and not just the select ‘struggle’ few.’Youth make up about 55 per cent of the country’s population. We can’t come up with projects only for that group. Projects that are initiated should serve both them and the whole nation.’Angombe also cautioned that focusing on the demands of only one group would result in other demonstrations – a notion shared by RDP Youth League SG, Malumbano Sibuku, who said that ‘if Government doesn’t look into other alternatives to address these issues, it could face more demonstrations by the born-free and people born in the country who also contributed to the liberation struggle.’Also critical of government was the APP, which does not yet have a youth representative, but whose Information Secretary, Agapitus Hausiku, provided the party’s perspective.Hausiku said that the lack of political will from the Swapo Party and the Swapo Party Youth League to take a stand on the matter was in itself problematic, stating that 19 years after Independence, the matter should have been put to rest already.He criticised the ‘certain individuals’ in the Swapo party for ‘living a lavish life while the majority of those who fought for the country’s liberation continue to live in poverty’.Regarding the ongoing demonstration, Hausiku said: ‘I can’t blame them for demonstrating. There’s nothing wrong with demanding justice, but we won’t condone unruly behaviour. It is their democratic right to demonstrate, but that doesn’t mean that this right should interfere with the daily lives of other Namibians’, alluding to the demonstrators’ 80-day protest outside the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs last year, and their blocking of the Okandjengedi Bridge in Oshakati recently.He also cautioned that in attending to the issue of youth unemployment and education, Government should not look at the ‘children of the liberation struggle’ exclusively, but address the problem on a national scale, ‘because the majority of Namibian youth are facing the same problems’.The DTA Youth League declined to comment on the subject; the Monitor Action Group (MAG) does not have a youth league; and attempts to reach the Republican Party and the UDF proved futile.nangula@namibian.com.na