Thread: Yet another RDP siege

NSHR - A highly provocative mob of Swapo Party supporters this morning laid yet another siege to Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) campaigners this time around at the town of Grootfontein in the Otjozondjupa Region, human rights monitors said this morning.

The drama started at round 11h00 at the Single Quarters at the town after a mob of approximately 100 Oshiwambo-speaking Swapo Party supporters angrily charged at RDP activists under the leadership Martha “Kaptein” Hendjala (47)

A defiant Hendjala--who is RDP Women’s League Secretary for Information and Mobilization for the Khomas Region--confirmed the incident to NSHR this morning. She explained that the Swapo Party supporters had seized several RDP electoral campaign posters and they broke an RDP table. Hendjala threatened to lay criminal charges of malicious destruction of property against the Swapo Party. The Swapo Party group hurled insults and other incendiary epithets at the RDP group and sang in Oshiwambo vernacular that:

“You the dogs of Hidipo are confused and cannot see. If you were at the Eenhana and Omuthiya elections you would have surrendered yourselves to the Swapo Party. You will sh**t as you will never win these elections. This is a no-go area for the Swapo Party.”

The mob, which is mainly consisted of people from Omusati Region also said: “Omalandwambongo ne ka puleni Botha kutya aantu ihaya kampeina momagumbo.” (Oshiwambo vernacular for: ‘You traitors, learn from [late former South African President PW] Botha that house-to-house campaigns are prohibited’)

Human rights monitors said that at approximately 12h30 a platoon of 20 Namibian Police officers tried to maintain law and order but they were pushed away by Swapo Party supporters.

“As human rights monitors we are increasingly becoming concerned that situation is spiraling into political violence. We wish to warn that, unless drastic measures are instituted, this state of affairs of Swapo Party attacks upon even Police officers might signal a gradual breakdown of not only law and order but it might also usher into Zimbabwe-ZANU PF-style political violence”, said NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh this afternoon.

Once again, NSHR is calling upon the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to express itself on the spate electoral violence and provocations in the country.

In case of additional comment, please call Steven Mvula or Phil ya Nangoloh at Tel: 061 236 183 or 061 253 447 (office hours) or Cell: +264 811 299 886 (Phil) or E-mail: nshr@nshr.org.na or visit: Namibia's National Human Rights Organisation