Thread: Yet another anti "Radopa" violence reported

Barely 2 hours after its Press Release of late yesterday, NSHR received yet another report of violence allegedly committed by a ruling Swapo Party activist and directed against a Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) member. Human rights monitors in the Ohangwena Region last night reported that a male Swapo Party activist, whose name is made known, had brutally assaulted RDP activist Wilhelm Lukas (24) two days ago.


The incident occurred at around 19h30 on October 13 2009 at the Ekango Cucashops, some 60 kilometers south west of the town of Eenhana. The town is the regional capital of the Ohangwena Region.

Lukas, who is a resident of Epoli village, told field human rights election monitors that, shortly before kicking him all over the body and assaulting him with a fist on his left eye (see color pictures attached or visit Namibia's National Human Rights Organisation), the accused inter alia branded him “a traitor”.

The violent acts and other systematic conduct by Swapo Party members are compatible with, and or are a mirror image of, the recently widely reported direct and public incitement to commit violence as well as other anti-Opposition hate expression by top-ranking Swapo Party leaders. In recent weeks and days, high-ranking Swapo Party, such as former Swapo Party President Dr. Sam Nujoma, Swapo Party Secretary General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, Swapo Party Secretary for Information and Political Mobilization Jerry Ekandjo as well as Swapo Party Oshikoto Region Coordinator Armas Amukwayu, have intensified hate expression and other forms of intimidation against Opposition parties and their supporters.

During her inherently furtive visit to President Robert Mugabe last Thursday, firebrand Swapo Party Secretary General Mme Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, following secret talks with President Mugabe, accused Western countries of “creating reactionary political parties in futile attempts to dislodge liberation movements in Southern Africa from power and replace them with puppet regimes”. Added Mme Iivula-Ithana: “Western imperialists are looking at a formula to eliminate former liberation movements from power. We need to learn through every experience we have gone through."

“Hence, naturally we remain very much concerned that, put together, these anti-democratic hate expressions and hate crimes constitute legally impermissible acts of intimidation, incitement to violence and or undue influences, the combined effect of which is intended to influence the final outcome of the electoral process, as contemplated by Section 95 of the Electoral Act 1992 (Act 24 of 1992), as amended. It is like the fruits of a poisonous tree”, warned NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh this morning.
The continued elections-related intolerance violence and other acts of intimidation and incitements are viewed as strongly implying that the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has so far failed to cultivate a genuine culture of human rights, national reconciliation and political tolerance as well as informed democratic participation in the electoral process. In terms of Section 4(1) of the Electoral Act 1992 (Act 24 of 1992), ECN is exclusively authorized to direct, supervise and control in a fair, impartial and transparent manner any elections in the country.

“However, ECN has yet to lift a finger and or utter a word against the acts of violence and hate speech which have been receiving widespread media coverage since the beginning of 2008. Thus we have reasonable fear and we warn that these pre-election acts, plus the said failure by ECN, might jeopardize human peace and security in the country”, ya Nangoloh lamented.

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